At the same time that one report mentions Sonal as a possible cabinet choice, Sonal seems to be under pressure as a member of the transition team as a couple of mainstream media outlets started to write about her.
I last posted about Sonal when she issued her statement, almost a month ago. In case, you’ve forgotten, here are the key things she said:
-
“my personal politics have nothing in common with the views espoused by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), or any such organization”
-
“I’ve always condemned any politics of division, of ethnic or religious hatred, of violence and intimidation as a political tool”
-
“factually inaccurate internet rumors have attempted to link me to Hindu Nationalist groups through a variety of tenuous connections: Relief work I’m proud to have helped coordinate following the Gujarati earthquake of 2001 … “
-
“I do not subscribe to the views of such Hindu nationalist groups, and never have”
Since then, however, there have been four new developments (listed chronologically) in the continuing saga of Sonal Shah:
<
p>1 The general secretary of VHP-America said Sonal was a member of the governing council of the VHPA for three years. Her critics followed up with a link to the “VHP Governing Council & Chapter Presidents/Coordinators List” in 1998, hosted on Hindunet.org, which showed Sonal as a member of that group, and listed her US Treasury department email as a contact.
Sonal’s earlier statement stated that she was not a member of any Sangh organization in India and had implied that she had never been a member of the VHP-A, but had simply coordinated relief efforts after the earthquake. There was no response by her supporters, some of whom had argued outright that she was not a member of the VHPA, to this news.
2 The transition team announced that Sonal’s work is on the Technology, Innovation and Government Reform panel.
When I found out that Sonal would be working on tech issues, not foreign policy or personnel issues, I thought this would quiet criticism since it made her past affiliations less relevant. However, as with point #1, there was little acknowledgement of this from the other side.
<
p>
3
Former senator Rick Santorum wrote an editorial calling Shah “the elephant in the room” where he said:
Shah should condemn the VHP and its actions soon. If she doesn’t, keeping her on – or, more ominously, giving her a post in the new administration – would send the message that the president-elect does not think the VHP is a radical organization. And this is a president-elect who is trying to “change” the image of the United States in the Islamic world with a foreign policy more sensitive to Muslim concerns. [link]
Santorum is generally known for his extreme and intolerant views, so if matters had stopped there, I think she could have ignored the piece without much political cost. The problem is that Santorum’s remarks took the issue out of the desi context where it could be contained, and brought them to a wider audience.
4
A blogger at the National Journal picked up the story with a post titled “Shah Pick Stirs Widespread Controversy.”
The National Journal is a center-left publication, owned by the Atlantic, whose core audience is DC insiders. Given that context, a story which framed Shah as attracting criticism from the left and the right, and which stated that “the controversy could put to rest any speculation that Shah might be shortlisted for a top Cabinet job” must have been most unwelcome.
Note that neither Santorum nor the National Journal have picked up on the fact that she was a member of the VHPA governing council.This leaves Shah room to take the initiative, it also means that things could get more awkward for her.
Recently, Sonal sent out an email which said she was under pressure as a result of this publicity. This email has now been removed from the blog post where I read it earlier, and it seems that Sonal’s friends and allies are rallying to her side, encouraging her to stay on.
She should leave or be fired. I don’t see how her associations with the VHP-A and her voluntary ties with the VHP/RSS for relief work when many other options were available, even leave this open for debate.
The recent attacks have made it very likely that Modi will be India’s next Prime Minister. I wonder how the US and European countries, which have denied him a visa earlier for his pogroms, will address this development, which will be devastating both symbolically and practically for India’s muslims.
I dont think any south asian should be a part of the US govt until we sort our politics out.
This informational page on her Sangh-links was also posted in the comments section of Spottie’s blog.
Two options: 1) she supports the Sangh, however obliquely, ie she has been willing to overlook their violent excesses in her positions in the past (as a VHPA fundraising coordinator), or 2) she has not carried out certain responsibilities (eg background checks on VHP or Ekal Vidyalaya) connected to her work as a leader in VHPA and Indicorps.
Or: Is there a third option?
Wow, what a wide eyed innocent she must be. Apparently she doesn’t read the papers either, otherwise she’d have some idea of the mischief the VHP was up to.
Wait, what? The social and religious conservative Rick Santorum wants someone to disassociate themselves from the social and religious conservative VHP? What brought about this change of Santorum’s heart? Has Santorum been spending too much time with his dog? Is it a male dog? Why is the media not asking such hard-hitting questions?
Not conservative, radical. The six degrees of separation game is fun when it’s Kevin Bacon at one end, not when it is pogroms and terror campaigns.
pingpong — remember that Santorum is a Christianist, and that the VHP was involved in anti-Christian pogroms. As his piece says:
Not surprised to see SM help drum up this. VHP is not a terrorist organization and to conflate it to the multitudes of Jihadi outfits spun across the globe is at best disingenuous. Santorum obviously got the memo from his local Bible Thumpers on “Gods Work” in India. We all have our pet agenda’s don’t we. What about the multitude of Jewish organziations that could just as easily tied “Zionist Extremism” in Israel. To tie Sonal to the localized carnage of Gujarat which has been itself has been lent to revisonism is just sad since she obviously wanted to assist with the relief efforts.
Its also very telling that BJP/VHP has gone from just being Hindu “Nationalist” to Hindu “Extremist” and people are acting as though if these people were to come to power they’d organzied Pogroms and hindu versions of LeT.
Firing Sonal Shah is the right thing to do in spite of Santorum saying it. Further, his piece itself is solid on all its facts, and is very well argued, so it cannot be dismissed on its merits.
Yes, but apart from the details like which specific religion each aligns with, Santorum and VHP have much in common with each other than, say, someone like Richard Dawkins.
This seems to be a well-calculated political move by Santorum — if Obama retains Shah, Santorum will excoriate the insensitivity shown to Muslims and Christians by Obama. If Obama fires Shah, Santorum will attack Obama’s k-degrees-of-separation political correctness and also question why Shah was hired in the first place if Obama is so uncomfortable with her background.
Either way, there seems to be little that Shah herself can do. Even if she herself is not to blame, others will blame her anyway to get at Obama. The move is not up to Shah any more.
The genocidal agenda of VHP is no longer provincial – it has gone global. Caste Hindus in their bid to emulate their Zionist patrons in terms of clout and influence over American political life have successfully planted their trojan in the most powerful circles. Sonal Shah with her light eyes and straight nose is an exemplar of the Aryan ideal that the VHP seeks to arrantly impose upon India and the free world.
11 · pingpong said
Dinesh D’Souza effectively suggested that the Christian right should find common cause with Jihadis, O’Reilly essentially invited that the Taliban bomb San Francisco as that was the bastion of the liberal irreligious. This doesn’t mean they don’t enthusiastically support bomb, bomb, bomb, bombing Iran or Iraq.
At the very least, even if you choose to put a charitable spin on things, Shah is guilty of horrendously bad judgment for choosing to turn a blind eye to the VHP’s excesses and being such an integral part of their leadership, and aligning with them for relief efforts when she had non-religious options. I think there is something far more severe, and there should be no place for people who have made choices like she did on Obama’s team.
ROFLMAO.
I expect only the best from the Pakjabi Intelligentsia.
Wow.
Mroo, word to the wise, old chap. Kayastha_lady is a well-developed troll who makes way-over-the-top statements to satirize the left-wing.
Zionist patrons -> Aryan ideals. Nice logic.
First, I hope Sonal Shah is nominated to the Energy Post–from her experience, I think she’d do an excellent job!
If we are going to use the head of the VHP-A as a source, it should also be noted that he said the VHP-A is not affiliated with VHP in India. I think that is the cause of many folks consternation.
(link)
Also, I think it’s important to note that Santorum’s piece, even though it was in a mainstream publication, is an opinion piece and not journalistic reporting. In fact, I think it’s horribly written, gives a confusing timeline of events, and makes certain direct linkages where there are none (the VHP=BJP=RSS), that many people often do. He cites the 2002 Gujarat violence and the recent Orissa violence, even though Sonal Shah’s work with earthquake relief was in 2001. Santorum and others have asked Ms. Shah to distance herself from the VHP, and in her statement, I think she not only does this pretty strongly, but she also separates herself from the VHP political ideology. I don’t know what else she can do to please her critics. I thought her statement was pretty strong, especially the following: “I’ve always condemned any politics of division, of ethnic or religious hatred, of violence and intimidation as a political tool.” What else should she be saying?
As an aside, I’m curious if anyone has an idea of how large the indian-american left is in numbers?
17 · Sajit said
Yes, and Colin Powell strongly opposes the introduction of false evidence in international forums as a casus belli for war. No problem, right?
It is truly disgusting if “left”/”liberal” is now used as a brush to tar those against the legitimizing of the VHP in American political leadership.
gbs: I’m not sure what in my comment was tarring the left (i didn’t use “liberal” once in my comment) or attempting to legitimize the VHP in America?
I was referring to this:
in the context of Sonal Shah’s email blaming the left for the witchhunt, and the general associated rhetoric around it.
Picking Sonal Shah for a position of responsibility would say loud and clear that it is ok to be part of the leadership of VHP and still be part of mainstream American politics. I consider this an undesirable direction.
gbs, I think it is safe to say that it wasn’t mainstream desis pushing this issue, of tying Sonal Shah’s work to the Sangh.
Also, I think the claim that she was part of the leadership of VHP in India is a leap too far.
21 · Sajit said
I guess I am not mainstream then, whatever that means. I don’t consider myself a part of the “left”, and the strategy of labeling those who oppose her appointment as extremist is just unnecessary misdirection and deflection, when the real issue is the conscious choices Sonal Shah made at multiple points when she had other options.
21 · Sajit said
She is part of the leadership of VHP America, which purports to further the goals of VHP India. If we want to do some fancy footwork to claim that they are two completely independent organizations with the unfortunate accident of sharing a name, pardon me if I don’t join the dance.
Sorry, I don’t want this to get into a back and forth, so I’ll stop with this one here, but I never called anyone an extremist. I think everyone is entitled to his or her own views.
On her alleged leadership role, as I said in my first comment, if we are to believe the source in the NDTV article who says Sonal was, right out of college, put on the governing board of the VHP-America, should we also believe him when he says that the
“VHP America is an independent body of this country. It is not part of VHP-Bharat. Sonal Shah, from what I know was not a part of VHP-Bharat?”
I don’t know the answer, i guess.
Sajit,
That’s an important point. There is no evidence that she has ever been a member of VHP-India, nor have I heard anybody level that accusation.
What does this mean? That she had no choice in the matter? She chose to be on the governing board of VHP-America.
Yes, as a legal matter, it is an independent organization and he is correct. But when it claims to share the goals of VHP-India, and shares a name, it should definitely give one pause. Further, in his interview, he also rants:
where he seems to indicate that Sonal’s disavowal of the VHP is opportunistic. Should I also believe that?
Yes, I am basing my opinions on her choice to be on the governing board of VHP-America, and her choice to direct her aid efforts and relief work in India through VHP-A, when several non-religious outlets were available. Surely, as someone growing up in a family with strong VHP/RSS ties (which by itself is no problem at all), she should have known the goals and ideals of these organizations. She still chose to be an integral part of them and was trusted enough to reach their leadership circles. Are people here willing to make the claim that the leadership circle of VHP-A is completely divorced from VHP-India and has no ties with them at all, when the American organization claims to advance the goals of the Indian organization, and shares the very same name?
Pingpong –
You’re right that Santorum doesn’t care about India, just Obama. But I don’t think that Santorum has any credibility either (nor should he). What Sonal has to fear are the National Journals of the world, and she has some leverage with them, I think they’re willing to listen.
27 · gbs said
Maybe she only learnt about the positive and progressive goals of those organizations from her family? I find it hard to believe she would have been where she is today had it been otherwise.
One thing is certain, all presidents Dem or Repub in this country have nodded to the “fact” that this country’s foundations are Judeo-Christian. I think Obama might be the first not to but even he had to loudly proclaim his Christian faith. I know most of us find this problematic but we don’t view either of these parties or their members as beyond the pale. We can converse with them and work together. I admit that there is a difference, in a country like India without functioning law and order, comparable rhetoric has catastrophic results. But there is nothing in the VHP charter or platform that would indicate that they would have supported the Gujurat pogroms. It’s a far stretch from arguing against questioning a critical reading of Hinduism in elementary school texts (when all other religions are introduced from a neutral perspective) to supporting attacks on innocent Muslims and Christians. I don’t like the VHP, I find them too Abrahamic in their formulation of Hinduism. There is of course a difference between organizations in theory and in actuality. I will dismiss as a hypocrite anyone who sees anything exceptionally evil about the VHP “on paper” relative to other religious organizations, but I will say that their QA is horribly bad and they need to comeout forcefully in speech and action against the Bajrang Dal factions within their ranks if they want a place at the table. I don’t find Ms. Shah’s board participation in VHP-A troublesome on its own, what is disconcerting to me is her mtg with Modi to receive that award. When I see the testimony on her behalf from many people who seem very engaged in secular, constructive work I try to give her the benefit of the doubt and think she was being practical and chose to do this so Indicorp could continue to do its good work in Gujurat
To think that Hindu nationalist ties are problematic in US politics in wake of the Mumbai terror attacks is–well, to think with a “tin ear.” Sorry, that’s just the way it is. Santorum is washed up. Nobody important gives a damn about Hindu nationalism in terms of American politics. India (soon to be led by the BJP) is the USA’s new BFF.
The VHP is hardly a benign organization from the top down. What about the demolition of the Babri Masjid, 2007 Orissa riots, and Kandhamal riots? The VHP leadership came out in full throated support of the Gujarat riots, as well. Togadia is well known for his trident distribution campaign as part of his mobilization platform. It is not just a matter of QA, it is a matter of the actions they actively pursue and encourage.
I think Sonal Shah should step down even if, as I suspect, she is not the bigot she is being painted as. She’s tainted and while she has an exceptional CV there are tons of other really bright people coming out of the woodwork to work in the Obama administration
Great. I guess this will be America’s new favorite extremist organization then. And we all know how well that works out.
Also, I hadn’t mentioned the Modi award because I recall a news link claiming that the award wasn’t actually given out by Modi. If that is not the case, that is certainly one more troublesome action in a pattern of aligning with these organizations.
31 · rob said
Don’t be so sure. India needs Pakistan as well given the Afghanistan fiasco. So the US will play a delicate balancing act, except it might not be as overtly pro Pakistan as it was in decades past. (I dread the prospect of a Narendra Modi Prime Ministership for both the symbolic effect as well as the practical impact it will have on Indian Muslims).
Ha. Ha. She does look very “scythian” though,doesn’t she? And I thought “Shah” was a surname for Parsees?
34 · gbs said
I will go with you on this, earlier reports had the award being given out by Modi but I think you are correct
Desi left extremists along with wingnut Santorum are repeating that 50s episode of “Are you now or have you ever been a Member of XXXX party? Its a simple question and it deserves a simple answer.” xxxxx-ism of 21st century !!! I find it amusing actually.
you forgot liberal and progressive. maybe add kossack for good measure.
she made a mistake and she should be given a chance. even if one is desi, in the past, it wasn’t well known about the nasty side of the vhp.
Let’s be clear on one thing about US politics right now–I mean, let’s not lie to ourselves. India is now perceived by the average American who’s paying any attention as having a “Muslim problem.” That’s
a subtle thought,
my view, etc., etc., etc., but–it is the average American view. Given that as a baseline, it’s just foolish, naive, and silly to think that “Hindu extremism” as a charge is going to get a rise out of the average American. Instead, they’re going to think, “well, of course the Hindus are getting a bit extreme, they’ve got a ‘Muslim problem.'” I’m not happy about that, I’m not an extremist, etc., etc., etc. but let’s be clear that that’s the case in terms of US politics. Now maybe some spin can be put on the anti-Christian violence in Orissa that will get a rise out of some Americans (this is clearly what Santorum is up to), but I tend to doubt that many will–your average American does not particularly identify with South Asian missionary work. . . .
rob (who brunched with some “average Americans” today who were freaked out about Mumbai
sigh. this metastisization was inevitable given shah’s intransigence on the issue over the years. as someone who has objected to her appointment especially in terms of where it might lead, i have to say i’m really angry at the somewhat clintonian nature of her actions (the parsing of language, the statement that is as close to a lie as you can get and perhaps crosses the line on vhp – indian politics, and placing her own political prospects ahead of transparency or what future eventualities would be.)
LOL at those jealous left wing nuts who can’t stand the fact that a proud HINDU WOMAN has come so far and has acheived so much without having to convert to christianity (like that coconut Jindall) or having to become one of those self hating ‘Hindus’. She is proud of her religion, culture and roots and she is a shining example to the Indian Hindus living in America. The message is clear you don’t have to convert and abandon your religion and culture to become succesfull. What Sonal Shah has acheived so far ALL her left wing nutty opponents won’t even acheive in 100 lives
Nobel prize winner Steven Chu is billed as the top candidate for energy secretary. Good pick.
Was that necessary?
45 · pingpong said
I agree. Jindall has only one “l”. Just like successful
l.Mroo, you are being an ass. At least pretend to mask your identity-based screed in a substantive argument.
Go Sonal!, is it easier to trade pot-shots than flesh out an actual argument or accusation? The concern is not with her being Hindu or a woman, but rather, in whether or not she has furthered, supported, or funded an organization (VHP-Bharat) that promotes a narrow view of Indian identity and citizenship that supports/promotes communalistic violence as one of its tactics. Or, is your definition of “pride” equivalent to a narrow vision of violence wrapped in the rhetoric of Hinduism?
pingpong, I’m with you. If “coconut” isn’t being used in self-reference, then I don’t see why it should be any more/less tolerated than “UT” (which, we know, the Mutineers/Intern have agreed is not cool).
Could someone please explain the difference between VHP-America and VHP-Bharat in terms of their actual practice, platform, activities, etc.? I guess what I want to know is if this is similar to Irish Americans funding the IRA for 30 years, or if there’s a more substantial disconnect that those of us who are not “in the know” have not heard of.
Kayastha Lady, what does this even mean? How can anyone with Zionist patrons push an Aryan ideal? Sonal is pretty, but then most people of any race with straight noses are.
Honestly, this hue and cry is such a crabs in a bucket job. I’m not seeing any Jewish-American groups putting out petitions about Rahm Emanuel’s father’s politics, and debating whether Rahm has ties to Likud.
This thing here is an attack disguised as a plea. I guess you have to be prissy if you’re figuring out a way to lambast a woman who had a big hand in creating serious opportunities for young people to engage in public service.
Personally, I’m deeply disappointed in Vijay Prashad as well for kicking off all this hoopla and palaver and spreading smears about a successful woman through his own media contacts. Vijay, if you’re reading this, you’re a big boy now, so kindly go pick on someone your own size.
Amrita:
If you go back, you’ll find people raising questions about Sonal on the web (and in person) long before Vijay Prashad’s piece. I don’t think this would have gone away if Prashad hadn’t said anything, whether you think the criticisms are fair or not.
I take it you see this as mainly being about her father?