100 Letters to The Hindu

                                              My responses to Social Issues in book form. 

Foreword to the book by

Dr.S.Prabahar

Professor & Head

Department of English

Manonmaniam Sundaranar University

Tirunelveli. 627112

India.

                                                           

Awareness of a social problem is different from analyzing it. Many a person is conscious of the hardships that one faces in the society, but quite haplessly manages to live with them.  Mere rumination over the causes and effects of a social problem will not in anyway help one to overcome and eradicate the social evils of the society. Discursive responses from people with ideological convictions to the contemporary social occurrences, be it beneficial or detrimental, are received and regarded as the estimation by the experts.  These opinion leaders, often, opt for a medium that suits them to realize, record and propagate their observations on the socio-cultural, political, religious events and news. 

In this regard, letters to the editor, credibly a modern literary genre of its own kind, plays a significant role in understanding and interpreting the news. In fact, letters written to the editor can be called views on news. Similarly, the leading newspapers and magazines choose to publish those views, which are often objective and accepted. Nevertheless, some newspapers dare to publish unorthodox views of the general public to sensitize the readers with counter ideology. Incidentally, The Hindu and Dr.T.Marx form a formidable combination with their concurring and conflicting views on social issues. Dr. T.Marx’ thought provoking views on personalities rediscover their social stature and redefine their relevance in the modern society. His views on social issues such as reservation, religious minority, caste, and all forms of exploitation underscore that he is socially conscious and aspires for a demystified secular state.

           

Dr. T. Marx, with his sentiments and convictions expressed in his letters, promotes  non-discrimination and tries to place the human being as the central value and concern, in such a way, that nothing is above the human being and no human being is above another.   As an ardent reader of Dr.T.Marx   and a fellow activist, I am indeed delighted to see his letters in a book form and write the foreword to the book. I wish him all success.

A few pages for your reading…

In response to...
Five years after Godhra and the pogrom 28-02-2007

Five years later, there is no violence but the atmosphere of fear and prejudice still prevails. After the attacks, the minorities have been `taught a lesson.' They must now live as `second class citizens' in Gujarat, the `Hindutva laboratory' to build the `Hindu Rashtra.' Gujarat is a society divided where minorities are segregated, face social and economic boycotts, and constantly fear for their safety. Muslims have been pushed into ghettos. [… … …] The Sangh Parivar organisations make no bones about this. Across the State, they have put up boards saying: `Welcome to the Hindu Rashtra.' It is understood that not all are welcome. Some are still camping in the darkness, waiting for the light.

01-03-2007

Even after five years of the riots, constant fear engulfs Muslims amid peace. Since the riots, the polarisation between the communities has acquired a physical dimension. Muslims are subjected to a higher than usual level of abuse. Hindu communalists send veiled threats to Muslims that their safety depends on the goodwill of the majority community. Everyone knows the peace in Gujarat is fragile. Nothing can bring permanent peace except adherence to our great secular tradition.

In response to...

The anti-Islamic polemic 29-10-2006

Iran being a Muslim country, I was shocked to hear their views on Islamic cosmography and the place of the Koran in the present volatile situation. They were clearly supporting Huntington's thesis of the "clash of civilizations" as we moved to the subject of violence and terrorism. The dichotomy crystallised in their views that the West and the non-Islamic are socially stable whereas the Muslim world was deeply promiscuous, given to pleasure and unrestricted by social dictates. The only thing I felt that was lacking were khaki shorts and saffron flags; the neo-Nazi-like stance was disquieting, for it threw light on the future of Indian and world politics. [… … …]

Indeed it was a case of knowledgeable ignorance so central to the complex relationship of the West and the East. Intellectuals and religious leaders have to disapprove the Western discourse of regarding Islam as a incensed cauldron of bigotry and a dumping ground for censure.

05-11-2006

The West is paranoid about Islam. Islam does not teach terrorism and no Muslim is a born terrorist. No madrasa teaches terrorism. The West disseminates certain lies that Islam was spread by the sword, it believes in forcible conversion of other people, and it teaches its adherents to wage Jihad against non-Muslims. The absence of a moral authority among Muslims such as the Pope, the absence of a society scrupulously practising the lofty Islamic ideals and the tendency to focus on theological differences rather than on social and ethical concerns are factors hindering the Muslims from clarifying Islam's position on terrorism.

Islam being the fastest growing religion in the World poses a threat to American hegemony. As a result America breeds contempt for Islam and spreads misinterpretations about Islam.

In response to…

Bhopal: GoM report on Monday

NEW DELHI: The Group of Ministers (GoM) on Bhopal, which met on Friday, will work through the weekend and submit its report to the Cabinet on Monday, ahead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's 10-day deadline. The mood at the meeting, sources said, was “that something should be done, and done quickly.”

The GoM's recommendations will be classified broadly under three heads — legal issues, compensation and remediation measures/disposal of waste. They will be first discussed “separately,” after which “a comprehensive view,” will be taken, Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram, heading the GoM, told journalists. He said: “We will give our best and most sympathetic consideration to all those people who have suffered as a result of this tragedy.”

21-06-2010

The victims of the Bhopal gas disaster have fought for two-and-a-half decades for justice, only to get the “utmost sympathy” from the Group of Ministers (June 19). Instead of appeasing the victims with a compensation package, the government should demand additional compensation from UCC/Dow for disbursement among victims after re-categorisation, inclusion of second-generation victims and fresh determination of amounts. Successive governments have displayed utter callousness towards the Bhopal victims and tried to accommodate the killer company in many ways. The victims have been denied not only adequate material compensation but also proper medical care, rehabilitation and other forms of support.

The government should develop a strategy to assure suitable employment to the families of the victims, evolve a broad framework of treatment for gas effects, and take over the task of cleaning up the former UCIL plant site in a transparent manner.

For full text contact drtmarx@gmail.com