Dear Rakesh,
No one including you and Anivar were raising even a single word against it...
I reached venue around 12 pm on second day. I was not there on first day.
BTW as I said, I've protested and asked others to protest against attack over freedom of Speech. People like RMS has joined and appreciated Anivar for his stand. (I hope RMS wont be manhandled for supporting the protester ;) Just kidding )
I saw you were initiating all these unnecessary scenes... You were compelling MES students to boycott the conference...
They (MES Students) wanted me to talk to officials so that they can put up a poster which they were putting on their stall, one which was torn down by some of the exhibition organisers. Organisers harassed me as well. I asked MES to take stand as their right to speech has been denied by organisers of exhibition. They said they are afraid, they talked to their college management who. I did not force them once they decided to continue with their stall. You may ask them and their coordinator.
Just a question - Do you think that this was organized to destroy the free software movement in India...???
Absolutely not.
Do you believe that the conference was the result of some conspiracy to weaken the free software movement...????
As far as I understand it is not. Except for some irresponsible acts from the side of the organisers, I believe event was organised with good intentions.
You tried to chanalise the complete attention to the mistake that happened from the organizers which would have been discussed and corrected internally...(I am not saying that that was not a mistake or that was a silly mistake...)
It was something which could have addressed internally if Anil(OSS) or Kiran(FSF India) or others (from organising team) responded when they were requested to intervene and resolve. It was a serious mistake from their side that they did not act and they are not accepting it still and I am being blamed for protesting against the attack !!!
This can happen in any movement at initial stages of its growth that the new volunteers those who are not really strong in ideology commit some mistakes...
Manhandling I dont think is a simple mistake. What ever be the ideology, no one has the freedom to physically attack another person(or we become barbaric). And also organisers of exhibition denied right of other stall owners to put up posters. It is attack over freedom of speech.
I am not against FSF India or Arun personally...
I am just pointing out some mistakes which the free software community do not want to happen in future... I personally respect FSF India and the work they are doing to spread free software movement all over India... But at the same time I believe that FSF India is also not too high to be criticised...
Absolutely yes, I would like to know who you are, may be off list. This is first time I am getting in touch with you. As a free software activists, I am interested in getting in touch.
And I told enough of the issue. I dont have anything more to say. Time will tell more...
with warm regards arun.