Ordinary Indians, Ordinary Pakistanis & Ethical Democracy

Calling All Pakistanis


By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN
Published: December 2, 2008

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/03/opinion/03friedman.html

See my comment #92
Dear Mr. Friedman:
It is regrettable that you describe the BJP as "nationalist."
Is it "nationalist" to divide and even conduct pogroms against communities, Christian, Hindu, Muslim, even immigrants into Mumbai, from other Indian states, who share subcontinental history and tradition? No, the BJP and its affiliate the RSS (whose member assassinated Gandhi) pose a grave domestic threat to Indian democracy. No they claim to be nationalists and you are buying into their self-promotion by ascribing nationalist aspiration to them. Deeds speak louder than words.

On your major point about the need for ethical protest by ordinary persons, I agree with you. But I would not put the onus only on the ordinary persons of Pakistan, as you do.

Perhaps the U.S. State Department could use some ethical introspection for its meddling in Pakistan since the Dulles era?

Ordinary Indians including myself have responsibility in maintaining our unprecedented democracy. Ordinary Indians must persevere in rejecting the BJP and other divisive political elements. Ordinary Indians must speak out against Indian army atrocities in Kashmir.

The heartrending wails of little Moishe Holtzberg at the funeral ceremony of his slain parents (whose only crime was that they cherished their faith their family and and their community), should be enough to soften ALL our words and our actions at every step in the current tragic situation.

Sadly, it will not. But we can work towards such an ethical moment in South Asia.

Chithra KarunaKaran
Ethical Democracy As Lived Practice
http://www.EthicalDemocracy.Blogspot.com
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Ethical Democracy in Action

Subject: Consul-General in New York City Violates Spirit of Gandhiji's Birth Anniversary October 2, 2007

Responsible/ethical free speech was my objective at this event.
Best,
Dr. Chithra KarunaKaran

City University of New York (CUNY)

Date: Oct 3, 2007 6:10 AM

The following is a complaint against the Consul General of India in New York city, Ms. Neelam Deo and her press colleague Dr. Neena Malhotra.

The central point of my complaint is that the Consul General of India participated in an event *which they appropriately sponsored * but was politicized as an electioneering gimmick by the BJP/RSS. The consul general demonstrated her ineptness in handling the public demands of her office. Dr. Malhotra was even worse. She sided with the BJP/RSS demonstrators. She appears to be a BJP/RSS sympathizer instead of remaining politically neutral and demanding that the BJP/RSS put away their politically motivated electioneering placards at an event commemorating Gandhiji's birth.

What could the Consul and her press colleague have said and done? Let me provide a possible script for the Consul:

"My Dear Participants. Today is the Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. It is a celebration of his life and a remembrance of his work. It is not a partisan or political event. I will not address this meeting unless and until we are assembled here as a group to pay homage and respect to the memory of Mahatma Gandhi. Thank you for lowering your political party placards and putting them away. I will now proceed."

I was a witness to the event which took place in New York City on October 2, 2007 Gandhiji's birthday. On that day the consul general gave a speech at the Gandhi's statue in Union Square Park. I was present throughout the event.

IT WAS GANDHI'S BIRTH ANNIVERSARY, not a partisan political campaign event. The electioneering of the BJP/RSS and the fumbling ineptness of the consul general and her colleague dishonored this event in Gandhiji's inspiring memory.

THE BJP/RSS members attended and demonstrated at the function with party placards and politicized the event. They carried and held up placards which called for Sonia Gandhi to "Quit India."

Members of the group sported and distributed cotton tees with Gandhi's image on the front and the electioneering message with Sonia's name on the back, demanding that she "Quit India." (!)

The Indian consulate appropriately sponsored the event. But Ms. Deo and Dr. Malhotra made no attempt to request the BJP to remove their party placards at Gandhiji's birth anniversary event. In fact, Dr. Malhotra sided with the BJP/RSS. The media took pictures of the event showing the BJP/RSS holding up their party placards naming Sonia and demanding she "Quit India" on Gandhiji's birth anniversary, while the consulate general spoke at the event.

It was a debasement of the historic call to the British to Quit India

I gave a TV interview to TV Asia at their invitation, condemning both the BJP/RSS and the consul- general and her press colleague for their actions at the event. I informed the onlookers and spectators that the BJP/RSS were like the KKK -- ethnofascists,racists, and murderers of vulnerable minoritites. Let us never forget that Nathuram Godse was an RSS man.

The consul general and her colleague and the BJP/RSS degraded and devalued Gandhiji's birth anniversary remembrance celebration by introducing and colluding (even if unwittingly or ineptly) in party politics at the event.

Gandhiji's birth anniversary is not an occasion for partisan electioneering. It was clearly not intended for the general public as a political event.

Onlookers were surprised and confused about the event.

Ms Deo demonstrated her ineptness at handling the public demands of her office which is service to the whole people and duly elected government of India.

Both Deo and Malhotra should be recalled and dismissed from the important NYC consulate-general's office.I expect to receive a reply apprising me of what steps you have taken on this matter.

These deplorable actions should not be repeated on October 2, 2008

Dr. Chithra Karunakaran

City University of New York CUNY)