Angry & Intolerant Hindu

Read this interesting article in "The Week" Magazine regarding why Hindus are becoming more intolerant these days. Here is the link to the Original Article - The Hindu Growl.

The young Hindu is angry and intolerant. What triggered the change?
By Vijaya Pushkarna & Kallol Bhattacherjee

The Ranas of Amritsar could not tolerate the pro-Khalistani terrorism of the mid-1980s. So they shifted their home and business to Mohali on the outskirts of Chandigarh. Many like them, mainly Hindus, fled from terrorised Punjab to safer places. The exodus of Pandits from Kashmir in the nineties, too, was out of fear. But no longer is the young Hindu willing to run away from the battlefield.
And for the first time in Indian history, the Centre has sent advisories to four state governments, three ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party, directing them to abide by the Constitution and protect minorities. The advisory is just one step short of Article 355, a rarely used formality before dismissing a state government.

The Hindu's tolerance level is dropping, and today he is an angry man. As head of the poly-trauma ward of Sawai Man Singh Hospital, Jaipur, Dr Rajendra Chaturvedi attends to victims of riots, accidents and domestic violence. But the May 13 blasts changed him. "There were more than 60 casualties," he said. "Healthy men bled to death in minutes." The Brahmin now sports a tilak and speaks out against Islamic terror.


On September 13, death visited Rajiv Chowk, New Delhi. Sumeet, owner of a popular DVD shop in Palika Bazaar, was sending SMSes to loyal clients about the new titles in stock when the bombs went off. "Who would not get angry? But we were not scared. We are ready to fight them whoever they are," he said.

Terror campaigns irk the average Hindu. "Delaying Afzal Guru's hanging [in the Parliament attack case] sends out the signal that the government is unwilling to act on terror," said M.L. Gupta, a Jaipur blasts survivor. The sentiment was echoed by Rajinder Singh Shekhawat, a taxi driver who witnessed the explosion at Jaipur's Badi Chaupad. "Hindus have many enemies. The biggest one is terrorism, condoned by a corrupt government," he said.

Pankaj Singh, 30, executive member of the BJP Uttar Pradesh unit, said, "The feeling is that Hindus are branded communal if they refuse to tolerate terrorism, infiltration and loss of educational and economic opportunities." Youngsters who went to Azamgarh to protest the attack on Gorakhpur MP, Yogi Aditya Nath, felt the same way.

Bangalore-based entrepreneur Savitri Shanker (name changed) said she was annoyed by reports of Hindus baptising their children for securing admissions in Christian schools and colleges. She also talked of her help's cancer-stricken relative who was taken to a hospice. The hospice management promised the family free treatment and other benefits if they would convert. The family refused and admitted the patient in a hospital. Shanker is "sad, but not surprised" by the rampage against churches in Karnataka and Orissa.

Perhaps the young Hindu's knee-jerk reaction has been triggered by the change in circumstances. Pavitra and Kunal (names changed), a Bangalore-based couple, said that their views had changed since their college days seven years ago. Said Pavitra, 26: "We had many Muslim classmates who were close friends. They looked and dressed like us. Now they have begun to wear their Muslim identity on their sleeve. We are not able to laugh at the same jokes and there is a bit of tension when we meet."

Kunal said: "After the bomb blasts, there was definitely an awkwardness on our part. And when we hear of them getting preferential quotas, it hurts." The couple said they still would "not look away if we see them". But they are thinking of volunteering for or contributing to a pro-Hindu organisation. They asked, "If it is OK for others to affirm their religion, is it wrong for us to do the same?"

Fears that were confined to the minority communities are now surfacing among upwardly mobile Hindus. Said businesswoman Anita Vasanth, 48: "It's about wanting India for all of us Indians. To get minority votes politicians are doing so many things at my cost. Don't thwart me to make others grow; it leads to heartburn and more."

While such thoughts and behavioural shifts are seen across the country, unorganised and spontaneous hit-backs have been relatively few. But it is a matter of time before that happens, said a senior BJP leader who did not wish to be named. "We are sitting on a time bomb," he said. "It [the backlash] can happen any time. It is just that there is no pro-Hindu political party." What about the BJP? "Who says the BJP is pro-Hindu?" he asked. "What has the party done for the Hindus? The BJP has taken up the issue of minority appeasement to make a vote bank of those opposed to such appeasement." He said if Hindus had seen the BJP as pro-Hindu, the party would have got more than 400 seats in the post-Ayodhya Lok Sabha polls.

Veteran journalist and Prasar Bharati Board chairman M.V. Kamath said that a Hindu awakening had occurred, and he attributes the BJP victory in Karnataka to "the constant and irritating stress on secularism at the cost of Hindu sensitivity." Vinayak Deshpande who oversees the Vishwa Hindu Parishad's operations in north India said that Hindus were defenceless in facing the cultural attack from the west, and the religious attacks from missionaries and terrorists. He said the larger Hindu community should plan and combat those problems. But Hindu leaders know too well that anti-terror anger is not a strong enough glue to bind the majority community.

But somewhere along the line, the innocent Muslim has been tarred with the terrorism brush, especially in places like Gujarat. In Ahmedabad, it is difficult for a Muslim to rent a house in a posh or Hindu-dominated area. Many think that Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi is currently keeping quiet because he wants an image makeover.
The Orissa situation is still tense with reports of Christians being reconverted doing the rounds. Sadly, the Sangh parivar has nothing against forcible reconversion. A shocking report from Kandhamal district says that pimps from Bhubaneswar have picked up many girls from riot-affected families.

The changing equations and fading tolerance are worrisome and fraught with danger. "There are already a large number of anti-Muslim atrocities across the country. Innocent Muslims who have been living in Jaipur for decades have been hounded out of their homes by cops," said Kavita Srivastava of People's Union for Civil Liberties, Jaipur.

Jaipur's cultural icon B.B. Bhasin said that the Sangh parivar's attempts to feed on the angry Hindu should be nipped in the bud. "We must condemn attempts by the VHP and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh to capitalise on the anger and frustration," Bhasin said. This is just what the UPA government attempted to do last week when it sent out advisories to the states.

Will TRS & NTPP Merge With TDP ??

The idea of a merger between the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) with Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and Nava Telangana Praja Party (NTPP) came to me today morning after going through the news reports that TDP is going to formally give support to a separate Telangana State while some of its Telangana based leaders went to the extent of starting off a agitation for the separation.


Till now, there were two major political parties in Andhra Pradesh - The Congress Party and Telugu Desam Party. Now, a whole bunch of parties have sprung up giving a nightmare to the voter in choosing a proper political platform to vent his anger. The major parties in Andhra Pradesh now are:

* Congress Party
* Telugu Desam Party
* Telangana Rashtra Samithi - Only in Telangana Areas
* Praja Rajyam Party
* Nava Telangana Praja Party - Only in Telangana Areas
* Communist Party of India (Marxists) - CPI(M)
* Communist Party of India - CPI
* Bharatiya Janata Party
* Loksatta Party

and a host of smaller and marginal political parties which are mostly based on caste equations.

The Congress Party is going to contest on its own now as the Communist Party of India (Marxists) had withdrawn its support.


The Telugu Desam Party is scouting for alliances and looks like it is going to get support from CPI(M). It is heard that TDP is also in talks with TRS. Once TDP comes out with a clear policy on separate Telangana, TRS should have no problem supporting TDP. Devender Goud recently came out of TDP to form Nava Telangana Praja Party (NTPP). If TDP supports Telangana state, NTPP "might" consider supporting TDP. After all, TRS and NTPP was carved out of TDP. If all the three merge, it would be sort of a re-union.


Mega Star Chiranjeevi's Praja Rajyam categorically said that they are out of a grand alliance to bring down the Congress Government. They are keeping their options closed to their hearts. They still have to come out with clear policies on lot of issues and the most problematic one is their stance on separate Telangana State. They said they would come out with a decision after a while. It is heard they are talking with non-congress and non-TDP political parties.


The Communists in Andhra Pradesh are always jumping alliances. They are the most opportunist political party here. Till now, they were supporting the Congress. They withdrew the support once the Congress went ahead with a Nuclear Deal with the US.

The Loksatta Party is formed by a former IAS Officer, Jayaprakash Narayan, who wants to clean out the scum from politics. Not sure how many would support this party. I voted them during the by-elections to Khairatabad Assembly Constituency a few months back. They lost to the Congress.


The Bharatiya Janata Party is hardly visible in the state. With 42 Lok Sabha Seats from Andhra Pradesh, AP plays a very key role in making and breaking Governments in the Center. The BJP is keep to form next Government in the Center but with not a single seat from AP in it's kitty, it would be very difficult for them to form a Government. The party in AP is in shambles with too many leaders who have no issues to fight for. It is in a moribund state now. It got to be revived with good and clean leaders like Himayatnagar MLA, Kishan Reddy.

Dont Blame Hindus For Everything !!

Read this interesting article in Rediff written by Shri B. S. Raghavan, retired IAS officer who was a member of the Joint Intelligence Committee, Director of Political and Security Policy Planning in the home ministry, and chief secretary of a State.
Here is the original link - Need A Balanced Approach

Here is the content of the original article:

It is a hallowed principle of jurisprudence that justice should be even-handed, and both sides to a dispute must be given a full hearing before conclusions are drawn. The media coverage of the disturbances in both Orissa and Karnataka and the action taken by the Centre are so one-sided as to make any fair-minded person feel extremely worried.

I am not a practising Hindu, perform no rituals or ceremonies and have no religious hangups. Further, having worked directly under Jawaharlal Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri and Indira Gandhi for nine years (1961-9) as the secretary of the National Integration Council from its very inception (besides my other duties in the political division of the Union home ministry), I have savoured from close quarters the spirit that animated the heroes of pre-Independence era. Hence, in sharing my uneasiness with readers, I have tried my best to rise above any prejudices or preconceptions, and appraise events on the touchstone of fair-play and freedom from bias.

To anyone for whom the print and electronic media were the only sources of information, it would seem that the Hindu fanatics, behaving like dreaded terrorists, had been making killing fields of both Orissa and Karnataka, by indulging in murderous attacks on Christian minorities, and the destruction of sacred religious places.

The emerging picture of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Bajrang Dal -- all subsumed under the pejorative rubric Sangh Parivar or the Saffron Brigade (why not, by the same token, call the Congress the Quattrochi Brigade or the Left the Hammer-and-Sickle Brigade?) -- is that, encouraged from behind the scenes by the communal monster, the Bharatiya Janata Party, they are ruthlessly going on a violent spree, just to vent their hatred of minorities. In short, the impression given is that swarms of totally insane thugs are on a rampage without any provocation whatsoever, holding both states to ransom, and the state governments, in open sympathy with them, have done little to prevent their excesses.

Not The Best Way

God knows there have been condemnable incidents making innocent Christians fear for their lives. There can be no wishing away of the despicable and willful desecration and destruction of places of worship in Khandamal in Orissa and in some places, including Bengaluru, in Karnataka. Certainly, any wanton resort to violence should be put down with an iron hand and peace and harmony among all sections of the people restored at all costs.

Only a dispassionate and disinterested inquiry can credibly establish whether in the particular cases of attacks on churches, the respective state governments acted with due sense of urgency and concern for the well-being of the affected communities. Sending on a hurried visit some functionaries from the home ministry toeing the official line, unfamiliar with local conditions and listening to only the slanted version, is not the best way of getting at the truth.

Also, it must be remembered that it is, and will always be, a matter of judgement whether more or less could or should have been done by the state or central authorities to enforce the law, round up the ruffians and quell the disturbances in any particular set of circumstances. Such cases cannot be weighed on a fine scale. I say this having dealt with a number of instances of violent outbreaks and insurgency during my nine years in the home ministry and two years as chief secretary of a north-eastern state. Journalists and columnists, enjoying the good fortune of never having to manage crisis situations, should, therefore, think many times before showering their verdicts on the happenings, and especially guard against saying or writing anything approaching character assassination.

If ideal benchmarks of adequacy and promptness of action were to be applied, no central or state government will shape up. The notorious indifference and connivance exhibited by the government of the day in 1984, when more than 4000 innocent Sikh men, women and children were hounded from place to place and burnt alive and butchered in cold blood, and the palpable failure to visit the perpetrators with condign punishment, will continue to haunt the memory of all right-thinking persons.

Original Sin

Even today, the popular perception is that terrorism is getting its impetus from the hamstringing of the police and security agencies by the ruling coalition at the Centre which wants to nurture its Muslim vote banks and that it handles the Tamil Nadu government with kid gloves when it deliberately sets about outraging the sentiments of the Hindus. Hence, in a sense, every government in India, both at the Centre and the states, is living in a glass house and is hardly in a position to throw stones at others.

All the reports and commentaries that I have seen on the disturbances in Orissa and Karnataka, neatly sidestep the original sin and the consequential long-simmering discontent among the Hindus. They make it look as if the attackers, who were readily assumed to be members of the 'Saffron Brigade', were madly running amok without any justification. Reams have been written and billions of sound bytes have gone on air describing in lurid detail all that has happened to the churches and the Christian community, with no equal space given for the real cause of all the trouble.

Swami Lakshmananda was a revered figure in Orissa who was engaged in service to the weaker and vulnerable sections of the population. Allegedly, the local Christian votaries of conversion saw him as a thorn in their flesh. Whatever that be, the fact was that some time ago, he was the victim of attack by a gang bent on doing away with him. Luckily, he escaped at that time, but his enemies had their way the second time.


The Centre could have set all speculation at rest if, with all the mighty and extensive intelligence and investigative machinery at its disposal, it had ascertained the truth behind the murders of the Swami and his associates and unhesitatingly named the desperadoes. Its own inability, or unwillingness, to expose the forces that were behind the killing should be taken to have contributed to the flare-up that followed in Khandamal.

Extreme Provocation

Similarly, as regards Mangalore and Bengaluru, those who are quick to castigate the state government gloss over the extreme provocation contained in an obnoxious pamphlet, Satya Darshini, in Kannada language, circulated in the name of an outfit called the New Life Church, scathingly scandalising Hindu gods and goddesses in the foulest of language.

I want to ask of the holier-than-thou commentators to place their hand on their hearts and tell me whether similar scurrilous observations about what is regarded as holy and sacred would be tolerated by any community anywhere in the world. Suppose someone were to write and distribute similar things about other gods and their messengers, will not the whole of India be convulsed by the mother of conflagrations? Will not the intellectuals and professed secularists then be trumpeting only the atrocious nature of the provocation, without saying a word on the massacring of innocents in every city at the hands of hooligans?

One need not even go as far as gods and goddesses: Suppose one's wife or parents are the targets of such scatological stuff distributed far and wide? Would one smile it away? Or, suppose one exhibits in a public forum paintings of particular individuals and their kith and kin in the nude, will those individuals celebrate it as an expression of artistic freedom? Why then show this perverse support to sacrilege perpetrated against Hinduism alone and work overtime lambasting the spontaneous reaction of largely simple and pious people who are sustained in their quotidian hardships by their faith in their gods and goddesses?

To me, somehow, it does not stand to reason or common sense.

There is yet another aspect of this perversity. It gives a handle to foreign governments and busybodies to bad mouth India as a den of fanatical Hindus who love nothing better than being at the throats of persons of other faiths. A country which rained death and destruction on Iraq by flaunting a tissue of lies, indulged in unspeakable atrocities in Abu Ghraib and for the last eight years, is keeping Muslim detenus in Guantanamo Bay without trial and treating them as worse than vermin, denies visa to Narendra Modi to the resounding applause of self-styled secularists who do not realize the egregious nature of the insult to the entire nation.

In sum, the secularism as practised in the country is letting it down, besides polarising the population. It is time a body of persons reputed for their objectivity and erudition went into the meaning and implications of secularism and communalism. Nehru set up a Committee in 1961 for this purpose under the chairmanship of Asoka Mehta of which Indira Gandhi, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Prof Mujeeb were among the members. Unfortunately, its labours were interrupted by the Chinese invasion of 1962, and it was wound up. Getting going from where it left off is eminently worthwhile.

More from the Web on the issue:

The book Satya Darshini (Knowing The Truth) which was allegedly the reason for sparking off communal tensions in coastal Karnataka, had originated from “Karunamaya Ministries” in Hyderabad, and was originally printed in Telugu.

A Mangalore church had reportedly circulated the translated version of the book recently. P Arun Kumar, son of its author Paravasthu Suryanarayana (popularly known as Paravasthu among missionary circles), claimed that the book was published 12 years ago and was withdrawn from free circulation after it sparked off communal riots in Bhimavaram of West Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh in 1998. “We came to know through a Christian brother from Karnataka that the book had been misused by the New Life Church, after which there have been attacks on Christian prayer halls.

Those who distributed it to the Hindus with an intention of convert them are fools,” said Arun. “It happened because the book had no copyright. We priced it at Rs 300. So it is not within the reach of those who want to distribute it for free,” said Arun.

Paravasthu, who runs the Carmel Church in a slum adjoining Motinagar (Borabanda), a popular religious preacher, was unavailable for comment when this reporter went to the church-cum-residence. The great grandson of a famous Telugu poet, Paravasthu Chinnaya Suri, Suryanarayana converted in his 20s. “My father has gone to Tamil Nadu. He is not accessible for 10 days,” claims Arun Kumar, who is a music pastor in the same church and manages the ministry (publications) side. “Though my father does not regret any of the contents in the book, he feels very sorry if it has been misused,” he said. It is reported that some comments against lord Rama and Sita irked Hindutva advocates in Karnataka. Arun said, “The book only brought to light the confessions by Rama that he was not a God.”

Silent Majority Must Speak up

I was going through this very interesting article in Rediff.com regarding the Silent Majority in all religions of India. Wanted to share with you. This article was written by Shri T.V.R. Shenoy. Here is the text below and the Original Link: It's time for the 'silent majority' to speak up

Whatever happened to the 'silent majority' in India? Is it not time for all of them to speak up?

Let me begin with the Muslims. Today when you hear about a terrorist attack in some city the knee-jerk reaction is to blame it on a Muslim fundamentalist group. The secondary reaction, a corrosive by-product of the first, is to dub all Muslims as 'supporters of terrorism'.

That is just insane! The vast majority of Muslims are neither terrorists nor supporters of terrorism. I would go so far as to say the average Indian Muslims despises those buffoons who dream of recreating the India of Aurangzeb.

So why does the 'sane' majority persist in remaining the 'silent' majority? From time to time the occasional Muslim cleric issues a denunciation of terrorism. But such rare chirping is simply not good enough any longer, Muslim terrorists must be flayed from every pulpit across India when the Friday sermon is delivered. And this must be done not once or twice but for years on end.

Consider the alternative if the Muslim majority does not actively distinguish itself from the smaller tribe of Muslim terrorists. Other Indians shall then believe that the absence of condemnation means automatic support.

The anger among non-Muslims was so strong that one could almost reach out and touch it in the aftermath of the recent Delhi blasts. It is not often that you see senior politicians -- from the Union home minister to the Leader of the Opposition, from the lieutenant governor of Delhi to its chief minister -- attending the funeral of a humble police inspector. But public bitterness was so great they felt compelled to salute Inspector Mohan Chand Sharma.

How many of the leaders of the Muslim community did you see laying a wreath at Inspector Sharma's feet? How many of them were heard praising a brave man who had died fighting for India?

What I did hear were reports of 'tension' in Jamia Nagar, the Muslim-dominated colony in Delhi where Inspector Sharma died fighting terrorists. To a non-Muslim ear it sounded querulous, completely out of proportion to everything that had happened. Which sounds worse, to be under suspicion (as they claim to be) or to be under a shroud (as Mohan Chand Sharma was)? I am sorry if that sounds crude but that really is the long and the short of it.

I will accept for argument's sake that Muslims acutely resent their lack of representation in government agencies, corporate entities, and so forth. (Although it might help if more Muslim children actively pursued, say, English and geometry rather than Urdu and calligraphy). I may even swallow that this sense of alienation is shared by the sane Muslim majority and the far smaller number of Muslim terrorists.

But it is frankly ludicrous to say that unemployment excuses terrorism! Once -- just once! -- I would like to hear the Muslim leadership condemn violence against Hindus without qualifying their statements with mealy-mouthed 'ifs' and 'buts' and 'you must understands'.

In the light of recent events, I must also criticise the howling minority that has hijacked the cause of the silent Hindu majority. (Some of you will undoubtedly complain that I am doing just what I condemned above, qualifying my statement about Muslim terrorists by seeking to equate it with Hindu agitators. Save your breath, I am not saying that what happened in Mangalore is remotely equivalent to planting bombs in Delhi!)

Swami Vivekananda was a better Hindu than any of those idiots who went around trying to burn chapels. True Hindus, he said, did not just 'tolerate' the faiths of others, they actually 'respected' them. (While the Swami may have used the word 'toleration' in his famous address to the Parliament of Religions, he appears to have actively disliked it in later years because it smacks of condescension, rather like an adult 'tolerating' bad behaviour in a child.) I have a fair idea of what Swami Vivekananda might have said about attacks on churches -- and it wouldn't have been pretty.

The current leaders of Hinduism have been less than forthcoming. Hinduism does not have an exact equivalent of the Muslim ulema, but would it have hurt senior acharyas to condemn the attacks on Christians? Not because it is illegal but specifically because such attacks disrespect the philosophical foundations of Hinduism?

I cannot leave the Christians out of this, can I? If Hindus are required to respect other religions then it must be a two-way street. And, frankly, there is nothing so utterly disrespectful as proselytisation.

One can understand -- and respect -- conversion. If an individual chooses to change his faith after struggling with his convictions, so be it. But going around asking others to convert, with none-too-subtle overtones of 'My God is better than your god!' is not respect but hostility. And that, let us be honest, is the tone adopted by some Christian missionaries in India.

Once again, I believe that this is not true of most Indian Christians. This country has had a long history of Christians -- Catholic, Protestant, Mar Thoma Syrian Christians -- living perfectly amicably without feeling any need to convert their Hindu neighbours. (Although it must be noted that one major exception was during Portuguese rule when the Catholics made converts at the point of the sword).

There was a major change more recently, one that became clear when Pope John Paul II unveiled the document 'Ecclesia in Asia' when he came here in 1999. The Holy Father said on that occasion, 'The peoples of Asia need Jesus Christ and his gospel. Asia is thirsting for the living water that Jesus alone can give.' Can you blame Hindus for worrying after that?

Oddly, at the same time the Vatican was fuming about 'sheep stealing' in Latin America. That was because Catholics were turning to some Protestant sects like the Evangelicals and the Pentecostals. (By the way, Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin was born a Catholic, but now attends an independent congregation). Is it surprising that Hindus share similar worries?

Nobody wants to admit it, but there is now some sort of a competition to convert Hindus between some Christian sects. I am glad that the Catholics of Kerala have publicly proclaimed their dislike of such tactics, but it would be better yet if the Christians of India as a whole proclaimed their disdain for conversions through allurement.

Most Hindus, most Muslims, and most Christians in India are essentially peaceable folks who would rub along perfectly well with each other given half a chance. But will they get that option if the headlines are hijacked by extremists with their own agenda? It is time for the silent majority of each faith to speak up -- and reclaim their religions.

Clean Chit to Narendra Modi

Nanavati Commission report absolves Narendra Modi:
The Sabarmati Express coach burning was a "pre-planned conspiracy", a probe panel has said, also giving a clean chit to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and the state police in the riots that followed, which claimed over 1,000 lives.


The report which went into the coach burning in February, 2002 in which 58 kar sevaks returning from Ayodhya, were killed, "was a pre-planned conspiracy" which was hatched at the Aman Guest House in Godhra. The train carnage was cited as the reason by Hindu outfits to justify the post-Godhra pogrom.

This finding of the two-member Commission goes contrary to a probe headed by another former Supreme Court judge U C Banerjee set up by the Lalu Prasad-headed railway ministry that the coach burning was purely an accident. Retired justice Akshay Mehta was the other member of the Nanavati Commission.


"There is absolutely no no evidence to show that either the Chief Minister or any of the ministers in his council or police officers had played any role in the Godhra incident," said the report of Justice G T Nanavati, a former Supreme Court judge, that went into the train burning incident.

The first part of the report was tabled in the state assembly today and evoked instant criticism from political parties and activists opposed to the BJP. They contended that the Commission was set up to "mislead" the people.


The Bannerjee committee, set up by Railway Minister Lalu Prasad in September 2004, in its report submitted in 2005 had said the burning of S-6 coach of Sabarmati express on February 27, 2002 was an accident.


"I have recorded my findings that it is an accidental fire," Bannerjee said when his comments were sought on the Godhra Commission report, which held that it was a pre-planned conspiracy and not an accident.

Now, what would the so called Secularists say about this ?? All through they were accusing Modi of complicity in the riots post Godhra carnage. Now, they have to publicly apologize to him.

Success of SIMI

This is a very interesting article on why the Student Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) is able to successfully bomb Indian cities one after another.

You can find the original article here - SIMI's 'success' is a result of our secular polity written by Mr. M R Venkatesh.

'In peace prepare for war, in war prepare for peace. The art of war is of vital importance to the state. It is matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin. Hence under no circumstances can it be neglected.' -- Tsun Tzu, ancient Chinese philosopher

The Students Islamic Movement of India, Wikipedia informs us, was formed in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh , in April 1977. The stated mission of SIMI -- the 'liberation of India' from Western materialistic cultural influence and to convert it into an Islamic society -- makes it an enemy of the State of India.

Wikipedia further points out that 'fears exist in government circles that SIMI has been penetrated by al Qaeda. It goes on to add that it is suspected that SIMI after being banned by the Government of India is now also operating under a different name of Indian Majahideen, an outfit that has taken responsibility for the successive blasts in India over the past several months.' Yet SIMI remains virtually un-debated by the polity and the intelligentsia of the country.

Contrary to the popular belief that SIMI is run by uneducated, misdirected and poor Muslim youth, readers may be surprised at the fact that SIMI's founding president, Mohammad Ahmadullah Siddiqi, is a professor of journalism and public relations at the Western Illinois University. And with the spate of terror mails sent by hacking Wi-Fi connections, it seems that SIMI is even to this day run by the educated, privileged and the moneyed.


Despite such repeated terror attempts, SIMI is largely an unknown commodity in India, especially to the common man. What are its objectives? What are its guiding philosophies? How does it operate and what makes it the centrifugal force of terrorism in India? Crucially, what makes it devastating despite a ban by the central government?

The answers to all these questions are not difficult and need not be a subject matter of speculation as these are in the public domain. Yet, some preliminary understanding of SIMI provides the text to the polity that intellectually facilitates its existence, sustains its growth and shields it from the reach of law, all of which collectively make SIMI a potent force in the Indian context.

SIMI -- a fact file

Basic research about SIMI reveals something stunning as well as chilling. SIMI believes in leading human life on the basis of the Quran as well as propagation of Islam in India. While there is nothing wrong about these two objectives, as these are guaranteed by the Constitution, the third -- jihad for the cause of Islam -- makes it a potent terrorist organisation.

SIMI does not believe in a nation-state. To amplify further, SIMI's ultimate aim is to have an Islamic caliphate with an Islamic India an integral part of such an arrangement. And to achieve this, SIMI sees secular, democratic modern India as a hurdle. Yet it is the secular cabal that acts as a cheerleader for SIMI!

Consequently, it does not believe in the concept of Indian nation, culture and values. And to achieve its self-professed goal, SIMI seeks to wage a low-intensity war against the Government of India so as to liquidate the very concept of India. In this attempt, SIMI seeks to utilise the youth in the propagation of Islam and also to mobilise support for jihad and establish a Shariat-based Islamic rule in India through Islami Inqilab.

In effect, whatever it may be christened or defined by the secular polity in India, SIMI is basically a fundamentalist organisation that not only rejects other beliefs, ideals, as well as other 'anti-Islamic cultures', it in fact seeks to systematically eliminate them. Ideologically, SIMI maintains that the concepts of secularism, democracy and nationalism, keystones of the Indian Constitution, are antithetical to Islam.

Parallel to its rejection of secularism, democracy and nationalism is its oft-repeated objective of restoration of the 'caliphate', emphasis on ummah and the need for jihad to establish the supremacy of Islam. Further, it reveres Osama bin Laden while it does not believe that Jammu and Kashmir to be an integral part of India.

SIMI is also reported to get generous financial assistance from the World Assembly of Muslim Youth, Riyadh, the International Islamic Federation of Students' Organisations in Kuwait, and of course the dreaded ISI of Pakistan. Further, SIMI gets operational and training assistance from the Jamaat-e-Islam units in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, and the Harkat-ul-Jehad-al Islami Bangladesh.

And in the process, SIMI is at war with India. And in this war SIMI gets all the funding, training as well as strategic help from various countries. If Osama provides it ideological inspiration, Pakistan and others provide it strategic, financial and military support, overtly or covertly.

But what about support within India?

While it may be easier to blame others, especially in the neighbourhood, the fact of the matter is that the success of SIMI lies exclusively within India. It is patently unjust to blame an entire community. Quite the contrary, the rise and success of SIMI is a direct product of our secular polity and the manner in which successive governments have handled this convoluted yet crucial issue.

It may be recalled that SIMI was first banned -- the first and preliminary steps at containing it -- by the then National Democratic Alliance government on September 27, 2001, immediately following the terror attacks in the US on September 11, 2001. This ban remained till September 27, 2003. In this interregnum, several prosecutions were launched against its members under the provisions of the now repealed Prevention Of Terrorism Act.

The second ban, in effect the extension of the first, was between September 27, 2003 and September 27, 2005. The government of India had effected a third ban on SIMI from February 8, 2006. Therefore SIMI was in effect legally in existence between September 28, 2005, and February 7, 2006.

The third ban on SIMI was lifted by Delhi high court tribunal on August 5, 2008, which has since been stayed by the Supreme Court. 'Material given by the home ministry is insufficient, so ban cannot be continued,' Justice Geeta Mittal, a sitting Delhi high court judge, had said while lifting the ban. Obviously, the hydraulic power of the secular polity, with a proven soft corner to SIMI, had its desired effect on our bureaucracy.

But how did secular India react to all these acts of SIMI? Consider this:

Mulayam Singh Yadav and Lalu Prasad Yadav said the ban on SIMI was wrong in the first place.

Congress spokesperson Shakeel Ahmed said the order was "no setback" to the government and added, "Wherever terrorist attacks have taken place in the recent past -- Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat -- it is the state governments that are investigating the matter. It is their responsibility to submit the evidence against SIMI to the central government," implying that it was the state government that needs to act against SIMI, not the central government.

Salman Khurshid, president of the Uttar Pradesh Congress committee, was the counsel defending SIMI in the high court and in the Supreme Court against the ban.

Others, including the Communists, have ensured that their responses are either muted or guarded, lest they be branded as communalists by others in the polity.

With such wonderful local support, why them blame others including the ISI? The issue is not of the terrorists and their activity. Rather it is something quite serious that points out to the serious drift in our national polity and our skewed concept of secularism.

It may be noted that while our secular polity was explicitly exonerating SIMI, a study by the Institute of Conflict Management headed by K P S Gill, had clearly listed over 100 terror incidents from 2000 to 2008 which involves SIMI. Yet, such blatant and patent support to SIMI by our polity is inexplicable.

Substantiating the finding of this institute, even a spokesperson of the Indian government told the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal held in New Delhi that contrary to notions that SIMI's activities declined following its ban, the organisation "had stepped up its subversive activities and was involved in almost all major explosions, communal violence and circulation of inflammatory material across the country." And it is this group that the secular polity virtually exonerates without any remorse!

Let us not make any mistake -- we are amidst a war, a war with a faceless enemy. But it is not the only advantage that our enemy has. As explained above, the approach of our polity rationalises, legalises and sanctifies terrorism in India. It is this attitude of the secular polity makes the faceless enemy that much potent. It is time that we the ordinary people realised this simple fact.

As the Chinese philosopher said centuries ago, war is for peace. Unfortunately a country that has Ashoka (who renounced war and became a pacifist) as its model and hence does not even cognise the fact that it is amidst a war runs the risk of being a failure as a State and faces the prospect of disintegration.

It is time that we need to wage a war, both against such terrorists and those who are apologists for such terrorists. In the interregnum, of course, politicians from the safe haven of Z-plus category security can continue to pontificate. Whether we will be alive to hear them is a different matter.

Hyderabad Liberation Day

Today, Hyderabad celebrates its Liberation Day. While the rest of India got independence on 15th August 1947, Hyderabad had to be liberated from the Nizam Rule on 16th September 1948 - a full 13 Months after Indian Independence.

Sincerely, many Hyderabadis have no idea of this fact as no one is interested with History !!


I actually thought of writing down the history of Hyderabad and then did some googling. I found heck of them already there and so, no point writing them again. The best possible thing to save time is COPY their content here giving the original link so that I wont be going against the copy right laws !! So clever Iam na ??

Link One - Link At Wikipedia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The city of Hyderabad is a historic city noted for its many monuments, temples, churches, mosques, and bazaars. A multitude of influences has shaped the character of the city in the last 400 years.

The city is changing its role and outlook as part of the booming service industry revolution, and is trying to preserve and popularize its history.

Before the city was founded

Ancient history


The area around Hyderabad was ruled by the Mauryan Empire in the third century B.C during the reign of Ashoka.

Medieval history

Various Buddhist and Hindu kingdoms ruled the area during the subsequent centuries. The area was ruled by the Kalyani branch of the Chalukya kings. When the Chalukya kingdom became weaker, Kakatiyas, who were feudal chieftains of Chalukya, declared independence and setup their kingdom around Warangal. The fall of Warangal to Muhammad bin Tughluq's forces from the Delhi Sultanate in 1321 AD brought anarchy to the region. For the next few decades, the Bahmani Sultanate of the Deccan fought the Musunuri Nayakas on the north and the Vijayanagara Rayas on the south for control of the region. By the middle of the 15th century, the region was under the firm control of the Bahmani Sultanate which controlled the Deccan north of the Krishna River from coast to coast.

The Qutb Shahis

The Golconda Sultanate

In 1463, Sultan Mohammad Shah Bahmani dispatched Sultan Quli Qutb-ul-Mulk to the Telangana region to quell disturbances. Sultan Quli quelled the disturbance and was rewarded as the administrator of the region. He established a base at Kakatiya hill fortress of Golconda which he strengthened and expanded considerably. By the end of the century, Quli ruled from Golconda as the Subedar of Telangana. Quli enjoyed virtual independence from Bidar, where the Bahmani sultanate was then based. In 1518, he declared independence from the Bahmani Sultanate and established the Golconda Sultanate under the title Sultan Quli Qutub Shah. This was the start of the Qutb Shahi Dynasty. The Bahmani Sultanate disintegrated into five different kingdoms, with the others based in Ahmednagar, Berar, Bidar and Bijapur.


The Founding of a New City

Mohammed Quli Qutb Shah of Qutb Shahi dynasty, built the city of Hyderabad {formerly known as Bhagyanagar} on the Musi River,five miles (8 km) east of Golconda in 1589 and dedicated it to his beloved Hindu wife Bhagyamathi (popularly known as Bhagmathi) He also ordered the construction of the Char Minar, the iconic monument of the city, in 1591, reportedly in gratitude to the almighty for arresting a plague epidemic before it did irreversible damage to his new city. The Purana Pul ("old bridge") spanning the Musi was built a few years earlier, enabling quick travel between Golconda and Hyderabad.

Legend has it that the bridge was built by Mohammad Quli's father Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah so his son's life would not be endangered when he went to visit his future wife during the monsoon months.

The New City Flourishes

The early history of Hyderabad is inextricably intertwined with the history of the Qutb Shahi dynasty. As Qutb Shahi power and fortune rose during the 16th and early 17th centuries, Hyderabad became a center of a vibrant diamond trade. All seven Qutb Shahi sultans were patrons of learning and were great builders. They contributed to the growth and development of Indo-Persian and Indo-Islamic literature and culture in Hyderabad. Some of the sultans were known as patrons of local Telugu culture as well. During the Qutb Shahi reign Golconda became one of the leading markets in the world for diamonds, pearls, steel, arms, and also printed fabric. In the 16th century the city grew to accommodate the surplus population of Golconda and eventually became the capital of the Qutb Shahi rulers. Hyderabad became known for its gardens (called baghs) and its comfortable climate. Visitors from other lands compared the city most to the beautiful city of Isfahan in Iran.

Mughal conquest and rule

The Beginning of the End of the Mughal Empire

By the mid-17th century, politics in the Deccan were ready for yet another tectonic shift. Mughal prince Aurangzeb spent most of his time in the Deccan fighting local Hindu and Muslim kingdoms to establish and enforce Mughal Sovereignty. The rise of Maratha power under Shivaji kept the Mughals constantly challenged. After the death of Shah Jahan in 1666, Aurangzeb consolidated his power in Delhi as Emperor and returned to the south. He spent most of his imperial reign in military camps in the Deccan, in an almost desperate campaign to expand the empire beyond the greatest extent it had reached under Akbar. The biggest prize in his eyes was the rich city of Hyderabad, protected by the reportedly impregnable fort of Golconda.

Hyderabad Falls to the Mughals

Aurangzeb laid siege to Golconda in 1686. Golconda held fast under months of siege, and Aurangzeb had to retreat in frustration. Aurangzeb returned in 1687 and laid siege for 9 months camping in the Fateh Maidan ("victory field," now the Lal Bahadur Stadium). Local legend has it that the fortress held on, but the gates were opened at night by a saboteur who was bribed by Aurangzeb. Sultan Abul Hassan Tana Shah, the seventh king of the dynasty, was taken prisoner. Hyderabad's independence was eclipsed. Aurangzeb's efforts would turn out largely in vain, with Hyderabad remaining in Mughal hands for less than four decades.

For a few decades, Hyderabad declined, and its vibrant diamond trade was all but destroyed. Aurangzeb's attention moved away quickly to other parts of the Deccan, with the Marathas slowly but steadily gaining ground against the Mughals.

The Asaf Jahis

Viceroys Become Kings

With the emaciation of the Mughal Empire after Aurangzeb's death in 1707, the Mughal-appointed governors of Hyderabad gained more autonomy from Delhi. In 1724, Asaf Jah I, who was granted the title Nizam-ul-Mulk ("governor of the country") by the Mughal emperor, defeated a rival official to establish control over Hyderabad. Thus began the Asaf Jahi dynasty that would rule Hyderabad until a year after India's independence from Britain.

Hyderabad Starts Growing Again

Asaf Jah's successors ruled as Nizams of Hyderabad. The rule of the seven Nizams saw the growth of Hyderabad both culturally and economically. Hyderabad became the formal capital of the kingdom and Golconda, the former capital, was all but abandoned. Huge reservoirs, like the Nizam Sagar, Tungabhadra, Osman Sagar, Himayat Sagar, and others were built. Survey work on Nagarjuna Sagar had also begun during this time.

A Delicate Balancing Game

When the British and the French spread their hold over the country, successive Nizams won their friendship without bequeathing their power. The Nizams allied themselves with each side at different times, playing a significant role in the wars involving Tipu Sultan of Mysore, the British and the French. During the reign of the third Nizam, Sikandar Jah, the city of Secunderabad was founded to station French troops and subsequently, British troops. The British stationed a Resident at Hyderabad and their own troops at Secunderabad, but the state continued to be ruled by the Nizam. Hyderabad, under the Nizams, was the largest princely state in India, with an area larger than England, Scotland and Wales combined. It was considered the "senior-most" princely-state, and within the elaborate protocols of the Raj, its ruler the Nizam was accorded a 21-gun salute. The State had its own currency, mint, railways, and postal system. There was no income tax.

Surrounded, Isolated but well Governed

Although The Hyderabad State was surrounded by The British India, the state was politically isolated from the rest of India. The Nizams were reputed to be autocratic but benevolent rulers. They pledged allegiance to the King of England in order to retain control over their vast dominions. By the 20th century, they had the titles "Faithful Ally of the British Empire," and "His Exalted Highness." A title bestowed on no one else. It was the only Princely state of that size. He was given this title for exemplary administration and the prosperity the State ushered in.

The Last Nizam,Osman Ali Khan

From a bankrupt state The seventh Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, made it into the wealthiest state in the sub-continent. He was considered the world's richest man (Time cover story Feb. 22, 1937), and he was famous for patronage to learning and institutions. Some eccentricities included the use the 400 carat (80 g) Jacob Diamond as a paperweight.


Mir Osman Ali Khan founded number of institutions the world over including the eponymous Osmania General Hospital and Osmania University -- the first modern university to teach in an Indian language (Urdu and many others). Above all there was total harmony. There was never a riot. People lived in total peace and harmony in the upwardly mobile composite Hindu Muslim fraternal society. The law prevailed. No one including the ruler was above the law and the state and judiciary was separate.

Integration into Indian Union

When India gained independence in 1947, the Nizam declared his intention to remain independent, either as a sovereign ruler or by acquiring Dominion status within the British Empire. In order to keep essential trade and supplies flowing, he signed a Standstill Agreement with the Indian Union which surrounded him on all sides. The law and order situation soon deteriorated, with escalating violence between the private Razakar army fighting for continuation of the Nizam's rule and the people with the support of the Congress leaders like Swami Ramanand Tirtha and the communists of Telangana, were fighting for joining in the Indian Union. As the violence spiraled out of control with refugees flowing into the coastal Andhra region of the Madras state of India, the Indian Government under Home Minister Sardar Patel initiated a police action titled Operation Polo.


On September 16, 1948, Indian Army moved in to Hyderabad State from five fronts. Four days later, the Hyderabad forces surrendered. The number of dead was a little over 800. The Police Action achieved success within a matter of days.

The Nizam finally surrendered and signed the Instrument of Accession to the Indian Union and Hyderabad was integrated into the Indian Union as a state.

Hyderabad State

The state got its first democractic government and the representatives of its 18 million people were admitted to the Constituent Assembly drafting a constitution for free India. For the next eight years, Hyderabad continued as a separate state within the union.


Reorganization of States and Formation of Andhra Pradesh

On November 1, 1956, the states of India were reorganized on linguistic grounds. Consequently, the terrorities of the State of Hyderabad were divided between newly created Andhra Pradesh, Bombay state (later Maharashtra), and Karnataka. Hyderabad and the surrounding areas were annexed into India, and later to Andhra Pradesh based on Telugu linguistic majority, and Hyderabad became the capital of the new state of Andhra Pradesh.

An Article by Mohammad Shafeeq - Painful Memories for Erstwhile Hyderabad State

It's a bloody chapter in Indian history that still rankles those who lived through it. Real freedom for the erstwhile Hyderabad state came 13 months after the country's independence Aug 15, 1947, and that too through a military operation.

Unlike hundreds of other princely states, which immediately merged with the Indian Union after independence, the Nizam or ruler of Hyderabad sought to keep the state independent.

Despite 85 percent of its 17 million population wanting to merge with India, the Nizam was carried away by the rhetoric of a few and decided to take on the might of the Indian Army without realising the consequences for his people.


The climax came to be known in popular parlance as "police action", also called "operation polo". And it is still fresh in the minds of many in the erstwhile Hyderabad state - comprising the Telangana region of the present Andhra Pradesh as well as the Kannada and Marathi-speaking regions of the present states of Karnataka and Maharashtra.

"Hundreds of people were killed in police action. Many districts witnessed the worst communal riots. Wells and fields were filled with bodies. More people were killed in police action than at the hands of (pro-Nizam) 'razakars'," said Jamalunnisa, a freedom fighter belonging to the Communist Party of India (CPI).

An official report said that at least 27,000 people were killed during and after the 'police action'.

With an area of 223,000 sq km, Hyderabad was the largest and perhaps the most developed of all princely states in pre-independence India. Its ruler, Mir Osman Ali Khan, was said to be the richest man in the world.

Osman Ali, who began his reign in 1911, was the seventh and last Nizam of the Asafjahi dynasty (1724 to 1948). Following India's independence and partition, he sought freedom for his state after his proposals for recognition of Hyderabad as an independent constitutional monarchy within the British Commonwealth or merger with Pakistan were rejected.

Almost the entire population of the state's 2.5 million Muslims were for merging with Pakistan while the 15 million non-Muslims, barring a few who enjoyed high positions in the government, were for integration with India.

At that time, Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM), a Muslim party, had become a dominant force. Its paramilitary wing, made up of the 'razakars', was blamed for repression on Hindus, especially in remote districts.

"The razakars were also involved in converting Hindus to Islam through allurement," said Narayan Rao Pawar, an Arya Samaj activist who is now 82.

The Nizam had banned political parties but organisations like the Andhra Mahasabha, Arya Samaj, the Hyderabad State Congress and the CPI were carrying on covert activities for the state's merger with the Indian Union.

The peasants of the state had also revolted against the Nizam, who tried to suppress their armed struggle against landlords.

"The razakars used to attack and loot houses and rape women," said Konda Lakshman Bapuji, who was part of the Andhra Mahasabha.

MIM leader Qasim Razvi had become more powerful than the Nizam and his fiery speeches against the Indian Union and its leaders added fuel to fire. Thousands of Muslims who were victims of communal violence took refuge in Hyderabad.

"They were not ready to listen to the voice of nationalist Muslims like Shoiabullah Khan, editor of the Urdu daily Imroz. He was stabbed to death by razakars," said Bapuji, who was then a lawyer in his early 20s.

The repression by the Nizam's Army and razakars forced Arya Samaj activists like Pawar to hatch a plan to kill the Nizam.

"It was around 5 p.m. Dec 4, 1947. His convoy had emerged from his palace King Koti and I hurled a bomb which hit the rear side of the car but exploded only after the car had zipped past the place," he said.

Pawar was tried and after four to five months, the sessions court awarded him the death sentence. He recalled that the Nizam was gearing up for a battle with the Indian Army.

"It was not mere rhetoric by Qasim Razvi. The Nizam was procuring sophisticated weapons. Sydney Cotton (a pilot and arms trader from Australia) used to airdrop weapons in Hyderabad and Warangal. The Nizam was also getting arms from Goa which was under the rule of Portugal," he said.

On the intervening night of Sep 12 and 13, 1948, the Indian Army finally attacked Hyderabad state from five sides. The Indian Army made rapid progress from all sides and on Sep 17, the Hyderabad Army surrendered.

After these events, the Nizam was appointed 'rajpramukh' (constitutional figurehead) of the state by the government of India. He continued in office until 1956, when the state was dismembered pursuant to the linguistic reorganisation of states.

Jamalunnisa, 90, one of the few Muslim women political activists in those days, recalling the 'police action', said: "It was gloom for hundreds of families. Many felt betrayed by the razakars. Several youths recruited for fighting lost their lives.

"The economy was destroyed and hundreds of people fled their villages to save themselves. Many migrated to Pakistan.

"The large-scale communal riots in the north also created a gulf between the two communities which were living in harmony."

Sums up Bapuji, who became a minister after the formation of Andhra Pradesh in 1956: "The Nizam was not a bigot but wanted to protect his rule at any cost. He always sided with the British and when the British left he wanted the state to remain independent."

Another good link:

Hyderabad History

Show of Patriotism by Muslims

The news script that I read in Rediff raised my spirits wherein Muslims condemned the deadly bomb blasts in New Delhi perpetrated by Muslim extremists.

"We as citizens of India strongly condemn the bomb blasts that took place in Delhi and all other places before that. As sacchhe mussalmaan (real muslims, as against the terrorists who are behind the blasts) we pray to the Almighty that the real culprits, who are nothing but cowards in the eyes of Allah for killing innocents, would soon be caught and punished severely."

This is something which is really impressive and I hope that all Muslims think the same.

Need To Strengthen Security

In sharp contrast to the Centre's stand, a key government-appointed panel on Tuesday felt existing laws were not enough to deal with terrorism and recommended a comprehensive anti-terrorist legislation.

"A comprehensive and effective legal framework to deal with all aspects of terrorism needs to be enacted," the second Administrative Reforms Commission said in its eighth report on 'Combating Terrorism'.

Releasing the 185-page report at a press conference, Commission's Chairman
M Veerappa Moily felt that present laws were not enough to tackle the menace and said the law should have adequate safeguards to prevent its misuse.


The government has been of the view that the existing laws were adequate to deal with terrorism and crimes having inter-state links.

He said a legal provision to deal with terrorism could be incorporated in a separate chapter in the National Security Act, 1980.

The Commission also suggested that no person accused of an offence punishable under NSA should be released on bail.

He refuted the opposition's charge that the UPA government was soft on terror and said the demand by BJP-ruled states of Rajasthan and Gujarat for a Maharashtra-type anti-terror law would not be an answer.

On the saffron party's demand for POTA-like law, he said it was not a comprehensive measure and could be misused.

Suggesting a federal agency to investigate terrorist offences, the report said that a specialized division should be created in the CBI to go deal terror cases.

The Commission also recommended that special fast track courts should be set up exclusive for trial of terrorism-related cases.

Measures should also be taken to block flow of funds for financing terrorist activities, it added.

In a related development, Union Home Minister, Mr.Shivraj Patil offered to resign amidst allegations of his handling of internal security.


"If the leadership is not with me, there is no point of staying here. I am not in much demand. I am here just because of them (leadership). I have no group either. It's only that the leadership supports me that I continue to stay here," he told NDTV.

Sources: Rediff, NDTV

Minority Extremism

Two news reports caught my eye while going through the news today morning.

Conversions In Madanapalli, Andhra Pradesh:

It is against Indian Law to promote religious conversions in Schools, Religious places and Government Hospitals. Looks like the Law doesn't work for Minorities. In the town of Madanapalli, Chittoor District, Andhra Pradesh, Christians belonging to the Pentacostal Church, under the leadership of their Pastor, attached a mike set to the Lord Rama Temple and started Christian Prayers.

The Temple priest warned them and the Christians kept going. Then members of Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh arrived and kicked out the Christians. There was a minor scuffle and after sometime, Christians vacated the place.

This news hardly came in the main paper. If Hindus have violently reacted, then it would have become an international news with the US giving a lesson to the Indian Consul, Human Rights Watch shouting from the roof tops and at Home, the Communists and the Human Right Groups dancing on the roads protesting against the attacks.

Why is this difference of attitude ?? No one talks when minorities try to take undue advantage while every one cries foul when the majority reacts ?? Who is going to think about the rights of the Majority community ??

If the human right groups and the Commies don't come out protesting the conversions, then they should be ready to face a backlash.

BJP Member of Parliament Attacked:

A Member of Parliament (MP) from Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh was attacked by violent Muslim groups at Azamgarh while the MP is on his way to attend Anti Terrorism Rally at Azamgarh.

Recently, the Gujarat Police arrested Abdul Basher, a key conspirator in the Ahmedabad Blasts case who belongs to the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI). In this context Islamic Fundamentalists arranged a meeting in Azamgarh supporting Abdul Basher. Pro-Hindu groups planned this Anti Terrorism Rally condemning the earlier meeting by Islamic Fundamentalists. The MP's convoy was attacked with sticks and some vehicles were burned killing a Hindu.

The above two incidents are proof's that in India, it is not the minorities, but the majority community is in danger.

Steps need to be taken that such a scenario doesn't happen where there would be a major backlash from Hindus which might go out of hand and engulf the country in religious riots.

It is the responsibility of all the political parties including the Congress, the Communists along with so-called Secular Parties like the Telugu Desam Party, Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and the Dravida Munnetra Kazagam (DMK).

Appeasing Minorities !!

It has become very natural and normal for all the political parties, including those who are blamed as pro-Hindu like the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to toe a pro-minority stance and not come out in full support of the Hindus who were suppressed in Jammu & Kashmir.

This was glaringly visible during the Amarnath Yatra issue. As everyone knows, the J&K Government being led by the Congress Party and the Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) have allotted the land to Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) to erect temporary structures to build toilets and temporary accommodation to the pilgrims who make this hazardous journey, often facing the bullets of Islamic Terrorists. Everything thing was fine until the extremists started spreading rumors that the Indian Government was trying to push in "outsiders" (which literally means Hindus) and change the demography of the Kashmir Valley.

This was such a ridiculous argument that how can few temporary structures change the demography of the entire Muslim dominated Kashmir Valley. But with the elections in another six months, all the political parties pitched in. PDP, whose Ministers have signed the transfer of land had pulled out of the Government thus supporting the extremists views. The Congress Government, in a knee jerk reaction withdrew the order to try to save its Government. But, the PDP stood by its stand and the Government fell.

Everyone thought things would come to normalcy as it has become common to the Government to bow to the demands of separatists and extremists. Then, something happened which no one could expect.

Jammu Revolts:

Seeing the Government bow down to the pressure, Jammu erupts in protests. This was a very spontaneous one where in even the old people, children and women took part in the massive protests. They are sick with the attitude of the politicians of Kashmir Valley who are all against development. While hilly states like Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand have started to prosper, Jammu & Kashmir is still reeling under unemployment and other problems just because of a few idiotic politicians.

After 60 years of J&K Government's favoritism towards Kashmir Valley, Hindu dominated Jammu revolted. They started an economic blockade of Kashmir Valley. They just blocked the only highway that connects rest of India with Kashmir. This hurt the Kashmiris where it hurted the most. Apples worth Crores of Rupees started to rot and the daily loss was running into hundreds of crores of rupees.

Then Kashmirs started "Chalo Muzaffarabad" - into the Pakistan Occupied Kashmir to sell their goods. Then the Government acted tough and shot dead 5 people who have assembled at the border with Pakistan and march into Pakistan.

What best the Government can do is let them go and let them not come back. Bastards would then learn a good lesson. Then they will know the importance of being in a Democratic Country. They didn't learn a lesson looking at how Muslims who went to Pakistan after Partition - called a Mohajirs were treated. They are still treated as second rate citizens in Pakistan.

While the Government is showing leniency towards Muslims that they can go Home one hour early during Ramzan Month and also increasing the Government subsidy on Haj Travel, Hindus are suffering and at the same time, blamed for everything that happens here.

All the political parties should come out clearly. If they are secular, let them not align themselves with Muslim extremist parties like the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) or Majlis (MIM) at the sametime, saying BJP is Pro-Hindu and Nazi type party.

It has been recently learned by the Intelligence Agencies that terrorists are joining the ranks of Human Right Organizations. I can clearly see lot of Muslims acting on behalf of some or other human rights organizations and they give lectures against BJP and other Sangh outfits. But they dont utter a word against the terrorist attacks or the Maoist attacks in the country. The same goes for Communists and parties like the Samajwadi Party, DMK, TDP and other political outfits who call themselves as Secular. They dont utter a word against the Islamic Terrorism but they dont hesitate to stage Hartals and Strikes against Sangh outfits.

This got to change. They cant fool people for a longtime. Ordinary Indians would show that in the coming elections.

Amarnath Land Row Resolved - For Now!!

Following is the text read out by Governor's advisor S S Bloeria and Shri Amarnath Sangarsh Samiti convener Leela Karan Sharma during a joint press conference on Sunday morning.

1. The Shri Amarnathji Yatra, which has been going on for many centuries, is a shining symbol of communal harmony and brotherhood in Jammu & Kashmir and reflective of the state's composite heritage. The Yatris have been welcomed with open arms by the people of both Jammu and Kashmir divisions and all required facilities have been made available for them.

Sadly, certain decisions of the state government relating to the Yatra created misunderstandings which led to controversy and agitation and loss of many precious lives. Apart from the damage to property, there has been a colossal loss to the state's economy in different sectors like transport, trade, industry, horticulture and tourism.

2. The Yatra to Shri Amarnathji Shrine has traditionally benefited a large number of local residents, many of whom have crucial dependence on this annual pilgrimage for their livelihood.

3. There has been no occasion in the past on which the state government has failed to provide the required support for the conduct of the Amarnathji Yatra. On the contrary, the extent and nature of governmental support to the Yatra has been progressively enhancing, from year to year.

4. In view of the need to seek a peaceful resolution of the fundamental issues, to settle all existing doubts and clarify the continuing responsibility of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB), the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir had constituted, on 6 August, 2008, a four-member Committee comprising: Dr. S. S. Bloeria, Advisor to Governor Justice

(Retd) Shri G. D. Sharma Prof. Amitabh Mattoo, Vice Chancellor, University of Jammu Shri B. B. Vyas, Principal Secretary to Governor and Chief Executive Officer, Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board.

5. The Committee held three rounds of discussions with the four-member Committee nominated by the Shri Amarnathji Yatra Sangharsh Samiti (SAYSS) which comprised:- Shri Tilak Raj Sharma, Brigadier (Retd), Suchet Singh, Prof. Narinder Singh and Shri Pawan Kohli.

6. The Governor has also held discussions with the leaders of political, social, religious, academic and other organizations in the Kashmir Valley. The predominant view, emerging out of the consultations, is that the Amarnath Yatra, which is a centuries old tradition of J&K's rich composite heritage, will continue to be welcomed and supported by the people of Kashmir, in every possible way.

It was also felt that while the Shrine Board could continue to use the land, as in the past, for Yatra purposes, nothing should be done to alienate or transfer the land. While an assuring convergence of views has emerged, the Governor is committed to continuing the consultative process to ensure against any remaining misunderstanding whatsoever on an issue which has earlier led to serious misperceptions and human and economic loss.

Based on detailed discussions and deliberations held in the recent weeks, the following framework of action for resolving the issue relating to the use of land for the period of Yatra by the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, at Baltal and Domail, has been agreed to:-

A. The State Government shall set aside for the use by Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, exclusively, the land in Baltal and Domail (Compartment No. 63/S, Sindh Forest Division) comprising an area of 800 kanals, traditionally under use for the annual Yatra purposes.

B. The proprietary status/ownership/title of the land shall not undergo any change.

C. The Board shall use the aforesaid land for the duration of the Yatra (including the period of making the required arrangements and winding up of the same) for the purpose of user by various service providers according to its needs and priorities.The aforesaid land shall be used according to the Board's requirements, from time to time, including for the following:-

i. Raising of temporary pre-fabricated accommodation and toilet facilities by the Board;

ii. Establishment of tented accommodation by private camping agencies (locals, permanent residents of the state);

iii. Setting up of the shops by shopkeepers (locals, permanent residents of the state);

iv. Facilities for Pony Wallas and Pithu Wallas;

v. Provision of healthcare and medical facilities;

vi. Setting up of free Langars by private persons and groups which are licensed by the Board;

vii. Facilities for helicopter operations/ parking of vehicles;

viii. Arrangements of security by local police/para-military forces and other security agencies as per the arrangements in place here-to-fore; and

ix. Undertaking measures relating to soil conservation, land protection and preservation of ecology.

7. It has further been agreed that the Board shall continue to remain responsible for the overall arrangements of the Yatra on both the routes during the Yatra period, including all arrangements as mandated under the provisions of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Act, 2000 AD.

8. Apart from the above, the Committee set up by the Samiti had, during the course of discussions, presented a fourteen-point "Charter of Demands" for consideration by the state government.

The main demands relate to withdrawal of criminal cases against various persons during the period of agitation, provision of compensation to the families of the deceased and to the injured and working out of appropriate packages of financial assistance to compensate losses of the transport sector, trade and industry, horticulture sector, hoteliers and tourist operators.

The state government has agreed to examine all these demands in an appropriate manner on time-bound basis.

9. In particular, as regards the registration of criminal cases against various persons during the period of agitation, it is agreed that all cases of non-serious nature which shall mean bailable and compoundable will be withdrawn.

The remaining cases will be reviewed, on the merits of each case, by a Committee headed by Shri Anil Goswami, Principal Secretary (Home) within 60 days. Till the completion of this process, no action will be taken in such cases. Also, specific allegations of atrocities on agitators, based on prima-facie evidence, could also be looked into by this Committee.

10. Ex-gratia relief will be extended in favour of the next of the kin of the deceased and in favour of permanently disabled and the injured in all cases covered under the existing rules of the state government.

11. Further, a Working Group, under the Chairmanship of Chief Secretary will address all compensation issues relating to both Jammu and Kashmir Divisions and the Central government will be approached for extending financial support to the state government for this purpose within a period of two months. To make the exercise meaningful, one representative from each of the affected sectors will be associated with the deliberations of the Working Group.

12. The Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board will be reconstituted keeping in view the provisions of the Act and the past precedents.

13. It is agreed that the Law Department in the state government will examine the issue of disposal of LPA in terms of the understanding made herein above within one month.

Sd/-

(Lila Karan Sharma)

Convenor


Sd/-

(Dr. S. S. Bloeria)

Advisor to Governor of J&K


Shri Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti