'We need more Bal Thackerays and Shiv Senas'
How Readers reacted to Dilip D'Souza's recent columns
Date:
Wed, 3 Feb 1999 17:52:32 -0000
From:
Ruchira.<Raghav@dresdnerkb.com>
Subject:
Dilip D'Souza's column
What you say is very true. What type of society is it that tries to achieve all its ends by disgusting means -- killing, looting and raping? The answer is, it is an uneducated, stupid mass of people, who have been led for too long by unscrupulous politicians. And these politicians are
part of us -- we vote for them, we support them when they champion a cause dear to us. So when politicians abuse the Constitution (as in Shah Bano's case), when they sow hatred among castes (witness the Yadav duo's speeches, as also Kanshi Ram's and Mayawati's ), when they start communal enmities (as in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots instigated by Rajiv G), and when they sell the nation down the tube for their petty gains, we should remember that we are responsible for voting in these goons.
We are responsible for bringing up children who are downright criminal -- I'm talking of the so-called educated urban middle class here -- and for condoning corruption when we can
benefit. The fact is that most Indians are vile, inhuman and stupid. And this vileness is growing because the State is too powerless to check it. When it cannot punish crime and criminals, what is there to stop others from reaping the benefits of a life of crime? When the State cannot deal with people who bend its authority and get away with it, it encourages others to
do the same. Why should people obey the law when it means nothing?
And it means nothing because it is not uniform for all Indians. And it is not uniform because we have done nothing to make everyone equal under the law. As long as goondas can get away with political patronage, goondaism will be thriving in India. As long as the government continues to bend, and favour one group at the expense of another, there will be clashes on the basis of caste, religion, region, and what have you. As long as criminals of all types are not made to pay, crime will flourish. We need a strong State, not
a namby-pamby one which bends to every bit of pressure.
Ruchira Raghav
Date:
Fri, 22 Jan 1999 11:47:22 -0500 (EST)
From:
Ajit Shanware <ajit@ee.duke.edu>
Subject:
Dilip D'Souza
I need to emphasise here very, very clearly that so much crime is there in Bombay because of money. It was there since long, long time. It was also there during previous governments lead by Congress.
Extortion has nothing to do with ordinary people. It is due to those who amass wealth through inappropriate way. If you earn money through legal ways then you have to pay taxes and if not then you have to pay extortionists. It is that simple.
I need to also make clear a few things. Bombay is part of Maharashtra, but it is not the picture of the entire state. So it is good idea to talk about the entire state than just a small place in Bombay. People in rest of Maharashtra are not proud of anything because it happens in Bombay. Most of the people in rural area and rest of state hate Bombay life. But they are still proud of being Maharashtrian. People elected Sena-BJP combine because they were sick of Congress regime. People are sick of casteism the Congress likes to use. Pawar is an
expert in using it to divide people. It is also true that Sena-BJP combine lost in rest of Maharashtra because of this cast politics by Congress. People think it is due to performance. I can't believe it. If it were because of performance then they would have changed governments for 100 times.
I am also surprised to know so many people are for Indo-Pak match. I believe that these people are very selfish. I like cricket and I can play it well too. But I won't play with those fellows who killed 20,000 fellow Indians.
I need to also emphasise that these matches can increase communal tensions (which fortunately in present regime are controlled). Last time we had Miandad dancing like monkey in front of us on TV. They like to do that to show off. There in Pak they think if our Miya can dance then we can also get Kashmir. If there is genuine interest in improving relationship with Pak then we should have cooperation with them in reducing terrorism, reducing nuclear threat, increasing trade. I don't think that cricket match is going to do any improvement. I think it is going to make things worse.
Ajit
Date:
Fri, 22 Jan 1999 08:53:41 -0800
From:
"Astral Technologies Inc." <astral@portland.quik.com>
Subject:
Dilip D'Souza about the Shiv Sena
A great article by Dilip, it brings to our attention many other gruesome deeds of the Shiv Sena. We should defeat this Shiv Sena and kill it once for all. It started as anti South Indians and now it is anti Muslim, anti decency, anti law, pro goondas, pro extortionists, anti freedom in every aspect of life -- what do these 'thatyas' think we are made off?? Give the reigns of power to Admiral Bhagwat and Niloufer and let us clean up our Maharashtra.
Date:
Fri, 22 Jan 1999 11:16:38 -0800
From:
Ash Gupta <ash@ubex.com>
Subject:
Crap writing
Dilip's articles present us with a mindset of a person who will call himself secular, but in reality is a mask. None of his articles are unbiased. He calls himself a Maharashtrian, which I doubt to the core. Being born in Maharashtra does not make you Maharashtrian.
Date:
Fri, 22 Jan 1999 14:47:03 -0500
From:
Bhushan.Apte@comsat.com
Subject:
Dilip D' Souza on Sena for Maharashtrians
What Shiv Sainiks did was definitely wrong -- but should it make us ignore the cause behind it? Can you shake hands with a person threatening with an AK-47? Everyday, there are innocent civilians dying in Kargil, and other areas on the LoC in the heavy shelling by Pakistani troops. Who else in India is struggling for them? Everyday there is at least one plan of ISI agents
to disrupt peace of India being unveiled? There are terrorists arrested who are trained in Pakistani camps. Moreover, there is enough evidence that Dawood Ibrahim and his likes have a safe haven in Pakistan. So do you think that we should turn a Nelson's Eye to it and
start playing cricket? Is it that the Shiv Sena has started this agitation all of a sudden? Did anyone pay heed to the appeals made by the leaders to first resolve these disputes with Pakistan?
Date:
Fri, 22 Jan 1999 18:03:27 -0500
From:
Mathew Simon <mathewsimon@lucent.com>
Subject:
Dilip D'Souza's column
I saw this public debate on Fire between the Bajrang Dal president
and a lady on ZeeTV/IndiaTV. The B-Dal president was really embarrassed. His stance on Fire and conversions was ludicrous to say the least.
I fear India is turning into a police-state similar to Iraq!! Freedom of expression and other basic human rights are being slowly removed by these so-called champions of Indian culture. These guys should be deported to some far away island.
As far as conversions are concerned, bring all the guilty to a fair trial irrespective of caste/religion. The VHP got bored with the Muslims and so now they've found new targets.
Let all those guilty Christian missionaries, VHP members, be brought
to trial. Forced conversions should be banned, but so should burning
down religious establishments and theatres. These are simply criminal acts. I'm surprised that the VHP/RSS activists who attacked the theatres/BCCI offices/etc haven't been punished.
As far as banning conversions are concerned, yes pls do ban "forced" conversions.
BUT the banning of voluntary conversions violates human rights.
It's high-time that India freed itself of its shackles of casteism and
religious bias.
Jai Hind!
Date:
Fri, 22 Jan 1999 17:58:26 -0600
From:
Jaideep Kulkarni <jaideep_kulkarni@3com.com>
Subject:
Dilip Dsouza's column
I can't agree with Dilip D'Souza. He has captured in essence what the common (middle class) Maharashtrian has come to think about the present situation in Maharashtra. I won't be surprised if the BJP-SS will be voted out of power in the next election, but that will hardly matter because they would have already made tons of money by then (which seems
to be the only thing they are worried about currently)!
Date:
Fri, 22 Jan 1999 17:19:00 -0800
From:
"Samir Ajgaonkar" <samira@wpds.com>
Subject:
Rediff's Great D'Souza
Hey guys,
After reading those feedbacks for Mr DD's articles I realise that I am not the only one who feels Mr DD is actually Mr BB -- a "Big Bluff". His writing (or is it yelling?) always seeks high moral pedestal, from where he shoots off his wide mouth without realising "what is going on" . Remember his hysterics after the nuclear tests? Guy says he would be proud if our prime minister spent money on vaccines for AIDS and declare to world, humanity , blah blah ... that
India is more interested in fighting AIDS than Pakistan blah blah ... I laughed and laughed and laughed.
Then the guy goes to a "ganne ka raswallah" to discuss the issue. I tried
imagining the expression on that raswallah 's face. I almost fell from my chair laughing.
In this article he shouts posing as a "Real Maharashtrian". Wow! What a
lucky breed we are to have Mr DD amongst us! His art/habit of concealing the facts must also be well known to you all. In one of his great yells against the Shiv Sena for "Freedom Of
Expression" Mr BB doesn't mention the fact that the name Sita of one of the characters in Fire was unchanged in the international editions of the film. He attempts (yells) to prove that the Shiv Sena is spreading lies about the name 'Sita'.
Mr DD think before you scribble.
Date:
Fri, 22 Jan 1999 22:58:24 PST
From:
Subject:
D'Souza's contribution to Indian ignorance
Dear editor,
Everytime I read one of those articles that want us to tell us something in a condescending manner, I get irritated. It seems these people just cannot think rationally and judge human behaviour. I am a Maharashtrian myself. And I am proud of Bal Thackeray. There are many
reasons for this.
On the issue of Pakistan playing matches in India, I think Bal Thackeray deserves proper credit for taking up the right cause, when all the others don't seem to care. Personally, I care for the jawans and soldiers who risk their lives fighting the enemy in Kashmir. I have never been a soldier, but have a good idea of the situations they have to face (And they do this for the benefit of people like me). Like Americans say about their troops,
Indian lives should not be expendable.
I will ask Dilip D'Souza one question: What makes you think a soldier on the Siachen glacier would enjoy watching a cricket match being played at New Delhi, while his post is being fired at from across the border? I find it really stupid the arguments put forward by those wanting to host the match, while at the same time demanding Pakistan be declared a terrorist state. I doubt it if Pakistan
will ever be recognised as a state having sponsored terrorist activity, given
the way things seem to be going.
There is also the issue of Pandits being subject to genocide in Kashmir, which most parties seem to ignore conveniently. Would a Kashmiri Pandit (with whom I identify with, on the account of my beliefs in life, customs, values etc) want to watch our country play another country that surely was responsible for his sorry plight?? Who cares for these poor people. The Americans, the French and the British certainly don't. They only
care for the converted tribal Christians in Dangs. They have proved this.
I am glad the Shiv Sena raked up this issue. We need to have self respect. Artificial ideologies do not work. People like Dilip D'Souza do not know India. They do not know its past. They
do not know its present. They will not know its future.
For them, India is a country where they feel a new identity for the people needs to be created newly, wanting the general population to forget that we are a very old civilisation. These people are Indian only in their nationality, not thinking. It's high time Indians realised what a great culture we had, and how rich we were in our past before the mlecchas (foreigners were called this when they
invaded our country hundreds of years ago) plundered our country and
polluted our thinking. I would call such people "Culturally corrupt".
If anything else, we need more Bal Thackerays and Shiv Senas. They are
fighting the right cause. And I believe in Satyameva Jayate.
Thank you,
Sanjay
Dilip D'Souza
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