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.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Shri Ram Sene Beats up Girls in Mangalore
Kitchen, Church and Children
Shri Ram Sene Beats up Girls in a Pub
Ram Puniyani
Hitler, the epitome of sectarian politics had set many a norms, practices, which underlined his agenda of Fascism. He targeted the ‘outsiders’ (Jews, Communists) and suppressed the ‘insiders’ (workers, women). While what is most visible of his crimes is the genocide of Jews, what was also very damaging was that he suppressed the rights of women and workers. About women, he famously went on to pontificate that German women, love to be mothers and that their sphere of activity should be around Kitchen, Church and Children.
Another sectarian outfit, the Taliban after capturing power banned the women from public sphere, asking them to be in the confines of home; else severe punishment will be waiting for them. The fundamentalist groups like Dukhtarane Millat in Kashmir went on to throw acid on the face of the girls refusing to accept the Burqua. Controlling the lives, dress of women, to relegate them to subordinate position, is the common agenda of fundamentalist, fascist politics, irrespective of their religion or race to which they belong. Apart from other things this politics overall imposes the patriarchal norms in most aggressive way.
Nothing could have brought to our notice these facts more than the act of Shri Ram Sene, in Mangalore, when they beat up girls in a pub in Mangalore (25th Jan 09). Their argument, as articulated by their Chief, Pramod Mutalik is that this is against our Hindu culture. Since the time the BJP government has come to power, these groups have got a message that they can get away with their criminal activities due to the patronage of their ideological-political mentors. Earlier the same groups have vandalized churches few months ago. Now, while the hooligans attacked and took liberties with the girls their chief, Mutalik, was arrested initially on some other charges not for this crime by his outfit, Shri Ram Sene. It’s only later that due to the pressure from media and the pressure of social opinion that he was also charged for this attack on girls. Not all the sainiks were arrested and even from amongst those who were arrested many were released on bail, such was the attitude of the BJP government.
It’s a further matter of shame that the member of National Women’s Commission who thought of investigating the case turned out to be the ‘Bar Inspector’ rather then a person concerned with women’s issues. Her focus was the security at bar and the ‘plight’ of those who assaulted the girls. Accordingly she did not think it necessary to talks to the girls who were humiliated and beaten up, instead she gave a report with the help of which the criminals got the bail. So much about the fairness of this member of Commission! Fortunately the Women’s welfare ministry team did a good job to give the truth version of the incident.
The trajectory of the ‘career of Mutalik, the chief of Sene, shows the deeper connections of RSS and other organizations, who are active in vandalism. Mutalik is a RSS trained swaymasevak, who later joined Bajrang Dal, and then Shiv Sena before floating this Shri Ram Sene.
BJP and RSS spokesmen criticized the action of the hooligans taking the law into their hands, but at the same time upheld the ‘cause’ of protection of Indian culture. Women should not go to the pub, they must ‘behave’. They also justified Mutalik’s ideology, while distancing them from the acts of violence and organizationally from the Shri Ram Sene. Same Mutalik who has been the aspirant of BJP ticket, might now become persona non grata for RSS-BJP, irrespective of the fact that he is a RSS trained swayam sevak. RSS operates for its goal of Hindu nation through a clever mechanism. It trains volunteers into the ideology of ‘Hate Other’, for creation of Hindu nation, and then these volunteers in turn go and set up different organizations to fulfill the goal of RSS.
The advantage in this technique is that if some progeny of RSS does a thing which is against law, against which public opinion is strong, they will quietly disown the person. Beginning with Nathuram Godse, the killer of Mahatma Gandhi, this has been their method. Even Dara Singh of Bajrang Dal, who burnt Pastor Graham Stains, was disowned by RSS-BJP combine once the outrage against the crime became strong in the air. It is a ‘brilliant’ and shrewd strategy. One of their warriors, Babu Bajrangi, who played a major role in Gujarat carnage, has also been very active in attacking the couples in Gujarat. This mechanism, where by RSS trains them to impose the elements of Hindu nation by playing different roles, helps it spreading the tentacles of its sectarian politics without facing the consequences of the criminal acts.
As such the ideological clones of RSS have been vandalizing and attacking cultural activities, gazal programs, painting exhibitions and film shows on regular basis. Girls, women have also been facing the brunt of this offensive. There have been the attacks on couples involved in inter-caste, inter-religious marriages. They have been creating ruckus on Valentine day, and against girls wearing jeans. It is not that the RSS affiliates have been very active in violence against Muslims and Christians, alone. Having intimidated those communities severely, now atrocities against women may become the major focus of their activities. The aim of, such crimes is to browbeat women into receding from social space. What role this intimidation of girls plays? It is clear that with such attacks, the girls will feel intimidated to freely move out; their parents will put more restrictions on them curtailing their freedom.
All this is being done in the name of Hindu traditions. These self appointed custodians of Hindu culture neither know Hinduism, nor do they have any idea of Hindu traditions. They are projecting their political agenda of Fundamentalism, the agenda of subjugation of women through these actions. One may ask do these attackers identify the practices of female infanticide, wife beating, and bride burning as practiced by many Hindus as the culture of Hinduism! Is it due to this that they have never taken up campaigns against these ills of Hindu society? Is it because of this, that we never hear the protest against these evils from these self proclaimed custodians of Hindu culture.
The agenda of ‘politics in the name of Religion’, aims to suppress the rights of women. Vijaya Raje Schindia, the BJP Vice President had upheld Sati, Mridula Sinha of BJP Mahila Morcha had upheld wife beating, dowry, and had advised women not to work outside unless it is a must. The RSS subordinate organization for women is Rashtra Sevika Samiti, where the word Swyam (self) is missing in contrast to the male organization, Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh. The clear indication of patriarchal values which the Hindu Right-wing up hold. Those concerned with women’s welfare need to stand against the evil practices of dowry, bride burning, and female infanticide, while these attacks aim to abolish women’s freedom, whatever little they have managed to get through their struggles. These attacks are meant to curb their right to choose their way of life and to impose controls of all sorts over them.
The ‘institution of religion’ stood for subordinate position for women. Fundamentalism, coming from any religion has the similar social-political agenda. The nitty gritties of disowning apart, the superficial differences of Mutalik and BJP apart, they are guided by same ideology of Hindutva. No wonder the same Mutalik had links with the Malegaon blast accused Lt Col. Prasad Purohit, who holds Mutalik in high esteem. Unfortunately as the present matters stand, situation may create some furor in the country, which will die down over a period of time as BJP govt. will ensure that their foot soldiers, storm troopers of its ideology, get away without any serious punishments. After all they are ideological brothers; they are children of single father, the RSS, the ideological parent of the agenda of Hindu Rashtra.
-
Shri Ram Sene Beats up Girls in a Pub
Ram Puniyani
Hitler, the epitome of sectarian politics had set many a norms, practices, which underlined his agenda of Fascism. He targeted the ‘outsiders’ (Jews, Communists) and suppressed the ‘insiders’ (workers, women). While what is most visible of his crimes is the genocide of Jews, what was also very damaging was that he suppressed the rights of women and workers. About women, he famously went on to pontificate that German women, love to be mothers and that their sphere of activity should be around Kitchen, Church and Children.
Another sectarian outfit, the Taliban after capturing power banned the women from public sphere, asking them to be in the confines of home; else severe punishment will be waiting for them. The fundamentalist groups like Dukhtarane Millat in Kashmir went on to throw acid on the face of the girls refusing to accept the Burqua. Controlling the lives, dress of women, to relegate them to subordinate position, is the common agenda of fundamentalist, fascist politics, irrespective of their religion or race to which they belong. Apart from other things this politics overall imposes the patriarchal norms in most aggressive way.
Nothing could have brought to our notice these facts more than the act of Shri Ram Sene, in Mangalore, when they beat up girls in a pub in Mangalore (25th Jan 09). Their argument, as articulated by their Chief, Pramod Mutalik is that this is against our Hindu culture. Since the time the BJP government has come to power, these groups have got a message that they can get away with their criminal activities due to the patronage of their ideological-political mentors. Earlier the same groups have vandalized churches few months ago. Now, while the hooligans attacked and took liberties with the girls their chief, Mutalik, was arrested initially on some other charges not for this crime by his outfit, Shri Ram Sene. It’s only later that due to the pressure from media and the pressure of social opinion that he was also charged for this attack on girls. Not all the sainiks were arrested and even from amongst those who were arrested many were released on bail, such was the attitude of the BJP government.
It’s a further matter of shame that the member of National Women’s Commission who thought of investigating the case turned out to be the ‘Bar Inspector’ rather then a person concerned with women’s issues. Her focus was the security at bar and the ‘plight’ of those who assaulted the girls. Accordingly she did not think it necessary to talks to the girls who were humiliated and beaten up, instead she gave a report with the help of which the criminals got the bail. So much about the fairness of this member of Commission! Fortunately the Women’s welfare ministry team did a good job to give the truth version of the incident.
The trajectory of the ‘career of Mutalik, the chief of Sene, shows the deeper connections of RSS and other organizations, who are active in vandalism. Mutalik is a RSS trained swaymasevak, who later joined Bajrang Dal, and then Shiv Sena before floating this Shri Ram Sene.
BJP and RSS spokesmen criticized the action of the hooligans taking the law into their hands, but at the same time upheld the ‘cause’ of protection of Indian culture. Women should not go to the pub, they must ‘behave’. They also justified Mutalik’s ideology, while distancing them from the acts of violence and organizationally from the Shri Ram Sene. Same Mutalik who has been the aspirant of BJP ticket, might now become persona non grata for RSS-BJP, irrespective of the fact that he is a RSS trained swayam sevak. RSS operates for its goal of Hindu nation through a clever mechanism. It trains volunteers into the ideology of ‘Hate Other’, for creation of Hindu nation, and then these volunteers in turn go and set up different organizations to fulfill the goal of RSS.
The advantage in this technique is that if some progeny of RSS does a thing which is against law, against which public opinion is strong, they will quietly disown the person. Beginning with Nathuram Godse, the killer of Mahatma Gandhi, this has been their method. Even Dara Singh of Bajrang Dal, who burnt Pastor Graham Stains, was disowned by RSS-BJP combine once the outrage against the crime became strong in the air. It is a ‘brilliant’ and shrewd strategy. One of their warriors, Babu Bajrangi, who played a major role in Gujarat carnage, has also been very active in attacking the couples in Gujarat. This mechanism, where by RSS trains them to impose the elements of Hindu nation by playing different roles, helps it spreading the tentacles of its sectarian politics without facing the consequences of the criminal acts.
As such the ideological clones of RSS have been vandalizing and attacking cultural activities, gazal programs, painting exhibitions and film shows on regular basis. Girls, women have also been facing the brunt of this offensive. There have been the attacks on couples involved in inter-caste, inter-religious marriages. They have been creating ruckus on Valentine day, and against girls wearing jeans. It is not that the RSS affiliates have been very active in violence against Muslims and Christians, alone. Having intimidated those communities severely, now atrocities against women may become the major focus of their activities. The aim of, such crimes is to browbeat women into receding from social space. What role this intimidation of girls plays? It is clear that with such attacks, the girls will feel intimidated to freely move out; their parents will put more restrictions on them curtailing their freedom.
All this is being done in the name of Hindu traditions. These self appointed custodians of Hindu culture neither know Hinduism, nor do they have any idea of Hindu traditions. They are projecting their political agenda of Fundamentalism, the agenda of subjugation of women through these actions. One may ask do these attackers identify the practices of female infanticide, wife beating, and bride burning as practiced by many Hindus as the culture of Hinduism! Is it due to this that they have never taken up campaigns against these ills of Hindu society? Is it because of this, that we never hear the protest against these evils from these self proclaimed custodians of Hindu culture.
The agenda of ‘politics in the name of Religion’, aims to suppress the rights of women. Vijaya Raje Schindia, the BJP Vice President had upheld Sati, Mridula Sinha of BJP Mahila Morcha had upheld wife beating, dowry, and had advised women not to work outside unless it is a must. The RSS subordinate organization for women is Rashtra Sevika Samiti, where the word Swyam (self) is missing in contrast to the male organization, Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh. The clear indication of patriarchal values which the Hindu Right-wing up hold. Those concerned with women’s welfare need to stand against the evil practices of dowry, bride burning, and female infanticide, while these attacks aim to abolish women’s freedom, whatever little they have managed to get through their struggles. These attacks are meant to curb their right to choose their way of life and to impose controls of all sorts over them.
The ‘institution of religion’ stood for subordinate position for women. Fundamentalism, coming from any religion has the similar social-political agenda. The nitty gritties of disowning apart, the superficial differences of Mutalik and BJP apart, they are guided by same ideology of Hindutva. No wonder the same Mutalik had links with the Malegaon blast accused Lt Col. Prasad Purohit, who holds Mutalik in high esteem. Unfortunately as the present matters stand, situation may create some furor in the country, which will die down over a period of time as BJP govt. will ensure that their foot soldiers, storm troopers of its ideology, get away without any serious punishments. After all they are ideological brothers; they are children of single father, the RSS, the ideological parent of the agenda of Hindu Rashtra.
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