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Shivamogga continues to be tense after communal clashes

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Firefighters trying to extinguish the flames aftera motorcycle was set on fire in Shivamogga on Thursday. Photo: Vaidya, The Hindu

Firefighters trying to extinguish the flames aftera motorcycle was set on fire in Shivamogga on Thursday. Photo: Vaidya, The Hindu

Shivamogga: A youth was killed and many others seriously injured in a violent incident that occurred on the outskirts of Shivamogga in the aftermath of communal clashes erupted between Hindu and Muslim groups during the unity march taken out by the cadres of Popular Front of India (PFI) on Thursday.

Sporadic incidents of stone pelting, burning of vehicles and car were reported from Shivamogga on Friday too.

A group of armed persons attacked three youths who were heading towards Shivamogga from Tirthahalli on a motorbike near Gajnur. Vishwanath Shetty (32), who was injured in the attack, died.

Amidst the turmoil the funeral procession of Shetty was carried out. The family members had decided to conduct his final rites at Rotary Crematorium. Accordingly when the funeral procession passed near Sagar Pravasi Mandir few people who were part of process entered into an argument with a bike rider. The argument resulted in a brawl and finally ended up with the man’s bike being burnt. As the procession advanced further few shops and push carts located on Kuvempu Nagar were also burnt by the miscreants. Stones were also pelted at Mahaveer Circle and prayer hall. Few men also tried to assault the cops who tried to stop the miscreants from creating further damage. As the situation went out of control the protesters were caned by the police men.

On Friday shops and business establishments located in Gandhi Bazaar, Nehru Road, B H Road, Durgi Gudi were forcibly closed by the policemen. Vehicular movement including auto rickshaws and government run buses was minimal. The city which remained calm until 11 in the morning witnessed stone pelting incidents again. While few miscreants pelted stones at a lorry parked in Vinobha Nagar few others torched a bike parked in Kumbaragundi. Efforts were also made to burn a bike in Gandhi Bazaar. Policemen had to then resort to lathicharge in order to bring the situation under control.

The situation worsened to the extent that Tumkur District Superintendent Raman Gupta and In-charge Superintendent of Police S S Naik and other policemen were hurt in the incident.

On Friday when the hospital which had conducted the autopsy of Vishwanath Shetty went to his house to hand over the body, his relatives refused to accept it as they demanded compensation and also wanted the Deputy Commissioner to visit the house. Upon receiving information District In-charge Minister Kimmane Rathnakar arrived at the spot and declared a compensation of Rs 10 lac and a cheque of Rs 2 lac was also given to the family members on the spot.

Hindu organisations have called for an Shivamogga bundh on Saturday, February 21, as mark of protest. Following which holiday has been declared in schools and colleges.

Prohibitory orders have been clamped till February 25 and heavy police reinforcement have been posted in strategic places to prevent any untoward incidents.

So far 50 people have been arrested.

(Agencies)

Sangh Parivar trying to destabilize Congress govt by spreading violence: PFI

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(Representative image)

(Representative image)

Mangaluru: Rejecting the allegations made by Sangh Parivar and pro-Sangh Parivar media that pro-Pakistan slogans were raised during a rally in Shivamogga as a ‘pack of lies’, the Popular Front of India has demanded a thorough probe into the violence that caused widespread damages.

In a press statement issued here, the PFI held Sangh Parivar fully responsible for the communal violence that erupted in Shivamogga on Thursday during a unity march organized by the PFI.

The release stated that even though the PFI had decided to organize unity march on February 17 in Shivamogga, later it was decided to postpone to February 19 as mark of respect towards Hindus, who were celebrating Mahashivaratri on February 17.

It said that a group of miscreants attacked and assaulted PFI activists during the peaceful rally. Several PFI cadres were brutally assaulted and injured. In the violence that ensued, several shops and vehicles were also torched by the mob.

It further states that few communal forces unable to stand the empowerment of minorities, Dalits and other oppressed classes in the country, were trying to taint the name of the organisation since a long time.

The recent Nandita suicide case in Thirthahalli is proof that these communal forces are trying to spark communal violence in several parts of Karnataka as a means of attempting to destabilize the Congress government in the state. Having failed at this, these forces are repeatedly targeting minorities and minority organisations, states the release.

The PFI has also demanded a separate investigation into the murder of Vishwanath (32) on the outskirts of city of Shivamogga in the aftermath of the clash.

It said that stringent action should be taken against the culprits who made a deliberate attempt to disrupt peace in the society by carrying out an attack on PFI rally.

(Agencies)

Karnataka Forest & Environment Minister threatens to quit over Sangh Parivar’s influence on intelligence wing

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Ramanatha-Rai

Mangaluru: Claiming that the state intelligence department was filled with officials who were in favour of the Sangh Parivar, Minister for Forest and Environment B Ramanath Rai has urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to identify such officials in the department and replace them on the grounds that they did not work in favour of maintaining law and order situation.

According to highly-placed sources in the Congress party, the minister opined that such officials did not submit intelligence reports that worked in favour of the law and order situation and gave false information especially in the context of Dakshina Kannada district.

Resignation threat

A local media report claimed that Mr Rai has also threatened to resign from the post of the minister over Sangh Parivar’s influence on intelligence department.

He also has expressed dissatisfaction at the direct involvement of state party leaders in the party affairs in Dakshina Kannada district, report said.

Stating that the failure and non-cooperation of the intelligence department was the reason for the recent communal clashes in the district, Mr Rai has been appealing to the chief minister to reconstitute the intelligence department since it was not possible to control law and order at the last instant if the intelligence officials submitted reports favouring the Sangh Parivar. It is said that the minister was not happy with the lack of response in this regard.

The intelligence department officials are aware of the imminent threats and where clashes and riots are going to occur. However, they are misguiding the government by providing false information. By this, the people affected by the clashes are disappointed with the government, which could weaken the future prospects of the Congress party, say sources close to Mr Rai. It is said that Mr Rai had already brought this to the notice of the chief minister two weeks ago.

Sources have said that the district in-charge minister Rai has also expressed displeasure over the political developments in Puttur constituency in the district, primely over the constituency MLA Shakunthala Shetty having taken suggestions from party chief G Parameshwar while nominating office bearers in local bodies instead of having asked him. The minister is of the opinion that the activities of the MLA went against the interest of the party.

(CD Network)

Promoting Prejudice, Poisoning Minds – Parivar’s intrusions into education

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Oct 2014, claimed that the Mahabharat’s story of Karna, who was "not born of his mother’s womb", was evidence of the fact that “genetic science” was prevalent at the time in India. In this file photo he is seen addressing the inaugural function of 102nd Indian Science Congress in Mumbai.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Oct 2014, claimed that the Mahabharat’s story of Karna, who was “not born of his mother’s womb”, was evidence of the fact that “genetic science” was prevalent at the time in India. In this file photo he is seen addressing the inaugural function of 102nd Indian Science Congress in Mumbai.

by Praful Bidwai

If there’s one thing that the 102nd Indian Science Congress, held in Mumbai, will be remembered for, it’s the outrageous claims made at it about the achievements of science in ancient India, including the assertion that Indians between 7000 and 6000 BC knew how to make airplanes that could undertake “interplanetary travel”, and fly backwards and sideways, as well as forwards!

Similarly, Indians had invented differential calculus, knew about viruses and developed advanced techniques of plastic surgery—well before anyone else. These claims confuse mythology with science, concoct history, and are based on pure fantasies of insecure ultra-nationalists who assert that ancient India’s accomplishments in the arts or sciences put even the modern era to shame.

The claim about airplanes was demolished 40 years ago by Indian Institute of Science-Bangalore aeronautical engineers in scientific journals. Yet, such claims are now made with brazen confidence. This speaks to the power of example, one set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, no less, when he cited the mythical figures of Ganesha and Karna as proof that Indians knew about genetics, in-vitro fertilisation and complex surgery thousands of years ago!

Such self-glorification and myth-making can only make India the laughing stock of the world, but is an integral part of the Sangh Parivar’s distinct self-identity and obscurantist agenda. Its impact is now becoming visible in the Parivar’s Long March through the Institutions of the State.

Led by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, and enabled by the Bharatiya Janata Party’s government, Parivar activists are reshaping, changing, and subverting institutions, especially in education and culture. Their aim is to influence their working to reflect the Sangh’s specific brand of “cultural nationalism” by promoting Hindutva icons, engineering long-term changes in programmes and priorities, and making key appointments of personnel who will loyally execute such changes.

The imposition of observing Christmas Day as “good governance” day on Central educational institutions—including thousands of schools, 45 Central universities, the elite Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs)—was only one step in that direction.

The latest move is the award of National Research Professorships to Sangh sympathisers: Kannada novelist SL Bhyrappa, Mumbai-based economics lecturer Ashok Modak and Hindi journalist/writer Suryakant Bali. Such Professorships were held in the past by physicists CV Raman and Satyendranath Bose, musician Ravi Shankar, writer Mahashweta Devi and sociologist Andre Beteille.

Bhyrappa is an accomplished and successful novelist, but he controversially accuses Tipu Sultan of being a religious fanatic! According to former BJP functionary Sudheendra Kulkarni, who doesn’t hide his pro-Sangh bias, Bhyrappa nurtures a “fevered hatred of Indian Muslims”. Modak isn’t a distinguished scholar. And Bali’s claim to academic distinction is unknown, but the launch of his last book was attended by human resource development minister Smriti Irani and RSS joint general secretary Krishna Gopal. Both Bhyrappa and Bali had endorsed Mr Modi as PM-candidate.

The larger Sangh agenda includes substantive changes both in the content of education and appointments in prestigious institutions. Ms Irani has announced that the government will soon formulate a whole new education policy. It has appointed pro-Hindutva or pro-BJP individuals to head the apex-level Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR), the renowned Indian Institute of Advanced Study (IIAS) at Shimla, and Banaras Hindu University (BHU), established in 1916.

This sends out an unmistakable signal about the shape of things to come in other Central universities including Jawaharlal Nehru University, the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), some of the IITs and IIMs, and the Central Board of Secondary Education, among other institutions where new appointments to top posts or councils/governing bodies are due soon.

An even stronger signal emanates from the manner in which Parvin Sinclair, the upright and independent-minded director of the National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT), was ousted more than two years before her term ended, aborting at the last stage the improvement and updating of the National Curriculum Framework-2005, which she had initiated.

The NCF was itself the product of a long, broad consultative process of “de-saffronisation”, which led to the production of NCERT’s widely acclaimed, secular-liberal, pedagogically vastly superior, school textbooks, adopted by many state textbook boards and schools.

On May 22, even before Mr Modi was sworn in, the RSS-affiliated Shiksha Sanskriti Utthan Nyas run by Dinanath Batra (he, of book-pulping fame) demanded a “total” overhaul of the education system and rewriting of textbooks so they inculcate “patriotism”, reflect “Indian tradition, social consciousness… and spiritualism”, and help build a “strong and vibrant India”.

Mr Batra insisted that Ms Irani reconstitute the NCERT. When Dr Sinclair refused to toe Ms Irani’s line on the NCF and other issues, she was reportedly falsely charged with financial irregularities, not allowed to defend herself fully, and asked to resign.

Another recent Irani casualty is IIT-Delhi director RK Sheogaonkar who resigned in protest against her blatant interference in the institute’s affairs. The faculty has strongly supported Dr Sheogaonkar.

There has been no similar purge in other institutions so far. But the government has used three other methods to favour the Parivar: appointing RSS functionaries or sympathisers to high academic positions although they manifestly lack scholarly competence, leave alone distinction; nominating mediocrities who are BJP fellow-travellers to major institutions; and co-opting appointees of the previous regime by striking questionable deals with them which benefit the Parivar.

The appointment of Girish Chandra Tripathi as BHU vice-chancellor, a post held earlier by luminaries like S Radhakrishnan and Acharya Narendra Dev, falls in the first category. Mr Tripathi, a longstanding hardcore prant (province)-level RSS official, was earlier a professor of economics at Allahabad university. But going by a google-scholar search and other available biographical entries, he has published no books or papers, at least recently.

According to a former colleague of his, Mr Tripathi “probably never taught a full 50-minute class”. But he has shrewdly played Uttar Pradesh-style Brahmin politics as a loyalist and understudy of Giridhar Malaviya, Madan Mohan Malaviya’s manipulative pro-RSS grandson and a former judge.

Mr Malaviya famously nominated Mr Modi as the BJP’s Lok Sabha candidate from Varanasi. He also headed the search-cum-selection committee that recommended Mr Tripathi, his own acolyte, for the VC’s post—a blatant conflict of interest!

The appointment of Y Sudershan Rao, a singularly undistinguished historian close to a spiritual guru (who mediated with the RSS-BJP on his behalf), as ICHR chairman is a similar, if somewhat less sordid, story. Prof Rao rails against Western and Marxist scholars and defends the caste system. He wants to prove the historicity of the Mahabharata and the Ramayana.

Prof Rao emphasises the relevance of the Puranas: “The ICHR has to play a catalyst role in taking to people their history” through the epics. According to distinguished historian Romila Thapar, Prof Rao fails to distinguish between epics and historical texts. He has published no articles on the epics, or on Ayodhya as Rama’s birthplace, in peer-reviewed journals.

One of Prof Rao’s first actions was to invite a Belgium-based, rabidly pro-Hindutva scholar, SN Balagangadhara, to deliver the Maulana Azad Memorial Lecture on November 11 (available at ichr.ac.in). Balagangadhara drew serious criticism from distinguished historians like Rajan Gurukkal.

The nomination by the MHRD of Chandrakala Padia as the chairperson of IIAS-Shimla, and by the foreign ministry of Kavita Sharma as the president of South Asian University, belong to the second category. Dr Padia, who comes from Varanasi, does have some published work, but its quality is not commensurate with her position at IIAS. Ms Sharma was director of the India International Centre, Delhi and earlier principal of Hindu College, but can claim little academic accomplishment.

Third, the Parivar has cut deals with various UPA appointees, who have turned pro-BJP-RSS, including University Grants Commission chairman Ved Prakash and Delhi university VC Dinesh Singh. They both attended a lunch hosted by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat in Delhi on October 12. Mr Prakash in anxious to continue in his post till 2017 despite vigilance and other inquiries against him.

Dr Singh’s favourite, but mindless, scheme (Four-Year Undergraduate Programme) was recently shot down by Ms Irani. Sensing the wind, he capitulated. He now plays Bhumihar-cum-Parivar politics and recently made more than 20 questionable appointments in university departments, according to teachers. He has also provided a platform to senior RSS functionaries on the campus, including Indresh Kumar and Krishna Gopal.

A dark presence behind some of these appointments and related decisions is said to be MHRD’s officer on special duty Sanjay Kachroo, who has worked with several corporate houses, including Reliance, and had access to secret MHRD files even before he received intelligence clearance.

With such players in key positions, the Parivar is intruding into education—probably with nasty communal consequences. A future article will discuss its interference in the field of culture.

Praful Bidwai is a journalist, social science researcher and activist on issues of human rights, the environment, global justice and peace. He received the Sean MacBride International Peace Prize, 2000 of International Peace Bureau, Geneva and London, one of the world’s oldest peace organisations.

How the Sangh Parivar is taking over education and culture institutions

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To propagate the Parivar’s brand of ‘cultural nationalism’, the government is purging some institutions and making suspect appointments in others.

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh

by Praful Bidwai

A hallmark of the Modi government’s first 200 days in office is the beginning of the Sangh Parivar’s Long March through the institutions of the state, in particular bodies that deal with education and culture. The Parivar’s agenda is to reflect its own specific brand of “cultural nationalism” in these institutions by engineering long-term changes in their programmes and priorities, and by making key appointments of personnel who will loyally execute such changes.

The government’s imposition of the observance of Christmas Day as “good governance” day on a range of Central educational institutions – including Navodaya Vidyalayas and Central Board of Secondary Education-affiliated schools, the 45 Central universities, the elite Indian Institutes of Technology and Indian Institutes of Management – is only the latest, if symbolic, step in that direction. It forces them through a mere executive order to celebrate the birth anniversaries of two Parivar icons, Atal Behari Vajpayee and the even-more sectarian former Hindu Mahasabha leader Madan Mohan Malaviya.

The larger Sangh agenda includes more substantive changes in the content of education and what is officially supported and promoted as culture. For instance, the government has appointed pro-Hindutva or pro-BJP individuals to head the apex-level Indian Council of Historical Research, the prestigious Indian Institute of Advanced Study at Shimla, and Banaras Hindu University, established, incidentally, by Malaviya in 1916.

De-saffronisation process derailed

This sends out an unmistakable signal about the shape of things to come in other Central universities, including Jawaharlal Nehru University, the Indian Council of Social Science Research, some of the IITs, and the CBSE, among many other institutions where new appointments are due soon at the top or in their councils and governing bodies.

An even stronger signal emanates from the manner in which Parvin Sinclair, the upright and independent-minded director of the National Council for Educational Research and Training, was ousted over two years before her term ended. This aborted at the last stage the revision (improvement and updating) of the National Curriculum Framework 2005 she had initiated. The framework itself was the product of a long, broadly consultative process of “de-saffronisation”, which led to widely acclaimed, secular-liberal and pedagogically superior school textbooks.

On May 22, even before Narendra Modi was sworn in, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh-affiliated Shiksha Sanskriti Utthan Nyas run by Dinanath Batra (of book-pulping fame) demanded a total overhaul of the education system and rewriting of textbooks so they inculcate patriotism, reflect “Indian tradition, social consciousness… and spiritualism”, and help build a “strong and vibrant India”. He insisted that Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani reconstitute the NCERT. When Sinclair refused to toe Irani’s line on the National Curriculum Framework and other issues, she was reportedly charged with financial irregularities, not allowed to defend herself fully, and asked to resign.

Questionable appointments

There has been no similar purge in other institutions so far. But the government has used three other methods to favour the Parivar: appointing RSS functionaries or close sympathisers to high positions although they manifestly lack academic competence, leave alone distinction; nominating mediocrities who are BJP fellow-travellers to head institutions; and co-opting appointees of the previous regime by striking questionable deals with them which benefit the Parivar.

Last month’s appointment of Girish Chandra Tripathi as Banaras Hindu University vice-chancellor, a post held earlier by luminaries like S Radhakrishnan and Acharya Narendra Dev, falls in the first category. Tripathi, long a hardcore prant (province)-level RSS official, was a professor of economics at Allahabad University. But going by a Google scholar search and other available biographical entries, he has published no books or papers, at least recently.

Teaching history of the epics

The appointment of Y Sudershan Rao, a singularly undistinguished historian close to a spiritual guru (who mediated with the RSS-Bharatiya Janata Party on his behalf), as chairman of the Indian Council of Historical Research is a similar, if somewhat less sordid, story. Rao rails against Western and Marxist scholars and defends the caste system. He wants to prove the historicity of the Mahabharata and Ramayana. He emphasises the relevance of the Puranas: “The ICHR has to play a catalyst role in taking to people their history” through the epics. According to Romila Thapar, Rao fails to distinguish between epics and historical texts. He has published no articles on the epics, or on Ayodhya as Rama’s birthplace, in peer-reviewed journals.

One of Rao’s first actions was to invite a Belgium-based, rabidly pro-Hindutva scholar, SN Balagangadhara, to deliver the Maulana Azad Memorial Lecture on November 11. Balagangadhara’s views drew serious criticism from distinguished historians like Rajan Gurukkal.

Belonging to the second category are Chandrakala Padia’s nomination as the chairperson of IIAS-Shimla by the Human Resource Development Ministry, and Kavita Sharma’s nomination as the vice-chancellor of South Asian University by the foreign ministry. Padia, who comes from Varanasi, does have some published work, but its quality is not commensurate with her position at IIAS. Sharma was director of the India International Centre, Delhi, and earlier principal of Hindu College, but can claim little academic accomplishment.

Changing with the times

Third, the Parivar seems to have cut deals with various United Progressive Alliance appointees, who have turned pro-BJP-RSS, including University Grants Commission chairman Ved Prakash and Delhi University vice-chancellor Dinesh Singh, who both attended a lunch hosted by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat in Delhi on October 12. Prakash is alleged to be anxious to continue in his post till 2017, despite vigilance and other inquiries against him.

Singh’s favourite, but mindless, scheme (the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme) was recently shot down by Irani. Sensing the wind, he allegedly capitulated. He has provided a platform to senior RSS functionaries on the campus, including Indresh Kumar and Krishna Gopal.

This is the first in a two-part series on the saffronisation of education and culture, which first appeared in Scroll.

Praful Bidwai is a journalist, social science researcher and activist on issues of human rights, the environment, global justice and peace. He received the Sean MacBride International Peace Prize, 2000 of International Peace Bureau, Geneva and London, one of the world’s oldest peace organisations.

Parivar’s re-conversion offensive: Nasty threat to citizenship

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home-coming-Hinduism

by Praful Bidwai

The Sangh Parivar has made a habit out of raking up divisive issues which most people thought were settled at the time of Indian Independence or shortly thereafter. For instance, India adopted Parliamentary democracy in preference to the presidential system after much debate. But the unitarian, pro-centralisation Bharatiya Janata Party has always been partial to the presidential form despite its unsuitability for a huge and diverse country like India.

When it first came to national power in 1998, the BJP-led government set up a high-level commission to review the Constitution. To give the commission minimal credibility, it had to appoint a legal luminary to head it. Mercifully, former Chief Justice MN Venkatachaliah refused to alter the basic structure of the Constitution.

Similarly, the Constituent Assembly debated and settled the issue of equality of all citizens before the law irrespective of their faith, and affirmed the principle of equal, non-discriminatory treatment of all religions by the state (Sarva Dharma Samabhava) as a minimalistic definition of secularism.

But the Parivar, including the BJP, demands primacy and supremacy for the Hindus and equates Hindutva, a toxic communal ideology, with “cultural nationalism”. It regards equal treatment of citizens as “minority appeasement”—despite glaring evidence of the deprivation and discrimination faced especially by Muslims, documented by the Sachar committee and numerous other reports.

Jammu and Kashmir would not have acceded to India in the absence of the autonomy guaranteed by Article 370 of the Constitution—and perhaps not even then. But the BJP cannot live with a relaxed notion of federalism or autonomy for the states, and wants to forcibly integrate Kashmir into India. This will only increase popular alienation and resistance, encourage brutal state repression, and foment social unrest which feeds separatist militancy.

Similarly, the Constituent Assembly debated the question of freedom of conscience at length and enacted Article 25(1), under which “all persons are equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practise and propagate religion” subject to “public order, morality and health”, etc., meaning the right would be exercised in a manner which won’t create disorder and undue conflict. The right is not restricted to Indian citizens, but applies to all persons.

This was fiercely opposed by Hindutva proponents of the day, especially Loknath Mishra from Orissa, who contended: “Justice demands that the ancient faith and culture of the land should be given a fair deal, if not restored to its legitimate place after a thousand years of suppression… In the present context what can this word ‘propagation’… mean? It can only mean paving the way for the complete annihilation of Hindu culture, the Hindu way of life and manners.”

He added: “Islam has declared its hostility to Hindu thought. Christianity has worked out the policy of peaceful penetration by the backdoor on the outskirts of our social life. This is because Hinduism did not accept barricades for its protection. Hinduism is just an integrated vision and a philosophy of life…But Hindu generosity has been misused and politics has overrun Hindu culture… [T]he question of communal minorities … is a device to swallow the majority in the long run.”

Mishra’s hysterical outbursts about Hindu victimhood and his plea against the right to propagate religion were strongly opposed not just by Dr Ambedkar, the chairman of the Constitution drafting committee, but also by other Assembly members, who clarified that the right would be available to all, including Sanatani Hindus, Arya Samajis and other Hindutva organisations already engaged in “Shuddhikaran”: of “reconverting” Muslims and Christians to Hinduism.

Gandhiji had deep reservations about both conversion and reconversion, based on religious, not political, grounds: “I disbelieve in the conversion of one person by another. My effort should never be to undermine another’s faith but to make him a better follower of his own faith. This implies belief in the truth of all religions and therefore respect for them…”

This is the opposite of what the Hindu-supremacist Sangh Parivar believes in. Gandhiji didn’t share its view that Islam and Christianity are alien religions or were imposed by conquerors upon unsuspecting, naïve Hindus.

In fact, Christianity in India goes back to the 1st Century AD, and Islam to the 7th Century when the first mosque was opened in Kerala, whereas Hinduism in its present casteist-Brahminical form is a more recent 8th-10th Century phenomenon.

Had the Muslim clergy during Moghul rule over large parts of India or the Catholic Church in Goa (ruled by the Portuguese for four centuries) practised mass-scale forced proselytisation, a majority of their people would not have remained Hindu, as they did. Many embraced these faiths voluntarily—often to escape Dalit oppression sanctioned by actually practised Hinduism. They still do.

The rights to the freedom of conscience and to practise and propagate one’s religion derive from fundamental considerations of citizenship embedded in a charter of democracy. They must be decoupled from people’s religious-ethnic-linguistic identities, and also from the premise that all religions equally capture the divine truth or spiritual essence. The state must remain firmly agnostic on this and not assign equal or dissimilar values to different religions.

Religion is a deeply personal, intimate matter. In a free liberal-democratic society, the state cannot be allowed to dictate or interfere with it—so long as it doesn’t infringe on other citizens’ rights. Article 25(1) is based on this sound principle. Those in the Parivar who oppose it hold the mistaken view that Hindus, especially poor Hindus, convert to Christianity or Islam because they are ignorant, have no agency or mind of their own, and are lured or coerced into doing so.

This is a deplorably paternalistic prejudice typical of the largely upper-caste Indian elite, which also believes that the poor are incapable of making any rational choices. Granting them the right to vote is at best a favour, an unfortunate part of our claim to be the world’s largest democracy. At any rate, they must be “brought back home” (ghar wapsi) through religious reconversion—for their own good.

This is not very different from the belief held by Christian missionaries during the colonial period that they were saving the soul of the heathen by baptising him/her, just as the imperial rulers thought they were on a mission of “civilising” barbarians. Such views are unworthy of a modern, civilised mind, but are widely held by India’s elite.

These views have found an uncouth and violent expression in the Parivar’s reconversion campaign. In Agra, 300 wretchedly poor Bengali-speaking Muslims were lured with the promise of below-poverty-line identity cards and tricked into performing Hindu rituals. Some had red marks painted on their foreheads and were told they had become Hindus!

The campaign, led by RSS affiliate Dharma Jagaran Manch, is backed by the Modi government which demands an anti-conversion law as the price of reining in the rogues who run the ghar wapsi movement. This is doubly offensive. But it reveals something important. Behind the campaign isn’t a lunatic fringe of extremists over which the Parivar has lost control. It’s the BJP itself.

Mr Modi has brought RSS extremists into his government and party, and allowed them a free reign. As home minister Rajnath Singh said (Nov 22), responding to a question about RSS interference in governance: “The RSS is not an external force. The PM and I have been RSS volunteers from childhood and will remain so until our death… When we ourselves are members, then how will the RSS influence us?… One could have understood the argument of any organisation influencing the government if it had a different identity, a different ideology…”

The other day, Mr Modi told BJP MPs not to cross the red line with intemperate statements. The very next day, Yogi Adityanath spewed communal poison. Modi and Co have repeatedly condoned the vituperative utterances of Giriraj Singh, Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti and Sakshi Maharaj too. They have encouraged extremism by changing the terms of public discourse, triggering a rising spiral of Hindutva intolerance.

Thus, Christians are made to feel insecure with the officially-ordered observance (since modified) of “good governance” day on Christmas Day, also the birth anniversary of Hindu Mahasabha leader Madan Mohan Malaviya and Atal Behari Vajpayee. And all secular people must suffer the pain of Ms Sushma Swaraj’s advocacy of making the Gita the national scripture.

The message that emanates from these concentric circles of BJP leaders is clear: hate-speech is the new normal; lionising Nathuram Godse is no longer taboo; the communal lumpen’s time has come; “our” government won’t stop ghar wapsi; we’ll temporarily postpone it, but take it up soon, under another name if necessary; if we could “accomplish” the Babri demolition and Gujarat-2002, nothing can prevent us from converting Muslims and Christians, whether in Aligarh or elsewhere, at a named price of respectively Rs 5 lakhs and Rs 2 lakhs.

What’s scary is not that all this distracts attention from the BJP’s real agenda of “development”; but that shifting political goalposts through violent communalism has become its main agenda.

Praful Bidwai is a journalist, social science researcher and activist on issues of human rights, the environment, global justice and peace. He received the Sean MacBride International Peace Prize, 2000 of International Peace Bureau, Geneva and London, one of the world’s oldest peace organisations.

Sangh Parivar activist arrested for desecrating temples to create riot

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Muzaffarnagar police have arrested a Hindutva activist for a number of incidents of temple desecration, which had led to tensions in Budhana.

Muzaffarnagar police have arrested a Hindutva activist for a number of incidents of temple desecration, which had led to tensions in Budhana.

Muzaffarnagar: A 35-year-old Sangh Parivar activist has been arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Police for desecrating two temples last week near Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh with the intention of creating communal riots.

The riot monger has been identified as Deshraj Singh. His aim, he told police, was to ensure that “koi masjid na rahe, sirf mandir rahe (no mosques should remain, only temples should remain)”.

The miscreant had confessed to have desecrated two temples at Parsauli village in communally sensitive Budhana near Muzaffarnagar by leaving buffalo carcasses inside and writing hate messages on the wall.

Parsauli had remained tense last week after a few temple desecration incidents came to light. In one instance on the 15th of December, animal skin was found outside a newly constructed temple, while on the night of 20th an idol went missing from another temple.

Following the incidents BJP leaders including Union Minister Sanjeev Baliyan had visited the village.

There was a string of two or three incidents. A person had placed heads and other parts of buffaloes at two temples. The idols had also been stolen. An attempt had also been made to place an idol at a different spot. Following our efforts, we have arrested Deshraj Singh, who has confessed to committing these acts,” said HN Singh, SSP, Muzaffarnagar.

“We are in the process of ascertaining in what state he had committed these acts. We cannot yet say for certain why he had committed these acts. We have also sent a team to his house in Delhi. Because of this incident, there was tension in the village. Communal tension also prevailed in nearby villages,” he added.

Police said that Deshraj also revealed he stole some items from a mosque earlier as well.

Deshraj is a native of Parsauli but had been working in Noida. He had returned to Parsauli about two months back.

Budhana had been one of the areas affected by the riots in Muzaffarnagar last year.

Are all Indians Sons of Ram?

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Rama

During the anti colonial movement, Mahatma Gandhi emerged as the tallest of leaders and was called, ‘Father of the nation’ Rashtrapita. This term was first used by Subhash Chandra Bose in a Radio address in 1944 and later approved, accepted and upheld by majority of Indians. Of course he was not accepted as Father of the Nation by Muslim and Hindu communalists. For Muslim communalists, Muslim Nation began from eight century with the rule of Mohammad bin Kasim in Sindh. For Hindu Communalists this has been a Hindu nation from times immemorial. Gandhi was accepted as Father of the nation by majority of Indians and all those who were with freedom movement led by him for his role in bringing together all the people of India. The nation was seen as ‘Nation in the making’ not as a ready made nation as presented by religious nationalists.

Gandhi’s marathon effort was to bring in fraternity amongst all the Indians and so Hindu-Muslim unity was central to his enterprise. This was the logical central point of his effort as these were two main religious communities. He anchored himself to morality of all the religions and could bring the bonding of different religious communities under the overarching identity of ‘Indian’. He faced the strong resistance to his efforts from the propaganda and deeds of the communal forces, that’s also what led to his murder in 1948.

Despite his murder; the communalists and their hate propaganda and divisive thinking continued and kept changing its language in different guises. While majority Muslim communalists went over to Pakistan, the leftover of this communalism did produce the likes of Akbaruddudin Owaisi and his clones indulging in hate speech against Hindus. On a much larger and bigger scale the head of Hindu communal organization, kept harping on creating social common sense picked from the British introduced communal historiography, where Muslim kings were demonized, labeled as aliens etc. around which stereotypes and myths were constructed. This demonization reached its peak in the slogan Babar ki Aulad jao Kabristan ya Pakistan (sons of Babar go to Pakistan or graveyard) The latest in the line is that all those who do not identify with Lord Ram are Haramjade (Illegitimates) and the country belongs to Ramjade’s (Sons of Ram) only, others are to be treated like aliens.

This formulation is the culmination of RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat’s recent statement that all of us are Hindus, this is Hindustan. By inference Lord Ram is the symbol of India that is Hindustan and so Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti the BJP minister in central cabinet stated “Modi has given a mantra that we will neither take bribe nor let others take bribe. Now you have to decide whom to choose. Will you choose the sons of Ram or those who are illegitimate),” Just a small recap; Indian Constitution calls it as “India that is Bharat’.

Now while the collective opposition is demanding the suspension of the Sadhvi from Minister ship and initiating the legal proceedings against her, the BJP is hiding her under the pretext that she has already apologized and that she is new to the ministry. Also that she is coming from a poor dalit background. The opposition argument is that she has taken oath under the Indian Constitution, while her statement is not only an attempt to create a divide between religious communities, it’s a blatant hate speech and such a person is already guilty of violating the Indian Constitution. The criminal action demanded by opposition ranks against the minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti relates to the hate speech provision, Section 153A of the Indian Penal Code, which prescribes a maximum sentence of three years of imprisonment.

One can be charged under this section only with the government’s sanction. Hate speech is widely understood to be an exception to the freedom of speech, Section 153A also holds to account anybody who is “promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion … and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony”. There are many in this gallery, prominent amongst them being Akbaruddin Owaisi, Raj Thackeray, Praveen Togadia, and Varun Gandhi, to name the few who came out with scathing statements against the ‘other community’. Hiding behind the fact that Sadhiv Jyoti is a dalit holds no water as she is fully indoctrinated in the ideology of Sangh Parivar. Also the argument that even Sonia Gandhi used the word ‘Maut ke Saudagar’ (Merchants of Death) is not relevant here, as Sonia was talking about a political tendency of communalism, not against any particular religious community.

Overtly BJP leadership is not much supporting this statement, but this is the logical outcome of the politics of their Parivar, which brought them to power and whose agenda of Hindu nationalism they are pursuing. How do we deal with such divisive agenda and Hate speech? One recalls Akbaruddin Owaisi was taken to task for his Hate speech. If one recalls right Dr. Pravin Togadia was also the guest of the prison for Hate speech once. Dr. Togadia has probably set the bench marks more than once in clever use of divisive language. His video of how to get rid of Muslim neighbors by throwing tomatoes on them was also seen but most of the time he has escaped the punishment. A similar comment, like the one now of Sadhvi Jyoti was also made by another BJP leader in Uttar Pradesh by Ram Pratap Chauhan in Vijay Shankhnaad Rally in Agra on 21st November 2013 as well. That one got unnoticed. IT only goes on to show, Sadhvi’s statement is a part of the thinking in the wider Parivar circle.

BJP leadership faces the dilemma. In Parliament and for the global consumption it has to keep the face of ‘Development’, while to keep its political power it has to go with the divisive agenda of its parent organization as unfolded by its associates and many elements within the party. So a clever balancing act is always in order, to hide under the apology of A Sadhvi and to turn a blind eye towards such tendencies. For them the same divisive agenda has to be operationalized with some variations in places where elections are to be held.

Then the question comes, as Indian nation who is our Father; Gandhi or Ram? Ram is a mythological reality with whom large section of Hindus identify. He was King of Ayodhya. The criticism of the prevalent version of Ram Story by Dr. Ambedkar seems to have been ignored in the din of communal hysteria. In ‘Riddles of Hinduism’, Ambedkar takes up the issue of Ram upholding caste and gender hierarchy amongst others. Rams’ murder of Shambuk, as Shambuk was a Shudra who was doing penance has come under heavy criticism from Ambedkar. Similarly banishing his pregnant wife Sita is a serious issue. One more point Ambedkar raises is also about Ram’s killing of Bali Raja, that too from behind. Bali was a popular king revered by dalit bahujans. Similarly Periyar Ramasami Naicker also took many of these issues about the Lord.

While there are claims that we are a Hindu nation from times immemorial, as a matter of fact India became a nation state through the anti colonial struggle led by Gandhi. So the very formulation that all Indians are sons of Ram has no grounding. Surely many Hindus identify with Ram but as Indians, it is Gandhi who is the ‘father of the nation’. Ram is symbol of Hindu nationalism while Gandhi is symbol of Indian nationalism.

After Modi came to power in 2014, the assertion of RSS agenda is going on uninhibited and intimidating those who uphold the Indian Constitution and values of freedom struggle. Assertions like Ramjade as synonymous with Indian-ness are revival of the forces which killed and went on to celebrate this dastardly act, which was the first attack on values of our freedom movement.

Riot effected Trilokpuri fact finding team report by NCHRO

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Trilokpuri-riots

After the riots in Gujarat communal riots has taken a different mode in the country. Now, instead of rioting at mass level sponsored are made on a small scale. Then used for disturb the communal harmony. Recent trilokpuri incidence was not communal. But it was later given communal color. For this incidence only BJP is not responsible but every one playes his roll in it. Who had stoped the Congress and AAP to handle the situation? And AAP also did not take any platonic stand in this matter.

Riot Effected Trilok Puri Report

Fact Finding Team Members: Ansar Indori, Siddique kappan, Sunil Kumar

Date:- 30, 31 Oct. and 3 Nov. 2014

Delhi:- In 1976 Triloke Puri J J Coloney had been rehabilated after removing the slum jhuggi area of Ashram, Moti Bagh, Dhoula Kuan, INA, Lajpat Nagar, Kanchan Pari etc. There are 36 blocks in Trilokpuri. 500 houses had been allotted in every block . This area also effected in anti sikh riots 1984 and near about 250 peple from sikh community had been killed. Localitie’s current elected MLA is from AAP and MP from BJP.

There was a commotion in block 20 after a verbal spat on October 22, 2014, which these communal outfits spread into entire neighborhood. It’s said that the sparking incident of this fight was about drinking and consuming beef near the Mata ki Chowki installed temporarily.

There is a public park (Central Park) in block 20 where the garbage of block 20 dump. There was a toilet 5 or 6 years back at same place. Last year a Jagran was organized here and on 31 Oct. 2014 it was second time. First time after cleaning the garbage Mata ki Chouki placed for 37 or 38 days here.

It’s been said by hindu residents that after drinking alcohol Rizwan passed the urin at Mata ki Chouki, when we resist, then he began to abuse and slapped a boy. There were 10-15 youths standing in block, having talk with them Gourav Talwar tells that Samir Jain sitiing in the car with his friends and having a drink and Seenk Kabab. Samir has two Santro car with taxi No. he took them.

After passing 10-15 minuts stone pelting was started from Babloo’s home. Police arrived but unable to do anything, then heavy stone pelting began to start.

Gourav (Complainant) and five others (4 Hindus & 2 Muslims) were arrested by the police on 24 Oct. but after 2 days ACP released them on 10,000 personal bond. Further Gourav stated that he and his brother joint with RSS, when police arrested them his brother called acquaintance joint commissioner (After asking the name of that Joint CP, who was from outside of Delhi, Emphasizing mind he disclosed his name Rathor Sahab.) who was in Triloke Puri Police Station that time, and he said to Gourav’s brother that, ‘’if you earlier informed me, I could manage here but now Kalandara (case Report) prepared. There is no such a big case, ACP will release on bail.

When asked the Gourave that how a little quarrel spread to other places? he replied that this time Hindus were united. We asked that, be united so quikely that next day stone pelting in other blocks started? He told us two facts, first due to Mata ki Chouki friends came from other localities, as friends organized Ganesh Puja in block 18, I used to go there, and they also want to organize Mata ki Chouki, but we refused for this year and conviced them to organized next year. Due to this unity riot spread. Until today we were being beaten up. Second point he stated that an announcement was made from Mousque of block 27 that ‘all muslims are being killed, get all the muslim brother together.’ Further he said that there is central park in block 20, in which children could play cricket but captured by muslims only. No any Hindu can go in this park. Asking the population ratio of Hindus & Muslims he replied that there are 65% Hidus and 35% Muslims. He introduce himself as a minority and said that there are 8 house from the Punjabi community.

There are 95-96% Muslims in sector 27. and there is a road between 27 and 35 blocks, on this road, a heavey stone pelting was reported on the eve of 24 Oct. and 25 Oct. Babbi a resident of block 35 stays on first floor of his house and he is running a grossery shop under his home, stated that stones and bricks were pelted between 27 and 28 blocks. Which were taken after breaking drain’s wall. Few stones were also hit at my shop. We were afraid and hide in the house, even unable to looking outside. We had to bear a big loss due to 6 days closing the shops.

A resident of Block 27, 60 years old Israr khan belongs to Pathan community and retired from Electricity Dept. (DESU) in 2005. After retirement he opened a 3 story garments & shoes shop, in which his 8 workers with his two sons worked there. Israr khan’s shop was burnt at 4 AM on 25 Oct. on which Israr khan invested his whole income and 40 lakhs borroing money. Near about 80 Lakhs Material was burnt. He had no insurance, which was guuted his entire fortune. Israr Khan told that police was present at a little distance but did not help him. Fire brigade arrived two hours late, while both fire stations are only 2-3 k.m. away from my shop. Israr Khan tried to log an FIR but did not success. SHO told him that he’ll log in riot’s report. Israr has sent his complaint to DCP and other concerned officers by a registred mail, in which he mentioned the BJP worker’s names, no FIRs were registered as yet and no action taken against them.

A resident of 27 block 55 years Guntu Khan from Mansoori community runs his scrap and vessel shops in block 28. His scrap shop burned at 2 AM on 26 Oct. while the vessel’s shop was tried to rob by breaking the locks. He also tried to log an FIR but SHO did not register.

40 Years Meena Devi has been living for 40 year in 27 Block and has a son and two daughters. Son namely Prem Prakash is working as electritioan in Laxmi Nagar and if someone called him for personal electrical problem he also sort out in the area. They did not have any problem in these years. When asked her that has he seen this situation before? After recalling her mind Meena Devi told that in Indra’s time 1984 it happened, after that nothing ever happened. We Hindus and Muslims all live together peacefully.

Munni Devi has been living here since 1980, she sells women’s garment in weekly market. Her husband is a tailor and works in Pandav Nagar. She has a son and three daughters, all are studying in school. She stated that yet we have no problem. All the families are living peaceful here, only this time such quarrels happened. Due to it shops are not being opened and my husband could not work even for 3 days.

We met with some social workers who works for Hindu-Muslims unity. They stated that ‘’we were going to arrang a meeting for both communities. After some time we came to know by someone that meeting will be held in P.S. Trilok Puri. When we reached there duty officer refused to give us any information about it’’.

A resident of block 26 Kanta Mahra has a tea stal outside police station. Mrs Mahra had a Jhuggi in INA New Delhi. During the partition her family had come from Lahor, Pakistan. Her husband Hans Raj Mahra also used to sell the tea here. She stated that after 1984 there was no any problem here, everthing was cool. Due to cufew I was not able to open my tea stal. But when led to starve I opend the shop. At the same place we met a resident of 27 blocks Mr. Paltan who was retired from DESU and has been living here for 35 years. He stated that he is the only Hindu in his street But he did not seem to ever live in the Muslim neighborhood. We use to celebrate each other’s festivals. All muslim brothers participate in our children’s marriges with very heartly. A big tragedy happened in 1984 after that there were little quarrels taken place, but it was not happened even 10-15 years.

There are 80 % Muslims & 20 Hindus in block 15 and one mousque and three 3 temples. Heavy stone pelting reported in this locality and several people were injured. Several Muslims were also arrested from this block. Shabana’s nefew’s Aqika (Birth Ceremoney of a Child after 7 days) canceled due to riots. Police forcefully entered into the house and arrested Bilal (19), Irfan(32), Azhar(19) and Sajid(35 ). They were brutally beaten up by the police due to it Bilal’s finger, Irfan’s hand and Sajid’s ankle got fracture. Further Shabana said that even police did not allow us to meet with them, we met in Tihar Jail and police shown their arresting from block 27.

Block 15 resident Mohammad Shamshad said that I called police 25-30 times but police was not receiving the call. Same block’s another resident Alimuddin belongs to Bulandshar UP, and he is a E-Riksha driver. He was brutally beaten up by the police, due to it the black marks on his body could be seen. He said that many outsider people were throing the stones around his locality and police was standing 100 mtrs away but not coming. When local residents informed the ACP then he came with force.

Block 15 resident Mohammad Akhtar lives with his family and he is a motor machenic. Police arrested him between 2-2.30 pm. Akhtar got injuries in his hand and back. He has four chindren. His wife borroed some monety from someone then went to meet with him. Police has arrested a persone who was not a local resident, he came here to distribute the ceremony cards in their relatives. As the same police arrested Khurshid (60) and his son Jabir(17 a Garment Selesman).

Ramjan Mishra a DESU retired is a resident of block 15, who is known as a Panditji in the locality. When the rioters proceeded to throw stones in their street then he closed the street’s main gate and stood with folded hands in front of rioters and said to violent mob that “hit us first then go ahead”. By doing this Panditji save his street. Now Punditi is the subject of discussion foh his bravry in the locality. When Panditji was asked that he recognizes the rioters then he replied that “all were outsiders (from other blocks)”.

15 Block’s residents say that after surrounding the area rioters were throing the stones and headed by Ashok of 14 blocks. Who is a motor mechanic.

A residence of block 20 Nafisa is a widow. And survives with her children by selling polythene. On 23 Oct. at 8 pm she was coming to her home, at that time stones were thrown due to it she got injured and then her hand was fratured due to brutally beaten up by the police.

Mohammad Mohsin (22) S/o Mohammad Raees lives in block 20 working as motor painter. Mohsin got married 7 months back and time of arresting he was coming from in-law’s home in Meerut. Police did not allow family to meet him. Then they met him in Tihar Jail. Mohsin’s both hand were injured.

20 years Sonu S/0 Khurshid have an agg’s shop. He has been arrested from mousque and brutally beaten up there by the police till unconsciousness. Sonu recently got married and had a reception that time.

A resident of block 20 Wahidan (70) unable to speak clearly. Becouse of her old age she is unable to walk properly. Police forcely entered into her house no 410 and beaten up her and brock the stuffs. When her douther in law tried to resist them, police (5 Male, 3 Female) also beat her again.

Another resident of same block Sangita said that Muslims objected to set up the Chouki. We planned to set up Mata ki Chouki and clean the place so this place remain clean. When garbage was picked up, heavy smell spread. There were bugs in rainy weather. There is a Staue of Bajranbali, Muslims eat buffalos and intentionally throw his shit here to annoy us. Some Muslim women came and said that “if Mata ki Chouki would be put, then we’ll remind you chourasi (Sikh Riots)”. Muslim boys fired three round. In whom two were arrested and one fled. Our street resident Rizwan had drink and meat and he was going to touch our temple and abusing. There was a commotion in block 20 after a verbal spat. He slaped a 15 years boy after that we resist, then his wife came and took him. We called the police, and police made a compromise, but did not register the complaint. Bricks and bottoles were recovered from Roof of the Muslim’s houses, they had the whole planning. We used to off the loudispeaker at the time of their prayer(Namaz). Deepu’s wife got fractured in her hand. When we asked her “how she got hurt?”, she replied ‘at the time of stone pelting she got hurt’. Where were the people’s representatives? Snagita said that Ex. MLA Sunil Vaidh and Ramchandra Gujrati came and helped us. Today (Oct. 31) current AAP’s MLA came, whom we turened around. Sangita and Monu said that from childhood we had been beaten up, and never rised a voice but this time we awoke on Mata ki Chouki issue.

In a video clip near about 300-400 youth are shouting the ‘Bam Bam bhole, Har Har Mahadev, and Balmiki Shakti amar rahe’. These youths were mobilized behind the Balmiki Mandir which is 50 mtrs away from Ex BJP MLA Sunil Vaidh’s home. (There was a hording dispaying a massage about completion of 50 Years of Vishv Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal on 17 Aug. followed by Shobha Yatra from Trilokpuri’s 1 Block to 36 Block.) Sunil Vaidh reached in this violent crowd and hardly stayed 25-30 mnts, at the same time he received a call and talked for 7-8 mnts (Due to lot of noice Sunil Vaidh’s voice was not cleared) and he left.

In another video clip, 150-200 youth(some had Stick put a Tilak on forhead and some had sword in hands) can be seen shouting the slogans ‘Pakistan Murdabad, Pakistan ki Ma ki…..’ and sprinting arrond on the road.

Conclution:

After the riots in Gujarat communal riots has taken a different mode in the country. Now, instead of rioting at mass level sponsored are made on a small scale. Then used for disturb the communal harmony. Recent trilokpuri incidence was not communal. But it was later given communal color. For this incidence only BJP is not responsible but every one playes his roll in it. Who had stoped the Congress and AAP to handle the situation? And AAP also did not take any platonic stand in this matter.

  • If block 20’s qurrel was not organised then how did it reach in other blocks?
  • Where were the elected representatives (MPs, MLAs and councelers) ?
  • What did Sunil Vaidh say to the violent mob in a short time that took ?
  • 27, 15 blocks didn’t indulge in stoning, then where were the actual perpetrators from, and who were they actually?
  • Why only Muslim’s shops were burnt, if a Muslims mob was instigated by so-called Masjid announcment?
  • Why did police release the miscreant who started all this by creating a fight in Block 20? Who was behind this release?
  • Who is Joint Commissioner Rathore, who spoke to Gaurav Talwar’s brother?
  • What was police doing during the continued arson and why did the fire brigade vehicles reach after two hours?
  • Why did the police not register FIRs regarding the burnt shops?

National Confederation of Human Rights Organisation

(Delhi State)

Add: N-44- Hilal Homes, 2nd Stage, Ground Floor, Abul Fazal Enclave, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi -110025

w w w. n c h r o . o r g

Future in Safe Palms

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smriti-irani-astrolger

by Anand Mazgaonkar

Ms. Smriti Irani consulting her astrologer is her private matter. In fact most things she does might be private matters. Election victory does turn things into private property. Astrological advice is the wisest thing one can do. It is her sacrifice for the Nation. We all know she has very selflessly dedicated herself to the service of the nation.

It is not only an absolutely self-abnegating act on her part, she’s had the foresight to ensure that there will be no vacuum when Mr Pranab Mukherjee finishes his term. Shri Nathulal Vyas has put to rest a whole Nation’s anxiety and reassured us that there will be continuity after Mr Pranab Mukherjee. Our bull run of happy days, ‘Achhe Din’ continues endlessly. For the first time in our country’s history we have a President-in-waiting.

She is indeed the most eligible person we have for President. For long we’ve experienced a dearth of talent in Rashtrapati Bhavan. It’s been long since someone like Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed or Giani Zail Singh adorned that office.

Who better can we have as President than someone who’s ‘educated’ at Yale, has acted in soap operas, and has been flexible in ‘altering’ her opinions and positions. Remember she was distressed by the violence in Gujarat in 2002, and the then Chief Minister’s handling of the situation, until better wisdom dawned on her and she ‘adapted’ her opinion. Since then its been ‘Achche Din’ for her, never mind loss of elections. She generously wants to share her fortune with the country now.

Where the Nation’s Education is concerned, never mind an unclear, distorted, mis-stated, over-stated personal educational record, a future foretold by astrologers is what must guide us.

Becoming Minister immediately after losing elections is easy, especially if you’re not alone. Remember Mr Arun Jaitley also belongs to that chosen breed? Becoming President in case of an election defeat may need a Constitutional amendment. But, that is a small matter if an astrologer has ordained it.

Luckily, astrology must have been the guiding principle in the whole Cabinet formation. Mr Nitin Gadkari (Qualification: Purti fame), Mr Nihal Chand Meghwal (Qualification: Rape charge), Mr D V Sadanand Gowda (Qualification: Successful defence of son from rape charge) are shining examples where business dealings, criminal charges or their children’s actions added a feather in their caps.

In any case our electoral system does need reform. Even Mr Arvind Kejriwal has been calling for it. MPs, and MLAs deciding who will hold the country’s highest office is absolutely irrational. That should be entrusted to a Khap Panchayat consisting of astrologers, religious luminaries and Corporate honchos.

Today, India’s Education is in safe hands, tomorrow every aspect of India’s future, including ceremonial future will be in safe hands. Mrs. Irani’s formidable record as Human Resources Development Minister inspires tremendous confidence. As HRD Minister she’s has not executed blindly, unilaterally, the Sangh Parivar’s Education and Culture agenda, she seems to have consulted astrologers too.

Hopefully, our next Budget may be determined by Mr Nathulal Vyas’ (or someone from his profession) reading of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s palm. Actually, Mr Vyas reading Adani’s or Ambani’s palm might be even better. Fotunately that’s how SBI’s $ 1 billion loan to Adanis Australian coal mining project seems to have been cleared.

(Anand Mazgaonkar is with Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti, Gujarat and Adviser to National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM))

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