What is the world coming to!, From Robin Options

[Pradeep]

Dear Pradeep,

Someone told me about this new group, named the 'Rafi Hater's Group'. I went over there and was relieved to see that there are currently only two other individuals who have joined the originator and thankfully, none of them has fallen so low as to make an actual post, even with a fake e-mail id.

The individual claims the right of free speech and estimates that there may be 10,000 of his/her type in India. Well, there are more than 10,000 donkeys in India too, who also express their right of free speech. With the right of free speech comes the greater responsibility of using that right wisely. Aadmi aur gadhe mein koi to fark hona chahiye.

What is the world coming to! It is sad to see that someone would claim to like Hindi film music and yet have such hatred for one of its most beloved artists.

The person also displays gross ignorance by stating that Rafi did not matter to Salil Chaudhary or R.D. Burman. We need not belabor the detail but at least a few of Salil's movies had a Rafi song at their center and the rocket of RDB's career arose with the enormous thrust of Rafi's voice. Before there was Kishore, there was Teesri Manzil.

Indifference against Rafi I can understand, a preference for Kishore Kumar I can also understand, but to go out and create a group with an explict objective of denigrating the great singer, even as infantile mischief, is indeed depraved.

I can only hope that I do not personally or impersonally (via the Web) know any of the three names that are currently members.

Engaging in heated debates about our favorite artists, trading barbs, even getting a bit personal at times is somewhat comprehensible. For most of the time at least, this is directed inwards, intended towards rooting for one's favorites.

But this outbound vitriol, against a person like Rafi, is disgusting. I feel sorry for the person who can think this way.

Perhaps Mohammed Rafi's benign and forgiving spirit will come to him (or her) and explain that this was indeed a shameful thing to do.

If any of these people have the courage to step out of the shadows and talk to me, I can be found at robinbhat2000@yahoo.com. I am waiting.

Please convey this note to MAS.

Regards...Robin