2016-05-09 Talk on ‘Analysis of the kurukshetra’ Interviewed by Vijaya Vishwanathan

Comments by Shri. Rajiv Malhotra given below:

In this video I also explain the five types in the kurukshetra. These may be identified in the following way.

  1. Opponents – Doniger, Pollock, etc.
  2. Home Team – folks like many of you
  3. Strategic allies – established third parties who are aligned with us; we help each other while remaining independent.
  4. Pests – many sub-varieties, those who for various reasons end up causing harm to our battle against 1.
  5. Spectators – can be good for us. They don’t interfere with us. They can support in casual ways like: clapping, cheering, retweeting, buying our books, watching videos, spreading positive gossip…..

The biggest problem I have today is not 1 but 4. When I started 25 years back, there was me versus 1. With years of battlefield experience, I became good at fighting 1. But meanwhile, all these other types emerged in large numbers. The 4 are a big nuisance and drain on my time.

The biggest problem I have today is not 1 but 4. When I started 25 years back, there was me versus 1. With years of battlefield experience, I became good at fighting 1. But meanwhile, all these other types emerged in large numbers. The 4 are a big nuisance and drain on my time.

Pls do watch this video closely and get others to do so. Then you can act in a useful way by helping keep the pests away from interference.

Pests:

Many type 4 claim to be 3. In that case they should leave us alone for the next few years, while they establish themselves independently with a track record of producing significant impact. Then they can approach us to be taken seriously as strategic allies. But meanwhile they should stop demanding my time/energy, sending me their ideas to follow them, stealing members/supporters to boost themselves, appropriation our ideas to give their own spin. We wish them well, but don’t bother us, please.
Many type 4 behave like type 1, even though they might be ideologically on our side. Their methods are counter productive. So we must treat them as type 1. Some of them have indeed turned into sepoys for 1, even while championing our values at least theoretically.
Once you have watched the video and reflected on its message, you will become ready for part 2 video – coming out soon. There I focus on our traditional scholars. What type are they? Many ought to be 3, but dont/cant shoulder responsibility, or lack what it takes. They dont want to join us as 2. They end up as pests that we must shrug off, or else treat them as 1.

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