1. FESTIVALS: Pitru Paksha, Mahalay Paksha or Shraddha starts from September 15th upto 29th September this year. One of the Vedic traditions observed in the Siddha Yoga path is the observance of Pitru Paksha, which is designated as an especially powerful time to honor our ancestors.
It is a traditional religious belief that deceased ancestors from Lord Yamaraja's region visit their homes on earth during this time. So, if the rite of shraddha is performed on one of the days in the fortnight, then the subtle bodies of ancestors are considered to remain gratified for years.
It is traditional during Pitru Paksha to dedicate spiritual practices such as meditation, chanting, mantra repetition, and prayer to our ancestors. It is also common to perform actions like donating food or money to a charity and planting a tree on the ancestors’ behalf that sustain the natural rhythm of giving and receiving.
2. JAMMU STIR OVER, SAMITI GETS LAND: The Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti (AYSS) has suspended its 61-day "mother of all agitations" which saw unprecedented Hindu awakening in the Jammu region with support across the Bharat against the reversal of land allotment . The State panel agreed to set aside 800 kanals of land for the exclusive use of Sri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) at Baltal and Domail during the pilgrimage season without changing its proprietary status/ownership/title. The Board would use the land for the duration of the yatra, including the period needed to make the required arrangements and winding them up, for use by various service providers according to its needs and priorities.
3. GUJARAT ATTRACTS MAXIMUM INVESTMENT IN THE COUNTRY, SAYS RBI STUDY: GUJARAT still tops the list when it comes to most attractive investment destinations in the country. The state attracted maximum project investments in 2007-08, followed by Maharashtra, Orissa and Andhra Pradesh, according to a study by the Bharatiya Reserve Bank on projects funded by banks and financial institutions. At the same time, the overall investments in the country are expected to be moderate during FY’09.
With a proposed investment of Rs 62,442 crore from 100 projects, Gujarat continued to occupy the top spot as far as investment intentions are concerned. Of the total investments planned in 2007-08, the state accounted for 22% of the total investment proposals for the year, though this share dipped from the previous year’s share of 25.8%.
4. HINDU ORGANIZATIONS SUSPECT CHURCH HAND IN SWAMIJEE MURDER: The President, Hindu Jagarana Samukhya, Ashok Sahu has accused the Orissa Government of deliberately misleading the public by giving a Maoist color to the gruesome murder of Swamijee Laxmanananda Saraswati at his ashram in Jalasapata in Orissa. His work in Kandhamal was protecting the tribals from Christian conversion. He tried his lavel best to reconvert the tribals to their original faith. Inspired by his personality thousand of people in different parts of the states became his disciple.
As the reconversion got momentum Christians feared of losing their ground. So they attacked Swamiji several times (9 times). The ninth attack on him was on 24th December 2007, where he was narrowly saved being murdered by heavily armed group of 200 people, at Darsingbadi of Kandhamal.
On 22nd August, Swamijee appealed the District magistrate to enhance his personal security. The news that his life is in danger was broadcast by the media in the morning hours, but alas he was done away with in a well planned cold blooded murder by the evening before midnight in his own room. He died on the spot along with all those four others who were with him in the spiritual discourse. Besides him, the deceased included Mataji who was in charge of the Girls' Boarding School, Amritananda Baba, Kishore Baba and guardian of a female student in the Ashram.
Swamiji’s last words before getting killed while speaking to one of his devotees "Never have fears of death when you are working for the cause of the Motherland". He laid his life for the cause for which he stood his entire life.
Vedanta Kesari Swami Laxmananda Saraswati: Vedanta Kesari Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati (84) is known as second incarnation of Lord Parsuram. He took the vow to develop the downtrodden class of the society and made his centre of activities at Chakapada in tribal dominated Orissa's Kandhmal district.
Besides social and religious development of the tribal people, he tried almost four decades to empower them economically and academically. He established a Gurukul pattern of school and a college to teach Sanskrit in Chakapada a remote place of Kandhamal.
Sankaracharya Kanyashram, a residential school at Jalespatta is another ashram of Swamiji in the district, where education is being imparted to women population with an intention to build their character and bring cultural nationalism among them.
While there was a move to ban cow slaughter in Bharat, Swamiji came from Himalaya to Orissa. After the movement of cow protection was over, Swamiji decided to return back to his Tapashya, when the then RSS chief of Orissa Sri Bhupendra Kumar Basu narrated the sad stories of the tribal population and requested him to help the suffering population. Swamiji went to Phulbani (Kandhmal) with Sri Basu, saw the life of people there and decided to serve the backward people mostly tribals and harijans there and help them to join into the main stream of the society.
In 1969 he started his first ashram at Chakapada and the ashram became a centre for brisk activities. He renovated the temples: Birupakshya,
Kumareswar and Jogeswar and established a Sanskrit school and a college.
Swamijee invested his full energy to teach the youth of schedule caste and schedule tribe in Sanskrit and built the youths as disciplined citizen well civilized, well cultured, well educated, well spiritual and protector of the society.
Swamijee was well versed in Vedanta philosophy, Sanskrit grammer and was awarded with the honour as "VEDANTA KESHARI". He not only gave philosophical thoughts to the people but taught them good cultivation, animal care, and horticulture and so on. The students coming out from the Kalyan Ashram Gurukula are taking leadership of the society in economic, social and cultural fields.
He stood firm in Phulbani district for a long time and struggled hard to preserve and protect the tribal culture and dharma, the Sankaracharya of Govardhan Pitha, Puri awarded him with the Upadhi as "BIDHARMI KUCHAKRA VIDARAN MAHARATHI.
He has started night school for adult education. Insisting the parents to send their children to the school by which the literacy rate amongst tribal and Harijans of that area has increased.
The local Harijan and tribal people of Kandhamal become more health conscious after coming to the satsangh. They started to keep their houses clean, take bath every day, take safe drinking and thousands of families of the scheduled caste community have given taking beef which, made them healthy and disease less.
Swamiji taught them not to take liquor or any other alcoholic drinks during Satsang. Then gradually they leave the habit of taking such drinks. When they were free form alcohol they got ample time to do some work. Which, they utilize in their field and other activities for their development. More than 500 villages in the district benefited out of Swamiji's noble way to control liquor business as well as people on their own boycotted all intoxicant materials.
Swamiji taught grammar to the student in the class and technique of good cultivation in the field. He taught the villagers when and how to cultivate paddy vegetables etc. By which people of G.Udaygira and Raikia block area produce the best quality and highest quantity of beans in orissa. There also formed a vegetable cooperative society at Katingia by agricultural development the economic conditioned improved a lot.
Swamiji always insisted the tribal not to be afraid of any body. He accompanied them to the govt offices and police stations and made them fearless. They got the courage to face to the collector or SP directly.
Now we can see greenery everywhere in the Kandhmal because it has more forest cover than any other district. It is all due to Swamijis efforts
to insist them to take wood when required. He also established 'Maths' on the hill tops in several parts of the district and told the villagers that the trees in the hill belong to math and the village community. If emergency arises one can cut a tree and take wood only after the permission of the village committee. That worked tremendously. The joint
forest management system which govt. started now has been started by Swamiji from 1970.
He was against the indiscriminate cow slaughter. He taught the people to protect cattle from slaughtering and taking beef. In several occasion he staged demonstration, dharanas and participated in the hunger strike in several parts of the state. He toured through out the state for this cause.
He was associated with several socio-cultural and religious organizations. He was a founder member and inspiration of VHP and Kalyana Ashram of odisha.
5. ANOTHER CIVILIAN TREK TO SIACHEN IN OCTOBER: Bharat has finalised plans for another civilian trekking expedition to Siachen this October, in a clear reiteration to Pakistan that the forbidding glacial heights are fully under Bharatiya control and remain "non-negotiable" till it accepts Bharatiya conditions.
Defence ministry sources said the Army Adventure Cell would organise the trek to the world’s highest, coldest and costliest battlefield, which no longer witnesses the daily artillery duels after the November 2003 ceasefire, from October 1 to 21 this year. The plan is to take around 40 people, including Army experts, defence scientists, NCC and military school cadets and "civilian volunteers", on the "unique adventure activity".
Though both Bharat and Pakistan have accepted the need to demilitarise the glacial heights right since 1989, the bone of contention in the protracted negotiations has been the "authentication" of the AGPL beyond the NJ-9842 grid reference point — where the well-delineated Line of Control simply stopped dead in the 1972 Simla Pact — right till the Karakoram Pass. Bharat wants the AGPL to be "authenticated" first as an international safeguard before any troop disengagement, withdrawal and the final demilitarisation of the glacier.
6. SHANTIJI TEACHES BABA RAMDEV’S YOG IN US: This July and August, Shanti Prasad Agrawal, associated with Vishwa Vibhag of HSS in Delhi and a trained teacher of Baba Ramdev’s yogic exercises, was on a visit to his family members in US. While Baba Ramdev was holding five-day camps in Los Angeles, Houston and Washington DC, Shantiji’s yog classes were arranged in Hindu Temple of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. The first two classes on Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th of July, attended by 45-50 people including many of foreign origin, Bhastrika, Kapal Bhati, Bahya Pranayam, Anulom-Vilom, Bhramari, Udgeeth and Pranav alongwith seven mini exercises and seven asans were taught with demonstration. The extended classes Monday-Thursday, were attended by 30-50 sadhak-sadhikas. At the end, Shantiji was presented a memento and a card of thanks appreciating his efforts.
Similar encouraging response was received to eight of Shantiji’s yog classes in Hindu Temple of North Carolina in Raleigh-Durham between July 25-August 12, attended by 50-60 sadhak-sadhikas having roots in many countries. Two of Shantiji’s yog classes were held in shakhas of HSS amidst more than 20 families. A bauddhik on Shivaji was imparted to kids of Bal Gokulam in the same temple.
7. YOGA SOOTHES WORST SYMPTOMS OF MENOPAUSE: Women had fewer night sweats, better concentration, study says: Yoga can reduce hot flashes and night sweats among women going through menopause, and also appears to sharpen their mental function, researchers from Bharat report.
To investigate whether yoga would help women with physical and cognitive symptoms of menopause, they randomly assigned 120 menopausal women, 40 to 55 years old, to yoga practice or simple stretching and strengthening exercises five days a week for eight weeks.
The postures, breathing and meditation included in the yoga intervention were "aimed at one common effect, i.e. 'to develop mastery over modifications of the mind' ... through 'slowing down the rate of flow of thoughts in the mind,"' the researchers explain.
After eight weeks, women in the yoga group showed a significant reduction in hot flashes, night sweats, and sleep disturbances, while the women in the control group did not, Dr. R. Chattha, of the Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana in Bangalore, Bharat, and colleagues found.
Both groups showed improvements in a test of attention and concentration, although improvement in the yoga group was significantly greater. In a test of memory and intelligence with 10 components, the yoga group improved on eight, while the control group improved on six. 8. ROUTE MARCH ON GURU PUJA IN MAURITIUS: Hindu Swayamsewak Sangh Mauritius organized its yearly route March on 6 August 2008 in the town of Quatre Bornes. 45 Swayamsewaks and 30 Sevikas in ganavesh participated in the march with the Bhagwa Dhwaja for two kilometers on the beat of Anak, Panava and on the tune of bansis. The march lasted for half hour.
Later in the day, Subhash Bhagwat, a senior Sangh Karyakarta from Mumbai had an interactive session with the Swayamsewaks and sevikas on Sangh work and the duty of a Swayamsewak and a Sevika.
9. SAMAPAN SPEECHES AT VISHWA SANGH SHIKSHA VARGS AT BHAGYANAGAR: (This is in sequel of the Sangh and Samiti Shiksha Varga news:): RSS Sarkaryavah Shri Mohan Bhagwat speaking at the concluding function of Vishwa sangh Shiksha Varga appealed to the swayamsevaks to work collectively to make Bharat strong. He stressed that Bharat has solutions to many of the ills plaguing the humanity like environmental protection, family system and capacity to overcome religious fundamentalism. Only strong Bharat can give solutions the world is looking for and achieve universal happiness. He quoted Arnold Toyanbee who said that Bharat has to share her thoughts with the world and the world should get faith in Bharat about her ability.
Bharatiyas- Leave Westernism and Strengthen Bharatiyata: Vandaneeya Pramilatai Medhe, Pramukh Sanchalika of Rashtra Sevika Samiti who spoke at the concluding function of Samiti Shiksha Varga exhorted the sevikas to dedicate for the cause of Hindutva and hindu unity by making offerings physically, mentally and financially thereby contributing for universal happiness. She pointed out that even after 60 years of Independence; Bharatiyas are looking at western countries. She appealed Bharatiyas to shed westernization and adopt and strengthen Bharatiyata meaning Hindutva, which denotes complete universal happiness, universal peace and victory to Hindu Dharma.
10. RS. 80 CRORE MASTER PLAN TO RENOVATE KUKKE TEMPLE: The BJP Government of Karnataka has prepared a Rs. 80 crore Master Plan for renovation of the Kukke Subramanya temple located in the village called Subramanya in the Western Ghats of the State, about 105 km from the coastal town Mangalore. The temple is one of the famous pilgrimage sites in the state. A sum of Rs. 80 crore of the temple funds would be utilized for renovation work of the temple, construction of guesthouse, commercial complex, booking counter, bus-stand and other facilities.
Tirupathi Temple: A decision has also been taken to construct a 1,000 room guesthouse on 7.5 acres, land adjoining the Lord Venkateswara Temple at Tirumala in Tirupathi, for providing accommodation for pilgrims visiting the temple from Karnataka.
11. HINDU HERITAGE CAMP (HHC) BY JIJAMATA SHAKHA MILPITAS, US, Aug 18-20: Milpitas Shakha team conducted three full days HHC from Aug 18th to Aug 20th 2008 .Forty one children (16 Balas, 25 Shishu’s) attended the camp. Out of this only 12 children were from Shakha. Camp was inaugurated with lighting of a lamp by Praudh Swayamsevak Prabhakarji with reciting of shloka of Lord Ganesha.
The games were held from 12-1pm. Shishu Gana participated in Vyayam Yoga and Bala Gana in Samata and Niyudh. Warm up and Surya Namaskar were common for all Ganas. Three geets were taught: Shishu learned “come here my dear”, Balas practiced “eesh hame deta hai sub kuch” but “ham honge kamyab” was common for both the Ganas. A beautiful art and craft project, led by Kanchanji, was carried in three phases on all three days. A guided tour to Paramhansa Swami Nityananda Temple was arranged.
On the last day, Shri Mahendraji (Yoga master) conducted Yoga session for Balas; and Prarthana with Bhagwa Dhwaj was done. In the Graduation Ceremony, at 5:30pm, the campers showcased what they had learned in the camp to their parents.
12. US BHARATIYAS TURN TO ETHNIC BANKS FOR LOANS: Bharatiya immigrants in the US now have a much better chance of realising their American dream. More and more banks run by Bharatiyas are opening in North America to cater to the new Bharatiya immigrant. At least seven Indian-American ethnic banks have opened in the past three years; there are about a dozen such banks in the US now. The richest among these banks, the Mutual Bank of Chicago, has assets worth $1.35 billion. It's 1,000 times smaller than Bank of America, the leading bank in the US.
13. DETECT, DELETE AND DEPORT THE BANGLADESHI INFILTRATORS: The ABVP unit at JNU, Delhi has come out with a strongly worded appeal against the disinformation spread on the campus in view of its campaign against Bangladeshi infiltration in N-E Bharat. ABVP release said in unequivocal terms that it does not intend to hurt the feelings of the Bangladeshi students but the fact remains that there exists difference between migration, infiltration and visiting a country as student or tourist on Visa. Infiltration and immigration are a constant threat to internal security and stability of a polity.
The ABVP appeal seeks your (students from Bangladesh) constructive support in our movement and states that ABVP is not standing against any individual….but against a phenomenon called infiltration and atrocities against the Hindu-Buddhist minorities in Bangladesh. It appealed to all the democratic and nationalist minded Bharatiyas to rally behind ABVP so as to create a situation by mounting pressure on the Bharatiya Government to implement 3D policy (Detect, Delete and Deport) against the Bangladeshi infiltrators.
14. BHARAT'S FOREX RESERVES ABOVE OPTIMAL LEVEL, SAYS IMF: Bharat's foreign exchange reserves at around $286 billion are much above the optimal level, said a recent IMF study, pointing out that forex accumulation has reduced external vulnerabilities and decreased the risk of financial contagion. Bharat ranks among the other major emerging Asian nations like China, Hong Kong, Korea, Taiwan and Thailand which have accumulated excessive foreign exchange reserves, said an IMF working paper on "Are emerging Asia's reserves really too high?".
15. BANDHS CAN NEVER BE THE ULTIMATE WEAPON: LEFT CM: West Bengals Left Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya told a cluster of businessmen on August 26 in Kolkata how frequent bandhs were bothering him. Not only this, he went on to maintain that irrespective of his political affiliations he would never sponsor general shutdowns.
It ws "unfortunate" that he had a political affiliation, he said, adding "given to me, my personal views are" bandhs as a weapon were less fruitful than it once considered and "I will continue to raise my voice against such activities."
The Chief Minister was firmly backed by his Transport Minister Subhas Chakrabarty who maintained "frequent bandhs can never be the ultimate weapon to extract demands", and added strikes were often counter productive in modern context.
16. OVL TO ACQUIRE IMPERIAL ENERGY FOR $2.6 BILLION: Bharat's state-run Oil & Natural Gas Corp has won approval from Imperial Energy PLC for a 1.4 billion pound ($2.6 billion) takeover of the British company, a deal which will help ONGC meet surging demand from its burgeoning domestic economy for fuel.
ONGC and Imperial said in a joint statement on August 26 that their boards had reached agreement on the terms of a preconditional cash offer, which values Imperial shares at 1,250 pence (US$22.95).
17. GOING VEGGIE CAN SLASH YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT: STUDY: Giving up meat could drastically reduce your carbon footprint, with meat-eaters' diets responsible for almost twice the emissions of those of vegetarians, a German study has said. A diet with meat is responsible for producing in a year the same amount of greenhouse gases as driving a mid-sized car 4,758 kilometres (2,956 miles), the Institute for Ecological Economy Research (IOeW) said.
But the food a vegetarian consumes in 12 months is responsible for generating the same emissions as driving 2,427 kilometres, the IOeW said in a study commissioned by independent consumer protection group Foodwatch.
18. PRAVAS REPORT: Dr. Yashwant Pathak, Sah-samyojak Vihwa Vibhag: Sridhar Talanki ji (Denver Sanghachalak) and five other swayamsevaks from Colorado Vibhag attended Conference of Indigenous Cultures of Southwest USA at Lama Foundation, San Cristobal near Taos on July 31. Yashwant ji introduced International Center Cultural Studies (www.ICCSUS.org) to all participants, emphasized the need for all indigenous traditions to strengthen the foundation and exhorted everyone to be a part of this great mission to work for entire humanity. All the thirty five participants listened in rapt attention; some of the Native American elders were touched emotionally to know about the efforts being made.
SD YoungWolf (Surya Das ji), a Cherokee elder, started with a traditional Cherokee blessing. Pat McCabe, a Navajo elder performed Lakota mother earth worship with all the participants. This was followed by a Hindu havan ceremony.
In the afternoon session there was a nice slideshow presentation by SD YoungWolf, on his travel experiences across north eastern states of Bharat. Yashwant ji spoke about the “The importance of conservation of ancestral cultures before the globalization” and “Non Eastern Dharmic Cultures and Traditions”. Taos Pueblo elders, Mountain Dann who visited Bharat on a project studying similarities of ‘Ganga' & 'Rio Grande’ rivers known for their sanctity among the lives of Hindus and Native Americans respectively praised the efforts of ICCS and all the volunteers for bringing together this great forum to encourage everyone work for the common cause.
19. BALDEV BHAI SHARMA IS NEW PANCHJANYA EDITOR: Senior Hindi journalist Shri Baldev Bhai Sharma has joined as the new editor of the leading Hindi weekly Panchjanya on August 14. He replaced Shri Tarun Vijay who is now director of Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Sewa Nyas.
20. BIHAR FLOOD APPEAL SEPTEMBER, 2008: The floods in north Bihar are back. Each year Bihar faces cycle of destruction, involuntary displacement, migration and large-scale loss of human life, cattle, crops and infrastructure. But this year’s change of course by Kosi river due to a breach in its embankment has proved catastrophic – a disaster affecting more than 2 million people in 15 districts – that the PM declared it a national calamity. More than 2000 volunteers in Kosi Vibhag and 500 in Purnia are working day and night, under the auspieces of ' Badh Peedit Sahayata Samiti', providing food and shelter along with rescue work at over a dozen places viz Raghopur, Bihariganj ( Saharsa ), Madhubani Chowk ( Purnia). Sewa International has already resolved to aid this onerous task of relief and rehabilitation work started by its partner organizations.More information can be seen at www.sewausa.org, www.sewainternational.com
21. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Sarkaryavaha Shri Mohan Bhagwat will be on a 3-week pravas of Trinidad, Guyana, Surinam starting on Sept 11. On the return leg he will be in New York (Sept 26) and London (Sept 28) for the book release function of the book ' M S Golwalkar - Vision and Mission '. Dr.Shankar Tatwawadi, Samyojak Vishwa Vibhag will reach UK on Sept 12 for a month long stay. Visitors: A group of 6 sevikas and 5 swayamsevaks from Carribeans visited many places in and around Delhi after the VSSV 08. 5 UK shisksharthis also visited Delhi and Amritsar. Dr. G.L.Bhan UK
22. FOOD FOR THOUGHT: All our great men have invariably commanded everyone, however good and virtuous he may be, to be humble and prusdent in all his behaviour. It does not, however, mean that a worker should lose his self confidence while moving with men or facing difficult situations. Self confidence is in fact the very life breath of all great workers. The tranquility of mind born out of supreme confidence in one’s own strength is an inexhaustible dynamo of power. – Sri Guruji
JAI SHREE RAM
SILENT HINDU, ANGRY HINDU
Tolerance should not be seen as weakness
ASHOK CHOWGULE
A Hindu finds it very uncomfortable to talk bad about others. And this characteristic is often treated as a sign of weakness by his opponents, and serious attempts are made to bully him into submission. A Hindu tolerates it all -- but only up to a certain point. When he reacts, he reacts ferociously.
Forces which have been working to destroy Hindu civilisation have had success almost in all their other encounters. Even though Hindu civilisation has retreated from some areas, the Hindu has still kept alive the ethos in a large area. It is today the oldest surviving civilisation.
Despite its proven record of resilience, the attacks on Hindu civilisation have not ceased. The expectation of the enemy is that the resistance may snap, and then victory will be theirs. It is the duty of every Hindu to be eternally vigilant and not let down their ancestors who so valiantly fought to keep the ethos alive.
The issues surrounding the provision of facilities for pilgrims to the Amarnath shrine have to be viewed in this context to make sense of those opposing the leasing of 97 acres of land to the Sri Amarnath Shrine Board. The Hindu is reacting not just to the injustice that is being done in this case, but the injustices that he has been suffering for a long time.
In an article in Arab News, MJ Akbar has succinctly stated the Hindu case. He writes: "The Hindu who has quietly watched mosque and dargah expand around him, explodes when a few acres are denied to pilgrims on the arduous trek to Amarnath. He has seen Haj houses sprout around him for Muslims on their way to Mecca. These Haj houses are not loaned to the community for the two months involved in the two-way journey for Haj; they have become community centres all year round. He asks a question: Why should he be denied a place for tired feet on the way to Amarnath?"
This denial is supported by those who are considered to be moderate Muslims, as well as those who carry the label of secularism proudly on their sleeves. Mr Omar Abdullah announced in the Lok Sabha that Kashmiri Muslims "will give their lives but won't part with the land". If that be the case, does he have any moral right to own land outside the Kashmir Valley? The 'secularists' are blaming the previous Governor for implementing the orders of the various courts to provide proper facilities for pilgrims.
The 'secularists' have also made serious attempts to obfuscate the real issue. They have implicitly given credence to the ridiculous argument by the separatists that the granting of the land would alter the demographic composition of the Kashmir Valley. They want people to forget that the damage was done in the 1990s when Kashmiri Hindus were ethnically cleansed from the Valley by the very forces which are today opposing the leasing of land.
This is not the first time Hindu angst has expressed itself. Famously the Ram Janmabhoomi movement is the beginning of it in modern times -- a movement which VS Naipaul described as one which started from the bottom. The attempt by the UPA Government to belittle, through an affidavit in the Supreme Court, the memory of Sri Ram, the maryada purushottam (the ideal person), was met with widespread resistance on the streets.
On the one hand, Hindus are faced with the threat of Islamist terrorism, and on the other, the are confronted by an indifferent system. Decisions relating to the interest of the nation are taken on the basis of vote-bank politics, and this programme is authenticated by pseudo-secular intellectuals. Thus, it is alleged by the latter that the Jammu intifada has made Islamist terrorists and separatists in the Kashmir Valley stronger. The support to them by parties like the PDP is completely ignored. And there is no mention that it is to appease them that the lease of land to the SASB was cancelled.
'Secular' political parties take Hindus for granted. As in the past, this time too Hindu anger was underestimated by the Government which did not anticipate a reaction. Pseudo-secular intellectuals, rather than place the facts in the proper perspective, have only ended up communalising the entire issue. -- The writer is vice-president of the VHP. (The Pioneer 18 August)
SIMI'S SECULAR ADMIRERS
They will do anything to further their vote-bank politics
S GURUMURTHY
A few publicly known facts expose the state of the debate on Islamist terror. After the blast in Ahmedabad, the Gujarat Police kept uncovering, defusing dozens of live bombs in Surat that fortunately did not explode. Even as the recovery of such bombs was being telecast live on TV channels on August 5, a Delhi court lifted the ban on SIMI, faulting the UPA Government for providing "no fresh evidence" to continue the ban.
The real story followed after this. Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav and Mr Lalu Prasad Yadav, the two crutches of the UPA, welcomed the lifting of the ban, saying that the ban itself was wrong in the first place. Congress spokesperson Shakeel Ahmed said the court decision was "no set-back" for the Congress! He went one step further and said, "It is the State Governments which are investigating the matter so it's their responsibility to submit the evidence against SIMI to the Union Government," almost implying that no evidence exists against SIMI.
Other secular parties, including those with the NDA, were careful not to fault the Government for allowing the SIMI to escape the charge of terror. Stunned by the court's view that "fresh evidence" of terror was necessary to continue with the ban, the Government rushed to the Supreme Court and got the tribunal's order stayed.
It was in the background of such prevarication on SIMI that the Gujarat Police broke the news on August 16 that it had arrested 10 top SIMI activists who had masterminded the Gujarat blasts; and also the blasts in Rajasthan and elsewhere. It also came out with the irrefutable story of how the terrorists conspired.
When the 'secularists' were handing out a negative certificate of good conduct to SIMI, thanks to the court order, a study by the Institute of Conflict Management, headed by KPS Gill, had already catalogued over a hundred incidents from 2000 to July 2008 that characterised SIMI as a terror outfit. Its cadre had been charged as motivators and perpetrators in major terror attacks between 2002-08. State Governments, including the Congress and Communist, and the UPA at the Centre, had told courts and Parliament at different times that SIMI was an anti-national, terrorist organisation; that it was linked to Lashker-e-Tayyeba and other Islamist terror outfits; that huge quantities of arms and ammunition, including RDX, were seized from their hideouts and cadre.
In February 2007, the Supreme Court said that SIMI had not stopped its activities when its counsel pleaded that after 2003 there was no evidence to link it to anti-national activities. Moreover, the Maharashtra Police had alleged in a chargesheet that SIMI was linked to Pakistan.
After it was founded in 1977 for the propagation of Islam and jihad in the cause of Islam, how did SIMI grow to this menacing proportions? The answer is pretty simple. It received open and clandestine political patronage from the 'seculars'.
The NDA Government first banned SIMI in September 2001 and extended the ban thereafter in 2003 which continued till September 2005. The UPA Government, which came to power in 2004, did not extend the ban when it expired in September 2005, thus helping to revive a disintegrating SIMI.
But why did the UPA not continue the ban? Because the Congress had opposed the first ban on SIMI in 2001. It was Mr Salman Kurshid, president of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee, who was the counsel defending SIMI in the High Court and in the Supreme Court against the ban.
See how these secular admirers of SIMI defended the terror outfit that was anti-secular, anti-democracy, anti-India. The Government of the very same party had to re-impose the ban in 2006 after its own Maharashtra Government found SIMI involved in the Mumbai train bombings. But this was after SIMI had grown to gigantic proportions.
Yet, even now Congress president Sonia Gandhi has not uttered a single word against SIMI. Does it mean that she admires it? Or she is so saintly that, like one of the three noble monkeys of Mahatma Gandhi, she sees no evil, whether it is SIMI or LTTE or Nalini or Afzal -- the RSS and its allies being the only exceptions. -- The Pioneer 27 August 2008
