RSS  |  Samvad  |  Vital Infotech Ltd.

October     Last updated: October 14: 7:00 p.m.

I.Calling

Vivek

Prasanna N., Panaji : BSP leader Arif Mohammad Khan says : "Dalits are being treated as animals by upper-caste Hindus." What do you say?

Dalit Hindus are finding that their ill-treatment does not end when they become Dalit Christians.

R. Padmanabh, Pondichery : In view of the escalating oil bill is there not a case for use of renewable energy sources?

It has been found that experiments with renewable energy need repeated renewals.

* * *

Thanks to the indulgence shown by Organiser Shri Shahabuddin's letters get published, but is there any comparable instance of the Muslim press publishing at least one critical letter from a non-Muslim?

That is the difference between the spirit of Hinduism and the letter of Islam.

D.N. Sinha, Hyderabad : How could the forest brigand Veerappan kill more than a hundred forest sharks and thousands of elephants without huge political support?

It certainly shows the huge criminalisation of politics, leading to a literal jungle raj.

* * *

BSP leader Mayawati says BJP has made Bangaru Laxman, a Dalit, its president to deceive Dalits. What do you say?

In a way she is in the august company of those Muslims who burnt his effigy because they think his call to Muslims is against Muslims.

* * *

Why has the RSS remained passive on the issue of a Pracharak being brutally beaten by goondas for refusing to become a Christian?

Perhaps RSS Krishna is counting the sins of the missionary Shishupal.

P.R. Akula, Secunderabad : A letter-writer in an English daily said the RSS worked hard to politicise Hinduism but never to democratise it. Comment. —The fact that there are almost as many Hindu gods as there are Hindus proves that Hinduism does not need to take lessons in democracy.

* * *

The Finance Commission has been compared to Alladin's lamp. Comment.

Personally I feel the story of Alladin's lamp is more interesting.

* * *

What do you think of the privatisation of state enterprises?

It shows that the state is not enterprising enough.

* * *

Jinnah once said Pakistan was the blunder of his life. Comment.

We could have comforted him by saying Pakistan was the biggest achievement of Nehru's life.

* * *

What do you think of reserved elected constituencies for Scheduled Castes and Tribes?

The reservation principle has come to such a pass that so-called upper castes need to be scheduled.

M.N. Rao, Hyderabad : CPM says the Vajpayee Government's stand of not talking to Pakistan until it stops cross-border terrorism is not acceptable. Comment.

This is not surprising, because the history of Indian Communists shows that both Pakistan and terrorism are very much acceptable to them.

Shrirang J. Godbole, Pune : Mani Shankar Aiyar writes in Indian Express that RSS is more dangerous than ISI. Comment.

A fitting reply to him would be that our ISI (Indian Secular Intellectuals) like him are more dangerous than Pakistan's ISI.

* * *

How long will Musharraf last?

Much more interesting is the question Americans have started asking—How long will Pakistan last?

* * *

If BJP has also joined the race for the Muslim vote-bank, who will care for the Hindus?

Hindus have long ago realised that they have to care for themselves.

* * *
From Mahatma Gandhi to the present Smt Gandhi who is the real Gandhi?

I would say the only one with the original spelling; all the others are Ghandy-turned-Gandhi.

* * *

Is not yet another Congress leadership booked with the birth of Priyanka's son?

For starters this child has made a mama of every Congressman, if you know what I mean.