2004 - Indian Social Institute

New Delhi, Aug. 20: BJP gen eral secretary Rajnath Singh gave his own spin on the ongo ing Hindutva
versus modera tion debate in his party, saying that "Hindutva should not be confined to the bounds of
communalism". The Uttar Pradesh leader said: "It is not a Hindu versus Muslim or a Hindu versus Christian
concept. For the BJP, it is a belief, an article of faith and not a vote-catching slogan as it is for the
Opposition." Singh, who has rarely been seen or heard in the media aft er he ceased to be the chief
minister of the country's po litically most crucial state, indicated that the BJP was ready to be "flexible" on
the definition of Hindutva. "Okay, if the Congress and the Left are allergic to the word, we are ready to
replace it with Indian-ness, Bharatiyata or cultural nationalism. "In fact, our religious texts and epics make
no mention of the word Hindu. It was a coin age of the invaders who cross ed the Hindukush mountain
range and started referring the people living in the Valley as Hindus. In that sense, it is a geographical
denomination rather than a religious one," he asserted. Singh countered the char ge that the BJP had
jettisoned its ideological preoccupations in the pursuit of power poli tics. "In the coalition government we
ran, some of our partners had to leave their ideolo gy," he said. (Telegraph 21,8,04)
27 th Aug
Sena in a tizzy over bhajan ban (26)
Mumbai, Aug. 26: The Shiv Sena. has come down strongly on the state government's decision to ban
singing of bljajans on suburban trains. The Sena would oppose it at any cost if the government decides to
implement it, leader of the Opposition, Narayan Rane said. Terming it as injustice, Mr Rane said at a
press conference on Wednesday that the government at the same time has put up a temporary shed on
the seventh floor of the Mantralaya for people from the minority community to offer namaaz. Mr Rane said,
"Singing bhajans is a religious practice and no one .can stop us from it." The government had imposed the
ban after some Muslim groups insisted on singing qawwalis. "Bhajan is a religious form of offering prayers
whereas qawwali is folk music. They cannot stop one practice to satisfy certain sections of the society,"
said a Sena leader. ''Muslims can offer nainaaz any where. The government need not create separate
arrangements at the Mantralaya where crucial gov ernment decisions are taken. Not only this, the Muslims
who are not employed there join them and this practice must be stopped immedi ately," he added. Mr Rane
also said that the Demo cratic Front government's recent announcements like relaxing the rules for issuing
occupancy certifi cates was only to please the voters in view of the forthcoming Assem bly elections. (Asian
Age 27.8.04)
2 nd Sept.
VHP turns focus on tribals, dalits (26)
Lucknow, Sept.1: Upset over thee waning interest of upper caste Hindus in the Ram Janmabhoomi
movement, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad has now set its eyes on backward castes and tribals living in the
rural interior of the country. From October, after Dusshera, the VHP will launch Ram-Krishna Rath Yatras
across the country where Lord Krishna-along with Lord Ram-will be promoted as a Hindu religious icon.
The VHP aim is apparently to break caste barriers and polarize Hindus on religious lines. These yatras will
travel across the backward and tribal population dominated areas of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh,
Chhattisgarh, Bihar Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and the northeastern regions of
Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura and Manipur. "The date for the yatras will be
finalised within a week and the Ram-Krishna Rath will travel to the remote interiors where we will inform
the trib als and backwards caste about the life and ideology of Lord Ram and Lord Krishna Lucknow, Sept.
1: Upset over the waning interest of upper caste Hindus in the Ram Janmabhoomi move ment, the Vishwa
Hindu Parishad has now set its eyes on backward castes and trib als living in the rural interiors of the
country. From October, after Dusshera, the VHP will launch Ram-Krishna Rath Yatras across the country
where Lord Krishna — along with Lord Ram — will be pro moted as a Hindu religious icon. The VHP aim is
apparently to break caste barriers and through audio-video presenta tions and sketches from the
Ramayana and Mahabharata. There are millions among the backward castes and tribal people who
worship Ram and Krishna but do not know much about their lives. We intend to familiarise them with the
life and principles of the Lords and brochures relat ing the stories of the Lords will also be distributed
during the yatras," Mr Sharad Sharma, media in charge of VHP told The Asian Age. (Asian Age, 2-9-2004)
3RD September
BJP now banks on Savarkar rathyatra - (26)
Mumbai, Sept. 2: The Bharatiya Janata Party is leaving no stone unturned to gain political mileage out