[Reader-list] MUSLIMS WANTS TO MOVE AHEAD

[Rakesh Iyer]

Dear Malik ji

For 1), I would say that just because my definition of development is
different from you, doesn't mean yours is right. Many people supported
Hitler also, yet he was wrong. Similarly, there can be different definitions
of development. And what I gave was not my definition. It is how Amartya Sen
and the UN itself defines it.

So if you believe development doesn't include law and order aspects, that's
your problem or perception. For me, it does. For some it doesn't. And
therefore my criticism of Modi is as valid as your support of him.

And if your definition isn't right or wrong, same is the case for me.

For 2), my fear of Modi is about his ideology. I hardly bother about Modi
the person (whether he is married or not, whether he has sons or daughters,
whether he does yoga or not, or whether he is mentally healthy or not). For
me, it's about what he has done.

Also, I mentioned a thing clearly in my previous mail. Everybody talks about
physical and financial development in Gujarat. Why don't we talk in terms of
facts? Wouldn't that be helpful? Why just selective examples? After all it's
strange that when the Congress makes a Muslim the CM it's an act of
appeasement but when the BJP makes Muslim some DGP of a state or something,
it's not. How come?

Also, I would not like to sacrifice one aspect of development for the other.
In any case, I would not comment on these aspects of development till I
myself read more on the issue. In that regard, I accept my ignorance (and
here I don't mean the newspaper reports which are put out in this forum to
show he has done well). I would rather read some research on the issue.

3) It's a shame if someone has to retract his views. If Maulana has done so
(and I sincerely apologize since I didn't know he has done), it's a shame.
Just because we dont' believe in something doesn't give the right to us to
stop him from airing the views or making that person change his/her views.

That's the attitude of the Bajrang Dal, the VHP, and their cohorts among the
Muslim and Christian and other communities. I frankly don't subscribe to
it.

Rakesh

On Mon, Jan 31, 2011 at 1:13 AM, A.K. Malik <akmalik45 at yahoo.com> wrote:

> Dear Mr Rakesh,
>                             My cross-comments:
> 1. Development in any State is the physical attribute like roads, bridges,
> electricity, housing and never includes security aspects which comes under
> Law and Order attributes. You can have your definition and are free to
> include not only 2002 era but even Satyug era. A word either has a meaning
> as defined or as  colloquially understood. So you can't justify your view in
> the garb of an inclusive definition which doesn't exist.You are surely
> entitled to have a different perception than what others have.
> 2. I have not talked about Modi but your Modiphobia has forced you to
> defame Modi as a CM and as a persecutor of miniorities.Please note
> Development is not Modi and vice-versa.You are surely entitleted to have
> your views on Modi. You are free to do Modi bashing whether right or wrong
> and nobody can do much about it. Please don't deny the facts of physical and
> financial development in Gujarat just because Modi is the CM.
> 3. Just tell me why Maulana had to retract his views on development and you
> still stick to yours? I think it is not because Maulana was right or wrong
> and you are right but something different.Perhaps you are very well aware
> but would not come out with.
>  Regards,
> (A.K.MALIK)
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
> *From:* Rakesh Iyer <rakesh.rnbdj at gmail.com>
> *To:* A.K. Malik <akmalik45 at yahoo.com>
> *Cc:* Bipin Trivedi <aliens at dataone.in>; Sarai List <reader-list at sarai.net
> >
> *Sent:* Sun, January 30, 2011 12:27:04 PM
> *Subject:* Re: [Reader-list] MUSLIMS WANTS TO MOVE AHEAD
>
> Dear Malik jee
>
> I want to make three arguments about what you want to say:
>
> 1) When anybody talks about development of Gujarat, I do bring 2002 in
> perspective because that in a way is also related to development. When the
> BJP or Modi tries to make it seem that security is a question related to but
> separate from development, I disagree. Security is very much a part of
> development (integral part), since for me security enhances freedoms. But
> security from the fear of Muslims going to kill Hindus or vice versa is also
> important. And on that front, I don't believe Gujarat has changed much from
> when he took over or at least since 2002.
>
> On the other hand, I am not a fan of big dams which will displace people.
> His support of the Sardar Sarovar dam project is something I can't accept.
> So also his idea of these huge summits where land is literally being given
> to industrialists for a petty amount and then people are asked to leave, as
> the Nirma project brought forward.
>
> There are sectors where Gujarat seems to be the shining light. Agriculture
> is one such thing. But is it shining? And will its fallouts be good? I don't
> know. That I accept.
>
> And for Modi being a great CM, I would say give him Bihar or any other
> state like Maharashtra also. Let us see what he does there.
>
> 2) It's not Modiphobia. It's Hindutva-phobia. On that I very much agree.
> It's a phobia of the kind of world being created where minorities have to
> live on the goodwill of the majority, probably to the detriment of their own
> rights and liberties which they should enjoy as human beings. It's a phobia
> of the ideology which supposedly puts Hindus on a higher pedestal than
> others, even though all of us are human beings. It's a phobia of making some
> seem patriotic and others seem as enemies, when they may not be so.
>
> It's a complete caricature of the belief in Hinduism, and instead tries to
> make it seem like a Western religious model of Christianity or the barbaric
> model of Islam which it wants to imitate, having one God and one religious
> book and subscribing to just one view and all that.
>
> That is something I am completely against. And I would rather have that
> phobia. It's something Modi represents as an ideology, though how much he
> believes in it is for him alone to decide.
>
> Of course, that does not in any way mean support of the Congress. That
> party is equally to blame for the rise of the BJP. And that is what happens
> when people tend to pander to extremism rather than sticking to centrist
> views. What the RSS could not ever do, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi
> successfully did: make BJP the major opposition party of Congress.
> Congratulations to them on that!
>
> 3) Maulana has his view and so do others. To criticize either of them for
> having just views like that which are not like yours, without any basis, is
> wrong. Maulana has his view and his justification and so do those
> criticizing him.
>
> I think it's just more important to be on the side of facts though. I don't
> think Maulana or his detractors have facts put out won whether Muslims have
> also come ahead under his regime or not. Of course, what happened in 2002
> should be a shame for Modi also, in my view (though whether he feels it or
> not, I don't know again). And it can't be about just one Gandhinagar or one
> Kalol or one Chamanpura.
>
> It has to be about entirety of Muslims since 2002. That has to be the
> issue. I hope the Census 2011 figures give some indication.
>
> Rakesh
>
>
>
>