The Pope's Road Map

 

The Pope's Road Map 

-   Fr. Cedric Prakash sj *

 

The Pope has done it!  This time, however, in a way far different, with which he is generally characterized.  In a stand, which is bound to have far reaching implications on the global moral, social, economic and political order, Benedict XVI made public on July 7th, 2009, his latest Encyclical letter entitled "Caritas in Veritate" (Charity in Truth). 

 

The document aims to delve more deeply into certain aspects of the integral development of our age in the light of charity and truth.  In the very opening para, the Holy Father emphasizes that, "love – caritas - is an extraordinary force which leads people to opt for courageous and generous engagement in the field of justice and peace".  Further, in the introductory remarks, the Pope considers two important criteria which are of special relevance to the commitment to development in an increasingly globalised society and these are justice and the common good.  Justice, for him, is the primary way of charity; and "to desire the common good and strive towards it is a requirement of justice and charity". 

 

He underlines the indispensable importance to build a society according to freedom and justice and he emphatically states that "it is necessary to cultivate a public conscience that considers food and access to water as universal rights of all human beings, without distinction or discrimination".

 

In a blunt reference to globalization and the current economic crisis, the Pope asserts "that traditional principles of social ethics like transparency, honesty and responsibility cannot be ignored or attenuated" and further, "that justice must be applied to every phase of economic activity because this is always concerned with man and his needs".

 

World leaders at the G-8 Summit in Italy will surely pay close attention to the Chapter devoted to the cooperation of the human family, where he calls upon the rich nations "to allocate larger portions of their gross domestic product to development aid".  He makes no bones of the fact that the United Nations Organization needs to be reformed with "real teeth" and "would need to be universally recognized and to be vested with the effective power to ensure security for all, regard for justice and respect for rights".  It is also imperative for him that "poor nations have an important voice in shared decision making on issues of global importance".

 

With this major Charter, Pope Benedict has truly provided not only the Christians, but "all people of goodwill" with a road map for the challenges ahead.  In his concluding para, he reiterates that "as we contemplate the vast amount of work to be done, we are sustained by our faith that God is present alongside all those who come together in his name to work for justice".

 

The point is, are those in governance actually listening?

 

8th July, 2009

 

 

(* Fr. Cedric Prakash sj, is the Director of PRASHANT, the Jesuit Centre for Human Rights, Justice and Peace, Ahmedabad)

 

' PRASHANT ',
Post Box  4050,
Navrangpura,
Ahmedabad 380 009,
Gujarat
Tel:   079 66522333 / 27455913
Fax:  079 27489018
Email:  sjprashant@gmail.com
www.humanrightsindia.in

 

UN INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF HUMAN RIGHTS LEARING, 2009

 

UN INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF HUMAN RIGHTS LEARING, 2009

-   Fr. Cedric Prakash sj *

 

 

 

On the occasion of  the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,  the United Nations decided that "the year commencing on 10th December 2008 shall be proclaimed the International Year of Human Rights Learning, to be devoted to activities undertaken to broaden and deepen human rights learning on the basis of the principles of universality, indivisibility, interdependency, impartiality, objectivity and non-selectivity, constructive dialogue and cooperation, with a view to enhancing the promotion and protection of all human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the right to development, bearing in mind the duty of the State, regardless of the political, economic and cultural system, to promote and protect all human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the significance of national and regional particularities and various historical, cultural and religious backgrounds"(A/RES/62/171).

 

Very significantly, the proclamation of this year, also coincides with the sixtieth year of the promulgation of the Indian Constitution with its core principles of justice, liberty, equality and fraternity. 

 

We have just completed a tumultuous phase in the history of Indian democracy, when in the run up to the General Elections, political parties of all shades and across the board, vied with each other, in highlighting almost  every other issue but on the fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens.

 

 Most of the election manifestos, the campaigns, the posturing, the speeches have revolved around the personal, the mundane  and the venomous, but not on   critical issues of  "roti, kapda aur makaan", clean drinking water, primary health care and education,  the freedom of religion and the general welfare of the people.

 

At this juncture, it is anybody's guess who will form the next Government, but the UPA Government did bring in the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), the Right to Information Act (RTI); got the Forest Bill approved in favour of the Adivasis, and even made efforts to pass the Women's Reservation Bill and the Compulsory Primary Education Bill.  However, one can also not deny, that keeping the reality in perspective, the UPA Government has not done enough on several counts, very specially in passing the law against communal violence, in providing adequate compensation for relief and rehabilitation for the victims of communal riots, and very specially for the protection of minorities in the country – be it Gujarat, Orissa or Karnataka.  

 

 It is in this scenario, the International Year of Human Rights Learning (IYHRL) comes as an important and significant intervention.  Many of those involved in education seem to be ignorant about it or have just ignored it.   The fact however  remains,  that the UN is "convinced that human rights learning should contribute to the fulfillment of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a way of life for people everywhere". 

 

It is therefore appropriate that even if we have to be waking up at this late hour, we need to make a sincere attempt at every possible level,  to seriously and systematically mainstream Human Rights Learning.

 

There are several ways by which we can  do so.  These could  include :

 

 to make Human Rights Education a mandatory subject in all our educational institutions.  (This learning process could begin in Std. V and could / should continue even upto graduate level)
to foster a culture of Human Rights Learning in Church organizations, Parish / Diocesan Councils, in Mahila Mandals, Self-Help Groups (SHG)  etc.
to make the Sunday Liturgy / Homilies focus on the realities of the people around with a clear understanding of what Jesus would  do if he was in our place, as a response to these realities
to network / collaborate with all men and women of goodwill, very specially with peoples' movements and those struggling for the rights of the poor, marginalized and other vulnerable sections of society.
to engage in social analysis, research, programmes / projects, in think-tanks which seek to understand  the realities in society and to advocate on behalf of those whose rights are denied or exploited.
to make the defense and promotion of Human Rights an  integral dimension of way of proceeding, in keeping with the spirit and letter of the Indian Constitution.
 

The above are some of the ways by which we can truly observe this international year.  Some initiatives are already in place:  in the Diocese of  Shimoga, Karnataka, Bishop Gerald Lobo has made Human Rights Education  a mandatory subject in all Catholic Schools.  The Catholic Relief Services (CRS) has been organizing programmes on Rights Based Approach (RBA),  and Catholic Social Teaching (CST), for Diocesan Social Work Directors; the Jesuit Education Association (JEA) of Gujarat has decided that the Calendar (handbook) for the year 2009 – 2010 will have pages containing the  Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Preamble of the Indian Constitution. 

 

Such steps will surely go a long way in actualising the conviction that the UN holds "that every woman, man and child in order to realize his or her full human potential must be made aware of all his / her human rights and fundamental freedoms" .

 

The Catholic Church has a great opportunity to help set the tone and direction for this International Year.   We truly need to celebrate  Human Rights Learning !  The only way by which we can do so is to get into action…..NOW !!!

 

 

(* Fr. Cedric Prakash sj is the Director of PRASHANT, the Ahmedabad based Jesuit  Centre for Human Rights, Justice and Peace)

 

 

5th May  2009

 

 

' PRASHANT ', 

Post Box  4050, 

Navrangpura,  

Ahmedabad  380 009,  Gujarat

Tel: 079 66522333,  27455913  

Fax:  27489018  

Email:  sjprashant@gmail.com      www.humanrightsindia.in

 

An open letter to Shri L.K.Advani Member of Parliament, Gandhinagar.

 R.B.SREEKUMAR IPS (Rtd)

 

"SREELEKSHMIDEEPAM"                                                          
PLOT NO- 193, SECTOR-8,
GANDHINAGAR- 382008.
Email: rbsreekumar71@yahoo.com
Tel. :      ® 079-23247876
(Cell) :    9428016117
________________________________________________________________________
                                                                                       

 

 

 

An open letter to Shri L.K.Advani  Member of Parliament, Gandhinagar.

 

Why should Hindus vote for BJP ?

 

Most Respected Shri L.K.Advani,

 

Sir,
I am a voter in Gandhinagar Loksabha constituency . I am a Hindu by birth and practitioner of the tenets of Sanatana Dharma, the eternal religion, popularly called –Hinduism, in my own humble way ,in personal life.

 

The conceptual and philosophical framework of Hinduism is enshrined in three fold treatises- Prasthanathrayam- namely, Brahmasutras, Upanishads and the Bhagvad Gita.

 

Equal adoration to all varieties of divinity and paths towards them and recognition of the right to salvation/liberation to all living beings , including plants and animals are deemed to be the most ennobling and elevating feature of Hinduism. Ill will towards even non –believers is also not permitted , not to speak of people professing non-Hindu faiths.

 

Any deviation or aberration by any individual or group of persons or an organisation of Hindus ,away from the four walls of these ideals make them unacceptable and condemnable for real Hindus. Applying  this yardstick , BJP supported by its sister bodies in the Sangh Parivar would be quite undeserving for getting votes from Hindus , who are intrinsically practising quintessence of Hindu ontological ideals.

 

In the history of Hinduism there were only two most demoralisingly deplorable instances of sacrilegious crimes, which would make any self respecting and committed Hindu to bury his head in shame. The first was demolition of a worship centre, ( building for prayer ) Babri Masjid of Ayodhya in December 1992. The second was the anti-minority genocide in which over 2000 , mostly innocents were brutally killed. Both these Satanic acts were the handiwork of miscreants , owing allegiance to BJP, going by the presence of well known BJP leaders on the scene of these crimes.

 

The Bhagvad Gita is quite explicit about one's approach to any form of worship. In three slokas the relevant principles are unambiguously laid down.

 

In Chapter 4 Sloka 11 , Lord Krishna proclaims , " In whatever way men identify with Me, in the same way do I carry out their desires; men pursue My path ,in all ways "

 

Again in Chapter 6-30 , the Lord preaches , " He who sees Me everywhere and sees all in Me, he never becomes lost to Me , nor do I become lost to him"

 

Finally in Chapter 7-21 , the Lord promulgates , " Whatever form any devotee with faith wishes to worship , I make that faith of his steady."

 

The brigands who razed the 16th century mosque in Ayodhya to the ground actually acted against the letter, spirit and ethos of the above stipulations by Lord Krishna that is why those great Hindus , who lived and enriched my religion from 1529 A.D. , the year of construction of Babri Masjid to 1992, the year of demolition, did not care to move even their little finger against this monument, during their lifetime. We have a galaxy of  Hindu giants , who left laudable foot prints on the sands of time , in this period, from Goswami Tulsidas to Mahatma Gandhi.

 

Can we consider the marauders and their leaders , who knocked down the masjid, by insulting even the pious name of Lord Shiva( those rogues shouted Jai Shiv Shankar, during demolition and the  word meaning of Shankar is ' One who blesses everybody with peace, Sham Karoti Iti Shamkaram)', as greater champions and 'brave sons of Hinduism ' than those model Hindus like Mahatma Gandhi, whose life and deeds brought greatness and glory to the Sanatana Dharma.?

 

Honourable Advaniji , if there is scriptural justification for the liquidation of Babri Masjid, kindly convey it to all Hindus , so that they will not have any hesitation to vote for BJP.

 

In case the BJP views the bulldozing of the Babri Masjid as an unHindu act , why no legal or organisational penal action to punish those destroyers of the centre of worship- Kshetradwamshas, as prescribed for Aathathais(criminals) in the dharmashastras was taken so far ? Since no such move is visible from BJP it will be quite impossible for a Hindu voter to accept BJP as a party which adheres to the principles and practice of the scriptural ideals of Hinduism .

 

The story is similar in case of anti-minority genocide in Gujarat, in which over 2000 innocents lost their lives. Never in the history of Hindu Rajas, in the pre-histotic or historic times, the ruler did allow a set of his subjects (prajas) to freely kill another group- not even by notorious evil souls like Nahusha, Tarakasura, Ravana, Kamsa or Duryodhana. The word Raja etymologically  meant  to be a  person who brings reconciliation and peace among the subjects – Prajanam Ranjanath Raja ( Brahmanda Purana ) . If there was an underworld active in the minority community, why Police was not used to neutralise them on 27-2-2002 , the day of the gruesome Godhra carnage, and subsequent days. Police records confirm that practically no anti-social headstrong criminals from the minority community were killed ,during the 2002 riots by the mobs, largely constituted by BJP supporters.

 

In case BJP was not backing the protracted pogrom in 2002 ,why no action against the perpetrators of heinous crimes , either at organisational level or through Criminal Justice System ( CJS ). Instead whenever accused in riot cases were released on bail, BJP arranged receptions to them on the pattern of commendation  extended to our freedom fighters during the struggle for independence.

 

Can you kindly intimate your voters in Gandhinagar the slokas and suktas from Hindu holy books, in approval of the prolonged atrocities on the defenceless people and subsequent and currently on-going subversion of CJS, which prompted the apex court to characterise Gujarat State govt. officials as ' modern Neros '.

 

Kamandakia Nitisara, a well accepted authority on Hindu polity, in Chapter 5 Shlokas 82-83 , cautions the administrators/ Rajas to protect the citizens from the favourites of the King and his own greed . " The subjects require protection against wicked officers of the King, thieves , enemies of the King, royal favourites ( such as the Queens, Princes etc. ) and more than all, against the greed of the King himself. The king should secure the people against these fears.

 

Further,  the Shanti Parva of Mahabharata ( 59-106/107) exhorts the ruler " You should take a pledge that by thought , word and deed, you will rule the world believing that creation is the very incarnation of the Creator". The question asked by the devout Hindus is thus , Were the minorities in Gujarat in 2002, who were victimised by the mobs, inferior creations ?

 

Sir, you may kindly clarify as to whether above components of Raj Dharma as per the real Hindutva of the Hindu religion were actualised by the Gujarat State Govt. functionaries from the highest to the lowest, during and after 2002 riots.

 

With due respect to your long innings in Indian politics , I appeal to you to kindly provide convincing clarifications to my aforesaid plebeian queries so that faith of Hindus in BJP's commitment to fundamental Hindu ideals can be restored.

 

Respectful regards,
R. B. Sreekumar .

 

 

 

Gandhinagar.
15/4/2009

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VIOLENT GODS: Hindu Nationalism in India's Present; Narratives from Orissa....by Angana P. Chatterji

 

 

VIOLENT GODS:
Hindu Nationalism in India's Present; Narratives from Orissa
Angana P. Chatterji

 

This book is an erudite and elegiac exploration of Hindu nationalism in India today. It offers a revealing account of Hindu militant mobilizations as an authoritarian movement manifest throughout culture, polity, and economy, religion and law, class and caste, on gender, body, land, and memory. Tracing the continuities between Hindutva and Hindu cultural dominance, this book maps the architectures of civic and despotic  governmentalities contouring Hindu nationalism in public, domestic, and everyday life. In chronicling concerted action against Christians and Muslims, Adivasis and Dalits, through spectacles, events, public executions, the riots in Kandhamal of December 2007 and August-September 2008, the planned, methodical politics of terror unfolds in its multiple registers. At the intersections of Anthropology, Postcolonial, Subaltern, and South Asia Studies, Angana P. Chatterji asks critical questions of nation making, cultural nationalism, and subaltern disenfranchisement. As a Foucauldian history of the present, this text asserts the role of ethical knowledge production as counter-memory.

 

ANGANA P. CHATTERJI is associate professor of Social and Cultural Anthropology at the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco. Her work spans issues of cultural survival, nation/nationalisms, gendered violence, and postcolonial critique. Her recent writings include two forthcoming books, 'Land and Justice: The Struggle for Cultural Survival', and a co-edited volume, 'Contesting Nation: Gendered Violence in South Asia; Notes on the Postcolonial Present'.

 

Cover: Arpana Caur. in the name of god. 2008.

 

©Three Essays Collective, March 2009

 

xvi, 470 pages
Hard Cover: India Rs. 800; Elsewhere $ 35; ISBN 81-88789-45-3
Paper back: India Rs. 500; Elsewhere $ 25; ISBN 81-88789-67-4

 

The book can be purchased from various dealerships and directly from
http://www.threeessays.com/orders.php

 

Three Essays Collective
B-957 Palam Vihar, GURGAON (Haryana) 122 017 India
Phone: 91-124 2369023, +91 98681 26587, +91 98683 44843
info@threeessays.com Website: www.threeessays.com

 

--------------

Related titles from Three Essays:

 

Romila Thapar
The Aryan: Recasting Constructs

 

Aijaz Ahmad
On Communalism and Globalization: Offensives of the Far Right

 

Paul R. Brass
Forms of Collective Violence: Riots, Pogroms, and Genocide in Modern India

 

Patricia Jeffery and Roger Jeffery
Confronting Saffron Demography: Religion, Fertility, and Women's Status in India

 

Vasudha Dalmia
Orienting India: European Knowledge Formation in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries

 

Radhika Desai
Slouching Towards Ayodhya: From Congress to Hindutva in Indian Politics

 

Biswamoy Pati
Identity, Hegemony, Resistance: Towards a Social History of Conversions in
Orissa, 1800-2000

 

Shubh Mathur
Everyday Life of Hindu Nationalism: An Ethnographic A

 

LET'S NOT BE NAÏVE ABOUT NAVEEN PATNAIK ....

LET'S   NOT   BE   NAÏVE   ABOUT   NAVEEN   PATNAIK
-   Fr. Cedric Prakash sj *

 

 

 

Mr. Naveen Patnaik, the suave Chief Minister of  Orissa, has received the applause of several across the board for having pulled the carpet from under the feet of the BJP and now aligning himself with the Left.  This ofcourse, is a smart piece of political opportunism, but in order to actually shed his spots,  Patnaik has to come clean on several counts.

 

   Why did he allow first the Muslims and then the Christians, to be soft targets for Hindu extremism  in Orissa ?
   Why did he not reign in goons of the Sangh Parivar when they very strategically disrupted Christian lives and events in 2007 and created mayhem for the Christians for a good

      part of 2008 ?
   Why did he not have the courage to contain Togadia and his ilk when they spewed venom all across the State against the Christians ?  (He could have easily have emulated

      several other Chief  Ministers of other States who easily put a halt to Togadia's vicious march in their States)
   Why did he not ensure the safety and security of the Christians of Kandhamal District when thousands were languishing in the forests ?
   Why has he not guaranteed the safe return of those who have been dispossessed of their houses and lands from Kandhamal District ?
   Can he oversee a complete and just compensation package to the victims of the violence in Orissa ?
   Thousands of minorities, very specially Christians, have been disenfranchised in Orissa.  Will he come out with a very honest political decision to ensure that their names are

      on the Electoral Rolls and that they are able to exercise their franchise in an environment which is free and fair ?

 

Naveen Patnaik will have to answer and act on these and several other questions  immediately. 

 

There is tremendous pressure on him, we know, from the Western world; and being "a true Westerner", he really would not want to go into oblivion and be treated as an international political "Pariah" the way Narendra Modi is treated just now.  Given his situation, the best thing he could have done, was to distance himself from his political masters and mentors, the BJP and the Sangh Parivar.

 

Leopards really do not change their spots;  but  the age of miracles is also not dead !!!

 

Naveen Patnaik definitely needs to be given a chance but until such time, we should not be naïve......

 

 

 

(* Fr. Cedric Prakash sj is the Director of PRASHANT, the Ahmedabad based Jesuit  Centre for Human Rights, Justice and Peace)

 

 

9th  March  2009

' PRASHANT '

Ahmedabad  380 009
Tel: 079 66522333,  27455913 

Fax:  079 27489018  

Email:  sjprashant@gmail.com     

www.humanrightsindia.in

 

 

 

SEVEN YEARS ON.....SEVEN MAJOR CONCERNS AND MORE.... by Fr. Cedric Prakash sj

 

SEVEN  YEARS  ON.....SEVEN  MAJOR  CONCERNS  AND  MORE.....
                                                                                    - Fr. Cedric Prakash sj *

 

 

It's exactly seven years since Gujarat witnessed one of the worst horrendous chapters of Indian history.  The burning of the S6 compartment of the Sabarmati Express at the Godhra Railway Station and the subsequent carnage has left an indelible impact  on the lives of many.  Plenty  has  happened since 2002 and many indeed would like to move on.....even perhaps, to forget that 2002 ever existed !!!  The fact however, remains, that the Gujarat Carnage was not only too traumatic for words but right from day one, there has neither been a political will nor a concerted civil society movement to address it. 

 

Seven years down the road,  there are still major concerns which have to be addressed immediately.  These include :

 

Justice :

Thousands of victims still yearn for justice.   Some of them want to get on with life but they really are unable to do so since  they still know nothing about their loved ones who are "missing" since those horrific days.  Many still yearn for a just compensation for the loss of life and property. 

 

Rehabilitation :  
Total  rehabilitation is fundamental for normalcy.  Many of the victims look forward to the possibility of going back to live and work in a place they once called "home"; they would like to  live as a matter of right, anywhere in Gujarat, without fear of discrimination and / or ostracization. 

 

Freedom from illegal detention :

Several Muslim youth were detained under the draconian POTA.  Inspite of POTA being repealed and Supreme Court Judgments negating these illegal confinements, they have still not been granted bail.

 

Access to basic amenities :

Vast sections of the minority population still live in dehumanizing conditions. In the wake of the Gujarat Carnage, many of them were provided hurriedly constructed shelters in areas which have no access to clean drinking water or primary health care. 

 

Attitudinal change :

Our city, our State have become extremely polarized.  There has to be a paradigm shift in the attitude of a large section of people.  Biases and prejudices seem to be mainstreamed.  Civil society is either too apathetic or too afraid to come out and take a stand for what is right.  Most do not want to have a minority as neighbours.  Minorities are consistently stereotyped and made the butt of ridicule.

 

The aura of Immunity:

Inspite of being named  by various Commissions (both national and international), investigation teams and others, the main perpetrators of the Gujarat Carnage still remain  scot-free  with an aura of immunity.  They cannot be touched, and their posturings  communicate this.

 

Political will :

Ultimately, at the heart of any change  is the political will to ensure that the rights and freedoms ensured in the Constitution are guaranteed and protected for every citizen. This political will cannot be reduced to cosmetic promises and mere rhetoric, but has to be seen in a very tangible desire to address and to change  what  is endemic.

 

Seven years down the line, the situation in Gujarat is far from normal.  While a good part of the violence has been institutionalized, the fact remains to be seen is whether civil society will have the courage to  usher in a new dawn by addressing some of these key concerns.  Gujarat needs a change for the better !

 

 

(* Fr. Cedric Prakash sj is the Director of PRASHANT, the Ahmedabad based Jesuit  Centre for Human Rights, Justice and Peace)

 

 26th February 2009

 

 

 

' PRASHANT ',  Post Box  4050,  Navrangpura,   Ahmedabad  380 009,  Gujarat

Tel: 079 66522333,  27455913   Fax:  27489018   Email:  sjprashant@gmail.com      www.humanrightsindia.in

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

Modi Govt says minister led mob that killed 95

 
Sat, 21 Feb 2009 

 

India

 

Modi Govt says minister led mob that killed 95

 

Nagendar Sharma and Stavan Desai, Hindustan Times
Email Author
Ahmedabad, February 21, 2009
First Published: 01:58 IST(21/2/2009)
Last Updated: 12:23 IST(21/2/2009)

 

 

Gujarat minister Maya Kodnani led a mob that killed at least 95 Muslims in Ahmedabad during the riots of 2002, said an affidavit given by the state's government to the high court on Thursday. "She was a leader of the mob and at the relevant point of time she was an MLA who instigated the mob to commit the crime and therefore was in the main role," said the affidavit.
 
When contacted for comments, Kodnani's lawyer, Mitesh Ameen, said: "There is no substance in these allegations and we will reveal our strategy only in court."
The affidavit is based on findings of the special investigation team constituted on instructions of the Supreme Court. And a copy of the affidavit is in possession of  the Hindustan Times.

The state government has charged Kodnani with leading a mob of 15,000 to 17,000 rioters in the Muslim-dominated Naroda Patiya and Naroda Gam areas of Ahmedabad on February 28, 2002.

The Modi government had till now claimed the riots followed the burning of Sabarmati Express at Godhra in which 59 Hindus were killed, and that the state had no role in it.
Kodnani, a 53-year-old gynaecologist, may not have been a part of the state apparatus then, she has been one for a while now as minister of state for women and child development.

When contacted for comments, Kodnani's lawyer, Mitesh Ameen, said: "There is no substance in these allegations and we will reveal our strategy only in court." Kodnani continues to attend to her official duties and was in assembly on Thursday.

Here's what the affidavit said about her role in the riots:
"During the investigation of the offence, it has been revealed that she had fired from her pistol and it has been further revealed that she came in her car and had distributed swords to the mob."

Dilavar Saiyad, a resident of Naroda Patiya, told the SIT about rioting on February 28, 2002. "I saw Maya Kodnani, MLA from Naroda constituency parking her Maruti car. I saw Maya Kodnani opening the door of the car and taking out hockey sticks and other weapons and handing over the same to three persons. I saw Bipin Panchal (one of the arrested accused in the case) carrying a sword given to him by Maya Kodnani. Immediately thereafter a huge mob of more than a thousand persons came near her car and Maya Kodnani took leadership of the mob."

Saiyad and two others — Nanumiyan Malek and Imtiaz Qureshi — have told the high court (HT has copies of their applications) that they are witnesses in the two cases, in which both the leaders (Kodnani and VHP leader Jaideep Patel) are facing arrest, and that the SIT has recorded their statements. And therefore they "would like to make detailed submissions opposing the release" of the accused leaders on bail.

The affidavit is also pitching for the cancellation of anticipatory bail given to Kodnani. "The sessions judge ought to have considered the fact that the accused is at present a minister of state and there is ample chance of tampering of witnesses and the evidence by her."
The reference here is to an Ahmedabad sessions court granting Kondani anticipatory bail on February 5. The same special investigation team had then said in court she was not needed for investigation.

Making a case now for cancelling her anticipatory bail, the government has submitted: "... Witnesses have disclosed the name of the accused (Kodnani) and apprehending arrest she wants anticipatory bail, which cannot be granted in such a serious case."

"The learned (sessions) judge ought to have considered the fact that 95 people, including males, females and children lost their lives, 38 were injured and three are still missing. A prime facie case is made out against her and anticipatory bail cannot be granted in a serious offence of mass murders," the government has said.
 
This affidavit would have come up in Gujarat High Court on Thursday, but Justice AS Dave refused to hear the matter. A different judge will hear the case now.

 

 

 

Holy Garb: Profane Agenda .....

 

Holy Garb: Profane Agenda
 
Seers Demand Dropping of Word Secular from Indian Constitution !
 
Ram Puniyani
 
 
What do spiritual leaders talk when they meet? One thought it may be the matters pertaining to the 'other world' that is the focus of their attention, away from the profane World, which is the matter of concern for ordinary people. One thought they may be deliberating on the issues of moral values of the religion. But it seems that is not the case. Recently when many of them met in Mumbai they showed that the saffron garb is the mere exterior, this color of renunciation and piety, is no representative of their political core.  On the top of that they use saffron color to hide their sectarian ideas and narrow politics in the name of religion. The only difference in their case being that their politics is couched in the language of religion. That their ideas are full 'Hate' for others, unlike the values Hinduism which teaches us Vasudhaiva Kutumbkam (whole World is my family). This got revealed once more.

 

Recently many a chiefs of Akharas and other assorted Saints came together at the First Conference of Dharma Raksha Manch (29th Jan 2009) in Mumbai. They were brought together by Vishwa Hindu Parishad, apparently for the agenda was Combating terrorism. They called for dropping the word secular from Indian constitution and replacing it with word religious. They Ram Temple, Malegaon blasts, terrorism, and amongst other things and demanded that they need Manu's parliament and not Christ's. They drew attention to terrorism breeding in Madrassa, and hit out at media for using the term Hindu terrorism. Finally Beginning Mid Feb. (2009) they plan to take out series of yatras (religious marches) covering large parts of the country, with the call for ending Jihad. 
 
Who are these assorted Holy seers, coming together on the call of Vishwa Hindu Parishad? VHP itself is the creation of RSS in the mid sixties. Initiative was taken by RSS chief and his close lieutenant to get different established mutt's to form VHP. It primarily became a religious wing of RSS, involving the Hindu achrayas etc, and attracted especially traders, affluent processionals and those who did not want to openly associate with RSS, as at that time RSS stood fully discredited in people's eyes due to its association with Nathuram Godse, who killed Mahatma Gandhi.
 
VHP got involved in the identity issues strengthening the conservative politics and Ram temple became its central rallying point. Along with this it called for Dharma Sansad (religious parliament) where they stated that in the matters religious, in this case Ram Temple, the decision of saints is above the judgement of the courts. Place of Lord's birth became a matter not of History but of faith, and who else can decide these issues than these custodians of faith.
 
This congregation of holy seers has taken place long after their earlier meetings around Ram Temple issue. It seems it is their next innings where the focus is also on terrorism apart from its earlier concerns. At the same time they are reiterating that Indian Constitution is not welcome; let's go back to Manu Smriti. In a way there is nothing new in this. The RSS politics has always been against the Indian Constitution, against the values of secularism, democracy as these stand by Liberty, Equality and Fraternity. Right from the time Constituent Assembly was formed, RSS opposed the same, saying that 'we' already have the best of Constitutions in the form of Manu Smirit so why a new Constitution. It was backed by eulogies for Lord Manu by the RSS ideologue M.S. Golwalkar, who also at the same time has heaped immense praise on the methods of Hitler. Later K.Surshan also openly called for scrapping of Indian constitution and bringing Manu Smriti instead.
 
While the saints are overtly for the subjugation of Muslims and Christians, at the same time their agenda is to push back the concept of equality for dalit, Adivasis and women. Interestingly RSS came up as a reaction to social changes of caste and gender during the freedom movement. Our national movement stood not only for freedom but also for the transformation of caste and gender towards equality. Barring some exceptions the concept of democracy and secularism go hand in hand. Freedom movement was the epitome of these political and social processes, leading to the emergence of secular India. Today RSS has many mouths to speak and many fora to articulate its agenda. VHP is the crude version of expressing its agenda while BJP, due to electoral compulsions, puts the same agenda in more subtle ways.
 
The VHP agenda is quite striking in combing the Holy language with profane goals. It will totally ignore the problems of 'this World'; the problems related to survival and Human rights and will harp on identity issues. This brings in a politics which targets the 'external enemies', Muslims; Christians, and intimidates internal sectors, dalits; Adivasis and women, of society. Its call for doing away with the word secular is nothing new in that sense. Its demand to do away with secular word and secular ethos shows that their Holiness is restricted to the appearance, while they want to maintain their social hegemony through political means. Secularism is not against religion. The best of religious people like Maulana Abul Kalam and Mahatma Gandhi had been secular to the core. They knew the boundary line very well. Also they used the moral values of religion to create bonds of fraternity (community) amongst the people of different religions. There were others who created Hate against the other community, and that too in the name of religion. One can cite the parallel and opposite roles of Muslim League on one side and Hindu Mahasabha-RSS on the other.
 
The seers, respected because of their Holy garb are misusing their appearance at the service of sectarian politics, they are playing the role of handmaidens of the divisive politics. Secularism precisely means that secular, this-worldly, issues should be the base of politics. So the genuine religious person like Gandhi could distinguish between the moral values of religion which should be adopted in life while shunning the identity related issues from political life, "In India, for whose fashioning I have worked all my life, every man enjoys equality of status, whatever his religion is. The state is bound to be wholly secular." It is a matter of shame and disgust the identity of a religion is being used to pursue the political goals of an organization, supplementing the goals a communal political party by appealing in the name of religion. 
 
At the same time to further demonize the Muslims it is taking up the issue of terrorism in lop sided manner. The slogan end of Jihad is a way to hide the anti Muslim agenda. There is an attempt to put the blame on Islam and Muslims for terrorism, which is totally false. A political phenomenon is being presented as the one related to religion. So Islamic terrorism word is acceptable to them! All terrorist are Muslims formulation is acceptable to them. But how dare you use the word Hindu terrorism if Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, Swami Dayanand Pande and their ilk is involved in acts of terror? In this meet, overseen by RSS representatives, lot of anger was expressed for the Maharashtra ATS for starting investigations against Sadhvi and Company.
 
The timing of the meet and the planned Yatras is more then striking. As we await elections, the VHP is trying to revive Ram Temple as an issue and will also be talking of terrorism; about Afzal Guru and will be reprimanding the state for 'torturing' Pragya Thakur. As a matter of fact VHP and this motley crowd of saints is an adjunct to the electoral goals of BJP. It articulates emotive things which BJP will not be able to do because of election commission and the media watch.
 
Of all the techniques evolved by RSS, the use of these Holy men for political goals may be the worst insult of the Hindu religion. While these Holy seers infinite in number, many of them have succeeded in building up their own five star Empires, there are others who are sitting on the top of already established mutts. What unites them through VHP is the politics of status quo, the opposition to democracy. We had saints, who talked against caste system and social evils. We had Kabir, Chokha Mela, Tukaram and the lot who stood for the problems of the poor, and now we have a breed, whose agenda is to undermine the prevalent social evils of dowry, female infanticide, bride burning, atrocities on dalits and Adivasis. Their goal is to keep talking about the spirituality and religiosity which is so different from the concerns taken up by the likes of Gandhi and the whole the genre of Saints of Bhakti tradition in India. One hope the people of India can see this clever game of communal politics and differentiate the grain from the chaff.   
 
 
 
Links to other articles
1.
Who Inherits Gandhi's Mantle?
http://www.tehelka.com/story_main41.asp?filename=Ws280209Gandhi.asp
 
2. Loving to Hate: Valentine Day and Sectarian Politics
 
http://www.tehelka.com/story_main41.asp?filename=Ws210209LovingToHate.asp
 
 
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Issues in Secular Politics
 
February II 2009
 
For Publication/Circulation