Date: Sun, 15 Nov 1998 18:14:15 -0500
From: Partha Banerjee <partha-AT-capital.net>
Subject: Re: Collective letter to the Harvard conference organizers


Friends:

I appreciate the responses from you all on this issue.

As you know, I wrote the conference organizers and told them about my views
on inviting Mrs. Maneka Gandhi, the Indian cabinet minister on the Hindu
fundamentalist/fascist government. I now want to share their response with
you so that you know how naive/ignorant they are (at least this person who
is the financial sponsor of this conference) playing (could it be that they
don't know what RSS/BJP/VHP really are -- it is beyond my belief).

I feel this is a political game they are playing where the right-wing is in
and the left-wing is out. I don't think the Harvard Sanskrit department is
joining the game wilfully but they are not doing anything to stop the game
which is "normal" for a lot of elitist academicians.

Another important thing is the exclusion of women's groups or other South
Asian progressive groups from Boston or New York area. I mentioned this
problem at the 1996 conference and caused a lot of unhappiness to them.

Writing a co-signed letter to the conference organizers would be a good idea.

Here is the latest I received from them.

-Partha

________

Dear Mr. Banerjee,

...

You have raised a number of issues in your letter to Dr. Witzel and to
me which I shall have to reply. However, I wish to understand a few
points made by you. ...

Please elucidate the terms "symbolize" and "represents" in your sentence
" VHP and ... RSS  symbolize social and political power that represents
oppression on weaker sections of the Indian society including women." Do
you accuse the VHP & RSS of these crimes, or do you wish to say that
these accusations are not real, these are only "symbolic" and
"representative."  Please forgive me for my confusion.

Moreover, do you have proof that RSS, BJP and VHP leaders supported
suttee and atrocities on women ?

I shall be thankful if you could enlighten me on these questions, which
will help me reply to your letters.

With the best wishes,
Sincerely yours,
Himendra Thakur