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Kathwari is no shadowy businessman!

Date: Sat, 10 Jun 2000 02:46:23 -0400
Subject: The US mediator in J&K a furniture dealer?

When an otherwise reliable news site such as rediff.com displays the patronising and jingoistic tones of India's mainstream media, particularly with regard to Kashmir, all responsible journalists should express concern.

I am talking about your June 8, 2000 story, 'The US mediator in J&K a furniture dealer?' by Tara Shankar Sahay. The headline itself seeks to discredit the story. Don't take this seriously, the headline seems to say, it's ridiculous: A furniture dealer! Not trustworthy.

The story says, "Investigations by rediff reveal." What investigations? Did rediff.com dial up the furniture dealer and give him or her an opportunity to deny or confirm?

Citing "top sources" in the ministry of external affairs in New Delhi, rediff.com names Farooq Kathwari, "the US-based Kashmiri, an affluent businessman who deals in expensive furniture" as the possible mediator.

"Kathwari emerged as a shadowy businessman with a penchant for diplomacy and a yen to be wined and dined by powerful government officials in Washington, New Delhi and Islamabad," the report says.

Had rediff.com carried out its investigations responsibly, it would have learnt that Kathwari, who was born and raised in the Kashmir valley and studied business at New York University, started his career in 1971 as an entrepreneur. Subsequently, he formed a partnership with Ethan Allen, Inc, a home furnishing company, which then was part of a larger conglomerate. He rose through the ranks to become the president, and successfully led a management buyout, restructured the company and took Ethan Allen public.

Now, he is the chairman and CEO. Ethan Allen Interiors is traded on the NY stock exchange, with annual worldwide sales close to a billion dollars. This is hardly the picture of a "shadowy businessman" that rediff.com attempts to portray.

To the best of my knowledge, Farooq Kathwari disdains alcohol. Yet rediff.com and its "top sources" err in giving him "a yen to be wined and dined." If I were Farooq Kathwari, I would explore necessary actions against rediff.com for character defamation.

Finally, regarding Farooq Kathwari's "penchant for diplomacy:" About six years ago, he formed the Kashmir Study Group, a well-respected think tank on Kashmir, based in New York, which has as its members noted South Asia scholars, a handful of US senators and congressmen and women and former US Ambassadors to India and Pakistan. Many KSG members have traveled to South Asia a few times during the past years to learn the views of all the parties to the Kashmir dispute -- and that includes Kashmiris. Subsequently, KSG circulated a concise report. The members revisited South Asia to gauge reactions to the report and increase their efforts to bring all the parties around a conference table.

Farooq Kathwari's motivation for creating KSG is deeply rooted in his family's political history that can be traced back to pre-partition days. He is simply giving back, in the best way he knows, devoting his time, money, and effort to try resolving a longstanding Kashmir dispute. What's wrong with that, and why does it irk India's media?

Sincerely,
Rafiq Kathwari

Tara Shankar Sahay responds: Obviously, Mr Rafiq Kathwari has taken umbrage at the way I have described Farooq Kathwari. I wrote what had been told to me by my source in the government. The gist of the story is true, Mr Farooq Kathwari's description notwithstanding. I had no intention of maligning anybody. I shall bring the matter to the notice of the official who gave me the story and underscore Mr Rafique Kathwari's objections.

Sincerely,
Tara

Date: Mon, 26 Jun 2000 10:11:17 +0100
Subject: A whole different ball-game

This was stupid. Please stop degrading yourself by publishing such childish crap. We readers are no fools and won't tolerate this sort of nonsense. Why doesn't he just extend the examples a little further and ask the same for our army then? Our intelligence services? Our scientists? Please don't publish this kind of juvenile writing. We feel insulted by this column.

Thanks & regards,
Raman

Date: Mon, 26 Jun 2000 14:10:36 +0530
Subject: Anvar Alikhan

You missed the point. The most important point is that cricketers were officially representing India and were therefore required to put in their utmost efforts to win each encounter. Now if they throw a match, it amounts to treachery to the Nation. Something like having your soldiers lose a battle for pecuniary benefits.

There is no comparison with film stars or politicians who act on their own and are not represent the country. Doubtless if they are in a similar position where they officially represent India and then throw away an advantage, they deserve the same fate as traitors.

On the other hand, if they represent Kerry Packer and throw/fix a match, we have no quarrels and will just watch the tamasha, but as official representatives of India, we will neither allow nor tolerate it.

I hope you have understood the reason for the disappointment of our citizens.

Anil Chandhok

Date: Mon, 26 Jun 2000 01:28:36 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Stupid article

What are you trying to imply by your article? Why do you cheer when your country win a match? Why do you put all your emotions/energy just to cheer up your players?

Come on, they are representing the country. They should not portray India like this. If they can't do things let them get out gracefully. This is not the only way to earn money. Go and join politics, as you say, and earn money there. There are umpteen number of ways to make money illegally. Do not spoil the sport.

Everyone in the team should be blamed. Even if a player is not involved, he would have been aware of these facts. He kept mum to save his face. That means he is indirectly cheating the Indian people by not disclosing these facts.

Please do not carry articles like this. Don't forget the fact that rediff.com is read by Indian people scattered all over the world.

Bansi

Date: Mon, 26 Jun 2000 13:22:44 -0500
Subject: A whole different ball-game

I would like to say that it is true that crooked politicians and bureaucrats in India go scot-free. But my dear Mr Alikhan, you have missed the point. Crooked politicians and bureaucrats do have to face the rap at some point or the other.

Remember the hawala case, the Sukhram case and the Lakhubahi Pathak case? The politicians had to face inquiry, it's a different story altogether that they managed to subvert the process, but they did face the inquiry. So why leave out the cricketers? Let them face the inquiry, which is being done by the CBI at present, and if they are able to prove themselves innocent like the crooked politicians and bureaucrats, that's fine. But they must face the inquiry.

For once we should not say, "So what?" Let this be an example to the rest of the icons, that they too can face the same thing some time in future, if they do not mend their ways.

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