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October 22, 1998
SPECIALS
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How Readers reacted to Varsha Bhosle's recent columns
Date sent: Fri, 16 Oct 1998 10:21:45 +0530 It is good to see some writers who do not get carried away by the PC mania. You are right. Many times unsubstantiated allegations are made about noble sons of India without being questioned. The recent example will highlight this: In an article (in the edit page) in the Economic Times dated October 2, one T K Arun gave a rambling discourse on Article 356 etc. No problem. Then suddenly from nowhere he claims that Adi Sankara advised that molten lead be poured into ears of lower castes if they listen to the Vedas. I have read Sankara and I am an admirer of him. I wrote to ET about this and requested that the writer quote any original work of Sankara to substantiate his allegation. Otherwise, I felt that the paper and writer should apologise for the character assassination of one of the greatest sons of India. I got a letter from the editor-online, thanking me for reading their paper on the Net and hoping that I continue to do so. No word of regret etc. Now tell me, Varsha what am I to do? I am sure thousands of readers of this economic paper will treat it as gospel truth and continue to "quote" such profound findings. It may also be spread on a global basis. I don't think that in any other culture or civilisation such crude accusations against thinkers and philosophers can be made, and the paper or writer gets away with it. These are the tactics made by the so-called intellectuals of our country. Namely make an allegation and do not allow or permit it to be contested and then it becomes a maxim. Sad! Cry for my beloved country and I feel doubly sad and deeply hurt since I love Sankara and his philosophy. Unfortunately, I am also a god-fearing Hindu in this wretched land. Does it matter in this land of semi literate newspaper editors and calumny spreading columnists! Could they have got away with such unfounded allegations about thinkers of other cultures or civilisations? Varsha, what can I do? Just forget about it and carry on! Go to court! I really do not know.
Professor Vaidyanathan
Date sent: Thu, 15 Oct 1998 11:23:56 -0500 I agree with the analysis of the author. We are not recognising the real culprits by only blaming the Shiv Sena. I want to ask all 'secular' policy makers of India -- who gave birth to the Shiv Sena or Bajrang Dal? I blame you for their birth. They were born when the Government of India started giving huge aid to Islamic universities, concession for Haj yatras and politicising the Shah Bano case. Who did this? When Bal Thackeray says if the government can give special treatment for Haj, why not Amarnath and Kedarnath, believe me he has a point. The government should keep all religions at an arm's length. Yudhvir Singh
Date sent: Thu, 15 Oct 1998 11:28:36 +0300 I am really glad you are back and have given these people, peddling lies as secularism, an inimitable reply. You see the situation in India today is because of the weak-kneed journalists who toed the line of leaders (with of course you, Arun Shourie, Rajeev and Shenoy excepted). In India the most bigoted religion is secularism. It's anti-Hindu and pro-minority. If you claim to propagate Hinduism you are stupid, ignorant, an idol worshipping, uneducated bigot. If you are an Indian and a Hindu, and proclaim to be an Indian first and then a Hindu you are ignorant, illiterate, fascist; and if you proclaim to be a Muslim first and then an Indian, you are progressive and have the freedom to do so! Good work Varsha. Keep it up day after day and Varsha after Varsha (year after year)!
Date sent: Wed, 14 Oct 1998 18:36:25 -0500 Wish to know your comments on the rape of four nuns and its celebration by some Indians (read B L Sharma, his team of Sangh Parivar). Is this Barathiyam, our culture? Is it a big crime to show a backward Hindu (who is deprived of praying to god or entering temples) that he/she also has god to pray and a temple/church to worship. What Indian tradition does a Hindu show this world which an Indian Christian can't? Nobody raises an eyebrow in USA (I stay here) when a Christian here is converted to Hinduism.
Paul P Mallier
Date sent: Wed, 14 Oct 1998 12:46:38 -0700 Incredible response, makes the likes of me real proud. I wanted to say all that you did, but there was a difference. You said it better. On a lighter note: Are you planning to start a tutorial on this new language you write your columns in?
Sameer Kuppahalli
Date sent: Wed, 14 Oct 1998 11:55:02 -0700 (PDT) Unfortunately, your instincts got wrongly charged. Moreover, they continue to ravish in your unrelenting litany of religious abuse. By maintaining your right-wing attitude (and thereby appeasing the majority), you can continue to churn-out the venom responsible for your popularity. It is not Rediff's fault for making you a columnist, but of those who get stirred by your lopsided views, unable to distinguish the right from the wrong. Your rebuttal is nothing but a reincarnation of your perilous attitude. I will take this opportunity to rebut your rebuttal and expose your shallow thinking, your ability to twist facts, and mince words. In any case, Saamna is a party newspaper -- which *every* party publishes as a matter of policy. Why would it push another's ideology? Now, you call them "communal forces" -- but that happens to be your, and Justice Srikrishna's, subjective opinion. It isn't the belief of Hindutva voters in this democracy. And incidentally, do you happen to know the names of the newspapers of any of the Commie parties? How come? Why are *you* so sure that only your type knows the reality? You need to distinguish between ideology and call for war. Saamna continues to thrive on the latter. Using party propaganda to pitch religions against each other is illegal and non-secular in a democratic set-up. Moreover, why are you so sure that you know the reality? I, being a Bombayite, have experienced the riots, too. . . ... and what was your analysis Ms Bhosle? Nothing but a barrage of hatred and venom. Irrespective of the brains behind the chaos, the common man was the victim. Did you trek the gullies of Behrampada and Bharat Nagar and talk to the families of the burnt and killed -- nobody wanted/wants riots. "Oonchi manzil mein rehne wali, tumhe kya pata garibon ka dar." Indeed, your experience was different because you viewed the tamasha from your skyscraper protected by fences and guards. A 'couple' of havaldars...? But no matter. Point is, that they went on "a cleansing spree" or turned a blind eye to murdering Hindus, that are the questions in debate -- which your kind is not willing to accept as debate. If your foundation is coloured, the structure will naturally be tainted. Are you exempt from this? Alternatively, do you see black as black and white as white? I do not think so. Mr Sarpotdar's act of driving around in his vehicle with an army of Sainiks armed with hatyars is a classic example of a cleansing spree. Based on your assumptions, this is a goodwill act. Wake up, Ms Bhosle, your views are coloured. You tell me. According to moi, we should be chasing them into Pakistan instead of litigating against those who would have chased them. ... and allow the Thackerays, Swarajs, Advanis, M M Joshis, Sadhvis, to continue their atrocities in secular India.... ...Secondly, how have Hindus bullied Muslims? Did we invade Arabia? Have we prevented today's Mosies from attending secular schools or seeking employment? Most of them prefer to remain backward through their insistence on following Quranic ways... Shame on you Varsha. Explains your shallow thinking. Does this mean the dalits, harijans, and the underprivileged prefer the status quo because they follow a particular religion? What makes you different? Is it because you were born in a Maratha khandan? Casteism is a bye-product of Brahminical thinking. The knowledge based gradations leading to exploitation still continues. Unfortunately, many amongst the exploited happen to be Muslims. They embraced Islam because it promised respect. However, according to Bhosle, by adopting Islam, the Muslims adopted poverty- insanity personified! Finally, Ms Bhosle, you need to understand that others too are in love with their own righteousness. You too need to appreciate other's views. Stop looking at things from your own prism. Moreover, bias does lie in the eyes of the biased.
Date sent: Tue, 13 Oct 1998 22:14:37 -0400 It is an excellent article! It was very amusing, the way you have addressed each reader of yours who wrote a response to you. I guess this is the first time I'm seeing a columnist who believes in keeping a personal touch with his/her readers. Excellent idea! I was laughing my stomach out while reading your responses to their responses. Many of them were just lacking a back bone and many of them sounded "stupid". Especially the one who tries to give an example of two boys and a mummy. What logic or what type of similarity does this person see between two boys and two large communities in India, or is it that he/she is trying to trivialise the matter to such an extent that it sounded absurd. Anyway, the bottomline is keep it up! Sanjay
Date sent: Tue, 13 Oct 1998 18:10:40 +0200 You point out examples of truly secular countries like the US and France to support your arguments. Now tell me which leader in the US/France is similar to Thackeray? Which party in the US had the guts to destroy a religious/caste/regional structure after violating the promises given to the courts and then claim that what they did is correct? For your enlightenment, learn something from the US congress before shooting off. Look at what the US congress is doing to the so-called head of the world -- the US president. Is such an effort possible in our beloved country? There are umpteen other incidents in the US to cite. Show me just one here? Here, the likes of Laloo and Thackeray govern even after court after court and justice after justice have raised an accusing finger at them. Or maybe you are suffering from selective amnesia? Choosing and writing what is pleasing to you? Then that shows your calibre in writing and that's not much. If you are a real Indian, you would have raised the same accusing finger when Laloo cheated his state, when Jaya/Kesri filled her/his coffers, when the BJP/VHP brought down the masjid/temple, when the VHP justified the rape of nuns, etc etc. But then you have time only to ridicule people like Mother Teresa (you were born rich, isn't it?) or the like. For me, as an Indian, Thackeray and Dawood are the same -- and they have to be treated with the contempt they deserve. Paul
Date sent: Tue, 13 Oct 1998 07:40:03 -0400 Regardless of whether I agree with all of Varsha Bhosle's opinions, I thoroughly enjoy reading her columns. Her writing oozes passion and zest. I generally walk away from one of her columns wanting to either pat her on the back or punch her in the nose. But this time I was left scratching my head in confusion when I read the statement, ". . . politics has zero to do with personal feelings. . . " Rubbish! Varsha, this begs for justification. Rasil
Date sent: Tue, 13 Oct 1998 17:43:24 +0700 Another hard punch right on the spot. Keep it up, Varsha! Sanjay Gawande
Date sent: Tue, 13 Oct 1998 15:38:38 +0530 Although I do not agree with some of your (rather militant) views, I do agree that the minorities in India are being pampered far too much. In fact the Indian definition of secularism is 'Hindus relinquish their religion for others to follow'. If the Muslims can follow Quran and marry more than once, why can't a Hindu do the same citing reference to some scripture? A rule should be a rule for all. It is high time a uniform civil code is enforced in India -- lest it should go to the dogs. (or has it already?) Shankar V
Date sent: Tue, 13 Oct 1998 01:20:55 -0500 Another one of those trashy articles on secularism and blah blah blah. . . . Hmm. Don't you people have any other people other than the ilks of D'Monte alias Secularism Vs Bhosle alias Hindutvaism Vs Mitra alias Communism. Ms Bhosle seems to have moulded her writings on the lines of Sadhvi Rithambara -- the one who is known for her fiery speeches! Instead of all this soliloquy -- how about having a lively debate amongst these three people? Rajesh
Date sent: Mon, 12 Oct 1998 13:52:20 -0400 I doubt if this mail will appear in your Web site. I find your columns very boring, which simply contain your personal views. You have the privilege to write what you want as long as you have good relations with editor(s). Editors get a lot of responding mails and partly (as a human factor) grade your work. The good nerves of being famous (at least I think in another way) in journalism is to criticise the present system and put some positives in order to rationalise the situation (I hope you understand my point as I am not a journalist to explain it in a nice way). You are unfortunately good in that. There are people who unfortunately get their nerves taut by your voice and express their views (I may be one of them). Out of all, you might know the lines from one great person "Nindak niraya rakhia, agan kuti chabya... rest you know. Therefore, continue what you do. I may not count much for my expression but from now on and after reading your few columns, I am sure people will leave your column for breakfast because your writing is too good to digest. Shashi
Date sent: Mon, 12 Oct 1998 11:02:21 PDT Keep up this good work. I think these articles of yours are a befitting reply to this man called D'Souza. Going by the articles of D'Souza, I am surprised how one can explain his totally one-sided stance. I was expecting that he would have written something about the recent utterings of people like Mulayam Singh Yadav where he openly advocated giving Rs 2,000 billion to Pakistan. But as expected, pseudo secularists like D'Souza haven't even uttered a single word about this dangerous trend. This becomes all the more important as the huge Muslim gathering there responded with thunderous applause. Now what does it indicate? Doesn't it clearly shows where the loyalties of these so- called minorities are? In the end I would like to request Varsha to write something about this "Yadav - isation" of Indian politics. Although this process is still in its infancy but I'm sure if it is not stopped now, it is going to assume dangerous proportion and we will be ruled by illiterates like Mulayam Singh Yadav and Laloo Yadav Ankush Kumar |
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