739 / 1424
739
*31-7-1987, Auroville:
P.V stopped me on the road, to ask me to sign a petition drafted by those in
Auroville who do not accept any compromise with the SAS and thus feel
misrepresented by the proposal Al.B has made at the general meeting of yesterday.
I cannot attune to any of these games now; but I looked at the petition, and the
first sentence, stating the betrayal by the SAS of the basic, living principles of
Auroville, I could well accept and endorse; but this was followed by some dramatic
wording to the effect that to accept any compromise that would provide entry to
the SAS would deal “a fatal blow to our aspirations and hopes”; and it went on
requesting the continuation of the Government’s active protection… And this to me
is nonsense, and such a comedy! (If such are our “aspirations” that they can so
easily be killed, then they aren’t worth mentioning!) P.V wasn’t happy at my
abstaining!
***
*Open letter regarding the Organisation of Auroville and its relationship to
the Central Government of India.
(Note: I had written this document, it appears from the date, at the beginning of
1987, but I do not remember when it was shared with others in Auroville –
however, it remained actual…)
- 26.1.1987, Auroville -
“It seems we are being asked to come up with some practical, workable proposals
concerning the next few years of Auroville’s evolution.
It is understandable that the Government of India does not wish to remain
perpetually entangled with Auroville and that on the other hand, having committed
itself so concretely for several years, it cannot just pull out without certain
guarantees.
Auroville too does need guarantees that it will not have to return to the previous
sterile state of conflict with its would-be owners.
But it also needs to find its own ways to evolve, to discover them with the least
interference from any of the machineries that are based in the ordinary world and
society.
We chose to ask the Government’s help and, given the general conditions at
present, it appears that we still need that help for some time to come.
So perhaps, rather than making big declarations and taking foolish stands, or else
passively going under the crushing weight of inadequate and rigid organisational
formations, we could suggest some simple and effective means by which both the
Government and Auroville will feel their respective duties are un-compromised and
their respective responsibilities are clear.