India: Why do secular intellectuals need rub shoulders with forces reaction to make their point?

[Why do this country's intellectuals see the need to involve the top boss of a retrograde and right wing organisation to co-sign a statement drafted by them. Whatever their reasons, this only lends credibility and respectability to the forces of reaction that they choose to invite to rub their shoulders ... here is fine example. A commendable statement drafted by the secularists but just one co-signatory M. S. Engineer they chose to invite does the damage. The name of the Gen Sec of Jamaat e Islami e Hind in their midst has the media describe him as as one of them. But i dont think the eminent persons will see the point being made here, too bad. - Editor, Communalism Watch]

Myanmar ops: Intellectuals attack jingoist sentiments
PTI | Jun 16, 2015, 06.30 PM IST
NEW DELHI: A group of eminent intellectuals have expressed deep concern over the the "thoughtless articulation of jingoist sentiments" by high-level representatives of the government and BJP in the wake of the Army operation in Myanmar and urged it to disassociate itself from them.
They also asked the goverment to take advantage of the first opporunity available for resuming dialogue with Pakistan.
[. . .]
The signatories included Kuldip Nayar, Muchkund Dubey, Justice Rajindar Sachar, Mrinal Pande, Manoranjan Mohanty, Zoya Hasan, Johan Dayal, N D Pancholi, Mohammad Salim Engineer, Seema Mustafa, Jawed Naqvi and Sumit Chakravartty.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Myanmar-ops-Intellectuals-attack-jingoist-sentiments/articleshow/47692466.cms