Re: Outrageous Agenda of Calcutta Group

Moderators' Note: It should be clear to all that of all the different splinter groups in Ananda Marga today, only the Kolkata group publishes Baba's books. All the sound files of Baba's discourses are at their Tiljala ashram, and no other group has sound files. So only Kolkata group is doing any publishing work; other groups like Ranchi group merely copy the books and reprint them. Because of that, Kolkata group is responsible for what is being published.

For that reason, these letters are being addressed to Kolkata group. Additionally, the Kolkata group has via their representative issued a policy statement which was printed a few days ago on this googlegroups. The whole letter has been published on our blog for any who would like to review it. (1)
 
This forum has no alliance with any group, and actively disapproves of all groups and group sentiments.
 
In His service,
 
Ciranútana
Ánanda Márga Discourse network Editors
 
P.S. Please read below the letter sent in from Márgii brother Jiivesha.

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Date: 2 Jul 2013 15:16:08 -0000
From: "JSchultz" <jschultz@e-way...>
To: anandamargauiversal@earthlink.net
Subject: Re: Outrageous Agenda of Calcutta Group


BABA

Namaskar,

Outrageous Agenda of Calcutta Group

Discourse Portion Removal Harmful

This letter examines the question of whether Ananda Marga Publishers can remove actual discourse content from Baba's discourses if they so choose. It specifically considers whether Baba's "traitor example" is important to the discourse "The Lord's Feet", and concludes that removal of discourse content such as the "traitor example" is harmful. It leads to both loss of integrity of the discourse, and in many cases such as this, makes the meaning of the discourse unclear.

I have found the matter of Kolkata group Publ Dept's policy statement extremely interesting and important. Because like all Margis, I want to see our Guru Baba's discourses published "as is", and I find it very disturbing that Kolkata group is removing sections of Baba's discourses before publishing them.

Publishers Cannot Remove Discourse Content

Editing Rights Only Pertain To Syntax

I appreciate Ramnathan ji's letter posted yesterday. In it he has expressed,

"Baba's mention of the traitor group during His discourse "The Lord's Feet", is a matter of actual discourse content: This is the subject Baba chose to raise. In matters of content, the question of Kolkata group Publishers applying the principle you describe-- "balance between printed language and spoken language"-- to decide what content to include/exclude, must not arise. Because where subject matter is concerned, everything Baba said has to be included: there is no question of removing certain parts of the subject matter. So if Baba has raised the subject of the "traitor group" in His discourse, then Kolkata group Publishers have to include it."

Kolkata Group Wrongly Claims:

Baba's Traitor Group Example "Unimportant" to Discourse

Kiritji, representative of Kolkata Publishers, has written concerning Baba's discussion of the "traitor group":

"Furthermore, it is an example and
not the part of the point of what Baba is saying."

The blindness of the "traitor group", consisting of most of the Central dadas of 1971 plus a good number of non-Central dadas as well, is the essential point Baba is teaching in the discourse, "The Lord's Feet". Baba is giving the teaching about Gayasura blindly going against Visnu, the very Entity who gave him his power. Baba tells this story for the reason of teaching what the traitor group did is the same thing. For that reason Baba refers to the "traitor group" at the critical part of the Gayasur story.

Remember that this discourse was given during the climax of all the traitorous activity in Ananda Marga. The discourse was given in December 1971, just days before Baba was put in jail. It was in this very year of 1971 that front page articles were being printed in all the Indian newspapers. The events related with the traitor group's negative activities were uppermost in everyone's mind. It was a time of crisis in the Organization, when a huge percentage of persons defected behind the black leadership of the traitors. And of course, in the end it was all the Liila of Parama Purusa. For Baba it was all just His drama, for the purpose of teaching the society. So there is nothing to hide here, no reason to delete this from Baba's discourse. The traitor group's activities were a major event showing how "power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely". Baba is using this discourse "The Lord's Feet", to highlight it.

Kolkata Group Claims: "Not Harmful to Remove Part of Discourse"

The Kolkata Group's Representative has further expressed:

"Removing that portion does not harm the discourse"

Removing that portion most certainly harms the discourse: firstly, because Baba is Guru and the Publishers do not have the right to "remove portions"; and second, because that portion about the traitors is the main message Baba is giving in the discourse. As mentioned, the blindness of Central dadas in going against Baba was the main them in the organization in those days of December 1971. It was only days before Baba was put in jail for seven years due to their negative and traitorous behavior. This is the one discourse where Baba has spoken about this matter and given a teaching about it.

In sum, Ananda Marga Publishers cannot remove actual discourse content from Baba's discourses if they so choose. Baba's "traitor example" is the main message in the discourse "The Lord's Feet", as evident by the historical time it was given. Removal of discourse content is harmful; it leads to both loss of integrity of the discourse, and makes the meaning of the discourse unclear.

In Him,
Jiivesha Schultz

(1) To View Kolkata Group Publications Policy Statement, click here