From: "Rahul Mittal" To: Subject: Thanks Ritu Ko Date: Wednesday, September 19, 2001 7:12 PM --------------------------------------------------------------------- Please help make the Manifesto better, or accept it, and propagate it! --------------------------------------------------------------------- I had just subscribed to this mailing list at Indiapolicy.org and was about to unsubscribe from it because of what I perceived to be a series of narrow minded posts, and then you saved me =) I just wanted to shout out loud: "Way to go, Ritu Ko!!!" I was thinking about your question regarding a practical necessity for Kashmir. I believe other people have been referring to a political need for Kashmir in their various posts. This includes, among others, the need to divert attention away from other issues like poverty, illiteracy, corruption, etc. (in no order of importance). However I tend to agree that as a practical issue, there seems to be no advantage in forcing a population to be governed by one's regime even though that governance results in widespread terrorism, fear and unhappiness. However I do believe that the question of the practicality of Kashmir can be answered. I do not know that answer just yet, but in order to proceed further with this discussion, I need to understand your opinion on another more fundamental question: What is the purpose of a nation? Is a nation more than just a mutually acceptable geographic boundary? Or is there any practical reason for adopting such boundaries? I do not have all the answers to the above question myself, and I don't expect you to have them either. I am really more interested in any opinions you might have, so that I might use that to build a case for the practicality of owning Kashmir. Of course it is possible that your question about the practicality of Kashmir was merely rhetorical, in which case I request your true opinions on this matter. If you have any references that form the basis of your opinions, please provide them with your reply. Thanks for your time! Rahul Mittal rasteroid@hotmail.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is the National Debate on System Reform. debate@indiapolicy.org Rules, Procedures, Archives: http://www.indiapolicy.org/debate/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------