Brig. (Retd.) Usman Khalid, 15 – The Hamlet, Champion Hill, London SE5 8 AW, UK: The Agra summit that has just ended could not have been conducted Fio a better script if Pakistan had been in control. India has shown itself to be not just inept but insane. The efforts for concluding the war in Kashmir started with the ceasefire by Hizbul Mujahideen. But India spurned the opportunity to make peace with them rejecting their condition that Pakistan should be included in talks. India insisted J&K was its internal matter and refused to talk to Pakistan. Then India itself announced a unilateral ceasefire and extended it several times. It kept vague who had been offered the ceasefire. Pakistan responded positively and the firing across the Line of Control in Kashmir was stopped. The Kashmiri leadership — political as well as of Mujahideen — spurned the cease- ire as meaningless until it was backed up with tripartite talks between India, Pakistan and Kashmiri leadership. The invitation to the summit by Prime Minister Vajpayee was a complete surprise. It constituted acceptance by India that the J&K was an international dispute between two sovereign states in stark contrast with its earlier stand that it was its internal matter. But India went overboard in welcoming President Musharraf like a prodigal son returning home. It became apparent that India was eager to create an atmosphere underlining that the whole of Pakistan — not just Jammu & Kashmir — was its part (temporarily disconnected) and bilateral talks with Pakistan did not affect its status as an internal matter. It ~was indeed very brave for Gen. Musharraf to go to India “Vin such circumstances. Benazir as well as Nawaz Sharif had already started to crow that military was being forced to accept the reality of India’s power that it advised to defy when the duo was Prime Ministers. If there had been any hint of compromise over the stand of Pakistan that the dispute should be resolved in accordance with UN Security Council Resolutions, the politicians would have gone berserk attacking the military. Allah saved us from their mischief. The Summit focused the attention of the entire world on the Kashmir issue. The way it ended, it could not be hidden that it was the terrible two of India (Jaswant and Advani) who are principal hurdles in the way of resolution of the dispute. However, the most important gain for Pakistan is that Gen. Musharraf ’spelt out a process for the resolution of the dispute that is so eminently reasonable and conciliatory that a momentum would develop in its support. The first two stages of the process proposed — summit level talks and recognition of J&K as an international dispute — have been completed. The next stage is to exclude what is not acceptable. The partition of Kashmir is not acceptable to Kashmiris. That leaves independent Jammu & Kashmir or joining Pakistan as the remaining options. Pakistan prefers the latter but can live with the former. It gives me great pleasure to say that my doubts about Musharraf being able to meet the huge challenge of leading a country like Pakistan have proved to be groundless. He has proved to be a consummate politician and a leader with alacrity. I bow my head to Allah and extend warm felicitations to our President on a successful Summit. I pray that Allah continues to guide him and consign the enemies of Pakistan into pits they dig for us.
Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, 1901 – Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Suite 802, Washington, DC 20006, USA: Indian hypocrisy was exposed to the international community when its brahminical rulers refused to mention the word Kashmir during the bilateral talks between Pakistani President Musharraf and Indian Prime Minister Vajpayee. The Indian foreign ministry spokeswoman, Nirupama Rao, did not even list Kashmir among the items discussed. Aides to President Musharraf said that three drafts of a joint statement had been approved by both sides, but the Indian Cabinet vetoed them. It is very clear from these actions that India does not want any peaceful solution to the Kashmir issue. India must learn that 54 years of repression in Kashmir which resulted in the murder of over 75,000 Kashmiris and the expenditure of over $2 billion a year have not extinguished the flame of freedom which is burning in the hearts of the people of Kashmir. India must keep its promise of a plebiscite in Kashmir, which it agreed to in 1948 in a United Nations resolution. India is morally wrong. If India is a democracy, why is it afraid of a vote? How can India justify its invasion and annexation of Hyderabad, where the ruler was a Muslim and the majority population was Hindu, but by the same token in Kashmir the population is Muslim, and the ruler was Hindu and India sent the army to maintain its illegal occupation?
Dr. V. Kesavulu, 13706 – Stony Forest, San Antonio, Texas 78231, USA: Thank you for sending me your latest book, Aggression on Indian Culture. It is an excellent summary of the current situation in India. One may despair at the suppression and oppression of the people by this microscopic minority of Aryans. But there is no need for it. There is plenty of hope in the Dalit and other caste movements. To this, yours is no mean contribution. The present need is for a unifying force to bring these together to fight the common enemy. I am confident that it will arise soon in the form of a leader who does not aspire to anything for himself but is willing to sacrifice everything for the good of the people. He may spring up from Aca’s teste, but he will be able to make a Mayavati and a Mulayam to give up their egos and unite to work for the good of their people. I am not from Tamil Nadu. But I do keep up with all the news from India. Sure, all the caste-based parties are mushrooming in TN. Karunanidhi is a ranked opportunist, and I do not care for his statements. I am a Bangalorean. I was born and bred up in the Cantonment area. After finishing Intermediate at St. Joseph’s College in 1944 I joined the Central College, did BSc (Hons.) and MSc in chemistry and worked as a lecturer for six years and then left for the states for my Ph.D. at New York University. After Ph.D. and post-doctoral fellowships at Maryland and John Hopkins Universities, I returned to India and spent 12 years at CSIR. Frustrated, I went back to the USA in 1975. Since childhood, I have been deeply involved in the Congress movement for freedom and took active part in the 1942 “Quit India” movement. After “independence” I decided to devote myself to pursue excellence in science so that T could be of use to the country. Surrounded by mediocrity, and unable to do any useful work at CSIR, I had to leave the country in frustration. When I was involved in the “freedom movement” as a young man, I was under the impression that the freedom we were fighting for was for everyone in the country. But it took quite some time for me to realize that the freedom we were seeking was only for the upper castes. But then I saw some hope in the democracy guaranteed by the Constitution. Gradually people will awaken to their rights and fight for their realization. Now with the Hindu nazis at the helm, even this hope is receding. They are bent on subverting the Constitution, brainwashing the young through hinduisation of education and spreading superstition through astrology. If they are allowed to continue, they will try every trick at their command to perpetuate the system that keeps them at the top. If they realize that they cannot succeed, then they will not hesitate to sell the country to any power that lets them have their privileges. We are passing through a dangerous period. [ will visit India in September or October and meet you.
Gama Ram, A-2/4, Paper Mill Colony, Lucknow – 226 006: The Confederation of All-India SC/ST Organisations has ‘given a call to all employees, legislators, businessmen, etc. of SC/ST to donate a day’s income to make the historical Deeksha Samaroh (Budhist conversion) of Oct. 14, 2001, a success. I appeal to us people to donate liberally to make the mission of Babasaheb a success. The Confederation has been fighting to safeguard our rights. I am not merely advising others but will donate 15 days pension {my pension is about Rs. 6,000 p.m.).
Rizvi Syed Haider Abbas, 390/29/5 – New Model ‘ Colony, Rustam Nagar, Lucknow – 226 003: I was apprehensive that you would not be able to make out who I am. There was no question of forgetting people like you. If you permit me to say, then you are nothing short of Martin Luther of India. During all these years what has irked me the most was when the Pioneer had brought an exclusive on Dalits and there was no reference to you, nor had any one even signalled the yeoman services you have done towards bringing respectability to the most deprived humans: Dalits. Perhaps this Hindu nazi press has become too. much scared of you. I am unable to guesses the amount of power god has given I you that despite your age you are still in the groundw, and very firmly in the mission you have undertaken. Your kind of journalism is what I call journalism with a hammer. You are more of an activist than a journalist I believe. UP has been the terror field since Thakur Rajnath Singh came into power. Thakurs are on the rampage. The whole machinery of state has become almost fascist. My political views are having no space in the “toilet papers”, as you call them. The day Phoolan Devi was killed there were celebrations among Thakurs. Diwali to abke hogi was the remark. Only Muslims have been able to answer the Takhurs in the same coin (despite the whole state oppressing them). In a shoot-out between Mukhtar Ansari, MLA, and Brijesh Singh, brother of MLA Chulbul Singh, has been killed. Although Mukhtar y Ansari himself is a mafia but at the same time the attack of Thakurs in Purvanchal UP has been the most heinous and it is the survival of the fittest. I will definitely try to co-ordinate a group. Please remain in touch because you are among the very few whom I respect from the depths of my heart.
Shamsul Islam, 1- Staff Qrs., Satyawati College Campus, Ashok Vihar, Delhi – 110 052: I am a teacher in the Political Science Dept. in a college of Delhi University. More than that I am involved in journalistic and street theatre activities. The themes are mainly exploitation, communal, caste, gender persecution and cultural de-generation of the great rulers. I have beenin / touch with the Dalit groups in Pakistan also who are § mainly Muslim landless peasants and Christians. [ have written extensively in English, Hindi and Urdu about brahminical autocracy. The street theatre group, Nishant,
is known for its cultural fight in defence of reservation and pro-Dalit issues for which I have been attacked many times. During the days of anti-reservation fascism, it was _ Nishant out on streets with its pro-reservation play — Tukra Naheen Poori Rooti Lenge. Nishant circulates low priced literature on all these issues. One of our very popular books is Arakshan Kion Zaroori Hae. At present we are in a hectic street theatre campaign against sudden spurt of caste persecution in the whole of India. While we were busy with this, Phoolan was also murdered, and it is part of our exposure now. Currently I am working on the degenerated Manu Smriti. My thesis on the essence of Hindu nazism tries to look at it from a Dalit (and I am proud to be one) perspective. In fact, I would like to send it to you so that you can look at it.
- Naushad Ansari, Post Box No. 1797, Bangalore 560 017: It has been reported that Dr. Ejaz Ali, National Convener of All-India Backward Muslim Morcha, stated that, “if the Uttar Pradesh Govt. concede the demand of )Backward Class Muslims for reservation under Article 341, then we are ready to support the BJP in coming Assembly elections of the UP”. He further said that nearly 64 lakh Backward Caste Muslims will volunteer to vote for the BJP in forthcoming Assembly election in UP and even his Morcha will join with BJP on the common civil code, construction of Ram temple on the site of Babri Masjid etc. (Amar Ujala, June 21, 2€01). The demand of reservation for Dalit Muslims is justified and was for the first time raised by Agliati Rabita Council of Bihar headed by Shakil Ahmed Khan a decade ago. Shakil Khan is presently the Law Minister in the Rabri Devi Govt. in Bihar. Various Muslim organisations have been pressing for such a reservation. But the statement of Ejaz Ali shows that he is prepared to barter away from the community interest. The question of extending support to Hindu nazis is totally misguided and misconceived. Is Ejaz Ali not aware of the anti-Muslim, anti-Dalit, inhuman and unconstitutional agenda of nazis. Is Ejaz Ali not aware the philosophy of nazis who are on the mission of eliminating Muslim rights and identity, Muslim religious places and culture, Muslim madrasas and seminaries, Muslim identity and self-respect. They are bent upon disinvesting and privatising the government establishments with a purpose to deprive employment to Dalits. The nazis are a threat to the very existence of Dalits and Muslims. Dr. Ejaz Ali is an old member of the DV family. Will he clarify his statements member of DV family. Will he clarify his statements.
