1358 / 1424
1358
*To the Members of the Governing Board and the Working Committee, by
Kusum, 2-7-2003:
“Dear Members,
To welcome the Government in the Soul of Auroville, Matrimandir, is a great shock.
It is painful and shameful for me and should be for Auroville. It is very dangerous.
It is completely wrong. Why is nobody speaking?
What is spirituality? Today this is a great question-mark in front of me! Especially
now as it seems if I speak out frankly or write about an issue I could be branded a
‘criminal’ as happened on Sunday 29
th
when the Chairman termed Arjun ‘criminal’.
In spiritual life does not one have the freedom to express one’s views? What kind of
spirituality is this? I thought we lived in a free country where right of speech is a
fundamental right!
I am remembering my past days when we were fighting the British for the freedom
of India. If anybody spoke against them, the British would first resort to ‘lathi-
charge’ and then throw you into jail. Are we going to repeat the same thing here in
Mother and Sri Aurobindo’s Auroville?
Does our Chairman have the right to play this type of role and are we all to keep
quiet? My friends, today it is Arjun, tomorrow it may be anyone. It seems to have
become a habit of the Chairman’s – first he does ‘Pranam’ and ten he ‘points’ at the
person an accusing finger. According to my understanding, in spirituality one should
be honest and fearless. This is what Sri Aurobindo wanted from India and Indians.
I stand by all the points that Arjun has made in his letter. Already the daily ‘lathi-
charge’ of the office babus has begun. Letters come every day. Cheques are
returned unsigned – so many questions are asked. What is official? What is legal?
What has approval? Even the workers’ daily wages have been put under these petty
politics. Sincere people always find it hard to get help from those who sit in
government offices with the power to block development. Is this what we have
brought into the daily work at Matrimandir? Is this answering the good faith of
thousands of friends who give money to build Mother’s Matrimandir? Will they be
happy to know that Matrimandir is now a government department controlled by
small people in far away offices with no sympathy or understanding of the daily
difficulties of the work on site?
Where are we going? We seem to have lost our aim and spiritual path. Let me tell
you that I have a deep pain in my heart. I could never think the Chairman could do
what he did on Sunday. It is a shameful act. He has brought only dishonour to his
office.
It seems now we must obey ONLY the Chairman and his friend the Architect.
Spirituality has been converted into politics and religion.
Oh! Mother, save us!
Kusum”