Phalgun Shukla 3,Vik.Samvat 2073,Yugabda 5118: March 1, 2017


SAMVAD

Phalgun Shukla 3,Vik.Samvat 2073,Yugabda 5118: 1 March 2017


1. FESTIVALS: Varsha Pratipada

2. RASHTRAPATI PRANAB MUKHERJEE INAUGRATES 3 DAY INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 'BHARAT BODH'

3. UNVEILING 112 FEET TALL STATUE OF LORD SHIVA PM MODI SAID 'YOGA IS A JOURNEY FROM ME TO WE' 4. 'GOOD WORK BY RSS HAS SPIRIT OF HEDGEWAR'
5. HINDU PILGRIMS CELEBRATE SHIVARATRI AT KATAS RAJ 6. KASHMIRI PANDITS CELEBRATED HAIRATH
7. CHINA PRAISES ISRO'S RECORD LAUNCH OF 104 SATELLITES 8. GUDIBANDA RAM MANDIR - A CONFLUENCE OF VANAVASI & NAGARVASI MAHILA
9. THE LEGENDARY AWARDS 2017 GOES TO THE NIGHTINGALE OF BHARAT LATA MANGESHKAR 10. HERITAGE-LISTED SHRI GANESHA HINDU TEMPLE IN OAKLANDS PARK GETS GREEN LIGHT FOR EXPANSION
11. PAKISTAN SENATE PASSES LANDMARK HINDU MARRIAGE BILL 12. SIKH MAN ALLOWED TO WEAR KIRPAN TO WORKPLACE IN UK
13. BHARATIYA NAVY INDUCTS INSV TARINI AND AN ALL-WOMEN CREW TO SAIL HER 14. BHARAT SHOULD'NT FOLLOW WESTERN ECONOMIC MODELS BLINDLY - HOSABALE
15. BHARAT'S FIRST FLOATING SCHOOL IN LOKTAK LAKE OF MANIPUR 16. KEERTAN DARBAR AT MUMBAI RAJBHAVAN:
17. OBITUARY: Senior RSS pracharak M C Jaydeo passed away  18. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN & FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Articles:

WHY IS IT ONLY HAPPENING IN KERALA AND FOR SO LONG?

PRIME MINISTER’S SPEECH AT UNVEILING OF 'ADIYOGI - THE SHIVA'


1. FESTIVALS: Varsha Pratipada, the first day of the Hindu year or the first day of universal creation, is celebrated with great devotion by every Hindu globally, although the ways of celebrating it differ from area to area. It falls on Chaitra Shukla 1, 28th March this year. Navaratra, the nine nights of Durga worship start on this day in most parts of Bharat. Bhagwan Ram was born on ninth day of Navaratras and it is celebrated as RamNavami. In Maharashtra, the day is celebrated as Gudi Padwa. Neem leaves and jaggery are distributed on the day. Kashmiris observe it as Navreh while Sindhis celebrate it as Cheti Chand. In Andhra Pradesh it is celebrated as Ugadi. Many Hindus observe fast on all the days of Navaratras.

The day has special significance for the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh swayamsevaks as the RSS founder Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar was born on this day in 1989. This is the first of the six Sangh festivals and Adya Sarsanghchalak Pranam is offered on all the Sangh shakhas before putting up Dhwaja on this day. -goTop

 

2. RASHTRAPATI PRANAB MUKHERJEE INAUGRATES 3 DAY INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 'BHARAT BODH': Rashtrapati Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated 3-day International Conference Bharat Bodh - Idea Of Bharat organized by Bharatiya Shikshan Mandal on February 23 at Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) Auditorium in New Delhi. In his inaugural speech, Rashtrapatiji said "Bharat is a land of discovery of Humanity. Bharat is a great land of history and traditions. People of all major faiths, all major religions, various ethnic groups, different languages are living under one constitution and one flag itself is the Bharatiyatva. Here diversity finds unity". Union Minister for human resource development Prakash Javadekar said "knowledge traditions of Bharat should be taught at class 9-12 students. That will be real Bharat Bodh." RSS Sahsarakaryavah Suresh Soni in his keynote address said ‘Samarasya and Sahayog are the fundamental values of our family. Man lives in such a family environment, practices these values. Also, he considers entire Society as a family, then nation as a family and finally world as a family that is the concept of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. Economist Dr Subramanian Swamy, Dr Debashish Chatterjee, Swami Chidrupananda and a host of other scholars addressed the Idea of Bharat Conference in the evening sessions. -goTop

 

3. UNVEILING  112  FEET TALL STATUE OF  LORD  SHIVA  PM  MODI  SAID  'YOGA IS A JOURNEY FROM ME TO WE': Highlighting the importance of Yoga, Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi encouraged everyone to create a new yuga which will bind us together through Yoga. On February 24, Pradhan Mantri unveiled 112 feet tall statue of Lord Shiva- Adiyogi at Isha Yoga Foundation in Coimbatore on the special occasion of Mahashivratri. -goTop

 

4. 'GOOD WORK BY RSS HAS SPIRIT OF HEDGEWAR': "Dr Hedgewar started Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) with an aim to help society through social work. Any social work done by individuals of RSS has the spirit of Dr Hedgewar," said Sarsanghachalak Dr Mohan Bhagwat, at the inauguration of Dr Hedgewar Blood Bank in Nagpur, on February 22.

Bhagwat said, "In the beginning, RSS was a small organization but its aim was big. So, we thrived across the country by helping society through our work."  Several karyakartas were felicitated at the event for their extraordinary work in building of the blood bank. -goTop

 

5. HINDU PILGRIMS CELEBRATE SHIVARATRI AT KATAS RAJ: 180 pilgrims from various parts of Bharat went on a week-long visit to Pakistan to celebrate Maha Shivaratri. The pilgrims bathed in the holy pond, and worshipped at Katasraj. Recitations were made from the Holy Geeta and Holy Quran, and the pilgrims were gifted large, framed prints of the Katas Raj temples, while the pilgrims presented framed photographs of the Kaaba to their hosts.
The leader of the pilgrims' caravan, Shiv Partab Bajaj, who was born in Multan, said, "After partition, the first caravan came to Katas Raj in 1982, which had twenty pilgrims including myself. At that time the situation at Katas Raj was not developed. But now its face has been changed." -goTop

 

6. KASHMIRI PANDITS CELEBRATED HAIRATH, as Shivratri is known in J&K, with religious fervour and devotion on February 24. The festival is celebrated by Kashmiri pandits for a fortnight in the month of Phalguna with all religious rituals as described in Shaivism scriptures. Mukhya Mantri Mehbooba Mufti greeted the people of the state on the auspicious festival of Mahashivratri and hoped that the auspicious day would usher in an era of peace and development in J&K and strengthen bonds of brotherhood among the people of the state. -goTop


7. CHINA PRAISES ISRO'S RECORD LAUNCH OF 104 SATELLITES: Zhang Yonghe, Director of the Technology Department of the Shanghai Engineering Centre for Microsatellites, said, "The launch indicated that Bharat can send commercial satellites into space at lower costs, giving the country's competitiveness in the global race for the burgeoning commercial space businesses."

He also added that compared to China, Bharat has done a far better job at promoting its launches internationally. "China will likely fast-track the commercialization of its rocket launches to vie for the world's burgeoning small satellite launch market," he said. -goTop

 

8. GUDIBANDA RAM MANDIR - A CONFLUENCE OF VANAVASI & NAGARVASI MAHILA: The journey of Bhagyangar Sambhag, (Hyderabad and Secunderabad )  Vanavasi Kalyan Parishat (VKP) Mahila team started four years ago, when they took up the responsibility for running the expenses of 'Mallikarjuna Vidyarthi Nilayam'  a hostel for Vanvasi children at Achampet in Nagar Kurnool district of  Telangana. The hostel is run for Chenchu children. As an extension to the work, they adopted a village, Gudibanda, about 12 kms from the Achampet hostel. This village is predominantly inhabited by the Chenchus. This tribe connects their ancestory to Chenchu Lakshmi, the consort of Lord Narasimha.

Due to the work of Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram in that area, some of the villagers were already aware of the organization. Well meaning people joined the mission. During the course, BrahmaSri Narendra Kaapre Guruji , a renowned Veda pandit joined the mission. VKP team organised a Ram Katha in one of the mahila karyakartas house in Bhagyanagar between 25th to 31st December. The idea was to create awareness regarding the mission for Rama mandir at Gudibanda through the Rama katha. Close to 300 people attended this program. On 26th Jan 2017, Bharat maata puja was organised at Gudibanda. Later the villagers went to 10 nearby villages for bhikshaatan between 26th Jan to 2nd Feb 2017. They collected rice, daal, tamarind, sugar, oil and other items for prasaad. The city mahilas collected puja samagri.

From 2nd Feb onwards, Akhand Rama Naama sankeerthan began.The role played by the Veda pandits who came was note mentioning as they lived in the hostel of the Chenchu children and lived among the villagers for 5 days to connect to them.

A few months ago, the fund was also collected for a flour mill. It was donated to the village. The 50% of profit from the flour mill will go to the temple and utilised for the benefit of the village.

Over 1000 people participated in the celebrations for over three days from nearby villages. 20 families attended the celebrations from Bhagyanagar. -goTop

 

9. THE LEGENDARY AWARDS 2017 GOES TO THE NIGHTINGALE OF BHARAT LATA MANGESHKAR: Lata Mangeshkar has been honored with 'The Legendary Award' from 'The Brand Laurete', which is recognized as one of the world-class achievement in branding amongst individuals and companies. She thanked 'The Brand Laurete', her well-wishers and fans by saying that "I have lived through a gratifying career for which I am and will always remain in deep gratitude to all my well wishers." Earlier Shah Rukh Khan was honored with the Legendary Award, also South African president Nelson Mandela, Nobel Laureate Mohammad Yunus, Bharatiya businessman Ratan Tata, late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, Facebook CEO Marck Zuckerburg and F1 ace Michael Schumacher have been honored with the Legendary Award for their excellence they endeavor. Now, Lata Mangeshkar joins the list.  -goTop

 

10. HERITAGE-LISTED SHRI GANESHA HINDU TEMPLE IN OAKLANDS PARK GETS GREEN LIGHT FOR EXPANSION: The Shri Ganesha Temple in Oaklands Park has been given the go-ahead to start work on a $420,000 expansion. Hindu Society of SA (South Australia) president Siva Selva said that the work would start in September or October on a redevelopment of the Dwyer Rd site. The plans of the temple include building a new outdoor cooking area, expanding an auditorium and extending a hall and dining room. Mr Selva said the works would allow the temple to host extra language and cultural classes, and provide a more comfortable place for the community to meet. -goTop

 

11. PAKISTAN SENATE PASSES LANDMARK HINDU MARRIAGE BILL: The much-awaited landmark bill to regulate marriages of minority Hindus in Pakistan is set to become a law with the Senate unanimously passing it. The Hindu Marriage Bill 2017, which is the first elaborate Hindu community's personal law, was adopted by the Senate on February 17.The bill had already been approved by the lower house or the National Assembly on September 26, 2015, and it now just needs signature of the President, a mere formality, to become a law. It is reported that the bill is widely acceptable to Hindus living in Pakistan because it relates to marriage, registration of marriage, separation and remarriage, with the minimum age of marriage set at 18 years for both boys and girls. It will be the first personal law for Pakistani Hindus, applicable in Punjab, Baluchistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces. The Sindh province has already formulated its own Hindu Marriage Law. -goTop

 

12. SIKH MAN ALLOWED TO WEAR KIRPAN TO WORKPLACE IN UK: A British Sikh man, working at an international telecom firm in the UK, has been given permission to wear kirpan to the workplace after initially being refused. The Sikh Council, among the largest representative bodies for the Sikhs in the UK, had intervened on behalf of the unnamed worker to explain the Sikh articles of faith following which the employer conceded and has since adopted a policy permitting the individual to wear his kirpan in the workplace.

"It is unfortunate that cases such as these still occur too often for our liking, especially in large multi-national organizations. However, we are pleased with the outcomes in these cases, which has meant these Sikhs are now able to practice their faith whilst at work," said Jagtar Singh, secretary-general elect of the council. -goTop

 

13. BHARATIYA NAVY INDUCTS INSV TARINI AND AN ALL-WOMEN CREW TO SAIL HER: The Bharatiya Navy's second sailboat, INSV Tarini, was inducted into service on February 18 and will be sailed by an all-women crew. The "First Indian All Women Circumnavigation of the Globe" is slated to begin in August 2017, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sunil Lamba said at the ceremony.

The team carrying out the expedition has covered a voyage from Bharat to Mauritius and back, and Goa to Cape Town "braving through rough monsoon seas and heavy winds", the navy said in a statement. -goTop

 

14. BHARAT SHOULD'NT FOLLOW WESTERN ECONOMIC MODELS BLINDLY' - HOSABALE: "Bharat is growing through its governance and policies and Indian economic and social developments are shaping up on the global variables, we should not leave the cultural and social values in our development agenda", said RSS Sah Sarkaryavah Dattatreya Hosabale while delivering the inaugural address of the first National Economic Conclave organized by India Policy Foundation in Delhi on 17th  February.

Others who spoke in various sessions included noted economist Prof Bharat Jhunjhunwala, Prof Rakesh Sinha, Director of IPF, Gopal Krishna Agarwal, Conclave convener and BJP Economic Cell convener etc. -goTop

 

15.  BHARAT'S FIRST FLOATING SCHOOL IN LOKTAK LAKE OF MANIPUR:  Bharat just opened the first school of its kind that floats proudly on Loktak Lake in Manipur. Manipur now becomes the home to a unique school that will be seen floating on the largest freshwater lake in the northeast, the Loktak Lake. The floating elementary school aims at providing education to dropouts who became homeless during the recent evacuation of phumdis or circular floating swamps.

The school opened to the locals earlier this month and was inaugurated at Langolsabi Leikai of Champu Khangpok village. The school is part of the initiative by All Loktak Lake Fisherman's Union in association with an NGO called People Resources Development Association (PRDA). -goTop

 

16. KEERTAN DARBAR AT MUMBAI RAJBHAVAN: Maharashtra Governor Shri C Vidyasagar Rao on February 20 organized a Keertan Darbar at the Rajbhavan in connection with the 350th birth anniversary celebration of Guru Gobind Singh Maharaj. Shri Rao urged the countrymen to imbibe the teachings of Guruji and

follow them in practical life. Former President of Bharat Smt Pratibha Patil, Sikh Sangat general secretary Avinash Jaiswal , Dr Avatar Singh Shastry and many other distinguished people were also present on the occasion. -goTop

   

17. OBITUARY: Senior RSS pracharak M C Jaydeo passed away at Bengaluru on 20th February due to age related ailments. He was a member, Akhil Bhartiya karyakarini of RSS, kshetra pracharak for Dakshin Kshetra and has been instrumental shaping various institutions like Rashtrotthana Parishad in Karnataka.  Shri Rambhau Haldekar, another veteran pracharak passed away at Bhagyanagar on 23rd February after prolonged illness. Hailing from Marathwada in erstwhile Nizam state, he served as pracharak for many years in Andhra region and was inspiration to many senior karyakartas of today. Dr K P Hardas, a senior swayamsevak from Nagpur who was a prominent figure among Hindu society in UK and has pioneered the work of Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh in UK breathed his last on 27th February at Nagpur. -goTop

   

18.  SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Shri Saumitra Gokhale , samyojak Vishwa Vibhag will reach Bharat for Akhil Bharatiya pratinidhi sabha baithak. Dr Ram Vaidya, sahsamyojak will also reach Bharat. Dr Sadanand Sapre, sahsamyojak will return from his tour to Singapore.

Visitors: Sunil Dahiya - Singapore, Dr Manohar Shinde - USA

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: The greatest comforts and lasting peace are obtained, when one eradicates selfishness from within. - Guru Gobind Singh -goTop 

JAI SHREE RAM

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PRIME MINISTER’S SPEECH AT UNVEILING OF 'ADIYOGI - THE SHIVA'

My loving greetings to all.

It is my honour to be here, in this august gathering.

That too, on the auspicious occasion of Maha-Shivratri.

There are many festivals, but this one is pre-fixed with "Maha."

Indeed, there are many Devs, but only one Maha-Dev.

There are many Mantras, but the Mantra which is identified with Lord Shiva, is called Maha-Mrityunjayi Mantra.

Such is the glory of Lord Shiva.

Maha-Shivratri symbolizes a union of divinity with a purpose, of overcoming darkness and injustice.

It inspires us to be courageous and fight for good.

It marks the shift of seasons, from the cold to the lively spring and brightness.

Maha-Shivratri celebrations go on for the entire night. This symbolizes a spirit of vigilance- that we have to protect nature and mould our activities in sync with our ecological surroundings.

My home state, Gujarat is the land of Somnath. The call of the people and the longing for service took me to Kashi, the land of Vishwanath.

From Somnath to Vishwanath, from Kedarnath to Rameshwaram and from Kashi to Coimbatore where we have gathered, Lord Shiva is everywhere.

Like crores of Indians across the length and breadth of the nation, I too feel delighted to be a part of celebrations of Maha-Shivratri.

And we are merely drops in the ocean.

Through centuries, there have lived countless devotees, in every age and time.

They came from different places.

Their language may have been different but their longing for the divine is always the same.

This longing throbs in the core of every human heart. Their poetry, their music, their love has soaked the very earth.

Standing here before this 112-feet face of Adiyogi and the Yogeshwar Linga, we are experiencing a colossal presence enveloping everyone in this space.

In the times to come, the place where we have gathered is going to be a source of inspiration for all, a place to immerse one's self and discover truth.

ये स्‍थान सबको शिवमय होने के लिए प्रेरित करता रहेगा'It will remind us of the inclusive spirit of Lord Shiva.

Today, Yoga has come a long way.

There are various definitions, types, schools of Yoga and ways to practice Yoga that have emerged.

This is the beauty of Yoga- it is ancient, yet modern, it is constant, yet evolving.

The essence of Yoga has not changed. 

And I say this because it is of utmost importance to preserve this essence.

Otherwise, we may just have to discover a new Yoga to re-discover the soul and essence of Yoga.

Yoga is the catalytic agent, ushering the transformation from Jiva to Shiva.

हमारे यहां कहा गया है यत्र जीव: तत्र शिव:

जीव से शिव की यात्रा, यही तो योग है।

By practicing Yoga, a spirit of oneness is created – oneness of the mind, body and the intellect.

Oneness with our families, with the society we live in, with fellow humans, with all the birds, animals and trees with whom we share our beautiful planet…this is Yoga.

Yoga is the journey from 'me' to 'we.'

व्‍यक्ति से समस्‍ती तक ये यात्रा है। मैं से हम तक की यह अनुभूति, अहम से वयम तक का यह भाव-विस्‍तार, यही तो योग है।

India is a land of unparalleled diversity. India's diversity can be seen, heard, felt, touched and tasted.

The diversity has been India's greatest strength and has also brought India together.

Think of Lord Shiva and the picture that comes to mind is that of his majestic presence at Mount Kailash, in the mighty Himalayas. Think of Goddess Parvati and you remember the beautiful Kanyakumari, which is surrounded by the vast oceans. The union of Shiva and Parvati is a union of the Himalayas with the oceans.

Shiv and Parvati… this is by itself a message of oneness.

And look at how this message of oneness further manifests itself:

Around the neck of Lord Shiva, there is a snake. The 'Vahan' of Lord Ganesh is the mouse. We are well aware of the frosty relations between a snake and a mouse. Yet, they live together.

Similarly, the 'Vahan' of Kartikeya is the peacock. Peacocks and snakes are supposed to harbor great enmity. Even then, they live together.

The family of Lord Shiva is diverse yet the spirit of harmony and unity is vibrant.

Diversity is not a cause of conflict for us. We accept it and embrace it whole heartedly.

It is a speciality of our culture that wherever there is a God or Goddess, there is either an animal, a bird or a tree that is associated with him or her.

That animal, bird or tree is also worshipped with the same spirit as the God or Goddess. There cannot be a better means to inculcate a spirit of reverence for nature. Nature equals to God, this has been firmly established by our ancestors, showing their foresight.

Our scriptures say: एकं सत्, विप्रा: बहुधा वदन्ति

Truth is one, sages call it by different names.

We have been living these virtues since our childhood and that is why compassion, kindness, brotherhood and harmony are naturally a part of us. 

These are values we have seen our ancestors live and die for. These are virtues that have kept the Indian civilization alive for centuries.

Our mind should always be open to new thoughts and ideas from all sides. Unfortunately, there are a select few, who in order to hide their own ignorance, take a very rigid view and destroy any scope of welcoming new thoughts and experiences.

Rejecting an idea just because it is ancient can be potentially harmful. It is essential to analyse it, understand it and try to take it to the new generation in a manner in which they understand best.

The progress of humanity is incomplete without the empowerment of women. The issue is no longer women development but it is women-led development.

I am proud of the fact that in our culture the role of women is central.

Our culture has so many Goddesses who are worshipped.

India is home to many women saints, who led the movements for social reform be it in the north, south, east or west.

They shattered stereotypes, broke barriers and became trendsetters.

You would be interested to know, that in India we sayनारी तू नारायणी, नारी तू नारायणी - woman is a manifestation of the divine. लेकिन पुरुष के लिए क्‍या कहते हैं, for man we say नर तू करनी करे तो नारायण हो जाए - if a man does good deeds, he will attain divinity.

Do you see the difference- the divine status of the woman is unconditional Women unconditional नारी तू नारायणी whereas for men, it is conditional. He can earn it after good deeds.

That is also why perhaps Sadhguru insists that one takes the oath of being a mother to the world. A mother is someone who is unconditionally inclusive.

The changing lifestyles of the 21st century have brought their own set of challenges.

Lifestyle related ailments, stress related diseases are becoming more and more common. The communicable ailments can be controlled but what about the non-communicable ones?

It gives me immense sadness, one that I cannot describe in words, when I read about people taking to substance abuse and alcohol because they are not at peace with themselves.

Today, the whole world wants peace, not just peace from wars and conflict but peace of the mind.

The burden of stress takes a heavy toll and one of the sharpest weapons to overcome stress is Yoga.

There is ample evidence that practicing yoga helps combat stress and chronic conditions. If the body is a temple of the mind, yoga creates a beautiful temple.

That is why I call Yoga a passport to health assurance. More than being a cure to ailments, it is a means to wellness.

Yoga is about Rog Mukti (freedom from diseases) as well as Bhog Mukti (desisting from worldly greed).

Yoga makes the individual a better person in thought, action, knowledge and devotion.

It would be very unfair to see Yoga only as a set of exercises that keeps the body fit.

You may see people twist and turn their bodies in many sorts of fashion. But they are not all yogis.

Yoga is far beyond physical exercises.

Through Yoga, we will create a new Yuga - a Yuga of togetherness and harmony.

When India mooted the idea of the International Yoga Day at the United Nations, it was received with open arms.

The world celebrated both the Yoga Days, 21st June 2015 and 2016 with great fervour.

Be it Korea or Canada, Sweden or South Africa- in every part of the world the rays of the sun were welcomed by Yogis, engaged in the practice of Yoga.

The coming together of so many nations to mark the International Day of Yoga illustrates the real essence of Yoga- togetherness.

Yoga has the potential to herald in a new Yuga (a new era)- a Yuga of peace, compassion, brotherhood and all-round progress of the human race.

One truly remarkable thing that Sadhguru has done is he has made yogis out of ordinary, common people. People who stay with their families and work in the world, but who are living at the peaks within themselves - undergoing intense and wonderful experiences on a daily basis. Wherever one is, in whatever situation one is placed, one can be a yogi.

I see so many radiant and joyous faces here. I see people working with utmost love and care, paying attention to the smallest of details. I see people full of energy and enthusiasm to offer themselves to a greater cause.

Adiyogi will inspire many generations to take up yoga. My gratitude to Sadhguru for bringing this to us.

Thank you. Thank you very much. प्रणाम वाण्कम  -goTop

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WHY IS IT ONLY HAPPENING IN KERALA AND FOR SO LONG?

Advaita Kala

In the past two weeks there have been two incidents of political violence in Kerala against RSS/BJP workers that have been bone chilling and deviated from the normal violence, brutal as it has been. In these two instances, all three victims have been killed in their homes. The home is no longer a sanctuary for political opponents in Kerala. This state facilitated politicide has a long history but it intensifies every time the CPM returns to power, its cadre, encouraged in speech and silence by the party leadership extracts revenge from all political opponents. There has been a tendency to frame this conversation in binaries, as one of CPM vs RSS and thereby provide some moral relativism to the issue, setting aside, hard facts and cold bodies, that attest to the fact that every political party faces the ire of "The Party" when it is in power, be it the Congress, PFI, BJP and even other dissenting communists. The numbers may vary but the oppression is consistent.

In a system where law and justice agencies are controlled by politicians, every trick is used to bend circumstances and reality to suit this murderous agenda. There are examples of when even party run co-operative banks are manipulated to pressurise survivors of violence from pursuing justice, if they have a loan pending. Every institution is used to perpetuate the silence and injustice in the face of daily terror. Furthermore, the relative silence of the media - in the state and at the national level has ensured that this rule of terror continues unabated and spared any censor. So compelling have these circumstances been that prime minister Modi, on the campaign trail in Kerala this past year for Sadanandan Master, a man whose legs were chopped off by CPM workers, asked the media in Delhi to wake up and report these incidents. For all the spin around a compromised media in the Modi era, his impassioned appeal had few takers.

The reason is obvious, seen as this is viewed only from the RSS/BJP vs CPM spectrum, these killings don't make news as they don't fit into the "fascist" narrative. Then there is the moral relativism, the absolving resignation of they are all killing each other. When I first became aware of the political violence in Kerala, I was amazed that it had existed for decades and yet was hardly ever spoken of. In the time I have pursued these stories, reached out to some to cover them, there has usually been resistance barring a few exceptions. No one wants to present all the dimensions of the conflict, even a non partisan perspective. I am asked why I speak of one side of the story. It is because this is the side that has faced unceasing brutalisation, never had access to political power in a deeply politicised state, has not had access to justice and is characterised by the larger narrative as fascist and hence in a sense deserving of this savagery.

The silence, the need to ignore facts and perpetuate an image has caused far too many deaths. Where do fascists especially in power at the centre with an empowering mandate get butchered like this? How many states have the BJP in power? Is this the fate their political opponents meet in those states? Why is it only happening in Kerala and for so long? What ideology has perpetuated similar violence in Bengal, another state known for political violence? Most of the mass killings of the last century share which ideology in common? Even a brief study of political conflict in the 20th century provide this answer. Why is no one exploring these questions and calling it out? How do you undo decades of spin when even savagery and brutalised bodies are not enough? Who all have through the decades facilitated this metastasis and made retaliation the only form of defence? Why was Sanjay Kumar Gurudin, a tough cop and SP of Kannur who ran into trouble with the CPM (media reports) transferred? He had among other measures taken a tough stance on political violence. And post his transfer, almost immediately, Santosh a BJP worker who dared stand for a local body election was killed in his home in the chief minister's constituency in Kannur.

The CPM and the intellectual cabal that backs them look for fascist utterances in speeches and pages of books to make their case, what of the very real blood on the streets and on hands of ideological companions? Why must retaliation in a free, democratic India be a form of defence? All political violence must be condemned and censured, but to not identify the oppressors, the perpetrators, their presence in every conflict of this nature, be it in Bengal or Kerala, and the very real violence this ideology has inflicted on people the world over, is not merely intellectual dishonesty but also a moral failing. (http://www.haindavakeralam.com/why-it-only-happening-kerala-hk23425) -goTop


SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN vishwav@bol.net.in www.shrivishwaniketan.blogspot.com