Evolving common meeting grounds

[Melwyn Rodrigues Receives Sahitya Academy Award Bellevision - 20 Feb 2012

Namwar Singh, eminent Hindi critic was the chief guest. He requested the politicians not to politicise literary events, making a special reference to Jaipur Literary festival which was held recently. He warned the goverment not to take over the Sahitya Academy by appointing its own representatives to govern it. "If it does so, Sahitya Academy will lose all its importance," he said referring to the fate of other similar akademies.]

['आज के साहित्यकारों को राजनेताओं से ... - Hindi News bhaskar.com › New Delhi - 23 फ़र 2012 –  समालोचक डॉ नामवर सिंह ने कहा कि आज के साहित्यकारों को राजनेताओं से सबक लेने की जरूरत है। उनकी यह खासियत है कि वे भले ही विचारधाराओं और पार्टी को लेकर संसद में एक-दूसरे पर आरोप-प्रत्यारोप लगाएं, पर किसी जलसे में उन्हें एक साथ चाय की चुस्की लेते आसानी से देखा जा सकता है। मगर, हिंदी साहित्यकार विचारधाराओं के एकमत न होने पर उभरते रचनाकार को सिरे से नकारने में लग जाते हैं। वह बुधवार को गांधी शांति प्रतिष्ठान में आयोजित किताबों के लोकार्पण कार्यक्रम व विचार गोष्ठी के अवसर पर बोल रहे थे। उन्होंने कहा कि हाशिए पर खड़े साहित्यकारों के प्रति सौहार्द कायम रखने की जरूरत है, भले ही उस लेखक के साहित्य सृजन की भाषा, शैली और विचार में कितना भी मदभेद हो।]

[The Hindu : News National : Privacy right is no cover for unlawful act: counsel NEW DELHI, February 29, 2012

When there is a conflict between individual right on homosexuality and societal interest in morality, the latter will prevail, counsel Harshvir Pratap Sharma argued in the Supreme Court strongly opposing the Delhi High Court judgment de-criminalising homosexuality between two consenting adults.

Arguing that Mahatma Gandhi had considered homosexuality a vice and immoral, counsel said the word ‘unnatural' would mean immoral, irrational and against public policy, and any unnatural act would be an offence. India’s prejudice and pride: Govt in gay knot newsbullet.in Samanwaya Rautray Friday, 24 February 2012

Malhotra claimed that every society had different cultural standards. The law, he said, only reflected standards of public morality. “The UoI (Union of India) submits that law does not run separate from but along public perceptions,” he said.]

[Karmapa, Pope and the emerging morality of money Hindustan Times Gautam Chikermane, New Delhi, March 04, 2012

But even now, religious leaders are missing the point. They are attempting to fix the symptom, not comprehend the cause. To understand the cause, we will need to recognise money for what it is - and step outside morality and religion altogether. The outer manifestations of money (coins, notes, digits and or even the toil of man) may help but will be incomplete. We need to see money for what it is. Here, Sri Aurobindo provides a grand solution, defining it as a force, not unlike winds, rivers, fires that have the power to help us breathe, quench our thirst, warm our homes.]

The triple principles of French Revolution are political in nature as also the reigning values of the Life Divine that we aspire for. At the practical level, politics constitutes erecting suitable infrastructure for implementation and maintenance of public policies as amended from time to time through moulding of opinion and consensus building. Evolving common meeting grounds and minimum agreed action points are much desirable roles, and therefore, shrinking away from politics should end. [TNM55]