RSS firebranded Hindutva leading outfit has declared that Modi is the saviour of Hinutva!
Palash Biswas
Media reports claim that the prime Minister of India is very annoyed with RSS agenda of Hinutva and he is said to have offered his resignation.On the other hand,RSS firebranded Hindutva leading outfit has declared that Modi is the saviour of Hinutva.
Which is the truth?
While his party is still figuring out how to tackle the growing influence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP across the nation, senior leader Digvijaya Singh seems to have found the issues that he knows will bring about the downfall of the NDA regime .... believes in that, then he should firmly tell the VHP, Bajrang Dal and Dharm Jagran Manch, all organisations of the Sangh (RSS), and also restrain BJP MP's like Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, Yogi Adityanath and Sakshi Maharaj not to give provocative statements.
"It is said that PM Narendra Modi expressed his displeasure with VHP leaders about Saturday's event," said a VHPfunctionary on condition of anonymity. However, VHP international president Pravin Togadia told TOI that no fresh instruction has been issued!
In Bhopal, a day after RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat described India as a "Hindu rashtra", senior Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Praveen Togadia on Sunday said efforts will be made to "increase" the percentage of Hindus in the country, but skirted the ... so that each one of them will get food, education, medicine and employment," Togadia said replying to a query whether the focus on religious conversions by various Sangh Pariwar outfits is at variance with the talk of development by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Amulya ganguli: Hindutva cry will tar image
Amulya Ganguli has written in Gulf news:
The first phase of the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) politics was marked by the targeting of mosques and churches. After the advent of Narendra Modi, the scene has become quieter. In fact, the Ram temple issue has been put on hold and even the fulminations against "love jihad", the supposedly sinister plan of Muslim youths to marry Hindu girls, have faded away, at least for the time being.
But that doesn't mean that the votaries of Hindutva have taken a backseat. Instead, the xenophobic potion of cultural nationalism, or the ideology of "one people, one nation, one culture", is being administered in small doses. The latest ploy is "ghar wapsi" or inducing Muslims and Christians to "return home", i.e., to their original religion of Hinduism, even if some of them are untouchables in the eyes of upper caste Hindus.
It is no secret, however, that religious fervour has little to do with these exercises of offering prayers over sacred flames in a purification ceremony for cleansing the non-Hindus. These are blatantly provocative acts of political gamesmanship in line with the decades-old majoritarian philosophy of creating tension with the aim of making political gains by targeting the minorities.
It is evident from these divisive endeavours by organisations like the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and others at the behest of their mentor, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), that the militants in the saffron camp are paying no heed to the prime minister's call for observing a 10-year moratorium on sectarianism. Instead, they have become more intent than before to push forward their agenda of establishing their cherished Hindu 'rashtra' (nation) where the minorities will be second-class citizens.
A hint of this objective is discernible from External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's call for making the Bhagavad Gita, the philosophical treatise for Hindus, the "national scripture". What the minister has ignored is that a step of this nature will mean relegating the holy books of other religions such as the Bible or the Guru Granth Sahib or the Avesta of the Parsis to a secondary status in a constitutionally mandated secular nation.
If this possibility did not bother the minister, the reason is that in the fascistic worldview of the saffron brotherhood, the minorities cannot be equated with the "master race" of the Hindus.
No one emphasised this distinction between the master and the rest more vigorously than BJP minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti when she distinguished between Ramzadas, or the children of Ram, the Hindu deity, and haramzadon or the off-springs of illicit unions.
Even after she apologised to parliament, another former minister belonging to the BJP, Swami Chinmayananda, supported the sadhvi by saying that such appellations are in order as long as these illegitimate children remain in the country (aise haramzade desh main hain).
There is little doubt that these vicious prejudices are far too strongly embedded in the minds of the saffronities that they brook no sane advice, as from Modi.
In keeping with this concept of the innate superiority of the Hindus and Hinduism, the VHP has been insisting on the installation of the idols of Hindus deities in churches and Christian missionary schools. Clearly, an insidious campaign is being carried on by the aggressive followers of Hindutva to create an atmosphere where the minorities will be browbeaten to accept Hindu customs at the expenses of their own cultural and religious distinctiveness.
It goes without saying that a part of this campaign is the attempt being made by Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani (who has read only up to Class 12) to impose Sanskrit on the school curriculum. Like the tenuous link between the 'ghar wapsi' drama and religion, the focus on Sanskrit has nothing to do with a thirst for higher education. Instead, it is motivated by the belief in the RSS cabals that the teaching of the ancient language will wean the English-speaking middle classes from their Westernised ways.
However, the advocates of Sanskrit will be appalled if a deep knowledge of the language makes the students aware of its links with Latin and enables them to peruse texts which show that the ancient Hindus ate beef, as is claimed by D.N. Jha in his book, The Myth of the Holy Cow.
Arguably, the difficulty of the Hindutva brigade is that unlike the 1990s when they succeeded in drumming up a wave in their favour by demolishing the Babri Masjid and targeting the Mathura and Varanasi mosques for destruction, their present antics are unlikely to yield political dividends when most people have become aware of their unholy objectives.
Moreover, the senior BJP leaders are seemingly concerned about the adverse fallout, both nationally and internationally, from the tactics of the saffron hotheads not only on the reforms but also on Modi's personal image. As it is, he is seen to be dithering on the economic front. If he also fails to control the fundamentalists in his camp, few inside and outside India will believe in his 'sabka saath, sabka vikas' (development for all) pledge.
http://gulftoday.ae/portal/f44d8084-d9ae-4418-b3d4-136e04c5b77f.aspx
Meanwhile,Opposition parties disrupted both Houses of Parliament Monday, demanding a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on alleged religious conversions by the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and other saffron organisations.
VHP conducts 'ghar-wapsi' programme in Kanichanallor, Kerala (Photo courtesy: @ANI_news)
"You don't need a 56-inch chest to come here (in Parliament); you just need a four-inch heart to come here," Trinamool Congress leader Derek o Brien said, taking a dig at the Prime Minister.
Modi, while campaigning for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, had taken the "chhappan inch ki chhati (56-inch chest)" jibe at Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Mulayam Singh Yadav.
The reference is largely understood to be about courage.
"Unfortunately, the Prime minister is running away from a debate on conversions," said Congress leader Anand Sharma in the Rajya Sabha, adding that Modi should reassure the nation over the issue.
Religious conversions have long been a lightning rod for identity politics in India, whose history is scarred with episodes of blood-letting of citizens divided on faith and ethnicity. Such religion-driven politics took a backseat in the last decade of economic boom, but signs of a more assertive Hindu rights have surfaced since the election of Modi, adding to a climate of fear.
The alleged conversion of dozens of Muslims in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, earlier this month kicked up a massive controversy.
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)-affiliate groups have announced plans for more such 'ghar-wapsi (homecoming)', with RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat daring political rivals to bring in a law to ban religious conversions if they wanted to stop such events.
The VHP on Sunday claimed to have converted at least 30 Christians in a 'ghar-wapsi' ceremony in Kerala's Alappuzha district, adding that 150 more families would be welcomed into the Hindu fold in the run-up to Christmas.
Also, more than 100 tribal Christians were reportedly converted by the VHP at Valsad in Gujarat on Saturday.
Opposition parties also held up posters against VHP's conversion drive in Gujarat and Kerala, before the Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day.
Left parties, meanwhile, rejected Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah's call for a bill against 'forced' conversions, saying it is already illegal under the Constitution and the Indian Penal Code.
Saffron organisations have issued provocative statements over the issue, which has given the Opposition a political ammo.
"We will bring back those who have lost their way. They did not go on their own," RSS chief Bhagwat had recently said in a speech in Kolkata supporting the 're-conversion' drive.
Senior VHP leader Praveen Togadia said efforts will be made to "increase" the percentage of Hindus in the country, but skirted the issue of religious conversion.
"We are going to take percentage of Hindus to 100 in country. Currently there are 82% Hindus in India, and we don't want this number to be halved. We won't tolerate Hindus becoming a minority in the country."
Bhopal: Backing Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat's description of India as a "Hindu rashtra", senior Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Praveen Togadia said efforts will be made to "increase" the percentage of Hindus in the country, but skirted the issue of religious conversion.
He also said that Bhagwat's assertion of "Hindu rashtra (Hindu nation)" at the Kolkata convention is like a "gospel" for VHP.
"We are going to take percentage of Hindus to 100 in country. Currently there are 82 per cent Hindus in India, and we don't want this number to be halved. We won't tolerate Hindus becoming a minority in the country," Togadia, who is also international working president of VHP, said while addressing a function.
"We are going to take percentage of Hindus to 100 in country," senior Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Praveen Togadia said.
Times of India reports:
SURAT: Vishwa Hindu Parishad activists across the country have been verbally instructed by their seniors to discontinue 'ghar wapsi' events after its programme at Arnai village in Valsad on Saturday— where at least 500 tribal Christians were "reconverted"— created a controversy.
READ ALSO: VHP: Just wanted to win over hearts, not convert the world
"It is said that PM Narendra Modi expressed his displeasure with VHP leaders about Saturday's event," said a VHP functionary on condition of anonymity. However, VHP international president Pravin Togadia told TOI that no fresh instruction has been issued either to start or stop any activity of the organization.
Mind you,
READ ALSO: 'BJP not involved in Agra conversion'
But on the other hand, VHP in Madhya Pradesh claimed that 6 lakh converted Hindus "returned home" on Sunday. In Kerala, at least 30 dalit Christians from eight families were "reconverted" at a function at Alappuzha.
READ ALSO: Conversion row: No one can derail Modi's development agenda, Amit Shah says
"At least 40 lakh conversions have been stopped till now," said a VHP official.
Also, speaking at a book launch in Delhi, VHP chief Ashok Singhal said, "The Hindu culture and religion have been subjugated for the last 800 years and now we can say we have a government which is committed to protecting Hindutva."
Another Gujarat VHP leader said, "VHP is not under any pressure from the government and its activities will continue. We will take care that our programmes don't spread hatred in society."
VHP international president Pravin Togadia told TOI over phone that no fresh instruction has been issued either to start or stop any activity of the organization. "Whatever activity is being highlighted now is being done since decades. There is nothing new. VHP has not issued any instruction to its cadres to carry out any activity or to discontinue it," said Togadia, who is in Madhya Pradesh for an event.
VHP Gujarat sources said many office-bearers have been told not to disclose event details to the media and maintain secrecy about the organization's future programmes fearing the government may use its machinery to stop VHP's activities.
VHP leader Ashok Singhal said it was due to their "struggle" in the last 50 years that Hindus have "regained" the lost "empire" of Delhi after 800 years.
"Our values will be gradually established in the country. We want an invincible Hindu society which works for the world's welfare according to these values... We have never gone out to convert the world but to win over their heart," he added.
READ ALSO: Let secular parties support anti-conversion bill, Amit Shah says
In Chennai, BJP president Amit Shah said, "The BJP has made its stand clear on conversions. And no one can derail the party (government) from its development agenda," replying to a question whether the campaign by some fringe groups on conversion would affect Modi government's development agenda.
Singhal's and Shah's comments came a day after RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat defended the controversial Sangh parivar campaign and dared the opposition to support a law banning religious conversions.
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