Directionless Christian, Communist, Muslim systems running India: Puri Shankaracharya

Puri Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati on Wednesday claimed that India was being run by "directionless Christian, Communist and Muslim systems" and its democracy and Constitution were not in line with the country's needs and traditions.

The religious guru, who had triggered controversy in the past for his comments including blaming western influence for rapes, said politicians have become a tool in the hands of "foreign conspirators".

"India is run by foreign conspirators you should know. Our prime ministers and ministers are guided by somewhere else...India is guided by directionless Christian, Communist and Muslim systems," he said at a function to mark the second anniversary of Uttarakhand floods and landslides, which had left thousands dead.

The event was organised by BJP MP Ashwini Kumar Choubey where senior RSS functionary Dattatreya Hosabole was special guest while Puri Shankaracharya was the chief guest. He lamented "destruction" of Himalaya and Ganga for developmental needs and said natural calamity much more severe than what was witnessed in Uttarakhand and Nepal would strike if things continued in the similar way.

Foreign conspirators want to destroy all Indian symbols, he alleged. "What is regrettable is that our democracy is not in line with our culture. The Constitution we have got is not in line with our culture," he claimed.

Damage to India’s ethos may be irreversible, Civil Society report of One Year of Narendra Modi government

365 DAYS
Democracy & Secularism
Under The Modi Regime
New Delhi, June 18, 2015


Press Release

Damage to India’s ethos may be irreversible, Civil Society report of One Year of Narendra Modi government

Violence, and Sangh Parivar threats, against religious minorities mounts; Government targets Education, Social sector, Dissent, Media, Science & Culture
 
This report is an attempt to document intense and multi-pronged attack unleashed on the democratic rights of citizens and secular values enshrined in the constitution of India. Since the present regime came to power we have witnessed that the citizens rights and secular ethos, secured during the past sixty years, have been trampled upon with impunity. The purpose of documenting this multi faceted attack on our diversity and pluralism is to make the damage visible.

We could document only a fraction of what has happened during the past year due to paucity of resources, both human and financial. This report however clearly breaks the myth that there have been no riots under the present regime. The strategy has changed, Sangh has realized that large-scale violence attracts international media attention, and therefore now, meticulously planned high-intensity localized violence coupled with high-pitched hate campaigns is used across India to polarize the people and further marginalize the minorities.

In order to weaken the India democracy, the administrative, legal, scientific and educational, structures created during the past sixty year have either been demolished or tempered. The onslaught has left these institutions permanently damaged and show the direction in which the present regime is likely to push the country.

The damage done in the last one year to India’s ethos of secularism, communal harmony and freedom of expression may be irreparable with the Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi, BJP chief ministers, and the top echelons of the Sangh Parivar moving fast in changing policy, people and programmes in education, social security and the protection of religious and ethnic minorities.  The cultural DNA of India of pluralism and diversity is being threatened.

The meddling with the judicial system at the highest level threatens to foreclose the one option that is left to the citizens to challenge, stop and reverse this trend. The welfare network is rapidly being demolished, many policies changed at the behest of the corporate sector.

This is highlighted in a report ‘365 DAYS – DEMOCRACY AND SECULARISM UNDER THE MODI REGIME”, edited by John Dayal and Shabnam Hashmi with assessments by Harsh Mander, Ram Puniyani, Cedric Prakash, John Dayal, Apoorvanand, Karen Gabriel, PK Vijayan, Seema Mustafa, Kriti Sharma, VB Rawat, Dhruv Sangari and PVS Kumar. 

The Civil society analysis of the period May 2014 to May 2015 shows a seamless integration and adoption of the policies of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh by the NDA government entirely dominated by the Bharatiya Janata party. This has led to almost total impunity, seen in the failure to act in cases of speeches by Sangh leaders to incite violence against Muslims and Christians.

Mr. Modi has made a few remarks condemning violence, but has refused to identify the perpetrators of violence. No politician or Sangh activist has been punished. The RSS general secretary, Mr. Mohan Bhagwat, has continued to make outrageous speeches targeting minorities. In June he was given z-Class security cover, at par with that given to the Home Minister of India.

The Sangh’s own campaign to malign, isolate, criminalize and target Christians and Muslim, inciting mobs to commit violence against them, has been overlooked by central and state police forces. Never in free India has the public discourse been so poisoned by MPs and ministers of the elected ruling alliance. BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj labels madrassas as 'hubs of terror' and exhorts Hindu women to bear four children. He calls Nathuram Godse, Gandhi's assassin, as a 'patriot' and 'martyr'. Another BJP MP Yogi Adityanath says 'for every Hindu converted, 100 Muslim girls will be converted as retaliation.' Minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti describes those who do not worship Ram as 'haramzade' or bastards. A Shiv Sena MP force-feeds a Muslim canteen functionary during his roza fast. Another, Sanjay Raut, calls for the disenfranchisement of Muslims.

All too often, police has been complicit in the violence. In Chhattisgarh, villages are passing orders banning the entry of priests of faiths other than Hinduism.

At least 43 deaths, 212 cases targeting Christians and 175 cases targeting Muslims, 234 cases of Hate Speech have been recorded between 26th May 2014 and June 2015, marking almost one year of the National Development Alliance government of Mr. Narendra Modi. The number of dead is other than the 108 killed in Assam in attacks on Muslims by armed tribal political groups.

Over 90% of the cases recorded in this report are over and above the 600 cases documented by the Indian express investigative series in August 2014.

In the very first few weeks of the new government, by its own admission, 113 communal incidents took place in various parts of the country during in just the two moths May-June 2014 in which 15 people were killed and 318 others were injured,

The government’s efforts at reassurance of minorities have been pathetic. Instead of investigating the violence, it has sought to trivialize it by its explanations on several incidents that caught international attention, and invited comments from various dignitaries including President Pranab Mukherjee.

The new government is intolerant of civil society and dissent. Organisations like INSAF, People's Watch, Sabrang Trust, Citizens for Justice and Peace, Greenpeace India among others were systematically targeted, maligned and harassed. Others have been subject to direct and indirect intimidation. Select activists have been individually targeted.

During the past one-year we have also witnessed an unprecedented four pronged attack on scientific temper, rational thinking and scientific establishment of the country. This includes providing credibility to myths and superstitions, official platforms for anti-science activities, budget cuts and crippling scientific institutes by political interference.

There are serious efforts to undermine diversity and pluralism and convert India into a mono-cultural, standardized society. Should the idea of cultural chauvinism and nationalism succeed, it would be nothing short of a death knell for all that India stands for.

The report has been made possible due to the cooperation and remarkable efforts of many individuals and fraternal organizations working in various states.

Although not documented in this report but the past year has also seen strong resistance to the nefarious designs of the Sangh, across India. We hope that this report will help in further strengthening the people’s resistance against these divisive forces.

For further information, please contact Anhad  +911141670722, anhad.delhi@gmail.com, Shabnam Hashmi, +919811807558, shabnamhashmi@gmail.com, or John Dayal john.dayal@gmail.com +919811021072


:- The report has been published by ANHAD. http://www.anhadin.net

:-  The soft copy of the report is available at : http://www.anhadin.net/article280.html

Five held for attack on prayer group in Kerala

The police have arrested five persons in connection with the attack on a prayer group at Attingal.

The arrested were identified as Anoop, 36, of Kizhattingal; Anoop, 30, of Velloorkonam; Abijith, 22, of Attakulam; Vimal, of Chittattinkara; and Deepu, 26, of Kallambalam.

The case related to a group, allegedly Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) workers, attacking a prayer group at Attingal on Sunday when Reaching World with Love Ministry, a Pentecostal group, was holding a meeting.

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Coverage by Indian Express 

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Attingal police on Monday identified and arrested five persons in connection with the attack on a Christian prayer hall here on Sunday. The accused are T T Anoop, 38 of Elappuram, Attingal; Anoop, 30 of Kizhuvalam; Abhijith,22 of Attakulam Attingal; Vimal, 30 of Kizhuvalam and Deepu, 20 of Kallambalam.

According to the police, the five are suspected to be RSS activists who unleashed an attack on the prayer hall, leaving many devotees injured.

The incident occurred on Sunday at 12.30 pm, when 50 of the suspected RSS activists barged into the prayer hall situated at the Attingal Riot Memorial Library hall and attacked the people assembled in the hall, including the pastor, without any provocation.

The prayer group named ‘Reaching the world with love ministry’ was conducting the weekly prayer meet. Over 200 people were gathered for the prayer meet.

“Despite manhandling the devotees, the activists also allegedly vandalised valuable equipment including televisions and cameras and destroyed the food kept for lunch. The injured people were - including pastor Siju, 24 - Sam, 26, Valsala,48, Binu, 42, Saju, 24 and Baby Girija, 45. All of them are out of danger and recovering well. However, the investigation is on to find more persons involved in the attack and they will be nabbed soon,” a police official said.

Rural SP Shefeen Ahamed said that the assailants allegedly broke a finger of a middle aged woman and even beat up a physically challenged man seated on a chair, asking him to get up and clear off. “This is an attack on the freedom of religion”, the SP said.

Condemning the incident, Home Minster Ramesh Chennithala said that it was nothing but an attack on belief and everyone had the right to believe and worship. However, the government and the citizens were committed to giving full protection to them. 

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Christian prayer group attacked in Kerala by RSS and BJP members

Eight persons sustained minor injuries after nearly 50 persons allegedly owing allegiance to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) attacked a prayer group at Attingal on Sunday.

The Attingal police said the incident occurred around 12.30 p.m. when the Reaching World with Love Ministry, a Pentecostal group, was holding a prayer meeting at the municipal library hall. The activists marched to the venue raising slogans and accused the group of organising a conversion drive and targeting those belonging to the Hindu faith. The police registered a case against 20 persons.

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Another Christian school ransacked in West Bengal, police blame burglars

KOLKATA: In yet another attack on a christian missionary school at Madhyamgram in North 24 Parganas early on Wednesday, four class rooms were ransacked and official and educational equipments were also damaged. The almirah in an office room was also broke open and several articles in the almirah were also found scattered on the floor. Police are looking for the culprits. But no one has been arrested in this connection yet.

The ransacking on Believers Charch missionary school at Abdalpur adjacent to the Badu Road towards Barasat's Kharibari in Madhyamgram, barely 4 km from Kolkata Airport triggered a tension in the area.

Panic gripped the bishop, fathers and nuns and the other teachers in the school and they also appealed to the police for a strong security arrangements for the school.

Juria Bardhan, the bishop of the school lodged a complaint on Wednesday morning with Madhyamgram police station in this connection. The school was also remained closed on Wednesday.

"We are really in panic following the attack for the first time in our under Charch school. We could be attacked any time. But We can't understand why the ransacking was carried out and by whom. We have no problem with anybody in the locality. Most of the students come from local area. I have urged police to take a legal action in this connection and to provide adequate security for the school," the bishop said.

The regional co-ordinator of the school, Rabin Dutta said, "Several Christian missionary schools across the country already came under attack. The horror of recent past brutal attack on a Ranaghat convent and subsequent horrible torture on an elderly nun is yet to die down. We got frightened with the Wednesday's attack."

He also said that the attackers damaged the books, study papers, several study equipments, food materials for the students and also musical instruments used by the students.

The school is run under believers Charch here for over a decade.

There are 130 students in the school and those students are studied at free cost. The lunch and tiffin are also provided to the students mostly come from under privileged families.

The guardians of the students also launched an agitation to protest against the attack on an educational institution under the Charch. They have also demanded immediate arrest of the culprits.

Police said the attack took place around 2.30 am and the goons sneaked into the building through an open window of a bathroom.

"Initially we suspect that petty burglars could strike in search of valuables. We are however investigating the mater and a raid is on to nab culprits", said Bhaskar Mukherjee,ASP, North 24 Parganas.

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