Thank you for the copies of Parsiana, which I now receive regularly in jail. I particularly enjoy the articles on our history and ideology as also the Readers’ Forum column.
Kobad Ghandy: trial by media
I found Shereen Ratnagar and Dinyar Patel’s articles ("Parsis and prejudice” and "The radicalization of Naoroji,” Parsiana, August 7, 2014) enlightening. Both brought out new facts, with excellent analysis and in-depth studies. I do hope to see more such articles which help eradicate many prejudices and play up the role of true heroes/nationalists from our community.
I thank you also for the coverage given by you on my case as in "Appealing for Kobad” (Parsiana, August 7, 2014) "Kobad Ghandy case” (Events and Personalities, Parsiana, November 21, 2014). But there is one point of clarification. Zee News and some of the other media have sought to conduct a media trial by falsely portraying me as a "Maoist leader.” Being a member of the Maoist Party is in fact the only charge remaining against me under the draconian UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act); all other sections were struck down by the judge while framing charges under the UAPA once the charge sheet was presented anew. In fact, the media nowadays presents a more factual picture by saying either "Maoist supporter/sympathizer” or "alleged Maoist leader.”
We are living in an age when the corporate media are adopting Goebbelsian methods of idea promotion (and obfuscation). I hope that the rest of the media treads the path of truth.
KOBAD GHANDY
Tihar Jail 2, New Delhi
Shereen Ratnagar has written about Parsi antipathy towards Muslims ("Parsis and prejudice,” Parsiana, August 7, 2014). Examples of occasional acts of Sasanian Zoroastrian intolerance do not justify the periodic, barbaric and systematic massacre and persecution of Zoroastrians in Persia by Muslims, starting with the orgy of bloodletting begun by the Arab invaders. A few less sanguinary Islamic rulers cannot wipe out the gory deeds of their co-religionists who ensured that the Zoroastrians were reduced to a tiny minority in Iran through brutality and force, their great fire temples vandalized and destroyed. Do we not remember Maneckji Limji Hataria’s need to go to Iran and save the hapless Zoroastrians there from annihilation on account of the Jizya tax and other injustices? Fanaticism and the zeal to blot out other religions through cruelty lay at the heart of the primitive creed the ancient Arabs brought with them from the desert.
Was this the case only with our ancestors?
Through the ages Islamic zealots and their hordes have inflicted atrocities on Christians in Europe and the Middle East, and on Hindus in India. The genocide of Armenians by Turkey a century ago was one of the world’s worst. Can anyone deny the repeated horrific massacre of Hindus and destruction of their temples by the Central Asian Muslim invaders? What about the cruelties perpetrated by the Muslim kings on the Sikhs, which forced Guru Gobind to make the Khalsa a militant force to counter such oppression? Similarly, Christians had to unite in medieval times under the military leader Charles Martel to drive the Arabs out of Europe and later there were the Crusades mounted by the Christians.
As recently as 1947, the Muslim League was spewing hatred against Hindus and Sikhs, attacking minorities in Punjab and Bengal leading to a massive bloodbath and the partition of India. Has this militant Islamic behavior stopped? In fact it has continued and led to the growingly muscular counter reaction of the Hindu right wing. What about the massacre of innocents in Bombay by the religious jehadis like Ajmal Kasab and company?
What about the Taliban and ISIS (Islamic State in Iraq and Syria)? The latter is a faithful repetition of the original Arab marauders in the same region and it derives inspiration from the same noxious beliefs. In ancient times, it was the Zoroastrians who were the major religious group in Persia and Kurdistan who were subjected to butchery, rape and pillage. Today, it is the pitiable Christians and tribal Yazidis who have been killed, driven out from their homes and their women raped, kidnapped and enslaved by ISIS fighters who derive religious sanction from their scriptures.
No Muslim majority country, including Iran and Pakistan, allows non-Muslims to occupy the highest positions such as president or prime minister. That discrimination is inherent in their foundation and laws, unlike our Hindu majority in India that is truly secular and appoints minorities to the highest posts. Many in this world are disgusted with the dark deeds of modern extremists like these. Parsis, like many other Indians, naturally detest and castigate such people. They also remember how their ancestors suffered unspeakable barbarities and had to flee to India. While Parsis are wise enough to realize there are also peaceful and broad-minded Muslims, no amount of whitewashing can make them or any community forget the indignities and massacres their forefathers were subject to because of religion.
There is too much going on today to remind us that religious extremism is still alive and growing. To deny it would be wishful thinking. PERVEZ CAMA
Poona
The editors reply:
Why single out only the Muslims? Around 100 million people died in the two World Wars. World War I (37 million) and World War II (60 to 85 million). These Wars were started by nations inhabited by and ruled by Christians. Some million Jews were systematically and institutionally killed by Nazi Germany.
Save the tigers/Parsis
There are 60,000 Parsis and 3,200 tigers left in India. To save the latter, two teams from the University of Iowa, USA, each led by a faculty member, will be going to India. One team will focus on the tiger reserve at Ranthambore while the second will work on creating a strategy to plan and process the project. At the end of their journeys they will publish two reports. As our personal contribution, we have ordered three shirts and will proudly wear them.
What action do the Parsis propose to take? Is any team from the USA or FEZANA (Federation of the Zoroastrian Associations of North America) going to India to save the Parsis? Is there any way in which we can assist?
PORUS DADABHOY
Chicago, USA
porusdad@gmail.com