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August 5, 1998
ELECTIONS '98
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How Readers reacted to Pritish Nandy's recent columns
Date sent: Thu, 30 Jul 1998 13:31:36 +0530 It is unfortunate that Pritish believes threatening, beating and murdering are the only methods and means by which a voter can register his complaint against a candidate he has voted for. Not only does playing Judas not require such extremist steps, but logic suggests a lot of more civilised solutions for such a situation. No matter how corrupt, malicious and wrong the actions of a person may be, unless he is proved guilty by law there is no means he can be punished for it. This punishment can be given by the law and executed by it. There is no way in a civilised society that every person using his own understanding of right and wrong may do anything that he thinks is right. Trying to justify such acts only try to prove that one's own beliefs on the working of the system and the Constitution are not strong enough. Had such feelings been expressed by an Anand Mohan or a Phoolan Devi, it could have been excused. Coming from a known intellectual (so-called) from the Upper House of Parliament, who has absolutely no faith in the system that has given him the identity (at least the present one as an MP), it is unfortunate. In fact, the pseudo intellectuals who understand the language of Pritish could well tell him he is playing Judas to the Constitution of India. The only justifiable thing that can be done against a dal badloo who cannot be punished under the anti-defection law is to defeat him in the next election. Make him lose his deposit. You could use means like addressing gatherings of people and trying to prove your stance that he has indeed played Judas. There is no judicial or moral consent for any such thing as a threat to life. To even think such things are right is wrong. So get your basics right, Pritish. Acting with gay abandon with which you had earlier when you were a journalist is not the right thing to do. Remember you have a set of moral guidelines to follow as a member of Parliament. If you feel strongly about defection, then try your wit at rules that are better suited to punish such offenders as Navle and try getting them passed in Parliament. The sooner such enlightenment arrives on people like you, and those who stand outside Navle's house threatening him, the better it is for civilised living. Phaneesh Kumar K
Date sent: Mon, 20 Jul 1998 12:07:59 -0700 For once, Pritish is right. If we claim ourselves to be a democratic republic, then this particular ban on Godse's play debunks our claim as a sham. Who are the MPs to tell us what we should see and what we should not? And what about those MLAs who care two hoots about social development but jump at the opportunity to make a few votes in the name of the Mahatma? Shame! Enough said, I want to know if there is a judicial remedy to lift this senseless ban on the play. Conscientious people who love free speech and understand its true value should come together and put up a petition to the President/ chief justice of India to revoke this ban. Granted our so-called leaders cannot provide decent living to our people, but let them not take away the freedom that we cherish so much. Let public opinion roll on and become a juggernaut that tramples this shameful act by the 'democratic government' before it threatens to kill everything that we live for. Suresh
Date sent: Wed, 29 Jul 1998 14:25:39 -0700 What is wrong with this Pritish? Half of his article has words from other language(s): dal badloo, chor, dacaits. What the hell is going on? Why can't this guy take his article to some local magazine of his language, whatever it is? A frustrated English-only-knowing-reader
Date sent: Tue, 28 Jul 1998 16:45:55 -0700 Pritish Nandy has lost his marbles -- that is the only conclusion I can come to after reading this article. I have read his last few articles with amazement as he has transformed himself from a witty, enjoyable commentator to Bal Thackeray's representative. I do not know what exactly happened with the state minister in question, but to condone violence or threats of same, simply because such unfortunate incidents have happened in the past is ridiculous. Correct me, Mr Nandy, if I am wrong, but India has a Constitution and laws meant to protect its citizens and at the same time redress the wrongs. These may not be very effective in the present scenario, but if public personalities like Mr Nandy start supporting institutionalised goonda raj in public forums, it amounts to accepting the present chaos as a permanent state of society. Mr Nandy, you can probably call this goondaism political activism, because you are cozy with the present regime in Bombay and feel immune from it. But remember this is the very form of political activism which threatens freedom of the press and undermines our judicial system. So whatever your compulsions be, before putting pen to paper, please stop and think! You have a responsibility as a respected journalist. Try to live up to it. MSS
Date sent: Tue, 28 Jul 1998 11:57:20 -0700 After getting elected on a Sena ticket, Mr Nandy has decided to work for that party in the name of an impartial journalist. I think a reputed site like Rediff should start putting articles from Mr Nandy in the category of Sena advertisements.
Date sent: Tue, 28 Jul 1998 12:13:18 -0400 Nandy made valid points in this article. I would like to add a code of behaviour for MLAs or ministers who want to quit:
Resign from ministry/membership of House
Unfortunately, most of our leaders do not have the decency to do anything of this sort. They deserve beating, tar-makeup, procession on gadha with garlands of chappals. Navale is fortunate that sainiks did not adopt all these methods.
Date sent: Fri, 24 Jul 1998 00:23:58 +1000 I didn't think the day would come when I would agree on anything with a Shiv Sena member :-) But Pritish Nandy has said it very well -- the ban is stupid, senseless and, ultimately, pointless. The fact that Rediff published excerpts from the play shows how ineffective the ban is -- censorship has been rendered obsolete by technology.
Shekar
Date sent: Mon, 20 Jul 1998 21:35:12 PDT A very valid point of view -- it feels sickening to hear the So-called psuedo-secular attitude of these f!@*ing politicians. It is indeed heart-breaking to see a party like BJP (of which I have many expectations) to fall prey to such narrow-minded and biased thinking. I wonder what kind of democracy exists in India.
Date sent: Mon, 20 Jul 1998 15:32:13 -0500 (CDT) Hi Pritish, I agree with your views on the freedom of expression. But I guess it might incite violence, considering the fact that we Indians are a little too passionate. I guess it is a good decision by the government, assuming that it would slowly, but certainly, lift the ban on this play. It worked with Godse's Please Your Honour, which was banned till 1968. Vivek Date sent: Mon, 20 Jul 1998 14:36:21 -0500 From: <madhav-deshaval@hlp.com> Subject: REDIFF - A STUPID SENSELESS BAN Nandy is the most hypocritical among the journalists living in India. Had he little respect for the principles he is talking about he would not have accepted the membership of the most communal and fascist party in India's polity. Democracy means mutual respect for all political opinions and restraint from over-reacting to the criticism of one political opinion. Democracy does not believe in the elimination of people who do not share the same opinion. Godse was a fascist rogue who believed in elimination. Censorship is definitely required in today's India to ensure that the people have minimum awareness of the democratic institutions we have, and the principles we have adopted as a nation. People like Pradeep Dalavi do not know the history of this nation. (He has once been in jail for derogatory writing about a legislator). Otherwise, how would they glorify Godse and refer to Gandhi as demon? Note this: in the play, Gandhi's murder is referred as VADH, which means the killing of a demon. To summarise, Nandy, before teaching about democracy to others, should first teach what democracy means to Thackeray and his slaves who are running the goverment of Maharashtra. Let us see if he has the guts. Madhav Deshaval
Date sent: Mon, 20 Jul 1998 13:44:25 -0500 (CDT) This is about the article where Mr Nandy says that banning the Nathuram Godse play was wrong. I say the government took an absolutely right step in banning it. Yes!! I agree that Gandhiji stood for freedom of expression of political thoughts. But I guess the author has incompletely defined this. It is freedom of expression to political thoughts without resorting to violence. I have no doubt that Godse did have the right to voice his opinion but doing it by killing THE FATHER OF THE NATION was no solution. He had many, many other ways of voicing his protest against Bapu's thoughts. By staging the play, he is glorifying a person who does not deserve to live in a peace-loving country like ours. There is absolutely no need for glorifying Godse. Least to stage a play trying to justify the assassination of one of the FINEST MAN the world has ever produced.
Date sent: Mon, 20 Jul 1998 14:38:33 -0500 I think in your columns (and in most other columns) your write in support of one view. There might be the other side with some valid or not so valid points which you do not care to address. I think I would appreciate your articles more if they present both the views. They might still favour one side obviously, but at least they address all the real and imaginary issues. Rajeev |
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