04-25-2005, 10:07 AM
<b>RSS spreading wings in Mauritius</b>
From our correspondent
The Rastriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) have infiltrated Mauritius using the route of religious and charitable organisations. At least 18 shakhas are held in the country on a weekly basis with the RSS as a social movement finding support even within members of the Mauritius Parliament.
Former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, former minister of human resources development Murli Manohar Joshi and VHP chief Ashok Singhal have visited organisations linked with the RSS and the VHP, with the latter having established a formal office in Mauritius. The ideology was first exported to Mauritius from India by Swami Krishnanadji Maharaj in 1967 who settled here with a group of 40 persons who had accompanied him.
Dhundev Bahadoor, who is the president of the Human Service Trust, was in this group and makes no secret of his preference for the RSS and the VHP. He is totally opposed to present Prime Minister Paul Raymond Berenger maintaining that "he has let us down, he has done nothing for the Hindus and has been working for the US and other Western countries."
Bahadoor had around him two members of Parliament who were ministers in government and resigned just a few weeks ago in protest against Berenger's policies. Anil Kumar Bacchoo, who was the former minister of public infrastructure, and Mookhesswar Choonee, the former minister of local government, were full of praise for Vajpayee and Joshi. They said the RSS influence was visible in Mauritius and it was a favoured organisation. Acharya Mohan Prakash Saklani was among those waiting to receive Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the Aparvasi ghat, the place where the first indentured Indian labour had first arrived in shiploads in the 19th century.
The Acharya said he was in charge of the Temple Federation of 300 Sanatan dharma temples in Mauritius, arriving here 18 years ago from Badrinath in Uttaranchal. He said RSS leaders were regular visitors to Mauritius, pointing out that a well-known leader from Varanasi was currently in Port Louis to propagate his ideology.
<b>He said the Hindus in Mauritius were under threat as they were being converted by the Christians on the one side, and on the other the Muslims were adding rapidly to their population. "One day, we will suddenly find that we are in a minority,"</b> he declared maintaining, "We have been able to stop the conversions to some extent."
(Source: Deccan Chronicle)
From our correspondent
The Rastriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) have infiltrated Mauritius using the route of religious and charitable organisations. At least 18 shakhas are held in the country on a weekly basis with the RSS as a social movement finding support even within members of the Mauritius Parliament.
Former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, former minister of human resources development Murli Manohar Joshi and VHP chief Ashok Singhal have visited organisations linked with the RSS and the VHP, with the latter having established a formal office in Mauritius. The ideology was first exported to Mauritius from India by Swami Krishnanadji Maharaj in 1967 who settled here with a group of 40 persons who had accompanied him.
Dhundev Bahadoor, who is the president of the Human Service Trust, was in this group and makes no secret of his preference for the RSS and the VHP. He is totally opposed to present Prime Minister Paul Raymond Berenger maintaining that "he has let us down, he has done nothing for the Hindus and has been working for the US and other Western countries."
Bahadoor had around him two members of Parliament who were ministers in government and resigned just a few weeks ago in protest against Berenger's policies. Anil Kumar Bacchoo, who was the former minister of public infrastructure, and Mookhesswar Choonee, the former minister of local government, were full of praise for Vajpayee and Joshi. They said the RSS influence was visible in Mauritius and it was a favoured organisation. Acharya Mohan Prakash Saklani was among those waiting to receive Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the Aparvasi ghat, the place where the first indentured Indian labour had first arrived in shiploads in the 19th century.
The Acharya said he was in charge of the Temple Federation of 300 Sanatan dharma temples in Mauritius, arriving here 18 years ago from Badrinath in Uttaranchal. He said RSS leaders were regular visitors to Mauritius, pointing out that a well-known leader from Varanasi was currently in Port Louis to propagate his ideology.
<b>He said the Hindus in Mauritius were under threat as they were being converted by the Christians on the one side, and on the other the Muslims were adding rapidly to their population. "One day, we will suddenly find that we are in a minority,"</b> he declared maintaining, "We have been able to stop the conversions to some extent."
(Source: Deccan Chronicle)