[Reader-list] fwd:An Open Letter to Hon'ble Prime Minister

[Rakesh Iyer]

Dear Rajen jee

I think some of these answers have to be given, so let's give them, without
any personal attacks like some we had in the past:

1) On a larger note,yes, it's not necessary that just because some people
belonging to a political party believe in something, the political party
also believes in it. But in this case, this other side which does not
believe in it has also not come forward to at least say they don't believe
in it. And this is not about a group of people, but a political party.

What is also important is that it's the Sangh (RSS), the VHP and the Bajrang
Dal which opposes the celebration of the Valentine's Day. And the members of
these along with karyakartas who are mostly the members of the BJP as well.
That is why almost 70-80% of the cadre at least is considered to be
anti-minority and anti-westernization.

What do we do about that? This is not akin to the Congress party of the
1950's or even today, where different voices speak different perspectives
and yet a formal decision is taken. This is something else.

2) The second question is something which only those in investigation have
the conscious knowledge of, for everybody believes in them mostly, and it's
their responsibility to be ethical in their actions and belief.

3) The argument is fine. However, the CM can't be left alone in all cases,
especially if this is a one-off argument. I think there are two kinds of
arguments being raised against Modi.

First is the one that encounters are being used to target Muslims. This is
something which can only be proven by finding the no. of Muslims targetted
in encounters, and then comparing it with other states to find out if this
ratio is large or not. Then too, this is not the way to look about such
things. What has to be done is to look at the attitude towards such cases as
well.

Secondly, the argument is that this state has a high no. of encounters. In
this case of course, we need to look at whether the CM is responsible or
not, being the administrative head of the govt. I think this is an issue
which needs a discussion as well.

Also involved is whether the CM is involved in protecting those who indulge
in encounters. If that's the case, why leave him? Certainly not. We are not
going to. We shouldn't.

But these are perceptions. We should first ask the CM to respond to these
perceptions, but unfortunately, the Gujarati lion always hides when there is
no election time. It's only around elections that his courage, after
probably having gone away on a pilgrimage, returns back to take the enemies,
that too not in debates, but in public speeches. He knows very well that in
a debate, his fundaes would be thrown away to dogs, and that he would be
properly vanquished by someone intelligent and innovative in his debating
skills. (And I don't believe all politicians are fools, not to be able to do
so).

But then, jeva guru jeva chela (like guru, like his disciple, and Modi is
the disciple of Advani in this respect). When questions are asked, both run
away as if they are wrong-doers.

Even my own state CM is not like this. Probably Modi can learn good from
others as well to respond at least to such allegations himself and state
that he doesn't believe in such things.

4) In an objective reasoning, what I have looked at is freedom of
individuals and infringement on these as well by state and other
individuals. But freedom and will should not be mixed with each other. It
may be Modi's will that he has to have a good image, but it's not
necessarily his freedom (he has the freedom to think he should have a good
image, but not to impose it upon others so that all have to praise him). His
freedom is to work towards fulfilling the desire of having a good image,
without infringing upon the freedom of other individuals as well.

In the case of Afzal, I have already put posts on this group, and let people
reading it decide for themselves whether Afzal deserves death punishment or
not. The same has been done, I believe, for Modi too on this forum.

I am not going to ask people to change their views unnecessarily. But
hanging Afzal, or even Modi for that matter, for what they did
(perceivably), is not going to be a solution to the problem.

5) Certainly not. Deviants are deviants, and here we talk about crimes
hopefully. They should be punished. I don't think anybody on this forum has
said that Afzal should be left because he is a Muslim. Or that Modi be
hanged because he is a Hindu. It's a great disservice to the very meaning of
being a Hindu or a Muslim for oneself that people have to be hanged because
of their faith. Equally, it would be a great disservice to the faith by not
punishing someone for his/her crime just because he/she belongs to that
faith.

What needs to be done though is to set some standards and follow them. I
doubt we have done so in the case of say people like Afzal and Modi. But
then this is my perception. What can be said in generality is that fake
encounters are wrong and law must be followed.

On a case specific basis, we have to look at facts and then decide. Anyways,
I am not gunning for or wanting any personal fights here. Let's look at
things objectively. Even in my 1st point, the arguments are based on
research by Jyotirmaya Sharma upto an extent, the name being famous for its
research on Hindutva. Of course, people are free to castigate him or declare
him and me 'insane'.

Regards

Rakesh