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Let us all have the courage to say ‘YES, we too need to find that True solution’.
No effort should be spared to move towards this goal.
It is very late in the game, but perhaps it is not too late.
Sincerely,
John”
Note: Another “elder” of the community also decided to write up; for the first time
in her many years in Auroville. On the 8
th
of July, 2003, Shantidi wrote:
*To the Members of the Governing Board, from Shanti Niogi, 8
th
July 2003:
“Dear Friends,
I am Shanti Niogi. I have lived in Auroville from the very beginning as I along with
my late husband were among the first batch of persons accepted by Mother for
Auroville in the year 1967. I am 81 years old and I am writing this letter to you as
an elder sister.
My experience is from more than 30 years in Auroville, but today I feel Auroville is
being taken very far away from its ideals.
I had great hopes from the present Chairman, but I think now that I did not
understand him. He covers himself with the show of spirituality but beneath there is
only politics. He has brought politics and more politics to Auroville. His behaviour on
Sunday, 29
th
June ‘O3 (in a meeting of Auroville residents called by him) has
broken my heart and taken away my hope in the future as long as he is there. In
India elders are supposed to respect and cherish the views of their ‘anuj’ especially
in times of disagreement but Arjun was treated in a small and vindictive way.
I would like to know if there is a limit to the power of the Chairman; is he permitted
to do anything? As an elder Indian I wish to state to all that I am deeply
disappointed in the action of the Governing Board and the conduct of the Chairman
who is using his position to bring wrong things to Auroville.
It seems now that the only way out for me is to somehow be able to stand with the
strength and courage that Mother’s Grace can give so that I can continue to be
truly at the service of Sri Aurobindo’s work.
At Mother’s feet,
Shanti Niogi”
Note: Trying to cut short to the daily flurry of official letters and demands regarding
this cheque and that disbursement and this expenditure and that justification of
approval, we prepared a series of documents, which we introduced with a short