27 MARATHA YEAR WAR THAT CHANGED COURSE OF BHARATIYA HISTORY
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Sunday, March 21, 2010
27 Year War That Changed Course Of Indian History
Schoolchildren in India learn a very specific blend of Indian
history. This school version of history is stripped of all the vigor
and pride. The story of Indian civilization spans thousands of years.
However for the most part the schoolbook version dwells on the
freedom struggle against British and important role played in there
by the Indian National Congress. We learn each and every movement of
Gandhi and Nehru, but not even a passing reference is made to
hundreds of other important people and events.
My objection is not to the persons Gandhi or Nehru. However the
attention they get and the exposure their political views and
ideology gets is rather disproportionate.
And thus it comes no surprise to me that rarely we talk about an epic
war that significantly altered the face of Indian subcontinent. The
war that can be described the mother of all wars in India.
Considering the average life expectancy that time was around 30
years, this war of 27 years lasted almost the lifespan of an entire
generation. The total number of battles fought was in hundreds. It
occurred over vast geographical expanse spanning four biggest states
of modern India- Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka.
For time, expanse and human and material cost, this war has no match
in Indian history.
It started in 1681 with the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's invasion of
Maratha empire. It ended in 1707 with Aurangzeb's death. Aurangzeb
threw everything he had in this war. He lost it all.
It's tempting to jump into the stories of heroics, but what makes the
study of war more interesting is the understanding of politics behind
it. Every war is driven by politics. Rather war is just one of the
means to do politics. This war was not an exception.
Shivaji's tireless work for most of his life had shown fruits by the
last quarter of seventeenth century. He had firmly established
Marathas as power in Deccan. He built hundreds of forts in Konkan and
Sahyadris and thus created a defense backbone. He also established
strong naval presence and controlled most of the Western ports
barring few on end of Indian peninsula. Thus tightening the grip on
trade routes of Deccan sultanates, he strangled their weapons import
from Europe and horses import from Arabian traders. These Sultanates
launched several campaigns against Shivaji, but failed to stop him.
On the Northern front, several Rajput kings had accepted to be the
vassals of Mughals. Aurangzeb had succeeded to the throne after
brutal killing of his brothers and imprisonment of his father. With
Rajput resistance mostly subsided and the southern sultanates
weakened, it was only matter of time before Marathas were in his
cross-hair.
At the time of Shivaji's death in 1680, Maratha empire spanned an
area far more than the current state of Maharashtra and had taken
firm roots. But it was surrounded by enemies from all sides.
Portuguese on northern Coast and Goa, British in Mumbai, Siddies in
Konkan and remaining Deccan sultenates in Karnataka posed limited
challenge each, but none of them was capable of taking down the
Marathas alone. Mughal empire with Aurangzeb at its helm was the most
formidable foe.
For the most part, Aurangzeb was a religious fanatic. He had
distanced Sikhs and Rajputs because of his intolerant policies
against Hindus. After his succession to the throne, he had made life
living hell for Hindus in his kingdom. Taxes like Jizya tax were
imposed on Hindus. No Hindu could ride in Palanquin. Hindu temples
were destroyed and abundant forcible conversions took place. Auragzeb
unsuccessfully tried to impose Sharia, the Islamic law. This
disillusioned Rajputs and Sikhs resulting in their giving cold
shoulder to Aurangzeb in his Deccan campaign.
Thus in September of 1681, after settling his dispute with the royal
house of Mewar, Aurangzeb began his journey to Deccan to kill the
Maratha confederacy that was not even 50 years old. On his side, the
Mughal king had enormous army numbering half a million soldiers, a
number more than three times that of the Maratha army. He had
plentiful support of artillery, horses, elephants. He also brought
huge wealth in royal treasuries. Teaming up with Portughese, British
,Siddis, Golkonda and Bijapur Sultanates he planned to encapsulate
Marathas from all sides and to form a deadly death trap. To an
outsider, it would seem no-brainer to predict the outcome of such
vastly one sided war. It seemed like the perfect storm headed towards
Maratha confederacy.
Enormous death and destruction followed in Deccan for what seemed
like eternity. But what happened at the end would defy all
imaginations and prove every logic wrong. Despite lagging in
resources on all fronts, it would be the Marathas who triumphed. And
at the expense of all his treasure, army, power and life, it would be
the invading emperor who learned a very costly lesson, that the will
of people to fight for their freedom should never be underestimated
Timeline -- Marathas under King Sambhaji (1680 to 1689):
After the death of Shivaji in 1680, a brief power struggle ensued in
the royal family. Finally Sambhaji became the king. By this time
Aurangzeb had finished his North missions and was pondering a final
push in Deccan to conquer all of the India.
In 1681 sambhaji attacked Janjira, but his first attempt failed. In
the same time one of the Aurangzeb's generals, Hussein Ali Khan ,
attacked Northern Konkan. Sambhaji left janjira and attacked Hussein
Ali Khan and pushed him back to Ahmednagar. By this time mansoon of
1682 had started. Both sides halted their major military operations.
But Aurangzeb was not sitting idle. He tried to sign a deal with
Portughese to allow mughal ships to harbor in Goa. This would have
allowed him to open another supply route to Deccan via sea. The news
reached sambhaji. He attacked Portughese territories and pushed deep
inside Goa. But Voiceroy Alvor was able to defend Portughese
headquarters.
By this time massive Mughal army had started gathering on the borders
of Deccan. It was clear that southern India was headed for one big
conflict.
Sambhaji had to leave Portughese expedition and turn around. In late
1683, Aurangzeb moved to Ahmednagar. He divided his forces in two and
put his two princes, Shah Alam and Azam Shah, in charge of each
division. Shah alam was to attack South Konkan via Karnataka border
while Azam Shah would attack Khandesh and northern Maratha territory.
Using pincer strategy, these two divisions planned to circle Marathas
from South and North and isolate them.
The beginning went quite well. Shah Alam crossed Krishna river and
enterd Belgaum. From there he entered Goa and started marching north
via Konkan. As he pushed further,he was continuously harassed by
Marathas. They ransacked his supply chains and reduced his forces to
starvation. Finally Aurangzeb sent Ruhulla Khan for his rescue and
brought him back to Ahmednagar. The first pincer attempt failed.
After 1684 monsoon, Aurangzeb's another general Sahabuddin Khan
directly attacked the Maratha capital, fort Raygad. Maratha
commanders successfully defended Raygad. Aurangzeb sent Khan Jehan
for help, but Hambeerrao Mohite, Commander-in-Chief of Maratha army,
defeated him in a fierce battle at Patadi. Second division of Maratha
army attacked Sahabuddin Khan at Pachad, inflicting heavy losses on
Mughal army.
In early 1685, Shah Alam attacked South again via Gokak- Dharwar
route. But Sambhaji's forces harassed him continuously on the way and
finally he had to give up and thus failed to close the loop second
time.
In april 1685 Aurangzeb rehashed his strategy. He planned to
consolidate his power in the South by taking expediations to
Goalkonda and Bijapur. Both were Shia muslim rulers and Aurangzeb was
no fond of them. He broke his treaties with both empires and attacked
them. Taking this opportunity Marathas launched offensive on North
coast and attacked Bharuch. They were able to evade the mughal army
sent their way and came back with minimum damage.
On Aurangzeb's new Southern front, things were proceeding rather
smoothly. Bijapur fell in September 1686. King Sikandar Shah was
captured and imprisoned. Goalkonda agreed to pay huge ransom. But
after receiving the money, Aurangzeb attacked them in blatant
treachery. Soon Goalkonda fell as well. King Abu Hussein of Goalkonda
was captured and met the same fate as Sikandar Shah.
Marathas had tried to win mysore through diplomacy. Kesopant Pingle,
(Moropant Pingle's brother) was running negotiations, but the fall of
Bijapur to mughals turned the tides and Mysore was reluctant to join
Marathas. Still Sambhaji successfully courted several Bijapur sardars
to join Maratha army.
After fall of Bijapur and Goalkonda, Aurangzeb turned his attention
again to his main target -- Marathas. First few attempts proved
unsuccessful to make a major dent. But in Dec 1688 he had his biggest
jackpot. Sambhaji was captured at Sangmeshwar. It was in part his own
carelessness and in part because of treachery. Aurangzeb gave him
option of converting to Islam, which he refused. Upon refusal,
Aurangzeb, blinded by his victories, gave Sambhaji the worst
treatment he could ever give to anyone. Sambhaji was pareded on
donkey. His tounge was cut, eyes were gorged out. His body was cut
into pieces and fed to dogs.
There were many people who did not like Sambhaji and thus were
sympathetic to Mughals. But this barbaric treatment made everyone
angry. Maratha generals gathered on Raygad. The decision was
unanimous. All peace offers were to be withdrawn. Mughals would be
repelled at all costs. Rajaram succeeded as the next king. He began
his reign by a valiant speech on Raygad. All Maratha generals and
councilmen united under the flag of new king, and thus began the
second phase of the epic war.
27 Years War TimeLine -- Marathas under King Rajaram (1689 to 1700)
To Aurangzeb, the Marathas seemed all but dead by end of 1689. But
this would prove to be almost a fatal blunder. In March 1990, the
Maratha commanders, under the leadership of Santaji Ghorpade launched
the single most daring attack on mughal army. They not only attacked
the army, but sacked the tent where the Aurangzeb himself slept.
Luckily Aurangzeb was elsewhere but his private force and many of his
bodyguards were killed.
This positive development was followed by a negative one for
Marathas. Raigad fell to treachery of Suryaji Pisal. Sambhaji's
queen, Yesubai and their son, Shahu, were captured.
Mughal forces, led by Zulfikar Khan, continued this offensive further
South. They attacked fort Panhala. The Maratha killedar of Panhala
gallantly defended the fort and inflicted heavy losses on Mughal
army. Finally Aurangzeb himself had to come. Panhala surrendered.
Maratha ministers had foreseen the next Mughal move on Vishalgad.
They made Rajaram leave Vishalgad for Jinji, which would be his home
for next seven years. Rajaram travelled South under escort of Khando
Ballal and his men. The queen of Bidnur, gave them supplies and free
passage. Harji Mahadik's division met them near Jinji and guarded
them to the fort. Rajaram's queen was escorted out of Maharashtra by
Tungare brothers. She was taken to Jinji by different route. Ballal
and Mahadik tirelessly worked to gather the scattered diplomats and
soldiers. Jinji became new capital of Marathas. This breathed new
life in Maratha army.
Aurangzeb was frustrated with Rajaram's successful escape. His next
move was to keep most of his force in Maharashtra and dispatch a
small force to keep Rajaram in check. But the two Maratha generals,
Santaji ghorpade and Dhanaji Jadhav would prove more than match to
him.
They first attacked and destroyed the force sent by Aurangzeb to keep
check on Rajaram, thus relieving the immediate danger. Then they
joined Ramchandra Bavadekar in Deccan. Bavdekar, Vithoji Bhosale and
Raghuji Chavan had reorganized most of the Maratha army after defeats
at Panhala and Vishalgad.
In late 1691, Bavdekar, Pralhad Niraji , Santaji ,Dhanaji and several
Maratha sardars met in Maval region and reformed the strategy.
Aurangzeb had taken four major forts in Sahyadrais and was sending
Zulfikar khan to subdue the fort Jinji. So according to new Maratha
plan, Santaji and Dhanaji would launch offensives in the East to keep
rest of the Mughal forces scattered. Others would focus in
Maharashtra and would attack a series of forts around Southern
Maharashtra and Northern Karnataka to divide Mughal won territories
in two, thereby posing significant challenge to enemy supply chains.
Thanks to Shivaji's vision of building a navy, Marathas could now
extend this divide into the sea, checking any supply routes from
Surat to South.
The execution began. In early 1692 Shankar Narayan and Parshuram
Trimbak recaptured Rajgad and Panhala. In early 1693 Shankar Narayan
and Bhosale captured Rohida. Sidhoji Gujar took Vijaydurg. Soon
Parshuram Trimbak took Vishalgad. Kanhoji Angre, a young Maratha
Naval officer that time, took fort Kolaba.
While this was in work, Santaji and Dhanaji were launching swift
raids on Mughal armies on East front. This came as a bit of surprise
to Aurangzeb. In spite of losing one King and having second king
driven away, Marathas were undaunted and actually were on offensive.
From Khandesh, Ahmednagar to Bijapur to Konkan and Southern
Karnataka, Santaji and Dhanaji wrecked havoc. Encouraged by the
success, Santaji and Dhanaji hatched new action plan to attack Mughal
forces near Jinji. Dhanaji Jadhav attacked Ismail Khan and defeated
him near Kokar. Santaji Ghorpade attacked Ali Mardan Khan at the base
of Jinji and captured him. With flanks cleared, both joined hands and
laid a second siege around the Mughal siege at Jinji
Julfikar khan, who was orchestrating Jinji siege, left the siege on
Aurangzeb's orders and marched back. Santaji followed him to North,
but was defeated by Julfikar Khan. Santaji then diverted his forces
to Bijapur. Aurangzeb sent another general Kasim Khan to tackle
Santaji. But Santaji attacked him with a brilliant military maneuver
near Chitaldurg and forced him take refuge in Dunderi fort. The fort
was quickly sieged by Santaji and the siege only ended when most of
the Mughal soldiers starved and Kasim Khan committed suicide.
Aurangzeb sent Himmat Khan to reinforce Kasim Khan. Himmat khan
carried heavy artillery. So Santaji lured him in a trap in the forest
near Dunderi. A sudden, ambush style attack on Mughals was followed
by a fierce battle. The battle ended when when Himmat Khan was shot
in head and died. All his forces routed and Santaji confiscated a big
cache of weapons and ammunition.
By now, Aurangzeb had the grim realization that the war he began was
much more serious than he thought. He consolidated his forces and
rethought his strategy. He sent an ultimatum to Zulfikar khan to
finish Jinji business or be stripped of the titles. Julfikar khan
tightened the Siege. But Rajaram fled and was safely escorted to
Deccan by Dhanaji Jadhav and Shirke brothers. Haraji Mahadik's son
took the charge of Jinji and bravely defended Jinji against Julfikar
khan and Daud khan till January of 1698. This gave Rajaram ample of
time to reach Vishalgad.
Jinji fell, but it did a big damage to the Mughal empire. The losses
incurred in taking Jinji far outweighed the gains. The fort had done
its work. For seven years the three hills of Jinji had kept a large
contigent of mughal forces occupied. It had eaten a deep hole into
Mughal resources. Not only at Jinji, but the royal treasury was
bleeding everywhere and was already under strain.
Marathas would soon witness an unpleasant development, all of their
own making. Dhanaji Jadhav and Santaji Ghorpade had a simmering
rivalry, which was kept in check by the councilman Pralhad Niraji.
But after Niraji's death, Dhanaji grew bold and attacked Santaji.
Nagoji Mane, one of Dhanaji's men, killed Santaji. The news of
Santaji's death greatly encouraged Aurangzeb and Mughal army.
But by this time Mughals were no longer the army they were feared
before. Aurangzeb, against advise of several of his experienced
generals, kept the war on. It was much like Alexander on the borders
of Taxila.
The Marathas again consolidated and the new Maratha counter offensive
began. Rajaram made Dhanaji the next commander in chief. Maratha army
was divided in three divisions. Dhanaji would himself lead the first
division. Parshuram Timbak lead the second and Shankar Narayan lead
the third. Dhanaji Jadhav defeated a large mughal force near
Pandharpur. Shankar Narayan defeated Sarja Khan in Pune. Khanderao
Dabhade, who lead a division under Dhanaji, took Baglan and Nashik.
Nemaji Shinde, another commander with Shankar Narayan, scored a major
victory at Nandurbar.
Enraged at this defeats, Aurangzeb himself took charge and launched
another counter offensive. He laid siege to Panhala and attacked the
fort of Satara. The seasoned commander, Prayagji Prabhu defended
Satara for a good six months, but surrendered in April of 1700, just
before onset of Monsoon. This foiled Aurangzeb's strategy to clear as
many forts before monsoon as possible.
In March of 1700, another bad news followed Marathas. Rajaram took
his last breath. His queen Tarabai, who was also daughter of the
gallant Maratha Commander-in-Chief Hambeerrao Mohite, took charge of
Maratha army. Daughter of a braveheart, Tarabai proved her true
mettle for the next seven years. She carried the struggle on with
equal valor. Thus began the phase 3, the last phase of the prolonged
war, with Marathas under the leadership of Tarabai.
The signs of strains were showing in Mughal camp in late 1701. Asad
Khan, Julfikar Khan's father, counselled Aurangzeb to end the war and
turn around. This expedition had already taken a giant toll, much
larger than originally planned, on Mughal empire. And serious signs
were emerging that the 200 years old Mughal empire was crumbling and
was in the middle of a war that was not winnable
Mughals were bleeding heavily from treasuries. But Aurangzeb kept
pressing the war on. When Tarabai took charge, Aurangzeb had laid
siege to the fort of Parli (Sajjangad). Parshuram Trimbak defended
the fort until mansooon and retreated quietly at the break of
monsoon.The mughal army was dealt heavy loss by flash floods in the
rivers around. These same tactics were followed by Marathas at the
next stop of Aurangzeb, Panhala. Similar tactic was followed even for
Vishalgad.
By 1704, Aurangzeb had Torana and Rajgad. He had won only a handful
forts in this offensive, but he had spent several precious years. It
was slowly dawning to him that after 24 years of constant war, he was
no closer to defeating Marathas than he was the day he began.
The final Maratha counter offensive gathered momentum in North.
Tarabai proved to be a valiant leader once again. One after another
Mughal provinces fell in north. They were not in position to defend
as the royal treasuries had been sucked dry and no armies were left
in town. In 1705, two Maratha army factions crossed Narmada. One
under leadership of Nemaji Shinde hit as deep North as Bhopal. Second
under the leadership of Dabhade struck Bharoch and West. Dabhade with
his eight thousand men,attacked and defeated Mahomed khan's forces
numbering almost fourteen thousand. This left entire Gujarat coast
wide open for Marathas. They immediately tightened their grip on
Mughal supply chains.
In Maharashtra, Aurangzeb grew despondent. He started negotiations
with Marathas, but cut abruptly and marched on a small kingdom called
Wakinara. Naiks at Wakinara traced their lineage to royal family of
Vijaynagar empire. They were never fond of Mughals and had sided with
Marathas. Dhanaji marched into Sahyadris and won almost all the major
forts back in short time. Satara and Parali forts were taken by
Parshuram Timbak. Shankar Narayan took Sinhgad. Dhanaji then turned
around and took his forces to Wakinara. He helped the Naiks at
Wakinara sustain the fight. Naiks fought very bravely. Finally
Wakinara fell, but the royal family of Naiks successfully escaped
with least damage.
Aurangzeb had now given up all hopes and was now planning retreat to
Burhanpur. Dhanaji Jadhav again fell on him and in swift and
ferocious attack and dismantled the rear guard of his imperial army.
Zulfikar Khan rescued the emperor and they successfully reached
Burhanpur.
Aurangzeb witnessed bitter fights among his sons in his last days.
Alone, lost, depressed, bankrupt, far away from home, he died sad
death on 3rd March 1707. "I hope god will forgive me one day for my
disastrous sins", were his last words.
Thus ended a prolonged and grueling period in history of India. The
Mughal kingdom fragmented and disintegrated soon after. And Deccan
saw rise of a new sun, the Maratha empire.
Reflection: Strategical Analysis:
In this war, Aurangzeb's army totaled more than 500,000 in number
(compared to total Maratha army in the ballpark of 150,000). With him
he carried huge artillery, cavalry, muskettes, ammunition and giant
wealth from royal treasuries to support this quest. This war by no
means a fair game when numbers are considered.
The main features of Aurangzeb's strategy were :-
Use of overwhelming force to demoralize the enemy -- This tactic had
proved successful in Aurangzeb's other missions. Thus he used this
even in Maharashtra. On several occasions giant Mughal contigents
were used to lay siege to a fort or capture a town.
Meticulously planned sieges to the forts -- Aurangzeb knew that the
forts in Sahyadri formed backbone of Maratha defense. His calculation
was to simply lay tight siege to the fort, demoralizing and starving
the people inside and finally making them surrender the fort.
Fork or pincer movements using large columns of infantry and cavalry
-- With large number of infantry and cavalry, pincer could have
proved effective and almost fatal against Marathas
Marathas had one advantage on their side, geography. They milked this
advantage to the last bit. Their military activities were planned
considering the terrain and the weather.
The main features of Maratha strategy were :-
Combined offensive-defensive strategy -- Throughout the war, Marathas
never stopped their offensive. This served two purposes. The facts
that Maratha army was carrying out offensive attacks in Mughal land
suddenly made them psychologically equals to Mughals launching attack
in Maratha land, even though Mughals were a much bigger force. This
took negative toll on Mughal morale and boosted morale of their own
men. Secondly, these offensive attacks in terms of quick raids often
heavily damaged enemy supply chains taking toll on Mughal army.
The forts formed backbone of Maratha defense. Thanks to Shivaji, the
every fort had provision of fresh water. The total forts numbered
almost 300 and this large number proved major headache to Aurangzeb.
Defense of forts till onset of Monsoon -- Forts are an asset in rest
of the year, but are a liability in monsoon as it costs a lot to
carry food and supplies up. Also the monsoon in coasts and ghats is
severe in nature and no major military movement is possible. Thus
Marathas often fought till Monsoon and surrendered the fort just
before Monsoon. Before surrendering they burned all the food inside.
Thus making it a proposition of loss in every way. Often times
Marathas surrendered the fort empty, but later soon won it back
filled with food and water. These events demoralized the enemy.
Offensive attacks in terms of evasive raids -- Marathas mostly
launched offensive attacks in the region when Mughal army was away.
They rarely engaged Mughal army in open fields till later part of the
war. If situation seemed dire, they would retreat and disperse and
thus conserve most of their men and arms for another day.
The rivers Bhima, Krishna , Godavari and the mountains of Sahyadri,
divide entire Maharashtra region is in several North- South
corridors. When Mughal army traveled South through one corridor,
Marathas would travel North through another and launch attacks there.
This went on changing gradually and in the end, Maratha forces
started engaging Mughals head on.
A noted historian Jadunath Sarkar makes an interesting observation.
In his own words, "Aurangzeb won battle after battles, but in the end
he lost the war. As the war prolonged, it transformed from war of
weapons to war of spirits, and Aurangzeb was never able to break
Maratha spirit."
What Marathas did was an classic example of assymetric defensive
warfare. The statement above by Mr. Sarkar hides one interesting fact
about this assymetric defense. Is it really possible to lose most of
the battles and still win the war?
The answer is yes, and explanation is a statistical phenomena called
"Simpson's paradox.". According to Simpsons paradox, several micro-
trends can lead to one conclusion, however a mega-trend combining all
the micro-trends can lead to an exact opposite conclusion.
Explanation is as follows.
Say two forces go on war, force A with 100 soldiers and force B with
40 soldiers. Now say in every battle between A and B, the following
happens.
If A loses, they lose 80% of the soldiers fighting.
If B loses, they only lose 10% of the soldiers fighting.
If A wins, they lose 50% of the solders fighting.
If B wins, they lose only 10% of the soldiers fighting.
In the case above, the ratio of (resource drain of A / resource drain
of B) is higher than (initial number of A soldiers / initial number
of B soldiers). So even if A wins battle more than 50% of the time,
they will lose their resources faster and, in the end, will lose the
war. All B has to do is keep the morale and keep the consistency.
One of the most famous warrior in ancient Indian history seems to
agree with the conclusion above. In "Bheeshm-parv" of Mahabharat,
pitamah Bheeshm begins the war-advice to king Yudhishtthir with a
famous quote --
"The strength of an army is not in its numbers"
It was not Shivaji's personality but his vision and his values was
what Deccan fought for. They imbibed that vision and made it their
own. After that, they were not fighting for their hero, they were
fighting for themselves. The secret of why people simply refused to
surrender to Mughal power can be found not in Shivaji's heroics, but
somewhere else. The secret lies in the reforms he brought.
During the short span of his governance, Shivaji brought a manifold
of reforms. For the purpose of discussion, I will divide them into
four categories. Governance reforms, political reforms, defense
reforms and social reforms.
Governance reforms deserve first attention. After the coronation,
Shivaji put in place fully functioning governance consisting of
Ashta-Pradhan (eight ministers). These eight men were noted statesmen
in their era. They laid foundation of formal economic policy, foreign
policy and other functions of government.
One key aspect differentiated Shivaji's governance through ministers
from the prevailing "watan and jahagir" type of governance --
division of work based on function rather than geography. To put in
management terms, this was "horizontal decentralization" where each
minister was responsible for only one function, say judiciary branch,
but was responsible for the entire empire. This was much better than
vertical decentralization of "watan" system, where one person would
be named in charge of all affairs of a small region. Horizontal
decentralization helped keep uniformity across the whole empire and
made it easy for people to migrate, do business, and remain one
political entity. Also when divided this way, different branches of
government keep check on each other and stop each other from running
amok. These ministers kept military focused on the military
objectives. They checked personal rivalries between individual
commanders. In addition these ministers provided a crucial diplomatic
support complementing the military ventures.
Second, Defense strategy reforms. The combined choice of Guerrilla
warfare as tactics, the reliance on light infantry and and a solid
line of more than 300 strengthened forts represents Shivaji's
coherent defense strategy. Unlike Rajputs, who stuck to their code of
warriors even as Mughal and Persian invaders broke every possible
rule of ethics, Marathas retaliated in tit-for-tat way. They
preferred guerrilla warfare for defense and engaged in open field
battles only when necessary. They never disrespected the women like
Khilji and Ghori did, so they were certainly ethical minded. But they
never shied from attacking their enemies at night if required. They
were more committed to the political objective than the personal
objective of bravery.
Additionally Shivaji launched Navy. Though the Maratha ships were
smaller and the weapons inferior in technology, they gave Marathas
capabilities to open a sea front. This sea front played a big role in
the 27 year war by blocking Aurangzeb's supply chains from Surat.
Several social reforms were introduced as well. It is largely this
statesmanship of Shivaji that laid the foundation of indefatigable
Maratha resistance. Common people fought because ,for them, going
back to the horrors of previous governance was simply not an option.
On the economic front, there was a taxation reform. The previous
empires had followed a system of taxation that was predatory or at
times outright cruel. They had appointed Jameen-dars that collected
tax on their behalf. The amount that was to be deposited in the royal
treasury was fixed, but the amount that was to be collected from the
peasants was left to Jameen-dars. These jameen-dars exploited this
opportunity to fill their treasures, driving the farmers to
bankruptcy. Over the years these Jameen-dars had built big castles,
had their own armies, their own courts and they enjoyed being mini-
kings.
Shivaji scrapped this system of taxation and introduced taxes where
the amount that was to be collected from the peasants was fixed. The
appointed officers were given only limited mandate and authority to
carry out their duty -- to collect taxes. They were often
transferred, preventing them from developing too strong local ties.
If in any year it did not rain and the farmers lost their crops, the
taxes were waived.
Shivaji's fiscal policies were conservative. Thus no magnificent
monuments like Taj Mahal or Royal Mughal gardens were built by
Shivaji. But it was him for whom his nation was ready to die. This
fiscal conservative bend shows a striking resemblance to another
visionary leader. After the American revolutionary war, Thomas
Jefferson refused to pay for the extravagant ballroom maintained by
British Viceroy in Virginia colonies noting that " such mansions
represent colossal waste of taxpayer money".
By contrast, Deccan Sultanates and Mughals had shown little interest
in welfare of people. During the 22 years that took to build Taj
Mahal, three times there was severe draught and hundreds of thousands
of people died. But Shahjahan focused all the money and efforts on
building a tomb for his wife.
It's indeed an irony that that Taj Mahal has become symbol of India
while the forts that cradled the first "swaraj", first rule of
people, languish in desolation.
Epilogue:
For centuries , the mountains and valleys, towns and villages of
Deccan had gotten used to being a pawn in the game of power. They
changed hands as kingdoms warred with each other. They paid taxes
whoever was in a position to extract them. For the most part they
remained in a sleepy slumber, just turning and twisting in their bed.
Once in a while they sent their sons to fight in battles without ever
asking why exactly the war is being launched. Other times they fought
amongst themselves. They were divided, confused and did not have high
hopes about their future.
This was the condition of Deccan when Shivaji launched his first
expedition of fort Torana in 1645. By the time of his death mere 35
years later, he had transformed Deccan from a sleepy terrain to a
thundering volcano.
Finally, here was a man whose vision of future was shared by a large
general audience. An unmistakable characteristic of a modern concept
of "nation-state". Perhaps the most important factor that
distinguishes Shivaji's vision is that it was "unifying". His vision
went beyond building an army of proud warriors from warrior castes.
It included people from all rungs of society sharing a common
political idea and ready to defend it at any cost. His vision went
far beyond creating an empire for himself in Maharashtra. It included
a building confederacy of states against what he thought were foreign
invaders. He was trying to build an Alliance of Hindu kingdoms. He
went out of his way to convince Mirza-Raje Jaisingh to leave
Aurangzeb. He established relations with the dethroned royal family
of Vijaynagar for whom he had tremendous respect. He attempted to
unify the sparring Hindu power centers.
And they responded. Sikhs in Punjab, Rajputs in Rajasthan, Nayaks in
Karnataka, rulers of Mysore, the royal family of Vijaynagar were of
valuable help to Shivaji and later to Marathas. It was certainly a
step towards a nation getting its soul back.
While he was creating a political voice for Hindus, Muslims never
faced persecution in his rule. Several Muslims served at high posts
in his court and army. His personal body guard on his Agra visit was
Muslim. His Naval officer, Siddi Hilal was Muslim. Thus Shivaji's
rule was not meant to challenge Islam as a personal religion, but it
was a response to Political Islam.
Last but not the least, we must give due respect to one more thing.
The seeds of every political revolution can be traced back to a
spiritual one and this was no exception. The "Bhakti" movement in
Maharashtra that began with 12th Century saint Dnyaneshwar and
spearheaded by saint Tukaram (who was contemporary of Shivaji),
played a role of social catalyst of immense effect. It created a
forum, a pool in society where everyone was welcome. The shackles of
cast system were not broken, but were certainly loosened. Once people
were on the same page spiritually, it was easier for Shivaji to get
them on the same page politically.
It's tempting for a Maharashtrian to claim the root of success of
Marathas solely be in Maharashtra. But at the height of it's peak,
only 20% of Shivaji's kingdom was part of Maharashtra. When Marathas
launched northern campaigns in 18th century, it was even more less.
Soldiers in Maratha army came from diverse social and geographical
backgrounds including from areas as far away as Kandahar to West and
Bengal to East. Shivaji received a lot of support from various rulers
and common people from all over India.
Thus limiting Marathas to Maharashtra is mostly a conclusion of a
politician. It must be noted that the roots of Maharashtra culture
can be traced to both ancient Karnataka and Northern India. Shivaji
himself traced his lineage to Shisodia family of Rajputs.
Maharashtrians should not be ashamed to admit that their roots lie
elsewhere. In fact they should feel proud that land of Maharashtra is
truly a melting pot where Southern and Northern Indian cultures
melted to give birth to a new vision of a nation. Shivaji was far
more an Indian king than a Maratha king.
Dear readers, here ends the story of an epic war. I hope this saga
gives you a sense of realistic hope and a sense of humble pride. All
you might be doing today is sitting in a cubicle for the day, typing
on keyboard. But remember that the same blood runs in our fingers
that long long time ago displayed unparalleled courage and bravery,
the same spirit resides within us that can once soured sky high upon
the call of freedom.
Jai Hind!
References:
"History of Mahrattas" by James Duff --
http://www.archive.org/details/ahistorymahratt05duffgoog
"Shivaji and His Times" by Jadunath Sarkar --
http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924024056750
"A History Of Maratha People" by Charles Kincaid --
http://www.archive.org/details/historyofmaratha02kincuoft
"Background of Maratha Renaissance" by N. K. Behere --
http://www.archive.org/details/backgroundofmara035242mbp
"Rise of The Maratha Power" by Mahadev Govind Ranade --
http://www.archive.org/details/RiseOfTheMarathapower
"Maratha History" by S R Sharma --
http://www.archive.org/details/marathahistory035360mbp
End of forwarded message from S. V.
Jai Maharaj, Jyotishi
Om Shanti
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Scrap Article 370: BJP, RSS
By Kanchan Lakhani
A state-level function was organised here today to pay homage to Dr
Shyama Prasad Mookherjee. Addressing a mammoth gathering, former
deputy Prime Minister LK Advani said: "Dr Mookherjee laid down his
life for the unity and integrity of the nation. He not only opposed
the permit system introduced for the people from outside J&K, but also
defied the permit restriction by entering the state on May 11, 1953.
The system itself was instrumental in creating differences among the
citizens of independent India."
Stating Article 370 as dangerous for the unity and integrity of India,
Mohan Bhagwat of the RSS said the Article should be scrapped at
earliest to ensure safety of the people of Jammu and Kashmir from the
evil designs of terrorist outfits functioning from across the border.
He also dedicated the samarak of Dr Shyama Prasad Mookherjee, named as
Ekta Sathal, at Madhopur bridge on the Punjab-J&K border, near here.
BJP national president Nitin Gadkari also rued the fact that India had
failed to settle the J&K issue even after 62 years of Independence. He
alleged that the appeasement policies of the UPA government were
encouraging terrorism in the country. Demanding immediate repealing of
Article 370, he said Dr Mookherjee's sacrifice would not go in vein.
Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, in his brief address, said
martyrs belonged to the nation and not to any religion, cast or
region. Also present on the occasion were Himachal Pradesh CM PK
Dhumal, former CM Shanta Kumar, MP Navjot Sidhu, MP Avinash Rai
Khanna, BJP state chief Ashwani Sharma, BJP in charge (Punjab affairs)
Balbir Punj, and state ministers like Manoranjan Kalia, Master Mohan
Lal, Tikshan Sud, Luxmi Kanta Chawla and Swarna Ram.
via The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Main News.
http://amritsarmetro.com/2010/03/21/scrap-article-370-bjp-rss/
Researcher in new BJP vanguard
Poornima Joshi
New Delhi, March 21, 2010
BJP leaders aren't known to be "overqualified". But Nirmala
Seetharaman seems to have changed that image when she set foot in the
party headquarters on Saturday afternoon.
The saffron camp's media cell acquired a new profile with
Seetharaman's inclusion as spokesperson in BJP president Nitin
Gadkari's new team of officebearers.
An international trade expert with an MPhil from Jawaharlal Nehru
University's (JNU) Centre for Economic Studies and Planning,
Seetharaman was a researcher in the world's largest professional
services firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers, in the UK.
Since she came back to India and settled in Hyderabad, the BJP's new
spokesperson has been engaged in research work in health, education
and rural employment. She is also part of running a model school
called Pranava in Hyderabad, and was a member of the National
Commission for Women. "I had finished PhD as well on textile trade
between India and Europe under the GATT regime, but could not submit
it," said Seetharaman.
So how did someone from JNU, known as the fourth bastion of the CPM
after West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura, end up in the BJP? "I was anti-
Left and part of the free thinkers in JNU. But I never joined any
political party. In fact, till 2006, I was engaged in research. But
when the chance came, I signed up with the BJP," she said.
At a time when Gadkari is facing criticism about sacrificing quality
in favour of the glamour quotient in his team, Seetharaman was propped
up by the party to parry queries in this regard. "What is wrong if
women from the film world or any other profession join politics?
It will only add fresh ideas so essential for the growth.
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/89207/India/Researcher+in+new+BJP+vanguard.html
Cong has defied Nehru in its RS nominations: BJP
22 Mar 2010, 0726 hrs IST, ET Bureau
NEW DELHI: BJP on Sunday kept up its attack on Congress for nominating
two of its defeated Lok Sabha candidates -- Mr Mani Shankar Aiyar and
Ram
Dayal Munda -- to the Rajya Sabha. BJP said the action amounted to
defying Jawaharlal Nehru's stand on the issue.
"Pandit Nehru, in his speech in the House of the People on May 13,
1953, had categorically stated that such nominees (to Rajya Sabha)
should not represent political parties. There should be a high water
mark of literature, art or culture," BJP spokesperson Rajiv Pratap
Rudy said.
"By nominating two active party members, Congress has defied the stand
taken by their guiding leader," he said. Both Mr Aiyar and Mr Munda
had lost the 2009 Lok Sabha polls while contesting from their
constituencies in Tamil Nadu and Jharkhand, respectively.
"It seems the RS has become a refuge for defeated Congress candidates.
Congress is making a mockery of the nomination category," he said. He
quoted Gopalswamy Iyengar, a Constituent Assembly member, to drive
home his party's point. "Iyengar in his speech in the Constituent
Assembly on July 28, 1947, said that those seasoned people who may not
be in the thickest of political fray, but who might be willing to
participate from art and culture should be given an opportunity
through such nominations."
IANS
BJP leader calls for Hindu state again in Nepal
2010-03-22 17:20:00
A little-known Hindu organisation's call for reinstatement of a Hindu
state in Nepal received an unexpected support here from a visiting top
leader of India's Bharatiya Janata Party.
Former BJP president Rajnath Singh, who had arrived in Nepal Sunday to
attend the last rites of former Nepali prime minister Girija Prasad
Koirala, who was also the architect of a secular Nepal, said at a
press conference in Kathmandu Monday that he supported a Hindu state
in the Himalayan republic.
'We used to feel proud that Nepal was the only Hindu kingdom in the
world,' Singh said. 'I will be happy when Nepal is a Hindu state
again.'
The Indian leader said that there were other theocratic countries in
the world - including in the European Union and in South Asia.
'But no one is opposed to them,' Singh said. 'No one is appealing to
(the Islamic states of) Pakistan and Bangladesh to become secular. But
it was done in Nepal.'
Singh, who met Nepal's Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and President
Ram Baran Yadav Monday prior to his departure, said Hinduism was a way
of life and tolerant of other religions.
'That is why India is secular,' he said. '(But) Pakistan separated
(from India) to become theocratic and look at the state of the country
today.'
Asked about the sectarian riots in western India's Gujarat state under
a BJP government, the BJP leader said his party condemned violence.
Singh also made a veiled attack against Nepal's former Maoist
guerrillas, who waged a 10-year war for a secular state and are now
the biggest party in Nepal following the election in 2008.
'Weapons belong to defenders of the state, not the masses,' he said,
obliquely referring to the allegation against the Maoists that they
have still retained weapons.
'In a healthy democracy, there shouldn't be arms in people's hands.'
The Indian leader said he had urged Nepal's leaders to implement the
new constitution on the basis of consensus within the May deadline.
Singh's remarks are likely to fuel a controversy in Nepal at a time
when several Hindu organisations are calling for a Hindu state.
A little-known group called the Vishwa Ekata Parishad set two buses
and a motorcycle on fire in Kailali district in farwestern Nepal
during a general strike called by them in western Nepal Monday.
The group is seeking to reinstate Hinduism as the state religion. An
anti-monarchy campaign led to parliament declaring the country secular
in 2006.
The new constitution is expected to consolidate the nature of the
secular republic.
However, ahead of the new constitution, Hindu groups have begun
raising demands for a Hindu state.
Last week, a National Religious Revival Campaign kicked off in
Kathmandu, attended by lawmakers and veteran politicians, making the
same demand.
There has also been a series of visits by Hindu preachers, including
controversial Indian Chandraswamy, who have been attending rituals
calling for a Hindu state.
The last of them, a nine-day ritual, was attended by three former
prime ministers of Nepal and deposed Hindu king Gyanendra himself.
Nepal's only openly royalist party, Rastriya Prajatantra Party
(Nepal), is demanding a Hindu kingdom.
Kamal Thapa, who was home minister in king Gyanendra's regime and
heads the royalist party, has warned of protests against the new
constitution unless the government holds a referendum ahead of it.
Thapa says people should be allowed to decide if they want a king and
a Hindu state through the referendum.
In the past, the party called a general strike in Kathmandu valley to
show its clout and also blockaded major ministries.
SEARCH http://sify.com/topics/Nepal.html
Advani blogs against Kashmir's autonomy
2010-03-22 15:20:00
Opposing autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir and restoration of the
pre-1953 status to the troubled state, senior Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP) leader L.K. Advani has said the party won't allow the
constitutional clock to be turned back and vowed to get Article 370
completely abrogated.
'All that the country wants is to move forward to the complete
abrogation of Article 370,' Advani said, referring to the
constitutional provision that gives special status to Jammu and
Kashmir in India.
'The nation will not allow the constitutional clock to be turned back
in respect to the state's integration with India,' the veteran BJP
leader blogged.
Before 1953, Jammu and Kashmir had a separate head called prime
minister. The Supreme Court, the Election Commission of India, and the
comptroller and auditor general had no jurisdiction over the state.
Only three departments, defence, currency and foreign affairs were
controlled by the Indian government.
Any Indian citizen wanting to visit the state had to acquire a special
permit to enter Jammu and Kashmir.
However, the permit system was later abolished and gradually the
clauses, which Advani called 'separatist provisions', were changed and
the article diluted.
This, Advani wrote, 'brought (Jammu and Kashmir) at par with other
states in these matters'.
'When in the name of Kashmir's autonomy, it is nowadays said that the
dilution of Article 370 that took place post-1953 must be undone, it
is all these wholesome provisions of the Indian constitution which are
sought to be once again scrapped in their application to the state of
Jammu and Kashmir,' he said.
'The nation's clarion call to the powers-that-be is that India will
never forget Shyama Prasad Mookerji's sacrifice,' he said remembering
the Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder who entered Jammu and Kashmir in 1953
defying the permit system. Mookerji was taken to a prison where he
fell ill after a hunger strike. He later died.
http://sify.com/news/advani-blogs-against-kashmir-s-autonomy-news-national-kdwpubjefbh.html
BJP leader weighed in blood
NDTV Correspondent, Monday March 22, 2010, Ahmedabad
Weighing your leader in gold and silver is passé. How innovative can
your welcome be after Mayawati's money garland caught the eye of
everyone in the country?
A silver chair for Haryana Chief Minister Bhupendra Singh Hooda. A gun
salute for BJP general secretary Narendra Singh Tomar. Now try this.
The new state BJP chief in Gujarat, RC Faldu, was weighed in blood, 75
litres of it for his 75 kg of body weight. All that blood has been
kept in Vadodara for donation "to the needy".
The leader looked quite happy at the innovation as he sat on the giant
weighing scale. For the more conventional, he was also weighed in
coins.
Tomar, the BJP MP from Madhya Pradesh and general secretary, was
felicitated over the weekend with followers firing gunshots in the air
in Morena and a district-level office-bearer ended up injured.
Chief Minister Hooda said no to the silver throne and, it is reported,
a golden crown. But then Hooda belongs to the party that is taking its
austerity drive very seriously. In neighbouring UP, Chief Minister
Mayawati shall soon be accepting her third garland made of money.
Watch Video
http://www.ndtv.com/news/india/bjp-leader-weighed-in-blood-18227.php
BJP general secretary's show of gun power injures partyman
22 Mar 2010, 1010 hrs IST, ET Bureau
NEW DELHI: Even as BJP president Nitin Gadkari battles to contain the
fall-out of a fresh burst of dissidence within his party following
the
announcement of his team of office-bearers, one of his chosen few
decided to exhibit his clout by a brazen show of gun power and might
at Shivpuri in his home constituency.
Mr Narendra Singh Tomar's first visit to his Lok Sabha constituency --
Morena in Madhya Pradesh -- after being named a national general
secretary of BJP left at least one party activist injured during the
101-gun salute given by his followers. In a brazen show of strength
and muscle power, Mr Tomar, who's also the outgoing state BJP
president, chose to exhibit his might by parading 101 gun-totting
supporters on the occasion. This act clearly violated the law, but no
could dare taking any action against him for the fear of inviting the
state government's wrath. MP is ruled by BJP.
What is more shocking is that the incident took place in the very
presence of police and district officials who were there during the
controversial ceremony . Most of the arms used in the ceremony were
said to be illegal.
Mr Tomar's action has added to the woes of the BJP president, who is
already facing a lot of flak for his non-application of mind in the
selection of his team of office-bearers and the members of national
executive. The process flew in the face of his opt-repeated assertion
that he would go strictly by performance-audit while naming persons to
head important organisational posts. It now turns out that allegiance
to party satraps played an important role in team-selection exercise .
Factors such as regional and castebalancing were completely
jettisoned.
With Mr Gadkari faltering in his first big test, doubts are already
being raised about his next major hurdle -- that of appointing
presidents to head the party in politically crucial states of UP,
Bihar, MP and Maharashtra. With a rejuvenated Congress gearing up to
challenge BSP in Uttar Pradesh and the JD(U)- BJP combine in Bihar, it
remains to be seen whether Mr Gadkari goes purely by merit in
appointing leaders to head the party in these states, or falls victim
once again to the pulls and pressures being exerted by powerful
chieftains.
Madhya Pradesh: Gun salute goes wrong, BJP leader injured
Press Trust of India, Sunday March 21, 2010, Morena (Madhya Pradesh)
A BJP leader was seriously injured on Sunday after he was accidentally
hit by a bullet fired to welcome party's newly-appointed general
secretary Narendra Singh Tomar at a town near Morena in Madhya
Pradesh.
Tomar was being given a gun salute by party workers on his arrival at
Ambah town when one of the bullets accidentally hit BJP's divisional
unit vice president Subhash Sharma in the leg causing serious
injuries, police said.
Sharma was rushed to primary health centre and then to Morena district
hospital, which finally referred him to Gwalior Medical College
Hospital.
Watch Video
BJP dreams big for Bangalore
Express News Service
First Published : 22 Mar 2010 06:18:17 AM IST
Last Updated : 22 Mar 2010 08:58:03 AM IST
BANGALORE: There was confusion in the run -up to the BBMP elections.
Ticket distribution was chaotic and there were allegations that
candidate selection was not transparent.
There was no confusion. We had been discussing ticket distribution for
three months and finalised the candidates based on the suggestions of
the party workers. There may be minor differences but no major
problems.
Despite your promise of not letting it happen, people with criminal
background have gotten into the fray from the BJP.
There is no such instance. We have not given ticket to any such
elements.
What are the issues that the BJP feels could fetch votes? i) The
incomparable development work our party has done in Bangalore in the
last two years.
ii) The party is committed towards the development of Bangalore, well
reflected by the allocation of Rs 3,500 crore in the state budget.
iii) Our decisions have pleased Bangalore voters. For instance, take
our decision to bring in a legislation banning cow slaughter.
iv) People know that JD(S) and Congress have been playing a drama over
NICE, they have been shedding crocodile tears.
All international airports or important industries were all built by
acquiring land. Why oppose only NICE? BJP has been an urban party for
a long time, but you still have no single leader who can claim to
represent Bangalore.
Why such a void? There is no such void. We have many leaders. Such
problems exist in the Congress, which is why they had to go away from
Bangalore to decide on ticket distribution. We did it sitting in
Bangalore.
Mention five things you will do on a priority basis if you are voted
to power.
Ensuring drinking water in all the areas; laying underground
draianage, roads and necessary infrastructure in the newly-included
areas under the BBMP; developing and conserving lakes; making
rainwater harvesting compulsory; making Bangalore greener.
How many seats do you hope to bag? I am confident of getting a clear
majority.
What would the BJP do if it falls short of majority? Will it sit in
the opposition or engineer another 'Operation lotus'? The first
question does not arise because we are confident of getting a clear
majority. If the Congress and the JD(S) make any political conspiracy
we are ready to counter them by manoeuvring the situation.
BJP, Bollywood Ishtyle13 Comments | Post Comment
Tavleen Singh
Posted: Sunday , Mar 21, 2010 at 0140 hrs
This has been a most depressing week when seen from the perspective of
a political columnist. The new president of our main Opposition party
announced his new 'dream team' to revive the BJP and his list would be
hugely funny if it were not so pathetic. There are three actresses, a
cricketer, a fashion designer, a sprinkling of 'youth' leaders and a
former chief minister who is a misfit among the actresses.
Vasundhara Raje is the BJP's only leader in Rajasthan and instead of a
desk job in Delhi, should have been left as a formidable Opposition
leader in Jaipur. She lost the election by inches. But, it seems as if
the BJP has decided not to be a real Opposition party, only a
Bollywood version of one. It has to be said in Nitin Gadkari's defence
that from day one, when he burst into song at that first convention in
Indore, he indicated that despite his ample girth, he is a
lightweight. Not a bad singer but pointless since we have enough real
musicians; what we need desperately is a real Opposition party.
If we had a real Opposition party, six million tonnes of food grain
would not be rotting in Punjab while Parliament is in session. In a
country in which nearly half our children are malnourished, it is
beyond sickening that the Government of India can get away with stupid
excuses like 'not having enough warehouses'. Just put the wretched
grain in trucks and send it to organisations like Akshay Patra or just
give it free to village shops. Our TV channels did an excellent job
last week in emphasising that the grain is being eaten by rats while
children starve, but there is only so much the media can do. The rest
is in the hands of the Prime Minister and his Cabinet and why should
they do anything as long as there is no Opposition party to rub their
nose in the dirt?
If we had a real Opposition party, we would not be putting another Rs
30,000 crore of taxpayers money into 'cleaning' the Ganga and the
Yamuna until we know why twenty years of expensive effort failed to
clean our most sacred rivers. Before throwing more of our money down
the drain, should we not first be given some answers? One example. Why
was our money spent on building sewage treatment plants that do not
work when everyone knows that the only solution is to not allow any
sewage into these rivers in the first place?
But, what is the point in my depressing myself further with these
questions when I know that it is futile asking them until we have a
real Opposition party? If you need proof that we do not have one you
only need to have watched this last session of Parliament. In neither
the Lok Sabha nor the Rajya Sabha did we see the BJP raise any real
issues. Sushma Swaraj's interventions have been heavy on elocution and
low on content. She ends up sounding like someone trying to win first
prize in a college debate. Arun Jaitley supported the Women's
Reservation Bill as if his heart was really not in it. There is no
reason why it should have been. The Bill, as I pointed out in this
space last week, undermines the fundamental principles of Indian
democracy and should be strenuously opposed.
Even as I write those words, I slip further into gloom as the face of
Shri Lal Krishna Advani floats before my eyes. Not in the form of the
Hindutva hawk on that chariot to Ayodhya that left so much death and
hatred in its wake. But, as the tired, old man he now is. A tired, old
man who has nothing new to say, no future prospects, but who clings
shamelessly to the few crumbs of power that remain with him. In doing
so he destroys any chance the BJP has of renewal or even survival.
What was the point of him giving up his job as Leader of the
Opposition in the Lok Sabha if he refuses to give up control of the
parliamentary party?
The reality is that he has given up nothing. Mr Gadkari can take his
'dream team' of actresses and sportsmen and sing all the way back to
Mumbai and it would make no difference. There remains only one leader
in the BJP. He is a worn-out, jaded old man who appears determined to
destroy what remains of the party he once helped build. With only the
Commies on the Opposition benches, the Government can lapse safely
into complacent non-activity while we the people rely on our own
efforts to withstand a certain decline. Forgive me if I sound
seriously gloomy but it is a seriously gloomy time.
Follow Tavleen Singh on Twitter at tavleens
13 Comments |
Rotting Grain
By: K.C.Sharma | Monday , 22 Mar '10 16:51:07 PM
Rotting grain is really a shame when so many starvation deaths are
happening.But if the real figures can somehow, may be through RTI be
extracted from the Govt it will be found that so much money has been
spent on construction of go-downs and on the Food Corporation of India
that if the same money was spent by private traders there would be no
shortage of storage space.And grain would be available where required
through cash coupons distributed to the really needy. But the Govt
babu's and the socialistic politicians would have even then found a
way to pocket that money and the grain meant for the poor. You have
every right to rubbish the BJP but most of the blame lies at the door
of the socialistic dreams of our great leaders of fifties and sixties
who still control the mindset of our present leaders of the GOP.
Will BJP bounce back?
By: Neetu Banga | Monday , 22 Mar '10 12:16:43 PM
The party needs to stop talk on hard-line Hindutva and focus on
emerging as a true secular party.By inducting educated and positive
attitude people does not mean party will come back to power, it still
have long way to go to win the hearts of the people.
UNBALANCED CRITICISM
By: B.V.SHENOY | Monday , 22 Mar '10 11:56:56 AM
Tavleen Singh seems to have written this article with the editor
holding the secular gun to her head. The criticism of Gadkari and his
new team seems to be pointless and cheap. If Sunil Dutt can be a
politician, and the congress government can honour a dead actor
(M.G.Ramachandran) with Bharat Ratna (nothing less!), what is wrong
when Gadkari selects intelligent actors like Kiran kher for his
youthful team? Sidhu is a world reknown cricketer, a good human being,
a witty orator and a successful parliamentarian. Any party would feel
proud to have him in its national management team, But Tavleen has
nothing but derisive words for these young, politically savvy public
figures. By using vile language for Advani, you are only be exposing
your own lack of balance. Once in a way you may attempt writing about
the lady who runs the country from behind closed doors of 10 Janpath,
who doesn't know the A,B, C or D of Indian politics but lords over the
country. And please mind your language.
Corrupt Officers of FCI
By: Shiv M | Monday , 22 Mar '10 11:06:07 AM
FCI and its ministry has been making mockery of food storage System.
Dont they see how developed world store their grains in sylos and not
even a piece of grain goes waste and they can export same wheat to we
Indians with cheap prices with their so high labour cost. FCI
officials show these food grains as gone waste but at the same time
sell them to black market and pocket in 1000s of crores rs. this must
come to an end and no government agency should be allowed to buy and
misappropriate tha tax money of we common Indians. it's high time we
must stop these unchecked corruption or we and out chilren will die
out of malnutrition while these thugs and rats will get fatter and
fatter day after day.
TRUE OPPOSITION
By: NIRANJAN | Monday , 22 Mar '10 8:54:44 AM
OPPOSITION IN OUR COUNTRY IS ALWAYS TOO BUSY PULLING DOWN THE RULING
GOVT. BUT IT IS ALSO BUSY TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN THE RULING
GOVT. COMES DOWN THEY HAVE THE BIGGEST BOWL TO COLLECT THE FALLOUT! I
WISH THE PARLIAMENTARIANS WOULD LOOK AT SOME DECENT COUNTRY'S SYSTEM
AND TRY NOT EMULATE POORLY RULED DICTATORSHIP LIKE COUNTRIES! ATRUE
OPPOSITION WOULD THINK FIRST OF THE COUNTRY AND THEN OF THE PARTY AND
THEN FOR INDIVIDUALS. IN OUR COUNTRY THE ORDER IS REVERSED.
How
By: Neelima Choahan | Monday , 22 Mar '10 7:53:38 AM
Dear Ms Singh, I am a great a admirer of yours. I have read you since
I was a child. I think you are the byword in Indian politics
commentary but what I cannot understand is how is that you manage to
criticize BJP even when you are berating the Congress. Or is it the
other way around? I hope we get rid of this useless government and of
course that cannot be done without a strong Opposition.
Professor Emeritus
By: DR. D. Prithipaul | Monday , 22 Mar '10 5:40:51 AM
Mrs. Tavleen Singh does not seem to get it. With the Prime Minister's
office sponsoring a third rate Bollywood actor with a Padma, it is
proof that the Government acquires its understanding of social
realities from Bollywood fillums. This being so Mrs. Singh's laments
function like mere whispers in the wind - however much she may be
right, as she always is. Is there a debate on the nature of the
reasons, for example, which she marshals against the allotment of a
third of parliamentary seats to women? How will the rural electorate
field its women candidates and what will be the criteria for the
selection of the latter?
STANGE TRUTH
By: V.K.CHAWLA | Sunday , 21 Mar '10 23:11:43 PM
IF THE BJP TAKES A ISSUE & MAKE RUCKUS IN PARLIAMENT , THE SO CALLED
MEDIA CRTICISE IT . EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT UPA GOVT. IS NOT WORRIED &
THEIR LEADERS ARE SAYING IT OPENELY THAT THEY GIVE TWO HOOTS TO ALL
THOSE WHO ARE CRYING - MEHANGAI - PRICE RISE, BECAUSE THEY KNOW HOW
THE THE POOR PEOPLE ARE FORCED TO VOTE FOR THEM BY CLAIMING ONLY THEY
ARE SECULAR
Nitin Gadkari is not an outstanding leader at any stretch of
imagination.
By: Jay | Sunday , 21 Mar '10 20:15:55 PM
When the top level of any organization is occupied by mediocre people
they tend to choose mediocre or below people to work under him/her.
With more efficient and talented people they feel threatened. Nitin
Gadkari is not an outstanding leader at any stretch of imagination. He
is neither a good orator like Vajpayee-Advani nor have we read good
scholarly article from him unlike many other BJP leaders like Arun
Shourie. He may be a points man for RSS within BJP, but he can never
re-invent or re-energize the fast declining BJP party organization and
establish it as the main viable opposition.
Bashing BJP
By: R. Kapoor | Sunday , 21 Mar '10 19:15:41 PM
Only yesterday a Bollywood person, Shatrugan Sinha, a BJP stalwart and
a cabinet minister in NDA bashed Gadkari for neglecting some senior
members in the 'dream' team. Bollywood influence in BJP goes back many
years and is nothing new, however, recently it has become fashionable
for parties to exploit its presence. Didn't MNIK score one over the SS
and MNS in Maharashtra recently? We should not forget how SP tried to
enrope Sanjay Dutt, while already having Jaya Prada and Jaya Bahaduri
Bachachan being MPs. Why should we not forget Raj Babbar winning in
general elections as a Congress party candidate. Bollywood or in other
words the cinema world in India has been very prominent in politics,
especially in the South. So, it is wrong to criticise BJP vis-a-vis
Bollywood influence. I do agree with Tavleen, however, that BJP is in
'gloomy time.' Was Gadkari a racehorse that is expected to win the
Derby? With all the pessimism around BJP, can these dark clouds
disappear. I think they would.
bitter truth
By: savita | Sunday , 21 Mar '10 18:45:38 PM
very well said tavleenji
Nitin Gadkari is not an outstanding leader at any stretch of
imagination.
By: Jay | Sunday , 21 Mar '10 18:25:03 PM
When the top level of any organization is occupied by mediocre people
they tend to choose mediocre or below people to work under him/her.
With more efficient and talented people they feel threatened. Nitin
Gadkari is not an outstanding leader at any stretch of imagination. He
is neither a good orator like Vajpayee-Advani nor have we read good
scholarly article from him unlike many other BJP leaders like Arun
Shourie. He may be a points man for RSS within BJP, but he can never
re-invent or re-energize the fast declining BJP party organization and
establish it as the main viable opposition.
bitter truth
By: vikram | Sunday , 21 Mar '10 3:17:46 AM
Bitter truth. Tavleenji, you are great.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/bjp-bollywood-ishtyle/593498/0
Not summoned by SIT on March 21: Modi
Agencies
Posted: Monday , Mar 22, 2010 at 1813 hrs
Gandhinagar:
Modi's letter came following reports that he had boycotted the SIT
summons.
In an open letter, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said
he shall respond to the SIT probing the 2002 Gujarat riots 'fully
respecting' the law, as he refuted reports that he had skipped
appearance before the panel on Sunday.
"SIT had not fixed March 21, 2010 for my appearance. To say that I was
summoned on March 21 is completely false. I shall respond to the SIT
fully respecting the law and keeping in view the dignity of a body
appointed by the Supreme Court," he said in an open letter.
Modi's letter came following reports that he had boycotted the SIT
summons. He said, "Truth cannot be suppressed. It is now my duty to
place before you the facts that brings out the importance of
understanding what the truth really is."
Elaborating his stand, he said, "After the 2002 Godhra incidents, I
had categorically said in the Vidhan Sabha and in public that no one
is above the Indian Constitution and the law, even if he happens to be
the chief minister of a state.
These are not mere words. My actions have reflected this statement in
its true spirit. I assure you that this would be my stand in the
future."
However, sources in the government said that Modi was seeking legal
help for which senior party leader and BJP MP in the Rajya Sabha from
Gujarat Arun Jaitley, who is a senior lawyer of the Supreme Court, has
arrived in the city.
BJP sources claimed that Jaitley would be looking into the summons
issued to Modi and give his legal opinion on what steps should be
taken. On Sunday, when Modi was summoned, SIT office was kept open
during the office hours from 1030 hrs to 1810 hrs.
In connection with Zakia's complaint, SIT has already recorded
statements of a number of persons named in her complaint which
include, former minister of state for Home Gordhan Zadafia, BJP leader
I K Jadeja, former BJP MLA from Lunawada Kalu Malivad and sitting MLA
from Mehsana Anil Patel, former IPS officer R B Sreekumar, social
activist Teesta Setalvad, IG Shivanand Jha, some other senior police
officers and political leaders.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/not-summoned-by-sit-on-march-21-modi/594116/0
'Marathi vs non-Marathi' narrow political agenda: Chavan
Agencies
Posted: Monday , Mar 22, 2010 at 1636 hrs
Mumbai:
Ashok Chavan reiterated that his govt was committed to the welfare of
all people who live in the state.
Describing the "Marathi versus non-Marathi" issue as the narrow
political agenda of few politicians, Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok
Chavan on Monday said a placement agency owned by one such leader had
recruited 150 non-Maharashtrians.
"Their party's public stand says something and the leaders act
otherwise. I am not complaining," Chavan said without naming any party
during his reply to the motion of thanks to the Governor for his
address to the joint sitting of the state Legislature.
When the opposition benches asked Chavan to name the party and the
leader concerned, he said, "I would reveal the names at an appropriate
time."
Chavan said his government had an all-inclusive approach in its vision
for developing the state.
"Maharashtra belongs to all. My government is committed to the welfare
of all people who live here," he said.
Opposition members staged a walkout at the end of the Chief Minister's
speech criticising him for not spelling out the government's stand on
extension of statutory development boards whose term expires next
month.
He said his government was committed to the development of Marathi
language, art and culture.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/marathi-vs-nonmarathi-narrow-political-agenda-chavan/594098/
RSS feed: New BJP chief spikes journalists
21 March 2010
Coomi Kapoor in the Indian Express on the journalists' contingent in
the new team of BJP office-bearers.
This entry was posted on 21 March 2010 at 10:07 am and is filed under
A bit of fun, Magazines, Newspapers, People, Television.
http://wearethebest.wordpress.com/2010/03/21/rss-feed-new-bjp-chief-spikes-journalists/
Sunday, September 13, 2009
BJP laments stab by 'insider journalists'
PNS | New Delhi
It may still be trying to recover from the jolt dealt by insiders, but
the BJP believes that it has got another problem: 'friendly
journalists', who cannot remain 'insider' for too long.
An editorial in the latest issue of the party's organ Kamal Sandesh
has dwelt on the issue. It says, "There are journalists who wish that
BJP should run as per their whims. Any person -- journalist included --
has a right to offer advice and opinion but how can it be that a
political party should follow, without exception, the diktats of some
journalists. If that doesn't happen, the political organisation turns
bad in their considered opinion."
That is not the only complaint of the party. "A scenario in which
journalists should turn a tool in the hands of an individual
politician does not augur well for either of the two. Our effort
should be to create a healthy balance in which neither the journalist
is a weapon in the hands of a politician nor should the latter have to
act as a shield for journalists."
Rajya Sabha MP Prabhat Jha, who is a former journalist and editor of
the party's magazine, stops short of taking names. "This write-up is
not against an individual. This is what an aam karyakarta (normal
workers) of the BJP feels."
The BJP has already made its displeasure widely known over some of the
articles and TV interviews by journalists and former journalists, who
had been closely associated with the party but later started behaving
like an 'independent entity'.
Jha says, "Even while working in a political party, they (friendly
journalists) wish to maintain their separate identity, something
special and different from the rest of the lot. An impression also
gains ground among karyakartas that these people originally from
journalism are senior karyakartas."
The BJP leaders would admit that this impression is not wrong too,
because they (friendly journalists) move about and communicate only
with higher echelons in the leadership and not with the lower rung of
political workers. "The respect and attention they get subject of envy
to others," the editorial in Kamal Sandesh reads.
The same write-up adds, "It is true that it is their duty to report
but the questions remains: how, when and where. This is a matter that
these wielders of the pen should ponder over. They have to ensure that
in the process of the performance this onerous duty to present the
ideology to the nation, mutual confidence, faith and respect does not
fall a casualty." And, the last word from the party organ: "We do
understand that journalism cannot be a synonym for bosom friendship
between a journalist and a politician. Yet, we have to stand firm at
our respective post of duty."
http://dailypioneer.com/202162/BJP-laments-stab-by-'insider-journalists'.html
Who are the journos 'running & ruining' the BJP?
25 August 2009
PRITAM SENGUPTA writes from New Delhi: Former Indian Express editor
Arun Shourie's explosive interview with the paper's current editor,
Shekhar Gupta, while revealing the deep schisms within India's
principal oppostion party, the BJP, has also once again thrown light
on the less-than-professional role political journalists have been
playing.
For the second time in two months, Shourie targetted "The Gang of Six"--
a pack of half-of-dozen journalists who, says the Magsaysay Award
winning investigative journalist, have been used (abused? misused?) by
various different sections of the BJP.
On Gupta's Walk the Talk interview for NDTV on Monday, Shourie said
his letter to the BJP president Rajnath Singh demanding accountability
in running the party had been dubbed as an act of indiscipline even
though that letter had remained confidential.
There were leaders, he says:
"...who had been planting stories against L.K. Advani, Rajnath Singh and
others through six journalists (and yet it's not called
indiscipline)".
At the BJP's national executive meeting in mid-June, shortly after the
party suffered a "nasty jolt" in the general elections, Shourie had
gone so far as to say that "the BJP was being run by six journalists"
who were "damaging the party interest".
On both occasions, Shourie hasn't named "The Gang of Six", but by
repeatedly talking about them has set tongues wagging.
However, the questions remain: is the BJP so feeble a party to be
felled by mere pen-pushers? If BJP leaders are using them to "plant"
stories against one another, are the journalists exceeding their brief
by allowing themselves to be used?
Is ex-editor Shourie sanctimoniously crying wolf or is this par for
the course in other parties too? Are editors and publishers of the
publications where the "Gang of Six" work aware of their journalists
being so used?
And if so, is it OK?
http://wearethebest.wordpress.com/2009/08/25/who-are-the-journos-running-ruining-the-bjp/
The sad and pathetic decline of Arun Shourie
16 February 2009
SHARANYA KANVILKAR writes from Bombay: Arun Shourie is one of the
strangest cases on the Indian intellectual landscape if not its most
disappointing. A living, walking, moving advertisement of how rabid
ideology can addle even the most riveting of minds, stripping it of
all its nuance and pretence; its very soul and humanity.
***
Once a fiery critic of Reliance Industries as editor of the Indian
Express, he was happy to deliver a eulogy at Dhirubhai Ambani's first
death anniversary; even changing the law as minister to benefit
Reliance Industries, as alleged by the son of Girilal Jain, the former
Times of India editor who held shares in the company, no less.
Once a symbol of middle-class integrity and probity for various scams
unearthed his watch, his stint as disinvestment minister was
pockmarked with allegation after allegation (although an unattributed
Wikipedia entry claims he was ranked "the most outstanding minister of
the Atal Behari Vajpayee government" by 100 CEOs).
A slow, scholarly, Chaplinesque demeanour hides a cold, clinical mind
that piles the rhetoric and the stereotypes on the poor, the
marginalised and the disenfranchised while taking up high faluting
positions on terrorism, governance, internal security and such like,
through long, meandering essays whose opacity could put cub
journalists to shame.
And, as always, selectively twisting and turning the facts to fit his
preconceived conclusion, and hoping no one will notice.
To paraphrase Ramachandra Guha, Shourie has become the Arundhati Roy
of the right:
"The super-patriot and the anti-patriot use much the same methods.
Both think exclusively in black and white. Both choose to use a 100
words when 10 will do. Both arrogate to themselves the right to hand
out moral certificates. Those who criticise Shourie are characterised
as anti-national, those who dare take on Roy are made out to be agents
of the State. In either case, an excess of emotion and indignation
drowns out the facts."
But what should disappoint even his most ardent fans, and there are
many young journalists, is how easily and effortlessly a pacifist
penman has regressed from "a concerned citizen employing his pen as an
effective adversary of corruption, inequality and injustice" (as his
Magsaysay Award citation read) to a hate-spewing ideological warrior
with fire blazing through his nostrils.
A son of a Gandhian who now openly advocates "two eyes for an eye and
a whole jaw for one tooth" with barely any qualms.
***
At a series of lectures in Ahmedabad on Saturday, Shourie bared his
fangs some more:
"India is still a passive country when it comes to taking a stand
against terrorism....
"It should, in fact, take an extremist stance and must prove that it
can also create a Kashmir-like situation in Pakistan.
"There are many places like Baluchistan, where a Kashmir-like
situation can be created but, "hum abhi bhi Panchsheel ke pujari hain
(We still worship the tenets of Panchsheel)"....
"Pakistan has been successfully carrying out destruction in India for
the last two decades and has still managed to escape problems, while
India on every occasion has failed to present a unified response to
terrorism and has suffered as a consequence...."
Really?
An eye for an eye? Two eyes for an eye? A jaw for a tooth?
In the name of Vivekananda, should India do unto Pakistan what
Pakistan has done to us? Is this a sign of vision on the part of a man
who some believe should be the next prime minister, or tunnel vision?
Is such barely disguised hatred and vengeance, hiding behind vedas and
upanishads, going to make the subcontinent a better place to live in?
Should the people of Pakistan, the poor, the marginalised, the
disenfranchised, pay the price for the sins of the generals?
Should a great, ancient civilisation become a cheap, third-rate,
neighbourhood bully?
Has Arun Shourie lost more than his soul and humanity?
Has Arun Shourie just lost it?
Photograph: courtesy The Hindu Business Line
http://wearethebest.wordpress.com/2009/02/16/the-sad-and-pathetic-decline-of-arun-shourie/
...and I am Sid Harth
and/or www.mantra.com/jai
fanabba <fan...@aol.com> posted:
>
> Dr. Jai Maharaj posted:
> Dhanyavaad !
> Kshatriya Kulavatansa Simhasanadhishvar Maharajadhiraj Shiva
> Chhattrapati Maharaj !
Jai ho Chhattrapati Maharaj kee!
Franz Gnaedinger
with a false title, pretends to engage himself for the Hindu
community while all he cares for is the money he makes
via his astrological enterprise, fishing for Hindu clients,
because the Hindi are numerous, and especially prone
to superstition, he believes. A sociopath fools people
about his intentions while pursuing his own interests.
Jay Stevens alias Dr. Jai Maharaj is a classical sociopath.
He believes that he found the almost perfect scheme of
turning even child abuse into money. And he most freely
abuses our scientific forum of sci.lang. He is now leading
his second long-time attack on our scientific forum, more
aggressively than ever. Must have to do with the approaching
year 2012 that makes astrologers crazy and creep out of
their holes: another magic year to freighten people and thus
make money!
bademiyansubhanallah
Post by Sachhidanand on Jul 6th, 2006, 4:20pm
http://www.gujaratsamachar.com/gsa/20060707/guj/gujarat/news1_02.html
Trivedi must have been sanctioned by Didi
Post by Mahesh shah on Jul 6th, 2006, 4:21pm
http://www.gujaratsamachar.com/gsa/20060707/guj/gujarat/news2.html
Main points of disagreement
Post by Lets talk in open on Jul 6th, 2006, 4:21pm
http://www.gujaratsamachar.com/gsa/20060707/guj/gujarat/news4.html
Five areas of contention between Pankaj Trivedi and Didi.
According to Mahesh shah old Swadhyayee and good friend of Pankajbhai
there were five main areas of disagreement.
1. If Swadhyay claims to rebuild 40,000 houses, where are this houses.
Only 4-5,000 houses were rebuild.
2. Bhav Nirzar is a temple and should be accessible to any devotee.
3. Accounting of various trusts that hold funds from Swadhyay
activities. What is the purpose of accumulating wealth?
4. Dada had promised all the money received from Templeton Award to
use of Swadhyay activities, why it was diverted to family?
5. Love letters between Ashok Joshi and Didi - both were married at
the time of letters.
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Archana on Jul 6th, 2006, 4:23pm
http://www.gujaratsamachar.com/gsa/20060707/guj/gujarat/news7.html
another foreign trip for Jayshree T ? Let us see if she goes to
Gujarat or runs away?
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Ranjeet on Jul 6th, 2006, 4:25pm
http://www.gujaratsamachar.com/gsa/20060707/guj/gujarat/news15.html
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Dear Vijaybhai on Jul 6th, 2006, 4:26pm
FYI ... The "BAHURUPIA" person who assumed more than half a dozen
names on YAHOO PUBLIC GROUPS for SWADHYAY is compalining about someone
else using his name...
Herambuster=Trueswadhyayi1=HIRDIP=MukundM=mptshah=Janmohammed2003 just
to name a few.
Nilesh, do you want me to post the threatening messages you had posted
on YAHOO PUBLIC GROUPS?
Review of last 50 posts have revealed that
Post # 384, 408, 413 posted under "Paying tribute to Pankajbhai'
Post # 389, 403, 407, 410 posted under Mukesh,
Post # 391 posted under "Indian Citizen"
Post # 385 posted under "Asheet
are likely to be one and the same person according to my webmaster.
Please refrain from posting under different names. I am sure others
are doing the same thing. - Vijay Mehta
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by The swadhyayee on Jul 6th, 2006, 4:28pm
Dear Brother A SWADHYAYEE(Brain Washed),
Still you want to say police will catch the culprits; police already
declared they caught hands and they are looking for Brains....Iam
sorry yours already washed out
next she want to face it calmly coz now she cant be able to give
threaten or what?
next you cant do whatever you want just see what's happening around.
Bahurupia..
Post by Roma on Jul 6th, 2006, 4:29pm
on Jul 6th, 2006, 4:26pm, Guest-Dear Vijaybhai wrote:FYI ... The
"BAHURUPIA" person who assumed more than half a dozen names on YAHOO
PUBLIC GROUPS for SWADHYAY is compalining about someone else using his
name...
Herambuster=Trueswadhyayi1=HIRDIP=MukundM=mptshah=Janmohammed2003 just
to name a few.
Nilesh, do you want me to post the threatening messages you had posted
on YAHOO PUBLIC GROUPS?
Please post those messages and let people know how nilesh has adopted
to swadhyay thoery in real life. Let people know how swadhyay
represntative talk to others.
You are also posting under Roma # 445, Ajay Doshi # 446; Rakesh # 447
and Rajesh Parikh # 448!
Why can't you post all that in one post?
- Vijay Mehta,
Jayshree's love letters were not a script
Post by Ajay Doshi on Jul 6th, 2006, 4:35pm
http://www.gujaratsamachar.com/gsa/20060707/guj/gujarat/news13.html
Bhagawanano Bhag used for helping criminals
Post by Rakesh on Jul 6th, 2006, 4:38pm
http://www.gujaratsamachar.com/gsa/20060707/guj/gujarat/news20.html
Swadhyay now fighting in court to save thier people. Kona baap ni
diwali? Who will pay to fight the case? They could not use the trust
funds for earthquake relief but now to protect Jayshree from going to
jail the Swadhyay is spending money like there is no to morrow.
Hitesh Chudasama goes underground
Post by Rajesh Parikh on Jul 6th, 2006, 4:42pm
http://www.gujaratsamachar.com/gsa/20060707/guj/gujarat/news6.html
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Guest on Jul 6th, 2006, 5:13pm
Dear Vijaybhai,
Why two of my last messges were deleted?
Sorry, I can not tell you out of many that were deleted what post urs
was. Please send to me at vija...@aol.com or post it again. Please
make sure to avoid name calling and discussing topics not related to
Pankajbhai. Remeber one man is dead and his family and friends do
visit this frequently. - Vijay Mehta
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Paying Tribute to Pankajbhai on Jul 6th, 2006, 5:57pm
Is there any internet savvy person who can make sure that articles
published by Gujarati Newspapers on "Pankaj Trivedi Murder" comes in
search engines, Google, Yahoo, MSN.
There are lot of non-Gujaratis interested in these articles.
Link to Information In English:
http://www.swadhyayee.org/download/EnglishDocs/
http://www.gujaratglobal.com/nextSub.php?id=808&cattype=NEWS
http://www.gujaratglobal.com/nextSub.php?id=809&cattype=NEWS
http://www.gujaratglobal.com/nextSub.php?id=814&cattype=NEWS
http://www.gujaratglobal.com/nextSub.php?id=804&cattype=NEWS
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Swadhyayee on Jul 6th, 2006, 7:01pm
I
Re: Bahurupia..
Post by Swadhyayee on Jul 6th, 2006, 7:05pm
Vijaybhai - thanks for exposing these Bahrupia who has posted messages
under different names in your forum.
on Jul 6th, 2006, 4:29pm, Guest-Roma wrote:Please post those messages
and let people know how nilesh has adopted to swadhyay thoery in real
life. Let people know how swadhyay represntative talk to others.
You are also posting under Roma # 445, Ajay Doshi # 446; Rakesh # 447
and Rajesh Parikh # 448!
Why can't you post all that in one post?
- Vijay Mehta,
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Nilesh Sahita on Jul 6th, 2006, 7:12pm
Vijaybhai,
Yes - indeed it was a nice conversation that we had a while ago.
Yes, please send me IP addresses of messages that were posted under my
name (I will email you my email address separately).
I will arrange to speak with a US Attorney to see what action I can
and should take.
I appreciate your prompt and firm action with respect to this.
To all who are posting messages under my name:
We all live in post 9/11 era and do not think you can not be found
out. You have committed act of "Identity Theft" which is a crime and
you may have landed yourself into a legal mess without realizing it.
Just remember ignorance is not an excuse and Prison has no broadband
service
Regards,- Nilesh
on Jul 6th, 2006, 2:49pm, Guest-Nilesh Sahita wrote:Dear Vijaybhai,
Someone has been using my name to post article like below to defame
me.
As the owner of the forum I trust you will take necessary action to
act on it and remove from your forum immediately.
Regards,
- Nilesh
Dear Nileshbhai,
I have posted a clarifying message on that post. Obviously you feel
totally differently than the post under your name. If you need we may
be able to give you the IP address of that person using your name.
Thank you for nice conversation. - Vijay Mehta
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Unbelievable on Jul 6th, 2006, 7:39pm
Vijay...you have been doing a great job moderating this discussion
board..keep up the good work.
Nilesh, you're quite a tough guy. Threatening lawsuits sometimes works
just fine, but remember, the USA is the land of litigation. You're
going to contact and pay a US based lawyer to file suit against
somebody who posted a single message on an anonymous message board, a
message that was nowhere near dangerous? Good luck...
If you have something to say, then say it without making empty
threats....oh wait, you probably have already using one of your many
alias usernames, since I highly doubt you just started monitoring this
thread.
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Ravi Patel on Jul 6th, 2006, 7:50pm
Here are few illegal doing of one of the swadhyayi MOTABHAI Chandrashi
Jadeja involved in kiling of Pankaj Trivedi. Can some one translate
the into english Please?? Are all so called Motabhai in real
Khotabhai?? Where did they learn to snatch land from others? Is this
topic included into swadhyay Parivar 101 teachings, or are they doing
the same what KAVRAV did 5000 years ago!
As I understand back in June, 1992 There was a prime land in
Padadhari. There was 750 Sq ft of prime land. Panchayat voted for
15x10 size cabins. Chandrasinh Jadeja, a Motabhai and Swadhyayi (who
now in jail for Pankajbhai’s murder), applied under different names
and got the land for 11 months. Now many years later he owns a complex
valued at 40 Lakh Rupees!
Ravi Patel
ravi_pa...@yahoo.com
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Nilesh Sahita on Jul 6th, 2006, 7:50pm
Dear Unbelievable,
Identity Theft is a crime.
Whoever is committing this crime - stop it or be prepared to face the
music.
Let me repeat - post 9/11 - there is no such thing as 'anonymous'.
Every thing can be tracked.
My suggestion to Vijaybhai is - please do not allow anonymous posting
on this forum. Let people who are willing to write their name and who
are willing to stand by what they write participate in this forum.
It will make this forum truly useful and beneficial to everyone.
- Nilesh
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Unbelievable on Jul 6th, 2006, 8:11pm
Nilesh,
The only reason most people are posting anonymously is that they don't
want the same fate (for themselves and their families) as Pankaj
Trivedi or the 10 others.
If the threat of physical or emotional backlash towards my family was
not there, I would be the first to use my real name.
P.S Someone posting a message on an anonymous board using your name is
not identity theft. Who says there aren't other Nilesh Sahita's out
there?
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Ravi Patel on Jul 6th, 2006, 8:35pm
Can we list all trust that were and are operated under "swadyay
Parivar" those currently in operation and those closed after filing
bankruptcy (in this case the money or land was transfered to another
trust owned by the owners of swadhyay parivar main trust or sold for
profit). I want the location or the town name where the trust were
registered or were just run.
Thanks
Ravi Patel
ravi_pa...@yahoo.com
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Nilesh Sahita on Jul 6th, 2006, 8:46pm
Brother Unbelievable,
I will be more than happy if you can find another Nilesh Sahita in the
world
Seriously speaking - posting message on my name is a serious matter
and once again I request all indulging in such acts to think carefully
before what they do.
on Jul 6th, 2006, 8:11pm, Guest-Unbelievable wrote:Nilesh,
The only reason most people are posting anonymously is that they don't
want the same fate (for themselves and their families) as Pankaj
Trivedi or the 10 others.
If the threat of physical or emotional backlash towards my family was
not there, I would be the first to use my real name.
P.S Someone posting a message on an anonymous board using your name is
not identity theft. Who says there aren't other Nilesh Sahita's out
there?
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Paying Tribute to Pankajbhai on Jul 6th, 2006, 9:28pm
1.How about all the false cases filed against Pankajbhai which your so
called 'Parivar' lost and got a stricture from High Court Judge for
misusing the system? Any apology or slightest of remorse will show
that you have some 'swadhyay' quality left.
2. For moral matters-Dadaji has more standing than anyone else. You
are entitled to your opinion. However this is again a characteristic
of a typical cult memeber who does not want to see any evil of a
person for whom he has been brain-washed.
3.I have spoken to many villagers myself who go to swadhyay and they
speak good about everybody who go to them with any religious pretext.
That type of ignorance is what makes business of religion thrive in my
beloved Gujarat. I have also spoken to villagers who go to
Swaminarayan in Gujarat and they do not speak well about Swadhyay.
Today it will be your worth before you open your mouth and go to
villages in Gujarat and find out what villagers are talking about Didi
and her brand of Swadhyay.
I am only hoping that Gujarat Government does not succumb to greed(as
some media have reported that crores of rupees bribes are offered to
remove Didi's name from chargesheet) as I am sure that by now they
have realized that there is nothing to fear from Didi and her blind
faith follower like you.
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Paying Tribute to Pankajbhai on Jul 6th, 2006, 9:45pm
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Nilesh Sahita on Jul 6th, 2006, 9:59pm
1.How about all the false cases filed against Pankajbhai which your so
called 'Parivar' lost and got a stricture from High Court Judge for
misusing the system? Any apology or slightest of remorse will show
that you have some 'swadhyay' quality left.
Please refer to the statements issued by Swadhyay Parivar in this
matter.
2. For moral matters-Dadaji has more standing than anyone else. You
are entitled to your opinion. However this is again a characteristic
of a typical cult memeber who does not want to see any evil of a
person for whom he has been brain-washed.
As I said before you are entitled to your opinion and so are we.
3. I have spoken to many villagers myself who go to swadhyay and they
speak good about everybody who go to them with any religious pretext.
That type of ignorance is what makes business of religion thrive in my
beloved Gujarat. I have also spoken to villagers who go to
Swaminarayan in Gujarat and they do not speak well about Swadhyay.
I do not want to go in to Swadhyay v/s Swaminarayan war here. They do
what they think is best and we do what we think is best. This may not
be zero sum game - may be society needs both.
It is clear to me that you have never put a foot in any Gujarat
village in your lifetime. Let me tell you this - Swadhyay message has
reached each and every village in Gujarat. Obviously some part of the
population has picked it up and some part has not. For those people
who are part of Swadhyay Parivar - this latest crisis has not affected
them. For those who were not part of Parivar (for whatever reason and
we respect their choice) - obviously this has given them one more
reason to do so and that is fine with us.
4. Today it will be your worth before you open your mouth and go to
villages in Gujarat and find out what villagers are talking about Didi
and her brand of Swadhyay.
Do not give me Bull!$#@ of what villagers are talking about, OK?
Instead of relying on cheapo Gujju media, it will be worthwhile for
you to go to villages and check the situation yourself.
In any case - Swadhyay has never been afraid of what some section of
society is talking about.
I remember that even back in 80's also there were Swadhyay Critics and
there will always be sections of society which doesn't find Swadhyay
acceptable because Swadhyay doesn't allow them to fulfill their
personal ego. For e.g. if one goes to Swadhyay and do Swadhyay work
for 10/20 years - no where his/her name is mentioned on the stage but
even if someone give $1,000/- to local community, they are happy to
announce his/her name on the stage. To some people this (prestige)
gives more gratification than path that Dadaji has shown - and they
should follow the path according to their level of development/
understanding.
In Swadhyay one has to sublime their ego and work with everyone in the
Yagniya spirit which is not everyone's cup of tea.
5. I am only hoping that Gujarat Government does not succumb to
greed(as some media have reported that crores of rupees bribes are
offered to remove Didi's name from chargesheet) as I am sure that by
now they have realized that there is nothing to fear from Didi and her
blind faith follower like you.
Hmmm.... crores of rupees bribes offered to remove Didi's name from
chargesheet? Are you nuts? Do you think Indian state machinery and
judiciary is Timbuktu state?
You can call me blind faith follower and I can call you blind faith
critic and we can keep doing this namecalling until cows come home. I
suspect you have not met many people who are in Swadhyay and you like
to believe all of us in Swadhyay are because of blind faith follower.
Well... I leave it for your wisdom to decide and in any case I and our
Swadhyayees do not care about your certificate anyway.
I have said enough about what I wanted to stay and I am going to be
away for few days. If time permitting I may revisit this forum after
few days / weeks.
Thank you and May God bless us all.
Jay Yogeshwar.
PS - Vijaybhai once again thanks for your help. I have emailed you
separately.
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Paying Tribute to Pankajbhai on Jul 6th, 2006, 10:06pm
Nileshbhai,
How about all the false cases filed against Pankajbhai which your so
called 'Parivar' lost and got a stricture from High Court Judge for
misusing the system? Any apology or slightest of remorse will show
that you have some 'swadhyay' quality left.
Please refer to the statements issued by Swadhyay Parivar in this
matter.
Before you go away for few days/weeks, Pl. post these statements by
Swadhyay Parivar.
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by OO7 on Jul 6th, 2006, 10:39pm
Does anyone know where is Jayshree Talwarkar? She was in Tamilnadu and
supoosed to go to Gujarat. Is she going? It is raining hard here so I
feel she may not come. I think she should make another foreign
trip
you Dont know anything
Post by Kamal on Jul 7th, 2006, 12:37am
dear Vijaybhai,
Just read below whatever you have posted......
Five areas of contention between Pankaj Trivedi and Didi.
According to Mahesh shah old Swadhyayee and good friend of Pankajbhai
there were five main areas of disagreement.
1. If Swadhyay claims to rebuild 40,000 houses, where are this houses.
Only 4-5,000 houses were rebuild.
2. Bhav Nirzar is a temple and should be accessible to any devotee.
3. Accounting of various trusts that hold funds from Swadhyay
activities. What is the purpose of accumulating wealth?
4. Dada had promised all the money received from Templeton Award to
use of Swadhyay activities, why it was diverted to family?
5. Love letters between Ashok Joshi and Didi - both were married at
the time of letters
This is the proof that you dont know about Swadhyay. Why are wasting
your time here. (see No.5)
Here, 99 % men (?) are against swadhyay. only 1% used to read you
'Bakvas' forum. and by your forum , 'Kai tuti sakvana nathi' (nothing
will break). We have no any effects by your 'bakvas' . Anybody can
understand You are all FAKE swadhyayee. Everybody from you tries to
draw out Ego.
Brothers, Just stop this 'bakvas' and go to Indian Village and see the
spirit of swadhyay, result of the swadhyay.
The aim of this forum is only to show Ego.
By your all post anybody can understand you are most egotistic.
You are only barking. and remember barking dog never hurt you.
Dear Kamal,
The five contention I have listed is from that article for those who
can not read Gujarati.
This is the forum to discuss the Murder of Pankajbhai and assult
(beating up) of more than 12 people. If you think this is Bakwas than
we hope you wont come here anymore.
This 'ego' line is getting old as is the 'asking the people from
village.' Ask the people from Padadhari who found out that one of the
murder has a 40 lacs complex on land obtained illegally and he was a
motabhai close to Didi.
Even if you have done everything you claim to do, that does not
justify killing of maiming anyone disagreeing with you.
Many years ago, there were more than 700 people killed by Jim Jones in
Guana, and few years ago 87 people burned to death in Waco. Texas. All
these followers had what they thought God leading them. Of course he
lead them to death. History is full of people who thought they had a
Godly leader only to find out the truth later on. Sometimes too late!
We are simply curious - just as any good God loving Swadhyayee would
be - what happened to 40,000 new houses that were to be built. Can
anyone give us the address?
Why with every passing day more and more motabhai in India are found
to be corrupt and using public land and money for their own purpose?
If the Swadhyay was as strong and pious as you guys claim why it did
not stop Motabhai's (Khotabhai) from committing fraud, theft, assult
and violence?
We are not interested in harming Swadhyayee movement but we are
interested in giving a voice to those who want to speak up. Apprently
speaking up in Swadhyay has dire consequenses.
'Kai Tuti Sakawana Nathi" line was used by Manishbhai who is enjoying
the hospitality of prison system for past two weeks, it was used by
these five goons who thought they had to commit murder to protect
Swadhyay. If the movement is good it does not need any Gujdagiri to
protect it. It should not need any Dhamaki and Dadagiri. It should not
be afraid to listen to dissenting voices. Unfortunately, so far anyone
speaking against party line has been threatened and punished.
Like it or not .. Pap no Dhado Futi Gayo Chhe. There comes a time when
your sin catches up with you.
Good Bye and go find another forum where you can sing virtues of Didi
and others - Vijay Mehta
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by You Have Got to Be Kidding on Jul 7th, 2006, 03:38am
Kamal, are you serious?
The truth doesn't really matter anymore - ego would drive one to prove
that they are right. Do you really think it matters whether Pankaj
Trivedi was correct or whether Didi is guilty of conspiring to kill
him?
The damage is done. Over done.
Didi is hiding, Swadhyay is telling everyone around the world what to
say, people are relating the situation with other religious wars
likening Swadhyay to Krishna and Ram, the Pankaj Trivedi crowd is
saying everything negative about Didi and Dada that they can come up
with.
We are just going to sit around and whine that "you are a barking dog"
or that "you don't know the truth" or that "Didi must be innocent"
WHY? so that we can feel like we didn't waste our life by going to
Swadhyay?
Yes, Swadhyay has been a tremendous influence in villages. By
recognizing that the Swadhyay organization isn't perfect and that Didi
may have flaws in her ability to lead, we are not reducing the value
of Swadhyay.
This is not "all or nothing"
But the very fact that intelligent people are not willing to look at
facts that suggest how desperate Swadhyay is to be in control shows us
exactly how ridiculous Swadhyay is becoming.
Don't be a loyalist to the people, be a loyalist to the idea.
Respecting free speech is important, and the only 'bakvas' around here
are those who believe everything they hear from Swadhyay as something
that cannot be questioned.
I agree. If there is gangrene of the foot and you realize that foot is
beyond repair. You must amputate the foot to save the rest of the
body. Vast majority of Swadhyay is great. But if the gangrene is
allowed to spread the bacteria and poison to rest of the body the
whole body may suffer.
This forum is to encourage everyone who loves Swadhyay to
constructively think and speak as to what are the different option the
gangrene can be cured. What can be done so that few bad apples do not
use name, fame and power of Swadhyay for their selfish reason. The way
many of motabhai (khotabhai) have used their connection to Swadhyay
will open eyes of many. Only thru ope dialogue a new more powerful
movement will emerge. - Vijay Mehta
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Ravi Patel on Jul 7th, 2006, 05:57am
True Believers or so called brain washed swadhyayi,
There is no way to educate true believers. They judge information by
whether it agrees with what they already believe. (And this of course
is by definition prejudice.) The right-wing of conservatism continues
to provide true believers, and Political Correctness has given us a
new generation of true believers. Islam is another prime example of
true believers.....
None of these people want anyone to know what prejudice is. This is
why prejudice is no longer talked about or taught to swadhyayee
although they hear ad nauseum about racism. And since students are
taught to reject the concept of evidence, and fooled in the name of
GOD.
I was born and raised in a small village in Gujarat, so I know the
psychology of poor and uneducated villagers. Most of them dont even
know the meaning of psychology, their brains are been hijacked by
mastermind Sadhu's and Dadaji's (grandfather's or big brother's) or
Bhai's. Even if we get rid of dadaji's(grandfather's or big brother's)
ideas off their mind there is another Didi(sister) or kaka(uncle)
ready to take his place.
Read the Paragraph below its from swadhyay.org
http://swadhyay.org/krishi.htm
"It is the practice of collective farming of a single field (normally
of three to five acres taken from poor villagers in the name of GOD
transfered the land into trusts name and sold later, most of the farms
used for "yogeshwar krishi" are sold, and poor villagers dont even
know where the money has gone to) in a village by the villagers who
each offer devotional labour, possibly for one or two days per
cropping season. The resulting crop belongs to no one except God."
Which GOD?? Who is GOD?? Where the money goes?? and above all you
canot ask questions to GOD, let him do whatever he wants to.
Ravi Patel
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Unbelievable on Jul 7th, 2006, 06:24am
on Jul 7th, 2006, 03:38am, Guest-You Have Got to Be Kidding
wrote:Kamal, are you serious?
Yes, Swadhyay has been a tremendous influence in villages. By
recognizing that the Swadhyay organization isn't perfect and that Didi
may have flaws in her ability to lead, we are not reducing the value
of Swadhyay.
This is not "all or nothing"
But the very fact that intelligent people are not willing to look at
facts that suggest how desperate Swadhyay is to be in control shows us
exactly how ridiculous Swadhyay is becoming.
Don't be a loyalist to the people, be a loyalist to the idea.
Wow...I cannot agree with you more..these paragraphs probably are the
best written and to the point of any other message that exists in this
thread. Again....Wow.
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by RAVI PATEL on Jul 7th, 2006, 06:28am
GUYS I WANT YOU TO DISCUSS IT HERE TOO, LET THE WORLD KNOW THE SINS...
http://discussions.pbs.org/viewforum.pbs?f=152
RAVI PATEL
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by the irish robin hood on Jul 7th, 2006, 06:48am
on Jul 7th, 2006, 06:28am, Guest-RAVI PATEL wrote:GUYS I WANT YOU TO
DISCUSS IT HERE TOO, LET THE WORLD KNOW THE SINS...
http://discussions.pbs.org/viewforum.pbs?f=152
RAVI PATEL
I think you have what is termed an unhealthy fixation. Where you not
even good enough to become a krutishil ? was bhavpheri too daunting
for you ?
Its not even about pankajbhai for you is it ?
Its more to do with pushing your own personnel crusade. Its all to
abudnatley clear theres some thing missing in your life.
May you find peace if not in this life than the next.
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by reality on Jul 7th, 2006, 07:11am
Hi,
It is not like that nobody know about Didi.
But, Lac of people still in Swadhyay. Why ?
They are not blind follower.
The reality is, Everybody from Swadhyay is Selffish.
Everybody sees their developement under swadhyay.
They dont care about your coments, they dont care about DIDI, they
want to remain in swadhyay.
We know what is the foundation of this quarral, Two love letter.
TJust a few minutes ago you posted as Kamal and thought this forum is
a Bakwas and now you can not keep away form it? Come and write here
again? Why dont you go back to your prayers?
No you do not see anything. Foundation of quarrel is that many people
dedicated their Tan Man and Dhan for a very long time thinking that
Dada & Didi were embodiment of virtues and knowledge and decent human
beings. They started suspecting otherwise, they started asking
questions. That lead to "How dare you ask any question."
So same Pankajbhai who was addressed as a captain by Dada lovingly
became a Rakshash.
Pankajbhai was not to be intimidated. He knew that there might be
danger pursueing truth. He kept questioning, kept wanting Bhav Nirzar
Mandir for all devotees. He must be getting close to the nerve center
so after five years few people decided to kill him. He became such a
big threat from nuisance.
Now that there is so much light on every aspect of Swadhyay, many of
facts are coming out such as the Hitesh had illegally seized prime
land in Padadhri and made a complex there worth 40 Lacs. You think his
position as Motabhai helped him get this?
I hope you would not waste your time with all this Bakwas and people
with ego!!!
Jai Yogeswar - Vijay Mehta
Then what ??????
Post by Kamal on Jul 7th, 2006, 07:29am
Yes, You are right and Didi may be wrong, then what ?
you u believe Didi is killer and must be arrested and send to jail.
Then what
Re: Then what ??????
Post by the irish robin hood on Jul 7th, 2006, 07:34am
on Jul 7th, 2006, 07:29am, Guest-Kamal wrote:Yes, You are right and
Didi may be wrong, then what ?
you u believe Didi is killer and must be arrested and send to jail.
Then what
then the healing begins, by looking back at what is wrong on a
national and kendra level. What the key elements that worked and which
were good what they were and going back to them and refocusing on
them.
The only way forward now is for Mrs talwaker to resign and then let
people answer the finacial questions. Before moving forward. If that
happens the parviar will be in a much stronger place in years to come.
As long as Mrs Talwaker is the head, these matters will keep cropping
up and taking focus away from the actual good that the parivar does.
Didi must step down or come to terms that she is holding back the
parivar. Resign resign resign......
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Paying Tribute to Pankajbhai on Jul 7th, 2006, 08:08am
Dear Nileshbhai,
Before you go away for few days/weeks, Pl. post these statements by
Swadhyay Parivar.
I believe your motabhai ( in a typical cult style) have asked you to
stay away for few weeks as from whatI read in Akila, Didi and her 27
cronies are in big trouble.
Honestly, I think, Nileshbhai you are a good person but like many
others still in Swadhyay you are too shocked at the turn of events on
Pankajbhai's killing and finding Parivar members involved in it.
Jayshree finds out being a 'Don' has downside
Post by Ramki on Jul 7th, 2006, 08:41am
Jayshree loses sleep.. Will she be spending time in big house? Would
government have guts to put noose around her neck?
DADA was a 'Don' too but no one knew it!
Post by Ravi Patel on Jul 7th, 2006, 08:41am
Dada was a smart manipulator and he spared no effort to crash any
opposition during his life time. He had perfected the technique of
Sham - Dam -Dand - Bhed and anyone trying to question him was swiftly
given punishment that no one else would even dare repeat the mistake.
JAY YOGESHAR
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by GUEST on Jul 7th, 2006, 08:46am
We all should be focusing on the THE REAL ISSUES here.
Lets make sure that Late Pankajbhai's sacrifice does not go in vein.
I know that Swadhyayi people will not answer any questions in an
HONEST and STARIGH FORWARD manner but they always try to use tactics
such as "personal attacks", "character assasination", "lies",
"abusive language" etc to derail the discussion so these questions can
be avoided.
Can you prove it to me that 100% of the money collected in USA for
earthquake victims were sent to INDIA and used to BUILD houses?
Can you deny the FACT that the cash balance on DAY's books had been
consistently inceasing for over a decade? What is DAY's current cash
balance?
Can you tell us who gets the profits made by selling books, picture
frames, audio cassetts and CDs?
Can you deny the FACT that "SHRADHDHA" trust exists and only Athvale
family members are sole trustees in this trust?
Can you tell us how many different trusts Swadhyay has and who are the
trustees?
Can you tell us how many crores Swadhyay has accumulated in different
trusts?
Can you tell us the total value of land, including Bhav-Nirzar land
that Swadhyay acquired?
Can you deny the FACT that questions are not allowed in any meetings
and if someone dare to ask questions, he or she is intimidated to set
an examples so other people do not even dare to ask questions in
future?
Can you deny the FACT that brainwashing, manipulation and exploitation
have been going on for years?
Can you deny the FACT that fabricated stories are feed to the innocent
followers to potray Athvale as an "AVATAR"?
Can you deny the FACT that DAY's financial books were NEVER opened for
the followers for inspection?
Can you deny the FACT that if someone writes a letter to DAY asking
for the detailed information on earthquake donation issue, DAY's
attorney replies and denies the request for information?
Can you deny the FACT that Shibirs and camps are used mainly for
brainwashing and recruit more volunteers?
Can you deny the FACT that Dada's Putri-Moha is the same as
DRUTRASHTRA's Putra-Moha and Dada's act of GADI-PRATHA establishment
is fundamentally wrong and is betrayal of trust of unsuspecting
followers?
Who pays for Didi's frequent trips overseas every year in summer when
it is hot in INDIA?
Can you ADMIT that it is inappropriate that you use poor swadhyayis
for FREE MARKETING, I mean LAV-FERI and Didi spends charity money
collected as a result of hard work, dedication and bhav-samarpan of
poor fellow swadhyayees?
Has Dada ever worked in his life? How did he managed his finances?
Has Didi or her husnabd ever worked? How do they manage their finance?
What kind of business Didi's husband is in?
Can you prove it to us that the drama "TUMHARI-AMRITA" was ever played
by swadhyay?
Please answer these questions FIRST in CLEAR TERMS and a STRAIGHT
FORWARD manner before I ask many more questions.
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by motabha on Jul 7th, 2006, 08:54am
on Jul 7th, 2006, 08:51am, Guest-the irish robin hood wrote:so whats
the point of asking ? . unless you happen to like the sound of your
own voice, like some sort of broken record.
Great reply. As per swadhyay policy, we do not answer real questions
but confuse people by telling rubbish.
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by RAVI PATEL on Jul 7th, 2006, 08:59am
Can you deny the FACT that swadhyay Motabhai's in Gujarat and
Maharashtra were bain washed by Dada and Didi, who filed false cases
in court against Pankaj Trivedi and others trying to expose the Land/
Money making scandal Dadaji started in the name of GOD. Ultimately,
resulted into death of Mr. Pankaj Trivedi by few swadhyayi's who were
made to think they were doing God's deed. Whats different between
Islamic Jihad and swadhyayi Jihad??
If the killers of Mr. Pankaj Trivedi are compared to Mohmmad Atta (and
others) who flew into WTC in new York, Swadhyayi leaders are no less
then Osama Bin Ladin.
Ravi Patel
ravi_pa...@yahoo.com
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Hindustani on Jul 7th, 2006, 09:01am
I agree with you. I hope swadhyay leaders will get punished by law.
Lets see.
cover up to protect Bharat Bhatt
Post by RAVI PATELS DADA on Jul 7th, 2006, 09:02am
Murderers are hiding their whereabouts to protect big wigs in
Swadhyay. Now that they have already admitted to committing murder why
are they not telling the truth as to where exactly they all were in
hours preceding the murder. Police strongly suspect they are trying to
cover up big wigs in Swadhyay who apparently met them to give final
instructions.
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by the irish robin hood on Jul 7th, 2006, 09:13am
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by the irish robin hood on Jul 7th, 2006, 09:15am
on Jul 6th, 2006, 2:25pm, Guest-Come ON Guys wrote:I am detecting lots
of messages from USA and also from India.
Where are the guys from UK
Have they worn 'BANGLES' & SAREES so that they are shy/frightened to
come out and express their anger/view/opinion??
Or they think what's happening is all fine as long as it does not
affect them.
Come on gyus..........at least ......be brave enough, to expree your
solidarity.....
Didi will not kill you by doing so.
Well if they are wearing bangals and sarees, they are alsready
expressing themselves you muppet
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Ravi Patel on Jul 7th, 2006, 09:24am
Who are Yatin Oza and Reshmi jani? trying to defend the killers of Mr.
Pankaj Trivedi. Are they Brain wahed swadhyayi or mean lawyers wanting
more money? See what the killers have to say "we are innocent, we are
into police's trap only because of our negative image from the media"
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Ravi Patel on Jul 7th, 2006, 09:30am
Yatin Oza is lawyer by profession and a politician by brain. I guess
he is trying to defend the killers in order to get voted from
swadhyayi's. He has already shown his way of politics by jumping from
BJP to Congress...
http://www.rediff.com/election/2002/nov/28guj.htm
Also he is known as "Giant Killer" How appropriate for a lawyer to be
known as Giant Killer and defend most famous murderers! - Vijay Mehta
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by the irish robin hood on Jul 7th, 2006, 09:31am
on Jul 7th, 2006, 09:24am, Guest-Ravi Patel wrote:Who are Yatin Oza
and Reshmi jani? trying to defend the killers of Mr. Pankaj Trivedi.
Are they Brain wahed swadhyayi or mean lawyers wanting more money? See
what the killers have to say "we are innocent, we are into police's
trap only because of our negative image from the media"
[img]http://www.akilaindia.com/daily/news_img/main019.gif[/mg]
Well the police caving into solving a crime as quickly as they can due
to media pressure never ever happens. Well not in your world. As long
as the mob gets justice ..who cares about civil liberties....damn
human rights....just put someone in jail and make us feel safe in our
homes.
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Hindustani on Jul 7th, 2006, 09:33am
on Jul 7th, 2006, 09:30am, Guest-Ravi Patel wrote:Yatin Oza is lawyer
by profession and a politician by brain. I guess he is trying to
defend the killers in order to get voted from swadhyayi's. He has
already shown his way of politics by jumping from BJP to Congress...
http://www.rediff.com/election/2002/nov/28guj.htm
I thought killers of Pankaj Trivedi already admitted crime. I saw it
on TV. Now what happened?
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by the irish robin hood on Jul 7th, 2006, 09:39am
on Jul 7th, 2006, 09:33am, Guest-Hindustani wrote:I thought killers of
Pankaj Trivedi already admitted crime. I saw it on TV. Now what
happened?
they admitted to the crime under duress
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Ravi Patel on Jul 7th, 2006, 09:40am
on Today at 09:30am, Guest-Ravi Patel wrote:Yatin Oza is lawyer by
profession and a politician by brain. I guess he is trying to defend
the killers in order to get voted from swadhyayi's. He has already
shown his way of politics by jumping from BJP to Congress...
http://www.rediff.com/election/2002/nov/28guj.htm
I thought killers of Pankaj Trivedi already admitted crime. I saw it
on TV. Now what happened?
May be the lawyer defend them did not see it!
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by ravi patel on Jul 7th, 2006, 09:49am
"they admitted to the crime under Pressure"
May be they Murdered Mr. Pankaj Trivedi under Pressure, they might
have not even knew that they were actually killing him.
Thanks
-Ravi
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Hindustani on Jul 7th, 2006, 09:52am
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by the irish robin hood on Jul 7th, 2006, 10:00am
on Jul 7th, 2006, 09:52am, Guest-Hindustani wrote:May be killers
realised mistake they made and now talking as lawyer told them. Lets
wait and watch now what happen next. I am sure Jayshree is keeping
close watch on this case.
Well lets see the next time your beaten into a making a confession,
lets see how strong your resolve is. The police through their own
incompetnace may have screwed up the case big time.
Dhongi ko Gujarat Bhalo
Post by Ravi Patel on Jul 7th, 2006, 10:01am
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Chitralekha on Jul 7th, 2006, 10:07am
I read inChitralekha too about corruption and misuse of power in
swadhyay. Now atleast follwing media has written about swadhyay case
and exposed them
1> Aarpar
2> Gujarat Samachar
3> Akila
4> mumbai Samachar
5> sandesh
6> Times Of India
7> Divya Bhaskar
8> Zee TV
Lets see if swadhyay leaders decide to take any action against them.
Root cause of this evil was the greatman himself
Post by Chitralekha on Jul 7th, 2006, 10:13am
Chitralekha did an expose of Swadhyay back in July 2002. Documenting
as to what was going on behind the closed doors, how Dada transferred
millions of rupees to his adopted daughter and suddenly all those long
time dedicated Swadhyayees like Mahesh Shah and Rudhani etc became a
target of 'hate campaign' Even Chitralekha took a big risk of standing
up to the big bully. Link may not work, please see the images posted
http://www.chitralekha.com/content/Friday1.asp#3
http://www.chitralekha.com/content/Friday1.asp#4
http://www.chitralekha.com/content/Friday1.asp#1
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by An Observer on Jul 7th, 2006, 11:09am
1. People listed by Pankajbhai as potential killers are banned by
court, not to leave India. Is this true?
2. Manish Savsani is in Jail. Does anybody have his photo behind the
bars in Jail uniform?
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Sunil on Jul 7th, 2006, 11:28am
Check all the preachings of DADA & analyse his acts you will find them
exactly opposite.So there are no opponents of DADA as he himself is
his biggest opponent.
All the procedures of funds collection are devised ,applied & followed
up by DADA why to blame DIDI only
Before this present crises in DADA's reggime people like Haribhai
Kothari,Dayhabhai Jani,Manibhai Amin etc. were tortured, threatened &
excommunicated.They were called asuras & were also beaten by the then
blind followers of DADA.
DADA is the mastermind behind all false stories like Japan
Conference,Invitation of Mr.Compton,Vinoba etc.
He had copied other's books (Hindunche Samajrachna Shastra,Gita Tatwa
Vimarsh,Geeta Purusharthprabhodini,Geeta Pravachans by Vinoba,Kuransar
etc.He copied it To To but never mentioned their Names (Krudanyata?)
but the blind swadhyayi is forced to say after the Chintanika that all
the thoughts are of DADA & nothing is mine.
So dear open your eyes, study the history, find out why all the old
vetrens have left Swadhyaya.
If you want to continue Swadhaya nobody can stop you because Swadhyaya
is Study of self & is not owened by greedy Athawales.
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Ravi Patel on Jul 7th, 2006, 12:28pm
Sunil says.. "DADA is the mastermind behind all false stories like
Japan Conference,Invitation of Mr.Compton,Vinoba etc."
I Truely agree with Sunil, not only that but some followers say that
his leg was 300 years old and he is Avtar of Krishna.
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by You Have Got to Be Kidding on Jul 7th, 2006, 12:49pm
Let us all take a step back for a second and wonder what we are out to
do:
(1) Do we want Didi to admit to all of these things? Would that make
everything better?
(2) Do we want all of the Swadhyay leadership to resign? Is that
possible? All of these years we beamed about Swadhyay's structure-less
structure and now that we don't like the way it works we scream
treason?
(3) Do we want Swadhyay to disappear? Would that make us feel like we
succeeded in bringing something down that was making us feel down?
Trying to make everyone believe that Didi is awful and she has cronies
(who are intelligent people) is just as ignorant as what you fight.
Trying to make it seem like Pankaj Trivedi and crew are ideal martyrs
is also just as ignorant - they don't have a spotless record of
integrity in the language or methods they use.
Is it true that things in Swadhyay's operations and governance should
be better? Absolutely.
Whether directly responsible or not, is Didi responsible? If a good
leader, she should feel so (even if she has nothing to do with it).
Is all of Swadhyay a big hoax? Of course not. Use your own brain, you
weren't duped by going to Swadhyay - you just feel like it now.
It is our philosophy as much as it is Didis or anyone else. Step and
say something useful that we keep the best of Swadhyay intact and the
worst of Swadhyay less damaging.
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by An Observer on Jul 7th, 2006, 12:51pm
Avtar Of Krishna?
I think people should know the facts re" Kusumbahen" and "Kum kum
Pagla"
Lord Krishna was known for paltonic love and not..
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by You Have Got To be Kidding on Jul 7th, 2006, 12:58pm
Irish Robin Hood:
All confessions in India come with a beating; police brutality is
tolerated and acceptable, it is not an excuse for a technicality to
make it seem like this was a conspiracy.
Would a technicality vindicate Swadhyay/Swadhyayees from being party
to the conflict with Pankaj Trivedi?
It doesn't matter whether they killed him or not. Say he was still
alive: Is it acceptable to you that Swadhyayees wanted him dead?
Is it acceptable to you that die hard Swadhyayees will do anything
(including deferring their own intellect) to prove Swadhyay's
innocence? Are we puppets?
The problem isn't his murder, it is the escalation and obsession with
this conflict that is ruining the essence of Swadhyay.
One more kendra is closed
Post by Paying Tribute to Pankajbhai on Jul 7th, 2006, 1:53pm
Aaradhana School in Amadawad shuts down the Swadhyay at their
property. They had given permission to conduct Swadhyay meeting under
impression that it was for a good cause but after the arrest of
several of prominent leaders they have decided not to allow Swadhyay
meeting at their place. Article in Gujarati.
http://www.gujaratsamachar.com/gsa/20060708/guj/gujarat/news3.html
Shocking report by auditors..
Post by Paying Tribute to Pankajbhai on Jul 7th, 2006, 1:55pm
Suryakant Mehta Institute of Charter Accounting has revealed
sensational and damaging information.
They were auditors for project "Matsya Gandha" Basically there are
four trusts under this project - Arnav Mandir, Agasti Pujan, Ratnakar
Pujan, Arnan Pujan.
Matsya Gandha Project was started with a vision of upliftment of
fisherman community. Expert fisherman and women were to work on
fishing boat and the income generated was to be used for loan and
scholarship of fisherman community. It was said that there will be 100
boats for this purpose.
But the real fact is..
There is not a SINGLE fishing boat under the name of any of these
trusts. All fishing boats are under the name of one person (Swadhyay
leader) and he is using them as his personal property. Not a single
instance of loan or scholarship is evident in any of the four trusts.
All these fishing boats are being used as commercial properteis but
they have not paid any income tax.
They found no evidence of any prior audit of any of these trusts and
if it was audited there is no evidence of any publication of it.
On Feb 27, 2004 it was announced at Tatognan Vidyapith after the Aarti
that " We have 100 boats in Arabian sea in Gujarat and Maharashtra, in
one more year we shall have 100 more."
Not a single trust has shown any income from fishing.
Charity commissioner, tax authorities and general public are entitled
to know
Whose name are all these boats under?
What is the registration numbers?
Where is the office?
Who if anyone has audited accounts and where has it been filed?
Partial translation of sensation article in Gujarati. - Vijay Mehta
So it seems like poor fisherman thought they were helping community by
fishing to help scholarship for their community but they were helping
some Motabhai?
For full article in Gujarati go to:
http://www.gujaratsamachar.com/gsa/20060708/guj/national/anu.html
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Paying Tribute to Pankajbhai on Jul 7th, 2006, 3:56pm
http://www.aarpar.com/web%20246/pdf/c1.pdf
http://www.aarpar.com/web%20246/pdf/marinajare.pdf
http://www.aarpar.com/web%20246/pdf/c2.pdf
http://www.aarpar.com/web%20246/pdf/c3.pdf
http://www.aarpar.com/web%20246/pdf/c4.pdf
http://www.aarpar.com/web%20246/pdf/kankarichalo.pdf
http://www.aarpar.com/web%20246/pdf/newsium.pdf
Shrutiben's Interview
Post by Paying Tribute to Pankajbhai on Jul 7th, 2006, 4:11pm
Pl. read Shrutiben's interview on Sandesh. When you are a victim of
Mafia, victims often choose to stay quiet rather than seek justice.
Same way Shrutiben and Himanshu did not have the courage to stand up
and ask for justice. How much fear they must have to control their
anger and frustration. This gives you some idea of what Swadhyay is as
seen by those who really know it.
Didi is the mastermind behind the murder - Shah
Post by Paying Tribute to Pankajbhai on Jul 7th, 2006, 4:24pm
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Amit on Jul 7th, 2006, 6:05pm
Does any one have recorded interview of Didi which was aired on Star/
DirecTV? I was asked by one swadhyayi to record today but I don't have
STAR/DirecTV.
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Paying Tribute to Pankajbhai on Jul 7th, 2006, 6:47pm
Translation of Didi's ( with two D's) interview on Star TV as given on
Akila:
1. Me and Swadhyay Parivar is sorrowed by Pankaj Trivedi's death!
However as matter is in court she refused to say anything more!
It is a brutal murder and we all know you ordered it.
2. Love letters are part of drama script.
Sure! You must be a very relaxed person to write drama script than to
worry about how to instill 'sanskars' in millions of people.
3. Swadhyay Parivar have not lost its cool in spite of many incidents.
Sure! You never expected such a back-lash from Society and Media. It
is not coolness! You have become speechless.
4. All our accounts are audited and hence there is no financial
irregularities.
Sounds like audited accounts of 'Enron' to me!
5. I am not President of Parivar. I am part of it.
Sure. The same way Dawood is part of 'D' gang.
6. Swadhyayees are showing tremondous patience and unity.
They all are so shell -shocked. Because of her they are branded Goonda-
Parivar by Sacchidanand. What unity she is talking about? That
Swadhyayees are not talking against her? It is a false assumption.
The way she has spoken smells of 'understanding' between Gujarat
Government and her.
Well, she can escape Gujarat Government but she will not escape God's
anger for killing an innocent man.
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Unbelievable on Jul 7th, 2006, 6:55pm
So true...karma's a b**ch, as they say...
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Ravi Patel on Jul 7th, 2006, 7:52pm
The way she has spoken smells of 'understanding' between Gujarat
Government and her.
Well, she can escape Gujarat Government but she will not escape God's
anger for killing an innocent man.
Aagee agee deekho hota hain kya.....
I cheated on you,
YOU cheated on me
I can't believe we are still together,
how can this be?
I suppose to leave you,
you suppose to leave me.
But cheating on eachother didn't set us free.
Now we are here, screwing everybody.
No it doesn't hurt and we don't mind,
cuz that what they say, Beliving is blind.
So you honestly think this is true SWADHYAY or
just a MASS MOVEMENT? Beacause cheating on
eachother really proves alot.
-PUJYA DIDIJI
Heat is on!!!
Post by Vijay Mehta on Jul 7th, 2006, 8:02pm
27 Motabhai's have been served summons. They had filed identical
wrongful cases against Pankajbhai. Police is suspecting higher up in
Swadhyay behind the murder.
Amadawad: Ex Swadhyay member Bhupendra Patel has written a letter to
Chief High Court Judge and demanded justice. If not on Aug 1e has sent
a copy of this letter to President of India, The prime minister, Ch he
will start "fast until death" at Income Tax Circle.
Hief minister of Gujarat, Chief justice of supreme court of India and
Governer of Gujarat.
Based on the sensational information obtained from five people so far
arrested f
or Pankajbhai's murder Police commissioner and DCP has met with Home
Minister of Gujarat. On other hand rumors are flying that Didi might
be on verge of getting a notice. Didi was said to have given a speech
at Madhav Baugh in Mumbai on Friday July 7th.
27 Motabhai's in Gujarat have been told not to leave the country.
(partial translation)
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by RAVI PATEL on Jul 7th, 2006, 8:20pm
Mukhda Dekh Le DIDI jara darpan main..
http://www.musicindiaonline.com/p/x/pVm7Q6IxUt.As1NMvHdW/
The Greatest swadhyayi of all time.... Every swadhyayi musty listen
this.
God Bless Us all..
Ravi Patel
ravi_pa...@yahoo.com
To listen more songs from this great swadhyayi click this...
http://www.musicindiaonline.com/l/29/s/album.5581/
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Paying Tribute to Pankajbhai on Jul 7th, 2006, 8:46pm
http://www.divyabhaskar.co.in/newsfromgujarat/newsfromahmedabad/ahmedabadnews_03.asp
Didi's show of Power. Will Gujarat Government be scared?
Didi said 'We need to continue Manushya Gaurav Work'.
Is she planning to make more people 'Krantikari' and 'Shahid' like
Pankajbhai?
When will Police take action?
US Based Swadhyayee speaks...
Post by Vijay Mehta on Jul 7th, 2006, 8:54pm
US based swadhyayi blasts Gujarat Global in defense of Parivar
2006-06-27 23:50:54
Gujarat Global News Network, Ahmedabad
For last couple of days we have been receiving number of e mails and
telephone calls about the activities of Swadhyay Parivar, both for and
against. A day before, we received a letter which shows the approach
of those who claim that there is nothing wrong with the Parivar and it
is being wrongly dragged into a controversy involving the murder of a
swadhyayi, Pankaj Trivedi.
We have nothing to say since the tone and tenor of the letter shows
prejudiced and parochial approach which is very characteristic of
followers of sects. What we have reported is already on our website.
But to claim that only loyalists know the truth is to give a go by
progressive and open minded outlook which is necessary for the healthy
growth of anyone whether an individual or an organization.
We would like to quote Osho to describe the situation of the followers
"In thousands of years we have made Gautam Buddha, the Buddha, Christ
a Christian, but we have remained same!" Deification of a person or
organization leads only to hypocrisy and all other associated evils.
Here is an e mail Shreyas Patel of Bank of America Charlotte NC USA
has sent to me the editor ofwww.gujaratglobal.com.
Since the death of Mr. Pankaj Trivedi you have published articles
blaming and defaming the entire Swadhyaya Parivaar. You have not tried
to verify your information or print it objectively. One would expect a
newspaper to print only facts and not unduly prejudge. You have not
taken into account a clean track record of Swadhyaya work and its
service to people. Your articles have hurt all the members of
Swadhyaya Parivaar and we are pained to understand the motive behind
this. I am submitting this response aimed at answering some of the
questions and clarifying facts.
Swadhyaya is a spiritual movement founded by Rev. Pandurang Shastri
Athavale, fondly known as "Dadaji", which means elder brother. Born in
1920, Dadaji took a resolve to uplift human life through the means of
self-introspection ('Swadhyaya'). He looked deeply into the problems
that plague humanity. He noted that these problems were the result of
alienation of man from his creator. His solution to these inherent
issues, therefore, included the concept that we are all sons and
daughters of the same god. Hence the Swadhyaya philosophy and work are
based upon the belief that god is present in each of us and we are, as
a result, related by this divine relationship. Dadaji has coined this
concept as "the brotherhood of man under the fatherhood of God"; hence
it is indeed a parivaar, a family, which now includes tens of
millions.
It strongly emphasizes dignity of all human beings. It transcends the
boundaries of caste, creed, and religion. It welcomes anyone to join
unconditionally, without any membership requirements, and it allows
any member the total freedom to leave at any time. It has brought
about a multifaceted revolution encompassing all aspects of human
life; these include spiritual, social, economical, emotional, and
political elements. Dadaji calls this the five-colored revolution.
This is a peaceful revolution that has been described by a prominent
educator as "a silent yet singing revolution". It does not support,
encourage or condone any violence. It has never solicited any money
nor has it accepted funds from anyone who is not an active member.
Dadaji and Didiji have always preached and practiced love and unity of
all. They have never sought any recognition, prestige or awards.
Swadhyaya work has been studied by many research scholars, economists,
politicians, and social thinkers. The United Nations (UN) has also
taken a keen interest in this work. Many laurels and awards have been
given to Dadaji and Didiji from around the globe, including the Sir
John Templeton Award for Progress in Religion, the Ramon Magsaysay
Award from the Phillipines, and the noteworthy Padma Vibhushan title
from the government of India.
Dadaji single-handedly started his work by visiting the entire Indian
subcontinent, along with many other areas of the world. It has
transformed countless lives in tens of thousands of villages in India.
Dadaji worked incessantly through his demise, which occurred in late
2003. During all these years of work, as Dadaji went from "heart-to-
heart" and "hut-to-hut" in thousands of villages of India, Mrs.
Dhanashree Talwalkar, Dadaji's daughter, was his constant companion.
With her own efforts, love, and dedication, she has become the heart
and soul of the "Swadhyaya parivaar". In his later years, Dadaji
delegated the full responsibility of his work to Mrs. Talwalkar,
affectionately known as "Didiji", which means "elder sister".
Unfortunately, when Dadaji delegated Didiji to take on the
responsibility of the massive Swadhyaya work, there were a few members
of the Swadhyaya family who did not accept this decision. Because of
their longstanding relationship with Dadaji, they felt a sense of
entitlement to this responsibility. Begrudged by the appointment of
Didiji to take the responsibility, they and a few of their cohorts
began a concerted effort to destroy Didiji's image and tarnish
Dadaji's life.
The main purpose of these people, the "anti-Swadhyayees", was to usurp
the control of the work. Once it was clear that this purpose would not
be served, persons like Mr. Pankaj Trivedi set out to destroy the
verywork they were once a part of.
Mr. Trivedi and a few others chose to engage in antagonistic activity
and false accusations against Didiji and the Swadhyaya parivaar. They
alleged that the Swadhyaya parivaar and Didiji asked for funds during
the 2001 earthquake in Gujarat (a state in India). This is an entirely
false statement. To begin with, Dadaji and Didiji have never solicited
funds from anyone, directly or indirectly. They have also instilled
this mentality in the entire Parivaar. In the aftermath of the
earthquake in 2001, a total of 5058 houses were built through the
efforts of 76 non-government organizations (NGOs). Of these, 4534
houses were built by the Swadhyaya Parivaar alone, according to a
report by the United Nations Development Board. In addition,
accusations that have been leveled at the management of trust funds of
Swadhyaya Parivaar are completely unfounded.
Further efforts to damage Swadhyaya work led a few anti-Swadhyayees to
allege to the home ministry of India's central government in 2002 that
"Swadhyaya is a terrorist activity". In response, the Indian
government's intelligence bureau conducted a thorough investigation in
Swadhyayee villages throughout India. This investigation revealed
absolutely no basis for the accusation. Other facet of anti-Swadhyaya
propaganda has included the repeatedfiling of police cases against
many devoted Swadhayees over the last five years. Police
investigations have found each and every one of these complaints to be
completely untrue and without merits.
The media has reported that Mr. Trivedi was a prominent Swadhyayee,
that he donated 1.5 crore (15 million) rupees, and that Pujya Dadaji
used to visit him at hishome often. All these reports are completely
untrue. At the current time, it is the media's responsibility to
report only the truth, instead of reporting and sensationalizing
completely baseless allegations in an attempt to tarnish the image of
Dadaji, Didiji, and Swadhyaya work. It is important to consider who
benefits by misleading the police and by harassing the Swadhyaya
Parivaar. In the end, it is society and devoted Swadhyayees who are
hurt when attempts are made to tarnish the image of holy work such as
Swadhyaya.
Link to lots of articles in English
Post by Vijay Mehta on Jul 7th, 2006, 9:03pm
http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ned=us&q=swadhyay&btnG=Search+News
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Guest on Jul 7th, 2006, 9:10pm
Aaj to Brahmin ki bhi hatya hoti hai........
Dur Kahin Kone mein Majhab Rota hain.............
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Guest on Jul 7th, 2006, 9:19pm
Daes Liya (bite) Sare Desh Ko Jahrili Nagin (poisonous snake) Ne...
Ghar Ko laga di Aag Ghar Ke Chirago ne...
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Guest on Jul 7th, 2006, 9:37pm
It is very important that future generations remember Pankajbhai's
sacrifice and learn a lesson of not falling in a trap of any organized
religion.
Please write to Government of Gujarat to dedicate a monumnet in the
memory of "Krantikari Pankajbhai".
May be rename Ellisbridge to "Pankajbhai Trivedi Bridge."
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Guest on Jul 7th, 2006, 9:53pm
I believe Swadhyay should start " Krantikari Pankajbhai Trivedi"
Scholarship for needy students and open up a college and dedicate it
to " Krantikari Pankajbhai Trivedi".
I am sure that even after doing that, crores of rupees will be
available which can be used to build a charitabl hospital dedicated to
Pankajbhai.
Shri Satya Sai Baba had been doing noble humanatarian work for decades
and its time that Swadhyay learn some lessons on humanity and charity
from this organization.
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Paying Tribute to Pankajbhai on Jul 7th, 2006, 9:56pm
I think it will be a great disservice to soul of Pankajbhai if we go
the route of naming any bridge or other monument after him.
All we know is that he wanted Society to know true face of Didi's
brand of Swadhyay.
When Government of Gujarat does not listen to person of Swamiji's
stature, I doubt if they will ever pursue justice for Pankajbhai's
killer.
May be some investigative Journalist can find out real story behind
tall claims of Didi's brand of Swadhyay, and issues which Pankajbhai
have raised and reported elsewhere in this forum.
Only 'fourth Jagir (Press)' can take up this challenge and show the
true face of Didi's brand of Swadhyay to Society.
Didini Diary
Post by Vijay Mehta on Jul 7th, 2006, 9:57pm
Gunawant Shah on Pankajbhai's Sahidi
Post by Unbelievable on Jul 7th, 2006, 11:10pm
Renowned philosopher and writer Gunawantbhai Shah appeals public to
wake up. The degree of blind following in Swadhyay is a black mark
against Hinduism. Back in 1992 he wrote "Blind faith manufacturing
company unlimited is Swadhyay" Dada had put his image between Shiva
and yogeswar and everyone would offer Aarti to DADA. He was the one to
criticise this deification of Pandurang Athawale. How lacks of
Swadhyayees can not see the difference between God and Pandurang and
now Didi? No wonder this has given Didi an opportunity to do anything
she pleases.
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Karan on Jul 8th, 2006, 05:25am
Aaj yeh shehar kaisee sanwar aayee hai,
Har taraf bikeree ek khaak nazar aayee hai!
rang lagee hai ye khoon-e-jiger (pankaj bhai)ki taaseer,
yaad jab aati hai to aankhe bhar aayee hai!!
ye aag har khafan ko jalaakar rakh karegi,
dhuvaan ek din teri galee(madhav bagh) me aayegi!
ek ek saans me yahaa behroopiya (khota bhai)mile hai,
ye sholey lipte rahee saneeha ka khabhar aayee hai!!
tumharee nakse-kadam ne sab ko gumraah kardiya,
kitna behtar ye kaary tha usko mitti me milaadiya!
kaise maafi milega bhagwan ko bhee parwaa na kiyaa,
sang-e-lehad pe tumne jhootee aansu bahaadiya!!
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by An Observer on Jul 8th, 2006, 06:54am
I hear that Gujrat Govt is in the process of changing the name of
A'bad to either Pandurang Sastri Nagar or Pandurang Sastri Dham (as in
Gnadhi Nagar / Gandhi Dham).
Is it true??
Prime reason given is that it is a tribute to DADA & its present
leader. They have worked tremendously hard to uplift the communities
of Gujarat and the whole state of Gujrat. and have succeeded in doing
so.
After Gandhiji, its now DADA, the only person who can be said to
deserve this tribute!
Although Gujrat has so many prominent Kathakars and is home to one of
the most famous religious sect - Swaminarayan, but so far they have
failed to match the sort of upliftment DADA gave to this state.
It is for this reason Ahmedabad will now have a new name.
Please share your hearsay here.
You have a great sense of humor or imagination! - Vijay Mehta
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Unbelievable on Jul 8th, 2006, 07:43am
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Karan on Jul 8th, 2006, 08:14am
Sunil posted a nice msg
Swadhyaya is not just to follow some one blindly
Swadhyaya's literal meaning is study, self-study
But at the same time a Swadhyayee should be cautious
Instrumental Devotion means .... its not anybody can use him atleast
he should know that he is not getting victimised in an organised trap.
Now its the time to have a kind of transperancy in all trusts, The
governement should work on it atleast Gujarat government.
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Paying Tribute to Pankajbhai on Jul 8th, 2006, 08:44am
Gujarat Global News Network, Ahmedabad
Jayshree Talwalkar 'Didi' suddenly surfaced on Friday night in a TV
News Channel where she spoke about some controversies and Swadhyay
Parivar but refused to speak about the famous Pankaj Trivedi murder.
She said that she was pained by the murder but avoided questions on
the issue saying that the matter was sub-judicious.
Describing media reports as her character assassination she said that
people who are against her and wanted to remove her were indulging in
such activities. Didi who spoke for the first time 24 days after
murder of Trivedi said that she was not the head of Swadhyay Parivar
"I am a member of the Parivar. I, my family and the entire Swadhyay
Parivar is sad over Trivedi's murder and we protest the incident. No
individual has the power in Parivar but all the members work in co-
operation", she said.
About funds in Pariver she said that the accounts of Parivar are
audited regularly. People asking about Rs.2,000 crore should first ask
NRIs where they have sent this money, Didi said in an irritating
tone.
About her alleged love letters Didi said that they were letters about
a project and her opponents had misused them. "I have not written any
love letter to anyone", she said.
Furious over media reports Didi said that they are hammering
Swadhyayis. They are misleading people. She appealed Swadhyayis to be
tolerant and spread the message of peace. "Parivar members are
brothers and sisters and I am one of them. I am not a saint", Didi
reiterated
Parivar members are brothers and sisters and I am one of them. I am
not a saint", Didi reiterated.
'We all know you are not a saint but you are not even a good human
being'.
You shall be with 5 Parivar memebers in Jail for killing Pankajbhai.
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Ravi Patel on Jul 8th, 2006, 09:08am
"After Gandhiji, its now DADA, the only person who can be said to
deserve this tribute!"
If Gandhiji is BAPU is he was DADA (most of Gujarati's following him
blindly dont even know y he is called DADA) It means Big Brother in
Marathi, they think it ment Grandfather.... lol
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Ravi Patel on Jul 8th, 2006, 09:16am
"Swadhyaya is not just to follow some one blindly
Swadhyaya's literal meaning is study, self-study"
If it means self study! selfstudy could be done in the corner of ur
room, bringing 10000 or 15000 people together for selfstudy!
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Paying Tribute to Pankajbhai on Jul 8th, 2006, 09:23am
It is a known fact in Madhav Baug Pathshala since 2001 that people are
called from distance so when Didi gives her 'Bakwas' hall looks full.
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by An Observer on Jul 8th, 2006, 09:47am
I think Ravibahi & Unbelivable have missed my point.
Gujrat Govt is considering changing name of A'BAD.
No other state Govt is even thinking of doing this & why should they?
On of the reasons given is that the mass upliftmnet has taken place in
Gujrat, not in Mumbai.
Therefore Guj Govt feels that this is the best tribute they can bestow
on DADA.
This is what I have heard and may not be true.
Maharashtra state has not seen the so caled upliftment in its state.
Its the Gujratis who have benefited from this movement and therefroe I
think modi govt (sarkar) may be correct in thinking on this changes.
May be DIDI has MADE some FINANCIAL (or otherwise (promised to use her
VOTE Bank) as part of POLITICAL deal to change the
name.............who knows!
This is wild speculations.
I am simply asking if anyone has heard about this.
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Ravi Patel on Jul 8th, 2006, 10:13am
WE ARE AL EQUAL IN SWADHYAY, DO I NEED EYE CHECKUP?
-Ravi Patel
ravi_pa...@yahoo.com
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Paying Tribute to Pankajbhai on Jul 8th, 2006, 10:18am
I think Didi is in the process of doing something like Sonia Gandhi,
Bal Thackeray etc.
Denounce that she is dictator of Parivar. Appoint group of cronies
till controversy dies down and control every thing from behind the
curtain.
These group of cronies will later day come out and tell that since
Dada have appointed you, you must take it over again!
This way she can fool her blind faith followers that she is Tyag ni
Murti.
I hope before she succeds in doing so, Gujarat Government does
something rather than renaming Ahemadabad as 'Andheri nagari' and CM
as 'Gandu Raja'.
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Guest on Jul 8th, 2006, 10:20am
I have heard that all khotabhais are considering changing their last
name to "Athvale".......
How many khotabhais call their REAL elder sister "Didi"?
How many khotabhais from US went to India for their parents "ASTHI-
VISARJAN"?
How many khotabhais helped their needy relatives in India?
How many khotabhais who worked for FREE at MADHAV KENDRA farm had
helped their relatives on their farms in India?
How many khotabhais went to see their relatives when they were in
Hospital?
How many khotabhais went to attend a Birthday Party of their relatives
in India?
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Ravi Patel on Jul 8th, 2006, 10:23am
DADAJI SAID
"BETI MAIN BHI INKA DADA HU, KAISA ULLU BANAYYA DEKH, KAHA DEKHNA AANA
WALLA HAIN YEAH GORA INDIA MAIN ......JO LEKHKER DIYA INHONA MAAN
LIYA"
DADA EK NUMBERI TO BETI DUS NUMBARI..
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Guest on Jul 8th, 2006, 10:31am
Lies, Lies and more Lies...
Most of the khotabhais had been feeding lies and fabricated stories to
potray Athvale into an " AVATAR" for YEARS.
Some of the stories are so ridiculous that even any one with a half
brain can tell that it is an outright lie.
One person told me a story about the Murti of Yogeshwar. Read this
funny story.
Once, Yogeshwar Bhagavan appeared in Dada's dream and talked to him.
The way Yogeshwar Bhagvan was standing in Dad's dream is exactly the
same as the Murti of YOGESHWAR is made. Dada had called an expert
artist to make the MURTI and described the pose that he saw in his
dream.
While the artist was making the MURTI, Dada stopped him many times and
corrected his mistakes. After so many iterations and trials, the final
shape of the Murti was developed.
This person also claimed that no one in this world has an exact
imagination of Yogeshwar as Dada had as he had seen Yogeshwar Bhagvan
in his dream.
Propaganda is so powerful that any one can take an ordinary Pandu and
trnsform him into an "AVATAR".
Like Mirza Galib said,
"Murkhon kin Kami Nahi Galib,
Ek dhundho Hajar Milte Hein.........."
We shall rape you in front of ur Sasara - Swadhyay
Post by Vijay Mehta on Jul 8th, 2006, 11:59am
Jalgaon,
Retired professor S. K. Joshi shared terror on his family during a
visit with Gujarat Samachar.
S. K. Joshi had worked with Dada and Swadhyay for more than two
decades. Back in 1995 several tall and heavy men entered his house. In
front of everyone including women in the house they told my daughter
in law, "We shall rape you in front of your husband and your father in
law. Tell your father in law to keep his mouth shut about Swadhyay."
One time Mr. Joshi was travelling in his car with his son and suddenly
at one stop they found themselves surrounded by 8-10 men. Luckily his
son used his quick judgement and steered his car away from this
goons.
Article in Gujarati.
Jagruti - staunch Swadhyayee are wondering
Post by Vijay Mehta on Jul 8th, 2006, 12:17pm
Last night Didi finally gave an interview to media- setting was
interview by a private channel at an undisclosed location.
She said that there is a conspiracy against Swadhyay. She has nothing
to do with murder of Pankajbhai.
There is no financial irregularities in Swadhyay.
She is just another member of Swadhyay and everyone is equal in
Swadhyay.
She is saddened by the death of Pankajbhai but she can not talk about
it due to the legal process.
She appealed to all the Swadhyayees to stay focused.
Some of staunch Swadhyayees were totally disappointed that:
1. Interview was from an undisclosed location. Why?
2. If she is innocent, why she does not come out and say that she &
other members of Swadhayay are willing to co-operate with poilice
investigation in any way they can.
3. Why it took so long to come out and make a statement.
4. Why interview was given to a private channel.
It seems that many Swadhyayees are disappointed and now wondering as
to what is being hidden? There is a possibility that of current
members there will be two groups, one supporting current stratagy to
"keep quiet and it will go away" and the other group supporting "those
who do not have any thing to hide - hide nothing!"
Jagruti continues. Biggest challenge will come not from police and
outsiders but from true Swadhyayees within.
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Guest on Jul 8th, 2006, 12:31pm
http://www.gujaratglobal.com/nextSub.php?id=814&cattype=NEWS
Swadhyay parivar has become goonda parivar: Sacchidanand
2006-07-06 10:05:42
Gujarat Global News Network, Ahmedabad
At a meeting held in the city on "Religion Terrorism" number of
leading personalities launched a scathing attack on Swadhyay Parivar
and described its head, Didi, with a variety of adjectives like a
tigress donning the skin of cow. These persons were of the view that
the mafia of religious leaders was more dreadful than the underworld
of Dawood.
Referring to the murder of NRI swadhyayi Pankaj Trivedi, Swami
Sacchidanand said that Swadhyay Parivar had become goonda parivar. The
fear of terror created by it can never be tolerated, he added. Pankaj
Trivedi, a staunch critic of Didi , was murdered on June 15 and police
have arrested five swadhyayis in this connection.
He said that the fault of Trivedi was just that he had sought details
of account of the Parivar, a multi billion rupee voluntary
organization founded by Pandurang Shastri. He also blasted the Modi
government for not responding to the requests of Trivedi for
protection though he had feared attack from members of Swadhyay
parivar. He said people worshipped Didi as a holy cow, but in the skin
of cow she is a tigress.
Noted activist Prakash N Shah said that the activity of spreading
terror in the name of religion should be checked. He suggested that
there should be a social audit of such organizations. Writer Rajnikant
Joshi said Dada, founder of Parivar, was a good man but not a straight
man.
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Karan on Jul 8th, 2006, 12:33pm
Dear Vijay Bhai
Jagruthi will be there, atleast some "Yuwan" will think and an in-side
revolt will be there. But what do you say this Khota Bhai will
realise?
They may be forgot The Virtues which (said) will acquires by Swadhyay
1) Gratitude (Kritaznata) : Told to appreciate saints but they are
busy in appreciating ****
2) Asmita (self-awareness): but unfortunatly they are not aware of
their own ability, it was told in last shibir that you are a
donkey ,who is carrying statue.
3)Brilliance (Tejaswita): He should not be a puppet but they feel
Chamchagiri is not puppetism.
4)Boundless love: in this situation we dont want to talk about any
Love!!!!
5)Samarpan(offering); yah its going on
so i think they wont change
Unlike you, I think there will be radical changes in Swadhyay. It may
come by design or default. Now that more and more stories come out,
true swadhyayee (majority of them) will suddenly wonder. This may
prompt them to do one of two things. 1. Move away from Parivar and
join some other group. 2. Be bold enough to address the irregularity
and make parivar stronger.
At least in USA Parivar I have found that this bond and sense of
common goal is extremely strong. How can one walk away from the
family? I shall venture to predict that most of them will be in group
2 here. Currently they are behaving as if nothing has happened. But in
their head and conscious the debate has started. Next, they will feel
comfortable with discussing their feeling to nearest Swadhyayee
friends followed by discussion with rest of them. Process will take
time but it shall happen.
Of course now after being duped before the flow of money will slow
down tremendously and when it start they shall demand voice in it.
For the Khotabhai's back home this was like Mafia. Too much power just
by having the title. They will have to be thrown out by others to save
the movement. I think process will take 1-2 years but it will bring
accountability and Samaj seva back in the focus.
Unlike India, I shall venture to predict that it is much less likely
that the Motabhai's abusing power here. With very small tight neat
community, people do know who you really are. There are lot more ways
for people to earn then to resort to deceit in this country.
I am sure other sampraday's are also looking at this and doing some
introspection as how they can avoid same fate. I think devotees of
other Sampraday's might develop courage to ask, what is being done
with the money.
Sahid Sri Pankajbhai has served Hinduism as very few people in recent
history has. - Vijay Mehta
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Guest on Jul 8th, 2006, 12:58pm
I agree with Karan. The puppets WILL NOT CHANGE.
They choose to poke in their own eyes and became BLIND FOLLOWERS, they
are beyond repair.
If they were to wake up, they would have done so in past when
countless newspapers and magazines published countless articles on all
wrongdoings and when Justice B.J.Diwan resigned. But no, they THINK
know Athvale more than Justice Diwan and Pankajbhai Trivedi.
The funny thing is that most of the swadhyayis have not even spent
five minutes with Athvale, then how can they know him that well? The
false image of an AVATAR in their BHAVUK mind is the result of years
of Brainwashing, propaganda and manipulation.
We can only help people who are starting to develope "cataract" (Not
blind yet) and have their cataract surgically (thru open discussion).
It is much easier to be an Avatar by minimizing contact. Human being
has weakness. It is much easier to hype someone up by edited videos
and managed exposure to general public. Only the inner group knows
real person. And you can keep inner group quiet because they have a
vested interest in Avatar. I am impressed with how many staunch
Swadhyayees are now asking questions, not openly of course. I think
this is defininig moment in the life of Swadhyay. - Vijay Mehta
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Guest on Jul 8th, 2006, 1:06pm
Maheshbhai Shah consoling Shrutiben Trivedi. Maheshbhai is concerned
he might be next on the list.
How to tell a spiritual movement from cult?
Post by Vijay Mehta on Jul 8th, 2006, 1:38pm
Here is an issue of Aar Paar. This may offend you if you are not able
to handle the truth. Your motabhai may say 'they' are jealous of our
success - the fact is no one has to be jealous of your success, if
Swadhyay is indeed the movement of uplifting the human spirits we all
are beneficiary of it being one of you. The motabhai may tell you not
to pay attention to media - you need to wonder why all the media have
tried to expose the wrongdoings or more important you may tell your
motabhai -why not we publish our point by point rebuttal of all these
concerns. If we have built houses why not make a website with the
pictures of all those houses, roads, schools and hospitals. In this
day and age it is not too expensive to put your information on network
(and they have crores rupees sitting in several trust accounts) for
everyone to see and decide for your self. Remember, the way mind
control works is to avoid answering question and tell followers to
have faith or shradhha in Dada. That is your cue to run out of that
movement no matter how good it may feel you to belong to it at
present. -Vijay Mehta
http://vmehta.conforums3.com/index.cgi?board=Religions&action=print&num=1150555879
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Mailesh on Jul 8th, 2006, 1:46pm
Vijaybhai,
First off, you have done a commendable job of creating and moderating
this board.
This unfortunate event has exposed pariwar internals big time and am
optimistic that this WILL trigger a change
First thing that comes to mind is the fact that now media and public
in general know more and have more questions than the so called
motabhai's actually know
Due to their blind follower mentality, they have never questioned
their superiors and so on and now they will feel awkward facing
members and outsiders. Once this questioning starts, the ball starts
rolling
I doubt if someone in US can think, plan and pull off a criminal act
against someone who asks questions as easily as it may be possible in
India
Simple questions like
1. why the focus on 'others' and not 'me'
2. why the focus on numbers
3. why are some members more previlaged to inside information than
others
4. what happened t the norm of taking joint decisions
5. why huge gatherings for events
6. Does a local motabhai ever question their superiors?
7. Who makes those large sankalps? Sankalps should be from within -
when someone else tells me to achieve some number it is called target
not sankalp
8. how can I access local financial accounts?
Answers:
1. Focus on others and not me: If there is not much good about me, I
can distract you by talking bad about others like Pankajbhai, they are
out to destroy us etc. It keeps focus away from me.
2. For some of them it was all about the numbers. Problem is that more
they got more they wanted. Had they only taken out 10% of Bhagawanano
Bhag no one would have ever been able to prove anything.
3. Motabhai's have invested more and are williing to do more for
Swadhyay than Chhotabhai. They are willing to maime or kill anyone for
parivar. If you are not that loyal why should you have the same
privilege?
4. Joint decision: Trust me they are taking joint decision. But you
and I are not at that level to be part of decision making. Remember
humility is a virtue.
5. Large gatherings are good for morale and publicity. It impresses
people in thinking - if so many people believe in it ... it must be
great.
6. If you start questioning the superiors you are not right material
to be a Motabhai in first place. And if you do, we need to make Asura
out of you, You can not go back to Chhotabhai from Motabhai because
now you know too much. Many of victims of violence had to suffer
because they knew too much. Had they been ordinary Swadhyayee they
could have been easily ignored as common ashuras. Loyalty and ability
to understand without asking anyone is important qualifying
characteristics for Motabhai.
7. There are some chosen devine among us and they help us by making
Sankalps on our behalf. The mere fact that we joined the group without
ever asking or questioning shows that we are not capable to making
independent decision. They are just being helpful.
8. Forget asking for local accounts. They were simply forwarded to
head quarter. Once you offer coconut to God you do not inquire what
happens to it, do you?
I have a feeling that Swadhyayees from USA eventhough in numbers we
may be miniscule compared to those in India, will be instrumental in
providing leadership.
Living in this open society does change who we are. There is more
courage to ask questions. We have learnt that open society is
strength. We have witnessed Jim Jones and David Kuresh. We have seen
financial or sexual scandals destroying prominent churches. Hopefully
we have learned that you can not suppress disinformation too long once
it starts coming.
I think at this time asking financial account will be taken as you
being a traitor or Swadhyay destroyer (Ashura).
What you can do is to generate discussion as how in future we can
establish credibility? What checks and balance do we place to prevent
abuse by select few? At the end of the day, your future depends on
credibility among young Swadhyayees. With all the horror stories that
has come out and likely to come out let me tell you, your younger
generation is confused and concerned. Their loyalty to what we fed
them so far can only last so long.
Good luck. Keep us posted if you have any ideas or how your attempts
are received by others. Remember, the spirit should be one of "I love
Swadhyay there for I am willing to speak up" - Vijay Mehta
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Guest on Jul 8th, 2006, 1:56pm
Now people have all kind of question...
look at this
I think now police have to open them eye..
I have heard this theory too and it may make sense.
Dadaji worked all his life to start his projects. People show a man
with ability to interpret Gita at the same time man with passion to
uplift the poor and backward communities. Karma Yoga and Bhakti Yoga
to gather is a strong combination. No acquisition of real estate in
terms of Mandir basically made the expense side of balance sheet very
small. Money grew, fame grew. He must have thought for a long time
that this all can be turned over to some one with same passion.
Then came the aging, failiing health and amputation left him in hands
of his daughter. She suddenly realizes the opportunity to step into
his chair. She has to remove all good Swadhyayees surrounding him. The
access to Dada is limited. Basically he is in "Nazar Ked" so only
message Dada can get is what is approved by Didi. Tai would also like
the power go to someone in family than outsider. Only the inner core
can see the change. Because for millions of them all they see is the
video that comes in mail.
Dada behaves in un-Dada like fashion and suddenly claims that
Swadhayay belongs to him. Now all loyal Swadhyayees needs to be thrown
out one by one. Some of them knew too much. So they became threat. One
by one they were disgraced and thrown out. If they kept posing threat,
they were threatened and to teach a lesson bones were broken.
Earthquake in Gujart proves to be a windfall. Large amount of
donations flowing from all over, no need to account for it. Everyone
at the top could get a piece of the pie as long as they keep the mouth
shut. Few trouble makers need to be silenced.
Arrogance lead to mistakes. We can get away with anything. Police or
Government and Media will think ten times before doing anything
against us. Few people with broken bones became a lesson for many
others who were thinking of speaking their mind. Well it all went well
until...
Until one fateful day.. Pankajbhai Trivedi was brutally murdered. And
suddenly 'Jan Prakop' is beyond anyone's expectation. Police was lucky
to find a strong clue by one cell phone, he opens his mouth and now
the amount of information that out is too much to cover it all up.
Daily headlines exposing more and more stories. Many Swadhyayees start
seeing a pattern. As much as they do not want to believe all these
they have to admit that there are some problems.
The question is how this moves on from this point...
-Vijay Mehta
Would Didi run to USA if noose comes closer?
Post by Guest on Jul 8th, 2006, 2:01pm
Didi might have avoided being questioned or arrested for this crime
more than three years. But there is no statute of limitation on
murder. So all her life she will have to worry, what if some evidence
pops up? What if someone talks? There are many many crimes in history
books where years after the crime the law catches up with you. Let us
be patient and pray to God at the end justice may prevail and
sacrifice of Panjakbhai does not go in vein.
Na Muh Chhupake Jityo...
Post by Guest on Jul 8th, 2006, 2:04pm
Didi has paid a price for Pankajbhai murder. Now she avoids limelight
and media.
Na Muh Chhupake Jiyo
No Sar jhukake Jiyo
Jo paap kiye hai tumne
woh Karmoki Kimat chukake Jiyo..
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by sunil on Jul 8th, 2006, 2:16pm
Dear NRI Swadhyayees,
Please listen to what DIDItold to SAHARA SAMAY TV
She said we recd.Rs.1 crore & spent 1.5 crores for Kutch EQ relief.( I
have seen this twice)
Now isn't this a lie? They have collected alltogether 37 crores
+cash(only Yogeshwar knows the amount)
You still want to call her a Satyanishtha?
who siphoned the money?
Will you dare to ask your motabhais about this?
In an another reply on this forum today these blind fellows are still
saying that the pariwar constructed 4534 concrete houses in Kutch when
it is very clear to everybody (exceot their Blind counterparts in
India)
that the pariwar has not constructed even a single house is this
another example of Satyam Vada?
The Pariwar has become so proficient in lieing & so shameless that
even after the murder of Pankajbhai they published a nivedan is all
gujarati news papers on
19th June stating that they have constructed 5058 houses if this is
Swadhyay then why someone should join or if has joined stay?
Earthquake Relief by Swadhyay Gujarati Article
Post by Vijay Mehta on Jul 8th, 2006, 4:34pm
http://www.gujaratsamachar.com/gsa/20060625/guj/national/anu.html
How much money was collected by Swadhyay and how much was used for
actual house building in Kutch area has been the biggest point of
argument. Swadhyayees will point that they have built 4500 plus
houses. While others will say that there is not a single house by
Swadhyay! This Article looks at what could be the explanation.
Gujarati article.
Partial translation to follow;
According to the letter by Pankajbhai Trivedi to Chief Minister of
Gujarat DAY Trust, Chicago had deposited 2,4000,000 (2.4 Million
Dollars( between 1978 to 2000. Due to the Gujarat Earthquake 3,890,000
(3.89 Million Dollars were collected from Swadhyay in USA) While Vinoo
Sachania (Who was later beaten up) sent Two Crores from England.
On 6/24/2006 Dr. Rajesh Parikh said in response to a question that
"Swadhyay Parivar has built 4534 houses in Kutch, and there is no
doubt about it." When asked if he had seen personally this houses
being built he said he has not. Than based on what is he making this
statemet? In response Dr Parikh showed a report by UNDP and 2003
report by ILO (International Labor Organization), where it was
mentioned that Swadhyay Parivar had built 4534 houses. Dr. Parikh was
asked if Swadhayay has their report of all these houses? He responded
that Swadhyay Parivar has a report of work performed at 112 villages
and that report is in Mumbai and we are getting in Amadawad. But in
this report we do not have details of work performed, just which
village had how many houses is mentioned.
Sri Mansi Anand fron Navnirman office in Kutchchh, Bhuj explained that
ILO report has no value since it is a copy of UNDP report. He
explained that in June of 2001 when Prime Minister came to visit
Kutchchh we asked all the organization to report of relief work. We
put an ad in the paper asking everyone to supply the information.
Based on what they reported we published those figures. We DID NOT
CHECK ACCURACY OF ANY OF THESE FIGURES!
Based on the information received (that was never varified by anyone)
we published reports. Few months later we published updated report
again based on the information received. This way by 2003 we had
published five reports.
September 2001 report had 75 organizations reporting. All of them
combined reported 4272 houses while Swadhyay ALONE REPORTED 4534
HOUSES!
When questioned in this regard Bhav Sarjan Trust informed that they
merely provided 'MATERIAL FOR CONSTRUCTION"
Abhiyan felt that if only material was provided than how many houses
were built? were they earth quake proof? In contrast to all other
organization Bhav Sarjan trust did not have any M U (? Memorandum of
understanding) with GSDMA of Gujarat Government.
Based on all these facts mention of Bhav Sarjan Trusts was taken out
of alphabetical order and placed last. And it was noted that this
organization is working independently (polite way of saying that we
can not varify facts)
Kutchchh Navnirman Abhiyan had asked for detail report from all the
organization but Swadhyay did not provide this list. (I guess they
believe that when right hand donates left should not know!). They had
also asked them to provide with financial report of earth quake
related activities (how much received and how much spent) but that was
not provided.
Of note is the fact that In any Government report there is no mention
of a SINGLE HOUSE BUILT BY BHAV SARJAN! COLLECTOR AND MAMLATDAR IN
KUTCHCHH HAS REPORTED THAT BHAV SARJAN TRUST - SWADHYAY PARIVAR HAS
NOT BUILT A SINGLE HOME.
According to Dr. Ramesh Parikh after the earthquake all the
responsibility was managed by Sri Vasanbhai Aahir. According to
Kutchchh Nirman Abhiyan Mr Aahir has been supplying all the
information.
When Mr Aahir was asked on 6/24 he said all the Parivar had provided
all the roofing material, wood, cement etc and laborers came from
Maharashtra. When he was asked to give specifics he answered from
moral high ground When a brother helps another brother in times of
need, do we need to keep an account? When he was asked as to how come
Swadhyay was able to build more houses than all other 75 combined in
such a short period of time? He said "DADA" wanted us to build quickly
so we did!!!
Basically what he is saying is trust me, if we say we built than we
built. Of course we can not tell you which particular house we have
built.
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Fabricated Stoies about Dadaji on Jul 8th, 2006, 7:09pm
1)Dada had once gone to USA. Dada used shaving soap and brush to
shave. During this visit, Dada forgot to take along with him, his
shaving soap and brush. Dada was habituated to use shaving soap and
brush and so he was un-comfortable. He mentioned it to one of the
Motabhais of USA while they were driving on a trip to Ohio. They
started looking for shaving soap and brush. They tried about 15 stores
but could not find it. When they were passing through a small town,
Dada pointed to a store and asked to inquire there for shaving soap
and brush. Fortunately this time, it was available in the store.
The whole story seems like fabricated and this common incident was
glorified and told to all swadhyayees of USA as and when chance came
by one of this Motabhai. He used to tell, he did not believe in
miracles, but narrated the story driving the point that Dada was
Avatar - incarnation of Lord and hence he could tell where the shaving
soap and brush was available?
Question: when followers were trying to find the brush at different
places and if an AVATAR knew that they were not going to find it
there, why he didn’t stop them in first place? An AVATAR can not
adjust with the situation and use shaving cream instead?
2) The second incident is related to Anuts
I-VANDANA program in BHARUCH. One of the motabhai told fellow
swadhyayees in a meeting that we don’t believe in miracles but since
we are a FAMILY (What a Joke), he would like to share this incident.
At the end of the program, NARMADA Maata changed the flow direction,
the water level raised up to the stage where Dada was sitting, NARMADA
Matta touched Dada’s feet and then slowly water level came down. I am
sure you should have a video to prove this as you take video of every
little thing and won’t forget to capture this “miracle”, right?
(Swajan Re Juth Mat Bolo, Khuda Ke pas Jana Hein)
If you were an Avatar, would you choose failing health, amputation of
leg because it was not treated in time and your followers in disarry
after your death?
Re: Krantikari Pankajbhai pays ultimate price
Post by Ravi Patel on Jul 8th, 2006, 7:12pm
"Last night Didi finally gave an interview to media- setting was
interview by a private channel at an undisclosed location.
She said that there is a conspiracy against Swadhyay. She has nothing
to do with murder of Pankajbhai."
DADI HAS BEEN TELIN HER FOLLOWERS TO STAY AWAY FROM THE MEDIA BECAUSE
THEY LIE, IS SHE LYING TOO?
http://vmehta.conforums3.com/index.cgi?board=Religions&action=print&num=1150555879
This material presented is but one/tenth of what is presented in the
link above. Most is in Gujarati and some in Hindi. It is a sad saga of
Hindu morality breakdown under the very haughty noses of Gujarati,
Marathi Hindu hoodlums parading under a panoply of real and phony
nomenclatures. Hindutva brigade led by self styled protectors of
mytholoy based religion keeps a close score of who is an "Un-Indian,"
" A Traitor," "A Terrorist," "A Pseudo-Secular," "A Secular," and by
bunch of other pet-names these Hindu hound dogs give to anyone and
everyone who speaks, writes and expresses their opinions, truthfully
and with all the evidence under the sun, yours truly included.
These bastards don't want the truth to be told. Not privately, not in
words or actions.
"Viswa Hindu Parishad" and their paid and unpaid co-conspirators fish
out all the dirt that they can find on other religions and spill all
over the creation, especially, on the internet newsgroups such as this
one. These concerted efforts on the part of such idiots as Dr Jai
Maharaj, and especially him has put the free speech in jeopardy.
This low-level skunk, a slum-dog, takes words from Ashok Chowgule, an
industrialist from Goa. A very rich man and very vicious man indeed.
This man is a Vice-President of the "Vishwa Hindu Parishad." The
another is S. Kalyanraman. This hoodlum is portrayed as a former
director of the World Bank.
There are many who are either of high ranking "RSS" members or their
famous "Parivar." It is not necessary to make a list of who they
affiliate with. Their venom is deadly and dangerous. Why would Hindu
religion or the religious beliefs of almost eighty-three million
people be defended? If they are as good as they claim to be, why, all
the sane people of the world would want to be Hindu in a jiffy.
The lies these fake Hindus tell may become their coffins.
chhotemianinshallah
PTI, Mar 8, 2010, 06.55pm IST
Article Comments (14)
Sex video: Ashram defends NityanandaBANGALORE: Rejecting rape charge
and doubts raised over death of a foreign devotee of self-styled
godman Paramahamsa Nityananda, his ashram on Monday said he would make
a public appearance soon and answer all allegations.
The charges were part of a "conspiracy to malign the image of the
swami and impede ashram's social activities," the ashram spokesperson
Nitya Sachidananda told reporters at the Nityananda Ashram near
Bidadi, about 40 km from here.
A 23-year-old woman, an inmate of the Bidadi ashram, had alleged that
Nithyananda had raped and sexually harassed dozens of women in the
ashram.
Chennai police have registered a rape and cheating case against
Nityananda, days after video footage of his alleged sleazy acts were
telecast by TV channels.
Sachidananda also denied a charge that mystery shrouded the death of
foreign national Melvyan Boyd Diamond, a Yoga teacher in the ashram.
"Diamond had family history of cardiac problems and he died following
an accidental fall from the second floor of the building he lived in,"
he said, adding that the ashram had arranged for his cremation.
The operation to malign Nityananda had been done in "a surgical
precision" and "Swamiji himself will come and comment on all the
issues. As his "personal security" was at risk "we have advised him to
come after some days," the spokesperson said.
The ashram, which faced violent protests after telecast of the video,
has so far not lodged any police complaint.
Nityananda ashram rejects charge of rape
Article Comments 14
Bidadi ashram
Mohan USA 09 Mar, 2010 07:48 AM
All these guys disguised con people. Any basterd who still defends him
should be throiwn in jail as well. Why don't people check such idiots'
background before follow them. The laws should be strict so that such
crooks must ne hanged in public to make an example.revin malaysia 09
Mar, 2010 02:37 PM
Relax My dear friend..... if you dont know about him plz dont put such
commen. He teaching has transform many ppl life. thounds of ppl is
alive bcoz of his helling do u now haw many cancer patient has cured
and thy are alive 2day..... plz dont throw words will regret
ltr.Mansoor Dubai 09 Mar, 2010 01:53 PM
There are two type of godmenMark Canada 09 Mar, 2010 06:53 AM
Thank You Swami for all your help. You have been the greatest blessing
in my life. Mark.Arun Bangalore 09 Mar, 2010 04:44 AM
I find it curious that Sachitananda cites safety and security as being
the reason for Nithyananda's absence, while claiming that he is at the
Kumbha Mela. I would imagine an ashram with police protection is much
safer than mingling with lakhs of people in public.musing us 09 Mar,
2010 01:22 AM
The whole case against the swami seems manufactured. I would not be
surprised if the govt. is behind all this. At least the state govt. I
would also not be surprised if TOI takes perverse pleasure in
splashing this news all over their front pages for the next month. How
boring and predictable.Indian India 09 Mar, 2010 12:49 AM
India is fit only for Jihadi, Communists,Christian missionaries and
DMK Goons and their contribution for Indian Independence is NIL. Now
they are running the country by proxy for their foreign masters.aaa
bangalore 09 Mar, 2010 12:10 AM
As it is we live in a very cunning world.No one can believe anyone
henceforth.Natarajan Canada 08 Mar, 2010 08:30 PM
We need to monitor cases of sexual abuse at religious places. There
are several cases worse than this, involving children. Unfortunately
the cases involving children's sex abuse happen mostly at churches and
hence cannot be touched by our secular government.Shyam USA 08 Mar,
2010 08:19 PM
Is this framed by the Christian missions and the SUN TV who are PRO-
christians?Anand UAE 08 Mar, 2010 07:47 PM
If the swami could proove that the whole scandal is a conspiracy with
active connivance of some inmates like Lenin Karuppan, will the media
apologise to the public for the sensation created thru their column?
Medias should restrain from sensational journalism and should ensure
fair play.Jeevan Dubai 08 Mar, 2010 07:42 PM
Watch out.This fraud swami might use his power using the Politicial
parties and the top guys that he had in his list of followers.There is
no doubt that he is not involved in all the wrong things and he should
be given the severest of punishment so that the other fraud swami's
should learn a lesson.Daljit kuwait 08 Mar, 2010 07:26 PM
its our problem that we are treating these so called godman as
GOD .its time to show that they cannot play more with the sentiments
of people.Ashwani Hyderabad 10 Mar, 2010 05:03 PM
Like these ashrams/swamis, in many life saving institutions
(hospitals) these scandles do take place. Particularly super
speciality hospitals need to be monitored,
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/opinions/5659498.cms
Quepem man held for raping daughter
TNN, Mar 22, 2010, 12.49am IST
MARGAO: In a macabre incident, the Quepem police on Sunday arrested
one Agnelo Pedro D'Costa, 48, from Catemol, Quepem, on charges of
raping his 17-year-old daughter.
What makes the crime ghastlier is the fact that the accused had
recently fathered a child through incestuous relations with the same
victim-his eldest daughter. Police sources said that the accused had
raped his daughter in April 2009, after threatening her with dire
consequences, following which she became pregnant and delivered a male
child on January 6, 2010.
"The victim, along with her newborn baby, was staying at Mother Tereza
Ashram, Panaji. Her father, meanwhile, would coerce his wife into
inviting their daughter home," Quepem PI Sudesh Narvekar said.
She finally came home on Saturday, only to be raped again by her
father.
The accused's wife is learnt to be working as a domestic help in
another village. "On Sunday, ensuring that his wife had gone to work
and her daughter was home alone, the accused raped her," Narvekar
added.
Based on the complaint lodged by the victim, the Quepem police
arrested the accused. Both the accused and the victim have been sent
for a medical examination, police sources added.
Significantly, the accused is the father of three sons and three
daughters. The victim had not reported the matter to the police when
her father had raped her earlier, police sources added.
Give regard to rape victim's wish to marry rapist: CJI
IANS, Mar 7, 2010, 03.33pm IST
Article Comments (1)
NEW DELHI: In a radical suggestion, India's Chief Justice K G
Balakrishnan on Sunday said that judges, lawyers and social activists
should give "due regard" to the wishes of a rape victim if she chooses
to marry the rapist or have the baby conceived from the crime.
"Judges, lawyers and social activists should also ensure that they do
not take an overtly paternalistic approach when they have to make
decisions for the welfare of rape victims," he said at a seminar.
"Due regard must be given to their personal autonomy since in some
cases the victim may choose to marry the perpetrator or choose to give
birth to a child conceived through forced intercourse," he said.
He was speaking at the seminar on "Access to Justice, Relief and
Rehabilitation of Rape Victims" organised by the ministry of women and
child development.
Others who addressed it included Law Minister M. Veerappa Moily and
Minister of State for Women and Child Development Krishna Tirath.
"We must also keep in mind that the interests of the victim are not
protected by punishing the offenders alone," said Balakrishnan,
referring to a law ministry move to enact a law to set up fast-track
courts to try sex-related offences.
"Adequate attention should also be drawn to suggestions for
compensatory remedies and the rehabilitation of rape victims through
the provision of shelter, counselling services, medical and legal
aid."
He also referred to the "secondary victimisation", which a rape victim
often has to suffer during the trial of the accused due to
inconvenient, probing and often indecent questions by the defence
counsel.
"There is a very real phenomenon described as ‘secondary
victimisation' wherein the victim of a crime faces additional
harassment and humiliation in the course of investigation and trial.
Especially when the perpetrators are in a position of power over the
victims, there is a strong distrust of the credibility of the
investigation itself," pointed out Balakrishnan.
"Some recent cases highlighted in the press have shown how the
investigative machinery can often be manipulated to protect
influential persons, howsoever reprehensible their crimes may be," he
said without naming the Ruchika Girhotra molestation and suicide case
involving former Haryana police chief S P S Rathore.
"The investigators, prosecutors and defence counsels must exhibit an
appropriate degree of sensitivity to the victims," he said.
"Especially during the trial proceedings, judges need to be proactive
in order to restrain the aggressive cross-examination of rape
victims."
The CJI also highlighted recent changes in law, which provides that
the past sexual history of victims must be ignored.
"The Indian Evidence Act was amended some years ago and a provision
was inserted to ensure that the past sexual history of a victim cannot
be given weightage in a trial for the offence of rape," pointed out
the CJI.
"What is needed now is for judges and lawyers to internalise the
principle that facts relating to the past sexual history of a victim
should not even be brought up in the first place, since the purpose of
a trial is to decide whether or not an offence took place as alleged,"
said Balakrishnan.
Rituparna’s marital rape trauma
TNN, Feb 28, 2010, 12.00am IST
Rituparna SenguptaRituparna Sengupta says that getting under the skin
of the character can sometimes cause a lot of trauma. That is
precisely what the light eyed actress realised recently, while
shooting for Karan Razdan’s Mittal Versus Mittal.
Playing a marital rape victim in the film, Rituparna got so involved
with her character that she felt it was really happening to her. After
shooting the marital rape sequence, she not only burst into cold
sweat, but continued to shiver for days after that. “It was
terrifying,” admits Rituparna and says, “I kept seeing the sequence
for days in my sleep and woke up startled.”
Such dedication is really impressive. Wonder after all this why
Rituparna hasn’t got very far in her career, here in Bollywood? Can
you tell us why please?
Girl set on fire for resisting rape attempt
TNN, Mar 18, 2010, 03.48am IST
Article Comments (37)
HYDERABAD: A 15-year-old girl was set on fire allegedly by three men
who attempted to rape her at a house in Sai Nagar near Kushaiguda on
Wednesday. The victim, a class VI dropout, suffered 60 per cent burns
and is battling for life at Gandhi Hospital.
Malkajgiri assistant commissioner of police (ACP) P V Padmaja said:
“As per the statement of the girl, three persons (all bachelors) tried
to rape her at a house in Sai Nagar and when she resisted their
attempt they set her ablaze. The incident took place around 11 am.”
Locals informed the Kushaiguda police about the incident and she was
shifted to Gandhi Hospital.
The victim stays at Padmaraonagar with her parents. Her father is an
auto driver, while her mother is a domestic help.
The girl and her friend used to frequent a tea joint near a three-
storied building in Padmaraonagar when two bachelors staying in the
building befriended them, the ACP said.
“On March 9, the victim left home without informing her parents. A
missing case was registered at the Chilkalguda police station by her
father on the same day. The girl said she had gone to Vijayawada on
March 9 along with three persons. The trio used to frequent their two
friends residing in the three-storied multi building at
Padmaraonagar.” the assistant commissioner of police said.
The victim refused to reveal information on when they returned to the
city and the whereabouts of the three persons. Special teams have been
pressed into service to arrest the culprits, the ACP said.
A case was registered under sections 307 (attempt to murder), 342
(wrongfully confining a person), 363 (kidnapping) and 376 (rape) r/w
511 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Kushaiguda inspector A Muthyam
Reddy said.
Girl set on fire for resisting rape attempt
Article Comments 37
girl set on fire
Ajay US 18 Mar, 2010 04:49 AM
I pray that this 3 culprit gets caught soon and get enough punishment.
Atleast for 15 years each.Kalpana Chennai 18 Mar, 2010 04:34 AMOh My
God!zenith coimbatore 18 Mar, 2010 03:54 PM
so sadkavita hyderabad 18 Mar, 2010 03:40 PM
why this girl has gone with that person its her mistake as well,
without telling her parents see what happen she is the only
sufferingsohail hyderabad 18 Mar, 2010 07:46 PM
she is just a childrox fiji 18 Mar, 2010 02:02 PMevery one want to
have sexMohan-US USA 18 Mar, 2010 05:59 PM
No wastage of money and time.... this should be closed in 15
minutes... drag them to a public place and get the crowd to throw one
stone each.... end of the story and a GREAT "case study"Anmol
Bangalore 18 Mar, 2010 05:29 PM
The punishment should be more seviour for rapists, and those who
attempt to rape.Kiran USA 18 Mar, 2010 05:29 PM
This is nothing new in India. Basically, a way of life. It's always
girls from the poor families get raped by the better offs. Rarely,
perpetrators of the crime get punished. Police are more than willing
to bungle the report for bribe. This is our great culture. I'm glad to
be out of jungle rajChandan Bangalore 19 Mar, 2010 02:11 PM
Pls don't comment if you can't resist/rectify. Kindly pls don't come
back to India again.sai bang 18 Mar, 2010 05:06 PM
there is no way of punishing just by killing the three guys infront of
all is the solution ...so next time no guy should repeat such kind of
attemptsfahad Pakistan 18 Mar, 2010 04:56 PM
They should be hanged till death in the middle of the townvishal pune
18 Mar, 2010 04:45 PM
where is the so called education of Indian Parents these days,gaurang
US 18 Mar, 2010 04:39 PM
i dont think there are chances of them not being caught,but i would
pray that they are brought to justice and given a life term for
attempt to rape and attempt to murder. i fear they may end up free
considering the fact that the victim comes from a poor family and our
legal system favors rich oneskavita hyderabad 18 Mar, 2010 03:50 PM
its a girls mistake as well y she has gone with that person without
telling her parents and now see who is suffering feels so sad for
her.Nadeem Amsterdam 18 Mar, 2010 03:46 PM
There should be an "Eye for an Eye"norbert ksa 18 Mar, 2010 03:23 PM
they must hangDeepak Vizag 18 Mar, 2010 03:21 PM
This again tells us that India is not safe for women. I pray that
justice is done to the girl though chances are bleak.Vishal Beijing 18
Mar, 2010 02:56 PM
Its absolutely horrible and shameful to hear such stories in today's
day and age. Who should we blame? Men, women, society, or the govt.?
anita bangalore 18 Mar, 2010 02:31 PM
going to vijayawada from hyderabad without informing her parents.
hm...this is how kids get into trouble. the people who put her on
flames needs to be punished.Ravi hyderabad 18 Mar, 2010 01:57 PM
Culprits should be punished severely.Aslam Dubai 18 Mar, 2010 01:35 PM
I pray to god that this 3 culprit, Get punishment for the Law as well
as from the God too..Prakash Bangalore 18 Mar, 2010 01:31 PM
Kill those people ........david singapore 18 Mar, 2010 01:29 PM
Really these 3 culprits should be hangedPrafull mumbai 18 Mar, 2010
01:19 PM
I wonder why the girl has,or by whom the names of the 3 have been
witheld.SURESH Mumbai 18 Mar, 2010 01:00 PM“On March 9, the
victim left home without informing her parentsjgkmfmb dutidfgjk 18
Mar, 2010 12:53 PM
give the culprits death sentence. Life for life - they should give
their life for taking the victim's life.jadeja India 18 Mar, 2010
12:38 PMthis only happens in india jay hindMurali-Devavrata Bengaluru
18 Mar, 2010 12:37 PM
While culprits should be brought to justice and given death penalty,
there is no doubt that our cultural values are being degraded due to
Western influence. Girls are taking too much liberty with their
freedom and are suffering. Freedom comes with a price. We should think
about this.nitu hyd 18 Mar, 2010 12:31 PM
what the hell is going on in hyd? law should be so strict dat such
cases would never repeat. god know why such people think of raping a
child(doesn't mean that they can have in view of adults)samuel london
18 Mar, 2010 12:30 PM
I hope the three idiots don't have any political connections nor are
they from influential families otherwise such cases are swept under
the carpet and police would call it an cooking stove accident or even
suicide attempt.Vincent Thailand 18 Mar, 2010 12:02 PM
Since the victims is surviving, the culprits will soon be caught and
here-in lies a chance for the guardians of law and order to set an
example. The three perpetrators should be castrated and their
photographs published in newspapers. Let us remove the blindfold over
the eyes of Statue of Law !Vikrant Melbourne 18 Mar, 2010 11:46 AM
Why girls born in India?Sana Mumbai 18 Mar, 2010 11:02 AM
It's sad that this happened but what amazes me the most is that its
still happening. If not in Hyderabad then probably in some other
city.rahul Pune 18 Mar, 2010 09:45 AM
castrate the culprits and parade them naked to be stoned...javeri
mumbai 18 Mar, 2010 09:28 AM
Our Indian legal system has not generated any fear in the minds of the
offenders. they can do anything they want and walk free. By the time
our law takes its cource they might die their natural death. Go back
to the law of the jungle.Tooth for a tooth and eye for an eye. No FIR,
No Report. Burn themhari india 18 Mar, 2010 09:09 AM
kill them
Rape Ruckus
Mar 9, 2010, 12.00am IST
Article Comments (3)
On the eve of International Women's Day, Chief Justice of India K G
Balakrishnan came up with a strange suggestion. Addressing a meet on
justice for rape victims, the CJI said that "due regard" must be given
to the wishes of a rape victim if she wants to marry the rapist or
give birth to a child conceived following the crime. The CJI's
statement sends out mixed signals. It almost makes it appear that
marriage is an alternative to punishment for perpetrators of rape.
Indeed, it could have the unfortunate effect of minimising the
seriousness of rape which is a fundamental violation of a woman's
body. Besides, it does not take into account that rapes can occur
within marriages too.
The courts or the state shouldn't have any say on the course of action
that a rape victim intends to take. It is paternalism - something that
the CJI has accused activists and lawyers of - to decide on behalf of
rape victims. What should be of utmost importance for law-enforcing
agencies is to ensure that rapists are convicted and handed the
maximum possible punishment. At present, rape figures in India tell a
sorry story. According to some statistics, only one in 69 rapes is
reported, and out of these the conviction rate is a pathetic 20 per
cent. Law enforcement agencies should be looking at ways to increase
the conviction rates as well and put in place conditions where victims
feel comfortable to report rapes. This is a big ask. Let's not deflect
from the real task at hand by suggesting marriage between a rape
victim and the perpetrator.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/Rape-Ruckus/articleshow/5659944.cms
Uttar Pradesh tops list of child rape cases
PTI, Mar 4, 2010, 05.04pm IST
NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh tops the list of States and Union territories
with the highest number of 900 child rape cases in 2008 followed by
Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.
According to the latest data by the Ministry of Home Affairs for three
years, cases of child rape continue to rise as a total of 4,721 cases
were registered during 2006, 5,045 in 2007 and 5,446 in 2008 across
the country.
Police have arrested 5,489 people in 2006 for their involvement in
such crimes, 5,756 in 2007 and 6,363 in 2008.
Madhya Pradesh registered 892 such cases, Maharashtra (690), Rajasthan
(420) and Andhra Pradesh (412) in 2008, the data said.
A total of 411 such cases were registered in Chhattisgarh, 301 in
Delhi, 215 in Kerala, 187 in Tamil Nadu, 129 in West Bengal, 106 in
Punjab and 104 in Tripura, it said.
Whereas, Gujarat has registered 99 cases, Karnataka 97, Bihar 91,
Haryana 70, Himachal Pradesh 68, Orissa 65 and Goa 18.
Teen girl, who alleges rape by Maoist, shot at
IANS, Mar 5, 2010, 12.04pm IST
Article Comments (21)
RANCHI: A teenage girl was shot by Maoist rebels in Jharkhand's
Latehar district for slapping rape charges on a Maoist leader, police
said Friday. The victim is struggling for life in a hospital here.
Maoist guerrillas shot three bullets into 17-year-old Anju Kumari on
Thursday. She was injured critically and has been admitted to the
Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Rajendra Institute of Medical Science
(RIMS).
"Anju sustained three bullets in her stomach. Her condition is
critical," a doctor said.
Anju was shot when she was riding her bicycle in an area close to
Latehar railway station. She was stopped by three motorcycle-borne
Maoist rebels including the Maoist commander Pappu Lohra, who
allegedly pumped three bullets into Anju's stomach and then fled,
police said.
According to police, Anju was shot because she was bold enough to
lodge a first information report (FIR) against Lohra for abducting and
raping her.
"Anju was shot because she dared to raise a voice against Maoists. She
had lodged an FIR against Pappu Lohra. Anju had accused Pappu of
raping her for two days in a jungle after abducting her," a police
official told IANS.
According to local journalists, Maoist rebels alleged it was the
handiwork of the police to lodge fake rape charges against Lohra.
Teen girl, who alleges rape by Maoist, shot at
Article Comments 21
rape maoist
Rajagopal Delhi 05 Mar, 2010 03:37 PM
Dont arrests maoists criminals just shot dead them immediately on
seeing. Thee is no sin doing so. The Government shold try aerial
survey of maoists and bombard their hide outs without hesitation to
prevent further strikes.R india 05 Mar, 2010 03:36 PM
If it was a fake charge, why did this goonda shoot the girl? Maoists
might have started off as rebels for a true cause, but now they are
nothing but terrorists. I hope these rapists and murderers get their
just desserts from the police and para military forces.Raj Mumbai 05
Mar, 2010 03:27 PM
But its a handiwork of Maoist Rebles to Kill a 17 Year
female...Doesn;t he feel anything kill a Teenage Girl..Aks USA 05 Mar,
2010 03:15 PM
Now a days there are far too many pseudo naxals and all are fake and
they intimidate the tribals into submission and loot the police and
others. They do not have ideologies but only money minded looters.She
was a stumbling block and fear of getting exposed made them to stop
the voice, so was shotBrijendra Russia 05 Mar, 2010 03:05 PM
What is going on in India? Is it a jungle raaj or some law exist
there.After reading this story u realy feel shame being an Indian. A
young girl shot three times by so called mesihah of poor and dalits
started raping their daughters and sisters.These same people will take
arms against them.vishnu satara 05 Mar, 2010 03:04 PM
No commnets here...... Indian are busy cursingNarendra Singapore 05
Mar, 2010 02:39 PM
Well this news shows without doubt that at the end maoist does not
follow any philosophy. In the beginning they like others are
pretending to protect and be voice of poors. Now they are aiming their
gun to them. It makes me wonder Pappu Lohra is, a coward who tried to
kill innocent girl.rkr459 rkr...@yahoo.com.au 05 Mar, 2010 01:43 PM
It is high time ,the national Government take military action to get
rid of this radical elements for once and all.P.R.S.Bhasker Hyderabad
05 Mar, 2010 07:18 PM
I fully agree with the comment of sri Rajagopal of Delhimlechha
timbuctoo 05 Mar, 2010 06:59 PM
... that PCAPA leader Lalmohan Tudu had led an attack on their camp @
Silda, with a Maoist dalam. Later, the police claimed there had been
no attack on Silda, that Tudu was most probably killed in a false
encounter. Ironically, Tudu was the person who had fought for
elections to be held in Lalgarh.Siva TN 05 Mar, 2010 06:03 PMI
s this maoism,Very sad,these group appear like terrorist and criminals
without any causeAnant Nigeria 05 Mar, 2010 06:02 PM
Maoists stand against oppression of the weak by others.faisal dhahran
05 Mar, 2010 05:49 PM
The maoista are nothing but criminals and hoodlums out killing and
stealing. They are thugs terrorising the local populations. They MUST
be destroyed without any mercy for they are only killers and murderers
of the worst kind.Nitin Belgium 05 Mar, 2010 05:46 PM
What is the goverment doing? They cant even ensure the security of a
victim from indian terrorists, how can anybody trust them with
security of the country???Vivek NY 05 Mar, 2010 09:28 PM
Now the so called human activisits will not utter a word. India should
extensively use army againsts these murderers and these hyppocrate
human activist in jail. With the army strenght we have shouldn't take
more than a week to clean up India from these people.aa del 05 Mar,
2010 10:01 PM
Jaago Bharat Jaago.jeff Australia 06 Mar, 2010 06:05 AM
This is shocking to the whole world when india is looked upon as
developing emerging economy gettinon par with the world. It is truly
shockingren bhopal 06 Mar, 2010 11:15 AM
shoot thiose murderers and rapists right at their head!!! no need for
enquiries to police....kill those bastards immediately!!!Anil Delhi 06
Mar, 2010 12:34 AM
I won't name names here but this has been going on around my village
since decade.. Maoist just to slight people's respect kidnap unmarried
girls do whatever they like with her and send them back to their
parents.sajan dub 06 Mar, 2010 12:20 AM
How you can tell the rape alligation is right. Now a days it is a
passion of women to make false complaint to molestation and rape also
IPc 498 for looting money from man.Anant Nigeria 05 Mar, 2010 11:36 PM
Maoists stand against oppression of weak by others.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/opinions/5645977.cms
Father, daughter gun down 2 over incest taint
Pervez Iqbal Siddiqui, TNN, Oct 6, 2009, 12.06am IST
LUCKNOW: For once, panchayat members of a western UP village were
thrown on the defensive. On Monday, a man and his daughter — cleared
of charges of having incestuous relationship — picked up a gun and
fired at the panchayat members, killing two persons, one of them being
the accuser.
According to the police, they did so to ‘‘punish the panchayat members
for their failure to act against the real culprits.’’
The drama was reported from the Kambhore village, Bijnor. The village
panchayat had earlier ordered ‘expulsion’ of the father-daughter duo
following charges of incest against the man, which reportedly turned
out to be baseless. Agitated that the panchayat did not give them a
chance to defend themselves, the two reportedly reached the panchayat
gathering and opened fire after the members refused to initiate action
against those who had levelled false charges against them.
According to reports reaching the police headquarters in Lucknow,
about a month back, Haseenuddin, a resident of Kambhore village under
Kotwali police station of Bijnor approached the village panchayat and
accused a local resident Akhtar of sexually abusing his daughter
Fatima alias Fato for the past several years. Haseen maintained that
he was an eye-witness to the crime along with another local resident,
Afzal.
The panchayat then summoned the duo and questioned them in public.
Though the two said they were innocent, the panchayat ordered them to
leave the village forever.
As a result, Akhtar sold off his house and shifted to a relative’s
place in an adjacent district. On September 23, Akhtar happened to
meet Afzal and enquired about the charges that he and Haseenuddin had
levelled. When Afzal denied that he was even aware of any such
accusations, the latter forcibly took him to the house of the
‘panchas’ to testify before them.
According to the police, on the request of Akhtar, a panchayat meeting
was convened on Friday last where he and his daughter were absolved of
the charges. However, when the panchayat members announced that there
was no need for action against Haseenuddin, Akhtar whipped out a gun
and fired indiscriminately.
Father, daughter gun down 2 over incest taint
Article Comments 19
Manoj India 06 Oct, 2009 12:37 AM
Think the whole article is quite confusing.Bobby Dayton 06 Oct, 2009
12:48 AM
very good. very great act. The panchs should have acted against
Haseenuddin, but if they did not, then Akhtar didnt do anything by
taking law in his hand. I hate all those preaching about not taking
law in ones hand, just because there would be no difference between
accuser and accusee. But if its once moral at stake, one should do
such things. Bravo.Sajid USA 06 Oct, 2009 12:50 AM
The man should not have taken the law in his hands. But there is great
need in India to do something about those who accuse others falsely.
Many times, police accuse someone and when that man is found innocent
after many years, the police officers who framed the charges are left
alone without any charges against them. There are serious errors in
Indian laws.Shalin Agrawal Ahmedabad 06 Oct, 2009 01:07 AM
I agree with what Akhtar did. If justice is denied then the person may
have the right to take such action if the allegations are of these
level. Panchayat members should take rational decision and law should
be equal for all. VD US 06 Oct, 2009 01:17 AM
This is eerily similar to 'A time to Kill' movie though victims are
different. The 2 should not charged with any crime and should be set
free. The Panchayats other members should be kept in prison. What
agony thefather and daughter must have gone thru when these charges
were leveled against them. Thankfully they were all muslims otherwise
who knows what would have happened on the name of religion.SVR Chennai
06 Oct, 2009 01:20 AM
I don't see anything wrong in it. Failure to give justice, will result
in these kind off actions. Pradeep Bangalore 06 Oct, 2009 01:23 AM
For once, the justice is done. Kudos to the father for taking the
action.Vivek Mumbai 06 Oct, 2009 01:53 AM
It is shocking that the Panchayat acted in a haste on such a sensitive
matter. The report can be true or false but if true then the panchayat
seems to have done a grave mistake by not correcting the 2nd
time,which needed punishment. The sad part is our law doesnot permit
normal humans to do justice and the law would not take action too. The
honest man is suffering today and a collusion of evil minds are
striving. A shock treatement is the only solution that can bring
balance to this crude world but at what cost is for us to judge.
Nilesh California, US 06 Oct, 2009 02:08 AM
Older "Panchayat" judiciary system should be abandoned and must be
taken over by court. It's very must needed as foolish, biased and non
democratic people make the decisions lives of innocent people.Rajendra
Boston 06 Oct, 2009 02:35 AM
Good job by Mr. Akhtar. These Panchayat people should learn to behave
more responsibly.Sanjana Blore 06 Oct, 2009 03:25 AM
Guess this is something our Judges need to be reading for not
supporting Justice rather being baiased.CoolStuff Delhi 06 Oct, 2009
04:30 AMGreat job! Same way we need punish dirty politicians as
well...Umesh USA 06 Oct, 2009 06:12 AM
That is what happens when you don't have redress to your grivences.
Indian government and politicians need to wake up - they are cheating
Indian people for so long and Indian people are running out of
patience. Before people take law in hand for speedy settlement and it
becomes wild west, Indian courts need to hand out speedy
justice.Sharad US 06 Oct, 2009 06:26 AM
The panchas deserved to die. Who gave them the right to punish a
family with an evidence thats so flaky and how come when time comes to
make the family get even by just some punishment to the perpetrators
they step back. This is just a clear case of victimising one family
and though killing in righteous civil society is bad, in this case, I
would say it was the best choice. The art of living in a community is
something we all think is leanrt naturally. We focus on learning
english, science, maths. Nagrik shartra and laws of living in the
society and rights in the society and duties of the society to its
members are things that need to be taught. In villages (and even in
cities) these kind of bitching keeps happening, any family needs to
lean on how to keep their weight and still be responsible. Well, that
would be a start towards creating a utopian soceity.Prashant Dhiman
USA 06 Oct, 2009 06:50 AM
What is wrong about picking a gun when nobody listens to the reason?
he did a great thing, I would have done the same in those
circumstances.shyamal Missouri, USA 06 Oct, 2009 07:23 AM
Well done. If you bring false charges, you deserve bullets. I also
think that if an innocent person is incarcerated and later the real
criminals are found, the innocent person must be compensated Rs 1
Crore for every year of incarceration from the state budget. This is a
penalty for the state government and the police authorities who got
him imprisoned. Today the person just gets a dry apology from the
state.Manoj Delhi 06 Oct, 2009 09:27 AM
I think he did the right thing to take the law on his own hands as the
panchayat's law was already denied for him. This man is innocent and
actions must be taken against 'so-called-panchs' in this case!vimal
noida 06 Oct, 2009 10:48 AM
Bravo, Kudos all words are small in front of there brave act. This is
the true definition of save owns pride. Hats of to you.Joseph Dubai 06
Oct, 2009 11:39 AM
Compliments to the Duo - Father and the daughter, when the Law does
not protect them what other choice you have ?..The panchyat system
does not function, so doesn't Indian Democracy. It is a Mafia System !
Sixty years have passed since our independence and aren't we still
convinced ? Our politicians in Delhi are sleeping and filling their
pockets ! They care a damn about you and me - the common poor guys.See
where China has gone in 60 years. They are the 3rd World Economy from
nothing. And we Indians ? We talk about 10% growth but where is it
reflected, for the Politicians and for the rich of course ? Children
are being raped and burnt (latest moda) and the culprits behind the
political heavyweights are walking free. Where is justice, where is
the law to protect you,me our defenceless children and where are the
bloody netas ? It is time we woke up Indians and do away with all
these useless systems and traitors of the country. We fought for
freedom from British and our leaders died in vain. At least we were
not that bad under the foreigh rule I guess ! India needs a Hitler -
one man one rule. If you don't deliver you perish. Even dictatorship
is bad, but at least we would have punished those bastards and brought
them to book. With this system at least 60 years hence, we will have
advanced much more. Otherwise with the present system of governance we
will see other nations passiing by us, injustice will prevail in walks
of life and our own government will walk on us as it is happening.
Will I say "jai ho" or "Jai no?"
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/opinions/5091724.cms
3 Indian-origin men in UK jailed for raping kin
PTI, Oct 18, 2009, 01.20am IST
Article Comments (3)
LONDON: Three Indian-origin men, residents of Cardiff, who repeatedly
raped a woman in their family for several years have been convicted
and sentenced to long years in prison.
The three persons sentenced by the Cardiff Crown Court are the 27-year-
old victim's step-father, step-uncle and brother-in-law. The step-
uncle and step-father are illegal immigrants, and will deported at the
end of their sentences.
The 55-year-old step-uncle, and 50-year-old step-father were jailed
with minimum recommended terms of 20 and 15 years respectively, while
her 27-year-old brother-in-law was jailed for 12 years.
The step-uncle admitted before the court that he was the father of the
child conceived when the victim was 14 years old. He was convicted of
seven counts of rape, three of indecency with a child, and one of
indecent assault.
During the hearing, the court was told that the victim's ordeal began
at the age of five when she was raped by her step-uncle. She became
pregnant at 14, but was locked in a wardrobe so that visitors would
not see her condition.
Prosecuting lawyer Marion Lewis told: "The girl was already seven
months pregnant when she first saw a doctor about her condition. When
the baby was born, the girl's parents told friends and neighbours it
was their own, before flying their daughter to India for an arranged
marriage."
Judge Patrick Curran told the step-uncle: "Not content with your own
sexual abuse on her, you encouraged the others to treat her like an
unpaid and unwilling prostitute. You all then involved yourselves in a
group rape on her."
The judge said the continued presence of the two older men in the UK
was "detrimental to public interest."
The prosecuting lawyer said the girl was frightened and also believed
her mother knew what was going on.
"When aged 14 and still a pupil at school, her stomach was expanding
and a scan revealed she was seven months pregnant," Lewis said.
"Her mother beat her all over her body apart from the face with a
curtain pole. She was hidden, sometimes in a wardrobe and visitors
were told she'd gone back to India."
The victim later told the jury that her mother beat her when it was
found out that she was seven months pregnant. She said her mother had
not believed her when she had tried to tell her that she was pregnant
by a member of her own family.
"When she went to the doctors, checked me out, she realised I was
seven months pregnant, she still didn't believe me. She hit me with a
rod and stuff like that so she never believed me".
"She always said to me 'they can't do that to you, they're your
family, they can't do it' but unfortunately they did," the victim
said.
The step-uncle admitted in court he was the father of her child, but
told the jury he had not found out until much later once DNA tests
were carried out.
After the sentence was pronounced yesterday, detective inspector Chris
Mullane of South Wales Police said the victim had been "extremely
courageous" in approaching the police.
Reader's opinions (3)
Praful R Shah Houston, Texas USA 20/10/2009 at 10:55 am
What type of animals are they. They should be hanged.
uma shankar vajpeyi london 20/10/2009 at 08:47 pm
SEND THEM FOR 27 YEARS PLUS IN JAIL AT LEAST ...THIS IS AFTER THE TORY
LEADER RECENTLY INDIANS IN UK ARE LEAST PRESENT IN JAILS
Pamela Weber Quinn England United Jingdom 20/10/2009 at 10:05 pm
Thank goodness this young lady had the courage and support from her
fellow Britains to report this dreadful crime. I think her mother
should have also received a custodial sentance, for beating her
daughter abusing her. The trauma this young lady has endured will be
with her for a very long time. I know she will recieve help and I wish
her all the best from hence forth.
NRI held for raping minor daughter in Punjab
IANS, Mar 28, 2009, 09.32pm IST
JALANDHAR: In a third shocking case of its kind in the country in the
last two weeks, an NRI father was arrested by the Punjab police on
Saturday for allegedly raping his 13-year-old daughter.
A medical examination has confirmed the rape of the minor who lives in
a village in Phillaur town, 40 km from here.
Surinder Singh, who works in Dubai and has three children, was
arrested following a complaint by the victim and her mother. The
victim, the eldest among her siblings, later recorded her statement
before a magistrate, accusing her father of raping her.
Police officials said the father raped his daughter on Thursday night
in an inebriated state. He had come to his village on annual leave.
Earlier this week, a 20-year-old girl from Ajnala town near Amritsar
complained to the police that her father, who is a Bharatiya Janata
Party (BJP) leader, had raped her for the last eight years.
The father, Ashok Taneja, was arrested by the police after registering
a rape case against him.
Last week, the Mumbai police arrested a 49-year-old businessman who
allegedly raped his daughter for over nine years on the advice of a
black magic practitioner to get "rich quickly".
Reader's opinions (1)
mohammed waseem uae 29/03/2009 at 01:47 pm
i have no words.no need to show in public this kind os cases.just take
them in silent place and encounter to all.
AMRITSAR: Emboldened by the story of the Mumbai sisters who went
public against their rapist father, a 21-year-old college student in
Amritsar has gone to the police with her own horror story about her
father, a local BJP leader, who she accused of raping her for eight
years.
The man, arrested on Wednesday night, was on Thursday sent to 14-day
judicial custody. Police booked the accused, also a well-off
businessman, under section 376 (rape) of IPC. Medical examination of
the girl confirmed sexual abuse.
A student of Guru Nanak Dev University, the ravaged girl drew courage
from the Mumbai victims and spoke of her trauma to relatives from her
mother's family. They then took her mother into confidence.
"I want this man to be put behind bars or shot," the girl said, crying
bitterly. "My father, for that's what I have to call him, has crossed
all limits of human behaviour. He started sexually abusing me since
childhood. Whenever I resisted or refused to bow down to his wishes,
he would threaten to burn me with acid or kerosene."
Wiping tears with her black dupatta wrapped around her face, she said,
"I told my mother that if they (Mumbai victims) can, so can I. All my
relatives have supported me in this. After all, it can't get more
sinful than this, can it?"
The traumatised mother said, "My husband would always find a pretext
to send me away so he could be alone with our daughter. He never
allowed both of us to leave home together. In fact, I am forced to say
that my husband had physical relations with other girls in the family
as well."
The accused, who complained of failing health and admitted himself to
a hospital, in his defence, labelled his daughter and wife
"degenerates with bad character.
"My daughter had good character till two years ago but ever since she
joined university she fell in bad company and got full support of my
wife. They just want me sorted out because they're after my property,"
he said, his face covered by the blanket on his hospital bed. "I am
hurt at the allegation. I would not have minded had they blamed me for
beating them but this is something I cannot do in my wildest dreams."
BJP spokesperson Som Dutt Sharma blamed the Congress for defaming them
"during election time."
"To make matters worse for the victim, the whole family, including her
younger brother, slept in the same room. Day in and day out the girl
would have her rapist by her side, she said. Can you imagine that?"
said a neighbour.
Another rapist dad exposed, this time in Amritsar
Article Comments 68
Praveen Bangalore 26 Mar, 2009 10:52 AM
If the Girl is saying true then kill these kind of persons is the good
judgement for this case.Swapnil Bangalore 26 Mar, 2009 10:59 AM
Party with difference. It certainly has different stance on
incest.Manoj Delhi 26 Mar, 2009 11:01 AM
Shame on you TOI. This is a pathetic attempt from you to please your
masters in Congress. Where did BJP figure in all this? Were his deeds
known to the world so that BJP could sense that this is what he was
doing to his daughter? He is a normal criminal and should be treated
as such. Somebody occupying a block level position in BJP is being
highlighted by you as if the whole BJP is involved in this crime.
Journalism at its worst... selective sensationalization is the worst
kind of yellow journalism that can be perpetuated. Seems, in this
election not only political parties, even media is going to scale new
depths of irresponsible journalism. Dare you to publish this
comment.shakti singh chundawat bangalore 26 Mar, 2009 11:06 AM
incest is in vogue! :-)Ram Bangalore 26 Mar, 2009 11:08 AM
An individual person is doing rape and why is the news dragging his
party here. DO you want to communicate that BJP leaders are like this
raping their daughters? Please communicate responsibly as it is one of
the core principles of journalism. The title is misleading and
irresponsible.hashimi chennai 26 Mar, 2009 11:09 AM
india has become the incest capital of world... shame..!!San Delhi 26
Mar, 2009 11:18 AM
What is the cause for all these nuisances happening these days. We are
so detoriating that In some cases Father(s) are raping these own
daughters ??? Hell or worst than Hell... Who is to blame ??? Do not
you think TOI or so called Media, Films, TV Serials are not
responsibile for instigating or provoking our Lust... Whenever you
open any site (even News Sites like TOI), so many articles to boost
your SEX life or blah, blah... you find on screen. What is all these,
We want to know the news of world. Not how to enjoy our sex or boost
our sex. Are you (TOI) a sex boosting magzine or a nice newspaper.
Shame on you.. Kindly think judiciously and act accordingly. Do not
sell sex just to Be No 1. Peter Vaz Oman 26 Mar, 2009 11:24 AM
Shame after fame is disgusting and the sermons of these top leaders
must by exposed to a great lengths beyond borders by TOI.Are these
people barbarians or monsters of the stone age? SC must create a
stringent laws or life imprisonment or stoned to death by the public
for these cases. Nupur Pune 26 Mar, 2009 11:33 AM
Now is this Indian Culture?? Are these men out of their minds!! Dont
they have any conscience!! 8 years, 9 years...its disgusting!! We go
aorund telling the world that we are a culturally rich country...and
we have cases in Mangalore where men are hitting women..n now this!!
Totally horrifyingsabir bangalore 26 Mar, 2009 11:34 AM
Whats happening, what is moral policing doing now. Is this the
religion teaches. Come-on wake up. Come-on learn the basics of family.
a n k | t az, usa 26 Mar, 2009 11:35 AM
Its a DISGRACE, I am totally DISGUSTED!!!! We Indians speak highly of
our family and cultural values and this just goes to shows how
misinformed and clueless we are. Its a shame. bloreboy bangalore 26
Mar, 2009 11:40 AM
where was the mother all the while...she was a passive participant in
this crime & needs to get her share of the punishment.. also...these
stories if exploited for 8 years are coming up now...why not 8 years
back...the victim needs to provide proper details as to why they were
party to the game till nowRam Bangalore 26 Mar, 2009 11:40 AM
The title needs to be changed immediately. Do not name the political
party the person is affiliated to. The political party is not
preaching the person to do rape his daughter. What is the neccessity
of this news in the front page. Please act responsible.Harshal India
26 Mar, 2009 11:45 AM
This can be congress conspiracy as its just Election time, Election
commisioner should take a note of this.Ram Bangalore 26 Mar, 2009
11:48 AM
Are the COngressmen raping their mothers ? WHy drag the party's name
when an Individual is doing a criminal act. IRRESPONSIBLE reporting.
STOP THIS NEWS channel first.Naresh Dhiman Kuwait 26 Mar, 2009 11:51
AM
He and other such fathers should be punished with extreme limits so
that this becomes a examplary punishment which will deter others from
commiting such crime.Sasi Muscat 26 Mar, 2009 11:54 AM
Its disparagement!!!!!!!!! The civic should be heedful. This is
utterly deplorable.Nirmal Jain Bhopal 26 Mar, 2009 11:55 AM
Shame on these people, who talk of sanskars to others claiming
themselves as the sole preserver of Indian Sanskriti (Culture), by
vandalising pubs and terrorising the lovers on Valentine's Day. Will
not be surprised if he is also supported as Varun Gandhi was for his
wrongdoings.Vishal D'Souza Bangalore 26 Mar, 2009 11:58 AM
Each & every small incidents of BJP leaders are highlighted on
National Media, but it's a great achivement by the BJP to win
elections even after all media houses are writing against them. Really
BJP a great performer, shame on media which is tarnishing natinal
partiotic party BJP's image in each & every aspect. But BJP's
popularity growing day by day throughout the country.Vishal D'Souza
Bangalore 26 Mar, 2009 12:00 PM
Each & every small incidents of BJP leaders are highlighted on
National Media, but it's a great achievement by the BJP to win
elections even after all media houses are writing against them. Really
BJP a great performer, shame on media which is tarnishing national
patriotic party BJP's image in each & every aspect. But BJP's
popularity growing day by day throughout the country.Vaibhav S Pune 26
Mar, 2009 12:00 PM
Sick....Anonym Bangalore 26 Mar, 2009 12:01 PM
I do not think BJP endorses this too as part of their agenda like you
people say BJP endorses communal or whatever. This is a criminal case
and should not be related to any political party while referring. The
headline is quite flashy and diverged. Nikesh Kumar Shukla Delhi 26
Mar, 2009 12:02 PM
Yes!!! This is only possible in the BJP the party with the difference.
They are so called and self declared custodian of Indian culture and
the hinduism.Bindu Bangalore 26 Mar, 2009 12:07 PM
It is absolutely revolting to read these stories, which one gets to
read too often now a days. Where is the world headed to; why is it
that the daughters are not being spared by their own fathers; where
will they find comfort and safety if not their own homes? At least one
positive aspect is that the girl had the courage to come out in the
open - women/girls have to raise their voices...so much that the
judiciary takes some strict measures against such dastardly
crimes.Rammy Sydney, Australia 26 Mar, 2009 12:10 PM
Amazing what the other readers are saying: the girl has to prove why
she kept silent? Why bring up the political party the member is
associated with? Must be election ploy? Simply amazing! Its takes a
great amount of courage to report rape, let alone incest. That is even
more so in a country like India. What will happen to this girl? Who
will marry her? Despite all these she still had the courage to tell
her relatives and all we can give her is suspicion and disdain. Where
are our morals and compassion? We should be ashamed to treat this news
this way!Riz Sydney 26 Mar, 2009 12:11 PM
funny, TOI is pro-BJP ; pls dont be mislead..SRG Mumbai 26 Mar, 2009
12:12 PM
Can't expect better from a BJP leader! All of them are either rapist
or provoke rape and murder!KRRamesh Chennai 26 Mar, 2009 12:13 PM
All this cultural damage is happening in India after the Invaders
occupied Indian Land and dominating with the Political clout. Original
Indians are now suffering! The foreign elements to be thrown out of
Our Country!ckg bangalore 26 Mar, 2009 12:15 PM
If there is anything which can be called as National Shame then it is
such news which make us hang our head. Earlier we used to eulogise our
family culture and tradition and criticise the western about there
nuclear mind, when i read such stories i feel that we are no better in
our moral degradation than others. As far as naming a political party,
it is true that one single person can not be equated with the party as
a whole, but it is necessary for the party involved to immediately
initiate action and come clean. Indian USA 26 Mar, 2009 12:17 PM
Everybody has got something to do in their day to day life. Does that
mean whatever he/she will do in their personal life will be the
resposibility of the organization he/she i working for? I am a
congress supporter but ,where is BJP involved in this shameful
incident and what they are suppsed to do in this case? Sivaram S
Pondicherry 26 Mar, 2009 12:19 PM
In continuum to the comment from manoj, delhi :: Mr. Manoj - what do
you mean by he is a normal criminal ? and you seem more bothered about
the mentioning of the party than the degree of crime involved.
However, I agree that such articles should not be featured on the
first page as it would corrupt innocent minds (if any). Though am an
atheist, I hate it when such fellows (the accused) blame it on
astrology or religion.G S wagle bangalore 26 Mar, 2009 12:22 PM
It looks like there is a well knitted propaganda to show BJP in poor
light. No need to say that all in congresswallahs are "Mahatmas".
Poeple have not forgotten the infamous Tandoori Murder episode in the
heart of the capital of the country.All the electronic media now a
days showing nothing but BJP Hatred.Is there an end for this?I find
the journalism at its worst.meeran singh ahluwal Patiala 26 Mar, 2009
12:22 PM
why you are taking only one instance of BJP leader raping his own
daughter, almost 65% of BJP leaders and workers are regularly doing
this insane thing since years but so far no one of them has been
arrested why coz of politicalconnections as every body is aware
of..the govt and public should bring this to show the world thier
cheap and vulgar mentality and they claim to rule the nation.....ha !
ha ! aks USA 26 Mar, 2009 10:16 PM
Thats very sickening to say the least. If daughters are not protected
by their own fathers who else will. Where does it leave the poor girl?
Why is the mother quiet on this? Castrate all this people who cannot
control their urges..Rape is a beastly act and that too on their own
daughter..man this guy must be sick and insane and should be treated
and put behind bars and asked to work for social welfare organisation
or home for the aged but do not leave this man on the roads for God's
sake. As it is there are so many criminals in many disguises roaming
around and we can ill afford another.vishwas india 27 Mar, 2009 12:37
AM
this is nothing but a propaganda againstt BJP, earlier it was Ramsene,
then Varun and now this case which has nothing to do with BJP. voters
should not be misled with such news.Vishal Agrawal Mumbai 27 Mar, 2009
12:48 AM
It is really sad that girls are treated so badly in our country. More
girls should come out to these victims. India needs a women revolution
but of course not legally like reservation etc because that would only
empower them to do injustice. Something like misuse of dowry act by
girls. India is in a very interesting times.Salim usa 27 Mar, 2009
01:06 AM
Hang Him nowLucas Podolski Chennai 27 Mar, 2009 01:06 AMTOI has just
put a word mentioning BJP. Instead of talking about the main topic,
most of you are talking about TOI or politics. This only shows the
narrow mindedness of most of our people.Tally World 27 Mar, 2009 01:08
AM
Sad to see that people are more worried about BJP rather than the
girl. Are you all out of your minds ? A young girl has been physically
tortured by her own father for years. Think about what she must be
going through. These kind of crimes go beyond party lines, castes and
nationalities. Go look up human rights and dignity in a dictionary.Raj
Delhi 27 Mar, 2009 01:09 AM
The act is reprehensible and the man deserves a severe punishment.
However, I think the act is completely personal and BJP should not be
dragged into it. At the same time, if BJP were smart, it would
immediately issue their own condemnation of the act. That they have
not done so shows how poor the party's PR is. I am a Congress
supporter (simply because it seems to offer better leaders and it
doesn't invoke the Hindutva message again and again). But I am a
bigger believer in democracy and for any democracy to function, we
need more than one competitive party at the national level. BJP has
failed miserably in being that party (more so post Mahajan-Vajpayee
era). I sure hope they get their act together and offer us a thriving
alternative to the Congress. Somnath New York 27 Mar, 2009 01:17 AM
Why doesnot TOI ever print the Accused side of the story? TOI should
start making another section for Rapist dads, women's newspaper,
domestic abuse. The media, people, laws every one beleives women are
innocent in this world and men are the only culprits, in fact women
drive men to do the crime.Emanuel D. Samuel Toronto, On. Canada 27
Mar, 2009 01:29 AM
Child molestation is a common phenomenon all over the world. The weak
preyed on by the strong; betrayal of trust; misplaced affection. In my
experience, it is a sickness based on a deviant love and will not stop
regardless. The main reason is the closeness of the parties and the
high percentage probability it will never be exposed. It is not
considered wicked, immoral, rather rationalized by the existence of an
immense, albeit misplaced, love.Dinkar London 27 Mar, 2009 01:37 AM
what's wrong with this world? An Indian London 27 Mar, 2009 02:04 AM
My heart goes out to this young girl and the other victims in her
family . As a nation we should support her , applaud her incredible
courage for speaking out , give her and the other victims all the
support we can and make sure the monster who perpetrated these crimes
is brought to justice . Anyone who seeks to support this monster who
dares to call himself a '' father '' on this site or any other form of
media should be condemned by right minded viewers . This is a horific
crime that deserves punishment of the stiffest kind although no
punishment would ever be enough for what this man has done . Amit
California 27 Mar, 2009 02:04 AM
As sad as the story is, I am glad that women are finally speaking up
about the abuses that they have to live with. Bravo for getting this
matter out. I share the daughters sentiment that this rapist should be
either jailed or shot. Also, Dear Editor, it is laudable that you are
printing these stories, I would however be wary or partisan politics.
In my opinion, it was completely unnecessary to state the rapists
Party Allegiance - this will only help more with vote-bank
politics...just my 2 cents..Rajkumar Patil Toronto 27 Mar, 2009 02:05
AM
What the hell you guys are talking about? A monster father raped her
daughter for a decade, and instead of pressuring the govt for harsh
punishment for such crimes, you people are takling and playing
polytics here. If allowed and encouraged, many thousands of such
victims will come forward, who were pressured and threatened by their
own family members for years. Such criminals do not belong to any
religion, party or country. They do that hinious crime with all their
conscious and do it repeatedly, to those who are most weak and
vulnerable elements of the society:the children. I hate the so called
Sharia law, but when i read such stories, i really feel that these
criminlas should be treated and punished unhumanly;Jatin London 27
Mar, 2009 02:06 AM
I am shocked after this news in India we are finding new ones
everyday, our law should set very tight punishment for this kind of
crime so it can be a learning lesson for all Fritzl's growing in India
& anywhere in the world, Its shame we have got 2 of same kind in our
own country. Its a shame people are still talking this as Congree v/s
BJP war guys please grow up and is this what we are going to leave for
our future generations....Pls all should get together and do sumthing
about victims and help them in every way to restabilise thier life, if
they are not safe in their own houses then we can forget about
everything else..We need to first look at the core of the problems why
are people turning to their daughters as a sex object and I would say
their other family members are equally responsible for this crime who
knew about it.Jasbir Singh Sydney 27 Mar, 2009 02:10 AM
It is a normal Indian psyche, everything they do have link with
politics. Criminals can use any platform. Shankaracharia was charged,
many swamis went to jail, things happened in Aasa Ram's Ashram, Many
Mullahs or Granthis were also found engaging in immoral activities.
The real thing is getting corruption out of Police and court so that
people feel free to approach them. A website should be started where
anyone can list their problems and seek help. Pedophiles are using
everything in India including SMS, internet etc but they are going
undetected.Prasad Gowda London 27 Mar, 2009 02:17 AM
Dear editor, I am ashamed by the way your reporter has reported this
incident. There is no need to mention ones political inclination to
their personal life and the sins commited at a personal level. I am
sure a corrupt politician is as bad as this sinful man and surely you
can find many in every political party in the country!RK B'lore 27
Mar, 2009 02:27 AM
This is rediculos. There is not much to do with BJP in this case.
There are lots of MLA/MPs are horrible things including raping kids of
things. This is the part of thier culture. You go and investigate the
poltical leaders, you will find much more worst than these. There
stupid ppl here they just go on BJP. I would say, only BJP will do
better govt in the current situation for India. Rest all the parties
are hopelessinderjit U.S.A. 27 Mar, 2009 02:27 AM
Per story, the father is a FAMOUS LEADER, the obvious question will be
of what PARTY, so,the media was bound to name the party,same is with
VARUN GANDHI, he shot the lime light because of BJP, otherwise such
speeches of communal hatred are the ORDER OF THE DAY in India and WHO
CARES without the name of the party. This incident should be condemned
by all including sitting MP from Amritsar who belongs to BJP. Margo
Russia 27 Mar, 2009 02:43 AM
The burning question is MENTALITY and it has nothing to do with any
political party. Lack of openess leads to crime. In school teachers
should explain about child abuse and how kids should react. Education!
Education! Education!Thats sad .... Switzerland 27 Mar, 2009 03:04 AM
Small girls being raped by their fathers uncles or grandfathers. Its
happening since ages and its very hard to control. Small girls are
afraid to come out in public and make noise. Mothers wants to keep
their family name.. In India its happening more then we think. Shame
on you all.ae india 27 Mar, 2009 03:05 AM
It seems Indian culture died long back. What a pity thing happening in
our society. Where is human rights group? parents should see that no
tears in his /her daughter. It is very urgent for the govt to form
commission to take the task. where is relation, what relation. now
everything is dissappearing .It is difficult to express anything about
this ghastly incidents.Vikram Bangalore 27 Mar, 2009 03:23 AM
India should become the first country to award death sentence for
raping minors.Raghu Prabhu melbourne 27 Mar, 2009 03:25 AMKeep
politics out of it. Let the police do their job with out any
interference. If the man has done the worng thing, let him be tried in
the proper manner. Does not matter if he is BJP or
Congress.P.M.G.,pillai Mannar, AllaPUZHA KERALA 27 Mar, 2009 03:43 AM
Because no one care for any basic ethic principles.Male memebers in
home must maintain a distance between thefemale members to prevent
these unwanted relations being developed unknowningly.Code of
behaviour for homes also is very essential to maintain proper
relationship. Original Indian India 27 Mar, 2009 03:43 AM
This is no lies, as it were a lie this man would have not complained
of chest pains. Chest pain complaints are only made by the guilty who
know its imminent of them going to jail. This man is a monster and a
threat to public safety, imagine how could someone ever do this to a
minor and keep doing it. He will surely rot in hell but the big
question is will he rot in life or get away with it? This is indeed a
rarestr of rare cases and the punishment should be rare and extreme;
Gallows or bullet (his daughter or should I say victims wish).on the
fence canada 27 Mar, 2009 04:05 AM
Well I truly sympathize with the girl and accused should be hanged to
death if proven so....but we should also spare a thought that the
accused could well be a victim of conspiracy till it is not proved.
This girl and mother may not be getting along well with this
man....could be family dispute or whatever and they could have got a
perfect plot from Mumbai event to settle the score with him....in
India, we seem to take woman's word over man pretty easily....this
social attitude can easily be exploited by some. Just a thought. Umesh
Korea 27 Mar, 2009 04:08 AM
For last few times these type of news are becoming common in developed
cities like mumbai etc....But I heard same news earlier many times
from Punjab only.......Even in 1999 I heard such type of case first
time the place was Punjab & I was shocked even I did not believe for
sometime..but the truth...Ranjan Singh Noida 27 Mar, 2009 04:16 AM
I hope this is one of the rarest incident ever heard. I am also of the
opinion that it haas nothing to do with the party but then why every
time BJP leadres blames other's for such incidents.. Take on the
example of Mr Varun Gandhi..Who other than Varun would have courage
and guts to challenge that whatever that is being shown on news
channels have been docotred..Insane...the party stand by him. Isn't
that shows the kind of ideology these political parties have...I think
these incidents are coming in otice at the right time because you know
whom you are choosing for next 5 years...atleast you know the one you
have voted for is a rapist who raped his own daughter so atleast you
need to take extra care for your relatives..nick sharma melbourne 27
Mar, 2009 04:30 AM
Everyone over here is think from political aspect. And nearly 70%of
the messages are related to politics. what about that girl who has
been in great pain bcoz of this in human behaviors. Think like a human
being not like insane. J.S. North America 27 Mar, 2009 04:47 AM
Hold your breath mothers of India, there are more rapist fathers
hiding under a screen of pretense of being good fathers. There is a
need for mothers to talk and discuss confidential matters with their
daughters. Do not be afraid to ask if their Dads have made seductive
approaches or even rape them. Do not say it cannot happen to my
daughter and do not blame your daughter if such an incident happen. It
is all the fathers' fault and lack of disrespcet. India I believe, has
become the rape capital of the world. It is a shame to learn that
another father who should have known better raped his daughter for 8
years. There are a lot more incidents in India, which have not been
exposed because mothers and daughters depend on fathers to take care
of them. I storngly urge the government to set up shelters to take of
abused women and children. So much young lives are being destroyed and
so much of innocense and purity are being lost. People who commit such
crimes against the young should be severely punished. ABC Mumbai 27
Mar, 2009 07:28 AM
Related to this incident, I want to express one incident happened. To
one girl (my relative girl) after her marriage, her father in-law
asked her husband (ie his son) to go abroad soon after marriage. After
he (son) went abroad, one day (that time her mother-in law went to
market)that father-in-law asked her to obey for him. When she denied,
suddenly he removed her dress and touched her private part of the body
and told her that he arranged marriage for his son with her, only for
he liked her and loved her. she shouted and cried. Finally he left and
told her, "if you tell this to my son or to my wife, I will separate
you from my son. My son believe whatever I tell him". After that he
did not allow any of her relatives to talk with her in person (its
like house arrest). After one year, his son (that girls husband) came
from gulf country. The girl told all this incident to him. He was
shocked and he did not take any action. Just asked her a promise not
to tell this to anybody. Because all their property is in his fathers
name. If he go aganist his father, he may not give any property to
him. In India many girls are suffering like this. God only can save
the pity girls...... KS INDIA 27 Mar, 2009 08:23 AM
Now the man has become like an animal. Because of these few animal
men, the whole men will be looked with doubt. THEY SHOULD BE BOOKED,
TRIED IN A COURT OF LAW AND PUNISHED VERY FAST AND NOT TAKING EVEN FEW
MONTHS. What a shame to the country?A Ray Burdwan, WB 27 Mar, 2009
08:29 AM
Such incidents give us a glimpse as to how many other weak-willed
humans are hiding. And even worse, there are definitely some mothers,
too, who rape their sons and are under cover. The latter are very
rarely exposed because of the inability of the man to speak out. Men
can never be accepted in society as victims to women. Just imagine
their dolour.Abdullah Malaysia 27 Mar, 2009 09:10 AM
The role of mother is very crucial in preventing this kind of
incidents. After a certain age, mother should keep their daugthers
away from unwanted mingling with males.madhulika hyderabad 27 Mar,
2009 09:50 AM
This is the most heinous act did by a father.It is really shameful
that these types of father do exist in our society...............There
is not a single place on earth which is really safe for girls untill
unless they will come out on their own and onus the responsibility of
themselves and their siblings.This is the only possible solution of
this great ever existing problem..........So girls come out of your
limitations and bondages and be ready to make this world feel that
girls are really capable and competent enough to face all these
problems.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/opinions/4317364.cms
Businessman raped daughter for 9 years
Sandhya Nair , TNN, Mar 20, 2009, 02.34am IST
Article Comments (179)
MUMBAI: The sprawling township of Mira Road on the outskirts of the
metropolis woke up to the bizarre news of the arrest of a businessman
for allegedly raping his daughter over nine years, drawing macabre
parallels with Joseph Fritzl of Austria who raped his daughter over 24
years.
Ashok Chore (name changed), aged 60, was arrested by the Mira Road
police on Wednesday night from his apartment for sexually abusing his
daughter over nine years on the advice of a `tantrik' who promised
that doing so would make him prosperous.
Arrested along with Chore was the tantrik, Hasmukh Rathod (60), who
posed as an astrologer, and Chore's 47-year-old wife, who has been
charged with abetting the heinous crime. The three were remanded to
two-day police custody by the Thane sessions court on Thursday whereas
the cops had sought a 14-day remand.
The traumatised girl, now 21, had been silent about her ordeal all
these years but mustered the courage to approach the police after her
father, she alleged, attempted to rape her 15-year-old younger sister
on the advice of the same tantrik.
The elder sister, who works for a private firm in Mumbai, had become
the target of sexual abuse at the age of 12 'when Rathod had advised
Chore to have sex with her in order to prosper. Chore and Rathod were
neighbours in Vile Parle. The maternal uncle of the young girls, who
helped them lodge a complaint, said his sister had been brainwashed by
Rathod.
Chore first sexually abused his elder daughter in 2000 when his
interior designing business failed. According to police, Chore used to
undress his daughter in front of his wife and have sex with her.
The fact that his business did not flourish did not prevent Chore from
continuing with his depraved act. Rathod apparently had great
influence on the Chores. He had, in 2002, managed to get the couple's
consent for sex with the elder daughter.
Chore is believed to have borrowed large amounts of money for his
business. Last November, when Chore once again confided in Rathod
about his failing business, he was advised to have sex with his
younger daughter, a class 10th student. The couple is believed to have
even taken her to Rathod's Vile Parle home for sexual encounters to
avoid the elder daughter's wrath. But when the elder daughter learnt
about it last week, she told her maternal uncle. Both the girls are
currently with their maternal uncle and grandmother.
Chore's advocate Edgar Braganza alleged that his clients were being
framed by the two siblings. ``The elder of the two daughters has
complained that she was threatened and sexually exploited by her
parents and Rathod since 2000. This girl is 21 and till date there has
been no complaint or resistance by her. Is it possible for a father to
rape a daughter for nine years and live under the same roof? Where is
the question of medical examination of the accused since it's not a
recent incident?'' Braganza argued in the court.
The police told the court that they would require a 14-day remand as
there is a possibility that the accused may be connected to a gang
involved in prostitution. (With inputs from Nitin Yeshwantrao)
Dev Kumar Dutta Mumbai 19 Mar, 2009 11:37 AM
Why're you hiding the bastard's name? Publish his picture and name
ASAP...we want to see him gaurav mubai 19 Mar, 2009 11:42 AM
This is psycho cause, people doing and thinking like this are mentally
ill. The main cause of this type scenario is arisen due to illegal
porn sites and movies which not make us mentally ill but also produce
adverse effect on our social life gaurav mumbai 19 Mar, 2009 11:43 AM
This is psycho cause, people doing and thinking like this are mentally
ill. The main cause of this type scenario is arisen due to illegal
porn sites and movies which not make us mentally ill but also produce
adverse effect on our social life vaidya pune 19 Mar, 2009 11:44 AM
kill them in public...sudhir Ahmedabad 19 Mar, 2009 11:44 AM
It would be of interest to see the opinion of the self appinted
protectors of Hinduism know about the Tantrik. Would they oppose it or
would their blind love for anything remotely hindu make them shy away
from even uttering a few words against such incidents.pramod nagpur 19
Mar, 2009 11:45 AM
aise father ko zinda rahne ka koi adhikar nahi hai aur jo 'tantrik'
aise suggestions deta ho use to beech churahe par zinda jala dena
chahiye.Mehrunnisa Farooq Qatar 19 Mar, 2009 11:48 AM
Is our Indian Culture Slowly dying ? Betiyan to baap ki Izzat thi, aab
baap hi izzat se khilwad kare. This is the worst of human crimes, on
daughters fathered by himself, the parents should be punished
severly.ilyas bharuch 19 Mar, 2009 11:49 AM
Just kill this bastered in publicS W Kamath Secunderabad 19 Mar, 2009
11:54 AM
These type of cases should not be considered as isolated ones
involving depraved individuals, if we really hope to think of India as
a modern nation in the 21st century. Why can't we have the will, at
least in such cases, for demanding the death penalty for the rapist.
Imagine if this is the scenario in Mumbai, one shudders to think of
what would be happening in rural areas. Mr.Rationality USA 19 Mar,
2009 11:55 AM
If the tantrik would have told the father to parade his daughters in
the nude, he would have done that too!. That is why I always say
"DON'T FOLLOW ANY GURUS" AS 99% OF THEM ARE FAKE!Aks USA 19 Mar, 2009
11:56 AM
Stupid belief. These may be an excuse for that fellow also, who knows.
Really some of the absurd stories are slowly coming out due to media
coverage etc. Put them all the accused behind the bars for lifetime
without parole or leninency including the 'tantrik'. Shruti Ggn 19
Mar, 2009 11:59 AM
What a shame!!! These people should be hanged.Mark India 19 Mar, 2009
12:02 PM
He should be hanged to death..this is devil's job,there could be
several such cases in India,but going undercover...due to fear of
shame and disjust.puvathi pukuvathi ksa 19 Mar, 2009 12:04 PM
send this bastard also to Austria,his very own elder brother
JosefFritzl it seems both has come out from the same tunnel, shoot
them from guns from point blank range so that thier parts get blown
out , send them to the gallows,they will spoil the younger
generation ...... or dont publish such reports please!!!!!!Anuj U.P 19
Mar, 2009 12:05 PM
what a shame.... these animals should be hanged to death in public ..
they defy all morals that any society is biult on... if girls aren't
safe in thier own homes.. where else will they be safe. ?J.Mukund
Hyderabad. 19 Mar, 2009 12:07 PMSuch type of persons should be given
capital punishment. Hang them untill death.naro delhi 19 Mar, 2009
12:09 PM
This extremely appalling behaviour is surely comparable to the hedious
josep fritzl crime,send them,both husband & wife to life
imprisonment.No sane person would have an incestuous relationship
wether at the advice of a 'tantrik'or not.It defies nature and only
extremely sick minded people would resort to this kind of behaviour.I
do hope that the courts will mete out the same punishment to both
husband/wife duo as she is equally gulity of abatting this heinous
crime against her daughters.Deb Kolkata 19 Mar, 2009 12:11 PM
This types of most hatred crimes are increasing every day and it can
break the social bonding and trust and thus can result in complete
failure of a state very soon. These filthy criminals should be
punished in a way that others do not dare to think about these in
future.harees dubai 19 Mar, 2009 12:12 PM
i wonder why didnt u guys put the names of the parents n the
tantrikAsh USA 19 Mar, 2009 12:22 PM
This so sick, as bad as it can get. How can a parent do this to his
own flesh and blood just for the sake of money. He should get life in
prison.RK India 19 Mar, 2009 12:22 PMPlease Plublicly trash this
bastard and kill him...Thameem Nairobi 19 Mar, 2009 12:23 PM
Why still we are believing the astrology? If you want to get rid off
your problems, work hard and pray to god. Not to individuals like Sai
Baba, these are thieves, we are living in 21st century, they are just
spiritual guys they can't do anything. can they live for ever? why we
need to trust them? Stop. Believe yourself. Jyoti Sunnyvale, CA 19
Mar, 2009 12:25 PM
How disgusting! We need to spread more awareness among young children
in schools about matters such as incest. Maybe each school can have a
special cell which helps students who face such problems in their own
homes and escalates the case to the police if necessary.Theresa Dubai
19 Mar, 2009 12:25 PM
I was traumatized this last few days hearing the details of incest
case in Austria. Hearing of a similar story in my own city really
makes me sad. I'm sure there are many more cases which are not
reported due to social stigma. I pray that reading about these stories
other kids will break their silence and expose these evil deeds of
their parentsCapt. Brian Fernandez Bandra, Mumbai 19 Mar, 2009 12:29
PM
This is what happens when we make wealth and money the one and only
principle in our lives!RG Mumbai 19 Mar, 2009 12:30 PM
Found guilty, hang this guy..this is really bad.Kamal Gurgaon 19 Mar,
2009 12:31 PM
Totally Disgusting, This old businessman of 60 years should be hanged
for this heinous crime. Zaheer Australia 19 Mar, 2009 12:33 PM
hard to swollow..some tantrik say something and this dumbhead spoils
the whole meaning of fatherhood. its a shame that todays women has no
burrow left to hide. whom do they trust now?shabana Bangalore 19 Mar,
2009 12:33 PM
It is even more revolting and diabolic than Josef Fritzl's case.
Fritzl is diagnosed as psychotic and a pervert and he did all that in
a secret way till he was caught. Unbelievable greed and perversion is
evident in this case than just superstition.Any adjective will fall
short to explain this heinous act. Both the parents are a classic
example of inhumanity and a shame for term "parent".we can only
imagine the mental state of the child in this case whose trust and
faith in her parent as well as life is so ruthlessly breached. There
is no punishment which is enough for such a crime...capital punishment
is perhaps the easiest way out for the accused shabana Bangalore 19
Mar, 2009 12:33 PM
It is even more revolting and diabolic than Josef Fritzl's case.
Fritzl is diagnosed as psychotic and a pervert and he did all that in
a secret way till he was caught. Unbelievable greed and perversion is
evident in this case than just superstition.Any adjective will fall
short to explain this heinous act. Both the parents are a classic
example of inhumanity and a shame for term "parent".we can only
imagine the mental state of the child in this case whose trust and
faith in her parent as well as life is so ruthlessly breached. There
is no punishment which is enough for such a crime...capital punishment
is perhaps the easiest way out for the accused vicky uae 19 Mar, 2009
12:34 PM
how come he raped his own daughter .this guys hast to punished with
sex torture to them.jalaluddin palekar. UAE. 19 Mar, 2009 12:37 PM
Have islamic Laws to protect the society from such Evil acts.
Jalaluddin Palekar. UAE.mmalbari Kochi 19 Mar, 2009 12:37 PM
When there is a question of Rape and Molestation, We Indians cannot be
behindPinaki Sengupta Rishra 19 Mar, 2009 12:37 PM
A law should now be framed and exemplary punishment to be given to all
the accused so nobody will even dare to do such a crime ever.santosh
sinha beijing 19 Mar, 2009 12:38 PM
It can happen only in mumbai in Indiasaj thomas dubai 19 Mar, 2009
12:39 PM
crime against women are increasing ,,,,and there is no one to voice
against it ,,,,,,,its the poor and the oppressed who are left to the
fate... no one.. is there to raise voice where are the moral police
who raised so many issues ....about culture ,,,, i have decided not to
vote ...anyone ...who are good for nothingGaurav Delhi 19 Mar, 2009
12:40 PM
Before any thing is done to the father i want that bloody, Tantrik to
be punished. And also the father must be given as harsh punishment as
any one could ever getKobita Bangalore 19 Mar, 2009 12:44 PM
How disgusting can one get. Really pains me to note the extent one can
go to gain wealth. The culprits should be punished appropriately.Avi
Australia 19 Mar, 2009 12:45 PM
Highly obnoxious act. Shame on such dads.ajaz bangalore 19 Mar, 2009
12:47 PM
This is totally inhuman the father and the tantrik should be burnt
alive ...............it is totally inhuman JJJJJ Pak 19 Mar, 2009
12:48 PM
This is what you are indians..anne India 19 Mar, 2009 12:49 PMGive him
sever punishment so that in futher no father can do this. This is
really a shame. How can a father do this to his own flesh. I request
and appeal all the girls come forwards when this things start
happenning with them.dont keep quite, it is shame, but instead of
suffering, better to complain and get rid of this devil fathers. It is
big shame when mother who support her husband.We read this all
happening in foreign country, but this thing happening India. Now no
one will come to protect this types of issues which is against our
culture.Sabeera Mumbai 19 Mar, 2009 12:53 PM
This rapist dad should be hanged along with his wife. Severe
punishment should be given to both. In Mumbai all this sort of things
happens. Even many daughter in-law's are suffering from issues like
this. I am one person from Mumbai faced by father in-law (but somehow
saved myself), but my husband did not believe. Many pity girls are
living in the world. dr.anupam rajasthan 19 Mar, 2009 12:57 PM
that tantrik and father must be hang on,how anybody can even think
just for moneydr.anupam rajasthan 19 Mar, 2009 12:57 PM
that tantrik and father must be hang on,how anybody can even think
just for moneydr.anupam rajasthan 19 Mar, 2009 12:57 PM
that tantrik and father must be hang on,how anybody can even think
just for moneyshoukat firfiray NRI 19 Mar, 2009 12:57 PM
both (culprit and tantrik should be given capital punishment (hang to
death in public) for lesson to masses. There should not be any lapses
in passing the verdict from judiciary. Rajehs Chennai 19 Mar, 2009
12:58 PM
He is not a human being.....I think may be an animal..Only animals do
see such a difference in sexfaisal dhahran 19 Mar, 2009 01:01 PM
What if this is NOT true? What if the girls wanted money or something
from their parents, like to marry someone they did not like, etc? Why
are people being areested just on the word of someone without any
evidence???? If this is another case of lying, like so many are in
India, then the parents should use every legal means to sue the
government and the police.Nikit Mumbai 19 Mar, 2009 01:01 PM
This sought of people humiliates our society and even the man kind,
they should be sentenced to death and especially the tantrik in
public. These guys are humiliating all of us.dr.anupam rajasthan 19
Mar, 2009 01:01 PM
that tantrik and father must be hang on,how anybody can even think
just for moneydr.anupam rajasthan 19 Mar, 2009 01:01 PM
that tantrik and father must be hang on,how anybody can even think
just for moneyRaj Chennai 19 Mar, 2009 01:05 PM
Those men should be cut downAN INDIAN Abroad 19 Mar, 2009 01:05 PMT
his person his wife and the "TANTRIK" all are animals, they should be
punished severely. Shame on him for committing such a heinous crime.
No lawyer shoudl help these people and no police officer should
support them. Shame on them for bringing disgrace on India and Indian
people.s. wadhwa new delhi 19 Mar, 2009 01:06 PM
The laws in our country need to be flexible enough to warrant instant
punishment in such heinous cases.Ramanpreet Delhi, India 19 Mar, 2009
01:09 PM
such a shame full incident. it appears we indians have lost our
cultural values which is always being cherished by others. i am so
disappoited with this factRaj USA 19 Mar, 2009 01:11 PMSick.R.KUMAR
NCR 19 Mar, 2009 01:14 PM
photographs of such crimnals should be published prominantly in the
media and then the punishment should be --hanging them upside down in
a public place till they die and their dead bodies thrown to dogs &
vultures.DONALD ALMAS DUBAI 19 Mar, 2009 01:17 PM
THE FATHER AND THE TANTRIK SHOULD BE CASTRATED AND THE MOTHER
IMPRISONED FOR LIFE.IT SURE WOULD BE THE PUNISHMENT IF THIS WOULD
HAPPEN IN SAUDI ARABIA.NOW THAT THE FATHER IS A BUSINESS MAN HE WOULD
SQUASH THE MATTER PAYING MONEY.SHAME ON THE INDIAN LAW AND ORDER AND
THE CORRUPTION INVOLVED. H K Bhargava Bangkok Thailand 19 Mar, 2009
01:18 PM
Do not bring religion into this. The Girl's Father needs to be
executed as he actually performed the crime. Tantric comes next and
also needs a VERY HARSH punishment.S.L.J.Gallyot Mumbai 19 Mar, 2009
01:19 PM
No leniency should be shown to such a pervert. The crime is worse
because it has violated the safety and security that a father brings
to his family. the tantrik is equally guilty and should face the same
life imprisonment.We have perverts masquerading as tantrics and
swamis. The Parivar has been obstructing the introduction of the
Superstitious practices bill for obvious reasonsNitin Valecha Delhi 19
Mar, 2009 01:21 PM
The case presents the levels of superstition(s) that are still
embedded in our society and the influence of it on even the educated
masses. The culprit(s)(Father & Tantrik) should be given the severest
punishment as it defames and clobbers the "Parent-child" relationship
and falls inot the "rarest of rare" category.Dr. M M Tiwari Raipur 19
Mar, 2009 01:28 PM
No words to condemn the henious crime.How can one even think such
inhuman acts that too from literate persons.Where our society is
leading to?There may be many other cases which are not reported.This
is just superstition,no Tantrik can ever do anything except befooling
persons to make his money.Exemplary punishment must be given to
Father,Mother and the Tantrik. Qaari Mumbai 19 Mar, 2009 01:29 PM
The problem here is two fold. Tantrik or occultist can not be banned
because many people have faith in them. These people may feel deprived
of the gain if there is ban on practices based on supernatural powers.
All the money spent on CHANDRAYAN project is waste if the BABAS can
bring moon on palm of your hand. But the BABAS can be watched for
criminal acts. Second problem is INCEST. This can be controlled simply
if the police support is guarunteed which is for what ever reason
absent in many cases. The victims in many cases may not have sense,
mental or physical strentgh to oppose the criminal act. Neighbours
surely become aware of such acts if it continues for long time. They
don't intervene for not buying trouble in case there is no
administrative support to them. To have sympathy for victim may cost
dear and that is the reason no one comes near. Kunal Pune 19 Mar, 2009
01:29 PM
Horrible! Put aside culture stuff, it just shows to what extent a
human mind can go for some selfish benefitssahil india 19 Mar, 2009
01:34 PM
please let us know the name of that criminalAlihusain Mira Road 19
Mar, 2009 01:34 PM
It is a shame for Mira road residents to have such type of acts. As a
resident of Mira Road I feel that these people should be punished in
public by the people. Abdul Azeez Ullal Mangalore, Karnataka 19 Mar,
2009 01:35 PMOnly animals can do like this. Hang this bitch as soon as
possibleamer hyd 19 Mar, 2009 01:36 PM
The case has to be interogated as soon as possible Courts should not
delay such a things for long periods. Which can give rise to such a
criminals as per the tantriks this are very foolish people spoiling
lifes of innocent people for their sake and livelibood if they found
guilty their heads must be cut in public. so that any body with
thoughts of gaining powers or wealth should not believe such a
tantriks who are ready to murder the humanity.Ghanav sydney 19 Mar,
2009 01:41 PM
its funny hw a freakkin antrik can mislead a father to rape his own
daughters... to hell with him n da couple. dese guys hav no right 2
livekasmur hyderabad 19 Mar, 2009 01:41 PM
he should be fired in front of the public.he is not a father he is a
mad dog and mad dogs should not be left kill himSanjit Bal Gurgaon 19
Mar, 2009 01:42 PM
Such a person does not deserve a trail or has any right to recourse of
law. This person deserves the death penalty for completely depraving
the image of a parent and runining the life of his own daughters.
Callous, self centered and depraved people like him and his wife have
no right to live in civilized society.Tauseef Ahmed Delhi 19 Mar, 2009
01:43 PM
Such a shameful incident like this not only put a dent in our culture
but also made mockery of father child relation. A person like him
should be hanged in public so that nobody else could even dare to
think about such henious thing.Rajesh Qatar 19 Mar, 2009 01:43 PM
These crimnals must be punished as per Islamic Law (Shariyah). stone
them and cut the head publically for the lesson of people like Saudi
Arabia. Saudi Arabia has the lowest crime (tend to zero) in the world
due to Islamic Law. Thanks to all om US 19 Mar, 2009 01:44 PMhow some
one can rape some one for 7 years....is this possibleAbhishek MEERUT
19 Mar, 2009 01:50 PM
Ofcourse such a man should be hanged to death if he has committed such
a heinous crime. But, addition to this, Common man has his/her mind
set to believe such incidence to be absolutely truth without any
proofs and evidences and at once get sympathesised with the victim.
Truth must be Explored first!!vinod pune 19 Mar, 2009 01:51 PM
the father should be shot at sight..Samad Khan Bangalore 19 Mar, 2009
01:53 PM
This is sick!! Rape your own child for greed of money. Indian society
was known for its modesty, principals and values.Somewhere along the
recent way, we Indians have lost it all and have become a very
greedy,insensitive and a shallow society. Why take the man to court??
Hang him at Ghandi chowk along with the tantrik.SMF Dubai,UAE 19 Mar,
2009 01:52 PM
India should adopt the Sharia law(Islamic law).This is the only answer
to such henious crimes.People will think twice even before they think
of such evil acts. Think about it India.It will make difference.This
is the true Law.Neel Gagan New Delhi 19 Mar, 2009 01:53 PM
This is just rubbish...they have not done it just becoz Tantrik has
told..or for money...root cause may be non-fullfillment of sexual
desires. It is shameful that Mother was knowing all about it....and
she did nothing to stop it... Bose Delhi 19 Mar, 2009 02:02 PM
If this comes out to be true ultimately, then the only punishment for
these beasts is a single shot at the back of their
head....PERIOD.....Its sickening to the stomach...SMF Dubai,UAE 19
Mar, 2009 01:52 PM
India should adopt the Sharia law(Islamic law).This is the only answer
to such henious crimes.People will think twice even before they think
of such evil acts. Think about it India.It will make difference.This
is the true Law.Neel Gagan New Delhi 19 Mar, 2009 01:53 PM
This is just rubbish...they have not done it just becoz Tantrik has
told..or for money...root cause may be non-fullfillment of sexual
desires. It is shameful that Mother was knowing all about it....and
she did nothing to stop it... lenna kanpur 19 Mar, 2009 01:55 PM
for everything..ranging from terrorism to lack of morality...we
Indians tend to blame the west...now this episode of a father raping
his daughters...let us blame western countries
again.....ha..ha........ha...zh7272 south africa 19 Mar, 2009 02:04 PM
Apply sharia law to correct these greedy and crook so that we can be a
good example to the whole world.neha india 19 Mar, 2009 02:05 PMdnt
knw hw a father can do this to his own daughters.. Amol Bangalore 19
Mar, 2009 02:09 PM
This is an example of what these tantriks are doing to our society.
Why not pass on a law to make this illegal, so these practices can not
be carried out. There are thousands of tantriks today in any city of
India. Also, another thing that happens is astrology, although not
this bad, but it definately influence people to take decisions based
on some stupid stars, we should come out and ban these things once and
forever from our country. People are openly allowed to offer advise
without any scientif support. This is stupid and if we tolerate this,
its going to make us look like real stupid society. I am sure there
are thousands of such cases in various forms hiding throughout India.
Time to pass a law to make this illegal.Peter Oman 19 Mar, 2009 02:10
PM
Signs of our times and deeds of these parents are difficult for us to
digest in reading this article.Life for those kids will be deplorable
and unthinkable.It's a crime before God and Humanity and TOI must
publish the photos of these culprits.Money is still God for many until
this day.How come are these fraudsters caught by the media during the
Global recession period?Nanoti S.K. Nasik 19 Mar, 2009 02:12 PM
It is really shamful that father is raping his own daughters.
Undoudtebly, only punishment for the father should be hanged to death.
In the same time, all sympathy should be extended to the victims, who
have suffered such a crime in their early childhood from their own
father.Rashmi Bangalore 19 Mar, 2009 02:12 PM
This is a ridiculous thing , how one can even think of doing this. he
should be punished as hang till death that also in front of
public.Girish Delhi 19 Mar, 2009 02:13 PM
We should not let this guy die simply by hanging or shooting him. We
should first break his 2-3 bone here and there and then cut his flesh
at multiple places. Remember, do not let this guy. Keep breaking his
bones but keep him alive so that he beg for death.J D Barman India 19
Mar, 2009 02:13 PM
is he a father and most astonishing that is he a human being or a wild
animal. He and his associates should not be forgiven and should be
rewarded with an appropriate punishment.INDIAN INDIA 19 Mar, 2009
02:15 PM
GUYS PLS STOP DISCUSSING, N MAKE A SOLUTIONS.. WE HAV TO WAKE UP TO
WORK ON IT. ITS NOT THE FIRST TIME, IF U GO THROUGH VILLAGES U WILL
FIND SUCH SIMILAR CASES.. GOVRNMENT IS NOT GOING TO ACT ANY THING, END
OF THE DAY THEY WILL GET BAIL, THATS FOR SURE.. SO LETS TAKE EACH OF
US A RESPONSIBALITY TO SAVE OUR COUNTRY OUR CULTURE TO GET RID OF THIS
SMAMEFULL ACTS. isar mumbai 19 Mar, 2009 02:16 PM
Mulsim law is great on this count. India should adpot the mulsim law
against all such crimes for every such criminal irrespective of
religionR C SHAH MUMBAI 19 Mar, 2009 02:16 PM
HE SHALL BE HANGED UNTIL DEATHR C SHAH MUMBAI 19 Mar, 2009 02:16 PM
HE SHALL BE HANGED UNTIL DEATHRahul Mumbai 19 Mar, 2009 02:16 PM
What a shame. Madhukar Bengaluru 19 Mar, 2009 02:17 PMBoth the father
as well as the mother should be hanged.Soumitra Noida 19 Mar, 2009
02:19 PM
burn his whole body with cigarette... give him antibiotics ... let
those wounds heal ... burn him again ... repeat it for the rest of his
life. Prakasam Bharat 19 Mar, 2009 02:21 PMHang that father, mother
and Tantrik, after whipping them for 90 days.sorry4victims Kolkata 19
Mar, 2009 02:24 PM
i m really sorry for the victims of such heinous crimes. Joseph Fritzl
in Austria can now at least hold his head high knowing that he is not
the only person committing such crimes. May God Help the world. May
Peace prevail.joson mumbai 19 Mar, 2009 02:27 PM
Only solution for Humanity .. An end to evil acts, an end to crime ,
and for a peace all over the world . , implement Islamic law.. Today
Saudi Arabia has the lowest crime rate .. owing to Islamic law
onlyIndian Dubai 19 Mar, 2009 02:29 PM
Sickening act. All the three deserve a killing by throwing stones at a
public place. No lawyer should take their case. TAHER EBRAHIM JEDDAH
19 Mar, 2009 02:29 PM
First collect hard evidence and proof him as he did this heinous crime
against his own daughters then only hang him along with his "TANTRIK".
Kumar UAE 19 Mar, 2009 02:31 PM
Why produce in court and creat tension in everybody. Please kill the
husband and wife.Indian Mumbai 19 Mar, 2009 02:33 PM
Error!!! this happened in Mumbai as says the headlines.. but the
article is begin with NEW DELHI: .. delhi is on tis reporter's mind
too much for such stuff?? Suman Kashyap Hong Kong 19 Mar, 2009 02:39
PM
To, those advocating Sharia law, as per Sharia they need four eye
witnesses to prove a rape, which is very difficult to get. Hence if
Sharia is applied the beats will be more encouraged as there will
almost never be 4 people watching a rape.Surendran Middle East 19 Mar,
2009 02:40 PM
Extremely shameful for every Indian. This men-shaped animal must be
hanged until death alongwith his wife and tantrik. Government must
concentrate on finding such tantrik working throughout the country
which badly damage a community altogether.seema chembur 19 Mar, 2009
02:40 PM
Its realy horrible incident to see Father raping his own daughters
with his better half help How can mother of 2 tell her husband to have
sex with their daughter They both father and mother of the sibling
should be hanged Thats the best punishmentRafeeq London 19 Mar, 2009
02:48 PM
How long will tantriks and religious extremistis hijack us? Its ironic
and pathetic that even the educated people get trapped by these
senseless people. Give them a punishment no one ever can dare to even
think of commiting such crimes. Tabi Dubai 19 Mar, 2009 02:52 PM
Father, Mother & all other persons involved in this crime, should be
hanged till death that too in some public area. This will give a great
message to the other criminals.....Vijay Hyderabad 19 Mar, 2009 02:56
PM
this kind of acts should be condemned and the culprits should be
punished. Our laws has to be changed so that people will not hide
behind the loopholes and escape from punishment. I request the
concerned authorities to wake up and take action againist them without
wasting much time.rene fernandez bahrain 19 Mar, 2009 02:58 PM
with reference to the rape of women in India, what has L.K.Advani/
Sonia Gandhi done to change the law ? Advani wanted to bring in
tougher punishments to the rapists. Why did he not push for life
imprisnment ? This issue must be raised in this elections and vote
ONLY for the candidates promise to support this legislation. We must
try to stop crimes against women/children AJAY BADIYAL NOIDA 19 Mar,
2009 03:09 PM
incedences like this will destroy relationship of father and
daughter.hussain mumbai 19 Mar, 2009 03:09 PM
three of them should be hanged till death....but other than this our
police should start strict action/investigation against such type of
tantrik ; there are lots in india...Ahmed Sharif Dubai 19 Mar, 2009
03:12 PM
These joseph fritzls must be awarded deaths. what kind of world we are
living in, ladies please beware of outsiders as well as insiders. THE
WORLD HAS CHANGED A LOT. In the name of faith it is an insult to
religion by these creepy TANTRICS.Shabu Dubai 19 Mar, 2009 03:13 PM
This is relly Shamefull for all indians and we are sorry for the
victims and we want immidiate actian agains this bastard no need to
put him in jail for years. he should kill by stones in front of people
and should be live telecast on all chanells then in future any body
even don't think like this . He want more money for whome ???? and
it's my requset to indian Govt give Authority to Victim Girls for
giving punishment to that bloody Tantrik .Shabu Dubai 19 Mar, 2009
03:14 PM
This is really Shamefull for all indians and we are sorry for the
victims and we want immidiate action against this bastard no need to
put him in jail for years. he should be killed by stones in front of
people and should be live telecast on all chanells then in future any
body even don't think like this . He want more money for whome? and
it's my requset to indian Govt give Authority to Victim Girls for
giving punishment to that bloody Tantrik .AH Syndey 19 Mar, 2009 03:14
PM
I too have been dreaming of becoming wealthy for a long time. Does
this Tantrik also offer his daughter (or wife, depending upon who can
take it) for such services? When will people give up superstition in
India?sadeq Duabi 19 Mar, 2009 03:24 PM
Now we need to stop this type of crimes in our society, only possible
by beheading these criminals in front of public to make society aware
what'll happen before committing this type crimesAnonymously_Yours
Europe 19 Mar, 2009 03:28 PM
It is stunning that everyone seems to comment on how the accused party
should be dealt with. People have suggested overtly sadist cruelties
too, providing an insight into the natural mindset of the human
community. Oddly, no one seems to have mentioned any sort of monetary
help, psychological counseling or shelter and future support
commitment for the victims, one of whom happens to be at a tender age
below 18. Once again, it's exciting to note how frustrated and
carnally active the society is, given a chance to vent our anger, most
of us would turn into savage beasts to punish the guilty...yet few or
none would stand to help the deceasedShyam Noida 19 Mar, 2009 03:32 PM
The tantrik stuff has been added just to save the man from his crime.
It seems to be a ploy by his lawyer. I a sure there was no outsider to
instigate the accused.GSM MUMBAI 19 Mar, 2009 03:32 PM
Kill this man and tantrik. There is no other punishment for guys like
these. DEEPAK GHOSH FARIDABAD 19 Mar, 2009 03:41 PM
ALL THE THREE, THE TANTRIK,BUSINESSMAN AND HIS WIFE BE LINED UP IN
PUBLIC AND MUST BE ORDERED TO A FIRING SQUAD TO SHOOT THEM IN ONE GO
OR MUST BE HANGED IN PUBLIC.THIS MUST BE THE LAW OF OUR COUNTRY NOW.
EVEN RAPIST MUST BE HANGED,SHOT OR THEIR PRIVATE PART SHOULD BE CUT
OFF. THIS MUST BE THE LAW NOW.Illur Iqbal Bangalore 19 Mar, 2009 03:42
PM
Please do Insert a Burning Rod to the beloved Parents for doing this
CrimeRubi London 19 Mar, 2009 03:51 PM
What a shame!!I really feel sorry for the girl,this man should be
given such a punishment by law,that the whole world eyes will be open
and no one will dare to do this again after seeing the
punishment.sharda goregaon 19 Mar, 2009 03:56 PMcut his private part
completelyAnita Dsilva Dubai 19 Mar, 2009 04:06 PM
This is really a VERY SHAMEFUL act. Have we human beings lost our
moral values? to top it all, a Mother encouraging such an act gives me
goosebumps, a I am a mother of 2 girls myself but in my sane head I
would give up my life but save my children from such ordeal. This is
actually a SORRY state of today's world. GOD HELP US!!!SJ dubai 19
Mar, 2009 04:09 PM
I can only say that this is the result of getting in love with western
civilization...progress and modernization does not mean that we leave
our values & culture..incest is a normal thing in west as we all know
and sadly it is entering into our society just coz we feel that
whatever west does is good..we need soul searchingAmrit Lal Toppo
Ahmedabad 19 Mar, 2009 04:20 PM
This is absolutely shamful to the society,father is raping his own
daughters more than 3000 thousand time. he is not worthy to be called
father by his daughters. he should be punished. he has turned satan he
is no more human being. Amrit Lal Toppo Ahmedabad 19 Mar, 2009 04:20
PM
This is absolutely shamful to the society,father is raping his own
daughters more than 3000 thousand time. he is not worthy to be called
father by his daughters. he should be punished. he has turned satan he
is no more human being. rajeev gurgaon 19 Mar, 2009 04:43 PM
This kind of crimes should be dealt with only one kind of punishment.
Take them in full public view, cut the pvt part of this man and the
tantrik into pieces and offer it to the dogs!! Hang the lady! The
entire activity should be lively telecast to prevail deterrent for any
prospective criminal!!!Mohammed bombay 19 Mar, 2009 04:49 PM
Tantrik said and father raped his own daughter for 9 long years..WOW.
even hollywood can't make this kind of sense less Movie it could
happen only in indiaReader Pune 19 Mar, 2009 04:51
PMSHAMEFUL.........Asim Ali Khan Jeddah 19 Mar, 2009 04:54 PM
No need to produce them before the court. Straight hang them. Dont
give time to investigate. Both the parents should be hanged till
death.Clive Kuwait 19 Mar, 2009 05:02 PM
I agree that the faces of Such criminals have to be shown in the media
as soon as their crime is established. Even their names should be
shown in bold. And they should not be hanged immediately. They have to
be tortured for years so that they repent for their crimeSrikanth Bhat
Chennai 19 Mar, 2009 05:03 PM
Rape, molestation, child abuse and many such in-humane acts have been
hitting the headlines of late. The legal proceedings get dragged for
years owing to the loop holes in our legal system. Why doesn't our
judicial come out with a ruthless punishment as a reply to this
devilish act. Amputate hands, legs & organ and hang till death. Human
Rights may have their reservations on this, but HR is for Humans
(victims) and not for the devils (criminals).Srikanth Bhat Chennai 19
Mar, 2009 05:04 PM
Rape, molestation, child abuse and many such in-humane acts have been
hitting the headlines of late. The legal proceedings get dragged for
years owing to the loop holes in our legal system. Why doesn't our
judicial come out with a ruthless punishment as a reply to this
devilish act. Amputate hands, legs & organ and hang till death. Human
Rights may have their reservations on this, but HR is for Humans
(victims) and not for the devils (criminals).Blank India 19 Mar, 2009
05:15 PM
I am at loss of words...on how to condemn this ...this what...my mind
goes blank on hearing acts like this what's wrong man...where is this
going...even if one person is doing this, -what are the reasons, how
can someone stoop so low -Is there something that can be done
here...punishing/killing them is just a reaction..how can it solve the
problem - Are they mentally so sick?? Manasakanthi, Konanakunte,
Bangalore 19 Mar, 2009 05:16 PM
Its disgraceful to the indian community and we feel sorry for the poor
girl who when thru this commotion all these years. People of strange
attitude are still in existence.Both the father and mother should be
punished and the punishment should be viewed in all the TV channels
(Breaking news). A new law should be framed for such people. There
might be still more People who are behaving similar to this and it
will teach them a lesson that they cant escape the law. Shaindil
bangalore 19 Mar, 2009 05:20 PM
The daughter and mother should have murdered this opportunistic and
dirty guy long back. If the tantric tells this guy to eat shit, will
he do that? This is the truth India 19 Mar, 2009 05:28 PM
Incest-raping your own kids- is rampant in India, rural and urban. It
has always been a 'family secret' where the mother actually provides
the daughter to her husband. Please do not blame the West, instead
praise them. They widely publicize any incest, whereas Indian
politicians and goons silence the victims. No one hears of their
cries, all pretend that everything is hunky dory in our nation. Wake
up, look around, there will always be examples right under your nose.
Why else to praise the West? because they teach our kids to have guts
to speak up. Ask any older gynecologist, they have been seeing this
for decades.GE Australia 19 Mar, 2009 05:56 PM
India is truly the rape capital of the world.sanjay dubai 19 Mar, 2009
06:01 PM
i am totally in favour of what rajeev from gurgaon has mentioned. it
will be a lesson for those cases which are not out in public
yet.jahangir houlader maldives 19 Mar, 2009 06:06 PM
I think the man should be handed over to the people and tell the mob o
do whatever they like to do.Muhammad MN 19 Mar, 2009 06:11 PM
This is shameful.Adnan Oman 19 Mar, 2009 06:35 PM
Isn't this unbelievable? The heinous act depicts the greed of an
mentally ill individual & to what extent he can fall for the sake of
his worldly desires. All three should be tortured to death for
resorting to one of the worst crime. They have not only ruined their
daughters life but also defamed the father - daughter relationship.
kumar mumbai 19 Mar, 2009 06:37 PM
Even the judiciary would shed tears for the innocent girls. The so
called business man and his wife have no place to live in the human
habituate and so is the tantrik. all this three should get the capital
punishment with no right to appeal. God knows how many people this
tantrik must have brain washed. The police should investigate this
angle too.GANI AHMED SHAIKH DUBAI 19 Mar, 2009 07:27 PM
this kind of people should be hanged in public, this so called
tantriks take people for a ride. COMMON FOLKS WE ARE IN MODERN WORLD
DON'T BELIEVE IN THIS THINGS.Sule Paritosh Plano 19 Mar, 2009 07:28 PM
please try to understand that Merely Beating a Single person wont stop
such activities from happening in future. A businessman has no
religion / ethics. His only intention is money. I also feel that his
Wife is equally responsible for the Crime. Please dont publish the
name of the culprit, as people can Backtrace to their daughters and
make their life miserable Agniyah Shaikh Sharjah 19 Mar, 2009 08:12 PM
International Women's Day was celebrated all over the world recently
with great pomp and show! In the heart of Mumbai these two girls
suffered meanwhile. And how many suffer daily in the same manner!
Girls must be given the courage to openly protest any wrong done to
them. The mother seem to be an impossible person- She should be given
the toughest sentence for her 'silence' and approval for this criminal
act.Abu Abdullah USA 19 Mar, 2009 08:35 PM
Absolutely appalling. What were these middle-aged "adults" thinking?
The Austrian "incest dad" was enough as a pervert in this
world.Tanveer London 19 Mar, 2009 08:37 PM
stupid comment from SJ, Dubai 'incest is a normal thing in west as we
all know and sadly it is entering into our society'. One must be an
idiot to thing incest is 'normal' in any society. In no society incest
is normal. Stop this hatred for west. By that logic, the 60 yr old and
the tantrik was influenced by the west to do such thing!!!!!! what a
laugh!!!! stop blaming the west. this things happens in any society
and we must admint that our indian society also has such incest,
though its not common. Most of the cases are suppressed because of
loss of family honor (the so-called izzat), reputation to the society/
comminuty/country etc.Somnath New York 19 Mar, 2009 09:02 PM
There is no real upliftment of women, such issues would have never
occurred if govt provided more jobs and education than making laws in
favour of women. The laws need to be gender neutral and govt should
promote more jobs and education for women and make them independent.
Govt's policies are just eye wash and at the ground level it never
reaches the general public.Raj Orlando, Florida 19 Mar, 2009 10:01 PM
Media is more active nowadays and due to which more cases will come
out like this incidence. There may be many more incidences like this
in India but victim do not come out. My suggestion : every school must
be visited by two to three psycratist, once in 3 months where all the
students are being checked for any personal problems. These problems
could be rape, bitting by parents, torture, children are having lack
of attention in class, poor health effecting their school activities.
Such psychartist prepare report on each student with all facts and
suggest right remedy or if necessary police complain. This kind of
routine check will encourage children to come out with the fact of any
kind of personal suffering or any kind of psychological problems
disturbing them. Prevention is better for children and for their
natural growth. Nitasha Chennai 19 Mar, 2009 10:33 PM
The lack of education causes people to behave in such a hienous
way.Can you imagine any sane,sensible family consulting a 'tantrik' &
not straight away delivering him to the nearest police station when he
comes up with this vile remedy?I salute the girl for having the
courage in going against her parents & protecting her
sister.Unfortunately,it will leave severe scars on her mind which no
punishment to the parents & the great tanrik can cure.Abhay Dang
Delhi, India 19 Mar, 2009 10:35 PM
Religion does destroy common sense.Abhay Dang Delhi, India 19 Mar,
2009 10:38 PM
One day a woman commits suicide because her daughter refused to study.
And now this. Really, Indians have lost their brains!!Manoj Gupta
Bangalore 19 Mar, 2009 10:52 PM
Oh My God!!! It has happened in India also!!!Shame shame.kg india 20
Mar, 2009 12:18 AM
Another Fritzel!!!kg india 20 Mar, 2009 12:20 AM
Another Fritzel!!!SUMIT DELHI 20 Mar, 2009 12:21 AMwell this is
disturbing thing but do not over highlight this story otherwise that
will give a big impact on father and daughter relationship
universal.amit california 20 Mar, 2009 12:23 AM
Incest laws in the west are more stringent that in the East. In the
west - marrying a first cousin in illegal, it happens in India all the
time. As far as this case - it is a shameful act. The government
should do something about this quick, hopefully they are able to get
the case to hearing before the girl dies of old age...pathetic..monika
glasgow 20 Mar, 2009 12:47 AM
The real culprits in cases like these are indian wives cum
mothers,they have only one mission in their lives which is to keep
evil husbands happy,he might be an addict,a convict,an abuser,but she
will always protect his image and think she will go to heaven if she
does his seva,such women can sacrifice anything even children ,and
because of them india now has a land of courageous abusers who take
pride in their sins, I am a women and I am ashamed of what happened
just because of a coward mother,perhaps time has come to teach all
wives,bhaus,daughters,the real meaning of seva and sacrifice.We have
to stop blaming literacy for everything, our values are corrupted, and
noone can change values,only parents can. So lets be honest with
eachother and be brave enough to stop men when they do wrong not
support them when they speak ,behave,act,wrong and abuse defenceless
children. Sandeep London 20 Mar, 2009 12:58 AM
I have no words...people are so greedy for money & sex that they dont
even see if that's outsider or their own daughter. Religion got
nothing to do with this nor education its an individual and not about
a country, city, religion nor eastern or western countries. People
like them should not be hanged coz that would be too easy...cut their
private part that's the best option & that should be enforced as
global law...shame what a sick human being.Raghunathan Sharjah, UAE 20
Mar, 2009 01:12 AM
I read all the comments. I have no words to say. I am feeling so
shameful and angered by the act of these three bastards. Even a
punishment of death will not solve this issue. This man (father)
should witness his wife being raped by the Tantric. Tantric should
witness his wife being raped by the businessman and the businessman
should pay him 1 Rupee as the cost of the action. Only this could be
the worst of unimaginable punishment to all the three. In India??????
which taught the value of Astrology and all the other remedial
measures to cure the problems by prayers?????????? Where is God?????
Where are these insane people???? All my friends and my family are
very upset and sad. What will happen to these girls? Will anyone marry
them? Can they live a moderate genuine life hereafter? God only can
answer and save their lives. I and my family and all my friends prayed
for them this evening. May God show them a better life from this
evening. Raghunathan, Sharjah.SALMAN RIYADH 20 Mar, 2009 02:15 AM
PRAY TO ONE GOD''ALLAH"WHO CREATE WORLD AND HUMAN NATURE.....ASK HELP
FROM ALLAHsaad uddin saudi arabia 20 Mar, 2009 02:15 AM
dear sir, through your esteemed daily i want to convey my feeling like
any other value loving indians. India is known for its cultural and
religious values across the world but the reality is,as the Mumbai
businessman's case shows that we are deviating very fast to an unknown
limit of moral devastation for which unbridled media is responsible to
a large extent.Sexual harassmment has become regular appearences in
the news papers.And I believe the cases behind the screen are
certainly larger than the noticed ones.So to give a halt or at least
to minimise this kind of heinious crimes the law making agencies
should amend the existing laws towards some tougher ones and convicts
are to be punished puclicly. yours smartindian US 20 Mar, 2009 02:51
AM
Parents and Tantrik must to be killed in public. Freddie Pereira
Sydney 20 Mar, 2009 04:41 AM
This is Insane, After Slum Dog's success all over the world...this
story is very shocking. What has happened to all the so called "Indain
Traditional Culture" which is always Portrayed as a Big Strength
compared to the rest of the world. I am ashamed to call myself an
Indian after this devestating act by the Indian Parents ! Kishore
California, USA 20 Mar, 2009 05:56 AM
The father, mother and Tantrik trio should be shot dead on the
spot. .Derek Canada 20 Mar, 2009 06:34 AM
Surprising none has written that it is the influence of western
culture that is the cause of this heinous crime. Are you guys
surprised that this happens in India too?Suhail USA 20 Mar, 2009 06:34
AM
what a narrow minded and stupid guy. No wonder his business failed,
thomson Abudhabi 20 Mar, 2009 07:19 AMshoot the both stupid husband
and stupid mother&tanric in the public.Crescentman Assam 20 Mar, 2009
09:37 AM
People believe in fast bucks rather than hard work. This mindset has
been taken advantage by jothids and tantriks which needs to be
arrested immediately. Behind everything, the economic considerations
are the root cause. I appeal to the Govt. to come up with
comprehensive, transparent and inclusive 33% reservations to women
immediately without any delay.pankaj khatwani china 20 Mar, 2009 09:37
AM
india police should be very hard with this type of tantrik!!!! and
this type of parents if they dont know meaning of children ,why were
they born , she is so great she geve birth to her doughter and felt
pain for 9 monthskiran pune 20 Mar, 2009 09:54 AM
Dear folk why dont u see whats going under your skin . recently there
was a news of a female australian teacher who torchered their male
student for having sex for marks ?? where r u staying ????archana
delhi 20 Mar, 2009 10:05 AM
It is shame on us ..such an incident is happening in India now.Shame
on such fathers and the co-supporters.He should be punished and
sentenced to death so that others learn.Vipin Chennai 20 Mar, 2009
11:01 AM
The only way to stop rape crimes in India is not by just bringing
those case into light and imprision them that to for how many years
4-6 max.They wont pay nor such crimes can ever be stopped. If the
government and judicial system is realy looking for an answer to stop
then Death sentence have to be imposed for this crime. I tell you
there will be more than 100 case which will fall under this but even
if it becomes 1000 justice must be served. DEATH CAN ONLY DEAL WITH
RAPE CHARGES. People fighting for human rights must understand for
what they are fighting for and most importantly for whom.I hope some
day the judical system of our country will pass with LAW without
debating in our parliment.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/opinions/4285650.cms
bademiyansubhanallah
By Our Staff Correspondent
MYSORE, JAN. 20. Members of Sri Digambara Jain Samaj here have
expressed anguish over reports of animal sacrifice at Girinar Hills in
Gujarat, which is associated with Bhagawan Sri Neminatha Tirthankara.
The community members observed a fast on Thursday to protest the cult
of animal sacrifice at Girinar Hills, which is gaining in prominence
in recent times.
Girinar Hills is a sacred pilgrim centre for Jains for it was here
that Sri Neminatha attained his salvation having preached non-violence
and compassion. It is customary for the Jain community members to
visit the spot at least once in their lifetime.
http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/2005/01/21/stories/2005012114200300.htm
Out on a mission
As she takes yet another daring step, this time to set right the
disharmonious political system of Assam, Indira Goswami, the
celebrated writer, talks about her experiences to NITI PANTA.
BE IT a life threat for her controversial writings or a face-to-face
encounter with the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), nothing
daunts this intrepid explorer to continue writing on social or
political issues that the State has been grappling with for so many
years. One of the most celebrated writers in the vernacular and a
Jnanpith Award winner, Indira Goswami, talks about her experiences as
she takes yet another daring step to contribute to solving a
disharmonious political system of Assam.
Q: You are penning a book on the United Liberation Front of Assam
(ULFA). How did the idea hit you?
A: I accidentally visited the ULFA transit camp around 12 years ago.
Since I've had a great association with students all my life, some of
the students in Assam invited me for a talk by Bishnu Rabha, where I
discovered that those students were ULFA members. I was also invited
to visit their transit camp, which terrified me at first but I was
touched to see them involved in welfare activities despite having
taken up arms. A few days later, I learnt that all the boys I met were
killed in a military encounter, except for one, who was imprisoned and
continued to write to me. This incident inspired me to pen a book on
their life, which is still in progress.
Q: From a caste riddled world in "The Shadow of Kamakhya", and an
impassioned plea against animal sacrifice in "Chhinamasta" to life of
ULFA militants. It's a complete transition.
A: Most of my writings have a humanist theme. Animal sacrifice has
been an age-old tradition in Assam and surprisingly no one has ever
protested against such gruesome practices in the name of religion.
There was a hue and cry when I wrote against such an inhuman practice.
Although the priests of the Kamakhya temple protested the theme of my
novel and one of my old publishers even refused to publish my book, I
had the support of a large section of Assamese society and people like
Anuradha Barpujari - editor of a weekly. ULFA too has been a serious
problem in Assam for 25 years and there has been so much bloodshed. We
Assamese have witnessed a lot of killing in our State and I personally
have lost some of my colleagues and a close friend. This has to end
somewhere. All that is required is awareness among people which can be
effectively brought about by writing on such social and political
issues.
Q: You now play an intermediary between the Centre and ULFA.
A: It was a personal desire to help in this situation and if this one
step could change things I was most willing to take the plunge. I
don't like to be termed as a `mediator' but have simply requested the
government to talk to the militant group and my role ends here. Q:
There have been several attempts for negotiations earlier. Sanjay
Hazarika and even singer Bhupen Hazarika have sent appeals but in
vain.
A: It is for the first time in 25 years that ULFA has agreed for talks
with the Centre. I am not aware of the strategy of other people or do
not know why attempts of people like Sanjay Hazarika or Bhupenda
failed to show results. I saw ULFA Chief, Paresh Barua, who approached
me for the same - probably because I have known them for some time
now.
Q: Do you think your effort will bring results? Is your strategy any
different?
A: My strategy is a simple appeal to the government written after
consulting senior professors and my colleagues in Delhi University and
it requests the government to invite ULFA for negotiation.
Q: Are you positive about the negotiations taking place? How has the
government reacted to your plea?
A: The State government has agreed to support me, though the Centre's
approval is still awaited. Since ULFA is ready to negotiate it makes
things easier for the government. Q: Don't you think regional writing
is yet to make a mark in Indian literature?
Well regional writing has come a long way though it's still underrated
by Indian publishers. I can vouch that there are any number of
regional books through which publishers can popularise good writing.
I personally feel that English writers in India don't cover the
experience of real India. Without knowing the regional languages they
cannot write with a true sense of feeling.
Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jan 13, 2005
http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2005/01/13/stories/2005011301350300.htm
Cuttack temples set to restart animal sacrifice
Correspondent
At least two goats are sacrificed every year, they say
Sacred places are turning into slaughterhouses, says social
organisation
CUTTACK: Notwithstanding the fact that animal sacrifices have stopped
in all Cuttack temples during Durga puja, the oldest Kali temple in
Bidyadharpur locality of Cuttack city is all set to restart the age-
old practice from this year.
“At least five persons have wished to offer sacrificial goats at the
altar of the Goddess on Friday night when the rituals of Kali puja
would begin around 12 O’clock midnight”, said the temple priest
Santosh Kumar Chatterjee.
Kali puja in Bidyadharpur is believed to be the oldest in Cuttack and
arguably began much before the Durga puja concept invaded into the
millennium city.
Like Durga puja, Kali puja too began here by Bengali communities.
Age-old practice
Following instructions from the district collector in 2003, the age-
old practice to propitiate the Goddess here had reportedly stopped. In
fact the local administration had claimed that no animal sacrifices
are done at any of the places of worship in the city.
But Chattarjee who has been associated with the Kali temple of
Bidyadharpur since 1973 pointed out that although, the number of the
goats sacrificed at the altar had reduced marginally, the practice was
never discontinued. “At least two goats of the local puja committee
are sacrificed every year”, he said.
Chatterjee said never ever the district administration has stopped us
from doing so. We have also not received any communiqué form the local
police station in this regard. “In fact a senior officer of the local
police station offered a goat for sacrifice last year which has
encouraged other common people to come forward to do the same”, he
asserted. Local puja committee head Mahendra Kumar Panda when
contacted said: “animal sacrifices in the Kali temple here is an age-
old practice and it has been continuing for the past 500 years”. How
can we stop it now, he asked?
Police denial
But the Chauliaganj police station inspector S.N. Behera when
contacted, he claimed that animal sacrifices are not done at
Bidyadharpur temple. It has been stopped since long, he said.
Meanwhile, People for Animal, a State-level social organisation which
has been campaigning against the animal sacrifices in places of
worship has taken strong note of the ill-practice. “In the name of
animal sacrifices to propitiate the Goddess, the sacred places of
shrines are turning out to slaughter houses which is sending a wrong
message in the society”, said Sanjib Das, the member secretary of the
social organisation.
http://www.hindu.com/2007/11/10/stories/2007111058300300.htm
Karnataka - Bidar
‘No’ to animal sacrifice sparks violence in Bidar
Staff Correspondent
People prevented from sacrificing goat
Four police personnel injured in stone throwing
Village residents allege police
high-handedness
BIDAR: Violence erupted after a few people were prevented from
performing animal sacrifice on the premises of a temple in Karpakpalli
village of Humnabad taluk in Bidar district on Monday.
The police said that they had prevented the people from sacrificing a
goat on the Gali Maramma temple premises. The ritual was part of a
three-day “jatra”. Irked by this, they started throwing stones at the
police. The police lobbed teargas shells and resorted to lathi-charge
to disperse the crowd. Four police personnel were injured and two
police vans damaged in the stone-throwing incident.
Superintendent of Police A. Subramanyeswara Rao said here on Tuesday
that the police had not fired in the air to disperse the mob. No
arrests had been made in connection with the violence. But cases had
been registered against more than 50 persons. The situation in the
village was under control, he added.
Additional police personnel from Humnabad, Bidar and Chittaguppa have
been deployed as a precautionary measure. Police officers have been
stationed there to assess the situation.
Deputy Superintendent of Police P.A. Korwar held a meeting in
Karpakpalli on Tuesday, urging the residents to maintain the peace.
The village residents said that they had not performed any animal
sacrifice. They alleged that the police had stopped them from
performing puja. The police had resorted to lathi-charge unnecessarily
and even women had been beaten up, they added.
About a month ago, some associations appealed to the people of the
village not to perform animal sacrifice during the “jatra”.
They had also sought the help of the police in this regard.
The police held meetings with the people of the village and asked them
not to perform animal sacrifice. The local police were told to take
steps to put an end to animal sacrifice in the village.
http://www.hindu.com/2008/02/13/stories/2008021356960400.htm
Opinion - Letters to the Editor
Ban animal slaughter
Sir, — It has become a fashion to condemn sacrifice of animals in
yajnas and temples. This is looked at by some groups as cruelty to
animals. If the whole country becomes vegetarian and adopts ahimsa as
a policy such a stand is justifiable. On the other hand, when millions
of animals are reared to be killed for being consumed as food, it is
sheer hypocrisy to criticise animal sacrifice.
There is greater need to condemn seafood export and meat export,
killing of cows and beef-eating. If animal sacrifice is done as per
religious beliefs, it should not be condemned unless we ban all animal
slaughter for any other purpose.
V.V.S. Sarma,
Bangalore
http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/2002/07/01/stories/2002070100021006.htm
Should we ban animal sacrifice in temples?
DO WE need to ban the practice offering animals and birds as sacrifice
during prayer in Hindu temples?
Does the State have the authority to police and ban animal sacrifices
of one religious group while allowing another to perform offering of
animals at prayer time.
Lord Krishna while listing the types of devotees based on the kind of
offering/kind of rituals one performs categorises them into (1) satvic
(peaceful, compassionate and calm), (2) rajasic (aggressive and
restive) and (3) tamasic devotees (very selfish and not concerned
about hurting others for one's own joy) based on the sankalpa
(intention), devatha invoked (name and form of the god invoked),
offering to the Lord and the method of prayer.
Not all devotion is satvic; therefore not all offerings are satvic.
From time immemorial the practice of offering animals during worship
as sacrifice is prevalent.
If one is allowed to kill a bird or an animal for his personal
consumption, there can be no extra harm to the animal or bird if it is
killed for the sake of offering.
The only thing that must be debated is the sensibilities of the satvic
person, who may be offering his prayers at that time, being offended
by the offering of animals or birds by those who choose a non-satvic
method based on his sankalpa and nature.
This is certainly very important. Just as smoking in public places is
banned, offering animal sacrifice in temples where predominant style
of praying is satvic is perfectly in order and needs to be done.
Just as certain places are reserved exclusively for smokers, certain
temples where traditionally animal sacrifices are done should be
allowed to continue the practice.
We should accept the fact that it takes all kinds of people to make
the world and we should frame rules and regulations taking this fact
into consideration.
If persons from other faiths can offer animals, if we can display
skinned animals sometimes with its tail intact in meat shops in public
shopping area in villages and small towns, how can we prevent animal
sacrifice in village temples where it is a time immemorial tradition?
What is necessary is proper regulation so that the majority of the
temples where the persons offering prayers choosing the satvic method
are free from animal sacrifices and allow the practice to continue
where traditionally it is much prevalent.
Hinduism is an all-inclusive way of life and therefore cannot exclude
non-satvic methods of offering prayers.
MANIKAM RAMASWAMI
http://www.hindu.com/op/2003/09/09/stories/2003090900130300.htm
Sacrificing an age-old practice
According to popular belief, the animal or bird sacrifice is only a
symbol of their `Nerthi Kadan' (thanksgiving), which, if not
fulfilled, would be construed as `unpardonable'.
THOUGH NOT far away from the Temple City, the Pandi Muneeswarar
temple, `Pandikovil' in local parlance, is located in an area free
from the humdrum of the urban life. Surrounded by lush green
paddyfields, an eerie silence prevails in and around the temple
complex now despite hundreds of devotees continuing to throng the
shrine.
"Animal or bird sacrifice is not allowed here!" screams a notice
board, put up by the temple administration at the entrance to the
complex, which had been a scene of ritual killings for decades
together.
Some of the devotees, who shun slitting or hacking animals and birds,
continue with the symbolic puja by offering pongal, flowers and money
to the deity. Still many are at a loss to understand how they can
propitiate the temple deities -- Pandi Muneeswarar, Andi and
Samayakaruppasamy -- without offering them goats or roosters.
Till August 30, scores of goats and fowls were sacrificed,
particularly on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays by the devotees who
thronged the shrine from different parts of the State, including towns
and villages in Madurai, Tiruchi, Virudhunagar, Theni, Ramanathapuram,
Sivaganga and Chennai districts, as a mark of fulfilment of their vow
to the deities. The blood-splattered mud floor around the Pandi
Muneeswarar temple stands a testimony to the age-old practice.
Now that the ritual has come to a grinding halt, the crowd of devotees
comprising mainly small and medium farmers and farm workers has also
grown thinner, thanks to the Government's order on August 28 banning
animal and bird sacrifice in temples. As it has been publicised, the
immediate provocation for the ban was the sacrifice of 500 buffaloes
at a village shrine in Tiruchi district recently. The Chief Minister,
Jayalalithaa, has written to the district authorities, asking them to
prevent the killing of animals and birds in the name of seeking the
blessings of gods. Calling for stringent action against the
`violators', she has pointed out that the Tamil Nadu Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals Act, 1950, and its subsequent amendment, also
banned such cruel acts on the temple premises.
The Government clamped the ban close on the heels of the Madras High
Court ordering notices to the Home Secretary and the DGP on a public
interest petition seeking the ban.
But ritual killings are not confined to the Pandi Muneeswarar Temple
alone, though it is a well-known fact that animal and bird sacrifice
is common in the State, more particularly in the southern districts.
It is practised in other parts of the country and prevalent among
different religious sects in many parts of the subcontinent from time
immemorial, historians point out.
The village deities, otherwise known as `folk gods', with regional
character, are installed mostly in roofless outdoor temples. As many
of these deities attract people in the lower strata of society, the
devotees have a `direct access' to them.
Unlike classical temples, where pujas are held as per `agamas', meat,
cigar and liquor are permitted for worship here.
As the relationship between the devotees and the deities is `personal'
without even a minimum role for intermediaries including the temple
priests, people believe that their god will help them fulfil any wish.
Childless couple seek the deity's grace to bless them with children
while unmarried persons plead for fixing elusive weddings.
Solution is also sought for family problems arising out of socio-
economic conditions. According to popular belief, the animal or bird
sacrifice is only a symbol of their `Nerthi Kadan' (thanksgiving),
which, if not fulfilled, would be construed as `unpardonable'.
Animal sacrifice, followed by common dining, is part and parcel of the
worship at the folk shrines. Till the enforcement of the ban, if
affordable sections sacrificed goats, the poor and downtrodden offered
the less expensive roosters.
Separate enclosures were installed near the temple for cooking the
carcasses returned to the devotees after the sacrifice was performed.
However, the head and a leg of the goat would be handed over to the
butcher, who slaughtered the animal. A fixed fee was also collected
from the devotees for chopping off the heads of goats, besides
skinning and de-boning the meat.
The Government's action has been given a new twist as it has come
close on the heels of its decision to support the demand for a ban on
cow slaughter. Several opposition parties have dubbed the move as yet
another proof of the ruling party's `pro-Hindutva slant', even while
systematically depriving the Dalits and backward communities of their
age-old cultural rights.
The ban will only pave the way for performing the sacrifice
clandestinely within four walls, they claim, citing the example of a
ruling party MLA, who reportedly offered `annadhanam' with the meat of
goats slaughtered near his residence in Dindigul district.
But the ban has been hailed by animal and bird lovers, apart from some
religious personalities, who claim that no book says ritual killing is
religious.
But there are many, who believe that the age-old custom will disappear
only through persuasion and education rather than through an official
ban.
S.DORAIRAJ
Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Sep 08, 2003
Special issue with the Sunday Magazine
From the publishers of THE HINDU
RIVERS: JULY 01, 2001
Requiem for a river
M. T. Vasudevan Nair
The author is a winner of the Jnanpith award and is a Malayalam film-
maker and writer.
When the bridge across the River Bharatapuzha was completed in 1954,
the late Edasseri who had blazed literary trails with his poetic
force, looked at it with wonder and later wrote the poem "Kuttipuram
Bridge". It is a famous work, often quoted in the context of the eco-
aesthetics of Malayalam poetry. The poet marvelled at the engineering
skill. The bridge cost twenty-three lakhs of rupees, a formidable sum
at that time. He could visualise the thousands of vehicles about to
fly through the new highway. But he did not conceal his subtle fear
that the serenity of the riverside village might vanish in the near
future. The poem concluded on an apprehensive note:
S. Ramesh Kurup
"Oh Mother Perar, will you also change
Into a miserable gutter eventually?"
Perar or Nila (pet names of Bharatapuzha) did not turn into a gutter.
The poet never foresaw the calamity of sand-mining and he could not
imagine it as the desert strip, which it is now. Huge thickets grow on
the small mounds in the sand bed in several places. One can even see a
large casuarina grove right in the middle of the river between
Kuttipuram and Tirunavaya. They are partially hidden only during the
few days of heavy monsoon.
The river had inspired many of our major poets like Vallathol, P.
Kunhiraman Nair and Edasseri. For the commoners it was the sacred
Dakshina Ganga. Vallathol established the illustrious Kerala Kala
Mandalam on its banks in the village of Cheruthuruthy. A whole lot of
writers, singers and Kathakali artistes grew up in the villages close
to the river from Kalpathy to Ponani. So the river was often described
as the cultural stream of Malabar.
I have seen the terrifying form of the river during the floods of 1942
and 1944. We were safe in the ancestral house as it was built on an
elevated area beyond the stretch of paddy fields. The elders said the
worst flood was in 1924 when waters touched the foot hills.
The flood of 1944 is vivid in my memory. I was sent to the provision
shop to get something in the afternoon and instead of the short cut
through the fields I returned by the road bordering the river. The
river was alarmingly full. Elders were watching from several points.
Somebody shouted to me: "Run, boy, run. Any moment the water may rush
in through a breach." I ran at a terrific speed. By the time I reached
the steps to the house, water had gushed into the field. This flood
lasted for four days. There were so many relatives in the house who
had vacated from their riverside houses.
R. Prasanna Venkatesh/Wilderfile
We all took our daily baths from the steps below the main gate. During
the heavy monsoon the river hissed during the days and roared at
night, threatening to cut across and overflow. Yet we were not afraid
of the river. The dark misty mountains in the distance and the
ascending rolls of thick rain clouds were giving the necessary
warnings. Of course the flood damaged the dwelling of low lying areas.
Plantains and vegetables of those greedy farmers who encroached the
riverbed and did unauthorised cultivation, suffered. The villagers
generally kept the flat lands on either side of the river as flood-
plains. This minimised the force of the flood and incidentally
collected and stored large quantities of fertile top soil.
Bharatapuzha once boasted of a water transport system from Palakkad to
Ponani. Twin boats carrying agricultural produce to Ponani port used
to halt for the night at our ferry point. The oarsmen cooked their
food on the banks and rested till daybreak. From our courtyard we
could hear their friendly quarrels late in the night. An occasional
Mopla ballad also floated in the night air.
The whole village, except the very old, took their bath in the river
during summer. The water in the tanks was not good enough while
compared to the crystal clear running water, even though it was not
deep. The families without their own wells made their private water
holes in the riverbed for potable water.
During the summer, guests and relatives came to all the upper middle
class house from distant villages or towns like Calicut or Trichur.
For the adolescent males it was a festive occasion to watch discreetly
the sophisticated maidens chaperoned by elders going to certain
protected areas of the river for their evening ablutions.
The cattle also enjoyed a bath in the river - there were areas marked
for cattle - after a hot day's toil. If you could drive the cattle to
the river without their taking a bite from the paddy fields on either
side of the bund, then the grownups deemed you fit to enter the farm
work. (If you could read Ezhuthachan's Ramayanam without faltering,
your Malayalam education was complete!)
For me, the moonlit riverbed in the summer is a distant, but vivid
dream. We were never allowed to go there as it was a favourite
playground for the celestials. Villagers who got down at Pallipuram
Railway Station from a night train had to be careful while crossing
the river. If you did not disturb them, they would not bother you.
That was the perfect understanding between divine beings and mortals.
K. Ananthan
Our family deity was in Kodikunnath Temple, six kilometres away across
the river. We all believed in a legend that at some time in the past
there was only a poor widow and three children in our house. She used
to keep cows and every morning she would take the milk to the temple.
In return she got enough cooked rice for the day. Once the river was
full and the boatman did not dare to make it across. The widow
returned and told the children that there would not be any rice till
the river subsided. She gave boiled milk to the children and put them
to bed. At midnight someone knocked on the front door and she opened
it. There was an old woman on the door step all covered up and
drenched. The nocturnal visitor placed a brass vessel full of rice in
front of the widow and commanded: "Wake the children and feed them!"
Then the figure vanished. After the flood receded, on the fourth day
the widow went to the temple with the usual milk. She had kept the
rice vessel also with her to discuss the incident with the priest. The
priest was astonished. The vessel had been missing from the sanctum
sanctorum for the last three days.
So we all grew up loving and adoring the Mother Goddess who once
brought rice to our hungry ancestor.
We have a grandmother too, the mother of Kodikkunnath Goddess. She is
in the temple Muthassiar Kavu (grandmother's temple) near Pattambi.
According to one legend the Grandmother Goddess and her three
beautiful daughters (including the mother of Kodikkunnath) were
strolling along the river bed on a summer night. They saw a dance
festival by the Harijans and the youngest daughter was so carried away
by it, that she refused to go along when it was time to leave. The
mother ordered her to be with the Harijans and perform as their
guardian deity. This is the popular belief on the origin of Kanakkar
Kavu (Kanakkar is a sect of Harijans).
On another occasion the two sisters quarrelled after witnessing the
ritual of an animal sacrifice. As the younger one was so much
engrossed in the gory scene, the elder one parted company and settled
down in Kodikkunnath. The younger sister shifted to Kodungallur where
blood sacrifices were a common ritual until the immediate past.
Coming to the present, hundreds of lorries now wait in queue at every
point of access in every Panchayat all along the river. Roads are laid
right into the midrib of the river for quick mining and loading. The
thickets have grown into mini jungles in many places. They shield the
gamblers during the day and the illicit distillers at night.
It is not an unusual spectacle now in April and May to see, while
travelling through some villages by the river, long queues of women
with their coloured plastic pots waiting patiently for the water
lorry. The sub-soil water has receded so much that the wells on the
river belt have gone dry.
The river Bharatapuzha set the stage for many battles and historical
spectacles like Mamankam in the past. Noisy scenes are enacted even
now on the riverbed over territorial rights of mining and loading and
validity of official licenses. Long rows of heavy lorries block every
access to the river. You can no longer get a panoramic view of the
river. Instead, it is a vast scattering of mining pits.
To us, the river was another benevolent Mother Goddess. She discreetly
guarded our intimate dreams. Her deep chasms painfully received the
frustrations and shame of some of the erratic children. The departed
dear ones accepted the rituals of our obeisance under her watchful
eyes and left peacefully for their heavenly abodes.
The river which has often inspired me and which has witnessed my
growing up, affectionately tolerating my contradictions within, is
breathing her last.
I feel one of my filial bonds is about to be cruelly snapped. The
village is losing a colourful historical past, a nostalgic glory and a
cultural legacy. Yes, we have lost all of them, almost.
http://www.hinduonnet.com/folio/fo0107/01070480.htm
http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2003/09/08/stories/2003090800700100.htm
A case for satvic food
CHENNAI, OCT. 15. How can food have any relevance to a person's
ultimate goal?
According to scriptures, eating is akin to conducting a homa, and
technically we are observing vaishvanara yagna when we are consuming a
meal. It is in the pit of the stomach that hunger, a sensation akin to
fire, is produced. This can be quenched only when we partake of food.
However, the nature of the ingredients of the food is important and
careful adherence to vegetarian meal is more in consonance with a
seeker's spiritual journey. In the Ramayana, sage Viswamitra sought
from Dasarata the assistance of Rama and Lakshmana to protect a yagna
from the evil forces which were showering entrails into the
sacrificial fire. Similarly, we are guilty of indulging in meaty food
in our daily diet which is but a reflection of the evil forces in our
spiritual life, said Sri Vidyasagara Madhva Theertha in his address at
the Indian Vegetarian Congress.
One should resist the temptation of eating meat, polluting the system
in the name of nutrition. Don't the Vedas sanction animal sacrifice,
some ask. Saint Madhwacharya argues against superficial study of
scriptures and prescribes analysis by exclusive application of "maha
vyakarna," the superior grammar. It will then be found that the cow
that is to be sacrificed is nothing more than a composition of flour
and ghee (clarified butter). Detailed analyses are found in the works
of the exponents of the Madhwa school of thought, such as Sri Vijendra
Theertha and Sri Narayana Panditacharya.
Some argue that whatever is offered to God should be consumed by the
seekers. Since the Vedas sanction animal sacrifice, consumption of
animal flesh is considered a just course of action by some. A few
others compromise when caught in a dilemma over meat — while adopting
animal sacrifice at yagnas, they are strict vegetarians in their food
habits. However, Sri Madhwacharya argues that there cannot be two sets
of rules for yagnas. The sacrificial fires at the visible homakunda
and the invisible fire pit (the stomach) are in principle the same.
The Vedas are for the uplift of people and as such they will not
advocate anything retrograde in a person's quest for liberation. To
the evolved, there is no dichotomy.
Over eons, violent modes of worship have been replaced with more
satvic methods. The scriptures have to be read and interpreted
carefully in both letter and spirit, and harmful practices should be
given up.
Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Oct 15, 2004
http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/2004/10/15/stories/2004101500070900.htm
Beef eating: strangulating history
While one must respect the sentiments of those who worship cow and
regard her as their mother, to take offence to the objective study of
history just because the facts don't suit their political calculations
is yet another sign of a society where liberal space is being
strangulated by the practitioners of communal politics. [text Tag=blue-
tint][/Text]PROF. D. N. JHA, a historian from Delhi University, had
been experiencing the nightmares of `threats to life' from anonymous
callers who were trying to prevail upon him not to go ahead with the
publication of his well researched work, Holy Cow: Beef in Indian
Dietary Traditions.
As per the reports it is a work of serious scholarship based on
authentic sources in tune with methods of scientific research in
history. The book demonstrates that contrary to the popular belief
even today a large number of Indians, the indigenous people in
particular and many other communities in general, consume beef
unmindful of the dictates of the Hindutva forces.
It is too well known to recount that these Hindutva forces confer the
status of mother to the cow. Currently 72 communities in Kerala - not
all of them untouchables - prefer beef to the expensive mutton and the
Hindutva forces are trying to prevail upon them to stop the same.
Not tenable
To begin with the historian breaks the myth that Muslim rulers
introduced beef eating in India. Much before the advent of Islam in
India beef had been associated with Indian dietary practices. Also it
is not at all tenable to hold that dietary habits are a mark of
community identity.
A survey of ancient Indian scriptures, especially the Vedas, shows
that amongst the nomadic, pastoral Aryans who settled here, animal
sacrifice was a dominant feature till the emergence of settled
agriculture. Cattle were the major property during this phase and they
offered the same to propitiate the gods. Wealth was equated with the
ownership of the cattle.
Many gods such as Indra and Agni are described as having special
preferences for different types of flesh - Indra had weakness for
bull's meat and Agni for bull's and cow's. It is recorded that the
Maruts and the Asvins were also offered cows. In the Vedas there is a
mention of around 250 animals out of which at least 50 were supposed
to be fit for sacrifice and consumption. In the Mahabharata there is a
mention of a king named Rantideva who achieved great fame by
distributing foodgrains and beef to Brahmins. Taittiriya Brahman
categorically tells us: `Verily the cow is food' (atho annam via gauh)
and Yajnavalkya's insistence on eating the tender (amsala) flesh of
the cow is well known. Even later Brahminical texts provide the
evidence for eating beef. Even Manusmriti did not prohibit the
consumption of beef.
As a medicine
In therapeutic section of Charak Samhita (pages 86-87) the flesh of
cow is prescribed as a medicine for various diseases. It is also
prescribed for making soup. It is emphatically advised as a cure for
irregular fever, consumption, and emaciation. The fat of the cow is
recommended for debility and rheumatism.
With the rise of agricultural economy and the massive transformation
occurring in society, changes were to be brought in in the practice of
animal sacrifice also. At that time there were ritualistic practices
like animal sacrifices, with which Brahmins were identified. Buddha
attacked these practices. There were sacrifices, which involved 500
oxen, 500 male calves, 500 female calves and 500 sheep to be tied to
the sacrificial pole for slaughter. Buddha pointed out that aswamedha,
purusmedha, vajapeya sacrifices did not produce good results.
According to a story in Digha Nikaya, when Buddha was touring Magadha,
a Brahmin called Kutadanta was preparing for a sacrifice with 700
bulls, 700 goats and 700 rams. Buddha intervened and stopped him. His
rejection of animal sacrifice and emphasis on non-injury to animals
assumed a new significance in the context of new agriculture.
The threat from Buddhism
The emphasis on non-violence by Buddha was not blind or rigid. He did
taste beef and it is well known that he died due to eating pork.
Emperor Ashok after converting to Buddhism did not turn to
vegetarianism. He only restricted the number of animals to be killed
for the royal kitchen.
So where do matters change and how did the cow become a symbol of
faith and reverence to the extent of assuming the status of
`motherhood'? Over a period of time mainly after the emergence of
Buddhism or rather as an accompaniment of the Brahminical attack on
Buddhism, the practices started being looked on with different
emphasis. The threat posed by Buddhism to the Brahminical value system
was too severe. In response to low castes slipping away from the grip
of Brahminism, the battle was taken up at all the levels. At
philosophical level Sankara reasserted the supremacy of Brahminical
values, at political level King Pushyamitra Shung ensured the physical
attack on Buddhist monks, at the level of symbols King Shashank got
the Bodhi tree (where Gautama the Buddha got Enlightenment)
destroyed.
One of the appeals to the spread of Buddhism was the protection of
cattle wealth, which was needed for the agricultural economy. In a way
while Brahminism `succeeded' in banishing Buddhism from India, it had
also to transform itself from the `animal sacrifice' state to the one
which could be in tune with the times. It is here that this ideology
took up the cow as a symbol of their ideological march. But unlike
Buddha whose pronouncements were based on reason, the counteraction of
Brahminical ideology took the form of a blind faith based on
assertion. So while Buddha's non-violence was for the preservation of
animal wealth for the social and compassionate reasons the counter was
based purely on symbolism. So while the followers of Brahminical
ideology accuse Buddha of `weakening' India due to his doctrine of non-
violence, he was not a cow worshipper or vegetarian in the current
Brahminical sense.
Despite the gradual rigidification of Brahminical `cow as mother'
stance, large sections of low castes continued the practice of beef
eating. The followers of Buddhism continued to eat flesh including
beef. Since Brahminism is the dominant religious tradition, Babur, the
first Mughal emperor, in his will to his son Humayun, in deference to
these notions, advised him to respect the cow and avoid cow slaughter.
With the construction of Hindutva ideology and politics, in response
to the rising Indian national movement, the demand for ban on cow
slaughter also came up. In post-Independence India RSS repeatedly
raised this issue to build up a mass campaign but without any response
to its call till the 1980s.
While one must respect the sentiments of those who worship cow and
regard her as their mother, to take offence to the objective study of
history just because the facts don't suit their political calculations
is yet another sign of a society where liberal space is being
strangulated by the practitioners of communal politics. We have seen
enough such threats and offences in recent past - be it the opposition
to films or the destruction of paintings, or the dictates of the
communalists to the young not to celebrate Valentine's Day, etc., -
and hope the democratic spirit of our Constitution holds the forte and
any threat to the democratic freedom is opposed tooth and nail.
Prof. RAM PUNIYANI
A member of EKTA (Committee for Communal Amity), Mumbai
Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, August 14, 2001
http://www.hinduonnet.com/2001/08/14/stories/13140833.htm
Volume 21 - Issue 06, March 13 - March 26, 2004
India's National Magazine
from the publishers of THE HINDU
COVER STORY
The spread in the South
Hindutva has percolated to the nooks and corners of South India, and
the routes taken have often been socio-cultural and educational rather
than political. Reports from Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka.
S.R. RAGHUNATHAN
At the Mahamaham in Kumbakonam, the VHP makes its presence felt during
the holy dip in the Kumbeshwara temple tank on March 6.
TAMIL NADU
A multi-pronged approach
"Tamil Nadu today is under the spiritual rule of Jayalalithaa." This
is a pious declaration made by P.C. Ramasami, Minister for Hindu
Religious and Charitable Endowments in the Jayalalithaa-led All India
Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) government in the State, at
Kumbakonam in Thanjavur district on March 6 after a ritual "holy dip"
to mark the Mahamaham festival. About 10 lakh devotees are estimated
to have taken a dip in the tank of the Kumbeshwara temple, along with
"priests carrying trishuls". The Sankaracharya of the Kanchi mutt,
Jayendra Saraswati, inaugurated the festival, which is described as
the "Kumbh Mela of the South" and is held once in 12 years. Numerous
Saivite and Vaishnavite mutt heads participated in the festival.
Ramasami told mediapersons that under the Jayalalithaa regime 2,822
temples had been renovated. The Minister's observations are indicative
of not only the government's priorities, but also the congenial
atmosphere in the State for the Sangh Parivar to exploit the
religiosity of the faithful to advance its communal and political
agenda.
The Hindutva forces were helped by the fact that they had the
Bharatiya Janata Party in power at the Centre and two successive
friendly governments in the State, the first headed by the Dravida
Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), an ally of the BJP until recently, and the
second by the AIADMK, an erstwhile ally of the BJP which is keen to
build bridges with the Sangh Parivar. The Sangh Parivar has been
largely successful in its attempt to make the best of the situation
because of the competitive political lines taken by the DMK and the
AIADMK in support of the Hindutva forces in order to make electoral
gain. Political observers criticised the Dravidian parties' tactical
line as a significant deviation from rationalism and self-respect, the
cornerstones of the Dravidian movement founded by `Periyar' E.V.
Ramasami. The Dravidian parties' competitive political support to the
Sangh Parivar gave legitimacy to the actions of the Hindutva forces
and contributed to their growth. Jayalalithaa's AIADMK has been the
more enthusiastic of the two in supporting the Hindutva cause. While
in power the DMK extended only passive support to the Parivar, without
concealing its reservations on issues such as a common civil code and
the construction of a temple in Ayodhya. The AIADMK government has had
no qualms in not only supporting many of its causes but also wresting
the initiative from the Hindutva forces by launching certain
legislative measures that even BJP-led governments in other States did
not resort to.
When, in 2002, the Jayalalithaa government brought in an Ordinance,
later made into a law with legislative approval, banning "forcible"
religious conversions through "financial allurement" or otherwise, the
move drew protests from many parties, including the DMK, then an ally
of the BJP at the Centre. The anti-conversion law was seen as one more
of the many pro-Hindutva measures taken by the Jayalalithaa government
since it came to power in 2001. These included the provision of
substantial financial assistance to renovate temples, grant of pension
to poojaris, and the `Annadhanam' scheme to feed poor Hindus in
temples. The government also introduced a scheme to conduct spiritual
classes in over 150 Hindu temples. Jayalalithaa also arranged for a
mass wedding ceremony for a hundred Hindu couples.
Even during her first term as Chief Minister, in 1991-96, she took
several measures that pleased the Hindutva forces. Apart from
renovating temples, she started Vedic colleges to benefit the priestly
class. She brought in an Ordinance to facilitate government
interference in minorities-run educational institutions, but had to
withdraw it amid protests. Her support to the kar seva at Ayodhya,
expressed at a meeting of the National Integration Council in November
1992, a fortnight before the demolition of the Babri Masjid is only
too well known.
Another controversial move by her government was the directive to the
administration to enforce strictly the law against animal sacrifice in
temples, which had been in cold storage for five decades (Frontline,
October 10, 2003). The Hindu orthodoxy had for long been demanding a
ban on such sacrifices on the grounds that the practice "polluted"
places of worship, most of which were even denied the status of
temples. The government's move to enforce the Act met with stiff
resistance, particularly from the oppressed people such as Dalits.
They claimed that it violated their constitutional right to worship
and sought to interfere with the form of worship of the disadvantaged
sections. The government order was also challenged in the Madras High
Court. The government, however, kept on justifying its action with the
support of the heads of religious mutts and State BJP leaders.
Ultimately, Jayalalithaa was forced to bow to the people's wish and
even annul the Tamil Nadu Animals and Birds Sacrifices Prohibition
Act, 1950.
The State government's willing cooperation in implementing some of the
priority issues on the Hindutva agenda has helped the Sangh Parivar in
the task of consolidation in the past five years. For instance,
Vinayaka Chaturthi processions organised in Chennai by the Hindutva
forces, which had in the first few years led to violent confrontations
with religious minorities, have spread to other places in the State.
Even the activists of the two principal Dravidian parties are now seen
in the Chaturthi processions with their own Vinayaka idols decorated
with party flags. Although their potential to cause violence has shown
a significant fall in recent years, the processions still cause
tension.
Another major step taken by the Hindu Munnani and the Vishwa Hindu
Parishad (VHP) was to organise non-Brahmin poojaris of village temples
and secure governmental assistance for them. This was done in
pursuance of their plan to wrest control of thousands of village
temples, meddle with the existing forms of worship and ensure the
loyalty of lakhs of people in rural areas. According to A.
Sivasubramaniam, a researcher, the idea is to Brahminise these temples
by robbing Dalits and other backward communities of their natural
rights over these places of worship built by their ancestors mostly in
honour of slain heroes.
The VHP claims that it has built 120 temples in Dalit areas of Tamil
Nadu, where "persons from all communities can worship". It further
claims that because of this action untouchability has been "reduced to
a great extent in these areas". In fact, what Dalits in Tamil Nadu and
other States are demanding is not separate temples, but a reassurance
that their constitutional right to enter the mainstream temples will
be honoured. Dalits in many parts of the State have launched struggles
to assert their right to temple entry, but on no occasion has the VHP
or its allies thought it necessary to intervene on behalf of these
helpless people. In many parts of the State, the Parivar's workers are
not sympathetic to Dalits' struggles against casteist oppression; they
often depend upon leaders of the oppressive castes to carry out their
activities.
Education is another area in which Hindutva forces have made
substantial headway in recent years. In Tamil Nadu about 150 schools
are functioning under the guidance of the Vidya Bharati Akhil
Bharatiya Shiksha Sansthan, a Sangh Parivar organisation that aims at,
among other things, evolving "an integrated system of education in
conformity with the aims of Indian culture and its ideals of life". Of
these schools, 24 are Hindu Vidyalayas run by the VHP. Other schools
are under the control of many organisations, including the Vivekananda
Educational Society and the Vivekananda Educational Trust, both based
in Chennai. There has been a substantial increase in the number of
schools run by these institutions during the past five years. For
instance, schools under the Vivekananda Educational Society increased
from 10 in 1998 to 16 in 2003. Last year, the Society added a
residential school run on the "gurukula" model.
Most of these schools, located in the suburbs of Chennai, cater to
middle-class families. Over 17,000 students of the schools run by the
Vivekananda Educational Society are trained in music, dance, yoga,
physical exercise and so on. Besides Hindi, Tamil and English, they
are taught Sanskrit as a compulsory fourth language. In the name of
moral instruction they are taught Hindu epics and the Puranas.
An interesting practice in these schools is that the applications of
the students writing public examinations are taken to a temple nearby
and placed "at the feet" of the deities, invoking their blessings. All
students, irrespective of their religion, are compelled to participate
in this ritual. Teachers and students are expected to attend camps in
the name of "refresher courses" or "in-house training". At a certain
stage, students are taken to the Vivekananda Kendra in Kanyakumari for
a 21-day camp run on the lines of a `shakha' of the Rashtriya
Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS). This camp is believed to serve the purpose of
recruiting cadets for the RSS. All schools have a prayer hall
displaying pictures of Hindu deities. One significant development with
regard to the Vidya Bharati schools in recent years is that they have
been increasingly using textbooks prepared by the National Council of
Educational Research and Training (NCERT), unlike in the past when
they used them only for the 10th and 12th standards. This may be
because NCERT books have now been doctored to suit the needs of
saffronised education. These schools, with the assistance of a trained
RSS worker, organise thiruvilakku poojas for women in temples and lend
space for holding RSS camps.
In university education, too, attempts are being made to introduce
subjects such as Vedic Astrology and Vedic Mathematics. However, these
face stiff resistance at university bodies such as the Academic
Council, the Senate and the Syndicate. For instance, when the
University Grants Commission's suggestion to start courses in Vedic
Astrology and Vedic Mathematics came up for implementation,
representatives of the Madurai University Teachers Association in the
various university bodies protested against the move and stopped it.
In the University of Madras, an M.A. degree course in Natya (Dance and
Theatre) was sought to be introduced with the blessings of Sangh
experts. At a meeting of the Academic Council, the proposal was
opposed on the grounds that the project had no scientific basis and
contained retrograde features in the name of "incorporating the
learning advantages of the centuries-old guru-sishya parampara along
with research and training methodologies of modern education". The
Vice-Chancellor had to shelve the proposal pending detailed
discussion.
There is no doubt that the increased activities of the Sangh Parivar
in recent years portend dangerous consequences for the communal
harmony in the State. However, these efforts do not seem to have
enabled the BJP to expand its political space in a big way. Its
influence does not appear to have spread to areas other than its
traditional strongholds, Kanyakumari and Coimbatore districts.
S. Viswanathan
KERALA
A switch in strategy
The supreme confidence, if not the menace, in the statements was
unmistakable, as the leader of the Marad Arayasamajam, the Sangh
Parivar's fishermen's organisation in the communally volatile Marad
village in coastal Kozhikode, introduced himself to Frontline in his
office in October 2003: "I was born here. I was brought up here. I am
a fisherman and have been a member of the Arayasamajam from the
mid-1970s. I have held all the important positions in the Samajam,
except that of the president. I rose through the Rashtiya Swayamsewak
Sangh (RSS). When my work proved a hindrance for everyday RSS `shakha'
activity, I joined the Bharatiya Janata Party, a party in which I have
held several important local responsibilities. Now I am the secretary
of the Arayasamajam. I have no hesitation in saying that all members
of the Arayasamajam (the entire fishing community at Marad) are RSS
supporters. Nobody sings a different tune here. Our activities are
fully supported by our leadership."
C.RATHEESH KUMAR
In Thiruvananthapuram, a Ganesha festival procession organised by the
Shiv Sena.
For months on end, after nine fishermen, eight of them Hindus, were
brutally done to death in a frenzy of communal revenge killings at
Marad in May last year (Frontline, November 7, 2003), T. Suresh, the
leader of the small Hindu fishing community in the village, literally
became the face of the Sangh Parivar in Kerala, making demands, posing
threats, rejecting proposals and keeping the State government
machinery on tenterhooks before agreeing to proposals that eventually
launched a peace initiative in the Muslim-majority village in north
Kerala. The Muslim families that fled the village fearing reprisals
have since returned and the tenuous peace holds. The Arayasamajam
office in the village is a veritable fortress secured by Sangh cadre.
During the strife it was the virtual government in the village, where
political parties feared to tread.
The Arayasamajam leader and the men who surround him perhaps symbolise
what the Hindutva combine is up to in Kerala.
The violence at Marad in May was a clear indication that the
intervention of a large number of majority as well as minority
communal organisations had started showing its ugly results in Kerala.
The leader of the Hindu fishermen in Marad was a symbol of a growing
body of men and women in Kerala who "bore the same vision and the same
dream and moved forward as one" in their belief that a "Hindu Kerala
is not a myth", that each one of them has to "take such a glorious
vision to heart" to bring to reality a Kerala that will become a
"laboratory for the Hindu way of life and vision, if not immediately,
soon, in future".
Recently, the Sangh Parivar announced an ambitious target for such men
and women: of spreading the activities of the Parivar to all regions
in the State by 2006, the birth centenary year of RSS leader Madhav
Sadashiv Golwalkar. The focus of its recent activities has been on
extending its influence among all sections of Hindus, especially
Dalits, fisherfolk and Adivasis, and gaining acceptance in the State
through persistent socio-cultural interventions (Frontline, December
2, 2002 and February 28, 2003).
In Kerala, the RSS-led growth of the Sangh Parivar has overshadowed
the activities of its political arm, the BJP, especially in the years
since the demolition of the Babri Masjid. The number of RSS `shakhas'
has increased from 4,300 in 2001 to 4,800. Its organisers claim that
the `Sangh' is active in all the 14 districts of the State, the
weakest links being the Christian belt of the high-range Idukki and
Wayanad districts and the predominantly Muslim areas of north Kerala.
According to RSS activists, over 10,000 locations have been
"identified" for active work and in 1,329 of them daily drills and
discussions take place for an hour each in the morning, evening and
night.
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), too, has established its
organisational network in all parts of the State, resorting to emotive
actions such as the distribution of tridents and the controversial
construction of a temple within the Idukki dam area. More important, a
myriad RSS-backed socio-cultural organisations promoting communal
ideas in the field of education, literature, theatre, science and arts
and actively involved in the renovation and protection of temples have
made a visible presence in the State within a short period.
The Kshetra Samrakshana Samiti, a Parivar unit with the declared aim
of "building a temple-based organised society" and a "temple-based way
of life", actively promotes the renovation of small family temples
dotting the State and has gained control of the management of the day-
to-day affairs and conduct of festivals of a number of big ones.
`Balagokulam', a mass organisation for children with over 1,300 units
in the State, organises the high-visibility "Srikrishna Jayanti rally
and celebrations" in various cities and towns every year. Thousands of
children participate in the event. In addition, it runs Balasamskara
Kendras (children's cultural centres) at five centres; `Sowrakshika',
an organisation for the protection of children's rights; Mayilpeeli, a
magazine; and `Amrita Bharati Vidya Peetom', a centre for the
promotion of Sanskrit and Hindu culture.
Balagokulam claims a membership of over 26,000 children, who attend
weekly catch-them-young classes. The aim is to groom them as
leadership material for other Hindutva activities. As part of its 30th
anniversary, Balagokulam has announced the establishment of an
`International Sri Krishna Centre' in Kerala, to be developed as a Sri
Krishna pilgrimage centre in the State.
The Bharatiya Vichara Kendra, an intellectual forum for debate with
political opponents, was established in Kerala in 1982 after a sudden
spurt in RSS activity following frequent clashes between the Communist
Party of India (Marxist) and RSS activists in north Kerala. It has
more than 30 units in the State and brings out a magazine. Among other
activities, it conducts Gita, Yoga and Sanskrit classes.
Perhaps the most prominent and effective Sangh Parivar organisation is
the one that is involved in education, the Bharatiya Vidya Niketan. It
runs about 375 schools in all the districts with no government support
and purely on the initiative of the local Parivar cadre. Fifteen
schools, the majority of them in districts that have a sizable Muslim
or Christian population, follow the syllabi of the Central Board of
Secondary Education (CBSE), with English as the medium of instruction.
The rest follow the State syllabus. Teachers are required to undergo
special training under a five-point programme, which includes physical
education, Sanskrit, yoga, value education and art and culture, all
meant to acquaint them, and eventually their pupils, "with the Hindu
way of life". Key organisers in such schools are from the RSS, even
though the organisation does not have any direct involvement in its
running.
In addition to Janmabhoomi, a daily newspaper, and Kesari, a weekly,
the Parivar has 10 regular publications in the State. The Swadesi
Science Movement, which has as its declared objective the development
of an "Indian approach to science" (it recently organised an
international conference on Ayurveda), and `Tapasya', an organisation
promoting art and culture, are also prominent Sangh Parivar
"recruitment agencies".
In the past few years, the Hindutva combine's voluntary activity has
had a new focus: the tribal and coastal areas of Kerala. Providing
free medical aid and education and running informal, single-teacher
schools for tribal children are some of the activities it undertakes
there. A 33-bed hospital at Kalpetta in the predominantly tribal
Wayanad district, for example, offers free food, medicines, in-patient
facitlity and diagnostic services to the tribal people. The Vanvasi
Kalyan Ashram has established its units in 52 tribal areas of the
State and is now engaged in meeting the "challenge" of Christian
missionary activity in those areas, offering competitive healthcare
and educational facilities.
Early last year, the attack on an American missionary, Joseph William
Cooper, in Thiruvananthapuram, almost coincided with the two-day
`Vanavasi Sangamom' organised by the Sangh Parivar at Mananthavadi in
Wayanad district, to promote the all-India game plan of "Hinduising"
tribal people. The high-profile conference, attended by top Sangh
Parivar leaders, was itself preceded by events orchestrated by the VHP
and other Hindutva organisations to "celebrate the reconversion of (a
few) Adivasis to Hinduism". The Matsya Pravartaka Sanghom, another RSS
family unit, recently started a mobilisation initiative, organising
`Sagara poojas' (worshipping the sea) and Hindu maha sammelans at
select centres in the coastal areas and near freshwater lakes.
This is but an example of the vast infrastructure the RSS-led Hindutva
organisations have established in Kerala, which it considers a sunrise
region for interventions tailored to bring about a fundamentalist
shift in the thinking of Hindus. But the Hindu community, whose
loyalties are divided among various political parties and coalitions,
castes and caste-based political groups, has so far given no
indications of helping the Parivar realise its dream.
For three days from January 24, the RSS held a "Pranteeya Karyakarthru
Sibiram" in Kollam, its first in 25 years in Kerala, where the
Hindutva vision and dreams were reiterated. Nearly 16,000 delegates,
ranging from leaders of 4,800 shakhas in Kerala to the top leadership
including Sarsanghchalak K.S. Sudarshan, participated in it. The
address to the delegates of the conference by P. Parameswaran,
director of the Bharatiya Vichara Kendra, was a clear exposition of
the Sangh Parivar's vision of the challenges it faced in Kerala and
its long-term prospects in the State. The following are certain
significant excerpts from his speech:
1.Compared to other States, Kerala has a "substantial population of
Muslims, organised Christian missionary activity and support for deep-
rooted, `anti-national' Communist way of thinking". The State's Hindu
population came down in a decade from 57 per cent to 55 per cent,
while the Muslim and Christian populations increased to 23.34 per cent
and 19.32 per cent. "Even while we take pride in the fact that Hindus
form 55 per cent of the population, we should not forget that the
`other side' is 45 per cent. Even though Hindus are described as the
majority, they should remember that they are neither organised nor
strong. That is why they do not have influence or participation in any
sector in the State."
2.The formation of united Kerala (from the erstwhile Malabar, Cochin
and Travancore regions) "had also created an imbalance in terms of
population", along with changes in the structure of government and
politics of the State. (From then on) Hindu society lost the position
and influence it had before. It lost its predominant position in the
economy, politics and the educational sector in the State. "Other
sections" came to prominence. "Minority community organisations
transformed themselves into political parties. An organisation that
was once described as a "dead horse" (the Muslim League) increased its
number of seats, its position and influence. It gained the strength to
shake Kerala to the core. It threw ordinary laws to the winds. The
result was that along with their pre-eminence in the politics of the
State, they gained in the fields of education, industries as well as
economically. Land came under their control. The state of Hindus
became pathetic. They did not get even the benefits due to 55 per cent
of the peopulation."
3.Though the RSS has grown in strength in Kerala with its extremely
complex social climate, it is unable yet to put the stamp of Hindutva
in all walks of life, even though "anti-Hindu, anti-national" forces
remain strong but divided among themselves. It is unable yet to spread
the message of Hindutva among such forces that continue to fight among
themselves.
4.The intention of the Sangh Parivar is not to create a Hindu
organisation, but the strengthening of Hindu society... to have its
influence in all fields of life, including the economy and education.
Its aim is to bring about a social transformation by organising Hindus
in all walks of society and grow as an organisation of Hindu society.
5.The Parivar finds it encouraging that the Hindu revivalism taking
place all over India "is finding its echo in Kerala too"; that "people
who once sabotaged such efforts were seeing them with respect now";
that "a new spiritual climate" is developing in the State; that the
number of `spiritual gurus' is growing in Kerala ; that the number of
believers too is growing; and that "the various religious and cultural
activities it organised in the hundreds of temples in the State are
being widely welcomed. It believes in cooperating with the spiritual
revival efforts controlled by organisations that have no link with the
Parivar. "Ours is not an isolated stream, but a huge Ganga that
accepts all such efforts."
6.The Sangh Parivar believes that the present climate is ideal for its
growth in Kerala. It believed that the people are waiting eagerly to
accept the Hindutva message. Critics have disappeared and the sound of
criticism has vanished. "Kerala today has two political coalitions
which are bereft of ideas and are ideologically in a state of vacuum
and need not be a hindrance for the Sangh Parivar's activities."
Parameswaran's statements are the clearest exposition yet of the
concerns, goals and strategies of the RSS in relation to Kerala from
its own leaders. Clearly, it is because its political goal often
seemed so elusive in Kerala that the Hindutva combine had, ever since
the 1990s, subtly shifted its fight onto a new battlefield - that of
winning the hearts and minds of Hindus through non-political,
religious and socio-cultural mediation, using a vast network of
organisations. It is a platform where it finds itself left to its own
winning deeds by secular formations, including the Left parties and
the Congress(I).
R. Krishnakumar
KARNATAKA
Mutts as political players
What will be the likely role of the mutts in Karnataka in determining
the outcome of the elections in the State? Though defined legally as a
religious establishment headed by a pontiff, the mutt plays a role
that extends well beyond the purely religious. The mutts in Karnataka
are sharply divided along caste and sectarian lines. They have emerged
as major and not-to-be-ignored political players in the present
milieu, offering direct or indirect support to political parties and
candidates.
The Madhwa mutts in the coastal belt have been vehicles for the spread
of Hindutva, both as an ideology and as an electoral force. There are
eight Madhwa mutts, which are the joint custodians of the Krishna
temple in Udupi - the Palimar, Adamar, Krishnapur, Puttige, Shirur,
Sode, Kaniyur and Pejavar mutts. The reigning pontiffs of the mutts
conduct worship at the Udupi temple by a system of rotation. The two
most prominent mutts that have long been the standard-bearers of the
Hindutva cause are the Pejavar and Adamar mutts. The pontiff of the
Pejavar mutt, Sri Vishwesa Tirtha Swamiji, is a founder-member of the
Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and has been associated with the Ram
Janmabhoomi movement from its inception. He was present in Ayodhya
when the Babri Masjid was demolished in 1992 and is a prominent figure
on all Sangh Parivar platforms both in Karnataka and elsewhere in the
country.
Speaking to Frontline from Udupi, the octogenarian head of the Pejavar
mutt said he actively propagated the message of Hindutva and spread
the aims of the Ayodhya movement by addressing meetings, rallies and
samaveshas (mass meetings). "I speak about it and answer questions. If
there is any wrong writing on these issues in newspapers, I reply
immediately. I know from the reactions at my meetings that the message
has spread very well in Karnataka." As a margadarshi for the VHP, he
had ensured that his mutt worked with the VHP on many activities, he
said, although the mutt also worked through its own organisations,
particularly in providing education and healthcare in tribal areas and
inaccessible hilly regions.
The Pejavar mutt, in particular, has given active patronage to the
samavesha, which has, in recent months, become the most popular method
of Hindu mass mobilisation in the coastal belt. Following the Gujarat
riots, the samavesha has become a frequent event, spreading now from
the cities to small towns and villages of Udupi and Dakshina Kannada
districts. "The town or village is first covered with plastic saffron
flags of the VHP. The meeting is usually held near a minority-
dominated area. Leaders of the VHP, like Pravin Togadia, spit fire and
venom in their speeches, which threaten the minorities and exhort
Hindus to build a Hindu Rashtra," said H. Pattabhirama Somayaji,
Professor of English at University College, Mangalore. "Mutt leaders
like the Pejavar Swamiji are frequent speakers at these meetings. In
fact, in the last 10 years the mutts have become the standard bearers
of Hindutva rather than formal political parties. Political leaders
depend more and more upon the Swamijis to get their message across."
With the emergence of the mutts as the rallying points for Hindutva in
this region, the distinction between the religious and the political
as different spheres of public activity has all but disappeared. "Most
religious functions have been saffronised," said Somayaji. Take
paryaya, a ceremony held every two years to mark the passing on of the
authority to conduct worship in the Krishna temple amongst the
pontiffs of the eight Madhwa mutts. From a ceremony confined to a sect
of Madhwa Brahmins in Karnataka, paryaya has virtually become a State-
level function for all Hindus and a major expression of the power and
prestige of the mutt concerned. This year's paryaya ceremony was
attended by a galaxy of persons prominent in public life in the State.
Even the myriad `little traditions' of Hinduism, like the Bhootakulas
- a popular form of spirit worship practised in the villages of
Dakshina Kannada district by members of the lower castes - have been
permeated by the colour, sound, speech and symbolism of Hindutva, said
Somayaji.
"I have lived here for the past 50 years and was saddened to see the
Udupi Krishna temple founded 7,000 years ago by the great
Madhwacharya, flying the flag of the VHP," said G. Rajashekhar, an
employee of the Life Insurance Corporation of India and an active
member of the Souharda Vedike, an organisation that has been fighting
communalism. According to him, the Pejavar Swamiji welcomed and
blessed Pravin Togadia at a mammoth samajotsava held recently in
Udupi. The banners at the rally glorified Gujarat Chief Minister
Narendra Modi, and Togadia and hailed Dara Singh, the murderer of the
Australian missionary Graham Stains and his two sons, as the "saviour
of Hinduism". "We protested to the District Commissioner, after which
Dara Singh's name was removed from the banners," said Rajashekhar.
"The Pejavar Swamiji says he condemns the violence in Gujarat. Why
does he then continue to patronise Hindutva outfits that supported
it?"
Vishwesa Thirtha Swamiji of the Pejavar mutt with Karnataka Chief
Minister S.M. Krishna in Bangalore in February.
The Pejavar Swamiji told Frontline that though he might share a
platform with Modi or Togadia, he did not hesitate to disagree with
them publicly on some issues. "I argue with them and oppose them
whether it is the Gujarat violence or the issue of war with Pakistan
which Togadia supports and I oppose, or with Giriraj Kishore Acharya
who recently said that the life of a cow was more precious than the
life of a Dalit. I opposed them on all these issues," he said.
Although until very recently each Madhwa mutt had its own location of
caste influence, in recent years the mutts have tried to propagate
Hindutva across the caste divide. Mahatma Gandhi refused to enter the
Krishna temple on a visit to Udupi in the 1930s because untouchability
was practised there. Today, however, the mutts realise that for
Hindutva to have any relevance for the lower-caste segments of the
population, it has necessarily to be given political articulation and
distanced, at least in its rhetoric, from Brahminism. The mutts
realise that they cannot do this on their own and must associate
themselves with the political outfits of the Sangh Parivar, which use
the samaveshas as fora to make the call for the unification of Hindu
society.
One of Hinduism's attributes was its sanction for a plurality of forms
of religious practice. This non-threatening and accommodative element
of Hinduism is being erased systematically by the votaries of
Hindutva. Today, economically vulnerable castes like fisherfolk,
weavers, carpenters, barbers, cobblers and potters are being drawn
into the ambit of a militant Hindutva worldview. "It is clear from the
attendance at their rallies that the appeal of the Hindutva parties is
no longer to elitist Hindus but to Hindu society at large," says
Rajashekhar. Here too it is the Pejavar mutt that has shown the way.
Its pontiff has considerable influence with leaders both at the Centre
and in the State.
An influence far greater than that of the Brahmin mutts is exerted by
the Veerashaiva or Lingayat mutts on social and political life in
Karnataka. Veerashaivism grew out of a revolutionary 12th century
reform movement started by Basava against the stranglehold of
Brahminism on religion and society. Lingayats, or the followers of
Basava, are converts from various castes, and all castes have their
Lingayat converts.
The mutt became the functional nucleus of Basava's philosophy where
religion met its social purpose of providing free education and food
to all sections of the social order regardless of caste. Veerashaiva
mutts, which spread and consolidated themselves in the last decades of
the 19th century and in early 20th century, grew with state patronage
after Independence. Today, many Veerashaiva mutts are powerful
commercial entities that run hundreds of educational institutions.
They also control bulk votes and are therefore sought after by
political parties.
"The Veerashaiva mutts have, by and large, resisted the growth of
Hindutva in Karnataka as their founding philosophy is anti-
Brahminical," said K. Marulasiddappa, a well-known Kannada writer and
literary critic. On the other hand, the need for state patronage and
cordial relations with the party in power exerts a contrary pull on
them, which is why some Veerashaiva pontiffs have been less outspoken
than others against the politics of the Sangh Parivar. Some of the
major Veerashaiva mutts, like the Tumkur Siddaganga mutt, the Mysore
Suttur mutt, the Chitradurga Sirigere mutt, the Sanehalli mutt and the
Nidumamidi mutts and Belimath in Bangalore, the Gadag mutt and the
Muragha mutt in Chitradurga, have not endorsed the politics of
Hindutva. Some of the pontiffs of these mutts have actively opposed
it. "However, the hard fact is that it is caste, and not politics,
that eventually determines which party or candidate a particular mutt
supports," said Marulasiddappa.
"Political Hindutva is the new face of Brahminism, which the vaidika
mutts are spreading," Sri Veerabhadra Chennamalla Swamiji of the
Nidumamidi mutt told Frontline. "While on the one hand they say that
Hindu society is one, they embrace casteism, patriarchy and
untouchability. They are using Dalits and Sudras for vote bank
purposes."
Scoffing at the samaveshas organised by the Sangh Parivar, where
"ready-made crowds comprising VHP, RSS and Sangh Parivar activists"
are ferried, the Swamiji, who is a frequent speaker on anti-communal
platforms, believes that a majority in all religions are peace-loving
and will defeat the designs of the communal forces.
"Lingayats believe in casteless, classless, secular principles," the
pontiff of the Gadag mutt, Sri Jagadguru Tontada Siddalinga
Mahaswamiji, told Frontline. The Swamiji was a recipient of Communal
Harmony Award 2001, instituted by the Government of India.
"Lingayatism differs radically from Hinduism. We are naturally against
the Hindutva concept and oppose its onslaught against the people at
large. On the other hand, the Vedic mutts, which are Hindu mutts,
support the Sangh Parivar and indirectly the BJP," he said.
Several leading Veerashaiva mutt heads were associated with the
founding of the VHP at its first Dharma Sansad in 1984, according to
Sri Shivarudra Mahaswamy, the pontiff of the Belimath Maha Sansthana
in Bangalore. "At that time, the VHP focussed on social reform within
Hinduism, which we supported. It was only after the Ram Janmabhoomi
movement started that these swamijis became disenchanted and left," he
told Frontline. The Swamiji himself stayed on in the VHP. He was
present in Ayodhya during the destruction of the Babri Masjid ("none
of us knew this would happen," he claims) and slowly began distancing
himself from the Sangh Parivar after that. "The final break with the
VHP for me came with Gujarat. I was the only Lingayat swamiji who
participated in all their functions, but after Gujarat I left out of
conviction. They think they are building a Hindu society - they are
only building hell," he said. Although wary of the BJP, the
Veerashaiva mutts are likely to support Lingayat candidates if they
are fielded by the party. The electoral outcome, particularly in north
Karnataka, will be influenced strongly by the way Lingayats vote.
The only religious caste leader of the Vokkaligas is the Swamiji of
the Adichunchungiri mutt, a powerful establishment with assets running
into crores of rupees. The Swamiji is as much of a political figure as
a religious one and is known to be close to the ruling Congress(I),
although he also accepts invitations to speak on Sangh Parivar
platforms. At a recent samavesha in Bangalore, the Swamiji is reported
to have said that just as Muslims and Christians have their own
countries, Hindus need theirs. He later retracted the statement,
claiming that he had been misquoted.
With his sizable wealth and vote base, the swamiji is much-sought-
after by political parties. Except on the coast, where the BJP will
have the backing of a sizable section of the mutts, in the rest of the
State the major non-Brahmin mutts appear to be tilting towards either
the Congress(I) or the Janata Dal(S). This will certainly have an
impact on the electoral chances of the BJP in this region.
Parvathi Menon
http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2106/stories/20040326004900900.htm
Ashvamedha
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Ashvamedha (Sanskrit: अश्वमेध aśvamedhá; "horse sacrifice") was
one of the most important royal rituals of Vedic religion, described
in detail in the Yajurveda (TS 7.1-5, VSM 22–25[1] and the pertaining
commentary in the Shatapatha Brahmana ŚBM 13.1–5). The Rigveda does
have descriptions of horse sacrifice, notably in hymns RV 1.162-163
(which are themselves known as aśvamedha), but does not allude to the
full ritual according to the Yajurveda.
Gayatri Pariwar have been organising performances of a modernised
version of the sacrifice, not involving actual animal sacrifice, since
1991.
The Vedic sacrifice
The Ashvamedha could only be conducted by a king (rājā). Its object
was the acquisition of power and glory, the sovereignty over
neighbouring provinces, and general prosperity of the kingdom.
The horse to be sacrificed must be a stallion, more than 24, but less
than 100 years old. The horse is sprinkled with water, and the
Adhvaryu and the sacrificer whisper mantras into its ear. Anyone who
should stop the horse is ritually cursed, and a dog is killed symbolic
of the punishment for the sinners. The horse is then set loose towards
the North-East, to roam around wherever it chooses, for the period of
one year (or half a year, according to some commentators). The horse
is associated with the Sun, and its yearly course. If the horse
wanders into neighbouring provinces hostile to the sacrificer, they
must be subjugated. The wandering horse is attended by a hundred young
men, sons of princes or high court officials, charged with guarding
the horse from all dangers and inconvenience. During the absence of
the horse, an uninterrupted series of ceremonies is performed in the
sacrificer's home.
After the return of the horse, more ceremonies are performed. The
horse is yoked to a gilded chariot, together with three other horses,
and RV 1.6.1,2 (YV VSM 23.5,6) is recited. The horse is then driven
into water and bathed. After this, it is anointed with ghee by the
chief queen and two other royal consorts. The chief queen anoints the
fore-quarters, and the others the barrel and the hind-quarters. They
also embellish the horse's head, neck, and tail with golden ornaments.
The sacrificer offers the horse the remains of the night's oblation of
grain.
After this, the horse, a hornless he-goat, a wild ox (go-mrga, Bos
gavaeus) are bound to sacrificial stakes near the fire, and seventeen
other animals are attached to the horse. A great number of animals,
both tame and wild, are tied to other stakes, according to a
commentator 609 in total (YV VSM 24 consists of an exact enumeration).
Then the horse is slaughtered (YV VSM 23.15, tr. Griffith)
Steed, from thy body, of thyself, sacrifice and accept thyself.
Thy greatness can be gained by none but thee.
The chief queen ritually calls on the king's fellow wives for pity.
The queens walk around the dead horse reciting mantras. The chief
queen then has to mimic copulation with the dead horse, while the
other queens ritually utter obscenities.[2]
On the next morning, the priests raise the queen from the place where
she has spent the night with the horse. With the Dadhikra verse (RV
4.39.6, YV VSM 23.32), a verse used as a purifier after obscene
language.
The three queens with a hundred golden, silver and copper needles
indicate the lines on the horse's body along which it will be
dissected. The horse is dissected, and its flesh roasted. Various
parts are offered to a host of deities and personified concepts with
cries of svaha "all-hail". The Ashvastuti or Eulogy of the Horse
follows (RV 1.162, YV VSM 24.24–45), concluding with:
May this Steed bring us all-sustaining riches, wealth in good kine,
good horses, manly offspring
Freedom from sin may Aditi vouchsafe us: the Steed with our oblations
gain us lordship!
A coin created by Samudragupta I to commemorate the Ashvamedha ritual.
[3] The tethered horse is depicted on the left; the queen, carrying
ritual equipment, is on the rightThe priests performing the sacrifice
were recompensed with a part of the booty won during the wandering of
the horse. According to a commentator, the spoils from the east were
given to the Hotar, while the Adhvaryu a maiden (a daughter of the
sacrificer) and the sacrificer's fourth wife.
The Shatapatha Brahmana emphasizes the royal nature of the Ashvamedha:
Verily, the Asvamedha means royal sway: it is after royal sway that
these strive who guard the horse. (ŚBM 13.1.6.3 trans. Eggeling 1900)
It repeatedly states that "the Asvamedha is everything" (ŚBM 13.4.2.22
trans. Eggeling 1900)
Known historical performances
Pusyamitra Sunga is said to have performed the Ashvamedha rite after
he toppled Mauryan rule in 185 BC.
A historically documented performance of the Ashvamedha is during the
reign of Samudragupta I (d. 380), the father of Chandragupta II.
Special coins were minted to commemorate the Ashvamedha and the king
took on the title of Maharajadhiraja after successful completion of
the sacrifice.
There were a few later performances, one by Raja of Kannauj in the
12th century, unsuccessfully, as Prithviraj Chauhan thwarted his
attempt and later married his daughter. The last known instance seems
to be in 1716 CE, by Jai Singh II of Amber, a prince of Jaipur[4]
Performances in Hindu epics
illustration of the Ramayana by Sahib Din, 1652. Kausalya is depicted
slaying the horse (left) and lying beside it (right)Performances of
the Ashvamedha feature in the epics Ramayana (1.10–15) and
Mahabharata.
In the Mahabharata, the sacrifice is performed by Yudhishtira (Book
14), his brothers guarding the horse as it roamed into neighbouring
kingdoms. Arjuna defeats all challengers. The Mahabharata says that
the Ashvamedha as performed by Yudhishtira adhered to the letter of
the Vedic prescriptions. After the horse was cut into parts, Draupadi
had to sit beside the parts of the horse[5].
In the Ramayana, Rama's father Dasharatha performs the Ashvamedha,
which is described in the bala kanda (book 1) of the poem. The
Ramayana provides far more detail than the Mahabharata. The ritual
take place for three days preceded by sage Rishyasringa and
Vasista(1.14.41,42). Again it is stated that the ritual was performed
in strict compliance with Vedic prescriptions (1.14.10). Dasaratha's
chief wife Kausalya circumambulates the horse and ritually pierces its
flesh (1.14.33). Then "Queen Kausalya desiring the results of ritual
disconcertedly resided one night with that horse that flew away like a
bird." [1-14-34].[6] The fat of the sacrificed horse is then burnt in
ritual fire and after that the remaining parts of the body with spoons
made out of Plaksha tree branches(1.14.36,38-39). At the conclusion of
the ritual Dasharatha symbolically offers his other wives to the
presiding priests, who return them in exchange for expensive gifts
(1.14.35). The four sides of the Yagna alter is also donated to
priests who had done the ritual and it is exchanged by them for gold,
silver, cows and other gifts(1.15.43-44).[7]
The ritual is performed again towards the end of the poem, but in very
different circumstances. It figures centrally in the uttara kanda
(book 7) where it leads to the final major story in the poem. In this
narrative, Rama was married to a single wife, Sita, who at the time
was not with him, having been excluded from Rama's capital of Ayodhya.
She was therefore represented by a statue for the queen's ceremony
(7.x[citation needed]). Sita was living in Valmiki's forest ashram
with her twin children by Rama, Lava and Kusha, whose birth was
unknown to Rama. In its wanderings, the horse, accompanied by an army
and Hanuman, enters the forest and encounters Lava, who ignores the
warning written on the horse's headplate not to hinder its progress.
He tethers the horse, and with Kusha challenges the army, which is
unable to defeat the brothers. Recognising Rama's sons, Hanuman sends
them to Ayodhya where they are reconciled with their father, who also
accepts Sita back at court. Sita, however, no longer wishes to live,
and is absorbed by the earth. It is never stated whether the sacrifice
was completed, but after Sita's death Rama is said to have repeatedly
performed the Ashvamedha using the golden statue as a substitute for
his wife.[citation needed]
Some historians believe that the bala kanda and uttara kanda were
latter interpolations to the authentic form of the Ramayana, due to
references to Greek, Parthians and Sakas, dating to no earlier than
the 2nd century BCE[8]
Indo-European comparison
Main article: horse sacrifice
Many Indo-European branches show evidence for horse sacrifice, and
comparative mythology suggests that they derive from a PIE ritual. The
Ashvamedha is the clearest evidence preserved, but vestiges from Latin
and Celtic traditions allow the reconstruction of a few common
attributes.
The Gaulish personal name Epomeduos is from *ek'wo-medhu- "horse
+mead", while ashvamedha is either from *ek'wo-mad-dho- "horse+drunk"
or *ek'wo-mey-dho- "horse+strength". The reconstructed myth involves
the coupling of a king with a divine mare which produced the divine
twins. Some scholars, including Edgar Polomé, regard the
reconstruciton of a PIE ritual as unjustified due to the difference
between the attested traditions (EIEC s.v. Horse, p. 278).
Vedanta and Puranas
The Brhadaranyaka Upanishad (a mystical appendix to the Shatapatha
Brahmana and likely the oldest of the Upanishads) has a creation myth
where Mṛtyu "Death" takes the shape of a horse, and includes an
identification of the Ashvamedha with the Sun:[9]
Then he became a horse (ashva), because it swelled (ashvat), and was
fit for sacrifice (medhya); and this is why the horse-sacrifice is
called Ashva-medha [...] Therefore the sacrificers offered up the
purified horse belonging to Prajapati, (as dedicated) to all the
deities. Verily the shining sun [ye tapati] is the Asvamedha, and his
body is the year; Agni is the sacrificial fire (arka), and these
worlds are his bodies. These two are the sacrificial fire and the
Asvamedha-sacrifice, and they are again one deity, viz. Death. (BrUp
1.2.7. trans. Müller)
The Upanishads describe ascetic austerities as an "inner Ashvamedha",
as opposed to the "outer" royal ritual performed in the physical
world, in keeping with the general tendency of Vedanta to move away
from priestly ritual towards spiritual introspection; verse 6 of the
Avadhuta Upanishad has:
"Through extreme devotion [sam-grahaneṣṭi] he [the ascetic] performs
ashvamedha within [anta]. That is the greatest sacrifice [mahā-makha]
and the greatest meditation [mahā-yoga]."
According to the Brahma Vaivarta Purana (185.180),[10] the Ashvamedha
is one of five rites forbidden in the Kali Yuga.
In Hindu revivalism
In the Arya Samaj reform movement of Dayananda Sarasvati, the
Ashvamedha is considered an allegory or a ritual to get connected to
the "inner Sun" (Prana)[11] Dayananda in his Introduction to the
commentary on the Vedas[12] rejected the classical commentaries of the
Vedas by Sayana, Mahidhara and Uvata as medieval corruptions "opposed
to the real meaning of the Vedas" (p. 443) in order to arrive at an
entirely symbolic interpretation of the ritual: "An empire is like a
horse and the subjects like other inferior animals" (p. 448). Thus,
VSM 23.22, literally "he beats on the vulva (gabha), the penis (pasas)
oozes repeatedly (ni-galgaliti) in the receptacle" is interpreted not
in terms of the horse and the queen, but in terms of the king and his
subjects, "The subjects are called gabha (to be seized), kingly power
called pasa (to be penetrated)" (p. 454). This interpretation is
apparently based on a verse from Shatapatha Brahmana [13].
Following Dayananda, Arya Samaj disputes the very existence of the pre-
Vedantic ritual; thus Swami Satya Prakash Saraswati claims that
"the word in the sense of the Horse Sacrifice does not occur in the
Samhitas [...] In the terms of cosmic analogy, ashva is the Sun. In
respect to the adhyatma paksha, the Prajapati-Agni, or the Purusha,
the Creator, is the Ashva; He is the same as the Varuna, the Most
Supreme. The word medha stands for homage; it later on became
synonymous with oblations in rituology, since oblations are offered,
dedicated to the one whom we pay homage. The word deteriorated further
when it came to mean 'slaughter' or 'sacrifice'."[14]
arguing that the animals listed as sacrificial victims are just as
symbolic as the list of human victims listed in the Purushamedha[15]
(which is generally accepted as a purely symbolic sacrifice already in
Rigvedic times).
Other commentators accept the existence of the sacrifice but reject
the notion that the queen lay down with the dead horse. Thus Subhash
Kak in a blog posting suggests that the queen lay down with a toy
horse rather than with the slaughtered stallion, due to presence of
the word Ashvaka, similar to Shivaka meaning "idol or image of
Shiva"[citation needed]
All World Gayatri Pariwar since 1991 has organized performances of a
"modern version" of the Ashvamedha where a statue is used in place of
a real horse, according to Hinduism Today with a million participants
in Chitrakoot, Madhya Pradesh on April 16 to 20, 1994.[16] Such modern
performances are sattvika Yajnas where the animal is worshipped
without killing it,[17], the religious motivation being prayer for
overcoming enemies, the facilitation of child welfare and development,
and clearance of debt,[18] entirely within the allegorical
interpretation of the ritual, and with no actual sacrifice of any
animal, nor any sexual connotations.
Criticism and controversy
The earliest recorded criticism of the ritual comes from the Cārvāka,
an atheistic school of Indian philosophy that assumed various forms of
philosophical skepticism and religious indifference. A quotation of
the Cārvāka from Madhavacharya's Sarva-Darsana-Sangraha states:
“ The three authors of the Vedas were buffoons, knaves, and demons.
All the well-known formulae of the pandits, jarphari, turphari, etc.
and all the obscene rites for the queen commanded in Aswamedha, these
were invented by buffoons, and so all the various kinds of presents to
the priests, while the eating of flesh was similarly commanded by
night-prowling demons. [19] ”
The mock bestiality and necrophilia involved in the ritual caused
considerable consternation among the scholars first editing the
Yajurveda. Griffith (1899) omits verses VSM 23.20–31 (the ritual
obscenities), protesting that they are "not reproducible even in the
semi-obscurity of a learned European language" (alluding to other
instances where he renders explicit scenes in Latin rather than
English). A. B. Keith's 1914 translation also omits verses.[2]
This part of the ritual offended the Dalit reformer and framer of the
Indian constitution B. R. Ambedkar and is frequently mentioned in his
writings as an example of the perceived degradation of Brahmanical
culture.[20]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%C4%81rv%C4%81ka
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madhavacharya
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bestiality
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yajurveda
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_T.H._Griffith
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._B._Keith
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_of_India
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B._R._Ambedkar
See also
Horse sacrifice
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horse_sacrifice
Animal sacrifice
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_sacrifice
Purushamedha
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purushamedha
Somayajna
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somayajna#Somayajnas
Ashva
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashva
Notes and references
^ Ralph Thomas Hotchkin Griffith, The Texts of the White Yajurveda.
Translated with a Popular Commentary (1899), 1987 reprint: Munshiram
Manoharlal, New Delhi, ISBN 8121500478.
^ a b Keith, Arthur Berridale (trans) (1914). The Veda of the Black
Yajus School Entitled Taittiriya Sanhita, Oxford, pp. 615-16
http://books.google.com/books?id=N1WiQzJutqkC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_navlinks_s#v=onepage&q=&f=false
^ Hoernle, August Friedrich Rudolf; Stark, Herbert Alick (1906). A
History of India. Cattuck: Orissa Mission Press.
http://books.google.com/books?id=d4MqAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_navlinks_s#v=onepage&q=&f=false.
^ Bowker, John, The Oxford Dictionary of World Religions, New York,
Oxford University Press, 1997, p. 103
^ Draupadi of great intelligence ... to sit near the divided animal."
Ashvamedha Parva, Section 89 [1]
http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m14/m14089.htm
^ Translation by Desiraju Hanumanta Rao & K. M. K. Murthy
http://www.valmikiramayan.net/bala/sarga14/bala_14_frame.htm
^ Online version of the Ramayana in Sanskrit and English
http://www.valmikiramayan.net/bala/sarga14/bala_14_frame.htm
^ The cultural Heritage of India, Vol. IV, The Religions, The
Ramakrishna Mission, Institute of Culture
^ implicitly, in eṣa vā aśvamedho ya eṣa tapati "verily, that
Ashvamedha is that which gives out heat [tap-]"
^ Quoted in Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, A.C. (1975). "Srimad-
Bhagavatam". The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.
http://vedabase.net/sb/5/7/5/en. Retrieved 2006-07-31.
^ as a bahuvrihi, saptāśva "having seven horses" is another name of
the Sun, referring to the horses of his chariot.; akhandjyoti.org
glosses 'ashva' as "the symbol of mobility, valour and strength" and
'medha' as "the symbol of supreme wisdom and intelligence", yielding a
meaning of 'ashvamedha' of "he combination of the valour and strength
and illumined power of intellect"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahuvrihi
http://www.akhandjyoti.org/marapr05/article12.html?Akhand-Jyoti/2005/Jul-Aug/Ashvamedha/
^ Dayananda Sarasvati, Introduction to the commentry on the Vedas,
Meharchand lachhmandas Publications; 1st ed. (1981), Sarvadeshik Arya
Pratinidhi Sabha; 2nd ed. (1984) [2]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dayananda_Sarasvati
^ [3] Sh.Br 13:2:9:6 http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/sbr/sbe44/sbe44091.htm
^ The Critical and Cultural Study of the Shatapatha Brahmana by Swami
Satya Prakash Saraswati, p. 415
^ ibid., p. 476
^ Hinduism Today, June 1994
^ Ashwamedha Yagam in city,The Hindu http://www.hindu.com/2005/10/13/stories/2005101316990400.htm
^ Ashwamedhayagnam.org http://ww23.rr.com/index.php?origURL=http://www.ashwamedhayaagam.org/whyamy.html
^ Madhavacarya, Sarvadarsana-sangraha, English translation by E. B.
Cowell and A. E. Gough, 1904 quoted in Debiprasad Chattopadhyaya
(ed.), Carvaka/Lokayata: An Anthology of Source Materials and Some
Recent Studies (New Delhi: Indian Council of Philosophical Research,
1990)
^ B.R. Ambedkar, Revolution and Conter-Revolution in Ancient India
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashvamedha"
Ashwamedha Yagam in city
Staff Reporter
HYDERABAD: A ritual that is termed by Vedic literature among the most
powerful and beneficial yagams, the Ashwamedha Yagam, will be
performed in the city from December 11 to 18.
The event, titled Vishwa Santhi Vishwa Kalyana Yagna, will have the
founder of Aananda Ashram P.V. Sesha Sai taking responsibility as the
`yaaga kartha'.
To be performed with the blessings of Sri Ganeshanada Bharthi
Mahaswami and several other `peetadhipathis' and Mutt pontiffs, the
Ashwamedha Yagam will be on the bright eleventh day of Margasira
maasam, coupled with Sunday and the Revati star, which falls on
December 11, 2005.
Contrary to popular perception, the said yaagam will have no animal
sacrifice. Instead, it will be a "satvik" yagam where animals will be
worshiped, according to the organisers.
Individuals and organisations interested in participating in the yagam
and other related activities can contact P.C. Sesha Sai over phone
numbers 27661613, 55581368 and 94404 22613 or email him at
shoda...@rediffmail.com, shoda...@yahoo.com and
shoda...@hotmail.com.
http://www.hindu.com/2005/10/13/stories/2005101316990400.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashvamedha
chhotemianinshallah
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the Hindu demon. For other uses, see Kali
(disambiguation).
Not to be confused with the goddess Kali.
Kali
In Hinduism, Kali (IAST: káli; Devnāgari: कलि; from a root kad
"suffer, grieve, hurt; confound, confuse") is the reigning lord of
Kali Yuga and nemesis of Kalki, the 10th and final avatar of the Hindu
god Vishnu. According to the Vishnu Purana, he is a negative
manifestation of Vishnu, who along with his extended evil family,
perpetually operates as a cause of the destruction of this world.[1]
In the Kalki Purana, he is portrayed as a demon and the source of all
evil. In the Mahabharata, he was a gandharva who possessed Nala,
forcing him to lose his Kingdom in a game of dice to his brother
Pushkara. His most famous incarnation is the Kaurava King Duryodhana.
Kali is the prototype for the demon Kroni and his incarnation Kaliyan
of Ayyavazhi mythology.
Mahabharata
See also: The Gandharvas mentioned in Mahabharata
Damayanti speaking with a celestial swan.According to the Mahabharata,
the gandharva Kali became jealous when he was late to Princess
Damayanti's marriage ceremony and discovered she had overlooked the
deities Indra, Agni, Varun, and Yama (and ultimately himself) to
choose Nala as her husband. In anger, Kali spoke to his companion
Dvapara, the personification of Dwapara Yuga:
"I am ill able, O Dwapara, to suppress my anger. I shall possess Nala,
deprive him of his kingdom, and he shall no more sport with Bhima's
daughter. Entering the dice, it behoveth thee to help me." [2]
Kali traveled to Nala’s kingdom of Nishadhas and waited twelve long
years for the right moment to strike. Because Nala had rendered
himself impure by not washing his feet before his prayers, Kali was
able to bewitch his soul. Kali then appeared before Pushkara and
invited him to play a game of dice with his brother, guaranteeing
Nala’s downfall. Dwarpa took the form of the Vrisha die that would be
used in the fixed game. Kali forced Nala to lose and, each time, he
would raise the stakes higher despite the protest of his advisors and
wife. Finally, Nala lost his kingdom to Pushkara. Both he and
Damayanti were exiled to the forest.
Duryodhana as depicted in Yakshagana popular drama from
KarnatakaDuring their exile, Kali drove Nala to abandon Damayanti, who
later enacted a curse against everyone that had caused the downfall of
her husband. She eventually returned home after a short time as a hand-
maiden to the Princess of Chedi. Nala, meanwhile, saved the Naga
Karkotaka from fire (where he was cursed to suffer by sage Narada).
Intending to exorcize the devil within him, the serpent bit Nala,
injecting him with deadly poisons that forever tortured Kali. The
venom also changed Nala into an ugly dwarf named Bahuka. He later
became the charioteer of the Ayodhya King Rituparna, who was a master
mathematician and dice player.
Years later, King Rituparna revealed to Bahuka the supreme skill of
controlling the dice in exchange for horsemanship lessons. This skill
awakened Nala from Kali’s control and allowed him (with the help of
Damayanti’s curse and Karkotaka's venom) to exorcise the demon;
vomiting him in the form of poison from his mouth. Nala forced the
Kali’s trembling spirit into a Vibhitaka tree. He then counted the
fruits of the tree and left in search of his wife and later regained
his true form. Kali returned to his abode as well.
Kali was later incarnated as king Duryodhana, eldest of the one
hundred Kaurava brothers. His companion Dvapara became his uncle
Sakuni. The day Duryodhana was born, he unleashed a donkey-like scream
which the donkeys outside the home replied to. Despite the advise from
Vidura to discard the evil baby, Duryodhana's father Dhritarashtra
kept the child because demons had received a boon from Shiva that the
future king would be invincible.[3][4]
Puranic accounts
The Kalki Purana describes him as a huge being, the color of “soot,”
with a large tongue, and a terrible stench. From his birth, he carried
an Upaasthi (worship) bone. The Kalki Purana says this demon "chose
gambling, liquor, women and gold as his permanent abodes."[5] The
Sanskrit-English Dictionary states Kali is "of a class of mythic
beings (related to the Gandharvas, and supposed by some to be fond of
gambling)".[6] The Bhagavata Purana describes him as a sudra wearing
the garments of a king.[7] An early 20th century anti-beef eating
pamphlet protesting the slaughter of the sacred cow in India portrays
Kali as a brownish-skinned demon with a dog-like face, protruding
fangs, pointed ears, long green bushy hair and wearing a red loin
cloth and golden jewelry. (See Religion and politics)
The names of the four yugas of time—Satya, Treta, Dvapara and Kali—are
named after “dice throws” from a game of dice popular during the Vedic
period. Their order coincides with the favorability of each throw:
Satya is the best throw, whereas Kali is considered the worst.[8][9]
During the Mahabharata, king Nala exorcises the disembodied spirit of
Kali to a vibhitaka tree,[10] the nuts of which were used to create
the dice for the vedic dice game.[11] Therefore, not only Kali’s name,
but his penchant for gambling and reputation as being evil comes from
this dice game.
The churning of the ocean of milk
According to a lesser known Madhva version of the legend, during the
churning of the ocean of milk, a great poison known as halahala was
produced, which Vayu, the god of wind, rubbed in his hands to reduce
its potency. Then a small portion was given to god Shiva, turning his
throat blue. The rest was collected in a golden vessel and digested by
Vayu. (One source states he drank the Kalakuta poison of Vasuki nāga.
[12] Still others more commonly state that Shiva drank alone.[13]) A
little portion of poison that wasn't swallowed by Shiva became the
body of Kali. From this poison also came, "cruel objects like snakes,
wolves, and tigers."[3]
Later, when the asura Rahu was decapitated by Vishnu's Mohini avatar,
the demon’s allies attacked her and all except Kali were killed.
Having the power to possess the bodies of immortal and mortal beings,
he entered the hearts of man and escaped death.[14] He occasionally
entered Shiva and caused him to write evil scriptures, which created
great confusion and misconceptions. Because Kali was “invisible,
unimaginable, and present in all” the only way to correct the chaos
born from the miswritten texts was to completely renew the sacred
scriptures entirely. Thus Vishnu descended to earth as Vedavyasa, the
compiler of the sacred scriptures Vedas and the writer of the Puranas.
[3]
Markandeya Purana
According to Markandeya Purana, the Brahmin Pravara was given a
magical ointment that allowed him to fly. But when he flew to the
Himalayas, the ointment was washed away from the bottoms of his feet
keeping him from returning home to his wife. During this time, the
nymph Varuthini fell madly in love with him and begged the Brahmin to
stay with her forever. But eventually, he rejected her. He prayed to
Agni who returned him home safely.
The gandharva Kali was in love with Varuthini and had been rejected by
her in the past. He saw how she hungered for the Brahmin, so he took
on the appearance of Pravara and came before the courtesan. He led her
into the bedchamber and told her to close her eyes during their shared
pleasure [sambhoga]. (Another version of this tale explains the reason
he told her to shut her eyes was because gods revert to their true
forms whenever they do the basest of things, such as eating, sleeping,
and making love (including dying for demons).) As they made love,
Varuthini noticed that his body became flaming hot and believed it was
because his Brahmin spirit was infused with the sacrificial fire.
After climax, Kali, still-as-Pravara, left the apsara and returned to
his abode. Varuthini soon became pregnant and nine months later gave
birth to a human child that not only looked like the Brahmin but
possessed his soul as well.[15] The authors of the book Science in
Culture comment this was an example of the Sanskrit phrase "from his
semen and from her thinking," meaning the child was indeed Pravara's
child because she believed it was his.[16]
In another version, Kali stipulates he will only marry the apsara if
she keeps her eyes closed while they are in the forest (presumably
making love). However, Kali leaves after their marriage and the birth
of their son Svarocisa. Svarocisa grows up to become a very learned
scholar of the Vedas and learns to speak the languages of all
creatures from one of his three wives. He later marries a goddess and
fathers Svarocisa Manu, one of the progenitors of mankind.[17] (See
Progeny)
Bhagavata Purana
The Bhagavata Purana states the very day and moment god Krishna left
this earth, Kali, "who promotes all kinds of irreligious activities,
came into this world.”[18] Thus, Kali simply came into being because
the prosperity brought by Krishna left after his death.
After setting off to wage war against the evils of the world with his
armies, Emperor Parikshit, the grandson of Arjuna, came across a Sudra
dressed as a king who was beating a cow and an ox with a club.
Parikshit immediately lead his chariot over to the scene and angrily
berated the sudra for abusing the sacred cow and her mate. However,
this was no ordinary sudra and these were no ordinary bovine, for the
sudra was Kali and the cow and ox were embodiments of the earth
goddess and Dharma. The Emperor noticed the ox was standing on one of
his legs because the other three had been broken by Kali. Dharma
explained his four legs represented "austerity, cleanliness, mercy and
truthfulness", but he had only the leg of “truth” to stand on since
the other three had been broken by kali over the preceding yugas.[7]
Kali was intent on breaking all the legs that supported the reign of
dharma so he could effect the expansion of his own dark reign on
earth. The earth goddess cried for she had once been plentiful, but
when Krishna died and ascended to heaven, she was forsaken and all of
the prosperity left from the world. She feared evil kings like Kali
would continue to lay waste to the earth.
When Parikshit raised his sword to kill Kali, the sudra stripped
himself of his royal garments and prostrated himself at the emperor’s
feet. The emperor knew Kali tainted the world with his evil and so had
no place in it and raised his sword once more. But Kali interceded
again and begged the emperor to spare his life and allow him a place
to live within his empire. Parikshit decided that Kali would live in
“gambling houses, in taverns, in women of unchaste lives, in
slaughtering places and in gold”.[19] And as long as Parikshit ruled
India, Kali stayed within the confines of these five places. This act
allowed Dharma to regain his legs and the earth to be relieved of much
burden. However, Parikshit was later cursed to die by snake bite after
hunting in the forest and throwing a dead snake on an unresponsive
sage practicing austerities. Upon the emperor’s death, “Kali made his
way to other places like wild fire and established his power
throughout the length and breadth of the whole world.”[19][20]
In another version of the tale, Kali enters into the Emperor’s crown
when Parikshit gives him permission to reside wherever there is gold.
Upon returning home after offending the sage, Parikshit says to
himself, "Kali-yug’s abode is in gold; this was on my head; hence I
had so evil a thought that, having taken a dead snake cast it on the
sage’s neck. Therefore, I now understand that Kali-yug has taken his
revenge on me. How shall I escape this grievous sin?"[21][22]
Kalki Purana
KalkiMain article: Kalki Purana
The beginning of the Kalki Purana describes Kali’s lineage starting
with the creator-god Brahma, his great-great grandfather, and ending
with the birth of his children’s children. Instead of being born of
poison from the churning of the ocean of milk, he is the product of a
long line of incestuous monsters born from Brahma's back. (See Family
Lineage below) Kali and his family were created by Brahma to hurry the
dissolution of the cosmos after the pralaya period was over. When his
family takes human form on earth, they further taint the hearts and
minds of mankind to bring about the end of Dvapara Yuga and the
beginning of Kali Yuga. During the first stage of Kali-Yuga, the
Indian caste system breaks down and god-worship is forsaken by man.
All through the second, third, and fourth stages, man forgets the name
of god and no longer offers Yagya (offerings) to the Devas. It is at
this point when god Vishnu reincarnates as Kalki in the name of the
Devas and all of mankind to rid the cosmos of Kali's dark influence.
The remainder of the tale describes Kalki's childhood, military
training under the immortal Parashurama, his marriage, his preparation
for war against Kali, and the decisive war between the two. Kalki
kicks off his campaign by performing the Ashvamedha sacrifice and
leading his armies behind the horse as it runs freely from kingdom to
kingdom. If any evil king tries to stop the horse, Kalki engages them
in combat. After defeating them, he continues to follow the horse
until all evil kingdoms are vanquished. When Kali finally faces
Kalki's forces, his entire family blood line is wiped out by the
avatar's generals and he presumably dies from wounds inflicted by
Dharma and Satya Yuga personified. Kalki, meanwhile, battles and
simultaneously kills the demon's most powerful generals, Koka and
Vikoka, twin devils adept in the dark arts.[5]
Death
Kali dies one-third of the way through the Kalki Purana. During the
decisive battle between Kali and Kalki’s armies, Kali tried to face
both Dharma and Satya Yuga personified, but was overwhelmed and fled
on his donkey because his chariot had been destroyed, leaving his owl-
crested war flag to be trampled on the battlefield. Kali retreated to
the citadel of his capital city of Vishasha where he discovered his
body had been mortally stabbed and burned during his battle with the
two devas. The stench of his blood billowed out and filled the
atmosphere with a foul odor. When Dharma and Satya burst into the
city, Kali tried to run away, but, knowing his family had been
destroyed, coupled with his grevious wounds, he "entered his
unmanifested years".[5] This might lead some to believe he died, but
one version of the Kalki Purana in the book The Origins of Evil in
Hindu Mythology states Kali does not die but, instead, escapes through
time and space to live in the Kali Yuga of the next Kalpa. The author
comments, "Unlike most battles between gods and demons, however, this
apparent victory is immediately undercut, for Kali escapes to reappear
in 'another age'—in our age, or the next Kali Age."[23] Since he had
the power to manifest himself in human form on earth, he was able to
forsake his dying corporal form to escape in spirit.
Family lineage
Kali is the great-great grandson of Lord Brahma. He is the son of
Krodha (Anger) and his sister-turned-wife Himsa (Violence). He is the
grandson of Dambha (Vanity) and his sister-turned-wife, Maya
(Illusion). He is the great-grandson of Adharma (Impropriety) and his
wife, Mithya (Falsehood). Adharma was originally created from Lord
Brahma's back as a Maleen Pataka (a very dark and deadly sinful
object).
B.K. Chaturvedi, a modern translator of the Kalki Purana, states in a
foot note that the growth of this dark sinful object into Adharma
seems to, "convey the growth of Kaliyuga and its obnoxious
offshoots."[5]
Vishnu Purana
Kali's family lineage is told differently in the Vishnu Purana, which
is a father purana to the Kalki Purana:
The wife of Adharma (vice) was Himsá (violence), on whom he begot a
son Anrita (falsehood), and a daughter Nikriti (immorality): they
intermarried, and had two sons, Bhaya (fear) and Naraka (hell); and
twins to them, two daughters, Maya (deceit) and Vedaná (torture), who
became their wives. The son of Bhaya and Máyá was the destroyer of
living creatures, or Mrityu (death); and Dukha (pain) was the
offspring of Naraka and Vedaná. The children of Mrityu were Vyádhi
(disease), Jará (decay), Soka (sorrow), Trishńa (greediness), and
Krodha (wrath). These are all called the inflictors of misery, and are
characterised as the progeny of Vice (Adharma). They are all without
wives, without posterity, without the faculty to procreate; they are
the terrific forms of Vishńu, and perpetually operate as causes of the
destruction of this world. On the contrary, Daksha and the other
Rishis, the elders of mankind, tend perpetually to influence its
renovation: whilst the Manus and their sons, the heroes endowed with
mighty power, and treading in the path of truth, as constantly
contribute to its preservation.
In this version, Himsa is Adharma's wife instead of his granddaughter.
[1]
Bhagavata Purana
According to the Bhagavata Purana, Adharma is the husband of Mrishá
(falsehood), and the father of Dambha (hypocrisy) and Máyá (deceit),
who were adopted by Nirritti (Hindu god/dess of misery). The series of
their descendants is also somewhat varied from our text; being in each
descent, however, twins which intermarry, or Lobha (covetousness) and
Nikriti, who produce Krodha (wrath) and Hinsá: their children are,
Kali (wickedness) and Durukti (evil speech): their progeny are, Mrityu
and Bhí (fear); whose offspring are, Niraya (hell) and Yátaná
(torment).[24]
In this version, Mrisha is the wife of Adharma and not Himsa or
Mithya.
Linga Purana
The Linga Purana enumerates Adharma among the Prajapatis (Lords of
Creatures).[24]
Dharma Personified
Since Dharma is one of the major antagonists of Kali, it is important
to note this personified deity has his own line of offspring that work
against the demon and his family to bring balance to the world. The
following comes from the Vishnu Purana:
The progeny of Dharma by the daughters of Daksha were as follows: by
Sraddha he had Kama (desire); by Lakshmi, Darpa (pride); by Dhriti,
Niyama (precept); by Tushti, Santosha (content); by Pushti, Lobha
(cupidity); by Medhá, Sruta (sacred tradition); by Kriya, Danda, Naya,
and Vinaya (correction, polity, and prudence); by Buddhi, Bodha
(understanding); by Lajj, Vinaya (good behaviour); by Vapu, Vyavasaya
(perseverance). Santi gave birth to Kshema (prosperity); Siddhi to
Sukha (enjoyment); and Kírtti to Yasas. These were the sons of Dharma;
one of whom, Kama, had Hersha (joy) by his wife Nandi (delight).
Again, the Bhagavata Purana gives a different account of his
children's names.[25]
Progeny
Kali’s sister-turned-wife, Durukti (Calumny), gave him two offspring:
a son named Bhayanak (Fear) and a daughter named Mrityu (Death). His
son and daughter gave him two grandchildren: a boy named Naraka (Hell)
and a girl named Yatana (Torture).[5] Again, there are some
discrepancies here. The Vishnu Purana says Mrityu and Bhayanak are his
brother and sister. Mrityu is even represented as male instead of
female.[5]
Kali is the grandfather of Svarocisa Manu, one of the progenitors of
mankind.[17] As previously mentioned, Kali had a son named Svarocisa
with the Apsara Varuthini. Svarocisa once traveld to Mt. Mandara and
was met by Manorama, a cursed-woman being chased by a demon. In the
past, she had made fun of a sage practicing Tapasya austerities on Mt.
Kailas and was cursed to be captured by a demon. When her friends
Vibhavari and Kalavati berated the sage for enacting a curse for such
a minor offence, he cursed one to be a leper and the other a carrier
of diseases. Manorama had knowledge of a powerful spiritual weapon,
but did not know how to wield it, so she taught it to Svarocisa. When
the demon leaped out of the forest and grabbed a hold of the woman,
Svarocis called forth the weapon. But the demon stayed his hand and
explained he was actually Manorama’s father, Indivara. He had also
been cursed to become a demon by the sage Brahmamitra because he tried
to covertly obtain the secrets of Ayurveda medicine without the sage’s
knowledge. The sage told him that the curse would end when he was
about to eat his own daughter. Once he regained his true form,
Indivara taught Svarocisa the Ayurveda medication, which he used to
cure Manorama’s friends. He later married the three and had three sons
with them. He learned the languages of all creatures from Vibhavari
and the Padmini vidya from Kalavati.
Despite his prosperity, Svarocis was unhappy in his life and could
hear the ducks and deer talking about him behind his back. One day he
went hunting and took aim at a boar, but a deer came through the
clearing and asked to be shot in its place. When he enquired why, the
deer told him that she was really the goddess of the forest and wished
to marry Svarocisa. So he embraced the deer and she turned into a
beautiful woman. Together, they had a son named Dyutiman, who later
became the Svarocisa Manu.[17]
One source states, "Kali's wife Alakshmi and her sons who supervise
evil also came from Kshirasagara [the ocean of milk]."[3] Alakshmi is
the elder sister of the goddess Lakshmi, the consort of Vishnu.[26]
Since the Kalki Purana states his wife Durukti is his sister, Alakshmi
would be a second wife because she is not directly related to him.
There are a number of connections and similarities between Kali and
Alakshmi. First and foremost, Alakshmi’s sister is the consort of Lord
Vishnu, who sent his Kalki avatar to earth to defeat Kali.[26] Second,
legends say she was born either from the churning of the ocean of
milk, the poison from Vasuki (who helped churn the ocean) or the back
of Prajapati.[26][27] As previously mentioned, Kali is said to have
been born from the halahala poison created from churning the ocean or
from a lineage created from Lord Brahma’s back.[3][5] Third, Alakshmi
takes the form of an owl.[26] Kali's emblem on his war flag is of an
owl.[5] Fourth, whenever Alakshmi enters a house, families fight and
turn on one another.[28] The presence of Kali and his family on earth
causes mankind to fight and turn on one another. Finally, Alakshmi is
said to ride a donkey.[26] Kali also rides a donkey in the Kalki
Purana.[5]
Role in modern communalism
Further information: Communalism (South Asia) and Religious violence
in India
Anti-beef eating pamphlet (1890 CE) showing Kali (far right)
attempting to slaughter a sacred cow.
The color version ran by the Ravi Varma Press (c. 1912).Kali’s image
was used in several pamphlets circulated by various Agorakshanasabh
(“cow protection leagues”) and “wandering ascetics” as a protest
against the Muslim practice of beef-eating during the British raj.[29]
[30] These pamphlets were produced in a time when Hindu-Muslim riots
over cow slaughter occurred in several areas of India; including
Azamgarh district (1893), when a total of 100 people died in similar
conflagrations throughout the empire; Ayodhya (1912-1913); and
Shahabad (1917).[31] One such pamphlet entitled “The Present State”
showed a cow being slaughtered by a trio of "Muhammadan" butchers.[29]
[30] Another portrayed Kali raising a sword above the head of a sacred
cow, whose body was illustrated to be a microcosmic paradise in which
all the Hindu gods resided. There were many different editions of this
version. For instance, one showed a woman labeled "The Hindu" waiting
with bowl-in-hand for the cow's calf to finish suckling before she
could get milk. A form of Krishna labeled Darmaraj ("Ruler of Dharma")
stood behind the cow and Kali was, again, harassing her with his
sword. Still, a different one deleted the woman and calf and instead
portrayed Dharmaraj in front of the cow pleading mat maro gay sarv ka
jivan hai ("don’t kill the cow, everyone is dependent on it"), while
Kali rebuts he manusyaho! Kaliyugi Mansahari jivom ko dekho ("mankind,
look at the meat-eating souls of the kaligyug").[29]
Some Hindus considered Kali’s presence in the picture to be a
representation of the Muslim community.[29][30] When one of the
versions of these pamphlets came into the possession of a state
official in 1893, he commented that the image “contained a
representation of a Musalman [Muslim] advancing to slay the cow ...”.
[29] One book states, “The Magistrate [at Deoria] found Muhammadans
excited because they heard a picture was in circulation representing a
Muhammadan with a sword drawn sacrificing a cow, and this they
considered an insult.”[29] In 1915, a color version of this picture
ran by the Ravi Varma Press[32] caught the attention of the colonial
censors and was presumably censored in some way.[29]
In popular culture
Nala Damayanti (1921): This big-budget film depicts a famous episode
from the Mahabharata, starting with Narada's ascent of Mount Meru. It
shows Swarga, the Heaven of Indra, the Transformation in the Clouds of
the Four Gods into impersonations of King Nala, Swan Messengers of
Love, the Transformation of Kali into a Serpent, the Meeting of Kali
and Dwarpa and the Four Gods amidst the Blue Air.[33]
Notes
^ a b CHAP. VII http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/vp/vp041.htm#fr_212
^ SECTION LVIII http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m03/index.htm
^ a b c d e Chapter X Samudra mathana
^ SECTION XXXI
^ a b c d e f g h i Chaturvedi, B.K. Kalki Purana. New Delhi: Diamond
Books, 2004 (ISBN 81-288-0588-6)
^ Monier-Williams, Monier, Sir.Sanskrit-English Dictionary ISBN
0-19-864308-X
^ a b Canto 1: Creation, Chapter 17 http://vedabase.net/sb/1/17/en1
^ CYCLICAL TIME AND ASTRONOMY IN HINDUISM (See page. 3)
http://www.achaloza.com/docs/AchalOza_CyclicalTime.pdf
^ Glass, Marty. YUGA: An Anatomy of Our Fate. Sophia Perennis, 2004
(ISBN 0900588292)
^ "Terminalia belerica (Combretaceae) is a large deciduous tree
growing to a height of 25 – 30 meters, occurring throughout India up
to 1000 meters elevation, except in the dry regions of western
India ..." [1]
^ Smith, Frederick M. The Self Possessed: Deity And Spirit Possession
in South Asian Literature And Civilization. Columbia University Press,
2006 (ISBN 0231137486)
^ Mutalik, Keshav M. Jagannath Dasa’s Harikathamrutasara (Quintessence
of Hari’s Saga). Bombay: Focus (ISBN 81-7154-787-7)
^ In another version given by Shaivites, Shiva alone drank the deadly
poison, but his consort Parvati squeezed his neck to keep it from
reaching his stomach.[2] Still, some traditions state Vayu drank first
and Shiva last and that Vayu himself is an aspect of Shiva.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaivites
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parvati
http://www.advaita-vedanta.org/series/11_names_of_shiva/11_names_of_shiva_bhagawan-1.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vayu
^ The same source says Kali can never enter the bodies of Vishnu, his
consort Lakshmi, or Vayu.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lakshmi
^ Doniger, Wendy. The Bedtrick: Tales of Sex and Masquerade.
University Of Chicago Press, 2000 (ISBN 0226156427)
^ Graubard, Stephen R. and Everett Mendelsohn. Science in Culture. Ed.
Peter Galison and Stephen Graubard. Transaction Publishers, 2001 (ISBN
0765806738)
^ a b c Prasad, Ramanuj. Know The Puranas. Pustak Mahal, 2005 (ISBN
81-223-0912-7)
^ Canto 1: Creation, Chapter 18 http://vedabase.net/sb/1/18/en1
^ a b Sastri, Natesa S. M. Hindu Feasts: Fasts And Ceremonies: Fasts
and Ceremonies. Laurier Books Ltd., 2003 (ISBN 8120604024)
^ See chapters 16, 17, and 18
^ The Prema-Sagara: Or the Ocean of Love (PDF ONLY)
^ Bahadur, S.P. Gitavali: Complete Works of Goswami Tulsidas (Volume
III). India: Prachya Prakashan, 1979 (ISBN 8121506697)
^ O'Flaherty, Wendy Doniger. The Origins of Evil in Hindu Mythology.
University of California Press, 1980 (ISBN 0520040988)
^ a b See 55:14 http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/vp/vp041.htm#fn_212
^ See 55:13 http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/vp/vp041.htm#fn_211
^ a b c d e Pattanaik, Devdutt. Lakshmi: The Goddess of Wealth and
Fortune-An Introduction. Vakils Feffer & Simons Ltd, 2003 (ISBN
8187111585)
^ Krishna, Nanditha. The Book of Vishnu. Penguin Global, 2001 (ISBN
0670049077)
^ Chakrabarty, Dipesh. Provincializing Europe. Princeton University
Press, 2000 (ISBN 0691049092)
^ a b c d e f g Pinney, Christopher. Photos of the Gods: The Printed
Image and Political Struggle in India. Reaktion Books, 2004 (ISBN
1861891849)
^ a b c Gupta, Charu. Sexuality, Obscenity, And Community: Women,
Muslims, and the Hindu Public in Colonial India. Palgrave Macmillan,
2006 (ISBN 0312295855)
^ Paradox of the Indian Cow: Attitudes to Beef Eating in Early India
http://www.indowindow.net/sad/article.php?child=17&article=11
^ A lithograph press founded by Indian artist Ravi Varma in 1894.[3]
^ Plot Summary for Nala Damayanti (1921)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0154931/plotsummary
External links
Look up Kali in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Places of Kali – Podcast of Kali’s tale from the Bhagavata Purana.
કલિયુગનાં ચાર આશ્રયસ્થાન (Kaliyuga's mainstay) – The tale of Kali and
Parikshit in Gujarati.
http://www.swargarohan.org/Bhagavata/Chapter01/09.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhagavata_Purana
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gujar%C4%81ti_script
Srimad Bhagavatam: Cant 1 – See chapters 16 and 17.
http://www.srimadbhagavatam.org/canto1/c1-contents.html
A very large detailed painting of King Parikshit about to kill Kali.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kali_(demon)
/ History / Myths of Origins /
Paradox of the Indian Cow:
Attitudes to Beef Eating in Early India
By DN Jha
Renowned historian writes on beef eating in ancient India and
associated issues
An average Indian of today rooted in what appears to him as his
traditional Hindu religious heritage carries the load of the
misconception that his ancestors, especially the Vedic Aryans,
attached great importance to the cow on account of its inherent
sacredness. The ‘sacred’ cow has come to be considered a symbol of
community identity of the Hindus whose cultural tradition is often
imagined as threatened by the Muslims who are thought of as
beefeaters. The sanctity of the cow has, therefore, been announced
with the flourish of trumpets and has been wrongly traced back to the
Vedas, which are supposedly of divine origin and fountainhead of all
knowledge and wisdom. In other words, some sections of Indian society
have traced back the concept of sacred cow to the very period when it
was sacrificed and its flesh was eaten.
More importantly, the cow has tended to become a political instrument
at the hand of rulers over time. The Mughal emperors (e.g. Babar,
Akbar, Jahangir and Aurangzeb etc) are said to have imposed a
restricted ban on cow slaughter to accommodate the Jaina or
Brahmanical feeling of respect and veneration of the cow[1].
Similarly Shivaji, sometimes viewed as an incarnation of God who
descended on earth for the deliverance of the cow and brahmin, is
described as proclaiming: “We are Hindus and the rightful lords of the
realm. It is not proper for us to witness cow slaughter and the
oppression of brahmanas”[2].
But the cow became a tool of mass political mobilization when the
organized Hindu cow protection movement, beginning with the Sikh Kuka
(or Namdhari) sect in the Punjab around 1870 and later strengthened by
the foundation of the first Gorakshini Sabha in 1882 by Dayanananda
Saraswati, made this animal a symbol to unite a wide ranging people,
challenged the Muslim practice of its slaughter and provoked a series
of serious communal riots in the 1880s and 1890s. Although attitudes
to cow killing had been hardening even earlier, there was undoubtedly
a ‘dramatic intensification’ of the cow protection movement when in
1888 the North-Western Provinces High Court decreed that a cow was not
a sacred object.[3] Not surprisingly cow slaughter very often became
the pretext of many Hindu-Muslim riots, especially those in Azamgarh
district in the year 1893 when more than one hundred people were
killed in different parts of the country. Similarly in 1912-1913
violence rocked Ayodhya and a few years later, in 1917, Shahabad
witnessed a disastrous communal conflagration.[4]
The killing of the kine seems to have emerged again and again as a
troublesome issue on the Indian political scene even in independent
India despite legislation by several state legislatures prohibiting
cow slaughter and the Directive Principles of State Policy in the
Indian Constitution which directs the Indian state to “…to take steps
for… prohibiting the slaughter of cows and calves and other milch and
draught cattle”. For instance, in 1966, nearly two decades after
Indian independence, almost all the Indian communal political parties
and organizations joined hands in masterminding a massive
demonstration by several hundred thousand people in favour of a
national ban on cow slaughter which culminated in a violent rioting in
front of the Indian Parliament resulting in the death of at least
eight persons and injury to many more. In April 1979, Acharya Vinoba
Bhave, often supposed to be a spiritual heir to Mahatma Gandhi, went
on a hunger strike to pressurize the central government to prohibit
cow slaughter throughout the country and ended it after five days when
he succeeded in getting the Prime Minister Morarji Desai’s vague
assurance that his government would expedite anti-slaughter
legislation. Since then the cow ceased to remain much of an issue in
the Indian political arena for many years, though the management of
cattle resources has been a matter of academic debate among
sociologists, anthropologists, economists and different categories of
policy framers.
The veneration of cow has been, however, converted into a symbol of
communal identity of the Hindus and the obscurantist and
fundamentalist forces obdurately refuse to appreciate that the
‘sacred’ cow was not always all that sacred in the Vedic and
subsequent Brahmanical and non-Brahmanical traditions and that its
flesh, along with other varieties of meat, was quite often a part of
the haute cuisine in early India. Although the Shin, Muslims of
Dardistan in Pakistan, look on the cow as other Muslims do the pig,
avoid direct contact with cows, refuse to drink cow’s milk or use cow
dung as fuel and reject beef as food,[5] the self-styled custodians of
non-existent ‘monolithic’ Hinduism assert that the practice of beef
eating was first introduced in India by the followers of Islam who
came from outside and are foreigners in this country, little realising
that their Vedic ancestors were also foreigners who ate the flesh of
the cow and various other animals. Fanaticism getting precedence over
fact, it is not surprising that the Rashtriya Svayamsevak Sangha
(RSS), the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, the Bajrang Dal and their numerous
outfits have a national ban on cow slaughter on their agenda and the
Chief Minister of Gujarat (Keshubhai Patel) announced some time ago,
as a pre-election gimmick, the setting up of a separate department to
preserve cow breeds and manage Hindu temples.[6] More recently, a
Bajrang Dal leader has threatened to enroll 30 lakh volunteers to
agitate against cow slaughter during the month of Bakrid in 2002.[7]
So high-geared has been the propaganda about abstention from beef
eating as a characteristic trait of ‘Hinduism’ that when the RSS
tried to claim Sikhs as Hindus, it led to vehement opposition from
them and one of the Sikh youth leaders proposed, ”Why not slaughter a
cow and serve beef in a gurudwara langar?”[8]
The communalists who have been raising a hullabaloo over the cow in
the political arena do not realise that beef eating remained a fairly
common practice for a long time in India and that the arguments for
its prevalence are based on the evidence drawn from our own scriptures
and religious texts. The response of historical scholarship to the
communal perception of Indian food culture, however, has been sober
and scholars have drawn attention to the textual evidence of beef
eating which, in fact, begins to be available from the oldest Indian
religious text Rgveda, supposedly of divine origin. H.H. Wilson,
writing in the first half of the nineteenth century, had asserted:
“the sacrifice of the horse or of the cow, the gomedha or asvamedha,
appears to have been common in the earliest periods of the Hindu
ritual”. The view that the practice of killing of cattle at sacrifices
and eating their flesh prevailed among the Indo-Aryans was put forth
most convincingly by Rajendra Lal Mitra in an article which first
appeared in the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal and
subsequently formed a chapter of his book The Indo-Aryans published in
1891. In 1894 William Crooke, a British civil servant, collected an
impressive amount of ethnographic data on popular religious beliefs
and practices in his two-volume book and devoted one whole chapter to
the respect shown to animals including the cow[9]. Later in 1912, he
published an informative piece on the sanctity of cow in India. But he
also drew attention to the old practice of eating beef and its
survival in his own times.[10] In 1927, L. L. Sundara Ram made a
strong case for cow protection for which he sought justification from
the scriptures of different religions including Hinduism. However he
did not deny that the Vedic people ate beef, [11] though he blamed the
Muslims for cow slaughter. Later in the early forties P. V. Kane in
his monumental work History of Dharmasastra referred to some Vedic and
early Dharmasastric passages which speak of cow killing and beef
eating. H.D. Sankalia drew attention to literary as well as
archaeological evidence of eating cattle flesh in ancient India.[12]
Similarly, Laxman Shastri Joshi, a Sanskritist of unquestionable
scholarship, drew attention to the Dharmasastra works, which
unequivocally support the prevalence of the practice of flesh eating
including beef eating in early India.[13]
Needless to say that the scholarship of all of the scholars mentioned
above was unimpeachable, and that none of them seems to have anything
to do with any anti- Hindu ideology. H.H. Wilson, for example, was the
first occupant of the Chair of Sanskrit at Oxford in 1832 and was not
as avowedly anti-Indian as many other imperialist scholars. Rajendra
Lal Mitra, a product of the Bengal renaissance and a close associate
of Rabindranath’s elder brother Jyotindranath Tagore, made significant
contribution to India’s intellectual life, and was described by Max
Mueller as the ‘best living Indologist’ of his time and by
Rabindranath Tagore as “the most beloved child of the muse”.[14]
William Crooke was a well-known colonial ethnograher who wrote
extensively on peasant life and popular religion without any marked
prejudice against Hinduism.[15] L. L. Sundara Ram, despite his
somewhat anti-Muslim feeling, was inspired by humanitarian
considerations. Mahamahopadhyaya P.V. Kane was a conservative Marathi
brahmin and the only Sanskritist to be honoured with the title of
Bharatratna. H.D. Sankalia combined his unrivalled archaeological
activity with a profound knowledge of Sanskrit. Besides these scholars
several other Indian Sanskritists and Indologists, not to mention a
number of western scholars, have repeatedly drawn our attention to the
textual evidence of eating beef and other types of animal flesh in
early India. Curious though it may seem, the Sangh Parivar, which
carries a heavy burden of “civilisational illiteracy”, has never
turned its guns towards them but against historians who have mostly
relied on the researches of the above-mentioned distinguished
scholars.
While the contribution of the scholars mentioned above cannot be
minimised, the limitation of their work lies in the fact that they
have referred to isolated bits of information on beef eating
concentrating mainly on the Vedic texts without treating it as part of
the flesh eating tradition prevalent in India. Unlike their works,
therefore, the present paper seeks to draw attention to the Indian
textual evidence of cattle killing and beef eating widely dispersed
over time so as to indicate its continuity for a long time in the
Brahmanical society and to suggest that the idea of cow’s supposed
holiness does not tie up with practices current in Indian society.
II
The early Aryans, who migrated to India from outside,
brought along with them their earlier cultural traits. Therefore, even
after their migration into the Indian subcontinent, for several
centuries, pastoralism, nomadism and animal sacrifice remained
characteristic features of their life till sedentary field agriculture
became the mainstay of their livelihood. Animal sacrifices were very
common, and in the agnadheya, which was a preparatory rite preceding
all public sacrifices, a cow was required to be killed.[16] In the
asvamedha, the most important of public sacrifices, first mentioned in
the Rgveda and discussed in the Brahmanas, more than 600 animals
(including wild ones like boars) and birds were killed and its finale
was marked by the sacrifice of 21 cows, which, according to the
dominant opinion were sterile ones.[17] In the gosava, an important
component of the public sacrifices like the rajasuya and vajapeya, a
sterile spotted cow was offered to Maruts and seventeen ‘dwarf heifers
under three’ were done to death in the pancasaradiyasava.[18] The
killing of animals including the cattle figures in several other
yajnas including caturmasya, sautramani and independent animal
sacrifice called pasubandha or nirudhapasubandha.[19] These and
several other major sacrifices involved killing of animals including
the cattle, which constituted the chief form of the wealth of the
early Aryans. They, not surprisingly, prayed for cattle and sacrificed
them to propitiate their gods.
The Vedic gods, for whom the various sacrifices were performed, had no
fixed menu of food. Milk, butter, barley, oxen, goats and sheep were
offered to them and these were their usual food, though some of them
seem to have had their special preferences. Indra had a special liking
for bulls (RV, V.29.7ab; VI.17.11b; VIII.12.8ab X.27.2c; X. 28. 3c;X.
86.14ab). Agni was not a tippler like Indra, but was fond of animal
food including the flesh of horses, bulls and cows (RV, VIII. 43.11;
X. 91.14ab). The toothless Pusan, the guardian of the roads, ate mush
as a Hobson’s choice. Soma was the name of a heady drink but, equally
importantly, of a god and killing of animals including cattle for him
(RV, X.91.14ab) was basic to most of the Rgvedic yajnas. The Maruts
and the Asvins were also offered cows. The Vedas mention about 250
animals out of which at least 50 were deemed fit for sacrifice and by
implication for divine as well as human consumption. The animal food
occupied a place of importance in the Vedic sacrifices and dietetics
and the general preference for the flesh of the cow is undeniable. The
Taittiriya Brahmana (III.9.8) categorically tells us: “Verily the cow
is food” (atho annam vai gauh) and the Satapatha Brahmana (III.1.2.21)
refers to Yajnavalkya’s stubborn insistence on eating the tender
(amsala) flesh of the cow.
According to the subsequent Brahmanical texts (e.g. Grhyasutras and
Dharmasutras) the killing of animals and eating of beef was very much
de rigeur. The ceremony of guest-reception (known as arghya in the
Rgveda but generally as madhuparka in subsequent texts) consisted not
only of a meal of a mixture of curds and honey but also of the flesh
of a cow or bull. Early lawgivers go to the extent of making flesh
food mandatory in madhuparka --- an injunction more or less dittoed
by several later legal texts (AsGS, I.24.33; KathaGS, 24,20; SankhGS,
II.15.2; ParGS, I.3.29). A guest therefore came to be described by
Panini as a goghna (one for whom the cow is slain). The sacred thread
ceremony was not all that sacred; for it was necessary for a snataka
to wear an upper garment of the cowhide (ParGS, II.5.17-20).
The slaughter of animals formed an important component of the cult of
the dead in the Vedic texts as well as in later Dharmasastra works.
The thick fat of the cow was used to cover the dead body (RV, X.14-18)
and a bull was burnt along with the corpse to enable the departed to
ride with in the nether world. The funerary rites included feeding of
the brahmins after the prescribed period and quite often the flesh of
the cow/ ox was offered to the dead (AV, XII.2, 48). The textual
prescriptions indicate the degree of satisfaction obtained by the
Manes depending upon the animal offered---- the cow’s flesh could keep
them contented for at least a year! The Vedic and the post-Vedic
texts also often mention the killing of animals including the kine in
several other ritual contexts. The gavamayana, a sessional sacrifice
performed by the brahmins was, for example, marked by animal slaughter
culminating in an extravagant bacchanalian communal festival
(mahavrata) in which cattle were slaughtered. There was, therefore, a
relationship between the sacrifice and sustenance. But this need not
necessarily mean that different meat types were eaten only if offered
in a sacrifice. Thus in the grhamedha, which has been discussed in
several Srautasutras, an unspecified number of cows were slain not in
the strict ritual manner but in the crude and profane manner.[20]
Archaeological evidence also suggests non-ritual killing of cattle.
This is indicative of the fact that beef and other animal flesh formed
part of the dietary habits of the people and that the edible flesh was
not always ritually consecrated, though some scholars have argued to
the contrary.[21] Despite the overwhelming evidence of cattle killing,
several scholars have obdurately held that the Vedic cow was sacred
and inviolable on the basis of the occurrence of the word aghnya/
aghnya in the Atharvaveda and the use of words for cow as epithet or
in simile and metaphor with reference to entities of highest religious
significance. But it has been convincingly proved that if the Vedic
cow was at all inviolable, it was so only when it belonged to a
brahmin who received cows as sacrificial fee (daksina).[22] But this
cannot be taken to be an index of the animal’s inherent sanctity and
inviolability in the Vedic period or even later.
Nor can one make too much of the doctrine of non-killing (ahimsa) in
relation to the cow. Gautama Buddha and Mahavira emphasized the idea
of non-violence, which seems to have made its first appearance in the
Upanisadic thought and literature. But despite their vehement
opposition of the Vedic animal sacrifice, neither they nor their
followers were averse to eating of meat. The Buddha is known to have
eaten beef and pork and the texts amply indicate that flesh meat very
well suited the Buddhist palate. Asoka, whose compassion for animals
is undeniable, allowed certain specified animals to be killed for his
kitchen. In fact, neither Asoka’s list of animals exempted from
slaughter nor the Arthasastra of Kautilya specifically mentions cow as
unslayable. The cattle were killed for food throughout the Mauryan
period.
Like Buddhism, Jainism also enthusiastically took up cudgels for non-
violence. But meat eating was so common in Vedic and post-Vedic times
that even Mahavira, the founder of Jainism, is said to have eaten the
meat of a cockerel. Perhaps the early Jainas were not strict
vegetarians. A great Jaina logician of the eighth century,
Haribhadrasuri, tells us that the monks did not have objection to
eating flesh and fish, which were given to them by householders,
though there is irrefutable textual evidence to show that meat eating
became a strong taboo among the followers of Jainism. The
inflexibility of the Jaina attitude to meat eating is deeply rooted in
the basic tenets of Jaina philosophy, which, at least in theory, is
impartial in its respect for all forms of life without according any
special status to the cow. Thus, although both Buddhism, and, to a
greater extent, Jainism contributed to the growth of ahimsa doctrine,
neither seems to have developed the sacred cow concept
independently.
III
Despite the Upanisadic, Buddhist and Jaina advocacy of ahimsa, the
practice of ritual and random of killing animals including the cattle
continued in the post-Mauryan centuries. The law book of Manu (200 BC-
AD 200), which is the most representative of the legal texts and has
much to say on the lawful and forbidden food, contains several
passages on flesh eating, which have much in common with earlier and
later Brahmanical juridical works. Like the earlier law books, it
mentions the animals whose flesh could be eaten. Manu’s list includes
the porcupine, hedgehog, iguana, rhinoceros, tortoise and the hare and
all those domestic animals having teeth in one jaw only, the only
exception being the camel (V.18); and, it is significant that the cow
is not excluded from the list of edible animals. Eating meat on
sacrificial occasions, Manu tells us, is a divine rule (daivo vidhih
smrtah), but doing so on other occasions is a demoniac practice (V.
31). Accordingly one does not do any wrong by eating meat while
honouring the gods, the Manes and guests (madhuparka ca yajne ca
pitrdaivatakarmani), irrespective of the way in which the meat was
procured (V.32, 41). Manu asserts that animals were created for the
sake of sacrifice, that killing on ritual occasions is non-killing (V.
39) and injury (himsa) as enjoined by the Veda (vedavihitahimsa) is
known to be non-injury (V.44). In the section dealing with rules for
times of distress, Manu recalls the legendary examples of the most
virtuous brahmins of the days of yore who ate ox-meat and dog-meat to
escape death from starvation (X.105-9). Manu’s latitudinarian attitude
is clear from his recognition of the natural human tendency of eating
meat, drinking spirituous liquor and indulging in sexual intercourse,
even if abstention brings great rewards (V.56). He further breaks
loose the constraints when he says: “the Lord of creatures (Prajapati)
created this whole world to be the sustenance of the vital spirit;
both the immovable and the movable (creation is) the food of the vital
spirit. What is destitute of motion is the food of those endowed with
locomotion; (animals) without fangs (are the food) of those with
fangs, those without hands of those who possess hands, and the timid
of the bold. The eater who daily even devours those destined to be his
food, commits no sin; for the creator himself created both the eaters
and those who are to be eaten” (V.28-30). This injunction removes all
restrictions on flesh eating and gives an unlimited freedom to all
desiring to eat animal flesh and since Manu does not mention beef
eating as taboo one can infer that he did not treat cow as sacrosanct.
Manu contradicts his own statements by extolling ahimsa (X.63), but
there is no doubt that he permitted meat eating at least on ritual
occasions (madhuparka, sraddha etc) when the killing of the cow and
other cattle, according to his commentator Medhatithi (9th century),
was in keeping with the Vedic and post- Vedic practice
(govyajamamsamaproksitambhaksyed… madhuparkovyakhyatah tatra
govadhovihitah).[23]
Yajnavalkya (AD 100-300), like Manu, discusses the rules regarding
lawful and forbidden food. Although his treatment of the subject is
less detailed, he does not differ radically from him. Yajnavalkya
mentions the specific animals (deer, sheep, goat, boar, rhinoceros
etc) and birds (e.g. partridge) whose flesh could satisfy the Manes (I.
258-61). According to him a student, teacher, king, close friend and
son-in-law should be offered arghya every year and a priest should be
offered madhuparka on all ritual occasions (I.110). He further enjoins
that a learned brahmin (srotriya) should be welcomed with a big ox or
goat (mahoksam va mahajam va srotriyayopakalpayet) delicious food and
sweet words. This indicates his endorsement of the earlier practice of
killing cattle at the reception of illustrious guests. Yajnavalkya,
like Manu, permits eating of meat when life is in danger, or when it
is offered in sacrifices and funerary rites (i.179). But unconsecrated
meat (vrthamamsam, anupakrtamamsani), according to him, is a taboo (I.
167, 171) and any one killing animals solely for his own food and not
in accordance with the Vedic practice is doomed to go to hell for as
many days as the number of hair on the body of the victim (I.180).
Similarly Brhaspati (AD 300-500), like Manu, recommends abstention
from liquor (madya), flesh (mamsa) and sexual intercourse only if they
are not lawfully ordained[24] which implies that whatever was lawful
was permitted. The lawgivers generally accept as lawful all those
sacrifices, which, according to them, have Vedic sanction. The
sacrificial slaughter of animals and domesticated bovines, as we have
seen, was a Vedic practice and therefore may have been fairly common
among the Brahmanical circles during the early Christian centuries and
even well into the later half of the first millennium AD. It would be,
however, unrealistic to assume that the dharmic precept of restricting
animal slaughter to ritual occasions was always taken seriously either
by brahmins for whom the legal injunctions were meant or by other
sections of society.[25] It is not surprising, therefore, that
Brhaspati, while discussing the importance of local customs, says that
in Madhyadesa the artisans eat cows (madhyadese karmakarah silpinasca
gavasinah).[26]
The evidence from the epics is quite eloquent. Most of the characters
in the Mahabharata are meat eaters and it makes a laudatory reference
to the king Rantideva in whose kitchen two thousand cows were
butchered everyday, their flesh, along with grains, being distributed
among the brahmins (III.208.8-9)[27]. Similarly the Ramayana of
Valmiki makes frequent reference to the killing of animals including
the cow for sacrifice as well as food. Rama was born after his father
Dasaratha performed a big sacrifice involving the slaughter of a large
number of animals declared edible by the Dharmasastras, which, as we
have seen, sanction ritual killing of the kine. Sita, while crossing
the Yamuna, assures her that she would worship her with thousand cows
and a hundred jars of wine when Rama accomplishes his vow. Her
fondness for deer meat drives her husband crazy enough to kill Marici,
a deer in disguise. Bharadvaja welcomes Rama by slaughtering a fatted
calf in his honour.[28]
The non-vegetarian dietary practices find an important place in the
early Indian medical treatises, whose chronology broadly coincides
with that of the law books of Manu and Yajnavalkya, and the two epics.
Caraka (1st-2nd century), Susruta (3rd –4th century) and Vagbhata (7th
century) provide an impressive list of the variety of fish and flesh
and all three of them speak of the therapeutic uses of beef[29]. The
continuity of the tradition of eating flesh including that of the
cattle is also echoed in early Indian secular literature till late
times. In the Gupta period, Kalidasa alludes to the story of Rantideva
who killed numerous cows every day in his kitchen.[30] More than two
centuries later, Bhavabhuti (AD 700) refers to two instances of guest
reception, which included the killing of a heifer[31]. In the 10th
century Rajasekhara mentions the practice of killing an ox or a goat
in honour of a guest[32]. In the 12th century Sriharsa mentions a
variety of non-vegetarian delicacies served at a dazzling marriage
feast and refers to two interesting instances of cow killing[33],
though, in the same century Somesvara shows clear preference for pig
flesh over other meat types and does not mention beef at all.
IV
While the above references, albeit limited in number, indicate that
the ancient practice of killing the kine for food continued till about
the 12th century, there is considerable evidence in the commentaries
on the kavya literature and the earlier Dharmasastra texts to show
that the Brahmanical writers retained its memory till very late times.
Among the commentators on the secular literature, Candupandita (late
13th century) from Gujarat, Narahari[34] (14th century) from Telengana
in Andhra Pradesh, and Mallinatha[35] (14th-15th century), who is
associated with the king Devaraya II of Vidyanagara (Vijayanagara),
clearly indicate that, in earlier times, the cow was done to death for
rituals and hence for food. As late as the 18th century Ghanasyama, a
minister of a Tanjore ruler, states that the killing of cow in honour
of a guest was the ancient rule.[36]
Similarly the authors of Dharmasastra commentaries and religious
digests from the 9th century onwards keep alive the memory of the
archaic practice of beef eating and some of them even go so far as to
permit eating beef in specific circumstances. For example, Medhatithi
(9th century), probably a Kashmirian brahmin, says that a bull or ox
was killed in honour of a ruler or any one deserving to be honoured
and unambiguously allows eating the flesh of cow (govyajamamsam) on
ritual occasions[37]. Several other writers of exegetical works seem
to lend support to this view, though some times indirectly.
Visvarupa[38] (9th century), a brahmin from Malwa and probably a pupil
of Sankara, Vijnanesvara[39] (11th century), who may have lived not
far from Kalyana in modern Karnataka, Haradatta[40] (12th century),
also a southerner (daksinatya), Laksmidhara[41] (12th century), a
minister of the Gahadwala king, Hemadri[42] (late 13th century), a
minister of the Yadavas of Devagiri, Narasimha/ Nrsimha[43] (14th
century), possibly from southern India, and Mitra Misra[44] (17th
century) from Gopacala (Gwalior) support the practice of killing a cow
on occasions like guest-reception and sraddha in ancient times. As
recently as the early 20th century, Madana Upadhyaya from Mithila
refers to the ritual slaughter of milch cattle in the days of yore.
[45] Thus even when the Dharmasastra commentators view cow killing
with disfavour, they generally admit that it was an ancient practice
and that it was to be avoided in the kali age.
V
While the above evidence is indicative of the continuity of the
practice of beef eating, the lawgivers had already begun to discourage
it around the middle of the first millennium when the Indian society
began to be gradually feudalized leading to major socio-cultural
transformation. This phase of transition, first described in the epic
and Puranic passages as kaliyuga, saw many changes and modification in
social norms and customs. The Brahmanical religious texts now begin to
speak of many earlier practices as forbidden in the kaliyuga –
practices which came to be known as kalivarjyas. While the number of
kalivarjyas swelled up over time, most of the relevant texts mention
cow killing as forbidden in the kali. According to some early medieval
lawgivers a cow killer was an untouchable and one incurred sin even by
talking to him. They increasingly associated cow slaughter and beef
eating with the proliferating number of untouchable castes. It is,
however, interesting that some of them consider these acts as no more
than minor behavioural aberrations like cleaning one’s teeth with
one’s fingers and eating only salt or soil.[46]
Equally interesting is the fact that almost all the prescriptive texts
enumerate cow killing as a minor sin (upapataka) and none of them
describe it as a major offence (mahapataka). Moreover the Smrti texts
provide easy escape routes by laying down expiatory procedures for
intentional as well as inadvertent killing of the cow. This may imply
that that cattle killing may not have been uncommon in society and the
atonements were prescribed merely to discourage eating of cattle
flesh. To what extent the Dharmasastric injunctions were effective,
however, remains a matter of speculation; for the possibility of at
least some members eating beef on the sly cannot be ruled out. As
recently as the late 19th century Swami Vivekananda was alleged to
have eaten beef during his stay in America, though he vehemently
defended his action.[47] Similarly in early twentieth century Mahatma
Gandhi spoke of the hypocrisy of the orthodox Hindus who “do not so
much as hesitate or inquire when during illness the doctor …
prescribes them beef tea.”[48] Even today 72 communities in Kerala--
not all of them untouchable perhaps--- prefer beef to the expensive
mutton and the Hindutva forces are persuading them to go easy on it.
[49]
VI
Although cow killing and beef eating gradually came to be viewed as a
sin and a source of pollution from the early medieval period, the cow
and its products (milk, curds, clarified butter, dung and urine) or
their mixture called pancagavya had been assuming a purificatory role
from much earlier times. The Vedic texts attest to the ritual use of
cow’s milk and milk products, but the term pancagavya occurs for the
first time in the Baudhayana Dharmasutra. The law books of Manu,
Visnu, Vasistha, Yajnavalkya and those of several later lawgivers like
Atri, Devala and Parasara mention the use of the mixture of the five
products of the cow for both purification and expiation. The
commentaries and religious digests, most of which belong to the
medieval period, abound in references to the purificatory role of the
pancagavya. The underlying assumption in all these cases is that the
pancagavya is pure. But several Dharmasastra texts forbid its use by
women and the lower castes. If a sudra drinks pancagavya, we are told,
he goes to hell.[50]
It is curious that the prescriptive texts, which repeatedly refer to
the purificatory role of the cow, also provide much evidence of the
notion of pollution and impurity associated with this animal.
According to Manu (V.125) the food smelt by the cow has to be
purified. Other early lawgivers like Visnu (XXIII.38) and Yajnavalkya
(I.189) also express similar views. The latter in fact says that while
the mouth of the goat and horse is pure that of the cow is not. Among
the later juridical texts, those of Angirasa, Parasara, Vyasa and so
on, support the idea of the cow’s mouth being impure. The lawgiver
Sankha categorically states that all limbs of the cow are pure except
her mouth. The commentaries on different Dharmasastra texts reinforce
the notion of impurity of the cow’s mouth. All this runs counter to
the ideas about the purificatory role of the cow.
Needless to say, then, that the image of the cow projected by Indian
textual traditions, especially the Brahmanical- Dharmasastric works,
over the centuries is polymorphic. Its story through the millennia is
full of inconsistencies and has not always been in conformity with
dietary practices prevalent in society. It was killed and yet the
killing was not killing. When it was not slain, mere remembering the
old practice of butchery satisfied the brahmins. Its five products
including faeces and urine have been pure but its mouth has not been
so. Yet through these incongruous attitudes and puzzling paradoxes the
Indian cow has struggled its way to sanctity. But its holiness is
elusive. For, there is no cow- goddess, nor any temple in her honour.
[51] Nevertheless the veneration of this animal has come to be viewed
as a characteristic trait of modern day non-existent monolithic
‘Hinduism’ bandied about by the Hindutva forces.
[1] L.L. Sundara Ram, Cow Protection in India, The South Indian
Humanitarian League, George Town, Madras, 1027, pp.122-123, 179-190.
[2] Siva Digvijaya quoted in Sundara Ram, op. cit. p.191.
[3] Sandria B. Freitag, “Contesting in Public: Colonial Legacies and
Contemporary Communalism”, in David Ludden, ed., Making India Hindu,
Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1996, p.217.
[4] Idem, Collective Action and Community: Public Arena and the
Emergence of Communalism in North India, Delhi: Oxford University
Press, 1990, Chapter 6; Gyan Pandey, ‘Rallying round the Cow’, in
Subaltern Studies, Vol.. II, Ranajit Guha, (ed.), Delhi: Oxford
University Press, 1983, pp. 60- 129.
[5] Frederick J. Simoons, “Questions in the Sacred-Cow Controversy”,
Current Anthropology, 20(3), September 1979, p.468.
[6] The Times of India, 28 May 1999, p.12.
[7] Frontline, 13 April 2001.
[8] Rajesh Ramachandran, “A Crisis of Identity”, The Hindustan Times,
7 May 2000.
[9] W. Crooke, The Popular Religion and Folklore of Northern India, 2
Vols, Delhi: 4th reprint, Munshiram Manoharlal, 1978.
[10] W. Crooke, ‘The Veneration of the Cow in India’, Folklore, 13
(1912), pp.275-306.
[11] Sundara Ram, Cow Protection in India, Madras: The South Indian
Humanitarian League, 1927, p.8, passim.
[12] H.D. Sankalia, “ (The Cow) In History”, Seminar No. 93, May 1967.
[13] “Was the Cow Killed in Ancient India?” Quest, (75), March-
April 1972, pp. 83-87.
[16] J.C. Heesterman translates a passage of the Kathaka Samhita
(8.7:90.10) relating to the agnadheya as: ‘they kill a cow, they play
a dice for [shares in] her, they serve her up to those seated in the
assembly hall’: Broken World of Sacrifice, Chicago: University of
Chicago Press, 1993, p.283, note 33.
[17] Louis Renou, Vedic India, Varanasi, reprint, Indological Book
House, 1971 p.109.
[18] R.L. Mitra, Indo-Aryans: Contributions to the Elucidation of
Ancient and Medieval History, 2 Vols, Varanasi: reprint, Indological
Book House, 1969, p.363.
[19] A.B. Keith, Religion and Philosophy of the Veda and Upanisads,
Delhi: Indian reprint, Motilal Banarsidass, 1970, p.324; P.V. Kane,
History of Dharmasastra, II, pt.2, Chapter
XXXII.
[20] J. C. Heesterman, op.cit., pp. 190-93, 200-02.
[21] For different views see Hanns-Peter Schmidt, ‘Ahimsa and
Rebirth’ in Inside The Texts Beyond The Texts: New Approaches to the
Study of the Vedas, M. Witzel (ed.), Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1997,
pp. 209-10; Cf. J.C. Heesterman, ‘Vratya and Sacrifice’, Indo-Iranian
Journal, 6 (1962), pp. 1-37.
[22] William Norman Brown, ‘The Sanctity of Cow in Hinduism’, Madras
University Journal, 27.2 (1957), pp. 29-49.
[23] Medhatithi on Manu, V.27, 41 see Manava-Dharma-Sastra, ed., V.N.
Mandalik, Bombay, 1886, pp.604, 613.
[24] Brhaspatismrti cited in Krtyakalpataru of Laksmidhara,
trtiyabhaga, ed., K.V. Rangaswami Aiyangar, Baroda Oriental Institute,
Baroda,1950, p.326
[25] Contra Francis Zimmermann (The Jungle and the Aroma of Meats,
Berkeley: University of California Press, 1987, p.180ff) asserts that
only consecrated meat was eaten and Hanns Peter Schmidt seems to be in
agreement with him
(‘Ahimsa and Rebirth’, op.cit., p.209). But the evidence from the
Buddhist Jatakas, Kautilya’s Arthasastra, and Asokan inscriptions etc
does not support this view.
[26] Brhaspatismrti, 128b, Gaekwad Oriental Series, Baroda, 1941.
[27] For further references see S. Sorensen, An Index to the Names in
the Mahabharata, Delhi: Motilal Banarsidas, 1963, pp.593-94.
[28] R. L. Mitra, op.cit., vol.I, p. 396.
[29] Caraka Samhita: Sutrasthanam, II.31, XXVII.79: Susruta Samhita:
Sarirasthanam, III.25; Astanga Hrdayam: Sutrasthanam, VI.65.
[30] Meghaduta, with the commentary of Mallinatha, ed. and tr., M. R.
Kale (ed. & tr.), Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi, 1979, I.48.
[31] Mahaviracarita, Rampratap Tripathi Shastri (ed. with Hindi tr.),
Allahabad: Lok Bharati Prakashan, 1973. III.2. Uttararamacarita, with
notes and the commentary of Ghanasyama, P.V. Kane and C. N. Joshi (ed.
and tr.), Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1962, Act IV.
[32] Balaramayana, of Rajasekhara, Ganagasagar Rai (ed.) Varanasi:
Chowkhamba, 1984. I.38a
[33] Naisadhamahakavyam, with the commentary of Mallinatha, Haragovind
Shastri (ed.) Varanasi, Chowkhamba, 1981 XVII.173, 197.
[34] Naisadhacarita of Sri Harsa, K.K. Handiqui (tr. with
commentaries), Poona, Deccan College, 1965, p.472.
[35] Naisadhamahakavyam, p. 1137.
[36] Meghaduta, Kale’s edn, p.83.
[37] Medhatithi on Manu, V.26-7,41. See Manava-Dharma-Sastra (with the
commentaries of Medhatithi, Sarvajnanarayana, Kulluka, Nandana and
Ramacandra), V. N. Mandalika (ed.), Bombay: Ganpat Krishnaji’s Press,
1886, pp.604, 613.
[38] Visvarupa on Yajnavalkya, I. 108. See Yajnavalkyasmrti (with
the commentary Balakrida of Visvarupacarya), Mahamahopadhyaya T.
Ganapati Sastri (ed.), Delhi: 2nd edn, Munshiram Manoharlal, 1982, p.
97.
[39] Mitaksara on Yajnavalkya, I. 108. See Yajnavalkyasmrti with
Vijnanesvara’s Mitaksara, Gangasagar Rai (ed.), Delhi; Chowkhamba
Sanskrit Pratisthan, 1998, p.54.
[40] Haradatta on Gautama, XVII.30.
[41] Krtyakalpataru, Niyatakalakandam, trtiyabhagam, K.V. Rangaswami
Aiyangar (ed.), Baroda: Oriental Research Institute, 1950, p.190
[42] P. V. Kane, History of Dharmasastra, III, Poona: Bhandarkar
Oriental Research Institute, 1973, p.929.
[43] R. L. Mitra, op.cit., p.384.
[44] Mitra Misra on Yajnavalkya, I. 108.
[45] Palapiyusalata Gourisayantralaya, Darbhanga, Samvat 1951.
[46] Atrismrti, verse 314 in Astadasasmrtyah (with Hindi tr by
Sundarlal Tripathi, Khemraj Shrikrishnadas, Venkateshwar Steam Press,
Bombay, Saka 1846.
[47] Romain Rolland, The Life of Vivekanada and the Universal Gospel,
Advaita Ashrama, Calcutta, Eleventh Impression, August 1988, p.44 fn.
3.
[48] M. K. Gandhi, An Autobiography or The Story of My Experiments
with Truth, Navajivan Trust, Ahmedabad, 1927, reprint 2000, p.324.
Gandhi saw a five-footed “miraculous” cow at the Kumbha Mela at
Allahabad in 1915, the fifth foot being nothing but “a foot cut off
from a live calf and grafted upon the shoulder of the cow” which
attracted the lavish charity of the ignorant Hindu (ibid., p.325).
[49] India Today, 15 April 1993, p.72.
[50] Visnusmrti, LIV.7; Atrismriti, verse 297, etc.
[51] A.L. Basham, The Wonder That Was India, Delhi, Rupa & Co., 27th
Impression, 1996, p.319.
http://www.indowindow.net/sad/article.php?child=17&article=11
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with
Bhadrakali. (Discuss)
For other uses, see Kali (disambiguation).
"Kalika" redirects here. For other uses, see Kalika (disambiguation).
"The black one" redirects here. For the 2005 drone metal album, see
Black One. For the male choral group, see The Black Ones.
Kali
Kali (Sanskrit: काली, Bengali: কালী, both Kālī), also known as Kalika
(Bengali: কালিকা, Kālikā), is the Hindu goddess associated with
eternal energy. The name Kali comes from Kāla which means black, time,
death, lord of death, shiva etc. kAli means "the black one". Since
Shiva is called Kāla - the eternal Time, Kālī, his consort, also means
"the Time" or "Death" (as in time has come). Hence, Kali is considered
the goddess of time and change. Although sometimes presented as dark
and violent, her earliest incarnation as a figure of annihilation
still has some influence. More complex Tantric beliefs sometimes
extend her role so far as to be the "ultimate reality" or Brahman. She
is also revered as Bhavatarini (literally "redeemer of the universe").
Comparatively recent devotional movements largely conceive Kali as a
benevolent mother goddess.
Kali is represented as the consort of god Shiva, on whose body she is
often seen standing. She is associated with many other Hindu goddesses
like Durga, Bhadrakali, Sati, Rudrani, Parvati and Chamunda. She is
the foremost among the Dasa-Mahavidyas, ten fierce Tantric goddesses.
[1]
Etymology
Kālī is the feminine of kāla "black, dark coloured" (per Pāṇini
4.1.42). In the Mundaka Upanishad Kali is mentioned as one of the
seven tongues of Agni, the Rigvedic God of Fire (Mundaka Upanishad
2:4), thus giving rise to Kali's tongue, seen in images. It appears as
the name of a form of Durga in the Mahabharata 4.195, and as the name
of an evil female spirit in Harivamsa 11552.
Kāla means black and also time, death, lord of death, shiva etc. kAli
means "the black one". Since Shiva is called Kāla - the eternal Time,
Kālī, his consort also means "the Time" or "Death" (as in time has
come). "कालः शिवः । तस्य पत्नीति - काली । kālaḥ śivaḥ । tasya patnīti
- kālī" - [from Shabdakalpadrum]. The association is seen in a passage
from the Mahābhārata, depicting a female figure who carries away the
spirits of slain warriors and animals. She is called kālarātri (which
Thomas Coburn, a historian of Sanskrit Goddess literature, translates
as "night of death") and also kālī (which, as Coburn notes, can be
read here either as a proper name or as a description "the black one").
[2]
Kali's association with blackness stands in contrast to her consort,
Shiva, whose body is covered by the white ashes of the cremation
ground (Sanskrit: śmaśāna) in which he meditates, and with which Kali
is also associated, as śmaśāna-kālī.
Origins
According to David Kinsley, Kali is first mentioned in Hinduism as a
distinct goddess, related to war, around 600 CE. Scriptures like Agni
Purana and Garuda Purana describe her terrible appearance and
associate her with corpses and war. The oldest mention of Kali dates
back to Rigvedic age. The 'Ratri Sookta' in Rigveda actually calls her
as Goddess 'Ratri' and regards Ratri as the Supreme force in the
universe. In the Tantras, she is regarded as the Shakti (Power) of The
Great Mahākāla (a form of Lord Shiva). Her portrayal on dead bodies in
crematorium symbolizes her presence in the hearts of devotees who have
killed their Earthly desires and want Supreme Consciousness in the lap
of the Ultimate Mother, Kali. In another form, she is regarded as the
destroyer, the Mahakali as Kali Tantra says-"kāli kālanāt" meaning
Kali is the one who finishes. Kalika Purana depicts her as the "Adi
Shakti" (Fundamental Power) and "Para Prakriti" or beyond nature.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agni_Purana
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garuda_Purana
In Tantra
Kali Yantra
Goddesses play an important role in the study and practice of Tantra
Yoga, and are affirmed to be as central to discerning the nature of
reality as are the male deities. Although Parvati is often said to be
the recipient and student of Shiva's wisdom in the form of Tantras, it
is Kali who seems to dominate much of the Tantric iconography, texts,
and rituals.[3] In many sources Kali is praised as the highest reality
or greatest of all deities. The Nirvana-tantra says the gods Brahma,
Vishnu, and Shiva all arise from her like bubbles in the sea,
ceaselessly arising and passing away, leaving their original source
unchanged. The Niruttara-tantra and the Picchila-tantra declare all of
Kali's mantras to be the greatest and the Yogini-tantra, Kamakhya-
tantra and the Niruttara-tantra all proclaim Kali vidyas
(manifestations of Mahadevi, or "divinity itself"). They declare her
to be an essence of her own form (svarupa) of the Mahadevi.[4]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tantra
In the Mahanirvana-tantra, Kali is one of the epithets for the
primordial sakti, and in one passage Shiva praises her:
At the dissolution of things, it is Kala [Time] Who will devour all,
and by reason of this He is called Mahakala [an epithet of Lord
Shiva], and since Thou devourest Mahakala Himself, it is Thou who art
the Supreme Primordial Kalika. Because Thou devourest Kala, Thou art
Kali, the original form of all things, and because Thou art the Origin
of and devourest all things Thou art called the Adya [primordial
Kali]. Resuming after Dissolution Thine own form, dark and formless,
Thou alone remainest as One ineffable and inconceivable. Though having
a form, yet art Thou formless; though Thyself without beginning,
multiform by the power of Maya, Thou art the Beginning of all,
Creatrix, Protectress, and Destructress that Thou art.[3]
The figure of Kali conveys death, destruction, and the consuming
aspects of reality. As such, she is also a "forbidden thing", or even
death itself. In the Pancatattva ritual, the sadhaka boldly seeks to
confront Kali, and thereby assimilates and transforms her into a
vehicle of salvation.[5] This is clear in the work of the Karpuradi-
stotra[6], a short praise to Kali describing the Pancatattva ritual
unto her, performed on cremation grounds. (Samahana-sadhana)
He, O Mahakali who in the cremation-ground, naked, and with
dishevelled hair, intently meditates upon Thee and recites Thy mantra,
and with each recitation makes offering to Thee of a thousand Akanda
flowers with seed, becomes without any effort a Lord of the earth. 0
Kali, whoever on Tuesday at midnight, having uttered Thy mantra, makes
offering even but once with devotion to Thee of a hair of his Sakti
[his female companion] in the cremation-ground, becomes a great poet,
a Lord of the earth, and ever goes mounted upon an elephant.[5]
The Karpuradi-stotra clearly indicates that Kali is more than a
terrible, vicious, slayer of demons who serves Durga or Shiva. Here,
she is identified as the supreme mistress of the universe, associated
with the five elements. In union with Lord Shiva, who is said to be
her spouse, she creates and destroys worlds. Her appearance also takes
a different turn, befitting her role as ruler of the world and object
of meditation.[7] In contrast to her terrible aspects, she takes on
hints of a more benign dimension. She is described as young and
beautiful, has a gentle smile, and makes gestures with her two right
hands to dispel any fear and offer boons. The more positive features
exposed offer the distillation of divine wrath into a goddess of
salvation, who rids the sadhaka of fear. Here, Kali appears as a
symbol of triumph over death.[8]
[edit] In Bengali tradition
Kali Puja festivalKali is also a central figure in late medieval
Bengali devotional literature, with such devotees as Ramprasad Sen
(1718–75). With the exception of being associated with Parvati as
Shiva's consort, Kali is rarely pictured in Hindu mythology and
iconography as a motherly figure until Bengali devotions beginning in
the early eighteenth century. Even in Bengali tradition her appearance
and habits change little, if at all.[9]
The Tantric approach to Kali is to display courage by confronting her
on cremation grounds in the dead of night, despite her terrible
appearance. In contrast, the Bengali devotee appropriates Kali's
teachings, adopting the attitude of a child. In both cases, the goal
of the devotee is to become reconciled with death and to learn
acceptance of the way that things are. These themes are well addressed
in Ramprasad's work.[10]
Ramprasad comments in many of his other songs that Kali is indifferent
to his wellbeing, causes him to suffer, brings his worldly desires to
nothing and his worldly goods to ruin. He also states that she does
not behave like a mother should and that she ignores his pleas:
Can mercy be found in the heart of her who was born of the stone? [a
reference to Kali as the daughter of Himalaya]
Were she not merciless, would she kick the breast of her lord?
Men call you merciful, but there is no trace of mercy in you, Mother.
You have cut off the heads of the children of others, and these you
wear as a garland around your neck.
It matters not how much I call you "Mother, Mother." You hear me, but
you will not listen.[11]
To be a child of Kali, Ramprasad asserts, is to be denied of earthly
delights and pleasures. Kali is said to not give what is expected. To
the devotee, it is perhaps her very refusal to do so that enables her
devotees to reflect on dimensions of themselves and of reality that go
beyond the material world.[11][12]
A significant portion of Bengali devotional music features Kali as its
central theme and is known as Shyama Sangeet. Mostly sung by male
vocalists, today even women have taken to this form of music. One of
the finest singers of Shyama Sangeet is Pannalal Bhattacharya.
In Bengal, Kali is venerated in the festival Kali Puja - the new moon
day of Ashwin month which coincides with Diwali festival.
Mythology
Slayer of Raktabija
In Kali's most famous myth, Durga and her assistants, Matrikas, wound
the demon Raktabija, in various ways and with a variety of weapons, in
an attempt to destroy him. They soon find that they have worsened the
situation, as for every drop of blood that is spilt from Raktabija,
the demon reproduces a clone of himself. The battlefield becomes
increasingly filled with his duplicates.[13] Durga, in dire need of
help, summons Kali to combat the demons. It is also said that Goddess
Durga takes the form of Goddess Kali at this time.
The Devi Mahatmyam describes:
Out of the surface of her (Durga's) forehead, fierce with frown,
issued suddenly Kali of terrible countenance, armed with a sword and
noose. Bearing the strange khatvanga (skull-topped staff ), decorated
with a garland of skulls, clad in a tiger's skin, very appalling owing
to her emaciated flesh, with gaping mouth, fearful with her tongue
lolling out, having deep reddish eyes, filling the regions of the sky
with her roars, falling upon impetuously and slaughtering the great
asuras in that army, she devoured those hordes of the foes of the
devas.[14]
Kali destroys Raktabija by sucking the blood from his body and putting
the many Raktabija duplicates in her gaping mouth. Pleased with her
victory, Kali then dances on the field of battle, stepping on the
corpses of the slain. Her consort Shiva lies among the dead beneath
her feet, a representation of Kali commonly seen in her iconography as
Daksinakali.[15]
In the Devi Mahatmya version of this story, Kali is also described as
a Matrika and as a Shakti or power of Devi. She is given the epithet
Cāṃuṇḍā (Chamunda), i.e. the slayer of the demons Chanda and Munda.
[16] Chamunda is very often identified with Kali and is very much like
her in appearance and habit.[17]
Daksinakali
Bhadrakali (A gentle form of Kali), circa 1675.
Painting; made in India, Himachal Pradesh, Basohli,
now placed in LACMA.In her most famous pose as Daksinakali, it is said
that Kali, becoming drunk on the blood of her victims on the
battlefield, dances with destructive frenzy. In her fury she fails to
see the body of her husband, Shiva, who lies among the corpses on the
battlefield.[18] Ultimately the cries of Shiva attract Kali's
attention, calming her fury. As a sign of her shame at having
disrespected her husband in such a fashion, Kali sticks out her
tongue. However, some sources state that this interpretation is a
later version of the symbolism of the tongue: in tantric contexts, the
tongue is seen to denote the element (guna) of rajas (energy and
action) controlled by sattva, spiritual and godly creatures who served
as assassins.[19]
One South Indian tradition tells of a dance contest between Shiva and
Kali. After defeating the two demons Sumbha and Nisumbha, Kali takes
up residence in a forest. With fierce companions she terrorizes the
surrounding area. One of Shiva's devotees becomes distracted while
performing austerities, and asks Shiva to rid the forest of the
destructive goddess. When Shiva arrives, Kali threatens him, claiming
the territory as her own. Shiva challenges Kali to a dance contest,
and defeats her when she is unable to perform the energetic Tandava
dance. Although in this case Kali is defeated, and is forced to
control her disruptive habits, there are very few other images or
other myths depicting her in such a manner.[20]
Maternal Kali
Another myth depicts the infant Shiva calming Kali. In this similar
story, Kali again defeated her enemies on the battlefield and began to
dance out of control, drunk on the blood of the slain. To calm her
down and to protect the stability of the world, Shiva is sent to the
battlefield, as an infant, crying aloud. Seeing the child's distress,
Kali ceases dancing to take care of the helpless infant. She picks him
up, kisses his head, and proceeds to breast feed the infant Shiva.[21]
This myth depicts Kali in her benevolent, maternal aspect; something
that is revered in Hinduism, but not often recognized in the West.
Ekamukhi or "One-Faced" Murti of Mahakali displaying ten hands holding
the signifiers of various Devas
Mahakali
Main article: Mahakali
Mahakali (Sanskrit: Mahākālī, Devanagari: महाकाली), literally
translated as Great Kali, is sometimes considered as a greater form of
Kali, identified with the Ultimate reality of Brahman. It can also
simply be used as an honorific of the Goddess Kali,[22] signifying her
greatness by the prefix "Mahā-". Mahakali, in Sanskrit, is
etymologically the feminized variant of Mahakala or Great Time (which
is interpreted also as Death), an epithet of the God Shiva in
Hinduism. Mahakali is the presiding Goddess of the first episode of
the Devi Mahatmya. Here she is depicted as Devi in her universal form
as Shakti. Here Devi serves as the agent who allows the cosmic order
to be restored.
Iconography
Statue from Dakshineswar Kali Temple, West Bengal, India; along with
her Yantra.Kali is portrayed mostly in two forms: the popular four-
armed form and the ten-armed Mahakali form. In both of her forms, she
is described as being black in color but is most often depicted as
blue in popular Indian art. Her eyes are described as red with
intoxication, and in absolute rage, her hair is shown disheveled,
small fangs sometimes protrude out of her mouth, and her tongue is
lolling. She is often shown naked or just wearing a skirt made of
human arms and a garland of human heads. She is also accompanied by
serpents and a jackal while standing on a seemingly dead Shiva,
usually right foot forward to symbolize the more popular Dakshinamarga
or right-handed path, as opposed to the more infamous and
transgressive Vamamarga or left-handed path.[23]
In the ten-armed form of Mahakali she is depicted as shining like a
blue stone. She has ten faces and ten feet and three eyes. She has
ornaments decked on all her limbs. There is no association with Shiva.
[24]
The Kalika Purana describes Kali as possessing a soothing dark
complexion, as perfectly beautiful, riding a lion, four-armed, holding
a sword and blue lotuses, her hair unrestrained, body firm and
youthful.[25]
In spite of her seemingly terrible form, Kali Ma is often considered
the kindest and most loving of all the Hindu goddesses, as she is
regarded by her devotees as the Mother of the whole Universe. And,
because of her terrible form she is also often seen as a great
protector. When the Bengali saint Ramakrishna once asked a devotee why
one would prefer to worship Mother over him, this devotee rhetorically
replied, "Maharaj, when they are in trouble your devotees come running
to you. But, where do you run when you are in trouble?"[26]
According to Ramakrishna, darkness is the Ultimate Mother, or Kali:
My Mother is the principle of consciousness. She is Akhanda
Satchidananda; indivisible Reality, Awareness, and Bliss. The night
sky between the stars is perfectly black. The waters of the ocean
depths are the same; The infinite is always mysteriously dark. This
inebriating darkness is my beloved Kali.
-Sri Ramakrishna
Throughout her history artists the world over have portrayed Kali in
myriad poses and settings, some of which stray far from the popular
description, and are sometimes even graphically sexual in nature.
Given the popularity of this Goddess, artists everywhere will continue
to explore the magnificence of Kali's iconography. This is clear in
the work of such contemporary artists as Charles Wish, and Tyeb Mehta,
who sometimes take great liberties with the traditional, accepted
symbolism, but still demonstrate a true reverence for the Shakta sect.
Popular form
Classic depictions of Kali share several features, as follows:
Kali's most common four armed iconographic image shows each hand
carrying variously a sword, a trishul (trident), a severed head and a
bowl or skull-cup (kapala) catching the blood of the severed head.
Two of these hands (usually the left) are holding a sword and a
severed head. The Sword signifies Divine Knowledge and the Human Head
signifies human Ego which must be slain by Divine Knowledge in order
to attain Moksha. The other two hands (usually the right) are in the
abhaya (fearlessness) and varada (blessing) mudras, which means her
initiated devotees (or anyone worshiping her with a true heart) will
be saved as she will guide them here and in the hereafter.[27]
She has a garland consisting of human heads, variously enumerated at
108 (an auspicious number in Hinduism and the number of countable
beads on a Japa Mala or rosary for repetition of Mantras) or 51, which
represents Varnamala or the Garland of letters of the Sanskrit
alphabet, Devanagari. Hindus believe Sanskrit is a language of
dynamism, and each of these letters represents a form of energy, or a
form of Kali. Therefore she is generally seen as the mother of
language, and all mantras.[28]
She is often depicted naked which symbolizes her being beyond the
covering of Maya since she is pure (nirguna) being-consciousness-bliss
and far above prakriti. She is shown as very dark as she is brahman in
its supreme unmanifest state. She has no permanent qualities — she
will continue to exist even when the universe ends. It is therefore
believed that the concepts of color, light, good, bad do not apply to
her — she is the pure, un-manifested energy, the Adi-shakti.[29]
[edit] Mahakali form
The Dasamukhi MahakaliKali is depicted in the Mahakali form as having
ten heads, ten arms, and ten legs. Each of her ten hands is carrying a
various implement which vary in different accounts, but each of these
represent the power of one of the Devas or Hindu Gods and are often
the identifying weapon or ritual item of a given Deva. The implication
is that Mahakali subsumes and is responsible for the powers that these
deities possess and this is in line with the interpretation that
Mahakali is identical with Brahman. While not displaying ten heads, an
"ekamukhi" or one headed image may be displayed with ten arms,
signifying the same concept: the powers of the various Gods come only
through Her grace.
Shiva in Kali iconography
In both these images she is shown standing on the prone, inert or dead
body of Shiva. There is a mythological story for the reason behind her
standing on what appears to be Shiva's corpse, which translates as
follows:
Once Kali had destroyed all the demons in battle, she began a terrific
dance out of the sheer joy of victory. All the worlds or lokas began
to tremble and sway under the impact of her dance. So, at the request
of all the Gods, Shiva himself asked her to desist from this behavior.
However, she was too intoxicated to listen. Hence, Shiva lay like a
corpse among the slain demons in order to absorb the shock of the
dance into himself. When Kali eventually stepped upon her husband she
realized her mistake and bit her tongue in shame.[30]
The Tantric interpretation of Kali standing on top of her husband is
as follows:
The Shiv tattava (Divine Consciousness as Shiva) is inactive, while
the Shakti tattava (Divine Energy as Kali) is active. Shiva, or
Mahadeva represents Brahman, the Absolute pure consciousness which is
beyond all names, forms and activities. Kali, on the other hand,
represents the potential (and manifested) energy responsible for all
names, forms and activities. She is his Shakti, or creative power, and
is seen as the substance behind the entire content of all
consciousness. She can never exist apart from Shiva or act
independently of him, i.e., Shakti, all the matter/energy of the
universe, is not distinct from Shiva, or Brahman, but is rather the
dynamic power of Brahman.[31]
Kali in Traditional Form, standing on Shiva's chest.While this is an
advanced concept in monistic Shaktism, it also agrees with the Nondual
Trika philosophy of Kashmir, popularly known as Kashmir Shaivism and
associated most famously with Abhinavagupta. There is a colloquial
saying that "Shiva without Shakti is Shava" which means that without
the power of action (Shakti) that is Mahakali (represented as the
short "i" in Devanagari) Shiva (or consciousness itself) is inactive;
Shava means corpse in Sanskrit and the play on words is that all
Sanskrit consonants are assumed to be followed by a short letter "a"
unless otherwise noted. The short letter "i" represents the female
power or Shakti that activates Creation. This is often the explanation
for why She is standing on Shiva, who is either Her husband and
complement in Shaktism or the Supreme Godhead in Shaivism.
To properly understand this complex Tantric symbolism it is important
to remember that the meaning behind Shiva and Kali does not stray from
the non-dualistic parlance of Shankara or the Upanisads. According to
both the Mahanirvana and Kularnava Tantras, there are two distinct
ways of perceiving the same absolute reality. The first is a
transcendental plane which is often described as static, yet infinite.
It is here that there is no matter, there is no universe and only
consciousness exists. This form of reality is known as Shiva, the
absolute Sat-Chit-Ananda — existence, knowledge and bliss. The second
is an active plane, an immanent plane, the plane of matter, of Maya,
i.e., where the illusion of space-time and the appearance of an actual
universe does exist. This form of reality is known as Kali or Shakti,
and (in its entirety) is still specified as the same Absolute Sat-Chit-
Ananda. It is here in this second plane that the universe (as we
commonly know it) is experienced and is described by the Tantric seer
as the play of Shakti, or God as Mother Kali.[32]
Kali and Bhairava (the terrible form of Shiva) in Union, 18th century,
NepalFrom a Tantric perspective, when one meditates on reality at
rest, as absolute pure consciousness (without the activities of
creation, preservation or dissolution) one refers to this as Shiva or
Brahman. When one meditates on reality as dynamic and creative, as the
Absolute content of pure consciousness (with all the activities of
creation, preservation or dissolution) one refers to it as Kali or
Shakti. However, in either case the yogini or yogi is interested in
one and the same reality — the only difference being in name and
fluctuating aspects of appearance. It is this which is generally
accepted as the meaning of Kali standing on the chest of Shiva.[31]
Although there is often controversy surrounding the images of divine
copulation, the general consensus is benign and free from any carnal
impurities in its substance. In Tantra the human body is a symbol for
the microcosm of the universe; therefore sexual process is responsible
for the creation of the world. Although theoretically Shiva and Kali
(or Shakti) are inseparable, like fire and its power to burn, in the
case of creation they are often seen as having separate roles. With
Shiva as male and Kali as female it is only by their union that
creation may transpire. This reminds us of the prakrti and purusa
doctrine of Samkhya wherein prakāśa- vimarśa has no practical value,
just as without prakrti, purusa is quite inactive. This (once again)
stresses the interdependencies of Shiva and Shakti and the vitality of
their union.[33]
Gopi Krishna proposed that Kali standing on the dead Shiva or Shava
(Sanskrit for dead body) symbolised the helplessness of a person
undergoing the changing process (psychologically and physiologically)
in the body conducted by the Kundalini Shakti.[34]
Development
In the later traditions, Kali has become inextricably linked with
Shiva. The unleashed form of Kali often becomes wild and
uncontrollable, and only Shiva is able to tame her. This is both
because she is often a transformed version of one of his consorts and
because he is able to match her wildness. The ancient text of Kali
Kautuvam describes her competition with Shiva in dance, from which the
sacred 108 Karanas appeared. Shiva won the competition by acting the
urdva tandava, one of the Karanas, by raising his feet to his head.
Other texts describe Shiva appearing as a crying infant and appealing
to her maternal instincts. While Shiva is said to be able to tame her,
the iconography often presents her dancing on his fallen body, and
there are accounts of the two of them dancing together, and driving
each other to such wildness that the world comes close to unravelling.
Shiva's involvement with Tantra and Kali's dark nature have led to her
becoming an important Tantric figure. To the Tantric worshippers, it
was essential to face her Curse, the terror of death, as willingly as
they accepted Blessings from her beautiful, nurturing, maternal
aspect. For them, wisdom meant learning that no coin has only one
side: as death cannot exist without life, so life cannot exist without
death. Kali's role sometimes grew beyond that of a chaos — which could
be confronted — to that of one who could bring wisdom, and she is
given great metaphysical significance by some Tantric texts. The
Nirvāna-tantra clearly presents her uncontrolled nature as the
Ultimate Reality, claiming that the trimurti of Brahma, Visnu and
Rudra arise and disappear from her like bubbles from the sea. Although
this is an extreme case, the Yogini-tantra, Kamakhya-tantra and the
Niruttara-tantra declare her the svarupa (own-being) of the Mahadevi
(the great Goddess, who is in this case seen as the combination of all
devis).
The final stage of development is the worshipping of Kali as the Great
Mother, devoid of her usual violence. This practice is a break from
the more traditional depictions. The pioneers of this tradition are
the 18th century Shakta poets such as Ramprasad Sen, who show an
awareness of Kali's ambivalent nature. Ramakrishna, the 19th century
Bengali saint, was also a great devotee of Kali; the western
popularity of whom may have contributed to the more modern, equivocal
interpretations of this Goddess. Rachel McDermott's work, however,
suggests that for the common, modern worshipper, Kali is not seen as
fearful, and only those educated in old traditions see her as having a
wrathful component. Some credit to the development of Devi must also
be given to Samkhya. Commonly referred to as the Devi of delusion,
Mahamaya, acting in the confines of (but not being bound by) the
nature of the three gunas, takes three forms: Maha-Kali, Maha-Lakshmi
and Maha-Saraswati, being her tamas-ika, rajas-ika and sattva-ika
forms. In this sense, Kali is simply part of a larger whole.
1947 TIME Magazine cover by Boris Artzybasheff depicting a self-
hurting Kālī as a symbol of the partition of IndiaLike Sir John
Woodroffe and Georg Feuerstein, many Tantric scholars (as well as
sincere practitioners) agree that, no matter how propitious or
appalling you describe them, Shiva and Devi are simply recognizable
symbols for everyday, abstract (yet tangible) concepts such as
perception, knowledge, space-time, causation and the process of
liberating oneself from the confines of such things. Shiva,
symbolizing pure, absolute consciousness, and Devi, symbolizing the
entire content of that consciousness, are ultimately one and the same
— totality incarnate, a micro-macro-cosmic amalgamation of all
subjects, all objects and all phenomenal relations between the "two."
Like man and woman who both share many common, human traits yet at the
same time they are still different and, therefore, may also be seen as
complementary.[35]
Worshippers prescribe various benign and horrific qualities to Devi
simply out of practicality. They do this so they may have a variety of
symbols to choose from, symbols which they can identify and relate
with from the perspective of their own, ever-changing time, place and
personal level of unfolding. Just like modern chemists or physicists
use a variety of molecular and atomic models to describe what is
unperceivable through rudimentary, sensory input, the scientists of
ontology and epistemology must do the same. One of the underlying
distinctions of Tantra, in comparison to other religions, is that it
allows the devotee the liberty to choose from a vast array of
complementary symbols and rhetoric that which suits one's evolving
needs and tastes. From an aesthetic standpoint, nothing is interdict
and nothing is orthodox. In this sense, the projection of some of
Devi's more gentle qualities onto Kali is not sacrilege and the
development of Kali really lies in the practitioner, not the murthi.
A TIME magazine article of October 27, 1947, used Kālī as a symbol and
metaphor for the human suffering in British India during its partition
that year.[36]
In New Age and Neopaganism
An academic study of Western Kali enthusiasts noted that, "as shown in
the histories of all cross-cultural religious transplants, Kali
devotionalism in the West must take on its own indigenous forms if it
is to adapt to its new environment."[37] The adoption of Kali by the
West has raised accusations of cultural misappropriation:
"A variety of writers and thinkers [...] have found Kali an exciting
figure for reflection and exploration, notably feminists and
participants in New Age spirituality who are attracted to goddess
worship. [For them], Kali is a symbol of wholeness and healing,
associated especially with repressed female power and sexuality.
[However, such interpretations often exhibit] confusion and
misrepresentation, stemming from a lack of knowledge of Hindu history
among these authors, [who only rarely] draw upon materials written by
scholars of the Hindu religious tradition. The majority instead rely
chiefly on other popular feminist sources, almost none of which base
their interpretations on a close reading of Kali's Indian background.
[...] The most important issue arising from this discussion – even
more important than the question of 'correct' interpretation –
concerns the adoption of other people's religious symbols. [...] It is
hard to import the worship of a goddess from another culture:
religious associations and connotations have to be learned, imagined
or intuited when the deep symbolic meanings embedded in the native
culture are not available."[38]
Gerald Gardner was reportedly particularly interested in Kali whilst
he was in the far east, before returning to England to write his
seminal works on Wicca[citation needed].
References
^ Encyclopedia International, by Grolier Incorporated Copyright in
Canada 1974. AE5.E447 1974 031 73-11206 ISBN 0-7172-0705-6 page 95
^ Mahābhārata 10.8.64-69, cited in Coburn, Thomas; Devī-Māhātmya —
Crystallization of the Goddess Tradition; Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi,
1984; ISBN 81-208-0557-7 pages 111–112.
^ a b D. Kinsley p. 122.
^ D. Kinsley p. 122–123.
^ a b D. Kinsley p. 124.
^ Karpuradi Stotra, Tantrik Texts Vol IX, Arthur Avalon (Sir John
Woodroffe), Calcutta Agamanusandhana Samiti, 1922.
^ D. Kinsley p. 124–125.
^ D. Kinsley p. 125.
^ D. Kinsley p. 126.
^ D. Kinsley p.125–126.
^ a b D. Kinsley p. 128.
^ MantraOnNet.com:Text & Images of Kali
^ D. Kinsley p. 118.
^ Devi Mahatmyam, Swami Jagadiswarananda, Ramakrishna Math, 1953.
^ D. Kinsley p. 118–119.
^ Wangu p. 72.
^ Kinsley p. 241 Footnotes.
^ D. Kinsley pp. 119, 130.
^ McDermott 2003.
^ D. Kinsley p. 119.
^ D. Kinsley p. 131.
^ Offering Flowers, Feeding Skulls By June McDaniel p.257
^ The Art of Tantra, Philip Rawson, Thames & Hudson, 1973.
^ Sankaranarayanan. S. Devi Mahatmya. p 127.
^ David Gordon White (ed.), Tantra in Practice, ISBN 81-208-1778-8
p466.
^ Sri Ramakrishna (The Great Master), Swami Saradananda, Ramakrishna
Math, 1952, page 624, Sri Ramakrishna: The Spiritual Glow, Kamalpada
Hati, P.K. Pramanik, Orient Book Co., 1985, pages 17–18.
^ Tantra in Practice, David Gordon White, Princeton Press, 2000, page
477.
^ Tantra in Practice, David Gordon White, Princeton Press, 2000, page
475.
^ Tantra in Practice, David Gordon White, Princeton Press, 2000, page
463–488.
^ Hindu Gods & Goddesses, Swami Harshananda, Ramakrishna Math, 1981,
pages 116–117.
^ a b Tantra (The Path of Ecstasy), Georg Feuerstein, Shambhala, 1998,
pages 70–84, Shakti and Shâkta, Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe),
Oxford Press/Ganesha & Co., 1918.
^ Tantra in Practice, David Gordon White, Princeton Press, 2000, page
463–488, Shakti and Shâkta, Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe), Oxford
Press/Ganesha & Co., 1918.
^ Impact of Tantra on Religion & Art, T. N. Mishra, D.K. Print World,
1997, V.
^ Krishna, Gopi (1993)Living with Kundalini: (Shambhala, 1993 ISBN
0877739471).
^ Tantra (The Path of Ecstasy), Georg Feuerstein, Shambhala, 1998,
Shakti and Shâkta, Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe), Oxford Press/
Ganesha & Co., 1918.
^ The Trial of Kali, TIME Magazine, October 27, 1947.
^ McDermott, Rachel Fell, "The Western Kali", in Hawley, John Stratton
& Wulff, Donna M., Devi: The Goddess in India, p. 305.
^ McDermott, Rachel Fell, "The Western Kali", in Hawley, John Stratton
& Wulff, Donna M., Devi: The Goddess in India, pp. 281–305.
Shakti and Shâkta, Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe), Oxford Press/
Ganesha & Co., 1918
Sri Ramakrishna (The Great Master), Swami Saradananda, Ramakrishna
Math,1952
Devi Mahatmyam, Swami Jagadiswarananda, Ramakrishna Math, 1953
The Art of Tantra, Philip Rawson, Thames & Hudson, 1973
Hindu Gods & Goddesses, Swami Harshananda, Ramakrishna Math, 1981
Sri Ramakrishna: The Spiritual Glow, Kamalpada Hati, P.K. Pramanik,
Orient Book Co., 1985
Hindu Goddesses, David R. Kinsley, University of California Press,
1988
Kali (The Black Goddess of Dakshineswar) Elizabeth U. Harding, Nicolas
Hays, 1993
Impact of Tantra on Religion & Art, T. N. Mishra, D.K. Print World,
1997
Indian Art (revised), Roy C. Craven, Thames & Hudson, 1997
A Dictionary of Buddhist & Hindu Iconography (Illustrated), Frederick
W. Bunce, D.K. Print World, 1997
Tantra (The Path of Ecstasy), Georg Feuerstein, Shambhala, 1998
Oxford Concise Dictionary of World Religions, John Bowker, Oxford
Press, 2000
Tantra in Practice, David Gordon White, Princeton Press, 2000
Encountering Kali (In the margins, at the center, in the west), Rachel
Fell McDermott, Berkeley : University of California Press, 2003
[edit] Further reading
Shanmukha Anantha Natha and Shri Ma Kristina Baird, Divine Initiation
Shri Kali Publications (2001) ISBN 0-9582324-0-7 - Has a chapter on
Mahadevi with a commentary on the Devi Mahatmyam from the Markandeya
Purana.
Swami Jagadiswarananda, tr., Devi Mahatmyam Chennai, Ramakrishna Math.
ISBN 81-7120-139-3
Elizabeth Usha Harding, Kali: The Black Goddess of Dakshineswar ISBN
0-89254-025-7
Devadatta Kali, In Praise of The Goddess, The Devimahatmyam and Its
Meaning ISBN 0-89254-080-X
David Kinsley, Hindu Goddesses: Vision of the Divine Feminine in the
Hindu Religious Traditions ISBN 81-208-0379-5
Rachel Fell McDermott, Encountering Kali: In the Margins, at the
Center, in the West (ISBN 0-520-23240-2)
Ajit Mookerjee, Kali: The Feminine Force ISBN 0-89281-212-5
Swami Satyananda Saraswati, Kali Puja ISBN 1-887472-64-9
Ramprasad Sen, Grace and Mercy in Her Wild Hair: Selected Poems to the
Mother Goddess ISBN 0-934252-94-7
Sir John Woodroffe (aka Arthur Avalon)Hymns to the Goddess and Hymn to
Kali ISBN 81-85988-16-1
Robert E. Svoboda, Aghora, at the left hand of God ISBN 0-914732-21-8
Dimitri Kitsikis, L'Orocc, dans l'âge de Kali ISBN 2-89040-359-9
Lex Hixon, Mother of the Universe: Visions of the Goddess and Tantric
Hymns of Enlightenment ISBN 0-8356-0702-X
Neela Bhattacharya Saxena, In the Beginning is Desire: Tracing Kali's
Footprints in Indian Literature ISBN 818798161X
The Goddess Kali of Kolkata (ISBN 81-7476-514-X) by Shoma A.
Chatterji
Encountering The Goddess: A Translation of the Devi-Mahatmya and a
Study of Its Interpretation (ISBN 0-7914-0446-3) by Thomas B. Coburn
Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend (ISBN 0-500-51088-1) by Anna
Dallapiccola
Kali: The Black Goddess of Dakshineswar (ISBN 0-89254-025-7) by
Elizabeth Usha Harding
In Praise of The Goddess: The Devimahatmyam and Its Meaning (ISBN
0-89254-080-X) by Devadatta Kali
Hindu Goddesses: Vision of the Divine Feminine in the Hindu Religious
Traditions (ISBN 81-208-0379-5) by David Kinsley
Tantric Visions of the Divine Feminine (ISBN 0-520-20499-9) by David
Kinsley
Offering Flowers, Feeding Skulls: Popular Goddess Worship in West
Bengal (ISBN 0-195-16791-0) by June McDaniel
Encountering Kali: In the Margins, at the Center, in the West (ISBN
0-520-23240-2) by Rachel Fell McDermott
Mother of My Heart, Daughter of My Dreams: Kali and Uma in the
Devotional Poetry of Bengal (ISBN 0-19-513435-4) by Rachel Fell
McDermott
Kali: The Feminine Force (ISBN 0-89281-212-5) by Ajit Mookerjee
Seeking Mahadevi: Constructing the Identities of the Hindu Great
Goddess (ISBN 0-791-45008-2) Edited by Tracy Pintchman
The Rise of the Goddess in the Hindu Tradition (ISBN 0-7914-2112-0) by
Tracy Pintchman
External links
Hinduism portal
Find more about Kali on Wikipedia's sister projects:
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Kali at the Open Directory Project
http://www.dmoz.org/Society/Religion_and_Spirituality/Hinduism/Gods_and_Goddesses/Kali/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Directory_Project
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kali
Goddess as Kali - The Feminine Force in Indian Art
Article of the Month - August 2000 Printer Friendly Version
PDF (Acrobat) - 382 kb
Share this Page with a friend The worship of a mother goddess as the
source of life and fertility has prehistoric roots, but the
transformation of that deity into a Great goddess of cosmic powers was
achieved with the composition of the Devi Mahatmya (Glory of the
goddess), a text of the fifth to sixth century, when worship of the
female principle took on dramatic new dimensions. The goddess is not
only the mysterious source of life, she is the very soil, all-creating
and all consuming.
Kali makes her 'official' debut in the Devi-Mahatmya, where she is
said to have emanated from the brow of Goddess Durga (slayer of
demons) during one of the battles between the divine and anti-divine
forces. Etymologically Durga's name means "Beyond Reach". She is thus
an echo of the woman warrior's fierce virginal autonomy. In this
context Kali is considered the 'forceful' form of the great goddess
Durga.
Kali is represented as a Black woman with four arms; in one hand she
has a sword, in another the head of the demon she has slain, with the
other two she is encouraging her worshippers. For earrings she has two
dead bodies and wears a necklace of skulls ; her only clothing is a
girdle made of dead men's hands, and her tongue protrudes from her
mouth. Her eyes are red, and her face and breasts are besmeared with
blood. She stands with one foot on the thigh, and another on the
breast of her husband.
Kali's fierce appearances have been the subject of extensive
descriptions in several earlier and modern works. Though her fierce
form is filled with awe- inspiring symbols, their real meaning is not
what it first appears- they have equivocal significance:
Kali's blackness symbolizes her all-embracing, comprehensive nature,
because black is the color in which all other colors merge; black
absorbs and dissolves them. 'Just as all colors disappear in black, so
all names and forms disappear in her' (Mahanirvana Tantra). Or black
is said to represent the total absence of color, again signifying the
nature of Kali as ultimate reality. This in Sanskrit is named as
nirguna (beyond all quality and form). Either way, Kali's black color
symbolizes her transcendence of all form.
A devotee poet says:
"Is Kali, my Divine Mother, of a black complexion?
She appears black because She is viewed from a distance;
but when intimately known She is no longer so.
The sky appears blue at a distance, but look at it close by
and you will find that it has no colour.
The water of the ocean looks blue at a distance,
but when you go near and take it in your hand,
you find that it is colourless."
... Ramakrishna Paramhansa (1836-86)
Kali's nudity has a similar meaning. In many instances she is
described as garbed in space or sky clad. In her absolute, primordial
nakedness she is free from all covering of illusion. She is Nature
(Prakriti in Sanskrit), stripped of 'clothes'. It symbolizes that she
is completely beyond name and form, completely beyond the illusory
effects of maya (false consciousness). Her nudity is said to represent
totally illumined consciousness, unaffected by maya. Kali is the
bright fire of truth, which cannot be hidden by the clothes of
ignorance. Such truth simply burns them away.
She is full-breasted; her motherhood is a ceaseless creation. Her
disheveled hair forms a curtain of illusion, the fabric of space -
time which organizes matter out of the chaotic sea of quantum-foam.
Her garland of fifty human heads, each representing one of the fifty
letters of the Sanskrit alphabet, symbolizes the repository of
knowledge and wisdom. She wears a girdle of severed human hands- hands
that are the principal instruments of work and so signify the action
of karma. Thus the binding effects of this karma have been overcome,
severed, as it were, by devotion to Kali. She has blessed the devotee
by cutting him free from the cycle of karma. Her white teeth are
symbolic of purity (Sans. Sattva), and her lolling tongue which is red
dramatically depicts the fact that she consumes all things and denotes
the act of tasting or enjoying what society regards as forbidden, i.e.
her indiscriminate enjoyment of all the world's "flavors".
Kali's four arms represent the complete circle of creation and
destruction, which is contained within her. She represents the
inherent creative and destructive rhythms of the cosmos. Her right
hands, making the mudras of "fear not" and conferring boons, represent
the creative aspect of Kali, while the left hands, holding a bloodied
sword and a severed head represent her destructive aspect. The
bloodied sword and severed head symbolize the destruction of ignorance
and the dawning of knowledge. The sword is the sword of knowledge,
that cuts the knots of ignorance and destroys false consciousness (the
severed head). Kali opens the gates of freedom with this sword, having
cut the eight bonds that bind human beings. Finally her three eyes
represent the sun, moon, and fire, with which she is able to observe
the three modes of time: past, present and future. This attribute is
also the origin of the name Kali, which is the feminine form of
'Kala', the Sanskrit term for Time.
Another symbolic but controversial aspect of Kali is her proximity to
the cremation ground:
O Kali, Thou art fond of cremation grounds;
so I have turned my heart into one
That thou, a resident of cremation grounds,
may dance there unceasingly.
O Mother! I have no other fond desire in my heart;
fire of a funeral pyre is burning there;
O Mother! I have preserved the ashes of dead bodies all around
that Thou may come.
O Mother! Keeping Shiva, conqueror of Death, under Thy feet,
Come, dancing to the tune of music;
Prasada waits With his eyes closed
... Ramprasad (1718-75)
Kali's dwelling place, the cremation ground denotes a place where the
five elements (Sanskrit: pancha mahabhuta) are dissolved. Kali dwells
where dissolution takes place. In terms of devotion and worship, this
denotes the dissolving of attachments, anger, lust, and other binding
emotions, feelings, and ideas. The heart of the devotee is where this
burning takes place, and it is in the heart that Kali dwells. The
devotee makes her image in his heart and under her influence burns
away all limitations and ignorance in the cremation fires. This inner
cremation fire in the heart is the fire of knowledge, (Sanskrit:
gyanagni), which Kali bestows.
The image of a recumbent Shiva lying under the feet of Kali represents
Shiva as the passive potential of creation and Kali as his Shakti. The
generic term Shakti denotes the Universal feminine creative principle
and the energizing force behind all male divinity including Shiva.
Shakti is known by the general name Devi, from the root 'div', meaning
to shine. She is the Shining One, who is given different names in
different places and in different appearances, as the symbol of the
life-giving powers of the Universe. It is she that powers him. This
Shakti is expressed as the i in Shiva's name. Without this i, Shiva
becomes Shva, which in Sanskrit means a corpse. Thus suggesting that
without his Shakti, Shiva is powerless or inert.
Kali is a particularly appropriate image for conveying the idea of the
world as the play of the gods. The spontaneous, effortless, dizzying
creativity of the divine reflex is conveyed in her wild appearance.
Insofar as kali is identified with the phenomenal world, she presents
a picture of that world that underlies its ephemeral and unpredictable
nature. In her mad dancing, disheveled hair, and eerie howl there is
made present the hint of a world reeling, careening out of control.
The world is created and destroyed in Kali's wild dancing, and the
truth of redemption lies in man's awareness that he is invited to take
part in that dance, to yield to the frenzied beat of the Mother's
dance of life and death.
O Kali, my Mother full of Bliss! Enchantress of the almighty Shiva!
In Thy delirious joy Thou dancest, clapping Thy hands together!
Thou art the Mover of all that move, and we are but Thy helpless toys
...Ramakrishna Paramhans
Kali and her attendants dance to rhythms pounded out by Shiva (Lord of
destruction) and his animal-headed attendants who dwell in the
Himalayas. Associated with chaos and uncontrollable destruction,
Kali's own retinue brandishes swords and holds aloft skull cups from
which they drink the blood that intoxicates them. Kali, like Shiva,
has a third eye, but in all other respects the two are distinguished
from one another. In contrast to Shiva's sweet expression, plump body,
and ash white complexion, dark kali's emaciated limbs, angular
gestures, and fierce grimace convey a wild intensity. Her loose hair,
skull garland, and tiger wrap whip around her body as she stomps and
claps to the rhythm of the dance.
Many stories describe Kali's dance with Shiva as one that "threatens
to destroy the world" by its savage power. Art historian Stella
Kramrisch has noted that the image of kali dancing with Shiva follows
closely the myth of the demon Daruka. When Shiva asks his wife Parvati
to destroy this demon, she enters Shiva's body and transforms herself
from the poison that is stored in his throat. She emerges from Shiva
as Kali, ferocious in appearance, and with the help of her flesh
eating retinue attacks and defeats the demon. Kali however became so
intoxicated by the blood lust of battle that her aroused fury and wild
hunger threatened to destroy the whole world. She continued her
ferocious rampage until Shiva manifested himself as an infant and lay
crying in the midst of the corpse-strewn field. Kali, deceived by
Shiva's power of illusion, became calm as she suckled the baby. When
evening approached, Shiva performed the dance of creation (tandava) to
please the goddess. Delighted with the dance, Kali and her attendants
joined in.
This terrific and poignant imagery starkly reveals the nature of Kali
as the Divine Mother. Ramaprasad expresses his feelings thus:
Behold my Mother playing with Shiva,
lost in an ecstasy of joy!
Drunk with a draught of celestial wine,
She reels, and yet does not fall.
Erect She stands on Shiva's bosom,
and the earth Trembles under Her tread;
She and Her Lord are mad with frenzy,
casting Aside all fear and shame.
... Ramprasad (1718-75)
Kali's human and maternal qualities continue to define the goddess for
most of her devotees to this day. In human relationships, the love
between mother and child is usually considered the purest and
strongest. In the same way, the love between the Mother Goddess and
her human children is considered the closest and tenderest
relationship with divinity. Accordingly, Kali's devotees form a
particularly intimate and loving bond with her. But the devotee never
forgets Kali's demonic, frightening aspects. He does not distort
Kali's nature and the truths she reveals; he does not refuse to
meditate on her terrifying features. He mentions these repeatedly in
his songs but is never put off or repelled by them. Kali may be
frightening, the mad, forgetful mistress of a world spinning out of
control, but she is, after all, the Mother of all. As such, she must
be accepted by her children- accepted in wonder and awe, perhaps, but
accepted nevertheless. The poet in an intimate and lighter tone
addresses the Mother thus:
O Kali! Why dost Thou roam about nude?
Art Thou not ashamed, Mother!
Garb and ornaments Thou hast none;
yet Thou Pridest in being King's daughter.
O Mother! Is it a virtue of Thy family that Thou
Placest thy feet on Thy husband?
Thou art nude; Thy husband is nude; you both roam cremation grounds.
O Mother! We are all ashamed of you; do put on thy garb.
Thou hast cast away Thy necklace of jewels, Mother,
And worn a garland of human heads.
Prasada says, "Mother! Thy fierce beauty has frightened
Thy nude consort.
... Ramaprasad
The soul that worships becomes always a little child: the soul that
becomes a child finds God oftenest as mother. In a meditation before
the Blessed Sacrament, some pen has written the exquisite assurance:
"My child, you need not know much in order to please Me. Only Love Me
dearly. Speak to me, as you would talk to your mother, if she had
taken you in her arms."
Kali's boon is won when man confronts or accepts her and the realities
she dramatically conveys to him. The image of Kali, in a variety of
ways, teaches man that pain, sorrow, decay, death, and destruction are
not to be overcome or conquered by denying them or explaining them
away. Pain and sorrow are woven into the texture of man's life so
thoroughly that to deny them is ultimately futile. For man to realize
the fullness of his being, for man to exploit his potential as a human
being, he must finally accept this dimension of existence. Kali's boon
is freedom, the freedom of the child to revel in the moment, and it is
won only after confrontation or acceptance of death. To ignore death,
to pretend that one is physically immortal, to pretend that one's ego
is the center of things, is to provoke Kali's mocking laughter. To
confront or accept death, on the contrary, is to realize a mode of
being that can delight and revel in the play of the gods. To accept
one's mortality is to be able to let go, to be able to sing, dance,
and shout. Kali is Mother to her devotees not because she protects
them from the way things really are but because she reveals to them
their mortality and thus releases them to act fully and freely,
releases them from the incredible, binding web of "adult" pretense,
practicality, and rationality.
We hope you have enjoyed reading the article. Any comments or feedback
that you may have will be greatly appreciated. Please send your
feedback to feed...@exoticindia.com.
http://www.exoticindiaart.com/kali.htm
bademiyansubhanallah
Vikas Pathak, Hindustan Times
New Delhi, March 23, 2010
First Published: 00:47 IST(23/3/2010)
Last Updated: 00:48 IST(23/3/2010)
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) ideologue MG Vaidya hinted on Monday
that the BJP, which had been drifting away from Hindutva, was back on
track under Nitin Gadkari, the RSS choice for BJP president.
However, the gesture is being seen more as an approval for greater RSS
control over the BJP under Gadkari.
For Gadkari’s idea of a corporate or NGO-type BJP is not too different
from the hi-tech politics L.K. Advani and his aides espoused. However,
while Advani wanted an autonomous BJP, Gadkari, the RSS hopes, will be
more pliable.
Gadkari in turn pledged allegiance to Hindutva, the Sangh's favourite
theme. Welcoming 100 young professionals as BJP volunteers, he said
that while the "language" of each generation changed, Hindutva
remained "the soul" for the BJP.
Vaidya contrasted BJP under Gadkari with the party in 2009. “When
Sudheendra Kulkarni said the BJP should break with the RSS, I said
they should break with Hindutva, and the chord with the RSS will
automatically snap,” Vaidya said, referring to Advani's former aide.
"After 2009, they say Hindutva is their soul. The soul is invisible
but gives urja (energy). It's good that the same urja is being
remembered in 2010,” Vaidya added.
He said Hindutva was not religion but the essence of Indian values and
all those who upheld these were Hindus.
On the Babri mosque demolition, he said, "A sign of sampradyik
gundagardi (communal rowdy-ism) has been obliterated. There can be a
mosque nearby, but only a temple will come up at the spot."
Sangh young band swings to jazz
RADHIKA RAMASESHAN
THEN
NOW
(From top) Anuradha Paudwal, Anup Jalota, Louis Armstrong, Duke
Ellington
New Delhi, March 22: Anuradha Paudwal, Narendra Chanchal and Anup
Jalota are passe. The Sangh’s young guns would rather sway to Louis
Armstrong and Duke Ellington.
The bhajan singers are a generation removed from the jazz greats and
could, therefore, qualify as more “contemporary”. But someone in the
RSS or the BJP decided it was time to stack away the Jai Siya Ram and
Prabhu Tero Naam CDs and play What A Wonderful World and When The
Saints Go Marching In.
But Armstrong’s gravelly voice and Ellington’s ragtime blues for the
RSS-BJP?
The disconnect would seem unbridgeable if you imagined swayamsevaks in
over-sized khaki shorts swinging to jazz instead of intoning mantras
on patriotism.
But when 50-odd youths got together to pledge allegiance to the RSS
and the BJP in Delhi, they chose jazz as the background score.
The new band calls itself the United Volunteer Association, or UVA. Or
better still, Yuva.
Yes, it is the BJP’s answer to the Congress’s effort to foreground
Rahul Gandhi and his youth brigade.
Gone with the bhajans are the khaki shorts. The UVAs wear saffron T-
shirts and black trousers.
They are not 50-year-olds with paunches but young IT professionals,
entrepreneurs and students with less ample waistlines and a general
look of fitness.
Nitin Gadkari, the 52- year-old BJP president, whose girth is not
exactly an advertisement for health freaks, was the guest of honour at
the launch of UVA in New Delhi’s Mavlankar Hall today.
He played to the gallery, unmindful of the fact that on the dais with
him was M.G. Vaidya, an 80-year old RSS pracharak who often defies the
official line on policies and issues. “I belong to a new generation
that recognises the difference between the letter and spirit (of
Hindutva). Hindutva’s spirit will not change. But it cannot be an
agenda for any political party,” he said.
He invoked lines from a Supreme Court judgment that described Hindutva
as a “way of life of people in the sub-continent”.
Terrorists have no religion: Nitin Gadkari
By ANIMarch 23rd, 2010 NEW DELHI - Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
president Nitin Gadkari has said that a terrorist has no religion and
can’t be classified as a Hindu or a Muslim.
“It is unfortunate that we identify people involved with certain
terrorist activities according to their religious affiliations,” said
Gadkari, adding that a terrorist has no caste, creed or religion.
Gadkari further said, “A god fearing Hindu will not kill an innocent
Muslim and similarly, a god fearing Muslim will not kill an innocent
Hindu, and if he is doing so, then he is a terrorist who does not
belong to any religion.”
The BJP president on Monday stressed on the need for a modern idiom to
articulate ‘Hindutva’ for the youth, adding that the Supreme Court’s
1995 description of Hindutva must be the standard.
“Hindutva cannot become any political party’s agenda. It was more a
way of life,” said Gadkari.
The Supreme Court of India in a judgement ruled that ‘no precise
meaning can be ascribed to the terms ‘Hindu’, ‘Hindutva’ and
‘Hinduism’; and no meaning in the abstract can confine it to the
narrow limits of religion alone, excluding the content of Indian
culture and heritage.
The Court also ruled that ‘Hindutva’ is understood as a way of life or
a state of mind and is not to be equated with or understood as
religious Hindu fundamentalism. (ANI)
http://blog.taragana.com/politics/2010/03/23/terrorists-have-no-religion-nitin-gadkari-24894/
Gadkari at the launch of UVA in Delhi. (PTI)
“No true Muslim can kill a Hindu, no true Hindu can kill a Muslim. Yet
the pseudo-secularists insist on identifying terrorists with religion.
The state should be secular, the government should be secular but an
individual cannot be secular,” Gadkari said. “Why then were Indira
Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi cremated according to Hindu rites?”
He emphasised how important it was to drive home the message that the
BJP was for “parliamentary democracy and not theocracy”.
“Youths should see Hindutva in a larger perspective, as a way of life
that is related to tolerance of all people,” Gadkari said.
But UVA convener Sanjay Kaul drove home the message of change. At the
end of his speech, the BJP activist who was part of the India Shining
ad campaign, simply said: “Hey guys, if you are interested, you know
who to call.”
A generation, it seemed, had been phased out.
A source said youth outreach would become possible only “when we start
looking, thinking and speaking like Kaul”.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100323/jsp/nation/story_12250823.jsp
Bihar BJP leaders flay Gadkari team
NALIN VERMA
Shahnawaz Hussein and Shatrughan Sinha have shown resentment against
Nitin Gadkari
Patna, March 21: Mere months before the state goes to Assembly polls,
resentment against BJP president Nitin Gadkari is rising fast among
party members, especially after some senior leaders from the region
were “ignored” in the national executive.
The leaders have also started pouring venom against the high command.
Former Union civil aviation minister Shahnawaz Hussein did not attend
a meeting called by the newly appointed BJP chief spokesman
Ravishankar Prasad on Friday and got admitted to a Delhi hospital
yesterday complaining of chest pain.
“I will go to Mecca and Medina to know my gunah (mistake) and pray
that Allah punishes me for the same,” the Bhagalpur MP said, sulking
for being “demoted” as a junior spokesman under Prasad.
“Our leader is more pained by the treatment from Gadkari than the
chest pain,” said an aide of Hussein.
Probably, God appears to have heard Shahnawaz’s prayers, as Gadkari
called him telling: “You should speak to me if you have complaints and
not to the media. I will try to address your issues if you keep
yourself confined to party forum.”
Apparently, sensing resentment among the election-bound Bihar leaders,
Gadkari has revised his list of office-bearers. Yesterday, he included
two more “sulking” leaders — state party chief Radhamohan Singh and
state health minister Nandkishore Yadav — in the list of the special
invitees to the national executive.
But Gadkari’s damage-control exercise seems futile, as many senior
leaders, including Shatrughan Sinha, C.P. Thakur and Yahswant Sinha,
are feeling ignored.
Many of these disgruntled leaders are openly speaking to the media for
ignoring the “meritorious party workers” from Bihar by Gadkari whom
they alleged even biased towards Maharashtra.
Thakur, before leaving for Geneva to attend a convention of the World
Health Organisation, said: “Senior leaders from Bihar have been
ignored. There is a dominance of Marathis in Gadkari’s team.” Thakur,
who represented the Patna Lok Sabha seat thrice and is currently Rajya
Sabha MP, went on saying: “My contribution to the party is no less
than anyone in the BJP.”
Shatrughan, who represents Patna Saheb in the Lok Sabha and billed to
be the star campaigner in the coming Assembly elections, said:
“Leaders like Thakur, Udai Singh and Yashwant have been ignored. I
have apprised the Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj about how Gadkari
has made mistakes in making his team.”
The disgruntled leaders said around 15 leaders from Bihar had found
places in Gadkari’s team against over 40 from Maharashtra. Gadkari is
yet to select the Bihar BJP president to replace Singh, who had
completed his tenure.
All these senior leaders, including Hussein, Thakur and Shatrughan,
are apparently opposed to the elevation of a relatively junior leader,
Prasad, as the party’s general secretary and chief spokesman at their
cost. “Experience and merit have not been taken into consideration,
while forming the team. The winners and mass leaders have been ignored
while those who have not won a single election have been promoted,”
said Shatrughan.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100322/jsp/nation/story_12244879.jsp
Nitish stamp in party panel
OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
Patna, March 24: Nitish Kumar’s mantra of “inclusive growth and
development” finds an echo in his party as well with the JD(U)
accommodating the dissidents besides a large number of women and
minorities in the jumbo executive committee of poll-bound Bihar.
While BJP chief Nitin Gadkari faces revolt in his party for leaving
out senior leaders from the region, dissident leaders like former
JD(U) state chief Rajiv Ranjan Singh, alias Lallan Singh, and
Prabhunath Singh have found place in the 262-member executive
committee.
State JD(U) chief Vijay Choudhary said: “We have given representation
to all with ignoring none.”
Choudhary said: “The executive committee has 42 vice-presidents, 87
general secretaries, 58 secretaries and 75 members with women and
party workers from the Muslim community given a very large
representation.”
“The executive committee has highest ever number of women this time,”
Choudhary said, indicating the panel’s support to Nitish, who has been
spearheading the women’s reservation bill against the wishes of JD(U)
chief Sharad Yadav, who along with Lalu Prasad and Mulayam Singh
Yadav, have been opposing it.
The women’s reservation bill has split the JD(U) with Nitish taking a
line quite opposed to Sharad Yadav. Nitish’s stand, however,
embarrassed Sharad Yadav for all the five MPs in the Rajya Sabha on
the day of voting supported in favour of the bill.
Hari Prasad Sah, Nitish’s close confidant, has been made chairman of
the state parliamentary board and former MLC Vinay Kumar Sinha its
treasurer.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100325/jsp/nation/story_12259063.jsp
Shatrughan finds vacuum at the top in the party
STAFF WRITER 17:28 HRS IST
Lucknow Mar 23 (PTI) Days after he vent his frustration over selection
of the new team of BJP office bearers, Shatrughan Sinha today said
that there is a vacuum at the top in the absence of Atal Bihari
Vajpayee coupled with certain other factors.
In an informal interaction with reporters here, Sinha said the BJP
leadership was weakened after the retirement of Vajpayee from active
politics.
He said there were also certain other factors but declined to
elaborate.
The BJP leader, however, sought to put a lid on the controversy
following his outburst against party President Nitin Gadkari that
deserving candidates had been ignored in the new team announced last
week.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/578197_Shatrughan-finds-vacuum-at-the-top-in-the-party
I'l quit if Gadkariji says so: Shatrughan
Rakesh Verma, Hindustan Times
Patna, March 21, 2010
First Published: 23:16 IST(21/3/2010)
Last Updated: 23:17 IST(21/3/2010)
Even as the BJP mulls disciplinary action against Patna Sahib MP
Shatrughan Sinha, the party veteran in Patna on Sunday was his usual
cool and confident self.
“Why threaten me with a show cause at all? All that my friend and
party chief needs to do is tell me to quit and I would gladly do so.
My image is hardly dependent on my being a BJP member. There are a
number of options that are far more rewarding, options with more
responsibility that I would be glad to fulfill,” Sinha said.
“Nevertheless, doing so will hardly put an end to the discontent that
Gadkariji’s handpicked team has inspired among certain party seniors
whose contributions the BJP can ill-afford to ignore.”
Senior leaders such as Jaswant Singh, Yashwant Sinha, B.C. Khanduri,
C.P. Thakur, Uday Singh, Madan Lal Khurana have been left out, said
Sinha. And to rub salt on their wounds, leaders such as Radha Mohan
Singh and Nand Kishore Yadav, whose political stock Bihar’s people are
well aware of, have been inducted, he added.
“I am not upset because of my non-inclusion in Nitin Gadkari’s team.
What I am upset about is that leaders who could have played stellar
roles in the impending elections in Bihar and elsewhere have been
sidelined at the behest of self-seekers,” Sinha said.
I have never sought any position in party:Shatrughan
STAFF WRITER 13:34 HRS IST
New Delhi, Mar 24 (PTI) Actor-turned politician Shatrughan Sinha has
said he voiced his reservations over the selection of the new BJP team
because he wanted the welfare of the party and not because he was
hankering for any post.
"I never asked, never got and never sought any position for me. As far
as who got what, I can say I have got my 'Kad' (height), which
sometimes becomes a matter of concern for others," the 6-feet-2-inch
tall BJP leader said, evading a direct reply.
He was asked why he was cold shouldered by the BJP leadership in the
new team of party office-bearers announced by party chief Nitin
Gadkari on March 18.
Sinha was in the city last night to promote his son's debut film
'Sadiyaan', which stars Rekha, Rishi Kapoor and Hema Malini in the
lead.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/579299_I-have-never-sought-any-position-in-party-Shatrughan
'I am endorsing Gujarat's glory, not present govt'
STAFF WRITER 11:10 HRS IST
Mumbai, Mar 25 (PTI) Under attack for his role as brand ambassador of
Gujarat, megastar Amitabh Bachchan has hit out at his critics, saying
no politics is involved in his promoting tourism in the BJP-ruled
state.
Bachchan said as the brand ambassador, he would talk about the Somnath
Temple, the white sands of the Rann of Kutch, old civilisations of
Harrappa, the Gir lions and try to entice as many visitors as he could
to that glorious land.
"Where is the connect with the glorification of the present
Government?" he wrote on his blog yesterday, the day when some
Maharashtra Congressmen objected to his presence at a state government
function citing his strained ties with Gandhi family and his role as
Gujarat brand ambassador.
"You want to stop me from promoting tourism in a state because you
have reason to believe that there are political connotations to the
event.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/580329_-I-am-endorsing-Gujarat-s-glory--not-present-govt-
Invite to Amitabh, section of Mumbai Cong upset
STAFF WRITER 0:44 HRS IST
Mumbai/ New Delhi, Mar 24 (PTI) Resentment brewed tonight in a section
of Mumbai's Congress over the invite to megastar Amitabh Bachchan to a
function where Chief Minister Ashok Chavan innaugurated the second
phase of Worli-Bandra sealink.
Chavan himself indicated the unhappiness in PCC over the invite to
Bachchan, a friend-turned-foe of the party, and exclusion of some
Congress leaders from the function.
"The Mumbai Congress President (Kripashankar Singh) has given some
reaction in the evening about invitations not being given to
them....", Chavan told NDTV.
Congress' coalition partner NCP is heading the ministry concerned with
the sealnik.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/580206_Invite-to-Amitabh--section-of-Mumbai-Cong-upset
India second most spam originator worldwide: study
STAFF WRITER 8:16 HRS IST
Houston, Mar 25 (PTI) Indian is the second most spam originator
worldwide, with 10.98 per cent of spam being sent globally from Indian
IP addresses, according to a study.
Brazil, Vietnam, Korea and US are among the top five countries from
which most spam was sent during the first two months of 2010, said the
study by PandaLabs, Panda Security's malware analysis and detection
laboratory.
The five million emails analysed by PandaLabs came from nearly one
million different IP addresses, meaning that on average, each address
was responsible for five spam messages.
And, the cities from which spam was being sent, Seoul topped the list,
followed by Hanoi, New Delhi, Bogota, Sao Paulo and Bangkok.
The spam messages themselves are used primarily to distribute malware
or sell illicit products, such as videos or photos of Brazilian girls.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/580253_India-second-most-spam-originator-worldwide--study
'Row over presence at sea link event manufactured'
STAFF WRITER 10:10 HRS IST
Mumbai, Mar 25 (PTI) Megastar Amitabh Bachchan today said the
controversy over his presence at a function here for the inauguration
of the second phase of the Bandra-Worli sea link has been
"manufactured".
"A fresh controversy has been rapidly manufactured on my
involvement... The media has been hounding me since the event at the
sea link has got over, through incessant SMSes and the electronic
(media) has followed me even to the theatre where we were seeing
Arshad's film," Bachchan wrote in a midnight post on his blog. Actor
Arshad Warsi's film 'Hum Tum Aur Ghost' will be released this week.
Resentment brewed in a section of Mumbai Congress over the invite to
Bachchan to the function where Chief Minister Ashok Chavan inaugurated
the sea link yesterday.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/580296_-Row-over-presence-at-sea-link-event-manufactured-
Modi warms up for date with riot probe team
OUR BUREAU
Ahmedabad/Mumbai, March 24: Narendra Modi is set to make an appearance
before the Supreme Court-monitored special investigation team on the
Gujarat riots on March 27 or any other mutually acceptable date.
Senior advocate Mahesh Jethmalani, among the battery of legal eagles
advising Modi, today confirmed that the Gujarat chief minister was
willing to appear before the SIT on March 27 or any other day, but
prior to that he would like a clarification with regard to a related
case pending in the Supreme Court.
The SIT has asked Modi to appear before it in connection with the
Gulbarg Housing Society carnage of February 28, 2002, in which
Congress leader Ahsan Jafri was killed along with 68 others, many of
whose bodies were never recovered as they had been burnt beyond
recognition.
The SIT was asked by the Supreme Court to look into a complaint filed
by Zakia Jafri, widow of the leader, in which she named Modi as the
first accused in her husband’s murder.
The SIT has to report to the Supreme Court by April 30 on Zakia’s
complaint. Of the 63 people named, most have already been questioned
by the SIT.
On March 11, the SIT, headed by former CBI chief R.K. Raghavan, said
it had asked the chief minister to appear before it for questioning on
March 21, a date which Modi disputed, saying it was a “lie” planted by
“vested interests”.
The Telegraph has learnt that the SIT had asked Modi to appear before
it in the week beginning March 21.
Advocate Jethmalani today said Modi had written a letter to Raghavan,
pointing out that the Supreme Court was scheduled to hear a petition
seeking to recall its earlier order referring Zakia’s complaint to the
SIT. The plea is scheduled to be heard in the week beginning April 5.
The petition was filed by Kalubhai Maliwad, a former legislator of the
BJP who was named with Modi and 61 others in Zakia’s complaint.
“Moreover, Teesta Setalvad and other NGOs have also challenged the
composition of the SIT. Modi has said that propriety demands that
unless these pending matters are resolved, it may not be appropriate
to call him. He (Modi) said if the SIT still wants to go ahead, he is
willing to appear before it on March 27 or any other day it wishes
to,” Jethmalani said.
Asked if the SIT had responded to the letter, Jethmalani said: “No, it
hasn’t. The letter was sent either on Monday or Tuesday.”
Raghavan could not be reached for comment. He, however, told PTI that
“it (the missive) is a privilege communication between the SIT and the
witness (Modi)” and he could not comment on it.
The Gujarat government continued to be cautious. Home minister Amit
Shah said the “date and time” of Modi’s appearance had not been fixed
as yet.
Asked whether the chief minister would appear before March 27, a staff
member at the chief minister’s office said: “As of now, we have not
decided.”
Legal experts said Modi, who is also being advised by BJP leader and
legal luminary Arun Jaitley, cannot avoid appearing before the SIT
since it has all the powers of an investigative agency under the
Criminal Procedure Code of 1973.
The chief minister, sources said, is likely to comply with the summons
since he would prefer to be seen as a responsible, law-abiding citizen
who welcomes the investigation instead of running shy of it.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100325/jsp/nation/story_12259787.jsp
SIT summons: Modi gives a new twist but says will respond
STAFF WRITER 18:50 HRS IST
Gandhinagar, Mar 22 (PTI) Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today
said he shall respond to the SIT probing the 2002 Gujarat riots "fully
respecting" the law, as he refuted reports that he had skipped
appearance before the panel on Sunday.
"SIT had not fixed March 21, 2010 for my appearance.
To say that I was summoned on March 21 is completely false. I shall
respond to the SIT fully respecting the law and keeping in view the
dignity of a body appointed by the Supreme Court," he said in an open
letter.
Modi's letter came following reports that he had boycotted the SIT
summons.
He said, "Truth cannot be suppressed. It is now my duty to place
before you the facts that brings out the importance of understanding
what the truth really is.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/576786_SIT-summons--Modi-gives-a-new-twist-but-says-will-respond
Gujarat CM likely to appear before SIT on March 27
STAFF WRITER 9:35 HRS IST
Ahmedabad, Mar 24 (PTI) Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi is likely
to be questioned by the Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation
Team, probing the 2002 riots, on March 27, SIT sources said today.
Confusion prevailed over the appearance of Modi before the SIT with
the panel chief saying he would appear on March 21. But Modi, in an
open letter, claimed he was not summoned on the date.
Sources today said he is likely to be questioned on March 27. However,
SIT Chief R K Raghavan refused to comment on the date.
"It is a privilege communication between the SIT and the witness and I
cannot comment on this," he said.
SIT has summoned Modi to depose in connection with a complaint of
Zakia Jaffery, widow of former Congress MP Eshan Jaffery who was
killed in Gulburg society riot case of 2002 along with 69 others.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/579097_Gujarat-CM-likely-to-appear-before-SIT-on-March-27
SIT up and take notice
Hindustan Times
March 15, 2010
First Published: 22:40 IST(15/3/2010)
Last Updated: 22:45 IST(15/3/2010)
The hysteria that normally accompanies any move to bring about
political accountability has been refreshingly absent following the
Special Investigation Team’s (SIT) summons to Gujarat Chief Minister
Narendra Modi to depose before it. This is the first time ever that
the CM of any state has been asked to appear before an SIT. The SIT
step is in response to charges against Mr Modi and his administration
by Zakia Jaffrey whose husband and former Congress MP Ehsan Jaffrey
was murdered in the Gulberg housing society during the cataclysmic
riots of 2002. Mr Modi has signalled his compliance and the new BJP
President Nitin Gadkari has taken the stand that the law must take its
course.
The law has indeed taken a tortuous course in the Gujarat case with
various rulings indicting the administration being overturned by lower
courts. Now that the action has moved to the Supreme Court, we are
hopefully moving closer to a conclusion. The SIT seems intent on
completing its task in a professional manner, heeding neither pressure
from the establishment nor from activists who have been at loggerheads
ever since those fateful events took place. In all the mudslinging, we
have still not fixed accountability for the violence in which over
1,500 people died. That there was complicity, at least from sections
of Mr Modi’s administration, is established. The SIT has made it clear
that it has prima facie cases against then minister Maya Kodnani and
various VHP leaders. It has also left no one in doubt that the events
were not a spontaneous reaction after the Godhra train arson, but very
much ordered to a pattern.
Mr Modi is in a difficult situation. If he professes ignorance of the
reasons for and perpetrators of the violence, his administration could
be held accountable for negligence. However, given the maturity with
which the situation has been handled so far, it must be hoped that the
SIT hearings will give Mr Modi a platform to answer many questions
which are still hanging in the air. The 2002 riots proved to be one of
the most divisive and painful in independent India and threatened the
very secular ethos of the country. So, unlike the investigations into
past riots, it becomes imperative that the issue is resolved in order
that both Gujarat and India can move forward. Mr Modi has crafted the
economic success story of Gujarat. Today everyone wants a stake in the
growth of the state. Mr Modi has eventual ambitions for a greater role
at the Centre. In this context, it makes sense to wipe the slate clean
and bring a closure to a painful chapter in our history.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/edits/SIT-up-and-take-notice/Article1-519421.aspx
Communal harmony marks Ram Navami in Ayodhya
STAFF WRITER 21:9 HRS IST
Ayodhya, Mar 24 (PTI) In an example of communal harmony in this
pilgrim town, members of the Muslim community today made arrangements
for Hindu pilgrims who arrived here in large numbers to celebrate Ram
Navami.
The festivities, which were celebrated without any perceptible terror
threat, saw about ten lakh devotees take a dip in the Saryu river,
with many of them offering prayers at different temples including
Kanak Bhawan, Hanumangarhi and Nageshwarnaath temples.
Senior Superintendent of Police R K S Rathore said, "There was no
extremist threat to the religious gathering of Ram Navami Mela, but we
made all possible arrangements to ensure the security of devotees.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/580071_Communal-harmony-marks-Ram-Navami-in-Ayodhya
Mulayam's remarks on women sexist, Talibani: Amar
STAFF WRITER 19:30 HRS IST
Raising the Batla House encounter issue, Amar said that when he had
demanded a judicial inquiry into it, everybody had distanced
themselves from him.
"I spoke to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the then National
Security Advisor M K Narayanan on initiating a judicial inquiry into
the encounter at that time, but only Congress President Sonia Gandhi
supported my views. After two years, AICC general secretary Digvijay
Singh recently visited Azamgarh and while raising doubts on the
encounter demanded a judicial inquiry into it and then backtracked
from his statement," he said.
The former SP leader maintained that he did not play politics over the
issue and said what he felt was right.
Asked whether he was trying to send feelers to Congress while praising
Sonia Gandhi for supporting his views on the Batla House encounter
issue, Singh said, "I have only said the truth.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/579926_Mulayam-s-remarks-on-women-sexist--Talibani--Amar
Former Goa beach shack waiter sentenced for murder
STAFF WRITER 0:55 HRS IST
Panaji, March 23 (PTI) A former beach shack waiter was sentenced to
life imprisonment by a local court today for killing a British woman
in Margao town two years ago.
Additional district and sessions judge P V Sawaikar sentenced Anand
Kambli to life imprisonment and fined him Rs 25,000 for killing Denis
Higgins.
Higgins, 54, was brutally killed by Kambli by slitting open her throat
with a knife over a petty dispute in her rented apartment at Margao
town on April 27, 2007.
Incidently, Kambli?s wife and minor son were sleeping in the adjacent
room when the incident happened.
Higgins died on the spot and Kambli fled from the scene, only to be
arrested a couple of days later.
Police said the accused had made an acquaintance with British lady
through his friend, who had helped her in getting a rented apartment.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/579026_Former-Goa-beach-shack-waiter-sentenced-for-murder
Nityananda Swami files writ in Karnataka High Court
STAFF WRITER 0:50 HRS IST
Bangalore, Mar 22 (PTI) Self-styled godman Nityananda Swami, facing
allegations of involvement in sleazy activities, today filed a writ
petition before Karnataka High Court seeking quashing of cases filed
against him by the Ramanagar district police.
Nityananda, who is at large ever since the video clippings of his
alleged sleaze activities involving an actress were telecast by
private channels on May two, in his petition contended that he was
innocent.
The 32-year-old Nityananda, alias Rajasekharan, charged that one of
his former discipline and driver Kurup Lenin had conspired to defame
him and his Ashram by levelling such allegations.
The whereabouts of Nityananda remained a mystery so far.
However, the followers of Nityananda at his Ashram at Bidadi on the
city outskirts claim that he has been in Haridwar attending the Kumbh
Mela.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/577398_Nityananda-Swami-files-writ-in-Karnataka-High-Court
A temple where upper castes bow to Dalits
Asit Srivastava, Indo-Asian News Service
Lucknow, March 25, 2010
First Published: 11:15 IST(25/3/2010)
Last Updated: 11:16 IST(25/3/2010)
Stories of socially marginalised people not being allowed into places
of worship are common in India. In such a scenario, a Dalit family
presiding over an Uttar Pradesh temple for ages is nothing short of
exemplary.
It's only Dalits who have been priests of the Kali Mata temple,
dedicated to goddess Durga, in Lakhna town in Etawah, some 300 km from
Lucknow, ever since the shrine came up around 200 years ago.
"Caste divisions and discrimination may not have given Dalits a place
of respectability in society, but here as priests they are revered,"
Ram Dular Rajbhar, who owns a grocery store in the town, told IANS on
phone.
"Be it Brahmins, Thakurs or people from any of the other higher
castes, after coming inside the temple, all have to bow before the
Dalit priests and touch their feet. For others it may be surprising,
but it has become a custom for us," he added.
Situated along the banks of the Yamuna river, the temple is sought
after by the residents of Lakhna town for holding marriages,
'mundan' (tonsure ceremony of Hindu children) or other rituals
particularly performed by Brahmins or members of the upper caste.
"It's not just a temple. It's a place that is an example of social
equality," said Umesh Dixit, who owns several garment shops in Lakhna
town.
"People in Lakhna also approach the priests to name their babies as it
is believed that names given by Dalit priests would bring good luck
and prosperity to the children and their families," he added.
According to locals, there's a story behind the custom of Dalit
priests. They say King Jaipal Singh, who got the temple constructed,
made it mandatory that the priest of the temple would only be a Dalit.
"While the construction of the temple was under way, Jaipal Singh
noticed a Dalit labourer, Chhotelal, was being assaulted by a group of
upper caste people for touching the idol that was to be placed inside
the temple," said another resident Ram Raksha Pandey, who owns an
eating joint in Lakhna.
"Jaipalji soon intervened in the matter and said only Chhotelal and
his family would be taking care of the temple after its construction.
Since then, the practice has been alive," he added.
At present two brothers, Ashok Kumar, 43, and Akhilesh Kumar, 45, who
are fourth generation descendants of Chhotelal are the priests at the
temple.
Nitin Gadkari
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This biographical article needs additional citations for
verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious
material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must
be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful.
(October 2009)
Nitin Gadkari
Maharashtra Legislative Council
Incumbent
Assumed office
1989
Minister for PWD, Maharashtra
In office
27th May, 1995 – 1998
National President of Bharatiya Janata Party
Incumbent
Assumed office
25th December, 2009
Preceded by Rajnath Singh
Born May 27, 1957 (1957-05-27) (age 52)
Nagpur, India
Political party Bharatiya Janata Party
Spouse(s) Kanchan Gadkari
Children Nikhil, Sarang and Ketki
Alma mater Nagpur University
Occupation Lawyer, Industrialist
Religion Hindu
Website nitingadkari.in
Nitin Jayaram Gadkari (Marathi: नितीन जयराम गडकरी) (born 27 May 1957)
is an Indian industrialist, agriculturist, politician and the current
President of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).[1] He is best known for
the works during his tenure as a Public Works Department Minister in
the state of Maharashtra when he constructed a series of roads,
highways and flyovers across the state including the Mumbai–Pune
Expressway.[2]
Background, family and education
Nitin Gadkari was born in Nagpur, India to a middle class
Chandraseniya Kayastha Prabhu family hailing from Nagpur district.
During his teens, he worked for Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha and
student union wing of ABVP.
He started his political career as a grass root worker who laid down
red carpets prior to party programmes.[3] He prefers to maintains a
low profile in the media. He did his M.Com, L.L.B., D.B.M. from
Maharashtra, India.
Gadkari was elected unanimously as the President of BJP by its
members. The induction ceremony was held on 19 December 2009 and
resumed work on 25 December 2009.
Nitin Gadkari is married to Kanchan Gadkari and they have three
children, Nikhil, Sarang and Ketki. He currently resides in Nagpur
close to the head office of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.[4]
Political career
Nitin Gadkari served as the Minister of Public Works Department of
Government of Maharashtra from 1995 to 1999 and restructured it from
top to bottom.[5].Though Gadkari did a decent job as a minister ,His
Party lost badly in assembly elections in Maharashtra for three
consecutive terms.
Up-gradation of PWD
He undertook the project to computerize all activities in the
department of PWD. He ordered complete replacement of furniture,
fixtures and office equipments with trendy ones and imposed MNC
similar codes for the department and its employees.[citation needed]
Support for privatization
He showed strong support for privatization when he campaigned for
investment in the infrastructure areas from private firms. He
addressed several meetings between private investors, contractors,
builders and various trade organizations and diverted large amounts of
budgeted projects towards privatization. He managed to convince the
state to allocate Rs. 700 Crores for rural connectivity. In the next
four years, 98% of the total population of Maharashtra achieved all-
weather road connectivity. It also helped to solve the malnutrition
problems prevailing in remote Melghat-Dharni area of Amravati district
which previously had no access to medical aid, ration or educational
facilities. The project aimed to connect 13736 remote villages which
remained unconnected since independence by road.
Establishment of MSRDC
Gadkari pushed for time bound completion of projects. He established
Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), a fully
government-owned company which undertook construction of 55 flyovers
in Mumbai alone costing 1500 crores. Mumbai-Pune Expressway was
another project constructed by MSRDC during his tenure.
For the first time MSRDC a Govt. owned company went to the capital
market and raised Rs. 1180 crores which was the largest collection in
the Capital Market history of India. CRISIL gave an AAA rating to
MSRDC.
He appointed a committee to help adopt and acquire technology and
tools of international standards in construction of buildings and
bridges and changed the existing bridge codes. The contractors thus
imported computerized machinery worth 400 Crores like Vibrating
rollers, electronic sensors, Paving machines, Pilling rigs, Pre-fab
technique, etc. which were commissioned to be used for the first time
in India.
Chairman of NRRDC
Union Government appointed him as Chairman of National Rural Road
Development Committee. After series of meetings and study, Shri
Gadkari submitted the report to central Govt. and gave the
presentation to Hon. Prime Minister of India. His report was accepted
and a new rural road connecting scheme now popularly known as Pradhan
Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana was launched. The ambitious scheme is of Rs.
60,000 Crores.
Other works during his tenure
He appointed a committee to study the accident-prone spots on the
roads of Maharashtra and implemented committee suggestions with the
budgetary provision of 20 crores.
Gadkari promised and completed the pledge of completing the Sagri Marg
which was a long awaited dream of the people of Konkan region in four
years of his regime.
Gadkari formulated the scientific methodology of BOT projects,
initiated traffic surveys, worked out IRR (Internal rate of return)
and made the govt. of maharashtra change the concession period of toll
policy.
During recession, he channeled 5000 crore into infrastructural
projects which strengthened the cement, steel and bitumen industry of
India.
Gadkari implemented self-employment scheme for civil Engineers which
enabled 18,000 Engineers to work independently.
He organized the great plantation drive in Nagpur which planted 40
lakh trees in 2 years. He aimed to make Nagpur the Greenest City in
India.
He has visited countries like Israel, Italy, France, Germany, United
Kingdom, Switzerland, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia,
United States, Canada, Brazil and Srilanka as part of the Indian
Delegation for MSSIDC, MSRDC, Govt. of Maharashtra and Govt. of
India.
Positions served in the past and serving
Nitin Gadkari in NagpurEx Minister, Govt of Maharashtra
Chairman, Purti Group of Companies
President, Bharatiya Janata Party, Maharashtra State[6]
Ex-Leader of Opposition, Maharashtra Legislative Council
Former Minister for Public Works Department, Maharashtra State
Member of Legislative Council, Maharashtra State
Elected to the Maharashtra Govt. Legislative Council in 1989 from
graduates constituency, Nagpur Region.
Re-elected in 1990.
Re-elected in 1996 and elected unopposed in 2002.
Inducted in the Maharashtra State Government Cabinet as the Minister
for Public Works on May 27, 1995.
Ex-Member of the High Power Committee for Privatisation, Government of
Maharashtra.
Ex-Chairman, Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation, India.
Ex-Guardian Minister for Nagpur District, Govt. of Maharashtra.
Ex-Chairman, Mining policy Implementation Committee, Govt. of
Maharashtra.
Ex-Chairman, Metropolis Beautification Committee, Govt. of
Maharashtra.
Ex-Leader of Opposition, Maharashtra Legislative Council, Chairman
National Rural Road Development Committee
Chairman, Review Committee of CPWD, Govt. of India.
State President of Bhartiya Janata Party, Maharashtra.
After a successful stint as PWD Minister, Gadkari took over as
President of the Maharashtra State Unit of the BJP in 2004. In 2009,
when the BJP National President Rajnath Singh's term ended in
December, Gadkari succeeded him as the youngest ever President of BJP.
Industrial career
Nitin Gadkari is an industrialist first and then a politician.[7] He
is known to control these establishments in the following way.
Poly sack Industrial Society Ltd - Founder and Chairman. Nikhil
Furniture and Appliances Pvt. Ltd - Promoter and Director. Antyodaya
Trust - Founder and Member. Empress Employees Co-operative Paper Mills
Ltd - Founder and Chairman.
Gadkari is also an agriculturist. He has promoted and has interests in
the fields of water management, solar energy Projects and use of
modern tools in agriculture. Recently, he started exporting fruits to
various countries under the banner Ketaki overseas Trading Company.
Awards
He was honoured by Mumbai Bhushan Award and was felicitated by various
organizations in Mumbai.
References
^ Rajnath steps down, Gadkari takes over as BJP president
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Rajnath-steps-down-Gadkari-takes-over-as-BJP-president/articleshow/5356182.cms
^ BJP's new chief seen as moderniser http://www.ndtv.com/news/india/bjps_new_chief_seen_as_moderniser.php
^ Former carpet boy as new ‘carpetbagger’ - Indian Express
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/former-carpet-boy-as-new-carpetbagger/541881/0
^ http://www.nagpuronline.com/news/news.asp?nsr=42 Kanchan Gadkari,
wife of State President BJP Nitin Gadkari
^ Gadkari emerges as front-runner for post
^ BJP official site http://www.bjp.org/content/view/2613/463/
^ Gadkari views politics as an instrument of reforms to change the
lives of poor
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Rajnath-steps-down-Gadkari-takes-over-as-BJP-president/articleshow/5356182.cms
External links
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitin_Gadkari
Former carpet boy as new ‘carpetbagger’
Vivek Deshpande
Posted: Monday , Nov 16, 2009 at 0236 hrs
Nagpur:
OpportunityDon’t Glorify NaxalismRole-Model MPs, MLAs!Vehicle called
Life In a deeply divided party, Nitin Gadkari stands out for his
relative youth, administrative and organisational skills, networking
abilities, non-controversial image and, most importantly, his
proximity to the RSS. As the likelihood of his taking over as BJP
president grows stronger, an introduction to the man who few, until
now, had known outside Maharashtra
Twenty-five years ago, a young man living a stone’s throw away from
the RSS headquarters in Nagpur’s old-fashioned Mahal locality would
ride his Lambretta scooter to the city’s newspaper offices, handing
over press statements and meeting journalist friends. He was among the
ordinary workers who would actually lay down carpets at what was then
the Jan Sangh party’s programmes.
Much water has flown down Nagpur’s Nag river since. Now 52, Nitin
Jairam Gadkari, MCom, LLB, has long ceased to courier press
statements. He issues them now. His journalist friends call on him at
his residence or office. And as it now appears more and more certain,
the man who once laid carpets at party functions could possibly find
himself walking the red carpet as the BJP’s new president next month.
Even as the BJP struggles to cope with its political downslide and
intra-party chaos, Gadkari’s sudden foray to the party’s top echelons
has surprised many. In fact, many in the party here had until two
months ago dismissed the reports as baseless. But as the weak
possibility has turned into a strong probability, party leaders have
started admitting that Gadkari’s ‘qualifications’ for the party post
are not to be scoffed at, including his age, administrative and
organisational skills, his non-controversial image and most
importantly his proximity to the RSS, which is intervening like never
before to revamp the crisis-ridden BJP.
“He fulfils all that and also has dynamism required for the top post,”
says Devendra Fadnavis, the party’s South-West Nagpur MLA and a highly
respected legislator. “Also, he is a good orator and is comfortable
with all three languages — Marathi, Hindi and English,” he adds.
Another senior party leader Madhav Bhandari echoes similar views. “He
has proved his organisational and administrative skills beyond doubt.
His performance as PWD minister during which he built 55 flyovers in
Mumbai and roads all over the state, as also his stint as chief of the
infrastructure committee appointed by then prime minister Atal Bihari
Vajpayee have made him known across the country,” Bhandari says.
Gadkari’s performance as PWD minister during the Sena-BJP’s 1995-99
regime won him plenty of kudos, with people as diverse as Amitabh
Bachchan and Ratan Tata showering lavish praise. As minister, Gadkari
was known to favour quick results rather than going strictly by the
book, often telling his officers to get cracking and not to cite rules
and regulations as excuses. One of the main architects of the Pradhan
Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojana, he was also the first minister to initiate
PWD works on Build-Operate-Transfer basis — then criticised as a sell-
off to private contractors and later adopted by his own critics in the
Opposition as the ideal model of development.
Bhandari also lists his urban, middle-class appeal as one of his
strengths. “Today, more than 40 per cent of India is urban and more
than 50 per cent is middle-class. So, it is important to appeal to
them,” he adds.
The huge crowds Gadkari pulled across Vidarbha for his academic
presentations last year on Vidarbha’s development plans would even put
election rallies to shame. Over 50,000 people had turned up in Nagpur.
Gadkari’s organisational skills cut across various parties, something
Gadkari often praises NCP supremo Sharad Pawar for. No wonder then if
he has tried to model his political career on that of Pawar — building
on BJP workers’ networks, running a sugar mill and having friends in
every party.
He also befriended Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray,
looking at the possibility of MNS support being needed in the post-
election scenario in Maharashtra recently. But this is not frowned
upon by the RSS. “In fact, it’s good to be politically smart. We don’t
consider it as a bad thing,” said a senior RSS leader.
It was this quality that helped Gadkari to get some prominent
Republican Party leaders like Jogendra Kawade and Sulekha Kumbhare to
support BJP early this year. His political openness led him to attempt
a compromise between two Thackeray cousins — Raj and Uddhav —to avert
the electoral disaster and even develop ties with Raj Thackeray for
possible post-election support.
However, not everyone approves. “Friendships across parties often
impede his campaigns. Be it Telgi, wheat import or his diatribe
against Vilasrao Deshmukh for giving some contracts, many of his
campaigns have finally petered out,” said a party leader who spoke on
condition of anonymity.
Gadkari has often been accused of hobnobbing with Opposition leaders
during elections, particularly the Congress’s Satish Chaturvedi in
Central Nagpur, which houses the all-important RSS headquarters. The
saffron alliance never won a battle there before the 2009 Assembly
elections. But with the party’s lesser-known Krishna Khopde
registering a massive win over Chaturvedi, Gadkari stands vindicated.
His friendships have also helped cocoon Gadkari from possible crises.
In the ongoing Yogita Thakre case — the seven-year old girl found dead
in a car in the courtyard of Gadkari’s Gadkariwada residence here —
the entire Opposition has been surprisingly silent and has shied away
from taking political advantage. Even before anything could be proved
either way, then home minister Jayant Patil gave him a clean chit in
the Assembly.
His admirers may be calling him “non-controversial”, but Gadkari has
been through his share of sticky situations. His Purti Sugar
Industries was embroiled in a controversy for not selling power to the
state electricity board as is obligatory. Gadkari preferred selling it
to private companies.
Eyebrows were also raised a few years ago when his journalist-turned-
advisor friend Prakash Deshpande died mysteriously after falling from
a train compartment while on his way from Mumbai to Nagpur.
Speculation that linked the incident to the large amounts of party
funds Deshpande was allegedly carrying, subsided eventually.
And for all his effective networking, Gadkari has detractors within
the BJP too. His uncomfortable relationship with party general
secretary Gopinath Munde is no secret. How will Munde respond if and
when Gadkari dons the mantle of party leadership? “What choice does he
have than to fall in line? In politics, you can’t throw tantrums too
often,” said a senior Congress leader known for his understanding of
political undercurrents in Maharashtra.
But Gadkari has been compared unfavourably with Munde, particularly in
terms of mass appeal. “Today Gadkari is taking over as state party
president, but Munde is our mass leader and he will stage a comeback,”
late Pramod Mahajan had openly declared in Yavatmal three years ago
when Gadkari took over as state party chief from Munde, Mahajan’s
brother-in-law.
Today, Gadkari has not only stabilised as state chief but is now being
viewed as the top contender to head the party at the national level.
“He has proved the post-Mahajan fear that the BJP will be in tatters
in Maharashtra wrong. The BJP has gained an edge over Sena by winning
more seats in these elections,” Bhandari says.
Over the years, Gadkari has successfully put his Maharashtrian Brahmin
tag behind. The only election he has till date fought, and has always
won, is that of Nagpur Graduate constituency seat for Legislative
Council. It has led to sneers that he isn’t a mass leader who could
win direct elections. Gadkari always laughs it off.
For now, however, he is said to be the RSS’s chosen one for the top
BJP job. So, how will he deliver when he suddenly finds himself above
a battery of senior party leaders? For this Gadkari’s cryptic reply
is: “I am ready deliver whatever the party wants me to.”
Where Gadkari scores points
Is regarded as being an effective, politically astute performer in his
stint as the BJP’s state unit chief.
His performance as PWD minister during which he built 55 flyovers in
Mumbai and roads all over the state, as also his stint as chief of the
infrastructure committee appointed by the then prime minister Atal
Bihari Vajpayee cemented his reputation of having excellent
administrative and organisational skills.
Gadkari has the implicit support of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, whose
views he has echoed on a number of issues. His age, 52, is also in
keeping with the RSS sarsanghchalak’s call for younger leadership.
His urban, middle-class appeal is viewed as one of his major
strengths, as are his oratorical skills.
His ability to nurture friendships across party lines has worked to
his advantage, despite criticism from a section of the party’s
leaders.
Comments (3) |
Wrong choice?
By: Aditya | 20-Dec-2009
Nitin Gadkari might be a poor choice, what with the cloud of the
Yogita Thakre case over him. What will it mean for the BJP? A non
controversial candidate, who is respected by all should have been
chosen. Perhaps Advani should have been elevated to the post again.
carpet-ignorance
By: midas | 16-Nov-2009
Agree with Sumir Sharma. Both author and the editorial staff seem
unaware of the meaning of the word "carpetbeggar".
Carpetbaggers carry wrong connotation and historically not fits
here.
By: Sumir Sharma | 16-Nov-2009
I am sorry to say that the Carpetbagger reference if it is taken from
American History does not convey any relevance. Carpetbaggers during
the reconstruction period in post Civil War period in America were
from North States who shifted to South States to take the benefit of
the new right of franchise to black to again access to legislatures in
South States. I do not how Deshpande has found the relevance for
Gadkari. It is hostrically wrong use of a term. Carpetbaggers carries
negative connotation. The people who helped Carpetbaggers to run
elections in South and they were from South, were called Scalawags
which is another derogatory and abusive term. Carpetbaggers are
accused of increasing corruption. They represented Radicals as well as
Abolitionists. Therefore, the term carries negative connotation
whereas the article presents Gadkari in positive colour. Are to
praising him or decrying him ?
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/former-carpet-boy-as-new-carpetbagger/541881/0
chhotemianinshallah
WASHINGTON: An estimated 220,000 Indians have made the United States
their home illegally with a whopping 81% increase in their number in
last seven years, according to latest official figures.
The dramatic growth in the number of Indians has come about even as
immigration from Mexico continues to dominate the unauthorised
population growth, according to the Department of Homeland Security's
latest statistics on 'illegal immigrants'.
The estimated population of Indians living illegally in the United
States was 220,000 in 2007 compared to 120,000 in the year 2000, thus
recording one of the highest percentage increases.
An estimated 11.8 million unauthorised immigrants were living in
America in January 2007 compared to 8.5 million in 2000. The
unauthorised population increased by 3.3 million between 2000 and 2007
while the annual average increase during this period was 470,000.
Nearly 4.2 million (35%) of the total 11.8 million unauthorised
residents in 2007 had entered in 2000 or later. An estimated 7.0
million (59%) were from Mexico.
California remained the leading state of residence for the illegal
population in 2007 with 2.8 million, followed by Texas with 1.7
million and then Florida with nearly one million.
California's share of the national total declined from 30% in 2000 to
24% in 2007 as the greatest percentage increases of unauthorised
resident population occurred in Georgia (120%), Arizona (62%) and
Texas (57%).
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Illegal Immigration is a Crime
Under Title 8 Section 1325 of the U.S. Code, "Improper Entry by
Alien," any citizen of any country other than the United States who:
Enters or attempts to enter the United States at any time or place
other than as designated by immigration officers; or
Eludes examination or inspection by immigration officers; or
Attempts to enter or obtains entry to the United States by a willfully
false or misleading representation or the willful concealment of a
material fact;
has committed a federal crime.
Violations are punishable by criminal fines and imprisonment for up to
six months. Repeat offenses can bring up to two years in prison.
Additional civil fines may be imposed at the discretion of immigration
judges, but civil fines do not negate the criminal sanctions or nature
of the offense.
See: Unlawful entry a crime since '29 - Rocky Mountain News -- June
11, 2006
Each year the Border Patrol is making more than a million
apprehensions of people who flagrantly violate our nation's laws by
unlawfully crossing U.S. borders to work and to receive publicly-
funded services, often with the aid of fraudulent documents. Such
entry is a misdemeanor and, if repeated, becomes punishable as a
felony. Over eight million illegal immigrants live in the United
States -- some estimate even more.
In addition to sneaking into the country in violation of the
immigration law that requires that aliens be documented for legal
entry (referred to as "entry without inspection -- EWI"), others enter
with legal documentation and then violate the terms on which they have
been admitted by taking jobs that are not authorized or overstaying
the authorized period of stay in the country. The INS estimated in
1996 that about 60 percent of the then estimated five million illegal
immigrants were EWI and 40 percent were overstayers. Both types of
illegal immigrants are deportable under Immigration and Nationality
Act Section 237 (a)(1)(B) which says:
"Any alien who is present in the United States in violation of this
Act or any other law of the United States is deportable."
ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IS NOT A VICTIMLESS CRIME
Apologists for illegal immigration like to paint it as a victimless
crime. But in fact, illegal immigration causes substantial harm to
American citizens and legal immigrants, particularly those in the most
vulnerable sectors of our population--the poor, minorities, and
children.
Illegal immigration causes an enormous drain on public funds. The
seminal study of the costs of immigration by the National Academy of
Sciences found that the taxes paid by immigrants do not cover the cost
of services received by them. We cannot provide high quality
education, health care, and retirement security for our own people if
we continue to bring in endless numbers of poor, unskilled
immigrants.
Additionally, job competition by waves of illegal immigrants willing
to work at substandard wages and working conditions depresses the
wages of American workers, hitting hardest at minority workers and
those without high school degrees. Ý
Illegal immigration also contributes to the dramatic population growth
overwhelming communities across America--crowding school classrooms,
consuming already limited affordable housing, and straining precious
natural resources like water, energy, and forestland.
BORDER PATROL: NECESSARY BUT NOT SUFFICIENT
The Border Patrol plays a crucial role in combatting illegal
immigration, but illegal immigration cannot be controlled solely at
the border. About half of the illegal alien population is comprised of
visa overstayers--people who entered the country legally, but became
illegal aliens by their failure to leave the U.S. upon expiration of
their visa. Once entry occurs, there is little chance of detection and
virtually no chance of deportation, except for convicted criminals.
WHAT CAN WE DO?
We need a comprehensive program to end illegal immigration; that means
ensuring that people who enter illegally or overstay their lawful
status will not be able to obtain employment, public assistance
benefits, public education, public housing, or any other taxpayer-
funded benefit without detection.
The three major components of immigration control--deterrence,
apprehension and removal--need to be strengthened by Congress and the
Executive Branch if effective control is ever to be reestablished.
Controlling illegal immigration requires a balanced approach with a
full range of enforcement improvements that go far beyond the border.
These include many procedural reforms, beefed up investigation
capacity, asylum reform, documents improvements, major improvements in
INS detention and deportation procedures, limitations on judicial
review, improved intelligence capacity, greatly improved state/federal
cooperation, and added resources. See How to Combat Illegal
Immigration.
WHAT ABOUT THE COSTS?
Effective control and management of the laws against illegal
immigration require adequate resources. But those costs will be more
than offset by savings to states, counties, communities, and school
districts across the nation.
FAIR, 3/03
http://codes.lp.findlaw.com/uscode/8/12/II/VIII/1325
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0%2C1299%2CDRMN_15_4762657%2C00.html
http://www.americanpatrol.com/REFERENCE/AidAbetUnlawfulSec8USC1324.html
http://www.americanpatrol.com/REFERENCE/isacrime.html
Rich illegal immigrants in U.S. hide in shadows
John Buchanan
ATLANTA
Wed Feb 6, 2008 4:23am EST
Mike Lozano, an immigrant from Mexico, marches during an immigrant
rights rally in Boston, Massachusetts in this May 1, 2006 file photo
as part of a nationwide ''A Day Without Immigrants'' protest staged by
immigrant rights advocates.
Credit: Reuters/Brian Snyder/Files
ATLANTA (Reuters) - Many illegal immigrants in the United States are
manual laborers on low wages. But there's another group that attracts
much less attention: entrepreneurs who have set up businesses, created
jobs and grown affluent.
U.S.
There are up to 20,000 illegal immigrants earning upward of $100,000 a
year as entrepreneurs, and their existence challenges the stereotype
that illegal immigrants are a drain on the U.S. economy, according to
immigration lawyers and academics.
Many say they are living the "American Dream," but almost none trumpet
their achievements because they fear deportation.
One example is a 38-year-old computer engineer who overstayed his visa
after arriving from Colombia in 1999. Not long after, he founded a Web
design firm in Miami that specializes in e-commerce.
Today it's a fast-growing, tax-paying company that recently developed
a Web platform for online radio and television that could be a
breakthrough technology.
"We are at a good point now, making money," said the man, who spoke on
condition of anonymity because of his immigration status. "We are
growing every month because our customers are happy. They are U.S.
companies making a lot of money from our Web sites."
But the man is near the end of a long administrative process that will
likely lead to his deportation. Then his company would close and
workers, including Americans, would be laid off.
"I have always tried to look at things in a positive way but now I am
disappointed," he said in a telephone interview.
Michael Bander, a Miami immigration lawyer who has represented the man
for six years, said his client's dilemma showed a larger flaw in the
immigration system.
SPECIAL STATUS?
It is not easy to determine the number of illegal immigrants who earn
six figure salaries, but there could be 20,000 of them and a
significant proportion earn up to $300,000 a year, said Jeff Passel,
lead demographer at the Pew Hispanic Center in Washington.
Advocates see the group as trailblazers for the more than 12 million
illegal immigrants estimated to be living in the United States, most
from Mexico or other Latin American countries.
"These people should be treated like heroes not criminals," said
Felipe Korzenny, professor of marketing and communications at Florida
State University. Wealthy illegal immigrants also came from India,
China, Taiwan, Israel and South Africa, he said.
Congress should address their unique situation, not least because they
have more to lose than others, said George Tzamaras, spokesman for the
American Immigration Lawyers Association.
The United States runs a Green Card residence permit program for
investors but it does not apply to those already in the country
illegally.
But opponents of illegal immigration said the United States should
grant no special status according to wealth for people who break the
law.
"They should be deported as existing law dictates. We'd like to see
their assets seized to compensate American taxpayers who are losing
billions of dollars due to rampant illegal immigration," said William
Gheen, president of Americans for Legal Immigration.
"We need to send a strong message to people who would like to come to
the U.S. that disrespect for our laws will not lead to prosperity,"
said Gheen.
TEN-YEAR BAN
Under existing law, people who overstay their visas must return to
their home country, and cannot re-enter for 10 years. Visas waiving
this process are increasingly rare, immigration lawyers said.
More than half of Silicon Valley start-ups between 1995 and 2005 had
one or more immigrants as key founders, according to a study by the
University of California at Berkeley and Vivek Wadhwa, founder of
Relativity Technologies.
Immigrant entrepreneurs launched 25 percent of technology or
engineering companies in the same period, it said.
Some can be assumed to be illegal immigrants, said Wadhwa, a columnist
and professor whose company was rated by Fortune magazine as one of
the 25 coolest in the world.
"You have to figure out what to do with the 12 million illegal
immigrants that are unskilled," said Wadhwa, who was born in India.
"But what about the few hundred thousand that help us boost our
competitiveness?"
(Writing by Matthew Bigg; Editing by Michael Christie and Eddie Evans)
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN2533661620080206
Guest Opinion/Commentary*
Illegal Immigration: India Invades America
By William H. Calhoun (12/18/06)
An ex-Army intelligence officer recently said, "We are under attack.
And it's not just Mexico. It's all Central and South American
countries. It's India. It's China. It's most of the non-European
world. And if we do not fight back soon, America will be third-world
sewer within 30 years!."
America is currently being invaded from all corners of the world.
Mexico. China. Africa. India. They all are invading and carving out
their enclaves. And you know what? They are backed by big business and
the American government.
A perfect case in point is India. The Indian Government and American
corporations have been lobbying the US for more H-1B visas to allow
Indians to move to the United States.
American companies use the H-1B to drive down American wages. An
associate of mine who works for a high-tech company in California
(whose name I cannot say for legal reasons) recently watched about 90%
of his fellow American employees be fired from his company. They were
replaced with H-1B imports from India, who were paid about one-third
of what the Americans were making.
GW Bush has largely supported this H-1B invasion, portraying it as
sound policy. He, however, and the mainstream media always fail to
mention that large companies are using the H-1B to drive down wages
whereby they fire American employees and replace them with low-paid
foreigners. They also fail to mention that India has the largest
Muslim population, the most terrorist cells, and now the most reported
cases of HIV in the world.
At my friend's high-tech company in California, within a few months of
the firings, two of the Indian employees had already spread HIV to
three Americans, three of the other Indians had known ties to
terrorist cells in India, and the Indians would openly speak of
"exterminating the European race." Was any of this reported in the
mainstream media? Of course not. Did any of these people serve jail
time? Of course not. In essence, because of H-1B provisions, they have
more rights than American citizens. Nor is this incident isolated.
As previously reported, I was at the airport recently in Los Angeles,
and I could overhear the conversation of some younger Indians waiting
for a flight from India. These youths were obviously raised in
America, as they did not have accents, unlike their parents sitting
next to them. The Indian youth, after debating their favorite rappers,
began to discuss how recent DNA studies show that Indians are closely
related to Sub-Saharan Africans. They then began to speak approvingly
of India invading California, and went on to say that they should
"wipe out all the whites." Now, the parents, seeing that I was
listening, lightly admonished the youth, not really because of what
they said, but only because others could hear.
This is the norm all across America. After previously publishing my
experience in the Los Angeles airport, I received many emails from
patriots saying they had experienced very similar situations.
And you know what? GW Bush and Condoleezza Rice just gave these people
more nuclear technology.
The same ex-intelligence Army officer said to me, "This policy of
giving nuclear technology to India is borderline treason. The
motivating factor was big business, not national security. All of our
intelligence has shown that now it is just a matter of when, not if,
an Indian detonates a backpack nuke within the United States or sells
one to a Mexican nationalist."
And Bush has sworn to uphold the US Constitution? perduellio est
communis!
If we don't immediately lose our country via a backpack nuke, then we
most certainly will lose our jobs and standard of living. Americans'
wages are dropping every year (adjusted for inflation) due to legal
and illegal immigration. We are being ambushed from every angle.
Patriotic Americas had better wake up! We are under attack. Be
vigilant and prepare! Stop the third-world invasion!
William H. Calhoun is a writer, paleoconservative, and a farmer who
lives on his ancestral estate.
http://www.americandaily.com/article/16838
Indian illegal immigrants in US up 64 percent last decade
IANS, Feb 10, 2010, 10.29am IST
WASHINGTON: In 2009, India accounted for the third highest increase in
the number of illegal immigrants in the US in ten years, according to
a new government report, though only two percent of all illegal
immigrants were Indians.
The number of illegal immigrants in the US fell by seven percent to
10.8 million last year.
A majority of them came from Latin America, according to the
department of homeland security (DHS) report, though India with
200,000 was the sixth biggest sender of illegal immigrants to the US.
In overall numbers, Indians accounted for only two percent of illegal
immigrants. Mexico (6.7 million) topped the list with 62 percent,
followed by those from El Salvador (530,000), Guatemala (480,000),
Honduras (320,000) and the Philippines (270,000).
Between 2000 and 2009, the Mexican-born unauthorised immigrants
increased by two million or 42 percent. But the greatest percentage
increases occurred among unauthorised immigrants from Honduras (95
percent), Guatemala (65 percent), and India (64 percent).
"The number of unauthorised residents declined by one million between
2007 and 2009, coincident with the US economic downturn," said the
report based on census data and extrapolations from the total foreign
population in the country.
Beside the US and global financial crisis, other reasons the report
adduces for the drop in the undocumented population include tougher
border enforcement and a national crackdown on illegal immigrants.
The overall annual average increase in the unauthorised population
during the 2000-09 period was 250,000 with ten leading countries of
origin representing 85 percent of the unauthorised immigrant
population in 2009.
Of the nearly 11 million undocumented people living in the US in
January 2009, 37 percent, or four million, arrived since January 2000,
44 percent since the 1990s and 19 percent since the 1980s, the DHS
said.
Between January 2008 and January 2009, the number of unauthorised
immigrants living in the US decreased seven percent from 11.6 million
to 10.8 million after growing from 8.5 million to 11.8 million between
2000 and 2007, DHS said.
An estimated 8.5 million of the 10.8 million unauthorised immigrants
living in the US in 2009 were from the North America region, including
Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America. The next leading
regions of origin were Asia (980,000) and South America (740,000).
California remained the leading state of residence of the illegal
immigrants in 2009, with 2.6 million, followed by Texas (1.7 million),
Florida (720,000), New York (550,000) and Illinois (540,000).
California's share of the national total was 24 percent in 2009
compared to 30 percent in 2000. The greatest percentage increase in
the illegal population between 2000 and 2009 occurred in Georgia (115
percent), Nevada (55 percent) and Texas (54 percent).
In 2009, 61 percent of unauthorised immigrants were aged 25 to 44
years, and 58 percent were male. Males accounted for 62 percent of the
illegal population in the 18 to 34 age group in 2009 while females
accounted for 52 percent of the 45 and older age groups.
New report says illegal immigration population plummeted last year
Researchers cite recession as cause for decline; other analysts say
many opt to
By Matt O'Brien
Contra Costa Times
Posted: 02/09/2010 03:56:30 PM PST
Updated: 02/10/2010 06:45:42 AM PST
The number of illegal immigrants living in the United States dropped
by 1 million in two years, according to new estimates by the
Department of Homeland Security.
The government thinks that 10.8 million illegal immigrants lived in
the country in January 2009, down from a peak of nearly 12 million in
2007.
If the official estimates are correct, not since 2005 has the
population of illegal immigrants been as low as it was last year.
Some private researchers, however, are questioning the magnitude of
the drop.
"It's very clear the undocumented population basically stopped growing
after 2006," said Jeffrey Passel, a demographer with the nonpartisan
Pew Hispanic Center. "It's plausible that the numbers have gotten
smaller. But the way that they're measuring it, if you compare this
estimate with the one two years ago, it overstates the degree of
decline."
Twice over the past two years, Passel said, the U.S. Census Bureau has
changed the way it measures immigration in its annual population
surveys.
Since nearly all estimates of the unauthorized immigrant population
rely on census survey numbers, these changes might have distorted the
results. The authors of the government estimates could not be reached
for comment Tuesday.
The report cautioned that changes made to the census survey could have
affected the results.
The report, produced annually since 2005, is the government's official
tabulation of immigrants living here illegally.
Most researchers agree that no matter the size of the population,
which is notoriously hard to measure, the rate of illegal immigration
dropped sharply during the recession.
They disagree, however, on the causes.
"The number of new undocumented immigrants coming in has plummeted,"
Passel said.
Other researchers conclude that the drop is not because fewer illegal
immigrants are coming in, but because more are leaving.
"The illegal population is falling significantly," said Steve Camarota
of the Center for Immigration Studies, which advocates reducing
immigration. "The only way for that to happen is for a lot more people
to be going home."
The government demographers reached the same exact estimate — 10.8
million illegal immigrants nationwide — that Camarota concluded in his
demographic study last year.
But while most researchers cite the recession as the cause for the
decline, Camarota said border enforcement plays an important part.
"The decline in the population begins before the economy turns down,"
he said. "That suggests that, at least initially, it's because of the
stepped-up enforcement that increased during the end of the Bush
administration."
Other analysts disagree, saying that slower migration flows are a
worldwide trend associated with the economic downturn.
"It's really driven by fewer people coming in," said Jeanne Batalova,
a researcher with the Migration Policy Institute based in Washington,
D.C.
"People are staying put wherever they are. They are less likely to
migrate, but if they're already in the country, the preferred
destination, they will do their best to stay and weather the storm.
That's particularly the case for undocumented immigrants."
There are no estimates of how the population of unauthorized
immigrants has changed in the first year of the Obama administration,
but demographers are likely to begin guessing later this year when the
Census Bureau releases new population estimates for 2009.
information
Top countries of origin for illegal immigrants in the U.S.:
Mexico: 6.65 million (up by 42 percent since 2000)
El Salvador: 530,000 (up by 25 percent)
Guatemala: 480,000 (up by 65 percent)
Honduras: 320,000 (up by 95 percent)
Philippines: 270,000 (up by 33 percent)
India: 200,000 (up by 64 percent)
South Korea: 200,000 (up by 14 percent)
States with the most illegal immigrants:
California: 2.6 million (up by 3 percent since 2000)
Texas: 1.68 million (up by 54 percent)
Florida: 720,000 (down by 10 percent)
New York: 550,000 (up by 1 percent)
Illinois: 540,000 (up by 24 percent)
Georgia: 480,000 (up by 115 percent)
Arizona: 460,000 (up by 42 percent)
Source: U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Illegal immigrants from India on the rise
Experts say many come to U.S. legally, overstay visas
By JAMES PINKERTON Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle
Sept. 11, 2007, 12:47PM
.
Sharon Steinmann Chronicle
Surinder Singh, left, recently received his U.S. citizenship while his
sister-in-law, Ravinder Kour is struggling with the process.
Share Print Share Del.icio.usDiggTwitterYahoo!
BuzzFacebookStumbleUponThe fastest-growing group of illegal immigrants
in the United States doesn't speak Spanish. They typically aren't
found at day labor sites or streaming across the Southwest border into
the U.S.
Instead, they're here in America working in tech companies, small
businesses, as engineers or other highly skilled jobs. And they're
coming from India.
The profile of the illegal immigrant may need to take on a slightly
more South Asian persona since a recent federal report revealed that
India had the greatest percentage increase in unauthorized immigrants
in the U.S. since 2000.
Illegal immigrants from India grew to 270,000 in 2006 from 120,000 in
2000, a 125 percent increase, according to a report late last month
from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Undocumented Indians, however, remain a small segment of the total
estimated population of 11.6 million illegal immigrants in the U.S.
Mexico tops the list with 6.6 million — up from 4.7 million in 2000 —
followed by El Salvador and Guatemala, according to the Homeland
Security report.
Locally, this trend is especially relevant since Indians make up one
of the fastest-growing immigrant groups in Harris County, with 35,971
counted in the 2000 Census. They also represent a highly visible and
influential immigrant community. The Houston area has 6,629 businesses
owned by Indian-Americans, according to the most recent Census Bureau
data.
Experts say illegal Indian immigrants are coming here legally on visas
but are overextending their stays and subsequently slipping under the
radar screen of authorities.
'The system is broken'
Immigration lawyer Bruce Coane said Indians have replaced Mexicans as
the largest group of clients at his Houston practice. He estimates
that more than 1,000 Indians in the Houston area do not have legal
status to remain here.
''The numbers are large because there are just so many coming to the
United States, and almost all of them are coming legally," said Coane,
referring to the undocumented population. ''And over time, they fall
out of legal status."
The most recent government data showed that in fiscal year 2005,
Indians received 194,611 temporary work visas to come to the U.S., the
most of any nation. India eclipsed Mexico, which had 169,786 of its
workers admitted, and the United Kingdom with 156,635.
Coane and other immigration attorneys stressed that most Indian
immigrants come here legally to work, go to school, visit as tourists
or conduct business.
''In most cases, they're trying to do everything the right way, but
because the system is broken, they fall out of status," said Coane,
referring to lengthy waits to become a permanent resident.
More than half of Indian immigrants who came to the U.S. in fiscal
year 2005 — about 102,000 — arrived on the H-1B visa for the highly
skilled. So, typically, they aren't going to be busted by immigration
agents during raids at meat-processing plants such as those owned by
Swift & Co., the site of high-profile investigations last year.
''We have not come across many illegal Indian immigrants in Houston,"
said Robert Rutt, special agent in charge of the U.S. Immigration and
Customs Enforcement office in Houston. ''Most are Mexicans, South and
Central Americans, and some Chinese."
Lax federal oversight cited
There is debate in the Indian community about why immigrants become
illegal, and just how many reside in Houston.
''My knowledge tells me that most of the Indians we interact with are
highly educated — doctors, engineers and business owners," said Jagdip
Ahluwalia, director of the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce. ''I
personally have not run into any undocumented Indians here, and I've
lived here for many years."
Faisal Amin, board member of the South Asian Chamber of Commerce in
Houston, said lax oversight of the federal guest workers program is
one reason many Indians stay here when their visas expire.
''We see an increase simply because a lot of those workers are coming
in on H1-B visas," Amin said. "And, we don't have a good way to track
that these workers are, indeed, going back to their countries when
they're finished."
One U.S. Department of Homeland Security official, who asked not be be
identified, agreed there isn't a method to keep tabs on guest workers.
''Once they get in, there's no exit program in place yet — they're
talking about it," the official said.
A dozen years ago, India native Ravinder Kour came to Houston with her
husband on a tourist visa. They found opportunity and stayed after
their visas expired, which turned them into illegal residents.
Meanwhile, they were raising two children who were born here.
But now Kour, a 39-year-old housewife, and her husband are hoping to
regain their legal status with the help of an immigration attorney.
''There are no jobs" in India, said Kour. ''That's why so many Indian
people are coming here."
Bad advice, bad situation
After arriving in Houston the couple decided to try to remain legally.
They were advised by an immigration lawyer to make a claim for
political asylum, which was rejected, and the couple was ordered
deported after not attending a hearing, said attorney Gordon Quan.
''They weren't trying to cheat anyone; they got bad advice," Quan
said.
Kour is being assisted by her brother-in-law, Surinder Singh, 47, who
also came to Houston on a tourist visa. He lived the life of an
illegal immigrant until becoming a citizen in 2003.
''We can't fly, if you want to go somewhere, you have to go by car,"
Singh said. ''If you do something bad, and don't have papers, you will
be in trouble."
The Houston housewife said she constantly worries about immigration
problems.
"It's a big, big depression," Kour said.
Quan, her attorney, noted the federal government assigns a quota of
immigrant visas to each country, and with so many Indians here on
temporary work and other visas, the demand outstrips the supply.
''It's not first-come, first-serve," Quan said. ''A certain percentage
is given to each country. Since there are so many Indians that are
skilled, and being sponsored by employers, their backlog is longer
than other countries."
324 Comments 4 Recommend
(12)
mudkip wrote:
Well, send them back too! 9/11/2007 12:33:55 AM
Recommend: (14) (0)
(0)
areyoukidding wrote:
How can there not be jobs? We're outsourcing American jobs to India by
the thousands. Once again, deport. I'm an equal opportunity proponant
of deportation. 9/11/2007 2:02:02 AM
Recommend: (42) (0)
(12)
PeskyP wrote:
Yes, they see how easy it is for others to do so they don't think
anything of it. It's cause-and-effect. Unfortunately a lot of high-
tech companies are just as complicit as the agribusinesses are. They
take tremendous advantage of the H1-B regs. 9/11/2007 2:46:22 AM
Recommend: (25) (0)
(113)
EStreetShufflin wrote:
nativehoustonians55 worte: "I wonder what the Indians say about the
illegal Hispanics?"let me enlighten you. they love the illegal
"hispanics". they employ them as lawn help, nannies, day labor odd
jobs, etc. head on down to the enclaves in and around hillcroft and
see it for yourself. besides, they aren't in our country to cry and
whine about other illegal immigrants, they are here for the
opportunity STILL afforded them by big business, small business, and
cash-paying individuals who employ them so they don't have to pay all
the associated taxes, insurance, etc. the PROBLEM is HERE. it's not
the other way around! if the OPPORTUNITY did NOT abound, we'd have NO
illegal immigration. period. you think they just threw a dart on the
mercator world map? NO! the united states, particularly houston, is
still a treasure trove of opportunity for illegal immigrants and it is
afforded by the LEGAL CITIZENS doing that business with them. you
don't hold a bone out to a dog and expect him not to chomp at it. we
only have ourselves to blame. 9/11/2007 3:49:36 AM
Recommend: (37) (0)
(113)
EStreetShufflin wrote:
arantant worte: "I think we should concentrate on the hundreds of
thousands of illegal Mexican and Central American immigrants in
Houston who don't pay taxes and live off of our tax dollars."i've got
a better idea. why don't we concentrate on the HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS
of individuals and businesses who employ illegal immigrants so they
don't have to pay OUR TAX DOLLARS. 9/11/2007 3:52:41 AM
Recommend: (54) (0)
(0)
DireStraits wrote:
I wonder how many were hired by my company. My company was crying to a
US senator that they need more H1B visas to bring in more skilled
labor from India to work for 1/2 the wages that Americans will.
9/11/2007 4:44:47 AM
Recommend: (25) (0)
(3)
rayschmidt2004 wrote:
I'm not reading the story because it will upset me before going to
work. The headline makes me angry enough! 9/11/2007 5:14:07 AM
Recommend: (12) (0)
(0)
badgeren wrote:
Surprise! Another one sided article on immigration in the Chronicle.
No discussion of the negative consequences of unchecked immigration.
Just a bunch of spin from immigration attorneys who make all their
money off our immigration system. They get a few grand and we get
problems for decades! We must stop the madness. Tom Tancredo is the
only presidential candidate that wants to fix this problem....
9/11/2007 5:40:50 AM
Recommend: (20) (0)
(0)
TaoJones wrote:
We have enabled and emboldened the illegal immigrant population by our
incompetence, arrogance and greed. Now, providiing illegal immigrants
safe harbor is inconvenient. We boo hoo about health care, taxes and
some "illegal" immigrant stealing our jobs and want them all
prosecuted and thrown out. We all need to understand that by our own
actions for many years we have implied with a wink wink that
immigrants migrating here illegally was o.k. Estreet has a point, we
have no one to blame but ourselves. 9/11/2007 6:06:04 AM
Recommend: (11) (0)
(1)
silent357 wrote:
oh well, that's just how the world is today. At least they are working
and contributing to the economy. Some of you people have so much
xenophobia, who DO you wish to come over and be a productive, law-
abiding, hard-working citizen? The most of them come and over and go
through the process of trying to obtain citizenship and end up getting
shafted by the government. I really don't think the government knows
who is over here and who isn't. 9/11/2007 6:33:05 AM
Recommend: (12) (0)
river40894 wrote:
I can hear it now. Press 1 for English, 2 for Spanish, 3 for Indian.
English needs to be the official language of the United States.
9/11/2007 6:46:36 AM
Recommend: (14) (0)
(1)
LAZARUS1 wrote:
ILLEGAL IS ILLEGAL, IS ILLEGAL, IS ILLEGAL!! WE KNOW WHERE THESE FOLKS
ARE BUT WE WON'T MESS WITH THEM BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO MESS WITH
THOSE EMPLOYERS WHO HIRE THEM KNOWING THAT THEY ARE ILLEGALLY IN OUR
COUNTRY. DIVERSITY, IF NOT CONTROLLED, WILL BE OUR TROJAN HORSE AND
DOWNFALL OF THE USA AS WE KNOW IT!!WAKE UP FRIENDS 9/11/2007 6:55:00
AM
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Govchance wrote:
Folks, the federal governments inability/refusal to deal with this
issue is quickly reaching the point of no return. This country, or any
country for that matter can only absorb so many immigrants before
negative consequences are felt. I would make the arguement that we are
there already. The very fabric of this country is changeing right
before our very eyes ansd we are inept in our ability to make changes
to correct the problem. Folks, if something is not done soon we will,
as citizens of this great country, lose it. And quite frankly, I'm
really not concerned about what other people and other countries think
about us. It is time for the USA to take care of its own.Govchance
9/11/2007 6:56:11 AM
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RunRabbitRun wrote:
hey river - before too long it will be press 1 for spanish, 2 for
vietnamese, 3 for indian and 4 for english. Anglos are already the
official minority in Harris County. 9/11/2007 6:59:56 AM
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Chrisinhouston wrote:
river40894 wrote:I can hear it now. Press 1 for English, 2 for
Spanish, 3 for Indian. English needs to be the official language of
the United States.Not true, the vast majority of people from India
read and write English. You can thank the British for that! 9/11/2007
7:02:43 AM
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(22)
Hinkhogg wrote:
More great news from the immigration front, the war on the middle
class.These are the results you get from government when you underfund
and undermine an agency with incompetent leadership. Of course it's
not going to run properly, but that was then intent all along. IF YOU
VOTED REPUBLICAN FOR THE PAST 6 YEARS, REAP YOUR REWARD! 9/11/2007
7:05:05 AM
noknowledge wrote:
Why are illegal immigrants from India here. The same reason the
Hispanics are here. They provide a pool of 'inexpensive' labor in
comparison to the going rate in this country. Whether the job is
moving lawns or coding in Java or as nurses, they reduce the wages
that must be paid. If they work in your field they reduce your pay.
9/11/2007 7:26:14 AM
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(1)
silent357 wrote:
minor_tiger:"Also, keep in mind that the democrats led the effort to
bestow amnesty upon those who came here illegally."I'm sorry, I
thought that was George Bush, on television, proposing amnesty for
immigrants. You keep saying Democrat this and that, but it looks like
the next president of the U.S. is going to be a Democrat. As far as
this "problem threatening us all", I don't see where you get that
because I'm not threatened by anything by someone who comes over here
and works and tries to obtain citizenship. I'm not worried about
competing for jobs in the lawn care business, or ringing up gas at the
Exxon store. Sorry that's not what I went to school for. 9/11/2007
7:28:58 AM
hybreedtroller wrote:
this is just another example of how the media sugar coats social
problems(or social outrages) in our country... we all know that our
biggest problems exist with our neighbors to the south. We need to
seal our borders ... throw out the illegals, fast track the work
visas, pay rewards for reporting illegals and fine the employers to
fund the reward system. 9/11/2007 8:09:05 AM
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(0)
Maryl wrote:
I can't say I'm surprised by this story. I don't really care what
nationality they are, or if they're skilled. This is another example
of how America will fall from within, while our crummy gov does
nothing. 9/11/2007 8:12:35 AM
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(0)
WoolyBugger wrote:
people overstay their visas, are here illegally, live under the radar,
then complain that they have to sneak around and are depressed? It was
your choice to be a fugitive. Just as it is your choice to pick up and
go home. 9/11/2007 8:12:41 AM
SashaSasha wrote:
These people are the ones taking the high paying jobs that some
Americans can't fill. What is it? Americans can't fill manual labor
jobs or high skilled jobs.... 9/11/2007 8:19:38 AM
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equalone wrote:
I have to agree with hardworkVN, if you want it bad enough, work hard
for it. Don't whine and complain because things aren't handed to you.
Sure, an illegal is an illegal, no matter how you look at it....but if
you have someone who is a law-abiding citizen and PAYING taxes,
doesn't that constitute them as someone contributing to society? I
guess sitting at home, complaining the government isn't doing anything
for them, getting free rent and a FEMA card constitutes you as a model
citizen. 9/11/2007 8:25:03 AM
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(4)
strangeone wrote:
Why don't we just close our borders for a few years until we can
figure out who is here legally and who is not. No student visas, no
work visas, no green cards, nothing. Clean up the system and get on
top of this immigration fiasco. Send the illegals back to their home
countries. It must be done by the next president either Democrat or
Republican. 9/11/2007 8:31:57 AM
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(0)
fifeldidall wrote:
What really sucks is when that H1-B Visa represents a job loss for an
American worker. 9/11/2007 8:34:35 AM
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panchovilla wrote:
what about the germans and russians here illegally? 9/11/2007 8:56:46
AM
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(62)
Dizzy wrote:
People come here because there is work here. There is work here
because we (Americans) have priced ourselves out of our own job
market. Answer honestly, would you take a 30% cut in salary if it
meant 80% fewer "immigrants"? Or, you keep your current salary level.
Would you be willing to spend an additional 10% across the board on
EVERYTHING you buy? It's easy to toss rocks at others but we all have
to look in the mirror on this one. We want great pay and we want great
prices and we want it now. At what cost? 9/11/2007 8:58:41 AM
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(0)
eric3456 wrote:
StrangeOne:Your concerns are very valid, and the answer to your
question as to why this is happening - Corporate Greed! A basic case
of the rich wanting more and more and more... It is not that Americans
are opting for "easy" degrees, it's plain, simple greed. Corporations
have been looking at cost cutting for years. We've now reached a point
where companies are looking to hire low paid workers, in any field -
IT, Oil & Gas, Medical, etc. etc. I've seen it many times where
American workers are asked to "train" these immigrants, only to loose
their job to same. I keep hearing how "eduacted" these people are.
Obviously they are not educated enough to read a H1B visa expiration
date! They know exactly when the visa expires, yet they overstay the
visa. The system is broke, becuase that's the way corporations want it
to be. it makes no difference if the lower wages are being paid to
field workers or white collar workers. the end result is the same:
MORE PROFITS for corporations. 9/11/2007 9:00:47 AM
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(5)
Ceeddo wrote:
Minor-TigerGet your facts straight before posting , the Muslim
population in India is 150.000.000 and in the USA about
6.000.000 .Pancho VillaPuerto Ricans are US citizen. 9/11/2007 9:04:54
AM
panchovilla wrote:
Ceedo, You are the only one who caught that. 9/11/2007 9:22:07 AM
AmericaFirst wrote:
Geez, they should go home, thats where all our jobs are anyways.
9/11/2007 9:36:45 AM
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(31)
freeandfair wrote:
Oh, so we don't like Indians now. Personally, I find that Indians are
among the most respectful and well-mannered people on this planet.But
back to the topic, there are more than 1 billion Indians and more than
1 billion Chinese in this world and they all want a better life, which
for many means leaving their home country.Unless the US is prepared to
institute its own version of an Iron Curtain with FBI actively chasing
and prosecuting every illegal immigrant there is nothing that can stop
immigrants coming to the US. I am originally from Russia and after
Soviet Union fell we got a lot of illegal immigrants in Russia from
China and Vietnam. There is no legal way for them to come, and you can
easily tell and Chinese from a Russian, so Russian police harasses and
abuses them mercilessly (which I find completely inhumane) and they
still stay. So, if even Russia is better fro them than China or
Vietnam, the US is the dream come true. There is nothing you can do to
stop the immigration, so my advice is to adapt. For one, the US people
need to get better education. Why the best students are usually Asian
or Indian, not white Americans? It is because immigrants and their
children have to work harder to survive and succeed, American kids
just don’t have the same drive and that is what bringing them down.
9/11/2007 9:42:04 AM
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(0)
fifeldidall wrote:
I am confused. When I post "I", it continuously gets removed.
9/11/2007 9:42:55 AM
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(113)
EStreetShufflin wrote:
Silent357, nice post. 9/11/2007 9:43:51 AM
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(58)
phantomoftheopera wrote:
I am tired of the Chronicle censoring my posts ... I will cancel my
subscription to the newspaper if it is not stopped!!! I said nothing
in my post that was out of line ... period!Lets see how long this one
lasts ... 9/11/2007 9:48:24 AM
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(0)
fifeldidall wrote:
"I'm not worried about competing for jobs in the lawn care business,
or ringing up gas at the Exxon store. Sorry that's not what I went to
school for." Very well said, Silent357.To reiterate a point, kalki,
the majority of educated posts here are not against immigrants and non-
whites. C-I-T-I-Z-E-N-S of all races and creeds are welcome to live in
harmony within our borders. It is when you place the 'illegal' in
front of immigrant that I have a problem with. So don't paint us with
the racist brush. Following laws is the cornerstone to ANY successful
civilization. 9/11/2007 9:49:48 AM
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(4)
strangeone wrote:
kalki,You need to wake up. This is not a color of skin issue. The
immigration issue is about the laws of this country. There is a legal
way to come into our country that all of our forefathers abided by at
the time of their entry. The situation is that noone, be they black,
brown or purple, should be allowed to enter and become a citizen any
other way. This is what our country was founded on. We are a proud
country of many ethnic backgrounds. English is our language. This is
AMERICA!!! 9/11/2007 9:51:48 AM
msdeputyclerk wrote:
I am telling you our country is going to go down with all these
illegals. Are (illegals-Mexican, Indian,etc.)they going to pick up
arms and go fight against our enemies? Are they going to support our
flag and respect it? Are they going to learn to speak English? If not,
get out. It's that simple, a no brainer. 9/11/2007 9:52:40 AM
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(0)
Erni wrote:
If the government can tell the American people how many illegal
Indians or other illegals from other countries are here on expired
visas or just plain here illegally, and where, then how come that same
government can not find and deport these illegals? 9/11/2007 9:56:15
AM
http://www.chron.com/disp/discuss.mpl/chronicle/5124255.html
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/chronicle/5124255.html
Illegal immigrants from India rise alarmingly in US: Report
Rediff News Bureau | February 19, 2008 15:46 IST
Last Updated: February 19, 2008 16:02 IST
India may have taken giant strides in every possible sphere of life
across the world, but there are things that come as real blot to its
global image.
Quoting a US Department of Homeland Security report, mercurynews
reports that Indians are the fastest-growing group of illegal
immigrants in the United States.
The report says there are 2,70,000 unauthorized Indians in the United
States - a 125 percent jump since 2000, the largest percentage
increase of any nation with more than 100,000 illegal immigrants in
that country.
The report says though the number of Indian immigrants is low when
compared to people from Mexico, the Indian context is appalling as the
illegal immigrants mostly consist high-skilled workers. Illegal
immigrants from other countries are mostly low-skilled workers.
Mercurynews, in its report, also says if the trend continues India
will only trail only Mexico, El Salvador and Guatemala in illegal
immigration.
The report quoting experts says virtually all immigrants enter the US
legally and then violate the visa terms, thus becomimg illegal
immigrants.
"How do you get in? You come across the border, or you arrive here
with a visa," Lindsay Lowell, policy director for the Institute for
the Study of International Migration at Georgetown University told
Mercurynews.
"Indians aren't going to be walking across the border like Mexicans,"
he said.
Federal officials calculated the number of illegal immigrants by using
census estimates of the total number of immigrants from individual
countries, compiling the total number of legal immigrants using
federal immigration and naturalization records, and then subtracting
the number of legal residents from the total immigrant population to
determine the number of undocumented people, the report said.
Asked by Mercurynews about the number of illegal Indians in Silicon
Valley, Banjit Singh, an Indian-born taxi driver, said, "Here, there
is a little bit. But you go to another city or state, like Los Angeles
or New York, there are many illegal people."
Local immigration lawyers say that particularly among Indians, the ups
and downs of Silicon Valley's economy since 2001 are one reason why
Indians have fallen out of legal status.
"Most are bachelors; the way they get here is they have a job,"
Gabriel Jack, a San Jose immigration lawyer, said of many of his
Indian clients.
"They come here as professionals, most often in the H-1B program, and
given the fluctuations of Silicon Valley, the business climate, these
guys lose their jobs. They get laid off or they wager their hands on a
start-up coming in," Jack said.
"The problem with the H-1B program is, you can't have any significant
time between jobs" without falling out of legal status.
Indians made up 44 percent of H-1B applicants in the 2005-06 fiscal
year, five times the number from second-place China, the report says.
The report says another source is relatives from India who arrive for
a visit on a tourist visa and never go home.
"America is a very attractive country; everybody who comes here wants
to stay," said Shah Peerally, a Silicon Valley immigration lawyer. "I
can tell you right now, there are nearly 1 billion people in India, of
which maybe 800 million want to come here."
The United States deported close to 500 Indians a year in recent
years, another expert tells Mecurynews.
"Unless Congress reforms the immigration system we are going to see
this high-skilled, illegal workforce emerging," said Frank D. Bean,
director of the Immigration Research Center at the University of
California-Irvine.
http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/feb/19us.htm
Demographics of Unauthorized Immigrants in the US: Countries of
Origin, States of Residence, and Employment Data, 2000-2008
I. Introduction
Immigrant march in Los Angeles, CA, Aug. 25, 2007
Who are the unauthorized immigrants in the United States? Where do
they come from and where do they settle in the United States? After
entry, what socio-economic roles do they play in the US economy?
As of 2008, the unauthorized immigrant population in the United States
is estimated to be approximately 11.6 million. 61% of the unauthorized
immigrants in the country are from Mexico, and 25% of all unauthorized
immigrant workers reside in California. Unauthorized immigrants, as of
2008, represent 5% of the total civilian labor force in the United
States. 51% of these immigrants, compared to 21% of native workers,
hold occupations in the service (30%) and construction (21%)
industries. The following charts and tables delineate the demographic
and socio-economic background of unauthorized immigrants in the United
States.
II. Unauthorized Immigrant Population: Countries of Origin, 2000-2008
Top 10 Countries of Origin and Percent Change, 2000-2008
2000* Population 2005 Population 2006 Population 2008 Population %
change
from 2000**
All Countries 8,460,000 All Countries 10,500,000 All Countries
11,500,000 All Countries 11,600,000 37%
1. Mexico 4,680,000 Mexico 5,970,000 Mexico 6,570,000 Mexico 7,030,000
50%
2. El Salvador 430,000 El Salvador 470,000 El Salvador 510,000 El
Salvador 570,000 33%
3. Guatemala 290,000 Guatemala 370,000 Guatemala 430,000 Guatemala
430,000 48%
4. Philippines 200,000 India 280,000 Philippines 280,000 Philippines
300,000 50%
5. China 190,000 China 230,000 Honduras 280,000 Honduras 300,000 88%
6. Korea 180,000 Philippines 210,000 India 270,000 Korea 240,000 33%
7. Honduras 160,000 Korea 210,000 Korea 250,000 China 220,000 16%
8. India 120,000 Honduras 180,000 Brazil 210,000 Brazil 180,000 80%
9. Ecuador 110,000 Brazil 170,000 China 190,000 Ecuador 170,000 55%
10. Brazil 100,000 Vietnam 160,000 Vietnam 160,000 India 160,000 33%
Sources and notes:
Sources for Unauthorized Immigrant Population: Countries of origin,
2000-2008 from the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS):
1. "Estimates of the Unauthorized Immigrant Population Residing in the
United States: January 2008" (PDF) 226KB Feb. 2009
2. "Estimates of the Unauthorized Immigrant Population Residing in the
United States: January 2006" (PDF) 577KB Aug. 2007
3. "Estimates of the Unauthorized Immigrant Population Residing in the
United States: January 2005" (PDF) 221KB Aug. 2006
Supplemental documents of unauthorized immigrant populations from
1990-2000, released by the Immigration and Naturalization Service
(INS):
4. "Estimates of the Unauthorized Immigrant Population Residing in the
United States: 1990-2000" (PDF) 473KB Jan. 2003
5. "Illegal Alien Resident Population" (PDF) 24KB Updated Dec.
2001
Notes:
*Countries listed under 2000 were not necessarily the top ten of that
year. Countries for 2000 are listed to compare the population change
between 2000, 2005, 2006, and 2008.
**The population change between 2000 and 2008 is represented in the "%
change from 2000" column. The data in that column reflect the
percentage of change in population from 2000 and 2008 of each country
(not the percentage of population change between countries ranked in
the same positions of the chart).
III. Unauthorized Immigrant Population: States of Residence in the
United States, 2000-2008
Top 10 States of Residence and Percent Change, 2000-2008
2000* Population 2005 Population 2006 Population 2008 Population %
change
from
2000
All States 8,460,000 All States 10,500,000 All States 11,550,000 All
States 11,600,000 37%
1. California 2,510,000 California 2,770,000 California 2,830,000
California 2,850,000 14%
2. Texas 1,090,000 Texas 1,360,000 Texas 1.64 M Texas 1.68 M 54%
3. Florida 800,000 Florida 850,000 Florida 980,000 Florida 840,000 5%
4. New York 540,000 New York 560,000 Illinois 550,000 New York 640,000
19%
5. Illinois 440,000 Illinois 520,000 New York 540,000 Arizona 560,000
70%
6. New Jersey 350,000 New Jersey 480,000 Arizona 500,000 Illinois
550,000 25%
7. Arizona 330,000 Arizona 470,000 Georgia 490,000 Georgia 460,000
109%
8. North Carolina 260,000 North Carolina 380,000 New Jersey 430,000
New Jersey 400,000 14%
9. Georgia 220,000 Georgia 360,000 North Carolina 370,000 North
Carolina 380,000 46%
10. Nevada 170,000 Nevada 240,000 Washington 280,000 Nevada 280,000
65%
40 other states 1,750,000 40 other states 2,510,000 40 other states
2,950,000 40 other states 2,950,000 69%
Sources and notes:
Sources for Unauthorized Immigrant Population: States of residence in
the United States, 2000-2008 from the US Department of Homeland
Security (DHS):
1. "Estimates of the Unauthorized Immigrant Population Residing in the
United States: January 2008" (PDF) 226KB Feb. 2009
2. "Estimates of the Unauthorized Immigrant Population Residing in the
United States: January 2006" (PDF) 577KB Aug. 2007
3. "Estimates of the Unauthorized Immigrant Population Residing in the
United States: January 2005" (PDF) 221KB Aug. 2006
Supplemental documents of unauthorized immigrant populations from
1990-2000, released by the Immigration and Naturalization Service
(INS):
4. "Estimates of the Unauthorized Immigrant Population Residing in the
United States: 1990-2000" (PDF) 473KB Jan. 2003
5. "Illegal Alien Resident Population" (PDF) 24KB Updated Dec.
2001
Notes:
*States listed under 2000 were not necessarily the top ten of that
year. States for 2000 are listed to compare the population change
between 2000, 2005, 2006, and 2008.
IV. Distribution of Unauthorized Immigrant Workers Compared to US born
Workers by Major Occupation Group, 2008
Top 20 Occupations with High Shares of Unauthorized Immigrants, 2008
Top 20 Occupations* % of Unauthorized Immigrants in Total Work Force #
of Unauthorized Immigrant Workers Total # of All
Workers
1. Brickmasons, blockmasons and stonemasons 40% 131,000 325,000
2. Drywall installers, ceiling tile installers and tapers 37% 94,000
255,000
3. Roofers 31% 76,000 246,000
4. Miscellaneous agricultural workers 30% 269,000 910,000
5. Helpers, construction trades 28% 52,000 184,000
6. Dishwashers 28% 101,000 364,000
7. Construction laborers 27% 556,000 2,055,000
8. Maids and housekeeping cleaners 27% 417,000 1,555,000
9. Cement masons, concrete finishers and terazzo workers 27% 29,000
109,000
10. Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders 26% 96,000
369,000
11. Grounds maintenance workers 25% 356,000 1,413,000
12. Packers and packagers, hand 24% 119,000 504,000
13. Butchers, poultry and fish processing workers 23% 71,000 305,000
14. Carpet, floor, and tile installlers and finishers 22% 68,000
306,000
15. Painters, constuction and maintenance 22% 173,000 791,000
16. Parking lot attendants 21% 21,000 100,000
17. Chefs and head cooks 20% 75,000 377,000
18. Sewing machine operators 20% 49,000 248,000
19. Refuse and recyclable material collectors 19% 22,000 112,000
20. Cooks 19% 427,000 2,219,000
Other "unauthorized" occupations** 9% 3,120,000 34,979,000
All other occupations 2% 1,928,000 106,407,000
Total, Civilian Labor Force (with an occupation) 5% 8,258,000
154,135,000
Sources and notes:
Sources:
1. Apr. 14, 2009, D'Vera Cohn and Jeffrey S. Passel
"Pew Hispanic Center Research Report: A Portrait of Unauthorized
Immigrants in the United States" (PDF) 1.82MB
2. Mar. 7, 2006, Jeffrey S. Passel
"Pew Hispanic Center Research Report: The Size and Characteristics of
the Unauthorized Migrant Population in the U.S.: Estimates Based on
the March 2005 Current Population Survey" (PDF) 141KB
Notes:
*Occupations included in the Top 20 Occupations with High Shares of
Unauthorized Immigrants table have at least 100,000 workers nationally
and more than three times the national share of unauthorized immigrant
workers.
**"Unauthorized" occupations have a higher percentage of workers who
are unauthorized immigrants than the national average but do not
qualify for a separate listing.
According to the Congress of the United States Congressional Budget
Office's Nov. 2005 report "The Role of Immigrants in the U.S. Labor
Market":
"Considerable uncertainty is inherent in estimates of the number of
unauthorized immigrants that reside in the United States and the
number that are in the labor force. The decennial census, the Current
Population Survey (CPS), and similar sources of information about the
population and labor force do not ask foreign-born people about their
legal status in the United States aside from whether they are
naturalized citizens. Thus, the number of unauthorized immigrants must
be estimated by indirect methods that introduce the possibility of
significant errors. A recent analysis, based on survey data from the
CPS and administrative data from the Department of Homeland Security
and other federal agencies, indicated that in early 2004 about 10
million foreign-born people were living in the United States without
authorization and about 6.3 million of them were in the labor force."
Congress of the United States Congressional Budget Office: "The Role
of Immigrants in the U.S. Labor Market" (PDF) 350KB
Last updated on 4/14/2009 5:01:00 AM PST
http://immigration.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000845
http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/37334fb34fbe6d7c#
Sid Harth
India's National Magazine
from the publishers of THE HINDU
The Adivasi struggle
The long-running struggle of the Adivasis in Kerala enters a crucial
phase as the State government resists their main demand of two
hectares of land for each landless tribal family.
R. KRISHNAKUMAR
in Thiruvananthapuram
ONCE again, the Adivasis of Kerala are at a crossroads. These tribal
people have become more assertive about their rights and the nature of
their demands has undergone a subtle transformation. They are now more
aware of the law and the ways of the non-tribal people, politicians,
governments and the courts. They have media-savvy leaders, invisible
'friends', and funds to sustain high-profile agitations in the State
capital. They are increasingly intolerant of hollow promises and they
threaten to storm the State Assembly and camp on the streets of
Thiruvananthapuram permanently. At times they disrupt public
festivities, walk out of meetings with government representatives or
take District Collectors hostage. They have definitely become prime-
time news material. But the question is, will they fail again?
The year 1975 once seemed a crucial one for the marginalised tribal
people of the State. Although they did not have a powerful presence in
the State, their plight had struck a chord and they had found
themselves being offered the protection of a law that promised to end
exploitation by non-tribal settlers and forest encroachers, and lack
of livelihoods.
In April 1975, the State Assembly unanimously adopted the Kerala
Scheduled Tribes (Restriction on Transfer of Lands and Restoration of
Alienated Lands) Act, which sought to prevent the lands of the tribal
people from falling into the hands of non-tribal people. The Act also
sought to restore to the tribal people their previously alienated
lands.
K.G. SANTHOSH
"Refugee camps" run by agitating tribal people outside the State
Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram.
The tribal people were once in possession of large tracts of forests
in the State, especially in areas that are now in Palakkad, Wayanad,
Idukki, Pathanam-thitta, Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram districts. To a
large extent, post-Independence governments were responsible for the
Adivasis losing their lands. Non-tribal settlers made their plight
worse as the pressure on land increased in the plains. The land-people
ratio is very high in the State.
In the majority of cases, the ignorance and innocence of the Adivasis
were used to the hilt by the non-tribal settler "farmers". Either by
using force or inducements such as a bundle of tobacco, or by offering
a low price, they made the Adivasis part with their "ancestral land".
In most cases there was no document validating such transfers and some
tribal persons were even forced to sign on blank sheets of paper. The
non-tribal people who got possession of the lands gradually became the
virtual owners.
Over the years, alienation from their land of birth pushed the
Adivasis into poverty and dependence and forced them to search for
other forest land for food and shelter. However, the same process was
repeated in the new stretches of forest land, and these too became the
farmlands of non-tribal settlers. Political parties and successive
governments turned a blind eye to the process, as more settlers meant
more votes. (The Adivasis, who number 3.21 lakhs, account for only 1.1
per cent of the population of the State.) The social and ecological
implications of this were serious.
When the 1975 Act got the presidential assent in November that year
and was subsequently included in the Ninth Schedule of the
Constitution (which ensured that the Act would not be challenged in
any court of law), it seemed a dream come true for the Adivasis. But
it was not to be. Successive governments allowed more than a decade to
pass (during which the encroachments continued, especially in the
tribal areas of Palakkad and Wayanad districts) before framing the
rules to implement the Act. When the State government finally
formulated the rules in 1986, it specified that the Act would come
into effect retrospectively from January 1, 1982.
The rules made all transfer of property "possessed, enjoyed or owned"
by Adivasis to non-tribal people between January 1, 1960 and January
1, 1982 "invalid" and directed that the "possession or enjoyment" of
property so transferred be restored to the Adivasis concerned.
However, the Act required that the Adivasi return the amount, if any,
they had received during the original transaction and pay compensation
for any improvements made on the land by the non-tribal occupants. The
government was to advance this amount to the tribal people as loans
and recover it from them in 20 years. Only about 8,500 applications
seeking restoration were received from the tribal people, because most
of them were either unaware of the new law or afraid to accept the
offer of loans or were cheated by the corrupt encroacher-official
nexus. Hence, even after the framing of the rules, the general
atmosphere helped only to encourage the encroachers to continue to
occupy tribal land and successive governments took no action to
implement fully the 1975 Act.
THIS triggered the second important phase of the Adivasi struggle. In
1986, Dr. Nalla Thampi Thera, a non-tribal person from Wayanad
district, approached the Kerala High Court seeking a direction to the
State government to implement the 1975 Act. It took five years for the
court to give a verdict - a favourable one - on the public interest
petition. In October 1993, the court ordered the government to
implement the Act within six months. Yet the case dragged on for two
and a half years with the government continuing to seek extensions of
deadline to implement the Act.
S. GOPAKUMAR
The Adivasi Gothra Mahasabha take out a rally in Thiruvananthapuram
on October 3.
Finally, in 1996 the court fixed a final deadline of September 30,
1996 to evict the non-tribal occupants, if necessary with the help of
the police, and threatened the officials concerned with contempt of
court proceedings if they failed to implement the court directive.
However, the government responded with yet another controversial act
of amending the 1975 Act.
Meanwhile as the non-tribal settlers where getting entrenched in the
alienated land of the tribal people, the tribal people themselves were
getting increasingly disillusioned with the ability of the government
and the courts to find a remedy for their plight. Hence, although
government programmes had helped improve the lot of many tribal
people, the majority of them continued to be landless, had no means of
livelihood, and became more dependent on the non-tribal settlers for
work and wages.
As a large section of the landless tribal people had not filed
applications and were hence outside the purview of the 1975 Act, they
were ineligible for a piece of land even if the Act was implemented in
toto. By the early 1990s, the first signs of discontent were already
becoming evident in the Adivasi-inhabited areas, especially in Wayanad
district, where some extremist groups had been active for a long
time.
On the other hand, most of the land from which the settlers were to be
evicted under the 1975 Act had by the 1990s been in their possession
for 15 to 30 years. They were cultivating the land and had constructed
buildings and other structures on them. In several cases, the next
generation of the original encroachers were in possession of the
lands. When the State government could get no more extensions of the
deadline from the High Court, the politically and economically
powerful settler-farmers activated their organisations and raised the
demand to amend the "impractical provisions" of the 1975 Act.
To the consternation of the tribal people, successive governments
started to give in to the demands of the settlers. Two ordinances
seeking to amend the 1975 Act, introduced by the United Democratic
Front government during early 1996 and later by the Left Democratic
Front government, which came to power in May 1996, did not get the
Governor's approval. As pressure from the court mounted on the
government to evict encroachers by September 30, 1996, the government
hastily introduced an amendment Bill in the State Assembly.
Whatever may have been the justification for it - the impracticality
of the provisions of the 1975 Act perhaps being the most important one
- it must have been an eye-opener for the mushrooming tribal
organisations in Kerala to see the 140-member State Assembly pass the
Kerala Scheduled Tribes (Restriction on Transfer of Land and
Restoration of Alienated Lands) Amendment Bill, 1996 almost
unanimously (there was only one dissenting vote).
The 1996 Amendment Bill dashed all hopes of the Adivasis. Most
important, it made legal all transactions of tribal land up to January
24, 1986. In other words, the government made the need for the
restoration of alienated land (as per the 1975 Act) unnecessary.
According to the government, it was the only practical alternative,
given the turmoil and the political repercussions that would have been
created had it tried to evict the non-tribal settlers. However, the
tribal people felt that the government was trying to give legal
sanctity to the alienation of their land. The agitation in front of
the State Assembly, with the Adivasis, led by their leader from
Wayanad C.K. Janu, trying to enter the State legislature, supported by
a group of Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) volunteers, was
perhaps an early indication of the gradual transformation of the
agitation.
This was soon followed by one of the best known incidents in the
struggle. On October 4, 1996, a so-far unknown extremist group named
"Ayyankali Pada" (named after a Dalit leader from Kerala), stormed the
Palakkad Collectorate and held Collector W.R. Reddy hostage for over
nine hours. The incident invited a strong response from the government
against growing signs of radicalism among Adivasis and also in a way
prevented the agitation from taking a turn for the worse. Later, the
President refused to give assent to the 1996 Amendment Bill passed by
the State Assembly on the grounds that the 1975 Act had been included
in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution.
However, to bypass this difficulty, yet another Bill was passed
unanimously by the State Assembly in 1999. The Kerala Restriction on
Transfer by and Restoration of Lands to Scheduled Tribes Bill, 1999,
defined "land" as "agricultural land" (a State subject) in order to
try and get over the need to send it for presidential assent. The new
Bill also had a controversial provision to repeal the 1975 Act.
As per the 1999 Act, only alienated land in excess of two hectares
possessed by encroachers would be restored, while alternative land, in
lieu of the alienated land not exceeding two hectares, would be given
elsewhere. The thinking was that the number of applicants claiming
land in excess of two hectares would be negligible, making restoration
unnecessary. The new Bill also had a provision to provide up to 40
acres (16 hectares) to other landless tribal people - a new set of
beneficiaries - within two years. The government said that it
estimated that there were about 11,000 such families in the State.
However, the High Court rejected both the 1996 and 1999 Amendment
Bills and declared the provisions under them illegal. The State
government, in turn, went on appeal to the Supreme Court and obtained
stay orders. Several appeals against the stay orders are pending
before the Supreme Court.
It was in this context that starvation deaths were reported from the
Adivasi-inhabited areas in the State from July 2001. The outside world
came to know about it only after a group of tribal people, supported
by some naxalite groups, waylaid a mobile store run by the State
Department of Civil Supplies and took away its contents. They
distributed the foodstuffs and encouraged the tribal people who
gathered there to take home the rest of it.
On August 30, Adivasi agitators led by Janu pitched their tents
outside the Chief Minister's official residence in Thiruvananthapuram.
They were organised under the banner of the "Adivasi Dalit Action
Council", which now claims to have the support of all Adivasis in the
State. Despite two rounds of discussions with the government, the
tribal people refused to withdraw their agitation, which was more than
a month old at the time of writing.
The main demand of the Adivasis was five acres (2 ha) each to all
landless tribal families in the State. Although the government's offer
to prepare a master plan for the tribal people was welcomed by the
agitating Adivasis, they refused to withdraw the agitation until their
demand for land was met. The tribal people have lost their faith in
promises and court cases. They were sure that running after alienated
land was a futile exercise which, even if it succeeded in the long
run, would benefit only a few among them.
HOWEVER, some disturbing trends have emerged in the course of the
struggle. The Adavasi-inhabited areas have become breeding grounds for
extremist organisations espousing the tribal cause and swearing to
empower the tribal people in order to fight for their rights. There
have been sporadic incidents of violence since 1992, when such groups
encouraged the Adivasis to take the law into their own hands and
forcibly occupy government land. Since the 1990s the activities of
Hindu chauvinist organisations, Christian missionaries and voluntary
agencies, often funded from abroad, have also increased in the tribal
areas. The past decade saw the disillusioned tribal people move
tantalisingly close to extremism and communalism. Such proclivities
would certainly undermine their genuine struggle.
Yet, for the present, the most significant factor is the shifting
focus of the demands raised by the Adivasi leaders who are in the
limelight. They are no longer asking for alienated land, at least not
as emphatically as they used to in the past. Instead they demand
mainly five acres of other land each for all landless tribal families.
Another demand is the inclusion of tribal areas in the Sixth Schedule
of the Constitution in order to make them autonomous regions.
The fact that they were able to sustain their agitation by putting up
shacks outside the Secretariat, along the State capital's arterial
road, and pitching tents on the road to the Chief Minister's official
residence for more than a month itself took Kerala by surprise. Over
150 tribal families were in these camps, where food and even
facilities to continue school education of the children were being
provided by the organisers. A grand council of elders and other
leaders representing the 30-odd tribes in the State was formed under
the umbrella of the Adivasi Dalit Action Council. As a show of
strength and as part of an attempt to evolve a consensus regarding
their demands among the various tribes and organisations, it organised
an 'Adivasi Gothra Sabha' ('Adivasi Parliament') in Thiruvananthapuram
on October 3. As the government announced that it would not allow the
tribal people to establish camps permanently before the Secretariat,
Action Committee chairperson Janu declared that she was going on a
"fast unto death" before the Secretariat.
While Chief Minister A.K. Antony claimed that his government was more
sympathetic to the tribal people's cause than the previous government,
other leaders of the ruling coalition said there were vested interests
behind the agitation. There are also allegations that organisations
and political parties more sympathetic to the interests of the settler
farmers are now supporting the tribal people in order to prevent them
from demanding the restoration of alienated land, especially when the
legality of the amendments striking down the 1975 Act is coming up as
an issue before the Supreme Court.
But as Janu told Frontline, Kerala's Adivasis are not fighting the
settler farmers any longer. However, the question whether there are
vested interests behind the Adivasi agitation is overshadowed by
another one - whether the shift in demand will genuinely help the
tribal people's cause.
http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl1821/18210490.htm
Volume 18 - Issue 22, Oct. 27 - Nov. 09, 2001
India's National Magazine
from the publishers of THE HINDU
Promise of land
Kerala's Adivasi Dalit Action Council ends its struggle over land and
livelihood issues following an agreement with the State government.
R. KRISHNAKUMAR
in Thiruvananthapuram
THE 48-day-old agitation over land and livelihood issues undertaken
for the tribal people in Kerala ended on October 16 following a seven-
point agreement between the State government and the Adivasi Dalit
Action Council. The Adivasi "refugee camps" erected by the agitating
tribal people outside the State Secretariat and the Chief Minister's
official residence in Thiru-vananthapuram and in the district
headquarters were dismantled soon afterwards. There was jubilation in
the streets, and praise for C.K. Janu, chairperson of the Action
Council, who led the agitation.
This is what the Adivasi agitation has seemingly achieved for the 3.2
lakh tribal people:
S. GOPAKUMAR
Jubilant Adivasi agitators carry C.K. Janu, chairperson of the
Adivasi Dalit Action Council, in Thiruvananthapuram.
* "Wherever possible", the government is to provide five acres (two
hectares) of land to each landless Adivasi family; at other places,
the offer is a minimum of one acre, which can go up to five acres,
"depending on the availability of land";
* A five-year livelihood programme is to be implemented in the land
thus provided until it becomes fully productive for Adivasis to
sustain themselves;
* The State is to enact a law to ensure that the land provided to
Adivasis is not alienated as had happened in the past;
* The State Cabinet is soon to pass a resolution asking the Union
government to declare the Adivasi areas in the State as scheduled
areas, bringing them under Schedule V of the Constitution;
* The government also gave a commitment that it will abide by whatever
decision the Supreme Court takes on its appeal against the Kerala High
Court order quashing the unpopular law (the Kerala Restriction on
Transfer by and Restoration of Lands to Scheduled Tribes Bill, 1999)
passed by the State Assembly in 1999;
* The government is to implement a master plan for tribal development
and the plan is to be prepared with the participation of Adivasis;
* The maximum possible extent of land will be found and distributed in
Wayanad district - at least 10,000 acres - where there is the largest
concentration of landless Adivasis.
The agitators' demand that all landless Adivasi families must be given
five acres each has not been conceded. Chief Minister A.K. Antony told
Frontline it was impossible for any government to agree to such a
demand in a State where there was so much pressure on land. But the
government had readily agreed to provide at least one acre during its
earlier round of discussions with leaders of the Action Council and
other tribal organisations (Frontline, October 26).
In effect, this is what the Action Council accepted eventually.
This does not mean that the agitation was a failure. For the first
time, landless Adivasis in Kerala have got a firm commitment from the
government on at least one acre of land. They are also to get the
protection of a new law preventing any further alienation of their
land. In Janu's own Wayanad district, the government is to make an
extra effort to find more land for Adivasis.
Perhaps the most important fallout of the latest agitation is that
both the government and the Action Council leaders have succeeded in
shifting the focus of the nearly 50-year-old tribal struggle in Kerala
from the issue of "restoration of alienated land" to one of "land for
the landless tribal people".
In short, whether Adivasis are any better off as a result of the
agitation will be known only in January 2002, when the government, as
per its promise, has to start distributing the land. The
identification of the beneficiaries would prove a major hurdle in the
interim period.
http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl1822/18220420.htm
Opinion - News Analysis
Behind the Adivasi unrest in Assam
M.S. Prabhakara
The Adivasis’ fight is not so much for their recognition as a tribal
community as for the restoration of the tribal identity to which they
believe they are entitled.
— Photo: Ritu Raj Konwar
Vigilantist retaliation: Local residents of Dispur and Beltola beat up
Adivasi protesters in Guwahati on November 24.
The continuing violence in Assam over the last few days, in particular
the wanton vandalism and the crude and vigilantist retaliation that
took place in and around Dispur in Guwahati on November 24, has
rightly attracted wide and critical notice. However, any exclusive
concern with the violent events of that Saturday, in particular the
voyeuristic focus by the visual media on the shameful attack on the
person and personal dignity of a young woman by the mob that has been
unreservedly condemned by the people of the State, may obscure the
real issues: the demand of the Adivasis for classification as a
Scheduled Tribe, and the complex factors that inform the resistance to
that and similar demands.
The Adivasi, a nomenclature now adopted by the approximately 20
million strong Tea Garden Labour and ex-Tea Garden Labour community,
is not the only community in Assam seeking classification as a
Scheduled Tribe. Five other communities (the Tai-Ahom, the Moran, the
Motok, the Chutia and the Koch-Rajbongshi), all presently classified
as Other Backward Classes (OBC), have also for long been pressing for
recognition as Scheduled Tribes. The first four live predominantly in
the districts of Upper Assam while the Koch-Rajbongshi live
predominantly in western Assam, sharing broadly the same physical (and
political) space as the Bodos, the most numerous of the tribal
communities of the State. The Adivasis are, for the most part, settled
in the vicinity of the tea gardens.
Contrary to the general impression, the clashes do not bespeak any
deeply ingrained hostility between ‘tribal people and non-tribal
people,’ or between the tribal people and caste Hindus, in Assam — a
convenient distinction between supposedly irreconcilable categories
made in much of the analysis of the so-called ethnic clashes in Assam
and the north-eastern region. The Adivasis, though aspiring for
recognition as a tribal community and indeed historically belonging to
authentic tribal stock, are at present not recognised as a tribal
community. It is only in popular usage that they are referred to as
Tea Garden Tribes and ex-Tea Garden Tribes. Strictly speaking, their
fight is not so much for their recognition as a tribal community as
for the restoration of that tribal identity to which they believe they
are entitled, being the descendants of various tribal communities of
Central India who, over a century-and-a-half ago, went or were
indentured to work in the gardens of eastern India. What they are
fighting for is therefore the restoration of their legitimate cultural
patrimony.
Why and how did the descendants of the tribal people whose ancestors
were brought to Assam from other parts of India cease to be tribal
people in their present environment? The answer lies in the peculiar
rules that determine such recognition, according to which a person’s
tribal identity is irrevocably and forever linked to her or his place
of origin — in the present instance, the persons’ ancestral origins.
For instance, the progeny of a Munda, a recognised tribal community in
Jharkhand and other contiguous States, one of the 96 communities
listed under the category, Tea Garden Labourers, Tea Garden Tribes, Ex-
Tea Garden Labourers and Ex-Tea Garden Tribes in the official ‘Central
List of Backward Classes, Assam,’ who was taken to Assam to work in
the tea gardens over a century-and-a-half ago has lost his tribal
identity, though were such a person to return to his (now notional)
ancestral place, he would regain his tribal identity.
Such absurd rules and requirements do not however obtain in other
cases of migration. A non-tribal person moving, say, from Karnataka to
Assam continues to retain all the socio-cultural coordinates of his or
her identity.
Indeed such absurd anomalies govern even the movement of tribal
communities within Assam, and in the States that were carved out of
colonial Assam after independence. For instance, the 23 recognised
tribal communities in Assam are broadly identified under two
categories: the Hill Tribes, that is, the 14 communities recognised as
‘tribal’ in the ‘hill areas,’ now comprising the two Autonomous
Districts of Karbi Anglong and North Cachar Hills; and the Plains
Tribes, that is, the 9 communities recognised as ‘tribal’ in rest of
Assam, supposedly all ‘Plain’. Neither of the locational
identifications is accurate, indeed cannot be accurate, given the
facts of geography but that is the least of the problems.
More materially, neither of these two categories carries its tribal
identity when it moves out of its ‘designated areas.’ Thus, Census
figures for Guwahati city, very much in the Plains of Assam, which has
people from every part of the country and also from foreign parts, do
not enumerate a single person belonging to any of the 14 ‘Hill Tribe’
categories. Indeed, every Plains district enumerates zero population
of Hill Tribes.
Similarly, the Census figures for the two Hill districts do not
enumerate a single person from any of the nine designated ‘Plains
Tribe’ categories. The reality is different; however such personas
living outside their allotted spaces are for official purposes simply
made ‘un-persons’.
While the Adivasis’ case for the restoration of their primordial
tribal status seems strongest, the issues and demands underlying the
struggle of the five other communities seeking recognition as
Scheduled Tribes are equally complex. The Koch-Rajbongshi, also known
as Sarania Kachari, historically part of the Bodo Kachari stock, lost
their tribal identity over a long period going back to the days before
the colonial conquest of Assam through a complex process of conversion
and acculturation into the Vaishnavite variety of Assamese Hinduism.
Such advantages as the conversion may have brought have lost their
relevance in post-independence India where, increasingly, the tribal
identity is getting to be perversely privileged by non-tribal
communities. Corresponding urges and expectations no doubt drive the
demands of the other communities seeking to be classified as Scheduled
Tribes.
The State government says it is not opposed to conceding the demands
but has pleaded its inability in view of the existing rules. There are
indications that these rigidities may be relaxed, at least in respect
of the Adivasi demand. However, if the Adivasi demand is conceded, the
demands of other communities too will have to be eventually conceded.
The issue also has national implications, in the context of the
contradictions highlighted in the presently dormant Gujjar agitation
for classification as ST.
The more immediate opposition in Assam to the extension of ST
recognition to the six communities is however likely to come from the
presently recognised Scheduled Tribes. The estimated 20 lakh Adivasis
constitute about 60 per cent of the total ST population of the State
which, according to the 2001 Census, was 3,308,570.
The addition of such a large population to the present ST pool will
undoubtedly affect existing allocations in areas such as reservation
of seats in legislative structures, higher education and jobs. Put
simply, such identity struggles carry a cost, and a price.
(For a more detailed discussion of these issues, see Manufacturing
Identities? Frontline, 7 October 2005; In the Name of Tribal
Identities, Frontline, 2 December 2005; and Separatist Strains,
Frontline, 1 June 2007.)
Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 03, 2007
http://www.hinduonnet.com/2007/12/03/stories/2007120354911100.htm
Special issue with the Sunday Magazine
From the publishers of THE HINDU
ADIVASI : JULY 16, 2000
Dishonoured by history
Dr. Meena Radhakrishna
The author is a social anthropologist at the Nehru Memorial Museum and
Library, New Delhi.
The following headlines will be familiar to an average newspaper
reader in the Capital:
Amar Talwar/ Fotomedia
"Haryana to flush out Criminal Tribes" (Indian Express, February 27,
1999) followed by "Bansilal orders crackdown on criminal
tribes" (Indian Express, February 28, 1999), "48 Pardi Robbers from
Guna held" (Tribune News Service, September 9, 1999), "Stoneage
Robbers - Pardhis Know No Mercy" (Express News Service, Mumbai,
November 6, 1999), "11 of criminal tribe held for dacoity in N-W
Delhi" (Hindustan Times, January 17, 2000).
In recent years, a spectre of the so called "Criminal Tribes" has
begun to haunt the middle class readers of newspapers in Delhi. There
is a marked increase in news items which claim that a gruesome murder
of an elderly couple was committed by a group of Sansis who robbed
them of all their valuables, or that a woman living alone was brutally
done to death in the dead of night by a group of Pardhis. There are
also frequent television programmes on these communities putting the
fear of the devil in the minds of the terrified spectator, and the
very words "criminal tribes" have become synonymous with criminality
of a mindless, violent kind.
Who are these so called criminal tribes - Sansis, Pardhis, Kanjars,
Gujjars, Bawarias, Banjaras and almost 200 such communities? Is it
just a descriptive label, or is it a category of some special new kind
of criminals? Such a terror in the public mind is being fanned
regarding these people that public lynchings of a hapless Sansi or
Pardhi have already become acceptable to even civilised members of our
increasingly brutalised society.
A visit to localities where most of these people drudge out their
daily lives may reveal the grossest poverty and want, shocking even to
those hardened eyes which daily witness sickly, hungry, unwashed,
unclothed children at every major crossing in the Capital. The
question then to be asked is this: if all members of such communities
are merciless robbers, why then, does the community live in appalling
conditions of poverty?
Shashi Shetye
Moreover, even educated members of these communities, who constitute a
few first-generation office-goers or professionals, are subjected to
the deep suspicion and insults by the wider society when they set out
to look for jobs, and at their workplaces: there is constant,
relentless humiliation they have to suffer at the hands of
"respectable" people. Swimming against the tide each day, they
struggle to enter the virtuous cycle of education, work and
respectability which has eluded them and their children for several
generations. Since "criminal tribes" make such sensational headlines
so frequently, the phenomenon needs to be examined historically in
some detail.
Shashi Shetye
The people mentioned above are a staggering 60 million in number, and
fall in the category of today's Denotified Tribes. The term "criminal
tribes" was concocted by the British rulers, and entered the public
vocabulary for the first time when a piece of legislation called the
Criminal Tribes Act was passed in 1871. With the repeal of this Act
(which was condemned by Pandit Nehru as a blot on the legal books of
free India, and a shame to all civilised societies) these communities
were officially "denotified" in 1952.
Intensive research on the issue shows that about 150 years ago, a
large number of tribal communities were still nomadic, and were
considered useful, honourable people by members of the settled
societies with whom they came into regular contact. A number of them
were small itinerant traders who used to carry their wares on the
backs of their cattle, and bartered their goods in the villages
through which they passed. They would bring interesting items to which
people of a particular village and a little further away - spices,
honey, grain of different varieties, medicinal herbs, different kinds
of fruit or vegetables which the region did not grow, and so on.
Almost invariably, nomadic people were craftsmen of some kind or the
other and in addition to their trading activity they would make and
sell all sorts of useful little items like mats and baskets, brooms
and brushes or earthenware utensils. Some like the Banjaras or
Lambadis functioned on a larger scale, and moved in larger groups with
pack animals loaded mainly with salt, and their women in addition to
the salt also bartered the exquisitely crafted silver trinkets with
settled villagers.
Stan Thekaekara
Some nomadic communities also became cattle traders, herdspeople or
sellers of milk products, since they bred their own cattle for
carrying their merchandise. The nomadic communities were not just
useful to the villagers on a day to day basis - they were also
acknowledged for averting the frequent grain shortages and famine like
conditions in villages where crops failed. In addition, among them
were musicians, acrobats, dancers, tightrope walkers, jugglers and
fortune tellers. On the whole, they were considered a welcome and
colourful change in routine whenever they visited or camped near a
village.
There were several reasons for these communities first becoming
gradually marginalised, and finally beginning to be considered useless
to the settled societies. First, the network of roads and railways
established in the 1850s connected many of the earlier outlying
villages to each other as also to cities and towns.
The scale of the operations of the nomadic traders was thus
drastically cut down to only those areas where wheel traffic could not
yet reach. This was the single most important reason for the loss of
livelihood of a number of nomadic communities. Further, under newly
imposed forest laws, the British government did not allow tribal
communities to graze their cattle in the forests, or to collect bamboo
and leaves either, which were needed for making simple items like mats
and baskets for their own use and for selling. These two developments
had disastrous consequences for the nomadic traders.
There was one other major historical factor responsible for the
impoverishment of a very large number of nomadic communities. The
nineteenth century witnessed repeated severe famines - during each
successive one the nomadic communities lost more and more heads of
cattle which were the only means of transporting their goods to the
interior villages. The cattle were in fact becoming more crucial than
ever, as with increasing network of roads and railways these
communities had to travel longer distances to sell their wares. Loss
of cattle meant loss of trading activity on an unprecedented scale.
The British government gradually began to consider nomadic communities
prone to criminality in the absence of legitimate means of livelihood.
There was a parallel process taking place all along. A number of
tribal chiefs, especially in the north, participated in the 1857
events, and earned the title of traitors and renegades with the
British government. Elsewhere, hill tribes determinedly resisted the
attempts by the British to annexe their land for establishing
plantations, and to try and use them as plantation labour. A number of
tribal communities, thus, would not yield to the British armed forces
and consistently fought back, though whole habitations were burnt down
in retaliation by the frustrated British officers deputed to co-opt
them. Generally, it began to be felt that most tribal communities,
including nomadic ones, were dangerously criminal. The Criminal Tribes
Act was born in these historical circumstances.
A large number of communities were officially declared criminal tribes
from 1871 onwards. The British government subsequently ran special
settlements for them where they were chained, shackled, caned and
flogged while being surrounded by high walls under the provisions of
the Criminal Tribes Act. In the name of the homegrown science of
"curocriminology" it was declared that they would be cured of their
criminal propensities if they were given work and such an
understanding had an obvious corollary: the more they work, the more
reformed they would be. They could be thus forced to work for up to 20
hours a day in factories, plantations, mills, quarries and mines all
through the first few decades of the twentieth century. This was an
era when the Factories Act had come into existence, but the British
employers were officially able to do away with those provisions of the
Factories Act which restricted the number of hours of work in a day,
or number of days in a week, or allowed minimal facilities at the
workplace.
Ashish Kothari
An important point for our purposes here is that the British
government was able to summon a large amount of public support,
including the nationalist press, for the excesses committed on such
communities. This is because the Criminal Tribes Act was posed widely
as a social reform measure which reformed criminals through work.
However, when they tried to make a living like everybody else, they
did not find work outside the settlement because of public prejudice
and ostracisation. This curious logic and anomalous situation has
continued to this day.
Once more we are at a juncture when the issue of "criminal tribes"
needs to be reviewed so that the wider public, 130 years later, does
not end up supporting measures to "flush them out" of the existing
system. What needs to be emphasised here is that police harassment and
rounding up of "criminal tribes" in the last few years has not
improved the crime situation on the ground. Less obtrusively and much
less glaringly, news items of the following kind have also appeared in
print which were earlier asserting to the contrary, confirming that
the worst criminal gangs are not constituted by the members of
denotified communities: "Police still baffled by attacks on
farmhouse" (Indian Express, January 21, 1998), "Many sensational
murders remain unsolved" (Hindustan Times, November 27, 1999).
As has happened all through the history of denotified tribes,
confessions are wrested out of "busted gangs" of Bawarias or Sansis or
Pardhis through a variety of savage methods which often involve abuse
of their women. The National Human Rights Commission, in a historic
meeting held in February, 2000 has recommended repeal of the Habitual
Offenders Act, which in effect replaced the Criminal Tribes Act after
independence. The Habitual Offenders Act has spelt terror to these
communities for half a century, as they can be still summarily rounded
up whenever there is unexplained crime. The NHRC has also promised to
take steps to monitor atrocities on these communities and reorient the
police training systems to change the attitudes of the police towards
them at all levels. It has also accepted the need to protect
denotified tribes through a comprehensive package of welfare measure,
including employment opportunities.
However, no welfare measures, or recommendations by a Human Rights
Commission can create a more humane public opinion - that is an
autonomous process which has to begin to take place among thinking
citizens on their own. These communities have merely got caught in the
web of relentless historical changes encompassing colonisation,
modernisation and urbanisation and they need to be supported in their
severe ordeal and distress. In addition to being hunted and hounded by
the police, they remain on the periphery of society because of the
suspicion and active hostility of the average mainstream person.
Six crores of fellow humans wait to regain the honourable place that
they once held and lost.
http://www.hinduonnet.com/folio/fo0007/00070240.htm
Strong sense of self and place
Amita Baviskar
The author is a sociologist and has worked extensively in the Narmada
valley. She has authored the book In The Belly Of The River.
How do you describe an attachment to a particular landscape? How do
you express what a place means when its sounds, smells, look and feel
are so deeply imprinted in your mind and soul that it becomes a part
of you? When you are away from it, you ache to return. Whatever its
shortcomings, this place is home and this is where you belong.
D. Nayak/ Fotomedia
Four years ago, while walking through Sakarja, a Bhilala adivasi
village along the Narmada river in Madhya Pradesh, in the submergence
zone of the Sardar Sarovar Project, I met a girl. She was driving some
goats along a narrow track up a hillside. I was hot and out of breath,
and seized the chance to stop and chat. It turned out that she was
alone, her family had moved to Gujarat where the government had given
them land. She had gone too, but after a few months at the
rehabilitation site, she returned to Sakarja to stay with her uncle's
family. When I asked why, she shrugged. "I like it here", she said,
"it's so open".
Looking around at the panorama of hills, streams,fields, and patches
of forest, I could see what she meant. "But aren't things better at
the new place?" I asked, "your family is there too". "I feel stifled
in the plains", she said, "I feel free here". And she went off nimble-
footed along the hillside, urging her goats on with shrill cries.
In the analysis of costs and benefits associated with the Narmada
dams, the discussion focuses on "oustees" and "PAPs" (Project-Affected
Persons) and the "rehabilitation package" of two acres land per adult
male. But men do not live by land alone. personhood comes from having
honour and dignity. And these qualities in turn spring from a sense of
self and place, at home and in the eyes of the world. These aspects of
what makes a person human and worthy of regard do not figure in the
discussion of the dam.
The discourse of the dam could never explain why a girl, scarcely more
than a child and clearly extremely poor, would choose to come back and
live in a village about to be drowned.
Whenever I am in the Narmada valley, I am overwhelmed by the rugged
majesty of this place. The Narmada is a beautiful river, aptly called
"the giver of bliss". At the same time, I am daunted by the hard lives
of the adivasis who stay along its banks. The land, forests and river
yield just enough to live by and, in bad years, not even that. Modest
crops of sorghum and maize, pulses and oilseeds, are the product of
unremitting toil in the monsoon months and, if the rain fails, even
this labour cannot stave off starvation. In bad times, the forests
stand the adivasis in good stead; there are tendu leaves,mahua
flowers, gums and fruit to be collected. If all else fails, adivasis
must migrate in search of work.
The effects of an uncertain and inadequate livelihood are writ large
in the people's lives. Almost every adivasi woman has known the trauma
of an infant or child dying an untimely death. Without enough food and
medical care, people suffer entirely avoidable illnesses with
phlegmatic fortitude. The absence of schools denies children a chance
to learn and improve their lives. Poverty puts people at the mercy of
a callous government bureaucracy and rapacious traders to whom
adivasis do not matter, except as people to be pushed around and
cheated. The exploitation of adivasis has a long history that can be
traced to the state's refusal to recognise adivasi rights to lands and
forests, and the almost total failure of the welfare state in this
region. Every year, crores are spent on "tribal development" but the
only people who get richer are the traders and officials with their
new Maruti cars and their rising houses in town.
Despite its hardships, this life is all there is for adivasis, and
they value it. Amidst the vicissitudes of drought, malnutrition and
exploitation, what keeps adivasis going are the certitudes of
community, their faith in the bonds of kinship, the knowledge that
relatives will help out in times of trouble. Walking along the
Narmada, one witnesses as small yet steady traffic of travellers - a
youth in a smart turban with a bow and arrow in hand going off to
visit his married sister, or a middle-aged woman carrying a pot of
buttermilk for her ailing mother. Their little courtesies indicate the
larger structures of material and emotional aid that enable adivasis
to hold their own in a hostile world.
It seems marvellous that such spartan material circumstances should
generate a vibrant life of the mind. The adivasi world is richly
imagined and interpreted through myth, story and song. The central
thread of this repertoire is the gayana, an epic poem that describes
how Narmada created the world. Will the gayana, and all the other
aspects of Bhilala knowledge and practice that are anchored on the
banks of the Narmada, survive relocation to a new place? Does it
matter that people will have to surrender so much of what they hold
dear for the sake of a dam?
Whether the dam will bring water to the thirsty people of Kutch and
Saurashtra, and I don't believe it will, we must be clear about who is
paying the price for this transfer of resources. As Arundhati Roy
asks, are we prepared to acknowledge the true "cost of living"? Our
lifestyles are made possible because adivasis in the Narmada valley
and elsewhere are forced to give up the little that they possess. To
add insult to injury, they are told that leaving their lands and river
will entitle them to an "attractive rehabilitation package" and the
gifts of development - hand pumps, schools and health centres. As the
headman of Kakadsila village asked the District Collector, "For forty
years, you didn't come to our village even once. You didn't care
whether we lived or died. Now when you want our land you come with
folded hands and make promises. Why should we believe you?"
The wisdom of this scepticism is borne out by most experiences of
resettlement. Waterlogged land, no livestock, fragmented families,
hostile neighbours, no commons to collect fuel and fodder - sums up
rehabilitation so far. Adivasis end up as urban refugees, permanent
members of an ever-growing army of footloose labour. If this is what
the future holds, no wonder that adivasis make desperate choices,
vowing to stay on in villages slated for submergence.
Though their chances of victory look increasingly grim, adivasis
continue to fight. For fifteen years, these villagers have borne the
brunt of a sustained government campaign to oust them. They have been
denied development inputs, their lands were forcibly surveyed, protest
brutally suppressed, and false cases filed against them. Now the
threat of submergence looms ever larger. "Leave now", say government
officials, "or you will drown like rats when the water comes". And
yet, despite the might of the state, people continue to fight because
their sense of self, their only vision of a good life, is rooted to
this place that they call home, the Narmada valley.
http://www.hinduonnet.com/folio/fo0007/00070220.htm
To be governed or to self-govern
Dr. Smitu Kothari
The author has been involved with PESA, is a tribal rights activist
and is with Lokayan, Delhi.
Over four years ago, without visible drama and fanfare, India's
statute books witnessed a new addition that represents one of the most
significant legislative changes in post-Independence India. Those
concerned about the social health of the country have been largely
oblivious to this historical legislative change. Even those that are
concerned about the rights of historically oppressed and discriminated
communities seem to have by and large (with a few exceptions) fallen
short of adequately responding to the enormous potential it has for
one of India's most culturally plural and diverse constituents to
secure a future that is dramatically better than today.
Prem Kapoor/ Fotomedia
I am referring to the provisions concerning self-government in
Scheduled areas (primarily adivasi areas identified for special
protection in a special schedule - section - of the Constitution)
after the enactment of the Provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to
the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (I will refer to this as PESA in the
rest of this essay). The provisions also question and potentially
transform the structure and powers that have been given to Panchayats.
For nearly two centuries, adivasi communities have spearheaded the
most remarkable struggles for social justice in the country. They were
among those who first resisted British colonial interests much before
the independence movement - a contribution that (despite a few rare
accounts of historic movements in a few regions) remains largely
unrecognised. Predominantly living with India's forests, they faced a
steady assault on their livelihoods when the British legislated the
crown's control over India's forests in 1865.
With one legislative change, they became trespassers in their own
forests victimised by externally motivated systems of forest
management that directly violated various facets of their economic and
cultural survival. Their forests and other resources in their areas
were increasingly seen as commodities, their lands expropriated as
private property and their growing dependence on ruthless moneylenders
linked with powerful feudal landlords and local politicians led to
massive land alienation, and permanent or seasonal migration. The
final act of violence legitimising these onslaughts of systemic
violence on a largely unsuspecting population was the imposition of an
alien judicial system and "law and order" machinery that subjugated
them further compounding their vulnerability and subservience. Their
own, highly subtle and organically embedded systems of conflict
resolution were undermined. The result of all these processes was the
erosion of their dignity, the devaluation of their identities and the
disrespect of their ways of living.
Unfortunately, after Independence too, the Indian government retained
the same laws and continued the erstwhile colonial attitudes and
policies over adivasi communities. They continued to be victimised,
their cultures and lifestyles disrespected, their resource base
exploited, with hardly any benefit accruing to them. In actual
practice, such state policy was aimed at assimilating them into the
"mainstream" on terms that they had very little say in. In effect,
while they participated in elections, the promise of democracy and
justice was largely denied to them.
In fact, in most areas there was further erosion of the relative
autonomy and dignity that they enjoyed in their communities, thanks to
the additional steamroller impact of party politics and the consequent
homogenisation of a rich heritage of cultural diversity. Participation
in the electoral process was no guarantee of their own democratic
rights being respected. Instead, elections have substantially lost
legitimacy as reliable institutions for ensuring cheap, quick,
reliable and transparent justice for rural people, especially those
belonging to disadvantaged groups.
In the first two decades after Independence, in anticipation of
policies that would change colonial attitudes and practice, there were
fewer agitations and revolts in adivasi India. It was not long,
however, before disillusionment started setting in with the
realisation that the brown sahib's governance was largely driven by
the same mentality and attitude as those who had colonised them
before. There were remarkable exceptions as a few enlightened
administrators and community leaders asserted the rights of adivasi
communities. Gradually, in a growing number of places, agitations and
mass assertions became the emergent culture of what began as mere
disillusionment. Coupled with the expressions of countervailing power
from below were efforts by a few sensitive administrators and support
groups. In the mid-1980s, people like the then Commissioner of
Scheduled Castes and Tribes, B. D. Sharma, used his constitutional
office to highlight the plight of the adivasis and the constitutional
responsibility to them. Numerous collective mobilisations
crystallised, including several demanding greater autonomy from
exploitative external forces. Another important development was the
formation of various alliances cutting across adivasi community and
region.
General Gaur/ Fotomeida
Notable among these are the Bharat Jan Andolan (Indian People's
Movement), the National Front for Tribal Self-Rule, Adivasi Sangamam
and the Indigenous and Tribal People's Initiative all of whom
spearheaded a series of agitations representing the growing unrest in
adivasi areas.
Relenting to these widespread agitations by adivasis protesting
against continued violations of their customary and resource rights by
state and non-state actors, the Parliament set up a committee headed
by an adivasi MP, Dileep Singh Bhuria. Mr. Bhuria's report argued that
adivasi society had been marked by its own representative systems of
governance through the Gram Sabha (village council comprising the
assembly of all adult village residents), which should be legally
recognised as the primary centre of adivasi governance. Released in
1995, the report also argued that the long-standing demand of adivasi
control over productive land and forests should be conceded to and
that administrative interference in adivasi affairs should be
minimised. The government largely ignored the Bhuria Commission's
report reflecting the continuing dichotomy between the real needs of a
majority of adivasis and an exploitative governing structure.
Public agitations, including several major events in Delhi, have since
been stepped up. The assertions of the adivasis were powerfully summed
up in one of their central motive slogans, "Our Rule in Our Villages."
This declaration did not imply secession from India but the
affirmation of relative autonomy from what was experienced as an
intrusive and exploitative state apparatus and the unjust social and
economic order that it legitimated at the expense of their
livelihoods, identities and systems of self-governance. In December
1996, the Parliament passed PESA finally (at least legally)
recognising the adivasi right to self-rule.
PESA is historic because it legally recognises the capacity of adivasi
communities to strengthen their own systems of self-governance or
create new legal spaces and institutions that can not only reverse
centuries of external cultural and political onslaught but can also
create the opportunities to control their own destinies.
If implemented in both letter and spirit, the Gram Sabha of the
village would become the focal institution, now endowed with
significant powers. For instance, under section 4(d) of PESA: "every
Gram Sabha shall be competent to safeguard and preserve the traditions
and customs of the people, their cultural identity, community
resources and the customary mode of dispute resolution."
Shashi Shetye
Many administrators, academics, even activists working among adivasi
communities argue that the institution of Gram Sabha is non-existent
in most adivasi areas and that the law does not recognise the dramatic
social and economic changes that have taken place in adivasi society
in the past two centuries. They argue that modernity, the external
market, representative democracy and centuries of exploitation have
transformed adivasi communities to the point where a recovery of a
cohesive community could well turn out to be a romantic invocation
with no basis in reality.
What is not recognised in this critique is that PESA is a dramatic
opportunity to undo a history of wrongs and that it is flexible enough
to mould to local conditions. For instance, even if an institution
called Gram Sabha is unknown or has eroded, it can provide the basis,
under changed conditions, of a new democratic institution that the
adivasis themselves would come to recognise as an organic entity that
facilitates the restoration of their comprehensive rights. PESA even
makes it possible to redraw the administrative boundaries that
presently inform their governance. India's administrators and policy
makers have been reluctant to even recognise PESA because it empowers
the Gram Sabha to approve development plans, control all social
sectors - including the processes and people who implement these
programmes and policies - as well as control all minor (non-timber)
forest resources, minor water bodies and minor minerals. As and if all
this happens, it could result in outcomes that may well prove
dramatic. For, PESA also gives powers to manage local markets, prevent
the manufacture and sale of alcohol and not just control land
alienation but seek its restitution.
Understandably, administrators see a grave threat to their power and
privilege if local communities were to pave the way for more
autonomous systems of self-governance. In effect, the potential of
PESA is to make these state functionaries play a transformed role of
facilitating processes for the devolution of power. Their role would
then also assist in restraining forces that prevent the realisation of
the comprehensive rights that PESA provides.
The most far reaching potential and impact will be ecological. PESA
would restore primary control over natural resource systems to the
Gram Sabha. There is some concern that in the age of commodification
and commercialisation, if given rights over resources, adivasis will
themselves become predators. Communities (like the Warlis who are part
of the Thane district based Kashtakari Sangathna) who have begun to
realise the potential of PESA argue that while the dangers do exist,
this should not be used as an excuse to delay the implementation of
PESA and in fact efforts should be made to discuss how the whole gamut
of democratic institutions need to be rethought to strengthen local
autonomy and provide checks to its misuse. The reality at the moment
is that as communities assert greater control, they encounter apathy,
even hostility from local administrators who are under pressure from
external and internal interests who want to retain their exploitative
hold over adivasi India.
The reluctance of those who have historically enjoyed power to accept
such devolution and eventual loss is understandable. Some of this can
even take vicious forms as those in power try to subvert local unity.
In an eloquent yet grim assessment of the present situation, Harsh
Mandar, a senior officer of the IAS states, "The seriousness of the
situation is that for tribal policy in India, darkness continues to
prevail. Protective laws are rarely implemented, budgetary measures
like the Tribal Sub Plan strategy have failed to achieve genuine
financial devolution, and educational strategies have been
assimilative and destructive of the moorings of tribal culture. Light
at the end of the tunnel can be seen only in a powerful and radical
recent law that provides for self-governance by tribal communities.
However, so far, the state has forgotten or subverted the
interpretation of its own law. The perils of the tribal identity and
survival remain as real as ever."
There are several internal challenges that also have to be addressed -
internal hierarchies and discriminations, traditional practices like
witch-hunting that have become means to suppressing the growing
assertions of women, etc. Building safeguards and processes that
address these endemic problems are an equally serious issue that must
be simultaneously faced.
It is time, however, that the administrator, the planner and the
politician realise that the growing aspirations of historically
discriminated and exploited peoples will no longer give way. Across
the country, there is growing demand for greater transparency of
government functioning and greater participation in defining what the
content of development should be. Additionally, there are steadily
growing instances of innovative efforts to redefine the structure and
content of democratic institutions so that power emanates from the
people. This has brought into sharp focus the severe limitations of
representative democracy and the need to recognise and strengthen
structures of direct democracy, particularly where communities depend
on natural resources for sustaining their livelihoods.
Similar mobilisations have been witnessed in indigenous and tribal
regions all over the world and several major global alliances have
been formed. These, coupled with the efforts of many groups to
articulate their concerns before a special sub-commission and the
human rights committee of the United Nations, can also be seen as part
of an effort of deepening democracy at all levels - from the local to
the national and the global - firmly rooted in local democratic
processes, contrary to and often in dramatic opposition to the current
trends of economic centralisation and undemocratic political
processes.
http://www.hinduonnet.com/folio/fo0007/00070180.htm
A society in transition
Suresh Sharma
The author is with the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies,
Delhi.
Words like "tribe" and "tribals" have come to acquire extensive usage
in our discourse on social science and social change. They denote
both, an anthropologial category akin to its classical form as it has
been in the Americas, Africa and Australia, and as a metaphor for the
most victimised segments in our society. The expression "tribal
identity" has sharp political resonance. But that resonance is felt
and read almost entirely in ethnic-social terms. The cultural and
cognitive salience that underlies the tribal sense of unique
distinctness and possibility remains dim and almost invisible.
M. Anand
The modern faith stems from an axiomatic certainty of immense
consequence. The grand certainty is that the continually enhanced
human capacity to reshape the material world is an unfailing assurance
of human liberation and freedom. Progress is the sovereign quest of
modern civilisation as also its cardinal referent for meaning and
significance. Hence the perception that tribal cohesions represent the
survival of archaic social formations which the ever expanding reach
of the modern historical process would in time transform and
completely recast. And true enough, the power to reshape the material
world has linked and unified the most distant corners of the earth.
But for communities and rhythms of life, towards which words like
tribe direct our attention, modern unification has meant a virtual
half-life on the very margins of modern life and discourse.
Consider in this context the intellectual and cultural lineage of the
discipline of Ethnology. Its origin and orientation are unmistakably
modern. Its mission is to understand and make sense of social facts
and forms of thought that clearly do not belong to the modern
universe. Levi-Strauss sensed in ethnology a belated sence of remorse.
As an intellectual artifact it is inherently ambiguous. It seeks
remembrance for facts and forms, which it knows, are marked out for
extinction by the very mode of doing and thinking from which ethnology
arises. Recognition of definitive difference constitutes as it were
its formative substance. And all the while, it knows, that this
difference has at best a bleak future in the modern world. In its rare
moments of repose modern thought invests rhythms of living forsaken by
history, in the words of Levi-Strauss, with "nobility. Unaware of
having eliminated savage life", it seeks to appease the "nostalgic
cannibalism of history" with mere shadows preserved with great care in
museums and libraries.
One could ask at this point, as to what is the nature and significance
of the survival of tribal life in India? Is that survival in any way
different from what survives of tribal life in the Americas? Or, is it
the case that what survives of tribal life in India is also no more
than a shadow of what had once been full and truly complete unto
itself.
In India, the tribal situation is marked by two paradoxical facts: the
absence of neat demarcations of the tribal as a homogenous social-
cultural category, and the significant magnitude of what is accepted
as comprising tribal reality. No one can demarcate a clear divide
between the tribal and the non-tribal in India. The intensely fluid
nature of boundaries between the tribal and the non-tribal are evident
in the insuperable difficulty in arriving at a clear anthropological
definition of a tribal in India, be that in terms of ethnicity, race,
language, social forms or modes of livelihood.
D. V .Jainer/ Telepress Features
The Constitution provides for the notification of certain communities
as tribal. The notification is on the basis of a varied mix of ethnic,
social, linguistic and economic criteria. Hence the prevalent usage as
also the only available working definition of a tribal in India:
Scheduled Tribes. It would truly be impossible for anyone to say that
all the diverse communities listed as Scheduled Tribes conform to the
notion of a tribal in its classical sense. At the same time, it would
be impossible for anyone to say that all communities that can
primarily be regarded as tribal are included in the schedule of
Tribes. And yet, for all practical purposes, be it legislation, social-
political intervention, collation of data or social theory, the
schedule of tribe notified by the Government is the only meaningful
referent.
Almost every thirteenth Indian is a tribal. Social magnitudes and
their persistence as distinct entities over long durations are of
immense significance. For they suggest, in however diffused and
indirect ways, the structure of cognition and judgment by which a
civilisation seeks or could seek to orient itself. The sheer magnitude
of tribal survival in India directs attention towards ways of
reckoning and engaging with differences that are strikingly unlike the
modern historical process. In the brief span of a few centuries,
peoples and cultures as old as Man on earth have been swept to near
extinction from the vast continents of America and Australia.
To speak of the strikingly different ways of reckoning and engaging
with difference as characteristic of India's past is not to suggest
that it is a past without blemish. The past of tribals in India
bristles with cruel inflictions. For thousands of years tribal
communities have been pushed steadily deeper into the hinterland of
remote hills and forests. Vast stretches of land, upon which they had
lived their lives, worshipped their deities and nourished their own
dreams, have been lost to them. But with all that it remains a past of
interaction, utterly unlike the modern past of tribal extinction.
V. Muthuraman/Wilderfile
One could speak of the tribal presence in India at two levels. One,
the fragmented and fragmentary tribal presence in the very midst of
non-tribal life. Two, the tribal presence in tribal contiguities
comprising regions that are or were until recently predominantly
tribal. The historian Kosambi records in prescient detail the
fragmented tribal presence in the midst of non-tribal life. In the
early Fifties, he had to just step outside his house in Poona to
encounter the still unfolding "historical processes" of "interaction
of obsolete with modern forms". In the shadow of the Law College dwelt
a "nomadic group of rus phase Pardhis" whose men wear only the "loin
cloth" and "never take a bath", but retain the "natural cleanliness,
mobility, superior senses" of the wild. Pardhis are "expert bird
snarers". But hunting and trapping animals can no longer provide
enough for even bare survival. Forests have shrivelled and "game has
almost vanished". Besides, "not one of them can afford a hunting
license". They have been reduced to making a precarious living by
trapping birds, "begging and petty stealing". The idea of "racial
purity" makes no sense to them. On the "payment of a fee" strangers
could always be admitted into their clan. The names of five of their
six exogamous clans "have become the surnames of feudal Maratha
families: Bhonsale, Powar, Cavahan, Jahdav, Sinde". And Kale, the name
of their sixth clan has become a "Citpavan brahman surname".
Tribal presence in regions that are predominantly tribal signifies a
distinctly different historic quality of tribal-nontribal interaction.
Such regions constitute what could be termed tribal contiguities.
Within tribal contiguities, choices available to tribal communities
for working out their own equations between man and Nature have not
been entirely foreclosed in favour of a more advanced mode of
livelihood. True, powerful non-tribal rulers did seek to control over
tribal contiguities. But pre-modern conquest could never exact more
than a nominal annual tribute. The divide in these regions between
resistance and restraint, submission and defiance was always somewhat
fluid. Nature, little touched by Man, was an unfailing refuge beyond
the reach of invading armies. One could speak of the texture of this
interaction as a complex of impingements and relationships between
several distinct social cohesions and modes of livelihood subsisting
in close proximity.
In a rough and ready sense settled cultivation or kheti, could be said
to be the defining feature of non-tribal life. And shifting
cultivation or jhum could be said to be the defining feature of tribal
life. Open plains watered by rivers have been the prime regions of
kheti hills and dense forests have been the prime regions of jhum. The
Gangetic plain has been the largest prime region of kheti. The
Vindhyan highland has been the largest prime region of jhum. Between
these two modes, kheti represents what in modern cognition would be
designated as the manifestly more evolved and higher level of man-
nature equations. Quite in accord with modern expectation, the region
of kheti even in the pre-modern context tended to expand and enclose
new areas. But in the long and complex process of extending its reach,
kheti in the pre-modern context could never completely displace jhum.
The significant fact is that in the very process of extending the
reach of kheti came to be mediated by varied modes of livelihood,
which partook of the world of both kheti and jhum.
Social and technological mediations within these two modes of
livelihood are ordered differently. Kheti marks out a permanent human
presence riveted to a particular piece of land. The same plot of land
is cultivated year after year, from one generation to the next. From
that plot of land nature is sought to be more or less completely
banished. It requires constant human care. In the event of failure or
withdrawal of human care, Nature does return to the lands of kheti but
almost always in a shrivelled and degraded form. The spatial
boundaries worked out in kheti tend towards more or less straight
lined geometric patterns. Within the fields of kheti, man's mastery
over nature is complete and unrivalled. Nothing that man does not like
or find useful is allowed to survive. The considerable surplus this
activity generates makes possible trade and exchange of goods and
services, urban centres, as also varied range of skills, crafts
cultural links over vast distances. Along with all that, it also makes
possible mechanisms of coercion and dominion: steadily enhanced
revenue demands, standing armies and imperial ambition. But in years
of scanty rainfall or epidemics, hunger and death ravage the lands of
rich yields.
Jhum, in sharp contrast to kheti, marks out only a fleeting human
presence in the midst of untamed Nature. The cultivated patch of jhum
keeps shifting. In the little jhum clearings on hill slopes, Nature in
all its wild resilience and variety retains its sway albeit a little
subdued. Crops once sown on a jhum slope require virtually no human
care. After the crops have been harvested, jhum slopes merge back into
Nature. The spatial boundaries worked out in jhum tend to be somewhat
like the intensely diffused uncertain lines found in nature. Jhum
secures an ample supply of crops useful to man. Its yields in
comparison to a kheti field are much smaller. But jhum, by allowing
nature to linger on its slopes ensures that harvests never completely
fail. Famines simply never happen in the prime regions of shifting
cultivation. The surplus generated is small and chiefs in the world of
shifting cultivational have had to rule without the support of a
standing army or a regular supply of revenue.
Shyam Jagota
The tribal presence within tribal contiguities and its fragmented
survival in the midst of non-tribal life may seem at first sight to be
far removed and unconnected with each other. But a deep and complex
relationship subsists between them. For they together define the place
and possibility for tribal life and self-sense in the civilisational
matrix of India. Consider in this context the rise to political pre-
eminence of the tribal kingdom of Garha in central India during the
Sixteenth Century. The stark simplicity of the explanation given by
the Abul Fazal, the grand Mughal chronicler, for the rise of Garha
invokes rhythms distinctly tribal. For a very long time, records Abul
Fazal, rulers of Garha had commanded "reverence" in the region. Yet,
they remained powerless until mid Fifteenth Century to translate this
"reverence" into political control. Implicit in this fact is the
resilience of the distance between reverence and the ability to garner
a disproportionately large share of the local surplus. To this day
something of that sense and reality remains alive and vivid in the
everyday rhythms of living.
Unfettered access to nature furnishes the vital clue to the manifest
capacity of tribal cohesions to survive as a distinct entity, despite
a long and not always peaceful history of interaction with powerful
centres of political authority. Definitive shifts in the relationship
between tribal communities and political power began with the
consolidation of the modern colonial state in the mid-nineteenth
century. As the effective reach of the modern state extended deeper
into the hinterland, access to nature came to be progressively
restricted. Choices available to communities even in the remotest
parts came to be ever more rigorously foreclosed in favour of the
requirements of the state and the world market. Land revenue
settlements initiated the process of appropriating vast stretches of
tribal lands as "reserved forests" and "government lands". In the
tribal contiguity people have lived on a combination of gathering
forest produce, grazing, craft skills and shifting or intermittent
cultivation. The idea of personal property has been very weak. It is
the idea of usage, which defined access to the livelihood resource of
the locality of the region. The notion of modern property has
destroyed access to what had always been a shared livelihood resource
accessible to all the inhabitants.
True, life and livelihood of tribal communities in the past were
always simple and sparse. But prior to the modern onslaught the rhythm
of life in the remotest hamlet was vibrant with a profound sense of
its own intrinsic worth. Cultural sensibilities and modes of
livelihood subsist in a relationship of intimate distance. Destruction
of modes of livelihood are also moments of profound cultural loss. The
sense of one's self and the world are traumatically shaken. It is
imperative that the modern sensibility learns to own in adequate
measure the destructive consequences inherent in the modern process.
For instance, unlike the West, ecological devastation in our context
has also to be comprehended as a question of livelihood and survival.
Tribal survival in the modern world would be possible and meaningful
only if we learn to recognise it as presence with its own intrinsic
worth, and not merely as a grim illustration of the logic of progress.
We have to learn to converse with tribal sensibility about its
meditations on the nature of the human presence, and the inherence of
limits in the fact of life itself. That perhaps may in some measure
serve as a corrective to the selfish and ultimately suicidal self-
centredness of modern civilisation.
http://www.hinduonnet.com/folio/fo0007/00070140.htm
Call us adivasis, please
Gail Omvedt
The author is a consulting sociologist, based in Kasegaon.
If Adivasis were to start writing their own Discovery Of India, it
would be something like this: There are those who talk of India's
"5000 year-old culture," there are those who talk of its "timeless
traditions." If India has a timeless tradition, it is ours. The
cultures running back for tens of thousands of years are the cultures
of the many Adivasi communities in the subcontinent. We are Bhils,
Gonds, Oraons, Mundas, Hos, Santals, Korkus and Irulas, the large and
small groups of people who live today in the hilly areas of the
country and are scattered across its central belt, we who have kept
ourselves apart from feudal States and Brahmanic hierarchies for
thousands of years, we who have resisted hierarchy and maintained our
ancient collectivities and ways of life.
K.Prabhakar/Fotomedia
We were here before the founders of that Meluhha known to far-off
Mesopotamia built their cities on the plains of the Indus. Before
Mohenjo-daro and Harappa and Lothal, before drains were laid out,
before seals began to be stamped and goods traded and granaries made,
we lived off the forests, gathering the abundant food we found,
sometimes burning down the trees for planting but always moving on to
let the forest regenerate. We traded occasionally with the Indus
cities, but we remained free; they never conquered us or tried to
conquer us.
We were here before the Aryans came thundering in their chariots
through the mountain passes; they could break the dams, flooding the
plains and destroying the remnants of the Indus cities but they could
not destroy us. They knew us as Nishada and Naga; they called us
Rakshasa, they burned the forests to destroy us and free the land to
fashion their agrarian society stamped with the hierarchy of caste.
They were the ones who remembered us as their enemies. Ekalavya was
one of our great archers, so skillful that the hero of the Aryans,
Arjun, could not stand before him. But they assaulted him, cutting his
thumb, destroying his ability to fight - and then fashioned a story in
which he accepted Drona as his Guru and agreed to surrender his thumb!
Ram was one of their heroes, given the task not only of destroying the
Dravidians but also of slaughtering the rakshasas in the forests.
Ashish Kothari
While the Indus civilisation was destroyed, its remnants absorbed into
and providing the foundation for the developing Indian civilisation,
our culture did not die. It is true that some of us were conquered and
turned into village-bound peasants, or, enticed by religious cunning
and the flourishing village society to become the Bahujans and Dalits
of that society, farmers, craftsmen, labourers. All of these sections
bear even today the marks of our democratic forms of government -
panchayats, collective traditions, clan solidarity. But in accepting
Brahmanism they accepted a tyranny of the mind, a poison of
superiority and inferiority, purity and pollution.
We who refused this, who were not conquered, who were not enticed, who
remained outside, who remained free - we are the Adivasis of today.
Not all of our cultures are the same. We speak different languages,
some Dravidian, some Mundari, some like those of the Nagas similar to
the languages of China and Tibet, some related to the languages of our
more caste-bound Indo-European speaking neighbors. Our religions are
also different. Some follow the sarna religion with traditions linked
to sacred grove, some know only the general sacredness of all nature
and its beings. However, whatever their variations, our religions are
of this world; we know nothing of karmakanda and moksha; our gods are
not divine beings of mystery beyond our ken, but people like
ourselves, our ancestors, even our friends.
Shyam Jagota
We fought the British colonisers when they came. Our heroes like Birsa
Munda, Khazya Naik, Tantya Bhil are remembered in our songs and
legends but forgotten in your textbooks. Why is this, you who are so
concerned about the history of national independence in your
textbooks? In many ways, though, the British conquered us more
thoroughly even than the earlier Aryans, taking away our autonomy as
they extended control over the forests, making us "encroachers" on
land that had been ours for ages. And they were the first to call us
"tribals," for thinking of us primitive was the only way they could
explain the difference between our equalitarian, community-oriented
cultures and the hierarchical lives of peasant caste societies. With
this, they romanticised us on the one hand, but also characterised us
as children and arrogated to themselves the authority to control our
lives and grab the wealth of the forests.
After Independence, with State control of the forests continuing, with
cultivators moving in to capture our lands, and companies moving in to
grab our timber, we became more "marginalised" than ever. Our
rebellions had forced the British to pass some laws to protect us -
but after Independence, those who held the land rights were called
"landlords" and the people who had been encroaching on our lands got
control over them as "tenants". The post-independent elites have
continued the policy of the British they claimed to fight, calling us
"tribals," treating us like conquered people, with few schools, no
industry, no development, and above all maintaining in their own hands
the control over our forest wealth.
Now as a result we have become landless labourers and poor farmers and
day labourers, and some, forced to migrate from lands we have known
for generations, the poorest of the refugees crowding the cities. You
call us "girijan" and "vanvasi" as if we only knew hills and forests.
We have the least education of all the Indian people and we are among
the poorest; it is only those Adivasi communities in the North east
who have States of their own who seem to have any prosperity, so not
surprisingly many of us fight for States like Jharkhand. Now you are
trying to weaken us with religious divisions, claiming some of us
"Hindus" and others "Christians," and inciting vicious attacks by your
thugs under the name of protecting Hinduism.
M. Anand
You constantly tell us to "join the mainstream" of independent India.
But what is this "mainstream" you speak of? Is it the mainstream of
cultures which force widows on to funeral pyres, of harassing young
brides for dowry, of mumbling chants and pujas in a language that not
even the priests really understand? Women in our societies may not
quite have full equal rights, and we should change that part of our
traditions that tries to keep them subordinate, that attacks them as
"witches" if they try to claim land rights. But they are still more
independent than women in the caste societies. Our young people chose
their own partners, and our weddings are more democratic - where one
Brahman or Christian priest controls the marriage ceremony among the
so-called great religions, in our traditions the whole community sits
together and announces its "agreement" to the marriage.
Finally, many of you romanticise us, and talk as if "development" is
something for others, as if we should be "tribals" forever and live in
a timeless world apart. We don't want to live apart, we want to be
part of a true mainstream of equality and liberty, one we will fight
for along with all others. We want schools, hospitals, education,
computers, but we don't want them as gifts, with you pretending to be
patrons. Give us back the lands and forests you have snatched away,
let us develop our own wealth, let us have the profits gained out of
sharing with the world our knowledge of medicines and herbs, and we
can have all the development we need, under our own control. We are
not against trade and exchange, but we want to be able to control the
terms and conditions on which we trade. We want a development that
will preserve the best parts of our culture, our sense of community
and collectivity, our equalitarian life, our freedom. We do not
believe that should be so difficult in the world today, but you seem
to be following a different path. And finally, why not drop such
senseless terms such as "Scheduled Tribe" and "anusuchit jamati" in
the Constitution also and call us by our proper name, "Adivasis"?
http://www.hinduonnet.com/folio/fo0007/00070100.htm
Rethinking tribals
G. N. Devy
The author is engaged in documentation of tribal literature and is
Secretary for Denotified and Nomadic Tribes Rights Action Group.
Ever since the Portuguese travel writers and missionaries decided to
describe the vast variety of ethnic and occupational groups and sects
of the Indian subcontinent in terms of "caste" and "tribe", the terms
have stuck to society as long-worn masks that start becoming one's
real personality. The result is that today no Indian describes society
without taking recourse to the categories "caste" and "tribe". In the
initial period of India's contact with western nations the two terms
were used as synonyms, the difference lay only in the social status of
the groups they described. The synonymy was finally shattered through
a legal intervention by the colonial rulers when an official list of
communities was prepared by them (in 1872) as the list of tribes. A
similar list was prepared in the previous year for communities that
were mistakenly thought of as 'criminal' and were covered by the
provisions of an inhuman "Criminal Tribes Act of India, 1871." Since
then the "tribes" are perceived as a distinct segment of Society.
K. Ramesh Babu
In fact, it is necessary to recognise that every community has certain
"caste" characteristics and certain other "tribal" characteristics,
the degree of which may differ from community to community.
History has indeed been extremely unkind to the tribal characteristics
of the people. The entire burden of the logic and the rhetoric of
modernisation has sought to "detribalise" the vast range of
communities. Besides, those communities that are now marked as
"tribal" have not been viewed with any degree of respect by the
alienated middle classes and intellectuals. None of the brave fights
of the tribals against the British has ever been treated as part of
the "national" struggle for freedom. From the Bihar uprising of 1778
to Lakshman Naik's revolt in Orissa in 1942, the tribals of India
repeatedly rebelled against the British in the North-East, Bengal,
Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh. In
many of the rebellions, the tribals could not be subdued by the
colonial might, but terminated the struggle only because the British
acceded to their immediate demands, as in the case of the Bhil revolt
of 1809 and the Naik revolt of 1838 in Gujarat.
The fact, however, is that there is so much in the tribal way of life
that the country needs to emulate. Tribals are not known for raping
their women, beating and abusing their children, exploiting nature
beyond satisfying the minimum human needs, lending money at interest,
burning widows, and above all things segregating and stratifying
labour in terms of caste.
A century and a half of deeply flawed education which has taught us to
ape the West in every respect, has also taught us to leave the tribals
out as the apes of the great Indian society. And, all that we have so
far doled out in the name of tribal policy is but an attempt at
extermination of tribal identity so that they remain without a voice
and make space for our progress, become our low-grade clones and
provide us with cheap labour. In the process, we have forgotten that
much that is valuable in society, culture and heritage is of tribal
origin, that in fact the tribal still has so much with him which we
stand to benefit by learning.
Aditya Dhawan
Rarely have we looked at the tribal communities as leaders, at least
in certain areas of life, who can reveal to us what civilisation truly
is all about. Hence at the turn of the century we must open this
question again and work towards formulating a comprehensive tribal
policy which will help both the nation and the tribal people. The four
principles that we must follow while conceiving such a policy ought to
be related to the recognition of the diversity of tribal communities,
their special educational needs, an utmost concern for their genetic
mutations, and the recognition of the peculiar character of tribal
polity.
It is necessary to recognise that all tribal communities are not
alike, that they are products of different historical and social
conditions and that they belong to four different language families
and several different racial stocks and animistic moulds. Some of them
belong to the primitive stock with a continuous cultural history,
others have been pushed out of the mainstream and have been "drop-
outs" of our main history, yet others are created by various legal and
economic interventions in society.
Therefore, no uniform policy is ever likely to benefit all tribal
communities throughout the country. Next, if the huge work-force has
to be given special skills which will improve their economic status,
the existing formalities for educational advancement will have to be
suspended, and a new kind of non-formal educational structure will
have to be evolved. Thus special tribal academies which combine the
merits of regular schools and the open universities will have to be
instituted.
A National Tribal Academy, to regulate the education network will have
to be created for this purpose. Similarly, those tribal communities
which have become victims of the mutated gene diseases, such as the
Korkus and the Bhils, will have to be provided with a special kind of
health monitoring system so that the country does not quietly write
off these as communities with defective genes. A close attention will
have to be paid by social medicine research to the incidence of sickle
cell disease.
Siddhartha Mitra
And finally, it is necessary to recognise that the tribal polity is
more closely regulated by the aesthetic pulse rather than ethical
drives, and, therefore the implementation of the tribal self-
governance provisions will have to go hand in hand with a special
programme for encouraging tribal arts, oral traditions and their
unique skill in craft. If we fail to recognise this difference which
is vital to the social organisation of tribal communities, and fail to
respect it, we will end up creating bands of forced nomads who will
multiply the urban chaos already overburdened with problems.
Ultimately, what is good for the tribals is also in the interest of
the national common good.
One would like to hope that the new millennium at last brings some
relief to the ninety million tribals and sixty million denotified and
nomadic tribals of our country.
However, the situation as it prevails now clearly indicates that these
are but pious thoughts. The entire lot of denotified tribals has been
left at the mercy of the crime-merchants. In their lifestyle, death in
police custody for men and getting sold several times over for women
is a routine experience. Neither the Central Government nor the states
has made any concrete plans for a long-term upliftment programme. And
whatever provisions do exist are not known to have ever reached the
target beneficiary. The situation is so alarming that in many states
the governments do not even have complete lists of the nomadic and
denotified groups.
The political leadership in tribal areahas been a victim of the party-
system. When the tribal representatives get elected, they quickly get
submerged in the main concerns of the party to which they belong; and
in these, there is at best a nominal place for the tribal issues. On
the other hand, when tribal masses express their dissent, it is
understood as an anti-state activity, resulting in an unnecessary
burden on the state- funds at one end and a blatant violation of human
rights at the other.
Dilip Sinha
Those tribals who have accepted facelessness as the only option for
survival and have migrated to cities have yet to find a place even in
the city slums. The slums too have their caste-structure; and tribals
do not fit into it easily. Their children remain without any education
and add to the already swollen ranks of child labourers.
Colonialism has left many undesirable legacies for us to negotiate.
But its impact on our self-perception has been among the most
disastrous of those legacies. The categories of "caste" and "tribe"
have coloured our vision of society so much that no time in the near
future will we be able to recognise the people we call tribals by any
other token but "tribal".
The new millennium policy therefore will have to be designed to create
a general respect for the term "tribal". Verrier Elwin had tried in
his time to create a sense of respect for tribals.
The policy of cautious intervention that he advocated unfortunately
turned, when put in practice under tokenism. Today, it is necessary to
think of a genuinely pro-active policy which is aimed at helping the
tribals by creating a favourable climate for the general tribalisation
of Indian communities. It is ultimately in the continuous segregation
of tribals with castes that will makes India a more humane culture. If
it happens, it will be a major battle won in favour of human dignity.
http://www.hinduonnet.com/folio/fo0007/00070060.htm
Through Adivasi eyes
Mari and Stan Thekaekara
Reams have been written about adivasis by so-called experts. Much of
it is subjective interpretation, an exercise I have always been wary
of indulging in. For this issue, therefore, my husband Stan and I
recorded reflections of different adivasis on how they view life,
their religion, politics, the past, the present and the world around
them. This then is what the adivasis themselves had to say.
Shyam Jagota
Govinda, a Mullakurumba elder from Onimoola hamlet, Erumadu village
began! "Thirty years ago we had hundreds of cattle. There was enough
manure to cultivate as much as we needed. Only after all the land has
gone do we understand the value of it. We used to hunt every week. We
were good archers. Now we sit at home even for Uchchar, our biggest
hunting festival. We used to make a kutty bow even for the tiniest
baby in the village. He had to hold this for Uchchar. When we had land
life was better. Now everyone has more money because they work as
labourers. But that cannot last you till you die. It's only for the
able-bodied, only as long as you can go for work."
On agriculture: "Our people prefer cowdung. You can see the places
where they have used "English vallam" (chemical fertiliser)." He spat
in disgust. "The soil is totally ruined. We never use "English
vallam". Our people can taste the difference in the rice grown with
"chanagam" (cowdung) and the other rice. We feel eating rice grown
with "English vallam" brings illnesses. For us whatever we get from
the land is enough. Our people were never greedy. We could have
claimed the entire hillside where we live. We didn't. Now we're hemmed
in by outsiders."
Chathi, a Paniya tribal leader from Kayunni grinned, "We say whatever
we get is enough. But our non-tribal neighbours say whatever they get
is not enough." Chathi who 10 years ago had never been out of his
Nilgiris district has been to Germany and back. Not for him an NRI
existence though!
Stan Thekaekara
"Life in Germany is good for the Germans," he announced wisely. "But
for me, my village is enough. Germany was nice, but it is like a
dream. When you wake up after a dream you remember the nice parts but
you do not expect to get all that you saw in the dream. What use is
money? I know people who have gone to Dubai and come back rich. But a
man must live among his people, his community, his gods. If I cannot
see these hills, these paddy fields, hear our adivasi children laugh,
hear our music and dance for our festivals, I would pine, grow sick
and die."
Shanthi, a Paniya school teacher was also invited to Germany. "My
father and the old people used to talk about the importance of
preserving our culture etc. But for me these were only words. When we
went to Germany thousands of people were willing to listen to our
stories, our music, to come and watch our dancing. I realised the
importance of sharing which we take for granted in our adivasi
society. People there who had lost their sense of community and
sharing envied us. Only then I realised how all this could slip away
if we don't hold on to it. Leaving home made us value our simple life
much more."
Ammani, a Paniya woman leader is typical of her tribe. Strong and
forthright, she told us a story of how she solved a family problem.
"My husband is very supportive and a good man. But he got into
drinking. It is something I wouldn't tolerate. We had decided in the
Sangam to fight alcohol. I warned him a couple of times. One Saturday
night, he turned up drunk again. I locked the door and told him 'you
can stay out all night, you won't enter this house drunk again'. It
was a hard decision because it was the monsoon. He begged me, 'I'll
get ill, how can you be so heartless?' But I steeled myself and let
him be. That was the last time he came home drunk."
Stan Thekaekara
Kapalla Chinnu's son Krishnan is a young Mullukurumba from Erumadu
village. He is a curious mixture. Worldly-wise yet appreciative of the
old ways. Everyone was discussing the budget. KCK was disgusted, "What
kind of government will hike the price of rice and kerosene and cut
the price of cell phones? And I thought the BJP would be better."
"You've seen the old and new ways. What do you think of the changes in
everyone's lifestyle?" We asked him.
"The sense of community is disintegrating," he began. 'Take a wedding.
Previously it was the entire community's responsibility. Everyone
helped. Everyone contributed. For my wedding I had to go away to
Gudalur for a day. The bunches of bananas had to be buried to ripen.
I'd forgotten. But someone else did it for me. I didn't even have to
ask. Everyone thinks for you. But when couples go off on their own,
they have to do everything themselves."
"There are new differences emerging. Earlier every family in the
village was more or less the same. Now if I decide to bring my child
up traditionally, I know in my mind that its the best decision. But my
neighbour sends his child for computer classes. What chance has my
child got with farming and hunting in today's world? When he grows up
won't he curse me for not educating him like the others?"
Stan Thekaekara
He laughed. "In the old days if a woman had ten children, everyone
looked at her with awe and said 'That's some strong woman, she's borne
ten children.' Our children were our wealth. Now they would look with
pity and say, 'Devamme (My god)! ten children! Poor thing she must be
some stupid ignorant woman.' Earlier, our children, the stock of
paddy, our cattle were the signs of wealth. Now it is only money."
Chathi moved to rituals. "When someone dies we question the gods. For
us gods and people are equal." KCK added, "We don't worship our gods.
That is the difference. We ask their advice, their help. But we scream
and curse them when someone is ill or dies."
Kali and Badchi, two Bettakurumba women added to this. "It is our good
fortune," Badchi explained "that our gods live with us in our villages
and among our people. So we don't have to go to find them in any
mosque, temple or church. Religion, the fuss about conversion, being
Hindu, Muslim or Christian is difficult to understand. For us the gods
are important not the religion."
Radhakrishnan, a Paniya leader from Devala was shocked when he visited
an old people's home in Germany. "At first we thought it was a
hospital. They told us 'no, they live there'. 'Why?' we asked. 'Do
they not have children?' 'Yes, but their children cannot take care of
them'. We could not believe it. This kind of progressive, wealthy
society we could not comprehend. We decided no matter how wealthy or
advanced we become, we must never let such a thing happen to our old
people, to our adivasi society."
And that, for me, said it all. Any further comment would be
superfluous.
http://www.hinduonnet.com/folio/fo0007/00070480.htm
Curators of biodiversity
Dr. K. K. Chakravarthy
The author is Director, Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya
(National Museum of Mankind), Bhopal (MP).
The tribals of India have been seen by some developmental planners as
agents for the destruction of biodiversity though they are its
curators and victims of its destruction due to thoughtless
developmental interventions. Two hundred years ago, before the
establishment of British colonial rule, most of the Indians could
claim to be tribals, living in a state of harmony with organic and
inorganic communities in nature. The British created the issue of a
separate tribal identity by inventing categories like tribal and non
tribal, criminal and non criminal tribes, included or excluded
territories, to isolate rural Indian communities from one another. The
British opened up rural India to western technology - railways, roads,
banks, courts, forest contractors, liquor, flesh and poppy traders,
land grabbers, comprador and bureaucratic capital. With this began the
degradation of the biocultural habitats of rural Indian communities
and the erosion of their coevolutionary dependence on the country's
ecosystems.
Kamal Sahai
Because of their thin physical presence, the British had confined
themselves to indirect rule in India and their penetration in the
rural hinterland was thin. After their departure in 1947, the
destruction of biodiversity was accelerated by an interventionist
policy of development. Universal democratic mechanisms superseded
ecospecific community systems of subsistence, resource management and
self governance.
Internal colonial elites aligned themselves with external colonial
elites, to carry homogenising developmental processes, geared to mega-
irrigation, power, forestry, building and mining projects, into the
farthest hills and forests. Rural or tribal India continued to be a
stage affixed to urban India, and was subjected to the self assumed,
redemptive, civilising mission of the latter. The colonial
jurisprudential concepts of res nullius and terra nullius assigned
land and forest, that had not been assigned by the sovereign, and were
not under visible occupation, to the sovereign. These concepts have
been allowed, even after Independence, to supersede the precolonial
Indian jurisprudential approach, akin to lex loci rie sitae, whereby
law derives legitimacy from the relationship, traditionally
established by the people, with their land and forest.
In this manner, the biocultural democracy of Indian communities,
sustained by principles of symbiosis, reciprocity, diversity and
sustainability, are being eroded in the name of political and economic
democracy. Fragile and biorich ecosystems, like coast lines,
savannahs, mountains and rain forests, managed by tribal communities,
have been invaded by biocultural pirates. Whether it is in the primary
sectors of agriculture, industry or mining, secondary sectors of
drugs, chemicals and foods, or, in the tertiary sectors of education,
culture, and social services, social and ecological categories have
been steadily reduced to economic and industrial categories.
The tribal has been stereotyped as a consumer rather than as a
producer, since, as per colonising discourse, the tribal only
reproduces with nature, and the real production takes place in
organised factory or laboratory conditions. The role of the forest as
the source of physical and psychological sustenance for biocultural
diversity has been ignored for treating forest as a timber mine, for
monocultural commercial plantations, as empty land for development, as
carbon sink or ecological park. The consumptive tribal uses of
forestry for shelter, food, fodder, medicine, mulch, fire wood, has
been dissociated in planning from their non consumptive uses of
forestry, including photo synthesis, climate regulation, soil and
water conservation. The sui generis community intellectual property
right regimes of tribal stake holders and stewards of biodiversity are
being integrated into the western individualistic IPR regimes, without
their prior informed consent, consultation or compensation. The onus
of proof for establishing the novelty, uniqueness, stability,
uniformity or biosafety of tribal knowledge systems is being put on
the tribal community by individuals regarding, court, lawyer and money
mediated laws and institutions. As a consequence, there is a beginning
in the unprotected flow of knowledge from gene-rich India to the
capital-rich West, and a protected flow in the reverse direction.
The result, despite positive political, institutional and financial
commitment to tribal development, has been large scale displacement
and biological decline of tribal communities, a growing loss of
genetic and cultural diversity, and rising trends of shrinking
forests, thinning soils, sinking aquifers, crumbling fisheries,
surging temperatures, increasing unemployment, hunger and conflict.
The solutions are implicit in these problems. The developmental
planners have to stop acting as teleological agents of history and
refrain from appropriating biocultural diversity curated by tribals,
by treating them as passive objects of history. The affirmative
discrimination in favour of homogeneous developmental interventions
for the tribals has to be reoriented to replenish the variety of life
sustaining technologies, adapted by tribals in response to specific
agro climatic situations. The validity of slow track "tribal" science
has to be recognised over fast track "modern" science. High yielding,
fast growing, mass producible, monocultural, hybrid species adapted in
the green revolution in agriculture, white revolution in dairying,
blue revolution in fisheries, have to give way to the slow growing
poly cultural, natural species, grown, gathered or managed by tribals.
Support has to be extended to the variety of tribal water management
strategies of drip, terrace, diversion and least interference.
Different tribal architectural technologies, adapted to thermally
efficient local material, have to replace uniform use of steel,
concrete and glass. The diversified trophic base of tribals of
nutrient giving food and medicine, should be prized over a homogenised
trophic pattern, dependent on a few animal and plant families and a
limited fruit and cereal basket. The multiple forest use and
conservation approaches, adapted by tribals through niche
specialisation, seasonal restriction, restriction by life history
stages, sacred groves, should replace exploitative silvicultural
approaches.
The holistic, neurophysical, psychosocial folklore medicinal knowledge
of tribals should be processed into a digital bioinformatics data base
in global knowledge network for IPR protection. The developmental
process has to be enriched with inputs from the life enhancing
knowledge which has been codified, classified and communicated
transgenerationally through tribal oral traditions. The layering of
the languages of tribal cultures should be unravelled by linguists and
glottochronologists, to recover the blend of beauty and utility, form
and function, equity and efficiency in tribal biodiversity
conservation approaches.
Just as 95 per cent of the DNA has been dismissed as junk, valuable
crops and herbs as weeds and scrub because of ignorance about their
functions, so tribal knowledge about biodiversity protection has been
ignored as irrelevant. To the tribal, nature is homologous to the
maternal womb. It is a source of his affinity and consanguinity. Its
denizens, animate or inanimate, are his siblings, lovers and friends.
The hum of the forest, the wind, the dance of the fire fly, the stalk
of the crane, the prowl of the tiger are part of tribal dance and
music. Every pebble, river, mountain is instinct for them with life,
vibration and purpose.
Tribals officially constitute about 7.5 per cent of the country's
population. But, they have preserved 90 per cent of the country's
biocultural diversity. They have protected the polyvalent,
precolonial, biodiversity friendly Indian identity from biocultural
pathogens. The question of tribal survival is also a question of the
survival of this identity.
http://www.hinduonnet.com/folio/fo0007/00070280.htm
Treading lightly on earth
Ashish Kothari
The author is founder of Kalpavriksha, Pune.
It is a sign of our times that the one group of people who have hardly
participated in the global parleys on "sustainable development," are
the ones who probably live most sustainably. Adivasis in India,
natives in the Americas, aborigines in Australia... variously termed,
but all characterised by a lifestyle far more in tune with nature than
any of us who call ourselves environmentalists or eco-
developmentalists.
Amit Khullar
I do not pretend to know even a tiny fraction of the lifestyle of
India's adivasis, but can cite others who do. Adivasis consider
themselves a part of nature, not outside of it, and examples of this
abound. The widespread phenomenon of sacred spaces and species is well-
known: entire valleys in Sikkim, forest groves ranging from a few
trees to a few hundred hectares at thousands of sites across India,
totemic animal and plant species that are not exploited.
Anthropologist Savyasaachi details the universe of the Koitors of
Abujhmarh Bastar, in which a complex set of rituals combines rights to
use land and forests with the collective responsibility to protect
nature. Forests cannot be owned, as they are a creation of nature.
Even in shifting cultivation, universally condemned by the "modern"
agricultural scientist and the forester, there are rules on how to
treat the forest so that its regenerating capacity is not
extinguished.
Vasumati Sankaran tells us of the fishing methods of the Korkus of
Maharashtra. From temporary bunds across streams to the use of plant-
based poisons, these methods are sustainable and cause no irreversible
harm to aquatic biodiversity. My friend Madhu Ramnath, once a student
and scholar like many of us but with the guts to give up urban life
and take up long-term residence with adivasis in central India, gives
other examples. Forest-dwellers here tell of the changes in season, of
the oncoming rains, by close observation of the behaviour of flowering
plants, ants, and mushrooms. Deviations in the seasons are predicted
through deviations in this behaviour . . . with probably as much
accuracy as our sophisticated meteorological devices!
Are their footsteps still light?
Respect and even awe of the adivasi lifestyle cannot blind one to some
of the problems inherent in such ways of living, and the changes that
have taken place in them. Social, political, sexual, and many other
forms of exploitation have existed traditionally, and continue to
exist, in adivasi society. But the much more serious problem is the
way in which adivasi cultures and livelihoods have been transformed
over the last few decades.
Two simple stories tell it all. Madhu Ramnath recounts the changes
that came into the resource use patterns of adivasis in central India.
Traditionally, these people used to fish in a stream by making a
temporary barrage of sticks and stones, and using plant based poisons
to stun the fish. The barrage would be dismantled at the end of the
session. Then came the Kanger Ghati National Park of Madhya Pradesh,
with the objective of conserving the area's dwindling wildlife.
Fishing was banned. But the adivasis still needed fish for survival,
so they started sneaking in, swiftly killing fish with DDT, and
rushing out. The same people had a tradition, that the wild mango
trees in the forest would not be harvested till the birds had had
their first feed. This ensured that seeds were spread out through fall
of fruits or by animals, and hence the trees regenerated.
"Development," meanwhile, brought in a mango pickling plant in an
urban area nearby. With a great demand for raw mangoes, the villagers
began to pick the fruit even before it had ripened, thus hastening the
decline of wild mango in the area.
Ashish Kothari
Such stories can be told from virtually every part of tribal India.
Excessive and indiscriminate demand of the urban market has reduced
adivasis to raw material collectors and providers. It is a cruel joke
that people who can produce some of India's most exquisite
handicrafts, who can distinguish hundreds of species of plants and
animals, who can survive off the forest and the streams with no need
to go the market to buy food, are labeled as "unskilled" by our
economy! And it is supremely ironical that areas with the highest
deforestation rates in India include the predominantly tribal parts of
north-east India, where, till the Supreme Court recently put a halt,
timber logging was being carried out by the same communities that
earlier nurtured these forests. The reasons? The insatiable demand for
paper, plywood, furniture, housing, from the rest of India.
Centralised politics and governance have done as much damage as the
external market. Though Independent India's leaders appeared to give
special attention to the needs of adivasis, actual governmental
programmes have only served to destabilise the self-governance systems
in tribal areas. Universal franchise is fine as a principle of
democracy, but when it divides a hitherto well-united community
between two or more political parties, and when this causes the
breakdown of carefully evolved systems of common property governance,
we must question it. We must also cast a doubtful eye on centralised
resource management systems that are sometimes counterproductive. The
example of the Kanger Ghati National Park is symptomatic. Wildlife
conservation is a laudable aim, and protected areas are a powerful
tool for achieving this, but such steps can boomerang when they ignore
local human realities and sensibilities.
And so, in many parts of India, no longer are adivasis living "in
harmony with nature." But we who influence public policies and
programmes, for whom the markets and the State runs, must look within
ourselves for the reasons for this change. Fortunately, adivasis
themselves are forcing such a rethink among us.
Revitalisation and Resistance
G.B.Mukherji/Wilderfile
A quiet revolution is spreading through local communities. Alarmed at
the dwindling natural resource base around them, tired of waiting for
governments to deliver on promises, and concerned about the increasing
rootlessness of their own youth, adivasis and other communities have
begun reviving aspects of their culture and traditions that enabled
wise management of resources, and resisting external and internal
pressures of destruction.
At Mendha (Lekha), Gadchiroli district, Maharashtra, a tiny village of
300 Gonds have stayed off a paper mill that was destroying their
forests, and halted (in association with thousands of other adivasis
of the area) two huge dams that would have submerged their lands. They
now protect and manage 1800 hectares of forests, including relatively,
sustainable extraction of bamboo and other products. They have
initiated livelihood programmes, built irrigation tanks and biogas
plants. But much more remarkable is the political, social, and
intellectual empowerment they have achieved. Through a unique
institution called abhyas gat (study circle), comprising villagers and
guest experts, they have striven to obtain greater understanding of
ecological, political, and policy issues. With the aid of local NGOs,
the villagers are now armed with a high degree of knowledge about the
policies and rules that impinge on their lives. And the gram sabha is
so powerful, that no government agency can now work in this village
without its permission. Such a movement of adivasi self-rule is
spreading in many parts of India, though not always with the same
successful results as seen in Mendha (Lekha).
Tribals and non-tribals have teamed up in several hundred villages of
Alwar district, Rajasthan, to regreen the land. With several hundred
small johads (checkdams) placed at sites chosen with local knowledge,
an area that was chronically drought-prone just 15 years back has
become water-surplus. Seasonal streams have become perennial,
catchment forests are reviving and being protected. Several villages
of the Arvari river basin have even formed a Arvari Sansad
(Parliament), for decisions regarding land, water, forest, and
agricultural use, and for dispute resolution.
Shashi Shetye
All these examples, customary or community-based rules of resource use
have been drawn up, some of them new. Residents are fined or
ostracised for violations. Major decisions are taken by the adults of
the village, not by a supposedly representative panchayat. Women are
encouraged to participate, though in many areas this is as yet far
from satisfactory.
Equally critical are the paths of resistance that many adivasi areas
are displaying. Koel Karo, Bodh Ghat, Inchampalli, Bhopalpatnam,
Rathong Chu . . . big dams that were proposed by our development
planners and would have destroyed adivasi homelands and forests, have
all been halted by mass movements. As part of the larger fishworkers'
movement, adivasis on our coasts are fighting off ecologically
destructive and economically inequitous commercial trawling and
aquaculture. At the Nagarahole National park, adivasi groups fought on
the ground and in the courts, to halt a luxury hotel project.
All the above examples do not yet amount to a comprehensive response
to the threat faced by adivasi cultures and the biological diversity
they live within. The overall slide continues. Mass hunting
(unsustainable and cruel in today's context), increasing consumerism,
and corruption among the tribal elite, remain burning. But these
examples of revival and resistance are signs of hope, indicators of a
growing trend. If the rest of India wants to, it can learn from them.
It can attempt to understand the dynamic nature of adivasi lifestyles
and traditions, to use sustainable practices as a mirror to showcase
our own rampantly destructive consumerism. It can respectfully give
much greater decision-making and planning powers to adivasi
communities, including in conservation programmes. In so doing, it can
jointly forge a way to once again live lightly off the earth. If, on
the other hand, adivasi India sinks with the sheer weight of our ill-
conceived development models and ideas of "progress," we too will sink
with it.
http://www.hinduonnet.com/folio/fo0007/00070300.htm
A symbiotic bond
Mari and Stan Thekaekara
The writers are with ACCORD, an NGO in the Nilgiris working for tribal
development.
"What do you see as the difference between your people (the adivasis)
and the others?" I asked Badichi, a Bettakurumba adivasi woman. We
were discussing religion and Badichi lived in a forest village called
Chembakolly in the Gudalur Valley of Nilgiris district. Her reply was
confident and direct. It left me absolutely speechless. "It is our
good fortune," Badichi explained, "that our gods live with us in our
villages all the time. We don't have to go to any church, mosque or
temple to find them, pray to them or offer puja. They are a part of
our lives."
K. Ramesh Babu
Adivasis or indigenous or aboriginal people the world over, have never
given a name to their religion. We knew all about the Bettakurumba
seances and calling of the spirits. But anthropology had programmed
us, putting everything into neat little boxes unimaginatively labelled
"animism" and "ancestor worship". Adivasis do not "worship" their
ancestors, although this is a long held anthropological fallacy. But
they revere the spirits of their ancestors and integrate them into
their society. These spirits return after death to guide and protect
the tribe.
Death in adivasi society is not seen as the end of life - it is an
integral part of life. The adivasis talk about the spirits of their
dead using the present tense enhancing the perception that the dead
are very much part of society still. When anyone dies their spirit is
gathered to the fold of the ancestors to remain forever with their
people.
This is a universal truth for all aboriginal and indigenous people
from Australia to Africa to North and South America. It is embodied in
the immortal words of Chief Seattle's speech in 1854 when the American
Indians surrendered their ancestral land to the white conquerors. "The
white man's dead forget the country of their birth when they go to
walk among the stars. Our dead never forget the earth for it is the
mother of the red man. We are part of the earth and it is part of us."
The ashes of our fathers are sacred. Their graves are holy ground and
these hills, these trees, this portion of the earth is consecrated to
us." "You must teach your children that the ground beneath their feet
is the ashes of our grandfathers. So that they will respect the land,
tell your children that the earth is rich with the lives of our kin'.
The same sentiments were echoed by the Kattunaicken, Paniyas and
Mullukurumbas we spoke to. Each tribe had different names for their
gods but they were kinship names like Mutthachan (grandfather) and
Ajji (grandmother). Their relationship with their gods was an equal
one. The Mullakurumbas who have much in common with the Keralite Nair
traditions often have Hindu gods and goddesses in their homes but
their everyday rituals remain linked to the ancestors. All the tribes
celebrate Sivaratri.
Mahasweta Devi points out that adivasis predated Hinduism and
Aryanism. She argues that Siva was not an Aryan god and that in the
8th century, the tribal forest goddess or harvest goddess was absorbed
and adapted as Siva's wife.
"Goddess Kali definitely had a tribal origin, the goddess of hunters"
asserts Mahasweta Devi. Kali and Mari are common adivasi names.
Religion and culture are inextricably linked to each other. Most
discussions on adivasi culture tend to dwell mostly on customs,
traditions, dress, dance, music and exotic rituals. However what has
struck us most forcibly after over a decade among adivasis, was the
fact that adivasi values are the most beautiful and least discussed
aspect of their lives. Their values are what make their lifestyle the
only truly sustainable one in the world. Anyone, anthropologist,
activist or humanist, who lives closely among these people comes away
convinced of the beauty and value of adivasi culture.
The whole of adivasi society is built on a rock solid foundation of
equality. It is based on an unconditional acceptance of all life forms
including trees, water, the earth. This acceptance is based on a
recognition of all things being mutually dependent on each other. What
is often referred to as their symbiotic relationship with nature.
Since this acceptance is total and unconditional, it automatically
means that the other person or element in a relationship is treated
with respect. Equality therefore in adivasi society is not some
distant dream or goal to be attained - it is an integral part of how
their society is structured. It is the natural outcome of treating
everything with respect.
People are given respect and status according to their contribution to
society but only when they are performing that particular function.
Hence a priest or hunter is treated with respect when he is calling
the gods or leading the hunt. After the event, he is equal to anyone
else in the village unlike in our society where priests, politicians
or officials are supposed to be treated with deference all the time.
Much of this attitude stems from the fact that it was a non-
acquisitive society. This non-acquisitiveness is the very core of
their culture and it impacts on everything - their relationship with
nature, their social environment and even on their economy. Hunter
gatherers collected what they needed, enough for the day. Then they
relaxed till the supply of food - tubers, fruit, fish or meat was
finished, before going out foraging again. People never had any need
to prove their wealth or status by accumulating possessions.
The way these values are integrated into everyday life is what
astounds people who live among them. We have seen children digging up
a tuber from the forest and then cutting out the eyes delicately and
replanting them with great care. They take from the earth just what
they need. But they nurture it because they respect it. Most of the
adivasis had utmost contempt for chemical fertiliser and pesticides,
what they termed "English manure". We get enough from the earth. And
the rice we get using chanagam, (cowdung) is tastier and good for
health. The other, chemicals, gives plenty but it leaves the soil
ruined. You must not treat the soil, the earth like that, "farmer
after farmer told us."
Yet, this attitude is constantly denigrated. They are written off as
lazy because they do not work from dawn to dusk in order to accumulate
gold, dowries, big houses or bank balances.
For most of us, sharing is linked to our concept of ownership. Where
does the issue of sharing arise if everyone owns everything equally?
"Sharing" in this case does not arise from the generosity of the giver
but is the inherent right of the receiver. This is part of the
philosophy of indigenous people. When the Mullakurumbas go hunting a
share is given to every family in the village, even those who were
absent, sick or could not participate. An extra portion is added for
any guest in the village and even non tribal passersby will be offered
a share. Not sharing is something they find difficult to comprehend.
"Over on Maanjeri hill you will find the turmeric, in the Padhari
river there are mussels. And if you will share with me your tobacco,
my friend, together we can go there".
This Paniya song captures the tribal attitude to knowledge and
education. Knowledge, like the land and the air and water is common
property - everyone must share it. Some Paniya would have discovered
turmeric on the Maanjeri hill and mussels in the Padhari river and
what does he or she do with this knowledge? No intellectual property
rights, or discovery patents here. On the contrary a song is composed
and sung - what better way of making it public. Not only is it made
public, it is also offered free - all that is asked in return is
companionship.
This attitude to knowledge has been constantly exploited by
researchers and scientists who claim "discovery" of some new flora or
fauna when in fact it was shown to them by adivasis who had used it
for centuries. It is the Columbus "Discovery of America" syndrome.
The main threat to adivasi culture and religious beliefs comes from
the fact that it does not exclude others. The very nature of this
philosophy has left them wide open to exploitation, both material and
spiritual.
The most difficult threat to deal with however, comes from the
onslaught of modern consumerist culture, cinema, popular music,
fashion, TV all of which combine to tell the young adivasi that in
order to be smart and fashionable they should modernise their dress,
language, manners and customs. Indeed this is an onslaught that all of
traditional Indian culture is facing. And the change in society is
visible.
Romanticising adivasi culture makes little sense. Somewhere, we need
to have a blend. An understanding that technology can be used to
create not merely a more comfortable world but a compassionate kind,
just, truly human one. A society that is driven not by the "market"
but by a vision for an equitable, decent world for all human beings.
We need the adivasi voice to resound, to be heard above the clamour of
the global marketplace.
http://www.hinduonnet.com/folio/fo0007/00070340.htm
Vicious cycle
Dilip D'Souza
The author was given a Fellowship by the National Foundation for India
to write about denotified tribes.
In 1871, the British passed the Criminal Tribes Act. It notified about
150 tribes ("communities" is probably a more correct word, but I will
stick to the more-used "tribes" in this article) around the country as
"criminal". It gave the police wide powers to deal with members of
such tribes, including restricting their movements and requiring them
to report at police stations regularly.
Tribal hunter's necklace, North East.
Picture courtesy the Crafts Museum, Delhi.
Independent India repealed this Act in 1952, thus "denotifying" these
tribes. That is why they are now called denotified tribes (DNTs).
Except that term is rarely used. Half a century later, they are still
nearly always referred to as criminal. While studying DNTs on a recent
fellowship, I heard industrialists, journalists, farmers and policemen
call them that. For there is a view that just will not die: DNTs are
congenital criminals.
And it is this view, more than anything else, that defines the way
DNTs live today.
A typical example is a report in The Telegraph (Calcutta) of July 31,
1998:
"Madhya Pradesh: Chief Minister Digvijay Singh has expressed concern
over a series of recent robberies in MP by Pardhi tribals, identified
as having criminal antecedents. These tribes (sic), listed as criminal
ethnic groups, have defied the efforts of the Government to
rehabilitate them. The CM said state projects to provide these people
with education did not have any impact on their criminal instincts."
"Criminal antecedents," criminal ethnic groups," "criminal instincts,"
this is the kind of language that is still routinely used to describe
DNTs. Now some of them do indeed commit crimes, and serious ones too.
Still, hardly all of them, and hardly on a scale that would justify
such a blanket prejudice.
If society and Governments look at "these people" this way, the police
is no exception. This means that DNTs are invariably the first
suspects in area crimes. What happens to them when rounded up is no
surprise: they are usually, and brutally, beaten. Sometimes they die.
In 1998, activists filed writ petitions about two such custody deaths:
one in the Bombay High Court and one in the Calcutta High Court. They
also informed the National Human Rights Commission about the two
deaths. In a little-known victory for justice, both efforts resulted
in compensation being awarded to the families. One came through a
direction from the NHRC, the other via a judgement in the Calcutta
High Court. While the compensation is welcome and may act as a
deterrent, the really revealing thing about these cases is what they
say about attitudes towards DNTs.
Examining police affidavits, I was astonished at how carelessly
drafted, almost deliberately filled with lame mistakes, they were. It
is as if these officers were arrogantly certain nothing could touch
them - even though they had hammered a DNT to death. It is as if they
considered laughable the mere thought of being accountable for a mere
DNT's murder.
Take the case of Budhan, a 30-year-old member of the denotified Kheria
Sabaras in Purulia Distirct, West Bengal. Taken into custody on
February 10, 1998, Budhan died in the Purulia Town police station on
February 17. The police claimed he committed suicide. In response to a
writ petition about his death (No. 3715 of 1998, Paschim Banga Kheria
Saber Kalyan Samiti vs State of West Bengal and Others, filed on
February 23, 1998), Purulia police officers filed several affidavits
in Court.
Consider these extracts.
On page three of his affidavit, Biplab Dasgupta, Purulia's Jail
Superintendent, says that as soon as he reached home that February 17
evening, he got a call about Budhan's death. "(I) rushed back," he
goes on, "and at about 6.25 p.m. I entered the jail . . . (and) found
the said Budhan Sabar lying on the floor (dead)." However, on page 10
of the very same affidavit, Dasgupta says
"I saw the body at 6.18 p.m. on 17-2-98."
One affidavit, one supposed event, two different times. A simple
mistake?
In paragraph three of his affidavit, Syed Liakat Hossein, the Sub-
Divisional Officer in Purulia, says: "I proceeded on February 17, 1998
to District Jail, Purulia, at 7-30 p.m. to inquire into the alleged
suicidal death of . . . Budhan Sabar." In paragraph 4 - the very next
one - Hossein says: "I entered into the District Jail . . . at 7.15
p.m. on February 17, 1998." And as if that 15 minute difference in
consecutive paragraphs were not enough, Hossein's Annexure "A" says:
"I proceeded to the District Jail, Purulia at 8.30 p.m. on 17-2-98 to
enquire (sic) into the alleged suicidal death of . . . Budhan Sabar."
One affidavit, one supposed event, three different times.
The jailer, Kumaresh Roy, began his statement thus: "While I was
working in the office on the evening of 14-2-98 . . . (I was informed)
that (Budhan) committed suicide in cell."
Apparently Kumaresh Roy could not be bothered to get even the date
right.
Ashoke Roy of the Barabazar Police Station was the officer who
arrested Budhan. In paragraph four of his affidavit, Roy says he
picked up Budhan for interrogation "in connection with Barabazar
Police Station Case no. 37/97 dated 15-9-97." (This was a bus robbery
Roy claims Budhan was a suspect in). In paragraph 10, Roy says:
"(Budhan) disclosed startling facts in connection with . . . Case no.
37/97 dated 5-9-97."
One affidavit, two different dates for Case No. 37 of 1997.
One or two such discrepancies might be put down to typos. But this
entire series speaks of an attempt to cover up: an attempt so shabby
that we must conclude that these officers were confident their
affidavits would not even be read. But they were. "(They were) several
other contradictions and inconsistencies in the affidavits," observed
Justice Ruma Pal in her judgment (July 6, 1998) in the case. "(T)here
is no credible evidence of the alleged suicide of Budhan."
Justice Pal ordered a CBI investigation into Budhan's death,
departmental proceedings against the police officers involved and
Ashoke Roy's transfer out of the district. She also awarded Rs.
2,00,000 compensation to Budhan's widow Shyamoli.
Good news, and yet this is just one case. The attitudes in those
affidavits are what DNTs all over the country face every day, right
now. Potential harrassment is a constant preoccupation. The chances of
being reasonably treated if arrested are minimal. Rights and justice
are utterly unknown concepts.
All this, because of the easy belief that DNTs are criminal.
The result is the profoundly insecure lives DNTs live. Their huts are
regularly demolished by expanding municipalities; they must live
outside village limits; villagers do not like DNT children in schools;
one or the other member of their little communities is constantly in
jail and cases drag on in court; and periodically one or the other
member is beaten to death.
Any wonder, then, that many DNTs are still largely nomadic? And their
wandering lifestyles fuel still more suspicion. That vicious circle
has a lot to do with the state's continuing willingness to view DNTs
as criminal, to treat them that way.
To kill them that way.
http://www.hinduonnet.com/folio/fo0007/00070360.htm
A better quality of life?
Dr. Roopa Devadasan and Dr. N. Devadasan
The World Health Organisation defines health as a complete state of
physical, mental, social, and spiritual well being and not merely an
absence of disease. The common man, the world over understands this
better than many health professionals, and no one is better placed
than the adivasis to actualise this state of well being; for as
communities they have not lost a holistic vision of life.
M. Anand
Unfortunately, in society, the polarisation between the rich and poor
is increasing. Adivasis in India are struggling to make both ends
meet. Displaced from their natural forest habitats, their economic,
social and psychological poverty is steadily increasing. It is in this
context that we must look at tribal health.
Tribals in different parts of India, and even within the same
geographic regions are at different stages in this transition. At one
end of the spectrum are those "untouched by civilisation". These
groups still inhabit the forests that are closely linked to every
aspect of their lives. It must be stressed that these people generally
enjoy a healthy lifestyle. Their daily routines with periods of work
and rest are linked strongly to seasonal cycles. They often have a
balanced diet accessed through agriculture, hunting and food
gathering. Here people's concept of health is more functional than
biomedical, in that a person is considered healthy unless she/he feels
incapable of doing normal work assigned to that age/ sex in that
culture. The cause of illness is also attributed to specific acts of
commission or omission, "spirits", or in some cases physical factors
in the environment. Healing can take place through a herbal
preparation or an act of atonement, all advised by a shamanic medium.
This scenario is steadily changing, and will rapidly be a thing of the
past.
At the other end of the spectrum is the adivasis displaced completely
from the forest, whose modern lifestyle mirrors many of the problems
of our age. As opportunities in mainstream society are limited, these
people suffer all the ills of the very poor. In addition, they suffer
social discrimination as the outside world has a stereotyped image of
the "uneducated junglee". Through interaction with other groups in
society, they may follow a more clinical/ biomedical model of health
and disease and accept other systems of medicine - allopathy, ayurveda
and siddha. However, as there is a difference in the very expression
of the symptom complex, understanding of the causation of illness and
even the language used for communication, there can be huge gaps in
the process of healing.
The vast majority of tribal people lie somewhere in between these
poles.
The list of illnesses that they suffer from is similar to their non-
tribal counterparts. They suffer from communicable disease and non-
communicable, lifestyle induced disorders, the proportions varying,
depending on which pole they are closer to. A minority suffers from a
few genetically determined disorders like sickle cell anaemia,
thalassemia and G-6-PD deficiency. The difference lies in the extent
of suffering that the tribal undergoes, which is further accentuated
by an unsympathetic health service. The derogatory behaviour of the
staff undermines their confidence and self-esteem and builds on their
existing fear. This is turn results in a tremendous reluctance to
approach the health services. A classic example of this is the high
maternal mortality among their women.
Our own experience in understanding tribal health needs stemmed from
our trying to respond to the needs of the five tribal groups living in
the Gudalur taluk of the Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu. As fresh graduates
with a strong community health training from CMC Vellore, we joined
the NGO-ACCORD in 1987 and started looking for solutions. Greatly
supported by the community organisation work that had already begun
among the tribal people to fight for their land rights, the sanghams
and the health workers that they chose became our partners in the
search. We discovered that whenever the hamlets had access to forest
and land they were never impoverished, nor their children
malnourished. The bountiful Mudumalai forests met all their basic
needs. When dispossessed of their basis resources like land, or access
to forest, they quickly fell prey to their exploitative non-tribal
neighbours, and soon found themselves in debt.
Caught in this trap, their predominant emotions were fear and
mistrust. The attitude of these non-tribals (ranging from their
neighbours to the health professionals) did not help. So they
preferred to die a dignified death in the village rather than seek
medical help.
The village health workers through sheer hard work and perseverance
were able to build their faith in the alternative allopathic system we
proposed. As we went along we learned to look at health through their
eyes and facilitated their own system of healing being transferred
wherever we could. While we started out hoping that as the fear went
they would slowly access the government systems, with time we realised
the futility of expecting the Government Taluk hospital and the
Primary Health Centres to function. In 1990, the Gudalur Adivasi
Hospital came into being, now a 30-bedded institution owned and run by
the Adivasi Munnetra Sangam. In keeping with all the lessons learned,
the staff is entirely adivasi and their own philosophy and culture
provide the foundation for its management.
In terms of a learning experience that has also been validated in
other tribal belts in the country, some things are outstandingly clear
and bear reflection and acting upon. There is an immense need for
sympathetic sociological research towards improving the quality of
life of the adivasi people. For raising the level of health for these
people, a multisectoral, holistic effort must be implemented. It is a
myth that tribal people do not utilise modern systems of medicine.
Rather poor utilisation is due to geographical, financial and socio-
cultural barriers. Inefficiency and lack of accountability of the
health services and the ever-present corruption only add to the
problems of these people. Finally, in the context of the growing
concerns about the ecosystems and environment, an increasing interest
in herbal remedies, and a return from the reductionist scientific view
of health to a more holistic perspective, we have much to learn from
the adivasis. After all their very survival from another era must
teach us something.
http://www.hinduonnet.com/folio/fo0007/00070380.htm
A history of alienation
Pankaj Sekhsaria
The author is an environmental activist with Kalpavriksh, Pune.
The history of the Andaman and Nicobar islands is today a conveniently
comfortable one: of the British and "Kalapani"; of World War I and the
Japanese occupation, of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Veer Savarkar,
the first hosting of the Indian National Flag and of modern mini India
where all communities and religions live in peace and harmony.
Pankaj Sekhsaria
But like all histories, this one too, is incomplete. It is the story
of the victors, of the people who have today come to dominate these
islands. The vanquished as they say, have no tales to tell. The
history of these islands as we tell it, as we are told it is, is
silent in many parts. There are gaping holes that are conveniently
allowed to remain so.
This history says nothing of the past, the present and the future of
those people and communities that originally belong to the islands.
For that matter, the islands belong to them, but ironically the people
who write the history are we, the modern democratic Indian state. The
people in question are the ancient tribal communities that live here,
particularly the negrito group of the Andaman islands - the Great
Andamanese, the Onge, the Jarawa and the Sentinelese. These are
communities that have lived and flourished here for at least 20,000
years, but the end could well be round the corner. Just a 150 years
ago the population of the tribal communities was estimated to be at
least 5,000. Today however, while the total population of the Andaman
and Nicobar islands has risen to about four lakhs, the population of
all these four communities put together is not more than a mere 500.
These communities of thousands of individuals with a living lineage
going back to 20,000 years have been brought to this sorry state in a
mere 150 years. It definitely began with the British and their
policies. And was continued with clinical efficiency (sic) by modern
independent India.
Pankaj Sekhsaria
Independent India was only about a couple of decades old, a young
thriving democracy as would have been called then. But this vibrant
democracy was then already set on course to becoming a coloniser
itself. From colony of the British to coloniser of the Andaman islands
(and many other places too), the step for India was an amazingly easy
one, almost, it would seem, a natural one! In the late Sixties an
official plan of the Government of India to "colonise" (and this was
the term used) the Andaman and Nicobar islands was firmly in place.
The forests were "wastelands" that needed to be tamed, settled and
developed. It did not matter that these forests were the home of a
myriad plants and animals that had evolved over aeons. It did not
matter that ancient tribal peoples were already living here for
centuries, neither that they were physically and spiritually sustained
by these forests. The idea that forests could mean more than just the
timber the trees provided had not even taken seed in the national
consciousness. The Nehruvian dream of massive industrialisation was
still calling and the rich evergreen forests of the islands promised
abundant timber to fuel it. The tribals, too, had to be civilised;
brought into the Indian mainstream. There was no question of trying to
understand, forget about asking what was it that the Onge, the
Andamanese or the Jarawa wanted themselves.
Tribal cultures the world over are intricately linked with the forests
they live in. The story or should we call it the "history" of modern
civilisation is largely one of the taming and the destruction of the
great forests of the world and the innumerable tribal communities that
lived therein. The Andaman islands is a good example. By various
means, both intended and unintended, the tribal communities have been
constantly alienated from their forests, their lands and their very
cosmos that is built around all these. One of the subtle but classic
examples is the Hinduisation of the name Andaman itself and the
attempt to pass it off as the only truth. The standard and universal
answer to the question of its origin is the well known Hindu god
Hanuman. That the state too conveniently believes this is evident from
the fact this is the story that goes out in the sound and light show
that plays every evening at the Cellular Jail in Port Blair. No one is
bothered that there are many other explanations why the Andamans is
called so. Researches On Ptolemy's Geography Of Eastern Asia," a book
written by Colonel GF Gerini in 1909 makes incredible reading in this
context, but obviously not many have bothered to read it. It is hardly
surprising then that we care even less to know what the tribals call
these islands.
Pankaj Sekhsaria
The repercussions of this dominant mindset is all too evident when one
looks at what is happening to the forests and the tribal communities.
The Great Andamanese have been wiped out as viable community. This
community which had an estimated 3,000 members about a 150 years ago,
is today left with only about 30. The Onges of the island of Little
Andaman (they call it Egu-belong) today number only 100. The 1901
census estimated it to be 601. Till a couple of years ago the Jarawa
were extremely hostile to the outside world. This hostility and self-
maintained isolation in the impenetrable rainforests of these islands
had ensured that their community, culture and forest home remained
intact and unharmed. It was however, never our intention to let them
be. The Andaman Trunk Road was constructed through the heart of the
very forests the Jarawa call home. It destroyed precious forests and
bought in various developments that are proving to be disastrous for
the Jarawa. As a result of a combination of such factors, most not
known or understood, the Jarawas recently shed their hostility and
have begun to come out from their forests "voluntarily." It could well
be the first step on the route that the Great Andamanese and the Onge
were forced to take many decades ago. Annhilation! A huge epidemic of
measles recently affected the Jarawa and a number of them are
undergoing treatment for tuberculosis.
The lessons of history have not been learnt. May be they are being
deliberately ignored. It could well be worth our while to get these
tribals out of our way. Only then can the precious tropical hardwoods
that stand in their forests and the very lands that these forests
stand be put to "productive" use. Little Andaman is a classic case.
Thousands of settlers from mainland India were brought and settled
here and the forests were opened up for logging in the early Seventies
as part of the "colonisation" plan. An Onge tribal reserve was
created, but for more than a decade now this reserve has been violated
for timber extraction. The attitude of the settlers who today live on
the land that belongs to the Onge only reflects that of the powers
that be. They ridicule the tribals as uncivilised junglees. Vices like
alcoholism were introduced; the addiction is now used by the settlers
to exploit the resources from the forests. Poaching and encroachment
inside the Onge reserve too, are ever on the increase.
In the early Sixties, the Onge were the sole inhabitants of Little
Andaman (Egu belong). Today, for each Onge, there are at least 120
outsiders here and this imbalance is rapidly increasing. What more
needs to be said?
Copyrights © 2000, The Hindu.
http://www.hinduonnet.com/folio/fo0007/00070400.htm
Cultural expressions
Jaya Jaitly
The author is President of the Samata Party.
The organising of Indian society has been among the most highly
complex in the world and its intricacy and depth have contributed to
its great endurance over two millions. A Hindu society divided into a
hierarchy of castes and considering itself amenable to change and
advancement but only within the compartments of caste, has found no
spiritual conflict in living with tribal societies which have their
own highly sophisticated social mechanisms while being considered
simple and primitive. Many scholars believe that rigid Hindu society
in fact had a subterranean need for the vitality, robustness and
sensuality of the tribal cultures, and thus constantly reinvigorated
itself with facets of these cultures.
V. Muthuraman/ Wilderfile
Toda temple.
According to Richard Lannoy in The Speaking Tree, a study of Indian
culture and society, "Every well-documented case of a great creative
Indian personality abounds in evidence of such contacts with the non-
rational culture of excluded peoples and classes". The major waves of
ingress into India divide the tribal communities into the Veddids,
similar to the Australian aboriginies, and the Paleamongoloid Astro-
asiatics from the north-east. Some of them evolved group totemism
which can still be seen in the Birhore tribe of the Chota Nagpur
region of Bihar. The Mongoloids who spread further into Bihar and
Orissa are the Mundas of today. The third were the Greco-Indians who
spread across Gujarat, Rajasthan and Pakistan from Central Asia.
Wooden tribal mask, Bastar, M.P.
Caste Hindu society never consciously tried to assimilate tribal
communities into their fold but in the process of economic, cultural
and ecological change, tribals have attached themselves to caste
groups in a peripheral manner and the process of de-tribalisation is a
continuous one.
The most significant forum for interaction between tribals and caste
Hindus has been at weekly village markets. Artisan castes have
traditionally produced and marketed their wares at these haats and
consequently moulded them to suit the tastes and needs of their local
clientele. In Orissa, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh where the tribal
population is considerable there are also a preponderance of village
haats. In the north-east too there are large and small marketplaces
where tribal women sell their handloom textiles, medicinal herbs,
foodstuff and various types of forest produce. Handcrafts combs, mud
pots, bamboo, baskets, musical instruments and wooden cooking
implements are among the items that may be termed as tribal products.
K.Ramesh Babu
While it may be stated that any hand-made item for decorative,
ritualistic or utilitarian purpose within their cultures can be termed
as tribal craft, it may not necessarily be true that all such items
are made by the tribals themselves. In areas where the population is
largely caste Hindu in composition, the crafts made for tribals are
often actually fashioned by Scheduled Caste artisans and mistaken for
tribal crafts in urban minds. What is interesting however, is that as
in Orissa, many of the Hindu communities have absorbed the cultural
practices of the tribals.
Courtesy: The Ford Foundation, New Delhi.
Warli tribal painting.
Festivals, wedding rituals, and other forms of social interaction
follow all the tribal procedures. The articles they manufacture for
tribal votive offerings at times of marriage, sickness, birth and
death thus acquire a personalised meaning for the producer. While
studying the lives and markets of such artisans it was found that in
areas of missionary activity, where tribals were converting to
Christianity and giving up the use of votive objects such as dhokra
metal figurines, artisans were fast losing the clientele that
sustained them and were having a seek markets for their products in
larger cities through development agencies and government
organisations. Age old cultural-economic links are thus breaking down
as a result of social change. The process of industrialisation also
replaces artisan products at village markets. Metal buttons, hair
clips, combs and other forms of female fashion accessories among
tribals are giving way to fluorescent plastic substitutes leaving the
already impoverished Scheduled Caste artisan further deprived.
In Bihar many social work and development oriented organisations work
among tribals to bring them a modicum of education, health and
sanitary conditions. Among them the Birhore tribals have seen
remarkable change in the past few years. Highly skilled in producing
woven cloth for saris, lungis and scarves, grass baskets, hats and
fans, they have been gradually brought out of their cave-like
dwellings and have begun to discover the possibilities of using their
skills to produce articles suited for urban needs. The Rathwas of
Chota Udepur in Gujarat are another tribe discovering the urban world
through their craft skills. They fashion semi-glazed pottery, the
forms of which are highly aesthetic and sophisticated. Women use their
leisure hours to make head necklaces and the men recently learned the
more "settled" skill of wood carving to make distinctive statuettes.
Marie D'Souza/ Fotomedia
The most significant forms of creative expression of the Rathwas are
their ritual wall paintings pertaining to the myths of creation and
their deities, Babo Ind and Babo Pithoro. Mythological ideas of the
Rathwas combining realism and symbolism, are depicted on walls in
their homes and elaborate rituals are conducted in the process of
their making and consecration. The Warli tribes of Thane in
Maharashtra, the Gonds of Madhya Pradesh, the Rathwas of Gujarat all
express an energetic assertion of adivasi cultural identity through
their paintings at a time of socio-political change.
Outstanding innovators like Jivya Soma (Warli), Jangadh Singh Shyam
(Gond) and Mansingh Rathwa (Chota Udepur) ared bringing their
community art greater recognition and encouraging others to present
their work to an urban and international audience. But today these
paintings are also being done on cloth and paper and sold as tribal
art, and when the paintings are further translated onto modern utility
items they will, no doubt, enter the world of "tribal craft" as a
rather sad transformation of myth and cosmos to market and commerce.
Almost all tribals (except in the north-east and Lakshadweep)
characteristically adorn themselves with many silver, white metal or
brass ornaments ranging from hair clips and combs to necklaces, shirt
buttons, earrings, armlets, bangles, waist belts and anklets. Even men
use ornamental shirt buttons and wear earrings and amulets. These
items are generally made by settled Hindu and Muslim artisans and is
applicable also to the nomadic communities of Jammu and Kashmir. The
Gujjars and Bakarwals descend from the Greco Indians and are
interrelated with the Gujjars of Gujarat and the tribes settled around
Gujranwala in Pakistan. Their finely embroidered caps, mirrorwork
embroideries (Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh) and distinctive freestyles
consisting of innumerable tiny braids and ornamental hair clips have
offered ideas for the designs of the "ethnic chic" style of urban
fashion. Their embroidered blankets and quilts use geometric motifs
common to Punjabi phulkaris, Iraqi rugs and Central Asia textiles.
Tribal communities are greatly fascinated by the comb. They are made
of wood, bamboo, horn, metal, yarn wound onto wood, root fibre, gum or
latex from trees. Patterns and designs vary according to communities.
Not only are they used for setting the hair in place but as necklaces,
gifts, sacred objects, magic rituals and as a form of communicating
affection to a loved one. Tribes in Orissa who specialise in comb
making are the Santhalis, Dharnas, Koyas, among others. Most tribes in
Madhya Pradesh and Nagaland also make distinctive combs, while in
Thana Mandi in Jammu a small oil container within the comb releases
oil into the hair while combing.
Tribal textiles almost always demonstrate the identity of the
community. Border designs and colours used for sarongs or shawls
define the village of the tribe. Motifs in the north-east symbolise,
mountains, streams, houses, snakes, birds or a temple. Specific
colours are worn by designed priests on ritual occasions. There are
ways of differentiating between a shawl woven by a hill tribe and a
plains tribe and the chieftain's shawl is always distinct. Sometimes
shawls are woven by one tribe and embroidered by women in another
tribe, as among the Dongrias and Damas in Orissa. The use of the
colours symbolise forest, fertility, unity and peace, gods and the
sacrifices of animals.
Aditya Dhawan
Close knit communities like the tribals interweave their forms of
cultural expression. Painting, wood carving, weaving, songs,
festivals, birth, death, animals and forests are components of a cycle
which metamorphose together to give their philosophy and understanding
of the cosmos a holistic dimension. Artefacts such as cattle belts,
buttermilk churns, spice grinders, blankets, jewellery, totems,
garments and votive articles have the unmistakable imprint of
community identification. It is only after these serve their basic
purpose., whether ritualistic or utilitarian that they become crafts
for the marketplace. A better understanding of their skills and
offerings to the composite culture of India will help in preserving
the true value of these crafted objects.
http://www.hinduonnet.com/folio/fo0007/00070420.htm
A Toda friend
S. Anandalakshmy
The author is a Consultant in Child Development and Education.
While sorting out papers, letters, slides and photographs as a
necessary antecedent to moving house (a moving experience in more ways
than one: the past keeps appearing in more rapid flashbacks than in an
Ingmar Bergman film), I came upon an archival picture of a beautiful
Toda woman that I had taken in 1975 in New Delhi. It was Pelgiji, with
her hair worn in ringlets, deep set eyes and a wonderful dignity of
bearing. What a presence! Befriending her was not difficult and I
found that what we shared as persons seemed much larger than what we
did not share in customs and rituals. But let me begin at the
beginning of the story.
S. Anandalakshmy
The year was 1975, the month, November. Delhi was pleasantly cool in
the early winter and the Mandi House area was the hub of the Universe.
Naturally! A crafts show with a difference was being held, titled
"Craftswomen at Work." The women had gathered from all over the
country and the exhibition area in the interior of Rabindra Bhavan had
become a hive of activity. One could see the process of something
being made, seeing it grow, evolve, become more complex, get
embellished or get transformed. The variety was astounding: Zardosi
from U.P., delicate bamboo baskets from Tripura, a Kalamkari hanging
from Andhra Pradesh - the list was unending, seemingly. It was greatly
satisfying to make a transaction directly with the artist. While
moving around, one came upon two Toda women, doing their traditional
red and blue embroidery, on table linen and household linen,as well as
on shawls. The Ooty of one's childhood was instantly revived and I
spoke to them. "You can speak Tamil?", they asked with joy. "There is
no one here we can talk to. Our words are getting stuck in our
throats." I invited them to have a meal with me in my small apartment
at the College and then go sightseeing on Sunday.
When asked what they wanted to see in Delhi, they said, "Gandhi
Samadhi" and "Nehru Samadhi". I included the Red Fort also in the
itinerary and they were thoroughly happy. At lunch and in transit to
the various sites, we talked. I found that the name Pelgiji meant the
sound of silver bells and she lived up to her name, while her
companion took part mostly with nods and smiles. Pelgiji told me that
the land that the Todas held dated back to a pact with the British.
Each family had access to 15 acres of land, which the young male got
when he turned 21. No one was allowed to cultivate more, even if some
land was lying fallow. Only men could enter the house of prayer and
the entire community was cohesive and tightly controlled.
Pelgiji mentioned that her husband, Muthakken would be coming to Delhi
for the Republic Day the next year and that she would suggest that he
call on me. (That cordial visit did happen).
I got a standing invitation to visit Ooty as their guest - an offer I
regret not taking then. Twenty five years later, if I do go, will they
remember me? I wonder.
A Toda friend
S. Anandalakshmy
The author is a Consultant in Child Development and Education.
While sorting out papers, letters, slides and photographs as a
necessary antecedent to moving house (a moving experience in more ways
than one: the past keeps appearing in more rapid flashbacks than in an
Ingmar Bergman film), I came upon an archival picture of a beautiful
Toda woman that I had taken in 1975 in New Delhi. It was Pelgiji, with
her hair worn in ringlets, deep set eyes and a wonderful dignity of
bearing. What a presence! Befriending her was not difficult and I
found that what we shared as persons seemed much larger than what we
did not share in customs and rituals. But let me begin at the
beginning of the story.
S. Anandalakshmy
The year was 1975, the month, November. Delhi was pleasantly cool in
the early winter and the Mandi House area was the hub of the Universe.
Naturally! A crafts show with a difference was being held, titled
"Craftswomen at Work." The women had gathered from all over the
country and the exhibition area in the interior of Rabindra Bhavan had
become a hive of activity. One could see the process of something
being made, seeing it grow, evolve, become more complex, get
embellished or get transformed. The variety was astounding: Zardosi
from U.P., delicate bamboo baskets from Tripura, a Kalamkari hanging
from Andhra Pradesh - the list was unending, seemingly. It was greatly
satisfying to make a transaction directly with the artist. While
moving around, one came upon two Toda women, doing their traditional
red and blue embroidery, on table linen and household linen,as well as
on shawls. The Ooty of one's childhood was instantly revived and I
spoke to them. "You can speak Tamil?", they asked with joy. "There is
no one here we can talk to. Our words are getting stuck in our
throats." I invited them to have a meal with me in my small apartment
at the College and then go sightseeing on Sunday.
When asked what they wanted to see in Delhi, they said, "Gandhi
Samadhi" and "Nehru Samadhi". I included the Red Fort also in the
itinerary and they were thoroughly happy. At lunch and in transit to
the various sites, we talked. I found that the name Pelgiji meant the
sound of silver bells and she lived up to her name, while her
companion took part mostly with nods and smiles. Pelgiji told me that
the land that the Todas held dated back to a pact with the British.
Each family had access to 15 acres of land, which the young male got
when he turned 21. No one was allowed to cultivate more, even if some
land was lying fallow. Only men could enter the house of prayer and
the entire community was cohesive and tightly controlled.
Pelgiji mentioned that her husband, Muthakken would be coming to Delhi
for the Republic Day the next year and that she would suggest that he
call on me. (That cordial visit did happen).
I got a standing invitation to visit Ooty as their guest - an offer I
regret not taking then. Twenty five years later, if I do go, will they
remember me? I wonder.
http://www.hinduonnet.com/folio/fo0007/00070500.htm
Poor health services plague Thane Adivasi area
Meena Menon
Funds are there but the healing touch is missing; comunity-based
monitoring undertaken
Post-mortem: A public hearing in progress under the National Rural
Health Mission at Sayvan village in Maharashtra on Thursday. — Photo:
Handout
SAYVAN (Thane district): “I brought my wife to the Sayvan primary
health centre when she was bitten by a dog, but they asked me Rs. 50
before treating her,” said Janu Babar. He did not know that treatment
for dog bite is free for Adivasis. They just have to produce a below
poverty line (BPL) card. If they don’t bring the card, they will have
to pay Rs. 50 as refundable deposit. Eventually, Janu paid Rs. 120 to
get his wife Devli treated in a private clinic.
This was one of the issues raised at a public hearing on the National
Rural Health Mission (NRHM) at the Sayvan PHC in Dahanu taluk on
Friday. The exercise is part of community-based monitoring of health
services being conducted in five districts of Maharashtra.
Out of Maharashtra’s annual budget of Rs, 1,000 crore under the NRHM,
only Rs. 860 crore was spent last year, according to Dr. Nitin Jadhav
of Sathi, State coordinator for community-based monitoring. Before the
hearing, NGOs conducted a study of the five villages which come under
the PHC, catering for a population of 41,000.
A report card of the study presented at the hearing, presided over by
Dr. Anand Phadke of CEHAT, an NGO, revealed that the situation is
quite serious in four villages where the people did not even recognise
the multipurpose health worker (MPW). In some cases, the auxiliary
nurse and midwife (ANM) did not perform her duties. Medicines are in
short supply and the State has no stock of tetanus injection. The ANMs
spend their money to buy it and get reimbursement later.
The area, inhabited by Adivasis, has reported cases of malnutrition,
infant and maternal mortality. Last year in one hamlet alone, four
infant deaths were reported. However, the NRHM is supposed to provide
“untied funds,” as Dahanu taluk health officer Madhukar Rathod pointed
out. At the public hearing at Ganjad on Thursday, he said it was
raining money. Each PHC gets Rs. 1.75 lakh while sub-centres are given
Rs. 10,000 for expenses.
Of the Rs. 32-crore budget for Thane district last year under the
NRHM, Rs.19 crore was spent, Dr. Rathod said. Despite all this money
coming in, the situation had not improved. More serious was the
problem of doctors not attending to patients and people having to pay
for services.
At the Ganjad hearing, an Adivasi complained that she was refused
treatment for a badly cut hand when she went to the PHC at 7 a.m. on a
Sunday. She had to go to another hospital, where 18 stitches were put.
When the two PHC doctors were asked to explain, they said it was too
early on a Sunday and so they did not treat the woman, according to
Dr. Jadhav.
When Bharati Mahale took her sister-in-law to the Sayvan PHC for
delivery, no doctor was present and she was asked to take the pregnant
woman to the sub-district hospital at Kasa, 15 km away. The ambulance
driver charged her Rs. 150 for diesel. At Kasa, the doctor made them
wait and when Bharati lost her patience, she was almost assaulted. Her
sister-in-law was then taken to a private hospital and Bharati had to
pay another Rs. 300 towards diesel charges.
It is not only patients, doctors too are suffering. T.R. Bansode,
medical officer of the Sayvan PHC, said he had not been paid salary
since March. The PHC itself is a shambles, there is no water and
electricity. The operation theatre remains closed and the delivery
room is dusty. The laboratory is non-functional.
The rain of money has not helped much. Kavita Raote, who had a second
daughter three months ago, said the infant was not vaccinated. It was
a home delivery, but no ANM visited her within a week, which is
mandatory. Kavita is entitled to Rs. 800 under the Matrutva Anudan
Yojana and Rs. 500 under the Janini Suraksha Yojana, but she got no
money under either scheme.
Sunday, Jun 22, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version
http://www.hindu.com/2008/06/22/stories/2008062260321100.htm
bademiyansubhanallah
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http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Shatrughan-treads-cautiously-on-Gadkari-issue/595567
Shatrughan treads cautiously on Gadkari issue
Agencies
Posted: Thursday , Mar 25, 2010 at 1341 hrs
Indore:
After pointing a figure at the BJP President Nitin Gadkari over the
composition of his team, actor-turned-politician and party MP
Shatrughan Sinha has now chosen to tread cautiously over this issue.
The Bollywood Shotgun, in his typical thunderous voice, said "Khamosh"
but added that he calls a "spade a spade" when the scribes asked him a
question in connection with Gadkari here last night.
The Patna Saheb MP, who was here to promote his son Luv Sinha's film
`Sadiyaan', said self-confidence was the key to his success in films
and politics.
To a question on BJP, the 64-year-old former Union Minister said he
was talking to the media in capacity of a father not a politician.
On March 20, Sinha had said it was unfortunate that senior leaders
like C P Thakur and Yashwant Sinha have been left out of Gadkari's
team, and that all was not well in the BJP.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Shatrughan-treads-cautiously-on-Gadkari-issue/595567
Kishenji might be injured or even dead, say police
Kolkata, March 26, 2010
First Published: 08:34 IST(26/3/2010)
Last Updated: 08:37 IST(26/3/2010)
Kishenji, the elusive Maoist leader, might have been injured in a 12-
hour-long gunbattle between the rebels and the security forces near
Lalgarh, around 160 Km southwest of Kolkata.
Kishenji, the elusive Maoist leader, might have been injured in a 12-
hour-long gunbattle between the rebels and the security forces near
Lalgarh, around 160 Km southwest of Kolkata.
A senior police official of West Midnapore, not willing to be quoted,
informed that Koteswara Rao alias Kishenji, was likely to be seriously
injured in the exchange of fire that took place at the Hatishol forest
close to Lakhanpur village, around 8 Km east of Lalgarh, since 6 am on
Thursday.
"Our ground level sources at Lakhanpur have informed us that around 15
Maoists have died in the battle. While a section of informers said
Kishenji suffered a bullet injury to his leg, another group said he
might be dead. We can't be sure till we find the bodies," the officer
said.
The 51-year-old Rao, CPI (Maoist) Politburo and Central Military
Commission member, better known as Kishenji, is in charge of the
eastern regional bureau for the Maoists.
The gunbattle started after the security forces were tipped off that a
group of PLGA guerrillas and Maoist leaders had convened at the
Hatishol forest, adjacent to Lakhanpur.
"The security forces reached the spot around 6 am and the gun battle
started. It went on for nearly 12 hours," the senior cop said.
Lakhanpur, where the gunbattle took place on Thursday, was the place
where Kishenji was reportedly cornered on October 22, when the rebel
leader was to release Atindranath Dutta, the abducted Officer-in-
Charge of Sankrail police station. It was at the same Hatishol forest
where he met with media persons and formally released Dutta the same
day.
2 comments
S.N.Singh 27 minutes ago
If Kishenji is killed, it will be serious setback for naxalites.This
will considerably help security force in tackling this problem.The
shooting of naxalites on spot is only solution left with the govt.All
out offensive against them must continue till this problem is finished
since trial & error method adopted in past has caused heavy
casualities on security forces & wastage of public money. State &
Central govt. must take speedy development works in backward areas to
eradicate poverty & other problems faced by rural people.The
corruption in all walks of life must be curbed to achieve rapid
development otherwise the needy will remain poor. This is need of hour
and no laxity in any respect should be done.The stringent punishment
for corruption must be given to culprits specially to unscrupulous
politicians.
Ivan 3 hours ago
3 people liked this.
Another good riddance...let this moron rot in hell
http://karmicsoliloquy.blogspot.com
Whistling comment not a slip of tongue, says Mulayam
Lucknow, March 26, 2010
First Published: 00:53 IST(26/3/2010)
Last Updated: 00:55 IST(26/3/2010)
Far from expressing regrets, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav
on Thursday defended his sexist remark about the kind of women the Lok
Sabha would see as members if they enter it through a quota.
Yadav had recently been criticised by parties across the political
spectrum for saying that the quota would enable elite women coming
into Parliament – the kind who are "whistled at by youths".
At a meeting of party MPs, MLAs and office bearers in Lucknow, Yadav
said he had made the remark deliberately and it was no slip of the
tongue.
Yadav said his statement "achieved its purpose of triggering a
controversy and leading to a discussion on the subject".
He said he was ready to hold more discussions on the issue.
The Samajwadi Party chief also propounded a convoluted theory that if
the bill is enacted into law, there would be no men in the Lok Sabha
after 11 years.
Advocating reservation for women within political parties instead,
Yadav said it should be made mandatory for parties to give 15 to 20
per cent tickets to women to contest elections. A resolution to this
effect was passed at Thursday’s meeting.
Asking the gathering to begin preparations for the assembly elections
in Uttar Pradesh in 2012, Yadav said the Samajwadi Party has a list of
250 people engaging in anti-party activities. But he chose not to
expel them.
Mohan Singh, Samajwadi national general secretary said it was most
likely that Chief Minister Mayawati would recommend elections well
before her term ends.
"Don’t think elections are far away. The way Mayawati has begun
holding rallies and sit-ins indicate that she has begun preparing for
elections and will not wait for the full term," he said.
1 comments
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majorretdvirendrasharma 45 minutes ago
If not the "Slip of tongue", then more the reason for Mulayam to tell
the country did he want his daughter-in-law to be whistled at by
becoming a MP?
Indian scriptures bar pre-marital sex: former CJ
Bangalore, March 25, 2010
First Published: 22:01 IST(25/3/2010)
Last Updated: 22:31 IST(25/3/2010)
Former Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court and BJP MP Rama
Jois on Thursday said Indian scriptures bar premarital sex and Indian
society still consider pre-marital sexual relationship not good.
Jois, also a former Governor, in a statement said "the oral
observations made by one of the judges of the three-judge bench of the
Supreme Court in the context of male and female having sexual
intercourse prior to marraige and question posed by the learned judge
Who says it is bad? has given rise to counter question: who says it is
good".
Quoting from scriptures, he said one of the nine directives of dhrama
prescribed by Mahabharata was "Prajanseveshu dareshu" one should
procure children only under wedlock which by necessary implication
bars pre-marital sexual activity between man and woman, he said.
"The object and purpose of marriage as declared by the Dharmasastras
was not merely to satisfy the mutual carnal desire of man and a woman,
though it did constitute the basis of the desire for marriage", he
said.
Jois also refers to various Indian scriptures that upholds fidelity
between spouses, mutual trust and discourages the 'discarding
attitude' of a spouse to pursue other gains.
An unequal burden
Sitaram Yechury
March 25, 2010
First Published: 20:38 IST(25/3/2010)
Last Updated: 20:41 IST(25/3/2010)
The Delhi government has brazenly announced an across-the-board hike
in the prices of essential commodities including fuel and cooking gas.
The message is clear: the burden of financing this year’s Commonwealth
Games is to be borne by the aam aadmi. This comes on top of the
inflationary content of the Union Budget, attested by the finance
minister when he informed the Rajya Sabha, “I will not be surprised if
it (inflation) reaches double digits in March itself.” He then went on
to justify that India has lived with higher rates of inflation in the
past and, therefore, this was no big deal.
This is not only a reflection of the audacity that accompanies a
government in its first (honeymoon) year. This, in fact, reflects the
international pattern of neo-liberal prescriptions that seek to emerge
from the global recession by burdening the vast mass of the people and
benefiting the corporates and the rich with the hope that the latter
through their spending will rejuvenate the economy. This year’s Union
budget reflects this philosophy when it doled out concessions to the
rich and hiked indirect taxes for the poor.
While we in India are being asked to prepare for a fiscal
consolidation to reduce our 6.5 per cent deficit, the 2009 US budget
sent by President Obama to its Congress has a $1.75 trillion deficit
or 12.3 per cent of its GDP. This comes on top of the over $10
trillion of bailout packages that were given last year in the name of
recovering from the crisis. The consequence of such a global trend has
increased the number of billionaires in the world by over 200 and
their aggregate capital has expanded by over 50 per cent. Recently,
Forbes reported that as of late 2009 the number of billionaires soared
from 793 to 1,011 and their total fortunes from $2.4 trillion to $3.6
trillion.
Given the global recession such massive accumulation in the hands of
the wealthy can only be put to good use on stock and raw material
markets leading to the creation of new financial bubbles that neo-
liberalism hopes will trigger growth-based on speculation. The seeds
of fresh crises are being sown by replicating the process, which in
the first place, created the current crisis. It is not surprising,
therefore, that oil prices that had hit an all-time low of $47-a-
barrel in December 2008 now stands over $80. Global financial indices
are also climbing steadily. A classic case is that of Russia which saw
a GDP decline of 7.9 per cent in 2009 but had double the number of
billionaires as its stock market grew by over 100 per cent. The result
is that the very same financial giants which caused the present crisis
are now announcing super profits. JPMorgan Chase announced a record
$2.7 billion profit in the second quarter of 2009.
As the bankruptcy crisis in Greece shows, much of this largesse to
make the wealthy wealthier is being done at the expense of massive
cuts in social security expenditures. In late January, the Greek
government adopted an austerity package worth $6.8 billion. In March,
it announced an additional package of saving an additional $6.5
billion. This has been financed by raising taxes, slashing social
security expenditures, increasing the retirement age, cutting the pay
of civil servants etc. This has naturally led to four successful
general strikes in the space of one month.
Many raised an eyebrow at the rise in the sensex post-budget. As India
is following these very neo-liberal prescriptions, this is not
surprising. In addition to tax concessions announced this year, the
budget documents show that nearly Rs 80,000 crore was ‘uncollected’
from the corporates and Rs 4,000 crore from high-end income-tax payers
last year. Instead, if this was collected and utilised for hiking
public investments in building our much-needed infrastructure, it
would have generated high levels of employment. The consequent
expansion of domestic demand could have spiralled the cycle of
sustained growth. This latter course, however, would have denied the
rich from making further quick super-profits.
This process is already feeding speculation in India. The total value
of trade in agricultural commodities in the commodity exchanges during
the fortnight ending January 31 increased by a huge 64.14 per cent.
The cumulative value of trade in agricultural commodities during the
year from April 1, 2009 to January 31, 2010, grew by a whopping 102.59
per cent, in absolute terms valuing over Rs 10.13 crore. Now any
forward trading can make profits only when the prices of these
commodities are higher than what they were when the trading initially
took place.
The aam aadmi is, therefore, faced with a double whammy attack — rise
in prices through official hikes and speculation. Like the spate of
general strikes and protests across Europe, India is bound to see the
rise in popular actions demanding that the government reverse these
policies. The jail bharo call given by the Left parties on April 8
will only be the beginning.
Sitaram Yechury is CPI(M) Politburo member and Rajya Sabha MP
The views expressed by the author are personal
12-hr firefight in forest hunt for Kishenji: 2 dead, 3 held
Madhuparna Das
Posted: Friday , Mar 26, 2010 at 0327 hrs
Kolkata:
A CRPF commando was injured and two Maoists were believed killed in a
gunbattle that raged for over 12 hours today in a forest near
Lakkhanpur in West Midnapore where security forces suspect top Maoist
leader Kishenji was present. Three persons were detained from the spot
but identities were not disclosed.
A senior police officer said that intercepts of Maoist phone calls
suggested that Kishenji could have sustained injuries in the gunbattle
from 6 am to 7 pm.
As night fell, the CRPF personnel withdrew from the encounter site.
Maoist ideologue Varavara Rao called The Indian Express to check for
“news on Kishenji.”
CRPF Special Director General Vijay Raman said: “We had specific
intelligence input that Kishenji was present in the forest in
Lakkhanpur. Based on that input, our forces moved. A Maoist shelter
was spotted in the wee hours and we surrounded it. They started firing
and our forces retaliated. The intensity of the firing indicated that
a very senior leader was present at the spot who, as per the
intelligence input, could have been Kishenji.”
“We picked up three Maoists from the spot. We have handed them over to
police,” Raman said.
West Bengal DGP Bhupinder Singh, too, said a top Maoist leader was
present at Lakkhanpur.
“Based on the intensity of the firing, it can be presumed that a
leader of the stature of Kishenji was present there. We have arrested
some people from the spot,” he said.
Comments (2) |
Put Varavara Rao in jail
By: sunny | 26-Mar-2010
Varavara Rao is a animal not fit for our society. Its only in India
that he is allowed to roam free. He should be questioned deeply.
FIGHTING NAXALS
By: amitabh | 26-Mar-2010
THIS FIGHT ON BEHALF OF CORPORATE WORLD ONLY INTERESTED IN MILKING THE
POOR WOULD RESULT IN SOMETHING SO MESSY THAT INDIA WONT BE ABLE TO
COME OUT OF IT.AAM ADMI GOVT FIGHTING AAM ADMI. OR THESE CORPORATES
ARE AAM ADMI FOR CONG?
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/12hrfirefightinforesthuntforkishenji2dead-3held/595912/
Bachchan row exposes chink in ‘link’
Express news service
Posted: Friday , Mar 26, 2010 at 0305 hrs
New Delhi:
Maharashtra CM Ashok Chavan along with Amitabh Bachchan during the
commissioning ceremony sea link in Mumbai.
The Congress and its coalition partner, the NCP on Thursday took
different stands on the invite to Amitabh Bachchan to attend a
function to inaugurate the second phase of Bandra-Worli Sea Link on
Wednesday. While the Congress gave up its usual reticence to comment
on the actor and justified party leaders’ criticism of him, the NCP
saw nothing wrong in extending invitation to Bachchan.
CM Ashok Chavan, who has maintained that he was not aware of the
invitation to the actor, was learnt to have taken the same stance in
his clarification to the high command.
“The party is aware of what happened there. The CM has clarified the
situation. The question is not about Bachchan as a person or an actor.
There is resentment against him among party workers, but the reason is
not personal. Their anger is because of the fact that Bachchan is seen
standing by the side of Narendra Modi. In such a situation, Congress
workers have the moral right to do so (criticise),” said AICC media
cell head Janardan Dwivedi.
Senior NCP leader Tariq Anwar, however, justified the presence of
Bachchan at the function saying that even Opposition parties are
invited to official functions. “As far as Bachchan is concerned, he is
a celebrity. Such official functions are not of any political party.
Even the Shiv Sena and BJP are invited. Sachin Tendulkar was
contacted, but he was not available. It was not a Congress function.
There was no intention to create a controversy,” he said.
The controversy is being seen as having its roots in the groupism
within the Congress and the ambition of Mumbai Region Congress
Committee president Kripashankar Singh to become a minister in the
Chavan Cabinet. The invitation cards issued by the Maharashtra State
Road Development Corporation did not mention Bachchan as an invitee,
but advertisements mentioned him as a special invitee. NCP leaders
like Minister for Public Works Jaidutt Kshirsagar, who also heads
MSRDC, justified Bachchan being invited to the function on grounds
that he was a Mumbai icon. Singh, who did not attend the function,
said Congress leaders such as Vilasrao Deshmukh and Sushilkumar Shinde
should have been invited for the function, hosted by the MSRDC which
is controlled by the NCP.
Actor criticises manufactured rows
Express News Service
Thiruvananthapuram/ Mumbai
ENRAGED over the Kerala government’s decision to abandon the idea of
making him the state’s tourism ambassador, Amitabh Bachchan has
reacted sharply. The central leadership of the CPM had shot down the
state’s plan to rope in Bachchan, citing that the actor was doing the
same job for BJP-ruled Gujarat.
Bachchan also said the controversy over his presence at the
inauguration of the second phase of the Bandra-Worli Sea Link has been
“manufactured”. “A fresh controversy has been rapidly manufactured on
my involvement,” he wrote in a midnight post on his blog.
In response to Kerala decision, Bachchan wrote in his blog: “You want
to stop me from promoting tourism in a state because you have reason
to believe that there are political connotations to the event. This is
such rubbish. All I shall be doing will be working in a short film
that shall highlight the various places of interest in the state
(Gujarat) so that it encourages more tourists to visit the region. And
that is what I would precisely do when I would be asked to similar
acts in Kerala. It is a petty act of cheap convenience to prevent me
from doing that, and by pitting me against political connotations and
manoeuvres without paying any respect for the actual work that would
be done. Fair enough! I shall abide by the judgment of the state
government. I did not ask them for it, they came forward with the
invitation, I accepted. Now they want to decline it, fine. Not the
first time such incident has happened. Invitation to be the chief
guest at Goa International Film Festival and when I get there, they
decline it.”
Bachchan did not spare the media either. “It is a common Indian media
trait — finding fault at any cost to any act or event. Merit for the
moment and the work not interesting enough to sell and so de-merit the
moment. And in such matters if you could highlight a celebrity,
preferably from the film world, into the matter, you would have
discovered a way and means to keep the story rolling for a few weeks.
You take umbrage at my association with Gujarat, but never have the
guts or courage to stop a Ratan Tata, or an Ambani from investing in
the state and running successful factories and ventures there.
WITH PTI INPUTS
Comments (5) |
Amitabh Bachhan
By: Sharma | 26-Mar-2010
Dear Mr Bachhan: It is enough of you now. Please fade off and let
someone else come to centre stage. Since last half a centuary, there
is not a day when you were not mentioned in the News Papers. This had
made you very egoist and as if you are never going to go away. All you
should be doing now is social work and meditation. Instead, you have
become more hungry for praise and recognition, jealous of others being
popular.(like khans) Please do not ruin your own image.
The Bachhan heartburn
By: Kishore Karnad | 26-Mar-2010
How at all can Bachhan compare himself with Ratan Tata or Ambani? Both
have invested a lot of money and created hundreds of jobs bringing
properity to the State while Bachhan has only exploited the State and
pocketed a hefty fee for promoting tourism. And now he is upset at the
prospect of losing some money he could have made by selling Kerala.
This man will do anything for money. I pity India's rich- the
bachhankind!
Imaginary accusations..
By: Vikas | 26-Mar-2010
Kishore doesnt even know that Amitabh did not charge a paisa for being
the Brand Ambassador for Gujrat Tourism.This came out clealy in the
inteview by Pronoy Roy on NDTV. But Kishore has imagined Amitabh
"pocketing hefty money". Biased views can cause hallucinations.
BACHCHAN INVITED !
By: M S VAISHNAV M | 26-Mar-2010
THE ROW OVER INVITATION (and presence) OF AMITABH BACHCHAN AT 'SEA
LINK' FUNCTION SHOWS HOW POLITICS HAS HIT THE NADIR IN OUR COUNTRY !!
IT HAS BECOME A ROUTINE TO POLITICALISE EVERY EVENT/ISSUE WHETHER IT
IS PUBLIC FUNCTION, BOLLYWOOD SHOW OR A SPORTS EVENT !CLEARANCE FROM
POLITICAL MASTERS CONCERNED IS A MUST FOR THE SUCCESS OF EVENT !! THIS
HAPPENS ONLY IN MY COUNTRY. WE DO NOT READ ABOUT 'INAUGARATION
FUNCTIONS' /NAMING OF ANY PUBLIC PROJECT BY POLITICIANS/LEADERS IN ANY
OTHER COUNTRY !
Fuss rather than a furore....
By: Roy | 26-Mar-2010
over a has been trying ever so much to get into the limelight
again....yes we the right wing elements in these columns going all out
to justify an ICON status for this...a mere actor. The fact that he is
a so called brand ambassador for the extreme right wing polity in
Gujarat is why these elements want the nondescript individual in the
newz whilst sensible folks in Kerala....literate in every
sense...asked him to go to hell..rather be damned.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/bachchanrowexposeschinkinlink/595899/0
Maya was buzzed, SPG won't let Rahul bee
Maulshree Seth
Posted: Friday , Mar 26, 2010 at 0320 hrs
Lucknow:
OpportunityDon’t Glorify NaxalismRole-Model MPs, MLAs!Vehicle called
Life The honeybees that swarmed Mayawati’s public meeting 10 days ago
created a buzz that seems to have affected the Special Protection
Group (SPG). Officers in charge of Rahul Gandhi’s security have asked
the Sultanpur district administration to remove beehives outside the
venue of a meeting the Congress general secretary is scheduled to
attend on Friday.
Several beehives outside Vikas Bhawan in Sultanpur were destroyed last
night. However, the bees returned during the day. A second operation
was planned for Thursday night.
Sultanpur District Magistrate S L Pande said SPG officers who came to
oversee security arrangements for Rahul’s visit asked for the removal
of the beehives.
District Chief Development Officer G Ram, who is supervising the work,
said, “Beehives are not new to any rural setup. There were four or
five beehives outside Vikas Bhawan; some have been removed. The
situation is being closely monitored along with the SPG. I cannot say
anything more.”
Amethi, Rahul’s Lok Sabha constituency, is part of Sultanpur district.
As local MP, Rahul presides over the meetings of the district
vigilance and monitoring committee which reviews development works.
Other MPs and MLAs from the district, and district-level officials are
members of the committee.
The meetings are held at Vikas Bhawan, a three-storey building which
is
the office of the Chief Development Officer. There are beehives on the
walls outside and on nearby trees.
Officials said the last meeting of the committee was held about a year
ago. “Then too there were beehives, but no one bothered,” said an
official. He said beehives on the building had been removed, but those
on the trees had not been disturbed.
A swarm of large honeybees invaded Mayawati’s rally in Lucknow’s
Ramabai Ambedkar ground on March 15. The BSP alleged a “conspiracy” by
Mayawati’s opponents, and the government ordered an inquiry. The
investigation, which was initially led by a DIG and DM of Lucknow, has
so far produced no results.
Maqsood Alam, Sultanpur district Congress president, said, “Like
others, we are concerned about the security of our leader, especially
after a big swarm hovered around the dais from where Mayawati was
addressing her rally. I went to Vikas Bhawan today and was happy to
see that the beehives were being cleared”.
Comments (1) |
Bee Hating
By: BG Subhash | 26-Mar-2010
It is a tragedy of Indian Democracy which gives opportunity to Bee
Hating Mayawati Aka Notewati Aka Malawati
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/mayawasbuzzed-spgwontletrahulbee/595909/0
Bachchan a victim of 'fear' of Gandhi family in Cong: BJP
Agencies
Posted: Thursday , Mar 25, 2010 at 1346 hrs
New Delhi:
Maharashtra CM Ashok Chavan and Amitabh Bachchan interact during
inaugural ceremony of north carriage way of sea link.
In the wake of the controversy over the presence of Amitabh Bachchan
at the inauguration of Bandra-Worli sea-link, BJP on Thursday batted
for the filmstar saying he has become a victim of the "feud" in
Congress and "fear" of the Gandhi family in the party.
"The Bandra-Worli sea-link is a national property and certainly not a
property of the Congress party. Every Indian has a right to be there.
Undoubtedly, Amitabh Bachchan is the nation's pride and a
distinguished Mumbaikar who has full credentials to be the chief guest
there," BJP spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy said.
The Rajya Sabha MP criticised the Congress for "generating a
controversy" over invitation to Bachchan.
Resentment brewed in a section of Mumbai Congress over the invite to
Bachchan to the function where Chief Minister Ashok Chavan inaugurated
the sea link yesterday.
"It is beyond Indian tradition to invite and then insult. Bachchan
cannot be a victim of internal feud in Congress party, in particular
in Maharashtra and in general at the national level," Rudy said.
The BJP claimed that though the invitation to Bachchan had been sent
by the NCP minister in-charge of the department concerned, the "fear"
of the Gandhi family also played a role in the behaviour of the
Congress leaders.
"The fear of the Gandhi family and their likes and dislikes loom so
large that no sooner it would become a threat to democracy. This is
narrow-minded bigotry of the Congress party," Rudy alleged.
Bachchan, who is close to the Samajwadi Party, has not been on the
best of terms with the first family of Congress after Rajiv Gandhi's
death.
BJP also noted the reference made to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra
Modi in regard to the affair.
"Bachchan's mere association as brand ambassador of Gujarat is being
vilified by the Congress. A national icon is being derided for petty
political gains," Rudy said.
Comments (2) |
big B
By: KASIM | 26-Mar-2010
THIS EVER MONEY HIUNGRY BACCHHAN IS ALWAYS OVERACTING AND THIS TIME IT
IS TO HELP AMAR SINGH`S POLITICAL PROSPECTS,ISNT HE THE SAME BACHHAN
WHO WAS ACCUSED OF MAKING MONEY ON FILMS PASSING BY CENSORBOARD IN
INDIRA`S TIME,HE ALSO USED TO GO ON JAUNTS OF DYNASTY WITH PARAMOR
QUATTROCHHI,A MAN BECOMES SIMILAR TO THE COMPANY HE KEEPS,HE HAS
ALWAYS BECAUSE OF HIS PROFESSION BEEN WITH GREED AND MEDIA IS ALSO
REPAYING AMARSINGH THRU HIM,AS JOKERS AND MORONS LIKE AMAR AND LALLU
ARE GOOD FOR TV RATINGS.
True....
By: Roy | 26-Mar-2010
India nor Mumbai for that matter anywhere in India is just for any
political party but then your party...with its extreme right view
point...make Indians other than Hindus sans the poorer sections of
your community the right to be an Indian. This nondescript aging
individual gets mention & sympathy form the RSS controlle BJP simply
coz he chose to be the brand ambassador for the right
flag...ownership...of the state of Gujarat. Spread this canard amongst
your chaddiwallahs...the rest of India cares a damn about the
individual & the party you represent.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/bachchanavictimoffearofgandhifamilyincongbjp/595569/0
Will take all steps to implement Muslim quota: Rosaiah
Agencies
Posted: Thursday , Mar 25, 2010 at 1409 hrs
Hyderabad:
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K Rosaiah has promised that his
government would take "all required legal steps" for implementing four
per cent reservation in jobs and education for backward class
Muslims.
"With all seriousness and sincerity, we shall take all required legal
steps to ensure that the benefit of reservation is extended to
Muslims.
Our ultimate goal is to protect the reservation for backward class
Muslims," Rosaiah assured the state Assembly even as the Special Leave
Petition filed by the state against the High Court judgment was being
heard in the Supreme Court today.
The Assembly discussed the issue at length today with all parties,
barring the lone BJP MLA, favouring the reservation. In fact, Leader
of Opposition N Chandrababu Naidu and CPM MLA J Ranga Reddy wanted 10
per cent reservation for Muslims as per the recommendations made by
Sachar and Ranganath Misra committees.
"The government should lead an all-party delegation to the Prime
Minister to press for a Constitutional amendment for providing
reservation to backward class Muslims.
The state Assembly should also pass a resolution in this regard,"
Chandrababu said. Majlis Ittehadul-e-Muslimeen floor leader Akbaruddin
Owaisi too requested the same. Responding, the Chief Minister said the
government has no objection to this.
"Let me reassure you that we shall take required legal measures to
ensure four per cent reservation for Muslims by all means," Rosaiah
reiterated.
Earlier, replying to the debate on the issue, Minister for BC Welfare
M Mukesh Goud said 10,935 backward Muslim students availed of the
reservation benefits to pursue higher and professional education in
the last two years. Similarly, 83 candidates secured jobs in
government, he added.
10 Comments |
Muslim Reservation
By: A SINGHAM | Friday , 26 Mar '10 9:57:23 AM
DIVIDING THE PEOPLE ON RELIGION VERY SAD INDEED; BACKWARNESS CAN BE A
CRITERION IRRESPECTIVE OF FAITH, SO THAT UNDER PRIVILEGED CAN GET
CHANCE TO COME UP. THIS SHOULD NEVER BE TIED WITH RELIGION OR CASTES;
FOR YOU WILL FIND CREAMY LAYER TAKING ADVANTAGE OF IT, LEAVING THE
REALLY NEEDY BEHIND; AS IN CASE OF SC/CT, WITH FATHER IN IAS,
GRANDFATHER JUDGE, USING INFLUENCE SON GETS PRIORITY; RIDICULOUS AND
RETROGADE STEP, SURE. ALL PARTIES ARE OUT TO APPEASE MINORITY FOR VOTE
BANKS. MUST PUT FULL STOP TO THIS; MUSLIMS GOT A FULL COUNTRY BASED ON
(R)FIGHT, EH! AND ALL KNOW MUSLIM IN INDIA IS THE HAPPIEST PERSON,
COMPARED TO HIS OWN FATHERLAND NATIONS.
QUOTA TO MUSLIMS
By: M S VAISHNAV | Friday , 26 Mar '10 7:58:32 AM
EVERY RIGHT THINKING PERSON WILL AGREE THAT QUOTA SHOULD ONLY BE ON
BASIS OF ECONOMICAL POOR PEOPLE ANDNOT BASED ON RELIGION -THAT TOO NOT
FOR A'PARTICULAR' RELIGION ! IT SMELLS OF 'VOTEBANK' ORIENTED
GOVERNANCE !!
it should be there
By: krishna | Friday , 26 Mar '10 7:37:10 AM
Reservations have been a curse in our civilisations. We started with
100% reservations for brahmins for more than 2000 years and now we
have reservations for everybody with varying degrees
Muslim Quota-Damm the quotas
By: RAM | Friday , 26 Mar '10 6:56:04 AM
The Congress is all set to balkanise our country by pandering to this
quota . All right thinking citizens should unite to throw Congress out
of India.
Playing to the gallery
By: Shamefaced Indian | Friday , 26 Mar '10 6:06:16 AM
This is the worst kind of politics. Play upto all the backward classes
so that you can get votes. Such a shame!!
Stop robbing Peter
By: Deepa | Friday , 26 Mar '10 5:53:28 AM
When Ramvilas Paswan and Arjun Singh foisted a scheduled caste as
Chief Justice of India in the Supreme Court the eight bells began
tolling. So far only the Muslims seemed undivided, thanks to their
religious fervour. This was anathema to the Congress. With the help of
supreme court the Congress has successfully broken the Muslims to
divide and rule them. Only Nemesis has to wipe this evil Congress
Party which has become a curse for us.
Quota
By: manav | Thursday , 25 Mar '10 18:55:13 PM
What a shame.
Most Communal
By: Ram | Thursday , 25 Mar '10 16:36:43 PM
Using religion for votes, Congress is the most communal and of-course
they are trying to beat the Kolkatta CPI-M. If you have an idea to
uplift economically weaker sections, do that without checking which
God he prays to or which country he is affiliated to. Give
reservations to the economically weaker sections of the society
irrespective of caste, creed or religious faith. Even in Hinduism, the
castes were to perform one's duty and all the works are considered
equally important for the society, but this one was distorted by the
missionaries for their self interest.
Indian
By: Indian | Thursday , 25 Mar '10 16:36:15 PM
I think there should not be any quota on the basis of religion.
Initially the concept of reservation came for the Poor people. There
are many Rich people in Muslims also. How can a rich can get
reservation in Education Jobs etc... We need Reservation Review
By: Prabhjot Juneja | Thursday , 25 Mar '10 15:39:01 PM
He have reservation since 50 year. Its high time to look at loopholes
in the present system and also to review the benefits of present
reservation. It should be improved. Nobody denies that their is need
of reservation but at the same time nobody can deny the present system
is flawed and need to big time changes. It would be good to keep out
religion from all of this...histroy teached us the affect of religion
based reservations.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/willtakeallstepstoimplementmuslimquotarosaiah/595578/
BSP demo turns felicitation ceremony for bee-tamer Maya
Express News Service
Posted: Friday , Mar 26, 2010 at 0433 hrs
Lucknow:
Naseemuddin Siddiqui displays photographs of Sonia Gandhi with a
garland of currency notes at the party’s pardafaash protest in Lucknow
on Thursday.
OpportunityDon’t Glorify NaxalismRole-Model MPs, MLAs!Vehicle called
Life Sycophancy was the flavour of the day at the BSP demonstration
held in the state capital on Thursday to protest against the
“opposition conspiracies” against party chief and UP Chief Minister
Mayawati.
Successive speakers showered praise on Mayawati for her bravery in
carrying on with her speech in spite of the honeybees, which were
allegedly let loose to disrupt the March 15 rally.
A minister went so far as to proclaim that the bees did not sting
anyone because they accepted Mayawati’s supremacy. Another said the
Opposition conspiracy to cause a stampede at the rally fell flat when
the bees, instead of stinging anyone, simply welcomed Mayawati and
settled on the rooftop.
The other highpoint of the rally was PWD Minister Naseemuddin
Siddiqui’s display of photographs of Opposition leaders accepting
currency garlands and expensive items, purportedly downloaded from the
internet.
Among these was a photo of Sonia Gandhi purportedly wearing a garland
of 1,000-rupee currency notes, of L K Advani being offered a crown and
of Mulayam Singh Yadav being presented with a silver sword.
Mayawati had asked her partymen to organise protests across the state
on three issues — the sudden appearance of honeybees at the party
rally, the controversy over the currency garland and filing of two
PILs in the Allahabad High Court to stop the rally — as evidence of
the Opposition conspiracy to derail the celebration of 25 years of the
party’s foundation.
As the protests were held, she hopped into a helicopter for an aerial
view of the hotspots — including Lucknow, where all important party
leaders had gathered.
On the ground, meanwhile, Urban Development Minister Nakul Dube said
the honeybees accepted Mayawati’s supremacy and did not harm anyone at
the rally. The Opposition should also accept it and reconcile to the
fact that Mayawati is going to be the prime minister.
“People like you and me would have got scared after watching that huge
swarm arrive before us, but not Mayawati,” he said.
Likewise, party MLC Gopal Narayan Mishra blamed the “cheap tactics” of
the Opposition and praised Mayawati for keeping her composure in face
of the bees.
Rajya Sabha member Akhilesh Das exhorted the gathering to just think
of the consequences “had they (the opposition) succeeded in their
tactics” to cause a stampede.
The last word was left to Siddiqui, who said the conspiracy fell flat
when the honeybees “welcomed her (the CM)”. “They flew to the dais and
then took shelter on the roof,” he said.
Opposition bristles at Maya counter-sting
LUCKNOW: Opposition parties lashed out at the BSP for releasing
photographs of its leaders donning currency garlands and gold crowns,
describing it as a “futile bid” to justify the presentation of a multi-
crore garland to Mayawati at the party’s ‘maharally’ here. “Sonia
Gandhi does not require anyone’s certificate as all are aware that she
is in public life neither for power nor money,” said Congress leader
Akhilesh Pratap Singh. BJP
state unit president Hriday Narain Dixit said the two things (crown
for L K Advani and Mayawati’s currency garland) cannot be compared. SP
spokesman Rajendra Chaudhary said people know that through the
garland, BSP leaders had tried to convert their black money into
white. PTI
Comments (2) |
No more tainted leaders, please.
By: Adv.Alby Raymond Parackal | 26-Mar-2010
People of India need rulers to be Scot-free from corruption in all
forms.It is quite unfortunate to blame another political leader and
try to belittle the tainted act which currently a Chief Minister has
done.
DALIT KI BETI
By: NIRANJAN | 26-Mar-2010
AGREED. BUT SONIA GANDHI HAS NEVER PROFESSED TO BE A POOR, DALIT
PERSON. SHE DOES NOT CLAIM TO BE MESSIAH OF THE POOR AND DOWNTRODDEN
PEOPLE. SHE DOES NOT INAUGURATE HER OWN STATUES! SO, MAYAWATI, PLEASE
DON'T COMPARE YOURSELF WITH ANYBODY. THERE ARE NOT TOO MANY
POLITICIANS WHO STOOPED AS LOW AS YOU HAVE!
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/bspdemoturnsfelicitationceremonyforbeetamermaya/595957/0
Living together a part of right to life, not an offence: SC
Krishnadas Rajagopal
Posted: Mar 24, 2010 at 0243 hrs IST
New Delhi The Supreme Court threw its weight behind live-in
relationships on Tuesday, observing that for a man and a woman in
love, to live together is part of the right to life, and not a
“criminal offence”.
“If two people, man and woman, want to live together, who can oppose
them? What is the offence they commit here? This happens because of
the cultural exchange between people,” a special three-judge bench of
Chief Justice of India (CJI) K G Balakrishnan and Justices Deepak
Verma and B S Chauhan observed.
The court was hearing a batch of petitions filed by actress Khusboo to
quash 22 FIRs filed against her by Tamil activist groups and forums
for her alleged comments on pre-marital sex in interviews five years
ago.
“If living together is an offence, then the first complaint should be
filed against the Supreme Court, because we have permitted living
together,” the court said. It was referring to a 2006 judgment in
which the Supreme Court directed the administration and police across
the country to protect runaway couples from harassment, and to
initiate action against those resorting to violence.
“It is part of right to life to go away with someone you love,” the
bench said. The Supreme Court had earlier stayed a Madras High Court
order of April 2008, which allowed criminal proceedings against the
actress.
Khusboo was alleged to have said there was nothing wrong in “sex
before marriage”, provided girls were careful about pregnancy and
sexually-transmitted diseases. Her detractors argued that the implied
advice to the educated male to not expect virginity from modern girls
was “offensive” and a source of “public nuisance”.
To an argument that Khusboo’s comments on pre-marital sex would
mislead gullible youths and minors, the court said: “The scenario is
highly unlikely in this age of the Internet where we do not know what
our children are doing or where they are going or what pornography
site they are watching.”
To this, the lawyer appearing for one of the complainants, Miniammal,
a lawyer in Tamil Nadu, responded that “there should be some morality
in the comments made by people of prominence like Khusboo, who has a
temple in Tamil Nadu where she is worshipped as a goddess”.
“And this is how you revere your goddess, by dragging her to court?”
retorted Justice Verma.
The bench made it clear that Khusboo’s comments could at best be
termed as “personal opinions”, and did not amount to a cognizable
offence.
But the lawyer persisted that Khusboo’s comments on pre-marital sex
would lead to the “spoiling of the entire institution of marriage.
Statements like this can result in chaos in the society.”
Even as the CJI at this moment responded that people were better off
listening to themselves than to others, Justice Verma asked the
counsel to point out how many marriages were “spoilt” or how many
instances of chaos happened in the past five years because of her
comments on pre-marital sex.
The court said it cannot stop anyone from expressing their opinions
before reserving the petitions for final verdict.
Besides, the court said, Khusboo (who was present during the day-long
hearing) had said “nothing new” about the concept of living together.
Justice Chauhan pointed out that even the “ceiling limit” for the
construction of temples for twin deities like Radha and Krishna or Ram
and Sita were calculated under the consideration that they were
“husband and wife”.
Comments - 34
Need of the hour
by Dr. Vidyacharan Shukla on 26 Mar 2010
Indian culture is changing dramatically but in different colors.
Intrinsically, we are plagued with double standard that manifests time
to time in the form of litigation, complaints and blames just to hide
our own lusts. Premarital relationship was prevailed in everywhere
around the globe but Indian society preferred to suppress the facts,
instead face the truth. Philosophically, even we dream about the
physical relationship before marriage or after marriage, both are
considered to be sin if we follow any religions. No religions stops
anyone not living together and law of nature supports Khusboo bold
stand. It is sad that Supreme court has to intervene in this case but
giving decision in the favor of Khusboo shows the faith on the
judiciary. Supreme court judge cited beautiful example of Lord Krishna
and Goddess Radha, but the best example could have been Kanyakumari
with Lord Shiva, Droupdi with 5 Pandavas, and many more who are our
Ideals in Indian society.
Reply | Forward
Unwarrented Comments
by Varun on 25 Mar 2010
That the esteemed judges of The S.C impulsively brought in the example
of Radha and Krishna is totally uncalled for.People at such high posts
are not expected to make statements on a subject on which they
themselves are not clear.Shrimati Radharani had a single pointed
devotion towards Lord Krishna, an example of unconditional love in its
purest form.To bring in such pure relationships to justify the modern
generation's uncontrolled infatuation and their total unconcern to
moral principles shows their ignorance about their own scriptures and
even lack of common sense.It is requested to the judges not to make
such irresponsible comments ,and certainly not relating to any
religion,while dealing in cases in future.Please maintain the high
values and the standards of the supreme court.
Reply | Forward
Bring in Appropriate Legislation
by K.Suresh on 25 Mar 2010
The comment -%u201CAnd this is how you revere your goddess, by
dragging her to court?%u201D - is inappropriate. The concerned lawyer
never submitted that Kushboo is HIS goddess. And there was no need to
bring in Rama,Sita, etc into the comments. The court could have simply
said that as per existing laws, living-in does not constitute an
offense. It is for the legislature to bring in appropriate
legislation. And such laws always are always rooted in the cultural
and moral values practiced in society at that point of time. I can not
quote my ancestors in caves to justify using a club (wooden or stone)
on a woman.
Reply | Forward
bravo
by chandidas mishra on 25 Mar 2010
love the statements of the justices. bravo supreme court.
Reply | Forward
It is against Indian cultural values
by MAHARASHTRA TOP NEWS on 25 Mar 2010
Sir, I am Masumkhan, Chief Editor..MAHARASHTRA TOP NEWS, LATUR. Pre-
marital sex is not accepted in Indian culture. Supreme court wants to
examine current social and cultural status of Indian family, male and
female. If supreme court gives us God krishnas example it is very
different situation ....this is kalyug sir.
immoral decision
by k.k.jaitley on 24 Mar 2010
SC decision may have adverse impact on the institution of
marriage.this is also very shoking to find that decision maker find no
other way but to cite the the example of living together of Lord
Krisna and Radha to justify their vedict.I don't know from where they
find out that Krisna and Radha used to live together separately. Both
man and woman living together separately are vunerable to each other
and their living together without marriage will break the social
fabric. limitation on the freedom is as imporant as the freedom is.
some day the woman may approach the court alleging rap by the person
with whom she has live in relationship on one or the other pretex i.e
false promise of marriage by the partner.
LIVING TOGETHER
by Jason on 24 Mar 2010
Diverse suggestions and comments. Well freedom of expression.Morality
is judged by the society.India lost her moral values long time ago.
Equality for men and women. No. The corrupt arrogant old aged
'man'still in the view that he is in the nomadic 18th century 'as the
king' and women and children treated as 'salable property' - denying
their human rights as an individual..Look at the practice of marriage.
Indians in general still believe - to have a girl is a curse and must
give 'dowry'to have er married and the 'groom' and his parents demand
huge amounts of cash,gold in lakhs/crores.. Shame. What happended to
what these corrupt system of soceity preaches. Please try to correct
the wrongs.While the courts are to uphold the rights for each
citizen,justice is not granted to the poor and the less educated by
creation of such a group by the'rich-upper class'.One father sold
everything to get her well educated engineering daughter to a school
teacher paying ranson to the groo's parents
DISGUSTING DECISSION OF SC
by AFTAB ARIZVI on 24 Mar 2010
I disagree with the decision of the Supreme Court. Morality should be
the guiding principles for governance. If you have no morality, what
is the difference between human beings and animals/birds. The Court
was asking for sections of statutes for imposing morality. If there
are no enabling dstatutes, the Court should have asked the Government
to bring in suitable legislation. If living together is acceptable,
why not prostitution. The body of a woman is her property and if she
decides to give it on rent for a small period (which is what
prostitution is), why should we object? Tomorrow, I might abuse my
neighbour saying that it is part of my right to live my life the way I
want, why should anybody object. Similarly, if my neighbour decides to
retaliate physically, again why should you object as he has a right to
react the way he wants as part of his right to life.
Degeneration of social values
by Swapan Lodh on 24 Mar 2010
Apex court`s verdict will certainly shatter the fabric of the society
which has so fondly been built by our ancestors to guard against
degeneration.Steps had been taken by elders time and need based
decisions which became rituals and later custom on which based concept
of laws.Radha-Krishna and Ram-Sita could perhaps should better not be
brought in this case as these are epics and poetic imagination played
more significantly than anecdotes.
Great descision
by Shrey on 24 Mar 2010
I totally disagree with the comments that are given above. I am
surprised by the mentality of "Indian Citizens" that have posted
comments against apex court in which these people relate live-in
relation with sex and prostitution. If a boy and a girl are living
together under a single roof, it does not mean that they have sexual
relationship. And even if they have that sex-relationship than what is
wrong in that if both are adult and agree. You can't relate this
situation with prostitution as it is completely different thing.
Prostitution is business and not the love. Above people are like those
who can't come out of the pit which they have dug and hence they pull
others in to the same. Supreme court has done a great moral thing
which should persist. They didn't even tried to insult indian god as
they illustrated pure love between radha and krishna!
Indian Traditional Culture affected by this judgement? Really?????
by Married Indian Woman on 24 Mar 2010
First of all, Kudos to the counsel for giving a sensible judgement.
For all those true Indian culture protectors out there, the counsel
did not say that all couples should live-in and not marry. They have
mentioned that living together and pre-marital sex is not an offence!
If you think about it,most couples who live-in together usually are
very independent and are capable of thinking clearly. Also, someone
has spoken about AIDS... Come-on, most victims are from the lowest
strata of society, mostly due to senseless extra marital affairs.
Whether or not to marry someone is someone's personal opinion, it is
not upto anyone to force it upon them. All you fathers who have
daughters, if you want to raise your voice against something, raise it
against female infanticide, dowry system, women empowerment and
corruption. Jai Hind!
another undesirable import
by sakthiman on 24 Mar 2010
Such useless thoughts fit only rich and filth. Not for common people
who die for their values. I don't think Supreme court judgement in any
way influences the common man except that the institution has fallen
from grace.
Larger Picture
by R.Ramachandran on 24 Mar 2010
The SC has posed the question %u201CIf two people, man and woman, want
to live together, who can oppose them? What is the offence they commit
here?" In fact this question though put to the Counsel for the
Complainants, is to be directed against the Trial Court / High Court
Judges who did not ask this question in the first place and have
created a situation where the accused has to travel all the way to the
Supreme Court! If this is the kind of justice system that we have, we
shudder to think the recent lament of the SC that "it has limited time
at its disposal and it cannot be expected to hear every kind of
dispute.%u201D The SC also has conveniently discontinued hearing
petitions under Art. 32 which is a fundamental right of every citizen,
and asking the citizen to first approach the HC and then to come to SC
under Art.136. Now the SC says that the discretionary jurisdiction
cannot be invoked by every individual! Actions of SC are clearly
violative of the Constitutional provisions.
Pious to Evil
by Iquebal Ahmed on 24 Mar 2010
One more import of western filth into our pious culture! One more
attack on our pious culture after legalization of gay marriage by our
own judicial system!!
Evil and Immoral----
by romesh.sharma on 24 Mar 2010
These few words from Mr Ahmed speak volumes that one can write and
say.This move is the worst kind of immoral act of judiciary which is
time and again meddling into the absolute private,cultural and
religious affairs of the people.This all may be of some help/interest
of the socalled High-Society which is already deeply dyed in the
western colours.This malady will soon spread and the most ancient
beautiful culture and its traditions will diminish for-ever.Moreover
most westerns are fed-up and tired of such unions and discarding fast.
Right or wrong ?
by Gaurav Kaushish on 24 Mar 2010
RIGHT OR WRONG?? TIME WILL TELL. NORMS ARE SET FOR SMOOTH FUNCTIONING
OF THE SOCIETY AT LARGE BY THE SOCIETY ITSELF. EACH AND EVERY CASE CAN
NOT BE BROUGHT UNDER THE GARB OF LEGAL PROVISIONS.OFFENCES KEEP TAKING
PLACE EVEN WHEN THEY ARE DEFINED, AS SUCH, IN THE LAW OF THE
LAND.ALLOWING SOMETHING AS A MATTER OF RIGHT DOES NOT GUARANTEE ITS
EXERCISE BY THE INDIVIDUALS. SIMILARLY IMPOSING RESTRICTIONS TOO IS NO
CALIBRE FOR STRICT COMPLIANCE THEREOF. MADHYAM MARG (PAH OF
MODERATION) MAY BE OF SOME GUIDANCE. THE DEBATE IS OPEN,,,,,
God save Incredible India
by Raaj on 24 Mar 2010
What a great verdict.Today the world looks at India as a country with
a great culture, Spiritual heritage and tradition in which people live
with great family values. We should be proud about it as we have
preserved our culture and tradition against various invasions. If our
kids were to live like the western kids ignoring the Indian values, as
per the Supreme Court Judgement, God save India.
Whether bigamy is legalised now ?
by R Krishnamurthy on 24 Mar 2010
If a married man has a live-in relationship with another woman is it
perfectly correct under law. Supreme Court judgement is pointing
towards that.
sc on relationship
by kamal on 24 Mar 2010
SC HAS HURT MANY RELIGIOUS SENTIMENTS BY QUOTING RAMA SITA KRISHNA AND
RADHA,THIS CERTAINLY IMPLIES THAT ONLY HINDUS HAVE OR FOLLOWERS OF
THESE DEITIES HAVE OBJECTIONS TO SUCH RELATIONSHIPS AND ANY OTHER
RELIGION DOES NOT OR WAS IT FEAR OF JEHADIS SO THAT NO ISLAMIC REVERED
ONES WERE MENTIONED IN THIS COURT CASE.SC JUDGES HAVE HURT THE
FEELINGS OF A RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY AND THERE ARE LAWS AGAINST SUCH
ACTION,ONLY THEY CAN SUGGEST HOW THEY WILL OVERCOME THIS BLUNDER AND
THAT ALSO DURING THE SITTING OF THE HIGHEST COURT OF THE LAND.ALSO FOR
SC INFO ALL HINDU SECTS DONT WORSHIP RADHA ND KRISHNA,WHY ALWAYS DRAG
ALL HINDU SECTS INTO THIS CASE LIKE MEDIA.
Live-in Relationship
by Vaid S C K on 24 Mar 2010
Legal sanction granted by Apex court shall now bring forth many
problems specially for police and others who always look for
exploitation. If man and woman have been living togather for few years
without marriage then woman one day lodges complaint with police for
having been sexually exploited for number of years, what courts are
going to decide?
SC remarks subjudice
by drabc on 24 Mar 2010
Blissfully unawares the SC might have shown a contempt of court should
any other of such cases are before a judge anywhere in India! To
comment recklessly a can of worms might be marching onto the Supreme
Court.This was a most unhelpful intervention from the SC in a Civil
court matter
SC remarks subjudice
by drabc on 24 Mar 2010
Blissfully unawares the SC might have shown a contempt of court should
any other of such cases are before a judge anywhere in India! To
comment recklessly a can of worms might be marching onto the Supreme
Court.This was a most unhelpful intervention from the SC in a Civil
court matter
Living Together As Part Of Right To Life
by C.R. Panicker on 24 Mar 2010
I disagree with the decision of the Supreme Court. Morality should be
the guiding principles for governance. If you have no morality, what
is the difference between human beings and animals/birds. The Court
was asking for sections of statutes for imposing morality. If there
are no enabling dstatutes, the Court should have asked the Government
to bring in suitable legislation. If living together is acceptable,
why not prostitution. The body of a woman is her property and if she
decides to give it on rent for a small period (which is what
prostitution is), why should we object? Tomorrow, I might abuse my
neighbour saying that it is part of my right to live my life the way I
want, why should anybody object. Similarly, if my neighbour decides to
retaliate physically, again why should you object as he has a right to
react the way he wants as part of his right to life.
Is the nation going bohemian way ?
by K.Suresh on 24 Mar 2010
This is a ridiculous argument from the judiciary. In that case, the
same argument can be used to justify adultery. illicit relations,
extra-marital relations etc. Then why have laws against pornography,
exhibitionism. immoral traffic ? Does the SC want the whole nation to
resemble Goan seaside? BTW, when such an arrangement ends, is the
female partner entitled to alimony/compensation?
the nation going bohemian way ?
by CTZWORLD on 24 Mar 2010
Mr. Suresh, Kindly get a copy of the Immoral traffic(Prevention) act
1956. Pornography, exhibitionism. immoral traffic etc.. you described
are something different than cohabitation. Cohabitation is allowed
between persons who do not have legal spouses and they earn no benifit
by way of money or something else
the nation going bohemian way ?
by CTZWORLD on 24 Mar 2010
Mr. Suresh, Kindly get a copy of the Immoral traffic(Prevention) act
1956. Pornography, exhibitionism. immoral traffic etc.. you described
are something different than cohabitation. Cohabitation is allowed
between persons who do not have legal spouses and they earn no benifit
by way of money or something else
Someone finally has some brains
by Madhav on 24 Mar 2010
Awesome judgement especially about Khusbhu's case. Instead of wasting
their time, why don't these lawyers fight for the common man instead
of pursuing useless cases.
LIVING TOGETHER
by KRISHNAN.S on 24 Mar 2010
Shocking observations by the Highest Court.What would have been the
answer of the Supreme Court if only the counsel had a daughter.The
counsel replied to the judges that he has no daughter.So in future if
a minister/chief minister has no problem then he need not address that
issue.Let Supreme Court rethink on morality and answer so as to
advance the society in the right direction.Already the politicians
especially down South have more than 2 wives.Now even marriages may
not be required.Already one popular Tamil actor who has international
fame is reported to have said that he does not believe in marriages.Le
God save this country.
Hypocricy
by Mathew on 24 Mar 2010
Though I do not support pre marital sex or sex outside marriage, I
support the supreme court statement. If young people is going to be
mis guided by a statement of one person then these people are fools.
God has given every ones brains and most educated people can think
what is right and what id wrong. There are many in or midst who wear
the mask of morality and behind the scene are np worse than the people
they despise. Its high time we put an end to this hypocrisy.
Living togethr as part of Right to Life
by ashok bhatnagar on 24 Mar 2010
If law says living together is a way of life & not an offence what was
the crime of Swami Nityanand. Why media made such a big story & police
lodged complaints in a matter that was between the Swami & his
disciples. I think both the print & electronic media should apologise
to Swami Nityanand.
Re: Nithyananda
by Vinod Kumar Pavanghat on 24 Mar 2010
In the case of Nithyananda, media exposed only a lie. If he had openly
propounded a living in relationship, no body would have had any
objection. Use your brain....
LIVING TOGETHER AS PART OF RIGHT TO LIFE
by ashok bhatnagar on 24 Mar 2010
If law allow says living together is a way of life & not an offence
what was the crime of Swami Nityanand. Why media made such a big story
& police lodged complaints in a matter that was between the Swami &
his disciples. I think media should apologise to Swami Nityanand.
An unnecessary link
March 25, 2010
First Published: 20:52 IST(25/3/2010)
Last Updated: 20:53 IST(25/3/2010)
Who owns the Bandra-Worli sealink in Mumbai? We know who constructed
it. We know who inaugurated the first phase. We know who it is named
after. But who owns it? Who can legitimately claim that this sea link
belongs to them? The guys who built it and collect toll? The
governmentwalas for clearing permissions? The labourers who built it?
Can we dare to say that this piece of architecture belongs to the
people of Mumbai, those who can afford to travel on it to save commute
time as well as to those who cannot; who have to be content to just
look?
Now that that question is out of the way, here’s the next one. Who
owns Amitabh Bachchan? Clearly, his immediate family has an interest.
Clearly his friends, political and otherwise, have an interest. But
could you stretch it and say he belongs to lakhs of his fans, not just
in Mumbai or Allahabad but all over the world?
When Raj Thackeray huffs and puffs and calls for a boycott of Amitabh
Bachchan films in response to Jaya Bachchan’s insistence at a film
function to speak in Hindi because she is from Uttar Pradesh, we
denounce him as a thug. Bachchan points out that the Indian
Constitution has granted him the right to live in whichever part of
the country he chooses to. But, he also clarifies, his wife meant no
disrespect at all.
Raj’s uncle, Bal Thackeray, writes in Saamna that Amitabh Bachchan
belongs to the entire nation. So, that should settle the question of
ownership. But then he moves his sights onto another national figure,
Shah Rukh Khan. Bachchan belongs to India. Shah Rukh is a ‘Dilliwala’
who should pack his bags and go home, decrees senior Thackeray. Let’s
just say that logic doesn’t run deep in the Thackeray genes.
But — question three — what does one make of Maharashtra Chief
Minister Ashok Chavan, who is fast turning out to be a doppelganger
for the Thackeray parivar?
First comes Chavan’s astounding statement that taxi- drivers
(routinely bashed up by Raj and his goons for coming from Bihar and
Uttar Pradesh) must speak in Marathi — a statement that he later tries
to clarify is a requirement of some law in some statute book.
Now, saying it was a mistake to invite Amitabh Bachchan, arguably
India’s biggest film star, to the opening of the Worli-Bandra sealink
is — what? — plain stupid.
Chavan who shared the dais with Bachchan at the inauguration says in
hindsight that it was a mistake to have invited Bachchan because he is
the ‘brand ambassador’ of Gujarat. Had he known that he would be
sharing the dais with Bachchan, he would have stayed home, he says.
Mumbai Congress president Kripashankar Singh, meanwhile, sparks off a
whodunit by saying he was not consulted about the invitation.
So, was it the NCP, the Congress party’s uneasy allies in the state?
Is there truth in the claim that the NCP wanted to inject a bit of
‘glamour’ into what would have undoubtedly been a dreary inauguration?
Sachin Tendulkar, another national icon who also happens to be a son
of the soil, was not available, so Amitabh Bachchan was sent a card.
What remains really now that the coconuts have been broken and the
sealink extension officially opened is the unedifying smallness of the
Maharashtra Congress. Bachchan is a national icon, he belongs to the
people who have a rightful claim to the sealink.
Inviting a man of the people, whoever invited him, was appropriate and
correct. Bickering about it after the event is ridiculous. Even more
ridiculous is Ashok Chavan’s attempts to claim the loony space so far
occupied by the Thackerays.
Namita Bhandare is a Delhi-based writer
The views expressed by the author are personal
Swati 1 hour ago
1 person liked this.
Maharashtra Congress and also the national Congress party is fast
losing credibility. I'm totally disgusted at the way they are treating
infrastructure development as their private property and insulting a
great icon, Amitabh Bachchan.
Sid 3 hours ago
It is HUGE conspiracy by Congress - they must have siphoned so much
money from the contractors of the project that they very well know
this Bridge may NOT stand long - as it is, it is built over the sea
and it has to face a furious Monsoon sea and very corrosive water all
other times! So, they asked Sonia to NOT attend the inaguration and
wanted NCP to get the blame. So conveniently they have found Amitabh's
shoulder to fire at NCP because Congres (Sonia & PM) are still
smarting under famous Pawar's meeting with Bal Thackery reagarding the
security of Australian players in IPL. Congres never forgets insults
suffered by it!
Sachin 4 hours ago
Sorry to say Namita , but you have not nalysed whole situation
clearly .
You have not viewed it from angle of Bachchan being Brand Ambassodar
of Gujarat. Is it not bad that some narrow minded politicians cites
reasons that some person should not be invited if he is brand
ambassador of a state whose CM is accused of riots. What baout
congress itself ? They are associated with Sajjan Kumar , Tytler.
So please analyse it from all angles and show your research work
instead of penning down emotions . HT columns were not that excellent
but now they are going off the track.
FlagLikeReplyReply
kush 6 hours ago
1 person liked this.
For inagurations of completed projects, we should stop inviting
politicians as they have no role in developments - it is rather that
despite of their best efforts to delay / scuttle the projects, we
still manage to complete the projects. Worli sea link took ten years
to complete - w/o political interference, it may have been completed
in 3-4 years - so what we need is no congressi neta or NCP - these are
all nincompoops we saw what happended in Mumbai on 26/11. Rather call
icon like Amitabh, Sridaran of Metro, Narayanmurthy of Infosys to be
present for ribbon cutings.
Ravin 6 hours ago
SHAME on Congress ! They have nothing better to do.
Get rid of them to save the country.
nachiket 8 hours ago
All Delhi based writers are talking about Mumbai & Maharashtra. They
talk little about Bihar/UP/MP and other states where real development
is stalled because of in-efficient politician. Raj Thackeray has done
fairly well in stopping 'HINDI-fication' of Maharashtra.
I am Pune Based IT-Professional
The views expressed by me are Public
RP 12 hours ago
Author claims that Chavan dictated that Taxi drivers in Mumbai must
SPEAK Marathi, not true, he said all the taxi drivers in Mumbai must
KNOW Marathi as Marathi is official language of Maharashtra and
Marathi is prerequisite as per Motor Vehicle Act 1989. But I guess we
should not be nit picking .....bash the Thakreys, lampoon the CM with
them and get away with any thing.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/An-unnecessary-link/H1-Article1-523248.aspx
http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/f9b738e079fef9fb#
chhotemianinshallah
| March 26th, 2010 | By: Piyush Goyal
New Delhi: BJP president Nitin Gadkari is likely to reinduct expelled
saffron sanyasin Uma Bharti into the party and appoint her one of its
general secretaries. With Tarun Vijay and Varun Gandhi already in and
Ms Bharti likely to follow suit, it appears that Hindutva forces will
dominate Team Gadkari. Ms Bharti’s reinduction is likely to make life
difficult for senior moderate leaders like Arun Jaitley and M.
Venkaiah Naidu and the slightly more combative Sushma Swaraj.
BJP parliamentary party chairman L.K. Advani, who could get into
trouble over the deposition of an IPS officer in a Rae Bareli court on
Friday regarding the 1992 demolition of the Babri Masjid, has
reportedly given the green signal to Ms Bharti’s re-entry into the
party.
On Thursday, Ms Bharti formally resigned from the Bharatiya Janshakti
Party, a political outfit that she had floated after being expelled
from the BJP.
Speculation was rife ever since Mr Gadkari became party chief that he
was trying to get hardliners back into the fold. But strong opposition
from moderate leaders like Mr Jaitley, Mr Venkaiah Naidu and Ms Swaraj
has held him back till now.
Sources said that after consultations with the top RSS leadership,
including its chief Mohan Bhagwat, Mr Gadkari was trying to make Ms
Bharti one of the party general secretaries. It may be recalled that
even after the BJP had expelled Ms Bharti, the RSS continued to
support her. The RSS mouthpiece Organiser had also attacked the BJP
over the expulsion. But with the moderates calling the shots in the
BJP till now, the RSS had failed to get Ms Bharti re-inducted into the
organisation.
However, some BJP leaders feel that despite the RSS’ wishes, it might
not be easy to get Ms Bharti rehabilitated, particularly in a senior
position in the organisation, due to the continued opposition of
certain senior leaders.
http://www.bharatchronicle.com/uma-bharti-rejoins-bjp-appointed-gen-secretary-5810
Citing Mumbai attacks, UK plans to improve marine security
| March 23rd, 2010 | By: Piyush Goyal
London: Britain plans to create a new maritime security agency to spot
and ward off any threats to its ports and shipping, the government
said on Monday.
Announcing plans for a National Maritime Information Centre, Security
Minister Lord West said a 2008 seaborne attack by militants on Mumbai
had increased fears about marine security. The 2012 London Olympics,
with its south coast sailing events, also posed particular problems.
The centre will bring together data about all UK-related maritime
activity by coordinating and sharing information across government
about dangers such as terrorism, piracy and drug smuggling. This would
allow better and faster decision-making.
The centre, to be based at the Defence Ministry joint headquarters in
Northwood, Middlesex, is due to begin work towards the end of 2010.
The British economy is highly dependent on sea ports: More than 90
percent of all freight by tonnage enters or leaves Britain by sea,
according to the British Ports Association industry association.
“The UK is reliant on the sea for its security and prosperity,” an
official statement said. “The continued rise of piracy incidents off
the Horn of Africa and the terrorist events in Mumbai in autumn 2008
have indicated the capacity and intent to exploit the sea to export
terror and unlawful activity.”
“There are also vast ungoverned spaces of the world’s oceans where
unlawful activity continues to destabilise states and regions, from
narcotics trafficking in the Caribbean to piracy off the Horn of
Africa,” the statement said.
In the Mumbai attack, ten men entered the port city in small boats and
struck targets including the main railway station, two luxury hotels
and a Jewish centre, killing 166 people.
India blamed the attacks on Pakistan-based militants and broke off a
peace initiative with Pakistan until Islamabad punished those it said
had planned the assault.
While most militant attacks around the world happen on land, the
spread of piracy off Africa may encourage more use of the sea by
politically inspired armed groups, especially if counter-terrorism
measures on land improve, analysts say.
The U.S. government this month warned ships sailing off Yemen’s coast
of the risk of al Qaeda attacks similar to a militant suicide bombing
of the U.S. warship Cole in Aden in 2000 that killed 17 U.S. sailors.
Two years later an al Qaeda attack damaged the French supertanker
Limburg in the Gulf of Aden.
http://www.bharatchronicle.com/citing-mumbai-attacks-uk-plans-to-improve-marine-security-5778
Advani made hate speech on Babri demolition day: ex-PSO
Press Trust of India / New Delhi March 26, 2010, 14:44 IST
Rae Bareli, Mar 26 (PTI) In a setback to L K Advani in the Babri
Masjid demolition case, a senior IPS officer today told a special CBI
court here that the BJP leader made provocative speech at Ayodhya on
the day the structure was brought down 17 years ago.
Deposing as a prosecution witness in the case in which Advani and
other Sangh Parivar leaders have been accused of inciting violence,
1990-batch officer Anju Gupta said Sangh activists like Vinay Katiyar,
Uma Bharti and Sadhvi Rithambhara also made provocative speeches.
Advani and other BJP leaders had repeatedly said that a Ram temple
will be built at the same spot where the 16th century mosque stood,
Gupta, who was the personal security officer of Advani during that
period, told the court.
After her deposition, Gupta was cross-examined by the defence. The
court later adjourned the hearing in the case to April 23 when cross-
examination of the IPS officer will resume.
Gupta told the court that Advani gave provocative speech at Ayodhya on
the day Babri Masjid was demolished. She said Advani wanted to know
from her what was happening at the disputed site. She told Advani that
people were trying to climb the domes and some of them fell down and
were hurt.
On hearing this, Advani expressed desire to go to the site and appeal
to the people to come down from the domes, the IPS officer deposed.
Gupta said after consultation with senior officials, the BJP leader
was told that it was not desirable for him to go there as any mishap
involving him may make the situation go out of control.
Advani then sent Bharti there but she came back after some time, Gupta
said. She also said that she saw people carrying tools like shovels
and rods.
While addressing a gathering Joshi said irrespective of what then
Prime Minister P V Narsimha Rao says, the temple will be built there
itself. "Let the mosque be built anywhere," he said, according to
Gupta.
Gupta also told the court that after the domes of the mosque were
brought down, Bharti and Rithambara hugged each other and distributed
sweets.
They also congratulated Advani and BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi, she
said.
Gupta, who is currently posted with R&AW in Delhi, had earlier deposed
before the CBI, which probed the demolition of the 16th century
mosque.
She had made a detailed statement on the movement and activities of
various Sangh leaders, including Advani, during the incident of
December 6, 1992. It formed a key part of the criminal case the CBI
filed against Advani, Joshi, Bharti, Katiyar, Ashok Singhal, Giriraj
Kishore, Vishnu Hari Dalmiya and Rithambhara in 1993.
Newsmaker: The Reddy brothers
Karnataka's iron men
Aditi Phadnis / New Delhi March 26, 2010, 0:19 IST
The case over the legality of their mining operations has proved the
first check to the rise of the brothers’ ore empire.
Last week, the Supreme Court asked Gali Janardhana and Gali Karunakara
Reddy, brothers, ministers of tourism and infrastructure and revenue
respectively in the Karnataka government and owners of the Obulapuram
Mining Company (OMC), to stop iron ore mining on the Andhra Pradesh-
Karnataka border.
April 6 is the day the Survey of India is supposed to tell the Supreme
Court whether OMC’s owners encroached on a reserve forest to gouge out
vast reserves of iron ore.
The matter reached the Supreme Court after the Andhra Pradesh High
Court gave OMC conditional clearance to continue mining in response to
a complaint that they had not just encroached on land that was not
legally theirs, but had also altered the Andhra Pradesh-Karnataka
border to extend their jurisdiction to the neighbouring state.
The complainant’s contention was that the ruling party in Andhra
Pradesh — the Congress led by former Chief Minister, the late Y S
Rajashekhar Reddy — was in cahoots with the Reddy brothers in
Karnataka to allow illegal mines to flourish.
This is a long way from the Reddy brothers’ first steps in business.
Till some years ago, the Reddy brothers’ preferred form of transport
was the scooter, on which they used to roam villages and towns of
Bellary to raise money for their non-banking financial company which
ultimately had to be liquidated.
Today, a Union minister told Business Standard some months ago, the
Reddy brothers use a helicopter from their place of work to go home to
have lunch so that they can avoid the dust from the mines.
And in 2009, Janardhana Reddy was reported as having said to Telugu
newspapers, quite frankly, “The net worth of myself and my wife is Rs
115 crores. I own a helicopter that I bought for Rs 15 crore, a deluxe
bus for Rs 4 crore and cars worth Rs 5 crore. My group’s turnover in
2006-07 was Rs 2,008 crore for which I have filed IT returns. Out of
this, OMC, which is in the iron ore business, had a turnover of Rs
1,200 crore.”
He is 44. His brother, Karunakara Reddy is 46. In the declaration
before the Election Commission they have reported assets that add up
to much less, around Rs 200 crore.
How did the Reddy family make so much money? Families that owned land
in Bellary would mine iron ore and earn a modest profit. But
engineering in the west soon created machines that modernised mining
operations, making available with relative ease better quality iron
ore that could be found deeper down. This, and the demand from China
coinciding with the Olympics, sent demand for ore spiralling and the
Reddy family’s cash tills ringing non-stop.
Much of this money was invested in Brahmani Steels, a company that was
floated without any credit from banks to process ore from the mines.
Although opposition politicians in Andhra Pradesh, including
Chandrababu Naidu of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), charge that
Rajashekhar Reddy and his son Jaganmohan had a stake in Brahmani
Steels, the Reddy brothers say this is untrue.
Meanwhile, the Andhra Pradesh government, in the parallel, is
wondering what to do about complaints that Brahmani Steels diverted
water from the Gandikota reservoir illegally to Brahmani steel.
For the Supreme Court the issue is simple: Did the Reddy brothers dig
mines on land where this is prohibited? Or are they, as they allege,
victims of political vendetta?
Hard to say, but if it is indeed political vendetta, it has little to
do with party politics. In Karnataka, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
government led by B S Yeddyurappa is defending the Reddy brothers for
now.
Their association with the Congress government in Andhra Pradesh when
it was led by Rajashekhar Reddy (whom they describe as a “father to
us”) was fruitful for both and neither saw any contradiction in their
association.
When they became ministers after having bankrolled substantially the
BJP’s Assembly election campaign in 2009, they were irritated to find
BS Yeddyurappa not sufficiently deferential to them. They had a
powerful patron in Sushma Swaraj, who contested the Bellary Lok Sabha
seat against Sonia Gandhi. But they wanted their power acknowledged in
Karnataka.
So, they launched a Rs 25-crore drinking water supply project in their
mother’s name. A Rs 500-crore private project was launched to build
54,000 houses for flood-hit villages in six districts, bypassing the
state government, which of course, was having none of it. During a
heated exchange in the Karnataka Assembly, Janardhana Reddy said:
“People say we are worth Rs 100 crore. I want to correct it — we are
worth Rs 1,000 crore,”
The dénouement came with their bid to topple the BJP government in
Karnatka last year, a venture that was prevented by the chief minister
who sacrificed one of his most trusted civil servants to save his
government.
With that abortive coup, the brothers have established that they can
do that and more next time. Right now they appear to be in the rest
and recreation mode. Telugu and Kannada film magazines report that
Janardhana Reddy has now embraced another profession — the film
industry. His first venture was Buddhimanthudu, a Telugu version of
the Kannada film that was launched last year on Telugu new year.
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/newsmakerreddy-brothers/15/13/389703/
SC bars Reddy brothers' company from mining in Bellary
BS Reporter / New Delhi March 23, 2010, 1:00 IST
The Supreme Court today stayed all further mining activities of
Obulapuram Mining Corporation in Andhra Pradesh, belonging to
Karnataka minister G Janardhana Reddy and his brother.
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SC refuses to stay trial against Jayalalithaa in DA case
Earlier, the court had ordered status quo on an Andhra Pradesh High
Court judgment that had allowed mining activities. Today, a bench
headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan clamped a total stay till
further orders, in a setback to the Karnataka minister who is also a
mining magnate. The court also appointed an expert committee headed by
the Survey of India to review the mining areas and ascertain
allegations of large-scale encroachment of reserve forest for mining.
It granted the committee two weeks to file its report.
The Reddy brothers’ mining activities in the Bellary reserve forest on
the border of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka had become intensely
controversial in recent times with the Andhra government banning it
and the high court lifting the prohibition.
Attorney General G E Vahanvati submitted that mining activities were
continuing despite the Supreme Court’s earlier status quo order and
the government ban.
By a November 25, 2009 order, the industries and commerce department
of the state government restrained the Obulapuram Mining Company,
Bellary Iron Ore Pvt Ltd, Mahabaleswarappa and Sons and the Anantapur
Mining Corporation from carrying out any mining activity involving
extraction of iron ore in the district. The high court on February 26
struck down the government order. Therefore, the state government
moved the Supreme Court citing a report of the Central Empowered
Committee which reported environmental depredations by the mining
companies.
SC notice to CBI on Satyam auditor's bail plea
Press Trust of India / New Delhi March 19, 2010, 20:36 IST
The Supreme Court today sought CBI's response on the bail plea of
Price Waterhouse auditor Subramani Gopalkrishnan who was arrested in
the Rs 7,136-crore Satyam Computer fraud for allegedly conniving with
its founder B Ramalinga Raju but did not grant him interim relief.
A Bench of Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justices Deepak Verma
and C K Prasad granted three weeks to CBI to file its response.
The bail plea of Gopalakrishnan, who was also accused in the
accounting fraud at Satyam Computer Services along with another
auditor Talluri Srinivas, was rejected by the Andhara High Court in
December last year.
Srinivas had on February 3 obtained bail from the apex court on a
personal bond of Rs 20 lakh and two sureties of like amount and
surrender of his passport as the conditions for his release on bail.
The apex court had earlier this week dimissed the bail plea of
disgraced Satyam Computers founder and ex-chairman B Ramalinga Raju on
the ground that he had the propensity to influence the witnesses.
Raju has challenged the Andhra Pradesh High Court judgement of
February 19 that dismissed his bail plea sought on the ground that he
was suffering from serious cardiac and liver problems.
The accused was arrested on January 24, 2009, on charges of conspiring
in the fraud, has been in judicial custody.
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/sc-notice-to-cbisatyam-auditors-bail-plea/01/01/89000/on
Press Trust of India / New Delhi March 19, 2010, 13:01 IST
In a set back to former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, the
Supreme Court today declined to stay the trial against her in a 14-
year-old disproportionate assets case being held in Karnataka.
A bench headed by Justice B Sudershan Reddy, however, directed the
trial court to fix a time frame for cross examination of the 42
witnesses after giving sufficient opportunity to Jayalalithaa.
The apex court passed the order by dismissing the SLP filed by the
AIADMK supremo challenging the March 10 verdict of the Karnataka High
Court which held that the trial court order taking congnisance of the
complaint on June 5, 1997, did not suffer from any illegality or
irregularity.
The case was transferred to a Bangalore court by the Supreme Court in
2003 during her chief ministership on a petition by DMK leader K
Anbazhagan saying the manner in which the Chennai trial court had
proceeded with the cases raised doubts over a free and fair trial.
Assailing the March 10 order of High Court, Jayalalithaa had submitted
the chargesheet did not make out any case against her.
The petition said the Special Judge, Chennai, had not applied his mind
and cognisance of the chargesheet of June 5, 1997, was taken
mechanically and added the case was transferred at the instance of her
political rival from Tamil Nadu.
The AIADMK chief is accused of amassing Rs 66.65 crore between 1991
and 1996 when she was the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. Her appeal
pointed out that the High Court did not address the specific issues
raised by her and, hence, its order was unsustainable in law.
She also contended that the entire proceedings were directed to harass
her and the High Court failed to take into account this aspect.
The High Court had rejected Jayalalithaa's plea for quashing a 1997
order of a Chennai trial court which took cognisance of Tamil Nadu
Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption's complaint that she
amassed wealth disproportionate to her known sources of income during
that period.
The High Court had said Jayalalithaa was "ably represented by eminent
lawyers", had participated in the trial of the case during which 200
witnesses were examined and cross-examined over a 13-year period.
"It is not open for her now to seek quashing of the proceedings on the
premises that the order taking cognisance of the offence passed on
June 5, 1997, is a nullity and is not in accordance with law," it had
said in the order.
SC warns it will collapse against deluge of appeals
Press Trust of India / New Delhi March 20, 2010, 16:05 IST
Deploring the practice of filing special leave petitions on frivolous
grounds,the Supreme Court has warned that it would "collapse" under
the burden if the rot is not stemmed and referred the issue to a
Constitution Bench to fix parameters for entertaining such pleas.
"If special leave petitions (SLPs) are entertained against all and
sundry kinds of orders passed by any court or tribunal, then this
Court after some time will collapse under its own burden," a bench of
Justices Markandeya Katju and R M Lodha observed in an order.
"Sadly the position today is that it is under such pressure because of
the immense volume of cases in the court that judges do not get
sufficient time to deliberate over the cases, which they deserve, and
this is bound to affect the quality of our judgements," it said
yesterday.
The apex court passed the order while dealing with an SLP filed by one
Mathai against the orders of a trial court and the Kerala High Court
which had dismissed his plea for second forensic examination of a
disputed will.
The bench said Article 136 which grants the apex court discretionary
powers to entertain appeals against the lower courts/tribunals has to
be used sparingly only in exceptional cases involving grave
Constitutional matters, serious miscarriage of justice and violation
of fundamental rights.
"Now-a-days, it has become a practice of filing SLPs against all kinds
of orders of the High Court or other authorities without realising the
scope of Article 136. Hence, we feel it incumbent on us to reiterate
that Article 136 was never meant to be an ordinary forum of appeal at
all like Section 96 or even Section 100 CPC.
"Under the constitutional scheme, the last court in the country in
ordinary cases was meant to be the High Court. The Supreme Court as
the apex court in the country was meant to deal with important issues
like constitutional questions, questions of law of general importance
or where grave injustice had been done," the bench said.
The apex court said it has limited time at its disposal and it cannot
be expected to hear every kind of dispute.
In 2009, almost 70,000 cases were filed in this Court of which an
overwhelming number were SLPs under Article 136. At present, all these
cases have to be heard orally, whereas the US Supreme Court hears only
about 100 to 120 cases every year and the Canadian Supreme Court hears
only 60 cases per year.
"However, it is for the Constitution Bench to which we are referring
this matter to decide what are the kinds of cases in which discretion
under Article 136 should be exercised," the bench said.
"In our opinion, the time has now come when an authoritative decision
by a Constitution Bench should lay down some broad guidelines as to
when the discretion under Article 136 of the Constitution should be
exercised, i.e., in what kind of cases a petition under Article 136
should be entertained," the bench said in its order.
The apex court said the Constitution Bench may also appoint am Amicus
Curiae to assist in the matter so that it can be settled after
considering the views of all the concerned parties.
Accordingly, it issued notices to the Bar Council of India, Supreme
Court Bar Association and the Supreme Court Advocates on Records
Association to file their response on the issue.
No comments, Babri case subjudice, says BJP
March 26th, 2010 SindhToday
New Delhi, March 26 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Friday
refused to comment on L.K. Advani’s former personal security officer
telling a Rae Bareli court that the BJP leader “looked euphoric”
before the Babri Masjid was razed, saying that the demolition case was
“subjudice”.
“The BJP won’t comment on that,” BJP spokesperson Ramnath Kovind told
reporters here when asked about the party’s reaction to the statement
by Advani’s former personal security officer Anju Gupta in a special
court in Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh Friday.
Anju Gupta Friday morning testified before a court saying that Advani
“looked euphoric” on Dec 6, 1992, shortly before the demolition of the
Babri Masjid.
Gupta, who was then posted as assistant superintendent of police (ASP)
in the temple town of Ayodhya, was deposing before a special Central
Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court.
“Advani not only looked euphoric but also declared before the huge
crowds at Ayodhya on Dec 6, 1992, that the Ram temple would be built
at the disputed site in the temple town,” she said.
Advani, Gupta said, “gave quite a provocative speech for which he was
applauded by his other party colleagues and the crowds”.
[LM1]
http://www.sindhtoday.net/news/2/120995.htm
Wednesday, March 24, 2010 12:15:39 PM (IST)
Bangalore: ‘Why Does BJP Yearn for Power in BBMP?’ Questions Kharge
Daijiworld Media Network – Bangalore (SP)
Bangalore, Mar 24: Union labour minister, Mallikarjun Kharge, has
questioned the propriety of the BJP, which is reluctant to use central
funds for improving infrastructure in the city, in hankering to rise
to power in Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).
“As per a decision to release Rs 22,000 crore for the development of
the city, the central government had released Rs 3,500 crore. However,
the state government has not made use of this fund,” he revealed at a
press conference held here on Tuesday March 23.
“Under National Urban Renewal Mission (NURM), the state used only 44%
of Rs 330 crore released. The centre had released Rs 643 crore for
modernization of storm drains in the city, but only Rs 243 crore has
been utilized. Under the Green City project too, the government spent
only Rs 6 crore as against Rs 177 crore released for environmental
conservation projects. The BJP is reluctant to develop the city. Why
does it want power in the City Corporation then?” he wondered.
Comments on this article
venu, mangalore\pune Thursday, March 25, 2010
Shridhar,, Oman . what she said was correct, the problem is not in
her. the whole bunch of politicians we have , thier upbringing was
with some problem
Shridhar,, Oman Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Dear Jayanti, I feel there is a problem in your upbringing or else you
would not have made fun of Kharge's personal weaknesses like health
and talking style..
ISMAIL K PERINJE, PERINJE/YANBU-KSA Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Mr Nagesh Bangalore pls reply to Mr Karge's charges against BJP govt.
It is on record BJP only boastng of development instead developing
it's MLA's lust for power and money!!!!!!
Jayanti, Mangalore Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Kharge you cannot talk properly, you cannot walk properly. When you
talk you talk like a Bone is stuck to your throat. You and Dharam
Singh today is responsible for BJP coming to power in Karnatka. You
and Dharam were both hungry for the CM Chair and were very upset when
Krishna was bought into Karnataka by Sonia, telling him to leave the
Governor post of Maharashtra. Sonia knew he will be the Congress
candidate for CM post. But due to you and Dharam's objection Sonia had
to pull out Krishna to the Centre fearing a split in the party and we
lost elctions very badly as we had no proper candidate for CM post.
Now you are just barking anything by coming to Karnataka again and
again. Today Krishna would have been our CM if you and Dharam
supported his candidature. Now see what a mess BJP has created in
Karnataka. Not what you will do in BBMP elections ?
Citizens see red as CM, BJP prez paint the city
Sharan Poovanna
First Published : 26 Mar 2010 04:54:00 AM IST
Last Updated : 26 Mar 2010 08:48:48 AM IST
BANGALORE: While Bangalore’s netas are outdoing each other promising
heaven and earth and everything in between, once they are elected,
their election time antics are making life hell for many of
Bangalore’s citizens.
While the chief minister, Cabinet ministers, Opposition leaders, MLAs,
MPs and candidates to the BBMP council set the campaign trail ablaze
accompanied by innumerable followers and motorcades, the traffic
snarls born in their wake has become a major headache for
Bangaloreans.
On Thursday, Chief Minister Yeddyurappa and State BJP president K S
Eshwarappa put the show on the road and visited several wards in the
city — taking out processions and halting traffic along the way. The
CM’s convoy sealed one side of Mysore road by parking in the centre of
the road. Party supporters cheered their leaders’ speeches (all of
which promised great things for Bangalore’s populace) as students and
office goers bore the brunt of their shenanigans.
To cover maximum ground on the last day of campaigning, the CM’s
convoy visited as many wards as possible and during the day’s
whirlwind campaigning ended up stopping the entire traffic on Mysore
road once again — this time so that the CM could offer prayers in a
temple on the main road.
Later Yeddyurappa and Eshwarappa split ways to visit the wards on
their itineraries. The procession that started in Kuvempu Nagar moved
through Magadi Road, Kottige Palya, Leggere, Nandini Layout,
Rajajinagar and Mahalaxmi Layout, reaching Malleshwaram’s Deviah Park;
putting paid to all hopes the area’s residents might have had of a
decent day.
Electioneering by JD(S), Congress leaders too cause traffic jams
CM’s brigade blocks Mysore Rd
Bangalore, Mar 25, DHNS
Motorists can now breathe easy. Public campaign for the BBMP elections
has officially ended on Thursday evening.
With politicians, of all hues, hitting the road for campaigning on the
last day, motorists had a nightmarish experience having struck in
traffic jams. The worst affected were riders on the busy Bangalore-
Mysore Road, where Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa and his entourage
had blocked the traffic for nearly half an hour --between
Deepanjalinagar junction and Satellite bus stand - in the morning from
10.30 am to 11 am.
Yeddyurappa offered prayers at the Gali Anjaneyaswamy temple to
kickstart the day’s campaign. BJP State President K S Eshwarappa and
former minister V Sommanna accompanied the chief minister. Hundreds of
the BJP workers had gathered at the temple to welcome their leaders.
It is actually this stretch of Bangalore-Mysore Road which is very
narrow and it remains congested even on a normal day. Traffic block
caused by the chief minister only added to woes of motorists. Over and
above, supporters of these leaders created utter chaos by playing
drums and bursting crackers. Yeddyurappa was scheduled to arrive at
Gali Anjaneyaswamy temple at 9 am, but he was one-and-a-half hour
late. The presence of a large number of party workers, who were
waiting for Yeddyurappa to arrive, blocked the traffic on all by-lanes
around the temple.
“This is harassment of a worst kind. The leaders block roads to tell
motorists that they want to de-congest the city roads. We know they
(politicians) do nothing, and we have stopped worrying about it. It
will be of great help if they stop bothering us like this,” Nishanth,
a motorist struck on the Bangalore-Mysore Road, said.
Ditto was the scene near Prasanna theatre in Govindrajnagar and near
Nandini theatre in Mahalakshmipuram where the chief minister
campaigned.
This was true with leaders of all political parties. JD(S) State
President H D Kumaraswamy caused a traffic jam on Kanakapura Road,
Congress leaders B K Hariparasad and former union minister M V
Rajashekaran affected smooth flow of traffic on Srinagar and
Shivanagar main roads.
Mono rail for Bangalore
The Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa on Thursday said a mono rail
project will be taken up soon to end the problem of traffic jams in
Bangalore. “The Government is making preparations to take up a mono
rail project. We want people to keep their two-wheelers and four-
wheelers aside and take metro and mono rails to safely reach their
offices,” he stated at a public rally near Gali Anjaneyaswamy temple
on Bangalore-Mysore Road.
Comments
By: somu
On: 26 Mar 2010 09:22 am
Rtd.IPS officer K.C.Ramamurthy of CMR TRUST who run many collages
doing land Grabbing Activities DODDAGUBBI Athinatownship Layout.He
make the Land Grabbing Activity with support of Shanker Reddy Mafia
WITH Binami Names.This Rtd Land Grabber inflence the officials and
hope Government takes immediate action.We hope political party work
against such land grabbers.
By: Ram Sethi
On: 26 Mar 2010 06:44 am
Yeddi: Shobha Avaru Elli ?
By: BJP
On: 26 Mar 2010 09:52 am
Shobha avarege ratri susthagi malagidre....belage bega yedolake
agalila....benu novu ratri full kelsa with namma CM yeddi
By: R.Lambani
On: 26 Mar 2010 04:44 am
BJP only can give a good administration and work for the development
of all sections of the society. My request to all Bangalorians
including Muslims, Dalits vote only for BJP
By: bye
On: 26 Mar 2010 06:08 am
Dear Lambani,finally Lambanis going back to their original tanas under
this swami yeddi brigade controlled govt.
By: adivasi A
On: 26 Mar 2010 04:48 am
I too support you, this evil forces like Cogress and JDS should be
defeated at any cost
By: me
On: 26 Mar 2010 02:44 pm
I will support you too first thing is to throw bjp from power most
corrupt and selfish govt. Their one point programme is to make money
even by killing others by doing they try justify and few person like
lambani will believe and these try to tell other to vote bjp great
dumppy man
By: Ram Sethi
On: 26 Mar 2010 01:54 am
Yeddi : Where is Shobha Madam ?
By: bye
On: 26 Mar 2010 12:47 am
These CM and his Rowdy brigade planning to defeat lots of real cheddis
on who opposing the Nice real estate deal in the targeted areas like
Malleshpuram,Rajajinagar,Hanumathanagar,etc to continue their BBMP
danda with the help of Rowdy BBMP staffs.
By: dalit D
On: 26 Mar 2010 10:22 am
Mind it Mr. or Ms bye the RSS is with strong arm and arms to defeat u
such evil and devil forces and make win the people loving forces in
this BBMC election
Reply | Report abuse
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/60169/cms-brigade-blocks-mysore-rd.html
Horseplay in Harappa: Sid Harth
http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/f9b738e079fef9fb/29e89ff9c3ac525d
Troubled Tribal: Sid Harth
http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/e728acc31e0d52d7#
Indian Morality Meltdown: Sid Harth
http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/ec479835613abd41#
Hindus'Tantrum: Sid Harth
http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/8a1efe054a3bf157#
I Write, Therefore I am: Sid Harth
http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/4cb1ce65c9d8f4c5#
Indian Morality Meltdown: Sid Harth
http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/37334fb34fbe6d7c#
Sex and CD Scandal: Sid Harth
http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/3f5e2a3be4798e7d#
Not Required Indian, NRI: Sid Harth
http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/672c3ae8cc9b567c#
Why 'Marathi'?
http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/4be9d2a2e20ab43f#
Telangana Tempest: Sid Harth
http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/b7da74ebd932a5fa#
Of States and Statesmanship: Sid Harth
http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/73c89074ecfe9966#
Sa for Sanskrit Pop: Sid Harth
http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/9f6d369c7793990f#
Black Money Monster: Sid Harth
http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/109aa8a66442ca6d#
Superpower Syndrome: Sid Harth
http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/85f8a222fd275c15#
Indian Power-Pow-Wow, Wow!: Sid Harth
http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/54cba427083f4e4f#
26/11 Saga Continues: Sid Harth
http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/20d42cd9546b852b#
Superpower Syndrome: Sid Harth
http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/008ed3e81dbcd9cc#
Of Justice and Injustice: Sid Harth
http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/dc3ba7935f641e60#
Sangh Parivar Pageant: Sid Harth
http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/a91a817395e54639#
Stop this terroristic activities of Shiv Sena
http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/93908482518b9228#
BJP RIP: Sid Harth
http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/20def0d930fc511f#
Superpower Syndrome: Sid Harth
http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/b6aa5a8a1b675046#
Sangh Parivar Pageant: Sid Harth
http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/9c4ff65e38c4b924#
Sudharma, Sanskrit Newspaper: Sid Harth
http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/51f22c78acbc72b1#
Hindu Worldview: Sid Harth
http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/c8a515cc34f18a5a#
Shimla Shenanigans: Sid Harth
http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/64bddaf4fb04bac5#
Sid Harth
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article has multiple issues. Please help improve the article or
discuss these issues on the talk page.
The Conversion of Saint Paul, a 1600 painting by Italian artist
Caravaggio (1571–1610).Part of a series on the
Religious conversion is the adoption of new religious beliefs that
differ from the convert's previous beliefs. It involves a new
religious identity, or a change from one religious identity to
another. Conversion requires internalization of the new belief system.
It implies a new reference point for one's self identity and is a
matter of belief and social structure—of both faith and affiliation.
[1] This typically entails the sincere avowal of a new belief system,
but may also present itself in other ways, such as adoption into an
identity group or spiritual lineage. Conversion refers to changes from
one religion to another, not to be confused with religious
reaffiliation which refers to changes from one denomination to another
within the same faith.[2] Examples of religious reaffiliation include
switching from being Southern Baptist to Methodist (within
Christianity) or from Sunni to Shiite (within Islam).
There are different types of religion conversion which include, active
conversion which is the free agency, volitional choice to acquire new
beliefs and religious identity,[3] marital conversion, Secondary
conversion, Deathbed conversion, and Forced conversion.
Proselytism is the act of attempting to convert another individual
from a specific religion or belief system. (See proselyte).
Apostate (n.) is a term with pejorative connotations used by members
of one church or religion to refer to someone who has left that church
or religion.
Christianity
Main articles: Conversion to Christianity and Christianization
Main article: List of converts to Christianity
Conversion to Christianity is the religious conversion of a previously
non-Christian person to some form of Christianity. The exact
understanding of what it means to attain salvation varies somewhat
among churches and denominations. It primarily involves confession and
repentance of sin and a decision to live a life that is holy and
acceptable to God through faith in Jesus Christ. Converts are almost
always expected to be baptized.
Baptism
Main article: Baptism
Catholics, Orthodox and many Protestant denominations encourage infant
baptism, welcoming children into the Christian faith before they are
aware of their status. Baptized children are expected to participate
in confirmation classes as pre-teens and affirm their faith by
personal choice.
The method of baptism varies among immersion, sprinkling (aspersion)
and pouring (affusion).[4] Baptism received by adults or younger
people who have reached the age of accountability where they can make
a personal religious decision is referred to as believer's baptism
among conservative or evangelical Protestant groups. It is intended as
a public confession of one's prior decision to become a believer in
and follower of Jesus Christ.[5] Some Christian groups such as
Catholics, Churches of Christ, and Christadelphians believe baptism is
essential to salvation.
[edit] Accepting Christ and renouncing sin
The Augsburg Confession divides repentance into two parts: "One is
contrition, that is, terrors smiting the conscience through the
knowledge of sin; the other is faith, which is born of the Gospel, or
of absolution, and believes that for Christ's sake, sins are forgiven,
comforts the conscience, and delivers it from terrors."[6]Conversion
involves more than a simple change in religious identity. It is a
change in nature (regeneration), evidenced by a change in values. In
fact, the Latin word conversio, translating the Greek metanoia,
literally means "going the other way" or "changing one's mind". A
convert, therefore, is one who renounces sin as worthless and
treasures instead the supreme worth of Jesus Christ. The convert sees
the worth of Christ in Jesus' sacrificial death and resurrection and
believes that sin is utterly unsatisfying and that Christ is
everything he or she needs.[7]
In contrast to other religions that seek God's acceptance through good
deeds and living a moral life, the Christian convert acknowledges that
his or her unrighteousness cannot be removed by good deeds and accepts
the death of Jesus Christ in his or her place as the grounds for the
forgiveness of sins and the righteousness of Jesus Christ as the basis
for God's acceptance and delight in the convert.[8] Because conversion
is a change in values that embraces God and rejects sin, it includes a
personal commitment to a life of righteousness as described by Paul of
Tarsus and exemplified by Jesus. In some Protestant traditions, this
is called "accepting Christ as one's Savior and following him as
Lord."[9]
In another variation, the 1910 Catholic Dictionary defines
"conversion" as "One who turns or changes from a state of sin to
repentance, from a lax to a more earnest and serious way of life, from
unbelief to faith, from heresy to the true faith."[10]
Responsibilities
According to most branches of Christianity, sharing the message or
good news of Jesus Christ and his gospel is a responsibility of all
followers of Jesus. According to the New Testament, Jesus commanded
his disciples to "go and make disciples of all nations," [Matthew
28:19] generally known as the Great Commission. Evangelism, or
"spreading the good news," has been a central part of the life of
Christians since that time.
Transfers
Transferring from one Christian denomination to another may consist of
a relatively simple transfer of membership, especially if moving from
one Trinitarian denomination to another, and if the person has
received water baptism in the name of the Trinity. If not, then the
person may need to be baptized or rebaptized to become incorporated
into the new church. Some denominations, such as those in the
Anabaptist tradition, require previously-baptized Christians to be re-
baptized before being accepted into their respective religious
community.
The process of conversion to Christianity varies somewhat among
Christian denominations. Most Protestants believe in conversion by
faith to attain salvation. According to this understanding, the person
professes faith in Jesus Christ as Savior. While an individual may
make such a decision privately, usually it entails being baptized and
becoming a member of a denomination or church. In these traditions,
one is considered to become a Christian by publicly acknowledging the
reality of the death, burial and resurrection Jesus for the remission
of sins, and thereby receiving Jesus as their personal Savior.
Comparison among Protestants
This table summarizes the classical views of three different
Protestant beliefs.[11]
Topic Lutheranism Calvinism Arminianism
Conversion Through the means of grace, resistible Without means,
irresistible Involves free will and is resistible
Hinduism
See also: List of converts to Hinduism
Labels of distinct religions would imply division of identity, which
is in contradiction to the Vedas and Upanishads, that conceives whole
world as a single family that deifies the one truth.[12][13] Revival
of faith in Hinduism began way back in the 8th century in the times of
Shankaracharya. In more recent times, due to the conversion of Hindus
to other religions, it was found necessary by some Hindu thinkers such
as Dayananda Saraswati to bring back people into the Hindu fold,
practices such as "Shuddhi" (purification) were introduced. This is
not to be confused with "Diksha" or initiation which was given to
serious seekers, as initiation into a yogic life (life of ascetism and
pranayama).
The modern view of conversions into Hinduism is influenced by the
demise of caste system combined with the persistence of age old ideas
of Sanatana Dharma. Hindus today continue to be influenced by
historical ideas of acceptability of conversion. Hence, many Hindus
continue to believe that Hinduism is an identity that can only be had
from birth, while many others continue to believe that anyone who
follows Hindu beliefs and practices is a Hindu, and many believe in
some form of both theories. However, as a reaction to the threat of
evangelization, proselytism, and conversion activities of other major
religions many modern Hindus are opposed to the idea of conversion
from their religion to (any) other.[14]
Reconversion among people who were formerly Hindus or whose ancestors
were formerly Hindus has picked up pace with the growth of Hindu
revivalist movements.[15] National organizations such as Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh (India) and Parisada Hindu Dharma (Indonesia)
actively facilitate such reconversions. Reconversions, in general, are
well accepted within Hindu society since conversion out of Hinduism is
not considered valid in the first place. Conversion through marriage
is well accepted within Hinduism and often expected in order to enable
the non-Hindu partner to fully participate in their spiritual,
religious, and cultural roles within the larger Hindu family and
society.
Conversion by Hindus have taken place as well, in Southeast Asia the
merchant, sailor, and priestly class accounted for much of the spread
of the religion.[16] Many foreign groups including Gujjars, Ahoms, and
Hunas converted to Hinduism after generations of Sanskritization.[17]
In the 18th century, Manipur was evanglelized by Hindu priests. In
India and Indonesia today many groups still convert to Hinduism on a
large basis.[18]
American-born Hindu guru, Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami wrote a book
entitled How to Become a Hindu - A Guide for Seekers and Born Hindus.
In it, Subramuniyaswami offers a systematical approach to, what he
calls, "ethical conversion to Hinduism," testimonials of converts to
Hinduism, ques and clues of Hinduism, definitions of Hindu authorities
on what a Hindu truly is, etc.
Islam
Further information: Spread of Islam, List of converts to Islam,
Hanif, and Islamic Missionary Activity
This section may contain original research. Please improve it by
verifying the claims made and adding references. Statements consisting
only of original research may be removed. More details may be
available on the talk page. (September 2007)
This section needs attention from an expert on the subject. See the
talk page for details. WikiProject Islam or the Islam Portal may be
able to help recruit an expert. (July 2007)
A newly-converted Muslim is called a Muallaf. There are five pillars,
or foundations, of Islam but the primary, and most important is by
believing that there is only one God and creator, referred to as Allah
(the word for the name of God in Arabic) and that the Islamic prophet,
Muhammad, is his messenger. A person is considered to have converted
to Islam from the moment he or she sincerely makes this declaration of
faith, called the shahadah.[19]
It is common belief among Muslims that everyone is Muslim at
birth[citation needed] [derived from a single source and brought into
being by the single entity] but sometimes chooses to take steps to
revert back to their origins. While conversion to Islam is among its
most supported tenets, conversion from Islam to another religion,
apostasy, is considered to be a sin.
According to Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and Islamic scholar
at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Canada, it is highly recommended
that one's conversion be documented. New converts should obtain a
certificate of conversion from a reputable Islamic centre,
organization or mosque, which has been registered for this purpose.
Sheikh Kutty writes that such a certificate might be absolutely
necessary for the purposes of pilgrimage, marriage, etc.[citation
needed]
In Islam, circumcision is a Sunnah custom not mentioned in the Qur'an.
The primary opinion is that it is not obligatory and is not a
condition for entering into Islam. The Shafi`i and Hanbali schools
regard it as wajib or fard, while the Maliki and Hanafi schools regard
it as only recommended. However, it is not a precondition for the
acceptance of one's Islamic practices nor does one sin if choosing to
forego circumcision. It is neither one of the Five Pillars of Islam
nor the Six Fundamentals of Belief.
A new Muslim is expected to become familiar with the practices of
Islam. It is a personal process; acceptance of all of that is taken to
follow from the original statement, since all of Islam is considered
to derive from either divine inspiration, in the form of the Qur'an,
or for prophetic example, in the form of the hadith and sunnah of
Muhammad.[citation needed]
"Al Mu'allafun kulubuhum" means those whose hearts need company or
affection. So they receive a part of the zakat (due religious alms)
and friendship from already and well established Muslims. The aim was
to help these new converts to restart a new life as they were banned
from their families and tribes, not only in the early times of Islam,
but also in contemporary times.[citation needed]
Judaism
This section may contain original research. Please improve it by
verifying the claims made and adding references. Statements consisting
only of original research may be removed. More details may be
available on the talk page. (September 2007)
This section needs attention from an expert on the subject. See the
talk page for details. WikiProject Judaism or the Judaism Portal may
be able to help recruit an expert. (July 2007)
Main article: Conversion to Judaism
Procedure
Jewish law guidelines for accepting new converts to Judaism are called
"giyur." Potential converts should desire conversion to Judaism for
its own sake, and for no other motives. A male convert needs to
undergo a ritual circumcision conducted according to Jewish law (if
already circumcised, a needle is used to draw a symbolic drop of blood
while the appropriate blessings are said), and there has to be a
commitment to observe the 613 mitzvot and Jewish law. A convert must
join the Jewish community, and reject the previous theology he or she
had prior to the conversion. Ritual immersion in a small pool of water
known as a mikvah is required.
The Reform and Conservative movements are lenient in their acceptance
of converts[citation needed]. Many of their members are married to
gentiles and these movements make an effort to welcome spouses who
seek conversion[citation needed]. This issue is contentious in modern
Israel as many immigrants from the former Soviet Union are not
considered Jewish.
Orthodox Jews tend to discourage conversion,[citation needed] urging
the person to find their path to God through being a righteous Gentile
and observing the Noahide laws and living a life of kindness, but they
will accept conversion if they insist. Controversially, some Syrian
Jewish communities are reluctant to accept the validity of new
conversions.
History
Main article: List of converts to Judaism
In Hellenistic and Roman times, some Pharisees were eager
proselytizers, and had at least some success throughout the empire.
Some Jews are also descended from converts to Judaism outside the
Mediterranean world. It is known that some Khazars, Edomites, and
Ethiopians, as well as many Arabs, particularly in Yemen before,
converted to Judaism in the past; today people all over the world
convert to Judaism. In fact, there is a greater tradition of
conversion to Judaism than many people realize. The word "proselyte"
originally meant a Greek who had converted to Judaism. As late as the
6th century the Eastern Roman empire (i.e., the Byzantine empire) was
issuing decrees against conversion to Judaism, implying that
conversion to Judaism was still occurring.
In recent times, members of the Reform Judaism movement began a
program to convert to Judaism the non-Jewish spouses of its
intermarried members and non-Jews who have an interest in Judaism.
Their rationale is that so many Jews were lost during the Holocaust
that newcomers must be sought out and welcomed. This approach has been
repudiated by Orthodox and Conservative Jews as unrealistic and posing
a danger. They say that these efforts make Judaism seem an easy
religion to join and observe when in reality being Jewish entails many
difficulties and sacrifices.
Dharmic religions
Sikhism
Sikhism is not known to openly proselytize, but accepts converts.
Jainism
Jainism accepts anyone who wants to embrace the religion. Any person
who wants to convert to Jainism must be a strict vegetarian and accept
Arhats and Siddhas as their deities. According to Indian law one has
the right to become a follower of Jainism.
Buddhism
Buddhism rarely engages in proselytism. The current Dalai Lama
discourages conversion without ruling it out altogether.[20][21] New
Buddhists traditionally "take Refuge" (express faith in the Three
Jewels — Buddha, Dharma, Sangha) before a monk, nun, or similar
representative. Buddhists often hold multiple religious identities,
combining the religion with Shinto (in Japan) or Taoism and
Confucianism (in China; cf. Chinese traditional religion). Some
Himalayan groups are ambiguous as to their status as Hindus or
Buddhists.
According to Gampopa's Jewel Ornament of Liberation, taking refuge in
the Buddha precludes one from worshiping gods and nature spirits.
Other traditions take the position that a lay Buddhist can pay
respects to, and give gifts to, gods or spirits, but should not regard
them as a refuge. This position is generally practiced in the
Theravada Buddhist tradition.
Bahá'í Faith
Though it actively seeks converts, the Bahá'í Faith prohibits
proselytism and does not pursue "missionary" work. In sharing their
faith with others, Bahá'ís are cautioned to "obtain a hearing" –
meaning to make sure the person they're proposing to teach is open to
hearing what they have to say. "Bahá'í pioneers," rather than
attempting to supplant the cultural underpinnings of the people in
their adopted communities, are encouraged to integrate into the
society and apply Bahá'í principles in living and working with their
neighbors.
Bahá'ís recognize the divine origins of all revealed religion, and
believe that these religions occurred sequentially as part of a Divine
plan (see Progressive revelation), with each new revelation
superseding and fulfilling that of its predecessors. Bahá'ís regard
their own faith as the most recent (but not the last), and believe its
teachings – which are centered around the principle of the oneness of
humanity – are most suited to meeting the needs of a global community.
In most countries conversion is a simple matter of filling out a card
stating a declaration of belief. This includes acknowledgement of
Bahá'u'llah – the Founder of the Faith – as the Messenger of God for
this age, awareness and acceptance of His teachings, and intention to
be obedient to the institutions and laws He established.
Conversion to the Bahá'í Faith carries with it an explicit belief in
the common foundation of all revealed religion, a commitment to the
unity of mankind, and active service to the community at large,
especially in areas that will foster unity and concord. Since the
Bahá'í Faith has no clergy, converts to this Faith are encouraged to
be active in all aspects of community life. Indeed, even a recent
convert may be elected to serve on a Local Spiritual Assembly – the
guiding Bahá'í institution at the community level.[22][23]
Other religions and sects
Conversion to new religious movements (NRMs) is riddled with
controversies. The anti-cult movement sometimes uses the term thought
reform or even brainwashing. Often they will call certain NRMs cults.
There are many different definitions for the word cult. NRMs are very
diverse and it is not clear whether conversion to NRMs differs from
conversion to mainstream religions. See also Brainwashing controversy
in new religious movements
Research both in the USA and the Netherlands has shown there is a
positive correlation between lack of involvement in mainstream
churches in certain areas and provinces and the percentage of people
who are a member of a new religious movement. This applies also for
the presence of New Age centres.[24][25] The Dutch research included
Jehovah's Witnesses(Though most JW's were previously Religious
including a number of former Ministers,Deacons,Priests and Nuns) and
the Latter Day Saint movement/Mormonism to the NRMs ( Which was more
indicative of the research).
The Church of Scientology attempts to gain converts by offering "free
stress tests" (see picture at auditing). In contrast to other
religions, which ask everyone to sign a card or membership book (e.g.
Unitarian Universalism) or be baptised (e.g. Roman Catholic Church),
Scientology requires converts to sign contracts before attending
church.
On the other end of the scale are religions that do not accept any
converts, or do so only very rarely. Often these are relatively small,
closely-knit minority religions, like the Yazidis, Druze, and
Mandaeans.
Chinese traditional religion lacks clear criteria for membership, and
hence for conversion. Several ethnic religions — including the
Yazidis, Druze, and Mandaeans — appear to refuse all applicants for
conversion. The Shakers and some Indian eunuch brotherhoods do not
allow procreation, so that every member is a convert.
International law
The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights defines
religious conversion as a human right: "Everyone has the right to
freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes
freedom to change his religion or belief...." (Article 18). Though
this is controversial because some groups either forbid or restrict
religious conversion (see below).
Based on the declaration the United Nations Commission on Human Rights
(UNCHR) drafted the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights, a legally binding treaty. It states that "Everyone shall have
the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. This right
shall include freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his
choice..." (Article 18.1). "No one shall be subject to coercion which
would impair his freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of
his choice" (Article 18.2).
The UNCHR issued a General Comment on this Article in 1993: "The
Committee observes that the freedom to 'have or to adopt' a religion
or belief necessarily entails the freedom to choose a religion or
belief, including the right to replace one's current religion or
belief with another or to adopt atheistic views [...] Article 18.2
bars coercion that would impair the right to have or adopt a religion
or belief, including the use of threat of physical force or penal
sanctions to compel believers or non-believers to adhere to their
religious beliefs and congregations, to recant their religion or
belief or to convert." (CCPR/C/21/Rev.1/Add.4, General Comment No.
22.; emphasis added)
Some countries distinguish voluntary, motivated conversion from
organized proselytism, attempting to restrict the latter. The boundary
between them is not easily defined. What one person considers
legitimate evangelizing, or witness bearing, another may consider
intrusive and improper. Illustrating the problems that can arise from
such subjective viewpoints is this extract from an article by Dr. C.
Davis, published in Cleveland State University's 'Journal of Law and
Health': "According to the Union of American Hebrew Congregations,
Jews for Jesus and Hebrew Christians constitute two of the most
dangerous cults, and its members are appropriate candidates for
deprogramming. Anti-cult evangelicals ... protest that 'aggressiveness
and proselytizing ... are basic to authentic Christianity,' and that
Jews for Jesus and Campus Crusade for Christ are not to be labeled as
cults. Furthermore, certain Hassidic groups who physically attacked a
meeting of the Hebrew Christian 'cult' have themselves been labeled a
'cult' and equated with the followers of Reverend Moon, by none other
than the President of the Central Conference of American Rabbis."[26]
Views on the propriety of proselytism, or even evangelism, differ
radically. Some feel that freedom of speech should have no limits and
that virtually anyone, anywhere should have the right to talk about
anything they see fit. Others see all sorts of evangelism as a
nuisance and an intrusion and would like to see them proscribed. Thus,
Natan Lerner observes that the issue is one of a clash of rights — the
right of a person to express his views versus the right of a person
not to be exposed to views that he does not wish to hear.
From a legal standpoint, certain criteria are often mentioned in
distinguishing legitimate evangelization from illicit proselytism:
All humans have the right to have religious beliefs, and to change
these beliefs, even repeatedly, if they so wish. (Freedom of
Religion)
They have the right to form religious organizations for the purpose of
worship, as well as for promoting their cause (Freedom of
Association)
They have the right to speak to others about their convictions, with
the purpose of influencing the others. (Freedom of Speech).
By the same token, these very rights exercise a limiting influence on
the freedoms of others. For instance, the right to have one's
religious beliefs presumably includes the right not to be coerced into
changing these beliefs by threats, discrimination, or similar
inducements.
Hence a category of improper proselytizing can be discerned:
It would not be proper to use coercion, threats, the weight of
authority of the educational system, access to health care or similar
facilities in order to induce people to change their religion.
It would be improper to try to impose one's beliefs on a 'captive
audience', where the listeners have no choice but to be present. This
would presumably require restraint in the exercise of their right to
free speech, by teachers in the classroom, army officers to their
inferiors, prison officers in prison, medical staff in hospitals, so
as to avoid impinging on the rights of others.
It would not be proper to offer money, work, housing or other material
inducements as a means of persuading people to adopt another religion.
Since the collapse of the former Soviet Union and the rise of
democracy in the Eastern Bloc, the Russian Orthodox Church has enjoyed
a revival. However, it takes exception to what it considers
illegitimate proselytizing by the Roman Catholic Church, the Salvation
Army, Jehovah's Witnesses and other religious movements[27] in what it
refers to as its canonical territory.
Greece has a long history of conflict, mostly with Jehovah's Witnesses
but also with some Pentecostals over its laws on proselytism. This
situation stems from a law passed in the 1930s by the dictator Ioannis
Metaxas. A Jehovah's Witness, Minos Kokkinakis, won the equivalent of
US $14,400 in damages from the Greek state after being arrested for
trying to preach his faith from door to door. In another case,
Larissis vs. Greece, a member of the Pentecostal church also won a
case in the European Court of Human Rights.
Some Islamic countries with Islamic law outlaw and carry strict
sentences for proselytizing. Several Islamic countries under Islamic
law, Saudi Arabia,[28][29] Yemen,[30] Afghanistan and Pakistan,[31]
Egypt,[32] Iran,[33][34] and Maldives[35] outlaw apostasy and carry
imprisonment or the death penalty for those leaving Islam and those
enticing Muslims to leave Islam.
See also
Apostasy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apostasy
Deathbed conversion
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deathbed_conversion
Forced conversion
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forced_conversion
Safavid conversion of Iran from Sunnism to Shiism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safavid_conversion_of_Iran_from_Sunnism_to_Shiism
List of converts to Christianity
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_converts_to_Christianity
List of converts to Hinduism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_converts_to_Hinduism
List of converts to Judaism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_converts_to_Judaism
Missionary
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missionary
Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rite_of_Christian_Initiation_for_Adults
Secondary conversion
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secondary_conversion
Islam:
Conversion to Islam in prisons
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conversion_to_Islam_in_prisons
Islamic Missionary Activity
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_Missionary_Activity
List of converts to Islam
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_converts_to_Islam
Love Jihad
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_Jihad
References
^ Hefner, Robert W. Conversion to Christianity."
University of California Press, 1993. ISBN 0520078365
^ Stark, Rodney and Roger Finke. "Acts of Faith: Explaning the Human
Side of Religion." University of California Press, 2000. ISBN
9780520222021
^ Falkenberg, Steve. "Psychological Explanations of Religious
Socialization." Religious Conversion. Eastern Kentucky University.
August 31, 2009.
^ Bromiley, Geoffrey W. "Baptism." The International Standard Bible
Encyclopedia: A-D (p. 419). Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1995. ISBN
0802837816
^ "The Purpose of Baptism." http://gospelway.com/salvation/baptism_purpose.php
^ Augsburg Confession, Article XII: Of Repentance
^ Conversion to Christ: The Making of a Christian Hedonist[unreliable
source?]
^ What is the GOSPEL Journey?[unreliable source?]
^ BibleGateway.com- Commentaries » Matthew 16 » The Cost of the
Kingdom
^ New Catholic Dictionary: conversion
http://saints.sqpn.com/conversion/
^ Table drawn from, though not copied, from Lange, Lyle W. God So
Loved the Word: A Study of Christian Doctrine. Milwaukee: Northwestern
Publishing House, 2006. p. 448.
^ (Rigveda 1:164:46) “Ekam sat vipra bahudha vadanti” - Truth is one;
sages call it many names
^ (Maha Upanishad: Chapter 6, Verse 72) "Vasudhaiva kutumbakam" - The
entire world is a one big family
^ Omar, Rashid (August 2006) (PDF). The Right to Religious Conversion:
Between Apostasy and Proselytization. Kroc Institute, University of
Notre Dame. pp. 3. http://kroc.nd.edu/ocpapers/op_27_1.pdf.
http://kroc.nd.edu/ocpapers/op_27_1.pdf
^ Java's Hinduism Revivial.
http://www.hinduismtoday.com/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=1308
^ Curtin 101
^ Rawat 106
^ Ramstedt 275
^ Converts to Islam
http://www.convertstoislam.org/
^ http://www.tibet.ca/en/wtnarchive/2001/1/26_2.html
^ Dalai Lama opposed to practice of conversion
http://www.cephas-library.com/na/buddhism_dalai_lama_against_prosylitizing.html
^ Smith, P. (1999). A Concise Encyclopedia of the Bahá'í Faith.
Oxford, UK: Oneworld Publications. ISBN 1851681841.
^ Momen, M. (1997). A Short Introduction to the Bahá'í Faith. Oxford,
UK: One World Publications. ISBN 1851682090.
http://bahai-library.com/?file=momen_short_introduction_bahais.
^ Schepens, T. (Dutch) Religieuze bewegingen in Nederland volume 29,
Sekten Ontkerkelijking en religieuze vitaliteit: nieuwe religieuze
bewegingen en New Age-centra in Nederland (1994) VU uitgeverij ISBN 90–
5383–341–2
^ Stark, R & W.S. Bainbridge The future of religion: secularization,
revival and cult formation (1985) Berkeley/Los Angeles/London:
University of California press
^ Joining a Cult: Religious Choice or Psychological Aberration?
http://www.religioustolerance.org/cult_art.htm
^ http://www.russian-orthodox-church.org.ru:83/ne207011.htm
^ Saudi Arabia-Christian Persecution in Saudi Arabia
http://www.persecution.org/suffering//countryinfodetail.php?countrycode=23
^ Currently undergoing maintenance Amnesty International
^ Yemen: Torture/prisoner of conscience/death penalty: Mohamed Omar
Haji Amnesty International
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE31/005/2000
^ Document Information Amnesty International
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/ASA33/008/1994
^ Document Information Amnesty International
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE12/009/1997
^ http://www.mcjonline.com/news/04a/20040811b.shtml/
^ http://usinfo.state.gov/dhr/Archive/2005/Dec/27–622911.html/
^ http://www.leaderu.com/common/maldives.html/
Further reading
Barker, Eileen The Making of a Moonie: Choice or Brainwashing? (1984)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Making_of_a_Moonie:_Choice_or_Brainwashing%3F
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eileen_Barker
Barrett, D. V. The New Believers — A survey of sects, cults and
alternative religions (2001) UK, Cassell & Co ISBN 0-304-35592-5
Cooper, Richard S. "The Assessment and Collection of Kharaj Tax in
Medieval Egypt" (Journal of the American Oriental Society, Vol. 96,
No. 3. (Jul – Sep., 1976), pp. 365–382.
Curtin, Phillip D. Cross-Cultural Trade in World History. Cambridge
University Press, 1984.
Hoiberg, Dale, and Indu Ramachandran. Students' Britannica India.
Popular Prakashan, 2000.
Ramstedt, Martin. Hinduism in Modern Indonesia: A Minority Religion
Between Local, National, and Global Interests. Routledge, 2004.
Rawat, Ajay S. StudentMan and Forests: The Khatta and Gujjar
Settlements of Sub-Himalayan Tarai. Indus Publishing, 1993.
External links
Testimony of a Hindu Convert to Christianity - Br. Ram Babu
http://www.loudio.com/Podcasts/Society/Religion/Br-Ram-Babu---Testimony-of-a-Hindu-Convert-to-Christianity.388591
Islamic Information Centre: Site aimed at those interested in Islam or
converting to Islam.
http://www15.redstation.co.uk/masj174242/iic/index.asp
Religious Conversions in India – Right or Wrong
http://sniffindia.com/religious-conversions-in-india-right-or-wrong/
Online Book on conversion to Hinduism
http://www.himalayanacademy.com/resources/books/hbh/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_conversion
Volume 4 Number 2 : July - Dec 2001
Contents
Carlos Barros The Humanization of Nature in the Middle Age
Mischa Meier Perceptions and Interpretations of Natural Disasters
during the Transition from the East Roman to the Byzantine Empire
Monica Juneja On the Margins of Utopia - One more Look at Mughal
Painting
Stephen Morillo Cultures of Death: Warrior Suicide in Medieval Europe
and Japan
Paul Freedman Georges Duby and the Medieval Peasantry
Book Reviews
Andr Vauchez (ed.) Encyclopedia of the Middle Ages, by Harald
Kleinschmidt
Shama Mitra Chenoy Shahjabanabad.- A City of Delhi, 1638 - 1857, by
Urvashi Dalal
Rattan Lai Hangloo The State in Medieval Kashmir, by Mohamad Ishaq
Khan
Denis Renevey and Christiania Whitehead (eds) Writing Religious Women:
Female Spiritual and Textual Practices in Late Medieval England, by
E. Ann Matter
Muzaffar Alam, Francolse 'Nalini' Delvoye, Marc Gaborieau (eds) The
Making of Indo-Persian Culture - Indian and French Studies, by Meena
Bhargava
http://www.medievalhistory.org.in/vol4no2.html
Volume 4 Number 1 : Jan - June 2001
Contents
Gabrielle M. Spiegel Foucault and the Problem of Genealogy
Maurizio Peleggi Shifting Alterity :The Mongol in the Visual and
Litterary Culture of the Late Middle ages
Noburu Karashima The Family of Mallapa Nayaka:Transferalability of
vijayanagar Nayakas in Tamil Nadu
Ruby Lal The Domestic world of Peripatetic Kings : Babur and Humayun,
c 1494-1556
Heike Uffmann Inside and Outside the Convent Walls The Norms and
Practice of Enclosure in the Reformed Nunneries of Late Medieval
Germany
Edward Peters Omnia permixta sunt: Where's the Border?
Book Reviews
Richard H Davis Lives of Indian Images by Monica Juneja
Romila Thapar Sakuntala: Texts, Readings, Histories by Philippe
Benot
D N Marshall Mughals in India: A Bibliographical Survey
Mansura Haidar Mukatabat-i-Allami by Harbans Mukhia
Rajat Datta Society, Economy and the Market by Richard M Eaton
http://www.medievalhistory.org.in/vol4no1.html
Volume 2 Number 2 : July - December 1999
Contents
Ross Bazaretti Theodelinda: 'Most Glorious Queen' Gender and Power in
Lombard Italy
Simona Slanicka Male Markings: Uniforms in the Parisian Civil War as a
Blurring of the Gender Order (A.D.1410- 1420)
Mohamad Tarvakoli Targhi Contested Memories of Pre-Islamic Iran
Urvashi Dalal Women's Time in the Havelis of North India
Najaf Haider The Quantity Theory and Mughal Monetary History
André Vauchez
Between Virginity and Spiritual Espousals: Models of Feminine
Sainthood in the Christian West in the Middle Ages
Eugenia Vanina Russian Studies in Medieval Indian History and
Society: an Insiders View
Discussion
Peter O'Brien
Islamic Civilisation's role in the Waning of the European Middle
Ages
Book Reviews
Susan W Friedman Marc Bloch, Sociology and Geography: Encountering
Changing Disciplines by Jacques Le Goff
Dina Rizk Khoury
State and Provincial Society in the Ottoman Empire : Mosul 1540-1834
by Sunil Kumar
Francois Piponnier and Perrine Mane Dress in the Middle Ages by Thomas
Lttenberg
Anirudha Ray Adventurers, Landowners and Rebels, Bengal. 1575 c 1775
by Rajat Datta
K.K. Trivedi Agra: Economic and Political Profile of a Mughal Suba,
1580-1707 by Stephen P. Blake
http://www.medievalhistory.org.in/vol2no2.html
Muslim History : Reflections on Preordination and Categorisation
Iris Grtecke Representing the Last Judgement: Social Hierarchy,Gender
and Sin
Yogesh Sharma A Life of Many Parts : Kasi Viranna A Seventeenth
Century South Indian Merchant Magnate
Ivo Smits Poets in Their Place: Reflections on Poetic Salons in
Early Medieval Japan
Guy Bois
On the Crisis of the Late Middle Ages
Book Reviews
Marius B. Jansen (ed.)
Warrior Rule in Japan by Brij Tanaka
Shaun Marmon
Enunuchs and Sacred Boundaries in Islamic Society, by Meenakshi
Khanna
Vijaya Ramaswamy
Walking Naked: Woman Society, Spiritualty in South India Ranu
Bhattacharya
Bhairabi Prasad Sahu (ed)
Land System and Rural Society in Early India by Meena Bhargava
Gary Michael Tartakov The Durga Temple at Aihole ; A Historigraphical
Study by Nayanjot Lahiri
http://www.medievalhistory.org.in/vol1no2.html
Volume 11 Number 1 : January-June 2008
Contents
• Introduction •
António João Cruz and Luís Urbano Afonso On the Date and Contents of a
Portugese Medieval Technical Book on Illumination: O livro de como se
fazem as cores 1
Samira Sheikh Alliance, Genealogy and Political Power: The Cudasamas
of Junagadh and the Sultans of Gujarat Page 29
R.L. Hangloo Agricuitural Technology in Kashmir (A.D. 1600 to 1900)
Page 63
Chun-chieh Huang On the Relationship between Interpretations of the
Confucian Classics and Political Power in East Asia: An Inquiry
Focusing upon the Analects and Mencius
Page 101
• Book Reviews •
Ronald Inden Text and Practice, Essays on South Asian History, by
Romila Thapar
Page 123
Scott C. Levi (ed.) India and Central Asia: Commerce and Culture,
1500-1800, by G.D. Gulati
Page 128
Pashaura Singh Life and Work of Guru Arjan: History, Memory and
Biography in the Sikh Tradition, by Himadri BaneIjee
Page 138
William Jackson Vijayanagara Visions: Religious Experience and
Cultural Creativity in a South Indian Empire, by Vijaya Ramaswamy
Page 141
R.S. Sangwan Jodhpur and the Later Mughals, AD 1707-1752, by Nandita
Prasad Sahai
Page 146
J.B. Owens 'By My Absolute Royal Authority', Justice and the Castilian
Commonwealth at the Beginnings of the First Global Age, by Rila
Mukherjee
Page 150
Vijaya Ramaswamy Textiles and Weavers in South India, 2nd Edn., by
Eugenia Vanina Page 153
A.R. Kulkarni Explorations in Deccan History, by Sumit Guha Page 158
http://www.medievalhistory.org.in/vol11no1.html
Aims and Scope
The Medieval History Journal was launched at the turn of the twenty-
first century when the world of history was in a ferment, radically
seeking a redefinition of the discipline. The MHJ derives its
distinctive profile from encompassing the entire medieval world in
scope and its multi-disciplinary foci. For the MHJ, 'Medieval History'
signifies open chronological and thematic boundaries to honour
historical plurality. Its frequent special issue investigating a
particular theme across regions have provided a space for comparative
and transcultural conversations within scholarship
Publishing frequency: Bi-annual: April, October © Medieval History
Society, New Delhi
Published By Sage Publications Pvt. Ltd
http://www.medievalhistory.org.in/vol12no2.html
Volume 11 Number 2 : July-December 2008
Contents
• Introduction •
Anne Gerritsen The Tale of Lady Tan: Negotiating Place between Central
and Local in Song-Yuan-Ming China Page 161
B. Arunachalam Technology of Indian Sea Navigation (c. 1200—c. 1800)
Page 187
Ranabir Chakravarti Agricultural Technology in Early Medieval India
(c. A.D. 500—1300) Page 189
Sabine Müller Asceticism, Gallantry, or Polygamy? Alexander’s
Relationship with Women as a Topos in Medieval Romance Traditions
Page 259
• Book Reviews •
Michael C. Brose Subjects and Masters: Uygurs
in the Mongol Empire, by D.O. Morgan
Page 289
Tansen Sen Buddhism, Diplomacy and Trade:
The Realignment of Sino—Indian Relations,
600—1400, by Ranabir Chakravarti
Page 292
Maria Hayward Dress at the Court of Henry VIII,
by Ulinka Rublack
Page 298
Raziuddin Aquil Sufism, Culture, and Politics: Afghans
and Islam in Medieval North India, by Najaf Haider
Page 300
http://www.medievalhistory.org.in/vol11no2.html
Introduction
Monica Juneja
Karl Jaspers Centre for Advanced Transcultural Studies, University of
Heidelberg, Germany. E-mail: jun...@asia-europe.uni-heidelberg.de
Kim Siebenhüner
Historisches Seminar, University of Basel, Switzerland. E-mail:
kim.sieb...@unibas.ch
Research on religious conversion has grown into an extraordinarily
dynamic field in the course of the past decade. While the subject was
never absent from the agenda of an earlier historiography, the
mid-1990s witnessed a fresh resurgence of interest across the world in
the phenomenon of conversion. The explanation for this might lie in
the fact that recent approaches to conversion intersect with the
concerns of a culturally-oriented historiography, thereby affording
fresh perspectives and modes of coming to grips with the centrality of
religion as an analytical category of pre-modern history. Religious
faith is indeed an important constitutive factor that shapes our
understanding of pre-modern societies within and beyond Europe.
Investigating the process of a change of faith can provide new entry
points into the domain of religious transformation and can help map
the shifting boundaries of religious communities and identities. Such
identities are a site of contention in most modern multi-cultural
societies, where a dominant community wields overwhelming power.
Historiography in young post-colonial nations tends to either project
present-day conflicts on to a pre-colonial past or else, seeks
resolution of these tangled issues through suggesting an overweening
cultural commonality that transcends religious difference.
Historicising the study of religious conversion then becomes an
important exercise that might help to find a way of accommodating
conflict and rupture within the process of negotiating religious
plurality.
The Medieval History Journal, Vol. 12, No. 2, 169-189 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/097194580901200201
http://intl-mhj.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/12/2/169
Shrines, Cultivators, and Muslim ‘Conversion’ in Punjab and Bengal,
1300–1700
Richard M. Eaton
Department of History, University of Arizona, Tucson. E-mail:
rea...@u.arizoona.edu
This article discusses the growth of predominantly Muslim populations
in two regions of South Asia—western Punjab and eastern Bengal. No
evidence supports conventional understandings that Islamisation in
these areas resulted from a desire for social liberation on the part
of the lower orders of the Hindu caste system. Nor should Islamisation
in these regions be characterised as instances of ‘conversion’, a term
embedded in the nineteenth century Protestant missionary movement and
thus, inappropriate for reconstructing religious processes in medieval
Bengal and Punjab. Rather, transformations of religious identity in
these two regions appear to have been gradual and unselfconscious in
nature. They also appear to have been part of larger socio-political
and economic changes that were occurring in the regions, in particular
the diffusion of settled peasant agriculture.
The Medieval History Journal, Vol. 12, No. 2, 191-220 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/097194580901200202
http://intl-mhj.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/12/2/191
Conversion Historiography in South Asia
Alternative Indian Christian Counter-histories in Eighteenth Century
Goa
Ines G. upanov
CNRS/CEIAS, 54 Boulevard Raspail, Paris, France. E-mail:
zup...@ehess.fr
Conversion as a historical process is discussed in South Asian post-
independence historiography mostly following the demands of the
political present. In the present article, I first try to trace a
fragmentary and in-complete history of what I will call conversion
historiography in and about South Asia, referring mostly to conversion
to Christianity from the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries. Then, I
discuss a particular case of religious and cultural conversion, in
which the descendants of the early converts to Christianity in Goa re-
appropriated conversion histories as an analytical and
historiographical tool in order to reconfigure their relation with the
past and the present and thus, shore up their cultural authority. In
the process, they created their own communal history and
historiography that fed directly into Portuguese and Catholic
Orientalism. This particular historical example should help us see to
what extent the act of conversion is a self-transforming work in
progress, a communicational project without teleological guarantees,
capable of empowering alternative historical readings.
The Medieval History Journal, Vol. 12, No. 2, 303-325 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/097194580901200206
http://mhj.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/12/2/303?rss=1
Volume 5 Number 1 : Jan - Jun 2002
Contents
Peter Raedts Representations of the Middle Ages in Enlightenment
Historiography
Manuel Alejandro Rodrguez de la Pena Rex scholaribus impendebant.- The
King's Image as Patron of Learning in Thirteenth Century French and
Spanish Chronicles : A Comparative Approach
Devika Rangachari Kalhana's Rjataragin : A Gender Perspective
Nandita Prasad Sahai Collaboration and Conflict : Artisanal Jati
Panchayats and the Eighteenth Century Jodhpur State
Stphane Mund Travel Accounts as Early Sources of Knowledge about
Russia in Medieval Western Europe from the mid - thirteeenth to the
early Fifteenth Centuries
Shalini Shah In the Business of Kama : Prostitution in Classical
Sanskrit Literature from the Seventh to the Thirteenth Centuries
Book Reviews
R.S. Sharma Early Medieval Indian Society. A Study in Feudalisation,
by Hermann Kulke
D.N. Jha (ed.) The Feudal Order - State, Society and Ideology
in Early Medieval India, by Ranabir Chakravarti
Catherine Weinberger-Thomas Ashes of lmmortality ; Widow-Burning in
India, by Monika Horstmann
Hugh Kennedy The Armies of the Caliphs. Military and Society in the
Early Islamic State, by Aziz Al-Azmeh
Ebba Koch Mughal Art and Imperial Ideology - Collected Essays, by
Catherine Asher
http://www.medievalhistory.org.in/vol5no1.html
Volume 7 Number 1: Jan - June 2004
Contents
Sally K. Church The Giraffe of Bengal: A Medieval Encounter in Ming
China
Bernd Roeck The Enchantment of the Alien: Metaphysics and Marginality
in Late Medieval and Early Modern Europe
N.R. Farooqi Diplomacy and Diplomatic Procedure under the Mughals
Ramya Sreenivasan The 'Marriage' of 'Hindu' and 'Turak': Medieval
Rajput Histories of Jalor
Sarah Khan Ave Eva-- Views of Women: Social and Gendered Instruction
in Medieval and Early Modern European Preaching
Book Review
Aziz Al-Azmeh Ibn Khaldun: An Essay in Reinterpretation, by Paul M.
Cobb
Arvind Sinha The Politics of Trade: Anglo-French Commerce on the
Coromandel Coast 1763-1793, by Prasannan Parthasarathi
Christian W. Troll (ed.) Muslim Shrines in India, by Denis Matringe
Indira Viswanathan Peterson Design and Rhetoric in a Sanskrit Court
Epic: The Kiratarjuniya of Bharavi, by Kumkum Roy
Jean-Marie Lafont Indika: Essays in Indo-French Relations 1630-1976,
by Yogesh Sharma
Syed Ejaz Hussain The Bengal Sultanate: Politics, Economy and Coins
(AD 1205-1576), by Aniruddha Ray
Satish Chandra Essays on Medieval Indian History, by Michael H.
Fisher
http://www.medievalhistory.org.in/vol7no1.html
Volume 8 Number 2: July - December 2005
Contents
Jörn Rüsen A Comment on Professor Chun-chieh Huang's 'Salient Features
of Chinese Historical Thinking' Page 267
Enrique Rodríguez-Picavea The Frontier and Royal Power in Medieval
Spain: A Developmental Hypothesis Page 273
Reva Berman Brown and Sean McCartney The Exchequer of the Jews
Revisited: The Operation and Effect of the Scaccarium Judeorum Page
303
Mehrdad Shokoohy and Natalie H. Shokoohy A History of Bayana Part II:
From the Rise of the Auhadis to the Early Mughal Period (Fifteenth -
Seventeenth Centuries) Page 323
Book Reviews
Rodney H. Hilton Bond Men Made Free: Medieval Peasant Movements and
the English Rising of 1381, by Guy Bois Page 401
Sarah Ferber Demonic Possession and Exorcism in Early Modern France,
by Thomas A. Fudge Page 404
Iqtidar Husain Siddiqui (ed.) and Thomas William Beale An Eighteenth
Century History of North India: An Account of the Rise and Fall of the
Rohilla Chiefs in Janbhasha, by Rustam Ali Bijnori, and Thomas William
Beale, An Oriental Biographical Dictionary, by Shaukatullah Khan Page
410
Madhu Tandon Sethia Rajput Polity: Warriors, Peasants and Merchants
(1700-1800), by Dirk H.A. Kolff Page 414
Eugenia Vanina Ideas and Society. India between the Sixteenth and
Eighteenth Centuries, by Najaf Haider Page 416
Guy Halsall Warfare and Society in the Barbarian West, 450-900, by
Peter Hoppenbrouwers Page 420
Conor McCarthy (ed.) Love, sex and Marriage in the Middle Ages. A
Sourcebook, by Perter Hoppenbrouwers Page 426
Laura Napran and Elizabeth van Houts (eds) Exile in the Middle Ages -
Selected Proceedings from the International Medieval Congress,
University of Leeds, 8-11 July 2002, by Reva Berman Brown Page429
Pashaura Singh The Bhagats of the Guru Granth Sahib: Sikh Self -
Definition and the Bhagat Bani, by Himadri Banerjee Page 433
http://www.medievalhistory.org.in/vol8no2.html
bademiyansubhanallah
Friday, March 26, 2010, 11:57 [IST]
By: Joginder Tuteja, Bollywood Hungama
He's known as King Khan of Bollywood and is one of India's hottest
actors and producers. Shahrukh Khan, the global superstar explains why
the time has come for developing nations like India to assert
themselves internationally, discusses the furore surrounding the
premiere of his film My Name is Khan and talks about his hopes for his
Kolkata Knight Riders team in this season's Indian Premier League.
up!It's fantastic to have you on the show, you are easily Bollywood's
biggest star these days. For those watching it might have seemed easy.
You are so big they call you King Khan. Is this the way you saw you
life panning when you started off as an actor?
Not at all, I still don't believe it. I still think it's like a dream.
But when I started off, I never thought I would do anything else but
wake up in the morning and work. But the only thing that's added to
it, and I tell this to everyone, is that I still wake up in the
morning and work but the only odd thing my kids find is that I'm a man
and I wear make-up.
We're doing this interview at your house and there are often throngs
of fans waiting outside trying to get a glimpse of you. As they wait
to see what crumb you might throw them, is that kind of a weird
feeling - the immense scrutiny that you get.
I feel very embarrassed and odd. I don't even call them fans. I think
they are people who appreciate what I do. My wife tells me on the
weekends, especially because there's a crowd - a thousand people
outside. So I go for five minutes and wave, then the cops get very
angry because the traffic stops so they shout at me. So I'm really
embarrassed. I feel really odd but I think when people come to visit
me at house then I should be sort of kind to them and say hello to
them. The scrutiny part, there was a time, I have a sense of humour
and my family feels I should stop it because it's gets me into
trouble. I say things and maybe people don't understand it or they
give me more importance than to think, I am flippant. I should not be
flippant. I should be more serious. But I feel I've never been like
that and I just want to have fun and say things that are easy going
but many a time, it's not taken like this and everything is
scrutinized.
One of things that got you a lot of headlines recently was that as
Muslims it was shame that the IPL hadn't picked up any Pakistani
players for this season and you own an IPL team, The Kolkata Knight
Riders. Your comments caused an absolute firestorm particularly with
Hindu Nationalists, did you anticipate the furore those words would
cause.
You know I did say in the interview, you know I do hope I don't get
into trouble for saying this before I said that. But I didn't think it
would go to this extent. It became strange. Strange things were said.
And I said "the bottom line in my country is that, there is a certain
amount of freedom of speech which we also restrain unto. We are not
completely outspoken, we don't do strange things - at least I don't
and most of the people I know, don't. So there's freedom of speech.
This was my point of view.
They were burning effigies of you in the streets, some people I mean,
people are absolutely going nuts about you.
Some guy had a slipper in his hands and was hitting poster. I want to
find him. I want to meet up with him. He should try it when I'm
standing in front. Not on a piece of paper.
The main Hindu Nationalist party, Shiv Sena, obviously took what you
had to say extremely badly, they were the ones who campaigned against
at this time and threatened to disrupt the premiere of your movie My
Name Is Khan. Were you worried at all about the safety of yourself and
you family and your fans?
I'll be honest. I know Balasaheb Thackeray very well. He's also been
very gracious to me. I know Uddhav Thackeray, he's been very helpful.
I know them very well. We've never had ... and I've said this many
times...
The top level of the Shiv Sena...
They meet me, I go over to their house, they're really gracious and
wonderful with me, and we've never had ideological discussions, maybe
they have a different ideology for the party that they run, but I'm
not a political person so we've never sat down and "so, why is it
like..", so we've never had this discussion. If there was genuinely a
misunderstanding about what I said, which is quite possible, pick up
the phone and I'd explain it, it would have been "oh, okay, that's
what you meant? Sorry. We thought you meant this. You don't mean
that." That's the way it should have been but I just think it became
bigger than the personal relationship we share.
Your team the Kolkata Knight Riders hasn't had a terrible successful
track record in the past couple of years, what do you think are the
prospects for it to do better this time around?
The thing that I say, you've been very kind when you say they haven't
been doing very well. The first thing - and I'm a little philosophical
about this - is that I have to accept and the team has to accept, the
truth is we haven't done well at all. We've accepted that. The second
part is, it's very easy to do better when you're in the eighth
position with only eight teams you can't go worse than this. So we are
going to do better. I think what we tried to do is get the Indian part
of the team stronger. I think the senior guys like Ishant and Ganguly,
they just need to get into the groove. I think the main thing the
coach and Dada have brought in this time is the fact we training the
young guys just to make them enjoy themselves. 20/20 needs to be
enjoyed, when you see a Matthew Hayden play, he's enjoying himself. I
sense that. You have to enjoy it. You can't just have the test match
pressure on your head. Or the one-day pressure on your head. You need
to go and enjoy yourself. Have a good time. So yesterday when the team
was leaving, somebody turned around, one of the managers and said we
have to win only seven or eight and if we only lose five. And I said
we can't lose anymore. We've lost too many. We've lost for the next
four years. So I think we'll do better. I think we will do much better
this year.
Let's discuss movies now, and specifically My Name Is Khan in which
you play an autistic Muslim in America post 9/11. The film's done
great and particularly well in Islamic countries, is that your
intention. Were you trying to appeal to most of the Muslim audience?
The fact that, you said it so well and it was a convoluted plot, an
autistic Muslim man in America post 9/11, when you put it so simply it
sounds so complicated. No, you make a film, normally for a universal
audience, the kind of films that I do especially I would like everyone
to see them. Within them, I'll try to put in something different that
appeals maybe, if you do hockey, maybe the hockey guys and girls will
like it more. You do it about a bad guy recently, so when you do that
thing and the youngsters like all the bad stuff, cool stuff. So, they
like it. But the intention was never like that. I do remember the
wonderful distributor Fox, they were going to say we'll release in
UAE, and we'll release it in Morocco like this, and Indonesia and
Malaysia and I said "why are they doing it so specifically". Maybe
they understood the spot much better than we did because yes, it's
record breaking in the Muslim countries, I never thought it would have
been like that. I really thought the film was about humanity.
Yeah, this was the latest collaboration between you and director Karan
Johar, you've worked together on countless movies but you're also best
mates away from the set. What is it do you think that some sort of
magic formula you have seems that helps you two work together so well?
I think the first thing is that's trust. I gave him a book the
"Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night" and I said you should make
a film with a little kid who's autistic and a story of a father and a
son. Obviously assuming if you took me as a father and a little child
who's autistic. And then he came up with the script with me as
autistic with this whole plot. And I'm like "this is a little strange"
because when you make a film with me, as far as Karan and me are
concerned, we normally make a little more commercially viable films.
But he said no, this is what I want to do. So I trust him, I trust him
completely.
One of the things that got a lot of publicity for the movie was when
you were detained by US immigration which in a way which mirrors a
scene in My Name Is Khan when you say "my name is Khan and I'm not a
terrorist" to have it play out like that in real life, there was a lot
of press on it, what was it like from your standpoint?
It happens to me every month, whenever I travel to the western world
because of the name. But it's not only me. There are another 75 people
in that line. It happens to my kids. And I say this again and again. I
have no issue. I have no issue with it personally because this is the
world that we have created. This is how it is. I think what happened
that day was that it took a little longer. This was at the immigration
for the first time - normally it happens at the security. I think the
processes just went wrong and it took a couple of hours. I had to call
the Indian Consulate because I had a meeting in Atlantic City, if I
got caught up here, there was no point me going all the way to
America. So I asked "can you get me out of here", so I think it just
went out to the press and we have reached a stage in India and I think
rightly so, when a developing nation is on the threshold on coming out
and Inshallah taking over the whole world - in terms of economics, in
terms of politics, in terms of business, I think certainly we have a
voice. We've been pushed, all developing nations, I'm not just saying
India and suddenly we have a voice in the world which matters and
sometimes that voice is a little louder than it should be. So anytime
anything goes wrong with Indians anywhere in the world, you notice all
Indians get up. Not on the outside. It happened when the Shiv Sena
thing happened - all the Indians came and said "no, this is wrong".
I'm really glad we have a voice like that, and that's what happened
"they stopped Shah Rukh, how dare they" and I was joking about it
until about half a day actually, and I even joked that when the
American Hollywood actresses come that I should be given the right to
frisk them in India. I want to be the first guy. It's only fair.
You did say you wanted My Name is Khan to be a global hit like Slumdog
Millionaire. You could have been in Slumdog Millionaire. You got
offered the role of the quiz show host but you turned it down and Anil
Kapoor got it. Do you beat yourself over that decision?
No, I really wanted that film to be made. I'd read the Indian novel.
I'd bought it. I wanted to make it myself but an Indian film. When I
read the script, I knew they'd made a much better film than I could
ever.
Why didn't you want part of that fantastic film then?
One, I'm not offered many great films; honestly, I don't have an agent
for stuff in the west. Also, I'd hosted "Who Wants To Be A
Millionaire". Here the host was a bit of a fixer. I only fixed "Who
Wants to be a Millionaire" in a way that I felt bad for the people and
I'll like "listen why don't you retire now, don't don't, this looks
like a difficult question. So you've got half a million dollars, go
back relax" then they say "no we want to play" and I'm like "can we go
for a break". I used to feel really bad and I'm not allowed to say
anything but I know this question's a little difficult young man. So,
I just felt that I had so much fun doing it personally that I didn't
want to be on the side where I take the guy into the loo and say "I
can fix this for you". I didn't want to be the bad guy because I won't
do it like that.
http://entertainment.oneindia.in/bollywood/interviews/2010/shahrukh-khan-interview-260310.html
C paves way for Muslim quota
25/03/2010 12:15:02 Pioneer News Service | New Delhi
Upholds 4% reservation in AP, for now
Constitution Bench to take final call
Paving the way for religion-based reservation, the Supreme Court on
Thursday upheld a decision by the Andhra Pradesh Government giving
four per cent reservation in jobs and educational institutions to 14
Muslim groups coming under socially and educationally backward
classes.
The legislation under challenge — the Andhra Pradesh Reservation — in
favour of Socially and Educationally Backward Classes of Muslims Act,
2007, was struck down by the AP High Court on February 8 this year
following which the State Government had rushed to the apex court for
stay of the order.
In the first 14 categories, names of specific Muslim groups were added
as beneficiaries under the Act but the last item on the list for
reservation included “Other Muslim Groups” excluding Saiyed, Mughal,
Pathans, Irani, Arab, Bohara, Shia Imami Ismaili, Khoja, Cutchi-Memon,
Jamayat, and Navayat.
Suggesting a middle path, the Bench of Chief Justice KG Balakrishnan,
Justices JM Panchal and BS Chauhan allowed the Act to continue with
regard to 14 groups while withdrawing benefit to the last category
comprising “any other” Muslim groups. The Bench posted the State’s
appeal along with related petitions for further hearing in August
before a Constitution Bench. In providing this interim concession, the
Bench maintained that the creamy layer among the 14 groups would be
excluded.
For the State Government, the decision has come as a partial relief.
Attorney General Goolam E Vahanvati, who appeared for the AP
Government, had sought stay of the high court order in whole to ensure
the Act was implemented with regard to all 15 categories. Vahanvati
sought to clear the apprehension that only Muslims would be benefited
since the Act specifically excluded 10 categories of Muslims from the
ambit of reservation. At the same time, he pointed out the example of
Kerala and Karnataka where Muslim community as a whole was considered
as a backward class.
Senior advocate K Parasaran, also appearing for the State Government,
stated that just because the groups belong to the Muslim community,
they do not cease to be backward. For 60 years, he added, the benefits
of reservation did not reach them and it was time to correct the
situation now, or keep them in the same backward state for years to
come.
Prior to passing the legislation in 2007, the Government constituted
an independent commission headed by retired IAS officer PS Krishnan on
whose recommendations the 14 categories of Muslims were identified as
socially and educationally backward.
But senior advocate Harish Salve, appearing for the petitioners,
submitted that the legislation was nothing but a “thinly disguised
form of religion-based reservation.” He wondered the need for the
State to include “any other Muslims” as a separate category when 14
categories were found eligible as backward classes.
The Bench, impressed by Salve’s contentions, said, “There is no
denying that backwards are not there among Muslims. If we allow this
to continue they will be denied of benefits due to them.” Passing its
order, the Bench noted that in the meantime the State Backwards
Commission could continue their exercise of identification.
Salve, however, reminded the court that on previous occasions, the
Supreme Court and High Court had consistently maintained the stand to
deny reservation to Muslims. The first occasion was in the year 2004
when the State Government issued a Government Order dated July 12,
2004 providing five per cent reservation to the entire Muslim
community in the State. It was struck down by a larger Bench of the AP
High Court in the absence of any criteria laid down for ascertaining
backwardness. The Supreme Court upheld the High Court order.
Almost a year later, the State Government brought out an ordinance
providing five per cent reservation to the entire Muslim community
treating them as a backward class. A five-judge Bench of the AP High
Court struck down the law as unconstitutional since the same was
treated to benefit the Muslim community as a whole, without there
being any identification by the Backward Classes Commission. The apex
court is still seized of the appeal challenging this order, when the
AP Government chose to enact the 2007 legislation presently under
challenge.
Sunil
26/03/2010 12:22:43 It is very sad !!.
why is the opposition BJP sitting quite..??i just saw one small
statement by BJP spokeperson after the verdict was announced....where
is the RSS and VHP and other Hindu organisation..??are they
sleeping..??why are they not protesting..??why are they not asking for
reservation for MINORITY Hindus in Kashmir..??If we dont react
now...very soon we'll be in minority in rest of the states as
well..next in the list will be Kerala, Assam,and other north eastern
states...we should be very much aware of things that is happening
around us..for eg..how many of us know that in Kerala 12% of jobs are
reserved for Muslims..??(talking abt the youger generation who doesn
know what all are happening)...now we take it so lightly...once the
muslims become a majority does anyone think that they will return the
favour..???Does anyone think that muslims will give reservation to
Hindus..??If anyone thinks like that..they are absolutely wrong...I'm
sure many Hindu brothers will be thinking like that...why wait for
that..??Dont you all think Prevention is better than cure..??So lets
attack it now..else later it will attack us..
skg
26/03/2010 11:39:27 It is very sad !!.
It is very sad and depressing to see the judgement of the Supreme
court. First of all, the ruling by Supreme court has ignored major
facts. How can they just find ground facts in just 3 hours of
discussion ?. Why was there a haste in allowing 4% reservations ?. Who
will lead the constitutional bench ?. Will take into consideration all
the facts before giving the final verdit ?. Why are these 14 groups
not added to the BC commission ?. Who suppressed the voice of BC
commission ?.
Suresh Iyer
26/03/2010 10:13:57 Shortlived euphoria
Just two weeks back, HK readers rejoiced over the AP HC decision to
overturn the communal reservation.Now the same bogus constitution is
interpreted differently by a higher court.It reminds one of the
various interpretation of Koran.Court verdicts are becoming a lottery
for the public.This is antoher proof of this country being a banana
republic.Generally our courts are famous for delays in giving
verdicts.But just the see the speed at which the SC gave a hearing for
this case. It clearly shows the hidden hands.
M.N.S.Nampoothiripad
26/03/2010 04:36:06 Communal Bench decides before the Constitution
Bench is constituted
This is ridiculous. The pertinent issues involved are to be decided by
the constitution bench. Then why should a communal bench hurry to
declare the Andhra Act valid? In another case relating to M.F.Hussain,
the chief justice remarked that Hussain is free to come to India at
any time and nobody can prevent him. Hussain is Qatari citizen now and
he needs a valid India visa to visit this country. K.G. Balakrishnan
is fooling millions of law abiding citizens of this nation by
rendering such perverted remarks and judgements.
Abhilash Nambiar
26/03/2010 02:02:03 Lost respect
Today I have lost respect for the Supreme Court of India.
Ram
25/03/2010 21:50:18 Self imposed backwardness
If the Muslims let their womenfolk go for higher education, then it
would be good for the country. It will help good new generation of
Muslim children who have a balanced view of the world. The
backwardness of Muslims is mostly "self imposed". For the women
reservation bill, the opposition came from the orthodox muslims as
they want to continue the saudi arabian system of preventing women
from knowing worldly things. Education alone can remove the
fundamentalist mindset of Muslims, who don't encourage rational
questions and accept whatever that is imposed on them.
Narendran
25/03/2010 21:47:35 Clever Ploy?
This case was argued by:
1.Adv. Vhanavati- Solicitor Genereal for AP Govt
2. Adv. K Parasaran- For a party suppporting the reservation
3. Adv. Harish Salve- Lawyer for those opposed the reservation.
There is a clear ploy in this case. This is a ground work for
extending resevations for the so callled Dalit Christians. It is clear
strategy to make India a Christian majority by 2050. It will be
impossible for India to remain as a united country by 2030. With the
current religious strife, there is every chance that the country will
be split into many independent nations unless it get an impartial
leader to govern.
Vijayalakshmi
25/03/2010 21:01:54 SCpaves way for muslim quota.
Whatever may be the arguments, religion and caste-based reservations
are discriminatory against the rest of the Indians, and will encourage
conversions.We need better lawyers to argue our case effectively. Only
economic criterion and merit should be considered for
reservation.Otherwise India will disintegrate.This is the agenda of
the anti-national mafia which is pressing for such discriminatory
reservations.
Karthik
25/03/2010 20:26:22 Akhand Pakistan dream becoming true ?
In making this Akhand Pakistan dream of Muslims come true, traitors
with Hindu names are playing an important role. Retd. IAS officer PS
Krishnan , Goolam E Vahanvati, K Parasaran etc. are all Pakistanis and
not Hidustanis anymore. Let patriotic Hindus identify such traitors
within the Hindu community. Francois Gautier is right when he says
'The greatest enemy of a Hindu is a Hindu'. Hey Alert Hindus, please
stop giving alms to Muslim beggars. Sachar and Ranganath Mishra will
take care of them. Reservations on the basis of the religion is
unconstitutional and the Supreme Court has acted unconstitutionally by
upholding 4% reservations for Muslims. Whats wrong if the common Hindu
unconstitutionally practices untouchability towards the Muslim
community ? Afterall Muslims are doing the same to Hindus by calling
them Kafirs, right? So one of my Hindu friend gave me a chocolate made
in Dubai. After he left I threw that into Dustbin!
mgd
25/03/2010 20:40:56 every Hindu caste is a minority
This kind of thing will go on forever. The definition of minority
should include every hindu caste which is a minority vis-a-vis the
entire Hindu religion.
Ganesh
25/03/2010 20:21:24 free for all laws
The mention of 14'groups' is a euphemism for castes in the muslim
community.It is now clear that muslims in india were converts and are
carrying the caste tag even now. This system is against the very
tenets of islam.Can any Islamic cleric or leader define what this
'group 'means?.All those utopian idea of casteless relegion is a
farce.I think the khangress must have offered some relief from
declaration of assets by the SC judges in return for this minority
appeasement verdict.I only hope that there is now a thin streak of
light at the end of the tunnel.The hindus must try and cause
infighting between muslims who are granted reservation and those who
are outside it.
vinu
25/03/2010 19:58:58 ppl who deserves never gets, others always gets
ppl who deserves never gets reservation.crores of ppl below the
poverty line still dont have access to basic needs, ruling authorities
make sure that they remain like that.The affluent vote bank based
communities get all that is needed in the name of vote bank. Happens
only in our country..!!
skg
25/03/2010 17:58:34 Congress party will misuse these reservations !!.
God knows how the backwardness is identified in the Muslim community.
Clearly there is no transparency on how they identified the
Backwardness in the Mulsim community. Also, no body know why other
Muslim category was present in the Bill. Intelligent Hindus and
attorneys dig into this bill and expose Congress government and bring
to attention to the supreme court of the consequences of extending
resrervations to Muslim community. Don't know why Dr.Ambedkar had
excluded them from reservations . There must be a reason why Ambedkar
must have excluded them. It is pathetic that sufficient arguments and
awareness is missing about this in the Hindu community.
http://www.haindavakeralam.com/HKPage.aspx?PageID=10711&SKIN=B
Anti Hindu Hate Groups in America
12/12/2008 12:57:33
Dr. BABU SUSEELAN
Opposition to Hindus is nothing new in America. For several years
Hindus were denied immigration by American law. Despite the obstacles
posed by Christian Missionaries, Hindus were able to immigrate to
America during the presidency of Kennedy and Johnson. Hindu
organizations sprang up across the continent and slowly took root in
American society. It is significant that Hindu immigrants have worked
tirelessly and convinced American thinkers that spirituality is
essential for peace, freedom, harmony and coexistence.
Hindu Contribution to science, technology, economics, life sciences,
spirituality and freedom are innumerable. Devout Hindus have
strengthened the theories of pluralism, yoga, meditation, and the
management of human affairs in several ways. It represents a systemic
perspective against the naturally limited, historically conditioned
efforts of dogmatic ideology to conceive one model of living.
Hindu values keep Indians strong by binding us together. By committing
and
recommitting ourselves to our Dharma, we have forged a common Hindu
identity. It is what makes a Pluribus Unum “out of one"
possible?
Now several Hindu hate groups have appeared in different parts of
America
in new forms and with different disguises. India has never suffered
from a shortage of enemies in America. Recently, Fundamentalist
Evangelist groups, Indian Converted Christian Organizations, Fanatic
Indian Islamo Fascists, Indian Marxists anarchists posing as liberals,
and pseudo secular bigots have made an unholy alliance against India
and Hindus in America.
They have joined with anti Hindu fundamentalist groups to wage a
psychological warfare against peace loving, tolerant, spiritual,
pluralistic Hindus. Several anti Hindu fanatic groups such as American
Federation of Muslims of Indian Origin (AFMI), Association of Indian
Muslims of America (AIM), Campaign to Stop Funding Hate (CSFH),
Coalition Against Communalism (CAC), Federation of Indian American
Christian Organization of North America (FIACONA), Forum of Inquilabi
Leftists (FOIL), Indian Christian Forum (ICF), Indian Muslim
Educational Foundation of North America (IMEFNA), Indian Muslim
Council-USA (IMC-USA), Indian Muslim Relief and Charities (IMRC),
Muslim Youth Awareness Alliance (MYAA), South Asian
Collectives (SAC), South Asia Forum (SAF), and Supporters of Human
Rights in India (SHRI) are busy vulgarizing Hinduism. (The List is not
exhaustive).
These hate groups’ goal is unmistakably been Hindu bashing. They are
not honest critics working toward peace and positive values for
America. They are peddling lies,
half-truths, and false accusations in the guise of secularism.
What is going on? Why are Indian Converted Christians, fanatic Indian
Muslims and Communists betraying India? Instead of creating a positive
image, educating
Americans, promoting pluralistic, all inclusive Indian values, why are
they turning against Hindus and India? These converted Indian
Christians, Indian Muslims and Marxists have surrendered themselves to
rigid, non-compromising, reductionist, divisive, fundamentalist anti
Hindu ideology.
These sloppy anti-Hindu bigots suffer from thinking errors and take no
responsibility for their nefarious and erroneous actions. They behave
without moral conscience, guilt or remorse and they don’t want the
consequences of their action
known, and if it becomes known, they don’t want to take
responsibility.
They are well trained to do what they are told.
These Hindu bashers’ language, values, culture, and thinking have been
polluted through a denial of traditional Indian culture. In the mad
dash to escape from their all inclusive, open ended, universal
spiritual philosophy and freedom, that make up Indian heritage, these
converted Christians, Muslims and Marxists scoff at Indian cultural
values and ethics and become paranoid and psychotic in their attempt
to deal with their roots.
These anti Indian groups simply do not understand the result of their
own actions and do not stick around long enough to bear consequences.
These mischief mongers and miscreants in our midst seldom advocate
pluralism, tolerance, universalism or harmony or trying to move the
American society in that direction because they are slaves to
tyrannical, fundamentalist and conflicting ideologies.
It seems that a slow poison is running the veins of these people and
the anti-Hindu crap is just a small part of it. These Hindu bashers
are always seemed ready with excuses for Islamic terrorists,
missionary culture vultures and Marxist anarchists.
Every positive Social service by Hindu organizations is horrifying in
their eyes, a sign of bad conduct, and moral decay. It is as if Hindu
bashers of Indian origin have arrived at a kind of intellectual truth
with Islamic terrorists and the conversion gangs. It is as if they
have made accommodation with them.
Hindu bashers actually welcome news that makes Hindus and India bad.
They find pleasure and delight in vilifying India and Hindus. There
is no outrage from these Hindu bashers about Jihadi terrorism,
missionary mischief or Marxist violence.
While hiding behind tyrannical ideologies, these Hindu bashers in
America are playing with betrayal, denial, diversion, falsehood and
sophistry.
Are they aware of the social and political damage they have already
inflicted on India? Their actions against India and Hindus have no
moral sense, logic or common sense. Their recent letter to President
elect Obama exposes the fallacious and demeaning logic.
The unprecedented and recklessness of their letter is an alarmist
tactics of intimidation.
How did they get this way? Mindless missionaries have used deceptive
strategies to lure low
class, uneducated and poor Indians and freed them from their spiritual
tradition and enslaved them in rigid, fundamentalist and parochial
Christian dogma. Christian schools have indoctrinated them with closed
channel thinking and hostility towards Hindu pluralism, tolerance and
transcendental philosophy. They were brought to this country to serve
their slave masters. Islamo fascists and Marxists and the anti Hindu
pseudo secularists have made an unholy alliance against tolerant
Hindus and sacred Indian heritage.
These closed channel Hindu hate groups have a goal to insult, ridicule
and subvert American religious freedom. These Hindu hate groups are
mired in hostility and tyrannical ideologies. They will always see
India as immoral and dishonorable.
No matter how much Hindus and India do today, these hate groups prey
on American insecurities, ignorance and the gaps in their knowledge.
These Indian born maroons exploit American hopes and fears. In short,
these anti Hindu hate groups represent the ultimate in vanity and
betrayal.
true hindu
20/11/2009 02:50:10 put a blanket ban
Congrats to Dr Babu Suseelan for his excellent article. Let me tell
you that first of all Americans are excellent, kind , peace loving and
tolerant people . That is the reason , they allow all people across
the globe allowing to migrate and settle on their land. Be they from
Iraq, iran , Bangla desh .Pakistan ,Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan .
First of all why these hate mongers and pseudo secular bigots are
allowed to US or UK? .
One fellow here wrote that Islam is fastest spreading religion in USA.
Why is US Govt sleeping?. If Islam is allowed to take over in USA, I
think 2012 dooms day as said will happen to USA in nearest time. Why
are these mulsims not able to live in their own country ? Why are they
after US Visa and like to settle in US? Because they are
kicked ,caned , hanged , stoned like animals in their country as per
sharia law.
They are forbidden drinks, sex , free dom etc.,.In USA , you can do
any thing. But what these people are doing in a democratic country
like US? Building mosques , preaching hate religion, dividing people,
converting all innocent US citizens to islam and still doing all dirty
things which are forbidden in their religion. They are not faithful to
their host country.
Enjoying all facilities in london or Newyork, planning how to bomb or
kill kaffirs.India is also facing the same problem from centuries with
these cunning guys.Now Indian converted christians and muslims are
real culprits to malign our peace loving religion and India.USA must
put blanket ban on giving VISAs to Indian converted christians and
Muslims .
Raghavan V Nair
13/12/2008 09:29:37 ARE WE DESTINED TO BE LIKE THIS ?
Dear Dr.Babu Suseelan, You have brought forward yet another matter of
greater concern to Hindus. It is not surprising that the commies have
joined hands with Christian and Muslim groups in the US to malign the
Hindus. After over 61 years also, they could not be of any
significance in the country except the 4.5 years they lavished by
courtesy of Madam Gandhi. The situation in Gulf countries is in fact
the worst. In countries like Saudi Arabia, most jobs are reserved for
Muslims alone giving absolute leverage to them. On top of that, they
try their best to keep us aside and put in all efforts to project the
Hindus as enemies and Pakistanis as brothers. Babri Masjid demolition
and events in Gujarat they magnified and presented there in most
damaging way to project Hindus as brutes.
Undoutedly, the glaring examples of Hindu tolerance has been that even
after being subjected to such humiliation in Gulf, we are destined to
live with them in this country and accept that as fate and remain
content. But what are they doing? Earlier we suffered in the hands of
Muslim invaders who ruled this country until the British came in and
now they come in as terrorists. Earlier they divided this country in
the name of religion, and now they wish to further divide it into
pieces. Who is to be blamed for all these ? Only we!!
Sujit
13/12/2008 01:20:53 Plan positive actions to counter negativities
Dear Dr. Babu, You have inventoried the negative energies at play
against Hinduism. It is good to be aware of who are the ones working
against Hinduism. However, what is required is a set of positive
communication and social education strategies, coordinated by
different Hindu organisations, to counter these negativities. These
should include identifying (non-ethnic Indian) scholars of Hinduism,
Yoga, Ayurveda etc., to become spokespersons, dispelling
misconceptions about Hinduism, briefings about the essence of Hindu
view of life etc. Unless positive and non-competitive energies are
displayed, Hindus will not be able to gain the social/theological
acceptance of non-Hindus; particularly in a nation such as the US,
where very little about the outside world is known to the common
American.
Mohan
12/12/2008 23:16:07 Hindu haiter
Respected Babuji, I go through ur article from this site along with
various article posted by you on www.faithfreedom.org/com. No doubt
you are excellent writer like Francis Guitar of Frnace. It u are
absolutely right that, these fantic chrstians and muslim they never
treat this nation belongs to them. They always indulge all sort of
anti hindu bashing in every forum. Now a days it becames a trend under
this UPA govt. all most all important position held by the chrstians
and muslim. Take the example of Mrs.Ambica Soni( Chrstian), Jamir
(Chrstian), Samuel Reddy (CM of AP- 7th day avendist chrstian, Mr.Ajit
Jogi (Converted Chrstian), Ms.Jaya Prada, Jaya Sudha (Chrstians), I
dont have any idea about Mr.Amra Sing (he may be christian). Eminet
hindu haiter Sakel Ahemad (Home minister-State charges), Jai Prakash
Jaiswal-Hindu haiter from kanpur, Mr.Ahemad-IUML from Kerala, enire
Communist thugs. Apart from these hindus haiter our so clled beloved
CNN-IBN, NDTV, Star News and other english chenel. There must be total
ban on these english chennel. U see there reporting about mumbai
incident, now they are telling terroriesm have no relegion. But it has
relegion that is ISlam. Firther I would like to request Respected
Suselanji kindly expose Dr.Zakir Naik, torch bearer of Quran in every
forum. Since you are regular writer in the faithfreedom. Bande
Mataram.
Sakthi
12/12/2008 15:06:34 We all can help Please use this website..
Make Barack Obama aware of these things.. we dont have to wait for any
organisation each Hindu rather Indian visiting this website. Please
write their opinion at this website which directly accessed by The
President-elect..Next President of United States Sri Barack Obama!
Please do it immediately.
Register and have your views heard.. especially click on Join the
discussion.
http://change.gov/
and another website is
http://www.barackobama.com/index.php
menon
12/12/2008 11:30:45 Well explained
Awesome article. This is 100% treu. This is quite visible in America
these days. When the converted christians think west is their home
land, muslims think gulf is their home land.
Especially in USA according to an American web site, there are around
1 million Hindus and another 2 million is waiting to embrace Hindu.
This is alarmingly frustrating for the pseudo secularists.
When India is mentioned, Hindu is the first thing an American think. I
personally know americans who literally hate the converted christians
from India. There are many churches in USA which wouldn't even let
them come in. The christian groups were always have this feeling that
india's problems are not their problems.
Very unfortunate. But there seems to be a HIndu unity in USA and lots
of people working on this too.
Vijayan
12/12/2008 08:26:05 hindu hate groups
Excellent observations by Dr. Babu Suseelan.
If the hate groups can make it to actions, the Hindus have to react
too. Pleuralism has been the strength and the same time, made Hindus
less fanatic !!!!
Why cant the Hindus react and do the " fact finding" and " truth
exposing" missions ? If the hate groups are trying to influence the
administration in disguise, the Hindus should try to expose the truth
in open.
If we cannot do that, then we deserve all the humiliation and the
consequences
vijay
SeaLion
12/12/2008 05:04:23 These same evil
Vile, tyrannical, savage and barbaric inhuman Xian fascistic death
cult asuras, the worst of the evil , ARE NOW IN CAHOOTS IN INDIA WITH
OTHER EVILEST VILE FORCES LIKE THE ASURIC ISLAMOFASCISM AND COMMUNIST
DEMON BASTARDS, UNDER DEMENTED, NERO REGIME OF THE FOREIGN XIAN
MINDLESS. LOWLY IMPOSTER FROM ITALY AND HER XIAN BED....
IF IT IS CLOSELY OBSERVED THESE HATE GROUPS, SPECIALLY THE JIHADI AND
XIAN BARBARIAN ANIMALS ARE BEING FINANCED BY HINDU TAX MONEY OR LOOTER
XIAN MNC BUSINESSES, WITH TACIT SUPPORT OF EVIL MAINO XIAN BARBARIANS
ARE KNOWN DEMENTED DEBAUCHERS, THEY DO THE SAME TO ALL WHETHER JEWS,
RED INDIANS, MAORIS, ETC, BECAUSE OF THE EVIL BEAST, CMD OF MURDER INC
SITTING IN VATICAN.
WE "HAVE TO" HAVE TO" HAVE TO" REACT LIKE MUSLIMS, THESE XIANS AND
PSEUDOS DESRVE NO MERCY, WE HAVE TO TELL THEM INDIA IS FOR HINDUS AND
FOR THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE A NICE, GOOD EXAMPLE OF THIS MOST EVIL,
DEMENTED CHURCHOCRAZY MAFIA OF THE ITALIAN
"The devotee who forgoes the life-experiences of marriage and family,
and exchanges the problems of a small household and limited activities
for the larger responsibilities of service to society in general, is
undertaking a task which is often accompanied by persecution from a
misunderstanding world, but also by a divine inner contentment."
Paramahansa Yogananda
http://www.haindavakeralam.com/hkpage.aspx?PageID=7782&SKIN=W
Gomata protection gains momentum
26/03/2010 19:41:57 HARAN B R - Daily Pioneer
If success in banning cow slaughter is the litmus test of any BJP
regime’s commitment to Hindutva, the Yeddyurappa dispensation in
Karnataka has done well — but what would be its effect on the BJP’s
national image?
In its session, which ended last week, the Karnataka Assembly passed
the “Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Bill
2010” by voice vote amidst chaotic protests by the Opposition. It may
be recalled that the BJP government withdrew the already existing
“Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Cattle Preservation Act
1964” days before introducing this new Bill. Though the government
didn’t cite any reasons for its withdrawal at the time, the Opposition
objected to in the anticipation that a new Bill would be introduced
with changes making it more stringent.
Under the new Bill, cow slaughter and transportation would attract
imprisonment ranging from one year to seven years and fine from Rs
25,000 to Rs 1,00,000, depending on the nature of the offence. Under
the previous Act of 1964, the slaughter of bulls, bullocks and adult
buffaloes was permitted on the basis of ‘fit-for-slaughter’
certificates, which were given only when the animals were over 12
years of age or permanently incapacitated for breeding, draught or
milk due to injury, deformity or other causes. Transportation for
slaughter outside the state was not permitted and sale, purchase or
disposal of cow or calf for slaughter was also banned. The offence was
considered cognizable and the penal provision was imprisonment up to
maximum of 6 months or fine of up to Rs 1,000 or both.
Karnataka has been ruled by the Congress and the Janata Dal for years
and their failure to prevent slaughter of cattle despite the 1964 Act
shows the ineffectiveness of the Bill as well as the incompetence of
those governments. In an era of corruption and inefficiency, it
becomes imperative to deal with offenders and criminals in a more
stringent manner to bring down the rate of crime and maintain law and
order.
The problem with the present Congress leadership is that it
deliberately disregards its own predecessors’ opinions. This aspect
was pointed out by chief minister Yeddyurappa, who recalled that
Indira Gandhi had written to the chief ministers in 1982 asking them
to ban cow slaughter and that
Jawaharlal Nehru had also advocated a ban on cow slaughter. Gandhiji,
in whose name the Congress does its political business, venerated,
worshipped and defended the cow calling it the
‘Mother of millions of mankind’. Gandhi termed cow protection as the
central fact of Hinduism.
Moreover, Article 48 (Organisation of Agriculture and Animal
Husbandry) of the Constitution says: “The State shall endeavour to
organise agriculture and animal husbandry on modern and scientific
lines and shall, in particular, take steps for preserving and
improving the breeds, and prohibiting the slaughter of cows and other
milch and draught cattle.”
Even as recently as October 2005, the Supreme Court upheld the
Constitutional validity of a Gujarat law imposing a complete ban on
slaughtering of bulls and bullocks, often misused to get around the
ban on slaughter of cows. Hence, the Bill introduced by the BJP
government and passed by the Assembly is constitutionally valid and
the Congress party’s comment that it is ‘unconstitutional’ is at the
most self-deception.
There is a tendency among ‘secular’ political parties and a section of
the mainstream media to project this issue as BJP’s ‘hidden’ and
‘communal’ agenda, while in fact this law is prevailing in almost all
the states except Kerala, West Bengal, Meghalaya and Nagaland. The
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960 also plays a significant
role in this issue and the amendment brought in by Central Act 26 of
1982 has paved the way for the establishment of the ‘Animal Welfare
Board of India’, which does a decent job despite corruption, nepotism
and political interference.
The Congress has also harped on other phony issues saying that the act
will render thousands jobless, affect leather trade, etc. But, the
Congress failed to understand that the preservation of cattle will
improve agriculture, animal husbandry, dairy farms, and ecology and
socio-religious affairs. Cow protection as a policy would go a long
way in agricultural development, resulting in a flourishing village
economy. As India’s economy revolves around agriculture, cattle
welfare is fundamental to it. Cow-dung and cow-urine have medicinal
properties and they also act as manure helping the growth of crops as
well as preserving the richness of soil. It can also be used in the
production of electricity through gobar gas.
The protection of cow as a ‘Movement’ has been there for years and the
movement gained momentum during the time of Swami Dayananda Saraswati,
founder of Arya Samaj and took roots across the country. Most of the
freedom fighters wanted the cow slaughter banned. That is why the
Constituent Assembly made a separate Article (48) for this while
framing the Constitution.
Recently, the “Vishwa Mangal Gau Gram Yatra”, organised by the RSS and
affiliated organisations, toured the whole country in 108 days and
over 10,000 upyatras exhorted each and every village, city and street
of the country. Along with Hindus, Christians and Muslims too have
extended their support to the cause of cow protection. Thousands of
social organisations of the country participated in various functions
of the yatra. The signature campaign conducted during the yatra proved
the biggest signature campaign ever conducted in the world. Crores of
people extended their support to the cause of cow protection through
this campaign. The success of the yatra and the signature campaign
underline the necessity of a blanket ban on cow slaughter throughout
the country.
http://www.haindavakeralam.com/HKPage.aspx?PageID=10723&SKIN=B
India Vision Nitish Kumar strikes again
26/03/2010 19:36:49 HK
Nikesh Kumar, head of Islamic TV channel India Vision once again
strikes against Hindu society. Today, the issue was one of the Police
officer Anju Gupta’s statement against L.K. Advani. While the whole
channel in Kerala chooses this story in their 5th or 6th position,
anti Hindu Nikesh Kumar selected this story first in his News Night
and conducted a big discussion something like a ‘hot story’. Few
comments about his discussion in News Night today.
· He invited few selected people to discuss this matter, as usual no
strong Hindutva supported leaders were invited for this discussion
purposely. But he lost his mental balance when few of them responded
positively towards Advani.
· Nikesh very eagerly asked his first question to one Shri. Unni, a
political analyst, “Shri. Unni you are among one presented during
Babri Masjid was demolished, please tell us something about that day”.
Shri. Unni replied simply “I was not presented at Ayodhya on 6th
December”.
Nikesh got angry because he called Shri. Unni for this discussion
thinking he was presented on 6th December and will say something hot
against Advani & BJP.
· Then he asked question to well known Jihadi and right hand of
terrorist Madani – Abdul Aziz. As usual he blasted Advani and Hindu
society. So no comments.
· The next question to a well known Lawyer Adv. Govinda Bharathan.
Nikesh lost his mental balance while discussing with him, he thought
Adv. Govinda Bharatan will appreciate the statement of Anju Gupta and
some strong criticism against BJP and Hindu society. Adv. Govinda
Bharatan replied “Advani is a dynamic and strong leader in India and
he proofed his professionalism in politics in many times. Tell me to
whom people of India would trust – a retired Police officer’s
statement or a professional political leader in India. If I am a judge
I will trust Mr. Advani only”. It was really a shock to Nikesh and he
suddenly tried to divert his question in different style but Adv.
Govinda Bharatan’s reply was very firm and clear.
During the whole discussion Nikesh was worried and was in tense while
discussing that Advani was encouraging to demolish the Masjid, he
looks very happy and after the Masjid was demolished Advani and other
leaders were distributing sweets.
Nikesh even said Advani is lying and blasted RSS & Sangh Parivar many
times.
Whatever Nitish Kumar said was true, it was Lal Krishna Advaniji who
encouraged to demolish a Babri building which was build by the Islamic
invaders after demolishing a temple. L.K. Advaniji was the mastermind
behind the agitation. He was presented just 100 meters away from the
Babri building while it was demolished, he looks really happy after
the complete Babri building was demolished, then he was distributed
sweets to others leaders who was presented the site. Now
Nikesh can do whatever he want along with his Jihadi friends in India
Vision. But please remind your father Shri. M.V. Raghavan that , don’t
beg RSS vote (Karsevaks) through backdoor, which your father & other
CMP leaders are doing for the last many years.
We appeal to all BJP & other nationalist leaders in Kerala not to
participate any discussion with India Vision as long as anti Hindu
Nikesh Kumar exist in this channel. In case of any leaders are
participating, they should be prepared well to handle Nikesh
skg
26/03/2010 13:21:12 let us not be afraid of truth and run away !!.
It is now time to embrace the truth and die like a Martyr instead of
showing the back and hiding against the truth. I pledge to the Hindu
community to be not ashamed of the Babri Masjid demolition. It is an
alien structure constructed by an alien invader Babur. Indians need to
understand this thoroughly.
http://www.haindavakeralam.com/HKPage.aspx?PageID=10722&SKIN=M
Government cannot withdraw criminal cases against M Hussein - SC
26/03/2010 11:39:54
Husain can't be compelled to return:SC
PTI | New Delhi
Self-exiled painter MF Husain, who has taken up Qatar citizenship,
cannot be compelled to return to India by the courts or the Prime
Minister, the Supreme Court observed on Thursday refusing to direct
dropping of criminal cases against him.
"What can the Prime Minister do if a person decides to live in Doha
(capital of Qatar). They are international citizens they can live
anywhere in the world," the apex court observed while refusing to
entertain a public interest litigation filed by Bhim Singh, chief of
the J&K Panthers Party and senior advocate.
Singh, in his petition, said he has written a letter to Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh urging him to take steps to bring 95-year old Husain
back to India and sought the apex court's direction to the PM for
ensuring his return.
He has given up his Indian passport and accepted Qatar citizenship in
February this year. He has been living in self-exile for nearly four
years following a spate of cases in India over his controversial
paintings of Hindu goddesses in the nude.
A bench of Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan-- Justices J M Panchal and
Deepak Verma also refused direction to the Union Government to
withdraw the 95-odd criminal cases registered against him for alleged
obscene paintings as they were all lodged by private individuals.
"How can the Union of India be directed to withdraw the cases when
they are all private complaints, If he is in Doha, what is the
problem ?" the apex court observed, asking Singh to withdraw the
petition failing which it would be dismissed.
Sensing the court's mood, Singh withdrew the PIL.
The bench also pointed out that it had already transferred all the
cases registered against Husain in different parts of the country for
adjudication in Delhi.
Singh, a former MP, had claimed that Husain's fundamental rights stood
violated as he was unable to return to India due to the cases slapped
against him for his alleged blasphemous paintings.
The PIL referred to an earlier Supreme Court observation in connection
with one of the cases against Husain that no exception should be taken
to artistic expressions.
Singh later said he would file another writ petition before the apex
court on the ground that Husain was forced to surrender his Indian
passport and obtain Qatar citizenship out of "coercion" and fear of
being victimised by a series of criminal cases.
http://www.haindavakeralam.com/HKPage.aspx?PageID=10721&SKIN=B
http://www.haindavakeralam.com/Annadanam.pdf
Jihadi riot in Thodupuzha, Srikrishna Swamy Temple attacked
26/03/2010 11:45:02 HK
Thodupuzha: Idukki district’s trade centre Thodupuzha plunged into
tension on Friday following the violent protests of Muslim
organizations over the mention in a question paper that allegedly
humiliated the Prophet and Allah issued at Newman’s College in the
town. Several police personnel and media workers suffered injuries in
stone-pelting by the protestors and the District Administration was
forced to impose prohibitory orders in the college area.
Jihadis destroyed the Stone Lamp infront of Thodupuzha Srikrishna
Swamy temple.
Thousands of Jihadis rioted in Thodupuzha and destroyed public
properties in response to their protest against a College over a
controversial question in their question paper. The protest marches
were taken out alleging that the Malayalam question paper for B.Com
examination had insulting references to the Prophet and God.
Many vehicles and shops were destroyed by the Jihadis. Buses were
blocked and passengers including ladies and students going for SSLC
Examination were left alone in between this rioting crowd.
Jihadis attacked journalists and cameramen, Special instructions were
aired through Microphones to attack the media perssonels who came to
cover the Jihadi riot. Even Medical colleges and Hospitals in the area
were not spared by the violent mob.
Police registered criminal case against the professor T J Joseph who
prepared the question paper. He was also suspended but other teachers
said he alone could not be held responsible for the mistake. “Joseph
could have prepared the question paper but it had been passed by
others after scrutiny. What has happened is that he has been made a
scapegoat,” said a teacher.
Ganesh
26/03/2010 13:23:55 Dirty beard pays
I happened to see the video footage of the police lathi charge to
disperse the miscreants.One striking feature was that all the dirty
Dhadiwallas were exempted from caning while the others were running
for cover. It was the dhadiwallas who were leading the packs.Who says
Dhadi is bad?
R.Sajan
26/03/2010 13:20:36 Publish the disputed section of the Question
paper.
Please obtain and publish the disputed sections of the Question Paper
here.
How wonderful that the University has cancelled all the examinations!
How can this be allowed or done?
I hail Prof. P. J. Joseph who prepared the Paper.
sanjeevuae
26/03/2010 12:44:12 vanaprastam
what mr.arun said is correct.the christian organisations constantly on
the look out for opportunity to pit hindus against muslims.So hindus
should not fall in their trap.See what congrss is trying to do?if the
SC ruling is favorite ,they are trying to bring reservation for all
religions which is not justifyiable under the constitution.
Sunil
26/03/2010 12:01:03 Hindu temple attacked
Death to Jihadis...Death to muslims...Death to Islam...
when will we react..??what are the Hindus in Thodupuzha waiting for..??
kill those terrorists...before they wound us...
Arun C K
26/03/2010 11:31:05 Let's be careful this time!
Newman College was established in 1964 by the Diocese of
Kothamangalam, and named after Cardinal Newman. Todays issue is
between Christians and Muslims. The issue was brought up by a
Christian tecaher. However as usual, there is a clever ploy to convert
this to an issue between Hindu and Muslim by some vested interests
(read church and some UDF parties). Hindu organisation in Kerala
should be extremely careful not to be a party to this dispute. Like in
Love Jihad issue, Christians will fled the scene after converting this
as an issue between Hindus and Muslim or between State Government and
Muslim.
Standards of moral judgement have increasingly tended to become
universal, and no statement of faith can escape scrutiny simply
because it is made in a book hailed as holy by some people.
Sita Ram Goel
http://www.haindavakeralam.com/HKPage.aspx?PageID=10720&SKIN=K
Jinnah decorates PFI Terrorists procession in Chennai
26/03/2010 11:12:22 Aron
Dinamalar malar reports 26/3/2010-
A procession was lead by the leader of Popular Front of India in
chennai, demanding communal representation recommended by Ranganathan
Misra commission. A big photo was published, and a small
crowd.Shockingly,the leader's name is given Mohamad Ali Jinnah.
It was muslim League that began its steps towards Pakistan with
Communal Representation that was opposed by Gandhi and Congress in the
beginning.
We have come in full circle, that a motley band of communal muslims
openly put up Mr Mohamad Ali Jinnah for the same demand, and it gets
reported without a word added in criticism.
The secualrists are nourishing tendencies and edging on Muslims
towards that direction and Muslims too seem to have no scruples in
picking up the clue.
Note that Jinnah is not a Muslim name but a Hindu surname of a caste
in Gujarat, from which Jinnah's grandfather converted to Islam.
For a muslim to bear that name can only mean an admiration for the
idea of Pakistan, the methodology of 'Direct Action Day' of
terrorizing through a Hindu Muslim bloodbath, and unabashed display of
hostility and high treason.
Objecting to Amitabh for his association with Modi and encouragement
to Neo-Jinnahs to lead his crowd to the streets, is what is secularism
is.
It is hard to understand the hate of this 'People's "Front"-when India
had given them so much and the Mujahirs who went there to Pakistan
behind the real Jinnah have a sorry tale to tell of discrimination,
human rights violation and constant bombings in Karachi.
Yet, they wants to call himself Mohamad Ali Jinnah and restart on the
Muslim League original program of communal representation.
Our media finds it very normal and natural that this should
happen.India is surely sliding towards another demand for Pakistan,
before repetition of all the horrors which would compel us to concede.
The secularists are pitching for jihadis and preparing us
psychologically for that.
http://www.haindavakeralam.com/HKPage.aspx?PageID=10719&SKIN=B
NSS to go ahead with legal action against the Devaswom Bill
26/03/2010 00:27:28 HK Correspondent
Changanachery : NSS made it very clear that they would pursue legal
action against the Devaswom bill that the government has placed in the
assembly and passed to the subject committee to seek the President’s
approval. NSS reiterated that the government should have held prior
discussion with all Hindu organizations before presenting the bill in
the assembly. In a press release the NSS Leaders asserted that only
the High Court has the powers to control the Devaswom board in
accordance with the Hindu Religious Institutions Act 1950. Thereby,
the LDF Government’s move to hurriedly present such a bill without
even having any consultation with various Hindu organization affected
by the contents of the bill is not at all acceptable. It has been
interesting notice that some of the Christian and Muslim leaders also
opinioned that the government should not have presented such a bill.
Interestingly, SNDP General Secretary Vellappally Natesan supported
the bill and went to the extent of telling that SNDP would stage
Dharna at the gates of those MLAs opposing the bill in the assembly.
Meanwhile Hindu Aykyavedi is holding a meeting on 27 March at
Trivandrum to chart out the action plan by various Hindu
organizations. The meeting will be inaugurated by Travancore Maharaja
Uthradam Thirunal Marthanda Verma. It is understood that Mr.Subramanya
Swami also will attend the meeting.
Sunil
26/03/2010 12:11:58 Petition to President
The Petition by overseas Indians against Wendy Doniger's book last
month became a huge success thanks to thousands of faithful Hindus all
around the world..we can make this also a gr8 success only if we stand
together...lets all unite for a common cause..lets all understand 1
thing..."What right do the people who call themself Atheists have in
controlling a religious place"..they cant answer this..and if we cant
save our temples from these people..even God cant save us..so this is
our last oppurtunity...I wish Hindu aykyavedi and other Hindu
organisation take a very strong action so that the govt takes back the
bill..give your support to Hindu aykyavedi and RSS..I hope these
organisation start some kind of campaign so that we all can contribute
for this cause...as suggested by Mr Raghav Rao we can start a massive
signature campaign n force to withdraw the bill..
Ganesh
26/03/2010 10:35:21 Reading vedas to the charging bull
I think democratic means like mass petition to president etc rarely
work in this banana republic.This is not USA Or EU,where true
democracy exists.What one learns from our minorities ,is that being
street smart is the only language our leadership respects.One live
example is the Hussain issue, another is the Bareily riots.Virtually
all newspaper blogs are full of adverse reactions from the readers
against MFH and yet the media does not seem to understand the public
mood.They may argue that bloggers are not representative of the public
mood. But it is only the bloggers who read the crap that they publish
in the name of news.General public neither know who MFH is nor the
newspaper itself.
satheesh
26/03/2010 10:23:35 vellapally
what this guy vellapally is doing.I think he is an agent of
christians.In none of the issues he is cooperating,recently in Hindu
parliment.
Dr Vijaya Rajiva
26/03/2010 09:05:47 To Mr.Rao
Good idea ! But it requires careful monitoring and someone to be in
charge.
Recently there was a Petition by overseas Indians against Wendy
Doniger's book. Some 10,000 signatures were gathered in a few days,
maybe many more now.
Here it will be an all Kerala effort and the numbers hopefully will be
much larger.
And legally speaking you will be in the right.
Raghav Rao
26/03/2010 03:06:59
http://www.haindavakeralam.com/HKPage.aspx?PageID=10717&SKIN=K
Yet another Rebuttal to 'Secular Hypocrite' Jug Suraiya
25/03/2010 22:05:27
Response to Jug Suraiya(second Opinion)
Times of India - 24 mar 2010
Jug Suriaya has baptized MF Husain as ‘Hindu’ Husain?’(TOI 24th
march).
It fails my comprehension why the ‘secularists’ are laboring to prove
the point that Husain is secular and had no evil design to denigrate
Hindu gods and Goddesses. The author picks up a new line of defense
for
the artist. ‘The basis of Hinduism of what has been labeled as
Hinduism
is the opposite of zero tolerance: it is infinite tolerance. There are
almost as many Hinduisms as there are Hindus; it is a designer
religion..’ So we are reminded that in its infinite tolerance Husain
can and must be allowed to express his perverted sexual expressions
using Gods and Goddesses that is the litmus test of infinite tolerance
according to Jug Suriya. MF Husain’s parampara is one Book, one faith,
one path, one congregation, one god and Islam forbids any pictorial
depiction of the Prophet . So the parampara of Husain does not believe
in artists and their freedom or for that matter any kind of personal
freedom. Does that mean that he needs to operate the freedoms denied
to
him by his own religion on the ‘designer religion’ –Hinduism thus
qualifying to becoming Hindu Husian? Simply because Hinduism is a
travesty of a myriad threaded fabric woven and rewoven for thousands
of
years by the waft and the woof of rites and rituals of conventions and
norms, of cults and god experiences of thousands of rishis it can be
stretched to accommodate Husain’s vulgarization of what is held holy
and sacred by the Hindus of all the Hinduisms? A person from zero
tolerance faith and belief -one will expect to have some restraint in
beholding this fabric so artistical and religiously and patiently
woven
for centuries. Can he so carelessly and ruthlessly tear it asunder?
What is blasphemy according to his religion becomes infinite tolerance
and hence valid namely to caricature and paint Hindu gods and
goddesses. The Freedom gagged and denied to him by his own religion
which he religiously abides by does not stop him from painting God and
Goddesses in the nude but leads him with his brush to vulgarization
and denigrate them. No matter what Jug Suraiya accedes to as
‘strength’
of Hinduism –the designer religion will not and cannot accommodate
such
perversity.
Jug Suraiya very artfully tries to tell us that the ‘strength’ in
Hinduism is its infinite tolerance and by protesting Hinduism becomes
weak. There are two aspects to this:-He wants us to accommodate
Husain’s perversion under the ‘infinitely tolerant religion of
Hinduism-.Husain the firm believer of zero tolerance cannot function
to
give full expression to his artistic freedom in his religion. The
restraints of which he abides by to make him a good Muslim. Here there
is no written restraints-Hinduism does not go by the Book rules but
calls upon each individual to a self imposed discipline does not mean
there is no discipline. Freedom to perceive and experience god in
one’s
own way is entirely different kind of infinite tolerance. One does not
have to look to god though another’s eyes-nor does one’s experience be
limited to another’s god experience. This is the infinite tolerance of
Hinduism-the many paths that lead to the Ultimate. Such an infinite
tolerance is on a different plane. It is not operational in allowing
freedom to maine, brutalize and denigrate the Hindu gods and
goddesses.
For example the UK has no written Constitution, does it mean there are
no rights and no Parliamentary democracy-when compared to those which
have written constitutions I would say that UK’s parliamentary
democracy is more disciplined and vibrant.
Similarly, Jug Suraiya cannot use the absence of a Book-of written
rules and regulations as to what amounts to blasphemy as a license for
unrestraint freedom of expression-freedom to hurt the religious
sentiments of the Hindus. And all the secularists brand this
infinitely
tolerant Hindus as bigots, and Husain has an array of ‘secular’
apologists who are vociferously, through the media-both electronic and
print, holding out the view that it is almost the duty of this
infinitely tolerant Hinduisms to allow Husain to brandish his brush
and
disfigure that tapestry of a myriad threads woven beautifully
depicting
the facets of the One omni presence as Gods and Goddesses-of this
‘designer religion.
And to allow such jihadi by brush under the Right to Freedom of
Expression.. Jug Suraiya goes one step further-he wants the travesty
of
a myriad threads fabric to be shredded and torn apart when he warns
that a militant Hinduism will rob Hinduism of its breath of tolerance.
So what? If militant religions like Islam and Christianity can
flourish
be appreciated as ‘secular’and pampered to I do not see the need to
continue this infinitely tolerant Hinduism in the face of zero
tolerance and be branded as bigotry and communal. If the Kashmiri
pandits were killed and driven out of their homes till date not
rehabilitated what is the use of this infinite tolerance. Using this
infinite tolerance to block and blotch human rights and community
rights is no way of making a case to uphold this breath of Hinduism
–tolerance. When zero tolerance cannot allow infinitely tolerant
Hindus
of Hinduisms their own homes and hearths? So Jug Suraiya’s premise to
test the strength of Hinduism by allowing anything and anyone to do
anything and everything under the garb of its infinite tolerance is a
bad case. It cannot co-exist.
And the brief for Husain does not end here-Jug Suriaya has elevated
his
client as an example-his testimony to the capacity of tolerance of
Hinduism-that in it there can be no scandalous liberties to be
censored-MF Husain becomes a Hindu and a good one too-by his adherence
to the zero tolerance of his own religion Islam he becomes a good
Muslim also. Eat the cake and have it too-policy. Do to others what
you
expect others to do to you-is also a Book faith diktat is conveniently
overlooked. How very succinctly Jug Suraiya has led us down the path
with such carrots.. and full praise for ‘Hinduisms’ and its strength.
In its strength lies the message not to fight-not to face the
challenge-look the other way no matter what is done to you and your
gods and goddesses. No matter the insults and the injuries your
strength is to allow such things. This is a strange advice and message
to uphold Freedoms. It is an aberration of Freedom. Too long this
infinite tolerance has been exploited and too long the Hindus have
thought that ‘strength’ means to look the way. It is time to stem the
rot and it is time to face the challenge and expect everyone, artist
or
no artist to abide by the law of the land-irrespective of religion and
age. We are a secular society and religious rules must be subsumed in
civil law and civil liberties. You cannot use one’s religious laws for
some and civil laws for others, All Indian citizens must and should
fall under one law and thus will Justice and Truth be upheld.
Dr Mrs Hilda Raja,
Vadodara
skg
26/03/2010 16:44:52 Hindus are hurting Hinduism !!.
It is Hindus like Jug Suraiya who are responsible for the abuse of
Hinduism by Pseudo-secular Media. They are giving enough material for
Islamists and evangelists to attack Hinduism. Hindus should teach
these rascals/Pseudo-Hindus a lesson .
Archpagan
26/03/2010 08:59:56 Practise what you preach.
Jug Suraiya should get her own mother's nude picture drawn by 'Hindu
Hussain' before making such pontification.
seadog4227
26/03/2010 06:58:31 MFH
Again--why bother with a known commie?
Numerous Slimes writers have shown their colours before. Bachi
Karkaria talked about the "boyish good looks" of Abu Salem when he
faced trial. From an economist, Swaminathan Iyer has now become a
avowed "secularist" Jug Suraiya has talked nonsense under the guise of
humour on several occasions. Dileep Padgoankar is mostly a fence
sitter. As for Gautam Adhikari, the less said the better. Ditch
them!
Ram
26/03/2010 04:28:10 Vatican RC in deep trouble
God is punishing the church establishment. See the link below :
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100325/ap_on_re_eu/church_abuse_wisconsin#mwpphu-container
Please publish this article. More than 2400 comments on this
particular article. US and Europe are dropping RC.
Sam
26/03/2010 02:36:38 Hinduism is changing because of pseudo secular
media
Hinduism has seen many 'holocausts' duing barbaric Islamic invations
and continued for 1100 years.According to Francois Gautier "The
massacres perpetuated by Muslims in India are unparalleled in history,
bigger than the Holocaust of the Jews by the Nazis; or the massacre of
the Armenians by the Turks; more extensive even than the slaughter of
the South American native populations by the invading Spanish and
Portuguese."
Hinduism still survived. But the current situation is very dangerous.
The anti-hindu media (funded by outside agents of West, Saudi and
China) is insulting hinduism and supporting conversion to other
religions. The UPA government run by Sonia (Christian) and her puppet
PM (Sikh) and coterie (christians with Hindu names) are misusing tax
payers money for minority appeasement and trying to distory hinduism.
Communists, DMK, Yadav parties, Muslim and Christian political parties
are working together to make sure that Hindu temples will be taken
over by government use the temple income against hindu interests.
Devaswam Boards are under non-believing communists so that the income
from temples will never be used for the benefit of hindu relion. Vaqaf
Board use the income for Muslim student loan without interest. While
Devaswam income is never used for hindus. Hindu students pay 10%
interest for student loans. Billions or dollars are flowing to India
every year for conversion and money is effectively used for harvest of
souls or training anti-indian jihadies through Saudi funded Madrasas.
Unreported secret convesion has already made hindus minority in many
parts of India. The converts keep their hindu name and schedule caste
status. Hatred of new converts who got rich with newly earned money to
hindu neighbouts mame stuggle for survivla. While Missionaries pay
Maoists to kill anybody work against conversion like in Kadhmal
(Orisssa). Since they have media and political support nothing get
reported. Probably 2% Hindus know about all these.
Rajaraman
26/03/2010 02:53:11 Two questions only from a 'Sanathana Dharmi'
1. Can I produce a movie in which Prophet Muhamamd, Sonia Gandhi,
Jesus Christ depicted as nude....?
2.why did u ban NEHRU-EDWINA MOVIE?
M Balachandran
26/03/2010 02:35:33 Supporters of Hussain also can go to Qatar
Because of expressing his "ART" ,our pseudo secular friends beloved MF
Hussain required to settle in Qatar, due to Court cases by "fanatic"
Hindus of Hindusthan. In the near future these supporters also require
to face the trials by such Hindu "fanatics" since their strength &
knowledge are getting increased day by day. It will be better for them
to try for Qatar Nationality immly which is the Paradise for Hussain.
I dont think 99.999...% of Indian citizens will miss anything if these
pseudos get out of Hindusthan
Ramamurhty.N
25/03/2010 23:28:59 Jug Suraiya true pesudo secular
This refers to second opinion coloumn "Hindu Husain " by Jug Suraiya
Times of India dt 24th March, 2010.The author cleaverly and
selectively quoted , to her convenience, Islamic religious ditict,
libaralism/ tolarence of Hiduism, and the freedom of expression
gauranteeded in our secular constitution to justify Mr.Husain's action
and confirmed she belongs to same pesudo secularit group.While
Mr.Husain painted nude the dictator Hitler but dare not do the same
with other dictators namely Sadam Husan, Idi amin and Yahyah Khan a
few muslim dictators who massacared their own people of differnt
enthinity. Ms.Jug Suriya like Mr.Husain whom she tried to defend,
confirm what Islam says " Religion is the first and last for Muslims"
other things matter little.
Dear Sir,
This refers to second opinion (the word second aptly printed in
reverse) coloumn "Hindu Husain " by Jug Suraiya Times of India dt 24th
March, 2010.The author cleaverly and selectively quoted , to her
convenience, Islamic religious ditict, libaralism/ tolarence of
Hiduism, and the freedom of expression gauranteeded in our secular
constitution to justify Mr.Husain's action and confirmed she belongs
to same pesudo secularit group.While Mr.Husain painted nude the
dictator Hitler but dare not do the sama with other dictators namely
Sdam Husan, Idi amin and Yahyah Khan a few muslim dictators who
massacared their own people of differnt enthinity. Ms.Jug Suriya like
Mr.Husain whom she tried to defend, confirm what Islam says " Religion
is the first and last for Muslims" other things matter little.
N.Ramamurthy,
A1 Alankar aptsmaste all,
I am glad to forward my letter addressed to the Edito Times Of India
on Jug Suraiy's coloumn "Hindu Husain"
Regards,
N.Rama
Vijayalakshmi
25/03/2010 22:16:51
http://www.haindavakeralam.com/HKPage.aspx?PageID=10716&SKIN=M
Murder of RSS Seva Pramukh - Life Term to Four CPM thugs
25/03/2010 22:00:16
Four CPM men get life term
www.expressbuzz.com
KOLLAM: Kollam Second Additional Sessions Court sentenced four CPM
workers to life term rigorous imprisonment in the case of murdering
RSS worker Santhosh.
Additional Sessions Judge K.K. Balakrishnan also ordered the four to
pay a fine of Rs 45,000 each, failing which they have to undergo
imprisonment for a further period.
Sajeev (40) of Ayathil , Anthikannan alias Anil (30) of
Kochammannada, Gopi (38) of Kottamkara and Pramod (32) of Ayathil
were those have been convicted in the case. Two other accused Sajeev
of Pattathanam and Jayaprakash are still absconding. The fourth
accused Santhosh died during the trial of the case.
Noushad and Anilkumar who were CPM members of Vadakkevila grama
panchayat had been excluded from the list of the accused.
The murder was committed on November 24, 1997. Santhosh, who was the
mandal seva pramukh of the RSS, was returning on a cycle after
attending a meet of the RSS.
The accused, who were travelling in a car, hit his cycle and then
hacked Santhosh to death.
Vijayakumar, who was riding pillion on the cycle, was also injured and
he informed the police about the murder. The accused have been
sentenced under Sections 302,143,147,148 and 324 of the IPC. Public
Prosecutor Ratnakaran appeared for the prosecution.
satheesh
26/03/2010 10:16:25 Shame for Hindus
All those got convicted are Hindus.we are facing problems within our
religion itself.when will these guys understand the real problems.we
should stop fighting within ourself.
Prasad Pandit
26/03/2010 04:17:44 CPM Thugs
It is sad to note that all the sentenced are having hindu names. The
CPM with its anti-hindu ideology uses its thugs to murder Sangh
workers.
Vijayalakshmi
25/03/2010 22:19:57 Murder of RSS Seva Pramukh
It is very heartening news-this conviction of the murderers by the
honourable Court!So many of our disciplined sevaks have fallen prey to
the murderous politics of the marxist party.Something concrete has to
be done against this trend.But atleast we have some good,
conscientious judges in Kerala! Thank God for that!
http://www.haindavakeralam.com/HKPage.aspx?PageID=10715&SKIN=K
Big B blasts Reds, media over Kerala row
25/03/2010 12:18:46 PNS | Kochi
Amitabh Bachchan has termed “as petty act of cheap convenience” the
CPI(M) decision not to allow the Kerala Government to appoint him as
God’s Own Country’s tourism brand ambassador because of his
connections with Gujarat and its Chief Minister Narendra Modi. In his
701st entry in the bigadda blog, the star said he would abide by the
judgement of the Kerala Government in whatever decision it would take.
“You want to stop me from promoting tourism in a State, because you
have reason to believe that there are political connotations to the
event. This is such rubbish,” he wrote in the blog obviously in
reference to the CPI(M) decision to disallow Kerala to make him brand
ambassador. He also criticized the media in connection with the
development saying that finding fault at any cost to any act or event
was a common Indian media trait.
Big B’s criticism of the CPI(M) intolerance coincided with the
decision of the CPI(M) Politbureau, meeting in Delhi, not to revoke
the central party leadership’s earlier decision to disallow the Kerala
Government to make the star its brand ambassador. Politbureau member
had on March 19 told the media that the Kerala Government would not
make Bachchan the State’s tourism ambassador.
Yechuri’s statement came after Bachchan wrote to Kerala Tourism
Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, himself a PB member, accepting his
invitation to represent Kerala Tourism. Kodiyeri’s act of inviting
Bachchan without consulting the party and the ruling coalition and the
central CPI(M) leadership’s act of unilaterally shooting down a
decision taken by the State Government have already created dissent in
the LDF.
Bachchan wrote in his blog: “All I shall be doing (as brand
ambassador) will be working in a short film that shall highlight the
various places of interest in the State…. And that is what I would
precisely do when I would be asked to similar acts in Kerala… It (the
objection) is a petty act of cheap convenience to prevent me from
doing that.”
He said he did not ask for the position but the Kerala Government had
invited him. “I shall abide by the judgement of the State Government.
I did not ask them for it, they came forward with the invitation, I
accepted, now they want to decline it, fine. Not the first time such
incidents have happened,” he wrote in the blog, referring to the
incident that took place in Goa during the International Film
Festival.
He also criticized his critics for projecting him as an untouchable
for his relations with the State of Gujarat, which had made him its
brand ambassador. “You take umbrage at my association with Gujarat,
but never have the guts or courage to stop a Ratan Tata or an Ambani
from investing in the state…. Would you have the guts to tell them to
not associate with the State, to pull out all their investment and man
power they build through years and years of their ‘association’? I
guess not,” he writes in the blog.
Responding to questions in connection with Bachchan’s blog, Minister
Kodiyeri said he had nothing more to say about the matter than what he
had said in the State Assembly the other day. He had told the Kerala
Assembly that some sections had raised some objections to making
Bachchan Kerala’s brand ambassador. He said the Government had not
taken any formal decision to make him brand ambassador but had only
extended an informal invitation.
Ganesh
26/03/2010 10:27:19 opportunities
Most of the PB members are unfit to even win a panchayat election.The
commies do not miss any opportunity to lick the minority a**se.Recall
how Somnath chatterji refused to preside over the LS when George BUsh
was to address the joint session.Shaking hands with Ariel SHaron was
held against K.V.Thomas to impress Jihadis.Then the Abdulla Kutty
episode.Saddam Hussain's death mourning bandh .I pity the so called
Hindu communities of this Allah's own country.
shiv
26/03/2010 03:22:40 Pathetic BJP/sangh leadership
Big B knows that he has counter allegations or reply to detractors.
But BJP and sangh parivar leaders dont even bother to counter/attack
the allegations/maligning like this.
They end up giving statements.
Pathetic./
Balasundar S
26/03/2010 01:10:32 Why Big B for Kodiyeri, Black "P" is OK !
Joining Issue with the Yechuri faction of CPM, I suggest the PB of
Communists make Black "P"(Part Secy,) from their ranks as Brand
Ambassador and help siphon off some funds to His account from Tourism
Ministry of Kodiyeri!
Balasundar S
26/03/2010 01:10:32 Why Big B for Kodiyeri, Black "P" is OK !
Joining Issue with the Yechuri faction of CPM, I suggest the PB of
Communists make Black "P"(Part Secy,) from their ranks as Brand
Ambassador and help siphon off some funds to His account from Tourism
Ministry of Kodiyeri!
manoj
25/03/2010 23:51:20 The reason why CPM objects Bachan
Dear friends
Did anybody knows why cpm opposit to promote kerala tourism?? Suppose
Bachan became the brand ambassider of kerala, definitely kerala
tourism will boost. It would be benift for the state as forign money
will pump to our state, this will benifit for the Kerala people(a
large number among them are cpm supporters), once they start earning
money their life style will change, they will built good house, buy
car, will provide higher eduction to their childen ... then...
then...one day cpm will ask these people to come for a secretrate
march or a some other protest march.. none of them will go becuase
they prefer more importance to their family and taking care of their
children and finally they will prefer to leave this party.. so dear
friends,...its not because of modi or Bachan but the cpm dont want any
kind of progress in the state to keep their poor commerds in their
platform always
Nishant
25/03/2010 19:45:02 THE DON
The Don finally delivered what was due!
Amit bhadhuri,Ex-Officer,CISF
25/03/2010 17:25:33 Show Courage Mr B
Amitabh has by now realized what the congress and CPI(M) are like, as
their only gmae is to please Musslamans at any cost of the nation.
Amitabh is a mega-wealthy person and what he has to loose at 67? He
should overcome his search for more wealth and should reject congress
and communists boldly and openly declare his appreciations for Gujrat
and Narendra Modi. By doing so he will come out as a real hero not
just a plastic hero what he has been so far.
http://www.haindavakeralam.com/HKPage.aspx?PageID=10714&SKIN=B
Al Badr hand in Kerala blasts revealed
25/03/2010 12:17:35 VR Jayaraj | Kozhikode - Daily Pioneer
The international terror links of the March 3, 2006 twin blasts at
Kozhikode, in which South India’s LeT commander Thadiyantavide Nazeer
is the prime accused, has become more obvious with the revelation that
he had got training under Pakistani national and Al Badr coordinator
Muhammad Fahad (30). Fahad, arrested from Mysore on October 17, 2006
as he was preparing for an attack on Vidhan Soudha, the Karantaka
Legislative Assembly building in Bangalore, was in Kozhikode when the
blasts took place.
Local residents and Malayalee farmers in Coorg, Karnataka, identified
Fahad from a photograph shown to them by the officials of the
Intelligence wing of the Kerala Police the other day as the one who
was with Nazeer when he was running a camp there. With this, the
investigations into the LeT terror operations in the State have
reached a crucial turning point, officials say.
Local residents told the Intelligence officials headed by P Raju,
Superintendent of Police (Intelligence), Thrissur Range, when they
reached Coorg as part of the probe, that they had seen Fahad with
Nazeer on several occasions. Fahad, whose father Abdullakoya was a
Malayalee who had migrated to Pakistan decades ago, had given training
to Nazeer and other LeT operatives from Kerala for several days at the
Coorg camp.
The Kerala Police Intelligence team has already handed over the
information regarding Nazeer’s connections with Fahad and the training
camp at Coorg to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) which is
investigating the terror-related cases in Kerala. According to
sources, the new revelations are a surprise even to the NIA
considering the magnitude of the Kerala terror network’s Pak
connections.
The Intelligence wing has learned that Fahad had held several night-
long training sessions and classes for Nazeer and the LeT recruits in
Coorg towards the end of 2005. They assume that his visit to Kozhikode
in February, 2006 was part of the continued operations. He had left
Kozhikode on March 18. Sources said that Fahad, a Master’s degree-
holder in Chemistry, could have assisted Nazeer and his group in
carrying out the first live blasts of their terror career in
Kozhikode. This meant that Fahad was in Kozhikode when the twin blasts
were carried out in the city.
When he was arrested from Mysore in October, 2006, the police had
seized from him and his associate weapons including AK-47 rifles and
components of highly improvised explosives. The police had earlier
learned that Fahad was a member of terror outfit Al Badr which was
getting training from the Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence. In
this context, the Intelligence officials think that the LeT operations
in Kerala under Nazeer were being directly controlled from Pakistan.
Al Badr coordinator Fahad, son of Abdullakoya who had left Iringalloor
in Kozhikode district for Pakistan decades ago, used to frequently
visit his relatives in Kerala. He was a regular visitor at the homes
of Abdullakoya’s first wife at Kappad and his sister at Peruvayal,
both in Kozhikode district. After his arrest in 2006, the police had
leaned that Fahad’s mission here was to spread the terror network in
the region using his family connections.
It was amidst his efforts to get a passport using the Kerala address
from the Regional Passport Office in Kozhikode that Fahad and his
associate Muhammad Ali Hussein were arrested from Mysore. Though Fahad
was arrested by the Karnataka Police, the Kerala Police had enquired
about his bid to get a passport from Kozhikode. Unfortunately, the
police had not then thought of extending its probe beyond the passport
case.
Vivek
26/03/2010 01:52:27 CNR
When will the Hindus in Kerala learn from these lessons.
No wonder BJP is yet to get a single seat in Kerala. Things will never
change unless some one like N. Modi is born in Kerala.
http://www.haindavakeralam.com/HKPage.aspx?PageID=10713&SKIN=K
chhotemianinshallah
On Monday, the notorious Best Bakery case nudged closer to a trial
date.
.By Scott Baldauf, Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor /
July 23, 2004
MUMBAI, INDIA
When a Hindu mob stormed a bakery and killed 14, including two Muslims
burnt alive in ovens, the gruesome crime became the symbol of
religious violence that gripped India two years ago and left nearly
1,000 dead.
Now, in what appears to be a second chance for justice, the Best
Bakery case moved this week one step toward retrial.
The first trial, held in May 2003 in the state of Gujarat, where the
massacre took place, ended in the acquittal of all 21 of the accused
rioters after the victims changed their testimony. The Indian Supreme
Court last April ordered a retrial out of state, calling state
officials "modern-day Neros" for ignoring the complaints of witnesses
that they had been politically harassed and pressured to change their
testimony by police and state officials.
The opportunity for another trial in this cornerstone case is seen
here as an important chance to resolve a major irritant in Hindu-
Muslim relations and a chance to chip away at the pervasive problem of
witness tampering in the Indian justice system.
"This case has been a kind of systematic failure of the Indian legal
system," says Teesta Setalwad, a human rights activist who led the
effort to get the case a second hearing. "This has been a symbol,
hopefully, to revive the criminal justice system in India."
In a country where prosecutors win violent criminal cases only 4
percent of the time, some dramatic reforms are required, Ms. Setalwad
says. "In India, we have failed (in providing justice.) Trials take 10
years to finish. Witnesses turn hostile and change their testimony.
The whole system needs to change."
The trouble in Gujarat began at a train station in Godhra on Feb. 27,
2002, when a train car full of Hindu activists was torched, killing 68
passengers. For more than two months, Hindu rioters took their revenge
on Muslim neighbors, killing nearly 1,000 citizens. Police claimed
they were unable to contain the rioters, but later, senior officials
admitted to human rights activists that they had been directed by
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi to allow the "anticipated Hindu
reaction" to run its course.
Mr. Modi, a member of the Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party,
has claimed that his state apparatus had done everything it could to
keep the peace, but has also called the riots a "natural reaction" to
the Godhra attack.
The Best Bakery case was once seen as the best chance to bring the
rioters to justice, some of whom included police officials and
activists of the BJP and other Hindu nationalist groups. The star
witness, Zahira Shaikh, named 21 of the rioters directly involved in
the murders of 11 members of her Muslim family as well as their 3
Hindu employees. But on May 17, 2003, she changed her testimony.
Later, Ms. Shaikh told reporters that she had been threatened by a BJP
state legislator, Madhu Srivastava, who had escorted her to the
courthouse.
"He told me, 'Think about what you have to do. If you don't, you will
suffer,'" Ms. Shaikh later told India Today magazine. "I knew I had
two options: to get justice for dead family members, or save those who
were living."
Mr. Srivastava denies having threatened Shaikh, but admits that he did
escort Shaikh to court to protect her from the crowd. "She was
receiving threats," he told reporters at the time.
On Monday, a judge in Mumbai gave the case one more nudge toward a
trial date, ordering Gujarat to issue warrants against 10 of the 21
accused rioters who had not been apprehended.
Even with a second chance to give testimony, free of coercion, the
Best Bakery case will not be an easy conviction. The Shaikh family has
given two versions of the story and estranged members of the family
tell an entirely different story.
Yet whatever the outcome of the Best Bakery case, the very fact that
it got a retrial at all - and that, out of Gujarat - may have
reverberations. On Aug. 3, the Indian Supreme Court is scheduled to
hear arguments from six other heinous cases similar to Best Bakery,
which are also pushing to be tried outside Gujarat.
The largest of these, the massacre of 89 Muslims in the district of
Naroda-Patiya, occurred the day after the Godhra tragedy. Police
waited nearly a year to investigate this case or to press charges.
While some activists say Best Bakery will bring legal reforms that
will guarantee more professionalism and less political interference in
future cases, others like Mr. Jethmalani says a deeper reform within
human character is needed.
"Either out of communal motives [of promoting hatred toward the Muslim
community] or out of some political motives by the state leaders, the
investigation was totally unequal to their task," says Mr. Jethmalani.
Yet the problems seen in the case go far beyond Gujarat.
"I must compliment the people of India for setting their face against
such fundamentalism, when they voted against the BJP in the last
elections," he says. But the decline in human character and the rise
of fundamentalism "is getting worse," he adds, and not "just in India
but in the West as well."
http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0723/p07s01-wosc.html
http://hrwf.net/uploads/Hindu%20extremist%20movements.doc
Academic study of Ganesh called hate crime
Never hurts to be reminded that Fundamentalist Christians aren't the
only people who expect special protection for their nutty theology.
WASHINGTON - Eighteen years after publishing a study of the Hindu god
Ganesha, a US university professor is under fire from believers who
brand sexual references in the book as an insidious 'hate crime'.
Hindu student activists are demanding that Ganesa, Lord of Obstacles,
Lord of Beginnings be taken out of circulation until author Paul
Courtright from Emory University in Atlanta removes 'offensive'
passages and makes an unequivocal apology to Hindus.
AFP: Hindus take offence at US don's book on deity
T.R. Rao, Loflin chair and professor of computer science at the
University of Louisiana at Lafayette, said he appreciates academic
freedom but questions its relevance in relation to Courtright’s book.
“Academic freedom is that if I make a mistake in my job, I am
protected,” he said. “But do I have the freedom to inflict pain on
millions of people?”
Courtright said academic freedom allows him to write freely.
“Do I have to ask 800 million Hindus to get permission to say
something?” he asked.
Deepa Patel, The Emory Wheel: Academic freedom debated in wake of
recent petition
People who believe that animal-headed deities run the universe are
silly. It’s a completely trivial belief. I can’t think of anything
crazier than combining theology with zoology, although I guess
throwing botany into the mix might do the trick. …
The Raving Atheist: Theozoology
Richard Evans Lee • November 14, 2003 • Reader, what do you think?
Prior: My spiritual autobiography (II) • Next: In the Devil's Snare
Y! MyWeb · del.icio.us · Furl
1 · Posted by: FreeIndian on April 10, 2004 07:54 PM
Is there any exhaustive lists of items that may hurt religious
feelings? I am a Hindu and I am not offended by such wriringd. After
all we Hindus' believe in the insident/events in Lord Ganesha's life.
If the interpretations is different , should we feel hurt? Can the
prof changes his interpretation. simply because , a few Hindus feel
hurt or keep the interpretation same , becuase many Hindus like me do
not feel hurt .
2 · Posted by: JohnSmith on April 24, 2004 07:06 PM
“Courtright said academic freedom allows him to write freely.”.
Does that mean that one can call Thomas Jefferson a scoundrel? And
that I cannot be bothered to consult 300 million Americans, who may
protest?
3 · Posted by: Paper Magic on October 12, 2004 06:36 PM
“Does that mean that one can call Thomas Jefferson a scoundrel? And
that I cannot be bothered to consult 300 million Americans, who may
protest?”
Yes, John, that's precisely what it means.
4 · Posted by: a d on November 25, 2004 10:04 AM
i am an indian hindu and though i am not offended by the actual
writing (haven't read it) - i am offended by the fact that courtright
thinks that what hindus think doesn't count when writing about
hinduism - especially when he knows that given the power/knowledge
equation, his version may end up being authoritative.
this is not only about religion, its about accountability. and
academic freedom is not about irresponsibility.
Comments:
Feel free to share your feelings about Academic study of Ganesh called
hate crime. Please stick to the theme of the entry. Disagreement is
fine. Homophobia, racism, and kindred expressions of hatred will be
deleted.
This site is one of my hobbies. I genuinely enjoy hearing from people
and hate moderating or killing comments. Forthright disagreement is
fine as long as it is civil.
My thanks,
Richard
http://www.metropolis2008.org/pdf/20081030/workshops/w089-30_austin-lawrence.pdf
Hindu Students Call Emory Professor's Book a "Hate Crime" (Washington)
Nov 14, 2003
By Staff Writer
The Straits Times
On November 14, 2003 The Straits Times reported that "eighteen years
after publishing a study of the Hindu god Ganesha, a US university
professor is under fire from believers who brand sexual references in
the book as an insidious 'hate crime'. Hindu student activists are
demanding that Ganesa, Lord of Obstacles, Lord of Beginnings be taken
out of circulation until author Paul Courtright from Emory University
in Atlanta removes 'offensive' passages and makes an unequivocal
apology to Hindus. But Prof Courtright accuses his critics of quoting
isolated passages from his book out of context, and suggests they may
be trying to stifle academic freedoms. Outraged by sexual inferences
in his book and portrayal of a nude Ganesha on the cover of one
edition, 4,500 people signed an online petition drawn up by the Hindu
Students Council at the University of Louisiana, Lafayette."
http://www.pluralism.org/news/view/6181
India: Hindu extremist states have most Anti-Dalit hate crimes
Posted on June 8, 2008 by The Editor
Hinduvta states commit the most crimes against the poor penury
stricken Dalits. The states with the highest concentration of Brahmins
and Hindu extremists have the highest level of discrimination against
the impoverished Dalits. However the other states which do not have
Hindu extremeists face other sorts of abuse. There are many sates
where there is a live and vibrant insurrection going on.
http://rupeenews.com/2008/05/29/amnesty-int-2008-report-excoriates-horrid-india/
http://rupeenews.com/2008/05/15/dalit-slaves-in-india/
The map shows the security dangers as identified by the intelligence
agencies of India.
The Human Rights Commission has reported severe human rights abuses in
many states like Gujarat and Jharkhand
Bharat faces a huge insurgency in a swath of territory which extends
from Nepal to Andhra Pradesh
This map of Bharat shows the concetration of Hindu extremists or
“Hinduvta” as they are called in the conglomeration of states called
“India”. According to the study conducted by the Center for the
Developing societies the correlation of the extremists Hindus is
directly related to the number of hate crimes against the minorites–
mainly the 170-250 million Dalits (Untouchables). The map shows the
highest number of Brahmin Hinduvtas in Jammu, Himadhal Pradesh
(bifurcated from East Punjab) and Uttar Pradesh (conglomeration of
Awadh and other states which was called United Provices by the
British)
Uttar Pradesh which has the distinction of giving the country its
first Dalit woman Chief Minister, also tops the list of states with
highest number of cases of crime against Scheduled Castes. With a
staggering 4,960 cases of crime committed against people of Scheduled
Castes, Uttar Pradesh tops the list in 2006, according to a Ministry
of Home Affairs’ data.
The state is closely followed by Madhya Pradesh with 4,214 such cases
being registered the same year.
Among states of South India, Andhra Pradesh, where 3,891 such cases
were registered in 2006 ranks the highest.
Taken together, the three states – Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and
Andhra Pradesh – constituted more than 51 per cent of crimes committed
against SCs in the country in 2006.
Analysis of data shows that number of crimes against Scheduled Castes
have increased in the country.
While 26,127 cases of crime against SCs were registered in 2005, the
subsequent year, saw 27,070 cases being registered. The data for 2007
is yet to be compiled.
As per the data available for for the year 2004-2006, UP has seen a
increase in crime against SCs.
While 2004 saw 3,785 such cases being registered, 4,397 cases were
recorded in 2005.
AP, where 3,117 cases of crime against SCs were reported in 2005, has
also seen an increase in the number.
On the other hand, MP has seen a decline in such cases.
While data for 2006 showed 4,214 cases were registered in the state
for crime against SCs, in 2005 the number was 4,222. The year 2004
witnessed the highest number with 4,699 cases being registered.
Among the seven Union Territories, the capital has recorded 21 such
cases, which is the highest number.
According to the figures available, the number of persons convicted
for crime against SCs under SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989,
including all IPC crime, in 2005 were 12,468, which increased to
13,449 in 2006.
Dalits are one of the minorities that is repressed in India. The 150
million Muslims are killed at will in Kashmir and harassed in other
areas
http://rupeenews.com/2008/06/07/indian-hegemony-plans-kashmir-pakistan-in-the-way/
http://rupeenews.com/2008/06/08/india-hindu-extremist-states-have-most-anti-dalit-hate-crimes/
On Faith: Proselytizing as Cultural Imperialism
Washington, D.C. (March 5, 2010) -
As a guest blogger on the Washington Post/Newsweek's "On Faith" blog,
Professor Ramesh Rao, coordinator of HAF's humans right report and
professor at Longwood University, has the opportunity to provide a
Hindu viewpoint on various issues. Below is Prof. Rao's latest blog.
Please post your comments directly on the "On Faith" site by clicking
here.
Like many hundreds of millions of other Hindus, I also made sense of
our world as we visited temples and pilgrimage centers, and through
the rituals and rites performed and observed in our homes - from the
"annaprastha" ceremony (the feeding of the first solid food) for a
child to the "Brahmopadesham" ceremony (supreme teaching) for a young
boy, and the "vivaaha" ceremony (marriage) for a young man and woman,
to the "shraaddha" ceremony (ritual that one performs to pay homage to
one's ancestors, and especially to one's dead parents). As a young boy
my connectedness to the world, and my sense of place and belonging
were shaped by the rhythms of devotional songs heard early in the
morning as my grandfathers perambulated in front of the Gods, lit
lamps, and sang beseeching God's grace and protection.
That is how I learned about my religion and accepted my religious
identity, and in some similar manner that is how the rest of the world
does too. This identity shaping contributes to one's self-esteem, and
a healthy self-esteem is essential for us to prosper and live our
lives productively. It is reported that loss of faith can lead to
anger, resentment, emptiness, despair, sadness, and isolation, and the
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) identifies
loss of faith as a religious problem. And there are studies that show
that immigrants, in a new country, and unmoored from their religious
and cultural context, suffer from anxiety, stress, and depression.
Enter left, the proselytizer, thumping a book, decrying "false" Gods,
promising heaven if you accepted the "one, true, Lord and savior".
Over the past two thousand years, proselytizers have roamed the world,
converting people by hook or by crook, making unverifiable claims,
robbing people of their cultures and their Gods, sowing conflict and
dissent in once cohesive tribes and communities, and most damagingly,
inflicting a heavy loss on the self-esteem of souls harvested for the
"Lord". As professor Regina Schwartz has argued, the "... Bible has
left us a legacy of intolerant thinking about other peoples, and it
has authorized such intolerance as the will of God. That is how it has
had effects on religious, racial, and ethnic conflicts around the
globe." The world's two most "powerful" religions - Christianity and
Islam - are monotheistic creeds that seek of their followers
allegiance to one God, and seek to convert others to believing in the
one, true God - theirs. As Schwartz notes, "the injunction 'Thou shalt
have no other gods before me' turns into intolerance for other people
who may have other gods, or principles, or beliefs."
And while we now live in a different world where the old bloody sword
and scimitar cannot be used to "persuade" people to change their
religious identity, we now get the Bible thumpers and the Qur'an
dispensers who, in the guise of "freedom of religion," spread
intolerance, sow dissent, and rob the identities of the mostly poor,
illiterate, and innocent masses through a variety of wiles, not
excluding bribes, false promises, "love jihads," and so on. The poor
in India and Sri Lanka reeling from the loss of loved ones and their
livelihoods after the 2004 tsunami, and the millions of Haitians
struggling after the earthquake in January, saw a flood of young men
and women with Bible in one hand and a loaf of bread in the other,
promising liberation, heaven, and the good life, if they accepted the
Bible along with the bread. Hundreds of millions of dollars are pumped
into India by evangelical groups that have found in the new converts
in that country willing abettors to "identity theft".
One day, shopping at a Best Buy in Richmond, I was accosted by an
Indian who wanted some advice on buying video cameras. While the sales
people had tried to help, he found in me someone whom he could trust,
because my skin color matched his. I was glad to help, told him about
the cameras, and pointed out that some of the models were more
expensive but they came with certain features not available in the
less expensive ones. "Money is not a problem," he grinned, and that is
when I noticed that he was trailed by three or four rather sheepish
White companions. "I am from Andhra Pradesh, and I have come to meet
with some of my church supporters here," he told me. The south Indian
state of Andhra Pradesh, rife with caste conflicts, and home to many
tribal groups, is one of the largest recipients of foreign money
donated by church organizations. I saw first hand the result of the
quid pro quo between evangelical groups and their abettors and fellow
conspirators in India.
Much has been written about proselytism, and its rewards, wages, and
sins. What is not carefully studied are the effects of conversion on
individuals, families, tribes and communities. Some of my good and
very dear friends here who say they are against forced or coerced
conversion speak of the importance of "bearing witness" and how
exchanging one's beliefs is important for understanding each other,
and how such exchanges would enlighten us all. But I tell them that
they are not playing on a level field. What if they were poor and
Hindus came to them with rice in one hand and the Bhagavad Gita in the
other?
I have no problems if an old couple come knocking on my door on a
Sunday morning and hand me a booklet with the most hideous
descriptions of Hindu Gods and Goddesses. I smile and send them their
merry, uninformed way. I can pick 20 holes in each of Pat Robertson's
assertions. And I laugh myself silly watching the sweaty perorations
of bejeweled "reverends" on television channels. I am not poor or
needy, nor am I ignorant about the history of the world. However,
there are hundreds of millions in the country of my birth and
elsewhere who are indeed materially poor and who are indeed ignorant
of the bloody history of religious proselytism, and the effects of
religious conversion. The only wealth they have is their cultural and
religious identities. To rob them of that is indeed a crime, I tell my
friends.
Since everyone invokes Mahatma Gandhi these days, let me do so too.
What did he think of missionaries? He wrote, "If I had the power and
could legislate, I would stop all proselytizing. In Hindu households
the advent of a missionary has meant the disruption of the family
coming in the wake of change of dress, manners, language, food and
drink," (Collected Works, Vol 61, page 46-47). He had a lot more to
say about this conversion business, but I will end with this one: "I
hold that proselytization under the cloak of humanitarian work is
unhealthy to say the least. It is most resented by people here.
Religion after all is a deeply personal thing. It touches the
heart.... Why should I change my religion because the doctor who
professes Christianity as his religion has cured me of some disease,
or why should the doctor expect me to change whilst I am under his
influence?" (Young India: April 23, 1931)
The views expressed here are the personal views of Ramesh Rao, and do
not necessarily represent those of Longwood University or the Hindu
American Foundation.
On Faith: The Violence of Conversion
Minneapolis, MN (March 3, 2010) -
As a regularly featured blogger on the Washington Post/Newsweek's "On
Faith" blog, Dr. Aseem Shukla, member of HAF's Board of Directors, has
the opportunity to provide a Hindu viewpoint on various issues. Below
is Dr. Shukla's latest blog. Please post your comments directly on the
"On Faith" site by clicking here.
Q: Is there a problem with proselytism overseas by U.S. religious
groups? Isn't sharing one's faith part of religious freedom? When does
it cross the line into manipulation and coercion?
It is impossible for me to reconcile myself to the idea of conversion
after the style that goes on in India and elsewhere today. It is an
error which is perhaps the greatest impediment to the world's progress
toward peace. Why should a Christian want to convert a Hindu to
Christianity? Why should he not be satisfied if the Hindu is a good or
godly man? -- Mahatma Gandhi (Harijan: January 30, 1937)
If I had some good news--really good news that would help others--I
would eagerly want to share that news. Spread the word, pass it on,
share the joy. As Thomas Farr of the Berkely Center at Georgetown
wrote, "For those who believe they have access to such a Truth, the
desire to offer it to others is both natural and rational."
The problem, of course, is that we are dealing with matters of faith
and the experiential, rather than the empirical and rational. And we
are wrestling with not only the benign connotations of evangelism and
charity, but also with the incendiary vocabulary of hegemony,
religious imperialism, asymmetry and conversion.
The Georgetown meeting will only include Christians and Muslims--
sadly, none of the millions of Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs and indigenous
traditions that are the targets of proselytism globally are included--
but it is also apropos. For only Christians and Muslims have a history
of displaying an often violent urge to share good news. Whether you
want to hear it or not never much mattered!
The Crusades or the Conquests, the Inquisition or the sword, the
results were the same: millions were forced to turn their backs on
their own faith and embrace another. Only the name of the God
changed.
Today, that same urge to persuade, convince and even coerce the good
news upon others remains; the methodology insidiously different, but
the result is the same.
Groups ranging from the overtly evangelical World Vision to quasi-
government entities such as the U.S. Commission on International
Religious Freedom (USCIRF), and many others even within our
government, firmly subscribe to the view that religious freedom
protects--rather mandates--unhindered access globally to carry out the
work of proselytism. Religious freedom is tantamount to freedom to
proselytize and convert.
Article 18 of the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human
Rights (UNDHR), is often held up as the rationale--the green light for
proselytization. That every individual "has the right to freedom of
thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to
change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in
community with others and in public or private, to manifest his
religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance."
But adherents of the pluralist religions--Dharma religions, paganism
and native religious traditions--have long argued that there is a very
basic asymmetry at play rendering the Declaration deeply flawed.
Abrahamic religions--the non-pluralist traditions--claim exclusivity
in their belief system's legitimacy as the only religious and
spiritual path and demand absolute adherence. In contrast, pluralist
religious traditions subscribe to a more expansive ethos--that one's
religion may not be the exclusive source of Truth and which
acknowledge the potential of multiple legitimate religious and
spiritual paths. Most pluralist religious traditions allow for the
assimilation of beliefs and traditions of another religion without
demanding repudiation of one's own religion or conversion to the
other.
This fundamental difference--that a pluralist accepts the injunction
of the ancient Rig Veda that, "Truth is One, but sages call it by
various names" while the non-pluralist demands that there is only One
Truth and all others are false and dangerous--renders the pluralist
vulnerable to the asymmetric force of the proselytizer. The pluralist
would find seeking converts or evangelizing others anathema--the
concept of conversion does not even exist--while the non-pluralist
seeks converts as a God given mandate.
Compound this asymmetry with the reality that the most prolific
proselytizers today comprise a multi-billion dollar megachurch
industry, and the previously colonized developing world is open ground
for this latest avatar of colonization. Witnesses from the hot spots
for global proselytism abound with testimony of access to education,
medical care, employment and other necessities being traded--often
subtle, and often not--on the marketplace of religious affiliation.
Most sinister, of course, is the overt bargaining of disaster supplies
or better hospital beds after tsunamis and earthquakes for those
willing to convert.
The pluralists protest, also, against the tactics of the
proselytizers. Christian missionaries in India appropriate Hindu modes
of worship, reconfigure traditional prayer rituals into Holy
Sacraments and sing hymns that are Hindu bhajans (prayer songs) with
words replaced sung to identical tunes.
The violence of conversion is very real. The religious conversion is
too often a conversion to intolerance. A convert is asked to repudiate
his sangha (community), reject the customs and traditions of his
family passed down for generations, and refuse to attend religious
ceremonies that are the very basis of daily life in much of the world.
A person's conversion begins a cascade of upheaval that tears apart
families, communities and societies creating a political and
demographic tinderbox that too often explodes.
Spreading hate against native religions is perhaps the most vile
tactic too often employed. And even the Catholic Church, with its
centuries old presence in India, has blasted the tactics of the new
proselytizers plying their trade today. In our own country, consumer
protection laws ensure that advertisers and retailers abide by truth-
in-marketing laws. There is no parallel protection in the rabid sales
in religious identity that the proselytizer markets overseas, and the
consumers are the victims.
And finally, there is the fact that the evangelical community can only
"pick on" the pluralist societies. India, Nepal, Cambodia, Taiwan and
much of Africa where indigenous traditions still hold sway, are among
the targets today for the next "harvest." The "Muslim world" rewards
conversion away from Islam with death, and in China, Russia Burma and
others, autocracy, the Orthodox Church or military junta proscribe
missionary work.
And so, the very democracy and openness of pluralistic societies
becomes their vulnerability--a poison pill as they face the onslaught
of the proselytizers. Today, the Native Americans of the U.S. and
Canada, the indigenous progeny of Latin America and Mexico, the
Aborigines in Australia are silent witness to lost religions and
decimated traditions that fell historically to earlier iterations of
these onslaughts.
It is in this spirit that many human rights activists and academics
today argue for an overdue amending of the UNDHR. The Hindu American
Foundation proposed in a letter to the UN High Commissioner for Human
Rights, on the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights, that Article 18 be amended as follows (emphasis added):
§1 Everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and
religion. This right shall include freedom tohave, retain or to adopt
a religion or belief of his choice, and freedom, either individually
or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his
religion or belief in worship, observance, practice and teaching.
§2 No one shall be subject to force, fraud and/or coercion, including
but not limited to harassment, intimidation or exploitation, including
but not limited to the conditioning of humanitarian aid or economic,
educational, medical or social assistance upon conversion and/or overt
denigration of other religions to intentionally promote religious
hatred and bigotry (hate speech) and violence, which would impair his
freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice.
The right to have and retain one's path to salvation is and must be as
important as the right to find or adopt a new way. It is time to
change the vocabulary in our engagement with religious freedom.
Religious freedom must mean a commitment to the true spirit of
pluralism, and not a license to those "bearing witness" and forcing
judgment.
Views expressed here are the personal views of Dr. Aseem Shukla, and
do not necessarily represent those of the University of Minnesota or
Hindu American Foundation.
http://www.hafsite.org/ViolenceofConversion
HAF Expresses Concern Over Penguin Group's Fact-Checking Process
New York, NY (February 23, 2010) -
The Hindu American Foundation sent the following letter to Penguin
Group's President, Susan Peterson Kennedy, in an effort to understand
the publisher's fact-checking process and standards for non-fiction
pieces, such as Wendy Doniger's The Hindus: An Alternative History. A
pdf of the letter can be downloaded by clicking here.
Dear Ms. Peterson Kennedy,
On behalf of the Hindu American Foundation (HAF), an advocacy
organization serving the Hindu American community, I am seeking an
understanding of the editorial and fact-checking standards that
Penguin Group (USA) applies to its pieces of non-fiction.
Specifically, it has come to the attention of HAF that The Hindus: An
Alternative History written by Professor Wendy Doniger and published
by Penguin Group (USA) contains a number of factual and historical
inaccuracies.
For brevity’s sake, I will refer to only a handful of factual errors
and mistranslations in this letter. A more comprehensive list can be
made available upon request.
Page, Paragraph
Error in The Hindus
Correction
67, 1
“But from about 2300 BCE the first urbanization took place, as great
cities arose in the valley of the Indus River…”
1. Archaeologists date the beginning of urbanization as early as 3200
BCE; 2. Evidence of the beginning of urbanization is not restricted to
the valley of the Indus River. Excavation in the Ghaggar Basin has too
revealed evidence of urbanization at the same time if not earlier than
in Harappa.
107, 3
“All the poems of the Rig Veda are ritual hymns in some sense. Since
all were sung as part of the Vedic ceremony.”
A considerable portion of the Rig Veda is not employed in ritual. See
Jan Gonda, 1978, Hymns of the Rgveda Not Employed in the Solemn
Ritual. (Amsterdam).
112, 2
“…but another [verse] says that a cow must be slaughtered on the
occasion of marriage (10.85.13)…”
A correct translation of the Sanskrit in Rigveda 10.85.13 is not that
the “cows are slaughtered”, but that the “cows are driven along”.
124, 2
“More substantial is the early evidence in this poem of a form of
rape that came to be regarded as a bad, but legitimate, form of
marriage: having sex with a sleeping or drugged woman.”
A correct translation and interpretation of the Sanskrit in Rigveda
10.162.5 that Doniger cites is a conversation between an evil spirit
assuming the form of her husband, brother or assuming the form of her
lover to come close to a pregnant woman to destroy her fetus. There
is no terminology in the mantra of sex with a sleeping or drugged
woman. The woman in the mantra is already pregnant and the entire hymn
contains imprecations against evil spirits who can cause her abortion.
130, 2
“Agni is the Brahmin, Varuna the Brahminical sovereign, Indra the
warrior, and the Ashvins the Vaishyas. There are no Shudra gods in the
Vedas.”
It is anachronistic to talk of castes of Deities in the context of
Rigveda.
Still, in Shatapatha Brahmana 11.2.7.16; 6.4.4.13, the devatas are
also divided into four castes. According to that text, Varuna is a
Kshatriya (not Brahmin). And Pushan is a Shudra Deity, contrary to
Doniger’s claim.
Jaiminiya Brahmana 1.68-69 associates Sudras with the Deity Vesmapati.
Sometimes, the Vishvedevas are also associated with the Shudras.
In light of the number of errors in The Hindus: An Alternative
History, HAF and its constituency are particularly concerned about
Penguin’s fact-checking process prior to the publication. We urge
Penguin to reexamine its fact-checking process for non-fiction pieces,
particularly for those, such as The Hindus: An Alternative History,
which present Hindu philosophy inaccurately and have the potential of
being highly offensive to a religious minority in the U.S.
Moreover, the Foundation suggests that Penguin, at minimum, respond to
the individual errors brought to your attention above and consult an
academic outside of the University of Chicago whose expertise is also
in the area of Hinduism and Ancient Indian history to cross-check
historical facts and translations, prior to any reprinting of this
book. HAF has regularly attended the American Academy of Religion
conferences to stay abreast of the latest research in the field of
Hindu studies and, as such, is familiar with the many academics, such
as Prof. Vasudha Narayanan of the University of Florida and Prof.
Arvind Sharma of McGill University, whose knowledge of Sanskrit,
Hinduism and ancient India is well respected not only in the field,
but by the Hindu community at large. I, along with our Board and
staff, will be more than happy to provide additional recommendations
to this end.
I look forward to your prompt response to this matter and sharing it
with Foundation’s members.
Thank you,
The Hindu American Foundation
http://www.hafsite.org/PenguinGroup
Open Letter: Ignoring Caste-Based Discrimination is not the Solution
Namaste,
I cannot begin to express my dismay at recently reading a piece by a
prominent leader of an international Hindu organization founded by
some of the most progressive Hindu leaders. The unfortunate piece
highlights a serious need for the Hindu community to awaken to the
realities of caste-based discrimination as it exists today.
To state that, "Untouchability is a bygone problem in our country
[India]. It is only the Church which has been harping on this
signature tune of their proselytisation agenda," ignores a very real
social evil that affects not only Hindus suffering under the archaic
practices, but Hindus worldwide, who must live with the knowledge that
our ancient Hindu teachings of tolerance, equality, love, compassion
and dignity are at odds with our society's actions. The reality is
that untouchability is a major problem in India, one in which
countless Hindus, including those from every major religious and
spiritual organization, have dedicated their lives to uplifting. The
problem of untouchability did not end with Swami Vivekananda's calls
for its elimination, Swami Dayananda Saraswati's casteless ideology of
Arya Samaj, Mahatma Gandhi's call for its eradication, nor the
enactment of the Indian constitution.
Claiming that it is no longer an issue makes a mockery of Hindus who
have dedicated their lives to its removal, working in every corner of
India, in slums and villages, in mountain towns to desert encampments,
from Mumbai to Calcutta, from Delhi to Chennai. It also ignores the
fact that every major Hindu religious leader, including Swami
Avdeshananda Giri, Swami Dayananda Saraswati and his AIM for Seva
movement, Swami Bodhinatha Veylanswami, Mata Amritanandamayi, Sri Sri
Ravi Sankar, Swami Tejomayananda, Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the
Shankaracharya of Kanchi, Swami Chidananda Saraswati and Dada Vaswani,
has called for the end of untouchability and in fact, suggests a gross
ignorance of these highly respected religious and spiritual leaders of
India and Hinduism.
Brushing aside the current caste problem in India with broad sweeps of
history, ignores the fact that not just Hindus, but huge numbers of
Indians, still face some level of caste discrimination on a daily
basis. Today, Hindus have the ability and capability to collectively
rid India of caste discrimination and untouchability. Accepting Hindu
society's current responsibility to do more for the caste problem does
not mean Hindus have to ignore the role of Islamic invaders, British
opportunists, Christian missionaries or Indian politicians in
furthering caste discrimination or the fact that caste discrimination
is a very gross reality in other religious and ethnic communities in
India and worldwide. Yet we still have leaders who, by refusing to
look at numerous studies on caste discrimination at face value and by
refusing to listen to the masses, prevent the strengthening of Hindu
society by their indifference. In many ways, these leaders actually
hinder Hindus from uniting. Thus, we urge Hindu leaders to look at the
situation with objective eyes, rather than through lenses clouded with
enmity from past invaders and current political machinations.
My own experiences, along with those of others at the Hindu American
Foundation (HAF), have been shaped by direct contact with villagers,
who despite being proud Hindus and who can recite the
Ramcharitamanas by heart, still are not allowed to enter there village
temples or socialize freely without others constantly reminding them
of their so-called low caste status. And similar experiences have been
shared by many others, spanning all social, religious, cultural,
linguistic, political and professional strata. These direct
experiences cannot be ignored or minimized. I hope that others will
speak out, as speaking out does not mean disrespect, but instead puts
our conscience and hearts for the future of Hindus worldwide and Hindu
dharma above blind respect for any particular leader.
HAF has also been working on its own report on caste discrimination,
to not only highlight the reality of the problem, but also to show
that while Hinduism is not the cause of the problem, it can be the
solution to the problem. This report will be released in several
months, and includes statements by prominent Hindu spiritual and
religious leaders who acknowledge this problem and clarify how
Hinduism can help resolve the social problem of caste discrimination.
Ignoring the problem will not resolve it. And so I urge the author of
that unfortunate piece to reexamine the realities of India,
acknowledge the social evil and use his leadership and prominence to
aid in eradicating caste-based discrimination.
Sincerely,
Mihir Meghani, M.D.
President and Co-Founder, Hindu American Foundation
http://www.hafsite.org/OpenLetter
Avatar Does Not "Raise Any Hackles" of Hindus
Upon the release of James Cameron's latest film, Avatar, the Chronicle
reached out to HAF's Houston coordinator, Rishi Bhutada, to hear his
thoughts on the reaction of the Hindu community.
New Movie Avatar Shines Light on Hindu Word
By Arlene Nisson Lasson for the Chronicle
Houston, TX (December 29, 2009) - In James Cameron's new film, Avatar,
the Titanic director creates a world where humans take on the form of
avatars to exist on a planet called Pandora. The humans that belong to
these avatars control them through technology, but some use their
powerful avatarbodies for evil as they try to ruin the resources of
the planet.
The term “avatar” might already be familiar to those who play virtual
reality games where avatars are movable images representing real
people.
Avatar's origins, however, come from the Sanskrit language in sacred
Hindu texts, and it's a term for divine beings sent to restore
goodness to Earth.
Hinduism, the third-largest religion in the world with about 1 billion
adherents, began many centuries ago on the Indian subcontinent, and a
majority of the world's Hindus reside in India.
Those who practice Hinduism recognize three main deities. Lord Brahma
is considered the creator of the universe; Lord Vishnu is considered
the sustainer of the universe, to right things when needed; and Lord
Shiva is the redeemer of the universe.
It is believed that these deities sent avatars — incarnations of
themselves in human form — to perform “dharma,” or righteous duty, to
right wrongs or to restore peace and goodness.
Hindu theology names 10 numbered avatars. Two of the most important
from Hindu scripture are Lord Rama, the seventh avatar of Lord Vishnu
and written about in the poem Ramayana; and Lord Krishna, written
about in the mythological poem Mahabharata.
The Mahabharata, the world's longest epic poem at more than 90,000
verses and one of the most important Hindu texts, tells of a battle
between bad forces and the Pandava family. The avatar Lord Krishna
appears to assist Arjuna, one of the five Pandava family brothers,
reveals his divinity to him and encourages him that it is his duty to
fight for right.
Illustrations of these Hindu avatars, which are magnificently detailed
and reflect an aura of divinity, are in stark contrast to Cameron's
alien-meets-robot-warrior look in the film.
Despite the very different avatar interpretations, local Hindus'
reverence for specific avatars from their scripture does not conflict
with how they are seeing the modern usage of the term.
“The way the term is now being used is not a distortion of my
beliefs,” said Anil Dandona, a practicing Hindu. “It is just a term.
We believe the Supreme Being sent humans to create righteousness.
These messengers of God take a human form, but they have godlike
qualities, and they are delegates sent to do a task.”
Rishi Bhutada, Houston coordinator of the Hindu American Foundation,
agreed with Dandona. He said that while Hindus use the term to mean an
alternative representation of the divine, using it to mean some other
representation does not “raise any hackles.”
“There are certain sacred terms that would offend Hindus if used
improperly, but avatar is not one of them,” Bhutada said.
Local filmmaker Ashok Rao, who has made four full-length feature
films, is looking forward to Cameron's film, and he feels that as long
as filmmakers do not insult the sensitivities of a particular
religion, then artistic license can be used.
“The film's use of avatar is a close relationship to the original
meaning. It is a word meaning reincarnation and isn't meant to always
mean a representative of God on Earth. It simply means one being in
another form.”
“In literature, moviemaking, poetry and other forms of art, something
is taken and stretched in meaning. That is art,” said Rao.
http://www.hafsite.org/AvatarMovie
Foundation Demands FX Network Apology: "The League" Episode Offensive
After receiving a litany of complaints from the Hindu American
community about a FX Network's "The League" episode entitled "The
Shiva Bowl," the Hindu American Foundation wrote a letter to the
President of FX Networks demanding an apology and greater sensitivity
for such gross transgressions on such deeply religious sentiments.
December 23, 2009
FX Networks, LLC
President - General Manager, Mr. John Landgraf
Senior VP Original Programming FX and EVP, FX Production, Mr. Eric
Schrier
10201 W. Pico Blvd., Bldg. 103
Los Angeles, CA 90035
Arvind Chandrakantan, MD
Executive Council, Hindu American Foundation
5268G Nicholson Lane # 164
Kensington, MD 20895
Dear Mr.Landgraf and Mr. Shrier,
The recent season finale of The League, The Shiva Bowl, which used
Nataraja, a sacred icon representing Lord Shiva in dancing form, as a
trophy was deeply offensive, disrespectful and profane towards
Hinduism. In an intensely crude scene, a woman's undergarments were
thrown on the image of Nataraja in the very beginning of the episode--
an unnecessarily provocative insult.
Hindus generally worship their murthis (images or icons of the Divine)
with flowers, incense, fruits and milk. While we understood the
transposition of Lord Shiva with Shiva, the girl who was the focus of
the episode, we believe that the subtlety of the transposition, and
purely unnecessary misuse of Hindu iconography perpetuates
misunderstandings about Hinduism. In the wake of global events and
escalating attacks on minority faiths, we believe misrepresentations
such as this are the seeds of ignorance which lead to untoward acts of
violence and persecution globally.
Just as viewers or producers would not blithely film a scene where a
woman's undergarments are hurled upon on a Star of David, an image of
Jesus Christ or the Virgin Mary, or any other faiths' symbols for the
sake of a cheap laugh, a similar respect should be accorded to two
million American Hindus.
We request a written apology and explanation that we may disseminate
to our membership to explicate the filming of this episode that has
led to numerous calls of indignation to our offices. Additionally,
may we request that you avoid gross transgressions on such deeply
religious sentiments in the
future?
Yours Sincerely,
Arvind Chandrakantan,
MD
Executive Council, Hindu American Foundation
http://www.hafsite.org/node/453
"Promoting Understanding, Tolerance and Pluralism."
Balancing the "Righting" of History -
Hindu Americans Represent in Texas
Austin, TX (March 17, 2010) -
The Texas State Board of Education garnered new notoriety last week as
the influential body, comprised of non historians, advocated a sharp
right wing tilt in history textbooks published for state schools. And
the Board's widely condemned party line vote occurred even after
hearing spirited testimony and considering amendments from numerous
Texans including Hindu American Foundation (HAF) Texas Coordinator,
Rishi Bhutada, at the raucous meeting.
In his extensive testimony before the Board here, Bhutada sought to
ensure that Hinduism is portrayed as one of the oldest living world
religions and pressed for an amendment to remove a separate discussion
on the development of monotheism in the exclusive context of Judaism -
an addition made during one of the many rounds of the curriculum's
current drafting. Over 800 HAF supporters, mostly from Texas, sent
emails to the Board endorsing HAF's amendments aimed at clarity,
consistency and accuracy in the textbook process.
"The TEKS (Texas Education and Knowledge Skills) for all the major
world religions already included discussion of their origins and
central ideas, which would arguably cover development of monotheism
not only in the Judeo-Christian context but these other religions,"
stated Bhutada. "Special focus on monotheism could also paint a
misleading picture that monotheism is exclusive to Abrahamic religions
when Hinduism, which encompasses a complexity of theologies ranging
from panentheism to monotheism, would be left utterly misunderstood."
HAF also supported the Sikh Coalition in its push for the inclusion of
Sikhism in the new World History TEKS. The Sikh Coalition successfully
lobbied for the inclusion of Sikhism in sixth grade social studies and
world geography TEKS drafts last summer, but the world history
curriculum did not conform to these changes.
The 15-member board debated high school U.S. and world history over
the course of three days and in a 10 to 5 partisan vote, Republicans
on the Board prevailed in approving a draft of social studies
curriculum which stressed conservative views on American capitalism
and questioned the Founding Fathers’ commitment to the separation of
church and state.
"Unfortunately politics and propaganda have reigned supreme in the
TEKS process," said Suhag Shukla, HAF's Legal Counsel and Managing
Director. "Texas students will now learn a version of history,
especially relating to the crucial issue of the separation of church
and state, that is not supported by American jurisprudence or
history."
The final version of the Texas Education and Knowledge Skills will not
be approved until May of this year and whether the amendments proposed
by HAF and others were adopted is uncertain. To date, the latest
approved proposed curriculum had yet to be made public.
Bhutada and Shukla bemoaned the potential fallout of this latest vote
by the Texas School Board.
"If this brand of politics continue into adoption of science
curriculum as it has in states like Kentucky and Louisiana, we'll face
9th graders in India and China learning calculus and advanced
chemistry while American students question evolution," Bhutada added.
"And the impact could be devastating not only for Texas school
children, but the future of America as a competitor in the global
market."
"Promoting Understanding, Tolerance and Pluralism."
HAF Extends Support to New Jersey Hindu Family Targeted in Hate Crime
Washington D.C. (June 15, 2006) - The Hindu American Foundation
expressed dismay and shock at the hate attack on a Hindu family in
Wayne, New Jersey on June 1, 2006. The home of the family of five was
defaced with anti-Hindu and anti-Indian epithets spray-painted across
their driveway and house. Earlier in January, the family had been
targeted with hate mail as well as graffiti on their garage door.
New Jersey was witness to racially and religiously motivated attacks
against Indian-Americans and Hindu-Americans during the 1980’s. Young
men, identifying themselves as the “Dotbusters,” targeted Hindus
because Hindu women wore “dots” or “bindi” on their forehead – a
traditional mark that has both spiritual symbolism and aesthetic
appeal. The series of attacks ended in the murder of Indian-American
Navroze Mody.
New Jersey state records indicate that hate crimes have risen by 32
percent from 2003 to 2004. Fourteen of the victims were targeted
because of their Indian-American identity, while three were attacked
because of their Hindu faith.
"Hate crimes are reprehensible violations that must not be tolerated
in any community. I am confident that the Wayne Police Department will
actively work to bring the vandal or vandals to justice and end these
cowardly acts,” said Congressman Bill Pascrell (D-NJ), an official
representing Wayne in the U.S. Congress, in support of HAF’s
condemnation of the attacks. “No matter who the victim, hate crimes
are committed with the intention to divide communities. I join my
friends in Wayne as we stand in unity with the family that has been
victimized."
“It’s vital that Hindu and Indian-Americans join in support of this
family,” said Ishani Chowdhury, Executive Director of the Hindu
American Foundation. “We call upon law enforcement officials to
provide safety for the local Hindu American community, and to
apprehend the perpetrators.”
http://www.hafsite.org/?q=media/pr/haf-extends-support-nj-hindu-family-targeted-hate-crime
Press Release Hate Crimes
ADL Condemns Hate Crime Against Hindu
Boston, MA, June 25, 2003 .. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today
condemned the attack of an Indian graduate student in a deplorable
hate crime. While working in a part-time job delivering pizzas,
Saurabh Bhalerao, 24, was robbed, beaten, burned with cigarettes,
stuffed in a trunk and stabbed twice before being dumped along a road
in an attack that police and community leaders described as a hate
crime. The suspects in the attack mistook the Hindu man for a Muslim.
Allegedly while assaulting him, the suspects were berating him with
comments like, “go back to Iraq.”
Robert Leikind, ADL New England Regional Director, issued the
following statement:
This week, our community was shaken by a deplorable crime -- the
attack on Saurabh Bhalerao in New Bedford on Sunday. This act -- this
hate crime -- is evidence of a tragic reality. Hate remains a force in
our communities and it must be fought. In our diverse society, it
matters not whether the victim is Hindu, Muslim, Jewish or Christian.
People of all backgrounds need to work together to build a future that
we can be proud to pass on to our children and grandchildren.
The Anti-Defamation League, founded in 1913, is the world's leading
organization fighting anti-Semitism through programs and services that
counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry.
http://www.adl.org/presrele/hatcr_51/4277_51.asp
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