Alternatives to Sangh Parivar

[G.Subramaniam]

Shri Kamal Kumar Swami - A Profile

Shri Kamal Kumar Swami, is a fearless and tire-less

fighter who fought against Governmentlooting of Hindu temples, thereby driving theminto extinction. In Andhra Pradesh, 40% of thetemple lands which were supposed to be usedfor temple sustenance have been encroached bythe Government and their cronies. The formerevangelical Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh,had already converted some 20% of the State,and was openly advocating conversion of Hin-dus right at the temple, and Hindus were by andlarge oblivious of the situation.In this background, Shri Kamal Kumar Swamiconducted two successful Padayatras, coveringnearly 8500 kms, visiting thousands of villages.Shri Kamal Kumar Swami has brought awareness of this issue to mroe than 10 millionpeople. His Padayatras were convered by nearly 250 media articles. Working with theGlobal Hindu Heritage Foundation, he has brought numerous law-suits against the Gov-ernment of India. Today he is a recognized leader amongst the Hindus, and speaks outoften on injustices perpetrated against the Hindu community.The Global Hindu Heritage Foundation (GHHF) works closely with him, in their objective toprotect, preserve, promote and maintain Hindu culture, Hindu temples, Mutts, Peethams,Endowments, Trusts and other Hindu institutions globally.In former times, when the Hindu Kings ruled India, they were disposed to protect the Hin-du institutions and culture. Not so today. Today’s rulers are often not Hindu at all, and infact are brazenly anti-Hindu. When the ruler of a State is anti-Hindu in disposition, one of the ready targets for him (or her) is the money being collected in various Hindu temples,through the donations and offerings made by the Hindu devotees. Through the instrumentof the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, enacted by many State Govern-ments, this money which legitimately belongs to the Hindu community is often diverted bythe hostile Government towards numerous non-Hindu proejcts and programs.In today’s hostile environment, many Hindu temples and institutions are at risk. It isnecessary to take legal action, contest Government policy and mount pressure on theGovernments at State and Central levels to ensure that they do not misuse Hindu Templeproperties. In fact, the entire HRCE Acts need to be dismantled in India. This is a long termbattle - Kurukshetra! Shri Kamal Kumar Swami is one of the warriors in this battlefield

[G.Subramaniam]

Prantiya Arya Veer Dal Bengal completed its nine days Charitra Nirman (Character Building) Shivir (Training Camp) successfully in Kolkata.



Press Release



Prantiya Arya Veer Dal (PAVD), Bengal, (42 Shankar Ghosh Lane, Kolkata- 700006) the youth wing of Arya Samaj has successfully organized a nine day “Character Building Camp 2012” from 25th May to 3rd June, 2012 at Sukchar Kedarnath Poddar High School, Sodepur Ekford Road, Kolkata- 700115.



Over 200 trainees from different walks of life (mainly students of schools and Arsa Gurukuls) from 12 districts of West Bengal participated in this camp after taking the oath to maintain Arya way of life and to protect this motherland with ‘’Sanskriti Raksha” (Protection of Culture), “Shakti Sanchay” (Accumulation of Power) and “Seva Karya” (Welfare Services). Arya Veer Dal was founded by Mahatma Narayan Swami in the year 1929 at Delhi felt exigent to protect the properties of Arya Samaj and its institutions and personalities in leadership of Arya Samaj as an effect of Murder of Swami Shraddhananda by a fanatic Muslim from Lahore.



Some 20 trainers, workers and sympathizers from locality and outside rendered their dedicated services to make this camp towards a grand success.



The exposure of Arsa Culture and the traditional way of self defense were the main attraction of the Camp so far.



The camp was inaugurated by Sri Ananda Arya, the Pradhan (President), Prantiya Arya Pratinidhi Sabha , Bengal followed by an inspirational speech by Sri Deendayal Gupta, Secretary (Mantri) of PAPSB.



In this course of the camp many dignitaries from different organizations gave their sermons to the trainees for their Spiritual and Physical development.



Acharya Chandradev, Sri Mahesh Yogi, Sri Vaibhav Apale of Sanatan Sanstha, Swami Atmaprakashananda – Sri Tailang Swami Ashram, Sri Pushkarlal Kedia of Manishika, Acharya Subhas Shastri, Arya Samaj Bangladesh and many others graced different phases of trainings.



Daily classes of Indian Culture and Heritage and self Defense were the main attraction. All the participants (trainees) were initiated with Sacred Thread (Yanjnaopaveet) on 2nd June, 2012.



In the Closing Ceremony of this Camp Sri Sultan Singh, MLA of West Bengal Legislative Assembly has graced the function and took the salute of the March Past of AVD with other dignitaries.



Acharya Yogesh Shastri monitored the programme all along with his inimitable caliber and spirit.



Acharya Yogesh Shastri, Sanchalak PAVDB.



Upananda Brahmachari, Saha Sanchalak PAVDB.



Kishan Singh, Mantri PAVDB.



Salient features and the main attraction of the camp:



* The Camp is a nishulk shivir (no charges) in its kind. Donations are made by the different Arya Samaj Units and sympathizer form West Bengal.



* The camp is organised for Character building for individual t make a resurfet National Character Building.



* Both the spirit of Vedic Culture/ Vedic life style and the Warrior Spirit with leadership qualities have been infused to the trainees with in this short period.



* The weekly/monthly get together with practice of the learnt subjects have been moduled.



* The organised strength will be beneficial to the cow protection movement in West Bengal.



* All the Arya Veers (Trainees in the Camp) have taken the oath to protection of our Motherland, its Vedic Culture, Cow Progeny and Hindu Women folk.



* All the Arya Veers have been initiated with Sacred thread (Yanjnaopaveet) and trained to perform daily havan and empowered with self defence.



* Sri Vaibhav Apale of Sanatan Sanstha exhorted on Sharadha Jagran on Bharat Sanskriti, Upananda Brahmachari of Hindu Existence emphasized on National Character Building through sacrifice, Acharya Yogesh Shastri disseminated the Vedic Practices in everyday life and so many important topics were imparted to the trainees very effectively.



* Acharya Dharmveer took the classes of Parade, Karate and Danda (Bamboo Sticks); Acharya Sompal took the classes of air rifle shooting; Acharya Nardedra took the classes of archery and Kishan Singh took the classes of Sword, spear-head and axes very interestingly.



* The extended help from the locales, respective municipal and other govt authorities and NGOs were most remarkable.



* The valedictory session of the camp with the show of the trainee participants overwhelmed the spectators present there.



* Help from different parts including financial and all types made this camp so successful.

[G.Subramaniam]

In his concluding address Sri Tapan Ghosh stressed that it is a good thing Hindus should be organized but there sadly seems to be an over emphasis on organization and not on necessary action. He said that his 32 year long association as a Pracharak (full time worker) with the largest Hindu organizations of this country has made him realize that unfortunately organization and organizational activities has become a goal in itself, neglecting the dire need of proactive action. People organize themselves for a purpose and if the organization fails to meet and counter the threat that is being posed to the people, then the whole routine of organizing becomes purposeless.



RSS ??









To put a stop to the extreme persecution and aggression against the Hindus in the villages and even in the cities, he emphasized, the only way to succor is to take proactive action. Hindus, he said, should stand up and be ready for any sacrifice to protect their hearth, home and honour.



He also stressed that apart from the media even Hindu organizations are trying to suppress the incidents of rape, murder and persecution for the fear of being labeled anti-secular. Such a course of action is leading us to disaster.



BJP ??







He said that there should be no suppression of the facts but a constant exposure and continuous dissemination of the news of such happenings is needed to awaken the people. Only such a course of action would precipitate the necessary preventive measures.



On a sombre note Sri Ghosh also added that the current situation is fast heading towards another partition of India in the near future and that is going to happen in the eastern region, especially in West Bengal and Assam. If such an event did come to pass, he stressed, he and his compatriots would not just remain mere spectators in the gallery but would be on the field, fighting to the finish to preserve the integrity of our motherland.

[G.Subramaniam]

http://www.bababudhaamarnath-yatrasangh.in/aboutus.htm



This all started in Year 2001 when Sh Tapan Ghosh, than whole-timer & North India coordinator of Bajrang Dal , made this plan to visit such places of utmost importance.



Maximum of the members of this Sangh became part of this yatra since then.



This is in Punch district, with 92% muslims

[G.Subramaniam]

When you met Gadkari and the alleged conversation between you and him took place, where he said he cannot do anything against Ajit Pawar because of his business interests with Sharad Pawar, why didn't you confront him? Why didn't you go public then?



I was at his residence and for a person like me it (Gadkari saying that he cannot do anything about it) was a huge shock. Because first I had gone to him (with the hope) that he is the BJP president (and he might help us in exposing this scam) and second because he is an RSS worker and based on his RSS background he would have some good values inculcated in him and he would be a nice man to talk. But when it (Gadkari saying that he cannot do anything because of his business interests with NCP chief Sharad Pawar) came to me it was a huge shock.

[G.Subramaniam]

Plight of Hindus in Jharkhand and the negative role of BJP.



Posted by hinduexistence on June 20, 2012



Plight of Hindus in Jharkhand and the role of Bhartiya Janata Party.



~ Dr. Nila Madhab Das, President, Tarun Hindu, Dhanbad, Jharkhand.



Part- I



BJP recently lost the bi-election in the Hatia seat in Jharkhand and was placed in third position. It was not for nothing. In Jharkhand the people are seriously annoyed with BJP due to many reasons. One amongst them is its cold shoulder attitude towards the Hindus of Jharkhand. In 1992, so many false cases were imposed on the Hindus by the then Lalu Prasad Yadav Govt. BJP promised to withdraw the in-genuine cases against the Hindus. But practically what has happened is that BJP Govt. has revoked many genuine cases against the Muslims and not a single case has been revoked from the Hindus.



Whensoever there is a Hindu Muslim conflict in the state, the Jharkhand police simply takes side of the culprit Muslims and intimidates the Hindus and those who fight for Hindus. Political party leaders of all hues rush to enshrine their names in the good books of the Muslims. The BJP leaders either remain dormant or refractive, or even show as if they are supporting the Muslims. Hindus are beaten by the Muslims, doubly so by the police and trebly so by the political parties. BJP is indifferent and refractive.



There are so many incidences to be narrated but let me do so only one, the latest one. In the village Keshka of Tundi block and Dhanbad district the Muslim youths were in a habit of gathering and teasing the Hindu girls who were bathing in a pond . Some Hindu boys objected to that, as a result a number of Muslims boys retaliated with lethal weapons. A Hindu boy suffered severe injury by way of breaking his hand bones. A Hindu boy snatched a weapon from the Muslim boy and hit him at head.The Muslim boy suffered severe had injury and succumbed to it in Ranchi Medical College Hospital.



Now the perpetrators are not being booked but the persons who acted in defense are being tortured and even arrested. Rabinder Pandey is the MP of the region. Hindu People of the village approached the MP and the district BJP president. Initially they paid some lip services but later supported the police action telling that the police has done a good job. But for the prompt action taken by police all the Hindus could have been massacred. Even the Sangh Parivar is finding it convenient to look otherway.



Tarun Hindu does not have that big a strength to take on such a big nexus. Yet it is trying its best to boost the morale of the Hindus of the area. It is trying legal options to get the culprit Muslims arrested. Even the people of the village are terrified to co-operate with the Tarun Hindu.



We request the Hindu organisations to write protest letters to the chief minister of the state who also happens to be the home minister.



Part – II



The other day I described one incidence to show-case the plight of the Hindus in Jharkhand and the role of BJP. Today I am going to describe one more incidence.



It is a tribal Basti in the village of Koiri in the subdivision of Baliapur, district Dhanbad. There is a shop owned by a Muslim aged over forty. A tribal girl of 15 years went to the shop in an afternoon to purchase something. The Muslim shop owner pulled her into an inside room and raped her. Soon after the incidence the matter was disclosed and the tribal inhabitants pulled the Muslim tied him in a tree and gave a good thrash. Later the Muslim was handed over to the police. The police instead of lodging a rape case against the Muslim released him. Later it was known that a small time BJP leader came to the rescue of the Muslim. He negotiated with the officer-in-charge of the police station and saved the Muslim. Now the Muslims have made a meeting and have vowed to teach a lesson to the tribal people. The seed of a big communal divide and communal tension has been planted in the village. Will ever these tribal people or the people of the nearby villages or even anybody who happens to hear this incidence vote for BJP? Once upon a time BJP and the Sangha Parivar were highly vocal of a Hindu Rashtra. Now none of them speaks of that. Instead, they are now enticing the Muslims at the cost of the Hindus.



Hindus should seriously think of their own political empowerment.



Part – III



I have penned above two incidences from Jharkhand which have shown the plight of Hindus in Jharkhand and the indifferent role of the BJP leaders of the state towards the Hindus. Let me describe another incidence of the type just now.



This case relates to village Moko of Baliapur subdivision, dist. Dhanbad. A small minor Harijan girl of 14 years was working as maid servant in the house of a powerful previous BJP leader. This leader is the right hand of the local MLA. The MLA of the area was in BJP in his previous term. Now he has converted to another political party, JVM (Jharkhand Vikash Morcha).



A Muslim man of around 30 years managed to entangle the girl in the net of love jihad, and managed to take out the girl from the leader’s house to his own home. The Muslim man was supported by the local Mukhia who was a Muslim. So all the leaders of all the political parties of the area supported the Muslim man who had kidnapped the Hindu girl.



I got information about the kidnapping only after long 7 days. Immediately we the workers of Tarun Hindu gathered at the police station. It was winter and my workers hanged up to late in the night. Supporting the Muslim man were all the political leaders of the area, and we were a few dedicated workers pressurizing the officer in charge of the police station in the name of Hinduism.



We frantically wanted the support of the local BJP leader who was an MLA candidate. But he also thought it wise to remain non committal. At the end police succumbed to our tenacity and recovered the girl at 11. 30 PM in the night.



No case was registered against the Muslim.



The matter could have been easier for us and beneficial for Hindus if at least one leader of any political party should have sprung up to the occasion and stood by the Hindus in the moment.



The MLA and his right hand who were in BJP some time back were now supporting the culprit Muslim. Did they have some love for Hindus when they were in BJP? No. It was also clear that the present BJP leaders over the region did not have any love nor feeling for the Hindus.



So the Hindus of Jharkhand are without any political empowerment. They have to find their own alternative political empowerment. (Concluded).



The writer can be reached at nmdas17@yahoo.co.in

[G.Subramaniam]

Home > 2005 Issues > September 04, 2005





Sangh Samachar

Bajrang Dal revives Budha Amarnath Yatra

FOC



The Amarnath Yatra is considered incomplete without undertaking the pilgrimage to Budha Amarnath, about 240 km from Jammu. But following threats from terrorists, the pilgrimage to this ancient shrine had almost been dead for the last few years. The Bajrang Dal activists have now revived the pilgrimage this year. Over 8,000 Bajrang Dal activists conducted the pilgrimage to Budha Amarnath from August 5 to 13. By undertaking the pilgrimage, the Bajrang Dal activists have not only accepted the challenge to national security, but also have given a befitting reply to the terrorists who were adamant not allow the Yatra.



Situated within the beautiful natural boundaries at the heights of about 4,500 ft, Budha Amarnath assumes significance for the Shiv worshippers since ancient times. The army personnel, deployed in the region, too have very much faith in the God. Every year thousands of people participate in the Chhari Yatra that begins from Dashnami Akhara, Jammu, to the temple. But this year the Bajrang Dal has made it a national pilgrimage as youth from different parts of the country participated in the Yatra. The Bajrang Dal activists performed the Yatra through the highly terrorism-affected areas of Poonchh, Akhnoor, Rajauri, Manjakote, Surankote and Bimber. Not only the security forces, but also the local people in large number welcomed the pilgrims. Welcome in Poonchh was so overwhelming that the whole city appeared to be welcoming the pilgrims. The local people thanked the Bajrang Dal for reviving the Yatra and urged them to continue it every year. The first batch of the pilgrims started proceeding on August 5 under the security of DSP Sanjay Raina. Senior Bajrang Dal activists were stationed at three prominent places to monitor the whole pilgramge. Shri Prakash Sharma, national convenor, Shri Milind Parande, co-covenor, were in Jammu. Shri Ravidev Anand, co-convenor, was in Rajauri while Shri Tapan Ghosh and Shri Dhananjay Pathak, both Kshetra Sanyojak, were in Poonchh.

[G.Subramaniam]

Pramod Muthalik Desai met Colonel Purohit at least once in Kolkata (February 2008) to discuss the Abhinav Bharat’s plans. The Kolkata meeting was organized by another radical named Tapan Ghosh, who ran a little-known militant group called Hindu Samhati (India Today, January 28).

[G.Subramaniam]

Suman K. Jha



A few months ago, Delhi endocrinologist Dr R.P. Singh was faced with a huge problem. After having worked towards a “Hindu Nepal” along with various RSS outfits for years, Singh suddenly felt that the RSS—which still runs schools there, and has a dedicated pracharak for the region—was “reneging on its commitment to the Hindu cause”, when one of its senior members, looking after the region, “allowed the schools to be used by the Maoists”.



Worse, he felt that the recent instance of Nepal Prime Minister Prachanda calling on various BJP leaders during his recent visit to India “was at the instance of this particular RSS leader” and an organisation that he has floated. Singh thought that “over the last few years, the RSS had lost sight of the goals that it had set for itself”, something he took up with the organisation’s second-in-command, Mohan Bhagwat, when he met him sometime last year.



Singh was not the only Hindutva enthusiast for whom the RSS had lately spelt disillusionment. Pramod Muttalik—who broke away from the Bajrang Dal—thought the mother organisation had grown “too moderate” for his liking. Shrikant Purohit, Ramesh Upadhyay, Sameer Kulkarni, and Pragya Singh Thakur—all of whom were associated with the wider Sangh Parivar at some point—too, felt the same way.



Some floated their own outfits; others made common cause with the likes of Sudhakar Dwivedi, a self-styled Shankaracharya. Himani Savarkar of the Abhinav Bharat, who inherited the legacy of militant Hindutva in Maharashtra, was roped in. Their alleged involvement in the Malegaon blasts is being probed by the Maharashtra ATS.



The RSS, which first accused the Opposition and the media of “targeting Hindu leaders and saffron-robed sanyasis”, later nuanced its position and said that “terror and religion mustn’t be linked”.



In a closed-door meeting with well-wishers recently, Bhagwat was pointedly asked about the “lethargy” in the organisation about its “Hindu agenda”. He likened the RSS to the human body. “You cannot forcibly increase the rate at which the heart beats in your body. Were you to try that, you would collapse. The same holds true for the RSS,” he said.



However, the RSS is said to have deep-running sympathies for those implicated in the blasts. In private conversations, its leaders hold “Islamic terrorists” responsible for “forcing a reaction” from staunch Hindus.



An influential section of the BJP, too, is convinced that those implicated in the Malegaon blasts are the “future face of Hindutva”. The party liberally used Pragya's name to mobilise votes in Madhya Pradesh while in Maharashtra, it has stayed in touch with Savarkar. The party’s local unit in Nashik had earlier helped Pragya and others arrange legal assistance.



Here, The Sunday Express looks at some of the outfits on the saffron fringe.



SRI RAMA SENE



Johnson T.A.



The Sri Rama Sene was set up in Karnataka by Belgaum-born Pramod Muttalik Desai, after he was expelled from the Bajrang Dal in 2004 following disquiet over his personal ambitions. Once out of the Bajrang Dal, Muttalik, who nursed mainstream political ambitions, sought out other radical groups. He was associated with the Shiv Sena but that came to an end after the Sena began espousing Maharashtra’s cause in the Belgaum border dispute.



Muttalik floated the Rashtriya Hindu Sena as a national outfit and created a sub-outfit to operate in Karnataka called the Sri Rama Sene. In its initial days, the Sene essentially comprised Muttalik loyalists. Many of its members are still drawn from coastal Karnataka and northern parts of the state from where Muttalik hails.



“We built the Sri Rama Sene in the Mangalore region from nothing. Previously we had built the Bajrang Dal as well. Prasad Attavar (the Sri Rama Sene vice-president now accused in the Mangalore pub attack case) had been the regional convener for the Bajrang Dal too,” says 40-year-old Pravin Valke, a class V dropout and one of the founders of the Sene. “We built the organisation not when the BJP was in power but when the Congress was in power,” says Valke, who has withdrawn from mainstream Sene work since he believes that the organisation is only carrying out attacks without focusing on real social change.



Though the Sene has made inroads into college campuses in recent times, a majority of its 2,000-odd strength still consists of 18 to 25 year olds, many of them unemployed. Top on the Sene’s agenda are banning cow slaughter, preservation of Hindu culture by preventing fashion shows, stopping women from drinking in public places, targeting inter-religious and extra-marital relationships and fighting fundamentalism in other communities.



According to police records, the major source of funding is from rich Hindus. “When we were in the Bajrang Dal, we used to receive funding from the Sangh organisations but in the Sene, resources are hard to come by. Some people help us with contributions. We are not connected to the BJP or any other Sangh Parivar members. As long as we are seen as doing good work, people will contribute,” says Valke.



Though Sene members deny links to the Bajrang Dal and the Hindu Jagaran Vedike, sources say their cadres often work for one another. The three, however, rarely infringe on areas of operation—the Sri Rama Sene is the moral police, the Bajrang Dal targets religious conversion and the Vedike tackles other issues.



In recent times, Muttalik is believed to have used his long standing with right wing outfits to forge alliances with like-minded extreme groups in Maharashtra, including the Abhinav Bharat.



ABHINAV BHARAT



Chandan Haygunde



Originally started as a secret movement in 1904 by Veer Savarkar for raising an armed struggle against the British, Abhinav Bharat was dissolved in 1952, as Savarkar thought there was no need for an armed struggle in Independent India.



Over half a century later, in 2006, an Indian army officer and a prominent Pune-based historian came up with the idea of reviving Abhinav Bharat. The officer was Lt Col Prasad Purohit, the man arrested by the state Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) as a prime accused in the Malegaon blast conspiracy. The ATS has not revealed the historian’s name.



Investigators say Purohit did not have any direct links with the RSS and the BJP. The historian, who is known for his study of Maratha history, was an office bearer of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad in Pune for some time.



The foundation ceremony of the new Abhinav Bharat was held in June 2006 at the Raigad fort and Purohit later appealed to Hindu activists to join Abhinav Bharat for “fighting terrorism”. Sameer Kulkarni, a former RSS pracharak and VHP activist, came in contact with Purohit and became a full-time Abhinav Bharat worker. Retired Major Ramesh Upadhyay, who was once associated with the BJP, and Himani Savarkar, also the president of the Hindu Mahasabha, joined the outfit.



Abhinav Bharat’s Hindu agenda gained momentum in Madhya Pradesh, with hardliners such as Pragya Thakur joining the outfit. ATS sources say Purohit was in touch with staunch saffron leaders like Muttalik of the Sri Rama Sene in Karnataka and Tapan Ghosh of Kolkata—both former RSS pracharaks who later started their own outfits.



Purohit roped in arms expert Rakesh Dhawade from Pune and with his help, allegedly conducted weapon-training camps for Abhinav Bharat members.



The ATS chargesheet says the Malegaon location was decided during a meeting of the outfit—chaired by Savarkar—in Bhopal in April 2007. According to the chargesheet, Purohit said in the meeting, “There is a huge population of Muslims in Malegaon. If something is done in Malegaon, it would be like avenging the atrocities against the Hindus.” Sadhvi Pragya said she had the manpower to conduct such things. The chargesheet says Dayanand Pande, Sudhakar Chaturvedi, Major Upadhyay, Kulkarni and two others were also present at the closed-door meeting. Savarkar is believed to have walked out of the meeting.



Savarkar told The Sunday Express that she agreed to be the president of Abhinav Bharat because it was a non-political outfit working for the cause of Hindutva. “I was not very active in Abhinav Bharat. I don't believe Abhinav Bharat has masterminded the Malegaon blast. Arresting a genuine army officer like Purohit is the conspiracy of anti-national elements,” she said.



SANATAN SANSTHA & HINDU JAN JAGRUTI SAMITI



Kavitha Iyer



The first-ever non-Kumbh meeting of over 200 Hindu pontiffs from across the country was held in Mumbai last week. But a more silent mobilisation of Hindus in and around the city has been underway for quite some time now.



In the last couple of years, an estimated 2.5 lakh Hindus have attended Dharmajagruti Sabhas or meets for religious awakening organised by the Sanatan Sanstha and the Hindu Janjagruti Samiti (HJS) across Maharashtra and Karnataka. Over 80 such meets have been held since April 2007, besides dozens of small village-level meets, the latest in Nanded earlier this month.



Dr Durgesh Samant, the chief spokesperson of the HJS, says, “We had 20,000 people attending in Jalgaon and 11,000 in Nanded. And they come despite the fact that there are no free handouts or anything.”



When some of their members were arrested in connection with the blast at Thane’s Gadkari Rangayatan early last year, the Sanatan Sanstha and the HJS were quick to say they had no role to play in their plans.



At their Dharmajagruti Sabhas, speakers “create awareness on dharma”, says Samant. They also talk about “internal and external attacks” against Hindus, and of finding solutions to terrorism. “It is an apolitical movement,” says Samant, but Shiv Sena and BJP leaders are common invitees. Recurring themes at the Sabhas include respect for national symbols and protests against offensive depictions of gods and goddesses.



Closely associated, the Sanatan Sanstha and the HJS are both registered as charitable organisations in Goa. The Sanstha was founded in 1990 by a clinical hypnotherapist, Dr Jayant Balaji Athavale, who practised for over two decades and also set up the Indian Society of Clinical Hypnosis and Research. Dr Athavale now “rarely emerges from his writing and spiritual practice”, according to a spokesperson.



The Sanstha’s largest centre in Mumbai is the Sanatan Ashram in Panvel, on the outskirts of the city, where about 150 people reside for most part of the year—Hindus who gave up regular jobs to become saadhaks or seekers, some retirees and a few families. The resident saadhaks pursue a life of spirituality, says Abhay Vartak, the Sanatan Sanstha’s spokesperson. Incidentally, the Panvel ashram was home to Ramesh Gadkari and Santosh Angre—both later arrested for the Thane blast—for several months.



One of the arms of the HJS is the Dharmashakti Sena, which offers young Hindus training in self-defence.



--



Indian express

[G.Subramaniam]

Suman K. Jha



A few months ago, Delhi endocrinologist Dr R.P. Singh was faced with a huge problem. After having worked towards a “Hindu Nepal” along with various RSS outfits for years, Singh suddenly felt that the RSS—which still runs schools there, and has a dedicated pracharak for the region—was “reneging on its commitment to the Hindu cause”, when one of its senior members, looking after the region, “allowed the schools to be used by the Maoists”.



Worse, he felt that the recent instance of Nepal Prime Minister Prachanda calling on various BJP leaders during his recent visit to India “was at the instance of this particular RSS leader” and an organisation that he has floated. Singh thought that “over the last few years, the RSS had lost sight of the goals that it had set for itself”, something he took up with the organisation’s second-in-command, Mohan Bhagwat, when he met him sometime last year.



Singh was not the only Hindutva enthusiast for whom the RSS had lately spelt disillusionment. Pramod Muttalik—who broke away from the Bajrang Dal—thought the mother organisation had grown “too moderate” for his liking. Shrikant Purohit, Ramesh Upadhyay, Sameer Kulkarni, and Pragya Singh Thakur—all of whom were associated with the wider Sangh Parivar at some point—too, felt the same way.



Some floated their own outfits; others made common cause with the likes of Sudhakar Dwivedi, a self-styled Shankaracharya. Himani Savarkar of the Abhinav Bharat, who inherited the legacy of militant Hindutva in Maharashtra, was roped in. Their alleged involvement in the Malegaon blasts is being probed by the Maharashtra ATS.



The RSS, which first accused the Opposition and the media of “targeting Hindu leaders and saffron-robed sanyasis”, later nuanced its position and said that “terror and religion mustn’t be linked”.



In a closed-door meeting with well-wishers recently, Bhagwat was pointedly asked about the “lethargy” in the organisation about its “Hindu agenda”. He likened the RSS to the human body. “You cannot forcibly increase the rate at which the heart beats in your body. Were you to try that, you would collapse. The same holds true for the RSS,” he said.



However, the RSS is said to have deep-running sympathies for those implicated in the blasts. In private conversations, its leaders hold “Islamic terrorists” responsible for “forcing a reaction” from staunch Hindus.



An influential section of the BJP, too, is convinced that those implicated in the Malegaon blasts are the “future face of Hindutva”. The party liberally used Pragya's name to mobilise votes in Madhya Pradesh while in Maharashtra, it has stayed in touch with Savarkar. The party’s local unit in Nashik had earlier helped Pragya and others arrange legal assistance.



Here, The Sunday Express looks at some of the outfits on the saffron fringe.



SRI RAMA SENE



Johnson T.A.



The Sri Rama Sene was set up in Karnataka by Belgaum-born Pramod Muttalik Desai, after he was expelled from the Bajrang Dal in 2004 following disquiet over his personal ambitions. Once out of the Bajrang Dal, Muttalik, who nursed mainstream political ambitions, sought out other radical groups. He was associated with the Shiv Sena but that came to an end after the Sena began espousing Maharashtra’s cause in the Belgaum border dispute.



Muttalik floated the Rashtriya Hindu Sena as a national outfit and created a sub-outfit to operate in Karnataka called the Sri Rama Sene. In its initial days, the Sene essentially comprised Muttalik loyalists. Many of its members are still drawn from coastal Karnataka and northern parts of the state from where Muttalik hails.



“We built the Sri Rama Sene in the Mangalore region from nothing. Previously we had built the Bajrang Dal as well. Prasad Attavar (the Sri Rama Sene vice-president now accused in the Mangalore pub attack case) had been the regional convener for the Bajrang Dal too,” says 40-year-old Pravin Valke, a class V dropout and one of the founders of the Sene. “We built the organisation not when the BJP was in power but when the Congress was in power,” says Valke, who has withdrawn from mainstream Sene work since he believes that the organisation is only carrying out attacks without focusing on real social change.



Though the Sene has made inroads into college campuses in recent times, a majority of its 2,000-odd strength still consists of 18 to 25 year olds, many of them unemployed. Top on the Sene’s agenda are banning cow slaughter, preservation of Hindu culture by preventing fashion shows, stopping women from drinking in public places, targeting inter-religious and extra-marital relationships and fighting fundamentalism in other communities.



According to police records, the major source of funding is from rich Hindus. “When we were in the Bajrang Dal, we used to receive funding from the Sangh organisations but in the Sene, resources are hard to come by. Some people help us with contributions. We are not connected to the BJP or any other Sangh Parivar members. As long as we are seen as doing good work, people will contribute,” says Valke.



Though Sene members deny links to the Bajrang Dal and the Hindu Jagaran Vedike, sources say their cadres often work for one another. The three, however, rarely infringe on areas of operation—the Sri Rama Sene is the moral police, the Bajrang Dal targets religious conversion and the Vedike tackles other issues.



In recent times, Muttalik is believed to have used his long standing with right wing outfits to forge alliances with like-minded extreme groups in Maharashtra, including the Abhinav Bharat.



ABHINAV BHARAT



Chandan Haygunde



Originally started as a secret movement in 1904 by Veer Savarkar for raising an armed struggle against the British, Abhinav Bharat was dissolved in 1952, as Savarkar thought there was no need for an armed struggle in Independent India.



Over half a century later, in 2006, an Indian army officer and a prominent Pune-based historian came up with the idea of reviving Abhinav Bharat. The officer was Lt Col Prasad Purohit, the man arrested by the state Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) as a prime accused in the Malegaon blast conspiracy. The ATS has not revealed the historian’s name.



Investigators say Purohit did not have any direct links with the RSS and the BJP. The historian, who is known for his study of Maratha history, was an office bearer of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad in Pune for some time.



The foundation ceremony of the new Abhinav Bharat was held in June 2006 at the Raigad fort and Purohit later appealed to Hindu activists to join Abhinav Bharat for “fighting terrorism”. Sameer Kulkarni, a former RSS pracharak and VHP activist, came in contact with Purohit and became a full-time Abhinav Bharat worker. Retired Major Ramesh Upadhyay, who was once associated with the BJP, and Himani Savarkar, also the president of the Hindu Mahasabha, joined the outfit.



Abhinav Bharat’s Hindu agenda gained momentum in Madhya Pradesh, with hardliners such as Pragya Thakur joining the outfit. ATS sources say Purohit was in touch with staunch saffron leaders like Muttalik of the Sri Rama Sene in Karnataka and Tapan Ghosh of Kolkata—both former RSS pracharaks who later started their own outfits.



Purohit roped in arms expert Rakesh Dhawade from Pune and with his help, allegedly conducted weapon-training camps for Abhinav Bharat members.



The ATS chargesheet says the Malegaon location was decided during a meeting of the outfit—chaired by Savarkar—in Bhopal in April 2007. According to the chargesheet, Purohit said in the meeting, “There is a huge population of Muslims in Malegaon. If something is done in Malegaon, it would be like avenging the atrocities against the Hindus.” Sadhvi Pragya said she had the manpower to conduct such things. The chargesheet says Dayanand Pande, Sudhakar Chaturvedi, Major Upadhyay, Kulkarni and two others were also present at the closed-door meeting. Savarkar is believed to have walked out of the meeting.



Savarkar told The Sunday Express that she agreed to be the president of Abhinav Bharat because it was a non-political outfit working for the cause of Hindutva. “I was not very active in Abhinav Bharat. I don't believe Abhinav Bharat has masterminded the Malegaon blast. Arresting a genuine army officer like Purohit is the conspiracy of anti-national elements,” she said.



SANATAN SANSTHA & HINDU JAN JAGRUTI SAMITI



Kavitha Iyer



The first-ever non-Kumbh meeting of over 200 Hindu pontiffs from across the country was held in Mumbai last week. But a more silent mobilisation of Hindus in and around the city has been underway for quite some time now.



In the last couple of years, an estimated 2.5 lakh Hindus have attended Dharmajagruti Sabhas or meets for religious awakening organised by the Sanatan Sanstha and the Hindu Janjagruti Samiti (HJS) across Maharashtra and Karnataka. Over 80 such meets have been held since April 2007, besides dozens of small village-level meets, the latest in Nanded earlier this month.



Dr Durgesh Samant, the chief spokesperson of the HJS, says, “We had 20,000 people attending in Jalgaon and 11,000 in Nanded. And they come despite the fact that there are no free handouts or anything.”



When some of their members were arrested in connection with the blast at Thane’s Gadkari Rangayatan early last year, the Sanatan Sanstha and the HJS were quick to say they had no role to play in their plans.



At their Dharmajagruti Sabhas, speakers “create awareness on dharma”, says Samant. They also talk about “internal and external attacks” against Hindus, and of finding solutions to terrorism. “It is an apolitical movement,” says Samant, but Shiv Sena and BJP leaders are common invitees. Recurring themes at the Sabhas include respect for national symbols and protests against offensive depictions of gods and goddesses.



Closely associated, the Sanatan Sanstha and the HJS are both registered as charitable organisations in Goa. The Sanstha was founded in 1990 by a clinical hypnotherapist, Dr Jayant Balaji Athavale, who practised for over two decades and also set up the Indian Society of Clinical Hypnosis and Research. Dr Athavale now “rarely emerges from his writing and spiritual practice”, according to a spokesperson.



The Sanstha’s largest centre in Mumbai is the Sanatan Ashram in Panvel, on the outskirts of the city, where about 150 people reside for most part of the year—Hindus who gave up regular jobs to become saadhaks or seekers, some retirees and a few families. The resident saadhaks pursue a life of spirituality, says Abhay Vartak, the Sanatan Sanstha’s spokesperson. Incidentally, the Panvel ashram was home to Ramesh Gadkari and Santosh Angre—both later arrested for the Thane blast—for several months.



One of the arms of the HJS is the Dharmashakti Sena, which offers young Hindus training in self-defence.



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