HINDU CHAUVINISM
TRSS: G.S., H.V. Seshadri's Address to Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha
The main challenge that our workers have been facing for the last few years. has been how best we can convert the fast-growing Hindu awakening into solid organisational strength. The year saw in Kerala a huge rally of 8,500 swayamsevaks and over 41,500 peope, men and women, drawn from almost all villages of on revenue district of Trichur. North Karnataka too had an impressive similar get together of Hindu spokesmen at Hubli. A massive turnout of 34,338 swayamsevaks from the Ujjain Vibhag in Madhya Bharat and 6,000 swayamsevaks from the Bilaspur Vibhag in Chattisgarh Prant for pathsanchalans are indeed notable landmarks in taking forward the Sangh work in those provinces. These marches (were) followed by public functions (and) were addressed by Sarsanghchalak, except the last one where Shri Sudarshanji spoke.
During January 1997, Shri Rajju Bhaiya's visit to Kenya, Mauritius and South Africa proved to be a memorable and inspiring event for the local Hindus in general and the Sangh workers in particular. Kenya celebrated the completion of 50 years of Sangh's work there in the form of opening of Hindu Bhavan and Virat Hindu Sangam.
The worst-ever cyclone holocaust overtook the coastal regions of East Godawari District of Andhra Pradesh. The Jana Samakshema Samiti, the banner under which swayamsevaks worked, selected the most affected 70 villages after an extensive survey and extended immediate financial assistance to over 10,000 families financially productive services were taken up. Construction works are in progress. About 50 lakh rupees worth of material has been distributed and 1.75 crore rupees are being spent over all these projects.
The prompt service rendered by the swayamsevaks of Bhiwani on November 12, 1996 in the wake of the mid-air collision disaster of Saudi Arabian and Kazak aircraft at Charkhi-Dadri, attracted the special attention of the national press especially because most of the 312 victims were Muslims Al-Riyad, a newspaper of Saudi Arabia, had unreservedly praised the RSS for its role and had commented that their misunderstanding that it is anti-Muslim had been removed to a large extent.
Delhi organised nearly one lakh strong get together of participants drawn from 615 sevabastis at 11 major centres on January 12, to participate in the Bharat Mata worship. Delhi has, in all, 1017 seva projects in 307 sevabastis out of 657.
Campaign for Harmony: An example of how a powerful Hindu campaign can lead to a peaceful and harmonious conclusion of an otherwise explosive situation was witnessed in the Jaipur district of Orissa in December, 1996. The proposed World Muslim Conference to be held in a remote place, Brahma Varada, of that district, had caused serious apprehensions. The organisers ... wisely thought that in the prevailing disturbed atmosphere it would be advisable to come to an understanding with the Hindus. They assured that none of the activities objected to by the Hindus would take place.
Reservation for Christians: With a view to enlightening our Scheduled Castes brethren in Tamil Nadu about the perils to their religious freedom and economic opportunities in the proposed bill to extend to the so-called Dalit-Christian also the same reserved financial privileges solely available to them at present. Swayamsevaks joined hands with several Hindu bodies reached 1,543 villages and collected an impressive 1,36,640 signatures.
Highlighting Netaji's Role: Celebrations of the birth centenary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose carried out by the Sangh, and organisations like Vidyarthi Parishad, Vidya Bharati and those devoted to Hindu Jagaran at hundreds of places were undoubtedly the most nation-wide involving especially the youth and children. Route-march by 9,000 swayamsevaks, drawn from South Bengal, followed by an impressive public function, release a booklet Netaji - Hindutva and RSS - all these created a stir in the intellectual circles. Highlighting of Subhas Babu's espousal of Hindutva as the identity and as the basis of the unity and immortality of our nation ... and his association and admiration for Dr. Hedgewar and his work - all these came as a revelation to the press and public.
Vijay Diwas: The nation-wide celebrations of 'Vijay Diwas' organised by the Poorva-Sainik Sewa Parishad on December 16 to mark the Silver Jubilee Year of the historic victory that our valorous Armed Forces had achieved in liberating Bangladesh from the murderous West Pakistan forces, was yet another unique event.
Beneficial fall-out of Punjab Elections: The results of the recent Assembly poll in Punjab and the high turnout of voters from both the keshadhari and mona Hindus, have re-affirmed and upheld at the political level also the deep-rooted historical amity and harmony. Murder of Hindu Activists: There has been a chain of murders of popular Hindu workers belonging to the Sangh, Hindu Munnani and BJP in Tamil Nadu especially in the wake of the recent assumption of power by the DMK ... Kerala too has witnessed a similar spate of killings of Sangh, Vidyarthi Parishad and BJP by the Marxists activists, after the coming to power of the leftists there. Politics of murder seems to have claimed yet another precious life of Shri Brahma Datta Dwivedi, a devoted swayamsevak. MLA and an ex-minister of BJP in UP. The clandestine and hasty manner in which our government has concluded the Ganga water agreement with Bangladesh has posed an ominous question mark of how far the nation's interests are safe in its hands.
So also, is the affixing of our country's signature to the economic agreement prepared by the scheming 14 powerful nations at Singapore in November last.
(Post) elections development (in J&K) has only increased the apprehensions about the dangers of terrorist’s violence and the future of the State's relationship with Bharat. The integrity of Jammu province and Ladakh, the safety of life and property of Hindus in Jammu and Buddhist Hindus in Ladakh might also be exposed to greater danger.
The dumping in of the Bangladeshi Muslim infiltrators continuing in all N.E. states, Islamic terrorism being fed by them and masterminded by the ISI, coupled with the sharp increase in Christian proselytizing drive, are pushing that strategic border area nearer to territorial dismemberment. The casteist politics is posing yet another divisive threat to our country and our society. The Hindus awakened are bound to assert their democratic right also to establish a genuinely nationalist, Hindutva centered regime in the country capable of warding off the looming threat to our economic freedom and every other threat – internal or external - facing our country.
(Source: The Organiser, 23 March, 1997)
Cast Struggle within RSS
The RSS Sarsanghchalak has always been thought to be all-powerful Balasaheb Deoras ruled within the sectarian confines of RSS with an iron hand. The RSS supremo has been something of religious guru whose words are held in reverence by RSS men. Being a Brahmin in this predominantly Brahmin-led Hindu fanatic organisation gives him all the advantages of the head of a religious sect.
The election of Rajinder Singh as the Sarsanghchalak was, however, a sort of upheaval for the RSS hierarchy. Here a non-Brahmin, though belonging to another so-called upper caste, was elected the boss. The RSS Brahmin leadership, which, incidentally has its mirror image in the Brahmin-dominated BJP leadership, did not like Singh's elevation to the top post. And ever since Deoras died, the Brahmin lobby has been working overtime against Singh.
Things came to head recently when elections for the post of the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha, some sort of a Central Council of RSS, took place at Nagpur. Rajinder Singh wanted a big shake-up in the organisation so that the domination of the Brahmin lobby could be curbed. The occasion brought to the open the tussle between Singh and RSS general secretary H.V. Seshadri, who is the main spokesman of the Brahmin lobby. Singh tried his best to convince the Sabha to relieve Seshadri of his responsibilities as he was too old to continue.
Singh egged on joint general secretaries Madan Das and Sureshrao Ketkar to vie for the general secretary's position. Not only was this resented by the RSS old-timers, who find Rajinder Singh's attempts at trying to make changes in the organisation rather unconventional, but they ganged up to see to it that the entire RSS setup remained unchanged and undisturbed. Seshadri was re- elected so were other office-bearers, much to Singh's chagrin.
(Source: The New Age, 23-29 March, 1997)
Prime Minister, Godman and Astrology
PM H.D. Deve Gowda turned his one-day tour of Karnataka on 23 March into a pilgrimage as he went calling on a couple of godmen to seek their blessings. A helicopter that took him to Whitefield on the outskirts of Bangalore - the abode of Sri Satya Sai Baba. The P.M. remained closeted with Sai Baba for over 45 minutes. From Whitefield, Mr. Gowda heli-hopped to Tumkur to inaugurate the diamond jubilee celebrations of Sree Siddaganga Kshetra and get the blessings of Dr. Sivakumara Swamiji, a highly revered Lingayat Swami.
The next destination, an unscheduled one, was the Vishwa Shanthi Ashrama near Nelamangala in Bangalore rural district. (He) sought the blessings of Sri Badragiri Keshavadasji and offered prayers at the Gayatri temple.
The P.M. thereafter released a book, Dharma: The Global Ethic, authored by Justice Rama Jois. According to sources, astrologers close to the PM have cautioned him about the difficult phase ahead of him. This probably prompted him to undertake a series of visits to temples and ashrams. The two trusted astrologers of Mr. Gowda are said to be Mettapati Sankar Iyer of Namakkal in Tamil Nadu and N.S. Vishwapathi in Bangalore.
Sources said the Prime Minister consulted a few more astrologers following contradictory horoscopic forecasts. A Bangalore-based astrologer on examining his horoscope reportedly predicted a turbulent April for the Prime Minister. This prompted well-wishers to refer his horoscope to astrologers in Chennai and Gujarat.
A Polyandrous Village
Yumphati Negi is a 35-year-old mother of seven, a traditional housewife in a remote village in Himachal where she takes care of the cooking, cleaning and cultivation (and) provides for two husbands.
Negi practices a unique system of polyandry where a woman is married to more than one husband, always brothers from the same family. It is believed that the practice was started almost 5,000 years ago by tribals who first settled in the region. Genealogies even trace them to the legendary Pandavas (of) the Mahabharata epic (in which) five brothers (have) married the same princess, Draupadi. Today 10% of the population practises polyandry and the trend is changing fast.
(Source: The Week, 8 December, 1996)
M.P. CM Reserves Friday for Temple-Hopping
Chief Minister Digvijay Singh has reserved Friday for Puja in different temples in different parts of the state. He performed a special puja at the Sanichara (God of Saturn) temple at Morena on Friday. The chief minister started the day with offerings at a temple in the old city here. He then flew to Shajapur, Morena, Gwalior and Indore to perform pujas in different temples.
(Source: The Times of India, 9 March, 1997)
