srajahiyer.sulekha.com/blog/post/2007/11/tossing-taslima.htm

Cherian: That is my objection: selective treatment of people based upon their vote bank strength or the connections.
GG

laws are good but we have leaders without balls....be it hindu or muslim rioter....arson etc should have life imprisonment without parole...this should include people who incite too...
then this should be enforced without any distinction.....but then india mein sub chalta hai

I strongly believe what we have is mobocracy than democracy

Dear Sir

India is not a secular country. India is an Islamic state in secular veil. Taslima fell for the lies our liberals spin to hoodwink Indians. A secular nation is one that upholds modern, progressive secular values like freedom of speech and expression. India fails this test miserably. On the other hand an Islamic state upholds Islamic values over secular values. India passes this test with flying colors. It is therefore wrong to refer to India as a secular nation, India is an Islamic state. I would therefore like to request you not to refer to India as a seclar nation.

Ms. Ray: Though you point out to the duplicity of vote bank politics, the damage it is doing  to freedom of speech and the modus vivendi between religions that was carefully crafted in 1947, is incalculable. The selective way that freedom of speech is allowed to flourish or die on the vine is also an important aspect of what is happening in India.

     That Taslima could be a loose cannon in this situation is an ancillary point, which I accept is quite possible, but what is happening in India in this area should not be forgotten.

GG

Mr Girdhar Gopal,

Though I accept  the duplicity of vote bank politics in this murky affair that you have correctly pointed out, I am happy that Taslima is leaving/left  of her own volition. Taslima was a guest of India, and despite what she might prefer ( i.e. stay indefinitely in Kolkata), a good guest is expected not to embarrass the host. Right or wrong, if there was tension and embarassment because of her mere presence as a guest, she should have shown that courtesy to her host country with grace, and left much earlier, instead of cribbing to the media about how she was 'confined' to Delhi. 

Still, better late than never.

Aditi

Naval: If a person rides a donkey, he can still steer it towards a direction that makes sense both for the donkey and himself. The way Indian politicians are steering their donkeys probably makes short term sense to them in terms of appeasing one mob after another, but from a long term strategic standpoint it is sowing seeds of division in the country: All the people of India, be they Hindu, Muslim, Parsi, Sikh et al,  must have an equal place with equal opportunities for all. One law for all and equal treatment for all. Anything that detracts from that, is injurious to the long term health of the nation.
Regards, Girdhar

To Mr. Girdhar Gopal

There are two types of riding: one horse riding and another is riding on an ass. In horse riding the horse follows the riders instructions. While in riding on a donkey/ass, the rider have to go wherever the donkey takes him. The donkeys do not follow instructions. Today's Indian politics is like the riding on the donkey. The politicians have to follow the blind decisions of the mob. Freedom of speach? Respect of a literary person? What is that? We have murdered Gandhi. And we are murdering Gandhi everyday.

Naval Langa

Jitendra: I was merely saying that my background  was similarly wide ranging: it was not an attempt at comparing except to say, I had also an inkling as to where you were coming from.

     I do not see the situation on the ground as you see it, If you give in to driving Taslima out of India, you have started down a slippery slope. What do you do about  the introduction of Shariah law, a separate law for Christians, Sikhs, jains? What do you do about segregation and demands to self gvernment etc ? I have witnessed one balkanization of India if you are as old as I so have you, and agreeing to petulant demands of fundamentalists, is to invite another. Cowardice amongst our politicians, is not to be applauded but condemned.
     
      Going into the mountains or whatever is not an option for Brahmins in the South. They are closing down Patshalas, this time I was in the South I saw Brahmin old ladies begging in temples. The only solution to the TamBram is to get the hell out of Tamil Nadu: it is happening in two ways, by intermarriage which I applaud and also move moving lock, stock and barrel, which I also applaud.


Best, Girdhar

Tanushri: Pandering to the worst elements in people is a dangerous path to follow. I noticed that you live in Agra. I lived in Agra as a boy of 7, where my father was District Judge. I saw the worst elements coming out of the woodwork when partition was approaching. It was difficult for a Hindu to visit a Muslim Mohalla and vice versa. I remember my father had a bearer called Mansoor Khan, who at that time I had seen all my young life as member of the family; he had fed me and taken care of me . One day he came to us and told us that he too was going to Pakistan because he felt his life was unsafe despite the fact that he was working for the Dt Judge of Agra. As things were, my father decided to let him go, as he could not guarantee protection, I remember the tearful farewell. Pandering to bad elements on both sides of the divide is  to invite similar possibilities in the future.