From patrice at xs4all.nl Thu Sep 1 02:21:36 2011 From: patrice at xs4all.nl (Patrice Riemens) Date: Wed, 31 Aug 2011 22:51:36 +0200 Subject: [Reader-list] [Fwdfyi: Transit Labour Kolkata Platform - Program 1-10 September 2011 Message-ID: <0b32cd72d8331718bf11cf78167dd8ad.squirrel@webmail.xs4all.nl> bwo BytesforAll list Transit-labour investigates changing patterns of labour and mobility in the whirlwind of Asian capitalist transformation. Mindful of the view of Asia as the world's factory, this three year research project examines the role of creativity, invention and knowledge production in the new economic order being forged from the region's capitalist centres. Particular attention is given to changing relations of culture and economy in this transition and their entanglement with the production of new subjectivities and modalities of labour. The research focuses on the precariousness and mobility of creative labour across three cities: Shanghai (2010), Kolkata (2011) and Sydney (2012). Each of these cities is the site of a research platform that combines online and offline methods to map conceptual and material linkages between labour, mobility and subjectivity. Based on previous research conducted in Beijing (http://orgnets.net), these platforms gather researchers from across the world bringing them into collaborative relations with local participants through workshops, field trips, symposia, exhibitions, mailing lists, website documentation and the preparation of publications. The project's interest is not merely in the transition of labour and culture in each individual city. Recognizing that the regional scale has become decisive in the world today, it places methodological emphasis on processes of inter-referencing between the research sites. This website is a principal research instrument for such inter-referencing. Fleeing the self-referential universe of social networking, it provides an environment for collaborative invention and the common production of knowledge. It is at once an open archive of research activities and a means of organizing them. Creative labour refers not only to work in the creative and cultural sectors: music and performing arts; film, television and radio; software development and multimedia; writing, publishing and print media; architecture, design and visual arts. It also encompasses the various forms of service labour that feed into and enable work in these fields. Transit-labour conducts research that tests the boundaries between these forms of work. By tracing conceptual interconnections between the conditions of creative labour in Shanghai, Kolkata and Sydney, the project also aims to rethink how global regions are configured under current economic and social circumstances. At a time when market rights interfere with territorially-based forms of citizenship, the effects of national creative enterprises are by no means confined by national borders. The project explores how changing patterns of economic, geographic and social flexibility (including labour migrations) are generating new forms and practices of governance in the Asian region (and how regionalism is redefined through such transformations). The role of borders, both those that traverse political spaces and those that define their edges, is crucial to understanding the theoretical and practical linkages between labour, mobility and subjectivity. At the regional scale, it is possible to observe the emergence of production regimes that exploit differences between labour conditions in various territorial zones, leading to hierarchically organized regimes of labour mobility and attempts to coordinate and manage these mobilities through market, border and zoning technologies. The analysis of such differentially organized systems of inclusion and mobility is also a part of the project. Set against the rapid expansion of communication and information technologies, the re-ordering of intellectual property and conflicts in the production of knowledge, transit-labour probes these transformations to discern future tendencies of social, economic and political organization. Transit Labour Kolkata Platform http://transitlabour.asia/events/calform Program 1-10 September 2011 31 August: Arrivals 1 September 10.00-13.00: Visit to Sector 5, walk around areas surrounding Wipro, Cognizant and Tata Consultancy Services (accompanied by Ishita Dey) 15.30-17.30: Discussion at Calcutta Research Group office (Mainak Biswas will show his film Sthaniyo Sangbad to the team. Barun De will be the moderator.) 2 September 10.00-13.00: Visit to Rajarhat, enter via Sector 5, stop at key sites for discussions with Suhit and Ishita (Pradip Kumar Bose will accompany the team) 15.30-17.30: Discussion at CRG office (Nilotpal Datta and his co- workers from the Rajarhat Jami Bachao Committee will be there for the discussion.) 3 September 10.00-14.00: Visit to Bhangar, return via Rajarhat passing by Vedic Village, stop at key sites for discussions. (Rajat Kanti Sur and Agnibho Gangopadhyay will accompany the team) 15.30-17.30: Discussion at CRG office (Keya Dasgupta and members of Nagarik Mancha will be the discussants) 4 September: Rest (river boat trip) 5 September 10.00-15.00: Visit to West End (Kolkata International Logistics City, Kolkata West International City), return via port and visit e-waste sites (Khidirpur and Chandni Chawk). (Samaresh Guchait and Ishita Dey will accompany the team) 6 September: Transit Labour Workshop 9.30-5.30 Venue: Swabhumi Heritage Plaza Transit Labour Kolkata Workshop http://transitlabour.asia/events/workshop 9.30-10 a.m. – Registration and Tea 10-11.a.m. – Session I (Chair: Brett Neilson) Rajarhat: Configurations of Labour and Space Short presentations by Ishita Dey, Suhit K Sen, Ranabir Sammadar 11-11.30 p.m. – Tea 11.30 a.m.-12.30 p.m. – Session II Discussion on Rajarhat New Town 12.30-1.30 p.m. – Lunch 1.30-3.00 p.m. – Session III (Chair: Ned Rossiter) Discussion on Other New Towns – Mumbai, Delhi, and Hyderabad Initiated By Sharit Bhaumik, Mouleshri Vyas, Remesh Babu, and C. Ramachandraiah 3 – 3.30 PM – Tea 3.30 – 4.30 PM - Session IV (Chair: Sandro Mezzadra) Comparative discussion involving the Chinese experience in the Transit Labour project 4.30 – 5.30 PM – Session V Film Screening 7 September: Round Table on Part Eight of Capital, Vol. 1 ‘So-Called Primitive Accumulation’ (Chapters 26-33) 17.00-19.00 Venue: Conference Room, Pearl Hotel Chair: Pradip Kumar Bose Participants: Ranabir Samaddar, Sandro Mezzadra, Brett Neilson 40 minute presentation (each for 10 minutes), followed by 80 minutes of discussion Followed by conference opening dinner 8-10 September: 4th Critical Studies Conference – Development, Logistics, Governance Venue: Academy of Fine Arts ------------------------------------ From tapasrayx at gmail.com Thu Sep 1 09:25:08 2011 From: tapasrayx at gmail.com (Tapas Ray [Gmail]) Date: Thu, 1 Sep 2011 09:25:08 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Crowds? In-Reply-To: <60CD86A5-396B-4330-B2AA-42208DDBA8A9@sarai.net> References: <60CD86A5-396B-4330-B2AA-42208DDBA8A9@sarai.net> Message-ID: Not exactly new, but worth repeating, as it's worth remembering -- http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/is-rss-working-hard-for-affiliation-with-anna-130483 Is RSS working hard for affiliation with Anna? Rahul Shrivastava‎, Updated: September 01, 2011 00:31 IST ... Through some visible and not so visible moves the RSS has tried to associate itself to Anna's campaign. On Tuesday, Mohan Bhagwat, the head of the BJP's parent body made a rare public appearance in Pune and said that "people were just fed up of corruption and they had no one to look up to and then came Anna's agitation which restored people's faith and also gave a boost to their confidence." Less than a fortnight ago the RSS top brass had met in Ujjain and cleared a 'Support Anna' resolution. Spurred by this BJP's Nitin Gadkari wrote to Anna, pledging his support. Old RSS hand and ex BJP Delhi Unit Chief Mangeram Garg - was heading the Sangh's "ops-room". At Ramlila Maidan, Anna's home during his 12 day fast, Sangh affiliates posted hundreds of men in the crowd, who could be identified by their chant of Vande Mataram. Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/is-rss-working-hard-for-affiliation-with-anna-130483&cp Kumar Vishwas, once a senior man within the RSS, was Anna's stage manager at Ramlila Maidan and was often seen reciting poems and introducing guests on stage. Coincidentally Vishwas was the stage manager for Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev's aborted protests too. Tejinder Pal of the Party's Yuva Morcha, which is the youth wing of the BJP helped mobilize those who protested outside the homes of Congress leaders to signal their dissastisfaction. The free meals that were a big draw at Ramlila Madian were funded. by the RSS' affiliate Goraksha (save the cow) unit. But the RSS kept its involvement discrete. Anna insulated his protests from the saffron taint by forbidding right-or left wing leader from sharing the stage with him. In fact two BJP MPs who visited Ramlila Maidan - Ananth Kumar and Gopinath Munde- to express solidarity to Anna - were heckled by the crowd. Team Anna opted to ignore the presence of RSS ranks among the protestors and the criticism it drew. "There was no direct financial support from the RSS to IAC (India Against Corruption movement). There were no direct links with them or to funding, but they could well be part of the thousands and lakhs of volunteers who were helping with food ...and there's nothing wrong with that," said one of Anna's closest associates, Prashant Bhushan. Anna has warned that he has other causes - like electoral reforms for which he plans to campaign. By affiliating closely with Anna, the RSS and the BJP are hoping to gain political points as key states like UP get ready to vote. On 31 August 2011 12:02, Jeebesh wrote: > Perplexing why Partha Chatterjee (all entangled in corruption), Arjun > Appadurai (fascist gathering), Arundhati Roy (came for reality show) in > their argument against the stage/studio so contemptuous of the crowd. As if > the connection between the crowd and stage is cemented. Is there no way to > read excess, overflow, disconnect, escape in the relation of crowd to the > stage? No fear of the Hydra headed crowd in the stage/studio? > > In Manesar Maruti factory the management has decided to get a "Good Conduct" > agreement signed by each worker before they enter the factory. The conduct > is to not engage in slow down, sit in, tampering, spanner in the wheel, etc. > It is said that few of the workers went to the Ramila Grounds and cam back > saying that they will sit on an "anshan". The management panicked and set up > a 300 strong police post inside the factory. The 11 day sit in inside the > factory in June is the background to this drastic move by the management. > > warmly > jeebesh > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe > in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> From chandni_parekh at yahoo.com Thu Sep 1 10:06:59 2011 From: chandni_parekh at yahoo.com (Chandni Parekh) Date: Wed, 31 Aug 2011 21:36:59 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [Reader-list] Film Screenings in September Message-ID: <1314851819.20830.YahooMailNeo@web161421.mail.bf1.yahoo.com> Here's my compilation of film screenings in September: 'From the Other Side' by Stephane Mercurio (French), Sep 2, Delhi http://delhi.afindia.org/node/4094   'Just Married' by Luca Lucini (Italian), Sep 3, Delhi http://bit.ly/nZk241   'Garbage Dreams' by Mai Iskander, Sep 3 and 4 on NDTV 24x7 http://on.fb.me/nGa0bD 'Partners in Crime' by Paromita Vohra, Sep 6, Bombay http://post.ly/32aQw 'The Three-Way Wedding' by Jacques Doillon (French), Sep 6, Bombay http://bombay.afindia.org/node/4244   'Since we were Born' by Jean-Pierre Duret and Andrea Santana (French), Sep 9, Delhi http://delhi.afindia.org/node/4096   Sonapani Film Festival, Sep 9-11, Uttarakhand http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=227482033951510   'Maybe Baby' by Shannon O'Rourke, Sep 10 and 11 on NDTV 24x7 http://on.fb.me/nGa0bD Cinema of Resistance Ballia Film Festival, Sep 10 and 11, Uttar Pradesh http://movies.groups.yahoo.com/group/docuwallahs2/message/10018   'Melo' by Alain Resnais (French), Sep 13, Bombay http://bombay.afindia.org/node/4247   Vikalp at Alliance Screening of 'Made in India' by Rebecca Haimowitz and Vaishali Sinha, Sep 16, Bombay http://bombay.afindia.org/node/4249   'Kagojer Bou' ('The Paper Wife' by Bappaditya Bandopadhyay (Bengali), Sep 16, Bombay http://www.ncpamumbai.com/event/ncpa-fresh-pix-september-2011 'Spring in the Colony' by Arjun Gourisaria and Moinak Biswas, Sep 16, Delhi http://delhi.afindia.org/node/4090   'The Last Irani Chai' and 'The Big Bollywood Struggle' by Khalid Mohamed, Sep 17, Bombay http://www.ncpamumbai.com/event/ncpa-fresh-pix-september-2011-0 'Every Good Marriage Begins with Tears' by Simon Chambers, Sep 17 and 18 on NDTV 24x7 http://on.fb.me/nGa0bD 'Pandora' by George Stamboulopoulos (Greek), Sep 19, Delhi http://bit.ly/ogqYpn   'The Last Homecoming' by Corinna Avraamioou (Greek), Sep 21, Delhi http://bit.ly/ogqYpn   Short Films presented by Shamiana, Sep 21, Bombay http://www.bluefrog.co.in/events/shamiana-short-films 'Love, Sex and Moped' by Maria Silvia Bazzoli and Christian Lelong (French), Sep 23, Delhi http://delhi.afindia.org/node/4098   Short Films presented by Shamiana, Sep 23-24, Ahmedabad http://on.fb.me/nFq2Zp   'Saving Dolma' by Kesang Tseten Lama, Sep 24 and 25on NDTV 24x7 http://on.fb.me/nGa0bD Vikalp at Prithvi pays Homage to Tareque Masud (tragically killed 20 days ago in a road accident in Bangladesh) on Monday, Sep 26, 7 pm, Prithvi House, Juhu, Bombay. We will show one of his films - 'Muktir Gaan' ('Song of Freedom') or 'Matir Moina' ('The Clay Bird'). Details will be posted on http://tinyurl.com/vikalp-prithvi 'The Last Irani Chai' by Khalid Mohamed, Sep 29, Bombay http://bombay.afindia.org/node/4272 --- To join the Vikalp at Prithvi group on Facebook, visit http://tinyurl.com/vikalp-prithvi From jeebesh at sarai.net Thu Sep 1 16:46:32 2011 From: jeebesh at sarai.net (Jeebesh) Date: Thu, 1 Sep 2011 16:46:32 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Crowds? In-Reply-To: References: <60CD86A5-396B-4330-B2AA-42208DDBA8A9@sarai.net> Message-ID: "Not so elementary Watson, do not jump to conclusions". This remains good advise from Mr.Holmes. If i was in RSS, i would be super happy with reports like these. Shakhas (neighbourhood gatherings) have dwindled. The uniform looks archaic. Membership falling. Some members and linkages mired in mutual killing and terrorism. Etc. And here come passionate secularists who bloat the image of powerful presence and added to that a mass organizer. Superb. What cultural intelligence.!! On 01-Sep-11, at 9:25 AM, Tapas Ray [Gmail] wrote: > Not exactly new, but worth repeating, as it's worth remembering -- > > http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/is-rss-working-hard-for-affiliation-with-anna-130483 > > Is RSS working hard for affiliation with Anna? > > Rahul Shrivastava‎, Updated: September 01, 2011 00:31 IST > > ... > > Through some visible and not so visible moves the RSS has tried to > associate itself to Anna's campaign. > On Tuesday, Mohan Bhagwat, the head of the BJP's parent body made a > rare public appearance in Pune and said that "people were just fed up > of corruption and they had no one to look up to and then came Anna's > agitation which restored people's faith and also gave a boost to their > confidence." > > Less than a fortnight ago the RSS top brass had met in Ujjain and > cleared a 'Support Anna' resolution. Spurred by this BJP's Nitin > Gadkari wrote to Anna, pledging his support. > > Old RSS hand and ex BJP Delhi Unit Chief Mangeram Garg - was heading > the Sangh's "ops-room". > At Ramlila Maidan, Anna's home during his 12 day fast, Sangh > affiliates posted hundreds of men in the crowd, who could be > identified by their chant of Vande Mataram. > > > Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/is-rss-working-hard-for-affiliation-with-anna-130483&cp > > Kumar Vishwas, once a senior man within the RSS, was Anna's stage > manager at Ramlila Maidan and was often seen reciting poems and > introducing guests on stage. Coincidentally Vishwas was the stage > manager for Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev's aborted protests too. > > Tejinder Pal of the Party's Yuva Morcha, which is the youth wing of > the BJP helped mobilize those who protested outside the homes of > Congress leaders to signal their dissastisfaction. > > The free meals that were a big draw at Ramlila Madian were funded. by > the RSS' affiliate Goraksha (save the cow) unit. > > But the RSS kept its involvement discrete. Anna insulated his > protests from the saffron taint by forbidding right-or left wing > leader from sharing the stage with him. In fact two BJP MPs who > visited Ramlila Maidan - Ananth Kumar and Gopinath Munde- to express > solidarity to Anna - were heckled by the crowd. > > Team Anna opted to ignore the presence of RSS ranks among the > protestors and the criticism it drew. > > "There was no direct financial support from the RSS to IAC (India > Against Corruption movement). There were no direct links with them or > to funding, but they could well be part of the thousands and lakhs of > volunteers who were helping with food ...and there's nothing wrong > with that," said one of Anna's closest associates, Prashant Bhushan. > > Anna has warned that he has other causes - like electoral reforms for > which he plans to campaign. By affiliating closely with Anna, the RSS > and the BJP are hoping to gain political points as key states like UP > get ready to vote. > > > > > On 31 August 2011 12:02, Jeebesh wrote: >> Perplexing why Partha Chatterjee (all entangled in corruption), Arjun >> Appadurai (fascist gathering), Arundhati Roy (came for reality >> show) in >> their argument against the stage/studio so contemptuous of the >> crowd. As if >> the connection between the crowd and stage is cemented. Is there no >> way to >> read excess, overflow, disconnect, escape in the relation of crowd >> to the >> stage? No fear of the Hydra headed crowd in the stage/studio? >> >> In Manesar Maruti factory the management has decided to get a "Good >> Conduct" >> agreement signed by each worker before they enter the factory. The >> conduct >> is to not engage in slow down, sit in, tampering, spanner in the >> wheel, etc. >> It is said that few of the workers went to the Ramila Grounds and >> cam back >> saying that they will sit on an "anshan". The management panicked >> and set up >> a 300 strong police post inside the factory. The 11 day sit in >> inside the >> factory in June is the background to this drastic move by the >> management. >> >> warmly >> jeebesh >> _________________________________________ >> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. >> Critiques & Collaborations >> To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with >> subscribe >> in the subject header. >> To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list >> List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> From taraprakash at gmail.com Thu Sep 1 21:11:01 2011 From: taraprakash at gmail.com (Tara Prakash) Date: Thu, 1 Sep 2011 11:41:01 -0400 Subject: [Reader-list] Crowds? References: <60CD86A5-396B-4330-B2AA-42208DDBA8A9@sarai.net> Message-ID: We heard some tv channels and CPI(M) operatives crying foul about RSS-Maoist alliance during the Nandi Gram movement. Some people who benefit from corruption would like to find any kind of dirt they can throw at this movement. I'm okay if Barkha Dutt is hackled by people tired of those who promote corruption. People may have different opinion about it, but Gopinath Munde is as hacklable as any other politician trying to infultrate a movement that has nothing to do with electoral politics. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jeebesh" To: "Reader List" Sent: Thursday, September 01, 2011 7:16 AM Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Crowds? > "Not so elementary Watson, do not jump to conclusions". This remains good > advise from Mr.Holmes. > > If i was in RSS, i would be super happy with reports like these. Shakhas > (neighbourhood gatherings) have dwindled. The uniform looks archaic. > Membership falling. Some members and linkages mired in mutual killing and > terrorism. Etc. And here come passionate secularists who bloat the image > of powerful presence and added to that a mass organizer. Superb. What > cultural intelligence.!! > > > On 01-Sep-11, at 9:25 AM, Tapas Ray [Gmail] wrote: > >> Not exactly new, but worth repeating, as it's worth remembering -- >> >> http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/is-rss-working-hard-for-affiliation-with-anna-130483 >> >> Is RSS working hard for affiliation with Anna? >> >> Rahul Shrivastava‎, Updated: September 01, 2011 00:31 IST >> >> ... >> >> Through some visible and not so visible moves the RSS has tried to >> associate itself to Anna's campaign. >> On Tuesday, Mohan Bhagwat, the head of the BJP's parent body made a >> rare public appearance in Pune and said that "people were just fed up >> of corruption and they had no one to look up to and then came Anna's >> agitation which restored people's faith and also gave a boost to their >> confidence." >> >> Less than a fortnight ago the RSS top brass had met in Ujjain and >> cleared a 'Support Anna' resolution. Spurred by this BJP's Nitin >> Gadkari wrote to Anna, pledging his support. >> >> Old RSS hand and ex BJP Delhi Unit Chief Mangeram Garg - was heading >> the Sangh's "ops-room". >> At Ramlila Maidan, Anna's home during his 12 day fast, Sangh >> affiliates posted hundreds of men in the crowd, who could be >> identified by their chant of Vande Mataram. >> >> >> Read more at: >> http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/is-rss-working-hard-for-affiliation-with-anna-130483&cp >> >> Kumar Vishwas, once a senior man within the RSS, was Anna's stage >> manager at Ramlila Maidan and was often seen reciting poems and >> introducing guests on stage. Coincidentally Vishwas was the stage >> manager for Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev's aborted protests too. >> >> Tejinder Pal of the Party's Yuva Morcha, which is the youth wing of >> the BJP helped mobilize those who protested outside the homes of >> Congress leaders to signal their dissastisfaction. >> >> The free meals that were a big draw at Ramlila Madian were funded. by >> the RSS' affiliate Goraksha (save the cow) unit. >> >> But the RSS kept its involvement discrete. Anna insulated his >> protests from the saffron taint by forbidding right-or left wing >> leader from sharing the stage with him. In fact two BJP MPs who >> visited Ramlila Maidan - Ananth Kumar and Gopinath Munde- to express >> solidarity to Anna - were heckled by the crowd. >> >> Team Anna opted to ignore the presence of RSS ranks among the >> protestors and the criticism it drew. >> >> "There was no direct financial support from the RSS to IAC (India >> Against Corruption movement). There were no direct links with them or >> to funding, but they could well be part of the thousands and lakhs of >> volunteers who were helping with food ...and there's nothing wrong >> with that," said one of Anna's closest associates, Prashant Bhushan. >> >> Anna has warned that he has other causes - like electoral reforms for >> which he plans to campaign. By affiliating closely with Anna, the RSS >> and the BJP are hoping to gain political points as key states like UP >> get ready to vote. >> >> >> >> >> On 31 August 2011 12:02, Jeebesh wrote: >>> Perplexing why Partha Chatterjee (all entangled in corruption), Arjun >>> Appadurai (fascist gathering), Arundhati Roy (came for reality show) in >>> their argument against the stage/studio so contemptuous of the crowd. >>> As if >>> the connection between the crowd and stage is cemented. Is there no way >>> to >>> read excess, overflow, disconnect, escape in the relation of crowd to >>> the >>> stage? No fear of the Hydra headed crowd in the stage/studio? >>> >>> In Manesar Maruti factory the management has decided to get a "Good >>> Conduct" >>> agreement signed by each worker before they enter the factory. The >>> conduct >>> is to not engage in slow down, sit in, tampering, spanner in the wheel, >>> etc. >>> It is said that few of the workers went to the Ramila Grounds and cam >>> back >>> saying that they will sit on an "anshan". The management panicked and >>> set up >>> a 300 strong police post inside the factory. The 11 day sit in inside >>> the >>> factory in June is the background to this drastic move by the >>> management. >>> >>> warmly >>> jeebesh >>> _________________________________________ >>> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. >>> Critiques & Collaborations >>> To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with >>> subscribe >>> in the subject header. >>> To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list >>> List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> >> _________________________________________ >> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. >> Critiques & Collaborations >> To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with >> subscribe in the subject header. >> To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list >> List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> > > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> From indersalim at gmail.com Thu Sep 1 23:37:11 2011 From: indersalim at gmail.com (Inder Salim) Date: Thu, 1 Sep 2011 23:37:11 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Crowds? In-Reply-To: References: <60CD86A5-396B-4330-B2AA-42208DDBA8A9@sarai.net> Message-ID: 1. Anna Hazare huva karay koi Maray dukh ki dava karay koi Kashmiris are calling Anna to fast for probe into the 2000 unidentified in mass graves in Kahsmir. Irom Sharmilla is also expecting Anna to do something, so are Manaser Maruti Factory workers. The list is long. People are joking that Gandhi would be be replaced from currency notes soon. what to do? Poor Anna, he is not 1/100 of Gandhi, let alone Ibney Mriyam ( Christ himself ), yet... 2. JP ( Jai Prakash Narayan ) would welcome even a dog if he is willing to bark at Indira Gandhi,( the dictator) . JP is still a hero, but, oh, some of his dogs were infected with rabies. What to do? The crowd got attracted by something. Anna could have been Mamta, or Maya in UP, anything. 3. for a while, let us forget JP, Anna ,Christ, etc, yet still have masses. Examples are slippery, but here, logically we see a rose and a swril of honey bees. But how much we know about bees, they travel 300 kms and have a nose to return back home. While working they even fight with wasps and other dangerous birds who devour them on the way, and in defence they sometimes bite . Beyond their worker qualities, they help cross pollinations as a result of their honey collecting activities, without which most of the vegetation would have vanished by now. But how much we know about them actually. In short, these bees who look direction less without a queen bee or a big rose full of honey are actually quite knowledgeble about their activities, and they are still there, hovering: the space of a given atmosphere. Is everything readable/legible about this atmosphere? Whether good or bad, the crowd often forces a change. Even Anna looks morphed from his protest at Jantar Mantar. A dalit and a muslim girl offered him the juice at the end of fast. On Thu, Sep 1, 2011 at 9:11 PM, Tara Prakash wrote: > We heard some tv channels and CPI(M) operatives crying foul about > RSS-Maoist alliance during the Nandi Gram movement. > Some people who benefit from corruption would like to find any kind of dirt > they can throw at this movement. I'm okay if Barkha Dutt is hackled by > people tired of those who promote corruption. People may have different > opinion about it, but Gopinath Munde is as hacklable as any other politician > trying to infultrate a movement that has nothing to do with electoral > politics. > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jeebesh" > To: "Reader List" > Sent: Thursday, September 01, 2011 7:16 AM > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Crowds? > > > > "Not so elementary Watson, do not jump to conclusions". This remains good >> advise from Mr.Holmes. >> >> If i was in RSS, i would be super happy with reports like these. Shakhas >> (neighbourhood gatherings) have dwindled. The uniform looks archaic. >> Membership falling. Some members and linkages mired in mutual killing and >> terrorism. Etc. And here come passionate secularists who bloat the image of >> powerful presence and added to that a mass organizer. Superb. What cultural >> intelligence.!! >> >> >> On 01-Sep-11, at 9:25 AM, Tapas Ray [Gmail] wrote: >> >> Not exactly new, but worth repeating, as it's worth remembering -- >>> >>> http://www.ndtv.com/article/**india/is-rss-working-hard-for-** >>> affiliation-with-anna-130483 >>> >>> Is RSS working hard for affiliation with Anna? >>> >>> Rahul Shrivastava‎, Updated: September 01, 2011 00:31 IST >>> >>> ... >>> >>> Through some visible and not so visible moves the RSS has tried to >>> associate itself to Anna's campaign. >>> On Tuesday, Mohan Bhagwat, the head of the BJP's parent body made a >>> rare public appearance in Pune and said that "people were just fed up >>> of corruption and they had no one to look up to and then came Anna's >>> agitation which restored people's faith and also gave a boost to their >>> confidence." >>> >>> Less than a fortnight ago the RSS top brass had met in Ujjain and >>> cleared a 'Support Anna' resolution. Spurred by this BJP's Nitin >>> Gadkari wrote to Anna, pledging his support. >>> >>> Old RSS hand and ex BJP Delhi Unit Chief Mangeram Garg - was heading >>> the Sangh's "ops-room". >>> At Ramlila Maidan, Anna's home during his 12 day fast, Sangh >>> affiliates posted hundreds of men in the crowd, who could be >>> identified by their chant of Vande Mataram. >>> >>> >>> Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/** >>> india/is-rss-working-hard-for-**affiliation-with-anna-130483&**cp >>> >>> Kumar Vishwas, once a senior man within the RSS, was Anna's stage >>> manager at Ramlila Maidan and was often seen reciting poems and >>> introducing guests on stage. Coincidentally Vishwas was the stage >>> manager for Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev's aborted protests too. >>> >>> Tejinder Pal of the Party's Yuva Morcha, which is the youth wing of >>> the BJP helped mobilize those who protested outside the homes of >>> Congress leaders to signal their dissastisfaction. >>> >>> The free meals that were a big draw at Ramlila Madian were funded. by >>> the RSS' affiliate Goraksha (save the cow) unit. >>> >>> But the RSS kept its involvement discrete. Anna insulated his >>> protests from the saffron taint by forbidding right-or left wing >>> leader from sharing the stage with him. In fact two BJP MPs who >>> visited Ramlila Maidan - Ananth Kumar and Gopinath Munde- to express >>> solidarity to Anna - were heckled by the crowd. >>> >>> Team Anna opted to ignore the presence of RSS ranks among the >>> protestors and the criticism it drew. >>> >>> "There was no direct financial support from the RSS to IAC (India >>> Against Corruption movement). There were no direct links with them or >>> to funding, but they could well be part of the thousands and lakhs of >>> volunteers who were helping with food ...and there's nothing wrong >>> with that," said one of Anna's closest associates, Prashant Bhushan. >>> >>> Anna has warned that he has other causes - like electoral reforms for >>> which he plans to campaign. By affiliating closely with Anna, the RSS >>> and the BJP are hoping to gain political points as key states like UP >>> get ready to vote. >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> On 31 August 2011 12:02, Jeebesh wrote: >>> >>>> Perplexing why Partha Chatterjee (all entangled in corruption), Arjun >>>> Appadurai (fascist gathering), Arundhati Roy (came for reality show) in >>>> their argument against the stage/studio so contemptuous of the crowd. >>>> As if >>>> the connection between the crowd and stage is cemented. Is there no way >>>> to >>>> read excess, overflow, disconnect, escape in the relation of crowd to >>>> the >>>> stage? No fear of the Hydra headed crowd in the stage/studio? >>>> >>>> In Manesar Maruti factory the management has decided to get a "Good >>>> Conduct" >>>> agreement signed by each worker before they enter the factory. The >>>> conduct >>>> is to not engage in slow down, sit in, tampering, spanner in the wheel, >>>> etc. >>>> It is said that few of the workers went to the Ramila Grounds and cam >>>> back >>>> saying that they will sit on an "anshan". The management panicked and >>>> set up >>>> a 300 strong police post inside the factory. The 11 day sit in inside >>>> the >>>> factory in June is the background to this drastic move by the >>>> management. >>>> >>>> warmly >>>> jeebesh >>>> ______________________________**___________ >>>> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. >>>> Critiques & Collaborations >>>> To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with >>>> subscribe >>>> in the subject header. >>>> To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/**mailman/listinfo/reader-list >>>> List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/**pipermail/reader-list/ >>>> > >>>> >>> ______________________________**___________ >>> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. >>> Critiques & Collaborations >>> To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with >>> subscribe in the subject header. >>> To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/**mailman/listinfo/reader-list >>> List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/**pipermail/reader-list/ >>> > >>> >> >> ______________________________**___________ >> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. >> Critiques & Collaborations >> To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with >> subscribe in the subject header. >> To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/**mailman/listinfo/reader-list >> List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/**pipermail/reader-list/> >> >> > > ______________________________**___________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/**mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/**pipermail/reader-list/ > > > From taraprakash at gmail.com Fri Sep 2 03:54:48 2011 From: taraprakash at gmail.com (Tara Prakash) Date: Thu, 1 Sep 2011 18:24:48 -0400 Subject: [Reader-list] Crowds? References: <60CD86A5-396B-4330-B2AA-42208DDBA8A9@sarai.net> Message-ID: <7F5B000149A344BEBF166F8AECA559F5@tara> Khud hi ko kar buland itna ke har strike se pahle Anna Inder se ye puche, bata teri raza kya hai. TS Eliot used the term "hollow men" for the fence sitter. Guy Fawkes deserves more respect than those who criticize others from a distance. I am not sure which ones are hollower, those who jeer or those who cheer from a distance. I pity the elitism of those who communalize, dehumanize or criticize Anna from the cheering side. So for your dukh ki dava, get ready to sit on a hunger strike. If you can't, just wait, things may start looking better in a while: Ranj se khoongar hua insan to mit jata ranj Mushkilen mujh par pari itni ke aasan ho gain. cheers ----- Original Message ----- From: Inder Salim To: Tara Prakash Cc: reader-list Sent: Thursday, September 01, 2011 2:07 PM Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Crowds? 1. Anna Hazare huva karay koi Maray dukh ki dava karay koi Kashmiris are calling Anna to fast for probe into the 2000 unidentified in mass graves in Kahsmir. Irom Sharmilla is also expecting Anna to do something, so are Manaser Maruti Factory workers. The list is long. People are joking that Gandhi would be be replaced from currency notes soon. what to do? Poor Anna, he is not 1/100 of Gandhi, let alone Ibney Mriyam ( Christ himself ), yet... 2. JP ( Jai Prakash Narayan ) would welcome even a dog if he is willing to bark at Indira Gandhi,( the dictator) . JP is still a hero, but, oh, some of his dogs were infected with rabies. What to do? The crowd got attracted by something. Anna could have been Mamta, or Maya in UP, anything. 3. for a while, let us forget JP, Anna ,Christ, etc, yet still have masses. Examples are slippery, but here, logically we see a rose and a swril of honey bees. But how much we know about bees, they travel 300 kms and have a nose to return back home. While working they even fight with wasps and other dangerous birds who devour them on the way, and in defence they sometimes bite . Beyond their worker qualities, they help cross pollinations as a result of their honey collecting activities, without which most of the vegetation would have vanished by now. But how much we know about them actually. In short, these bees who look direction less without a queen bee or a big rose full of honey are actually quite knowledgeble about their activities, and they are still there, hovering: the space of a given atmosphere. Is everything readable/legible about this atmosphere? Whether good or bad, the crowd often forces a change. Even Anna looks morphed from his protest at Jantar Mantar. A dalit and a muslim girl offered him the juice at the end of fast. On Thu, Sep 1, 2011 at 9:11 PM, Tara Prakash wrote: We heard some tv channels and CPI(M) operatives crying foul about RSS-Maoist alliance during the Nandi Gram movement. Some people who benefit from corruption would like to find any kind of dirt they can throw at this movement. I'm okay if Barkha Dutt is hackled by people tired of those who promote corruption. People may have different opinion about it, but Gopinath Munde is as hacklable as any other politician trying to infultrate a movement that has nothing to do with electoral politics. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jeebesh" To: "Reader List" Sent: Thursday, September 01, 2011 7:16 AM Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Crowds? "Not so elementary Watson, do not jump to conclusions". This remains good advise from Mr.Holmes. If i was in RSS, i would be super happy with reports like these. Shakhas (neighbourhood gatherings) have dwindled. The uniform looks archaic. Membership falling. Some members and linkages mired in mutual killing and terrorism. Etc. And here come passionate secularists who bloat the image of powerful presence and added to that a mass organizer. Superb. What cultural intelligence.!! On 01-Sep-11, at 9:25 AM, Tapas Ray [Gmail] wrote: Not exactly new, but worth repeating, as it's worth remembering -- http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/is-rss-working-hard-for-affiliation-with-anna-130483 Is RSS working hard for affiliation with Anna? Rahul Shrivastava‎, Updated: September 01, 2011 00:31 IST ... Through some visible and not so visible moves the RSS has tried to associate itself to Anna's campaign. On Tuesday, Mohan Bhagwat, the head of the BJP's parent body made a rare public appearance in Pune and said that "people were just fed up of corruption and they had no one to look up to and then came Anna's agitation which restored people's faith and also gave a boost to their confidence." Less than a fortnight ago the RSS top brass had met in Ujjain and cleared a 'Support Anna' resolution. Spurred by this BJP's Nitin Gadkari wrote to Anna, pledging his support. Old RSS hand and ex BJP Delhi Unit Chief Mangeram Garg - was heading the Sangh's "ops-room". At Ramlila Maidan, Anna's home during his 12 day fast, Sangh affiliates posted hundreds of men in the crowd, who could be identified by their chant of Vande Mataram. Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/is-rss-working-hard-for-affiliation-with-anna-130483&cp Kumar Vishwas, once a senior man within the RSS, was Anna's stage manager at Ramlila Maidan and was often seen reciting poems and introducing guests on stage. Coincidentally Vishwas was the stage manager for Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev's aborted protests too. Tejinder Pal of the Party's Yuva Morcha, which is the youth wing of the BJP helped mobilize those who protested outside the homes of Congress leaders to signal their dissastisfaction. The free meals that were a big draw at Ramlila Madian were funded. by the RSS' affiliate Goraksha (save the cow) unit. But the RSS kept its involvement discrete. Anna insulated his protests from the saffron taint by forbidding right-or left wing leader from sharing the stage with him. In fact two BJP MPs who visited Ramlila Maidan - Ananth Kumar and Gopinath Munde- to express solidarity to Anna - were heckled by the crowd. Team Anna opted to ignore the presence of RSS ranks among the protestors and the criticism it drew. "There was no direct financial support from the RSS to IAC (India Against Corruption movement). There were no direct links with them or to funding, but they could well be part of the thousands and lakhs of volunteers who were helping with food ...and there's nothing wrong with that," said one of Anna's closest associates, Prashant Bhushan. Anna has warned that he has other causes - like electoral reforms for which he plans to campaign. By affiliating closely with Anna, the RSS and the BJP are hoping to gain political points as key states like UP get ready to vote. On 31 August 2011 12:02, Jeebesh wrote: Perplexing why Partha Chatterjee (all entangled in corruption), Arjun Appadurai (fascist gathering), Arundhati Roy (came for reality show) in their argument against the stage/studio so contemptuous of the crowd. As if the connection between the crowd and stage is cemented. Is there no way to read excess, overflow, disconnect, escape in the relation of crowd to the stage? No fear of the Hydra headed crowd in the stage/studio? In Manesar Maruti factory the management has decided to get a "Good Conduct" agreement signed by each worker before they enter the factory. The conduct is to not engage in slow down, sit in, tampering, spanner in the wheel, etc. It is said that few of the workers went to the Ramila Grounds and cam back saying that they will sit on an "anshan". The management panicked and set up a 300 strong police post inside the factory. The 11 day sit in inside the factory in June is the background to this drastic move by the management. warmly jeebesh _________________________________________ reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. Critiques & Collaborations To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> _________________________________________ reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. Critiques & Collaborations To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> _________________________________________ reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. Critiques & Collaborations To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> _________________________________________ reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. Critiques & Collaborations To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> From rohitrellan at aol.in Fri Sep 2 06:28:32 2011 From: rohitrellan at aol.in (rohitrellan at aol.in) Date: Thu, 01 Sep 2011 20:58:32 -0400 Subject: [Reader-list] Heritage Walk at Nizamuddin shrine, before the Urs of Hazrat Amir Khusrau In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <8CE37229226F18E-11FC-2B712@webmail-m013.sysops.aol.com> Dear friends, About 16 days after Eid-ul-fitr, many Muslims and non-Muslims in and around Delhi take part in a festive occasion they call the Satrahvin Sharif - literally Holy Seventeenth. This is the Urs or death anniversary of Hazrat Amir Khusrau, the favourite companion of 13th century Saint Nizamuddin Aulia. Thousands of people throng the twin dargah (tomb) and offer their nazrana (of flowers, chadurs and sweets), say the fatehas (oblation), tie threads of mannat (vow) on the tomb’s jali, or just sit there listening to ecstatic qawwalis. This year, the 4-day long urs of Amir Khusrau will start around 15th of September with various ceremonies and events involving traditional Sufis and qawwali singers. On the morning of 11th September, 2011, we conduct the heritage walk in the neighbourhood of Nizamuddin shrine to acquaint the participants to various historical sites which will come alive during the urs. The walk will start at 8 am on Sunday from the parking lot of Humayun’s tomb. We will first move towards the Chilla (or meditation room) of Nizamuddin Aulia situated at the north eastern corner of Humayun’s tomb compound (near Gurudwara Damdama saheb). Those coming in their vehicles could reach this location directly too (its half a kilometre walk, and we have to walk quite a lot in the Nizamuddin basti as well). >From the Chilla of Nizamuddin we return to our original location and then move to the basti of Nizamuddin across the Mathura Road (entry near the Nizamuddin Police station). Inside the basti, we will first visit the Urs Mahal (which houses the Mughal monument Chaunsath khamba too) before heading towards the main shrine of Nizamuddin and Amir Khusrau. One goes through a narrow lane to reach the dargah, and removes the shoes just before entering the tomb. All are welcome. The walk is arranged by India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. A small fee of Rs.50/- per person is charged for the participation. For registration, you could contact the reception desk at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi (or register at the venue itself). More details can also be seen at: http://www.ektaramusic.com/urswalk11.html Thanks and looking forward to you all at the walk. Yousuf From rohitrellan at aol.in Fri Sep 2 06:49:50 2011 From: rohitrellan at aol.in (rohitrellan at aol.in) Date: Thu, 01 Sep 2011 21:19:50 -0400 Subject: [Reader-list] Open Frame 09-17 September 2011, IIC, New Delhi/ VOLUNTEER FOR OPEN FRAME 2011/ Bhoomi 2011:LEARNING FROM NATURE REMEMBERING TAGORE Message-ID: <8CE37258BE9B712-11FC-2BB44@webmail-m013.sysops.aol.com> The Public Service Broadcasting Trust is organising its eleventh annual Film Festival & Forum of documentary films, workshops and discussions, the Open Frame, from 09 to 17 September 2011, in collaboration with, and at the India International Centre, New Delhi. Apart from the fraternity of filmmakers, critics, scholars and film enthusiasts, we will host more than 200 media students who register with us. 2011 marks a decade of PSBT’s work towards democratising the media and mainstreaming the independent documentary and hence Open Frame 2011 will focus on PSBT Films, celebrating their diversity and richness – those produced over the last year and a retrospective of those produced over the last decade. The Films embody new forms of looking at and understanding realities and articulate them in powerful and significant ways. From chronicling oral histories of communities, understanding the politics of religion in India, exploring the relationship that various bodies share with the city, celebrating the sexualities of those with disabilities, engaging with newer forms of existence in a globalised world, negotiating citizenship and identity, to debating India’s neo-liberal development paradigm, the Films provide an invigorating context for debate and dialogue. Through extraordinary personal stories and narratives and engagements with larger questions about the world we create around us and inhabit, the Films traverse a wide canvas of issues that concern us as individuals, groups and citizens. PSBT uses the documentary film form to seriously engage with social, political and human concerns. To create a discourse around these, we organise panel discussionsand presentations on specific themes with filmmakers, specialists, activists and academicians who provide a valuable and stimulating framework for conversations and dialogue. Panel Discussions this year include: Articulating Subaltern Narratives - Mahmood Farooqui, Ranjani Mazumdar, S. Gautham, Shriprakash; Politics of Religion: Media and Identity Formation - Ambarien Alqadar, Lalit Vachani, Nirmal Chander, Shohini Ghosh; Kashmir: Edge of the Map… Edge of the Imagination - Shivam Vij; Politics of Justice in India - Justice A. P. Shah, Sumit Khanna, Usha Ramanathan, Vrinda Grover; Women, ‘Madness’ and Cinema - Shohini Ghosh; Exclusive Cities, Disadvantaged Bodies - Avijit Mukul Kishore, Kalyani Menon-Sen, Pankaj H. Gupta, Ravi Vasudevan, Sameera Jain; Politics and Economics of Development - Aditya Nigam, Aseem Shrivastava, Akanksha Joshi, Jayati Ghosh, Pankaj Rishi Kumar, Surjit S. Bhalla. Training in filmmaking remains a vital component of the Open Frame and this year too, there are special sessions being organised on specialised aspects of documentary filmmaking. There will be Documentary Film Appreciation and Fiction Film Appreciation Workshops by Professor Suresh Chabria, Film and Television Institute of India, on 9 and 12-13 September respectively and Intensive Workshops on Filmmaking by Paromita Vohra (Script Writing), Avijit Mukul Kishore (Camera), Suresh Rajamani (Sound) and Sankalp Meshram (Editing) from 14-17 September. For Programme Log on to http://psbt.org/general/programme For Workshops Log on to http://psbt.org/general/workshops2011 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- VOLUNTEER FOR OPEN FRAME 2011 If you wish to help us out with our annual festival, the Open Frame, scheduled between 09 and 17 September 2011, please email your resume to us at jobs at psbt.org Those interested in opportunities at PSBT can email their CVs to jobs at psbt.org. We will get in touch with you if and when we have an opening/ assignment. Please also send us 1. A 500-word note on why you want to work with PSBT and in what ways you can contribute to PSBT's agendas. Please also give us a sense of your personal and professional aspirations; 2. Minimum remuneration you seek. Key Responsibilities To work with the Programme Team in all aspects of PSBT’s work, including commissioning and production of films, organising film festivals and general administrative support. Skills 1. Excellent command over English, both written and spoken. 2. A University Degree, preferably in Mass Communication or Journalism. 3. A passion for the media. 4. Ability to work in a Team. 5. Good working knowledge of Computers. NOTE: PSBT is not a production house but supports the production of independent documentary films. We are an equal opportunity employer. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bhoomi 2011:LEARNING FROM NATURE REMEMBERING TAGORE A day long conference cum festival,organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture (GOI),featuring Panels,Theatre and Film,Songs,Dinner India International Center, New Delhi 1st October, 2011 Let us all return to the soil That lays the corners of its garments And waits for us. Life rears itself from her breast, Flowers bloom from her smiles Her call is the sweetest music; Her lap stretches from one corner to the other, She controls the strings of life. Her warbling waters bring The murmur of life from all eternity. - Rabindranath Tagore (Palliprakiti, i) 10:00 -10:10 – Invocation to Mother Earth Rabindra sangeet school choir) 10:10 – 10:20 – Opening statement by Dr Vandana Shiva 10:20 – 11:20 – Panel One: Tagore’s Vision of Nature and Reverence for the Earth 11:20- 11:30 - Declaration of Rights of Mother Earth, Signing of the declaration and Diya Lighting Ceremony Session Two: Robbery of the Soil “The temptation of an inordinately high level of living, which was once confined only to a small section of the community, becomes widespread. The blindness is sure to prove fatal to the civilization which puts no restraint upon the emulation of self indulgence……… When they had reduced the limited store of material in their immediate surroundings, they proceeded to wage various wars among their different sections, each wanting his own special allotment of the lion’s share. In their scramble for the right to self-indulgence, they laughed at moral law and took it to be a sign of superiority to be ruthless in the satisfaction each of his own desire. They exhausted the water, cut down the trees, reduced the surface of the planet to a desert, riddled it with enormous pits and made its interior a rifled pocket, emptied of its valuables.” - Rabindranath Tagore The Robbery of The Soil in EWRT, Vol. III, 866 (870) 11:30 – 11:45- The Robbery of The Soil: Puppet Montage 11:45 – 12:30 - Panel One : Robbing the Earth- The Fight for Bhu Swaraj 12:30 – 1:15 – Panel Two : Rejuvenating the Soil 1:15 – 2:00 LUNCH Session Three: Education as Poetry in Motion Empowering the Future Generation for Building an Earth Democracy 2:00 – 2:15 Reading of Tagore’s “The Parrot’s Story” and book release 2:15 – 3:15 Panel Three : Education as Poetry in Motion: Tagore’s Legacy for Empowering the Future Generations for Building an Earth Democracy 3:15 – 4:15 Screening of the moving “Harmony” Session Four: The Champa and the Cherry Blossom: A Cross Culture Dialogue on Beauty as Harmony between Nature and Living Beings “The language of Nature is the eternal language of creation. It penetrates reality to reach the deepest layers of our consciousness, it draws upon a language that has survived thousands of years with the human … it is the musical instrument of nature; it replicates the rhythm inherent in life itself. If we listen carefully we will be able to trace within them the murmurs of eternity where the spirit of liberation, peace and beauty lurk, it reminds us of the sea that is santam, shivam, advaitam … it reminds us of our bond with the world … if we can accept this music of the wild within us, we can perceive the great music of oneness …” - Rabindranath Tagore "Introduction", to Bonobani, Rabindra Rachanavali, Vol. 8, 87 4:15 – 5:00 The Champa and the Cherry Blossom: A Cross Culture Dialogue on Beauty as Harmony between Nature and Living Beings 5:00 – 5:20 TEA Break Session Five: Learning from Tagore: Strengthening the Green Movement “Your mission is proving that a love for the earth, and for the things of the earth, is possible without materialism, a love without greed... I entreat you not to be turned by the call of vulgar strength, of stupendous size, by the spirit of storage, by the multiplication of millions, without meaning and without end. Cherish the ideal of perfection, and to that, relate all your work and all your movements. Though you love the material things of earth, they will not hurt you and you will bring heaven to earth and soul into things.” - Rabindranath Tagore 5:20 - 6:20 Tagore Play by Neil Chaudhary and the Tadpoles 6:30 – 7:30 Panel Four : Learning from Tagore: Strengthening the Green Movement 7:30 – 8:15 Concert by Vidya Rao : A Tribute to Bhoomi 8:15 – 10:30 The Champa and the Cherry Blossom Dinner : A Celebration ofFriendship From asit1917 at gmail.com Fri Sep 2 12:16:48 2011 From: asit1917 at gmail.com (asit das) Date: Thu, 1 Sep 2011 23:46:48 -0700 Subject: [Reader-list] anti corruption movement in india a different view Message-ID: Manufacturing Dissent, Making Mahatmas: Manu, Market, Media And The Anti-Corruption Sham *By Democratic Students' Union (DSU) * *All historical struggles, whether they occur in the political, religious, philosophical or some other ideological domain, * *are in fact only the more or less clear expression of the struggles of social classes – Engels * *When two events occur in the same space and time, more often than not, there is a correlation between the two. *On the one hand the Indian Army, paramilitary and police forces — acting so plainly and clearly on behalf of the Indian ruling classes and multinational corporations—which continue to mount a war on the people of central and eastern India in order to facilitate a naked appropriation of the region's resources is given marching orders to fight the most dispossessed yet resilient masses. Then there are 80% of the country's population forced to eke out a living on a mere Rs.20 per day and over half of the children suffer from the permanent malnourishment because of the genocidal famine conditions their families have been placed under; land acquisition of a mammoth scale affects millions of people whose sole means of livelihood is being alienated from them; thousands of small peasants are forced to find ‘escape' from an endemic agrarian crisis by committing suicide; over 2700 bodies of Kashmiris murdered by the Indian army once again reveals a Kashmir under occupation by India and the crushing of its struggle for national liberation—to name but a few instances revealing the brutal and systemic exploitation, oppression and occupation. And people are waging resilient struggles in many parts of the country against the ruling classes. On the other hand a base, distasteful drama is unfolding in front of us—the drama of an ‘anti-corruption drive', which is supposed to serve India a ‘second independence'. Needless to say, although this latter ‘struggle' seldom refers to the first set of struggles, events and phenomena, there is so simple a connection between the two that the silence over the relation between the two sets is nothing but deliberate. *The ‘Second freedom struggle' is nothing but an attempt of the ruling classes to consolidate themselves. *The Indian ruling classes today face an immense crisis, and are finding it increasingly difficult to sustain the mask of ‘world's largest democracy'. Given the onslaught on the people and their livelihood—through the acquisition of resources such as land, forests and other means of livelihood; the steep price rise of basic commodities; the privatisation of health, transport, water, electricity and education — the state faces the resistance of militant peoples' movements. And everywhere, the state is responding to this discontent and resistance with brute force. In addition to this central crisis, the ruling classes were reeling under the exposure of a series of scams such as 2G, Commonwealth Games, Adarsh Housing, etc. involving unimaginable amounts of money. It is precisely these circumstances that have given rise to an ‘anti-corruption drive' led by the so-called civil society and made it possible for the corporate media to project a reactionary like Anna Hazare as a hero in the eyes of the urban middle classes. Sweeping under the carpet more urgent structural issues affecting the vast majority of people and their very survival, ‘Team Anna' has projected corruption as the central issue plaguing Indian society. The anti-corruption drive and the Jan Lokpal have been likewise offered as the solution to all the problems. By seeking a solution within the existing system and by demanding a more coercive institution within it to check ‘corruption', the Anna Hazare-led mobilisation has appeared in the political scene as a much-needed respite to the crisis-ridden ruling classes. This ‘second freedom struggle' led by ‘Team Anna' is nothing but the mobilisation of a section of the ruling classes aiming to rid themselves of the deep contradictions and the crises that threaten them to sweep off their feet. Through a draconian bill (government's Lokpal bill and the ‘Jan' Lokpal bill are the two sides of the same coin), the ruling classes are aiming for further centralisation of authority. No legislation can provide an answer to the deep-seated exploitative structures of the society and the social relations which are the root cause of so-called corruption. *Corruption: A Mere Symptom of Structural Exploitation and Oppression. *Through its exclusive focus on corruption, 'Team Anna' in effect blinds us to the system where wealth created by peasants and workers is appropriated by the ruling classes. No doubt, a bribe running into crores is mind-boggling. Yet, we are asked to ignore a simple fact—the amount of wealth appropriated by the corporations in the first place, which enables them to provide bribes of such an amount. Corruption itself is not a new phenomenon in India; it has been endemic to the exploitative and oppressive semi-feudal semi-colonial system which concentrates wealth and power in the hands of a few. But just as imperialist globalization has heightened the exploitation of the masses, resulted in the intensified feudal appropriation of the rural labouring people, massive corporate loot of resources, the selling of the country's land and other natural resources at ridiculously low prices to corporate houses already reaping benefits in the form of tax holidays, the scale and intensity of corruption has also increased in proportion. A disease cannot be cured by suppressing its symptoms; rather, the symptom subsides only when the disease is cured. Similarly, corruption will only disappear with the revolutionary transformation of society. *A Special Drama, its Sponsorship and Mobilisation: *Corporate Funding and RSS Backing of the Anti-Corruption Drive. That the anti-corruption drive is a diversionary tactic of the ruling classes is clear not only from its programme and its goals, but also from its funding. It was clear from its very inception that this drama is funded by the corporations and business houses –Ambanis, Tatas, Jindals to real-estate developers – that are involved in the most massive of scams. It is now also public knowledge that among the list of sponsors funding the key figures of this drama are the likes of Lehman Brothers and Ford Foundation. Hazare claims to have the full support of army and the police: the two most corrupt institutions of the country. Moreover, the chief engineer of this Gandhian and so-called non-violent mobilisation is the fascist RSS. The same fascist force that killed thousands of Muslims in the Gujarat pogrom, massacred Christians in Kandhamal, and organised the Samjhauta Express, Mecca Masjid, Malegoan and Ajmer Sharif blasts is now mobilising for this ‘peaceful' second freedom struggle. As usual, the rhetoric of nation and nationalism is deployed to serve the interests of the ruling classes. The imagery, the slogans, the objectives of the movement are all brazenly replete with right-wing ideology which are proudly casteist and communal. The lead actors of this drama have notorious histories of being anti-reservation and pro-sangh parivar. The corporate media is therefore comfortable in exalting this movement with its ceaseless hyperbole. They have projected this movement as ‘unprecedented mass movement'. Last time it was the anti-reservation reactionary movement which had caught its attention. When huge masses had hit the streets of Kashmir demanding azadi, or in Lalgarh, Odisha, Chhatisgrah against corporate loot, the media remained silent. *AISA/CPI(ML) Liberation: The cheerleaders of ‘Team Anna' *. As far as AISA-Liberation is concerned, history is repeating itself, but this time as a farce. AISA was formed in the context of the anti-Mandal agitation—not as a progressive force in support of reservations, but using all the tricks in the book to oppose the Mandal recommendations through a sleight of hand. Liberation's Vinod Mishra, who opened up the portal through which the party forever exited its role as a communist vanguard, and instead became a trickster serving the ruling classes, went to extent of stating at the juncture of AISA's unholy birth that ‘just as we do not approve of those politicians who want to take revenge on the present-day progeny of Babar, we also reject those theoreticians who would punish the present-day offsprings of Manu for the crimes of their ancestors'. This is evidence not only of the party's characteristic double-speak, but is also blatantly right-wing — in short, Muslims are being called ‘Babar ke aulad'; reservations are seen as crimes against ‘upper'-castes; and the caste system itself is projected as a crime that occurred only in the past. Thus, while AISA in fact rode on the crest of the anti-Mandal mobilisation to consolidate itself in campus-spaces in pockets of north India, it is trying desperately to repeat its ‘success' formula — this time, by wedding itself to this RSS engineered and corporate funded anti-corruption drive of ‘Team Anna'. Indeed, they cry foul of the ‘undemocratic' Annas for not allowing them enough space to participate! Although in JNU they have maintained a crafty silence on Anna Hazare till now, the degeneration of AISA became blatant when on 16th August, they joined hands with ABVP in Delhi University's north campus in a ‘spontaneous protest' against Anna Hazare's detention, shouting together ‘patriotic' slogans like ‘Vande Mataram' and ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai'!. When they filled the walls of DU with anti-corruption slogans, these were all appropriated by ABVP by a simple brushstroke — in each case, by simply replacing AISA's insignia with its own. The justification put forward by Liberation/AISA and some ‘enlightened' intellectuals for joining the cacophony of ‘I am Anna' is to save it from RSS and to replace ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai' with ‘Inquilab Zindabad'! Social-democrats of Germany also gave similar justifications for allying with the Nazis which ultimately helped the rise of Hitler and the crushing of the German revolution. The convergence of the communal-fascists and the ‘Marxist-Leninists'/civil-society/NGOs therefore speak volumes not only of AISA /Liberation's political bankruptcy, but is also a wake-up call for the progressive, democratic and revolutionary forces to prepare for a new phase of battle. *Hazare is a convenient blindfold for the middle classes. *Many of the people who are out on the streets now, genuinely want an end to the brazen corruption and the scams. But Hazare and his team have been entrusted not to raise the real questions but to shroud the real struggles. The end to corruption can only take place when the current economic policies are repealed, when the MoUs signed with various corporate giants are scrapped. And the Indian state, a loyal lapdog of imperialism will never change its policies on its own. To end corruption, the corrupt system needs to be overhauled. And that is what the revolutionary armed movement which is spreading like prairie fire across the country is fighting for. It is the resilient struggle of the revolutionary masses and not the corporate-funded, RSS-backed and media-hyped theatrics that will resolve the burning problems afflicting the people of this country. *Democratic Students' Union* (DSU) is an independent students' organisation active in JNU and Delhi University in the state of Delhi. It is a constituent of the All India Revolutionary Students' Federation (AIRSF), and works towards attaining the ideals of the New Democratic Revolution. From rajkamalgoswami at gmail.com Fri Sep 2 12:26:55 2011 From: rajkamalgoswami at gmail.com (Rajkamal Goswami) Date: Fri, 2 Sep 2011 12:26:55 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] anti corruption movement in india a different view In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: It is highly disappointing to read this piece of trashy propaganda literature in Sarai. Before I begin my comprehensive critique of this propaganda, I just wish to ask the folks who are subscribed to the list: Is this list dominated by persons holding left-extreme left ideology? regards Rajkamal On Fri, Sep 2, 2011 at 12:16 PM, asit das wrote: > Manufacturing Dissent, Making Mahatmas: Manu, Market, Media > And The Anti-Corruption Sham > >  *By Democratic Students' Union (DSU) * > > *All historical struggles, whether they occur in the political, religious, > philosophical or some other ideological domain, * > *are in fact only the more or less clear expression of the struggles of > social classes – Engels * > > > *When two events occur in the same space and time, more often than not, > there is a correlation between the two. *On the one hand the Indian Army, > paramilitary and police forces — acting so plainly and clearly on behalf of > the Indian ruling classes and multinational corporations—which continue to > mount a war on the people of central and eastern India in order to > facilitate a naked appropriation of the region's resources is given marching > orders to fight the most dispossessed yet resilient masses. Then there are > 80% of the country's population forced to eke out a living on a mere Rs.20 > per day and over half of the children suffer from the permanent > malnourishment because of the genocidal famine conditions their families > have been placed under; land acquisition of a mammoth scale affects millions > of people whose sole means of livelihood is being alienated from them; > thousands of small peasants are forced to find ‘escape' from an endemic > agrarian crisis by committing suicide; over 2700 bodies of Kashmiris > murdered by the Indian army once again reveals a Kashmir under occupation by > India and the crushing of its struggle for national liberation—to name but a > few instances revealing the brutal and systemic exploitation, oppression and > occupation. And people are waging resilient struggles in many parts of the > country against the ruling classes. On the other hand a base, distasteful > drama is unfolding in front of us—the drama of an ‘anti-corruption drive', > which is supposed to serve India a ‘second independence'. Needless to say, > although this latter ‘struggle' seldom refers to the first set of struggles, > events and phenomena, there is so simple a connection between the two that > the silence over the relation between the two sets is nothing but > deliberate. > > *The ‘Second freedom struggle' is nothing but an attempt of the ruling > classes to consolidate themselves. *The Indian ruling classes today face an > immense crisis, and are finding it increasingly difficult to sustain the > mask of ‘world's largest democracy'. Given the onslaught on the people and > their livelihood—through the acquisition of resources such as land, forests > and other means of livelihood; the steep price rise of basic commodities; > the privatisation of health, transport, water, electricity and education — > the state faces the resistance of militant peoples' movements. And > everywhere, the state is responding to this discontent and resistance with > brute force. In addition to this central crisis, the ruling classes were > reeling under the exposure of a series of scams such as 2G, Commonwealth > Games, Adarsh Housing, etc. involving unimaginable amounts of money. It is > precisely these circumstances that have given rise to an ‘anti-corruption > drive' led by the so-called civil society and made it possible for the > corporate media to project a reactionary like Anna Hazare as a hero in the > eyes of the urban middle classes. Sweeping under the carpet more urgent > structural issues affecting the vast majority of people and their very > survival, ‘Team Anna' has projected corruption as the central issue plaguing > Indian society. The anti-corruption drive and the Jan Lokpal have been > likewise offered as the solution to all the problems. By seeking a solution > within the existing system and by demanding a more coercive institution > within it to check ‘corruption', the Anna Hazare-led mobilisation has > appeared in the political scene as a much-needed respite to the > crisis-ridden ruling classes. This ‘second freedom struggle' led by ‘Team > Anna' is nothing but the mobilisation of a section of the ruling classes > aiming to rid themselves of the deep contradictions and the crises that > threaten them to sweep off their feet. Through a draconian bill > (government's Lokpal bill and the ‘Jan' Lokpal bill are the two sides of the > same coin), the ruling classes are aiming for further centralisation of > authority. No legislation can provide an answer to the deep-seated > exploitative structures of the society and the social relations which are > the root cause of so-called corruption. > > *Corruption: A Mere Symptom of Structural Exploitation and Oppression. *Through > its exclusive focus on corruption, 'Team Anna' in effect blinds us to the > system where wealth created by peasants and workers is appropriated by the > ruling classes. No doubt, a bribe running into crores is mind-boggling. Yet, > we are asked to ignore a simple fact—the amount of wealth appropriated by > the corporations in the first place, which enables them to provide bribes of > such an amount. Corruption itself is not a new phenomenon in India; it has > been endemic to the exploitative and oppressive semi-feudal semi-colonial > system which concentrates wealth and power in the hands of a few. But just > as imperialist globalization has heightened the exploitation of the masses, > resulted in the intensified feudal appropriation of the rural labouring > people, massive corporate loot of resources, the selling of the country's > land and other natural resources at ridiculously low prices to corporate > houses already reaping benefits in the form of tax holidays, the scale and > intensity of corruption has also increased in proportion. A disease cannot > be cured by suppressing its symptoms; rather, the symptom subsides only when > the disease is cured. Similarly, corruption will only disappear with the > revolutionary transformation of society. > > *A Special Drama, its Sponsorship and Mobilisation: *Corporate Funding and > RSS Backing of the Anti-Corruption Drive. That the anti-corruption drive is > a diversionary tactic of the ruling classes is clear not only from its > programme and its goals, but also from its funding. It was clear from its > very inception that this drama is funded by the corporations and business > houses –Ambanis, Tatas, Jindals to real-estate developers – that are > involved in the most massive of scams. It is now also public knowledge that > among the list of sponsors funding the key figures of this drama are the > likes of Lehman Brothers and Ford Foundation. Hazare claims to have the full > support of army and the police: the two most corrupt institutions of the > country. Moreover, the chief engineer of this Gandhian and so-called > non-violent mobilisation is the fascist RSS. The same fascist force that > killed thousands of Muslims in the Gujarat pogrom, massacred Christians in > Kandhamal, and organised the Samjhauta Express, Mecca Masjid, Malegoan and > Ajmer Sharif blasts is now mobilising for this ‘peaceful' second freedom > struggle. As usual, the rhetoric of nation and nationalism is deployed to > serve the interests of the ruling classes. The imagery, the slogans, the > objectives of the movement are all brazenly replete with right-wing ideology > which are proudly casteist and communal. The lead actors of this drama have > notorious histories of being anti-reservation and pro-sangh parivar. The > corporate media is therefore comfortable in exalting this movement with its > ceaseless hyperbole. They have projected this movement as ‘unprecedented > mass movement'. Last time it was the anti-reservation reactionary movement > which had caught its attention. When huge masses had hit the streets of > Kashmir demanding azadi, or in Lalgarh, Odisha, Chhatisgrah against > corporate loot, the media remained silent. > > *AISA/CPI(ML) Liberation: The cheerleaders of ‘Team Anna' *. As far as > AISA-Liberation is concerned, history is repeating itself, but this time as > a farce. AISA was formed in the context of the anti-Mandal agitation—not as > a progressive force in support of reservations, but using all the tricks in > the book to oppose the Mandal recommendations through a sleight of hand. > Liberation's Vinod Mishra, who opened up the portal through which the party > forever exited its role as a communist vanguard, and instead became a > trickster serving the ruling classes, went to extent of stating at the > juncture of AISA's unholy birth that ‘just as we do not approve of those > politicians who want to take revenge on the present-day progeny of Babar, we > also reject those theoreticians who would punish the present-day offsprings > of Manu for the crimes of their ancestors'. This is evidence not only of the > party's characteristic double-speak, but is also blatantly right-wing — in > short, Muslims are being called ‘Babar ke aulad'; reservations are seen as > crimes against ‘upper'-castes; and the caste system itself is projected as a > crime that occurred only in the past. Thus, while AISA in fact rode on the > crest of the anti-Mandal mobilisation to consolidate itself in campus-spaces > in pockets of north India, it is trying desperately to repeat its ‘success' > formula — this time, by wedding itself to this RSS engineered and corporate > funded anti-corruption drive of ‘Team Anna'. Indeed, they cry foul of the > ‘undemocratic' Annas for not allowing them enough space to participate! > Although in JNU they have maintained a crafty silence on Anna Hazare till > now, the degeneration of AISA became blatant when on 16th August, they > joined hands with ABVP in Delhi University's north campus in a ‘spontaneous > protest' against Anna Hazare's detention, shouting together ‘patriotic' > slogans like ‘Vande Mataram' and ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai'!. When they filled the > walls of DU with anti-corruption slogans, these were all appropriated by > ABVP by a simple brushstroke — in each case, by simply replacing AISA's > insignia with its own. The justification put forward by Liberation/AISA and > some ‘enlightened' intellectuals for joining the cacophony of ‘I am Anna' is > to save it from RSS and to replace ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai' with ‘Inquilab > Zindabad'! Social-democrats of Germany also gave similar justifications for > allying with the Nazis which ultimately helped the rise of Hitler and the > crushing of the German revolution. The convergence of the communal-fascists > and the ‘Marxist-Leninists'/civil-society/NGOs therefore speak volumes not > only of AISA /Liberation's political bankruptcy, but is also a wake-up call > for the progressive, democratic and revolutionary forces to prepare for a > new phase of battle. > > *Hazare is a convenient blindfold for the middle classes. *Many of the > people who are out on the streets now, genuinely want an end to the brazen > corruption and the scams. But Hazare and his team have been entrusted not to > raise the real questions but to shroud the real struggles. The end to > corruption can only take place when the current economic policies are > repealed, when the MoUs signed with various corporate giants are scrapped. > And the Indian state, a loyal lapdog of imperialism will never change its > policies on its own. To end corruption, the corrupt system needs to be > overhauled. And that is what the revolutionary armed movement which is > spreading like prairie fire across the country is fighting for. It is the > resilient struggle of the revolutionary masses and not the corporate-funded, > RSS-backed and media-hyped theatrics that will resolve the burning problems > afflicting the people of this country. > > *Democratic Students' Union* (DSU) is an independent students' organisation > active in JNU and Delhi University in the state of Delhi. It is a > constituent of the All India Revolutionary Students' Federation (AIRSF), and > works towards attaining the ideals of the New Democratic Revolution. > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> -- Rajkamal From asit1917 at gmail.com Fri Sep 2 13:20:01 2011 From: asit1917 at gmail.com (asit das) Date: Fri, 2 Sep 2011 00:50:01 -0700 Subject: [Reader-list] anti corruption movement in india a different view In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: this is outright stifling totalitarianism more dangourous than thought police how shamelessly you people talk about pluralism, difference, democracy and liberalism. You just cant tolrate a different view point, different from the media frenzy and right wing euphoria. What do you mean by left extremism left is left, right is right. One has to make a choice. Do you mean that the list should only subscribe to right wing ideas, communal, castiest and pro-corporate view point or should the list be reserved for the Sangh parivar. Regards ASIT On Thu, Sep 1, 2011 at 11:56 PM, Rajkamal Goswami wrote: > It is highly disappointing to read this piece of trashy propaganda > literature in Sarai. Before I begin my comprehensive critique of this > propaganda, I just wish to ask the folks who are subscribed to the > list: Is this list dominated by persons holding left-extreme left > ideology? > > regards > Rajkamal > > On Fri, Sep 2, 2011 at 12:16 PM, asit das wrote: > > Manufacturing Dissent, Making Mahatmas: Manu, Market, Media > > And The Anti-Corruption Sham > > > > *By Democratic Students' Union (DSU) * > > > > *All historical struggles, whether they occur in the political, > religious, > > philosophical or some other ideological domain, * > > *are in fact only the more or less clear expression of the struggles of > > social classes – Engels * > > > > > > *When two events occur in the same space and time, more often than not, > > there is a correlation between the two. *On the one hand the Indian Army, > > paramilitary and police forces — acting so plainly and clearly on behalf > of > > the Indian ruling classes and multinational corporations—which continue > to > > mount a war on the people of central and eastern India in order to > > facilitate a naked appropriation of the region's resources is given > marching > > orders to fight the most dispossessed yet resilient masses. Then there > are > > 80% of the country's population forced to eke out a living on a mere > Rs.20 > > per day and over half of the children suffer from the permanent > > malnourishment because of the genocidal famine conditions their families > > have been placed under; land acquisition of a mammoth scale affects > millions > > of people whose sole means of livelihood is being alienated from them; > > thousands of small peasants are forced to find ‘escape' from an endemic > > agrarian crisis by committing suicide; over 2700 bodies of Kashmiris > > murdered by the Indian army once again reveals a Kashmir under occupation > by > > India and the crushing of its struggle for national liberation—to name > but a > > few instances revealing the brutal and systemic exploitation, oppression > and > > occupation. And people are waging resilient struggles in many parts of > the > > country against the ruling classes. On the other hand a base, distasteful > > drama is unfolding in front of us—the drama of an ‘anti-corruption > drive', > > which is supposed to serve India a ‘second independence'. Needless to > say, > > although this latter ‘struggle' seldom refers to the first set of > struggles, > > events and phenomena, there is so simple a connection between the two > that > > the silence over the relation between the two sets is nothing but > > deliberate. > > > > *The ‘Second freedom struggle' is nothing but an attempt of the ruling > > classes to consolidate themselves. *The Indian ruling classes today face > an > > immense crisis, and are finding it increasingly difficult to sustain the > > mask of ‘world's largest democracy'. Given the onslaught on the people > and > > their livelihood—through the acquisition of resources such as land, > forests > > and other means of livelihood; the steep price rise of basic commodities; > > the privatisation of health, transport, water, electricity and education > — > > the state faces the resistance of militant peoples' movements. And > > everywhere, the state is responding to this discontent and resistance > with > > brute force. In addition to this central crisis, the ruling classes were > > reeling under the exposure of a series of scams such as 2G, Commonwealth > > Games, Adarsh Housing, etc. involving unimaginable amounts of money. It > is > > precisely these circumstances that have given rise to an ‘anti-corruption > > drive' led by the so-called civil society and made it possible for the > > corporate media to project a reactionary like Anna Hazare as a hero in > the > > eyes of the urban middle classes. Sweeping under the carpet more urgent > > structural issues affecting the vast majority of people and their very > > survival, ‘Team Anna' has projected corruption as the central issue > plaguing > > Indian society. The anti-corruption drive and the Jan Lokpal have been > > likewise offered as the solution to all the problems. By seeking a > solution > > within the existing system and by demanding a more coercive institution > > within it to check ‘corruption', the Anna Hazare-led mobilisation has > > appeared in the political scene as a much-needed respite to the > > crisis-ridden ruling classes. This ‘second freedom struggle' led by ‘Team > > Anna' is nothing but the mobilisation of a section of the ruling classes > > aiming to rid themselves of the deep contradictions and the crises that > > threaten them to sweep off their feet. Through a draconian bill > > (government's Lokpal bill and the ‘Jan' Lokpal bill are the two sides of > the > > same coin), the ruling classes are aiming for further centralisation of > > authority. No legislation can provide an answer to the deep-seated > > exploitative structures of the society and the social relations which are > > the root cause of so-called corruption. > > > > *Corruption: A Mere Symptom of Structural Exploitation and Oppression. > *Through > > its exclusive focus on corruption, 'Team Anna' in effect blinds us to the > > system where wealth created by peasants and workers is appropriated by > the > > ruling classes. No doubt, a bribe running into crores is mind-boggling. > Yet, > > we are asked to ignore a simple fact—the amount of wealth appropriated by > > the corporations in the first place, which enables them to provide bribes > of > > such an amount. Corruption itself is not a new phenomenon in India; it > has > > been endemic to the exploitative and oppressive semi-feudal semi-colonial > > system which concentrates wealth and power in the hands of a few. But > just > > as imperialist globalization has heightened the exploitation of the > masses, > > resulted in the intensified feudal appropriation of the rural labouring > > people, massive corporate loot of resources, the selling of the country's > > land and other natural resources at ridiculously low prices to corporate > > houses already reaping benefits in the form of tax holidays, the scale > and > > intensity of corruption has also increased in proportion. A disease > cannot > > be cured by suppressing its symptoms; rather, the symptom subsides only > when > > the disease is cured. Similarly, corruption will only disappear with the > > revolutionary transformation of society. > > > > *A Special Drama, its Sponsorship and Mobilisation: *Corporate Funding > and > > RSS Backing of the Anti-Corruption Drive. That the anti-corruption drive > is > > a diversionary tactic of the ruling classes is clear not only from its > > programme and its goals, but also from its funding. It was clear from its > > very inception that this drama is funded by the corporations and business > > houses –Ambanis, Tatas, Jindals to real-estate developers – that are > > involved in the most massive of scams. It is now also public knowledge > that > > among the list of sponsors funding the key figures of this drama are the > > likes of Lehman Brothers and Ford Foundation. Hazare claims to have the > full > > support of army and the police: the two most corrupt institutions of the > > country. Moreover, the chief engineer of this Gandhian and so-called > > non-violent mobilisation is the fascist RSS. The same fascist force that > > killed thousands of Muslims in the Gujarat pogrom, massacred Christians > in > > Kandhamal, and organised the Samjhauta Express, Mecca Masjid, Malegoan > and > > Ajmer Sharif blasts is now mobilising for this ‘peaceful' second freedom > > struggle. As usual, the rhetoric of nation and nationalism is deployed to > > serve the interests of the ruling classes. The imagery, the slogans, the > > objectives of the movement are all brazenly replete with right-wing > ideology > > which are proudly casteist and communal. The lead actors of this drama > have > > notorious histories of being anti-reservation and pro-sangh parivar. The > > corporate media is therefore comfortable in exalting this movement with > its > > ceaseless hyperbole. They have projected this movement as ‘unprecedented > > mass movement'. Last time it was the anti-reservation reactionary > movement > > which had caught its attention. When huge masses had hit the streets of > > Kashmir demanding azadi, or in Lalgarh, Odisha, Chhatisgrah against > > corporate loot, the media remained silent. > > > > *AISA/CPI(ML) Liberation: The cheerleaders of ‘Team Anna' *. As far as > > AISA-Liberation is concerned, history is repeating itself, but this time > as > > a farce. AISA was formed in the context of the anti-Mandal agitation—not > as > > a progressive force in support of reservations, but using all the tricks > in > > the book to oppose the Mandal recommendations through a sleight of hand. > > Liberation's Vinod Mishra, who opened up the portal through which the > party > > forever exited its role as a communist vanguard, and instead became a > > trickster serving the ruling classes, went to extent of stating at the > > juncture of AISA's unholy birth that ‘just as we do not approve of those > > politicians who want to take revenge on the present-day progeny of Babar, > we > > also reject those theoreticians who would punish the present-day > offsprings > > of Manu for the crimes of their ancestors'. This is evidence not only of > the > > party's characteristic double-speak, but is also blatantly right-wing — > in > > short, Muslims are being called ‘Babar ke aulad'; reservations are seen > as > > crimes against ‘upper'-castes; and the caste system itself is projected > as a > > crime that occurred only in the past. Thus, while AISA in fact rode on > the > > crest of the anti-Mandal mobilisation to consolidate itself in > campus-spaces > > in pockets of north India, it is trying desperately to repeat its > ‘success' > > formula — this time, by wedding itself to this RSS engineered and > corporate > > funded anti-corruption drive of ‘Team Anna'. Indeed, they cry foul of the > > ‘undemocratic' Annas for not allowing them enough space to participate! > > Although in JNU they have maintained a crafty silence on Anna Hazare till > > now, the degeneration of AISA became blatant when on 16th August, they > > joined hands with ABVP in Delhi University's north campus in a > ‘spontaneous > > protest' against Anna Hazare's detention, shouting together ‘patriotic' > > slogans like ‘Vande Mataram' and ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai'!. When they filled > the > > walls of DU with anti-corruption slogans, these were all appropriated by > > ABVP by a simple brushstroke — in each case, by simply replacing AISA's > > insignia with its own. The justification put forward by Liberation/AISA > and > > some ‘enlightened' intellectuals for joining the cacophony of ‘I am Anna' > is > > to save it from RSS and to replace ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai' with ‘Inquilab > > Zindabad'! Social-democrats of Germany also gave similar justifications > for > > allying with the Nazis which ultimately helped the rise of Hitler and the > > crushing of the German revolution. The convergence of the > communal-fascists > > and the ‘Marxist-Leninists'/civil-society/NGOs therefore speak volumes > not > > only of AISA /Liberation's political bankruptcy, but is also a wake-up > call > > for the progressive, democratic and revolutionary forces to prepare for a > > new phase of battle. > > > > *Hazare is a convenient blindfold for the middle classes. *Many of the > > people who are out on the streets now, genuinely want an end to the > brazen > > corruption and the scams. But Hazare and his team have been entrusted not > to > > raise the real questions but to shroud the real struggles. The end to > > corruption can only take place when the current economic policies are > > repealed, when the MoUs signed with various corporate giants are > scrapped. > > And the Indian state, a loyal lapdog of imperialism will never change its > > policies on its own. To end corruption, the corrupt system needs to be > > overhauled. And that is what the revolutionary armed movement which is > > spreading like prairie fire across the country is fighting for. It is the > > resilient struggle of the revolutionary masses and not the > corporate-funded, > > RSS-backed and media-hyped theatrics that will resolve the burning > problems > > afflicting the people of this country. > > > > *Democratic Students' Union* (DSU) is an independent students' > organisation > > active in JNU and Delhi University in the state of Delhi. It is a > > constituent of the All India Revolutionary Students' Federation (AIRSF), > and > > works towards attaining the ideals of the New Democratic Revolution. > > _________________________________________ > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > > Critiques & Collaborations > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > subscribe in the subject header. > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> > > > > -- > Rajkamal > From Image.Science at donau-uni.ac.at Fri Sep 2 13:23:43 2011 From: Image.Science at donau-uni.ac.at (Image Science) Date: Fri, 02 Sep 2011 09:53:43 +0200 Subject: [Reader-list] New Pub.: Imagery in the 21st Century Message-ID: <4E60A7A70200007D0000DA10@gwgwia.donau-uni.ac.at> Dear Listmembers, it is with great pleasure, that we can pass the information on the publication of our collective work: IMAGERY IN THE 21st CENTURY Edited by Oliver GRAU with Thomas VEIGL Cambridge/Mass., MIT Press, 2011 7 x 9 • 424 pp. • 132 figures Scholars from science, art and humanities explore the meaning of our new image worlds and offer new strategies for visual analysis. With contributions by Marie-Luise ANGERER, Olaf BREIDBACH, Adrian David CHEOK, Wendy CHUN, Sean CUBITT, James ELKINS, Oliver GRAU, Stefan HEIDENREICH, Eduardo KAC, Martin KEMP, Harald KRAEMER, Lev MANOVICH & Jeremy DOUGLASS, Tim Otto ROTH & Andreas DEUTSCH, Martin SCHULZ, Christa SOMMERER & Laurent MIGNONNEAU, David & Dolores STEINMAN, Thomas VEIGL, Martin WARNKE and Peter WEIBEL. We are surrounded by images more than ever: Flickr, Facebook, YouTube; thousands of television channels; digital games and virtual worlds, in media art and science, in politics, communication and knowledge representation. The digital image represents endless options for manipulation; images seem capable of changing interactively or even autonomously. Without new efforts to visualize complex ideas, structures, and systems, today's knowledge explosion would be unmanageable. This volume offers systematic and interdisciplinary reflections on these new image worlds and new analytical approaches to the visual. Imagery in the 21st Century examines this revolution in various fields with researchers from the natural sciences and the humanities to achieve a deeper understanding of the meaning and impact of the image in our time. The contributors explore and discuss new critical terms of multidisciplinary scope, from database economy to the dramaturgy of hypermedia, from visualisations in neurosciences to the image in bio art. They consider the power of the image in the development of human consciousness, pursue new definitions of visual phenomena, and examine new tools for image research and visual analysis. The goal is to expand visual competence in investigating new visual worlds and to build cross-disciplinary exchanges among the arts, humanities and natural sciences. MORE INFO: http://www.mediaarthistory.org/pub/Imagery21Century.html MIT Press: http://mitpress.mit.edu/catalog/item/default.asp?ttype=2&tid=12675 From rajkamalgoswami at gmail.com Fri Sep 2 13:30:41 2011 From: rajkamalgoswami at gmail.com (Rajkamal Goswami) Date: Fri, 2 Sep 2011 13:30:41 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] anti corruption movement in india a different view In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Instead of jumping to quick conclusions, sweeping assumptions, you would have done better by posting a simple answer to a pretty straightforward question. And whats the deal about 'you people'? Who are these 'you people'? And how did you come to know that I represent 'you people'? On Fri, Sep 2, 2011 at 1:20 PM, asit das wrote: > this is outright stifling totalitarianism more dangourous than thought > police > how shamelessly you people talk about pluralism, difference, democracy and > liberalism. > You just cant tolrate a different view point, different from the media > frenzy and right wing > euphoria. > > What do you mean by left extremism left is left, right is right. One has to > make a choice. > Do you mean that the list should only subscribe to right wing ideas, > communal, castiest and pro-corporate view point or should the list be > reserved for the Sangh parivar. > > > Regards > > > ASIT > > On Thu, Sep 1, 2011 at 11:56 PM, Rajkamal Goswami > wrote: >> >> It is highly disappointing to read this piece of trashy propaganda >> literature in Sarai. Before I begin my comprehensive critique of this >> propaganda, I just wish to ask the folks who are subscribed to the >> list: Is this list dominated by persons holding left-extreme left >> ideology? >> >> regards >> Rajkamal >> >> On Fri, Sep 2, 2011 at 12:16 PM, asit das wrote: >> > Manufacturing Dissent, Making Mahatmas: Manu, Market, Media >> > And The Anti-Corruption Sham >> > >> >  *By Democratic Students' Union (DSU) * >> > >> > *All historical struggles, whether they occur in the political, >> > religious, >> > philosophical or some other ideological domain, * >> > *are in fact only the more or less clear expression of the struggles of >> > social classes – Engels * >> > >> > >> > *When two events occur in the same space and time, more often than not, >> > there is a correlation between the two. *On the one hand the Indian >> > Army, >> > paramilitary and police forces — acting so plainly and clearly on behalf >> > of >> > the Indian ruling classes and multinational corporations—which continue >> > to >> > mount a war on the people of central and eastern India in order to >> > facilitate a naked appropriation of the region's resources is given >> > marching >> > orders to fight the most dispossessed yet resilient masses. Then there >> > are >> > 80% of the country's population forced to eke out a living on a mere >> > Rs.20 >> > per day and over half of the children suffer from the permanent >> > malnourishment because of the genocidal famine conditions their families >> > have been placed under; land acquisition of a mammoth scale affects >> > millions >> > of people whose sole means of livelihood is being alienated from them; >> > thousands of small peasants are forced to find ‘escape' from an endemic >> > agrarian crisis by committing suicide; over 2700 bodies of Kashmiris >> > murdered by the Indian army once again reveals a Kashmir under >> > occupation by >> > India and the crushing of its struggle for national liberation—to name >> > but a >> > few instances revealing the brutal and systemic exploitation, oppression >> > and >> > occupation. And people are waging resilient struggles in many parts of >> > the >> > country against the ruling classes. On the other hand a base, >> > distasteful >> > drama is unfolding in front of us—the drama of an ‘anti-corruption >> > drive', >> > which is supposed to serve India a ‘second independence'. Needless to >> > say, >> > although this latter ‘struggle' seldom refers to the first set of >> > struggles, >> > events and phenomena, there is so simple a connection between the two >> > that >> > the silence over the relation between the two sets is nothing but >> > deliberate. >> > >> > *The ‘Second freedom struggle' is nothing but an attempt of the ruling >> > classes to consolidate themselves. *The Indian ruling classes today face >> > an >> > immense crisis, and are finding it increasingly difficult to sustain the >> > mask of ‘world's largest democracy'. Given the onslaught on the people >> > and >> > their livelihood—through the acquisition of resources such as land, >> > forests >> > and other means of livelihood; the steep price rise of basic >> > commodities; >> > the privatisation of health, transport, water, electricity and education >> > — >> > the state faces the resistance of militant peoples' movements. And >> > everywhere, the state is responding to this discontent and resistance >> > with >> > brute force. In addition to this central crisis, the ruling classes were >> > reeling under the exposure of a series of scams such as 2G, Commonwealth >> > Games, Adarsh Housing, etc. involving unimaginable amounts of money. It >> > is >> > precisely these circumstances that have given rise to an >> > ‘anti-corruption >> > drive' led by the so-called civil society and made it possible for the >> > corporate media to project a reactionary like Anna Hazare as a hero in >> > the >> > eyes of the urban middle classes. Sweeping under the carpet more urgent >> > structural issues affecting the vast majority of people and their very >> > survival, ‘Team Anna' has projected corruption as the central issue >> > plaguing >> > Indian society. The anti-corruption drive and the Jan Lokpal have been >> > likewise offered as the solution to all the problems. By seeking a >> > solution >> > within the existing system and by demanding a more coercive institution >> > within it to check ‘corruption', the Anna Hazare-led mobilisation has >> > appeared in the political scene as a much-needed respite to the >> > crisis-ridden ruling classes. This ‘second freedom struggle' led by >> > ‘Team >> > Anna' is nothing but the mobilisation of a section of the ruling classes >> > aiming to rid themselves of the deep contradictions and the crises that >> > threaten them to sweep off their feet. Through a draconian bill >> > (government's Lokpal bill and the ‘Jan' Lokpal bill are the two sides of >> > the >> > same coin), the ruling classes are aiming for further centralisation of >> > authority. No legislation can provide an answer to the deep-seated >> > exploitative structures of the society and the social relations which >> > are >> > the root cause of so-called corruption. >> > >> > *Corruption: A Mere Symptom of Structural Exploitation and Oppression. >> > *Through >> > its exclusive focus on corruption, 'Team Anna' in effect blinds us to >> > the >> > system where wealth created by peasants and workers is appropriated by >> > the >> > ruling classes. No doubt, a bribe running into crores is mind-boggling. >> > Yet, >> > we are asked to ignore a simple fact—the amount of wealth appropriated >> > by >> > the corporations in the first place, which enables them to provide >> > bribes of >> > such an amount. Corruption itself is not a new phenomenon in India; it >> > has >> > been endemic to the exploitative and oppressive semi-feudal >> > semi-colonial >> > system which concentrates wealth and power in the hands of a few. But >> > just >> > as imperialist globalization has heightened the exploitation of the >> > masses, >> > resulted in the intensified feudal appropriation of the rural labouring >> > people, massive corporate loot of resources, the selling of the >> > country's >> > land and other natural resources at ridiculously low prices to corporate >> > houses already reaping benefits in the form of tax holidays, the scale >> > and >> > intensity of corruption has also increased in proportion. A disease >> > cannot >> > be cured by suppressing its symptoms; rather, the symptom subsides only >> > when >> > the disease is cured. Similarly, corruption will only disappear with the >> > revolutionary transformation of society. >> > >> > *A Special Drama, its Sponsorship and Mobilisation: *Corporate Funding >> > and >> > RSS Backing of the Anti-Corruption Drive. That the anti-corruption drive >> > is >> > a diversionary tactic of the ruling classes is clear not only from its >> > programme and its goals, but also from its funding. It was clear from >> > its >> > very inception that this drama is funded by the corporations and >> > business >> > houses –Ambanis, Tatas, Jindals to real-estate developers – that are >> > involved in the most massive of scams. It is now also public knowledge >> > that >> > among the list of sponsors funding the key figures of this drama are the >> > likes of Lehman Brothers and Ford Foundation. Hazare claims to have the >> > full >> > support of army and the police: the two most corrupt institutions of the >> > country. Moreover, the chief engineer of this Gandhian and so-called >> > non-violent mobilisation is the fascist RSS. The same fascist force that >> > killed thousands of Muslims in the Gujarat pogrom, massacred Christians >> > in >> > Kandhamal, and organised the Samjhauta Express, Mecca Masjid, Malegoan >> > and >> > Ajmer Sharif blasts is now mobilising for this ‘peaceful' second freedom >> > struggle. As usual, the rhetoric of nation and nationalism is deployed >> > to >> > serve the interests of the ruling classes. The imagery, the slogans, the >> > objectives of the movement are all brazenly replete with right-wing >> > ideology >> > which are proudly casteist and communal. The lead actors of this drama >> > have >> > notorious histories of being anti-reservation and pro-sangh parivar. The >> > corporate media is therefore comfortable in exalting this movement with >> > its >> > ceaseless hyperbole. They have projected this movement as ‘unprecedented >> > mass movement'. Last time it was the anti-reservation reactionary >> > movement >> > which had caught its attention. When huge masses had hit the streets of >> > Kashmir demanding azadi, or in Lalgarh, Odisha, Chhatisgrah against >> > corporate loot, the media remained silent. >> > >> > *AISA/CPI(ML) Liberation: The cheerleaders of ‘Team Anna' *. As far as >> > AISA-Liberation is concerned, history is repeating itself, but this time >> > as >> > a farce. AISA was formed in the context of the anti-Mandal agitation—not >> > as >> > a progressive force in support of reservations, but using all the tricks >> > in >> > the book to oppose the Mandal recommendations through a sleight of hand. >> > Liberation's Vinod Mishra, who opened up the portal through which the >> > party >> > forever exited its role as a communist vanguard, and instead became a >> > trickster serving the ruling classes, went to extent of stating at the >> > juncture of AISA's unholy birth that ‘just as we do not approve of those >> > politicians who want to take revenge on the present-day progeny of >> > Babar, we >> > also reject those theoreticians who would punish the present-day >> > offsprings >> > of Manu for the crimes of their ancestors'. This is evidence not only of >> > the >> > party's characteristic double-speak, but is also blatantly right-wing — >> > in >> > short, Muslims are being called ‘Babar ke aulad'; reservations are seen >> > as >> > crimes against ‘upper'-castes; and the caste system itself is projected >> > as a >> > crime that occurred only in the past. Thus, while AISA in fact rode on >> > the >> > crest of the anti-Mandal mobilisation to consolidate itself in >> > campus-spaces >> > in pockets of north India, it is trying desperately to repeat its >> > ‘success' >> > formula — this time, by wedding itself to this RSS engineered and >> > corporate >> > funded anti-corruption drive of ‘Team Anna'. Indeed, they cry foul of >> > the >> > ‘undemocratic' Annas for not allowing them enough space to participate! >> > Although in JNU they have maintained a crafty silence on Anna Hazare >> > till >> > now, the degeneration of AISA became blatant when on 16th August, they >> > joined hands with ABVP in Delhi University's north campus in a >> > ‘spontaneous >> > protest' against Anna Hazare's detention, shouting together ‘patriotic' >> > slogans like ‘Vande Mataram' and ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai'!. When they filled >> > the >> > walls of DU with anti-corruption slogans, these were all appropriated by >> > ABVP by a simple brushstroke — in each case, by simply replacing AISA's >> > insignia with its own. The justification put forward by Liberation/AISA >> > and >> > some ‘enlightened' intellectuals for joining the cacophony of ‘I am >> > Anna' is >> > to save it from RSS and to replace ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai' with ‘Inquilab >> > Zindabad'! Social-democrats of Germany also gave similar justifications >> > for >> > allying with the Nazis which ultimately helped the rise of Hitler and >> > the >> > crushing of the German revolution. The convergence of the >> > communal-fascists >> > and the ‘Marxist-Leninists'/civil-society/NGOs therefore speak volumes >> > not >> > only of AISA /Liberation's political bankruptcy, but is also a wake-up >> > call >> > for the progressive, democratic and revolutionary forces to prepare for >> > a >> > new phase of battle. >> > >> > *Hazare is a convenient blindfold for the middle classes. *Many of the >> > people who are out on the streets now, genuinely want an end to the >> > brazen >> > corruption and the scams. But Hazare and his team have been entrusted >> > not to >> > raise the real questions but to shroud the real struggles. The end to >> > corruption can only take place when the current economic policies are >> > repealed, when the MoUs signed with various corporate giants are >> > scrapped. >> > And the Indian state, a loyal lapdog of imperialism will never change >> > its >> > policies on its own. To end corruption, the corrupt system needs to be >> > overhauled. And that is what the revolutionary armed movement which is >> > spreading like prairie fire across the country is fighting for. It is >> > the >> > resilient struggle of the revolutionary masses and not the >> > corporate-funded, >> > RSS-backed and media-hyped theatrics that will resolve the burning >> > problems >> > afflicting the people of this country. >> > >> > *Democratic Students' Union* (DSU) is an independent students' >> > organisation >> > active in JNU and Delhi University in the state of Delhi. It is a >> > constituent of the All India Revolutionary Students' Federation (AIRSF), >> > and >> > works towards attaining the ideals of the New Democratic Revolution. >> > _________________________________________ >> > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. >> > Critiques & Collaborations >> > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with >> > subscribe in the subject header. >> > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list >> > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> >> >> >> >> -- >> Rajkamal > > -- Rajkamal From taraprakash at gmail.com Fri Sep 2 19:19:48 2011 From: taraprakash at gmail.com (Tara Prakash) Date: Fri, 2 Sep 2011 09:49:48 -0400 Subject: [Reader-list] anti corruption movement in india a different view References: Message-ID: <9953135D197D43D8B87D5301AD853C6D@tara> I think this question is both priceless and worthless. I see no relevance for this question as it adds nothing to the ongoing debate, or lack thereof. Now what should be the criteria to know who is left and who is right? ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rajkamal Goswami" To: "asit das" Cc: "reader-list" Sent: Friday, September 02, 2011 2:56 AM Subject: Re: [Reader-list] anti corruption movement in india a different view > It is highly disappointing to read this piece of trashy propaganda > literature in Sarai. Before I begin my comprehensive critique of this > propaganda, I just wish to ask the folks who are subscribed to the > list: Is this list dominated by persons holding left-extreme left > ideology? > > regards > Rajkamal > > On Fri, Sep 2, 2011 at 12:16 PM, asit das wrote: >> Manufacturing Dissent, Making Mahatmas: Manu, Market, Media >> And The Anti-Corruption Sham >> >> *By Democratic Students' Union (DSU) * >> >> *All historical struggles, whether they occur in the political, >> religious, >> philosophical or some other ideological domain, * >> *are in fact only the more or less clear expression of the struggles of >> social classes – Engels * >> >> >> *When two events occur in the same space and time, more often than not, >> there is a correlation between the two. *On the one hand the Indian Army, >> paramilitary and police forces — acting so plainly and clearly on behalf >> of >> the Indian ruling classes and multinational corporations—which continue >> to >> mount a war on the people of central and eastern India in order to >> facilitate a naked appropriation of the region's resources is given >> marching >> orders to fight the most dispossessed yet resilient masses. Then there >> are >> 80% of the country's population forced to eke out a living on a mere >> Rs.20 >> per day and over half of the children suffer from the permanent >> malnourishment because of the genocidal famine conditions their families >> have been placed under; land acquisition of a mammoth scale affects >> millions >> of people whose sole means of livelihood is being alienated from them; >> thousands of small peasants are forced to find ‘escape' from an endemic >> agrarian crisis by committing suicide; over 2700 bodies of Kashmiris >> murdered by the Indian army once again reveals a Kashmir under occupation >> by >> India and the crushing of its struggle for national liberation—to name >> but a >> few instances revealing the brutal and systemic exploitation, oppression >> and >> occupation. And people are waging resilient struggles in many parts of >> the >> country against the ruling classes. On the other hand a base, distasteful >> drama is unfolding in front of us—the drama of an ‘anti-corruption >> drive', >> which is supposed to serve India a ‘second independence'. Needless to >> say, >> although this latter ‘struggle' seldom refers to the first set of >> struggles, >> events and phenomena, there is so simple a connection between the two >> that >> the silence over the relation between the two sets is nothing but >> deliberate. >> >> *The ‘Second freedom struggle' is nothing but an attempt of the ruling >> classes to consolidate themselves. *The Indian ruling classes today face >> an >> immense crisis, and are finding it increasingly difficult to sustain the >> mask of ‘world's largest democracy'. Given the onslaught on the people >> and >> their livelihood—through the acquisition of resources such as land, >> forests >> and other means of livelihood; the steep price rise of basic commodities; >> the privatisation of health, transport, water, electricity and >> education — >> the state faces the resistance of militant peoples' movements. And >> everywhere, the state is responding to this discontent and resistance >> with >> brute force. In addition to this central crisis, the ruling classes were >> reeling under the exposure of a series of scams such as 2G, Commonwealth >> Games, Adarsh Housing, etc. involving unimaginable amounts of money. It >> is >> precisely these circumstances that have given rise to an ‘anti-corruption >> drive' led by the so-called civil society and made it possible for the >> corporate media to project a reactionary like Anna Hazare as a hero in >> the >> eyes of the urban middle classes. Sweeping under the carpet more urgent >> structural issues affecting the vast majority of people and their very >> survival, ‘Team Anna' has projected corruption as the central issue >> plaguing >> Indian society. The anti-corruption drive and the Jan Lokpal have been >> likewise offered as the solution to all the problems. By seeking a >> solution >> within the existing system and by demanding a more coercive institution >> within it to check ‘corruption', the Anna Hazare-led mobilisation has >> appeared in the political scene as a much-needed respite to the >> crisis-ridden ruling classes. This ‘second freedom struggle' led by ‘Team >> Anna' is nothing but the mobilisation of a section of the ruling classes >> aiming to rid themselves of the deep contradictions and the crises that >> threaten them to sweep off their feet. Through a draconian bill >> (government's Lokpal bill and the ‘Jan' Lokpal bill are the two sides of >> the >> same coin), the ruling classes are aiming for further centralisation of >> authority. No legislation can provide an answer to the deep-seated >> exploitative structures of the society and the social relations which are >> the root cause of so-called corruption. >> >> *Corruption: A Mere Symptom of Structural Exploitation and Oppression. >> *Through >> its exclusive focus on corruption, 'Team Anna' in effect blinds us to the >> system where wealth created by peasants and workers is appropriated by >> the >> ruling classes. No doubt, a bribe running into crores is mind-boggling. >> Yet, >> we are asked to ignore a simple fact—the amount of wealth appropriated by >> the corporations in the first place, which enables them to provide bribes >> of >> such an amount. Corruption itself is not a new phenomenon in India; it >> has >> been endemic to the exploitative and oppressive semi-feudal semi-colonial >> system which concentrates wealth and power in the hands of a few. But >> just >> as imperialist globalization has heightened the exploitation of the >> masses, >> resulted in the intensified feudal appropriation of the rural labouring >> people, massive corporate loot of resources, the selling of the country's >> land and other natural resources at ridiculously low prices to corporate >> houses already reaping benefits in the form of tax holidays, the scale >> and >> intensity of corruption has also increased in proportion. A disease >> cannot >> be cured by suppressing its symptoms; rather, the symptom subsides only >> when >> the disease is cured. Similarly, corruption will only disappear with the >> revolutionary transformation of society. >> >> *A Special Drama, its Sponsorship and Mobilisation: *Corporate Funding >> and >> RSS Backing of the Anti-Corruption Drive. That the anti-corruption drive >> is >> a diversionary tactic of the ruling classes is clear not only from its >> programme and its goals, but also from its funding. It was clear from its >> very inception that this drama is funded by the corporations and business >> houses –Ambanis, Tatas, Jindals to real-estate developers – that are >> involved in the most massive of scams. It is now also public knowledge >> that >> among the list of sponsors funding the key figures of this drama are the >> likes of Lehman Brothers and Ford Foundation. Hazare claims to have the >> full >> support of army and the police: the two most corrupt institutions of the >> country. Moreover, the chief engineer of this Gandhian and so-called >> non-violent mobilisation is the fascist RSS. The same fascist force that >> killed thousands of Muslims in the Gujarat pogrom, massacred Christians >> in >> Kandhamal, and organised the Samjhauta Express, Mecca Masjid, Malegoan >> and >> Ajmer Sharif blasts is now mobilising for this ‘peaceful' second freedom >> struggle. As usual, the rhetoric of nation and nationalism is deployed to >> serve the interests of the ruling classes. The imagery, the slogans, the >> objectives of the movement are all brazenly replete with right-wing >> ideology >> which are proudly casteist and communal. The lead actors of this drama >> have >> notorious histories of being anti-reservation and pro-sangh parivar. The >> corporate media is therefore comfortable in exalting this movement with >> its >> ceaseless hyperbole. They have projected this movement as ‘unprecedented >> mass movement'. Last time it was the anti-reservation reactionary >> movement >> which had caught its attention. When huge masses had hit the streets of >> Kashmir demanding azadi, or in Lalgarh, Odisha, Chhatisgrah against >> corporate loot, the media remained silent. >> >> *AISA/CPI(ML) Liberation: The cheerleaders of ‘Team Anna' *. As far as >> AISA-Liberation is concerned, history is repeating itself, but this time >> as >> a farce. AISA was formed in the context of the anti-Mandal agitation—not >> as >> a progressive force in support of reservations, but using all the tricks >> in >> the book to oppose the Mandal recommendations through a sleight of hand. >> Liberation's Vinod Mishra, who opened up the portal through which the >> party >> forever exited its role as a communist vanguard, and instead became a >> trickster serving the ruling classes, went to extent of stating at the >> juncture of AISA's unholy birth that ‘just as we do not approve of those >> politicians who want to take revenge on the present-day progeny of Babar, >> we >> also reject those theoreticians who would punish the present-day >> offsprings >> of Manu for the crimes of their ancestors'. This is evidence not only of >> the >> party's characteristic double-speak, but is also blatantly right-wing — >> in >> short, Muslims are being called ‘Babar ke aulad'; reservations are seen >> as >> crimes against ‘upper'-castes; and the caste system itself is projected >> as a >> crime that occurred only in the past. Thus, while AISA in fact rode on >> the >> crest of the anti-Mandal mobilisation to consolidate itself in >> campus-spaces >> in pockets of north India, it is trying desperately to repeat its >> ‘success' >> formula — this time, by wedding itself to this RSS engineered and >> corporate >> funded anti-corruption drive of ‘Team Anna'. Indeed, they cry foul of the >> ‘undemocratic' Annas for not allowing them enough space to participate! >> Although in JNU they have maintained a crafty silence on Anna Hazare till >> now, the degeneration of AISA became blatant when on 16th August, they >> joined hands with ABVP in Delhi University's north campus in a >> ‘spontaneous >> protest' against Anna Hazare's detention, shouting together ‘patriotic' >> slogans like ‘Vande Mataram' and ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai'!. When they filled >> the >> walls of DU with anti-corruption slogans, these were all appropriated by >> ABVP by a simple brushstroke — in each case, by simply replacing AISA's >> insignia with its own. The justification put forward by Liberation/AISA >> and >> some ‘enlightened' intellectuals for joining the cacophony of ‘I am Anna' >> is >> to save it from RSS and to replace ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai' with ‘Inquilab >> Zindabad'! Social-democrats of Germany also gave similar justifications >> for >> allying with the Nazis which ultimately helped the rise of Hitler and the >> crushing of the German revolution. The convergence of the >> communal-fascists >> and the ‘Marxist-Leninists'/civil-society/NGOs therefore speak volumes >> not >> only of AISA /Liberation's political bankruptcy, but is also a wake-up >> call >> for the progressive, democratic and revolutionary forces to prepare for a >> new phase of battle. >> >> *Hazare is a convenient blindfold for the middle classes. *Many of the >> people who are out on the streets now, genuinely want an end to the >> brazen >> corruption and the scams. But Hazare and his team have been entrusted not >> to >> raise the real questions but to shroud the real struggles. The end to >> corruption can only take place when the current economic policies are >> repealed, when the MoUs signed with various corporate giants are >> scrapped. >> And the Indian state, a loyal lapdog of imperialism will never change its >> policies on its own. To end corruption, the corrupt system needs to be >> overhauled. And that is what the revolutionary armed movement which is >> spreading like prairie fire across the country is fighting for. It is the >> resilient struggle of the revolutionary masses and not the >> corporate-funded, >> RSS-backed and media-hyped theatrics that will resolve the burning >> problems >> afflicting the people of this country. >> >> *Democratic Students' Union* (DSU) is an independent students' >> organisation >> active in JNU and Delhi University in the state of Delhi. It is a >> constituent of the All India Revolutionary Students' Federation (AIRSF), >> and >> works towards attaining the ideals of the New Democratic Revolution. >> _________________________________________ >> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. >> Critiques & Collaborations >> To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with >> subscribe in the subject header. >> To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list >> List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> > > > > -- > Rajkamal > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> From rajkamalgoswami at gmail.com Fri Sep 2 19:47:05 2011 From: rajkamalgoswami at gmail.com (Rajkamal Goswami) Date: Fri, 2 Sep 2011 19:47:05 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] anti corruption movement in india a different view In-Reply-To: <9953135D197D43D8B87D5301AD853C6D@tara> References: <9953135D197D43D8B87D5301AD853C6D@tara> Message-ID: I think its very relevant because depending on the composition of the group members' political affiliation, ideologies and biases, a critique's acceptance would be determined. For eg. no matter how logical or factual my critique is, it would not be welcomed by the members due to an inherent bias since it goes against the core ethics/thoughts/ideas of their ideologues . Rajkamal On Fri, Sep 2, 2011 at 7:19 PM, Tara Prakash wrote: > I think this question is both priceless and worthless. I see no relevance > for this question as it adds nothing to the ongoing debate, or lack thereof. > Now what should be the criteria to know who is left and who is right? > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rajkamal Goswami" > > To: "asit das" > Cc: "reader-list" > Sent: Friday, September 02, 2011 2:56 AM > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] anti corruption movement in india a different > view > > >> It is highly disappointing to read this piece of trashy propaganda >> literature in Sarai. Before I begin my comprehensive critique of this >> propaganda, I just wish to ask the folks who are subscribed to the >> list: Is this list dominated by persons holding left-extreme left >> ideology? >> >> regards >> Rajkamal >> >> On Fri, Sep 2, 2011 at 12:16 PM, asit das wrote: >>> >>> Manufacturing Dissent, Making Mahatmas: Manu, Market, Media >>> And The Anti-Corruption Sham >>> >>> *By Democratic Students' Union (DSU) * >>> >>> *All historical struggles, whether they occur in the political, >>> religious, >>> philosophical or some other ideological domain, * >>> *are in fact only the more or less clear expression of the struggles of >>> social classes – Engels * >>> >>> >>> *When two events occur in the same space and time, more often than not, >>> there is a correlation between the two. *On the one hand the Indian Army, >>> paramilitary and police forces — acting so plainly and clearly on behalf >>> of >>> the Indian ruling classes and multinational corporations—which continue >>> to >>> mount a war on the people of central and eastern India in order to >>> facilitate a naked appropriation of the region's resources is given >>> marching >>> orders to fight the most dispossessed yet resilient masses. Then there >>> are >>> 80% of the country's population forced to eke out a living on a mere >>> Rs.20 >>> per day and over half of the children suffer from the permanent >>> malnourishment because of the genocidal famine conditions their families >>> have been placed under; land acquisition of a mammoth scale affects >>> millions >>> of people whose sole means of livelihood is being alienated from them; >>> thousands of small peasants are forced to find ‘escape' from an endemic >>> agrarian crisis by committing suicide; over 2700 bodies of Kashmiris >>> murdered by the Indian army once again reveals a Kashmir under occupation >>> by >>> India and the crushing of its struggle for national liberation—to name >>> but a >>> few instances revealing the brutal and systemic exploitation, oppression >>> and >>> occupation. And people are waging resilient struggles in many parts of >>> the >>> country against the ruling classes. On the other hand a base, distasteful >>> drama is unfolding in front of us—the drama of an ‘anti-corruption >>> drive', >>> which is supposed to serve India a ‘second independence'. Needless to >>> say, >>> although this latter ‘struggle' seldom refers to the first set of >>> struggles, >>> events and phenomena, there is so simple a connection between the two >>> that >>> the silence over the relation between the two sets is nothing but >>> deliberate. >>> >>> *The ‘Second freedom struggle' is nothing but an attempt of the ruling >>> classes to consolidate themselves. *The Indian ruling classes today face >>> an >>> immense crisis, and are finding it increasingly difficult to sustain the >>> mask of ‘world's largest democracy'. Given the onslaught on the people >>> and >>> their livelihood—through the acquisition of resources such as land, >>> forests >>> and other means of livelihood; the steep price rise of basic commodities; >>> the privatisation of health, transport, water, electricity and education >>> — >>> the state faces the resistance of militant peoples' movements. And >>> everywhere, the state is responding to this discontent and resistance >>> with >>> brute force. In addition to this central crisis, the ruling classes were >>> reeling under the exposure of a series of scams such as 2G, Commonwealth >>> Games, Adarsh Housing, etc. involving unimaginable amounts of money. It >>> is >>> precisely these circumstances that have given rise to an ‘anti-corruption >>> drive' led by the so-called civil society and made it possible for the >>> corporate media to project a reactionary like Anna Hazare as a hero in >>> the >>> eyes of the urban middle classes. Sweeping under the carpet more urgent >>> structural issues affecting the vast majority of people and their very >>> survival, ‘Team Anna' has projected corruption as the central issue >>> plaguing >>> Indian society. The anti-corruption drive and the Jan Lokpal have been >>> likewise offered as the solution to all the problems. By seeking a >>> solution >>> within the existing system and by demanding a more coercive institution >>> within it to check ‘corruption', the Anna Hazare-led mobilisation has >>> appeared in the political scene as a much-needed respite to the >>> crisis-ridden ruling classes. This ‘second freedom struggle' led by ‘Team >>> Anna' is nothing but the mobilisation of a section of the ruling classes >>> aiming to rid themselves of the deep contradictions and the crises that >>> threaten them to sweep off their feet. Through a draconian bill >>> (government's Lokpal bill and the ‘Jan' Lokpal bill are the two sides of >>> the >>> same coin), the ruling classes are aiming for further centralisation of >>> authority. No legislation can provide an answer to the deep-seated >>> exploitative structures of the society and the social relations which are >>> the root cause of so-called corruption. >>> >>> *Corruption: A Mere Symptom of Structural Exploitation and Oppression. >>> *Through >>> its exclusive focus on corruption, 'Team Anna' in effect blinds us to the >>> system where wealth created by peasants and workers is appropriated by >>> the >>> ruling classes. No doubt, a bribe running into crores is mind-boggling. >>> Yet, >>> we are asked to ignore a simple fact—the amount of wealth appropriated by >>> the corporations in the first place, which enables them to provide bribes >>> of >>> such an amount. Corruption itself is not a new phenomenon in India; it >>> has >>> been endemic to the exploitative and oppressive semi-feudal semi-colonial >>> system which concentrates wealth and power in the hands of a few. But >>> just >>> as imperialist globalization has heightened the exploitation of the >>> masses, >>> resulted in the intensified feudal appropriation of the rural labouring >>> people, massive corporate loot of resources, the selling of the country's >>> land and other natural resources at ridiculously low prices to corporate >>> houses already reaping benefits in the form of tax holidays, the scale >>> and >>> intensity of corruption has also increased in proportion. A disease >>> cannot >>> be cured by suppressing its symptoms; rather, the symptom subsides only >>> when >>> the disease is cured. Similarly, corruption will only disappear with the >>> revolutionary transformation of society. >>> >>> *A Special Drama, its Sponsorship and Mobilisation: *Corporate Funding >>> and >>> RSS Backing of the Anti-Corruption Drive. That the anti-corruption drive >>> is >>> a diversionary tactic of the ruling classes is clear not only from its >>> programme and its goals, but also from its funding. It was clear from its >>> very inception that this drama is funded by the corporations and business >>> houses –Ambanis, Tatas, Jindals to real-estate developers – that are >>> involved in the most massive of scams. It is now also public knowledge >>> that >>> among the list of sponsors funding the key figures of this drama are the >>> likes of Lehman Brothers and Ford Foundation. Hazare claims to have the >>> full >>> support of army and the police: the two most corrupt institutions of the >>> country. Moreover, the chief engineer of this Gandhian and so-called >>> non-violent mobilisation is the fascist RSS. The same fascist force that >>> killed thousands of Muslims in the Gujarat pogrom, massacred Christians >>> in >>> Kandhamal, and organised the Samjhauta Express, Mecca Masjid, Malegoan >>> and >>> Ajmer Sharif blasts is now mobilising for this ‘peaceful' second freedom >>> struggle. As usual, the rhetoric of nation and nationalism is deployed to >>> serve the interests of the ruling classes. The imagery, the slogans, the >>> objectives of the movement are all brazenly replete with right-wing >>> ideology >>> which are proudly casteist and communal. The lead actors of this drama >>> have >>> notorious histories of being anti-reservation and pro-sangh parivar. The >>> corporate media is therefore comfortable in exalting this movement with >>> its >>> ceaseless hyperbole. They have projected this movement as ‘unprecedented >>> mass movement'. Last time it was the anti-reservation reactionary >>> movement >>> which had caught its attention. When huge masses had hit the streets of >>> Kashmir demanding azadi, or in Lalgarh, Odisha, Chhatisgrah against >>> corporate loot, the media remained silent. >>> >>> *AISA/CPI(ML) Liberation: The cheerleaders of ‘Team Anna' *. As far as >>> AISA-Liberation is concerned, history is repeating itself, but this time >>> as >>> a farce. AISA was formed in the context of the anti-Mandal agitation—not >>> as >>> a progressive force in support of reservations, but using all the tricks >>> in >>> the book to oppose the Mandal recommendations through a sleight of hand. >>> Liberation's Vinod Mishra, who opened up the portal through which the >>> party >>> forever exited its role as a communist vanguard, and instead became a >>> trickster serving the ruling classes, went to extent of stating at the >>> juncture of AISA's unholy birth that ‘just as we do not approve of those >>> politicians who want to take revenge on the present-day progeny of Babar, >>> we >>> also reject those theoreticians who would punish the present-day >>> offsprings >>> of Manu for the crimes of their ancestors'. This is evidence not only of >>> the >>> party's characteristic double-speak, but is also blatantly right-wing — >>> in >>> short, Muslims are being called ‘Babar ke aulad'; reservations are seen >>> as >>> crimes against ‘upper'-castes; and the caste system itself is projected >>> as a >>> crime that occurred only in the past. Thus, while AISA in fact rode on >>> the >>> crest of the anti-Mandal mobilisation to consolidate itself in >>> campus-spaces >>> in pockets of north India, it is trying desperately to repeat its >>> ‘success' >>> formula — this time, by wedding itself to this RSS engineered and >>> corporate >>> funded anti-corruption drive of ‘Team Anna'. Indeed, they cry foul of the >>> ‘undemocratic' Annas for not allowing them enough space to participate! >>> Although in JNU they have maintained a crafty silence on Anna Hazare till >>> now, the degeneration of AISA became blatant when on 16th August, they >>> joined hands with ABVP in Delhi University's north campus in a >>> ‘spontaneous >>> protest' against Anna Hazare's detention, shouting together ‘patriotic' >>> slogans like ‘Vande Mataram' and ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai'!. When they filled >>> the >>> walls of DU with anti-corruption slogans, these were all appropriated by >>> ABVP by a simple brushstroke — in each case, by simply replacing AISA's >>> insignia with its own. The justification put forward by Liberation/AISA >>> and >>> some ‘enlightened' intellectuals for joining the cacophony of ‘I am Anna' >>> is >>> to save it from RSS and to replace ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai' with ‘Inquilab >>> Zindabad'! Social-democrats of Germany also gave similar justifications >>> for >>> allying with the Nazis which ultimately helped the rise of Hitler and the >>> crushing of the German revolution. The convergence of the >>> communal-fascists >>> and the ‘Marxist-Leninists'/civil-society/NGOs therefore speak volumes >>> not >>> only of AISA /Liberation's political bankruptcy, but is also a wake-up >>> call >>> for the progressive, democratic and revolutionary forces to prepare for a >>> new phase of battle. >>> >>> *Hazare is a convenient blindfold for the middle classes. *Many of the >>> people who are out on the streets now, genuinely want an end to the >>> brazen >>> corruption and the scams. But Hazare and his team have been entrusted not >>> to >>> raise the real questions but to shroud the real struggles. The end to >>> corruption can only take place when the current economic policies are >>> repealed, when the MoUs signed with various corporate giants are >>> scrapped. >>> And the Indian state, a loyal lapdog of imperialism will never change its >>> policies on its own. To end corruption, the corrupt system needs to be >>> overhauled. And that is what the revolutionary armed movement which is >>> spreading like prairie fire across the country is fighting for. It is the >>> resilient struggle of the revolutionary masses and not the >>> corporate-funded, >>> RSS-backed and media-hyped theatrics that will resolve the burning >>> problems >>> afflicting the people of this country. >>> >>> *Democratic Students' Union* (DSU) is an independent students' >>> organisation >>> active in JNU and Delhi University in the state of Delhi. It is a >>> constituent of the All India Revolutionary Students' Federation (AIRSF), >>> and >>> works towards attaining the ideals of the New Democratic Revolution. >>> _________________________________________ >>> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. >>> Critiques & Collaborations >>> To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with >>> subscribe in the subject header. >>> To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list >>> List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> >> >> >> >> -- >> Rajkamal >> _________________________________________ >> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. >> Critiques & Collaborations >> To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with >> subscribe in the subject header. >> To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list >> List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> > > -- Rajkamal From c.anupam at gmail.com Sat Sep 3 10:22:12 2011 From: c.anupam at gmail.com (anupam chakravartty) Date: Sat, 3 Sep 2011 10:22:12 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] anti corruption movement in india a different view In-Reply-To: References: <9953135D197D43D8B87D5301AD853C6D@tara> Message-ID: hello, there could be other ways to express disgust for propaganda too. having political affiliations is great. some people are not capable of being political enough to express their thoughts, while others take refuge of propaganda. and then there are some who want to read politics beyond propaganda. i found the piece to be very interesting. may not be of academic interest, but close to the title of the post: anti corruption movement with a different view. cheers Anupam "Collective nouns can be lovely, can be wicked. They can animate, they can annihilate. They are works of art. ‘A pride of lions’ is perhaps the most famous of collective nouns. No word other than ‘pride’ can capture the majesty of that being as it sleeps, wakes, wanders with grand unconcern in the sureties of his kingdom. The story is told of when Gautama Buddha once passed through his home town of Kapilavastu with his disciples. His young son Rahula watched the ochre-robed band from his palace’s balcony. He asked his mother Yasodhara: “Which of them is my father?” Yasodhara replied: “He who walks like a lion.” My absolute favourite among collective nouns, however, is ‘a murder of crows’. The sudden descent of boot-polish wings, the angled glancings of beady eyes, homicidal beaks and thorny toes on an unsuspecting squirrel or a nestling cannot be better described than as a ‘a murder of crows’. Writing of the cheeky and wary Jungle Crows, which inflict casualties among the eggs and young of many birds, Salim Ali says: “These crows need to be closely investigated!” Some collective nouns have an unbelievable loveliness to them. What can match for visual allure ‘an autumn of leaves’ or ‘a bend of willows’? Other collective nouns move from beauty to wit, like ‘a convocation of eagles’, ‘a shrewdness of apes’, ‘an aurora of polar bears’, ‘a quiver of cobras’. There is another devastatingly apt collective noun: ‘a barren of mules’. It reminds me of Krishna Menon speaking to students at St Stephen’s College gathered for an after-dinner meeting. Typically ‘zeeing’ his ‘esses’, Menon directed this comment at a leading political idea of his time: “You zee, thiz idea iz like the proverbial mule, with neither pride of anzeztry, nor hope of progeny.” Collective nouns of more recent coinage describe human beings and their preoccupations as well. As one who has had to attend a tedium of committees, I find ‘an agenda of tasks’ altogether delightful. And I could give these (the nouns, needless to say) a hug: ‘a pomposity of professors’, ‘a greed of lawyers’, ‘a scoop of journalists’. Other collective nouns, in vogue for some time, could be refreshed. ‘A clan of hyenas’, is too dull and would have been better off as ‘a drool of hyenas’. Likewise, ‘a colony of wasps’ is far too prosaic and, in any case, architecturally dated. Perhaps ‘an atrium of wasps’ would work better. ‘A flight of butterflies’ is too pat and could be felt on your fingers as ‘a tremble of butterflies’. Similarly, ‘an intrusion of cockroaches’ is too academic and could open a drawerful of revulsion as ‘a scurry of cockroaches’. And ‘a colony of vultures’ is too slummy. Far better, ‘a stoop of vultures’. One collective noun which is about no living thing, but a living moment rings true: ‘a blush of embarrassments’. Another one, again, living, throbbing, pulsating, though non-living, is ‘a tick-tock of clocks’. We can hear a ‘tick-tock’ of time running out. What are the clocks that are going tick-tock with such ferocious rapidity? Let me answer that through a set of collective nouns generated by thoughts drawn from recent days. Jantar Mantar, April 2011: a cap of patriots, a sword of bravehearts, a banner of supporters, a matter of drafts, a fallacy of propositions, a danger of precedents, a question of principles, a gulp of anxieties, a gargle of inanities, a nod of yes-men, a prod of volunteers, a frown of activists, a furrow of academics, a chatter of reporters, a flash of photographers, a gawk of onlookers, a slice of pick-pockets, a slurp of vendors, a shimmer of sages, a blunder of mediators, a curse of cynics, a seizure of opportunists, a sigh of well-wishers, a chant of faithfuls, an obeisance of hopefuls, a stumble of blocks, a clearing of paths, a hail of triumphalists. Lal Qila, August 15, 2011: a flutter of arrivals, a fort of conventions, a shiver of doves, a stripe of children, a banister of elders, a gradient of uniforms, a ramp of diplomats, a rampart of officials, a smile of front-rowers, a sneer of back-rowers, a clap of dutifuls, a drizzle of expectations, a hood of ministers, a yawn of spouses, a snooze of old-timers, a silence of the thoughtful, a prayer of the fearful, a promise of the hopeful, a lanyard of statesmen, a shower of petals, an anthem of citizens, a chorus of innocents, a sky of balloons, a cheer of supporters, a sneer of reporters, a debris of leavings, a picking of beggars. Ramlila Maidan, August 2011: an ocean of heads, a captain of storms, a ship of hearts, a deck of guards, a stern of navigators, a flank of barnacles, a keel of grudges, a mast of hopes, a wave of pledges, a foam of soaps, a ‘hey you’ of allegations, a ‘you too’ of retaliations, a stream of callers, a steth of doctors, an ambulance of fears, a solution of lawyers, a conflict of statements, an area of agreements, a compass of path-finders. Delhi, August 25, 2011: a finger of admonitions, a fist of retributions, a bulletin of concerns, a weighing of options, a draft of adoptions, a round of talks, a dotting of points, a joining of dots, a minute of dissenters, an hour of assenters, an amendment of MPs, a ground of deflections, a chamber of reflections, a bend of faces, a dart of distempers, a stumble of blocks, a sprint of efforts, a glimmer of hopes. Delhi, August 26, 2011: a swell of hopes, a pool of regrets, a high of lows, a hum of sighs, a swing of moods, a flight of doves, a dive of hawks, a suspicion of twists, a twist of suspicions, a coil of doubts, a loss of gains, a gain of losses. Delhi, August 27, 2011: we are a collectivity of nouns in ourselves. We think, speak, behave in ways that reflect all of nature’s beings, not necessarily at their most elevated. A pride of lions sauntering across India would marvel at the bio-diversity of our conduct. And sighing, move warily forward. Gopalkrishna Gandhi is a former administrator, diplomat and governor The views expressed by the author are personal. http://www.hindustantimes.com/A-fusion-of-emotions/H1-Article1-738246.aspx On Fri, Sep 2, 2011 at 7:47 PM, Rajkamal Goswami wrote: > I think its very relevant because depending on the composition of the > group members' political affiliation, ideologies and biases, a > critique's acceptance would be determined. For eg. no matter how > logical or factual my critique is, it would not be welcomed by the > members due to an inherent bias since it goes against the core > ethics/thoughts/ideas of their ideologues . > > Rajkamal > > On Fri, Sep 2, 2011 at 7:19 PM, Tara Prakash > wrote: > > I think this question is both priceless and worthless. I see no relevance > > for this question as it adds nothing to the ongoing debate, or lack > thereof. > > Now what should be the criteria to know who is left and who is right? > > > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rajkamal Goswami" > > > > To: "asit das" > > Cc: "reader-list" > > Sent: Friday, September 02, 2011 2:56 AM > > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] anti corruption movement in india a different > > view > > > > > >> It is highly disappointing to read this piece of trashy propaganda > >> literature in Sarai. Before I begin my comprehensive critique of this > >> propaganda, I just wish to ask the folks who are subscribed to the > >> list: Is this list dominated by persons holding left-extreme left > >> ideology? > >> > >> regards > >> Rajkamal > >> > >> On Fri, Sep 2, 2011 at 12:16 PM, asit das wrote: > >>> > >>> Manufacturing Dissent, Making Mahatmas: Manu, Market, Media > >>> And The Anti-Corruption Sham > >>> > >>> *By Democratic Students' Union (DSU) * > >>> > >>> *All historical struggles, whether they occur in the political, > >>> religious, > >>> philosophical or some other ideological domain, * > >>> *are in fact only the more or less clear expression of the struggles of > >>> social classes – Engels * > >>> > >>> > >>> *When two events occur in the same space and time, more often than not, > >>> there is a correlation between the two. *On the one hand the Indian > Army, > >>> paramilitary and police forces — acting so plainly and clearly on > behalf > >>> of > >>> the Indian ruling classes and multinational corporations—which continue > >>> to > >>> mount a war on the people of central and eastern India in order to > >>> facilitate a naked appropriation of the region's resources is given > >>> marching > >>> orders to fight the most dispossessed yet resilient masses. Then there > >>> are > >>> 80% of the country's population forced to eke out a living on a mere > >>> Rs.20 > >>> per day and over half of the children suffer from the permanent > >>> malnourishment because of the genocidal famine conditions their > families > >>> have been placed under; land acquisition of a mammoth scale affects > >>> millions > >>> of people whose sole means of livelihood is being alienated from them; > >>> thousands of small peasants are forced to find ‘escape' from an endemic > >>> agrarian crisis by committing suicide; over 2700 bodies of Kashmiris > >>> murdered by the Indian army once again reveals a Kashmir under > occupation > >>> by > >>> India and the crushing of its struggle for national liberation—to name > >>> but a > >>> few instances revealing the brutal and systemic exploitation, > oppression > >>> and > >>> occupation. And people are waging resilient struggles in many parts of > >>> the > >>> country against the ruling classes. On the other hand a base, > distasteful > >>> drama is unfolding in front of us—the drama of an ‘anti-corruption > >>> drive', > >>> which is supposed to serve India a ‘second independence'. Needless to > >>> say, > >>> although this latter ‘struggle' seldom refers to the first set of > >>> struggles, > >>> events and phenomena, there is so simple a connection between the two > >>> that > >>> the silence over the relation between the two sets is nothing but > >>> deliberate. > >>> > >>> *The ‘Second freedom struggle' is nothing but an attempt of the ruling > >>> classes to consolidate themselves. *The Indian ruling classes today > face > >>> an > >>> immense crisis, and are finding it increasingly difficult to sustain > the > >>> mask of ‘world's largest democracy'. Given the onslaught on the people > >>> and > >>> their livelihood—through the acquisition of resources such as land, > >>> forests > >>> and other means of livelihood; the steep price rise of basic > commodities; > >>> the privatisation of health, transport, water, electricity and > education > >>> — > >>> the state faces the resistance of militant peoples' movements. And > >>> everywhere, the state is responding to this discontent and resistance > >>> with > >>> brute force. In addition to this central crisis, the ruling classes > were > >>> reeling under the exposure of a series of scams such as 2G, > Commonwealth > >>> Games, Adarsh Housing, etc. involving unimaginable amounts of money. It > >>> is > >>> precisely these circumstances that have given rise to an > ‘anti-corruption > >>> drive' led by the so-called civil society and made it possible for the > >>> corporate media to project a reactionary like Anna Hazare as a hero in > >>> the > >>> eyes of the urban middle classes. Sweeping under the carpet more urgent > >>> structural issues affecting the vast majority of people and their very > >>> survival, ‘Team Anna' has projected corruption as the central issue > >>> plaguing > >>> Indian society. The anti-corruption drive and the Jan Lokpal have been > >>> likewise offered as the solution to all the problems. By seeking a > >>> solution > >>> within the existing system and by demanding a more coercive institution > >>> within it to check ‘corruption', the Anna Hazare-led mobilisation has > >>> appeared in the political scene as a much-needed respite to the > >>> crisis-ridden ruling classes. This ‘second freedom struggle' led by > ‘Team > >>> Anna' is nothing but the mobilisation of a section of the ruling > classes > >>> aiming to rid themselves of the deep contradictions and the crises that > >>> threaten them to sweep off their feet. Through a draconian bill > >>> (government's Lokpal bill and the ‘Jan' Lokpal bill are the two sides > of > >>> the > >>> same coin), the ruling classes are aiming for further centralisation of > >>> authority. No legislation can provide an answer to the deep-seated > >>> exploitative structures of the society and the social relations which > are > >>> the root cause of so-called corruption. > >>> > >>> *Corruption: A Mere Symptom of Structural Exploitation and Oppression. > >>> *Through > >>> its exclusive focus on corruption, 'Team Anna' in effect blinds us to > the > >>> system where wealth created by peasants and workers is appropriated by > >>> the > >>> ruling classes. No doubt, a bribe running into crores is mind-boggling. > >>> Yet, > >>> we are asked to ignore a simple fact—the amount of wealth appropriated > by > >>> the corporations in the first place, which enables them to provide > bribes > >>> of > >>> such an amount. Corruption itself is not a new phenomenon in India; it > >>> has > >>> been endemic to the exploitative and oppressive semi-feudal > semi-colonial > >>> system which concentrates wealth and power in the hands of a few. But > >>> just > >>> as imperialist globalization has heightened the exploitation of the > >>> masses, > >>> resulted in the intensified feudal appropriation of the rural labouring > >>> people, massive corporate loot of resources, the selling of the > country's > >>> land and other natural resources at ridiculously low prices to > corporate > >>> houses already reaping benefits in the form of tax holidays, the scale > >>> and > >>> intensity of corruption has also increased in proportion. A disease > >>> cannot > >>> be cured by suppressing its symptoms; rather, the symptom subsides only > >>> when > >>> the disease is cured. Similarly, corruption will only disappear with > the > >>> revolutionary transformation of society. > >>> > >>> *A Special Drama, its Sponsorship and Mobilisation: *Corporate Funding > >>> and > >>> RSS Backing of the Anti-Corruption Drive. That the anti-corruption > drive > >>> is > >>> a diversionary tactic of the ruling classes is clear not only from its > >>> programme and its goals, but also from its funding. It was clear from > its > >>> very inception that this drama is funded by the corporations and > business > >>> houses –Ambanis, Tatas, Jindals to real-estate developers – that are > >>> involved in the most massive of scams. It is now also public knowledge > >>> that > >>> among the list of sponsors funding the key figures of this drama are > the > >>> likes of Lehman Brothers and Ford Foundation. Hazare claims to have the > >>> full > >>> support of army and the police: the two most corrupt institutions of > the > >>> country. Moreover, the chief engineer of this Gandhian and so-called > >>> non-violent mobilisation is the fascist RSS. The same fascist force > that > >>> killed thousands of Muslims in the Gujarat pogrom, massacred Christians > >>> in > >>> Kandhamal, and organised the Samjhauta Express, Mecca Masjid, Malegoan > >>> and > >>> Ajmer Sharif blasts is now mobilising for this ‘peaceful' second > freedom > >>> struggle. As usual, the rhetoric of nation and nationalism is deployed > to > >>> serve the interests of the ruling classes. The imagery, the slogans, > the > >>> objectives of the movement are all brazenly replete with right-wing > >>> ideology > >>> which are proudly casteist and communal. The lead actors of this drama > >>> have > >>> notorious histories of being anti-reservation and pro-sangh parivar. > The > >>> corporate media is therefore comfortable in exalting this movement with > >>> its > >>> ceaseless hyperbole. They have projected this movement as > ‘unprecedented > >>> mass movement'. Last time it was the anti-reservation reactionary > >>> movement > >>> which had caught its attention. When huge masses had hit the streets of > >>> Kashmir demanding azadi, or in Lalgarh, Odisha, Chhatisgrah against > >>> corporate loot, the media remained silent. > >>> > >>> *AISA/CPI(ML) Liberation: The cheerleaders of ‘Team Anna' *. As far as > >>> AISA-Liberation is concerned, history is repeating itself, but this > time > >>> as > >>> a farce. AISA was formed in the context of the anti-Mandal > agitation—not > >>> as > >>> a progressive force in support of reservations, but using all the > tricks > >>> in > >>> the book to oppose the Mandal recommendations through a sleight of > hand. > >>> Liberation's Vinod Mishra, who opened up the portal through which the > >>> party > >>> forever exited its role as a communist vanguard, and instead became a > >>> trickster serving the ruling classes, went to extent of stating at the > >>> juncture of AISA's unholy birth that ‘just as we do not approve of > those > >>> politicians who want to take revenge on the present-day progeny of > Babar, > >>> we > >>> also reject those theoreticians who would punish the present-day > >>> offsprings > >>> of Manu for the crimes of their ancestors'. This is evidence not only > of > >>> the > >>> party's characteristic double-speak, but is also blatantly right-wing — > >>> in > >>> short, Muslims are being called ‘Babar ke aulad'; reservations are seen > >>> as > >>> crimes against ‘upper'-castes; and the caste system itself is projected > >>> as a > >>> crime that occurred only in the past. Thus, while AISA in fact rode on > >>> the > >>> crest of the anti-Mandal mobilisation to consolidate itself in > >>> campus-spaces > >>> in pockets of north India, it is trying desperately to repeat its > >>> ‘success' > >>> formula — this time, by wedding itself to this RSS engineered and > >>> corporate > >>> funded anti-corruption drive of ‘Team Anna'. Indeed, they cry foul of > the > >>> ‘undemocratic' Annas for not allowing them enough space to participate! > >>> Although in JNU they have maintained a crafty silence on Anna Hazare > till > >>> now, the degeneration of AISA became blatant when on 16th August, they > >>> joined hands with ABVP in Delhi University's north campus in a > >>> ‘spontaneous > >>> protest' against Anna Hazare's detention, shouting together ‘patriotic' > >>> slogans like ‘Vande Mataram' and ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai'!. When they > filled > >>> the > >>> walls of DU with anti-corruption slogans, these were all appropriated > by > >>> ABVP by a simple brushstroke — in each case, by simply replacing AISA's > >>> insignia with its own. The justification put forward by Liberation/AISA > >>> and > >>> some ‘enlightened' intellectuals for joining the cacophony of ‘I am > Anna' > >>> is > >>> to save it from RSS and to replace ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai' with ‘Inquilab > >>> Zindabad'! Social-democrats of Germany also gave similar justifications > >>> for > >>> allying with the Nazis which ultimately helped the rise of Hitler and > the > >>> crushing of the German revolution. The convergence of the > >>> communal-fascists > >>> and the ‘Marxist-Leninists'/civil-society/NGOs therefore speak volumes > >>> not > >>> only of AISA /Liberation's political bankruptcy, but is also a wake-up > >>> call > >>> for the progressive, democratic and revolutionary forces to prepare for > a > >>> new phase of battle. > >>> > >>> *Hazare is a convenient blindfold for the middle classes. *Many of the > >>> people who are out on the streets now, genuinely want an end to the > >>> brazen > >>> corruption and the scams. But Hazare and his team have been entrusted > not > >>> to > >>> raise the real questions but to shroud the real struggles. The end to > >>> corruption can only take place when the current economic policies are > >>> repealed, when the MoUs signed with various corporate giants are > >>> scrapped. > >>> And the Indian state, a loyal lapdog of imperialism will never change > its > >>> policies on its own. To end corruption, the corrupt system needs to be > >>> overhauled. And that is what the revolutionary armed movement which is > >>> spreading like prairie fire across the country is fighting for. It is > the > >>> resilient struggle of the revolutionary masses and not the > >>> corporate-funded, > >>> RSS-backed and media-hyped theatrics that will resolve the burning > >>> problems > >>> afflicting the people of this country. > >>> > >>> *Democratic Students' Union* (DSU) is an independent students' > >>> organisation > >>> active in JNU and Delhi University in the state of Delhi. It is a > >>> constituent of the All India Revolutionary Students' Federation > (AIRSF), > >>> and > >>> works towards attaining the ideals of the New Democratic Revolution. > >>> _________________________________________ > >>> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > >>> Critiques & Collaborations > >>> To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > >>> subscribe in the subject header. > >>> To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > >>> List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> > >> > >> > >> > >> -- > >> Rajkamal > >> _________________________________________ > >> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > >> Critiques & Collaborations > >> To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > >> subscribe in the subject header. > >> To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > >> List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> > > > > > > > > -- > Rajkamal > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> > From asit1917 at gmail.com Sat Sep 3 12:57:18 2011 From: asit1917 at gmail.com (asit das) Date: Sat, 3 Sep 2011 00:27:18 -0700 Subject: [Reader-list] joint stament on Anna hazare mobilisation Message-ID: *A Great Opportunity, A Serious Danger* *The Anna Hazare situation invites two common reactions: many dismiss it as a middle class driven "urban picnic"; and others, notably the mainstream media, describe it as just short of a revolutionary movement to establish "people's power." *The same divide exists among progressives and those concerned with social change. Strategies differ on the basis of where one stands on this divide. *The problem, however, is that neither of these reactions fully reflects the reality of what is happening.* We note that our position below is focused on what can be done in this situation, and is not meant to excuse or defend the government. We condemn the brutal, corrupt and anti-democratic actions of the UPA; we also, it must be noted, condemn the actions of the BJP and its State governments in trying to portray themselves as crusaders against corruption. The dangerous Lokpal Bill that has been presented must be withdrawn, and, as said below, a process initiated for effective institutions of people's control that can be used to defeat corruption. We issue this statement precisely to caution against erroneous tactics that are strengthening the very state that we must fight against. *The Opportunity* It is true that the protests so far have been dominated by middle classes, and that they have been exaggerated by the media. But this does not mean that this process becomes meaningless. *Precisely because there is no strong organised movement among the working class at the national level, no alternative media, and no consciously projected alternative to the existing system, a hyped up* *middle class movement can easily grow into something much larger. * We can already see that happening, as protests are spreading and diversifying in terms of their mass base. People's anger at this system and at the corrupt nature of the Indian state is hardly a middle class phenomenon alone. For that reason, we cannot and should not dismiss this situation. The more people are willing to see this system for what it is, and to express their anger and disgust with it, the more there is an opportunity to expose it and fight for something new. A crisis is an opportunity for those who are fighting for change. *Therefore we cannot agree with those who look at these protests and hunger strikes and see in them a "blackmailing" of Parliament. Parliamentary democracy in this country has never been more than a very limited space. Even this space has been rendered meaningless in recent decades,* *by precisely the forces who today are shouting about its virtues.* For instance, the SEZ Act was passed after barely a day's debate in Parliament. Economic reforms were introduced through stealth, FDI in retail is on the verge of being approved, and the UID project is going ahead - all without a whisper of Parliamentary approval. It is correct to be cynical of neoliberal procorporate leaders when they suddenly discover that Parliament is a sacrosanct institution. *When people* *feel that the system is rotten to the core, we should not attempt to dilute that reality by saying* *that Parliament will deal with the problem.* The danger is not to Parliament; it lies elsewhere. *The Danger* The fact that people are angry is an opportunity. But it is also a risk, because that anger can be channeled in ways that actually strengthen the existing power structure. In this case, consider: • The message being conveyed about these protests - the tactics of the leadership notwithstanding - is that of support to Anna Hazare and his "Team Anna." Beyond the concept of "transparency", the public campaign does not engage at all with the idea of a democratic organisation of the people (as opposed to one "*supported*" by the people). As such, this raises the question of whether those participating are being asked to fight to build people's power, or whether they are fighting to increase the power of the "good leader." • The demand of the campaign too is not about, even in a minimal sense, democratising the Indian state or society. The Jan Lokpal being sought may address some types of corruption, or it may not do so; but it is not intended to give people any greater control over the state. It is projected as effective not because it will be democratic, but because it will be powerful, because it will stand "above" democracy and politics itself. Just as Anna is a good person who deserves support, so the Jan Lokpal will consist of good people who deserve power, and who will use it to "cleanse" the state. • Most of those joining these protests are doing so on the basis of media coverage. In practically all areas (with one or two exceptions) the mobilisation lacks any core organisation. At most there are ad hoc groups of urban elites; but in large measure, the place of the organisation has been filled by the mainstream media itself. All the ideas sought to be communicated are therefore seen through the lenses that the media applies to them. *As a result, even where* *elements in the leadership try to talk of popular struggle and democratic principles, they* *are overridden by an overwhelming focus on attacking the current power holders and* *replacing them with an even more powerful, more "clean" institution.* The net result of all this is that "corruption" becomes defined very narrowly, as the taking of benefit in violation of the law. *The ultimate message of this movement is: trust the rules, trust the state, trust* *the Lokpal; what matters is finding the right leaders and having faith in them. This is the* *message that is sent by the mobilising instrument, the media, regardless of what the leaders may actually say.* This is not only not a democratic message, it is an anti-democratic one. At this moment, in India, it is also dangerous. *Brutality, injustice and oppression in this country is not a result of violation of the* *law alone. Indeed, much of it happens **because **of the law in the first place. We have a state machinery which has brazenly shown itself to be the servant of predatory private capital. *This is** the biggest reason for the current boom in corruption: the enormous money generated through superprofits that is then used to purchase the state and generate more superprofits. Sometimes this is exposed as violating some law and gets called a "scam"; but at other times, as in most economic reforms, it simply changes the law. The SEZ Act is again a good example. It triggered a wave of land grabbing across the country, which was only slowed by the global economic crisis; but there was nothing "corrupt" in the Lokpal sense about most SEZ-related actions. Our people are being crushed by a cycle of intensifying capitalist exploitation and repression. Can this be stopped by good leaders with the right powers? Many would answer "Obviously not; a Jan Lokpal cannot address everything." This may be true, but that is not the message actually being sent out. Rather the message is that Lokpal-style solutions and Anna Hazare-style "good leaders" are the answers to people's anger at injustice. When the leadership, Ramdev-style, starts adding on a laundry list of additional issues to its demands - as land acquisition has recently been added - it reinforces this dangerous message. *Thus this movement not only does* *not weaken the state; implicitly, through the message it sends, it builds people's support for* *making the state and its leadership more powerful. *This of course the reason that it attracts support from everyone from Jindal Aluminium to the RSS. *What Can Be Done* The mere fact that people are protesting against the government does not mean that they are fighting the state. The Indian state certainly has little to fear - as a state - from a mobilisation whose prime message is that change happens through good leaders. The current power holders are resisting the threat to their position, but the system itself is not under threat. Indeed, the danger is not to the state or its institutions, but to efforts at deeper social change in this society. *The dilemma of the current situation cannot be answered by simply joining wholeheartedly, or by withdrawing in silence.* Some have declared support for the current movement, while seeking to push it to take up other issues. The sympathies of some in the leadership for left and progressive positions is often cited. But the main engines of these protests - the media and urban elite circles - are actively opposed to any such positions. *One has simply to imagine what will happen if this mobilisation does begin to turn* *towards a more radical stance: the media will instantly change its position from "Anna is India"* *to "Anna is a power crazed megalomaniac", confusion, slanders and disinformation will start, and the movement will collapse. *Given this reality, simply joining at this stage will be* *counterproductive. People will no longer be able to distinguish between forces who fight for social* *transformation and those who are upholding the current system; and when the latter fail, they will take* *down the former with them.* *But to remain silent is to be irrelevant at an important time. It is also important not to fall into the trap* *of those who, in their criticism of the anti-democratic tendencies of this movement, start defending the* *existing state. In our view parliamentary supremacy is not and cannot be the slogan of those who seek* *social change.** *What is required therefore is an approach built on two realities. *The first is that the current explosion of scams is a direct result of neoliberal policies that have converted the state into the arm of a particularly predatory, criminal form of big capital. Today the real face of the state is more apparent then ever before, and corruption is one glaring sign of it. *Therefore, to try to fight corruption* *without fighting for true people's power over the economy and society is impossible. *Therefore, our demands must at present focus on building such people's power over the institutions of the state. The second reality is that the current atmosphere of anger and suspicion of the state offers a chance to raise precisely these issues and to make the link between corruption and the system under which we live. *The more political forces, mass organisations and people's struggles do this, while keeping* *their identity separate from 'India Against Corruption', the more it will be possible to use this opportunity to build and expand radical struggles. *If people can see the system is rotten, that can be* *developed that into an awareness that this rottenness goes far deeper than mere corruption and** dishonest leaders. That is the challenge of this moment. *(all signatures are in individual capacity, additional signatures welcome)* Abhay Shukla, Pune Arvind Ghosh, Nagpur Asit Das, POSCO Pratirodh Solidarity, Delhi Bijay-bhai, Adivasi Mukti Sanghatan Biju Mathew, Mining Zone People's Solidarity Group C.R. Bijoy, Coimbatore Kiran Shaheen, Journalist Pothik Ghosh, Radical Notes Pratyush Chandra, Radical Notes Ravi Kumar, Dept of Sociology, South Asian University Shankar Gopalakrishnan, Campaign for Survival and Dignity Shiraz Bulsara, Kasthakari Sanghatna Natarajan D.V., Chennai Satyen Bordoloi, independent journalist, Mumbai Bhumika Chauhan, Correspondence and Radical Notes Rama Paul, Assistant Professor, University of Delhi Indrani Mukherjee, Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University Amitadyuti Kumar, Vice President, Association for Protection of Democratic Rights Daniel Taghioff, Green Party of India Kundan Kumar Binu Mathew, Editor, Countercurrents.org Nayanjyoti, Delhi Adv. Kamayani Bali, Mumbai Soumya Dutta, Assistant Professor, University of Delhi Vipul Kumar, Fergusson College, Pune Ravi Badri Saraswati Kavula Niharika, Researcher, University of Delhi Snehal Shingavi, Assistant Professor, University of Texas Sirisha Naidu, Sanhati and Mining Zone People's Solidarity Group Supriya Madangarli, Mumbai Viveka Sundara, HRA, Mumbai Sagari Ramdas, Yakshi, Hyderabad Nityanand Jayaraman, writer and researcher, Chennai Madhumita Dutta, Chennai Dulali Nag, Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management, Calcutta Wilfred D., INSAF N.K. Jeet, Lawyers for Justice and Democratic Rights, Punjab Shriya Bhatia, Mumbai Jagdish Chandra, New Socialist Alternative Ankur Tamuli Phukan, Researcher, CSSS, Kolkata Shree Prakash Ashwini Chhatre, Assistant Professor, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Deepti Nair, Hyderabad Sudha Bharadwaj, Raipur Ashok Agrwaal, Delhi Thomas Pallithanam VP Sarathi, Coimbatore Human Rights Forum Amit Baishya, Assistant Professor, Ball State University Shiney Varghese, Minneapolis Guman Singh, Himachal Pradesh Soumit Dutt P. Chennaiah, APVVU Ajay Kishor Shaw, poet Anil Sadgopal, Member, Presidium, All India Forum for Right to Education Bhupesh Shah Sayantoni Datta, Researcher, New Delhi Neshat Quaiser, Assistant Professor, Jamia Millia Islamia PK Sundaram, Coalition for Nuclear Disarmament and Peace Mayur Chetia, Research Scholar, Jawaharlal Nehru University Anivar Aravind, Bangalore B.S. Raju Surya Shankar Dash, Filmmaker, Bhubaneshwar Suddha Reddey, Socialist Activist, Bangalore Ranjeet kumar Thakur, socialist Activist, Delhi From kmvenuannur at gmail.com Sat Sep 3 14:19:27 2011 From: kmvenuannur at gmail.com (Venugopalan K M) Date: Sat, 3 Sep 2011 14:19:27 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Fwd: Team Anna Successfully Blocked the People from Questioning the Fountainhead of Corruption..."Capital". A FACE BOOK NOTE by Sushantha Roy In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Team Anna Successfully Blocked the People from Questioning the Fountainhead of Corruption..."Capital". I have been thinking about this for days & cannot finally brush it off as idle speculation. The entire Anna movement seems to have been designed to mortally weaken the govt( as in the people's rule ) & pave the way for the gradual take overof governance & the nation by the pvt sector. The just public anger against corruption was hijacked by team Anna & the opportunity used to embed this in the people's mind. They derided the election process, insulted & accused all parties, which no honest man wd do, mocked the parliament process, claimed the legitimacy of the mob, nowhere close to the nos that constitute a majority & tried to claim victory of their methods over the democratic ones. The people want to rid the governance process & society of corruption & tyranny, not rid the process itself. Team Anna successfully blocked the people from questioning the fountainhead of corruption, the corporations, the pvt sector, "Capital". Is it a oversight? I think impossible, considering that NGOs too are glaringly protected. Heap on that connections to the Sangh, Ford Foundation, etc & there emerges a pattern which cannot be dismissed as mere speculation." All Indian govts & parties( even the left is not spared) are corrupt & this needs to be destroyed for ever". How? Thru a Jan Lokpal bill. It is not accidental that this team wanted a bill which creates a 4th pillar which subsumes all the other 3 pillars, the executive, bureaucracy & the judiciary. A huge monolith, with lakhs of employees which has all possible powers over everybody else with power in our republic, from the smallest govt employee to the PM, the CMs, the chief justices!! Lets look back at modern history & see what this means. Such an organisation has always been set up by all powerful dictators after they have taken over a country. In this case we see an organisation being suggested to be set up which can bring in one?? Is this mere over-enthusiasm of the few most honest souls of the times?? I think not. The state( people's govt) has been systematically, since independence, weakened, impoverished & bought over by the rich, ie., capital. Even left govts have been made to appeal to pvt capital. They have had active help from the mainstream political parties, be it the Cong, BJP, the regional parties, including their best minds, in this overthrow of govt. Of course, they have taken their pound of flesh by joining the ranks of the super-rich. The main political class, without distinction, have been co-opted into the richest class & to actively own the objectives of this class. Its no longer a bargain, they are on the same side of the table, fashioning out a world ruthlessly based on their interests. Its a perfect 'Mafia" now. Whats interesting is that this very mafia argues both sides, creates the issues, supports the Annas, imprisons him, makes him a hero, then gives it coverage, till all voices questioning its legitimacy is blanked out of public consciousness, in short, as a class, in complete control. It ensures that the legitimate fighter of this system, the left, the poor is left out. Is this accidental or even new? Not so. Post WW-2, the US, clearly understanding the changing paradigm after that Pyrrhic war & the explosion of scientific thought, knew that imperialism has to be given a new form. The days of its brutal visage plowing thru the lives of the majority was over. It then, with the help of the old & wise Europe, fashioned its own opposition in the form of post-modernism. It sought to create a myth of universalisation of power, the infallible nature of law & democratic processes & urged people, "civil society" to come forward & fight for rights! No revolution by the left was necessary. The pvt citizen alongwith the pvt sector cd provide the best society for our race & the govt sd go small & finally disappear! The universal people's fight has been fractured or frustrated, wealth & power is again concentrated in a few hands, like old times & finally the middle-class has been bought over from the left, suitably fattened to be non-liberal." Globalisation" has replaced the " International" & ownership of capital instead of going to the people has bought them over thru the stock-market & the mirage of the American dream! Isnt this already the case in India? Intellectuals now fight for the rights of the big "bribe giver" & wants govt to end. The govt has already been made to lose its capability to create production assets. All the anti-people reforms, with more in pipeline,the 2nd & the 3rd..has been legitimised, more so, post Anna; if there is no govt , there wd be no corruption! Simple! The left, unable to fight for the people, this space taken up by the mafia's agents , will lose credibility & once the people's angst is under remote control, the entire country cd be privatised. With no real voice to oppose, every poor man's cry for help can be dubbed terrorist & stopped for ever. By then, we will be at decisive war with our neighbours & wd be critically dependent on the West for military & diplomatic support. By then, every capital holder & its middle-class employees wd be one with the west & cultural warriors for capital. The difference between this class & the rest of humanity, about 70% of them wd be so high that they wd termed mutant & annihilated to save the human race. The whole world wd be rich & glorius! http://www.facebook.com/pages/Maurya/184186831606234?sk=info#!/notes/sushanta-roy/the-privatisation-of-govt/241607262541058 From arshad.mcrc at gmail.com Sat Sep 3 16:31:16 2011 From: arshad.mcrc at gmail.com (arshad amanullah) Date: Sat, 3 Sep 2011 15:31:16 +0430 Subject: [Reader-list] Fwd: Watermans screening of my documentaries/ London/Sept11 In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Dear All, Here is about screening of my documentaries at the Watermans   Arts Centre, London, followed by a panel discussion. Please forward it to friends in London who might like to join in. Regards Ajay. Two films of Punjab after the 1947 bloody partition Sunday 11 September 4pm - 6.30pm followed by a Q&A Kitte Mil Ve Mahi Where The Twain Shall Meet (2005) 70 mins Language: Punjabi with English Subtitles Director/ Producer Ajay Bhardwaj Rabba Hun Kee Kariye Thus Departed Our Neighbours (2007) 65 mins Language: Punjabi with English Subtitles Director/ Producer Ajay Bhardwaj  A double bill of two seminal documentaries, from the Delhi based Indian Film maker Ajay Bhardwaj, on contesting perceptions of Punjab, a state partitioned on religious lines amidst widespread bloodshed in 1947. In “Kitte Mil Ve Mahi” the director journeys through the Doaba region to explore the unique bond between Dalits and Sufism in an unfolding a spiritual universe that is both healing and emancipatory and hinting at the economic, religious and idealogical marginalisation of Dalits. “Rabba Hun Kee Kariye” captures feelings of guilt and remorse about the genocidal violence on the Indian side of Punjab in 1947.These stories, almost like folklore, are part of the memory - scape of rural Punjab. In this documentary these long suppressed experiences become accessible in public domain for the first time. The screening of Rabba Hun Kee Kariye will be followed by a Q&A with Dr Meena Dhanda, Amarjit Chandan and Amin Mughal. Showing at: Watermans 40 High Street Brentford TW8 0DS Box Office: +44 (0)20 8323 1010 www.watermans.org.uk Ticket price: £10 for both films and Q&A About Ajay Bhardwaj Ajay Bhardwaj (b. 1964) is a documentary filmmaker based in Delhi. He holds two Master’s degrees, in the fields of Political Studies and Mass Communications, and has worked in media for the past two decades. His documentaries have been screened at international film festivals, academic conferences, and community and activist events. For further information visit http://www.popsamiti.com/ajaybhardwaj.html From aliens at dataone.in Sat Sep 3 22:33:46 2011 From: aliens at dataone.in (Bipin Trivedi) Date: Sat, 03 Sep 2011 22:33:46 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] RIGHT TO FIGHT CORRUPTION FOR ALL Message-ID: <000001cc6a5b$76c482e0$644d88a0$@in> Everyone has right to support fight against corruption irrespective of any organization. So, RSS/BJP has also equal right to give support whoever initiate it. So why some folks have grudges to it. It is shame that many pseudo-secular trying to give it communal angle. However, nothing new to it since for that reason only they pseudo-secular! Thanks Bipin Trivedi From taraprakash at gmail.com Sun Sep 4 04:12:08 2011 From: taraprakash at gmail.com (Tara Prakash) Date: Sat, 3 Sep 2011 18:42:08 -0400 Subject: [Reader-list] Fwd: Team Anna Successfully Blocked the People from Questioning the Fountainhead of Corruption..."Capital". A FACE BOOK NOTE by Sushantha Roy References: Message-ID: <8014EF409A65428CB4AF8B5B69DC7C97@tara> It is not accidental that this team wanted a bill which creates a 4th pillar which subsumes all the other 3 pillars, the executive, bureaucracy & the judiciary. Rubbish. Where is the main architect, the main culprit of this structure, the demos, the people, the crowd? Aren't people ashamed of lying with impunity and not question when the capital freely flows to Congress? ----- Original Message ----- From: "Venugopalan K M" To: "sarai-list" Sent: Saturday, September 03, 2011 4:49 AM Subject: [Reader-list] Fwd: Team Anna Successfully Blocked the People from Questioning the Fountainhead of Corruption..."Capital". A FACE BOOK NOTE by Sushantha Roy > Team Anna Successfully Blocked the People from Questioning the > Fountainhead > of Corruption..."Capital". > > > I have been thinking about this for days & cannot finally brush it off as > idle speculation. The entire Anna movement seems to have been designed to > mortally weaken the govt( as in the people's rule ) & pave the way for the > gradual take overof governance & the nation by the pvt sector. The just > public anger against corruption was hijacked by team Anna & the > opportunity > used to embed this in the people's mind. They derided the election > process, > insulted & accused all parties, which no honest man wd do, mocked the > parliament process, claimed the legitimacy of the mob, nowhere close to > the > nos that constitute a majority & tried to claim victory of their methods > over the democratic ones. The people want to rid the governance process & > society of corruption & tyranny, not rid the process itself. Team Anna > successfully blocked the people from questioning the fountainhead of > corruption, the corporations, the pvt sector, "Capital". > > > > Is it a oversight? I think impossible, considering that NGOs too are > glaringly protected. Heap on that connections to the Sangh, Ford > Foundation, > etc & there emerges a pattern which cannot be dismissed as mere > speculation." All Indian govts & parties( even the left is not spared) are > corrupt & this needs to be destroyed for ever". How? Thru a Jan Lokpal > bill. > It is not accidental that this team wanted a bill which creates a 4th > pillar > which subsumes all the other 3 pillars, the executive, bureaucracy & the > judiciary. A huge monolith, with lakhs of employees which has all possible > powers over everybody else with power in our republic, from the smallest > govt employee to the PM, the CMs, the chief justices!! Lets look back at > modern history & see what this means. Such an organisation has always been > set up by all powerful dictators after they have taken over a country. In > this case we see an organisation being suggested to be set up which can > bring in one?? Is this mere over-enthusiasm of the few most honest souls > of > the times?? I think not. > > > > The state( people's govt) has been systematically, since independence, > weakened, impoverished & bought over by the rich, ie., capital. Even left > govts have been made to appeal to pvt capital. They have had active help > from the mainstream political parties, be it the Cong, BJP, the regional > parties, including their best minds, in this overthrow of govt. Of course, > they have taken their pound of flesh by joining the ranks of the > super-rich. > The main political class, without distinction, have been co-opted into the > richest class & to actively own the objectives of this class. Its no > longer > a bargain, they are on the same side of the table, fashioning out a world > ruthlessly based on their interests. Its a perfect 'Mafia" now. > > > > Whats interesting is that this very mafia argues both sides, creates the > issues, supports the Annas, imprisons him, makes him a hero, then gives it > coverage, till all voices questioning its legitimacy is blanked out of > public consciousness, in short, as a class, in complete control. It > ensures > that the legitimate fighter of this system, the left, the poor is left > out. > Is this accidental or even new? Not so. > > > > Post WW-2, the US, clearly understanding the changing paradigm after that > Pyrrhic war & the explosion of scientific thought, knew that imperialism > has > to be given a new form. The days of its brutal visage plowing thru the > lives > of the majority was over. It then, with the help of the old & wise Europe, > fashioned its own opposition in the form of post-modernism. It sought to > create a myth of universalisation of power, the infallible nature of law & > democratic processes & urged people, "civil society" to come forward & > fight > for rights! No revolution by the left was necessary. The pvt citizen > alongwith the pvt sector cd provide the best society for our race & the > govt > sd go small & finally disappear! The universal people's fight has been > fractured or frustrated, wealth & power is again concentrated in a few > hands, like old times & finally the middle-class has been bought over from > the left, suitably fattened to be non-liberal." Globalisation" has > replaced > the " International" & ownership of capital instead of going to the people > has bought them over thru the stock-market & the mirage of the American > dream! > > > > Isnt this already the case in India? Intellectuals now fight for the > rights > of the big "bribe giver" & wants govt to end. The govt has already been > made > to lose its capability to create production assets. All the anti-people > reforms, with more in pipeline,the 2nd & the 3rd..has been legitimised, > more > so, post Anna; if there is no govt , there wd be no corruption! Simple! > The > left, unable to fight for the people, this space taken up by the mafia's > agents , will lose credibility & once the people's angst is under remote > control, the entire country cd be privatised. > > > > With no real voice to oppose, every poor man's cry for help can be dubbed > terrorist & stopped for ever. By then, we will be at decisive war with our > neighbours & wd be critically dependent on the West for military & > diplomatic support. By then, every capital holder & its middle-class > employees wd be one with the west & cultural warriors for capital. The > difference between this class & the rest of humanity, about 70% of them wd > be so high that they wd termed mutant & annihilated to save the human > race. > > > > The whole world wd be rich & glorius! > http://www.facebook.com/pages/Maurya/184186831606234?sk=info#!/notes/sushanta-roy/the-privatisation-of-govt/241607262541058 > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> From tapasrayx at gmail.com Sun Sep 4 07:46:11 2011 From: tapasrayx at gmail.com (Tapas Ray [Gmail]) Date: Sun, 4 Sep 2011 07:46:11 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Crowds? In-Reply-To: <000801cc6a5f$53fb3070$fbf19150$@in> References: <60CD86A5-396B-4330-B2AA-42208DDBA8A9@sarai.net> <000801cc6a5f$53fb3070$fbf19150$@in> Message-ID: Bipin, The Times of India article to which you seem to refer, was posted by me on the list. It was not sent to you individually. Therefore, your response should have been posted on the list, not in an email addressed only to me. This might have been inadvertent - you might have clicked 'reply' though you really intended to click 'reply all'. But if it wasn't, i.e., if you intentionally wrote only to me, I must request you to desist in future. Thanks, Tapas On 03/09/2011, Bipin Trivedi wrote: > Everyone has right to support fight against corruption irrespective of any > organization. So, RSS/BJP has also equal right to give support whoever > initiate it. So why some folks have grudges to it. It is shame that many > pseudo-secular trying to give it communal angle. However, nothing new to it > since for that reason only they are pseudo-secular! > > Thanks > Bipin Trivedi > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: reader-list-bounces at sarai.net [mailto:reader-list-bounces at sarai.net] > On Behalf Of Tapas Ray [Gmail] > Sent: Thursday, September 01, 2011 9:25 AM > To: Reader List > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Crowds? > > Not exactly new, but worth repeating, as it's worth remembering -- > > http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/is-rss-working-hard-for-affiliation-with-anna-130483 > > Is RSS working hard for affiliation with Anna? > > Rahul Shrivastava‎, Updated: September 01, 2011 00:31 IST > > ... > > Through some visible and not so visible moves the RSS has tried to > associate itself to Anna's campaign. > On Tuesday, Mohan Bhagwat, the head of the BJP's parent body made a > rare public appearance in Pune and said that "people were just fed up > of corruption and they had no one to look up to and then came Anna's > agitation which restored people's faith and also gave a boost to their > confidence." > > Less than a fortnight ago the RSS top brass had met in Ujjain and > cleared a 'Support Anna' resolution. Spurred by this BJP's Nitin > Gadkari wrote to Anna, pledging his support. > > Old RSS hand and ex BJP Delhi Unit Chief Mangeram Garg - was heading > the Sangh's "ops-room". > At Ramlila Maidan, Anna's home during his 12 day fast, Sangh > affiliates posted hundreds of men in the crowd, who could be > identified by their chant of Vande Mataram. > > > Read more at: > http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/is-rss-working-hard-for-affiliation-with-anna-130483&cp > > Kumar Vishwas, once a senior man within the RSS, was Anna's stage > manager at Ramlila Maidan and was often seen reciting poems and > introducing guests on stage. Coincidentally Vishwas was the stage > manager for Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev's aborted protests too. > > Tejinder Pal of the Party's Yuva Morcha, which is the youth wing of > the BJP helped mobilize those who protested outside the homes of > Congress leaders to signal their dissastisfaction. > > The free meals that were a big draw at Ramlila Madian were funded. by > the RSS' affiliate Goraksha (save the cow) unit. > > But the RSS kept its involvement discrete. Anna insulated his > protests from the saffron taint by forbidding right-or left wing > leader from sharing the stage with him. In fact two BJP MPs who > visited Ramlila Maidan - Ananth Kumar and Gopinath Munde- to express > solidarity to Anna - were heckled by the crowd. > > Team Anna opted to ignore the presence of RSS ranks among the > protestors and the criticism it drew. > > "There was no direct financial support from the RSS to IAC (India > Against Corruption movement). There were no direct links with them or > to funding, but they could well be part of the thousands and lakhs of > volunteers who were helping with food ...and there's nothing wrong > with that," said one of Anna's closest associates, Prashant Bhushan. > > Anna has warned that he has other causes - like electoral reforms for > which he plans to campaign. By affiliating closely with Anna, the RSS > and the BJP are hoping to gain political points as key states like UP > get ready to vote. > > > > > On 31 August 2011 12:02, Jeebesh wrote: >> Perplexing why Partha Chatterjee (all entangled in corruption), Arjun >> Appadurai (fascist gathering), Arundhati Roy (came for reality show) in >> their argument against the stage/studio so contemptuous of the crowd. As >> if >> the connection between the crowd and stage is cemented. Is there no way to >> read excess, overflow, disconnect, escape in the relation of crowd to the >> stage? No fear of the Hydra headed crowd in the stage/studio? >> >> In Manesar Maruti factory the management has decided to get a "Good >> Conduct" >> agreement signed by each worker before they enter the factory. The conduct >> is to not engage in slow down, sit in, tampering, spanner in the wheel, >> etc. >> It is said that few of the workers went to the Ramila Grounds and cam back >> saying that they will sit on an "anshan". The management panicked and set >> up >> a 300 strong police post inside the factory. The 11 day sit in inside the >> factory in June is the background to this drastic move by the management. >> >> warmly >> jeebesh >> _________________________________________ >> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. >> Critiques & Collaborations >> To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with >> subscribe >> in the subject header. >> To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list >> List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe > in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> > > From aliens at dataone.in Sun Sep 4 11:25:00 2011 From: aliens at dataone.in (Bipin Trivedi) Date: Sun, 04 Sep 2011 11:25:00 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Crowds? In-Reply-To: References: <60CD86A5-396B-4330-B2AA-42208DDBA8A9@sarai.net> <000801cc6a5f$53fb3070$fbf19150$@in> Message-ID: <001201cc6ac7$2f9c4b70$8ed4e250$@in> Tapas, No intention to send you only. Actually replied you with cc to list could not gone due to net problem and then stored in draft. But after I sent again to you but forgot cc which was sent separately to list That link also I have sent comment. Resret it was not intentional to send only you. -----Original Message----- From: Tapas Ray [Gmail] [mailto:tapasrayx at gmail.com] Sent: Sunday, September 04, 2011 7:46 AM To: Bipin Trivedi Cc: reader-list Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Crowds? Bipin, The Times of India article to which you seem to refer, was posted by me on the list. It was not sent to you individually. Therefore, your response should have been posted on the list, not in an email addressed only to me. This might have been inadvertent - you might have clicked 'reply' though you really intended to click 'reply all'. But if it wasn't, i.e., if you intentionally wrote only to me, I must request you to desist in future. Thanks, Tapas On 03/09/2011, Bipin Trivedi wrote: > Everyone has right to support fight against corruption irrespective of any > organization. So, RSS/BJP has also equal right to give support whoever > initiate it. So why some folks have grudges to it. It is shame that many > pseudo-secular trying to give it communal angle. However, nothing new to it > since for that reason only they are pseudo-secular! > > Thanks > Bipin Trivedi > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: reader-list-bounces at sarai.net [mailto:reader-list-bounces at sarai.net] > On Behalf Of Tapas Ray [Gmail] > Sent: Thursday, September 01, 2011 9:25 AM > To: Reader List > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Crowds? > > Not exactly new, but worth repeating, as it's worth remembering -- > > http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/is-rss-working-hard-for-affiliation-with-anna-130483 > > Is RSS working hard for affiliation with Anna? > > Rahul Shrivastava‎, Updated: September 01, 2011 00:31 IST > > ... > > Through some visible and not so visible moves the RSS has tried to > associate itself to Anna's campaign. > On Tuesday, Mohan Bhagwat, the head of the BJP's parent body made a > rare public appearance in Pune and said that "people were just fed up > of corruption and they had no one to look up to and then came Anna's > agitation which restored people's faith and also gave a boost to their > confidence." > > Less than a fortnight ago the RSS top brass had met in Ujjain and > cleared a 'Support Anna' resolution. Spurred by this BJP's Nitin > Gadkari wrote to Anna, pledging his support. > > Old RSS hand and ex BJP Delhi Unit Chief Mangeram Garg - was heading > the Sangh's "ops-room". > At Ramlila Maidan, Anna's home during his 12 day fast, Sangh > affiliates posted hundreds of men in the crowd, who could be > identified by their chant of Vande Mataram. > > > Read more at: > http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/is-rss-working-hard-for-affiliation-with-anna-130483&cp > > Kumar Vishwas, once a senior man within the RSS, was Anna's stage > manager at Ramlila Maidan and was often seen reciting poems and > introducing guests on stage. Coincidentally Vishwas was the stage > manager for Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev's aborted protests too. > > Tejinder Pal of the Party's Yuva Morcha, which is the youth wing of > the BJP helped mobilize those who protested outside the homes of > Congress leaders to signal their dissastisfaction. > > The free meals that were a big draw at Ramlila Madian were funded. by > the RSS' affiliate Goraksha (save the cow) unit. > > But the RSS kept its involvement discrete. Anna insulated his > protests from the saffron taint by forbidding right-or left wing > leader from sharing the stage with him. In fact two BJP MPs who > visited Ramlila Maidan - Ananth Kumar and Gopinath Munde- to express > solidarity to Anna - were heckled by the crowd. > > Team Anna opted to ignore the presence of RSS ranks among the > protestors and the criticism it drew. > > "There was no direct financial support from the RSS to IAC (India > Against Corruption movement). There were no direct links with them or > to funding, but they could well be part of the thousands and lakhs of > volunteers who were helping with food ...and there's nothing wrong > with that," said one of Anna's closest associates, Prashant Bhushan. > > Anna has warned that he has other causes - like electoral reforms for > which he plans to campaign. By affiliating closely with Anna, the RSS > and the BJP are hoping to gain political points as key states like UP > get ready to vote. > > > > > On 31 August 2011 12:02, Jeebesh wrote: >> Perplexing why Partha Chatterjee (all entangled in corruption), Arjun >> Appadurai (fascist gathering), Arundhati Roy (came for reality show) in >> their argument against the stage/studio so contemptuous of the crowd. As >> if >> the connection between the crowd and stage is cemented. Is there no way to >> read excess, overflow, disconnect, escape in the relation of crowd to the >> stage? No fear of the Hydra headed crowd in the stage/studio? >> >> In Manesar Maruti factory the management has decided to get a "Good >> Conduct" >> agreement signed by each worker before they enter the factory. The conduct >> is to not engage in slow down, sit in, tampering, spanner in the wheel, >> etc. >> It is said that few of the workers went to the Ramila Grounds and cam back >> saying that they will sit on an "anshan". The management panicked and set >> up >> a 300 strong police post inside the factory. The 11 day sit in inside the >> factory in June is the background to this drastic move by the management. >> >> warmly >> jeebesh >> _________________________________________ >> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. >> Critiques & Collaborations >> To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with >> subscribe >> in the subject header. >> To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list >> List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe > in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> > > From javedmasoo at gmail.com Sun Sep 4 14:40:20 2011 From: javedmasoo at gmail.com (Javed) Date: Sun, 4 Sep 2011 14:40:20 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] 'US feels India has 180m Muslims' Message-ID: If the US says it, it must be true. --------------------- 'US feels India has 180m Muslims' TNN | Sep 4, 2011, 01.23AM IST The US views on ‘Indian Islam’ and its interpretation had found place in one of its diplomatic cable, leaked by WikiLeaks. NEW DELHI: The United States believes that there are many more Muslims who live in India than is being officially stated here through census, and 'Islam' here presents a series of dichotomies like most issues affecting the world's largest democracy. The US views on 'Indian Islam' and its interpretation had found place in one of its diplomatic cable, leaked by WikiLeaks. Referring to various 'contacts' in India, the cable says that most of them believe that the official figure ( Census 2001) of over 138 million Muslims in India is "under representative" as actual number is "substantially higher" - closer to 160 to 180 million. Taking sympathetic views of Indian Muslims for their 'liberal' approach, the cable, originated from American embassy in New Delhi in February last year, says that majority of the Muslims live in a very poor condition despite some of the millionaires from the community, like Azim Premji, influence Indian market. It says: "Iconic celebrities such as Bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan attract legions of fans, while millions of Muslims languish in poverty. Since Independence, three Muslims have been appointed as President, but Muslims are grossly under-represented in Parliament and other elected bodies". The US embassy cable also refers to the Rajinder Sachar Committee report which in 2006 revealed that Muslims in general fare worse in economic terms than India's Dalits. "These seeming contradictions reflect overall socioeconomic trends in India: a tiny percentage of Muslims thrive, while the vast majority struggles to support themselves". The cable, however, noted that Indian Muslims are eager to catch up to their compatriots. "Their Sufi heritage, promoting pluralism and tolerance, should leave them well-equipped to compete in secular India. However, lingering resentment from the partition and external influences threaten to divide the community". US diplomats in their dispatch to Washington also noted in details the composition of Shias and Sunni and existence of tension between two Sunni movements - Barelvi and Deobandi - rooted in differences in ideology, wealth, education and views on reforms. On political front, the dispatch says that Shia and Barelvi leaders have, of late, discussed forming a political alliance to counter Deoband and the increasing influence of Wahabism. The alliance would balance each group's strength: Barelvis have the numbers and Shias have a higher level of education and more contact with the Indian elite. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/US-feels-India-has-180m-Muslims/articleshow/9853345.cms From lalitambardar at hotmail.com Sun Sep 4 21:08:36 2011 From: lalitambardar at hotmail.com (Lalit Ambardar) Date: Sun, 4 Sep 2011 15:38:36 +0000 Subject: [Reader-list] Fwd: Team Anna Successfully Blocked the People from Questioning the Fountainhead of Corruption..."Capital". A FACE BOOK NOTE by Sushantha Roy In-Reply-To: References: , Message-ID: What was one of the fundamental reasons for the fall of USSR-it was corruption that had seeped in to the 'party' as well as the administration & it was supposedly a 'capital' free economy. One can understand the possible revulsion of the elite to the fact that common masses have begun to seek a dignified life,but so called 'social intelligentsia' coming together to demonise anti corruption mass-movement is intriguing? Rgds LA --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------> Date: Sat, 3 Sep 2011 14:19:27 +0530 > From: kmvenuannur at gmail.com > To: reader-list at sarai.net > Subject: [Reader-list] Fwd: Team Anna Successfully Blocked the People from Questioning the Fountainhead of Corruption..."Capital". A FACE BOOK NOTE by Sushantha Roy > > Team Anna Successfully Blocked the People from Questioning the Fountainhead > of Corruption..."Capital". > > > I have been thinking about this for days & cannot finally brush it off as > idle speculation. The entire Anna movement seems to have been designed to > mortally weaken the govt( as in the people's rule ) & pave the way for the > gradual take overof governance & the nation by the pvt sector. The just > public anger against corruption was hijacked by team Anna & the opportunity > used to embed this in the people's mind. They derided the election process, > insulted & accused all parties, which no honest man wd do, mocked the > parliament process, claimed the legitimacy of the mob, nowhere close to the > nos that constitute a majority & tried to claim victory of their methods > over the democratic ones. The people want to rid the governance process & > society of corruption & tyranny, not rid the process itself. Team Anna > successfully blocked the people from questioning the fountainhead of > corruption, the corporations, the pvt sector, "Capital". > > > > Is it a oversight? I think impossible, considering that NGOs too are > glaringly protected. Heap on that connections to the Sangh, Ford Foundation, > etc & there emerges a pattern which cannot be dismissed as mere > speculation." All Indian govts & parties( even the left is not spared) are > corrupt & this needs to be destroyed for ever". How? Thru a Jan Lokpal bill. > It is not accidental that this team wanted a bill which creates a 4th pillar > which subsumes all the other 3 pillars, the executive, bureaucracy & the > judiciary. A huge monolith, with lakhs of employees which has all possible > powers over everybody else with power in our republic, from the smallest > govt employee to the PM, the CMs, the chief justices!! Lets look back at > modern history & see what this means. Such an organisation has always been > set up by all powerful dictators after they have taken over a country. In > this case we see an organisation being suggested to be set up which can > bring in one?? Is this mere over-enthusiasm of the few most honest souls of > the times?? I think not. > > > > The state( people's govt) has been systematically, since independence, > weakened, impoverished & bought over by the rich, ie., capital. Even left > govts have been made to appeal to pvt capital. They have had active help > from the mainstream political parties, be it the Cong, BJP, the regional > parties, including their best minds, in this overthrow of govt. Of course, > they have taken their pound of flesh by joining the ranks of the super-rich. > The main political class, without distinction, have been co-opted into the > richest class & to actively own the objectives of this class. Its no longer > a bargain, they are on the same side of the table, fashioning out a world > ruthlessly based on their interests. Its a perfect 'Mafia" now. > > > > Whats interesting is that this very mafia argues both sides, creates the > issues, supports the Annas, imprisons him, makes him a hero, then gives it > coverage, till all voices questioning its legitimacy is blanked out of > public consciousness, in short, as a class, in complete control. It ensures > that the legitimate fighter of this system, the left, the poor is left out. > Is this accidental or even new? Not so. > > > > Post WW-2, the US, clearly understanding the changing paradigm after that > Pyrrhic war & the explosion of scientific thought, knew that imperialism has > to be given a new form. The days of its brutal visage plowing thru the lives > of the majority was over. It then, with the help of the old & wise Europe, > fashioned its own opposition in the form of post-modernism. It sought to > create a myth of universalisation of power, the infallible nature of law & > democratic processes & urged people, "civil society" to come forward & fight > for rights! No revolution by the left was necessary. The pvt citizen > alongwith the pvt sector cd provide the best society for our race & the govt > sd go small & finally disappear! The universal people's fight has been > fractured or frustrated, wealth & power is again concentrated in a few > hands, like old times & finally the middle-class has been bought over from > the left, suitably fattened to be non-liberal." Globalisation" has replaced > the " International" & ownership of capital instead of going to the people > has bought them over thru the stock-market & the mirage of the American > dream! > > > > Isnt this already the case in India? Intellectuals now fight for the rights > of the big "bribe giver" & wants govt to end. The govt has already been made > to lose its capability to create production assets. All the anti-people > reforms, with more in pipeline,the 2nd & the 3rd..has been legitimised, more > so, post Anna; if there is no govt , there wd be no corruption! Simple! The > left, unable to fight for the people, this space taken up by the mafia's > agents , will lose credibility & once the people's angst is under remote > control, the entire country cd be privatised. > > > > With no real voice to oppose, every poor man's cry for help can be dubbed > terrorist & stopped for ever. By then, we will be at decisive war with our > neighbours & wd be critically dependent on the West for military & > diplomatic support. By then, every capital holder & its middle-class > employees wd be one with the west & cultural warriors for capital. The > difference between this class & the rest of humanity, about 70% of them wd > be so high that they wd termed mutant & annihilated to save the human race. > > > > The whole world wd be rich & glorius! > http://www.facebook.com/pages/Maurya/184186831606234?sk=info#!/notes/sushanta-roy/the-privatisation-of-govt/241607262541058 > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> From rajkamalgoswami at gmail.com Sun Sep 4 23:27:53 2011 From: rajkamalgoswami at gmail.com (Rajkamal Goswami) Date: Sun, 4 Sep 2011 23:27:53 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] 'US feels India has 180m Muslims' In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Is Azim Premji a Muslim? I was under the impression that he was a Zoroastrian. But even wikipedia lists him as the richest 'Muslim' of India! Giuess i was cultivating a wrong notion all the time! So Zoroastrians are nothing but Muslims huh? On Sun, Sep 4, 2011 at 2:40 PM, Javed wrote: > If the US says it, it must be true. > --------------------- > > 'US feels India has 180m Muslims' > TNN | Sep 4, 2011, 01.23AM IST > > The US views on ‘Indian Islam’ and its interpretation had found place > in one of its diplomatic cable, leaked by WikiLeaks. > > NEW DELHI: The United States believes that there are many more Muslims > who live in India than is being officially stated here through census, > and 'Islam' here presents a series of dichotomies like most issues > affecting the world's largest democracy. > > The US views on 'Indian Islam' and its interpretation had found place > in one of its diplomatic cable, leaked by WikiLeaks. > > Referring to various 'contacts' in India, the cable says that most of > them believe that the official figure ( Census 2001) of over 138 > million Muslims in India is "under representative" as actual number is > "substantially higher" - closer to 160 to 180 million. > > Taking sympathetic views of Indian Muslims for their 'liberal' > approach, the cable, originated from American embassy in New Delhi in > February last year, says that majority of the Muslims live in a very > poor condition despite some of the millionaires from the community, > like Azim Premji, influence Indian market. > > It says: "Iconic celebrities such as Bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan > attract legions of fans, while millions of Muslims languish in > poverty. Since Independence, three Muslims have been appointed as > President, but Muslims are grossly under-represented in Parliament and > other elected bodies". > > The US embassy cable also refers to the Rajinder Sachar Committee > report which in 2006 revealed that Muslims in general fare worse in > economic terms than India's Dalits. "These seeming contradictions > reflect overall socioeconomic trends in India: a tiny percentage of > Muslims thrive, while the vast majority struggles to support > themselves". > > The cable, however, noted that Indian Muslims are eager to catch up to > their compatriots. "Their Sufi heritage, promoting pluralism and > tolerance, should leave them well-equipped to compete in secular > India. However, lingering resentment from the partition and external > influences threaten to divide the community". > > US diplomats in their dispatch to Washington also noted in details the > composition of Shias and Sunni and existence of tension between two > Sunni movements - Barelvi and Deobandi - rooted in differences in > ideology, wealth, education and views on reforms. On political front, > the dispatch says that Shia and Barelvi leaders have, of late, > discussed forming a political alliance to counter Deoband and the > increasing influence of Wahabism. The alliance would balance each > group's strength: Barelvis have the numbers and Shias have a higher > level of education and more contact with the Indian elite. > > http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/US-feels-India-has-180m-Muslims/articleshow/9853345.cms > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> -- Rajkamal From rohitrellan at aol.in Mon Sep 5 09:21:15 2011 From: rohitrellan at aol.in (rohitrellan at aol.in) Date: Sun, 04 Sep 2011 23:51:15 -0400 Subject: [Reader-list] Call for Performance Art Proposals In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <8CE39963218D83D-1258-662A@webmail-m043.sysops.aol.com> Call for Performance Art Proposals In an attempt to further explore the possibilities of live art, KHOJ is inviting applications for an evening of live performance scheduled to be held at the end of January 2012. Please send us a short concept note, a technical rider ( including duration of the performance) , your biography and documentation and details of previous performances if any. Please send your proposals to applications at khojworkshop.org by 30th September 2011. Results will be announced by end October 2011 at the latest, Please write KHOJLIVE12 in the subject line. = KHOJ International Artists' Association S-17, Khirkee Ext. New Delhi - 110017 Ph: 00-91-11-29545274 email: interact at khojworkshop.org http://khojworkshop.org From tapasrayx at gmail.com Mon Sep 5 09:52:13 2011 From: tapasrayx at gmail.com (Tapas Ray [Gmail]) Date: Mon, 5 Sep 2011 09:52:13 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Crowds? In-Reply-To: <001201cc6ac7$2f9c4b70$8ed4e250$@in> References: <60CD86A5-396B-4330-B2AA-42208DDBA8A9@sarai.net> <000801cc6a5f$53fb3070$fbf19150$@in> <001201cc6ac7$2f9c4b70$8ed4e250$@in> Message-ID: OK. No problem. Tapas On 4 September 2011 11:25, Bipin Trivedi wrote: > Tapas, > > No intention to send you only. Actually replied you with cc to list could not gone due to net problem and then stored in draft. But after I sent again to you but forgot cc which was sent separately to list > > That link also I have sent comment. Resret it was not intentional to send only you. > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Tapas Ray [Gmail] [mailto:tapasrayx at gmail.com] > Sent: Sunday, September 04, 2011 7:46 AM > To: Bipin Trivedi > Cc: reader-list > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Crowds? > > Bipin, > > The Times of India article to which you seem to refer, was posted by > me on the list. It was not sent to you individually. Therefore, your > response should have been posted on the list, not in an email > addressed only to me. This might have been inadvertent - you might > have clicked 'reply' though you really intended to click 'reply all'. > But if it wasn't, i.e., if you intentionally wrote only to me, I must > request you to desist in future. > > Thanks, > > Tapas > > > On 03/09/2011, Bipin Trivedi wrote: >> Everyone has right to support fight against corruption irrespective of any >> organization. So, RSS/BJP has also equal right to give support whoever >> initiate it. So why some folks have grudges to it. It is shame that many >> pseudo-secular trying to give it communal angle. However, nothing new to it >> since for that reason only they are pseudo-secular! >> >> Thanks >> Bipin Trivedi >> >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: reader-list-bounces at sarai.net [mailto:reader-list-bounces at sarai.net] >> On Behalf Of Tapas Ray [Gmail] >> Sent: Thursday, September 01, 2011 9:25 AM >> To: Reader List >> Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Crowds? >> >> Not exactly new, but worth repeating, as it's worth remembering -- >> >> http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/is-rss-working-hard-for-affiliation-with-anna-130483 >> >> Is RSS working hard for affiliation with Anna? >> >> Rahul Shrivastava‎, Updated: September 01, 2011 00:31 IST >> >> ... >> >> Through some visible and not so visible moves the RSS has tried to >> associate itself to Anna's campaign. >> On Tuesday, Mohan Bhagwat, the head of the BJP's parent body made a >> rare public appearance in Pune and said that "people were just fed up >> of corruption and they had no one to look up to and then came Anna's >> agitation which restored people's faith and also gave a boost to their >> confidence." >> >> Less than a fortnight ago the RSS top brass had met in Ujjain and >> cleared a 'Support Anna' resolution. Spurred by this BJP's Nitin >> Gadkari wrote to Anna, pledging his support. >> >> Old RSS hand and ex BJP Delhi Unit Chief Mangeram Garg - was heading >> the Sangh's "ops-room". >> At Ramlila Maidan, Anna's home during his 12 day fast, Sangh >> affiliates posted hundreds of men in the crowd, who could be >> identified by their chant of Vande Mataram. >> >> >> Read more at: >> http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/is-rss-working-hard-for-affiliation-with-anna-130483&cp >> >> Kumar Vishwas, once a senior man within the RSS, was Anna's stage >> manager at Ramlila Maidan and was often seen reciting poems and >> introducing guests on stage. Coincidentally Vishwas was the stage >> manager for Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev's aborted protests too. >> >> Tejinder Pal of the Party's Yuva Morcha, which is the youth wing of >> the BJP helped mobilize those who protested outside the homes of >> Congress leaders to signal their dissastisfaction. >> >> The free meals that were a big draw at Ramlila Madian were funded. by >> the RSS' affiliate Goraksha (save the cow) unit. >> >> But the RSS kept its involvement discrete.  Anna insulated his >> protests from the saffron taint by forbidding right-or left wing >> leader from sharing the stage with him.  In fact two BJP MPs who >> visited Ramlila Maidan - Ananth Kumar and Gopinath Munde- to express >> solidarity to Anna - were heckled by the crowd. >> >> Team Anna opted to ignore the presence of RSS ranks among the >> protestors and the criticism it drew. >> >> "There was no direct financial support from the RSS to IAC (India >> Against Corruption movement).  There were no direct links with them or >> to funding, but they could well be part of the thousands and lakhs of >> volunteers who were helping with food ...and there's nothing wrong >> with that," said one of Anna's closest associates, Prashant Bhushan. >> >> Anna has warned that he has other causes - like electoral reforms for >> which he plans to campaign.  By affiliating closely with Anna, the RSS >> and the BJP are hoping to gain political points as key states like UP >> get ready to vote. >> >> >> >> >> On 31 August 2011 12:02, Jeebesh wrote: >>> Perplexing why Partha Chatterjee (all entangled in corruption), Arjun >>> Appadurai (fascist gathering), Arundhati Roy (came for reality show) in >>> their argument against the stage/studio so contemptuous of the crowd. As >>> if >>> the connection between the crowd and stage is cemented. Is there no way to >>> read excess, overflow, disconnect, escape in the relation of crowd to the >>> stage? No fear of the Hydra headed crowd in the stage/studio? >>> >>> In Manesar Maruti factory the management has decided to get a "Good >>> Conduct" >>> agreement signed by each worker before they enter the factory. The conduct >>> is to not engage in slow down, sit in, tampering, spanner in the wheel, >>> etc. >>> It is said that few of the workers went to the Ramila Grounds and cam back >>> saying that they will sit on an "anshan". The management panicked and set >>> up >>> a 300 strong police post inside the factory. The 11 day sit in inside the >>> factory in June is the background to this drastic move by the management. >>> >>> warmly >>> jeebesh >>> _________________________________________ >>> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. >>> Critiques & Collaborations >>> To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with >>> subscribe >>> in the subject header. >>> To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list >>> List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> >> _________________________________________ >> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. >> Critiques & Collaborations >> To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe >> in the subject header. >> To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list >> List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> >> >> > > From nagraj.adve at gmail.com Mon Sep 5 18:36:08 2011 From: nagraj.adve at gmail.com (Nagraj Adve) Date: Mon, 5 Sep 2011 18:36:08 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Arctic sea ice Message-ID: It's approaching that time of year when Arctic sea reaches its minimum for the year before it gets colder and begins to build up again (a build-up whose trend is declining each passing year0. This discussion on RealClimate is interesting. Naga http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2011/09/arctic-sea-ice-minimum-discussions/ From nagraj.adve at gmail.com Mon Sep 5 18:46:44 2011 From: nagraj.adve at gmail.com (Nagraj Adve) Date: Mon, 5 Sep 2011 18:46:44 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] (indiaclimatejustice) Arctic sea ice In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: oops I meant sea ice not sea. On 5 September 2011 18:36, Nagraj Adve wrote: > It's approaching that time of year when Arctic sea reaches its minimum for > the year before it gets colder and begins to build up again (a build-up > whose trend is declining each passing year0. > This discussion on RealClimate is interesting. > Naga > > > > http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2011/09/arctic-sea-ice-minimum-discussions/ > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "indiaclimatejustice" group. > To post to this group, send email to indiaclimatejustice at googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > indiaclimatejustice+unsubscribe at googlegroups.com. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/indiaclimatejustice?hl=en. > From peter.ksmtf at gmail.com Mon Sep 5 20:03:17 2011 From: peter.ksmtf at gmail.com (T Peter) Date: Mon, 5 Sep 2011 20:03:17 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Concern over order to limit role of Marine Enforcement In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID:  NATIONAL » KERALA  Concern over order to limit role of Marine Enforcement Printable version | Sep 5, 2011 7:42:09 PM | http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/article2425507.ece Special Correspondent The fisherfolk in the State are concerned over the government decision to curtail the operations of the Marine Enforcement wing and hand over its role to the Coastal Police. In an order issued on August 26, the Home Department said the creation of coastal police stations had obviated the requirement for a Marine Enforcement wing under the Fisheries Department. Pointing out that the duties assigned to the Marine Enforcement were actually confined to the 45 days when the trawling ban was in force, the order said a full-fledged wing was not necessary. The order sanctioned the merger of the Marine Enforcement wing with the coastal police stations. The Kerala Swathantra Matsya Thozhilali Federation (KSMTF) has expressed strong protest over the decision to dilute the role of the Marine Enforcement division. Federation State president T. Peter said the new arrangement would affect the rescue of fishermen stranded at sea. “The Kerala Marine Enforcement wing was set up in 1984 to prevent unauthorised operation of trawlers in coastal waters, and rescue fishermen stranded at sea. The government decision to dilute the role of the division is ill-advised and unwarranted.” Mr. Peter said the Coastal Police was ill-equipped to take up rescue operations, a role that demanded skill and resources. “Many of the policemen deployed on the high-speed vessels are not swimmers, and are known to develop sea sickness on long hauls, especially during rough weather.” The fisherfolk are also apprehensive about the jurisdictional complications involved in relaying a distress message to the Coastal Police. “A fisherman setting out to sea from Vizhinjam could be stranded somewhere off the Alappuzha coast. Earlier, all we had to do was inform the Marine Enforcement SP to get a coordinated rescue operation launched in the shortest time. Now, we fear that jurisdictional limits would require us to alert multiple stations, delaying the rescue,” he said. “While we could work in close coordination with the Marine Enforcement, we fear the police would not be as willing to utilise our services,” he said. The federation urged the government to repeal the order and restore the functioning of the wing with an enlarged role. It has also proposed a complementary role for the coastal police. The federation is planning to launch a State-wide agitation on September 15 to highlight various demands, including an enhanced quota of kerosene and inclusion of all fishworkers in the below poverty line list. From asit1917 at gmail.com Tue Sep 6 15:09:02 2011 From: asit1917 at gmail.com (asit das) Date: Tue, 6 Sep 2011 02:39:02 -0700 Subject: [Reader-list] protest against farmers death at the dharna site against fatehabad nuclear power plant Message-ID: *PROTEST AGAINST FARMERS DEATH AT FATEHBAD* *Dear Friends, * * * *As you must be aware the Farmers of Fatehabad, Haryana under the banner of Kisan Sangharsh Samity are holding a non stop Dharma against the proposed Nuclear Power Plant at Forakhpur district Fatehabad. The Farmers are sitting in dharna since August 2010, but unfortunately neither the Central government or the state government have not responded to the farmers demand. * * Last night date 5-9-2011 Shri Iswar Sivach a farmer from village Gorakhpur had a heart attack at the Dharna site in front of the DC office Fatehabad, he was immediately rushed to Rohtak district hospital where he was pronounced dead. This incident has angreed the farmers of Fatehabad, who held a road blockade today. * * We request all the activist groups, Individuals to write to the Prime Minister and Chief Minister of Haryana Protesting against the callous attitude of the Central and State Government and demand to scrap the proposed Nuclear Power Plant at Fatehabad. * * We also request all the anti-nuclear and other mass movements to organise Protest programmes against the Fatehabad Nuclear Power Plant. * * * *With Regards, * *Asit* *For Kisan Sangharsh Samity * *Fatehabad* *Mob: 09873748177* From Image.Science at donau-uni.ac.at Tue Sep 6 15:50:46 2011 From: Image.Science at donau-uni.ac.at (Image Science) Date: Tue, 06 Sep 2011 12:20:46 +0200 Subject: [Reader-list] New Pub.: Imagery in the 21st Century Message-ID: <4E66101E0200007D0000DC7E@gwgwia.donau-uni.ac.at> Dear Listmembers, it is with great pleasure, that we can pass the information on the publication of our collective work: IMAGERY IN THE 21st CENTURY Edited by Oliver GRAU with Thomas VEIGL Cambridge/Mass., MIT Press, 2011 7 x 9 ● 424 pp. ● 132 figures Scholars from science, art and humanities explore the meaning of our new image worlds and offer new strategies for visual analysis. With contributions by Marie-Luise ANGERER, Olaf BREIDBACH, Adrian David CHEOK, Wendy CHUN, Sean CUBITT, James ELKINS, Oliver GRAU, Stefan HEIDENREICH, Eduardo KAC, Martin KEMP, Harald KRAEMER, Lev MANOVICH & Jeremy DOUGLASS, Tim Otto ROTH & Andreas DEUTSCH, Martin SCHULZ, Christa SOMMERER & Laurent MIGNONNEAU, David & Dolores STEINMAN, Thomas VEIGL, Martin WARNKE and Peter WEIBEL. We are surrounded by images more than ever: Flickr, Facebook, YouTube; thousands of television channels; digital games and virtual worlds, in media art and science, in politics, communication and knowledge representation. The digital image represents endless options for manipulation; images seem capable of changing interactively or even autonomously. Without new efforts to visualize complex ideas, structures, and systems, today's knowledge explosion would be unmanageable. This volume offers systematic and interdisciplinary reflections on these new image worlds and new analytical approaches to the visual. Imagery in the 21st Century examines this revolution in various fields with researchers from the natural sciences and the humanities to achieve a deeper understanding of the meaning and impact of the image in our time. The contributors explore and discuss new critical terms of multidisciplinary scope, from database economy to the dramaturgy of hypermedia, from visualisations in neurosciences to the image in bio art. They consider the power of the image in the development of human consciousness, pursue new definitions of visual phenomena, and examine new tools for image research and visual analysis. The goal is to expand visual competence in investigating new visual worlds and to build cross-disciplinary exchanges among the arts, humanities and natural sciences. MORE INFO: http://www.mediaarthistory.org/pub/Imagery21Century.html MIT Press: http://mitpress.mit.edu/catalog/item/default.asp?ttype=2&tid=12675 From rohitrellan at aol.in Tue Sep 6 17:42:07 2011 From: rohitrellan at aol.in (rohitrellan at aol.in) Date: Tue, 06 Sep 2011 08:12:07 -0400 Subject: [Reader-list] Screening Short Films of SACAC Film Students, 2009-10 Batch, Delhi/ Film Shows at Lalit Kala Akademi In-Reply-To: <8CE3AA533619441-1168-551D1@webmail-m041.sysops.aol.com> References: <8CE3AA533619441-1168-551D1@webmail-m041.sysops.aol.com> Message-ID: <8CE3AA5551D9EED-1168-551DC@webmail-m041.sysops.aol.com> Screening Short Films of SACAC Film Students, 2009-10 Batch Thursday, September 8 · 6:00pm - 8:00pm Hall of Life Devine, Sri Aurobindo Centre for Arts & Communication, New Mehrauli Road, Adchini, New Delhi - 110 017 Twilight Film Club invites you to the Screening of Short Films by SACAC Film Students, 2009-10 Batch. All the films were made by the students, under the dept. of Film & Television Production, during their course in SACAC. The schedule: 1) Soft Touches Editing: Yannick Das Camera: Anushree Mathuria Directed: Abhinav Sainger 2) Tehraav Editing: Himanshu Pandey Camera: Rohit Chauhan Direction: Abhinav Sainger 3) Lamhe Editing: Himanshu Pandey Camera: Anushree Mathuria Direction: Nupur Nijhawan 4) Dhadi –The ballads of Punjab Edited: Anuj Tyagi Camera: Anushree Mathuria Direction: Nupur Nijhawan 5) Jhilmil Jhilmil Editing: Yannick Das Camera: Rohit Chauhan Direction: Biswajit Das 6) Titanikor Bhauna (Titanic: The play) Editing: Yannick Das Camera: Rohit Chauhan Direction: Biswajit Das ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Film Shows at Lalit Kala Akademi Lalit Kala Akademi, Rabindra Bhavan 35 Ferozeshah Road, New Delhi 110001 Lalit Kala Akademi New Delhi cordially invites you to attend FILM SHOWS September 2011 September 08, 2011 The Impressionists- Goya © Seventh Art Production/24.00 Mins. Tagore: The Visionary © Doordarshan Archives/30.00 Mins. September 22, 2011 The Impressionists- Caravaggio © Seventh Art Production /24.00 Mins. Painter of the people: Raja Ravi Verma © Doordarshan Archives/ 30.00 Mins. Kaustubh Auditorium: Rabindra Bhavan, 35, Ferozeshah Road, New Delhi - 110001 Screening time - 6.00 p.m. The Films will be screened for educational purpose. From a.mani.cms at gmail.com Tue Sep 6 21:40:25 2011 From: a.mani.cms at gmail.com (A. Mani) Date: Tue, 6 Sep 2011 21:40:25 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Schools in Finland Message-ID: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/people-places/Why-Are-Finlands-Schools-Successful.html?c=y&story=fullstory Best A. Mani -- A. Mani CU, ASL, CLC,  AMS, CMS http://www.logicamani.co.cc From oishiksircar at gmail.com Wed Sep 7 00:12:31 2011 From: oishiksircar at gmail.com (OISHIK SIRCAR) Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2011 00:12:31 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Save the date: PROTEST WORKSHOP 2011/ Sept 14-17, 2011/ India In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: >>>Please circulate widely>>> HUMAN RIGHTS BEYOND THE LAW: POLITICS, PRACTICES, PERFORMANCES OF PROTEST September 14-17, 2011 Venues: Jindal Global Law School, Sonipat Alliance Francaise de Delhi Instituto Cervantes, New Delhi Speakers: Jasbir Puar/ Dianne Otto/ Rahul Rao/ B.S. Chimni/ Vinay Lal/ Bishakha Datta/ Lawrence Liang/ Ananda Breed/ Ashley Tellis/ Renu Addlakha/ Suroopa Mukherjee/ Saroj Giri/ Preethy Athreya/ Philip Vinod Peacock/ Shilpa Phadke/ Anupama Roy/ Ileana Rodriguez/ Shail Mayaram and many more... Performances by: Zubin Mohamad/ Sumangala Damodaran/ Adi Dharm Samaj/ Parnab Mukherjee/ Surjit Nongmeikapam Poetry Readings: N.D. Rajkumar/ Ashley Tellis/ Amartya Kanjilal/ Akshi Singh/ Shad Naved/ M.R. Adithyan/ Sonya Gupta/ William Stafford Films: Mullaitivu Saga (S. Someetharan)/ Sthaniya Sambaad (Arjun Gourisaria and Moinak Biswas)/ Arrival (Mani Kaul - In Memoriam) Exhibitions: Faultlines, Freaks and Frenemies: Protest Art between Identity and Alterity (Curated by V.K. Suleiria/ Visual Ark)/ Unframed: A Minor Memorabilia Collection from the Damned (Curated by Parnab Mukherjee) ENTRY FREE FOR ALL EVENTS. PRIOR REGISTRATION NECESSARY. FIND FULL SCHEDULE AND REGISTRATION DETAILS >>> WWW.PROTESTWORKSHOP.JGU.EDU.IN -- OISHIK SIRCAR oishiksircar at gmail.com oishik.sircar at utoronto.ca -- OISHIK SIRCAR oishiksircar at gmail.com oishik.sircar at utoronto.ca From oishiksircar at gmail.com Wed Sep 7 00:34:08 2011 From: oishiksircar at gmail.com (OISHIK SIRCAR) Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2011 00:34:08 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Sept 12, 2011/ Jasbir Puar @CSLG, JNU/ LGBT Rights & the Israel Palestine Conflict In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: The Collaborative Research Programme on Law, Postcoloniality and Culture (at the Jindal Global Law School) *&* LASSNet (anchored at the Centre for the Study of Law and Governance, Jawaharlal Nehru University) invite you to a talk by *PROF. JASBIR PUAR* Department of Women’s and Gender Studies, Rutgers University, USA *author of TERRORIST ASSEMBLAGES: HOMONATIONALISM IN QUEER TIMES* on *THE PINKWASHING DEBATE: * *LGBT RIGHTS & THE ISRAEL-PALESTINE CONFLICT* *Commentator: * *PROF. NIVEDITA MENON* Centre for Comparative Politics and Political Theory Jawaharlal Nehru University, India Monday, September 12, 2011 | CSLG, JNU, Conference Room, 1st Floor | 3-5pm to be followed by tea and light snacks *HUMAN RIGHTS BEYOND THE LAW* *Politics | Practices | Performances of Protest* *14-17 September 2011* *PRE-WORKSHOP TALK* www.protestworkshop.jgu.edu.in | protestworkshop.india at jgu.edu.in -- OISHIK SIRCAR oishiksircar at gmail.com oishik.sircar at utoronto.ca -- OISHIK SIRCAR oishiksircar at gmail.com oishik.sircar at utoronto.ca From magiclantern.foundation at gmail.com Wed Sep 7 06:03:06 2011 From: magiclantern.foundation at gmail.com (Magic Lantern Foundation) Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2011 06:03:06 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] New Delhi premier of BOM/ aka One Day Ahead of Democracy Message-ID: <4BCA90E6-A114-4EB5-865F-3F0C401D2ADD@gmail.com> Dear friends, I write to invite you for the screening of BOM/ aka One Day Ahead of Democracy, the new film by Amlan Datta. Details below the signature. For those who don't know Amlan, he co-runs Animagineer, a production company with a difference, he is a FTII graduate and in his very short life as a filmmaker he has won the national award twice. This films took over 4 years in making. Please do come and also please do tell your friends in Delhi who might be interested to see or write about the film. warmly, Gargi Sen --------- Magic Lantern Foundation J 1881 Chittaranjan Park, Basement, New Delhi 110019 P: +(91 11) 26273244/ 41605239 E: magiclantern.foundation at gmail.com W: http://magiclanternfoundation.org | http://www.ucfilms.in | http://persistenceresistance.in PS: Apologies for cross posting India International Centre and Magic Lantern Foundation invite you to the New Delhi premier of ‘BOM’/ aka ‘One day ahead of Democracy’, 117 min, 2011 Venue: India International Centre, Main Auditorium Date: 15 September 2011 Time: 6:30 pm A moderated discussion with the director would follow the screening. BOM’/ aka ‘One day ahead of Democracy’, 117 min, 2011 Directed by Amlan Datta Supported by Sundance DFP, Jan Vrijman Fund (IDFA) Co-produced with NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corp) www.aheadofdemocracy.com ‘Synopsis Malana, a remote village in the Himalayas, isolated from outside civilization for thousands of years has been fostering a divine existence in harmony with nature and a unique model of democracy of consensus. The hidden treasure of their governance has been trust and they have been selecting not electing! Blessed by Lord Shiva good quality cannabis plant grows in abundance there. In the seventies came some white men who taught them how to rub the crème and drew them into hashish trade. Malana crème became world famous. The rule of our modern day democracy has to be established, so Malana becomes a part of Indian electorate. In name of development the curse of modern world starts destroying their traditional culture and social practices. A united community gets divided and goes to vote for the Indian general elections. A visual essay from the edge of the world with a universal message of trust, peace and eternal unity, a real life story of transition; an ancient civilization being invaded and obliterated by the modern democracy, narrated in an epic structure. From rohitrellan at aol.in Wed Sep 7 11:02:50 2011 From: rohitrellan at aol.in (rohitrellan at aol.in) Date: Wed, 07 Sep 2011 01:32:50 -0400 Subject: [Reader-list] Culture Cafe: Film: The Salt Stories followed a Q&A with Director Lalit Vachani - 8th September Friday! Mumbai / SRFTI APPLICATION FORM FOR SHORT TERM COURSE ON ACTING FOR THE SCREEN In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <8CE3B36B74E95AC-1238-415E2@webmail-m102.sysops.aol.com> CULTURE CAFE CENTRE FOR MEDIA AND CULTURAL STUDIES TATA INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL SCIENCES, MUMBAI invites you to A Film followed by a Q&A with the Director The Salt Stories by Lalit Vachani Date: 08 September 2011 Time: 6 pm to 8 pm Location: Classroom IV, Main Campus, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai The Salt Stories (2008; Colour and B/W; Video; 84 min.) Director's cut and the longer version of `In Search of Gandhi [1]', THE SALT STORIES is a road movie documentary set in modern India that follows the trail of Mahatma Gandhi's salt march of 1930. SYNOPSIS In 1930, a group of Indians led by a frail, elderly man marched a distance of 241 miles. They marched for salt. Mahatma Gandhi was able to craft an anti-colonial, nationalist movement around the most basic issue of livelihood: the right of Indians to make and consume their own salt. 77 years later, the Wide Eye Film team followed the trail of the famous Dandi salt march, stopping at the same villages and towns, in search of Gandhi's legacy. Set against the backdrop of Gandhi's original journey, this is a road-movie about issues of livelihood in modern, globalizing India. It is a documentary about 'the salt stories' of our times. CREDITS Camera: Mrinal Desai Location sound and post-production audio: Anita Kushwaha Editing and additional camera: Lalit Vachani Additional editing: Menno Boerema Researched, produced and directed by Lalit Vachani A Wide Eye Film, 2008 AWARDS: Best documentary film, MIAAC, New York city, 2009 2nd prize, Film South Asia, Kathmandu, 2009 Bio: Lalit Vachani is director of the New Delhi based Wide Eye Film. He studied at St. Stephen's College, Delhi University and at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania. He was visiting lecturer at the Mass Communication Research Centre, Delhi (1990-92; 1996-98), at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and at Amherst College(2009) and visiting scholar at the Center for Media, Culture and History at New York University in 1999. His previous documentary films have been on the star-system and the social worlds within the Bollywood film industry (The Academy, 1995; The Starmaker, 1997) and on the indoctrination, ideology and the politics of Hindutva propagated by the Hindu fundamentalist organization, the RSS (The Boy in the Branch, 1993; The Men in the Tree, 2002). In 2005 he directed, `Natak Jari Hai' (The Play Goes On) about Jana Natya Manch, the New Delhi based socialist street theatre group. In 2007, he directed `In Search of Gandhi' for the WHY DEMOCRACY? global TV documentary series, and the film was broadcast over 42 international TV channels. The Directors cut of this film is `The Salt Stories' ( 2008), a road movie documentary that follows the trail of Gandhi's salt march in contemporary Gujarat. Vachani's most recent work `Tales from Napa' , is the story of a remarkable village that resisted the forces of Hindu fundamentalism during the Gujarat riots of 2002. Links: ------ [1] http://www.lalitvachani.com/film01.html -- ___________________________________________ Anjali Monteiro, Ph.D., Professor and Chair Centre for Media and Cultural Studies Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Deonar, Bombay 400 088, India Phone:+91 22 2552 5661 (Work) Fax: +91 22 25525050 e-mail: monteiro[AT]tiss.edu URL: www.cmcs.tiss.edu http://atwodayfair.wordpress.com/ http://ourfamily2007.wordpress.com/ http://naata.wordpress.com/ __ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SRFTI APPLICATION FORM FOR SHORT TERM COURSE ON ACTING FOR THE SCREEN For more details Log on to http://srfti.gov.in/acting_form.pdf __,_._,___ From kmvenuannur at gmail.com Wed Sep 7 13:29:59 2011 From: kmvenuannur at gmail.com (Venugopalan K M) Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2011 13:29:59 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Fwd: Cynthia McKinney, former Congresswoman, Green Party leader & peace activist, after her returning from a Fact Finding Mission Libya, Tours US Cities to Tell the Truth About US-NATO Aggression in Libya Message-ID: Cynthia McKinney, former congresswoman, Green Party leader & peace activist, after her return from Libya on a fact finding mission says : "I'm making new friends in twenty cities across this country. .people want the truth..NATO is bombing a town which is very much like Baltimore..it is collective punishment, which is a war crime to the people of Libya as they do against the......... Palestinians.We counted 89 bombs by NATO falling in Tripoli alone, in the second night of the NATO engagement..We know that the government lie about the murders of Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X.. . This attack on Libya is a direct attack on all of us of African origin..Our President is committing war crimes and it makes him a war criminal!.."Earlier, the US government had been at war with its Black people, and now, it is waging war with every body of US. Stop the US war in Libya and elsewhere . Stop your wars and war crimes in collusion with NATO! She says to Obama: "If You Are a Recipient of Peace Prize, Make Peace in Home..Make Peace Abroad" http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=2227609323474 http://www.iacenter.org/ You cannot build anything on the foundations of caste. You cannot build up a nation, you cannot build up a morality. Anything that you will build on the foundations of caste will crack and will never be a whole. -AMBEDKAR http://venukm.blogspot.com http://www.shelfari.com/kmvenuannur http://kmvenuannur.livejournal.com From yanivbin at gmail.com Wed Sep 7 13:49:50 2011 From: yanivbin at gmail.com (Vinay Baindur) Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2011 13:49:50 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] DECLARE R.K. NARAYAN'S HOUSE AS 'HERITAGE' MONUMENT: MCC Message-ID: http://starofmysore.com/main.asp?type=news&item=29571 DECLARE R.K. NARAYAN'S HOUSE AS 'HERITAGE' MONUMENT: MCC *SOM effect: Demolition stayed* Mysore, Sept. 6 (KK&KMC)- The Mysore City Corporation (MCC) has sought help from the Heritage Department and the Kannada & Culture Department to declare the house of legendary novelist R.K. Narayan in Yadavagiri here as a Heritage Monument, provide financial assistance for buying the house and take up measures for the building's conservation and development as a museum. It has also urged the Urban Development Department to introduce a Heritage Tax on all such properties with heritage value so that the MCC can identify and protect them. At a meeting of officials held at the MCC Commissioner’s office this morning, MCC Commissioner K.S. Raikar said that the demolition had been stopped yesterday itself and a show-cause notice had been issued to MCC Assistant Commissioner Thimmappa for permitting to demolish the house. "There are many such assets in the city with heritage value that are in private ownership," he said and felt the need for resources to preserve them for posterity. "R.K. Narayan’s house has not yet been declared as a heritage monument," he said, adding that he had written to the Heritage Commissioner to officially demarcate such assets as "heritage" so that their sale or demolition can be checked by MCC. "If not, there is no provision in the law to prevent builders from buying and rebuilding on such properties," Raikar added. *Demolition stayed* Meanwhile, the MCC has stayed the demolition of the house where R.K. Narayan lived and penned his literary masterpieces for more than 20 years. The authorities concerned, reacting positively to the report published in Star of Mysore yesterday, halted the demolition work that had commenced yesterday morning. A builder who bought the House No. 15 on Vivekananda Road from R.K. Narayan's heirs — granddaughter Bhuvaneshwari aka Minni living in Chennai and grandson Srinivasa living in the US — intended to replace the two-storey house on a 120’x 80’ site with an eight-apartment building. The timely intervention of MCC Commissioner K.S. Raikar — based on the report in SOM which served as an eye-opener — prevented the building from being fully demolished by the workers. Following his orders, Chowdegowda, Joint Director of the Town Planning Wing, MCC, visited the spot in the evening and directed the contractor to stop the demolition work till further orders. The contractor told the officials that necessary clearance and permission had been secured from the MCC. However, the officials directed him to withdraw his workers from the site till further orders. Raikar told SOM this morning that a report about the house and the proposal to conserve it as a heritage monument will be sent to the Heritage Department. "I will also speak to the Heritage Commissioner about the proposal. The heritage department is exclusively set up to deal with such cases. MCC cannot take the ultimate decision in this regard. Besides, resources have to be mobilised," he said. The engineers at the spot said even if the MCC had issued permission to demolish the house, it could be withdrawn and the building license issued to construct the apartment cancelled. Prof. K.C. Belliappa, former VC of Rajiv Gandhi University, Itana-gar and a resident of Mysore, who knew Narayan personally, opined that the house should be preserved and converted into a museum. "It should be seen as a slice of heritage and not as a piece of real estate," he said. From patrice at xs4all.nl Wed Sep 7 14:21:02 2011 From: patrice at xs4all.nl (Patrice Riemens) Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2011 10:51:02 +0200 Subject: [Reader-list] Kancha Ilaiah: Anna's social fascism (Deccan Chronicle) Message-ID: <685ab072bf49aa73f7b1350d712e0644.squirrel@webmail.xs4all.nl> original to: http://www.deccanchronicle.com/columnists/kancha-ilaiah/anna%E2%80%99s-social-fascism bwo Goanet list/Petronella Souza Roy Anna’s social fascism The recent happenings in Delhi around the issue of the Lokpal Bill have been celebrated by the media as people’s victory, pinned down on Team Anna Hazare. But the majority of the “masses” of this country, living in institutional caste and class enclosures, are not yet part of the “civil society” that the victorious group was talking about. The so-called anti-corruption movement, therefore, needs to be examined from a multi-dimensional perspective. For example, I see it as a modern Manuvaadi Leviathan’s victory. Manu’s modern disciples walked into the Ramlila Maidan to celebrate the rise of a modern Levia-than, decorated in Gandhi topi. This 21st century “social” Leviathan walked into the maidan as the enemy of corruption, but he sought to set aside the Constitution (maybe because it was drafted under the chairmanship of a dalit) and throw overboard the supremacy of Parliament that came into existence to dismantle the fascist social structures that existed for centuries in the form of Varna Dharma. Vande Mataram was its slogan and the national flag (not its own flag) became the symbol of its street power. Social fascism becomes the reality of a civil society that constructs a moral basis of its own. A middle class like the Indian one, which has erected strong caste enclosures around itself, looks for morality to serve its own interests. Corruption in general becomes a buzzword of condemnation within its day-to-day discourse, despite the fact that it lives with corrupt practices on a daily basis. For example, a middle-class government or NGO functionary does not hesitate to take Rs 1 lakh or more as salary, plus thousands of rupees of honorarium and sitting fees, but that same person would treat a chaprasi, who works for a Rs 5,000 monthly salary, as corrupt if he/she asks for Rs 200 for extra work. The civil society that led the anti-corruption crusade also does not see corporate houses paying hundreds of crores of bribe money as corruption, but, a minister, an MP or a government official, who takes such bribe money is seen as corrupt because the corporate houses are still in the hands of “their people”, while the political and bureaucratic positions are slipping into the hands of people who are “corrupt by birth”. Take, for example, A. Raja and Kanimozhi. They are treated as corrupt but the corporate houses that gave kickbacks and took huge contracts at throwaway prices are not treated as corrupt. The same corporate houses and their media boxes have been mobilising civil society of Gandhi topi into maidans to fight corruption. In an unethical capitalist market like ours, whoever takes more space in English TV channels can portray themselves as clean. That very media can become a source of mobilisation of mobs to define corruption as they want. Any other mode of defining corruption is treated as illiterate rhetoric. If the chant of Vande Mataram has the power to empower civil society, it also has the power to destabilise democratic institutions that gave life to the poorest of the poor and the lower castes, particularly India’s Muslims. The high moral ground on which the Hindu middle class stands is a breeding ground for social fascism. The poor and lower castes have fought huge battles to checkmate saffron social fascists in the last 20 years. Now the same forces have come to occupy centrestage wearing the Gandhi topi. I wish all those who came to Ramlila Maidan in Gandhi topi would also send their children to schools in Gandhi’s dress code. But back home they prefer suits and boots for their children who go to a St. Mary or St. Peter’s, and not to a Mahatma Gandhi or a St. Hazare school. Corruption is not just economic practice; it is also cultural practice. Social fascism does not want us to see that inter-linkage, though it knows that such linkage exists. Social fascism always lives in duplicity. It uses Sanskrit as its temple language, Hindi for maidan speeches and English as its office language. Hypo-crisy is its innate cultural being. It pretends to be simple in public life but its dining table has to have all items that the corporate market supplies with brand names. Team Anna does not think that the Indian corporate houses are corrupt because they are supplying all the cameras that show them as crusaders out there in the new avatar of Gandhi. The social fascist ideology treats corruption as a one-way process. Any process of flow of money to the poor and lower castes in the Indian context is treated as a process of corruption or economic waste. But de-ployment of market prices by monopoly traders that acquire huge margins of profits, without subjecting themselves to state regulations, is not treated as corruption. Take, for example, all Bollywood heroes and heroines who joined the anti-corruption bandwagon — most are people who evaded taxes. Team Anna believes that the agendas that have the potential to establish equa-lity among people or at least change the basic life of the oppressed masses need not exist in the national discourse at all. The nation is being shown in the image of Bharat Mata who controlled and manipulated the consciousness of oppressed people for decades, and that image is being shown to the others, minute by minute, 24x7, making them shiver. Fascism now lives in pucca houses and democracy has been sent to a shed. Social fascism treats hierarchical ordering of the society as natural. Any economic redistributive mechanism put in place by the state or a civil society organisation is treated as corrupt and unethical. When corruption is seen through the glasses of this upper caste middle class, it appears to them that it has a legal solution and that legality is crafted in its own terms. It doesn’t want to understand that the dharma of the oppressor has always worked against the interest of the oppressed. Social fascism emerges when a nation is in a deep crisis of moral confidence. It formulates itself in the layers of civil society and moves on to occupy the portals of political power. This happened in many countries — Germany, Italy and so on. In all countries where social fascism emerged victorious, it emanated from the fold of middle class that asserts a high moral ground for itself. That high moral ground generally gets established around the theory that it is non-corrupt. Kancha Ilaiah is director, Centre for the Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy, Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Hyderabad From shashidhar at butterfliesindia.org Wed Sep 7 15:07:47 2011 From: shashidhar at butterfliesindia.org (Shashidhar) Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2011 15:07:47 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Kancha Ilaiah: Anna's social fascism (DeccanChronicle) In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <006301cc6d41$cd601630$68204290$@butterfliesindia.org> Sadly Mr. Kancha himself Is never part of anything else, expect for himself and his brand of dissidence, he said the same about the Telangana movement, there his grouse was the name he wanted Telangana to be called Dalit Andhra. Which is not what anyone else in the movement wanted, but he persisted and said that a movement for statehood with over 40 % tribal and 25 % Dalit population was suddenly a brahminical and manuwadi movement. He needs to examine himself and his approach, it is almost as if the issues that he concerns himself with are the most relevant and he goes on taking jibes at one and all including fellow dalit activists who are trying to do things a little differently. How he has turned a champion of the parliament is a sudden mystery to me, I have heard him say lousy things about the constitution, parliamentarians, lack of representation of dalits, I have heard him speak at length on how the constitution is hijacking the lives of dalits and OBC. And now that there is movement which is trying to say something along the lines of what he has been preaching and practising, he suddenly finds the constitution very pretty and rosy. Mr. Kancha should also comment on the reception he got in the old city when he went his brand of divisive, ghetto based politics and if he is so concerned about the English channels championing the cause of a false crusader, he can also hog TV time, but it turns out his approach and speech is so caustic that all Dalit activists get a bad name. Mr. Kancha in the interest of Dalit activism please shut up and start writing in Telugu, I am yet to see a book of his in Telugu, but he seems to be an outpouring of literature for the middle classes who he claims are " For example, a middle-class government or NGO functionary does not hesitate to take Rs 1 lakh or more as salary, plus thousands of rupees of honorarium and sitting fees", please write for the poor and please write in their language not in the language that we slaving to our middle classes realities speak and write in. Shashi -----Original Message----- From: reader-list-bounces at sarai.net [mailto:reader-list-bounces at sarai.net] On Behalf Of Patrice Riemens Sent: Wednesday, September 07, 2011 2:32 PM To: reader-list at sarai.net Subject: [Reader-list] Kancha Ilaiah: Anna's social fascism (DeccanChronicle) original to: http://www.deccanchronicle.com/columnists/kancha-ilaiah/anna%E2%80%99s-social-fascism bwo Goanet list/Petronella Souza Roy Anna’s social fascism The recent happenings in Delhi around the issue of the Lokpal Bill have been celebrated by the media as people’s victory, pinned down on Team Anna Hazare. But the majority of the “masses” of this country, living in institutional caste and class enclosures, are not yet part of the “civil society” that the victorious group was talking about. The so-called anti-corruption movement, therefore, needs to be examined from a multi-dimensional perspective. For example, I see it as a modern Manuvaadi Leviathan’s victory. Manu’s modern disciples walked into the Ramlila Maidan to celebrate the rise of a modern Levia-than, decorated in Gandhi topi. This 21st century “social” Leviathan walked into the maidan as the enemy of corruption, but he sought to set aside the Constitution (maybe because it was drafted under the chairmanship of a dalit) and throw overboard the supremacy of Parliament that came into existence to dismantle the fascist social structures that existed for centuries in the form of Varna Dharma. Vande Mataram was its slogan and the national flag (not its own flag) became the symbol of its street power. Social fascism becomes the reality of a civil society that constructs a moral basis of its own. A middle class like the Indian one, which has erected strong caste enclosures around itself, looks for morality to serve its own interests. Corruption in general becomes a buzzword of condemnation within its day-to-day discourse, despite the fact that it lives with corrupt practices on a daily basis. For example, a middle-class government or NGO functionary does not hesitate to take Rs 1 lakh or more as salary, plus thousands of rupees of honorarium and sitting fees, but that same person would treat a chaprasi, who works for a Rs 5,000 monthly salary, as corrupt if he/she asks for Rs 200 for extra work. The civil society that led the anti-corruption crusade also does not see corporate houses paying hundreds of crores of bribe money as corruption, but, a minister, an MP or a government official, who takes such bribe money is seen as corrupt because the corporate houses are still in the hands of “their people”, while the political and bureaucratic positions are slipping into the hands of people who are “corrupt by birth”. Take, for example, A. Raja and Kanimozhi. They are treated as corrupt but the corporate houses that gave kickbacks and took huge contracts at throwaway prices are not treated as corrupt. The same corporate houses and their media boxes have been mobilising civil society of Gandhi topi into maidans to fight corruption. In an unethical capitalist market like ours, whoever takes more space in English TV channels can portray themselves as clean. That very media can become a source of mobilisation of mobs to define corruption as they want. Any other mode of defining corruption is treated as illiterate rhetoric. If the chant of Vande Mataram has the power to empower civil society, it also has the power to destabilise democratic institutions that gave life to the poorest of the poor and the lower castes, particularly India’s Muslims. The high moral ground on which the Hindu middle class stands is a breeding ground for social fascism. The poor and lower castes have fought huge battles to checkmate saffron social fascists in the last 20 years. Now the same forces have come to occupy centrestage wearing the Gandhi topi. I wish all those who came to Ramlila Maidan in Gandhi topi would also send their children to schools in Gandhi’s dress code. But back home they prefer suits and boots for their children who go to a St. Mary or St. Peter’s, and not to a Mahatma Gandhi or a St. Hazare school. Corruption is not just economic practice; it is also cultural practice. Social fascism does not want us to see that inter-linkage, though it knows that such linkage exists. Social fascism always lives in duplicity. It uses Sanskrit as its temple language, Hindi for maidan speeches and English as its office language. Hypo-crisy is its innate cultural being. It pretends to be simple in public life but its dining table has to have all items that the corporate market supplies with brand names. Team Anna does not think that the Indian corporate houses are corrupt because they are supplying all the cameras that show them as crusaders out there in the new avatar of Gandhi. The social fascist ideology treats corruption as a one-way process. Any process of flow of money to the poor and lower castes in the Indian context is treated as a process of corruption or economic waste. But de-ployment of market prices by monopoly traders that acquire huge margins of profits, without subjecting themselves to state regulations, is not treated as corruption. Take, for example, all Bollywood heroes and heroines who joined the anti-corruption bandwagon — most are people who evaded taxes. Team Anna believes that the agendas that have the potential to establish equa-lity among people or at least change the basic life of the oppressed masses need not exist in the national discourse at all. The nation is being shown in the image of Bharat Mata who controlled and manipulated the consciousness of oppressed people for decades, and that image is being shown to the others, minute by minute, 24x7, making them shiver. Fascism now lives in pucca houses and democracy has been sent to a shed. Social fascism treats hierarchical ordering of the society as natural. Any economic redistributive mechanism put in place by the state or a civil society organisation is treated as corrupt and unethical. When corruption is seen through the glasses of this upper caste middle class, it appears to them that it has a legal solution and that legality is crafted in its own terms. It doesn’t want to understand that the dharma of the oppressor has always worked against the interest of the oppressed. Social fascism emerges when a nation is in a deep crisis of moral confidence. It formulates itself in the layers of civil society and moves on to occupy the portals of political power. This happened in many countries — Germany, Italy and so on. In all countries where social fascism emerged victorious, it emanated from the fold of middle class that asserts a high moral ground for itself. That high moral ground generally gets established around the theory that it is non-corrupt. Kancha Ilaiah is director, Centre for the Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy, Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Hyderabad _________________________________________ reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. Critiques & Collaborations To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> From rajkamalgoswami at gmail.com Wed Sep 7 15:15:24 2011 From: rajkamalgoswami at gmail.com (Rajkamal Goswami) Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2011 15:15:24 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Kancha Ilaiah: Anna's social fascism (DeccanChronicle) In-Reply-To: <006301cc6d41$cd601630$68204290$@butterfliesindia.org> References: <006301cc6d41$cd601630$68204290$@butterfliesindia.org> Message-ID: Through the hallowed walls of our list, I wish to post these reservations against Mr Ilaiah's article and request him to reply. Dear Mr. Ilaiah After going through your article several thoughts wells up in my mind: 1. When you use a phrase 'social fascist' in general terms for all that represented the movement, are you being fair? 2. When you question the life style of those who lead it or followed it, are you not being overtly reactionary (unless assuming that you have intricate details of the lifestyle of most or all of them)? 3. Being a movement to bring in a strong bill within the purview of the existing laws, it has certain limitations. Do you seriously expect a single bill would or could erase corruption from all spheres and strata of the society? 4. If not, then don't you think that it is unfair to question the current movement on the basis of issues that's beyond their current agenda? 5. And also don't you think that if the public, governing and legal institutions are made accountable, it will be less vulnerable to being enticed by the rich autocrates and corporates? 6. And honestly do you have any sane idea through which you mean to make the political, public, governing and judicial institutions accountable? 7. What sort of phrase would you like to brand a dalit leader like Mayawati who claims to be 'of the dalit, by the dalit and for the dalit' ? Can she be also branded as a 'fascist'? (pl refer: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Assange-hits-back-at-Mayawati-Send-your-private-jet-to-collect-me/articleshow/9885253.cms) 8. And last but not the least, can you dissect your idea as to how the current movement violated the constitution? I hope you will be kind enough to answer the above mentioned doubts. regards Rajkamal On Wed, Sep 7, 2011 at 3:07 PM, Shashidhar wrote: > Sadly Mr. Kancha himself Is never part of anything else, expect for himself and his brand of dissidence, he said the same about the Telangana movement, there his grouse was the name he wanted Telangana to be called Dalit Andhra. Which is not what anyone else in the movement wanted, but he persisted and said that a movement for statehood with over 40 % tribal and 25 % Dalit population was suddenly a brahminical and manuwadi movement. He needs to examine himself and his approach, it is almost as if the issues that he concerns himself with are the most relevant and he goes on taking jibes at one and all including fellow dalit activists who are trying to do things a little differently. > > How he has turned a champion of the parliament is a sudden mystery to me, I have heard him say lousy things about the constitution, parliamentarians, lack of representation of dalits, I have heard him speak at length on how the constitution is hijacking the lives of dalits and OBC. And now that there is movement which is trying to say something along the lines of what he has been preaching and practising, he suddenly finds the constitution very pretty and rosy. > > Mr. Kancha should also comment on the reception he got in the old city when he went his brand of divisive, ghetto based politics and if he is so concerned about the English channels championing the cause of a false crusader, he can also hog TV time, but it turns out his approach and speech is so caustic that all Dalit activists get a bad name. > > Mr. Kancha in the interest of Dalit activism please shut up and start writing in Telugu, I am yet to see a book of his in Telugu, but he seems to be an outpouring of literature for the middle classes who he claims are " For example, a middle-class government or NGO functionary does not hesitate to take Rs 1 lakh or more as salary, plus thousands of rupees of honorarium and sitting fees", please write for the poor and please write in their language not in the language that we slaving to our middle classes realities speak and write in. > > Shashi > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: reader-list-bounces at sarai.net [mailto:reader-list-bounces at sarai.net] On Behalf Of Patrice Riemens > Sent: Wednesday, September 07, 2011 2:32 PM > To: reader-list at sarai.net > Subject: [Reader-list] Kancha Ilaiah: Anna's social fascism (DeccanChronicle) > > original to: > http://www.deccanchronicle.com/columnists/kancha-ilaiah/anna%E2%80%99s-social-fascism > > bwo Goanet list/Petronella Souza Roy > > > Anna’s social fascism > > The recent happenings in Delhi around the issue of the Lokpal Bill have been celebrated by the media as people’s victory, pinned down on Team Anna Hazare. But the majority of the “masses” of this country, living in institutional caste and class enclosures, are not yet part of the “civil society” that the victorious group was talking about. > > The so-called anti-corruption movement, therefore, needs to be examined from a multi-dimensional perspective. For example, I see it as a modern Manuvaadi Leviathan’s victory. Manu’s modern disciples walked into the Ramlila Maidan to celebrate the rise of a modern Levia-than, decorated in Gandhi topi. > > This 21st century “social” Leviathan walked into the maidan as the enemy of corruption, but he sought to set aside the Constitution (maybe because it was drafted under the chairmanship of a dalit) and throw overboard the supremacy of Parliament that came into existence to dismantle the fascist social structures that existed for centuries in the form of Varna Dharma. > Vande Mataram was its slogan and the national flag (not its own flag) became the symbol of its street power. > > Social fascism becomes the reality of a civil society that constructs a moral basis of its own. A middle class like the Indian one, which has erected strong caste enclosures around itself, looks for morality to serve its own interests. Corruption in general becomes a buzzword of condemnation within its day-to-day discourse, despite the fact that it lives with corrupt practices on a daily basis. For example, a middle-class government or NGO functionary does not hesitate to take Rs 1 lakh or more as salary, plus thousands of rupees of honorarium and sitting fees, but that same person would treat a chaprasi, who works for a Rs 5,000 monthly salary, as corrupt if he/she asks for Rs 200 for extra work. > > The civil society that led the anti-corruption crusade also does not see corporate houses paying hundreds of crores of bribe money as corruption, but, a minister, an MP or a government official, who takes such bribe money is seen as corrupt because the corporate houses are still in the hands of “their people”, while the political and bureaucratic positions are slipping into the hands of people who are “corrupt by birth”. > > Take, for example, A. Raja and Kanimozhi. They are treated as corrupt but the corporate houses that gave kickbacks and took huge contracts at throwaway prices are not treated as corrupt. The same corporate houses and their media boxes have been mobilising civil society of Gandhi topi into maidans to fight corruption. > > In an unethical capitalist market like ours, whoever takes more space in English TV channels can portray themselves as clean. That very media can become a source of mobilisation of mobs to define corruption as they want. > Any other mode of defining corruption is treated as illiterate rhetoric. > > If the chant of Vande Mataram has the power to empower civil society, it also has the power to destabilise democratic institutions that gave life to the poorest of the poor and the lower castes, particularly India’s Muslims. > > The high moral ground on which the Hindu middle class stands is a breeding ground for social fascism. The poor and lower castes have fought huge battles to checkmate saffron social fascists in the last 20 years. Now the same forces have come to occupy centrestage wearing the Gandhi topi. > I wish all those who came to Ramlila Maidan in Gandhi topi would also send their children to schools in Gandhi’s dress code. > > But back home they prefer suits and boots for their children who go to a St. Mary or St. Peter’s, and not to a Mahatma Gandhi or a St. Hazare school. Corruption is not just economic practice; it is also cultural practice. Social fascism does not want us to see that inter-linkage, though it knows that such linkage exists. > > Social fascism always lives in duplicity. It uses Sanskrit as its temple language, Hindi for maidan speeches and English as its office language. > Hypo-crisy is its innate cultural being. It pretends to be simple in public life but its dining table has to have all items that the corporate market supplies with brand names. > > Team Anna does not think that the Indian corporate houses are corrupt because they are supplying all the cameras that show them as crusaders out there in the new avatar of Gandhi. The social fascist ideology treats corruption as a one-way process. Any process of flow of money to the poor and lower castes in the Indian context is treated as a process of corruption or economic waste. But de-ployment of market prices by monopoly traders that acquire huge margins of profits, without subjecting themselves to state regulations, is not treated as corruption. > > Take, for example, all Bollywood heroes and heroines who joined the anti-corruption bandwagon — most are people who evaded taxes. Team Anna believes that the agendas that have the potential to establish equa-lity among people or at least change the basic life of the oppressed masses need not exist in the national discourse at all. The nation is being shown in the image of Bharat Mata who controlled and manipulated the consciousness of oppressed people for decades, and that image is being shown to the others, minute by minute, 24x7, making them shiver. > > Fascism now lives in pucca houses and democracy has been sent to a shed. > Social fascism treats hierarchical ordering of the society as natural. Any economic redistributive mechanism put in place by the state or a civil society organisation is treated as corrupt and unethical. When corruption is seen through the glasses of this upper caste middle class, it appears to them that it has a legal solution and that legality is crafted in its own terms. It doesn’t want to understand that the dharma of the oppressor has always worked against the interest of the oppressed. > > Social fascism emerges when a nation is in a deep crisis of moral confidence. It formulates itself in the layers of civil society and moves on to occupy the portals of political power. This happened in many countries — Germany, Italy and so on. In all countries where social fascism emerged victorious, it emanated from the fold of middle class that asserts a high moral ground for itself. That high moral ground generally gets established around the theory that it is non-corrupt. > > Kancha Ilaiah is director, Centre for the Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy, Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Hyderabad > > > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> > > > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> -- Rajkamal From rajkamalgoswami at gmail.com Wed Sep 7 15:26:57 2011 From: rajkamalgoswami at gmail.com (Rajkamal Goswami) Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2011 15:26:57 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] interesting article Message-ID: http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/clicklit/entry/look-who-all-didn-t-like-the-anna-fast-imam-bukhari-and-shiv-sena-rahul-lalu-and-arundhati Look, who all didn’t like the Anna fast: Imam Bukhari and Shiv Sena, Rahul, Lalu and Arundhati Anshul Chaturvedi 30 August 2011, 08:36 PM IST While I am not a blindfolded hero-worshipper of Anna, and in the past few days there has been much written about the flaws, omissions and oversights of people with him, I thought that the most interesting part of the past fortnight is the assortment of people who stood up to be counted against the manner in which Anna went about his campaign. It has been a highly unusual coalition of forces, to say the least. A coalition which was not just against the model of the Lokpal bill or its technicalities, but against the very model of a sustained civil society lobby forcing parliament to acknowledge the need to do something, to look at change without the need for a 50-MP pressure group within Parliament lobbying for it, without a political party pressing for it and thereafter converting a subsequent victory into electoral advantage. Look at the spectrum that tore into Anna’s methods, objectives and doggedness. Imam Bukhari, that progressive upholder of democratic institutions, was clear that communalism was a greater threat than corruption, and therefore by not raising that issue, by talking only of corruption, and by raising such patently communal slogans such as Bharat Mata Ki Jai and Vande Mataram, the Anna campaign had hurt the sentiments of the community. And Anna got us to see what I would never have imagined – Imam Bukhari sermonizing on the need to emulate Mahatma Gandhi’s “inclusive approach”. Yes, Imam sahib, Gandhi “included grievances of every Indian constituency”, to quote you, but tell me, if you find Vande Mataram insufferable and communal, you could not have approved of Gandhi’s bhajan sandhyas, surely? Just imagine, Raj Ghat has “Hey Ram” inscribed – don’t Gandhi’s last words suffice to make him communal in your perspective, if a Bharat Mata slogan is enough reason for you to start dividing this along religious lines? Give us a break. The Honourable Imam’s point was echoed soon after in better drafted English by none other than Rahul Gandhi who warned that accepting such civil society demands was dangerous, since today the proposed law is against corruption but tomorrow it may “attack the plurality of our society and democracy”. It was not heartening to see Rahul and Imam take identical positions, but at least we got to have a clearer idea of where everyone stands. Rahul also declared on the floor of the House that Anna was attempting to issue individual ‘dictates’ which would weaken the democratic process – which by definition is ‘lengthy and lumbering’. Ergo, any attempt to make it the reverse – quick and responsive – was, of course, a very subversion of democracy itself. For the first time we had it on record that the political system is not apologetic about what we keep cribbing about – it believes that if we have democracy, the lengthy and lumbering is part of the package. I have written at length on his speech in my previous post, so am not taking it up again in detail. A wide spectrum of leaders – many of whom freely abuse each other on other occasions – stood united to ‘defend the backward classes’ against the agitation. But why is an anti-corruption agitation, a demand for a stronger Lok Pal, a Forwards vs Backwards issue? Ram Vilas Paswan, one of our more affluent leaders, explained that “People from SC, ST and OBC communities are afraid if similar movements will be launched to take away reservation and other benefits provided to them by the Constitution.” But, Paswan ji, the three groups together make up over half the country’s population. Would they not be able to argue their points for themselves exactly the way the Anna campaigners have done? Why do you need to nix the anti-corruption initiative on a caste and creed ground? BSP leader Dara Singh Chauhan made the amazing statement that “Dalits had been left out of the Lokpal Bill”. What does that mean? Backwards were left out? Sikhs were left out? The people from the North-East were left out? Displaced Kashmiri Pandits were left out? The Lokpal Bill – or anything at all that instills the fear of God in the salivating hordes of moneymakers growing in our systems – is not something from which anyone can be “left out.” Tomorrow we’ll lobby for appointing a Lok Pal along a rotational quota system, lobbied for by respective parties? Can we never see beyond this mindset for any national debate? PL Punia, currently chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, and Congress MP from Barabanki, who for years was Mayawati’s trusted bureaucrat – memorably during the whole Taj Heritage Corridor episode – said Anna’s campaign posed a “threat to Baba Saheb’s Constitution”. Excuse me? You cannot reverse-appropriate the sanctity of the Constitution along caste lines. I am sorry, but the Congress was not Gujarati even if Gandhi and Patel did much to build it up, the INA was not Bengali even if Bose ran it, and the Constitution does not need to be defended along such lines even if Babasaheb was its architect. What mindset is this? And what did Hazare ask for that causes affront to the NCSC? Or this is an extension of the party line by other means? The other upholder of ethical behaviour and Constitutional sanctity, Lalu Yadav, was clear during the debate in the Lok Sabha that ‘This is not the first time that Parliament is debating the issue of corruption. There is nothing historical about today's debate.’ Come on, Lalu. Debates over corruption can hardly be expected to strike a chord with you. Of course it is not the first time corruption is being debated. That is exactly why there is this much angst – you know you can sit and debate and ensure nothing is actually done which makes anyone uncomfortable. Except that, this time, the pressure was far too much to acknowledge that there has to be more than debate. And you have a problem that this is an NGO game and “Yeh log chanda pani se apna jal pan karna chhahate hain”? I don’t think it’s a secret that far too many NGOs are more interested in funds than work. But you, dear Lalu, of all people, have a problem with people arranging “chanda pani”? Really? But the anti-Anna angst has not been a self anointed backward / minorities leaders’ alignment; far from it. The Shiv Sena doesn’t like Anna’s agenda either. The Sena’s Sanjay Raut told the media that Anna’s Ralegaon Siddhi is the ‘Gangotri of corruption’ and declared that fasts are not going to end corruption. True enough. The Sena has never believed in fasts to end anything. Far simpler to throw stones at buses, theatres, and at anyone you don’t agree with. Raut was also distraught that “Some NGOs are misusing Anna’s name to make money.” Now, what would the Sena know about making money, eh? At the other end of the spectrum is Arundhati, of course, who had her share of the limelight through her impassioned article, wherein she explained that the Maoists and the Lokpal Bill both sought to overthrow the Indian State; that Anna supported Raj Thackery and Modi; that this was a war backed by Corporates. The one thing I comprehended was in her concluding para: ‘This awful crisis has been forged out of the utter failure of India's representative democracy, in which the legislatures are made up of criminals and millionaire politicians who have ceased to represent its people’. Now, come to think of it, isn’t that something like what Om Puri and Kiran Bedi were saying, in less stylised prose? So, if you look back, you realize that Imam Bukhari thought Anna was communal, while the Shiv Sena thought he was corrupt. Rahul thought he was issuing individual dictates, Lalu thought the whole debate he raised was pointless, while Arundhati thought it was a grand conspiracy. While I do realize that the Lokpal agitation has had its limitations and deficiencies, this rewind of all those who have slammed it leaves one with the sense that if they all think this needs to be stopped – well, somewhere, fundamentally, this man is doing something right. The biggest validation of the Anna campaign is, ironically enough, the gallery of those whom it made uncomfortable. -- Rajkamal From samcyril at gmail.com Wed Sep 7 15:33:02 2011 From: samcyril at gmail.com (Cyril Sam) Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2011 15:33:02 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] interesting article In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Dumb. From arka.mukhopadhyay at gmail.com Wed Sep 7 15:35:03 2011 From: arka.mukhopadhyay at gmail.com (Arka Mukhopadhyay) Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2011 15:35:03 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] reader-list Digest, Vol 98, Issue 11 In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: is it still possible to perform at the workshop? On 7 September 2011 13:50, wrote: > Send reader-list mailing list submissions to > reader-list at sarai.net > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > reader-list-request at sarai.net > > You can reach the person managing the list at > reader-list-owner at sarai.net > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of reader-list digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Save the date: PROTEST WORKSHOP 2011/ Sept 14-17, 2011/ India > (OISHIK SIRCAR) > 2. Sept 12, 2011/ Jasbir Puar @CSLG, JNU/ LGBT Rights & the > Israel Palestine Conflict (OISHIK SIRCAR) > 3. New Delhi premier of BOM/ aka One Day Ahead of Democracy > (Magic Lantern Foundation) > 4. Culture Cafe: Film: The Salt Stories followed a Q&A with > Director Lalit Vachani - 8th September Friday! Mumbai / SRFTI > APPLICATION FORM FOR SHORT TERM COURSE ON ACTING FOR THE SCREEN > (rohitrellan at aol.in) > 5. Fwd: Cynthia McKinney, former Congresswoman, Green Party > leader & peace activist, after her returning from a Fact Finding > Mission Libya, Tours US Cities to Tell the Truth About US-NATO > Aggression in Libya (Venugopalan K M) > 6. DECLARE R.K. NARAYAN'S HOUSE AS 'HERITAGE' MONUMENT: MCC > (Vinay Baindur) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2011 00:12:31 +0530 > From: OISHIK SIRCAR > To: sarai list > Subject: [Reader-list] Save the date: PROTEST WORKSHOP 2011/ Sept > 14-17, 2011/ India > Message-ID: > > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 > > >>>Please circulate widely>>> > > HUMAN RIGHTS BEYOND THE LAW: POLITICS, PRACTICES, PERFORMANCES OF PROTEST > September 14-17, 2011 > > Venues: > Jindal Global Law School, Sonipat > Alliance Francaise de Delhi > Instituto Cervantes, New Delhi > > Speakers: > Jasbir Puar/ Dianne Otto/ Rahul Rao/ B.S. Chimni/ Vinay Lal/ Bishakha > Datta/ Lawrence Liang/ Ananda Breed/ Ashley Tellis/ Renu Addlakha/ Suroopa > Mukherjee/ Saroj Giri/ Preethy Athreya/ Philip Vinod Peacock/ Shilpa > Phadke/ > Anupama Roy/ Ileana Rodriguez/ Shail Mayaram and many more... > > Performances by: > Zubin Mohamad/ Sumangala Damodaran/ Adi Dharm Samaj/ Parnab Mukherjee/ > Surjit Nongmeikapam > > Poetry Readings: > N.D. Rajkumar/ Ashley Tellis/ Amartya Kanjilal/ Akshi Singh/ Shad Naved/ > M.R. Adithyan/ Sonya Gupta/ William Stafford > > Films: > Mullaitivu Saga (S. Someetharan)/ Sthaniya Sambaad (Arjun Gourisaria and > Moinak Biswas)/ Arrival (Mani Kaul - In Memoriam) > > Exhibitions: > Faultlines, Freaks and Frenemies: Protest Art between Identity and Alterity > (Curated by V.K. Suleiria/ Visual Ark)/ Unframed: A Minor Memorabilia > Collection from the Damned (Curated by Parnab Mukherjee) > > ENTRY FREE FOR ALL EVENTS. PRIOR REGISTRATION NECESSARY. > > FIND FULL SCHEDULE AND REGISTRATION DETAILS >>> > WWW.PROTESTWORKSHOP.JGU.EDU.IN > > > -- > OISHIK SIRCAR > > oishiksircar at gmail.com > oishik.sircar at utoronto.ca > > > > > > > > -- > OISHIK SIRCAR > > oishiksircar at gmail.com > oishik.sircar at utoronto.ca > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 2 > Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2011 00:34:08 +0530 > From: OISHIK SIRCAR > To: sarai list > Subject: [Reader-list] Sept 12, 2011/ Jasbir Puar @CSLG, JNU/ LGBT > Rights & the Israel Palestine Conflict > Message-ID: > > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252 > > The Collaborative Research Programme on Law, > Postcoloniality and Culture (at the Jindal Global Law School) > *&* > LASSNet (anchored at the Centre for the Study of Law and Governance, > Jawaharlal Nehru University) > > invite you to a talk by > > *PROF. JASBIR PUAR* > Department of Women’s and Gender Studies, Rutgers University, USA > *author of TERRORIST ASSEMBLAGES: HOMONATIONALISM IN QUEER TIMES* > > on > > *THE PINKWASHING DEBATE: * > *LGBT RIGHTS & THE ISRAEL-PALESTINE CONFLICT* > > *Commentator: * > *PROF. NIVEDITA MENON* > Centre for Comparative Politics and Political Theory > Jawaharlal Nehru University, India > > Monday, September 12, 2011 | CSLG, JNU, Conference Room, 1st Floor | 3-5pm > to be followed by tea and light snacks > > *HUMAN RIGHTS BEYOND THE LAW* > *Politics | Practices | Performances of Protest* > *14-17 September 2011* > > *PRE-WORKSHOP TALK* > > > www.protestworkshop.jgu.edu.in | > protestworkshop.india at jgu.edu.in< > https://webmail.utoronto.ca/imp/message.php?index=5778#> > > -- > OISHIK SIRCAR > > oishiksircar at gmail.com > oishik.sircar at utoronto.ca > > > > > > -- > OISHIK SIRCAR > > oishiksircar at gmail.com > oishik.sircar at utoronto.ca > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 3 > Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2011 06:03:06 +0530 > From: Magic Lantern Foundation > To: CACDelhi at yahoogroups.co.in, "Delhi Film Archive [DFA]" > , sarai list > Cc: vikalp at yahoogroups.com, Teteii Tochhawng , > docuwallahs2 at yahoogroups.com > Subject: [Reader-list] New Delhi premier of BOM/ aka One Day Ahead of > Democracy > Message-ID: <4BCA90E6-A114-4EB5-865F-3F0C401D2ADD at gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252 > > Dear friends, > I write to invite you for the screening of BOM/ aka One Day Ahead of > Democracy, the new film by Amlan Datta. Details below the signature. > For those who don't know Amlan, he co-runs Animagineer, a production > company with a difference, he is a FTII graduate and in his very short life > as a filmmaker he has won the national award twice. > This films took over 4 years in making. > Please do come and also please do tell your friends in Delhi who might be > interested to see or write about the film. > warmly, > Gargi Sen > > --------- > Magic Lantern Foundation > J 1881 Chittaranjan Park, Basement, New Delhi 110019 > P: +(91 11) 26273244/ 41605239 > E: magiclantern.foundation at gmail.com > W: http://magiclanternfoundation.org | http://www.ucfilms.in | > http://persistenceresistance.in > > > > PS: Apologies for cross posting > > India International Centre and Magic Lantern Foundation invite you to the > New Delhi premier of > ‘BOM’/ aka ‘One day ahead of Democracy’, 117 min, 2011 > > Venue: India International Centre, Main Auditorium > Date: 15 September 2011 > Time: 6:30 pm > A moderated discussion with the director would follow the screening. > > > BOM’/ aka ‘One day ahead of Democracy’, 117 min, 2011 > Directed by Amlan Datta > > Supported by Sundance DFP, Jan Vrijman Fund (IDFA) > Co-produced with NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corp) > www.aheadofdemocracy.com > > > ‘Synopsis > > Malana, a remote village in the Himalayas, isolated from outside > civilization for thousands of years has been fostering a divine existence in > harmony with nature and a unique model of democracy of consensus. The hidden > treasure of their governance has been trust and they have been selecting not > electing! > > Blessed by Lord Shiva good quality cannabis plant grows in abundance there. > In the seventies came some white men who taught them how to rub the crème > and drew them into hashish trade. Malana crème became world famous. > > The rule of our modern day democracy has to be established, so Malana > becomes a part of Indian electorate. In name of development the curse of > modern world starts destroying their traditional culture and social > practices. A united community gets divided and goes to vote for the Indian > general elections. > > A visual essay from the edge of the world with a universal message of > trust, peace and eternal unity, a real life story of transition; an ancient > civilization being invaded and obliterated by the modern democracy, narrated > in an epic structure. > > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 4 > Date: Wed, 07 Sep 2011 01:32:50 -0400 > From: rohitrellan at aol.in > To: reader-list at sarai.net > Cc: cinemalovers at googlegroups.com, cinemaloversmumbai at googlegroups.com > Subject: [Reader-list] Culture Cafe: Film: The Salt Stories followed a > Q&A with Director Lalit Vachani - 8th September Friday! Mumbai / > SRFTI > APPLICATION FORM FOR SHORT TERM COURSE ON ACTING FOR THE SCREEN > Message-ID: <8CE3B36B74E95AC-1238-415E2 at webmail-m102.sysops.aol.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" > > > > > CULTURE CAFE > > CENTRE FOR MEDIA AND CULTURAL STUDIES > > TATA INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL SCIENCES, MUMBAI > > invites you to > > A Film followed by a Q&A with the Director > > The Salt Stories by Lalit Vachani > > Date: 08 September 2011 > > Time: 6 pm to 8 pm > > Location: Classroom IV, Main Campus, Tata Institute of Social > Sciences, Mumbai > > The Salt Stories > > (2008; Colour and B/W; Video; 84 min.) > > Director's cut and the longer version of `In Search of Gandhi [1]', THE > SALT STORIES is a road movie documentary set in modern India that > follows the trail of Mahatma Gandhi's salt march of 1930. > > SYNOPSIS > > In 1930, a group of Indians led by a frail, elderly man marched a > distance of 241 miles. They marched for salt. > > Mahatma Gandhi was able to craft an anti-colonial, nationalist movement > around the most basic issue of livelihood: the right of Indians to make > and consume their own salt. > > 77 years later, the Wide Eye Film team followed the trail of the famous > Dandi salt march, stopping at the same villages and towns, in search of > Gandhi's legacy. > > Set against the backdrop of Gandhi's original journey, this is a > road-movie about issues of livelihood in modern, globalizing India. It > is a documentary about 'the salt stories' of our times. > > CREDITS > > Camera: Mrinal Desai > Location sound and post-production audio: Anita Kushwaha > Editing and additional camera: Lalit Vachani > Additional editing: Menno Boerema > Researched, produced and directed by Lalit Vachani > > A Wide Eye Film, 2008 > > AWARDS: > > Best documentary film, MIAAC, New York city, 2009 > 2nd prize, Film South Asia, Kathmandu, 2009 > > Bio: > Lalit Vachani is director of the New Delhi based Wide Eye Film. He > studied at St. Stephen's College, Delhi University and at the Annenberg > School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania. He was > visiting lecturer at the Mass Communication Research Centre, Delhi > (1990-92; 1996-98), at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and at > Amherst College(2009) and visiting scholar at the Center for Media, > Culture and History at New York University in 1999. > > His previous documentary films have been on the star-system and the > social worlds within the Bollywood film industry (The Academy, 1995; > The > Starmaker, 1997) and on the indoctrination, ideology and the politics > of > Hindutva propagated by the Hindu fundamentalist organization, the RSS > (The Boy in the Branch, 1993; The Men in the Tree, 2002). In 2005 he > directed, `Natak Jari Hai' (The Play Goes On) about Jana Natya Manch, > the New Delhi based socialist street theatre group. > > In 2007, he directed `In Search of Gandhi' for the WHY DEMOCRACY? > global TV documentary series, and the film was broadcast over 42 > international TV channels. The Directors cut of this film is `The Salt > Stories' ( 2008), a road movie documentary that follows the trail of > Gandhi's salt march in contemporary Gujarat. > > Vachani's most recent work `Tales from Napa' , is the story of a > remarkable village that resisted the forces of Hindu fundamentalism > during the Gujarat riots of 2002. > > Links: > ------ > [1] http://www.lalitvachani.com/film01.html > > -- > ___________________________________________ > Anjali Monteiro, Ph.D., Professor and Chair > Centre for Media and Cultural Studies > Tata Institute of Social Sciences, > Deonar, Bombay 400 088, India > Phone:+91 22 2552 5661 (Work) > Fax: +91 22 25525050 e-mail: monteiro[AT]tiss.edu > URL: www.cmcs.tiss.edu > http://atwodayfair.wordpress.com/ > http://ourfamily2007.wordpress.com/ > http://naata.wordpress.com/ > > > > __ > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > SRFTI APPLICATION FORM FOR SHORT TERM COURSE ON ACTING FOR THE SCREEN > > > For more details Log on to http://srfti.gov.in/acting_form.pdf > > __,_._,___ > > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 5 > Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2011 13:29:59 +0530 > From: Venugopalan K M > To: sarai-list > Subject: [Reader-list] Fwd: Cynthia McKinney, former Congresswoman, > Green Party leader & peace activist, after her returning from a Fact > Finding Mission Libya, Tours US Cities to Tell the Truth About > US-NATO > Aggression in Libya > Message-ID: > > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 > > Cynthia McKinney, former congresswoman, Green Party leader & peace > activist, > after her return from Libya on a fact finding mission says : > "I'm making new friends in twenty cities across this country. > .people want the truth..NATO is bombing a town which is very much like > Baltimore..it is collective punishment, which is a war crime to the people > of Libya as they do against the......... Palestinians.We counted 89 bombs > by > NATO falling in Tripoli alone, in the second night of the NATO > engagement..We know that the government lie about the murders of Martin > Luther King Jr and Malcolm X.. . This attack on Libya is a direct attack on > all of us of African origin..Our President is committing war crimes and it > makes him a war criminal!.."Earlier, the US government had been at war with > its Black people, and now, it is waging war with every body of US. > Stop the US war in Libya and elsewhere . Stop your wars and war crimes in > collusion with NATO! > > She says to Obama: > "If You Are a Recipient of Peace Prize, Make Peace in Home..Make Peace > Abroad" > http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=2227609323474 > http://www.iacenter.org/ > > > > > > > You cannot build anything on the foundations of caste. You cannot build up > a > nation, you cannot build up a morality. Anything that you will build on the > foundations of caste will crack and will never be a whole. > -AMBEDKAR > > > > http://venukm.blogspot.com > > http://www.shelfari.com/kmvenuannur > > http://kmvenuannur.livejournal.com > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 6 > Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2011 13:49:50 +0530 > From: Vinay Baindur > To: Urban Sarai , reader list > , notes , CAF2 > , Hasire Usiru > , Hu Gov < > hu_governance at googlegroups.com> > Subject: [Reader-list] DECLARE R.K. NARAYAN'S HOUSE AS 'HERITAGE' > MONUMENT: MCC > Message-ID: > > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252 > > http://starofmysore.com/main.asp?type=news&item=29571 > > > DECLARE R.K. NARAYAN'S HOUSE AS 'HERITAGE' MONUMENT: MCC > > *SOM effect: Demolition stayed* > > Mysore, Sept. 6 (KK&KMC)- The Mysore City Corporation (MCC) has sought help > from the Heritage Department and the Kannada & Culture Department to > declare > the house of legendary novelist R.K. Narayan in Yadavagiri here as a > Heritage Monument, provide financial assistance for buying the house and > take up measures for the building's conservation and development as a > museum. > > It has also urged the Urban Development Department to introduce a Heritage > Tax on all such properties with heritage value so that the MCC can identify > and protect them. > > At a meeting of officials held at the MCC Commissioner’s office this > morning, MCC Commissioner K.S. Raikar said that the demolition had been > stopped yesterday itself and a show-cause notice had been issued to MCC > Assistant Commissioner Thimmappa for permitting to demolish the house. > > "There are many such assets in the city with heritage value that are in > private ownership," he said and felt the need for resources to preserve > them > for posterity. > > "R.K. Narayan’s house has not yet been declared as a heritage monument," he > said, adding that he had written to the Heritage Commissioner to officially > demarcate such assets as "heritage" so that their sale or demolition can be > checked by MCC. "If not, there is no provision in the law to prevent > builders from buying and rebuilding on such properties," Raikar added. > > *Demolition stayed* > > Meanwhile, the MCC has stayed the demolition of the house where R.K. > Narayan > lived and penned his literary masterpieces for more than 20 years. > > The authorities concerned, reacting positively to the report published in > Star of Mysore yesterday, halted the demolition work that had commenced > yesterday morning. A builder who bought the House No. 15 on Vivekananda > Road > from R.K. Narayan's heirs — granddaughter Bhuvaneshwari aka Minni living in > Chennai and grandson Srinivasa living in the US — intended to replace the > two-storey house on a 120’x 80’ site with an eight-apartment building. > > The timely intervention of MCC Commissioner K.S. Raikar — based on the > report in SOM which served as an eye-opener — prevented the building from > being fully demolished by the workers. Following his orders, Chowdegowda, > Joint Director of the Town Planning Wing, MCC, visited the spot in the > evening and directed the contractor to stop the demolition work till > further > orders. The contractor told the officials that necessary clearance and > permission had been secured from the MCC. However, the officials directed > him to withdraw his workers from the site till further orders. > > Raikar told SOM this morning that a report about the house and the proposal > to conserve it as a heritage monument will be sent to the Heritage > Department. "I will also speak to the Heritage Commissioner about the > proposal. The heritage department is exclusively set up to deal with such > cases. MCC cannot take the ultimate decision in this regard. Besides, > resources have to be mobilised," he said. > > The engineers at the spot said even if the MCC had issued permission to > demolish the house, it could be withdrawn and the building license issued > to > construct the apartment cancelled. > > Prof. K.C. Belliappa, former VC of Rajiv Gandhi University, Itana-gar and a > resident of Mysore, who knew Narayan personally, opined that the house > should be preserved and converted into a museum. "It should be seen as a > slice of heritage and not as a piece of real estate," he said. > > > ------------------------------ > > _______________________________________________ > reader-list mailing list > reader-list at sarai.net > http://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > > End of reader-list Digest, Vol 98, Issue 11 > ******************************************* > -- *Stat rosa pristina nomine, nomina nuda tenemus* From rajkamalgoswami at gmail.com Wed Sep 7 15:47:21 2011 From: rajkamalgoswami at gmail.com (Rajkamal Goswami) Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2011 15:47:21 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] interesting article In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Ya..y is it not surprising! Because when people write scores of pages on the background of the leaders, followers, supporters,partners etc of IAC and question the legitimacy of the movement its articulate, revealing and intelligent. The vice-versa and boom ya its ofcourse dumb isn't it? On Wed, Sep 7, 2011 at 3:33 PM, Cyril Sam wrote: > Dumb. > -- Rajkamal From reyhanchaudhuri at hotmail.com Wed Sep 7 20:04:42 2011 From: reyhanchaudhuri at hotmail.com (Dr. Reyhan Chaudhuri) Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2011 14:34:42 +0000 Subject: [Reader-list] DECLARE R.K. NARAYAN'S HOUSE AS 'HERITAGE' MONUMENT: MCC In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: What a blessing that R.K. Narayan's home with the lovely garden and trees, has been saved for the time being! I had the fortune to see him (especially on his walks) and meet him -when he still lived there, having resided there as a student in the 1980's. Ofcourse this is a different kind of heritage from the conventional 'tourist' kind but a treasured heritage nevertheless and needs to be preserved for the coming generation... Thank God for people like Hon.Raikar (and Prof Belliappa) ,who still exist in our country and their timely thought and action. Yours Sincerely, R.Chaudhuri (~a 'heritage-loving' teacher) ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// > Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2011 13:49:50 +0530 > From: yanivbin at gmail.com > To: urbanstudygroup at sarai.net; reader-list at sarai.net; notes at lists.maraa.in; citizens-action-forum at googlegroups.com; hasiruusiru at yahoogroups.com; hu_governance at googlegroups.com > Subject: [Reader-list] DECLARE R.K. NARAYAN'S HOUSE AS 'HERITAGE' MONUMENT: MCC > > http://starofmysore.com/main.asp?type=news&item=29571 > > > DECLARE R.K. NARAYAN'S HOUSE AS 'HERITAGE' MONUMENT: MCC > > *SOM effect: Demolition stayed* > > Mysore, Sept. 6 (KK&KMC)- The Mysore City Corporation (MCC) has sought help > from the Heritage Department and the Kannada & Culture Department to declare > the house of legendary novelist R.K. Narayan in Yadavagiri here as a > Heritage Monument, provide financial assistance for buying the house and > take up measures for the building's conservation and development as a > museum. > > It has also urged the Urban Development Department to introduce a Heritage > Tax on all such properties with heritage value so that the MCC can identify > and protect them. > > At a meeting of officials held at the MCC Commissioner’s office this > morning, MCC Commissioner K.S. Raikar said that the demolition had been > stopped yesterday itself and a show-cause notice had been issued to MCC > Assistant Commissioner Thimmappa for permitting to demolish the house. > > "There are many such assets in the city with heritage value that are in > private ownership," he said and felt the need for resources to preserve them > for posterity. > > "R.K. Narayan’s house has not yet been declared as a heritage monument," he > said, adding that he had written to the Heritage Commissioner to officially > demarcate such assets as "heritage" so that their sale or demolition can be > checked by MCC. "If not, there is no provision in the law to prevent > builders from buying and rebuilding on such properties," Raikar added. > > *Demolition stayed* > > Meanwhile, the MCC has stayed the demolition of the house where R.K. Narayan > lived and penned his literary masterpieces for more than 20 years. > > The authorities concerned, reacting positively to the report published in > Star of Mysore yesterday, halted the demolition work that had commenced > yesterday morning. A builder who bought the House No. 15 on Vivekananda Road > from R.K. Narayan's heirs — granddaughter Bhuvaneshwari aka Minni living in > Chennai and grandson Srinivasa living in the US — intended to replace the > two-storey house on a 120’x 80’ site with an eight-apartment building. > > The timely intervention of MCC Commissioner K.S. Raikar — based on the > report in SOM which served as an eye-opener — prevented the building from > being fully demolished by the workers. Following his orders, Chowdegowda, > Joint Director of the Town Planning Wing, MCC, visited the spot in the > evening and directed the contractor to stop the demolition work till further > orders. The contractor told the officials that necessary clearance and > permission had been secured from the MCC. However, the officials directed > him to withdraw his workers from the site till further orders. > > Raikar told SOM this morning that a report about the house and the proposal > to conserve it as a heritage monument will be sent to the Heritage > Department. "I will also speak to the Heritage Commissioner about the > proposal. The heritage department is exclusively set up to deal with such > cases. MCC cannot take the ultimate decision in this regard. Besides, > resources have to be mobilised," he said. > > The engineers at the spot said even if the MCC had issued permission to > demolish the house, it could be withdrawn and the building license issued to > construct the apartment cancelled. > > Prof. K.C. Belliappa, former VC of Rajiv Gandhi University, Itana-gar and a > resident of Mysore, who knew Narayan personally, opined that the house > should be preserved and converted into a museum. "It should be seen as a > slice of heritage and not as a piece of real estate," he said. > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> From nagraj.adve at gmail.com Thu Sep 8 12:20:09 2011 From: nagraj.adve at gmail.com (Nagraj Adve) Date: Thu, 8 Sep 2011 12:20:09 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Fwd: Friday 9.30pm JNU: Meeting on Maruti In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: nayan Date: 8 September 2011 12:06 Subject: Friday 9.30pm JNU: Meeting on Maruti To: Nagraj Adve please join a Public Meeting on: *COMPANY RAJ **& **WORKING CLASS STRUGGLE* DISCUSSION with the young WORKERS INVOLVED in the ONGOING STRUGGLE in MARUTI SUZUKI, Manesar * * * * *Friday 9.30pm; Kaveri mess, J.N.U.* The speakers include: *Shiv Kumar* General Secretary, Maruti Suzuki Employee’s Union (MSEU) *Sonu Kumar* President, MSEU *Mathew Abraham* General Secretary of Maruti Udyog Kamgar Union during the Maruti Suzuki Gurgaon Movement in 2000, now a terminated worker struggling against the company *Amitava Bhattacharya* President, Sangrami Shramik Karamchari Union, Hindustan Motors, West Bengal; leader of the 2007 movement in the Ambassador car factory In solidarity with Workers who unmask the real face of Maruti Suzuki's "way of life"; for their right to organise; the demand of withdrawal of termination, suspension, chargesheet on 49 workers; contract workers right to organise and be permanent employees with benefits; towards questioning the industrial-state organisation which make exploitation 'normal' and not an 'event' in society. sd/- *Krantikari Naujawan Sabha* (contact: 9711485496, 8130589127) -- "nothing is stable, except instability; nothing is immovable, except movement." engels, 1853 From zulfi14 at gmail.com Thu Sep 8 12:42:10 2011 From: zulfi14 at gmail.com (Zulfiya Hamzaki) Date: Thu, 8 Sep 2011 12:42:10 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] A middle class that roars Message-ID: An interesting read on the resurgence of the bourgeoisie. *Original - "A middle class that roars" by Siddharth Bhatia. Link: http://www.asianage.com/columnists/middle-class-roars-773 * * * *One of* the interesting points that arose during the recent anti-corruption agitation was the apparent gap between the “middle class” and the “intelligentsia”. The latter said that the main supporters of Anna Hazare and his group were from the middle classes and proceeded to analyse the whole agitation from that perspective. The former, feeling they were being criticised, hit back at the intelligentsia, declaring that they were disconnected with the situation on the ground. This is hardly a new debate; the bourgeoisie and the intellectual class have always been at odds. Pundits, philosophers and experts think of the middle classes as being too obsessed with mundane, material issues, while the latter see themselves as hard-working, honest people who want nothing more than safety, security and comfort for their families. The thinkers, they feel, think too much and look down upon the hopes and aspirations of the rest; they need to come down from their ivory tower perch and smell the coffee. But there was a different edge to this age-old argument this time round. Earlier, the middle class was the silent majority (or minority, depending on how you looked at it), with no one to speak for them and no way to express their views. The professionals, government servants, small businessmen and salaried people were angry with the system but did not know how to express it. They felt frustrated and unwanted; their votes did not count for much and the political class was too busy wooing the poor and hobnobbing with the rich to notice. Between them, the four metros accounted for 25-odd Lok Sabha seats and there too the urban poor voted. The small towns and second-rung metros too did not add up to anything worth a politician’s attention. But the middle class has changed over the decades. In the immediate post-Independence phase, the educated professionals were totally on board with the Nehruvian project — there was a commitment to rebuild the country; many scientists, scholars and academics who had studied abroad returned to join upcoming institutions. Not that there were no opponents to Nehru and his ideology, but there was no other political party to rival the Congress. The Leftists were vocal but their support came from workers, both urban and rural. By the time Indira Gandhi appeared on the scene, a new generation had begun to grow up. The middle class now consisted of those working for the public sector and the government but also businessmen who had begun to get rich thanks to several schemes for the small-scale industry. At the same time the radical Left also sprung up and attracted middle and upper middle-class youth. Those who could, migrated for better educational prospects, convinced that India was a no-hoper. A mutual antipathy developed between Indira Gandhi and the urban middle class. They felt she was too authoritarian and the Congress had lost its moorings; she did not care about them or their concerns and went over their heads to the poor, who backed her repeatedly. The intelligentsia — academics, think tankers etc — turned against her and towards other alternatives, from the Left to Jayaprakash Narayan. After that, the growing educated classes — and the intelligentsia — moved away from the Congress for a long time. For a few brief years when Rajiv Gandhi became Prime Minister and opened up the economy (much before P.V. Narasimha Rao did), the middle class returned and gave him a handsome victory in the Lok Sabha. But soon the Congress found this constituency slipping away. They had discovered the BJP and the BJP loved them right back. In the 2009 general elections, Manmohan Singh for the first time in 20 years brought them back to the Congress, but as we have seen, that love affair has proved short lived. Intriguingly, as the middle class has grown rapidly — an estimated 31 million households — the intelligentsia has correspondingly grown more hostile. Part of this is explained by the general Left-liberal slant of intellectuals in India who tend to see this neo-affluent mass as driven by consumerism and narrow self-interest and little else. But it was the tone and tenor of the recent agitation, which was anti-politicians and as much as anti-politics, that has really widened the gap. Now the pundits are worried about the growing attachment of the middle classes to authoritarian ideals with little or no patience with the Constitution and democratic processes. The middle class is not sitting back. For the first time, it has access to communication platforms to proclaim its own point of view. Apart from the new technology and social media, which is democratic and freely available, they found a champion in the mass media, television. At one time the media was largely sympathetic to or at least aware of the underdog; today it has crossed over almost totally to the side of the middle class. So while the pundits may analyse and scoff on panel discussions, the news coverage of channels and, to a lesser extent, newspapers, leans in the other direction; this is largely driven by commercial concerns of advertising and TRPs, but one could argue that there could be some level of empathy too. The middle class has discovered its voice and the power of that voice. It is now bound to use it often. That is not necessarily such a bad thing as many may contend. But if it is used irresponsibly, without any sense of civic, social or political responsibility, it will turn into a force of destruction and nihilism. In many societies the bourgeoisie has played a constructive role of providing stability; not all its values are bad. Middle classes in the West participate in nation building, volunteerism and charity. There is no reason why that cannot happen here. How this facet develops in India will shape the country for many years to come. As for the intelligentsia, it too will have to recognise that India has changed from what it was even two decades ago. The demands of the honest citizen are valid and if the political class will not deliver, these demands will be articulated, occasionally in a strident way. From rajkamalgoswami at gmail.com Thu Sep 8 12:48:20 2011 From: rajkamalgoswami at gmail.com (Rajkamal Goswami) Date: Thu, 8 Sep 2011 12:48:20 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Feast and Famine Message-ID: An interesting article by Siddharth http://www.bostonreview.net/BR36.3/siddhartha_deb_india_food_crisis.php#c5t_form In the summer of 2009, New Delhi’s Lalit hotel, a 1980s monstrosity that had recently been remodeled, hosted the “Second Food Technology Summit,” sponsored by the Ministry of Food Processing and the Confederation of Indian Industries, a powerful lobbying group. Experts and government officials sat on stage, taking questions from the audience, which included the chairman of the Indian Food Processor’s Association as well as representatives from Coca-Cola. The questions were largely rhetorical, lamenting the obstacles to the modernization of India’s food markets. “No one cares about the sell-by dates of bread,” one man commented. “What happens when the bread gets old in the village stalls? They fry it in oil and sell it as bread pakora instead.” In the 600,000 villages and towns in non-metropolitan India, I learned, none of the teeming hundreds of millions of residents cared about the mechanized processes and international standards of hygiene that would allow India to join the industrialized nations in their eating habits. Perhaps that is because those hundreds of millions have more fundamental concerns when it comes to food. The enthusiasm for expiration dates at the Summit must seem peculiar to the poor in a country where 43 percent of children under the age of five are malnourished. In sub-Saharan Africa, the figure is 28 percent; it’s 7 percent in China, to which India is so often compared. The Indian government’s own data show that 800 million Indians live on about twenty rupees (about $0.50) a day. Half of those are farmers who produce food that they, for the most part, cannot afford to eat thanks to the demands of speculators and affluent urban consumers. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), wheat prices reached a record high in February, and the cost of rice—which accounts for 30 percent of the typical Indian diet—hovers at around 22 rupees per kilogram even in Patna and Chennai, capitals of major rice-producing states. That’s about twice the average cost from 2000 until the middle of 2007, when prices began to rise sharply. The average Indian consumes 73 kilograms of rice per year, which means that farmers, assuming they eat at least as much rice as their non-farming countrymen, are now spending some 20 percent of their income on rice alone. Yet dramatically rising prices and the malnutrition crisis were far from the minds of the conference-goers enjoying their luxury hotel in the heart of the New Delhi business district. Since the late ’90s, government food policy has promoted breakneck modernization, withdrawing support for local agriculture even while attempting to bring the Indian people into a more globalized food market as consumers and producers. This has involved the entire spectrum of food. Government-operated agricultural institutes emphasize patented, genetically modified crops produced by behemoths such as Monsanto and support attempts by Walmart and its Indian counterparts to take over the retail and wholesale systems. These changes have been welcomed by the 200 million members of the upper and middle classes, largely concentrated in the metropolises. For the officials at the conference, it was a matter of faith that soon the majority of Indians would join in that welcome. India’s embrace of a “free market” in the early ’90s, its rise as an economic power, the presence of an outsourcing industry closely connected to multinational corporations in the West, and the growth of a frenetically consumerist lifestyle among the beneficiaries, seem to have led to the notion that, after long decades of Gandhian fasting, the country has woken up to a perpetual feast. The colorful crowds at the new malls, eating at local food carts, global chains such as McDonald’s, and gourmet restaurants reinforce this impression. Until recently, the new eating habits were noted mostly with approval in the West. In 2008, however, they began to come under criticism amid the worldwide rise in food prices. Many observers have pointed to the use of agricultural land for biofuels and the growing demand for meat and dairy products as principal causes of spiking prices. Both trends apply in India, but the government’s free-market modernization scheme has exacerbated the problem further by encouraging the planting of animal feed in a country that was already struggling with the basics. Contrary to widespread stereotypes, Indians are not all vegetarians, but historically, they’ve eaten less meat than they do today. Whereas India produced just 121,000 tons of chicken meat in 1971, it produced 1.9 million tons in 2005. A few days after the Summit, I spoke with Vijay Sardana, a food-industry consultant and poultry expert who had been in attendance. At the Lalit, Sardana seemed a symbol of India’s food markets on the move. He took calls constantly on his Blackberry or made small talk around the generously laden buffet tables. But when I spoke to him at his modest apartment in East Delhi, he told a story I didn’t hear at the Summit. “It’s not just ignorance at the farmer level,” he said. India’s food problems included corporate lobbying, commodity trading (“all speculation,” he claimed), and government policies that were removed from the rural reality. Officials at the Summit want India to be the “food factory for the world,” but Sardana was concerned that the country may not even be able to feed itself. • • • The agricultural town of Armoor, in the Southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, feels like a forgotten settlement, no more than a cluster of mostly ramshackle houses and shops surrounded by a sea of rice and maize. In the summer of 2008, a riot broke out there. Around ten thousand farmers went on a rampage, setting ablaze three government jeeps and the two largest mansions in the town. A few weeks later, the burnt carcasses of the jeeps were still visible as I walked around with a man named Devaram, who worked for a leftist party that had been instrumental in organizing the farmers. We stopped to take a look at the gutted mansions. In spite of the blackened walls and gaping door frames, the structures were imposing, standing tall amid the stunted shacks and scrubland. India’s poor spend 20 percent of their income on rice alone. The farmers around Armoor, Devaram said, had become heavily dependent on agricultural middlemen known as seed dealers, who buy produce from the farmers and sell it to buyers in other parts of India. The seed dealers are highly influential in determining which crops farmers grow. They anticipate demand, passing on their predictions to the farmers in the prices offered for particular crops. In the past the government offered minimum prices for staple food grains such as rice or wheat, crops that require a lot of water and are not entirely suited to the region. But the free-market approach of the ’90s led to a decrease in government support—from 1.8 percent of the national budget in 1993 to 1.3 percent ten years later—and greater uncertainty. The dealers had replaced most of the agricultural functions carried out by government agencies, giving out seeds, fertilizers, and even extremely high-interest cash loans to farmers as advances against payment for the final produce. A few months before the riot, around 25,000 farmers in the villages surrounding Armoor had chosen to grow red sorghum for Mahipal Reddy, the biggest of the seed dealers in the area. But when the farmers finished harvesting, Reddy refused to take delivery or to pay them. The farmers found themselves without the money to buy the seeds they needed for the autumn planting season, the most important one of the year. They demonstrated outside the office of the district collector, the most senior government official in the area, and went on hunger strikes. But their agitation dragged on without any discernible response, and one June morning they converged in Armoor for a demonstration that soon became a rampage. The mansions they burned belonged to Reddy and another seed dealer. Farmers work in a field in East Godavari District, India. / ©2007 Aravind Kumar, courtesy of Photoshare. When I asked Gopeti Rajeshwar, one of the farmers who had taken part in the riots, why he’d chosen to grow red sorghum, he replied that he had been offered a high price for it. Besides, it was easy to grow and needed less water than other commercial crops such as rice and maize. But his decision was only one small link in a chain that included the speculation of the seed dealers, the vagaries of the monsoons, the absence of government support, and the falling reserves of groundwater that he, like most farmers, exploited desperately through expensive bore wells. Three farmers had killed themselves the previous year in Rajeshwar’s village after running into debt from sinking the wells. They were part of the growing national trend of farmer suicides, with nearly 200,000 farmers killing themselves from 1997 to 2008, in the very years that the Indian economy was expanding. If Rajeshwar had stayed out of debt so far, it was thanks to his father’s two decades working in the Middle East and his own two-year stint as a construction worker in Dubai. It was hard to meet the seed dealer at the center of the riot, but when I finally spoke to Reddy, he blamed the fiasco on rival dealers. He had offered the farmers a high price for red sorghum, he said, because there had been great demand for it in Northern and Eastern India and in Pakistan. But dealers who had formed a rival “syndicate” bought some red sorghum on the sly and sold it at a massive loss to Reddy’s buyers in an attempt to put him out of business. They nearly succeeded. The bank that agreed to finance Reddy for his red sorghum purchase backed out when it heard of the falling prices, which in turn meant that Reddy was unable to pay the farmers. The same syndicate, he said, had sent thugs to murder him and also instigated the farmers to ransack his house in Armoor. I asked Reddy what red sorghum was, if it was something people ate. “No, no,” his hangers-on cried out. Reddy smiled. “It’s for cattle, and for chicken,” he said. “It makes them fat, makes them produce more milk, more eggs, more meat, so that people in the cities can eat them and get bigger.” • • • One might assume that the misfortune of the poor in the countryside would be the salvation of urban butchers, but they aren’t necessarily feeling enriched by the increased demand for meat and dairy among India’s upper classes. The three Delhi butchers I met on a sweltering August day in 2009 were all burly men, trying to cover up their social awkwardness as they waved a folder full of documents at me. For over a century, the center of slaughtering operations in Delhi has been the Idgah, located in the old, walled part of the city. The butchers took me on a tour of the neighborhood, leading me through alleyways that ran past small stalls holding live animals, the ground beneath our feet thick with grain and droppings. The slaughterhouse was a large open shed with raised platforms on all sides. The slaughtering and skinning was done by hand, and things seemed dirty and disorganized. But it was also, as the butchers pointed out, a place that offered employment to nearly 2,000 people. Few animal parts were wasted, they said, pointing at the vendors standing outside the Idgah. They were selling goat heads and feet at twenty rupees per kilo to people who were too poor to buy meat but would use the animal parts to make stew. ‘No one cares about the sell-by dates of bread,’ a food technology summit attendee complained. The government decided to close the Idgah in 2005, and it was finally shut down a few months after my visit last year, the land earmarked for a shopping mall. All large-scale butchering was moved to a mechanized slaughterhouse in Ghazipur, across the Yamuna river. The butchers took me to see the new facility, sneaking me past the security guards employed by the company that held the operating lease. The assembly lines full of German-made equipment looked far cleaner and more efficient than what I had seen at the Idgah. In place of the chaos of the Idgah, the atmosphere at the Ghazipur slaughterhouse was one of regimentation and precision. The electric guns were, however, silent. The few workers hanging about were eager to show me around and express their discontent at suddenly having to make a twenty-kilometer commute every day. They were young, carrying cell phones and sporting stylish haircuts, but they were following a family occupation and felt bewildered at the changes enforced upon them. Even though the mechanized line was faster than the manual slaughtering they had done at the Idgah, they made less money now because animal suppliers were balking at the higher fees charged by the company running the place. I walked out of the slaughterhouse with my guides to take a look at the surrounding neighborhood. The modern, hygienic slaughterhouse sat next to the largest landfill in the Delhi metropolitan area. There was a low range of trash being turned over with infinitesimal patience by ragpickers, mostly children. The sky above was crowded with kites and crows wheeling in urgent circles, drawn there by the landfill, the slaughterhouse, and the wholesale poultry market next door. A canal ran nearby, filled with black slush the consistency of Turkish coffee. It was crowded with feral dogs trying to stay out of the August heat. The setting is a perfect metaphor for India’s approach to feeding itself as it grows and becomes more embedded in the global economy. Some will enjoy the fruits of that growth, and no doubt there are more Indians living lives of comfort than ever before. But a gleaming new slaughterhouse is of little benefit to those still waiting for their slice of prosperity. Under the banners of modernization and free-market economics, the better off are rigging a system that caters to their desires, while some of the world’s most desperate people are left to pick at the refuse accumulated at the edges of luxury. Many countries have high rates of inequality, but prioritizing, as a matter of official policy, high-quality meat for the rich in a nation where half of children are underweight seems especially perverse. • • • The most comprehensive effort to address the failures of India’s food policy is the campaign to pass a right-to-food law in Parliament. The stark inequality in India when it comes to food has already resulted in a mid-day meal scheme targeted at poor, school-going children. But the impact of the subsidized meals, instituted at a national level since 1995, is hard to measure. Evidence suggests that the program has been successful in certain parts of the country, but the quality is sometimes poor, leading to outbreaks of food poisoning. Corrupt businessmen and officials siphon funds from the program, and prices are now rising too fast for the government to keep up. A farmer in Warangal District, Andhra Pradesh, South India. / Jankie, Flickr (cc). The right-to-food movement asks not only that the government provide food to especially vulnerable groups such as children and pregnant women but also emphasizes the country’s larger policy, noting that “sufficient availability of food” for the hungry “requires that land and water must never be forcibly diverted away from food production for cash crops or industrial use.” The demands made by the movement are egalitarian, and because the movement is a loose coalition of organizations and individuals spread throughout the country, it seems inherently democratic. Jean Dreze, a Belgian economist who has been in India since 1979, has been influential in framing the proposed law. He coauthored a number of books on hunger with the Harvard economist Amartya Sen and became an Indian citizen in 2002. I asked him what those pushing for the law hoped to achieve, since it was unlikely that a marginalized, impoverished majority could sue the government for not giving them food. A right to food would bring a check to the deeply hierarchical market-driven economy. “The idea is not that everyone will rush to court, although that is an ultimate possibility,” Dreze explained. “The law would have an in-built mechanism for accountability, and we’ve seen that the government tends to become far more responsive when it can be held accountable in courts for something.” Dreze, who comes across as Gandhian in many ways, and the members of the right-to-food movement see food as part of a bigger question of what democracy might mean in India. In our conversation, Dreze expressed impatience with the Malthusian idea, floated in some Western circles after the global price rise in 2008, that India’s growing population was to blame for putting pressure on limited food resources. He noted that population growth was decelerating in many parts of the country in 2008. If people had more money and work, they could buy more food, he said, citing Sen’s work on hunger in British India, which showed that famines (the worst of which killed about 4 million people in Bengal) were a result of inadequate access to food, not inadequate supply. “If the population needs to be well nourished, we do need to produce more food,” Dreze said. “But the present system is unsustainable and inequitable.” He argued that corporate interests manipulate the government framing the policies. “In child-nutrition programs,” he said, referring to the mid-day meal schemes, “the corporations have lobbies to push packaged food. They had pre-formatted letters sent to various members of Parliament asking them to sign these and send them on to the ministry overseeing the program. In some instances, they tried to have cooked meals replaced by packaged biscuits,” which have less nutritional value. The government’s public-distribution system, which had provided subsidized food grains and basic cooking ingredients to everyone, has also run aground since the ’90s. The old system was inefficient and subject to corruption, but the current eviscerated version reaches only a fraction of the people most in need. For Dreze and the other activists demanding a right to food, having enough to eat is a part of the right to life. In providing food for children, mothers, and pregnant women as well as for the rural and urban poor, the law would make India a more equitable country, bringing some kind of check to the deeply hierarchical market-driven economy that has taken hold. When I spoke to Dreze, he had seemed guardedly hopeful about the prospects for a right-to-food law. More than eighteen months later, however, the proposal in Parliament is a diluted version of the early draft, without either the accountability on the part of the government or the breadth of coverage activists hoped for. When I visited India last December, food prices were rising once again. Onions, a staple in Indian cooking, had more than doubled in price, and the government had to resort to emergency imports from Pakistan, obtained in part with threats to withhold its own tomato exports. But it isn’t clear if there is any desire on the part of the government to address prices at a systemic level. There has been talk that the government will work with American companies on genetically modified crops to put an end to future shortfalls, which would do little to alter the distorted system in place. There may be meat and dairy for the privileged at the moment. For the majority, though, there is not much in the way of affordable food. Just the occasional biscuit. Research support for this article was provided by The Investigative Fund at The Nation Institute. -- Rajkamal From ujwala at openspaceindia.org Fri Sep 9 10:06:40 2011 From: ujwala at openspaceindia.org (Ujwala Samarth) Date: Fri, 9 Sep 2011 10:06:40 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] A moment of silence: Emmanuel Ortiz Message-ID: *Emmanuel Ortiz* (born 1974) is a Chicano /Puerto Rican /Irish-American activist and spoken-word poet . He has worked with the Minnesota Alliance for the Indigenous Zapatistas (MAIZ) and Estación Libre and as a staff member of the Resource Centre of the Americas.[1] Ortiz has performed his poetry at numerous readings, political rallies, activist conferences, and benefits. His works appeared in *The Roots of Terror* a reader published by Project South, as well as others. His readings of his poems have appeared on Pacifica Radio’s Democracy Now! . [2] His controversial poem, Moment of Silence, circulated the internet a year after September 11th, 2001. It's time to read it again... Do listen to this whole poem here: http://www.kersplebedeb.com/mystuff/music/Moment-of-Silence.mp3 * * *A MOMENT OF SILENCE, BEFORE I START THIS POEM*** Before I start this poem, I'd like to ask you to join me In a moment of silence In honor of those who died in the World Trade Center and the Pentagon last September 11th. I would also like to ask you To offer up a moment of silence For all of those who have been harassed, imprisoned, disappeared, tortured, raped, or killed in retaliation for those strikes, For the victims in both Afghanistan and the U.S. And if I could just add one more thing... A full day of silence For the tens of thousands of Palestinians who have died at the hands of U.S.-backed Israeli forces over decades of occupation. Six months of silence for the million and-a-half Iraqi people, mostly children, who have died of malnourishment or starvation as a result of an 11-year U.S. embargo against the country. Before I begin this poem, Two months of silence for the Blacks under Apartheid in South Africa, Where homeland security made them aliens in their own country. Nine months of silence for the dead in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Where death rained down and peeled back every layer of concrete, steel, earth and skin And the survivors went on as if alive. A year of silence for the millions of dead in Vietnam - a people, not a war - for those who know a thing or two about the scent of burning fuel, their relatives' bones buried in it, their babies born of it. A year of silence for the dead in Cambodia and Laos, victims of a secret war ... ssssshhhhh.... Say nothing ... we don't want them to learn that they are dead. Two months of silence for the decades of dead in Colombia, Whose names, like the corpses they once represented, have piled up and slipped off our tongues. Before I begin this poem. An hour of silence for El Salvador ... An afternoon of silence for Nicaragua ... Two days of silence for the Guatemaltecos ... None of whom ever knew a moment of peace in their living years. 45 seconds of silence for the 45 dead at Acteal, Chiapas 25 years of silence for the hundred million Africans who found their graves far deeper in the ocean than any building could poke into the sky. There will be no DNA testing or dental records to identify their remains. And for those who were strung and swung from the heights of sycamore trees in the south, the north, the east, and the west... 100 years of silence... For the hundreds of millions of indigenous peoples from this half of right here, Whose land and lives were stolen, In postcard-perfect plots like Pine Ridge, Wounded Knee, Sand Creek, Fallen Timbers, or the Trail of Tears. Names now reduced to innocuous magnetic poetry on the refrigerator of our consciousness ... So you want a moment of silence? And we are all left speechless Our tongues snatched from our mouths Our eyes stapled shut A moment of silence And the poets have all been laid to rest The drums disintegrating into dust. Before I begin this poem, You want a moment of silence You mourn now as if the world will never be the same And the rest of us hope to hell it won't be. Not like it always has been. Because this is not a 9/11 poem. This is a 9/10 poem, It is a 9/9 poem, A 9/8 poem, A 9/7 poem This is a 1492 poem. This is a poem about what causes poems like this to be written. And if this is a 9/11 poem, then: This is a September 11th poem for Chile, 1971. This is a September 12th poem for Steven Biko in South Africa, 1977. This is a September 13th poem for the brothers at Attica Prison, New York, 1971. This is a September 14th poem for Somalia, 1992. This is a poem for every date that falls to the ground in ashes This is a poem for the 110 stories that were never told The 110 stories that history chose not to write in textbooks The 110 stories that CNN, BBC, The New York Times, and Newsweek ignored. This is a poem for interrupting this program. And still you want a moment of silence for your dead? We could give you lifetimes of empty: The unmarked graves The lost languages The uprooted trees and histories The dead stares on the faces of nameless children Before I start this poem we could be silent forever Or just long enough to hunger, For the dust to bury us And you would still ask us For more of our silence. If you want a moment of silence Then stop the oil pumps Turn off the engines and the televisions Sink the cruise ships Crash the stock markets Unplug the marquee lights, Delete the instant messages, Derail the trains, the light rail transit. If you want a moment of silence, put a brick through the window of Taco Bell, And pay the workers for wages lost. Tear down the liquor stores, The townhouses, the White Houses, the jailhouses, the Penthouses and the Playboys. If you want a moment of silence, Then take it On Super Bowl Sunday, The Fourth of July During Dayton's 13 hour sale Or the next time your white guilt fills the room where my beautiful people have gathered. You want a moment of silence Then take it NOW, Before this poem begins. Here, in the echo of my voice, In the pause between goosesteps of the second hand, In the space between bodies in embrace, Here is your silence. Take it. But take it all...Don't cut in line. Let your silence begin at the beginning of crime. But we, Tonight we will keep right on singing...For our dead. EMMANUEL ORTIZ, 11 Sep 2002. -- Ujwala Samarth (Programme Coordinator, Open Space) www.openspaceindia.org www.infochangeindia.org https://www.facebook.com/OpenSpaceIndia.org B-301, Kanchanjunga Building, Kanchan Lane, Off Law College Rd,, Pune 411004 (020-25457371) From elkamath at yahoo.com Fri Sep 9 20:15:39 2011 From: elkamath at yahoo.com (lalitha kamath) Date: Fri, 9 Sep 2011 07:45:39 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [Reader-list] Academic publishers make Murdoch look like a Socialist - Monbiot In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <1315579539.68133.YahooMailNeo@web121409.mail.ne1.yahoo.com> Academic publishers make Murdoch look like a socialist Academic publishers charge vast fees to access research paid for by us.  Guardian George Monbiot Monday 29 August 2011 21.08 'Though academic libraries have been frantically cutting subscriptions to make ends meet, journals now consume 65% of their budgets.' Photograph: Peter M Fisher/Corbis Who are the most ruthless capitalists in the western world? Whose monopolistic practices make Walmart look like a corner shop and Rupert Murdoch a socialist? You won't guess the answer in a month of Sundays. While there are plenty of candidates, my vote goes not to the banks, the oil companies or the health insurers, but – wait for it – to academic publishers. Theirs might sound like a fusty and insignificant sector. It is anything but. Of all corporate scams, the racket they run is most urgently in need of referral to the competition authorities. Everyone claims to agree that people should be encouraged to understand science and other academic research. Without current knowledge, we cannot make coherent democratic decisions. But the publishers have slapped a padlock and a "keep out" sign on the gates. You might resent Murdoch's paywall policy, in which he charges £1 for 24 hours of access to the Times and Sunday Times. But at least in that period you can read and download as many articles as you like. Reading a single article published by one of Elsevier's journals will cost you $31.50. Springer charges €34.95, Wiley-Blackwell, $42. Read 10 and you pay 10 times. And the journals retain perpetual copyright. You want to read a letter printed in 1981? That'll be $31.50. Of course, you could go into the library (if it still exists). But they too have been hit by cosmic fees. The average cost of an annual subscription to a chemistry journal is $3,792. Some journals cost $10,000 a year or more to stock. The most expensive I've seen, Elsevier's Biochimica et Biophysica Acta, is $20,930. Though academic libraries have been frantically cutting subscriptions to make ends meet, journals now consume 65% of their budgets, which means they have had to reduce the number of books they buy. Journal fees account for a significant component of universities' costs, which are being passed to their students. Murdoch pays his journalists and editors, and his companies generate much of the content they use. But the academic publishers get their articles, their peer reviewing (vetting by other researchers) and even much of their editing for free. The material they publish was commissioned and funded not by them but by us, through government research grants and academic stipends. But to see it, we must pay again, and through the nose. The returns are astronomical: in the past financial year, for example, Elsevier's operating profit margin was 36% (£724m on revenues of £2bn). They result from a stranglehold on the market. Elsevier, Springer and Wiley, who have bought up many of their competitors, now publish 42% of journal articles. More importantly, universities are locked into buying their products. Academic papers are published in only one place, and they have to be read by researchers trying to keep up with their subject. Demand is inelastic and competition non-existent, because different journals can't publish the same material. In many cases the publishers oblige the libraries to buy a large package of journals, whether or not they want them all. Perhaps it's not surprising that one of the biggest crooks ever to have preyed upon the people of this country – Robert Maxwell – made much of his money through academic publishing. The publishers claim that they have to charge these fees as a result of the costs of production and distribution, and that they add value (in Springer's words) because they "develop journal brands and maintain and improve the digital infrastructure which has revolutionised scientific communication in the past 15 years". But an analysis by Deutsche Bank reaches different conclusions. "We believe the publisher adds relatively little value to the publishing process … if the process really were as complex, costly and value-added as the publishers protest that it is, 40% margins wouldn't be available." Far from assisting the dissemination of research, the big publishers impede it, as their long turnaround times can delay the release of findings by a year or more. What we see here is pure rentier capitalism: monopolising a public resource then charging exorbitant fees to use it. Another term for it is economic parasitism. To obtain the knowledge for which we have already paid, we must surrender our feu to the lairds of learning. It's bad enough for academics, it's worse for the laity. I refer readers to peer-reviewed papers, on the principle that claims should be followed to their sources. The readers tell me that they can't afford to judge for themselves whether or not I have represented the research fairly. Independent researchers who try to inform themselves about important scientific issues have to fork out thousands. This is a tax on education, a stifling of the public mind. It appears to contravene the universal declaration of human rights, which says that "everyone has the right freely to … share in scientific advancement and its benefits". Open-access publishing, despite its promise, and some excellent resources such as the Public Library of Science and the physics database arxiv.org, has failed to displace the monopolists. In 1998 the Economist, surveying the opportunities offered by electronic publishing, predicted that "the days of 40% profit margins may soon be as dead as Robert Maxwell". But in 2010 Elsevier's operating profit margins were the same (36%) as they were in 1998. The reason is that the big publishers have rounded up the journals with the highest academic impact factors, in which publication is essential for researchers trying to secure grants and advance their careers. You can start reading open-access journals, but you can't stop reading the closed ones. Government bodies, with a few exceptions, have failed to confront them. The National Institutes of Health in the US oblige anyone taking their grants to put their papers in an open-access archive. But Research Councils UK, whose statement on public access is a masterpiece of meaningless waffle, relies on "the assumption that publishers will maintain the spirit of their current policies". You bet they will. In the short term, governments should refer the academic publishers to their competition watchdogs, and insist that all papers arising from publicly funded research are placed in a free public database. In the longer term, they should work with researchers to cut out the middleman altogether, creating – along the lines proposed by Björn Brembs of Berlin's Freie Universität –a single global archive of academic literature and data. Peer-review would be overseen by an independent body. It could be funded by the library budgets which are currently being diverted into the hands of privateers. The knowledge monopoly is as unwarranted and anachronistic as the corn laws. Let's throw off these parasitic overlords and liberate the research that belongs to us. • A fully referenced version of this article can be found on George Monbiot's website. On Twitter, @georgemonbiot From avinashcold at gmail.com Fri Sep 9 20:30:33 2011 From: avinashcold at gmail.com (Avinash Kumar) Date: Fri, 9 Sep 2011 20:30:33 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] =?windows-1252?q?a_public_meeting_on_=93_Anna/Anti_?= =?windows-1252?q?Corruption_Phenomenon=3A_Its_implication_for_Demo?= =?windows-1252?q?cracy=2C_Civil_Society_and_Policy_Making=94?= Message-ID: Dear Friends, On behalf of Centre for Democracy and Social Action (CDSA) , I would like to invite you for a public meeting on “ Anna/Anti Corruption Phenomenon: Its implication for Democracy, Civil Society and Policy Making”, on 13 th . Sep.2011, 2.30 - 5.30PM, at National Foundation of India (NFI), Conference Hall, Core 4A, Upper Ground Floor, India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road, New Delhi The public meeting is being held in the context of the anti corruption movement, which has left many of us befuddled. But irrespective of how we perceived the “Anna/Anti corruption phenomenon”- as a ‘hurrah’ moment for ‘civil society’ or one of alarm or confusion; whether we watched from the sidelines or participated to negotiate our own voices and concerns- there is no escaping the larger questions that confront us in its wake. How do we understand democracy at this juncture in India -in its procedural and substantive forms? Does leaking of political power from parliament and institutions of democracy, to the streets, media rooms and city squares- deepen or weaken democracy? How do we understand civil society, its role, nature of its mobilization? Should civil society play an active role in policy making? For many of us- working with poor and excluded communities, these issues are critical, and probably far more consequential than one or another version of the Lokpal bill as an institutional response to end corruption. The objective of this public meeting is to engage with some of these questions from voluntary sector/ civil society perspective; to comprehend how these developments impact the democratic polity where we work, define our space, make our demands; to formulate our response. In a sense, this meeting is a follow up of our earlier meeting on “Social Action, Civil Society and Democracy in the Times of Anna and Ramdev ”.And yet with the subsequent unfolding of events, many of these concerns remain, and have gone deeper and beyond. Attached with this mail is detailed invite, outlining the key issues that we feel need serious engagement, and carry immense significance for the working of “progressive” civil society, and for democracy at large. The meeting would be begin with a 10 minute presentation –an analytical documentation of relevant trends of the movement -based on interviews and visits to the sites of protests in Delhi, scanning of English, Hindi, Telegu and Malayalam Newspapers; Social media, and electronic media. This would be followed by 5-6 speakers bringing in different perspectives - Prof. Neera Chandhoke; Kavita Krishnan; Paul Diwakar, Shabnam Hashmi; Vipul Mudgal and another speaker (5-7 minute each). This would be followed by an open free flowing discussion. We look forward to your participation in the meeting. In Solidarity, Richa Singh, For , Centre for Democracy and Social Action, D-7, Terrace Floor, Bhim Nagari DDA Flats, Block C-3, Safdarjung Development Area, New Delhi - 110 016. Ph: + 9818908106 From oishiksircar at gmail.com Sat Sep 10 01:19:03 2011 From: oishiksircar at gmail.com (OISHIK SIRCAR) Date: Sat, 10 Sep 2011 01:19:03 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Fwd: 'We Are Foot Soldiers' at PSBT Open Frame Film Festival, September 10 (Sat.), 2011 at 12.45pm at the India International Centre, New Delhi In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Our film *WE ARE FOOT SOLDIERS* will be screened at the *PSBT Open Frame Film Festival on Saturday, September 10, 2011 at 12.45pm at the India International Centre, New Delhi*. We' d be really happy if you come. The schedule of the festival is available at http://psbt.org/general/programme. Here are some details on the film... * * *We are Foot Soldiers * Running time: 26 mins approx Directed by: Debolina Dutta and Oishik Sircar Camera and Sound: Anindya Shankar Das Editing: Prachi Tulshan and Anindya Shankar Das Graphics: Anirban Ghosh and Sudhakar B. Produced by: Public Service Broadcasting Trust, New Delhi *Synopsis:* In 2005, children of sex workers in Kolkata's Sonagachi red light district came together to form their own organisation, Amra Padatik, drawing inspiration from the work that their mothers have been doing to demand their right to sex work as work. The film journeys through the lives of five Amra Padatik members whose entangled realities do not paint a picture of helplessness but of political assertiveness and social consciousness. Stereotypical images of their suffering are something that many of them identify with, yet, far from despair and fear, in the face of adversity, their responses are far more complex, hopeful and strong Hope to see you there. Cheers, Debolina -- DEBOLINA DUTTA debolina26 at gmail.com +91 9903493459 +91 8800910949 "Nonviolence means avoiding not only external physical violence but also internal violence of spirit. You not only refuse to shoot a man, but you refuse to hate him" --- Martin Luther King, Jr. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "PeaceworksDefenders" group. To post to this group, send email to peaceworksdefenders at googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to peaceworksdefenders+unsubscribe at googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/peaceworksdefenders?hl=en. -- OISHIK SIRCAR oishiksircar at gmail.com oishik.sircar at utoronto.ca -- OISHIK SIRCAR oishiksircar at gmail.com oishik.sircar at utoronto.ca -- OISHIK SIRCAR oishiksircar at gmail.com oishik.sircar at utoronto.ca From uddipana at gmail.com Sat Sep 10 12:20:12 2011 From: uddipana at gmail.com (Uddipana Goswami) Date: Sat, 10 Sep 2011 12:20:12 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Call for Submissions - Seven Sisters Post In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: (With apologies for cross posting) The *Nor’eastern Post* has been renamed the *Seven Sisters Post*. The daily will be launched from Guwahati and Dibrugarh in the first week of November, 2011. It will be a publication of the Saradha Group. It will be a hyper-regional paper, giving extensive coverage to the entire Northeastern region. At the same time, our World Page will then focus on global developments but primarily look at the Afro-Asian scenario, drawing on non-western sources to give an alternate view of the world. We will have a features page and an op-ed page that will be rich in contributions from the locality, region, nation and often from our neighbourhood. We intend to do two pages of business in keeping with the emerging opportunities. Our Sunday supplement will seek to showcase original creative writing from the region and neighbourhood, besides focusing on its varied traditional and contemporary life. We intend to print from other Northeastern states soon. Our team comprises media professionals from the region who have worked in top national dailies such as *The Times of India*,* The Hindustan Times* and *Mail Today*. Our chief editor is Subir Bhaumik, the BBC’s former East India bureau chief. Naba Sarma, ex-bureau chief of *The Economic Times*, our business editor, will be backed by Abhijit Deb, formerly with the Reuters. In short, it will be a paper with a difference that the region has long waited for. As the Literary Editor of the *Seven Sisters Post*, my aim will be to showcase the literatures produced in the Northeastern region to a wider audience as well as to make readers in the region aware of the richness of their own literatures. Literature from the Northeast is usually treated as a homogenous entity, but my effort will be to bring out the diversity within it. It is hoped that this will establish a dialogue of equality and harmony among the many constituents producing the various ‘literatures’ of the Northeast. This is a call for contributors to share their creative and critical writings as well as translations with the newspaper. The critical writings/features could relate to any aspect of the literature of any of the regions within the Northeast. They may also deal with particular writers or texts or genres. - In creative writing, poetry submission is particularly welcome, although space permitting, we might also occasionally carry pieces of fiction/memoir/literary non-fiction. - We will also devote considerable attention to translations of classic and contemporary literary pieces. The translators must however, have acquired the necessary permissions from the original copyright holder. A short translator’s note and adequate information about the original author are also required. Contributions from writers living in/hailing from outside the Northeast are especially welcome. I am also looking at ‘mainlanders’’ views of Northeast literature. Please send in your entries to northeastliterature at gmail.com. To avoid having your email sent to the spam folder, please use the following in the subject line: “Submission: SSP”. Emails without this subject line may get deleted. Uddipana Goswami Literary Editor *Seven Sisters Post* -- Uddipana Goswami www.jajabori-mon.blogspot.com From a.mani.cms at gmail.com Sat Sep 10 17:42:22 2011 From: a.mani.cms at gmail.com (A. Mani) Date: Sat, 10 Sep 2011 17:42:22 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] On CEI Act'2006 and CEIA Bill '2011 Message-ID: http://www.pragoti.in/node/4524 Best A. Mani -- A. Mani CU, ASL, CLC,  AMS, CMS http://www.logicamani.co.cc From rohitrellan at aol.in Sat Sep 10 20:28:24 2011 From: rohitrellan at aol.in (rohitrellan at aol.in) Date: Sat, 10 Sep 2011 10:58:24 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [Reader-list] SAA Friday Lecture on 21st Oct In-Reply-To: <4E6A3F54020000400004B7FB@mail.jnu.ac.in> References: <4E6A3F54020000400004B7FB@mail.jnu.ac.in> Message-ID: <8CE3DE13905AA91-32AC-FF21@webmail-stg-m02.sysops.aol.com> The School of Arts and Aesthetics Jawaharlal Nehru University is pleased to announce the forthcoming visit of Prof Griselda Pollock in October 2011 ----------- Public Lecture Why, When and Wherefore Feminism and Art History'? This lecture will look back upon and assess the contribution, need and likely future of feminism in art history and feminist art histories. Friday 21st October 2011, 5 pm School of Arts and Aesthetics Auditorium In the preceding week: an intensive a lecture series by Prof. Griselda Pollock: Art in the Time of Trauma: Aesthetics in a Post-Traumatic Era 10th -14th October 2011 5-7 pm daily at the SAA Auditorium, JNU Monday, 10 October: Horrorism and Trauma: Aesthetic Wit(h)nessing and Compassion Tuesday, 11 October: Dangerous Memory and the Image: The Feminist Legacies of Aby Warburg and the Virtual Feminist Museum Wednesday, 12 October: Concentrationary Memories: Some Questions of Cinema and Sexual Difference Thursday, 13 October: Art as a Transport Station: Trauma and its Dangerous Objects (Sarah Kofman, Chantal Akerman and Bracha Ettinger) Friday, 14 October: Remembering/Forgetting Africa: Some recent issues Most cultures and societies carry the burden of traumatic moments in history. At the end of the twentieth century, theorists and artists increasingly registered the pressure of this burden. Literary critics and historians have turned to Freudian theories of trauma both to analyze the legacies of war, violence, natural and man-made catastrophes and to understand themselves, as intellectuals, as registering theoretically the symptoms of such traumas in their own cultures. The engagement with trauma has, however, only recently been taken up in the field of the visual arts, notably through engagements with the legacies of the attempted genocides of Jewish and Romany Europeans in the middle of the twentieth century, but also in the study of events in Korea, Taiwan, South Africa and the legacies of colonialism, AIDS and other more global events. In this series of lectures, Prof. Griselda Pollock will explore the concepts of trauma and cultural memory, and specifically examine the role of the aesthetic in relation to it, not through the contemplative response to art, but through the transformation poiesis involved in making art: the passage from trauma into culture. Using the various examples from Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America which has been the focus of her recent work, she will also use this model to explore the challenge of internationalizing art’s histories since the theorization of trauma both opens a passage into specific, local and contingent historical circumstances, and finds common ground in the conceptualization of such events and experiences. These lectures indicate new directions in feminist studies in the visual arts that actually reveal the depth of its historical and human commitments. *** Prof Griselda Pollock, Professor of Social and Critical Histories of Art in the Department of Fine Art at the University of Leeds, is an eminent art historian. Her influential work has engaged with issues of gender, race and class in the formations of modernism in late nineteenth century Europe and America; the history of women in the visual arts; the work of Vincent van Gogh; women's cinema 1940-9; the legend of Tarzan: myths of empire, identity and place, and contemporary visual arts by women. Well known publications by her include Vision and Difference (1988); Differencing the Canon (1999); Encounters in the Virtual Feminist Museum (2007); Avant Garde Gambits 1888-1893: Gender and the Colour of Art History (1992); and Vincent Van Gogh: Artist of His Time (1978). This lecture series draws upon her current research on trauma, history and memory after the Holocaust and Jewish Art and Modernity. These lectures are free and are open to all by pre-registration which starts from September 15, 2011. Those attending lectures will be expected to engage with relevant readings, which will be made available by the School. Please write to swahijnu at gmail.com to register. From a.mani.cms at gmail.com Sun Sep 11 17:51:09 2011 From: a.mani.cms at gmail.com (A. Mani) Date: Sun, 11 Sep 2011 17:51:09 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Obituary: Michael S. Hart Message-ID: Read the full version at: http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Michael_S._Hart Excerpt: "Obituary for Michael Stern Hart ...Hart was best known for his 1971 invention of electronic books, or eBooks. He founded Project Gutenberg, which is recognized as one of the earliest and longest-lasting online literary projects. He often told this story of how he had the idea for eBooks. He had been granted access to significant computing power at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. On July 4 1971, after being inspired by a free printed copy of the U.S. Declaration of Independence, he decided to type the text into a computer, and to transmit it to other users on the computer network. From this beginning, the digitization and distribution of literature was to be Hart's life's work, spanning over 40 years. Hart was an ardent technologist and futurist. A lifetime tinkerer, he acquired hands-on expertise with the technologies of the day: radio, hi-fi stereo, video equipment, and of course computers. He constantly looked into the future, to anticipate technological advances. One of his favorite speculations was that someday, everyone would be able to have their own copy of the Project Gutenberg collection or whatever subset desired. This vision came true, thanks to the advent of large inexpensive computer disk drives, and to the ubiquity of portable mobile devices, such as cell phones. Hart also predicted the enhancement of automatic translation, which would provide all of the world's literature in over a hundred languages. While this goal has not yet been reached, by the time of his death Project Gutenberg hosted eBooks in 60 different languages, and was frequently highlighted as one of the best Internet-based resources." _______________________________________________________________________ Best A. Mani -- A. Mani CU, ASL, CLC,  AMS, CMS http://www.logicamani.co.cc From oishiksircar at gmail.com Sun Sep 11 19:08:49 2011 From: oishiksircar at gmail.com (OISHIK SIRCAR) Date: Sun, 11 Sep 2011 19:08:49 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] TOMORROW: Sept 12, 2011/ Jasbir Puar @CSLG, JNU/ LGBT Rights & the Israel Palestine Conflict Message-ID: The Collaborative Research Programme on Law, Postcoloniality and Culture (at the Jindal Global Law School) *&* LASSNet (anchored at the Centre for the Study of Law and Governance, Jawaharlal Nehru University) invite you to a talk by *PROF. JASBIR PUAR* Department of Women’s and Gender Studies, Rutgers University, USA *author of TERRORIST ASSEMBLAGES: HOMONATIONALISM IN QUEER TIMES* on *THE PINKWASHING DEBATE: * *LGBT RIGHTS & THE ISRAEL-PALESTINE CONFLICT* *Commentator: * *PROF. NIVEDITA MENON* Centre for Comparative Politics and Political Theory Jawaharlal Nehru University, India Monday, September 12, 2011 | CSLG, JNU, Conference Room, 1st Floor | 3-5pm to be followed by tea and light snacks *PRE-WORKSHOP TALK* of *HUMAN RIGHTS BEYOND THE LAW* *Politics | Practices | Performances of Protest* *14-17 September 2011* www.protestworkshop.jgu.edu.in | protestworkshop.india at jgu.edu.in -- OISHIK SIRCAR oishiksircar at gmail.com oishik.sircar at utoronto.ca -- OISHIK SIRCAR oishiksircar at gmail.com oishik.sircar at utoronto.ca From asit1917 at gmail.com Mon Sep 12 14:04:57 2011 From: asit1917 at gmail.com (asit das) Date: Mon, 12 Sep 2011 01:34:57 -0700 Subject: [Reader-list] looking back at 9/11 Message-ID: Never Forget Their Crimes, Always Deny Ours ------------------------------ By Paul Street Sunday, September 11, 2011 *We are Good* “We must never forget.” So proclaims a solemn parade of United States politicians, pundits, and propagandists preparing for an orgy of narcissistic national self-righteousness, self-pity and patriotism to mark the ten-year anniversary of 9/11/2001. “We must never forget” the terrible bright September day a decade ago when a great, democratic, and benevolent nation was attacked by evil people who hated our “freedom.” We “must never forget” how we were so unjustly assaulted and how we vowed to defend our country and its noble values with a bold and just military response to Evil. We “must never forget” because we must always be on guard to defend our exceptional nation and its inspiring beliefs and institutions, its excellent “free market” economy and other virtues that make us the greatest nation of all time – “the beacon to the world of how life should be,” as Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson (R-TX) described the U.S. in a speech in support of Congress authorizing George W. Bush to invade Iraq. We “must never forget” how splendid we are. As Bill Clinton’s Secretary of State Madeline Albright once explained, "the United States is good...We try to do our best everywhere.” Of course, in properly appreciating that goodness, good Americans are expected to dutifully forget the United States' long record of inflicting massive military mayhem on officially designated enemies and defenseless civilians abroad. Right thinking citizens understand without asking that crimes are committed by evil others, never by noble “America.” Bad things are done by “them,” never by “us.” “They” have malevolent intent but “we” are good, driven by gracious and gallant goals and ideals. The only victims worthy of acknowledgement and compassion are those assaulted by “our” officially designated enemies. The larger number murdered and maimed by us and/or our clients and allies (e.g., Palestinians killed and suffering under U.S.-sponsored Israeli occupation and apartheid and dissidents murdered and muzzled by U.S. client states like Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Columbia, and Honduras) do not merit sympathy or consideration. They do not exist. *So Much to Fail to Remember* There is so much we must fail to remember, compared to the only two times the U.S. has been assaulted on its own soil - during the War of 1812 (by the British Empire) and (al Qaeda) on September 11, 2001. (I exempt Pearl Harbor since it took place on Hawaii, stolen from its native inhabitants forty four years prior to the Japanese attack). We are expected to loyally overlook: the United States’ savage racist elimination of native peoples’ and civilizations from “frontier” territory claimed by white settlers (celebrated in Theodore Roosevelt’s multi-volume *Winning of the West* as a great “feat of power” over dangerous “savages” that furthered the Darwinian "spread of English-speaking people over *the world's waste spaces”); * the military theft of much of the American Southwest and California from Mexico during the 1846-1848 Mexican War (the first in which a U.S. army invaded another country and occupied its capital); the U.S. butchering of 600,000 Filipino natives (labeled “niggers,” “Apaches,” and “barbarians” by their “’turkey-shooting” executioners) between 1899 and 1902 (4,300 Americans were lost); the bloody U.S.- re-imposition of de facto slavery and colonial rule on Haiti during and after World War One (justified by “the Negro race’s” inherent unsuitability for democracy, according to Woodrow Wilson’s Secretary of State Woodrow Wilson); the mass-murderous U.S. atom-bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, justified by Washington as necessary to defeat Japan when the White House and high American military command knew very well that Japan was exhausted and seeking surrender. “From the end of World War Two through the present,” John Pilger noted in 2007, the U.S. Empire caused “the extinction and suffering of countless human beings. The United States attempted to overthrow fifty governments, many of them democracies, and to crush thirty popular movements fighting tyrannical regimes. In the process, twenty-five countries were bombed, causing the loss of several million lives and the despair of millions more” None of this is to be remembered – even registered (see below) – by good Americans. The officially non-existent victims of American benevolence since 1945 include: - 3 million mostly peasant Indochinese (chiefly Vietnamese, Cambodians, and Laotians) killed in a massive, multi-pronged U.S. assault between 1962 and 1975 (58,000 U.S. soldiers died in this one-sided attack, encouraging U.S. president Jimmy Carter to claim that “the destruction was mutual” during the so-called Vietnam War). - Hundreds of thousands of Latin Americans killed and maimed by authoritarian governments (including “Third World fascist” regimes in Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Nicaragua) and paramilitaries funded, supported, and equipped by the U.S. - 300 Iranian civilian air passengers (including 90 children) blown out of the sky (on Iranian Air Flight 655) by the U.S. Navy in Iranian air space from Iranian territorial waters by the U.S. warship *Vincennes *on July 3, 1988. (The commander of the* Vincennes* William C. Rogers III was subsequently rewarded with a Combat Action ribbon and the prestigious Legion of Merit "for exceptionally meritorious conduct.” Scott Lustig, the U.S. air-warfare coordinator who directed the attack received the Navy Commendation Medal. The medal citation noted his ability to "quickly and precisely complete the firing procedure.” The U.S. later settled the incident for $61.1 million in the International Court of Justice). - More than 125.000 million Iraqis killed, mostly from bombing, so that the U.S. could punish the renegade behavior of its former client Saddam Hussein in the so-called Persian Gulf War of 1991 – an operation that cost the lives of less than 200 U.S. troops. (The body count included many thousands of surrendered troops slaughtered while in full retreat from Kuwait on the infamous “Highway of Death” in the night of February 26-27, 1991, A reporter described the highway scene as “ a blazing Hell” and “a gruesome testament,” noting that “To the east and west across the sand lay the bodies of those fleeing”). - More than 1 million Iraqis killed by a U.S-imposed weapon of mass destruction called “economic sanctions” between 1991 and March 2003. - More than 2 million Iraqis, Afghans, Pakistanis, Yemenis and other predominantly Muslim and Arab people killed in criminal U.S. wars of occupation, revenge, and petroleum-control since 9/11/2011. *“The Price is Worth it”* Last May on the Public Broadcasting System’s “News Hour,” Madeline Albright applauded the death of the former U.S. client Osama bin Laden. The just-murdered bin Laden had “killed not only Americans but a lot of other people,” Albright noted. The PBS anchor interviewing Albright appeared to find nothing remarkable about that comment. It was a telling non-reaction. A reasonably civilized news culture would have been shocked by righteous expressions of concern for innocent victims from a person (Albright) who as Secretary of State said the following to CBS News about the killing of more than half a million Iraqi children by the U.S.-led sanctions: “this is a very hard choice, but the price – we think *the price is worth i*t.” Beneath that statement lay a deeply racist and imperial mindset that “prices” the lives of Arab children as no greater than those of insects when compared to the need to advance the inherently noble global objectives of America – the inherently excellent nation that, Albright once claimed, “stands taller and sees farther” than all the rest. Seven years after Albright uttered her noxious judgment on national television, the Pentagon’s computer program for estimating civilian deaths likely to result from the invasion of Iraq in March of 2003 used an interesting term to designate the ordinary Iraqis to be killed: “bug-splat.” *“Why Didn’t We Attack Sweden?”* One does not exonerate the mass-murderer bin Laden by acknowledging the wisdom of a comment he made after 9/11. If al-Qaeda’s goal was not to punish the U.S. for its imperial role in the oil-rich Middle East but rather to express hatred for Western freedom and democracy, bin Laden asked, then “why didn’t we attack Sweden?” Like many other Western Europeans, after all, Scandinavians enjoy more freedom and democracy than do the corporate-managed residents of the U.S., where policy and society are savagely subordinated to “the unelected dictatorship of money” and politics remain “the shadow cast on society by big business” (John Dewey) in a nation where the top 1 percent owns more than 40 percent of the wealth (along with a larger share of the elected officials) and bottom 40 percent owns essentially nothing (0.3 percent of American net worth). *Imperial Revenge* Many U.S. military personnel in the 21st century have described their actions in the Middle East and Southwest Asia as “revenge for 9/11” – a common motivational theme in the preparation of 21st century U.S. imperial gendarmes to kill “Hajis.” American troops, officers, intelligence operatives, and pilots have for a decade now been encouraged to take out their hatred for bin Laden and Muslims more generally on innocent men, women, and children across the Middle East and Southwest Asia. The American petro-imperial revenge machine reached its gory apex, perhaps, in April of 2004. That’s when the U.S. Marines responded to the killing of four American (Blackwater) mercenaries in the Iraqi city of Fallujah with a quasi-genocidal assault that included the bombing (including hyper-lethal cluster-bombing), mortaring, napalming, gassing, and shooting of civilians, the destruction of hospitals and clinics, and the targeting of ambulances. U.S. snipers boasted of killing “anyone they could get in their site.” This assault alone considerably out-did al Qaeda’s 9/11 death count. * * *Blowing Up Afghan Children v. Scaring New Yorkers* Another one of many episodes in the long record of wanton U.S. imperial violence since 9/11 took place in May of 2009. That’s when U.S. air-strikes killed more than 140 civilians in Bola Boluk, a village in western Afghanistan’s Farah Province. Ninety-three of the dead villagers torn apart by U.S. explosives were children. Just 22 were males 18 years or older. As the *New York Times* reported: “In a phone call played on a loudspeaker on Wednesday to outraged members of the Afghan Parliament, the governor of Farah Province, Rohul Amin, said that as many as 130 civilians had been killed, according to a legislator, Mohammad Naim Farahi….” “ ‘ The governor said that the villagers have brought two tractor trailers full of pieces of human bodies to his office to prove the casualties that had occurred,’ Mr. Farahi said.” “ ‘Everyone at the governor’s office was crying, watching that shocking scene.’ Mr. Farahi said he had talked to someone he knew personally who had counted 113 bodies being buried, including those of many women and children. Later, more bodies were pulled from the rubble and some victims who had been taken to the hospital died, he said.” U.S. President Barack Obama and his Secretary of State Hillary Clinton refused to apologize for the mass aerial destruction of Afghan children. By contrast, Obama had just offered a full presidential apology to New York City and fired a White House official after that official scared New Yorkers with an ill-advised Air Force One photo-shoot flyover of Manhattan. The flight had briefly reminded people below of 9/11. Frightening New Yorkers called for a full presidential apology and the discharge of a White House staffer. Blowing up 93 Afghan children did not elicit an apology. Nobody was fired or disciplined. *No Apologies * Here at least Obama stayed true to one of his campaign statements. During his rock-star visit to adoring crowds in Berlin in the summer of 2008, CNN’s Candy Crowley asked the next president if “there’s anything that’s happened in the past 7 1/2 years that the U.S. needs to apologize for in terms of foreign policy.” Obama responded bluntly: “No, I don’t believe in the U.S. apologizing…I think the war in Iraq was a mistake…But, hindsight is 20/20, and I’m much more interested in looking forward rather than looking backwards. …The U.S,” Obama made sure to ad, “remains overwhelmingly a force of good in the world.” True to his comment to Crowley, Obama refused (during a June 2009 White House visit by Chile’s president Michele Bachelet) to consider an official U.S. apology for the United States’ central role in Latin America’s Nine Eleven – the September 11, 1973 coup that overthrew Chile’s democratically elected government and installed the mass-murderous fascist dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet. Obama justified his refusal with the claim that "I'm interested in *going forward, not looking backward,” the same language he used to rationalize not investigating and prosecuting the George Bush II administration’s war and human rights crimes. For good measure, Obama added that “*the United States has been* an enormous force for good in the world*” even if “there have been times where we've made *mistakes*.” Under Obama as under U.S. presidents since Reagan, the White House and Pentagon continue to refuse to apologize for Iranian Flight 655. *Even While it Was Happening It Never Happened* Of course, Latin America’s 9/11 never really happened as far as the dominant U.S. political and intellectual culture is concerned. I misspoke when I wrote (above) that “good Americans are expected to forget” (the United States' long history of murder abroad). The deeper truth is that we are not supposed to ever register any parts of that record in the first place. You have to know that something occurred in the first place to forget it. But in the U.S, and indeed across much of the West, the record of ongoing U.S. criminality is airbrushed out from official history and the mass culture even as it occurs. It is instantaneously tossed down George Orwell’s “memory hole.” As Harold Pinter noted in his acceptance of the 2005 Nobel Prize in Literature, dominant Western cultural authorities behave as if past U.S. imperial violence did not exist. Even while it was happening,” Pinter added, “it never happened. It didn’t matter. It was of no interest.” If anyone cares, this is how the Nazis dealt with Germany’s imperial crimes: *as if they’d never happened*. A relentless propaganda campaign claiming (among other things) that poor, persecuted Germany had done nothing to produce its Versailles victim-hood and to provoke hostility and attack from outside helped fuel Adolph Hitler’s rise to power and his scheme to achieve the global hegemony that fell to the American Superpower during and after World War II. * * *Paul Street (paulstreet99 at yahoo.com) is the author of many books, including Empire and Inequality: America and the World Since 9/11 (Paradigm, 2004); The Empire’s New Clothes: Barack Obama in the Real World of Power (Paradigm, 2010); and (co-authored with Anthony DiMaggio) Crashing the Tea Party: Mass Media and the Campaign to Remake American Politics (Paradigm, 2011).** * From peter.ksmtf at gmail.com Mon Sep 12 15:44:52 2011 From: peter.ksmtf at gmail.com (T Peter) Date: Mon, 12 Sep 2011 15:44:52 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Include all fish workers in scheme: federation In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Include all fish workers in scheme: federation http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/article2438147.ece Staff Reporter The Kerala Swathanthra Matsya Thozhilali Federation will stage a dharna in front of the Secretariat on September 15 to press for their demands. There will be dharnas at district headquarters in the following days. Their demands include application of the lean-season saving scheme to the entire fishing community irrespective of Below Poverty Line (BPL) and Above Poverty Line (APL) differentiation, withdrawal of the government order restricting the service of the Marine Enforcement Wing, distribution of kerosene at fair price, and writing off of debts. Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, federation State president T. Peter called upon the Centre to desist from the move to restrict the benefit of the saving scheme to those in the BPL category. The fishing community was among the most backward sections in society. The receipt of Rs.1,800, which included the fishing workers contribution of Rs.600, was too small a relief during the four lean months. Though the previous Left Democratic Front (LDF) government had decided to enhance the benefit to Rs.3,000, it could not be implemented. The federation expressed apprehension over the government order to restrict the service of the Marine Enforcement and Vigilance wing to the period of trawling ban. The government should deploy speedboats to intensify patrolling along the coast. The kerosene quota for fishermen should be enhanced to 500 litres from the present 129 litres. Kerosene fair price outlets should also be opened, he said. Fishermen were forced to buy kerosene at prices between Rs.40 and 48 a litre, Mr. Peter said. http://www.keralafishworkers.in http://www.alakal.net From rasheeca at gmail.com Mon Sep 12 20:59:35 2011 From: rasheeca at gmail.com (Rasheed c a) Date: Mon, 12 Sep 2011 20:59:35 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Fwd: talk by Murali CSSS JNU Message-ID: ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: renny thomas Date: Mon, 12 Sep 2011 13:30:51 +0530 Subject: talk by Murali To: darshanatvm at gmail.com, Lisa Thomas , anchala86 , Roma Dey , shrutijnu09 at gmail.com, "Rasheed C.A" , varsha patel , Meenakshi Thapan , "dey.sumit064" , deepa vk , vikramaditya sahai , Rahul Sharma , nivedita at mail.jnu.ac.in, SAM RAJ NESAMONY , Deepak Menon , Muraleedharan Tharayil , mallarika sinha roy , sujavenky , Naresh Kumar , "Manaf.K.K" , ujithra ponniah , Javed Wani , Noushad M P , qcampus.india at gmail.com, Manonithya Ramasamy , radhakapuria , Hanna Sofie Johansen , women studies programme , yashjnu at gmail.com, zeeshan manhas ** *Centre for the Study of Social Systems* *Weekly Seminar** * * * Presents *Region, Sexuality and Resistance: Readings from Malayalam Literature.* * **Speaker* * * *Muraleedharan Tharayil* *(Associate **Professor and Head, PG Department of English, St.Aloysius College, Trichur, Kerala*) * * *Chair* *Dr. Mallarika Sinha Roy* *WSP/SSS/JNU* Date & Time: *Thursday, 15th September 2011, 3 pm* Venue: *CSSS Committee Room (013)* *All are cordially invited* * * *The speaker and his work**:* Prof. Muraleedharan teaches English and Cultural Studies at the PG Department of English, St. Aloysius College (University of Calicut), Kerala for the last 29 years. His research interests are Film and Media Studies, Literary and Critical Theory, British Literature, Post-Colonial literatures, Cultural Studies and Gender and Race Studies. He has been visiting professor at the University of Chicago (2007), SSRC, New York (2005), New York University (2004), and Open University, UK (1996) and also taught at the Department of English, Al Fateh University, Tripoli, Libya (2008-09). He has published extensively on Queer Sexuality and History of Malayalam Cinema. Presently he is working on a book on the History of Malayalam Cinema. -- Renny Thomas Research Scholar Centre for the Study of Social Systems School of Social Sciences Jawaharlal Nehru University ( JNU) New Delhi-110067 -- Renny Thomas Research Scholar Centre for the Study of Social Systems School of Social Sciences Jawaharlal Nehru University ( JNU) New Delhi-110067 -- Regards RasheedC.A Research Scholar CSSS/sss Room No 124 Kaveri Hostel JNU 110067 From kiccovich at yahoo.com Mon Sep 12 23:46:20 2011 From: kiccovich at yahoo.com (francesca recchia) Date: Mon, 12 Sep 2011 11:16:20 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [Reader-list] Invite to the screening of Hiroshima Mon Amour followed by a discussion @ Alliance Francaise de Bangalore In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <1315851380.16869.YahooMailNeo@web113206.mail.gq1.yahoo.com> Dear All, maraa in collaboration with Alliance Francaise de Bangalore cordially invites you to:  Before and After Walls: an introspective exercise through collective viewing of  Hiroshima Mon Amour Duration - 1 hour 30 mins Directed by Alain Resnais Screenplay by Marguerite Duras Language: French, with English Subtitles  Come join us for the screening and discussion on Wednesday 14th September6.30 pm to 8.30 pm @ The Auditorium, Alliance Française de Bangalore Before and After Walls is part of a series of events that are being organised by maraa as a parallel to the photo exhibitionWalls between people being hosted by Alliance Française de Bangalore. These  events will attempt to involve the public in a reflection on the political, physical and metaphorical dimension of walls and conflict. All three events are based on participation and interaction and intend to create an informal space of exchange and conversation.  For details please mail us at : info at maraa.in  or call us on 8105675350 Thanks maraa From asit1917 at gmail.com Tue Sep 13 13:59:31 2011 From: asit1917 at gmail.com (asit das) Date: Tue, 13 Sep 2011 13:59:31 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] A moment of silence Message-ID: A Moment of Silence, Before I Start this Poem Before I start this poem, I'd like to ask you to join me in a moment of silence in honor of those who died in the World Trade Center and the Pentagon last September 11th. I would also like to ask you to offer up a moment of silence for all of those who have been harassed, imprisoned, disappeared, tortured, raped, or killed in retaliation for those strikes, for the victims in both Afghanistan and the U.S. And if I could just add one more thing... A full day of silence for the tens of thousands of Palestinians who have died at the hands of U.S.-backed Israeli forces over decades of occupation. Six months of silence for the million and-a-half Iraqi people, mostly children, who have died of malnourishment or starvation as a result of an 11-year U.S. embargo against the country. Before I begin this poem: two months of silence for the Blacks under Apartheid in South Africa, where homeland security made them aliens in their own country. Nine months of silence for the dead in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, where death rained down and peeled back every layer of concrete, steel, earth and skin and the survivors went on as if alive. A year of silence for the millions of dead in Viet Nam - a people, not a war - for those who know a thing or two about the scent of burning fuel, their relatives' bones buried in it, their babies born of it. A year of silence for the dead in Cambodia and Laos, victims of a secret war ... ssssshhhhh .... Say nothing ... we don't want them to learn that they are dead. Two months of silence for the decades of dead in Colombia, whose names, like the corpses they once represented, have piled up and slipped off our tongues. Before I begin this poem, An hour of silence for El Salvador ... An afternoon of silence for Nicaragua ... Two days of silence for the Guetmaltecos ... None of whom ever knew a moment of peace in their living years. 45 seconds of silence for the 45 dead at Acteal, Chiapas 25 years of silence for the hundred million Africans who found their graves far deeper in the ocean than any building could poke into the sky. There will be no DNA testing or dental records to identify their remains. And for those who were strung and swung from the heights of sycamore trees in the south, the north, the east, and the west... 100 years of silence... For the hundreds of millions of indigenous peoples from this half of right here, Whose land and lives were stolen, In postcard-perfect plots like Pine Ridge, Wounded Knee, Sand Creek, Fallen Timbers, or the Trail of Tears. Names now reduced to innocuous magnetic poetry on the refrigerator of our consciousness ... So you want a moment of silence? And we are all left speechless Our tongues snatched from our mouths Our eyes stapled shut A moment of silence And the poets have all been laid to rest The drums disintegrating into dust Before I begin this poem, You want a moment of silence You mourn now as if the world will never be the same And the rest of us hope to hell it won't be. Not like it always has been Because this is not a 9-1-1 poem This is a 9/10 poem, It is a 9/9 poem, A 9/8 poem, A 9/7 poem This is a 1492 poem. This is a poem about what causes poems like this to be written And if this is a 9/11 poem, then This is a September 11th poem for Chile, 1971 This is a September 12th poem for Steven Biko in South Africa, 1977 This is a September 13th poem for the brothers at Attica Prison, New York, 1971. This is a September 14th poem for Somalia, 1992. This is a poem for every date that falls to the ground in ashes This is a poem for the 110 stories that were never told The 110 stories that history chose not to write in textbooks The 110 stories that CNN, BBC, The New York Times, and Newsweek ignored This is a poem for interrupting this program. And still you want a moment of silence for your dead? We could give you lifetimes of empty: The unmarked graves The lost languages The uprooted trees and histories The dead stares on the faces of nameless children Before I start this poem We could be silent forever Or just long enough to hunger, For the dust to bury us And you would still ask us For more of our silence. If you want a moment of silence Then stop the oil pumps Turn off the engines and the televisions Sink the cruise ships Crash the stock markets Unplug the marquee lights, Delete the instant messages, Derail the trains, the light rail transit If you want a moment of silence, put a brick through the window of Taco Bell, And pay the workers for wages lost Tear down the liquor stores, The townhouses, the White Houses, the jailhouses, the Penthouses and the Playboys. If you want a moment of silence, Then take it On Super Bowl Sunday, The Fourth of July During Dayton's 13 hour sale Or the next time your white guilt fills the room where my beautiful people have gathered You want a moment of silence Then take it Now, Before this poem begins. Here, in the echo of my voice, In the pause between goosesteps of the second hand In the space between bodies in embrace, Here is your silence. Take it. But take it all Don't cut in line. Let your silence begin at the beginning of crime. But we, Tonight we will keep right on singing For our dead. Emmanuel Ortiz, 9.11.02 From anoopkheri at gmail.com Tue Sep 13 15:18:15 2011 From: anoopkheri at gmail.com (anoop kumar) Date: Tue, 13 Sep 2011 15:18:15 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Manufacturing complicity: Paramakudi killings Message-ID: Please share this widely Manufacturing complicity: Paramakudi killings *http://tinyurl.com/687trr3* .................... What is the media trying to do? It is not trying to whitewash the Paramakudi massacre. It is trying to tell you that* it was necessary*. *What the police faced were a violent 'mob', and 'miscreants'. They were unreasonable 'protestors' who wouldn't 'negotiate'. They were anarchic 'agitators' whose cause was so vague that it wasn't worth mentioning. * The media is trying to tell you: how can anyone point fingers at a regime and its policing arm for trying to defend themselves against such faceless, nameless, irrational agitators? ........................... It was clear they wished to play down the enormity of the bloodbath from the beginning. First, they said two were killed. Then the figure became three, and five. And then six. Now they say: seven. Have you seen any pictures of any of the seven? Or were their names mentioned anywhere in the English news stories? Brahminized 'national' media which breaks news about suspects even before bombs have gone off, has been uniformly imprecise and reticent on who exactly were killed in Paramakudi on the September 11th. Two days ago, now. What is the media trying to do? It is not trying to whitewash the Paramakudi massacre. It is trying to tell you that* it was necessary*. *What the police faced were a violent 'mob', and 'miscreants'. They were unreasonable 'protestors' who wouldn't 'negotiate'. They were anarchic 'agitators' whose cause was so vague that it wasn't worth mentioning. * The media is trying to tell you: how can anyone point fingers at a regime and its policing arm for trying to defend themselves against such faceless, nameless, irrational agitators? A full day after the killings, read the Hindustan Times, or NDTV, or The Times of India, or DNA, or Zee News. Do the 'agitators' remain any less nameless, faceless and inexcusable? Do you see or read about any of those who had been killed, or injured or detained? Do you hear the other side at all? Do you see the victims? The media has still not found any facts or evidence to extenuate the 'crimes' of the agitators. It seems to be as certain about their culpability as on the day the killings happened. When the killings were happening. Even before the killings happened, as evident from the coverage of the news relating to the event in the days leading up to it. The coverage talked ominously of 'tension' in the 'caste-sensitive' region, consistently. *Expect 'tension' when the Dalits seek to gather and remember a martyr*. And whenever or wherever they seek to assert themselves and claim their rights? Dalit assertion is abnormal and disruptive, but caste oppression is normalized as 'caste-sensitivity'. Over the years, mainstream discourse around Immanuel Sekaran's memorial has tried to insinuate that it is 'tension-ridden'. This has helped feed anxieties over 'security', and thereby paved the way for a militaristic response, every year, to this annual assertion of democratic rights, or more accurately, *this annual assertion of the right to claim democratic rights* . How much 'tension' was created at Raj Ghat or how many shots were fired at Ram Lila maidan recently when bigots of various hues, shapes and sizes gathered there? The police were not even allowed to carry lathis, we're told. *Expect peace whenever and wherever the savarnas and their upper shudra acolytes gather*. Even if it is to express open and unbridled contempt for India's parliament and constitution. From the redoubtable Parivar to outfits like 'Krantikari Manuwadi Samaj Dal': the media and the self-anointed alternative media found none of them disruptive or sources of 'tension'. Much ground was prepared before these killings. Lakhs have gathered every year in Paramakudi, on that particular day, to observe Thyagi Immanuel Sekaran's death anniversary. Over a million were expected this year. Over a million people from the most marginalized section of the country. People who found in Immanuel Sekaran's example enough inspiration and courage to stand upto the everyday denial of rights through the rest of the year. Paramakudi could only have been a source of peace for them, the 'tension' was all of the oppressors' making. The tension was their way of restraining, isolating and severely impairing the movement towards assertion. It was the administration, it's obvious, which created tension through its efforts to make the event as tough as possible for the participants: through its efforts to find excuses for draconian restrictions on the proposed gathering by blaming a Dalit boy for alleged attempts to vitiate the atmosphere and detaining leaders who wished to participate in the event by imputing 'political' motives to them. Note how a writ petition had to be filed before the Madras High Court seeking basic facilities at the event, just a few days before the memorial day. The petitioner said: 'This happens every year due to lack of pre-planning and draconian refusal to accord permission to open food stalls and other public service centres by the respondents (Ramanathapuram Collector and Superintendent of Police)'. *'This happens every year*'. Yes, the ground had been prepared for long. This is quite clear from the Chief Minister's almost off-hand initial response defending her killer policemen. This is also quite clear from the way the media primed itself to 'cover' the event. Check the photographs: do you notice any picture in which you could say the photographer tried to take an objective view of the terrible events unfolding before him? Is there any picture among the lot which seems to lean towards those who actually faced the bullets, empathizes with them? On the other hand, it's quite clear from most of the pictures whose side he was on. Literally, sometimes. Check also the interesting captions, implicitly endorsing the police actions against the 'mob', the 'miscreants' etc. They've been quite clear in their methods and intentions. We have to be clear on what's justice. Justice isn't going to be served by picking on the footsoldiers, the hands that pulled the trigger. It demands the heads behind them. -- "Rosa sat so Martin could walk; Martin walked so Obama could run, Obama ran so your children can fly" From kmvenuannur at gmail.com Tue Sep 13 16:17:11 2011 From: kmvenuannur at gmail.com (Venugopalan K M) Date: Tue, 13 Sep 2011 16:17:11 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Fwd: Abandon Koodamkulam Nuclear Project Plz Sign the Petition Online In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Dear Friends, I have just read and signed the online petition: "Abandon Koodamkulam Nuclear Project" hosted on the web by PetitionOnline.com, the free online petition service, at: http://www.PetitionOnline.com/kankersg/ I personally agree with what this petition says, and I think you might agree, too. If you can spare a moment, please take a look, and consider signing yourself. Best wishes, K M Vengopalan -- You cannot build anything on the foundations of caste. You cannot build up a nation, you cannot build up a morality. Anything that you will build on the foundations of caste will crack and will never be a whole. -AMBEDKAR http://venukm.blogspot.com http://www.shelfari.com/kmvenuannur http://kmvenuannur.livejournal.com From asit1917 at gmail.com Tue Sep 13 18:27:40 2011 From: asit1917 at gmail.com (asit das) Date: Tue, 13 Sep 2011 05:57:40 -0700 Subject: [Reader-list] protest against gangrape of a deaf and dumb woman by army in assam Message-ID: Gang Rape by Indian Army in front of husband at Indo-Bhutan border By- Correspondent | Date- September 12, 2011 In a heinous incident, not new to the rural North East India, a woman from rural Kokrajhar district near the Indo- Bhutan border was allegedly gang raped by Jawans of SSB on the night of 10th September. As per reports, a deaf and dumb 35 year old woman Deobari Basumatary, wife of Amal Basumatary was gang raped at night in front of her husband by the SSB Jawans. The incident happened at village No.1 Sonapur under Bismuri Police in the Kokrajhar district of Assam. According to Amal Basumatary, husband of the victim, a group of SSB Jawans forcefully entered their house at around 11.30 pm, manhandled him and raped his wife in front of him. Later they dragged her to a nearby place and repeatedly raped her one after another. The victim, Deobari Basumatary, her husband and the villagers, including the *Gaonbura*, came to Bismuri to file an FIR against the SSB Jawans on 11th September. Noted human rights organization *Borosa Foundation for Peace, Democracy and Human Rights *have taken up the matter and have made a complaint to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) about the matter. In a press release issued by the organization, they have stated that “these incidents have exposed an ugly anti-people attitude of some rowdy and indiscipline Jawans involved in the crimes who are otherwise deployed to help in protecting lives and properties of the innocent people and maintain law and order in the trouble torn region”. Condemning the incident, the organization stated that these are clear examples of Human Rights violation and because no appropriate actions was taken so far to punish the culprits involved in previous incidents, the crimes have been repeated again and again in the district. Mentionable that some months back, one Manek Goyary of village Tharaibari of Choraikola was also reportedly raped by six 15 Dogra regiment stationed at Adabri on 20th April, 2011. An FIR was lodged at Kokrajhar police station but to no effect. The incident has once again put a question mark over the functioning of the Indian Army in the north eastern region and the Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA) which is active in the region in spite of stiff resentment by the people of the region. From rajkamalgoswami at gmail.com Tue Sep 13 18:50:35 2011 From: rajkamalgoswami at gmail.com (Rajkamal Goswami) Date: Tue, 13 Sep 2011 18:50:35 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] protest against gangrape of a deaf and dumb woman by army in assam In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Very very unfortunate incident, but as the first line points out, not new to the rural NE. However a not so pleasant personal experience comes to mind. I was doing my wildlife field work in Manas NP in 2008, which falls under BTC (Bodo Territorial Council). Field work used to stretch till late evening after which me, along with two of my field assistants and my driver, would take dinner in a small tea-stall and retire for the night. One particular night, it got late by the time we reached that eatery. On reaching there, we saw that 5-6 SSB jawans from the SSB camp in Bansbari, Baksa district, were boozing and having dinner there. Not used to seeing us there, one of the guys, who was already spent, barked at me regarding my whereabouts. On replying, another guy asked me to join them, to which I replied politely that I am a teetotaler. Somehow, my lifestyle choice didn't go too well with them and they started abusing me in choicest Assamese slang. On protest, one of them stood up, and told me to keep quiet otherwise he would just shoot me then and there and declare me a terrorist trying to cross over to Bhutan (Manas borders Bhutan, and hence the SSB camp). I stood there speechless not knowing what to do. Deciding against any further altercations as my dignity and self esteem were already considerable bruised, I decided to back off and went back to our field station. We carried on with our field work for the rest of the season (abt 3 months) without further such incidents as we avoided going to that shop if it got too late. Also the tea-stall owner told me that its a usual routine and they frequently man handled him and abused him if he refused to yield to their unfair demands. This incident, from the same landscape, just brought back that incident and jarred me. If there is any way I can do anything regarding such abuse of power please let me know. I will be more than willing to do my bit. Regards Rajkamal On Tue, Sep 13, 2011 at 6:27 PM, asit das wrote: >  Gang Rape by Indian Army in front of husband at Indo-Bhutan border > > By- Correspondent | Date- September 12, 2011 > > In a heinous incident, not new to the rural North East India, a woman from > rural Kokrajhar district near the Indo- Bhutan border was allegedly gang > raped by Jawans of SSB on the night of 10th September. > > As per reports, a deaf and dumb 35 year old woman Deobari Basumatary, wife > of Amal Basumatary was gang raped at night in front of her husband by the > SSB Jawans. The incident happened at village No.1 Sonapur under Bismuri > Police in the Kokrajhar district of Assam. > > According to Amal Basumatary, husband of the victim, a group of SSB Jawans > forcefully entered their house at around 11.30 pm, manhandled him and raped > his wife in front of him. Later they dragged her to a nearby place and > repeatedly raped her one after another. > > The victim, Deobari Basumatary, her husband and the villagers, including the > *Gaonbura*, came to Bismuri to file an FIR against the SSB Jawans on 11th > September. > > Noted human rights organization *Borosa Foundation for Peace, Democracy and > Human Rights *have taken up the matter and have made a complaint to the > National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) about the matter. In a press release > issued by the organization, they have stated that “these incidents have > exposed an ugly anti-people attitude of some rowdy and indiscipline Jawans > involved in the crimes who are otherwise deployed to help in protecting > lives and properties of the innocent people and maintain law and order in > the trouble torn region”. Condemning the incident, the organization stated > that these are clear examples of Human Rights violation and because no > appropriate actions was taken so far to punish the culprits involved in > previous incidents, the  crimes have been repeated again and again in the > district. > > Mentionable that some months back, one Manek Goyary of village Tharaibari of > Choraikola was also reportedly raped by six 15 Dogra regiment stationed at > Adabri on 20th April, 2011. An FIR was lodged at Kokrajhar police station > but to no effect. > > The incident has once again put a question mark over the functioning of the > Indian Army in the north eastern region and the Armed Forces Special Power > Act (AFSPA) which is active in the region in spite of stiff resentment by > the people of the region. > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> -- Rajkamal From asit1917 at gmail.com Tue Sep 13 18:54:26 2011 From: asit1917 at gmail.com (asit das) Date: Tue, 13 Sep 2011 06:24:26 -0700 Subject: [Reader-list] protest against gangrape of a deaf and dumb woman by army in assam In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: ssb comes under union home ministry we should write protest letters to the home minister dg ssb demanding stern action asit On Tue, Sep 13, 2011 at 6:20 AM, Rajkamal Goswami wrote: > Very very unfortunate incident, but as the first line points out, not > new to the rural NE. However a not so pleasant personal experience > comes to mind. I was doing my wildlife field work in Manas NP in 2008, > which > falls under BTC (Bodo Territorial Council). Field work used to stretch > till late evening after which me, along with two of my field assistants > and my driver, would take dinner in a small tea-stall and retire for > the night. One particular night, it got late by the time we reached > that eatery. On reaching there, we saw that 5-6 SSB jawans from the > SSB camp in Bansbari, Baksa district, were boozing and having dinner > there. Not used to seeing us there, one of the guys, who was already spent, > barked at me regarding my whereabouts. On replying, another guy asked > me to join them, to which I replied politely that I am a teetotaler. > Somehow, my lifestyle choice didn't go too well with them and they > started abusing me in choicest Assamese slang. On protest, one of them > stood up, and told me to keep quiet otherwise he would just shoot me > then and there and declare me a terrorist trying to cross over to > Bhutan (Manas borders Bhutan, and hence the SSB camp). I stood there > speechless not knowing what to do. Deciding against any further > altercations as my dignity and self esteem were already considerable > bruised, I decided to back off and went back to our field station. We > carried on with our field work for the rest of the season (abt 3 > months) without further such incidents as we avoided going to that > shop if it got too late. Also the tea-stall owner told me that its a > usual routine and they frequently man handled him and abused him if he > refused to yield to their unfair demands. This incident, from the same > landscape, just brought back that incident and jarred me. If there is > any way I can do anything regarding such abuse of power please let me > know. I will be more than willing to do my bit. > > Regards > Rajkamal > > On Tue, Sep 13, 2011 at 6:27 PM, asit das wrote: > > Gang Rape by Indian Army in front of husband at Indo-Bhutan border > > > > By- Correspondent | Date- September 12, 2011 > > > > In a heinous incident, not new to the rural North East India, a woman > from > > rural Kokrajhar district near the Indo- Bhutan border was allegedly gang > > raped by Jawans of SSB on the night of 10th September. > > > > As per reports, a deaf and dumb 35 year old woman Deobari Basumatary, > wife > > of Amal Basumatary was gang raped at night in front of her husband by the > > SSB Jawans. The incident happened at village No.1 Sonapur under Bismuri > > Police in the Kokrajhar district of Assam. > > > > According to Amal Basumatary, husband of the victim, a group of SSB > Jawans > > forcefully entered their house at around 11.30 pm, manhandled him and > raped > > his wife in front of him. Later they dragged her to a nearby place and > > repeatedly raped her one after another. > > > > The victim, Deobari Basumatary, her husband and the villagers, including > the > > *Gaonbura*, came to Bismuri to file an FIR against the SSB Jawans on 11th > > September. > > > > Noted human rights organization *Borosa Foundation for Peace, Democracy > and > > Human Rights *have taken up the matter and have made a complaint to the > > National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) about the matter. In a press > release > > issued by the organization, they have stated that “these incidents have > > exposed an ugly anti-people attitude of some rowdy and indiscipline > Jawans > > involved in the crimes who are otherwise deployed to help in protecting > > lives and properties of the innocent people and maintain law and order in > > the trouble torn region”. Condemning the incident, the organization > stated > > that these are clear examples of Human Rights violation and because no > > appropriate actions was taken so far to punish the culprits involved in > > previous incidents, the crimes have been repeated again and again in the > > district. > > > > Mentionable that some months back, one Manek Goyary of village Tharaibari > of > > Choraikola was also reportedly raped by six 15 Dogra regiment stationed > at > > Adabri on 20th April, 2011. An FIR was lodged at Kokrajhar police station > > but to no effect. > > > > The incident has once again put a question mark over the functioning of > the > > Indian Army in the north eastern region and the Armed Forces Special > Power > > Act (AFSPA) which is active in the region in spite of stiff resentment by > > the people of the region. > > _________________________________________ > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > > Critiques & Collaborations > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > subscribe in the subject header. > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> > > > > -- > Rajkamal > From rajkamalgoswami at gmail.com Tue Sep 13 18:59:44 2011 From: rajkamalgoswami at gmail.com (Rajkamal Goswami) Date: Tue, 13 Sep 2011 18:59:44 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] protest against gangrape of a deaf and dumb woman by army in assam In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Can you please initiate.. On Tue, Sep 13, 2011 at 6:54 PM, asit das wrote: > ssb comes under union home ministry we should write protest letters to the > home minister dg ssb demanding stern action > asit > > On Tue, Sep 13, 2011 at 6:20 AM, Rajkamal Goswami > wrote: >> >> Very very unfortunate incident, but as the first line points out, not >> new to the rural NE. However a not so pleasant personal experience >> comes to mind. I was doing my wildlife field work in Manas NP in 2008, >> which >> falls under BTC (Bodo Territorial Council). Field work used to stretch >> till late evening after which me, along with two of my field assistants >> and my driver, would take dinner in a small tea-stall and retire for >> the night. One particular night, it got late by the time we reached >> that eatery. On reaching there, we saw that 5-6 SSB jawans from the >> SSB camp in Bansbari, Baksa district, were boozing and having dinner >> there. Not used to seeing us there, one of the guys, who was already >> spent, >> barked at me regarding my whereabouts. On replying, another guy asked >> me to join them, to which I replied politely that I am a teetotaler. >> Somehow, my lifestyle choice didn't go too well with them and they >> started abusing me in choicest Assamese slang. On protest, one of them >> stood up, and told me to keep quiet otherwise he would just shoot me >> then and there and declare me a terrorist trying to cross over to >> Bhutan (Manas borders Bhutan, and hence the SSB camp). I stood there >> speechless not knowing what to do. Deciding against any further >> altercations as my dignity and self esteem were already considerable >> bruised, I decided to back off and went back to our field station. We >> carried on with our field work for the rest of the season (abt 3 >> months) without further such incidents as we avoided going to  that >> shop if it got too late. Also the tea-stall owner told me that its a >> usual routine and they frequently man handled him and abused him if he >> refused to yield to their unfair demands. This incident, from the same >> landscape, just brought back that incident and jarred me. If there is >> any way I can do anything regarding such abuse of power please let me >> know. I will be more than willing to do my bit. >> >> Regards >> Rajkamal >> >> On Tue, Sep 13, 2011 at 6:27 PM, asit das wrote: >> >  Gang Rape by Indian Army in front of husband at Indo-Bhutan border >> > >> > By- Correspondent | Date- September 12, 2011 >> > >> > In a heinous incident, not new to the rural North East India, a woman >> > from >> > rural Kokrajhar district near the Indo- Bhutan border was allegedly gang >> > raped by Jawans of SSB on the night of 10th September. >> > >> > As per reports, a deaf and dumb 35 year old woman Deobari Basumatary, >> > wife >> > of Amal Basumatary was gang raped at night in front of her husband by >> > the >> > SSB Jawans. The incident happened at village No.1 Sonapur under Bismuri >> > Police in the Kokrajhar district of Assam. >> > >> > According to Amal Basumatary, husband of the victim, a group of SSB >> > Jawans >> > forcefully entered their house at around 11.30 pm, manhandled him and >> > raped >> > his wife in front of him. Later they dragged her to a nearby place and >> > repeatedly raped her one after another. >> > >> > The victim, Deobari Basumatary, her husband and the villagers, including >> > the >> > *Gaonbura*, came to Bismuri to file an FIR against the SSB Jawans on >> > 11th >> > September. >> > >> > Noted human rights organization *Borosa Foundation for Peace, Democracy >> > and >> > Human Rights *have taken up the matter and have made a complaint to the >> > National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) about the matter. In a press >> > release >> > issued by the organization, they have stated that “these incidents have >> > exposed an ugly anti-people attitude of some rowdy and indiscipline >> > Jawans >> > involved in the crimes who are otherwise deployed to help in protecting >> > lives and properties of the innocent people and maintain law and order >> > in >> > the trouble torn region”. Condemning the incident, the organization >> > stated >> > that these are clear examples of Human Rights violation and because no >> > appropriate actions was taken so far to punish the culprits involved in >> > previous incidents, the  crimes have been repeated again and again in >> > the >> > district. >> > >> > Mentionable that some months back, one Manek Goyary of village >> > Tharaibari of >> > Choraikola was also reportedly raped by six 15 Dogra regiment stationed >> > at >> > Adabri on 20th April, 2011. An FIR was lodged at Kokrajhar police >> > station >> > but to no effect. >> > >> > The incident has once again put a question mark over the functioning of >> > the >> > Indian Army in the north eastern region and the Armed Forces Special >> > Power >> > Act (AFSPA) which is active in the region in spite of stiff resentment >> > by >> > the people of the region. >> > _________________________________________ >> > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. >> > Critiques & Collaborations >> > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with >> > subscribe in the subject header. >> > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list >> > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> >> >> >> >> -- >> Rajkamal > > -- Rajkamal From rasheeca at gmail.com Tue Sep 13 23:01:24 2011 From: rasheeca at gmail.com (Rasheed c a) Date: Tue, 13 Sep 2011 23:01:24 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Indira Gandhi PG Scholarship for Single Girl Child, last date September 25 Message-ID: The University Grants Commission has invited online applications for the award of Post-Graduate Indira Gandhi Scholarship for Single Girl Child for the academic session 2011-13 with the purpose of supporting post-graduate education through scholarships to such girls who happen to be the only child in the family. Candidates admitted in post-graduate first year regular non-professional degree course in any recognized university or a post-graduate college during the current year i.e. 2011-12 are eligible. Eligibility: i) Any single girl child of her parents. In a family if one son and one daughter is available then girl child will not be considered for scholarship under the scheme. ii) The scheme is applicable to such a single girl child who has taken admission in regular, full-time 1st year Masters Degree course in any recognized university or a post graduate college. iii)This scholarship is available to PG-I year student only. iv) Admission to PG Course in distance education mode is not covered under the scheme. Age: Girl students up to the age of 30 years at the time of admission in PG courses are eligible. Nature of Assistance available: The number of slots for scholarships may be decided every year on the basis of eligible application correct in all respects, received in stipulated time frame in the UGC. It is expected from the institutions where student has taken admission in the first year PG course, no tuition fees will be charged by the institute from girl students to pursue PG degree course in Universities/Colleges/Institutions covered under Sections 2(f) and 12(B) of UGC Act. The value of Scholarship is Rs.2,000/- p.m for a period of two years only (10 months in the year) i.e. full duration of a PG course. No other additional grant will be payable in lieu of hostel charges and medical charges etc. Selection will be made by an Expert Committee on the basis of applications which are complete in all respects, received through online mode within the stipulated time frame. The guidelines of the scheme, detailed terms and conditions of the scholarship, eligibility criteria etc. are available with the UGC website www.ugc.ac.in The applications should be submitted only through ONLINE mode latest by 25th September, 2011 by logging in website www.ugc.ac.in/sgc UGC has warned that Applications submitted in hard copy shall not be entertained or considered for award of scholarship in any circumstances whatsoever and record of candidates, who are not selected, shall not be preserved beyond three months from the date of declaration of results. Procedure for monitoring + The Universities/Colleges/Institutions will submit a certificate of completion of the post graduate course in respect of each student availing this scheme. + The Universities/Colleges/Institutions will submit their utilization certificate of each student availing this scheme. The grant for second year will be released on the receipt of Utilization certificate for grant of first year. + Students desirous of leaving the studies mid-way without completing post graduate degree will have to take prior approval from the UGC by submitting an application along with the justification through the concerned Universities/Colleges/Institution. + Any student who discontinues the studies without prior approval of the UGC will have to refund the whole amount through DD drawn in favour of Secretary, UGC and concerned Institution will be responsible for this. + No extension is permissible beyond two years. + The student who is awarded Post-Graduate Indira Gandhi Scholarship will not be debarred from accepting any other scholarships. + The Universities/Colleges/Institutions shall submit annual progress report of each student availing the scheme along with the utilization certificate. Cancellation of scholarship UGC may terminate scholarship of any student in case of : a) Misconduct of the awardees, if any, reported by the University/College/Institution. b) Unsatisfactory progress report i.e. if the candidate scores less than 60% marks in the first year of Master’s programme (55% in case of Physically Challenged awardee) c) Candidates being found ineligible at a later date shall face the penal action and will also be liable to refund the entire scholarship amount paid. Documents to be submitted 1. The candidate is required to submit an application in prescribed format. 2. Proof of admission to Ist Year Master’s degree course in a recognized Indian University covered under Section 2(f) and 12(B) of UGC Act. 3. A certificate from the College/University where student have taken admission to first year PG Course in the current academic year (prescribed format). 4. An affidavit on Rs.50/- Stamp paper from the student/parent duly attested by SDM / First Class Magistrate / Gazetted Officer (not below the rank of Tahsildar) copying the prescribed languages (prescribed format). Certificates to be submitted by the concerned university/ institutions to the ugc Every year University/Institution will submit a compiled statement for the following: a. Statement giving the names of the students selected for the scholarship along with their receipt of scholarship amount. b. Progress Report to be submitted after the completion of first year of the award giving percentage of marks obtained by the candidates c. Utilization certificate. For more details visit www.ugc.ac.in/sgc http://www.ugc.ac.in/sgc Regards RasheedC.A Research Scholar CSSS/sss Room No 124 Kaveri Hostel JNU 110067 From a.mani.cms at gmail.com Wed Sep 14 15:10:02 2011 From: a.mani.cms at gmail.com (A. Mani) Date: Wed, 14 Sep 2011 15:10:02 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Reversing Land Reforms in WB - Report Message-ID: http://www.pragoti.in/node/4527 Reversing Land Reforms in West Bengal: A Report Rama Das, Mihir Bhattacharya, Malini Bhattacharya, Gairika Ghosh, and Bhagabati Mandal This report is based on case-studies of incidents of eviction from agricultural land in 4 districts in the southern part of West Bengal, namely, North 24 Parganas, Burdwan, Birbhum and South 24 Parganas, undertaken by Punarnaba; a Forum. This report is based on case-studies of incidents of eviction from agricultural land in 4 districts in the southern part of West Bengal, namely, North 24 Parganas, Burdwan, Birbhum and South 24 Parganas. The studies are mainly based on visits to thana areas in the districts where such eviction is reported to have taken place and on interviews and group-meetings with affected persons, more particularly with women. A broad questionnaire was previously formulated to ensure that comparison may be done among the different findings, but the discussions were more flexible and not confined to the questionnaire alone. In a number of instances, people showed us documents in corroboration of their claim, but the evidence was mostly oral. To understand the broader context of the incident, we spoke also to senior people in the village, to panchayat members and to Kisan Sabha leaders. We did not try to compare our evidence with ‘official versions’ because most often such versions do not exist and the incidents we are speaking of remain invisible because in many cases, police refuse to take complaints, or even when cases are lodged the basic question of conflict over land is completely blurred by putting a different construction on the incident. This will be evident from our reports on Kankutia, Birbhum, and Harapur, south 24 Parganas. Wherever the incidents have been reported in media at all we have tried to compare the different versions. This study was undertaken by Punarnaba; a Forum, which also organized our visits to the locations. 1. We visited Haroa Block in North 24 Parganas on 20.7.11. The location to which we went was called Chhowani, on the border between two blocks, Minakhan and Haroa. It was situated right next to the bheris or fisheries, extensive stretches of water with low narrow earth walls in between and occasional little shacks called alaghar on poles rising from the water. These are the places from which night guards employed by the fisheries keep watch against intruders. There is only one tarred road in rather bad condition, wending along the edge of the bheris towards Haroa where the nearest police station is located and it had taken the best part of an hour for us to come from Haroa to this spot. This spot is very close to the place where, on 9 July,2011, police and TMC allegedly opened fire on peasants trying to retrieve possession of the land for which they had been given pattas more than a decade ago by the Left Front Govt., an incident in which three peasants sustained bullet injuries. Our respondents were Pintu Mollah, Dinabandhu Sardar, Dasarath Mondol, Sajal Das as well as women like Atashi Mondol, Bimala Sardar, Parul Munda, Karuna Sardar, Pano Sardar, Sita Sardar, Santi Sardar,Mani Munda, Durgamani Munda, Sitamani Munda and others who were from Gopalpur-1 and -2 and Munshirgheri-1 and -2 panchayat areas. Quite a few of the women came from the village of Banstola, very close to the place where the peasants were attacked and were eye-witnesses to the incident. All the women who met us, except one, were Adivasis. What we were told is that land reforms did not take place in the moujas of Tentulia, Nebutola Abad and Munshirgheri under Gopalpur-1 and Gopalpur-2 until 1996. There were large areas of benami land occupied by extensive fisheries under the ownership of jotdars like Kashem Ali and Chhoton Munshi. The peasants were largely landless, a majority in some of the moujas including Munshirgheri mouja, being Adivasis. In 1996, under the leadership of Kisan Sabha, landless peasants from Gopalpur-1 and -2, Mohanpur, Champali etc. seized occupation of large parts of this benami land in the three above-mentioned moujas. The amount of land occupied was 1265 bighas in Tentulia, 2200 bighas in Nebutola Abad and about 1100 bighas in Munshir-gheri. This benami land was vested in the Government through legal process and patta was then given in 2000 on 508 bighas to 1205 landless peasants in Tentulia. In Nebutola Abad and Munshirgheri, the process of giving pattas was stalled as the jotdars went to court and the case remained sub judice. However, there was a Supreme Court order whereby eviction of the occupants of the land, even where they had not obtained pattas but were cultivating the land, was prevented. For more than a decade now, these occupants have been themselves raising one crop on it and after the harvest, they have been leasing out these small plots of land to other local people who are then turning them into fisheries for the rest of the year. Earlier the peasants would migrate to other places in search of work, but now that they own some land, migration has been reduced. The jotdars had retreated for the time being; however, they were down but not out and even after 2000, there had been sporadic disturbances in the area. In a sense, what happened after the change of regime in the state was a continuation of the tensions that had prevailed here over the ownership of land, the peasants determined to hold on to the rights to the land they had acquired and the jotdars fighting tooth and nail to regain possession of what they had lost. According to our respondents, troubles started once Assembly election results were out. On the pretext of looking for illegal arms, armed gangs recruited by TMC and with active support of the jotdars started infiltrating into the area helped by the local police force. On 3 July, they entered the village of Amta-Khantra in search of arms and when nothing was found they demanded that search should be made in Gazitola. The next day they came back with a huge police force as well as RAF; the attacking gangs were themselves armed with bombs, swords and firearms and they were hiding behind the police forces. The peasants being unprepared and unarmed could not resist them and although no hidden arms could be discovered, they set fire to the alaghars, damaged whatever property of the peasants they could find and took possession of the bheris. This time the police were not just silent spectators, but led the campaign in evicting the peasants. The evicted peasants were desperate because the time for cultivation was about to start and unless they could immediately regain access to the land that was legally theirs, they would not be able to raise the crop on which their subsistence depended. Nor would the leaseholders who were running the fisheries be able to carry on their work, thus jeopardizing the livelihoods of all those who depended for a living on the fisheries. On 8 July, there was a meeting at the Chhowani retail fish market, which was attended by leaders of the political opposition in the state like Shri Surjakanto Mishra. Here it was decided that the peasants should try to enter the land and start cultivation as they did every year. Accordingly on the morning of 9 July, a group of pattadars about 1200-strong, Adivasis most of them, went forth around 9.30 am to take possession of their lands. The intruders who were on guard, were outnumbered by the peasants and backed away in the face of their advance and retreated to Dewalgheri. But a couple of hours later, they returned in full force bringing this time 6 vehicles filled with armed police to back them up. As soon as police arrived, without any warning they opened fire according to our respondents; allegedly the TMC gangs accompanying them also started shooting. In the face of this twin attack, the peasants broke rank and started to run away wherever they could. In the melee 3 peasants got bullet injuries; as far as they could tell us the injuries were caused by TMC bullets. The names of the injured persons are: Bonko Sardar, Kanai Sardar and Saharab Sardar. Kanai Sardar’s injury was serious, but they did not dare to take him to the Govt. hospital and managed to admit him to a private clinic a couple of days later. According to their statement, the peasants ran away only because they were being attacked by the police and they knew that they were in no way prepared to resist the police and RAF. Many women who had come out of their houses to watch the progress of their men and were standing around at that time also ran helter-skelter. Some of them like Atashi Mondol, Karuna Sardar, Pano Sardar, Anima Sardar were eye-witnesses to police firing. They also said that that the police closed in from both sides and mercilessly beat up one Bikash Santra, who was a lessee running fisheries in the area and severely injured him. Another lessee, Sambhu Sardar, was accused of having illegal arms, and although nothing was discovered at his residence, the TMC gangs together with the police allegedly ransacked his house, destroyed his papers and set fire to the alaghar on his rayati property. They also threatened and gave chase to young boys like Dasarath Mondol who were standing in the vicinity watching the attack made by the police and TMC. The situation at the moment is that in Tentulia mouja the entire vested area consisting of 1265 bighas is now under occupation by the intruders, and about 3000 peasants including those who did not have pattas but who had the right to till the soil according to the SC order, have been deprived of their livelihood and the land remains uncultivated. Also since there is now no one to look after the bheris, the likelihood of water level rising, breaking the earth walls and flooding the fields making them unfit for cultivation is now very real. In Nebutola Abad mouja, where in a large part of the land, cases are still going on in the High Court, about 3700 people have been ousted from the land they had been cultivating. In Munshirgheri mouja, where also the process of vesting was stalled in parts of the land due to court cases, the intruders have taken possession of about 120 bighas out of about 1100 bighas. In these areas, even those with legal pattas are unable to access their land so that they may start cultivation; cultivators without patta, but none the less protected from eviction by the SC order, are also in a similar situation. Further, in Tentulia mouja, 150 families are unable to stay at home and have taken shelter here and there. In Munshirgheri mouja also displacements have taken place. A FIR was lodged with Haroa police station after the incident of 9 July; 4 persons were arrested and released the next day. The police came to Kanai Sardar’s house for enquiry, but according to the women, asked irrelevant questions like ‘Why were you standing outside at the time?’ ‘Do you know the persons who set the alaghars on fire?’ when everything happened in front of them and they could see what was happening. The women complained that in many cases the men in their families were staying away from home at night for fear of raids, while they themselves lived in daily fear because gangs on motorbikes were frequenting the only road regularly and shouting abuses and threats. Their children’s education was being disrupted and they were unable to send them to the Madhyamik Shiksha Kendra which was some distance away. Many of the married women in this area are beneficiaries of joint patta although they have only a vague idea of the significance of this. However, as matters stand now they are also deprived of ownership right to the land. Since most of the peasants only have small plots of land, they also have to work as agricultural labourers for part of the time to make ends meet. The women themselves also work as agricultural labourers along with their men; after harvest is over they work in the fisheries collecting prawns and crabs and selling them. Even now wherever possible (as in Munshirgheri) they have started the work of planting rice seedlings since soon it will be too late for that. But now that they have been deprived of their land and whatever other livelihood they had, they are saying that they would have to turn into migrant workers in search of work once again. The pity of it is that in spite of having legal rights and in many cases the necessary legal documents, the peasants are unable to gain access to their land. The police in stead of helping them are allegedly either turning a blind eye to this violation of rights or working directly in cahoots with the intruders. It is quite true that the geographical location of the area is such that the intruders would not have been able to make much headway without the support of the police. The peasants have also stated that some members of the gang of intruders were known to them as being close to the jotdars in the area and acting as their henchmen. But mostly the intruders were unknown and had probably been brought over from other areas with promises that they would be able to grab the land, and particularly the fisheries, once when the present occupants have been ousted. They have firearms and other weapons with them. They knew that the intruders belonged to TMC because at the time of the attack, they were carrying their flags. The women vociferously said that whatever their affiliation, TMC or CPI(M), they should stop their violent activities and allow some peace and quiet in the area. 2. A team comprising Debjani Sengupta, Supriyo Basu and Samhita Majumdar visited the villages of Barorpara in Mahadebpur Mouja, Dakshinbati and Jankar in Samudragarh under Purbasthali thana in the district of Burdwan. About ten years back, in Mahadebpur, benami land owned by three jotdars, Abu Morol, Hajijur Rahman Mondol and Abdul Haq Mondol (about 300 acres) was occupied by 508 landless peasants who had been tilling the land since 1980s. This land was vested and distributed among them, although because of pending cases, pattas could not be given for 110-115 bighas. After the assembly elections, a mob about 400-500 strong, among whom there were many outsiders, came and evicted about 200 of the above-mentioned tillers from their land by force and marked it with TMC flags. It was forcibly redistributed among people in the village many of whom had more than 4-5 bighas of land. Also some landless labourers were promised pattas and engaged to till the occupied fields. Those who had obtained tillers’ rights during the Left Front regime, but had not yet received the documents due to legal complications were the most vulnerable group. Protima Prodhan, Kanchan Das, Monjira Biwi, Abdul Halim Mallik, Khairul Mollah and others told us that they have already been evicted. Others like Mosharraf Mollah are being threatened with eviction. But this does not mean that those having the required documents are absolutely secure. One widow, Chhabi Das, and Mumtaj Begum, a deserted woman, showed us documents for their rayati land, which is now under occupation, and said that although they had been assured that they would be able to till their land if they had proper documents, the TMC flags are still flying over their land and outsiders have been engaged to cultivate their plots. They also told us that they feared for the lives of their sons should they try to retrieve it. Apart from intimidation, girls had been molested. Khadeja, a young girl of 15 and her mother, Arjina Biwi, were brutally tortured on the pretext that they had stolen a mobile phone. Her brother too was beaten up. The women said: now that they (TMC) are in power, they can do what they like. If the villagers want to complain, they have to plead with TMC leaders. Laxmi Hansda, Talkuri Hansda and one other Adivasi woman showed us their patta documents and said that they were unable to access the land that is rightfully theirs although it is being said that the land of those having pattas will not be taken away. It is the time for harvesting jute, but TMC leaders are saying: harvest your crop and get off the land. Former MLA, Manoranjan Nath, advised the peasants to till the land on the same day after harvesting the jute. For the last ten years, in the face of stiff opposition from landowners, Kisan Sabha had been identifying vested land and giving homestead land to the homeless. With the change of regime, their rights too are jeopardized. Thirteen families, who had been holding on to such land since 1998, although their homes have been twice burnt down by landowners’ henchmen, are now being told that if they do not leave, they shall be thrown out by the police. Abdus Sukur of Kesabbati, who had been cultivating rayoti land (33 shatak) since 1978, has been evicted and his land has been given to two persons who own more than 1 acre of land. Kisan Sabha has started holding meetings in the area and trying to win back peasants who were actively involved in the eviction; some of them have been persuaded, but as one peasant said, these steps should have been taken long ago. We were accompanied by Sahadul Khan, president, Block Kisan Sabha and by Anju Kar when we visited Dakshinbati. Here, in 1998, more than 4 acres of benami land was identified and distributed among 80 peasants. But due to opposition from TMC-dominated Panchayat, pattas could not be given although there was a court order saying that apart from 2 acres 66 shatak, on the rest of the land, patta could be given. On 26 June, 2011, the original owner re-occupied the entire land, including vested land, with the help of the police, on the basis of a court order dating back to 2001. They also brought some landless labourers with them. The argument of the police, who did not accept the complaint of the peasants, was: you cannot cultivate this land as you have no pattas. The intruders also cut down about 80 mango trees. Since the peasants were aware of the intimacy between the IC and the landowner and had found the police too ready to respond whenever the latter needed their help, they did not try to recover their land immediately. But the next day, through organized resistance, they recovered 50-60 shataks of land. The rest of the land was tilled by labourers hired by the landowner. Three days after our visit, it was reported in media that they had been able to retrieve the entire land which was vested. Next we visited the house of Santosh Dhara, a registered bargadar of Jankar village and heard of the torture he had had to endure in the hands of TMC goons. His family has been specially targeted because his son, Goutam, is a CPI(M) activist. Santosh Dhara and his 3 other brothers cultivate 7 bighas of land on which his father had bargadari rights. It is not known whether the landowner was privy to the attack on him since he does not live in the village. However, on the day of the attack he and his brothers were working on the land when 50-60 TMC supporters set upon them with hatchets and other weapons. He and his wife, Anita, were hit on the head with hatchets and lay unconscious in their own blood. His brothers and one sister-in-law also sustained serious injuries. The attackers also tried to prevent the ambulance from entering the village. However, through the efforts of Aleya Begum, the erstwhile pradhan and present leader of opposition in the panchayat samiti, they could be taken to the hospital for treatment. They are still living in terror; even the families who had helped them on that day are under threat. One girl student named Ananya, studying in Class XI, told us how she and her family are being harassed because they made a complaint to the police. The police have not so far admitted any complaint, neither GD, nor FIR, although they visited the spot. The salient points observed by us are: attacks are concentrated where peasants have not received patta owing to legal complications, although the pattadars and owners of rayoti land are not entirely immune to attack; while the tillers of the land are being ousted, it is being distributed to others, even though many of these people have land of their own; a reign of terror is being unleashed from which even women are not safe; attempts at eviction had been going on for a long time, now these attempts are being successful; police is actively facilitating eviction and not registering the complaints of the peasants. The peasants are saying that they could not have been ousted from the land if police were not helping their adversaries; the IC at the thana level is actively participating in the process of eviction; during LF regime, the advisory committee at the thana level consisted of people from all walks of life, but now its place has been taken by a ‘nagarik committee’ which represents the ruling party alone. 3.Our team visited village Kankutia in Raipur-Sripur panchayat area under Bolpur-Sriniketan Block in Birbhum on 27.07.11. This is a large village having about 500 families (2500-3000 residents) residing in it. Here in a series of incidents culminating on 19 July, 42 peasants (ST 27+ SC 10 + Muslims 5) were evicted from 14 bighas of agricultural land for which they are holding pattas. They have been cultivating this land for a long time on the basis of which pattas were given to them between early ‘80s and late ‘90s. The original owners of the land are living in Burdwan, so that it is not possible to say whether they are involved in the process of eviction. A total of another 10 peasants ( ST 2+SC 6+ Muslim 2) have also been evicted in the villages of Singi, Nahina, Shalan and Jashra from 11.5 bighas of land, bringing the total amount of land to 25.5 bighas, most of which is vested. Since land had been distributed much earlier, there are no joint pattas, but there are 6 or 7 women beneficiaries. Four of those evicted are bargadars. The land yields only one crop, but some vegetables are grown where irrigation is there. So apart from a large number of landless labourers travelling to other areas of Birbhum, the pattadars themselves also have to look for supplementary work since the land they have is scattered in small plots over the area. Many of them earn some income through construction work. We talked to some of the many women landless labourers in the village. They have homestead land, but no agricultural land and travel to different parts of the district in search of work. The daily wages vary and depend on negotiations with their employers. But they have not been greatly affected by the present disturbances and were either unwilling or unable to talk about incidents of eviction. Everyone said that this had been a peaceful area. Troubles started before the assembly elections. Work at the left-dominated panchayat came to a standstill because the woman pradhan, Sonali Dhibar was being daily harassed by organized gangs of TMC workers who crowded her office in the name of giving deputation; she was even manhandled. After the election, a left panchayat member, Lete Soren, was falsely implicated on the charge of carrying a bag of bombs on his motor-bike. He is now absconding. Fatik Kisku’s homestead land was taken away and TMC flags planted there. We were told that at the moment, the panchayat is able to function, police cars are making their rounds as we also saw for ourselves; but in spite of that, an atmosphere of unease and terror prevailed over the village. So much so that apart from woman panchayat member Lakshmi Soren, few others would give us their names. In Kantabagan, which is an Adivasi neighbourhood, we found very few men at home. One woman would not even come in front of us because her husband had been arrested by the police, and she said, who knows whether she too would be arrested for talking to us, and then who would look after her children. In Bagdipara (where the SC community live), everyone retreated indoors when they saw our Ambassador car coming. After we succeeded in assuring them that we were not connected with the police in any way, some women, both at Kantabagan and Bagdipara came and spoke to us, but they were still wary of telling us their names. The story they told us was this: Those from whom the land had been vested are living in Burdwan. But some local TMC leaders such as Abul Rahim, Dhiren Bala and others had been intruding into patta land with tractors and destroying vegetables grown by the peasants. In Bagdipara, one woman told us that the land for which her family has patta has been occupied by Abul Rahim who has no claim to it; when she protested she was told ‘This is not your land, you can till the land on that side’; but that plot is not only uncultivable, but it once used to be the common burial ground. To sort out these problems, the villagers made a deputation to the Block Land and Land Reform Officer and demanded that the land be measured. On the morning of 19 July, while the BLLRO’s men were starting this work, the above-mentioned TMC leaders came with a huge armed gang and started throwing bombs. At first, the villagers began to run away, but then finding that the bombs were ineffectual on the wet ground, they came back, gave chase and succeeded in catching two of the intruders whom they gave a good thrashing so that they had to be hospitalized. The measurement work was thus thwarted; the police who had been inactive so far now swung into action and F.I.R.s were lodged against a large number of persons – 40 persons from this village alone. Three or four TMC men have also been named in the F.I.R., but none arrested. Two women, Jasoda Majhi and Arati Burman made counter-complaints against Dhiren Bala, Abul Rahim and others for attacking and molesting them during the incident. But they too remain scot-free. In the evening of the same day, the police raided a licensed liquor shop which villagers often visit after their day’s work and arrested 19 persons, only 1 of whom has been named in the FIR. On the day of our visit, they had still not got bail. Others are absconding, among them the husband of Lucy Mardi, who spoke to us. They have some patta land which is partly cultivated by them and partly by engaging labourers. The season will soon be over and Lucy’s land will remain fallow as her husband is not there to cultivate it. Most of the land which the pattadars have is not going to be cultivated this year. Anath Burman in Bagdipara has 12 bighas of rayoti land which is tilled by bargadars. His wife complained that this land has been occupied by the TMC men and the bargadars are not allowed to access it. In some cases bargadars are also being threatened. TMC men came with tractors and occupied the rayoti land of Madhab Ghosh and Bhupen Ghosh. Now outsiders have been hired to till that land. What struck us was the atmosphere of terror prevailing in the village. Whole families have left the village; in some cases the women have returned, but they do not know how to resist this terror. The fear of crop failure had been looming large because of scanty rains; the present troubles are going to add to their woes. Attacks on Left-run panchayats is adding to the confusion. Even before we had left Bolpur, we came to know of another panchayat at Ruppur , where after attempts to insult and terrorize the woman pradhan, Niyoti Soren, had failed, 6 Left members were persuaded/ induced/ forced to turn over to the other side so that the panchayat came under the control of TMC. 4. Our team visited Bhangar in South 24 Parganas on 17.08.11 because media reports told us that in some places in Bhangar where attempts at eviction had been taken by newly powerful political groups, effective resistance had enabled the peasants to hold on to their land. The village visited by us was Sonatikuri in the Tardaha village Panchayat area in the Bhangar Block. It is situated in a low-lying area behind the huge Kolkata Leather Complex at Bantala, off the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass. The land yields only one crop. Our respondents were Shakti, Dilip Koli, Anil Mondol, Bhadreswar Mondol, Urmila Mondol, Mina Mondol, Jasho Mondol, Menoka Mondol, Sumita Koli and others. From what they told us, it appeared that in 1972, the jotdars in this area, in order to evade the law and deprive the peasants who had been tilling the land for at least 2 or 3 generations, had distributed about 400 bighas of excess land to their own henchmen. However, in 2004, through the efforts of the Kisan Sabha, this was annulled and patta was granted to about 150 peasants who had been tillers of the soil for a long time. The peasants were emphatic in stating that only those having no agricultural land of their own and making their livelihood from the soil had thus been granted pattas in 2004. The allegation that some people had benefited from this latest land-distribution in spite of the fact that they possessed some land, has been disproved. Each family got at most about 2-3 bighas of land, which meant that apart from raising paddy on this land, for the rest of the year, they had to work as day-labourers to make ends meet. The leather complex in the vicinity provided some opportunity for work; but this was largely contractual work and not regular employment at the Complex itself. Such work fetched a daily wage of about Rs.130/-, which is higher than the rates received by agricultural workers, but much lower than the going rates sanctioned by the Central Govt. But even here, according to the peasants, the atmosphere has changed and Trinamul Congress strongmen under the leadership of Arabul, notorious for his role in the Vedic Village disturbances last year, have been calling the shots in recent times. The peasants referred to lumpenization of sections of young people as a result of illegal activities being carried on by these elements. Attempts at eviction had been made even after the Loksabha elections of 2009, but these were not successful. This time on, the disturbances started on 8 July, 2011. A huge procession led by outsiders entered the village and planted TMC flags on the patta land in the entire area. Similarly they planted their flags on rayoti land in Ushpara and ransacked shops belonging to CPI(M) supporters; they also ousted Adivasis like Bharat Munda, Nishi Munda, Kabiballav Munda and Sudo Sardar from their land. On 9 July, the peasants went to the police station (KLC) to lodge their complaint, but received no response. In fact, one of the women alleged that at that time Arabul was sitting inside the thana. On the other hand, after 23 July, false cases were lodged against 157 peasants in the entire Tardaha area. With the encouragement of some of the Kisan Sabha leaders in the area, however, the peasants decided that they would try to reclaim what was rightfully theirs; they were anxious that they would not be able to raise their yearly crops if they were unable to plant the seedlings in time. So on 23 July, under the leadership of Kisan Sabha, the peasants congregated in a huge procession in which women participated in large numbers; they entered their patta land, threw away the TMC flags and planted Kisan Sabha flags, thus taking possession of the land once again. But the tension continued; the peasants were prevented from tilling the soil with tractors with threats and the police and administration were still quite inert. A week later, the intruders were back. Some of them belonged to the same village, others had come from outside. The peasants of Sonatikuri mentioned one particular area (dag no. 815) consisting of about 36 bighas where conflict was particularly intense. Here, according to them, Left Front supporters had got patta on 24 bighas, while the rest of the land had been allotted to supporters of TMC. One elderly man named Anil Mandal said that when on the morning of 30 July, he saw about 300-400 TMC men coming in strength, he called all the women who were at home at that time and went with them to confront the TMC army. Urmila Mandal said that she was standing on the border of her family’s land which her husband was tilling when the family to whom the next plot of land belonged, both men and women, attacked her with bamboo rods and threw her on the ground. Another woman named Mina Mandal was about to be hit on the head and was rescued in the nick of time. While this conflict was going on, a large contingent arrived from the thana. A large number of men from both sides were then called to the thana. The women also accompanied them, but the latter complained that they were not allowed by the officers to sit inside the thana. Since they would not go home without their men, they then continued to wait on the road under the scorching sun. However, at this stage, as things were getting out of hand, the block administration intervened. They called both parties and eventually gave their verdict in favour of patta-holders. They said that those who had possession of the land after the annulment of the 1972 settlement must be allowed to till the land. Thus the tillers of the soil for generations have been able to hold on to their land for the time being through the intervention of the administration in the teeth of concerted attack. They were able to plant the paddy seedlings finally; but what they achieved through their unified struggle has now been largely destroyed through the inclemency of nature. Heavy rains have flooded their fields and the seedlings are now under water over a vast area comprising not less than 1200 bighas. They took us to see the fields now under a vast sheet of water with the green heads of the young rice-plants showing here and there. Nothing could be saved of the crop and since the Government had refrained from declaring a flood-situation in the State, they had little hope of receiving any compensation. They pointed out that had they been able to plant their seedlings in time, they would perhaps have been able to save some of their crops from the flood. They also showed us a place where a small bridge had been sanctioned and building materials had been brought, but which they are unable to construct because of TMC opposition. In consequence, people are having to wade across knee-deep water to reach their houses. In spite of this, the men and women who met us were in good spirit. They told us that they had been tilling this land for generations; they would rather die resisting than give up what was theirs by right. One woman, Sumati Koli, SHG leader in the area, said that they are constantly threatened and jeered at by TMC supporters who are their own neighbours; some such young men remarked that her sankha (sign of a married woman) would soon be broken by them. But she turned round on them and answered back because she knew that if she showed that she was afraid, they would only feel encouraged. In Sonatikuri, most of the peasants belonged to one of the most numerous scheduled castes in West Bengal, the poundrakshatriyas; the next spot we visited on the same day had an Adivasi settlement consisting of about 60-70 families. This village was called Harapur, Panchshotopara, under Kheadah-1 village panchayat within Sonarpur Block. The people here belong to the Munda community; while still retaining their language and some of their cultural practices, they are much embattled by the changing world around them and are being gradually absorbed into it. Apart from homestead land, they also have patta rights to some agricultural land; but the Metropolis being so near, the younger people often travel to Jadavpur and Bagha Jatin in search of supplementary livelihood and earn some money as day-labourers in construction work. Even the mud-house of the panchayat pradhan bears the mark of poverty; but all the children, including girls, go to school. At the time of our visit, the panchayat pradhan, Bikash Munda was not at home. But we managed to meet him later and obtained from him some details about the history of land relations in this Adivasi neighbourhood in the village to which he himself belonged. He told us that their community have been residents here for several generations and agriculture has been their main source of livelihood. In this panchayat area of Kheadah, the Mundas had been actively involved in the land struggle of 1967-69. He said that he has heard stories from his father of Kisan Sabha leaders coming and spending the night in the village and sharing their meagre fare of rice and boiled water-lily stalks. Nine and a-half bighas of agricultural land, which had belonged to two Adivasi brothers Rajan and Sajan, had been alienated, but through a long process of litigation, they got a court order restoring the land to them in 1972. However, on the same day as they got the order, they were forcibly made to surrender it by the opposite party, the family of one Shashibhushan Naskar. During Left Front regime, the land including the afore-mentioned nine and a-half bighas was declared vested and the right of the Adivasis to it was recorded although they had not got pattas on it as yet. But they had been regularly cultivating paddy, some vegetables and even flowers on the land and growing some fish in the inundated areas. After the Assembly elections, the erstwhile jotdars had started eyeing this land again, as it would be very profitable if bheris could be set up here. We visited Harapur to enquire into an incident that had taken place on 15 June, 2011 in connection with this land, as a consequence of which 28 year-old Moghai Munda died most tragically leaving behind a distraught mother and a young bride he had married only a couple of years back. 17 year-old Ajit Munda, Moghai’s cousin studying in Class XII, told us that on the day of the incident he had gone to put up a fence around a small plot of land belonging to him in which he had planted many trees. But a neighbour called Gopal Naskar, who had created trouble on earlier occasions and had told Ajit that he would get his dues once election results were over, appeared and tried to prevent him from doing his work. When Ajit protested, he pounced upon him and punched him so that he fell on the ground. Other members of Gopal’s family also started beating him. When his brother Robi Munda and his sisters-in-law Kakoli and Jhuma tried to save him, they were also attacked. All of them then retreated home. But soon after, Gopal Naskar, not satisfied with what he had already done, called up a large number of TMC goons, armed with bamboo rods and shovels, and raided the Munda settlement, specially targeting the 6 families who were immediate relatives of Ajit. Moghai, who had just returned from the field, tried to intervene and was set upon by the mob and beaten most brutally. He was thrown into a pond and attacked with sticks and shovels until he lost consciousness. According to his relatives, at this time he sustained kidney injury which later (28 July) caused his death. Apart from Moghai, three others were seriously injured, among them Sujata Munda who was hit on the head with a shovel. Moghai’s elderly mother, who pleaded with them, was forced to hitch up her sari and was threatened that a shovel would be thrust into her genitals if she interfered. All the family members ran away from their home in a state of shock, and Moghai was rescued by some other women in the neighbourhood. Moghai and the other three were taken to Chittaranjan Sebasadan in Kolkata for treatment. The women from the 6 households came back later in the day; but the men stayed away in fear of their lives. According to the women, bamboo rods had been kept in readiness at a doctor’s dispensary in the neighbourhood, which showed that the TMC goons were only waiting for a pretext to attack the Adivasi families. Around the same time, they also planted TMC flags on the land belonging to the Adivasis and made away with the fish in their ponds. Police came in the afternoon. When the women found that they were going away only after taking the statement of the Naskar family, they came forward and forced the police to take their statements as well and to have a look at the damage done to their houses. The police came back again at dead of night and abused them and said that it served them right for getting drunk and fighting among themselves. Both parties should be prepared to go to jail. Later the Munda families also went to the thana and lodged an FIR. Another FIR was lodged after Moghai’s death. But so far, no arrests have been made. On the contrary, the day after the incident, the Naskars lodged a complaint against Moghai and others for allegedly snatching ornaments of the women of the Naskar family, for which the Adivasis had to get bail. Post mortem examination of Moghai’s body was being denied; they succeeded in getting it done after much trouble. But the false story that the death was the result of quarrel within the Adivasi community, that it happened when the Adivasis were in an inebriated state and that no one else was involved, is being spread; even some newspapers have published this false story without any investigation, obviously to protect the miscreants. In the mean time, the Munda families are under constant threat; bombs are being thrown into their yard at night; abuses are being hurled at them; the girls are afraid of going to school. Interestingly, it is likely that Moghai’s family and relatives were TMC supporters, because when they were in Kolkata for Moghai’s treatment, they had gone to the Chief Minister’s residence at Kalighat and tried to meet her. They did eventually meet Mukul Roy, a Central Minister from TMC and he directed Firdausi Begum, the MLA of the area, to sort out the matter. Apparently, she even met them once; but the outcome was nil. She also seemed to be putting the same construction on the incident as the above-mentioned media. Of course, at the level where people like Moghai eke out their existence, it often does not make much sense to think that political affiliation is a fixity; categorisation as Left Front or TMC supporters is fragile; any shift in the situation may cause a fracture in the categories. But the significant fact is that in spite of the fulsome expressions of sympathy for the Adivasis who are some of the most deprived sections of society, when it comes to the crunch, TMC cadres and leaders have no compunction in leaving them helpless, even if the latter are their supporters. Malini Bhattacharya, Rama Das, Gairika Ghosh, Bhagabati Mandal, Mihir Bhattacharya PUNARNABA :A FORUM ____________________________________________ Best A. Mani -- A. Mani CU, ASL, CLC,  AMS, CMS http://www.logicamani.co.cc From rohitrellan at aol.in Wed Sep 14 18:50:16 2011 From: rohitrellan at aol.in (rohitrellan at aol.in) Date: Wed, 14 Sep 2011 09:20:16 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [Reader-list] NCPA Fresh Pix Series, Mumbai/NMDC Limited, Hyderabad invites EOI from Film makers/agencies to make a short documentary film / YouTube launches Partner Program in India Message-ID: <8CE40F82D507DDB-948-3E705@webmail-d065.sysops.aol.com> The NCPA Fresh Pix Series was started to create an audience for regional and indie cinema that often does not reach the lay audience, outside of the film festival circuit. This month, the featured films are: Kagojer Bou (The Paper Wife) Bengali film with English subtitles The Big Bollywood Struggle English documentary film The Last Irani Chai English documentary film View details of Day 1 here: http://www.ncpamumbai.com/ event/ncpa-fresh-pix-septe mber-2011 View details of Day 2 here: http://www.ncpamumbai.com/ event/ncpa-fresh-pix-septe mber-2011-0 Address Friday at 6:30pm - Saturday at 8:00pm Ncpa, Mumbai, India 400021, -------------------------------------------------- NMDC Limited,Hyderabad invites EOI from Film makers/agencies to make a short documentary film. For more info Log on to http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/S cripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Sou rce=Page&Skin=pastissues2&BaseHref=TOIM% 2F2011%2F09%2F07&PageLabel=16&ForceGif=t rue&EntityId=Ad01616&ViewMode=HTML ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ YouTube launches Partner Program in India YouTube officially launched its YouTube Partner Program in India yesterday. It's a means by which original video content creators can become content creators with YouTube and monetise their videos through advertising. Once a video creator has been accepted to the Partner Program, ads start appearing overlaid or next to the videos. Youtube then splits the revenue generated by those ads with the partner, with the majority of the share going to the partner. David Macdonald, head of YouTube content operations, Asia Pacific, said, "YouTube has been a great platform for Indian content as demonstrated by the successes of Indian Premier League and our Bollywood studio partners. Today we are opening up that very same platform to all media companies and original video content creators to help them monetise their content on the YouTube platform." The program has been in a silent launch phase since December 2010. Some of the top Indian business partners so far have been Indiavideo.org, Jay Hind, LehrenTV, IndiaTV, and 1TakeMedia. Hitendra Merchant, founder and chief executive officer of Yoboho New Media, the producers of the channel Desimad, said, "We are constantly trying our best to understand the YouTube broadcast platform. The partner program inspired us to first understand and respect the medium, create relevant channels and videos, increase our production, supply more videos to the new as well as the old channels, create more employment to video creators and reward them." For more details, visit http://www.youtube.com/creators/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From epk at xs4all.nl Thu Sep 15 05:01:07 2011 From: epk at xs4all.nl (Eric Kluitenberg) Date: Thu, 15 Sep 2011 01:31:07 +0200 Subject: [Reader-list] Media Squares: On the new forms of protest and their media, int. seminar, Friday September 30, Amsterdam Message-ID: Dear Reader-list members, This program, on Friday September 30th might be of interest to some of you. We will provide live streams of the event (and archive afterwards). Details of the live-stream will be announced - bit the general URL is www.debalie.nl/live Times indicated are CET. best wishes, Eric --------------------- A N N O U N C E M E N T Media Squares On the new forms of protest and their media Social protest has become almost inseparably linked to a plethora of media images and messages distributed via internet, mobile phones, social media, internet video platforms and of course traditional media outlets such as newspapers, radio and television. A popular category to have emerged recently is the 'twitter-revolution'. In almost all cases (Iran, Tunisia, Egypt, London) the role of the platform turned out to be less than essential in retrospect. Protests mostly manifested on the streets and particularly the public squares ('Take the Square'). Deeply rooted blogger-networks did however play a mayor role, preparing the protests that have now been dubbed the "Arabian Spring'. And internet played a crucial role in the organisation and co-ordination of the European 'anti-austerity' protests (Spain, Greece, UK, Italy). This international seminar brings together theorists, artists, designers, activists and media specialists to develop a critical analysis of the new forms of social protest and their media dimension. The program is divided into two blocks. The first block focuses on an in-depth analysis of the evolving WikiLeaks-saga, while the second block will examine the remarkable string of protests in the Mediterranean region. These discussions will be interrupted at times by startling artistic interventions in current social and political debates. Participants in the program are: Daniel van der Velden (Metahaven), Geert Lovink (Institute of Network Cultures, INC), Aalam Wassef (Ahmad Sherif), Omar Robert Hamilton (Mosireen / Tahrir Cinema, Cairo) Nat Muller (independent curator), David Garcia (Chelsea College), Jodi Dean (Hobart and William Smith Colleges / Blog Theory), X.net Democracia Real Ya - Barcelona, Gahlia Elsrakbi (Foundland), Nadia Plesner (Darfurnica), Florian Conradi and Michelle Christensen (stateless plug-in), Sami Ben Gharbia (Global Voices - tbc). The seminar is part of an on-going research into Tactical Media, the fusion of art, media, politics and cultural activism, centred around the "Tactical Media Files", an on-line documentation resource of Tactical Media practices world-wide. [ www.tacticalmediafiles.net ] Doors open: 10.00 Start Program: 10.30 uur End Program: 17.00 uur Program Overview: 10.30 - Opening / Introduction: Eric Kluitenberg (Tactical Media Files / De Balie) Part I - Repositioning WikiLeaks 11.00 - 11.20 - Presentation: Daniel van der Velden (Metahaven) 11.20 - 11.30 - Responses 11.30 - 11.45 - Discussion 11.45 - 12.05 - Geert Lovink (Institute of Network Cultures) 12.05 - 12.15 - Responses 12.15 - 12.30 - Discussion Respondents: Jodi Dean (Hobart and William Smith Colleges / Blog Theory), David Garcia (Chelsea College of Art & Design) 12.30 - 12.45 - Artist presentation: Nadia Plesner - Darfurnica 13.00 - 14.00 - Lunch break Part II - Revolution in the Mediterranean 14.00 - 14.20 - Presentation: Aalam Wassef (Ahmad Sherif) 14.20 - 14.30 - Responses 14.30 - 14.45 - Discussion 14.45 - 15.05 - Presentation: Omar Robert Hamilton (Mosireen / Tahrir Cinema) 15.05 - 15.15 - Responses 15.15 - 15.30 - Discussion Respondents: Ghalia Elsrakbi (Foundland), Nat Muller (Independent Curator), Sami Ben Gharbia (Global Voices - tbc) 15.30 - 15.45 - Artist Presentation: Florian Conradi and Michelle Christensen (stateless plug-in) 15.45 - 16.00 - Coffee break 16.00 - 16.20 - Skype session with X.net Democracia Real Ya, Barcelona 16.10 - 16.10 - Responses 16.25 - 17.00 - Closing Discussion Location: De Balie Kleine Gartmanplantsoen 10 Amsterdam Admission: 5 euro (no reductions) http://debalie.activetickets.com/ProgrammaDetail.aspx?id=24170 Links: Tactical Media Files: www.tacticalmediafiles.net Tahrir Cinema: www.cinerevolutionnow.com/2011/07/tahrir-cinema.html Mosireen: http://mosireen.org Take the Square: http://takethesquare.net Democracia real Ya!: www.democraciarealya.es/manifiesto-comun/manifesto-english/ stateless plug-in: http://statelessplugin.net Nadia Plesner - Darfurnica: www.nadiaplesner.com/Website/darfurnica.php From kiccovich at yahoo.com Thu Sep 15 20:14:12 2011 From: kiccovich at yahoo.com (francesca recchia) Date: Thu, 15 Sep 2011 07:44:12 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [Reader-list] Invite to Beyond Walls - An evening of poetry and storytelling @ Alliance Francaise De Bangalore on 17th September In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <1316097852.43653.YahooMailNeo@web113204.mail.gq1.yahoo.com> >Dear All, > > > >maraa in collaboration with Alliance Francaise de Bangalore cordially invites you to: > > >Beyond Walls - An evening of poetry and storytelling >Come and share poems and stories  >that resonate with the themes of conflict, trust, refuge and borders >that are your own or by your favorite writers > >We hope to see you on Saturday 17th September5.00 - 7:30 pm >Dance Studio, Alliance Française de Bangalore > > > > >Before and After Walls is part of a series of events that are being organised by maraa as a parallel to the photo exhibition Walls between people being hosted by Alliance Française de Bangalore. These  events will attempt to involve the public in a reflection on the political, physical and metaphorical dimension of walls and conflict. All three events are based on participation and interaction and intend to create an informal space of exchange and conversation.  > > >For details please mail us at : info at maraa.in  >or call us on 8105675350 > > >Thanks > > >maraa > > > > From itsnishant at gmail.com Thu Sep 15 21:51:53 2011 From: itsnishant at gmail.com (Nishant Shah) Date: Thu, 15 Sep 2011 18:21:53 +0200 Subject: [Reader-list] Digital AlterNatives with a Cause? - out for digital download now Message-ID: Dear All, I have been posting intermittently over the last couple of years, about the research we have been doing, looking at youth-technology-change questions in emerging ICT contexts of the Global South. The knowledge from the research inquiry is consolidated in a 4 volume collective titled "Digital AlterNatives with a Cause?" now available for a free download from http://cis-india.org/digital-natives/blog/dnbook I am sure this will be of interest to many on the group. Do feel free to spread the word and share the book and links with others who you think might be interested in it. As usual, I look forward to comments, questions, suggestions and conversations that these books hope to open up. Warmly Nishant -- Nishant Shah Director (Research), Centre for Internet and Society,( www.cis-india.org ) Asia Awards Fellow, 2008-09 # 00-91-9740074884 http://www.facebook.com/nishant.shah http://cis-india.academia.edu/NishantShah From pradeepcheri2007 at gmail.com Fri Sep 16 13:32:26 2011 From: pradeepcheri2007 at gmail.com (pradeep shetty) Date: Fri, 16 Sep 2011 13:32:26 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] anti corruption movement in india a different view In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: *THIS IS RUBBISH PLS DO NOT SEND SUCH MAILS . IF YOU CANNOT DO GOOD TO THIS COUNTRY KEEP QUITE. BUT KINDLY DO NOT MAKE NEGATIVE PROPAGANDA ON SRI ANNA HAZARE MOVEMENT.HE IS ALSO DOING GOOD TO YOU TOO.* On Fri, Sep 2, 2011 at 12:16 PM, asit das wrote: > Manufacturing Dissent, Making Mahatmas: Manu, Market, Media > And The Anti-Corruption Sham > > *By Democratic Students' Union (DSU) * > > *All historical struggles, whether they occur in the political, religious, > philosophical or some other ideological domain, * > *are in fact only the more or less clear expression of the struggles of > social classes – Engels * > > > *When two events occur in the same space and time, more often than not, > there is a correlation between the two. *On the one hand the Indian Army, > paramilitary and police forces — acting so plainly and clearly on behalf of > the Indian ruling classes and multinational corporations—which continue to > mount a war on the people of central and eastern India in order to > facilitate a naked appropriation of the region's resources is given > marching > orders to fight the most dispossessed yet resilient masses. Then there are > 80% of the country's population forced to eke out a living on a mere Rs.20 > per day and over half of the children suffer from the permanent > malnourishment because of the genocidal famine conditions their families > have been placed under; land acquisition of a mammoth scale affects > millions > of people whose sole means of livelihood is being alienated from them; > thousands of small peasants are forced to find ‘escape' from an endemic > agrarian crisis by committing suicide; over 2700 bodies of Kashmiris > murdered by the Indian army once again reveals a Kashmir under occupation > by > India and the crushing of its struggle for national liberation—to name but > a > few instances revealing the brutal and systemic exploitation, oppression > and > occupation. And people are waging resilient struggles in many parts of the > country against the ruling classes. On the other hand a base, distasteful > drama is unfolding in front of us—the drama of an ‘anti-corruption drive', > which is supposed to serve India a ‘second independence'. Needless to say, > although this latter ‘struggle' seldom refers to the first set of > struggles, > events and phenomena, there is so simple a connection between the two that > the silence over the relation between the two sets is nothing but > deliberate. > > *The ‘Second freedom struggle' is nothing but an attempt of the ruling > classes to consolidate themselves. *The Indian ruling classes today face an > immense crisis, and are finding it increasingly difficult to sustain the > mask of ‘world's largest democracy'. Given the onslaught on the people and > their livelihood—through the acquisition of resources such as land, forests > and other means of livelihood; the steep price rise of basic commodities; > the privatisation of health, transport, water, electricity and education — > the state faces the resistance of militant peoples' movements. And > everywhere, the state is responding to this discontent and resistance with > brute force. In addition to this central crisis, the ruling classes were > reeling under the exposure of a series of scams such as 2G, Commonwealth > Games, Adarsh Housing, etc. involving unimaginable amounts of money. It is > precisely these circumstances that have given rise to an ‘anti-corruption > drive' led by the so-called civil society and made it possible for the > corporate media to project a reactionary like Anna Hazare as a hero in the > eyes of the urban middle classes. Sweeping under the carpet more urgent > structural issues affecting the vast majority of people and their very > survival, ‘Team Anna' has projected corruption as the central issue > plaguing > Indian society. The anti-corruption drive and the Jan Lokpal have been > likewise offered as the solution to all the problems. By seeking a solution > within the existing system and by demanding a more coercive institution > within it to check ‘corruption', the Anna Hazare-led mobilisation has > appeared in the political scene as a much-needed respite to the > crisis-ridden ruling classes. This ‘second freedom struggle' led by ‘Team > Anna' is nothing but the mobilisation of a section of the ruling classes > aiming to rid themselves of the deep contradictions and the crises that > threaten them to sweep off their feet. Through a draconian bill > (government's Lokpal bill and the ‘Jan' Lokpal bill are the two sides of > the > same coin), the ruling classes are aiming for further centralisation of > authority. No legislation can provide an answer to the deep-seated > exploitative structures of the society and the social relations which are > the root cause of so-called corruption. > > *Corruption: A Mere Symptom of Structural Exploitation and Oppression. > *Through > its exclusive focus on corruption, 'Team Anna' in effect blinds us to the > system where wealth created by peasants and workers is appropriated by the > ruling classes. No doubt, a bribe running into crores is mind-boggling. > Yet, > we are asked to ignore a simple fact—the amount of wealth appropriated by > the corporations in the first place, which enables them to provide bribes > of > such an amount. Corruption itself is not a new phenomenon in India; it has > been endemic to the exploitative and oppressive semi-feudal semi-colonial > system which concentrates wealth and power in the hands of a few. But just > as imperialist globalization has heightened the exploitation of the masses, > resulted in the intensified feudal appropriation of the rural labouring > people, massive corporate loot of resources, the selling of the country's > land and other natural resources at ridiculously low prices to corporate > houses already reaping benefits in the form of tax holidays, the scale and > intensity of corruption has also increased in proportion. A disease cannot > be cured by suppressing its symptoms; rather, the symptom subsides only > when > the disease is cured. Similarly, corruption will only disappear with the > revolutionary transformation of society. > > *A Special Drama, its Sponsorship and Mobilisation: *Corporate Funding and > RSS Backing of the Anti-Corruption Drive. That the anti-corruption drive is > a diversionary tactic of the ruling classes is clear not only from its > programme and its goals, but also from its funding. It was clear from its > very inception that this drama is funded by the corporations and business > houses –Ambanis, Tatas, Jindals to real-estate developers – that are > involved in the most massive of scams. It is now also public knowledge that > among the list of sponsors funding the key figures of this drama are the > likes of Lehman Brothers and Ford Foundation. Hazare claims to have the > full > support of army and the police: the two most corrupt institutions of the > country. Moreover, the chief engineer of this Gandhian and so-called > non-violent mobilisation is the fascist RSS. The same fascist force that > killed thousands of Muslims in the Gujarat pogrom, massacred Christians in > Kandhamal, and organised the Samjhauta Express, Mecca Masjid, Malegoan and > Ajmer Sharif blasts is now mobilising for this ‘peaceful' second freedom > struggle. As usual, the rhetoric of nation and nationalism is deployed to > serve the interests of the ruling classes. The imagery, the slogans, the > objectives of the movement are all brazenly replete with right-wing > ideology > which are proudly casteist and communal. The lead actors of this drama have > notorious histories of being anti-reservation and pro-sangh parivar. The > corporate media is therefore comfortable in exalting this movement with its > ceaseless hyperbole. They have projected this movement as ‘unprecedented > mass movement'. Last time it was the anti-reservation reactionary movement > which had caught its attention. When huge masses had hit the streets of > Kashmir demanding azadi, or in Lalgarh, Odisha, Chhatisgrah against > corporate loot, the media remained silent. > > *AISA/CPI(ML) Liberation: The cheerleaders of ‘Team Anna' *. As far as > AISA-Liberation is concerned, history is repeating itself, but this time as > a farce. AISA was formed in the context of the anti-Mandal agitation—not as > a progressive force in support of reservations, but using all the tricks in > the book to oppose the Mandal recommendations through a sleight of hand. > Liberation's Vinod Mishra, who opened up the portal through which the party > forever exited its role as a communist vanguard, and instead became a > trickster serving the ruling classes, went to extent of stating at the > juncture of AISA's unholy birth that ‘just as we do not approve of those > politicians who want to take revenge on the present-day progeny of Babar, > we > also reject those theoreticians who would punish the present-day offsprings > of Manu for the crimes of their ancestors'. This is evidence not only of > the > party's characteristic double-speak, but is also blatantly right-wing — in > short, Muslims are being called ‘Babar ke aulad'; reservations are seen as > crimes against ‘upper'-castes; and the caste system itself is projected as > a > crime that occurred only in the past. Thus, while AISA in fact rode on the > crest of the anti-Mandal mobilisation to consolidate itself in > campus-spaces > in pockets of north India, it is trying desperately to repeat its ‘success' > formula — this time, by wedding itself to this RSS engineered and corporate > funded anti-corruption drive of ‘Team Anna'. Indeed, they cry foul of the > ‘undemocratic' Annas for not allowing them enough space to participate! > Although in JNU they have maintained a crafty silence on Anna Hazare till > now, the degeneration of AISA became blatant when on 16th August, they > joined hands with ABVP in Delhi University's north campus in a ‘spontaneous > protest' against Anna Hazare's detention, shouting together ‘patriotic' > slogans like ‘Vande Mataram' and ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai'!. When they filled > the > walls of DU with anti-corruption slogans, these were all appropriated by > ABVP by a simple brushstroke — in each case, by simply replacing AISA's > insignia with its own. The justification put forward by Liberation/AISA and > some ‘enlightened' intellectuals for joining the cacophony of ‘I am Anna' > is > to save it from RSS and to replace ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai' with ‘Inquilab > Zindabad'! Social-democrats of Germany also gave similar justifications for > allying with the Nazis which ultimately helped the rise of Hitler and the > crushing of the German revolution. The convergence of the communal-fascists > and the ‘Marxist-Leninists'/civil-society/NGOs therefore speak volumes not > only of AISA /Liberation's political bankruptcy, but is also a wake-up call > for the progressive, democratic and revolutionary forces to prepare for a > new phase of battle. > > *Hazare is a convenient blindfold for the middle classes. *Many of the > people who are out on the streets now, genuinely want an end to the brazen > corruption and the scams. But Hazare and his team have been entrusted not > to > raise the real questions but to shroud the real struggles. The end to > corruption can only take place when the current economic policies are > repealed, when the MoUs signed with various corporate giants are scrapped. > And the Indian state, a loyal lapdog of imperialism will never change its > policies on its own. To end corruption, the corrupt system needs to be > overhauled. And that is what the revolutionary armed movement which is > spreading like prairie fire across the country is fighting for. It is the > resilient struggle of the revolutionary masses and not the > corporate-funded, > RSS-backed and media-hyped theatrics that will resolve the burning problems > afflicting the people of this country. > > *Democratic Students' Union* (DSU) is an independent students' organisation > active in JNU and Delhi University in the state of Delhi. It is a > constituent of the All India Revolutionary Students' Federation (AIRSF), > and > works towards attaining the ideals of the New Democratic Revolution. > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> -- *Thanks and Regards, Pradeep.Shetty* From asit1917 at gmail.com Fri Sep 16 14:10:06 2011 From: asit1917 at gmail.com (asit das) Date: Fri, 16 Sep 2011 14:10:06 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Memorandum to the Prime Minister on the issue of Gangrape of a deaf and dumb woman in Assam Message-ID: *Please endorse and forward it to others* To Dr. Man Mohan Singh Prime Minister Government of India Dear Dr. Singh, On 10th September 2011 Shrimati Deovari Basumatary wife of Amal Basumatary of village No 1 Sonapur under Bismuri Police station in the Kokrajhar District of Assam was gang raped by SSB jawans in the night of 10th September. It is extremely shocking that Shrimati Deobari Basumatary who is both deaf and dumb was raped in front of her husband; we hope you could understand the magnitude of this bestiality. This act also pales the stories of medieval barbarism. All these happen in the din of India being the world’s largest democracy and an emerging economic power house. This incident exposes the criminality and insensivity of the armedforces, the political executive and the degeneration of India’s state apparatus year after the brutal rape and Murder of Monarama devi which created an National and International outcry the woman in North East were outraged that shocking the conscience demonstrated naked before the army headquarters. The killing machines of the arm forces in the north east were neither ashamed nor shocked. "Indian civilization* *has been degraded to abysmal depths by the atrocious behaviour of the Armed forces in the north east under the protection of Armed forces special powers Act, against the protest against this Act by the people of the region." We demand immediate arrest of the SSB Jawans booked for tape and tried in a fast track court. And repeal the armed forces special power act in Kashmir and North East. Anjali Daimari President BODO Womens’s Forum, Assam Amit Chackrabarty Research Scholar JNU Nayan Jyoti Krantikari Naujawan Sabha Vijay Pratap Socialist Front Willyfried De costa INSAF P.K. Sundaram CNDP Faisal Khan NAPM Kiran Shaeen Journalist, Delhi Subhasini Shriya Student, Center for Political Studies, JNU Asit Das Posco Pratirodh Solidarity, Delhi Laxman Singh Research Scholar, Jamia Milia Islamia, Delhi Sachidanand Mishra Independent Film Maker, Delhi Prakash Kumar Ray Editor, Bargad.org (Please send your endorsement to asit1917 at gmail.com) From gana at iinet.net.au Fri Sep 16 19:41:28 2011 From: gana at iinet.net.au (Gianni) Date: Sat, 17 Sep 2011 00:11:28 +1000 Subject: [Reader-list] anti corruption movement in india a different view In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Sounds like DSU are telling it how it is. The truth is there is huge divide. Gianni gana at iinet.net.au On 16/09/2011, at 6:02 PM, pradeep shetty wrote: > *THIS IS RUBBISH PLS DO NOT SEND SUCH MAILS . IF YOU CANNOT DO GOOD TO THIS > COUNTRY KEEP QUITE. BUT KINDLY DO NOT MAKE NEGATIVE PROPAGANDA ON SRI ANNA > HAZARE MOVEMENT.HE IS ALSO DOING GOOD TO YOU TOO.* > > On Fri, Sep 2, 2011 at 12:16 PM, asit das wrote: > >> Manufacturing Dissent, Making Mahatmas: Manu, Market, Media >> And The Anti-Corruption Sham >> >> *By Democratic Students' Union (DSU) * >> >> *All historical struggles, whether they occur in the political, religious, >> philosophical or some other ideological domain, * >> *are in fact only the more or less clear expression of the struggles of >> social classes – Engels * >> >> >> *When two events occur in the same space and time, more often than not, >> there is a correlation between the two. *On the one hand the Indian Army, >> paramilitary and police forces — acting so plainly and clearly on behalf of >> the Indian ruling classes and multinational corporations—which continue to >> mount a war on the people of central and eastern India in order to >> facilitate a naked appropriation of the region's resources is given >> marching >> orders to fight the most dispossessed yet resilient masses. Then there are >> 80% of the country's population forced to eke out a living on a mere Rs.20 >> per day and over half of the children suffer from the permanent >> malnourishment because of the genocidal famine conditions their families >> have been placed under; land acquisition of a mammoth scale affects >> millions >> of people whose sole means of livelihood is being alienated from them; >> thousands of small peasants are forced to find ‘escape' from an endemic >> agrarian crisis by committing suicide; over 2700 bodies of Kashmiris >> murdered by the Indian army once again reveals a Kashmir under occupation >> by >> India and the crushing of its struggle for national liberation—to name but >> a >> few instances revealing the brutal and systemic exploitation, oppression >> and >> occupation. And people are waging resilient struggles in many parts of the >> country against the ruling classes. On the other hand a base, distasteful >> drama is unfolding in front of us—the drama of an ‘anti-corruption drive', >> which is supposed to serve India a ‘second independence'. Needless to say, >> although this From lalitambardar at hotmail.com Fri Sep 16 19:48:01 2011 From: lalitambardar at hotmail.com (Lalit Ambardar) Date: Fri, 16 Sep 2011 14:18:01 +0000 Subject: [Reader-list] Memorandum to the Prime Minister on the issue of Gangrape of a deaf and dumb woman in Assam In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Those responsible for this kind of savagery deserve to be apprehended,tried & hanged. While the concerns about misuse of AFSPA need to be addressed it is more urgent to campaign against the prevailing regressive forces that invite harsh administrative measures like AFSPA. Kashmir boasted near zero crime rate & there was hardly even routine policing visible anywhere in the valley till Pak sponsored anti India jihad was launched by foreign mercenaries in collaboration with the local Kashmiri jihadists at the behest of their Pak masters in 1989-90 Pre 1989-90 Kashmiri Islamists' anti India ranting was generally confined to Friday congregations & any occasional spillover on the streets was controlled by lathi weilding policemen or in worst .303 armed JKAP would be deployed & in rare situations PAP from neighbouring Punjab. How is a sovereign nation expected to counter AK-47/ rocket launcher & other sophisticated weapons welding hardened terrorists ? (pls read about pan Islamism inspired terror unleashed in Kashmir .. ..“Ham Jashn-e-Kabul mana chukay, ab aao chalo Kashmir chalain” /We have celebrated our victory in Kabul, Let’s go to Kashmir/ http://www.dawn.com/2011/06/07/death-of-a-quintessential-jihadi.html ) Difficult situations do demand difficult measures.Let us not forget about the sacrifices by the security men in combating the menace of anti nationals.Let us also remember that Kashmiri Hindu Pandits who were subjected to brutal ethnic cleansing in the valley of their origin continue to languish as refugees in their own country.Let us also care for those Muslims in Kashmiri whose voices are stifled due to religious blackmail & fear.Rgds allLA----------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Date: Fri, 16 Sep 2011 14:10:06 +0530 > From: asit1917 at gmail.com > To: reader-list at sarai.net > Subject: [Reader-list] Memorandum to the Prime Minister on the issue of Gangrape of a deaf and dumb woman in Assam > > *Please endorse and forward it to others* > > > > > > To > > > > Dr. Man Mohan Singh > > > > Prime Minister > > Government of India > > > > Dear Dr. Singh, > > > > > > On 10th September 2011 Shrimati Deovari Basumatary wife of Amal Basumatary > of village No 1 Sonapur under Bismuri Police station in the Kokrajhar > District of Assam was gang raped by SSB jawans in the night of 10th > September. > > > > It is extremely shocking that Shrimati Deobari Basumatary who is both deaf > and dumb was raped in front of her husband; we hope you could understand the > magnitude of this bestiality. This act also pales the stories of medieval > barbarism. > > > > All these happen in the din of India being the world’s largest democracy and > an emerging economic power house. > > > > This incident exposes the criminality and insensivity of the armedforces, > the political executive and the degeneration of India’s state apparatus year > after the brutal rape and Murder of Monarama devi which created an National > and International outcry the woman in North East were outraged that shocking > the conscience demonstrated naked before the army headquarters. The killing > machines of the arm forces in the north east were neither ashamed nor > shocked. > > > > "Indian civilization* *has been degraded to abysmal depths by the atrocious > behaviour of the Armed forces in the north east under the protection of > Armed forces special powers Act, against the protest against this Act by the > people of the region." > > > > We demand immediate arrest of the SSB Jawans booked for tape and tried in a > fast track court. And repeal the armed forces special power act in Kashmir > and North East. > > > > Anjali Daimari President BODO Womens’s Forum, Assam > > > > Amit Chackrabarty Research Scholar JNU > > > > Nayan Jyoti Krantikari Naujawan Sabha > > > > Vijay Pratap Socialist Front > > > > Willyfried De costa INSAF > > > > P.K. Sundaram CNDP > > > > Faisal Khan NAPM > > > > Kiran Shaeen Journalist, Delhi > > > > Subhasini Shriya Student, Center for Political Studies, JNU > > > > Asit Das Posco Pratirodh Solidarity, Delhi > > > > Laxman Singh Research Scholar, Jamia Milia Islamia, Delhi > > > > Sachidanand Mishra Independent Film Maker, Delhi > > > > Prakash Kumar Ray Editor, Bargad.org > > > > > > (Please send your endorsement to asit1917 at gmail.com) > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> From lalitambardar at hotmail.com Fri Sep 16 20:19:07 2011 From: lalitambardar at hotmail.com (Lalit Ambardar) Date: Fri, 16 Sep 2011 14:49:07 +0000 Subject: [Reader-list] anti corruption movement in india a different view In-Reply-To: References: , , Message-ID: Phew! Resilient struggle in Kashmir against ruling class is lead by well fed moon-lighting media savvy moolvys & terror commnders masquerading as politicians(makeover facilitated by self acclaimed liberals who also double as propagandists of the proponents of 'azadi- bara- e- Islam'/freedom for Islam in Kashmir ).Poor Engels mus be turning in his grave......"And people are waging resilient struggles in many parts of the country against the ruling classes".....(“Ham Jashn-e-Kabul mana chukay, ab aao chalo Kashmir chalain” /We have celebrated our victory in Kabul, Let’s go to Kashmir/http://www.dawn.com/2011/06/07/death-of-a-quintessential-jihadi.html) (“Kashmir without a soul” /Dawn /Oct.23, 2009/ Kuldip Nayar/ http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/editorial/kashmir-without-a-soul-309 ) Rgds all LAps: one can understand aversion of compulsive anarchists to Vande Matram inspiring anti corruption campaign,but let it not be ignored it is incentive oriented graft that drives rampant exploitation of masses. ------------------------------------------------------- > From: gana at iinet.net.au > Date: Sat, 17 Sep 2011 00:11:28 +1000 > To: pradeepcheri2007 at gmail.com > CC: reader-list at sarai.net; asit1917 at gmail.com > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] anti corruption movement in india a different view > > Sounds like DSU are telling it how it is. The truth is there is huge divide. > > Gianni > gana at iinet.net.au > > On 16/09/2011, at 6:02 PM, pradeep shetty wrote: > > > *THIS IS RUBBISH PLS DO NOT SEND SUCH MAILS . IF YOU CANNOT DO GOOD TO THIS > > COUNTRY KEEP QUITE. BUT KINDLY DO NOT MAKE NEGATIVE PROPAGANDA ON SRI ANNA > > HAZARE MOVEMENT.HE IS ALSO DOING GOOD TO YOU TOO.* > > > > On Fri, Sep 2, 2011 at 12:16 PM, asit das wrote: > > > >> Manufacturing Dissent, Making Mahatmas: Manu, Market, Media > >> And The Anti-Corruption Sham > >> > >> *By Democratic Students' Union (DSU) * > >> > >> *All historical struggles, whether they occur in the political, religious, > >> philosophical or some other ideological domain, * > >> *are in fact only the more or less clear expression of the struggles of > >> social classes – Engels * > >> > >> > >> *When two events occur in the same space and time, more often than not, > >> there is a correlation between the two. *On the one hand the Indian Army, > >> paramilitary and police forces — acting so plainly and clearly on behalf of > >> the Indian ruling classes and multinational corporations—which continue to > >> mount a war on the people of central and eastern India in order to > >> facilitate a naked appropriation of the region's resources is given > >> marching > >> orders to fight the most dispossessed yet resilient masses. Then there are > >> 80% of the country's population forced to eke out a living on a mere Rs.20 > >> per day and over half of the children suffer from the permanent > >> malnourishment because of the genocidal famine conditions their families > >> have been placed under; land acquisition of a mammoth scale affects > >> millions > >> of people whose sole means of livelihood is being alienated from them; > >> thousands of small peasants are forced to find ‘escape' from an endemic > >> agrarian crisis by committing suicide; over 2700 bodies of Kashmiris > >> murdered by the Indian army once again reveals a Kashmir under occupation > >> by > >> India and the crushing of its struggle for national liberation—to name but > >> a > >> few instances revealing the brutal and systemic exploitation, oppression > >> and > >> occupation. And people are waging resilient struggles in many parts of the > >> country against the ruling classes. On the other hand a base, distasteful > >> drama is unfolding in front of us—the drama of an ‘anti-corruption drive', > >> which is supposed to serve India a ‘second independence'. Needless to say, > >> although this > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> From c.anupam at gmail.com Sat Sep 17 10:10:49 2011 From: c.anupam at gmail.com (anupam chakravartty) Date: Sat, 17 Sep 2011 10:10:49 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Memorandum to the Prime Minister on the issue of Gangrape of a deaf and dumb woman in Assam In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: "Those responsible for this kind of savagery deserve to be apprehended,tried & hanged. While the concerns about misuse of AFSPA need to be addressed it is more urgent to campaign against the prevailing regressive forces that invite harsh administrative measures like AFSPA." Here is a step by step procedure to address savagery according to Indian state. Savagery ----> Apprehension -----> Discontentment ----->Regression ----->Repression("harsh administrative measures") ---> SAVAGERY Your analysis of this heinous crime was incomplete. I am just completing for you. have a good day On Fri, Sep 16, 2011 at 7:48 PM, Lalit Ambardar wrote: > > Those responsible for this kind of savagery deserve to be > apprehended,tried & hanged. > While the concerns about misuse of AFSPA need to be addressed it is more > urgent to campaign against the prevailing regressive forces that invite > harsh administrative measures like AFSPA. > Kashmir boasted near zero crime rate & there was hardly even routine > policing visible anywhere in the valley till Pak sponsored anti India > jihad was launched by foreign mercenaries in collaboration with the local > Kashmiri jihadists at the behest of their Pak masters in 1989-90 > Pre 1989-90 Kashmiri Islamists' anti India ranting was generally confined > to Friday congregations & any occasional spillover on the streets was > controlled by lathi weilding policemen or in worst .303 armed JKAP would be > deployed & in rare situations PAP from neighbouring Punjab. > How is a sovereign nation expected to counter AK-47/ rocket launcher & > other sophisticated weapons welding hardened terrorists ? > (pls read about pan Islamism inspired terror unleashed in Kashmir .. ..“Ham > Jashn-e-Kabul mana chukay, ab aao chalo Kashmir chalain” /We have > celebrated > our victory in Kabul, Let’s go to Kashmir/ > > > http://www.dawn.com/2011/06/07/death-of-a-quintessential-jihadi.html ) > > Difficult situations do demand difficult measures.Let us not forget about > the sacrifices by the security men in combating the menace of anti > nationals.Let us also remember that Kashmiri Hindu Pandits who were > subjected to brutal ethnic cleansing in the valley of their origin continue > to languish as refugees in their own country.Let us also care for those > Muslims in Kashmiri whose voices are stifled due to religious blackmail & > fear.Rgds > allLA----------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > > > Date: Fri, 16 Sep 2011 14:10:06 +0530 > > From: asit1917 at gmail.com > > To: reader-list at sarai.net > > Subject: [Reader-list] Memorandum to the Prime Minister on the issue of > Gangrape of a deaf and dumb woman in Assam > > > > *Please endorse and forward it to others* > > > > > > > > > > > > To > > > > > > > > Dr. Man Mohan Singh > > > > > > > > Prime Minister > > > > Government of India > > > > > > > > Dear Dr. Singh, > > > > > > > > > > > > On 10th September 2011 Shrimati Deovari Basumatary wife of Amal > Basumatary > > of village No 1 Sonapur under Bismuri Police station in the Kokrajhar > > District of Assam was gang raped by SSB jawans in the night of 10th > > September. > > > > > > > > It is extremely shocking that Shrimati Deobari Basumatary who is both > deaf > > and dumb was raped in front of her husband; we hope you could understand > the > > magnitude of this bestiality. This act also pales the stories of medieval > > barbarism. > > > > > > > > All these happen in the din of India being the world’s largest democracy > and > > an emerging economic power house. > > > > > > > > This incident exposes the criminality and insensivity of the armedforces, > > the political executive and the degeneration of India’s state apparatus > year > > after the brutal rape and Murder of Monarama devi which created an > National > > and International outcry the woman in North East were outraged that > shocking > > the conscience demonstrated naked before the army headquarters. The > killing > > machines of the arm forces in the north east were neither ashamed nor > > shocked. > > > > > > > > "Indian civilization* *has been degraded to abysmal depths by the > atrocious > > behaviour of the Armed forces in the north east under the protection of > > Armed forces special powers Act, against the protest against this Act by > the > > people of the region." > > > > > > > > We demand immediate arrest of the SSB Jawans booked for tape and tried in > a > > fast track court. And repeal the armed forces special power act in > Kashmir > > and North East. > > > > > > > > Anjali Daimari President BODO Womens’s Forum, Assam > > > > > > > > Amit Chackrabarty Research Scholar JNU > > > > > > > > Nayan Jyoti Krantikari Naujawan Sabha > > > > > > > > Vijay Pratap Socialist Front > > > > > > > > Willyfried De costa INSAF > > > > > > > > P.K. Sundaram CNDP > > > > > > > > Faisal Khan NAPM > > > > > > > > Kiran Shaeen Journalist, Delhi > > > > > > > > Subhasini Shriya Student, Center for Political Studies, JNU > > > > > > > > Asit Das Posco Pratirodh Solidarity, Delhi > > > > > > > > Laxman Singh Research Scholar, Jamia Milia Islamia, Delhi > > > > > > > > Sachidanand Mishra Independent Film Maker, Delhi > > > > > > > > Prakash Kumar Ray Editor, Bargad.org > > > > > > > > > > > > (Please send your endorsement to asit1917 at gmail.com) > > _________________________________________ > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > > Critiques & Collaborations > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > subscribe in the subject header. > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > List archive: > > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: From lalitambardar at hotmail.com Sat Sep 17 14:11:42 2011 From: lalitambardar at hotmail.com (Lalit Ambardar) Date: Sat, 17 Sep 2011 08:41:42 +0000 Subject: [Reader-list] Memorandum to the Prime Minister on the issue of Gangrape of a deaf and dumb woman in Assam In-Reply-To: References: , , Message-ID: So Pak's Kashmir jihad is endorsed.Not surprising though.rgds allLA------------------------------------ Date: Sat, 17 Sep 2011 10:10:49 +0530 Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Memorandum to the Prime Minister on the issue of Gangrape of a deaf and dumb woman in Assam From: c.anupam at gmail.com To: lalitambardar at hotmail.com; reader-list at sarai.net "Those responsible for this kind of savagery deserve to be apprehended,tried & hanged. While the concerns about misuse of AFSPA need to be addressed it is more urgent to campaign against the prevailing regressive forces that invite harsh administrative measures like AFSPA." Here is a step by step procedure to address savagery according to Indian state. Savagery ----> Apprehension -----> Discontentment ----->Regression ----->Repression("harsh administrative measures") ---> SAVAGERY Your analysis of this heinous crime was incomplete. I am just completing for you. have a good day On Fri, Sep 16, 2011 at 7:48 PM, Lalit Ambardar wrote: Those responsible for this kind of savagery deserve to be apprehended,tried & hanged. While the concerns about misuse of AFSPA need to be addressed it is more urgent to campaign against the prevailing regressive forces that invite harsh administrative measures like AFSPA. Kashmir boasted near zero crime rate & there was hardly even routine policing visible anywhere in the valley till Pak sponsored anti India jihad was launched by foreign mercenaries in collaboration with the local Kashmiri jihadists at the behest of their Pak masters in 1989-90 Pre 1989-90 Kashmiri Islamists' anti India ranting was generally confined to Friday congregations & any occasional spillover on the streets was controlled by lathi weilding policemen or in worst .303 armed JKAP would be deployed & in rare situations PAP from neighbouring Punjab. How is a sovereign nation expected to counter AK-47/ rocket launcher & other sophisticated weapons welding hardened terrorists ? (pls read about pan Islamism inspired terror unleashed in Kashmir .. ..“Ham Jashn-e-Kabul mana chukay, ab aao chalo Kashmir chalain” /We have celebrated our victory in Kabul, Let’s go to Kashmir/ http://www.dawn.com/2011/06/07/death-of-a-quintessential-jihadi.html ) Difficult situations do demand difficult measures.Let us not forget about the sacrifices by the security men in combating the menace of anti nationals.Let us also remember that Kashmiri Hindu Pandits who were subjected to brutal ethnic cleansing in the valley of their origin continue to languish as refugees in their own country.Let us also care for those Muslims in Kashmiri whose voices are stifled due to religious blackmail & fear.Rgds allLA----------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Date: Fri, 16 Sep 2011 14:10:06 +0530 > From: asit1917 at gmail.com > To: reader-list at sarai.net > Subject: [Reader-list] Memorandum to the Prime Minister on the issue of Gangrape of a deaf and dumb woman in Assam > > *Please endorse and forward it to others* > > > > > > To > > > > Dr. Man Mohan Singh > > > > Prime Minister > > Government of India > > > > Dear Dr. Singh, > > > > > > On 10th September 2011 Shrimati Deovari Basumatary wife of Amal Basumatary > of village No 1 Sonapur under Bismuri Police station in the Kokrajhar > District of Assam was gang raped by SSB jawans in the night of 10th > September. > > > > It is extremely shocking that Shrimati Deobari Basumatary who is both deaf > and dumb was raped in front of her husband; we hope you could understand the > magnitude of this bestiality. This act also pales the stories of medieval > barbarism. > > > > All these happen in the din of India being the world’s largest democracy and > an emerging economic power house. > > > > This incident exposes the criminality and insensivity of the armedforces, > the political executive and the degeneration of India’s state apparatus year > after the brutal rape and Murder of Monarama devi which created an National > and International outcry the woman in North East were outraged that shocking > the conscience demonstrated naked before the army headquarters. The killing > machines of the arm forces in the north east were neither ashamed nor > shocked. > > > > "Indian civilization* *has been degraded to abysmal depths by the atrocious > behaviour of the Armed forces in the north east under the protection of > Armed forces special powers Act, against the protest against this Act by the > people of the region." > > > > We demand immediate arrest of the SSB Jawans booked for tape and tried in a > fast track court. And repeal the armed forces special power act in Kashmir > and North East. > > > > Anjali Daimari President BODO Womens’s Forum, Assam > > > > Amit Chackrabarty Research Scholar JNU > > > > Nayan Jyoti Krantikari Naujawan Sabha > > > > Vijay Pratap Socialist Front > > > > Willyfried De costa INSAF > > > > P.K. Sundaram CNDP > > > > Faisal Khan NAPM > > > > Kiran Shaeen Journalist, Delhi > > > > Subhasini Shriya Student, Center for Political Studies, JNU > > > > Asit Das Posco Pratirodh Solidarity, Delhi > > > > Laxman Singh Research Scholar, Jamia Milia Islamia, Delhi > > > > Sachidanand Mishra Independent Film Maker, Delhi > > > > Prakash Kumar Ray Editor, Bargad.org > > > > > > (Please send your endorsement to asit1917 at gmail.com) > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: _________________________________________ reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. Critiques & Collaborations To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list List archive: From c.anupam at gmail.com Sat Sep 17 14:40:44 2011 From: c.anupam at gmail.com (anupam chakravartty) Date: Sat, 17 Sep 2011 14:40:44 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Memorandum to the Prime Minister on the issue of Gangrape of a deaf and dumb woman in Assam In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Dear Lalit, It is not about Pakistan really. It is about wrongly placing an urgency to campaign against separatist elements even before understanding the core issues related to North East and in this case, Bodoland. It is about how leaders who contested elections representing the people's aspirations and then cheated their own people, it is about mass plunder of the resources by these agents who represent Indian state to their own people and therefore want more and more security forces for their own protection. It is about the security bonus that state government gets. FYI it is that certain portion of tax payer's money which is being used to rape and maim people in north east in garb of security. Unfortunately, many of us tend to view our security scenario vis-a-vis events in Pakistan ignoring the draconian acts which are forcing people adhere to what you have described as "regressive forces". Look at the usage of your words to diagnose this problem. "Regressive forces" for the separatists while forces which have been cause of plunder in the north east are rebuked here for adopting "harsh administrative measures". This is how you condemn such acts. You want to see people hanged, but your diagnosis reeks of something else altogether. Easy isn't? To make loud statements like lets hang him, lets maim that guy. Who is a savage here sir? Anupam On Sat, Sep 17, 2011 at 2:11 PM, Lalit Ambardar wrote: > So Pak's Kashmir jihad is endorsed.Not surprising though. > rgds all > LA > ------------------------------------ > > ------------------------------ > Date: Sat, 17 Sep 2011 10:10:49 +0530 > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Memorandum to the Prime Minister on the issue of > Gangrape of a deaf and dumb woman in Assam > From: c.anupam at gmail.com > To: lalitambardar at hotmail.com; reader-list at sarai.net > > > "Those responsible for this kind of savagery deserve to be > apprehended,tried & hanged. While the concerns about misuse of AFSPA need to > be addressed it is more urgent to campaign against the prevailing regressive > forces that invite harsh administrative measures like AFSPA." > > > Here is a step by step procedure to address savagery according to Indian > state. > > Savagery ----> Apprehension -----> Discontentment ----->Regression > ----->Repression("harsh administrative measures") ---> SAVAGERY > > Your analysis of this heinous crime was incomplete. I am just completing > for you. > > have a good day > > > > On Fri, Sep 16, 2011 at 7:48 PM, Lalit Ambardar > wrote: > > > Those responsible for this kind of savagery deserve to be > apprehended,tried & hanged. > While the concerns about misuse of AFSPA need to be addressed it is more > urgent to campaign against the prevailing regressive forces that invite > harsh administrative measures like AFSPA. > Kashmir boasted near zero crime rate & there was hardly even routine > policing visible anywhere in the valley till Pak sponsored anti India > jihad was launched by foreign mercenaries in collaboration with the local > Kashmiri jihadists at the behest of their Pak masters in 1989-90 > Pre 1989-90 Kashmiri Islamists' anti India ranting was generally confined > to Friday congregations & any occasional spillover on the streets was > controlled by lathi weilding policemen or in worst .303 armed JKAP would be > deployed & in rare situations PAP from neighbouring Punjab. > How is a sovereign nation expected to counter AK-47/ rocket launcher & > other sophisticated weapons welding hardened terrorists ? > (pls read about pan Islamism inspired terror unleashed in Kashmir .. ..“Ham > Jashn-e-Kabul mana chukay, ab aao chalo Kashmir chalain” /We have > celebrated > our victory in Kabul, Let’s go to Kashmir/ > > > http://www.dawn.com/2011/06/07/death-of-a-quintessential-jihadi.html ) > > Difficult situations do demand difficult measures.Let us not forget about > the sacrifices by the security men in combating the menace of anti > nationals.Let us also remember that Kashmiri Hindu Pandits who were > subjected to brutal ethnic cleansing in the valley of their origin continue > to languish as refugees in their own country.Let us also care for those > Muslims in Kashmiri whose voices are stifled due to religious blackmail & > fear.Rgds > allLA----------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > > > Date: Fri, 16 Sep 2011 14:10:06 +0530 > > From: asit1917 at gmail.com > > To: reader-list at sarai.net > > Subject: [Reader-list] Memorandum to the Prime Minister on the issue of > Gangrape of a deaf and dumb woman in Assam > > > > *Please endorse and forward it to others* > > > > > > > > > > > > To > > > > > > > > Dr. Man Mohan Singh > > > > > > > > Prime Minister > > > > Government of India > > > > > > > > Dear Dr. Singh, > > > > > > > > > > > > On 10th September 2011 Shrimati Deovari Basumatary wife of Amal > Basumatary > > of village No 1 Sonapur under Bismuri Police station in the Kokrajhar > > District of Assam was gang raped by SSB jawans in the night of 10th > > September. > > > > > > > > It is extremely shocking that Shrimati Deobari Basumatary who is both > deaf > > and dumb was raped in front of her husband; we hope you could understand > the > > magnitude of this bestiality. This act also pales the stories of medieval > > barbarism. > > > > > > > > All these happen in the din of India being the world’s largest democracy > and > > an emerging economic power house. > > > > > > > > This incident exposes the criminality and insensivity of the armedforces, > > the political executive and the degeneration of India’s state apparatus > year > > after the brutal rape and Murder of Monarama devi which created an > National > > and International outcry the woman in North East were outraged that > shocking > > the conscience demonstrated naked before the army headquarters. The > killing > > machines of the arm forces in the north east were neither ashamed nor > > shocked. > > > > > > > > "Indian civilization* *has been degraded to abysmal depths by the > atrocious > > behaviour of the Armed forces in the north east under the protection of > > Armed forces special powers Act, against the protest against this Act by > the > > people of the region." > > > > > > > > We demand immediate arrest of the SSB Jawans booked for tape and tried in > a > > fast track court. And repeal the armed forces special power act in > Kashmir > > and North East. > > > > > > > > Anjali Daimari President BODO Womens’s Forum, Assam > > > > > > > > Amit Chackrabarty Research Scholar JNU > > > > > > > > Nayan Jyoti Krantikari Naujawan Sabha > > > > > > > > Vijay Pratap Socialist Front > > > > > > > > Willyfried De costa INSAF > > > > > > > > P.K. Sundaram CNDP > > > > > > > > Faisal Khan NAPM > > > > > > > > Kiran Shaeen Journalist, Delhi > > > > > > > > Subhasini Shriya Student, Center for Political Studies, JNU > > > > > > > > Asit Das Posco Pratirodh Solidarity, Delhi > > > > > > > > Laxman Singh Research Scholar, Jamia Milia Islamia, Delhi > > > > > > > > Sachidanand Mishra Independent Film Maker, Delhi > > > > > > > > Prakash Kumar Ray Editor, Bargad.org > > > > > > > > > > > > (Please send your endorsement to asit1917 at gmail.com) > > _________________________________________ > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > > Critiques & Collaborations > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > subscribe in the subject header. > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > List archive: > > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: > > > From nagraj.adve at gmail.com Sat Sep 17 15:59:06 2011 From: nagraj.adve at gmail.com (Nagraj Adve) Date: Sat, 17 Sep 2011 15:59:06 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] new island Message-ID: So islands won't just disappear due to global warming, new ones may also get formed. Nice. Might make some idiot sceptic like Montek Singh Ahluwalia say, so what's the big deal, you win some, you lose some. Naga New atlas shows extent of climate change The world's newest island makes it on to the map as the Arctic Uunartoq Qeqertaq, or Warming Island, is officially recognised - John Vidal , environment editor - guardian.co.uk , Thursday 15 September 2011 11.46 BST - Article history [image: Greenland ice cover in Times Comprehensive Atlas of the World] In Times Comprehensive Atlas of the World, Greenland has lost around 15% of its ice cover between 10th edition (1999) (left) and 13th edition (2011) (right). Photograph: Times Comprehensive Atlas of the World If you have never heard of Uunartoq Qeqertaq, it's possibly because it's one of the world's newest islands, appearing in 2006 off the east coast of Greenland, 340 miles north of the Arctic circle when the ice retreated because of global warming. This Thursday the new land – translated from Inuit as Warming Island – was deemed permanent enough by map-makers to be included in a new editionof the most comprehensive atlas in the world. Uunartoq Qeqertaq joins Southern Sudan and nearly 7,000 other countries and places added or changed since the last edition of the Times Comprehensive Atlas of the World, reflecting political change in Africa, administrative changes in China, burgeoning cities in developing countries, climate change, and large infrastructure projects which have changed the flow of rivers, lakes and coastlines. The world's biggest physical changes in the past few years are mostly seen nearest the poles where climate change has been most extreme. Greenland appears considerably browner round the edges, having lost around 15%, or 300,000 sq km, of its permanent ice cover. Antarctica is smaller following the break-up of the Larsen Band Wilkins ice shelves . But the Aral Sea in central Asia, which had previously shrunk to just 25% of its size only 80 years ago, is now larger than it was only five years ago, thanks to Kazakhstan redirecting waterinto it. Elsewhere in Asia, islands are appearing off the mouths of the Ganges and the Yangtze rivers as the amount of silt brought down from the Himalayas and inland China changes. Sections of the Rio Grande, Yellow, Colorado and Tigris rivers are now drying out each summer. In Mongolia, the Ongyin Gol has been redirected to allow gold mining, while the Colorado river these days does not reach the sea most years. "We are increasingly concerned that in the near future important geographical features will disappear for ever. Greenland could reach a tipping point in about 30 years," said Jethro Lennox, editor of the atlas. From anivar at movingrepublic.org Sun Sep 18 15:22:46 2011 From: anivar at movingrepublic.org (Anivar Aravind) Date: Sun, 18 Sep 2011 15:22:46 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Koodamkulam Satyagraha: VR Krishna Iyer writes to Jayalalitha In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Anivar Aravind Date: Sun, Sep 18, 2011 at 3:21 PM Subject: Koodamkulam Satyagraha: VR Krishna Iyer writes to Jayalalitha To: free-binayaksen at googlegroups.com, freebinayaksen at googlegroups.com, freebinayaksen-us at googlegroups.com, fourth-estate-critique at googlegroups.com, citizens-action-forum at googlegroups.com, Greenyouth September 17, 2011 Madam Jayalalithaa,      I do not know you personally though have heard about you from my son’s wife who was a student in the school just a year below you.      I am convinced that my request is just.  This I write with the responsibility of a successful judge of the Supreme Court of India for seven years.  If you have trust in me and in my words, if your heart responds to the feelings of thousands of villagers at Koodankulam against the hazards of nuclear power, I plead with you on bended knees to judge sensitively to the appeal of the masses and show compassion and political wisdom without further delay.  Please initiate without further delay a genuine dialogue with the people who are on hunger strike and consider their concerns.  The non-violent struggle which enters 7th day needs your immediate intervention and due consideration.  I feel that Tamil Nadu and South India as a whole will be indebted to you if you act at this juncture.  I will also request to the movement to continue the Satyagraha without putting life of the people in danger and not resort to violence. I write this letter because I respect your integrity and kindness.      The facts of the case are enclosed herewith which I do not repeat.  It is your fundamental duty to show compassion under Article 51A and alleviate distress and wipe every tear from every eye.  Your kindness will be rewarded because there is divinity in your being and every acts of goodness will be reciprocated.  Please don’t disappoint.      With regards,                                                 Yours sincerely,                                                   V.R. KRISHNA IYER Encl : as above To      Her Excellency Ms. J. Jayalalithaa      Hon’ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu      Poes Guardian      Chennai, Tamil Nadu --------------- Peoples Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE) Koodankulam With the hunger strike crossing 6 days the situation of many of the 127 people on hunger strike in Indinthakarai is becoming more and more critical. More than 15000 people have been gathering every day for the past 6 days from 30 odd villages around Koodankulam from 3 districts Kanaykumari, Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli. The 127 fasting people are from all 3 districts. Doctors and nurse are monitoring them consistently. With the deteriorating health situation of some of the fasters the doctors are concerned that some peoples condition could go beyond control if the fast continues and fasters are not heeding to the doctors advice. If such a situation arises then the crowd who are gathering in Idinthakarai and the people in the neighbouring villages and districts could turn violent.  There is a huge battalion of police personnel around Idinthakarai and neighbouring villages. There is road blockage for around 20 kms and no shops are open also. For the fifth day in succession fishermen, farmers, manual laborers, merchants of the area did not go for their jobs while students continued to boycott schools and all shops remain closed for kilometers around Idinthakarai. No food is available for the people who are gathering for the protest and most of them who return to the villages and come back the next day are day fasting also. People are losing their patience. There are false cases against 500 odd people filed by the police before the fasting started. Four people have also been put in jail. Meanwhile the Chief Minster of Tamil Nadu and the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited officials are trying to undermine the fat and protest by issuing press releases saying that the nuclear plant if safe even to factors beyond their control and understanding like natural disasters, accidents and terrorist attacks.  On the 6th day of the fast no effort from the state or central government has happened with the fasters. The concern of the people in terms of the impact on people in neighbouring  places is nowhere addressed to by the state and central government. One just needs to go to Kalpakkam further North in Tamil Nadu itself to understand the impact that an operating nuclear plant could have on neighbouring places. Radiation exposure has been reported within the plant many times and plant staff exposed to radiation has died also. Since plant operations began in the early 1980s, incidents of cancer and auto-immune thyroid diseases in the surrounding villages have increased considerably and many people have died also. The whole nuclear operation by the government is held in secrecy and no worthwhile information is available in public domain. With the two 1000MW reactors nearing completion Koodamkulam is going to produce 5 times more power and resulting radiation compared In the mean time the protest is spreading to outside of Idnthakarai also. In neighboring Kanyakumari district some colleges had gone on strike. The local MP Helen Davidson’s house was picketed. The collector office in Kanaykumari was also picketed. Small protests happened in Chennai and Thoothukudi. From the neighboring villages of Koodankulam nuclear plant town ship where the staff of the plant including Russians stay the people mostly women have refused to go for work. The non violent protests that are happening is not being paid enough attention by the governments and they are playing with peoples emotions and patience. From member at linkedin.com Mon Sep 19 10:34:43 2011 From: member at linkedin.com (Naresh Kumar via LinkedIn) Date: Mon, 19 Sep 2011 05:04:43 +0000 (UTC) Subject: [Reader-list] Invitation to connect on LinkedIn Message-ID: <1113929627.11820375.1316408683875.JavaMail.app@ela4-app0128.prod> LinkedIn ------------ Naresh Kumar requested to add you as a connection on LinkedIn: ------------------------------------------ Anuradha, I'd like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn. - Naresh Accept invitation from Naresh Kumar http://www.linkedin.com/e/5l2h9f-gsqzqp9c-42/u-6BBwpbUgB_dFU59yC_yGTbG_b_X5ohl2/blk/I178511256_15/1BpC5vrmRLoRZcjkkZt5YCpnlOt3RApnhMpmdzgmhxrSNBszYRclYSdj8NcjkUdP59bTtQhQIRrOQVbP0SczkRd3ARczgLrCBxbOYWrSlI/EML_comm_afe/?hs=false&tok=2HB5pzL8CMNQU1 View invitation from Naresh Kumar http://www.linkedin.com/e/5l2h9f-gsqzqp9c-42/u-6BBwpbUgB_dFU59yC_yGTbG_b_X5ohl2/blk/I178511256_15/3kNnPoRcz4NdjwTckALqnpPbOYWrSlI/svi/?hs=false&tok=3LD49OboWMNQU1 ------------------------------------------ DID YOU KNOW you can conduct a more credible and powerful reference check using LinkedIn? Enter the company name and years of employment or the prospective employee to find their colleagues that are also in your network. This provides you with a more balanced set of feedback to evaluate that new hire. http://www.linkedin.com/e/5l2h9f-gsqzqp9c-42/rsr/inv-27/?hs=false&tok=2lgICiTkKMNQU1 -- (c) 2011, LinkedIn Corporation From nagraj.adve at gmail.com Mon Sep 19 22:43:47 2011 From: nagraj.adve at gmail.com (Nagraj Adve) Date: Mon, 19 Sep 2011 22:43:47 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] =?utf-8?q?=28no_subject=29?= Message-ID: These numbers - if plausible - are worse than we thought. Naga More than 30 million climate migrants in Asia in 2010, report finds Numbers of people displaced by environmental and weather-related disasters likely to increase, Asian Development Bank warns - - - - reddit this - Fiona Harvey , environment correspondent - guardian.co.uk , Monday 19 September 2011 13.47 BST - Article history [image: Climate refugees : Family members, displaced by floods in the Badin district, Pakistan] A family displaced by floods shelters under a tarp during a monsoon downpour at a makeshift camp for flood victims in the Badin district in Pakistan's Sindh province, September 2011. Photograph: Akhtar Soomro/Reuters More than 30 million people were displaced last year by environmental and weather-related disasters across Asia, experts have warned, and the problem is only likely to grow worse as climate changeexacerbates such problems. Tens of millions more people are likely to be similarly displaced in the future by the effects of climate change, including rising sea levels, floods, droughts and reduced agricultural productivity. Such people are likely to migrate in regions across Asia, and governments must start to prepare for the problems this will create, the Asian Development Bankwarned. The costs will be high – about $40bn is the likely price for adapting and putting in place protective measures, from sea walls to re-growing mangrove swamps that have been cut down, and that can help to protect against the impacts of storm surges. But the problem is already taking effect, though at a much lower scale than is likely in the future. "While large-scale climate-induced migration is a gradual phenomenon, communities in Asia and the Pacific are already experiencing the consequences of changing environmental conditions including eroding shorelines, desertificationand more frequent severe storms and flooding ," the bank said at a workshop last week. This could lead to a widespread crisis across the region in coming years, if preparations are not made to deal with the current and probable future consequences. Robert Dobias, climate change project chief at the Asian Development Bank, said that at present climate change is still a relatively small cause of migration, as economic causes loom largest and as environmental disasters happen independently of global warming. However, the problem is likely to increase in future years, with potentially severe consequences, including conflict as people are forced to move long distances. Areas most at risk are low-lying islands such as the Maldives, whose environment minister, Mohamed Aslam, said the populations of entire islands in the archipelago had been forced to move. But coastal cities in developed regions could also face the threat of higher seas and storm surges, while regions that already suffer severe floods such as Bangladesh will have their risks intensified. The Asian Development Bank warned that governments must start to make preparations now, to be ready for the multiplying threats, and because more extreme weather has already started to take effect, though changes so far have not been dramatic in their impact. "The number of extreme weather events is increasing and Asia and the Pacific is the region at the epicentre of weather disasters," the group said. The bank is working on a report that will set out in detail the likely problems and propose a range of potential policy changes to help to deal with them. The report will be published next spring, though preliminary research is being disclosed at a series of regional conferences in the intervening months. The probable solutions are likely to include measures to improve vital infrastructure, such as energy provision, transport systems and communication networks, in order to make such infrastructure more resilient to the effects of climate change. From asit1917 at gmail.com Wed Sep 21 13:28:12 2011 From: asit1917 at gmail.com (asit das) Date: Wed, 21 Sep 2011 13:28:12 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Farmers mourn their third martyr in anti-nuclear power struggle, pledge against another Fukushima (Fatehabad, India) Message-ID: Farmers mourn their third martyr in anti-nuclear power struggle, pledge against another Fukushima (Fatehabad, India) late Ishwar Singh Siwach While nuclear establishments in the entire world are known for going to any extent to deny attribution of every possible single case of death to their hazarduous wastes at every step of the nuclear fuel cycle, and even in case of major accidents, people know their martyrs. Even though the immediate cause of Ishwar Singh Siwach (62)’s death is heart-attack, people in his village – Gorakhpur (just around 210 kms from Delhi by road, in the state of Haryana), and those in the neighbouring villages made no mistakes – this is the third death in the 14 months long ongoing agitation against setting up of nuclear power plants in Fatehabad district. Denied of any political or administrative negotiation, the exhausting struggle has seen two such deaths earlier – Bhagu Ram and Ram Kumar. *The agitation* Starting August 17 last year, farmers of the area have been continuing a sit-in protest in front of the mini-Secretariat office in Fatehabad town peacefully bearing rain, heat and cold. Needless to say, the ‘national media’ has given very little coverage to their agitation as it lacks the spectacle, celebrities and also the quick, harmless and formulaic solutions that can be offered on TV by anchors before going for a commercial break. While the entire country is witnessing peasant struggles against land-acquisitions, the state of Haryana is considered comfortable by industrial mafia and the government as the farmers in the state have settled for better compensation packages in the past. But in the case of Fatehabad, people have gradually realized it is more about getting better paid for the land- it’s about their health, life and livelihood. Ironically, the Chief Minister of the State was on a trip to Japan for wooing investment when Fatehabad villagers were on streets with Ishwar Singh’s dead body refusing to cremate it until their voice is heard. Condolence meeting - 20 September 2011 On Wednesday this week (20th September 20011), the local community had organised a condolence meeting for Late Ishwar Singh which was attended by around 1000 people from the neighbouring villages. Although the atmosphere was grim, Ishwar Singh’s co-agitators, most of whom have been his close and old friends, turned this opportunity into an occasion of reiterating their pledge to fight their battle without compromises till the end. They also openly and honestly outlined the need to be more united in struggle. Representatives of almost all the political parties barring the ruling party and prominent social activists of the area, including leaders of farmers unions and the State Secretary of the All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) also attended the meeting and expressed their support for the cause. Ishwar Singh’s family – his wife, daughters and sons – have been unflinching in their support to the cause he lived and died for. When it came to demonstrating with his dead body, the family-members left the decision to the agitators committee (the Kisan Sangharsh Samiti). *The proposed Nuclear Power Project and its hazards* Gorakhpur Nuclear Power Project (GNPP) will create 4 heavy water nuclear power plants of indigenous design, with a capacity of 700 MWs each, two of which will be constructed in the first phase. These would be the biggest indigenous nuclear power plants so far built in the country and the NPCIL has no experience of running such huge reactors. The Project has raised concerns because of a number of reasons – displacement, land-acquisition, environmental damage, possibility of devastating accidents, and appropriation of valuable canal water essential for the thriving agriculture in the district. A total of over 1500 Acres of land is being acquired from Gorakhpur, Badopal and Kajal Heri villages. Notification for this acquisition was issued last year the land – under ‘urgency clause’ (Section IV) of the archaic & colonial Land Acquisition Act 1894. The agitation in the area started soon after the villagers received this acquisition notice. Far from heeding to the farmers’ demand, the government sent another notice last month under Section 6 of the Act which is a step further and only asks if anyone has any objection to the compulsory land acquisition. The area around Gorakhpur is *densely populated*. The village has a population of 25 thousands. A township for the GNPP will is planned in the neighbouring Badopal village, which already has a population of around 20 thousand people, violating Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB)’s own rules which says not the ‘sterile zone’ (a circle of 6.6 km radius around any reactor), not more than 10 thousand people should be living. Also, towns like Fatehabad, Ratiya and Tohana fall in close vicinity of the project and a big town like Hisar (population – 200, 000) is just 30 kms away. The fatehabad district has a total population of nearly 8,00,000. In case of a major Fukushima-like accident, the fallouts would engulf New Delhi also, which is at a ‘as-the-crow-flies’ distance of 150kms. The proposed power plants would rely on the Bhakhra branch canal’s water. The reactors would suck up huge quantity of water even in their normal operation. And in case of a Fukushima-like accident, the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) has no plans as for the supply of large amount of *water required* for cooling. The Bhakhra branch canal lifeline for the famers in the area and gives them better than national average output with three crops every year even when the average rainfall in the district is meagre. Majority of people in the district make their living out of agriculture-based trades and occupations – export, marketing and processing of agro-products, agro-chemical and agro-equipments business and transport required for all this. The farmers in the district and the State as a whole are relatively prosperous than their counterparts in other regions of India. The Fatehabad district is home to rich* bio-diversity*. The lush-green landscape and the large number of birds and Black-bucks whom the local Bishnoi community reveres, are threatened by this project. The Bhakhra Branch Canal which is supposed to supply water to reactor - in its normal operation and also in case of large accidents ! From the-network at koeln.de Wed Sep 21 21:32:59 2011 From: the-network at koeln.de (CologneOFF2012) Date: Wed, 21 Sep 2011 18:02:59 +0200 Subject: [Reader-list] =?iso-8859-1?q?3_calls_for_videoart_-_deadline_1_Oc?= =?iso-8859-1?q?tober_2011?= Message-ID: <20110921180259.CADCD92F.1FCCFDF0@192.168.0.2> Calls for entries deadline: 1 October 2011 Cologne International Videoart Festival http://coff.newmediafest.org --------------------------------- 3 calls: 1. Football - Soccer - Fussball 2. Let's Save the World!? 2. "Mexican Visions" - videoart from Mexico wanted! --------------------------------- 1. Call for entries Deadline 1 October 2011 "Football - Soccer - Fussball" In 2012, in Poland and Ukraine the "European Football Championships" will be held showing once again how deeply rooted football (US- soccer) is in the contemporary society. Cologne International Videoart Festival is looking for its nomadic festival project CologneOFF (2011/2012) - videoart in a globale context 1 January 2011 - 31 December 2012 for experimental films and video art - dealing with --> football (soccer) as an artistic topic, --> the enthusiasm people all over the world is encouraging, but also not to forget --> phenomenons like hoogligans, violence or drugs. Football is a complex social phenomenon which is more than worth to be reflected in new forms of contemporary art. CologneOFF is inviting film- and videomakers all over the world to contribute and submit experimental films and video art by using the entry form on - http://www.nmartproject.net/netex/?p=3245 ------------------------------------------------------ 2. Call for entries extended deadline: 1 October 2011 Let's Save the World !? 2011 was the year when people all over the world became aware again how vurnerable nature, but also the human species are. Especially, the disasters in Japan - earthquake/tsunami and nuclear - were causing countless human tragedies making all of us clear, neither nature nor technology can be controlled by humans. But these desasters stand in a long row of phenomenons with increasing negative effects on the enviroments we humans are living in, like global climate warming, global migrating, misuse of natural resources etc, and there is the real danger that our living sources are already destroyed before we actually are ready to react. Let's Save the World!? - is the theme of a special selection to be made in the framework of the nomadic festival project "CologneOFF 2011/2012 - videoart in a global context" http://coff.newmediafest.org which is not only appealing to work actively for the survival of our blue planet, but dealing with the questions what can be done to save the world and how can it be done, with environmental issues & substainability, social & global responsibility and much more. Artists working with "moving images" are invited to deal with all these and many more questions in their experimental films and videoart, to contribute and submit to this call by using the entry form on - http://www.nmartproject.net/netex/?p=3251 ------------------------------------------- 3. Call for entries Deadline: 1 October 2011 "Mexican Visions" open call for national (Mexican) videomakers Circuito Electrovisiones Mexico & CologneOFF released a comon open call --> Mexican visions // art and moving images experimental films and videoart wanted! In order to promote the dissemination of video art and experimental film, Cologne International Videoart Festival (CologneOFF) and Circuito Electrovisiones open this call for anyone interested in participating in the selection of videos -Mexican visions / / art and moving images - which will become part of the festival context CologneOFF 2012. Mexican visions / / art and moving images will be presented in the framework of CologneOFF 2012 online, as well as in physical events to be scheduled in different countries. More details and entry form on http://www.nmartproject.net/netex/?p=3525 ------------------------------------------- Cologne International Videoart Festival http://coff.newmediafest.org operated & powered by artvideoKOELN- the curatorial initiative "art and moving images" http.//video.mediaartcologne.org 2011 (at) coff.newmediafest.org -------------------------------------------- From rohitrellan at aol.in Wed Sep 21 23:18:29 2011 From: rohitrellan at aol.in (rohitrellan at aol.in) Date: Wed, 21 Sep 2011 13:48:29 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [Reader-list] Breakthrough, a not for profit organistion is looking for professional group of street theater artists / Call for Film Makers Message-ID: <8CE469DCE00CC6A-1EB0-5EFEE@webmail-d039.sysops.aol.com> Breakthrough,a not for profit organistion is looking for professional group of street theater artists 1. the theme or concept should be based on domestic violence against women 2. team size 7-8 actors 3. 3 performances of 10 min per day 4. will require them to perform at Delhi (17th Nov-20th Nov) at IHC 5. team should be Delhi based 6. contact person at Delhi- Piali 9953756515 7.We can pay them daily allowance @ Rs.500/- . It will be like a voluntary effort and we will give them a platform to show case their talent. Also we run video van in different parts of India maybe we can give them an opportunity to perform in other places and take care of their travel expenses during those trips. About Breakthrough: our mission Breakthrough is an innovative, international human rights organization using the power of popular culture, media, and community mobilization to transform public attitudes and advance equality, justice, and dignity.Through initiatives in India and the United States, Breakthrough addresses critical global issues including violence against women, sexuality and HIV/AIDS, racial justice, and immigrant rights. For more info Log on to http://breakthrough.tv/ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Call for Film Makers Hey, We are looking for a film maker to make a film on one of our projects in Mumbai. The film should be between 5-10 minutes. Renumeration can be negotiated. Anyone interested e-mail me at the below mentioned email id. Thanks! --- Simrin Makhija simrinm at gmail.com From rajkamalgoswami at gmail.com Thu Sep 22 11:40:00 2011 From: rajkamalgoswami at gmail.com (Rajkamal Goswami) Date: Thu, 22 Sep 2011 11:40:00 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Sikkim quake may have been induced by dams across Teesta Message-ID: Dear All Another damning doubt raised over the 'temples' of modern India! Sikkim quake may have been induced by dams across Teesta Professor Jeta Sankrityayan, former member State Planning Board, West Bengal and also a member of the landslide expert committee 1998, has opined that the presence of multiple dams on the river Teesta and its tributaries could either induce or accelerate earthquakes. “In early 1970 a major earthquake in Maharashtra had been triggered by the Koyna dam located on the Sahyadri Hills. Though the role of the dams on the River Teesta in the recent quake is yet to be studied, the earthquake could have been induced or accelerated by the dams (dam induced seismicity )” feels Sankrityayan. The committee on landslides, which had also studied the tectonic plate movement, had handed over recommendations to the government of West Bengal in 2000. The committee had recommended that no constructions should be allowed on the rivers. The Central government’s “master vision” identifies the North-Eastern region as “India’s future powerhouse” by building about 168 dams in the region. To do this, the Teesta river in Sikkim is being extensively dammed. Around 35 hydel power projects have been identified in this region with the Teesta Low Dam (TLD) project being the most prominent. The TLD project, harnesses the Teesta river, which originates in Sikkim and flows through North Bengal, creates a 332 MW capacity split into four stages. The first two stages for a total of 100 MW are in Sikkim, while stage III of 100 MW and stage four of 132 MW are in West Bengal. “It is very unfortunate that the Government does not pay heed to recommendations of its own committee for which the public have to suffer. Something more devastating can happen any day. It is time the public woke up and pressurized the Government to act more reasonably. Electricity in lieu of lives is not a very human option” added Sankrityayan. The Himalayas are a young chain of mountains formed by the Indian tectonic plate colliding with the Eurasian plate. While the river Teesta flows in a north-south direction, the Himalayan fault lines lie in the east west direction. “A major fault line is located at Kalijhora (considered the best location to study Himalayan fault lines) and Teesta Low Dam Stage 4 is located at Kalijhora” stated Sankrityayan. Bad weather disrupts rescue work Explaining dam induced seismicity, Sankrityayan stated that owing to the dams checking the flow of the river, the water becomes heavy and starts going down, usually seeping into crevasse. “Water being a new element in the faults and crevasses in the mountain, the mountain starts adjusting which causes the seismic movements” stated Sankrityayan. The very flow of Teesta is an indicator of the fault line. While in Sikkim the Teesta flows is curves (zig zag) after Teesta Bazar in West Bengal it flows in a straight line which suggests that it could be flowing along fault line in West Bengal. “Very few earthquake movements are in a North-South direction but the 6.8 magnitude quake which hit Sikkim and this region was in a North-South movement. The epicenter was at the base of Mount Kanchenjunga. The mountain moved.” “It took a mere two seconds for the earthquake to reach North Bengal University near Siliguri in the plains from Gangtok which is very unusual” stated the Professor. The shake intensity recorded was 7 Mercalli in Mangan, 38 km from the epicenter and 7 Mercalli in Siliguri 144 km away from Mangan. Gangtok too recorded a shake intensity of 7 Mercalli “ stated Sankrityayan. Sikkim toll now 73 “A full scale inspection and study should be conducted by geologists and earth scientists into the recent quake and on the dam induced seismicity. It should be an independent probe not influenced by the Government. We should not be accelerating or bringing in such natural events otherwise we will definitely have to pay a dear price” suggested the Professor. http://www.hindustantimes.com/Sikkim-quake-may-have-been-induced-by-dams-across-Teesta/Article1-748547.aspx regards Rajkamal -- Rajkamal From a.mani.cms at gmail.com Thu Sep 22 18:56:51 2011 From: a.mani.cms at gmail.com (A. Mani) Date: Thu, 22 Sep 2011 18:56:51 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] [OT] Media Crap on Computer Security Message-ID: The corporate media is of course known for its endless lies and propaganda. India Today has a recent article on '30 Game changers' including Ankit Fadia http://attrition.org/errata/charlatan/ankit_fadia/ http://itsallpartoftheplan.wordpress.com/2009/09/26/demolishing-ankit-fadia-v-0-01/ Best A. Mani -- A. Mani CU, ASL, CLC,  AMS, CMS http://www.logicamani.co.cc From asit1917 at gmail.com Fri Sep 23 12:24:54 2011 From: asit1917 at gmail.com (asit das) Date: Thu, 22 Sep 2011 23:54:54 -0700 Subject: [Reader-list] protest at haryana bhwan in solidarity with maruti workers Message-ID: Protest Demonstration In Support of Struggling Workers’ of Maruti Suzuki On 20th September, representatives of several Left Trade Unions and groups met in Delhi in support of the on-going strike of the workers of Maruti Suzuki — the subsidiary company of Japanese car maker Suzuki. It was decided to hold a protest demonstration on 22nd September, in front of Haryana Bhawan (New Delhi) at 11:00AM to show our solidarity with the belligerent workers of the company. For more details contact: Workers’ Unity Trade Union, Email: wutu.india at gmail.com, Padam: +91 9312111717 TUs protest across India to support Maruti workers *Press Trust of India**, 22 September 2011* NEW DELHI, 22 SEPT: About a dozen trade unions today demonstrated in various places across the country to express solidarity with agitating Maruti Suzuki workers at Manesar plant, even as the stalemate continues ~ for the last 25 days. The development comes after talks brokered by the Haryana government between the management and workers at Maruti Suzuki India's (MSI) Manesar plant to end the standoff failed on Sunday. No fresh talks took place today. Meanwhile, MSI continued to hire temporary workers at the Manesar plant and rolled out a combined 650 Swift cars from Manesar and Gurgaon units. In the morning, about a hundred protesters from various trade unions staged a demonstration outside Haryana Bhawan here and sought the government's intervention for reversing the suspension and dismissal of workers by MSI. Protesters from the Mazdoor Ekta Kendra, Mazdoor Ekta Committee, Centre for Struggling Workers Trade Union, Krantikari Yuva Sangathan, All India Federation of Trade Unions (New) and Inqualabi Mazdoor Kendra, among other bodies, condemned the actions on 62 workers by MSI so far. “It is illegal to force the workers to sign a bond before entering the factory. It is the workers' democratic right to form a union and the management should recognise it as per the Indian laws,” Krantikari Yuva Sangathan convener, MR Alok Kumar said. The trade bodies will continue to protest till the management takes back all dismissed workers and revokes the suspension of others, he added. The protesters submitted a memorandum to the the Haryana chief minister, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda through the Resident Commissioner, seeking his immediate intervention for restoring workers' right and rescinding the decision for suspension and dismissal of workers by MSI. Later in the day, New Trade Union Initiative (NTUI) and New Socialist Initiative (NSI) held protest demonstrations in front of various MSI establishments across the country ~ in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Raipur, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram Several trade unions support Maruti Suzuki agitating workers The labour dispute at the Manesar plant of country’s largest car maker Maruti Suzuki has continued after three weeks and now it has been reported that about a hundred protesters from various trade unions staged a demonstration outside Haryana Bhawan on Thursday seeking the government's intervention for reversing the suspension and dismissal of workers by MSI. According to reports, the development comes after talks brokered by the Haryana government between the management and workers at Maruti Suzuki India's (MSI) Manesar plant failed to end the 25-day-long standoff. It was mentioned that protesters from the Mazdoor Ekta Kendra, Mazdoor Ekta Committee, Centre for Struggling Workers Trade Union, Krantikari Yuva Sangathan, All-India Federation of Trade Unions and Inqualabi Mazdoor Kendra, among other bodies, condemned the dismissal and suspension of 62 workers by MSI so far. The reports quoted Krantikari Yuva Sangathan Convener Alok Kumar as saying "It is illegal to force the workers to sign a bond before entering the factory. It is workers' democratic right to form a union and management should recognise it as per the Indian laws.’’ The reports stated that the trade bodies will continue to protest till the management takes back all dismissed workers and revokes the suspension of others, he said. The reports stated that the protesters have submitted a memorandum to Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda through the State Resident Commissioner, seeking his immediate intervention for restoring workers' right and rescinding the decision for suspension and dismissal of workers by MSI. As per information, MSI has dismissed 33 workers and suspended 29 so far. It was also reported that the New Trade Union Initiative (NTUI) has decided to hold protest demonstrations in front of Maruti Suzuki establishments in 12 locations across the country, including Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai, Nagpur, Assam, Chandigarh and Kochi. Trade unions protest in solidarity with Maruti workers OUR BUREAU *NEW DELHI**, SEPT 22: *** Expressing solidarity with the protesting Maruti Suzuki workers at Manesar, various trade unions, students and lawyers, staged demonstrations in different parts of the Capital on Thursday. About 100 people demonstrated outside Haryana Bhawan in the Capital, seeking Government intervention and another 150 protested outside the Tis Hazaari Metro station. The protests come in the wake of failed tripartite talks between the Haryana Government, the MSI management and workers to end the 25-day long impasse. The protesters submitted a memorandum to the Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, through the State Resident Commissioner, seeking his immediate intervention. The New Trade Union Initiative has also decided to stage demonstrations in front of Maruti Suzuki establishments in 12 locations across India. Thursday's protesters included members of Mazdoor Ekta Kendra, Mazdoor Ekta Committee, Centre for Struggling Workers Trade Union, Krantikari Yuva Sangathan, All-India Federation of Trade Unions and Inqualabi Mazdoor Kendra, New Socialist Initiatives, Workers Unity Trade Union among other bodies. Meanwhile, Maruti Suzuki said it produced 650 Swift cars, from its Manesar and Gurgaon plants. The company on Thursday recruited another batch of 200 workers to join production operations, taking the tally to 1,300 workers at the Manesar facility. The deadlock began on August 29, when the MSI management prevented workers from entering the factory premises unless they signed a ‘good conduct bond', following alleged sabotage and quality issues. MSI has dismissed 33 workers and suspended 29 since. No talks were held by the company management with the agitating workers on Thursday. Trade unions across India display support to agitating workers of Maruti Suzuki NEW DELHI: Nearly one-hundred protectors from numerous trade unions have staged a demonstration outside Haryana Bhawan today, demanding the government's interventionntion for reversing the suspension and also the dismissal of workers by the Maruti Suzuki India (MSI). These protesters are expressing solidarity with the agitating Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) workers. The development has come after the talks brokered by the Haryana government between the management and also the workers at Maruti Suzuki India's (MSI) Manesar plant had failed to end the 25-day agitation. The protesters from the Mazdoor Ekta Kendra, Mazdoor Ekta Committee, Centre for Struggling Workers Trade Union, Krantikari Yuva Sangathan, All-India Federation of Trade Unions and Inqualabi Mazdoor Kendra, are the bodies, that had condemned the dismissal and also the suspension of 62 workers by MSI until now. Krantikari Yuva Sangathan Convener Alok Kumar, said, “It is illegal to force the workers to sign a bond before entering the factory. It is workers' democratic right to form a union and management should recognise it as per the Indian laws.” Moreover, the trade bodies will be continuing to protest till the management takes back all the dismissed workers and also revokes the suspension of others. Since August 29, the deadlock has been continuing, when the management had stopped the workers from entering the factory premises unless they signed a 'good conduct' bond. From a.mani.cms at gmail.com Fri Sep 23 19:22:51 2011 From: a.mani.cms at gmail.com (A. Mani) Date: Fri, 23 Sep 2011 19:22:51 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] KG beats 2G Message-ID: http://www.pragoti.in/node/4532 Best A. Mani -- A. Mani CU, ASL, CLC,  AMS, CMS http://www.logicamani.co.cc From asit1917 at gmail.com Sat Sep 24 14:38:32 2011 From: asit1917 at gmail.com (asit das) Date: Sat, 24 Sep 2011 02:08:32 -0700 Subject: [Reader-list] Update from POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samiti, September 19 Message-ID: *Update from POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samiti, September 19* Over twenty seven lakh people in Orissa are continuing to reel under the impact of devastating floods. According to the government sources, the death toll in the deluge mounted to 38, 16 people have gone missing in floods and many are homeless. Though water level is continuing to recede still villages of Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Cuttack, Kendrapara continue to remain marooned. Even the villages of Kujang block here are facing a tough time. Villagers are asking for immediate relief, provision of government work and payment of wages in a transparent manner. At this high time, instead of providing relief materials to the villagers, the district administration has resumed the felling rich forest category trees for the establishment of POSCO. They include thick casuarina trees, which are natural shield against the cyclones. In 1999, when the super cyclone struck there was not a single casualty from the villages here with the trees protecting the people from the killer winds. With the tree felling the vulnerability of people to killer cyclones has increased. People are now scared as to who will save them incase of cyclone whch is quite reccuent in our area. More than 60,000 trees have already been cut down and nearly six lakh more trees are to go. Against this mindless tree cutting exercise, people came to protect trees but the police thrashed them away. People are protesting against carrying out the project work which is going on ‘without people’s consent’. On 9th of September, the police has arrested seven villagers for erecting of bamboo gates at Nuagaon and Gadakujang to prevent entry of POSCO and IDCO officials. The irony is that, the Revenue and Disaster management minister Surya Naryan Patra is making a statement in the media that “This is no complaint from my disaster management department about any threat of disaster due to cutting off of the trees,” The Paradip additional district magistrate Surjeet Das is making a propaganda that “Work at the proposed Posco site was continuing smoothly. There is no tension in the area and no police force had been deployed,”. You may well understand the hurry with which the administration is going ahead with the massive tree cutting exercise for POSCO projects when villagers are facing a tough time due to the flood. This is also when two PILs are being heard in the High Court on private and forest land acquisition for POSCO project. It may be reminded that the MoU between the company and the government has already expired before more a year. Meanwhile, in anticipation of forcible removal from our land, our villagers are continuing the dharana at Govindpur village and maintaining strict vigil in the area. We are requesting all of you to protest this callous and insensitive attitude of state administration of using force to crush the democratic movements and cutting the massive trees by inviting impending environment disaster. From nagraj.adve at gmail.com Sat Sep 24 20:50:00 2011 From: nagraj.adve at gmail.com (Nagraj Adve) Date: Sat, 24 Sep 2011 20:50:00 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Fwd: India deports noted American radio broadcaster David Barsamian In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: This is simply infuriating. Naga ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Vivek sundara Date: 24 September 2011 14:42 Subject: India deports noted American radio broadcaster David Barsamian To: Date: 24 September 2011 Subject: India deports noted American radio broadcaster David Barsamian Tehelka - India's Independent Weekly News Magazine *ted on 23 September 2011* CURRENT AFFAIRS KASHMIR India deports noted American radio broadcaster David Barsamian He has visited Valley in February this year—this time in the wake of the three year cycle of the protests. He praised Kashmiris for transitioning to a peaceful struggle *Riyaz Wani * Srinagar David Barsamian Photo: Tehelka Photos ------------------------------ ** ------------------------------ Radio broadcaster and founder-director of *Alternate Radio*, David Barsamian was deported from New Delhi airport on Friday, allegedly for his views on Kashmir. He was put back on a flight to Frankfurt. “Sad and furious and so tired. At Frankfurt airport. Will call you from Boulder. So disappointed but I am safe have my life, not tortured,” Barsamian wrote in an email to his friend in New Delhi noted documentary film maker Sanjay Kak. Barsamian is the second US citizen to be deported from New Delhi airport in the past ten months. In November 2010 US academic Professor Richard Shapiro was denied entry by the immigration authorities in New Delhi. Shapiro is the chairman and associate professor of the Department of Anthropology at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) in San Francisco. He is the husband of Angana Chatterji, co-convener of the International People's Tribunal on Human Rights and Justice in Kashmir. In May this year, J-K government deported human rights activist Gautum Navlakha from Srinagar airport. Barsamian has made three visits to Kashmir over the past 15 years to Kashmir to participate in the seminars and do interviews for his radio station. He visited Valley first in 1996 when militancy was at its peak. There is no record of his activities in the Valley then. He returned eleven years later in 2007 to deliver a lecture on “State, Media and Resistance” organized by Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society. In the 2007 visit Barsamian had made some really controversial remarks in his speech, calling on the people in Valley to persevere in their resistance against New Delhi. “Persistence is the key in all forms of resistances,” Barsamian had said in his speech. “You can’t ask me what to do. It would be colonial thinking. It’s your soil and you are the ultimate decision makers on how to resist.” Incidentally, the following year, Kashmir erupted in the first of its three successive public groundswells against New Delhi. The three month unrest over Amarnath land row brought entire Kashmir on the roads. In 2009 and 2010 Kashmir again became the scene of all-encompassing separatist summer revolts. Barsamian visited Valley again in February this year—this time in the wake of the three year cycle of the protests. He praised Kashmiris for transitioning to a peaceful struggle, saying it had changed global perception about the struggle in the state. “I observe that people especially the youth of Kashmir are more confident and politically conscious as compared to my previous visits. They are now using the non-violent means to press for their political demands. It’s the most effective form to fight for your rights,” he said in an interview to a local daily. However, Barsamian's tryst with India goes back long. He first arrived in India in 1966. His association with Sitar maestro Debu Maharaj who teaches him sitar, deepened his bond with the country. ''He makes it a point to visit India once every year,” Kak told TEHELKA. He said that Barsamian was a man of serious credentials and had done some really great work that spanned decades. “It will be seen as ridiculous in US to deport him like this”. *Riyaz Wani is a Special Correspondent with Tehelka. * riyaz at tehelka.com -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Free Binayak Sen" group. To post to this group, send an email to free-binayaksen at googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to free-binayaksen+unsubscribe at googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/free-binayaksen?hl=en-GB. From nagraj.adve at gmail.com Sun Sep 25 00:06:54 2011 From: nagraj.adve at gmail.com (Nagraj Adve) Date: Sun, 25 Sep 2011 00:06:54 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Everest melting above 8,000 metres? Message-ID: Anecdotal evidence - which I take seriously - of Everest ice melting at very high altitiudes. This is in keeping with the legendary Lonnie Thompson's study of ice cores, of ice melting in Tibet at 20,000 feet, though this is even higher Naga Climate change may leave Mount Everest ascent ice-free, say climbers Mission launched to measure change in Himalayas as anecdotal evidence grows of melting ice on mountain's southern approach - - - - reddit this - Suzanne Goldenberg - guardian.co.uk , Saturday 24 September 2011 19.16 BST - Article history [image: Mount Everest] Climate change may soon leave Mount Everest a rock climb, rather than an ice climb, experts suggest. Photograph: Steve Satushek/Getty Images Climbers and custodians of Everest say that rapid climate changecould soon make for an ice-free ascent of the world's tallest mountain. Their warning comes come amid a new international effort to gauge the effects of climate change in the Himalayas – and shield local people from potential hazards. A US-funded mission, led by the Mountain Institute, is meeting in Kathmandu to try to find practical solutions to the threat of catastrophic high-altitude flooding from lakes forming at the foot of melting glaciers. Scientists acknowledge they have yet to form a complete picture of the changes under way in the high Himalayas. The task of offering a definitive scientific account of the extent of melting is daunting – and not just because the area is so vast and inaccessible. Scientists are still working to recover from a PR disaster early last year when it emerged that a United Nations report on climate change had claimed – wrongly – that the Himalayan glaciers would disappear by 2035. Rupert Murdoch's HarperCollins went through a similar exercise in humiliation when its new *Times Atlas* claimed up to 15% ice loss had taken place in Greenland – a finding immediately disputedby scientists as an exaggeration. But growing anecdotal evidence, from climbers and local people, suggests climate change is making a strong impact even well above the 8,000m line, with signs of melting ice on the southern approach to Everest. "When I climbed Mount Everest last year I climbed the majority of ice without crampons because there was so much bare rock," said John All, an expert on Nepalglaciers from the University of Western Kentucky. "In the past that would have been suicide because there was so much ice." He said the terrain he crossed was very different from the landscapes described by earlier generations of climbers. Historic photographs of the Everest region also showed a longer and deeper covering of ice. All added: "I wonder when Mount Everest will finally become a rock climb rather than an ice climb." Everest Base Camp, which occupies a high rocky plateau next to the Khumbu glacier, has undergone similar changes, said Tshering Tenzing Sherpa, who has overseen rubbish collection at the site for the past few years. The summer monsoon months brought several deep new crevasses in the black ice beneath the rocks, Tenzing said. "Everything is changing with the glaciers." From kmvenuannur at gmail.com Sun Sep 25 12:00:50 2011 From: kmvenuannur at gmail.com (Venugopalan K M) Date: Sun, 25 Sep 2011 12:00:50 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Fwd: Exercises in Cover up, David Barsamian and Arndhati Roy In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: *Arundhati Roy said to David Barsamian in a Feb 2011 interview that took place during his last visit in India: Even the middle class who have been benefited by neoliberal policies of the last two decades have slowly started recognizing what is actually happening to the majority of people ,the poor. "NOW, EVERYBODY KNOWS.. IT IS STREET TALK what we have been yelling about earlier" Alas, David, who was about to have a second India visit this week was turned back on his way! "Writer, radio broadcaster and founder-director of Alternate Radio, David Barsamian was deported from New Delhi airport"-Tehelka reports.. So, let's have it that the state is willing to take no chances in its possible failures in the exercise of cover up..!* http://www.tehelka.com/story_main50.asp?filename=Ws230911Kashmir.asp http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLVY3L7VrjU&feature=autoshare -- You cannot build anything on the foundations of caste. You cannot build up a nation, you cannot build up a morality. Anything that you will build on the foundations of caste will crack and will never be a whole. -AMBEDKAR http://venukm.blogspot.com http://www.shelfari.com/kmvenuannur http://kmvenuannur.livejournal.com From nagraj.adve at gmail.com Sun Sep 25 15:36:33 2011 From: nagraj.adve at gmail.com (Nagraj Adve) Date: Sun, 25 Sep 2011 15:36:33 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] =?windows-1252?q?Fwd=3A_The_country_didn=92t_want_i?= =?windows-1252?q?ts_official_narrative_on_Kashmir_to_be_questioned?= =?windows-1252?q?=3A_Barsamian?= In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: http://www.tehelka.com/story_main50.asp?filename=Ws230911Kashmir.asp The country didn’t want its official narrative on the state to be questioned: Barsamian *He had to travel to Srinagar on 26 September to do a story on the State Human Rights Commission’s report on unmarked graves* *Riyaz Wani* Srinagar Deported American radio broadcaster David Barsamian has said that India denied him entry because of his views on Kashmir. Barsamian was deported from New Delhi airport and put back on the return plane to the United States on Friday. He said that Kashmir was, “at the heart of India’s concerns and the country didn’t want its official narrative on the state to be questioned”. "It's all about Kashmir,” Barsamian said in an email to TEHELKA from the US. “I've done work on Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Narmada dam, farmer suicides, Gujarat pogrom, and the Binayak Sen case. But it's Kashmir that is at the heart of the Indian state's concerns. The official narrative must not be contested”. He further wrote that he was happy that he escaped without being tortured. “I have my fingernails, no welts on my back, no electric shock. I am safe and sound unlike some in the world's largest democracy," Barsamian said. Barsamian who is known for his independent views on American foreign policy and is the director of Alternative Radio, a Colorado-based syndicated weekly talk program heard on some 125 radio stations in various countries said he is “sad and furious” for being turned back from New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport. He is also known for his interview-based books on Noam Chomsky, Eqbal Ahmad, Edward Said, Howard Zinn and others. It were his recent forays in Kashmir that became a source of unease for the central government which apparently didn’t want him to visit the state at a time when situation here was peaceful. This time round, Barsamian had to travel to Srinagar on 26 September to do a story on the State Human Rights Commission’s report on unmarked graves. “He was scheduled to do interviews with the families of the disappeared persons and also take a look at the overall human rights situation in the state,” Khurram Parvez, coordinator of Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP), told TEHELKA. During his past two visits to Kashmir – in 2007 and 2011 – Barsamian alienated the establishment by siding with the separatist resistance, even urging people to “persevere” in their struggle. He also did interviews with the people to highlight the situation in the state. In an interview he gave himself, Barsamian drew a parallel between the uprisings in Kashmir over the past three years and the revolution in Egypt. “In a way what happened over the last three summers (in Kashmir) was similar to Tahrir Square in Egypt over and over again, but without a neutral army, with a security force that was actually not showing restraint and was shooting into the crowds and so on,” Barsamian said. “So what we saw is a sentiment for freedom, which keeps expressing itself in different ways”. Barsamian is also known for his critique of US war on terror, challenging in the process the prevalent understanding of terrorism. “What is terrorism? What do you call these bombings, these drone attacks on Pakistan, when they hit a wedding party, a madarsa, a Masjid or people’s homes, a school, what is that? That’s State terror. But when the State does it, it becomes defence. If you have a small group of people who blow up a bus, that’s terrorism,” he said in an interview. Barsamian is the second US citizen to be deported from New Delhi airport in the past ten months. In November 2010 US academic Professor Richard Shapiro was denied entry by immigration authorities in New Delhi. Shapiro is chairman and associate professor at the Department of Anthropology at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) in San Francisco. He is married to Angana Chatterji, co-convener of International People's Tribunal on Human Rights and Justice in Kashmir. In May this year, J-K government deported human rights activist Gautum Navlakha from Srinagar airport. Barsamian's tryst with India goes back long. He first arrived in India in 1966. His association with sitar maestro Debu Maharaj, who also teaches him, deepened his bond with the country. *Riyaz Wani is a Special Correspondent with Tehelka. * riyaz at tehelka.com -- Peace Is Doable From a.mani.cms at gmail.com Sun Sep 25 18:09:26 2011 From: a.mani.cms at gmail.com (A. Mani) Date: Sun, 25 Sep 2011 18:09:26 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] John Kozy on Supply Side Economics Message-ID: http://www.jkozy.com/ The Obama administration is intent on applying supply side principles to get the American economy out of the present recession, but supply side principles are based on the belief that if the government cuts taxes on the wealthy, they will invest their savings in new factories, that newly hired workers will increase employment, and that more output will increase tax receipts. But there is no way to make sure the wealthy actually invest their wealth in productive enterprises, especially in the U.S. This entire theory is based on the mere pop-psychological belief that if you give a person money, s/he will invest it in productive ways. But nothing forces wealthy people to do that, and they haven't, worse, never really have, since creating jobs is not an essential business function, only making money is, and getting financial incentives from government is merely another way of making money, Giving money to businesses will not end recessions or depressions. In fact, it is likely to prolong them, since businesses will not create jobs until it is evident that those jobs will result in profits. During the California Gold Rust, merchants went to the camps only after gold was discovered, and they left when the lode petered out. They did not use the capital they acquired from the miners to open productive businesses to provide jobs to the now jobless prospectors. In capitalist economies, capital is not acquired to be spent; it is acquired to be accumulated. Businesses do not exist to create jobs. Jobs are created by businesses only when it suits their purposes. Beliefs in conventional wisdom are always dangerous. More often than not, conventional wisdom is wrong. But there are two kinds of conventional wisdom—the pro and the con. Every bit on conventional wisdom has its naysayers, and just as conventional wisdom can amount to nothing more than mere beliefs, so can the beliefs of naysayers. For instance, that today's economy is failing is rather evident, but many critics of it seem to believe that the problems with today's economy are of recent origin. But that's false. The economy today is little different in essence than it was is the 1600s when the colonists brought it with them from England. The horrors of England's 17th Century economy then are exactly its horrors today. Wealth held in the hands of a few and poverty experienced by the many. High levels of crime infused throughout society. Widespread unemployment, underemployment, and degrading employment. The destruction of human dignity. Homelessness, hunger, and frequent wars fought by common people for the benefit of the merchant class. Prevalent discrimination of various kinds. Government which governs for the wealthy and not for the people in general. And although there have been short-lived periods when the people were led to believe that their prospects were improving, these periods have regularly ended in economic collapses that wiped out any gains the common people had acquired. The universal features of this economy are exemplified in the following historical vignette. On January 24, 1848, gold was discovered by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. When people learned about the discovery, hundreds of thousands rushed to California. Wherever gold was discovered, miners collaborated to put up a camp and stake claims. Rough and Ready, Hangtown, and Portuguese Flat, among many others, sprang up, and merchants flocked to them, set up business in hastily built buildings, lean-tos, tents, and anywhere else serviceable to sell everything imaginable. Miners lived in tents, shanties, and deck cabins removed from abandoned ships. Each camp often had its own saloon and gambling house. Women of various ethnicities played various roles including that of prostitute and single entrepreneurs. At first, the gold was simply "free for the taking." Disputes were often handled personally and violently. When gold became increasingly difficult to retrieve, Americans began to drive out foreigners. The State Legislature passed a foreign miners tax of twenty dollars per month, and American prospectors began organized attacks on foreigners, particularly Latin Americans and Chinese. In addition, the huge numbers of newcomers drove Native Americans out of their traditional hunting, fishing and gathering areas. Some responded by attacking miners. This provoked counter-attacks. The natives were often slaughtered. Those who escaped were unable to survive and starved to death. Natives succumbed to smallpox, influenza, and measles in large numbers. The Act for the Government and Protection of Indians, passed by the California Legislature, allowed settlers to capture and use natives as bonded workers and traffic in Native American labor, particularly that of young women and children, which was carried on as a legal business enterprise. Native American villages were regularly raided to supply the demand, and young women and children were carried off to be sold. The toll on the American immigrants could be severe as well: one in twelve forty-niners perished, as the death and crime rates during the Gold Rush were extraordinarily high, and the resulting vigilantism also took its toll. Hydraulicking as a means of extracting the gold became prevalent. A byproduct of this was that large amounts of gravel, silt, heavy metals, and other pollutants went into streams and rivers. Many areas still bear the scars of hydraulic mining since the resulting exposed earth and downstream gravel deposits are unable to support plant life. The merchants made far more money than the miners. The wealthiest man in California during the early years of the Gold Rush was Samuel Brannan, the tireless self-promoter, shopkeeper and newspaper publisher. About half the prospectors made a modest profit. Most, however, made little or wound up losing money. By 1855, the economic climate had changed dramatically. Gold could be retrieved profitably from the goldfields only by medium to large groups of workers, either in partnerships or as employees. By the mid-1850s, it was the owners of these gold-mining companies who made the money. When the lode petered-out, the merchants abandoned the sites faster than the miners. The gold rush was over. I have, in the past, written about many of these horrid features of Capitalist economies, especially its abject immorality. Today I want to discuss an obvious falsehood that still gets repeated especially by right wing politicians and their counterparts in the economics profession and the business community, that is, businesses, not governments, create jobs. This generic claim is, of course, obviously false and its generality makes it grossly ambiguous. What precisely does it mean, especially since the politicians who utter it spend piles of money and time trying to get jobs that are not created by any business? No business created the jobs of Congressman or President, so what sense does it make for such a person to claim that businesses, not government, creates jobs? The claim is utterly stupid. In fact, businesses have no interest in creating jobs. Consider the vignette described above. Merchants flocked to the mining camps after gold was discovered and they left when the lode petered out. They did not use the capital they acquired from the miners to open productive businesses to provide jobs to the now jobless prospectors. In capitalist economies, capital is not acquired to be spent; it is acquired to be accumulated. Employees are merely means to that end, and whenever a business can accumulate capital without the use of employees, it will do it. And that is what has happened in large measure in America today. Businesses have found ways of accumulating capital without the need for American employees and government has aided and abetted businesses in doing so. So, when a politician advocates giving financial incentives to businesses to induce them to create jobs, those politicians are involved in a ludicrous absurdity. All the proposal does is provide businesses with another tool for extracting money from common people without even having to deal with them, and the capital acquired by businesses in this way will merely be added to the capital accumulation bank. Why would a business want to create a job with it and put that capital in jeopardy? To assume that businesses will use that capital to create jobs is the fallacy of supply side economics, which, incidentally, is based on nothing but pop-psychology. Supply side economics is based on the belief that if the government cuts taxes on the wealthy, they will invest their savings in new factories fitted with new technologies that will produce goods at lower costs, that newly hired workers will increase employment, and that more output will increase tax receipts. The economy will lift itself by its bootstraps. But there is no way to make sure the wealthy actually invest their wealth in productive enterprises, especially in the U.S. This entire theory is based on the mere pop-psychological belief that if you give a person money, s/he will do "the right thing" with it, namely, invest it in productive ways. But nothing forces wealthy people to do that, and they haven't, worse, never really have, since creating jobs is not an essential business function, only making money is, and getting financial incentives from government is merely another way of making money, Giving money to businesses will not end recessions or depressions. In fact, it is likely to prolong them, since businesses will not go where money cannot be made, because merchants are attracted to money like flies are attracted to dung. Businesses do not exist to create jobs. Jobs are created by businesses only when it suits their purposes. _________________________________________________ Best A. Mani -- A. Mani CU, ASL, CLC,  AMS, CMS http://www.logicamani.co.cc From a.mani.cms at gmail.com Sun Sep 25 18:17:52 2011 From: a.mani.cms at gmail.com (A. Mani) Date: Sun, 25 Sep 2011 18:17:52 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Destruction of Libyan Standards of Living Message-ID: http://globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=26686 Best A. Mani -- A. Mani CU, ASL, CLC,  AMS, CMS http://www.logicamani.co.cc From lalitambardar at hotmail.com Sun Sep 25 18:33:12 2011 From: lalitambardar at hotmail.com (Lalit Ambardar) Date: Sun, 25 Sep 2011 13:03:12 +0000 Subject: [Reader-list] Fwd: Exercises in Cover up, David Barsamian and Arndhati Roy In-Reply-To: References: , Message-ID: http://malayalanatu.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=703:arundhati-roy-revolts-a-rebellions&catid=15:essay&Itemid=19 Comment on ADR's last interview by David Barsamian whose visits to India aren't touristic anyway. I might have posted it earlier too,apologies for repeating.Rgds allLA --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Date: Sun, 25 Sep 2011 12:00:50 +0530 > From: kmvenuannur at gmail.com > To: reader-list at sarai.net > Subject: [Reader-list] Fwd: Exercises in Cover up, David Barsamian and Arndhati Roy > > *Arundhati Roy said to David Barsamian in a Feb 2011 interview that took > place during his last visit in India: > Even the middle class who have been benefited by neoliberal policies of the > last two decades have slowly started recognizing what is actually happening > to the majority of people ,the poor. > "NOW, EVERYBODY KNOWS.. > IT IS STREET TALK what we have been yelling about earlier" > Alas, David, who was about to have a second India visit this week was turned > back on his way! > "Writer, radio broadcaster and founder-director of Alternate Radio, David > Barsamian was deported from New Delhi airport"-Tehelka reports.. > So, let's have it that the state is willing to take no chances in its > possible failures in the exercise of cover up..!* > > http://www.tehelka.com/story_main50.asp?filename=Ws230911Kashmir.asp > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLVY3L7VrjU&feature=autoshare > > > > > > > > > -- > > > You cannot build anything on the foundations of caste. You cannot build up a > nation, you cannot build up a morality. Anything that you will build on the > foundations of caste will crack and will never be a whole. > -AMBEDKAR > > > > http://venukm.blogspot.com > > http://www.shelfari.com/kmvenuannur > > http://kmvenuannur.livejournal.com > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> From asit1917 at gmail.com Tue Sep 27 16:36:20 2011 From: asit1917 at gmail.com (asit das) Date: Tue, 27 Sep 2011 16:36:20 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Memorandum to the Prime Minister about the Gange-rape of a Deaf and Dumb woman in Assam Message-ID: To Dr. Man Mohan Singh Prime Minister Government of India Dear Dr. Singh, On 10th September 2011 Shrimati Deovari Basumatary wife of Amal Basumatary of village No 1 Sonapur under Bismuri Police station in the Kokrajhar District of Assam was gang raped by SSB jawans in the night of 10th September. It is extremely shocking that Shrimati Deobari Basumatary who is both deaf and dumb was raped in front of her husband; we hope you could understand the magnitude of this bestiality. This act also pales the stories of medieval barbarism. All these happen in the din of India being the world’s largest democracy and an emerging economic power house. This incident exposes the criminality and insensivity of the armed forces, the political executive and the degeneration of India’s state apparatus. This shameful incident is repeated at regular intervals in Assam and the North Eastern States one can not forget the brutal rape and Murder of Monarama devi which created an National and International outcry the woman in North East were outraged that shocking the conscience of the entire nation, demonstrated naked before the army headquarters. The killing machines of the arm forces in the north east were neither ashamed nor shocked. "Indian civilization* *has been degraded to abysmal depths by the atrocious behaviour of the Armed forces in the north east under the protection of Armed forces special powers Act, against the protest against this Act by the people of the region." We demand immediate arrest of the SSB Jawans booked for rape and tried in a fast track court. And repeal the armed forces special power act in Kashmir and North East. Sincerely Anjali Daimari President BODO Womens’s Justice Forum, Assam Ramela Islary President All Bodo Women’s Welfare Federation Anjuman Ara Begum Research Scholar Law Department University of Guwahati And Human Rights Activist Assam. Raj Kamal Goswami Research Scholar Assam Malem Ningthouja Campain for Peace And Democracy In Manipur Sharmishta Choudhury, General Secretary, All India Revolutionary Women’s Organisation Kavita Krishnan, All Indian Progressive women’s Association. Women against Sexual Violence and State Repression. Noorjehan Safia Niaz Bharatiya Mislim Mahila Andolan Ajit Jha Samajwadi Jan Parishad, Delhi Amit Chackrabarty Research Scholar JNU Arjun Prasad Singh PDFI, Delhi Nayan Jyoti Krantikari Naujawan Sabha Vijay Pratap Socialist Front Willyfried De costa INSAF P.K. Sundaram CNDP Shah Alam Independent Film Maker, Delhi Rashid Ali Independent Film Maker, Delhi Faisal Khan NAPM Kiran Shaeen Journalist, Delhi Subhasini Shriya Student, Center for Political Studies, JNU Asit Das Posco Pratirodh Solidarity, Delhi Laxman Singh Research Scholar, Jamia Milia Islamia, Delhi Sachidanand Mishra Independent Film Maker, Delhi Prakash Kumar Ray Editor, Bargad.org Pushkar Raj, PUCL Advocate Sudha Bharadwaj, PUCL Chhatisgarh. Subhash Gatade, New Socialist Initiative. Jagdish, New Socialist Alternative Professor Arun Kumar, Professor, JNU. Jyoti Punwani, Journalist, Mumbai. Sumathi Sudhakar, Author, Chennai Pooja Shah, Social Activist. Students for Resistance, Delhi. Dunu Roy, Hazards Centre, Delhi. Pradeep Singh, New Socialist Initiative, Delhi. Amrapali Basumatary, New Socialist Initiative, Delhi. Akshi Singh, Student Delhi School of Economics. Amartya Kanjilal, Faculty of Law Delhi University. Malay Firoz, Research Scholar, Delhi School of Economics Sanjay Kumar Chaudhary, Assistant Professor National Law School, Bangalore. Ranjana Padhi, Women against Sexual Violence and State Repression, Pune. Kalpana Mehta, Women against Sexual Violence and State Repression, Pune. Babloo Loilongbam, Human Rights Alert, Manipur. Bondita Acharya, Purva Bharati Trust, Jorhat, Assam. Partho Sarathi Roy, Assistant Professor IISER, Kolkata. Sudipto Muhuri, Post Doctoral Fellow, Institute of Physics, Bhubaneshwar. Rohini Hensman, Independent Writer, Mumbai Anand Teltumbde, CPDR, Mumbai Pankhuri Dasgupta, Student, Centre for Germanic Study JNU Freny Manecksha, Independent Journalist, Mumbai Meher Engineer, Ex Director, Bose Institute, Kolkata. Mamata Dash, POSCO Pratirodh Solidarity, Delhi. Jaya Vindhyala, President, PUCL, Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad S. Guna Sekharan, Assistant Professor, Hindu College, Delhi University. Roma, NFFIW, and Women’s Forest Right Committee. Uma Chandru, PUCL, Bangalore. Sudha Reddy, Social Activist, Bangalore. Tanushree Gangopadhy, Journalist, Ahmedabad. Priyanka Borpujari, Independent Journalist, Mumbai. Ranendra Pratap Swain, Ex MLA, Bhubaneshwar, Odisha. Madhu Bhaduri, Ex Ambassador of India (Retired), Delhi Noor Zaheer, Author, Delhi Pijush Manush, Speak Out Salem, Salam, Tamil Nadu. ICRA, Bangalore. Mayur Chetia, Research Scholar, JNU. Himanshu Thakkar, SANDRP, Delhi Kabir Arora, Social Activist, Delhi Ranjeet Thakur, Independent Journalist, Uttarakhand Subrat Sinha, Environment, Kolkata Shashank Yadav, Research Scholar, JNU Saurav Banerjee, Mazdoor Bigul, Delhi Sawan Kumar Gupta, MSW Student, TISS, Mumbai Mohammed, Imran, Social Activist Mumbai. Bhupali Vithal Magare, Student, TISS, Mumbai. Humane, Human Rights Organisation, Koraput, Odisha. Dhirendra Sharma, Retd. Professor, Dehradun. Anjan Sengupta, Social Activist, Kolkata. Tan\ushree Kher, Student, JNU Shankar Gopalkrishnan, Social Activist, Delhi D.W. Karuna, Researcher, Chennai Biswajit Mohanty, Assistant Professor, Delhi University. Guman Singh, Himalaya Niti Abhiyan, Himachal Pradesh. Souparna Lahiri, National Forum of Forest People And Forest Workers. Bhuwan Pathak, Harit Swaraj Abhiyan, Uttarakhand. Rajnikant Mudgal, Socialist Front, Delhi. Arya Thomas, Research Scholar, JNU. Rita Kumari, Pravasi Nagrik Munch, Delhi Anand Krishna Raj, Research Scholar, JNU Kumar Sameer, Social Activist, Delhi Mohmed Usman, Research Scholar, JNU. Anushuya Bhattacharya, Independent Film-maker, Delhi Bhupen Singh Teacher in Indian Institute of Mass Communication Delhi * * *(Copy forwarded to the Home Minister of India, Secretary of Women and Child Development Government of India, Chairperson National Commission of Women, Chairperson Human Right commission for Necessary Information and Action.)* * * From rohitrellan at aol.in Tue Sep 27 16:57:05 2011 From: rohitrellan at aol.in (rohitrellan at aol.in) Date: Tue, 27 Sep 2011 07:27:05 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [Reader-list] National School Of Drama Repertory Company presents Hamara Shahar Us Baras In-Reply-To: <8CE4B1F6A2C52D0-CDC-A91C5@webmail-d087.sysops.aol.com> References: <8CE4B1F6A2C52D0-CDC-A91C5@webmail-d087.sysops.aol.com> Message-ID: <8CE4B1F84F63771-CDC-A91E4@webmail-d087.sysops.aol.com> National School Of Drama Repertory Company Presents HamaraShahar Us Baras Based on a novel by Geetanjalishree Directed by Kirti Jain "HamaraShahar Us Baras deals with changing relationships in the background ofsectarian clashes where people’s religious, intellectual and political beliefcame into question." Theperformances are scheduled from 27th September 2011 to 2nd October 2011 at 6.30 PM with additional performances on 1st & 2nd October 2011 at 3.00 PM at Abhimanch auditorium, Bahawalpur House, Bhagwandas Lane off Bhagwandas Road, New Delhi. Ticketsof Rs. 100/-, 50/-, 30/- & 10/-. Advance booking from 24th September 2011 onwards from 11.00 am. -1.00 pm. and 2.00 pm. -4.00 pm at the Repertory Company on all days. Tickets also available an hour before the show, at the venue. Childrenbelow 8 years will not be allowed. Tape recorders, mobiles, cameras, andhandbags are not permitted in the auditorium. For more information pleasecontact 23383420, 23387290. About the Play Hamara Shehar Us Baras is a play set against the onslaught of communal discord in the life of a city and the ensuing displacement of established beliefs,positions and relationships. Daddu and his son Sharad have a couple,Hanif and Shruti, as their tenants for some years.Hanif and Sharad are colleagues in the history department of the University and Shruti is a writer.Subtle yet persistent changes in the lives of Hanif,Shruti and Sharad reflect larger changes around them:the freshly resurgent matth,the city streets and the apparent changes in attidues of the people in the department.Their close camaraderie is put to the test by the fact that they belong to different religious communities.Hanif's pain and struggle to refuse being branded only as a representative of his community is compounded by Sharad and Shruti's constant persuasion,over-protection and even guilt,of belonging to the majority.Against their torturous search for identity and historiography is Daddu representing the wisdom and tolerance of a brand of secularism that both celebrates and believes in difference.The outside, replete with sectarian violence,extremist religious & majority assertions and increasing marginalization of the minorities,impinges upon the inside.As each one resists self-definition through religious identity,unaware of the deep rooted biases and predispositions that come to the fore,they find themselves increasingly isolated and misunderstood.The events,both inside and outside,are narrated by the sutradhaar/writer who is both the witness to as well as a participant in the happenings that affect the lives of the protagonists. From the-network at koeln.de Wed Sep 28 11:26:16 2011 From: the-network at koeln.de (CologneOFF2012) Date: Wed, 28 Sep 2011 07:56:16 +0200 Subject: [Reader-list] =?iso-8859-1?q?Final_call_for_videoart=3A_deadline_?= =?iso-8859-1?q?1_October?= Message-ID: <20110928075616.A312DFF5.9A8937CE@192.168.0.2> Calls for entries deadline: 1 October 2011 Cologne International Videoart Festival http://coff.newmediafest.org --------------------------------- 3 calls: 1. Football - Soccer - Fussball 2. Let's Save the World!? 2. "Mexican Visions" - videoart from Mexico wanted! --------------------------------- 1. Call for entries Deadline 1 October 2011 "Football - Soccer - Fussball" In 2012, in Poland and Ukraine the "European Football Championships" will be held showing once again how deeply rooted football (US- soccer) is in the contemporary society. Cologne International Videoart Festival is looking for its nomadic festival project CologneOFF (2011/2012) - videoart in a globale context 1 January 2011 - 31 December 2012 for experimental films and video art - dealing with --> football (soccer) as an artistic topic, --> the enthusiasm people all over the world is encouraging, but also not to forget --> phenomenons like hoogligans, violence or drugs. Football is a complex social phenomenon which is more than worth to be reflected in new forms of contemporary art. CologneOFF is inviting film- and videomakers all over the world to contribute and submit experimental films and video art by using the entry form on - http://www.nmartproject.net/netex/?p=3245 ------------------------------------------------------ 2. Call for entries extended deadline: 1 October 2011 Let's Save the World !? 2011 was the year when people all over the world became aware again how vurnerable nature, but also the human species are. Especially, the disasters in Japan - earthquake/tsunami and nuclear - were causing countless human tragedies making all of us clear, neither nature nor technology can be controlled by humans. But these desasters stand in a long row of phenomenons with increasing negative effects on the enviroments we humans are living in, like global climate warming, global migrating, misuse of natural resources etc, and there is the real danger that our living sources are already destroyed before we actually are ready to react. Let's Save the World!? - is the theme of a special selection to be made in the framework of the nomadic festival project "CologneOFF 2011/2012 - videoart in a global context" http://coff.newmediafest.org which is not only appealing to work actively for the survival of our blue planet, but dealing with the questions what can be done to save the world and how can it be done, with environmental issues & substainability, social & global responsibility and much more. Artists working with "moving images" are invited to deal with all these and many more questions in their experimental films and videoart, to contribute and submit to this call by using the entry form on - http://www.nmartproject.net/netex/?p=3251 ------------------------------------------- 3. Call for entries Deadline: 1 October 2011 "Mexican Visions" open call for national (Mexican) videomakers Circuito Electrovisiones Mexico & CologneOFF released a comon open call --> Mexican visions // art and moving images experimental films and videoart wanted! In order to promote the dissemination of video art and experimental film, Cologne International Videoart Festival (CologneOFF) and Circuito Electrovisiones open this call for anyone interested in participating in the selection of videos -Mexican visions / / art and moving images - which will become part of the festival context CologneOFF 2012. Mexican visions / / art and moving images will be presented in the framework of CologneOFF 2012 online, as well as in physical events to be scheduled in different countries. More details and entry form on http://www.nmartproject.net/netex/?p=3525 ------------------------------------------- Cologne International Videoart Festival http://coff.newmediafest.org operated & powered by artvideoKOELN- the curatorial initiative "art and moving images" http.//video.mediaartcologne.org 2011 (at) coff.newmediafest.org -------------------------------------------- From asit1917 at gmail.com Wed Sep 28 14:42:14 2011 From: asit1917 at gmail.com (asit das) Date: Wed, 28 Sep 2011 14:42:14 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] APPEAL TO CONDEMN THE CORPORATE VIOLENCE OF POSCO TODAY i.e ON 26TH SEPTEMBER 2011 Message-ID: *APPEAL TO CONDEMN THE CORPORATE VIOLENCE OF POSCO TODAY i.e ON 26TH SEPTEMBER 2011** * Dear Friends, Today, about 400 armed goons of POSCO attacked our villagers at Govindpur village with rod, sticks and hand-bombs at 8.30 AM. In this sudden attack, more than 30 villagers have been injured including 6 women; two people are critically injured. These injured are not able to go for treatment to the nearest hospital in fear of arrest as police has already booked false cases against them in the earlier incidents. This is a new trick made by the government and POSCO to enter into our area. The government made a plan to build a coastal road along the beach from the Indian Oil Refinery complex to the port near to our village for POSCO. As you know that we have prevented the entry of the police from the side of the land mass by peacefully sitting in Dharana, the government is considering this as an alternative road to make entry from sea side. The construction has been contracted to Paradeep Paribahan, a private company led by Bapi Circle. On 19th of August 2011, the government has laid the foundation for road construction. On 20th of August, around 400 people including the contractor and workers were proceeding to the site during the day; our people protested the move and chased them away. Today, Bapi Circle who is also known as mafia leader from the ruling party Biju Janata Dal ( BJD), brought armed goons from outside the area and lead the attack . Our villagers are chased with sticks and bombs are also being thrown on our unarmed villagers. The leader of the Contractors’ association has admitted to have attacked the people in front of electronic media. Police did not arrive in the place. Now, our people are in high alert to face any imminent attack by private militia. Our villagers are strongly determined not to allow the construction of the road. We request all of you to strongly condemned this heinous attack and expose this unholy nexus between POSCO and the state government in a strong word. This is a very planned and calculated move to crush our peaceful democratic movement against the forceful displacement. The malicious plan of the government to project all this situation as a law and order problem in the media and accordingly police will enter in to our area. This is nothing but a very shameful act of POSCO to terrorize the villagers. We all are determined to continue our struggle democratically, We shall inform you the further developments here. Kindly circulate this mail widely. In solidarity, Prashant Paikary Spokesperson, POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samiti Mobile no - – 09437571547 E-Mail- prashantpaikray at gmail.com Note: Shrimati Satyabati Swain, Aged: 65, went to Kujang Police Station on 27th October to register a FIR against the goons of POSCO who had attacked her son Shri Ranjan Swain who’s also a prominent activist of PPSS. Ranjan was badly injured. The police officers instead of registering her case arrested her on trumped up charges. This explains the horrors of state repression in complicity with POSCO. Please write to the Odisha Chief Minister protesting against this action and taking action on the POSCO goons. From a.mani.cms at gmail.com Wed Sep 28 22:29:23 2011 From: a.mani.cms at gmail.com (A. Mani) Date: Wed, 28 Sep 2011 22:29:23 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Attack on Education System in WB Message-ID: (From People's Democracy) “Ambience of Education is Disturbed” >From Our Special Correspondent in Kolkata THE attack on the education system in West Bengal under the new regime has begun to take its toll. Vice chancellors of Burdwan and Vidyasagar universities have resigned from their posts due to deteriorating situation in their institutions. Burdwan VC, Subrata Pal, sent his resignation to the university chancellor, governor, M K Narayanan on September 20. Days before him, Vidyasagar University VC, Nanda Dulal Paria, sent his resignation to the chancellor. After the TMC-Congress combine came to power in West Bengal, the government seemed hell bent upon to derail the democratic education governance evolved in the state in the last three decades. A so-called ‘advisory committee’, consisting of professed pro-TMC people, was formed and their whips started to be imposed on the elected and legally formed governing councils and boards of higher education. The governor issued a notification banning all recruitments, promotions and even taking any important decisions by senates, syndicates, executive councils and vice chancellors. In many universities, even routine work was jeopardised. Apart from that, direct interventions by TMC leaders and ministers in running the institutions grew to unsustainable proportions. Such a trouble broke out in Burdwan University over science and technology minister Rabi Ranjan Chattopadhyay's advisory to the VC to act in consultation with some of his trusted lieutenants in the university, who were TMC leaders. In his letter to the chancellor, VC of Burdwan expressed his dismay over the deteriorating academic atmosphere in the university. "I find with utter dismay that over the last several months, the general environment has become more and more inhospitable for an academic person to discharge the duty of a vice-chancellor," he said in his resignation letter. Pal had expected things to shape up after the new coalition took over. "But it didn't. Instead it got worse with a number of committees formed without addressing the problems," the VC said. He also pointed at non-cooperation from certain quarters in the university as also from the higher education minister Bratya Basu. In fact, incidents of TMC ruffians entering the university and attacking students, officers, abusing teachers have become regular. In Rabindrabharati University, situated in Tagore’s ancestral home, TMC activists have already ransacked offices, manhandled teachers , beaten up SFI students. They have demanded that their list should be followed for entrance. RBU teachers have unitedly protested against anarchy. In Vidyasagar university , TMC leaders are forcing their fatwas to be followed. "I do not wish to continue as vice chancellor. I sent my papers in the first week of August to the chancellor. There has been no communication thereafter from the governor's house. I will no longer be able to continue in office due to personal reasons," said VC Nanda Dulal Paria. In an unprecedented move, the government has decided to remove the existing members of the executive council of the Presidency university. The members of the Council are academicians with impeccable record of academic excellence like Professors Amiya Bagchi (Director, Institute of Development Studies Kolkata), Mushirul Hassan (Director, National Archives of India), Bikash Sinha (Ex-Director, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics), Shankar Pal (Ex-Director, Indian Statistical Institute), Suranjan Das (Vice-Chancellor, University of Calcutta), P N Ghosh (Vice-Chancellor, Jadavpur University) and some others. The members of this committee were not even informed of the decision by the government. They came to know of it through the media. The executive council was nominated by the erstwhile Left Front government to carry forward the academic activities of Presidency, which was given university status by the government recently. After coming to power, Mamata Banerjee constituted another committee called the Mentor group (which is not a statutory body), to advise the university, headed by Professor Sugata Bose and with Professor Amartya Sen as the advisor. Professor Amartya Sen had opined that the Mentor group should act in collaboration with the executive council. However, the government decided to dissolve the existing executive council and convert the Mentor group into the executive council to deal with the differences that arose. Several questions have been raised about the decision. Firstly, the government has insulted senior academicians of the state and the country by removing them from the Council without consulting them at any level. Secondly, it is also being said that the academicians have been removed from the council, since they were appointed by the Left Front government. This is nothing but TMC’s vendetta politics. The members of the council have the highest level of academic excellence. They were in the council in their own right and not because of any political affiliation. Thirdly, the members of the Mentor group are mainly NRIs or live outside the state. To run a university, it is imperative that the vice chancellor and the council interact frequently. If the members of the Mentor group (who subsequently will be the council) are not living in the state, it will be difficult to run the university and will adversely affect teaching and research in the university. What is at stake here is the prestige and academic future of Presidency university. The government in its narrow partisanship and short-sightedness is gambling with the future of the university and insulting senior intellectuals. This only shows the political intent of the government, which is averse to evolving a consensus on such important matters. _________________________________________________________________ Best A. Mani -- A. Mani CU, ASL, CLC,  AMS, CMS http://www.logicamani.co.cc From a.mani.cms at gmail.com Wed Sep 28 22:37:53 2011 From: a.mani.cms at gmail.com (A. Mani) Date: Wed, 28 Sep 2011 22:37:53 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] "All day all week... Occupy Wall Street" Message-ID: http://www.pragoti.in/node/4537 Best A. Mani -- A. Mani CU, ASL, CLC,  AMS, CMS http://www.logicamani.co.cc From a.mani.cms at gmail.com Thu Sep 29 03:24:40 2011 From: a.mani.cms at gmail.com (A. Mani) Date: Thu, 29 Sep 2011 03:24:40 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Interesting article on WB Message-ID: http://westbengalnews.blogspot.com/2011/09/100-days-of-paribartan.html Best A. Mani -- A. Mani CU, ASL, CLC,  AMS, CMS http://www.logicamani.co.cc From rohitrellan at aol.in Thu Sep 29 10:47:42 2011 From: rohitrellan at aol.in (rohitrellan at aol.in) Date: Thu, 29 Sep 2011 01:17:42 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [Reader-list] Katyayani next production Gaslight ( Patrick Hamilton's classic thriller), Oct 2 2011, 7:30pm, Epicentre, Gurgaon In-Reply-To: <8CE4C7E1EE51E36-179C-C3D4A@webmail-m018.sysops.aol.com> References: <8CE4C7E1EE51E36-179C-C3D4A@webmail-m018.sysops.aol.com> Message-ID: <8CE4C7E3F055A55-179C-C3D61@webmail-m018.sysops.aol.com> After the success of Ouch, Mahim Junction, Tattoo and O, Katyayani is on to it's next production, Gaslight. GASLIGHT A house full ofshadows, a woman slowly going insane and a possible murder. GASLIGHT, PatrickHamilton's classic thriller, which won Ingrid Bergman an Oscar in the movieversion, is brought to life on the Gurgaon stage by Katyayani. Directed bySohaila Kapur. Sunday, Oct 2, 7:30 p.m., at Epicentre, Sector 44, Gurgaon. Tickets 350, 250 and 150, at the venue .Cast: Dhruv Jagasia, Vishal Sethia, Jyotsna Sharma, Subhashini Sood & Shifali Kumar. Synopsis: This classic thriller,set in Victorian London and filmed twice, has also performed on Broadway as`Angel Street’. Jack Cunningham isslowly, deliberately, driving his wife Bella, insane. He has almost succeeded,when help arrives in the form of a former detective, Rough, who reveals a few secrets. Aided by Bella, Rough provesMannigham’s true identity and finally Bella achieves a few moments of sweetrevenge for the suffering inflicted on her. Pix: Karam Puri Play date : Oct 2, 2011,7:30pm Language : English Genre : Drama Director : Sohaila Kapur Length : 2 hrs Contact Us EPICENTRE At Apparel House, Sector 44, Gurgaon T: 91 124 2715000 F: 91 124 2715050 E: info at epicentre.co.in FOR PROGRAMMES & PERFORMANCES Pragrammes Department T: 91 124 2715200 E: culture at epicentre.co.in, arts at epicentre.co.in From a.mani.cms at gmail.com Thu Sep 29 22:25:10 2011 From: a.mani.cms at gmail.com (A. Mani) Date: Thu, 29 Sep 2011 22:25:10 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Novartis Case Message-ID: All related movements should do something about this. ________________________________________________________________ Novartis Must Not Win This Case Amit Sen Gupta "Capital is as terrified of the absence of profit or a very small profit as nature is of a vacuum. With suitable profits, capital is awakened; with 10 per cent, it can be used anywhere; with 20 per cent, it becomes lively; with 50 per cent, positively daring; with 100 per cent, it will crush all human laws under its feet; and with 300 per cent, there is no crime it is not willing to dare, even at the risk of the gallows." WHEN Marx wrote about the crimes Capital can commit, given the right circumstances, the present intellectual property system was just being born. A hundred and fifty years later, perhaps nothing exemplifies better, Capital’s thirst for profit, as the current regime of intellectual property protection. It is a system that seeks to generate super profits through monopoly control over knowledge. When applied in the medicines sector, it translates into millions of deaths and destitution for an even larger number. Today, products to treat a range of diseases are denied to those who need them most because they cannot pay for them. It is denied to them not because these medicines cannot be produced at affordable costs, but because a few multinational corporations treat the knowledge as their property and sell these medicines at exorbitant prices. They also use the monopoly created by patents, to prevent other companies from producing and selling these drugs at much lower prices. CURRENT PATENT SYSTEM: A CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY The current patent system, as part of the global intellectual property regime, has assumed proportions that are unthinkable. It is the perpetrator of one of the longest standing, persistent and nefarious crimes against humanity. It denies a majority of humankind the benefits that can accrue through advances in science. Nothing illustrates this better than the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa. Half the continent of Africa has virtually lost two decades – developmental and health indicators at the turn of this millennium in 2000, were worse than in the 1980s. A major reason for this has been the decimation of the most productive section of the population – in many countries over 1/3rd of people in the 15-45 age group are infected by HIV/AIDS. A whole generation suffered and died, not because HIV/AIDS could not be treated, but because those who had the knowledge to make the necessary medicines used their patent monopoly to sell the medicines at costs that almost nobody in the African continent could afford. In 2001, the annual cost of treating one patient of HIV/AIDS was $10,000. Some African countries would have had to spend more than half their GDP to procure these medicines for those who needed them. The tragedy is that these medicines need not have been so expensive. In 2003 the Indian company Cipla, finally started selling the same medicines at $250 per annum – at 1/40 th the earlier cost! Even this was high, and the same drugs can be accessed today at less than $100, for a year’s supply. India was mercifully spared the effect of medicine patents till 2005 because it had one of the most progressive patent laws in the world, enacted in 1972. That has however now changed and the signing of the WTO agreement in 1994 also marked India’s accession to a patent system that puts profits before people. India’s earlier patent act worked on a very simple principle. It said that patents (a monopoly over use of a product) would be allowed in all sectors except the two that were most vital for human existence – food and health. So patents on medicinal products were not allowed in India and new medicines could be manufactured by a range of Indian companies without hindrance. This is why Cipla was able to manufacture and supply HIV/AIDS medicines at a fraction of the earlier costs. Much of this enabling environment for Indian companies changed when India amended its Patent Act in 2005 – after completing the ten year transition period allowed when India signed the WTO agreement in 1994. HISTORY OF NOVARTIS’ BATTLE IN INDIA A clear example of profiteering at the cost of peoples’ lives, in India, has been the case related to a vital anti-leukemia (blood cancer) drug called Imatinib mesylate. The drug was introduced in 2001 and has quickly become the key drug that is used to treat a form of leukemia, called chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). For patients suffering from CML the drug is the difference between a healthy life and a death sentence. Imatinib mesylate has been patented in many countries by the Swiss MNC, Novartis, which sells the drug under the brand name of Glivec. In India, the initial patent application for the medicine was rejected by the patent office in 2006. Novartis persisted in its efforts to get a patent and appealed to the Patent Appellate Board. When the Board rejected Novartis’ application again, the company challenged the decision in the Chennai High Court. Not only that, it also challenged a key provision of the Indian Patent Act that had been cited by the Patent office while rejecting the Glivec patent application. The Chennai High Court rejected both the appeals by the Swiss company. Novartis has, however, continued to persist in its efforts to secure a patent for its drug. The final step is its, now pending appeal, before the Supreme Court of India. In the Supreme Court Novartis is now challenging the interpretation of a crucial section of India’s Patent Act – Section 3(d). When India amended its patent laws in 2005, the parliament tried to ensure that the amended law would contain some safeguards against rampant profiteering by foreign MNCs. One of these safeguards introduced was this section. Section 3(d) essentially stipulates that trivial changes in existing molecules cannot be basis for fresh patenting. Such trivial patenting (known as ‘evergreening’) is an old ploy used by drug companies to extend their monopoly. Companies first apply for a patent for the basic molecule and then attempt to extend the life of their monopoly by subsequently applying for fresh patents after a few years on as lightly different version of the original molecule. In the case of Glivec, the original patent was filed by Novartis in 1993 for the ‘amorphous’ molecule of the chemical, Imatinib Mesylate. An amorphous salt is what exists in nature and is usually a mixture of different variants. In the late 1990s Novartis filed a fresh patent for the Beta variant of the molecule, which is already present in the amorphous salt that they had earlier patented. They also claimed that the Beta variety is better absorbed by the body. The 1993 patent was not recognised in India as at that time Indian law did not allow patenting of medicines. When the law was changed in 2005, Novartis applied for a patent for the Beta variety of the salt. The patent office rejected the patent and opined that under Indian law a slightly modified version of a known molecule cannot be patented. The patent office also said that the patent application does not fulfill two necessary criteria for patenting – novelty, and inventive step. The beta salt of Imatinib was not an entirely new product, and neither was there any major inventive step involved in preparing a purified beta salt from the existing amorphous salt. As we mentioned earlier, Novartis’ subsequent appeals in the patent appellate board and Chennai High Court were rejected. Interestingly Novartis also challenged Section 3(d) of the Indian Act in the High Court, claiming that it was in violation of India’s obligations at the WTO. The Chennai High Court pointed out that domestic courts cannot be asked to give an opinion regarding international treaties and obligations, and Novartis should take its complaint to the dispute settlement mechanism in the WTO. Novartis, has never done so and clearly Section 3(d) does not violate international obligations. This time around, in the Supreme Court, Novartis has decided to use a novel plea. Instead of challenging Section 3(d) itself, they now argue that the section has not being properly interpreted. The section says that minor variations in an existing molecule cannot be patented unless there is a ‘significant’ enhancement in efficacy of the medicine. Now Novartis claims that since the Beta variant is better absorbed (by about 30 per cent) it constitutes a significant enhancement. Clearly Novartis and its panel of expensive lawyers are clutching at straws! The patent office, while rejecting the company’s earlier patent application, had stated that anybody trained in chemistry would know that an amorphous salt is made up of different variants, and it is common knowledge that the variants are likely to have slightly different properties. However, it is this trivial piece of research that is the basis for the entire case that Novartis is now fighting. NOVARTIS: PHILANTHROPIST PAR EXCELLENECE! How much would Novartis gain if its patent were to be upheld? The mathematics speaks for itself. A month’s supply of Glivec costs Rs 120,000 – way beyond the means of more than 99 per cent of Indians. Remember that the drug has to be taken lifelong. Yet the same drug is sold by several Indian companies at a price of Rs 8,000 for a month’s supply – 1/15th of what Novartis charges! Marx talked about capital willing to dare any crime for a 300 per cent profit, here Novartis is fighting for a 1500 per cent profit! At the heart of Novartis’ battle is a $ 4 billion plus global market for Glivec – about Rs 20,000 crores, which is equal to the entire union health budget of India for 2010-2011. Novartis tries to give a different spin to the whole issue of access to the medicine. It claims that price is not an issue in India because ‘eligible’ patients are covered by a programme called GIPAP – Glivec International Patient Assistance Programme. The only problem with Novartis’ spin on the issue is wrong mathematics. Novartis claims that it supplies the drug, free of cost, to about 11,000 leukemia patients in India. The Cancer Patients Association in India estimates that there are over 100,000 patients in India who suffer from chronic myeloid leukemia and that 20,000 odd new patients are added every year (the disease has an annual incidence of 1-2/100,000 population per year). Studies also show that the disease strikes earlier in India – among a younger age group – than in Europe and North America. Yet, Novartis’ publicists glibly continue to claim that all ‘eligible’ patients in India are cared for by GIPAP. The GIPAP programme itself is an interesting case study. Novartis has regularly flogged it to claim credit for an act of charity. How altruistic is the GIPAP programme? The programme was launched in 2002 and Novartis claims that it reaches 35,000 patients in 80 countries. In 2003 the New York Times carried an investigative report that blew the lid off the claims of altruism. The NYT report (as well as another report from Argentina) documents how GIPAP has been used by Novartis to first create a demand for Glivec and then to pressure governments and heath management organisations to reimburse the cost of the medicine. The NYT reported: “In wealthier countries like South Korea, Hong Kong and New Zealand, Novartis, meanwhile, has encouraged patients who have received free drugs to become advocates, pressing public health systems to pay high prices for the drug. One company document declared that drug donations along with media campaigns and legal tactics were part of a concerted plan to win reimbursement for Glivec”. The story gets even murkier. The website, www.healthyskepticism.org documents GIPAP’s record in Argentina and reports of a case filed in the country’s court: “The Program kept a 3-month reserve supply of Glivec for the patients. When the doses for the first phase of the treatment were delivered to the patients, including a 30 day supply to cover their immediate initial needs, the patients or their relatives were instructed to retain an attorney to start legal proceedings against the health care institutions which did not include Glivec in their formularies. After that, the provision of Glivec by the Foundation through their GIPAP Program was stopped. The investment by Novartis consisted of a single treatment [ie, for one month] and then the company recovered its so-called donation by forcing the health care institutions to buy the product”….”the claim also details other illicit practices, such as the making of secret payments of bribes to doctors in order to position Glivec in Argentina, or the giving of gifts to oncologists”. NOVARTIS: THE VICTIM! Novartis has consistently played the victim in the Glivec case. It says that it is not fighting the case to make money but to uphold the principle that it deserves credit for the investment it has made in research to develop the drug. What Novartis does not tell us is that Glivec was granted ‘orphan drug’ status in the United States and was therefore eligible for tax rebates equal to half the cost of clinical testing (the major cost for drug development). We turn to what Brian Druker, one of the scientists involved in developing Imatinib while working in Oregon Health and Science University Cancer Institute, has to say. In a signed article in Livemint in 2007, Druker wrote: “In the recent debates on patents, pharmaceutical prices and access to essential medicines, the critical role of scientists and resources of the public sector and academic institutions involved in medical research have often been overlooked. As one of the scientists behind the development of the medicine ‘Imatinib’ (marketed as Glivec by Novartis), which has allowed the effective control of a devastating form of cancer, I have witnessed the vital role that academic researchers and public institutions play in bringing new medicines to the market. “Many scientists, if not most of those I have collaborated with in these settings, are engaged in research primarily motivated by the pursuit of knowledge as a means to help patients. For many of these scientists it is, therefore, of great concern that the results of their efforts can’t reach patients and save lives because of pricing strategies and patent policies such as “patent evergreening” (minor changes to existing molecules designed to extend patent monopolies) used by partners further down the drug development process”. Druker, goes on to relate how a large portion of the research was made possible because of public funding and how the company was actually not very interested, initially, in pursuing the research on a cure for CML. He writes: “My work in Oregon on a therapy for CML was primarily funded by public sources, particularly the National Cancer Institute. My persistence with scientists at Ciba-Geigy (now Novartis) helped to keep the development of Imatinib on their agenda despite uncertainty from product managers. As Imatinib progressed through early and late clinical trials and demonstrated outstanding results, scientific and media interest in our discovery increased. The approval of Imatinib by the FDA in May 2001 for use in CML was the culmination of a 10-year project for me, something I had dreamed of since medical school”. And yet, Novartis laments that it is not being given due credit for its ‘original’ research! CORPORATE GREED Vs LIVES OF MILLIONS Let us complete the Novartis story in India. What Novartis is challenging in the Supreme Court of India is not just the order denying the company a patent for Glivec. Novartis is challenging the very heart of the Indian patent act and its attempt to balance the rights of patent holders with the needs of the Indian people for access to treatment that is affordable. Section 3(d) of the act has been used several times by the Indian patent office to deny patents for other similar trivial inventions, especially in the case of HIV/AIDS medicines. If the section is diluted or overturned, all these cases will be reopened. Not just that – it will open the door for a flood of applications, many of which were not filed by companies because of the existence of Section 3(d). So the case can have implications for access to medicines not just for CML patients but for a whole range of patients who are today able to access cheaper drugs made by Indian companies. These patients are located not just in India but in over a hundred countries in Asia, Latin America and Africa. For example, over 80 per cent of all patients in developing countries who consume HIV/AIDS medicines are able to do so because Indian companies supply them at an affordable rate. This is a case that Novartis must not win because it is not about corporate pride. It is a case that sets corporate greed against the lives of millions across the world. ________________________________________________________________________________ Best A. Mani -- A. Mani CU, ASL, CLC,  AMS, CMS http://www.logicamani.co.cc From santhoshhrishikesh at gmail.com Fri Sep 30 08:55:00 2011 From: santhoshhrishikesh at gmail.com (santhosh hk) Date: Fri, 30 Sep 2011 08:55:00 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] David Barsamian interviews Richard Wolff Message-ID: Read '*The systematic crisis of Capitalism',* a latest interview based on the financial crisis in USA with renowned Economist Richard Wollf by David Barsamian, world famous broadcaster exclusive in Malayalanatu web weekly http://malayalanatu.com/index.php/english-essay/949-the-systemic-crisis-of-capitalism From the-network at koeln.de Fri Sep 30 16:03:20 2011 From: the-network at koeln.de (netEX9) Date: Fri, 30 Sep 2011 12:33:20 +0200 Subject: [Reader-list] =?iso-8859-1?q?netEX=3A_calls_=26_deadlines_--=3E_O?= =?iso-8859-1?q?ctober_2011?= Message-ID: <20110930123320.5CD0248E.BF6272CB@192.168.0.2> netEX: calls & deadlines --> October 2011 ------------------------------------- ------------------------------------- newsletter contents *news *calls & deadlines --> 04 Calls: 2011 deadlines internal 17 Calls: October 2011 deadlines external 15 Calls: ongoing external/internal ------------------------------------------------ News In October 2011 - CologneOFF 2011 - videoart in a global context nomadic festival project 1 January - 31 December 2011 is making a stop in Gdansk/Poland presenting "Young German Videoart" in the framework of In Out Festival Gdansk on 22-23 October 2011 http://coff.newmediafest.org/blog/?p=1777 On Monday, 3 October CologneOFF is launching the online feature of the month presenting as solo artists the Chinese artists couple Lily & Honglei (China) and Contextual Face - a feminist view on videoart curated by Evelin Stermitz (Austria) All details can be found in time on the project site --> CologneOFF 2011 - videoart in a global context http://coff.newmediafest.org/blog/ http://coff.newmediafest.org ------------------------------------------------ Calls & deadlines ---> ------------------------------------------------ Deadlines internal ------------------------------------------------ 4 calls for 2011 extended Deadline 1 October2011 CologneOFF2011 - Football - Soccer - Fussball film and video makers are invited to submit experimental films and videoart http://www.nmartproject.net/netex/?p=3245 extended Deadline: 1 October 2011 CologneOFF2011 - Let's Save the World!? film and video makers are invited to submit experimental films and videoart http://www.nmartproject.net/netex/?p=3251 Deadline: 1 October 2011 CologneOFF 2012 in collaboration with Circuito Electrovisiones_ México Mexican Visions - art & moving images Mexican film & video makers wanted! http://www.nmartproject.net/netex/?p=3525 Deadline: 1 December 2011 a+b=ba - art + blog = blogart? released by JavaMuseum http://www.nmartproject.net/netex/?p=3569 ------------------------------------------------ October 2011 deadlines: external ------------------------------------------------ 31 October Traverse Video Festival 2012 Toulouse/F http://www.nmartproject.net/netex/?p=3361 29 October Art/Science Residency Singapore http://www.nmartproject.net/netex/?p=3657 26 October Videorover - Season III http://www.nmartproject.net/netex/?p=3655 17 October Technarte Bilbao/Spain http://www.nmartproject.net/netex/?p=3668 15 October Phonurgia Nova Awards 2011 http://www.nmartproject.net/netex/?p=3666 15 October Videoartists wanted for New York http://www.nmartproject.net/netex/?p=3621 15 October 20th Bremen Award for Videoart 2012 http://www.nmartproject.net/netex/?p=3446 10 October Soundwave (5) Humanities http://www.nmartproject.net/netex/?p=3653 10 October Sonic Art for BASIC.fm http://www.nmartproject.net/netex/?p=3649 1 October Videoart from Mexico wanted !. http://www.nmartproject.net/netex/?p=3525 1 October Doc-Art Project - Online/OFF Kiev/Ukraine http://www.nmartproject.net/netex/?p=3566 1 October International Mailart Exhibition - Canada http://www.nmartproject.net/netex/?p=3591 1 October CologneOFF - Football-Soccer-Fussball http://www.nmartproject.net/netex/?p=3245 1 October CologneOFF - Let's Save the World!? http://www.nmartproject.net/netex/?p=3245 . ----------------------------------------------- Ongoing calls: external/internal ----------------------------------------------- --> Digital Art Wanted by Hex Gallery Kansas City --> Writers who explore the visual arts - wanted for online magazine --> Radius - Radio as Art (Chicago) --> Artsit Residency in Alaska --> SFC - Shoah Film Collection by VideoChannel & A Virtual Memorial Foundation --> Selfshadows 2.= - net based project by Javier Bedrina --> Videos for Bivouac Projects Sumter/USA --> OUTCASTING - web based screenings --> Films and video screenings Sioux City (USA) --> Laisle screenings Rio de Janeiro/Brazil --> Videos for Helsinki based video gallery - 00130 Gallery --> Web based works for 00130 Gallery Helsinki/Finland --> Project: Repetition as a Model for Progression by Marianne Holm Hansen --> US webjournal Atomic Unicorn seeks netart and video art for coming editions --> TAGallery and more deadlines on http://www.nmartproject.net/netex/?page_id=4 ----------------------------------------------- NetEX - networked experience http://netex.nmartproject.net # calls in the external section--> http://www.nmartproject.net/netex/?cat=3 # calls in the internal section--> http://www.nmartproject.net/netex/?cat=1 ----------------------------------------------- # This newsletter is also released on http://www.nmartproject.net/netex/?cat=9 # netEX - networked experiences is a free information service powered by Le Musee di-visioniste -the new museum of networked art - http://www.le-musee-divisioniste.org # info & contact: netex (at) nmartproject.net ------------------------------------------------ From rohitrellan at aol.in Fri Sep 30 18:42:06 2011 From: rohitrellan at aol.in (rohitrellan at aol.in) Date: Fri, 30 Sep 2011 09:12:06 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [Reader-list] We Care Film Festival concludes In-Reply-To: <8CE4D899AC4192E-1078-12C26@webmail-m002.sysops.aol.com> References: <8CE4D899AC4192E-1078-12C26@webmail-m002.sysops.aol.com> Message-ID: <8CE4D89B0224BDC-1078-12C39@webmail-m002.sysops.aol.com> NEW DELHI : A three-day film festival on disabilitytitled “We Care” concluded at Apeejay Institute of Mass Communication here on Thursdayorganized by an NGO Brotherhood, the festival ended with the message “dignityand justice for all of us” in an attempt to sensitize the students about theissue of disability. The films showcasedat the festival conveyed the message that ‘physical disability is no longer achallenge and that the only disability is our attitude ”. “We are screening films that have relevance andappeal to the students so that we are able to bring in attitudinal change amongthem”, remarked Prof. Ashok Ogra, Director of the Apeejay Institute of MassCommunication. For instance, the award winning Bilal relates to theinteraction of 5 year old kid whose parents are blind. Similarly, StillStanding speaks volumes about the self-determination of a bed-ridden disabledperson and how he motivates other disabled persons to overcome theirinhibitions and face the challenges of life. Basket Bronx portrays thedreams of a kid, who has disability in one leg, and wants to play basketball ashis idols. The festival was attended by the students belongingto media and management colleges and also senior school students. “ The festival is full of inspirational films suchas Threeof Us, Departure Lounge andmany others, and all giving the message that disability needs understanding andnot pity or sympathy”, says Satish Kapoor of Brotherhood. We want to reach outto as many people as possible through the medium of films, he further remarked. During this 9th edition of the “WE Care”festival, many award winning national and international films were screened. For more info Contact: SATISH KAPOOR RICHA BHARTI Director - Brotherhood Programme Manager – Brotherhood 9899472065 9582067653 brotherhood94 at gmail.com, wecarefilmfest at gmail.com, kapurish at gmail.com