From: ssankara@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Sornam Sankara)
Subject: Re: Relevance of Satyagraha
Organization: The Ohio State University
Date: Sat, 14 Nov 1992 00:52:57 GMT




In article <1992Nov11.172641.10750@ultb.isc.rit.edu> akn8257@ritvax.isc.rit.edu
 writes:
>
>        I think I did not make myself clear enough when I talked about
>    burning the constitution. It is perfectly okay with me as an
>         expression of opposition. I was talking about their hypocrisy.

     I agree with you.  They are hypocrats.  It is not surprising because they
are politicians.


>
>        My opinion is this: Why would we want to vote for somebody who
>    treats the constitution as a plaything for his politics to a
>    position which is supposed to protect the constitution. Isn't
>    like putting a cat to guard the milk?
>

     You are wrong.  They are not treating the constitution as a plaything.
But they have been treating the issues as playthings whenever they need fr
thier political interests.  They burnt the constitution for their anti-Hindi
imposition struggle.  But when they were taken tio the court they made the
whole issue as a mockery betraying the issue by their twisting the issue as
just paper burning issue.    The issue is true.  Hindi imposition is still
present and the people's grievances are alive .  But these opportunists made
the whole issue as a joke.  What is wrong in the burning the constitution as a
way of protest ?


>
>    Thamizharuvi Manian is one of the Kamaraj Congress people who
>    joined Janata when "Sthabana Congress" decided to join Congress-I.
>    One of the vehement opposers of Emergency. In his book "Thi.Mu.Ka-
>    Sila sandhehangal...." he just talks about facts about the history
>    of DMK and its various stands on every issue and the contradictions.
>    He never tried to judge anybody in this book -just facts- with
>    references to their own Newspapers like Murasoli and the books
>    written by people like Mu. Ka, Annadurai and Nanjil Manoharan.
>    An excellent book - I recommend it to everybody who is interested
>    in politics - read it without prejudice.
>

     I never missed to read his articles in Thukluq and I agree with almost all
of them he said about DK and DMK.  But his portrayal of Periyar was not
correct.  For see the right evaluation of Periyar, you should read the
publications of ML movements.  Periyar was not a hypocrat and not did any thing
for his selfish or political interests.  His understanding of about the
liberation of the oppressed was not very correct.  He neglected the economic
problems associated with the social problems and left his struggle and party
to be exploited by the economically well-off groups after his death.  But His
achievements are to be recognized.

     Another problem with the critics like Thamizharuvi Manian is that they
forget the real issues the TN politicians utilize. Denial of the issue is not
correct.  He never evaluated the so-called Congress movement (right from 1885).
Gandhi and Kamaraj are their idols of worship.  I will post a separate a big
article on Gandhi and his hypocrizy (I admire him in some respects and am not
going to write them because we have been fed a lot about them.).  Same way, I
would evaluate Kamaraj as better than all other chief ministers of TN.  But
writing him as a very great person is not correct. He is the one who first who
introduced caste-based politics in TN elections and the first time Nadar
community bigwigs brought the caste based polarization of candidate selection
for the elections (Brahmins and other upper class communities like Pillai,
Muthali, Reddi etc indirectly fought each other for the political power in TN
but they  did not have enough population concentrated in a particular region).
Even now, Nadar community educated people (not all) are  one of the NEO-BRAHMIN
communities in TN (apart from Gounder and Coimbatore Naidus) and they do
exactly the same as the Brahminism has been doing (In Brahminism, I am
including other forward classes too).

     The burning of all Kumutham for carrying Sujatha's novel "kaRuppu veLuppu
civappu" shows the neo-Brahmin attitude of these communities.  Periyar's
indifference and the latter days DK's blindness towards the caste chauvunism of
non-Brahmin communities is responsile for this.

     Coming back to Tamizharuvi Manian's book,  I would recommend you to read
an excellent book by Ko.Kesavan, "inthiya desaththin thoRRam" which clearly
documents how India was formed as a country.



>    occasionally.(Whenever DMK loses an election)
>
>    I was just questioning their sincerity.
>

     I agree with you.



>    I don't consider ADMK any different than DMK. It is just a
>    political joke with people who are even narrow-minded than DMK
>    and this is nothing but the result of supporting the oppurtunistic
>    politicians.
>

     I agree with you.  But I am asking the defenders of Brahminism to evaluate
the ADMK like you.   We can criticize the ADMK for whatever we criticize DMK
like corruption, vandalism, opportunism etc but all the Brahmins (very very few
exceptions) support ADMK when they criticize only DMK for corruption, vandalism
etc.  The reason is that DMK let the other castes come up to compete them in
every field in TN (except the media) (Reservation issue is supported by all
parties in TN and it should not be an issue).



>    I don't hate E.V.R, I consider him as the only person who was
>    sincere to what he said. I also recognise the achievements he
>    and his followers. I like the results but I don't support the maens.
>

     I agree.  But I support violent means if it is used as a defence against
another violence.



>
>    Nehru thought so, until China taught us otherwise. The best way
>    to avoid a war to be prepared. Wearing a helmet does not mean you
>    intend to make an accident.
>

     The same way Srilankan Tamils think LTTE as helmet, Kashmiries think JKLF
as helmet and Andhra Pradesh poor peasants and tribals think PWG as helmet.
But unforunately hemet is under use because accidents are made deliberately.


>        You cannot preach anybody Ahimsa unless one has faith in it.
>    Neither is my intension, It was just my opinion about the strength
>    and validity of it.(You may want to read my post again.) It takes
>    a lot of courage, perseverance, and faith to follow it. Not
>    everybody can do it. I don't think I can do it perfectly but I
>    would honestly try to(It starts there).
>

          I really like these statements because they are very true but
contradicting your own opinion about Ahimsa.  I will soon post an article how
Gandhi was not non-violent in all situations.


>    I did not write this to mean I support Indian Government in every
>        incident. What Srilanks has is its own problem and it should settle
>        it the way it wants to. The only thing we should have done is to
>    make sure it does not turn into our problems.(Like terrorism in
>    our soil).


     Terrorism in their soil was first done by India and it backfired.


>
>        I do not support any political party. I am one of those people
>    who feel dejected by our politics. But apathy will not take us
>    anywhere but to more deep trouble.


     I am too !


>
>    What I am saying is we should not be misleaded by these crooks
>    who have no interest in our future but their own well being.
>    Nobody talks about our poverty. They treat politics as a business.
>    We should demand our politicians to address our real problems and
>        oust the oppurtunists who wants to exploit our differences.

     I agree !


>    and pave
>    way for some real leaders in the future.
>

Who and How ????????????????

This is what I think that we do not want to understand the roots of any issue.



>        " Onrupattaal undu vaazhve, Nammil
>          ottrumai neengin anaivarukkum thaazhve!"
>
>        ( United we stand, Divided we fall. )
>
>
>        - Arun.



"iniyoru vithi seivom, athai
     entha naLum kappom;
 thaniyoru vanukku vuNavillai yenil
     jagaththinai azhiththiduvom "


"nOinadi nOimuthal nadi athuthaNikkum
 vaainadi vaippak koLal.


S. Sankarapandi

ssankara@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu