[Reader-list] WHO IS AFRAID OF ARUNDHATI ROY?

SJabbar sonia.jabbar at gmail.com
Sun Oct 31 18:25:46 IST 2010 

Dear ARB,

I am not bereft of answers.  I simply don't know how to address your
aggression since reasoned argument never seems to work with you.  I had not
meant to shut you up with my gentle teasing of your name and once I realized
you were upset, I had apologized.  But the apology seems to hold little
meaning for you, which I find puzzling.

You say I don't hold the Indian state's actions to the same rigorous tests
that I put the Kashmiri leadership through.  I had asked you to clarify your
statement and that meant providing examples of what you consider to be my
'hypocrisy' or my 'soft' position on the Indian state.  But you don't come
back to this forum with proof but with further accusations,

You accuse me of an ever-changing stance.  Again, since this is a public
forum, I feel you need to back up your assertions with something a little
more substantive than offering me candy at the end of each exchange.  BTW, I
don't think it's a bad thing at all to change one's position or idea on
something.  Political situations are not static and it's down right silly to
remain wedded to an idea just because you happened to have thought it was a
good one to begin with.

Sincerely,
sj


On 31/10/10 3:19 PM, "Aditya Raj Baul" <adityarajbaul at gmail.com> wrote:

> Dear Inder Salim and TaraPrakash,

I was just showing Sonia Jabbar a piece of
> her own style. She had shut
me up in this cheap, condescending way when I
> simply asked her why she
was not holding the India's state's acts in Kashmir
> to the same
rigorous tests that she was putting the Kashmiri leadership to. I
> am
all for respectful disagreement and reasonable engagement and do not
wish
> to contribute to the prevalent culture of malevolent name-calling
on this
> esteemed list. I just wanted to show Sonia Jabbar, as an
aberration, the
> meaning of the Biblical saying, ''Do unto others as
you would have them do
> unto you'. The reference here, if you haven't
followed, is on another thread,
> where Sonia Jabbar was engaged in a
dialogue with Shuddhabrata Sengupta. I
> urge you to go through that
exchange again.

I apologise to you, Inder Salim
> and TaraPrakash, and to anyone else
for whom this left a bad taste in the
> mouth. But as regards with Sonia
Jabbar I think the purpose has been
> served.

Also, I'm not speaking out of anger, but out of amusement to see
> Sonia
Jabbar bereft of answers when the hypocrisy of her ever-changing
stance
> is exposed.

best regards,
Aditya Raj Baul

On Sat, Oct 30, 2010 at 10:22 PM,
> TaraPrakash <taraprakash at gmail.com> wrote:
> How many do you have to offer?
> How about using some to scratch the part of
> your body that starts itching
> when you hear Sonia's saner questions, you
> villain of "Father Son and Holy
> War?" If we go in to the nuances of your
> unsolicited offers it is worse
> suggestion than anyone made on Ms. Roy. And
> yet Gods haven't said a
> word.
>
> Isn't it true now that you get admonished only if you are espousing
> a
> different view, if you are throwing up the same stuff as entrenched you
> can
> get away with murder on this list?
>
> Please Sonia don't give up
> because of these rude nationalists and
> masculinist delinquents. We need a
> true perspective, not polluted by those
> who make money for speaking in favor
> of one of the 2 sides.
>
> You just asked a question and these men's backsides
> went on fire. Amazing.
>
> Sorry, but I can't stand those who can't stand the
> critique.
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Aditya Raj Baul"
>
> <adityarajbaul at gmail.com>
> To: "reader-list" <reader-list at sarai.net>
> Sent:
> Saturday, October 30, 2010 1:16 AM
> Subject: Re: [Reader-list] WHO IS AFRAID
> OF ARUNDHATI ROY?
>
>
>> awwww poor girl you never understand questions. would
> you like another
>> candy?
>>
>> On Sat, Oct 30, 2010 at 10:41 AM, SJabbar
> <sonia.jabbar at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> Dear Parvaiz,
>>> I don't understand
> your big question. Do you not make a distinction
>>> between
>>> the Kashmiri
> judiciary and the Indian judiciary, and between the IPC and
>>> the
>>> RPC?
> Please clarify.
>>> Sincerely,
>>> Sonia
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On 30/10/10 9:32 AM,
> "Parvaiz Bukhari" <parvaizbukhari at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Samvit this is a
> big question you must ask ypourself....why has the
>>>> indian
>>>
>>>
> judiciary failed to "perform" in Kashmir unlike
>>> elsewhere in the
>>>>
>>>>
> examples u give? Or, you are saying the judiciary is also
>>>
>>> run by
> the
>>>>
>>>> separatists?
>>>
>>> On 30 October 2010 09:19, Samvit
> <samvitr at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>>
>>>> Parvaiz,
>>>> The fact of the matter
> is that Indian media does not parrot the
>>>> language of
>>>> the fanatics
> (either hindu or muslim) unlike the "Greater
>>>> Kashmirs" of the
>>>> Valley
> where the word Pandit is an anathema. Try and pick
>>>> up any magazine
> or
>>>> newspaper from the Valley and all they do it glorify
>>>>
>>>>
> separatism/terrorism/extremism. It seems they have become the new towers
>>>>
> of
>>>>
>>>> capitalistic Kashmir where money is the opium of the "classes".
> Selling
>>>> a
>>>>
>>>> newspaper is as good as selling a toothbrush.
>>>>
> Indian judiciary, over the
>>>> years has done a good (if not excellent) job
> and
>>>> convicted people in all
>>>> kinds of crimes. An example being the
> case against
>>>> the former Gujarat Home
>>>> Minister Amit Shah. In Kashmir
> not a single case
>>>> against the Pandits has
>>>> seen the light of the day.
> Bitta Karata is out in
>>>> the open. Perhaps you
>>>> should have written a
> piece about him. So ironical you
>>>> talk about
>>>> "surviving".
>>>>
>>>>
> Here, the opressor is trying to prove that he is the
>>>> oppressed.
>>>>
>>>>
> People may write an epic of Gilgamish in Arundhati's honor but
>>>> then it
> will
>>>> be as slanderous as the courteisns who used to call Aurangzeb-
>>>>
> "Oh, king of
>>>> kings, oh pinnacle of the mercy........."
>>>>
> -Samvit
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On
>>>> Sat, Oct 30, 2010 at 8:31 AM, Parvaiz Bukhari
> <parvaizbukhari at gmail.com
>>>> >
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Anxiously waiting for
> the fear to spread more so that more may
>>>>
>>>> survive
>>>>>
>>>>> Indian
> politicians, media and the court historians of the
>>>>
>>>>
> day...
>>>>>
>>>>> On 30 October 2010 05:46, Pheeta Ram
> <pheeta.ram at gmail.com>
>>>>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> > Some people on this list
> are afraid of 'Arundhati Roy - the
>>>>
>>>> joke' ( BTW,
>>>>>
>>>>> a
>>>>>
> > joke is not a joke) because they are afraid of laughing
>>>>
>>>> for
> obvious
>>>>>
>>>>> > reasons:
>>>>> >
>>>>> > a) they are afraid because some
> other
>>>>
>>>> people simply love her and are not
>>>>>
>>>>> > afraid to
> confess that
>>>>> > b) they
>>>>
>>>> are afraid because she used to visit
> some upper-class gym in
>>>>>
>>>>> skimpy
>>>>> >
>>>>
>>>>
> clothing
>>>>>
>>>>> > c) they are afraid because she married twice and is
> finally
>>>>
>>>> officially
>>>>>
>>>>> > single
>>>>> > d) they are afraid
> because she supports maoists
>>>>
>>>> and for them maoist is a
>>>>>
>>>>> >
> term of abuse
>>>>> > e) they are afraid because
>>>>
>>>> she supports the
> Aazadi of Kashmiri people
>>>>>
>>>>> from
>>>>> > the repressive
> Indian
>>>>
>>>> state
>>>>>
>>>>> > f) they are afraid because she writes
> bewitchingly beautiful prose
>>>>
>>>> for
>>>>>
>>>>> > subversive,
> anti-national purposes
>>>>> > g) they are afraid because
>>>>
>>>> they think
> she is publicity hungry
>>>>>
>>>>> > h) they are afraid because she is
> some
>>>>
>>>> day certainly going to win the
>>>>>
>>>>> Nobel
>>>>> >
> Prize
>>>>> > i) they are afraid
>>>>
>>>> because she is simply beautiful in
> those curly hair
>>>>>
>>>>> and
>>>>> > that mellow
>>>>
>>>> childlike
> voice; and those mesmerizingly wondrous eyes which
>>>>>
>>>>> > are
>>>>> >
> not
>>>>
>>>> afraid to sing for you the serenades of freedom
>>>>>
>>>>> > j)
> they are afraid
>>>>
>>>> because they cannot NOTREAD what she writes in a
> 32
>>>>>
>>>>> page
>>>>> > long essay
>>>>
>>>> after walking with the
> comrades in the jungles of Dantewada
>>>>>
>>>>> > k) they are
>>>>
>>>>
> afraid because the Indian state is now terribly scared of
>>>>>
>>>>> >
> putting her in
>>>>
>>>> jail for that shall certainly fetch her the Nobel
> Prize
>>>>>
>>>>> and
>>>>> > win
>>>>
>>>> Kashmir the Aazadi
>>>>>
>>>>> >
> l) they are afraid because she shared dais with SASG
>>>>
>>>> and made
> him
>>>>>
>>>>> realize
>>>>> > that Kashmiris are not alone in their
> struggle
>>>>
>>>> and also that Kashmiris
>>>>>
>>>>> also
>>>>> > need to
> know that there is a wider world
>>>>
>>>> surrounding them that is
> also
>>>>>
>>>>> > struggling and that they need to
>>>>
>>>> acknowledge it
> and support it; and that
>>>>>
>>>>> > the
>>>>> > Kashmiris have
> the
>>>>
>>>> histories of India and Pakistan ( both collective
> and
>>>>>
>>>>> > separate) before
>>>>
>>>> them to take strict lessons from,
> to fashion a
>>>>>
>>>>> > nation-state
>>>>> > that
>>>>
>>>> does justice to
> the sacrifices of the people who have fought, are
>>>>>
>>>>> >
>>>>
>>>>
> fighting and shall continue fighting for Kashmir; and that all
> struggles
>>>>>
>>>>> >
>>>>
>>>> against the tyrant are essentially
> connected
>>>>>
>>>>> > m)they are afraid because
>>>>
>>>> she hops from one
> issue to another ( Narmada
>>>>>
>>>>> > >>Maoists>>Kashmir>>which
>>>>
>>>>
> next?)
>>>>>
>>>>> > n) they are afraid because she goes against their
> normative
>>>>
>>>> definitions
>>>>>
>>>>> of
>>>>> > beauty and gender
>>>>>
> > o) they are afraid because 'even
>>>>
>>>> a rickshawala' is praising her
> saying
>>>>>
>>>>> that
>>>>> > she is a 'pseudo
>>>>
>>>> intellectual' (?)
> (Isn't it a pity that a rickshawala
>>>>>
>>>>> of
>>>>> > such a
>>>>
>>>>
> potential is not on the sarai list?).
>>>>>
>>>>> > p) they are afraid because
> the
>>>>
>>>> Indian media -the stooges of Indian state
>>>>>
>>>>> -
>>>>> >
> don't know what to do with
>>>>
>>>> her (even supremely articulate ones from
> the
>>>>>
>>>>> > media (like Karan Thapar)
>>>>
>>>> make an ass of
> themselves while interviewing
>>>>>
>>>>> her)
>>>>> > q) they are
> afraid
>>>>
>>>> because she spits on their faces and is not wee
> bit
>>>>>
>>>>> > apologetic about it
>>>>
>>>> because she knows that they
> deserve it and that its
>>>>>
>>>>> her
>>>>> > duty to do
>>>>
>>>>
> that
>>>>>
>>>>> > r) they are afraid because she is fast becoming a role
> model for
>>>>
>>>> the
>>>>>
>>>>> > beautiful, well-connected upper-class
> convent educated women who
>>>>
>>>> are
>>>>>
>>>>> > devouring her from
> cover to cover secretively like mills-and-boons
>>>>
>>>> even
>>>>>
>>>>>
> in
>>>>> > their bathrooms ( so that their businessmen fathers and
> social
>>>>
>>>> butterfly
>>>>>
>>>>> > mothers don't catch them reading her)
> and dreaming about being
>>>>
>>>> her in
>>>>>
>>>>> their
>>>>> > fantasy
> worlds (one of them confessed to me) ( in this
>>>>
>>>> manner
> the
>>>>>
>>>>> > phenomenon
>>>>> > called Arundhati becomes a past-master
> in
>>>>
>>>> reverse engineering)
>>>>>
>>>>> > s) they are afraid because she
> has made them realize
>>>>
>>>> that capitalism is
>>>>>
>>>>> > like
>>>>> >
> a deadly virus that shall one day surely eat
>>>>
>>>> itself away
>>>>>
>>>>>
> > t) they are afraid because she thinks with a beautiful heart
>>>>
>>>>
> (hence a
>>>>>
>>>>> > 'pseudo-intellectual')
>>>>> > u) they are afraid
> because she
>>>>
>>>> converts "aesthetics of deferral" ( one
>>>>>
>>>>> >
> scourge that afflicts most of the
>>>>
>>>> 'intellectuals' of todays world)
> into
>>>>>
>>>>> a
>>>>> > beautiful "aestheto-ethics of
>>>>
>>>> arrival",
> no mean feat i should say
>>>>>
>>>>> > v) they are afraid because
> they
>>>>
>>>> unconsciously compete with her and
>>>>>
>>>>> finding
>>>>> >
> her a sure winner are
>>>>
>>>> afraid to take the challenge
>>>>>
>>>>> > w)
> they are afraid because she challenges
>>>>
>>>> the very rationale of
> their
>>>>>
>>>>> being
>>>>> > and becoming
>>>>> > x) they are
> afraid
>>>>
>>>> because she happens to be a woman (like them)
>>>>>
>>>>> >
> y) they are afraid because
>>>>
>>>> the Indian state has done a beautiful job
> in
>>>>>
>>>>> > bringing them up on a steady
>>>>
>>>> diet of 'nationalist'
> propaganda through
>>>>>
>>>>> first
>>>>> > beginning with NCERT
>>>>
>>>>
> textbooks in brainwashing saloons called 'Schools'
>>>>>
>>>>> (
>>>>> > the
> reason behind
>>>>
>>>> the popularity of Bollywood and Cricket)
>>>>>
>>>>> >
> z) they are afraid because
>>>>
>>>> despite their manifest hate for her they
> have
>>>>>
>>>>> > serious doubts that some
>>>>
>>>> where down there they
> love her too.
>>>>>
>>>>> > ...
>>>>> >
>>>>> > BTW, who is afraid
> of
>>>>
>>>> what comes after Z? Jump the gun please.
>>>>>
>>>>> >
>>>>
>>>>
> _________________________________________
>>>>>
>>>>> > reader-list: an open
> discussion
>>>>
>>>> list on media and the city.
>>>>>
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>>>>
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>>>>
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>>>>>
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> archive:
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>>>>>
>>>>
> _________________________________________
>>>>>
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> discussion
>>>>
>>>> list on media and the city.
>>>>>
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> Collaborations
>>>>> To subscribe:
>>>>
>>>> send an email to
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>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
> --
>>>> Samvit
>>>> Rawal
>>>> 9422037853
>>>>
>>>>
> -----------------------------------------------------------
>>>> To err is
> human;
>>>> to forgive, infrequent.
>>>> - Franklin P.
>>>> Adams
>>>>
>>>
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>>
>>
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