The withdrawal of invitation for
Narendra Modi to speak at Wharton Business School of Pennsylvania
(March 2013) has been looked at in different ways by different
commentators. Those who are opposing the invitation withdrawal,
point out that it is a violation of the norms of freedom of
speech. They say that Modi is an elected person in Indian system
and his views on development of Gujarat under his leadership need
to be heard by the people from business circles. Those opposing
his invitation argue that inviting him is like giving legitimacy
to his total record. His role in Gujarat violence, his failure to
prevent the carnage and give justice to the violence victims
cannot be delinked from his so called development. They point out
that as far as debating and engaging with Modi is concerned it
cannot be achieved by inviting him as a key note speaker; this
invitation already gives a high pedestal and recognition to him.
He should be interrogated, engaged and debated with on different
forums which give equal ground to those wanting to debate with
him.
They also point that Gujarat’s development is a lopsided one, it
is projected more than what the reality is. In Gujarat the levels
of malnutrition, child and maternal mortality is higher, Gujarat
is comparatively low on human growth index. The anti SC/ST
atrocity cases are one index of human rights record of the state.
In taking these cases of atrocities against SC/ST Gujarat is
lowest on the rung, with only 25% convictions. According to
analysts the growth of Gujarat is more of propaganda as many other
states have done much better during this period. The lowest in the
scale of development in Gujarat are minorities and SC/STs.
Modi was invited by the students of Wharton to speak on Gujarat’
development. After this a few Professors circulated a petition
asking for withdrawal of the invitation. Within just few hours the
petition got a massive response and was signed not only by the
professors, many others: alumni, the students, doctor’s lawyers
and other stake holders also supported the petition. The large
number of signatures and the logic which the petition put forward
clinched the issue and students, who are the ones to decide,
withdrew the invitation.
The United States has denied VISA to Narendra Modi since 2005,
despite his being an elected Chief Minister of the state. The
Commonwealth countries so far have been keeping him at arm’s
length, but after his third victory, these countries want to mend
the relationship with him, as his projection as the Prime
Ministerial candidate are floating around in a strong manner. US
had denied him VISA for his role in the carnage of 2002, and the
denial continues. Similarly due to popular pressure after
sustained campaigns; the activists groups succeeded in stopping
the huge dollar funding from US to the RSS affiliate ‘India
Development Relief Fund’ was collecting huge amounts and
supporting the political work of RSS combine in the garb of
cultural work. This RSS combine’s work is essentially to build up
Hatred against minorities, through its various organizations.
While one is aware about the role of America in the promotion of
politics of terror, in the formation of Al Qaeda in particular,
while it is also known that US is out to attack other countries to
promote its political-economic interests, at the same time there
are various norms which different wings of American state follow.
There are various civic norms which are stringent and are aimed to
sustain and promote democratic values. The Civil society has also
been campaigning to use this space, democratic-liberal one
provided by these provisions of US system and try to stop the
violation of human rights and retrograde activities in different
places. This is a contradictory situation. The state by and large
in its foreign affairs is like a Big Brother, violating all the
laws of international behavior and laws and intimidating the
smaller powers. There is no doubt about its role in international
affairs, as a super power; it is undermining the global democracy;
it has mauled the emerging global democracy amongst nations, which
was getting expressed through rising clout of United Nations, has
been sabotaged by US in particular. As a state it has promoted
dictators and has been thick as thief with different dictators and
autocrats.
At another level, the civic society has come up steeped in
civility with respect for the norms of modern democracies, to some
extent. So we see the dichotomous processes going on here. It is
due to this pressure of prevailing norms and civil society
campaigns that US is denying Visa to Modi. Is this denial of Visa
to Modi an insult to our country? No way. It just shows us the
mirror of the state of affairs in our country. Many a US bodies do
keep monitoring phenomenon like, Religious freedom in other
countries. Many of them keep making a list of terrorist
organizations. All this monitoring is showing the diversities of
our societies. In the same set up we are seeing two contradictory
phenomenons.
Coming back to Modi, Wharton student’s body has gone more by the
norms of civil society; has recognized that Modi may be claiming
and many others may be buying his story of development, but the
truth lies somewhere else. The petitioners opposing the Modi
invite correctly point out that Human rights issues and
development cannot be separated. As far as Modi being a
democratically elected person is concerned, the analysts can point
out that his victory has been based on his politics of
polarization, not on the inclusive politics. He has successfully
scared the majority community about the threat of minority
community. This goes on and on to make the foundations of his
victory and there by his followers claiming that he has been
elected, so all is well. Only thing they ignore at this point is
that even Hitler had come to power through democratic means.
As far as his development is concerned it is de facto the
development of industrial houses. One such industrialist, Adani,
was the sponsor of Wharton meet. He withdrew his sponsorship the
moment invitation to Modi was withdrawn. Modi’s mode of
‘development’ means giving all freebees to Tata, Adanai, Ambani
and company while the poor one’s are getting more marginalized.
This invitation being taken back just reflects that Modi’s
propaganda has been punctured and a reminder that the violation of
human rights violation of the weak cannot be exonerated at any
cost.
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