Will Pakistanis Listen and Act? Re: # 88 To be a great nation, we need to keep our standards high. Its only in situations like this (Godhra) that a nation`s character is tested. Alas! we passed with poor marks. I wouldn`t say we failed because the subsequent national election redeemed some of what we were losing.

Having said this, we need to base our nationhood on Indianness and not a religion. As a nation we are evolving and learning. I am very positive about this process.

Will Pakistanis Listen and Act? Quite obviously terrorism is as condemnable as could be. But we must find solution to it and we can`t find solutions unless we try to find reasons. You may not agree with this alienation/powerlessness hypothesis. This theory is not even mine. It`s there in standard social psychology text books. Maybe under present circustances it is not `politically correct` to find reasons. Maybe no one wants to talk about it. For the fear of being labelled, let`s not desist from an open debate.

Will Pakistanis Listen and Act? Re: # 86 Yes, but there is rule of law. As proud patriots we should have the rule of law irrespective of anything and the response has to come from the state in accordance with law not from people. That`s what I mean by calibrated response. This is what I can see happening in Britain right now.

Will Pakistanis Listen and Act? ``The Muslims of the subcontinent lost their vote on Indian affairs in 1947. ``

Please read it as ``muslims of the North West and Bengal lost their vote on Indian affairs in 1947.``

#82 tahmed: Its not my intention to justify Gujarat riots. Surely that is one of the worst things to have happened in independent India. I am however trying to explain peoples` behaviour with the help of the theory of powerlessness, alienation and reaction to it. People, voted for Modi, is a fact. If you have an alternative explanation other than the standard one please let me know.

``I think it is wrong to simply say that ``terrorism breeds out of powerlessness``. There is enough evidence that terrorists are in fact well funded and very much in control of their lives to the point of becoming arrogant.``

The powerless I talked about was not on an individual scale. I was talking about a certain perceived powerlessness as a group like not being able to do something about injustices suffered by the group. (Palestine, Iraq and so on...)

Will Pakistanis Listen and Act? Re: # 80 Continuing along this line. The Muslims of the subcontinent lost their vote on Indian affairs in 1947. Whatever happens in India, whatever the pretensions, our Pakistani cousins have an opinion. Sometimes the opinion is so strong that only a vote would have done any justice to it. This despair and inability to influence events in India have given rise to anti India terrorism. Explains again why Indian Muslim is not a terrorist despite being in the direct line of fire whereas for the same inciting events Pakistani Mujahideen ties a RDX belt around himself. If only he could vote in Indian elections.

Will Pakistanis Listen and Act? Re: # 79 well they couldn`t vote out Blair, could they? I bet if they could there would have been no attacks. Powerlessness and despair! At least in America a new guy becomes President after 8 years.

Will Pakistanis Listen and Act? Re: # 73 tahmed : Terrorism breeds out of powerlessness. Modi was voted to power by Hindus who thought they were wronged in Godhra. What followed Godhra was of course wrong but doesn`t that kind of a thing happen when a certain critical mass is reached in a nuclear reaction. You can see the critical mass building up in western society. Only their reaction is more calibrated and sensible. If only in place of Modi a better leader was in charge this chain reaction would have been arrested or addressed.

The surest way to defeat terrorism would be empowerment of the people. Indian Muslim played a pivotal role in defeating BJP. He/she feels empowered and as a result Indian Muslim is not a terrorist. So if Islamic teachings in isolation were the culprit even Indian Muslim would have been a terrorist. In their home countries give people democratic rights. In international fora give these countries a voice. Erase powerlessness and terrorism would be defeated. However, till the disease is treated from its roots, its symptoms will have to be dealt with firmly. Force is to be met with force and argument with argument.

I also feel that the concept of nation state has lost its relevance. It has given a lot of distorted perceptions of persecution to a lot of people worldwide. I will appreciate your and other interactors` views.

Will Pakistanis Listen and Act? Re: # 27 Yes, LoC as an international border is a good idea. This border should be porous and should not need visa.

Towards a shackled society, perhaps Two great secularists of the subcontinent (Nehru and Jinnah) divided the country on the basis of .. guess what? religion. Deobandies whose children these Mullahs are opposed partition. Our Hindutva parties still dream of an Akhand Bharat. So whatever our Deobandi nationalists do in their present abode should not be seen through a partition prism.

To add to the subcontinental spice a dictator is more tolerant than MMA democrats. Personally I feel that a brute majority in a democracy is more dangerous than an even an autocracy sometimes.

Towards a shackled society, perhaps I think there are two ways this problem can be approached. One is the test of democracy. Whenever in doubt go to the people. The answer to the problems of democracy should be more democracy. Simply put : conduct a referendum on the issue. However, this solution may not be practical considering that half of the population (females) are not even allowed to vote in NWFP by their male family members.

The other way is to see if this bill passes the test of `enlightened moderation`. Tihis bill fails on this count and should be rejected by whoever has the constitutional authority to do so.

London’s Hour of Reckoning Re: # 491 I too like Sikhism for its simplicity. Only complicated thing about the religion is maintaining hair. Makes it a bit cumbersome.

Towards a shackled society, perhaps Also a ban on `visiting temples` and `travel` by subway train. Blowing up one`s person should be declared blasphemy. By the way those who `visit` Hindu temples should be declared Kafirs.

Towards a shackled society, perhaps It should also include a ban on wearing RDX around one`s waist.

Being Imrana Re: # 286 The exact figure is 99.9999999 percent. However, 100.00% Indians have to follow Dr. Ambedkar`s BETTER book.

Being Imrana Re: # 286 Which book from Dr. Ambedkar are you quoting again and again?

Being Imrana Re: # 283 Nice try Dalit. Took you some time though. Just a polite addition. Modern India is not run by Manusmriti but by Ambedkarsmriti. Hope you get the point. More Hindus know of and cannot get by without the later than the former.