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Indologist Koenraad Elst says "…make it uncool to be Muslims" at the Goa conclave of the Hindutva Right, draws flak

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Koenraad Elst

Utorda: Former Jordanian Prime Minister Abdelsalam al-Majali Saturday walked out of the India Ideas Conclave 2014 held in Goa protesting the anti-Islam remarks by Belgian Indologist Koenraad Elst.

“I am appalled at what I heard from the platform about insulting Islam and insulting the Prophet. One can criticize this, that and the other but don’t insult. To try to destroy the whole faith is wrong”, Abdelsalam al-Majali said while walking out of the event organised by India Foundation whose directors include Union Minister Suresh Prabhu and Shaurya Doval, son of National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.

“We came here to understand each other and try to be peaceful. It is very sad to be at such a conference to hear insults on a religion which is followed by over one billion people”, he added.

According to the Indian Express, Elst while addressing the session on ‘Religion — Tolerance and Terror’ at the India Ideas Conclave 2014, said: “On the whole, you should make it uncool to be Muslims. That will help them. You do not forcefully need to convert them. Through this, they will themselves outgrow Islam.”

Referring to the row over the ‘Ghar Wapsi’ campaign, Elst said: “The Vishwa Hindu Parishad is coming under criticism for the one thing that they are doing very well which is Ghar Wapsi. We need to liberate Muslims from Islam. Every Muslim is an abductee and must be brought back.”

Elst anti Muslim rant was also criticised by Dr Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, former secretary general of the Organisation of Islamic Countries, who lodged a protest with the organisation.

“We are hearing a speech of hatred. You cannot use your freedom of speech to hurt others. I was very happy being here until I heard this speech of hatred”, Dr. Ihsanoglu said.

Gunnar Stalsett, Bishop Emeritus of Oslo, and others also questioned the “demonization” of an entire faith.

Recalling his role in 2002 riots, Economist says Modi is follower of Savarkar, an "immensely divisive" figure

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Narendra Modi pays homage to Hindutva ideologue Savarkar on his birth anniversary at Parliament House in New Delhi on Wednesday. Photo: R.V. Moorthy

Narendra Modi pays homage to Hindutva ideologue Savarkar on his birth anniversary at Parliament House in New Delhi on Wednesday. Photo: R.V. Moorthy

by Counterview

In a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi after a gap of about six months, top British journal, The Economist’s latest issue (December 20) has once again reminded its readers that Modi remains a controversial leader for his “failure” in 2002, when as chief minister of Gujarat, he failed to “avert a massacre of Muslims.” Insisting that the hostility is born of the ideology that militant freedom fighter Vinayak Savarkar “spawned”, the influential British journal says, Modi “has never apologised for the massacre.” Taking a dig at Modi, the journal recalls how he sought to “regret” the riots once – telling a news agency interviewer that he is as sorry for the killings as he is while “seeing a puppy run over in the street”.

Pointing out that Modi is inspired by Savarkar, the journal suggests, after Modi came to power, RSS supremo Mohan Bhagwat has become more aggressive by increasingly referring to Savarkar for inspiration. Like Savarkar, Bhagwat now says that “all who live in Hindustan are in fact Hindus, whatever Muslims, Christians or secular Hindus might say”, the journal says, underlining, “The group has become an enthusiastic and effective actor within (the BJP). The RSS’s millions of members and volunteers played a big role in electing the BJP by a landslide in 2014. At least 19 ministers in government, including Modi, have a background in the RSS.”

Even as saying that Modi is “India’s strongest leader since Indira Gandhi”, the journal contends, the Prime Minister has made no attempt to “distance himself from the RSS”. It adds, “Those who promote Hindutva and echo Savarkar whip up stories of ‘love jihad’, alleging, Muslim men convert large numbers of Hindu women by seducing them.” Pointing out how earlier this month “a BJP parliamentarian praised Godse as a ‘patriot’ equal to Gandhi”, it says, things have gone so far now that “members of the increasingly influential RSS feel emboldened” and are promoting “majoritarian politics” in order to “absorb or flatten a minority” in “utterly destructive” way.

Pointing out that “India’s tolerance and moderation” may be “at risk”, the journal notes, this is clear the way Modi has been promoting Savarkar. “In 2008 Modi, then chief minister of Gujarat, inaugurated a website (savarkar.org) that promotes a man ‘largely unknown to the masses because of the vicious propaganda against him and misunderstanding around him that has been created over several decades’.” While a “previous BJP-led government put Savarkar’s portrait in parliament… on Savarkar’s birthday this year, May 28, the Prime Minister paid homage to him there. Modi tweeted about Savarkar’s ‘tireless efforts towards the regeneration of our motherland’.”

While calling Modi a firm follower of Savarkar, the journal refers to how Savarkar and Mahatma Gandhi differed from each other ever since they met for a meal in England in 19065. “Savarkar offered Gandhi some of his meal; Gandhi, a vegetarian, refused. Savarkar allegedly retorted that only a fool would attempt to resist the British without being fortified by animal protein”, The Economist says, adding, “The meeting is said to have begun hostilities between the two young Indian nationalists. Gandhi was a pacifist with an inclusive attitude towards Muslims and Christians. Savarkar, who would lead the Hindu Mahasabha, was a right-wing majoritarian who spawned the idea of Hindutva, or Hindu-ness…”

Pointing towards how “Savarkar remains immensely divisive”, the journal recalls how he called Gandhi a weak, a “sissy”, and far too willing to collaborate with Britain. “Gandhian talk of man’s common humanity he regarded as utopian to the point of naivety. In articles from the 1920s to the 1940s Savarkar lambasted Gandhi as a ‘crazy lunatic’ who ‘happens to babble…[about] compassion, forgiveness’, yet ‘notwithstanding his sublime and broad heart, the Mahatma has a very narrow and immature head’. Gandhi promoted ahimsa, a Buddhist rejection of violence which Savarkar called “mealy-mouthed”.

Sachin Tendulkar announced as ICC World Cup 2015 brand ambassador

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A file photo of Sachin Tendulkar. Photo: Rajanish Kakade/AP

A file photo of Sachin Tendulkar. Photo: Rajanish Kakade/AP

Sachin Tendulkar is the latest name announced by the ICC to be a brand ambassador of the ICC World Cup 2015. Earlier, current players such as Indian batsman Virat Kohli, Australian pacer Mitchell Johnson and all-rounder Shane Watson, New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum, and former Sri Lankan skipper Kumar Sangakkara had been appointed ambassadors for cricket’s most-anticipated event.

According to a media release by icc-cricket.com, Tendulkar said, “I am delighted and honoured to be appointed ICC Cricket World Cup Ambassador for the second successive time. After playing in the last six editions, the upcoming World Cup will be a different experience as I will follow it from the sidelines. It could probably be comparable to the ICC Cricket World Cup 1987 where I was a ball boy, enthusiastically cheering every ball.”

He continued, saying, “The excitement of the World Cup grows with every new edition and this year’s host nations, Australia and New Zealand, are known for their sporting culture, great cricket facilities and knowledgeable crowds. Lifting the World Cup is every international cricketer’s quest and the tournament brings out the best of individuals and competing teams. The image of the champion team lifting the World Cup inspires many youngsters around the world and gives them a dream to chase — a dream which I fulfilled after 22 years of relentless pursuit by being part of the victorious Indian team in 2011.”

The 2015 edition will be the 11th cricket World Cup since 1975, and will be jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand from February 14 onward. The matches will be held at various venues such as Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney in Australia, and Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton, Napier, Nelson and Wellington in New Zealand.

PDP confident of clear majority in Kashmir polls

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PDP president Mehbooba Mufti during an election campaign in Kulgam, Kashmir

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti during an election campaign in Kulgam, Kashmir

Srinagar/ANI: Expressing confidence about winning assembly elections by a clear majority, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday asserted that the party won’t require any alliance to form the government in the region.

“We feel that we will win by clear majority because the exit polls only give idea of the trend but numbers generally differ. We don’t need any alliance. However, we need everyone’s support to run the state and deal with the issues, especially from the BJP because they are at power at national level and in state also they are coming up strong. We will need Congress’ support also. We need everyone’s support to run the government but not to form one,” said PDP spokesperson Naeem Akhtar.

He added that exit polls were credible in showing the trends but they don’t have exact numbers.

Counting of votes for the five-phased assembly elections will begin on Tuesday.

Earlier on Saturday, the Election Commission of India had announced 76 percent voter turnout in the fifth phase of elections, adding that the overall polling percentage in the state in all phases was 65.5 percent.

We will raise Hindu population in India to 100%, says Praveen Togadia

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Praveen Togadia

Bhopal: A day after RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat described India as a “Hindu rashtra”, senior Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Praveen Togadia on Sunday said efforts will be made to “increase” the percentage of Hindus in the country, but skirted the issue of religious conversion.

He also said Bhagwat’s assertion of “Hindu rashtra (Hindu nation)” at the Kolkata convention is like a “gospel” for VHP.

“We are going to take percentage of Hindus to 100 in country. Currently there are 82 per cent Hindus in India, and we don’t want this number to be halved. We won’t tolerate Hindus becoming a minority in the country,” Togadia, who is also international working president of VHP, said while addressing a function here.

Togadia however skirted the issue of religious conversions during his address.

Alleging that innocent Hindus are “being converted” to other faiths by “allurement”, including cash, Togadia said VHP will provide security to Hindus in the country besides whatever help they may need in foreign countries.

Reiterating VHP’s opposition to “Love jihad”, Togadia said that his outfit wants to “eradicate the social evil of caste from Hindu society”.

In his address to a Hindu convention in Kolkata yesterday, Bhagwat had defended the current controversial campaign of the Sangh Parivar and dared the opposition to support a law banning religious conversions. He had also described the country as a “Hindu rashtra.” To a query on the issue of religious conversion, Togadia refused to comment, saying, “a raging debate is already going on in Parliament on this issue.”

“VHP is awakening 100 crore Hindus of the country so that each one of them will get food, education, medicine and employment,” Togadia said replying to a query whether the focus on religious conversions by various Sangh Pariwar outfits is at variance with the talk of development by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

(PTI)

Four minor boys gangrape 7-year-old girl in Karnataka

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rape-case

Kalburgi: A 7-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped by four minor boys at Chidi Tanda here, police said.

All the boys were arrested on Sunday.

The incident took place on December 19. The boys, three of them studying in 6th standard and another in 8th standard, are relatives of the victim, police said.

The girl was residing with her grandmother while her parents stay in Mumbai.

Police said a complaint was registered on Saturday and the boys were arrested today under Protection of Children against Sexual Offences Act.

(PTI)

BJP, Govt put onus on Oppn for anti-conversion law

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conversion-Aligarh

Chennai/Hyderabad: As a controversy over forced religious conversions by some Sangh Parivar outfits raged, the BJP and the Government today put the onus on the opposition parties for bringing an anti-conversion law for which they were ready.

BJP President Amit Shah said government is ready to bring an anti-conversion law and dared the “so-called secular” opposition parties to support it while Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu said the opposition did not respond positively to this offer.

The comments by Shah and Naidu came a day after RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat strongly defended the current controversial campaign of the Sangh Parivar and dared the opposition to support a law banning religious conversions.

Shah asserted that such incidents would not derail the BJP-led NDA Government from its development agenda.

“BJP has made its stand clear on conversions. And no one can derail the party (government) from its development agenda,” he told a press conference in Chennai.

He was replying to a question whether the campaign by some fringe groups on the conversion issue would affect the development agenda of the Narendra Modi Government.

Asked repeatedly about the involvement of RSS in the matter, Shah evaded a direct reply and said, “RSS is a nationalist organisation and I have no doubt over this.”

Opposition parties have been seeking to corner the government on the ‘ghar wapsi’ campaign in parts of North India and stalled proceedings in Rajya Sabha demanding a statement from Modi.

Shah, who is on a two-day visit to Chennai since yesterday, also said BJP’s stand on forced conversions was clear and the government was ready to bring a law to ban them.

“BJP is clear about its stand on forced conversions. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu has said in Parliament that the government is ready to bring in a law against forced conversions. Are the so called secular parties ready to support it?” he asked.

Shah declined to comment on Bhagwat’s remarks yesterday on trying to create a strong Hindu society.

Asked about Bhagwat’s comments in favour of bringing in a law against religious conversion, Naidu said the government would not bring any law against conversion without a larger consensus on it.

“BJP had already announced that it would be right to bring a law against conversion as per the prevailing situation in the country.

“But, that is possible only when there is general consensus. Without consensus, the government would not bring any such law. An advice is given. Everybody has got the right to give advice.

There is a right to write. You have the right to make commentary,” he told reporters in Hyderabad.

“If you feel the state government’s laws are not effective, there is need for an all-India law, the government has offered on the floor of Parliament, let’s go for an all-India law. The opposition did not respond positively,” he said.

Conversions have been happening in the country since pre-Independence era, he added.

(PTI)

Clear stand on conversions: Kejriwal to government

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Arvind Kejriwal

New Delhi: The Narendra Modi government should clear its stand on religious conversions in the country, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal said here Saturday.

“First of all, the government should clear its stand. The prime minister should clear his stand on it,” Kejriwal said in response to his party’s stand on the issue.

He was speaking to reporters on the sideline of a programme at St. Stephen’s college.

“This party came to power on the promise of development but there has been none in the past six months,” he said.

“They talk about love jihad, religious conversion, and in Delhi, where there have been no riots in the past 35 years, they initiate one,” Kejriwal said.

“Had they told people that they would indulge in all this, people would have voted accordingly,” he said.

(IANS)

Karnataka withdraws anti-cow and cattle slaughter Bills

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Photo: The Hindu

Photo: The Hindu

Belagavi: The Karnataka Assembly today was adjourned sine die without transacting any business as BJP members staged a dharna demanding resignation of “tainted” ministers and rapping Congress government for withdrawing the stringent Cow Slaughter Prevention Bill.

As proceedings of the last day of the 10-day session began, BJP members staged dharna in the well shouting slogans against the government, accusing it of protecting “tainted” ministers and demanded their resignation for their alleged involvement in corruption.

BJP members led by Jagadish Shettar wanted discussion on corruption charges against Ministers Qamarul Islam, H S Mahadeva Prasad, and Dinesh Gundu Rao, under adjournment motion.

Speaker Kagodu Thimappa, who yesterday had rejected BJP’s demand saying the matter was in courts, did not pay heed to the protesting members and went about the business of the day.

BJP also slammed the Congress government for withdrawing the Cow Slaughter Prevention Bill, passed during its rule.

The Congress government last August had reversed the previous BJP government’s decision that had made the cow slaughter law stringent.

The government had decided to restore the Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Cattle Preservation Act, 1964, that governs the slaughter of cattle in the state.

A Bill passed by both the Houses of the Legislature during BJP rule had widened the definition of cattle, made punishment harsher and increased the age of animal to be slaughtered but it did not receive the Presidential assent.

Congress, which was in the opposition then with Siddaramaiah as its leader, had opposed the legislation, saying it would affect beef-eaters and persons engaged in cattle transportation.

Countering BJP’s protest, Congress members raised slogans against them, saying the party was anti-North Karnataka and they were least interested in discussing problems pertaining to the region.

Despite the din, the Speaker proceeded with further business like tabling Lake Conservation and Development and Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments (Amendment) bills.

As the ruckus continued, Thimappa adjourned the House sine die.

(PTI)

Australia beat India by four wickets to win second Test

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Chris Rogers celebrates his fifty. © AFP

Chris Rogers celebrates his fifty. © AFP

Brisbane: Australia beat India by four wickets on the fourth day to win the second cricket Test at the Gabba here Saturday to take a 2-0 lead in the four-match series.

Australia took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-match series with a four-wicket win over India on the fourth day of the second Test at the Gabba here Saturday.

Chasing 128 for victory, the hosts were made to sweat but ultimately got over the finishing line, scoring 130 for six, leaving India rueing the opportunities they missed in the match. Things could have panned out very different had the visitors got rid of Australia’s tail in the first innings swiftly.

India’s dismal collapse on the morning of the fourth day also played a huge hand in the defeat.

But India still managed to make a match out of it, taking six Australian wickets and casting doubts in the opposition dressing room.

But a 63-run partnership for the third wicket between opener Chris Rogers (55) and captain Steven Smith (28) was enough to thwart the visitors.

But the poor form of middle-order batsman Shaun Marsh (17) and Brad Haddin (1), who threw their wickets away, would worry the Australian camp, as their untimely dismissal gave a window of hope to India for a dramatic late victory.

Pacers Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav bowled in the right areas in the second innings and were rewarded with three and two wickets respectively. Ishant was the pick of the bowlers, picking up two early wickets to put Australia in a spot of bother at tea.

But the damage was done earlier in the morning, when Australian bowlers, bowled with considerable venom to rattle the Indians.

Left-handed opener Shikhar Dhawan (81) fought valiantly, even stringing together a 60-run partnership with Umesh Yadav (30) for the eighth wicket but it came too late in the day as the visitors slumped from a comfortable 71 for one to a dismal 157 for seven, leading by just 60 runs, at lunch.

They lost four wickets inside the first seven overs managing to score just 16 runs in the process and were never able to recover from that early disaster.

Their day began on the wrong note even before the slump, when overnight batsman Dhawan got injured on the wrist while batting at the nets and didn’t come out to bat.

Virat Kohli (1) joined overnight batsman Cheteshwar Pujara (43) in the mmiddle.

Kohli never seemed prepared for the big task and was very tentative, ultimately getting castled by Mitchell Johnson in his brief stay at the wicket.

Johnson was all over India after that; bowling with pace and menace on a pitch that was beginning to get a little difficult to bat on.

Inida produced several short partnerships after that, Pujara involved in each one of them, but never failed to consolidate on the initial start.

India lost wickets at regular intervals and on key moments of the contest to surrender the fate of the match.

Johnson was ably supported by other pacers – Shane Watson, the usually wayward Mitchell Starc and the first innings five-wicket hero debutant pacer Josh Hazlewood.

But India’s hopes of a late fightback through Ravichandran Ashwin (19) vapourised after the spinner was victim of another umpiring howler, given out caught for a presumed inside edge when the ball only managed to flick his pad on to wicketkeeper Bard Haddin’s gloves.

(IANS)

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