From: paulchem@tigger.cs.Colorado.EDU (Atharvan)
Subject: Re: Nos Tacemus -- [temples & mosques] -- Icarus.
Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 01:34:31 GMT

In article <1992Dec13.173617.29057@news.acns.nwu.edu> rags@casbah.acns.nwu.edu (Raghavan Jayaraman) writes:
>
>[1] the  force used in this case -IMO this is common in other incidents too
>and cannot be the major factor [violence had occured before independence on
>this cause]

1] I have to disagree here. The force used was not in the violence that followed
   the demolition, but in the act of demolition. I dont think there has been 
   any instance in post-independance India where a religious place was destroyed
   by a mob.

>[2] this incident being espoused  by a party of national character in contrast
>to other incidents.
>
>IMO this has some significance but not much. Though BJB had a potential to
>become a full-fledged national party, now it has grim chances [IMHO], to
>which anti-BJP [or Secularists] can have a sigh  of relief.

2] This may be as it may, but one senses the change of climate when most of
   ones peers sympathise with the party.
>
>Now regarding state being impartial:-
>
>Yes! It is despicable that state shows partiality. It isn't the first time
>that a govt. ignores the law. Precedents have been already set. [eg.
>Bangarappa and Jeyalalitha]. So it is upto an individual to decide whether
>it is prudent to anticipate successive govt. to be partial and to attribute
>this to slient majority.

3] I was not so much concerned with the political arm of the state as with the 
   inability of the state to enforce the impartiality of the judiciary.
   I do not know if the meaning of this has begun to sink in:
   A supreme court verdict was ignored or rather the state failed to impose it.
   A dangerous precedent. The faith in the system has been irrevocably shaken.
   The supreme court is the foremost symbol of a states impartiality.

   An example of what this could mean: If the bjp comes to power at teh center
   and the supreme court delivers a verdict indicting them, will they honor
   the verdict or will they rely on their ability to generate hysteria ?
   If they dont who will enforce the verdict ?
   If it is enforced how much violence will there be ?
   Will the court be able to deliver a impartial judgement knowing that its
   will could be thwarted by a few god-men ?

   Perhaps the judiciary has been ignored at the state level, but I do not
   know of any case where it has been done at the national level. That is
   what makes this incident very important.


4] Let me make myself clear, it is not just the bjp or the rss that is at fault.
   The cancer started with the muslim league becoming a political force.
   It was perpetuated in kerala by the creation of parties like the 
   Kerala congress. Nobodys hands are clean. Both the congress and the 
   communist parties have been guilty of forging alliances with communal 
   parties to win at the hustings.

  
   Parties that are based on an ideology that excludes people for reasons
   that are not in the realm of reason or rational thought, in my mind
   should not be allowed to exist in a secular democracy.

   But this requires education of the electorate that goes beyond what 
   passes for 100% literacy: The ability to make an informed rational choice.

   The reaction that I described the minorities would feel in teh wake of this
   incident, in particular the minorities not directly involved in this conflict   is less a 'sense of insecurity' than a sense of alienation from the 
   mainstream.

5] I appreciate your views, looking forward to more discussions on this topic
   from you and others.

6] Paul Chemmanoor.

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.    ~ ~                                                                     .
.    o o      signito ergo sum.              paul chemmanoor.                .
.     |    i sign therefore i am.            Computer Science department.    .
.     =                                      Univ. of Colorado, Boulder.     .
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