Expert on India Analyzes Current Political, Cultural Situation Fletcher Professor Emeritus Supports Current Prime Minister
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THE TUFTS Where You Tufts’ Student Newspaper Read It First Since 1980 VOLUME XLVIII, NUMBER 46 DAILY TUESDAY,NOVEMBER 16, 2004 Expert on India analyzes current political, cultural situation Fletcher professor emeritus supports current Prime Minister BY MARC RAIFMAN Party candidate, former finan- that can barely afford a few Contributing Writer cial minister Manmohan Singh, books a year and farmers who was particularly novel since the are forced to contemplate sui- Professor Emeritus at the allegiances of the parties in the cide in the event of a bad mon- Fletcher School of Law and coalition are so varied, soon season. Diplomacy Robert Meagher Meagher said. “The villages have nothing, spoke to a small group of inter- Meagher expressed content- and it is hard to foresee change ested students and faculty ment that the BJP candidate anytime soon,” Meagher said. about the problems and future did not emerge as the victor, Another area where India has of India last night in the Cabot since the group claims that room for improvement is Intercultural Center. only Hindus should be given women’s rights, especially Meagher’s talk began with Indian citizenship. Meagher is regarding the tradition of some Indian history, focusing very supportive of Singh, with arranged marriages, Meagher on the Indian problem of polit- whom he is well acquainted, said. Though arranged mar- ical and ethnic assassinations. and characterized him as hum- riages are ingrained in Indian Renowned leaders, including ble but desirous of bringing culture, dowries, or payments Mahatma Gandhi and former about change. from the bride’s parents to the Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi According to Meagher, groom’s parents, have been and Rajiv Gahndi, were all Singh’s election constitutes a recently outlawed. assassinated. “revolutionary chance at the Meagher said he has “never Rajiv’s widow, Sonja Gandhi, secularization of India” and an seen a wedding without a mother of two, decided against opportunity for direct aid to the dowry” in his 53 visits to India, running for prime minister out poor. however. of fear of being attacked, “[Singh] reminds me of He said some young women Meagher said. Franklin Roosevelt in his devo- actually hang themselves when The most recent election for tion to the poor,” Meagher said, their families cannot afford to prime minister surprised but added that he was unsure pay a dowry, which is why observers when the Congress of how realistic Singh’s ideas Singh’s enforcement of the ban Party made a coalition with 14 were. on dowries is of utmost impor- other political parties for the One of Singh’s slogans is a tance. first time ever to try and beat quote by Mahatma Gandhi: Another major problem in the militant Hindu nationalist “Wipe every tear from every India, Meagher said, is its lack party, known as the Bharatiya eye.” The motto is ambitious, as of cultural unity. Primary Janata Party (BJP). India is currently plagued with RACHEL GEYLIN/TUFTS DAILY Robert Meagher shared personal experiences and political opinions The election of the Congress soaring poverty levels, colleges see INDIA, page 2 about India. Pre-trial date set for student Sophomore wins $10,000 in essay contest arrested in Red Sox riot BY DANNY LUTZ said. “But when I tell them I won $10,000, they’re like, ‘Oh my God!’” Tufts sophomore Peter Maher, 19, of Salem, N.H., has been Daily Editorial Board The essay contest asked for submissions from charged with disorderly conduct and assault and battery of a The nonprofit group Reaching Common youth aged 16-22 and received over 4,000 works police officer. Ground announced the prize-winners of its first from across the country. Maher was arrested on Packard Avenue on the night of Oct. essay contest yesterday, to the delight of $10,000 Levinson’s passion for the essay topic stretch- 27, where he was part of the group of about 500 students winner and Tufts sophomore Dora Levinson. es beyond her work. “I think that because of who were celebrating the historic Red Sox World Series win, “I don’t even have an idea of how much money globalization and interactions between coun- according to records released by the Medford Police that is,” she said. tries, interfaith relations are becoming impor- Department. Levinson, a community health major, discov- tant,” Levinson said. “People need to have a bet- Maher was allegedly fighting with another student near ered last Wednesday that she had won second ter grasp so that they don’t dismiss others Mugar Hall when Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) Lt. prize in the contest, which asked entrants to sub- because of their religious practice.” Charles Lonero approached the students to break up the fight. mit an original work on how Christians and Jews Family history and her upbringing played the At this point, Maher allegedly hit Lonero in the face, accord- share a type of common ground. largest roles in development of Levinson’s ideals ing to police records. Lonero then arrested Maher and brought Her prize was second only to graduate student of interfaith relations. “I grew up in an interfaith him into TUPD custody. Adam Meredith-Ployd of Atlanta, who is attend- family,” she said. “It has rich traditions coming TUPD did not release the student’s name to The Tufts Daily. ing the Candler School of Theology at Emory down on both sides.” According to the Somerville District Attorney’s office, Maher University. In total, the Reaching Common Levinson’s father is a rabbi, while her mother was arraigned the following day in the Somerville District Ground essay contest offered $100,000 in prize attended divinity school. Court. His pre-trial conference date is set for Dec. 7. money, the richest student essay competition in She grew up on a faith-based farm that grew Maher did not respond to e-mail requests for an interview the United States. crops for impoverished inner-city Bostonians. with the Daily. According to Levinson, the large amount of “We even had ‘kitty-worship,’ which was a way to prize money brings needed attention to the essay make faith accessible,” Levinson said. contest’s topic. “I’ve told my people that I won an essay contest and they say, ‘Oh that’s great,’” she see PRIZE, page 2 INSIDE How do you do theater in 24 hours? Housing committee proposes more fair housing lottery see ARTS, page 5 BY JAMIE LEVITT Senator Jose Vazquez, who helped to devise enough people here.” Contributing Writer the new system, said, “Another bright spot to Student reaction to the proposed change is this proposal is that students would then be mixed. A modification to the housing lottery pro- able to make arrangements for off-campus “The lottery system has been in use for many posed last semester which would prevent stu- housing, special interest housing or study years and is used at several colleges and univer- dents from receiving low numbers three years abroad well before the actual selection.” sities, and there is no need to change it,” fresh- in a row has yet to be adopted by the Office of Rising juniors would especially benefit, since man David Nestor said. “[I] would rather take Residential Life and Learning (ORLL). given the limited number of on-campus rooms [my] chances on possibly obtaining multiple Last spring, the Tufts Community Union for them, those who had already received num- good lottery numbers.” (TCU) Senate passed a resolution calling for a bers in the top bracket would know to make But freshman Matt Laermer disagreed, say- new system to “divide classes in thirds and other housing plans. ing “the altered system would reduce com- assign low, middle and high [lottery] numbers,” According to TCU Associate Treasurer plaints made by students about unfairness.” according to its co-author and TCU Treasurer Harish Perkari, ORLL said it supports the pro- Critics of the new system argue that it will INDEX Jeff Katzin. posal but is not poised to act on it. not ameliorate upperclassmen’s chances of Under the proposed system, students would “They claim it is not a priority considering all getting on-campus housing, but will merely News | Features 1 receive a number in the lowest, middle and the other issues,” Perkari said, citing “the plan- warn students they might receive a bad num- Arts | Living 5 highest third of the lottery one time each. ning and construction for Sophia Gordon Hall.” ber. Editorial | Letters 8 “[During] the three years you work with the lot- National 11 ORLL Director Yolanda King was unavailable Sophomore Amie Coffey said the proposed International 13 tery system, you’re guaranteed one of each for comment at press time. system is more unfair than the current one, as Comics 16 bracket,” Katzin said. Katzin said ORLL has already set up the certain people receiving a good number soph- Classifieds 17 Under the current system, one unlucky stu- housing lottery to take place this spring, with- omore year will be essentially barred from on- Sports Back page dent could technically receive the lowest lot- out the proposed modification. “It seems it campus housing junior year. “This system tery number in his class as a sophomore, junior won’t happen again this year, which is really should not be used until housing is guaranteed tuftsdaily.com and senior. frustrating,” Katzin said. “It’s on the minds of for all students,” Coffey said. 2 THE TUFTS DAILY NEWS | FEATURES Tuesday, November 16, 2004 POLICE BRIEFS When in India, do as the Indians do, Meagher advises FLYING INSULTS INDIA its economic prospects. In closing, Meagher India, but should try to learn continued from page 1 Tufts University Police He cited Singh’s efforts to expressed his enjoyment in and act like an Indian in Department (TUPD) received a make India more investor visiting and lecturing in India India.” report that two individuals were schools teach children in local friendly.