12/21/97 - 1408

VNN Reports Bias?

USA (VNN) - Recently VNN has been accused by some parties of reporting one sided. The following example may shed some light on this. On Sep 30, 1997 VNN received this email:

Fun With Ritviks Newsletter
Sep 30, 1997

Haribol! All Glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Today's topics: current events, ritvik magic

First off, let me say that this will be the last issue of the FWR newsletter coordinated by me, Vivek Pai. Quite frankly, the ritvig-vaadis have used every dirty trick in the book to try to harass me into shutting down this newsletter, and while it has not had its desired effect, I no longer have time to be the coordinator for the newsletter and to fight the harassment at the same time. It is slightly amusing, though, that the ritvig-vaadis are using these tactics, when they claim that these tactics have been used against them.

However, there have been two interesting developments - I've moved on to take over the coordinator role for the btg-talk mailing list (send mail to btg-talk@unforgettable.com to subscribe) and I've also found someone to take over the coordinator role of the FWR Newsletter. He travels, so he's got no "home" that the ritvig-vaadis can harass, and he'll also be more anonymous than I've been. I expect that the next newsletter will be sent from him, not me. So, FWR will be reincarnated soon, and hopefully, it'll be more active than it has been recently.

Now, on with the show...
(end quote)

VNN consequently sent the following letter to vpai@nyx.net:

Subject: Re: Fun With Ritviks Newsletter, Sep 30, 1997
Date: 10/2/97 1:56 PM
To: vpai@nyx.net

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Vaishnava News Network (VNN) - http://vaishnava-news-network.org/
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The VNN is committed to the free and open exchange of information and ideas for the benefit of society. The VNN does not discriminate against anyone based on age, gender, race, nationality, affiliation with organization or spiritual master.

Dear Vaishnava, dandavats pranams. All glories to Shri Guru and Gauranga.

We have received your newsletter in which you wrote:

>Quite frankly, the
>ritvig-vaadis have used every dirty trick in the book to try to harass
>me into shutting down this newsletter, and while it has not had its
>desired effect, I no longer have time to be the coordinator for the
>newsletter and to fight the harassment at the same time. It is
>slightly amusing, though, that the ritvig-vaadis are using these
>tactics, when they claim that these tactics have been used against
>them.

The VNN would like to know more details about the events that you are describing in the above paragraph. If you could kindly answer the following questions:

- What kind of "dirty tricks" and "harassment" you experienced?
- Do you have any witnesses who can confirm your allegations or other evidence?
- What made you suspect the "ritvig-vaadis" as the source of the events you describe?

The VNN is considering a news report on this matter to be published on the VNN web site at http://vaishnava-news-network.org/. The VNN staff would greatly appreciate your assistance in this matter.

In your service
Hare Krishna
Vaishnava News Network (VNN)
http://vaishnava-news-network.org/
staff@vnn.org
(end quote)

VNN never received an answer to this mail.

VNN routinely contacts parties involved in a story to get their side of the story and gives the party the opportunity to make a statement. If the party chooses to block their email accounts, does not answer or declines to comment, these same parties cannot complain later that their side of the story is not heard on VNN.