HINDUTVA - Indian Social Institute

HINDUTVA
(January to December 2012)
VHP launches nation-wide agitation against reservation for Muslims (26)
Pune, Jan 2 : The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) today launched a nation-wide peaceful and democratic
agitation against 4.5 per cent reservation for Muslims within OBCs 27 per cent quota and demanded its
immediate withdrawal. Making an announcement of the nation-wide ‘Hindu Roti Bachaao’ agitation in a
press conference here, the right-wing outfit's International working president Dr Pravin Togadia claimed
that the government of India’s hurried move to give 4.5 per cent reservation to Muslims from the 27 per
cent reservation of poor Other Backward Classes as a blatant violation of the constitution and said it is
aimed at destroying the majority’s democratic rights. By giving 4.5 per cent quota to Muslims from 27 per
cent of OBCs, he said the government had snatched educational seats, jobs, bank loans and other
facilities which were meant entirely for the real deserving OBCs. It has to be stopped here, otherwise, it
will lead to giving of more reservations to minorities, Muslims and Christians, from the extremely
backward scheduled castes, he said and claimed that the reservation meant for scheduled tribes had
already been grabbed by Christians. For vote bank politics, the Congress-led government will make a
constitutional amendment and may give a separate reservation to Muslims because the country’s
constitution does not permit religion-based reservations, he pointed. Therefore, the VHP demands
immediate withdrawal of any quota given to minorities, Muslims and Christians, from any existing
reservations meant for OBCs, SCs, STs and NTs. Mr Togadia warned the government not to snatch
educational seats, jobs and bank loans among others either of these poor or of Hindus from open,
meritorious category. (UNI) (New Kerala 2/1/12)
MP Cow Progeny Slaughter Prevention Bill gets presidential nod (26)
BHOPAL: President Pratibha Patil has granted her assent to the long-pending Madhya Pradesh Cow
Progeny Slaughter Prevention (Amendment) Bill which proposes seven-year imprisonment for cow
slaughter. The Gau-Vansh Vadh Pratishedh (Sanshodhan) Vidheyak has received the Presidential
approval following which it has become an act and has subsequently been published in the extraordinary
gazette, an official release said today. In fulfillment of its commitment to protecting and conserving cow
progeny, the state government had passed the amendment bill in the state Assembly in 2010 to remove
the flaws in the Madhya Pradesh Gauvansh Pratishedh Adhiniyam 2004 (Madhya Pradesh Cow Progeny
Slaughter Prevention Regulation), the release said. The amendment act also obviated the difficulties and
to make the provisions more stringent. With the enforcement of the amended act, now the responsibility
of proving the prosecution wrong would lie with the accused in case of cow slaughter. Similarly, a guilty of
cow slaughter would be liable to imprisonment for seven years instead of present three years and a
minimum fine of Rs 5,000 which may be increased by the court. The amended act provides that no
person shall slaughter or cause to be slaughtered or offered for slaughter of any cow progeny by any
means. Besides, no person, including transporter, shall transport or offer for transport or cause to be
transported any cow progeny himself or by his agent, servant or by any other person acting in his behalf
within the state or outside the state for the purpose of its slaughter in contravention of the provisions of
the Act or with the knowledge that it will be or is likely to be slaughtered. The amended Act also has
provisions for specifying necessary actions for feeding and rearing the cow progeny. Under the Act, any
police officer not below the rank of head constable or any person authorised in this behalf by competent
authority shall have the power of entry, inspection, search and seizure and to present the case in the
court. It may be mentioned here that the state government had forwarded the amendment Bill on
September 3, 2010 to the Union Home Ministry for Presidential nod. The assent was received on
December 22, 2011. The amended Act has been published in the extraordinary gazette of Madhya

Pradesh on December 31, 2011. The state government would take action for enforcement of the
amended Act through a notification. (Times of India 3/1/12)
Religious conversions deplored (26)
KESLAPUR (ADILABAD DT.), January 5, 2012: Hindu religious leaders including Peethadhipathis of
various ‘mutts' on Wednesday deplored religious conversions taking place in the agency areas of
Adilabad. The leaders gathered at Keslapur village as part of the Bhavya Hindu Sammelanam organised
by the Dharma Jagaran Samiti, Nirmal district. A large number of tribal people attended the Sammelanam
which was conducted at a venue that is considered sacred by them. The famous temple of Nagoba,
revered by Gonds, is located at Keslapur village in Indervelli mandal. Swami Chinmayananda, former
Union Minister hailing from Haridwar accused Christian and Muslim religious organisations of penetrating
deep into the interior tribal belt in Adilabad district. He said the organisations were resorting to conversion
of gullible tribal people. He also accused the Congress government led by Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh of appeasement of minorities at the cost of others. He said Muslims were being apportioned
reservations from the quota reserved for Hindus. Other speakers including West AP Pracharak of RSS L.
Shyam Kumar and chief of Dharma Jagaran Sharat Dole appealed to the common people to desist from
opting for religious conversions. They warned the government against promoting such activities. (The
Hindu 5/1/12)
Sindagi: Kumaraswamy blames Sangh Parivar (26)
Shimoga, January 6, 2012: The incident of hoisting the flag of Pakistan in Sindagi town was a plot
hatched by the Sangh Parivar to disturb communal amity, alleged Janata Dal (Secular) State unit
president H.D. Kumaraswamy. The Government should conduct a thorough probe into the incident and
arrest the functionaries of the Sangh Parivar who were behind the conspiracy, he said at a press
conference in Sorab on Thursday. The Government should consider the incident seriously. The incident
reflected the deteriorating law and order situation in the State under the Bharatiya Janata Party rule. It
was unfortunate that the Congress leaders had maintained silence over the issue, he said. Commenting
on the dissident activities in the BJP State unit, he said that the former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa
was trying to sideline the loyal workers of the party to realise his selfish ends. Mr. Yeddyurappa should
stop blaming others for his misfortune, he added. (The Hindu 6/1/12)
Demand to ban Sri Ram Sene (26)
Gulbarga, January 9, 2012: Dalit Sena, Gulbarga Muslim Welfare Association and Popular Front of India
led a protest demanding action against Sri Ram Sene (SRS), which they alleged was engaged in creating
disharmony among people of different communities. The protesters took out a rally through the main
streets of the city and raised slogans against the SRS. They submitted a memorandum addressed to
Governor H.R. Bhardwaj through the Deputy Commissioner's office before dispersing. The incident of
some SRS members allegedly hoisting a Pakistani flag in Sindagi in Bijapur district has exposed the
divisive designs of the organisation, the protesters alleged. The State Government should take strict
action against the SRS leaders and ban the organisation. They should ensure that the offenders in
Sindagi are brought to justice, they said. “This is not the first time the SRS is indulging in such
mischievous acts. SRS members have always tried to disrupt communal harmony and their activities are
aimed at targeting Muslims,” they said. They urged the Governor to ban the SRS. Hanumant Yelasangi,
Syed Mazar Hussein, Nagendra Jawali, Adnan Khan and others led the protest. (The Hindu 9/1/12)
RSS, sene accused of creating communal disharmony (26)
Raichur, January 10, 2012: Members of the district unit of the Janata Dal (Secular) took out a procession
and staged a dharna here on Monday in protest against the hoisting of a Pakistani flag at Sindagi town

ecently. They demanded that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Sri Ram Sene be banned for
allegedly trying to create communal disharmony. In a memorandum, addressed to the Governor, and
submitted to the Deputy Commissioner, they alleged that the Government had been trying to divide
people on communal lines for political advantage. Alleging that the Government had totally failed in its job
to work towards the development of the State, the protesters alleged that the BJP leaders had no interest
in implementing development works. Muniyappa Muddappa, former Minister; Mahantesh Patil Atnoor,
working president; Shivashankar, general secretary of the district unit of the party; B. Yhimma Reddy,
president of the city unit; and Mohammed Nizamuddin, president of the rural unit of the party, were
present. (The Hindu 10/1/12)
Samiti opposes proposal to teach Bhagavad Gita in schools (26)
Bangalore, January 13, 2012: Members of the Karnataka Dalit Sangarsh Samiti took out a protest in
Bangalore on Thursday against the State Government's proposal to teach the Bhagavad Gita in schools.
“Introduction of the Bhagavad Gita in schools is against the Constitution. It's a political agenda, and
forcing this on students of other religions is wrong,” said N. Murthy, State president of the samiti.
According to him, if the Bhagavad Gita was introduced in schools, people of other communities would be
prompted to demand that their religious texts also be made part of the school curriculum. “If this happens,
instead of teaching the students science, technology, educational institutions would end up teaching
students only the religious texts,” said Mr. Murthy. Following the allegation that a right-wing group was
behind the hoisting of the Pakistani flag in Sindagi town in Bijapur district recently, the samiti called for a
Statewide ban on the Sangh Parivar and the groups affiliated to it. The protesters also alleged that the
State Government encouraged practices such as ‘made snana' which is propogated by the maths in the
State. The protesters later submitted a memorandum to Governor H.R. Bhardwaj. (The Hindu 13/1/12)
Preparations on for Hindu Shakti Sangam (26)
HUBLI, January 18, 2012: Preparations are on in full swing for the Hindu Shakti Sangam organised by the
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) at Tarihal near Hubli from January 27 to 29. Speaking to
presspersons after visiting the venue, Pranta Karyavaha of the RSS for north Karnataka Aravind
Deshpande said that 15 small ‘towns' were being created and that around 2,000 RSS volunteers would
be accommodated in each ‘town'. He said that for the inaugural and valedictory sessions a 15-ft-high and
190-ft-wide stage was being erected. Mr. Deshpande said that while an artificial tank with a capacity of 45
lakh litres was being constructed for the event, every ‘town' would have smaller tanks of 2.25-lakh litre
capacity. Each town would have 160 toilets and bathrooms apart from medical facilities, discussion hall
and a kitchen. Mr Deshpande said that an exhibition pandal was being erected where the achievements
of Indians in various fields, exhibits on Indian culture and the RSS would be displayed. He said the
exhibition would be inaugurated by Hindustani vocalist Pandit Venkatesh Kumar on January 26 and the
three-day event on January 27. In addition, RSS volunteers would conduct a ‘pathasanchalan' in Hubli
and Dharwad on January 28. Buses will be available from Hubli and Dharwad to the venue on all three
days. (The Hindu 18/1/12)
Murder of RSS activist: five arrested (26)
Thrissur, January 22, 2012: The police on Saturday arrested five CPI(M) activists in connection with the
murder of a Sakha Karyavahak of the Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh (RSS) at Mullassery, near here.
The arrested are Kannarambil Vishnu, 19; Methiyidath Rahul, 22; Kudattu Nikhil, 21; Kaprath Sreegil, 20;
and Shaji 24. Sharone, 24, son of Karumathil Mohanan, was stabbed to death during a clash between the
RSS and the CPI(M) activists near Mullassery block junction on Friday. A verbal quarrel between activists
of both parties over erecting some banners led to the clash. Sharone, who was seriously injured in the
attack, succumbed to his injuries at a nearby private hospital. The death triggered panic in Mullassery and

surrounding areas. Meanwhile, Sharone's body was cremated at his family compound at Kannengattu,
near Mullassery. (The Hindu 22/1/12)
No move to ban Sri Rama Sene for now: Ashok (26)
Bangalore, January 24, 2012: Despite the alleged involvement of the Sri Rama Sene in the hoisting of a
Pakistan flag at Sindagi in Bijapur district on January 1, the State Government does not propose to ban
the outfit at this stage. The police have arrested seven activists of the sene in connection with the
incident. Addressing presspersons here on Monday, Minister for Home and Transport R. Ashok said,
“There is evidence of the involvement of the Sri Rama Sene in the recent hoisting of a Pakistan flag at
Sindagi. But there is no move to ban the outfit at this stage.” He said the investigation was at a certain
stage and the Government would spell out its stand when the charge sheet was filed in court. Many
formalities had to be gone through and correct and confirmed evidence was required for banning the
outfit. “At this stage, there is no need to ban the organisation,” he said. Mr. Ashok said that he would hold
discussions with Chief Minister D.V. Sadananada Gowda on banning the sene headed by Pramod
Muthalik. Activists of the sene are facing charges of disturbing communal harmony in the State, he said.
In the past, Sri Rama Sene activists were found to be involved in attacks on churches and other religious
places. He would place before the Chief Minister details of the outfit's activities and the role of its activists
in those incidents also, the Home Minister said. To a query, Mr. Ashok said, “There is no link between the
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Sri Rama Sene.” He said that the number of communal
clashes in the State had declined from the earlier 28 to 30 to just 7 to 8 a year now. The police were
keeping a special vigil at places where incidents of communal violence took place in the past five years,
he said. An 80-member commando force had started functioning to deal with such incidents as well as to
fight naxalites. Eighty more personnel would soon join them. They would be deployed in Mangalore,
Hubli, Gulbarga and Belgaum, he added. (The Hindu 24/1/12)
Civic body stops auction, donates stray cattle to VHP (26)
TIRUPATI, January 24, 2012 The Municipal Corporation of Tirupati (MCT), which was determined to
auction stray animals seized from the city roads, took everyone by surprise by its benevolent step of
agreeing to donate the cattle to Vishwa Hindu Parishat (VHP). In a last minute change of stand, the
officials decided to pay heed to the request made by the VHP not to auction stray cattle, for they could
either be diverted to slaughterhouses or left uncared for. The nineteen cows, along with two calves, which
were found causing trouble to road users and hindrance to free flow of traffic, were seized by the MCT
authorities and housed in the burial ground adjacent to Balaji Colony. With six owners taking back their
animals by paying a hefty penalty of Rs.2,000 per cow, civic commissioner T.Prasad decided to auction
the ‘unclaimed' animals on Monday. With news trickling in about the auction, VHP district president Subba
Reddy and its Goshala in-charge Sudhakar Chowdary converged at the spot and convinced the
authorities that auction would be an inauspicious move and the cows could instead be donated to their
Goshala spread over ten acres at Rajanna Rahadari in Irala mandal near Chittoor, where already twenty
animals are being housed. MCT Veterinary Officer V. Ramana Kumar heaved a sigh of relief while
formally handing over the cattle to the VHP representatives this morning. “There are 800-1000 more
animals in the city and the owners were asked not to release them on to the roads. Any violation will land
them in trouble,” he cautioned. (The Hindu 24/1/12)
Bid to make an “Ayodhya” out of Bhojshala foiled (26)
Bhopal, January 29, 2012: The Madhya Pradesh police on Saturday foiled the plans of a Hindu right wing
group that had vowed to take out a “palki yatra” on the occasion of Basant Panchmi to the controversial
Bhojshala archaeological structure in the Dhar district. “Over 50 arrests were made and the palki yatra bid
was foiled peacefully,” Anuradha Shankar, Inspector General of Police, Indore, told The Hindu . “We had
been making preventive arrests for the last few days and situation had largely been under control,” said

Ms. Shankar. Dhar had been virtually transformed into a police protected fortress to prevent the yatra,
planned by Hindu Jagaran Manch (JHM), a splinter group of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh, led by
former Sangh pracharak Naval Kishore Sharma. The situation in Dhar was a curious one as several
Hindu right wing groups accused Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan of betraying “the
Hindu cause” after the CM had refused to allow the yatra and had ordered the police to ensure law and
order at all costs. Dhar, home to the love-legend of Baaz Bahadur and Roopmati, has been under the
cloud of communal politics over the Bhojshala for decades now. And ironically so on Basant Panchmi,
which is regarded as the festival of love according to Hindu tradition. Once a seat of learning, the
Bhojshala, currently under the protection of the Archaeological Survey of India, currently follows a curious
“modern tradition” whereby Hindus are allowed to offer prayers every Tuesday while Muslims are allowed
to pray every Friday. Dhar has often been considered the “Ayodhya” of Madhya Pradesh on account of
the controversy surrounding the Bhojshala, a 11th century structure built by Dhar's great architect -king
Bhoj — who unfortunately and wrongly has been used by the ruling BJP government to communalise the
state capital Bhopal by renaming it to Bhojpal. The structure later, around the 13th century and since,
became a mosque named after Muslim saint Kamaluddin Chisti, a disciple of the famous Sufi saint
Nizamuddin Auliya. Since then, Hindu right wing groups have maintained that the structure has been
wrongfully “converted” to a mosque and the idol of Vagdevi Saraswati (the Hindu goddess of knowledge)
removed by Muslim invaders and later taken by the British to London. The groups have been demanding
the bringing back of the Vagdevi Saraswati idol from London and have tried to make their point by
unsuccessfully attempting to install a replica at the site last year. R.S. Garg, former deputy director of the
Madhya Pradesh archaeological department, who authored a two-volume authoritatively researched work
on the structure, had maintained that the structure was already in ruins when Kamaluddin Chisti came
and began preaching Islam. “The Bhojshala was destroyed due to infighting between Hindu rulers and
when Kamal Chisti came to Dhar, there was no Bhojshala, only the ruins of it,” says Chinmaya Mishra, an
Indore-based historian who assisted Mr. Garg in his research. The issue has seen violent riots in 2003,
which was also an election year in Madhya Pradesh. The then Congress government under Chief
Minister Digvijay Singh had even considered banning the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and other saffron outfits
rallying around the cause. At this point, the issue has brought to the fore an internal “moderate-extremist”
divide within the state's Hindu right with the RSS backed BJP government not allowing the protests while
local BJP leader Vikram Verma (former Rajya Sabha member and union minister in the NDA government)
backing the proesters. According to informed sources, Mr. Verma has been at odds with CM Shivraj
Singh Chauhan since their BJYM (Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha) days. Following the arrest and
hospitalisation of ex-Sangh pracharak Naval Kishore Sharma, who was on an indefinite hunger strike at
Dhar's Rajwada Chowk demanding the bringing back of the Saraswati idol and the right to take out the
palki yatra, the HJM activists had lashed out at Mr. Chauhan during a press conference. (The Hindu
29/1/12)
Rigorous prison term for six RSS workers (26)
KOLLAM, January 31, 2012: Six RSS workers were on Monday sentenced to ten years' rigorous
imprisonment and a fine of Rs.5,000 each in the S. Ajayaprasad murder case. The RSS workers were
found guilty of murder on Friday by R. Sudhakaran, judge of the Fourth Additional Session Court here.
They were awarded the sentence after being found guilty under Section 304 of the Indian Penal Code
(culpable homicide not amounting to murder). The judge also found them guilty under other sections of
the IPC. They were awarded two months' rigorous imprisonment under Section 143 IPC (unlawful
assembly) and six months' rigorous imprisonment under Section 148 IPC (rioting with deadly weapons).
Failure to pay the fine will invite rigorous imprisonment for six months. The prison term will run
concurrently. Those convicted are Sreenath, Sabin, Sanil, Rajeevan, Sunil, and Sivaram. Prosecutor of
the case, Paripally Raveendran, said the High Court would be moved under Section 377 of the Cr.P.C.
with a plea to award more stringent punishment for the accused. Ajayaprasad's father Shymaprasad said

he too would be moving the High Court with a similar plea. The charge of the prosecution that political
vendetta was the reason behind the murder was accepted by the court. Ajayaprasad was a leader of the
Students Federation of India. He was attacked at dusk on July 19, 2007. He succumbed to injuries the
next day at the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital. There was heavy police presence in and
around the court. The road leading to the court was barricaded and cordoned off by the police. No vehicle
was allowed to take the road till those convicted were taken away. (The Hindu 31/1/12)
CPI(M) demands RSS leader's arrest (26)
MANGALORE, February 1, 2012: Activists of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) staged a
demonstration here on Tuesday seeking the arrest of RSS leader Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat for allegedly
making a provocative speech in Uppinangady recently. Sporadic incidents of stone throwing had been
reported after the speech on January 22. According to the police, seven persons, including two
policemen, were injured in the stone throwing following the speech of Mr. Bhat. The police had registered
a case against Mr. Bhat and three others. The party's district unit secretary B. Madhava told party
members in front of the Deputy Commissioner's office on Tuesday that the district administration should
take firm action against people making provocative speeches that disturb peace. “By staying silent, the
district administration was creating a power centre in Dakshina Kannada like Bal Thackeray. This is not
good for democracy,” he said. Mr. Madhava said such speeches were made when elections were
nearing. Vasantha Achari, a member of CPI (M) district committee, questioned Chief Minister D.V.
Sadananda Gowda's action of sharing dais with Mr. Bhat on Saturday. “How can the Chief Minister share
the dais with Mr. Bhat, who is named in a criminal case?” (The Hindu 1/2/12)
Reservation: JD(S) decries RSS leader's comments (26)
DHARWAD, February 2, 2012: The Janata Dal (Secular) has condemned the comments made by RSS
leader Suresh Joshi against extending reservation to members of the minority communities. Speaking to
presspersons here on Wednesday, JD(S) State general secretary Aravind Dalavai said Mr. Joshi's
statements were anti-constitutional, and exposed the “anti-minority stand” of the RSS. On one side, the
organisation spoke about building an empowered India and on the other were opposed to bringing the
minority communities into the mainstream, or empowering them socially and economically. “They should
explain how can a strong India be built unless the minority communities are empowered, which can be
achieved only by providing them opportunities in the education and employment by way of reservation,”
he said. The Bharatiya Janata Party, which was the political wing of the Sangh Parivar, too was in support
of the RSS stand with regard to the minority communities. The BJP's claim that providing reservation for
the minority communities under the OBC quota would harm their (OBCs) interests was baseless. The BJP
was shedding crocodile tears in the case of the OBCs, he alleged. Providing reservation for the minority
communities under the OBC quota was not new. In Karnataka, reservation had been extended to the
Muslims under category 2A of OBC since 1994-95, when JD (S) leader H.D. Deve Gowda was the Chief
Minister. The National Front government, led by V.P. Singh, had provided reservation for Pinjar, Nalband
and other such Muslim communities under the OBC quota in the States. Now, the UPA Government has
been contemplating extending the same reservation policy at the national level. Hence, the BJP's
opposition to the move was baseless, he said.Mr. Dalavai said that people should not forget that it was
the same BJP that opposed the recommendations of the Mandal Commission. Also, they had been
opposing caste-based reservation for women in the legislatures. He warned the members of the OBCs
not to fall prey to the Sangh Parivar propaganda. (The Hindu 2/2/12)
Saffron slant in new social studies textbooks (26)
Bangalore, February 5, 2012: The new social studies textbooks of Standard 5 and Standard 8 — to be
introduced in the next academic year — seem to present to children a version of history that has a strong
saffron slant in several instances. While the textbooks, the draft copy of which is available with The

Hindu, present a few contestable historical facts, the bigger problem is one of omissions and
commissions that lend the texts a slant typical of the Hindutva nationalist construction of Indian history.
For example, the book states in its fifth standard lesson, titled ‘Veda Kalada Bharata', that cow slaughter
was forbidden in the early Vedic period. The historical record, however, suggests otherwise. Historians
such as D.N. Jha have shown how the Rigveda has references of beef being one of the most commonly
consumed foods at the time. So indeed does K.T. Achaya in his scholarly dictionary of Indian food. A
chapter titled ‘Hosa Dharmagala Udaya' (Birth of New Religions) in the Standard 8 textbook, has a
highlighted box (Page 43) that makes a distinction between ‘dharma' and ‘religion'. It makes the debatable
claim that even Buddhism and Jainism, like Hinduism, cannot be categorised as religions, and that only
Islam and Christianity in India fit into the category. While presentation of such “facts” is one aspect, the
overall tone of the textbooks, especially in the region-specific histories — introduced for the first time as
separate textbooks for Bangalore, Mysore, Gulbarga and Belgaum divisions — needs closer examination.
For example, the rich syncretic traditions of the northern districts of Karnataka have been either glossed
over or omitted altogether in the textbooks. Aspects of the pluralist culture of the region, like Bandenawaz
Dargah, and poets like Shishunala Sharief, are dispensed with in brief and de-contextualised
descriptions. The Standard 5 textbook (page 106 of the draft copy) says that Bidar was originally called
“Vidhura Nagara” and “Bidururu Pura”, a typical attempt to establish a Hindu past to cities and towns .
The other popular explanation that Bidar has its roots in the Persian word meaning “Awakening” does not
find a mention here. While the region is replete with evidence of the meeting of Sufi and Datta traditions
— the shrine of Manikprabhu in Humnabad or the Savalagi Shivalingeshwara shrine near Gokak for
example — these do not find a mention. The late Sham.Bha. Joshi and other scholars have established
that their unique religious mix have given the Bombay-Karnataka and Hyderabad-Karnataka region a
distinctly inclusive cultural character, simply not reflected in these textbooks, though they claim to present
a flavour of every region to the children. The delineation of the Hyderbad Liberation Movement in the
Gulbarga division's textbook is particularly striking for the manner in which it is constructed as a Hindu vs
Muslim struggle. The role of the Andhra Maha Sabha in the movement, and its nationalist and antilandlord
content finds no mention. The same chapter describes the Vijayanagar kings as rulers who
“protected, nurtured and upheld Hindu religion and culture” for over 200 years. In its earlier draft, the
Standard 5 textbook carried a map of “cultural India”, in the ‘Bharata, Namma Hemme' (India, Our Pride)
chapter, showing the country boundaries encompassing the Hindukush, parts of China, and large parts of
south-east Asia — representing the nationalist Hindu notion of “Akhand Bharat”. This, it is learnt, was
later dropped. C.S. Dwarakanath, former chairperson of the Karnataka State Backward Classes
Commission, described the draft copy as “a blatant attempt at filling children's minds with ideological,
religious and political biases at a tender age.” (The Hindu 5/2/12)
‘Textbooks with saffron slant will create communal discord' (26)
BANGALORE, February 6, 2012: Flaying the State Government for inducing a “saffron slant” in the fifth
and eighth standard social studies textbooks, which are going to be introduced in the next academic year,
activists of the Students Federation of India (SFI) staged a protest here on Sunday demanding that the
textbooks be withdrawn. Reading from sections of the books, SFI State president Ananth Naik pointed to
instances where the Vedic and Brahminical practices of the past have been glorified. “Some of the
passages clearly justify casteism and seem to suggest that there is nothing wrong with the Varna
system,” he said. Arguing that textbooks should imbibe the spirit of scientific enquiry and rational thinking
in children, the activists said that the BJP Government and the RSS want to reinforce and justify the
dogmas of the past. The textbooks, according to the agitators, have the potential to create communal
discord as they speak very disparagingly of minority communities and their faith. (The Hindu 6/2/12)
VHP plans protest against Bill (26)

TIRUCHI, February 6, 2012: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) would launch an agitation against the
Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence Bill, 2011 brought by the Congress-led United
Progressive Alliance government and the move to provide 4.5 per cent reservation quota for minorities, its
former international president Ashok Singhal said on Sunday. Sants and seers would launch the agitation
in April on these two issues with the VHP's, said Mr. Singhal who is at present the organisation's
international advisory committee member. The agitation would be on a bigger scale during the Kumbh
Mela at Prayag in Uttar Pradesh in January next year. Mr. Singhal said the Communal Violence Bill had
met with stiff opposition from various States, including Tamil Nadu and Orissa as they felt that it was
unconstitutional and encroached upon their rights, he said. The 4.5 per cent reservation for minorities
from the OBC quota was unconstitutional. When such quotas in Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal had
been rejected by the Courts, the Centre's move was an attempt to appease Muslims, Mr. Singhal said.
The VHP would celebrate its 50{+t}{+h}anniversary in 2014 as part of which a World Hindu Congress
would be held in November 2014 at Delhi, he said. (The Hindu 6/2/12)
Former RSS leader hacked to death (26)
KOLLAM, February 8, 2012: A six-member motorcycle-borne gang hacked to death Rajesh, alias
Kadavur Jayan, 37, a former leader of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), at the Kadavur
autorickshaw stand on the outskirts of the city around 11 a.m. on Tuesday. He was initially hacked on the
head. The members of the gang then repeatedly inflicted wounds on his chest and back before fleeing the
scene on the motorcycles. He was rushed to the district hospital but was declared ‘dead on arrival' by the
doctors. The police suspected the hand of RSS activists behind the murder. Rajesh had been involved in
ten criminal cases registered by the Anchalumoodu police and seven of them were attempt to murder
cases wherein the victims were mostly RSS activists. Dispute over gaining control of a temple
administration committee was stated to be the cause of the rift. In October 2010 a gang of RSS activists
had attacked Rajesh. In retaliation to that, he had attacked one M.S. Arun six months ago, the police said.
The police said they had identified some of the gang members. (The Hindu 8/2/12)
Congress walks out seeking arrest of RSS leader (26)
Bangalore, February 8, 2012: Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah on Tuesday led a walk-out in the
Legislative Assembly demanding that Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Prabhakar Bhat, who
made a speech provoking a community at the Hindu Samajotsava at Uppinangadi of Puttur taluk on
January 22, be arrested and also urged the Government to arrest those who hatched a conspiracy to
disrupt communal harmony in the State by hoisting a Pakistan flag at Sindgi in Bijapur district. Earlier,
raising the issue under a call attention motion, he alleged that the State Government was run by
Bharatiya Janata Party, an organ of the RSS, and it would not dare arrest him, as he had the support of
the top BJP leaders B.S. Yeddyurappa R. Ashok and Jagadish Shettar. Making a provocative speech
disrupting communal harmony was a serious offence for which there was no bail. However, it does not
matter to them, he said and demanded that Mr. Bhat be externed. Amid protests by the BJP legislators,
Mr. Siddaramaiah handed over compact discs containing the speech made by Mr. Bhat and others at
Uppinangadi to Speaker K.G. Bopaiah. On the flag issue, Mr. Siddaramaiah said that Pramod Mutalik,
who headed the Sri Rama Sene, had written to him alleging that it was the RSS workers who had hoisted
it and not the members of his organisation. He demanded that the issue be investigated in an impartial
manner and cases booked against the real conspirators. He charged the Bijapur Superintendent of Police
with connivance in the incident. Replying to the discussion, Mr. Ashok said that the police had managed
to avoid a conflict between the communities over placing of a loud speaker at the samajotsava and that
“small incidents” had occurred when people were returning home. He said that the police would
investigate the two cases involving Mr. Bhat and K.S .Mohammed Ashrafa, as demanded by U.T. Khader
(Congress) and initiate action thereafter. The Minister said that Anil Solanki, Rakesh Siddaramaiah Math,
Mallanagouda Patil, Rohit Navi, Parashurama Vaghmore and Arun Shashidhar Vaghmore had been

arrested and remanded in judicial custody. He said that action had been taken in both the cases. Not
satisfied by the reply, the Congress members staged a walk-out shouting anti-BJP and anti-RSS slogans.
(The Hindu 8/2/12)
Hindus being converted to Christianity: VHP (26)
Mysore, February 9, 2012: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad's Hunsur unit in Mysore district has alleged that a
group of people from a church in Hunsur town are converting Hindus into Christianity. They claimed in a
statement here on Wednesday that the members were targeting “gullible” people and “brainwashing”
them. They urged the district administration to initiate action against the “culprits”. They also demanded
that “unauthorised churches” in and around Hunsur be identified and closed down. (The Hindu 9.2.12)
Saffronisation of social studies textbook condemned (26)
Bangalore, February 12, 2012: Speakers of a round-table conference on ‘Saffronisation of Education' held
in the city on Saturday demanded that the State Government should withdraw the draft of the new social
studies textbooks of Standard 5 and 8 that are reported to have a strong saffron slant. While resolving to
call for a bandh of schools and colleges in the State on February 28, the conference also decided to lay
siege to the Department of State Educational Research and Training (DSERT) on February 23.
Organised by Students Federation of India (SFI), the conference saw representation from Samata Sainik
Dal (SSD), Dalit Sangarsh Samiti (Ambedkarvada), Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC),
Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Bharath Jnana Vijnana. M. Venkatswamy from the SSD said the
State Government was poisoning children's minds with communal views at an age when they can be
moulded into good citizens. “These classes [5 and 8] are turning points in a student's life. It is easy to
brainwash their minds at this age. It is unfortunate that the Government is providing them education with
a saffron stint,” he said. “These textbooks not only have distorted historical facts but also a slant typical of
the Hindutva nationalist construction of Indian history,” he said. Pointing out that the Government had
already released Rs.14 crore for publishing the textbooks, Mr. Venkatswamy said: “We need to launch an
agitation to stop this. The draft copies should be burnt in front of Primary and Secondary Education
Minister Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri's house,” he said. Mavalli Shankar of the DSS pointed out that the
committee set up for the draft copy was full of people from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. “They say
the books are being printed following a direction from the National Council of Educational Research and
Training (NCERT). But, it is a fact the Government is misusing the NCERT direction to promote its own
gains,” Mr. Shankar said. “Saffronisation of education started at the time the Government entrusted the
midday meal scheme to organisations such as ISKCON and Adayuma Chetana. The textbook committee
should be dissolved and a new committee comprising secular-minded people should take its place,” he
said. (The Hindu 12/2/12)
Former RSS activist held for Samjhauta bombing (26)
NEW DELHI, February 13, 2012: Less than a week short of the fifth anniversary of the firebombing of the
Samjhauta Express, detectives of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) have held a Madhya Pradesh
resident on suspicion of having participated in the terrorist cell which carried out the attack — the first
breakthrough in over a year against a core group of fugitives who have been eluded arrest since 2008.
Kamal Chauhan, NIA sources have told The Hindu, is believed to be one of the four men who planted
incendiary devices on the Lahore-bound train on February 18, 2007, killing 68 people. “We believe
Chauhan has critical information that could lead us to the rest of the plotters,” an NIA official said. The
Mhow-born Chauhan, a long-standing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh activist, is the second alleged
perpetrator of the bombing to be held. Lokesh Sharma, an Indore-based Hindutva activist held in June
2010 for having participated in the meeting in which the terrorist attack was planned, will now face fresh
charges of having participated in the bombing itself, the sources said. The bombs, the NIA now believes,
were manufactured by fugitive Hindutva terrorist Sandeep Dange, an RSS leader who, investigators say,

was the core figure in the planning of a series of Hindutva terrorist attacks that began in 2002.
Ramchandra Kalsangra, another RSS activist from Madhya Pradesh who served as Dange's alleged
lieutenant, is also being sought by authorities in connection with the case. Much of the details of the
Samjhauta attack planning has come from Naba Kumar Sarkar, a leader of the Gujarat-based, RSSaffiliated
Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram. In December 2010, Sarkar confessed to a Delhi magistrate that he was
present at a June, 2006 meeting in which the firebombing and a string of other terrorist attacks were
planned against Muslims. The idea of firebombing the Samjhauta Express, he claimed, was conceived by
Dange as part of a series of terrorist strikes, which included bombings in Malegaon, Hyderabad and the
Ajmer Sharif shrine. Later, Sarkar sought to withdraw his confessional statement, saying it had been
made under threat to his life. A final legal determination on its status is yet to be made. Many members of
the group, NIA investigators say, were long-serving RSS activists who became disillusioned with the
Hindu right-wing's refusal to replicate the 2002 communal killings in Gujarat nationwide. Harshad Solanki,
who the NIA believes participated in the bombing of the Ajmer Sharif shrine in October, 2007, was given
refuge by Dange when he fled Gujarat to avoid arrest after evidence surfaced of his role of in the 2002
massacre. (The Hindu 13/2/12)
VHP to protest against Communal Violence Bill (26)
Jaipur: Terming the proposed Communal Violence Bill as "anti-Hindu", the Vishwa Hindu Parishad on
Tuesday threatened a nation-wide agitation against it. The proposed bill will divide the society in two
sections, one of minorities and the other of Hindus. It will also affect the rights of Hindus, VHP leader
Ashok Singhal said. "The government is proposing a shocking bill which would badly hit the rights of the
Hindus so we along with saints from across the country will launch a nation-wide agitation soon," Singhal
told reporters here today. "We would also oppose 4.5% reservation to Muslims from the OBC quota.
There is no concept of religion-based reservation in our Constitution but this government is doing it," he
said. The Union government is leaving no stone unturned for encroaching on the rights of the Hindus in
the country, Former VHP International Executive President alleged. The strategy of the agitation would be
drawn up during the Kumbha mela in Prayag next year with support of around 20,000 saints. Singhal also
highlighted the religous conversation taking place in tribal and coastal areas of the country and alleged
that in the last five years a sum of Rs42,000 crore has been used for such conversions. (DNA 14/2/12)
Bajrang Dal activists ‘perform' marriages of couples
HYDERABAD, February 15, 2012: The Bajrang Dal workers visited parks and secluded places on the city
outskirts looking for couples celebrating Valentine's Day, caught them and performed their marriages.
Moving in teams, they accosted the lovers spending time at parks and other places at Sanghinagar,
Peddamberpet, Koheda and Deshmukh villages. Finding fault with them for celebrating Valentine's Day,
describing it as an assault Indian culture, the Bajrang Dal workers made the men tie mangalasutra to their
lovers. “In some cases, we counselled the lovers after calling in their parents. In other cases, we let them
off after confirming their claims that they were already engaged,” the Bajrang Dal leaders said. On
learning about this, police teams rushed to the areas but by then the Bajrang Dal workers fled. Activists of
this right wing organisation also went round several public places near Gandipet, Rajendranagar,
Himayatsagar and Are Mysamma temple localities. They caught lovers if they were spotted spending time
together. “In many cases, we sent them away after warning them. But the marriage of a couple was
performed near a village in Moinabad,” the Bajrang Dal leaders claimed. Interestingly, the Hayathnagar
police said they learnt about the marriage performed by Bajrang Dal activists but no one complained to
them. (The Hindu 16/2/12)
VHP demands immediate withdrawal of NCTC (26)

Opposing formation of the NCTC by the Centre, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Wednesday
demanded its immediate withdrawal saying it was an eyewash by the Congress-led UPA government
which was not sincere about fighting terrorism. "The National Counter Terrorism Centre must be
withdrawn forthwith as it is will enable the Centre to grab powers enjoyed by state governments. It is
against federal structure," VHP's Executive President Pravin Togadia told reporters here. Togadia said if
the UPA government was sincere about fighting terror it should have allowed the Prevention of Terrorism
Act (POTA) to continue. (DNA 22/2/12)
Saffron outfit backs state policy on anti-terror body (26)
BHUBANESWAR: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) joined the anti-NCTC ( National Counter Terrorism
Centre) bandwagon on Wednesday with the saffron outfit's international working president Pravin Togadia
describing the central proposal as an "eyewash". Laying stress on the participation of people in fighting
terrorism, Togadia said VHP would announce its action plan on "anti-terrorism" strategy at Godhra,
Gujarat, on February 27. "We will consult different states and civil society organizations to combat
terrorism," Togadia told media persons here. Togadia took potshots at UPA government for "completely
failing" to counter terrorism. "Now the Centre has bypassed states and formed NCTC. It is nothing, but
eyewash," he said. The VHP leader demanded formulation of stringent anti-terror laws in the country.
"There was no need to scrap Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA). The government should bring laws
stronger than POTA," he said. Throwing his support behind the states, which are opposing NCTC,
Togadia said the Centre should coordinate and consult with states to effectively thwart terror activities.
Chief minister Naveen Patnaik spearheaded the anti-NCTC movement against Centre by first writing to
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on February 13. His counterparts in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Bihar
and several others followed suit. Apparently bowing to pressure from those states, the Prime Minister on
Tuesday replied to Naveen after the latter shot off a second letter to him on February 20. The PM wrote
that NCTC is part of Intelligence Bureau (IB) and not a separate organization created to infringe on the
federal powers of states. Togadia further opposed the 4.5 per cent reservation to Muslims within the
Other Backward Classes quota and said VHP would launch nationwide protest against it. (Times of India
23/2/12)
Adivasis demand ban on Shabari Kumbh Mela (26)
MUMBAI, February 25, 2012: A delegation of Adivasis from Nandurbar on Friday met President Pratibha
Patil and demanded a ban on the Shabari Kumbh mela organised in the Dangs area of Gujarat, stating
that it had no sanction in any religious text. The Satyashodhak Grameen Kashtakari Sabha, based in this
Adivasi dominated district of Maharashtra, met Ms. Patil while she was on a visit there and made the
demand. The President promised to look into the matter. Kishore Dhamale of the Sabha said the mela
was organised in 2006 by Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Swami Aseemanand, who was later
arrested for allegedly masterminding the Malegaon blasts. It also had the backing of Gujarat Chief
Minister Narendra Modi. Last week, the Sabha organised a large gathering of Adivasis near the Gujarat
border and a resolution was passed calling for a ban on the mela since there was no historical antecedent
to this kind of a religious gathering on the lines of the Kumbh mela. While only four Kumbh Melas are held
in India, the VHS introduced the Shabari Kumbh as the fifth one, the Sabha said. A village in the Dangs
district was identified as the place where Shabri met Lord Rama and a pond was converted into a Pampa
Sarovar. A temple called Shabari Dham was also built near Subir, which underwent a makeover to handle
the huge influx of pilgrim. The demand for banning the mela was also made in 2006 by the People's
Union for Civil Liberties, but the Supreme Court did not entertain the application. The mela was attended
by lakhs of people. Rohit Prajapati of the PUCL, Vadodara, had moved an application seeking permission
to intervene in the petition filed against the mela. The application alleged that more than five lakh people
from across the country, mostly Adivasis, were expected to gather at the Shabari Kumbh in the forest
reserves of Dangs, which could pose a threat to the environment. This year with Aseemanand in jail,

eports said the Shabri Seva Samiti, responsible for organising the Shabri Kumbh Mela, decided not to go
ahead with its plans to organise the Mela in January. Now there are plans to host one in 2018. However,
smaller meetings were organised to mark the event. Mr. Dhamale said the story of Shabari was being
used to give a twist to the religious importance to the area and there was no truth in it. The Sabha has
been opposing the Shabari Kumbh mela on the grounds that it was being used as communal propaganda
to “Hinduise or Brahminise” Adivasis. It was a religious programme which was against the so called
conversions in the Dangs area and the right-wing groups were spreading their influence into Nandurbar
as well, he said. In a memorandum submitted to the President, the Sabha also demanded that Adivasis
registered as Hindus in the Census must be changed to “adidharma.” It also demanded the
implementation of the forest rights act among other things. (The Hindu 25/2/12)
Centre points to news item citing pressure Karkare faced (26)
New Delhi, March 2, 2012: The Centre has brought to the notice of the Supreme Court a reported
statement of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat that the then head of Anti-Terrorism Squad of Maharashtra
Police, the late Hemant Karkare, had told him that he was being pressured to implicate Sangh activists in
the Malegaon, Samjhauta Express, Ajmer Sharif and Mecca Masjid bomb blasts. Karkare died in the
26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. Additional Solicitor-General Harin Rawal told a Bench of Justices H.L. Dattu
and Anil R. Dave, who are hearing the Malegaon blast cases, that a news item had appeared on
Wednesday in a national daily in which Mr. Karkare was quoted as having told Mr. Bhagwat that “…he
was under pressure to implicate Right-wing outfits.” Mr. Bhagwat had claimed he was informed of this by
Karkare when he met the latter to seek cooperation in the investigation of these cases. Justice Dattu told
the ASG: “We have not come across the news item”. Acting on petitions filed by Malegaon blasts
accused, Lt-Col Prasad Srikant Purohit and Sudhakar Dhar Dwivedi, against the Bombay High Court
order allowing the NIA to interrogate them in custody, the Bench, on December 16, 2011, had stayed the
order. Now, it extended its interim order of stay till March 14 and adjourned the hearing till then. (The
Hindu 2/3/12)
VHP disrupts shooting of Osama film (25)
Activists of Right-wing organisations, including the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), on Friday disrupted the
shooting of a film on Osama bin Laden in a market of Manimajra town here, protesting against the
hoisting of the Pakistani flag. Led by Vijay Singh Bhardwaj, the activists removed Pakistani flags and
Urdu sign boards on some shops to recreate the town of Abbottabad in Pakistan where Osama was killed
last year. The shooting of Kathryn Bigelow's film is being done in several parts of the City Beautiful,
including the bustling Sector 15 market, Punjab Engineering College and the surrounding areas. The
crew alleged that VHP activists hurled abuses and even manhandled them while demanding that they
cancel the shoot. The shooting was “cancelled” for the time being and the cameras removed. It is learnt
that the shooting resumed afterwards following a “compromise.” Mr. Bhardwaj said the depiction of
Chandigarh as a Pakistani city and display of the Pakistan flag was not acceptable. Some shopkeepers
also protested against the behaviour of “bouncers,” who were preventing customers from visiting their
establishments. Manimajra Station House Officer (SHO) Rajesh Shukla said the film director had
promised that the Pakistani flag would not be displayed during the shooting, after which the activists left.
No case has been registered, he added. (The Hindu 3/3/12)
Sangh’s pat of convenience for Singh (26)
New Delhi, March 4: The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has unequivocally endorsed and welcomed
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s stand against anti-Kudankulam protesters and described it as
“unusually forthright and strong”. An editorial in the latest issue of the Organiser, the Sangh’s official
mouthpiece, claimed it was the first publication to spotlight the “devious” role played by the Church in
spearheading the protests against the stalled Tamil Nadu nuclear power plant. The reference was to two

earlier articles published late last year. “They are afraid that a major project would not only change the
face of the area but also improve the socio-economic condition of the people in and around the region in
a ripple effect, depriving them of their soul-harvest,” the editorial said. RSS sources denied that the
government had got in touch with them when the earlier articles were published in October and
December. The latest (March 3) issue carried Singh’s picture on the cover and splashed his reaction with
the caption “Kudankulam Conspiracy: Foreign-funded NGOs play havoc with India’s growth”. Singh had
recently said India’s atomic energy programme had hit roadblocks because NGOs, “mostly from the US”,
did not appreciate the country’s need for energy. Last week, a German activist was deported for allegedly
raising funds to fuel the protests against the Russian-designed plant. The edit was not the Sangh’s only
expression of solidarity with the Prime Minister. The issue ran two other pieces in the Centre’s support.
One by Adithya Srinivasan applauded Singh for “displaying the willingness and the political courage to
take on anti-national elements” for the “first” time in eight years. Shooting a range of questions —
premised on the assumption that the Church had an ulterior motive in “engineering” the agitation —
Srinivasan asked why the protests were staged just months after the reactor was commissioned and
whether they were meant to “embarrass” Russian nuclear technology. He went on to ask if the Church
leadership had allowed itself to be “used as a front by foreign players”. Alleging a “national trend”,
Srinivasan said local Christian groups had blocked efforts at enriching uranium in Meghalaya and
Jharkhand and wondered why nuclear energy benefits from the US nuclear deal had still not been
transferred to India. “Would it be fair to say that the nuclear deal was just a decoy to end India’s nuclear
tests?” he asked. An RSS source tried to put the Sangh’s backing for the Prime Minister in perspective.
“It’s time to take a hard look at the NGOs because they consistently blocked people-oriented projects on
mining and dams. The Narmada dam was operationalised only because of the apex court’s intervention
and the will shown by the Prime Minister and (Gujarat chief minister) Narendra Modi,” the source
explained. For the Sangh, attacking Christian missionaries on the charge that they indulge in “large-scale,
forcible” proselytisation among tribals has been a pet bogey. This time, however, it has packaged its
objections in the idiom of growth. “The Sangh has nothing against nuclear energy. If it is a valuable input
in the Indian growth story, it must be promoted in a big way,” a source said. The Sangh’s stand on the
nuclear deal has veered from rejection to qualified acceptance. In December 2006, former chief K.S.
Sudarshan publicly alleged that the pact compromised India’s strategic interests. Less than a year later,
the Organiser, in an editorial in its October 21 issue, criticised the Left and the UPA allies for compelling
the Centre to put it on the backburner. The editorial’s contention was if the deal did not fructify at that
point, the non-proliferation lobby, “strong” among the Democrats, would start acting up in an election year
and force the Republicans to impose “more stringent and debilitating clauses” against India. (The
Telegraph 5/3/12)
RSS ‘infiltration’ into state apparatus worries Digvijaya (26)
Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh on Sunday expressed concern over ‘infiltration’ of RSS into
branches of state apparatus and civil services, while likening the Sangh’s right-wing ideology to that of
Hitler in Nazi Germany. At a convention to mark 10 years of the 2002 Gujarat riots in Delhi, Singh said the
state had turned out to be a somewhat successful “laboratory” for communal forces which are working
throughout India to further their agenda. “Gujarat was a laboratory for such an ideology and it was
successful to some extent. Karnataka was now turning out to be another such laboratory, if corruption
issues had not taken centrestage, this programme would have moved ahead.” “The dangerous question
is how people like Colonel Purohit and Major Upadhyay of military intelligence are into these things. Why
do we see people of such an ideology active in institutional forces like IAS, IPS and even judiciary?” he
said. (Indian Express 5/3/12)
State Youth Congress slams ‘saffronisation' of textbooks (26)

GULBARGA, March 6, 2012: The Karnataka State Youth Congress on Monday slammed the State
Government for“poisoning” the minds of schoolchildren and sowing the seeds of communalism in their
minds by “saffronising” textbooks. Members of the Youth Congress, led by the district president, Naseer
Hussain Ustad took out a procession before staging a protest in front of the Deputy Director of Public
Instruction office. Mr. Ustad demanded the immediate withdrawal of the revised textbooks for 5th and 8th
standards. Several organisations protested against alleged attempts at “saffronising” education by the
State Government here on Monday. Members of the district unit of the Youth Congress took out a
procession and burnt an effigy of the RSS, saying it was responsible for the introduction of communal
elements in school textbooks before submitting a memorandum addressed to the Governor H. R.
Bhardwaj. “The State Government has twisted the history books of 5th and 8th standards. It has chapters
that poison the minds of young children and make them develop bitter feelings for Scheduled Castes
Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Castes and minorities. These books should not just be banned but
burnt,” Youth Congress leader Anand Devappa said. Mohammad Saifuddin demanded that that the
textbooks be withdrawn, the textbook committee be dissolved and a new committee formed with eminent
educationists and senior writers as members. Leaders like Shivakumar Swamy, Nassir Khadri, Hasan
Kamal, D.K. Sanjukumar and Amar Bhange were present. Members of the Muslim Human Rights
Association also staged a dharna . They said the State Government has prepared the textbooks against
the National Curriculum Framework. They also demanded that Urdu be given the status of a second
language in all districts with more than 15 per cent population of Urdu speakers. (The Hindu 6/3/12)
CPI(M) office attacked (26)
KANNUR, March 7, 2012: A local office of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) at Punnad, near Iritty,
was attacked by suspected workers of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Monday late night.
Shops at Punnad remained closed on Tuesday in response to the CPI(M)'s call for a local hartal in protest
against the attack. Windowpanes of the office, memorial columns, and campaign hoardings were
destroyed in the attack. The police said that stones were pelted at the EMS Smaraka Mandiram, which is
functioning as the branch committee office of the party, twice at night. The party's local leadership alleged
that the RSS was behind the attack. (The Hindu 7/3/12)
Now VHP deploys cow to fight UPA regime (26)
NEW DELHI, March 7, 2012: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad has unleashed a new weapon against the
United Progressive Alliance government: the cow. The VHP-run gaushalas held the latest in a series of
‘cow-promotion and protection camps' here on Sunday to bruit about their claim that the UPA is hostile to
Hinduism's most sacred animal. Pamphlets distributed at the camp railed against a plan, proposed by a
working group framing the 12th Five Year Plan, to permit beef exports. “Hindu society is injured by this
oppressive policy of the UPA government,” senior VHP leader Jugal Kishore said. It was a shame that the
government had approved the selling of the meat of the cow mother,” VHP media chief Vinod Bansal said
the camp was meant to promote products made from cows, which are now “cultivated only for milk.”
Visitors to the camp were greeted with a bewildering array of creams, lotions, face packs, hand-wash,
shampoos, balms, eye-drops and, even floor cleaners derived from panchgavya or a mixture of milk, curd,
ghee, urine and dung. “This revolutionary product helps to control hair fall,” said a VHP worker who had
set up a stall. “Even if you have the driest of hair, this product is guaranteed to prolong greying.” There
was even a product designed to allow the VHP to take a crack at Chief Minister Sheila Dixit in Delhi — a
device to test milk for impurities such as urea, soda, starch and detergent powder. “People should know
that 80 per cent of the city gets impure milk,” another VHP worker told The Hindu . “Until a few years ago,
there would be a ban on ‘paneer' and ‘khoya' products in the summer. Ever since Sheila Dikshit came to
power, the ban has been lifted. Clearly, people are being fed chemicals.” “People think the VHP is an
extremist organisation, but there is a scientific basis to what we are saying here [about the cow], rooted in
our scriptures,” he said. (The Hindu 7/3/12)

VHP to launch agitation against Muslim quota (26)
RANCHI: VHP executive president Praveen Togadia arrived here on Saturday on a daylong trip to the
statee to create public awareness against alleged anti-Hindu policies of the Union government. After
attending a meet in Ranchi, he went to Jamshedpur and Bokaro to address public meetings and
strengthen the organization. This forms part of his first round of visit to different states to build public
opinion against move of the Union government to allocate 4.5% reservation in employment to the
members of Muslim community out of the 27% quota meant for the OBCs. He said that the UPA
government is violating constitutional spirit by announcing quota for Muslims. "It could later form the basis
of extending religion based reservation which is prohibited by the Constitution and secular nature of the
country," he said. Chairing a meet of the VHP, Bajrang Dal and RSS activists at Ranchi, Togadia asked
them to build consensus among the Hindus, irrespective of caste to protest move of the union
government. "Financial and social condition of the OBCs has not improved to a level that their share of
reservation is reduced arbitrarily," he said. In Jamshedpur Togadia described Samajwadi Party's
thumping victory in the recently concluded assembly polls as return of Mughal rule in Uttar Pradesh. "A
majority of the voters who voted for the SP will soon realize their mistake," said Togadia. About the
reservation for Muslims Togadia said, "We read conspiracy (behind the move to provide reservation to
Muslims). Reservation on communal basis would only divide the country. He said if Ranganath Mishra
commission recommendations are implemented in its present form it would only alienate the OBC youths
and would further create rift among the religious communities of India. (Times of India 10/3/12)
Secularism faces challenge under UDF: Rajagopal (26)
KOCHI, March 14, 2012: Senior BJP leader O. Rajagopal alleged on Tuesday that the United Democratic
Front (UDF) was indulging in activities that threatened secular credentials of democracy. Addressing a
press conference here, he said 90 per cent of top appointments done during the UDF rule had gone to
the members of a particular community. The same was the case with the heads of District Development
Councils, he said. Serious instances of intentional destruction of communal harmony had happened
during the past nine months. A famous temple in Kasaragod and an Ayyappa temple in Perumbavoor
were desecrated, but the government was more interested in suppressing the news instead of bringing
the culprits to book. The government was depending on non-secular parties and that accounted for its
partisan nature, he said. Mr. Rajagopal described the resignation of the Neyyattinkara MLA as an assault
on democracy. The role of the UDF in the episode was expected to be unveiled. It was notable that the
UPA government at the Centre had earlier resorted to undemocratic means to get more MPs to its side. It
was clear that the outcome of the Piravom byelection would not affect the stability of the State
government. Hence it was an opportunity for people to react to the government's course of action. Longterm
issues rather than day-to-day incidents should be the guiding force for casting votes. He hoped that
the BJP would improve its strength at the Piravom byelection. (The Hindu 14/3/12)
'General perception of public is that Narendra Modi is communal' (26)
Bangalore: Minister of state in PMO's office V Narayanasamy on Friday said a decision on replacing
Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi would be taken by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA chairperson
Sonia Gandhi and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee. "Trivedi's resignation is an internal matter of Trinamool
Congress (TMC).If we get any intimation from TMC, the decision will be taken by the Prime Minister, the
UPA chairperson and TMC chief", he said, responding to a query on the sidelines of a function here. On
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi being featured on the cover of Time March 26 issue and carrying
an article praising him for taking steps to develop the state he has been ruling over a decade, but
wonders if he can become Prime Minister, he quipped "I do not wish to make comments on any

personalities. It is upto Time magazine to decide whom to publish. It is their assessment"."When it comes
to Modi, the general perception of public is he is communal. When he was Chief Minister, Godhra incident
happened... So I do not have to comment on Times cover. A PIL has been been filed (on post-Godhra
riots) in the Supreme Court. Let the court decide", he said. (DNA 17/3/12)
VHP wants Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant commissioned (26)
Tirupur, March 17, 2012: Members of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) staged a demonstration in Tirupur on
Friday to press their charter of demands including speedy commissioning of Kudankulam Nuclear Power
Plant and steps to stop the levy of entry fees in various temples in the State. VHP's divisional secretary G.
Nachimuthu said commissioning of Kudankulam plant at the earliest was essential to help the State to
reduce the power deficit. For this, the anti-nuke activists who were obstructing the opening of the plant
should be removed, he added. (The Hindu 17/3/12)
VHP to launch nationwide stir on April 9 (26)
Belgaum, March 21, 2012: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), which has been opposing the
recommendations of the Justice Ranganath Misra Commission and the Sachar Committee to provide
more reservation in jobs for Muslims, will organise a nationwide protest on April 9. Announcing this here
on Tuesday, VHP international working president Pravin Togadia alleged that the Congress-led UPA
Government was dividing the nation on communal lines to protect its dwindling Muslim vote bank. The
government had fixed 4.5 per cent minority quota within the 27 per cent reservation for Other Backward
Classes. He said the VHP would distribute pamphlets across the country and mobilise people's support.
Dr. Togadia took a dig at All-India Congress Committee general secretary Rahul Gandhi for his “pro-
Muslim” concerns. Later, he participated in a function organised by the VHP at the Gujarati community
hall in Shahpur in the city.(The Hindu 21/3/12)
RSS takes protest way to fight for ‘national unity & integrity’ (26)
Ahmedabad: The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) will fight for national unity and integrity by
protesting the proposed National Water Policy-2012, Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence Bill
and 4% quota to minorities out of 27% OBC quota. The right wing organisation has passed two
resolutions to protest the decisions of central government in the meeting of the all India representative
body, the Akhil Bhartiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS) held at Nagpur from March 16-18. Giving details about
the resolution, Dr Jayanti Bhadesiya, state RSS chief said, “We are determined to unite the nation by
opposing moves of the Union government that can divide the country into majority and minority.”
Regarding the National Water Policy, Bhadesiya said, “We will not allow the Indian government to play
into the hands of multinational players who are trying to professionalise water conservation and
distribution system in the county. There are 10 to 11 multinational companies who are lobbying hard to
bring in this policy.” The organization is on an expansion spree and had added two Prants (region) like
Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur in its already existing 39 Prants across the country. “There are 1,039
Shakhas (branches) in 543 villages across the country. We conduct 315 weekly meetings and 156
monthly meeting throughout the year,” Bhadesiya added. (DNA 21/3/12)
VHP opposition shelves play on Kurukshetra War (26)
GUWAHATI: The much-awaited play "Mahabharator Bhool' (Mistakes of Mahabharata), a modern-day
stage adaptation of the The Mahabharata, which was slated to be staged on March 31 at Ravindra
Bhawan, will not be enacted on Saturday. Nagaon-based theatre production house Rangmahal and
Nagaon Anatyam Natya Sangathan, who were all set to give theatre-lovers a different angle to the epic,
have decided to drop the play after the Vishwa Hindu Parish (VHP)'s Northeast Chapter lodged a
complaint. "We were informed that the VHP had lodged complaint against the title and some parts of the
script. Then, the cultural directorate asked us to give a copy of the script. Later, the office asked us not to

stage the play citing possible law and order problems. So, we have also decided not to stage it," said
Pabitra Pran Sarmah, the director of the play. Sarmah added that banning of the play here is
disheartening as the play has already been enacted several times in Nagaon. "People loved and
appreciated it," he added. Earlier, addressing the media on Friday, VHP's NE general secretary said they
would bar staging of such plays and had already lodged a complaint with the authorities concerned. "We
have got a copy of the play's script. We have seen that the epic characters of The Mahabharata have
been distorted in the play. They have used languages in the script which are not befitting to a great epic.
It is against religious sentiments and can create disturbance," said Abhijeet Deka, general secretary of
VHP, NE. An official said the matter of enacting the play was discussed with Dispur, too, which asked the
department to cancel the show. "First, we were asked to change the title and we did it too. It was
renamed as 'Bholanathor Sopun'. Later, the department asked to cancel it," said the director in
disappointment. "Mahabharataor Bhool" was written by Tarun Saikia in the Eighties to show that the
Kurikshetra War was a result of conflict of personal interests. Besides questioning the one-sided
perception of The Mahabharata, the drama is also a satire on modern-day life. (Times of India 31/3/12)
MM Joshi holds talks with RSS chief (26)
NAGPUR: Veteran BJP leader and former HRD minister Murli Manohar Joshi on Friday had a lengthy
deliberation with RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat at their Mahal headquarters here. Joshi spent more than
three hours with the RSS top brass and left the city in the evening. Significantly, Joshi, who heads Lok
Sabha's public accounts committee that probed the 2G spectrum scam was also at the center of an
unseemly row. He was accused by Anshuman Mishra, an aspirant for the Rajya Sabha ticket from
Jharkhand, of hobnobbing with telecom biggies who were accused in the 2G scam. The visit coming just
days after that episode could have seen some explaining by the BJP leader. Though a regular visitor to
the RSS headquarters, Joshi was here for the first time after BJP's dismal performance in Uttar Pradesh
state elections. Though the BJP did slightly better than the Congress in the UP election it was a poor third
after the SP and the BSP. Many in the party are unhappy that the BJP which once ruled the state had
now lost favour with the people in the most populous and crucial state. Lack of unity among senior party
leaders from the state was seen as a major factor for the BJP's poor show this time. Joshi avoided
speaking to media person during the visit fearing that it could trigger a fresh controversy. "I was here to
extend a personal invitation to the RSS chief for the wedding ceremony of my daughter," he told reporters
before leaving the city. (Times of India 1/4/12)
Ram Sethu: VHP thanks Jayalalithaa (26)
MADURAI, April 3, 2012: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has thanked Chief Minister Jayalalithaa for
urging the Central Government to declare Ram Sethu, through which the proposed alignment of the
Sethusamudram channel is planned, as a national monument. A resolution to this effect was passed at a
conference of village priests held at Usilampatti in Madurai district recently, in which Vedantham, Vishwa
Hindu Parishad's State executive president R. S. Narayanaswamy and VHP district president Chinmaya
R. Somasundaram also took part. Resolutions thanking the State Government and police department for
resolving the long-standing caste dispute at Uthapuram village over worship at the temple were also
passed. The Poosari Peravai also thanked the Chief Minster for introducing religious classes at places of
worship. It urged the Chief Minister to rejuvenate the Village Temple Priests' Welfare Board to safeguard
the interests of village priests. (The Hindu 3/4/12)
Hindutva agenda behind subsidy to visit religious places: Ajay Singh (26)
Bhopal: Leader of Opposition in Madhya Pradesh Assembly, Ajay Singh here today said that it appears
that there is an 'Hindutva agenda' behind the decision of the BJP government to give subsidy to people in
the state to visit certain religious places in foreign countries. "It appears that there must be an Hindutva

agenda behind giving subsidy to people visiting some religious places belonging to a particular
community," said Ajay. "If at all the state government wanted to subsidise such religious visits then it
should do it for all the communities of the society," he said. He also said that it would have been better if
instead of giving subsidy for such visits, the government could have spent the money on the renovation of
dilapidated temples and other religious places of the state. The state government has yesterday
expanded the subsidy scheme for pilgrimage to places of religious importance situated in Sri Lanka (Sita
Mata Temple and Cambodia (Angkor Wat Temple), official sources said. Such provisions are already in
place for pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarovar (China-Tibet), Hinglaj Mata Mandir and Nankana Saheb (both
in Pakistan). The State Government will now provide 50 per cent subsidy on expenses (maximum Rs
30,000) to the state's citizens for the journey to pilgrim centres in Sri Lanka and Cambodia. Six years ago,
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had taken the initiative for providing financial assistance to citizens
of the state for pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarovar. A beneficiary pilgrim has to make claim for
reimbursement within 60 days after the journey to Madhya Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation
(MPTDC) along with details of expenses. Under the scheme, a domicile of Madhya Pradesh is eligible to
avail this subsidy once in lifetime. Later in 2007-08, the State Government has also introduced the
provision of providing subsidy for pilgrimage to Hinglaj Mata Mandir and Nankana Saheb situated in
Pakistan. A person desirous of pilgrimage to Sita Mandir (Sri Lanka) and Angkor Wat (Cambodia) will
have to apply to MPTDC, Bhopal for getting subsidy within sixty days after visiting the place temples at
the above-mentioned countries. (Financial Express 6/4/12)
Government machinery misused in BJP-ruled States, says CPI(M) (26)
KOZHIKODE, April 9, 2012: Expressing grave concern over the ‘misuse' of the government machinery in
the Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled States to advance the BJP-Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh agenda, the
Communist Party of India (Marxist) pledged to make special efforts to combat the trend. Holding the “hate
propaganda” of the RSS and its many fronts responsible for the rise of Hindutva terror groups with many
of them using the BJP-ruled States as a base for training, the party pointed to the alleged involvement of
RSS pracharak s in terror acts. “The utter hypocrisy of the RSS combine's claim to be a patriotic force
against terrorism is thoroughly exposed by the fact that many RSS pracharaks are accused in the cases
of bomb explosions in Malegaon, Mecca Masjid, Ajmer Sharif and the Samjhauta train blasts in which
hundreds of innocent people were killed,” a resolution “Against RSS-BJP Communal Agenda” adopted by
the 20th party congress said. While demanding speedy trial and punishment, it asked the Centre to
adequately compensate all those Muslim youth wrongly accused and jailed for months and years in these
cases. Demanding justice for the victims of the Gujarat ‘genocide', it said, many of those guilty continued
to occupy high office and every pressure was being brought to save Chief Minister Narendra Modi from
being named as an accused in the Gulberg Society case even though there was sufficient evidence
against him in the case. Turing to increasing attacks on the rights of minorities and communal incidents
targeting minority communities in the Mangalore region of Karnataka, it said besides destroying churches,
the special target of attack had been friendship among students of different communities. The resolution
also noted with concern that in States such as Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and
Karnataka, public money was being channelled through non-governmental organisations sponsored by
the RSS to help them spread their “communal agenda.” “In Madhya Pradesh, valuable land has been
given to such communal outfits. In addition, secular welfare schemes like mid-day meal or anganwadi
centres are sought to be communalised through the introduction of Hindu rituals and recitation of mantras
within the functioning of the scheme…These create problems for children of oppressed castes. In
particular, RSS-sponsored NGOs are helped to introduce such Hinduised rituals in Adivasi areas to
weaken Adivasi cultures and diverse forms of worships of their own deities linked to nature.” (The Hindu
9/4/12)
VHP, Bajrang Dal protest against attacks on Hindus in J&K (26)

Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal on Friday held a protest in the national Capital against
attacks on Hindus in Jammu & Kashmir. They also burnt effigy of Governor NN Vohra. VHP and Bajrang
Dal said that the protest was held against recent attacks on Hindus in Rajauri, booking them in false
cases. They also raised questions on the manner in which the time duration of the Amarnath Yatra has
been cut down. VHP alleged that the J&K Governor and its State Chief Minister are taking decisions on
the pressure of anti national elements. They further alleged that terror groups are terrorising Hindus living
in the border districts of the state. A Press notification said that member central advisory board of VHP BL
Sharma Prem while addressing the protesters asked whether Hindus have no right to practice their
religion in the state. “Why the religious precession was attacked in Rajauri by the anti national elements in
front of the administration?,” he said. He added that instead of detaining attackers police arrested hindus.
Prem demanded immediate release of those detained in false cases, withdrawal of false FIRs lodged and
restoration of Amarnath yarta duration atleast for two months. VHP state Media chief Vinod Bansal said
that the J & K state machinery kept mum on any action against anti nationals. He said, “Today we burn
effigy of the state Governor to protest against his repeated interference in Hindus religious affairs by
curtailing Amaranath Yatra duration and not protecting life and property of Hindus living in border areas.”
Bansal warned that if the governor does not turn up, they may extend this protest to the whole country.
(Pioneer 11/4/12)
VHP threatens agitation over Amarnath yatra duration (26)
JAMMU: The VHP today threatened to launch a countrywide agitation to protest against the curtailment of
Amarnath yatra duration from 60 days to 39 days and demanded the resignation of governor NN Vohra
as chairman of Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB). The outfit also demanded the reconstitution of the
shrine board. "We demand resignation of Vohra as chairman of SASB for curtailment of the yatra to 39
days this year under the pressure of separatists. The board should be reconstituted," VHP state chief
Ramakant Dubey told reporters here. The shrine board has announced June 25 as the new date for
starting the yatra. The VHP demands for the reconstitution of SASB, which should comprise only those
members having full faith in Hindu religion, he said. Dubey said the yatra shall commence from
auspicious Jyeshth Purnima, which is falling on June 4, a practice which has been going on for the last
several years. He said the VHP will organise protest demonstrations at all district headquarters across the
country from April 16 to press their demand for the early commencement of yatra. In case an immediate
decision is not taken in this regard, the VHP will start the yatra on its own from June 4, he said. (Times of
India 13/4/12)
Attack on beef fest against ‘food fascism’ (26)
Hyderabad, April 16: A student was stabbed and injured last night as violence flared at Osmania
University over a “beef festival” organised by Dalit students to assert their right to eat their traditional food
on the campus. The government, worried that the issue may snowball and re-ignite the Telangana
movement at its epicentre, has swamped the campus with paramilitary and police who caned the fighting
students and fired tear gas. Still, skirmishes continued this morning and classes were closed.
Satyanarayana, a member of BJP student wing ABVP which allegedly tried to disrupt the festival last
evening by throwing stones at the diners, was attacked and stabbed past midnight at his hostel. His
wounds are not grievous, hospital doctors said. Dalit student bodies — some of them pro-Telangana —
organised the festival with support from Left student groups in protest against the “food fascism” that
keeps beef out of campus canteens. Dalit students allege they are taunted by their upper caste peers for
eating beef at home. Ironically, a beef stall has been a regular feature — and a major attraction — at the
annual fest, Sukoon, of the nearby University of Hyderabad since 2006 and nobody objects to it. Last
evening, as beef biryani was being served at Osmania to 200-odd people — including students, teachers
and rights activists who had been invited — a group of about 50 students, allegedly from the ABVP,

arrived and hurled stones. This triggered overnight sticks-and-stones battles on the campus, leaving six
students injured and several vehicles, including a state bus and a media van, in flames. All the roads
leading to the university have been sealed. The issue has been resonating on Twitter since yesterday,
with festival supporters and opponents bashing each other in 140 characters. Writer and Dalit rights
activist Meena Kandasamy, an invitee to the festival, tweeted how she had to be escorted out in a police
vehicle. Last year, too, Osmania’s Dalit students had planned a beef festival but were dissuaded. With
their number growing from 1,200 in 2011 to 2,000 this year, they were more determined this time. Vicechancellor
S. Satyanarayana said he had not been approached for permission and asserted the event
could not be allowed given the history of caste tensions on the campus. However, the organisers poohpoohed
the idea that holding such an event required permission. They received support from P.L.
Vishweshwar Rao, a former professor of communications and journalism at the university, who said
students had the right to eat a particular food. He said the police and the university administration had
failed to protect the students participating in the festival. “Beef is a basic Dalit food. We want this upper
caste hostility towards it to end,” said Kancha Ilaiah, a Dalit ideologue who teaches at the university.
Some 200kg of beef was bought for the festival, organised by the Telangana Students’ Association,
Progressive Democratic Students’ Union, the CPM-affiliated SFI and students from the English and
Foreign Languages University across the street. The guest list of activists included Ilaiah, S. Simhadri,
Gali Vinod Kumar, Vishweshwar Rao, Hangya Bhukya, Gogu Shyamala and G. Aloysius. A couple of
days ago, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad had said the festival would be opposed on the ground of hurting
religious sentiments. (Telegraph 17/4/12)
Road block: VHP activists held (26)
Tirupur, April 17, 2012: As many as 162 Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) activists were arrested when they
staged a road block agitation at Perumanallur on Monday in protest against the proposed ‘Prevention of
Communal and Targeted Violence Bill'. G. Nachimuthu, divisional secretary of VHP, said introduction of
such bill, as planned, would be anti-Hindu and will not curb riots taking place between majority and
minority communities as propagated. The agitators accused Congress-led UPA government of following
in the footsteps of Britons who adopted ‘divide and rule' policy, by planning this Bill. Mr. Nachimuthu said
the Bill, which would usurp the rights of Hindus, should not be passed at any cost. (The Hindu 17/4/12)
RSS backs bigger role for Modi (26)
New Delhi: Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi has been backed by the RSS yet again to play a bigger
role at the national political stage. This was clearly spelt out by the RSS in the latest issue of its
mouthpeiece Panchjanya, by stating that people outside Gujarat are “eagerly” waiting for Mr Modi. The
RSS has also praised Mr Modi for his “faith in Hinduism” and promoting communal harmony in the state
despite some elements desperately trying to project him as “anti-minorities” post-Godhra riots. “Now
people of the country are waiting for him (Modi) to play a national role outside Gujarat,” the article said.
Speculations are rife in the Sangh Parivar, including the BJP, that after the Gujarat Assembly polls which
are scheduled by the end of this year, Mr Modi would be brought into the national politics. He is also
touted as the Prime Ministerial candidate of his party. However, some of the top BJP leaders, it is learnt,
are also eyeing for the post. Praising Mr Modi for his good governance and the social harmony in Gujarat,
the editorial in Panchjanya said Supreme Court’s appointed SIT’s clean chit to Gujarat CM in Gulberg riot
case is a “tight slap” for those who tried to “demonise” him and project him as “anti-Muslim”. (Asian Age
17/4/12)
Vedike stages protest seeking withdrawal of textbooks (26)
Shimoga, April 19, 2012: Activists of the Karnataka Komu Souharda Vedike staged a protest in the city on
Wednesday urging the State government to withdraw Social Science textbooks proposed to be
introduced for Class 5 and 8 in the State from the next academic year. Organisations such as the

Karnataka Dalit Sangharsha Samiti, People's Union for Civil Liberties, Popular Front of India, All India
Christians Council, and Jamaat-e-Islami Hind expressed their support to the protest. The activists, who
took out a procession in the city, raised slogans accusing that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
government in the State of trying to “saffronise” education. They alleged that the BJP government was
trying to use textbooks as a means to spread communal hatred among students. Importance had not
been given to the achievements of people from the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minority
communities, and women in the proposed textbooks. The scholars affiliated to right wing Hindutva groups
had been made textbook panel members. The activists alleged that these scholars attempted to distort
history to develop reactionary views among students. The progressive organisations in the State had
staged a series of protests against the proposed textbooks following which minor changes had been
made. But this was just eyewash. History had been presented from Sangh Parivar's perspective through
the textbooks. The main objective of studying social science was to help students understand social
realities, and develop in them civic responsibility, but the proposed textbooks failed to fulfil that objective,
they said. They demanded that the government withdraw the textbooks. They said eminent scholars with
impartial approach should be made members of the textbook panels henceforth. Office-bearers of the
vedike K.L. Ashok, K.P. Sripal, and Sarjashankar Haralimutt of PUCL were present. (The Hindu 19/4/12)
VHP opposes move to pay honorarium to Imams (26)
KOLKATA, April 21, 2012: Condemning the West Bengal Government's move to pay a monthly
honorarium to Imams, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) here on Friday announced weeklong protests on
the issue starting from next month. International general secretary of the VHP Praveen Togadia said that
the organisation will launch a massive campaign where religious leaders of other communities and
unemployed youths of the State will demand a similar honorarium from the State Government. “Even in
Islamic countries no government pays any honorarium to Imams. Then why is Mamata Banerjee paying
them? We will not accept this and will launch a movement in the State from May 1,” Mr. Togadia said. On
April 3, Ms. Banerjee had announced a monthly honorarium of Rs.2,500 each for nearly 30,000 Imams in
the State to be paid through the State Wakf Board. Accusing Ms. Banerjee of indulging in the politics of
Muslim appeasement, Mr Togadia said the move will create communal divide in the State. “If the Imams
can get the money, what sins have Hindu priests committed? They should also be paid,” he said.
Criticising the move of the previous Left Front Government in the State to give reservation to Muslim
under the Other Backward Castes (OBC) category as per the recommendations of Ranganath Mishra
Commission, he said that the outfit will oppose any attempt to give reservation to the Muslims. Ms.
Banerjee on Thursday had said that the proposal to give reservation to the Muslims under the OBC
category will be passed by the State Cabinet in a month. Earlier this month the State unit of the Bharatiya
Janata Party had opposed the government move to give honorarium to Imams and taken out a protest
rally against the decision. The party had written to Imams urging them to oppose the government's move
as it will create communal divide. (The Hindu 21/4/12)
Life term for 9 RSS-BJP workers in murder case (26)
KANNUR: The Thalassery sessions court on Monday awarded life term to nine RSS-BJP workers who
were found guilty in the murder of National Development Front (NDF) activist P V Muhammad at Punnad
near Iritty on June 7, 2004. Those who got life-term under Section 302 of IPC in the case are M Chandran
(33), E Rathnakaran (42), P P Shaiju (31), P Pradeepan (38), P Baiju alias Vijeesh (31), K Babu (34), K K
Padmanabhan (30), V Vineesh (31),and P Shaiju alias Unni (30). Out of the 26 accused, 16 were
acquitted. The court will hear the case of the 14th accused, Satheesan Ananthoth, later, as the defence
lawyer said that he was mentally disturbed and undergoing treatment. (Times of India 24/4/12)

VHP resents pruning of SC, ST quotas (26)
KADAPA, April 26, 2012: Viswa Hindu Parishad functionaries staged a dharna in front of Kadapa
Collectorate on Wednesday decrying reduction in the 27 per cent reservation for OBCs, SCs, STs and
open categories in education and employment to 20 per cent and diversion of the quota to minorities.
VHP State vice-president B. Ramakrishna Reddy and Bajrang Dal Pramukhs Sivasankara Reddy and
Rana Pratap, who led the protest, demanded that the government withdraw the reservation earmarked for
Muslims by weaning away 45 per cent quota from OBCs and tender an apology to people. They also
asked for a concrete assurance that SC reservations would not be diverted to Christians. They demanded
Muslims be excluded from OBC reservations and said that the diversion of education and employment
facilities meant for SC, ST, PBC to Muslims and Christians would be resisted by the VHP. They alleged
misinterpretation of the recommendations of the Ranganath Mishra Commission and Rajenda Sachar
Committee to consider Muslims as poorer sections. VHP Kadapa city president Venugopal, secretary
Ramaswamy, treasurer V. Srinivasulu and joint secretary Siva Reddy participated. (The Hindu 26/4/12)
Call to save Indian culture, religion from disaster (26)
HYDERABAD, April 27, 2012: A meeting held to celebrate Sankara Jayanti at the NTR Stadium here on
Thursday evening saw three religious heads practising different disciplines and practising Hinduism
urging people to come together on a common platform to save culture, religion and tradition from disaster.
Terming it the first-ever meeting with three Hindu religious heads sharing the dais, it aimed at showcasing
Hinduism as a ‘sampradaya' (tradition) and driving home the message that ‘Hindutva' was something
more than being a religion, said Swami Paripoornananda Saraswathi of Sree Peetham, Kakinada. In the
presence of Swami Tridandi Srimannarayana Ramanuja Chinna Jeeyar and Swami Sugunendra Teertha
of Puthege Math, Udipi, he said this was a step to bring practitioners of different Hindu disciplines
together. He expressed happiness that Hyderabad was taking the lead in what he termed a revolution
with ‘Bharateeyam' in every heart. Speaking in Sanskrit, Swami Sugunendra Teertha said it was the
mother of all languages and regaled the audience by recalling the similarities of words in Sanskrit and
English - ‘Maatha' (Mother), ‘Pitha' (Father) and the like. He said Indianism was the need of the hour. The
Chinna Jeeyar said while Sankara Jayanti was celebrated on April 26, Ramanuja Jayanti fell the next day
itself. Adi Sankaracharya and Ramanujacharya shared the same ‘Nakshatra', he recalled. (The Hindu
27/4/12)
Convicted Abu Azmi says Maharashtra govt is anti-Muslim (26)
Mumbai: Samajwadi Party leader Abu Asim Azmi on Tuesday lashed out at the state government, saying
it was against the minorities. Azmi’s tirade came a day after a local court sentenced him to two years’
imprisonment for delivering a hate speech 12 years ago. The sentence was suspended to give Azmi and
others time to appeal in the sessions court. Azmi held the Congress-NCP government responsible for the
judgment. He said judgments are made on the basis of evidence provided by the police, who are under
the state government, and based on such evidence, Muslims are found guilty while others go scot-free.
“Bal Thackeray (Shiv Sena leader) and Raj Thackeray (MNS leader, earlier with the Shiv Sena) have
made hundreds of speeches inciting hatred and communal violence. Why has the government never
taken action against them?” he asked. Azmi said the entire case smacked of politics. “When the then CM
Vilasrao Deshmukh asked the local police, they said there was no case. But after (the then leader of the
Opposition from the Shiv Sena) Narayan Rane did not allow the assembly to function for 11 days, the
government forced the police to file a case. After that, the police produced a CD of my speech in the
court, and said my speech was communal,” he said. “Where did that CD come from?” he asked. A press
release from the Samajwadi Party said that in his speech, Azmi had said that after the 1992 riots, the
situation in Mumbai was not good, that the police were harassing Muslims, that loudspeakers in mosques
and namaz on the roads had been stopped, and that maulvis (priests) in mosques were being
questioned. He said his speech was never against the country but against injustice to Muslims. Azmi said

a police complaint has been registered against Bal Thackeray under Section 153(A) of the IPC
(promoting enmity between groups of people), yet after all these years no action has been taken against
him. “The government doesn’t have the guts to file cases against Thackeray, whose speeches have been
heard by everyone. It only picks on Muslims,” he said. (DNA 2/5/12)
Police yet to decide on permission for Togadia meet (26)
KASARAGOD, May 4, 2012: Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) international general secretary Praveen
Togadia is scheduled to attend a ‘Hindu Shakthi Sanghom' convention here on May 6 even as the police
are contemplating whether to permit the convention in the communally sensitive town. Spiritual leaders
from Kerala and Karnataka are expected to take part in the meet, Hindu Aikyavedi State vice-president
Raveesh Thanthri Kandar told a press conference here on Thursday. A senior officer said ‘‘the police
have not decided whether to give permission to hold the meeting in view of the presence of Mr. Togadia,
who is known for delivering fiery and provocative speeches, in the communally sensitive town.” The
meeting is scheduled at the Thalipadappu ground at 3 p.m. The police said that if the meet was held
without their permission, it would be considered as illegal. ‘‘Anyway, we are assessing the situation and
will take an appropriate decision later,” Assistant Superintendent of Police T. K. Shibu said. (The Hindu
4/5/12)
IUML, Sangh Parivar vitiating peace: CPI(M) (26)
KASARAGOD, May 6, 2012: Communist Party of India (Marxist) district unit secretary K.P. Sathish
Chandran has alleged that the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and the Sangh Parivar are bent upon
vitiating peace in the communally sensitive district. In the backdrop of the IUML leadership's resolve to
hold a march to the office of the Assistant Superintendent of Police at Kanhangad in protest against the
recent arrest of three youths for violating the Indian Army's dress code during a procession on the birth
anniversary of Prophet Mohammed and the Hindu Aikya Vedi's move to invite Vishwa Hindu Parishad
leader Praveen Togadia, who earned “notoriety” for delivering provocative speeches, the secular-minded
people should join hands to thwart the evil designs of the communal forces, Mr. Sathish Chandran said in
a statement here on Friday. The Bharatiya Janata Party and other Sangh Parivar outfits and the IUML
under the influence of outfits such as the Popular Front of India were making moves to destroy the
communal harmony in the district, he alleged. Mr. Togadia was scheduled to address a Hindu meet here
on May 6 amid reports that the police were making elaborate security arrangements, while the IUML was
planning to hold the protest march on May 15, the CPI(M) leader said. (The Hindu 6/5/12)
Togadia lashes out at Pakistan (26)
KASARAGOD, May 7, 201: Praveen Togadia, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader, said here on Sunday
that Pakistan had been assisting terrorist elements to carry out subversive activities in major cities and
other parts of India. He was addressing a meeting hosted by the Hindu Samrakshana Samithi here on
Sunday evening. He alleged that the political leadership of the country was encouraging unhealthy and
dangerous tendencies in the name of vote bank politics. The Jehadi philosophy was flourishing in various
forms, the gravest being the import of terrorism from across the border. He alleged that the government
had taken control of over one lakh Hindu temples. Senior spiritual leaders, including Sri Vishvesha Tirtha
Swami of Pejawar Math, Udupi, and Swami Premananda spoke. The function was held in the backdrop of
attacks on a few temples in the town, triggering tension for days in recent months. (The Hindu 7/5/12)
Hindu Maha Sabha chief voices support for Nithyananda (26)
MADURAI: The president of the All-India Hindu Maha Sabha (AIHMS) who was in Madurai on Monday,
created a flutter by expressing solidarity with the Madurai Adheenam and Nithyananda. Sakkarapani
Maharaj, the president of the sabha, and general secretary Indira Deepaji were in Madurai to visit the
mutt. After meeting the present pontiff and Nithyananda, he spoke to media persons, saying,

"Nithyananda is taking great efforts to form a strong base for Hinduism across the world. The AIHMS is
fully supportive of his efforts," he said. All mutt heads who were now opposing Nitahyanandha will start
supporting him very soon, he added. The leader said he was confident that Nithyanandha would emerge
clean from the charges made against him. Meanwhile, members of the Hindu Makkal Katchi reportedly
lodged a complaint with the HR and CE department seeking a probe into the alleged bribe that the
Madurai Adheenam had received to appoint Nithyananda as junior pontiff. In his petition, the district
president of the Hindu Makkal Katchi, Solai Kannan, has sought a probe into the appointment of
Nithyananda and also his dismissal from the post. Later, he also urged Hindus to join the meeting of mutt
heads across the state which is to be held in Madurai on May 13. The mutt heads are to discuss the
formalities for taking action against Nithyananda in that meeting. A disciple of the Madurai Adheenam,
Vaishnavi (28), was also allegedly abused by a follower of Nithyanandha Mathya (30), in the mutt
premises on Sunday night. But, sources said Madurai Adheenam conducted enquiries into the incident
and brought about a compromise. (Times of India 8/5/12)
BJP joins VHP to stop Muslim realty deals (26)
BHAVNAGAR:The rift between chief minister Narendra Modi and VHP leader Pravin Togadia may have
left the party-sangh ties soured. But, when it comes to ousting Muslims from Hindu-dominated areas, BJP
has supported VHP, notwithstanding Modi's new-found Sadbhavana towards Muslims. BJP leaders in the
city have joined the saffron brigade's 'Ram dhun' campaign to sabotage Muslim realty deals in the Hindu
areas. And, they have no qualms about it. Suresh Dhandhaliya, senior BJP leader and Bhavnagar mayor,
along with his predecessor Parul Trivedi joined the drive to halt a deal. Trivedi, who is also a member of
state BJP women's wing's executive committee, was in fact one of the organizers of Ram Darbar, a
programme to prevent Hindus from selling properties to Muslims. "Muslims buying properties in Hindu
areas is a major concern and we want all such deals to be called off," Dhandhaliya told TOI. The party's
support comes at a time when BJP is gearing up for assembly polls later this year and Modi chanting the
"sadbhavana" mantra to woo Muslims. "Muslims have been slowly increasing their presence in Hindudominated
areas. This will create tension in future," she said. (Times of India 9/5/12)
Set right the slide faced by ancient mutt, says Vishwa Hindu Parishad (26)
MADURAI, May 10, 2012: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has appealed to the head of Madurai
Adheenam, Arunagirinatha Gnanasambanda Desika Paramacharya, to set right the slide faced by the
ancient mutt, consequent to the appointment of Nithyananda as his successor. In a statement, the joint
State organiser of VHP, Chinmaya R. Somasundaram, while asserting that the right to nominate a
successor was fully vested with the incumbent mutt head, expressed serious concern over the confusion
prevailing in the mutt. The government or a government department and Hindu organisations had no right
to interfere in the mutt's right and freedom but the spiritual world would not remain silent if such a freedom
was used as a right to do whatever one wanted to. In such a situation, it would be inevitable for the
government and court to take control of temples and mutts using legal provisions. The VHP termed the
recent income tax raid in the mutt as unfortunate. Mr. Somasundaram appealed to Nithyananda to give
up his “confrontationist approach” with senior heads of other Saivite mutts, hold consultations with them
and then resume his work. The VHP pointed out that the properties of mutts did not belong to individuals.
When the lofty ideals of erstwhile kings, who donated land and jewellery to mutts, were marred by misuse
of power court intervention would be inevitable, Mr. Somasundaram added. The Madurai Adheenam
issue would be discussed at a VHP training camp to be held in Salem from May 18 to 25. (The Hindu
10/5/12)
Gujarat govt wrong to allow VHP bandh: SIT (26)
New Delhi, May 12, 2012: The Supreme Court-appointed special investigation team (SIT) has termed as
“completely wrong” the Gujarat government’s decision to allow a bandh called by Hindu organisations on

February 28, 2002 — a day after the Godhra train carnage — but has stopped short of recommending
action against any minister or official. The organisations, led by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), had
called a statewide bandh to protest the killing of 58 Hindus on the Sabarmati Express, which was the
trigger for riots across Gujarat that left at least 1,200 people dead. In its final report, the SIT has
concluded that the allegation by former top cop of the state, RB Sreekumar, that the Narendra Modi
government did nothing to stop the bandh in an already tense atmosphere, was proven correct. “No
notification was issued by the government to ban the bandh despite a Kerala HC judgment that had
declared bandhs and strikes illegal,” the report says. “The judgment applies to the whole country. In view
of this, the allegation is proved correct, but this by itself doesn’t make the state a co-conspirator to the
riots.” The SIT, headed by former CBI chief RK Raghavan, has stated that this fact "cannot be construed
as evidence to bring home a charge of conspiracy".The state has justified its decision of allowing the
bandh, saying "keeping in view the fundamental rights of citizens, the government decided not to ban the
bandh and instead provided adequate police protection".The bandh witnessed violence at several places
where VHP activists gathered. Former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri and 68 others were burnt alive in
Ahmedabad's Gulberg Society the same day. (Hindustan Times 12/5/12)
Hindutva outfits to drop protest against Upendra film (26)
HUBLI, May 14, 2012: With film producer Muniratna agreeing to remove the “objectionable” scenes in
Upendra-starrer Katari Veera Surasundarangi, Hindutva organisations have decided to withdraw their
protest and allow the screening of the film from Thursday. Sri Rama Sena chief Pramod Muthalik told
presspersons here on Sunday that at the meeting in Udupi on Saturday, which was attended by various
seers, Mr. Muniratna and distributor Venkatesh, the producer agreed to remove the “objectionable
scenes” from the film. Mr. Muthalik claimed that the film had several scenes that portrayed Hindu gods in
poor light. He also took exception to the functioning style of the Censor Board, which, he said, was
responsible for creating a situation that would lead to disharmony in society. “The Censor Board should
be extra careful while looking at films that have scenes which will hurt religious sentiments,” he said. Mr.
Muthalik said that a delegation, led by various seers, would soon submit a memorandum to the Censor
Board urging the members to discharge their duties responsibly. (The Hindu 14/5/12)
VHP demands Jagan's arrest (26)
SANGAREDDY, May 16, 2012: Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) national president Praveen Kumar
Togadia has demanded that the government arrest YSR Congress Party president Y.S. Jaganmohan
Reddy for hurting the sentiments of Hindus . Speaking to reporters at Ramayampet on Tuesday, Mr.
Togadia, who was here to participate in the concluding training programme of the VHP workers, said that
the Balaji temple at Tirumala must be cleaned with Ganga water to restore its holiness. He said that Mr.
Jaganmohan Reddy not signing the declaration tantamount to hurting the feelings of the Hindus across
the globe. Stating that religious conversions are on increase across the nation, the VHP leader said that
they were making efforts to prevent them with the help of Bajarang Dal. (The Hindu 16/5/12)
VHP bandh passes off peacefully in Jammu (26)
Jammu: The day-long bandh called by Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) here to protest the alleged failure of
district administration in taking action against miscreants who attacked a religious procession in Rajouri
town, passed off peacefully today. "There were no reports of any untoward incident during the bandh," a
senior police official said. Shops in Jammu remained closed during the bandh hours and the flow of traffic
came to a virtual standstill. Members of VHP, BJP, Sri Ram Sena and Kranti Dal took out processions
and set ablaze effigies to express their anger against police crackdown on protesters. Several political,
trade, social, transport and religious organisations extended their support to the day-long bandh. Border
towns of Sunderbani, Noushera also observed bandh. "Our protest was against the police atrocities on
minority community and its failure to initiate the required action against miscreants," State VHP Chief Dr

Rama Kant Dubey said, adding that the bandh has been called off after a state delegation accepted their
demands. A state delegation led by Health Minister and senior Congress leader Sham Lal Sharma held a
16-hour-long meeting with members of two communities. "Demands of compensation, withdrawal of FIRs,
probe into incident and the shifting of Deputy Commissioner and SSP have been accepted," Sharma said.
(Indian Express 18/5/12)
Communal violence : 344 people killed in last 3 years (26)
New Delhi, May 22, 2012: A total of 344 people have lost their lives in communal violence across the
country in last three years, Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday. Minister of state for home Jitendra
Singh said there were 2,300 incidents of communal violence in different parts of the country between
2009 and March this year in which 6,924 people were also injured. He said 68 people lost their lives and
385 others were injured in 1,378 incidents of communal violence in Uttar Pradesh during the period when
it was ruled by BSP led by Mayawati. Congress-NCP-ruled Maharashtra saw 356 incidents of communal
violence in the last three years in which 57 people were killed and 1,074 others received injuries, he said.
As many as 54 people lost their lives and 725 others were injured in 261 incidents of communal violence
in BJP-ruled Karnataka in the said period, the Minister said. Another BJP-ruled state Madhya Pradesh
saw 313 incidents of communal violence in which 53 people were killed and 716 others received injuries,
he said. Rajasthan, ruled by Congress, witnessed 489 incidents of communal violence in which 37 lives
were lost and 135 others injured in last three years, he said. There were 181 incidents of communal
violence in BJP-governed Gujarat where 32 people were killed and 575 others were injured, according to
the figures made available to the Lok Sabha. (Hindustan Times 22/5/12)
Will Modi be BJP's prime ministerial candidate? (26)
New Delhi: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi appears to have emerged as a front-runner in the
faction-ridden Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as its prime ministerial candidate. Although the BJP doesn't
say so, political pundits say this much is easy to infer after the just concluded national executive meet in
MumbaiBJP president Nitin Gadkari, who is known to enjoy the backing of RSS, had to bow to Modi to
ensure his attendance in Mumbai by forcing out his bete noire, Sanjay Joshi, from the national
executiveAnd from the speeches that followed, including Modi's own as well as his body language, it was
apparent he has eclipsed the old guard Political analyst GVL Narasimha Rao says the writing on the wall
is clear "His selection (as PM candidate) appears certain. There is no doubt. The signal in Mumbai is very
clear. I don't see any hurdle. He has mass appeal among the current leaders and is the most favoured
candidate," Rao, also an advisor to the party, told IANS "Come December (Gujarat election), the BJP will
have to announce his name. It's just a matter of time," he addedAgreed N. Bhaskar Rao, founder and
chairman of the Centre for Media Studies: "We can't deny the Modi phenomena. He has been perceived
as one who takes tough decisions, stands by them and delivers what he promises. It is apparent he will
be the future of BJP. Time magazine's decision to feature Modi on its March 26 issue has been
repeatedly touted by the BJP and Modi supporters as another indication of his growing appealModi aides
say that Gujarat turned into a state with one of the highest GDP growth rates of over 10 percent. His
annual "Vibrant Gujarat" summits attract the biggest names in business resulting in MoUs. His supporters
say he has ensured a good business climate in Gujarat In comparison, there is no one of stature in the
BJP. Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee is politically dead. The veteran L.K. Advani does not
seem to command the aura that he did earlier. Modi is reported to have asked for a post in the
parliamentary board of the BJP and is said to be eyeing a key position in the national leadership. But
Modi's path to prime ministerial hopeful won't be easy. The biggest stumbling block is the 2002 Gujarat
communal violence, an event that has forced the US to deny diplomatic visaEven the Time magazine
caption noted: "Modi means business but can he lead India. And while Modi is on excellent terms with his
AIADMK leader and his Tamil Nadu counterpart J. Jayalalithaa, not every chief minister, including those
who are BJP allies, are enamoured of him. This is why, says Nisar Ul Haq of the political science

department at the Jamia Millia Islamia here, that Modi does not have a chance to grow nationallyHe said
within the party there was resentment against Modi -- in Gujarat and elsewhere -- and the ghost of 2002
will haunt him "I don't think there is any question of him becoming the prime ministerial candidate. He
(Modi) doesn't have national appeal. The ghost of Godhra will never go away," Haq told IANSIn any case,
the Lok Sabha ballot is two years away. "Things can change drastically. Winds can blow in Congress
favour," he addedBut Narasimha Rao feels the old guard in the party will fall in lineThe Congress is
keeping away from the Modi story vis-a-vis 2014 "It is an internal matter of BJP. But the people of the
country will decide who is secular and who is not," Congress spokesman Rashid Alvi told IANS (DNA
27/5/12)
Four KFD activists arrested in connection with attack on Bajrang Dal leader (26)
Mysore, May 28, 2012: The Kodagu police have arrested four activists of the Karnataka Forum for Dignity
(KFD) in connection with the attack on Kodagu Bajrang Dal leader Ganesh (Nanda Kumar), near Madikeri
on May 23. They names of the arrested were given as Khaleel Pasha, Javed, Junaid, and Hamid. They
were remanded in judicial custody till June 2 after they were produced at the court on Saturday. Two
motorcycles and lethal weapons used by the accused were confiscated by the Madikeri police. The
accused, who were riding two motorcycles, had stopped Ganesh's car on the Madikeri-Somwarpet Road
on the night of May 23 and attacked him. Ganesh was undergoing treatment at a private hospital here
and is stated to be out of danger. Hindutva organisations planned to take out a march and stage a dharna
at the Deputy Commissioner's office in Madikeri on May 29 to protest against the attacks on Ganesh,
secretary of the Kodagu Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) unit, C.N. Somesh told presspersons in Madikeri
on Sunday. No one should ignore the feelings of the members of the Hindu communities, he said. The
procession would begin from the Sri Chowdeshwari temple in Mahadevpet in Madikeri after a puja at
10.30 a.m. on May 29. It would pass through the main streets and converge at the Deputy
Commissioner's office to stage a dharna, Mr. Somesh said. Representation would be submitted to the
Deputy Commissioner to deal sternly with the accused. Those who tried to meddle with the Hindu
sentiments would have to face serious consequences, he said. The Kodagu district administration and the
police must take the issue seriously, he said. Mr. Somesh said a police officer in Kodagu had connived
with anti-Hindu elements which attempted to murder Ganesh. A complaint would be lodged against the
officer with the Home Minister and inquiry sought to ascertain the role of the officer. Bajrang Dal local
leaders Roy Thammaiah and P. Ramesh, VHP leaders M.B. Devaiah and I.M. Appaiah were present.(The
Hindu 29/5/12)
RSS prepares BJP for rise of 2nd generation (26)
New Delhi: With the RSS signalling the marginalisation of 85-year-old L.K. Advani, the saffron brigade is
set to witness the rise of three leaders — Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi, Leader of the Opposition
in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley and BJP chief Nitin Gadkari. Sources disclosed that while Mr Gadkari,
who got a second term cleared by the RSS, will be controlling the organisation, the party will tacitly
project both Mr Modi and Mr Jaitley as the party’s future leaders, along the lines of the Atal-Advani pair.
While the RSS is miffed with Mr Advani for criticising Mr Gadkari in his blog, it has already made it clear
that the party will now be run by second-generation leaders. If Mr Modi is considered one of the BJP’s
prime ministerial candidates, Mr Jaitley is the BJP’s main trouble-shooter and is also considered as a PM
candidate from the party. Both Mr Modi and Mr Jaitley share a good rapport; Mr Jaitley is a Rajya Sabha
MP from Gujarat. On many occasions, Mr Jaitley has bailed the party out of crises, the most recent being
Karnataka and Rajasthan. Mr Jaitley, sources said, not only pacified former Rajasthan CM Vasundhara
Raje, who threatened to quit the party recently, but his intervention in Karnataka, where former CM B.S.
Yeddyurappa had staged a revolt against the party, saved the ruling BJP from a split. Speculation has
been rife that after the Gujarat Assembly polls, Mr Modi will be brought into the national political scenario.
A recent assessment by the RSS has shown that its cadre is in favour of Mr Modi becoming the BJP’s PM

candidate. However, much depends on his acceptability with the others in the NDA. The RSS, sources
said, is aware of Mr Modi’s “post-Godhra-carnage” tag, which can become a major hurdle in expanding
the NDA fold. In all likelihood, key NDA partner JD(U), whose Bihar CM Nitish Kumar doesn’t share a
good rapport with Mr Modi, will be the first one to object if the Gujarat CM is projected as a candidate for
PM. The RSS top brass, it is learnt, is not happy with Mr Modi’s “individualistic” attitude and has conveyed
this to him on many occasions. (Asian Age 2/6/12)
VHP ready to set off; police alert (26)
Jammu: Despite the argument over the curtailed Amarnath yatra period this year, devotees have started
trickling into the ‘city of temples’ to join the first batch proceeding towards the cave shrine of Lord Shiva
for pratham pujan on Jyestha Purnima, June 4. In order to prevent assembly of ‘unregistered’ pilgrims
before the scheduled date of June 25, the police are on high alert. The District Magistrate of Jammu on
Saturday imposed Section 144 in the entire district to meet any eventuality. BJP leader Uma Bharti is also
expected to reach Jammu to join one batch along with prominent saints. However, the standoff between
religious groups and the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) continues. The board fixed June 25 as the
date of start of yatra while religious groups insisted that traditionally, the yatra is kickstarted from the
auspicious Jyestha Purnima to culminate on the day of Raksha Bandhan (Shravan Purnima). All-out
efforts made by the shrine board authorities to diffuse the chaotic situation have not yielded fruitful
results. National VHP spokesperson Surender Jain told reporters on Saturday, “Pilgrims are upbeat and
determined to perform darshan inside the holy cave on Jyestha Purnima,” He added that they would
undertake the yatra from six different locations on Sunday. The VHP leader also invited Chief Minister
Omar Abdullah to flag off the first batch of pilgrims. “The annual pilgrimage …has become a symbol of
national integration and augurs well for the State economy,” added Jain. He added, “We do not want any
confrontation with SASB. We only want them to facilitate smooth conduct of the yatra by arranging
infrastructure. But, unfortunately, all their efforts are in the direction of erecting roadblocks and not
facilitating annual pilgrimage.” Pointing out that Jammu & Kashmir Police DGP K Rajendra had said that
security had improved a lot in the State, Jain said, “If there is no security concern and the yatra track is
also fit for movement, then the shrine board has no moral authority to delay the start of yatra.” (Pioneer
3/6/12)
Between the lines on Narendra Modi emerges the fight within Sangh Parivar (26)
New Delhi: The current editions of the RSS publications Panchjanya and Organiser, as well as the BJP’s
mouthpiece Kamal Sandesh, reflect the bitter faction fight that has taken hold of the Sangh Parivar. Each
has carried an editorial or a column that revolves directly or indirectly around Gujarat Chief Minister
Narendra Modi, two targeting him for his ambitions and one backing him to lead the BJP. Panchjanya
carried a column by Parivar ideologue Devendra Swarup who warned against leaders with vaulting
ambitions. Organiser, in contrast, had an article by psephologist G V L Narasimha Rao, who is also media
adviser to the Madhya Pradesh government, showing through numbers that Modi would be the best
choice as the BJP’s top man. This came a day after Kamal Sandesh had carried an editorial targeting
Modi, asking that leaders not get ahead of themselves. The editorial almost called Modi “a man in a
hurry”. Straying into such editorial territory marks a deviation for these Parivar publications, which usually
tread the party line. A previous columnist with Organiser recalled that a column he wrote on Jammu and
Kashmir and which diverged from the party line had been pulled back. Former editor of Organiser
Seshadri Chari said he was surprised by these developments and “it’s always better to address larger
ideological issues than reflect individual tiffs.” Narasimha Rao was clear about his reasons for writing his
article. “It was based on a survey done seven-eight months ago by me and which was later borne out by
other surveys by media channels,” he said. “I stand by what I have written. This is not a factional issue for
me, but a professional conclusion.” Organiser editor R Balashankar agreed that “as a rule we do not
cross the organisation’s line on party issues”, but added Narasimha Rao’s article was not the editorial line

of the paper. “It’s an article penned by someone, not an editorial,” he said. “Even Panchjanya carried
Devendra Swarup’s column, not an editorial on that theme. In fact the previous issue of Panchjanya had
an 80-page feature on Gujarat,” he said. He didn’t offer any explanations for this flurry of comment on
internal affairs of the party. Prabhat Jha, editor of Kamal Sandesh, declared, “Sampadak hoon, (I am the
editor),” when questioned about the lashing editorial. A senior leader who did not wish to named said, “In
the past, the Atal-Advani combination made factional coverage redundant. However much they may have
differed, there was a large measure of control on the message.” (Indian Express 5/6/12)
Amarnath yatra: Protest continues, pilgrims court arrest (26)
JAMMU: Pilgrims protesting curtailment of Amarnath Yatra duration on Tuesday burned effigy of Jammu
and Kashmir governor N N Vohra, who is also the chairman of Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB). Led
by VHP leader Sunrinder Jain, the pilgrims burned Vohra's effigy and reiterated their demand that the
government should extend the duration of the yatra to two months as against 39 days fixed by SASB.
Raising anti-government slogans, the agitators threatened to launch a nationwide protest over the issue.
"This protest will not stop here, we will take it to the national level. We will appeal to the President, the
Prime Minister, the home minister to resolve the issue. Vohra has lost his credibilty...we will seek his
removal," Jain said. The agitators later courted arrest in protest against curtailment of the yatra duration.
Due to inclement weather and lack of arrangement for the pilgrims, SASB has restricted pilgrimage to the
cave shrine to 39 days, beginning from June 25. However, the pilgrims accused the JK government and
SASB of deliberately trying to curtail the period of the pilgrimage at the "behest of separatist forces".
(Times of India 6/6/12)
Togadia terms Joshi's exit unfortunate (26)
KOLKATA, June 10, 2012: Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Praveen Togadia has termed the exit of Sanjay
Joshi from the BJP “unfortunate.” The party should try to win the “dedicated” leader back to its fold, he
said. “It is unfortunate that a dedicated leader like him [Mr. Joshi] had to quit. It is a big loss for the BJP. It
is hard to find a determined and dedicated leader like him. I think the party should try to win him back,” he
said here on Saturday. Criticising the Centre's decision to challenge in the Supreme Court the Andhra
Pradesh High Court order quashing the 4.5 per cent reservation for Muslims in central educational
institutions and employment, Mr. Togadia charged the government with trying to divide the people on
communal lines. The Constitution, he argued, had no provision for reservation on the basis of religion. He
was also critical of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's decision to award honorarium to
30,000 imams. The VHP students' wing would stage a protest. (The Hindu 10/6/12)
Cow slaughter reports trigger violence in Punjab town (26)
CHANDIGARH, June 11, 2012: Indefinite curfew was imposed in the remote Joga town of Mansa district
in Punjab on Sunday when angry villagers attacked, set afire and razed a factory, after reports spread
that the premises was used for cow slaughter. Two houses of factory owners were also destroyed. No
loss of life has been reported. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal ordered the suspension of district
police chief S.S. Chahal for dereliction of duty. Tension had been brewing in the area since Saturday
after carcasses of about 25 cows were found near the factory located on the road connecting the
headquarters of Mansa and Barnala districts. Residents had protested cow slaughter in the past too. Led
by activists of the Vishaw Hindu Parishad and the Gowshala Sangh, villagers gathered in the morning
and broke into the premises of the factory, where carcasses of cows were lying and some animals were
alive. The mob went on the rampage damaging the factory and setting ablaze the houses of at least two
of those running the unit, Ajaib Singh and Mewa Singh. The police had a tough time controlling the mob.
At least four persons were reported to have been injured after the police resorted to cane charge and
firing in the air. The violence was controlled only after extra forces were deployed and curfew imposed.
Three persons have been arrested so far. The factory, which ran on a leased premises, was originally

used to crush bones of dead animals for supply to drug manufacturers. The protesting activists told
journalists that the owners of the factory resorted to cow slaughter after the demand for crushed bones
increased. The Chief Minister, while ordering the probe, appealed to people to maintain communal
harmony. Promising that those involved in the heinous crime would be dealt with severely, Mr. Badal said
the government would not tolerate any attempt by anti-social elements to disturb peace. (The Hindu
11/6/12)
VHP has separated Hindus from their brothers: Sant Narayan Prem Sai (26)
PONDA: Sant Narayan Prem Sai, a disciple and the son of Sant Asaramji Bapu, has alleged that the
Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has separated Hindus from their traditional brothers by using the word
Hindu in its name. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the four-day All India Hindu convention under
way at Ramnathi, Narayan Sai said Hindus, Jains, Buddhists and Sikhs hail from the same roots and are
"natural brothers". "But the VHP has used Hindu (in its name) and this has separated Hindus from their
natural brothers. Hindus must bring together, for a Hindu nation, the Jains, Buddhists and Sikhs, as their
ancestors were Hindus," Narayan Sai said. Justifying the need for a united Hindu nation, he said, "If the
world can have 92 Islamic nations and 56 Christian nations why can't there be a Hindu nation?" Pointing
out that Hindus have forgotten their "strength, pride and greatness", he said Hindus must strive
continuously to form the one nation. He also suggested forming a " Sanatan Arya Board" to work towards
the same. "The board would work as an umbrella body, just like the Muslims' Waqf board, and would
have several Hindu organizations and their leaders all working to meet the demand of a Hindu nation,"
Narayan Sai said. (Times of India 12/6/12)
CPM aimed to spark RSS-Islamists conflict: CBI (26)
Kochi: Marxists of Kannur had tried to create tension between the RSS and Islamists by deliberately
putting the blame for the brutal killing of Muhammad Fazal, an activist of the NDF (presently Popular
Front of India), on the Sangh, the CBI said in the chargesheet it filed on Tuesday in the case at the Chief
Judicial Magistrate Court in Ernakulam. Listing CPI(M) leaders Karayi Rajan and Karayi
Chandrasekharan of Kannur district as seventh and eighth accused respectively in the case, the CBI
chargesheet described them as those who masterminded several political killings in Thalassery in the
district, adding that they, however, had managed to avoid disclosure of their roles. Kodi Suni (real name
MK Sunilkumar), who led the gang of killers of Marxist rebel TP Chandrasekharan of Onchiyam,
Kozhikode, was the first accused in the Fazal murder case as per the chargesheet. Fazal (35), an agent
of Thejas newspaper run by the NDF, was hacked to death by a Marxist killer gang at Thalassery, Kannur
in the early morning of October 22, 2006. After the murder, the Marxists deliberately tried to pit the
Islamist outfit and the RSS against each other by putting the blame for the murder on the Sangh through
speeches at public meetings, the chargesheet said. That the culprits had deposited the blood-stained
clothes after the murder at RSS centres was proof of this intent, it said. Though there were a total of ten
accused in the case, the chargesheet was against eight as two of the accused were yet to be identified.
The CBI said that these two men could be identified only after questioning Rajan and Chandrasekharan
who were in hiding. The Kannur CPI(M) had earlier said that it would not allow the CBI to arrest the duo.
The CBI said that the two Marxist leaders, charged with murder, had conspired to kill Fazal, a former
DYFI worker, and engaged a gang of killers led by Kodi Suni, a CPI(M) sympathizer, for the “job”. All the
members of the killer gang were workers or sympathizers of the party, the chargesheet said. Fazal’s
desertion from the DYFI several years ago and association with NDF newspaper Thejas had affected the
circulation of CPI(M) organ Deshabhimani daily. This and an intention to create conflict between the NDF
and RSS were said to be the reason for killing Fazal. The CBI also said that the CPI(M) leaders had tried
to derail the probe into the murder and to avoid a CBI probe by using the governmental power their party
had wielded at that time. Karayi Rajan is a member of the Kannur district secretariat of the CPI(M) and
Karayi Chandrasekharan is secretary of its local committee in Thiruvangad in the district. The Kerala High

Court had on March 11, 2008 ordered a CBI probe into the murder of Fazal on the basis of a petition filed
by his widow Mariyu. The then LDF Government appealed against the single-judge bench’s verdict but a
division bench upheld that order on September 4 that year. The Supreme Court also upheld the order
later. (Pioneer 12/6/12)
Police continue search at Nithyananda's ashram (26)
With the whereabouts of controversial self-styled godman Nithyananda, facing arrest on criminal charges,
remaining unknown, police continued their search at his ashram at Bidadi near here for the second day
today. Ramanagar District Deputy Commissioner Srirama Reddy led the search team along with police
and went round various places in the 22-acre ashram, Dhyanapeetam. According to sources, police
elicited some information from the employees on the activities of the ashram. Police launched the search
yesterday, a day after Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda said action would be taken against the selfstyled
godman who courted fresh controversy in the wake accusations by a U.S.-based woman that she
was sexually abused by him for five years. Meanwhile, the ashram announced Nithyananda would return
tomorrow and resume regular activities, seeking to put at rest speculations about him going into hiding
after police issued search warrant to arrest him. In a related development, Karnataka unit VHP defended
Nityananda and alleged a conspiracy by some "vested interests" to tarnish the image of Hindu saints
including him. State unit VHP President T Vijay Kumar Reddy, addressing reporters, claimed that
Nityananda was being targeted. Nityananda's whereabouts have remained a mystery to police since June
7. (DNA 13/6/12)
RSS supports Narendra Modi as PM, slams Nitish Kumar (26)
NEW DELHI: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Wednesday supported Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi
as NDA's prime ministerial candidate and slammed Bihar CM Nitish Kumar for saying that NDA should
have a secular PM nominee. "To keep alive the Hindutva ideology, the Hindu 'samaaj' (society) should
come together. And the country should have a prime minister who believes in that ideology or propounds
that view," Bhagwat told reporters. Bhagwat's comments came a day after Bihar chief minister Nitish
Kumar hit out at Narendra Modi without naming him and said that the National Democratic Alliance
(NDA), led by the Bharatiya Janata Party, should announce a secular PM candidate for the 2014 Lok
Sabha elections. Nitish Kumar on Tuesday made it clear that Modi is unacceptable as an NDA candidate
for PM. "Will Nitish decide what sort of person makes a good PM?" Bhagwat questioned. He also
slammed Nitish Kumar and said that he is scared to call himself a Hindu. Attacking Modi is being seen as
Kumar's attempt to establish his credentials among Bihar Muslims. (Times of India 21/6/12)
Bal Thackeray pitches for 'Hindutvawadi' Prime Minister (26)
Mumbai: In a statement that would not go well with NDA ally Janata Dal (United), Shiv Sena chief Bal
Thackeray on Friday pitched for a Prime Minister with Hindu ideology in the next general elections.
"A person who is a staunch 'Hindutvawadi' (follower of Hindu ideology) should become the Prime Minister
of the country," Thackeray wrote in an editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamana'. Earlier this week, JD(U)
leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar suggested a "secular" Prime Ministerial candidate for the
BJP-led NDA in the 2014 general elections. His statement, seen as an attack on Gujarat Chief Minister
Narendra Modi, had invited sharp reaction from BJP and RSS. Taking a swipe at Nitish, the Sena
patriarch said these "secularists" do not want a person following Hindu ideology to become Prime
Minister. He said the word secular has become an "abuse".The Sena, which is part of the NDA, criticised
the BJP-led Opposition alliance for delaying announcement of its Presidential nominee. "Since they did
not have a candidate of their own, they borrowed P A Sangma as their Presidential nominee."
Interestingly, Congress too had described Sangma, a former Lok Sabha Speaker and one of the founding
members of NCP, as a "borrowed" candidate. The Sena chief reiterated his party's support for UPA
Presidential candidate Pranab Mukherjee, saying the decision was taken in the best interest of the

country. "Although, Shiv Sena and JD(U) have not supported Sangma, that does not mean NDA is a
divided house. If Congress think in that way they are wrong," he said. (DNA 22/6/12)
RSS bats for Modi (26)
New Delhi: In an apparent attack on BiharChief Minister Nitish Kumar for his "prime minister should have
secular credentials" remark, the RSS has batted for Narendra Modi, saying such comments are being
made for vote-bank politics and minority appeasement. Soon after RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's
comments last week that a Hindutva face can become the PM, the Sangh's mouthpiece Panchajanya
sought to know why there is an aversion for Hindutva in a country where 85 per cent of the population is
Hindu. "What is the meaning of saying prime minister of the country should be secular? Our Constitution
makers did not give any such 'distinguished identity' to the prime minister's post, perhaps because they
believed that India has always stood for eternal values, religion and culture, and the basis of our society
and national life is the feeling of all-inclusiveness and mutual existence," the editorial of Panchajanya
said. Though the mouthpiece did not name Kumar or his party JD(U) and targeted the Congress, the
barbs seen at aiming the NDA ally of BJP. Kumar had virtually ruled out Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra
Modi as an NDA prime ministerial candidate last week when he said the PM should have secular
credentials and should be acceptable to all allies. The Panchajanya editorial further states that a prime
minister's responsibility as head of the central government is to protect the democratic values and protect
the rights of all without any discrimination. "But in contrast to this, efforts are being made to give the prime
minister a 'secular' identity. Harmony between all sects is a distinct feature of Hindu philosophy in India.
To treat this Hindutva as communal and to make secularism an instrument for gaining power is nothing
more than politics of convenience," the editorial said. It further states that these politicians who are trying
to woo the en bloc Muslim vote are seen cursing Hindutva and declaring all talk of Hindu well-being as
communal. "Leaders who are eager to establish a secular rule by laying atrocities on Hindus should be
asked why India should not have a government and a prime minister who is concerned about the majority
Hindus. Such an administration and prime minister will definitely be inspired by Hindu life values,
traditions and ideals to work with the feeling of unhindered progress of all sects and groups and for their
happiness," the editorial said. It laments that vote-bank politics has divided the country into minoritymajority,
communal-secular, castes and sects. It further states that instead of finding ways of bridging this
gap, conspiracies are being hatched to deepen these fissures for gaining power. "Why do these secular
forces have such aversion to Hindutva? Only for the sake of getting votes and power?" it said. (Pioneer
24/6/12)
UP BJP returns to Varun, Yogi, Hindutva (26)
Lucknow: With all their experiments having failed to revive the BJP in Uttar Pradesh, the party leadership
is finally turning towards leaders who are known for the saffron hues. After a long hiatus, BJP MP Varun
Gandhi, who happens to be one of the party’s biggest crowd pullers in Uttar Pradesh, has been brought
back to campaign for the BJP in the on-going local bodies’ elections. Mr Gandhi, it may be recalled, had
not campaign in the state during the Assembly elections and even though there was a great demand for
his meetings from party candidates, the leadership did not make any effort to persuade him either. As a
result, the BJP tally went further down to 47 in the assembly polls. “Our only hope for the 2014 Lok Sabha
polls is Varun Gandhi and the party leadership should wake up and start smelling the coffee. Varun
represents the aspirations of the youth and even the party cadres are looking for a change. It is time we
set aside our egos and gave the young generation a chance,” said a BJP MLA. Another firebrand Hindu
leader who wields considerable influence in eastern UP is BJP MP mahant Yogi Adityanath. The mahant
has been upset with the party leadership for putting Hindutva on the backburner and taking organisational
decision without consulting him. His simmering anger made the party pay a heavy price in the assembly
polls and the leadership seems to have realised its folly. The mahant has been persuaded to campaign
for the party candidates in the local bodies’ polls. Party workers see this as a welcome change. “The day

we decided to turn moderate and put Hindutva on the backburner, the BJP’s downfall began. Our leaders
decided that hardliners like Varun Gandhi and Yogi Adityanath were an embarrassment to the party and
pushed them behind. We strayed from the path of our ideology and have paid a heavy price for it. If the
BJP starts projecting leaders like Varun Gandhi in Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat chief minister Narendra
Modi at the national level, no one can stop the BJP from marching back to power in 2014,” said a former
state BJP president. (Asian Age 27/6/12)
RSS asks govt to take tough stand against Pakistan (26)
NEW DELHI: The RSS today asked the government to understand the seriousness of terror threat to
India in the wake of Abu Jundal's arrest and take a tough stand against Pakistan instead of the present
"weak-kneed" policy towards the neighbouring country. In the editorial of its latest issue, RSS mouthpiece
Paanchjanya said Jundal's confession that there were preparations for another Mumbai terror attack type
operation targeting tall buildings and dams with planes shows the seriousness of the threat to India.
"Therefore, the Indian government should not only bring out the real face of Pakistan at the international
fora, but also give up its weak-kneed policy towards Pakistan and adopt a tough stand against it and tell it
that attempts to betray India in the guise of trade relations and talks will not be tolerated," the editorial
said. "Either Pakistan should change its attitude or all trade and talks should be stopped," it added. The
mouthpiece argues that only when India survives can there be relations and trade. It goes on to insist that
such confusion on the part of some had led to partition of the country and is now leading the home
minister of India to concoct terms like Hindu terror and saffron terror instead of making strong laws to
corner Jihadi terror and to make some elements happy. The government is also targeting patriotic Hindu
organizations and saints and sadhus, it rued. "But all this has encouraged Pakistan even further. The
government should understand that Jihadi terror is not a question of vote bank politics but of national
security. Hence, instead of hosting Kasab and Afzal, the government should take Jundal's sentence to its
logical conclusion so that anti-India forces are taught a lesson," the editorial said. (Times of India 1/7/12)
Nitish Kumar ducks acerbic remarks by RSS men (26)
PATNA: Ignoring the caustic comments by some RSS leaders over his 'secular PM' remark, Bihar chief
minister Nitish Kumar said on Monday that his party JD (U) has nothing to do with RSS. The CM was,
however, happy that his interview in the Economic Times triggered a political debate in the country. In the
interview, he had demanded that the BJP leadership declare its candidate for Prime Minister and stressed
that the candidate should enjoy secular credentials, clearly indicating that Gujarat CM Narendra Modi was
unacceptable to his party. This had prompted the RSS chief, Mohan Bhagwat, to join the debate and ask
why a 'Hindutwavadi' should not be the PM. That was a clear indication that the RSS fully backed Modi.
Echoing Bhagwat's views, a Sangh veteran, M G Vaidya, in an article in RSS mouthpiece, Organiser,
said, "If he (Nitish) wants to sever his party's ties with the NDA, he can do it, any time." Nitish refused to
comment on these remarks, but said it was not the first time he had been targeted by the saffron outfits.
He reminded that when he spoke in the Lok Sabha in favour of reservation for Dalit Muslims and
Christians, the entire BJP had criticized him. Saying he was not bothered over what the RSS people were
saying, he said his party has alliance with the BJP, and in Bihar the coalition government had been
formed on the basis of a common minimum programme and with the agreement that controversial issues
like Article 377, common civil code and Ayodhya would not come in the way of their ties. "I have
expressed my views and there is no change in my stand. They are free to say what they want. This has
generated a debate which is good for politics and democracy," Nitish said. On being asked about
consulting the Ahmedabad-based Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology University for
preparing a master plan for Patna's town planning schemes, Nitish shot back, "So what if we consulted a
Gujarat consultant? We are not allergic to Gujarat." He went on to say that Gujarat has produced many
icons like Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and Lord Krishna spent time there. Gujarat is a
developed state since long." The CM defended the writings of former President APJ Abdul Kalam about

the dissolution of Bihar assembly and the then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee's discomfort over the President's
visit to riot-torn Gujarat. He said UPA should apologize for the dissolution of the Bihar assembly in
February 2005 before it was constituted. He added his protest at that time has only been vindicated by
Kalam. On Kalam's comments on Vajpayee, the CM said it was a matter between the then President and
the then PM. There was no witness to what transpired between the two. Only they can say anything about
it, he added. (Times of India 3/7/12)
RSS-led dharna rejects govt's Kashmir stand (26)
RANCHI: Rightist groups led by the Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh (RSS) staged a dharna near Jaipal
Singh Stadium on Friday and rejected the recommendations of interlocutors sent to Kashmir by the
Centre to take stock of the situation there. Organized under the banner of the Jammu-Kashmir Bachao
Manch, workers of the BJP, RSS, Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), Swadeshi Jagaran Manch, Laghu
Udyog Bharti and other groups discussed and criticized recomm- endations of the interlocutors who went
to Kashmir on October 13, 2010 and submitted their report on October 12 the next year. Addressing the
gathering Birendra Vimal said the report was not tabled in Parliament because of its contents that had
strong inclination to separatist feelings. "The government probably did not dare to table the report and
make it available for debate because of the one-sided recommendations but that was uploaded on the
government website and efforts for backchannel implementations are going on," he said. The leaders
criticized every point of the recommendation which includes recommendation to withdraw the army from
the urban and rural areas and send them back to the barracks. "Remove the Disturbed Areas
designation, amend the Public Safety Act and withdraw the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA)"
the recommendation reads which implies "even before peace becomes a permanent doctrine in the state,
recalling the army due to political considerations or withdrawing acts that grant it special powers will be a
dangerous and submission to the wishes of separatists," one of the activists said. Vimal said to suggest
that the government of India start a dialogue with Hurriyat, which denied to even meet the interlocutors,
was meaningless. "Involving Pakistan in such a dialogue is akin to Government of India deviating from its
stand in the UN and other international forums, whereas till date Pakistan has never ever given any
indication of vacating from the areas under its illegal occupation," he said. The activists later met deputy
commissioner V K Choubey and handed him a memorandum addressed to the President demanding
rejection of the recommendations in totality and constitute inquiry on the role of interlocutors. The
protestors demanded inquiry on the role of interlocutors to establish under which international pressure
they prepared a document which was anti-national and aimed at fulfilling demands of the separatist
leaders. Out on a mission to create public awareness, the RSS has also demanded removal of the
documents from the website of the Union home ministry. (Times of India 7/7/12)
Furore over sale of RSS literature at Civic Centre (26)
New Delhi: The BJP’s workshop to train its councillors courted controversy on Friday after some
Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh workers were allegedly found selling their literature at the Civic Centre,
headquarters of North and South Delhi Municipal Corporations. Leaders of opposition in both
corporations accused the ruling BJP of misusing the government building for non-official work. They
alleged that it was in violation of rules. They also complained to the municipal commissioner, demanding
action against erring officials. Leader of opposition in SDMC Farhad Suri said the Bhartiya Janata Party
in all the three corporations is misusing its power to promote its parent organisation RSS. “Some workers
put up a counter outside the meeting hall on the second floor of A-Block. They were selling and offering
annual subscription of the RSS and BJP mouthpiece – ‘Organiser’ and ‘Panchjanya’. The articles
published in both magazines are inflammatory and can spread communal hatred among readers,” Suri
said. Leader of opposition in North Delhi Municipal Corporation Mukesh Goel sought suspension of
officers who permitted this act. “It is an attempt to saffronise the organisation (corporations) and their
employees,” Goel said. However, leader of the House in the North Delhi civic agency Mahender Nagpal

defended the sale of the magazines. “There is nothing wrong in selling and offering annual subscription of
RSS magazines. Several councillors had complained that they did not get a copy of both magazines. So
the arrangement was made to deliver them to their houses easily,” said Nagpal. (Deccan Herald 13/7/12)
Caste equations seem to have pushed BJP ideology to the background (26)
Bangalore: When Ministers in the State’s new Cabinet took oath here on Thursday, promising to uphold
Constitutional values, it sounded rather hollow, considering the drama of caste one-upmanship and
muscle-flexing that preceded it. Caste has always played a role in Karnataka’s politics. However, never
has the play of caste been so blatant as during the BJP rule when caste impacted even the party’s stated
Hindutva ideology. The situation in which the BJP finds itself today reflects the inherent contradiction
between the Hindutva ideology, which requires the construction of a monolithic religious identity, and the
politics of caste that is by definition divisive. Though the BJP rule has occasionally attempted to shore up
the Hindutva agenda — such as the drafting of school syllabus on ideological lines and organising Hindu
Samajotsavas throughout the State — there are endless instances of the caste imperative over-riding this
agenda. Operation Kamala (where Opposition party legislators were lured into resigning their seats in
return for electoral support and ministerial positions under the BJP) attracted a number of Lingayat MLAs,
not necessarily of a Hindutva persuasion, who were offered Ministerial positions. Successive budgets saw
allocations made to religious maths on the basis of caste rather than any pan-Hindu revivalism plank. The
last four years of the BJP rule has seen an unprecedented number of caste and sub-caste conventions.
While it can be argued that these were attempts to bring castes into the larger Hindutva agenda, they
invariably meant highlighting differences in the so-called Hindu identity. In a striking reflection of this
brand of politics, several Lingayat religious leaders expressed outrage when B.S. Yeddyurappa was
asked to quit as Chief Minister. A corollary of this was played out more recently when D.V. Sadananda
Gowda was asked to step down, with Vokkaligas religious heads crying foul. The Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological fountainhead for the BJP, seems to be unable to grapple
with or tame the multiple caste agendas overshadowing the Hindutva agenda. In January, the RSS had
convened a meeting of state party leaders in an effort to mediate the issue of leadership. It had reportedly
chided leaders for indulging in bickering at the cost of the party’s image, which has clearly had no impact.
The former MLC and a senior RSS leader K. Narahari told The Hindu that the political situation was “not
satisfactory”, but refused to comment any further. M.C. Jayadev, another prominent RSS leader, said that
caste-based politics was “unfortunate”. However, he defended the developments as “inevitable” at this
juncture in the State’s politics. “In the interests of larger society, these developments are not good,” he
said. He denied any role of the RSS in Thursday’s change of leadership. Urimajalu Ram Bhat, a Hindutva
ideologue based in Puttur, expressed angst. “These developments are a big blow to the (party) ideology.”
He said that Mr. Yeddyurappa was responsible for breaking the notion of Hindutva along caste lines. He
regretted that the RSS was “watching it all silently”. Interestingly, even as the three top posts in the new
Cabinet were carefully filled with a Lingayat Chief Minister and two Deputy Chief Ministers from Vokkaliga
and Kuruba communities on Thursday, MLAs from coastal Karnataka, a strong Hindutva ideological base,
have threatened to quit over poor representation for the region. This is a clear reflection of caste and
regional considerations triumphing over any larger Hindutva ideology. (The Hindu 13/7/12)
Hindu Aikya Vedi hails unity move (26)
PATHANAMTHITTA: The initiatives taken by the leaders of the Nair Service Society (NSS) and the Sree
Narayana Dharma Paripalayana Yogam (SNDP) for a Hindu unity would strengthen the Hindu eformation
movement, said Kummanam Rajashekharan, Hindu Aikya Vedi State general secretary. In a statement
issued here on Monday, Mr. Rajashekharan said Hindu unity, communal amity and social reformation
were the declared aims of both the NSS and the SNDP. He said the NSS-SNDP unity would, of course,
be a great solace to the Hindu community as a whole in the backdrop of the prevailing socio-political
scenario in the State. Mr. Rajsehkharan said differences of opinion should never lead to animosity

etween different sections of the Hindu community. A broader platform of Hindu unity was the need of the
hour as it would augur well for the welfare of the communities, he added. (The Hindu 17/7/12)
A book of ‘Indian’ holidays without Christmas or Id (26)
Mangalore, July 19, 2012: A reference book on festivals observed by ‘Indians’, prescribed by the State
government for school libraries across the State, carries in it only those observed by Hindus. While 30
pages of ‘Bharatiyara Habba Haridinagalu’ (or Festivals of Indians) are dedicated to explaining
Upakarma, there is not a single word on Ramzan, Good Friday, Buddha Purnima, or any non-Hindu
festival celebrated in the country. A December 2011 circular sent by the Directorate of State Educational
Research and Training (DSERT) directs primary and high schools to buy at least one copy of the book for
their library. At a voluminous 640 pages, the Kannada book written by Sri Sri Rangapriya, Sanskrit
scholar and head of the Ashtangayoga Vijnana Mandiram, Hanumanthnagar, Bangalore, is priced at Rs.
500. While the cover of the book primarily features Hindu iconography — the sage and the holy cow,
‘kalash’ (offerings given during a Hindu ritual), a temple gopura and devotees with hands joined in prayer
— the rest of the book doesn’t deviate from the Hinduism theme. The DSERT, in its circular, describes
the contents of the book as “reflecting Indian culture”. Though the title says these are festivals celebrated
by Indians, the book manages to cover only the major Hindu religious dates, 23 of them, besides
mentioning birthdays of Hindu religious sages. From festivals such as Ugadi, Ramanavami, Ganesh
Chaturthi, Deepavali, Mahashivaratri and Akshaya Tritiya to lesser-known ones such as Subbraya
Shrasthi and Rathasaptami, and even religious days observed primarily by the upper castes, such as
Chathurmasa, Upakarma, Ananthapadmanabha Vrath and Narasimha Jayanti, are given detailed
descriptions in the book. Why is it that Ramzan, Id-ul-Fitr, Christmas, Good Friday, Buddha Purnima,
Mahaveer Jayanti and Guru Nanak Jayanti find no place in the book, asks Nooruddin Salmar of the
Dakshina Kannada Congress Minority Committee. Talking to The Hindu , Mr. Salmar said the manner in
which the order was quietly circulated, pointed to an increasing trend of saffronisation of education and
emphasis on the Hindutva agenda seen under the Bharatiya Janata Party government. “Aren’t Muslims,
Christians, Jains, Parsis and animist tribes also Indians? Is it right to teach schoolchildren that only
Hindus are Indians,” he asked. Denying a ‘saffron tint’ to the book, DSERT Director Rama Rao said the
book was chosen after the directorate deemed it “educationally suitable” for students. “All the festivals
mentioned in the book are celebrated pan-India. I don’t see why anyone has a problem with the title. One
has to look at it with an open mind, and we believe the book to have adequate information for students to
learn,” Mr. Rao said. Claiming that the author, perhaps, did not have information on other religious
festivals, Mr. Rao said the DSERT would recommend books written by scholars from other religions if
they were submitted to the directorate. (The Hindu 19/7/12)
Liberal `Hindutva' will be ideology of new party: Keshubhai (26)
Vadodara: Dissident BJP leader Keshubhai Patel has said his soon-to-be launched political party will be
wedded into broad concept of `Hindutva' and its goal will be to dislodge the "corrupt" Narendra Modi
Government from power in Gujarat in the upcoming Assembly polls. "Hindutva used in liberal and broad
sense" will be the ideology of the new party which will be launched next month, the former Chief Minister
said. Talking to PTI during his visit to the city to address a convention organised by Mahagujarat Janata
Party (MJP) yesterday, he said "this version of Hindutva will also mean working for welfare of the Muslim
community".Justifying the need for a new outfit in a state dominated by BJP and Congress, the veteran
leader said "I decided to form the new party eight months ago to dislodge the corrupt Modi Government
from power." Modi will face tough time in the Assembly electrons slated by the year-end and "we will
ensure that he loses power in the State," Patel said. The Modi-baiter, who will celebrate his 84th birthday
tomorrow, has embarked on a mission to mobilise support for the ouster of the BJP stalwart who
succeeded him as Chief Minister in 2001. He has the support of dissident BJP leaders Kashiram Rana,
Suresh Mehta, a former Chief Minister, and also MJP President Gordhan Zadaphia, Modi's friend-turned-

foe who was Minister of State for Home during the 2002 post-Godhra riots. After virtually remaining in
political wilderness since 2001, the former Chief Minister has decided to contest Assembly poll from
Saurashtra, a region where he enjoys good support among the influential Patel community, who
constitute 18 per cent of Gujarat's population. (Deccan Herald 23/7/12)
Meeting adjourned twice over RSS literature (26)
NEW DELHI: The House meeting of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation was adjourned twice on
Monday over the recent sale of RSS literature at the corporation headquarters. Opposition councillors
demanded an explanation from the commissioner over the permission given to Rashtriya Swayamsevak
Sangh volunteers to sell subscriptions of RSS mouthpieces Panchajanya and Organiser at the Civic
Centre. “The Civic Centre does not belong to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party alone. It is public property
where such activities are illegal,” said leader of opposition Mukesh Goel. Opposition members stepped
into the well of the House, raising slogans against the ruling party and the RSS, after the leader of the
House and the mayor questioned the logic behind raising the issue 10 days after the reported incident.
“The incident happened on July13. If you were seriously aggrieved by it, you should have given at least
one wriiten complaint against the issue,” mayor Meera Aggarwal said. “You are disrupting the House
proceedings just for the sake of doing it,” added the mayor. With the opposition leaders not relenting, the
mayor had to adjourn the House twice. (Deccan Herald 23/7/12)
Decision on Ram temple during Kumbh: Praveen Togadia (26)
ALLAHABAD: A decision on the construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya will be taken during the
Mahakumbh as saints and office bearers of various Hindu organisations including the Vishwa Hindu
Parishad (VHP) will deliberate on the issue, said international working president of VHP, Praveen
Togadia. He was speaking to reporters here on Tuesday. Urging Hindu parents and guardians to enroll
their children above 18 years in VHP, Togadiya said a membership drive will begin from August 10. The
VHP aims to enroll around 11 lakh members in the drive, he said. On the rising number of suspensions of
VHP members, Togadiya said there is no provision for suspending or ousting members at VHP. However,
duties and reponsibilities may change from time to time if any complaints are received against a member
or office bearer. Earlier, Togadia visited Asthan village in Kunda tehsil under Pratapgarh district on
Tuesday and met the kin of persons lodged in jail in connection with the violence which took place few
days back in the aftermath of rape and death of a minor girl. Togadiya said VHP will look after the families
until the release of these persons from jail. The organisation would provide them all necessary assistance
and extend help in all form, said Togadia. (Times of India 25/7/12)
RSS supports Hindu Jagaran Vedikeon on rave party (26)
MYSORE: RSS leadership in Karnataka seems to have no qualms on the issue of supporting violent
opposition to the rave party at Mangalore on Saturday, but support comes only with a rider that the
volunteers would not have assaulted the women. Though the issue has it's own ramifications and
seriousness, the RSS leadership is unperturbed and it's leaders feel that the issue whether women
should participate in such rave parties needs a debate on larger scale. Talking to TOI a RSS spokesman
who initially was on record to say various things on the issue later does not wanted him to be quoted for
the reasons best known to him. Admitting Hindu Jagaran Vedike as one of the frontal organizations of the
RSS like BMS and ABVP , spokesman said RSS is against rave parties , but it condemns the attack on
the women involved in the rave party. But it does not mean RSS supports the rave parties, he clarified. It
is a fact that HJV volunteers have attacked the women participating in rave party, but RSS demands a
debate on the issue of rave parties, he said wanting to know why the girls hid their participation in the
rave parties to their parents." It goes to indicate that there is something amiss in the issue and rave
parties" he said and added: RSS is against indecent culture of rave parties which are against the tenets of
Hindutva which stood for decency and respect. In reply, the spokesman said girls and women in the guise

of freedom cannot indulge in immoral acts." Comparing RSS to Taliban is a fashion and a big word for
RSS , but this allegation does not deter us from adhering to our ideology and doctrines " he replied,
denying that incident smacked of fundamentalism. (Times of India 29/7/12)
RSS backing Ramdev, Anna Hazare: Digvijaya Singh (26)
NEW DELHI: Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Sunday said the RSS and its affliate organizations
were continuing to support yoga guru Ramdev and Anna Hazare and would back them even during
elections. "Baba Ramdev and Anna Hazare had and will continue to have the support of the Sangh
Parivar. Even during elections these people have been supportive of them (Sangh)," Singh told reporters.
Singh's remarks came on a day yoga guru Ramdev and Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi shared the
dais at a function in Ahmedabad. On Hazare joining the fast from today, the Congress leader said "poor
Anna will be forced to sit on fast, if Arvind Kejriwal and others from Team Anna cannot fast." Team Anna
had on Wednesday launched an indefinite fast here demanding passage of the Janlokpal Bill by
Parliament and action against "corrupt" ministers. While Team Anna members had begun the fast on
Wednesday, Hazare joined them in fasting from today. (Times of India 30/7/12)
4 more held for Mangalore attack, victims meet top cop (26)
Mangalore: Four more persons were arrested on Monday for attacking boys and girls at a homestay in
Mangalore as the BJP government fought opposition fire for its ‘soft attitude’ towards such incidents. In
the assembly, CM Jagdish Shettar termed the incident an “inhuman act”. “They should be punished. No
question of protecting anybody,” he said, adding that the arrested accused — now totaling 12 — have
been booked under stringent IPC provisions, including attempt to rape. On Saturday, a group of 13
students, including five girls, were celebrating a friend’s birthday at the homestay when they were
attacked by Hindu Jagaran Vedike activists. Congress and JD(S) leaders demanded that the government
ban organisations such as the Hindu Jagaran Vedike, Bajrang Dal and Sri Rama Sene in Karnataka as
they have been attacking women in the name of moral policing. Congress’s Siddaramaiah also wanted
the BJP government to impose the Goonda Act on the accused, which would ensure a one-year jail term
for the accused. The five girls who were attacked met the police commissioner and narrated the incident
to him. Meanwhile, colleges in Mangalore city remained closed on Monday in response to a bandh call.
(Hindustan Times 30/7/12)
Opposition condemns Talibanization (26)
BANGALORE: The Mangalore attack on revellers on Saturday led to pandemonium in the legislative
assembly on Monday, with the opposition terming the Hindu Jagaran Vedike (HJV) "the Taliban" , and
demanding that Hindu fundamental organizations be banned for repeatedly causing trouble in the coastal
belt of the state. Chief minister Jagadish Shettar said scores of stringent cases under the IPC had been
booked against the arrested. Not satisfied with his reply, the Congress and JD(S) had heated arguments
with the ruling members and staged a walkout, shouting slogans. Initiating the debate, opposition leader
Siddaramaiah said persons who had barged into the birthday party should be punished on the lines of
Islamic law. Demanding the resignation of deputy chief minister and home minister R Ashoka, he said the
culprits should be booked under for terrorism. "Hindu fundamental elements have turned Mangalore into a
republic of their own. We witnessed Bellary district turning into a republic, now Mangalore is getting into a
similar mode," he said. He also demanded the suspension of Dakshina Kannada deputy commissioner
and Mangalore police commissioner. When Shettar tried defending the government, Siddaramaiah asked
the government to invoke the Goonda Act under which the accused is not given bail for a year. He also
demanded that an attempt to murder case be booked against the goons, as they had used sharp
weapons against the youth. Admitting that a gold chain and Rs 10,000 were robbed by the HJV activists,
Shettar said the role of the media crew the incident is being inquired into. "Policemen were not present
when the trouble started. They came only after 7.15pm, while the incident happened at 6.30pm," the chief

minister clarified to allegations that police remained mute spectators. Shettar said the authorities will nab
the rest soon… (Times of India 31/7/12)
Bid by Hindutva outfits to lift BJP’s sagging image: Nanaiah (26)
BANGALORE: Accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party government of protecting the perpetrators of violence
in the Mangalore moral policing incident, Janata Dal (Secular) floor leader in the Legislative Council M.C.
Nanaiah on Monday said the obstruction of a discussion on the issue by BJP members bared the
intentions of the party. Addressing presspersons, Mr. Nanaiah alleged that the BJP government was
trying to create disharmony in society. “The attack is an attempt by the Hindutva outfits to strengthen
BJP’s base, which is losing its hold in the coastal belt,” he alleged. The government was doing its best to
bury the issue without allowing a debate in the Council. “Obstructing a debate is a well thought out,
orchestrated attempt by the ruling party,” he remarked. It was not possible for the government to conduct
an impartial inquiry in to the issue as the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which was remotecontrolling
the government would not allow the government to do so, he alleged. Noting the Saturday’s
attack was the result of lenient stand taken by the Government on those involved in pub attack of
Mangalore on January 24, 2009, he said: “Three persons involved in Amnesia pub attack are also
reportedly involved in the attack. They have almost raped the women. Is this the way to protect the
culture?” The Hinudtva fronts have posed a challenge now, by warning of repeating such incidents,
whether the BJP government was prepared to accept the challenge, he sought to know. (The Hindu
1/8/12)
VHP plea to push back illegal Bangladeshis from Assam (26)
KOKRAJHAR: VHP International working president Pravin Togadia on Saturday visited some relief camps
in Kokrajhar, housing victims of the recent Bodo-Mulsim clash, and took stock of the situation. Expressing
concern at the displacement of natives from their own land, he appealed to people of Assam to remain
united against illegal Muslim immigrants from Bangladesh and demanded immediate deportation of
Bangladeshis from India. He asked the state government not to resettle any Muslim without preparing the
NRC based on the 1951 census. Togadiya interacted with the inmates of relief camps at Sukhanjhora,
Titaguri and Swrang ME schools along with leaders of BJP. Talking to media after touring the trouble-torn
region in lower Assam, he said, "It is not the Bodos but the Muslim immigrants who are trying to carry out
ethnic cleansing to make Assam a Muslim country." Referring to Kashmir where there is not a single
Hindu left, he said it is the turn of the Bodos today in Assam. He added that the Assamese and people of
other Hindu communities would suffer the dame fate if they do not unite and cooperate with Bodos to fight
against the invasion. He claimed that more than one crore Bangladeshi Muslims have illegally settled in
Assam and neither the Centre nor the state government have taken steps to push them back. He said
Muslim militants, along with immigrants, have tried ethnic cleansing in the region and people of all
communities are bearing the brunt. (Times of India 4/8/12)
‘Mangalore attacks: Part of an RSS strategy to build a Hindu Rashtra’ (26)
Dakshina Kannada (DK) has been seeing violent attacks by Hindutva groups for many years now. It is
evident that these attacks are not random but a concerted campaign of communal policing to make
women and minorities feel unsafe not only in Dakshina Kannada, but in the rest of the state as well. This
is all part of an ideological programme engineered by the RSS, which has deep roots in DK and is very
powerful in the entire region, having spawned a number of Hindutva groups like Sri Ram Sene and Hindu
Jagarana Vedike that have been involved in these attacks. Groups like Bajrang Dal, Hindu Jagran
Vedike, Sri Ram Sene and others — all of them controlled or encouraged by RSS — also share some
common membership. Many Muslim cattle traders have been attacked by the same groups that carried
out the pub attacks in Mangalore. Attacks on women and minorities are part of the RSS strategy to build a
Hindu Rashtra, where Muslims and Christians would be second class citizens.Women play an important

ole as they are seen as the gatekeepers of the purity of Hindu caste society. For this project, it becomes
crucial for the Hindutva groups to ensure that Hindu women, as ‘the gatekeepers’, do not interact with
other communities. Lately, young women and men in Mangalore have been coming out of the family fold
in large numbers and interacting with other communities. Spurred by their education and exposure to the
world, they are making their own choices about whom to meet, what entertainment they want, what they
choose to wear and so on. This is not to the liking of the Hindutva groups. These attacks are an effort to
police the borders of Hindu caste society and make it narrow, self- enclosed and monolithic. It is an
attempt to keep women within the frameworks of the Hindu community and make them follow its
conventional norms.They are also a brazen attack on the Constitution of India as cultural policing
undermines the basic ideals of secularism and multicultural society enshrined in it. Due to the influence of
RSS, the entire campaign has enjoyed the tacit support of the state government. The ministers may fret
and fume but it is evident that they have no intention of taking any action. In fact, the DK police force
patronises the RSS. There is strong evidence that the local police has chosen to look the other way in
many cases of attacks and refused to take any action against the attackers who have acted in open
defiance of the law. Moreover, following an incident, the police harasses the victims and warns them to
follow the vigilante’s ‘advice’. Considering the state’s policy of calculated inaction, the judiciary seems to
be the only hope. We, as human rights groups, are contemplating approaching the High Court on this
issue. An individual has already filed a PIL seeking immediate action against those involved in the latest
attack at Padil.— The writer is member of People’s Union for Civil Liberties, Bengaluru and was part of a
fact finding team that put together a report on Cultural Policing in Dakshina Kannada- Vigilante Attacks on
Women and Minorities in 2008-09 (Asian Age 5/8/12)
Action sought against vedike leader (26)
MANGALORE: While demanding criminal proceedings against Hindu Jagaran Vedike’s convenor
Jagadish Karnath, speakers at a protest meeting here on Saturday questioned the statements made by
Chairperson of the Karnataka State Commission for Women C. Manjula regarding the recent attack on a
homestay here. Koumu Souharda Vedike’s K.L. Ashok sought criminal proceedings against Mr. Karanth
for his statement that those who were partying at the homestay were prostitutes. “There are videos
showing this statement. The police should take note of it and book him for defaming the victims of the
attack,” he said. Former Chairperson of the State Women’s Commission Philomena Peris said Ms.
Manjula was acting more like a Tourism Department official than a women’s commission Chairperson.
“She is more concerned about the homestay than the attack. Who is she to ask for the background of the
victims of the attack? Did we ask your background before your came to the post.” Ms. Peris said she was
dismayed over Ms. Manjula’s lack of concern for the suffering of victims of the attack. If the accused
behind the 2009 pub attack had been prosecuted such an attack would not have occurred, she said.
Former Minister Lalita Nayak said no organisation had any right to enter any premises and attack the
people there. “Women have freedom to live the way they like and wear the dress that suits them,” she
said. Writer Jyothi Guruprasad said the attacked students were in a piquant situation and were not a
position to understand what was moral and what was not. If the Hindu Jagaran Vedike was so concerned
about upholding morality then why it had not talked about the acts of Excise Minister Renukacharya and
former Minister Hartal Halappa. Journalist Gowri Lankesh held Rashtriya Swamyamsevak Sangh
responsible for the attack on the homestay. She said the vedike was among the organisations connected
with the RSS that had been involved in creating disturbance across the country. The RSS and its affiliated
organisations should be banned, she said. Lecturer Sabiha Bhoomigowda, activist Nagari Babaiah,
Congress leader P.V. Mohan and National Women’s Front’s Chairperson Shaheed Tasneem spoke. (The
Hindu 5/8/12)
Keshubhai’s resignation: ‘BJP should introspect’(26)

Ahmedabad/Rajkot: Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) international working president Pravin Togadia has
described as “unfortunate” the decision of former Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel to quit the BJP.
Speaking on the sidelines of a state-level meet attended by around 150 saints at the VHP head office
here on Sunday, Togadia said it was time for all in the BJP to “introspect” over what led to Keshubhai’s
resignation from the party he nurtured for so many decades. He, however, did not comment on
Keshubhai’s remark of “one-man-show” about Narendra Modi. While he did not make any commitment to
the political party Patel is to announce on Monday, Togadia said the sole basis for the support would be
the commitment to protect Hindu interests. He said the same would apply to the party to be floated by
Team Anna. “Earlier our support to them was full but now that they are becoming a political party, no
absolute support to them can be guaranteed,” he said. “Any party that seeks support of VHP in the
coming Assembly elections will have to prove its commitment to the Hindu cause, only then they will get
our support,” he said when asked which political party the VHP would support and work for in elections.
Togadia also regretted the way BJP leader and RSS pracharak Sanjay Joshi was treated in the party and
the way he was forced to leave as member of the national executive. “Joshi is a disciplined, committed
and silent worker in the BJP who has been subjected to many insults but would not react... he is an asset
to the party,” he said. .. (Indian Express 6/8/12)
Advani lacks courage to seek votes on Hindutva: VHP (26)
COIMBATORE: Senior VHP leader Ashok Singhal today disagreed with BJP leader L K Advani over his
remarks on the feasibility of a non-Congress and non-NDA leader becoming the Prime Minister after 2014
elections and alleged he lacked the courage to seek votes on Hindutva. "I don't agree at all with Advaniji.
My personal opinion is that a person who will believe in Hindutva would be the Prime Minister after 2014
Lok Sabha elections, Singhal told reporters here. "Advani may not have the courage, the BJP has the
courage (to) come out in open," he said. When asked about the situation in Assam, Singhal blamed the
government for escalating the violence and alleged it was supporting the Muslims against the interests of
Bodos. "Hindus are suffering in Kashmir because of Pakistan and in Assam because of Bangladeshis," he
alleged. To a question on pet subject of of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, he said the Saints would decide the
future course of action during Kumbhmela in Prayag in January. However, he asked Muslim community to
withdraw the cases and facilitate constructing a temple there. (Times of India 8/8/12)
Hindu groups demand ban on Muslim bodies (26)
Mumbai, (IANS) Several pro-Hindu groups Monday demanded a ban on “fanatical” Muslim bodies and the
arrest of their leaders whose fiery speeches sparked violence leaving two dead here. Addressing the
media, representatives of groups under the banner of Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) called the Saturday
violence as “pre-planned”. They also blamed police for not anticipating the developments that left the city
paralysed for several hours and injured some 100 people including many policemen. “Earlier, the Raza
Academy had resorted to violence in Mumbai to protest against Denmark, then two policemen were burnt
alive in Bhiwandi (Thane) and now this,” said HJS coordinator Shivaji Vatkar. “Considering the violent
record of Raza Academy, a recommendation should be sent to the central government to immediately
ban it,” he said. He demanded that all Muslims who took part in Saturday’s protest against attacks on
Muslims in Assam and Myanmar should be booked under stringent laws. Vatkar said that in the past the
state government had recovered crores of rupees as compensation from the Shiv Sena, Bharatiya Janata
Party, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena and others for damaging public property. “On the same lines, Raza
Academy and other organizations should be held responsible for the damage (Saturday) and be suitably
penalized,” he said. (NV News 14/8/12)
118 Pakistani Hindus arrive in India (26)
ATTARI, PUNJAB: With uncertainty writ large on their faces, 118 Pakistani Hindus arrived in India on
board the Samjhauta Express, the peace train between India and Pakistan, here on Thursday. Though

most of the people arriving from Pakistan remained tight-lipped about their stay and future in India, some
of them said that they were not sure whether they will return to Pakistan. The Pakistani Hindus are under
a cloud of fear following recent incidents of being forced to convert to Islam by Islamists in Pakistan. The
Pakistani Hindus have complained that they were being subjected to threats, kidnappings and murders
for refusing to convert to Islam. "We have still not decided whether we will go back or stay here," said Anil
Kumar, who arrived on Thursday with his family. Authorities in Pakistan have been forcing Hindus there,
who are coming to India, to sign documents assuring that they (Hindus) will return to Pakistan. (Times of
India 16/8/12)
UPA govt is 'obsessed' with minorities: RSS (26)
NEW DELHI: Accusing the UPA government of being "obsessed" with minorities, RSS has charged it with
failing to take action on the plight of Hindus in Pakistan. "The Indian government, under the minorityobsessed
UPA, has been deaf and dumb spectator of the plight of Hindus ... the government which
staked its relations with Sri Lanka to vote in the UN over the issue of Lankan Tamils has not taken official
stand on Pakistani Hindus," Sangh mouthpiece 'Organiser' has said. It said while Muslims from
Bangladesh are allowed to settle in India and get rights of a citizen, Hindus from Pakistan living in India
for decades are yet to be recognized as citizens. The editorial said irrespective of the ruling party, the
Centre should adopt a policy of welcoming Hindus from abroad who seek Indian citizenship. Another RSS
journal 'Panchjanya' criticized Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for making no reference to Indian black
money stashed abroad in his Independence Day speech. "A Prime Minister worried about economic
slowdown made no mention of blackmoney in his speech. How will he act against it (black money)," it
said. It said instead of framing economic policies based on its requirement, the government was taking
decisions under pressure from World Bank and International Monetary Fund. It also said while Singh had
blamed a lack of political consensus for slow economic growth, it is the Congress which is responsible for
differences between political parties. (Times of India 18/8/12)
15 held in Allahabad for Friday’s violence (26)
LUCKNOW: An uneasy calm prevailed in the state, specially in the state capital, Allahabad and Kanpur,
where sporadic violence had taken place on Friday against Assam incidents. While the police on
Saturday arrested 15 persons in Allahabad in connection with the Friday incidents, three FIRs were
lodged at different police stations of the state capital for violence and arson. One FIR each was lodged at
Chowk, Wazirganj and Hazratganj police stations for arson, violence and damaging of property at
Gautam Buddha Park, Haathi Park and Parivartan Chowk. Allahabad SP (City) Shailesh Kumar Yadav
told TOI, "The situation is under complete control and we have taken measures to ensure that no
untoward incident takes place. Adequate police force has been stationed at all sensitive spots and trouble
makers would be strictly dealt with by the police." Kanpur also remained peaceful on Saturday. Speaking
to reporters, DIG Amitabh Yash said, "No untoward incident has been reported in the city today. Areas
like Cycle Market and Rajbi Road where miscreants had created ruckus and resorted to violence on
Friday after Alvida ki Namaz, have returned to normalcy. Shops were open and markets witnessed huge
festival rush. People have also resumed their normal life." "We are using local police intelligence
effectively to identify culprits behind the Friday violence in the city, besides keeping a close watch on
social networking sites and also put nearly 7,000 phone numbers on surveillance," Yash added. Kanpur
police said a case under various sections of IPC and Criminal Law Amendment Act has been lodged with
the Colonelganj police station against at least 15 main accused besides 200 others. "The RAF, PAC and
the police are jointly patrolling the affected areas of the city," informed DIG (Range, Kanpur) Sunil Gupta,
adding a review meeting would be held soon to assess the situation and apprise higher authorities in the
state. Meanwhile, in protest against Friday incident, office-bearers and members of the Vishwa Hindu
Parishad took out a march from VHP regional office at Panna Lal Road in Lucknow till the Fire Brigade
crossing. However, they were stopped from entering the Chowk area. The protestors raised slogans

against the state government and demanded security for traders and compensation for Friday's victims of
violence. (Times of India 19/8/12)
Mail appeared after bid to disrupt COVA’s event (26)
HYDERABAD: The nefarious email began circulating after the Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad
(VHP) activists tried to disrupt COVA's joint Independence Day celebrations of India and Pakistan at the
Exhibition Grounds in Nampally on August 14. Even while the function was on, right wing activists,
charging the organisers with planning to hoist the Pakistan national flag, tried to gatecrash the venue of
the celebrations but the police arrived on time and detained them. When asked the reason for their
demonstration, Bajrang Dal city president B. Bharat Vamshi claimed that they received a tip-off from
school students about the Pakistani flag being hoisted at the meeting. He alleged that the organisers had
distributed pamphlets in some schools about hoisting of the Pakistan flag.However, organiser of the
meeting and COVA executive director Mazher Hussain refuted the allegations. “It’s only a prize
distribution ceremony for school and college students. These celebrations are being organised in different
cities of India, Pakistan and across the globe to pray for peace and friendship in the region. No flags of
any country were hoisted or displayed anywhere. Some people want to create trouble with an ulterior
motive,” he said. (The Hindu 20/8/12)
VHP blames Centre (26)
New Delhi, August 21 2012: In reaction to the recent Home Ministry's report about Pakistan being the
source of sms and mms threats to North East people, VHP leader Pravin Togadia today accused the
Centre and Assam State Government of diverting the issue. Speaking to NE reporters in New Delhi, the
VHP leader said that there may be a Pakistani role in the threat but it is not possible without a hand in
India. "No one circulates sms from Pakistan, it may origin from there but circulation is form local people
here in India," he said. The VHP leader also said that infiltrators, were actually listed in the national
census registry for purpose of vote bank. He said, " there is a need to check the 1951 registry record and
see if they are listed in voter list, if not send them back, they have no right to live in India" . On the people
fleeing Pakistan recently, Pravin Togadia said " the Hindus who fled Pakistan are refugees , they came to
India due to persecution, in the case of Bangladesh , they came to invade" .(Manipur E-Pao 22/8/12)
20% of banned hate sites put up by Hindu groups (26)
NEW DELHI: The clamour over Pakistan fanning communal passions in India through social networking
sites has missed a crucial detail. Around 20% of the web pages — blocked by government agencies —
were uploaded by right-wing Hindu fundamentalists seeking to polarize the country on communal lines. In
these posts doctored images or videos showing alleged atrocities against tribal Bodos by Muslims have
been tagged with provocative captions and point to extremist Hindu groups trying to fish in troubled
waters to target minorities and fan tensions. Sources in agencies involved in scanning internet and
blocking inflammatory web pages say several posts had pictures or videos of Tibetans self-immolations in
protest against Chinese occupation. These posts were, however, captioned as atrocities against
"Assamese Hindus" by "illegal" migrant Muslims. "Several images had been cropped in a way to obliterate
the background that could have revealed the actual context of the pictures," said an official. Agencies
have also found clues indicating a large number of SMSs that spread panic among the northeast Indians
living across the country were also generated by fringe Hindu groups. The panic led to a mass exodus of
people from the north-east from several cities, including Pune, Bangalore and Chennai. "Everyone is
trying to ride the Assam conflict bandwagon for their own parochial and political gains. Right-wing Hindu
groups have played a major role in spreading panic among the north-easterners," said the official. Their
portrayal of all Bodos as Hindus is also inaccurate as some are Christians. Sources said days before the
exodus from Bangalore began, rabid SMSs about killing of four persons from the north-east and a fatwa
being issued against people from the region started doing the rounds. These messages are suspected to

have been spread by right-wing groups too. A recent input from Bangalore about three women planning
to bomb a train turned out to be a red herring. Later, the input was traced to an activist of Bajrang Dal.
Videos allegedly showing unfurling of a Pakistani flag on August 15 in Hyderabad were uploaded
questioning the integrity and patriotism of Muslims in the Indian city. The video was found to be that of
Pakistan's Hyderabad. Another right-wing group, inspired by Dara Singh, the killer of Australian
missionary Graham Steins, called the Assam conflict a handiwork of Christian missionaries who have
allegedly armed Bodos. "Several right-wing groups are trying to increase their influence in the north-east.
Some mainstream groups too have been trying to woo tribals across the nation and so have openly
pledged support to Bodo struggle. They see the present conflict as the best situation to make inroads in
the north-east. The attempt is also at polarizing the entire nation as Indians versus immigrant Muslims to
gain political ground," said the official. Several Hindu groups have also come forward to help fleeing
north-easterners. RSS and certain other Hindu outfits arranged for food and other services for northeasterners
fleeing Bangalore. They even exhorted them to not to flee as the group would protect them.
The ABVP even set up 24-hour helplines in 20 cities across India for students from the north-east.
Bajrang Dal too called bandhs in riot-affected districts in Assam. (Times of India 23/8/12)
VHP leaders demand arrest of Saraswati's killers (26)
BERHAMPURn: Dissatisfied over the slow pace of investigation into the assassination of Swami
Laxmanananda Saraswati, VHP leaders on Thursday demanded immediate arrest of the main culprits.
They also demanded quick appointment of the head of the judicial panel that is inquiring into the
Kandhamal riots. The inquiry suffered a setback following the death of retired judge S C Mohapatra on
May 13. "Four years have passed since the Swami's murder and the main culprits are still at large," the
VHP leaders said. The judiciary inquiry was also stalled as the government is yet to appoint a fresh
commission after the death of Justice Mohapatra, they said. The saffron leaders made these demands at
a meeting organized by Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati death anniversary samiti at Phulbani on
Thursday. The VHP leaders also took out a march in the town where 18 platoons of police force have
been deployed. Saraswati and four of his disciples were killed at his Jalespeta ashram on August 23,
2008, when the inmates of the ashram were celebrating Janmasthami. The incident had triggered ethnocommunal
riots in the district, which claimed at least 38 lives, damaged 4,821 houses and 229 religious
institutes, official sources said. Unofficial sources, however, put the death toll higher. The government
had ordered a judiciary inquiry into the incident by a retired judge of high court on September 3, 2008
while crime branch investigated the incident. The crime branch police had arrested 10 persons, while they
filed chargesheet against 14 persons. The last one to be arrested was Azad, a Maoist leader. (Times of
India 24/8/12)
RSS demands stern Foreigners Act to stop illegal immigrants (26)
New Delhi: The Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) on Friday demanded the Central government to
strengthen the Foreigners Act with an aim to stop illegal immigrants. Addressing mediapersons here,
RSS deputy general secretary Krishna Gopal in particular urged the government to check immigration of
Bangladeshi nationals. "The Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh ( RSS) feels that the country's Foreigners
Act should be enforced more stringently. Bangladeshi nationals should be detected and identified
especially in Assam and normally in the rest of India. If they somehow make it to the voters list, then such
entries in the electoral roll should be rejected and the concerned persons denied nationality," said Gopal.
"Separate camps should be made for them other than communicating with Bangladesh about what to do
with them? This is our demand and the appropriate temporary solution that comes to our mind is in favour
of the country," he added. Gopal further hit out at the Centre for not taking appropriate steps even after
the revelation of Pakistan's hand in recent exodus of people of northeastern origin hailing from different
parts of India. "The government should close all the websites, which cause problems or aggravates
tensions and quarrels within our country. There is no harm in this. But the government recently claimed

that Pakistan was responsible for rumour mongering and after two days it changed its stand, this is not
right," said Gopal. "Who is the government trying to please? This does not look right. This means that
after finding out the main cause the government diverts the issue, this is not right," he added. Intelligence
agencies have blocked several websites and restricted bulk messages with an aim to thwart the panic
stricken messages and mails. Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde on Friday said only those social
media accounts, which have posted objectionable and inflammatory content, are being blocked and there
is no need for others to be concerned. Shinde had earlier on Tuesday said there is enough evidence on
elements using social media networking sites to whip up communal sentiments and create scare among
people of northeastern region living across India. Shinde had earlier on August 19 expressed concern to
his Pakistani counterpart Rehman Malik over the issue of social media-networking sites being misused by
elements based in Pakistan to circulate false pictures and stories to whip up communal sentiments in
India. Shinde, who spoke to Malik over telephone, sought Pakistan's full cooperation in checking and
neutralizing such elements. (Asian Age 27/8/12)
Guj polls: Hindutva out, core issues focus of parties (26)
Ahmedabad: Shunning the Hindutva card, the campaign of the major parties in Gujarat for the
forthcoming Assembly elections this time is centred around issues like water, housing and inflation. The
2002 and 2007 Gujarat elections were held in a charged environment by whipping up communal
sentiments in the backdrop of the 2002 riots and numerous encounter cases, including the Sohrabuddin
Sheikh case which resulted in easy polarisation of votes, Congress office bearers said. "But with the
passage of 10 years post riots and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's 'Sadbhavna' mission softening
his stance towards Muslims have contributed to the fact that Hindutva is not a major issue this time in
state elections," they added. The Congress and Keshubhai Patel's newly formed Gujarat Parivartan Party
(GPP) are of the view that they have a level playing field this time against Modi-led BJP, as the issue of
Hindutva is on the backburner. "Modi has tried to change his colours from what he had projected himself
in 2002. He is now trying to woo Muslims. People have come to know his reality and the emotive issues
will not sway them this time," Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said. After 10 years of good rains,
Gujarat is facing acute water scarcity this year owing to a deficient monsoon in Saurashtra, Kutch and
North Gujarat, which has been compounded by slow paced work of laying canal network for Sardar
Sarovar Narmada Dam project. It has emerged as a major issue prior to the elections. The Congress's
ambitious promise of providing homes to poor and middle class housewives at nominal rates, if it comes
to power, has garnered a huge response (already 50 lakh forms have been distributed) and has brought
to fore the issue of people's aspirations of owning a house when real estate prices have skyrocketed in
the state. "Water, housing, providing medical facility to people, reducing VAT on petrol, diesel and
kerosene and thereby reducing prices, giving full benefits of sixth-pay commission to state government
employees, providing good education are highlighted by Congress as key election issues. We have also
raised our voice against corruption of this government," Doshi said. Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata
Party is trying to cash-in on the burning issues of inflation and corruption of the central government.
"Inflation due to mismanagement of the Union government, corruption at the Centre and large scale
discrimination towards Gujarat are the main issues that the BJP has taken up in campaign during the
forthcoming elections," spokesperson Jagdish Bhavsar said. "We will be fighting this election also on the
issue of leadership quality (of Modi), path breaking development carried out by the state government in
the last 10 years and our goal of making Gujarat a developed place so it can be in league with developed
nations of the world,” Bhavsar said. Regarding the Hindutva issue, another BJP leader said, "Party's
policy is well defined by the chief minister who has announced - development for all, appeasement for
none." (Deccan Herald 3/9/12)
Case filed against Raj Thackeray for anti-Biharis remark (26)

A complaint case was on Monday filed in Nalanda district court against MNS chief Raj Thackeray for his
hate speech against the Bihari people. A social activist Biresh Pandey filed the case in the court of the
Chief Judicial Magistrate Krishna Bihari Pandey under several sections of IPC. The petitioner submitted
that the people of Bihar felt insulted and their sentiments were hurt by Thackeray's recent speech in
which he had described the Mumbai based Biharis as infiltrators and threatened to drive them out from
the city. Pandey said that the MNS chief's provocative speech could vitiate peace and communal amity
and cause discord among the people. (DNA 3/9/12)
NSUI student set on fire by Bajrang Dal activists dies (26)
BHOPAL: Rahul Joshi, the 20-year-old NSUI worker from Betul district who was allegedly set ablaze on
August 31 by four activists of the Bajrang Dal-ABVP combine succumbed to burn injuries late on Monday
night. The victim sustained 30% burns and was undergoing treatment at the Padhar Christian
Missionaries Hospital. Congress called for Betul district bandh on Wednesday protesting the death of
their student-wing worker. Rahul was the only son of his parents, the Congress said. His body was
cremated on Tuesday morning under tight security arrangements and in the presence of the district
collector B Chandrasekhar and superintendent of police Lalit Shakiawar. Three days before his death,
Rahul Joshi gave his statement to the police claiming that the four youths attached to Bajrang Dal and the
BJP students' wing ABVP walked him out of his residence and thereafter poured kerosene and set him
ablaze. Police on Saturday arrested the four accused identified as Shyam Shukla, Vijay Choudhary,
Abhilash Yadav and Vinod Morae and produced them before the court of chief judicial magistrate. They
were remanded to judicial custody. (Times of India 5/9/12)
44. VHP, Bajrang Dal demand closure of slaughterhouses (26)
Mangalore: Deeming slaughterhouses in the city as illegal, local units of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and
the Bajrang Dal have set a deadline of November 15 for the district and city administration to shut them
down. Addressing presspersons here on Wednesday, Dinesh Pai, Goraksha Pramukh, presented a list of
11 abattoirs he claimed were slaughtering cows and bulls. Further, he asked for the slaughterhouse in
Kudroli, run by Mangalore City Corporation, to be closed down for “violating norms” of the Karnataka
State Pollution Control Board. “Even though Karnataka Preservation of Cow Slaughter and Preservation
of Cattle Act, 1964 bans slaughter of cows in the State, there are several abattoirs that still continue with
slaughter,” he said. The VHP and the Bajarang Dal announced that if their demands were not met, a
State-wide agitation would be held on November 15. (The Hindu 6/9/12)
BJP, RSS hartal in Kannur total (26)
KANNUR: The dawn-to-dusk hartal in the district on Thursday called by the BJP and the RSS in the wake
of the death of Akhila Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) activist N Sachin Gopal was total. Though
vehicles had been exempted from the hartal, very few buses plied, and shops and other establishments
remained closed. The attendance in government offices was also skeletal. A group of protestors attacked
the LIC office here damaging two of its two glass doors. One window-pane of the State Bank of India at
KVR Towers, an office complex, was also damaged in the stone-pelting by the agitators. Police have
registered a case under the Prevention of Destruction of Public Property Act and IPC section 447, against
two unidentified persons. Meanwhile, the body of Sachin was cremated at Payyambalam crematorium
late in the evening after it was kept in various places including Kasaragod, Kanhanghad, Payyanur,
Thaliparamba, Valapattanam and his house at Kottali for people to pay homage. Sachin, son of Gopalan,
an autorickshaw driver in Kottali and a diploma student of Modern ITC, Kannur was the vice-president of
the ABVP municipal committee. He was stabbed by a group of people, suspected to be Popular Front of
India activists, at Pallikkunnu bus stop on July 6. Though he was admitted in Pariyaram Medical College
and later at Kasturba Medical College (KMC) Mangalore, his life could not be saved. He died on
Wednesday, nearly two months after he had been stabbed. The BJP, which alleges that the Campus

Front and PFI activists are behind the attack, is planning to intensify the agitation demanding that police
nab the real culprits. The party has alleged that the real culprits were being protected owing to pressure
from some UDF constituents. On Thursday, BJP and RSS activists took out a protest march from the
party office at Thalikkavu to the KSRTC bus stand in which hundreds of people participated. (Times of
India 7/9/12)
Don't let social media fan communal flames: PM (26)
New Delhi, Sept 9 (IANS): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday flagged the use of social media
and bulk SMSs to aggravate social tensions as the new challenge before the government and security
forces, even as he expressed concern over the increase in communal violence and ethnic strife. On the
last day of a three-day national conference of chiefs of police forces here, Manmohan Singh also warned
that the nation's vulnerability to cyber crime is escalating, even as he pointed out that terrorists groups still
have capability to strike through the sea route, just like the Mumbai attacks of November 2008. "The
increase in communal incidents in the country in the past few months and the revival of ethnic tensions in
the Northeast in recent weeks have been particular causes of concern for all of us," Manmohan Singh
said, addressing the directors general and inspectors generals of state and central police forces at the
meet hosted by the Intelligence Bureau. The prime minister's remarks come in the backdrop of the ethnic
clashes in Assam that left nearly 100 dead and another four lakh displaced, which also had a spin-off
effect when rumours spread across social media triggered an exodus of people of northeastern origin
from Bangalore, Pune, Mumbai and other cities. "The use of bulk SMSes and social media to aggravate
the communal situation is a new challenge that the recent disturbances have thrown before us. We need
to fully understand how these new media are used by miscreants," he said. "We also need to devise
strategies to counter the propaganda that is carried out by these new means. Any measure to control the
use of such media must be carefully weighed against the need for freedom to express and communicate,"
he said. "Our country's vulnerability to cyber crime is escalating as our economy and critical infrastructure
become increasingly reliant on interdependent computer networks and the Internet," Manmohan Singh
said. "Large-scale computer attacks on our critical infrastructure and economy can have potentially
devastating results," he warned the police chiefs. The prime minister said the government is working on a
robust cyber security structure that addresses "threat management and mitigation, assurance and
certification, capacity building and research".Cyber security breaches were reported in recent months
from the Visakhapatnam-based Eastern Naval Command. Regular attacks on key defence and critical
networks by hackers are also reported. Warning that terror groups continued to maintain their ability to
use the sea route for strikes, the prime minister expressed confidence that the maritime domain
awareness scheme led by the Indian Navy would strengthen coastal security. "There are also indications
about terrorist groups maintaining their ability to use the sea route," Manmohan Singh said. "The
comprehensive scheme of maritime domain awareness to be led by the navy would help strengthen
coastal vigilance," he said. The Mumbai attacks had left 166 people including some foreign nationals
dead. Since then, the Indian security forces have initiated several measures to ensure a secure 7,500-km
India coastline. "We are still in the process of developing capabilities to take preemptive action in respect
of terrorist threats. Realignment of operational approaches, training of police personnel and more
effective collaboration among states and between states and the centre should form part of our overall
strategy of dealing with the menace of terrorism," he added. Returning to the issue communal tensions,
the prime minister said, "the erosion of inter-community relations is something that should worry us all."
"The capacity of the administrative set-up to check such deterioration seems to have weakened," he said,
adding that this would be true of the police administration too. "Advance identification of potential
troublemakers, timely use of preventive sections of the law, alongside seeking cooperation of the
community for maintaining peace should be the first instrument to be deployed, well before the situation
deteriorates," he added. Batting for obtaining the assistance of saner elements of society to marginalise

those who are overly intolerant and aggressive, Manmohan Singh called for training the police to develop
soft skills. (Assam Tribune 9/9/12)
Any Masjid in name of Babar will not be allowed within the cultural boundary of Ayodhya: VHP
Lucknow: Making it clear that nothing was expected other than Ram Mandir at the birth place of Lord
Rama, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad has categorically stated that construction of any Masjid in name of
Babar will not be allowed within the cultural boundary of Ayodhya. This decision was taken during the
meeting of the Shriram Janmbhomi Nyas chaired by its chairman Mahant Nratya Gopal das on Monday.
The Nyas claimed that Hindu community was committed to safeguard the entire land of Ram
Janmbhoomi and it will pay any price to achieve the onjective. Nratya Gopal Das said that some talks
regarding the compromise formula were taking place for some time but it must be remembered that those
indulged in it were not the sole representatives of the Hindu community. Attending the meeting the VHP
chief Ashok Singhal said that keeping the prevailing situation the sadhu saints might take final call about
the construction of grand Ram mandir duirng the Kumbh proposed in Allahabad in 2013. The meeting
was also attended Dr Ram Vilas Vednati, , Swami Purushottamacharya, Mahant Suresh Das Maharaj,
Sitaram Tyagi, Prem Shankar Das and many other saints from Hardwar and other places. Meanwhile
talking to mediapersons the VHP chief Ashok Singhal cationed that it corrective steps were not taken
soon, the eastern part of the country mainly Assam will turn into another Kashmir where Hindus will be
chased away. " Nearly four crore infiltrators were posing deep external and internal threat to the security
of the country" he said. The VHP leader said that greates hurdle before the construction of garnd Ram
Mandir was the policy of appeasement. " The respective government always tried to keep one community
in good humour" he said adding that appeasement has become curse to the nation." The only possible
way for the construction of grand Ram Mandir was the election of a Parliament with overwhelming
presence of the Hindutva forces in 2014" said Singhal. (Pioneer 11/9/12)
Attack on VHP leader: Accused still at large (26)
Haridwar: The city police are yet to get any leads about the motorcycle-borne accused who had stabbed
and attempted to set VHP leader Charanjeet Pahwa on fire on Tuesday night. Pahwa is presently under
treatment at the Himalayan Institute of Medical Science (HIMS) in Jollygrant and medicos say that he is
now out of danger. Senior officials had assured that the accused will be arrested soon. “Our police are on
the lookout for the accused and they will be arrested soon. Meanwhile all the police stations in the State
have been alerted and we are also in touch with the Uttar Pradesh Police,” Superintendent of Police, KL
Shah, said. Condemning the attack the VHP and the Bajrang Dal have threatened to carry out protests if
the accused are not arrested soon. Local leaders have demanded immediate action in the case and
handed over a memorandum to the Haridwar SSP, Arun Mohan Joshi and DM, Sachin Kurve. On
Wednesday CO City, Ajay Joshi had assured that the accused will be arrested within three days while
addressing to the irate residents, who had gheraoed the Kankhal police station on Wednesday morning,
as a protest against the city police’ failure to nab the accused in the case. It may be noted that some
unidentified persons had attempted to kill Pahwa near Singhdwar area on Tuesday night. The incident
took place around 10 pm, when Pahwa was returning home after meeting one of his relatives, who stays
in the Gurukul Kangri University hostel premises here. The accused had stabbed Pahwa twice on his
stomach and also tried to put him on fire alive. While the motorcycle borne accused managed to escape
from the site, Pahwa was rushed to the Haridwar District Hospital. Medicos later referred him to the HIMS.
Doctors on Thursday said that Pahwa is out of danger and will be discharged from the hospital soon. The
city police detained two more persons on grounds of suspicion. These persons are being questioned and
cops are hopeful to track the accused soon. “We have got some crucial leads about the accused, but
cannot share them right now,” Shah said, re-assuring that accused will be arrested soon. (Pioneer
14/9/12)

KS Sudarshan, former RSS chief, passes away (26)
RAIPUR: Former RSS Sarsanghchalak, KS Sudarshan (81), died here this morning at about 6.30am after
suffering a heart attack. His cremation will take place at Nagpur, the RSS headquarters, on Sunday
evening at 3pm. Sudarshan, who led the right-wing Hindu organization from 2000-2009, had arrived in the
city on Thursday from Jabalpur and was staying at the local RSS office, Jagriti Mandal, Pandri. According
local RSS workers, the former sarsanghchalak had come here to release the book of Chattisgarh Rajya
Sabha MP, Gopal Vyas. The book release function was held on Friday evening. A RSS worker who was
present at Jagriti Bhawan this morning said Sudharshan apparently suffered a "massive heart attack" and
died within few minutes. "He complained about chest pain at about 6am and we immediately called a
cardiologist. However, the doctor, who came at about 6.30am, pronounced him dead", he said.
Sudarshan was reportedly a heart patient and had undergone a bypass a decade ago. The RSS chief
was slated to leave for Nagpur on Sunday morning. RSS sources said that his body would be taken to
Nagpur on Saturday afternoon at about 2pm and will be kept at the party's headquarters for people to pay
their last respects. Though Sudarshan had been staying with his family in Mysore for quite some time, he
was born in this very city on June 18, 1931 in a Sanketi Brahmin family. He did his Bachelor of
Engineering in Telecommunications (honours) from Sagar University. He joined RRS Shakha at a young
age of nine years and became a prachark in 1954. He went on to become the prant pracharak of Madhya
Bharat in 1964. He also the headed the RSS think tank, Boudhik Cell, and in 1990 he became the joint
general secretary of the organisation and later he became the Sarsanghchalak. (Times of India 15/9/12)
A votary of Hindutva and swadeshi (26)
Nagpur: Former RSS chief Kuppalli Sitaramayya Sudarshan died in Raipur on Saturday morning following
a heart attack. He was 81. Sudarshan was in Raipur for a book release function. His body was brought to
the RSS headquarters in Nagpur, where the funeral is set to be held on Sunday. Born on June 18, 1931,
Sudarshan, whose family hailed from Kuppalli in Karnataka, joined the RSS as a bal swayamsevak when
he was just nine years old. With a Bachelor of Engineering in telecommunications (honours) from Sagar
University, he became a full-time RSS pracharak in 1954 in Raigarh district. He quickly rose through the
ranks, becoming prant pracharak of Madhya Pradesh in 1964, before he was sent to the Northeast in
1977. In 1979, he took over as the Akhil Bharatiya Boudhik Pramukh, chief of the RSS think-tank. In
1990, he was appointed sah sarakaryavah (joint general secretary) of the organisation. A decade later,
Sudarshan took over from an ailing Rajendra Singh alias Rajju Bhaiyya as RSS chief in 2000, when the
BJP-led NDA government was in power. A votary of swadeshi, Sudarshan made clear his differences with
the NDA government’s economic policies. Known for his hardline views, his followers remember him for
his commitment to Hinduism. Sudarshan was also vocal about the internal affairs of the Sangh Parivar,
which earned him many critics within the RSS. In an interview with The Indian Express Editor-in-Chief
Shekhar Gupta on NDTV 24X7’s Walk the Talk programme in 2005, Sudarshan kicked up a controversy
when he said that former prime minister A B Vajpayee and L K Advani should make way for the young
guard in the BJP. (Indian Express 16/9/12)
Hindu Sangam held in Sacramento (26)
AMRITSAR: Various Hindu organizations joined together to showcase rich Hindu philosophy, heritage,
traditions, way of life and culture in California's capital Sacramento (USA). Nevada based Hindu leader
Rajan Zed told TOI on Monday that the event titled "Hindu Sangam" (Sangam meaning "confluence"),
began on September 16 which stressed on the need of creating awareness of Hinduism in the society,
doing charity as charity was a religious duty, and active participation in interfaith dialogue, etc.Held at
Shree Laxmi Narayan Mandir, it included poornkumbh procession, havan, exhibitions, shlok recitation,
music, Bharatnatyam, bhajans, cultural programs, workshops and speeches by experts of various
aspects of Hinduism. Topics discussed at the Sangam included challenges of Hindus in America, raising

kids Hindu way, Seva in Hinduism, Hindu issues, significance of temples, Hinduism impact in United
States, Hindu unity, etc. Hindu organizations including Brahma Kumaris Spiritual University, Art of Living,
Divya Jyoti Jagrati Sansthan, Gayatri Privar, Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, Hindu American Foundation,
International Society for Krishna Consciousness, Sahaj Marg, Sathya Sai and Shirdi Sai Group, SEWA
International, Shiv Mandir Sacramento, Sri Siddhi Vinayaka Temple, Shree Laxmi Narayan Mandir and
Vedanta Society of Sacramento participated in the event. (Times of India 17/9/12)
Narendra Modi dragging Vivekananda in political world: Keshubhai Patel (26)
Ahmedabad: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has kept his poll campaign centred on spiritual leader
Swami Vivekananda, attempting to keep his Hindutva image intact while reaching out to other
communities, to make himself more acceptable at the national level. However, the Opposition has dubbed
it as a ploy to garner political gains. Modi has taken out a month-long political yatra naming it 'Swami
Vivekananda Yuva Vikas Yatra' and has been addressing Vivekananda Youth Convention all over the
state and has been quoting from his work on a daily basis on his twitter account, a strategy which has
baffled his detractors. His opponents have severely criticised him for misusing name of Swami
Vivekananda, who during his life had remained away from any political activity though being very famous
in the late part of 18th century after he returned from the US. “Swami Vivekananda, as per the tradition of
saints in the country having a secular outlook was the biggest propagator of Hindu religion in modern
times,” those close to the Ramakrishna Mission established by the saint himself said. “He had always
remained away from politics during his life saying that he was not a political leader,” they added. Modi has
kept a statue of Swami Vivekananda before his rath on a vehicle which travels with him during the yatra.
He has also painted his bus converted into rath with photographs of Swami Vivekananda. In his speeches
during the yatra, Modi speaks about realising dreams of Swami Vivekananda to make India 'vishwa guru',
and urges youths to take up his cause. (Indian Express 18/9/12)
Ganesha in Mother Mary’s arm irks VHP, Bajrang Dal (26)
Surat: An attempt at a communally harmonious Ganesha puja pandal met with severe opposition from
VHP and Bajrang Dal activists forcing organisers to change the idol soon after its installation here on
Wednesday. The Hira Panna Group of City Light area in Surat, which has been setting up theme-based
Ganesh pandals in the city, had installed a statue of Mother Mary with an infant Ganesha in her arms.
The plan was to immerse the idol and donate the Mother Mary to a church coming up in Dumas. On
Wednesday, when the idol was unveiled and news spread, activists of VHP, Bajrang Dal and president of
Ganesh Utsav Sewa Samiti Anil Biscuitwala came to the pandal along with several priests and forced the
organisers to remove the idol. The objection was to the cross hanging from the right hand while it held a
Ganesh in her left hand, in place of infant Jesus. Under mounting pressure from all sides, the youths of H
P Group removed the cross from the hand of the statue in the evening and replaced it with the tricolour,
apparently turning it into a replica of ‘Mother India’. “We are getting pressure from all sides to remove the
idol of Mother Mary but we are firm on our decision and we will not remove the idol. The small Ganesha
Idol is removable. And after immersion, we have decided to donate the 11-foot statue of Mother Mary to a
new church in Dumas area of Surat. We have done nothing wrong,” said one of the organisers. (Indian
Express 21/9/12)
VHP sees US hand behind anti-nuclear protests (26)
Kancheepuram: VHP on Saturday alleged the anti-nuclear protests in the country were being instigated
by the US in order to thwart India from exploiting its rich thorium reserves and steal a march in atomic
effiency. Senior VHP leader Ashok Singal, who was asked about the ongoing protests against Supreme
Court gives warning note on Kudankulam nuclear plant Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KNPP) in
Tamil Nadu, said such protests were instigated by the US with NGOs and churches "playing a role in this

effort".He alleged that 4,000 odd NGOs and churches were involved in the protests and they should be
curbed "firmly by both the state and the central governments".Talking to reporters during his visit to the
Sankara Mutt here, he alleged churches were extending patronage to the continuing protests against
KNPP in various places. "They are all instigated by the US, which does not want India to take advantage
of its rich thorium resources and steal a march in nuclear efficiency," he said. Singal claimed Pakistanbacked
miliants were stirring up trouble in Muslim pockets in Uttar Pradesh, disrupting peace and
harmony, citing recent alleged desecration of idols in an ancient temple in Faizabad. (Hindustan Times
22/9/12)
Sena may steer clear of Hindutva (26)
MUMBAI: The Shiv Sena will lead a morcha to the Maharashtra Housing Area Development Authority
(Mhada) head office on October 8 to press for the redevelopment of its 3,701 tenements, populated
mostly by Marathis, in Mumbai. Senior Sena leader Subhash Desai will lead the morcha to the agency's
headquarters in Bandra. "We have been urging the Mhada authorities to rebuild its 56 enclaves as the
buildings there are in a state of disrepair. Several letters have been written to the Maharashtra
government as well. However, our pleas have fallen on deaf ears. We are planning a morcha to wake up
the bureaucracy from its stupor," said Desai on Thursday. While BJP, the Sena's poll ally, is busy closing
in on the "corrupt" NCP ministers in the ruling Democratic Front alliance, Sena CEO Uddhav Thackeray is
said to be preparing a strategy to reclaim the Sena's Marathi constituency by taking up civic and non-
Hindutva issues, ahead of the 2014 state assembly and Lok Sabha polls. Thackeray recently geared up
the Sena machinery to mobilize public opinion against the BMC's move to bring Shivaji Park under the
heritage cover. Uddhav led a morcha too against the civic administration's controversial heritage circular.
There are nearly 3,701 MHADA buildings in Mumbai which need urgent re-development, Desai added.
Elaborating further, the Sena leader said, The tenants in the MHADA buildings have been living under
perpetual threat to their lives and property. The Maharashtra government has been claiming since 2008
that it is aware of the problem. However, neither Mantralay nor MHADA have taken any concrete
measures so far in this connection.''While the MHADA wheels move at a snail's pace, the tenants are left
high dry,'' Desai pointed out. A Sena delegation held discussions with MHADA vice-chief Satish Gavai on
September 17. Gavai assured the Sena delegation that he would organize a special meeting on the issue
with chief minister Prithviraj Chavan. (Times of India 28/9/12)
RSS opposes FDI in retail (26)
Jaipur: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday said the Centre's decision to
allow FDI in multi-brand retail would adversely affect small-scale traders in the country. Replying to
queries of RSS volunteers at the 'Chaitanya Shivir' here, Bhagwat said the decision to allow FDI in retail
would hurt common traders who are not prepared to compete with multinational companies. He said the
RSS opposes the decision of the central government to allow FDI in retail, according to a release here.
The RSS chief said the government of India should take efforts to create a favourable atmosphere for
Indians living abroad. Bhagwat also said the government should accord refugee status to the Hindus who
came to India from Pakistan following religious persecution. (DNA 30/9/12)
Party leaders pin hope on Ganga Samagra Yatra to revive Hindutva ahead of LS poll (26)
LUCKNOW: Projected as a pure 'apolitical' campaign and aimed at restoring the pristine glory of Ganga,
the Ganga Samagra Yatra, undertaken by senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Uma Bharti is gradually
acquiring political colours. And if party insiders are to be believed, then the yatra is seen as a discreet
move on the part of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh to revive Hindutva, by the time it finally
culminates. Bharatiya Janata Party started the Ganga Samagra Yatra under the leadership of the fiery
sanyasin from Ganga Sagar in West Bengal from September 21. The 39-day-long yatra would conclude

at Gangotri on October 28. Before that, the yatra would pass through Uttar Pradesh between October 9
and October 22, the longest span in any state. However, the move by the saffron party has not gone well
with saints and seers. The Ganga Mukti Sangram, an organisation of saints and seers, had on Tuesday
(September 25) accused the BJP of politicising Ganga through the yatra. The group, which is working to
save the holy river, said it would not allow the saffron party to succeed in its intentions. "BJP has played a
trick to politicise the issue of Ganga through Ganga Samagra Yatra, but it will not be allowed to succeed
in its intentions," convener of Mukti Sangram, Acharya Pramod Krishnam had told a news agency. A
campaign would be launched to warn people about the BJP's intentions, he said, and added, "The issue
of Ganga is decades old. How come the BJP got reminded of it at this politically crucial time?" The
acharya alleged that BJP had nothing to do with the river, and like Ram temple, it wants to take political
mileage from the issue. The yatra stirred up a controversy in Mamata Banerjee-ruled West Bengal, where
the sadhvi accused the chief minister of creating obstacles during the beginning of her yatra, to appease
the minority vote bank. "Like they supported TMC in West Bengal, the Muslims have voted in large
numbers for the UP's ruling Samajwadi Party. So it remains to be seen whether Akhilesh Yadav creates
hurdles in Uma's path," a BJP leader said. Going by Mulayam's past political manoeuvres, the SP
government in the state wouldn't allow the fiery sanyasin to have a smooth ride for sure, another BJP
leader said. Entering UP from the east, Uma, who is now a BJP MLA from Mahoba's Charkhari assembly
constituency, will also venture into the territory of former CM and erstwhile BJP leader Kalyan Singh.
Uma's visit in the area, where Kalyan has dominance gains importance as his return to the saffron fold is
being again talked about. According to sources, Uma might also address a rally in Dibai (Bulandshahr),
the electoral ground of Kalyan's son - Rajvir Singh. Since Uma is not known to be anti-Kalyan, she is least
expected to take a shot at him. In fact, she might leave enough hints for the political pundits and
commentators to take a line on the possibility of Kalyan's comeback saga. A senior BJP leader requesting
anonymity said, the RSS, which is working behind the scene to ensure success of the yatra, is looking at
Bharti, to reconnect the "larger Hindu community" much in the same way as the Ayodhya movement did.
(Times of India 1/10/12)
RSS chief urges anti-corruption crusaders to resolve differences (26)
RANCHI: Admitting that Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh (RSS) activists are participating actively in
every movement against corruption, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat appealed to the three parallel streams of
ongoing anti-corruption crusade to come on one platform. Bhagwat was in Ranchi on Thursday to
address a meet of the intellectuals at the CMPDI hall. "RSS believes in nation building and is openly
supporting every movement against corruption but our support is getting divided because of three distinct
movements taking place at the same time," he said. Without taking names of Anna Hazare, Arwind
Kejriwal and Baba Ramdev, Bhagwat said that RSS has spared at least two lakh swayam sevaks to
participate in these movements. "If these three crusaders come on one platform, our support will be
intensified," he said. Before inviting questions from the audience, Bhagwat spoke about sangh for around
fifteen minutes to clarify some of the common 'myths' in public. "RSS is not a political party and has no
links with BJP though there is no denying the fact that the number of swayam sevaks is more in BJP
compared to other political parties," he said stressing that there are RSS activists in Telangana congress
and Marxist parties in West Bengal as well. Responding to a query about RSS stand on construction of
temple at Ayodhya Bhagwat, he said that the sangh was committed to construction of the temple but
would go by the decisions of high-powered committee of the saints. "We believe that the temple would be
constructed after proper legislation is introduced and a consensus is achieved and for that Sangh is in no
hurry," he added. Laying the blame on political parties for politicising the issue and dividing society,
Bhagwat said that the differences could be resolved by intervention of intellectuals and mutual dialogue.
He appealed to the common people to get associated with Sangh for two years of their life for having an
opinion. "No one could be explained the taste of sugar unless he or she tastes it and there is no bondage

in Sangh. One is free to come and go so I would appeal to everyone to understand the nationalist
ideology instead of believing on myths," he said. (Times of India 5/10/12)
Vishwa Hindu Parishad protests against mismanagement (26)
ALLAHABAD: Protesting against the mismanagement in Kumbh Mela preparations, angry Vishwa Hindu
Parishad(VHP) workers alongwith members of Teerth Purohit Mahasangh staged a demonstration and
burnt an effigy of state Urban development minister at Mela office here on Saturday and handed over a
11 point memorandum to additional Mela Adhikari addressed to the state governor.The protestors raised
slogans against the minister and urged the state government to hand over the charge of Kumbh Mela to
some other minister. Addressing the gathering VHP leader, Amit Alok Pandey funds sanctioned for
Kumbh Mela is being misappropiated by officials while citizens are up in arms against the Mela
authorities.The area allotted to Teerth Purohits should be developed by Mela authorities. In his address,
city vice president, Ashish Verma said that those who are trying to undermine the importance of Kumbh
Mela would be taught a lesson by the people.Time has come to wind up and complete the ongoing works
instead of spreading this and in the name of beautification the authorities should stop dumping garbage at
Buxi Bundh and Yamuna bundh. (Times of India 7/10/12)
Toilet remark: VHP, Bajrang Dal seek apology from Jairam Ramesh (26)
New Delhi: Activists of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Bajrang Dal on Sunday sat on an hour-long
protest outside the house of union rural development minister Jairam Ramesh in New Delhi, seeking an
apology for his remark that the country needed more toilets than temples. Ramesh on Friday remarked
that "toilets are more important than temples. No matter how many temples we go to, we are not going to
get salvation. We need to give priority to the toilets and cleanliness". The opposition and others have also
criticised Ramesh's remarks. Meanwhile, police said they do not have any information about the protest
before Jairam Ramesh's house. The ministry for rural development is set to launch a nationwide
sanitation drive, Nirmal Bharat Yatra, to end open defecation. The drive was meant to be launched on
Thursday, but was indefinitely put off after heavy rain lashed Wardha, Maharashtra, from where the drive
was set to begin. Mahatma Gandhi's Sewagram ashram is located at wardha. (Hindustan Times 8/10/12)
Sangh, CPM come closer against Muslim Extremism (26)
Kochi: A call given by Kerala’s RSS publication Kesari for amity between the Sangh Parivar and the
CPI(M) has created panic among the Congress leadership in the State, especially in the context of the
evolution of new unities among various Hindu community outfits like SNDP of the lower caste Ezhavas
and NSS of the upper caste Nairs. The Congress had kept on pretending as though it was unfazed by the
Sangh proposal, which Kesari made through an article in its September 30 issue, but symptoms of the
fear complex made the inevitable appearance the other day when State Congress president Ramesh
Chennithala described the “evolving CPM-Sangh Parivar friendship” as a “danger”. The panic in the
Congress camp is not unfounded in the particular context of the strengthening unity among various Hindu
community outfits more as a mechanism of defence against the increasing influence of the Muslim
League, often accused of adopting a soft approach towards extremist elements, in the State
administration under the Congress-led UDF coalition. The Congress has already understood that the
proposed amity between BJP-RSS and the Marxists, fierce foes in Kerala till date, is something that goes
beyond electoral preferences, but leaders of the Congress secretly admit that it does not have any
mechanism to effectively counter the fallouts of such a unity which could instil a new confidence in the
majority community. The CPI(M) has so far responded negatively to the call for amity given by the RSS
through the Kesari editorial, but Congress leaders prefer to view this negativism as a ploy to hide the
already existing tendency for ceasefire between the two sides as has become obvious in Kannur district,
known for decades for the violent Sangh-Marxist conflicts. The call for RSS-CPI(M) amity was given
through an article titled The Friendship that Kerala Awaits, written by TG Mohandas, former general

secretary of Sangh think-tank Bharatheeya Vichara Kendram, in the September 30 issue of Kesari. The
article said that friendship between the Marxists and Sangh Parivar was the need of the hour. “Two
organisations steeled in fire have been confronting each other for the past seven decades. It is time this
came to an end,” said the article, reminding that the battle had caused huge losses on both sides and
orphaned several families. It also called for compromise from both sides with regard to definitions of
ideological positions. It also tried to convince the Marxists that it was a myth that they would lose the
electoral support of minority communities (mainly Muslims) if they forged friendship with the Sangh
Parivar, adding that even if there was any loss, the gains it would make from the majority community
would be far greater. The call for the Sangh-CPI(M) amity has come up at a critical juncture in the political
history of Kerala where the Muslim League is increasingly being accused of hijacking the State
administration by putting pressure on the UDF leader, the Congress. Just some days back, a Muslim
League Minister claimed that nothing undesirable to his party could happen in Kerala. Heralding an era of
possible Sangh Parivar-Marxist amity in the State, confrontations between the two sides have subsided in
Kannur. Both the BJP-RSS and the CPI(M) have reasons to believe that the sections they represent are
victims of the extremism of ‘League-backed’ Popular Front of India (PFI). The visit by CPI(M)’s Kannur
district secretary P Jayarajan, known as the fiercest anti-Sangh face of the whole region, to the house of
ABVP leader Sachin Gopal, who was murdered by activists of PFI’s student wing Campus Front, was
interpreted as the start of a new chapter in Kannur’s political history. (Times of India 9/10/12)
Hindutva icon Narendra Modi's enemies are from the family (26)
Even as Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi makes plans to sweep the coming assembly elections,
many Sangh Parivar outfits, like the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal and Bhartiya Kisan Sangh,
threaten to become effective spoilers and reduce the BJP tally to 90-95 seats effectively scuppering his
plan to become prime minister of India. There are around 40 seats where BJP has won with margin of
less than 5,000 votes in the last assembly elections. The Gujarat Parivartan Party led by former chief
minister Keshubhai Patel which is a political proxy for these anti-Modi groups, will eat into these small
margins ensuring defeat for BJP and victory for Congress. But can it really happen this way? Modi's direct
dialing with voters has remained as strong as ever; his charisma undiminished. In contrast, for all the
media hype, Keshubhai comes across as a bumbling grandpa who should be better off at home. This is a
significant factor when below-30 age group forms the largest force among the voters. Even the caste
factor cannot bridge this divide. Another revealing factor is that anyone with a decade or two still left in
politics has chosen to go back to Modi: recently former health minister Nalin Bhatt returned to BJP with a
lame explanation that he had misunderstood Modi! Similarly former MP Kanaksinh Mangrola returned
after a long time in wilderness. During the next two months we shall see many such returnees. In effect,
the fight against Modi by Sangh Parivar outfits has petered out into an uncertain grandpa-led charge,
inspiring low public confidence. The Gujarat Parivartan Party rally in Surendranagar had a very poor
response, even though it has a strong Leva Patidar presence, the community supposedly backing
Keshubhai. A revealing picture used by a local daily showed Keshubhai Patel and former CM Suresh
Mehta seated on high backed chairs--but their postures looked slumped as if in a wheel-chair! If the
political proxy is such a dud, can the anti-Modi Sangh Parivar outfits do damage in other ways? Their
hostility did not stop Modi from scoring land-slide victories in municipal and panchayat elections. Before
these elections smug VHP leader had mockingly told me: "Who will bring out the voters, if we do not go
house to house?" Well, they came out on their own! Modi has systematically undermined their resource
base( preventing donors) and credibility( by establishing their incapacity to deliver). Consequently their
members have been reduced greatly in number. The morale is very low. Another interesting thing is that
for ordinary members of these organizations there is no anti-Modi feeling. You detect hostility the higher
up you go!!! A Kisan Sangh office bearer and a Kisan are not on the same page so far as Modi is
concerned. However, Modi would have faced a hard time, if instead of Keshubhai Patel, Dr Pravin
Togadia, international executive chairman of VHP, would have been leading Gujarat Parivartan Party.

With as strong an appeal as Modi among the Hindu voters, Gujarat Parivartan Party under Togadia would
have ensured a pyrrhic victory for Modi, through a successful spoiler's game. But leaving it to the gradpas
has ensured that it will be Modi all the way. (Hindustan Times 11/10/12)
Hindutva main ideology of CPM’ (26)
Kozhikode: The mass rally and green volunteer march held in the city on Thursday marked the beginning
of the three-day long first complete state conference of the Socialist Janata (Democratic) Party. Hitting
out at the CPM, party state president MP Veerendrakumar has alleged that Hindutva was not the policy of
the RSS but it has become the main ideology of the CPM. Delivering the inaugural address of the public
meeting as part of the conference on beach here, he added that spreading out extremism, murder politics
and promoting corporates were the main agendas of Marxist party. “Our party was a long-time constituent
of the LDF and the alliance was based on definite policies and programmes. Owing to the issues related
with Kozhikode Parliament seat, we were humiliated and ousted from the front. After this, the CPM
attacked our party offices and leaders. So far they are not ready to express regret over that issue,” said
Veerendrakumar. After the brutal killing of T P Chandrasekharan, CPM secretary Pinarayi Vijayan alleged
that the vehicle in which the killer gang travelled bears ‘Masha Allah’ and pointing finger at the Muslim
community. Splitting people in the name of religion is not a good practise,” added the SJD supremo.
“CPM can not ruin our party if they would export individuals from Communist China. Now, the world is
going back to the ideologies propagated by Mahatma Gandhi. A system in which men cannot be involved
would not survive. Communist China is also moving in the agenda of corporates. It will face the same
situation, occurred in Russia and Yugoslavia, which was dominated by Communists, said
Veerandrakumar. SJD senior vice-president K Krishnankutty presided over the meeting. Minister for
Agriculture K P Mohanan, Secretary General Vargheese George, M V Sreyams Kumar MLA, former MLA
M K Premnath, Manju Mohan, wife of late Socialist leader Surendra Mohan, and Manyathu Chandran
attended. (Indian Express 12/10/12)
Make Narendra Modi BJP's PM candidate, Jethmalani writes to Gadkari (26)
NEW DELHI: Senior lawyer and BJP leader Ram Jethmalani has openly backed Narendra Modi as
party's prime ministerial candidate in the next Lok Sabha elections. Jethmalani has written a letter to BJP
president Nitin Gadkari asking him to make Modi party's official PM candidate. He claimed Narendra Modi
is the BJP's best choice for the post of Prime Minister. Speaking to Times Now on his proposal,
Jethmalani said that he wanted the party leaders to discuss the candidature of Narendra Modi for the top
post. The senior lawyer maintained that Narendra Modi was a victim of malicious propaganda. He said he
had personally spoken to many leaders and was confident of support for Modi's candidature. Jethmalani
also said that political parties should declare their PM candidate before the elections as not doing so
amounted to cheating with the electorate. BJP president Nitin Gadkari, however, refused to make any
comment on the issue when asked by reporters outside Rashtrapati Bhawan. (Times of India 17/10/12)
Print ad triggers VHP protest (26)
ALLAHABAD: Angered by the depiction of Hindu goddesses in a derogatory manner in an advertisement
by a well known business house in some Hindi newspapers on the occasion of Navratri, Vishwa Hindu
Parishad (VHP) volunteers torched an effigy of products sold by the company and raised slogans at
Subhash crossing in Civil Lines on Tuesday. VHP leader Pawan Srivastava said India was a spiritual
country and religion was the soul of all Indians. In such a country, insult of Hindu gods and goddesses
and use of derogatory terms against them in the name of modernity would not be tolerated at any cost.
The company management should refrain from taking liberty against deities of all religions. He added that
the matter would also be brought to the notice of senior officials of the district administration and police
department seeking action against the company including registration of FIR. Another VHP leader
Hemant Dubey said members of the Hindu community should refrain from buying and using products

manufactured and sold by the company because there is no place for such acts in Hindu society.
Moreover there should be a complete ban on depicting gods and goddesses in such a manner in
advertisements keeping in mind sentiments and emotions attached with them. (Times of India 17/10/12)
RSS breaks own rule, comes out in support of Gadkari (26)
NAGPUR: Far from denting Bharatiya Janata Party president Nitin Gadkari's image, the India Against
Corruption 'expose' on Wednesday may have done a world of good for him. This becomes clear as
immediately after Arvind Kejriwal and his associate Anjali Damania's much-awaited press conference, the
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh as well all senior leaders of the BJP rallied behind Gadkari. Nationallevel
leaders of the BJP, who till other day were reluctant to give him a foothold in New Delhi, came out in
Gadkari's support. The RSS, which is seen as Gadkari's springboard, also rallied behind him with full
vigour. "The charges levelled against Gadkari sounded vague. It was a clear case of some ill-informed
people trying to exploit the electronic media to the hilt for their vested political interests," said Bhaiyyaji
Joshi, the No 2 in RSS hierarchy. As a rule the RSS never reacts to day-to-day political developments.
Joshi's official response was not only rare but also confirmed that the RSS was firmly behind him. RSS
ideologue and senior functionary MG Vaidya also felt that the IAC 'expose' was a frivolous exercise and
there was nothing in it that would stick to Gadkari. "I feel that the IAC lost its credibility by coming out with
such weak and baseless allegations. They had created huge expectations from their earlier exposes on
Robert Vadra and Salman Khurshid. But this time it was a damp squib," said Vaidya. "If Ajit Pawar has
erred in using his discretionary powers and gave lease rights to organizations linked to Gadkari, it was the
minister's mistake. Gadkari can't be blamed for that," said Vaidya. He also felt that IAC 'expose' would not
come in way of Gadkari's aspirations to lead the BJP for a second consecutive term. Moreover, Vaidya
also felt that hurling charges of abetting farmer suicides would not affect Gadkari. "Not a single farmer
suicide for agrarian reasons has been reported from Nagpur district where Gadkari has his business
interests. And doing a legitimate business cannot seen as a negative act per se," added Vaidya. The
criticism of the IAC from the RSS also comes as a surprise as its chief Mohan Bhagwat has been on
record saying that it fully supporting the anti-corruption crusade launched by Anna Hazare and Arvind
Kejriwal. Joshi also saw no hurdles for the second term of Gadkari as the BJP head, but was quick to
add: "Any decision in extending the term was the party's prerogative and the RSS had nothing to say on
it." (Times of India 18/10/12)
Modi meets RSS chief Bhagwat, wants Joshi, Togadia, Keshubhai ‘reined in’ (26)
Nagpur/Surat: The RSS on Sunday advised Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi to take everyone along
and practise a politics of inclusion, sources said. Apparently upset over an influential group of RSS
workers, led by Sanjay Joshi and Vishwa Hindu Parishad president Pravin Togadia, Modi on Sunday
visited the RSS headquarters here to have a close-door meeting with RSS top brass. Modi, who airdashed
in the morning, was closeted with Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat, Sarkaryawah Bhaiyyaji Joshi
and Sahsarkaryawah Suresh Soni for about three hours. Though Modi later told the media that he had
long wished to meet the RSS leaders and that the RSS HQ was a shraddhasthan (reverential place),
sources said, Modi had come to appeal the RSS to rein in Joshi, Togadia and Keshubhai Patel, who have
opened a front against him ahead of the Assembly polls. Asked if there was any discussion about the
Gujarat elections and other political issues, Modi told the media outside the Sangh building: “We don’t
discuss politics with RSS.” He brushed aside suggestions that the issue of projecting him as prime
ministerial candidate for 2014 general elections was discussed. “The RSS does not get involved in such
things,” he told reporters. Sources, however, said that Modi is concerned over the Joshi-Togadia-
Keshubhai axis working against him. The RSS leaders, it is gathered, advised Modi to learn to take
everyone along to avoid rift. The RSS is in a bind over how to tackle a “haughty” Modi since it considers
him as the most important Hindutva mascot, but is cut up with him for his political intolerance and
grandstanding. According to a senior RSS leader, “When it comes to the BJP’s roadmap to increase its

vote share by 10 per cent in the 2014 general elections by wooing the sections that have not traditionally
voted for the party, the Sangh doesn’t see Hindutva as an impediment and would want the BJP to look in
the direction of Gujarat to understand how unwavering and firm Hindutva could still work for the party.”
(Indian Express 22/10/12)
Bajrang Dal activists display arms, take out rally (26)
UJJAIN: The district administration and police remained mute spectators as Bajrang Dal activists
displayed arms in public and took out a rally as a part of Shastra Diksha (arms puja) programme on
Sunday. Activists, after the ceremony at Chamunda Square, where they worshipped the arms, organised
a rally that passed through the main roads in the city and brandished swords and other arms in public.
Police officials who were following the event, made no effort to prevent the activists. When asked,
additional superintendent of police (ASP) (city) M S Mujalde said permission for rally is issued by the
additional district magistrate (ADM) on certain conditions. They (administration) do not send a copy to the
police. He however added that action would be initiated against the activists if they violate the conditions
set while granting permission for the rally. ADM Vikas Narwal could not be contacted. (Times of India
23/10/12)
RSS supremo laments graft, invokes Bapu (26)
NAGPUR: RSS sewaks don't trot out Gandhi so it came as a surprise when the saffron group chief
Mohan Bhagwat on Wednesday cited the Mahatma to describe the "sinful times" we live in. His remarks
come in the wake of allegations of corruption and dubious businesses of several political leaders,
including BJP president Nitin Gadkari. "In 1922, Mahatma Gandhi, in his Young India article, mentioned
seven social sins — politics without principles, wealth without work, pleasure without conscience,
knowledge without character, commerce without morality, science without humanity and worship without
sacrifice. This appears an apt description of our present day social and political scenario," the
sarsanghachalak said in his Vijaya Dashmi address. Thousands of swayamsevaks in uniform and
supporters of the Sangh heard his nearly hour-long speech in rapt attention. Gadkari, also wearing the
trademark khaki shorts, white shirt and black cap, was in the audience. "The consequences of incomplete
thought had made the lack of national and individual character in our country more pronounced and
painful. The mind-boggling revelations about corruption have not come to end yet," he said, referring to
graft at the end of his speech. Bhagwat's remarks indicated he wasn't happy with going ons in the BJP
and allegations against Gadkari. (Times of India 25/10/12)
Kalyan Singh owns responsibility for Babri Masjid demolition (26)
LUCKNOW: Ahead of his re-induction into Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP), former Uttar Pradesh (UP) chief
minister and Jan Kranti Party (JKP) patron Kalyan Singh has worn hardline Hindutva mask again.
Addressing reporters in Etah, Kalyan said that he owns full responsibility for the demolition of the 16thcentury
mosque in Ayodhya on December 6, 1992, thus reigniting the controversial Ramjanmabhoomi
dispute. "As chief minister of UP, I had ordered police not to fire at Ram bhakts who had assembled at
Ayodhya in 1992 during the Ram temple movement, which led to demolition of the Babri mosque. I take
full responsibility," he said. One-time Hindutva poster boy Kalyan Singh had left BJP first in 1999 due to
difference with the top leadership but came back in 2004. However, he left the BJP again in 2009,
alleging neglect and humiliation by the senior BJP leaders. However, BJP national president Nitin Gadkari
is trying to bring back all the Hindutva faces, who left the party for some reason or another, before 2014
Lok Sabha election. The attempt is to re-build BJP's vote bank by polarizing people. Kalyan has agreed
for homecoming and is expected to join BJP soon. Uma Bharti, a fire-brand leader and former Madhya
Pradesh chief minister, joined BJP before UP assembly polls and is working to strengthen party's vote
bank. Kalyan's re-entry, BJP leaders said, will not only boost the Hindutava cause but will also bring back
the votes of the backward classes to the party. Kalyan is a Lodh by caste and enjoys support among

ackward classes in UP. When asked why he was joining BJP again, Kalyan said "Its right time for uniting
nationalist (Hindutava) forces." Kalyan said he had positive talks with the BJP top brass and party's
national president would decide the date of his re-entry. Training guns at the Samajwadi Party
government in UP, Kalyan said that by announcing release of accused of terror attacks in Varanasi,
Faizabad and Lucknow, the government is trying to create communal tension in UP. (Times of India
27/10/12)
Six VHP men arrested for assaulting madrasa inmates (26)
Krishnagiri: Six VHP activists were arrested here on Saturday for allegedly attacking some persons at a
madrassa at a village in the Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu after the authorities at the Kothur village
madrasa lodged a complaint against them, police said. According to the complaint, the six had entered
the madrasa on October 25 and attacked some inmates alleging that they had planned to slaughter cows
for Eid-ul Zuha. Based on this complaint, police arrested the VHP activists. They were also on the lookout
for one Bajrang Dal worker in this connection, police said. Krishnagiri Superintendent of Police M Ashok
Kumar has ordered heavy bandobast in Kothur area to prevent any untoward incident. (DNA 27/10/12)
VHP, Bajrang activists block roads, caned in Hubli (26)
HUBLI: A group of right-wing activists blocked roads and indulged in stone-throwing in Old Hubli on
Friday to protest against alleged police atrocities against four activists. To control the situation and
disperse the crowd, police resorted to lathicharge, in which one person sustained injuries. Around 2.45am
on Friday, four activists - Shivayya Hiremath, Manju Terdal, Kiran Tadasi and Annappa Dharwad, said to
be from the VHP and Bajrang Dal - stopped a truck transporting cattle near Nekar Nagar.The vehicle was
coming from Mishrikoti in Kalghatagi taluk. Three or four people who were in the truck fled the scene,
leaving the vehicle behind. The activists tried to drive it and allegedly rammed it into a hotel, and ran
away. (Times of India 27/10/12)
Congress seeks probe into RSS-Gadkari nexus (26)
NAGPUR: Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Manikrao Thakre on Friday said
it was time to unravel possible financial dealings between BJP president Nitin Gadkari and the Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) which had backed him all through his ascendancy as the saffron party chief.
Talking to TOI during his brief halt in the city on way to Mumbai from Yavatmal, Thakre said, "Now that
Gadkari's links with contractors and how they invested money in his company to return favours for the toll
contracts they bagged during his term as PWD minister are out in the open. It will be interesting to find
out if the RSS was also a beneficiary of Gadkari's largesse. "I have in the past raised the demand to
investigate sources of the RSS funding. The Sangh has always claimed that it collects donations through
undisclosed 'guru dakshina' collected at 'shakhas.' But it is unlikely that ordinary swayamsevaks can pay
huge sums to the RSS and there must be big donors. Such donors need to be identified," said Thakre. He
alleged that during the last three years, the RSS has invested heavily in building construction work on its
premises in Nagpur. "It is likely that this investment was a spin-off of the Gadkari-contractor nexus," said
Thakre, stressing the need for a thorough probe into the matter. He said that as per reports in the media,
the contractors who got toll collection work during Gadkari's regime as PWD minister had made
investments to the tune of hundreds of crores in Purti sugar factory run by the BJP president. Thakre also
alleged that Gadkari's Purti Group had managed to acquire defunct sugar mills in Vidarbha at dirt cheap
valuations thanks to some helpful politicians who controlled banks with which the defunct mills' assets
were mortgaged. (Times of India 28/10/12)
Include Ramayana in school syllabus, suggests Ravi (26)
Chikmagalur/Madikeri: District-in-Charge Minister D N Jeevraj has said that it was necessary for everyone
to adopt a few of the ideals of Valmiki. He was speaking at Valmiki jayanthi celebrations organised by the

district administration, here on Monday. He said the government has okayed the setting up of a
government engineering college in Chikmagalur. “We have also appealed to the Chief Minister to
sanction a medical college to the district, to help the poor students to pursue medical education.” Minister
for Higher Education C T Ravi has said that epic Ramayana has united the country. It has instilled the
feeling of nationality and harmony in the society. Ramayana should be a part of the school syllabus as it
teaches values in life, he said. Valimiki should not be restricted within the framework of a caste, he said.
Valmikinayaka Samaja district president Ramappa said that the reservation for the Valmiki community
members in education and employment should be increased to 7.5 per cent from the present 3 per cent.
As a part of the celebrations, the portrait of Valmiki was taken out in a procession. The procession also
included various art forms like ‘Karadikunitha,’ ‘Karadimajalu,’ and ‘Veeragase.’ Zilla Panchayat President
B Shivappa has said that Valmiki has contributed towards the welfare of the society through his writing, at
the Valmiki Jayanthi celebrations organised by the district administration, zilla panchayat, department of
social welfare and Kannada and Culture department here at Kaveri kalashethra. Zilla Panchayat member
D B Dharmappa said that Valmiki had upheld the values of religious life.Made Madeshwara College
lecturer B Siddaraju Bellaiah spoke on Valmiki. Deputy Comissioner Dr N V Prasad, Additional DC Dr N
Shivashankar and others spoke at the occasion. (Deccan Herald 29/10/12)
Vishwa Hindu Parishad alleges Akhilesh Yadav (26)
Lucknow: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad has alleged that Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav was following the
foot steps of his father and SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav of pursuing an 'anti- Hindu' policy to appease
Muslims. The VHP has strongly objected to denial of permission to its acting chief Praveen Bhai Togadia
when he tried to enter riot-torn Faizabad recently. Central secretary of VHP Purushottam Narayan Singh
said that the Faizabad administration had dashed off a fax to the outfit's Delhi office and stated that
Togadi was denied permission to visit the riot affected city. Singh said that the top VHP leader was
scheduled to arrive at Ayodhya on October 31 and supposed to attend a five -day programme there. "
However, the Faizabad district administration sent a fax on October 30 informing that Togadia could not
visit the strife-torn twin cities of Faizabad and Ayodhya," Singh said adding that Togadia did not have any
plan to visit the areas under curfew at the moment. The VHP claimed that riots in Faizabad were the
results of Muslim appeasement policy adopted by SP government. " But the SP must keep in mind that
the VHP will launch a decisive battle against its adversaries and root them out," Singh. He claimed that
the Hindus were subjected to atrocities during the riots and the police and administration also acted
against them afterwards. (Pioneer 1/11/12)
RSS passes buck to BJP on charges against Nitin Gadkari (26)
CHENNAI: The RSS on Friday took the stand that BJP president Nitin Gadkari should not be singled out
on the issue of land grabbing charges and it was for the party to decide if he should step down. Fielding
questions from reporters on the sidelines of the RSS national council meeting that got underway on
Friday at Kelambakkam on the city outskirts, the Sangh's joint general secretary Dattatreya Hosbale at
first tried to distance himself from the Gadkari issue. But on persistent questioning on whether the BJP
chief would be advised to resign as he is a part of the RSS, Hosbale admitted that discussion has taken
place (before this meet) and the Sangh believed that due process of law should take its course if guilt is
established. "Why single out Gadkari on the land issue as others too are involved in land acquisition or
face corruption charges," Hosbale, who is regarded as the number 3 in the RSS, asked. He said public
morality is supreme for the RSS and the law should take its own course. Asked if Gadkari would be asked
by the RSS to quit in the context of morality, he shot back, "It's the BJP's decision as to who should be in
the chair or relinquish it. B S Yedurappa was asked by the BJP to resign chief ministership in Karnataka
after he was indicted by the state Lokayukta, he pointed out. On anti-corruption crusader Arvind Kejriwal's
charges, he said it is for the BJP and the Congress to answer. Earlier, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat lit the
traditional lamp to inaugurate the three-day meet. Around 400 delegates are participating in the closed

door meet. Commandoes have thrown a security ring around the venue, the Shiv Shankar Baba Ashram
in view of Z plus category cover for the RSS supremo. (Times of India 2/11/12)
RSS demands deportation of Bangladeshi infiltrators (26)
CHENNAI: Holding that Bangladeshi infiltrators have spread all over the country, RSS on Saturday
demanded the Centre and state governments take steps to check the border, detect and deport them. "If
they (infiltrators) have got citizenship rights or other rights, they should be deprived. And ultimately, they
should be deported ... Central government should check the border ..." RSS all india joint secretary,
Krishna Gopal said. Briefing reporters on the second day proceedings of the RSS National Executive
Council meeting, he said "unabated influx" of infiltrators, who had settled not only in Assam but all over
the country, was a "serious threat" to national integration. To a query whether the situation was any better
during NDA rule, he said, "During the NDA government, fencing programme was going on better. And Mr
Advani (then deputy prime minister) had also issued orders to fence all the borders." A resolution passed
at the meet on the city outskirts condemned the July 2012 ethnic violence in Assam, alleging it was
migrant Bangaldeshi Muslims who had perpetrated it. "RSS strongly condemns the violence perpetrated
by Bangladeshi Muslim infiltrators in Kokrajhar, Chirang and Dhubri districts of Assam, the violent
demonstrations organised in various parts of the country and the conspiracy to terrorize the people of
North-East living in different parts of the country to flee from their places," it said. These were 'serious
challenge' to the country, it added. Holding that these 'infiltrators' had settled in large numbers in four
districts of Bodoland Territorial Area District (BTAD), it said they had "vitiated the social, cultural, natural,
economic, religious and political environment over there with far reaching consequences." (Times of India
3/11/12)
'Cong may play Hindutva card in panchayat polls' (26)
GUWAHATI: Will polarization of Muslim votes leave no option for Congress but to slyly play the Hindutva
card in the coming panchayat election scheduled next January? The probability is that the ruling party
might overstep the BJP and gun for Hindu votes, say political observers. The panchayat election will be
held in 21 districts; Badaruddin Ajmal's All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) has influence in 11 of
these districts, which can prove to be a decisive factor in the poll results. At the micro-level, like the
panchayat election, the AIUDF influence is only set to increase. "Muslims no longer have the kind of trust
they used to have even a decade ago in the Congress. The recent riots in Bodo pockets have damaged
the Congress with regard to its support base among Muslims. If the party wants to win an election now, it
has to toil harder than before and find a way out if the Muslim voters do not stand by it," a political
observer said. The executive committee of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee is supposed to meet
after November 15 to plan the strategy for the coming rural polls. "This election is a precursor to the Lok
Sabha election due next year. We take every election very seriously," the source said. Chief minister
Tarun Gogoi, while releasing a white paper on the influx issue last month, made it clear that the Muslims
are not the vote bank of the Congress and said the party has always won elections mostly from upper
Assam. The Muslim population is higher in lower Assam districts than in upper Assam ones. The source
added that with the panchayat election drawing near, the AIUDF has resumed its pressure on the
Congress high command for some kind of electoral alliance with the ruling party. The source added that
Gogoi, however, continues to stick to his stand that he is not interested in any alliance with the AIUDF
and that he would only agree to a partnership if Ajmal considers merging his party with the Congress.
"Ajmal knows very well which cards to play. He knows his strengths and will make use of every
opportunity to leverage them to get cozy with the Congress, or for that matter, Gogoi," the source said.
According to the results of the last assembly election in 2011, the AIUDF, besides winning 18 of 126
seats, displayed its strong presence behind Congress in about 30 other seats. The Congress in 2011 won
78 seats and polled 39.42 per cent of the votes. The AIUDF polled 19.87 per cent of the votes, which was
a shade better than AGP's vote share of 19.72 per cent. (Times of India 7/11/12)

Narendra Modi, Mohan Bhagwat, Ashok Singhal share dais… (26)
Ahmedabad: Amid speculation of the BJP trying to ‘patch up’ with the VHP ahead of the Assembly
election, Chief Minister Narendra Modi, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and VHP leader Ashok Singhal met
on Wednesday at a religious function in a gurukul in Chharodi village on the outskirts of Ahmedabad.
VHP’s firebrand leader Pravin Togadia, who was also expected, did not attend the function. Ranchodbhai
Bharwad, general secretary of the Gujarat VHP, said it was a religious function and the VHP members
attended it as guests. “The speculation of the VHP patching up with the BJP has no basis at all,” he said.
Mediapersons were not allowed at the function organised by Hindu Dharma Acharya Sabha at
Swaminarayan Gurukul Vishwavidya Pratishthanam. It is a three-day event and, according to sources,
about 100 religious leaders are participating in it. One of the main organisers is said to be Rajkot-based
religious guru Parmanandji. This is the second meeting of Modi and Bhagwat in the last couple of weeks.
The VHP has reportedly been upset about the convictions in the 2002 riot cases, especially that of former
Bajrang Dal leader Babu Bajrangi, as also with the Sadbhavana Mission, though it has not gone public.
Sources said so far the VHP leaders have been keeping away from election-related activities but a
decision in this regard is awaited. Phone calls and messages to Togadia remained unanswered. Among
the high profile participants were BJP leader Balbir Punj and Baba Ramdev. The yoga guru left the venue
prior to Modi’s arrival. (Indian Express 8/11/12)
Muslim woman beaten by gang for hiring Hindu driver (26)
Bangalore: A 23-year-old Muslim woman was allegedly beaten up by a group of men from the community
on the outskirts of Karnataka's Mangalore city for having a Hindu driver for her car. The fact that Deeba
Algani was with her mother, Zubeida Begum, member of a village panchayat in rural Mangalore, did not
deter the mob of around 20 from assaulting her on Wednesday evening. What's more, the mob allegedly
snatched Algani's gold chain, her mother's mobile phone and Rs. 3.07 lakh cash. The attack occurred at
Karmar near Bajpe (Mangalore Airport), around 360 km from Bangalore. Deeba is admitted to a
government hospital in Mangalore with multiple bruises. The driver, Dharma K, who was also beaten up,
is undergoing treatment at a private hospital, police said. Algani has identified her attackers as members
of the Karnataka Forum for Dignity. "They attacked us after asking why we were going with the Hindu
driver," she said. Mangalore police commissioner Mahesh Karbikar said, "We are checking if the
attackers are members of KFD." Athavulla Jokatte, state committee member of the Popular Front of India
said KFD was now a part of their organisation. "Our members are not involved in this incident."
(Hindustan Times 11/11/12)
BJP rift exposed: RSS leader says Modi needling Gadkari (26)
NAGPUR/NEW DELHI: Factional fault lines in the BJP over the demand that party president Nitin Gadkari
quit over controversial business dealings relating to the Purti group have been exposed with RSS veteran
M G Vaidya blaming Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi for masterminding attacks on the leader.
Vaidya's blog stating the "needle of suspicion" for the campaign against Gadkari pointed to Gujarat set
the cat among the pigeons in BJP-RSS circles as the former ideologue openly said what has been
whispered in defence of the BJP chief by factions apprehensive about Modi's rise. BJP leaders favouring
Gadkari have argued that he should not be judged by a "media trial". Some of these leaders are not as
enamoured with Gadkari as they are worried that the scenario after his exit may not suit their interests.
There are others who feel more proof is needed before Gadkari is asked to go. Coming in the midst of
Modi's campaign for a third successive term as CM, Vaidya's remarks forced the BJP to run for cover,
denying the "insinuation" and claiming that all leaders were united in seeking an electoral victory for the
party in the western state. The RSS was also forced to state that the views did not reflect its thinking but
Vaidya's comments only served to highlight divisions within it over deciding whether its protege, who it
nominated over senior BJP leaders as party chief, should stay or go. The chasm in the RSS, according to

some, has seen the organization's Maharashtra leaders, mainly brahmans, stoutly defending Gadkari just
as the state BJP unit is. However, there are other RSS leaders who are not so sure about Gadkari
continuing as some feel he may be a liability in view of the controversy surrounding Purti. Vaidya's son,
Modi at oddsM G Vaidya has set the cat among the pigeons by blaming Gujarat CM Narendra Modi for
masterminding attacks on BJP president Nitin Gadkari. Modi supporters and his allies in BJP maintain
Gadkari's troubles are of his own making and that they have little to do with revelations about the dealings
of the Purti group founded by the Nagpur-based leader or the investors who poured funds into the
venture. Vaidya's unhindered observations prompted Gadkari to issue a statement describing the
allegations regarding Modi as "unfounded" but this hardly quelled conspiracy theories about alignments
within the BJP and the RSS over the party president and the saffron icon. The split in the BJP over
whether Gadkari should immediately put in his papers has seen leaders like Yashwant Sinha and
Jaswant Singh supporting Rajya Sabha MP Ram Jethmalani's view that propriety demands that the party
chief must resign forthwith. They were joined by national executive member Jagdish Shettigar. The RSS
so far has accepted the "clean chit" handed to Gadkari by chartered accountant S Gurumurthy —
considered close to the Sangh — and has repeatedly said it will not be swayed by a "media trial". Yet,
Vaidya's fulminations are sure to be deeply embarrassing as they reveal that the BJP's factional wars
have percolated to the RSS as well. Vaidya has a reputation for stoking controversy. His criticism of Modi
is said to be in part rooted in his son Manmohan and the Gujarat CM being at odds. However, the
remarks came soon after Modi visited the RSS headquarters for a meeting seen as a bid to rally all
saffron forces to the BJP's cause in Gujarat. (Times of India 13/11/12)
Can Hindu law cover Sikhs, Jains, asks SC (26)
NEW DELHI: If Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism are separate and distinct religions, can followers of these
faiths be bracketed as Hindus under the Constitution and be governed by Hindu personal law, the
Supreme Court asked before issuing notice to the Centre and attorney general G E Vahanvati. Sikh
scholar Birendra Kaur in her petition questioned the constitutional and past legislative attempts to
obliterate identities of separate faiths by recognizing them under the broad religious connotation of
Hindus. She said this negated the constitutional guarantee to each individual to practise and propagate
the religion of his/her choice. The Punjab and Haryana high court had dismissed with caustic
observations a petition by Sikh scholar Birendra Kaur questioning the constitutional and past legislative
attempts to obliterate identities of separate faiths by recognizing them under the broad religious
connotation of Hindus, but an SC bench of Chief Justice Altamas Kabir and Justices S S Nijjar and J
Chelameswar not only entertained her appeal but also framed the question for adjudication. "This petition
is seeking to express and make clear the frustration and disappointment of a large part of the Sikh
community which feels its identity as Sikh is undermined by certain clauses and titles of certain statutes
which club Sikhs under the definition of Hindu," senior advocate Colin Gonsalves argued. The SC said,
"Issue notice on the question as to whether the inclusion of people professing the Sikh, Jain or Buddhist
faiths could be included in the enactments relating exclusively to persons professing the Hindu religion,
within the ambit of Explanation II to Article 25(2) of the Constitution. Let notice be issued separately to the
AG also, to be served both through the ministry of minority affairs as also through the central agency,
returnable six weeks hence." However, the petitioners said a constitutional mischief arose through
Explanation II, which said, "The reference to Hindus shall be construed as including a reference to
persons professing the Sikh, Jain or Buddhist religion, and the reference to Hindu religious institutions
shall be construed accordingly." The petition said making a law applicable to all religions was one thing
but it would be discriminatory to refer different religions by the name of a religion. The petitioner added,
"The Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, the Hindu Succession Act, 1956 and the Hindu Minority and
Guardianship Act, 1956, use the word Hindu to include Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and others, even though it
is clarified that these are separate religions." Would it be acceptable if the name of the Hindu Marriage

Act was changed to Buddhist Marriage Act and made applicable to all four religions, the petitioner asked.
(Times of India 14/11/12)
VHP invites Sikhs, Buddhists for Mahakumbh (26)
Chandigarh: Showing a liberal face, Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Thursday extended invitation to
Sikhs and Buddhists to take part in the Mahakumbh to be held in Allahabad early next year. The
Mahakumbh, held after 12 years at Allahabad, will start on January 14, next year and will conclude on
February 28. Talking to mediapersons, Ashok Singhal, president of VHP said that they have already met
Avtar Singh Makkar, president of Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) few days ago, in
which they accepted our invitation and asked us to send it formally. “Though SGPC, SAD and other
organisations of Sikh community have already accepted our invitation, we came here to invite them
formally and personally,” said Singhal. He added that VHP is not inviting only Sikh community to take part
in the Mahakumbh. “I also met Dalai Lama a few days ago and he accepted our invitation and assured us
that around 500 lamas will attend the Mahakumbh. Singhal did not rule out that Ram temple at Ayodhya
could be an issue in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Meanwhile, Hardeep Singh, member of SGPC said
that instead of accepting the VHP invitation for Mahakumbh, Sikh bodies should have asked VHP in
which capacity they are inviting the Sikhs to take part and whether VHP considers Sikhs as part of Hindu
religion or a separate religion or community. "If VHP consider Sikhs as part of Hindu religion, then Sikhs
should not go there and attend that ceremony, however, if they consider Sikhs as different religion, then
Sikhs may accept the invitation”, said Singh. Congress leader and former Punjab Chief Minister Rajinder
Kaur Bhattal condemned the way VHP extended invitation for the Mahakumbh. Talking to The Pioneer,
she said, “We, strongly condemn the move of VHP in this regard. They are dividing the Sikh community
by inviting SAD or SGPC only. Akalis are not the only one, who represent Sikh community. There are a
number of political parties, NGOs and others who belong to sikh community but work in different
organisations. If they want to invite Sikh community, they should talk to everyone rather than asking Chief
Minister of Punjab." (Pioneer 15/11/12)
RSS, VHP to organise sant sammelan at Ayodhya on Nov 26 (25)
Lucknow: After long, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP)
are jointly organising a sant sammelan in Ayodhya on Monday to remind them about the issue of
construction of Ram Mandir and update them on the steps being taken by both organisations in that
direction. VHP patron Ashok Singhal as well as head of Ram Janmbhoomi Nyas Mahant Nritya Gopal
Das will address the saints at Karsevakpuram, located around 1.5-km from the disputed site of Ram
Janmbhoomi. Organisers are expecting a gathering of more than 2,000 saints. November 26 has been
chosen for the sammelan as saints from across the country have assembled in Ayodhya these days for
the Parikrama which started on Wednesday. The saints will stay there till Kartik Purnima on November
28. “The sammelan in Ayodhya on Monday is being organised to make saints aware of the ongoing
programmes of VHP and remind them about the Ram Temple issue and appeal to them to remain united
for it,” said Triloki Nath Pandey, a VHP leader. Pandey said that VHP will be organising a grand
sammelan of saints during the Kumbh in Allahabad on February 7 where the issue of Ram Temple will be
discussed and an important strategy would be chalked out for reviving the issue. RSS district convener
Vikrama Prasad Pandey said that the saints in the past few years had got divided over different issues.
“The sammelan is to reunite the saints on this issue,” Pandey said. (Indian Express 24/11/12)
'Vishwa Hindu parishad trains girls to hate Muslims and Christians' (26)
PANAJI: The people in the Vishwa Hindu parishad (VHP) are "not monstrous, but their teachings to
young girls are problematic", says Nisha Pahuja, maker of the documentary 'The world fefore her', based
on the right-wing organization. "The people in the VHP are like all of us. But some of their teachings are
problematic as they teach them to hate Christians and Muslims. They have so much of love for the

country, which I like, but it is complicated. Their message is one of hatred," Pahuja said. Her documentary
provides a peak into a training centre where the VHP disseminates its ideology and trains girls in selfdefense.
Pahuja said that it took her two years to get access the training centre and win the trust of the
VHP to shoot the film. "After interacting with members of the VHP at different levels, they finally trusted
me enough to let me into the training centre. But they wanted me to portray them in favourable light," she
said. The Canada-based filmmaker said that there was no pressure on her to make her film in VHP's
favour or not to portray them in poor light. "I did feel insecure every now and then when I was interacting
with VHP leaders," Pahuja admitted. Her film also provides an insight into the lives of women training for
the Miss India pageant and brings out the contrast in between them and the VHP trainees. "My original
idea was to see the changes in India post-liberalization and the role of women. I wanted to show it
through women who participate in the Miss India beauty pageant. But then I came across this strong
woman training with VHP and I decided to make the film showing the contrasting ideologies of these two
women," Pahuja said. (Times of India 29/11/12)
Country needs pro-Hindu Sansad: VHP (26)
The country needs to form a pro-Hindu Parliament which is strong enough to protect the rights of Hindus,
instead of a government which works against the interest of the community, Vishwa Hindu Parishad said.
"We want a Parliament which can protect the rights of Hindus and the next 2014 general elections will be
on this line," VHP leader Ashok Singhal said at press conference here. "Representation of Hindus should
be higher in Parliament, then only there will be a proper arrangement in the interest of Hindus," he said.
Singhal said Hindu monks and intellectuals of the community will discuss the issue in the Kumbh fair next
year to draw a strategy. "People are frequently asking that when Ram temple will be built in Ayodhya and
we have to give answer. The movement of Ram temple construction is not the movement of mere temple
construction, but it is closely associated with the dignity of Hindus," he said. He claimed that during the
last ten years, large number of Hindus were forced to adopt Islam or Christianity in the country and this
was a matter of concern. Praising Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, Singhal said Modi successfully
protected the rights of Hindu and anti- Hindu elements could not develop during his rule. Singhal refrained
from commenting on the action on BJP MP Ram Jethmalani for his controversial remarks about lord
Rama. Jethmalani had said at a function, "Ram was a bad husband. I don't like him at all. Just because
some fisherman said something, he sent that poor woman [Sita] to exile." (Indian Express 30/11/12)
VHP activists attack Agnivesh (26)
BHOPAL: Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) activists on Friday manhandled social activist Swami Agnivesh
here when he came to join the launch of the eradication of manual scavenging march from Bhopal to New
Delhi. The VHP attack was over Agnivesh's comment on the Amarnath 'shivling' earlier this year.
Agnivesh had said that Amarnath 'shivling' which is holy for Hindus was a natural occurrence caused by
the collection of ice drops throughout winter. Local VHP head B L Tiwari and supporters of saffron
organisation Sanskriti Bachao Manch attacked Swami Agnivesh and manhandled him at the Ravindra
Bhavan. The violent activists tried to tear apart Agnivesh's robe claiming that he did not deserve to wear
saffron attire. They even called him a traitor to the nation, sympathiser of Naxals and insurgents. The
VHP even alleged Agnivesh had deceived Anna Hazare during the crusade against corruption. Police
rescued Agnivesh from the spot while the VHP workers continued to raise slogans. In May this year,
Agnivesh faced the wrath of the saffron brigade and was slapped in the face during a meeting in
Ahmedabad for the same remark on Amarnath ice deity. (Times of India 1/12/12)
Modi walks Hindutva plank, keeps Muslims off BJP list (26)
Ahmedabad: His last year's sadbhavna mission notwithstanding, Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi
has retained his Hindutva symbolism and a divisive undertone while starting his election campaign for the

2012 assembly elections. On Saturday, he performed puja and aarti at the historical Somnath temple,
which is often seen as the centrepiece of Hindutva politics because LK Advani as BJP president had
launched his Ram temple movement there in 1990. Before filing his nomination papers from the
Maninagar assembly segment, Modi, while addressing BJP workers, said, "The Congress has decided to
make Ahmed Patel chief minister but it is not declaring it," adding, "The Congress can never find any
Patel other than Ahmed Patel".Modi's remark is seen as an attempt to give communal colour to the
assembly polls and also to warn the Patel community in Saurashtra, where former CM Keshubhai Patel is
trying to set them against the ruling BJP. Modi took recourse to this element of subtlety in the past also. In
the course of his public spat with the then chief election commissioner, JM Lyngdoh, in 2002, in a public
appearance Modi expanded JM to James Michael, hinting at his Christian origin. The BJP has not fielded
a Muslim candidate in any of the 182 assembly constituencies though it was expected Modi would give
the ticket to a minority candidate either in Wankaner in Rajkot district or Vagra in Bharuch district, both
Congress-held minority-dominated seats. "There is no emotive issue this time and the Congress has
been playing local politics, raising day-to-day issues targeting middle and lower-middle classes, farmers
and rural communities. Secondly, Keshubhai Patel is also focusing on local issues. So Modi has to invent
something that can appeal above local issues," a senior BJP leader said, adding Modi would increasingly
resort to such tactics during his electioneering. Noted political observer Achyut Yagnik echoed similar
views. "By asserting his hard-line image, he tried to appeal to a section of RSS and VHP leaders who are
not happy with him and are working to damage his prospects," Yagnik said. (Hindustan Times 1/12/12)
Uddhav looks set to return to Hindutva (26)
Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray is espousing the Hindutva cause that helped his father,
the late Bal Thackeray, lead the Sena-BJP combine to power in 1999. The increasing use of the word
‘Hindutva’ in Uddhav’s public outings after his father’s death has not gone unnoticed by political analysts.
In a Sunday interview to party mouthpiece Saamana, he said many people now agreed with the ideas of
Hindutva and that the fight against Bangladeshi intruders and Islamic fundamentalist was on top of party
agenda. “We will tread the path espoused by Balasaheb. Be it the fight of the bhoomiputra, pride of
Marathi or the fight for Mumbai. In the context of the country, the issue of Hindutva, and the fight against
Bangladesh intruders and Islamic fundamentalists,” Uddhav said. On Monday, he reiterated his Hindutva
leanings at a public rally in Kolhapur and claimed the party would do all that it could to stop “hirva
aatankwad” (Islamic terror). Uddhav was once a proponent of changing the Sena image from a radical
organisation limited to Marathis to a more inclusive one. However, the absence of the charismatic Bal
Thackeray and with cousin Raj’s MNS breathing down his neck, he seems to have decided that sticking
to the tried and tested formula of Hindutva will benefit him in the long run. Uddhav is also under pressure
to fill his father’s shoes and keep the Sena’s restless flock of second-rung leadership from deserting the
party. (Indian Express 4/12/12)
When Hindus shunned Hindutva lab (26)
AHMEDABAD: Gujarat is often referred to as the Hindutva lab, a state known for its reverence of cows
and support for right-wing politics. But there was a time when Hindus from other parts of the country
avoided the region because the presence of a lot of beef-eating traders from across the world in this most
ancient gateway of India. India's pioneering archaeologist, Bhagwanlal Indraji, in his most comprehensive
surveys on the early history of Gujarat (319 BC-1314 AD), mentions that Gujarat was considered a
'mlechchha' country and the Hindu scriptures forbid visits to it except on pilgrimage. "It is probable that
from its seaboard position, for trade and other purposes, many foreigners settled in Kathiavad and south
Gujarat; and that it is because of the foreign element that the Hindu dharma shastras consider Gujarat a
'mlechchha' territory and forbid visits to it except on pilgrimage," says the book 'Bhagwanlal Indraji — First
Indian Archaeologist' by Virchand Dharamsey and published by Vadodara-based Darshak Itihas Nidhi.
'Mlechchha' was a term used for barbarians and to describe the non-Vedic or impure practices, including

eating meat, consuming liquor and unrighteous character. "Gujarat history dates from the rule of the
Mauryan dynasty, the only early Indian dynasty the record of whose rule has been preserved in the
writings of the brahmins, Buddhists and Jains. Further, the Mauryas were beneficent rulers and had also
honourable alliances with foreign, especially Greek and Egyptian, kings," the book reveals. Obviously,
Gujaratis didn't mind the presence of foreign traders here as long as they got business. In fact between
1178 and 1242 AD, the commissioner of Cambay port Vastupal and Kutch businessman Sheth Jagdusha
built mosques in Cambay and Bradreshwar, respectively, to lure Arab, Persian and Turkish traders. Also,
while most Hindus betrayed a sense of xenophobia and were forbidden from leaving the shores, the
Gujaratis were the first community to set sail and explore the world for better opportunities, while keeping
their culture and traditions intact. (Times of India 6/12/12)
Bangladeshi infiltrators influencing politics in NE: RSS chief (26)
RAIPUR: Claiming that Bangladeshi infiltrators were influencing the politics in the north-east region, RSS
chief Mohan Bhagwat today said these "unwanted elements" from across the border had taken over the
government in Assam. "These infiltrators enrol their names in the voters' list and influence the politics in
the country. They have accessed the power to run government in states like Assam," he said while
delivering a key-note address at the concluding ceremony of RSS' three-day 'chintan shivir' here. He also
stressed upon having proper demarcation of international borders so that it becomes easy to keep an eye
on the illegal influx into the country. "Accurate demarcation of border with the neighbouring countries is
needed to curb the influx of infiltrators, fake currency, drugs and terrorists," he said. Bhagwat said shelter
should be provided to Hindu families that are coming to India after suffering atrocities in other countries.
"People, particularly Hindu families, who have been facing atrocities and who wish to settle here, should
be given shelter as per the Indian tradition," he said, adding that except India there was no other country
for Hindus in the world. "They are forced to migrate from their country to save their religion and social
dignity," he said. Besides, there should be some provision to put pressure on that country (abroad) to
ensure the safety of Hindu people in their land, he said. He criticised the UPA government over FDI in
multi-brand retail saying it would result in small retailers and traders losing their livelihood, which would
also put the country's food security at risk. (Times of India 9/12/12)
'Over 100 communal clashes in UP this year' (26)
New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh has earned the dubious distinction of witnessing over 100 communal clashes
this year that left 34 people dead. The towns where incidents of such violence took place are Kosi Kalan
in Mathura, Faizabad, Pratapgarh, Sitapur, Ghaziabad and Bareilly. More than 450 people were also
injured in these clashes which took place from January till October 31, Home Ministry officials said. There
were 84 incidents of communal clashes in the state in 2011 in which 12 people lost their lives. The
country witnessed 560 incidents of violence this year till October end, which claimed 89 lives, while in
2011, 580 clashes took place that left 91 people dead. UP was followed by Maharashtra where 83
incidents were reported so far this year in which 13 people were killed and 88 incidents in 2011 which
claimed 15 lives. Madhya Pradesh saw 78 incidents of communal violence so far this year in which 11
people were killed and in 2011, 81 incidents of communal clashes were reported that left 15 dead. In
Karnataka, there were 54 incidents of communal clashes in 2012 and 70 incidents in 2011 in which three
and four people lost their lives respectively. Rajasthan had witnessed 42 incidents of communal clashes
in 2011 leading to death of 16 people while this year the state has witnessed 30 incidents of such
violence and six dead. There were 47 incidents of communal clashes in Gujarat in 2011, in which three
persons lost their lives, and 50 incidents so far this year in which five were killed. Andhra Pradesh saw 33
communal clashes in 2011 in which one died and so far this year, 45 clashes took place in which two
were killed. There were 30 incidents of communal clashes in Kerala in 2011, in which one died, and 46
incidents in this year in which one was killed. Bihar witnessed 26 incidents with four deaths last year and

17 incidents this year in which three persons were killed. Tamil Nadu saw 21 incidents of communal
violence and two deaths in 2011 and 11 incidents with two deaths this year so far. There were 15
incidents in West Bengal in 2011 in which three persons were killed, and 22 incidents in this year, in
which eight persons were killed. (Hindustan Times 9/12/12)
VHP aims at Hindu vote bank in State (26)
Tiruchy: The State unit of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) is planning to create a Hindu vote bank in Tamil
Nadu before the next Parliament elections to compel the mainstream political parties to include the needs
of Hindus in their agenda. Addressing the press on the sidelines of the VHP’s South zone meeting, its
national advisor S Vedantham said, the Hindus are separated by caste and are very susceptible to
external forces which take advantage of the situation and convert them to other religions unlike other
religions where people unite when an external influence tries to exploit them. However, in Hinduism,
exploitation was taken for granted owing to the caste separation and this had resulted in loss of rights and
benefits for a majority of Hindus. Citing Kerala’s growing minority aggression upon majority people, he
said by 2030, Hindus in Kerala would become a minority. Already, educational institutions and industries
were in the hands of minorities, affecting the welfare of majority Hindus. Vedantham said, “We have
decided to concentrate in organising the Hindu groups and work towards their welfare.” The organisation
has already made inroads in TN through the Village Pujaris Association which has around one lakh
members. The VHP leader also questioned the secularism followed by the central government upon its
spending in the Haj pilgrimage every year. Around `317 crore was spent every year on the tours despite
the Supreme Court directive to control the expenditure. “Even Muslim countries are not supporting the
Haji tour across the world.” He questioned the government’s intention toward the Haj pilgrimage when all
other religions were discriminated against. (Indian Express 10/12/12)
VHP threatens to make Hyderabad next Ayodhya (26)
Hyderabad: Accentuating the apprehensions that the dispute over temples at historic monument
Charminar in communally sensitive old city of Hyderabad can lead to a bigger trouble, the Vishwa Hindu
Parishad has threatened to make Hyderabad another Ayodhya by bringing lakhs of people from all over
the country. International Working President of VHP Pravin Togadia warned against any attempt to
remove the disputed Bhagyalakshmi temple adjacent to Charminar or stop prayers at the temple.
Addressing a news conference in Hyderabad that VHP was very serious about the issue which was no
more restricted to Hyderabad city. “It concerns the Hindus all over the country”, he said. Referring to the
demands that the illegally constructed structure should be removed, Togadia said, “Do we need
permission from Muslims for prayers at the temple”. “If any attempts were made, an Ayodhya like situation
would be repeated. Lakhs of people will come to Hyderabad “, he said. VHP leader’s threats have come
in the backdrop of raging controversy over the two temples at Charminar. The Andhra Pradesh High
Court has issued stay orders against both the temples — one adjacent to Charminar and another under
construction in 100 meter radius of Charminar. (Pioneer 12/12/12)
Yeddyurappa looking at image makeover (26)
MYSORE: Former CM B S Yeddyurappa is seeking an image makeover. On Thursday as he toured
Mysore and Mandya districts, he visited Gumbaz, the mausoleum that houses tombs of Mysore rulers
Tipu Sultan and Hyder Ali, held a convention of minorities at Muslim majority area in Mysore and said he
is a changed man. At the minorities meet, he said he will not allow injustice to be meted out to Muslims
and will stand by them. As he arrived at Srirangapatna, he visited Nimishamba Temple and checked into
the Gumbaz located next to the temple. He also paid a visit to a Jain site in the temple town before he
arrived at Mysore to a grand welcome. In a freewheeling interaction with the reporters, Yeddyurappa, in
his trademark white safari, looked relaxed and insisted he is a changed man. "I'll not try to remember my
days in my former party. I'm looking ahead," he said. " I've severed all my previous ties," he said when

asked whether about his RSS background. I'm a new man now. Recollecting his days when he was a
member of Shikaripur local body, he said he used to cycle around the town during early mornings and
would go to the office later in the day. "I've always done what I've set for," he said even as he admitted
that he was not sure whether he should float new political party. Referring to emergence of regional
parties as dominant forces in states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, he said there
is need for a strong political alternative to national parties in Karnataka. "I've not formed KJP out to
vengeance," he asserted. Asked about his views about the move by the BJP government to ban cow
slaughter, he said he supports it. Muslims have not asked to ban cow slaughter, he replied to a question.
With leaders from Mysore and Chamarajnagar districts in tow, the former CM looked confident to take on
both BJP and Congress but was soft towards the latter. "Illa, illa, illa (no, non, no)," he said when asked
whether Congress has given him supari to weaken BJP as alleged by JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy.
Why are you dragging Congress into my political fight, he replied. During his visit, he logged one of the
staunch supporters of Siddaramaiah. The former ZP president B M Ramu joined KJP at the minorities
meet. (Times of India 13/12/12)
Non bailable warrant issued against Samajwadi party MP in Babri mosque demolition case (26)
LUCKNOW: In a major embarrassment for the Samajwadi Party (SP), the special CBI court in Lucknow
hearing the Babri mosque demolition case has issued non bailable warrant (NBW) against mafia-turnedpolitician
and SP MP from Kaiserganj, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, for his continues non presence in the
court during the trial. Singh is not only accused in Babri mosque demolition case but has also been jailed
in the past under Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) for alleged links with
underworld don Dawood Imbrahim. The court issued NBW against Singh along with former Shiv Sena
MLA Pawan Pandey, who has also failed to present himself before the court during the trial. A law
graduate from Faizabad's Saket University, Sharan was active in student politics and has today has over
40 criminal cases against him in police record. The cases include murder, attempt to murder, extortion,
rioting, firing at the police station, carrying illegal arm and, dacoity among others. He also manager of
around 40 colleges imparting higher and professional education in various parts of Uttar Pradesh (UP).
He won Lok Sabha elections four times -- in 1991 (Gonda), 1999 (Gonda) and 2004 (Balrampur) on the
Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) ticket and in 2009 (Kaisarganj) as SP candidate. He was active member of
Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and played an important role in Ram temple movement. During Ram
temple movement, Singh was said to be close to veteran BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani and VHP leader
Ashok Singhal. On December 6, 1992, Singh was allegedly in Ayodhya and provoked the VHP Kar
Sevaks to demolish the Babri mosque. He has also been accused of giving shelter to some Kar Sevaks
during the movement and facilitating their journey to Ayodhya. Riding on the Ram wave, Sharan entered
Parliament on a BJP in the 1991. Singh was made accused by CBI along with senior Shiv Sena,VHP and
BJP leaders in Babri mosque demolition case. In July 2008, Singh defected to SP and supported the
Congress led UPA government during trust vote on Indo-US nuclear deal. Since then he is in SP. (Times
of India 18/12/12)
Mercifully, India is not Gujarat, say Muslim leaders (26)
MUMBAI: Muslim leaders have attributed Narendra Modi's impressive victory to near-total polarization of
Gujarati society. They say Hindutva's "poster boy" has strengthened his hold on Gujarat's Hindus in the
last decade and a stronger Modi means greater marginalization of Muslims in the state. Some blame the
Congress for not putting up a stronger fight. "We don't know what is Congress's strategy, but it seems to
have neglected Gujarat. For fear of losing Hindu votes, it didn't mention the massacre of 2002 during the
election campaign. On the contrary, Modi brazenly and successfully projected himself as a champion of
Hindus," said Zafrul Islam Khan, president, All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat, an umbrella
organization of Muslim outfits. Khan, however, maintained that Modi's victory in Gujarat doesn't mean he

will be acceptable to BJP's allies as a prime ministerial candidate in 2014. He added, "Gujarat cannot be
a template for other states. Mercifully, much of India, unlike Gujarat, is not polarized," he added. Many
see Modi's win and his possible rise in national politics as a threat to India's secular ethos. "Now
communal and fascist forces will be emboldened. It is a wake-up call to the minorities and all those who
swear by secularism," said Mohibul Haque, a political scientist at Aligarh Muslim University. (Times of
India 21/12/12)
Samjhauta blast link in murder of RSS pracharak (26)
New Delhi: Rajendra Pehelwan alias Samandar, who allegedly planted one of four bombs in Samjhauta
Express train, is emerging as a prime suspect in the murder of former RSS pracharak Sunil Joshi.
According to sources, Joshi was murdered in December 2007 to keep a lid on the whole right-wing terror
conspiracy. Samandar was arrested last Saturday by the NIA from Nagda in Ujjain district of Madhya
Pradesh. NIA officials are tight lipped on the interrogation of Samandar. Sources told HT that he may
have killed Joshi who had boasted of leading the group of right-wing extremists that carried out a series of
bomb blasts in Malegaon (September 2006), Samjhauta Express (February 2007), Mecca Masjid (May
2008), Dargah Ajmer Sharif (October 2007) and simultaneous blasts at Malegaon and Modasa in
September 2008. "Joshi was boasting too much about successes of the group after the Ajmer Sharif
blast. His co-conspirators were feeling insecure. He had also mediated with local feuds in Dewas (MP) to
generate money. He wanted to open a liquor shop and was also dabbling in commodities exchange.
Witnesses have already indicated that Samandar may have murdered Joshi," said a source. Investigators
say Samandar may have been involved in many murders in Mhow. He has confessed to his involvement
in Samjhauta blast, Mecca Masjid blasts and Malegaon blast of 2006, said sources. "There have been a
few instances of bike riders getting shot in a similar manner in which Joshi was also murdered. These
murders took place in and around Mhow. The NIA will have to join dots before a conclusion can be
drawn. A mere confession of Samandar in this regard will not stand in court," said a senior home ministry
official. (Hindustan Times 24/12/12)
Narendra Modi takes oath today, RSS and VHP leaders on guest list (26)
Ahmedabad: As Narendra Modi takes oath of the Chief Minister’s office for the fourth time, invites for
Wednesday’s function have gone out to a large number of RSS and VHP veterans, besides prominent
industrialists and Indians settled overseas. The guest list includes Indian-American Bishma Agnihotri, who
was the ambassador-at-large during former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA government. At
present, Agnihotri is the chairman of Bharat Swabhiman Overseas, a US-based NGO said to be inspired
from Bharat Swabhiman Yatra started by yoga guru Ramdev during last year’s anti-corruption campaign.
Apart from Modi’s personal invites to a few industrialists, chief ministers of BJP-ruled states and religious
heads, formal invites have also been sent to former chief ministers and recently elected MLAs
Shankersinh Vaghela and Keshubhai Patel. Vaghela and Patel are not expected to attend the ceremony,
to be held at Sardar Patel stadium in Ahmedabad. Bhailal Patel, founder of Vishwa Bharatiya Samaj from
Chicago, who was one of the organisers of Modi’s video address to NRIs in the US at the ‘Chaalo
Gujarat’ event on the foundation day of Gujarat in May this year, is likely to attend the swearing-in
ceremony. C B Patel, a UK-based publisher and editor who was among those said to have lobbied to end
the UK’s boycott of Modi, told The Indian Express, “Several industrialists and members of political groups
will attend the function. Besides, there are people looking at investments. I can say there is enormous
optimism among Indian communities abroad who support Modiji.” (Indian Express 26/12/12)
7 lakh Muslims have signed up for revoking Art 370: RSS outfit (26)
Bhopal: Muslim Rashtriya Manch, an organisation floated by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, on
Friday said more than seven lakh Muslims have become signatories to a campaign to revoke Article 370
and to scrap the report of Centre’s interlocutors on Jammu and Kashmir. Madhya Pradesh, which is ruled

y the Bhartiya Janata Party government of Shivraj Singh Chauhan, has accounted for 1.5 lakh of those
signatures followed by Rajasthan with 70,000 in the second place, claimed RSS functionary Indresh
Kumar, the force behind MRM, while addressing a state-level convention in Bhopal. Floated a decade
ago, Muslim Rashtriya Manch’s first signature campaign was against cow slaughter. The organisation
reportedly has presence in more than 300 districts of 20 states. Kumar, who was accused of involvement
in right-wing Hindu terror cases, made light of the accusations saying he enjoyed his stay in the custody
of the National Investigation Agency after being branded a terrorist. “Even Chandra Shekhar Azad was
called a traitor by British officials but whose photograph do we hang on walls today,’’ he asked drawing a
parallel, and claimed that both Hindus and Muslims prayed in his support. “For decades you were warned
to keep off the RSS but the Sachar Committee report brought out your plight,’’ Kumar said. “Besides
religious and elementary education, the community should also be trained to love the motherland. A true
Muslim will go to Haj but will sacrifice his life for India not any other country.’’ The RSS leader told the
community to “discuss Kashmir, Ayodhya and Gujarat by all means. (Indian Express 29/12/12)