‘Electric Rioters’ Explained.

A reply by a SciFi fan Ms. Reema Sarwal on the questions raised by Mr. Swapnil Bhartiya on my story ‘Electric Rioters’. (See the previous post)

Swapnil ji,

I was completely flabbergasted by your point nos. 3 and 4 !

>>"The movement itself will raise suspicion among authorities."

I'm amazed at your utopic faith in the authorities! ! They notice NOTHING. I repeat, nothing. They wouldn't notice if you transported a rocket from Point A in the Himalayas to Point B in Tamil Nadu via road.

We're talking "authorities" who don't see entire colonies being built on ground surface in the capital city of Delhi. What chance do they have, given a millennium, of having a single clue about an underground laboratory being built below a Tribal temple in the heart of a jungle? Whatever made you dream of such a thing as land acquisition in this case?

I'm also not sure what makes you talk of a "factory" -- I read it as a fairly usual lab, though advanced, with some computers, 2 human-sized glass capsules, 2 beds, medical equipment, and some laser machinery -- pretty much humdrum for SF. Besides, our scientist is employed at a high position in the government, he could easily steal most of the stuff he needed from his official lab and contacts -- that's something we obviously expect of him! He's surely not a "normal" govt. employee if he can't even do that much.

As for point no. 4, to protect urban "citizens" from "uncivilized" tribals, the orders would be loud and clear -- shoot to kill. I particularly liked the satire at the beginning of the story when one cop suggests that the entire tribal community should be exterminated. That's one of the reasons I said it was a good story-- it captures the attitudes and mindset of our society.