[Fsf-friends] Fwd: A CPIM Hijack of Free Software Foundation?

[Anivar Aravind]

On Fri, Sep 19, 2008 at 1:32 PM, V. Sasi Kumar <sasi.fsf at gmail.com> wrote:
> On Fri, 2008-09-19 at 12:43 +0530, Anivar Aravind wrote:
>
>> My questions are Following
>>
>> 1.Is this event anyway related with Free Software Foundation?
>
> FSF India has not been formally informed of this meeting or the
> formation of FSF-TN. We came to know only through the website
>
>> 2. This news is not announced  in any Free Software Mailing lists,
>> like FSF-Friends, FSF-Tn(http://mm.gnu.org.in//pipermail/fsf-tn/) ILUG
>> Chennai etc . It is not announced yet in gnu.org.in also. Why This
>> much secrecy around this?
>
> This meeting has nothing to do with FSF India. They have not informed us
> anything about the meeting, or even about the people who are organising
> it. I guess they are not interested in getting support from the Free
> Software community either.
>
>> 3.. The above invitation text says "logo and caption for the Free
>> Software Foundation, Tamil Nadu will be launched" in the function. Is
>> FSF India decided to start regional FSFs? If yes why  this is
>> organising in a a secret maner?
>
> There is no decision to start regional FSFs. They have used the logo of
> FSF India in their Newsletter which is downloadable. Their use of the
> logo is, actually, illegal. They have not even informed FSF India
>
>> 3. The Invitation text says "The objective of the event will be the
>> launch of the project for the development of a Tamil Version of the
>> GNU/ Linux operating system", why there is a need of another
>> distribution when tamil is well supported in most of the upstream
>> distributions? . Let it be the work of  Tamil Localisation groups.
>
> This remains a mystery in view of the surreptitious manner in which they
> are organising the event.
>
>> 4. The contacts provided in the website contact page is not at all
>> familiar in Free Software Community. And There is no information on
>> who is organising this event.
>
> No one seems to know. We have sent mails to the known addresses to find
> out who these people are.
>
>> On a quick checkup with friends in Chennai, they  says it is an event
>> Organised by Communist Party of India (Marxist) . Thats why the
>> secrecy.
>
> That seems to be true. This is a CPM event and the objective god only
> knows.
>
>> I don't have a problem in a political party supporting free
>> software cause. But If it is the case i am very suspicious on
>> following points
>> 1. The exclusion of the Free Software Movement in Chennai in Organising it,
>> 2. Creating a body with power structure before Contributing anything .
>> I dont think a free software Foundation is not needed for releasing a
>> Localised GNU/Linux Distribution
>> 3. Secrecy in whole process of a Public event
>
> This would appear to be part of an attempt to float a parallel process
> to take over the Free Software movement in the country. While I too have
> no objection to anyone helping the Free Software movement in the country
> or even independently promoting Free Software (as many groups are
> already doing), what this group is doing is really sabotaging the whole
> movement itself by causing confusion among FS supporters. This is
> unethical and could even be illegal (using our logo without our
> permission). This is very unfortunate.
>

Dear Nagarjuna  and Saskumar sir,
Thanks for Clarifying this

I request FSF India to Clarify this with Our Longterm Friends
Participating in the event. N. Ram, Prabir Pukayasta, Debeesh etc are
good supporters of Free Software Movement . It will be worth to inform
them about this. Kiran Chandra's name (Member, Board of Directors, FSF
India) is used for getting legitimacy to this negative effort, I
request kiran to not participate in this programme and inform
Organisors and Other speakers about this negative move.

warmly
Anivar Aravind