tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-538874342968130652.post7671326431889075529..comments2024-03-27T10:36:39.504+05:30Comments on tantu-jaal: Communists and freedomSunil Mukhihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05155823169161030174noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-538874342968130652.post-87786827537465461282008-04-12T13:43:00.000+05:302008-04-12T13:43:00.000+05:30An interesting question on which one would like to...An interesting question on which one would like to hear from Mr. Karat is <I>which</I> nation his party would like to see as "sovereign" (and undisturbed by such embarassing matters as protests about human rights).<BR/><BR/>It seems that the CPM-led government in West Bengal has banned the public rally against China scheduled to begin in Kolkata yesterday. The state's Home Minister said that he could not tell reporters why permission had been withdrawn. He did add, though, that permission couldn't be given to all rallies "considering the . . . threat they pose". Eleven other rallies, on different subjects, were permitted and in fact took place in Kolkata that day. That this one should have been singled out for prohibition makes one wonder just who was feeling threatened.<BR/><BR/>Another state minister has been quoted as saying, "both Centre and the state are confused about Tibetans" and claimed the ban was because of Darjeeling. A shortage of tea, perhaps?<BR/><BR/>But at least one person in Kolkata firmly agreed with the decision: he's quoted as saying "what the Kolkata police have done is absolutely right" - and that was Mao Si-Wei, consul general of China.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13256268880832397268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-538874342968130652.post-33235855405288125822008-04-07T20:02:00.000+05:302008-04-07T20:02:00.000+05:30There is a difference between fascists and communi...There is a difference between fascists and communists (where they rule). The Nazis/ Fascists go out and kill those whom they profess to consider their enemies. The Communists kill those whom they profess to defend.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-538874342968130652.post-39916358101480164722008-04-06T11:08:00.000+05:302008-04-06T11:08:00.000+05:30On the distinction between communism and fascism: ...On the distinction between communism and fascism: as George Orwell showed us so brilliantly in <I>Animal Farm</I>, perhaps there isn't a difference. Tyranny is tyranny, whether it calls itself "left" or "right".Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13256268880832397268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-538874342968130652.post-82253011260736961172008-04-04T19:04:00.000+05:302008-04-04T19:04:00.000+05:30It is difficult to get a man to understand somethi...It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary <BR/>depends on his not understanding it.<BR/> - Upton SinclairAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-538874342968130652.post-72015290536321710472008-04-04T17:29:00.000+05:302008-04-04T17:29:00.000+05:30As an aside to your main topic, I think one needs ...As an aside to your main topic, I think one needs to distinguish between <I>communists</I> (i.e. people who believe in, follow, and propagate, the philosophies of communism) and <I>Communists</I> (members of political parties which owe their origins to a belief in the philosophies of communism). Such a distinction is necessary because it does appear that there are many communists who are not formally members of any of the so-called "Communist" (with a capital C) political parties, and more interestingly, many Communists (i.e. politicians) who seem to observe and propagate an entirely different philosophy to that of communism. <BR/><BR/>With such a distinction, it becomes perfectly possible follow a middle ground between being a communist (or at least being sympathetic to them)and despising a Communist (a somewhat different kind of being).<BR/><BR/>Although it is dangerous to try and assess the personal philosophies and beliefs of a person one has never met and does not know, it would seem that perhaps Mr. Prakash Karat is truly a Communist-wth-a-capital-C rather than a communist. Which would also explain why he is defending the sovereignity of a neighbouring country rather than siding with the people who are objecting to that country's way of ruling them; i.e. he's just being a politician, not an idealist, or even an idealogue.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13256268880832397268noreply@blogger.com