Rajkumar S wrote:

Is he [RMS] a state guest this time also?

The Sunday Indian Express dated 11th January, 2004, carried an article by Jayanthi Natarajan, titled Faces vs faceless - Why World Social Forum is an answer to World Economic Forum. I could not find a link to this fine opinion at indianexpress.com. The article begins: "Another world is possible", and speaks about the WSF as a "humungous mass of faceless voiceless millions, represented by a motely crew of well meaning grass root organisations, with no money and no brand equity, but with a fire in their belly to fight an unjust economic order." "One lakh human beings from all over the world, there of their own free will and desire to be part of a process that will create a better world". "It represents a sea change is our democracy". "It is truly extraordinary to try to conduct such a mammoth event with wholly voluntary funding ..." Please do read the whole article.

RMS is the tallest one among us in the new evolving world. The question is if the state is a guest at WSF.

Rajkumar S wrote:

ie NO ??

Actually, I would not know. But your concern is very valid, as RMS ought to be welcomed as a guest of the state, both at the National and State Levels. I wonder if our President has been briefed about the intending visit of RMS.

Mrs. Jayanthi Natarajan, is a Parliamentarian and a lawyer, and we could thank Indian Express for carrying her opinion at the right juncture. She also wrote that the WSF is, "a magnificent effort, by the most disadvantaged people in our society, to take things into their hands, to discuss and debate and plan how to create a better world for themselves." Those interested in good governance would be keenly interested in the WSF people and events. I am sure that many of our legislators would agree, and have no difficulty in extending hospitality to the chief mover of the movement as a state guest.