Gandhi in The Handmaid’s Tale

Dear Aisha,

You wasted your time....

Zahraj`s objective was to tell us that she attended some Indian sponsored ``South Asian Women LEADERS`` seminar.

Well more power to her.

Re: # 703

Zarahj

A) ``This is the most stupid article published on Chowk.``

Thanks for honoring it with such a long post. I wrote it in an hour, browsing Gandhi`s works and just putting it together for kicks. I`ll put in more time on the topic in the future.


B) ``This also reflects the regressive mentality and thought process of certain Pakistanis who have nothing good to do but research on finding the good and bad in the leaders who have left this world way back.``

Gandhi, had he left this world way back, would really not be the problem that he is now. I don`t think you should jump to conclusions about who`s progressive and who`s regressive based on one sourced article on a dead man who in your opinion, ``left this world way back.`` That`s not even an argument, it’s a personal attack.


C) ``What`s the gist of this nonsense? Gandhi did not treat women equally or consider them worthy of anything?``

Yes, this along with his other inconsistencies and bigotry and/or racism.


D) ``Is the purpose to tell hindus on Chowk that their leader had weird policies towards women?``

Actually I think most Hindus know where he stands, this article is for intellectual frigids like you who are too dry to let the touch of Historical truth telling release you from the shackles of propaganda. You are dime a dozen of the famished minds which would rather go with the consensus flow though media and cultural indoctrination rather than formulate an opinion independently.


E) ``Is it a cover-up to hide the bad publicity Pakistan is receiving on the treatment of its women folk?``

It`s a relevant article I think, given the Pakistani context.


F) ``The writer needs to wake up.``

Vague, no real message. Learn to ask intelligent questions.


G) ``Regardless of what Gandhi believed in and did to his wife, all Indian women and men do not follow the same thought process.``

So we shouldn`t talk about what he did to his wife and thought of women?


H) ``Yes, the fact that Indian Culture kicks in every other thing is very true.``

You`re digressing. So what, if Indian Culture kicks in?


I) ``I detest involving culture in my life barring a few items close to my heart - saints/sufis, shawls and select poetry.``

Narcissist. Too much info, go and fill this info in on a shadi.com profile page for Desparado`s Inc.


J)``Just recently, I attended a day long seminar in Chicago where over 100 South Asian Women Leaders were present.``

Yawn


K) ``The participants included CTOs, attorneys, magistrates, physicians, engineers, business women, educationists and technologists.``

And what, you felt inferior?


L) ``There were only 9-10 muslim women in that crowd. Out of those 9-10 muslim women, only 3-4 had Pakistani background.``

Very scientific sample. I await the conclusion.


M) ``The rest were Indian muslims. None of the participants (mainly hindu women) had any issues in terms of where they were in their respective careers.``

You go girls!


N) ``One of the panelists was a very impressive, articulate and brilliant woman in her 40s, the CTO of Motorola - a chemical engineer by background. Despite her international engagements, she was able to attend the event on a weekend just to show her solidarity with women from her part of the world. Not only that, the woman was dressed in a very pretty turquoise eastern dress with beautifully put together matching jewelry.``

Hurray for Shakuntala!


O) ``In my past 10 years or so in Corporate America, I have hardly worked with ikka dukka Indians here and there but I have never attended something like this before where so many ambitious and accomplished south asian women(mostly hindus) were under one roof.``

Wah Wah. Consider turning this into an article, because you`re really boring me here.


P) ``Interestingly, it was evident that they believed in having the cultural affinity. This was a very different environment for me.``

Ya you self-exiled morone who couldn`t make it in her own country.

Q) ``I am not into culture shulture at all and rarely attend any cultural stuff anymore.``

Okkkk....


R) ``I did not see anyone wearing anything on her forehead with any complexes on how her leader, Gandhi Jee, thought of women.``

No kidding???!! Shuks, this whole article, I was trying to prove just that. You got me there! *ashamed*


S) ``I had a strong impression that majority of the women took pride in being of Indian Origin regardless of their bygone leaders’ leanings.``

I salute all woman who stand by their nation and serve their people.


T) ``Based on my 1st hand experience, I am not sure where is this writer coming from?``

God, please go marry Sadna or something. Get to the point!


U) ``Probably, she needs more worldly exposure. Worldly exposure does not come from being a cyber activist or flipping through history books.``

First of all, I am no cyber activist, in fact I hardly write, I wrote an article on Chowk after 2 years or so. And History books, I really can`t read them all, unlike my husband here, who is a walking library.

Oh wait, your post is done. And I still have nothing substantial to respond to.

Let me try explaining the point again.

a) Gandhi was a leader of the Subcontinent, who if read accurately (re: Seervai, Jalal etc) bears some significant brunt of the partition. The fact is relatively unknown.

b) Gandhi was a flawed man, and like all flawed men, he must deserve the dignity that all mortal men deserve, but, unfortunately he`s made out to be someone he is not. Hence dignity now calls for the man to be rediscovered holistically.

Was he the champion of:

-Non Violence (given his dictates to kill out of wedlock babies, to beat wives and to sexually abuse minors)

-Political non-Violence, (He introduced religion into South Asian politics, spitting the movement and snatching it from leaders of Jinnah, Ghokle and Tilak`s standards)

-Peace and Justice (His concept of peace was selective, and he wanted justice only for his own people, not for all underdogs)

-Equality (He was racist against blacks, and fought against apartheid because he didn`t want himself or other Indians to mingle with the lowly blacks, as a born African I detest this)

-He was an emancipator of women (He couldn`t even stand women walking with him)

Let’s dig him up and give him a decent burial.

c) Gandhi popularly stood for one thing, Truth, and that is the exact thing missing from his image of the world. It’s a reading of selective history that causes these parts of him to remain hidden.

d) The danger here is that we, Pakistanis as a people, because we once had a conflict of interest with the man, are branded as a) The Violent b) The Politically Violent c) The chaotic and unjust d) The Bigoted e) The Anti-feminist


MY POINT: It’s high time we get reviewed for facts independently of Gandhi and with the world keeping Gandhi`s holistic life in perspective.

MY POINT: Our narrative deserves a showing in the heritage of the world. Gandhi is overplayed for the wrong reasons and any fair minded person should recognize this fact.

With the threat of being simplistic, I must say there are two kinds of people in this world: Those who have the ability to see it from the underdog’s perspective, and those who don`t.

The latter category cannot be leadership material! Whatever circumstances made him one at the time should be reviewed and not covered up.


Aisha F. Sarwari

#1171 by behram1

[So what is happening in South India between Tamil Nadus and Sri Lanka. Oh, yes....these damn Pakistanis, once again.]

So the Tamils in Sri Lanka are Buddhists? What are you smoking Behram Sahib?

FYI, the Tamils in Sri Lanka are either Hindus or Christians (and may be a sprinkling of Muslims too), but never Buddhists.

There are so many holes in your other posts too that I`m tempted to respond to them, but then, you seem so convinced of your arguments that it is pointless to point it out to someone who actually believes in them in the first place.

Respectfully submitted,
Harish

Re#1175

For those who don`t know

``KK`` stands for Kumbh-Karan. For information regarding that legendary individual, kindly refer to Tulsidas` Ramcharitmanas. In the chowk world, s/he is called ``chowk-staff`` (occasionally referred as ``chowk-stuff``.)

Humbly, respectfully, sobbingly, cryinggly submitted
BeeJay.

Re#1173 Kaalchakra

Looks like my ``absence`` from this site seems to have deprived me of a few interesting goings-on. Also looks like KK has finally become arisen (or is that aroused (there is no implied reference to any body organs, however (Uie, Allah! (Tauba, Tauba!!!!)))).

For now, however, it is probably the ``nice`` thing to do to watch and enjoy (I feel compelled to respect KK`s maryada). Because of certain unknown reasons, I feel a LITTLE tired.

Sincerely,
BeeJay.

Also,


Dear Mr. Kaalchakra,

Who were you gracing with your visit for this evening? And what was on the menu?

Humbly, respectfully, and obediently submitted and lapped up,
BeeJay

Re: # 1173

Dear kaalchakrabhai:

Ok. Your wish is my command.

With love and humility,

I respectfully submit,

Behram B. Atashband

Behrambhai

You are worrying too much about the yester-year thoughts of Indians and about the backwardness of their icon Gandhi.

Please take a break. Really.

Love and regards

Re: # 1151

Dear mohar11:

By the Grace of Ahura Mazda I have done fine wherever I have been
[Of course you do - your anti-gandhi ``performance`` here has been spectacular - you kicked some serious gandhi-lover a$$es - so you will be just fine in pakiland.....] Remember to love the truth and only the absolute truth which resides only in you.

Thank you for the compliment.

Respectfully submitted,

Behram B. Atashband

Re: # 1164

Dear Ranger:

Your name is really powerful. Let me see if your intellect is as powerful.

[About Gandhi - whether he slept with his grand-daughters or not , whether he hated niggers/women/untouchables is based on hearsay and debatable , but frankly immaterial] and this is all the article is all about.

[and as a sin pales in comparison to his treacherous act of blackmailing the free Indian nation into giving away 1/3rd of its treasury to Pakistan by threatening to fast unto death , at a time when an India was engaged in a crucial war with Pakistan over Kashmir.] Okay, then you should consider yourself as a ``Gandhi hater``. Do you? Or you are just too much passionate to think straight right now?

[The reason 1 million soldiers are stationed in Kashmir is to prevent the 5 million Kashmiri muslims to give in to their innate Islamic fundamentalist terrorist inclinations which saw them ethnically cleanse or chase away the entire hindu kufr populations away from the valley , which they did in 1989-91. Also , the 2000 odd hardcore terrorists are not scattered all over the valley , mingling with the local populace. So the only way to deal with such a situation is to have a significantly large army- classic military strategy...something US has not done in Iraq and is consequently suffering.] Is this what you consider as a highly efficient army? To put one (1) million to get 2000. Wow! What a genius you are, Ranger.

[If all the terrorists get together in one place and attack as a conventional force, we wont need more than a couple of thousand soldiers to finish them off.] Yes, and you might just one, if all of them come to you and bow their head to be slughtered. You are just so genius. Unbelieveable.

[You only display your ignorance and foolishness with your ridiculous claims about Indian soldiers fighting buddhists and so on.] So what is happening in South India between Tamil Nadus and Sri Lanka. Oh, yes....these damn Pakistanis, once again.

[Needless to say , India has faced insurgent movements through out its independent history , and won everytime. Unlike Pakistan which lost half of its country , India hasn`t lost an inch so far.] Yes, you are correct, it was the insurgency when you grabbed Muslim Hyderabad. It was the insurgency when you grabbed newly independent Goa. And all along you remained a democracy. And also a society full of non-violent philosophy.

What a load of hog wash? Yesteryear thoughts. Get off your high horse, Ranger, and see the reality. India should act mature on its own, if it wants to be, or even if it is. Your response just shows how despicable India is like it has always been.

Kindly think before you ink,

Respectfully submitted,

Behram B. Atashband

Dear Behram1

It`s ok. Everyone has a bad day. You will feel better tomorrow.

You forgot to extend your respect to me this time :(

Re: # 1163

Dear kaalchakra:

That is exactly what I have been thinking all along. What sort of humans are we?

[All this anger, this `Nagaland and Bangladesh,` this `Hindoos and Buddhists,` this `Kashmiris and (their?) namak harami,` this `religious India and undivided India, all undoubtedly delightful talk.... just because that poor old fellow Gandhi was not good to women? :)]

And that is all the writer was talking about.

You figure out the personality that has developed since partition. And that could be your next article.

Thank you for your contribution.

I remain humbled by your thoughts,

Behram B. Atashband

``What is a most respected Parsi from our great neighboring country gonna do about it?``

Well, he can talk.

Also...democracy means honoring the aspiration of the numerical majority. As long as the majority of the people of India want India to hold on to Kashmir and Nagaland and so on , India will continue to do so , using brute force or otherwise , shamelessly and even proudly and at the same time annouce our democratic ans secular credentials at the top of our voice to anybody who cares to listen.

So what is an effete neutred paris from pakistan gonna do about it ?

Re: # 1158

Dear Netizen:

It seems that once again, our Karma is working. I started laughing when I read [now the burden falls on you to prove that, not on me to disprove it.] Respectfully, how am I suppose to prove anything when this whole article on this site was unable to do that? We are in the peanut gallery section remember. We provide comments to the article. Not dissertation on life`s philosophy.

[so go ahead and start your argument. thats what i have been waiting for since yesterday.] And you still did not get it! What makes you so sure that another 24 hours will make any difference? You really believe in miracles that somehow your intellect will function differently. I don`t.

[but somehow the topic got digressed when you started calling him anti-jew and ``with no integrity because satyagraha won`t work against hitler``.] I never said that he was anti-jew. That is your interpretation. I did however call him anti-women, which you have not, as of yet disproved.

[lets see how much dirt we can get on this guy] Even dirt should be valuable for such hates which I have already confessed that I do not have for anybody.

[you keep posting i will reply tommorrow] Why, you have no work to do. You work on promoting Gandhi`s values instead of your employer`s. Now that is what is called a hard working Indian.

Netizen, thank you for your contribution, and please keep the conversation going forward.

Again I will continue to promote harmony and love and would respectfully submit,

Behram B. Atashband

*Also , the 2000 odd hardcore terrorists are scattered all over the valley , mingling with the local populace.*

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