Mailbag

Ulterior motive

Sir,

Apropos the letter ''Farogh-e-Urdu'' by Mr Kailash Nath Koul (Maikash Kashmiri), Daily Excelsior dated Oct 6, 1999, it is to be mentioned that the contents of letter are far from facts and do not have any authenticity and Maikash Kashmiri has exhibited his gross ignorance regarding the working of the Anjuman and more so about the procedure adopted for recording of the proceedings of the literary sittings of the Anjuman, wherein he is a regular visitor and has all the praise for the Anjuman. We never expected that a person of his stature, age, name and fame would have indulged in mud throwing on the Anjuman which is engaged in the propagation and development of Urdu language in its own humble way, without having ascertained the facts from the Anjuman before going to the press. Mr Maikash has alleged that news item was circulated keeping him in the dark. We would like to remind him, if his old age had not affected his memory, that he was very much present in the meeting which was held on 15th August, 1999 and wherein he had observed about the indifferent attitude of the Radio Kashmir Jammu and Cultural Academy so far Urdu is concerned. And the gist of the same was recorded in the Press Note. If, to gain some goodwill of some of the persons, he has chosen it convenient not to own his assertions, the 17 respectable members of the Anjuman who attended that meeting are there to testify the facts. Infact we wonder as to what compelled Mr Maikash to go to the press after a gap of more than fifty days and wash his own dirty linen in public (the Anjuman does not have any such linen as its proceedings are duly recorded on the basis of what the participants observe). The print media has been every kind to the Anjuman for publishing the press notes being issued for the last more than two years and never such occasion has arisen where these would have been criticised, not even in the subsequent meetings of the Anjuman. It is very clear that Mr Maikash has gone to the press with ulterior motives which we wish a person like him, who is admired, respected and loved by all the members of the Anjuman for being a crusader of Urdu language, should have avoided. Anjuman denounces and condemns the unwanted attitude of Mr Maikash Kashmiri with all the force at its command.

Yours etc....
Secretary,
Anjuman Farogh-e-Urdu,
J&K Jammu.

Christians in changed scenario

Sir,

On January 3, 1999, The Hindu quoted Sadhvi Oma Bharti as having said : ''No Hindu will attack Christians. Those who are involved are enemies of Hindus.'' For the Christian community in the country, the year just drawing to a close has been particularly painful and disconcerting. Over ninety incidents of attacks on Church- related personnel and institutions have been reported. If the month of September witnessed the sexual assault on the religious sisters in Orissa and arrowing to death of a Catholic Priest the same month in the same state, the days around Christmas in December 1998 saw several places of worship and Christian institutions coming under violent attack in Gujrat. Many questions of factual nature are raised: Who are the culprits? What has been the role of the local administration, the role of the police, the government, political leadership? Disputes and controversies seem to continue in answering such factual matters, not to speak of motives and intentions.

Such unfortunate events may get repeated. As for response to these events, we can observe a certain pattern: We have the statements of some Church-leaders, conducting of protest marches and rallies presentation of memorandum to the authorities closing of Christian institutions as a mark of protest, condemnation by some political parties. The same pattern of response will be repeated when fresh incidents occur. How long can such events continue to happen, and how long can one continue to give such ritual responses?

We do not really come to terms with the deeper issues by this kind of ad hoc responses which are quite inadequate. I personally feel it is high time that we asked some basic questions about the present day Indian Society and the Christian Community, with a long range view. We are at a critical juncture in the life of the country, we are still in the process of understanding ourselves as a nation and what it means. Part of this process is the inter-relationship among the various groups and communities subsumed under the polity. It is within this dynamic of the evolution of the nation that we have to place the difficulties being experienced by the Christian Community.

Beyond doubt, the attacks on Christian Community in some parts of the country has caused lot of anxiety and feeling of insecurity in the Christian Community. The attacks suffered are enough to rouse passions and create a belligerent mood. Responding to this mood is to play into the hands of the anti-social forces which thrive by provoking confrontation and violence. The Christian Community will not be moving towards a proper solution by making these incidents an emotional issue, or by seeking only immediate remedial measures. The situation as for now is an opportunity for re-thinking the relationship of Christian Community to the rest of the society. If we take time to pause and reflect we will realise how important it is for Christian community to be an active interlocutor in the civil society- the people's space and the arena where different perceptions about society, politics, state, nation, religion, etc. could be discussed and debated openly in the spirit of dialogue and tolerance. It is a space distinct from the state and it is here the various groups and communities (including the religious) meet and interact. If the Christian Community does not enter into this space of civil society and simply continue to nurse resentments against anti-national forces, it will only tend to isolate itself and breed within its own ranks the very fundamentalism it sees in other anti-national forces and denounces.

The Christian Community has not explained itself in public, and particularly has not brought to the public sphere the evolution of thought and praxis that have taken place within christianity in the last few decades. As a result, the dominant image of Christianity in the minds of even enlightened citizens is one of colonial times under the leadership of foreign missionaries. It is high time that the general public in India is told in very lucid terms that authentic Christianity, faithful to the Gospel, is in service to humanity. The general public is to be told that proselytization and denigration of other religious traditions is not the agenda of Christianity. A sincere and open dialogue with the larger society is what the Christians have to do in the present changed scenario.

Yours etc....
Predhuman K. Joseph Dhar
Member, Indian Catholic
Press Association Jammu.