05-30-2005, 09:38 AM
AID : Activities of Balaji Sampath at IIT Chennai
http://intellibriefs.blogspot.com/2005/05/...sampath-at.html
From an eyewitness
I first heard about AID in my first year at IIT. It was the time they were starting , and naturally, as is the common practice today too, their introductory notice will attract anyone interested in helping the people of India. Added to it was the emblem with Gandhiji, and I could not help missing the first programme they organised. I remember that it was a movie show, on some social issue, probably organised together with the NSS of the institute.
I don't remember much of the other details , but what I remember clearly was that one claims made was that AID runs a tuition center in Tharamani, a village outside IIT. I knew that NSS runs tuition centers, but this was new info to me. Indeed during the programe, they gave pamphlet saying how we could help, and one was money, another volunteering. I was interested in volunteering and so approached one of the co-ordinators, and offered help. I asked him what exactly was my work, and where is the center' His reply was something in this line "As of now, we don't have a center. But we have the Tamil Nadu Science Forum's(TNSF) project of developing some softwares for village education"! Some how, it did not strike me that it could be a deliberate attempt to mislead, I thought it was just a slip. But the AID lies were only starting there.
This particular one, the tactic is very clear- those who want to check it up properly, they will tell the truth. For others, who are too busy to volunteer, can donate money. By the way, I remember a friend of mine from IIT sending me AID newsletter of this year, and she asked me about AID. The newsletter claims that
there is a tuition center at Tharamani with 70 kids. I asked her to go and verify if there is a center, and decide for herself. I did not hear from her ever since.
Another BIG claim made by AID is the following. "AID is related to TNSF, similar to Kerala Shastra Saahitya Parishad(KSSP), who were instrumental in making Kerala 100 percent literate state". This is a very misleading statement. The literacy campaign in Kerala was a government programme. In two phases, under two governments, it took nearly a decade. Govt money was used. People from various walks of life volunteered. I have a friend of mine, living a few miles away, who volunteered, who had nothing to do with KSSP. True, some of there volunteers might have done some work, esp as this organisation is basically a leftists organisation, and communist govt was for once involved in the programme. But to claim that they are responsible for the literacy of Kerala is nonsense. In fact these people get involved in more of political matters than anything else. (and TNSF, they claimed is like KSSP) The initial experience prevented me from volunteering for AID, but I did try to attend their functions. The next one I remember (chronolgy might be wrong), is the AID skit arranged during Saarang, the cultural festival of IITM. With lots of goofs, it was something people laughed at, but more so, may be for the idea. I believe its one of AIDs std skits, as it was screened in my University a few months before. I don't remember the name of the skit, but basically it was about what would have happened if we were able to change some events.
Now the first event was the death of Gandhiji. Let's assume it did not have any political intentions, but then when the character Godse came to the stage,he had a big red Tilak marked on his forehead! Now that was something I took some time to understand.
From what I remember from "Freedom at Midnight", Godse was kind of an atheist. even if not, he was not, for what i know, one who would put a tilak and walk around, esp when u go to kill Gandhiji. Leave it to you to decide, if AID had some motive or not.... So far - I wouldn't say so good- but not really bad. And then came the big moment. AID organises a screening of Anand Patwardhans movie "In the name of Raam". They put up notices in all hostels. The notice I remember was so anti Hindu and inflammatory, and faced lot of opposition from almost all hostels, that they had to remove that one, and make an altogether new, mild one. To know more about the movie, see http://www.geocities.com/satyawaadi/ram.html The movie was screened, and AID had announced that a discussion will follow- a discussion, mind you, not a lecture. The big wig of AID Balaji Sampath, comes to the stage (eh, I thought its a 'discussion') and starts addressing the audience- not invite questions... He starts off , and after saying that AID organised an anti BJP rally and all that, he says
"You have to understand the fact....". Now that's a very nice way to start. as though what he is saying is Gospel truth . Let's call this the BS method, as we will have to use this abbreviation a lot. to continue "...the fact that the entire ramjanmabhoomi movement was an attempt by the sangh parivar, to cover up its casteism, and anti backward casteness". That was the first shock that day. Myself
belonging to a backward caste , I have always been sympathetic to the temple cause, and was convinced of the dirty games played by the leftists after I read "RJM vs BM" by Koenraad Elst (btw, these leftists have tried a lot to throw dirt on the scholarship of Dr Elst, not by attacking the facts that he presents in his books, but by general shouting). the second part of the book is available at http://www.voi.org/books
A volley of questions followed and people started arguing with him. He started dismissing each of their (and mine, as i too had started arguing) facts as "those are exceptions. what i am saying is the actual truth in general". another of the BS method (or shall i call it AID way- recently a friend of mine who attended, probably for the first time, an AID discussion , told me that he was amazed at the way these people coin their own theories to fit their needs ). Unfortunately, because of the short notice, I could not get the books needed, and none of the others had bothered. On the other hand BS would have been quite prepared- but then based not on facts , but BS (or AID) theories
Some body got so angry that he stood up and said "So then let's all get converted to Christianity. BS gave a vague smile....(might have been deeply happy
inside at the proposal) Another of his showpieces was, whom he claimed something like "an history scholar". This lady, did not seemed to give any historical data, but just nodding her head for whatever BS was saying, and saying her own propaganda. Now, its possible that she was, whom BS later married- Kalpana, a JNU graduate and active in a leftists women's organisation
Now people had by now understood their political motives and had started shouting "communists" Initially they denied, but at some point the lady got so irritated that she said "there is nothing wrong with being communist". fine, if u believe so, but why did the admission come so late, that too after apparent denials? You could have come under the banner of CPI, or is CPI=AID ?
Now do I need to show how much anti Nationals the commies are- sorry, they are Nationalists, big time, but Chinese Nationalists, as Rajeev Srinivasan says in his column http://www.rediff.com/news/2002/jun/21rajeev.htm and Marx indeed justified Bristish rule in India, called India a semi barbaric country (those who think so should probably go thro' the Gandhian Dharampal's "The Beatiful Tree" and the "Rise and Fall of Great Nations" by Paul S Kennedy - I have gone thro' the first and have seen seen some statistics being quoted from the second), and probably even said that Communism can be spread in India only by diluting the Hindu ethos (My attempts to find the actual wordings did not succeed) and ya, what to speak of Rajane Palme Dutt, often referd to as "Father of Indian Communism" , who wrote one full book "India Today" about how things should be in India, all sitting in England, and not having visited India, till much after he finished his work . I get memories of Max Muller, who never visited India, but was paid by the British,(10,000 pounds ????) to discredit Hinduism by his Aryan Invasion theory , something as much not based on facts as BS theories..
Now the second and bigger shock was coming. BS goes on to say "After all not all people worship Rama. Most Dalits in TN worship Ravana and considers Rama as the villain ". This was taking things too far, and did get the most fitting reply, from none other than the (private) security to the screening hall, who apparently fitted into the very same category BS was mentioning . He said "Saar Appudiyellam
sollakkoodathu, Raman Thaan Nammoda Daivam " (Sir,please do not say things like this. Ram only is our God) . This time BS was speechless. I wonder why his theory of "you are an exception" did not work here - may be the polite way the person who put it, or may be the big applause that followed
But BS was not ready to give up. One after the other, he was bring out the "casteism of sangh parivar". I don't know if this fool doesn't know that one of the objectives of sangh parivar is to unite Hindus beyond their castes and to get rid of that system. O ya, there is another thing that he said too. Whatever backward castes supporters are there for the temple, is only to cover up its casteism. I donno how this theory works, but its probably not much different from what they normally say whenever they see lot of backward castes support causes like this "They are being used by the sangh Parivar "
Now, what was his "Ravana -God" theory ? If at all there are Dalits who worship Ravana, is he and the likes of him not trying to use him. And ya, I must tell u a secret. The sangh parivar paid me a huge sum for supporting the temple cause. Do you want some of that money for AID? I know even though you people keep
saying "we have nothing to do with religion" and all, one of the big collection that AID gets for the concerts its organise is by sitting with tickets in the local temple(atleast that's what an AID vol here told me). Basically , the same commie funda. Take money and use it against the very people from whom you take it. BS takes out his next weapon. Ekalavya. one usual thing taken up by commies. Now please note that the good part of the Puranas, the commies believe were all a myth. But for incidents like ekelavya's, it is surely a case a caste discrimination, Oh well, not just that a discrimination of Hindus against the tribes. One of the commie in the ASHA discussion group (more about this later) had to say that one tribe in MP does not use thumb in archery, and that is because they are descendants of ekalavya! no proof what so ever... The belief that ekalavya was discriminated was pefectly correct, not just that, has to be exploited, but the Hindus belief that Rama existed is "nonsense and baseless" anyway, one sangh supporter from the crowd (he had actually made BS eat his words quite some time, and was clearly better in arguments except for his rather poor English speech) asked him what he had to say about Ekalavya sports fest or so organised by the sangh. BS says its a cover up- the commies can "use" his name, but none else!!
Now BS resorts to a book. He says (all this while he has been addressing from the stage, any one oppossing him has to shout from the back)"let me read u out something from this book ..." People started shouting "Which commies ' book is it ?" . I clearly remember BS turning to the front page of the book , taking a look and saying "No no, this is written by Golwalkar ". Now that was another of BS trick. What he meant was, the passage he is going to read was written by Golwalkar. But the question raised, and the way BS looks at the front cover, makes u believe he is holding Golwalkar's book.
It turned out the book he was holding was " Khakhi shorts and.... " - I don't remember- written by the likes of Romila Thappar, known for bluffing, and distorting history to fit the leftists view point. of interest will be http://www.voi.org/general_inbox/pramod/...e_mem.html
and http://www.voi.org/ indology review section Now BS reads out a sentence from the book, which was a written by Golwalkar . I think it was something like "In India there will be communal harmony only when Muslims starts respecting Hindu Gods and vice versa".BS started arguing "why should it be so. Why should a Muslim worship a Hindu God "
I asked him if he considers that statement relevant in the aftermath the communal tensions due to Muslims refusing to sing (and allow singing) Vandemaataram, because Qoran says they should not bow anyone but Allah( by the way, Bhaarat for many Hindus is God). He said "No no, the case you are saying is an exception ". Oh, sorry sir, I did not know that I am in the plane in which BS theory is valid ....... anyway, AID had to stop its 'discussion' as the hall had to be closed down. AID started facing stiff oppossition in the campus. In fact during Saarang AID had kept a donation box, and had collected quite some sum (no receipts given, no idea where this money goes - if u ask, they will ask u to come to their meetings and find out- mind u people from outside the city and even state come for saarang ) Even those who had put only 10 rupees started going and demanding their money back.
But AID "continued its activities", until may be a year or more later the IITM chapter was dissolved for "lack of volunteer support " Couple of words about another vol in my hostel. He was supposedly the co-ord for some teaching section of AID, but by his own admission, has never gone to a tuition center run by AID . On Aug 15, I see a sticker on his door, of a tricolour flag. Green on top, Saffron in the bottom (Since its a wheel at the center, U actually need to know , can't guess...). So I knock on his door and ask him "Eh man, what is this ?". He replies "Eh, you don't know what it is ?". I said " I am not so sure ". He started kind of laughing at me "Eh, you don't know what this is......" . I said "It doesn't appear to be what I think it is " at this moment, he paused, took a better look, and with a vague smile asked me "Eh which colour comes on top daaa...?"
http://intellibriefs.blogspot.com/2005/05/...sampath-at.html
From an eyewitness
I first heard about AID in my first year at IIT. It was the time they were starting , and naturally, as is the common practice today too, their introductory notice will attract anyone interested in helping the people of India. Added to it was the emblem with Gandhiji, and I could not help missing the first programme they organised. I remember that it was a movie show, on some social issue, probably organised together with the NSS of the institute.
I don't remember much of the other details , but what I remember clearly was that one claims made was that AID runs a tuition center in Tharamani, a village outside IIT. I knew that NSS runs tuition centers, but this was new info to me. Indeed during the programe, they gave pamphlet saying how we could help, and one was money, another volunteering. I was interested in volunteering and so approached one of the co-ordinators, and offered help. I asked him what exactly was my work, and where is the center' His reply was something in this line "As of now, we don't have a center. But we have the Tamil Nadu Science Forum's(TNSF) project of developing some softwares for village education"! Some how, it did not strike me that it could be a deliberate attempt to mislead, I thought it was just a slip. But the AID lies were only starting there.
This particular one, the tactic is very clear- those who want to check it up properly, they will tell the truth. For others, who are too busy to volunteer, can donate money. By the way, I remember a friend of mine from IIT sending me AID newsletter of this year, and she asked me about AID. The newsletter claims that
there is a tuition center at Tharamani with 70 kids. I asked her to go and verify if there is a center, and decide for herself. I did not hear from her ever since.
Another BIG claim made by AID is the following. "AID is related to TNSF, similar to Kerala Shastra Saahitya Parishad(KSSP), who were instrumental in making Kerala 100 percent literate state". This is a very misleading statement. The literacy campaign in Kerala was a government programme. In two phases, under two governments, it took nearly a decade. Govt money was used. People from various walks of life volunteered. I have a friend of mine, living a few miles away, who volunteered, who had nothing to do with KSSP. True, some of there volunteers might have done some work, esp as this organisation is basically a leftists organisation, and communist govt was for once involved in the programme. But to claim that they are responsible for the literacy of Kerala is nonsense. In fact these people get involved in more of political matters than anything else. (and TNSF, they claimed is like KSSP) The initial experience prevented me from volunteering for AID, but I did try to attend their functions. The next one I remember (chronolgy might be wrong), is the AID skit arranged during Saarang, the cultural festival of IITM. With lots of goofs, it was something people laughed at, but more so, may be for the idea. I believe its one of AIDs std skits, as it was screened in my University a few months before. I don't remember the name of the skit, but basically it was about what would have happened if we were able to change some events.
Now the first event was the death of Gandhiji. Let's assume it did not have any political intentions, but then when the character Godse came to the stage,he had a big red Tilak marked on his forehead! Now that was something I took some time to understand.
From what I remember from "Freedom at Midnight", Godse was kind of an atheist. even if not, he was not, for what i know, one who would put a tilak and walk around, esp when u go to kill Gandhiji. Leave it to you to decide, if AID had some motive or not.... So far - I wouldn't say so good- but not really bad. And then came the big moment. AID organises a screening of Anand Patwardhans movie "In the name of Raam". They put up notices in all hostels. The notice I remember was so anti Hindu and inflammatory, and faced lot of opposition from almost all hostels, that they had to remove that one, and make an altogether new, mild one. To know more about the movie, see http://www.geocities.com/satyawaadi/ram.html The movie was screened, and AID had announced that a discussion will follow- a discussion, mind you, not a lecture. The big wig of AID Balaji Sampath, comes to the stage (eh, I thought its a 'discussion') and starts addressing the audience- not invite questions... He starts off , and after saying that AID organised an anti BJP rally and all that, he says
"You have to understand the fact....". Now that's a very nice way to start. as though what he is saying is Gospel truth . Let's call this the BS method, as we will have to use this abbreviation a lot. to continue "...the fact that the entire ramjanmabhoomi movement was an attempt by the sangh parivar, to cover up its casteism, and anti backward casteness". That was the first shock that day. Myself
belonging to a backward caste , I have always been sympathetic to the temple cause, and was convinced of the dirty games played by the leftists after I read "RJM vs BM" by Koenraad Elst (btw, these leftists have tried a lot to throw dirt on the scholarship of Dr Elst, not by attacking the facts that he presents in his books, but by general shouting). the second part of the book is available at http://www.voi.org/books
A volley of questions followed and people started arguing with him. He started dismissing each of their (and mine, as i too had started arguing) facts as "those are exceptions. what i am saying is the actual truth in general". another of the BS method (or shall i call it AID way- recently a friend of mine who attended, probably for the first time, an AID discussion , told me that he was amazed at the way these people coin their own theories to fit their needs ). Unfortunately, because of the short notice, I could not get the books needed, and none of the others had bothered. On the other hand BS would have been quite prepared- but then based not on facts , but BS (or AID) theories
Some body got so angry that he stood up and said "So then let's all get converted to Christianity. BS gave a vague smile....(might have been deeply happy
inside at the proposal) Another of his showpieces was, whom he claimed something like "an history scholar". This lady, did not seemed to give any historical data, but just nodding her head for whatever BS was saying, and saying her own propaganda. Now, its possible that she was, whom BS later married- Kalpana, a JNU graduate and active in a leftists women's organisation
Now people had by now understood their political motives and had started shouting "communists" Initially they denied, but at some point the lady got so irritated that she said "there is nothing wrong with being communist". fine, if u believe so, but why did the admission come so late, that too after apparent denials? You could have come under the banner of CPI, or is CPI=AID ?
Now do I need to show how much anti Nationals the commies are- sorry, they are Nationalists, big time, but Chinese Nationalists, as Rajeev Srinivasan says in his column http://www.rediff.com/news/2002/jun/21rajeev.htm and Marx indeed justified Bristish rule in India, called India a semi barbaric country (those who think so should probably go thro' the Gandhian Dharampal's "The Beatiful Tree" and the "Rise and Fall of Great Nations" by Paul S Kennedy - I have gone thro' the first and have seen seen some statistics being quoted from the second), and probably even said that Communism can be spread in India only by diluting the Hindu ethos (My attempts to find the actual wordings did not succeed) and ya, what to speak of Rajane Palme Dutt, often referd to as "Father of Indian Communism" , who wrote one full book "India Today" about how things should be in India, all sitting in England, and not having visited India, till much after he finished his work . I get memories of Max Muller, who never visited India, but was paid by the British,(10,000 pounds ????) to discredit Hinduism by his Aryan Invasion theory , something as much not based on facts as BS theories..
Now the second and bigger shock was coming. BS goes on to say "After all not all people worship Rama. Most Dalits in TN worship Ravana and considers Rama as the villain ". This was taking things too far, and did get the most fitting reply, from none other than the (private) security to the screening hall, who apparently fitted into the very same category BS was mentioning . He said "Saar Appudiyellam
sollakkoodathu, Raman Thaan Nammoda Daivam " (Sir,please do not say things like this. Ram only is our God) . This time BS was speechless. I wonder why his theory of "you are an exception" did not work here - may be the polite way the person who put it, or may be the big applause that followed
But BS was not ready to give up. One after the other, he was bring out the "casteism of sangh parivar". I don't know if this fool doesn't know that one of the objectives of sangh parivar is to unite Hindus beyond their castes and to get rid of that system. O ya, there is another thing that he said too. Whatever backward castes supporters are there for the temple, is only to cover up its casteism. I donno how this theory works, but its probably not much different from what they normally say whenever they see lot of backward castes support causes like this "They are being used by the sangh Parivar "
Now, what was his "Ravana -God" theory ? If at all there are Dalits who worship Ravana, is he and the likes of him not trying to use him. And ya, I must tell u a secret. The sangh parivar paid me a huge sum for supporting the temple cause. Do you want some of that money for AID? I know even though you people keep
saying "we have nothing to do with religion" and all, one of the big collection that AID gets for the concerts its organise is by sitting with tickets in the local temple(atleast that's what an AID vol here told me). Basically , the same commie funda. Take money and use it against the very people from whom you take it. BS takes out his next weapon. Ekalavya. one usual thing taken up by commies. Now please note that the good part of the Puranas, the commies believe were all a myth. But for incidents like ekelavya's, it is surely a case a caste discrimination, Oh well, not just that a discrimination of Hindus against the tribes. One of the commie in the ASHA discussion group (more about this later) had to say that one tribe in MP does not use thumb in archery, and that is because they are descendants of ekalavya! no proof what so ever... The belief that ekalavya was discriminated was pefectly correct, not just that, has to be exploited, but the Hindus belief that Rama existed is "nonsense and baseless" anyway, one sangh supporter from the crowd (he had actually made BS eat his words quite some time, and was clearly better in arguments except for his rather poor English speech) asked him what he had to say about Ekalavya sports fest or so organised by the sangh. BS says its a cover up- the commies can "use" his name, but none else!!
Now BS resorts to a book. He says (all this while he has been addressing from the stage, any one oppossing him has to shout from the back)"let me read u out something from this book ..." People started shouting "Which commies ' book is it ?" . I clearly remember BS turning to the front page of the book , taking a look and saying "No no, this is written by Golwalkar ". Now that was another of BS trick. What he meant was, the passage he is going to read was written by Golwalkar. But the question raised, and the way BS looks at the front cover, makes u believe he is holding Golwalkar's book.
It turned out the book he was holding was " Khakhi shorts and.... " - I don't remember- written by the likes of Romila Thappar, known for bluffing, and distorting history to fit the leftists view point. of interest will be http://www.voi.org/general_inbox/pramod/...e_mem.html
and http://www.voi.org/ indology review section Now BS reads out a sentence from the book, which was a written by Golwalkar . I think it was something like "In India there will be communal harmony only when Muslims starts respecting Hindu Gods and vice versa".BS started arguing "why should it be so. Why should a Muslim worship a Hindu God "
I asked him if he considers that statement relevant in the aftermath the communal tensions due to Muslims refusing to sing (and allow singing) Vandemaataram, because Qoran says they should not bow anyone but Allah( by the way, Bhaarat for many Hindus is God). He said "No no, the case you are saying is an exception ". Oh, sorry sir, I did not know that I am in the plane in which BS theory is valid ....... anyway, AID had to stop its 'discussion' as the hall had to be closed down. AID started facing stiff oppossition in the campus. In fact during Saarang AID had kept a donation box, and had collected quite some sum (no receipts given, no idea where this money goes - if u ask, they will ask u to come to their meetings and find out- mind u people from outside the city and even state come for saarang ) Even those who had put only 10 rupees started going and demanding their money back.
But AID "continued its activities", until may be a year or more later the IITM chapter was dissolved for "lack of volunteer support " Couple of words about another vol in my hostel. He was supposedly the co-ord for some teaching section of AID, but by his own admission, has never gone to a tuition center run by AID . On Aug 15, I see a sticker on his door, of a tricolour flag. Green on top, Saffron in the bottom (Since its a wheel at the center, U actually need to know , can't guess...). So I knock on his door and ask him "Eh man, what is this ?". He replies "Eh, you don't know what it is ?". I said " I am not so sure ". He started kind of laughing at me "Eh, you don't know what this is......" . I said "It doesn't appear to be what I think it is " at this moment, he paused, took a better look, and with a vague smile asked me "Eh which colour comes on top daaa...?"