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Atal Behari Vajpayee on the RSS

January 20, 2012

The Sangh is my Soul – Atal Behari Vajpayee
20/01/2012 01:12:01

I came in contact with the RSS in 1939 through Arya Kumar Sabha, a youth branch of Arya Samaj, in Gwalior-then a princely state which was not part of any province. I came from a strong ‘sanatani’ family. But I used to be at the weekly ‘satsang’ of Arya Kumar Sabha. Once Shri Bhoodev Shastri who was a senior worker of Arya kumar Sabha, and a great thinker and an expert organiser, asked us: “What do you do in the evenings?” “Nothing”, we said, because the Arya Kumar Sabha used to meet in the morning on every Sunday. Then he recommended us to go to the shakha. Thus I started going to the Shakha in Gwalior. It was my first association with the RSS. At that time the shakha in Gwalior had just begun. It had only Maharashtrian boys, and naturally all the swayamsevaks used to speak only Marathi. I started going to the shakha regularly. I liked the games played in the shakha as well as the weekly ‘bauddhiks’ (intellectual discourses).

A pracharak, Shri Narayanrao Tarte had come from Nagpur to start the shakha. He was indeed a superb human being; a very simple man, a thinker and an expert organiser. What I am today is the making of Shri Tarte. Next to him I was inspired by Deendayal Upadhyaya and Bhaurao Deoras. Gwalior was then not within the field of Bhauraoji. But once he had come to Gwalior with Shri Balasaheb Apte who was the then Bauddhik Pramukh. Apteji was very soft-spoken. We were soon drawn towards him. I had talked with him for only a few minutes. But the same year (1940) when I went to see the first year Officers’ Training Camp (OTC), I came in close contact with him. I went there just to attend the valedictory function of the camp, not for training. Dr. Hedgewar had also come there for the some time. I first saw him there. When Doctorji was ill I went to see him. In 1941 when I was in High School I did my first year OTC. In 1942 when I was in Intermediate class I did my second year OTC, and I did my third year in 1944 when I was doing my B.A.

When I wrote ‘Hindu Tan-man Hindu Jeevan’ I was a student of class X. After completing my graduation from Gwalior I did my M.A. from the DAV College in Kanpur, because there was no post-graduate college in Gwalior. I then got State Government’s scholarship also. Owing to Partition, I could not complete my Law. And then in 1947, I decided to give up my studies to come out as a whole-time worker of the RSS. Till 1947 I did the RSS work at the shakha level and carried on my studies. I also participated in the Quit India Movement in 1942 and was jailed. I was then studying for my Intermediate examination. I was arrested from my native village Bhateshwar in Agra district. I was then 16.

My father was not attached to the RSS, but my elder brother was. He would go to the shakha. Once he went to the winter camp where he created a problem. He said: “I cannot take my food with the other swayamsevaks. I shall prepare my food myself.” And see how deftly the RSS handled the situation. The ‘sarvadhikari’ (superintendent) of the camp complied with his request and provided him all the necessary thing for preparing his food. After taking his bath and properly adjusting his sacred thread, etc., he started cooking his food. On the first day he prepared the food for himself. the next day, however, he could not prepare it and joined the queue of all swayamsevaks for partaking of the food. Within 44 hours he was changed.

The RSS does not change only individuals. It changes also the collective mind. This is the beauty of the RSS ethos. In our spiritual tradition an individual can attain a great height. Even self-realisation is possible if one undertakes the right ‘sadhana’ and also attain ‘nirvana.’ But what about the society? Nobody thinks about his obligation to the society in general. Now for the first time the RSS thought about it and concluded that by changing individuals we shall change the society. Had the sarvadhikari at the camp scolded him and not allowed him to prepare his food himself his spiritual development would have been thwarted, whereas in the RSS within 44 hours he was a changed boy. This is the “secret method” of the RSS. That is how society is changed. It is true that it is a long process but then there are no short-cuts, no instant recipes.

Gandhiji had praised the RSS for the absence of untouchability in the organisation. Only the RSS organises the society. Other movements only divide the society by emphasising distinct ‘identity’, different ‘interests’, special ‘status’, etc. They only encourage untouchability by constantly reminding the so-called untouchables of their “separateness.” “You are being insulted. You have no place in society.”

The RSS has a two-fold task before it. One is to organise the Hindus. To build a strong Hindu society, well-knit and rising above caste and other artificial differences. Some differences will persist but then variety is the spice of life. Like, we have the differences of the language. We don’t want to destroy this diversity. The other task is to assimilate the non Hindus, like Muslims and Christians in the mainstream. They can follow the faith of their own conviction. No one can object to it. We worship trees, animals, stones, and what not. We have hundreds of ways of worshipping God. They can go where they want. But this country must be looked upon as the Motherland for them. They must have a feeling of patriotism for this country. But the Islamic division of the world into ‘Darul Harab’ and ‘Darul Islam’ comes in the way. Islam has yet to learn the art of existing and flourishing in a country where Muslims are in a minority. They cannot convert the whole of India to Islam. After all, they have to live here. So they have to recognise this fact. And today it has become a matter of grave concern and deep thinking in the Muslim countries. Because Quran offers no guidance in this regard. It only talks of killing kafirs or converting them to Islam. But they cannot do it always and everywhere. How can they do it where they are in a minority? If they try to do it, a major clash will take place and only the members of the minority will be killed. But Muslims themselves have to change this state of affairs. We cannot change it for them.

Congress has not correctly understood the Muslim problem. They continue to carry on their policy of appeasement. But to what effect? The Muslims of this country can be treated in three ways. One is ‘tiraskar’ which means if they will not themselves change leave them alone, reject them as out compatriots. Second is ‘puruskar’ which is appeasement, i.e., bribe them to behave, which is being done by the Congress and others of their ilk. The third way is ‘parishkar’ meaning to change them, that is, restore them to the mainstream by providing them samskaras. We want to change them by offering them the right samskaras. Their religion will not be changed. They can follow their own religion. Mecca can continue to be holy for the Muslims but India should be holier than the holy for them. You can go to a mosque and offer namaz, you can keep the roza. We have no problem. But if you have to choose between Mecca or Islam and India you must choose India. All the muslims should have this feeling: we will live and die only for this country.

I wrote “Hindu Tan-man Hindu Jeevan” when I was studying in the tenth class. I had then said, “koi batlaye Kabul mein jaakar kitni masjiden todin.” I still stand by my words. But we (Hindus) did pull down the structure in Ayodhya. In fact it was a reaction to the Muslim vote-bank. We wanted to solve this problem through negotiation and legislation. But there was no puraskar for burai (evil act). We change burai also with parishkar. Now I think, the Hindu society has been regenerated which was the prime task of the RSS. Earlier Hindus used to bend before an invasion but not now. This change in Hindu society is worthy of welcome. So much change must have come with the new-found self-assertion. This is a question of self preservation. If the Hindu society does not expand itself it will face the crisis of survival. We have to expand ourselves. We have to take others along with. Now the Yadavs and the so-called Harijans are going with us. After all we have to live as Hindus. Once a Yadav leader came to me and said: “Don’t condemn all Yadavs. All Yadavs are not with Mulayam Singh and Laloo Prasad. A ‘samskrit’ (cultured) Yadav does not like them. There can be sections of Rajput, Kurmi and Gujjar Muslims but you cannot find any Yadav Muslim anywhere. The Yadavs never accepted Islam. This talk of “Yadav-Muslim” Unity – MY card – is nothing more than an empty slogan for votes.”

The simple reason for my long association with the RSS is that I like the Sangh. I like its ideology, and above all I like the RSS attitude towards people, towards one another which is found only in the RSS. I remember an incident, when I was in Lucknow. The Socialist movement was its peak. Suddenly a senior socialist activist fell ill. He was lying alone in his house, and nobody went to enquire after his well-being. Then Acharya Narendra Deo came to know and he went to his house to see him. The Acharya then said, “What fraternity is this in the Socialist Party? Nobody has come to see you. It can never happen in the RSS. If a swayamsevak does not go to the shakha only for one day the same day friends will promptly reach his house to enquire about his well-being.”

When I was ill during the Emergency, my family members did not turn up to see me. They were afraid of being arrested for any such action. Only the RSS workers helped me. See, how much living contact and fraternal feeling is in the RSS. Actually the Sangh is our family. We are all one.

In the beginning we could not spread our work in all sections of the society because we did not have enough workers. “Man-making” is the prime job of the RSS. As we now have more workers, we are covering all sections of the society in all fields of life. Changes are taking place in all spheres. But the work of man-making will not be discontinued, it will go on. It must go on. That is what the RSS movement is.

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Posted by arisebharat

Christian priest’s doctoral thesis on RSS

December 22, 2011

Source : Christian Post.

Kerala, India., Dec. 19 – The name of the research institution is Sorbonne University, Paris, France. The researcher is Dr. (Father) Vincent Kundukulam of St Joseph Pontifical Seminary, Aluva, Kerala. The thesis for the doctoral research is: Le RSS Et L’Eglise En Inde (RSS and Church in India).

To Fr. Kundukulam goes the credit for being the first Christian priest to do a doctoral thesis on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, that too in a foreign university. He is also the first clergyman to author a book on the RSS titled RSS: Enthu? Engott? (What is RSS and Where is it headed for).

In fact, a former clergyman, Anthony Elenjimittam, had published a book titled RSS: Bharathiya Samskruthiyude Kavalsena (RSS: Watchdog of Indian Culture) way back in 1951, but he had ceased to be a priest and had taken to social service when the book was published.

What motivated Fr. Kundukulam to conduct a research on the RSS was his conviction that the Catholic church should closely study the philosophy, organisational structure and working of all the socio-politico-cultural movements in the society in which it operates, imbibe the best in them, and invite a dialogue on their negative aspects.

The phenomenal growth of the RSS in post-Independent India, with its tentacles firmly rooted in all walks of life, all nooks and corners of the country, kindled his curiosity. In Madhya Pradesh, he came across a European who had been doing a doctoral thesis on ‘Hindu nationalism’ in the Sorbonne University.

“When I broached the idea of writing a book on my research findings on the RSS, some of my co-religionists cautioned me that the RSS men would beat me up if I wrote something against them. I have in my assessment of the RSS tried to be as objective as possible. It is of immense satisfaction to me that my book is well-received in the church and RSS circles,” said Fr. Kundukulam in an interview at the Pontifical Seminary.

The conclusion drawn by Fr. Kundukulam is that RSS cannot be considered as a nationalist organisation in the sense in which the term ‘nationalism’ is generally interpreted in India. Nationalism represents the collective consciousness of the people transcending all barriers of caste, religion, etc. A nationalist is one who is primarily indebted to the nation. Religion has no place in nationalism. In this sense, Fr. Kundukulam argues, RSS, whose primary loyalty is to the Hindus, can hardly be called a nationalist organisation. In his view, RSS is a multi-faceted organisation which is political, cultural, religious and voluntary in nature and approach.

Different facets gain upperhand at different times depending on social and political exigencies.

At the same time, Fr. Kundukulam argues against branding the RSS ideology as fascism, Nazism, fundamentalism and communalism. He said the terms fascism, Nazism, and fundamentalism are much abused terms in India. They have a distinct connotation in the European context that can hardly apply to the Indian milieu.

The term fundamentalism was first coined inthe context of the emergence of the Protestant movement in the Christian church in America in the twenties.

The ideology of the RSS and the way in which it is interpreted by the Sangh leaders borrowing modern terminology have no camparison to the sense in which the term fundamentalism was used in America. So also, fascism and Nazism do have distinct meanings in the socio-political contexts that prevailed in Italy and Germany which have no bearing in the Indian context.

Fr. Kundukulam felt that communalism is not at all a part of religion. Communalism is nothing but mobilisation of people on communal lines to serve a specific cause. RSS can, therefore, be said to be communal only in a limited sense. BJP, the political arm of the RSS, during its rule at the Centre has not committed any acts that could truly be described as fundamentalist, fascist, or communal. “In fact, one of the first acts of A B Vajpayee after taking over as Prime Minister last time was to call on Mother Teresa and Delhi Archbishop,” he said.

Fr. Kundukulam felt that the socio-political milieu of India offers a fertile ground for the RSS to grow.

One admirable aspect of the RSS, Fr Kundukulam says, is its flexibility to move with the times and to adopt the best from other socio-cultural-religious movements. It learnt the rudiments of social work from the missionary organisations of the church and mass mobilisation techniques from the communists.

He admires the RSS for the dedication and discipline of its cadres, the simple life style of its pracharaks, the moral teaching it imparts to the younger generation in its daily sakhas, and the voluntary labour put in by its cadres at critical times such as natural calamities.

Indian society, Fr Kundukulam feels, is in a “vicious circle” with the majority Hindu community suffering from a “psychological inferiority complex” on account of its failure to have a proportionate say in the governance of the country in spite of its numerical superiority and the minorities always suspicious of the majority community. The growth of minority fundamentalism would only strengthen the RSS.

“India can prosper only by strengthening the forces of democracy and secularism and ensuring economic justice to the people,” concludes Fr. Kundukulam who is now busy working on the second edition of his book.

6 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, RSS and Indian Christians | Permalink
Posted by arisebharat

Harvard University’s Decision to remove Dr. Swamy’s Summer Courses shocking, hateful, repulsive and totally biased

December 14, 2011

December 12, 2011

In 3000 years of our history people from all over the world have come and invaded us, captured our lands, conquered our minds. From Alexander onwards, the Greeks, the Turks, the Moguls, the Portuguese, the British, the French, the Dutch, all of them came and looted us, took over what was ours. Yet we have not done this to any other nation. We have not conquered anyone. We have not grabbed their lands, their culture, their history and tried to enforce our way of life on them. Why? Because we respect the freedom of others. That is why my first vision is that of FREEDOM. Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, Former President of India.
It is shocking to read that the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) of Harvard University have voted to remove two courses from the Summer School offerings Dr. Subramanian Swamy was teaching for a number of years. The academic university, which is known for championing the free speech, has become pawn of self-professed liberal academicians who feel that Dr. Swamy’s speech was “hateful.” These academicians appear to have no knowledge about the atrocities committed by the Islamic terrorists, Islamic war on Hinduism, daily infiltration of Bangladeshi Muslims into West Bengal, professed killings of non-believers, and satanic verses demanding the destruction of Temples and Hindu Gods.

Dr. Swamy’s article is a peaceful approach to the most dangerous situation that is wrecking India. He did not advocate terrorism, did not mention about the extermination of any religion, did not advocate the forced conversion, did not call for burning the non-believers of Hinduism, did not advocate the demolition of Mosques, did not espouse the imposition of Jizya tax on non-Hindus, and did not declare fatwa on the haters of Hinduism. Any rational, fair minded, freedom loving, objective, logical, pluralistic persons irrespective of their religious affiliation would appreciate and applaud his article on “How to wipe out Islamic Terrorism?”

These academicians seem to know more than Dr. Abdul Kalam’s assessment of Hindus, their philosophy, their culture, their religion, their tolerance, their mindset, and their respect for freedom. For centuries Hindu have welcomed by almost all the religions with open hands, respected them and allowed them to practice their religion. Jewish people openly declared that the India is the only country that has not discriminated. Like wise Parsees, the descendents of Zoroastrians, were thrown out from their homeland, Persia, to be welcomed by India. Jains, Sikhs, Buddhists, and many others religions lived peacefully. In fact, on December 1, 2011 Sri Dalai Lama proudly announced that “I consider myself as a son of India” and carries the message of ahimsa across the globe and says that the country’s spiritual leaders should promote love and harmony in India and outside. Further he observed “that India has so many languages and dialects, yet remains strongly united because there is the freedom of speech and rule of law.”

Additionally, India welcomed with open hands two other religions – Islam and Christianity. These two religions profess their superiority and exclusivity. One is damned in hell if they do not believe in their God. In the name of God, Islamic invaders caused untold atrocities on Hindus. Suffice to mention the gloomy picture described by Koenraad Elst: “The Muslim conquests, down to the 16th century, were for the Hindus a pure struggle of life and death. Entire cities were burnt down and the populations massacred, with hundreds of thousands killed in every campaign, and similar numbers deported as slaves. Every new invader made (often literally) his hills of Hindus skulls. As a contribution to research on the quantity of the Islamic crimes against humanity, we may mention that the Indian (subcontinent) population decreased by 80 million between 1000 (conquest of Afghanistan) and 1525 (end of Delhi Sultanate).” Goa inquisition is as bloodiest as Islamic onslaught on Hindus. Genocide of Hindus by these two religions is described in greater details if one is objective and rational. No Hindu would ever think of this kind of brutality, cruelty and viciousness even to their worst enemies, let alone do it.

The decision to remove two courses Dr Swamy was teaching for years is blot on the reputation of the university, blotch on the credentials of the faculty, stain on the objectivity of the faculty, blemish on the faculty’s grasp of the nearly eight centuries Islamic terror, spot on the integrity of the faculty, and a show case for the abuse of academic authority. Arrogance of academic power, pure hatred toward Hindus pluralism, alignment with religion that abhors human freedom and dignity, associating with no-productive petro dollars, and negation of the history of Islamic barbarism are unpardonable offenses committed by the pseudo secular scholars at Harvard.

The so-called liberal faculty members at Harvard thought the Dr. Swamy’s article is equal to incitement of violence and a hateful speech.

Amnesia at Harvard

It appears that many of the faculty members seem to experience Islamic amnesia – they experience memory loss, suffer from forgetfulness, and become totally blank when it comes to Islamic terror that reined India and continue to terrorize many countries. They close their eyes, plug their ears and tape their mouths when it comes to talk about the destruction of thousands of Hindu Temples by the Muslims, killing of millions and millions of Hindus, mass raping of untold number of Hindu women, pillage of national treasures and whole sale conversion of Hindus into Islam at gunpoint.

Would they be willing to remove all the Islamic courses because these courses talk about Terror, violence, destruction and mass killings? The faculty members at Harvard appear to either justify or ignore all the atrocities committed by Muslims on Hindus for more than eight centuries.

Are the Harvard Faculty Jaundiced eyed?

Any persons suffering from the medical condition known as jaundice would see everything as yellow. It means the person with jaundiced eye would have a prejudiced view, usually negative, prejudiced, subjective, biased or critical. The blind association with the so-called liberal thinking may have interfered with the objectivity, rationality, and balanced opinion – the hallmark of academicians – causing them to see Dr. Swamy’s article through jaundiced eyes.

Past History: The human beings are relentlessly tortured to make a decision by between two seemingly contrasting areas of human endeavor, namely, the pursuit of livelihood and the reality of existence. No matter how idealistic one may be, one cannot the escape from the past, present and future. Faculty members at Harvard chose to ignore the past history of the Islamic atrocities in India that experienced the untold misery. As many as 80 million Hindus were brutally murdered, millions of women were raped, millions of people were disfigured, thousands of Temples were destroyed, thousands of Hindu Temples were converted to Mosques including Taj Mahal, Qutub Minar & Kaaba in Saudi Arabia, a number of Mosques were built either on the Hindu religious places or built in front of them, and converted Hindus into Islam. Many people keep moaning and whining about the demolition of Babri Masjid forgetting the 14 centuries of destruction of Temples, mass killings, wholesale rape of Hindu women, and forced conversion of Hindus. Sitaram Goel compiled a list of 2000 mosques that were converted from Hindu Temples. He listed them by the present name of the mosques, the earlier name of the Hindu Temples and the location state by state, for any fair minded to read, digest and comprehend. They would not say a word about the horrific history.

Present status: Similarly the Faculty members decided to overlook the present conditions in India and how Muslims are aggressively planning to convert India in to three Muslim countries. At first SIMI, Indian Mujahideen, ISI from Pakistan, and others are relentlessly creating terror in the major cities killing scores of people, blasting Hindu Temples and Hindu pilgrimage centers and declaring fatwa against any body who criticizes Islam, imposing Jizya tax on Hindus in Muslim dominated cities and making India as part of Dar-ul-Islam (world Islam). For all practical purposes, Article 370 excluded Hindus to own any property. Can any of these distinguished professors find any parallels to this kind of provision in any other country? Will it be acceptable for these Faculty members to exclude Muslims from owning land in any one of the states in India? Nearly half a million Kashmiri Pandits were chased out from their homeland and forced to live in tents. Almost all the districts in West Bengal bordering Bangladesh have millions of Muslim infiltrators tilting the balance toward Muslim state. Rampage and terror continues even today forcing Hindus to flee from their villages. Converting many Hindus into Islam through Love Jihad is continuing openly. The Muslim Clerics openly asking their faithfuls to have eight children to make Kerala a Muslim State. The list goes on.

Future outlook: Like wise the Faculty members should also look at what might happen in the future based on the past history and present conditions. One does not have to be an expert in Islamic Expansion to find out what might happen. Just look around, you will see it. There are as many as 52 Islamic countries where other religions are abhorred or barred from practicing their religion. In Saudi Arabia no body can take even Bhagad Gita or any other Hindu scriptures. It is also a known fact that majority of these countries are undemocratic, mostly controlled and ruled by Islamic fundamentalists and Al Qaeda. Individual rights are denied. One has to submit to Allah, because “there is no God but Allah.” That means they do not accept neither Hindu Gods nor Christian Jesus. There would not be any freedom, pluralism and independence left in those countries. Neither the members of FAS nor an average citizen are worth any more. In Pakistan, at the time of Independence in 1947, Hindu population was about 20 percent. Today, not even a fraction of one percent is left. They were either brutally killed or converted to Islam. Out of 428 Hindu temples at the time Independence, not even 25 Temples are functional. Similar story continues in Bangladesh. At the time of Independence, Hindu population was between 28-30 percent. Today, Hindus account for less than 7 percent of the population. Most of them were either killed or forced to convert. In India, Muslim population was about 9 percent at the time of Independence; today their population increased to more than 14 percent. Their fertility rate is much higher than any other religious group.

Coexistence is anathema for Islam and to some extent for Christianity. Wherever they went they either terminated the local population, converted them, conducted inquisitions, imposed jizya tax, destroyed the Hindu Temples, or decimated the local cultures. Hindus accept dialogue, discussions, criticism and debate. Hindus do not believe in conversion by any means to hoist the flag of hegemony in other countries. How many faculty members can talk about these 52 plus countries and examine as to how they were able to make these countries Islamic nations? How come they cannot accept the concept of Hindu Nation and call Dr. Subramanian Swamy’s statement as hateful? Can they also declare the Islamic countries as hateful, vicious, and destructive? Have they ever examined the freedom of speech and freedom of worship of the minorities in these Islamic countries? Is it not their moral responsibility to question the freedom issue in these Islamic countries?

What is expected of Academicians?

Academicians in general are expected to demonstrate honesty, integrity, objectivity, fairness, rationality and professionalism conduct are expected. Their presentation of views and opinions should be couched in scientific evidence. They are also expected to have broad knowledge where they should give both side of the argument, rather than being biased based on affiliation, association, allurement and monetary inducements.

Faculty members have the responsibility of adhering to the Free Speech Guidelines adopted by the faculty. It states that the “Free speech is uniquely important to the University because we are a community committed to reason and rational discourse. Free interchange of ideas is vital for our primary function of discovering and disseminating ideas through research, teaching and learning. Curtailment of free speech undercuts the intellectual freedom…”

When Professor Diana Eck says “Swamy’s op-ed clearly crosses the line by demonizing an entire religious community and calling for violence against their sacred places,” and “Harvard has a moral responsibility not to affiliate itself with anyone who expresses hatred towards a minority group.”

Professor Sugata Bose states that “[Swamy’s position on disenfranchisement] is like saying Jewish Americans and African Americans should not be allowed to vote unless they acknowledge the supremacy of white Anglo Saxon Protestants”

Being a Historian, Dr Bose should know better than that and compare apples with apples. What a tragedy. These are the professors teaching young students and molding them to hate Dr. Swamy’s article but never open their mouths about the hateful, violent, destructive and demeaning verses in Quran. Hiding behind freedom of speech, they are distorting the views of Dr. Swamy. Comparing the statement that Muslims accept their Hindu ancestry to Jewish American and African American accept the supremacy of Anglo Saxon Protestant is nothing but a blatant distortion of Dr. Swamy. One wonders about the competency of these professors in teaching at Harvard.

Now the question is what kind of research they have conducted about Islamic terror in India and the satanic verses in Quran. How many of them know that as many as 3400 people were killed by Islamic terrorists in the last one decade? They have failed to follow the guidelines adopted by the faculty – disseminating ideas through research.

These faculty members are not lay people, uneducated, biased and subjective who express their opinions without any scientific research. They are expected to be authority on the subject they speak about. What kind of research they have done and how many of them have done research on Quran and Islamic open war against Hindus in India?

What happened to the moral responsibility of the faculty members in addressing these issues?

Academic abuse of authority

Based on the controversial decision taken at Harvard with regard to Summer School offerings, every University should look at the standard procedure of a group of faculty members approving the courses for that school. This has been a norm for centuries; it is nothing new. An incident like this opens every body’s eyes and wonder as to “how can it be.”

Decisions are made by the faculty members of a particular School as to whether a course can be offered in a given semester. In each School there may be as many as 10 – 30 departments representing different disciples. That means if the Economics Department would like to offer Economics 101, decision is made by overwhelming majority of non-economists. The faculty members in the field of Sanskrit, Comparative Religion, philosophy, Islamic Studies, History, Sociology, Anthropology, Music, Art, Mathematics, Statistics, English and other fields decide depending on their clicks, associations and / or favors. Traditionally the faculty members would follow the recommendations of the department concerned. They have over stepped their boundaries in removing these courses.

Regarding the two courses Dr. Swamy was teaching over the years, the distinguished professors used their biases, prejudices, hatefulness, narrow-mindedness, and vindictiveness in rejecting the courses. There is nothing wrong with the courses except that these courses were to be taught by Dr. Swamy. Many of these faculty members have no clue as to the ground reality in India. Many of them have no expertise in the field of neither Economics nor Islam. But they can dispose these courses even if the God proposes. They are given that kind of authority. It is time for all Academic Universities to probe the academic abuse of their authority.

Can these Academicians call the following verses in Quran HATEFUL?

If these distinguished faculty members consider Dr. Swamy’s article a hateful speech, what would they call the following verses in Quran. Just for their perusal, we listed only few.

What do Professors Eck, Witzel, Kelly, Bose and others say about these verses?

Quran contains many verses that offend the sentiments of Hindus, their worship practices, and their numerous gods because they are considered kafirs (non-believers). These verses create enmity between the religions, create disharmony, create poisonous climate for the destruction of Hind images, belittle the belief system, and encourage killing of non-believers (Hindus). Hindus believe in peaceful coexistence while the Quran believes in total domination with no rights for non-believers.

Idol worshippers

[31:13] Recall that Luqmaan said to his son, as he enlightened him, “O my son, do not set up any idols beside GOD; idolatry is a gross injustice.”

[12:106] The majority of those who believe in GOD do not do so without committing idol worship.

[4:48] GOD does not forgive idolatry, but He forgives lesser offenses for whomever He wills. Anyone who sets up idols beside GOD, has forged a horrendous offense.

[4:116] GOD does not forgive idol worship (if maintained until death), and He forgives lesser offenses for whomever He wills. Anyone who idolizes any idol beside GOD has strayed far astray.

[39:65] It has been revealed to you, and to those before you that if you ever commit idol worship, all your works will be nullified, and you will be with the losers.

[72:18] The places of worship belong to GOD; do not call on anyone else beside GOD.

Idolaters are unclean just because they are idolater
9.28: O you who believe! The idolaters are nothing but unclean, so they shall not approach the Sacred Mosque after this year; and if you fear poverty then Allah will enrich you out of His grace if He pleases; surely Allah is Knowing Wise.

Forcing non-believers to pay tax
9.29: Fight those who do not believe in Allah, nor in the latter day, nor do they prohibit what Allah and His Apostle have prohibited, nor follow the religion of truth, out of those who have been given the Book, until they pay the tax in acknowledgment of superiority and they are in a state of subjection.

2.62, 5.69 : All except Muslims / Jews/Christians / Sabians will go to hell
Surely those who believe, and those who are Jews, and the Christians, and the Sabians, whoever believes in Allah and the Last day and does good, they shall have their reward from their Lord, and there is no fear for them, nor shall they grieve.

Smite the neck and cut fingertips of unbelievers
8.12: When your Lord revealed to the angels: I am with you, therefore make firm those who believe. I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of them.

Smite the neck of unbelievers
47.4: So when you meet in battle those who disbelieve, then smite the necks until when you have overcome them, then make (them) prisoners, and afterwards either set them free as a favor or let them ransom (themselves) until the war terminates. That (shall be so); and if Allah had pleased He would certainly have exacted what is due from them, but that He may try some of you by means of others; and (as for) those who are slain in the way of Allah, He will by no means allow their deeds to perish.

Now, would the Faculty Cancel courses on Islam?

As documented above, these verses openly advocate the killing of non-believers, destruction of the idols, smiting the necks of unbelievers, the imposition of taxes on nonbelievers, and condemning nonbelievers to hell. How many distinguished faculty members would like to vote on these verses as vicious, inciting, hateful, vicious, and evil? If you cannot vote, how many of them are willing to conduct research on these verses? How many of them are willing to discuss each of these and other verses in Quran openly in the University campus? All the faculty members who voted to scrap these courses from the Summer School denying Dr. Swamy to teach should be honest to their consciousness, integrity, and professionalism. Pascal may have Muslims in his mind when he stated that “Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction.”

Reinstate Dr. Swamy, restore credibility, and regain the lost prestige

We earnestly request the President of the University, the faculty, the staff and the students to reintroduce these courses and reinstate Dr. Swamy to teach these courses. It is the right thing, a noble thing and an honest thing to do. Freedom of speech cannot be railroaded by select group of non-experts in the field. The reasons for removal of these courses are based on the supposed hatefulness in Dr. Swamy’s article, then the University should apply the same yardstick to all the Islamic courses based on Quran since it contains hundreds of hateful passages about non-believers. University’s reputation cannot be a sacrificial lamb for certain vested interested, anti-Hindus and self-professed secular liberals. University is a citadel for research, investigation and reasoning. The faculty should look at all sides of the issues rather than carried away by personal prejudices, ignorance and associations. It takes courage, guts and nerve to reverse the decision. The faculty and the President have this rare opportunity to correct the wrong. Every body will be a winner. No body will be a looser for doing the right thing.

- Global Hindu Heritage Foundation

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Posted by arisebharat

Truth Exposed: The reality behind Church attack at Mangalore

November 16, 2011

Truth Exposed: The reality behind Church attack at Mangalore of November-3-2011

http://samvada.org/2011/news/truth-exposed-the-reality-behind-church-attack-at-mangalore-of-november-3-2011/

A Love story and A Church attack!

Mangalore: On November 3rd 2011, there was another incident happened in Mangalore which drew national headlines within an hour after occurrence. After a gap of atleast an year there was an alleged Church attack. This time it was St Alphonse Catholic Church, Kankanady, located in heart of Mangalore City.

Shibu Jalligudde- the lover turned attacker!!
The incident of ‘attack’ took place at 8.30pm, but according to police sources they were informed after an hour, at 9.30pm. There was an intentional delay in informing the police though the Police Station was nearer, the Church being in a city like Mangalore. However a youth by name Shibu, was arrested, sent for judicial custody till November 22.
Few national and local media’s took no time to declare that this is again an attack from Sangh Parivar. Copying these reports few International media too reported the same. Few Irresponsible Media brought name of Sangh Parivar like ‘Taken for granted’. They publicized the report in an exaggerated and often misleading manner beyond the reality.
Now the truth is unfurled by a Weekly ‘Vikrama’ for national resurgence.
According to VIKARAMA report, the truth was shocking!
Shibu, a local person from Jalligudde Mangalore was a bus conductor by profession. He had a love affair with a Nun (Christian Woman Priest) of that church since long time. She used to travel in his bus regularly. Whenever Church’s Father was out of Church, Shibu used to go to Church to meet her. There was an alleged sexual relationship between Shibu and her. To prove that inner-wears from a branded company was obtained on the spot.

Inner-wears obtained on the spot
When few people in Church knew this and opposed about the same. Shibu got angry when he was opposed. Either Shibu damaged Statue of Jesus Christ and Mother Mary or Men in church themselves damaged these and later made this fake allegations. The following question arises here.
The incident of ‘attack’ took place at 8.30pm, but according to police sources they were informed after an hour, at 9.30pm
Church The incident took place in Father’s room. If Father was not there, how Shibu gets the key of the room?
If Shibu, being a representative of Hindu Organisation who purposely attacked Church, why he was caught easily inside the church, even prior to an escape attempt?
Why Shibu’s clothes, including a Jockey Underwear was found inside the room?
On November 7th, few persons from Church called Shibu’s father to a secret place for compromise discussions?
What made Church people to ask Shibu’s father to declare that his son to is ‘mentally diseased’?
What benefit the Church gets if they claim Shibu mentally unfit?
Why still district’s administrations and Police not declared the investigation report even after 12 days? Why there is silence?
Hence still there is an uncertainty. According to Sangh Parivar Sources as told to VSK, the man caught Shibu has not connected to it. He is a ordinary man with emeotins, may did the attack after frustration of love with his woman. Its unfortunate to blame Sangh Parivar for anything and everything, though we have good ties with many Christian leaders, said a Top RSS Functionary from Mangalore. We condemn any attack on any religious sentiments, he said.
People of Mangalore eagerly waiting for the final Police inquiry report.

Damaged statue
ಬೆತ್ತಲಾದ ಚರ್ಚ್ ಪ್ರಕರಣ

ಮಂಗಳೂರು: ನಾಗರಿಕ ಪ್ರಜ್ಞೆ ಇರುವ ಮಂಗಳೂರಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಸಾಮಾಜಿಕ ಮತ್ತು ಮತೀಯ ಶಾಂತಿಗೆ ಧಕ್ಕೆಯಾಗುವ ಘಟನೆಗಳು ಮರುಕಳಿಸಲೇ ಬಾರದು. ಇದನ್ನೇ ಜನ ಬಯಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಜನ ಸೌಹಾರ್ದಯುತ ಬದುಕುನ್ನು ಕಾಣುತ್ತಿರುವಾಗಲೇ ವಿಚಲಿತಗೊಳಿಸುವ ಮತ್ತೊಂದು ಘಟನೆ ದಕ್ಷಿಣ ಕನ್ನಡ ಜಿಲ್ಲೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ನಡೆದಿದೆ.
ದ.ಕ. ಜಿಲ್ಲೆಯ ಯಾವುದೇ ಭಾಗದಲ್ಲಿ ಆರಾಧನಾ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರಗಳ ಮೇಲೆ ದಾಳಿಯಾದರೆ ಮೊದಲು ಆರೋಪ ಕೇಳಿ ಬರುವುದು ಸಂಘ ಪರಿವಾರದ ಮೇಲೆಯೇ.. ಇದು ವಿಪರ್ಯಾಸ.
ಗಾಳಿ-ಮಳೆಗೆ ಹಾನಿ ಸಂಭವಿಸಿದರೂ, ಮೂರ್ತಿಗಳು ಭಗ್ನಗೊಂಡರೂ ಅದು ಸಂಘ ಪರಿವಾರದ ಕೆಲಸ ಎಂದು ಹೇಳಿಕೆ ನೀಡಲು ಮತ್ತು ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರೀಯ ಮಾಧ್ಯಮಗಳಿಗೆ ಸುದ್ದಿ ತಲುಪಿಸಲು ತುದಿಗಾಲಲ್ಲಿ ನಿಂತಿರುವ ದೊಡ್ಡ ಬಳಗವೇ ಮಂಗಳೂರಿನಲ್ಲಿದೆ. ಆ ಬಳಗವನ್ನು ಪೋಷಿಸುವ ಹಿತೈಷಿಗಳೂ ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಸದಾ ಕ್ರಿಯಾಶೀಲವಾಗಿರುವುದು ಕೂಡಾ ಅಷ್ಟೇ ಸತ್ಯ.
ನವೆಂಬರ್ 3ರಂದು ಇಲ್ಲಿನ ಕಂಕನಾಡಿಯ ಸೈಂಟ್ ಅಲ್ಫೋನ್ಸಾ ಕ್ಯಾಥೋಲಿಕ್ ಚರ್ಚ್‌ನಲ್ಲಿ ನಡೆದ ದಾಂಧಲೆಯ ಸುದ್ದಿಯೂ ಅತಿ ಶೀಘ್ರವಾಗಿ ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರೀಯ- ಅಂತಾರಾಷ್ಟ್ರೀಯ ಸುದ್ದಿ ಮಾಧ್ಯಮಗಳಿಗೆ ತಲುಪಿದೆ. ಮಂಗಳೂರಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಸಂಘ ಪರಿವಾರದಿಂದ ನಿರಂತರವಾಗಿ ಚರ್ಚ್‌ಗಳ ಮೇಲೆ ದಾಳಿ ನಡೆಯುತ್ತಿದೆ ಎಂಬ ಅರ್ಥ ಬರುವ ರೀತಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಅದೇ ರಾತ್ರಿ ಸುದ್ದಿ ಬಿತ್ತರವಾಗಿದೆ.
ಆದರೆ ಗುರುವಾರ ರಾತ್ರಿ ಕಂಕನಾಡಿ ಚರ್ಚ್‌ನಲ್ಲಿ ನಿಜವಾಗಿ ನಡೆದುದಾದರೂ ಏನು? ದಾಂಧಲೆ ನಡೆಸುವ ಉದ್ದೇಶವನ್ನು ಚರ್ಚ್‌ನಲ್ಲಿ ಸಿಕ್ಕಿಬಿದ್ದ ಜಲ್ಲಿಗುಡ್ಡೆಯ ನಿವಾಸಿ ಶಿಬು ಹೊಂದಿದ್ದರೆ ಅಷ್ಟು ಬೇಗನೆ ಅಲ್ಲಿಗೆ ಬರುತಿದ್ದನೇ? ರಾತ್ರಿ 8.30 -8.45ಮಧ್ಯೆ ಘಟನೆ ಸಂಭವಿಸಿದೆ. ಪೊಲೀಸರಿಗೆ ಮಾಹಿತಿ ನೀಡಿದ್ದು 9.30ರ ಸುಮಾರಿಗೆ. ಯಾರು, ಯಾಕೆ ವಿಳಂಬ ನೀತಿಯನ್ನು ಅನುಸರಿಸಿದರು? ಚರ್ಚ್‌ನ ಧರ್ಮಗುರುಗಳು ಊರಲ್ಲಿರಲಿಲ್ಲವೆಂದಾದ ಮೇಲೆ ಅವರ ಕೋಣೆಯ ಬೀಗದ ಕೀ ಶಿಬುವಿಗೆ ದೊರೆತುದಾದರೂ ಹೇಗೆ?
ದಾಳಿಗೆಂದು ಬಂದ ದುಷ್ಕರ್ಮಿ ತನ್ನ ಬಟ್ಟೆ ಬರೆಗಳನ್ನು ಹ್ಯಾಂಗರ್‌ನಲ್ಲಿ ತೂಗು ಹಾಕಿರಲು ಕಾರಣವೇನು?
ಒಳ ಉಡುಪು ಕಳಚಿಡುವುದಕ್ಕೂ ದಾಳಿಗೂ ಏನಾದರೂ ಸಂಬಂಧವಿದೆಯೇ ಎಂಬ ಅಂಶ ಪ್ರಮುಖವಾಗಿ ಕಂಡುಬಂದಿದ್ದು ಪೊಲೀಸರ ದೃಷ್ಟಿಯೂ ಇದರತ್ತಲೇ ನೆಟ್ಟಿದೆ. ತನಿಖೆಯೂ ನಡೆಯುತ್ತಿದೆ.
ಧರ್ಮಗುರುಗಳ ಕೊಠಡಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಮಹಿಳೆಯರು ಬಳಸುವ ಛತ್ರಿಯೊಂದು ಪತ್ತೆಯಾಗಿರುವುದು ಗೊತ್ತಾಗಿದೆ. ಅದು ಯಾರಿಗೆ ಸೇರಿದ್ದು? ಆ ಛತ್ರಿ ಅಲ್ಲಿಗೆ ಹೇಗೆ ಬಂತು ಎಂಬ ಕುರಿತು ಚರ್ಚೆಯಾಗುತ್ತಿದೆ. ಹಾಸಿಗೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ‘ವೀ….’ ಬಿದ್ದಿರುವ ವದಂತಿಯೂ ಹಬ್ಬಿದ್ದು ಇದೊಂದು ‘ರಾತ್ರಿಯಾಟ’ ಎಂಬುದನ್ನು ಜನರೇ ಮಾತಾಡಿಕೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಕೊಣೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ದೊರೆತ ಒಳಉಡುಪು, ಕೂದಲನ್ನು ಸದ್ಯ ಪ್ರಯೋಗಾಲಯಕ್ಕೆ ಕೊಂಡೊಯ್ಯಲಾಗಿದೆ.
‘ಆರೋಪಿ ಕ್ಯಾಂಡಲ್ ಸ್ಟ್ಯಾಂಡಿನಿಂದ ಹೊಡೆದು ಯೇಸು ಕ್ರಿಸ್ತರ ಮೂರ್ತಿಯ ಪಾದಕ್ಕೆ ಹಾನಿಗೊಳಿಸಿದ್ದಾನೆ. ಮೇರಿ ಮಾತೆಯ ಮೂರ್ತಿಯ ಕಿರೀಟವನ್ನು ಕೆಳಕ್ಕೆ ಎಸೆದಿದ್ದಾನೆ ’ ಎಂದು ಧರ್ಮ ಗುರುಗಳು ಪೋಲೀಸರಿಗೆ ನೀಡಿದ ಹೇಳಿಕೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ತಿಳಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಹಾಗಾದರೆ ಚರ್ಚ್‌ನೊಳಗೆ ಕಲ್ಲುಗಳು ಎಲ್ಲಿಂದ ಬಂದವು? ದಾಂಧಲೆಗೆಂದು ಬಂದವನು ಜನರನ್ನು ಕಂಡಾಗ ತಪ್ಪಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳಲು ಪ್ರಯತ್ನಿಸುತ್ತಾನೆ. ಬದಲಾಗಿ ಇನ್ನಷ್ಟು ಆವಾಂತರ ಸೃಷ್ಟಿಸಿ ಸಿಕ್ಕಿ ಬೀಳಲು ಇಷ್ಟ ಪಡುವುದಿಲ್ಲ ಎಂಬುದು ಬಹಳ ಮುಖ್ಯ.
ಚರ್ಚ್‌ನೊಳಗೆ ನಡೆದ ‘ಅಪವಿತ್ರ’ ಕೆಲಸವನ್ನು ಮರೆಮಾಚಲು ಮೂರ್ತಿ ಭಗ್ನವನ್ನು ಅಲ್ಲಿಗೆ ಸಂಬಂಧ ಪಟ್ಟವರೇ ಯಾಕೆ ಮಾಡಿರಬಾರದು? ಈ ಸಿದ್ಧತೆಗಳನ್ನು ಪೂರೈಸಿದ ಬಳಿಕವೇ ಚರ್ಚ್ ಮಂದಿ ಪೊಲೀಸರಿಗೆ ದೂರು ತಲುಪಿಸಿರುವ ಸಾಧ್ಯತೆಗಳಿಲ್ಲವೇ?
ಚರ್ಚ್‌ನ ನನ್‌ನೊಂದಿಗೆ ಸಂಬಂಧ?
ಚರ್ಚ್‌ನಲ್ಲಿ ಸಿಕ್ಕಿ ಬಿದ್ದಿರುವ ಶಿಬು ನಾಲ್ಕು ದಿನಗಳ ಪೊಲೀಸ್ ಕಸ್ಟಡಿಯ ಬಳಿಕ ನ.22ರವರೆಗೆ ನ್ಯಾಯಾಂಗ ಬಂಧನದಲ್ಲಿದ್ದಾನೆ. ನಗರದ ಸಿಟಿ ಬಸ್ ಒಂದರಲ್ಲಿ ನಿರ್ವಾಹಕನಾಗಿದ್ದ ಶಿಬು ಚರ್ಚ್‌ನ ನನ್ (ಕ್ರೈಸ್ತ ಸನ್ಯಾಸಿನಿ) ಜೊತೆಗೆ ಸಂಬಂಧ ಹೊಂದಿದ್ದ ಎನ್ನಲಾಗಿದೆ.
ನಿತ್ಯ ಅದೇ ಬಸ್‌ನಲ್ಲಿ ಪ್ರಯಾಣಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದ ನನ್‌ಜೊತೆಗೆ ಆತನ ಸ್ನೇಹ ಗಾಢವಾಗಿತ್ತು. ಇದೇ ಕಾರಣದಿಂದ ಚರ್ಚ್‌ನಲ್ಲಿ ಯಾರೂ ಇಲ್ಲದ ವೇಳೆ ಆತ ನನ್‌ರನ್ನು ಭೇಟಿ ಮಾಡುತ್ತಿದ್ದ. ನ.೩ರಂದು ಕೂಡ ಅದೇರೀತಿ ತೆರಳಿದ್ದಾನೆ. ಆತನ ದುರಾದೃಷ್ಟಕ್ಕೆ ಚರ್ಚ್‌ನ ಕೆಲವು ಮಂದಿ ಕಂಡಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಆದರೆ ಪ್ರಾರ್ಥನೆ ಸಲ್ಲಿಸಲು ಬಂದಿಬೇಕೆಂದು ಅವರಂದುಕೊಂಡಿದ್ದರು. ಆದರೆ ಆತ ವಾಪಾಸು ಬರುವ ಸುಳಿವು ಇಲ್ಲವಾದಾಗ ಹುಡುಕುವ ಪ್ರಯತ್ನ ಸಾಗಿದೆ.
ಚರ್ಚ್‌ನ ಫಾದರ್ ಇಲ್ಲದ ಸಂದರ್ಭವೇ ಶಿಬು ಬರುತ್ತಿದ್ದ ಅನ್ನೋದು ಮತ್ತೊಂದು ವಿಶೇಷ. ಅಂತೆಯೇ ಚರ್ಚ್‌ನವರು ಹುಡುಕಾಟ ಆರಂಭಿಸಿದಾಗ ಫಾದರ್ ಅವರ ಕೊಠಡಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ನನ್ ಜೊತೆಗೆ ಶಿಬು ಬೆತ್ತಲೆಯಾಗಿ ಸಿಕ್ಕಿಬಿದ್ದಿದ್ದಾನೆ. ಆತ ಕಳಚಿಟ್ಟ ಒಳ ಉಡುಪು ಸ್ಥಳದಲ್ಲೇ ಪತ್ತೆಯಾಗಿದೆ. ಚರ್ಚ್‌ನ ಮಂದಿಯನ್ನು ಕಂಡಾತ ತಪ್ಪಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳುವ ಭರದಲ್ಲಿ ಬೆತ್ತಲಾಗಿಯೇ ಓಟಕ್ಕಿತ್ತಿದ್ದಾನೆ. ಆ ಸಂದರ್ಭ ಟೇಬಲ್ ಮೇಲಿದ್ದ ಟೇಬಲ್ ಕ್ಲಾತ್‌ನ್ನು ಸೆಳೆದು ಸೊಂಟಕ್ಕೆ ಸುತ್ತಿಕೊಳ್ಳಲು ಪ್ರಯತ್ನ್ನಿಸಿದ್ದು ಆ ಸಂದರ್ಭ ಆತನ ಕೈ ಏಸುವಿನ ಶಿಲುಬೆಗೆ ತಾಗಿ ಹಾನಿಯಾಗಿರಬೇಕು. ಜೊತೆಗೆ ಪವಿತ್ರ ವಸ್ತುಗಳುನ್ನು ಇಟ್ಟಿದ್ದ ಟೇಬಲ್ ಮೇಲಿದ್ದ ವಸ್ತುಗಳು ಕೆಳಗೆ ಬಿದ್ದು ಚೆಲ್ಲಾಪಿಲ್ಲಿಯಾಗಿವೆ ಎಂಬುದು ಕಣ್ಣೆದುರಿರುವ ಸತ್ಯ ಎಂದು ಜನರೇ ಆಡಿಕೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾರೆ.

ಗುಪ್ತಸಭೆ, ಆರೋಪಿ ಮಾನಸಿಕ ಅಸ್ವಸ್ಥನೆಂದು ಬಿಂಬಿಸುವ ಯತ್ನ
ಸತ್ಯ ವಿಷಯ ಬಹಿರಂಗಗೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತಿದ್ದಂತೆ ನೈಜ ಪ್ರಕರಣಕ್ಕೆ ತೇಪೆ ಹಚ್ಚಿ ಮುಗಿಸುವ ಯತ್ನ ನಡೆದಿದೆ.
ಶಿಬುನನ್ನು ಮಾನಸಿಕ ಅಸ್ವಸ್ಥ ಎಂದು ಬಿಂಬಿಸಿ ಪ್ರಕರಣವನ್ನು ತಿಳಿಗೊಳಿಸುವ ಪ್ರಯತ್ನ ಸಾಗಿದ್ದು ನ.೭ರಂದು ಚರ್ಚ್‌ಗೆ ಸಂಬಂಧಿಸಿದ ಪ್ರಮುಖರೊಬ್ಬರು ಶಿಬುನ ತಂದೆಯನ್ನು ಮಾತುಕತೆ ನಡೆಸಲೆಂದು ಕಂಕನಾಡಿಯ ಕಚೇರಿಯೊಂದಕ್ಕೆ ಕರೆಸಿಕೊಂಡಿದ್ದಾರೆ.
ಗುಪ್ತ ಆಹ್ವಾನದ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಶಿಬುನ ಸ್ನೇಹಿತ ಹಿಂದೂ ಸಂಘಟನೆಯೊಂದಕ್ಕೆ ಸುದ್ದಿ ಮುಟ್ಟಿಸಿದ್ದರು. ಸೋಮವಾರ ಮಾತುಕತೆ ನಡೆಯುತ್ತಿದ್ದಂತೆ ಸಂಘಟನೆಯ ಕೆಲವರು ಆ ಸ್ಥಳಕ್ಕೆ ಭೇಟಿ ನೀಡಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಇದನ್ನು ಕಂಡು ದಂಗಾದ ಚರ್ಚ್ ಪ್ರಮುಖರು ವಿಷಯಾಂತರಕ್ಕೆ ಯತ್ನಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಅಲ್ಲದೆ ಬಂದವರ ಮೇಲೆಯೇ ರೇಗಾಡಿದ್ದಾರೆ.
ಆದಾಗ್ಯೂ ಚರ್ಚ್‌ನ ನನ್ ಮತ್ತು ಶಿಬು ನಡುವಿನ ಗಾಢ ಸ್ನೇಹದಿಂದಲೇ ಆತ ಗುರುವಾರ ರಾತ್ರಿ ಚರ್ಚ್‌ಗೆ ಬಂದಿದ್ದ ಎಂಬ ಸತ್ಯ ಒಪ್ಪಿಕೊಳ್ಳಲು ಅವರು ಸಿದ್ಧರಿರಲಿಲ್ಲ. ಚರ್ಚ್‌ನಲ್ಲಿ ಆಕಸ್ಮಿಕವಾಗಿ ಈ ಘಟನೆ ನಡೆದಿದೆ ಎಂದು ಪತ್ರಿಕಾ ಹೇಳಿಕೆ ನೀಡುವಂತೆ ಸಂಘಟನೆಯವರು ತಿಳಿಸಿದಾಗ, ಇದನ್ನು ಎಲ್ಲಾ ಪ್ರಮುಖರು ಚರ್ಚಿಸಿ ತೀರ್ಮಾನಿಸುತ್ತಾರೆ ಎಂದು ನುಣುಚಿಕೊಳ್ಳುವ ಯತ್ನ ನಡೆಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ.
ಆಡಳಿತ ಮಂಡಳಿ ತೀರ್ಮಾನಿಸುವುದಾದರೆ ಗೌಪ್ಯವಾಗಿ ಶಿಬುನ ತಂದೆಯನ್ನು ಮಾತುಕತೆಗೆ ಕರೆಯುವ ಔಚಿತ್ಯವೇನಿತ್ತು? ಎಂಬ ಪ್ರಶ್ನೆಗೆ ಅವರಲ್ಲಿ ಉತ್ತರವಿರಲಿಲ್ಲ.
ಆಮಿಷ ಒಡ್ಡಿ ಪ್ರಕರಣ ತಿರುಚಲು ಯತ್ನ?
ಆಮಿಷ ಒಡ್ಡಿ , ಶಿಬುನನ್ನು ಕುಡುಕ, ಮಾನಸಿಕ ಅಸ್ವಸ್ಥ ಎಂದು ಆತನ ತಂದೆಯ ಮೂಲಕವೇ ಬಹಿರಂಗಪಡಿಸಲು ಅವರನ್ನು ಮಾತುಕತೆಗೆ ಕರೆಸಲಾಗಿತ್ತೆನ್ನಲಾಗಿದೆ. ಸಾಮಾಜಿಕ ಶಾಂತಿ-ಸಾಮರಸ್ಯದ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ನೈಜ ಕಾಳಜಿ ಇರುವುದೇ ಆದರೆ ಚರ್ಚ್ ಸತ್ಯವಿಚಾರವನ್ನು ಬಹಿರಂಗಪಡಿಸಬೇಕು. ಪೊಲೀಸರು ಶೀಘ್ರ ತನಿಖೆ ನಡೆಸಿ ಸತ್ಯಾಂಶವನ್ನು ಸಮಾಜದ ಮುಂದಿಡಬೇಕು. ಜನರಲ್ಲಿರುವ ಗೊಂದಲವನ್ನು ನಿವಾರಿಸಬೇಕು. ಚರ್ಚ್‌ನಲ್ಲಿ ನಿಜವಾಗಿಯೂ ನಡೆದಿದ್ದೇನು? ಎಂಬುದು ಪೊಲೀಸರು ಅಥವಾ ಚರ್ಚ್‌ನವರ ಮೂಲಕ ಶೀಘ್ರ ಬಹಿರಂಗಗೊಳ್ಳಬೇಕು ಎಂದು ವಿವಿಧ ಸಂಘಟನೆಗಳು, ನಾಗರಿಕರು ಒತ್ತಾಯಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಇದಕ್ಕೂ ಮುನ್ನ ಚರ್ಚ್ ಮೇಲೆ ಮತ್ತೆ ದಾಳಿ ಎಂದು ಭಾರೀ ಗುಲ್ಲೆಬ್ಬಿಸುವ ಯತ್ನ ನಡೆದಿದ್ದನ್ನು ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಸ್ಮರಿಸಬಹುದು.
ಪ್ರಕರಣ ತಿರುವು ಪಡೆಯುತ್ತಿದ್ದಂತೆ ಪತ್ರಿಕಾಗೋಷ್ಠಿ ಕರೆದು ತಮ್ಮ ಬೇಳೆ ಬೇಯಿಸಿ ಉರಿವ ಬೆಂಕಿಗೆ ತುಪ್ಪ ಸುರಿಯುವ ಕೆಲಸ ಮಾಡುವ ಮಂದಿ, ಈಗ ತುಟಿಪಿಟಿಕ್ಕೆನ್ನುತ್ತಿಲ್ಲ. ಚರ್ಚ್ ದಾಳಿ ಎಂದು ಬಿಂಬಿತವಾದಾಗ ಎಲ್ಲಿಲ್ಲದ ಮುತುವರ್ಜಿಯಿಂದ ಇದು ಹಿಂದೂ ಸಂಘಟನೆಗಳದ್ದೇ ಕೆಲಸ ಎಂಬ ರೀತಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ವಿಷಯ ಬಿತ್ತರವಾಗಿತ್ತು. ಹೇಳಿಕೆಗಳೂ ಅದೇ ರೀತಿ ಇದ್ದವು. ಒಂದು ವೇಳೆ ಕೋರ್ಟ್‌ನಲ್ಲಿ ಶಿಬು ನನ್‌ನೊಂದಿಗಿನ ಸಂಬಂಧದ ಹಿನ್ನೆಲೆಯಲ್ಲೇ ತಾನು ಚರ್ಚ್‌ಗೆ ಬರುತ್ತಿದ್ದೆ ಎಂಬ ಹೇಳಿಕೆ ನೀಡಿದರೆ ಚರ್ಚ್‌ನಲ್ಲಿ ನಡೆಯುತ್ತಿರುವ ವಿಷಯಗಳತ್ತ ಜನ ಪ್ರಶ್ನಾರ್ಥಕವಾಗಿ ನೋಡುವುದಂತೂ ಸತ್ಯ.

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Communal Violence Bill divides the country- Arif Mohammad Khan

November 14, 2011

Impressive words by Arif Mohammad Khan @ seminar in Hyderabad. He say,” The communal violence bill is a shameful attempt by the Congress to exploit the so-called minority votes by creating the bogey of majoritarian violence. The bill is anti-constitutional and will not stand in the court of law. But the damage on the psyche of the country will be immense. We are one nation and one people and everyone must be equal in the eyes of law”

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Let’s talk about Kashmir – Tavleen Singh

October 28, 2011

Let’s talk about Kashmir

Tavleen Singh Posted online: Sun Oct 16 2011, 01:15 hrs

Prashant Bhushan got thrashed by thugs last week. Thugs will be thugs, alas, which is a bore. It would have been better if Bhushan and his Leftist fellow travellers were challenged verbally on their preposterous position on Kashmir. How dare they ask for a plebiscite? Do they not see that regular elections have nullified the need for one? Are they suggesting that all the elections held since 1947 were fraudulent?
Only those who have no idea of Kashmir’s history will say that none of them were. There were many fraudulent elections and this is something that India needs to be eternally ashamed of because it never helped India’s case. But, far too many well-meaning Indians, like Bhushan and his friend the ex-novelist, remain stuck in a time warp and nobody drags them out of it for reasons of political correctness. This lethal disease has become worse since Inquilab-e-Anna because to say anything against a member of Anna Hazare’s exalted team these days invokes charges of being corrupt.

It was only after the thugs did their damage that I first heard what had annoyed them enough to start beating up Bhushan and his pals. After interminable visuals of them being roughed up on all the news channels, I still did not understand what provoked the violence. Finally, on one channel, I spotted a tiny clip of what Bhushan said in Srinagar. I do not know when he said what he did but admit that what he said got on my last nerve. What is his reason for wanting a plebiscite? Now at the end of the most peaceful summer Kashmir has seen in years? Have Bhushan and others of his ilk become accidental victims of a conspiracy to restart the violence? It is beginning to seem that way to me and, in my opinion, that is not just anti-national but evil.

As someone who has covered the Kashmir problem since the days when it was neither fashionable nor safe, I began to detect signs of a conspiracy to make trouble when Mehbooba Mufti started charging Omar Abdullah with murder. I witnessed first hand her father’s role in the creation of the current phase of the Kashmir problem (quite different to the historical problem), so I am continually suspicious of Mehbooba’s political ideas and motives. She may not remember, but I remember with painful clarity, that it was her beloved Daddy who advised Indira Gandhi to topple Farooq Abdullah’s government in 1984.

Mufti Sayeed was at the head of the group that said the 1983 election was rigged when it should have been clear to anyone, except the most blinkered, that the National Conference did not need to rig an election that came just months after Sheikh Abdullah’s death. His son would have won without even needing to campaign but Mrs Gandhi was misled by people who included Mufti Sayeed. The toppling of Farooq’s government was the beginning of the Kashmir problem as we know it today. In my view, the historical problem died with the Indira-Sheikh accord in 1974.

It is now nearly twenty years since the current problem began. And, this is almost the first peaceful summer the Kashmir Valley has seen since then. This seems to infuriate people like Mehbooba. So she took to the streets to protest against the alleged murder of a National Conference worker in the Chief Minister’s back garden. If Omar Abdullah wanted to murder one of his party workers, would he be foolish enough to do it in his own garden?

Mehbooba and her gang of noisy protesters failed to bring the stone-pelters back into the streets of Srinagar but she succeeded in attracting media attention. Self-appointed experts sped off to the Valley and returned to write long, silly pieces based on unsubstantiated charges. And, as usual, the news channels went nuts. The Chief Minister was charged, tried and found guilty on national television with some anchors using tactics that would have put inquisitors in medieval inquisitions to shame. They shamed me as a journalist because when journalists turn interviews into inquisitions they cross a very, very dangerous line.

To return to the plebiscite question. For those Indians who believe that a plebiscite is still the solution to the larger Kashmir problem, may I suggest that they summon up the courage to go further. Let them say loudly and clearly that every election in Jammu & Kashmir has been rigged and let them prove this because it will prove that Indian democracy is a sham. For my part, I am sick to death of educated, intelligent, supposedly informed Indians saying things about the Kashmir situation that are dangerously untrue. If there is ever to be a lasting solution to our most difficult political problem, it will come after many seasons of peace. To disrupt the first such season harms Kashmir and it shames India.

Follow Tavleen Singh on Twitter@tavleen_singh

http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/860418/

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Communal Violence Bill – Dr.Subramaniam Swami file complaint on Sonia

October 27, 2011

From:

Dr Subramanian Swamy , President of Janata Party, A-77, Nizamuddin East, Sector 18, Rohini, New Delhi-110013:

To:

SHO/Insp: D.P. Singh, Sector 18, Rohini, Crime Branch, New Delhi.

Re: Registering of FIR u/s 153A & B, 295A & 505(2) of Indian Penal Code.

Dated: October 24, 2011.

1. In public interest I am sending by Courier service a complaint in my name against Chairperson Ms. Sonia Gandhi of National Advisory Council, which has its office at 2 Motilal Place, New Delhi-110011, Tel: 23062582, and also against unnamed other members of the said NAC for committing offences of propagating hate against the Hindu community of India by circulating for enacting as law a Draft Bill described as PREVENTION OF COMMUNAL AND TARGETED VIOLENCE BILL OF 2011. This Draft Bill has been posted on the NAC official website, is dated July 21, 2011 and sent for adoption by Parliament. That this 2011 Draft Bill is mischievous in content of targeting the Hindu community, malafide, unreasonable and prejudicial to public order, is apparent from the second section of Explanatory Note [Annexed herein] to the Draft Bill titled “Key Provisions of the Bill”, thereby inciting crimes against the Hindu community with impunity, and thus committing offences u/s 153A & B, 295A and 505(2) of the Indian Penal Code.

2. The UPA Government in December, 2005 had introduced earlier a Draft Bill [2005] in the Parliament described as THE COMMUNAL VIOLENCE (PREVENTION, CONTROL AND REHABILITATION OF VICTIMS) BILL (2005).

3. The Draft Bill however did not find favour with any Party. Leaders of several political parties felt that the Draft Bill provided sweeping powers to the Central Government thus undermining the authority of the State Governments. But the most vocal opposition to this draft Bill came from the Muslim, Christian and so called secular quarters. Their contention was just the opposite of what the political leaders were saying. The view of Muslim and Christian groups was that the 2005 Draft Bill was “completely toothless”. They demanded that the powers of managing communal violence be vested in non-government actors and make governments and administration at all levels accountable them for communal violence.

4. The All India Christian Council was in the forefront of this campaign against the 2005 Draft Bill as being “too weak”. In a letter written to the Prime Minister, Ms Sonia Gandhi, herself a Christian, through the AICC had conveyed to the PM the Christian Council concerns about the 2005 Draft Bill, and then revised the same as the 2009 Draft Bill.

5. The Muslim bodies too joined in the protest campaign against the draft as being too weak. They wanted provisions to make police and civil administration and state authorities “accountable” to public bodies. The Joint Committee of Muslim Organizations for Empowerment (JCMOE) made the demand on behalf of these organizations. JCMOE also urged the government to convene a meeting of leaders of “targeted communities” to note their views on the Bill as follows:

“The Bill does not make police or administration or state authorities accountable and provide for timely and effective intervention by the National Human Rights Commission, if the communal violence spreads or continues for weeks, or by the Central Government under Articles 355 and 356 of the Constitution, duly modified. On the other hand, ironically, the Bill grants more power to the local police and administration, which, more often than not acts in league with the rioters by declaring the area as ‘communally disturbed area’ JCMOE statement said.

6. It is interesting to note that these two statements, the Muslim and the Christian, come at around the same time as though they were premeditated. They probably were.

7. From their arguments in opposition to the Draft Bill, it is clear that they wanted a Bill that would consider only the Christians and Muslims as the “generally targeted” victims of communal violence; and that the word ‘communal violence’ be re-defined in such a way that only the Muslims and Christians are treated as victims and Hindus as predators, and that the local police and administration, including the State administration, considered hand-in-glove with the perpetrators of violence. Hence the Bill should empower the Central Government to invoke Art. 355 and 356 of the Constitution against any state in the event of such communal violence.

8. Since the Prevention of Communal Violence Bill (2005) does not discriminate between the perpetrators and victims of communal violence on religious grounds and also it does not envisage the State administration as committed in preventing such violence, these groups wanted the Bill to be withdrawn.

9. The National Advisory Council (NAC) was re-constituted in 2009 by the UPA Government again under the chairmanship of Ms. Sonia Gandhi. The UPA Government promptly handed over the re-drafting of the Bill to the newly constituted NAC and asked it to come up with a fresh draft.

10. The basic communally provocative premise of the re-drafted Bill is that: a) there is a non-dominant group in every State in the form of religious and linguistic minority which is always a victim of violence; b) the dominant majority (usually Hindus) in the State is always the perpetrator of violence; and c) the State administration is, as a rule, biased against the non-dominant group.

11. The object of the re-drafted Bill thus was the basic premise of the NAC that the majority community – read Hindus – are the perpetrators of communal violence in India and the minority – read Muslims and Christians – are the victims, clearly is incitement of religious strife.

12. What is more important is to conclude is that in all cases of communal and targeted violence, dominant religious and linguistic group at the State level is always the perpetrator and the other the victims. Similarly the conclusion that the State machinery is invariably and always biased against the non-dominant group is a gross misstatement of the sincerity and commitment of millions of people who form State administration in the country.

13. This dangerous premise is the incitement of communal strife in this Bill.

14. One can safely conclude that the script writers of this Bill are themselves blinded with religious biases. In India communal violence happens mostly because of politico-communal reasons. In many instances, as documented by several Commissions of Inquiry, it is the so-called minority group that triggers the trouble. We hence need laws that can prevent such violence irrespective of whoever perpetrates it. To argue that since the administration is always biased in favour of the dominant group we need acts that are biased in favour of the non-dominant group is imprudent and puerile.

15. The final Draft is available on the NAC website now. One is not sure when the same will be placed before the Parliament. However, a close scrutiny of the Draft is essential to understand the serious implications of and threats from it to our national integration, social harmony and Constitutional Federalism.

16. This Bill when it becomes an Act will apply to whole country except the State of Jammu and Kashmir. Note that J&K is one of the two States in India (excluding the North East and other tiny UTs) that has Hindus as minority – the ‘non-dominant group’ according to this Bill. Punjab is the other State where the Sikhs constitute the majority, while in the rest of the entire country it is the Hindus who constitute ‘dominant group’ and by implication the perpetrators of communal violence, according to this Draft Bill.

17. The mischief in the drafting primarily lies in the ‘Definitions’ part contained in Art.3 of the first chapter. Art. 3 (c ) defines Communal and Targeted Violence as under:-

“Communal and targeted violence” means and includes any act or series of acts, whether spontaneous or planned, resulting in injury or harm to the person and or property knowingly directed against any person by virtue of his or her membership of any group”.

18. The mischief is centered round the word ‘Group’. Art 3(e) defines what constitutes a ‘Group’.

“Group” means a religious or linguistic minority, in any State in the Union of India, or Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes within the meaning of clauses of the Constitution of India;

19. Having thus established that the individual member of the Minority community is always considered a part of the Minority group the Draft Bill goes on to add several detrimental clauses subsequently. Art.3 (f) defines ‘Hostile environment against a group’ thus:

“Hostile environment against a group” means an intimidating or coercive environment that is created when a person belonging to any group as defined under this Act, by virtue of his or her membership of that group, is subjected to any of the following acts:

(i) boycott of the trade or business of such person or making it otherwise difficult for him or her to earn a living; or

(ii) publicly humilitate such person through exclusion from public services, including education, health and transportation of any act of indignity; or

(iii) deprive or threaten to deprive such person of his or her fundamental rights;

or,

(iv) force such person to leave his or her home or place of ordinary residence or livlihood without his or her express consent; or

(v) any other act, whether or not it amounts to an offence under this Act, that has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment.”

Note the Clause (v) – ‘Any other act, whether or not it amounts to an offence under this Act’. The intention here seems to be to make anything and everything an offence, even if it doesn’t come under any definition of an offence. It is clear that the entire definition of ‘hostile environment’ is malafide.

Clause (k) defines who is a ‘victim’. Here the draft makers are very explicit:

“victim” means any person belonging to a group as defined under this Act, who has suffered physical, mental, psychological or monetary harm or harm to his or hr property as a result of the commission of any offence under this Act, and includes his or her relatives, legal guardian and legal heirs, wherever appropriate;

“Victim” can only be belonging to a ‘group’ as defined under this Act. And the group as defined under this Act is the Minority – the ‘non-dominant group’. That means this act will consider only the Minority as the victims. And he or she will become a ‘victim if he or she has suffered physical, mental, psychological or monetary harm….’ Now, physical harm is measurable, mental harm is difficult to gauge, but how on earth can anyone define ‘psychological harm’? The Bill does not define it. Then how can be so-called ‘psychological harm’ be one of the reasons for victimhood?

Similarly, Art. 4 (a) states as follows:

4. Knowledge. – A person is said to knowingly direct any act against a person belonging to a group by virtue of such person’s membership of that group where;

(a) he or she means to engage in the conduct against a person he or she knows belongs to that group;

20. Art 7 of the draft Bill defines ‘sexual assault’. It is by far the most widely covered definition that is very much needed to protect women from becoming targets of sexual violence as part of communal violence. But against the problem is that this definition is applicable to the women belonging to Minority group and women of the Majority community cannot benefit from it. Secondly, it also states that in a case of communal violence sex by consent also can be construed as a crime.

21. Patriotic Indians now realize that the present draft Bill is a standing proof that neo Jinnah-ism – the belief that the minority is perpetually oppressed in India by the Hindu majority – is still poisoning our minds even today by mischievous minds..

22. The present Draft Bill will only promote disharmony. With these kind of laws the LeTs and Hujls across the border need not have to promote terrorism in our territory anymore. All that they need to do is to encourage a minor communal riot and they can achieve what they want – huge rift between the Majority and Minority communities.

23. Hence, the NAC, with Ms Sonia Gandhi as Chairperson, and other members have jointly committed offences under IPC Sections 153A & B, 295A, and 505(2).

24. It is significant that even well known persons of secular credentials have condemned this Bill as divisive. The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Ms. J. Jayalalitha has in a Press Release dated July 29, 2011 [Annexed] has concluded that “the remedy sought [in the Draft Bill] to be provided against communal and targeted violence is worse than the disease itself”.

25. Therefore, this complaint be taken as a basis to register an FIR and conduct investigation into the communal mentality of the NAC chairperson Ms. Sonia Gandhi and other members and take necessary action under the law to prosecute the offenders under the cited sections of the IPC.

( SUBRAMANIAN SWAMY )

Source : www.samvada.org

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Positive signals from Anna movement

October 15, 2011

Positive signals from Anna movement

By Dr Manmohan Vaidya

Anna Hazare-led anti-corruption campaign has been an unusual experience for Indians nationwide, particularly the young. This completely non-violent movement that found support from all sections of the society throughout the country was a pleasant experience. Slogans like Bharatmata ki jai and Vande Mataram that reverberated through the campaign almost became the catch phrases for citizens filled with a sense of nationalism and patriotism. The campaign coined its own metaphor and has left its own lessons that could serve as reference points for the future.
Connect with the New Generation
Many would have believed that the young in India, often described as 3-F generation, are people only interested in the 3Fs ‘Films, Facebook and Fashion’ and bother little about the country’s politics. With Anna’s campaign that opinion stands corrected. Anna’s anti-corruption drive brought these very youngsters out on the streets, armed with the tricolour, shouting Bharatmata ki jai quietly underlining a non-violent show of their strength. With this campaign, the youth of the country proved that when thrown a challenge they are willing to stand up and show the power that a united youth commands in India.
The campaign also revealed that when a parliamentary democracy stops understanding popular sentiments and turns apathetic towards the needs of its people, people’s power can show the way, forcing an apathetic government to listen to people’s emotions and understand the sentiments of the populace.
Not just that. Anna’s campaign much like the Youth Against Corruption and Baba Ramdev’s campaign against corruption also established the fact that the people in the country are both seriously worried and agitated over the issue of corruption. It also established that people were no longer ready to sit quiet and accept rampant corruption in the country. They were willing to come out and make themselves heard.
While the country was experiencing a new found awakening, ministers in the central government were still arrogant. The government’s attitude towards both Anna Hazare’s movement and Baba Ramdev’s campaign was unbecoming, intolerant and oppressive. Yet, finally it was people’s power it forced an arrogant government to relent, reconsider its decision and chart out a compromise. And it perhaps was the greatest success of Anna’s movement. For it gave the confidence to ordinary people that if they stand united and adopt non-violent means of protest, they can actually bend an unjust government and be heard.
Sangh’s Role in the Movement
A section of people tried dragging the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) into a controversy with Anna Hazare campaign. While the attempt was mostly unsuccessful, the truth is that Anna Hazare has never been associated with the RSS at the organisational level. Given his success quotient and impressed with the developmental work done by Anna Hazare in his village Ralegan Siddhi, the RSS had only sought Anna’s guidance and help in rural development projects. As an attempt to present Anna’s successful rural development model to the country, the then RSS Sarkaryavah, HV Seshadri had penned a book titled Ek Karmayogi Ka Gaon on Anna’s own village Ralegan Siddhi back then. A number of RSS workers even travelled to Anna’s village at that time, to get a first hand experience of work done by him there.
In its national conclave (ABPS) held in March 2011, the RSS had passed a resolution on corruption and discussed various effective ways and solutions to tackle the menace of corruption in the country. In a resolution the RSS had called upon all Indians to support and participate in all anti-corruption campaigns in the country. Accordingly, the swayamsevaks throughout the country had supported and participated in all anti-graft campaigns including the one led by Anna.
Worshipping the Motherland
Another good result of the Anna campaign was the fact that slogans like Bharatmata ki jai and Vande Mataram became common anthems and found wider acceptability with people as they echoed through the campaign. An attempt was also made to malign the two slogans by calling them anti-Islam but the propaganda did not find support from either the common people or the organisers of the campaign. Calling these slogans anti-Islam is a product of communal and divisive thinking. The good part is that the thinking did not find favour even with the Muslims. Few others called Vande Mataram an RSS slogan, and thereby communal. But since when did respecting the motherland and singing praise for one’s country become communal? Worshipping the motherland is an age old tradition in India. Vande Mataram had become an anthem for the freedom struggle all across the country even before 1925 when the RSS was established. That’s the reason why the British had banned the singing of Vande Mataram in 1905. In the year1907, as a student of Class X, RSS founder Dr Hedgewar, sang Vande Mataram in school as a mark of rebellion against the British ban also proving his utter patriotism. Dr Hedgewar was duly punished for his defiance.
The Journey of Vande Mataram
Vande Mataram was written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee on November 7, 1876. It was included in the famous novel Anandmath in 1882. In 1886, Rabindranath Tagore sang Vande Mataram in the Congress convention held in Kolkata. Dakshranjan Sen got Congressmen to practice collective singing of Vande Mataram in the 1901 Congress Convention. In the Banares Congress convention held in1905, Rabindranath Tagore’s niece Sarladevi sang Vande Mataram despite the ban put by the British government on singing of the song.
The same year, when the British proposed the division of Bengal, Vande Mataram became the anthem of that movement that opposed the division. As Hindus and Muslims sang Vande Mataram together, in the face of relentless opposition, the British withdrew their proposal for the division of Bengal in 1911. After the Bengal success, Vande Mataram became the anthem for patriotism and the battle cry for freedom struggle. From 1915 onwards, the singing of Vande Mataram became a regular feature at all national conventions of the Congress. At that time, Vande Mataram was considered neither anti-Islam nor communal. At that time, Hindus-Muslims would not just sing Vande Mataram together but Vande Mataram also became the last words uttered by many freedom fighters whom the British punished by hanging to death.
Communal-Divisive Thinking
However in 1921, when the Khilafat Movment found support from the Congress, hardliners amongst the Muslims gained importance and prominence. This is when hardliners started opposing Vande Mataram calling it anti-Islam and communal. In 1923, in the Kakinada national convention of the Congress, the party’s then president, Mohammad Ali overtly opposed Vande Mataram. Under pressure from the hardliners and communally inclined people within the Muslim community, the Congress stopped singing Vande Mataram at its conventions. While there are hardliners in every society, it’s best for every national representation and awakened society to ignore such hardliners. Unfortunately, since 1921, this communal and divisive approach gained strength. As a result, despite the lack of inclination from the entire national leadership of the Congress, they had to accept India’s Partition.
For vested political gains, hardliners and those with a communal mindset kept getting importance even after the Partition. After the Emergency of 1975, communal and divisive forces were allowed to become more powerful in the guise of secularism. Given that background, Anna’s movement was the first time after Independence that the society as one kept communal and divisive forces aside and maintained one national voice.
Everyone’s Bharatmata
There were many who also tried to drag the RSS into a controversy over the issue of Bharatmata. The first leg of Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption movement held at Jantar Mantar had a picture of Bharatmata in the background. The picture had not been kept there by the RSS. Yet it was said that the Bharatmata picture at Anna’s stage was a picture popularised and presented by the RSS. Does Bharatmata belong only to the swayamsewaks of the Sangh? Bharatmata belongs to every Indian. The tradition to eulogise India as one’s Maatribhoomi, Karmabhoomi and Punyabhoomi has been an old one.
In 1897, when Swami Vivkeananda came back to India from America, he got off the ship he was travelling back in and prostrated on the sea shore as a mark of respect to the motherland and sprinkled sand on his body. As he got up, the wet sand of the seashore had got stuck to his clothes, prompting the many bystanders to ask him why had he done so? To which Swami Vivekananda responded by saying, ‘‘I have stayed away from the motherland in America for four years, from 1893 to 1897. During this time if I have acquired any bad habit then this touch of the motherland will cleanse me of all that.’’ In a public speech later, he called upon all Indians, urging them to keep aside their personal Gods and Goddesses for the next 50 years and only worship one Goddess-Bharatmata. Was Swami Vivekananda communal? In fact by this he had appealed to all countrymen to rise above the petty differences of caste, creed, religion and language and unite as children of one motherland to fight for the freedom of the country as one united people.
Learn from History
It is true that even the RSS has been successful in its attempt to unite people with the common emotional thread of ‘this is our Bharatmata, all of us her children and therefore brothers’, helping them rise over their caste, creed, language and religious differences. How can it be called divisive or communal? In fact this is the only sure shot cure for communalism and divisiveness.
In the second leg of Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption movement, the picture of Bharatmata was missing. Bharatmata’s picture had been replaced by a picture of Mahatma Gandhi. Could the organisers not have placed both the pictures of Bharatmata and Mahatma Gandhi there, together? It is true that the decision to place a particular picture on the stage rests with the organisers of the movement. It is also true that even if Bharatmata’s picture was replaced by Mahatma Gandhi, the movement led by Anna Hazare does not become less important. But to remove Bharatmata’s picture over the argument that it belongs to the Sangh and therefore communal is very unfortunate and alarming. This would be against India’s age old tradition of conduct and thought and proof that we haven’t learnt our lessons from history.
(The writer is Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh of RSS and can be contacted at mmohanngp@gmail.com)

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Anna stir – a balance sheet

August 31, 2011

Anna stir – a balance sheet
By S Gurumurthy – 29 Aug 2011

http://expressbuzz.com/edition/print.aspx?artid=308507

With the ‘Sense of the House’ letter from the Speaker reaching Anna Hazare, the Anna fast has ended. And the Team Anna and the media have proclaimed victory. Now the nation is relieved from the non-stop 24×7 screams of the media. It can think now! It can now draw a balance sheet of the Anna stir to know what are its giveaways and takeaways. Now go back to where the agitation began.
What is now known as the Anna movement started as India Against Corruption (IAC), whose website says, “India Against Corruption movement is an expression of collective anger of people of India against corruption.”
The IAC website lists as founders besides Anna Hazare, Baba Ramdev, Mahamood Madani, Arcbishop Vincent M Concessao, Syed Rizvi, Justice D S Tewatia, B R Lall and others. Click the January 2011 archives of IAC website, it is full of “March against corruption” in every nook and corner of India from Agra to Chennai and Ahmedabad to Silichar.
The leaders of the IAC, particularly Baba Ramdev, had raised, besides corruption, the emotive issue of Indian black money abroad. But the IAC receded into the oblivion and the apolitical movement against corruption, got reduced to merely a fight for Jan Lok Pal (JLP) Bill. The Anna movement emerged, narrowed into just a battle for a just JLP Bill, marginalised other founders and reduced its leadership to just four, the ‘Team Anna’. See the effect of these changes.
This was how Jan Lok Pal Bill replaced black money and corruption as the core agenda of the IAC? In the Lok Sabha elections in 2009, thanks to L K Advani, the black money issue had become a huge issue; it remained dormant after the UPA victory. But after the Tsunami of corruption hit Indian politics, the public roar against black money stashed abroad by politicians, businessmen and criminals became stentorian.
The media alleged that Sonia Gandhi had huge monies stashed away abroad. It was then that the UPA II suddenly thought of a Lok Pal Bill to ride out of the tornado of corruption and black money. It was a trap. Soon IAC walked into the trap. It dismissed the government version of the Lok Pal Bill and insisted that the draft prepared by its think tank, the Jan Lok Pal Bill, should be accepted. The Congress party saw it as a blessing in disguise to make its Lok Pal Bill fight the Jan Lok Pal Bill, to keep corruption and black money out of headlines.
Meanwhile, the BJP committed a Himalayan blunder. L K Advani wrote a personal letter to Sonia Gandhi for the hurt caused to her. That was made public to make it appear that it was to regret the charges made in the BJP Task Force Report on black money that Sonia Gandhi family was keeping huge illegal funds abroad. The BJP’s move against black money became moot, leaving the issue to the apolitical Swami Ramdev, Anna being confined to JLP Bill.
The Congress, thrown on the back foot by corruption and black money issues, saw in JLP Bill an opportunity to obfuscate both. When Anna started his Jantar Mantar fast, Sonia Gandhi – charged with hoarding black wealth abroad – offered to partner him in his battle against corruption! The result, the Congress successfully divided the IAC agenda between Anna with JLP Bill issue and Baba Ramdev with black money and corruption issues.
The first fast of Anna was thus subsumed into this Sonia-led Congress strategy, leaving the BJP – thanks to its own follies – with no issues. The collateral benefit to the Congress was that Anna helped to depoliticise and rob the BJP of a highly political issue. The Congress strategy also did more damage to the BJP. It helped to club all political parties, including both the ruling party and the opposition – read the Congress and the BJP – as one and the same.
Clubbing the BJP with the Congress on issues other than secularism helps the Congress and harms the BJP. Yet the elite leaders of the BJP allowed the Congress to succeed in its strategy. So after the first fast of Anna the Congress virtually dictated the agenda. Meanwhile Team Anna got Anna, who had first praised Narendra Modi, to talk against him so as to move the Anna movement further away from the BJP. This was the setting for the second Anna fast.
But the simple Anna proved increasingly difficult. He demanded a JLP Bill that included the PM down to everyone in the net. The Congress raised the plea that Anna could not dictate to the Parliament and got the BJP into the trap again. It got the constitutionalists in the BJP to endorse its view, again clubbing the BJP with itself!
But, the Congress strategy to handle Anna like it handled Swami Ramdev failed miserably with the media, which had no other headlines, focussing on Anna 24×7. With the media screaming ‘Anna’ and ‘Anna’ all the time, the Congress was on the run. Alas the BJP also found itself running with the Congress, against Anna. But, RSS workers enthused by Anna’s cry of “Vandemataram” and “Bharat Mata ki Jai” – both branded as RSS slogans – joined the movement in large numbers forcing the BJP president Nitin Gadkari to disregard the BJP Parliamentary Party and write to Anna offering support to his demands.
This forced the BJP Parliamentary Party also to side with Anna, rationalising the shift as the “evolving” stand of the BJP! This tilted the scale in Anna’s favour. But again the Congress would not leave the BJP. It joined with the BJP in the ‘Sense of the House’ exercise. The media claimed victory for Anna and for itself.
Here is the balance sheet of the Anna movement as of date. The BJP bracketed with the Congress loses; the Congress does not. The Congress cannot take Anna for granted; Anna cannot trust the Congress. The nation waits for what the Parliament will do about JLP Bill. The RSS is pleased that the two slogans “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” and “Vandemataram” long ostracised by Secular India have been secularised by Anna.
The writer is a well-known commentator on political
and economic issues.
E-mail:comment@gurumurthy.net

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Elephant and the dragon

August 17, 2011

Hillary Clinton’s advice to India to be more assertive and Barack Obama’s meeting with the Dalai Lama carry the same message to China — that the two democracies see it as a threat and have decided to counter the danger together. However, given the long background of the democracy vs autocracy conflicts, a lesson from history can be instructive.
Some of the similarities between Nazi Germany and communist China are obvious. Like the Third Reich, Red China is a militaristic dictatorship. It also harbours, like Hitler’s Germany, a sense of grievance over the humiliation it suffered in the field of international diplomacy and believes that the time has come for it to assert itself. Germany was riled by the Treaty of Versailles, the ‘20-year truce’ between the two world wars, as it was called. China was shamed by the ‘unequal’ treaties which were imposed on it by the West in the 20th century.
While Nazi Germany had fascist Italy as an ally in Europe, and monarchist Japan in Asia, China’s current all-weather friend is Pakistan, which is ruled by a junta in all but name. As in the case of the axis powers in the 1940s, the China-Pakistan ties are based on expansionist ambitions which seek to bring Arunachal Pradesh under Chinese rule and favour Pakistani control over Kashmir. These neo-colonial tendencies are also directed at Tibet and Taiwan in the case of China and Afghanistan where Pakistan is concerned.
Just as the Third Reich looked for lebensraum or living space in Europe, where the Germanic people would be the master race, China, too, wants a similar predominance for its own Han people over the Tibetans, the Uighurs, the Indians of Arunachal, and others. What is more, this xenophobia is fuelled by the need to counter the unease in the ruling elite caused, first, by the inherent uncertainties about a dictatorship’s grip on power because of civic unrest. And, secondly, by the simmering ethnic discontent in Tibet and Xinjiang, and Taiwan’s refusal to become a province of mainland China.
Since the fanning of nationalistic embers is a surefire way to maintain control over a restive population, China’s military adventurism against India in 1962 and Vietnam in 1979 were not unlike Germany’s annexation of Austria and invasion of Czechoslovakia. It will be speculative to wonder whether China will also emulate the Third Reich’s final fatal militarism, but there is little doubt that Beijing’s relentless efforts to rival and even surpass America as the numero uno do not augur well for world peace. It has even had the chutzpah to tell the US that its military budget is too big at a time of economic distress.
The Chinese threat is all the greater because a dictatorship is never at ease in the presence of a democracy like India. The former always experiences a sense of inferiority complex over the opprobrium it earns for not being an open society and for its inevitably poor human rights record. In China’s case, the feeling of disquiet may be all the greater because it could not have expected India to emerge as a major regional power. Beijing’s earlier presumption must have been that India will either fall apart because of fissiparous tendencies based on a myriad languages, cultures and ethnicity (“India is merely a geographical expression. It is no more a single country than the Equator”, said Churchill) or that India’s unruly democracy — a “functioning anarchy” in John Kenneth Galbraith’s words — will hinder its economic development.
But neither has happened. Instead, India is admired for its multicultural democracy and economic buoyancy while China is feared as an unstable giant. Since Beijing cannot expect to become a model for other Asian countries — as a Middle Kingdom should — for it cannot boast of a free society, free judiciary, free press and competitive politics, the only way it can proclaim its superiority is through military might and economic clout. However, the problem with economic growth is that it can also engender political aspirations and even trade union rights, which are anathema to an autocracy, and lead to social and political disquiet. In that case, a dictatorship’s response is either internal suppression or external aggression.
Interestingly, even when India was far from attaining its present status when it is an automatic choice for a permanent seat in an expanded UNSC, Jawaharlal Nehru had recognised the Chinese apprehensions about the challenge posed by India as the reason for the 1962 conflict. In his book, The Chinese Betrayal, former intelligence chief, B N Mullick, quoted Nehru as saying: “It was wrong to assume that the Chinese undertook this aggression only because they wanted some patches of territory … The real cause was something else. That something was the basic eternal conflict between India and China … China did not want any country near her which was not prepared to accept her leadership. So, India had to be humiliated. Though India would not interfere with what was happening within China, yet she came in China’s way by the mere fact of her separate political structure and pursuing a separate policy which was succeeding”.
The Sino-Indian civilisational affinity of a thousand years is a myth. Indian Buddhist missionaries might have gone to China while Chinese travellers like Fa Hien and Huan Tsang came to India and Mohammed bin Tughlak unsuccessfully tried to introduce the Chinese practice of using paper currency. But the Himalayan barrier remained an obstacle to any closer interaction. It is only in the modern age that the dragon and the elephant have come face to face in an atmosphere of unstated rivalry — the “eternal conflict” in Nehru’s words.
While India has left China alone, except for accommodating the Tibetans fleeing Chinese repression just as India accepted the Parsis 1,200 years ago who were escaping from the Muslim occupation of their country, China’s courtship of Pakistan shows that it wants to destabilise India by bleeding it ‘with a thousand cuts’. Yet, it made a foolish, though obvious, choice, which was surprising in the case of a country with a long history. For Pakistan’s dysfunctional nature was inherent in the flawed basis of its creation — the two-nation theory — which collapsed with the creation of Bangladesh. Just as Italy was of no help to the Third Reich’s grandiose dream to be the Middle Kingdom of Europe, Pakistan, too, is a liability rather than an asset to China. The scales are tilted, therefore, in India’s favour in the eternal conflict.
Amulya Ganguli is a
Delhi-based political
commentator. E-mail:
amulyaganguli@hotmail.com

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