An Open letter to Bal Thackeray
Dear Balasaheb,
Namaskar! You will wonder who I am. Let me tell you. When I am introduced people automatically say “This is George Fernandes…… sorry I mean, George Menezes”. It is an indication of how nameless, I am. I am an ordinary Indian citizen, Goan by ancestry and Maharashtrian by domicile.
Many, many years ago you wrote saying you liked a ‘middle’ I had written for the Times of India. I filed your letter and foolishly lost the file. I did not at that time, have the vision to realise who you would grow to become.
In 1989 you quoted me in an editorial in Saamna. It was in the context of a speech I made at the National Convention of Catholics in which I called for a Church that would be truly Christian, truly communitarian, truly Indian, truly unafraid and empowering.
Today I write to share with you my anguish at the burning of a cosmopolitan city that has been my home.
My mind goes back to the fact that deep within you, you are above all a cartoonist, a member of the fraternity of creative people. You are, therefore, I am sure, like me, a highly sensitive person. God gave you the gift to be able to make people laugh. Today in Bombay there is no laughter, only tears. Can you help to wipe away those tears, to rebuild broken homes and shattered lives? To bring laughter and hope to simple people of all creeds who ask for nothing but peace?
May peace also be with you, Thackeray saheb. I say this to you in love. In your religion, as in mine, love, is the only factor that binds us together, as people and as a nation. So too with Muslims, Buddhists, Parsis and Sikhs. No religion teaches hate. For hatred destroys everything.
Please do not misunderstand me. I have hundreds of friends who are Hindus. Beautiful people. I can understand their search for an identity, their need to discover a truly Hindu ethos. I know that Hindutva in its purity, in its true form, in the hands of enlightened Hindus, can have a benevolent face that respects secularism and has respect for people of all religions. I am afraid that violence has masked that benevolent face during the January nights of the long knives. Nobody, just nobody, can afford to have it happen again.
In an argument I once had with my wife she said to me: “I have already made up my mind. Don’t confuse me with the facts.”
In troubled, sensitive times like these, only facts, hard facts and data, can prevent this nation from being torn asunder. Perceptions, stereotyping, assumptions, prejudices need to be tested against the benchmark of truth.
Read the Dr. Gopal Singh report on minorities. The data shows Muslims are far from pampered. But we keep repeating a lie till it appears to be the truth.
Can we invent our own definitions of patriotism? I was once a Squadron Leader in the Indian Air Force. When other Indians opted for the comfort zones of jobs in industry I opted to defend the frontiers of my motherland to preserve for your children and mine the freedom we won in 1947.
Patriotism has no colour, no caste, no creed. It is the willingness to die to preserve the sanctity of our Constitution. Selling secret information to the enemy, smuggling, blackmarketing, hoarding, selling patronage, wanton killing, rape and destruction of private and public property - these are unpatriotic acts… not the innocent bursting of crackers at a Pakistani Test victory… or emotional threats to boycott the Republic Day celebrations.
The Republic is preserved not by annual Republic Day ceremonies but the commitment in thought and deed to uphold its Constitution. Are you and I doing this?
Let us pause and reflect on the goals you are trying to achieve. Let us imagine a scenario when all Muslims are ousted from Bombay. Does a non-Muslim Bombay become a beautiful Bombay?
You, who have so many followers, you, whose .writ apparently runs large in our city, imagine the transformation you can make possible through love. If you can cleanse the city of criminals, slumlords, extortionists, corrupt politicians and administrators, ruthless and greedy builders, irrespective of caste or creed, you will be remembered “not as a persecutor, but as a truly “great reformer”.
What a wonderful phrase for an epitaph.
.
June 30th, 2008 at 11:25 am
George, What a moving letter. Did you mail it to Bala Saheb ? If you receive a reply Please share it with us.
July 1st, 2008 at 12:47 am
Happy to find that you are a regular visitor to my WEbsite
The article appered in the centre page of the Times of Inida in the thick of the riots.
The only reply worth getting is a behavioural change either Bala Saheb’s or mine !
George
July 2nd, 2008 at 10:04 pm
I used to enjoy reading your middles in TOI, it is nice to see your website only. Will read often.
BTW re Shiv Sena, as a former Sainik, I can tell you that politicians are same everywhere. They are “dividers not uniters” :) Better to live our ordinary lives than to have anything to do with politicians - even at local level.
I had written on Sena’s policy of ‘hatred’ a few years, was thinking of deleting the blog, then decided to leave it ‘as it is’ condition. This is the link -
http://shivsena.blogspot.com/2006/01/shiv-sena-can-tiger-change-its-stripes.html
July 4th, 2008 at 12:39 am
George, a very fine piece. Enjoying the website. Louis
July 4th, 2008 at 1:02 am
Dear Louis
Nothing gives me more joy than finding close family members visiting my site.
Usually taken for granted.
Thanks. I have lot more stuff to post
Do read the comments of Rishi Moolgaonkar a Siv Sena member. Excellent
George
July 4th, 2008 at 2:33 am
Dear Rishi
Glad you retained your blog. It has restored my faith in Indians beyond Party membership.
Hate has never achieved anything. The comments on your blog also tells us something. None of the comments are vitriolic or hate filled. It is a hopeful sign. Education has to be a primary goal for the Shiv Sena. That and housing .
Most of our elected leaders have no Vision. The Bible says “without a vision the people will perish”
I am sure the Gita, the Vedas and Upanishads have similar messages
Would like your friends to visit my site.
They will discover that I was in 1986 a member of the National Executive of the BJP and subjected to attacks by fudamentalists (fortunately few) from my own community
I was at that time, strangely enough, a memberof the Pope’s International Advisory Council for the Laity (A five year term). When my detractotors wrote to the Pope to remove me from the Council, the Vatican wrote supporting my decision saying “If you have differences with people it is better to build bridges than to builfd walls”
Do keep in touch
George
July 5th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
Dear George,
Your Open letter to Shree Bal Thackeray was
indeed very thoughtful and soulful propitiatory. I am sure, one day if not now, in the near future Bombay will be be Beautiful and Peaceful City in India. To achieve this many sacrifices and patriotic efforts are to be delivered.
It is sad and shame to state that I feel and have more freedom in the USA than in my own country, city or town of India. I hope the old politicians and the new generations that will follow them will realise, how important it is to have their own citizens live a life of freedom in thoughts, words and deeds.
Regards,
Dominic D’Souza
Aurora, Colorado, USA
July 6th, 2008 at 3:10 am
Yes India will get better
We may not be around when it does but the effects of what little good we do will be felt by our great, great grand children
Let us deal with today and today is beautiful
George
October 19th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
Dear George,
Nice to see someone using this web for good cause…we all love to see a united india. Every state in india belongs to every indian..is that we need to apply for visa and come as a immigrant to evrey state which is in india..this is not good. We talk about modernization, industry etc but end of it some dirty politics which is nothing but votebank politics make it things too bad. As you had said results will be there for us not to see but surely our soul will realise the change.
Jai Hind….Chak De India
October 22nd, 2008 at 7:10 am
Dear Prasanna
Thank you. Each one of and together all of us must speak out for an end to our collective madness
Your may like my next posting
Chak de India indeed !
July 24th, 2009 at 4:44 am
Why worry?
Just one or 1- 1/2 year things will change if anyone believe there is a creator to distory as well.
July 25th, 2009 at 1:03 pm
Letus wait and watch
January 26th, 2010 at 1:21 am
good yaar
January 26th, 2010 at 8:03 am
Thank you and God bless you
February 10th, 2010 at 12:38 pm
Mr. Menezes,
A very moving letter. I cannot imagine anyone reading it not wanting to rethink their commotive strategies.
***
Given recent events, I have my own words for him:
Mr. Thackeray, it is because of divisive elements like you that our country has been divided and conquered by so many invaders. Please work towards uniting this country, not breaking it apart in your selfishness.
***
It is difficult for me to understand why someone like Bal Thackeray cannot (or perhaps chooses not to) see the many benefits that the variety in India provides us - music, poetry, religion - there simply is no country as rich as ours.
I don’t know if the foreign invaders led to this variety in us today or whether we just happen to very receptive. But living in caves will only create dark thoughts, we have to come into the open and see the colors.
Best regards,
Rajesh.
February 11th, 2010 at 3:32 am
Dear Rajesh
Thank you for your emcouraging words
My letter was written long ago
As a thoroughly committed Indian who served in The Indian Air Force I feel sad and wonder like you when our leaders will understand that they are in a self destructive mode
But at the age of 80 I still live in hope. The signs of change are visible in the eyes and faces of ordinary citizens whose initiatives are pushing for peace and love. AMAM KI ASHA
George