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Absent in the Spring Note this please from the below iLog:

...on websites where anonymity rules people do not realise that some of us are using our real names and this is our profession, not a pastime. We do have a right over our work.

Absent in the Spring And since FV`s iLog has gone past the inevitable page-turn, I`ll reproduce it here.

And remember, I shall keep reproducing it here on each page-turn till Mr. Beej K. Singh apologises profusely to both Farzana and me.

February 9, 2007

Mera aina mera aks hai, mujhe sochta koi aur hai!

There are two ways to react when someone is charged of plagiarising one’s work – make a noise or look on it with some indulgence. I chose the latter path despite, I admit, being upset.

There is no room for the writer concerned, Beej K. Singh, to get away with it. However, the fact remains that I did not complain or point it out to Chowk staff; I used a far more subtle method. I put up the whole poem on my blog and highlighted the words (even the tenor and metaphors are similar, though not same, and the meshing comes from different sources of my pieces, therefore difficult to pin down).

Subtlety does not work. BJ posted a comment there with the audacious words, “Nice poem. Is it yours?”

Goes without saying that I deleted his post, as I have had to delete many of his.

Now, just before the current piece appeared he again posted a comment on my blog, congratulating me and happy for a certain development in my work. I took it with the courtesy such a gesture demanded. But, what do I see when I visit his board? That he has in his interacts used phrases and terms from a correspondence that was meant to ‘clear the air’. This was most unbecoming and devious.

My silence has been construed in different ways. He has without stating so implied that the gentlemen making the accusation are doing so at my bidding. Seriously, this is disgusting were it not so ridiculous. If I can criticise Bal Thackeray in his and my home territory, surely BJ is not a tough one?

I do not know what the motive behind Zeemax bringing up this plagiarism issue on a UP thread was. If it was just the right to intellectual property, then he should have written to Chowk as anyone, including me, should for any article they suspect of such misdemeanour.

Unfortunately, on websites where anonymity rules people do not realise that some of us are using our real names and this is our profession, not a pastime. We do have a right over our work. Even when Zeemax started the thread, there were a couple of people who came up with their rants, which were entirely driven by what they consider their negative equation with me. I do not consider or entertain negativity; at best I do not entertain any equation at all.

This should tell you that an issue can be used to serve all sides. And what happens to the person under discussion? I get offensive emails by BJ. I have to bear the brunt of other people’s enthusiasm to expose him. Did I ask anyone to speak on my behalf? No. As I said, taking on BJ isn’t an effort, although it can get extremely boring and tiresome for me, as taking on anyone on a website is.

I would like to respond to a couple of posts here, for I do not wish to hijack the article (and give the writer immense pleasure).
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#125 by zeemax on January 14, 2007 10:03am PT
I don`t think plagiarisers like BJ Kumar have any right to discuss important issues like the partition of the sub-continent

(It means that Partition, and other issues that might include Pakistan, Jinnah etc are the real grouse, could it not?)

Now, after a long discussion with BJ about this on UP and with other interactors including nb of post # 19 who were all genuinely shocked and taken aback, BJ first kept denying in a defensive manner and then aggressively attacking me with vile abuse and accusations of jealousy, just as he is doing now, but then finally admitted that he had indeed read Farzana Versey`s above poem but insisted that the same words in the same sentence and meaning the same thing as well as the entire train of thought merely `came to him`.

As far as I am concerned, I have whole heartedly accepted BJ`s explanation as above in good faith. Perhaps it was sub-conscious influence and FV`s words stuck in his mind without realizing it.

Rest is up to the Chowk Jury!

(Really? I happen to be alive and rather well. Besides, the people who you call the Chowk Jury have their own axe to grind and often use your threads discussing these issues for their own ends. I do not wish to be made the shoulder from which they wish to fire the gun.

You too were the one who made a huge noise and brought this up again and again, and now you accept his explanation wholeheartedly. Why now? He has been saying this for a while…you did not protest when he called you my lapdog. I find such words highly insulting; he got away with impunity knowing that I will not enter the fray to fight over bones. You talk about upholding the honour of women, what did you do then? Fought for my intellectual right? Has that helped?

Are you going soft on him because of his post below to which I shall reply?

#102 by bjkumar on February 9, 2007 4:50am PT

The influence of the writer whose name you bring up is EVERYWHERE in my writings – sometimes it is overt – as you bring up in that clause in red (and please DO try to be honest regarding whether that clause is even germane or significant to what THAT write-up is about – be honest now!), but mostly it is invisible to others – and that influence has been there for the past two years in virtually everything I have posted on this site and perhaps elsewhere. It has been acknowledged again and again, on the FP and on the UP. I suspect that influence will be there forever – for life!

BJ, when you say you are influenced by someone, the honourable thing for that someone is to gracefully accept it. I take this with a pinch of salt because…when you openly declare such influence, then you do not hit out at the same person when you know that person is not around. You consider such acknowledgment as a brave move on your part, you think this will make you look like a gentleman in the eyes of this ‘Chowk jury’, you think it will wipe out all the abuses you have heaped upon me under your various nicks, including the one, camouflaged as a compliment, on my writer page. Well, it won’t. Not for me. I did the civilised thing of trying to talk to you directly; what I got instead was a barrage of abuses, followed by apologies in your by-now-known style.

I do not know about the rest, and the rest do not probably care, but I am indeed aware that phrases and thought processes and ideas from my articles, my interacts, my ilogs and my blogs have liberally interspersed not only some of your pieces, but your interacts and ilogs too. I can see one looming large right now.

I would certainly not wish to be responsible for the influence in your use of a careless headline like ‘Gone is caravan’ for “kaarvaan guzar gaya”!

You have, with complete ignorance and insensitivity, also implied that as CE I would not have published your pieces. Pray, do tell me and whoever YOUR friends are that you did not submit a single piece then (it is funny the number of writers who were born during my tenure and were ‘killed’ by me!); you were too busy making puns of my designation or telling me what was wrong and dissing this website.

Why? Not because you thought I was not good at what I was doing, but because you assumed I had too many friends and YOU were envious. If it helps you breathe better, I don’t. And next time do not dare use the word lapdog for anyone who takes up an issue that ought to be of concern to you as much as others who talk about ethics here, but turn their faces away when the subject is me. I can handle you and anyone on my own. It is just that the process is completely useless.

I do not wish to change the topic too much here, otherwise I will be happy to discuss it more – and I will be happy to do it anywhere – here or there or any place one chooses to name! (And I insisted then and I insist now that I wrote what “came to me!” and I am absolutely sure that even that other writer will agree of its absolute literal truth – if anybody here had the guts to ask that writer – or if that writer herself were to show up here – a rather unlikely scenario!)

BJ, since you have mentioned ‘influence’ this probably ‘came to you’, because I certainly did not. Or maybe it got to you? The truth is what only you and I know. Unlike you I am not willing to reveal anything from personal correspondence here. You know exactly when you re-read the poem, what you told me, and how soon after that this was written. Do accept it in your mind, as I choose to be magnanimous.

It is highly dishonest of this “HP” character – who once (about two years ago) even accused me of being that particular writer’s “stalker” – to pretend to be ignorant of that simple, well-known-around-here fact. I am convinced this character “HP” is simply jealous of me – not so much because of my writing “skills” or anything else – but because of my being open and upfront with my feelings!

I wish you would realise that this amounts to loose talk. It has happened before by others; I should hope you do not belong to the cabal that was being schooled in such downmarket tactics, even as they pretend to be classy.

Would it surprise you that HP, Zeemax and others may not be jealous of you and have absolutely no feelings towards my work? I do hope you were talking about feelings for my work…

The stalking accusation has been made by others, including a few good women. Why did you not take them to task?

And talking about Zeemax, he has paid a tribute to Chowk women; my name does not figure. Happy?

See, I have said this at least once. It is not that you do not have your own words, your own ideas. You use mine occasionally for a simple reason: to get me to notice and react. That is the reason the influenced interacts appear only on the boards of writers you know I read.

This website has many readers; some like your work a great deal. I like the process of writing too much and therefore treat words, wherever they come from, with a great deal of respect. I want everyone to be a writer, and you most definitely. Having said this, the covert influence that perhaps only I notice is not a very nice thing. I do take trouble over penning my thoughts and expanding on issues and it is disturbing to see you maul these out of shape.

Swarrier has tried to analyse the difference between what ‘came to you’ and my line. In doing so he even wishes death upon me!: “Now F is talking about the futility of certainties, that, whatever we consider to be permanent is in fact ephemeral. That is why spring smiles because she knows autumn is fleeting, as are the leaves, and she herself will be gone… Now over here he has actually twisted the sentence to look into the future.”

If you must twist, please use your own word and thoughts.

It is not like you are using the landscape to make an allegorical reference to a Proustian thought or Kafkaesque idea. Those are recognisable by people who read. Here, things disappear from memory, unless you memorise them.

I should hope this puts an end to the debate wishign you the best, as also Zeemax, HP and swarrier (marey mere dushman)...

And, if you truly respect me, then please do not indulge in abuses. I have not done so even when provoked in the extreme. Hope THIS influence rubs off on you. Gandhi would approve! And so would Jinnah…instead of fighting he just went and opted for a separate state; you can make that separate space for yourself.

For, as I said, obsessions are not certainties :-)

Absent in the Spring Zeena ... #242 multiplied by three.... Re #209 by zeemax

Zeena .. come to think of it ... weren`t you called a lapdog as well by some interactors when FV had resigned and `Zeena` had vigorously protested and threatened to leave? Which she actually did? Or was it some other `Zeena`?

Meri Pyari Raj Dulari Zeena Bhabi,

You posted this three times so you must feel strongly about it. Let me attempt:

zeemax sahib Here you go again. You have caught yourself in to this situation where irrelevancy rules. Now, what is the connection here with what that very particular incident happened to me?

The connection is that you fought bitterly for FV and took insults and everything, even left for a year, but never compromised your stance for FV. I`m doing the same. Why blame me?

Ofcourse that was a sad incident when YOUR dear friend ((SAMINASHA whom you recently called a very smart lady on un plugged )) called me LAPDOG of Farzana Versey on front page. And mind it that was the main reason I stood up for Farzana Versey and left Chowk for almost one year or lil less.

Of-course you did. That`s what I`m saying above. You fought tooth and nail for your principles and for dignity of our Dear FV, and never surrendered to insults.

BTW. I didn`t remember it was saminasha who called you a lapdog. But I remembered you.

So, you are saying If Saminasha calls me A LAPDOG of farzana versey, that makes Saminasha a smart lady in your eyes. And when BJ calls you Lapdog of the same Farzana versey, that makes BJ a retard in your eyes...........WoW!!!

I explained on the Chowk Chix thread that the only criteria was being a `proven` UP female interactor, (and not FP otherwise FV and Saima Shah would be the top. Noone can even show a candle to them, and both interact under their real names and have their photos on this site)... and ther`re only two on UP i.e. Sobia and saminasha whose pics I have seen. That`s the only reason why I included saminasha because I`m convinced she is female, as well as Sobia (who`s a darling anyway ... ) but made you a borderline case because I really don`t know what your real name is or whether you``re actually female or male? Dunno ...

Hypocrisy , thy name is zeemax......

Where`s the hypocrisy in anything I wrote above? Please crucify me but don`t accuse me of hypocrisy because that`s what I am NOT.

Now the question is why are you advocating Farzana Versey here? She did not appoint you her attorney or did she?

No she did not. I took suo moto action on her behalf. If she objects, I shall desist.

why Farzana Versey doesn`t show up with her orginal name and justify herself and fight with BJ for all this which she wrote in her i-log? Why Farzana versey is a big time coward? that she needs self appointed advocates for her lil battle fields? Why is FV incapable of taking her own stand?

Farzana Versey IS her original name. Check out google and Rediff.com. And; No. She is no coward (how do you say that Zeena? That hurt me) and fully capable of defending herself. Only thing is, Farzana is an Angel. She wouldn`t get involved in petty mud fights. Besides, she wrote whatever she had to say in an iLog. I even reproduced an extract where she clearly says that when she is fully capable of taking on Baal Thackeray in public media, yeh BJ Kumar kis ginti mey hai?

Why Farzana Versey tells you to get up and fight for her with BJ? I used to worship Farzana versey, but, sadly she lost that respect since she wrote her recent i-log and asked you for her help..............Sad, sad, sad.

This is factually untrue. Farzana never asked me for anything but has rather castigated me for my making such a fuss over her intellectual rights. Are you kidding? Farzana would ask me to help? She is more of a tigress than you can ever dream to become.

You are not even Chowk staff, then why all this tamasha?

Chowk Staff will do what they have to do. I will do what I have to do.

believe me I have had all the guts to leave this web site when saminasha called me lapdog of Farzana versey out of her sheer idiocy and jealousy with FV. Saminasha is absolutley has no credibility what so ever. She lost her credibility right @ that spot, when she started fighting with FV on each and every board irrelevantly. I do not hold grudges and that is the quality I love about myself. That is the sole reason I forgave and forgot what saminasha did to me and to FV........b/c life is too, short for all this hoopla and plus at one point we have to forgive and move on............

Correct. Saminasha had a huge jealousy for FV. She had a big chip on her shoulder with FV and used to attack and insult her for no reason. Saminasha is really very weird. Saminasha can be really vile and nasty. She was talking about `choot key bhookey` the other day on UP when she`s a Uni Professor.

Why Farzana Versey is using you as her secretary to hound BJ and get even with poor BJ?

Again, refer to the point above that FV does not need anyone to defend her. It is only out of my principles that I demand an unconditional and unequivocal apology from BJ for using Farzana`s words as his own without her permission.

Why chowk staff is not removing this article? Why are you pressing charges against chowk staff? And chowk staff is speechless?

This is a question I cannot answer. You may ask Chowk Staff. I didn`t press any charges against Chowk Staff. I have the utmost respect for them. I`m sure they`re examining the issue.

Or, in other words why are you torturing BJ for absolutely no reason at all?

I am torturing BJ because he`s a plagiarist. No other reason except that.

Please, again Don`t press charges against chowk staff. They are quite reasonable and responsible lots. Believe me, if, it would have been any plagiarism they would have removed it or wouldn`t have published it on first place.

See above. I never accused Chowk Staff. Why would I? They run this free service where you and I can argue till kingdom come. If they weren`t there, I would never have this opportunity. Isn`t that true? And do reproduce where I laid the tiniest of blame on Chowk Staff.

Now, take a chill pill, relax and let Chowk staff decide .............Thanks

I`ve noted your advice with gratitude. But if Chowk Staff does not act for their very understandable limitations, I will forego your advice to take the chill pill till this plagiarist and lowly abuser is still around and refuses to apologise.

Cheers!

:~)

Absent in the Spring #224 by soysauce re #206

..``shortage of humor`` is a fairly common expression...

Perhaps to you and BJ Kumar. Not to the English writers.

...You write as tho everyone should adhere to wren and martin.

You don`t have to adhere to any standards, but if you innovate, it must be throughout your writing like cockney or slang. Not in just one sentence. That shows a bad translation with the ignorance of the turn of the phrase peeking through.

...English writing has moved on since the 60`s and even english chauvinists have come to accept that it`s just another language to be shaped by the writer in any way he/she wants to.

Sure it has. But authors stick to one style, whatever it is. If it`s Hinglish, so be it. See above. It can`t be English in one sentence and Hinglish in another. That`s telling the obvious.

Absent in the Spring #233 by bjkumar; #231 by bjkumar;229 by bjkumar

~ Bravo, my dear! You, you the brave tigress from the other side of the border!

~ I hereby retract every little statement I ever made on chowk that referred to the inevitability of a lowly status for the women of Pakistan.

~ Again, thanks for fighting like a tigress!

... err ... let me restate that minus the hypocrisy:

~ Bravo, my dear! You, you the brave tigress from the West India

~ There is absolutely no way that the women of West India that produces the likes of Zeena can be kept suppressed or subdued too long!!

~ Again, thanks for fighting like a tigress! (Woman from West India)

Of all the liars and cheats and hypocrites ... just one Zeena .. the Pakistani Musalmaan tigress ... comes out in support of a hateful character like you ... just because of her laudable principles of Muslim Justice, and you go all wishy washy and kneel like an obedient servant ... forgetting all you had said about Pakistan and Muslims, its women, and its very legitimacy as a nation ...

Liar, fake, cheat, abominable, useless, and without any self-respect or self-dignity or morals or ethics or self-esteem ...

So where`re your defenders from East India ?

Moron ...! You stand fully exposed.