Bakhabar, April, 2013 - Bihar Anjuman

Mr. Modi, you are not welcome:Wharton DebateRam PuniyaniThe withdrawal of invitation for Narendra Modi to speak atWharton Business School of Pennsylvania (March 2013) has beenlooked at in different ways by different commentators. Those whoare opposing the invitation withdrawal, point out that it is aviolation of the norms of freedom of speech. They say that Modi isan elected person in Indian system and his views on developmentof Gujarat under his leadership need to be heard by the peoplefrom business circles. Those opposing his invitation argue thatinviting him is like giving legitimacy to his total record. His role inGujarat violence, his failure to prevent the carnage and give justiceto the violence victims cannot be delinked from his so calleddevelopment. They point out that as far as debating and engagingwith Modi is concerned it cannot be achieved by inviting him as akey note speaker; this invitation already gives a high pedestal andrecognition to him. He should be interrogated, engaged anddebated with on different forums which give equal ground tothose wanting to debate with him.They also point that Gujarat’s development is a lopsided one, it isprojected more than what the reality is. In Gujarat the levels ofmalnutrition, child and maternal mortality is higher, Gujarat iscomparatively low on human growth index. The anti SC/STatrocity cases are one index of human rights record of the state. Intaking these cases of atrocities against SC/ST Gujarat is lowest onthe rung, with only 25% convictions. According to analysts thegrowth of Gujarat is more of propaganda as many other stateshave done much better during this period. The lowest in the scaleof development in Gujarat are minorities and SC/STs.norms which different wings of American state follow. There arevarious civic norms which are stringent and are aimed to sustainand promote democratic values. The Civil society has also beencampaigning to use this space, democratic-liberal one providedby these provisions of US system and try to stop the violation ofhuman rights and retrograde activities in different places. This is acontradictory situation. The state by and large in its foreign affairsis like a Big Brother, violating all the laws of international behaviorand laws and intimidating the smaller powers. There is no doubtabout its role in international affairs, as a super power; it isundermining the global democracy; it has mauled the emergingglobal democracy amongst nations, which was getting expressedthrough rising clout of United Nations, has been sabotaged by USin particular. As a state it has promoted dictators and has beenthick as thief with different dictators and autocrats.At another level, the civic society has come up steeped in civilitywith respect for the norms of modern democracies, to someextent. So we see the dichotomous processes going on here. It isdue to this pressure of prevailing norms and civil societycampaigns that US is denying Visa to Modi. Is this denial of Visa toModi an insult to our country? No way. It just shows us the mirror ofthe state of affairs in our country. Many a US bodies do keepmonitoring phenomenon like, Religious freedom in othercountries. Many of them keep making a list of terroristorganizations. All this monitoring is showing the diversities of oursocieties. In the same set up we are seeing two contradictoryphenomenons.Modi was invited by the students of Wharton to speak on Gujarat’ Coming back to Modi, Wharton student’s body has gone more bydevelopment. After this a few Professors circulated a petition the norms of civil society; has recognized that Modi may beasking for withdrawal of the invitation. Within just few hours the claiming and many others may be buying his story ofpetition got a massive response and was signed not only by the development, but the truth lies somewhere else. The petitionersprofessors, many others: alumni, the students, doctor’s lawyers opposing the Modi invite correctly point out that Human rightsand other stake holders also supported the petition. The large issues and development cannot be separated. As far as Modinumber of signatures and the logic which the petition put forward being a democratically elected person is concerned, the analystsclinched the issue and students, who are the ones to decide, can point out that his victory has been based on his politics ofwithdrew the invitation.polarization, not on the inclusive politics. He has successfullyscared the majority community about the threat of minorityThe United States has denied VISA to Narendra Modi since 2005, community. This goes on and on to make the foundations of hisdespite his being an elected Chief Minister of the state. The victory and there by his followers claiming that he has beenCommonwealth countries so far have been keeping him at arm’s elected, so all is well. Only thing they ignore at this point is thatlength, but after his third victory, these countries want to mend even Hitler had come to power through democratic means.the relationship with him, as his projection as the PrimeMinisterial candidate are floating around in a strong manner. US As far as his development is concerned it is de facto thehad denied him VISA for his role in the carnage of 2002, and the development of industrial houses. One such industrialist, Adani,denial continues. Similarly due to popular pressure after was the sponsor of Wharton meet. He withdrew his sponsorshipsustained campaigns; the activists groups succeeded in stopping the moment invitation to Modi was withdrawn. Modi’s mode ofthe huge dollar funding from US to the RSS affiliate ‘India ‘development’ means giving all freebees to Tata, Adanai, AmbaniDevelopment Relief Fund’ was collecting huge amounts and and company while the poor one’s are getting more marginalized.supporting the political work of RSS combine in the garb of This invitation being taken back just reflects that Modi’scultural work. This RSS combine’s work is essentially to build up propaganda has been punctured and a reminder that the violationHatred against minorities, through its various organizations.of human rights violation of the weak cannot be exonerated at anyWhile one is aware about the role of America in the promotion of cost.politics of terror, in the formation of Al Qaeda in particular, while it Ram Puniyani is also known that US is out to attack other countries to promoteits political-economic interests, at the same time there are variousBakhabar15