Herald, Panjim, 19 June 2008
TERROR'S NEW FACE
Editorial
The arrest of sevaks of the Sanatan Sanstha, a religious group that is behind the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti for planting bombs in theatres at Thane and Vashi brings a new dimension to terrorism. Seven people were injured when one of the bombs the sevaks planted exploded in the parking lot of Thane's Gadkari Rangayatan theatre on 4 June.
Ramesh Hanumant Gadkari, Mangesh Nikam, Santosh Angre and Vikram Bhave, the four bombers, are all full-time activists of the Sanatan Sanstha, living in ashrams run by the organisation. Their
arrest at the end of a 10-day investigation by the Maharashtra Anti-terrorism Cell exposes what many have suspected for a few years now; that not all terrorists are Muslim, and there are Hindu
terrorists too.
arrest at the end of a 10-day investigation by the Maharashtra Anti-terrorism Cell exposes what many have suspected for a few years now; that not all terrorists are Muslim, and there are Hindu
terrorists too.
Police say that they had planted a bomb outside a mosque or dargah on the Pen highway last Diwali, to check its intensity, but it did not explode. Nikam had earlier set off a bomb in the house of
a family in Ratnagiri that had converted to Christianity, and was on bail awaiting trial. Ever since there was an accidental bomb blast at a flat in Nanded rented by Bajrang Dal activists a few years ago, there has been suspicion that extremist Hindu organisations were also carrying out terrorist attacks. However, police forces in India never seriously investigated this phenomenon, blaming the Malegaon blasts, the Mecca Masjid blast in Hyderabad, the blasts in the Jaipur dargah, etc, on 'Islamic terrorists'. Now, they need to have a fresh look, and see who was really responsible.
a family in Ratnagiri that had converted to Christianity, and was on bail awaiting trial. Ever since there was an accidental bomb blast at a flat in Nanded rented by Bajrang Dal activists a few years ago, there has been suspicion that extremist Hindu organisations were also carrying out terrorist attacks. However, police forces in India never seriously investigated this phenomenon, blaming the Malegaon blasts, the Mecca Masjid blast in Hyderabad, the blasts in the Jaipur dargah, etc, on 'Islamic terrorists'. Now, they need to have a fresh look, and see who was really responsible.
The Sanstha has said it had no knowledge of these activities and that the sevaks did it 'on their own'. But the police say it is very clear that at least one of the bombs was assembled in the
ashram premises, though no bomb-making materials were found in Gadkari's room.
ashram premises, though no bomb-making materials were found in Gadkari's room.
Protestations of innocence cannot be taken at face value, and the organisation must be investigated thoroughly. Its literature talks of 'elimination' of 'evildoers', and though no doubt they will claim that the words are used in a figurative and not literal sense, the police need to rigorously look into its voluminous literature and check out its activities with a fine tooth comb.
This is because the Sanatan Sanstha and the Bajrang Dal, two Hindu fundamentalist organisations that are both linked to bomb blasts, are the main constituents of the broad joint front called the Hindu Janajagriti Samiti, which has been holding public meetings all over Goa claiming Hinduism is in danger, and making provocative speeches.
Besides, the leader of the Sanstha, Dr Jayant Athavale, lives mostly in Goa at Mangueshi, and directs the organisation' s activities from this state.
What is especially troubling is the editorial written by Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray in yesterday's 'Saamna', his party's newspaper. He has advocated the creation of 'Hindu suicide squads', saying that the only way to counter the threat of Islamic terror is by 'Hindu terror'. This threat cannot be taken lightly. Terrorists typically target innocents, and with two varieties of terror 'taking on' each other with
bombs, it is ordinary people who will be blown to bits.
bombs, it is ordinary people who will be blown to bits.
1 comment:
It has been quite some time now since the bomb blasts. All 44 volumes of Sanatan Sanstha's "Science of Spirituality" are open for sale. If there was anything really objectionable, then why is everyone quiet ? Why can't anyone prove legally that Sanatan's scriptures do support terrorism and if Sanatan's scriptures should be banned, then what about scriptures like Koran or Bhagavad Geeta, which also talk of Jihad and Dharmayuddha? What has happened to the so called R R Patils who were out to ban the Sanstha to cache in the muslim vote ? The fact is that they had to vacate their seats which is justice done by the almighty. In the meantime, Hindu Janajagruti Samiti has undertaken more than 100 Dharma Jagruti Sabhas mobilising a massive number of 3 lac active Hindu Spiritual Seekers of various sects and politicial parties all over Hindustan. This itself shows the strength of HJS. Whereas Punks like Sharad Pawar and Hemant Karkare only know how to misuse their political and legal strength when in power and hence meet their end sooner or later. Today Mr. Pawar dreams of becoming the PM(which he never will, as a result of his sinload of unnecessarily troubling the seekers of Sanatan Sanstha), when he does not know where and with who he is standing in his own home state (except in Baramati). He is with the left, with Congress, With Third Front, and also with Shiv Sena ! Is this stupid muslim bootlicking politician our icon ? Certainly not, Time will give the answers.
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