tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7813749.post1250587166258099805..comments2024-03-24T12:52:31.153+05:30Comments on Shadow Warrior: Fwd: Will IIT-Madras end up as a JNU clone? - Nachiketas - Vijayvaani.comUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7813749.post-59260621455751101372014-02-21T00:34:18.437+05:302014-02-21T00:34:18.437+05:30As a student of IIT Madras, I would like to clarif...As a student of IIT Madras, I would like to clarify certain points. <br />First of all, with regards to Teesta Setalvad's talk, one needn't base their opinions based on talks in The Hindu or elsewhere. The entire talk has been uploaded at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kd955wWTHO0 and people can make their own conclusions based on that. (For instance, you will see that she nexer attributed Karkare's death to the RSS but only pointed out a 'malicious propaganda' against him.) Coming to the invitation extended to her itself, it is my personal opinion that in order to remain vibrant, the lectures must include people whose opinions cover the entirity of the spectrum. A rational thinking person must be prepared to put his convictions to the test by exposing himself to and debating other ideologies that are in contrast with his own. In this context I think inviting Teesta is a step in the right direction. Moreover I don't see any liberal agenda manifesting itself in the lecture series. Other recent invitees from fields other than science and technology include S Gurumurthy, Manohar Parikkar(though his talk has been postponed for now as you have rightly gleaned), Vineet Narain and also 'vedic scientist' A.B. Sudhakara Sastry.<br /><br />On a different note, since you have mentioned the activities of the IIT Madras Students' Christian Fellowship, which incidentally has no institutional support from the either the administration or the student council, I will take the liberty of bringing to light similar activities of other organizations. Voice, the preaching wing of the Hare Krishna movement and the Art of Living have been doing this for many years now. May I remind you that under the religious freedom guaranteed under the constitution, no one can stop any of these organizations in sharing their 'divisive' religious views in a private capacity with legal adults in the institute.<br /><br />As regards to the Humanities course, I implore you to enquire as to the whole nature of the incident. The remarks in question were made in the course of a discussion where the professor's stance was that of a neutral arbitrator and was in no means meant as an indoctrination of any sort. If respect for the country's cultural heritage implies a blind acceptance of traditional arguments and notions, isn't that a sleight to the spirit of questioning and debate that exists in the same culture from time immemorial through the Upanishads etc? For instance, the Bhaja Govindam verse itself has various different ancient interpretations subscribed to by the Advaitins, the Dwaitins and so on.WPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13354624312854882769noreply@blogger.com