By N. Javed,
Tavleen Singh is very experienced journalist, but her endeavour to find out the real enemies, (The real enemies, IE December 21) seems intentionally to be at erroneous track. Her frank and sincere efforts are like a dip in shallow water, causing disappointment. In a small piece, she jumps from Abdur Rehman Antulay to a famous Indian novelist and some other Indian writers who have written in Western media since the attack on Mumbai.
Tavleen Singh has the points —- Why Abdur Rehman Antulay demanded a probe into the killing of Mumbai Anti Terrorism Squad Chief, Hemant Karkare. —- Why a famous Indian novelist justifies the attacks on Mumbai by her series of hysterical diatribes against India. —- And why, nearly every Indian writer who has written in the Western media since the attack on Mumbai has found reasons why the jihad against India is justified.
Her assessment is unrealistic, unfair and biased. She went so far as to say that these are the real enemies. Basically she has objections on the ‘right of expressions’ for others, and simultaneously she enjoys the same. In fact, Tavleen Singh’s real problem is that why the other people come forward with their different and exactly opposite views and opinions of hers (and off course her masters).
She estimated and compared these ‘internal enemies’ with the culprits of the terror attacks on Mumbai, who come in boats from the sea, and consider them ‘more treacherous’. Is it not that she is trying to underestimate the terror attacks on Mumbai? She seems not to notice that in saying this she is really saying that the worst terrorist attack India has ever faced has less importance.
Asking a question (even erroneous) and brutal attacks on Mumbai; may be equivalent? Or in her words ‘more treacherous’? Just ask this question to any unprejudiced mind and the outcome will definitely shameful for Tavleen and her like-minded friends.
Tavleen suggested if Antulay had any sense he would stop trying to explain his ‘baseless charges’. Why not she think to take the same dose, in fact it will be better if she will stop to propagate her discriminatory and opinionated thoughts.
She jumps from Abdur Rehman Antulay, to a famous Indian novelist, whose name is not mentioned. The reason! — in Tavleen’s words …” A famous Indian novelist—whose name I will not take because it would defile this column”… certainly she is talking about Arundhati Roy and her essay “9 Is Not 11(And November isn’t September)”. Here too,
Tavleen misquoted as in the case of Abdur Rehman Antulay. She not only misguided and manipulated but went so far. Instead of be thankful to Arundhati Roy as she holds the mirror, in which one can see the true picture of our democracy, our secularism and the universal human rights, instead of appreciating her, Tavleen wishes for the sedition trial.
Tavleen’s impression is perfect that ‘this freedom has not come easily. We have fought impossible odds to create a country whose fundamental principles are democracy, secularism and universal human rights’. But who fought! World knows who were fighting with the British rulers for the independence of India and what was the role of her masters. So, there is no need to teach this lesson to those who very well acquainted with the facts.
I wait one week to see, how Tavleen reacts against Shiv Sena Chief Bal Thackeray’s statement, published two days after her piece ‘the real enemies’. To see any addition in her list of the real enemies, but perhaps, she is not seems to be habitual for keen observations towards her friends —what they are doing, what they are saying.
Look at ….. “I have started feeling terrorists must be born even in Hindus. Or else these atrocities (on Malegaon blasts accused Sadhvi Pragya and Lt Colonel Prasad Purohit) would not have taken place. The police would not have dared to (do it),” …… “happy if they were like that… Hindus do not rebel. They don’t do anything. Just condemnations and morchas”. ….. “(However) there is no pressure outside when such atrocities are committed. Such a pressure must be created by the Hindus. But we only organised morchas for Sadhvi Pragya and Purohit. Only burnt the effigies of the ATS, that is, the Government… The burning of statues does not singe them,” Is she thinking about sedition trial?
One would have to be a real fool to believe what she is trying to say. She should understand better that to whom she is talking about in her piece , are not ‘the real enemies’ and no one is against India and all things Indian nor favouring any jihad against India, as she is trying to explain and spread in her canard. No one can accept her hysterical theory. A dustbin is a proper place.
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N. Javed can be reached at [email protected]