Re: Suhrid Ganguly

[Kush Khatri <free_voice@yahoo.com>]

Sanjeev:  Your message regarding this brave young man was indeed moving.
This is the first time I have heard anybody in the Indian community
taking collective responsibility.  We do not hear any such sentiments
from the so-called leadership of India or the Indian community in
North America.  A society, a democratic society in particular, has a
moral collective responsibility.  This collective responsibility, in
particular, is toward that community that nurtured us and helped us
grow.  This collective responsibility does not vanish because one
begins to live away from his/her "original" community.  It does not go
away because we get green cards or different passposrts.   I am so
pleased that you brought up this concept which makes us human and
politically righteous.

This dovetails with what I have been saying ad neauseum:  corruption
is the number one problem in India.  Why?   Because it is corruption
which perpetuates this tyrannical system.   No one  can afford to have
a casual attitude toward the root cause of all problems. Especially,
when people are dying because of it.  The stance that you can solve
other problems without even tackling this issue is beyond me.  

I have full sympathy for this young man and appreciate the sacrifice
he made.  My suggestion, however,  is that instead of dedicating this
list to ONE person why not dedicate it to all victims of tyranny in
post-independent India?  Remember the high incidence of suicide among
cotton growing farmers just a few months back, I believe in Andhra
Pradesh?
(that is just an example that came to my mind) 

But in all this I have another concern:  How do you do such a
dedication without glorifying or encouraging suicide?    We have to be
careful here.  There are a lot of emotional young people out there
ready to immolate themselves if their passions are stirred. 
While we rightly take on collective responsibility,  I will be opposed
to any such message going out from us to the young people of India
that suicide is O.K. 
Regards,
Kush Khatri

---Sanjeev Sabhlok  wrote:
>
> I wanted to take the permission of members of this list to dedicate
this
> list to the memory of Suhrid Ganguly, of whom I heard only today
through a
> news clipping. He was one among millions. One of us. There were many
like
> him before, there will be many more.
> 
> I am summarizing the news clipping on this person. (full details are
on
> Clarinet News 1997, April 21, 1998.)
> 
> April 17, 1998. A 22-year old Indian, Suhrid Ganguly, an engineer,
> committed suicide in the eastern city of Calcutta... Ganguly's suicide
> note said he was taking "an extreme step" as "there is no way to
change
> the system and get an honest right to live." B.B. Das, an official
from
> the telephone department said: "This incident is unprecedented," but
> added, "I admit that taking bribes are commonplace." 
> 
> Though he was only one of millions (as are all of us, individually), I
> genuinely believe that we need to keep these symbolic sacrifices (of
life
> and blood) in mind as we continue our debates. 
> 
> I had this poem on my page entitled: "We are a Nation of One"
> 
> It is available at: http://www-rcf.usc.edu/~sabhlok/Poems/life.html
> 
> I think that this poem (written in 1989) needs to be dedicated to the
> Gangulys of India, too. I believe that Ganguly did not commit
suicide.  He
> was killed by us, collectively, and altogether, by our indifference.
We
> shall not be indifferent anymore.
> 
> I have modified the web archive page accordingly. Please take a look
at:
> 
> http://www.cinenet.net/lists/search.html
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Sanjeev
> 
> If anyone knows of Mr. Ganguly's family in anyway, anywhere, through
> anyone, please let them know that his sacrifice shall not have been in
> vain. 
> 
> 
> 
> 

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