Re: forwarding a govt. press release

["Indranil DasGupta" <wanabond@hotmail.com>]

While I am happy that the GOI has for once taken a proactive public
relations stance (usually they are worse than the Keystone Kops in
this regard), I must say that this trend of branding any crime
committed against a minority individual or group as "communal" is
getting out of hand. In the case of Jhabua, where a group of nuns were
raped, eight out of the ten "miscreants" (actually, no better than
animals) were Christians. But you'd never know that from reading the
"liberal-secular" media in India, or the great purveyors of
disinformation about India such as the NYT and Washington Post.

One more point about Sanjeev's plea not to "start off" on this and
similar topics: It's great that we are discussing economic/political
issues since most of the focus has got to be there, but it should not be

to the virtual exclusion and active discouragement of important
concerns about Indian society itself. Let us remember these
wise Biblical words: "For what shall it profit a man, if he should
gain the whole world, and lose his soul ?"

Finally: I would like a debate followed by a "referendum" on including
the UCC in the draft proposal. We can't duck this issue, even if
many would like nothing better. Unfortunately, the Indian Constitution
is very clear on this matter. The 1949 document expressed a firm desire
for an UCC as soon as possible. Apparently for a lot of us,
even 50 years seems to be too soon.

IDG

Sanjeev Sabhlok wrote:
>Dear friends,
>
>I remember reading some rather ghastly stories (pretty extensive
>coverage) in Los Angeles Times about attacks on some Christians. I was
>happy to see that GOI has issued a press release. It came to my notice
>while browsing the Indian Embassy web site
>
>       http://www.indianembassy.org/pic/prnov1998.html
>
>I am forwarding this to everyone so that others who have read these
>reports in the foreign media can set their minds at ease, particularly
>since we have had occasional heated debates on this list on similar
>topics. I would like to request that we do not start off a discussion
on
>this topic, once again, since these things usually go off track very
>quickly. Simply take note that we have strong forces inside India which

>will fight these incidents. Only regret: the Los Angeles Times is not
>perhaps going to publish this press release in a prominent place. But
>that is beyond the point. We should be ourselves clear that aberrations

do not represent the national consensus.
>
>Sincerely,
>
>Sanjeev


--------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is the National Debate on System Reform.       debate@indiapolicy.org
Rules, Procedures, Archives:            ../debate/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------