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| Monday, 06 September 2010 |
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Rebuttal to Surinder Malhotra's letter to NYTimes |
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Dear Editor:
We received a copy of the letter sent to you by the Indian National Overseas Congress President Surinder Malhotra dated Oct
10, 2007 in response to the Ad placed in New York Times by Forum for Preserving Gandhi Heritage
on Oct 6, 2007 (page 11). We were surprised
at the tone and the accusations Mr. Malhotra made in his letter which lacked any meaningful content.
In his obsession to protect his leader he seems to have lost rationale
in his accusations of the organizers without any proof and his questioning
of the integrity of an esteemed paper like New York Times. Forums
Advertisement passed through both Acceptability and Legal Departments of New
York Times based on the detailed proofs and documents provided by the Forum
for each point mentioned in the Ad.
Mr. Malhotra calls the organizers a fringe group of extreme
Hindu nationalists. Mr. Malhotra can hardly name the organizers
involved leave alone their background. His statements clearly shows the
contempt he and his party holds against Hindus.
Mr. Malhotra calls the advertisement a bunch of falsehoods and
without a political dialogue. The advertisement clearly identified
the reasons for organizers opposition to Ms. Sonia Gandhi's representation with
detailed references in the advertisement and extensive documentation
at the http://gandhihertiage.org
website. Instead of engaging in any debate on the issues the Forum raised, Mr. Malhotra attacks the organizers by name calling. Throughout his letter there is no mention of
rebuttal to Forum claims which shows the hollowness of his argument.
Mr. Malhotra claims to speak for all Indian Americans when he
is mainly speaking for a political organization based on the Congress
party of India. The fact that about 500 people came on a weekday to protest in front
of UN and people from all across the country have come to participate in the
fasting/prayers on Oct 1st and the protest on Oct 2nd shows that his claims
are false. It is also worth noting that members of Mahatma Gandhis extended family also participated in the protest.
Forum has provided extensive proof which includes news paper
articles, court documents, books most of which is readily available for last
3 years. While living in a truly democratic society such as USA, Mr. Malhotra
refuses to learn that people in power are subject to scrutiny and it is
first amendment right of every citizen of this country to express their views.
It is more so imperative to scrutinize when someone claim to represent
Mahatma Gandhi on behalf of one billion people in front of the world community.
Mr. Malhotra makes senseless accusations on organizations such
as Vishwa Hindu Parishad and RSS and their funding some communal agenda
in India without providing any proof. Many of the organizers
of the protest were successful entrepreneurs, doctors and engineers from elite
Institutions who have settled in USA for 20 to 45 years and some have not even heard
or were part of the organizations he claims they belong. Mr. Malhotra cannot even name the
organizers to make such statements. He is indulging in McCarthyism in branding
as dangerous and extremist, the highly respected Mahatma Gandhi Center in Wayne, New Jersey that is providing great service
for more than two decades to the Indian American community.
His argument that his party stands for communal peace is hollow
given that his party burnt alive 3000 Sikhs in India and Ms. Sonia Gandhi rewarded the prime instigator of such atrocity with a key position in the
central cabinet. His argument that RSS is fundamentalist
because a RSS member killed Mahatma Gandhi sounds like the arguments such as Jewish
holocaust is justified because a Jewish ruler crucified Jesus.
Mr. Malhotra claim that the Forum's real issue is because Sonia
Gandhi is a foreigner is baseless. Forum have repeatedly stated that
the reasons for the protest is because the policies and actions Ms. Sonia Gandhi
pursued is totally opposite to what Mahatma Gandhi stood for his entire
life. Forum advertisement spoke for itself. Also, the Ad never mentioned
that Ms. Sonia Gandhi claimed to be related to Mahatma Gandhi, but it provided
public clarification that there is no relationship between them.
Instead of engaging in name-calling and accusations, Mr.
Malhotra and his organization should render a public apology to all Indian American
community for selection of Ms. Sonia Gandhi to represent values of Mahatma
Gandhi on behalf of one billion Indians in front of World Community at
United Nations.
We are confident that New York Times will stand for truth and
expose the so called leaders who rob and divide their nations for power, wealth
and dynasty.
Thanking you,
Regards,
Forum for Gandhi Heritage.
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