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HINDUTVA - <strong>2004</strong><br />

Compiled By<br />

K. Samu,<br />

Human Rights Documentation,<br />

<strong>Indian</strong> <strong>Social</strong> <strong>Institute</strong>, Lodi Road, New Delhi<br />

Sangh wants all in Parivar fold (26)<br />

NEW DELHI, JANUARY 8: WHILE getting set to market peace in the Lok Sabha polls, the Sangh Parivar<br />

is tak ing care to send a clear message across to its hardcore Hindu constituency that Prime Minister A.B.<br />

Vajpayee has remained steadfast on the issue of cross-border terrorism. This balance manifests the<br />

Parivar effort to hold on to its traditional vote as it tries diluting the Muslim hostility to BJP candi dates and<br />

checking their consolida tion in the rival camp. BJP president M. Venkaiah Naidu met Foreign Minister<br />

Yashwant Sinha on Wednesday morning and then came out with a measured response. He said: "The<br />

BJP is of the firm view that talks with Pakistan will be meaningful only if cross-border terrorism comes to<br />

an end. We are happy to take note of the fact that India has maintained its consistent position — during<br />

their meeting with Pakistani leadership — that sustained dialogue with Pakistan would be possi ble only<br />

after cross-border terrorism is . brought to an end. We are happy to know that Pakistan has given this<br />

assur ance and is ready to move forward on the road to peace with India." The RSS, that always advocates<br />

a hardline over Pakistan, articulated simi lar views. Sangh spokesman Ram Mad-hav told The <strong>Indian</strong><br />

Express: "We are sat isfied with the outcome of the SAARC summit. We have been able to buttress our<br />

viewpoint on violence and terrorism effectively. Consequently, it has become a part of the joint statement.<br />

We have covered a lot of ground between Agra and Islamabad. However, we feel that we should tread<br />

with cautious optimism, rather than euphoric enthusiasm." (<strong>Indian</strong> Express 9.1.040)<br />

RSS assigns poll job to cadre (26)<br />

Raipur, Jan. 11: EARLY Lok Sabha polls in sight, the RSS has asked Sangh cadres to fan out to tribal<br />

areas of Chhattisgarh, especially the Naxal-hit, and work actively for the elections.<br />

At the end of a three-day long camp, the RSS today gave its approval to an ambitious "action plan" for the<br />

parliamen tary elections. RSS chief KS. Sudershan, after discussing the<br />

plan with top state leaders, asked the cadres to expand their network and try to reach out to poor Adivasis,<br />

Dalits and other sections, who are ideolog ically close to Hinduism. "A new plan of action has been drawn<br />

up for the parlia mentary elections and it is al most similar to the one that had paid the BJP dividends in the<br />

Assembly polls. All Sangh organs will work together to accomplish the new task," a key RSS functionary<br />

told The <strong>Indian</strong> Express this evening.<br />

The VHP has nearly 700 eakle vidyalayas — single-teacher schools — and 114 Ram Katha Vachaks and<br />

numerous prachaaraksa working in the tribal areas. "In the next two months, the cadres will be as signed<br />

one task—to campaign for the BJP," said a Sangh worker from Bastar. It is learnt that the BJP has<br />

provided over 300 bicycles to youths who have been asked to go to the interiors and campaign for the<br />

party. (<strong>Indian</strong> Express 12.1.04)<br />

Sudershan directs Sangh members to ensure BJP victory (26)<br />

Raipur: For the first time RSS chief K S Sudershan has directed the Sangh members to ensure victo ry for<br />

the BJP by support ing the party candidates whole-heartedly in Lok Sabha elections. He literally set the<br />

agenda for the working committee by outlining the Sangh's stand on conversions, reser vations, naxalites<br />

and rela tions between the India and Pakistan. Addressing the conclud ing session of the three-day RSS<br />

camp at Rohinipuram near Raipur, he said: "En sure absolute majority for the BJP in the Lok Sabha<br />

'elections. Extend them full support." The camp was at tended by the senior RSS leaders. Addressing a<br />

two-hour session with the senior RSS workers, Sudershan said PM Vajpayee must be congratu lated for<br />

successfully lead ing the 25-party coalition ggovernment for five years. "He has kept 25 frogs togeth er. It is<br />

a miracle." He added: "If the BJP gets an absolute majority in the Lok Sabha on its own, issues like the<br />

uniform civil code would be resolved." "The party was committed on the issue of ban on cow slaugh ter, but<br />

the idea was opposed by the TDP because it is wor ried about the Muslim vote-bank. But, now these<br />

consid erations should be given a go. Those who are turning down Hindutva should be re jected," he said.<br />

(Times of India 12.1.0040)


No prosecutable case against Advani: CBI (26)<br />

NEW DELHI, JAN. 13. It was the "different from others" conduct of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)<br />

leader, L.K. Ad vani, before and during the demolition of the disputed structure at Ayodhya on December 6,<br />

1992, which was scrutinised by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) before deciding not to file a<br />

revision petition before the Allahabad High Court challenging Mr. Advani's discharge in the Babri Masjid<br />

demolition case. Sources told The Hindu that Mr. Advani's conduct during that time was taken into<br />

consideration for as sessing the common object and infer culpability, if any. From the conduct, it was clear<br />

that he had not shared the common objective in the case. The Special Magistrate, therefore, in his<br />

September 19, 2003 order, rightly put Mr. Advani in the category of people who were trying to prevent the<br />

demo lition while the other category of leaders were provoking the kar se-vaks to demolish the disputed<br />

struc ture, the CBI opined. After statements of different wit nesses as cited in the order, the CBI came to<br />

the view that the conduct of Mr. Advani vis-a-vis other accused "definitely different" and his con duct during<br />

the relevant time was in dicative of his innocence. Referring to Section 120-B of the <strong>Indian</strong> Penal Code<br />

relating to con spiracy, which has not been invoked in the 198/92 case at any point of time, the CBI<br />

concluded mat it was not the stage for prosecution to in troduce this section. Anyway, a con spiracy charge<br />

is still available in case no. 197/92 where investigation has centred on conspiracy, which is pending in a<br />

Lucknow Special Court. (Hindu 14.1.04)<br />

VHO reiterates it’s a socio-religious outfit (26)<br />

Hyderabad: AFTER THE BJP, one of its crucial backer, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, also seems to have<br />

been bitten by the bug of economic and social develop ment or the "feel good factor".<br />

VHP, which calls itself a socio-religious organisation, is making a conscious effort to change its image<br />

from one is sue (Ayodhya) outfit to an or ganisation concerned with the social, economical, religious and<br />

cultural uplift of the entire community. This was one of the major issues which came up during the ongoing<br />

week-long meet ing of the Parishad's govern ing council and Trust Board at Hyderabad. The meeting is being<br />

attended by 500 delegates from all over the country and abroad, including top leaders like Ashok<br />

Singhal, Pravin Togadia and Giriraj Kishore. Shyamji Gupta, the joint general secretary of the VHP told<br />

newsmen that the Hyderabad session has decid ed to take its socio-economic and cultural program to another<br />

30,000 villages by year 2007, and cover one lakh vil lages by 2011. The program includes primary<br />

education, health care, economic devel opment and cultural awaken ing among the vanvasi (tribal<br />

population). Describing the tribals as our 'Hindu brothers', he said that 'HinduWa inspires us to serve<br />

them'.<br />

The instruments identified for these works include, train ing the trainers, using the trib al youth educated up<br />

to 9th or tenth standard, training the Kathakars trained in narrat ing Ramayana and Krishnakatha and<br />

sending the mobile temples to the tribal vil lages. The organisation will al so show the Ramayana serial of<br />

Ramanand Sagar at this mobile temple as part of its efforts to create an awakening among the tribals. The<br />

economic ac tivities to be taken up by the VHP men in these villages in clude, planting of fruit bearing trees,<br />

horticulture, organic compose and cow protection. (Pioneer 16.1.04)<br />

3,500 RSS cadres come to aid BJP (26)<br />

New Delhi, Jan. 15: The BJP is likely to deploy over 3,500 RSS cadres in all the parlia mentary<br />

constituencies for the forthcoming general elec tions. Sources disclosed that from January 26 onwards,<br />

the RSS cadres would be deployed all over the states. The largest deployment would be in Uttar<br />

Pradesh, with 300 RSS cadres. However, the BJP general secretary, Mr Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, said that<br />

the deploy ment would be a mix of cadres from the Sangh Parivar and the BJP. Describing them as<br />

"whole-timers," Mr Naqvi said that they would be spread over all the states, including Andaman and<br />

Nicobar Islands, Pondicherry, Sikkim. Tripura and Mizoram.<br />

Speaking about the BJP's "action-plan" Mr Naqvi said that from January 23 onwards the party would<br />

launch a "pre liminary election campaign" to be continued till February 21. Moving at a high speed, the<br />

BJP intends to hold at least 200 rallies, meetings and conferences between January 23 and February 21.<br />

Also in February, the BJP would try to woo young vot ers by holding nationwide young voters<br />

conferences. In February too, the BJP will have the election for its national president where the<br />

present BJP chief. Mr M. Venkaiah Naidu. would be re-elected. The party will also hold a two-day<br />

slate-level meeting of spokespersons, documentation and cultural cells from January 28. (Asian Age<br />

16.1.04)


Cong targets RSS with Bapu trust (26)<br />

New Delhi, January 20: EIGHT MONTHS after Congress president Sonia Gandhi first talked of it, the<br />

Bapu Sadbhavana and Shiksha Trust was formally set up on Tues day to counter the RSS ideology with its<br />

message of secularism and social tolerance. The trust will open, run and maintain educa tional institutions<br />

based on Mahatma Gandhi's thoughts and will chal lenge the saffron brigade's efforts to cap ture young<br />

minds. The Sangh and its affil iated outfits have a vast network of service proj ects and schools, includ ing<br />

shishu mandirs, that mould impressionable minds with their ideology. With the trust being registered on<br />

Tuesday, the Congress intends to take the battle against the BJP beyond the political domain. While<br />

mooting the trust at the CMs' conclave in Srinagar in 2003, Sonia had stressed that the bat tle against the<br />

BJP was not just for political space or power, but also for the spirit and soul of India that was being<br />

corroded by the "communal and di visive" ideology sown in young minds. The trust is headed by Nirmala<br />

Deshpande, who also leads the Akhil Bharatiya Rachnatamak Samaj, a conglomerate of myriad Gandhian<br />

insti tutions. Since the trust hopes to build a nexus with like-minded people and insti tutions, it is likely to<br />

work in tandem with the extensive network of Gandhian institutions. (Hindustan Times 21.1.04)<br />

Parivar brings flame to feed Bhojshala fire (26)<br />

DHAR, JANUARY 20: EVEN as several thou sand Sangh Parivar supporters from Jhabua were winding<br />

their way to Bhopal today to con vince Chief Minister Uma Bharti about their "persecution" by Chris tians,<br />

their colleagues were fanning the old Bhojshala fire here. An "eternal" flame from the Maihar Devi temple<br />

was today installed adjacent to the Bhojshala/Kamal Maula Masjid. The Sangh proposes to keep the flame<br />

burning till the Hindu Jagran Manch succeeds in obtain ing the return of a Saraswati idol purportedly<br />

belonging to the Bho jshala from a museum in London. The yatra was timed to enter Dhar on Tuesday, a<br />

day when Hindu devotees are allowed to en ter the shrine to offer puja, apart from flowers and a fistful of<br />

rice. Inside the monument, RSS sevak Subhash Patel guided the devo tees. Every Tuesday a different<br />

RSS volunteer gives visitors a tour of the monument, but their story basically boils down to blaming<br />

Muslims and the "secular" intel lectuals for "the fall of Bhojshala". The lecture begins at the arch that in<br />

most mosques indicates the direction of prayer for the faithful. Patel tells the assembled crowd in Hindi a<br />

version of his tory that talks of a region domi nated by Hindus that had held out to the Muslims, till Sultan<br />

Khilji had sent his "spy" Kamal Maula to Dhar. The narrative eventually gets around to the characters<br />

played up by the Sangh as heroes, like Tatya Bhil. "He attacked Dhar with 6,000 men. Badly injured, while<br />

his men were still fighting, he made off with the temple's Bhojshala idol and buried it in a nearby field.<br />

When the Euro peans took over India, they re alised the importance of the Bhojshaala and organized<br />

diggings in and around the monument leading to the discovery of idol, which is now exhibit 1880/9 Dhar<br />

Central India at the London museum. (<strong>Indian</strong> Express 21.1.04)<br />

Uma to upgrade status of women, cows (26)<br />

Bhopal, Jan. 22: Madhya Pradesh chief minister Uma Bharti announced on Thursday two novel measures<br />

on issues self-professedly closest to her heart: upgrading the status of women, and cows. Beginning<br />

Friday, the state will become the country's first to have nine police stations headed by women inspectors.<br />

These would be in addition to the "women-only" thanas set up during the Congress regime. Also, an<br />

ordinance would be intro duced making it compulsory for every district to have a self-sustaining gau shala<br />

for the proper upkeep and welfare of MP's bovine populace. Ms Bharti told reporters that the decision to<br />

appoint lady police inspec tors in nine thanas was being taken at an auspicious moment — the nine-day<br />

cycle of Gupt Navratri in the Hindu calendar began on Thursday. The number of such appointments would<br />

be increased in the coming months. The Madhya Pradesh DGP had been instructed to find the best<br />

candidates for the job. Women, felt Ms Bharti, would prove to be more adept at controlling crime. The bulk<br />

of the CM's interface with the media, however, was devoted to spreading cheer in the cow communi ty<br />

which she felt would have a benign impact on the lives of the poor in rural India. (Asian Age 23.1.04)<br />

RSS leader on fast against Modi govt (26)<br />

Ahmedabad: The arm-wrestling between the Narendra Modi government and Bharatiya Kisan Sangh,<br />

farmers' front of Sangh Parivar, just got more intense. The former deputy head of RSS for the state,<br />

Laljibhai Patel, has begun an in definite fast against the gov ernment's attitude towards farmers. And a big<br />

group led by BKS chief Prafulla Se-jalia, staged a demonstra tion in front of BJP head quarters on<br />

Wednesday, to protest against the alleged harassment of farmers in Kutch and Panchmahals by the


Gujarat Electricity Board. As already reported, sen ior state and national heads of the ruling BJP are<br />

alarmed at the turn of events, with the BKS publicly denouncing Modi and his government as unfit to rule.<br />

Laljibhai, now attached to another RSS-supported body, the Swadeshi Jagran Manch, has launched a<br />

'fast-unto-death' in support of farmers. "I have resorted to this as I am very much grieved by the injustice<br />

done to farmers, who are de manding withdrawal of the hike in power rates," he said (Times of India<br />

23.1.04)<br />

RSS chief redefines ‘minorities’ (26)<br />

Bhubaneshwar: "Muslims and Christians in India should not be labelled as mi norities as they have their<br />

genetic roots here," Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief K S Sudarshan said on Friday, at the end of his<br />

three-day trip to the state. The RSS chief observed that even though Parsis and Jews settled in our<br />

country have a claim on the minori ty tag, they do not use it. "Parsis and Jews do not have their genetic<br />

roots in this country. Still they do not call themselves minori ties," he said. The veteran swayamsevak<br />

argued that Muslims and Christians who were<br />

rooted to the coun try's her itage and culture should be consid ered Hin dus be cause the term Hin du refers to<br />

a "way of life, view of life" and not any religion. "Even the Supreme Court has given this observation," he<br />

said. "Hindustan is one of the most tolerant places in the world. It believes that God is one and there are<br />

different ways to reach Him. "Once Muslims and Christians accept this, all disputes would come to an<br />

end," he said. According to him, a person should be al lowed to follow any path to attain mokshya<br />

(salvation) without severing his ances tral bonds. "Why should I change my name from Su darshan to<br />

Sanderson if I were to pray in a church Or, why should I be re named Sudar Khan to be al lowed entry into<br />

a mosque Why should I have to cut off ties with my forefathers to practise any religion" he asked.<br />

(Times of India 25.1.04)<br />

Total ban on cow slaughter in MP (26)<br />

Bhopal: The Uma Bharti government has enforced a total ban on cow slaugh ter in the state. Any person<br />

found guilty of cow slaughter or even selling cows or donating cows for the purpose of slaughter<br />

would be jailed for three years and fined up to Rs 10,000 under the Madhya Pradesh Cow Slaughter<br />

Ban Ordinance. The state government on Friday confirmed that governor Ram Prakash Gupta has given<br />

his assent to the new Ordinance. Government officials claimed the Ordinance has come into force with<br />

im mediate effect. "No person could kill cows, nor get them killed. No person could hand over cows for<br />

slaughter, nor could get it done by others. If found guilty, such per sons will be awarded three years'<br />

imprisonment and will have to pay a fine of up to Rs 10,000 or be award ed both," a government release<br />

said. "There would be a complete ban on slaughter pf cows and bovine animals in the state.<br />

No person could keep beef in his posses sion. Any cow slaughter related crime would be cognizable<br />

and non-bail able."<br />

On Tuesday, the state cabinet had endorsed the Gau Vadh Pratishedh Ad-hyadesh (MP Cow Slaugh ter<br />

Ban Ordinance) to bring a total ban on slaughter of cows, includ ing the diseased and aged ones. In<br />

January last year, cow slaughter became a national issue after com munal tension in Ganjba-soda in<br />

Vidisha district, 80 km from here, over an in cident of alleged cow slaughter. (Times of India 24.1.04)<br />

Bajrang blocks Thane cow trucks (26)<br />

Mumbai, Jan. 27: A skirmish between Bajrang Dal workers and truck drivers carrying cat tle to slaughter<br />

houses left three people, including a Bajrang Dal activist, injured. Seven Bajrang Dal activists have been<br />

arrested on charges of assault and damaging vehicles. According to reports, a truck driver and a cleaner<br />

were injured when the Bajrang Da] workers attempted to stop them on the Thane-Bhiwandi bypass late on<br />

Monday night. The truck from Haryana was transporting nine buffaloes when it was stopped. The Bajrang<br />

Dal activists started throwing stones at the truck so the truck driver and cleaner retaliated. Nine people,<br />

including seven Bajrang Dal activists, were taken to the government hospi tal and later arrested. The truck<br />

driver and cleaner were also arrested for illegal transportation of cattle. (Asian Age 28.1.04)<br />

Uma bans liquor, non-veg food in Maheswar, Amarkantak (26)<br />

MAHESHWAR (MP). JAN 28: IN A major decision aimed at enhancing its Hindutva im age, the Uma<br />

Bharati govern ment in Madhya Pradesh today decided to declare Maheshwar, Amarkantak and notified<br />

areas of Ujjain "holy cities", where the sale of liquor and non-vege tarian food, including eggs, will be<br />

banned. The CM spoke to reporters after chairing the Cabi net meet ing here and said Maheshwar,


Amarkantak and areas of Ujjain would be declared holy cities, "pavi-tra nagar". 'After the gazette notification<br />

of the decision, there would be a total ban on the sale of liquor, non-vegetarian food and egg in these<br />

cities," Bharti said. The Cabinet has also decided to develop these places to promote tourism in the state,<br />

and elaborate arrangements will be made for this purpose, she added. The government has al ready<br />

decided to impose the ban on the sale of liquor and non-vegetarian food during the Ujjain Simhast Mela,<br />

WD Minister Kailash Vijay-wargiya said. (<strong>Indian</strong> Express 29.1.04)<br />

Bajrang, VHP men vandalise art gallery in Surat (26)<br />

Mumbai, Jan. 29: Bajrang Dal and VHP activists van dalised an art gallery in Surat on Thursday in protest<br />

against paintings "insulting Hindu goddess es" and destroyed 20 paint ings. The art gallery, which is owned<br />

by Praful Shah of Garden Silk Mills Private Limited, was inaugurated just four days back by noted painted<br />

M.F. Husain who had done an impromp tu sketch there depicting his childhood. His sketch too was blackened<br />

by the VHP and Bajrang activists. A Bajrang Dal leader, who did not want to be named, said they<br />

van dalised the art gallery after "repeated requests" to withdraw a specific paint ing were not heeded. The<br />

Bajrang Dal and VHP activists were protest ing against a painting by Chilrabhanu Mazumdar. Mazumdar<br />

painted a 15 feet condom with Hindu goddess Durga in between and put a catch line stating, "Latex-for<br />

single use only." Mazumdar has been heavi ly promoted by M.F. Husain. The incident took place around 5<br />

pm when around 125 Bajrang Dal and VHP activists stormed the Gar den Art gallery and started damaging<br />

the paintings there. (Asian Age 30.1.04)<br />

Attack on composite culture: Husain (26)<br />

MUMBAI, JAN 30. The attack by Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad activists on the Garden Art<br />

Gallery of Art and Textiles in Surat on Thursday has incensed the world of contemporary <strong>Indian</strong> art. "This<br />

is an at tack on <strong>Indian</strong> contemporary art," the re nowned artist, M.F. Husain, told The Hindu. "We have a<br />

composite culture in this country and India's contemporary art is linked to that culture. That is why these<br />

people have to attack and try to destroy this culture, this identity." Mr. Husain had been invited to open the<br />

exhibition displaying the private collection of the owner of Garden Silk Mills, Praful Shah, on January 26.<br />

He said the media had given extensive coverage to the opening and feels that his presence and the<br />

previous controversy surrounding his earlier paint ings probably prompted the attack. As a result, a mob<br />

entered the gallery and burnt a 30-year-old canvas by Mr. Husain, depicting a woman with a bird.<br />

However, his main work exhibited at the gallery, a 40-foot painting entitled "Portrait of the 20th Century,"<br />

was untouched. The other painting that drew the ire of the mob, said Mr. Husain, was a painting depicting<br />

god dess Durga by the young Kolkata-based contemporary artist, Chittrovanu Mazumdar. This was pulled<br />

down and it is now with the custody of the local police. The gallery owner, Praful Shah, told The Hindu: "It<br />

is partly our own fault. We should have been careful." Apart from the Durga painting, paintings by the<br />

well-known artist, N.S. Bendre, including one of a temple in Bali, were slashed. Some other paintings were<br />

thrown down but, according to Mr. Shah, they may not have been ir retrievably damaged. (The Hindu<br />

31.1.04)<br />

Advani, Atal & Venkaiah are Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh: Uma (26)<br />

New Delhi, Feb. 6: Madhya Pradesh chief minister Uma Bharli on Friday described party leaders L.K.<br />

Advani, Atal Behari Vajpayce and M. Venkaiah Naidu as "Brahma-Vishnu-Maheshwar." For Ms Bharti, the<br />

BJP's Brahma (creator) is deputy prime minister L.K. Advani as he established the ideology of the party.<br />

"Like Brahma, Advani brought the party where it is today. At the top." The Prime Minister is "Vishnu<br />

(protector)." "Vish nu is responsible for the pro tection of people. He takes care of his subjects. Similar ly, Mr<br />

Vajpayee has taken care of the nation and its peo ple, Ms Bharti said, adding, "When Nehru was the Prime<br />

Minister of the country, he was respected world-wide, not India. But after Atalji took charge of the nation,<br />

world started respecting both the leader and the nation." Finally, she referred to BJP chief M. Venkaiah<br />

Naidu as "Bholanath Maheshwar." Like Lord Shiva, Venkaiah has demolished the Congress and its<br />

strategy. "Because of his relentless attack, the Con gress is absolutely clueless and confused," she said.<br />

(Asian Age 7.2.04)<br />

Hindutva shed for development (26)<br />

Feb. 6. - How far the BJP has taken to the Vajpayee line - development as the key campaign issue -<br />

was evident today when three Hindutva poster-persons - Mr Narendra Modi, Miss


Uma Bharati and Mr Kalyan Singh - emphasised governance at the party's inaugural campaign meet. The<br />

occasion was the BJP's national council meet in Delhi, attended by nearly 500 leaders and delegates. Mr<br />

Modi, glorified as the "lion of Gujarat" post Godhra, was the party's voice for development today. It appeared<br />

he had been instruc ted to speak only about de velopment and not to get carried away by cadre expectations.<br />

He waxed eloquent about growth and foreign exchange reserves. He f talked about cheaper<br />

hous- * ing loans and promised to I meet the Planning Commis sion's projection of 10.2 per cent growth for<br />

Gujaraat in the coming five years. (Statesman 7.2.04)<br />

Temple will be built with consent of both parties: Advani (26)<br />

AHMEDABAD, FEB. 8. Kicking off the BJP's election campaign for the Lok Sabha polls in Gujarat, the<br />

Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, today sought a fresh mandate for the NDA at the Centre to fulfil its<br />

unfinished tasks which included building a Ram temple with the consent of Hindus and Mus lims and<br />

ensuring the return of Kashmiri Pandits to the valley. "We have much more to do for the people and one<br />

such demand by crores of <strong>Indian</strong>s is that the Ram Temple must come up at Ram Janmabhoomi... which<br />

will happen... and that too with the consent of both parties," Mr. Advani, who is on a two-day visit to the<br />

State, said at a gathering in Chandlodia area of the city. Mr. Advani quoted Prime Minister Atal Bihari<br />

Vajpayee's appeal at Ayodhya yesterday: "Give us five more years as we have much unfinished work to<br />

do for the people that includes the construction of the Ram mandir." The Deputy Prime Minister said<br />

another impor tant issue for the NDA when they returned to pow er would be to "ensure the return of<br />

Kashmiri Pandits to the valley." "It is important for the Kashmiri Pandits to go back to live in the valley in a<br />

gjBWhieive a^no^phere and that is one of the iin-pdrlanf things oh our agenda," Mr. Advani said. During<br />

his whirlwind trip to seven Assembly con stituencies that are part of his parliamentary seat, to open health<br />

melas, Mr. Advani urged the people to reflect on the NDA's performance. (The Hindu 9.2.04)<br />

Shiv Sena all set to disrupt V-day again (26)<br />

Lucknow, Feb. 9: Come February and it is time for lovers to celebrate and for the cultural police to wield its<br />

baton. For the past three years now, Valentine's Day on February 14 has become synonymous with<br />

clashes between Hindu fundamen talist organisations and the bold new generation. The Uttar Pradesh unit<br />

of the Shiv Sena has given a call for boycott of Valen tine's Day celebrations. "We have sent directives to<br />

all our district units, par ticularly those in KAVAL towns (Kanpur, Allahabad, Varanasi, Agra and Luc know),<br />

asking them to strongly oppose anyone who is found participating in Valentine celebrations," admits Mr<br />

Vijay Tiwari, the pradesh pramukh of Shiv Sena in UP. However, he is unwilling to disclose how the<br />

Sainiks have been asked to oppose those who celebrate Valen tine's Day. "We cannot reveal our strategy<br />

but, yes, the opposition will be strong enough to make the younger generations swear off such events in<br />

future. Valentine's Day is an alien concept for our culture but some multinational companies are promoting<br />

it purely for commercial reasons. (Asian Age 10.2.04)<br />

Gods breastfeeding Bajrang Dal appalled (26)<br />

JAIPUR, FEBRUARY 10 : TRIAL posters developed for a health programme run by NGO CARE India<br />

were con fiscated after Bajrang Dal ac tivists in Udaipur objected to "Gods being used as symbols to<br />

promote breastfeeding". Posters depictinggoddesses Yashoda and Parvati feeding Krishna and Ganesha<br />

were among those found objection able. Tb promote the "Rachna" programme, some posters also show<br />

Durga eating fruits and the baby in her womb benefit ing from it. Appaled by these "radical posters",<br />

Bajrang Dal filed a police complaint, follow ing which, the office of the Bharatiya Lok Kala Mandal (BLKM)<br />

was raided on Tues day and a FIR filed for "hurting religious senti ments". "We raided the premises of the<br />

organization and confiscated seven posters," said DSP Yogesh Goyal. 'A case has been registered under<br />

Section 295 (a) of the IPC dealing with hurting religious sentiments." "How could they use our Gods<br />

like this" says Kamlendra Singh Pawar, a Ba jrang Dal ac tivist, who be lieves he has scored a point by not<br />

attack ing the NGO's office and go ing to the po lice instead BLKM of ficials clarify that these posters were<br />

developed only on a trial basis. "In our villages, people believe in gods and hence, after much debate, we<br />

decided to use their balroop to explain the importance of breastfeeding," said Shyam Mali, assistant director<br />

of the organisation. "We were getting feedback on our posters when raid took place."(<strong>Indian</strong><br />

Express 11.2.04)<br />

Dwindling sales has Organiser revise content (26)<br />

NO MORE lengthy editori als damning the pseudo-secular class; no more 2,000-word pieces extolling the


values of Hindutva; and no more dour columns that don't appeal to women and children. At least that's<br />

what has been promised to readers in the latest issue of Organiser, the Sangh Parivar's English weekly<br />

that has been dishing out fervid fare to the saffron faithful for the past 56-oddyears. Faced with sharply<br />

declining circulation and outdated editor ial content, the RSS mouthpiece has got itself a new editor whose<br />

"mission" is to revamp the paper and make it "more racy, modern and interactive". Journalist R.<br />

Balashankar, who was OSD to HRD minister Murli Manohar Joshi from l998 to <strong>2004</strong>, took over the reins<br />

last week and in his first "letter from the editor" has promised to convert the paper into a "complete family<br />

magazine, with range, va riety and quality content". Over the next few months, the current broadsheet will<br />

be given up for a "Time magazine format", editorials done away with, political content reduced to 30 per<br />

cent, and features aimed at youth, students, women and children intro duced, Balashankar told The lndian<br />

Express. (<strong>Indian</strong> Express 12.2.04)<br />

No dilution in stand on Kashi, Mathura: RSS (26)<br />

NEW DELHI, FEB. 13. The Rashtr'iya Swayamsevak Sangh said today that it would wel come all efforts to<br />

resolve the Ayodhya dispute through negotiations and was hopeful of a breakthrough given the spirit of<br />

accommodation" and "sensitivity to Hindu sentiments" shown by a large sec tion of Muslims. It appreciated<br />

the recent fatwa from the Dar-ul-Uloom in Deoband asking Muslims not to sacrifice cows dur ing the<br />

festival of Id-ul-Zuha. However, the RSS made it clear that there was no dilution in its stand on Kastu and<br />

Mathura. It said that at some stage the places of Worship Act would have to be repealed to allow for<br />

"resolution" of these two "disputes" also. "But for the moment we are only talking about Ayodhya. If we find<br />

a solution, then we will also be able to find solutions for Kashi and Mathura, the RSS spokesperson, Ram<br />

Madhav, said here. But the RSS would not give up its de mand on Kashi and Mathura to help re solve the<br />

Ayodhya imbroglio. Ayodhya Kashi and Mathura were part ot the Kbb agenda and there was no change m<br />

that. "We want bhavya (grand) temples in Math ura and Kashi too," he added. (The Hindu 15.2.04)<br />

RSS rakes up Rahul girlfriend (26)<br />

New Delhi, Feb. 15: The next generation leaders of the Con gress, particularly Ms Priyan ka Vadra Gandhi<br />

and Rahul Gandhi have become a target for the RSS, particularly its mouthpiece Organiser. In a recent<br />

meeting, the RSS decided to "prevent Sonia Gandhi from capturing India," sources said. The RSS top<br />

brass decided to make the entire Sangh Parivar, includ ing the VHP and Bajrang Dal, "work with the BJP to<br />

control Mrs Sonia Gandhi, an RSS functionary disclosed. In its latest issue, the Organ iser hit out at Mrs<br />

Gandhi's children by comparing them to the BJP's second genera tion leaders. The article, Script of<br />

Generation Next, criticised Rahul over his rela tionship with a Colombian, Juanita. It described Mrs Gandhi<br />

and her children as a family "wedded to Christiani ty-" The article said, "Two bright faces of the<br />

Congress. Rahul with his Colombian girlfriend and Priyanka. whose husband Robert Vadra, known more<br />

for his dancing skills in discotheques and. of course, business interests. This is the second generation of<br />

Congress, set out to defeat the BJP." If the BJP's second rung of leaders, ranging from Pramod Mahajan,<br />

Arun Jaitley, Narendra Modi, Uma Bharti, Vasundhara Raje, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Sushma Swaraj<br />

"worked their way up and contributed to grassroot politics, toiled under the scorching sun. braved lashing<br />

rain for people's welfare, Rahul and Priyanka step out of their ivory towers only dur ing the elections," it<br />

said, adding, "they step out only when they feel, their mother might not be able to re-cap ture India for<br />

them." (Asian Age 16.2.04)<br />

VHP faces mob fury on V-Day (26)<br />

Baroda, Feb. 15: Vishwa Hindi Parishad members were attacked by a a group of Muslims when they tried<br />

to stall Valentine's Day celebrations at the Taj Residency late Satur day night.<br />

The incident occurred around 9.30pm when about 30 VHP members rushet to the Taj hotel where a<br />

fashion show was being organised. Though the show was called off some VHP mem bers had reportedly<br />

indulged in heated argu ments with some Muslim visitors from Akota out side the hotel. Soon a mob of 200<br />

Mus lims gathered at (ho hotel pelting stones at the VHP members forcing them to flee from the spot. The<br />

police . swung soon into action and dispersed the mob. No police complaint was lodged till late night. Gift<br />

and card shops Feel ings and Archies in Fatehgunj, Sayajigunj and Alkapuri area were shut tered down<br />

after the VHP members arrived with protest. Late in the evening, Valentine Day programmes at the Inox<br />

Multiplex, Rangoli hotel and Prakruiti Resort were forced to call off by VHP. (Asian Age 16.2.040)<br />

Temple: RSS working on new offer (26)


NEW DELHI, FEBRUARY 15 : THE Sangh Parivar may shortly reach out to the Muslim leader ship with<br />

a significant concession to enable it to come to a negotiated settlement over the Ayodhya issue. Sources<br />

said yesterday that the Parivar, depending upon the response from the other side, would undertake not to<br />

launch any mass movement for securing the Kashi and Mathura shrines from Muslims. This would, in effect,<br />

mean a no-war pact. The Parivar would thus stick to its ba sic stand that Muslims should re turn these<br />

shrines to Hindus, but would only persuade and not create trouble. Though the maintenance of status quo<br />

at Kashi and Mathura is protected by an Act of Parlia ment, the Parivar assurance would embolden the<br />

Muslim leadership to prepare the community for a concession on Ayod hya. The members of the minor ity<br />

community, according to sources, fear that they would be opening the floodgates for coun trywide trouble if<br />

they give up their claim on Ayodhya. There would be no end to similar demands on other mosques. Once<br />

they are con vinced that the matter would be closed with Ayodhya, they may be willing to forgo their claim<br />

over the disputed land. For the RSS, it is a question of credibility. Once the Ayodhya temple starts coming<br />

up, the BJP's credibility would also soar. (<strong>Indian</strong> Expresss 16.2.04)<br />

Hindutva means acting in nation’s interest: Advani (26)<br />

New Delhi, February 22: DEPUTY PRIME Minister L.K. Advani has rejected the talk that the BJP has put<br />

Hindutva on the back burner for the sake of pow er politics. Speaking to a group of corre spondents<br />

accompanying him to a BJP rally in Uttar Pradesh, he said his party considered that Hindutva meant<br />

doing whatever was in the interest of the nation and not for the sake of votes. 'Hindutva means putting the<br />

nation first," he said. Advani said many parties, in cluding the Congress, had daimed to have acted in the<br />

national interest but experience showed that they had acted to further their vote bank. He said, "The clash<br />

between the BJP and other parties is not so much ideological as much over what is national interest and<br />

vote bank politics, which is essentially partisan. He was asked if he agreed with the formulation of some<br />

BJP leaders that Hindutva was development and the criticism that the BJP was giving up its core issues.<br />

(Hindustan Times 23.2.04)<br />

Singhal trashes feel good (26)<br />

RANCHI, Feb. 22. — Vishwa Hindu Parishad president Mr Ashok Singhal has said Hindus would not "feel<br />

good" unless is sues such as poverty and terrorism were successfully tackled. . He told reporters here<br />

today that he had failed to understand the meaning of the BJP's "feel good" campaign. And like him, he<br />

claimed, most <strong>Indian</strong>s too don't understand the meaning of the slogan, which "has been coined to woo the<br />

English press and foreign nations". Hindus will start really feeling good if the BJP does something to<br />

decrease the number of peo ple below the poverty line, currently estimated at 22 per cent, and root out<br />

terrorism, he said. The VHP leader said the Ram Temple issue should be settled outside court as prima<br />

facie evi dence suggests that it would go in favour of the Hindus. Elaborating further, he said former<br />

Supreme Court Chief Justice Mr AS Ahmedi had recently told Muslim religious leaders that during the ASI<br />

excavations, ruins of three temples had been found, and pri ma facie evidence suggested that a 12th<br />

century temple was razed to build the Babari Masjid. Mr Singhal said if the court delivered its verdict in<br />

favour of the Hindus, the community might use the or der to stake claim for other mosques that were "built<br />

on the ruins of temples". "To prevent this, an out-of-court settlement should be reached," he said.<br />

(Statesman 23.2.04)<br />

Funds collected for quake relief benefited RSS affiliate: report (26)<br />

MUMBAl, FEB. 2S.Thousands of pounds raised by a charity based in the United Kingdom have been used<br />

to further the aims of the Rashtriya Swamyamsevak Sangh in India, says an 80-page report prepared by<br />

the London-based Awaaz-South Asia Watch Ltd. The report will be released tomorrow at the House of<br />

Lords in London, on the eve of the second anniversary of the Gujarat carnage that began with the Godhra<br />

train fire on February 27, 2002. "In Bad Faith British Charity and Hindu Extremism" tracks how millions of<br />

pounds collected by Sewa International U.K. (SIUK), ostensibly for welfare, educa tion and development<br />

projects in India, have been used to promote the objectives of the RSS. SIUK is the fund-raising arm of<br />

the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, the U.K. branch of the RSS. It was established in 1991 and one of its<br />

largest fund raising projects was after the Gujarat earthquake in 2001. According to the report, 4.3 million<br />

pounds were raised from the British public. The main recipient of the funds in India was Sewa Bharati, an<br />

RSS affiliate established in 1979. It runs a network of RSS service project in India, states the report, and<br />

some of these overlap with Vidya Bharati, the RSS education and schools network and the Vanvasi<br />

Kalyan Ashram that works in tribal areas and is accused of involvement in sectarian vio lence. (The Hindu


26.2.04)<br />

British public fooled into funding RSS (26)<br />

New DELHI Feb. 25: The birth of the saf fron pound in Britain has been highlighted as the indirect funding<br />

source of religious extremism in India. A report released on the sec ond anniversary of the post-Godhra<br />

riots in Gujarat reveals the unsavoury links between prominent fundraising organisations in the UK and the<br />

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. The report "In Bad Faith: British Charity and Hindu Extremism," to be<br />

released at the House of Lords here on Thursday, uses site visits to Gujarat, interviews and docu mentary<br />

and photographic evi dence to prove that under the cloak of humanitarian charity following the Gujarat<br />

earthquake, massive donations from the British pub lic were sent to Hindu extrem ist groups directly<br />

implicated in a large-scale campaign of violence and hatred in India. The report claims that much of the<br />

money was spent on building RSS schools that indoctrinate children into Hindutva and promote<br />

anti-minority hatred. It claims that the money from the UK was also given to other Sangh Parivar outfits,<br />

like Vanvasi Kalyan.<br />

Sewa International, the fundraising arm of the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh UK, sent £2 million to its <strong>Indian</strong><br />

coun terpart Sewa Bharati, a front for the RSS, as part of its quake relief fund to Gujarat. (Asian Age<br />

26.2.04)<br />

3 rd March<br />

VHP will not back any party (26)<br />

New Delhi: THE VISHWA Hindu Parishad (VHP) will neither support nor campaign for any political party in<br />

the up coming elections, senior leader Acharya Giriraj Kishore said on Tuesday.<br />

The subtext to the stand is that the Parishad will how ever, support any candidate which supports the<br />

Hindutva agenda. The bare minimum for a can didate to get VHP cadre prop is to support the Ram temple<br />

at Ayodhya, scrapping of Article 370, legislating .Common, Civil Code and ban on cow slaughter. The<br />

high-pitched rhetoric on Ram temple at Ayodhya gave way to a matter-of-fact statement. "We are not negotiating<br />

with anyone (on solving the Ayodhya im passe). We want such a so lution that cannot be ap pealed<br />

(in court of law)," Acharya Kishore said. The bitterness over the BJP abandoning the Hindutva agenda in<br />

the up coming elections spilled over when nudged about the BJP's election cam paign. "When were they<br />

(BJP) with the Hindu agenda They benefited from it. Now there is po litical benefit from another yatra, so<br />

they are taking it up," Acharya Kishore said. "Everything is fair in elec tions," he added. (Pioneer 3.3.04)<br />

5 th March<br />

Couple elope in MP, Sena men create chaos (26)<br />

Bhopal/Indore, March 4: It could have been the perfect script for a B-grade Bobby-like Hollywood<br />

potboiler. Hindu girl (Veena) falls in love with Muslim boy (Sajid). The girl is a school teacher; the<br />

prosperous boy owns an auto shop. They want to marry, but their fami lies won't let them. Rumours of an<br />

elopement abound. Enter the hired vil lains in the shape of a violent mob joined by some overzealous<br />

elements from the Shiv Sena/Bajrang Dal (sorry, no Prem Chopra this time) who think that the girl had<br />

been carted off by the boy against her wishes. What follows is a mad dance of destruction in which<br />

six-seven cars are set ablaze, sev eral damaged, stones pelted. Swords, blandished, a police<br />

station/ransacked, teargas shells fired, and Section 144 clamped before peace is restored. (Asian Age<br />

5.3.04)<br />

9th March<br />

VHP springs to sharpshooter’s defence (26)<br />

MUMBAI, MARCH 8: ENCOUNTER spe cialist Sachin Vaze— arrested in connection with the custodial<br />

death of Khwaja Yunus—now has an earnest friend in the VHP The policeman, well on his way to<br />

becoming a symbol of the right-wing, has been promised free legal aid by the Parishad. And if he's found<br />

guilty, the VHP will provide free ration to his family. A VHP statement today defended Vaze as a dynamic<br />

officer of the Mumbai police charged with human rights violations<br />

in connection with the custodial death of a Muslim accused connected with a ter rorist<br />

organisation." VHP international general secretary Pravin Togadia said Vaze's case was no exception.<br />

Any police or security officer "harassed" in the name of hu man rights violation in Kashmir or elsewhere<br />

would be pro vided similar help by his outfit Vaze's case is clearly acquir ing political overtones, with more<br />

than one right-wing or ganisation projecting him as a hero. The assistant inspector was arrested days after


the Bombay HC warned that it would transfer the case concerning the disappearance of Khwaja Yunus to<br />

the CBI un less the state government provided a satisfactory explanation. Yunus had been arrested for<br />

suspected links with the gang accused of mastermind ing the Ghatkopar blast. Apart from arresting Vaze,<br />

the state has also launched a hunt for three constables who were in the same squad which was al legedly<br />

"accompanying" Yunus when he went missing. (<strong>Indian</strong> Express 9.3.04)<br />

VHP joins issue with Advani (26)<br />

NEW DELHI, MARCH 8. Reacting to the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani's statement that the Gujarat<br />

riots were a "blot" and an "aberration," the Vishwa Hindu Parishad said today that "blaming" Hindus for<br />

"everything had become a fashion" in the country. "It is unfortunate that roasting alive of 47 Hindus on<br />

Godhra station is not a blot for Advaniji. The attack on Raghunath temple and Akshardham and the<br />

attacks on Amarnath pilgrims and Parlia ment, the temple of democracy, are not taken as dark spots," the<br />

VHP international general secretary, Pravin Togadia, told PTI over phone from Mumbai. (The Hindu<br />

9.3.04)<br />

10 th March<br />

RSS plans a larger role this time (26)<br />

NEW DELHI, MARCH 9. Official pronouncements after last Fridays meeting between leaders of the<br />

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), including the Prime Minister,<br />

Atal Bihari Vajpayee, were that the leaders had discussed issues concerning coordination between the<br />

two organisations for the coming general elections. It was also stated that the RSS emphasised the need<br />

to incorporate its "Hindutva" viewpoint on various issues in the BJP's "Vision Document" for the campaign.<br />

Apparently, there was also a general agreement that both the RSS and the BJP speak "in one voice on<br />

different issues." But the "poll coordination plans" of the RSS are not confined to Hindutva-related<br />

theoretical questions alone. Instructions sent across from the RSS nodal points in New Delhi and . Nagpur<br />

to several State and district units in the past two weeks point towards a definitive organisational initiative,<br />

which aims not only at helping the BJP score in the Lok Sabha but also at enhancing the "direct influence<br />

of the RSS" among BJP Members of Parliament. The thrust of the RSS leadership's instructions, sources<br />

close to them said, was to get more "committed members" in the BJP Parliamentary Party.<br />

To ensure this, the leader of the Sangh Parivar proposed to play a more pro-active, decisive role in the<br />

candidate selection process at the State and regional levels. (The Hindu 10.3.04)<br />

11 th March<br />

VHP plans civil defence committees (26)<br />

JAIPUR, MARCH lO.The Vishwa Hindu Parishad will set up parallel civil defence committees all over the<br />

country in near future to counter "jehadi" elements. A manual for the committees was be ing prepared by<br />

senior retired police personnel, the VHP leader, Praveen Togadia, disclosed here today. "The idea is to<br />

fight terrorism on the Israeli pattern. We are planning to set up thousands of such committees by May as<br />

politicians in this country have neither the will power nor the in clination to fight terror," Dr.Togadia said addressing<br />

mediapersons at Bharat Mata Mandir. "The members of the committee will tip off the security<br />

agencies on the activities of 'jehadi' ele ments." The VHP leader alleged that the National Dem ocratic<br />

Alliance Government's desire to "appease the Muslims" was keeping the Centre from taking effective<br />

action against terrorists. "Election time is the season for Muslim appeasement in this country," he charged.<br />

The VHP would come out with an 11-point "Hindu agenda" for voters dur ing the elections, he said.<br />

"Instead of countering Pakistan-inspired terrorists, the Government is sending the cricket team to play in<br />

Pakistan. This is a blunder similar to the one made by the then Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, in 1962<br />

in the case of Indo-China relations," Dr.Togadia said. "We are sending cricketers when they (Pakistan) are<br />

sending ter rorists." "There has been attacks on the Red Fort, Par liament, Akshardham temple and various<br />

de fence installations. The international intelligence agencies are also talking about the chances of multiple<br />

terrorist attacks in the near future as well," said Dr.Togadia. (The Hindu 11.3.04)<br />

12th March<br />

RSS out in full strength to make yatra a hit (26)<br />

New Delhi: The Rashtriya Sevak Sangh leadership has directed its cadre to make Deputy Prime Min ister L<br />

K Advani's Bharat Uday Yatra a huge success. Instructions have gone down the line to pull out all stops to<br />

ensure the smooth sail ing of the yatra. This is a clear indication of the growing disconnect of the Vishwa


Hindu Parishad (VHP), on the one hand, and the BJP as well as other Parivar affiliates, on the other. This<br />

instruction from the RSS leadership comes close on the heels<br />

of VHP leader Pravin Togadia's sharp criticism of Advani for pub licly admitting that the Gujarat ri ots had<br />

been a blot on the NDA. Some senior VHP leaders like Acharya Giriraj Kishore had also come down<br />

heavily on Advani for diluting the Hindutva agenda this time around. But by throwing its weight behind the<br />

BJP, the RSS has made clear its priority to rein state the Vajpayee government. The move also reveals<br />

that the RSS' reservations about some of the formulations in the BJP's ' vision Document <strong>2004</strong> are not so<br />

se rious as to cause a family discord in the run-up to the LS polls. (Times of India 12.3.04)<br />

Crucial RSS meeting begins today (26)<br />

JAIPUR, MARCH 11. The crucial meeting of the Pratinidhi Sabha -- the top decision-making body of the<br />

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh will begin at Jamdoli near here tomorrow against the backdrop of the RSS<br />

emphasising the need to incorporate its stand on various issues in the Bharatiya Janata Party's manifesto<br />

for the coming Lok Sabha elections. The agenda for the three-day conclave and the resolutions to be<br />

presented in the meet were finalised at a meeting of the Akhil Bharati ya Karyakari Mandal of the RSS at<br />

the venue, Keshav Vidyapeeth, today. About 350 function aries of the levels of Pracharak, Sanghchalak<br />

and Karyawah discussed the issues to be raised in the conclave during four marathon sessions. The<br />

Kshetriya Prachar Pramukh of the RSS, K.L. Chaturvedi, said the day-long meeting re viewed the current<br />

state of the organisation and the scope of its expansion across the coun try. The participants discussed the<br />

status of 'shakhas' and the public contact drive as well as the draft of resolutions to be submitted for<br />

consideration of the Pratinidhi Sabha. Among others, the RSS Sarsanghchalak, K.S. Sudershan, and the<br />

Sarkaryawah, Mohanrao Bhag-wat, attended the executive committee meeting. However, Mr. Chaturvedi<br />

did not specify the subjects which would be taken up by .the 1,340 delegates from across the country<br />

during the conclave, being held in Rajasthan for the first time. (The Hindu 12.3.04)<br />

14 th March<br />

Hindutva not discarded: Advani (26)<br />

BANGALORE, MARCH 13. The Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, on Saturday said the Bharatiya<br />

Janata Party had not discarded "Hindutva" as "it is a way of life" for the party. Addressing a press<br />

conference here, he said the BJP had never said that it was not pushing the Hindutva line, but it was<br />

emphasising on "good governance, security and stability." Hindus, he said, constituted 82 per cent of the<br />

country's population. But the NDA Government was concerned about 100 per cent of the pop ulation. "But<br />

there are political parties which are concerned with only 18 per cent (of the popula tion) and these parties<br />

are under the presum ption that they can be appealed to in the name of religion/minorities. This approach<br />

is wrong," he said in reply to a question on whether the BJP had softened its Hindutva stand. He said<br />

Gandhiji used to identify himself as a Hindu. "But now, if you say so, it is considered heresy." (The Hindu<br />

14.3.04)<br />

16 th March<br />

Bajrang Dal sets itself as moral policing force (26)<br />

Bhopal, March 15: Heaping insults and poking fun at gods in the Hindu pantheon, howsoever<br />

light-hearted, is increasingly inviting swift retribution from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal<br />

under the BJP regime in Madhya Pradesh. Gentle blackening of the offender's visage is the form it usually<br />

takes. At least two separate cases in Gwalior have confirmed the colourful trend. In the first incident<br />

Which occurred on March 9th, the director of the <strong>Institute</strong> of Travel and Tourism, Mr Devendra Singhai (an<br />

IAS officer) had the pleasure of having his face painted with black polish by a bunch of obstreperous<br />

Bajrang Dal men for allowing a spoof to be staged on the Ramayana titled Kal Aaj aur Kal at the institute's<br />

annual function. The nobility of dramatis personae like Ram, Sita, and Dushrath was held up to ridicule<br />

with the help of remixed Bollywood numbers. Attempts by Mr Singhai to remind his chastisers that an<br />

apology had already been furnished for the hurt, if any, fell on deaf ears. Gwalior superintendent of police<br />

Adarsh Katiyar told this newspaper that six Bajrangis were put behind bars for 48 hours for barging into Mr<br />

Singhai's house, and taking the law into their own hands. He, however, confessed that staging such a play<br />

could have been avoided though no there was no valid ground to impute a mens rea into the act. (Asian<br />

Age 16.3.04)<br />

18th March


VHP fixes next Ayodhya date on March 21 (26)<br />

LUCKNOW, MARCH 17: WHILE the Ayodhya Jama Masjid trust— which claimed it would start<br />

construc tion of a mosque outside the disputed area in Ayodhya from March 21 —has postponed the<br />

exercise till elections, the VHP is gearing up for a ten-day mahayagna in the temple town from , the same<br />

date to pave the way for the Ram temple at the disputed site. Sadhus from different parts of the country<br />

will assemble at Ayodhya from March 21, the beginning of the Hindu calendar year, for the ma hayagna<br />

that will last till March 30. VHP chief Ashok Singhal is reaching s Ayodhya on March 19. "We are not<br />

worried about the is sue (of temple construction) because Ram lalla (the idol) is already being worshipped<br />

at the sanctum sancto rum of the makeshift temple at the disputed site. What remains to be done is<br />

providing a structure and that will be done within the next two years. Sadhus and leaders are assembling<br />

here for the mahayagna and we will chalk out our future course of action then," Mahant Nritya Gopal Das,<br />

chairman of the Ramjanmabhoomi Nyas, told The <strong>Indian</strong> Express over the phone from Ayodhya (<strong>Indian</strong><br />

Express 18.3.040)<br />

Supreme Court moved to stop ‘yatra’ (26)<br />

NEW DELHI, MARCH 17. The Supreme Court has been moved to re strain the Deputy Prime Minister,<br />

L.K. Advani, from proceeding with the "Bharat Uday Yatra" being taken by him from March 17 on the<br />

ground that his speeches might result in communal tension. The special leave petition (SLP), directed<br />

against a judgment of the Madras High Court dismissing a public interest litigation pet ition is likely to be<br />

mentioned before the court tomorrow, for early hearing. The High Court had on March 5 dismissed the<br />

petition filed by the Chennai-based lawyer, S. Veeraraghavan, following an assurance given by the State<br />

Advocate General, N.R. Chandran, that all precautionary steps would be taken to ensure that no untoward<br />

incidents took place during the yatra. Assailing the judgment, the petitioner in his SLP submitted that the<br />

High Court had failed to note that Mr. Advani in the guise of an election campaign could not be allowed to<br />

arouse communal pas sion, which would be the fallout of the yatra. Citing earlier in stances, the petitioner<br />

said the High Court had overlooked the fact that Mr. Advani's yatra had been a matter of controversy and<br />

had affected communal amity among various groups of citizens result ing in grave law and order situation.<br />

(The Hindu 18.3.04)<br />

22 nd March<br />

Bajrang Dal activists leave Advani rattled (26)<br />

Nagpur: A group of Bajrang Dal activists shouting slo gans in support of the Ram temple at Ayodhya<br />

disrupted Deputy Prime Minister L K T Advani's public meeting near RSS head office here on Friday<br />

night.The protest, the first to hit Advani's Bharat Uday Yatra, was a clear indication that the Ayodhya issue<br />

could well become a thorn in its side. "Ram Lalla ke waste, khali kardo raaste" and "Lathi, goli khayenge,<br />

mandir wahin banayenge" were some of the slogans raised by the activists. The sloganeering left Advani<br />

visibly disturbed for a few moments but he soon re gained his composure. "This is not a demand be ing<br />

raised by a few. The country's majority want a Ram temple in Ayodhya. We are hopeful the issue will be<br />

resolved peacefully through negotiated settlement after the elections," he said. "The issue will be resolv ed<br />

in a way that'll stun the whole world. But there is need for patience. Muslims have adopted a reconciliatory<br />

path. (Times of India 22.3.04)<br />

23 rd March<br />

VHP has own vision document (26)<br />

New Delhi, March 22: In a move to mount pressure on the BJP to adhere to Hindu agenda, the Vishwa<br />

Hindu Parishad on Monday released its own vision doc ument. VHP leader Giriraj Kishore also ridiculed<br />

Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's peace initiative with Pakistan by saying, "What Mahatma Gandhi<br />

could not achieve, if leaders in this government manage to achieve, it would be a miracle. Asked about the<br />

ongoing cricket series, Mr Kishore replied, "In that case, let's replace soldiers with play ers." Though he<br />

claimed that the VHP would not work for any political out fit, but would only support individuals who believe<br />

in the Hindu agenda, Mr Kishore admitted that the Sangh Parivar workers would never vote for Con gress<br />

chief Sonia Gandhi. (Asian Age 23.3.04)<br />

29th March<br />

Gogoi threatens ban on Togadia (26)


Guwahati, March 28: The Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi has threatened to ban the entry of the<br />

Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Pravin Togadia and asked his government to take stern legal action for his<br />

inflammatory speeches against the Muslim community in his public meetings in Assam. Disclosing this to<br />

The Asian Age the convenor of the PCC minority cell, Mr. Imran Shah said that a delegation of the<br />

minority leaders of the party had met the chief minister on Friday and expressed their concern over Mr.<br />

Togadia’s recent inflammatory speech in the city on February. The minority leaders strongly criticized the<br />

provocative speech of Mr. Togadia against the Muslim community of the state. In a statement it said, Mr.<br />

Togadia should not forget that India is a secular country and Assam is the land of Srimanta Shankardev<br />

and Azan Peer who were the sacred symbol of the secularism. (Asian Age 29.3.04)<br />

30 th March<br />

Flowers counter tridents in Godhra (26)<br />

Baroda, March 29: The trident distribution programme of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad in Godhra on Sunday<br />

saw thin attendance. Only 479 tridents were distributed on Sunday, while the CHP had earlier claimed that<br />

the group will distribute at least 1,000 tridents to its members. The Trishul Dakshina programme was<br />

attended by Hindu religious head from Jhandu , Purushottam Shastri and Ramsharan Das. Meanwhile,<br />

Aman Samuday, a voluntary organization distributed 3,000 flowers in different areas of the city. The<br />

flowers were distributed to counter the communal forces, said members of the organization. Congress<br />

candidate for the Lok Sabha polls from Godhra , Mr Rajendrasinh Patel initiated a five-day yatra on<br />

Sunday from Pavagadh to Phagvel in Kheda district covering a distance of 500 kms. (Asian Age 30.3.04)<br />

VHP man let out shop to Muslim drug ring (26)<br />

Mumbai, March 29: Vishwa Hindu Parishad activist Navin Chandra Dube, who was murdered at Powai,<br />

Mumbai, last week, had let out his premises to manufacture Mandrax. This is an offence under the<br />

Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. The VHP was very aggressive over Dube’s murder and<br />

VHP activists had stoned vehicles and shops at the Filterpada slums, Powai, leading to a mini-riot. Dube<br />

and H.P., Upadhyaya were allegedly murdered by six assailants over a property dispute on March 20.<br />

Dube had let out his premises to Ahmed Hussain Ayub Shaikh, Shaikh idris Sahebjaan and Abdul<br />

Mohammad Nayeem Khan, who were arrested in July 2001 by the Narcotics Control Bureau. Not only did<br />

Dube own the premises but the electric meter that recorded the supply of electricity to the tabletting<br />

machine located on the premises was found to be in his name. (Asian Age 30.3.04)<br />

31 st March<br />

Hindutva is pure form of secularism, says Advani (26)<br />

Porbandar (Gujarat) March 30: The Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani said today that a Ram temple<br />

would be constructed at Ayodhya if the Bharatiya Janta Party was voted back to power. Mr. Advani said<br />

the dreams of millions of Hindus for a Ram temple would be fulfilled after the Lok Sabha elections and the<br />

BJP-led NDA government would usher in Ram Rajya in the country. However, goo governance progress<br />

and competent leadership would form the core of the party’s campaign. Launching the second leg of his<br />

Bharat Uday Yatra from Porbandar to Puri he spoke at length about Hindu Muslim relations, comparing<br />

the BJO’s Hindutva with Mahatma Gandhi’s Ram . (Hindu 31.3.04)<br />

1st April<br />

Hindutva a way of life: Venkaiah Naidu (26)<br />

HYDERABAD, MARCH 31. The Bharatiya Janata Party president, M. Venkaiah Naidu, has denied that his<br />

party was trying to push the Hindutva agenda through the "back door" and asserted that the party's<br />

campaign for the coming elections would focus on eco nomic issues and developing India into a super<br />

power by 2020. Replying to a question at a press confer ence here on Wednesday, he said the BJP<br />

believed in adopting a straight forward ap proach in whatever it did. Hindutva was not an "election issue"<br />

but away of life. Regard ing a uniform civil code, he said that it was not on the "BJP's agenda" but in the<br />

Consti tution. Unless there was consensus, it could not be implemented. On the Ayodhya issue, he said<br />

nobody in the country was opposed to the construc tion of the Ram temple. The dispute was with regard to<br />

the place and it could be resolved through talks, currently on. Referring to Article 370 of the Constitu tion<br />

which conferred special status on Jam-mu and Kashmir, Mr. Naidu said the BJP was for ending terrorism<br />

and removal of disparities. The response to the 'Vision Document' unveiled by the party was very positive.


"The people are happy. The main purpose of the Vision Document is to make India a great power —<br />

Mahashakthi Bharat ~ by 2020." (The Hindu 1.4.004)<br />

Court upholds ban on Togadia (26)<br />

New Delhi, March 31: On the eve of the Lok Sabha polls, the Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that<br />

no person, even the most popu lar leader, should be allowed to give speeches to destroy the country's<br />

secular fabric and upheld a Karnataka gov ernment ban on VHP leader Praveen Bhai Togadia from visiting<br />

certain areas in the state last year. "No person, however big he may assume or claim to be, should be<br />

allowed irre spective of the position he may assume or claim to hold in public life to either act in a manner<br />

or make speeches which would destroy secu larism recognised by the Constitution of India," a bench<br />

comprising Justice Doraiswamy Raju and Jus tice Arijit Pasayat said. Allowing an appeal of the state<br />

government, the court said it was the subjective appreciation of the district administration to impose<br />

ban orders if they fear that law and order position would deteriorate. In the light of this ruling, the<br />

bench said that the order of the additional district magistrate banning entry of Mr Togadia into Dakshin<br />

Kannada dis trict in February 2003 was meant to prevent him from participating in the "Bruhat Hindu<br />

Samajotsav" was per fectly legal. (Asian Age 1.4.04)<br />

2 nd April<br />

No ‘feel good factor’ for Hindus: Togadia (26)<br />

AYODHYA, APRIL 1. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad general secre tary, Praveen Bhai Togadia, to day<br />

criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party and said that only those who trusted the Prime Minister, Atal Bihari<br />

Vajpayee, should support him in the coming elections. Talking to newspersons here, Mr. Togadia<br />

said: "As for me, 1 have faith only in 'Ram Lalla' and the Hindu masses and no one else." On the BJP's<br />

'feel good' fac tor, he said until the Ram tem ple was constructed at Ayodhya, there was nothing as<br />

'feel good' for Hindus. The BJP and the Congress had a similar mindset on the temple issue. The BJP in<br />

its 'Vision Docu ment' had said that the issue could be resolved through mu tual dialogue, he said. "It<br />

seems the BJP has forgot ten its proposal made at the Palampur convention, where it had talked of a<br />

constitutional provision for building a tem ple." Mr. Togadia said Mr. Vaj payee and Mr. Advani should clarify<br />

as to how courts would find a solution to the temple issue. If talks were on, the lead ers should reveal as<br />

to who were involved in the dialogue. (The Hindu 2.4.04)<br />

Gogoi bans Togadia entry (26)<br />

Guwahati, April 1: Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi said here on Thursday that his government had<br />

banned the entry of VHP leader Praveen Toga dia into Assam. Mr Gogoi said that it Mr Toeadia wanted to<br />

visit Assam during the election campaign he would have to give an undertaking that he would abide by the<br />

law and not give provocative speeches. The ban would be in force till the Lok Sabha election was<br />

over.Speaking at a press conference at the state Congress headquarters, the chief minister said the VHP<br />

leader was trying to disturb com munal harmony in Assam by making inflam matory speeches at his<br />

meetings. He said I have already directed the home department to start criminal proceedings against Mr<br />

Togadia for his attempt to create communal tension in the state. Mr Togadia in his recent visit had made<br />

certain inflammatory remarks against the Muslim and Christian communities in the state." He admitted<br />

that Supreme Court verdict in this regard has also strengthened their posi tion The court on Wednesday<br />

had set aside a Karnataka high court order lifting the ban imposed on the entry of Mr Togadia into<br />

Mangalore in February 2003 to attend a Hindu sammelan. (Asian Age 2.4.04)<br />

3 rd April<br />

Togadia criticizes vision document (26)<br />

LUCKNOW, APRIL 2. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad general secretary, Pravin Togadia, today criti cised the<br />

vision document of the Bharatiya Janata Parry, saying that the party had gone back on its earlier stand on<br />

issues concerning Hindu interests. Talking to newspersons here, Mr. Togadia said the document<br />

promised to solve the Ram temple issue at Ayodhya through talks or court verdict. This was a clear<br />

change from the BJP stand before 1998 when the party favoured a solution through constitutional means.<br />

The BJP leaders then said that hurdles in the way of construction of the temple should be removed. Under<br />

the changed circumstances there was no difference between the stand of the Congress and the Bharatiya<br />

Jana ta Party on the issue.


He said the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, had "rightly stated that the present BJP was only the<br />

Congress of earlier days." The BJP stand to resolve the issues of the temple and common civil code with<br />

the consensus of the Muslims only meant that the party had decided not to do any thing for the next five<br />

years. (Hindu 3.4.04)<br />

5 th April<br />

Togadia slams feelgood in J-K (26)<br />

JAMMU, APRIL 4: A DAY before the second Test be tween India and Pakistan in La hore, VHP general<br />

secretary Pravin Togadia said the peo ple will feel good only if the Government sends the In dian Army to<br />

Lahore instead of cricketers. He shot off another an nouncement as well: The VHP will fight cases in the .<br />

high court and Supreme Court of those police and Army per sonnel who are "victimised" by authorities in<br />

the name of hu man rights violation in J-K. "How can the country feel good when killings of security force<br />

personnel by terrorists continue in J-K, our sisters continue to become widows and Kashmiri Pandits continue<br />

to live as refugees in their own country," Tbgadia said. Defending the security personnel working<br />

in the strife-torn state, Togadia, who was in Jammu on Sunday, said: "When a judge orders death<br />

sentence for a criminal, he is never questioned. So when a security force person fights against terrorism,<br />

he de serves a pat, not victimisation." He said, "Agar security kamevale nahin hole, to aaj CM hhi zinda<br />

nahin hote. Unkiputri (Mehbooba) par bhi hamle Intye hem (Had there been no security force personnel,<br />

even the CM would not have been alive. His daughter has been targeted so many times)." (<strong>Indian</strong> Express<br />

5.4.004)<br />

8 th April<br />

Togadia barred from entering Thiruvananthapuram (26)<br />

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, APRIL 7. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) international gen eral secretary,<br />

Praveen Togadia, has been barred from entering Thiruvananthapu ram by the District Collector, K.R.<br />

Muraleedharan, on the basis of a police report that his "speeches and actions are likely to incite<br />

communal hatred and breach of peace." The VHP leader was scheduled to at tend a 'Declaration of Hindu<br />

Rights' meeting at the Vetti Murichakotta maidan at East Fort on April 10.<br />

The Collector, who issued the order in his capacity as District Magistrate under Section 144 of the<br />

Criminal Procedure Code, barred Mr. Togadia from entering the district from April 9 to May 10.<br />

According to sources in the Govern ment, the ban has been ordered consid ering the 'emergency' of the<br />

situation and also the difficulty in serving a notice di rectly to Mr. Togadia. A copy of the Collector's order<br />

has been given to the City Police Commissioner and the Superintendent of Police (Rural). (Hindu 8.4.04)<br />

11th April<br />

Togadia reaches out to audience (26)<br />

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. APRIL 10. In a seem ingly hi-tech logistical operation, a speech by the<br />

controversial international general secretary of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Praveen Togadia,<br />

whose entry into this city was banned by the State Govern ment, was relayed to an audience here, and the<br />

organisers claimed that the voice came over a cellular phone line, real-time, from New Delhi. The police,<br />

however, disputed the organisers' claim about the manner in which Mr. Togadia's speech was relayed and<br />

implied that it was a taped version. Mr. To gadia was addressing the 'Hindu Rights Declaration Meeting'<br />

organised by the Hindu Aikya Vedi at the Putharikkandam grounds here. However, when The Hindu<br />

contacted Mr. Togadia, he said, he had spoken live over the telephone from Thiruvananthapuram. He<br />

returned call at 9-54 p.m. "I spoke over the telephone from Thiruvananthapuram itself. 1 came there by<br />

my own means. 1 came, not to violate the law but to give the message of fighting against the global terrorism.<br />

I spoke and heard the crowd re spond. I came under disguise but I will not say how 1 came. Now I<br />

am about 100 km away from the city and about to leave Ker ala," he said. (Hindu 11.4.04)<br />

13 th April<br />

Ram temple: legislation the only way, says VHP (26)<br />

NEW DELHI, APRIL 12. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad has welcomed the inclusion of the Ram temple issue<br />

in the agenda of the Na tional Democratic Alliance, but said that the dispute can be re solved only through<br />

legislation, an option that is missing in both the BJP's "Vision" document and the NDA agenda. The VHP<br />

leader, Surendra Jain, and former president of the Bajrang Dal, told a press conference here today that


"we do not believe that the Ayodhya issue can be resolved through negotiations as past experience had<br />

shown that negotiations were doomed to fail." "Negotiations mean give and take, but on the Ayodhya issue<br />

we are not ready to make any compromise or cut a deal. We do not believe that there can be a resolution<br />

to the Ayodhya problem through negotiations." He said there was no ques tion of giving up the claim on<br />

Mathura (Idgah) or Kashi (Gyanvapi mosque). He said all attempts at negotiations had failed, and as for a<br />

court verdict, no one was sure how many years that would take. Recently, the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K.<br />

Advani, had stated during the Bharat Uday Yatra that negotiations were go ing on and he was confident of<br />

a resolution of the problem "within months" of a new gov ernment being established. (Hindu 13.4.04)<br />

15 th April<br />

No apologies on Hindutva (26)<br />

BHUBANESWAR, APRIL 14: AFTER the 8,500-km blitz, Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani's Bharat<br />

Uday Yatra ended in the holy city of Puri today. Dur ing his day-long travel in several towns and cities of<br />

Orissa, Ad-vani said the yatra has suc ceeded in projecting develop ment, good governance and leadership<br />

as the main issues in the current elections.<br />

"It has set high standardsby which the governments will be assessed in the future. The governments<br />

wouldbe under pres sure to perform as the urge for development and good gover nance would<br />

come from the people themselves," he said. Refusing to be apologetic over Hindutva, Advani said<br />

ideologies are also intended to promote the welfare of the people. "In a parliamentary democracy, political<br />

parties function for attaining results through government and by achieving power they want to promote the<br />

welfare of the people," he said at Talcher. Iindian Express 15.4.04)<br />

14 th April<br />

200 VHP workers to be sent for campaigning (26)<br />

Ahmedabad, April 13: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad has decided to send its workers to villages and cities<br />

and spread awareness about Hindutva agenda. The move is in a bid to help candidates for Lok Sabha<br />

elections, who are supporting VHP's line of thinking. The deci sion was taken in a meeting held on Sunday.<br />

VHP made it clear that they will sup port those candidates who are supporting the Hindut va agenda like<br />

construction of Ram temple, total ban on religious conversions, uniform civil code and declar ing India as<br />

a Hindu Rashtra. It was learnt that 200 VHP workers would be sent to each constituency where it finds<br />

that the candidates are as per their specifications. VHP joint general secretary Jaideep Patel said basically<br />

their workers would spread the message of Hindutva. "The message spread by our workers will only be<br />

beneficial to those candi dates who support the Hin dutva way of thinking," Mr Patel added. (Asian Age<br />

14.4.004)<br />

When VHP turned down car for Togadia (26)<br />

JAIPUR, APRIL 13.The Vishwa Hindu Parishad in Rajasthan had refused to accept the facility of a bullet<br />

proof car offered to it last month by the Bharatiya Janata Par ty Government in the State for use during the<br />

visit of its general secretary Pravin Togadia to the Capital. The VHP had turned down the offer after<br />

finding that the car's driver was a Muslim. "Ours is a Hindu organization. Even after knowing this fact a car<br />

with a Mus lim driver has been sent for the use of the international general secretary of the VHP, Dr. Pravin<br />

Bhai Togadia, in the City. This is a serious matter for us," Narpat Singh Shekhawat, the working president<br />

of the VHP for the State said in a letter addressed to the Secretary of the Rajas than State Motor Garage.<br />

"If there is no arrangement for another driver, we are not willing to accept your services," the letter further<br />

said. The let ter was written on March 11 and it is not known what exactly transpired between the<br />

Government and the VHP thereafter. On learning about the development, the Rajasthan State Secretariat<br />

of the Communist Party of India today sent a fax message to the Election Commission seeking action<br />

against the State Govern ment for misuse of the Government facil ities and for violation of the model code<br />

of conduct for elections. "Allocating a bullet proof vehicle for use of the VHP leader Pravin Togadia is a<br />

blatant misuse of government machinery and violation of election code of conduct. The VHP is also<br />

making demands like re placing a driver of a vehicle just because he happened to be a Muslim," Dushyant<br />

Ojha, the spokesperson of the party said here in a statement. (The Hindu 14.4.04)<br />

16th April<br />

Shiv Sainiks attack scholar’s house (26)<br />

MUMBAl, APRIL 15. The house of the Chairman of the Maharashtra Rajya Sahitya and Sanskruti Mandal,


R.R. Borade, was attacked allegedly by Shiv Sena men in Aurangabad today, following the Sena<br />

supremo, Bal Thackeray's allegation at a public meeting in Parbhani last evening that the Mandal had<br />

published a book hav ing a highly objectionable reference to Chhatrapati Shivaji. Prof. Borade was away<br />

when the attackers broke the windowpanes and damaged a car there. Sources in Mumbai said Prof.<br />

Borade had been provided with police protection. The BJP leader, Gopinath Munde, said in a statement<br />

that his party would hold demonstrations all over the State to protest against the book. His colleague, Nitin<br />

Gadkari, threatened to file criminal cases against the Chief Minister, Chief Secretary and Prof. Borade.<br />

Wav ing the book at the meeting, Mr. Thackeray had said that in Ma-rathyanchi Prashasan Vyavastha,<br />

written by Surendranath Sen and translated by Vijaya Kulkarni, the reference was so offensive that he<br />

could not read it. But the most objectionable part was that the book was published by the Mandal, an<br />

autonomous literature and cultural body of the State Government. The State Home Min ister, R.R. Patil,<br />

tried to save the situation by saying that the Man dal had approved the book's publication in 1998 when the<br />

Sena-BJP was in power. (The Hindu 16.4.04)<br />

26 TH April<br />

VHP got 155 NDA MPs to sign memo for law on temple (26)<br />

NEW DELHI, APRIL 25: THE NDA may have com mitted itself to a judicial verdict or a negotiated<br />

settlement of the Ayodhya issue, but the fact is that 155 of its members in the dissolved Lok Sabha had<br />

signed a VHP memorandum favouring the enactment of a law to build the temple.<br />

The VHP, which had planned to present the memo randum to the President, dropped the decision following<br />

the LS dissolution. VHP vice-president Acharya Giriraj Kishore told The <strong>Indian</strong> Express that of the 155<br />

signatories, 141 belonged to the BJP, seven to the Biju Janata Dal and five to the Shiv Sena. Kishore, who<br />

is cur rently at Ujjain in connection with the Simhasta Kumbh, said two other parties ac counted for one<br />

signatory each. He, however, did not identify them. But sources dis closed they belonged to smaller<br />

parties. Kishore refused to name the ministers who had signed the memorandum. He said, "Joshji' (HRD<br />

Minister Murli Manohar Joshi) did sign the memorandum, but I will not name the rest." The list is be lieved<br />

to contain signatures of Swami Chinmayanand. Once a leading light of the Ayodhya movement, Swami<br />

Chin mayanand is a former mem ber of the VHP Margdarshak Mandal. (<strong>Indian</strong> Express 26.4.04)<br />

1 st May<br />

Shankaracharya: Ban RSS, VHP (26)<br />

LUCKNOW: Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Adhokshanand of Puri said that the Ram temple issue<br />

could not be re solved so long as the VHP and RSS were associated with the movement and demanded a<br />

ban on them for allegedly betraying the country in the name of Lord Ram and their al leged connivance in<br />

the Gujarat riots. The RSS and VHP had allegedly brought bad name to Hinduism, which is known as a<br />

liberal reli gion, the Shankaracharya said at a Press conference here. (Pioneer 1.5.04)<br />

6th May<br />

VHP goes soft on temple law (26)<br />

NEW DELHI, MAY 5: SHEDDING its hostility, the VHP on Wednesday prayed for the return of the NDA to<br />

power, arguing that the BJP-led alliance has "accepted" the Hindu agenda by "supporting" its stand on<br />

Ayodhya. This was because the BJP, rather the entire NDA, has agreed to "our stand on Ay odhya and<br />

cow protection" and thereby "accepted the Hindu agenda", VHP vice-president Acharya Giriraj said. "We<br />

pray for the NDAs return so that it can redeem its pledge to con struct the temple," he added. The VHP<br />

leader said Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani has given "an assur ance" on the construction of the temple,<br />

but added that the VHP is waiting for some "real action" now. He gave the NDA two years to "honour its<br />

word". The VHP, which has been at loggerheads with the BJP over the Ram temple issue for over two<br />

years now, is offering the olive branch to end its pre sent state of isolation. The Parishad knows that once<br />

back in power, the BJP, now armed with the NDA sanction, would resume its efforts to find a ne gotiated<br />

settlement to the issue. Since the RSS has already thrown its weight behind the BJP, the VHP would be in<br />

no position to prevent it. (<strong>Indian</strong> Express 6.5.04)<br />

Supreme Court rejects plea for ban on cow slaughter (26)<br />

NEW DELHI, MAY 5. The Supreme Court today dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) petition for a<br />

direction to the Union Government to bring a legislation banning cow slaughter across the country


on the ground that it was hurting the religious sentiments of the ma jority community. A three-judge Bench<br />

com prising the Chief Justice S. Rajendra Babu, Justice G.P. Mathur and Justice S.H. Kapadia dismissed<br />

the PIL filed by one Satya Prakash and another seeking enforcement of their fundamental right to religion.<br />

Counsel for the petitioner, Rameshwar Prasad, said several States had already enacted laws banning cow<br />

slaughter since the majority community regarded cow as a symbol of the mother. (The Hindu 6.5.04)<br />

14 th May<br />

RSS blames it on dilution of Hindutva (26)<br />

NEW DELHI, MAY 13. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and its af filiate, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad,<br />

have blamed the defeat of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance Government on<br />

the "dilution of the Hindutva ideology" by die BJP. While the RSS held that this was "one of the factors"<br />

that led to the fall of the BJP, the VHP secretary-general, Pravin Toga-dia, blamed the party's defeat<br />

entirely on "betrayal" of Hindutva by the top BJP leaders. "The Bharatiya Janata Party betrayed the<br />

Hindus. The BJP left its core ideology of Hindut va and trust on the basis of which they were voted to<br />

power. For votes they tied up with the jehadis."<br />

Clearly indicating that he was unhappy with the start of the peace process with Pakistan, he added that<br />

"Vajpayee [the Prime Minister] and Advani [Deputy Prime Minister] used Pakistan and [Pakistan Presi dent]<br />

Musharraf to get Muslim votes." Finally, without mincing words he said: "The Prime Min ister and the<br />

Deputy Prime Minister betrayed them [the Hindus]. Hindus punished them." The RSS spokesperson, Ram<br />

Madhav, told The Hindu that a detailed analysis of the election results would be undertaken and discussed<br />

at a meeting of the RSS office-bearers some time later. (The Hindu 14.5.04)<br />

16 th May<br />

RSS Kisan Sangh stung Modi (26)<br />

New Delhi, May 15: Gujarat chief minister, Narendra Modi, the "Hin-dutva face" of the Sangh Parivar,<br />

failed to sweep his state, as the RSS farmers' unit, "Bharat Kisan Sangh" came out against him, fol lowing<br />

the move to hike the power tariff. It was "Kisan Sangh," which had once backed Mr Modi to the hilt, when<br />

he took over as the state chief minister. Oppo sition to Mrt Modi also came from the powerful Patel lobby,<br />

following his differences with Keshubhai Patel in the state. That the Sangh was not in favour of BJP brand<br />

of reforms also became evideht, when the RSS mouthpiece. Organiser hit out at the party for its<br />

disinvestment moves. It also stated that the slogans, "India Shining" and "feel good" gave the BJP a<br />

"pro-rich image." On the Gujarat front, sources disclosed that Mr Modi, who was the "ulti mate leader" of<br />

the Sangh Parivar, turned into a "vil lain," immediately after he announced his reform mea sures. The BKS,<br />

which was backed by Keshubhai Patel, whom Mr Modi replaced as the chief minister, came out against<br />

the state govern ment, immediately after the decision to hike the power tariff. Mr Modi, who had been ruling<br />

the state with an "iron hand" had earlier evicted the BKS from its temporary headquarters, in a bid to crush<br />

its agitation. As elections approached the Kisan Sangh intensified its movement and it took the<br />

intervention of the top RSS brass to force the outfit to abandon its agitation. "But by then the damage had<br />

already been done," a senior RSS functionary dis closed. (Asian Age 16.5.04)<br />

17th May<br />

Rattled BJP looks to hardline Hindutva (26)<br />

New Delhi: The Sangh Parivar on Sunday stepped up its campaign on the foreign origin issue amid indications<br />

that the NDA's defeat has left the BJP devastated and in disarray. Even as K N Govindacharya<br />

followed through on Sushma Swaraj's opposi tion to Sonia Gandhi's candidature for PM, sense was fast<br />

developing in the party that it could no longer merely rely on its top duo — Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L K<br />

Advani. The knives are also out for the cur rent party functionaries, including president M Venkaiah Naidu.<br />

Within RSS, there is a question mark on the continuance of Madan Das Devi as the person liaising with<br />

BJP as it is felt he did not press the RSS line strongly enough. Indeed, it looks as though there will be a return<br />

to hardline Hindutva. RSS and VHP have already — the second more strongly — said BJP fared<br />

poorly in these elections because it softpedalled its Hindutva worldview. (Times of India 17.5.04)<br />

18 th May<br />

It's original: VHP's 'Gandhis' to fight 'national shame' (26)<br />

CHANDIGARH. MAY 17: A DAY after Latoo Yadav invoked the Ramayana to de fend Sonia Gandhi


against Sushma Swaraj and former BJP ideologue Govindacharya single-handedly launched a Rashtriya<br />

Swabhiman Andolan on the foreign-origin issue, the VHP too joined in today. The VHP plans to recruit<br />

Mahatma Gandhi look-alikes in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh and use them as mouthpieces for<br />

Sonia-bashing. On the day Sonia takes oath as PM , the look slikrd eill br in every major city of the two<br />

states and the UT, cursing the Congress on its decision to anoint Sonia as PM. VHP Punjab<br />

spokesperson Vijay Singh Bhardwaj said it was a matter of "national shame and disgust" and an nounced<br />

that the VHP has de cided to participate in the Rashtriya Swabhiman Andolan. Accordingly, the state and<br />

UT units of the VHP would launch a public awareness programme. (<strong>Indian</strong> Express 1.5.04)<br />

Sangh farmers’ body says Modi must go (26)<br />

Gandhinagar: The Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS), the Sangh Parivar's farmers' wing, has asked BJP leadership<br />

to sack CM Narendra Modi. In a statement issued here at the end of the BKS' Gujarat state<br />

committee meeting held to review LS elections, general secretary Maganbhai Patel said: "Modi's ego has<br />

been the main reason for BJP's poor showing." Among the reasons giv en for BJP's defeat are: "Modi's<br />

repugnant utter ances, anonymous advertisements, show off dur ing festivals, flaunting of public money to<br />

gather crowds, anti-rural mind set and false promises."<br />

Pointing out that all this has boomeranged, Patel, who is considered close to former chief minister<br />

Keshubhai Pa tel, said: "Modi has even lost the right to resign on moral grounds. He should be just<br />

dumped. This is the collective de mand of BKS. And this should be done under standing people's feelings,<br />

and particularly that of Gujarat farmers." (Times of India 18.5.04)<br />

Karnataka seer calls RSS, VHP in Sonia protest (26)<br />

Bangalore, May 17: The Adamar Mutt seer Sri Vibhudhesha Tirtha Swamiji, who has decided to launch<br />

a second Quit India move ment should Congress presi dent Sonia Gandhi become Prime Minister, is<br />

actively seeking the support of the Sangh parivar, freedom fighters and noted Gandhi-ans for "his<br />

struggle." The swamiji told The Asian Age that he has writ ten to the leaders of the Rashtriya<br />

Swayamsevak Sangh, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad as well as some of the noted-Gandhians and freedom<br />

fighters to help him launch a nation-wide move ment against Mrs Sonia Gandhi. "I am in touch with<br />

Madhya Pradesh chief minister Uma Bharati, BJP leader Sushma Swaraj, former BJP ideologue K.N.<br />

Govindacharya and VHP leader Ashok Singhal to chalk out a series of programmes to mobilise<br />

public opinion against persons of foreign origin occupying high offices such as the Prime Minister's<br />

post ," he dis closed. (Asian Age 18.5.04)<br />

22 nd May<br />

Sangh Parivar’s campaign loses steam (26)<br />

NEW DELHI, MAY 19. Though leaders of the Sangh Parivar, including the aggressive anti-Sonia Gandhi<br />

campaigners such as K.N. Govindacharya and Sushma Swaraj, have said that they are happy with the<br />

Congress President's decision to back out of the prime ministership, the debate within the Sangh Parivar<br />

on the devel opments is, surprisingly, not upbeat. Several Sangh Parivar activists are downcast at the turn<br />

of events. Many of them admitted to this correspondent that Ms. Gandhi had, in one stroke, divested them<br />

of a major campaign issue that could have benefited the Hindutva combine for a long time. "The campaign<br />

would have created such great impact politi cally and socially that the Congress and its allies would have<br />

been on the defensive for months," said a prominent RSS activist of Lucknow, considered close to several<br />

BJP leaders, including the Uttar Pradesh unit president, Vinay Katiyar. Interestingly, the internal briefing to<br />

the Sangh Parivar activists in different parts of north India on the anti-Sonia Rashtriya Swaabhiman<br />

Aandolan (national self-respect movement) launched by Mr. Go-vindacharya, according to information<br />

available with this corre spondent, has many contradictory shades. (The Hindu 22.5.04)<br />

26 th May<br />

Agnihotri quits as Ambassador-at-Large (26)<br />

NEW DELHI, MAY 25. Bhishma Agnihotri, the New York-based Ambassador-at-Large for non resident<br />

<strong>Indian</strong>s (NRIs) and Per sons of <strong>Indian</strong> Origin (PIOs), has resigned from his post — a job specially created<br />

for him by the Vajpayee Government. A source in the Ministry of Ex ternal Affairs said today that Mr.<br />

Agnihotri, a green-card holder and one-time office-bearer of the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, an overseas<br />

affiliate of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, had sent in his resignation to the Foreign Secretary's office<br />

on May 23. Mr. Agnihotri, whose appointment in August 2001 led to considerable friction with the <strong>Indian</strong>


Ambassador to the Unit ed States as well as India's Per manent Representative in New York, had a<br />

controversial ten ure. There were problems in his accreditation as well since it was pointed out that there<br />

could not be "two" ambassadors in one country. Finally, he was given diplomatic accreditation by the<br />

United Nations route — in the rank of Special Adviser to the U.N. through India's Permanent Mission in<br />

New York. In a January 2003 interview, Mr. Agnihotri was quoted as saying: "I am proud of my RSS<br />

background. Every person has a background. Some are dacoits, some are thieves. My wife, Krishna<br />

Maudgil, has a Con gress background." Mr. Agnihotri's website (indianambatlarge.com) is full of<br />

self-propaganda. "In August 2001, Prime Minister of India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, selected the most<br />

deserving and quali fied person to be the first-ever Ambassador-at-Large for NRIs/ PIOs (global)," is a<br />

sample of his attempt to promote himself. (The Hindu 26.5.04)<br />

29 th May<br />

May<br />

Hindutva vs Moditva (26)<br />

New Delhi, May 28: A FORTNIGHT after the results of the general elections were announced, former<br />

Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani said on Friday that the BJP would never com promise on Hindutva. He<br />

dismissed the argument, made both within the party and the Sangh Parivar, that the re cent electoral<br />

debacle was caused because the BJP had drifted from its ideological moorings. He said it was, in fact, the<br />

BJP's twin slogans — "Feel Good" and "India Shining" — that had cost the party dear ly Addressing a<br />

press conference at the BJP headquarters, Advani said though these slo gans were valid in themselves,<br />

the party "gave an opportunity to (its) political opponents to highlight other aspects of In dia's reality —<br />

poverty and un even development, unemploy ment among the youth and problems faced by farmers".<br />

Advani said the BJP was not responsible for these, but the Congress and the Left had "suc ceeded in<br />

creating a wedge be tween our party and a section of the population. It also took the focus away from the<br />

vision we had placed before the country — that of making India a developed nation by 2020". And that,<br />

Advani, explained, was because of a failure of communication: "We failed to effectively communi cate to<br />

the poor and the deprived that five years was too short a time to fulfil their legitimate needs." This created<br />

an anti-incumbency sentiment against ministers and MPs, though there had been no such feel ing against<br />

the NDA government, Advani said. There was a similar sentiment against state governments run by the<br />

NDA or parties supporting it, he added. Advani admitted that the BJP failed to read this mood. (Hindustan<br />

Times 29.5.04)<br />

30 th May<br />

Saffron brigade misleads public on Sonia stance (26)<br />

New Delhi, May 29: A SMEAR campaign to un dermine Congress presi dent Sonia Gandhi's deci sion not to<br />

accept the Prime Minister's post has been launched by the Sangh Parivar. A two-page xerox copy of a<br />

pamphlet titled "The Whole Truth" is being cir culated in some areas, in cluding Defence Colony, to create<br />

an erroneous im pression that President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam had de clined to swear in Sonia in view of the<br />

legal position in respect of her citizenship status. The fact that the Presi dent's office had denied re ports on<br />

these lines in two newspapers on May 19 has not been mentioned in the pamphlet, whose aim ap pears to<br />

be to confuse the people and thereby show that it was not out of her own choice that Sonia had not<br />

decided to become the PM. The pamphlet has also brought into unnecessary controversy the office of the<br />

President, which had no role to play in influencing Sonia's decision. The pamphlet seeks to trivalise the<br />

great sacrifice by a political leader, who has demonstrated that she was not seeking power by raising<br />

points contained in some petition to the Presi dent. The questionable nature of the pamphlet is evident<br />

since there is no Printline nor any name of the sender. The essence of the pam phlet is also being sent<br />

worldwide through e-mails by some individuals or groups sympathetic to the thinking and ideology of the<br />

Sangh Parivar. (Hindustan Times 30.5.04)<br />

31st May<br />

VHP likely to take hard line on Ayodhya (26)<br />

New Delhi, May 30: The Ayodhya issue may well bounce back on to centre stage in view of the change of<br />

guard at the Centre. The Sangh Parivar may toughen its stand on Ayodhya,. 'even as The<br />

Congress-led-United Progressive Alliance govern ment is keen on finding a solu tion to the tangle through<br />

the legal-judicial process. The VHP has decided to work out a fresh strategy to pursue its Ram temple<br />

movement. A senior VHP functionary said: "We want construction of the Ram temple at the place of Lord


Ram's birth in Ayodhya." The VHP has convened a working committee meeting next month in this regard,<br />

in which nearly 150 office-bearers from all over the country will assemble at a yet-to-be-decided venue<br />

and will focus on "sharpening" and "intensifying" the movement, mainly for enactment of a law for temple<br />

construction. The ongoing negotiations had been focusing on some sort of out-of-court settlement<br />

between the principal plaintiffs in the Ayodhya case. The focus of the talks was on usage of the<br />

-Centrally-acquired land at Ayodhya. According to a formula that was being worked out, the Muslim clergy<br />

was also being involved, in a bid to convince them to shift the mosque on to the banks of the Saryu river<br />

while starting the construction of the Ram temple from the undisputed part of the Centrally-acquired land.<br />

(Asian Age 31.5.04)<br />

3 rd June<br />

Kalyan, BJP & VHP involved (26)<br />

New Delhi, June 2: The Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday, alleged before the Liberhan<br />

Commission that the then UP chief minister, Mr Kalyan Singh, and top leaders of the VHP and BJP were<br />

party to the conspiracy that led to the demolition of the Babri Masjid at Ayodhya in 1992, while the then<br />

Prime Minister, Mr P.V. Narasimha Rao, was "indirect ly" involved in it. Referring to the affidavit filed by UP<br />

chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav on May 8, 1995, before the Liberhan Commission, the state<br />

government headed by him now said in a written submission, "The then chief minister Kalyan Singh and<br />

top leaders of VHP and BJP were party to the conspira cy." "The then Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao<br />

was also indirectly involved in the conspiracy," the submission filed before the Liberhan Commission,<br />

probing the demolition of the Babri Masjid at Ayodhya on December 6, 1992, stated. While appearing as a<br />

witness before the Liberhan Commis sion nine years ago, Mr Yadav had alleged that "The BJP and the<br />

VHP demolished the disputed structure (Babri Masjid) on December 6, 1992 under a well-thought<br />

conspiracy." To sup port the theory, the government relied on 13-point arguments claiming it would lay<br />

credence to the above argument. (Asian Age 3.6.04)<br />

8 th June<br />

Rajasthan Govt under pressure to lift ban on trishuls (26)<br />

Jaipur: THE BJP Government in Rajasthan is under pres sure from the Sangh Parivar to lift the ban on<br />

conducting "Trishul Dikshas' in the State and to withdraw the cases against Vishwa Hindu Parishad<br />

International General-Secretary Dr Pravin Togadia. Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje's giving the Home<br />

portfolio to hard core RSS man Gulabchand Katria after the May 31 ex pansion of the Council of Ministers<br />

has made the Sangh Parivar constituents hopeful of things moving on these two issue. The RSS and its<br />

frontal organisations want the ban lifted before June 20, when the Bajrang Dal is organis ing a big Trishul<br />

Diksha function, to be attended by Dr Togadia and senior VHP leaders. Last April, the Congress<br />

Government in the State had banned the Bajrang Dal's Trishul Diksha and carrying of tr ishuls. Dr Togadia<br />

was ar rested at Ajmer where he had gone to attend a Diksha function. Cases against him in this<br />

connection are still going on at Ajmer court. The notification, banning the trishul, had described the object<br />

as a "double-edged sharp weapon" which could cause serious injury and had brought it under the Arms<br />

Act. Soon after the BJP Government came into power after last December's Assembly polls, the RSS and<br />

its frontal organisation started putting pressure on the Government to lift the ban on trishul and also to<br />

withdraw the cases against Dr Togadia. But with Lok Sabha elections round the corner, BJP leaders convinced<br />

the RSS leaders that lifting the ban at that junc ture would give an issue to the Opposition<br />

Congress. They were assured that the Government would take up the issue after the LS polls. (Pioneer<br />

8.6.04)<br />

11th June<br />

VHP to hold first-ever meeting in Red bastion (26)<br />

Lucknow: The Vishva Hin du Parishad is going to hold its governing council meet ing in Kolkata between<br />

June 29 and July 4. It is the first time it is holding any big show in West Bengal, where it has very little<br />

presence. With around 150 mem bers, the governing council is VHP's highest-decision making body. The<br />

meeting assumes significance for two reasons. First, it is being held in Left-dominated Kolkata and<br />

second, the VHP is likely to give an ulti matum to the Manmohan government to allow con struction of the<br />

Ram temple in Ayodhya. "Due to the Left, our pres ence is limited here, even though we have a full-fledged<br />

organisation in the state. Through this meeting we would like to increase our support-base in West<br />

Bengal, too," admits a VHP functionary. VHP working president Ashok Singhal, general sec retary Pravin


Togadia, members of the Kendriya Margdarshak Mandal, the central organising secretaries, the chairman<br />

of Ram Janambhommi Nyas and the convenor of the Ram Mandir Uchchadhikar Samiti are among those<br />

ex pected to participate in the five-day meeting. (Times of India 11.6.04)<br />

14 th June<br />

RSS rushes to Modi’s defence (26)<br />

NAGPUR, JUNE 13: ATAL Behari Vajpayee's Manali remarks on the Gu jarat riots have predictably<br />

rubbed the Sangh patriarch the wrong way. In what clearly looks like a virtual en dorsement of 'Vajpayee<br />

al lergy' in the RSS and a har binger of a possible anti-Vajpayee campaign within the Sangh Parivar,<br />

Sarsanghchalak K.S. Sudershan said, "Some people, who call themselves modern, liberal and<br />

broad-minded have been endeavouring to keep the Gujarat riots alive." "Our former PM says Gujarat riots<br />

were a reason for the BJP's defeat. How is it then that the BJP didn't lose in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan<br />

and Chattisgarh," Sudershan asked, addressing a gathering of RSS volun teers at the concluding ceremony<br />

of their all-India camp in Nagpur on Sunday. "The so-called liberal people, including English<br />

newspapers and electronic media, kept on discussing the reaction and totally sidelines the reason for<br />

riots, that is the Godhra incident," Suder shan added, The RSS chief virtually defended the Modi government,<br />

saying that only 60-70 towns and villages out of the total 18,000 were affected by riots. "As soon as<br />

the Army was called in, the riots were controlled within three days. Muharram and school exam inations<br />

went off peacefully," he said and claimed that the rioters included people even from the Congress. (<strong>Indian</strong><br />

Express 14.6.04)<br />

15 th June<br />

Venkaiah plays knight to Modi, Atal rebuffed (26)<br />

New Delhi: Gujarat CM Narendra Modi seems to have won this round. On Monday, BJP president M<br />

Venkaiah Naidu delivered an unequivocal snub to for mer PM and party patriarch Atal Bihari Vajpayee by<br />

stat ing that there was no "pro posal" to replace Modi and that the Gujarat 'issue' was not on the agenda for<br />

the June 23-24 Mumbai national executive. Even if there was concern that Modi's autocratic style was<br />

hurting the BJP's inter est, the CM's detractors may now find it more difficult to have their way. Any<br />

pressure brought to bear on Modi to quit would be seen as a vindi cation of the BJP's critics, who have<br />

argued that Modi had not acted to stop the riots. When senior BJP leaders met on Monday morning to<br />

take a view of Vajpayee's re marks that Modi ought to have been removed and that the Gujarat riots<br />

extracted an electoral price from the party, the mood was one of exasperation tinged with bemusement.<br />

No one present could figure out exactly why the ex-PM has decided to speak on Gu jarat and Modi now.<br />

(Times of India 15.6.04)<br />

Sainiks attack Girlfriend (26)<br />

Lucknow/Mumbai, June 14: Angry right-wing protesters went on a rampage in Varanasi and Mumbai on<br />

Monday to protest against the screening of Karan Razdan's Girlfriend, a film that deals with lesbianism. In<br />

Varanasi, a group of about 100 youths, under the banner of the Kranti Shiv Sena, arrived at the Sajan<br />

cinema around noon and began breaking the film's hoardings. The protesters tore the posters and<br />

banners of Girlfriend, set effi gies of the film's protagonists on fire, damaged the glass panes of the movie<br />

hall and tore off publicity material of the film. In a carbon-copy protest in Mumbai, a group of 100 activists<br />

of the Bharatiya Vidyarthi Sena, the Shiv Sena's student wing, tore posters and raised slogans outside<br />

Premier theatre, located at Dadar in central Mumbai, forcing it to suspend the screening of the matinee<br />

show. (Asian Age 15.6.04)<br />

16th June<br />

VHP brass slams Vajpayee for Modi comments (26)<br />

New Delhi: Coming out in support of Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP)<br />

leaders Ashok Singhal and Vishnu Hari Dalmiya on Tuesday, launched a sharp attack on former Prime<br />

Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee for "wrong ly" blaming Gujarat riots for BJP's poll debacle and suggested the<br />

party go for a change in leadership as both Vajpayee and L K Ad-vani have "failed." Dalmiya said people<br />

had rejected the idea of one per son "always ruling" and sug gested there should be a "re tirement age" for<br />

politicians. Defending Modi, he said Vajpayee had been "contra dicted" by his own party on Gujarat<br />

comments, the first time such a thing had hap pened in the party. This was seen as a hint to Vajpayee to<br />

lay off Parivar matters by VHP which has for long been scorning Vaj payee for his stance. The only


difference in the scene being, before May 13 (when election results were de clared) the jeers never went<br />

unretaliated by BJP. The refusal of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to speak out against VHP's intrusion<br />

in its inter nal affair drowned its per functory description of Vaj payee as the "tallest leader" in the party.<br />

(Times of India 16.6.04)<br />

17 th June<br />

RSS advises BJP: Don’t take hasty action on Gujarat (26)<br />

New Delhi, June 16: The RSS on Wednesday reached out to senior BJP leader and Leader of the<br />

Opposition L.K. Advani to convey its disagreement over the remarks of former Prime Minister Atal Behari<br />

Vajpayee attributing the Lok Sabha deba cle to the role of Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi during the<br />

2002 riots. The meeting between Mr Madan Dass Devi and Mr Advani, and his proposed meet ing with Mr<br />

Vajpayee once he returns from his Manali vacation on Saturday, assumes signifi cance as the party braces<br />

for a discussion on the reasons for the electoral debacle at the forth coming BJP national executive<br />

meeting in Mumbai on June 23-24. Bharatiya Janata Party presi dent M. Venkaiah Naidu has made it clear<br />

that neither Gujarat nor the issue of change of lead ership in the state is on the agen da of the party<br />

conclave in Mumbai. The issue, however, is bound to figure at the BJP meet ing in Mumbai during the discussion<br />

on the party's poll deba cle. (Asian Age 17.6.04)<br />

Modi : RSS puts a condition (26)<br />

NEW DELHI, JUNE 16. Moves in the Bharatiya Janata Party for the ouster of the Gujarat Chief Minister,<br />

Narendra Modi, gathered momentum today after the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) virtually gave<br />

a no-objection signal, although, with one condition — that his exit should not be linked to the riots in<br />

Gujarat two years ago and the party's debacle in the Lok Sabha elections.<br />

This morning the joint general secretary of the RSS in-charge of the BJP affairs, Madan Das Devi, met the<br />

Leader of the Opposition, L.K. Advani, for nearly about an hour. Mr. Devi is believed to have conveyed to<br />

Mr. Advani that the RSS would have no problem with a change in the chief ministership in Gujarat. Later,<br />

the RSS spokesperson, Ram Madhav, told The Hindu that Mr. Devi conveyed to Mr. Advani that "on the<br />

issue of a leadership change in Gujarat the RSS has no role to play and it was for the BJP to take a<br />

decision." However, "our limited observation was that we do not think that the Gujarat riots should be<br />

blamed for the party's defeat (in the Lok Sabha elections) ... the two things, leadership change and the<br />

defeat in the Lok Sabha, should not be taken together." This development follows the statement by the<br />

former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, list ing the Gujarat riots as one of the main reasons for the<br />

party's electoral rout, and that Mr. Modi's ouster would be discussed at the party's national executive<br />

committee meeting in Mumbai. (Hindu 17.6.04)<br />

VHP activists ransack theatre screening 'Girlfriend' (26)<br />

AHMEDABAD, JUNE 16. Vishwa Hindu Parishad activists today ransacked a theatre in Surat showing the<br />

controversial film 'Girlfriend. About 100 VHP activists attacked Alankar Talkies on Station Road and<br />

damaged the posters and other property of the theatre and demanded that the screening of the film be<br />

suspended immediately. Nobody was injured. The owner of the theatre<br />

obliged and refunded the tickets sold. In anticipation of disturbances in the wake of the attacks on the<br />

cinema theatres in Vadodara, Surat and other cities in the country, the managements of all the multiplexes<br />

in Ahmedabad showing 'Girlfriend' have voluntarily suspended screening of the film today. It was not clear<br />

how long the suspension will remain in force. (Hindu 17.6.04)<br />

22 nd June<br />

Vajpayee, not Modi, is in eye of storm: RSS (26)<br />

New Delhi, June 21: The RSS has once again openly come out in support of Gujarat chief minister<br />

Narendra Modi. While the outfit's spokesman Ram Madhav claimed that any message that incidents in<br />

Gujarat had an impact on the poll outcome "will send a very wrong signal about the entire Hindu<br />

movement in the ffrit irftne country," "in Mumbai BJP spokesman Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the Modi<br />

issue was "not on the agenda of the national executive." The RSS organs Organiser and Panchajanya,<br />

which backed Mr Modi to the hilt, also took potshots at former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. In an<br />

article in Organiser, Mr Vajpayee has been described as being in the "eye of the storm," and not Mr Modi.<br />

"The one in the eye of the storm is Mr Vajpayee, for his observations... His statement sent shock waves in<br />

the Parivar..." (Asian Age 22.6.04)


23 rd June<br />

BJP should rededicate itself to Hindutva: Naidu (26)<br />

MUMBAl, JUNE 22. Expressing confidence that the Bharatiya Janata Party "will come back to power," the<br />

party president, M. Venkaiah Naidu, said to day that the "foremost task" for the BJP was "rededicating"<br />

itself to Hindutva, not forgetting that the party was "part of the larger movement," the Rashtriya<br />

Swayamsevak Sangh, which was "in spired by the ideology of nationalism." Mr. Naidu's inaugural address<br />

at the party's three-day national executive committee meeting here sought a detailed analysis of the<br />

recent Lok Sabha election results — he will announce a com mittee to do this soon — while warning<br />

against "finger-pointing" saying that the party believed in "collective responsibility, both in victory and defeat."<br />

The aim of the analysis should be construc tive "to enable us to overcome the shortcomings," he<br />

said. Mr. Naidu said that during the elections there was "no pro-Congress wave." There was "general ly a<br />

pro-Vajpayee and pro-BJP mood" and that it was "untenable for the Congress to claim that the people's<br />

mandate had gone in its favour." Yet he listed factors that could have led to the party's under-performance<br />

— over-confidence, compla cency as a result of the party workers' belief that the BJP would once again<br />

lead a Government at the Centre, and a strong anti-incumbency factor against the MPs of the 13th Lok<br />

Sabha who were given the party ticket. Mr. Naidu said that "50 per cent of our sitting MPs failed to get<br />

re-elected," a point also made by the former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, a few days ago in<br />

Manali. (Hindu 23.6.04)<br />

24 th June<br />

Neglect of Hindutva among reasons for deeat: Advani (26)<br />

MUMBAl, JUNE 23. As the Bharatiya Janata Party continued its "soul-searching" exercise to look for the<br />

causes of its electoral defeat, the Leader of the Opposition, L.K. Advani, zeroed in on the neglect of<br />

Hindutva and lack of political focus on consolidation of its "ideological constituency" as one of the main<br />

reasons for the "totally unex pected" election results. Just before a four-page political resolution was<br />

adopted by the national executive committee meeting here on Wednesday, the second day of its<br />

deliberations, Mr. Advani who has always been regarded as the BJP's unapologetic Hindut va face, made<br />

a strong case for restoring the party's emotional bond with the Sangh Parivar led by the Rashtriya<br />

Swayamsevak Sangh. Speaking for about 40 minutes towards the end of the debate on the political<br />

resolution — which was adopted unanimously — he said the party must be always mindful of the Sangh,<br />

the karyakartas (party workers) and the "core con stituency" that had over the years supported the BJP<br />

because of its ideological moorings in Hindutva. Senior party leaders present during the debate later said<br />

that Mr. Advani felt the BJP' had lost some of its support base built up over the years by presenting itself<br />

as "the secular par ty" even while labelling the Congress, the Left and other parties opposed to the BJP as<br />

"pseudo-secular." (The Hindu 24.6.04)<br />

Nothing wrong in Vajpayee taking political sanyas: Giriraj Kishore (26)<br />

NEW DELHI, JUNE 23. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)<br />

today came out with different reactions to the former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee's wish in<br />

Mumbai not to lead the party, with the former saying there was nothing wrong with him taking "political<br />

sanyas". The RSS, however, said he continues to be the "beloved leader" of the Bharatiya Janata Party<br />

(BJP) cadres. "I think that if he takes political sanyas and lets new people come, then there is nothing<br />

wrong," the VHP leader, Acharya Giriraj Kishore, told NDTV 24 x 7. Describing Mr. Vajpayee as an elderly<br />

statesman, Tarun Vijay, editor of RSS mouthpiece 'Panchajanya' said "he will always remain an inspiration<br />

to us". He said the former Prime Minister has been saying it is enough and that he would like to retire "but<br />

the people and the party workers never allowed him to do so and they will never allow him to do so." "He is<br />

our beloved leader," Mr. Vijay said adding "the BJP has got a civilisational role to play in <strong>Indian</strong> politics. It<br />

is not a group of power-hungry leaders who would have different fluctuating programmes just to grab<br />

power." He said the. BJP president, Venkaiah Naidu's comments about party suffering from the "virus of<br />

individualism" were not aimed at Vajpayee, but at party candidates (in the recent elections) who did not<br />

nurse their constituencies and instead behaved in a "very individualistic" manner. (The Hindu 24.6.04)<br />

RSS activists want Goan streets renamed (26)<br />

Panaji, June 23: Four decades after they were oust ed from this region, Panaji streets and lanes named in<br />

Portuguese are causing a furore as groups linked to the RSS want them renamed.


Last week, activists of the Panaji Nagrik Kruti Samiti, went around the city with pickaxes and hammers.<br />

Ignor ing protests by owners, they damaged name plaques with "offensive" street names fixed onto private<br />

residences by the city corporation as part of its heritage restoration project. After a late evening public<br />

meeting, in which the media was invited, the group renamed two streets by replacing signboards. The Rua<br />

Armada Portuguesa was "renamed" Vithal Rakhumai Marg after a local goddess. The samiti targeted the<br />

cor poration's administrator and members of the Goa Heritage Action Group — a body co-working with the<br />

corporation on heritage restoration in a region where 451 years of Portuguese occupation has influenced<br />

local architecture and lifestyle. The samiti wants the corporation to rename 14 roads by September 30,<br />

terming them as offensive glorification of Portuguese colonialism, which "remind us of Por tuguese<br />

conquests and oppressors." Speakers also said the Fundacao Oriente, a cultural organisation linked to<br />

Lisbon and promoting restoration and other arts, should go. Most of the streets are in conservation area<br />

with quaint Latin-style houses — the area promoted by the CCP, GHAG and Goa Tourism Corporation<br />

with the annual Fountainhas Festival of the Arts. (Asian Age 24.6.04)<br />

27th June<br />

No hardline Hindu agenda this time (26)<br />

Lucknow: BJP'S HINDU mascot Vinay Katiyar ruled out the possi bility of BJP adopting a "hardline Hindu"<br />

agenda in the near future. Instead, he favoured 'Sanskitik rashtravaad' (cultural nationalism), which could<br />

be the motto for the party. "BJP can not pursue the hardline Hindutava agenda due to its in-built<br />

character and dif ferent political affil iations," Katiyar told The Pioneer on Saturday. "The new mantra<br />

should be of cultural nationalism and we should pursue it with vigour." The BJP, in its recently held<br />

national executive meeting in Mumbai, had decided to revert back to its Hindutava agenda and has asked<br />

leaders to follow it vigourously. Katiyar, a protagonist of the Ram Janmabhoomi agi tation, admitted that<br />

the Hindu agenda had catapult ed the party to the power at the Centre. "This agenda, however, failed to<br />

keep us number one party in the State. This was evident from elections held from 1991 to 1999," said<br />

Katiyar. "Though BJP gained by riding Ram wave in 1991, it failed to main tain the momentum in 1996,<br />

1998 and 1999 elections," he said. Instead, he said, Hindutava should be replaced with cultural nationalism.<br />

"As a State president I tried to pursue it, but I was stopped from time to time because at that time<br />

the BJP had an alliance with another party (read BSP). We do not have any shack les now and I will again<br />

lead the campaign of 'san-skritik rashtravaad' in the State," Katiyar said. Katiyar, who returned from<br />

Mumbai after attend ing National Executive Meeting, said that the rea sons for party's defeat in UP was<br />

discussed threadbare during meeting. (Pioneer 27.6.04)<br />

29 th June<br />

Sudarshan calls Left traitors (26)<br />

RSS CHIEF K.S. Sudarshan launched a bitter attack on the Left on Monday calling them "traitors" who<br />

were out to "destroy" national pride and culture while ac cusing them of being behind the government's<br />

move to "de-saffronise" NCERT textbooks. Describing the Communists as "Macaulay-putras"<br />

(descendants of Lord Macaulay who intro duced the British system of education in India), Sudarshan<br />

defended the inputs in textbooks made during the tenure of the NDA regime. It was an attempt to correct<br />

history incorporating a the latest research, Sudarshan said. (Hindustan Times 29.6.04)<br />

1st July<br />

RSS for underwater Dwarka tours (26)<br />

New Delhi, June 30: After the Ram mandir on land, the Sangh Parivar now wants underwater pilgrimage<br />

tourism at Dwarka, the "king dom of Lord Krishna." The RSS mouthpiece Organiser claimed in an article<br />

that since evidence of Lord Krishna's kingdom has been found under the sea near Dwarka, the Centre<br />

should take steps to complete the task of "underwater excavations" and<br />

"promote underwater pilgrim age tourism." The RSS mouth piece quoted Dr S.R. Rao, a marine<br />

archaeologist who car ried out underwater explo rations, as claiming that Lord Krishna's Dwarka lay under<br />

the sea and "only the name-plate is missing." The Organiser targeted the Centre, including the earlier<br />

BJP-led NDA regime, for a "lack of interest" in the pro ject. The RSS organ said "fur ther excavation and an<br />

under water museum-cum-tourism" would the cost "only a meagre sum of Rs 14 crores." This, however, is<br />

according to a pro posal submitted to the min istry of culture by marine archaeologist S.R. Rao in 2000. The<br />

ministry was then headed by the BJP's Mr Ananth Kumar. Incidentally, the underwater exploration project<br />

was sanctioned by the Congress government in 1984. (Asian Age 1.7.04)


Defiant VHP sets temple deadline (26)<br />

KOLKATA, JUNE 30: THE Vishwa Hindu Parishad today set a one-year deadline for beginning<br />

construction of a Ram tem ple in Ayodhya and said it was prepared for any con frontation in the event of restrictions<br />

by authorities. "It has become very dif ficult to wait for the court verdict. We intend to begin the<br />

construction of the temple within a year and construction material is ready. We cannot wait any further,"<br />

said VHP vice-president Giriraj Kishore at the national executive meeting here. Asked whether it was a<br />

deadline or ultimatum to the government, he replied, "You are free to analyse and draw your own<br />

conclusion." The building of the Ram temple was "overdue" and figures high on the VHP's agenda,<br />

Kishore said. "But unfortunately the BJP could not do anything during the previous NDA regime," he<br />

claimed. Yesterday VHP working president president Ashok Singhal had said the outfit may launch a<br />

political platform to take up the cause of the Hindusamaj, including the long-standing demand for the<br />

construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya. (<strong>Indian</strong> Express 1.7.04)<br />

3 rd July<br />

Hindutva, as defined in Oxford dictionary (26)<br />

New Delhi, July 2: THE BJP might call Hindutva a way of life but that's not how the new edition of the<br />

Concise Ox ford English Dictionary (COD) de fines it. Instead, Hindutva, as a noun, is explained as "a very<br />

strong sense of Hindu identity, seeking the cre ation of a Hindu state". Hindutva is just one of the 900<br />

words of In dian, largely Hindi, origin that make an entry into the llth edition of the dictionary to be launched<br />

on July 7 in New Delhi. Batchmate (a classmate) gets a look in as do gymkhana (a public place with<br />

facilities for athletics), eveninger (an evening newspa per) and parishad (a council or assembly) (Hindustan<br />

Times 3.7.04)<br />

I am proud to be an RSS activist, says Sahani (26)<br />

Panaji: "I AM proud to be RSS ac tivist. I have been associat ed with the organisation since 1940s," stated<br />

outgoing Goa Governor Kidar Nath Sahani addressing a Press conference at Cabo Raj Bhavan in the<br />

State on Friday. Mr Sahani said that he is yet to receive any inti mation about his removal from the<br />

President's office though he had a copy of the intimation sent to the State Government. On asked about<br />

the BJP's stand asking Governors not to resign, Mr Sahani said: "I have neither been asked not to resign<br />

by anyone." Goa Governor condemned the statement of Minister of State for Home Affairs Jaiswal which<br />

stated that the Government was determined to remove Governors of some States because they were associated<br />

with the RSS. Mr Sahani, in a letter dashed to Rashtrapati Bhavan, on Thursday had expressed<br />

his resentment over the state ment. Mr Jaiswal was quot ed as saying that the Government is determined<br />

to remove Governors of some States before July 5 and that the State Governments have no problem with<br />

the Governors appointed by the previous Government but their worry was related on ly to those appointees<br />

who have been members of the RSS or have association with that organisation or belief in that ideology."<br />

(Pioneer 3.7.04)<br />

7 th July<br />

Saffron protest hits Lahore bus (26)<br />

PHAGWARA, JULY 6: THE Lahore-bound Sada-e-Sarhad bus came un der attack today from hun dreds of<br />

Shiv Sainiks and Bajrang Dal workers on dharna on GT Road at Phagwara. Two women passengers were<br />

hit by shards from window-panes as the protesters threw stones at the bus. Police have booked six<br />

people, including a Shiv Sena activist, but no arrests have been made so far. The bus was passing<br />

Phagwara around noon when it caught the protesters' notice. Members of the Shiv Sena, Bajrang Dal,<br />

VHP and BJP were protesting against a CD release, Aaj Ki Ramayan, allegedly ridiculing Hindu gods and<br />

goddesses. As the police escort pulled up behind the bus, the pro testers began throwing stones at the bus<br />

despite the presence of DSP Jaspal Singh. They were brought under control soon and the bus was<br />

allowed to pass. There was not much damage though, the broken panes were replaced at a workshop in<br />

Jalandhar.<br />

Earlier in the day, the protesters held a march in the city from Hanuman Garni Mandir, ending in the sit-in<br />

on GT Road. DSP Jas pal Singh and Tehsildar Vijay Sharma were present on the dharna site when the<br />

inci dent took place. SDM Pritam Singh reached the spot to receive a memorandum from the protesters.<br />

(<strong>Indian</strong> Express 7.7.04)


10 th July<br />

RSS to infuse fresh blood, revamp outfit (26)<br />

Raipur, July 9: THE RSS plans to infuse a strong dose of young blood in the organisation. Its on going<br />

brainstorming ses sion here is likely to chalk out a strategy on roping in the young generation. The saffron<br />

outfit feels that youth in the age group of 16 to 40 can play a crucial role in strengthening the organisation.While<br />

stressing the inten tion to win over the younger generation, it was pointed out that almost<br />

all adver tisements on TV and in the print media were targeted at the youth. The meeting expressed<br />

concern that the RSS was no longer getting adequate full-time "selfless" young ac tivists. (Hindustan<br />

Times 10.7.04)<br />

11 th July<br />

RSS worker stops Advani’s speech, speaks his mind (26)<br />

AHMEDABAD, July 10. — A drama of sorts was witnessed at a function to felicitate leader of Opposition<br />

in Parliament, Mr LK Advani, here tonight when he was forced to stop his speech briefly to listen to an<br />

RSS work er, who fervently demanded that the senior BJP leader "listen to the voice" of party workers to<br />

understand the "real" reasons of defeat in the Lok Sabha polls.<br />

As soon as Mr Advani began addressing the function, a sud den shriek of "Advaniji please lis ten to party<br />

workers' voice" from near the entrance of the hall caught everyone, including the former deputy Prime<br />

Minister totally unaware. However, Mr Advani directed the police and other partymen, who tried to jostle<br />

him out, not to do so, saying he was ready to lis ten to whatever the man wants to say. At the end, the<br />

man, who later identified himself as Ghanshyam Rawal, and is associated with the RSS since 1958, was<br />

allowed to come near the dais and vent out his feelings even as there were protests from several other<br />

party workers. "Please let him speak...please don't interrupt. Let me listen and understand. Though this is<br />

not a party workers meeting, I will lis ten to him," Mr Advani was heard telling party workers who objected<br />

to disruption of the func tion as Mr Rawal began speak ing. (Statesman 11.7.04)<br />

16th July<br />

VHP vows to fight YSR reservation (26)<br />

NEW DELHI, JULY 15: THE VHP today de-•manded abolition of minority status for Muslims and Christians<br />

and an immediate roll back of the Andhra govern ment's decision to provide five per cent reservation<br />

to Mus lims. Announcing a week-long programme of demonstrations against the Andhra decision from<br />

tomorrow, the outfit said it would be followed by a mem orandum to the President on the issue. The<br />

Parishad also vowed to resort to legal action to stall the move.<br />

VHP working president Ashok Singhal said there was no justification for considering Muslims and<br />

Christians as mi norities in the global context. Moreover, in a country where society is fragmented into<br />

com munities and sects, Muslims, with 14 per cent population, "are the single-largest minority community".<br />

"How are they a_ minority" he asked. Singhal said the Congress was walking in the footsteps of the<br />

British "to divide the country."(<strong>Indian</strong> Express 16.7.04)<br />

18 th July<br />

VHP stages dharna against fresh probe (26)<br />

Baroda, July 17: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad staged dharnas on Friday in Godhra and submitted an<br />

application to the Panchmahals' collec tor against the announcement of departmental inquiry into the<br />

Godhra carnage by the Union Railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav. VHP Sangh mantri at Godhra<br />

Shambhuprasad Shukla said, "We had witnessed Godhra inci dent on February 27 2002. When the key<br />

accused have been arrested and the investi gation is on where is the need for another probe" He charged<br />

the railway minister of resorting to gimmickry to gain political mileage. "The Nanavati', Shah cornmission<br />

been investigating and is about to finish its task. In such a situation, a fresh inquiry is just a gimmick for<br />

political mileage," he said. He also claimed that because of the assembly elections in Bihar, Mr Yadav was<br />

using the Godhra probe for political ends. (Asian Age 18.7.04)<br />

24 th July<br />

Marriage proposal for RSS men (26)<br />

Raipur/Nagpur, July 23: THE RSS is reportedly reconsidering the rule that forbids pracharaks from having<br />

familial ties. The rule effec tively prevents pracharaks from get ting married. The Sangh is worried because


the recruitment level of swayamsevaks is falling. And the fact that a group of Mumbai-based psychologists<br />

has said that bachelorhood induces cyn icism in pracharaks after they cross 50 has forced the<br />

organisation to consider scrapping the family clause. Reports also say wives of pracharaks will be<br />

deployed in rural areas to work for the RSS.<br />

The psychologists, who were hired by the RSS to study the behaviour of pracharaks, said they tended to<br />

become reclusive in mid-life and could not integrate with the mainstream. RSS leaders who met twice<br />

recently — in Raipur and Nagpur—reported ly discussed the issue and concluded that this was harming<br />

the organisa tion. Sangh spokesperson Ram Mad-hav, however, denied reports that a di lution of the rule<br />

was on the cards. (Hindustan Times 24.7.04)<br />

25 th July<br />

Ideological slip in RSS makeover (26)<br />

New Delhi, July 24: THE DECISION of the RSS to change the dress code of its volunteers from khaki half<br />

pants to full pants and to allow its pracharaks to get married seems to be a direct admission by the top<br />

brass that ideology is no longer the main attraction for its supporters.<br />

The RSS ideology — underlining Hindu nationalism as enunciated by successive chiefs like Hedgewar,<br />

Golwalkar, Deoras and Rajju Bhaiya — appears to have taken a back seat with the organisation finding it<br />

difficult to attract dedicated workers. In fact, there's been a role reversal of sorts be tween the RSS and<br />

BJP. While earlier the Sangh had considerable influence over the B JP, it is the BJP's cosmetic<br />

dimensions that seem to have rubbed off on the RSS. An element of contradiction has also crept in.<br />

Because on the one hand the RSS wants to increase the number of its shakhas all over the country but on<br />

the other it believes not too many people are attracted to the organisation at the moment. Hence the need<br />

to change the dress code and allow pracharaks to marry (Hindustan Times 25.7.04)<br />

28 th July<br />

Pushed by RSS, BJP works on return to Hindutva (26)<br />

NEW DELHI, JULY 27: A T THE behest of the RSS leadership, the BJP's four-day chintan baithak in Goa<br />

from July 30 to August 2 is slated to work out a detailed blueprint on how to implement the parry's<br />

post-election decision to return to Hindutva — a line first enunciated at the BJP national executive in<br />

Mumbai last month. The RSS, which has decided to re-establish full ideological and or ganisational control<br />

over the BJP after the <strong>2004</strong> poll, has directed the BJP leadership to undertake a seri ous exercise to put in<br />

place the "back to basics" line tentatively worked out at Mumbai. Unlike the Mumbai national executive<br />

which was attended by close to 200 dele gates, the Goa meet will be a closed-door session involving just<br />

30-odd senior BJP leaders.<br />

The agenda before the meeting includes "strengthening the party's ideological orientation", learning<br />

lessons from the <strong>2004</strong> verdict and working out how "to move for ward", party chief Venkaiah Naidu said<br />

today. According to sources, RSS gen eral secretary Mohan Bhagwat has conveyed to the top BJP<br />

leadership that the party must go in for a thor ough "course correction" in the realm of "ideology,<br />

organisation and idealism". The word "ideal ism" in RSS parlance refers to be haviour and lifestyle, and<br />

there is repeated exhortation to the party brass to move away from "five-star culture". The RSS leaders,<br />

who held their own brain-storming session at Nagpur earlier this month, are con vinced that one major<br />

reason the BJP lost the general elections was because it moved away from its "moorings". As one RSS<br />

member said: "The Congress and the Left carried out a fierce ideological campaign against us during the<br />

elections, but the BJP shied away from ideological issues and talked only of governance." (<strong>Indian</strong> Express<br />

28.7.04)<br />

1st Aug<br />

JD(U) threatens to quit NDA over Hindutva (26)<br />

New Delhi, July 31: AS THE BJP leadership contemplates a re turn to hardcore Hindu ideology at its<br />

chintan baithak in Goa, the JD(U) has warned it will break off ties with the saffron party if it makes any<br />

such move. The issue was hotly debated at the JD(U)'s two-day national executive meeting, which began<br />

here on Saturday Many members ex pressed unhappiness over the continuing al liance with the BJP, which<br />

they felt was moving back towards its earlier Hindutva avtaar under pressure from the RSS. "If they return<br />

to the old agenda (Hindutva), we will not be with them. There cannot be any two opinions on this," senior<br />

JD(U) leader Digvijay Singh told mediapersons out side the session. Singh said his party would stand by


secu larism and oppose reli gious fundamental ism. Slogans based on religion had failed in the country, he<br />

added.<br />

A political resolution was moved at the con clave, which stated that religious fundamen talism had no place<br />

in the country Top party leaders George Fernandes, Sharad Yadav and Nitish Kumar participated in the<br />

meeting, which passed resolutions on dual power cen tres in the UPA regime, the issue of 'tainted'<br />

ministers and the Punjab water sharing row. (Hindustan Times 1.8.04)<br />

2 nd Aug<br />

VHP will not launch a political outfit now (26)<br />

Nagpur, Aug. 1: Ruling out floating a political outfit or entering into electoral poli tics, VHP on Sunday said it<br />

would continue "uniting Hin dus to counter growing ter ror." "We will not enter into .active electoral politics...<br />

" This is none of our business," VHP working president Ashok Singhal told reporters there. "However, we<br />

will continue organising and uniting Hindus in the country as alliance of all parties would help in countering<br />

the growing Islamic population and terror." Criticising the move of Andhra Pradesh governmen t's<br />

proposed reservation for Muslims in the state, Mr Ashok Singhal said it was an act of appeasement<br />

where Muslim population was about 8 per cent. "There is an . attempt by some forces for Islamisation of<br />

India," he alleged. (Asian Age 2.8.04)<br />

3 rd Aug<br />

RSS for "course correction,” not leadership change (26)<br />

HYDERABAD, AUG. 2. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is of the view that Atal Bihari Vajpayee<br />

and L.K. Advani are still the only Bharatiya Janata Party leaders who can carry the party forward and<br />

re-establish the pre-eminence of ideology. Sources within the RSS have re jected reports suggesting that it<br />

had conveyed its views on the question of succession within the BJP to the party in the course of its<br />

chintan baithak, which concluded in Goa today. The parent organisation of the Sangh Parivar feels that<br />

though the question of succes sion is not a closed one, it is not imminent either. They expect Mr. Vajpayee<br />

and Mr. Advani to first undertake a process of 'course correction' in relation to ideology and then prepare<br />

the way for a possible succes sor. The model that seems to be guiding the RSS is that of the emergence<br />

of the relatively less known and charismatic Deen-dayal Upadhyaya as the leader of the Jana Sangh in<br />

1967 to replace the more visible and known Balraj Madhok. Its spokesperson, Ram Mad-hav, confirmed<br />

that the RSS had not discussed the leader ship issue of the BJP at all, nei ther in Goa nor during the recent<br />

meeting between the BJP and RSS leadership at the Jhandewala headquarters of the Sangh. Informed<br />

sources suggest that the RSS has con veyed to the BJP three essential principles around which its po litical<br />

wing will have to re-ori ent itself — ideology, idealism, and organisation. (The Hindu 3.8.04)<br />

BJP silent on Hindutva to keep NDA together (26)<br />

New Delhi, August 2: IN AN attempt to hold the NDA together, BJP leaders ended a .three-day<br />

brainstorming session in Goa with a document that did not talk of Hindutva at all. In stead, they chose to<br />

emphasise the importance of "nationalism" and "development" to widen the BJP's political base. Under<br />

pressure from the RSS, the BJP's National Executive had decided in June to renew the party by<br />

strengthening its com mitment to saffron ideology. But as party leaders gathered in Goa, their allies —<br />

notably the Janata Dal(U) and the TOP — issued strong warnings that they would snap ties with the BJP if<br />

it chose to stoke "religious bigotry". A nervous BJP leadership, which did not want the NDA to collapse on<br />

this issue, decided to play down the Hindutva rhetoric and declared its commitment to "continue to work"<br />

with its allies on the basis of a new 10-point plan. The BJP leaders favoured giv ing a wider meaning to<br />

national ism as an ideology, to strengthen national unity and counter the rise of divisive forces like<br />

casteism.<br />

Asked if Hindutva was no longer one of the party's slogans, BJP chief Venkaiah,Naidu said in Panaji that<br />

his party would use the slogan "as and when re quired". "Hindutva is a way of life and we are all proud of<br />

our culture and religion..— national ism says it all. Without national ism there can be no develop ment," he<br />

said. (Hindustan Stimes 3.8.04)<br />

4th Aug<br />

Confusion: BJP now says it is proud of Hindutva (26)<br />

New Delhi, Aug. 3: Immedi ately after returning from Goa, the BJP went back to its "ideological moorings"<br />

with party spokesman Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi asserting, "The BJP is proud of Hindutva." After the JD(U)


threatened to walk out of the NDA if the BJP returned to the "con tentious" issues of Ram mandir, uniform<br />

civil code and abrogation of Article 370, the BJP had gone silent on Hindutva. However, on Tuesday, Mr<br />

Naqvi made it clear that the party would adhere to its ideological moorings. Toeing the ideological line, Mr<br />

Naqvi said that Hindutva was not associated with reli gion, but nationalism. He then went on to claim that<br />

the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya was not linked to religion but to nationalism. "Hindutva is not<br />

related to religion but nation alism and national prestige. We are proud of it," Mr Naqvi said. He, however,<br />

tried to clarify that Hindutva was "not a political commitment for the BJP but an ideological one. So we<br />

would not like to bring it into the political sphere." Mr Naqvi said that the BJP was not apologetic on<br />

Hindut va and would go to people using it as an "ideological issue." He also said that "it has become a<br />

fashion for some parties to criticise Hin dutva to show themselves .as secular." (Asian Age 4.8.04)<br />

5 th Aug<br />

BJP masks Hindutva for NDA (26)<br />

New Delhi, August 4: THE BJP’S attempt to adopt a "middle path" regarding its commitments to ideology<br />

and the continuation of the NDA, clearly reflects that the party is yet to reconcile with its defeat in the<br />

recent Lok Sabha elections. It also be lieves that the UPA government will not last its full term. And it<br />

cannot af ford to annoy the RSS, which has al ways been its source of strength.<br />

Driven by the compulsions of realpolitik, the BJP chose not to use the term Hindutva in any of its 10 conclusions<br />

during the Chintan Baithak in Goa, which are aimed at strength ening the party Instead, party chief<br />

Venkaiah Naidu asserted the NDA ex periment would continue. The RSS, which has been insisting that the<br />

BJP return to its roots, has apparently been informed that there was no need to emphasise the party's<br />

commitment to its basic beliefs on paper, since its allies could misconstrue them. The reassurance to the<br />

RSS came in the form of the usage of the word 'nationalism' instead of Hindutva. The Sangh has always<br />

believed the term 'nationalism' was synonymous with all constituents of the Parivar and implies Hindu<br />

nationalism. It also implies that any political outfit opposed to the constituents of the Sangh is<br />

pseudo-secularist and lacks commitment to nationalism. Though Naidu did not elaborate on this, most<br />

people in the Sangh believe that only Hindus are nationalists. (Hindustan Times 5.8.04)<br />

6 th Aug<br />

Another allegation hits Uma (26)<br />

Bhopal, Aug. 5: This is quite clearly the season of charges, accusations, rumours, and more charges in<br />

Madhya Pradesh. Having heaped scores of allegations against the state government (enough to make a<br />

small booklet), the MPCC's latest complaint is chief minister Uma Bharti has been putting pressure on the<br />

MP police to recruit backers of the Bajrang Dal and the RSS. The charge was made by a former minister<br />

in the Digvijay Singh Cabinet, Mr Satyadev Katare, on Wednesday. Having been in the political wilderness<br />

since 1998 after losing that year's Assembly poll & the 1999 and <strong>2004</strong> Lok Sabha polls from Bhind, Mr<br />

Katare has been trying to stage a comeback. He alleged that Ms Bharti had personally called for the files<br />

of constable hopefuls and ticked off the names of the recruits. This singular initiative, said Mr Katare, had<br />

created a flutter in the districts. There was little or no chance of the selection process being free and fair,<br />

he argued. (Asian Age 6.8.04)<br />

RSS support to WTO deal succour for the govt. (26)<br />

New Delhi: The sur prise RSS support to the draft WTO agree ment reached at Geneva , last week, allows<br />

the UPA government to breathe easy. "It is good for the country, the farm sector will be protected," RSS<br />

spokesman Ram Mad-hav was reported to re marked in Nagpur com menting on commerce minister<br />

Kamal Nath's hard bargain to safe guard India's interests. The RSS certificate ac quires high value as<br />

economic nationalism has been a major cam paign theme for the saf fron brotherhood. It en ables the<br />

coalition gov ernment to insulate its economic policy aga inst any possible attack from the BJP-led opposition<br />

later. On the other hand the trade unions and farm workers' unions have had a mixed reaction to the<br />

WTO deal among 147 countries on a set of principles to carry out further trade negotia tions at WTO. CITU<br />

and the All In dia Agricultural Work ers Union, both affili ates of CPM, have cau tioned that it is still ear ly to<br />

celebrate and cau tioned the government to wait. D L Sachdev, secre tary of CPI-affiliated AITUC, said:<br />

"We ap preciate the fact that In dia's concerns have been addressed." He said what was really praiseworthy<br />

was "fix ing the cap on the sub sidy given by the devel oped countries to then-farmers for exporting their<br />

produce to the de veloping countries." (Times of India 6.8.04)


7 th Aug<br />

RSS pracharaks made BJP regional secretaries (26)<br />

NEW DELHI, AUG. 6. In a significant move indicating a revamp of the Bharatiya Janata Party's organisation<br />

machinery, the par ty president, Venkaiah Naidu, has appointed full-time Rash-triya<br />

Swayamsevak Sangh 'pracharaks' as regional organi sation secretaries, with each 'pracharak' to head a<br />

cluster of States to take care of all organi sation issues in that region. Some of these 'pracharaks' have<br />

only recently been given to the party by the RSS, a senior party leader said. One of them was till recently<br />

more active in the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, the RSS spokesperson, Ram Mad-hav said. It seems that the<br />

decision to place the 'pracharaks' in these newly- created "regional" posi tions is a signal of the new synergy<br />

between the RSS, the larger Sangh Parivar and the BJP. The six regional organisation secretaries<br />

are: Venugopal Red-dy for Pondicherry and Anda man and Lakshadweep; V. Satish for Assam and the<br />

north east; Mukundan for Tamil Nadu and Kerala; Saudan Singh for Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pra-desh<br />

and Prassan Mishra for Orissa and West Bengal. This list is expected to be expanded later. (The Hindu<br />

7.8.04)<br />

8 th Aug<br />

RSS body holds conference for Muslim women (26)<br />

New Delhi, August 7 : THE RASHTRAWADI Mus lim Andolan, an RSS-backed front floated to build<br />

bridges between Hindus and Mus lims, on Saturday held a con ference for Muslim women where they were<br />

apprised of the Sangh's concept of na tionalism and Hindutva. The conclave, attended by nearly 150<br />

Muslim women, also had RSS leaders and in tellectuals from the minority community sitting in. Among<br />

them was Sangh pracharak Indresh Kumar, who has been assigned the task of coordinating with the<br />

Andolan leaders. Syed Shah-nawaz Hussain, a prominent Muslim leader of the BJP, also addressed the<br />

meeting. Meanwhile, the BJP on Saturday said it would wel come any action by the Cen tre against the<br />

Mulayam Singh Yadav government. At a party meeting, general secretary Rajnath Singh said there was<br />

no such thing as law and order in UP. (Hindustan Times 8.8.04)<br />

9th Aug<br />

Cleanse administration of RSS supporters: Arjun Singh (26)<br />

NEW DELHI, AUG. 8. The Human Resource Development Minister, Arjun Singh, today asked the Prime<br />

Minister, Manmohan Singh, to cleanse the administration of people owing allegiance to the RSS, an<br />

organisation he accused of be ing responsible for the killing of Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi. "Our<br />

first duty is that the fas cist forces of the RSS should be detected. Today, Government administration is in<br />

grip of the RSS, we have to cleanse it," he said at the National Convention on Secularism here. The<br />

veteran Congress leader, who removed academicians close to the BJP and the RSS from panels drafting<br />

textbooks for schools, said the RSS had a strong hold on administration as "men having sympathies with<br />

the Sangh Parivar were ap pointed by the previous Gov ernment on key positions." "If an institution's<br />

biggest achievement was killing of Ma hatma Gandhi than you can ex pect what national purpose it can<br />

serve," he said calling for "exposing the RSS-men" in the Government. "Not one but there are hundred<br />

different fronts of the RSS. They are getting crores of rupees from within and outside the country. The<br />

previous Gov ernment allowed foreign money to come in but now this web has to be broken. People<br />

should know for what purpose the money was used for," Mr. Singh said. The Minister hoped that "the<br />

Prime Minister will take definitive action in the regard." (Hindu 9.8.04)<br />

10 th Aug<br />

RSS threatens legal action against Arjun Singh (26)<br />

NEW DELHI, AUG. 9. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is planning legal action against the<br />

Human Resource Develop ment Minister, Arjun Singh, who has charged the organisa tion with having<br />

assassinated the Mahatma. An angry RSS spokesperson, Ram Madhav, said today that what Mr.Singh<br />

said was jhootha prachar (false propa ganda) as the Commission, which had looked into the conspiracy<br />

behind the killing of Mahatma Gandhi, had said that "the RSS had had nothing to do with it." He<br />

pointed out that the late Congress president, Sitaram Kesri, had made similar allega tions but had<br />

apologised after the RSS served him with a legal notice. "We then decided not to go ahead with the case."<br />

Mr. Madhav also found fault with Mr. Singh for saying that the RSS men in key Government positions<br />

should be found out and removed. "RSS members are citizens of this country ... they are patriotic citizens


... the Government administrative machinery is not anyone's pri vate property that just because some<br />

people may be associated with the RSS they should be re moved." (The Hindu 10.8.04)<br />

11 th Aug<br />

Arjun Singh dares RSS to sue him (26)<br />

NEW DELHI, AUO. 10. A day after the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh threatened to sue him for his<br />

state ments against it, the Human Re source Development Minister, Arjun Singh, today reiterated that the<br />

RSS ideology was alien to the country's ethos and challenged them to go ahead with their threat. In a<br />

statement, he said: "I am aware of their expertise in murder and mayhem and challenge them to do their<br />

worst." Addressing a National Conven tion on Secularism here on Sunday, Mr. Singh had said that the<br />

admin istration should be cleansed of RSS elements.<br />

"If an institution's biggest achievement was killing Mahatma Gandhi, then you can expect what national<br />

purpose it can serve," he had said. In a statement today, Mr. Singh said: "I am not anybody's puppet and I<br />

have no reason to change my conviction that the ideology and principles which the RSS repre sents are<br />

totally alien to the ethos that permeates the vision of our country." Stating that he was not surprised by the<br />

reaction of the RSS hierarchy to his statement, the Minister reiterated his conviction that the "philosophy of<br />

hate and vi olence by which the RSS swears by killed Mahatmaji." (The Hindu 11.8.04)<br />

12 th Aug<br />

PM against Arjun’s RSS hunt (26)<br />

New Delhi, Aug. 11: Union human resources development minister Arjun Singh has set the cat among the<br />

pigeons by openly challenging the Congress' policy of non-con frontation with the RSS and the BJP. Prime<br />

Minister Manmohan Singh, a strong advocate of this policy, has<br />

decided not to join issue with his minister for the moment, although Mr Arjun Singh's scathing statement<br />

against the RSS has set the Congress poli cy-makers aflutter. PMO sources, when ques tioned about the<br />

government's reaction to Mr Arjun Singh's statement about cleansing the administration of RSS ideologues,<br />

said, "What do you mean, the minister is the government." When asked about the reaction of the<br />

Prime Minister, the sources said, "He cannot react to each and every thing." The media instead was<br />

attacked by the sources for promoting divisiveness and "creating a rift." Dr Manmohan Singh has been<br />

openly against a confrontation with the RSS, being of the view that this will strengthen the organisation.<br />

(Asian Age 12.8.04)<br />

Arjun dares RSS to take to politics (26)<br />

NEW DELHI, AUG. 11. The Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister, Arjun Singh, today<br />

challenged the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh to register itself as a political party and participate in the<br />

electoral process instead of trying to make a "backdoor entry." Responding to questions on the sidelines<br />

of the meeting of the reconstituted Central Ad visory Board of Education (CABE), he said: "You cannot<br />

take advantages of office with out being part of the democrat ic process." According to Mr. Singh, what is<br />

"most objectionable" about the RSS is that it is not a politi cal organisation. Yet a large number of people<br />

under its in fluence are contesting the<br />

polls. He pointed out that the former Prime Minister, Atal Bi-hari Vajpayee, and the former Deputy Prime<br />

Minister, L. K. Advani, had repeatedly talked about their association with the organisation.<br />

Asked whether the RSS ought to be banned, Mr. Singh said that, the nation had a right to know what its<br />

outlook is. "Let them come to the fore front and register with the Elec tion Commission as a political party<br />

and follow the democrat ic process. Let them declare be fore the nation that they are contesting 400 Lok<br />

Sabha seats instead of trying to control the administration." (The Hindu 12.8.04)<br />

13th Aug<br />

For Arjun, CPM loads ammo against RSS (26)<br />

NEW DELHI: HRD Minister Arjun Singh has a steadfast ally in his battle against the RSS — the CPI(M).<br />

The Marxists have come out in open support of the minister and said if the RSS sued him, they would become<br />

a party to the case. In an editorial to be published in People's Democracy on Independence Day, the<br />

CPI(M) has reit erated that the "RSS was not merely involved but was the inspiration for this (Gandhi's)<br />

assassination". Every para graph of the editorial is loaded with strong words in favour of what Arjun has<br />

done after as suming charge of the HRD Ministry. On the contrary, the walkout of the BJP ministers from<br />

the meeting of the Central Advisory Board of Educa tion (CABE) two days ago, it says, is "illustrative of its


(BJP's) belligerence in pursu ing its communal agenda". The CPI(M) has taken on the BJP for "refusing to<br />

reconstitute CABE all through its six years in office", choosing to "ride roughshod over...our federal<br />

education". The editorial argues that CABE was disbanded in Murli Manohar Joshi's time "to unilaterally<br />

im pose its (the BJP-led government's) communalisation drive in accordance with the RSS vision of<br />

converting the secular democratic character of the <strong>Indian</strong> republic into a ra bidly communal and Fascist<br />

Hindu Rashtra". With CABE out of the way, it could go "about the task of rewriting the textbooks without<br />

any consultation with the states and in defiance of an open and pub lic campaign by... educationists who<br />

saw the effort of the BJP government as brazen com munalisation", it says. (<strong>Indian</strong> Express 13.8.04)<br />

RSS to sue Arjun Singh everywhere (26)<br />

New Delhi, Aug. 12: The RSS on Thursday said it is planning to file civil defamation cases in district and<br />

session courts in various parts of the country against Union human resources development minister Arjun<br />

Singh for saying he was "aware of their (RSS) expertise in murder and mayhem." Defamation cases<br />

against Mr Singh will also be filed by other Sangh outfits, including the VHP. The RSS is apparently quite<br />

"confident" that the AICC is "not going to come to Arjun's rescue to fight the cases." An RSS functionary<br />

said, "We want see whether the Congress comes to his aid in fighting cases on behalf of the HRD<br />

minister. Our reading is that Mr Singh is on his own." The RSS warned the HRD minister that this time "a<br />

mere oral apology will not be accepted." The last time the RSS served a legal notice was against former<br />

Congress president Sitaram Kesari, who had accused the outfit of Mahatma Gandhi's<br />

assassination. The notice was withdrawn following an oral apology by-Mr Kesari. Leader of the Opposition<br />

L.K. Advani has also conveyed his "displeasure" to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over the HRD<br />

minister's outbursts against the RSS, sources disclosed. Defending the role of swayamsevaks in the<br />

organisation, BJP chief M. Venkaiah Naidu said, "We are proud of our association with the RSS. (Asian<br />

Age 13.8.04)<br />

VHP does not plan to join politics: Singhal (26)<br />

Lucknow, Aug. 12: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad has no plans to con vert itself into a political outfit.<br />

However, disillusioned by the BJP, the VHP feels that there is an urgent need for a proactive political party<br />

in the country that could fulfill the aspirations of the Hindu community. "The UPA government is anti-Hindu<br />

while the NDA government has trampled upon the aspirations of the Hindu Samaj. It was because of it<br />

attitude that Hindus rejected the BJP and the Vajpayee government got voted out of power. The need of<br />

the day is an aggressive political party that can effectively address itself to the dreams and demands of<br />

the Hindu community. The VHP will remain a socio-religious body that will work towards expanding its<br />

base. We have no plans to take up politics full time," Mr Ashok Sing-hal, international working president of<br />

the VHP, told reporters here on Thursday. Mr Singhal came down heavily against the UPA government<br />

which, he said, was pursuing a pro-minority agenda and was working against the interests of the Hindus.<br />

"Anti-social elements and terrorist organisations are raising their heads. Christian missionaries feel this is<br />

a government that works for them and everyone knows that 18 militant organisations in the North-East<br />

have definite links with the Church. The maximum numbers of kidnappings of Hindu girls have taken place<br />

with- in the past three months and inci dents of cow slaughter have also reg istered an alarming increase.<br />

The entire Hindu population is feeling insecure and a situation similar to pre-Partition is building up in the<br />

country," he said. (Asian Age 13.8.04)<br />

15 th Aug<br />

Sangh Parivar to resume 'trishul diksha' (26)<br />

JAIPUR, AUG. 14. Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal have announced resumption of the "trishul<br />

diksha" (distribution of tridents) programme they had given up in Rajasthan some time last year following<br />

amend ments made to the Arms Act by the then Congress-led Govern ment in the State. The two Sangh<br />

Parivar outfits on Friday organised a low-pro file programme at the VHP of fice in Udaipur handing over the<br />

"trishuls" to nine workers in the presence of the VHP's na tional secretary, Hukum Chand Sanwla. Similar<br />

"samarohs" (gatherings) are scheduled to be held in Jaipur, Bharatpur, Sikar and smaller towns like<br />

Kotputli and Kairthal over this week-end.<br />

The notification on the Arms Act, amending Section 4, issued by the State Home Department on April 8,<br />

2003, was purported ly to ban procurement, posses sion and distribution of "trishuls" by bringing them under<br />

the Act with additional ref erences to single-edged and multi-edged sharp weapons. The amendments<br />

to the Act carried out by the Gehlot Gov ernment in the State had a so bering effect on the promoters of the


"trishul diksha", especial ly in the wake of the now fa mous arrest of Pravin Togadia, the VHP general<br />

secretary, in Ajmer on April 13 last, allegedly after the distribution of tridents in a function. (The Hindu<br />

15.8.04)<br />

RSS sues, Arjun adamant (26)<br />

New Delhi, August 14: THE RSS on Saturday served a defamation notice on HRD minister Arjun Singh,<br />

demanding an uncondi tional written apology from him for al leging that the organisation was re sponsible<br />

for the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. Singh has been asked to give an un dertaking that he will not<br />

embark on a similar "misadventure" in future. The three-page notice also threatens to file a criminal<br />

defamation case against the minister if he fails to comply with the demand for an apology, according to<br />

RSS spokesman Ram Madhav. As per the notice, the RSS has sought damages from Singh and all other<br />

persons and organisations in volved in the "offence". Furthermore, the RSS has also asked Singh to explain<br />

if the statement given by him was made in his individual capacity or in the capacity of a member of<br />

the AICC. The RSS has taken offence to three statements made by the HRD minister. Addressing a<br />

convention of minorities here last Sunday, Singh had remarked that "if an institution's biggest achievement<br />

was the killing of Gandhi then you can expect what national purpose it can serve. (Hindustan Times<br />

15.8.04)<br />

17 th Aug<br />

Arjun refuses to submit written apology to RSS (26)<br />

New Delhi, Aug. 16: Union human resources development minister Arjun Singh on Mon day rejected the<br />

RSS demand for a "written apology" for suggesting the organisation's involvement in Mahatma Gandhi's<br />

assassina tion. "The question of submitting a written apolo gy to the RSS simply does not arise. I am prepared<br />

for any sacrifice that I may be called upon to make and will treat it as a great hon our," Mr Singh<br />

said. The minister said he "stood by" every word of his written statement issued last week in which he had<br />

stated that the philosophy of hate and violence, which the RSS swears by, was responsible for Gandhiji's<br />

killing. "Every word I stand by. I am not amending anything. I am not adding to it," he asserted. To a<br />

question whether he had "diluted" his stand in his written statement issued last week, subsequent to his<br />

allegation at a minor ity convention suggesting the RSS' involve ment in Gandhiji's killing, Mr Singh said, "I<br />

had not diluted any stand. If the philosophy and programme (of RSS) leads to it, (the assassination), then<br />

who will be responsible. I have said what I have said." Referring to the legal notice served by the RSS, Mr<br />

Singh declined to spell out his moves, saying his legal advisers would deal with it appropriately. (Asian<br />

Age 17.8.04)<br />

Trishul diksha' will fan riots, feels CPI (M) (26)<br />

JAIPUR, AUG. 16.The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has ex pressed concern over the re sumption of<br />

"trishul diksha" (trident distribution) programme by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Baj-rang Dal in<br />

Rajasthan. "This is preparing ground for commu nal riots in the State," the State Secretariat of the CPI(M)<br />

al leged in a statement here today. "The patronage of the Bhara-tiya Janata Party Government in the State<br />

is providing a fillip to the activities of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the VHP, the Bajrang Dal and<br />

the Shiv Sena," Ravindra Shukla, the member of the State Secretariat said. On the last Saturday alone, in<br />

various "trishul diksha" programmes, as many as 359 were distributed in Ra jasthan, it was pointed out. By<br />

taking back the cases reg istered against those involved in communal riots in the past, the State<br />

Government had only given a signal to the elements which were out to create reli gious discord, Mr.Shukla<br />

charged. The VHP programme, as per its own claim, was to dis tribute 30 lakh tridents in the country, he<br />

noted. The CPI(M) Secretariat noted with concern the statements of the <strong>Social</strong> Welfare Minister, Madan<br />

Dilawar, supporting the trident distributions and de manding the withdrawal of cases registered in April<br />

2003 against the VHP leader, Pravin Togadia, by the then Gehlot Government under the amend ed Arms<br />

Act. "Such utterances coming from a Minister em boldened the communal ele ments," it observed. (The<br />

Hindu 17.8.04)<br />

18 th Aug<br />

RSS releases ‘proof’ of its innocence (26)<br />

NEW DELHI, AUG. 17. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh today denied that it had anything to do with<br />

the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi and as "proof" of its innocence circulated a copy of a letter written<br />

by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel to Jawaharlal Nehru just 28 days after the murder. However, it seems that the


RSS overlooked the fact that the same letter blamed V.D. Savarkar for hatching the conspir acy and<br />

"seeing it through" while emphasising that "the as sassination was welcomed by those of the RSS and the<br />

[Hindu] Mahasabha." Today, the RSS spokesperson, Ram Madhav, told a press con ference that the<br />

organisation would wait for a week for a for mal reply to its legal notice to the Human Resource<br />

Development Minister, Arjun Singh, af ter which it would file a criminal defamation suit against the Minister<br />

under Section 500 of the <strong>Indian</strong> Penal Code for his written statement that the Mahatma's murder was the<br />

"only achievement of the RSS." Mr. Singh has already challenged the RSS to "do its worst" and has said<br />

that there is no ques tion of his offering an apology. To substantiate his assertion that the RSS had nothing<br />

to do with the Mahatma's assassina tion, Mr. Madhav circulated co pies of Sardar Patel's letter of February<br />

20, 1948 addressed to Nehru. (Hindu 18.8.04)<br />

RSS hits back, gives Arjun Singh 7 days to apologise (26)<br />

New Delhi, Aug. 17: In a move to give itself a clean chit, the RSS on Tuesday released copies of then<br />

home minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's letter to Prime Minis ter Jawaharlal Nehru "exoner ating" the outfit<br />

in the Gandhi murder case. RSS spokesman Ram Madhav also criticised Nathuram Godse's act of<br />

assassinating Gandhi by say ing, "Then RSS chief Guru Gowalkar had strongly con demned the murder of<br />

Gandhiji." Mr Madhav was reply ing to a query whether the RSS condemned Godse for Gandhi's murder.<br />

Though Sardar Patel's letter apparently "did not find the RSS" involved in Gandhi's assassination, it<br />

pointed a fin ger at V.D. Savarkar. The let ter observed, "It was a fanati cal wing of the Hindu Mahasabha<br />

directly under Savarkar that (hatched) the conspiracy and saw it through." The outfit also gave HRD<br />

minister Arjun Singh a dead line of seven days to submit a "written unconditional apolo gy," for calling the<br />

RSS an "expert in murder and may hem." The RSS spokesman said, "We'll give him about a week to<br />

apologise, after .. which we shall go ahead with '.' the criminal defamation case against him." The RSS<br />

has already sent a legal notice to the minister in this regard. (Asian Age 18.8.04)<br />

20 th Aug<br />

RSS urged to come out in the open (26)<br />

NEW DELHI, AUG. 19. Close on the heels of the Human Resource Development Minister, Arjun Singh,<br />

taking on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, (RSS) an other Congress MP has said that it was time the<br />

"cultural" orga nisation became a political enti ty. "They should come out in the open instead of sending<br />

people on 'deputation' to politi cal parties," said the Rajya Sabha MP, R.K. Anand, at a news conference<br />

here today. He said one reason for the RSS' claim as a cultural organi sation was the huge foreign funds<br />

received by its frontal outfits for "social purposes" whereas they were actually op erating as a political<br />

organisa tion. In a "notice" sent to the RSS, Mr. Anand said that after read ing various books, periodicals<br />

and historical documents, he found their activities to be polit ical in nature. The "very fact that top leaders<br />

of the RSS have been sent to the BJP clearly es tablishes that the RSS is nothing but a political<br />

organisation. In fact, RSS acts as a springboard to fulfil the needs of the BJP." The Congress MP and<br />

lawyer dared the RSS to file a case against him for his remarks against the organisation so that its "true<br />

nature" was revealed in the court. (Hindu 20.8.04)<br />

Savarkar row stalls House yet again (26)<br />

New Delhi: The Savarkar issue rocked Parliament for the third con secutive day on Thursday with both<br />

Houses adjourning for the day as an gry Opposition members demanded an apology from petroleum<br />

minister Mani Shankar Aiyar for his reported remarks against the freedom fighter during a recent visit to<br />

Port Blair. After one adjournment in the morning, the Lok Sabha was abrupt ly adjourned for the day in the<br />

post-lunch session amid pandemonium over a derogatory remark made by JD(U) member Prabhunath<br />

Singh against R K Rana (RJD) for inter rupting him while voicing his protest against the "humiliation" meted<br />

out to Savarkar. Speaker Somnath Chatterjee<br />

adjourned the House suddenly. Earlier, Question Hour suffered a 15-minute adjournment, after<br />

which Chatterjee pulled up the erring members with an ob servation: "The whole world is watching us.<br />

Even school-children will behave better." Anandrao Adsul (Shiv Sena), who was called to ask a question<br />

listed in his name, instead raised the Savarkar issue. Chatterjee disallowed it. When the member<br />

persisted, Chatter jee skipped the question and called for the next one. (Times of India 20.8.04)<br />

21 st Aug<br />

Rajnath fuel to Hindutva debate (26)


New Delhi, Aug. 20: BJP gen eral secretary Rajnath Singh gave his own spin on the ongo ing Hindutva<br />

versus modera tion debate in his party, saying that "Hindutva should not be confined to the bounds of<br />

communalism". The Uttar Pradesh leader said: "It is not a Hindu versus Muslim or a Hindu versus Christian<br />

concept. For the BJP, it is a belief, an article of faith and not a vote-catching slogan as it is for the<br />

Opposition." Singh, who has rarely been seen or heard in the media aft er he ceased to be the chief<br />

minister of the country's po litically most crucial state, indicated that the BJP was ready to be "flexible" on<br />

the definition of Hindutva. "Okay, if the Congress and the Left are allergic to the word, we are ready to<br />

replace it with <strong>Indian</strong>-ness, Bharatiyata or cultural nationalism. "In fact, our religious texts and epics make<br />

no mention of the word Hindu. It was a coin age of the invaders who cross ed the Hindukush mountain<br />

range and started referring the people living in the Valley as Hindus. In that sense, it is a geographical<br />

denomination rather than a religious one," he asserted. Singh countered the char ge that the BJP had<br />

jettisoned its ideological preoccupations in the pursuit of power poli tics. "In the coalition government we<br />

ran, some of our partners had to leave their ideolo gy," he said. (Telegraph 21,8,04)<br />

27 th Aug<br />

Sena in a tizzy over bhajan ban (26)<br />

Mumbai, Aug. 26: The Shiv Sena. has come down strongly on the state government's decision to ban<br />

singing of bljajans on suburban trains. The Sena would oppose it at any cost if the government decides to<br />

implement it, leader of the Opposition, Narayan Rane said. Terming it as injustice, Mr Rane said at a<br />

press conference on Wednesday that the government at the same time has put up a temporary shed on<br />

the seventh floor of the Mantralaya for people from the minority community to offer namaaz. Mr Rane said,<br />

"Singing bhajans is a religious practice and no one .can stop us from it." The government had imposed the<br />

ban after some Muslim groups insisted on singing qawwalis. "Bhajan is a religious form of offering prayers<br />

whereas qawwali is folk music. They cannot stop one practice to satisfy certain sections of the society,"<br />

said a Sena leader. ''Muslims can offer nainaaz any where. The government need not create separate<br />

arrangements at the Mantralaya where crucial gov ernment decisions are taken. Not only this, the Muslims<br />

who are not employed there join them and this practice must be stopped immedi ately," he added. Mr Rane<br />

also said that the Demo cratic Front government's recent announcements like relaxing the rules for issuing<br />

occupancy certifi cates was only to please the voters in view of the forthcoming Assem bly elections. (Asian<br />

Age 27.8.04)<br />

2 nd Sept.<br />

VHP turns focus on tribals, dalits (26)<br />

Lucknow, Sept.1: Upset over thee waning interest of upper caste Hindus in the Ram Janmabhoomi<br />

movement, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad has now set its eyes on backward castes and tribals living in the<br />

rural interior of the country. From October, after Dusshera, the VHP will launch Ram-Krishna Rath Yatras<br />

across the country where Lord Krishna-along with Lord Ram-will be promoted as a Hindu religious icon.<br />

The VHP aim is apparently to break caste barriers and polarize Hindus on religious lines. These yatras will<br />

travel across the backward and tribal population dominated areas of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh,<br />

Chhattisgarh, Bihar Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and the northeastern regions of<br />

Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura and Manipur. "The date for the yatras will be<br />

finalised within a week and the Ram-Krishna Rath will travel to the remote interiors where we will inform<br />

the trib als and backwards caste about the life and ideology of Lord Ram and Lord Krishna Lucknow, Sept.<br />

1: Upset over the waning interest of upper caste Hindus in the Ram Janmabhoomi move ment, the Vishwa<br />

Hindu Parishad has now set its eyes on backward castes and trib als living in the rural interiors of the<br />

country. From October, after Dusshera, the VHP will launch Ram-Krishna Rath Yatras across the country<br />

where Lord Krishna — along with Lord Ram — will be pro moted as a Hindu religious icon. The VHP aim is<br />

apparently to break caste barriers and through audio-video presenta tions and sketches from the<br />

Ramayana and Mahabharata. There are millions among the backward castes and tribal people who<br />

worship Ram and Krishna but do not know much about their lives. We intend to familiarise them with the<br />

life and principles of the Lords and brochures relat ing the stories of the Lords will also be distributed<br />

during the yatras," Mr Sharad Sharma, media in charge of VHP told The Asian Age. (Asian Age, 2-9-<strong>2004</strong>)<br />

3RD September<br />

BJP now banks on Savarkar rathyatra - (26)<br />

Mumbai, Sept. 2: The Bharatiya Janata Party is leaving no stone unturned to gain political mileage out


of the Veer Savarkar issue, with the state Assembly elections around the corner.<br />

In a bid to address Hindu nationalist sentiments, the BJP launched the Savarkar Gaurav Rath Yatra in the<br />

city on Wednesday. Flagged off by state BJP president Gopinath Munde, the rath will travel across<br />

Mumbai for a week. Bearing the graffiti "Dagi mantriyon ka samman, Savarkarjl ka apman, yehi Congress<br />

ki pehchan" or "Honouring tainted ministers, insulting Savarkarji, is the identity of the Congress," Mr<br />

Munde said. (Asian Age, 3-9-<strong>2004</strong>)<br />

4 TH September<br />

BJP: Godhra inquiry a vengeful trivialization - (26)<br />

New Delhi : THE BJP on Friday termed the UFA Government's deci sion to constitute an "in-house inquiry"<br />

by a retired Supreme Court justice as "vengeful trivialisation" of the tragic incident. It also wanted to know<br />

whether Justice UC Banerjee, who will head the probe, was in formed of the terms of ref erence before<br />

taking his con sent and whether the Chief Justice of India had been con sulted by the Government. Party<br />

general-secretary Arun Jaitley on Friday said the fresh probe into the Godhra train carnage was an<br />

"unashamed act of the Government directly intend ed to help the perpetrators of the heinous and barbaric<br />

crime of killing innocent kar-sevaks by setting the Sabarmati Express on fire". Prime Minister Manmohan<br />

Singh, too, came under at tack for approving the con stitution of the committee led by Justice Banerjee.<br />

"The noises of this kind which were being made by Lalu Prasad Yadav and others were worrying enough.<br />

But such a move to acquire the stamp of the Prime Minister and the Union Cabinet is a challenge to rule<br />

of law and an interference with the course of justice. It reflects callous lack of concern to wards the victims<br />

of the barbaric incident. It is also a direct encouragement to those who commit such acts by signalling that<br />

the UPA Government would protect them," he said. (The Pioneer, 4-9-<strong>2004</strong>)<br />

11 th September<br />

Saffron takes census into political arena (26)<br />

New Delhi: BJP on Friday said the Census report has once again underlined the rising population rate and<br />

their consequences on devel opment. While this marks a shift from the party's initial response over the<br />

"inflated" Muslim growth rate, the leadership now feels that even the "adjusted" report has vindicated its<br />

old com plaint about rampant infil tration from Bangladesh. BJP called upon all parties to join a debate on<br />

population explosion and its adverse im pact on development. Noting that it didn't make sense to<br />

acquiesce to an alarming 20% growth rate in population, the party said its proposal for a two-child norm<br />

for politi cians and government em ployees should be accepted by the government. "We expect them<br />

(UPA) to respond to our proposal of introducing the two-child norm. All political parties should join us on<br />

this issue," BJP general secretary Arun Jaitley said. VHP, however, responded differently. It demanded<br />

pros ecution of the minister con cerned "at whose behest the data reflecting high growth rate of Muslims<br />

was changed overnight." It threatened to take the issue to court. (Times of India 11.9.04)<br />

12th September<br />

Party won’t apologise for assertive Hindutva (26)<br />

A CONFERENCE of BJP chief ministers began here today with senior leader L K Advani asserting that<br />

the policy of 'cultural national ism' was the party's strength about which "we should not be apologetic." He<br />

also attacked the BJP's crit ics for viewing the problems of population explosion and the 'tricolour' issue<br />

from a com munal angle. Addressing the inaugu ral session of the two-day meeting, the for mer Deputy<br />

Prime Minister alleged that the Manmohan Singh gov ernment was not paying adequate attention to national<br />

security, and criticised its decision to repeal anti-terrorist law POTA while lift ing ban on People’s War<br />

(PWG). "When we talk of national ism and agitation like Tiranga yatra under taken by Uma Bharati and<br />

another on Veer Savarkar issue by Sushma Swaraj, there is one section which feels it is not right he said.<br />

(The Hindu 12.9.04)<br />

Police bracing to face VHP threat (26)<br />

MUMBAl, SEPT. 11. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) says it is sticking to its plan to demolish the tomb<br />

of Afzal Khan and the "illegal structures" built around it on the Pratapgad fort tomor row.<br />

The fort is 27 km away from the hill station of Mahabaleshwar in Satara district of Maharashtra.<br />

The VHP zonal secretary, Venkatesh Abdeo, told The Hindu that they were "go ing ahead with demolition...<br />

There will be 50,000 people to morrow who will be present to ensure this." Last Friday, the VHP held a<br />

meeting with the Satara Collec tor, on its demand. It says that there are "illegal structures" at the tomb site,


which include a guest house and that annual celebrations are held there. Mr. Abdeo said they had demanded<br />

the demolition of these "illegal structures" and the construction of a monu ment to glorify Shivaji —<br />

a Shiv Pratap memorial, as it was a fort he had built. "Till 1916, the tomb was just a simple structure and<br />

we had no objections to that. However, things have changed since then and the tomb has been glorified in<br />

many ways," Mr. Abdeo alleged. Official sources said that dur ing the meeting with the Col lector, the<br />

administration had agreed to all these demands. (The Hindu 12.9.04)<br />

13 th September<br />

A success, says VHP leader (26)<br />

POLADPUR (MAHARASHTRA), SEPT. 12. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader, Venkatesh Ab-deo, was<br />

among several VHP and Bajrang Dal leaders arrested today before they could reach Pratapgarh fort, near<br />

here, and de stroy Afzal Khan's tomb there. However, a short while before his arrest, Mr. Abdeo said: "For<br />

us this agitation is a success as many people still managed to re ach near the fort despite so much<br />

security and oppression. However, our demand to remove the illegal structures on the tomb remains." At<br />

Loharmal, near Poladpur, the district administration allowed VHP and Bajrang Dal members to hold a<br />

meeting which was turned into a "victory" rally of sorts. Youth waving saffron flags and brandishing trishuls<br />

had come in buses shouting "ai Bhavani, Jai Shivaji." The VHP's Ravindra Korde said: "It's a vic tory rally<br />

as the Government has agreed to our demands, though action is yet to be tak en. How can the<br />

government allot forest land to the trust in the name Afzal Khan and even support it with funds" (The<br />

Hindu 13.9.04)<br />

15 th September<br />

PM gives first interview tot RSS weekly (26)<br />

New Delhi: In what looks like an audacious disarming manoeuvre, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has<br />

cho sen RSS journal Panchjanya for his maiden exclusive in terview. The PM's choice is sure to disappoint<br />

many in the press corps eager to grab the "first". More so, because even the "second" one did not come<br />

their way — Time being the beneficiary for the second exclusive interaction of the PM with any publica tion<br />

since assuming office. The choice of the popular American newsmagazine was perhaps dictated by the<br />

consideration to present Singh to the readers there before his visit to New York for the UNGA session.<br />

Panchjanya, however, seems to have been preferred for the objective of reaching out to the opposition<br />

and burying the hatchet. (Times of India 15.9.04)<br />

16th September<br />

Probe ordered into allotment of land to Sangh Parivar outfits (26)<br />

NEW DELHI, SEPT. 15. The Union Urban Development Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad, today or dered an<br />

inquiry into the al leged allotment of land by the Land and Development Office (L&DO) to various social,<br />

cul tural, educational and religious institutions, mostly RSS-affiliated outfits, in the capital during the last<br />

five years of BJP rule. "It is, hereby, ordered that on the allotments made to social, cultural, religious and<br />

other in stitutions since 1998-99, no fur ther action such as handing over possession, signing of lease deed,<br />

issuance of NOC for vari ous purposes, extension of time would be taken till the inquiry is completed and<br />

further course of action is decided," an order of the Ministry said. A retired IAS officer, Yogesh Chandra,<br />

would head the one-man inquiry committee that has been asked to submit its report within two months.<br />

The inquiry comes close on the heels of the uproar in Parlia ment and various organisations alleging<br />

non-adherence to pre scribed norms and procedures in allotment of land in some cases. The Congress<br />

MLA from Del hi, Mahabal Mishra, had also written to Mr. Azad in this re gard. The allottees include organisations<br />

headed by some former Ministers in the NDA Government and those that mushroomed<br />

overnight which were allegedly allotted land in violation of all norms and regulations. (The Hindu 16.9.04)<br />

17 th September<br />

Hindu forces under attack, says RSS chief (26)<br />

BHOPAL, SEPT. 16. The Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh (RSS) chief, K.S. Sudarshan, today said that<br />

Hindu forces have come under attack from all sides and appealed to Hindus to support the RSS and the<br />

Vishwa Hindu Parishad and help protect 'Hindutva' and the cultural tradition and identity of the nation. Mr.<br />

Sudarshan was ad dressing Swayamsevaks here this evening.<br />

Mr. Sudarshan spoke in defence of the RSS and Veer Savarkar. He highlighted the Swayamsevaks' role


during the freedom struggle and said that it had been a strategic decision by the RSS to keep away from<br />

the Congress-led freedom struggle. But the Swayamse vaks in their "personal ca pacity" were allowed by<br />

the RSS leaders to join the free dom struggle, he said and emphasised the 'sacrifices' made by many of<br />

them, in cluding Veer Savarkar. He claimed that there was evi dence to indicate that it was at the behest of<br />

Jawaharlal Nehru that Savarkar had been 'wrongly accused' in the conspiracy to assassi nate Mahatma<br />

Gandhi and quoted the Court order that had acquitted him of all charges. He denounced the Union<br />

Petroleum Minister, Mani Shankar Aiyar, for his remarks against Savarkar and the removal of the plaque<br />

with Savarkar's name from the Cellular Jail at Port Blair. (The Hindu 17.9.04)<br />

24 TH September<br />

RSS key to ICHR's missing files (26)<br />

New Delhi: In the end, the search for ICHR's missing confidential Towards Free dom project files (No.<br />

18-30/72-ICHR/Admn.I in three parts each containing 170, 210 and 131 pages) might end at the door of a<br />

high-level RSS functionary who also dabbles in academics. Officials who worked in former HRD minister<br />

Murli Manohar Joshi's office say that the RSS functionary took away the files which were sent to the<br />

minister's office by ICHR on March 9, 2000. The story about the files being missing was first reported in<br />

The Times of In dia on July 22. A senior official who<br />

worked with Joshi says: "The files were taken by the RSS functionary who is very close to Joshi and<br />

interfered in the working of institu tions like ICHR, IC-SSR and <strong>Indian</strong> Council of Philo sophical Research.<br />

He systematically leaked the contents of the files to favourable journal ists and used 'inane' facts to run<br />

down historians involved with the TF project." Meanwhile, the ICHR re mains clueless. Ever since the new<br />

government came to power, two reminders (July 22 and August 9) have been sent by ICHR to Arjun<br />

Singh's office. A similar let ter was sent from ICHR in 2002. But to no avail. The minister's office maintains<br />

it has no files on the project. But the story has become cu-riosier. Without re plying separately to ICHR's<br />

July 22 letter, an official in Singh's office jot ted down on the same letter: "No file is pending in HRM office".<br />

(Times of India 24.9.04)<br />

27 TH September<br />

RSS backs Left stir on foreigners in Plan panel (26)<br />

New Delhi, Sept. 26: The Left front has gained the support of its arch enemy, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak<br />

Sangh, in its fight to oust for eign experts from the Planning Commission. The BJP has, however, come<br />

out in support of the UPA government's decision to include foreign experts. The RSS mouthpiece<br />

Organiser has virtually echoed the Left line, claiming that the decision to invite foreign experts is a "blow to<br />

India's sovereign status". While BJP spokesman Yashwant Sinha had attacked the Left/or its criticism on<br />

the foreign experts issue, the editor of the Organiser, Mr R. Balashankar, feels "this is not the time to<br />

attack the Left". The mouthpiece observed that the foreign experts' "list for growth wants to put aside the<br />

ideology of both the Left and the Right". Making it clear that the RSS never approved of foreign<br />

intervention in deciding <strong>Indian</strong> policy, an editorial in the RSS mouthpiece titled "Should we get hit a second<br />

time" stated that the move to invite foreign experts "hurts our national ego and is a chal lenge to our<br />

sovereign status". (Asian Age 27.9.04)<br />

1ST October<br />

VHP wants Jharkhand to ban ow slaughter, conversions (26)<br />

Ranchi: THE V1SHWA Hindu Parisad (VHP) has decided to launch a State-wide agitation in Jharkhand to<br />

exert pressure on the State Government to bring about a legislation to ban cow slaughter and reli gious<br />

conversion. Details of the agitation have been pre pared and it is to begin from October. In the first phase<br />

of the agitation the VHP activists will start their demonstration from the State headquarter to block level<br />

Government offices and submit a memorandum to Government officials. On November 21 the VHP has<br />

called for a rally in Ranchi. The rally will be addressed by central leaders of the VHP including Praveen<br />

Togadia. The VHP decided to launch the agitation following delib erations with the RSS. "We are<br />

demanding for a long time that cow slaughter and reli gious conversion be banned in Jharkhand. But the<br />

State Government has turned a deaf ear to our demand," said Pramod Mishra, assistant general secretary<br />

of the Jharkhand unit of the VHP. He said, "The Jharkhand Government instead of ban ning cow slaughter<br />

has grant ed licenses and funds to slaughter houses. Religious conversion too is going on and there is no<br />

law to prevent con version through allurement." The Jharkhand Government had decided to promulgate an<br />

ordinance to ban cow slaughter but Governor Ved Prakash Marwah returned the file for technical reasons.


The State Government is waiting for the Governor to formally pro rogue the Assembly session, it would<br />

then send the file back to the Governor. Pioneer 1.10.04)<br />

3 rd October<br />

VHP pressure to withdraw case (26)<br />

NEW DELHI, Oct 2.— A day after the national level secre tary of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad brutally<br />

assaulted a senior reporter of The Statesman, the accused -Surinder Jain - sought to use his political clout<br />

to coerce Mr Chanchal Pal Chauhan's family to with draw the complaint to the police.<br />

Another tactic employed was that about 60 supporters of the VHP staged a demon stration at the Shakti<br />

Vihar police post in north-west .Delhi to exert pressure on the Delhi Police to go "slow in the case". Jain,<br />

who is in custody, is at present holding the post of secretary in the VHP. Two years ago, he was the<br />

all-India president of the Bajrang Dal. His political influence is manifest in the manner in which VHP leaders<br />

are using their resources to protect him.<br />

He has been arrested under Section 308 of the <strong>Indian</strong> Penal Code for attempting to commit culpable<br />

homicide. If convicted, he could be sen tenced to seven years impris onment. The international president of<br />

the VHP, Mr Vishnu .Hari Dalmiya, visited the accused, who has got himself admit ted in the Intensive<br />

Care Unit of the private hospital, and then proceeded to meet Mr Chauhan, who is still at Max Healthcare<br />

Hospital recuperating from the injuries inflicted on him by Jain. (Statesman 3.10.04)<br />

4 TH Octro<br />

NCERT ex-director is lauded on visit to Orissa (26)<br />

Bhubaneswar, Oct. 3: At least 10 organisa tions having close ties with the Rastriya Swayamsevak Sangh<br />

on Friday evening hon oured "discarded" NCERT director Jagmohan Singh Rajput with civic receptions for<br />

the reforms he effected in school curriculum. While two senior BJP ministers of the Navin Patnaik<br />

government attended the reception party, veteran Biju Janata Dal min ister Damodar Rout tactically<br />

distanced him self from the reception ceremony reportedly on ideological grounds. A good number of BJP<br />

legislators came to honour Mr Rajput at the IDCOL auditorium here in the city. Speakers took digs at<br />

Union human resources development minister Arjun Singh for rescinding the educational policy initiated by<br />

Mr Rajput.<br />

Dr Nagendra Pradhan, president of Sikshya Sanskrit Surkshya Samiti said, "The English education<br />

system has caused several divi sions in <strong>Indian</strong> society. Even after 56 years of Independence, we have not<br />

been able to inculcate nationalism in the minds of-our children which is resulting in separatism in Jammu<br />

and Kashmir and some parts of the Northeast regions of the country. When Mr Rajput tried to address<br />

these issues, the pre sent HRD minister, Mr Singh, wanted to restore the old system only for political reasons."<br />

(Asian Age 4.10.04)<br />

10TH October<br />

Hindutva forces fighting imaginary battles (26)<br />

JAIPUR, OCT. 9. <strong>Social</strong> activ ist Swami Agnivesh has ac cused "Hindutva" forces of fighting imaginary<br />

battles and creating illusionary is sues. "When the real prob lems faced by this country are poverty and<br />

inequality, they are going ahead with their agenda of communal politics and religious fun damentalism,"<br />

said the Swami during a visit here today to attend various programmes in the Pink City. "The<br />

politics they are trying to impose upon the people is not in the inter est of the country. The Arya<br />

Samaj will oppose it," Swami Agnivesh, who is al so the chief of the Sarva-deshik Arya Pradhiniti Sabha,<br />

said. "There is so much poverty around here but they are fighting over issues like mandir and masjid,"<br />

he noted. "When there are so many illiterate children the Vishwa Hindu Parishad should have<br />

considered distributing pens instead of trishuls," Swami Agnivesh argued referring to the "Trishul<br />

Dikshas" (trident distribution ceremonies) of the VHP. The Arya Samaj, though not a political orga nisation<br />

would oppose the communal agenda of the Hindutva forces through its 10,000 strong set up schools<br />

colleges, and gurukuls spread all over the country, he said. (The Hindu 10.10.04)<br />

19 TH October<br />

Advani as BJP chief: RSS happy, VHP not (26)<br />

New Delhi, Oct. 18: Mr L.K. AdvaniVtaking over as BJP chief evoked mixed reaction among the Sangh<br />

Parivar. While the VHP expressed "disappointment", the RSS "welcomed" the move. VHP leader Praveen


Togadia said, "By electing the leader who is responsible for betraying Hindus, the BJP has given a<br />

message that it does not want to return to Hindu agenda. RSS spokesman Ram Madhav, however, said,<br />

"Advaniji is a highly respected and mature leader, who has grown up in the Sangh ideology, understands<br />

the significance of the sentiments of the people who are spearheading the ideology." Mr Togadia said,<br />

"Advani had not only described the demoli tion of the disputed structure at Ayodhya as the most shameful<br />

day in his life but termed the post-Godhra riots as a blot on the nation." However, the RSS spokesman<br />

observed, "We hope that he would be able to bring in necessary changes to meet the expectations of all."<br />

(Asian Age 19.10.04)<br />

20 th October<br />

No rush to return BJP to Hindutva: Advani (26)<br />

New Delhi, Oct. 19: Newly-elected BJP chief L.K. Advani is in "no hurry to return to hard-line-Hindutva,"<br />

The BJP old war-horse, who took over following the squabbling of the young Turks, intends to adhere to<br />

the moder ate line being followed by former Prime Min ister Atal Behari Vajpayee. However, at the same<br />

time, Mr Advani would also keep the party's "ideology intact, without making the contentious issues as<br />

party's main poll plank," a senior party functionary said. Mr Advani, who took over to contain the ongoing<br />

power struggle in the party, also indi cated that "no individual should be held accountable for the<br />

Maharashtra poll debacle." Sources disclosed that the BJP old guard was against "singling out Mr<br />

Mahajan for the Maharashtra results and wanted him to contin ue as party general secretary." However,<br />

the new team would be decided following a discussion between Mr Advani, Mr Vajpayee and Mr Jaswant<br />

Singh. During Monday's meeting, former BJP chief M. Venkaiah Naidu expressed "disgust" at the way<br />

some of his "party colleagues had launched a crusade against him." Mr Mahajan also opined that<br />

"whatever was happening against Mr Naidu was not fair." He was referring to the whisper campaign<br />

launched against Mr Naidu by a sec tion of partymen, sources said. (Asian Age 20.10.04)<br />

22 ND October<br />

Apte’s RSS star rises in Avani’s BJP plans (26)<br />

New Delhi, Oct. 21: Bal Apte, the RSS point man in the BJP who also doubles as the party's<br />

vice-president, is likely to play a key role in newly-appointed president L.K. Advani’s plans for setting the<br />

saffron house in order. A low-profile man, Mr Apte recently moved into the parly's ' core strategy team<br />

headed by Mr Vajpayee and Mr Advani. He was present at the crucial meet ings over the weekend at<br />

which Mr Advani's takeover as party president was finalised. His entry into the BJP's kitchen cabinet is a<br />

significant development because it marks the start of efforts to re-establish the RSS-BJP bond, which<br />

came under severe strain during the tenure of the NDA government. Mr Advani's trip to Nagpur to attend<br />

the Vijay Dashami cele brations at the Sangh headquar ters is another indication that a patchup operation is<br />

underway. Mr Apte's importance lies in the fact that as the man in charge of the Sangh's student wing,<br />

ABVP, during his years in the RSS, he has groomed virtually all the leading lights of the sec ond- and<br />

third-rung leadership of the party. These include Mr Arun Jaitley, Mr Pramod Mahajan, Mr M. Venkaiah<br />

Naidu, Chhattisgarh chief minis ter Raman Singh, former I&B minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, former urban<br />

development min ister Ananth Kumar, ideologue Govindacharya and Lok Sabha MP from Bihar Sushil<br />

Modi. (Asian Age 22.10.04)<br />

23RD October<br />

Varun at RSS Nagpur meeting (26)<br />

New Delhi, Oct. 22: BJP chief L.K. Advani attended the RSS' Vijay Dashami rally at Nagpur on Friday.<br />

Also present at the RSS function was the BJP's third-line leader, Mr Varun Gandhi, who,<br />

according to some reports, had been preparing to join the Congress. Though Mr Gandhi did not<br />

"salute" the "bhagwa dhwaj (saffron flag)", he listened with rapt attention as RSS chief K.S. Sudarshan<br />

called the Marxists "Marxputras" and "Macaulayputras" and cau tioned Prime Minister<br />

Manmohan Singh to "not allow a foreign-born citizen to inter vene in policy matters". Mr Varun Gandhi's<br />

presence at the function has given rise to speculation about the possibility of an organisational berth for<br />

him. The RSS chief, who refrained from commenting on the BJP, however, stressed on the "need to bring<br />

about a renaissance of the ageless Hindu life values". Arriving in Nagpur on Thursday night, Mr Advani<br />

made' it clear that the BJP's relationship with the RSS "is inseparable". This incidentally, is Mr Advani's<br />

first visit to the RSS headquarters at Nagpur after taking over as BJP president. (Asian Age 23.10.04)


Shefali garba disrrrupted by VHP activists (26)<br />

Bhopal: At least 15 peo ple were injured when Vishwa Hindu Parishad activists turned moral arbiters and<br />

disrupted a "garba" dance by She fali Zariwalla here alleg ing it was vulgar. San-tosh Singh, a senior police<br />

officer, said sever al VHP members shout ed slogans and threw chairs on the dais when Shefali of Kaanta<br />

Laga fame, began her show on Thursday night at the Minal Residency on the outskirts of Bhopal. Shefali<br />

was here to dance at a festival organised by a realtor group. The moment she started dancing, the VHP<br />

activists began to allege that the dance was vul gar. Shefali was quickly whisked away. (Asian Age<br />

23.10.04)<br />

RSS chief pours scorn on Left (26)<br />

Nagpur, October 22: RSS CHIEF K.S. Sudarshan went on the offensive against Left parties during his<br />

customary Dussehra ad dress at the Reshimbag Ground here on Friday. Newly-elected BJP presi dent L.K.<br />

Advani and Varun Gandhi were also present at the RSS rally. Labeling the Leftists 'children of Marx',<br />

Sudarshan accused them of carrying out a systematic campaign against Hindu organisations and lead ers<br />

like the RSS and Veer Savar-kar. "By chance, they are in a position to do some backseat-driving in the<br />

govern ment and are, therefore, engaged in conspiring to harm Hindu forces". He said the government<br />

owed the people an explanation as to why the Savarkar plaque in the Andamans had been removed and<br />

whether it would be replaced. He went on to say that the plaque also bore a quote of Mughal emperor<br />

Bahadur Shah Zafar, who'd been interned at Rangoon jail. He also asserted that Savarkar had never<br />

apologised to the British but had been released by a govern ment that couldn't handle the pres sure of a<br />

mounting public movement demanding his release. The RSS chief said the attempt to malign Savarkar<br />

was just the latest in a series of image-wrecking exercises by the 'Marxputras' who'd earlier spo ken ill of<br />

Rabindranath Tagore, Ma-hatma Gandhi and Netaji too. Dis missing the argument that the Mahat-ma's<br />

name didn't figure on the plaque, Sudarshan argued: "How is he con nected with the Cellular Jail It was<br />

Savarkar who spent 11 years there". (Hindustan Times 23.10.04)<br />

Advani as model swayamsevak (26)<br />

Nagpur, October 22: IS "ASSERTIVE Hinduism" at the top of new BJP chief L. K. Advani's agenda If his<br />

Nagpur visit is anything to go by, it seems it is. Since arriving here Thursday night, Advani was more a<br />

model swayamsevak than BJP president. The BJP chief attended the RSS Dussehra rally and then<br />

sounded the clapper as RSS chief K. S. Sudarshan faced the camera for the mahurat shot of a film on<br />

RSS founder Dr. K. B. Hedgewar. After the rally, Advani, as a disciplined swayamsevak, wait ed for<br />

Sudershan to leave before leaving the venue himself. He also visited the historic Deek-shabhoomi, where<br />

Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar had embraced Buddhism 48 years back. Advani's visit was in line with the RSS<br />

ef fort to woo Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs to Hindusim. Later, he was with Sudarshan for an hour and a<br />

half, according to sources, discussing BJP's fu ture. It is felt that this visit will see Advani take the party<br />

back to its core Hindutva agenda and bring it in line with Sangh ideology (Hindustan Times 23.10.04)<br />

26 TH Oocto<br />

Godhra revenge makes Gujarat place to plan future: Togadia (26)<br />

VADTAL (KHEDA), OCTOBER 25: CONVINCED that the BJP's dipping fortunes were a result of the<br />

dilution of Hindutva, the VHP and its sister organisations today launched a nine-day strategy conclave in<br />

Vadtal in Gu jarat with a call to cadres to return to their moorings, and a reminder that Godhra had<br />

established the state as "the land of Hindu revival". VHP international gen eral secretary Pravin Toga dia<br />

said there was a reason why the conclave was being held in Gujarat. Address ing VHP, Bajrang Dal, Durga<br />

Vahini and Gau-Raksha Samiti cadres, he said: "Gujarat has been a fertile ground for Hindutva and is the<br />

land of Hindu re vival. There are two sym bols of that. One, the re construction of Somnath temple<br />

post-Indepen dence, and two, the re venge that the Hindus took after Godhra." This is the VHP's second<br />

such conclave. The first meeting was held in Ayodhya in 1995. (<strong>Indian</strong> Express 26.10.04)<br />

28 th October<br />

Advani takes BJP back to Ram Mandir (26)<br />

New Delhi, Oct. 27: Former deputy prime minister L.K. Advani, formally taking charge as BJP president for<br />

the fifth time here on Wednesday, invoked the Hindutva plank and said the party would not compromise<br />

on its ideology, and that it was committed to the con struction of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya even if it had


to pay an electoral price for it. Mr Advani blamed the party's defeat in the Lok Sabha election and also the<br />

Maharashtra elections earli er this month on the "over-confidence of BJP leaders and cadres, neglect of<br />

the cadres and constituencies" and on the "disconnect between good governance and (the) poll<br />

outcome." At the same time, however, he asked partymen to get ready for fresh elections to, the Lok<br />

Sabha which he cautioned could be held "anytime." To thunderous cheers from the 2,500 delegates, Mr<br />

Advani declared that if the Vajpayee government had been returned to power, "the construction of the<br />

Ram Temple would have begun by now." As he said this, loud slogans of Ram Lalla hum ayenge, mandir<br />

wahin banayenge (Lord Ram, we will come and build the tem ple at the disputed site) could be heard.<br />

(Asian Age 28.10.04)<br />

1 st Nov.<br />

BJP’s historic blunder; putting rajya over Ram (26)<br />

New Delhi; Oct. 31. — Historic blunder, BJP-style The BJP-led NDA had a "widely accep table" solution to<br />

Ayodhya but post poned its implemen tation on the sure bet that an early Lok Sabha poll would bring the<br />

coalition back to power thanks to the governance-themed campaign: The NDA lost. And the BJP arguably<br />

lost the chance to go to voters with an Ayodhya package. Swami Chinmayanand, Union minister of state<br />

for home in the NDA government, told The Statesman that a compromise formula for the construction of a<br />

Ram temple was ready in February, <strong>2004</strong>. He said he was involved in the negotiations for the temple<br />

controversy resolution. According to the for mer minister, "a majority of the members of the All India<br />

Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) had consented to the construc tion of the proposed Ram temple<br />

provided certain conditions were met". These includ ed a new legislation for status quo on all temples and<br />

shrines, and handing over the disputed site (housing the makeshift temple) not to the VHP-controlled<br />

Ramjanambhoomi Nyas but to a different religious body. Ergo, the VHP was to be kept out.<br />

Whether a mosque could be erected out side the Ram temple complex was to be decided by the AIMPLB,<br />

Mr Chinmayanand said. Muslim leaders were supposed to have, "in return", agreed to withdraw the<br />

petition on the title suit. (Statesman 1.11.04)<br />

3 rd Nov.<br />

Court notices to Advani, Thackeray in Ayodhya case (26)<br />

LUCKNOW, NOV 2. In an Ayodhya-related case lying dormant for a few years now, the BJP presi dent,<br />

L.K. Advani, and some other senior party leaders were issued notices today by the Lucknow Bench of the<br />

Allaha bad High Court. The notices were issued on a Central Bureau of Investigation revision petition<br />

challenging the dropping of proceedings against them by a Special Court in May, 2001. Admitting the<br />

CBI's petition for hearing, Justice M.A. Khan issued notices to Murli Manohar Joshi, Uma Bharti, Kalyan<br />

Singh, the former Uttar Pradesh BJP president, Vinay Katiyar, and 14 other accused, including the Shiv<br />

Sena supremo, Bal Thackeray, and the VHP leader, Ashok Singhal. The court fixed December 16 for the<br />

final hearing.The CBI has prayed for set ting aside the order of the then Special Judge (Ayodhya), S.K.<br />

Shukla, dropping the proceed ings against the accused after the Lucknow Bench quashed the Uttar<br />

Pradesh Govern ment's notification constituting the special court to try the case (crime number 198/92). It<br />

was registered at the Ram Janamb-hoomi police station against Mr. Advani, Mr. Joshi, Ms. Bhar ti, Mr.<br />

Katiyar and five others in connection with the Babri Masjid demolition. (Hindu 3.11.04)<br />

5th Nov.<br />

VHP, Bajrang Dal warned against breaching law (26)<br />

TORANAGAL, NOV. 4. The Chief Minister, N. Dharam Singh, to day warned the Vishwa Hindu<br />

Parishad and the Bajrang Dal against breaching law and order while taking out the Datta Peetah Shobha<br />

Yatra. Speaking to presspersons here, Mr. Dharam Singh said these reactionary forces were raising<br />

such issues to divert the attention of the people from the development work being taken up by his<br />

Government. He said he would soon convene an all-party meeting to resolve the controversy. The<br />

representa tives of the Vishwa Hindu Par ishad and the Bajrang Dal would be invited to the meeting,<br />

he said and reiterated that the Government would not tolerate any breach of law and order. About the<br />

naxal problem in the state, Mr. Dharam Singh hoped that the issue would be resolved soon. He said<br />

prelimi nary rounds of negotiations were on. Recalling the meeting con vened by the Union Home Min ister,<br />

Shivraj Patil, to find a solution to the problem, Mr. Dharam Singh said it was the duty of the State<br />

Government to help the people in the naxal-affected areas. "We have initiated talks to put an end to the


issue. At the same time, the Govern ment will take action if the naxals created a law and order problem,"<br />

he said. (The Hindu 5.11.04)<br />

6 th Nov.<br />

Sangh admits storm brewing in the Parivar (26)<br />

HARDWAR, NOVEMBER 5: THE cracks in the Sangh Parivar split wide open to day and the tremors<br />

from the shaken saffron edifice reverberated not just in this ancient pil grimage town but as far away as<br />

Delhi, Indore and Bhopal. The proceedings on the first day of the RSS's na tional executive meeting at the<br />

Kacchi Ashram here to day, attended by over 300 delegates including BJP chief L K Advani and his predecessor<br />

Venkaiah Naidu, was wholly overshadowed by the "boycott" by VHP strongmen Ashok Singhal<br />

and Praveen Togadia. In an act of open defi ance against the RSS—re garded as the "mother" or ganisation<br />

to which all affiliates pay obeisance— Messrs Singhal and Togadia (and their compatriot Giri-raj Kishore)<br />

refused to at tend the RSS meet to protest the presence of their current bete noire L K Advani. (<strong>Indian</strong><br />

Express 6.11.04)<br />

VHP boycotts RSS meet (26)<br />

Haridwar, November 5: SENIOR VHP leaders Praveen Togadia, Ashok Singhal and Giriraj Kishore<br />

'boycotted' the crucial RSS All-India Working Committee meeting, supposedly due to BJP chief L. K.<br />

Advani's presence. The trio, who had attended the pre-meet discussions with the RSS leaders at the Rajju<br />

Bhaiya com plex on Wednesday, left the venue just before Advani's arrival. They spent the day in the<br />

nearby Doodhadhari Ashram to perform a Hin du Jan Jagran Anushthan and re fused to meet anybody The<br />

'boycott' not only proved to be an embarrassment for Advani, but also ensured that none of the is sues on<br />

the agenda could be taken up. Hectic efforts continued on the sidelines to convince the leaders to meet<br />

Advani and sort out their dif ferences through negotiation, but without result. This is the first time that the<br />

VHP has boycotted the RSS annual working committee meet. Even efforts by senior RSS leaders like K.<br />

C. Sudarshan and Rajendra Singh Pankaj to cajole the furious VHP leaders failed. Advani said the issues<br />

that were taken up in the meet included the prevailing political scenario of the country and the BJP's role in<br />

it. Re cent glection results and the Ram Janmbhumi Mandir issue were also discussed, he added. Advani<br />

said that the BJP was ready to take corrective measures, if needed, but refused to elaborate. He also refused<br />

to answer questions on the VHP's boycott and Uma Bharti's re marks against Pramod Mahajan.<br />

(Hindustan Times 6.11.04)<br />

BJP, VHP prepare for battle (26)<br />

HARDWAR, Nov. 6. - It's official now. The cracks are visible, the facade of discipline has been shat tered<br />

and the Sangh Parivar's top bosses have accepted that the VHP and BJP are at war. All this has<br />

happened within a span of 48 hours at the two-day national ex ecutive meet of the RSS. It is apparent that<br />

in this 'battle' for supremacy, the RSS has sided with the VHP. The RSS genera), secretary, Mr Mohan<br />

Rao Bhag-wat, today said: "There are differ ences between the VHP and BJP (over issue of Hindutva)...<br />

and RSS wants BJP to come back to the Hindutva fold." Mr Bhagwat said the RSS will adopt a 'wait and<br />

watch' policy for some more time to give the BJP another chance to return to its saffron moorings. He did<br />

not rule out the possibility of looking for another option to replace the BJP in case the party fails to follow<br />

the RSS' 'suggestions'. (Statesman 7.11.04)<br />

10 th Nov.<br />

NDA allies to oppose BJP Hindutva agenda (26)<br />

New Delhi, Nov. 9: NDA allies are deter mined to oppose any moves by the BJP to rake up contentious<br />

issues like Ayodhya. The NDA meeting is scheduled in the Capital for Monday, in the backdrop of B JP<br />

president L.K. Advani raising the Ram Temple issue at the BIP national council meeting on October 27. Mr<br />

Advani's remarks on Ayodhya at the meeting triggered a controversy with some NDA allies worried that<br />

the BJP was chart ing its own course with Hindutva as a dri ving force. The NDA meeting has been<br />

convened fol lowing a demand by the Janata Dal-United, an alliance constituent, at its recent national<br />

executive meeting in Ranchi, which passed a resolution saying that it had joined the NDA only after three<br />

controversial issues — abrogation of Article 370, Uniform Civil Code and Ayodhya — had been removed<br />

from the-NDA's national agenda for Governance. "If any effort is now made to revive them, we shall have<br />

to take another road. We shall never compromise with religious big otry," the JD-U resolution had stated,<br />

indi cating that it could even consider severing ties with the BJP-led alliance. The TDP, which had


extended outside support to the NDA when it was in power at the Centre, also voiced its opposition to<br />

revival of the contentious issues. TDP supremo N. Chandrababu Naidu, who camped in the Capital for two<br />

days, stayed away from all senior BJP leaders. (Asian Age 10.11.04)<br />

12 th Nov.<br />

Shankaracharya of Kanchi arrested in ex-accountant’s murder investigation (26)<br />

CHENNAI, HYDERABAD, NOVEMBER 11: JAYENDRA Saraswati, the influential Kanchi Shankaracharya,<br />

was ar rested by the Tamil Nadu police in Mehboobnagar in Andhra Pradesh and was being flown to<br />

Chennai late tonight in connection with the September 3 murder of a former accoun tant of the math. He's<br />

a "prime accused,' the police said. Shankaraman, a follower of Jayendra Saraswati's predecessor, the<br />

Para-macharya, managed the accounts of the math until the Paramacharya died. Over differences with<br />

the Shankaracharya, Shankaraman left the math to manage the Vaishnavite Yaradaraj Perumal temple in<br />

Kanchi. Early this year, signing as Somasundara Kanapadigal, he sent several letters to the Chief Minister<br />

and the state's Hindu Reli gious and Charitable Endowments De partment with details of alleged financial<br />

irregularities. Following this, he sent letters to the government claiming that his life was in danger and that<br />

he had received threat ening calls. These letters were seized from his residence after his murder. (<strong>Indian</strong><br />

Express 12.11.04)<br />

15 th Nov.<br />

We had no role in seer arrest:PM (26)<br />

New Delhi & Hyderabad: The arrest of Kanchi Shankaracharya Saraswathi re mained on centre stage with<br />

Prime Minister Man-mohan Singh re jecting any role of the Union gov ernment in the pontiff's deten tion and<br />

BJP preparing for a lengthy legal and political defence of the jailed religious figure. Speaking on the<br />

contro versy in Hyderabad where he had gone to launch a food-for-work scheme, Singh said on Sunday, "It<br />

is not correct to say that we had a role. To say the least, it is not our concern." He maintained a careful<br />

position which does not echo the tough anti-seer stand taken by UPA partner DMK. (Times of India<br />

15.11.04)<br />

After Uma, RSS backs anti-BJP man (26)<br />

New Delhi, Nov. 14'. The RSS mouthpiece, Organiser, which has come out in support of the suspend ed<br />

saffron leader, Ms Uma Bharti, also highlighted views of expelled BJP hardliner Balraj Madhok on the<br />

Kashmir crisis. Mr Madhok along with former BJP leader Prafull Goradia has revived Akhil Bharatiya Jan<br />

Sangh and is trying to take on the BJP as an alternative "Hindu party." The Organiser, in a special issue<br />

on Kashmir, has carried a lengthy interview of Mr Madhok, where he talks of reviving the Jan Sangh's<br />

outfit, Praja Parishad, in Kashmir. The special issue also points a finger at the Vajpayee-led NDA government<br />

for failing to solve the prob lems of the Kashmiri Pandits who fled the Valley. Though Mr Madhok,<br />

who was expelled from the BJP, has revived the Jan Sangh to oppose the BJP electorally, the RSS has<br />

apparently been soft towards the outfit. Not only did RSS spokesman Ram Mad-hav refuse to comment<br />

on the outfit, he indicated that the leaders of the ABJS are "our own men." The VHP has also lent a tacit<br />

support to the outfit, lauding it for commitment to the "Hindu cause." Both Mr Mad hok and Mr Goradia are<br />

reportedly in touch with the RSS and VHP leaders. (Asian Age 15.11.04)<br />

17th Nov.<br />

Sangh spearheads Kanchi Math’s defence (26)<br />

KANCHEEPURAM, NOVEMBER 16: ON THE eve of the Madras High Court hearing of arrested seer<br />

Jayendra Saraswati’s bail plea, the leadership of the Kanchi Kamakoti Pettam’s counter-offensive. Hindu<br />

Munnani activists from Chennai or ganised a demonstration of the Math's devotees at its gate in the<br />

morning, before BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi reached here. This was the first demonstration<br />

supporting Jayendra Saraswati in Kanchi since his arrest and had about a hundred participants. In this<br />

town riven by sharp casteist divisions, even this brief demonstration threatened to set off a clash, but for<br />

timely police intervention. The provocation was that a Brahmin protester, who the police later said was a<br />

former Math employee, suddenly ran shouting slogans to throw flowers on a statue of rationalist and Dalit<br />

idol Periyar. The idol looks down from right across the road at the Math from a pedestal bearing the<br />

inscription, "The propagator of God is a scoundrel". (<strong>Indian</strong> Express 17.11.04)


18 th Nov.<br />

Shocking, solid proof against seer claims Jaya (26)<br />

Chennai: The arrest saga involving the Shankaracharya of Kanchi mutt, Jayendra Saraswathi, got murkier<br />

on Wednesday with Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jay-alalithaa saying the police had "solid and shoc king"<br />

evidence about the pon tiff's involve ment in the murder of tem ple accountant Sankararaman. With the<br />

seer's arrest, the government had upheld the rule of law and shown every body was equal before it, she<br />

said, making a statement in the state assembly. She told the House after Sankararaman's murder on<br />

September 3, five per sons (Dhil Pandyan, Aru mugam, Satish, Devaraj and Arun) surrendered be fore the<br />

15th Metropolitan Magistrate on October 27, admitting their role in the crime. Investigations re vealed they<br />

were not in volved but had volunteered to surrender on being offered huge sums. They are now in judicial<br />

custody for charges under Section 201 of the IPC. (Times of India 18.11.04)<br />

20 th Nov.<br />

TN police get 3-day custody of Acharya (26)<br />

Kanchipuram: IN A double blow to the Kanchi Shankaracharya, a judicial magistrate on Friday sent him to<br />

police custody till November 22. Permitting investigators to in terrogate him in custody in connection with a<br />

murder case in which he has been ar rested, Judicial Magistrate-I (Kanchipuram) G Uttamaraja said he<br />

had perused the case diary and other documents and was sat isfied that there were sufficient grounds for<br />

grant of police custody of the accused. It is just and necessary for further investigation, he observed.<br />

Defence lawyers have said they would chal lenge in the High Court the order remanding theAcharya to<br />

police custody. The matter may come up in the High Court on Saturday. Sri Jayendra Saraswati, who was<br />

arrested on November 11 and remanded to custody till November 26, would be in the custody of the police<br />

till 10.30 am on November 22 from noon on Friday. (Pioneer 20.11.04)<br />

RSS willing host to saffron rift (26)<br />

New Delhi, Nov. 19: The RSS has invited leaders of Akhil Bharatiya Jan Sangh to attend a seminar on<br />

"Impact of Islamisation in India" at Chandigarh on Saturday. The ABJS, led by expelled BJP leader Balraj<br />

Madhok, has decided to take on the BJP politically and would be contesting 50 seats in and around Patna<br />

during the forth coming Assembly elections in Bihar.<br />

Former BJP ideologue K.N. Govindacharya has also invited the ABJS leaders to his three-day conclave at<br />

Varanasi, where Mr Govindacharya intends to taste his political strength. Apart from talk about India’s<br />

growth, the conclave would also focus on "swadeshi and probity in public life," issues being raised by<br />

suspended BJP leader Uma Bharati. Speaking to The Asian Age, the. ABJS, general secretary, Mr Praful<br />

Goradia, said he would be attending the RSS seminar at Chandigarh. Though Mr Goradia denied of taking<br />

any "political help from the RSS" at this juncture, he claimed that the ABJS leaders were in regular touch<br />

with the organisation. Recently the RSS mouthpiece, Organiser, had a carried a two-page interview of Mr<br />

Madhok on Jammu and Kashmir. While the RSS has been extending tacit ideological support to the ABJS<br />

on the___<br />

issue of Hindutva, it has remained silent on the outfit's move to take on the BJP on the Hindutva plank.<br />

(Asian Age 20.11.04)<br />

21st Nov<br />

Acharya’s bail plea rejected (26)<br />

CHENNAI, NOV. 20. The Madras High Court today dismissed the bail application of the Kanchi<br />

Sankaracharya, Sri Jayendra Saraswathi, in the case relating to the murder of Sankararaman, Manager of<br />

the Varadarajape-rumal Temple, Kancheepuram, on September 3. In his 16-page order, Justice R.<br />

Balasubramanian said that the investigation was at a threshold. The offence the Acharya was charged<br />

with was serious and the prosecution case was that more investiga tion was needed. The Judge said the<br />

petitioner was implicated as a conspir ator. A perusal of the case diary showed that there was prima facie<br />

material in the form of statements made by various persons implicating the pet itioner as the conspirator<br />

and indicating that money received from him was used for com pleting the crime. He would not want to say<br />

anything more at this stage. The Supreme Court rulings said courts should not embark on a detailed<br />

inquiry into the merits or demerits of cases while consid ering bail applications. The Judge agreed with the<br />

State's senior counsel that the prose cution was not bound to give all details to the petitioner at this stage.<br />

(The Hindu 21.11.04)


23 rd Nov<br />

VHP leaders meet President (26)<br />

NEW DELHI, NOV. 22. A delegation of lead ers of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, sad-hus and others today<br />

met the President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, and submitted a memorandum seeking his intervention in issue<br />

regarding arrest of the Kanchi Sankaracharya, Sri Jayendra Saraswati, and demanding a CBI probe to<br />

ensure, justice, fair play and impartiality in the investigation. The delegation included Ashok Sing-hal,<br />

international working president, Vishwa Hindu Parishad; Vishnu Hari Dalmia, international president, VHP;<br />

M.N. Krishnamani, senior Supreme Court advocate, Acharya Mahamanda-leshwar Swami<br />

Avadheshanand Giri, Haridwar, Mahant Surendra Nath Avad-hoot, Kalka Peeth, Delhi and Ramvilas Das<br />

Vedanti, Ayodhya. Their main demand was for the trans fer of the investigation to the Central Bu reau of<br />

Investigation since the arrest and implication of the seer were "motiva ted" and were "acts of victimisation<br />

by the, Jayalalithaa, for personal reasons." (The Hindu 23.11.04)<br />

24 th Nov<br />

Under RSS eye, BJP may chant Hindutva (26)<br />

NEW DELHI, NOVEMBER 23: WITH Big Brother RSS watching every move, the BJP<br />

is likely to reaffirm its return to Hindutva at the party's three-day national executive meeting beginning<br />

tomorrow in Ranchi through a strong espousal of the Kanchi Shankaracharya's cause. It may even<br />

reiterate its commitment to the Ram tem ple in Ayodhya, although sec tions in party feel that is inadvis able<br />

in view of the assembly elections early next year. The first national executive meeting since L.K. Advani<br />

took over as party president is being held under the shadow of three events — the UFA Government's<br />

completion of six months in power; the sus pension of Uma Bharati from party membership; and the ar rest<br />

of Shankaracharya. The BJP leadership, which took a long time to come to terms with defeat and was<br />

banking on predictions of the UPAs early demise, appears to have realised that it has a long stint ahead in<br />

opposition. The national executive, therefore, will adopt several resolutions at tacking the government's<br />

record on national security, for eign policy, and on the "deteri orating" condition of farmers as part of its<br />

preparations to take on the ruling combine in the Winter Session of Parliament. (<strong>Indian</strong> Express 24.11.04)<br />

Arrest intimation served on Acharya in assault case (26)<br />

VELLORE, NOV. 23. The Kanchi Sankaracharya, Sri Jayendra Saraswathi, who is in the Central prison<br />

here in connection with a murder case, was today formally arrested in the case of attack on S.<br />

Radhakrishnan, a former asso ciate of the Sankara Mutt, Kancheepuram, in Chennai two years ago. The<br />

Chief Investigating Offi cer in the Sankararaman murder case, S.P. Sakthivelu, met the Acharya in the<br />

prison this after noon and served on him the ar rest intimation in the attack case. Since the Acharya had<br />

been arrested in the Sankararaman murder case and remanded to judicial custody till November 26, the<br />

police officer served a formal arrest warrant and the seer received it. The officer, sources said, would<br />

submit a copy of the warrant in the court concerned.<br />

The Acharya's counsel, K.S. Dinakaran, Kunjithapadham and V. Krishnaswamy, separate ly met the seer<br />

in the prison to day. The sources said the investigation of the case of at tack on Mr. Radhakrishnan, which<br />

was also handed over to the special team probing the temple murder, was on in full swing. The victim was<br />

examined by police a few days ago. The ex amination was done a couple of times in the past too. On September<br />

20, 2002, Mr. Radhak rishnan, his wife and an attendant were attacked by two persons at their<br />

house on Nor ton First Street at Mandaveli, Chennai. Armed with knives, the two attacked the family but<br />

fled after the victims raised an alarm. Neighbours rushed to their res cue. (Hindu 24.11.04)<br />

25th Nov<br />

Hindu ethos must be preserved: Advani (26)<br />

Ranchi, Nov. 24: BJP chief L.K. Advani once again tried to push the Hin dutva plank by claiming that<br />

secularism and nation al unity can be strength ened only by preserving the Hindu ethos. The BJP chief<br />

went on to equate the par ty's movement against the arrest of the Kanchi Shankaracharya, Jyaendra<br />

Saraswati with its erstwhile Ayodhya movement. BJP's lauha purush, who was credited by Jharkhand<br />

lead ers for putting Hindustan and Hindutva on the world map said, "my blood boils when I hear the term<br />

toxic." On the forthcoming Assembly elections in Bihar, he claimed that it would be a fight to liberate the<br />

state from asuri shakti (evil forces). For the par ty's defeat in the Maharashtra polls, Mr Advani held the<br />

lack of sustained coordination between BJP and Shiv Sena, at various level as one of the principal<br />

reasons for defeat. Hinting that the BJP was ready to play the role of an aggres sive Opposition, Mr Advani


said that the time had come to put the party into an agitational mode. On the Kashmir issue, he claimed<br />

that compromise of national interest will not be tolerated. He wanted he Centre to take both the peo ple<br />

and the Parliament into confidence, on how it wish es to deal with Kashmir issue. (Asian Age 25.11.04)<br />

26 th Nov<br />

Another looney tune by Bajrang Dal (26)<br />

Lucknow, November 25: THE CULTURE police is on the prowl again. The Bajrang Dal has issued a terse<br />

"firman" (fiat) to its cadre to "cut off the nose" of Hindu girls having affairs with Muslim boys. The diktat is<br />

loud and clear. Try to persuade Hindu girls to keep away from boys of the minority community, but if they<br />

persist "do what Lakshman did to Soor-panakha", says the Bajrang Dal fat-wa issued on a VHP<br />

letterhead. A VHP spokesman ruled out the involvement of his organisation in this move. The state unit of<br />

the Bajrang Dal chalked out the plan to stop "inter-religion" marriages in Uttar Pradesh at its meeting on<br />

Thursday. The organisation has decided to raise an army of youth to "tackle the situation". The central<br />

leadership of the Ba jrang Dal is apparently not involved in this 'fatwa'. In the past, the outfit has protest ed -<br />

violently -- against Valentine's Day celebrations and, in Kanpur, against girls wearing jeans in col leges.<br />

(Hindustan Times 26.11.04)<br />

27 th Nov<br />

Vajpayee endorses Hindutva (26)<br />

Ranchi, November 26: THE THREE-DAY BJP National Executive meeting concluded on Friday with the<br />

party brass sending out a strong message of inter nal unity to the cadre. The leaders engaged in a<br />

morale-boosting exercise by telling the cadre that the party's worst phase was over.<br />

Virtually endorsing BJP president L.K. Advani's call for a return to the Hindutva ideology, former PM A.B.<br />

Vajpayee empha sised that there was no difference between the concepts of Hindutva and 'Bhartiyata'.<br />

"Hindutva is a philosophy of life," he said, adding, "It cannot be an electoral issue." Vajpayee harped on<br />

Advani's "kushal ne-tratva (capable leadership)" and recalled how he had been offering guidance to the<br />

party since the Jan Sangh days. "Advanyji stands like a rock before any difficulty," he said. Advani said the<br />

BJP had bounced back from adversity due to its belief that the par ty was "really the chosen instrument of<br />

the divine" to take the country out of its present problems towards "lofty heights of all-round<br />

achievements". He also made it clear that the BJP had not projected anyone in Bihar as the chief<br />

ministerial candidate. Advani's categorical statement will set to rest specu lation that Shatrughna Sinha<br />

might be pro jected in the coming state elections. (Hindustan Times 27.11.04)<br />

9th Dec<br />

Madras HC Refuses To Give Bail To Sankaracharya (26)<br />

Chennai: The Madras High Court hearing the Kanchi Sankaracharya's bail plea refused on Wednesday to<br />

let the seer out of jail, saying there were "reasonable grounds to believe the petitioner is shown to be guilty<br />

of an offence punishable with death or imprisonment for life". Rejecting the second bail plea of<br />

Sankaracharya Jayendra Saraswathi in the Sankararaman murder case, Justice R Balasubramanian said<br />

in his damning remarks that the material relied upon by the prosecu tion prima facie constituted<br />

"reasonable grounds". He agreed with the Tamil Nadu government counsel and Supreme Court senior<br />

advocate K T S Tulsi that al though the power of the high court in exercising i right to grant bail under<br />

Section 439 of CrPC had not been taken away by 437(l)(i), the code re stricted the power of the court in<br />

considering the bail application. (Times of India 9.12.04)<br />

12 th Dec<br />

RSS shadow over Shimla institute' (26)<br />

NEW DELHI, DEC. 11. The ongoing review of a project of the <strong>Indian</strong> <strong>Institute</strong> of Advanced Study (IIAS),<br />

Shimla, has thrown up evidence to suggest that the re search centre, under the erst while National<br />

Democratic Alliance Government, was being used to further the RSS "agenda," be it the foreign origin<br />

issue of the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, or the "single founda-tional vision of India's composite<br />

dynamic and pluralistic rainbow civilisation." Since 1999, IIAS showed a "single-minded commitment"<br />

to inventing the "non-existent sin gle 'foundational vision' of our composite... civilisation," says an interim<br />

report submitted by D. Bandopadhyaya on the Insti tute's "Project on the Study of In dian Civilisation."<br />

Though the review, ordered by the Human Resource Development Ministry in October, is far from<br />

complete, Mr. Bandopadhyaya put the IIAS project under the scanner as it was the most expensive at Rs.


1.38 crores. In his covering letter to the Ministry, he said: "An analysis of the implementation of this project<br />

clearly exposed the infirmities and weaknesses of the <strong>Institute</strong>." (The Hindu 12.12.04)<br />

23 rd Dec<br />

Sangh support gives Swabhiman Manch shot in the arm (26)<br />

New Delhi: THE RASHTRIYA Swabhiman Manch launched by NDA convenor George Fernandes and<br />

Janata Party chief Subramaniam Swamy on Wednesday got support from the Sangh leadership.<br />

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Sudershan and Vishwa Hindu Parishad chief Ashok Singhal joined<br />

the forum on Wednesday. The forum decided to move a resolu tion to ask the Government to make pub lic<br />

the full report of the Jain Commission (which probed the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi) and the Phukan<br />

Commission (which probed the Tehelka corruption ex pose during the NDA regime). The lead ers also<br />

decided to launch similar public meetings in Chennai and Ahmedabad. The RSS said although the<br />

organisation had not joined the movement, its leaders could attend the meet organised by the forum.<br />

Before the May elections, the RSS had objected to Ms Gandhi's candidature as prime minister objecting to<br />

her foreign origin and legal complication in matters of her citizenship. The forum was launched to protest<br />

the ascent of Congress president Sonia Gandhi to power after the UPA Government came to power.<br />

According to tills group, Ms Gandhi is a blot on the national self-respect. (Pioneer 23.12.04)<br />

27 th Dec<br />

Protest against ban on ‘Shobha Yatra’ (26)<br />

HASSAN, DEC. 26. About 100 activists of the Vishwa Hindu Parishat (VHP), Bajrang Dal and the Hindu<br />

Yuva Sena took out a procession in Sakleshpur today protesting against the Govern ment's decision to ban<br />

the "Shobha Yatra" in Bababudan-giri and Chikamagalur and the arrest of the Leader of Opposi tion in<br />

Legislative Assembly, B.S. Yediyurappa. The president of the taluk VHP unit, Jayamaruthi Devaraj, the<br />

president of Bajaranga Dal, Vijaya Kumar, and district con vener of HYS, Ananda Poorna, led the<br />

procession. The protes tors raised slogans against the Chief Minister, N. Dharam Singh, and the Deputy<br />

Commis sioner, Chikamagalur, Rajendra Katharia. Ativists of the VHP and the Bajrang Dal staged a<br />

dharna in front of the Davangere City Mu nicipality protesting against the State Government-sponsored<br />

Datta Jayanthi celebrations at Datta Peetha at Bababudangiri. The leaders of the VHP and Bajrang Dal<br />

criticised the way in which the State Government, conducted the Datta Jayanti. They said that Datta<br />

Jayanthi without religious customs and Shobha Yatra was as good as not holding the celebrations. (The<br />

Hindu 27.12.04)<br />

29th Dec<br />

VHP opposes Babri rebuilding (26)<br />

New Delhi, December 28: THE VHP on Tuesday strongly opposed any solu tion to the Ayodhya dispute,<br />

which could involve rebuild ing of the Babri mosque in the pilgrim town. "We must make it clear that after<br />

the excavations at the disputed site, the exis tence of an ancient temple has been established beyond<br />

doubt. The Muslims have no claim to even a single inch of land in the 67 acres of land acquired by the<br />

gov ernment," VHP senior leader Praveen Togadia said referring to the efforts by Congress leader Syed<br />

Shahabuddin in this regard. Shahabuddin, who is also a functionary of the Babri Masjid Action Committee,<br />

has visited Ayodhya along with several other Muslim leaders recently. Togadia said the Muslims claim was<br />

confined to the dis puted site and, therefore, re construction of a mosque in the surrounding land was unacceptable<br />

to them. Any at tempt to rebuild the Babri mosque within the geograph ical boundary of Ayodhya<br />

would only ensure that the 450-year-old dispute contin ues indefinitely He also op posed the Centre's move<br />

to provide quota to minorities in the para-military forces. '(Hindustan Times 29.12.04)<br />

30 th Dec<br />

RSS journal lauds PM on UNSC stand (26)<br />

NEW DELHI, Dec. 29. -The RSS today indicated it was being lenient with the HRD minister, Mr Arjun<br />

Singh, because of "his age" and "public declaration that he did not have money". It has, therefore^<br />

retracted from its declaration that RSS cadres would file defa mation suits against. Mr Singh in all parts of<br />

the country. Already a Haryana court (chief judicial magistrate's court in Jagadari) issued a notice to Mr<br />

Singh in the defamation case filed by the RSS. The notice of January 23 has asked him to appear<br />

personally on 31January, the RSS spokesperson, Mr Ram Madhav, said. Mr Singh had alleged that the


Sangh Parivar was in volved in the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. The RSS took umbrage at this and<br />

sought an apology from him as an alternative for le gal action. "Our case has been a follow up of our legal<br />

notice." Mr Madhav said. The court summons to Mr Singh has been issued under Sections 499 and 500'<br />

of the CrPC (criminal defamation). "We decided to pursue the case after Mr Arjun Sihgh said in a statement<br />

that he would fight till the end and that he was will ing to make any sacrifice," Mr Madhav said. The<br />

RSS has authorised the 'prant sarsanghachalak' Darshan Lal to take care of the case and pursue it on the<br />

organisation's behalf, Mr Madhav added. (Statesman 30.12.04)<br />

31 st Dec<br />

RSS journal lauds PM on UNSC stand (26)<br />

New Delhi, Dec. 30: The RSS' journal, Panchajanya, for the first time, came out in open support of Prime<br />

Minister Manmohan Singh for his assertion that India will neither agree to redraw its map nor accept UN<br />

Secu rity Council permanent membership without veto power.'It can be mentioned that Dr Singh had given<br />

his first major interview to Panchjanya after taking over as the Prime Minister of the country. The RSS<br />

chief, Mr K.S. Sudershan, in a condolence message published in Pan chajanya went to state that former<br />

Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao "would be always remembered in his tory for not allowing the security<br />

forces from enter ing Ayodhya till the estab lishment of the Ram Lalla idol in the makeshift temple at the<br />

disputed site." The RSS chief described Rao as a "great thinker and a lin guist." He also said that "like<br />

Chanakya, he (Narasimha Rao) could kill two birds with one stone." However, referring to the Opposition<br />

accusation that Dr Manmohan Singh was merely a "puppet on a string," the RSS mouthpiece stated, "No<br />

matter how politically weak he might me, Manmohan Singh has done two right things." The mouthpiece<br />

went on, "First ly, he made it categorically clear that there was no point accepting UN Security Council<br />

membership with out veto power." The RSS mouthpiece maintained, "Bharat aisi koi apman-janak sthiti<br />

swikar nahin karega (The Prime Minister made it clear that India will not accept such humiliating<br />

situation)." (Hindu 31.12.04)

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