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HOME | ABOUT US | Speaker | Americans Together | Videos | www.CenterforPluralism.com | Please note that the blog posts include my own articles plus selected articles critical to India's cohesive functioning. My articles are exclusively published at www.TheGhouseDiary.com You can send an email to: MikeGhouseforIndia@gmail.com
Friday, April 23, 2010
Tehelka column on The Indian Premier Leak
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Narendra Modi: Travails of Travel Abroad
Ram Puniyani
While law of the land is trying to catch up with the acts of commission and omission in the Gujarat carnage, another set of laws, the global ones have been very clear about permitting the entry of a person like Narendra Modi into their country.
Recently (April 8, 2010), a group of German MPs justified the denial of visa to Modi. They advocated a ban on his visiting Europe. This parliamentary delegation was on a two day visit to the city of Ahmedabad to study the state of minorities in Gujarat. It concluded that the European Union (EU) decision not to grant visa to him was justified. They went to the extent of banning his trip to Europe in near future. They pointed out that “the Chief Minister of Gujarat has a radical tone to his politics and is described as dictatorial. He has a wrong perception of religious freedom.” This four member team has been closely following developments in the Gujarat riot cases.
One member of delegation pointed out that he was shocked by parallels between Germany under Hitler and Gujarat under Modi. Incidentally in Gujarat school books Hitler has been glorified as a great nationalist. Modi, in response to this has written to Prime Minister to seek apology from the German delegation for tarnishing the image of democratically elected head of state. The Congress Government endorsed Modi’s view and clarified that the EU had put a ban on Modi’s visit in the aftermath of Gujarat carnage but that has been withdrawn. Also that it was not an official delegation. Whatever that be, the opinion of the members of the delegation does reflect a deeper truth of our political phenomenon.
That apart, this is not the first time that such a thing has happened. Modi was earlier denied visa to US. On March 18, 2005 in a severe rebuke to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, the United States denied him entry to America. US Consular division had taken a strong stand against Modi, the Hindutva icon. They denied him diplomatic visa apparently holding him responsible for communal carnage of 2002. In addition, his tourist/business visa which was already granted was revoked under a section of US Immigration and Nationality Act since he was not coming for a purpose that qualifies for a diplomatic visa. In response to the query that he was already holding a tourist-cum-business visa, the Consulate pointed out that the "existing tourist/business visa has been revoked under Section 212 (a) (2) (g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act." According this section any foreign government official who was responsible or "directly carried out, at any time, particularly severe violations of religions freedom" is denied the visa. The decision of US authorities was based on the observations of India's National Human Rights Commission findings and other independent Indian sources. The observation of German delegation raises one additional major point about the state of Gujarat being similar to that of Germany under Hitler. Who will know it better than Germans who have suffered the political tragedy of fascism for bad many years? Modi’s point that he is an elected person again matches so well with Hitler. One recalls, Hitler came to power through democratic means and then he gradually eroded liberal-democratic norms from inside to bring in worst type of fascist state. The parallels are unmistakable. There are some differences from German fascism here but all the same the basic phenomenon is the same. Fascism is a politics where the liberal democratic space is abolished in the name of targeting some section of society for the supposed cause of National interest. In case of Germany the process was accompanied by a cultural paradigm shift and political aggression against communists, then trade unionists and then the Jews. Millions of Jews were subjected to the gas chambers, one of the greatest tragedies of the human history of twentieth century.
The politics of Hitler, and his clone Mussolini was praised by M.S. Golwalkar the ideologue of RSS, the organization where Modi has been indoctrinated and trained. Golwalkar’s formulations of aggressive nationalism and relegating minorities to second-class citizenship are being actualized by Modi and company in different ways.
While the similarities with German case are so glaring, there are some differences as well. The German fascism began to take social roots after the economic crisis generated in the aftermath of First World War. The cultural offensive in the field of arts, music, literature and the ‘glorification of ancient past’ picked up rapidly. In one of the major assaults on democracy, the fire at Reichstag was attributed to having been done by Communists, and physical violence was unleashed against them. Analogies with Godhra train burning are unmistakable.
Here the ascendance of Modi comes on the background of the economic crisis of the decade of 1980s, the adverse effects of globalization picking up, the loss of jobs of the downtrodden due to closure of textile mills, the attacks on the dalits OBCs in the name of anti reservation riots. The cultural manipulation began with Ram Temple movement, and spreading of hate against minorities, Muslims first and then the Christians, who by now have been relegated to second class citizenship in Gujarat and some other states and the trend in other states is going in that direction.
While in Germany whole of the Nation came under the grip of fascism, the saving grace in India is that the electoral face of ‘Indian fascism’, BJP, has not been able to come to absolute majority in the center by itself. That’s not to say that fascism is not marching. In Germany the defeat of Germany in Second World War led to the collapse of the nation along with the edifice of fascism with the fascist-in-chief committing suicide. In India here it has gripped Gujarat in full, while in other states like Karnataka, Orissa, MP its presence is getting strengthened by and by. At national level though BJP might have faced two electoral debacles, the infiltration of fascist ideology through the pores of Indian democracy is going on in various ways. The phenomenon is creeping slowly though section of media, communalization of education, and infiltration of the followers of this ideology in different section of state. The gradual attempt to erode the liberal and plural values is a dangerous portent for democracy. Lt Col Prasad Shrikant Purohit’s alleged involvement in Malegon blast may just be the tip of the iceberg. The judicial pronouncements that ‘Gita should be our national book’ are also reflective of the same phenomenon.
Indian fascism is a slow growing one, capturing different aspects of society one by one. It is not for nothing that Modi is the darling of big capitalists, who stand to gain maximum from the fascist type set ups. One can label Indian phenomenon as a chronic fascism, going in a step ladder pattern. Those of us relived because of electoral debacles of BJP at center need to wake up and realize that fascism is marching, irrespective of BJP’s electoral debacle in last two general elections.
The incidental observation from German delegates report is that since Germany went through such a painful period of history, many Germans realize and can sense the symptoms of fascism so easily. Same applies to many Japanese joining anti-Nuke protests and campaigns against Nuclear weapons. Who knows better than them as to what a nuclear weapon can do to the society?
So while here in India the justice to Modi ilk is elusive, globally there are norms which do recognize the nature of incidents happening here, the politics which abuses religious identity to come to power is in essence a variant of fascism whatever be its other characteristics.
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Issues in Secular Politics
II April 2010
www.pluralindia.com
Response only to ram.puniyani@gmail.com
Friday, April 16, 2010
Dallas Indians - Friday, April 16, 2010
Several articles have been shared for posting and I am glad every one is adding the links.
If you get a chance read, whether you like it or not, express the reason for it and mostly certainly offer an acceptable solution to the common sense.
1. 1000 year old Hindu Temple Uncovered - Photos
2. Maligning Modi
3. Splendour of Chulukyas - Photos
4. Hyderabad communal riots
5. Maoists Forced Into Violence: Arundhati Roy
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Ancient Temple Uncovered - 1000 years old.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_1-3IC6X34&feature=related
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Maligning Modi
http://www.dailypioneer.com/248891/Maligning-Modi.html
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Badami, Karnataka - Splendor of Chalukyas
Check out these beautiful photos
http://picasaweb.google.com/karnataka.explored/Badami?feat=directlink
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Hyderabad communal riots: 272 arrested, 170 cases registered
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/Hyderabad-communal-riots-272-arrested-170-cases-registered-/articleshow/5785416.cms
Case booked against VHP leader
http://www.thehindu.com/2010/04/04/stories/2010040462700500.htm
Who was behind Hyderabad riots? Many rumors, no answer
http://www.twocircles.net/2010mar31/who_was_behind_hyderabad_riots_many_rumours_no_answer.html
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Maoists Forced Into Violence: Arundhati Roy
By Arundhati Roy Interiviewed By Sagarika Ghose
http://www.countercurrents.org/roy160410.htm
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You can write you comments here: Link
Friday, April 9, 2010
NYC Sikhs protest appearance of Indian minister they blame for Sikh Massa...
Justice is the most important element of a society, indeed peace and prosperity are the outcomes of justice in any given society.
We have to learn to see things in terms of human lives and not color them with ethnicity, religion, race, language or culture. We have to learn to see every Indian as Indian, and loss of one life should be treated as though it is the loss of everyone in the kutumbukum (Universe of Family). When someone is murdered, a group is massacred or the weak is oppressed, we all have to stand up together. Each one of us must do our part without keeping score on others.
The Sikh Massacres in Delhi, the purging of the Pandits from Kashmir, Burning of Godhra train, massacre of Muslims in Gujarat and the harassment of Christians in Orissa in Independent India must be treated in terms of a few bad Indians against the innocent many. We should see the long-term value in not blaming the victims, not to blame Christians, Muslims, Hindus or other, but blame the individuals behind it for the sake of creating good societies. By placing the blame on the culprits and instigators, we can restore justice and faith in governance, if we blame the religion, nothing happens as you cannot hang the religion, you cannot bury the religion or kill it; for God's sake it is intangible. No religion instigates one to do wrong and WE SHOULD NOT VALIDATE THE CLAIMS TO BLAME GROUPS OR RELIGIONS for the acts of the individuals as it does not produce any good.
The Holocaust and Genocides event that we held in January this year (www.HolocaustandGenocides.com) mentioned these atrocities relating to independent India along with all other atrocities. I am glad the Pain the Sikh community is being addressed now.
Here are two pieces shared by the South Asian Journalists Association and Khalid Azam, both are published stories.
What are your solutions – without blaming any group or religion?
Mike Ghouse is a frequent guest at the media offering pluralistic solutions to issues of the day. He is a thinker, writer, speaker, optimist and an activist of Pluralism, Interfaith, Co-existence, Peace, Islam, India and Civil Societies. His work is reflected at 3 websites & 22 Blogs listed at http://www.mikeghouse.net/
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NYC Sikhs protest appearance of Indian minister they blame for Sikh Massacre
http://www.wpix.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-us-nath-sikh-protest,0,4301760.story
MEGAN K. SCOTT
Associated Press Writer
> April 8 2010, 10:27 AM EDT
>
> NEW YORK (AP) — Several dozen Sikhs on Thursday protested a
> speech by an Indian minister who they say instigated mob riots in
> their country in 1984 that left more than 3,000 dead, most of them
> Sikhs.
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Thursday, April 8, 2010
India offers US $600 bn investment opp in infrastructure
Mike Ghouse
PTI - New Delhi, April 06, 2010 India on Tuesday asked US investors to participate in its $600 billion infrastructure programme in the next five years, even as America sought greater financial cooperation for bringing about global economic stability. Purnima Voria, Founder/CEO |