Wednesday, September 07, 2005
Nothing is beautiful without J & K
Yesterday I was attending one talk by Mr. Adam W. Ziegfeld, Graduate Student, Department of Political Science, Massachusetts institute of Technology. The talk was on "The 'Third Wave' of Regional Parties in Tamil Nadu: PMK, MDMK, and the New Justice Party in Two Tamil Constituencies". He has covered Socio-economic conditions of two assembly constituencies "Sholingur" and "Sivakasi" in Tamil Nadu. His study on the emergence of these caste-based political parties was not new one but it opend some insights in to the modern(caste) political scenario in India in general and Tamil Nadu in particular. I was deeply dissappointed with two aspects in his talk. He misrepresented Indian political map without the complete state of "Jammu and Kashmir". I was pointed out the discrepancy and mentioned that its totally unacceptable. To my shock, one of the Prof from the Depatment of Humanities and SocialSciences who introduced the speeker to the audience was justifying the speeker's version that that part (Pakistan occupied Kashmir) of kahsmir never undergone india election process. My question is that can we call it is an Unindian If any place in India which does not subjected the democratic election process? My point here is that the speeker should not misrepresent the facts and figures and its illegal to depict the Indian political map without J&K. Further I tried to correct him that he should not mislead people abraod or elsewhere by his presentation.
Another mistake he has committed is the use of word "parayars" the use of this word is banned many years back in Tamil Nadu and elsewhere and the use of such word would draw legal actions. I advised him to use "Adi Dravidars" in place of Parayars. I understood that few prof's from the Depatment of Humanities and Social Sciences may aware of his talk and should have corrected the same, to my dismay I afraid no such things happend.
After the talk was over I sent him the correct version of Indian Map (http://www.eci.gov.in/ElectionMaps/PC/India_fs.htm) and detailed explanation to the terms of Adi Dravidars. The copy of which also been sent the Prof' who introduced him to the audience.
At the outset I would like point out that its very difficult to accept that a Political Science Ph.D student who specializing Regional Political Parties in South Asia is unaware of political map on India. I strongly believe that is very well calculated and manipulated to misrepresent our country, we should awake to scuttle their efforts.
Another mistake he has committed is the use of word "parayars" the use of this word is banned many years back in Tamil Nadu and elsewhere and the use of such word would draw legal actions. I advised him to use "Adi Dravidars" in place of Parayars. I understood that few prof's from the Depatment of Humanities and Social Sciences may aware of his talk and should have corrected the same, to my dismay I afraid no such things happend.
After the talk was over I sent him the correct version of Indian Map (http://www.eci.gov.in/ElectionMaps/PC/India_fs.htm) and detailed explanation to the terms of Adi Dravidars. The copy of which also been sent the Prof' who introduced him to the audience.
At the outset I would like point out that its very difficult to accept that a Political Science Ph.D student who specializing Regional Political Parties in South Asia is unaware of political map on India. I strongly believe that is very well calculated and manipulated to misrepresent our country, we should awake to scuttle their efforts.
