10-12-2005, 08:30 AM
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<b>Hindus Of Houston Issues Caution About Agnivesh</b>
Hindus of Greater Houston would like to caution members of Houston community about a visit this week by Agnivesh, a touring charlatan who passes for a Swami (Hindu monk) and dresses in saffron robes to hoodwink gullible people. Far from being a Swami, <b>this imposter is notorious and has been expelled over a decade ago from the Arya Samaj,</b> a world-wide and well respected Hindu organization.
In the February 1994 issue of Hinduism Today, a widely accepted and non-controversial magazine, the Arya Samaj warned its members in India and abroad to be careful about Agnivesh, who had been a disruptive force in the organization. <b>The Arya Samaj General Secretary, Sachidanand Shastri said that Agnivesh a.k.a Vepa Shyam Rao, was expelled "some years back on charges of corruption and indiscipline," adding that published reports of his election to the Sarvadeshik Arya Pratinidhi Sabha (World Council of Arya Samaj) are untrue. Calling it a "dirty game" aimed at grabbing Arya Samaj properties and destabilizing the Sarvadeshik Sabha, Shastri promised legal action if this pretender continued in his ways.</b>
<b>Yet Agnivesh claims to be the President of the ËWorld Council of Arya Samaj. This is a travesty. He is abusing the freedom of religion in India by claiming to be part of Arya Samaj. In spite of his expulsion, Agnivesh claims to be part of this organization to give him credibility and hijack the Arya Samajâs spiritual legacy of 130 years. </b>
Rajinder Gandhi, President of the Arya Pratinidhi Sabha America, stresses that Agnivesh will not be invited to speak at any Arya Samaj forum in the USA, for the above reasons and also because the latterâs past actions have created discord between Arya Samaj and other Hindu organizations. Mr. Gandhi points to Agniveshâs unwillingness to speak against the against the Muslim atrocities against Hindus in Kashmir and other parts of India.
What makes Agnivesh a very dangerous man is his unconditional support to proselytization and Islamist separatism in India. He is now associated with hate-mongering organizations which are anti-Hindu. He has become a favorite poster-boy of anti-Hindu hate-groups in India and abroad.
In recent years, he celebrated the arrest of the Kanchi Shankaracharya and opposed the Indian Prime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singhâs plea for a fair and honest probe of the now-disproved allegations against the Kanchi seer. Agniveshâs distorted views about Hindus and Hinduism do not end here. He openly calls himself a devotee of Marx and a political swami who doesn't have any religion. Indeed, he is also a scheming Indian politician and a parliamentary candidate of the Janata Dal party which has actively worked to foment social dissension and religious hatred in India.
In 2002, Houston witnessed another con-man, the fake Shankaracharya (Adhokshjanand), an Indian criminal whose American tour was sponsored by anti-Hindu and Islamist organizations. This criminal assaulted Ashok Dhingra, then President-Elect of India Culture Center-Houston with a stick and ran away to India within two days of the incident.
Hindus of Greater Houston strongly appeals to all other Hindu organizations and temples in North America to warn its members about this self-proclaimed ËSwamiâ Agnivesh. Such hate-mongers must be prevented from gaining ground, raising funds and garnering publicity amongst unsuspecting members of the American community.
<i>Hindus of Greater Houston is a tax-exempt, not-for-profit organization active in the community for the last 15 years. For more information, visit the website at: www.HindusOfHouston.org </i>
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<b>Hindus Of Houston Issues Caution About Agnivesh</b>
Hindus of Greater Houston would like to caution members of Houston community about a visit this week by Agnivesh, a touring charlatan who passes for a Swami (Hindu monk) and dresses in saffron robes to hoodwink gullible people. Far from being a Swami, <b>this imposter is notorious and has been expelled over a decade ago from the Arya Samaj,</b> a world-wide and well respected Hindu organization.
In the February 1994 issue of Hinduism Today, a widely accepted and non-controversial magazine, the Arya Samaj warned its members in India and abroad to be careful about Agnivesh, who had been a disruptive force in the organization. <b>The Arya Samaj General Secretary, Sachidanand Shastri said that Agnivesh a.k.a Vepa Shyam Rao, was expelled "some years back on charges of corruption and indiscipline," adding that published reports of his election to the Sarvadeshik Arya Pratinidhi Sabha (World Council of Arya Samaj) are untrue. Calling it a "dirty game" aimed at grabbing Arya Samaj properties and destabilizing the Sarvadeshik Sabha, Shastri promised legal action if this pretender continued in his ways.</b>
<b>Yet Agnivesh claims to be the President of the ËWorld Council of Arya Samaj. This is a travesty. He is abusing the freedom of religion in India by claiming to be part of Arya Samaj. In spite of his expulsion, Agnivesh claims to be part of this organization to give him credibility and hijack the Arya Samajâs spiritual legacy of 130 years. </b>
Rajinder Gandhi, President of the Arya Pratinidhi Sabha America, stresses that Agnivesh will not be invited to speak at any Arya Samaj forum in the USA, for the above reasons and also because the latterâs past actions have created discord between Arya Samaj and other Hindu organizations. Mr. Gandhi points to Agniveshâs unwillingness to speak against the against the Muslim atrocities against Hindus in Kashmir and other parts of India.
What makes Agnivesh a very dangerous man is his unconditional support to proselytization and Islamist separatism in India. He is now associated with hate-mongering organizations which are anti-Hindu. He has become a favorite poster-boy of anti-Hindu hate-groups in India and abroad.
In recent years, he celebrated the arrest of the Kanchi Shankaracharya and opposed the Indian Prime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singhâs plea for a fair and honest probe of the now-disproved allegations against the Kanchi seer. Agniveshâs distorted views about Hindus and Hinduism do not end here. He openly calls himself a devotee of Marx and a political swami who doesn't have any religion. Indeed, he is also a scheming Indian politician and a parliamentary candidate of the Janata Dal party which has actively worked to foment social dissension and religious hatred in India.
In 2002, Houston witnessed another con-man, the fake Shankaracharya (Adhokshjanand), an Indian criminal whose American tour was sponsored by anti-Hindu and Islamist organizations. This criminal assaulted Ashok Dhingra, then President-Elect of India Culture Center-Houston with a stick and ran away to India within two days of the incident.
Hindus of Greater Houston strongly appeals to all other Hindu organizations and temples in North America to warn its members about this self-proclaimed ËSwamiâ Agnivesh. Such hate-mongers must be prevented from gaining ground, raising funds and garnering publicity amongst unsuspecting members of the American community.
<i>Hindus of Greater Houston is a tax-exempt, not-for-profit organization active in the community for the last 15 years. For more information, visit the website at: www.HindusOfHouston.org </i>
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