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[1] Set Pervez Free By Kim Sengupta http://www.countercurrents.org/sengupta070208.htm A young man, a student of journalism, is sentenced to death by an Islamic court for downloading a report from the internet. The sentence is then upheld by the country's rulers. This is Afghanistan ? not in Taliban times but six years after "liberation" and under the democratic rule of the West's ally Hamid Karzai India Alarmed As Chinese Built Gwadar Port Of Pakistan Becomes Operational By Abdus Sattar Ghazali http://www.countercurrents.org/ghazali080208.htm The Chinese role in the Hambantota project is not just about influence in Sri Lanka, it is about China's presence close to Indian shores, which has implications for India's security. With Hambantota, Chinese presence in the Indian Ocean has been further consolidated ------------- [2] From: Sukla Sen <suklasen@yahoo.com Date: Sat Feb 9, 2008 11:28 am Subject: History and Its Assailants I/II. http://www.hindu.com/2008/02/09/stories/2008020961310300.htm DU History Department issues clarification Staff Reporter NEW DELHI: Delhi University?s History Department has handed over to Vice-Chancellor Deepak Pental a clarification on inclusion of certain portions in the B. A. (Honours) course that kicked off an uproar recently with activists of organisations like Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad agitating against it since it contained ?objectionable? references to Hindu gods. A number of groups have raised objections to the inclusion of an essay by scholar A. K. Ramanujan titled ?Three Hundred Ramayanas: Five Examples and Three Thoughts on Translation? for the course on ?Ancient Indian Culture?. ?The sole purpose of this course is to create an awareness and understanding of the rich and diverse cultural heritage of ancient India among students and to acquaint them with original sources. Mr. Ramanujan, who is a recipient of several honours, was a widely acclaimed scholar with impeccable academic credentials,? noted Head of the Department S. Z. H. Jafri. ?It is sad to see his name and work being subjected to so such ill-informed controversy. In the article in question, he illustrates and analyses the great dynamism and variety in what he describes as ?tellings? of the story of Rama within India and across the world,? he added. Prof. Jafri pointed out that the course on ?Ancient Indian Culture? and the readings for it went through the same procedure as all other courses in the University pass before being adopted. ?The content and readings for this course were discussed extensively among the Department members and college teachers, and were approved through the regular University procedures in statutory bodies. The aim of the course is to teach the students (who are, after all, young adults) to be able to analyse a variety of source material academically ,? concluded Prof. Jafri. II. NOTE PREPARED BY THE DEPARTMENTAL COUNCIL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY, UNIVERSITY OF DELHI, IN ITS MEETING OF 04/02/2008 A number of groups have organised protest and have raised objections to the inclusion of an essay by (late) A. K. Ramanujan, titled ?Three Hundred Ramayanas: Five Examples and Three Thoughts on Translation?. The essay had been published in Vinay Dharwadker (ed.) The Collected Essays of A. K. Ramanujan, New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1999, pp. 131-60; [this was an expanded version of a piece that first appeared in Paula Richman (ed.) Many Ramayanas: The Diversity of a Narrative Tradition in South Asia Berkeley: University of California Press, 1991]. The said essay is one of the readings for the Delhi University concurrent course on Ancient Indian Culture in the B. A. (Honours) programme, which has been offered in several Colleges from July 2006 onwards. The sole purpose of this course is to create an awareness and understanding of the rich and diverse cultural heritage of ancient India among students, and to acquaint them with original sources. Apart from the reading mentioned in the letter, the course includes readings on Kalidasa?s poetry, Jataka stories, ancient Tamil poets and poetry, ancient iconography, and the modern history of ancient artifacts. The essay is part of a unit titled ?The Ramayana and Mahabharata ? stories, characters, versions.? It is accompanied by an excerpt from Iravati Karve?s book, Yuganta: The end of an epoch. Supplementary readings include the Introduction of Robert P. Goldman?s The Ramayana of Valmiki: an epic of ancient India (the most recent and most authoritative English translation of the epic), which gives a detailed, scholarly introduction to the Valmiki Ramayana. The late A. K. Ramanujan (recipient of several honours, including the Padmashri) was a widely acclaimed scholar with impeccable academic credentials. His expertise in a range of languages including Sanskrit, Tamil and Kannada was perhaps without parallel. His credentials as a scholar, writer, and teacher with extensive knowledge of ancient Indian literary traditions are incontestable. It is sad to see his name and work being subjected so such ill-informed controversy. In the article in question, he illustrates and analyses the great dynamism and variety in what he describes as ?tellings? of the story of Rama within India and across the world. The concurrent course on Ancient Indian Culture and the readings for it went through the same procedure as all other courses in the University of Delhi pass before being adopted. The readings have not been devised or ?compiled? by any individual. Like all the other University courses, they are the product of a consultative process involving many members of the University community. The content and readings for this course were discussed extensively among Department members and College teachers, and were approved through the regular University procedures in statutory bodies, namely the Committee of Courses, Faculty of Social Sciences, Academic Council, and the Executive Council, which include teachers of all disciplines. The Academic Council is the highest statutory body on academic matters in the University. 5. We would like to emphasize that there is no published compilation of the course readings by Dr. Upinder Singh or any other member of the Department of History. However, it has come to our notice that there is a spiral-bound collection of photocopies of the individual articles and excerpts related to this course at certain photocopying shops. This set of photocopies has a covering page on which Dr. Upinder Singh?s name has been typed, without any authorization whatsoever, as a ?compiler.? It is this collection of photocopies that is being incorrectly described as a ?book? compiled by her. There is in fact no book. 6. When readings are prescribed in a course, it is not essential that the course-designers, teachers, or students should agree with or defend each and every word therein. In fact debate, dissent, and dialogue are important parts of the discipline of history. It may be pointed out that the terms that have apparently caused offence to certain individuals should in no way be construed as mischievous or slanderous. There is no question whatsoever of intending or attempting to denigrate or hurt the sentiments of any culture, religion, tradition, or community. 7. The aim of the course in question is to teach University students (who are, after all, young adults) to be able to analyze a variety of source material academically, analytically, and without embarrassment or denigration. That is the spirit in which the course was framed and that is the spirit in which we believe it is being taught. Peace is doable. --------------- [3] SEIZED BIBLES IN MALAYSIA SPAWN RENEWED CENSORSHIP CONCERNS Source: Compass Direct News A customs officer in a Malaysian airport confiscated two boxes containing 32 Bibles from a citizen returning from a trip to the Philippines on Monday, Jan. 28. The online news agency Malaysiakini reported that Juliana Nichols had produced a letter from her parish priest stating the English Bibles were meant for use in her church, but a customs officer told her the texts needed to be cleared with the Internal Security Ministry?s Control Division of Publications and Al-Quran Texts. Rev. Hermen Shastri, general secretary of the Council of Churches of Malaysia, said in a press statement that ?the Bible is Holy Scripture for Christians? and ?no authority on earth should deny Christians the right to possess, read and travel with their Bibles.? He called for the immediate release of the Bibles and an official apology from the Royal Malaysian Customs Department. Earlier this year, officers seized Christian children?s publications in several Malaysian states because they contained illustrations of prophets deemed offensive to Muslims. Following protests from the Christian community that the books were not meant for Muslims, the books have since been returned to bookstores. ------------------ [4] From: "EMPOWER INDIA" <ttn_empower@sancharnet.in Date: Sat Feb 9, 2008 8:00 pm Subject: Say NO to Violence - Your signature brings $1 to help end violence against women e Your signature brings $1 to help end violence against women Hello, The "Say NO to Violence against Women" campaign counts on each of us to speak out by signing up. Now, the United Nations Foundation is counting too. It has issued a challenge: for each of the first 100,000 signatures to the campaign, the UN Foundation will donate $1 to the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women. We need everyone's help to get 100,000 people to sign on to the UNIFEM campaign so that $100,000 will be contributed to the Trust Fund for local initiatives working to prevent human trafficking, assisting survivors of domestic violence or helping implement laws against rape. We know gathering 100,000 names is definitely a challenge, but we know that together we can do it. So please join me once again. Let's renew our efforts to reach out to our organizations, colleagues, friends and family and encourage them to sign on at: <http://www.saynotoviolence.org/ http://www.saynotoviolence.org/. Let's show the world that there is an ever-growing movement of people who say "NO" to violence against women. Click and be counted. Thank you. Cross posted: UNIFEM, 304 East 45th Street, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10017 Forwarded by: A. SANKAR Executive Director EMPOWER. www. empowerindia. org --------------- [5] From: kashif-ul-huda <kaaashif@gmail.com Date: Sat Feb 9, 2008 10:27 pm Subject: Attacking northerners, breaking Babri mosque both signal fascism Attacking northerners, breaking Babri mosque both signal fascism<http://www.twocircles.net/2008feb08/attacking_northerners_breaking_babri\ _mosque_both_signal_fascism. html <http://www.twocircles.net/2008feb08/attacking_northerners_breaking_babri_mosque\ _both_signal_fascism. html *By Amulya Ganguli, IANS* In his book, "The Anatomy of Fascism", Robert O. Paxton referred to the fascistic tactic of "mobilising passions" to garner support. The Hindutva brigade in India has been assiduously using this prescription to advance its divisive cause. Muslims have been the primary target, but Christians and even Hindus haven't been spared. The targeting of north Indians, mainly migrants from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, in Mumbai by a small outfit headed by Raj Thackeray is only the latest example of such sectarian violence. But whether it is the demolition of the Babri mosque in 1992 or the attacks on Christians in Orissa, and earlier in Gujarat, it is always the saffron brotherhood that carries out these outrages directed against the minorities. ---------- |
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| << February08, 2008 - [India Thinkers Net]Arunachal ,Sangh activists ,Malaysia etc |
February12, 2008 - [India Thinkers Net] Orissa ,Gujarat ,global development , J & K etc >> |
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