[Reader-list] Shahidul Alam detained by Indian Border Security Force

[Ravi Agarwal]

Dear all,
Yes. even I do not think anyone has a clean chit to do anything one likes. I
also agree if someone like Rahgu Rai, did something stupid for equally
stupid reasons, there would be no reason to sympathize with him. That goes
for Shaidul Alam as well. However my plea is that we do not know this as
yet. My first reaction will not be to assume this, but would be to believe
given someone's track record that this is not the case. I would assume that
Raghu Rai had good reason to do what he was doing, and that by his work , we
all would gain. I believe in the first instance that about Shaidul Alam as
well, till I know better.

We obviously do not share the same perception about how security forces act,
whether in India, Bangladesh or the US or Mexico. Do you not think that we
as normal people, who are not part of the state, should be a little
skeptical about how those with power operate, not matter who they are? Is it
also not true that power has the capacity to take away the person's
individuality, and  a simple cop, a jawan, or even a media person can become
very 'non-human' with it?

I personally think it is healthy for me to be a little skeptical. I also
know of several instances where media  people obtained  information  by
sometimes crossing lines of various sorts. Many a scandal would not have
come to light if that was not so.

However as I said that lets wait to know the facts before we condemn
someone, and also lets agree to disagree on our broad perceptions of
security forces per se, which is not to say that they perform a very
important job, which I think they do.  It is fine if we have different views
on this and I do not think that these are two mutually exclusive views.

best
ravi

On Thu, Jun 18, 2009 at 2:31 PM, Pawan Durani <pawan.durani at gmail.com>wrote:

> Correct .... Even I was not aware who this guy was .
>
> Imagine Raghu Rai sneaking into US from Mexico to cover a story of illegal
> border crossing ...... getting caught ....and then US being criticised for
> arresting a photographer of repute.
>
> I can't stop laughing.
>
> Pawan
>
>
>
>
> On Thu, Jun 18, 2009 at 2:25 PM, A.K. Malik <akmalik45 at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>>
>> Dear Mr Agarwal,
>>                 Shahidul Alam may be a well known and
>> > fine photographer and artist, who has done much to support
>> > the cause of photography, but does it give him a license to cross over
>> to our border and you expect a poor BSF jawan to know him personally and not
>> arrest him because he is a well known photographer. Even I did not know
>> until the post that he was a well known photographer.Someone had written
>> that he was called over to our side and arrested as if the writer had been
>> seeing the entire episode.Media people get away with irregularities because
>> those supposed to take action get scared because they belong to media.Law is
>> law and is supposed to be faceless.Indian side is still very considerate.
>> However as per the current posts, Shahidul Alam has been released by our
>> Security forces showing a humane face and been arrested by BDR.
>> I had expressed my view in a very restrained and general way,no one should
>> have any objection to it,otherwise it is no use being a part of the
>> discussions.
>> Regards,
>>
>> (A.K.MALIK)
>>
>>
>> --- On Wed, 6/17/09, Ravi Agarwal <ravig64 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> > From: Ravi Agarwal <ravig64 at gmail.com>
>> > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Shahidul Alam detained by Indian Border
>> Security  Force
>> > To: "A.K. Malik" <akmalik45 at yahoo.com>
>> > Cc: "Rajendra Bhat Uppinangadi" <rajen786uppinangady at gmail.com>, "Sarai
>> List" <reader-list at sarai.net>
>> > Date: Wednesday, June 17, 2009, 3:54 PM
>> > Dear all,
>> >
>> > I am not aware of the details of the case, besides what I
>> > have read, but know that Shahidul Alam is a well known and
>> > fine photographer and artist, who has done much to support
>> > the cause of photography from a Southern perspective, though
>> > his organisation. His work is well known. I think that I
>> > would find it hard to beleive that he is doing something
>> > that needs him to be detained by any police.  Many years
>> > ago, I too unwittingly crossed the India Bangaldesh border
>> > without realising it.
>> >
>> >
>> > In any case, we should not use this as a volleying point of
>> > our politics, whatever they may be. We need to be restrained
>> > in talking about people we do not know, without knowing any
>> > details of specifics, and I believe any restraint of
>> > people's right to express and freely so, needs to be
>> > questioned and resisted, no matter what point of view they
>> > represent.
>> >
>> >
>> > There is a plea to protest his detention, and that is what
>> > needs to be engaged with, nothing else. If people do not
>> > support that, they do not have to.
>> >
>> > best
>> > ravi agarwal
>> >
>> > On Wed, Jun 17, 2009 at 1:42 PM,
>> > A.K. Malik <akmalik45 at yahoo.com>
>> > wrote:
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Dear Rajenji,
>> >
>> >               It is our perceptions which decide who
>> > is guilty and who is innocent. The entire para-military
>> > forces are dubbed rapists in Kashmir for a few stray
>> > incidents.It seems some of us are more concerned about Human
>> > Rights of Pakistanis,Bangladeshis than of our own
>> > countrymen.
>> >
>> >
>> > I do not know the complete facts of the case. If the BSF
>> > has really crossed over to Bangladesh and detained Shahidul
>> > Alam, then it is of concern. On the other hand if he has
>> > illegally crossed over to our side and then was detained,
>> > why anyone should bother unless it has been innocuous or
>> > beyond the control of the person concerned.
>> >
>> >
>> > Labelling the Border forces killers of innocent people
>> > without any proof is really doing injustice to those who are
>> > protecting our lives at the cost of their own lives.
>> >
>> > Regards,
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > (A.K.MALIK)
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
>>
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