[Reader-list] against continued repression of the people of Kashmir

[Rakesh Iyer]

Dear Rajendra jee

I am very happy to say that yes, I am talking about an idealized democracy
and an idealized state, for that is the ideal we should strive towards as
our goal and our efforts must be directed towards it.

I am highly depressed to see that you instead make a caricature and indulge
in over-simplification of arguments all the time. The entire idea seems to
be in jumping about on topics without a thorough understanding of any one of
them, and then one or the other member is criticized on frivolous counts. I
may be sermonizing on values about democracy, but I am no Arundhati Roy
(neither do I wish to be).

The most shameful aspect in all this is that people like you, instead of
realizing the true nature of the problem, start spending time and energy in
useless activities. When it comes to Naxalism, people like you on this forum
tend to attack human-right activists all the time. When it comes to this
azadi, you call us as anti-nationals.

By attacking me and Anupam, will Naxalism be solved? Will those who have
been forced to take up guns (to protect their own dignity) be so sad at the
fact that Anupam and Rakesh have been attacked (and the Arundhatis and the
Naipals and the Drezes and the Arunas and the Teestas and so on) that they
will stop indulging in violence? The Naxals in this nation don't derive
support from me or Anupam or anywhere; their support lies among those
tribals who have been at the receiving end of the high-handed development
policies of the Indian nation-state. We only say that you have the wrong
notions in mind about solving the problem, and you look at it the wrong way.
By attacking us, you are not going to solve the problem ever.

The same is the case for Kashmir. Instead of realizing that one can be
wrong, you keep on attacking members on this forum as anti-national. By
doing so, will the average Kashmiri stop coming out on the streets?

Instead of dubious strong-arm tactics which haven't rectified the feeling of
alienation among Kashmiris at all, it would be prudent to instead go for
reconciliation and accept the harsh reality (for the Indian state that is)
to call back armed forces and the CRPF jawans and all from Kashmir. Also,
remove the AFSPA as soon as possible to stop the human right violations.
This is not just because human rights are important, but this is  a powerful
argument even strategically.

Rakesh