09 February, 2010
“Love Jihad” Was No Farce
By Mukul DubeThe Central Government squarely blamed the media, and only the media, for publicising the hoax that had an obvious malign intention. The “Love Jihad” affair had all the marks of a farce: but we will be foolish to brush it aside with laughter
29 December, 2009
Religion Does Not Unify A Country
By Kuldip NayarThe BJP’s mentor, the RSS, should learn a lesson from our neighbouring country. Religion does not unify a country, pluralism does
18 December, 2009
Liberhan Commission Report:
Will Justice Be Served?
By Mukul DubeI do not think that those whom Justice Liberhan found to be guilty of planning and executing the demolition of the Babari Masjid will ever be brought to justice. A Congress government is in power, and all indications are that other governments headed by the same party will follow. In the matter of taking action against intolerant “Hindus”, the record of the Congress is execrable
10 December, 2009
Who’s At ‘Jihad’? : ‘Love Jihad’
And The Judge In Kerala
By J DevikaIt looked as if the controversy over ‘Love Jihad’ ( ‘jihad defined as ‘war by other means’) had blown over with state authorities in Kerala and Karnatake denying that such a threat ever existed.The Central Government informed the Kerala High Court early this month that there was no such thing and that the term ‘love jihad’ was being used by the media.However, today, the Kerala High Court openly voiced its scepticism of police reports, claiming that the reports were inconsistent and citing various technical flaws
07 December, 2009
Liberhan Commission: Painful Wait For Justice
By Ram PuniyaniHow does RSS evaluate its future role in Indian political chessboard? Indications are RSS will stick to Hindutva and Ram temple type of issues, come what may. One only hopes in despair that people concerned have honesty to own up their acts and face the legal consequences for their commitments!
28 November, 2009
Politics Of Babri Masjid
By Kuldip NayarThat L.K. Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, the other two BJP leaders, were co-conspirators was known on December 6, 1992, itself. The surprising name for me is that of Vajpayee. I would have been indulgent towards him if I had not seen a clip of his speech. A television network showed it on the day a Delhi paper had published the leaked report. Vajpayee said on December 5, one day before the demolition of the masjid, at Lucknow that the ground would be "levelled" and a yangya (religious celebration) held at that place
13 November, 2009
Procrastinating On Hindutva Terror
By Subhash GatadeAs things stand today, it is just a matter of time when the Goa blasts would be forgotten much on the lines of Nanded blasts or Kanpur blasts (August 2008) and similar other blasts involving Hindutva terrorists.Perhaps a much bigger tragedy would awaken us from our selective amnesia vis-a-vis terrorism of the Hindutva kind
09 November, 2009
‘Love Jihad’ Reports Point To Polarisation In Society
By BRP BhaskarAn allegation that a campaign is on to lure young women into romance with a view to converting them to Islam has brought various Hindu and Christian organisations in Kerala on a common platform
07 November, 2009
Kerala Christian Group And VHP
Join Hands Against Illusory Love Jihad
By Ram PuniyaniIt must be a real ingenuity of RSS combine to rope in the Kerala Bishops Council to fight against the Love-Jihad, a word coined by their propaganda mill, a word which combines two words and converts them in to a tool to torment the lovers, in case the boy happens to be a Muslim and the girl a non Muslim. It is the latest tool to launch attack against Muslim minorities
29 October, 2009
Resurgent Hindutva Terror In Goa
By Subhash GatadeWhether the goa bomb blasts investigations go the Kanpur or Nanded way?
26 October, 2009
Blast In Goa
By Ram PuniyaniWhen any blast takes place, and what are popularly called ‘Jihadi terrorists’ are suspected, the newspapers generally devote front page banner headlines, with all details and suspicions spelt out day after day. In cases related to Nanded types or the ones related to Hindu Jagran Samiti type, the coverage is relegated to small columns in the back pages. The visual media which generally carries non-stop running commentary around such an event is now muted when it comes to Hindutva inspired terror
Terrorism In Goa: The Plot Thickens
By Mustafa KhanThe bomb blast in Margao and the other at Sancoale surely indicate how organized the Hindu right terrorists are. They also enjoy patronage within the governmental set up and the police and even the investigating agencies. A full year after the exposure of the Sanatan Sanstha's involvement in Thane and Vashi, Mumbai, and Panvel bomb attacks the governments and the police not only did not take any action like banning the organization but let it and other such organizations of the Hindu right flourish
10 October, 2009
Is it A Crime To Be Born A Muslim In India?
By Ram PuniyaniThe worsening plight of Muslim community got reconfirmed in the recently held national meet on ‘What it means to be a Muslim in India Today’, organized by Anhad in Delhi. Many a victim deposing in the meeting said with pain and anguish, “Is it a crime to be born a Muslim in India?”
07 October, 2009
RSS And Minorities
By Ram PuniyaniThe new RSS Sarsanghchalak, Mr. Mohan Bhagawat told Minorities (Sept 20, 2009) that they should join RSS and see that ‘our intentions are clear and our behavior is good’. As per him all Muslims in India were Hindus in the past. They have only changed their way of worship, and if they accept this fact there will be no clashes. He told Christians that they should not convert people, as that creates communal violence
30 September, 2009
Communalizing History: Shivaji And Afzal Khan
By Ram PuniyaniThe assembly elections have been declared in Maharashtra, and with this the atmosphere is heating up politically. In this state there have been substantial number of farmer’s suicides, all over there are serious issues related to rising prices, unemployment and other problems of daily life. But it seems that some political parties in Maharashtra are not much concerned about these core issues of society and seem to be more interested in the identity issues emerging from the past
26 August, 2009
Muslim ‘Terrorists’ Manufactured By The Media
By Yoginder SikandIt is not just the ‘loony’ ‘vernacular’ media, as many are given to believe, but even the ‘respectable’, ‘mainstream’, ‘national’ English-language press in India that have sedulously cultivated the notion of ‘Islamic terrorism,’ so much so that the image of Muslims in general being either terrorists or their sympathizers enjoys wide currency today. Yoginder Sikand examines the trend in the light of a report released by a team of secular, leftist non-Muslim activists from Karnataka
17 August, 2009
Victim As The Culprit
By Ram PuniyaniOne BJP activist from Mumbai has filed a complaint (August 3rd 2009) against actor Emraan Hashmi accusing him of promoting communal enmity. Mahesh Bhatt who gave statement in support of Emran Hashmi also figures in the complaint. Emraan Hashmi had earlier approached state minorities commission that he has been discriminated against by the housing society, Nibhana in posh Pali hill locality of Mumbai. His complaint has been that he had already paid the advance of a lakh of rupees to the seller of the flat, but the housing society refused to give the no objection certificate on the ground that Hashmi is a Muslim
30 June, 2009
'Hindurashtra' In Delhi
By Subhash GatadeProtest by Hindutva organisations against construction of a mosque in Rohini Sector 16, Delhi...Prayer by the muslims not allowed by hindutva forces on 26.6.2009 and those who were coming for the NAMAJ were beaten up and chased back. .. Hooligans marched in street to look out for muslims...Women also participated in large numbers
19 April, 2009
Orissa: Tragedy Continues
By Ram PuniyaniThe after-effects of the anti Christian violence (2007) in Kandhamal district of Orissa are not over, so to say. Recently the Archbishop Cheenath of the state said that the elections in the Kandhmamal district should be postponed as the refugees living in the camps are not able to return. The reason is that many of them who returned were threatened by the local Bajrang Dal workers and associates
21 February, 2009
Babri Mosque Demolition: Why On December 6?
By Ashok YadavWas it a mere coincidence that the Babri mosque was demolished on December 6? What was so exceptional about this particular date that it overrode all other options in the 366 days of that year (1992 being a leap year)? A scrutiny of this question, I posit, would unveil the true character of Hindu communalism or Hindutva
20 February, 2009
Holy Garb: Profane Agenda
By Ram PuniyaniSeers Demand Dropping of Word Secular from Indian Constitution!
07 February, 2009
Pramod Muthalik: Stalwart Of Sangh Parivar
Coming Home To Roost!
By Mustafa KhanThe crisis created by Lt Col Srikant Purohit of Abhinav Bharat and Pramod Muthalike of Sri Ram Sena is complementary to each other. They have been nurtured on an extreme ideology. The 'culture' that Hindutva laboratories have developed in the name of Hindu 'culture' has at long last begun to assert its Frankenstein existence of its own. The monster is no more in the control of the scientists. Both the organizations are equally dangerous to the unity and the integrity of the country. Purohit and his Abhinav Bharat have been in the news for quite sometimes but not so much Muthalik and his SRS
23 January, 2009
Malegaon: The Israeli Connection
By Mustafa KhanIt is grim reading how Lt Col Srikant Purohit and others wanted to establish a Hindu Rashtra with the help of Israel
08 January, 2009
Ascent Of Communalism In Malegaon
By Mustafa KhanMalegaon was wonderfully free from communalism and its tension in the halcyon days after the Independence. Bigotry against the minority Muslim community appeared on the scene thanks to the growth of aggressive Hindutva. In later times this would become the defining characteristic of communalism in and around the city. The eighties was the turbulent decade of Indian social life
26 November, 2008
Tolerating Terrorism
By Ram Puniyani
We are hearing strange arguments; Hindus can’t be terrorists as it is not in their genes. This statement also subtly hinted that terrorism is in the genes of ‘some’ other community. But lets be clear terrorism is not a genetic problem, it is due to social, political and economic reasons17 November, 2008
Sangh Parivar's Double Talk:
Beware Perverse Patriotism
By B G VergheseWhat is surprising, however, is the response of the spokesmen of the Parivar. They disown any association with sadhvi Pragya and other civil suspects held for the Malegaon bombing. Yet they take the line that Hindus cannot be terrorists and that the armed forces are a part of Indian society which has been horrified by the pusillanimous and apologetic approach of the UPA government to terror attacks and cannot therefore be blamed for patriotic reactions.This apologia comes close to showing sympathy for and indirectly condoning what is undoubtedly a grave dereliction of duty and rank indiscipline
15 November, 2008
Saffron Terror
By Praful BidwaiSadhvi Pragya Thakur’s arrest and the questioning of Hindutva extremists for the Malegaon blasts point to the need for action against majoritarian extremism
Fighting Fascism
By Yoginder SikandLast month, the New Delhi-based human rights’ group Anhad, along with some 90 other organizations, held a two-day national convention on the theme, ‘Countering Fascism: Defending the Idea of India’. It was attended by scores of social activists from various parts of the country. Predictably, it received hardly any mention in the so-called ‘mainstream’ Indian media
10 November, 2008
Counter Terror
By Rana AyyubBajrang Dal. VHP. Abhinav Bharat. The names of ultra right-wing outfits are increasingly cropping up as investigators wake up to a new form of terror. Rana Ayyub tracks the dangerous trend
Journalistic Fascism
By Yoginder SikandAjit Sahi is an investigative reporter with the New Delhi-based Tehelka magazine. He recently published several startling reports clearly indicating that scores of innocent Muslims, including some former members or associates of the banned Students' Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), across the country have been falsely implicated by the police, intelligence agencies and the media as being behind various terror attacks. In this interview with Yoginder Sikand, he talks about how influential sections of the Indian media are playing a major role in demonizing Muslims today
06 November, 2008
Nanded Case: Of Lost Leads
And Shoddy Investigation
By Meena MenonInvestigations into the terror activities which seem disparate right now have to be coherent
05 November, 2008
Anatomy Of Sangh Parivar
By Ram PuniyaniWhile superficially at loggerheads the ideological wavelength of RSS indoctrination is similar to the one used in Pakistani Madrassas for training Al Qaeda. Here the religion is different paradigms are same. To deal with such ideologies leading to acts of terror, what is also needed is to combat their ideological foundations
04 November, 2008
Communalism And The Myth
By Ambrose PintoIn interpreting communal violence in any part of the country it is wrong to state that the two communities that are in conflict represent the sentiments of the two communities. Communalists do not represent their communities at all. So, it is wrong to state that India had or has Hindu-Muslim or Hindu-Christian clashes
03 November, 2008
And Now Hindu Terrorists?
By Asghar Ali EngineerThe civil society should also become vigilant against all terrorists of whatever religion or group. As communal riots were major danger in twentieth century, terrorist attacks are for 21st century
31 October, 2008
Multi Headed Hydra Monstrosity Of The Sangh Parivar
By Mustafa KhanThe kind of atmosphere built up over the last six months was such that it could have led to upheaval in the society on unprecedented scale. Amar Singh feared that Muslims might rebel against their repression and oppression on account of the innumerable arrests of many innocent members of the community. It is for such an eventuality that the RSS is training its cadres in arms and ammunition. They would take over the reign
29 October, 2008
Just The Tip Won't Do:
Expose The Whole Iceberg
By Kavita KrishnanNo longer can the Sangh Parivar and BJP ever disown its role in terrorism. A former firebrand ABVP leader and so-called 'sadhvi', Pragya Singh Thakur, has been arrested for her role in the Malegaon blasts of September 2006 as well as in the more recent Modasa blasts. Even more ominously, two ex-Army officers are implicated in the blasts, and it has come to light that an institution called the 'Bhonsala Military Academy' in Nagpur has been imparting arms training to the Bajrang Dal
23 October, 2008
Revivalism Of Religious Rights Is A Challenge
To Democratic Secular Constitution
By Vidya Bhushan RawatThe dirt in the name of secularism need to be cleaned first. Those who take shelter in the name of secularism need to believe in its perception and practice otherwise India is heading for a Afghanistan kind of a situation where we all will be speaking for our respective communities and not for those whose rights are violated and dignity challenged. It is a grave challenge and we must think it over
16 October, 2008
A Moratorium On Conversions: Who Decides?
By Joseph D’souzaSo who decides on a moratorium on conversions? The RSS? The media? Those who come to the table and dialogue on this issue? Or the oppressed Dalit and low caste person in India? Dare we take away this final and most basic of human rights from the most dehumanized group of people in human civilization?
05 October, 2008
The Parallel Streams Of Anger
By M.J. AkbarDr Manmohan Singh said, on his return from France, that incidents in Orissa had shamed India before the world. That is important, but far less important than the fact that the violence in Orissa has shamed Indians in India. I measure what Indians do not by the standards of France, but by the values of modern India, which strengthened the spirit of our freedom movement against western colonialism and were enshrined in that noble document called the Constitution of India. The Bajrang Dal has shamed India before Indians
04 October, 2008
Others Among Us
By Suroor ManderWe have forced a community to stand up and condemn every act allegedly done by their fundamentalists; expecting this from the educated, the literate, the clerics and the ignorant. However, we don't have any such expectation from Hindus against violence perpetuated by fundamentalists from their community
01 October, 2008
Communalism, Centrestage
By Shabnam HashmiCommunal forces have invaded all spaces, including the minds of secular politicians
29 September, 2008
Some Bombs Get Defused
By Smita GuptaJust who is a terrorist? Definitions change when it comes to the Hindutva extreme
27 September, 2008
Attack On Christians Is Attack On
Indian Secularism And Democracy
By Madhu ChandraThe ongoing and uncontrolled attack on Christians in Orissa, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and now spreading to other parts of India is the clear signpost of Saffron fascist forces involved in religious ethnic cleansing. Most of the churches, Christian homes and Christian villages in Kandhamal and 14 other district of Orissa are vandalized. A single Hindu temple is not attacked in whole of the state. What signpost does it give to the eyes of every Indian civil society?
An Unholy Crusade
By SanjanaThe real conversion happening in Karnataka is that of the RSS-BJP, who are using aggression to consolidate their hold in a once secular state
06 September, 2008
Visit To Orissa
By Shabnam HashmiThis account is based only on the testimonies for those who managed to escape and reach Bhubaneshwar. The situation is very serious in Orissa and only a full fact finding team can come out with full details after it is allowed to enter those areas
Hindutva's Violent History
By Angana ChatterjiThe Sangh’s history in postcolonial Orissa is long and violent. Virulent Hindutva campaigns against minority groups reverberated in Rourkela in 1964, Cuttack in 1968 and 1992, Bhadrak in 1986 and 1991, Soro in 1991. The Kandhamal riots were not unforeseen
05 September, 2008
Then They Came For Christians…
By Ram PuniyaniOrissa is witnessing unprecedented violence against the tiny Christian minority. On August 23, 2008, Swami Laxmananand along with his four followers was killed, probably by a group of Maoists. Immediately, anti-Christian violence began on big scale. The way it began it seemed as if preparations for it were well afoot. It was systematic and widespread. It sounded as if preparation was already there, just the pretext was being waited for
31 August, 2008
Blast After Blast :Who Is Responsible?
By Teesta SetalvadIf as part of their strategy Hindu extremists disguise themselves as Muslims and then engage in terrorist activity, could they also be responsible for sending out emails claiming responsibility for blasts under assumed Muslim names and using an Islamic vocabulary? How then can we know who is responsible for the series of blasts that have ripped through a succession of Indian cities? What then of national security, public peace and communal harmony?
04 August, 2008
Some Good Amid The Bombs?
By Teesta SetalvadThe fragile peace prevalent even after the bomb blasts, hopefully, will help Gujarat and Gujaratis see the inherent values of a lasting and comfortable peace
30 July, 2008
Cycle Of Terror: How To Stop Its Movement?
By Mumtaz Alam FalahiTwo and half months after Jaipur bombings which left 60 people dead, Bangalore and Ahmedabad were ripped through by serial blasts on 25th and 26th July respectively – 25 explosions in total within 24 hours – and 50 people were dead and more than 150 wounded. Jaipur is unsolved till date and, with past investigations into terror attacks in mind, it can be said that Bangalore and Ahmedabad will remain unsolved, too. This is what has kept the cycle of terror moving
03 July, 2008
Spritual As Criminal?
By Subhash GatadeTime to ban 'Hindu Janjagruti Samiti' and 'Sanatan Sanstha'
29 June, 2008
Silent Emergence Of Hindu Terrorism
By Subhash GatadeWhat is common between Kathmandu - the capital of Nepal ; Thane, Vashi which happen to lie in Maharashtra; Tenkasi, which is part of Tamilnadu and Indore, which lies in Madhya Pradesh? Aprops there seem to be no commonality, although a close look at stray sounding incidents in these places brings forth a pattern which has serious import for the manner in which (non-state) terrorism is viewed in this country. It is disturbing that media which calls itself 'watchdog of democracy' and which has no qualms in stigmatising the minority community on unfounded allegations of 'terrorist acts' has suddenly gone mute since the perpetrators of terrorist acts in all these cases belong to the majority community
12 June, 2008
Politics Of Identity And Intolerance
By Ram PuniyaniOn fifth of June (2008) a group of followers of Shiv Sangram Sanghtan (SSS), led by a former MLC of Nationalist Congress party, attacked the house of editor of Loksatta, a prominent Marathi daily, Kumar Ketkar and tried to break open the house. They, as per their leader, were expressing their spontaneous anger against Ketkar, who according to them had insulted Shivaji in his editorial
06 May, 2008
Conversion: A Political Weapon
By Ram PuniyaniThe realization that to impose Hindu rashtra in this country the electoral majority is needed as a starting point, the process of co-opting Adivasis into Hindu fold has been stepped up. And this 8% population can be the wonderful addition to electoral base for the right wing politics. The second advantage is that by indoctrinating them they can be unleashed against the other enemies of Hindu nation, like Muslims, as witnessed in Gujarat, where they were used as ideal foot soldiers for the agenda of Hindu Rashtra
14 March, 2008
The Hindutva Experiment: From Lab To Factory?
By Mukul DubeMany people, including this writer, have argued that Gujarat 2002 was possible because the political wing of Hindutva ruled both in Gandhinagar and in Delhi. The persistence - and, indeed, the growth - of Hindutva in the period since the general election of 2004, suggest that that argument is limited and perhaps flawed. What we are seeing today may well be the repetition across the country of the successful experiment, promising lab processes being carried out on an industrial scale
20 February, 2008
Terrorism's 'Tenkasi' Moment
By Subhash GatadeThere are reports that the Tirunelveli Police have indicated that the explosives used in Tenkasi are similar those used in the Makkah Masjid blast at Hyderabad. It is incumbent that in the light of the revelations in the Tenkasi blasts , the CBI should reinvestigate the Makkah Masjid Blasts and other Blasts which took place in different parts of the country
11 February, 2008
Whither Justice: Trajectory Of Srikrishna Report
By Ram PuniyaniThe state Congress leadership thinks it can fool the victims all the time. But the question is how long can Congress sustain policies which betray the victims, which are against the promises and oath which they take while grabbing the seats of power?
17 January, 2008
Why Is Civil Society Mute To
Threat Of Communalism In India?
By Vidya Bhushan RawatIf we do not find answers to our inherent discriminations as well as false nationalism, which is disturbingly turning into an upper caste cricket match that we witnessed in Sydney, then, I am afraid, the situation would go out of hand. This is the biggest hour of crisis in our social life and we have to respond it with responsibility and courage and not to let down the founding fathers of our nation, who gave us a secular and liberal constitution which is still our proud possession and a guarantee for social justice and equality for all
07 January, 2008
Riots In Orissa
By Angana ChatterjiIndependent investigators charge that the violence was planned, that the police had prior knowledge of Hindutva groups’ intent to riot. The pertinent district collector and superintendent of police have been transferred, not discharged. A Judicial Review Commission (JRC) chaired by a former (not sitting) judge has been appointed by the government of Orissa to investigate the riots. Its power or legitimacy is in question
02 January, 2008
Orissa: Anti Christian Violnce
By Ram PuniyaniIt is no coincident that the BJP is part of the ruling coalition in Orissa, and those involved in the vandalism are part of some or the other organization directly affiliated with the RSS. The major such are Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, Bajrang dal and their local variants. While the media reports are sketchy, the Citizens Inquiry team, which was to visit the area has been denied permission to visit the districts and was escorted out of the area