Hello all,

this is from the 'communalism watch and governance monitor' email list on 
India and is a useful summary of the stark reality of the situation there.  
People on this list who have responded to appeals on the ICHR, the Sardar 
Sarovar dam in the Narmada valley etc. may find it a helpful focus.

Maggie


>Date sent:      	Fri, 10 Mar 2000 11:49:55 -0500
>From:           	Feroz Mehdi <[log in to unmask]>
>
>Support the Voices Against Hindutva Fascism
>Daya Varma
>
>The recent episode in which irate hoodlums attacked Deepa Mehta's crew
>shooting her film "Water" (portraying the life of Hindu widows at her
>chosen site in Kashi) is one of the many similar things that have
>happened with the rise of Hindutva fascism. A year ago the screening of
>her film "Fire" in Indian cinema was prevented  on the grounds that
>lesbian relationship shows disrespect for India and Hinduism.
>
>The importance of Deepa Mehta episode is not so much in that an
>internationally renowned Indo-Canadian film director with high profile
>cast of Shabana Azmi and Nandita Das was stoned away but rather the
>emergence of this fascist culture which can belligerantly silence voices
>of sanity. The answer to these developments is not providing alternate
>space to make the film, as had been offered by some provinces, but
>rather a mass mobilization against the emergence of this culture as the
>political life of India. Indian people can easily live without Deepa
>Mehta's film "Water" but they certainly cannot remain in peace if
>fascism is allowed to strengthen itself. The protest by Tasleema Nasreen
>is commendable. She attacked the BJP government and in return earned the
>wrath of the BJP whose West Bengal leader  demanded her expulsion from
>India.
>
>Unfortunately,  there is a poor assessment of the dark days looming over
>India resulting in equally poor organized opposition to fascism.  An
>illusion has been constructed that Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP)
>government is after all not too bad especially since Prime Minister Atal
>Behari Vajpayee is moderate and does not represent  the ideological and
>political thrust of Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS). Even critics of
>BJP argue that it is too early to pass harsh judgement against the BJP.
>
>On the other hand, planned premeditated fascism does not start as a
>coup. It is not like a military take over of a civilian government. It
>begins by constructing myths,  dismantling  institutions which it
>perceives will hinder its control, disarming progressive elements or
>engaging them into side issues,  and  creating episodes to fan  vicious
>patriotism. BJP is doing just that.  Hindutva fascism even has the
>advantage over all previous fascist regimes including of Hitler. It has
>reasonably well succeeded in mobilizing a good section of the civil
>society to do what other fascist regimes had to accomplish by state
>organs, police and military. Although Hindutva fascism will continue to
>arouse suspicion and hatred against minorities, especially the Muslims,
>its main propaganda plank is reviving the glory of a religion and hence
>appeals to vast masses.
>
>Several episodes in this current short period of BJP rule, should serve
>as  an eye-opener. The Constitution is being reviewed in favor of a
>Presidential form of government, closest to a monarchy which RSS would
>prefer.  Laws are being changed to allow public servants to legally join
>RSS. President Narayanan is maligned because he spoke about the
>deprivation of large masses of Indian people. The non-existing
>conversion issue has been brought to prominence. Historians like Romila
>Thapar, K.N. Panikkar and Sumiti Sarkar are being victimized. Textbooks
>are being changed to substitute facts with myths. Progressive NGO's are
>being singled out for stating the obvious that is lack of respect for
>women in Hindutva ethos.  Deepa Mehta is just one of these many victims.
>
>Given the recruitment of the civil society by organized forces of
>Hindutva, what is needed is a mass movement while it is still not too
>late. Organized regional political parties  are content with their own
>secular program. Indian National Congress of Sonia Gandhi cannot divorce
>from its own past and is more concerned with how its own agenda on
>liberalization is being hijacked by the BJP than with dismantling of
>secular culture and tradition. Left parties have a position against
>fundamentalism but there is no evidence that they are conscious of the
>change that is taking place in Indian polity and thinking. They seem to
>feel that Hindutva fascism can  be defeated by defeating BJP in
>elections and hence their tactics revolves around  meaningful alliances
>than on mass mobilization. All these are illusions and while this
>illusion is being catered by the left, organized Sangh Parivar (family
>of RSS-controlled organizations) is consolidating what it already has
>and is making inroads into new territories.
>
>Fight for a secular democratic India should become the number one
>concern at this juncture of history. Small community-based
>organizations, a handful of academics and intellectuals are doing what
>they can do. But they can be silenced unless there develops an all-India
>movement against fascism while  there is still  time.

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