Aashwin 30, Vik Samvat 2067. Yugabda 5112: October 16, 22010

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1.FESTIVALS: Narak Chaturdashi, the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight of Aashwin, a day before Diwali, falling on November 4 this year, is about the demon king Narakasur who was ruler of Pragjyotishpur, a province to the South of Nepal. During a war he defeated Lord Indra and snatched away the magnificent earrings of Mother Goddess Aditi who was not only the ruler of Suraloka but also a relative of Lord Krishna's wife, Satyabhama. Narakasur also imprisoned sixteen thousand daughters of Gods and saints in his harem.

When Satyabhama came to know about this malevolent act of Narakasur she got furious and prayed to Lord Krishna to empower her so that she could destroy Narakasur. Narakasur was under a curse that a woman would kill him. Lord Krishna empowered Satyabhama to fight with Narakasur and himself became the charioteer of her 'Ratha' in the battlefield. Satyabhama beheaded Narakasur on Narak Chaturdashi and released the imprisoned ladies from Narakasur's harem and also recovered the precious earrings of Mother Goddess Aditi. Lord Krishna accepted all these ladies as his wives.

The mother of the Narakasura, Bhoodevi, declared that the death of her son should not be a day of mourning but an occasion for celebrations. Since then people celebrate diwali with joy and fun every year.

2. TERRORISM NOT LINKED TO HINDUISM: RSS Sarasanghachalak Shri Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday October 17 said the "golden opportunity" provided by the Allahabad High Court's Ayodhya verdict should not be lost and a massive Ram temple be built while castigating the government for raising the "bogey" of Hindu terrorism. He was speaking at RSS's annual Vijayadashami celebrations in Nagpur. Shri Bhagwat attacked critics of the judgment that upheld the Hindu claim to a temple saying this was an about-turn on their part. "They shamefully abandoned all concerns. Till 4 pm of September 30, they talked of respecting the court verdict and immediately after, they renewed their efforts to create fear and mistrust in society," he said.

"Ram Mandir is our pride and there are hundreds of Ram Mandirs in the county but Ayodhya was significant since it was the birth place of Bhagwan

Rama. It was a national monument. It was demolished by then rulers to create a new structure.” Bhagwat said.

"Now that the court has endorsed the belief that it was indeed the birthplace of Lord Ram... forgetting the past, let us all come together to build a massive temple at Ayodhya for Lord Ram who represents our national heritage and honour," he added.

Shri Bhagwat also said that the matter should be resolved out of court instead of further legal action in Supreme Court. He reiterated the RSS commitment to a massive temple rather than a modest one.

Shri Bhagwat's focus on "Hindu terror" was significant as the Sangh has seen a "conspiracy" to drag it into a terror net. Linking those opposed to a temple at Ayodhya to the attempts to "divide society", he said, "Due to these tendencies, a dangerous conspiracy is afoot to bring into vogue words like Hindu terror and saffron terror under the pretext that some Hindu individuals were allegedly involved in incidents of terror here and there."

He further said the government was making such allegations to cover up its failure to curb terrorism. He said further, "There is a sinister conspiracy to mislead Hindus through a campaign of lies and to defame Hindi saints, temples and organisations."

Shri Bhagwat argued that Hinduism and terror were contradictory. "There is only one country left in the world on which you can't put the blame of terrorism and that is Bharat. Terrorism and Hindus, terrorism and saffron, and terrorism and the Sangh are oxymorons," he said.

"This (effort to connect the two) is an attempt to weaken the strength of Hindus in Bharat and, at the same time, to appease Muslims," he said. A handful of incidents involving Hindus were reported and to blame the entire Hindu community was improper and unjust, he added.

On the Kashmir situation, Bhagwat said, "The crisis in Kashmir has become serious and complicated since we neglected Batlisthan and Gilgit which has become part of Pakistan. Now China is attempting to encircle Bharat by positioning its Army in these regions."

The United States is looking for a safe passage from Afghanistan and secure foothold in Kashmir with the help of Pakistan, he said.

Speaking further on Kashmir, Bhagwat said the valley is not the entire Jammu and Kashmir which has three regions. "Even in the valley not all but a small minority is clamouring for autonomy and dreaming of independence by promoting secessionism," he said.

"At the same time it is imperative on our part to appreciate the feelings, needs and aspirations of various other sections like patriotic Muslims, Gujjar-Bakarwals, Shias, Sikhs and Hindus including the Kashmiri Pandits and Buddhists. The displaced Pandits must return to their homes and dignity," he said.

He said there was no need to talk to separatists and Pakistan-sponsored perpetrators of violence and stone-pelting, He also warned against withdrawal of Armed Forces Special Protection Act. “Accession of Kashmir into Bharat through the instrument of accession signed by Maharaja Hari Singh is final and non-negotiable. The direction of our policies should be guided by the unanimous resolution of our Parliament in 1994,” Bhagwat said. Sarasanghachalakji also criticised the government for ignoring the patriotic people in north-eastern states and pandering to the wishes of the separatists and anti-national forces there. While dwelling at length on “Chinese designs”, Bhagwat said, “Delay in tackling the Chinese designs in J&K, Arunachal Pradesh and other N-E states will be suicidal.”

Referring to infiltration by Bangladeshis, Bhagwat said it has led to insecurity among Hindus in border districts. “All citizens are to get the UID. How will we verify if those getting it are indeed Bharatiyas?” Bhagwat asked.

Music director Hridaynath Mangeshkar was chief guest on the occasion. A special note was circulated among journalists, explaining the meaning of various provisions of the Instrument of Accession and demanding abolishment of Article 370, full integration of J&K with Bharat with no separate constitution and flags and no autonomy or self-rule. October 26 will be observed as “J&K accession day” and a special awareness drive has been planned on Kojagiri Pournima day.

3. WOMEN SHOULD PLAY MORE ACTIVE ROLE IN SHAPING THE FUTURE OF BHARAT-PRAMILATAI MEDHE: "To erase all the signs of defeat by freeing our social mind from the bindings of all kinds of slavery is the only way to take our nation to the height of glory and make it the world leader," said Rashtra Sevika Samiti Pramukh Sanchalika Pramilatai Medhe in Nagpur on October 10. She was addressing the annual Vijayadashami rally organised by Nagpur unit of the Samiti.

Addressing a fairly large contingent of Sevikas and sympathisers of the organisation, Pramilatai called for accelerating the process of decolonising the mind of the countrymen. "Our society has been plagued by the evils of Mecaulay’s education system and Marxism’s hollow ideals. There is an urgent need to decolonise the social psyche from the shackles of western lifestyle. Once this is achieved no power on the earth can stop Bharat from becoming world leader guiding the humanity to the path of peace, progress and tranquility," she maintained.

Samiti chief further said September 30 verdict of Lucknow Bench of Allahabad High Court on Sri Ramjanmabhoomi heralded the victory for Hindu society. This has cleared the way for reconstruction of a grand Ram temple at Ayodhya, she said that the calm and poise exhibited by the people on that day has shown the world how tolerant and understanding we Bharatiyas can be.

Reminding the activists of the higher goal of organising the society for a better tomorrow, she said women have to play an important role in shaping the future of the society. She urged them to follow the role model of Sister Nivedita who after joining the movement of Swami Vivekananda devoted herself to the cause of Bharat and Bharatiyas.

Dr Ajit Gupta, National president of Bharat Vikas Parishad presiding over the function, called for reinforcing the family system in the society and urged the women to come forward to accomplish this task. She said the family which was the very backbone of the society is on the brink of disintegration. This must be stopped forthwith and the womenfolk can play a vital role in this endeavor, she added.

4. BHARAT WINS UNSC SEAT WITH HIGHEST VOTES IN 5 YRS: With 187 votes, out of the 190 countries that voted, Bharat has received the highest number of votes for getting into the United Nations Security Council in the past five years. Bharat, which is a founding member of the UN, is returning to the Security Council after a gap of 19 years.

It has been on the Council six times before, having last served in 1992. Other countries to be elected are South Africa, Colombia, Germany and Portugal.

5. 1300-YR-OLD TEMPLES FOUND: The Archeological Department have found the remains of 1,300-yr-old ancient temples at Ashapuri village near Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh. Ashapuri village is located around 36 kms from Bhopal. The debris of the temple seems to be massive in which the Bhootnath temple was the biggest. The archeologists have named this excavation project as ‘Bhootnath Temple’ series. Built on the banks of once sparkling lake, the temple – dedicated to Lord Vishnu – was built by rulers of ancient time.

“We have found ruins of the temples dating back to 1,300 years, even before the Parmar dynasty. Before the Parmar dynasty there were rulers of Pratihar dynasty in this area. They were succeeded by Parmar dynasty. Pratihar dynasty rulers constructed temples with steeple-shaped structure. These temples were large and beautiful,” said Ashok Das, Commissioner, Madhya Pradesh Archeological Survey of India.

“The 21 temples you can see here were made during the Pratihar rule. The largest temple whose cleaniliness is yet to be done might have been made by the Parmar dynasty,” he added.

6. NANAJI A ROLE MODEL FOR PEOPLE IN POLITICS-LK ADVANI: "When people see the life and ideals of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh workers like Nanaji Deshmukh and Deendayalji, they wonder. They are role models for the people working in political field. Nanaji resolved to quit politics at the age of 60 and he did it. Nobody had told him to do it. After that whatever work he did in his life he took it to new heights of success. The work of rural development, self-reliance, education, health, sanitation, and many other activities that we see through Deendayal Research Institute is due to the sole efforts of Nanaji. He was a rare person with extraordinary qualities," said senior BJP leader Shri LK Advani. He was releasing a pictorial book on Nanaji Deshmukh, Rashtra Rishi Nanaji, on his 94th birth anniversary in New Delhi on October 10. The book has been published by the Culture Department of Madhya Pradesh Government. There are 15 chapters in the book and 14 inspiring letters of Nanaji have also been accommodated in it. These letters explain the thinking and vision of Nanaji very well.

7. HUGE OFBJP RALLY IN WASHINGTON DC: A huge gathering of over 500 young displaced Kashmiri Hindu children led a huge demonstration organised by Overseas Friends of Bharatiya Janata Party (OFBJP) outside Bharatiya Embassy in Washington DC on October 2, 2010 to protest the Islamic terror in autonomy to Kashmir. The children expressed their deep anguish at the continued neglect of their legitimate aspirations of dwelling in the land of their forefathers. These children born to the parents who were ruthlessly hounded out of Kashmir by the fundamentalist Islamic terrorists about 20 years ago, vociferously condemned the deprivation of their cultural roots, civilisational heritage, traditional practices and rituals; right to live in their ancestral homeland.

The demonstration also demanded that Government of Bharat secures full constitutional rights of Kashmiri minorities guaranteed by the Bharatiya Constitution. It also demanded that the minuscule minority of Kashmiri Hindus still in the valley be provided the much needed security.

8. WOMEN PRIESTS STEAL THE SHOW: The experiment of imparting purohit (priest) training to women by women wing of the VHP in Vidarbha has proved to be a big hit. The VHP had started this project in 2000 so that women can also perform religious rituals. The women responded well to the project. In order to unite them at one platform, a Women Purohit Sammelan was organised in Nagpur by the VHP. It was presided over by Smt Jaishree Jichkar, wife of noted Congress leader of Nagpur Shrikant Jichkar. A directory of women priests was also released at the Sammelan by the then Gouraksha Vibhag Pramukh of the VHP Shri Hukumachand Sanwala. Shri Ashok Singhal also blessed the Sammelan.

9. GANESH CHATURTHI CELEBRATION: PORT BLAIR, Andaman unit of Sewa Bharati celebrated Sree Ganesh Chaturthi form September 11 to 13. The festival was celebrated with great devotion. Special bhoj was served on September 11 and 12. On September 12, the children of Bal Smaskar Kendra of the Sewa Bharati participated in a speech addressing and Ganesh bhusa competition. Dr Prem Kishad was the chief guest. After the competition, all the children had prasad. On September 13, the visarjan of Ganpati was done.

10. DHAKA OKAYS CRUCIAL HIGHWAY LINK TO KOLKATA: In major development, Bharat’s eastern neighbour Bangladesh has finally agreed to start the construction of a highway that will not only provide transit facilities, ensuring easy movement of goods, but also drastically shorten the circuitous route — crucial from the military point of view — between northeastern states and the port city of Kolkata.

Sources said Bangladesh has promised to start the construction work in the next few weeks. The project — to be primarily financed by Bharat — is part of the larger Asian Highway network project connecting the Asian nations. Once ready, the highway will solve Bharat’s major problem of moving goods into northeastern states of Nagaland, Tripura, Mizoram and Manipur. At present, it can take up to five days for a truck from Kolkata to reach these areas, adding up to the costs besides the time delay. Similarly, the highway will give the northeastern states a better and a speedy access to the sea port.

11. VISHWA SANGH SHIBIR 2010: Vishwa Sangh Shibir ( VSS ), a gathering of overseas Hindus working to promote Hindu culture in various countries is held every 5 years. VSS 2010 is planned to be held at Pune from December 29 , 2010 to January 3 2011. About 550 delegates from 50 countries including workers, bhaginis ,and youth are expected to participate. The public concluding function will be held on January 2 in presence of RSS Sarsanghchalak Mohan ji Bhagwat.

Vishwa Adhyayan Kendra ( VAK ) Mumbai has also planned 6^th Lakshmanrao Bhide memorial lecture on January 7^th at Vidyanagari, Kalina. Dr.Mahesh Mehta, USA will deliver keynote address.

12. AYURVEDIC THERAPY MOST SOUGHT-AFTER AT KHEL GRAM: While the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee propagated the importance of the centuries-old Ayurvedic therapy, there was, however, shortage of Ayurved specialists in Khel Gram. It showed the Ayurved is gaining popularity among foreign players who have resorted to this ancient Bharatiya therapy to keep them fit.

All the practitioners underwent various tests prior to their deputation for the Commonwealth Games. They had also attended a five-day training session in Kerala by an expert team from Maulana Azad Medical College in Delhi. Ayurved was more popular among the gymnasts, cyclists, wrestlers and weightlifters.

13. SI UK DONATES KITCHEN IN KENYA : A nutrition kitchen has been constructed and handed over to Grogan ‘A’ school in Korogocho, Kenya on 26th September 2010. The school was established in 1992 with support from Action Aid. The main aim then was to give a chance to overage childrens acquire literacy and numeric skills. The main objectives being: To rehabilitate orphaned, destitute, and vulnerable Childrens in the area. Due to the high poverty levels, most parents are unable to contribute the monthly fee of 200/- Per pupil. The feeding programme that was started is on the verge of collapse as most parents are unable to contribute K Sh.10/- per day, towards its sustenance – buying of food, cooking oil, charcoal and other needs. A regular feeding programme will be started from the kitchen so as to maintain the pupils in the school and to eradicate illiteracy.

14. J&K INTEGRAL PART OF BHARAT: DEOBAND – Pointedly snubbing the separatists in the Kashmir Valley, who have often used Islam as a rallying point, the Darul Uloom Deoband, the spiritual headquarters of Sunni Islam, and its influential social front, Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind, affirmed on October 10, 2010 that Jammu and Kashmir was an integral part of Bharat. At a massive conclave called by the Jamaat at the Deoband seminary campus, 150 km northeast of Delhi, the gathered clerics sent out a clear message that Kashmir’s unrest should not be exploited to fuel separatism.

15. HARVARD GETS BIGGEST INTERNATIONAL DONATION IN 102 YRS, FROM TATA GROUP: Bharat’s Tata Group has given a whopping $50 million to the prestigious Harvard Business School here to fund a new academic and residential building on its campus, the largest gift received by the institute from an international donor in its 102-year-old history.

The gift comes from Tata Companies, the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and the Tata Education and Development Trust, the philanthropic entities of the Group.

16. THE SILICON VALLEY BHARATIYA COMMUNITY SAYS ‘NO’ TO UPA EFFORTS ON COMPROMISE OF AFSPA: In show of solidarity with displaced Kashmiri Hindus, a multitude of organisations came together on October 3, 2010 at Fremont CA Hindu Temple to resolve to send memorandum to the Government of Bharat to take a tough stand against terrorist elements in J & K and to assure that Bharat does not dilute its stand on AFSPA.

Representatives like Moti Parimoo, Gaurang Desai and Rajesh Verma spoke on ways and means of taking action from US. Other prominent persons including Bansi Tikoo, Sandeep Dhedge, Manorama Joshi, Dinesh Neelaver also actively participated in the event.

17. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Dr.Shankar Tatwawadi, samyojak, Vishwa Vibhag is on a tour to Kenya and Uganda. Shri Ravikumar, sah samyojak , returned Bharat after his visit to Chile, Argentina, Australia & HongKong. Visitors: Smt. Usha and Shri Devendra Chand, UK.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:

O Goddess Mahalakshmi,

Who bestows complete attainment (siddhi) and wisdom,

Who bestows salvation and luxuries in our life and

Who is pure like mantra ; Salutations to You.

-Mahalakshmi Stotra

JAI SHREE RAM

DECONSTRUCTING THE VERDICT

Adv. Bhupendra Yadav

After examining the conclusions of the judgement of Honourable judges the following facts are undisputed that Ayodhya is a sacred place where Bhagwan Sri Ram was born and the place under litigation is the birthplace of Bhagwan Sri Ram. It is also confirmed that the mosque was constructed on structure of old Hindu temples.

THE Lucknow Bench of Allahabad High Court gave a historical verdict on Sri Ramjanmabhoomi case on September 30, 2010. It was unanimously accepted by the Bench that the disputed place is birthplace of Sri Ram. It is a historical battle being fought for the last more than 450 years. As the present legal case is concerned it was going on for the last 60 years.

In this legal battle, four suits were decided and judgement was pronounced by the honourable High Court. The relevant issue before the High Court was that is the property in suit, the site of Janmabhoomi of Sri Ramchandraji? Have the Hindus been worshipping the place in dispute as Sri Ramjamnabhoomi or Janmasthan and have been visiting it as a sacred place of pilgrimage as of right since time immemorial? Have the Muslims been in possession of the property in suit from 1528 AD continuously, openly and to the knowledge of defendants and Hindus in general? Whether even after construction of the building in suit deities of Bhagwan Sri Ram Virajman and Sthan Sri Ramjanmabhoomi continued to exist on the property of the suit? Whether any portion of property in suit was used as a place of worship by Hindus immediately prior to the construction of building in question? If the finding is in the affirmative, whether no mosque could come into existence in view of the Islamic tenets at the place in dispute? Whether the premises in question or any part thereof is by tradition, belief and faith the birthplace of Sri Ram? These were the important questions before the High Court to come on the conclusion. Apart from these questions there were other questions, belonging to principle of res-judicita, estopple, limitation, adverse possession also pending before the court. Some of the questions were unanimously answered by the judges in their different judgements. Justice SU Khan who held on the question that the mosque was constructed in 1528 by Babar, stated: "It is not proved by the direct evidence that premises in dispute including constructed portion belongs to Babar or the person who constructed the mosque or whose under it was constructed."

Justice Dharmavir Sharma took a clear stand that the mosque was constructed by the Babar after the demolition of Hindu structure and he affirmed the ASI report. Justice Sudhir Agrawal also affirmed that the ASI report established that prior to 1528 the temple existed.

Justice SU Khan gave a finding that "mosque was constructed over the ruins of temples which were lying in utter ruins since a very long time before the construction of mosque and some material thereof was used in the construction of the mosque." But the question before the bench was that is this the same place which the Hindus believe Janmabhoomi of Bhagwan Ram.

Justice SU Khan held in his gist of findings "that for a very long time till the construction of the mosque it was treated/believed by Hindus that somewhere in a large area of which premises in dispute is a very small part birth place of Lord Ram was situated, however, the belief did not relate to any specified small area within that bigger area specifically the premises in dispute." "That for some decades before 1949 Hindus started treating/believing the place beneath the central dome of mosque (where at present makeshift temple stands) to be exact birthplace of Lord Ram."

Justice Sudhir Agrawal mentions in his findings that "it is declared that the area covered by the central dome of the three domed structure, i.e. the disputed structure being the deity of Bhagwan Ram Janmasthan and place of birth of Lord Rama as per faith and belief of the Hindus, belong to plaintiffs (Suit-5) and shall not be obstructed or interfered in any manner by the defendants."

However Justice SU Khan and Justice Sudhir Agrawal held that the portion of the land will be divided into three parts. Justice SU Khan held "that in view of the above both the parties are declared to be joint title holders in possession of the entire premises in dispute and a preliminary decree to that effect is passed with the condition that at the time of actual partition by metes and bounds at the stage of preparation of final decree the portion beneath the central dome where at present makeshift temple stands will be allotted to the share of the Hindus."

Justice Sudhir Agrawal held in his findings the direction for division of land is "the area within the inner courtyard denoted by letters B C D L K J H G in Appendix 7 (excluding (i) above) belong to members of both the communities, i.e. Hindus (here plaintiffs, Suit 5) and Muslims since it was being used by both since decades and centuries. It is however, made clear that for the purpose of share of plaintiffs, Suit 5 under this direction the area which is covered by (i) above shall also be included.

"The area covered by the structure, namely, Ram Chabutra, (EE FF GG HH in Appendix 7) Sita Rasoi (MM NN OO PP in Appendix 7) and Bhandar (II JJ KK LL in Appendix 7) in the outer courtyard is declared in the share of Nirmohi Akhara (defendant no. 3) and they shall be entitled to possession thereof in the absence of any person with better title.

"The open area within the outer courtyard (A G H J K L E F in Appendix 7) (except that covered by (iii) above) shall be shared by Nirmohi Akhara (defendant no. 3) and plaintiffs (Suit 5) since it has been generally used by the Hindu people for worship at both places.

"It is however made clear that the share of Muslim parties shall not be less than one third (1/3) of the total area of the premises and if necessary it may be given some area of outer courtyard. It is also made clear that while making partition by metes and bounds, if some minor adjustments are to be made with respect to the share of different parties, the affected party may be compensated by allotting the requisite land from the area which is under acquisition of the Government of India.

"The land which is available with the Government of India acquired under Ayodhya Act 1993 for providing it to the parties who are successful in the suit for better enjoyment of the property shall be made available to the above concerned parties in such manner so that all the three parties may utilise the area to which they are entitled to, by having separate entry for egress and ingress of the people without disturbing each others rights. For this purpose the concerned parties may approach the Government of India who shall act in accordance with the above directions and also as contained in the judgement of Apex Court in Dr. Ismail Farooqi (Supra)."

After examining the conclusions of the judgement of Honourable judges the following facts are undisputed that Ayodhya is a sacred place where Bhagwan Sri Ram was born and the place under litigation is the birthplace of Bhagwan Ram. It is also confirmed that the mosque was constructed on structure of old Hindu temples.

It was widely published after the judgement that this judgement considered only the question of faith which is not correct. The honourable judges came on the conclusion after considering the classical texts, oral evidences, documentary evidences, travellers reports, excavations by Archaeological Survey of India, relevant case laws, GPRS survey conducted by the scientific international institution and other relevant materials. The judgement came after the critical examination of the documents. It is a fact that there are numerous accounts which clearly prove that the Hindus continue to worship Sri Ramjanmabhoomi as holy and sacred after the disputed structure was constructed on it. These documents are by foreign travellers and British officials who were shocked to see the continued struggle Hindus waged to recover their holy place. In this connection the account of Joseph Tieffenthaler during his visit to India in the 18th century is of the great significance.

This judgement has virtually opened the door to all Bharatiyas to construct a magnificent temple of Sri Ram. Bhagwan Ram represents civilisation of this country. His compassion, ethics, and rule of law is a parameter to a welfare state which we call Ramrajya. The judgement provides an opportunity to all communities to come forward and unitedly work for a strong Bharat. (The writer is an advocate in Supreme Court of India) Organiser October10,2010

MALIGNING THE RSS

Rahul Gandhi should have known better

It is shocking, to say the least, that the Congress general secretary should have equated the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh to the Students’ Islamic Movement of India during a Press conference in Bhopal on Wednesday. It was a gratuitous comment that need not have been made or elaborated upon; the heir apparent to the masnad of Delhi should have known better than to say, “I know only that both SIMI and the RSS are fanatical and hold fundamentalist views.” By saying so, he has placed on display his appalling ignorance of both organisations as also of the nation’s history and its current affairs. Irrespective of whether or not one subscribes to the RSS’s philosophy or worldview, few would make bold to suggest that it is an organisation wedded to anti-national activities. Close to a century its pracharaks and cadre have dedicated their lives to the service of the nation and its people. Whenever and wherever there has been a natural disaster, the RSS’s cadre have waded in to assist the civil administration, most recently in the aftermath of the super-cyclone in Odisha. It was the RSS that sent in its cadre to salvage the bodies of victims after two planes collided mid-air a short distance from Delhi: All the dead were Muslims. In remote areas and dense forests where the Government is yet to send in its officials, the RSS runs schools and development programmes for tribals. Despite its track record, the RSS continues to be vilified and maligned by pseudo-secularists: It has been banned thrice since independence, but on each occasion the ban had to be lifted as it failed to pass judicial scrutiny. But these details are obviously unknown to Mr Rahul Gandhi; he is equally unaware of the fact that his great grandfather invited the RSS to participate in the Republic Day parade of 1963 for its unstinted assistance to the Government during the 1962 war with China. No other non-Government organisation has been extended this privilege. In sharp contrast, SIMI has been banned for its role in seditious and terrorist activities; many of its members are in jail. Further comment is not needed. (Excerpts from Editorial, the Pioneer dated October 8, 2010)

INTEGRAL TO CULTURE

Don't let India's languages die

The discovery of a new language in Arunachal Pradesh by a National Geographic team of linguists is both good and bad news. The good news is that it opens a new door for experts to further understand the cultural heritage of the region and the country. The bad news is that the language is spoken by less than a thousand people and is severely endangered. It is a stroke of luck that the team stumbled upon the language; had it arrived some years later the language might have been wiped away. There is now a chance, even if slim, that Koro, as it is known, may be preserved and promoted through the initiatives of academics, including the team members. This will take some effort because Koro is not even a written language, but one can expect the linguists to at least take sincere steps in saving this invaluable piece of our cultural legacy. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of the Union Government, which has demonstrated total indifference to the plight of 200 other Indian languages that are in various stages of extinction. When the UNESCO’s Atlas of World Languages in Danger, that listed the endangered Indian languages, was brought to the Ministry of Human Resource Development’s notice, it had brushed it aside, saying they were not even recognised as languages in the Census of India report. The Ministry’s claim was off the mark since the atlas mentioned the 2001 Census numbers for several of the endangered languages like Deori, Kinnauri, Godabov and Bhadravahi. The Indian languages in the ‘danger zone’ are spread across the country, from the far north in Jammu & Kashmir to Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh as well as Assam and Manipur in the North-East. What is even more shocking is that despite having the Census figures for these languages that showed the high levels of endangerment, the Government has done precious little to keep them alive.

The Ministry has been content with passing the buck to the Mysore-based Central Institute of Indian Languages, claiming the institute was engaged in documenting and digitally recording several of the imperilled languages. But clearly little is happening in reality because the languages are dying. The UNESCO atlas listed 82 languages as vulnerable, 41 critically endangered and 62 as definitely endangered. There is continuing drop in the usage of these languages and the fear is that, with the passing of the older generation that is keeping them alive, the languages will die. And it is not just languages with speakers who can be counted on finger-tips that face extinction, but the relatively well-off ones too. For instance, although Kolami is spoken by more than 1,00,000 people in the Dravidian belt, it is slowly dying with each new generation. Experts believe that in the immediate decades from now, there could be only a few thousand Kolami speakers left. Since these ancient languages are now less a means of communication and more a link to our cultural history, the Ministry of Culture should step forward for their preservation. Not to do so would amount to disowning our past. (Editorial, the Pioneer, October 18, 2010)