Discussion:
BOMB BLASTS IN PUNE [MUSLIM TERRORISM]
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From: ***@mantra.com and/or www.mantra.com/jai (Dr. Jai Maharaj)
Date: Sat, 13 Feb 2010 23:45:34 GMT
Local: Sat, Feb 13 2010 6:45 pm

Subject: BOMB BLASTS IN PUNE [MUSLIM TERRORISM]

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Forwarded article from Moorthy S. Muthuswamy

Blasts in India

Dear India-based folks

My condolences to the families affected by the Pune German Bakery
(what appears to be) bombings.

Unfortunately, the geopolitical situation in South Asia has now
turned in Pakistan’s favor, with America agreeing to accept
Pakistan’s primacy in Afghanistan through its proxy, the Taliban.

Indeed, terrorism works!

It is likely that Pakistan has initiated a significant round of
terrorist attacks all throughout India. The attacks are designed to
push India to accommodate Kashmir in Pakistan’s favor.

Pakistan has a well-established network in India to carry out its
nefarious designs.

Prominent public places and businesses, Hindu religious centers, and
even leading educational institutions could be part of the hit list.

Please be careful.

Remember, your family’s safety lies in the safety of your community
--
and your nation.

Moorthy S. Muthuswamy

End of forwarded article from Moorthy S. Muthuswamy

Jai Maharaj, Jyotishi
Om Shanti

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Anti Naxal offensive: Time to stop sympathy?
34 min 35 sec

Tuesday, Feb 16, 2010 , India

Thirty-six policemen at the Shilda camp in West Midnapore were resting
in their tents when they found themselves surrounded by flames. The
Naxals raided the armory in the camp. Forty guns have been reported
missing.

http://www.ndtv.com/news/videos/video_player.php?id=1201939

JHARKHAND BDO ABDUCTED

Naxals abducting officials is a trivial issue: Soren

CNN-IBN

Published on Wed, Feb 17, 2010 at 10:50,
Updated on Wed, Feb 17, 2010 at 11:04 in India section

Naxals set conditions for talks with Jharkhand govtNaxal leaders eye
power, contest Jharkhand pollsChidambaram to meet 4 CMs for unity
against Naxals

Photogallery

Ranchi: Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren has brushed aside the
kidnapping of a Block Development Officer by the Naxals as a trivial
one.

Soren, who is under fire for being soft on Naxals, said that small
incidents like kidnapping of officials keep on happening.

"Such trivial cases keep on happening," replied Soren when asked to
comment on the kidnapping of BDO Prashant Kumar Layek by Naxal group
CPI (Maoist).

Soren had also given tickets to several former Naxals in the recent
Jharkhand elections.

Soren's comment came even as Prashant Kumar Layek's wife threatened
self-immolation if her husband is harmed.

"I request them not to harm my husband as he is innocent," Layek's
wife Julie Bharati said.

Layak was abducted from Dalbumgarh in Jharkhand on Saturday with the
Naxals demanding the release of three of their leaders in return for
the officer's release.

In 2009, West Bengal government had to release tribals arrested from
Lalgarh on charges of aiding the Naxals in return for kidnapped
policeman Atindranath Datta.

Meanwhile, the Naxals extended by 24 hours their deadline which ended
1800 HRS IST pm on Tuesday for fulfillment of demands to set free the
abducted BDO.

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/naxals-abducting-officials-a-trivial-issue-soren/110274-3.html?from=tn

Hardcore Maoist held in Orissa
PTI
Wednesday, February 17, 2010 15:14 IST

Paralakhemundi (Orissa): A hardcore Maoist, actively involved in
attacks on government property, was arrested from Orissa's Gajapati
district today, police said.

The ultra, identified as Babula Behera Dalai (29), was picked up
during combing operation by the security forces in Adaba area,
superintendent of police Sanjay Arora told reporters here.

A 'key and active member' of Bansadhara committee of the rebels,
'Babula' was involved in the attack on a forest office building and
burning of a government bus besides the abduction of a girl in the
Naxal-infested district, bordering Andhra Pradesh, police said.

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_hardcore-maoist-held-in-orissa_1349015

West Bengal govt orders inquiry into Maoist attack on EFR jawans
Wednesday, February 17, 2010 16:48 IST

Kolkata: Two days after 24 EFR jawans were killed in the deadliest
Maoist strike in West Bengal, the state government today ordered an
inquiry into the incident and said action would be taken against
senior officers if they were found wanting.

"An official inquiry has been ordered into the incident," West Bengal
home secretary Ardhendu Sen told reporters in Kolkata after a high
level meeting which reviewed the situation in the wake of the Maoist
attack.

"It is not a clear case of intelligence failure. There was
intelligence report that the Maoists were assembling in the area,
though there was no specific information that they may attack the EFR
camp," he said.

Asked if action would be taken against senior officers if they were
found wanting, Sen said, "Let us complete the probe. A specific charge
against any officer has to be established. If anyone is found guilty,
action will be taken."

On the issue of the state government's inaction when it had possession
of intelligence report of such attacks, Sen said the report had come
into its (the state government's) hand at 2pm only, barely three hours
before the attack, and it had taken time for the information to
percolate down to the lower level.

The sentries at the EFR camp had retaliated in which one Maoist was
killed and some others were injured, he said. "But there was some
lapse no doubt". The home secretary said who would conduct the probe
and what would be the terms ofreference of the inquiry would be
decided soon.

Asked if Maoist leader Kishenji had escaped to Jharkhand, Sen said
that he was very much in Bengal and "we are after him".

Refuting the allegation that the EFR did not have proper training to
combat the Maoists, he said, "It is not correct. They are a highly
motivated, disciplined and well-trained force."

He said the government knew that Shilda was not the suitable place for
location of the EFR camp and it was even planned to shift it, but
ultimately that was not done in view of local people's insistence that
the camp stayed there.

Locals had said that they would feel insecure if the camp was shifted
from Shilda, Sen said, adding the camp was for
area domination.

Further steps had been taken for the fortification of camps of
security forces in the Maoist-hit areas in the state.

The bodies of the slain EFR jawans were on way to their homes in north
Bengal and senior officials, including the DM, would receive them at
Siliguri, he said.

The home secretary dubbed the attempt from "some quarters" to drive a
wedge between the Gorkhas and non-Gorkhas as "irresponsible" and said
it was not correct.

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_west-bengal-govt-orders-inquiry-into-maoist-attack-on-efr-jawans_1349073


West Bengal governor anguished at jawans' killing in West Midnapore
PTI
Wednesday, February 17, 2010 14:02 IST

Kolkata: West Bengal governor MK Narayanan today expressed his "deep
sense of anguish" at the loss of lives of 24 jawans and a civilian in
the Maoist attack on the EFR camp at Shilda in West Midnapore
district.

Referring to February 15 attack, Narayanan conveyed his heart-felt
condolences to the bereaved families and also reiterated the
government's commitment to deal effectively with the problem.

In a statement, the governor expressed confidence that the government
forces, with the help of locals, will be able to defeat the evil
designs of the Maoists and restore normalcy in the areas which are
imperative for socio-economic development of the masses.

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_west-bengal-governor-anguished-at-jawans-killing-in-west-midnapore_1348980

Maoist attack has strengthened resolve to fight them: Government
PTI
Wednesday, February 17, 2010 12:10 IST

New Delhi: Government today said the "dastardly attack" on Eastern
Frontier Rifle jawans in West Bengal has strengthened its resolve to
fight the Maoist menace.

Pranab Mukherjee

"It is a dastardly attack and I can only tell it has strengthened our
resolve to fight against this menace...," finance minister Pranab
Mukherjee said, when asked about Monday's attack by the Maoists.

Twenty-four jawans of West Bengal's paramilitary force Eastern
Frontier Rifle were killed when the ultras overran their camp at Silda
in West Midnapore district after setting it on fire.

Home minister P Chidambaram has said the attack is "another outrageous
attempt by the banned organisation to overawe the established
authority in the State."

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_maoist-attack-has-strengthened-resolve-to-fight-them-government_1348937

Slain cops were sitting ducks; Centre sore at poor training
Javed M Ansari & Anil Anand / DNA
Wednesday, February 17, 2010 0:51 IST

New Delhi: A day after 24 personnel of the Eastern Frontier Rifles
were killed in a Maoist attack in West Bengal, chinks in the
government’s preparedness against the Left ultras have become evident.
The Centre is in a catch-22 situation as insurgency affected states,
barring Chattisgarh and Maharashtra, are yet to participate in the
inter-state operations for political considerations.

Following Monday’s attack, in which the police personnel were sitting
ducks for the Maoists, the home ministry has decided to dispatch a
high-level official team to Kolkata. The team, besides making an on-
the-spot assessment of the situation, would give the state officials
“lessons” on how the police should behave in such situations.

Describing the attitude of the police personnel in the camp as
“unprofessional”, a senior ministry official said the incident was a
result of lack of training on the part of the state police.

“How could a sentry stand guard without the protection of sandbags,”
the official asked while explaining the Centre’s total disenchantment
with these states.

Meanwhile, an angry home minister has lambasted the intellectual
support for the Maoists. “I would like to hear the voices of
condemnation of those who have, erroneously, extended intellectual and
material support to the Maoists. It is only if the whole country
condemns the so-called armed struggle that we can put an end to this
menace,” P Chidambaram said.

Chidambaram, who is a firm votary of strong and coordinated attack on
the insurgents, finds himself handicapped by the attitude of the
states. Political priorities seem to have taken precedence over the
need to take on the Maoists in states such as Bihar and Jharkhand and
to some extent in Orissa and West Bengal where non-Congress
governments are in power.

While Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar has maintained a safe distance
from preparing for the proposed inter-state operations as the state
prepares for the assembly elections later this year, his Jharkhand
counterpart Shibu Soren has made no secret of his reluctance to act
against the Maoists. It’s no secret that the Maoists supported Soren’s
party during the elections and also helped facilitate his becoming the
chief minister.

“Certainly, there is this disturbing trend with political overtones.
But everyone must realise that the challenge posed by the Maoists has
to be countered for long-term benefits” the official said.

In West Bengal, the political rivalry between the ruling Left Front
and Mamata Banerjee’s Trinmool Congress has made any strong action
against the insurgents difficult. However, in view of the changing
public mood following such merciless killings, the Trinmool leadership
seems to be having second thoughts. They want the Centre to play a
bigger role than its arch-rival the CPM-led government.

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_slain-cops-were-sitting-ducks-centre-sore-at-poor-training_1348851

Maoist violence reverberates in Supreme Court
Rakesh Bhatnagar / DNA
Wednesday, February 17, 2010 0:42 IST

New Delhi: The Supreme Court (SC) shared the Centre’s concern on
Tuesday regarding the growing Maoist menace, but refused relief to
Chhattisgarh Police, accused of killing tribals.

Twelve tribals had gone missing and were suspected to have been
massacred by police after they filed a plea seeking a CBI probe into
the killing of 10 people during an anti-Maoist operation.

After the Raman Singh government produced six of the “missing”
tribals, SC had ordered a Delhi judge on Monday to record their
statements.

On Tuesday, a bench of justices B Sudershan Reddy and SS Nijjar
directed the SC registry to give copies of the statements to the
tribals’ counsel Colin Gonsalves and the central and the state
governments.

Gonsalves said the statements confirmed the massacre but did not
apportion responsibility.

During the hearing, attorney general Goolam E Vahanvati referred to
home minister P Chidambaram’s statement that the government was ready
to talk to Maoists, provided they abjured violence.

“And the answer we have got yesterday [Monday] from Bengal,” Vahanvati
regretted, referring to the killing of securitymen in West Midnapore.

When lawyer Prashant Bhushan pointed out human rights violations by
state agencies in their fight against Maoists in Chhattisgarh,
solicitor general Gopal Subramanium intervened to say “nobody wanted
to go [to fight Maoists] with a death band on the forehead. We do not
want to perpetuate a situation like a civil war”.

The judges pacified the solicitors, saying, “We are not on anything
like war, but for solving the problem (sic).”

Subramanium continued: “The fight against naxals is not based on any
political line and the Centre and the Chhattisgarh government are
equally concerned about human rights.”

To this, the judges said though the court did not go by media reports,
some reports were “really disturbing”.

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_maoist-violence-reverberates-in-supreme-court_1348830

Maoists unfurl reverse Indian flag on Republic Day in Jharkhand
January 27, 2010

As a mark of protest on Republic Day Maoist rebels unfurled a reversed
national flag in Badkagaon area of Jharkhand.

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_maoist-violence-reverberates-in-supreme-court_1348830

Maoist movement inspires filmmaker Anant Mahadevan
November 29, 2009

Red Alert-The War Within, a film made by Anant Mahadevan based on the
Maoist movement received accolades at the 40th International Film
Festival of India.

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_slain-cops-were-sitting-ducks-centre-sore-at-poor-training_1348851

Maoists will now be confronted, warns P Chidambaram
October 7, 2009

Strongly condemning the cold-blooded murder of a cop who was abducted
and killed by the Maoists, Indian Home minister P Chidambaram said the
state governments were geared up to give tit for tat to the Maoists.

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_maoist-attack-has-strengthened-resolve-to-fight-them-government_1348937

Security diversion for My Name Is Khan led to Pune blast: MS Bitta
PTI
Wednesday, February 17, 2010 15:35 IST

Pune: The chairman of All India Anti-Terrorist Front MS Bitta today
alleged that a security diversion to protect the Shah Rukh Khan film
My Name Is Khan offered an opportune moment for the ISI to engineer
the terror attack in Pune.

"The ISI capitalised on the prevailing situation to strike Pune where
security infrastructure was lame," he told a press conference in Pune.

Bitta who visited the blast victims at a city hospital, said Pune is a
big city in India and a leading educational and economic hub and the
masterminds of the German Bakery blast had designs to harm that
status.

"Beefing up security in Pune after the blast is nothing but a farce.
Why the government did not do it earlier in view of the burgeoning
proportions of the city," he asked and blamed politicians for playing
"politics over the dead bodies".

Bitta also criticised Shiv Sena and MNS for their "divisive politics"
and said that was precisely what Pakistan wanted.

He demanded immediate hanging of Pakistani gunman Ajmal Kasab and
Afzal Guru involved in the Parliament attack and constitution of anti-
terrorist military court to try cases on fast track.

"Afzal is still evading the noose and Kasab is enjoying mutton Biryani
from Mumbai police," he commented.

http://www.dnaindia.com/academy/report_security-diversion-for-my-name-is-khan-led-to-pune-blast-ms-bitta_1349026

Pune blast toll climbs to 11
PTI
Wednesday, February 17, 2010 16:57 IST

Pune: With one more person succumbing to injuries, the toll in the
blast here has risen to 11, hospital sources said today.

Aditya Mehta, 21, who hailed from Delhi, passed away last night. He
was admitted to Jehangir hospital in a critical condition after the
terror attack on the German Bakery in Koregaon Park area on February
13.

Mehta was a student of Bharati Vidyapeeth.

Over 50 people were injured in the blast.

http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_pune-blast-toll-climbs-to-11_1349080

Pune blast: Four taken into custody in Hampi
PTI
Wednesday, February 17, 2010 14:48 IST

Bellary: Four Kashmiri youths have been taken into custody from nearby
Hampi in connection with the bomb blast in Pune that claimed 11
lives.

A police team from Pune detained the youths, engaged in selling
artefacts, at Virapura Gadde locality yesterday, police sources said
today.

The sources said a search was on for three more persons in connection
with the blast, but refused to give details.

Over 40 hotels catering to foreign tourists visiting the heritage town
are located in Virapura Gadde.

Many foreign tourists staying in hotels in Virapuram Gadde have
started moving to hotels in other areas of Hampi due to concerns about
their safety in the wake of the Pune blasts, they said.

http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_pune-blast-four-taken-into-custody-in-hampi_1349005

Lost to a cause
E Raghavan
Wednesday, February 17, 2010 11:28 IST

It is not a comforting thought. Not at all, when you realise that
terrorism is not only at your door step but could well be the
handiwork, not of some unidentifiable alien but that young boy in the
neighbourhood, lost to a cause that believes in turning you into an
enemy in his mind.

It was not a comforting thought even before, because the agents of
death that an LeT, a JuD or a HuJI sent to a market in Delhi or a
bakery in Pune or to the IISc campus in Bangalore, looked exactly like
the neighbourhood kid. The difference was that one thought these
spaced- out youth, spaced out through indoctrination, came from some
other soil. Of course, they always received support from locals who
were most often equally misguided.

That this pattern does not hold good any longer and that there were
other home-grown bent minds, whether it is members of the Indian
Mujahedeen or a faceless individual, was known for a long time but,
somehow, one thought that such instances were more an exception than a
rule.

They probably were. After all, one may point out, the Pune blasts took
place more than a year after 26/11 in Bombay. Try telling that to the
families of those who lost their loved ones and those who were
injured. For them exceptions are as damaging as the rule. The trauma
such events cause is beginning to create fear; it is showing sure
signs of pervading nooks and corners of every community.

For many it is no longer a question of someone flying in or taking a
boat to plant a time bomb or use automatic weapons to cause mayhem in
highly visible targets. It could be the mall or a small eatery or a
vegetable market in one’s own neighbourhood and the perpetrator could
be someone from within. That’s what is really worrisome.

You can, for instance, blame Union home minister P Chidambaram, or the
coast guard for not patrolling the seas well enough to prevent jehadis
from arriving on our shores. But how do you deal with a youngster who
may be from a house four streets away, and has now learnt to think
that you as an individual may be fine and harmless, but you as part of
a community are inimical to him and his beliefs. Not easy to build a
security cordon and fight them.

While these ought to be the issues that should agitate the minds
within the security apparatus in the state, it looks like they have to
combat not sleeper cells of terrorists but overzealous fundamentalists
who vandalise churches and mosques, as was the case recently near
Udupi and Bijapur.

These are instances that fully divert the attention of police from
their real job and show the state in a very poor light. The day after
the Pune blast, for instance, police in Karnataka were busy providing
a security shield to loving couples, instead of giving us the
confidence that another Bhatkal Rizvi was not hiding in Bangalore
waiting to hurl a bomb and that he and his co-conspirators would be
dealt with if they ever tried doing that.

It is such a pity that we have to thank Shankar Bidri for a peaceful
Valentine’s Day much more than we can thank him for greater vigilance
on the terror front. It is as much a sad reflection on the
establishment that it has to be preoccupied with the likes of Pramod
Mutalik rather than David Headley. Sadder still that the Maharashtra
police had to protect theatres screening a Shah Rukh Khan film, rather
than ferret out holed-up terrorists. If it is not preoccupied with a
Mutalik or a Balasaheb, there is something else equally inane to keep
our forces fully occupied.

The establishment, of course, can never make us feel safe enough
unless it has the political will to deal with undesirable
organisations, whether it is the Indian Mujahedeen or the Sri Rama
Sene. The two might be as different as chalk and cheese; one dangerous
and the other psychologically harmful. It takes more than vote-bank
politics, whether of the minority or majority religions, to have the
guts to deal with this.

There is a little bit more that communities within the civic society
can do. Each community, each religious denomination, needs to look
inwards to identify elements that are either outright dangerous or has
the capacity to instil fear through moral policing.

Both need to be ostracised and exposed at the first sign. Just
remember the case of one father in Nigeria, a respected banker, who
alerted authorities about his son’s altered behaviour after being
exposed to a radical rhetoric. Whether his caution saved several lives
on an aircraft his son may have intended to hijack is not the issue.
His concern for the community, even if it was not his own and on
another continent, is the issue. Individuals and communities need to
understand that and clean up their own backyard. That might make us
feel a bit safer.

http://www.dnaindia.com/opinion/comment_lost-to-a-cause_1348914

Revisiting Simi to track terror trail
Rajesh Ahuja / DNA
Wednesday, February 17, 2010 0:56 IST

Mumbai: The Pune blast has forced security agencies to revisit Student
Islamic Movement of India (Simi) files. After his arrest in Indore in
2008, Safdar Nagori, head Simi’s hardliner faction, named more than
200 associates in his confession to security agencies.

Many of Nagori’s associates were apprehended after the confession, but
many more like Adbul Subhan alias Tauqeer and Rahil Sheikh are yet to
be caught. It was with the logistical help provided by Simi cadres
that the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Harkatul
Jehad al Islami and Mafia elements like Dawood Ibrahim managed to
strike Indian cities at will. Simi remains the fountainhead of the
Indian jihadist movement, intelligence agencies feel.

Riyaz Bhatkal, considered the prime suspect in the Pune blast case,
was introduced to Simi by his brother-in-law Shafiq Ahmad who later
headed Simi’s Mumbai chapter. At Simi’s Mumbai offices he met Adbul
Subhan alias Tauqeer, Sadiq Sheikh and Rahil Sheikh. These men formed
the top leadership of Indian Mujahideen along with Amir Raza Khan and
Dr Shahnawaz of Azamgarh.

Sadiq Sheikh roped in Azamgarh-based youths like Atif Ameen into the
IM. Sheikh was among the earlier Simi jehadis who went to Pakistan for
training.

Security agencies believe that Riyaz Bhatkal, Dr Shahnawaz and Tauqeer
are in the forefront of efforts to revive the IM.

http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_revisiting-simi-to-track-terror-trail_1348855

Police cover for vital spots in Maharashtra
Shubhangi Khapre / DNAWednesday, February 17, 2010 0:54 IST

Mumbai: Armed personnel in khaki will become a regular feature atop
large dams and high-rise buildings and at petrol pumps and oil
refineries as Maharashtra government upgrades security to combat the
terrorist threat.

“foolproof” security plan for these installations as also for temples,
oil depots, and tourism centres that have been identified as possible
targets. Patil urged the home department to focus on quickly raising a
force on the lines of the CISF to combat the challenges after the Pune
blast.

Admitting shortcomings in the state’s security policy, he urged his
bureaucrats and top police officers to draw up a comprehensive plan to
plug all gaps.

The meeting emphasised the need to block all ‘illegal’ routes that
have been created for easy access to sensitive installations such as
refineries, oil depots, and petroleum distribution centres. The
minister said boundary walls encircling such installations must be
raised to prevent the premises becoming thoroughfares. Officials also
suggested that the main entrances leading to dams be given round-the-
clock security.

Some of the temples that will get increased security cover are
Siddhivinayak and Mahalaxmi in Mumbai, Sai Baba (Shirdi),
Trimbakeshwar (Nashik), Mahalaxmi (Kolhapur), Vitthal (Pandharpur),
and Bhavani (Tulzapur).

Patil said, “We have to redraw the list of tourist centres frequented
by foreigners. The blast at German Bakery reaffirms that foreigners
are the main targets.” The government also sought greater coordination
with private security agencies at places like the Elephanta, Ajanta,
and Ellora caves.

An order was issued to scale up the security at the residences of the
chief minister and governor as also at the bungalows of ministers and
the residences of elected members.

Poor screening: The Mantralaya was left vulnerable as the baggage-
screening machines failed. With a large stream of visitors entering
the premises, security personnel were unable to check all baggage.

http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_police-cover-for-vital-spots-in-maharashtra_1348853

...and I am Sid Harth
bademiyansubhanallah
15 years ago
Permalink
Naxal strike setback to peace efforts: AG to SC
Express News Service

Posted: Wednesday, Feb 17, 2010 at 0321 hrs
New Delhi:

Attorney General Goolam E Vahanvati on Tuesday told the Supreme Court
that the Maoist killing of 24 policemen at a camp in West Bengal has
delivered a rude shock to government efforts to initiate dialogue with
the extremists.

“Home Minister P Chidambaram has said over and over again in the past
one month that he is ready for negotiations provided they eschew
violence, but the answer we got was yesterday in West Bengal,” UPA
government’s top law officer said on Tuesday before a Division Bench
of Justices Sudershan Reddy and S S Nijjar. The remarks from the AG
came after a submission by civil rights lawyer Prashant Bhushan,
highlighting the plight of tribals of Chhattisgarh, trapped in spurts
of fierce fighting between security forces and the Naxals.

“We do not want to perpetuate a siege or a civil war in the country.
But so far no avenues have been opened by them for talks,” the AG
apprised the court. To this, the court responded with alacrity,
saying, “We are not at war. We are all citizens here.”

Appearing for the Chhattisgarh government, Solicitor General Gopal
Subramanium agreed with Vahanvati when he submitted that the state
cannot afford to take a “rigid position” with the Naxals as lives of
tribals were at stake. “The government is not toeing any political
line in this issue. This is plainly a human situation,” the SG
submitted in court.

“Some of the reports that we have read are deeply disturbing. About
two lakh people have been displaced from their natural habitats...
Where will they go? Who will give them employment?” the bench conveyed
its anxiety for tribals.

The court pointed out that though the government has done much in the
way of law enforcement in the Naxal-hit regions, “not a word” is heard
on “developmental work” undertaken in the areas.

The SG acceded that the government does understand that “merely
putting people in a camp and then calling it a refugee camp is not
enough”. “These people have fundamental rights. I assure the court
that if there are ways to improve the situation, we will take all the
steps,” he said.

Meanwhile, the statements of the six tribals — allegedly witnesses to
the killing of nine persons in an encounter at Goompad Village in
Dhantewada district on October 1, 2009 — were produced before the apex
court. They had given their statements to Delhi District Judge G P
Mittal as per the direction of the Supreme Court.

Senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, who appeared on the behalf of
activist Himanshu Kumar, summed up the content of the tribals’
statements to the district judge: “They have broadly confirmed there
was a massacre. But did not know who did it.”

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/naxal-strike-setback-to-peace-efforts-ag-to-sc/580823/0

PC plays down terror threats, says no one can dictate terms
ANI

Posted: Wednesday, Feb 17, 2010 at 1008 hrs

Jammu:
Ilyas Kashmir cannot dictate our course of action: PC

Asserting that Harkat-ul-Jehadi Islami (HuJI) operational chief and al-
Qeada commander Iliyas Kashmiri cannot dictate the country, Union Home
Minister P Chidambaram said on Wednesday that India is not deterred by
his threats.

“Ilyas Kashmir cannot dictate our course of action. We cannot be
deterred and we are not deterred by what he says”, he told reporters
here. Chidambaram said this when asked about Kashmiri’s threat to
international players that they should not go to India and take part
in IPL and Commonwealth Games.

The home minister, who chaired the Unified Command meeting and
reviewed the security situation and the surrender policy here, said
the Centre will provide full protection to every player, coach and
official who participates in the forthcoming hockey, cricket or any
other sport in the Commonwealth Games.

Kashmiri's warning to India was posted by the 'Asian Times Online'.
The portal said it received Kashmiri's message on Monday morning
shortly after the Pune blast. “We warn the international community not
to send their people in 2010 Hockey World Cup, IPL and Commonwealth
Games....Nor should their people visit India. “If they do, they will
be responsible for the consequences," said Kashmiri.

Comments (4) |

PC plays down terror threats, says no one can dictate terms
By: Premangsu Chowdry | 17-Feb-2010

No barrier is infallible between ruthless and suicidal terrorists and
their targets. Now is the time for our intelligence to be sharp and
start preparation to identify and eliminate them before they can
strike; and not, God forbid, after an event.

War on pathatic looking men from stone ages
By: DR.LAW | 17-Feb-2010

We stand shoulder to shoulder withg our HM Chidambaram.The Paki based
terrorists and jihadi organisations cannot dictate our life style by
their terrorist threats. The allied forces has already taken the Al-
Qaida number 3 in custody and be rest assured, that the ´rest of paki
based terrorists will be brought to justice as early as possible.

PC plays down terror threats....
By: NRI (Oz) | 17-Feb-2010

My simple answer would be that India DOES NOT take orders from Paki
terror groups! Pakistan should put its own house IN ORDER first before
its myriad terror groups threaten India!! JAI HIND!!

Sleeping PC
By: Chandramohan Shinde | 17-Feb-2010

PC is in his deep slumber. Does he know that Jihadi terrorists, Naxals
and Maoists are already dictating terms ? How many more explosions/
killings are needed to wake him up ?

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/pc-plays-down-terror-threats-says-no-one-can-dictate-terms/580876/

Pune blast: Mobile pieces strengthen remote control theory

Shishir Gupta

Posted: Wednesday, Feb 17, 2010 at 1045 hrs
New Delhi:

Maharashtra ATS along with NIA sleuths have been able to identify the
Indian Mujahideen module behind the German Bakery carnage.

Presence of pieces of mobile phone among the debris of the Pune bomb
blast site has forced the forensic sleuths to examine whether the RDX-
Ammonium nitrate device was triggered off by remote using the cell
phone.

Till now, the security agencies, who believe that the attack was
sponsored by LeT-Indian Mujahideen terrorists, were looking for pieces
of clock among the debris as initial investigations indicated that the
IED had a clock timer device.

Investigations into the Pune bomb blast have picked up with the
Maharashtra ATS along with the sleuths of the National Investigation
Agency being able to identify the Indian Mujahideen module behind the
German Bakery Carnage.

While government sources in Delhi are tight-lipped at the line of
investigation, the Union Home Ministry has been informed about a
possible breakthrough in the case in the next 48 hours at the highest
levels. At the same time, the Centre has taken the Lashkar-e-Toiba Al
Alami call, claiming responsibility for the Pune bombing, to a
correspondent in Islamabad seriously and have asked the security
agencies to identify its antecedents.

It is learnt that the ATS is honing into I-M chief Riyaz Bhatkal and
bomb maker Subhan Qureshi aka Tauqeer as possible culprits behind the
Pune attack though there is no technical data as of now to support
this claim. The Home Ministry, on its part, is keeping its fingers
crossed whether the prime suspects would be nailed even as there is
mounting pressure on the intelligence agencies to pre-empt another
attack before the Foreign Secretary level talks.

8 Comments |

Never forget
By: Sassy | Wednesday , 17 Feb '10 16:19:28 PM

Should we be reminded every morning? Of course not, we need to be
reminded in graphic details the suffering of our fellow countrymen,
every morning evening and night and preferably once in between too.
Otherwise, how long does it take for us Indians to conveniently forget
and move on uncaring? Every Indian should be able to talk about the
history of terror perpetrated on India at the drop of a hat. This is
the least we owe.

Pune Blast
By: Sangat Singh | Wednesday , 17 Feb '10 16:12:26 PM

Police keeps on harping "beware of unclaimed/unidentified objects"
adding that such items should immediately be reported to the Police.
In this context, the manager's attitude had, at best, been callous.
Instead of reporting to the police, he asked his men to open and
check. I feel very strongly that THE BLAST COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED.

pune blast
By: niranjan bakshi | Wednesday , 17 Feb '10 15:55:02 PM

it should have dawned on our intelligence agencies that after 26/11
the terror groups from across would encourage disaffected indians to
do their dirty work. we cannot then blame the pakistanis, can we?

News is must for accountability and daily development
By: Prasoon | Wednesday , 17 Feb '10 15:40:14 PM

If reader will not get to know daily development on major cases then
it will be like waiting for 20 years to hear something after court
decides on a matter. Daily development is must. It keeps the agencies
running to solve the matter.

IE spare us from the running commentary please
By: Krupa | Wednesday , 17 Feb '10 12:59:50 PM

IE spare us from this running commentary please. Please wait for the
investigation to complete and then publish the final findings. My home
has been attacked by sub-humanic barbarians and the last thing I want
is to be reminded about this as the first thing every morning.

Pune blast
By: V. Sreekumar | Wednesday , 17 Feb '10 13:36:49 PM

I fully agree with you Krupa. In three sentences, you had conveyed
everything. Thanks

We don't mind waiting
By: Tushar Ranadive | Wednesday , 17 Feb '10 13:28:16 PM

I agree, we don't EXPECT you tell us a piece by piece story till
something tangible has been achieved.

What a contradictary name
By: Adab | Wednesday , 17 Feb '10 12:55:06 PM

It is unfortunate that murderers are given honorary name like -
Mujahideen-, A murderer shall find his abode in hell. Zakir Hussain,
Moulana Azad were real mujahideen who brought peace, good will,
freedom and security to people.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/pune-blast-mobile-pieces-strengthen-remote-control-theory/580882/

J-K govt working on surrender policy: HM
Agencies

Posted: Wednesday, Feb 17, 2010 at 1447 hrs
Jammu:

I will request the state government to give us a draft as earlier as
possible: Chidambaram

Jammu and Kashmir government is working on the draft surrender policy
relating to return of Kashmiri militants who had crossed over to PoK,
Union Home Minister P Chidambaram said on Wednesday.

"The scheme (surrender policy) has to be worked out. I will request
the state government to give us a draft as earlier as possible," he
told reporters after the Unified Command meeting.

"However, I have identified some points which have to be factored in
like identification, screening, facilitating travel back to Jammu and
Kashmir, de-briefing and rehabilitation.

"This will take time. We will work on the scheme patiently and
carefully," he said.

The Home Minister said the idea was to facilitate youth who have
crossed over to PoK to return to the state and be united with their
families if they shun militancy.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/jk-govt-working-on-surrender-policy-hm/580944/

Indo-Pak talks, Maoist menace, price rise on Parliament agenda
Agencies

Posted: Wednesday, Feb 17, 2010 at 1406 hrs
Agartala:

Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Planning V Narayanswamy
on Wednesday said Indo-Pak talks, Maoist violence, women reservation
bill and price rise would be discussed in the next session of
Parliament beginning on February 22.

The Women's Reservation Bill was sent to the Parliamentary Standing
Committee on Woman headed by Jayanti Natarajan and the committee has
submitted its report with recommendation of 33 per cent reservation
for woman, he said. It would now be discussed in the Parliament in the
coming session.

Issues like Indo-Pak talks, Maoist violence and price rise would also
figure in the debates, he said.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/indopak-talks-maoist-menace-price-rise-on-parliament-agenda/580932/

11 get bail in Shopian case
Agencies

Posted: Wednesday, Feb 17, 2010 at 1559 hrs
Srinagar:

As many as 11 people, including doctors and lawyers, on wednesday got
bail in the Shopian case as a Chief Judicial Magistrate here took
cognisance of the CBI chargehseet on drowning of two women who were
alleged to have been raped and murdered.

All the accused except Dr Nighat Shaheen and Dr Nazia Hassan were
present before Chief Judicial Magistrate Mohammed Ibrahim Wani and the
court asked them to furnish a bail bond of Rs 10,000 each.

The accused were represented by President of Kashmir Bar Council Mian
Abdul Qayoom who moved an application before the court for inclusion
of statements made by some people before the Special Investigating
team of the state police.

The CBI counsel was not present in the court when the bail was being
granted and therefore, there was no opposition. The next date of
hearing has been fixed for April 17.

Life in Shopian town, 51 kms from here, had come to a standstill after
the bodies of 22-year-old Neelofar and 17-year-old Asiya were found in
a stream. Protests were held claiming that the two had been raped and
murdered.

The CBI, which has based its finding on the opinion received from
experts of AIIMS, Central Forensic and Scientific Laboratory and FSL
of Haryana, had told the CJM's court on December 10 that the women
were never raped and had died due to drowning.

The CBI had filed chargesheet against six doctors -- Nighat Shaheen, G
Q Sofi, Maqbool Mir, G M Paul, Bilal Ahmed Dalal and Nazia Hassan --
under Sections 167 (public servant framing an incorrect document) and
section 194 (giving or fabricating evidence with intent to procure
conviction of capital offence) of the Ranbir Penal Code.

The CBI alleged in its chargesheet that the doctors did not carry out
the postmortem properly and gave a false report that the two victims
had been raped before being murdered. The medicos were also charged
for preparing false vaginal slides.

Five lawyers, including two who have worked as public prosecutors
(Mushtaq Ahmed Gattoo and Sheikh Mubarak), were charged with
conspiring and intimidating witnesses to make false submissions before
a magistrate about women's cries being heard from a police van during
the incident.

Besides these two lawyers, others were Abdul Majid Dar, Mohammed Yusuf
Bhat and Altaf Ahmed. They all have been charged under Sections 194,
342 (wrongful confinement) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy).

The five lawyers have been charged with entering into a criminal
conspiracy with Ali Mohammed Sheikh and Zahoor Ahmed Ahnger in
pressurising two -- Abdul Rashid and G M Lone – to give false
statement under oath before a magistrate that they had heard women's
cries coming from a police vehicle.

The CBI questioned Rashid and Lone who spilt the beans and told the
agency sleuths that they had been pressurised by the lawyers through
Sheikh and Ahnger. The CBI got their fresh confessional statement
registered before a Chief Judicial Magistrate.

A police constable Mohammed Yaseen Ganai has also been chargesheeted
for allegedly giving false information and making false charges with
an intent to injure. He has already secured bail and his case will
come up for hearing on April 19.

CBI findings in the case came as a major embarrassment for the Jammu
and Kashmir government and the one-man Jain Commission appointed by it
as the probe agency found nothing against four policemen --
Superintendent of Police Javed Iqbal Mattoo, Deputy SP Rohit Basgotra,
Station House Officer Shafiq Ahmed and Sub-Inspector Gazi Karim. All
the four were not given bail for nearly two months.

The four had spent two months in jail following orders from the High
Court, which had said it was convinced with the findings of Special
Investigating Team constituted by it to probe the incident that they
allegedly tried to destroy the evidence.

The CBI took over the investigations in the case on September 17.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/11-get-bail-in-shopian-case/580961/0

Blast will hurt tourist flow to city: Rane
Express News Service


Posted: Wednesday, Feb 17, 2010 at 0222 hrs

Pune:
Narayan Rane at the blast site on Tuesday

State Revenue Minister Narayan Rane visited the German Bakery on
Tuesday and said the blast will certainly affect the inflow of
tourists in the city and foreign investments.

After visiting the blast site, Rane briefed the media at the council
hall where he said the blast had shattered Pune’s peaceful image.
“Only by strengthening the security, investors will feel the
confidence to come to the city,” he said.

When asked about barricades being removed about a month back from
Chabad house and Ohel David synogogue, the minister said they were
removed after complaints from the locals. “Since citizens were asked
to show licences and other documents, they complained of
inconvenience. It forced the authorities to remove the barricades,” he
said.

Pressing for stronger security cover, he said the state government was
deliberating on increasing the police force as well as having more
police chowkies in the city. Rane, who also met the injured at the
four hospitals in the city, said he will ensure that the compensation
announced by the state government for the blast victims was disbursed
on time.

He also appealed to all political parties not to politicise the issue.
When asked about the BJP and Sena demanding the Chief Minister’s
resignation, he said they have no such right. “They should cooperate
in times of crisis. During the saffron regime, attack on Parliament
and the Kandahar hijack incident had taken place,” he said.

On the controversy about the release of the film My Name is Khan and
the Sena’s allegations of diverting all police force, Rane said, “The
Shiv Sena Sena believes in vandalism which forced the state government
to provide adequate security arrangements for the release of the movie
in the state.”

About Sena’s opposition to Australian players in the IPL, he said,
“The Sena had said the same thing about Rahul Gandhi’s visit. He came
to Mumbai and travelled in a local train. They are not sure of what
they want.”

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/blast-will-hurt-tourist-flow-to-city-rane/580757/0

...and I am Sid Harth
bademiyansubhanallah
15 years ago
Permalink
Naxal strike setback to peace efforts: AG to SC
Express News Service

Posted: Wednesday, Feb 17, 2010 at 0321 hrs
New Delhi:

Attorney General Goolam E Vahanvati on Tuesday told the Supreme Court
that the Maoist killing of 24 policemen at a camp in West Bengal has
delivered a rude shock to government efforts to initiate dialogue with
the extremists.

"Home Minister P Chidambaram has said over and over again in the past
one month that he is ready for negotiations provided they eschew
violence, but the answer we got was yesterday in West Bengal," UPA
government's top law officer said on Tuesday before a Division Bench
of Justices Sudershan Reddy and S S Nijjar. The remarks from the AG
came after a submission by civil rights lawyer Prashant Bhushan,
highlighting the plight of tribals of Chhattisgarh, trapped in spurts
of fierce fighting between security forces and the Naxals.

"We do not want to perpetuate a siege or a civil war in the country.
But so far no avenues have been opened by them for talks," the AG
apprised the court. To this, the court responded with alacrity,
saying, "We are not at war. We are all citizens here."

Appearing for the Chhattisgarh government, Solicitor General Gopal
Subramanium agreed with Vahanvati when he submitted that the state
cannot afford to take a "rigid position" with the Naxals as lives of
tribals were at stake. "The government is not toeing any political
line in this issue. This is plainly a human situation," the SG
submitted in court.

"Some of the reports that we have read are deeply disturbing. About
two lakh people have been displaced from their natural habitats...
Where will they go? Who will give them employment?" the bench conveyed
its anxiety for tribals.

The court pointed out that though the government has done much in the
way of law enforcement in the Naxal-hit regions, "not a word" is heard
on "developmental work" undertaken in the areas.

The SG acceded that the government does understand that "merely
putting people in a camp and then calling it a refugee camp is not
enough". "These people have fundamental rights. I assure the court
that if there are ways to improve the situation, we will take all the
steps," he said.

Meanwhile, the statements of the six tribals -- allegedly witnesses to
the killing of nine persons in an encounter at Goompad Village in
Dhantewada district on October 1, 2009 -- were produced before the apex
court. They had given their statements to Delhi District Judge G P
Mittal as per the direction of the Supreme Court.

Senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, who appeared on the behalf of
activist Himanshu Kumar, summed up the content of the tribals'
statements to the district judge: "They have broadly confirmed there
was a massacre. But did not know who did it."

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/naxal-strike-setback-to-peace-efforts-ag-to-sc/580823/0

SC concerned over plight of naxal affected tribals
2/16/2010

The Supreme Court expressed concern over the plight of over two lakh
tribals uprooted from their homes due to naxalite violence in
Chhattisgarh.

Solicitor General of India Gopal Subramaniam, responding to the query
of the Supreme Court, told a bench headed by Justice B Sudershan Reddy
that the government was making all-out effort to rehabilitate the
tribal's who had to flee from their homes due to the fear of naxals,
particularly in Dantewada district.

Dantewada is a naxal-dominated district of Chhattisgarh and is the
worst affected in the state.

The apex court adjourned the hearing of the case till next week.

Earlier, the district and sessions judge, Delhi submitted the
statement of six tribal's recorded by him yesterday as per the
directions of the Supreme Court. Six out of twelve eyewitnesses to the
alleged massacre of nine villagers by CRPF personnel in 2009 were also
produced before the Supreme Court.

On the previous date of hearing, the Court had directed the state of
Chhattisgarh to produce all the 12 tribal's who were the eyewitnesses
to the alleged massacre. The directions were issued when the
petitioners alleged that all the eyewitnesses have been forced to go
underground by the police so that they do not testify against the
culprits.

UNI

http://www.indlawnews.com/Newsdisplay.aspx?cda2cf73-1157-4c7d-a008-f52530838766

WB orders probe into no action on Naxal alert
Headlines Today Bureau
West Midnapore, February 17, 2010

The West Bengal government on Wednesday ordered an inquiry into the
state police's failure to act on an intelligence warning about the
Naxal attack at the Silda camp of the 16 Eastern Frontier Rifles.

Home Secretary Ardendu Sen said that the probe would fix
responsibility for the lapse, which led to the death of 24 jawans in
the Naxal strike.

Headlines Today had reported on Tuesday how the West Midnapore police
was alerted three hours before the Naxal attack but failed to act.

Compensation announced

Meanwhile, state Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta said that Rs 15 lakh
would be given as compensation to the families of the security
personnel killed in the attack.

"It is the duty of the government to sanction Rs 15 lakh per family of
the deceased and a job to one member in the family. Also, the salary
for the entire period for which the deceased jawans would have worked
should be given to the nearest one," Dasgupta said.

Earlier, Dasgupta faced a protest from 300-400 women in West
Midnapore. Among the protesters were relatives of the deceased jawans.

The minister had gone to offer condolences to the bereaved families,
but they slammed the state government for failing to provide security
to the jawans. The protesters shouted slogans and even resorted to
arson.

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/84453/India/WB+orders+probe+into+no+action+on+Naxal+alert.html

'Pune blast will be solved in few days'
Headlines Today Bureau
New Delhi, February 17, 2010

Investigators are confident of cracking the Pune blast case in a few
days, sources in the home ministry have said.

Ministry sources told Headlines Today that the role of Lashkar
operative David Headley was key to the probe. Headley's role in
selection of the blast target - the German Bakery - could not be
ignored, the sources said.

In view of the terror threats to the Hockey World Cup, IPL and
Commonwealth Games, the ministry assured that security for all
sporting events held in India would be made foolproof.

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/84493/India/â Pune+blast+will+be+solved+in+few+daysâ .html

Pakistan fostering terror, not helping bilateral ties: India
PTI
New Delhi, February 17, 2010

India today said conscious fostering of terrorism from across the
border was not helping Indo-Pak ties and asked the neighbour to
contain it.

"Fostering of terrorism from across the border (by Pakistan) was not
helping bilateral relations," Minister of State for Defence M M Pallam
Raju told reporters on the sidelines of a CII-sponsored naval seminar
at the ongoing DefExpo.

"I hope the government of Pakistan takes action to contain this
(terrorism)," he said.

Raju was replying to questions on the increased infiltration by
militants into Jammu and Kashmir in the last couple of months and what
impact it could have on bilateral relations with Pakistan.

Describing the situation caused by infiltration and terrorism as
"unfortunate," he said, "Infiltration by militants from across the
border has increased in recent times.

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/84450/LATEST%20HEADLINES/Pakistan+fostering+terror,+not+helping+bilateral+ties:+India.html

...and I am Sid Harth
bademiyansubhanallah
15 years ago
Permalink
Hardcore Maoist held in Orissa
PTI
Wednesday, February 17, 2010 15:14 IST

Paralakhemundi (Orissa): A hardcore Maoist, actively involved in
attacks on government property, was arrested from Orissa's Gajapati
district today, police said.

The ultra, identified as Babula Behera Dalai (29), was picked up
during combing operation by the security forces in Adaba area,
superintendent of police Sanjay Arora told reporters here.

A 'key and active member' of Bansadhara committee of the rebels,
'Babula' was involved in the attack on a forest office building and
burning of a government bus besides the abduction of a girl in the
Naxal-infested district, bordering Andhra Pradesh, police said.

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_hardcore-maoist-held-in-orissa_1349015

Iran seeks arrest of those involved in Pune blast
PTI
Tuesday, February 16, 2010 18:28 IST

New Delhi: Offering its condolences to the family members of the
victims of the Pune bomb blast, in which one Iranian student was also
killed, Iran today asked Indian government to take serious steps to
identify and arrest those involved in the ghastly act.

In a statement issued in New Delhi, the Iran embassy said it "condemns
in the strongest possible words such terrorist acts and calls upon the
government of India to, while ensuring the security of the Iranian
nationals, take serious steps to identify and arrest those involved in
the blast."

It said it was "offering condolence and sympathy to the family members
of the victims of the terrorist act in which one Iranian student was
killed and five others were injured."

In the first major attack after 26/11, terror struck Pune on Saturday
as a powerful bomb ripped apart at a popular bakery-cum-cafe near the
Chabad House, killing ten people, including two foreigners and
injuring 57 others.

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_iran-seeks-arrest-of-those-involved-in-pune-blast_1348585

Pune blast: We did it, says obscure Pak outfit
PTI, DNA
Tuesday, February 16, 2010 19:26 IST
Last updated: Tuesday, February 16, 2010 20:16 IST

New Delhi: Laskhar-e-Taiba Al Alami, a little-known outfit, has
claimed responsibility for Saturday’s bomb blast in Pune’s German
Bakery.

According to The Hindu, a person, identifying himself as Abu Jindal,
called the newspaper’s office in Islamabad and said his group carried
out the attack as India refused to discuss Kashmir during the
forthcoming talks with Pakistan in Delhi. The foreign secretaries of
the countries are meeting in the capital on February 25.

The claim is intriguing as it runs contrary to the stated position of
jehadi groups on Kashmir.Laskhar-e-Taiba Al Alami has never figured on
the Indian intelligence radar. But if the claim has any credibility,
it could mean it is the international arm of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)
— Al Alami means international literally. But the caller said they
were a splinter group of the LeT, and had split from the parent
organisation because it was listening to Pakistani intelligence agency
ISI.

Abu Jindal, according to the newspaper, claimed to be the spokesman of
the outfit. He also warned against India’s alliance with the US.

“Joh bhi America ka ittehad hoga, hum uskey khilaf jang ladengey,
chahey woh India ho ya Pakistan (we will wage war against any ally of
America, whether it is India or Pakistan),” the newspaper quoted him
as saying.

The telephone number that showed up on the caller identity carried an
area code common to the Waziristan tribal area and Bannu, the
adjoining district in the North-West Frontier Province. When the
paper’s Islamabad correspondent tried calling back the number, a
recorded voice message said the number was temporarily not in use.

The newspaper said the caller sounded like an educated boy in his late
teens or early 20s. He said he was calling from Miramshah in North
Waziristan and declined to divulge the name of the group’s leader.
Asked how the group had carried out the Pune attack, he said it had
its “sources” in India and had activated them to carry out the attack.

Sources in the Indian security establishment said on the face of it
the caller was confused about issues. But they said they wouldn’t rule
out any possibility, given the growing terrorist

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_pune-blast-we-did-it-says-obscure-pak-outfit_1348680

2 Britishers held for 'gazing' at Delhi airport
Anil Anand & Eklavya Atray / DNA
Wednesday, February 17, 2010 0:19 IST

New Delhi: The Delhi police on Monday detained two British nationals
staying at a five star hotel near the Indira Gandhi airport, after
they were found with sophisticated equipment that can interfere with
communication between aircraft and the airport’s communication tower.

Stephen Hampston, 46, and Steve Martin, 55, were detained after staff
at the Radisson Hotel, which is next to the international airport, got
suspicious about their activities after they had checked in on
February 11.

Home secretary GK Pillai said, “They asked for a room from where they
could have a clear view of the runway. They argued on the issue with
the hotel staff.” He said their conversation then came under the
scanner and raids were conducted. “The gadget they had could interfere
with conversations between the air traffic control and aircraft. It
could have had disastrous consequences,” Pillai said.

Delhi police said their passports have been seized and they are being
questioned. Intelligence agencies are looking at their recent travel
plans to find out if they have been to Pakistan, Bangladesh or any
such locations. “We detained them as they were involved in suspicious
activities,” police commissioner YS Dadhwal said.

Action will be taken against them under the telegraph act and other
rules, if they have violated any laws, police sources said.

According to the Delhi police, the two tracked the arrival and
departure of flights of several major airlines. They had very
sophisticated equipment along with a pair of very powerful
binoculars.

“According to the hotel staff, the two used to spend hours gazing at
the planes with their equipment,” a police official said.

The British high commission has been informed about their detention.

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_2-britishers-held-for-gazing-at-delhi-airport_1348833

Centre, Bengal spar over Naxal attack, strategy

Sougata Mukhopadhyay / CNN-IBN

Published on Wed, Feb 17, 2010 at 07:41,
Updated on Wed, Feb 17, 2010 at 12:01 in India section

Kolkata: The Centre along with the Naxal-affected states has launched
its biggest offensive against the rebels but Monday's attack at a
police camp in West Bengal in which 24 security personnel were killed
showed that the strategy to counter the rebels is not foolproof.

Following the deadly attack West Bengal Police are caught in political
pressure with the Centre saying the state's force is ill-equipped, but
state government has been claiming that Naxal leader Kishanji will be
arrested soon.

Preliminary investigations into the Naxal attack at a camp of Eastern
Frontier Rifle (EFR) jawans in Silda in West Midnapore point to a
security lapse and exposes how unprepared the forces are in dealing
with the menace.

The daring attack has also prompted the Centre to rethink its strategy
to counter the Naxals.

Seven more jawans were injured and are fighting for life in the
attack.

Even West Bengal's top police officials accept that there was very
little resistance that was put up as the jawans were no match for the
biggest, boldest ever operation by the Naxals in West Bengal.


"The jawans could not retaliate because it is a congested area and
there were chances of civilians getting hurt," said West Bengal DGP
Bhupinder Singh.

Forty jawans were manning the camp when over 100 Naxals launched the
assault. The attackers came on motorcycles and cars.

They also looted 50 rifles including AK-47s.

For the first time the Naxals used four-wheelers in such an attack.
They also tried to cover their tracks and burnt the vehicles before
fleeing, on a state highway 20km away from the site of the operation.

The scale of the attack has forced New Delhi to rethink strategies,
just a week after Union Home Minister P Chidambaram met with chief
ministers of West Bengal and Orissa, deputy chief minister of
Jharkhand and top officials from Bihar in Kolkata to draw up a joint
strategy to counter the Naxals.

"We will review the strategy in West Bengal. We need to pay more
emphasis in training, relief and rescue," said Special Secretary,
Internal Security, UK Bansal.

Clearly, there was an intelligence failure.

The attacked camp is located right in middle of a market and evidently
the Naxals were planning the attack for a long time.

Ironically local villagers showed little sympathy for the dead jawans
and without their help, Operation Greenhunt against the Naxals cannot
expect much success.

"During the attack no policemen were around and now they are coming
and beating us up," said a villager.

It took the lives of 24 security personnel for West Bengal Police to
decide that the Silda camp should be rapped up and moved to another
location.

But with no clear retaliatory strategy spelt out even after Monday's
deadly attack, it seems peace in West Bengal's Jangal Mahal area would
remain a far cry.

Union Home Secretary GK Pillai claimed that West Bengal Police was ill-
prepared to tackle the Naxal menace.

"I think the Maoists have basically selected what I would call as soft
target. Because the West Bengal police are possibly the least prepared
for tackling such menace as the Maoists. I don't think the Maoists
would really dare to do this either in Gadchirolli or in Chhattisgarh
where the police forces are far more shall I say battle hardened,"
Pillai told CNN-IBN.

When asked if West Bengal Police were not equipped to take on the
Maoists, Pillai replied in the affirmative.

"Yes! I think they do need far more training. I think the preliminary
indications are that there have been quite some considerable security
lapses and negligence on the part of those who are manning the camp.
That is why they have lost this much of manpower as also the weapons,"
said Pillai.

However, West Bengal Home Secretary Ardhendu Sen said there had been
no security lapses and negligence on the part of West Bengal forces.

"I am sure same type of attacks took place at some other camp or
thana. One has to go into specific situation instead of making general
statements. It's not that West Bengal is not prepared. It's not an
easy task to catch him (Naxal leader Kishanji) but you have seen over
the last month or so repeated attempts have been made and in each
attempt we have got closer to him including the one where we got his
laptop, hearing aid etc. We are countering the attacks. These are
being masterminded by a very small group. It's just a question of
time. We will definitely catch him. Kishanji will be caught very
soon," claimed Sen.

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/centre-bengal-spar-over-naxal-attack-strategy/110258-3.html?from=tn

Naxal attack: Chidambaram admits to failure
TNN, Feb 17, 2010, 03.27am IST

NEW DELHI: With Maoists continuing their killings with impunity, Union
home minister P Chidambaram on Tuesday accepted that there were
indications of "failure" (on the part of the state police) in some
aspects and appealed to the ultras' sympathisers to condemn such
acts.

"While there are indications of failure in some aspects, only a
thorough review will reveal how the police camp with adequate strength
was overrun, when there was daylight, by the CPI (Maoist)," he said
while condemning the incident of the Silda camp attack in West
Bengal.

Chidambaram, who spoke to state chief minister Buddhadeb
Bhattacharjee, said the attack was "another outrageous attempt by the
banned organisation to overawe the established authority in the
State".

"Every attack of this kind exposes the true nature and character of
the CPI (Maoist)... Their weapon is violence. No organisation or group
in a democratic republic has the right to take to violence to
overpower the established legal authority," he said, criticising a
number of "well meaning organizations" that find "legitimacy" in the
armed struggle by CPI (Maoists).

The home minister said: "I know that the overwhelming majority in this
country will condemn the mindless violence unleashed by the CPI
(Maoist) and will support the careful, controlled and calibrated
efforts being taken by the Central and state governments to put an end
to the violence. However, I would like to hear the voices of
condemnation of those who have, erroneously, extended intellectual and
material support to the CPI (Maoist)."

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Naxal-attack-Chidambaram-admits-to-failure/articleshow/5581560.cms

Naxal-hit states see push for joining Army

Express News Service
First Published : 17 Feb 2010 04:16:19 AM IST
Last Updated : 17 Feb 2010 07:49:11 AM IST

BANGALORE: In what might come as a rare silver lining for the
government in its war against Maoist insurgency, the youth belonging
to the Naxal-hit states, who were hitherto adverse to joining the
country's armed forces, are now looking forward to a career in the
Indian Army.

Ravished by the inconsistencies of life and with no future to look
forward, youth in some of the worst Naxalaffected states in the
country like Chhattisgarh, Bihar and Jharkhand have been turning out
in large numbers at the army recruitment rallies conducted even in
regions where left-wing extremism thrives.

Adjutant General Lt Gen Mukesh Sabharwal, who was in the city to
attend the 26th annual recruitment seminar of the Indian Army, said
the encouraging response from the youth in these states was
surprising.

“Most of the youth living in these regions have not seen the outside
world. They have been literally living in a cocoon and now they are
coming out which is very good as they not only get employment and a
meaning full life to live but can also back and manage others to join
the army,” he said.

The Recruitment Directorate (Bihar and Jharkhand) witnessed an
overwhelming response at the recruitment rallies held in Nothian and
Jamalpur in which around 8317 and 5982 candidates turned out
respectively.

Similarly at Chhattisgarh the allotted 2 per cent recruitment quota
for the state was completely filled.

“A lot of promotional activity was done by the government in the way
of distributing study materials which has helped us to get the youth
to attend the recruitment rallies at some of the worst affected
regions like Ambikapur, Bastar and Jugdalpur,” said Col JS Gujral,
director, Recruitment, Chhattisgarh.

There is a similar response from the youth in the trouble torn regions
of Jammu and Kashmir and the North East said the Adjutant General.

On Karnataka he expressed satisfaction over the levels of recruitment
in Karnataka but said that the targets were not met under the
technical entry scheme.

On the steps taken to overcome shortage of Officers in the Indian
Army, he said that Army would encourage Short Service Commission
wherein the youth can serve about 10-14 years and then take up other
jobs.

He also said that the involvement of senior officers in the Sukhna
land scam was an aberration which will not have any impact on the
youth in joining the Indian Army.

***@expressbuzz.com

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Naxal-hit+states+see+push+for+joining+Army&artid=H4YgzOOhAnY=&SectionID=7GUA38txp3s=&MainSectionID=7GUA38txp3s=&SEO=&SectionName=zkvyRoWGpmWSxZV2TGM5XQ==

Naxal couple surrender

Express News Service
First Published : 09 Jun 2009 03:26:00 AM IST

RAYAGADA: Even as the Naxalites struck last night, two of their top
members laid down arms on Monday. One of them, Ghasiram Majhi alias
Akash, was commander of Ghumsar division. He and his wife Jharana were
involved in major Naxal attacks in the State including the Nayagarh
massacre. He is close to Sabyasachi Panda, Orissa State Committee
secretary of CPI(Maoist). The couple surrendered along with their one-
year-old child before Rayagada SP Ashish Singh here today.


Akash and wife Jharana alias Pratima Mutika belong to Gudari in
Rayagada district. Akash was considered No.4 in the rank among the
Oriya leaders after Sabyasachi, Azad and Basant, the SP said. Ghasiram
was called Akash in Bansadhara Divisional Committee, Dora in Ghumsar
Division and Divakar Mallik in Nayagarh.

There are more than 48 cases in all the districts against him. His
wife is also involved in the crimes with him and is No. 2. Akash told
mediapersons about his involvement in different incidents but said the
Lakshamananda Saraswati killing was not discussed. There was just an
order to execute it. Differences are quite common in such
organisations but there was review of each incident.

He said they surrendered because they found that the ideals for which
they embraced Naxalism failed to fulfil the objectives even after 10
to 12 years.

The problems rather increased. This led to disillusionment.

Citing an example, he said land problem could not be solved in the
region. Asked about the killing of BJD leader Jajati Sahoo, Akash said
a person who surrendered should not have been killed.

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Naxal+couple+surrender&artid=LF2J9Zi6bDQ=&SectionID=mvKkT3vj5ZA=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=nUFeEOBkuKw=&SEO=

Naxal menace: Challenge for new government

Express News Service
First Published : 03 Jun 2009 03:21:00 AM IST
Last Updated : 03 Jun 2009 11:17:19 AM IST

BHUBANESWAR: The growing Naxal menace in the State witnessed during
the last three months, particularly in the southern districts, has
emerged as a major challenge before the newly sworn-in Naveen Patnaik
government.

The killing of Sibaram in Narayanpatna block in Koraput district today
is a pointer to what extent the situation has worsened in the area.

The Naxalites have killed at least six persons in the southern
districts during the last two months.

Three of those brutally killed by the Naxals were contractors while
Sibaram was reported to be working as a special police officer (SPO)
in that area.

Naveen Patnaik today took stock of the situation at a high-level
meeting here.

The law and order situation in the State has taken a turn for the
worse during the year. While the activities of the Naxals are on the
rise in various areas of the State, the gangrape of a Dalit girl at
Paikmal was embarrassing to the government.

The rape of the Dalit girl has taken a political colour with the
Opposition parties demanding the resignation of Scheduled Caste and
Scheduled Tribe Welfare and Minorities Development Minister Bijay
Ranjan Singh Bariha for allegedly trying to suppress the case.

On the top of it, the brutal murder of Mauni Baba in Puri has clearly
exposed bad law and order.

The killing of the Malkangiri candidate of Samruddha Odisha in April
had given a clear indication that the Left Wing Extremists (LWEs) are
getting bold.

Another cause for worry is the situation in Kandhamal district which
is gradually slipping into the clutches of the Naxals.

The LWEs are suspected to have killed nine persons in the district
during the last one year.

Even though peace prevails in the district on the communal front and
there has been no incident during the last eight months, nobody can
vouch for the safety of the region after the partial withdrawal of the
Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Naxal+menace:++Challenge+for+new+government&artid=AEnSlAGmviY=&SectionID=mvKkT3vj5ZA=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=nUFeEOBkuKw=&SEO=

Naxal threat takes heavy toll on polling in red zone

A K Mishra
First Published : 17 Apr 2009 04:10:00 AM IST
Last Updated : 17 Apr 2009 08:48:54 AM IST

JEYPORE: Against the backdrop of Naxal mayhem in Damanjodi and
prevailing fear psychosis among voters, the voting was over in the
Naxal zone of Koraput, Rayagada and Malkangiri districts today.


But the Naxal threat and fear took a heavy toll on polling as the
areas witnessed one of lowest-ever voter turnout in the election
history.

Police were on their toes to thwart Naxal attack as the rebels blocked
several roads by felling trees and set several polling booths on fire.
As many as ten booths in Balimela and Kudulugumma blocks in Malkangiri
district had no polling on the day due tor Naxal threats. Naxals also
torched polling stations and material in Malmarionda, Kalimela,
Tonkarkota, Badigota, MV 73, MV 75, Andrahall and even burnt a jeep of
a polling team near Andrahall. Polling was also not recorded in five
villages under Kummanur panchayats in Malkangiri as the locals
boycotted the polls demanding tribal status. Despite heavy deployment
of police and paramilitary forces, the Naxals found blocking roads in
Kalimela and Chitrokonda areas. Only 20 percent polling was recorded
in Naxal-infested Malkangiri, Kalimela, Khoiraput, Kudumullugmma and
Padia in the region.

Similarly, Koraput district, which is bearing the brunt of Naxal
violence, also recorded no polling in many areas.

Five villages under Narayanpatna, two in Bandhguam and five in
Boipariguda blocks in the district recorded no polling as locals
boycotted the elections following threat by Naxal. For the first time
in the election history Naxals blocked the roads linked to Jeypore by
chopping trees near Boipariguda, Lamataput, Naryanpatna and Bandhugam
to prevent polling parties from reaching interior areas. After reports
of explosives being planted in the areas were received by the
administration, the roads were cleared for passage. Naxalinfested
Koraput, Narayanpatana, Bandhugam, Laxmipur and Boipariguda recorded
40 percent polling due Naxal threats.

Rayagada, where also Naxal threat loomed large, witnessed low turnout
in Naxalite pockets. Only 35 percent polling was recorded in Maoist-
infested Gunupur, Bissamcuttack, Rayagada, Chandrapur and Muniguda
blocks. As many as 12 polling booths - three in Gunupur, four in
Chandraput, three in Bissamcuttack and two in Muniguda - recorded no
polling due to boycott call by Naxals. Over 4000 armed police were
deployed in three Naxal-infested districts of Koraput, Rayagada and
Malkangiri and hide and seek game between police and Maoists was
witnessed in many places. However, no large-scale attack by Naxals was
recorded from anywhere as the police took enough precautionary
measures and pressed into service choppers to keep tabs on Naxals.

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Naxal+threat+takes+heavy+toll+on+polling+in+red+zone&artid=vK7nPHwCbMo=&SectionID=mvKkT3vj5ZA=&MainSectionID=XT7e3Zkr/lw=&SectionName=nUFeEOBkuKw=&SEO=Malkangiri,%20Kalimela,%20Khoiraput,%20Kudumull

‘Soren must brace for Naxal threat’

Express News Service
First Published : 20 Jan 2010 03:09:00 AM IST
Last Updated : 21 Jan 2010 01:19:36 PM IST

NEW DELHI: Indirectly holding Shibu Soren’s soft approach towards
Naxals responsible for Monday’s attack, Union Home Minister P
Chidambaram on Tuesday hoped that the new Government in Jharkhand
would soon give clear directions to the state police and
administration to resolutely face the challenge.

Triggering a landmine blast in the Gumla district of Jharkhand, the
Naxals had killed seven state police personnel and one civilian.

Warning that it was a loud and clear signal to the new government in
Jharkhand by the CPI (Maoist), Chidambaram said, “The new government
would quickly settle down and give clear directions to the state
police and administration to face the challenge of Naxals,".

Condemning the incident, the home minister also urged the state
government, political parties and civil society to understand the true
nature of the Naxal menace and once again resolve to put an end to
Naxalism.

“It is an open secret that under the new Chief Minister Shibu Soren,
the Jharkhand Government has developed cold feet in their fight
against Naxals,” he said.

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=%E2%80%98Soren+must+brace+for+Naxal+threat%E2%80%99&artid=z8XU/6EANI0=&SectionID=b7ziAYMenjw=&MainSectionID=b7ziAYMenjw=&SectionName=pWehHe7IsSU=&SEO=

Over 100 Nalco officers trapped in Naxal attack

Siba Mohanty
First Published : 13 Apr 2009 05:36:00 AM IST
Last Updated : 13 Apr 2009 03:14:25 PM IST

BHUBANESWAR: With barely three days to go for the first phase polls in
Orissa, Left wing extremists on Sunday night mounted a daring attack
on the National Aluminium Company (Nalco)-owned explosive depot atop
Damanjodi hill of Koraput in a bid to seize control of the unit
guarded by the CISF.

Over 100 employees of the aluminium major were stated to be trapped at
the unit situated at a distance of 17 km from Damanjodi town.

Preliminary reports said an about 100 Naxalites attacked the magazine
where a large quantity of explosives, meant for quarrying, are stored.
The extremists were engaged in a fierce fight with a 22-man CISF unit.
According to unconfirmed reports, two security personnel have died in
the fight.

Sources said, the CISF unit is unlikely to hold fort for long with
little reinforcement reaching them. Since the attack was launched
around 9 pm, access to the police and Special Operation Group team was
difficult.

Sources said the steep slope of the hill was such that it was
extremely unfavourable for reinforcement teams to proceed in the dark
because of possibilities of ambush.

Till last reports came in, the CISF unit was retaliating and two of
their members, including an Inspector and a jawan, were believed to
have been grievously hurt in the gun battle. “We cannot confirm yet
but they may have been killed,” sources said.

Official team visits Naxal-hit villages

Express News Service
First Published : 19 Dec 2009 07:24:41 AM IST

ROURKELA: An administrative team today visited some interior villages
under K Balang police limits in the Naxal-infested Bonai sub-division
to assess the developmental needs of the villagers after they pledged
support to the Sundargarh district administration, fed up with Maoist
violence.

More than 300 villagers, including children and women, returned to
their respective places of Sanbalijodi, Langalkata and Relhatu with
security escort provided by the team comprising the Bonai sub-
collector Sarat Mishra among others. Two days back fearing reprisal
from the Maoists they had taken shelter at K Balang ME School.

At a meeting, people from five villages told the team about their
miserable plight with no road communication, lack of infrastructure
development and crumbling education and healthcare system.

Mishra said the government would be apprised of the development needs
of the areas.

Earlier, more than 1,000 people from five villages, threatened by the
Maoists, took shelter at K Balang on December 10 before they returned
home amid tight security. With the help of villagers, police later
recovered nearly dozen landmines and arrested five suspected Maoists.

Meanwhile, around 10 Maoist posters written in Oriya reading ‘stop
police atrocities’ and ‘boycott Jharkhand Assembly polls’ were found
pasted near the railway station at Renjda under K Balang police
limits. Express News Service Rourkela, December 18 AN administrative
team today visited some in¬terior villages under K Balang police
limits in the Naxal-infested Bonai sub-division to assess the
developmental needs of the villagers after they pledged support to the
Sundargarh district administration, fed up with Maoist violence. More
than 300 villagers, including children and women, returned to their
respective places of Sanbalijodi, Langalkata and Relhatu with security
escort provided by the team compris¬ing the Bonai sub-collector Sarat
Mishra among others. Two days back fearing reprisal from the Maoists
they had taken shelter at K Balang ME School. At a meeting, people
from five villages told the team about their miserable plight with no
road communication, lack of infrastructure development and crumbling
education and healthcare system. Mishra said the government would be
ap¬prised of the development needs of the areas. Earlier, more than
1,000 people from five vil¬lages, threatened by the Maoists, took
shelter at K Balang on December 10 before they returned home amid
tight security. With the help of vil¬lagers, police later recovered
nearly dozen land¬mines and arrested five suspected Maoists.
Meanwhile, around 10 Maoist posters written in Oriya reading ‘stop
police atrocities’ and ‘boycott Jharkhand Assembly polls’ were found
pasted near the railway station at Renjda under K Balang police
limits.

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Official+team+visits+Naxal-hit+villages&artid=7Qrq88j/wM4=&SectionID=mvKkT3vj5ZA=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=nUFeEOBkuKw=&SEO=

Sops for Government staff in Naxal areas

Express News Service
First Published : 08 Jan 2010 09:33:24 AM IST
Last Updated : 07 Jan 2010 10:16:10 PM IST

BHUBANESWAR: The Government today decided in principle to provide
special incentives to public servants other than police working in the
Naxal-affected areas. After a high-level official meeting, Chief
Secretary TK Mishra said that Government servants working in Naxal-
affected areas will be provided insurance cover and compensation will
be paid to the families who fall victim to attacks by the Left wing
ultras. After three years of service in disturbed areas, Government
officials will be transferred on request and if possible they will be
given posting at places of their choice. The Chief Secretary
instructed administrative departments to provide quarters and other
basic facilities to their employees posted in the disturbed areas.
Police personnel posted in the Naxal- stronghold districts have been
enjoying special financial assistance from the Government. The
Government decided to extend similar benefits to other employees to
encourage them to accept posting in the difficult areas. Apart from
the undivided KBK region, Government officials resist posting in Naxal
areas resulting in huge vacancies at the field level. The Government
will formulate a policy to incentivise officials posted in Naxal-
affected districts, Mishra said adding, the Centre had been requested
to assist the State financially.

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Sops+for+Government+staff+in+Naxal+areas&artid=1efJLq%7CU7/4=&SectionID=mvKkT3vj5ZA=&MainSectionID=mvKkT3vj5ZA=&SectionName=nUFeEOBkuKw=&SEO=

...and I am Sid Harth
bademiyansubhanallah
15 years ago
Permalink
Naxal attack: Chidambaram admits to failure

By India News, Latest News in India, Live News India, India Breaking
News - Times of India

With Maoists continuing their killings with impunity, home minister P
Chidambaram accepted that there were indications of “failure” in some
aspects and appealed to the ultras’ sympathisers to condemn such
acts.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 16th, 2010 at 11:57 pm

http://www.waltercassano.com/blog/?p=49913

February 15, 2010
After Poona attack Indians ask again: was David Headley involved?
From The Times Online, London

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article7026599.ece

The attack on Poona will again raise questions over the role of David
Coleman Headley, an American who went from being a American government
informer to an alleged reconnaissance agent for the group that carried
out the Mumbai attacks in 2008.

Mr Headley, 49, had visited the area of Poona devastated by Saturday’s
blast at least twice while checking out potential terrorist targets –
most recently in March 2009 – Indian officials allege.

He was born in Washington to a Pakistan diplomat father and an
American mother. He was arrested in Chicago in October last year,
accused of reconnoitring targets in India and Europe for Lashkar-e-
Taiba (LeT), the Pakistan-based terrorist group behind the Mumbai
attacks and of having links to al-Qaeda. He has denied the charges.

Mr Headey came to the attention of the US security services in 1997
when he was arrested for heroin smuggling in New York. He earned a
reduced sentence by working for the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA)
by infiltrating Pakistan-linked narcotics gangs.

Indian investigators, who have been denied access to Mr Headley,
suspect he remained on the payroll of the US security services, but
switched his allegiance to LeT. "India is looking into whether Headley
worked as a double agent," an Indian home ministry official said in
December.

Mr Headley, who changed his name from Daood Gilani, was in Mumbai
until two weeks before the attacks on the city, which claimed 166
lives in November 2008. It is alleged he spent months checking targets
in India’s commercial capital, using his Western looks and anglicised
name to move in elite social circles, where he rubbed shoulders with
Bollywood actors, and even to pass himself off as Jewish.

Despite being on the radar of the US intelligence agencies, he was
allowed to enter India as recently as March last year, four months
after the Mumbai attacks. Indian officials are furious that their
American counterparts did not share details of that visit at the time.
The Indian media has raised the possibility that Mr Headley was being
protected by his American handlers – a theory that experts say is
credible.

“The feeling in India is that the US has not been transparent,” said
B. Raman, a former counterterrorism chief in the Indian foreign
intelligence service.

“That Headley was an agent for the DEA is known. Whether he was being
used by the CIA as well is a matter of speculation, but it is almost
certain that the CIA was aware of him and his movements across the
subcontinent.”

The CIA denied that Headley worked for them. A spokesman said any
suggestion to that effect was "complete and utter nonsense. It’s flat-
out false."

According to Mr Raman, it is probable that Mr Headley, who was
arrested when the US authorities learned he was about to fly to
Pakistan, was listed on the main database of the US National
Counterterrorism Centre, a facility used by the CIA and several other
American agencies to track terrorist suspects.

Indian officials are concerned that US agencies may have declined to
share intelligence to avoid compromising other secret operations and
to allow them to deny any link with Mr Headley.

Analysts believe that the US may also have been anxious to avoid
sharing information that could further raise tensions between India
and Pakistan, nuclear-armed neighbours that have fought three wars.

According to documents put before a court in Chicago, Mr Headley had
links with the Pakistan Army and thus to al-Qaeda. As well as helping
to co-ordinate the Mumbai atrocity, Mr Headley is accused of planning
attacks on Mumbai’s Bollywood film industry; on the Shiv Sena, a Hindu
extremist group also based in Mumbai; on a major Hindu temple; and on
a Danish newspaper that published cartoons depicting the Prophet
Muhammad.

The US authorities allege he was close to Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a
Pakistani former schoolmate and businessman who also is being charged
with planning to attack the Danish newspaper, Jyllands-Posten.

Mr Rana is accused of having known about the attack on Mumbai in
advance. Gopal Pillai, the Indian Home Secretary, has said that his
Government would seek the extradition of Mr Headley.
Posted by Naxal Watch at 9:45 PM

1 comments:

BENGAL UNDER ATTACK said...
David Headley is an intelligence asset of the USA that did not go
rogue.

As is the case with Ilyas Kashmiri, the al-Qaeda no.2 and ex-SSG
Pakistani commando who was even felicitated by ex-Gen Musharraf with a
bounty of 1 lac for be-heading an Indian soldier. Ilyas Kashmiri and
his Brigade 313 has taken responsibility for the attacks in Pune and
threatened India with more attacks if Kashmir is not sovled (means
handed over a platter to Pakistan). The threat is economic specific -
games (Commonwealth, IPL etc).

With economic of the West dwindling faster than nine pins and Greece
on the verge of going the Iceland way - the Anglo American enterprise
can only look at hyperinflation in China and chaos in India to even
the field.

Look at the larger picture and India has to understand the insidious
deals of CIA with ISI from time immemorial.

February 16, 2010 3:04 AM

http://intellibriefs.blogspot.com/2010/02/after-poona-attack-indians-ask-again.html

16 February, 2010

Comments on Radins Afghan Strategy Article by Major Agha H Amin
(Retired)
16 February 2010

I was recently in Afghanistan in January 2010.I travelled to Camp
Bastion near Nad i Ali,I travelled to Camp Leatherneck near
Khanishin,I travelled to Camp Dwyer near Garmser.All in connection
with a diesel and logistics sub sub contract.My observations are as
following :---

1-The US Forces do not seem to be burning with fire to destroy the
enemy.What they are doing cannot be called decisive warfare.

2-The Taliban are moving freely east to west and north to south all
along from Pakistani border in Quetta Chaghai and Dalbandin Districts
and in between Kandahar and Nimroz.

3-The US Forces have made no attempt to inderdict these talibs
carrying both drugs and logistics.

While all drone attacks are taking place on some 5 % of talibs in FATA
some 95 % of Talibs in Afghanistan are at virtual peace with US Forces
and Pakistani military calls them good Taliban.

Incidentally security was so bad that we had to travel with men who
call themselves talbs and pay taxes to talibs for carrying US supplies
to all the four camps mentioned.

We travelled back straight by GPS from Khanishin to Nushki in
Pakistani Balochistan.

Finally I am glad that my assessment of the Taliban Hoax has been
published for the layman readers by Edwin Mellen Press New York titled
as Development of Taliban Factions in Afghanistan.

The military strategy in Afghanistan
By CJ Radin
Feb 14 2010

Since 2006, the Taliban have made a dramatic comeback in Afghanistan
after being driven from the country in 2002. As security has
deteriorated, they have steadily taken control of more and more
territory. In response, a new strategic plan for Afghanistan has been
formulated by General Stanley McChrystal, Commander of ISAF and US
Forces - Afghanistan. On Dec. 3, 2009, this plan was approved by the
Obama administration. While there are several important aspects of the
strategy, such as political development, economic development, counter
narcotics, and the police and justice system, this article will focus
on the military aspect.

The strategic environment

The US military has identified three major Taliban groups as
representing the primary threat to Afghan security: the Quetta Shura
Taliban, the Haqqani Network, and the Hezb-i-Islami Gulbuddin.
According to the US military and General McChrystal, These groups
often operate together, coordinating activities loosely, but they do
not share a single formal command and control structure. Nor do they
have a single overarching strategy or campaign plan. Each group has it
own methods of developing and executing plans and each has adapted
over time.

The Taliban groups have made significant inroads in Afghanistan,
especially in the southern and eastern portions of the country.
Violent attacks constitute the most visible part of this insurgency;
targets are the ISAF forces, Afghan security forces, and the civilian
population. These violent attacks are designed to further recruiting
and financing efforts, to provoke reactions from ISAF that further
alienate the population, and to weaken the government by demonstrating
its inability to provide security.

In addition, the Taliban wage a silent war of intimidation and
persuasion to gain control of the population. These efforts make
possible the existence of Taliban shadow governments in virtually
every province that actively seek to control the population and
displace the national and local governments and traditional power
structures.

The Taliban currently have the initiative in Afghanistan. As a result,
the ordinary Afghan civilian's confidence in the Afghan government has
been declining.

In spite of these gains, however, the Taliban have a significant
weakness. They are not supported by a large portion of Afghans. The
core elements of the insurgency have previously held power in
Afghanistan, and popular enthusiasm for them was and is limited.

Traditionally, the main strength of an insurgency comes from its
support among the local population. Without it, insurgents are
vulnerable to being identified and attacked by larger and more capable
regular forces. This fact is of central importance to the new plan.

The overall military strategy

The McChrystal military plan covers the short term, the next 12-18
months. The plan's main goal is to halt the progress of the Taliban,
to reverse it in key areas, and to regain the initiative.

The first part of the strategy de-emphasizes the counterterrorism
strategy and institutes a counterinsurgency strategy. This means
reducing efforts on going after Taliban combatants and increasing
efforts to provide security to the population. While the insurgency
can afford to lose fighters and leaders, it cannot afford to lose
control of the population.

For the short term, the US does not consider it necessary to control
the entire country but rather to secure a few key areas and population
centers. The goal is for the people of Afghanistan to first see an
opportunity for a normal, better future, and then to start to
experience it.

The key areas that General McChrystal has identified are:

• Helmand province, particularly the Helmand River valley
• Kandahar City and the areas surrounding the city
• The provinces of Paktika, Paktia, and Khost

The second part of the strategy is to develop the Afghan National
Security Force into a force that is capable of providing security for
the country. Although ANSF development will not be completed in 18
months, it needs to demonstrate both substantial progress and that the
long term goal of the ANSF providing for security for the entire
country is achievable. A major review will be held in December 2010 to
assess progress.

ISAF and OEF forces

Since its basis rests on providing security for a population,
counterinsurgency is a labor-intensive strategy. A substantial
increase in troop strength has been deemed necessary. On Dec. 3, 2009,
President Obama announced that 30,000 US troops would be added to the
Afghanistan war effort during the course of 2010. This is in fact a
continuation of a buildup that started in January 2009, when 21,000 US
troops began deploying to Afghanistan under the order of President
Bush. An additional 16,000 non-US forces have also been committed to
the force increase by NATO and allied countries. The total number of
ISAF and OEF troops will increase from 80,000 in early 2009 to 150,000
in summer 2010.

The military strategy details

Some details concerning the implementation of the plan have already
been announced. The plan focuses on three strategic regions: the
southern provinces of Helmand and Kandahar, the traditional
strongholds of the Quetta Shura Taliban, and the eastern provinces of
Paktika, Paktia, and Khost, the bastion of the Haqqani Network.

The Helmand River Valley

The Helmand River Valley is the province's most significant feature
and its strategic center.

• It is a fertile agricultural area where the majority of the
population of the province resides. It contains the provincial capital
of Lashkar Gah and the province's eco¬nomic center of Gereshk.
• It is the center of the Taliban's drug operations. Sixty percent of
the opium production in Afghanistan comes from this area. This
provides substantial financial resources for the Taliban.
• Helmand contains important lines of communication. For the Taliban,
it is a route for the movement of foreign fighters and weapons from
Pakistan's southwestern province of Baluchistan. The Taliban have also
refined and stored narcotics within Helmand and moved them through the
province's southern border to Pakistan. Helmand also facilitates the
refining, storage, and eventual movement of narcot¬ics, again, mainly
through the province's southern border with Pakistan.
• There is a hydroelectric dam at Kajak at the northern end of the
river valley. If it can be put into operation, it could be a major
resource for development for the region.

The main threat in the area is the Quetta Shura Taliban (QST), as
described by Jeffrey Dressler in a report released in early January
2010 at the Institute for the Study of War:

QST is the "intellectual and ideologi¬cal underpinning of the Taliban
insurgency in Afghanistan. The enemy is determined, well-organized,
and entrenched in the province. In recent years, the enemy has shown
its ability to adapt to the evolving conflict by developing and
executing coherent campaign plans.

QST sought to target Afghan and coalition units, mobile convoys, and
supply routes, and widened the campaign against diplomatic centers,
high-ranking government officials, members of parliament, defense
officials, and members of the interior and national security
ministries. Furthermore, the Taliban sought to tighten their
encirclement of key coalition centers, particu¬larly Lashkar Gah.

From 2006 to 2009, British forces controlled the main cities of
Lashkar Gah and Geresk and several villages in the northern Helmand
River valley. But these were unconnected islands of security; the
British had too few troops to control all of the province's population
centers or the areas between them.

The plan is to provide security over the entire length of the Helmand
River valley.

• Push the Taliban out of the population centers and agricultural
areas, significantly reducing Taliban influence over the population.
• Reduce opium cultivation and thereby reduce the Taliban's financial
income.
• Currently, the Helmand River Valley contains only isolated pockets
of security.. In addition to being secure in their homes, it is
necessary for the Afghans to be able to move to places that are
important to them, such as to sell farm produce. So an additional goal
is to expand the secure areas and improve the civilian population's
freedom of movement.

• Develop the hydroelectric dam in Kajak to produce electricity, and
begin to distribute it throughout the province.

Prior to 2009, ISAF forces numbered about 7,000 troops and consisted
of:

• one British brigade
• one Danish battalion

By spring 2010, this force will be reinforced to about 24,000 troops
and consist of:

• two British brigades (equivalent)
• two US Marine regiments
• one Danish battalion
• one Georgian battalion

The current ANA force in the province is the 3rd Brigade of the 205th
Corps, about 3,000 troops. This force is to be expanded to a corps of
3 brigades, about 12,000 troops.

Kandahar City and surrounding area

Kandahar City is the strategic center of Kandahar province. It is also
important to the Taliban as their spiritual center. Kandahar City also
sits astride the main logistics route from Kabul to Helmand province
and western Afghanistan. It is the only place [I still have question
whether the words "in Afghanistan" should be inserted here] where the
main ring road passes though a major urban area.

In the eyes of the Pashtun, the situation in Kandahar City will define
their perception of security and their future.

As in Helmand, the main threat in the area is the QST. They have been
steadily increasing their hold on the province, most significantly by
expanding control in the areas surrounding Kandahar City. Their goal
is to set up staging areas there from which to project attacks into
the city itself.

Securing Kandahar City requires securing the approaches to the city:
Arghandab in the north, Zari-Panjwayi in the west, and Dand in the
south. These districts are where the insurgents have their safe havens
that allow them to project power within Kandahar City itself.

In addition to opening up roads that run from Helmand through Kandahar
City and to the town of Spin Boldak on the border with Pakistan, the
Coalition will also work on securing the major highway that links
Kandahar City with Kabul.

Before 2009, the ISAF forces in Kandahar constituted 3,000 troops
total, consisting of:

• two Canadian battalions
• one US battalion

By the spring of 2010, this force will be reinforced to about 7,500
troops, consisting of:

• two Canadian battalions
• one US Stryker brigade
• one US light brigade

The current ANA force in the province is the 1st Brigade of the 205th
Corps, or about 3,000 troops. This brigade will be reinforced to about
4,000 troops, but even the expanded force will still be too small to
secure the area. However, with Helmand province being the higher
priority, further reinforcements may not be available until late 2010.

Paktika, Paktia, and Khost provinces

The eastern provinces of Paktika, Paktia, and Khost are adjacent to
the Taliban-controlled tribal agencies of North and South Waziristan
in Pakistan. The Waziristans are the base from which the Haqqani
Network, the best led and most violent of the Taliban groups, operates
in Afghanistan. North and South Waziristan also are home to three
large Taliban groups that are also active in aiding the Afghan
insurgency and that host al Qaeda and allied foreign fighters.
The Haqqani Network is seeking to regain control of its traditional
base in Afghanistan's Khost, Paktia, and Paktika provinces. They
currently control some of the key terrain around the city of Khost as
well as Gardez in Paktia. The Haqqanis exert significant influence on
the population in the region.

The McChrystal plan is to secure the region is to protect the cities,
the communication centers, the transportation hubs, and the
surrounding areas essential to the city markets and local farmers
selling their crops.

Prior to 2009, the ISAF forces in eastern Afghanistan numbered 3,500
troops and consisted of one US light brigade. By the spring 2010, the
force will be reinforced to about 7,000 troops, or two US light
brigades.

The current ANA forces in the area consist of the three brigades of
the 203rd corps, or about 9,800 troops. The 203rd Corps is one the
best corps in the ANA. By October 2010, the size of the 203rd Corps
will be increased to about 12,000 troops.

ANSF Development

From a long term point of view, developing the ANSF is the most
important strategic goal. If this cannot be accomplished, everything
else is of little use, since the ANSF force must be adequately
strengthened in order for the ISAF to be able to leave. In the short
term, the ISAF needs to provide sufficient security to give the ANSF
time to develop. At the same time, the development of the ANSF has to
make enough progress so that, by July 2011, the ISAF can begin the
process of turning over security responsibility to the ANSF.

Currently the ANSF consists of about 200,000 ANA and ANP troops. The
plan is to accelerate growth so that 240,000 troops could be fielded
by October 2010, rising to 305,000 by October 2011. This is a very
rapid increase in troop size in an extremely short time. To achieve
this goal, significant changes to the original ANSF development plan
have been made.

• Force generation will now concentrate on fielding the maximum number
of light infantry companies and combat service support units. These
units are the most critical to counterinsurgency. They are also the
most straightforward to build.

• Forces that require more extensive training and equipment will be
delayed. This includes artillery, engineers, and motorized
quick-reaction units. The shortage of these units will be made up for
by increasing support from ISAF units.

• Training time for troops and officers will be reduced by about
20-25%. The resulting reduction in expertise will be compensated for
by increasing the number of ISAF mentoring teams.

• Equipment provided will be the minimum combat-essential equipment.
Heavy equipment will be delayed, while light weapons that are "good
enough" for counterinsurgency will get priority. Retirement of older
equipment will be delayed. Facilities will be minimal. Acquisition of
tactical transport helicopters will be accelerated.

Caveats:

This article describes the ISAF strategy for the next 12-18 months;
the longer term strategy is not covered here. Nor does the foregoing
discussion address the entire plan for the next 12-18 months. There
are major aspects that have not been discussed in this article,
including development of the Afghan National Police, counter
narcotics, civilian resources for development, and governance and
information operations.

This plan entails significant risks. Some aspects will work, some will
not. The enemy will adapt, and the plan will have to be adapted
accordingly.

Man would indeed be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear
of punishment and hope of reward after death." --
Albert Einstein !!!

http://www.scribd.com/doc/22151765/History-of-Pakistan-Army-from-1757-to-1971

http://www.scribd.com/doc/21693873/Indo-Pak-Wars-1947-71-A-STRATEGIC-AND-OPERATIONAL-ANALYSIS-BY-A-H-AMIN

http://www.scribd.com/doc/21686885/TALIBAN-WAR-IN-AFGHANISTAN

http://www.scribd.com/doc/22455178/Letters-to-Command-and-Staff-College-Quetta-Citadel-Journal

http://www.scribd.com/doc/23150027/Pakistan-Army-through-eyes-of-Pakistani-Generals

http://www.scribd.com/doc/23701412/War-of-Independence-of-1857

http://www.scribd.com/doc/22457862/Pakistan-Army-Journal-The-Citadel

http://www.scribd.com/doc/21952758/1971-India-Pakistan-War

http://www.scribd.com/doc/25171703/BOOK-REVIEWS-BY-AGHA-H-AMIN

Posted by Agha H Amin at 2:12 AM

http://low-intensity-conflict-review.blogspot.com/2010/02/comments-on-radins-afghanistan-strategy.html

http://www.scribd.com/doc/23701412/War-of-Independence-of-1857

http://www.scribd.com/doc/21686885/TALIBAN-WAR-IN-AFGHANISTAN

...and I am Sid Harth
bademiyansubhanallah
15 years ago
Permalink
Govt to invest Rs 7,500 cr to boost skill development

Press Trust of India / New Delhi February 17, 2010, 16:18 IST

The government has planned to pump in over Rs 7,500 crore to set up
1,500 new ITIs and 5,000 skill development centres (SKC) in the
country.

The government would set up each of the 1,500 Industrial Training
Institutes (ITIs) at a cost of Rs 2.5 crore, while it will spend Rs 75
lakh on every SKC.

"We would provide more than Rs 2.5 crore for setting up each of new
1,500 ITIs in the country especially in naxal affected areas,"
Minister of State for Labour Harish Rawat told reporters here at a
Ficci conference.

Since this would be done under the public private partnership (PPP)
mode, other partners, including states and private players would also
chip in funds for the new ITIs and SKCs.

"The government is providing Rs 2.5 crore for each existing ITI to
convert it into a centre of excellence. But, in case of new ITIs,
especially in far flung and disturbed areas, the government would chip
in more funds," he added.

Bearing in mind the acute shortage of ITI teachers, the minister said
the government would provide viability gap funding to private skill
trainers who want to manage the institutes for 20-30 years.

The government is expecting the new 1,500 ITIs to serve about 1,576
blocks where industrial training is not available, particularly the
naxal affected areas.

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/govt-to-invest-rs-7500-cr-to-boost-skill-development/86043/on

Bengal admits it had intel warnings on Naxal attack

Press Trust Of India / Kolkata February 18, 2010, 0:24 IST

The West Bengal government today admitted it had some intelligence
warnings that Naxalites were "assembling" in the area around Shilda
police camp which was attacked in the biggest offensive by Naxals in
the state.

The admission came a day after an outraged Centre slammed the Left
Front government expressing dismay at the "unprofessional,
incompetent, untrained and inadequate" response of the state police
force to the Naxalite attack on Monday evening.

24 jawans of the Eastern Frontier Rifles(EFR) were killed in the
deadliest-ever strike by Naxals on their camp at Shilda in West
Midnapore district.

"It is not a clear case of intelligence failure. There was
intelligence report that the Naxalites were assembling in the area,
though there was no specific information that they may attack the EFR
camp," West Bengal Home secretary Ardhendu Sen told reporters after a
high level meeting here today. Asked why no step was taken when the
government had in its possession the intelligence report, Sen said the
report had come to its hand at 2 PM only, a bare three hours before
the attack and it had taken time for the information to percolate down
to the lower level. Refuting the charges by the Centre that the EFR
did not have proper training to combat the Naxalites, he said, "It is
not correct. They are a highly motivated, disciplined and well-trained
force."

Heart-rending scenes were witnessed when bodies of all the 24 jawans
were handed over to their relatives this morning at Salua camp of the
para-military forces near Jhargram for last rites.

...orders inquiry

The West Bengal government on Wednesday ordered an inquiry into the
Naxalite attack on the EFR camp and said action would be taken against
senior officers if they were found wanting. "An official inquiry has
been ordered into the incident," West Bengal Home Secretary Ardhendu
Sen told reporters. Asked if action would be taken against senior
officers if they were found wanting, Sen said, "Let us complete the
probe. A specific charge against any officer has to be established. If
anyone is found guilty, action will be taken."

Bengal Governor M K Narayanan on Wednesday expressed his "deep sense
of anguish" at the loss of lives of 24 jawans and a civilian in the
Maoist attack on the EFR camp at Shilda in West Midnapore district.
Referring to February 15 attack, Narayanan conveyed his heart-felt
condolences to the bereaved families and also reiterated the
government's commitment to deal effectively with the problem.

Meanwhile, a two-member central team today visited the Eastern
Frontier Rifles camp at Shilda in West Bengal's West Midnapore
district. State Home secretary Ardhendu Sen told reporters here that
the two included a deputy secretary and a Brigadier. They were from
the security advisory department under the Union Home Ministry, he
said.

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/bengal-admits-it-had-intel-warningsnaxal-attack/385996/

Centre upset with bengal for intelligence failure

Rajat Roy / Kolkata February 17, 2010, 0:17 IST

Monday’s Naxalite attack on a joint forces camp in Silda, West
Midnapore, has left the West Bengal government red-faced and the Union
home ministry livid. At least 24 paramilitary jawans of the Eastern
Frontier Rifles (EFR) were killed last evening.

Today, state home secretary Ardhendu Sen said: “It is intelligence
failure which caused so much damage to the security forces.”

The Union home ministry has already expressed its displeasure known to
the state administration. According to official sources, the Ministry
has made it clear that “this sort of setbacks are bound to happen in
the absence of a proper intelligence network at the ground level”.

The attack came six days after Home Minister P Chidambaram had held a
meeting in Kolkata with the officials of Orissa, Bihar, Jharkhand and
West Bengal to launch an inter-state operation against Naxalites.

Silda is located in West Midnapore near Binpur and Belpahari, well
within the operation area of the joint forces. The Jharkhand border is
just 12 kms away. The jawans killed in the attack belonged to the
Eastern Frontier Rifles.

Bhupinder Singh, director-general of police, West Bengal, today made
an assessment of the spot. Information is also reaching the state
headquarters that before attacking the camp, the Naxalites took
precaution of mining the approach roads to Silda to prevent possible
reinforcement by the joint forces. According to intelligence sources,
there were around 45 landmines on the approach roads to Silda, which
they said, must have been laid 24 hours before the attack. They added
that the Naxalites must have mobilized around 150 people, including
local villagers, to dig the roads for mines, and yet the security
forces did not get a whiff of it. “This shows the lack of intelligence
at the ground level,” said a source.

Ever since the anti-Naxalite joint operations began in June last year,
32 jawans and 137 civilians have been killed. The state government and
the Centre have jointly deployed 43 companies of police and
paramilitary forces in the region to combat Naxalites.

The forces consist of CRPF and small detachments of BSF, ITBP, BSF and
IRB. It was also revealed after a series of attacks by the Naxalites
that the jawans deployed there did not undergo even a rudimentary
course on counter-insurgency strategy and tactics.

At the most, they got some weapons training.Meanwhile, hundreds of
family members of the jawans gheraoed five ministers of the state
government who had visited the EFR headquarters at Salua near
Kharagpur this evening.

The ministers, led by state Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta, went there
to attend the last rites of the 24 jawans who fell to the Naxalite
bullets at the Silda camp.

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/centre-upsetbengal-forintelligence-failure/385956/

20 securitymen killed in Naxal attack

Press Trust Of India / Kolkata February 16, 2010, 0:59 IST

The attack comes a week after the home minister held a meeting on
countering rebels.

At least 20 paramilitary jawans were today killed in the biggest-ever
Naxal attack in West Bengal when the ultras overran their camp at
Silda in West Midnapore after setting it on fire.

The attacks came barely a week after Union Home Minister P Chidambaram
had a meeting with chief ministers of West Bengal and Orissa, deputy
chief ministers of Jharkhand and top officials from Bihar here to draw
up a joint strategy to counter the rebels.

“At least 20 jawans of Eastern Frontiers Rifles (EFR) have been killed
in the attack at the Silda camp and the condition of two is stated to
be very critical,” district magistrate N S Nigam said from Midnapore.

The rebels launched another attack on a CRPF camp at Dharampur in the
district tonight. A group of 40 armed Naxals attacked the camp around
8.30 pm in Lalgarh engaging the jawans in an exchange of fire.

Nigam said at least 100 Maoists armed with sophisticated weapons came
on motorcycles and four-wheelers, exploded landmines near the Silda
camp before barging inside with a volley of fire around 5.30 pm.

There were 51 EFR jawans and officers in the camp when the attack took
place, sources said. The attack took most of the jawans by surprise as
they were either “whiling away their time in the camp or busy in the
kitchen cooking”, a senior police officer said.

Meanwhile, Naxal leader Kishenji claimed responsibility for the
attack. “We have attacked the camp and this is our answer to
Chidambaram’s ‘Operation Green Hunt’ and unless the Centre stops this
inhuman military operation we are going to answer this way only,”
Kishenji told PTI from an undisclosed location.

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/20-securitymen-killed-in-naxal-attack/385840/

14 feared killed in Naxalite ambush on paramilitary camp

Press Trust Of India / Kolkata February 16, 2010, 0:48 IST

Fourteen jawans were feared killed when armed Naxalites attacked a
paramilitary force camp at Sildha in West Midnapore district this
evening. Top police sources said at least 14 Eastern Frontier Rifles
(EFR) jawans were feared killed in the attack which took place around
5.30 pm. "According to information available here, nine jawans were
burnt to death and five others were shot dead. We are yet to get the
detailed figure of the casualty," a source said.

District Magistrate N S Nigam said at least 50 Maoists on 25
motorcycles and armed with sophisticated weapons swooped down on the
camp.

"There were 51 EFR jawans and officers in the camp when the attack
took place," IGP (Law and Order) S Purakayastha said. Nigam said the
Naxalites also planted landmines on the entire stretch of the road
leading to the camp. Meanwhile, Naxalite leader Kishenji claimed
responsibility for the attack. "We have attacked the camp and this is
our answer to Chidambaram's 'Operation Green Hunt' and unless the
Centre stops this inhuman military operation, we are going to answer
this way only," Kishenji said from an undisclosed location.

The attack took most of the jawans by surprise as they were either
"whiling away their time in the camp or were busy in the kitchen," a
senior police officer said. "The Maoists engaged in an initial
exchange of fire with the sentries who repulsed the attack, but then
the ultras outnumbered the jawans and barged into the camp setting it
on fire," the officer said. According to Nigam night vision force with
anti-landmine vehicles have been rushed to the camp from nearby
Binpur.

Kishenji, on the other hand, claimed there were at least 35 Eastern
Frontier jawans who had been liquidated and they had looted
sophisticated arms including AK-47, SLR and mortars from the camp
which they set ablaze. He did not give the number of Maoists who took
part in the attack and threatened to repeat the attacks, if needed.

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/14-feared-killed-in-naxalite-ambushparamilitary-camp/385819/

Intellectuals form a third platform in Bengal

Devjyot Ghoshal & Ishita Ayan Dutt / Kolkata February 15, 2010, 0:57
IST

Last Tuesday, Home Minister P Chidambaran was at the Writers’ Building
reviewing and planning operations against the Naxalites across four
affected states in the east, including West Bengal. A few hundred
meters away, a section of the Bengal intelligentsia led by Mahasweta
Devi, writer and social activist, burnt effigies of the home minister
and West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee.

The open protest was symbolic of a truth that runs across the
political fault line in the state: that the Bengal intelligentsia that
stood by Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Mamata Banerjee is now
divided on how to resolve the fracas at Lalgarh — a generic name that
represents the Naxal-stricken tribal heartland of West Bengal.

Although it remains undebatable that the major political parties in
the state — the CPI(M) and the TMC — are clearly divided on the way
forward at Lalgarh, there is brewing resentment within Mamata
Banerjee’s cultural camp on how the issue is being handled, more so
with Banerjee now distancing herself from the Naxalites.

The Bengali intelligentsia that had unprecedentedly come together in
support of Banerjee during the altercations at Nandigram and Singur,
and raised the decibel level particularly before the Lok Sabha
elections, is now seemingly fragmented.

In many ways, TMC MP Kabir Suman, singer, composer and former
journalist who, contested his first election last year, is leading the
charge.

“There is an ingrained racism and paternalism, along with a lack of
understanding of the real problem at Lalgarh. Unlike Nandigram, the
people fighting against the administration are not (ethnically)
Bengalis, they are adivasis. These are people who are ready to fight
on their own and for them, the TMC is not the clear alternative,” says
Suman, while explaining why many intellectuals have remained silent on
the issue.

It is his assertion that the perception of the PCPA (People’s
Committee against Police Atrocities) being a frontal organisation for
the ultra-Left rebels is incorrect, but despite this, the very risk of
being labeled a Naxal-sympathiser is prompting “the Bengali
bourgeoisie” to keep Lalgarh at an arms length.

“Some of them (intellectuals), who are now part of lucrative Railways’
committees, stood at the rally at Singur to say they hadn’t come to
join the movement but to take stock of the situation. There were those
who had sided with Buddhdeb (Bhattacharjee), now they have sided with
Mamata (Banerjee). But there is a third-voice and I am part of that,”
he adds.

Despite Suman’s tacit admission that much is unwell in the TMC
intellectual club, filmmaker and journalist Rituparno Ghosh believes
the coming together of a certain political party and independent
thinkers was temporal.

Explaining the support for the TMC at Nandigram and Singur by the
intelligentsia, once the champions of the Left Front, he says, “It was
not a conflict of ideology. It was more of protest against suddenly
blossoming of capitalism. And although it was a citizens’ protest
against the administration, right from the beginning, it became a
movement of one (political) party against the other, rather than an
appeal for justice.”

Ghosh argues that since many who comprise the intellectual community
have disagreed on Lalgarh, it is now coming across as a different
stand.

“They (the intellectual) were misconstrued as a glorified mouthpiece
for a particular party. Now, that they’re expressing their own
opinion, it’s looking like a political rift. They have stayed, the
party has shifted,” he adds.

Mahasweta Devi, who is known to be close to Mamata Banerjee said, “I
don’t have to abide by what Trinamool is saying. I have been
supporting the cause for 42 years.”

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/intellectuals-formthird-platform-in-bengal/385734/

Kishenji calls for boycott of Srikrishna committee

Press Trust Of India / Kolkata February 15, 2010, 0:35 IST

Naxalites today gave a call for boycott of Justice B N Srikrishna
Committee, entrusted by the Centre to look into Telangana statehood
issue, describing the terms of reference of the panel as "betrayal of
people". "The terms of reference of Srikrishna Committee set up by the
Union government are a betrayal of the Telangana people," Naxalite
leader Kishenji told PTI over phone from an undisclosed location.
After committing to create a separate Telengana state out of Andhra
Pradesh, the central government was now hatching a conspiracy to
backtrack from the promise, the Maoist leader claimed.

"All MPs and MLAs from Telangana should resign immediately and people
of the region should unite for a greater movement to realise creation
of Telegana state," Kishenji said.

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/kishenji-calls-for-boycottsrikrishna-committee/385704/

Cong jittery over Telangana on Naxal concerns

Saubhadra Chatterji / New Delhi February 12, 2010, 0:02 IST

Although the terms of reference of the committee to look into the
creation of a Telangana state may come in the next few days, the
Congress is worried about the ‘political’ price it may have to pay for
moving too fast on the statehood issue.

Latest intelligence inputs suggesting that the outlawed Naxals will be
the sole beneficiaries in a bifurcated Andhra Pradesh has made the
Congress leadership jittery. The Telangana issue was discussed in
detail at the special meeting of the party’s core committee held
Wednesday night. A key member of the committee later told Business
Standard: “Many in the party feel it would be suicidal to form a
separate state of Telangana.”

At the meeting, Home Minister P Chidambaram presented a draft Terms of
Reference (ToR), but the committee felt there was scope for “better”
ToR for the committee on Telangana as it is a very sensitive issue.

The brass decided to hold another meeting before announcing the ToR.
On February 3, the United Progressive Alliance government had
announced the formation of a committee headed by former Supreme Court
judge B N Srikrishna to look into the issue of Telangana.

According to a key member of the core committee, the latest assessment
of the ground situation in Andhra Pradesh shows that the strength of
regional outfits like Praja Rajyam Party and Telugu Desam Party will
shrink considerably and the Congress, too, will lose ground.

And, this political vacuum will be filled by parties floated by Maoist
outfits. The intelligence agencies have already warned the Centre that
Maoists are planning to launch political parties to take advantage of
the fluid situation in Andhra Pradesh.

The concern of the coalition leader was evident at the announcement of
the Srikrishna committee. Delicately balancing itself between strong
pressures in favour of a separate Telangana and a unified Andhra
Pradesh, the home ministry’s announcement simply said: “The central
government has constituted the following committee to hold wide-
ranging consultations with all sections of the people and all
political parties and groups in Andhra Pradesh.”

Headed by retired Supreme Court judge B N Srikrishna, the five-member
committee has Ranbir Singh (vice-chancellor, National Law University),
Abusaleh Shariff (senior research fellow, International Food Policy
Research Institute) and Ravinder Kaur, (professor, Department of
Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Delhi), while former Union home
secretary V K Duggal will be member-secretary.

Several top Congress leaders also point out that former Andhra Pradesh
chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy vehemently opposed a separate
Telangana, but managed to retain power at the state and get as many as
33 MPs from Andhra Pradesh that helped the Congress cross the 200-mark
in the Lok Sabha.

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/cong-jittery-over-telangananaxal-concerns/385473/

Co-operate more to fight Naxalites: Chidambaram to states

Rajat Roy / Kolkata February 10, 2010, 0:39 IST

Encouraged by the recent success in nabbing some top Naxalite leaders
in UP, Bihar and Orissa, the Centre is urging the states to coordinate
more with each other in their effort to conduct the anti-Naxalite
operations in the eastern states of Jharkhand, West Bengal, Orissa and
Bihar.

The Union home minister P Chidambaram held a meeting of these states
today at Kolkata where “the inter state issues’ of conducting the anti-
Naxalite operations were discussed at length and “some decisions were
taken” which would be acted upon shortly, said Chidambaram after the
meeting.

The Naxalites responded with landmine blasts in railway tracks in
Jharkhand and Bihar in the last and third day of their bandh in the
three states. Day before yesterday the Naxalites exploded landmine in
railway track in Orissa. But Chidambaram is undeterred by these
events.

He expressed confidence that in the next six months the operation
would be able to “reclaim the areas dominated by the Naxalites.”
Incidentally, at present large forest tracts in Bastar district of
Chhattisgarh has virtually become “liberated zone” of the Naxalites
and they roam freely in the forest corridors in Orissa, Jharkhand and
part of south Bihar. But of late the Naxalites have faced some
setbacks. Chidambaram claimed that in the recent past, there has been
significant progress in inter-state operation and some key Naxalite
leaders have been apprehended in the past few months.

“Contrary to what a section of media and NGOs believed, no massive
carnage took place. We made it clear that the purpose of this
operation is not to kill anyone. They are our own people, we care for
them, for their lives. Our object is not to kill anyone. Our aim is to
reestablish rule of law in areas which are now dominated by the
Naxalites,” he said.

Today’s meeting was attended by two chief ministers Buddhadeb
Bhattacharjee and Navin Patnaik of West Bengal and Orissa
respectively, the Jharkhand chief minister Shibu Soren could not come
as he suddenly fell sick and was admitted in a Ranchi hospital last
night. The Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar was also unable to come
as “he had some prior engagement”. Jharkhand was represented in the
meeting by two deputy chief ministers and Bihar was represented by top
police officials.

While talking to the media after the meeting Chidambaram issued an
appeal to the Naxalites to abjure violence. “My appeal to the
Naxalites is that you say a halt to violence, we are not asking you to
do more, then we are prepared to talk to you,” said Chidambaram. At
the same time he indicated that as of now there won’t be any let up in
the operations. He observed that “unfortunately the past appeals have
been spurned. Therefore, we are obliged to continue the operations.”
But at the same time he tried to impress on the civil society the
point that the ongoing operations have been more “controlled,
calibrated and careful” so as to minimise the collateral damages and
it could continue to be so.

Keeping in mind that there has been serious criticism from within the
Union cabinet, Mamata Banerjee went public claiming that their joint
operation has failed to achieve its objectives, Chidambaram commented,
“I think, the progress will be slow but steady. We can’t measure the
progress of the operation as we do in the case of a cricket match over
by over.” Responding to a pointed question he said, “She (Mamata) has
told me that the operations we are doing in West Midnapur are not
yielding the result we hoped to achieve when we started it. She has a
point of view and I have taken note of it. We will try to make it as
effective as possible.” But at the same breath he negated the charge
and counter charges hurled against each other by Buddhadeb
Bhattacharjee and Mamata Banerjee of abetting the Naxalites by saying,
“As far as I am concerned, nobody is colluding with the Maoists. The
Maoists are fighting the State. They believe in armed struggle, and
consider the parliamentary system as pig sty. Any political party that
believes in parliamentary system cannot collude with them.”

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/co-operate-more-to-fight-naxalites-chidambaram-to-states/385166/

Naxals blow up tracks; kill police informer during bandh

Press Trust Of India / Jamui/rourkela February 08, 2010, 0:31 IST

Naxals today blew up tracks on the Jhaja-Jasidih section of the East
Central Railway in Bihar’s Jamui district and killed an alleged police
informer in Orissa’s Sundergarh district to enforce a 72-hour bandh in
five states.

About 40 Naxals blew up tracks late last night between Rajla and
Narganjo railway halts near Kahba bridge, affecting movement of
several long-distance and local trains, official sources said.

A 2.5-foot stretch of the up line and five feet of the down line were
damaged in the blast, Additional Director-General of Police
(Headquarters) U S Dutt said in Patna.

A spokesman for the East Central Railway, Dilip Kumar, said the
damaged tracks were repaired this morning facilitating resumption of
train services, the Punjab Mail being the first train to start its
journey on the up track.

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/naxals-blowtracks-kill-police-informer-during-bandh/384954/

No photos please

Business Standard / New Delhi February 05, 2010, 0:46 IST

It’s not just those arrested by the police who want to hide their
faces from the camera. It appears all those interested in joining the
Congress party in the Naxal-affected Bastar region of Chhattisgarh
fall in the same category — indeed, the Congress party’s drive to
induct new members has failed for this very reason. Potential Congress
party members are worried that once their pictures are taken, they
will be identified as members of a political party and will be soft
targets for Naxalites. The matter has been flagged and senior party
leaders in the state are going to take a call on whether to scrap the
condition of attaching photographs.

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/no-photos-please/384637/

Chhattisgarh plans to choke funds

R Krishna Das / Kolkata/ Raipur January 29, 2010, 0:54 IST

Chhattisgarh government could consider changing the state's tendupatta
policy in a move to choke the income line of the Naxalites. The
Naxalites, have been amassing fund from the contractors.

The money ran into crores of rupees and had been one of the major
sources of income for the rebels.

Chhattisgarh produces the best quality tendu (Diasporas melonoxylon)
leaves. The state has the potential to produce 2 million standard bags
of tendu leaves that are used as Beedi wrappers.

The state government took a major tendupatta policy decision in 2004.
Instead of selling leaves stored in the godown, the government decided
to introduce forward trading which is selling the leaves in advance to
the purchaser. However, the collection of leaves and the payment of
wages to the pluckers will be done by the primary co-operative society
only.

Sources said that the private purchasers were treating the leaves at
collection centre, transport and store in the godowns in the Naxal-
infested pockets. To avoid damage in the store or during
transportation from the red zone, the rebels were extorting huge money
from the contractors.

"The Chhattisgarh government is ready to change its tendupatta policy
but the neighbouring states should also follow suit to enable a
uniform policy in the Naxal-infested states," Chief Minister Raman
Singh said.

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/chhattisgarh-plans-to-choke-funds/383896/

Naxalites feel 'isolated' in Lalgarh

Rajat Roy / Kolkata January 29, 2010, 0:52 IST

Following a joint police operation against them since September last
year, Naxalites in West Bengal are apparently on the run in Lalgarh,
the centre of police offensive against local tribals.

Recent appeals by senior tribal leader Koteswar Rao alias Kishenji and
Bikash gave enough indications to that effect. First, Kishenji urged
Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee to pay a visit to Lalgarh for
initiating a dialogue with them to resolve the crisis. Yesterday, the
Naxalites urged local people not to lend support to the joint force of
state and central police personnel, engaged in combating the rebels at
Lalgarh.

In a letter circulated to the local media, the Naxalites have claimed
that recently the administration started mobilising the local people
against them.

The government has recruited a few thousand villagers from Bankura,
Garbeta, Chandrakona Road, Keshpur and some other places adjoining
Lalgarh.

These villagers have been kept in a number of camps and are being
trained to use firearms by the joint force stationed there.

According to the rebels, the state administration is trying to use
these villagers along with the joint police operation in its effort to
trap the members of the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA).

The appeal issued in the name of Bikash, a self-styled commander of
PLGA, said the state administration had adopted a new strategy to
isolate the Naxalites in the ‘Junglemahal’ region, where it is sending
these armed villagers. Junglemahal are the Naxal-hit areas in the
districts of West Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura.

Desperate to come out of the isolation in Junglemahal, the Naxalites
have turned to Banerjee for a dialogue. In response to her recent call
to the Naxalites to shun arms and come to the discussion table, which
she issued from a mass meeting held on January 15 at Jhargram, the sub-
divisional town near Lalgarh, Kishenji released an open letter to
Banerjee inviting her to Junglemahal for talks.

The rebels have created an ‘information network’ by placing their men
in strategic areas.

Also, the state and central police forces are coordinating with their
counterparts in the neighbouring Jharkhand, another state hit by
Naxalism.

The Naxalite leader claimed that all these attempts to isolate PLGA
from the poor tribals of Lalgarh and the adjoining areas would not
bear fruit.

The latest appeal by the Naxalites to the local villagers asking them
not to join hands with state police personnel reveals the chink in
their armour. Last week, after a joint offensive on a village in
Goaltor near Lalgarh, police recovered a laptop, some documents and
firearms. According to the police, they conducted the raid after
receiving information about Kishenji’s presence in the area. Though
Kishenji slipped through their dragnet, two of his associates were
arrested.

Mentioning about the raid in their statement-cum-appeal, the Naxalites
stated that the arrested leaders were tricked into a trap set up by
the police and later were falsely portrayed as close associates of
Kishenji to gain a psychological advantage.

Anuj Pandey, the superintendent of police of West Midnapore, and one
of the key police officers involved in the joint operation against
Naxals in Lalgarh, said, “Maoists have been trapped in that area and
the forces are closing onto them.”

While the rebels firmly declined to lay down their arms, they showed
eagerness to discuss the problems related to the lack of development
in tribal areas. Banerjee and her party is yet to respond to that.

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/naxalites-feel-/isolated/-in-lalgarh/383895/

Jharkhand to be included in operations against Naxalites

R Krishna Das / Kolkata/ Raipur January 23, 2010, 0:32 IST

Jharkhand will be included in the joint operations against the
Naxalites after the Centre discusses the issue with the state
government later next week.

As of now, three states including Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Orissa
have been engaged in the joint operation. At a high level meeting held
here today, Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren was not invited. The
meeting chaired by Union Home Minister P Chidambaram was attended by
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh, Orissa Chief Minister Naveen
Patnaik and Maharashtra Home Minister RR Patil.

The government in Jharkhand was new and hence it was not been invited
in the meeting, Chidambaram said after the meeting. The Centre had,
however, invited Soren for a discussion on the issue.

Chidambaram said Soren and top officials would be coming to New Delhi
on January 28. After holding talks and discussion on the issues,
Jharkhand would be included in the on-going anti-Naxal operation,
Chidambaram said.

The development assumes significance as Soren had been allegedly going
soft on the Naxalites. This was underlined by the Jharkhand
government's reported decision of stopping operation against the
extremists.

Regarding the Jharkhand government's decision to stop the offensive
against the Naxalites, Chidambaram said the matter would be discussed
in the proposed meeting with the state Chief Minister and officials.

He said there was no dispute nor it would come as a stumbling block in
the on-going operation against the Naxalites. Andhra Pradesh was also
coordinating in the operation against the Naxalites with the other
affected states, he added.

Andhra Pradesh has a vast experience in dealing with the Naxal menace,
Chidambaram said, adding that there was no dispute between
Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh.

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/jharkhand-to-be-included-in-operations-against-naxalites/383388/

...and I am Sid Harth
bademiyansubhanallah
15 years ago
Permalink
INDIA NEWS

FEBRUARY 17, 2010, 1:38 A.M. ET.
India Official Condemns Deadly Maoist Attack .
By KRISHNA POKHAREL

NEW DELHI—India's home minister Tuesday condemned an attack by Maoist
rebels on a military outpost in eastern India that killed 24 soldiers
and injured three.

Associated Press
Charred remains of the police camp ambushed by suspected Maoist rebels
at Shilda.

.The attack by the Naxalites on a paramilitary outpost near a rural
market in the eastern state of West Bengal inflicted one of the
highest number of casualties in a single-day on the Indian security
forces battling the rebels, officials said. The severity of the attack
underscored the challenges facing the ruling Congress party-led
government in taming the rising insurgency.

The attack Monday was "another outrageous attempt by the banned
organization to overawe the established authority," Indian Home
Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram said in a statement. He called on
Indian citizens to condemn the violence and to help end "the menace of
Naxalism, and bring development and progress to the people in the
conflict zones."

In the past, Mr. Chidambaram has said the government is ready for
talks with the rebels should they give up the use of violence.

A top Maoist leader who called local media late Monday to claim
responsibility for the attack, said his group was ready to start talks
with the government if it ended its offensive against the rebels.

The latest attack showed the audacity and change in tactics by the
Naxalites, even as the government has ratcheted up its offensive
against the insurgents over the past year.

"It was the first kind of attack with so much planning and firepower
that we witnessed from them," said Pandey Santosh, additional
superintendent of police for West Medinipur.

A group of 100 armed Maoists in plainclothes mingled with the local
market crowd Monday, then laid siege to the makeshift paramilitary
camp there, where about 60 paramilitary personnel were resting after
the day's patrol.

An officer carries his colleague's belongings from a military outpost
that was attacked by Maoist rebels in Silda village.

."They threw grenades from all sides before the forces could think of
retaliating," Mr. Santosh said. He said the insurgents sped off in
motorcycles and vans before disappearing into a nearby forest.

In recent years, the Naxalites, who advocate the overthrow of the
Indian government, have made significant inroads in the center and
south of the country. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has called
Naxalism the biggest internal-security challenge India faces.

The government has deployed an increasing number of security forces to
fight the Naxalites and regain territory lost to them.

The death toll in the insurgency rose 36% to 1,125 in 2009, compared
with the year earlier, according to India's Ministry of Home Affairs.
Last week, Mr. Chidambaram said it was possible the trend of rising
casualties would continue this year, too.

Medinipur is one of the three districts of West Bengal with a heavy
Naxalite presence. West Bengal is the home to the Naxalites. The
movement derives its name from the Naxalbari village in West Bengal,
where it began as a peasants' uprising in the late 1960s.

Write to Krishna Pokharel at ***@wsj.com

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704804204575069361673972680.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Maoists striking despite our sincere efforts: Centre
STAFF WRITER 17:8 HRS IST

New Delhi, Feb 16 (PTI) Drawing flak for its policy on Maoists, the
Centre today told the Supreme Court that despite its sincere efforts
to solve the problems confronting tribals, the rebels are not shunning
violence and carrying on attacks as they did yesterday in West Bengal.

"The home minister (P Chidambaram) has made a public statement that
government is ready to talk to them (Maoists) provided they eschew
violence. And the answer we have got yesterday from West Bengal,"
Attorney General G E Vahanvati told a bench comprising justices B
Sudershan Reddy and S S Nijjar.

Vahanvati made the statement after advocate Prashant Bhushan spoke
about the alleged human rights violation by state agencies in their
fight against Naxals in Chhattisgarh.

http://www.ptinews.com/news/520221_Maoists-striking-despite-our-sincere-efforts--Centre

Orissa police seizes truckloads of crackers, gunpowder

STAFF WRITER 21:36 HRS IST

Cuttack, Feb 17 (PTI) The police today stumbled upon at least two
truckloads of illegal crackers and gunpowder at Padampur on the
outskirts of the city.

The huge cache of explosives was detected when police conducted raids
in the area in connection with the yesterday's night bomb blast in the
locality.

At least two persons were arrested in connection with the blast as
well as for possession of explosives, said police Inspector Bidyut
Panda.

According to reports, a powerful bomb went off inside the house of
Nirakar Barik in the locality last night.

The market value of the seized explosives would be over Rs two lakh,
police said adding although the area is famous for manufacturing
crackers for Diwali, it could not be ascertained why such a huge
accumulation of gunpowder as made at this time of the year.

http://www.ptinews.com/news/523132_Orissa-police-seizes-truckloads-of-crackers--gunpowder

Orissa CM reviews security arrangement in state; Jagannath Temple in
Puri under security threat
Tuesday, February 16, 2010 Email StoryFeedbackPrint Story
Bhubaneswar: Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday reviews
security arrangements to combat Naxalism in the state. While reviewing
the security arrangements in the state, Naveen asked the Naxal-
infested districts to keep a close vigilance in border areas adjacent
the Naxal-ravaged states like West Bengal, Jharkhand, Chattisgarh and
Bihar.

Apart from taking stock of security apparatus in Naxal-hit regions,
the state government even asked the authorities to beef up security in
no-Maoist zones. A high-level review meeting was held under the
chairmanship of Chief Secretary TK Mishra to take stock of the
security cordon around the temple in Puri. Briefing about the meeting,
Temple Chief Administrator Ashok Meena said all the existing 14 Close
Circuit Televisions (CCTVs) installed in the premises of the temple
would be upgraded. It was also decided that all hotels in Puri would
come under a security cover and strict vigil would be maintained on
the movement of the suspicious elements on the Puri beach. Later, the
Puri SP apprised Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on the security
arrangements at Jagannath temple as it stands amongst the high risk
category shrines in the country.

After reviewing the law and order situation, the chief minister
informed that the massive anti-Naxal operation, which is hanging fire
due to the delay in arrival of Central forces, would start soon in
southern and northern parts in the state. Chief secretary T K Mishra
said at least five battalions of the CPMF were likely to arrive very
soon. The anti-Naxal operation is likely to kick start in end end of
the month, sources said.

Midnapore Naxal attack: Chidambaram's press statement

NDTV Correspondent, Tuesday February 16, 2010, New Delhi

MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

PRESS STATEMENT OF SHRI P CHIDAMBARAM, UNION HOME MINISTER

February 16, 2010

The attack by the CPI (Maoist) on a camp of the Eastern Frontier
Rifles of West Bengal is another outrageous attempt by the banned
organisation to overawe the established authority in the State. I
condemn the attack. There has been a massive loss of lives. Besides,
more than 40 weapons are reported to have been looted. The leader of
the CPI (Maoist) has claimed responsibility for the attack and has
threatened to repeat such attacks in the future.

I spoke to the Chief Minister, West Bengal this morning and
conveyed my deep sense of shock. I also conveyed my profound
sympathies on the loss of lives. While there are indications of
failure in some aspects, only a thorough review will reveal how the
police camp with adequate strength was overrun, when there was day
light, by the CPI (Maoist).

Every attack of this kind exposes the true nature and character of
the CPI (Maoist). Their goal is to seize power. Their weapon is
violence. No organisation or group in a democratic republic has the
right to take to violence to overpower the established legal
authority. Unfortunately, this simple truth has escaped a number of
well-meaning organisations that find "legitimacy" in the armed
liberation struggle carried on by the CPI (Maoist).

During the 3-day bandh called by the CPI (Maoist) between February 7
and February 9, 2010, their main targets of attack were railway
property. There were a total of 11 incidents in Bihar (3), Jharkhand
(6) and Orissa (2). Tracks were blown up; railway stations were
attacked; bombs were placed on railway property; and railway officials
were assaulted.

I know that the overwhelming majority in this country will condemn the
mindless violence unleashed by the CPI (Maoist) and will support the
careful, controlled and calibrated efforts being taken by the Central
and State Governments to put an end to the violence. However, I would
like to hear the voices of condemnation of those who have,
erroneously, extended intellectual and material support to the CPI
(Maoist). It is only if the whole country rejects the preposterous
theses of the CPI (Maoist) and condemns the so-called "armed
liberation struggle" that we can put an end to the menace of naxalism
and bring development and progress to the people in the conflict
zones.

I conclude by offering my sincere condolences to the families of the
deceased and injured among the men of the Eastern Frontier Rifles.

(P. Chidambaram)

Posted by Deepp on Feb 17, 2010

Isn't it surprising...in AP when TDP were in power, there was a lot of
naxal menance. Now there is the Congress govt in AP ant not a single
naxal attack. In Bihar, WB, Jharkhand and Orissa also the governments
are non- congress. There are these naxal attacks in plenty there
too!!!!Is this a coincidence or does it point to something????? Also
what has Mamata Bannerjee done to stop or fight back these attacks in
her home state is in question...the people of this country must take
all this into consideration before they blindly start supporting a
political party.....

Posted by Prabhat Sen Sarma on Feb 16, 2010

It is very unfortunate to note that everytime the Maoists create a
massacre, Ms.Mamata Banerjee, a cabinet colleague of Mr.Chidambaram ,
tries to cover the Maoists by passing the responsibility to the
CPI(M). Thus , she is helping the Maoists by overt or covert means.

Posted by Deepp on Feb 17, 2010

Isn't it surprising...in AP when TDP were in power, there was a lot of
naxal menance. Now there is the Congress govt in AP ant not a single
naxal attack. In Bihar, WB, Jharkhand and Orissa also the governments
are non- congress. There are these naxal attacks in plenty there
too!!!!Is this a coincidence or does it point to something????? Also
what has Mamata Bannerjee done to stop or fight back these attacks in
her home state is in question...the people of this country must take
all this into consideration before they blindly start supporting a
political party.....

Posted by Prabhat Sen Sarma on Feb 16, 2010

It is very unfortunate to note that everytime the Maoists create a
massacre, Ms.Mamata Banerjee, a cabinet colleague of Mr.Chidambaram ,
tries to cover the Maoists by passing the responsibility to the
CPI(M). Thus , she is helping the Maoists by overt or covert means.

Posted by Jai on Feb 16, 2010

Stop reacting. Please act.

Posted by Saurabh Kumar,Bangalore on Feb 16, 2010

I wonder how many more incidents like these will be needed to shake
the pathetic approach of Governmant towards the internal security of
the country.This is not happening for the first time (is not the last
time either).We lost 24 of our brave soldiers in the war against
parasites.Yes,they shouldnt be mentioned as extremist or even
terrorist,,they are nothing but the parasites eating us from
inside.Nobody except the government is there to be blamed.Decades old
manual rifles,knives & counted bullets against modern machine
guns,bulletproof vests,grenades etc.Is their any match specially when
the later is in wrong hands??..time to wake up Chidambram sahab..Our
soldiers are not cheap & expendable..Finish this thing once & for all
or you will just end up laughing at our martyrs.(A genuine request on
behalf of 125 crore Indians)

Posted by Pradip Jaitly on Feb 16, 2010

It's high time that Govt. took strong action probably a Military
action against these mindless killers and show them their position.
The more we cajole them, they are taking things for granted. Should be
done with an Iron hand.

Phd scholar with Maoist links held

NDTV Correspondent, Tuesday February 9, 2010, Lucknow

Uttar Pradesh police claims it has made the biggest Maoist catch since
the arrest of Khobad Ghandy last year.

Two top-rung leaders, one of them a PhD scholar from Delhi's
Jawaharlal Nehru University are in custody.

Police said two men, Chintan and Balraj, were among 11 Naxalite
leaders arrested in a night raid at Allahabad, Gorakhpur and Kanpur.

Chintan, 64, has PhD degrees from JNU, police say Balraj, 51, is a
science graduate. Both were close to Ghandy - the Doon School-educated
chartered accountant turned Maoist ideologue who was arrested in
September last year in Delhi.

Posted by Karavadi Raghava Rao on Feb 09, 2010

In the early days of Naxalism mostly there are highly educated
intellectuals including poets,doctors,engineers and so on. But now
mostly it is a mass organization.

http://www.ndtv.com/news/india/phd_scholar_with_maoist_links_held.php

http://www.ndtv.com/news/india/midnapore_naxal_attack_chidambarams_press_statement.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ndtv%2FLsgd+%28NDTV+News+-+India%29

Mourning, with anger, for 18 policemen massacred

NDTV Correspondent, Friday October 9, 2009, Gadchiroli

The somber bugle and gun salute signals the final rites for the 18
policemen who were killed in the line of duty, ambushed by 200 Naxals
on Thursday in the deep forests of Gadchiroli.

In this part of North Eastern Maharashtra, anger overshadows the pain,
shared equally by families who lost their men, and the villagers who
witnessed the horrific violence. A five-hour gun battle where the
police stood virtually no chance, outnumbered as it was by five
militants for every one of their own.

Constable Nooruddin Hakim was 28, and recently engaged. His uncle
says, "It's the government's weakness, even though they had
information. He is my brother's son. This should not have happened. I
totally blame the state." And then he breaks down.

The policemen were on patrol duty in the area. There were 40 of them.
Then suddenly, the Naxals attacked. "We had seen and heard of families
of martyrs. Now we have one in our family," says Kumudini Dhote, whose
brother-in-law was among those killed. Someone tries to console her by
saying he died for his country. None of that matters, she says, in a
controlled voice.

Joining the families at the state funeral, hundreds of villagers from
the area, many of whom have supported the Naxals. They may not have
changed sides entirely, but today, they say, their respects and
prayers are with the families who've lost lives.

The big challenge for the police is going to be lifting the morale of
a force which has faced three major attacks this year, in which 50
policemen have died.

The Maharashtra government says the Naxals involved in Thursday's
attack crossed into the state from Chhattisgarh. Naxals have been
asking for the state elections to be boycotted, and they planned the
massacre as a show of strength.

Survivors say they will continue their fight. Many of them are tribals
for whom joining anti-Naxal operations was a risk. But disenchanted
with Naxal ideology, they say they won't surrender.

Like constable Rajendra Saiyam who is recovering from Thursday's
encounter in a Nagpur hospital. "I will go back and fight," he says.

http://www.ndtv.com/news/india/mourning_with_anger_for_18_policemen_massacred.php

Bihar: 5 children killed in Naxal attacks

NDTV Correspondent, Friday October 2, 2009, Khagaria

Just a day after the Indian Air Force asked for permission to fire in
self-defence against the Naxals, they have struck again.

100 men armed with automatic weapons fired indiscriminately at
innocent villagers in Bihar's Khagaria district. 16 people were killed
on the spot including five children.

Ten people, suspected behind the Naxal attack late on Thursday night,
have been arrested by the police.

The attack came after farmers defied a Naxal order of not cultivating
a disputed piece of land. The victims belonged to a backward caste.

"Police and other administrative officers are present at the site. In
a short while the revenue minister and the DGP will visit the area.
The relatives of the victims will be given Rs 1 lakh. Rs 50,000 will
be given to the injured as immediate relief from the state government
and the CM's Relief Fund," said Bihar CM Nitish Kumar.

Meanwhile, many people gathered at the spot where the attack took
place. Bihar Deputy CM Sushil Modi was forced to leave the area by
angry crowd.

"The gunmen pulled the victims out of their huts, tied their hands and
feet and fired at them, ADG Headquarters Neelmani said.

"Around 100 people, suspected to be Maoists, armed with automatic
weapons attacked the village and fired indiscriminately late last
night," Inspector General (Operations) S K Bharadwaj said.

Neelmani said the attack was carried out on the villagers by the
suspected Naxalites with the intention of grabbing the land.

The victims had been living in makeshift camps on the land, he said.

Senior police officials, IG Operations and IG Bhagalpur are camping at
the site and Special Task Force has been deployed for combing
operations in the riverine area to nab them, Neelmani said, adding
police patrolling has been increased as tension prevailed in the area.

Bodies have been kept at Morkahi police station from where they would
be sent to a government hospital for post-mortem.

Bihar has seen a few deadly Naxal attacks in the last couple of
months:

On Aug 23, five policemen, including an assistant sub-inspector were
killed and two injured in a Naxal attack in Sono Bazar area of Bihar's
Jamui district.

On April 22, a day before the country went to the polls in the second
phase, four Naxal attacks took place in Bihar's Gaya, Aurangabad and
Motihari. Naxals set on fire three oil tankers and five trucks killing
16 people killed.

According to data compiled by the Union Home Ministry, Naxal strikes
on economic targets have progressively grown across Bihar,
Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa and West Bengal.

In 2006, 71 Naxal attacks were reported. In 2007, the number went up
to 80. In 2008, the figures rose sharply to 109.

In the first half of 2009, 56 Naxal attacks have been reported. (With
PTI inputs)

http://www.ndtv.com/news/india/naxal_attack_in_bihar_16_feared_killed.php

...and I am Sid Harth
bademiyansubhanallah
15 years ago
Permalink
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Open challenge to Govt’s authority

The dastardly killing of 25 personnel in West Bengal by Maoists is
highly condemnable and no democratic republic will ever tolerate at
any cost. But it also an challenge to Govt's police machinery. This
dastardly attack also exposed weakness and lack of determination in
government to deal with Maoists sternly. Though this is not the first
time that Maoists have killed police personnel in West Bengal,
Jharkhand, Orissa , Chatthisgarh and other naxal-affected states in
the country, the governments have always failed to stop their wanton
killings. The CPI (Maoist) is a banned organisation but it carries
muderous act with impunity without any check from the government side.
The killing of 25 policemen and looting of their arms in West Bengal
not only point towards failure of the government but it is its
complete failure, which is also apparent. The Maoists’ killing act was
carried out in daylight but it was the helpness and ill-training of
the police personnel that they fail miserably to counter them
successfully. The police personnel and police stations all over the
country is ill-quipped to fight Maoist menace. Maoists are eqipped
with more sophisticated weapons to strike terror among the policemen.
Their main motive is also of striking fear among the people by
attacking the police stations in their areas of influence. They have
become a great internal threat to the country. It has been often seen
that the growth of naxalism is very fast in poorly-developed areas in
the state. The state government alllocation of money for the
development of tribal areas is gulped by Maoist leaders in connivance
with corrupt government officials. Maoist leadership is financially
well off because the government money alloted for the development in
their areas goes into their pockets. So, there is no financial
constraint carry out their anti-national acts. Maoists want to grab
power at gun point and if the government continued to shirk from
taking stringent steps to halt their onslaught, the day is not far off
when they would run their writ large in all the naxal-affected states
in the country. More than half of the country is in the grip of naxal
violence. The situation urgently demands first on the government to
deal with the banned organisation and to not put forth the view that
if it took to stringent measures the tribal population in the country
will feel alienated because Maoism is most active in tribal areas.
This point of view is generally given by the government only for the
sake of vote bank politics. The government must cast off complacency
and crush Maoist violence first, then they measres for the uplift of
tribal in the Maoist dominated areas.

Posted by Suvashanand Mishra at 6:07 AM

http://suvashanandmishra.blogspot.com/2010/02/open-challenge-to-govts-authority.html

Intelligence failure led to Naxal attack: WB government
February 16th, 2010
PTI

Shilda/Kolkata: Intelligence failure perhaps led to the biggest-ever
Maoist attack in West Bengal, the state government admitted on
Tuesday, as it declared that joint operation by the combined forces
against the Naxals will not be suspended.

Launching a manhunt for the attackers, the state police said
motorcycle-borne Naxals from neighbouring Jharkand sneaked in to
execute the daring strike. Three persons have been arrested, an
official said.

The Home Secretary, Mr Ardhendu Sen, admitted there was some failure
on the part of intelligence and security forces, "May be there was
lapse on their part", he said.

The Union Home Minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, described the attack on
the Eastern Frontier Rifles(ERF) camp in Shilda in West Midnapore
district, 170 km from Kolkata, on Monday evening as outrageous and
accepted there were indications of "failure" in some aspects which
only a detailed review would reveal. 24 jawans, some of them who were
burnt alive, lost their lives.

"While there are indications of failure in some aspects, only a
thorough review will reveal how the police camp with adequate strength
was over-run, when there was day light, by the CPI (Maoist)," he said
in a statement in New Delhi.

The Union Railway Minister and Trinamool chief, Ms Mamata Banerjee,
used the Naxal attack to slam the Left Front government again saying
there was a "total failure" of law and order and demanded a central
probe. "They came along with 70-75 bikes...I don't know why there is
no intelligence of the government," she said.

The West Bengal Chief Secretary, Mr A.M. Chakraborty, ruled out any
suspension of the joint operation. "Joint operation will continue
despite the Maoist offensive", he said, adding three arrests were made
in connection with the attack.

The state director general of police, Mr Bhupinder Singh, who visited
the ravaged camp at Shilda, 75 km from Midnapore town, told reporters,
"Maoists sneaked in from Jharkhand."

"It is a setback. But it will not change our resolve. Operation
against Maoists will continue," Mr Singh said.

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/national/intelligence-failure-led-naxal-attack-wb-government-922

Don't treat action against Naxals as war: SC to Govt
Ashok Bagriya / CNN-IBN

Published on Tue, Feb 16, 2010 at 23:05,
Updated on Wed, Feb 17, 2010 at 00:58 in India section

Tags: Naxalism, Internal Security , New Delhi

NAXAL MENANCE: The Naxal gunned down 24 jawans of the Eastern Frontier
Rifles on Monday.

New Delhi: A day after 24 jawans of the Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFT)
were gunned down brutally by the Naxals in West Bengal, Home Minister
P Chidambaram is angry and has taunted the Left leaning intelligentsia
which continues to lend moral support to the Naxal violence.

“I would like to hear the voices of condemnation of those who have,
erroneously, extended intellectual and material support to the CPI
(Maoist), “ said Chidambaram

However, Chidambaram's angry outburst came when even Supreme Court
joined the long civil rights chorus that the action against Naxals
should not be treated as a full-fledged war.

“It's not a war. They are just citizens of this country. Some of the
reports appearing in the media are disturbing. Over 2 lakh people have
been displaced in this fight. Where will they go? What will they
grow,” asked The apex court.

The court was hearing a petition on the alleged revenge killings of 12
tribals by security forces in Gompad village of Dantewada district
last year.

The apex court rued there has been very little development in the
Naxal affected areas

“So much is said about the steps taken by the law enforcing agency.
But what about the other steps that are being taken,” observed the
court.

The court's observation seems to have sharpened the attack on the
government by its critics

Human rights activist Colin Gonsalves said, “It’s like a general
marching into battle with tanks and saying lets have peace. How can
you go into battle saying that. You want to lead the country into war,
do that. I am not part of that war from neither side.''

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/dont-treat-action-against-naxals-as-war-sc-to-govt/110250-3.html?from=tn

Villagers trapped between rebels and police
By Amy Kazmin in Kanker, India

Published: February 16 2010 19:13 |
Last updated: February 16 2010 19:13

A body is carried away in Sildha, West Bengal, after Monday’s killing
of soldiers by Maoist guerrillas

Nestled against the forest, the bucolic villages of India’s Kanker
district are tidy clusters of mud-walled homes whose inhabitants eke
out an existence by cultivating small patches of land and going to the
forest to collect the tendu leaves used for traditional Indian
cigarettes, known as bidis.

Yet behind the tranquil facade, Kanker’s villagers are living in the
grip of fear, caught between the radical leftwing Naxal guerrilla
movement and government forces intent on quashing a spreading
rebellion that has become one of India’s main security ­concerns.

EDITOR’S CHOICE

India vows to retaliate against Maoist rebels - Feb-16
Lex: India on the offensive - Feb-14
Editorial: Nailing Naxalites - Feb-14
India fine-tunes fight against Maoists - Feb-09
New Delhi offers to suspend mine deals - Feb-09

That dilemma is being echoed in rural areas across vast swathes of
India, where New Delhi has begun more frequently to use paramilitary
force to challenge the hold of the Naxalites over far-flung corners
long neglected by the state machinery.

The government launched Operation Green Hunt last year, sending battle-
hardened paramilitary forces from Kashmir to bolster beleaguered and
poorly trained police forces trying to dislodge the guerrillas.

On Monday, Maoists proved what tough adversaries they are when they
attacked a paramilitary police camp in West Bengal, killing about 24
soldiers and injuring seven others. Bhupinder Singh, West Bengal’s
police chief, blamed residents for failing to warn security forces of
the attack.

“As security operations expand across several affected states, we will
find more and more villagers caught between security forces and the
Naxals,” says Meenakshi Ganguly of Human Rights Watch. “In this kind
of situation, there is never a middle. People are forced to take
sides.”

The Naxalites, named after Naxalbari, the village in West Bengal where
their movement was born in 1967, have established a firm hold over
Kanker district and the thickly forested, sparsely populated swathe of
mineral-rich Chhattisgarh state in which it lies.

They have established groups of supportive villagers, called sanghams,
to serve as their eyes and ears. At covert public meetings, the
rebels, from the Communist Party of India (Maoist), denounce New
Delhi’s policies – especially plans to expand mining – and warn
villagers against joining the police forces.

Each month, the Maoists, who have carried out detailed socio-economic
surveys of the villages and their inhabitants, demand monthly payments
and food from each family, requiring those with public sector jobs,
such as school teachers, to give the most. Some teachers pay as much
as Rs1,500 ($32, €24, £21).

Beatings of dissenters, rumoured killings of suspected police
informers and fear that children will be forcibly taken to be Maoist
cadres help keep Kanker’s villagers compliant. Yet there is little
doubt that the rebels’ denunciations of New Delhi and its policies
also resonate with many.

“Some of what they said is right,” says one villager, who has attended
two recent meetings, in which the Maoists attacked the Steel Authority
of India Ltd and its huge steel plant in Chhattisgarh for “cheating”
local people and criticised plans to expand mining in the state. “We
should not sell our iron ore to other countries.”

As the Maoists woo villages with their potent messages, police are
stepping up their own surveillance of Kanker, visiting villages more
often and offering to solve local problems. Yet rather than instilling
confidence in state power, the visits merely create anxiety.

“We do not allow the police to sit in anyone’s house,” says one
villager, who, like others interviewed, so feared retribution from one
side or the other that he requested that neither he nor his village be
identified. “We make them sit in the square, so nobody can be blamed
for being a police informer.”

The Naxalites have expanded their footprint across remote,
inaccessible parts of rural India over several decades, taking
advantage of local grievances and the vacuum left by a detached state
architecture. The so-called “Red Corridor” now stretches from West
Bengal – the site of Monday’s assault – across Jharkhand, Bihar,
mineral-rich Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and parts of Maharashtra. Many of
the guerrilla movement’s university-educated leaders come from Andhra
Pradesh, which was a Maoist stronghold in the 1990s before an
aggressive state offensive pushed them out.

Today, no place is as crucial to the guerrillas as their so-called
liberated area in the forests of Chhattisgarh, where authorities say
leftist cadres from all over India are trained in hidden jungle bases.

The first rebels to enter the region’s forests in the 1980s won
popular support by protecting residents against aggressive government
forest guards and helping them secure better prices for the tendu
leaves they sold to the bidi industry. Many villagers later joined –
or were forced to join – the movement as full-time cadres.

But over the years, unhappy at the Maoists’ efforts to halt the
traditional animist spiritual practices of local tribes, and at
mounting violence against traditional leaders and other dissenters,
many locals have turned sour towards the guerrillas.

Security forces are slowly pushing into Maoist-held areas to battle
the rebels, though local human rights groups accuse them of
slaughtering innocent civilians then branding them as Naxal rebels.

Security forces deny any intentional wrongdoing. But the allegations
have risen all the way to New Delhi and India’s Supreme Court, where a
group of tribal villagers from Chhattisgarh were brought this week to
testify in a case accusing security forces of massacring nine
civilians in Gompad village in October.

Standing barefoot outside the courtroom, the illiterate villagers,
including one who had been shot in the leg, looked stunned by the roar
of Delhi’s traffic and the swirl of black-robed lawyers. Inside,
lawyers bickered over who should translate the accounts of the
villagers, who speak only a tribal language called Gondi.

Himanshu Kumar, the activist behind the case, argued that the
interpreter offered by the government was too close to the police. Mr
Kumar, who speaks Gondi, was proposed, but state lawyers called him a
Maoist sympathiser.

When the villagers were finally asked about the events of October,
they said they had no idea who killed their relatives.

Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2010.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6df076d8-1b24-11df-953f-00144feab49a.html

Centre to send security experts to Midnapore
Published on : Tuesday 16 Feb 2010 18:16 - by ANI

By Shreeraj Gudi

New Delhi, Feb 16 : Union Home Ministry will send security experts to
West Bengals West Midnapore District on Wednesday to probe the killing
of over 25 policemen by Maoists on Monday evening.

The attack on the Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR) camp in Sealdah is
being seen as the deadliest form of Naxal violence.

The team will review the current counter-Maoist strategy in West
Bengal and seek to assist the state in keeping the morale of the
forces intact.

Sources acknowledged the EFR unit was not fully trained to handle this
kind of attack.

This morning, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram said: Every attack of
this kind exposes the true nature and character of the CPI (Maoist).
Their goal is to seize power. Their weapon is violence. No
organisation or group in a democratic republic has the right to take
to violence to overpower the established legal authority.

Unfortunately, this simple truth has escaped a number of well-meaning
organisations that find legitimacy in the armed liberation struggle
carried on by the CPI (Maoist), he added.

In his statement Chidambaram said While there are indications of
failure in some aspects, only a thorough review will reveal how the
police camp with adequate strength was overrun, when there was day
light, by the CPI (Maoist).

On Monday, in an unusually frank statement on the predicament of
security forces doing duty in Naxal-hit areas, Solicitor General Gopal
Subramanium told the Supreme Court that police officers leave for duty
every day with a death band around their heads.

Gopal Subramanium described the challenges faced by a police officer
working in the tough terrain of Naxal areas, sandwiched between
helpless tribals and people who take law into their hands and
terrorise villagers.

Copyright Asian News International (ANI)

http://www.littleabout.com/news/70565,centre-send-security-experts-midnapore.html

NAXAL / MAOISTS threats and movements

Naxalite or Naxalvadis (name from the village of Naxalbari in the
Indian state of West Bengal where the movement originated), are a
group of far-left radical communists, supportive of Maoist political
sentiment and ideology. Their origin can be traced to the split in
1967 of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), leading to formation
of Communist Party of India (Marxist- Leninist). Initially the
movement had its centre in West Bengal. In recent years, they have
spread into less developed areas of rural central and eastern India,
such as Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh through the activities of
underground groups like the Communist Party of India (Maoist).They
lead the Naxalite-Maoist insurgency. As of 2009, Naxalites are active
across approximately 220 districts in twenty states of India
accounting for about 40 percent of India's geographical area, They are
especially concentrated in an area known as the "Red corridor", where
they control 92,000 square kilometers. According to India's
intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing, 20,000 armed
cadre Naxalites were operating apart from 50,000 regular cadres
working in their various mass organizations and millions of
sympathisers, and their growing influence prompted Indian Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh to declare them as the most serious internal
threat to India's national security. The Naxalites are opposed by
virtually all mainstream Indian political groups. In February 2009,
Central government announced its plans for simultaneous, co-ordinated
counter-operations in all Left-wing extremism-hit states—Chhattisgarh,
Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh,
and West Bengal, to plug all possible escape routes of Naxalites.

India is divided in many ways: by caste, religion, language, and
region. But recently it has become to look as though the most visible
divide in the days ahead will be marked by the Maoists movement, which
according to media reports, has spread to nearly 40% of the country's
geographical area and is a major political force in poor tribal states
such as Chhattisgarh, Jharkand and Orissa.

The insurgency is gaining momentum to the dismay of the India, who is
riding on the high waters of the economy, and analysts say, the Indian
government is concerned over the possible spillover of Maoist problem
in contagious states like UP, Bihar, Uttaranchal and Assam.

In practice, the 40-year-old insurgency is thought to have a presence
in as many as half of India's 28 states and to make the matter worse,
the movement also benefits some support in rural villages, making
curbing its activities difficult for the Indian government.

“Naxalites control 92,000 square kilometers of the country, and the
"red corridor" runs along some of India's poorest parts and through
areas inhabited mainly by tribal peoples,” according to the media
sources.

The death from violent movement is estimated to be around 6000 in last
20 years.

Violence has peaked in India from Maoist or Naxalite separatist.

From the Ministry of Home Affairs it has been stated that:

1996: 156 deaths
1997: 428 deaths
1998: 270 deaths
1999: 363 deaths
2000: 50 deaths
2001: 100+ deaths
2002: 140 deaths
2003: 451 deaths
2004: 500+ deaths
2005: 700+ deaths
2006: 750 deaths
2007: 650 deaths
2008: 794 deaths
2009: 1134 deaths

According to BBC, More than 6,000 people have died during the rebels'
20-year fight

Naxals are getting more sophisticated now.
The detail information may be traced from several sources.

1. Naxalite Movement

2. Global Politician - Rising Maoists Insurgency in India

3. Naxal problem

More updates will follow.
Fighter


Sab Kehtay Hain Mujh Say Mehfil Main, Moqay Kay Muttabiq Baat Kaho
Or Hum Nay Yeh Dil Main Thaani Hai, Ya Dil Ki Kahai'n Ya Kuch Na
Kahai'n

http://www.defence.pk/forums/india-defence/47405-naxal-maoists-threats-movements.html

Early polls of panchayat will solve Naxals problem, says retired DGP

Retired DGP R.R. Prasad has opined that ‘Green Hunt’ operation will
not solve Naxalities activities in Jharkhand. State government should
take action for early elections of Gram Panchayat, which will solve
Naxal problem. The youths and unemployed people will remain engage in
development work and will not join Naxals group.

Read 22 times

http://ranchiexpress.com/25675.php

319 Naxals surrendered in four years in Maharashtra
PTI
Tuesday, February 16, 2010 12:58 IST

NAGPUR: As many as 319 Naxalites have laid down their arms before
authorities in the Naxal-infested Gadchiroli district in eastern part
of Maharashtra, official sources have said.

"The Maharashtra government, after examining Naxal surrender policies
of other affected states, also came out with a identical scheme on
August 29, 2005 and this has helped both the Naxals and the police in
implementing it. The response has been good so far," additional
district superintendent of police, Manoj Sharma told PTI.

He said the state government has given periodical extension to the
scheme. "It has certainly helped the misguided poor tribals who took
to arms struggle to avail an opportunity to give up violence and
isolated life and miserable living conditions."

The scheme has also helped the police to provide a chance for those
Naxals who want to return to main stream and spend rest of the life
under security cover and enjoy the freedom, Sharma said.

Giving details of surrendered Naxalites, Sharma said one sub zonal
committee member is the top Naxal leader followed by six dalam
commanders and nine deputy dalam commanders.

Sharma said, In Naxal movement, the Area Rakshak Dal and Gram Rakshak
Dal (ARD and GRD) also play an important role
since they are like second rung leaders and provide logistics
and communication also. As many as 200 ARD and GRD have also
surrendered during this period.

There are 10 couples who are a part of 319 surrendered Naxalites
during the last four years.

Maharashtra govenment has so far extended financial assistance to the
tune of Rs 1.38 crore and another Rs 30.20 lakh from the centrally
sponsored Security Related Expenditure (SRE), Sharma said.

As per the laid down scheme, whenever Naxals surrender, they are
produced before a committee headed by district collector which include
superintendent of police and other officials to accept their surrender
and accordingly the cash reward is decided as per their rank and
involvement in offences.

Police have recovered from them 81 rifles, mostly 303 and self
loading, 110 cartridges, one hand grenade and other explosives besides
Naxal printed materials about their ideology, he said.

Six Naxals had surrendered during the Republic Day Parade in
Gadchiroli where Maharashtra Home Minister R R Patil unfurled the tri-
colour. He welcomed them into the main stream.

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_319-naxals-surrendered-in-four-years-in-maharashtra_1348440

Govt offers rehabilitation for Naxals
PTI
Wednesday, February 17, 2010 20:48 IST

Jammu: Government today offered to rehabilitate Naxalites if they give
up arms and surrender.

Union home minister P Chidambaram

"If Naxals give up arms and surrender, they would also be
rehabilitated," home minister P Chidambaram told a press conference in
Jammu.

His comments on the issue came at a press conference in Jammu when he
was explaining the policy being drafted by the Jammu and Kashmir
government for the rehabilitation of militants returning from Pak-
occupied-Kashmir (PoK).

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_govt-offers-rehabilitation-for-naxals_1349187

Midnapore carnage a setback for Operation Green Hunt: Bengal DGP
Sumanta Ray Chaudhuri / DNA
Wednesday, February 17, 2010 0:11 IST

Kolkata: The massacre of policemen by Maoists at Shilda in West
Midnapore district of West Bengal is a great setback for Operation
Green Hunt, state DGP Bhupinder Singh said on Tuesday. “But we are
determined to continue the operation,” he told reporters after
visiting the devastated Eastern Frontier Rifles camp.

The Bengal government admitted that the onslaught on policemen
happened because of intelligence failure and a security lapse. It also
said the attack would hit the morale of the combined forces personnel
working to flush out Maoists from the state.

“We will have to review the situation and identify the lapses,” state
chief secretary Ashok Mohan Chakroborty said. The state will submit a
report to the Centre on Wednesday. A high-level central team will
visit Shilda on Thursday to take stock.

After questioning eyewitnesses, police have come to know that the 60
Maoists who attacked the camp were led by a woman. Police suspect she
is top Maoist leader Jagori Baske, who had also led the Sankrail
operation in October 2009, kidnapping police inspector Atindranath
Datta.

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_midnapore-carnage-a-setback-for-operation-green-hunt-bengal-dgp_1348829

...and I am Sid Harth

http://www.blogger.com/profile/00640889486434525941
bademiyansubhanallah
15 years ago
Permalink
Cadre-for-BDO is Naxals’ swap offer
B Vijay Murty, Hindustan Times
Ghatsila, February 15, 2010

First Published: 23:44 IST(15/2/2010)
Last Updated: 23:51 IST(15/2/2010)

Jharkhand Maoists on Monday demanded the release of three women cadres
and some tribals in return for the abducted block development officer,
Prashant Kumar Layak.

Layak was kidnapped on Saturday from his office in Dhalbhumgarh,
around 180-km southeast of capital Ranchi.

The CPI Maoist rebels have threatened to kill Layak if their demands
are not met in 72 hours. The deadline expires on Tuesday.

“Free our comrades and we will hand over the BDO to media personnel,”
Naxal commander Mangal alias Kanu told a press conference at one of
their hideouts near the Jharkhand-Orissa border.

In Ranchi, Chief Minister Sibu Soren said his government was ready for
talks and would consider all their demands, provided they released the
BDO. “I am yet to receive any of their demands in writing,” Soren
said.

The BDO’s wife Julie Bharati has appealed to the Maoists not to hurt
her husband. “The chief minister has assured he will address all your
grievances and demands,” she said.

Senior police personnel, led by director general Neyaz Ahmad, are
carrying out combining operations in the rebels' suspected hideouts
along the Jharkhand-Orissa and Jharkhand-West Bengal borders.

Dhalbhumgarh shares its borders with both the states, which is
surrounded by hills and dense forests. The Maoists’ hotbed Lalgarh is
barely 60 km away.

Maoists, who control 18 of Jharkhand’s 24 districts, have killed 340
policemen in the last eight years.

On October 6 last year, they killed a special branch inspector Francis
Induwar. Layak is the first senior administrative officer the rebels
have abducted in the last two years.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/jharkhand/Cadre-for-BDO-is-Naxals-swap-offer/509297/H1-Article1-509200.aspx

Maoists trigger explosion in Howrah-Mumbai train route
Press Trust Of India
Rourkela, February 08, 2010

First Published: 09:37 IST(8/2/2010)
Last Updated: 14:32 IST(8/2/2010)

Suspected Maoists blew away a portion of railway tracks in the wee
hours on Monday near Rourkela causing derailment of a goods train and
disruption of train services on the Howrah-Mumbai route.

A portion of the railway track at a place between Bhalulata and
Jareikela, about 30 km from Rourkela, was blown up by suspected
Maoists at 1 am leading to derailment of two wagons of a goods train,
Rourkela railway station manager S K Panda said.

However, there have been no reports of injury or casualty in the
incident.

Following the blast, all trains on the Howrah-Mumbai route have been
held up at different stations, Panda said, adding that explosives
might also have been planted on the up-line of the route.

Maoists had on Sunday called a 72-hour bandh in Bihar, Jharkhand,
Orissa, West Bengal and Chhattisgarh to protest against a proposed all-
out offensive “Operation Green Hunt” against them by the Centre.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/orissa/2nd-day-in-a-row-Maoists-blast-tracks/509297/H1-Article1-506562.aspx

Chidambaram reviews anti-Naxal plans of five states
Press Trust Of India
New Delhi, December 24, 2009

First Published: 19:52 IST(24/12/2009)
Last Updated: 19:53 IST(24/12/2009)

Ahead of the full-fledged operations against Naxals, Home Minister P
Chidambaram on Thursday took stock of the security situation in five
Maoists-affected states and favoured coordinated efforts to deal with
the extremists.

Chidambaram had a lengthy meeting with Chief Secretaries and Directors
General of Police of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa, Bihar and
Maharashtra, where the officials briefed him on the steps being taken
to deal with the Maoists.

Sources said the meeting reviewed the states' preparedness,
availability of forces and other operational aspects.

The meeting stressed on the need for immediate launching of full-
fledged operations in these states, they said.

Chidambaram also took stock of development programmes to be carried
out by the state governments in the Maoist-dominated areas once they
are cleared from the clutches of Naxals through the operations.

The meeting bears significance as it comes immediately after the
Jharkhand Assembly elections, which delayed the much-awaited large-
scale coordinated anti-Naxal operations spanning across five states.

Sources said the Centre has already made available about 50,000
central paramilitary forces to these states and Chidambaram reviewed
their deployment plans with the state government officials.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/newdelhi/Chidambaram-reviews-anti-Naxal-plans-of-five-states/509297/H1-Article1-490160.aspx

Halt violence for talks, Chidambaram tells Maoists
Indo-Asian News Service
Kolkata, February 09, 2010

First Published: 14:37 IST(9/2/2010)
Last Updated: 17:29 IST(9/2/2010)

Home Minister P Chidambaram on Tuesday said the government would be
ready to talk to Maoist guerrillas if they called a halt to their
violence.

"If you abjure violence, that is if you call a halt to violence, we
are not asking you do anything more, we are prepared to talk to you on
any (subject)," the minister told reporters after a meeting of top
officials of West Bengal, Orissa, Jharkhand and Bihar in Kolkata.

Chidambaram said that since such an offer had been spurned earlier,
the government was obliged to continue with its anti-Maoist
operations. "As long as the Naxals indulge in violence, these
operations will continue."

Taking part in the meeting to discuss the Maoist threat were the chief
ministers of West Bengal and Orissa, the two deputy chief ministers of
Jharkhand and top officials of all four states.

Chidamabaram said the anti-Maoist crackdown in all these states had
seen "slow but steady" progress, and cited the arrests of several key
leaders of the outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist to back his
assertion.

"And contrary to what sections of the media and NGOs propagated a few
months ago that there would be a massive carnage, no such thing has
happened. We have made it very clear that the purpose of these
operations is not to kill anyone.

"These are our own people, we care for them, we care for their lives.
The object is to re-establish civil administration in areas now
dominated by Naxalites. I think progress will be slow but steady," he
said.

He added: "You cannot measure the progress of the operation like a
scoreboard in a cricket match. Progress is steady and slow. We will
continue to make progress. In fact considerable progress has been
made..."

The minister admitted that there were inadequacies in the security
offensive but added that these would be overcome.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/kolkata/Halt-violence-for-talks-PC-to-Maoists/509297/H1-Article1-506998.aspx

So many lives but little value
Hindustan Times
February 16, 2010

First Published: 21:57 IST(16/2/2010)
Last Updated: 21:58 IST(16/2/2010)

How much value does the Indian State put on the lives of its soldiers
and law-enforcers? The answer to that question is connected not only
to the country’s ability to defend itself against its internal enemies
but also provides a jarring clue to why the battle against Maoist
terror is far from being fought on a war-footing. The attack on an
Eastern Frontiers Rifles (EFR) camp in West Bengal on Monday was a
blatant warning that Maoist violence has no intention of stalling and
going into a huddle while the central and state governments firm up
strategic and logistic details of countering the menace.

Maoist guerrilla wing chief Kishenji subsequently stated that more
such attacks would take place unless the Centre refrained from
launching its proposed anti-Maoist surge. We simply can’t afford to
remain unprepared each and every time. On February 7 at the chief
ministers’ meet on internal security, both Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh and Home Minister P. Chidambaram emphasised the need for an
adequate armed force to take on the Maoists. The PM pointed to home
ministry figures — till September 2009, about 394,000 posts — about 20
per cent of the sanctioned posts — in the state police forces are
lying vacant. You need numbers to fight. But along with firming up the
numbers comes the quality of training. The Maoists work along a
specific asymmetrical terrain and using the old Maoist tactic of
‘moving among people as a fish swims in the sea’. Thus, the extra
need, as the PM underlined, to ensure “good infrastructure for our
police forces to be effective and efficient”. If around 80 per cent of
the police budget in all states is used for salaries, allowances and
pensions, the only way to ensure proper training is to up the budgets
earmarked for infrastructure and training.

The Multi-Agency Centre in the Intelligence Bureau now shares
intelligence with state agencies. Such intelligence has to percolate
further down so that action — both in terms of policy as well as law
and order — is taken. Referring to Maoist intercepts gathered, the
Solicitor General of India told the Supreme Court on Monday that
police officers virtually carry “a death band” when they enter the
Maoist-territory. That is a sad reflection on how the Indian State is
equipped to take on its enemies. It is also a sad state of how it
values the lives of its own men.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/editorial-views-on/edits/So-many-lives-but-little-value/Article1-509548.aspx

Talk, and talk firmly
Hindustan Times
February 15, 2010

First Published: 22:18 IST(15/2/2010)
Last Updated: 22:35 IST(15/2/2010)

It’s been more than two days since the terrorist attack in Pune and
the aftermath is painfully familiar. There’s the post-mortem outcry
about ‘intelligence failure’ and the need to teach Pakistan, the usual
suspect, a lesson. Apart from charting this usual trajectory, the Pune
blast comes just after the Indian government’s announcement of holding
foreign secretary-level talks with Pakistan in Delhi later this month.
The attack provides a strong ballast to those who think that holding
talks with Pakistan at this stage is a strategic and diplomatic
mistake. And the Opposition isn’t alone to think along this line. We,
however, strongly believe otherwise. If holding India-Pakistan talks
were indeed the direct cause of Pakistani-sponsored terrorism, New
Delhi would have been only too happy to maintain a permanent silence
with Islamabad. This is, as far too many past tragedies have shown,
not the case. Thus, not only does the Pune attack make it imperative
for New Delhi to talk to Islamabad, but it also gives it the moral and
diplomatic right to talk to the Pakistani leadership firmly and
specifically.

Dennis Blair, Director of the United States National Intelligence,
recently told the US Senate Intelligence Committee that Islamabad
continues to use militant groups as “part of its strategic arsenal to
counter India”. India, as a victim of these militant attacks, quite
obviously has known this for some time. But to have the US —
Pakistan’s major ally in countering the jihadi menace gnawing away at
Pakistan from inside the country — make such an observation provides
India the opportunity to demand that Islamabad give some objective
answers to some objective questions. The reported rallies in
Muzaffarabad and Lahore by jihadis condemning India after the talks
were announced may have been part and parcel of the usual rabble-
rousing. But the tacit support shown to these anti-India diatribes by
Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza invites an explanation. As does
the issue of the continued well-being of the Lashkar-e-Tayyeba (LeT).

The LeT is the only terrorist organisation that Pakistan’s
intelligence agency still controls to leverage its attacks on India.
Islamabad’s refusal to equate the LeT with the other jihadi groups
attacking Pakistan should be challenged by India. New Delhi needs to
use the same rhetoric that Islamabad has devised, honed and utilised
to its advantage all this while: we are also victims of terrorism. In
our case, the LeT is the particular viral that we suffer from and that
needs to be eradicated. A concerted fight against terrorism in all its
forms and against all operators of terror should be on top of the
agenda on February 25.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/editorial-views-on/edits/Talk-and-talk-firmly/Article1-509183.aspx

Strong and silent
February 01, 2010

First Published: 23:43 IST(1/2/2010)
Last Updated: 23:45 IST(1/2/2010)

I would have liked to have met Jyoti babu. Among the Indian
politicians of our times, he possessed a charisma that was quite
uniquely his own. He was laconic in a world where verbosity is the
norm. He had a reputation for being a good listener, whereas the
average Indian politician feels unfulfilled, it seems, unless he has
three conversations going at the same time.

He was famous for his silence. People who came to him expecting to be
embraced or attacked, would go away wondering why he had not said a
word. His speeches, at least the few times I heard him, lacked the
rhetorical flourishes that many of his colleagues were famous for. He
had a dry wit, but used it sparingly. He smiled little, and avoided
patting people on the back. He was neither a film star nor a poet
manqué. There was nothing in his past — no extreme poverty, no act of
renunciation, no personal tragedy — that could invest his present with
a sense of romance. Yet for over 30 years (and especially for the last
20), he remained, durably, one of the most admired and loved
politicians in India.

One thing that clearly impressed people was his aura of authority. His
obvious intelligence, his unwillingness to waste words, and avoidance
of all histrionics, gave him a gravitas that is rare in Indian
politics. His dignity, that he never complained in public about ‘the
Party’ even when it clearly got in the way of things he wanted, the
fact that he almost never went back on what he said (even when he
clearly should have), gave the impression of a man who knew exactly
what he wanted and where he was going. People thought twice about
getting in his way. His orders were meant to be carried out.

What is striking, given the authority that he enjoyed, is how little
got achieved in West Bengal during the 23 years of his tenure. The
main policy achievements of that period — the establishment of
panchayati raj in the villages, a package of agrarian reforms
including Operation Barga, some land redistribution, some investment
in small-scale irrigation and the promotion of high-yielding varieties
of rice — were all launched right after the Left Front came to power
in 1977.

Indeed, I have been told by a reliable Party source (and a great
admirer of Jyoti babu’s) that the urgency that we see clearly, in the
early years of the regime, came from a conviction that they would be
thrown out of power soon, as they had been in 1967 and 1969. They
wanted to leave their imprint on the system before that happened. They
had not figured in the fact that the politics of India had changed
fundamentally in 1977. Multi-party competition was in and dismissing
elected state governments was (mostly) out.

This is, apparently also why, they rushed to empower government
employee unions — teachers, health workers and hospital staff, and the
rest. As with the other reforms, the idea was to create centres of
left support that would outlast the government.

I have written elsewhere about the productivity effects of the
agrarian reforms, which were substantial and positive. Indeed, one
might claim that these reforms (and earlier land reforms) did much to
move Bengal beyond the long, tragic shadow of the zamindari system —
that particular hatchet, at least, seems to have been buried. The
strengthening of local governance was necessary, though it stopped
short of where it should have gone. The empowering of the government
unions was a disaster — it may be reasonably argued that these are the
true ‘class enemies’ to use an old-fashioned Marxist term — no one
hurts the interests of the poor more, day in and day out, than
teachers and health workers who do not do their jobs.

However, what is clear is that, all of that, good and bad, was mostly
done by the mid-1980s. For the next 15 or so years of Jyoti babu’s
rule, there is very little that can be counted as a significant new
direction in policy terms. There is some toning down of the
revolutionary rhetoric and gradual cosying up with the entrepreneurial
class — though not enough to attract back the big players — but no
clear new directions.

It would take a better historian than I to piece together what went
wrong. Let me just throw out a couple of thoughts. One is lack of
competition. By the mid-1980s it was increasingly clear that the
Congress in West Bengal had no credible leadership to speak of — the
Siddhartha Shankar Ray regime had packed the party with local thugs in
order to combat the twin challenges from the Left and the old
Congresswalas, and the party was now paying the price. The electoral
pressure, at least in the short-run, was off.

The other is that the Left seems to have convinced itself that it
needed the public sector unions to survive politically in the long-
run. Given that as a Leftist party its natural agenda should have been
to improve the delivery of public services, there was really very
little for it to do, if taking on the unions were off-limit. All that
remained was to coast.

Abhijit Banerjee is Ford Foundation International Professor of
Economics and Director,
Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab, MIT

The views expressed by the author are personal

http://www.hindustantimes.com/editorial-views-on/opeds/Strong-and-silent/Article1-504182.aspx

...and I am Sid Harth
chhotemianinshallah
15 years ago
Permalink
Police officers irked by state govt's stand on Naxals
Sanjay Ojha, TNN, Feb 17, 2010, 09.18pm IST

RANCHI: The state government's decision to release 15 Red rebels to
ensure safe release of Dalbhumgarh BDO Prasant Kumar Layak, has irked
the entire police administration of the move will jeoparadise the
future anti-Naxal operations.

Cops right from the rank of constable to senior IPS officers are
peeved over the decision of the state government, as it will break the
moral of those who are risking their lives to crush Maoist movement.

Everyone is of the opinion that by releasing the Maoists, the state is
risking the lives of security personnel, who have ventured deep into
the forests and spend days and months away from their family.
The state government has already moved a petition in the court to
ensure release of 15 chargesheeted Maoists.

Security personnel know for sure that the moment these Maoists will
come out, they will attack patrol parties and police pickets.

The only option left before policemen posted in remote areas is not to
carry anti-Naxal operation. "We will start ignoring the orders of the
government even if it is serious after some months or years. We will
never venture out of police station and camps. We will allow Maoists
to strengthen their base and extract levy at will even if it is at the
cost of development or by killing businessmen and wait till the time
they throw the government and grab power," said a police officer.

Let some minister or his family member be killed in a landmine blast
triggered by Maoist only then they will realize the pain and suffering
of widow and children of a slain police officer. "The ministers will
then realize that they should not release hardcore Maoists and break
the moral of policemen posted in anti-Naxal operation," said an
officer.

Why the policemen are so peeved? Are they not sympathetic with the
abducted BDO and his family? A senior officer says they have empathy
with the victim and his kin. A similar incident can even happen with
them.

The way government is handling the case is not correct and is only
going to break the moral of police department. "Our officer Francis
Indwar was also abducted by the Maoists and he was finally beheaded.
At that time the government did not act so promptly to ensure his safe
recovery," said an officer of special branch adding, "They are quite
at the moment only on humanitarian grounds."

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ranchi/Police-officers-irked-by-state-govts-stand-on-Naxals/articleshow/5585030.cms

Diplomatic talks not composite dialogue: India to Pak
PTI, Feb 17, 2010, 08.35pm IST

NEW DELHI: A week ahead of the Indo-Pak Foreign Secretaries' meeting,
India on Wednesday said these parleys should not be "mistaken" for
resumption of the composite dialogue as these were "exploratory"
talks.

Asserting that the composite dialogue was "suspended", foreign
minister S M Krishna said, "Let the nation not be under mistaken
inference that composite dialogue is being renewed... The issue that
we raised remained to be addressed by Pakistan with a degree of
seriousness."

The Foreign Secretaries of India and Pakistan will meet on February 25
in New Delhi with the government here maintaining that the focus of
the talks will be terrorism.

"These are exploratory talks. All that I am saying is that we are
going to concentrate on terror which is emanating from Pakistan and
the terror activities and terror infrastructure which is there which
is yet to be dismantled.

"So our concern, our core concern is going to be terror," Krishna told
TV channels.

On Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed and other jehadi leaders freely
addressing rallies against India, Krishna said, "It is the way the
Pakistan functions. The government perhaps is not capable of
restraining these jehadis from continuing with their vituperative
statements against India, showing their hostility openly against
India."

The minister also emphasised the need to have talks, saying, "... in
order to carry forward the core issue as far as India is concerned
about terror and terror driven activities emanating from Pakistan, we
thought that it is necessary to engage Pakistan in this very critical
area of terror."

Reader's opinions (2)

sv pune 17/02/2010 at 09:06 pm
Is Pakistan eligible for this parley?

Because it itself is teared out by fanatics
sarvadeosingh Mughalsarai.Chandauli.U.P. 17/02/2010 at 09:24 pm

The statement of foreign S.M.Krishna that India would only talk on the
core issue 'terrorism'and this would be an exploratory talk is not
convincing.The people of this country have not mistaken the government
but fully aware that this government would not abide by its
commitment.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Diplomatic-talks-not-composite-dialogue-India-to-Pak/articleshow/5584896.cms

Fawning over Pak military, US undermines New Delhi talks
Chidanand Rajghatta, TNN, Feb 17, 2010, 11.54am IST

WASHINGTON: India may be wasting its time and energy engaging
Pakistan’s civilian set-up in the upcoming talks on February 25, going
by the way Washington is primarily dealing with the country’s military
and intelligence leadership in Rawalpindi and leaving Islamabad’s
democratically-elected government in the lurch over sensitive parleys
on terrorism.

US recognition of Pakistan’s military as the real power behind the
civilian façade has been evident for some time, with American
interlocutors, including US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton,
spending more time with the army brass in Rawalpindi than with the
civilian leadership in Islamabad. But it has become glaringly evident
this past week when Islamabad was left largely clueless about a CIA-
ISI move to engage the Taliban in a move dressed up as the ''capture''
of Taliban No.2, Mullah Birather, in a joint operation.

While Washington was agog with the story of Birather’s ''capture'' and
its consequences for Taliban and the US war in Afghanistan, Pakistan’s
civilian leadership was caught flatfooted by the developments. The
country’s interior minister Rehman Malik revealed the government’s
ignorance when he insisted there had been no such operation, even as
analysts in Washington were taking stock of the development.

''If the New York Times gives information, it is not a divine truth,
it can be wrong. We have joint intelligence sharing and no joint
investigation, nor joint raids,'' Malik told reporters about the story
first reported by the US paper. ''We are a sovereign state and hence
will not allow anybody to come and do any operation. And we will not
allow that. So this (report) is propaganda,'' he added.

But US officials, while declining to go into details of the alleged
''capture'' citing ''sensitive intelligence matters,'' appeared
pleased with the breakthrough they hope will lead to a convenient exit
from Afghanistan. Birather’s ''capture'' was credited by some to
Pakistan’s army chief Pervez Ashraf Kiyani’s desire to ensure a key
role of his country in the any attempt to mediate with the Taliban.

While details of how and why Birather was ''captured'' in Karachi are
still murky, regional experts are already suggesting that the story is
just a cover for Pakistan facilitating US contacts with the Taliban or
interposing itself in US-Taliban engagement. Pakistani intelligence
agencies have known his whereabouts for a long time, according to
Taliban expert Ahmed Rashid.

Others are suggesting that the military-ISI combine has ''sacrificed''
Birather to the Americans to win Washington’s trust and secure for
itself a role in Afghanistan. ''I think their realization of what was
happening within their own country and the threat that it posed also
played a big part in changing their actions,'' White House spokesman
Robert Gibbs said cryptically, indicating the Pakistanis had brought
in Birather to reflect a change in policy.

Still others believe US agencies had cornered Birather in Karachi and
the joint operation story is just a cover-up to save Pakistan from
embarrassment, while some are of the view that the US and/or Pakistan
have engaged Birather for a long time and the capture story was
drummed up after news of the secret parlays leaked.

No matter which explanation is correct, it shows Pakistan's civilian
dispensation in poor light. In fact, locked in a confrontation with
the country’s judiciary, the civilian quartet of President Zardari,
Prime Minister Gilani, foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and
interior minister Malik have ceded foreign policy to the country’s
pugnacious military. This raises the question as to how seriously
India should take the upcoming foreign secretary level talks on
February 25, an engagement that is credited to Washington’s persuasive
hand.

While the Islamabad quartet has largely acted as stooges for
Rawalpindi brass, which cracks the whip whenever the four step out of
line, US recognition of the military’s primacy appears to have
undermined not just Pakistan’s civilian government, but also this
engagement with New Delhi. During her last visit to the country,
Hillary Clinton spent three hours with General Kayani, for more than
any of her engagements with the civilian leadership. The attention did
not go unnoticed. Other US interlocutors have also invariably called
on Kiyani.

Meanwhile, Birather’s presence in Karachi has also focused attention
on the gradual dispersal of extremist elements from the region’s
badlands, now under the scrutiny of drones and other US ''eyes in the
sky,'' to Pakistan’s urban centers, home to the India-centric jihadi
crowd. Last week, the much-wanted extremist Hakimullah Mehsud was
reported to have died in Multan in Southern Punjab, where he was
reportedly brought for treatment for injuries suffered in a drone
attack. ISI elements, possibly renegades, are thought to facilitate
such movements into urban centers as US pressure on the border regions
make it unsafe for terrorists. Pakistan’s civilian government appears
to have little control over all this and Washington keeping Islamabad
in the dark over its dealing with the Army-ISI isn’t helping.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/Fawning-over-Pak-military-US-undermines-New-Delhi-talks/articleshow/5583122.cms

Jia Level 5
Will diplomacy ever work between India and Pakistan?

Description And why is India being so patient with Pakistan?Are we so
spineless that the only thing we can do is hold bilateral talks?

Views: 7320 | Answers: 33 | Overall Rating


kanbir...

I think it is futile exercise for India to start a joint secratory
level meeting with Pakistan. Currently Pakistan in the true sense is
being led by its millitary. Millitary and ISI nexus makes important
decisions pertaining to relations with India. Most of the terrorist
organizations working from POK are getting tacit support of the
Pakistani Millitary & ISI. So, in this scenario, what India would
achieve by starting talk with Pakistani government who are spineless
and can't take any decision? Only thing India could achieve at the
most will be showing the world that they are in discussion. This only
shows the Indian Government limited mindset who wants to avoid
confrontation at the cost of receiving continuos bleeding of their
people at the hands Pakistani terrorists. I understand India can not
go for full fledged war as then both countries would bleed and
development process will get hindered. But, I don't understand what is
stopping Indian government to take covert actions like Israel to send
their agents to destroy Pakistani terrorist camps. If few Indian
commandos will die, they may feel proud as martyr rather then just
protecting some corrupt politician

vennie...

stop Bilateral talks. Involve US in talks, because Pakistan gets her
every day bread and butter from US.

Why are we wasting our itme in devloping relationsship with Pakistan?
There seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel.It will a futile
attempt if we are tying to restore the secular fabric of our
constituition with a country whose future is already finished. This
cross boarder attacks, terrorisim and attocities to Muslims will be
alwyas the buzz word for these some self claimed grop having no other
work. Best is to stop the bilateral relation ship in every aspect with
Pakistan and raise tall strong boarder wall on the Pak-India boarder
line with watch towers to check the infiltrators.Satelte supervision
is also more accessible to control over the activities going around
the boarderline. At least we can assure our Muslim brothers in India
and stop suspecting them for evry bomb attack in India.I know nothing
will happen as the elected people representatives are already sold
out.

http://qna.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/index.php?ref=permalinkquestion&question_id=104453

raja Level 8
Should We Call Off Talks With Pakistan ??

Description

Views: 48 | Answers: 6 | Overall Rating

Enigma

Nope. That is not the solution. We shall talk to them to sort out the
issues like terrorism and ask them what the hell they are doing to
control and eliminate it. Based on the outcome, we shall take the next
step. Time is running out and nobody would indefinitely wait for India
in the days to come. The world knows that India is a laggard in taking
decisions to protect its own interests.

nsbchd

We should stop talking with Pakistan unless and until they do more to
stop terror against us which is bent upon creating a lot of
insecurity. We must convince them that they are not doing good at
holding hands and guns at the same time.

zenith...

It's a farce of the first grade.

Navroz...

Weather we talk or do not talk the out come is always impotent.
Certainly India is satisfying the Paki ego by sitting opposite to
them.

abu

politics wise, BJP opposes. reason wise,nothing has come out of
it.economics wise, we have to please america by talking to them.
considering all this,unfortunately...NO.

No we should not stop talks with Pakistan. We must pressure them to
stop terrorist activities in POK.

http://qna.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/index.php?ref=permalinkquestion&question_id=333201

Naxal leader sets terms for peace talks with govt
Mohua Chatterjee, TNN, Feb 10, 2010, 12.03am IST

NEW DELHI: Even as home minister P Chidambaram met chief ministers of
naxal-affected states in Kolkata to strategise on anti-Maoist
operations, the ultras made a renewed pitch for peace talks on the
condition that some of their top jailed leaders be released to
facilitate the process.

In what may be an indication that the Left extremists are feeling the
heat of concerted Centre-state operations in areas like Lalgarh and
Jangalmahal in West Bengal and in Chhattisgarh, Maoists have sent out
fresh feelers for "talks" to the government.

CPI (Maoist) general secretary Ganapathy said on Tuesday his party is
ready for talks with one of the pre-conditions being Maoist leaders
like Narayan Sanyal, Amitabha Bagchi, Sushil Roy and Kobad Gandhi be
released from custody. Though the "offer" can be read as a bid to earn
a respite from the ongoing crackdown, the bid for talks also marks a
climbdown of sorts.

While Trinamool Congress chief and railway minister Mamata Banerjee
has also suggested talks and even the possibility of mediation,
Ganapathy told TOI, "This (anti-Maoist operation) is a brutal campaign
of repression aimed at suppression of the political movement of people
and exploitation of minerals."

The Maoist leader said talks would mean a halt to the crackdown and
that would be in the interest of the people. "The longer the gap (in
operations) better for the people. But while holding the gun in one
hand, one cannot talk ...The main point the party has placed before
the government is -- all-out war has to be withdrawn, ban on the party
and its mass organisations has to be lifted and `illegal' detention
and torture of comrades have to be stopped and they be immediately
released," said Ganapathy.

Ganapathy argued that if the demand for release of leaders is met they
would lead and represent the party in the talks.

The party has been gravely hit by the arrest of its top leaders.
Politburo members like Sanyal, Bagchi, Roy and Gandhi are frontline
leaders and there are some other central committee members who are
also in custody.

Ganapathy did admit that the Maoists may be losing intellectual
support its claim to fight for the truly dispossed once enjoyed. Asked
if the support in the early days of the Lalgarh movement had worn off,
Ganapathy said, "Initially there was a lot of support among urban
intelligentsia. Now depending on the enemy's onslaught and nature of
struggle, there could be changes in the support base. Some people may
also go over to the opposition in the Lalgarh movement."

Elaborating on the limitations to Maoist appeal, he said, "In Bengal,
our influence with civil liberty groups and in urban areas is not
strong. We need to do more... A lot would depend on our work there and
the development of Lalgarh movement. There is a lot of difference
between working among masses and intellectuals."

Those who cannot directly support the violent phases of the movement
can come together on other issues such as opposing tough anti-terror
laws, he pointed out, indicating that Maoists would continue to look
to co-opt and engage any movement or campaign which might benefit
them.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Naxal-leader-sets-terms-for-peace-talks-with-govt/articleshow/5553570.cms

Romantic... Level 5

Is there any peaceful solution to the Naxal problem?
Description

Views: 376 | Answers: 12 | Overall Rating

Best Answer
prakas...

stop the injustices meted out to them and start treating them like
human beings...give them better education, medical facilities etc and
treat tehm like brothers...this is the only solution...war is not the
solution

Prakas...

Yes,eliminate Poverty and educate bakward masses,problem solved.

ash_kr...

Arrange peaceful and fruitful dialogues.

K J Pr...

Only less than 15 paise of every rupee spent by the government is
reaching the target group. If it can be raised to 75 paise, we can put
an end to the problem of naxalism.

Ramu

Naxal problem could be solved if forces are used without political
intervention.Administration is helpless because of politicians.This is
created problem mainly to get political gain.

Fake K...

Kill them all

Sparta...

Yes, there is...if you want

BuMex

I think this problem can be solved peacefully

Harry

It can be peacefully solved, Remove the ban on Naxals, Ask them to
contest in Elections, Give them a fair share of money looted from
People of India

Desh P...

Yes, but it all depends on the government.

raja

For every problem there is solution. Peacful or otherwise it depend
upon the people who negotiate.

Ask_Me

No. It has grown to such an extent, that it can not be solved
peacefully, now. That time has been lost by our various State and
Union Governments, playing the 'blame game'. The naxalites have begun
extortions from the corrupt politicians, the Govt. Babus, the
contractors entrusted the developmental construction works in those
areas, and the likes. The tiger has already tasted Human Blood. It
needs to be shot down, now.

http://qna.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/?ref=permalinkquestion&question_id=286383

Can the rebel naxals be called terrorists?

Description

Views: 834 | Answers: 12 |

Best Answer
Raga

The 'Cambridge Advanced Dictionary' defines the word 'Terrorist' as
"someone who uses violent action, or threats of violent action, for
political purposes". Now, tell me are not they?

ANSHUL...

Well, What actually happened should not be looked from a narrow
perspective, that most of us tend to do. Behind the scenes there is
bigger more intricate problem. Since decades the voices of those
people living in tribal areas have been gone unheard. Hence they have
to find these silly means like blocking a Rajdhani!! What to solve
these problems... start seeing things at large... No power in this
world, can stop the militancy (if m allowed to use the word in
specific sense..) but the power of empathy. We need to understand that
we are committing huge amount of crime against humanity.Corrupt
police, Jamidars, judges, social organizations etc. are the root
cause. These things are not new in any social framework but the extent
and potency of these elements are a grave concern in affected and
finally revolting tribal areas..... And upon the question of calling
nexals, terrorists:: First you have to define- Terrorists? ... Then
what about those, who are actually harming this country and its system
in more heavy terms (be they: Politicians, bureaucrats etc), Why not
they too fit into this definition? Why not every that person does not
fit into the definition .... who many a time is the maker/creator of
this definition !!!! ... Rubbish....

somyah...

Icondemn maoists attacks. But the police atrocities are worst. There
was train accident near Gauchari on 8.10.2009. the reports said only 1
dead and few dozens injured! I am from the narayanpur village near
thana bihpur. I recently went to the village for chhatth puja. What i
have learnt about accident rescue operation fromthe villagers is
horrible. The police rescue team beat up the injured passengers to
death in order to save money for treatment. And 22 days still the
major trains run on solitary track. And run late by as much as 6
hours! I request TIMES team to investigate.. caue this is not be the
only case. No points for guessing who is more brutal and barbaric ??

ash_kr...

Yes

atheis...

I dont understand what kind of DEVELOPMENT the Government wants to do
after taking lives of so many native inhabitants. Planning an army
attack on its own people. Is this called development ? Media has lost
its conciousness. I question : Do you think the politicians behind the
government are terrorists ? The non sense issue of Ram mandir and the
riots following it in various places throughout India. Just for votes.
Atleast the Naxalites are fighting for a cause that seems a little
justified. They didnt harm the passangers in the trains. They would
have if they were terrorist. They demanded release of the common
people in return of the inspector whom they kidnapped recently. TOI
took the photographs. Are your photograpghers retarded ? Dont you
people have brains that works. You know the news better than us, who
only read what you write ? You say the story the way you like it and
ask for our comments, to know if we are brainwashed. How
professional ?

avidit...

Terrorism as has been displayed by ISLAMIC Organisations is the worst
in its form, whereas that by the NAXALS is a little mild, even
armoured with modern arms they are with the intent not to harm PUBLIC
in general. The recent Train Hijack of RAJDHANI where they could have
damaged a lot is an example, it is way of expression of resentment,
what I feel is that they should be brought to the main stream
(DEMOCRACY) to express their views if they suceed by public opinion
they may put the existing POLITICAL PARTIES to introspection on
CORRUPT PRACTICES.

D.Subr...

If there is any word that is more better than terrorists I will use
that

atheis... argues to D.Subr..
.
typical... an uneducated opinion without any supporting logic !!
raja

Better than late

Rihana

Yes they should be

Sparta...

I wonder why they are not called terrorists?

ermaan...

The outfits which are formed with the objective of causing destruction
and mass killings can no better be termed than terrorist .

rajeev...

Any person harming the lives and property should be labeled as a
terrorist and delt with accordingly.

http://qna.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/index.php?ref=permalinkquestion&question_id=262975

Bank winds up ops after Naxal attack
Sanjay Ojha, TNN, Feb 3, 2010, 03.42am IST

KARA (JHARKHAND): In a first in Jharkhand, suspected Maoists forced a
nationalized bank to close a branch in a remote village in the
guerrilla-infested jungles reportedly after it refused to oblige
applicants seeking loan for purchasing arms.

The Birda branch of Bank of India was shifted 10 km away and merged
with the branch at the block headquarters at Kara in Khunti district
after four Maoists forcefully entered the Birda premises and thrashed
the staff. The incident took place in October last year.

However, the information trickled out this week after authorities at
the bank’s zonal office at Ranchi took the decision after Birda branch
manager B P Singh and four other staff pleaded to them to save their
lives.

‘‘The Maoists mercilessly assaulted one of our employees, Som Manjhi.
He fell unconscious. They then ordered the branch manager to disburse
the loans if he cared for his life,’’ a senior bank official told TOI
on Tuesday.

Manjhi is still scared. ‘‘I don’t know what transpired between the
manager and the Maoists. I had fallen unconscious after I was beaten
by the Maoists,’’ said Manjhi who now works at the bank’s Kara
branch.

Another bank officer, preferring anonymity, said around 25 villagers
applied for loan to purchase arms for self defence. ‘‘We suspect they
were prompted by Maoists so that they could supply at least cartridges
to the guerrillas,’’ he said.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Bank-winds-up-ops-after-Naxal-attack/articleshow/5529559.cms

17000 more troops for anti-Naxal operations
Vishwa Mohan , TNN, Dec 19, 2009, 04.58am IST

NEW DELHI: With Jharkhand assembly polls coming to an end on Friday,
the Centre is set to send an additional 17,000 paramilitary personnel
to states to step up their anti-Naxalite operations under its plan of
a “major offensive” against Red ultras in all affected states.

Though the operation is underway in Chhattisgarh, the idea is to
extend it simultaneously at the junctions and tri-junctions of the
affected states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, West Bengal and
Maharashtra. A senior home ministry official said the states already
had 58,000 paramilitary personnel — drawn from CRPF, BSF, ITBP, SSB
and CoBRA — at their command. The additional deployment would increase
the strength of central forces for the anti-Naxalite operation to
nearly 75,000.

Stating that there is nothing called a “Green Hunt” as such, which
could have possibly been coined by some state police for some local
operation, the official said the home ministry was already on track to
pursue its plan of a “major offensive” against the ultras. The
Jharkhand polls, which saw the deployment of nearly 40,000
paramilitary personnel, made the Centre postpone the simultaneous
operation for a couple of months, but there was hardly any period when
the forces were not after Naxals in one or the other affected state,
he added.

“Operations are supposed to be launched secretly so that the forces
can catch the ultras offguard. We are on the job and we will expand
the area of operation gradually,” said a senior CRPF official, adding
its a “long haul”.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/17000-more-troops-for-anti-Naxal-operations/articleshow/5354431.cms

Naxal violence claims 2,600 lives in three years
PTI, Oct 11, 2009, 11.29am IST

NEW DELHI: The Naxalites, who have become the gravest internal
security threat forcing the Centre to plan an all-out offensive
against them, have killed more than 2,600 people, including civilians,
in the last three years.

The highest number of incidents of violence has taken place in four
worst-affected states -- Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Orissa --
where 2,212 people lost their lives from January 2006 to August this
year.

"We have witnessed more than 5,800 incidents of Naxal violence across
the country during the period forcing the government to announce a new
strategy to deal with the menace which is growing at an alarming pace
in many states," a home ministry official said.

In Chhattisgarh, 388 people were killed by the Maoists in 715
incidents in 2006. While 369 lost their lives in 2007, another 242
were killed in 2008. In 2009 till August, about 180 people lost their
lives in the state.

Altogether 124 people were killed by Maoists in 2006 in Jharkhand, 157
people in 2007 while another 207 lost their lives in 2008. In 2009
till August, about 150 people were killed by the Naxals.

With nearly 40,000 para-military personnel, the Centre has readied its
anti-Naxal plan which also includes a Rs 7,300-crore package for
developmental works in areas cleared off the Left-wing extremists.

The Naxalite movement started when an extremist section of CPI(M)) led
by Charu Majumdar and Kanu Sanyal attacked the police on May 25, 1967
in Naxalbari village in North Bengal after a farmer was killed by
miscreants over a land dispute.

The same year the Naxalites organised the All India Coordination
Committee of Communist Revolutionaries (AICCCR), and later broke away
from CPI(M).

Today the Maoists are active in Lalgarh, Bankura, Purulia and Birbhum
districts in West Bengal.

From 2002 onwards Maoists have been infiltrating from Jharkhand and
Orissa to West Midnapore particularly in areas like Belpahari,
Kantapahari and Banspahari.

In Orissa, 17 0f 30 districts are Maoist hit, in Jharkhand 20 of the
24 districts while in Bihar 30 out of 38 districts, according to
official sources.

In Bihar on February 9 this year, ten policemen, including some from
the special auxiliary police, were killed in an ambush in Nawada
district.

More recently on August 22, four policemen including an assistant sub-
inspector were killed by Maoists in Jamui district.

It was the same in Orissa where 10 CISF personnel were killed in an
attack by Maoists at NALCO's bauxite mines in Damanjodi on April 12,
while 11 other security personnel died in a landmine explosion in the
third week of June this year in Narayanpatna in Koraput district.

A top former Jharkhand police officer, who did not wish to be named
was sceptical about the Centre's plans to tackle Maoists with the IAF
given permission to retaliate if attacked.

"Unnecessary needling may result in spurt in Naxal violence," he
said.

A former DGP of Orissa, S N Tiwari, echoed him. "The situation is
grim. Day by day it is becoming difficult," he said.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Naxal-violence-claims-2600-lives-in-three-years/articleshow/5111716.cms

Naxals gun down 18 policemen, one police informer beheaded
AGENCIES, Oct 8, 2009, 09.24pm IST

GADCHIROLI (Maharashtra): Naxals on Thursday struck with impunity
killing 18 policemen when they ambushed a police patrol in dense
forests in this district ignoring stern warnings by Union Home
Minister P Chidambaram asking them to give up violence or face action.
( Watch Video )

In a rerun of the beheading of a Jharkhand police intelligence officer
by the Maoists near Ranchi in a Taliban-type action early this week, a
police informer identified as Suresh Alami met a similar fate in
Gadchiroli just before the third major naxal strike in this district.
( Watch Video )

The daring attack occured when a police party of nearly 40 personnel
came under heavy fire from 150 to 200 naxals at about 1 PM near Laheri
police station of the district when it was returning after undertaking
search operations following an intelligence input that Maoists had
assembled in the area.

The policemen, who were outnumbered by the heavily armed naxals,
retaliated and their encounter lasted for nearly three to four hours
in an area adjoining the Maoist infested Bijapur district of
Chattisgarh.

At least 18 policemen including sub-inspector C S Deshmukh were gunned
down and several injured after they were attacked indiscriminately,
police said. About 15 naxals were also killed, they said. The attack
took place five days before the Maharashtra Assembly elections.

The encounter came barely hours after the Maoists set on fire a gram
panchayat office in Gadchiroli district.

The attack coincided the Cabinet Committee of Security (CCS) meeting
presided by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi to discuss the
rise in Naxal violence.

District Collector Atul Patne told PTI that Alami's severed head was
found near his body as naxals had suspected him to be a police
informer.

Patne said the Left-wing extremists used sophisticated weapons on the
police party which was completely outnumbered.

"As many as two platoons of BSF (50 personnel) and additional police
force was rushed to the spot and they could manage to save the rest of
the policemen caught in the heavy fire," he said. The killing took
place two km from Lahiri police post in Bhamragad tehsil of the
district.

In February, 15 policemen were killed in Naxal attacks and in May, 16
police personnel, including five women, lost their lives in another
Naxal strike in the district.

Taking stock of the situation, the Centre rushed additional
paramilitary forces to the area, Home Secretary G K Pillai said in New
Delhi.

Inspector General of Police, Nagpur Surendra Kumar said combing
operation were underway but said the terrain was very difficult.

"We could send some relief parties there and they have secured the
area," District Superintendent of Police S Jaya Kumar said adding
efforts were being made to airlift the injured.

Chief Minister Ashok Chavan said, the state government will not be
cowed down by the naxal strikes. "We will repel any attack. We will
return the fire."

IG (Nagpur) Surendra Kumar said two policemen received bullet injuries
in hand and leg and were out of danger but the bodies of those slain
were yet to be recovered.

"The retreating naxalites have felled trees to block the advance of
reinforcements. A combing operation is underway to track down the
fleeing naxalites and retrieve the bodies, but the task is difficult
given the difficult terrain and the night," he said.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Naxals-gun-down-18-policemen-one-police-informer-beheaded/articleshow/5102413.cms

Bihar cops thrash Jamia professor, brand him 'Naxal'
Pranava K Chaudhary, TNN, Dec 26, 2009, 12.40am IST

PATNA: Associate professor at Jamia Millia Islamia, Rahul Ramagundam,
was assaulted, abused and branded a Naxalite by Bihar police for
daring to ask the cops why the hutments belonging to Musahars -- among
the most backward of Scheduled Castes -- were being demolished.

Ramagundam, who teaches at Dr K R Narayanan Centre for Dalit and
Minorities Studies at JMI, was thrashed and abused and called a
Naxalite by Khagaria police at Amausi village. His local companion was
also manhandled and beaten up by lathi-wielding police constables and
officers. The incident took place on December 22.

"How could asking just one question lead to such physical violence?
How can one be called a Naxalite and assaulted and humiliated like
this," asked Ramagundam.

Amausi had hit headlines on October 1 when 16 villagers, mostly OBCs
(Kurmi), were killed allegedly by Musahars. The village has some 300
Musahar families who live in thatched huts.

"On December 22, I rode pillion on the motorbike of Varun Choudhry, a
grassroots activist with Khagaria-based NGO Samta, to go to Amausi.
When we reached, the village was in turmoil. The cops were breaking
thatched houses of people who were said to be absconding. Shankar
Sada, whom Varun met in the village, took us to the place where the
police party had camped before taking up the rip-and-strip job,"
Ramagundam said.

"Just as we spoke, a police party arrived and pulled down the thatched
roof and walls of a hut. I couldn't control myself. I asked the cops
if they had any written orders to pull down the houses of the
absconding accused.

"A tall uniformed man stared at me. Instead of answering, he asked me
my identity. I teach in Delhi, I told him. 'Name?' I told him.
'Father's name?' I told him. But even before I could take out my
identity card, he turned hostile. By then, I was surrounded by the
rest of the cops. They roughed me up and thrashed my colleague, Varun,
who suffered a fracture," said Ramagundam.

"They had guns. A constable in green fatigues called me a Naxalite and
moved menacingly to break the cordon around me," he said.

After meeting Khagaria SP Anusya Rannsingh Sodhi, Ramagundam lodged a
complaint asking whether people had the right to ask police for
written orders before dismantling houses of the "poorest of the
poor".

The Khagaria SP said she would conduct an inquiry and take appropriate
action. She added that she would not take action against anyone merely
on the basis of Ramagundam's statement. Ramagundam is author of two
books, 'Defeated Innocence' on the Adivasi struggle for land rights in
Madhya Pradesh in 2001 and 'Gandhi's Khadi: A History of Contention
and Conciliation'.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Bihar-cops-thrash-Jamia-professor-brand-him-Naxal/articleshow/5379196.cms

Four killed in Naxal blast in Orissa
IANS, Jan 23, 2010, 04.59pm IST

BHUBANESWAR: Maoists on Saturday blew up a jeep carrying policemen and
some civilians in Orissa's Koraput district, killing four people and
injuring eight others, police said.

The rebels triggered a landmine blast under a jeep carrying 14 people,
including 10 policemen, near Pallur village in Koraput, about 500 km
from Bhubaneswar. The policemen were returning to their camp after
conducting search operations in the area.

"The Maoists triggered the landmine blast around 7am. Four civilians
were killed. All policemen are safe, although eight of them have
sustained minor injuries," deputy inspector general of police Sanjeev
Panda said.

The vehicle was damaged in the blast.

The attack came a day after central home minister P Chidambaram held a
meeting at Chhattisgarh capital Raipur on anti-Maoist operations.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Four-killed-in-Naxal-blast-in-Orissa/articleshow/5492548.cms

Naxal 'scientist couple' had video of slain cop: Police
IANS, Oct 17, 2009, 12.14pm IST

RANCHI: A laptop and CD belonging to an arrested scientist who is
alleged to be a top ranking Maoist contain videos and newspaper
clippings of Jharkhand inspector Francis Induwar who was abducted and
beheaded by the rebels, police has claimed.

Ravi Sharma, 49, and his wife B. Anuradha, 45, were arrested by
Hazaribagh police on Wednesday. Police seized a laptop, CDs and other
material from the couple. On Friday, they were taken into three days
police remand for interrogation.

"The laptop and CDs have visuals shown by some news channels of the
abduction and killing of slain cop Induwar. Scans of newspaper reports
in local and national dailies have also been found in the laptop and
CDs," Pankaj Kamboj, the Hazaribagh superintendent of police, told
IANS.

He said the videos and newspaper clippings relate to Induwar's
abduction, killing and subsequent reactions to the incident. Police
say this indicates Sharma was involved in his killing.

According to police sources, Sharma has admitted that the Communist
Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) extorts money worth Rs.25 crore per
annum.

The couple arrived in Jharkhand when it was still part of undivided
Bihar in 1997. Sharma is known by different aliases like Arjun,
Mahesh, Ashok. He is a member of the Bihar Jharkhand Special Action
Committee (BJSAC), say police. He is also allegedly linked to the
central monitoring committee of the CPI-Maoist.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Naxal-scientist-couple-had-video-of-slain-cop-Police/articleshow/5134287.cms

...and I am Sid Harth
chhotemianinshallah
15 years ago
Permalink
Reinsurance cover likely for Naxal-damaged properties

fe Bureau
Posted: Thursday, Feb 18, 2010 at 2142 hrs IST
Updated: Thursday, Feb 18, 2010 at 2142 hrs IST

Mumbai: GIC Re, the country's official re-insurer, is looking at
options to provide reinsurance cover to the properties damaged by the
recent Maoist attacks. Till now, the Maoist offensives do not fall
under any kind of terror cover in the country. However, domestic
insurers are considering treating such events as acts of terrorism and
extend the existing terror cover.

The issue is likely to come up during the forthcoming meeting of the
terrorism pool committee. It is likely to be held in New Delhi during
the first week of March.

Talking to FE on the sidelines of an insurance summit, which was held
by Asia Insurance Post in Mumbai on Wednesday, Yogesh Lohiya, chairman
and managing director of GIC Re, said: “Basically, the terrorism cover
is not applicable for this type of contingencies’. But, keeping in
view the increasing number of Maoist attacks, we are planning to
discuss the issue during the forthcoming meeting of terrorism pool.”
GIC Re will organise the event.

PK Bhagat, deputy general manager, reinsurance-operation group, GIC
Re, said the company had paid claims for Alfa terrorist attacks in
Assam some six years ago. However, in the recent attack by the Maoists
in West Bengal where 24 jawans were killed, would not warrant any
claims as no properties have been damaged, said Bhagat.

Talking about the claims to be paid for Taj and Oberai Hotels that
were devastated by 26/11 terror attacks, Lohiya said GIC Re is waiting
for the final assessment report before paying the balance amount of Rs
335 crore.

The company has already paid a sum of Rs 165 crore for the same. The
report is likely to be submitted by the month-end. However, the
assessment report on the Hilton portion would be submitted later, said
Lohiya.

Meanwhile, the country’s largest state-owned non-life insurer, New
India Assurance (NIA), is looking at an overall premium growth of 10%
on y-o-y basis during the current fiscal. M Ramadoss, CMD, said the
company would earn a total premium income of Rs 6,000 crore within the
country and an additional Rs 1200 crore from its international
operations in the current fiscal.

http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Reinsurance-cover-likely-for-Naxal-damaged-properties/581006/

Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Maoist militancy takes heavy toll on school education
Published on : Wednesday 17 Feb 2010 11:33 - by Sujeet Kumar

Dornapal (Chhattisgarh), Feb 17 : By bombing hundreds of schools since
2005, Maoist militants have taken a heavy toll on education in
Chhattisgarh, officials say.

"Education and children's life have been severely hit in Bastar's
interiors, militancy has virtually destroyed school education in vast
areas where schools were either blown up or a majority of teachers
refused to attend schools due to risks to their lives," Raja Toram, a
teacher based in this small town in Dantewada district, some 500 km
south of capital Raipur, told IANS.

The mineral-rich Bastar region spread over about 40,000 sq km in the
south of the state has witnessed over 1,500 casualties in Maoist
violence since 2005 and at least 440 school buildings have been bombed
by Maoist rebels after the government started to use the buildings as
temporary shelters for securitymen.

Officials estimate that Maoist militancy has denied at least 100,000
children access to primary education since 2005 in Bastar, especially
after a government-backed controversial civil militia movement, Salwa
Judum, started against the guerrillas in June 2005.

Bastar -- termed the nerve centre of Maoist militancy in India -- has
five districts, Bastar, Dantewada, Bijapur, Narayanpur and Kanker.
After the birth of Salwa Judum, a large number of troopers occupied
the school buildings for anti-Maoist drives and the rebels retaliated
by targeting schools.

School teacher Toram said that Maoists were making the most of
children's lack of access to education by forcibly recruiting into
their ranks those who had dropped out. The outlawed Communist Party of
India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) has a children's unit called Bal Sangham.

Dantewada district Superintendent of Police Amresh Mishra said:
"Militancy has surely affected education. Dozens of schools based in
forest areas were blown off by militants though schools that come
under the 'war zone' are being relocated to Salwa Judum base camps or
areas where schools can be protected by forces. But attendance has
dropped heavily."

Om Prakash, sub-divisional police officer at Dornapal -- an area which
witnessed a string of deadly attacks by Maoists since 2005 --
remarked: "Children's life and their education have been really the
worst hit since 2005; the primary school students are not enjoying
education at relief camps under security cover as they earlier were in
their villages."

He added: "The whole educational system in interiors has been
devastated; Maoists are taking advantage of the situation and
persuading parents to send their kids to Bal Sangham for which
recruitment age starts at six."

The NGO Human Rights Watch released a book in July 2008, titled "Being
Neutral Is Our Biggest Crime". It had two chapters - one called
"Recruitment and Use of Children" and the other "Impact of the
Conflict on Education".

The book says: "Naxalites (Maoists) usually enlist children between
ages six and 12 into Bal Sanghams, the village level children's
association where children learn Maoist ideology. Most children who
are part of Bal Sanghams also work as informers and are trained in the
use of non-lethal weapons such as sticks..."

"In some cases, Naxalites approach parents and pressure them to send
their children to join the 'people's war'. In other cases, Naxalites
visit schools and ask children to join them."

Quoting a former Maoist leader, Subha Atish, the book said: "They go
to school and ask children to join a dalam (unit). This has happened
in the Jagargonda area."

Jagargonda, in Dantewada district, is near Dornapal, where the state's
most populous Salwa Judum camp houses over 10,000 residents who have
fled their villages, plus a Central Reserve Police Force company to
guard them.

Authorities deny that the presence of troopers is affecting studies.
"At present, there are security forces staying in around 40 schools.
Of them, 18 are schools where classes are going on at the same time.
The other 22 are school buildings that had already been damaged after
being bombed by Maoists and no classes could be held there any way," a
Dantewada district official said.

(Sujeet Kumar can be contacted at ***@ians.in)

Copyright Indo Asian News
Posted by Naxal Watch at 10:56 PM

India Official Condemns Deadly Maoist Attack
By KRISHNA POKHAREL

NEW DELHI—India's home minister Tuesday condemned an attack by Maoist
rebels on a military outpost in eastern India that killed 24 soldiers
and injured three.

View Full Image

Associated Press
Charred remains of the police camp ambushed by suspected Maoist rebels
at Shilda.

The attack by the Naxalites on a paramilitary outpost near a rural
market in the eastern state of West Bengal inflicted one of the
highest number of casualties in a single-day on the Indian security
forces battling the rebels, officials said. The severity of the attack
underscored the challenges facing the ruling Congress party-led
government in taming the rising insurgency.

The attack Monday was "another outrageous attempt by the banned
organization to overawe the established authority," Indian Home
Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram said in a statement. He called on
Indian citizens to condemn the violence and to help end "the menace of
Naxalism, and bring development and progress to the people in the
conflict zones."

In the past, Mr. Chidambaram has said the government is ready for
talks with the rebels should they give up the use of violence.

A top Maoist leader who called local media late Monday to claim
responsibility for the attack, said his group was ready to start talks
with the government if it ended its offensive against the rebels.

The latest attack showed the audacity and change in tactics by the
Naxalites, even as the government has ratcheted up its offensive
against the insurgents over the past year.

"It was the first kind of attack with so much planning and firepower
that we witnessed from them," said Pandey Santosh, additional
superintendent of police for West Medinipur.

A group of 100 armed Maoists in plainclothes mingled with the local
market crowd Monday, then laid siege to the makeshift paramilitary
camp there, where about 60 paramilitary personnel were resting after
the day's patrol.

View Full Image

Reuters
An officer carries his colleague's belongings from a military outpost
that was attacked by Maoist rebels in Silda village.

"They threw grenades from all sides before the forces could think of
retaliating," Mr. Santosh said. He said the insurgents sped off in
motorcycles and vans before disappearing into a nearby forest.

In recent years, the Naxalites, who advocate the overthrow of the
Indian government, have made significant inroads in the center and
south of the country. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has called
Naxalism the biggest internal-security challenge India faces.

The government has deployed an increasing number of security forces to
fight the Naxalites and regain territory lost to them.

The death toll in the insurgency rose 36% to 1,125 in 2009, compared
with the year earlier, according to India's Ministry of Home Affairs.
Last week, Mr. Chidambaram said it was possible the trend of rising
casualties would continue this year, too.

Medinipur is one of the three districts of West Bengal with a heavy
Naxalite presence. West Bengal is the home to the Naxalites. The
movement derives its name from the Naxalbari village in West Bengal,
where it began as a peasants' uprising in the late 1960s.

Write to Krishna Pokharel at ***@wsj.com
Posted by Naxal Watch at 10:30 PM

Silda ambush: Unprofessional jawans were sitting ducks for Naxals
Vishwa Mohan, TNN, Feb 17, 2010, 02.04am IST

NEW DELHI: While most Naxal-affected states are getting their act
together, West Bengal seems to lack political will and a professional
force to face a determined foe with the Eastern Frontier Rifles camp
in west Midnapore having presented rampaging Left ultras with
virtually no resistance.

The 24 jawans of the West Bengal paramilitary force died on Monday
without a fight as they were swamped by 100-odd Maoists who struck the
camp with grenades and automatic fire. The easy entry to the camp and
total surprise are explained by a pervasive lack of security at its
boundaries and absence of any lookouts. ( Watch Video )

There was, shockingly, just one sentry on duty and the camp had no
watch towers or sand bags. It is not clear whether there were any
efforts to tap locals in the area, particularly adjoining the camp, to
provide a warning about any threatening presence in a district known
to be highly unsafe and trouble-prone.

According to the incident's preliminary report and officers familiar
with the events, the weapons were not in reach of the jawans, who were
pretty much cannon fodder. Inquiries have been initiated about when
the camp was last visited by a senior officer and if a security audit
was conducted.

Armed with sophisticated weapons, Maoists came on motorcycles and four-
wheelers including a Bolero, triggered explosions near the Silda camp
and barged in. There were over 50 jawans who were either "whiling away
their time in the camp or busy in the kitchen". This may have been
routine activity, but their weapons were not in reach and there were
almost no sentries.

An official wondered how use of four-wheelers by Naxals — noticed for
the first time in the area — and the clear evidence of some planning
could have been missed by the local intelligence. In this context,
central officials are also mystified by the free run enjoyed by top
Maoist commander Kishenji in West Bengal. On at least two occasions,
raiding parties have been called off at the last minute.

It is being felt that the political resolve in countering Maoists is
still missing and chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's
preoccupations may not allow sufficient time for details of law and
order. The CM also holds the home portfolio.

In Kishanji's case, his frequent use of phones to speak to media makes
his presence even more puzzling. While the West Bengal government has
shed its earlier view that Maoists are not really the same as
terrorists or militants, a pervasive lack of professionalism seems to
be at the root of continued slackness even as the ultras have hardly
disguised their deadly intent.

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) not being followed, poor training
and absence of senior officers in dangerous areas were amply on
display at Silda. The incident report shows the arms were neither
secured nor were they accessible.

At the time of the attack, the camp leader — a sub-inspector rank
officer — was not even present.

The number of casualties among security personnel jumped substantially
in 2009 when as many as 317 personnel — mostly jawans — were killed in
various incidents in as many as seven states.
Calling it a case of pure "unprofessionalism", officials in the home
ministry pointed out that though the area was quite vulnerable to such
attacks, the state police did not show any care in deployment.

"There was no proper guard, the camp was not adequately barricaded,
and even their toilets were used by general public. All this was
against basic police norms and SOPs meant for them in Naxal-infested
zones," said a senior official.

"We need 10,000 to 15,000 additional paramilitary personnel for
deployment in the four states," the official said. Currently, nearly
75,000 personnel are deployed in seven states for anti-Naxal
operations.

Violation of SOP is, however, not the states' feature only. Central
paramilitary forces too had lost lives due to their mistakes. The BSF
had lost its jawans in Jharkhand during parliamentary election last
year when they had used heavy vehicles to cross areas prone to
landmines.

Similarly, the CRPF had to lose a number of lives four years ago in
Chhattisgarh where the personnel overcrowded the Mine-Proof Vehicle
leading to over 20 casualties in a landmine blast. Most of the jawans
were killed as they did not wear helmets, disregarding the SOP.

Posted by Naxal Watch at 9:55 PM

Indian villagers trapped between rebels and police
By Amy Kazmin in Kanker, India

Published: February 17 2010 02:00 |
Last updated: February 17 2010 02:00

Nestled against the forest, the bucolic villages of India's Kanker
district are tidy clusters of mud-walled homes whose inhabitants eke
out an existence by cultivating small patches of land and going to the
forest to collect the tendu leaves used for traditional Indian
cigarettes, known as bidis .

Yet behind the tranquil facade, Kanker's villagers are living in the
grip of fear, caught between the radical leftwing Naxal guerrilla
movement and government forces intent on quashing a spreading
rebellion that has become one of India's main security -concerns.

That dilemma is being echoed in rural areas across vast swathes of
India, where New Delhi has begun more frequently to use para-military
force to challenge the hold of the Naxalites over far-flung corners
long neglected by the state machinery.

The government launched Operation Green Hunt last year, sending battle-
hardened paramilitary forces from Kashmir to bolster beleaguered and
poorly trained police forces trying to dislodge the guerrillas.

On Monday, Maoists proved what tough adversaries they are when they
attacked a paramilitary police camp in West Bengal, killing about 24
soldiers and injuring seven others. Bhupinder Singh, West Bengal's
police chief, blamed residents for failing to warn security forces of
the attack.

"As security operations expand across several affected states, we will
find more and more villagers caught between security forces and the
Naxals," says Meenakshi Ganguly of Human Rights Watch. "In this kind
of situation, there is never a middle. People are forced to take
sides."

The Naxalites, named after Naxalbari, the village in West Bengal where
their movement was born in 1967, have established a firm hold over
Kanker district and the thickly forested, sparsely populated swathe of
mineral-rich Chhattisgarh state in which it lies.

They have established groups of supportive villagers, called
sanghams , to serve as their eyes and ears. At covert public meetings,
the rebels, from the Communist Party of India (Maoist), denounce New
Delhi's policies - especially plans to expand mining - and warn
villagers against joining the police forces.

Each month, the Maoists, who have carried out detailed socio-economic
surveys of the villages and their inhabitants, demand monthly payments
and food from each family, requiring those with public sector jobs,
such as school teachers, to give the most. Some teachers pay as much
as Rs1,500 ($32, €24, £21).

Beatings of dissenters, rumoured killings of suspected police
informers and fear that children will be forcibly taken to be Maoist
cadres help keep Kanker's villagers compliant. Yet there is little
doubt that the rebels' denunciations of New Delhi and its policies
also resonate with many.

"Some of what they said is right," says one villager, who has attended
two recent meetings, in which the Maoists attacked the Steel Authority
of India Ltd and its huge steel plant in Chhattisgarh for "cheating"
local people and criticised plans to expand mining in the state. "We
should not sell our iron ore to other countries."

As the Maoists woo villages with their potent messages, police are
stepping up their own surveillance of Kanker, visiting villages more
often and offering to solve local problems. Yet rather than instilling
confidence in state power, the visits merely create anxiety.

"We do not allow the police to sit in anyone's house," says one
villager, who, like others interviewed, so feared retribution from one
side or the other that he requested that neither he nor his village be
identified. "We make them sit in the square, so nobody can be blamed
for being a police informer."

The Naxalites have expanded their footprint across remote,
inaccessible parts of rural India over several decades, taking
advantage of local grievances and the vacuum left by a detached state
architecture. The so-called "Red Corridor" now stretches from West
Bengal - the site of Monday's assault - across Jharkhand, Bihar,
mineral-rich Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and parts of Maharashtra. Many of
the guerrilla movement's university-educated leaders come from Andhra
Pradesh, which was a Maoist stronghold in the 1990s before an
aggressive state offensive pushed them out.

Today, no place is as crucial to the guerrillas as their so-called
liberated area in the forests of Chhattisgarh, where autho-rities say
leftist cadres from all over India are trained in hidden jungle bases.

The first rebels to enter the region's forests in the 1980s won
popular support by protecting residents against aggressive government
forest guards and helping them secure better prices for the tendu
leaves they sold to the bidi industry. Many villagers later joined -
or were forced to join - the movement as full-time cadres.

But over the years, unhappy at the Maoists' efforts to halt the
traditional animist spiritual practices of local tribes, and at
mounting violence against traditional leaders and other dissenters,
many locals have turned sour towards the guerrillas.

Security forces are slowly pushing into Maoist-held areas to battle
the rebels, though local human rights groups accuse them of
slaughtering innocent civilians then branding them as Naxal rebels.

Security forces deny any intentional wrongdoing. But the allegations
have risen all the way to New Delhi and India's Supreme Court, where a
group of tribal villagers from Chhattisgarh were brought this week to
testify in a case accusing security forces of massacring nine
civilians in Gompad village in October.

Standing barefoot outside the courtroom, the illiterate villagers,
including one who had been shot in the leg, looked stunned by the roar
of Delhi's traffic and the swirl of black-robed lawyers. Inside,
lawyers bickered over who should translate the accounts of the
villagers, who speak only a tribal language called Gondi.

Himanshu Kumar, the activist behind the case, argued that the
interpreter offered by the government was too close to the police. Mr
Kumar, who speaks Gondi, was proposed, but state lawyers called him a
Maoist sympathiser.

When the villagers were finally asked about the events of October,
they said they had no idea who killed their relatives.

Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2010.

Posted by Naxal Watch at 9:54 PM

What did Chidambaram do in Kolkata?
17 Feb 2010, 0653 hrs IST, ET Bureau

NEW DELHI: The Centre and Congress appear to be perfecting the art of
buck passing. While the Centre said that the Eastern Frontier Rifles
(EFR)

was not adequately trained or prepared to meet the Maoist challenge,
Congress said since law and order is a state subject, it was West
Bengal’s responsibility.

The two explanations are unlikely to wash as it was only on February 9
that home minister P Chidambaram travelled to Kolkata to review the
Lalgarh as well as inter-state operations across four states including
West Bengal. The preparedness of the forces was obviously the key
issue at the meeting. Given this, it is quite bizarre that the Centre
did not point out EFR’s inadequacies in taking on Naxals. Anxious to
fend off charges that the Centre is not in control of the situation,
the home ministry gave several explanations for the massacre at
Midnapore.

Congress, which followed suit, said law and order was a state subject.
“The state government should be more vigilant as law and order is
their primary responsibility,” Congress spokesman Shakeel Ahmed said.
Congress also said the state and the Centre should work in tandem to
meet the Maoist threat.

Meanwhile, Mr Chidambaram lashed out at the benefactors of Naxalites
in the ‘civil rights’ corner and said it was time that they broke
silence over terror unleashed by Red thugs. “I know that the
overwhelming majority in this country will condemn the mindless
violence unleashed by CPI (Maoist) and will support the careful,
controlled and calibrated efforts being taken by the central and state
governments to put an end to the violence.

However, I would like to hear the voices of condemnation of those who
have, erroneously, extended intellectual and material support to CPI
(Maoist). It is only if the whole country rejects the preposterous
thesis of the CPI (Maoist) and condemns the so-called “armed
liberation struggle” that we can put an end to the menace of Naxalism
and bring development and progress to the people in the conflict
zones,” Mr Chidambaram said in a statement.

Mr Chidambaram is not off the mark as not a peep has been heard from
the civil rights alarmists who flood TV studios and other available
fora to vent their anger against the police. On his part, the home
minister described the attack as yet another attempt banned
organisation to “overawe the established authority in the state”.

Naxalism is pure and simple TERRORISM, which disguises itself with
terms like "class struggle" and "social justice"

Home Ministry Reports

http://naxalwatch.blogspot.com/

...and I am Sid Harth
chhotemianinshallah
15 years ago
Permalink
Naxalite Maoist India

The notion that a Naxalite is someone who hates his country is naive
and idiotic. He is, more likely, one who likes this country more than
the rest of us, and is thus more disturbed than the rest of us when he
sees it debauched. He is not a bad citizen turning to crime; he is a
good citizen fighting for justice and equality’.

Red Alert - The War Within - Releasing sometime in early 2010
Posted by Abhay On 1/06/2010 09:31:00 PM 1 comments

Red Alert- The War Within is based on the true story of Narsimha, a
farm laborer, who desperately needed money to fund the education of
his children. He finds himself in the midst of Naxalites where his
mission becomes a mere subset of a greater cause that the militant's
pursue.

From being a mere cook to actually training in weapons to being
involved in shootouts and kidnapping, Narsimha himself in the thick of
life he had never bargained for. A confrontation with the group
leaders turns his life upside down; he is now on the run from both law
and the militants.

Narsimha has to take one vital decision that could make or break him.
But the decision ends in creating a conflicting situation that has him
torn between conscience and survival. Red Alert– The War Within
hurtles towards a cathartic end that blows apart a few myths about
life and the complicated systems that engulfs it. Red Alert– The War
Within is a volatile account of today's times…culled straight from
today's torrid headlines.

Know more about the movie - http://redalertmovie.blogspot.com/

Red Alert - Trailer

Link to Video

Anant Mahadevan, Red Alert, War Within | Links to this post |
Naxal Revolution Archives
Posted by Abhay On 5/29/2009 05:25:00 AM

Given below are some randomly chosen articles from this blog
more information can be accessed by clicking on the categories above
or you can use the search function to dig really deep into this
archive for
there are more than 1300 posts in this blog.

Partial Index of Important Documents ( Randomly chosen )

Interviews with Com Ganapathy, Currently
General Secretary of the CPI(Maoist)

Unification is the only way to advance the cause of the Indian
revolution'
as General Secretary of CPI(M-L)Peoples War
(1998 - Rediff.com)

The People's War always repay's its blood debt
(2000 Rediff.com )

Reply to letter by Independent Citizen's Initiative
on Dantewada
(2006 cgnet.in)

Interview with Ganapathy, General Secretary, CPI(Maoist)-
(2007 Peoplesmarch )

Other Interviews

Interview with Com. Janaki (Anuradha Gandhy) -
March 2001 issue of Poru Mahila, the organ of Krantikari
Adivasi Mahila Sanghatan, DK.

"India: A Catastrophe or a Break with Imperialism" -Interview with
GN Saibaba of the RDF (Interview by Lars Akerhaug ,Norway, December
2007)

Inside Look at Maoist Strategy in India Part 1 , Part 2 (2008 March)
Interview with G.N Saibaba by Norwegian revolutionary
socialist party Rødt [Red!]

Interview with Naxal Leader Ganesh Ueike
(2006 NDTV )

Exclusive interview with CPI(Maoist) Spokesperson Comrade Azad on
Nepal Developments
(2006 Peoplesmarch)

Naxal Revolution Exclusive - Interview with Mr P Govindan
Kutty ,Editor of Peoplesmarch(Voice of the Indian Revolution) - An
magazine considered sympathetic to the CPI(Maoist)(2006
Naxalrevolution.blogspot.com)

Chat Transcripts with Vara Vara Rao - A revolutionary writer
based in Andhra Pradesh
(1997 Rediff.com)

"All revolutionary ranks must unite" - Interview with Prasad , CCM of
PW
(1998 Rediff.com )

Polemics

CPI(Maoist) Reply to break away faction in Karnataka - The Karnataka
Maoist Swatantra Kendra
(2007 Peoplesmarch )

‘ Maoism or Mao Thought ? ’ - A booklet on ideological debate
published by Janamuktikami Prakashani .

Press Releases of the CPI(Maoist)
Recieved via email from unknown individuals
Press releases of CPI(Maoist)

CPI (Maoist) review of the book "Red Sun" and
author Sudeep Chakravarthi's response

Kranthi Patha - Kannada magazine

Porali - Tamil Magazine - June 2008

Porali - Tamil Magazine - May 2009

Press releases of CPI(Maoist)Karnataka State Committee

History of the Naxalite Movement in India.
Economic and Political Weekly Articles
July 22, 2006

Beyond Naxalbari

Learning from Experience and Analysis

Maoism in India

On Armed Resistance

The Spring and it's Thunder

Maoist Movement in Andhra Pradesh

Response of Comrade AZAD the official
spokesperson of the CPI(Maoist) to EPW articles.
Maoists in India : A Rejoinder

The Naxalite Movement in Central Bihar- By Bela Bhatia

Peasants Speak
Becoming a Naxalite in rural Bihar: Class struggle and its
contradictions
George J. Kunnath

Through the Eyes of the Police Naxalites in Calcutta in the 1970s

Naxalite Movement and Cultural Resistance
Experience of Janakiya Samskarika Vedi in Kerala (1980-82)

Andhra Pradesh: Women's Rights and Naxalite Groups

Fatalities : State and Maoist Violence for the years 2005 and 2006

Class Analysis of Indian Agriculture

Naxalites Today

Communist Parties of India List on Wikipedia

The economist-India's Naxalites : A spectre haunting India

Guardian Article Inside India's hidden war - Mineral rights are behind
clashes between leftwing guerrillas and state-backed militias

Vice Magazine-In the name of Mao, India pick's up the slaughter

A State at War With its People Anything goes against the Maoist
insurgency in Central India

Student Politics

The Life and Struggle in Regional Engineering College, Durgapur
1966 to 1970

Summer of '69 in St Stephen's

Shining Path

Urban Guerillas

Criticisms of Maoists by other Groups/People

SUCI's criticism of the Naxalites

What threatens the State - Arms or Ideology
(springthunder.wordpress.com)

RCP Karnataka Documents
Revolutionary Communist Party (RCP) was formed by a section of
the members of CPI (Maoist) Karnataka state unit.

RCP Karnataka - Lessons from the experiences of the past 25 years
RCP Karnata -Lessons from the Urban Work Document

A Critique on the Theory and Practice of CPI (Maoist)(Cpiml Red Flag)

Other Articles

A compilation of articles on the History of the Naxalite Movement in
India
from various journals by Harsh Thakor

Legacy of Indian Maoism-A Tribute to Tarimala Nagi Reddy’s 30th death
anniversary and the 60 th anniversary of the launching of the
Telengana Armed Struggle. - By Harsh Thankor

Commemorating 10th death Anniversary of Comrade Ashok Janaradhan
24th JUly1998)-A tribute to Andhra Pradesh Radical Students Union.

In commemoration of 30 years since founding of C.P.I.(M.L) Unity
Organisation
- -formed in November 1978. In memory of Comrade Ajoy. (Parimal Sen)

Significance of formation of the Communist Party Reorganization
Centre of India (Marxist Leninist) or the C.P.R.C.I. (M.L)

Burning punjab : A history of communist revolutionaries in punjab
- Compiled from revolutionary Journal the 'Comrade" and from
publications of the 'Surkh Rekha' a democratic journal of Punjab
as well as reports of Lok Morcha , Punjab.

Declaration to reaffirm the significance and relevance of the
anti revisionist struggleand the GPCR - May 2007

25th anniversary year of the founding conference of the
All India Federation of Organizations for Democratic Rights.

Reflections on Revolutionary Violence - Aditya Nigam

Important Web Links

A brief History of the Pro-Maoist Presence on the Internet

Incomplete but comprehensive list of Socialist/Maoist
groups from all over the World

Peoplesmarch

Peoplesmarch Archives on Banned Thought

Peoples-Truth

Maoist Information Bulletin on Banned Thought


Archives of Documents, Statements, and Interviews of Leaders
of CPI(Maoist) on Banned Thought

http://rcpkarnataka.blogspot.com/
http://tamilporali.blogspot.com/
http://rdf-2005.blogspot.com/
http://rpfkerala.blogspot.com/
http://parisar.wordpress.com/
http://redbarricade.blogspot.com/
http://pmsgindia.blogspot.com/
http://dsujnu.blogspot.com/
http://mikeely.wordpress.com/

http://maoistresistance.blogspot.com/

http://laltara.free.fr/

Books

Making History I - By Saki(Saketh Rajan)

Making History II - By Saki
Some Questions regarding Modern Revisionist
literature in the Soviet Union by peking press.

Memories Of a Father - Prof T V Eachara Varier.

A book on slain naxalite sympathizer P Rajan

Liberation archives
http://sanhati.com/liberation/

About Liberation

Liberation, the monthly central organ of the undivided Communist Party
of India (Marxist - Leninist) (CPIML), was first published in November
1967. Through intense state repression and terror perpetrated by
various political parties, the monthly continued to be published
except for a brief hiatus in the early 1970s.

Issues of the monthly will be archived here till 1972.

While studies of the Naxalbari movement have continued over the
decades, there has been a conspicuous lack of widespread availability
of the literature of its main protagonist, the CPIML. Through this
archive, we hope to fill this lacuna, thus enriching the debate for
scholars and activists alike.
The archival material has been sourced from the personal collection of
Suniti Ghosh, Central Committee member of pre-split CPI(ML).
**************************************************************

Right click on the below link and "Save as" or "Save link as"

Click here to read Liberation, 1967, 1st Issue [PDF, English, 13 MB] »
**************************************************************
For more issues -- http://sanhati.com/liberation/

Naxalrevolution Archives | Links to this post |

http://naxalrevolution.blogspot.com/

Publication: Times of India Mumbai; Date: Nov 10, 2009; Section:
Bombay Times; Page: 23

‘Naxalites are not bad guys’

...says Suniel Shetty, who won an international Best Actor award for
his role as one in Ananth Mahadevan’s film

MEENA IYER Times News Network

Suniel Shetty woke up to a pleasant surprise last week. The macho
Bollywood actor bagged the Best Actor Award at the South Asian
International Film Festival held in New York for Star Entertainment’s
Red Alert — The War Within. The film, produced by T P Agarwal and
Rahul Agarwal, is a gritty mainstream realistic film borne out of
today’s headlines on the sensitive Naxalite movement and Suniel feels
it is very important from the world cinema perspective because
“Governments in countries like India and Nepal are dealing with
Naxalites and Maoists currently.”

Red Alert is a delicately handled film of a true account of the
reality about Naxalism based on Siaram Kavalsingh (Suniel Shetty) who
finds himself in the midst of the movement and forced to make
difficult, morally questionable choices. About his winning the Best
Actor award, Suniel said, “I was surprised at this honour and humbled
too.” Candidly he admitted that a majority of the Bollywood critics
label him “wooden” and he is often subject to disparaging remarks in
reviews. “I dread opening the paper on a Friday when my film
releases,” said the actor. He is, however, kicked about Red Alert and
feels that besides him all his co-stars including senior actors like
Vinod Khanna and Naseeruddin Shah have also turned in great
performances. “It just makes all the hard work and effort seem so much
pleasurable,” said the actor. Of Naxalism, Suniel added, “There is a
very thin line between being a revolutionary and being labelled a
terrorist. Naxalites have nothing against their mother country, their
fight is against the administration. And so Naxalites aren’t bad guys.
They believe in a certain ideology that is different from yours and
mine, but that doesn’t make them enemies of the country.”

The film, written by filmmaker Aruna Raje, premiered at Stuttgart
and was bestowed with a five star rating by German critics and also
won The Director’s Vision Award for its sensitive treatment of the
Naxal movement. A New York critic said the film was admirable in its
effort to inform of this tragic tide of violence. Suniel Shetty feels
that perhaps the film’s brutal honesty is what got the attention of
international film critics. After the world premiere, the film will
also have an Asian premiere at the prestigious International Film
Festival of India to be held in Goa soon.

AND THE AWARD GOES TO... Suniel Shetty

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JTS8yMDA5LzExLzEwI0FyMDIzMDE=

...and I am Sid Harth
chhotemianinshallah
15 years ago
Permalink
INDIA'S FORGOTTEN WAR- blogging naxalism.
Brutal and Media Friendly. The New Face of Naxalism?
Posted in Analysis, Comment, Guerilla Warfare, Indian Media,
Insurgency, West Bengal by Michael on January 1, 2010
One of the most underreported developments in Naxalism in 2009 has
been the emergence of a new leadership cadre that is guiding the CPI
(Maoist) in an entirely new tactical direction. Less conservative and
reclusive than has historically been the case, the new West Bengal-
based group has chosen to undertake bold (and brutal) actions
calculated to garner media attention. This has included the beheading
of a captured police inspector in October and a dramatic train hijack
during India’s election campaign. This was preceded by the capture of
Lalgarh in West Bengal, a move seemingly calculated to demonstrate to
India and the world that the Maoists were a force to be reckoned with.

All of this suggests a dramatic re-orientation in Naxalite tactics.
Historically, the Maoists have been a tactically conservative force.
Rather than court media attention, they preferred to work quietly,
expanding their reach and power methodically and patiently. Their
leadership has been notoriously recalcitrant and media shy. What has
changed? Significant numbers of party leaders, most notably Kobad
Gandhi, were arrested in 2009 as the Indian government has improved
its counter-insurgency intel apparatus. As a result, a new crop of
people with different tactical ideas has emerged. This new face of
Maoism has been best personified in Kishenji, the Andhra born, West
Bengal-based rebel.

Kishenji is a new kind of Naxalite leader. He has actively courted
media attention- holding numerous press conferences and maintaining
regular correspondence with prominent journalists. He has demonstrated
a flair for the theatrical:

Kishenji had a seven-minute telephone conversation with West Bengal
Principal Secretary (Environment) Madan Lal Meena complaining about
polluting mines earlier this week, the Chief Minister was forced to
accept the state intelligence machinery’s failure to locate the Maoist
leader, who is on the run.
It remains to be seen how effective this tactic will be. While
Kishenji has succeeded in garnering interest in the Maoist movement
(and perhaps gained the support of segments of the urban population),
much of the Naxalite’s strength stems precisely from their patient
expansion. By refusing to draw attention to themselves, the
government of India has felt little public pressure to respond,
creating a space for he gradual expansion of Maoist territory. A new
strategy centred around engagement with the press and audacious
assaults against the state carries a great deal of risk.

Tagged with: Analysis, Comment, Delhi, Guerilla Warfare, India, Indian
Election, Indian Media, Insurgency, Lalgarh, Maoist, Maoists,
Naxalite, Terrorism, West Bengal
leave a comment

The Forgotten War
Posted in MSM by Michael on January 1, 2010
Time Magazine has declared India’s Maoist insurgency to be the 3rd
most under-reported story of 2009. I’m surprised that they even
noticed. While media coverage internationally and domestically has
been sparse, this has started to slowly change. For too long, the
Naxalites could be ignored by the urban-based Indian elite as a
problem which affected only small segments of the largely invisible
rural poor. While events such as the Mumbai terror attacks in 2008
threatened the safety and security of the countries chattering
classes, what happened in the dusty forests of rural Chhattisgarh
could easily be ignored. This has started to change. Perhaps, 2010
will bring increased coverage not only to the insurgency, but also to
the scandalous conditions in which India’s rural poor exist. One can
only hope.

Tagged with: Comment, Commentary, Counter Terrorism, Delhi, Guerilla
Warfare, India, Indian Media, Maoist, Maoists, Naxalism, Naxalite,
Violence
leave a comment

Telangana as Farce
Posted in Andhra Pradesh, Diplomacy, Telangana by Michael on January
1, 2010
Since my last post on the ongoing battle for an independent Telangana
the story has taken a turn for the absurd. In early December, the
central government unilaterally (and suddenly) declared their support
for the creation of a new state to be carved out of Andhra Pradesh,
leading to anger and sporadic violence. Opponents of the decision were
particularly concerned with the status of Andhra’s capital, the
wealthy technology hub Hyderabad situated deep inside Telangana. After
the resignations of a number of Congress politicians in protest at the
decision, the central government backtracked and announced that
Telangana would only come into being after a process of talks
involving all of the local political parties. Again, this lead to
violence and resignations, only this time by disappointed Telangana
activists. The talks are scheduled to begin on 5 January.

The central government’s handling of the issue has been inept and
farcical. First, by rushing through a unilateral decision on the
creation of a new state, the government alienated much of the
population of Andhra. Then, by backtracking on their decision, they
effectively alienated and angered all of those who had supported the
initial decision. It’s a mess. Furthermore, the decisions of the
government have greatly strengthened the hand of the Maoists. As this
(excessively pessimistic) piece in Pragati states:

Telangana is not only being formed with the support of the Naxalites,
but will be encompassing the districts that are their stronghold. The
security situation is bound to worsen further.
Not only is the creation of Telangana a potential boon for the
Maoists, the muddled process that has so far marked its birth is
tailor-made for strengthening their position. The Maoists have
strongly supported calls for an independent Telangana. The central
government’s moves have created a volatile situation in the state
marked by a high degree of political mobilisation. By supporting the
pro-Telangana forces, the Maoists have positioned themselves as an
armed and disciplined force which can help a popular movement struggle
against the central government’s duplicity. They have, for example,
already called for a general strike for the 2 January.

If the Maoists play their hand well, they will be in position to gain
a tremendous goodwill and popular support by acting as a force which
is willing to fight for the sentiments and aspirations of the local
population. They will be in an even stronger position to capture the
newly independent state once it is created. Delhi could not have
created conditions more beneficial for the Naxalites had it been
closely collaborating with the Maoist leadership.

Tagged with: Analysis, Andhra Pradesh, Comment, Commentary, Delhi,
India, Maoist, Maoists, Naxalism, Naxalite, Telangana
5 comments

Holiday Hiatus
Posted in Uncategorized by Michael on December 27, 2009
I’ve been busy spending time over the Christmas holidays with my
family leaving me little time to blog. It’s been great, but I’m about
ready to get back to work. There is a lot to write about- the
unbelievably inept ‘handling’ (if you can even call it that) of the
Telangana issue, the emergence of a more media savy (and brutal) West
Bengal-based leadership clique after the arrest of key Maoist leaders,
the latest propsal for peace negotiations between the government and
the rebels and my (perhaps idle) speculation as to what 2010 might
bring.

Stay tuned….

Tagged with: Comment, India, Maoists, Naxalism, Naxalite, West Bengal
leave a comment

Are the Naxalites Winning?
Posted in Comment, Counter-Insurgency, Insurgency by Michael on
December 9, 2009
The Indian government just released the official figures for combat
deaths across all of the country’s insurgencies. I haven’t yet been
able to track down the official report (if there is one), but, from
what’s being reported in the media, it doesn’t look good for the
government:

In Naxal affected States, the number of the number of Civilians and
Security Forces personnel killed upto Oct.31, 2009 was 742 while it
was 721 in 2008. However, the number of Naxalites killed during the
same time is 170 (till Oct.31, 2009), which stood at 199 in 2008.
An approximate 4:1 ratio is not an indication of anything
approximating victory. India The Indian government should be worried.

Tagged with: Comment, Counter-Insurgency, Delhi, India, Insurgency,
Maoists, Naxalism, Naxalite, Terrorism, War
leave a comment

Telangana- The New Chhattisgarh?
Posted in Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Comment, Telangana by Michael
on December 9, 2009
The central government has given into the demand for a separate
Telangana state. Telangana, currently part of Andhra Pradesh state,
has had an active independence movement since the late 1960s.
Considering India’s proclivity for linguistic and cultural separation,
the decision is not at all unexpected.

Far be it for me to disparage the aspirations of the people of the
region,but I do think it’s important to note that Telangana is the
traditional Naxalite heartland of Andhra, if not of the entire
country. Their grip has weakened in recent years largely because of
the state government’s effective deployment of the Greyhound para-
police coupled with a policy of generous rehabilitation for
surrendered rebels. Will this now change? I think that there is a very
real risk of the new state becoming as insurgent affected as
Chhattisgarh (which itself was created recently from a part of Madhya
Pradesh). There are parallels. The new Telangana, like Chhattisgarh,
will have fewer resources at its disposal than does Andhra. They will
also need time to set-up an effective system of governance- time which
they will not have in the Naxalite’s surge. Finally, what of the
Greyhounds and the broader (and largely successful) Andhra counter-
insurgency programme. Are we witnessing the beginning of India’s
newest failed state?

UPDATE:

An interesting piece on how the Andhra police claimed the Maoists had
infiltrated the recent protests for Telangana independence at Osmania
University in Hyderabad. While the police may just be making this
claim for political expediency, it wouldn’t surprise me if it were
true.

Tagged with: Analysis, Andhra Pradesh, Comment, Commentary, Delhi,
India, Maoist, Maoists, Naxalism, Telangana
1 comment

Pre-Emptive International Concern
Posted in Chhattisgarh, Comment, Counter-Insurgency, International
Relations by Michael on November 19, 2009
An interesting little piece of news today. The European Commission’s
Humanitarian Office, which funds relief efforts in Chhattisgarh’s
Bastar region, has cautioned the Indian government against undertaking
an anti-Maoist offensive that would jeopardise its work:

“It can become too dangerous, because of ongoing fighting, for our
partners to access and reach out to the villages,” Maria Joao Ralha,
ECHO’s desk officer for India, told AlertNet by phone from Brussels.
“It can also limit access as parties involved in the conflict may
become too nervous and may not want humanitarians working there so
villagers would not be able to receive the healthcare that our
partners are providing them.”
Aside from the increased international dimension which this story
demonstrates, it’s important to note that, according to the piece,
over 100,000 civilians have been displaced by the conflict. The very
real suffering that the so-called ‘Naxal-problem’ has caused for some
of India’s most marginalised populations is far in excess of what
might be inferred by merely tracking total annual deaths. It’s
important to think about. I’ve been to Bastar and visited illegal re-
settlement villages in the forests. And the suffering I saw was
horrendous. The government needs to be cautious.

Tagged with: Chhattisgarh, Commentary, Counter-Insurgency, Human
Rights, India, International Relations, Naxalism, Naxalite, Violence
leave a comment

Hearts and Minds
Posted in Chhattisgarh, Comment, Counter-Insurgency, Indian Media,
West Bengal by Michael on November 16, 2009
While the Calcutta Telegraph is an virulent anti-Leftwing newspaper,
in spite of its overt bias, it is one of the most solid sources of
journalism in the country. And, as a creature of West Bengal, it has
consistent coverage of Naxalism.

According to the Telegraph, Chidambaram, the Union Home Minister, will
be attending a meeting sponsored by civil society groups in Dantewada.
The Telegraph:

Chidambaram’s assent is being interpreted by civil society groups
wanting to avert armed confrontation as a “victory against hawks in
government” who have been pushing a military response to the recent
Maoist surge in parts of central and eastern India.
Two things come to mind: 1) the visit seems to be a sensible strategy
for a broader ‘hearts and minds’ counter-insurgency strategy and, 2)
it’s going to be a hell of a security nightmare.

Tagged with: Chhattisgarh, Comment, Commentary, Counter-Insurgency,
Delhi, India, Indian Media, Insurgency, Naxalism, Naxalite, West
Bengal
leave a comment

Countering the Counter-Insurgency
Posted in Analysis, Chhattisgarh, Comment by Michael on November 16,
2009
If, as I argued in my last post, Operation Green Hunt needs to be a
holistic counter-insurgency campaign- stories like this don’t help:

In the remote rural expanse that could soon be gobbled up by a Rs
19,500 crore steel plant, there is the clang of an iron-cast
protest.“We will not give our land to Tata,” says 60-year-old Sankar
Das, the frail dhoti-clad Hindu priest, even as he pokes round in the
cloth bag when a passing journalist stops by at a meeting of village
elders. Das promptly produces a letter written by residents of his
Bedanji village to the district administrator of Jagdalpur in
Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region, home to some of the world’s richest iron
ore.

Tata Steel, India’s largest private sector steelmaker, plans to invest
Rs 19,500 crores in a steel plant across 5,000 acres that will create
5.5 million tones of steel per year. Ten villages have to be emptied
out.

“The Kakatiya kings brought and settled us here from Warangal 22
generations ago to worship the goddess and supervise sacrifices on
Dussehra,” says the letter handwritten by Bedanji residents in Hindi.
“We shall not move.”
It would be almost funny if it weren’t so sad. What this does is a)
fuel the grievances of the Adivasi whose support is both crucial to
the Maoists and the government and, b) provides the Maoists with a new
source of revenue. The Maoists operate a vast illicit taxation network
which relies on the exploitation of tribal lands by industry and
mining companies.

So, in effect, the government, by authorising this project is
providing the Maoists with both a revenue stream and a support base
which they can use in their war against the state. Umm… yeah. Good
thinking.

Tagged with: Analysis, Chhattisgarh, Comment, Counter-Insurgency,
Guerilla Warfare, Human Rights, Insurgency, Maoists, Naxalism,
Naxalite, Networks
1 comment

Operation Green Hunt
Posted in Analysis, Counter-Insurgency by Michael on November 16,
2009
Now that the beginnings of Operation Green Hunt, the central
government’s anti-Naxalite offensive, have unfolded, a lot remains
unclear. According to government spokespeople, it will not take the
form of massive assault against the Maoist zones:

I wouldn’t like to call it a war. A war is fought against the enemy,
not against our own people.

— Vijay Raman, Special Director General, Central Reserve Police Force
and commandant of joint Centre-states anti-Naxalite operation Green
Hunt.
Rather Green Hunt will, according to Raman:

facilitate, assist and secure the process of development that the
government will hasten in these areas than go bang-bang hitting the
Naxal targets. It can take any number of years. All I would say is, it
would be a very calculated security exercise with human face,
So, what we have is a long-term and sustained counter-insurgency
campaign that, in some ways, mirrors the US project in Afghanistan.
Fair enough. I have often argued that the Naxalites are not primarily
a police ‘problem’. They are the consequence of a complex array of
failures in the contemporary Indian state, ranging from weak
institutions to persistent social and exploitation of marginal groups
in the deprived parts of the country.

In order for this strategy to work, however, the Indian government
must improve the training, pay and equipment of the para-military
police. Steps have been taken, including the establishment of a jungle
warfare centre. However, this is not nearly enough. Reports continue
to come in from parts of Chhattisgarh of troops selling their weapons
to the rebels in exchange for food. Time and again, the CRPF has also
showed that it is being out-fought, out-thought and out-gunned by the
Naxalites. This needs to change.

The Indian government is currently testing the deployment of drones in
the Naxalite areas. Use of advanced technology will only be effective
in conjunction with a concerted, long-term effort to improve the
capabilities of the para-police. Drones are no replacement for solid,
human intelligence gathered by disciplined and motivated forces who
have developed the trust of local communities.

As I said, I’m happy to see that the Indian government has not chosen
to undertake a spectacular, if fruitless, massive counterstrike into
the Naxal heartland. It remains to be seen, however, if the more
complex strategy chosen can be undertaken effectively.

http://naxalwar.wordpress.com/

...and I am Sid Harth
chhotemianinshallah
15 years ago
Permalink
Status Paper on the Naxal Problem

On March 13, 2006, the Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil tabled in
Parliament a Status Paper on the problem of Left-wing extremism in
India. Presented below is the full text of the Paper:






1. INTRODUCTION


1.1The Naxalite movement continues to persist in terms of spatial
spread, intensity of violence, mlitarisation and consolidation,
ominous linkages with subversive/secessionist groups and increased
efforts to elicit mass support. The naxalites operate in vacuum
created by absence of administrative and political institutions,
espouse the local demands and take advantage of the disenchantment
prevalent among the exploited segments of the population and seek to
offer an alternative system of governance which promises emancipation
of these segments from the clutches of ‘exploiter’ classes through the
barrel of a gun.

2. VIOLENCE PROFILE


2.1 Naxalite menace remains an area of serious concern. In 2005,
naxalite violence has claimed 669 lives including 153 police personnel
in 1594 incidents as against 556 casualties in 1533 incidents in 2004.
The quantum of naxal violence has shown a marginal increase of about
4% in 2005, over by 2004, while resultant casualties have however,
gone up by 18.1%.

2.2 In the current year (till February) while the number of incidents
of naxal violence has decreased by 29% over the corresponding period
of 2005 (246 incidents as against 347 in 2005). Civilian and security
forces casualties have, however, increased by 11.4% (116 as against
104 in 2005).

2.3 State–wise naxalite incidents/resultant deaths of civilians and
security personnel in the years 2003 to 2006 (till February) are at
Annexure – 1.

2.4 The substantial increase in naxal violence and deaths in Andhra
Pradesh can be attributed to the unilateral withdrawal by naxalites
from the peace talks in January, 2005 and consequent stepped up
violence by them. In Chhattisgarh, resistance being put up by the
Salva Judum (anti- naxal movement by people) activists and the efforts
of the security forces to dislodge the naxalites from their
strongholds are the main reasons for increased violence and resultant
deaths. While the States of Bihar and Jharkhand have recorded decrease
in naxal violence in 2005, a few high profile incidents like looting
of weapons from the Giridih Home Guard training center on 11-11-2005
in Jharkhand and the jailbreak on 13-11-2005 in Jehanabad, Bihar, have
taken place in recent months.

2.5 The first two months of the current year have witnessed some major
naxalite attacks in Chhattisgarh. These include killing of 9 personnel
of Naga Armed Battalion on 6.2.2006, looting of weapons and a large
quantity of explosives from NMDC Magazine at Hiroli on 9.2.2006 and
killing of 28 civilians in Konta Block of Dantewada district on
28.2.2006. These incidents have exposed the gaps in the States
security and intelligence apparatus.


3. RECENT TRENDS/DEVELOPMENTS


3.1 Spatial spread

3.1.1 In 2005, naxal violence has been reported from 509 police
stations in 11 states which works out to 5.8% of the total number of
police station in these states. Statewise spread of naxal violence in
terms of the police station affected is at Annexure- II

3.1.2 Available reports, however, suggest that CPI (Maoists) have been
trying to increase their influence and act in parts of Kamataka,
Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Uttranchal and also in new areas in some of the
already affected states.

3.2 Consolidation



After the merger of CPML–PW and MCCI into CPI (Maoist) in September,
2004, they are reported to be trying to woo other splinter groups and
have also consolidated their front organizations into ‘Revolution
Democratic Front’ (RDF) to intensify their mass contact programme.
Fresh recruitment of cadres is also reported. Indian naxalite groups
continue to sustain their fraternal and logistic links with Nepalese
Maoists, though there are no strategic and operational likes between
the two.

3.3 Naxalite Ideology of armed struggle and militarisation



The naxalite leadership continues to pursue their plan to wage
protracted people’s war through the armed struggle to capture
political power. In the recent past, naxalite groups seem to lay
greater focus on organising along military lines. They are also
acquiring contemporary weapons. Their constant effort is to upgrade
technology and sophistication of their weaponry and techniques.


3.4 Simultaneous attacks


The latest tactics adopted by the naxal outfits are to engage in
simultaneous multiple attacks in large numbers particularly against
police forces and police establishments. This has led to increased
casualties of police personnel in 2005 mainly due to IED/landmine
blasts by the naxalites. A total of 153 police personnel have laid
down their lives in 2005 in 194 attacks by naxalites on the police as
against 100 in 232 such attacks in 2004.

4. POLICY TO DEAL WITH THE NAXALITE MENACE

The Government has a clearly defined policy to combat the challenge
posed by the naxalite menace. This policy comprises the following
components:-

(i) The Government will deal sternly with the naxlites indulging in
violence.

(ii) Keeping in view that naxalism is not merely a law & order
problem, the policy of the Govt. is to address this menace
simultaneously on political security, development and public
perception management fronts in a holistic manner.

(iii) Naxalism being an inter–state problem, the states will adopt a
collective approach and pursue a coordinated response to counter it.

(iv) The states will need to further improve police response and
pursue effective and sustained police action against naxalites and
their infrastructure individually and jointly.

(v) There will be no peace dialogue by the affected states with the
naxal groups unless the latter agree to give up violence and arms.

(vi) Political parties must strengthen their cadre base in naxsal
affected areas so that the potential youth there can be weaned away
from the path of naxal ideology.

(vii) The states from where naxal activity/influence, and not naxal
violence, is reported should have a different approach with special
focus on accelerated sociw-economic development of the backward areas
and regular inter action with NGOs, intelligencia, civil liberties
groups etc. to minimize over ground support for the naxalite ideology
and activity.

(viii) Efforts will continue to be made to promote local resistance
groups against naxalites but in a manner that the villagers are
provided adequate security cover and provided adequate secutrity cover
and the area is effectively dominated by the security forces.

(ix) Mass media should also be extensively used to highlight the
futility of naxal violence and loss of life and property caused by it
and developmental schemes of the Government in the affected areas so
as to restore people’s faith and confidence in the Government
machinery.

(x) The states should announce a suitable transfer policy for the
naxal affected districts. Willing, committed and competent officers
will need to be posted with a stable tenure in the naxal affected
districts, These officers will also need to be given greater
delegation and flexibility to deliver better and step up Government
presence in these areas.

(xi) The Government of Andhra Pradesh has an effective surrender and
rehabilitation policy for naxalites and has produced good results over
the years. The other states should adopt a similar policy.

(xii) The State Governments will need to accord a higher priority in
their annual plans to ensure faster socio- economic development of the
naxal affected areas. The focus areas should be to distribute land to
the landless poor as part of the speedy implementation of the land
reforms, ensure development of physical infrastructure like roads,
communication, power etc. and provide employment opportunities to the
youth in these areas.

(xiii) Another related issue is that development activities are not
undertaken in some of the naxalite affected areas mainly due to
extortion, threat or fear from the naxalite cadres. In these areas,
even contractors are not coming forward to take up developmental work.
Adequate security and other measures would need to be taken to
facilitate uninterrupted developmental activities in the naxal
affected areas.

(xiv) The Central Government will continue to supplement the efforts
and resources of the affected states on both security and development
fronts and bring greater coordination between the states to
successfully tackle the problem.


5. COUNTER MEASURES


5.1 While the overall counter action by the affected states in terms
of naxalites killed, arrested, surrendered and arms recovered from
them has shown much better results in 2005, there is an urgent need to
further improve and strengthen police response particularly by the
states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, Maharashtra by improving
actionable intelligence collection and sharing mechanisms and
strengthening their police forces on the pattern of Greyhounds in
Andhra Pradesh. Even as the states of Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh
to some extent, need to sustain their present momentum of effective
counter action against the naxalites and their infrastructure.


5.2 The Government has taken the following measures to control the
naxal problem.


5.2.1 Modernization of State Police


Funds are given to the States under the Police Modernization Scheme to
modernize their police forces in terms of modern weaponry, latest
communication equipment, mobility and other infrastructure. The naxal
affected States have also been asked to identify vulnerable police
stations and outposts in the naxal areas and take up their
fortification under the Scheme. However, some of the States need to
improve the level of utilization of funds under the Scheme.


5.2.2 Revision of Security Related Expenditure (SRE) Scheme in
February, 2005.


The level of reimbursement under the Scheme has been raised from 50%
to 100% and new items like insurance scheme for police personnel,
community policing, rehabilitation of surrendered naxalites,
expenditure incurred on publicity to counter propaganda of naxalites,
other security related items not covered under the Police
Modernization Scheme etc., have been covered. The Scheme also allows
release of funds to the naxal affected States as advance. It is hoped
that the revised scheme will enable higher level of utilization of
funds under this Scheme.

5.2.3 Supply of Mine Protected Vehicles


Keeping in view the increased casualties of police personnel due to
IED/land mine blasts, the naxal affected States have been provided
Mine Protected Vehicles (MPVs) under the Police Modernization Scheme.
Their supply has been streamlined by taking up the matter with the
Chairman, Ordinance Factory Board.

5.2.4 Long–term deployment of Central Para Military Forces

In order to supplement the efforts of the States in providing an
effective response to the naxal violence, Central Para Military Forces
have been deployed on a long-term basis as requested by the affected
States. The Central Government has also exempted the states from the
payment of cost of deployment of these forces for a period of three
years from 1-7-2004 involving an amount of nearly Rs. 1,100 crores.


5.2.5 India Reserve Battalions


The naxal affected States have been sanctioned India Reserve (IR)
battalions mainly to strengthen security apparatus at their level as
also to enable the States to provide gainful employment to the youth,
particularly in the naxal areas. Recently, additional IR battalions
have also been approved for the naxal affected States. The Central
Government will now provide Rs. 20.75 crores per IR battalion as
against the earlier amount of Rs. 13 crores per battalion. The States
have been asked to expedite raising of these battalions.

5.2.6 Deployment of SSB along Indo-Nepal Border


In order to ensure that there is no spillover effect of the activities
of Nepalese Maoists to our territory, SSB has been given the
responsibility to guard Indo-Nepal Border. The Government has also
recently sanctioned new raisings for the SSB to further improve
management of borders in these areas. A modernization plan involving
an outlay of Rs.444 crores has also been sanctioned for the SSB.


5.2.7 Recruitment in Central Para Military Forces


In order to wean away the potential youth from the path to militancy
or naxalism, recruitment guidelines have been revised to permit 40%
recruitment in Central Para Military Forces from the border areas and
areas affected by militancy or naxalism.

5.2.8 Backward Districts Initiative (BDI)

Since the naxalite menace has to be addressed on the developmental
front also, the Central Government has provided financial assistance
of Rs. 2,475 crores for 55 naxal affected districts in the 9 States of
Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Jharkhand, Maharashtra,
Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh & West Bengal under the Backward
Districts Initiative (BDI) component of the Rsahtriya Sam Vikas Yojana
(RSVY). Under this Scheme, an amount of Rs. 15 crores per year has
been given to each of the districts for three years so as to fill in
the critical gaps in physical and social development in the naxal
affected areas. The Planning Commission has been requested to include
other naxal affected areas under their proposed Scheme of Backward
Regions Grant Funds (BRGF) for which an outlay of Rs. 5,000 crores has
been set apart from this fiscal year (2005-06) onwards.


5.2.9 Tribal and Forest elated issues


In order to address the areas of disaffection among the tribals, the
Government has introduced the Scheduled Tribes (Recognition of Forest
Rights) Bill, 2005, in Parliament on 13.12.2005. Further, to
facilitate social and physical infrastructure in the forest areas,
Ministry of Environment and Forests has, as requested by the MHA,
issued general approval to allow such infrastructure by utilising upto
1 hectare of forest land for non-forest purposes. That Ministry has
also permitted upgradation of kutcha roads constructed prior to
01.09.1980 into pucca roads.

5.2.10 Effective implementation of land reforms and creation of
employment opportunities in the naxal areas


Naxal groups have been raising mainly land and livelihood related
issues. If land reforms are taken up on priority and the landless and
the poor in the naxal areas are allotted surplus land, this would go a
long way in tackling the developmental aspects of the naxal problem.
The States have been requested to focus greater attention on this area
as also accelerate developmental activities and create employment
opportunities in the naxal affected areas with special focus on
creation of physical infrastructure in terms of roads, communication,
power as also social infrastructure such as schools, hospitals etc.

6. MONITORING MECHANISMS

6.1 The Central Government accords a very high priority to review and
monitor the naxal situation and the measures being taken by the states
on both security and development fronts to control it. Several
monitoring mechanisms have been set up at the Center to do so. These
include a periodical review by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS)
Of the naxal situation, Standing Committee of the Chief Ministers of
the naxal affected states chaired by the Union Home Minister,
Quarterly Coordination Center meetings chaired by the Union Home
Secretary with the Chief Secretaries and the Directors General of
Police of the affected states and the monthly Task Force meetings of
Nodal Officers of naxal affected states/Central agencies chaired by
Special Secretary (IS), MHA. The states have also been asked to hold a
monthly review by the DGP and the naxal situation and the measures and
strategies to contain the naxal problem .



7. CONCLUSION

The Central Government views the naxalite menace as an area of serious
concern. The Government remains firmly committed and determined to
address the problem. The current strategy is (i) to strengthen
intelligence set-up at the state level; (ii) pursue effective and
sustained intelligence driven police action against naxalites and
their infrastructure individually and jointly by the states and (iii)
accelerate development in the naxal affected areas. The Central
Government will continue to coordinate and supplement the efforts to
the state governments on both security and development fronts to meet
the challenge posed by the naxal problem.

http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/india/document/papers/06Mar13_Naxal%20Problem%20.htm

...and I am Sid Harth
chhotemianinshallah
15 years ago
Permalink
The Naxals get lethal
Chhattisgarh continues to be the epicenter of the conflict
(Vol No.II, Issue No.III)
Emabargoed for 03 October 2007
PDF / HTML
http://www.achrweb.org/ncm/NCM-VOL-II-III.htm

At least 384 persons including 129 civilians, 162 security forces and
93 alleged Naxalites have been killed in the Naxal conflict during
January to September 2007. The highest number of killings were
reported from Chhattisgarh (208), followed by Andhra Pradesh (59),
Jharkhand (44) and Bihar (28). The Naxal conflict has serious
implications on the enjoyment of human rights ....Read more

Killings decrease, conflict intensifies
(Vol No.II, Issue No.II)
Embargoed for 4 July 2007
PDF / HTML
http://www.achrweb.org/ncm/NCM-VOL-02-02.pdf

There has been 45% decrease in the number of killings in comparison to
the same period in 2006 which saw the killing of at least 460 persons.
However, the conflict is intensifying as reflected from the killing of
113 security forces ...Read more

Evaluate anti-Naxal policies of the Chhattisgarh government
(Vol No.II, Issue No.I)
Emabargoed for 11 April 2007

PDF / HTML
http://www.achrweb.org/ncm/NCM-VOL-II-I.htm

A total of 144 persons including 27 civilians, 80 security forces and
37 alleged Naxalites were killed between January and March 2007 in 10
Naxal affected States of India. Out of these, 101 persons or 70% of
the total victims were killed in Chhattisgarh, followed by killing of
25 persons in Andhra Pradesh. Read more

Naxal Conflict in 2006, 10 January 2007

The Naxal Conflict in 2006 is the first such report prepared by any
organisation in India. The provides the most comprehensive analysis of
the Naxalite conflict and its implications on human rights and
fundamental freedoms during 2006. A total of 749 persons were killed
in 2006 which included 285 civilians, 135 security personnel and 329
alleged Naxalites. Chhattisgarh accounted for 48.5% of the total
killings as a direct consequence of the anti-Naxalite Salwa Judum
campaign. The conflict unfolds. >>> read more

Armed Opposition Groups
■Private Armies: The Ranvir Senas and the politics of ban
http://www.achrweb.org/ncm/ranvir-sena.htm

■Major banned Naxal outfits
http://www.achrweb.org/ncm/major_banned.htm

Counter-Insurgency

■Salwa Judum
http://www.achrweb.org/ncm/salwa-judums.htm

■Vigilante groups: Of the Tiger & Cobras
http://www.achrweb.org/ncm/vigilante.htm

States' Response to Naxalism

■Union Government
http://www.achrweb.org/ncm/union_govt.htm

■State Government
http://www.achrweb.org/ncm/states_govt.htm

http://www.achrweb.org/ncm/ncm.htm

...and I am Sid Harth
chhotemianinshallah
15 years ago
Permalink
Series of articles on Naxals, called "Troubled Tribals: Sid Harth"
appeared in this newsgroup.

It is directly related to Dr Jai Maharaj's article on [Muslim
Terrorism]

This idiot sees mountain in the molehill. Nay, this nefarious
nincompoop, posts articles to malign Christians, Muslims, and anything
and everything that does not have a Hinduttva merit.

http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/d2734fc660ba30b2/c752914fc1013d5a?lnk=gst&q=Troubled+Tribal%3A+Sid+Harth#c752914fc1013d5a

http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/d2734fc660ba30b2/8b45dace3f76556a?q=Troubled+Tribal%3A+Sid+Harth&lnk=nl&

http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/d2734fc660ba30b2/32b45c791d8d969f?q=Troubled+Tribal%3A+Sid+Harth&lnk=nl&

http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/d2734fc660ba30b2/47b6fb6a0a60c03c?q=Troubled+Tribal%3A+Sid+Harth&lnk=nl&

http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/d2734fc660ba30b2/0e5eb0ee2a1fd8af?q=Troubled+Tribal%3A+Sid+Harth&lnk=nl&

http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/d2734fc660ba30b2/1860c11e5ea0526f?q=Troubled+Tribal%3A+Sid+Harth&lnk=nl&

http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/d2734fc660ba30b2/d08b95429630710c?q=Troubled+Tribal%3A+Sid+Harth&lnk=nl&

http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/d2734fc660ba30b2/9cf8f6e70e9dfa52?q=Troubled+Tribal%3A+Sid+Harth&lnk=nl&

http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/d2734fc660ba30b2/60ee657c0013939b?q=Troubled+Tribal%3A+Sid+Harth&lnk=nl&

http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/d2734fc660ba30b2/0c6e0db7ef320d4f?q=Troubled+Tribal%3A+Sid+Harth&lnk=nl&

http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/d2734fc660ba30b2/d65f1ea6ec7caeb7?q=Troubled+Tribal%3A+Sid+Harth&lnk=nl&

http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/d2734fc660ba30b2/67d0937f852b9ac4?q=Troubled+Tribal%3A+Sid+Harth&lnk=nl&

http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/d2734fc660ba30b2/96c7deda178aa90a?q=Troubled+Tribal%3A+Sid+Harth&lnk=nl&

http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/d2734fc660ba30b2/6620bdc0b0aeffd0?q=Troubled+Tribal%3A+Sid+Harth&lnk=nl&

http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/d2734fc660ba30b2/3c2be019fe3af4be?q=Troubled+Tribal%3A+Sid+Harth&lnk=nl&

http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/d2734fc660ba30b2/33e3601586082c49?q=Troubled+Tribal%3A+Sid+Harth&lnk=nl&

http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/d2734fc660ba30b2/30f1e789c30b5ad0?q=Troubled+Tribal%3A+Sid+Harth&lnk=nl&

http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/d2734fc660ba30b2/7f14ca7f18a15174?q=Troubled+Tribal%3A+Sid+Harth&lnk=nl&

http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/d2734fc660ba30b2/1916766ccb6526fe?q=Troubled+Tribal%3A+Sid+Harth&lnk=nl&

http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/d2734fc660ba30b2/f204bc59086373ba?q=Troubled+Tribal%3A+Sid+Harth&lnk=nl&

http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/d2734fc660ba30b2/e4ec1de2ec92e1b8?q=Troubled+Tribal%3A+Sid+Harth&lnk=nl&

http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/d2734fc660ba30b2/db65687de29ec4dd?q=Troubled+Tribal%3A+Sid+Harth&lnk=nl&

http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/d2734fc660ba30b2/48ed4fe0e3d2a7cf?q=Troubled+Tribal%3A+Sid+Harth&lnk=nl&

http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/d2734fc660ba30b2/2dde300a58d596f0?q=Troubled+Tribal%3A+Sid+Harth&lnk=nl&

http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/d2734fc660ba30b2/065bc82da5aeea79?q=Troubled+Tribal%3A+Sid+Harth&lnk=nl&

http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/d2734fc660ba30b2/9cef48ff35e04563?q=Troubled+Tribal%3A+Sid+Harth&lnk=nl&

http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/d2734fc660ba30b2/15afb7fe21ad7d55?q=Troubled+Tribal%3A+Sid+Harth&lnk=nl&

http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/d2734fc660ba30b2/393af3d2df759ae8?q=Troubled+Tribal%3A+Sid+Harth&lnk=nl&

...and I am Sid Harth
chhotemianinshallah
15 years ago
Permalink
Series of articles on Naxals, called "Jyoti Basu: Sid Harth"

It is directly related to Dr Jai Maharaj's article on
[Muslim Terrorism]

This idiot sees mountain in the molehill. Nay, this nefarious
nincompoop, posts articles to malign Christians, Muslims, and anything
and everything that does not have a Hinduttva merit.

http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/a531986567d15041/d36f8c826a52f371?q=Jyoti+Basu&lnk=ol&

http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/a531986567d15041/58839114ce928025?q=Jyoti+Basu&lnk=nl&

http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/a531986567d15041/026748ec0ee3b26a?q=Jyoti+Basu&lnk=nl&

http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/a531986567d15041/75e349be85247127?q=Jyoti+Basu&lnk=nl&

http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/a531986567d15041/3db8e7ac87d055f0?q=Jyoti+Basu&lnk=nl&

http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/a531986567d15041/68af4ac1d34ba806?q=Jyoti+Basu&lnk=nl&

http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/a531986567d15041/c314aebeff410e6e?q=Jyoti+Basu&lnk=nl&

http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/a531986567d15041/afe30856863799b5?q=Jyoti+Basu&lnk=nl&

http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian.marathi/browse_thread/thread/a531986567d15041/0e48ca0c45fcc804?q=Jyoti+Basu&lnk=nl&

...and I am Sid Harth
Sid Harth
15 years ago
Permalink
Six killed in Maoist attack in Bihar
IANS, Feb 18, 2010, 09.09am IST

PATNA: At least six people were killed in a Maoist attack in Bihar's
Jamui district, police said on Thursday.

According to a police official, more than 100 armed Maoists late
Wednesday attacked Phulwaria village in Jamui, about 150 km from
Patna, and shot dead six villagers. The rebels also set several houses
in the village ablaze and abducted more than half a dozen villagers.

Police suspect the incident was related to the alleged killing of
eight Maoist guerrillas on February 1.

A strike was called by Maoists on Wednesday in five Bihar districts,
including Banka, Bhagalpur, Jamui, Munger and Lakhisarai, to denounce
the alleged killing of guerrillas by police with the help of
villagers.

The guerrillas alleged that eight Maoists were killed by police and
their bodies dumped at an unknown place.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Maoists-kill-six-Bihar-villagers-in-revenge-attack/articleshow/5586467.cms

Naxal menace: Doublespeak on intel reveals rot in Bengal
Krishnendu Bandyopadhyay & Sukumar Mahato, TNN, Feb 18, 2010, 01.44am
IST

KOLKATA/MIDNAPORE: A well-armed force of 4,500 against a rag-tag
outfit of 200. Hardly any odds to bet on. But in Jangalmahal, not
everything is what it seems. The state government does not know what
to do with the paramilitary forces at its disposal, or the funds it
has earmarked for development in Maoist-hit areas.

A day after the Union home ministry expressed displeasure over lapses
that led to the Silda attack and the lack of preparedness of the state
forces in a battle zone, it became embarrassingly evident that there
is no coordination even among Bengal’s top officials. On Wednesday,
home secretary Ardhendu Sen said his department had indeed received
intelligence on the Silda attack at 2pm, almost three hours before the
firing began — enough time to issue an alert and organize defences.
But DGP Bhupinder Singh refuted this, saying there was no input.

Also, since every reporter on the Naxal beat can easily contact the
area’s top commander Kishanji over phone, it doesn’t stand to reason
why the security forces didn’t try to intercept the Naxal combatants
of whom he was a part of. Battered in recent elections, the Buddhadeb
Bhattacharjee government seems scared of taking strong decisions, be
it the Maoist menace or the Gorkhaland agitation. Worse still, there
is absolute lack of accountability in the administration.

No one has yet been held responsible for the ambush on October 2009
Sankrail police station in which two policemen were gunned down while
taking an afternoon nap and the OC abducted without a semblance of a
fightback. No one is hauled up for why NREGS wages do not reach the
poor in Lalgarh. Or why the Maoists can kill at will even seven months
after the biggest security operation in Bengal.

No lessons have been learnt from the Silda massacre as well. At least
10 more police/EFR camps in Belpahari, Jamboni, Nayagram and
Gopiballavpur are in crowded areas, with locals loitering in every now
and then. The administration is yet to decide whether to move these
camps out. This indecision is making things dangerous for paramilitary
jawans loaned to the state — exposing them to attacks that can be
prevented with a little bit of coordination and intelligence sharing.
A month ago, a CRPF platoon had surrounded an armed Maoist squad in
Mohultoli forest of Goaltore — set to spring an ambush. But for the
firing order, the CRPF commander had to call up the Goaltore OC, who
called up the SP. Finally, when the order came, it was to retreat.

‘‘Such incidents have demoralized the forces,’’ said a CRPF officer.
In October last year, CRPF were barely 200 yards from Kishanji and his
core group when they were told to stand down. The Maoist leader had
forced the government to call off the forces by threatening to kill
the Sankrail OC.

The state keeps asking for more funds and more forces from Delhi, when
it cannot manage the anti-Maoist assets at its disposal. The same goes
for development plans meant to woo locals away from Maoists. The home
secretary says there are ups and downs in the fight between Maoists
and the state. For now, everything seems to be going downhill for
Bengal.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Naxal-menace-Doublespeak-on-intel-reveals-rot-in-Bengal/articleshow/5585880.cms

Naxals lash out at Mamata, accuse her of betrayal
TNN, Feb 18, 2010, 01.55am IST

KOLKATA: Maoists on Tuesday severely criticized Trinamool Congress
chief and Union railway minister Mamata Banerjee, equating her with CM
Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and Union home minister P Chidambaram and
terming the trio as an unholy alliance.

The red rebels, who had been muted in their criticism of Mamata in the
past, are believed to have raised the ante following her recent jibes
alleging that the Maoists were hand-in-glove with the CPM.

In a statement issued on Tuesday evening, Maoist state committee
leader Kanchan also warned of a bigger assault to obliterate Operation
Green Hunt and demanded immediate withdrawal of joint forces from
Jangalmahal.

‘‘Let us make it clear that we won’t sit idle and watch the joint
forces and CPM goons attack innocent people, rape women and loot
villagers. In the name of Operation Green Hunt, the government has
announced a war against people. Buddha, Mamata and Chidambaram are
jointly waging this war. We are ready to thwart this state-sponsored
terrorism and will strike back,’’ the statement said.

The Maoist leader accused Mamata of playing ‘‘dirty rail politics’’
for proposing a railway line through Jangalmahal. Ridiculing the spate
of inaugurations that Mamata has indulged in since taking over as
railway minister, he said: ‘‘Mamata has been inaugurating at least one
platform a day. She has been playing this cheap politics just to
capture power. She has already inaugurated Jangalmahal Express and
Birsa Express on February 13.’’ Pointing out that farmers of Singur
did not get back their land but were handed a dolly by way of a local
train called Andolan, the Maoist leader also accused Mamata of
backstabbing the people’s movement in Nandigram by bringing in the
CRPF.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Naxals-lash-out-at-Mamata-accuse-her-of-betrayal/articleshow/5585891.cms

With locals on their side, Maoists now striking at will
Sukumar Mahato & Arnab Ganguly, TNN, Feb 17, 2010, 04.02am IST

JHARGRAM/SILDA: Five attacks on security forces in six months. Thirty-
two jawans killed, scores injured, arms looted, police patrols cowed.
On the flip side, three crackdowns on Maoist dens. Just three
suspected guerrillas killed, 190 arrested — 23 of them released to
secure the freedom of abducted Sankrail OC Atindranath Dutta.

And the biggest fish — Maoist military strategist Kishenji — still at
large.

It’s clear how the scales are tipped in the tussle between Maoists and
security forces in the tribal belt of Jangalmahal. The side that has
the locals’ support has the edge.

The Maoists started winning one battle after another after November
2008, when the People’s Committee against Police Atrocities (PCPA) was
formed. In January 2009, they started a police boycott in Lalgarh.
With this began a systematic elimination of police informers.

When the killing spree began, there were just 36 policemen in Lalgarh
to police 300,000 people in 300 villages. It was the local information
network that helped police in this impossible task. The guerrillas
started targeting this system. Now, police stations are under lock-and-
key and policemen don’t dare to venture out after dark even if there
is a murder.

The killings created a fear psychosis among the villagers, who
retreated into a shell, refusing to share information with police.
Occasional torture of villagers by police also turned people away from
the lawkeepers.

This strategy helped Maoists create a “liberated zone”, which
gradually spread beyond West Midnapore, to Purulia and Bankura.

The guerrillas also wooed villagers by digging wells, building roads
and setting up health centres in this underdeveloped region. This
helped them build a strong information system of their own that the
forces do not have at the moment.

The forces take a share of the blame, as well. After nine months in
the region, they are still to come to grips with the terrain. They are
not aware of the village paths that crisscross jungles. Till the first
week of February, they didn’t even venture into the jungles, say
sources, sticking to the roads for their 10 am to 3 pm patrols. In the
past two weeks, they have started going into forests.

A CRPF jawan said the situation is getting worse. “We marched into
Silda last night around 8.30 pm. Since then till this afternoon we
couldn’t even get water to drink. This is how we have been working
every day,” he said.

But there are other equally worrisome questions that remain
unanswered. Why were most of the jawans without arms? Why were the men
and women who lurked in the area for more than an hour not challenged?
Some sources claim that Kishenji himself had been keeping watch on the
Silda camp for two months.

According to a CID official, it is high time the forces went for an
“intelligence-backed guerrilla operation”. “You can beat guerrillas by
fighting like a guerrilla. It’s an ideal situation for Cobra operation
under the direct command and control of CRPF.”

vallabh india 17 Feb, 2010 04:00 PM

The government has been ignoring the problem posed by Maoists to the
internal security of the country for many years now. When the
government hs identified this problem, it is using half hearted
efforts to contain the issue from going out of hand. Weak political
will should change first.Krish India 17 Feb, 2010 03:50 PM

Naxalites are challenging Republic of India through an armed struggle
to overthrow a democratic system. There should be no statements like
"Violence should be strongly condemned but ..."pradeepganu hyderabad
17 Feb, 2010 09:28 PM

the republic of india was formed to protect basic human rights you
deny them and this is the result please wake upraghu kolkata 17 Feb,
2010 03:47 PM

As long as maoist killing the villager and threadening them,
politicians media not raised any voice and blame the ruling government
inability. At the same time when a police officer killed any maoist
then same politician making huge cry and calling public bandh and
removing the officer.hortense vaughan AusTRALIA 17 Feb, 2010 02:56 PM

it is obvious that the Maoists have won the hearts and minds of the
locals and that is why they are so successful. The police like all
Indian police are across between thugs gangsters and babus and are
being murdered because they are not liked or respected.sam petrosa 17
Feb, 2010 02:21 PM

The reporting has made Maoists villians of the society. When their
movement started, they were really peasants begging for their rights.
Now, if you keep ignoring the requests, they become demands, if you
continue to ignore demands, they become revolts. So, please address
the issues!Narendra mumbai 17 Feb, 2010 08:14 PM

i agree with uSayandip Hyderabad 17 Feb, 2010 02:14 PM

They are the desi version of L-e-T trying to destroy the harmony
within people and creating a panic in the society by their ruthless
killing of innocent police and paramilitary personels in the name of
humanity and development of the society.Sajid Mumbai 17 Feb, 2010
02:13 PM

I can't understand why the media, govt., BJP, RSS, and the common
people, don't give enough attention to the Maoist terrorism?Sai Mumbai
17 Feb, 2010 12:17 PM

Why is naxals problem a top national security threat, if so, why isn't
elite military forces are chasing naxals? If central government is
doing its job, it should have eradicated naxals problem by now. How
long we want to live with third world policies while making false
economic claims?kshitij mumbai 17 Feb, 2010 12:06 PM

the govt needs to take it seriously and give proper infrastructure to
police and CRPF to fight the naxals. Without the help of locals and
necessary political will ,the situation will get worse.Indian Kuwait
17 Feb, 2010 11:59 AM

MOIST ARE BIGGER TERRORIST THAN ANY OTHER TERRORIST ORGANISATION ???
AM

I RIGHT OR NOT ? ? ? ? ? ? THINK ?? MEDIA THINKPriya Priya 17 Feb,
2010 11:37 AM

The CPI maoists ideology should be changed according to the change in
time. The ideology is seems as it is against the development. If such
threats exists further developments in our nation will not take
placeindian del 17 Feb, 2010 11:17 AM

whipe out these maoist, dont just arrest themNAYEEM BHARAT 17 Feb,
2010 10:53 AM

Now the Policemen might be feeling the pain of the innocent people
they kill in the name of so called "Encounters"john delhi 17 Feb, 2010
10:50 AM

this is bound to happen in India. As corrouption is rampant from
politics, police, IAS, etc etc. nothing is being done by the PM,
prsident, or any political parties to stop this.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/With-locals-on-their-side-Maoists-now-striking-at-will/articleshow/5582141.cms


Govt tightens security to tackle Maoist bandh
TNN, Feb 6, 2010, 09.28pm IST

RANCHI/JAMSHEDPUR: The state machinery has been put on high alert in
the wake of the 72-hour bandh called by the Maoists from around
Saturday midnight in the four states of Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal
and Orissa.

Over half-a-dozen trains have been cancelled while many had their
routes changed. Three trains from Ranchi division, including the New
Delhi-bound Rajdhani Express, were diverted. The others were Hatia-
Jammu Tawi, Howrah-Jabalpur Shaktipunj Express and Ranchi-Banaras
Intercity Express.

To prevent any untoward incident on the Coal India Chord (CIC)
section, these trains will now go via Gomoh. Around seven passenger
trains passing through the CIC section, including Palamu Express,
Garhwa-Mughalsarai, Gomo-Barkakana and Dehri-on-Sone have been
cancelled.

Meanwhile, police claimed that foolproof security bandobast had been
made to tackle the bandh. The Maoists have called a bandh in protest
against the joint police operations being launched against them by the
four states.

"We have made necessary security arrangements to thwart any untoward
incident in the state," said Neyaz Ahmed, director-general of police.
"Quick Response Teams (QRTs) have been formed while assistance has
been sought from the Railway Protection Force as railways are usually
targeted by the Maoists during bandhs called by them," he added.

"Besides, specific instructions have been issued to every district SP
while paramilitary forces will be moving deep into the jungles to
conduct long-range patrolling," said Ahmed.

In East Singhbhum district, the largely effective Maoist bandh on
Friday has forced the Kolhan administration to tighten vigil for the
next three days. The security cover includes additional deployment of
paramilitary forces, JAP commandos and district police with forces
standing guard on NH-33, connecting Jamshedpur with Ranchi, from
Friday itself.

As the authorities do not wish to take chances, the district
administration has asked the security personnel to stick to their
areas of operation for the next three days. More so as life in the
Maoist-dominated Ghatshila subdivision was completely paralyzed during
the 24-hour bandh called on Friday.

"Police patrolling on NH-33 has been intensified and paramilitary
forces asked to maintain surveillance in the vulnerable areas," said
Ashutosh Sahay, superintendent of police in-charge of Seraikela-
Kharsawan.

The areas that are likely to be hit by the bandh have been taken care
of and whatever measures were required from the point of +view of
security have been initiated to prevent violence, reiterated Anup
Virtheray, ASP of East Singhbhum.

"The GRP, along with special commandos of the railway police, will be
on board the trains passing through the Chakradharpur division and
pilot trains will guide all important trains," said Amol V Homkar,
railway SP, Tatanagar.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ranchi/Govt-tightens-security-to-tackle-Maoist-bandh/articleshow/5543379.cms

Cruel killer? Not me, says Maoist leader Kishenji
Caesar Mandal, TNN, Feb 17, 2010, 03.56am IST

A natural leader, a shrewd fighter, a marksman, and a ruthless killer.
Kishenji, the 53-year-old media friendly guerrilla, is also the Bengal
government's worst nightmare.

Born Koteswar Rao in an Andhra village, Kishenji has spent 34 years of
his life in hiding, waging a relentless, bloody war against the state.
Giving an interview to TOI — his first in Bengal — he had claimed to
have killed 93 people. And that was a year ago. He is the mastermind
of Monday’s massacre at Silda as well. But in a soft-spoken, almost
effeminate voice, he would tell you that he isn't a cruel killer.

He describes himself as a “soft-hearted person, willing to forgive”.
“I don’t kill easily,” he tells reporters. It sounds strange coming
from someone who has an AK-56 slung across his shoulders 24x7 and
doesn't blink when pulling the trigger. It’s stranger still when you
know that he is the son of a freedom fighter.

The rebel went underground a year after the Emergency and came in
contact with CPIM(L) leaders. In 1980, he co-founded People’s War in
Andhra Pradesh, rose to being politburo member and was put in charge
of organising movements in the Telangana region — from where he hails
— and Dandakaranya.

In the early 1990s, he moved into Bihar, then a Maoist Communist
Centre of India (MCCI) stronghold.
Kishenji set about orchestrating a merger of the two radical forces.
In spite of strong differences, he succeeded in unifying PW and MCC in
2004. This brought him to the tribal belt of Bengal, where he soon
showed his aggressiveness and hunger for power.
He is accused of sidelining Maoist leaders in Bengal and expelled
several senior leaders who fell out with him. Now, he is the
undisputed Number 2 in the eastern region behind Ganpati.

Insiders say he always gets what he wants. Once, he had assaulted
Manik da, a Maoist state secretary, during a conference. He has proved
adept in using the media. He readily takes calls from journalists and
poses for the camera — face covered and with his back to the lens. On
a few occasions, journalists have heard gunshots in the background
when they caught him in the middle of an encounter.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Cruel-killer-Not-me-says-Maoist-leader-Kishenji/articleshow/5582138.cms

Maoist killing spree consequence of Left's cult of violence: Congress
TNN, Feb 18, 2010, 01.59am IST

NEW DELHI: Congress has ascribed the Maoist killing spree in Bengal to
the `cult of violence institutionalised' by the mainstream Left over
the past 30 years of its rule in the state.

"If anybody is responsible for what is happening in West Bengal it is
the communists; they institutionalised violence during the long years
of its rule," party spokesman Manish Tiwari said at a media briefing
on Wednesday.

He accused the Left of setting the `blood trail' and said there was no
way the ruling communists could run away from the `burden' of
responsibility.

Condemning the massacre of the jawans at a camp of para-military
forces in Midnapore by the armed Naxalite cadres, Tiwari traced the
genesis of ultra-Left violence to promotion of a `foreign ideology'
based on a violent programme by the communists in India.

Rejecting the recent CPM appeal to Congress to chuck Trinamool
Congress as an ally for closer ties with the Left, he said, "This view
is a reflection of an inherent insecurity within the Left; they know
their rule in Bengal is coming to an end." The state under Left rule
since 1977, is on the threshold of change, he said.

He, however, sidetracked Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee's demand for
a central probe into the Maoist attack saying it was for her to
explain her stand.

At the same time, Tiwari assailed a section of the intelligentsia for
their sympathising with the ultras and finding virtue in their cause.

"We appeal to civil society to isolate those who romanticise Maoist
violence and in the process lend credibility to their barbaric act,"
he said.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Maoist-killing-spree-consequence-of-Lefts-cult-of-violence-Congress/articleshow/5585054.cms

Another Maoist leader arrested in Gorakhpur
TNN, Feb 15, 2010, 06.22am IST

LUCKNOW: The special task force (STF) of UP Police on Sunday morning
arrested another member of the banned outfit Communist Party of India
- Maoists (CPIM) from Gorakhpur. Loads of Maoist literature and
detailed notings of Maoists related activities were recovered from his
possession.

Additional director general of police (ADG) STF Brij Lal on Sunday
said that the arrest was made on the basis of the interrogation of 11
maoists arrested by the STF since February 6 onwards from Gorakhpur
and Allahabad. Most of the arrested accused had told the police about
one Rajendra Munda - a native of Katihar in Bihar and his movements
across Uttar Pradesh in general and districts of Gorakhpur and
Allahabad. Rajendra turned out to be the real brother of Asha, the
member incharge of central Mahila sub committee (SMSC) of CPIM who was
arrested from Gorakhpur on February 6 last.

"We recieved a tip-off that Rajendra was to meet his sister Asha -
presently lodged at Gorakhpur jail - on Sunday and thereafter leave
for Bihar. We also got collected some specifics about his background
and discovered that he was holed up in a rented accomodation somewhere
in Kanpur and the premises was also being used as a Den by the band
outfit," Brij Lal said.

On the basis of the tip-off, two STF teams were activated and they
managed to track him down on Saturday night itself. The sleuths
initially trailed him and finally picked him up on Sunday morning,
from near the Shani temple situated next to the Cantonment Railway
Halt of Gorakhpur. During sustained interrogation, Rajendra revealed
that he was slated to meet Asha at the Gorakhpur district jail on
Saturday itself but somehow the meeting did not materialised.

Rajendra also told interrogators that his Kanpur connection came into
being about a year and a half ago when Asha herself provided him a
rented house to stay. Whenever Asha or her husband Balraj (also
arrested by the STF from Allahabad recently and his seen as a senior
office bearer of Maoist's national body as well that covering four
estates including Uttranchal and Uttar Pradesh).

He also told the police that the accomodation in Kanpur was being used
as a den - the place of stay for underground naxals as referred to in
the Maoist parlance. A formal case about his arrest was lodged with
the Cantonment police station in Gorakhpur and Rajendra was sent to
jail after he was remanded to judicial custody for the next 14 days by
a Gorakhpur district court where he was produced on Sunday afternoon,
STF sources said

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/Another-Maoist-leader-arrested-in-Gorakhpur/articleshow/5574272.cms

Cops seize Maoist documents from Red camps
TNN, Feb 6, 2010, 09.44pm IST

JAMSHEDPUR: The West Singhbhum police have seized important documents
from the CPI(Maoist) transit camps in the hilly areas of Chaibasa
subdivision on Saturday.

Paramilitary forces, together with officials of Jeraikela and
Bandhgaon police stations, busted Maoist hideouts and destroyed two
transit camps at Nuagaon village under Jeraikela police station in
Chaibasa subdivision of West Singhbhum district.

Police informed that during long range patrolling (LRP), security
personnel stumbled upon the hideouts and transit camps and immediately
called upon additional forces for the operation.

"Police were on routine LRP when they encountered the transit camps.
However, we have destroyed those and found important documents
containing Maoist information," said Shambu Kumar, additional SP, in
charge of operations in West Singhbhum.

He further informed that security personnel have also seized a pistol,
two cartridges, Maoist literature and some food stuff, besides other
documents relating to the Left-wing ultras from the site.

"No one has been arrested yet and police are atill at the site," said
the ASP.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ranchi/Cops-seize-Maoist-documents-from-Red-camps/articleshow/5543425.cms

Six killed in Maoist attack in Bihar
IANS, Feb 18, 2010, 09.09am IST

PATNA: At least six people were killed in a Maoist attack in Bihar's
Jamui district, police said on Thursday.

According to a police official, more than 100 armed Maoists late
Wednesday attacked Phulwaria village in Jamui, about 150 km from
Patna, and shot dead six villagers. The rebels also set several houses
in the village ablaze and abducted more than half a dozen villagers.

Police suspect the incident was related to the alleged killing of
eight Maoist guerrillas on February 1.

A strike was called by Maoists on Wednesday in five Bihar districts,
including Banka, Bhagalpur, Jamui, Munger and Lakhisarai, to denounce
the alleged killing of guerrillas by police with the help of
villagers.

The guerrillas alleged that eight Maoists were killed by police and
their bodies dumped at an unknown place.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Maoists-kill-six-Bihar-villagers-in-revenge-attack/articleshow/5586467.cms

Govt to reassert authority in Maoist areas: Chidambaram
IANS, Jan 22, 2010, 09.16pm IST

RAIPUR: Home minister P Chidambaram declared on Friday that states had
agreed to coordinate actions against Maoist guerrillas and that the
government's goal was to reassert authority in rebel bastions.

"(Our aim is) to reassert the civil administration to be followed
immediately by development in areas dominated by Naxalites (Maoists)
for quite some years," Chidambaram said after a meeting with top
officials of Orissa, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh here.

"The meeting was successful. We identified progress we made... We
identified steps to be taken," the minister told reporters.

"The (anti-Maoist) operations will continue. Our goal is not to kill
anyone but to reassert the civil administration to be followed
immediately by development in areas dominated by Naxalites for quite
some years," he said.

Chidambaram chaired a two-hour meeting at the state secretariat with
chief ministers Raman Singh of Chhattisgarh and Navin Patnaik of
Orissa, Maharashtra Home Minister RR Patil and officials of
paramilitary forces.

He said the central government was offering troops and technology to
states to take on the outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-
Maoist).

"My approach to the CPI-Maoist and other such banned organisations is
that you will suspend violence and we will talk. But they are killing
people. Even yesterday they killed two boys in Chhattisgarh who
belonged to primitive tribes as they wanted to get recruited in (the
Indian) army," he said.

"The coordinated operation (against Maoists) is just a few weeks old.
The progress is satisfactory and in future it will be more
satisfactory. In many places Naxalites are retreating and we welcome
it. But in some areas they are engaged in battle," Chidambaram said.

When asked to comment on reports saying the Shibu Soren government in
Jharkhand has decided to go slow on anti-Maoist drives, he said:
"There is a new government in Jharkhand, the chief minister and other
senior officials are coming to Delhi Jan 28 to meet me on the Naxal
issue."

Chidambaram said the Indian government had no evidence of Naxals
getting external monetary help. "(There is) no evidence of Naxals
getting external monetary help though they are getting smuggled arms,"
the minister commented when asked about foreign help to Maoists.

The special meet focussed on devising strategies to fine-tune anti-
Maoist operations and take the battle to rebel hideouts in forests.
Many of the hiseouts have been protected by landmines for almost three
decades.

Government sources informed that the meet discussed "operational and
deployment details" of security forces and devised strategy so that
rebels don't manage to infiltrate neighbouring states to escape
police.

In recent months rebels from Chhattisgarh managed to sneak into
Maharashtra and Orissa and even returned to their bases once police
operations in a particular area stopped.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Govt-to-reassert-authority-in-Maoist-areas-Chidambaram/articleshow/5489552.cms

Chidambaram renews offer for talks with Maoists if they halt violence
IANS, Feb 9, 2010, 02.36pm IST

KOLKATA: Reiterating his offer for talks if Maoists halted violence,
home minister P Chidambaram on Tuesday said the government was forced
to continue its operations in Maoist insurgency-hit states as the
rebels had spurned previous such appeals.

"The government was forced to continue with its operation. These
operations will continue and will be followed by development of the
areas (dominated by Maoists)," Chidambaram told reporters here.

"My appeal to Naxals (as the leftwing guerrillas are known) is if you
abjure violence, that is if you call a halt to violence, we are not
asking you do anything more, we are prepared to talk to you," the
minister said.

He was in Kolkata for a meeting with top officials of West Bengal,
Orissa, Jharkhand and Bihar. Taking part in the meeting to discuss the
Maoist threat were the chief ministers of West Bengal and Orissa, the
two deputy chief ministers of Jharkhand and top officials of all four
states.

The home minister said the progress of the operation against
guerrillas had been "slow but steady" and cited the arrest of some key
leaders of the outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist to back his
claim.

"The progress is slow and steady. You cannot measure it like a cricket
match score board. In fact considerable progress has been made... We
will continue to make progress.

"Many key leaders (of Maoists) have been apprehended in the past few
months... We'll reclaim the areas dominated by Naxalites," he said.

Chidambaram said the operations had been "measured and calibrated"
with no collateral damage.

"And contrary to what sections of the media and NGOs propagated a few
months ago that there would be a massive carnage, no such thing has
happened. We have made it very clear that the purpose of these
operations is not to kill anyone.

"These are our own people, we care for them, we care for their lives.
The object is to re-establish civil administration in areas now
dominated by Naxalites. I think progress will be slow but steady," he
said.

The minister admitted that there were inadequacies in the security
offensive but added that these would be overcome.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Slow-steady-progress-in-anti-Maoist-operation-Chidambaram/articleshow/5551855.cms

Maoist held for Induwar killing
TNN, Feb 4, 2010, 10.19pm IST

RANCHI: Gobardhan Munda, a Maoist and wanted for the gruesome murder
of special branch inspector Francis Induwar, was arrested following a
joint operation by Khunti and Ranchi police on Wednesday night.

He was arrested with four others, including two women CPI(Maoist)
cadres, who were holed up in Munda's house at Surakocha under Arki
police station of Khunti district. Police called the arrest a major
breakthrough as Munda confessed to being part of the plot to kill
Induwar. The SB inspector was abducted and beheaded on September 30,
last year.

"He was part of the Maoist team, which decided to execute Induwar
after the latter's abduction and was responsible in shifting bases as
the police teams were zeroing in on them," said Khunti superintendent
of police Asim Vikrant Minz.

"Munda had even offered food to Induwar when he was in their custody
and on the evening the group, led by Kundan Pahan, decided to execute
him, he was there to give his approval," said the SP.

The others arrested included Madhav Munda, Birsa Munda and female
Maoists, Kurwani and Jayanti. Police found Naxalite literature and
CPI(Maoist) recruitment receipts from Munda's house, too.

During interrogation, Munda confessed to several other crimes executed
by the Kundan Pahan-led group, provided important information about
the group and also named several Maoists, who were part of the group.

Sources said the Maoist even admitted that due to mounting police
pressure on the Kundan Pahan-led group of the CPI(Maoist) on the
Ranchi-Khunti border, the group has shifted base to the border areas
of Ranchi and Seraikela-Kharsawan districts.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ranchi/Maoist-held-for-Induwar-killing-/articleshow/5532816.cms

...and I am Sid Harth
Sid Harth
15 years ago
Permalink
Govt rubbishes Pune blast claims
Vishwa Mohan, TNN, Feb 18, 2010, 02.33am IST

NEW DELHI: Investigators on Wednesday dismissed claims made by two
obscure groups — Lashkar-e-Taiba al Alami (International) and Indian
Mujahideen Kashmir — claiming responsibility for the blast at German
Bakery in Pune.

Referring to the claims, a top security official said, “We have
verified all the relevant details. It has no value”.

While the first claim was made through an SMS to a media house from a
Pakistani phone number attributing the blast to Indian Mujahideen
Kashmir, the second was made by one Abu Jindal, who introduced himself
as the spokesperson of LeT al Alami.

Jindal had called the Islamabad correspondent of an Indian newspaper,
claiming that the Pune attack was carried out by sleeper cells of the
group in India in protest against India’s refusal to put J&K on the
agenda of the coming talks with Pakistan and its “alliance” with the
United States.

The official said, “Such claims have no value from investigation point
of view. It could be a red herring to distract attention from the
actual perpetrators.”

Meanwhile, nearly 40 persons have been detained and are being
questioned in different cities including Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore and
Hampi in connection with the blast.

Although investigators remained tight-lipped about the probe, a home
ministry official on Wednesday hinted that sleuths expected a major
“breakthrough” “very soon” as they were on the “right track”.

“Outcome of the ongoing investigation continues to hint at the role of
groups initially suspected for the terror incident — Lashkar-e-Taiba
(LeT)-Indian Mujahideen (IM) combo with American jihadi David Coleman
Headley’s footprints under their ‘Karachi Project’ plot”, said the
official.

All the detentions, including of four Kashmiri youth in Hampi in
Karnataka, have been made on the basis of local intelligence, calls
records as well as whatever “little information” sleuths could get
from the CCTV footage having images of activities on North Main Road,
the German Bakery’s entrance.

Technical teams of security agencies have so far examined around 1.10
lakh calls traced from cell towers near the Bakery in Koregaon Park
area.

Headley — who has been in jail since October last year — had twice
visited Osho Ashram near German Bakery during 2008-09, once before the
26/11 attacks in 2008 and then in March, 2009.

His interrogation report, shared by FBI with India, mentioned an ISI-
sponsored ‘Karachi Project’ aimed at involving fugitive Indian jihadis
and serving and retired officers of Pakistan army for carrying out
attacks against India.

Officials strongly suspect the Pune incident to be part of the same
design, carried out by LeT through IM comprising local people.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Govt-rubbishes-Pune-blast-claims/articleshow/5585897.cms

India4 Kashmiris among 40 detained in Pune probe
TNN, Feb 18, 2010, 04.20am IST

BELLARY/BANGALORE: Four Kashmiri youths have been taken into custody
in Hampi in connection with the February 13 explosion in Pune that
left 11 persons dead. The detention was made by a team of the
Maharashtra police near Virupapura Gaddi locality.

The Pune blast site was littered with handicrafts items, leading the
Mumbai police to Hampi. The four Kashmiris are sellers of handicrafts.
The police are looking for three other persons, according to sources.

Dozens of other detentions have been made in Bangalore, Mumbai and
Pune on the basis of intelligence, call records and whatever ‘little
information’ sleuths could glean from the CCTV footage containing
images of activities on North Main Road, where the German Bakery’s
entrance is located.

But superintendent of police Seemanth Kumar Singh denied the arrest of
anybody in connection with the Pune blast. Another SP, Ishwarchandra
Vidyasagar, told TOI no arrest or detentions had been made. “Neither
we nor any other state police force has arrested or detained
anyone.’’

The Maharashtra police team inspected various cyber cafes in Hampi, a
popular haunt for foreign tourists. They questioned some foreigners,
and enquired with the local police and hotel owners about people who
had booked rooms for a week and left in a hurry. The police have
visited some of the villages surrounding Hampi. More than 40 hotels
catering to foreign tourists are located in Hampi.

Three years ago, a suspected terrorist, Bilal, from Kashmir, was
arrested in Bangalore. An LeT operative, he had planned to attack the
Bengaluru International Airport and Wipro and Infosys offices.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/4-Kashmiris-among-40-detained-in-Pune-probe/articleshow/5586069.cms

Omer Farooq Khan, TNN, Feb 18, 2010, 02.40am IST

PESHAWAR: The claim by unknown outfit — Lashkar-e-Taiba al-Alami —
from Waziristan in Pakistan’s lawless tribal northwest that it carried
the Pune attack may have added a sinister al-Qaida dimension to
Saturday’s attack, Pakistani observers say.

‘‘There are a number of Punjabi militants in the area (Waziristan).
They are following an al-Qaida agenda of targeting the US and its
allies, such as Israel and India,’’ a North Waziristan-based
intelligence official said. ‘‘But the name Lashkar-e-Taiba al-Alami
(international) had never surfaced before.’’

The al-Alami group has, in fact, come as a surprise for local
intelligence agencies, who have so far failed to trace the group in
the volatile tribal region.

The purported al-Alami spokesman from Miranshah in North Waziristan
had also insisted that the outfit had splintered from the LeT because
it took orders from Pakistan’s intelligence agency — the ISI.

Pakistan’s lawless tribal northwest, including Waziristan, have over
the years served as a sanctuary for different militants outfits. Many
former LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammad commanders joined hands with the
Pakistani Taliban and found safe heaven in the region after former
Pakistan president cracked down on these outfits after the Parliament
attack.

Jaish founder Maulana Masood Azhar was believed to have fled to the
tribal areas after the 26/11 attacks when Pakistan arrested several
LeT operatives and put Jamaat-ud-Daawa chief and alleged 26/11
mastermind, Hafiz Saeed, under house arrest.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Pune-blast-Al-Alami-action-points-to-Qaida-hand/articleshow/5585949.cms

India must accept Kashmir as 'core dispute': Hafiz Saeed
PTI, Feb 17, 2010, 06.11pm IST

ISLAMABAD: JuD chief Hafiz Saeed, mastermind of the Mumbai attacks, on
Wednesday said India must accept Kashmir as a "core dispute" if it
wants to restore confidence in the dialogue with Pakistan.

"India has never had a sincere interest in opening dialogue. When they
do, it is because of national interest. If India wants to restore
confidence in opening dialogue with Pakistan, then India must accept
Kashmir as a core dispute," Saeed told Qatar-based Al-Jazeera news
channel.

Jamaat-ud-Dawah is the front organisation of Lashkar-e-Taiba, which is
accused by India of executing the 26/11 strikes that killed 166
people, including foreigners.

He also said allegations against him of plotting attacks in India are
"baseless".

On Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving terrorist of the Mumbai carnage,
Saeed claimed he had never seen him. "I never saw him [Kasab]. In
fact, it was from media in India that I discovered he was a Pakistani
national.”

"I have never met Kasab nor have I ever known him and I have said this
on many occasions. This is baseless propaganda without an iota of
truth," he said.

sundeep nigeria 17 Feb, 2010 07:10 PM

Kashmir is integral part of india. The H.M has cleared this in last
statement, if people from POK want to come india to leave miserable
life and join india with non violence is always welcome. you may not
know kasab, but you know ISI and Laqvi the mind behind mumbai
carnage.Ram Bkr 17 Feb, 2010 07:09 PM

It's really a waste of time engaging in talks with Pakistan if Kashmir
is the topic.Kashmir is a closed chapter it's been a year after the
26/11 attack and Pakistan has done nothing to improve ties.India
should deal with Pakistan gun for gun that's only policy Pakistan will
understand.M.Murli UAE 17 Feb, 2010 07:05 PM

Tell him to get lost and vacate POK.India considers the whole of
Kashmir as Indian territory everSach Uk 17 Feb, 2010 08:32 PM

Agree! They can't manage their own bloody country Pakistan. I suggest,
take half Pakistan too on basis of human rights violation of innocent
people getting pulled into jihad. Best idea, get 1/4 of India's
population migrated there, problem solved.Shaikh Srinagar 17 Feb, 2010
08:06 PM

what makes u believe that whole kashmir is your ancestral property.
your govt has never been serious in getting back "PoK"Indian India 17
Feb, 2010 09:31 PM

Kashmir is the cradleUmesh USA 17 Feb, 2010 10:56 PM

That exactly is the problem - Indian government has been too weak and
impotent about getting back PoK. But that does not mean PoK is part of
Pakistan.ashish patna 17 Feb, 2010 10:01 PM

india never showed seriousness in taking PoK by terrorism (though
india has enough means to do so). This only shows that India is honest
country. It does not want to disturb other people, but make life happy
for its own.ashish patna 17 Feb, 2010 09:54 PM

it was ruled by a hindu ruler, and all names r hindu names : for
example srinagar , does not have urdu or arabic origin. hence kashmir
is ancestral property of all hindus living in india. sufism only came
later on. so if we go by ancestry, yes, it belongs to india.Ripon
Bangalore 17 Feb, 2010 07:03 PM

Hats off to U Hafees Sayed. U have the gutsrocky usa 17 Feb, 2010
08:58 PM

ripon where are u from pakistan then please leave bangaloreSRK
bangalore 17 Feb, 2010 07:03 PM

With what authority does Hafiz Sayeed make such comments? Is he an
official spokesperson for Pakistan? In either case India does not talk
nor is interested in having a dialog with terrorists.asd asd 17 Feb,
2010 07:02 PM

We don't we assassinate him???RAJAT DELHI 17 Feb, 2010 07:01 PM

This is a good development for India. Now we see Hafiz has started
talking like PM/president of pakistan.jude pakistan 17 Feb, 2010 06:58
PM

This is Fantastic. A knowm terrorist talking about peace. Why does't
he realize that terrorism doesn't really translate into peace. He
should be ashamed of calling himself a muslim firstly and secondly
denounce terrorism for even pakistan to acknowledge what he has to
say.Mahi Bangalore 17 Feb, 2010 06:57 PM

What JuD chief Hafiz Saeed saying is correct, but can he guarantee
that they will stop attacks on India if we accept dialogue with
Pakistan. Why is he not talking about that? Please do not talk on
endless issues with media.Amit Bombay 17 Feb, 2010 06:54 PM

I agree India must accept Kashmir as a core dispute. But what after
that? Does Hafeez Saeed have any solution of Kashmir issue except his
whining for liberation of Kashmir from India? Does he really aware of
demographics of Jammu and Kashmir?Manoj Mumbai 17 Feb, 2010 06:47 PM

Who the hell this moron is and what is his locas standy on India Pak
Matters?indian India 17 Feb, 2010 06:43 PMA Bullet Should be shot
right at his forehead.rossi mumbai 17 Feb, 2010 06:36 PM

Terrorists like hafiz saeed, illiyaz kashmiri and others are like
dogs.They know they cant bite, for fear of castration and eventual
annihilation, that is precisely why they just keep barking, because
barking doesn't do them any harm.These dogs cant fight it out in the
open and hence this propogandaharry Birmingham 17 Feb, 2010 08:50 PM

India should not waste any time to enter daalogue with Pakistan
Government as they are not in controland Ignore the terrorist
Hafeez.pa Pune 17 Feb, 2010 08:49 PM

Core of dispute is Mr. Hafiz Sayeed, the moment he is handed over lot
of ice between two country will melt.artt bglr 17 Feb, 2010 08:45 PM

why is pakistan not honouring the UN ceasefire resolultion of vacating
POK?AD Sydney 17 Feb, 2010 08:39 PM

This fellow Hafiz Saeed can only point finger against India or make
some anti India comment. One side they are sending some intruders and
other side you are talking about disputes. These people never come up
with solutions. TOI stop covering this kind of news. Just waste of
time hearing all this.Kumar Singapore 17 Feb, 2010 08:34 PM

I humbly request TOI not to publish such articles/ interviews.... He
is neither the PM/ President nor any minister in the Pak Government to
get any attention.He has himself claimed he is running a charitable
organization.Let him concentrate on it and stop meddling on our
Internal affairs.Subramanian Canada 17 Feb, 2010 08:28 PM

This type of threatining messages or empty talks are baseless and
Kashmir will never be surrendered to Pakistan and is an integral part
of India.Sahil Qatar 17 Feb, 2010 08:27 PM

I dont know why TOI gives so much importance to this Hafeez Sayeed by
puting his stupid comments on the net.Ritvik Mumbai 17 Feb, 2010 08:27
PM

lol

Indian india 17 Feb, 2010 08:26 PM

To me he is an idiot and our news channels are even worse who are
covering his news.Kalki SEA 17 Feb, 2010 08:21 PM

This is a looney terrorist making demands and suggestions. The Indian
army should shoot this lunatic like a dog. JuD and Pakistan better
know that Kashmir belongs to India and they better believe.

AP Toronto 17 Feb, 2010 08:21 PM

Look at this. TOI is putting what the terrorist leader says on the
front page. The message is it does not matter what the Pakistan Govt
says...India has to deal with the terrorists!anindian USA 17 Feb, 2010
08:20 PM

Why should we have this as headline, such media news make these
killers a hero and youth tend to follow them. Wake up Indian media,
you have the power use it responsibily.CARETAKER World 17 Feb, 2010
08:19 PM

India must NOT accept Kashmir as the "core dispute"mann India 17 Feb,
2010 08:52 PM

Beaware this time Pakistan is playing in a very planned and
intelligent way.. On one hand they are saying they want peace and want
to talk with India... and on the other hand they are asking there
brother terrorist to attack on India and claim the reponsibilities
publicly...chanks sindh 17 Feb, 2010 08:15 PM

Wrong. The issue is between religious fanaticism VERSUS secularism.
The former (country for muslims - Sunni only??? - to exclusion of all
others) having already failed in Pakistan.Devesh India 17 Feb, 2010
08:14 PM

The illegal occupation of POK by Pakistan is a cause of concern to the
whole world, as it is used by Pakistan to aid and abate terrorism. POK
should be integrated with India for world peace and regional
prosperity. It's time to formulate a strategy for the release of POK
from Pakistan.sonu Delhi 17 Feb, 2010 08:12 PM

Come on India, pick up some honesty for the sake of a people that has
lived under the shadow of gun for last 4 decades. May God grant us
some honesty.Manik Kenya 17 Feb, 2010 08:12 PM

India is one. There is no existence of Afganistan, Pakistan,
Bangladesh, Burma in the divine map of the world.vj London 17 Feb,
2010 08:09 PM

All india needs is a strong policy on its geographical matters, if we
say that Kashmir is our own, when are we going to take it back?after
its rotten?minds drainded??? Russia can kick georgia and liberate the
provinces even it wasn't their own. why can't we kick some and get our
land.Rajiv Delhi 17 Feb, 2010 08:07 PM

IGNORE THEMAnil Bangalore 17 Feb, 2010 08:07 PMAnd what will they do
with Kashmir, make it another Waziristan? They should accept, their
own ability to govern is hopeless. Anytime the army chief has a change
of mind, the country is thrown in turmoil. They negotiate US for
education and infrastructure in return of getting hunting
terrorists.Ramachandra Australia 17 Feb, 2010 08:06 PM

Tell this do-koudi-ka terrorist to get lost..Brahmos Mumbai 17 Feb,
2010 08:05 PM

Though the talks about terrorist attacks bring no proper response and
talks about Kashmir is irrelevent, India can still engage in talks
about another matter. i.e about new films from sharukh, Salman and
Saif ali khans. Certainly this will help in managing somewhat good
status with the rogue Pak.Rajib Kolkata 17 Feb, 2010 08:04 PM

Neither Pakistan nor any Paki like Hafiz merits attention of Indian
people. This fellow is an insignificant creature just to grab
attraction.V uk 17 Feb, 2010 08:04 PM

It is indeed a core issues for India as well. We really need to take
PoK back.Puroorva Montreal 17 Feb, 2010 08:01 PM

If India is a secular state then why should its right only extend to
hindu majority states only ?mahesh bangalore 17 Feb, 2010 07:59 PM

Israel will help us in killing this (Hafiz sayeed) the unofficial PM/
President of Pakistan.This guy deserves a Kick Jotendra India 17 Feb,
2010 07:58 PM

Probably government of India wants the pakistan government honor
nishan-e-pakistan and hence proposing for talks even though pakistan
bombs us day in and day out.Amazing country we are. Our press too will
compete for the award nishan-e-pakistan for their support to pakistani
crickters for IPL.Arun Delhi 17 Feb, 2010 07:54 PM

No point listening to such non-sense. India should close all business/
cultural/sports ties with them. India should close all Samjhauta
Express kind of trains and Buses because these are the vehicles of
smuggling of arms, drugs and counterfeit currency.Jagdish Mumbai 17
Feb, 2010 07:54 PM

What to say about law and order just hang KasabCitiizen Bangalore 17
Feb, 2010 07:52 PM

Oh man... what a pathetic state. Now we have listen to this killer
godly advice.Shaji India 17 Feb, 2010 07:52 PM

It seems that Pakistan has appointed him the spokesperson. By the way
who he is.sridhar Bangalore 17 Feb, 2010 07:49 PM

is he represents pakistan, I am not surprisedkundan Mumbai 17 Feb,
2010 07:42 PM

Now a terrorist will direct a country !!!Naveed India 17 Feb, 2010
07:35 PM

Yes, India must include Kashmir issue with Pakistan in their dialogue
this time. Our country must make it clear that this talks are final to
the Kashmir issue and Pakistan must stop interfering or let the Azad
Kashmir merge with Jjotendra Indai 17 Feb, 2010 07:33 PM

we are more concerned about Pakistani welfare than our welfare. We are
more supportive if PAkistani cricketers are not in IPL and care a damn
for our hockey players.Our press, government is supportive for
Pakistani players than our players. surrender to pakistan for more
happinessIndian India 17 Feb, 2010 09:09 PM

Learn something from Mossad and covertly assassinate all this poison
tongued, double speaking, unethical terrorists responsible for 26/11,
IC-814, Parliament attack, Mumbai 7/11 blast and Kashmir insurgency.
As the saying goes in Hindi "Laatoon ke bhoot Baatoon se nahin
maantey."maheshB Pennsylvania 17 Feb, 2010 07:32 PM

I am not as sure as this hate-monger is, however, it is absolutely
imperative that the government of India better get this Kashmir thorn
out of the way. I say so, so that Indians could continue progression
boldly and peacefully. Prime Minister Singh, are you listening?Indian
India 17 Feb, 2010 07:32 PM

Why doesnt the govt launch covert operations to finish off these
terrorists?Lets pay them back in the same coin but the pseudo secular
Congress will never do that.After all India is ruled by an
Italianrajesh nigeria 17 Feb, 2010 07:29 PM

now the whole world will recognise the official spokesperson of the
democratcially selected pakistani govt.PSV USA 17 Feb, 2010 07:23 PM

Ha! They can barely manage what they got begging from India in 1947
and forget about managing anything in POK and now they want more!Rocky
usa 17 Feb, 2010 09:06 PM

I think this is never ending war. the people like laskhar and jud are
high school bullies who have power . they will be never be happy
wether kashmir is with india or pak. THis people are like cancer which
will never have peace for the poor and innocent people of kashmir. we
just have to kill themkarim Dubai 17 Feb, 2010 08:59 PM

Where on earth do these people come from and who gives them the
authority to decide about issues of another country.sanjay chennai 17
Feb, 2010 08:55 PM

wht Saeed has said is d truth.Kashmir is d core issue of dispute. If
it is our integral part, den why d hell every1 is beating around d
bush on disSA Delhi 17 Feb, 2010 09:18 PM

Nothing more left than to read what a terrorist says thinks and
wants....Indian India 17 Feb, 2010 09:32 PM

I completely agree with Hafiz Saeed that Kashmir is the "core
dispute"Ramamurthi India 17 Feb, 2010 09:36 PM

It is now very clear and confirmed from the statement of Saeed, that
the government in Pakistan is run by terrorists backed by the ISI. I
think India should talk to the ISI and the representatives of
terorrists, Mr.R.mallik of the government,and one from its army. This
will be more fruitful.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/India-must-accept-Kashmir-as-core-dispute-Hafiz-Saeed/articleshow/5584509.cms

...and I am Sid Harth
Sid Harth
15 years ago
Permalink
Pune on my mind
Bachi Karkaria, 17 February 2010, 07:18 PM IST

Poo-nah became Pu-nay. Along the way, the hobbling pensioner town
turned into a dancing, trancing, blond sanyasin, and then a preening
IT girl.

Getting on the map now also means getting into the jihadi's
crosshairs. Pune recently learnt that there are many ways of being
global. Just as Mumbai did, or Bangalore, Hyderabad, Jaipur, or any in
that bloodied litany.

In the simpler 'Poonah' times, if you were a Parsi growing up in
Bombay, you treated this salubrious little town as your 'monsoon
capital' much as the Presidency colonials had done. You played amidst
the ancient trees in your getaway bungalow, pigged out on high teas at
the Club, or later, in as obligatory rite of passage, varroomed up the
ghats on daredevil motorcycles.

But even in faraway Calcutta, the loveliest mothers of my friends had
all been 'Poona girls'. Little did we know of its Peshwa glory, its
literary fame. Less did we care. 'Poonah' was a state of mind before
the big C's of commerce and concrete ate into the idyll with
carcinogenic greed. And ruined the climate too.

Saturday's terrorists targeted German Bakery for obvious reasons. But
the choice went deeper than they realized. Biscuits and bread are the
one surviving link between Poona and Pune. They have held their own in
balmy town, in font of instant nirvana and, arguably, even in the
global hub of IT.

In 1988, German Bakery had risen like a nine-grain loaf, and made a
lot of dough for the Teutonic 'Woody' and his Indian partner, 'Nanu',
who earlier sold cigarettes outside the nearby Rajneesh ashram. But
right since 1955, Poona had meant Shrewsbury biscuits from Kayani's.
It still does, provided its crusty owner is in the mood to sell you
some.

Call it cantankerous Irani eccentricity or shrewd marketing move,
limited supply means unlimited yearning. A mythology has grown around
these sugary, buttery discs. Like Tarun Tahiliani's annual Sale, so
with Kayani's daily sales, it is rumoured that you had to queue up at
dawn, because the coveted confections are sold out within minutes.

The current Mr Irani ticked off a friend who couldn't get his order of
five kilos. He grumpily told him, "If you don't eat my Shrewsbury's
biscuits, you'll die or what?"

German Bakery too became a must-have not only among the multinational
ashramites in multiple shades of maroon, but also among the newly
sprouted Indian acolytes of moong-bean salads. It catalysed another
avatar of Pune, as a health-food cornucopia, dispensing everything
from Trikaya Farms' broccoli to Karen Anand's persimmon and passion-
fruit preserves.

Yes, German Bakery grew to be as legendary as Kayani. Or as Leo's was
in Mumbai, and with the same cachet of scruffy global.

We had descended on it early last year in a boisterous and incongruous
horde. In our flamboyant silks, we had stood out - and elbowed out -
the beads-and-batik regulars. We had driven up to Pune for our
colleague Nina's wedding, and had decided to propitiate this local
icon in the free hour between the church ceremony and the reception at
the nearby Don Bosco Youth Centre.

Nina now lives in Tennessee, but her parents stay across the road in
Koregaon Park. Last Saturday night, i called them in trepidation.
Mercifully, Anne and Dominic had suffered nothing more traumatic than
blown-out window panes.

Pune, like a generation, has moved from hippie to yuppie. My nieces,
both BPO babes, prefer to hang out at Hard Rock Café. Osho's ashram
was never the same after his departure to California (which he always
said was 'more spiritual than the Himalaya'). And the German Bakery's
celebrated bread was never the same after the departure of the German
Woody.

But the blast could reinstate the cafe in a way no one would have
wanted. Fame, as we keep finding out, is a four-letter word.

Alec Smart said: "Civil society has come into its own. Now let's have
civil individuals."

http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/erratica/entry/pune-on-my-mind

...and I am Sid Harth
bademiyansubhanallah
15 years ago
Permalink
Naxal attack: Bengal CM admits lapse
Updated on Thursday, February 18, 2010, 15:22 IST
Zeenews Bureau

Kolkata: Admitting serious security lapses, West Bengal Chief Minister
Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on Thursday appointed a panel to probe into
the recent Naxal attack on Shilda police camp in the West Midnapore
district of the state.

Addressing a press conference in the state capital, the Chief Minister
said, “There was a security lapse, I must say. There was breach in
preparedness and lack of alertness that led to the killing of 24
Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR) jawans by Maoists in West Midnapore
district.”

Although the Chief Minister refused to make further comments on the
incident, he informed that a high-level commission has been appointed
by the government to find the loopholes.

“I shall and I must not comment on the incident till the inquiry is
over. I decided to order an enquiry since we want to know the whole
truth. We have appointed a commission to probe every aspect of the
Naxal attack that occurred recently, ” he added.

“We need to know if there was an intelligence failure ahead of the
attack. We also need to know what the security forces were doing when
the camp was attacked. We will conduct an inquiry and check if we had
prior intelligence input on the Naxal attack,” he added.

Elaborating on the issue, Buddhadeb said, “The commission will find
out as to what was their (Naxals) modus operandi. How they reached the
area and what was our response to them.”

He also assured that appropriate "action" would be taken against
senior officers if they were found lax.

While welcoming the central investigating teams for a fact finding
mission to West Bengal, the Chief Minister said, “We have absolutely
no problem in working with the teams constituted by the Ministry of
Home Affairs. The central teams are most welcome in Shilda.”

The West Bengal government has come under Centre’s scanner for failing
to prevent what could be termed as the worst and biggest ever
offensive by the banned ultras.

The admission by the state government came a day after an outraged
Centre slammed the Left Front government expressing dismay at the
"unprofessional, incompetent, untrained and inadequate" response of
the state police force to the Maoist attack on Monday evening.

At least 24 jawans of the Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR) were killed in
a deadly strike by Naxals on their camp at Shilda in West Midnapore
district.

http://www.zeenews.com/news605063.html

Rahul Gandhi's 'poor NREGA performer' generates maximum jobs

Updated on Thursday, February 18, 2010, 13:22 IST

Purulia: Purulia district in West Bengal, where Congress leader Rahul
Gandhi had said, people are worse off than those in Orissa's poorest
Kalahandi area, has since turned the corner.

The district has provided maximum jobs under NREGA in West Bengal
making a dramatic turnaround ever since Rahul ticked it off as the
worst NREGA performer.

Purulia has provided the highest number of 39 days of employment to
1.49 lakh families till December last year. A total of 1319 families
have got 100 days of jobs, district administration officials said.

"Around Rs 70.19 crore has been spent behind wage and durable assets
creation. It was achieved by a team work of administrative officials,
political functionaries and demand for work by the villagers,"
district magistrate of Purulia Avanindra Singh told a news agency.

"Planning, fast payment of wages, transparency, regular monitoring,
awareness building among villagers by government and civil society
groups and innovation has brought the achievement," he said.

Purulia is chronically plagued with poverty, Maoist insurgency and its
high percentage of backward and tribal population is prone to
migration of people for work.

Gandhi had visited the district in April 2009 for an election
campaign.

PTI

http://www.zeenews.com/news605044.html

Poor police leadership enabled Maoist attack in Bengal
Updated on Thursday, February 18, 2010, 10:02 IST

Kolkata: Weak intelligence and communication networks, lack of
alertness, and poor security made the Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR)
camp at Silda in West Bengal a sitting duck for Maoist attacks, say
security experts.

Two days after the daring Maoist attack on the West Midnapore district
camp left 24 EFR personnel and a civilian dead, questions were being
asked about the role of the camp commandant and the top officials
responsible for planning the security details.


"It is not a failure of the jawans. The question that should be asked
is why there was no fencing around the camp? And why there was no
check post or adequate number of well-armed guards?" asked retired
intelligence chief of West Bengal police Amiya Samanta.

"Those responsible for the planning should take the blame. The top
officials should have visited the camp earlier to see the conditions
in which the 50 jawans lived. Proper electricity and putting up
adequate number of check posts are the basic infrastructural and
security requirements," Samanta told a news agency.

"It's a leadership failure. The camp was set up in a sensitive area,
yet even the normal security measures were not there," he said.

Commenting on the lack of coordination, he said the force should have
been alerted when the authorities received inputs on chances of a
terrorist attack and people gathering in areas close to the camp.

"They should have set up a proper communication and intelligence
network. Gathering inputs is one thing, and using it to pre-empt such
actions on the part of the enemy is another. For this, you need a good
communication network."

"But the intelligence network was weak. Plus, there was no
coordination between the intelligence agencies and the forces,"
Samanta said.

He said the officers had also failed to build a network of common
people who would have supplied information.

"We are not working in enemy territory. We are in our own territory.
There should have been a proper network of commoners for receiving
intelligence," he said.

Pointing to the fact that the EFR troopers were not locals of Silda,
Samanta said: "Some of them may not even know the local language. So
local officers should be there. They can collect information and guide
the forces."

Chayan Mukherjee, a retired additional director general of the state
police, wondered how so many Maoists could gather at a particular spot
in the daytime.

"I don't know how so many of the ultras could gather there. Was there
any alert issued? What is more important is that there was no counter
attack though the forces got two-three hours for it," Mukherjee, also
a former top officer of the police intelligence wing, told the
agency.

However, he did not agree that the choice of the site for the camp was
wrong. "It is strategically connected to Bankura, Binpur and Barikul.
Maoists had also killed people in the area."

But he felt the officers should have conducted a recce of the camp and
enhanced its protection.

Another former senior police officer said that the commandant of the
camp should have taken up the issue of his men's security with the
higher officers.

IANS

Kolkata: Weak intelligence and communication networks, lack of
alertness, and poor security made the Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR)
camp at Silda in West Bengal a sitting duck for Maoist attacks, say
security experts.

Two days after the daring Maoist attack on the West Midnapore district
camp left 24 EFR personnel and a civilian dead, questions were being
asked about the role of the camp commandant and the top officials
responsible for planning the security details.


"It is not a failure of the jawans. The question that should be asked
is why there was no fencing around the camp? And why there was no
check post or adequate number of well-armed guards?" asked retired
intelligence chief of West Bengal police Amiya Samanta.

"Those responsible for the planning should take the blame. The top
officials should have visited the camp earlier to see the conditions
in which the 50 jawans lived. Proper electricity and putting up
adequate number of check posts are the basic infrastructural and
security requirements," Samanta told a news agency.

"It's a leadership failure. The camp was set up in a sensitive area,
yet even the normal security measures were not there," he said.

Commenting on the lack of coordination, he said the force should have
been alerted when the authorities received inputs on chances of a
terrorist attack and people gathering in areas close to the camp.

"They should have set up a proper communication and intelligence
network. Gathering inputs is one thing, and using it to pre-empt such
actions on the part of the enemy is another. For this, you need a good
communication network."

"But the intelligence network was weak. Plus, there was no
coordination between the intelligence agencies and the forces,"
Samanta said.

He said the officers had also failed to build a network of common
people who would have supplied information.

"We are not working in enemy territory. We are in our own territory.
There should have been a proper network of commoners for receiving
intelligence," he said.

Pointing to the fact that the EFR troopers were not locals of Silda,
Samanta said: "Some of them may not even know the local language. So
local officers should be there. They can collect information and guide
the forces."

Chayan Mukherjee, a retired additional director general of the state
police, wondered how so many Maoists could gather at a particular spot
in the daytime.

"I don't know how so many of the ultras could gather there. Was there
any alert issued? What is more important is that there was no counter
attack though the forces got two-three hours for it," Mukherjee, also
a former top officer of the police intelligence wing, told the
agency.

However, he did not agree that the choice of the site for the camp was
wrong. "It is strategically connected to Bankura, Binpur and Barikul.
Maoists had also killed people in the area."

But he felt the officers should have conducted a recce of the camp and
enhanced its protection.

Another former senior police officer said that the commandant of the
camp should have taken up the issue of his men's security with the
higher officers.

IANS

http://www.zeenews.com/news604991.html

Bodies of slain EFR jawans handed over to relatives

Updated on Wednesday, February 17, 2010, 15:56 IST

Midnapore (WB): Heart-rending scenes were witnessed when bodies of the
24 EFR jawans, killed in Monday's deadly Maoist strike, were handed
over to their relatives for last rites Wednesday at Salua camp, near
Jhargram in West Bengal.

Earlier, Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR) battalions gave a gun salute to
the slain jawans late last night in the presence of five ministers
from the West Bengal Government

Wreaths were placed on the coffins wrapped in the Tricolour at the
Salua camp of the state force.

State Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta, who along with four other
ministers faced angry demonstration by relatives of the deceased
jawans last night, announced compensation of Rs 15 lakh for each of
the families of the dead, a job for a family member and salary due for
the remaining part of their service period.

Dasgupta pacified the agitated crowd by assuring that steps would be
taken to strengthen security of the Salua camp by erecting high
boundary walls and barbed wire fencing.

Meanwhile, forensic experts today collected samples of splinters and
cartridges from the burnt camp at Shilda. A bomb disposal squad also
visited the site which was still being cleared of rubble.

Anti-Naxal strategy to be reworked post Bengal attack The condition of
one of the four injured EFR jawans admitted to hospital was still
critical, police said.

All shops and markets, schools and colleges remained closed and no
transport was seen on the roads.

PTI

Anti-Naxal strategy to be reworked post Bengal attack

Updated on Wednesday, February 17, 2010, 10:29 IST

New Delhi/Kolkata: With circumstances pointing to the fact that the
latest Maoist attack in West Bengal – that led to the killing of 24
jawans - was all but waiting to happen, the Centre and the state
government seem to have woken up to the need to review their anti-
Naxal strategy.

It has emerged that the Eastern Frontier Rifles camp in Silda, West
Midnapore had no sentries to guard the entrances; there were no
watchtowers; the surrounding fence had one entire side missing; was
located in the premises of a health centre in a crowded marketplace;
and even had a toilet meant for use by the public – a perfect recipe
for the Maoists to come and over-run the camp.

The 24 jawans of the paramilitary force had perished without giving a
fight as 100-odd Maoists, who came on motorcycles and four-wheelers,
swamped the camp with grenades and automatic fire.

The jawans were only sitting ducks for the attackers, as their weapons
were not in reach and some of them were not even in uniform.

According to officials, most of the over 50 jawans present at the camp
were either "whiling away their time in the camp or busy in the
kitchen" at the time of the attack. What made matters worse was the
fact that the jawans had not been taught the basics of guerrilla
warfare.

The camp’s leader, a sub-inspector rank officer, was also away when
his colleagues came under attack.

Even Union Home Secretary G K Pillai has expressed shock at the
lapses, telling a newspaper: “If a police camp becomes a picnic spot,
such a thing is bound to happen.”

Related StoriesWB govt orders inquiry into deadly Maoist attackBodies
of slain EFR jawans handed over to relativesMaoist attack has
strengthened resolve to fight them: PranabOfficials in the Home
Ministry described the entire incident as a case of pure
"unprofessionalism", saying the state police failed to secure the camp
while fully knowing it was vulnerable to such attacks.

Home Minister P Chidambaram too yesterday admitted that there had been
lapses in the Silda camp attack

West Bengal Home Secretary Ardhendu Sen has already admitted that
there was an “intelligence failure”. State DGP Bhupinder Singh too
acknowledged there were “lapses”.

The state government is also due to submit a detailed report on the
attack to the Centre today.

“The Union Home Secretary has asked for a detailed report from us. We
will send it by Wednesday. There might be an intelligence failure on
the part of the police,” Sen said.

Meanwhile, investigations so far into the attack have hinted that the
Maoists who attacked the camp came from Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand,
while Lalgarh units gave them “local support”. There are also reports
of the attack squad consisting of women fighters.

The final toll in the attack stands at 25 as a villager also died
after being caught in the cross-fire during Monday’s attack.

Zeenews Bureau

New Delhi/Kolkata: With circumstances pointing to the fact that the
latest Maoist attack in West Bengal – that led to the killing of 24
jawans - was all but waiting to happen, the Centre and the state
government seem to have woken up to the need to review their anti-
Naxal strategy.

It has emerged that the Eastern Frontier Rifles camp in Silda, West
Midnapore had no sentries to guard the entrances; there were no
watchtowers; the surrounding fence had one entire side missing; was
located in the premises of a health centre in a crowded marketplace;
and even had a toilet meant for use by the public – a perfect recipe
for the Maoists to come and over-run the camp.

The 24 jawans of the paramilitary force had perished without giving a
fight as 100-odd Maoists, who came on motorcycles and four-wheelers,
swamped the camp with grenades and automatic fire.

The jawans were only sitting ducks for the attackers, as their weapons
were not in reach and some of them were not even in uniform.

According to officials, most of the over 50 jawans present at the camp
were either "whiling away their time in the camp or busy in the
kitchen" at the time of the attack. What made matters worse was the
fact that the jawans had not been taught the basics of guerrilla
warfare.

The camp’s leader, a sub-inspector rank officer, was also away when
his colleagues came under attack.

Even Union Home Secretary G K Pillai has expressed shock at the
lapses, telling a newspaper: “If a police camp becomes a picnic spot,
such a thing is bound to happen.”

Maoist attack has strengthened resolve to fight them: PranabOfficials
in the Home Ministry described the entire incident as a case of pure
"unprofessionalism", saying the state police failed to secure the camp
while fully knowing it was vulnerable to such attacks.

Home Minister P Chidambaram too yesterday admitted that there had been
lapses in the Silda camp attack

West Bengal Home Secretary Ardhendu Sen has already admitted that
there was an “intelligence failure”. State DGP Bhupinder Singh too
acknowledged there were “lapses”.

The state government is also due to submit a detailed report on the
attack to the Centre today.

“The Union Home Secretary has asked for a detailed report from us. We
will send it by Wednesday. There might be an intelligence failure on
the part of the police,” Sen said.

Meanwhile, investigations so far into the attack have hinted that the
Maoists who attacked the camp came from Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand,
while Lalgarh units gave them “local support”. There are also reports
of the attack squad consisting of women fighters.

The final toll in the attack stands at 25 as a villager also died
after being caught in the cross-fire during Monday’s attack.

Your comment(s) on this article

The maoist supporting intellectuals has fully supported the grusome
act of killing unarmed security personals by maoist. So tomorrow the
same people should not complain of ``FAKE ENCOUNTER`` by security
personals of maoist sympthaiser or its cader because if this is right
that is also right, at that time it should not adopt double standards
and complain about goverment or security personals. -National Uprising
-
Chandigarh

FIRST OF ALL I FEEL VERY SAD WHEN THIS TYPE OF INCIDENT HAPPENS.NOW WE
ALL GET TOGETHER AND FIGHT AGAINST EVILFORCES THIS IS A CHALLANGE FOR
OUR SECURITH FORCES. -PRITHVIRAJ - KOLKATA

Is it political circus! Halfstarved unemployed youths are employed
from tribal and poor community to resist political unrest in certain
area and further being halftrained novice utilised to curb another
halfstarved misguided poors fighting. Both are abolisihing from
unemployment list, shuting up voices! Oh! Best cruel policy of narrow
politics! -Jony -

How May Times sam Mistake in Chattisgarh many times People had been
Killed like this.?? when Goverment will wake Up. -Aviansh - Mumbai

http://www.zeenews.com/news604706.html

Maoists attack Bihar village, kill eleven people
Arun Kumar, Hindustan Times
Jamui (Bihar), February 18, 2010

First Published: 08:26 IST(18/2/2010)
Last Updated: 13:49 IST(18/2/2010)

Suspected Maoist rebels raided Korasi village in Jamui district,
around 210 km from Patna, early Thursday and killed at least 11
people. The attack was apparently carried out to avenge the suspected
killing of eight Naxals by the villagers. Police have so far denied
any arrest in the case.

Over 150 Moists attacked the village on suspicion that the villagers
were police informers and they were involved in the killing of eight
of their cadres, who have gone missing. They started indiscriminate
firing and set fire to several thatched huts, said IG (Headquarters)
US Dutt.

The attack took place during the 24-hour bandh call given by the CPI-
Maoist Jamui- Munger-Bhagalpur-Banka sub-committee against the alleged
disappearance of eight of their cadres, including platoon commander
and section commanders, passed off peacefully.

CPI-Maoist spokesperson Avinash said that eight cadres of the Maoists
had gone missing since January 31 from Korasi village.

This is the second biggest Maoist attack attack during the Nitish
regime. Last year, 14 persons were killed by Maoists at a village
under Alauli block of Khagaria district. Police have started massive
combing operation in the area. The village is located at remote place.

The attack has come just a day after Bihar police said it would not
like to carry out aggressive police operation against the Maoists.
However, the Naxals have been reportedly upset with the arrest of
nearly 50 top-ranking Naxal leaders and recovery of huge cache of arms
and ammunition in Bihar in the last 12 months.

In Bihar 33 of the 40 police districts are Naxal-infested, with 20 of
them categorized in A-category due to higher vulnerability. In the
wake of Naxal attack at West Midnapur district in West Bengal, which
claimed the lives of 24 policemen, Dutt had on Wednesday said that the
police was on maximum alert.

Showing 1-4 of 4 comments

veena 0 minutes ago

Its a tragic incidenent for our soceity at this stage when whole world
is moving so fast & competing.Really we cannot rely & expect our
politicans to come forward & join hands together to fight with these
kind of unwanted elements because they are too busy in playing blame
game with different parties & destroying our own natioal property with
violence just to show their nonsense anger.Now i request everybody to
raise voice by any means or by any effort & participate in awreness
rather than be a "spectator".Govt should not be mum for naxal movement
& shld start quentioning some of our great leaders.We expect a media's
responsible role in this regard by regularly covering this issue so
that everybody keeps aware.

goutamhaldersiliguri 34 minutes ago

india can give army on the Maoists area of Bengal,
Jharkhand ,Orrissa,& Bihar . Then that will be like Srilanka.

manoj 1 hour ago

1 person liked this.

What a shame on government of India and Government of Bihar!! Unless
it was published in the newspapers around the country, this incident
would have gone unnoticed as if it was so trivial issue. Nobody seems
to be worried about such a complex problem India and Indians are
facing on day to day basis. Started with the wide spread corruption
and redtapism, the problem further aggraveted with extreme poverty in
some pockets of society. Government seems like confused and still
searching for the root cause of growing naxal movement, but everyone
apart of the government officials know clearly. Who is not aware that
India could get nobel prize in corruption, if anything like this
exists. I do not wish to offend a handful of good police officers,
however most of the police officers are shining examples of
corruption. Problem further aggraved by these civil servents who are
working as parasites and eating our national resources with both
hands. Needless to write here about our wonderful politicians who
wouldn't hesitate to sell the country for little bit of money. Hope
people would realise this one day if they want to provide a safe and
prosperous future to the next generation.

Goutam Roy Biswas 0 minutes ago in reply to manoj

Corruption is a deep-rooted problem in any human society- be it
Indian, American or Europian.It is always facile to put the blame on
some politicians and policemen.We often overlook the fact that it is
we who tepmt these socalled shining examples of corruption to bend
rules to facilitate our undue material needs. So, before embarking
upon criticising others , we must introspect and see how many examples
of being upright and honest we have created in our own lives.We always
justify our own folly by falling back on some negative examples.How
many times did we advise our progeny to become a politician instead of
a doctor, engg and or CA? So, our worry about next gen must not be
confined to being only a critique, but should be translated into
creating some positive examples ourselves.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Maoists-attack-Bihar-village-kill-eleven--people/H1-Article1-510085.aspx

Naxalite killed in police encounter in Gaya
Press Trust Of India
Gaya (Bihar), February 13, 2010

First Published: 21:18 IST(13/2/2010)
Last Updated: 21:19 IST(13/2/2010)

A hardcore Naxalite was killed and a police official critically
injured in an encounter between Maoists and police at Majhiawa in Gaya
district tonight.

SP S Khopade said acting on a tip-off; a police team raided a place at
Majhiawa where Naxalites had assembled.

On seeing policemen, the ultras fired and in the ensuing encounter one
CPI (Maoist) was killed.

Police official Mithilesh Prasad suffered gunshot injury and was being
treated at a nearby hospital in critical condition.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Naxalite-killed-in-police-encounter-in-Gaya/H1-Article1-508536.aspx

NSG team in Pune for Bakery blast probe
Press Trust Of India
Pune, February 18, 2010

First Published: 12:50 IST(18/2/2010)
Last Updated: 12:51 IST(18/2/2010)

A National Security Guard team has collected samples from the site of
the blast here that claimed 11 lives.

The four-member research team of NSG's National Bomb Data Centre
arrived here last night and collected samples from the blast site at
Koregaon Park area where the German Bakery was located.

Pune Police Commissioner Satyapal Singh said while the investigators
were yet to establish the nature of trigger
mechanism, the evidence collected so far did not rule out the use of
remote control device in the blast.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/maharashtra/NSG-team-in-Pune-to-probe-blast/Article1-510119.aspx

Force not prepared: Bengal
HT Correspondents, Hindustan Times
West Midnapore/Kolkata, February 18, 2010

First Published: 00:22 IST(18/2/2010)
Last Updated: 00:23 IST(18/2/2010)

The West Bengal government till Wednesday continued to be the target
of the families of the 24 Eastern Frontier Rifles jawans who died in
Monday’s Maoist attack.

Angry men and women blocked the roads for nearly two hours near the
headquarters of the state paramilitary force, EFR, near Kharagpur,
about 120 km west of Kolkata.

On Monday afternoon, a band of about 80 Maoist guerrillas overran a
EFR camp at West Midnapore’s Silda, about 170 km west of Kolkata,
killing 24 jawans and looting weapons.

The relatives — mainly wives of the jawans — said, “We want the chief
minister to come here. He has to take responsibility.” On Tuesday, a
team of six state ministers had visited the area.

“We have given the ministers two months to fulfill our demands. Or, we
will start agitations all over again,” said Kamala Dani, whose husband
is an EFR jawan.

On Wednesday, a central government team led by DS Daduwal met West
Midnapore district magistrate NS Nigam, and SP NK Verma. The team will
make an assessment of the training needs of the state police
personnel.

Dadwal was deputed to the home ministry last year to make a similar
assessment for central forces last year.

The team came amid tight security in a Border Security Force
helicopter. They prepared an initial report on the security loopholes
and inspected the location of the camp before leaving for Kolkata. The
officials refused to talk to the media.

West Bengal DGP Bhupinder Singh said, “We receive regular information
about Maoist threats. But we did not have any specific information
about the Silda camp attack.”

But state home secretary Ardhendu Sen said the incident was not a case
of intelligence failure, though he admitted lack of battle
preparedness on the EFR’s part.

Sen said, “We will conduct a departmental inquiry to find out who are
responsible for the incident. It is easy to say that there has been a
security lapse, but it’s not enough for taking action.”

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/kolkata/Force-not-prepared-Bengal/Article1-509997.aspx

After attack, spotlight on weaknesses of EFR
Snigdhendu Bhattacharya, Hindustan Times
Kolkata, February 18, 2010

First Published: 00:24 IST(18/2/2010)
Last Updated: 00:25 IST(18/2/2010)

Monday’s Maoist attack on the Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR) in West
Midnapore exposed the weaknesses of the force.

“The average age of EFR personnel is more than 45 while that of a
central paramilitary soldier is between 30 and 35,” said a police
official not willing to be quoted.

The Eastern Frontier Rifles is a unit of the West Bengal government
and functions under the state armed police department. Twenty-four
troopers died in the attack.

“I am 52 now. Will my reflex match that of young (Maoist) fighters?
I’m here only to increase the headcount,” said an assistant sub-
inspector in a camp in Lalgarh, 160 km south-west of Kolkata.

Most of the EFR troopers join their jobs as jawans (equivalent of a
constable) and retire in the same position.

“Without infrastructure development and appropriate training, we can
hardly put up resistance,” said Bijitaswa Raut, general secretary of
the West Bengal Police Association.

Policemen here are overburdened with work. For two and a half years
they have been working for 12-14 hours a day, thanks to about 10,000
vacancies in the Bengal police.

“Very few of us have even the experience of taking part in street
fights with local criminals. How can we take on Maoists? Women
constables wielding INSAS rifles have used only sticks for most of
their career,” said a sub-inspector.

INSAS is the acronym for ‘Indian small arms system’ and consists of an
assault rifle, a light machine gun and a carbine.

There are about 1,200 police persons in the Maoist-affected areas now.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/kolkata/After-attack-spotlight-on-weaknesses-of-EFR/Article1-509998.aspx

Silda planned over days
Debdutta Ghosh, Hindustan Times
Silda, February 17, 2010

First Published: 00:20 IST(17/2/2010)
Last Updated: 00:22 IST(17/2/2010)

The Silda killers planned well.

The sudden Maoist attack on the Eastern Frontier Rifles camp at
WestMidnapore’s Sidla, about 170 km west of Kolkata, was preceded by
days of planning and several reconnaissance missions.

According to locals and police sources, the Maoists, for the first
time in the state, used two cars for the attack. They carried
sophisticated weapons, including self-loading rifles and pistols.

The attack was carried out at around 5.00 pm, when most of the
personnel were

vulnerable, preparing their dinner in the kitchen area. Police sources
said very few of the jawans were carrying their weapons.

The Maoist action plan clearly indicates that knew everything about
the life in the Silda camp. Locals also confirmed that they monitored
the camp for several days before the attack.

The locals said some time before the attack, a few men were seen
around the camp. And just before the attack, they scared away the
locals.

First, the Maoists drove a pick-up van into the camp area through the
southern gate and opened fire. Initially, a few jawans tried to
retaliate.

But the attackers also positioned themselves on the eastern and
northern walls.

It is not known how many rounds were exchanged, but it is clear that
the jawans, caught unawares, were in no position to put up a fight.

“I was going to pick up my rifle. But when I saw two friends of mine
getting hit with bullets, I was too scared to fight back. I managed to
escape the camp and hid inside a tea stall till the Maoists left,”
said Sishu Chettry, a jawan.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/jharkhand/Silda-planned-over-days/Article1-509613.aspx

Man arrested for assisting Naxals in Chhattisgarh
Press Trust Of India
Raipur, February 18, 2010

First Published: 13:05 IST(18/2/2010)
Last Updated: 13:07 IST(18/2/2010)

A man was today arrested for allegedly assisting Naxalites after some
explosives and Naxal literature used by the outlaws were seized from
his house in Dhamtari district, police said.

Police raided a house in Dhaurabaitha village belonging to one Charan
Singh and seized a Cyclostyle printing press, Naxal literature, tiffin
bomb, gun-powder besides a diary and a map during a raid,
Superintendent of Police Sheikh Arif Hussain said.

Singh was arrested for allegedly helping the Naxalites, he said adding
that further investigations are on.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/chhattisgarh/Man-arrested-for-assisting-Naxals-in-Chhattisgarh/Article1-510123.aspx

Obama calls Manmohan Singh to condemns Pune blast
Thursday, February 18, 2010,7:23 [IST]

New Delhi, Feb 18 (ANI): US President Barack Obama called Prime
Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh this morning to condemn the blast that
took place in Pune.

In a brief conversation, the two leaders took the opportunity to
review developments in Indo-US relations.

Pune blast, which killed eleven people and wounded at least 57, is
seen as the first major attack on India since the 2008 Mumbai terror
attack. (ANI)

http://news.oneindia.in/2010/02/18/obamacalls-manmohan-singh-to-condemns-puneblast.html

Man arrested for assisting Naxals in Chhattisgarh
STAFF WRITER 0:7 HRS IST

Raipur, Feb 17 (PTI) A man was today arrested for allegedly assisting
Naxalites after some explosives and Naxal literature were seized from
his house in Dhamtari district, police said.

Police raided Charan Singh's house in Dhaurabaitha village and seized
a cyclostyle machine, Naxal literature, crude bomb, gun-powder besides
a diary and a map from there, Superintendent of Police Sheikh Arif
Hussain said.

Singh was arrested for allegedly helping the Naxalites, he said,
adding further investigation is on.

http://www.ptinews.com/news/523291_Man-arrested-for-assisting-Naxals-in-Chhattisgarh

Fresh Maoist attack in West Midnapore
STAFF WRITER 14:9 HRS IST

Jhargram (WB), Feb 18 (PTI) In fresh Maoist violence in West Bengal, a
patrolling party of the joint security forces came under fire in West
Midnapore district today.

The attack came three days after the ultras stormed the Eastern
Frontier Rifles (EFR) camp at Shilda in the district leaving 24 jawans
dead.

The attack took place when securitymen were on a search operation at a
forested area in Banisole near Dharampur this morning where a camp of
the joint security forces is situated, police sources said. The
security forces retaliated.

At least three landmines also exploded in the area, the sources said,
adding there was no report of any casualty.

Meanwhile, a CID team visited the Shilda camp where 24 EFR jawans were
killed by Maoists on February 15 and collected samples. The team
included CID Additional Director General Raj Kanojia and IG Neeraj
Pande.

http://www.ptinews.com/news/523847_Fresh-Maoist-attack-in-West-Midnapore

CPI(M) supporter shot dead
STAFF WRITER 12:48 HRS IST

Purulia (WB), Feb 18 (PTI) Suspected Maoists shot dead a CPI(M)
supporter in Naxalite-affected Bandwan area of Purulia district, the
police said today.

The ultras raided Parra village last night and abducted two CPI(M)
supporters.

The body of one of them, Nakul Singh (32) was found in a nearby
jungle. However, there is no trace of the other man, they said.

http://www.ptinews.com/news/523848_CPI-M--supporter-shot-dead

...and I am Sid Harth
bademiyansubhanallah
15 years ago
Permalink
Tussle at top over Silda naxal attack
TNN, Feb 18, 2010, 04.12am IST

KOLKATA: A tussle has broken out at the very top over Monday’s Maoist
attack at the Silda camp. Home secretary Ardhendu Sen and director-
general of police Bhupinder Singh are having serious differences of
opinion over probing what led to the daring assault that left 24
Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR) jawans dead.

Sen announced on Wednesday that a departmental inquiry would be
conducted to pinpoint the lapses despite specific intelligence inputs
three hours before the incident.

But Singh contradicted him, saying no disciplinary inquiry was being
conducted. The differences between the two top officers cropped up
while finalising what would go into the report to be sent to the
Centre on the Silda attack.

Sen maintained that there were specific intelligence inputs on people
gathering in the area around 2 pm and an improvised explosive device
(IED) being planted at Silda Bazar hours before the attack.

“One should have put two and two together and realised that the Silda
camp was under threat. But that did not happen. We have to find out
who was responsible for this and punish them,” Sen said. “The field-
level officers have to take the greatest responsibility. Information
is also passed on to the DGP and me, but as the distance increases,
the remoteness increases too.”

The DGP, on the other hand, was more in favour of protecting his men
and was not willing to hold only some officials responsible. “The
personnel at the camps should be able to counter-attack. They cannot
be told every day to be alert, so they paid with their lives,” Singh
said.

He added: “There are regular inputs coming in and the camps are always
vulnerable. But there was no specific information.”

But according to Sen, “it is easy to say there has been a lapse, but
that is not enough for taking action”. He claimed that EFR jawans had
retaliated at Silda, in which one Maoist was killed and several
injured. “They were taken away and are being treated privately.”

Singh is clearly not happy with the reaction of the jawans. He said
that during an earlier attack on a Pirakata camp, the forces had
retaliated and beaten back Maoists, but this could not be done at
Silda.

The problem was the camp’s location, Singh conceded, saying that the
crowded locality was “technically not the right place for the camp”.
But it had been set up in the marketplace after locals said it would
make them feel safe. “We have to balance security concerns with local
sentiments,” Singh said.

For the DGP, the biggest worry was that the looted arms would be used
in later attacks on security forces. “But we’ll launch an offensive to
counter the Maoists,” he said.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Tussle-at-top-over-Silda-naxal-attack/articleshow/5586060.cms

Naxal menace: All vulnerable camps to be relocated
Swati Sengupta & Krishnendu Bandopadhyay, TNN, Feb 18, 2010, 04.17am
IST

KOLKATA: The Silda massacre has sent the state government back to the
drawing board to redraft its battleplan against the Maoists. It has no
option but to go ahead with Operation Green Hunt as soon as central
forces are available, but before that it has to free the dense jungles
of landmines, fathom the treacherous terrain and rework the location
of the forces’ camps.

On Wednesday, the state top brass decided to wind up and relocate
camps in Jangalmahal that were perceived to be vulnerable. These
include camps in Gidhni, Dharampur and Jamtolgora (in remote jungles),
Banspahari and Baishnabpur (on the bank of Tarapheni river and Ghagra
forest) and 11 others in Belpahari.

Formation of a specialised force like Greyhounds requires time. And it
will be some days before additional central forces arrive. So, for the
time being, the government has to prioritise its strategies that can
be immediately implemented to tide over the crisis.

Home secretary Ardhendu Sen said a list of vulnerable camps had
already been prepared. Some would be wound up, others relocated. The
Maoists had taken advantage of the Silda camp’s location in a busy
marketplace to launch the deadly attack that left 24 EFR jawans dead.

Two Union home ministry officials — Sunil Singh and D S Dadwal —
visited the Silda camp and Belpahari on Wednesday. They met police
superintendent Manoj Varma in Midnapore town and are expected to
submit a report to the Centre by Thursday.

A senior police officer said all camps in Jangalmahal had been alerted
following the attack and several measures taken to improve security.
Till larger contingent of forces move in, these camps will be
fortified further.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Naxal-menace-All-vulnerable-camps-to-be-relocated/articleshow/5586063.cms

Governor keeps track of anti-Naxal operations
Sabyasachi Bandopadhyay

Posted: Thursday , Feb 18, 2010 at 0228 hrs
Kolkata:

The day M K Narayanan took over as Governor of West Bengal, he said he
would, as a former National Security Adviser, provide his advice to
the state government on issues related to security.

And a day after the attack on Silda EFR camp, the Governor today
called up top officials of the state government, including Home
Secretary Ardhendu Sen, Director General of Police Bhupinder Singh and
Additional Director General (IB) Noparajit Mukherje, and discussed the
Naxalite threat and how it could be tackled.

This is the first major meeting the Governor had with senior officials
of the state to discuss as serious an issue as the Naxalite problem.

“The Governor wanted to know what had actually happened and what
actions we have taken. We have given him all the details. I cannot
tell you anything more,” the DGP told The Indian Express.

According to sources, the Governor is in constant touch with the top
brass of the state police inquiring about the operations going on
against the Naxalites.

Earlier in the day the Governor had issued a statement condemning the
attack on Silda camp and offering his condolences to the bereaved
families.

“The Governor reiterates the commitment of the government to deal
effectively with the problems existing in this belt and to restore
normalcy which is essential for the socio-economic development of the
masses. He is confident that the government forces, with the help of
the locals, can defeat the evil intentions of the Left wing
extremists,” the statement said.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/governor-keeps-track-of-antinaxal-operations/581217/

Mamata Banerjee is UPA's Soren

18 Feb 2010, 0330 hrs IST, Devesh Kumar, ET Bureau

NEW DELHI: Railway minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday forced the
Union Cabinet to drop from the presidential address to the joint
session of Parliament a condemnation of the Maoist attack on the EFR
camp at Silda in the West Midnapore district on Monday, which left 24
jawans dead and several others injured. At the insistence of Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh, the Cabinet nevertheless agreed to include a
general condemnation of Maoist attacks all over the country in recent
months.

The turn of events at Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting, held to approve the
draft of the presidential speech, underscored the Trinamool Congress
leader’s persistent efforts to come to the defence of the Maoists
simply to run down West Bengal’s ruling Left Front regime. It also
highlighted the difficulties encountered by the Centre’s internal
security managers in facilitating a co-ordinated assault on Maoists.

The episode surfaced when a group of ministers, taking a cue from the
agreement reached earlier at the meeting among the members to include
in the speech a reference condemning the latest terror attack in Pune
and the role played by Pak-based outfits in the mayhem, while
supporting, at the same time, the proposed foreign secretary-level
talks between India and Islamabad, wanted the Cabinet to include a
paragraph with a similar reference to the latest act of Naxal
violence.

A section of the ministers wanted the Cabinet to include as part of
the speech a paragraph condemning the Maoist attack at the Shilda EFR
camp They also insisted on the inclusion of the Cabinet’s offer of
condolences to the relatives of those had fallen victim to the Naxal
attack.

Ms Banerjee, who has often been accused by CPM and its alliance
partners of taking up cudgels on behalf of Maoists, much to the
detriment of the state’s interests, intervened at this juncture:
``What is the proof that the attack was carried out by Maoists? If at
all, it appears to be the handiwork of CPM. I would urge the prime
minister to first order an inquiry into the incident,’’ she told her
Cabinet colleagues.

She then proceeded to explain how the Left Front government had driven
out those villagers who were perceived to be hostile to their cause.
``These villagers were now being targeted by the Left Front goons, but
the blame was put on Maoists,’’ she contended.

The prime minister, who too appeared to be unconvinced by the
Trinamool Congress chief’s line of thinking, intervened at this stage,
arguing that the speech could include condemnation of all Maoist
attacks that had taken place in various parts of the country in the
past few months. It was also agreed that the President, in her speech,
would offer her condolences to the victims of the Shilda Naxal
attack.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/Mamata-is-UPAs-Soren/articleshow/5586015.cms

...and I am Sid Harth
bademiyansubhanallah
15 years ago
Permalink
STATES TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE
Mamata, UPA can't agree on fight against Naxals
CNN-IBN

Published on Thu, Feb 18, 2010 at 13:01,
Updated on Thu, Feb 18, 2010 at 13:28 in Politics section

PLAYING POLITICS: Sources say Mamata's soft line towards Naxals is a
part of her plan to get ready for Assembly polls.

New Delhi: Differences have cropped up within the United Progressive
Alliance Government on how to deal with the Naxal menace.

While Union Home Minister P Chidambaram has been advocating a tough
stand against the Naxals, his Cabinet colleague and Railway Minister
Mamata Banerjee wants the Government to tow a soft line on the rebels.

Mamata is reportedly insisting that President Pratibha Patil's speech
to Parliament at the start of the Budget session should not strongly
condemn violence by the Naxals.

Sources say the Cabinet has decided to go slow on condemning Naxal
violence especially in West Bengal because of pressure from Mamata.

Instead Mamata wants state government to be held responsible for the
violence.

Soren bows before Naxals for officer's release

Under her pressure the Government is likely to insist that state
governments should do more to control Naxals and economic development
is one of the solutions being offered.

Mamata's soft stand in favour of Naxals has often put the Centre in a
bind and has been preventing it from launching a stronger and move
aggressive anti-Naxal operation.

Her insistence on adopting a soft line towards the Naxals is also seen
as a part of her plan to get ready for the West Bengal Assembly
elections which are scheduled to take place in 2011.

The Centre is facing the dilemma even as the Naxals have launched two
major strikes in the last four days.

On Monday, a group of about 50 Naxals attacked a security camp in West
Bengal's Sila killing 24 Eastern Frontier Rifle (EFR) jawans while
late on Wednesday night another group of rebels surrounded a village
in Bihar's Jamui district killing 10 villagers.

The Naxals have also kidnapped a Block Development Officer, Prashant
Kumar Layek, in Jharkhand and have demanded the release of some
villagers who they claim have been falsely implicated by the police
and arrested.

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/mamata-upa-cant-agree-on-fight-against-naxals/110338-37.html?from=tn

SOREN SOFT ON NAXALS?
Soren bows before Naxals for abducted officer's release
CNN-IBN

Published on Thu, Feb 18, 2010 at 08:16,
Updated on Thu, Feb 18, 2010 at 09:45 in India section

Ranchi: Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren is succumbing to the
demands of Naxals to secure the release of a kidnapped state
government officer.

Soren says legal process is on to free some jailed villagers who
Naxals claim are innocent in exchange for the safe release of
kidnapped Block Development Officer Prashant Kumar Layek.

"Naxals have set some conditions to set free Dalbhumgarh BDO Prasant
Kumar Layek. Their chief demand is to release innocent villagers now
lodged in Dalbhumgarh jail. All the cases are pending in the court.
The legal process to release them has already begun," said Soren.

Layek was abducted on Saturday from Dalbumgarh in Jharkhand.

Layek's wife Julie Bharati has threatened to immolate herself and her
four-year old daughter in front of Soren's residence if Naxals harm
him.

Soren had on Wednesday shockingly said that abductions by Naxals are
trivial issues and such incidents keep on happening.

The Jharkhand Chief Minister has in the past faced flak for being soft
on Naxals and has taken the line that security forces won't succeed
against Naxals.

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/soren-bows-before-naxals-for-abducted-officers-release/110315-3.html

CNN-IBN EXCLUSIVE
Bengal govt was warned twice of Maoist attack
Sumon K Chakrabarti / CNN-IBN

Published on Wed, Feb 17, 2010 at 18:01,
Updated on Thu, Feb 18, 2010 at 09:45 in India section

AFTER THE STORM: A policeman holds a burnt weapon at the police camp
in Silda.

New Delhi/ Kolkata: The West Bengal government admits that it had been
given intelligence warning about a possible Maoist attack in Sildah
where rebels struck at a police camp on Monday and killed 24 people.

CNN-IBN learns that the intelligence input was specific and could have
prevented the attack. The state intelligence sent two specific alerts
to the government on November 23, 2009 and February 13, 2010

“Mobile squad of Maoists is planning to attack Sildah camp of the
joint forces,” said one alert.

Another intelligence alert warned that Maoists were infiltrating among
students in Sildah College. All joint forces camps required to have
two local police officers present at all times. However, the local
police officers posted in Sildah camp left just 30 minutes before the
attack

The interrogation of local police officers has revealed discrepancies
in their statements. Bullets fired by Maoists during the attack were
those that are used by the state police, leading officials to suspect
that ammunition from the district police armoury reached Maoists.

FTN: Jawans' lives of little value to politicians

Meanwhile, West Bengal's home secretary Ardhendu Sen said, "There had
been some intelligence inputs and the troops should have been more
alert. However, the exact site of the attack was not known. It is not
true that the EFR jawans did not retaliate but it cannot be denied
that there were several security lapses and a departmental inquiry is
going to be held."

The home secretary's statement comes a day after Bengal's top cop said
that there was an intelligence failure.

West Bengal Director General of Police B bhupinder Singh had said,
"Because it is not expected that inside the town the Naxals would
enter in the numbers that they did and attacked."

Twenty-four men from the Eastern Frontier Rifles were killed in the
attack. Union Home Minister P Chidambaram has said there were “signs
of failure” in how police were caught off-guard in a camp described as
a "picnic spot."

Even as farewell gun salute were given to the departed jawans and
their bodies handed over to relatives, questions have been raised on
the preparedness of the joint forces to combat the Naxals. Reports
suggest that women Naxal cadres visited the camps several times in
disguise to do a thorough recce of the spot.

(With inputs from Saugato Mukhopadhyay from Silda)

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/bengal-govt-was-warned-twice-of-maoist-attack/110297-3.html

http://ibnlive.in.com/videos/110310/ftn-jawans-life-of-little-value-to-politicians.html

Naxal attack: CM of Indian state of Bengal admits lapse

ISLAMABAD, Feb 18 (APP):

Admitting serious security lapses, Chief Minister of Indian West
Bengal state Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on Thursday appointed a panel to
probe into the recent Naxal attack on Shilda police camp in the West
Midnapore district of the state in which at least 24 Jawans of Eastern
Frontier Rifles (EFR) were killed on Monday evening. “There was a
security lapse, I must say. There was breach in preparedness and lack
of alertness that led to the killing of 24 Eastern Frontier Rifles
(EFR) jawans by Maoists in West Midnapore district”, quoting
Bhattacharjee an Indian television channel reported.

Although the Chief Minister refused to make further comments on the
incident, he informed that a high-level commission has been appointed
by the government to find the loopholes.

“I shall and I must not comment on the incident till the inquiry is
over.I decided to order an enquiry since we want to know the whole
truth. We have appointed a commission to probe every aspect of the
Naxal attack that occurred recently, “ he added.

“We need to know if there was an intelligence failure ahead of the
attack.

We also need to know what the security forces were doing when the camp
was attacked. We will conduct an inquiry and check if we had prior
intelligence input on the Naxal attack,” he added.

Elaborating on the issue, Buddhadeb said, “The commission will find
out as to what was their (Naxals) modus operandi. How they reached the
area and what was our response to them.”

He also assured that appropriate “action” would be taken against
senior officers if they were found lax.

http://www.app.com.pk/en_/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=96661&Itemid=2

Silda naxal attack: Anger in Darjeeling hills as families await the
dead
TNN, Feb 18, 2010, 01.58am IST

DARJEELING: The mood swung between grief and anger as thousands of
Gorkha men, women and children lined the streets of Darjeeling in the
biting evening cold on Wednesday, waiting for the bodies of 13 of the
EFR jawans slain in the Silda Naxal attack.

For 24 hours, the state withheld names of those killed, putting
thousands of families, whose kin are in EFR, through torment. On
Wednesday, families knew who died but no one was telling them when the
bodies would come back.

Of the 24 EFR jawans killed, most were Nepali-speaking residents of
Darjeeling, from where the Frontier Rifles are mostly drawn.

At 9pm, the bodies were still an hour’s drive away from Siliguri,
which meant it would be midnight by the time they reached Darjeeling.
This delay scuppered GJM’s plan to keep the bodies for public
viewing.

GJM has called a bandh on February 19 in memory of the dead. But the
Bangla Bhasa Bachao Samiti has vowed to oppose the bandh.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Silda-naxal-attack-Anger-in-Darjeeling-hills-as-families-await-the-dead/articleshow/5585893.cms

Naxal or jihadi?
Samar Halarnkar, Hindustan Times
February 17, 2010

First Published: 23:37 IST(17/2/2010)
Last Updated: 23:40 IST(17/2/2010)

Who do you think is more dangerous, the Naxal or the jihadi?

I just counted the total number of people killed by both groups of
extremists between January 2007 and February 17, 2010. The results:

Jihadi attacks claimed 436 lives (this figure includes Pakistanis who
died during the firebombing of the Samjhauta Express in 2007).

The Maoists claimed 1,524 lives, more than three times the number
killed in urban, jihadi bombings.
The modern, Indian jihadi is young, educated and highly motivated,
communicating by coded e-mail and phone conversations, merging
seamlessly into the society around him. He is likely to have access to
training and assistance from Pakistan, using this expertise to launch
frontal attacks on populated areas. He is, almost always, likely to be
a ‘he’.

The modern Indian Maoist could be young or middle-aged, perhaps
educated, perhaps semi-literate, adept at guerrilla warfare, handling
arms and living a life of hardship. He is likely to use old-fashioned
communication like letters, couriers and face-to-face contact (the
last only when necessary), using largely homegrown expertise to launch
devastating attacks against security forces in the vast Indian
countryside. He is, equally, likely to be a ‘she’.

As Monday’s slaughter of 25 paramilitary soldiers in West Bengal
indicates, the Maoist attack is usually frontal and brazen, aimed at
overawing the Indian State, knowing the deaths of paramilitary
soldiers and policemen — mostly from poorer, rural families — get
little play in the media or our imaginations. The Maoist game plan,
according to intelligence officers, is to physically occupy the
countryside (swathes of land in seven states have already slipped
beyond State control) and surround the cities until they can force
regime change.

Implausible?

“There is clearly a (Naxal) grand design,” an official who closely
tracks Maoist working in urban areas told me. He said Maoist
ideologues in cities are so independent and careful that they will not
even try to contact their comrades, a step above the jihadi sleeper
cells who, even if they do not know of another cell’s presence, are
controlled by handlers. Intelligence agencies say they have uncovered
worrying signs of some Marxist organisations crossing the line into
Maoism, which believes in violent revolution.

There is now a centralised command in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, against
the Maoist rebellion with up to 60 paramilitary battalions (about
60,000 soldiers). The growing Naxal attacks are forcing more media
coverage. But it is inadequate in depth and perspective to turn public
focus on the greater threat.

Last week’s Pune attack by jihadis was the first since the horror of
26/11 in Mumbai. In the intervening

14-and-a-half months, India has seen a period of calm unprecedented
since urban terrorism came of age on March 12, 1993, with 13 scooter
and car bombs killing 257 in what was then Bombay.

The relative peace was the result of a) the dismantling of terror
cells; many still exist, keeping security agencies on edge, b) a
preoccupation in Pakistan with events in its western provinces and
Afghanistan, c) a fading in the appeal of global jihad, and d) the
small size of the radicalised Islamic community.

The last factor is particularly important. Every police and
intelligence official I’ve spoken to agrees that Indian Muslims
radicalised enough to set off bombs may not number more than 1,000,
still enough to cause great damage. But it is an infinitesimal number
when it comes to tarring a community of 140 million with the same
brush and causing immense damage to India and the idea of India.

Though the Indian jihadi causes serious damage, both physical and
psychological, he pales in comparison with the Maoist. The furtive
jihadi attack aims at: revenge of some sort; the cleaving of Indian
society; sometimes, to stop talks between India and Pakistan. The
jihadi feeds off the grief and anger middle-class Indians feel when
their own perish, and so the jihadi, and his Pakistani backers, are a
clearer, more obvious enemy.

Two days ago, I faced a barrage of criticism on my Twitter feed when I
posted a trend that police charge sheets and interrogators of domestic
jihadi suspects repeatedly point to: nine years after the event, these
radicals still flag the anti-Muslim pogrom in Gujarat as either direct
motivation or a stimulus provided by jihadi trainers who show them
gruesome images of Muslims killed in the riots.

There are other inspirations, from a general sense of grievance and
injustice to the feeling of alienation that arises in trying to rent a
home when Muslim or being freely hauled in for rough questioning. Rage
against the US, and the situation in Palestine may be boosting
factors, but as jihadi confessions (whether voluntary or beaten out of
them) reveal, never has global jihad ever directly driven an Indian to
plant a bomb in his own country. The big brother of the primary Indian
jihadi group, the Indian Mujahideen, is indeed the Lashkar-e-Tayyeba,
the Pakistani terror group that carried out the 26/11 attack and is
now firmly one of the umbrella terror organisations arrayed against
the United States.

But you can count on your fingertips the number of Indian Muslims
who’ve joined the so-called civilisational war against the West. At
last count, it’s less than 10.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Naxal-or-jihadi/H1-Article1-509974.aspx

Maoists set new demands for release of kidnapped official
Indo-Asian News Service
Ranchi, February 18, 2010

First Published: 18:29 IST(18/2/2010)
Last Updated: 18:34 IST(18/2/2010)

The Jharkhand government on Thursday suffered a major setback in its
effort to free its official kidnapped by Maoists when the rebels made
fresh demands that villagers branded Maoists be released from jails
and a civil defence group chief be arrested immediately.

The Maoists had earlier put through the wife of the abducted block
development officer Prashant Layak their demand for release of their
three comrades from a jail, and then insisted on release of 11
others.

While the government late on Wednesday night agreed to move the court
to "re-investigate" the cases of the 14 Maoists, the rebels on
Thursday came up with two new demands.

The outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist), besides
seeking freedom for a large number of villagers jailed for being
Maoists or their sympathisers, now also insists on arrest of Nagrik
Suraksha Samiti (NSS) president Shankar Hembrom and others. The NSS
was formed to fight Maoists at the village level.

"We have considered the demands of Maoists to free abducted official.
The main demand is to release people lodged in Dhalbhumgarh jail of
Jamshedpur. Legal process has been initiated to ensure their release.
We appeal to them (Maoists) to release the officer," Soren said on
Wednesday night.

The operation against Maoists to rescue Layak has also been stopped
since Tuesday night, on the Maoists' insistence.

Layak was abducted on Saturday by four armed men of the CPI-Maoist
from Dalbhumgarh block of East Singhbhum district.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/jharkhand/Maoists-set-new-demands-for-release-of-kidnapped-official/Article1-510208.aspx

More camps waiting to be hit
Debdutta Ghosh and Snigdhendu Bhattacharya, Hindustan Times
Silda/Kharagpur, February 18, 2010

First Published: 00:27 IST(18/2/2010)
Last Updated: 01:58 IST(18/2/2010)

If inconvenient location and lack of battle preparedness resulted in
the killing of 24 Eastern Frontier Rifles personnel at Silda on
Monday, there are at least seven more camps in the Maoist-hit area
waiting to be overrun.

On Monday, around 80 Maoist guerrillas attacked West Midna-pore’s
Silda camp, about 170 km west of Kolkata, indulging in reckless
killing and loot.

Director General of West Bengal Police Bhupinder Singh admitted the
camp could not retaliate, as it was in the middle of a thickly
populated area.

On Wednesday, HT took a tour of the troubled zone across three
districts — West Midnap-ore, Bankura, Purulia — to find out the state
of the other camps.

There are four camps in West Midnapore — Satpati, Moupal, Kantapahari
and Ramgarh — that are located within striking distance from the
roads. In adjacent Bankura, there are two — Raspal and Jhilimili —
that are dangerously close to populated areas.

But the Bakshi camp takes the cake. The camp is right in the heart of
the village. The jawans, however, have stopped being friendly to
villagers and hoot away whoever comes close.

Although bunkers have been built in the camp with sand bags — as was
done at Silda too — sentries do not have the advantage of a clear view
of the area because of big trees all around the bunkers.

“We here are in constant fear after the (Silda) incident,” said an EFR
jawan at the camp, who refused to be named.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/westbengal/More-camps-waiting-to-be-hit/Article1-510001.aspx
http://ibnlive.in.com/videos/110261/step-towards-peace-400-militants-surrender-in-assam.html

http://ibnlive.in.com/videos/110258/centre-bengal-spar-over-naxal-attack-strategy.html

...and I am Sid Harth
chhotemianinshallah
15 years ago
Permalink
Probe confirms Headley link
HT Correspondent, Hindustan Times
New Delhi, February 18, 2010

First Published: 01:16 IST(18/2/2010)
Last Updated: 01:16 IST(18/2/2010)

Pakistan-born, American citizen, David Headley, had identified Pune’s
German Bakery as a potential target during his visits to city Pune,
investigators have confirmed.

The police also hope to get a breakthrough in the case “very soon”.

“Investigations are on the right track, in the right direction,” a
senior home ministry official said, emphasising that the security
agencies had broadly identified the people who were involved.

On Wednesday, Home ministry officials said it was increasingly
becoming clear that plans for Saturday evening’s blast that killed 11
people were made on the basis of Headley’s recce.

An alleged Lashkar-e-Tayyeba operative, Headley had visited the Osho
Ashram located near German Bakery in Koregaon Park twice, in 2008 and
2009.

Home Secretary G.K. Pillai had recently acknowledged that Headley’s
two visits to Pune may not be a coincidence.

Sources said a local terror module executed the operation, which was
planned by the Lashkar leadership in Pakistan.

Sources said Headley and the men who planted the bomb had not been
briefed about closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras at the hotel
opposite the bakery.

There was a CCTV camera in the bakery too but it was positioned to
watch people manning the cash counter.

A government source said Maharashtra’s Anti-Terrorism Squad has even
positioned its men in “sensitive locations”— places that suspects may
have visited.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/newdelhi/Probe-confirms-Headley-link/510107/H1-Article1-510049.aspx

Terrorism in India
On a short fuse

South Asia’s big rivals prepare to talk. Another bomb goes off
Feb 18th 2010 | DELHI | From The Economist print edition

AFP
Pune mourns and hopesIN THE 15 months since Pakistani militants
launched a three-day assault on Mumbai, India has been largely terror-
free. This has enabled its prime minister, Manmohan Singh, despite
much domestic opposition, to start rethreading the diplomatic ties
that India cut after that outrage. Senior diplomats from India and
Pakistan are due to meet in Delhi on February 25th. Yet on February
13th—the day after that meeting was announced—a bomb blast ripped
through a café in Pune, in western Maharashtra, killing 11.

Almost as fast, Indian fingers pointed to Pakistan, which has an ugly
record of launching terrorism in India. Most Indians with a view of
the matter believe Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence agency, or
ISI, was behind the Mumbai attack, though this is unproven. Many,
including Indian politicians of all stripes, struggle to imagine any
rapprochement with their old enemy. “Not talking is an option,” says
Arun Jaitley, a hawkish leader of the main opposition Bharatiya Janata
Party. Yet the government’s response to the blast was restrained. It
said the talks would go ahead—while stressing that its concerns over
terrorism would dominate them.

This is a tribute to Mr Singh’s dogged—and rather lonely—search for
peace. A growing fear in India that America, in its haste to leave
Afghanistan, may allow Pakistan an influential role there may also
have spurred re-engagement. Yet the promised dialogue is hardly
inspiring. At best, it may lead to a cautious resumption of the former
diplomatic process, but at a much less promising stage than before.
Progress in the talks had slowed sharply, but the four-year effort had
nonetheless yielded outlines to the solutions for many of the
countries’ disputes, including the thorniest, the status of the
divided region of Kashmir. The most many Indians now hope for is a
dialogue serious enough to prevent war in the event of another
Pakistan-linked atrocity on Indian soil.

The attack in Pune was claimed by a previously unheard of, possibly
non-existent, Pakistani militant group, Lashkar-e-Taiba Al Alami. But
it may be home-grown. It looks similar to blasts carried out in four
Indian cities in 2008 by a local terrorist group, the Indian
Mujahideen (IM). As an opening salvo, or so the group claimed, on
behalf of India’s much-maligned but previously pacific Muslim
community, the IM spread fear. Yet most of its leaders have been
arrested, and it has been quiet.

A connection has also been drawn between the blast and an intriguing
terrorism suspect, David Headley, a Pakistani-born American arrested
in America in October. A former agent of America’s Drug Enforcement
Agency, Mr Headley is believed to have come under the influence of
Lashkar-e-Taiba, the Pakistani militant group accused of the Mumbai
attacks, while working for the DEA in Pakistan. He has been accused,
among other crimes, of carrying out reconnaissance for the group in
Mumbai. Indian officials say he also cased targets in Pune, close to
the blasted café.

http://www.economist.com/world/asia/displaystory.cfm?story_id=15546317

Indo-Pak talks

Your editorial, “Indo-Pak talks” (Feb. 17) is completely off the mark.
It is completely devoid of the commentary on the current situation on
the ground.

The idea of Indian intelligence services infiltrated by Hindu
nationalists had me in gales of laughter. It’s great to have balance
in an article but it requires more credible arguments than that.

India has not offered a “composite dialogue” to Pakistan. It’s the
start of a secretary-level dialogue. India is a victim of Pakistan-
based terrorist networks. To say both countries are victims of
terrorism is ignoring the fountainhead and the source of terrorism.
The argument that the solution to the Kashmir problem will deny
terrorists any reason is an implicit admission that “terrorists have
been carefully created to help resolve the Kashmir problem under
coercion” — something that is not likely to happen in our lifetime.
The Kashmir issue will only be resolved if Indian public opinion turns
in favor of Kashmiris.

At the best, this talk offer does not appear anything more than
tactical positioning by India.

The Indo-Pak dialogue process is already undermined by the fact that
the US and other Western countries are again dealing more with the
Pakistani military than with the civilian government, which is busy
fighting for survival or trying to find its place in the power
struggle with the establishment. The convenient and timed arrest of
Mullah Baradar, the Taleban’s second-in-command in Karachi is too
significant to ignore. The entire Western media believe the set of
events explained are not at all credible. It shows that the Taleban
are still groomed or primed for talks by the ISI and convenient
arrests (Mullah Bardar had fallen out with Mullah Omar) will be used
as bargaining chips.

It also shows that the entire Taleban gang are living in safe houses
and will be used or uncovered by the ISI as and when required. An
intelligence agency emboldened by sudden demands is unlikely to
understand dialogue or compromise.

No wonder “banned terrorist” such as Ilyas Kashmiri are threatening
international teams for participating in IPL or Commonwealth games, a
certain sign of the jealousy and desperation within the Pakistani
establishment.

This so-called dialogue process is a non-starter. Its timing is
suspect and it has nothing to do with conflict resolution. It’s more
about juvenile posturing by all parties and it will be forgotten
pretty quickly as soon as events in Afghanistan begin to unfold.
“Dialogue not war” has no place in this.
Posted by
MANISH PANDEY NEW DELHI
Feb 17, 2010 10:13 PM

Comments1

Dr. Athar P. Shah

Feb 18, 2010 6:42 PM

Report abuse This dialogue is not going to make any difference. It
might become something similar to the famous "Road Map" for peace in
the middle-east

http://arabnews.com/opinion/letters/article18646.ece?comments=all

Voice samples of 26/11 accused to figure in India-Pakistan talks
Indo-Asian News Service
New Delhi, February 18, 2010

First Published: 20:00 IST(18/2/2010)
Last Updated: 20:15 IST(18/2/2010)

India will make a strong pitch for the voice samples of the Mumbai
terror attack accused in custody in Pakistan during the upcoming
foreign secretary-level talks Feb 25, highly-placed sources said on
Thursday.

"The voice samples are crucial to 26/11 investigations as they will
help ascertain if those in custody in Pakistan are the ones who were
guiding the Mumbai assault team during the attacks," said a top
security official.

There are strong indications that one of the people guiding the 26/11
attackers including Ajmal Kasab, the lone terrorist caught alive, was
an Indian.

India has repeatedly asked Pakistan for voice prints of Laskhar-e-
Taiba founding member Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhwi, his deputy Mazhar Iqbal
alias Abu al-Qama and Abdul Wajid alias Zarar Shah, who face charges
in Pakistan for the 26/11 attacks.

But this request has not been accepted.

Recently, Home Minister P. Chidamabarm hinted that the 10 Pakistani
terrorists who attacked Mumbai could have been guided by an Indian
handler and whose true identity is yet to be ascertained.

"When we say he could be an Indian, he could be somebody who acquired
Indian characteristics. He could have been infiltrated into India and
lived here long enough to acquire an Indian accent, familiarity with
Hindi words or could be somebody who went to Pakistan and was adopted
by the militants there," Chidambaram had said.

"We know him as Abu Jindal for many many months now... but he is not
Abu Jindal. That is

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Voice-samples-of-26-11-accused-to-figure-in-India-Pakistan-talks/H1-Article1-510253.aspx

Feb 25 talks with Pak still on
Jayanth Jacob & Aloke Tikku, Hindustan Times
New Delhi, February 14, 2010

First Published: 20:42 IST(14/2/2010)
Last Updated: 01:41 IST(15/2/2010)

India will not allow Saturday’s terrorist attack in Pune to come in
the way of the foreign secretary-level talks with Islamabad, slated
for February 25.

“The talks will go on,” a source in the Prime Minister’s Office told
Hindustan Times.

Government officials said withdrawing the dialogue proposal at this
stage would be a “knee-jerk reaction”. Officials conceded that
terrorist incidents like the one in Pune did not help the dialogue
process, but said they should not be allowed to harm it either.

India had suspended its composite dialogue with Pakistan after the
26/11 Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008.

In Chennai, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna said he wanted the
probe to be completed before committing himself.

“If a very strong link emerges between the Pune strike and elements
across the border, the situation can change,” said a senior official.
“We have maintained that any dialogue with Pakistan should be in an
atmosphere free of terror.”

http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/india/Feb-25-talks-with-Pak-still-on/Article1-508805.aspx

No comment on fate of Indo-Pak talks: Krishna
Press Trust Of India
Chennai, February 14, 2010

First Published: 15:39 IST(14/2/2010)
Last Updated: 15:47 IST(14/2/2010)

External Affairs Minister S M Krishna on Sunday declined to comment on
the fate of the February 25 Foreign Secretary-level talks between
India and Pakistan in the wake of the Pune bomb blast.

"I am not going to talk about the talks right now. Let us wait for
the report (of the investigative agencies) first,"
Krishna told reportersin Chennai when asked whether the Pune blast
would have any impact on the dialogue.

Terming the blast as "most tragic and unfortunate", Krishna said, "We
will resist the forces of terrorism
resolutely and with firmness and determination."

He said, "We are well aware that the dark forces of terrorism are
against peace and amity between nations. It is most tragic and
unfortunate that they have struck again leading to a loss of innocent
lives."

An improvised explosive device, kept in a packet outside the kitchen
of the popular German bakery in Pune, exploded at around 1930 hours
last night when a waiter attempted to open it, killing nine persons
and injuring 57 others.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/india/No-comment-on-fate-of-Indo-Pak-talks-Krishna/Article1-508732.aspx

Pune blast to cause difficulties for India on Feb 25 talks
Press Trust Of India
New Delhi, February 14, 2010

First Published: 20:19 IST(14/2/2010)
Last Updated: 20:21 IST(14/2/2010)

The Pune bomb attack is expected to cast a shadow on the upcoming
Foreign Secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan as the
incident is likely to create difficulties for the government on going
ahead with the dialogue considering the mounting opposition.

Ahead of the February 25 talks, the government is expected to take
stock of the situation and consider all pros and cons once the
investigators reach some conclusion about who was behind the blast.

For the moment, government sources say the talks schedule remains
unchanged and the completion of probe should be awaited before
anything could be said on it.

However, it is pointed out that the government would discuss the issue
of the attack in the context of the upcoming talks when the
investigations are completed.

India, which had refused to hold any dialogue with Pakistan after the
26/11 attacks, offered to hold Foreign Secretary-level talks only
about two weeks back.

Significantly, the date for the talks was finalised a day ahead of the
blast at German bakery in Pune.

"It is premature to talk about the talks now as there is no clarity
yet about who is involved. Let the investigators complete the probe,
then we can talk about the talks," a source said.

At the same time, the sources noted that such incidents are not ruled
out in Indo-Pak affairs and these are factored in when any decision is
taken.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/newdelhi/Probe-confirms-Headley-link/510107/H1-Article1-510049.aspx

Terror and talks cannot co-exist: BJP
HT Correspondent, Hindustan Times
Lucknow, February 14, 2010

First Published: 14:57 IST(14/2/2010)
Last Updated: 12:30 IST(15/2/2010)

Senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi has attacked the UPA government
for a "weak" Kashmir policy and blamed that "intelligence failure" of
Maharashtra government and the central government led to terror attack
in Pune on Saturday.

He also said, 'terror and talks' cannot go on simultaneously and urged
the UPA government to come clean on is Kashmir policy.

BJP president Nitin Gadkari who was to come to Lucknow on Sunday
cancelled his plans at the last minute and air dashed to Pune, he
said.

Joshi, the BJP MP from Varanasi was in Lucknow to take part in the
wedding of party MP Kalraj Mishra's son.

He slammed the government for its recent decision to "welcome" youths
from Pak Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and demanded that the government
should take the Parliament in confidence on the Kashmir issue. "We
believe that the government has by passed the Parliament and changed
its Kashmir policy on the sly. We want to know why the policy has been
changed," he said.

On being told that senior BJP leader Arun Shourie had praised the
union home minister P Chidambaram, he said, "When he was taking the
right steps, we praised him. But, we won't praise him all the time for
all the things."

On the Shiv-Sena-BJP standoff on the Mumbai-for-Marathis issue, he
said, "We differ with the Shiv Sena on it as we believe that all
Indians have full freedom to go anywhere in the country. The Rashtriya
Swayam Sewak Sangh (RSS) has even offered to provide security to those
who feel insecure.

Though he said that the language and regionalism cannot be the basis
for division, he was evasive when asked if the BJP-Shiv Sena ties were
strained after the Mumbai-for-Marathis alone issue.

When reminded that the BJP national general secretary Vinay Katiyar
had demanded that the party should snap its ties with the Shiv Sena,
he said, "His views too would be considered but at this moment there
is no cause for reviewing the ties. We have made our differences with
the Shiv Sena very clear on this."

http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/india/Terror-and-talks-cannot-co-exist-BJP/Article1-508726.aspx

New Delhi, February 18, 2010
India to seek voice samples of seven accused in Mumbai attacks
PTI

India will ask for voice samples of seven Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives
accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks during next week’s Foreign
Secretary-level talks with Pakistan to help in the ongoing probe.

Highly placed sources said India will seek the voice samples of Zaki-
ur-Rehman Lakhvi, Zarar Shah, Abu Al Qama, Shahid Jamil Riaz, Hamad
Amin Sadiq, Younus Anjum and Jamil Ahmed.

The voice samples would be matched with the telephonic intercepts
available with Indian security agencies that were recorded during the
Mumbai attacks by 10 Pakistani terrorists on November 26, 2008, the
sources said.

Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao will hold talks with her Pakistani
counterpart Salman Bashir here on February 25 during which India is
expected to convey its serious concerns over cross-border terrorism.

The seven accused were chargesheeted by a Pakistani court on November
25 last year and India now feels Pakistan can share their voice
samples to assist in the ongoing investigations.

The arms training of some youth under the banner of Indian Mujahideen
in Karachi, will also be conveyed to Pakistan, the sources said.

http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article108926.ece

No consensus on agenda for Feb.25 Indo-Pak talks as yet
Thursday, February 18, 2010,10:09 [IST]

New Delhi, Feb.18 (ANI): With just a week left for the Foreign
Secretary level talks the agenda of discussions still looks unclear.

Indian Foreign Minister SM Krishna has categorically said that
Terrorism will remain the core of discussion and Pakistan is free to
take up any issue of concern. But message is not clear to Islamabad,
which is seeking more clarity on the statement and is adamantly
advocating the inclusion of Kashmir and Water in the talks.

Clearing the mist, Government sources here explain that it is not a
'monologue' but a dialogue therefore terrorism should not be expected
to be the focal point of discussion, However India's focus will remain
on terrorism and Pakistan will raise issues of its concern they said.

Sources have told ANI that India is also likely to handover evidence
of previous attacks and also recent attack on German bakery in Poone.

Indian Foreign Minister has also clarified its stand that foreign
secretary-level talks should not be seen as a resumption of composite
dialogue, has further confounded Islamabad and diplomatic sources here
have told ANI that Pakistan is viewing the resumption of formal talks
at the foreign secretary level as the first step to the resumption of
composite dialogue.

Government sources here explain that composite dialogue is not just
confined to Foreign Secretary level talks but it has many more arms at
different levels.

The composite dialogue process, begun after the Islamabad SAARC (South
Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) summit in 2004 comprised
eight key components including Jammu and Kashmir, confidence-building
measures, defence, trade and water-related issues that have plagued
bilateralelations for decades.

Section of Experts and commentators here believe that If no framework
of dialogue is composed before talks it will be difficult to achieve
anything out of talks whereas others are viewing it as a good start to
open the logjam in the stalled relationship.(ANI)

http://news.oneindia.in/2010/02/18/noconsensus-on-agenda-for-feb25-indo-pak-talks-asyet.html

'The message has gone out that in India it's always business as usual'

Last updated on: February 17, 2010 12:32 IST

Archana Masih

With another Pakistan-based terror outfit, the hither-to-unheard-of
Lashkar e Tayiba al Alami, the role of non-State actors ensconced in
India's western neighbour in fomenting terror has once again come into
focus.

There have been other links to terror groups in Pakistan as well.
After each trip to India, for instance, Laskhar-e-Tayiba operative
David Coleman Headley, the Pakistani-origin US citizen charged with
criminal conspiracy in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, returned to
Pakistan to meet other co-conspirators and provided results of his
surveillance, including oral descriptions of various locations.

A retired Pakistani Army major was also arrested for his links with
Headley and Pakistan-born-Candian Tawwahur Rehman, another 26/11
accused. These developments yet again bring into focus Pakistan-based
terror operatives for targeting India in deadly ways.

Maroof Raza, a former Indian Army officer and well-known security and
defence analyst, gives a detailed view of the Pakistani
establishment's response to the Mumbai attacks and describes how the
Pakistan Army controls the country's national identity.

The author of three books on India' security concerns, his latest book
Confronting Terrorism was released last month. In a candid
conversation with Archana Masih, he discussed how terror had become an
industry in Pakistan, the pre-eminence of the Pakistan Army in the
State, and how India diplomatically lost the plot after 26/11.

The prime minister recently said that Pakistan hasn't done enough on
26/11 and India doesn't even know who to speak to since real power
rests with the Army -- what options does this leave for India?

The long term agenda of the international community is to depoliticise
Pakistan. It will take 10-20 years, till one or two generations of
young officers grow up recognising the fact that there is a civilian
leadership that they must respect.

The reason why the Pakistan military became pre-eminent is because at
its creation the civilian leadership was unable to take interest in
matters of foreign policy and strategy. Hence, the military became
actively involved in defence purchases. India, China, the US and
nuclear issues became their domain. They really call the shots on key
issues that are part of Pakistan's national identity. Even when the
military is not in power, issues like India, China, Afghanistan, the
US, nuclear strategy are in their domain.

Civilians have repeatedly been given chances by history and they've
failed to deliver in Pakistan. Asif Zardari is no better and his time
is limited. In India at the time of Independence, Pandit Jawaharlal
Nehru and other leaders commanded the respect of the military. The
military did not feel the need to get into a confrontation with
Panditji on foreign policy even after the Nehru and Krishna Menon's
[then foreign minister] China blunder in 1962.

Dr Singh is a great economist, he is honest but is rather naive and
misdirected on foreign policy. He got away with the nuclear deal
because it was good for the country -- let's not talk about the
Nuclear Supplier's Group -- the deal gave us access to technology that
was denied to us in spite of us being a law-abiding country. But Dr
Singh got Sharm-el-Sheikh [where India and Pakistan gave a joint
statement delinking action on terror with the composite dialogue]
completely wrong.

In Pakistan even on a happy day its prime minister does not have the
decision-making powers as ours. In all talks with Pakistan, you must
involve the army chief and the ISI, only then can you get a rubber
stamp of respectability. Dr Singh should speak to all the
establishment, you can't talk to one man.

In spite of international acknowledgement of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba's
role in 26/11 and Pakistan's own admission of Lashkar's involvement,
its leader Hafiz Sayeed still roams free?

Diplomatically we've lost the plot. With world opinion in our favour,
we haven't achieved anything. Pakistan's smirk has changed into a
smile ever since we have been making all concessions to them in Sharm-
el-Sheikh and elsewhere. The message that's gone out to the world is
that with India it will always be business as usual.

If India had effectively used all its diplomatic leverage, the
goodwill of the international community and our politicians had not
got very busy in trying to win the next election, we had lots in our
favour but we abandoned it. The world thinks we are not serious about
handling terror.

Image: Police escort Hafiz Sayeed, head of the banned Jamaat-ud-Dawa
and founder of Lashkar-e-Tayiba, as he leaves after an appearance in
court in Lahore

Photographs: Mohsin Raza/Reuters

http://news.rediff.com/slide-show/2010/feb/17/slide-show-1-we-are-keeping-the-nation-alive-in-an-icu.htm

...and I am Sid Harth
chhotemianinshallah
15 years ago
Permalink
Unity on internal security
Editorial
Posted On Thursday, February 18, 2010

Irrespective of their political affiliations and differences over most
of the issues relating to governance and policy matters the Chief
Ministers of all the Indian states have shown a rare unity by fully
backing the Central government over the issue of internal security.

The has clearly sent out a signal not only to country’s estranged
neighbours particularly Pakistan but also to those armed rebels who
have been waging war against the state that India can never compromise
with the threat to its sovereignty and would defeat both external and
internal forces, who are out to dismantle it.
It was a unique display of oneness among all the Chief Ministers who
had gathered to attend a meeting called by the Union home minister the
other day to evolve a common strategy to deal with the threat to
country’s internal security, when Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra
Modi, a hardcore opponent of ruling United Progress Alliance
government on almost all the issues, declared that his government is
committed to fully back the Central government’s efforts to counter
terrorism and Maoist rebellion. What was most surprising was that Modi
who had a day before lamented the UPA government for failing to
contain spiraling food prices had full praise for the Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh and Home Minister P Chidambaram for the manner in which
both have been handling issues relating to internal security. Under
the Manmohan Singh regime, the opposition-ruled states did not face
any discrimination in the matter of internal security, Modi said in
his address to the day-long conference. The response of the Home
Minister and Home Secretary is swift and positive whenever there is a
demand from the states on internal security, he added. Even Chief
Ministers of other opposition ruled states agreed with Modi.

In the conference on internal security, which deliberated upon all
aspects of the subject Prime Minister Singh said that hostile groups
and elements were operating from across the border to perpetrate
terrorist acts in our country, and Jammu and Kashmir bears the brunt
of such acts from these groups. There was a marked decline in the
number of terrorist incidents in Jammu and Kashmir from 2008 to 2009.
Singh however, expressed concern at the increase in the number of
infiltration bids.

Union Home Minister P Chidambaram described the Pakistan-based terror
groups as dark forces, which were opposed to India. They would be
defeated whenever confronted, he said. In his opening statement, he
said such militant groups as the Lashkar-e-Taiba and the Hizbul
Mujahideen held a meeting at Muzaffarabad in the Pakistan-occupied
Kashmir on Thursday. Their weapons were on display, and their goal is
forcible annexation of Kashmir. Let me make it clear that these dark
forces will not succeed in their designs, Chidambaram said.

The observations of the Prime Minister and the Home Minister assume
significance because they have come at a time when India has offered
to resume talks with Pakistan, which remained suspended after the
Mumbai terror attacks.

The outcome of the conference on internal security could be considered
as a warning to Pakistan that India would bargain hard as and when
dialogue between the two starts. It is also quite clear that during
the course of peace talks India would leave no stone unturned to force
Pakistan to put in place a mechanism to dismantle the terror
infrastructure present on its soil. New Delhi is also mulling to
propose a new mechanism under which Islamabad is held responsible if
any Mumbai type terror strike is repeated. Unlike, its first term in
the government, the UPA seems taking the issue of internal security
more seriously in its second term as the Home Minister Chidambaram has
initiated a sustained dialogue with the governments of all the states
irrespective of parties ruling there to evolve a common strategy to
deal with the insurgency within the country be it Maoists or various
armed insurgent groups in north eastern region.

The recent effort in this direction is an offer made by Chidambaram to
Maoists that the government is prepared to talk to them provided they
lay down arms and come forward for dialogue. However, it is very
difficult to predict whether or not the armed guerrillas would pay
heed to Centre”s overture. They might do so to use the ceasefire
period to consolidate their strength that has been reduced in the
recent past by the massive combat operations launched by the para-
military forces and police in Maoist-hit states. Currently, 13 Indian
states are in the grip of Maoist insurgency that began from a small
place called Naxalbari in West Bengal state in early 1960s. Despite
various steps taken by the successive governments at the Centre and
states, India has failed to wipe out this menace that has taken the
lives of thousands of policemen and security personnel over the years.

Neelam Jeena, NPA

http://www.centralchronicle.com/viewnews.asp?articleID=27359

Paramount changes in Indo-Pak dialogue: Jaitley
Posted On Thursday, February 18, 2010
By Adhir Kumar Saxena
Indore, Feb 18:

Senior BJP leader and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun
Jetiley has said that the UPA rule at the Centre has witnessed the
gradual weakening of India's internal security and the undermining of
strategic concerns. Speaking on the draft resolution on National
Security and Jammu and Kashmir, Jetiley said some neighboring
countries have made no secret of their aggressive designs on India.
National as well as internal security is diminishing day by day, while
the Union Government is succumbing to American pressures in Indo-Pak
talks. He said erratic decisions by the government on internal
security issues have made thing go worse. Terrorists from outside the
country have developed local modules inside India and most of the
recent terrorist attacks have exposed the true picture. Still the
Delhi government is not taking the issue on priority. The shabby state
of affairs in the Union Government speaks of shady deals.

Paramount changes creped in the Indo-Pak dialogue. Earlier when Atal
Behari Vajpayee was prime minister, it was decided that talks with
Pakistan could only commence when PoK was not used for insurgency.
Vajpayee clearly marked and penned the dialogue document, mentioning
talks without terror. Today the union government is initiating the
dialogue with terror. Even with Pune blast, talks continue.

Today China is putting pressures from all ends, America is
pressurizing on all activities that weaken internal security. Jetiley
proposed the resolution on National Security and Jammu and Kashmir.
He said Kashmir is the sole property of India and the debate with
Pakistan started with a separate status for Kashmir and has now taken
the course of separatism

He accused the UPA government of deliberately diluting army presence
in the Valley, under a vote politics plan. He also said that the
government is diluting the Line of Control area.

Supporting the motion, Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi said that
UPA claims mature politics, then why the opposition is kept in the
dark in the Indo-Pak dialogue issue. He queried that every time a
major decision on security is taken, American diplomats come on secret
missions to India, is national security being monitored or looked
after by Washington. Modi said Pakistan has never lost and opportunity
to raise Kashmir issue weather it is an international forum on
environment, water, climate etc.

Modi accused the UPA government of playing foul with internal
security. There is a definite discrimination between UPA andnon UPA
ruled states. He said Gujarat prepared a stringent POTA law. The law
was passed in the Assembly and sent to New Delhi. The UPA government
turned down the draft even after a similar law existing in
Maharashtra.

The UPA government has recently released a circular for shooting
practice of police forces once in three years. Meanwhile terrorists,
Maoists and naxals are practicing firing three times a day. This way
how could our forces combat these anti-nationals.

Lashing out at UPA government, he said we had demanded intensified
security of coastal areas. A draft was also sent to the then NDA
government at Delhi. LK Advani had approaved it but the government
changed. Till date, even after 26/11 and Pune terror attack, the UPA
government is not taking it seriously. He cautioned the UPA government
to fight terror united and not discriminated in policies state wise.
He called it a matter of shame that Andhra Pradesh government started
a dialogue with Maoists who came with arms to negotiate. The first
condition for talks should have been dialogue sans arms.

Supporting the motion, Modi said we should have a Rashtra Neeti, that
enables us to fight for every inch of Indian Territory and this should
be much above vote neeti.

Supporting the move, Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh said that
Maoists and naxals have spread tentacles in almost all parts of the
country and are striking at will. The UPA government claims to be
worried but has no standing solution to the worsening problem.

http://www.centralchronicle.com/viewnews.asp?articleID=27409

Govt's clean chit to Thackeray, Raj, Rane
Posted On Thursday, February 18, 2010
Agencies
Mumbai, Feb 18:

The government on Thursday told the Bombay High Court there was no
evidence against Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray, MNS president Raj
Thackeray and Congress leader Narayan Rane in four separate incidents
of political vandalism last year.

Political workers of Sena, MNS and Congress had allegedly indulged in
violence and damaged public and private property in all these
incidents.

On the last occasion, the high court had asked if any action had been
taken against top leaders.
In an affidavit filed on Thursday, additional chief secretary (home)
Chandra Iyengar has said that "during the investigation of these four
cases, it was not revealed that top leaders of the parties instigated
their followers or aided and abetted...since no involvement of top
leaders or conspiracy was revealed, no action of arrest or prosecution
could be taken."

Former IPS officer Julio Rebeiro had written a letter to the high
court, mentioning these four incidents, and demanding that
compensation be recovered from those guilty. The letter was treated as
a PIL.

First incident took place last January where Shiv Sena workers, led by
MP Sanjay Raut, attacked hotel Inter Continental near Mumbai airport
over some labour dispute. In the same month, supporters of Narayan
Rane allegedly ransacked the office of daily 'Nava Kal', angered by an
editorial critical of him.

In the third incident, on January 28, MNS workers vandalised the
office of registrar of Mumbai University to protest the rumour that
Marathi would be made an optional subject for arts stream
examination.

Then in February, MNS workers ransacked a beauty parlour in
neighbouring Thane, suspecting that it was a prostitution hub.

On the last occasion, court had specifically asked whether action was
taken against Bal Thackeray, Raj, and Rane.

But according to Iyengar, none of them was found to be involved, and
attacks were carried out by local workers "on their own".

Government pleader Niranjan Pandit told the division bench of Chief
Justice Anil Dave and S C Dharmadhikari that charge sheet have been
filed in all the cases, and compensation has been recovered in three
cases.

The court has now asked the government to submit a proposal for
creation of office of "claims commissioner" -- as contemplated by
Supreme Court in an earlier case.

The claims commissioner will assess the damage caused to public and
private property due to violent political protests, and fix monetary
liability of the guilty persons.

The proposal is to be submitted to high court in six weeks.

http://www.centralchronicle.com/viewnews.asp?articleID=27405

Maoist Kill 12 in Bihar
Posted On Thursday, February 18, 2010
Agencies
Patna, Feb 18:

Striking for the second time this week, heavily-armed Maoists swooped
down on Kasari village in Bihar's Jamui district, set afire thatched
houses and fired a hail of bullets, leaving 12 tribals dead and eight
others injured last night.

Around 125 heavily-armed ultras stormed the village last night, set
afire houses and then opened fire, Deputy Inspector General of Police
(Bhagalpur range) Amit Kumar, said.

Four of a family were charred to death in a blazing hut while others
died of gunshot injuries. The deceased belonged to the Kora tribe.

The attack was said to be in retaliation against the recent killings
of eight activists of the proscribed CPI (Maoist) allegedly by the
villagers, according to leaflets left by the ultras at the spot.

Nearly 100 Maoists armed with sophisticated weapons had exploded
landmines near the Silda camp before barging inside with a volley of
fire on 15th February.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar ordered the state home department's
Principal Secretary Amir Subhani and Director General of Police Anand
Shankar to visit the spot and submit a report soon.

He announced that the state government would provide Rs one lakh
compensation to the dependents of each of the deceased, while the
injured persons would receive Rs 20,000 or Rs 50,000 depending on the
nature of their injury.

The injured have been admitted to hospitals at Sikandra and Jamui,
where the condition of five persons was stated to be critical.

Maoists had given a three-day bandh call in eastern part of Bihar to
protest the killing of their activists. The bandh ended last night.

Set demands for release of official
Ranchi, Feb 18:

The Jharkhand government on Thursday suffered a major setback in its
effort to free its official kidnapped by Maoists when the rebels made
fresh demands that villagers branded Maoists be released from jails
and a civil defence group chief be arrested immediately.

The Maoists had earlier put through the wife of the abducted block
development officer Prashant Layak their demand for release of their
three comrades from a jail, and then insisted on release of 11
others.

While the government late on Wednesday night agreed to move the court
to "re-investigate" the cases of the 14 Maoists, the rebels on
Thursday came up with two new demands.

The outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist), besides
seeking freedom for a large number of villagers jailed for being
Maoists or their sympathisers, now also insists on arrest of Nagrik
Suraksha Samiti (NSS) president Shankar Hembrom and others. The NSS
was formed to fight Maoists at the village level.
"We have considered the demands of Maoists to free abducted official.
The main demand is to release people lodged in Dhalbhumgarh jail of
Jamshedpur. Legal process has been initiated to ensure their release.
We appeal to them (Maoists) to release the officer," Soren said on
Wednesday night.

The operation against Maoists to rescue Layak has also been stopped
since Tuesday night, on the Maoists' insistence.

Layak was abducted on Saturday by four armed men of the CPI-Maoist
from Dalbhumgarh block of East Singhbhum district.

http://www.centralchronicle.com/viewnews.asp?articleID=27404

Pak wants resumption of composite dialogue: Gilani
Posted On Thursday, February 18, 2010
Agencies
Islamabad, Feb 18:

Pakistan wants resumption of the stalled composite dialogue with India
but "the vibes emanating from the other side have not been
encouraging," Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said on Thursday.

Gilani made the remarks while discussing the state of Indo-Pak
relations and the forthcoming foreign secretary-level talks with
visiting US special representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan,
Richard Holbrooke.
Pakistan is committed to peace in the region and the government is
"making sincere efforts for resumption of the composite dialogue
process with India," Gilani said.

However, he "regretted that the vibes emanating from the other side
have not been encouraging."

Relations between India and Pakistan "should not become hostage to the
activities of terrorists," who are the common enemy, Gilani was quoted
as saying in a statement issued by his office.

He said both countries "must address core issues, including Kashmir
and water disputes," for lasting peace in the region.

Gilani and Holbrooke also held wide-ranging discussions on various
issues, including the major offensive against the Taliban launched by
the US-led forces in Afghanistan and proposed US-Pakistan strategic
dialogue.

The premier hoped that the strategic dialogue would be "scheduled
expeditiously to discuss agreed components during the first half of
2010" as had been agreed during US secretary of state Hillary
Clinton's visit to the country last year.

Gilani "underlined the imperative of the strategic dialogue for
building trust to remove misperceptions or misgivings prevalent on
both sides."

On being briefed by Holbrooke and his team on 'Operation Mushtarik',
the new campaign launched by the US in Afghanistan, Gilani expressed
concerns about the "spill-over of refugees and militants" from
Afghanistan's Helmand region into Balochistan and North West Frontier
Province in Pakistan.

He hoped these concerns will be kept in mind by US and ISAF
(International Security Assistance Force) troops and there would be
enhanced coordination and cooperation with Pakistani armed forces in
this regard.
Referring to Pakistan's burgeoning energy needs, Gilani called for
fast-tracking of dialogue in this sector to mitigate the power
shortage in the country.

He hoped that projects identified in the US strategy for regional
stabilisation would be implemented on a priority basis.

Gilani also expressed concern about delay in disbursement of money
from the Coalition Support Fund and in the release of aid to Pakistan
under the Kerry-Lugar Act, saying this was adversely affecting the
economy.
Holbrooke, who arrived in Islamabad after visiting Kabul, briefed
Gilani on the political situation in Afghanistan and the operation
against militants in Helmand province.

http://www.centralchronicle.com/viewnews.asp?articleID=27402

JeM militants killed in Kashmir
Posted On Thursday, February 18, 2010
United News Of India
Srinagar, Feb 18:

Security forces today gunned down both the militants of Jaish-e-
Mohammad (JeM) who remained holed up in a house in south Kashmir
district of Pulwama since last night.

Official sources said the forces launched a massive offensive this
afternoon and killed both the militants, who were firing from the
house.

They were identified as Altaf Ahmad Baba and Javid Ahmad.

Two AK rifles and other arms and ammunition were recovered from them.

The residents alleged that the forces blasted the house, killing both
the JeM militants.

A Defence ministry spokesman said the operation was on to neutralise
the holed up militants, who refused to surrender.

Giving details about the incident, he said, a tip-off was received
that a group of militants were hiding in a village in Pulwama
district.

Immediately, Army, state police and Central Reserve Police Force
(CRPF) launched a joint operation. However, when the area was being
sealed, The militants hiding in the house opened fire with automatic
weapons.

The militants were repeatedly being asked to surrender.

He said the residents in the nearby houses were immediately shifted to
safer places. However, no final assault could be launched because of
the darkness, he said, adding the cordon around the area was further
tightened to foil any attempt by the militants to escape.

He said intermittent firing was going on during the night which has
intensified since first light today.
Though the exact number of militants inside the house was not
immediately known, the spokesman said, adding the number could be two.

This was the third such incident in the Kashmir valley during the past
four days.

Two militants were gunned down by the security forces in Baramulla
yesterday while as many others were killed in Kulgam district
recently.

http://www.centralchronicle.com/viewnews.asp?articleID=27401

Strictly adhere to visa norms
Posted On Thursday, February 18, 2010
United News Of India
New Delhi, Fen 18

In view of heightened threat perceptions following the Pune blast, the
Home Ministry today asked all Central Ministries and departments and
Chief Secretaries of all State Governments and UTs to strictly adhere
to the revised procedure for grant of Conference Visa to foreign
participants coming to India for attending international conferences,
seminars and workshops.

The detailed guidelines in this regard were earlier put in place on
July 15, last year.

The Ministry reiterated that those coming to participate in
conferences in India from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, Iran, Iraq,
Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Sudan and foreigners of Pakistan origin and
stateless persons are required to get security clearance from the
Ministry only.

http://www.centralchronicle.com/viewnews.asp?articleID=27400

INDORE, February 18, 2010
BJP criticises move to resume talks with Pak
Special Correspondent

The Bharatiya Janata Party here on Thursday launched a no-holds barred
attack on the government’s security policies, criticising the move to
resume the stalled dialogue with Pakistan and charging it with an
intention to dilute India’s administrative control over Jammu and
Kashmir.

In a resolution adopted by the party’s National Council here, it said
the government was confused and could not respond adequately to the
worsening internal security situation racked not only by terrorism but
also the violence of Maoist-led groups. It charged the government with
following a weak-kneed policy towards China which was showing a “new
belligerence” with regard to its claims in Arunachal Pradesh.

Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley drafted and
moved the security resolution while chief ministers Narendra Modi and
Raman Singh supported it. Mr. Jaitley’s charge was that the UPA
policies would once again “internationalise” the Kashmir issue.

The resolution asked the government to “re-visit” its decision to
resume the dialogue with Pakistan, and said if it is held, it must be
terrorism-centric, not focused on Kashmir. The party also pointed out
“no dialogue is a legitimate… diplomatic option.”

“Nehruvian blunder”

The party said special status for Kashmir was a “Nehruvian blunder”
that had created a “psychological barrier” preventing the full
integration of Jammu and Kashmir with India. It criticised regional
parties which had recently raised the autonomy cry, as if lack of
adequate power with the State government was the problem responsible
for terrorism.

Mr. Modi, who had reportedly praised Home Minister Chidambaram’s
handling of security recently, described the Centre as the “Delhi
Sultanate,” an expression perhaps intended to emphasise the party’s
charge of “appeasement” of minorities as a part of the UPA’s anti-
terrorism policy.

He charged the UPA with finding no time to talk to the Opposition on
security issues but having all the time to re-start a dialogue with
Pakistan. He warned that India’s response to security issues cannot
succeed unless the Centre and the States act in coordination and speak
in one voice.

Mr. Raman Singh defended Chhattisgarh’s record and said it was a
misconception to think the tribals support Maoist groups. He claimed
they were voluntarily coming forward to fight naxalism, which posed
the most important security threat to the country.

Speaking later, BJP vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi made the most
serious charge, saying “Congress ke haath atankwad ke saath” — the
Congress hand is with terrorism. He also wondered how and why the Al
Qaeda had found roots in India under the UPA when it was not present
during the Vajpayee regime.

The Congress, he said, has identified Muslims with Dawoods and Haji
Mastaans while the BJP had projected the former President, Abdul
Kalam, as the Muslim role model.

http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article109205.ece

...and I am Sid Harth
chhotemianinshallah
15 years ago
Permalink
15,000 securitymen for anti-Naxal ops

By India News, Latest News in India, Live News India, India Breaking
News - Times of India

As Maoists continued to strike at will, the Centre is planning to
deploy around 15,000 additional paramilitary personnel by April in the
Naxal-affected states to deal with the extremists.

This entry was posted on Thursday, February 18th, 2010 at 3:24 pm

http://www.waltercassano.com/blog/?p=50252

LIBERAL FASCISM IN INDIA

February 15th, 2010 | 4 Comments | Posted in Great Hindu Liberal
fascism is actually a mental disease that strikes the English educated
youths in India – who are cut off from reality.

They will swear by liberalism but will fly into a rage whenever
somebody proposes a different point of view.
Even if there are… n… number of Islamic terrorist attacks, they will
say that Islam is a religion of peace and brotherhood.

Even if there are unprovoked attacks from those terrorists, they will
continue to harass the State and police on the charges of human
rights.

Even if the truth is presented to them, they will deny those evidence
on false charges of fabrication.
Even if you show them the terror verses in Koran, they will say that
it is wrong translation.

Even if you show them the terror lines in Hadiths, they will say that
Muslims don’t beleive in it although terrorists do.

In the face of unprovoked Islamic terror attacks, they will say that
the oh-so-poor terrorists only reacted to “Hindu fundamentalism”.

Even after conviction of n number of Islamic terrorists, they will say
that terrorists have no religion.

However, they will gleefully brand Hindus as “terrorists” even though
not a single Hindu has been convicted by the Court on charges of
terrorism.

In short, the liberal fascists in India will always stand by the
Naxal, Christian and Islamic terrorists in the face of evidence.

And when the poor Hindus strikes back against terrorism, they will
photograph and display to the world what they call “Hindu Terrorism”.

The entire Indian media is filled with Liberal Fascists. There is
only one solution to this problem. Hindus should have their own media
with a commitment to Truth. And this is what the Liberal Fascists
lack — Commitment to Truth.

views, 27 so far today |

http://news.hinduworld.com/click_frameset.php?ref_url=/index.php&url=http%3A%2F%2Fvivekajyoti.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F02%2Fliberal-fascists-in-india-will-always.html

http://hindu.theuniversalwisdom.org/liberal-fascists-india-will-always-stand-naxal-christian-and-islamic-terrorists-face-evidence

Can Naxals Be Defeated?
Thursday, February 18, 2010

Title of the post could also have been do we want to defeat
naxals?.Naxals killed 24 of eastern rifle personnel few days back and
again killed 9 villagers in what they call as revenge act. The fault
of those villagers was that they informed police about naxals.

Home Ministry had already hinted about lack of preparedness of police
in case of 24 eastern rifle killing.

Naxal problem is not just bunch of rebels but bit deeper than that.
Here paramilitary and police have to deal with armed rebels who have
disillusioned tribals too. Naxals use fear as their mode of operation.
Beheading police officers to induce fears among police ranks. Brutally
killing of villagers who inform police , inducing fears among
informers and inducing fear of survival among tribals to get manpower.

They have intellectual supports from sympathizers. These sympathizers
feel tribals , poorest being harmed by development and support naxal
cause against what they call as police atrocity.

But what adds to difficulty of center to act tough against Naxals is
lack of consences among political parties. Mamta who is seen coming
state election as golden opportunity to nail cpm in its strong hold,
wants center to go soft of naxals. Mamta is biggest ally of upa . Sibu
Soren who recently became chief minister of jharkhand again also
favors talks and going slow on naxals. Sibu Soren gave tickets to
former naxalites and is alleged to have used naxal help to win some
seats in state election. Nitish kumar too has come under criticism in
handling of naxals. Sibu and Nitesh are BJP's allies.

The biggest challenge in defeating naxals is politics. Till all
political parties decide of no using naxal for their advantage , how
can their be strong national will to crush naxals. Secondly defeating
naxal is first step which has to be followed by rapid development or
else naxals would come back.

Can Naxals Be Defeated?. Answer is No , in present circumstances. It
can be defeated only when political parties stop dirty politics ,
police's preparedness is enhanced , police makes sure operation takes
care of human rights and intellectuals understand that development can
only bring tribals to main stream.

at 12:29 AM

http://indiansawaal.blogspot.com/2010/02/can-naxals-be-defeated.html

Ashfaqulla Khan-Tribute To Less Known Freedom Fighters
Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Ashfaqulla Khan is one of great freedom fighters of India. Youngest
among siblings ashfaqulla was born to shafiqur rahman who was in
police department of British India.

Dejected by gandhiji's withdrawal of non cooperation moment ashfaqulla
joined revolutionaries.

Devot Muslim , ashfaqulla had close relationship with pandit ram
bismil. Another example of communal harmony seen during freedom
struggle in 1920s.

Convinced that non violence wont make Britishers give India ,its long
due freedom ashfaqulla and his revolutionary friends like azad ,
lahiri, bismil decided to use weapons to challenge might of british
empire.

Revolutionary movement required money to sustain and Bismil planned to
loot government teasury.

On 9 August 1925 Ashfaqulla and other revolutionaries, namely Pandit
Ram Prasad Bismil, Rajendra Lahiri, Thakur Roshan Singh, Sachindra
Bakshi, Chandrashekar Azad, Keshab Chakravarthy, Banwari Lal, Mukundi
Lal, Manmathnath Gupta looted the train carrying British government
money in Kakori near Lucknow.

Bismil was captured by police 15 days after the loot but ashfaq
remained uncaught. He went to banaras where he worked in a engineering
company. He remained there for 10 months. Good in engineering ,
ashfaqulla decided to pursue engineering going out of India and assist
in freedom struggle with help of engineering knowledge.

Asfaqullah went to his friend in Delhi. But his friend , pathan
betrayed him and informed police about his where abouts.

He was arrested. To create communal divides among revolutionaries and
get asfaqullah's support to crush the movement , ashfaqullah was tried
to be wooed by tasadruk khan , police superintendent. Tasadruk tried
to convince ashfaqullah that if britisher go , hindu India would not
be good for Muslims of subcontinent.

Asfaqullah is said to have replied that he was sure that hindu India
will be much better than british India for all communities.

On 19 december 1927 ashfaqullah was hanged by britishers.

Ashfaqullah , Bhagat singh , bismil , azad , sukhdev were
revolutionary freedom fighters who gave their lives for India.
Undivided whole India with vision of having a country which would give
better lives to all its citizen irrespective of their caste , creed
and religion.

India later got divided into India and Pakistan , Pakistan later got
divided into pakistan and bangladesh.

These legends but fought for entire subcontinent and are heros of
entire subcontinent.

at 12:44 AM

http://indiansawaal.blogspot.com/2010/02/ashfaqulla-khan-tribute-to-less-known.html

KISHENJI WAS JUST 3 KM AWAY FROM ATTACK SITE
West Bengal cops let off Naxal chief Kishenji
Sumon K Chakrabarti / CNN-IBN

Published on Thu, Feb 18, 2010 at 20:57,
Updated on Thu, Feb 18, 2010 at 23:25 in India section

TARDY ACT? Intelligence was able to track down Kishneji by tracking
his phone calls to journalists.

New Delhi: Days after the most violent Naxal attack in a police camp
in West Bengal’s Silda village, where 24 jawans of the Eastern
Frontier Rifles (EFR) were killed, an exclusive intelligence report to
which CNN-IBN has access to, reveals that the dreaded Naxal leader
Koteshwar Rao alias Kishenji could have been let off by the West
Bengal government.

Intelligence sources in New Delhi have told CNN-IBN that Kishenji was
in Sirsi village, just 3 kilometers away from the Midnapore town when
the Naxal attack was going on in Silda on Monday, February 15.

The intelligence traced his mobile tower and passed on his
(Kishenji’s) coordinates to the state police, which surprisingly chose
not to act on the intelligence information.

Intelligence was able to track down Kishneji by tracking his phone
calls to journalists, claiming the attack.

Earlier CNN-IBN had reported of the intelligence warning about a
possible Naxal attack in Sildah to the West Bengal government.

The intelligence input was specific and could have prevented the
attack. The state intelligence had sent two specific alerts to the
government on November 23, 2009 and February 13, 2010

“Mobile squad of Maoists is planning to attack Sildah camp of the
joint forces,” said one alert.

Another intelligence alert warned that Naxals were infiltrating among
students in Sildah College. All joint forces camps required to have
two local police officers present at all times. However, the local
police officers posted in Sildah camp left just 30 minutes before the
attack

The interrogation of local police officers has revealed discrepancies
in their statements. Bullets fired by Naxals during the attack were
those that are used by the state police, leading officials to suspect
that ammunition from the district police armoury reached Naxals.

Meanwhile, West Bengal's home secretary Ardhendu Sen said, "There had
been some intelligence inputs and the troops should have been more
alert. However, the exact site of the attack was not known. It is not
true that the EFR jawans did not retaliate but it cannot be denied
that there were several security lapses and a departmental inquiry is
going to be held."

The home secretary's statement comes a day after Bengal's top cop said
that there was an intelligence failure.

West Bengal Director General of Police Bhupinder Singh had said,
"Because it is not expected that inside the town the Naxals would
enter in the numbers that they did and attacked."

Meanwhile, the West Bengal Chief Minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacharya has
admitted lapses and has ordered an enquiry, after former National
Security Advisor, now West Bengal governor M K Narayanan has also
pointed out the lapses in a meeting called on Wednesday.

Buddhadeb Bhattacharya said, “There are two versions in the newspapers
today that of the DGP and that of the chief secretary, I have told
them that this cannot happen and they have to be on the same page.”

At 2 pm (IST) on Monday, the day of the attack, the state intelligence
had again warned that Maoist mobilisation was taking place at Silda.
The Naxals struck at 5 pm (IST).

Even if the EFR jawans had known, they would have been helpless
because their rifles did not work. It did not fire after the first
bullet.

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/west-bengal-cops-let-off-naxal-chief-kishenji/110360-3.html?from=tn

18/02/2010
Naxal attacks: Who failed- intelligence or state govt.?

File photo of an Indian police officer Atindranath Dutta (C), wearing
a placard that reads 'Prisoner of War' (POW), stands along with armed
Maoists activists as he is being released in Bholagara village of the
eastern Indian state of West Bengal on October 22, 2009. Photo
Courtesy: Reuters

* 150 Maoists attack a village, kill 10 on Wednesday

* Same week, on Monday about 100 ultras attacked police camp, killed
24

* Chidambaram, Bengal govt admit lapses

So the question remains, who is to be blamed -- the Home Ministry or
the State Governments?
Is it the intelligence input that failed or was state government
caught unaware? Whatever the case, the audacity of the attacks by
naxals is increasing by the day.Kidnapping and beheading of Francis
Induwar was the worse ever instance of how maoists are getting back at
the law and order machinery.

Revenge attack

As Centre and State governments were playing all gung ho over the
enquiry into the biggest ever Maoist attack in West Bengal that
included assaulting Silda paramilitary camp, looting firearms, killing
24 jawans and setting the camp on fire, naxals struck again, this time
targeting a village in Bihar, killing 10 and declaring it a 'revenge
attack'.

As soon as there was an attack involving abduction and killing of
people and officials, all political establishments and leaders, first,
make a point to condemn the attack, second, order or demand an
enquiry. And then another attack happens and same procedures are
repeated.

Three decade old, Naxal movement, has come a long way establishing
itself as one of the serious internal security threats that needs to
be curbed for a peaceful eastern India. Recent years has witnessed a
surge in Maoist violence targeting key police officials, civil
servants and commoners alike.

As per the figures by police department 235 persons fell victim to
Naxal violence between January and November 2009. They include 99
policemen, two undercover police, 11 government officials, 21 special
police officers and 102 commoners, a PTI report said.

File photo of Indian Home Minister P Chidambaram (L) addressing the
media as West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Chattacharjee looks on
after a meeting to discuss strategy to deal with Maoists. Photo
Courtesy: AFP

The brutal strike

The gravity of Naxal menace can be understood from the brutal
beheading of Jharkhand police inspector Francis Induwar by Maoists in
September 2009 amid all other killings and abductions by them. This
way, Induwar became the 339th policeman to be killed in Naxal violence
in Jharkhand between January 2003 and October 2009. The State's 20 of
the 24 districts are Maoist-infested.

Back then, the Union government had condemned the killing and termed
it unacceptable.

Another 'bloody' decade?

This year saw a violent three-day shutdown, from 7 to 9 February, by
the Maoists across Bihar, Jharkhand and Orissa. According to a IANS
report, Home Minister P Chidambaram had said that Maoists main targets
of attack were railway property and there were a total of 11 incidents
in the three states.

"Tracks were blown up, railway stations were attacked, bombs were
placed on railway property and railway officials were assaulted," he
had added.

Today, once again, India has around 34 dead including 24 policemen and
10 civilians, in a week's time in Naxal violence in West Bengal,
Chidambaram condemning the attack, state police promising to continue
fighting the ultras, state government ordering an enquiry into the
incident and left-wing extremists proudly claiming the attack.

File photo of West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee. Top
Home Ministry sources claimed, West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb
Bhattacharjee had opposed any large-scale armed conflict against the
Maoists till even 2008. Photo Courtesy: PTI

Naxals challenging Chidambaram

Ironically, the attack comes barely a week after Chidambaram met
officials of Orissa, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal in Kolkata to
launch an inter-state operation against the Maoists.

What makes it even worse is the fact that the West Bengal government
had intelligence warnings that Maoists were 'assembling' in the area
around Shilda police camp and there could be a possible attack. They
now say that police needs to be trained better to face such
situations, that is after having a long history of losing policemen to
Naxal violence.

The blame game

This gave Centre a reason to blame the Bengal government and express
dismay at the 'unprofessional, incompetent, untrained and inadequate'
response of the state police force to the Maoist attack on Monday.

There were 'indications of failure' in a police camp with 'adequate
strength' being overrun by Maoists, home minister P Chidambaram said
on Tuesday.

Top Home Ministry sources claimed, West Bengal chief minister
Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee had opposed any large-scale armed conflict
against the Maoists till even 2008 and the Left government's policy of
tackling these ultra-Left through political process has taken a toll
on the effectiveness of the police forces against the Maoists.

Meanwhile, the CPI(M), the ruling coalition leader in Bengal, is not
in a mood to accept the criticisms easily and raised questions about
the Centre's responsibility on bringing various states on board in
fighting the Maoist menace.

"Home Minister announced just a couple of weeks ago that all states
have agreed to fight the Naxalites. If that is so, why did Bihar chief
minister Nitish Kumar and Jharkhand CM skip the meeting in Kolkata to
discuss strategies of anti-Maoist operations?" a Central Committee
member of the CPI(M) told Business Standard on Thursday.

Rescue workers carry the body of a policeman at a police camp attacked
by Maoist rebels in Silda village, Midnapore district of West Bengal.
On Monday, about 24 jawans were killed in the biggest-ever Maoist
assault when the rebels caught the troops unaware. Photo Courtesy:
Reuters

Politics behind the war

Even as it accepts the failure of the police forces privately, the
CPI(M) leadership is seeking strengthened operations against the
Maoists from other states as well.

"Jharkhand government has almost stopped action against Maoists.
Chidambaram must ensure the newly elected Shibu Soren government in
Jhrakhand resumes the full-fledged operations. Otherwise, Bengal will
bear the burn," said a CPI(M) leader in Delhi.

Amid all the mess, a highly optimistic prominent member of the
CPI(M)'s Central Committee Nilotpal Basu said, "The violence of the
Maoists will never succeed. We will never surrender to them."

Haven't we heard it enough? Don't we know that the Naxal violence,
killing of innocents, leaders condemning attacks, ordering enquiries
and the pushing the blame is all a part of three decade old blame game
---- where ultras are blaming the authority, State's blaming the
Centre, Centre blaming the State, the Opposition blaming the
government and commoners like us blame them all. Is there an end to
it? If yes, then isn't it time for us to identify the beginning of
that end at least?

Source: India Syndicate

http://news.in.msn.com/national/article.aspx?cp-documentid=3637832&page=0

...and I am Sid Harth
chhotemianinshallah
15 years ago
Permalink
The year gone by was the year when Naxalism emerged as a major
internal security threat making its presence felt in the public arena.
The Naxals not only extended their area of influence beyond the Red
Corridor but also shook the centres of power with their changing
tactics.

Move to Year 2010 and little has changed on the ground. The three-
decade-old Naxal movement, more brazen than ever before, is still
keeping states on the edge.

Through this photofeature, we revisit the bloody trail of Naxalism in
India.(NDTV photo)

http://www.ndtv.com/news/photos/album-details.php?albumPage=1&id=6843&Album=PHOTO_GALLERY&AlbumTitle=Naxal+attacks%3A+A+bloody+timeline

ebruary 18, 2010: In what is being called a 'revenge' attack, 10
people in Jamui district of Bihar were killed and 25 houses were set
on fire as over 120 heavily-armed Maoists swooped down on Kasari
village.(NDTV photo)

http://www.ndtv.com/news/photos/album-details.php?albumPage=2&id=6843&Album=PHOTO_GALLERY&AlbumTitle=Naxal+attacks%3A+A+bloody+timeline

The attack was reportedly in retaliation to police arresting eight
Maoists from this area, with help from villagers. After the incident,
the Maoists had in fact threatened to retaliate.(NDTV photo)

http://www.ndtv.com/news/photos/album-details.php?albumPage=3&id=6843&Album=PHOTO_GALLERY&AlbumTitle=Naxal+attacks%3A+A+bloody+timeline

February 16, 2010: A truckload of Naxals, men and women, surrounded
the Shilda camp in West Midnapore, located in a busy market. As many
as thirty-six policemen were resting in their tents, oblivious to the
deadly fate in store for them.(NDTV photo)

http://www.ndtv.com/news/photos/album-details.php?albumPage=4&id=6843&Album=PHOTO_GALLERY&AlbumTitle=Naxal+attacks%3A+A+bloody+timeline

From across the low walls of the camp, petrol bombs and grenades
landed with fury. Twenty-four policemen died, some of them burnt
inside their tents. Another seven were injured as nearly a hundred
Naxals, who burst in with sophisticated firearms and separated the
camp with bullets. (NDTV photo)

http://www.ndtv.com/news/photos/album-details.php?albumPage=5&id=6843&Album=PHOTO_GALLERY&AlbumTitle=Naxal+attacks%3A+A+bloody+timeline

Maoist leader Kishenji claimed responsibility for the attack.

"We have attacked the camp and this is our answer to Chidambaram's
'Operation Green Hunt' and unless the Centre stops this inhuman
military operation we are going to answer this way only," Kishenji
said from an undisclosed location.

The Centre was outraged by the brazen attack on policemen. In his
statement, Home Minister P Chidambaram hit out at intellectual
sympathisers of Maoists. "I would like to hear the voices of
condemnation of those who have, erroneously, extended intellectual and
material support to the CPI (Maoist)."(NDTV photo)

The massacre of 24 jawans by the Maoists saw an outpouring of grief as
families grieved the loss of their loved ones at the funeral that saw
a gun salute by their colleagues of the Eastern Frontier Rifles.(NDTV
photo)

http://www.ndtv.com/news/photos/album-details.php?albumPage=7&id=6843&Album=PHOTO_GALLERY&AlbumTitle=Naxal+attacks%3A+A+bloody+timeline

November 20, 2009: One person was killed and nearly 60 injured as
Maoists struck by blowing up a railway track in Jharkhand just as a
train was passing by.

Eight coaches of the Tata-Bilaspur passenger train were derailed near
Posaita station, 120 km from Jamshedpur, close to the Jharkhand-Orissa
border. (NDTV Photo)

http://www.ndtv.com/news/photos/album-details.php?albumPage=8&id=6843&Album=PHOTO_GALLERY&AlbumTitle=Naxal+attacks%3A+A+bloody+timeline

Three coaches, carrying central forces, were badly damaged. The train
was on its way from Jamshedpur in Jharkhand to Bilaspur in
Chhattisgarh.

This was the first time that the Maoists blew up the tracks while the
train was passing by. They usually blow up tracks hours before the
scheduled passing of a train. (NDTV Photo)

http://www.ndtv.com/news/photos/album-details.php?albumPage=9&id=6843&Album=PHOTO_GALLERY&AlbumTitle=Naxal+attacks%3A+A+bloody+timeline

The guard of the train said there was a strong jerk as the train was
moving and stone chips went flying in all directions. There was a
cloud of dust as the train came to a halt. (NDTV Photo)

http://www.ndtv.com/news/photos/album-details.php?albumPage=10&id=6843&Album=PHOTO_GALLERY&AlbumTitle=Naxal+attacks%3A+A+bloody+timeline

The trigger- Maoists had called for a 24-hour bandh in Jharkhand,
protesting against the assembly elections. (NDTV Photo)

http://www.ndtv.com/news/photos/album-details.php?albumPage=11&id=6843&Album=PHOTO_GALLERY&AlbumTitle=Naxal+attacks%3A+A+bloody+timeline

October 27, 2009: This was perhaps the most brazen attacks of them
all. The Delhi-Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Express screeched to a halt at the
Banshtala stop near Jhargram in West Midnapore district after its two
drivers were taken hostage by Maoist-backed People's Committee against
Police Atrocities. Their demand- release our leader Chhatradhar
Mahato. (PTI Photo)

http://www.ndtv.com/news/photos/album-details.php?albumPage=12&id=6843&Album=PHOTO_GALLERY&AlbumTitle=Naxal+attacks%3A+A+bloody+timeline

The entire drama began at about 2.45 pm. As the train chugged along
the tracks on its way to Delhi from Bhubaneswar, hundreds of armed men
appeared on the tracks, waving red flags. (NDTV Photo)


http://www.ndtv.com/news/photos/album-details.php?albumPage=13&id=6843&Album=PHOTO_GALLERY&AlbumTitle=Naxal+attacks%3A+A+bloody+timeline

The driver and his assistant were then taken hostage. The armed men
asked passengers to get out of the train. Officers of the Railway
Protection Force who were on the train began exchanging fire with
them. (Image Courtesy: Channel 10)

http://www.ndtv.com/news/photos/album-details.php?albumPage=14&id=6843&Album=PHOTO_GALLERY&AlbumTitle=Naxal+attacks%3A+A+bloody+timeline

Amid reports that the PCPA was demanding the release of its leader
Chhatradhar Mahato, the activists painted graffitti on the sides of
the train in praise of him. Their demands had been laid bare-- Set
free our leader. (Image Courtesy: Channel 10)

http://www.ndtv.com/news/photos/album-details.php?albumPage=15&id=6843&Album=PHOTO_GALLERY&AlbumTitle=Naxal+attacks%3A+A+bloody+timeline

Speaking to NDTV, top Naxal leader denied that his men were involved
with the attack on the train. It was he who first said the PCPA was
responsible. The PCPA is believed to be a front for the Naxals in the
Lalgarh area. (NDTV Photo)

http://www.ndtv.com/news/photos/album-details.php?albumPage=16&id=6843&Album=PHOTO_GALLERY&AlbumTitle=Naxal+attacks%3A+A+bloody+timeline

Naxal leader Kishenji warned the government not to send police forces
into the area and asked Railway Minister Mamata Banerjie to visit the
area to negotiate with them. Mamata said she was ready to talk to
anyone, but the passengers should be released. (NDTV Photo)

http://www.ndtv.com/news/photos/album-details.php?albumPage=17&id=6843&Album=PHOTO_GALLERY&AlbumTitle=Naxal+attacks%3A+A+bloody+timeline

Though traumatised, the passengers said they had been treated rather
well by the activists. (Image Courtesy: Channel 10)

Total of 45 gruesome pictures...

http://www.ndtv.com/news/photos/album-details.php?albumPage=45&id=6843&Album=PHOTO_GALLERY&AlbumTitle=Naxal+attacks%3A+A+bloody+timeline

...and I am Sid Harth
chhotemianinshallah
15 years ago
Permalink
Centre, Left engage in war of words on countering Naxals
BS Reporter / New Delhi February 18, 2010, 0:26 IST

The fatal Maoist attack in West Bengal’s Silda on Monday has spurred a
new war of words between the Congress-led Centre and the Left ruled
state government. The Central government, notwithstanding the pressure
of its key ally Trinamool Congress, has been supportive of the anti-
Naxal operations in Bengal.

But now, the top brass of the government is extremely upset over the
“unpreparedness” and “callous” attitude of the state force while
Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress, once again, got an opportunity
to raise questions about the effectiveness of the Centre-state joint
operations.

The CPI(M), the ruling coalition leader in Bengal, is not in a mood to
accept the criticisms easily. It has also raised questions about the
Centre’s responsibility on bringing various states on board in
fighting the Maoist menace.

“Home Minister announced just a couple of weeks ago that all states
have agreed to fight the Naxalites. If that is so, why did Bihar chief
minister Nitish Kumar and Jharkhand CM skip the meeting in Kolkata to
discuss strategies of anti-Maoist operations?” A Central Committee
member of the CPI(M) told Business Standard today.

A top minister of the UPA felt “shocked” after getting the reports of
the unpreparedness of the Eastern Frontier Rifles camp in Silda where
24 security personnel were killed.

“There was no guard at the gates of the camp. Some personnel were
playing cards, some were busy eating and most of them didn’t take the
situation seriously despite the fact that they were in hotbed of
Maoist territory. This incident and the previous one where a senior
police officer was abducted shows that the state government has not
prepared its forces properly to combat this menace.”

Top Home Ministry sources claimed, West Bengal chief minister
Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee had opposed any large-scale armed conflict
against the Maoists till even 2008 and the Left government’s policy of
tackling these ultra-Left through political process has taken a toll
on the effectiveness of the police forces against the Maoists.

Union Home Minister P Chidambaram also spoke about “indications of
failure” in a police camp despite the “adequate strength” of the
security forces in his initial statement on Tuesday.

According to top sources, Chidambaram delivered a strong message to
West Bengal CM on Tuesday when he called the later after the incident.

Even the Central leadership of the CPI(M) expressed its shock and
surprise on how the police camp can be attacked in this manner.

Even as it accepts the failure of the police forces privately, the
CPI(M) leadership is seeking strengthened operations against the
Maoists from other states as well.

“Jharkhand government has almost stopped action against Maoists.
Chidambaram must ensure the newly elected Shibu Soren government in
Jhrakhand resumes the full-fledged operations. Otherwise, Bengal will
bear the burn,” said a CPI(M) leader in Delhi.

“The violence of the Maoists will never succeed. We will never
surrender to them,” said Nilotpal Basu, a prominent member of the
CPI(M)’s Central Committee—the highest decision making body of the red
party.

“It is a dastardly attack and I can only say it has strengthened our
resolve to fight this menace,” Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said
today.

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/centre-left-engage-in-warwordscountering-naxals/386084/

Intellectuals form a third platform in Bengal
Devjyot Ghoshal & Ishita Ayan Dutt / Kolkata February 15, 2010, 0:57
IST

Last Tuesday, Home Minister P Chidambaran was at the Writers’ Building
reviewing and planning operations against the Naxalites across four
affected states in the east, including West Bengal. A few hundred
meters away, a section of the Bengal intelligentsia led by Mahasweta
Devi, writer and social activist, burnt effigies of the home minister
and West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee.

The open protest was symbolic of a truth that runs across the
political fault line in the state: that the Bengal intelligentsia that
stood by Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Mamata Banerjee is now
divided on how to resolve the fracas at Lalgarh — a generic name that
represents the Naxal-stricken tribal heartland of West Bengal.

Although it remains undebatable that the major political parties in
the state — the CPI(M) and the TMC — are clearly divided on the way
forward at Lalgarh, there is brewing resentment within Mamata
Banerjee’s cultural camp on how the issue is being handled, more so
with Banerjee now distancing herself from the Naxalites.

The Bengali intelligentsia that had unprecedentedly come together in
support of Banerjee during the altercations at Nandigram and Singur,
and raised the decibel level particularly before the Lok Sabha
elections, is now seemingly fragmented.

In many ways, TMC MP Kabir Suman, singer, composer and former
journalist who, contested his first election last year, is leading the
charge.

“There is an ingrained racism and paternalism, along with a lack of
understanding of the real problem at Lalgarh. Unlike Nandigram, the
people fighting against the administration are not (ethnically)
Bengalis, they are adivasis. These are people who are ready to fight
on their own and for them, the TMC is not the clear alternative,” says
Suman, while explaining why many intellectuals have remained silent on
the issue.

It is his assertion that the perception of the PCPA (People’s
Committee against Police Atrocities) being a frontal organisation for
the ultra-Left rebels is incorrect, but despite this, the very risk of
being labeled a Naxal-sympathiser is prompting “the Bengali
bourgeoisie” to keep Lalgarh at an arms length.

“Some of them (intellectuals), who are now part of lucrative Railways’
committees, stood at the rally at Singur to say they hadn’t come to
join the movement but to take stock of the situation. There were those
who had sided with Buddhdeb (Bhattacharjee), now they have sided with
Mamata (Banerjee). But there is a third-voice and I am part of that,”
he adds.

Despite Suman’s tacit admission that much is unwell in the TMC
intellectual club, filmmaker and journalist Rituparno Ghosh believes
the coming together of a certain political party and independent
thinkers was temporal.

Explaining the support for the TMC at Nandigram and Singur by the
intelligentsia, once the champions of the Left Front, he says, “It was
not a conflict of ideology. It was more of protest against suddenly
blossoming of capitalism. And although it was a citizens’ protest
against the administration, right from the beginning, it became a
movement of one (political) party against the other, rather than an
appeal for justice.”

Ghosh argues that since many who comprise the intellectual community
have disagreed on Lalgarh, it is now coming across as a different
stand.

“They (the intellectual) were misconstrued as a glorified mouthpiece
for a particular party. Now, that they’re expressing their own
opinion, it’s looking like a political rift. They have stayed, the
party has shifted,” he adds.

Mahasweta Devi, who is known to be close to Mamata Banerjee said, “I
don’t have to abide by what Trinamool is saying. I have been
supporting the cause for 42 years.”

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/intellectuals-formthird-platform-in-bengal/00/28/385734/

Kishenji calls for boycott of Srikrishna committee
Press Trust Of India / Kolkata February 15, 2010, 0:35 IST

Naxalites today gave a call for boycott of Justice B N Srikrishna
Committee, entrusted by the Centre to look into Telangana statehood
issue, describing the terms of reference of the panel as "betrayal of
people". "The terms of reference of Srikrishna Committee set up by the
Union government are a betrayal of the Telangana people," Naxalite
leader Kishenji told PTI over phone from an undisclosed location.
After committing to create a separate Telengana state out of Andhra
Pradesh, the central government was now hatching a conspiracy to
backtrack from the promise, the Maoist leader claimed.

"All MPs and MLAs from Telangana should resign immediately and people
of the region should unite for a greater movement to realise creation
of Telegana state," Kishenji said.

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/kishenji-calls-for-boycottsrikrishna-committee/23/58/385704/

Chhattisgarh plans to choke funds
R Krishna Das / Kolkata/ Raipur January 29, 2010, 0:54 IST

Chhattisgarh government could consider changing the state's tendupatta
policy in a move to choke the income line of the Naxalites. The
Naxalites, have been amassing fund from the contractors.

The money ran into crores of rupees and had been one of the major
sources of income for the rebels.

Chhattisgarh produces the best quality tendu (Diasporas melonoxylon)
leaves. The state has the potential to produce 2 million standard bags
of tendu leaves that are used as Beedi wrappers.

The state government took a major tendupatta policy decision in 2004.
Instead of selling leaves stored in the godown, the government decided
to introduce forward trading which is selling the leaves in advance to
the purchaser. However, the collection of leaves and the payment of
wages to the pluckers will be done by the primary co-operative society
only.

Sources said that the private purchasers were treating the leaves at
collection centre, transport and store in the godowns in the Naxal-
infested pockets. To avoid damage in the store or during
transportation from the red zone, the rebels were extorting huge money
from the contractors.

"The Chhattisgarh government is ready to change its tendupatta policy
but the neighbouring states should also follow suit to enable a
uniform policy in the Naxal-infested states," Chief Minister Raman
Singh said.

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/chhattisgarh-plans-to-choke-funds/21/36/383896/

...and I am Sid Harth
chhotemianinshallah
15 years ago
Permalink
Red terror

Thursday, February 18, 2010 0:14 IST

The massacre of policemen by Maoists in the Midnapore district of West
Bengal points once again to the apparent collapse of the
administration in that state. That the policemen were ambushed was bad
enough but that they were without adequate means to defend themselves
is inexcusable.

But the bigger question for the Left Front government is why and how
the Naxal menace has reappeared in West Bengal, more than three
decades after it was apparently not just wiped out but solid land
reforms were undertaken. When the Left came to power in 1977, it was
Bengal’s rural areas that it concentrated on, while neglecting
Calcutta and other cities. The message at that time was clear:
equitable distribution of land was needed to set right the class and
caste discriminations of the past. The concerns of the bourgeoisie
were unimportant and best ignored.

But revelations of the past few years — especially since the protests
of Nandigram and Singur — suggest that 33 years of communist rule not
only drove industry out of Bengal but also neglected the villages.
Complacency and arrogance became the hallmarks of the communist cadre
as election after election seemed to prove that the Left was
inviolable in Bengal. They took longevity and continuity as an excuse
for lack of action. In some sense, there is a parallel here with the
first few decades of Congress rule in India, where the party started
to believe that it was greater than the country itself. It took a few
electoral jolts and some years in the wilderness for the party to get
back on track.

It was the agitations by farmers against industrial takeover of their
lands — with the full collusion of the government — which turned
India’s eye to the real story of the years of neglect that the people
of Bengal have suffered from. The state has not managed to do well on
too many social and human development indicators and surely part of
this Maoist resurgence comes from widespread social dissatisfaction
and despair. In its arrogance or even its apathy, the government has
not managed to join the counter attack on Maoists launched by the
Centre, even though it has faced the brunt of Maoist attacks. For
years, the refrain in Bengal was that although its own village of
Naxalbari was the font of the movement, Naxalites no longer had any
traction in that state. That is no longer true. And a beleaguered
government does not seem to have the answers or the determination to
deal with this renewed threat.

http://www.dnaindia.com/opinion/editorial_red-terror_1349229

No terror link charges against 2 Britons established: Police
Thursday, February 18, 2010 17:45 IST

New Delhi: Delhi police has not established any terror link against
two Britons detained for allegedly recording conversation between
pilots and the Air Traffic Control.

"We have not pressed charges against them till now. No terror link has
been established. We are exploring whether they could be booked under
the Indian Telegraph Act and Aircraft Rule," a senior police official
said.

Stephen Hampston, 46, and Steve Martin, 55, whose movements were
restricted by police to a posh hotel, were detained by The Foreigner
Regional Registration Offices (FRRO) yesterday.

Authorities are considering booking the duo under Section 25 of Indian
Telegraph Act which prohibits interception. If convicted, the duo may
have to undergo imprisonment for a maximum of three years, or with
fine or with both, the official said.

The Britons, employed with railways in UK, were confined to Radisson
Hotel near international airport here from Monday night after the
hotel staff reported about their "suspicious" activities.

The duo, who were in possession of sophisticated equipment, claimed
they were into plane-spotting and it was their hobby.

"The Britons were taken to Lampur detention centre and they will stay
there till verification is complete. Various agencies, including
National Investigation Agency, Intelligence Bureau and Delhi police
have interrogated them," he said.

The Union home ministry had on Tuesday asked Delhi police to examine
whether the provisions of the Indian Telegraph Act be invoked against
them.

Besides examining the sophisticated equipment, investigators checked
hard disks of their laptops and e-mails sent by them.

Sources said the British nationals had called up the hotel from London
before their trip, specifically demanding a room overlooking the
international airport.

This is the second incident of a foreign national being detained in
the capital in past one week. An American citizen Winston Marshall
Carmichael was detained at the airport here on February nine after
security personnel detected a knife in his hand baggage.

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_no-terror-link-charges-against-2-britons-established-police_1349519

Sunset of religious fascism
Amulya Ganguli
Wednesday, February 17, 2010 0:35 IST

India can be a useful field of study for students of fascism
considering the suddengrowth and acrimonious splintering of the far-
right elements. For anyone interested in finding out how the ultra-
nationalists can prosper and then fall apart, the latest rumpus
involving the BJP and the two parochial outfits of the Shiv Sena and
MNS should provide valuable material.

There is another angle, too, that of religion, which is somewhat
unusual where the xenophobes are concerned. But more of that later.
For the present, what is important is that India provides a unique
opportunity to study how fascism functions, and falters, in a
democracy considering that, till now, the doctrine has mainly been
associated with autocratic regimes.

Its lifespan, too, is rather limited, compared to a dogma like
Marxism. As an article in Contemporary Political Ideologies notes,
“the term ‘fascism’ was coined in 1919 at the time of the founding of
the Italian Fascist movement” and then the doctrine reached its
“post-1945 pariah status” when the defeat of Germany and Italy rang
its death-knell. However, the term has been loosely applied to almost
any kind of authoritarianism, whether the Pinochet-type dictatorships
or the apartheid regime, adding to the difficulty of a close
analysis.

Some of its basic features, however, are obvious. These are the
identification of a community as an enemy, contempt for democracy, the
propagation of a myth about the superiority of the Chosen People, an
unapologetic preference for violence, and so on. Of these, the marking
out of a section of people as the adversary is undoubtedly the main
feature. In India, the minorities fall in this category where the BJP
and the two Senas are concerned. But what is of interest is how and
why the targeting of such a group can change.

In a sense, this multiple choice of adversaries can be said to be the
distinctive characteristic of Indian fascism unlike what happened in,
say, Nazi Germany, where Jews were the primary hate objects although
there were others like gypsies and non-whites. If the targets of the
Shiv Sena and the MNS have been changing from “Madrasis” to Muslims to
north Indians, then the explanation lies in, first, the rupture among
the far-right parties, forcing each one of them to take a distinctive
stand to highlight its separateness and, secondly, the diminishing
political gains from a continuous focus on a single community.
That does not mean, of course, that the other targets are embraced as
brothers. For the two Senas, the south Indians and the Muslims remain
the enemies although the spotlight for these parties has shifted at
present to the north Indians. Besides, the problem with attacking
Muslims is that it entails the possibility of widespread riots because
of their larger numbers, which forces the government to clamp down
with curfews and harsh police action. This, in turn, can have damaging
political and legal consequences for the instigators, as Narendra Modi
is finding out.

While these aspects of extreme right-wing politics are confined to
Maharashtra at the moment, a look at the BJP’s rise and fall can
provide a wider perspective. Its spectacular growth in the Nineties
underlines yet another distinct characteristic of Indian fascism, viz
the cynical intermingling of nationalism and religion. It has to be
remembered, of course, that in the lexicon of fascists, nationalism is
synonymous with the love of the majority for their homeland. The
minorities are second class citizens in this context, as in a
theocracy like Iran.

The BJP’s success in the Nineties was based on merging its
longstanding anti-Muslim outlook with history and myth. The historical
aspect sought to revive memories of medieval atrocities of the Muslim
invaders and linked them with the destruction of a mythical temple by
Babur on the Hindu deity Ram’s putative birthplace in Ayodhya, which
was a legend. It was this highly combustible combination of present-
day animus against Muslims with the events of a real as well as
shadowy past, which boosted the BJP’s electoral fortunes.

But it didn’t take long for the people to see through this game of
mixing religion and politics. But even before the BJP’s advance had
tapered off, the party had shifted gears (as the Shiv Sena and MNS
have done in Maharashtra) to target the Christians. If the Muslims had
remained unpatriotic “invaders”, the Christians were guilty of
conversions, which threatened to reduce Hindus to a minority, as well
as cultural dominance, which were cutting them off from their native
roots. For all these nimble-footed tactics, however, it is Indian
democracy which has been the saviour as the BJP’s declining fortunes
at the national level show. In Maharashtra, too, the two parochial
outfits can never have anything more than nuisance value.

http://www.dnaindia.com/opinion/main-article_sunset-of-religious-fascism_1348785

...and I am Sid Harth
Sid Harth
15 years ago
Permalink
Naxal attack: Bihar cops ignored intel inputs
Pranava K Chaudhary, TNN, Feb 19, 2010, 02.55am IST

PATNA: Bihar police had failed to react to central intelligence inputs
that Maoists were planning a revenge attack at Phulwari in Jamui
district after eight of their cadre were lynched last month, said
sources in the state security set-up. Police gave chase to a group of
11 Maoists on January 31 in a dense forest within a rebel-dominated
area. While three of them were caught, others were killed by the
villagers. Immediately after the incident, central intelligence had
alerted police about a possible retaliation by Maoists, sources said.

Within a fortnight, around 200 Maoists attacked the village and burnt
40 houses during a two-hour rampage. The attack left at least 12
people dead, including a woman and her child. The entire region,
including Giddhaur, Bhimbandh and Parswanath (now in Jharkhand) have
become a hotbed of Maoist activities.

Intelligence sources said some of the Maoist training centres are
located in the foothills of Giddhaur, Bhimbandh and Parswanath. More
than 1,500 Maoists are active in major parts of the state. Of the 40
districts (including two police districts) in Bihar, 31 have been
declared Maoist-hit.

Thiry one of Bihar’s 38 districts are Maoist-affected. The worst-hit
16 have been categorised by Centre as Security Related Expenditure
districts. These are: Arwal, Gaya, Jehanabad, Aurangabad, Bhojpur,
East Champaran, West Champaran, Jamui, Munger, Nalanda, Nawada, Patna,
Rohtas, Sitamarhi, Kaimur and Bagaha. The government has divided the
Maoist-hit districts into A, B and C based on the number of violent
incidents over the last four years. A districts are those where more
than 10 incidents took place; B where five to nine incidents occurred
and C where less than five incidents took place.

The 20 A category districts are: Gaya, Aurangabad, Rohtas, Jamui,
Munger, Kaimur, Bhojpur, Nawada, Jehanabad, Arwal, East Champaran,
Patna, Sitamarhi, Bagaha, West Champaran, Banka, Sheohar, Lakhisarai,
Vaishali and Begusarai. The five B category districts are Buxar,
Khagaria, Muzaffarpur, Saharsa and Nalanda. The six C category
districts are Siwan, Sheikhpura, Saran, Katihar, Purnia and
Darbhanga.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Naxal-attack-Bihar-cops-ignored-intel-inputs/articleshow/5590438.cms

Naxal menace: Women cadre more ferocious
Dipak Mishra & Sanjeev Kumar Verma, TNN, Feb 19, 2010, 03.00am IST

JAMUI/PATNA: Naxals struck Phulwari village in Bihar’s Jamui district,
killing 11 villagers and kidnapping 12 others apart from gutting 30
houses late on Wednesday night.

‘‘They held me and two others captive and asked us to tell villagers
to come out of their houses,’’ Chiku Tudu, who was used as the bait to
get the Koras tribals out, said. When frightened villagers refused,
the Maoists warned them of dire consequences over a public address
system. ‘‘They specifically asked the Koras to come out. When none
emerged, they blew up two concrete houses with dynamites and set 30
thatched houses on fire,’’ Tudu said. The women cadre were more
ferocious than men, he said.

The whereabouts of Lakhan, who is said to have played a key role in
getting three top Maoists arrested from Khaira village in Jamui
district on January 31, are not known. While the police say he
survived the attack, this could not be confirmed from local sources.
None of Lakhan’s relatives were spared. A Maoist spokesman Avinash had
recently called media offices in Patna and said the outfit would
observe February 18 and 19 as protest days against the killing of
eight Maoists. The police said they would investigate this. ‘‘Only
three Maoists were arrested from Khaira village and all of them are in
judicial custody,’’ Bhagalpur DIG Amit Kumar told TOI.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Naxal-menace-Women-cadre-more-ferocious/articleshow/5590450.cms

Govt machinery has no control over Maoists : Cong
STAFF WRITER 20:50 HRS IST

Patna, Feb 18 (PTI) Lambasting the NDA government in Bihar, Congress
today said the killing of 12 people at Phulwaria Korasi village in
Jamui district has proved beyond doubt that Maoists were ruling the
roost in rural areas and the state machinery had no control over them.

Bihar PCC president Anil Kumar Sharma said the Nitish Kumar government
had failing to initiate adequate measures against the ultras killing
innocent persons in rural parts of the state.

The chief minister should provide compensation and a government job to
one member of the family of each person killed by the Naxalites, he
said.

Sharma also charged the state government with not utilising the
central fund made available to the state to counter the naxal menace.

http://www.ptinews.com/news/524914_Govt-machinery-has-no-control-over-Maoists---Cong

...and I am Sid Harth
bademiyansubhanallah
15 years ago
Permalink
Top court seeks C’garh Naxal report .
Friday, 19 February 2010 02:55 .

New Delhi, Feb. 18: The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the
Chhattisgarh government to file a status report on the follow-up
action on National Human Rights Commission recommendations relating to
protection of the rights of innocent triabals caught in cross fire of
the security forces.

The top court, however, refused to issue a direction relating to
allowing some social activists, including Nandni Sundar to visit naxal
affected area of Chhattisgarh.

Refusing to entertain such a plea by Sundar’s counsel Ashok Desai, a
Bench, headed by Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan said, "if something
untoward happens they (government) will be held responsible." The NHRC
had though given the report in October 2008, an application was moved
before the top court on Thursday by Sundar. Her counsel Desai alleged
that the state had not followed the recommendations in letter and
spirit.

But this was strongly refuted by Chhattisghar counsel K.K. Venugopal
and Mukul Rohtagi, who accused the social activists of raking up the
issue "just to hit the headlines" of the newspapers.

State’s lawyer said that arms were only provided by the state to
special police officers recruited from among the locals to assist the
security forces.

The state’s lawyer drew the top court’s attention towards the
sacrifice of security force personnel.

Age Correspondent

http://www.asianage.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3011:top-court-seeks-cgarh-naxal-report&catid=35:india&Itemid=60

Gilani: No positive vibes from India for talks .
Friday, 19 February 2010 03:10 .

Islamabad, Feb. 18: Pakistan Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on
Thursday said that India is not giving positive response for talks to
ensure peace in the region.

"The vibes emanating from the other side (India) have not been
encouraging," Mr Gilani was quoted in an official statement as telling
Richard Holbrooke, special US representative for Pakistan and
Afghanistan.

Mr Holbrooke called on the Prime Minister here along with a
delegation.

The Prime Minister said that Pakistan is committed to peace in the
region and in this context his government is making sincere efforts
for resumption of the Composite Dialogue Process with India but "the
other side" as not been that sincere.

The relations between India and Pakistan, he added, should not become
hostage to the activities of terrorists who were a common enemy. He
stressed upon the need that for lasting peace in the region, both
countries must address core issues, including Kashmir and water
disputes.

He underlined the expeditious initiation of the Pakistan-United States
strategic dialogue for building trust to remove the misgivings between
Pakistan and the US. Mr Gilani hoped the dialogue between Pakistan and
the US would be scheduled expeditiously to discuss agreed components
during the first half of 2010.

He said the holding of the dialogue was agreed during US secretary of
state’s visit to Pakistan in October last year. The Prime Minister
expressed the hope that Pakistan’s concerns regarding spill over of
refugees and militants from Helmand into Balochistan and NWFP will be
kept in view by the US and ISAF forces and there would be enhanced
coordination and cooperation with Pakistan armed forces in this
regard.

Shafqat Ali

http://www.asianage.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3028:gilani-no-positive-vibes-from-india-for-talks&catid=35:india&Itemid=60

‘Revisit Kashmir policy’ .
Friday, 19 February 2010 03:12 .

INDORE, Feb. 18: Rajya Sabha Opposition leader Arun Jaitley on
Thursday not only sought a guarantee from the Prime Minister that not
a single square inch of Indian territory in Kashmir would be
surrendered in the planned talks with Pakistan, but also asked him to
"revisit" his government’s Kashmir policy in toto.

Moving the resolution on terrorism at the BJP national convention on
Thursday, Mr Jaitley said there had been a paradigm change in the
security situation since 2004 when the NDA lost power. "All adverse".

Whereas the terror threat during the NDA years was largely external,
multiple terror modules had now sprung up in the country. The criteria
behind Indo-Pakistan relations had undergone a sea change. While talks
with Pakistan during the NDA years were conditional on assurances from
the then president, Pervez Musharraf, that his country’s territory
would not be used for insurgency operations in India, talks in the
post Sharm-al-Sheikh era was being guaranteed "with or without
terror". Pakistan was back to its old game of trying to
"internationalise" Kashmir.

Adding to the travails was the pressure from China, and their home
grown brethren, the Maoists whose activities had seeped into 170
districts. Small wonder there was a new found "assertiveness" in
China’s utterances. The whole thrust was to dilute Indian presence in
the valley.

Age Correspondent

http://www.asianage.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3030:revisit-kashmir-policy&catid=35:india&Itemid=60

Govt: Taslima visa not beyond Aug. Skip to content.Govt: Taslima visa
not beyond Aug. .
Friday, 19 February 2010 03:11 .

New Delhi, Feb. 18: The government on Thursday made it clear that the
visa of controversial Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen could not be
extended beyond August this year. Besides, the government is yet to
take a view on her plea for permanent residency in India.

The visa of Taslima Nasreen was recently extended till August 17 and
she was conveyed that this would be the last extension. Swedish
passport-holder Nasreen had sought visa under miscellaneous category
in 2005 and it has since been extended initially for a year and later
for six months. Sources said that the visa under this category could
not be extended beyond five years. The writer had earlier expressed
her desire to visit Kolkata, which has been turned down on the ground
that radical elements may try and harm her.

Taslima has lived in exile in many countries including France, Sweden,
the US and India. During her stay in India in the last five years, she
has periodically travelled abroad with the last trip being in August
2009.

Age Correspondent

http://www.asianage.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3029:govt-taslima-visa-not-beyond-aug&catid=35:india&Itemid=60

Islamabad may embarrass govt Skip to content.Islamabad may embarrass
govt .
Friday, 19 February 2010 03:08 .

New Delhi, Feb. 18: Although India has taken a calculated risk and
chosen to override domestic political apprehensions on the viability
of holding official talks with Pakistan at this stage, Islamabad’s
response can make the position sticky for the Manmohan Singh
government and lead to uncertainties.

Addressing the home constituency on television on Wednesday, external
affairs minister S.M. Krishna noted that the "composite dialogue"
process between the two countries still remained "suspended" and that
the February 25 foreign secretary talks would be "exploratory" in
nature. Islamabad has lashed out against this, alleging bad faith.

On Thursday, Pakistan foreign secretary Salman Bashir has said that
not proceeding to the composite dialogue stage was against the agenda
(of the foreign secretaries meet presumably discussed between the two
governments).

Even if this is nothing more than propagandistic noise aimed at the
Pakistan domestic constituency (much to India’s distress, Prime
Minister Gilani and foreign minister Qureshi have already been
publicly saying that their country’s principled stand had forced India
to beseech Pakistan for talks), the move puts the Indian government on
the backfoot in relation to the Opposition, which could seek to
exploit the situation in Parliament next week.

In the light of the Pakistan foreign secretary’s reported observation,
the government’s opponents could ask if it had kept the country in the
dark, and whether it had quietly agreed to a renewal of composite
dialogue while publicly pretending it had not.

While this is an example of the domestic difficulty the government
could face, Islamabad — if it is actually not keen on talks while it
pretends to be for reasons of international politics — could
potentially exploit the Indian public stance of "no composite
dialogue" to demur from the proposed foreign secretary talks at the
last minute. The Americans, of course, are likely to seek to provide
cover against such an eventuality. In Washington’s understanding, in
the event of India-Pakistan talks and a semblance of normality between
them, Islamabad can be pressured to do more to fight the Taliban and
other terrorist groups that fight the US and Nato forces in
Afghanistan.

Pakistan would like to avoid being so pressured. From all indications
so far, the government has committed itself to proceeding with talks
in the belief that not talking makes matters worse. This appears to be
emerging as something of an article of faith.

Anand K. Sahay

http://www.asianage.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3026:islamabad-may-embarrass-govt&catid=35:india&Itemid=60

Shy’ Kishenji becomes nightmare for security .
Friday, 19 February 2010 03:03 .

New Delhi, Feb. 18: The CPI(M) politburo member, Kishenji alias
Mallojula Koteswara Rao has emerged as a major cause of concern for
security forces and administration in the Maoist-infested eastern
Indian states.

Fifty-six-year-old Kishenji, who shot to limelight with the Maoist
operations in West Bengal’s Lalgarh area, is in-charge of all the
Maoist activites in eastern region. Kishenji, who hailed from Andhra
Pradesh had earlier been active in the Chattisgarh region.

A few years back he was shifted to the eastern region and given charge
of Maoist operations in Bihar, Bengal, Orissa and Jharkhand. "It was
quite some years back, I shifted base from Chhattisgarh," Kishenji
told this correspondent in a telephonic conversation.

Taking advantage of the Nandigram agitation led by the Trinamul
Congress leader, Mamata Banerjee in 2006, Kishenji started building up
the Maoist base in Bengal. While he remained in the background, the
movement was led by the Maoist’ frontal women’s wing, Matangini Mahila
Samity, sources disclosed. He finally entered and set base in Bengal,
the same year at Lalgarh, through the arrested Maoist sympathiser,
Chhatradhar Mahato, police sources said.

Kishenji a soft-spoken, Maoist leader, whose profile describe him as
"shy", is fierecly committed to the Maoist cause and reported to have
a "violent streak." Most of the major offensives against the security
forces in Orissa and Jharkhand was reportedly planned by this elusive
insurgent.

Though he "regretted" the beheading of a police officer at Jharkhand
by the Maoists, some feel that "no action could be taken without his
green signal." Though the police claimed to have launched a massive
manhunt for the Maoist leader, he continues to call up and speak to
the media with impunity. As usual., there are no fixed numbers, which
he uses. Even though the police claimed that he has not been able to
get out of Lalgarh, some feel that he has been travelling across
Bengal, Jharkhand and Orissa. And Kishenji has been calling not merely
the scribes, but political leaders and ministers too.

Senior RSP leader, Mr Manoj Bhattacharya told this correspondent: "I
don’t know how he got my mobile number. He suddenly called and
identified himself and Kishenji and started talking about their
demands."

He had also called some bureaucrats and Bengal ministers to make their
demands public.

That the Maoist leader believed in "annihilation of enemies" became
clear during an interview with this correspondent. When asked why were
the Maoists killing ordinary policemen, he came up with a cold reason:
"If we let them go, these policemen will return with a bigger force.
Moreover, they had identified us and our areas."

Apart from spreading terror, Kishenji has also been trying to blend
the Maoist movement with burning issues like price rise. Recently he
gave a bandh call in protest against the price rise.

Sanjay Basak

http://www.asianage.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3020:shy-kishenji-becomes-nightmare-for-security&catid=35:india&Itemid=60

Maoists may not release BDO, call bandh instead .
Friday, 19 February 2010 03:01 .

Patna, Feb. 18: Prospects of the safe return of the Block Development
Officer in Jharkhand abducted by Maoists six days ago became uncertain
once again on Thursday, even after the Shibu Soren government agreed
to some of the demands put forth by the rebels.

Instead of releasing the Dhalbhumgarh BDO, Prashant Kumar Layek, the
Maoists called for a daylong shutdown in East Singhbhum district on
Friday, thus making police officials unsure of their plans about his
release.

Sources said the rebels were undecided over whether to accept the
state government’s promises in response to their demands and release
Mr Layek, who is believed to be confined somewhere in the Maoist
stronghold of Chatra district. Mr Soren’s government, considered
sympathetic to the Maoists, sidestepped the rebels’ demand for
releasing 14 villagers arrested for alleged Maoist links in exchange
for the BDO’s safe release apparently for fear of a political backlash
likely to arise from such action.

The government instead promised to withdraw cases lodged against two
of the villagers and reinvestigate the cases against all the others,
apart from putting on hold a police search for the BDO. However, the
home ministry officials indicated that it has been conveyed to the
state government that the Centre was not exactly "averse" to swapping
of the villagers with the BDO.

ANAND S.T. DAS

http://www.asianage.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3018:maoists-may-not-release-bdo-call-bandh-instead&catid=35:india&Itemid=60

Anti-Naxal ops to be intensified .
Friday, 19 February 2010 02:46 .

NEW DELHI, Feb. 18: In its bid to intensify the anti-Naxals offensive
in the Naxal-affected states, Centre is now planning to deploy around
15,000 additional paramilitary personnel by April, 2010, to deal with
the extremists.

According to a high ranking official of the Union home ministry, these
forces will be in addition to the 60,000 Central security personnel
currently deplo-yed to assist the state governments to counter the
Naxals.

The security personnel, who are now being acquired from Central forces
like Central Reserve Police Force, Border Security Force and the Indo-
Tibetan Border Police, will first get a six-week training on jungle
warfare before being deployed on the ground, said the official. The
Centre is planning to launch operation in the West Bengal-Orissa
border.

AGE CORRESPONDENT

http://www.asianage.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3002:anti-naxal-ops-to-be-intensified&catid=35:india&Itemid=60

Cops to scrutinise telephone calls .
Friday, 19 February 2010 02:53 .

New Delhi, Feb. 18: The security agencies, engaged in the
investigation of Pune blast, are set to scrutiny the details of all
calls made within one kilometre radius of Germany Bakery on last
Saturday two hours before and two hours after the incident.

A team is likely to be constituted by the anti-terrorist squad of the
Mumbai police to check all the phone calls made around the German
Bakery areas from certain places just before and after the blast, said
the source adding that the Gujarat police followed the same pattern of
investigation and cracked the serial blast in Ahmedabad, 2008.
"Thorough scrutiny of phone call details may provide certain clues to
the investigators. Besides, agencies are planning to constitute a
separate team of local police officials, which will meet their
informers and collect whatever little leads are available with them.
Crime branch of Ahmedabad police had formed 11 teams to handle the
investigation of 2008 serial bombings in the city," said the source.
Besides, the prime suspect arrested in the Ahmedabad blast and
currently languishing in the Sabarmati Jail, Ahmad Choudhary, is
likely to be questioned by the ATS officials.

Pramod Kumar

http://www.asianage.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3008:cops-to-scrutinise-telephone-calls&catid=35:india&Itemid=60

...and I am Sid Harth
bademiyansubhanallah
15 years ago
Permalink
Talk to Maoists, but also show who’s boss .

.Oct.29 : By staging the cop drama in West Bengal, the Maoists have
shown that apart from holding territory and causing mayhem, they can
take on the government in the game of public relations. For weeks, the
Union home minister, P. Chidambaram, has been spreading one message,
that Maoists are murderers and the sympathy the urban intelligentsia
has for the Maoist cause is misplaced.

Even as the government was wrestling with the Maoists’ new tack, they
administered another blow: the hijacking of the Rajdhani train. As if
on cue, they freed the briefly detained drivers and the passengers
were left unharmed. The Maoists were saying louder than words that
they were making a political point, that they were fighting for a
cause and were not always bloodthirsty.

Mr Chidambaran’s mission has been to take head on the theory that
rural development and tackling Maoists can go hand in hand, dismissing
it as a romantic concept. His point is stark and simple: How can you
build roads and dig wells when the state does not control the
territory? On the other hand, the Maoists often subvert the system by
taking cuts from contractors on development schemes.

The Maoists perhaps went overboard in parading the kidnapped cop as a
prisoner of war, seeking to place their guerrilla movement on par with
the military and police authority of the state. But the West Bengal
chief minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, had mud on his face by
swapping the cop for alleged Maoist sympathisers in a murky deal,
which, he later explained, was an exception, not the rule.

The muddled thinking of the Maoists was in full display by their
representative mouthing all the clichés in the 20th century handbook
of the Communists — railing against the straw men of corporations,
alleging that India is playing a subservient role to the American
establishment. Mr Bhattacharjee says he will continue to fight the
Maoists, but the irony is that his party, the Communist Party of India
(Marxist), is itself living in a time warp, often regurgitating the
clichés of a bygone age abandoned by much of the Communist world.

How the Indian Communists of various stripes can reconcile themselves
to the successors of the fathers of the revolution, the Russians,
having abandoned the creed and the Chinese becoming the most avid
capitalists by flaunting the images of Stalin in one case and of Mao
Zedong in the other is best left to them to explain. The Maoists, of
course, aim to emulate the example of their Nepalese confreres to
achieve power, first by sharing it and then proclaiming their goal of
a one-party state.

Putting aside recent dramatic developments, the important point to
debate is: How did the Indian state find itself in its present
predicament, with large areas in the country, particularly those
inhabited by tribals and backward classes, under Maoist control?
Several factors have gone into the making of the Maoist menace,
characterised by the Prime Minister as the greatest internal threat to
the country. They range from the erosion of the credibility and
integrity of the civil service, the neglect of large parts of the
country denied basic development, schooling and healthcare and the
compulsions of industrialisation, often at the cost of the poorest and
the most deprived.

There are no simple answers because good governance cannot be suddenly
produced on order and the political system in the states, particularly
in the Hindi belt, has been plunging such low depths of mendacity and
politicking that law and order functions are often reduced to
selective justice. What offers some hope for the future is Mr
Chidambaram’s clear enunciation of the problem, his efforts to give
police and paramilitary forces the equipment and training they need
and seeking better co-ordination between the Centre and the states and
among the states themselves.

The West Bengal decision to do a deal with the Maoists to secure the
release of the kidnapped cop has been a setback to the Centre’s
efforts because they undercut the philosophy behind New Delhi’s new
resolve. Instead of painting Maoists into a corner by exposing them as
ruthless men and women seeking power by the force of guns, they were
given prime-time television news channels’ exposure to demand further
concessions of the authorities as equal actors in the drama.

Mr Chidambaram has let it be known that he does not expect the Maoists
to give up their arms; his only condition to holding talks with them
is that they desist from using force either to murder people or to
destroy state property. There is little expectation of the Maoists
accepting these terms and they seem set to exploit the weaknesses of
the authorities. They give primacy to incidents of wrong and
scandalous conduct of the police forces, often poorly trained and
equipped and still psychologically living in the era of the British
Raj.

Among the great failures of successive governments has been the
inability to undertake serious police reform. Mr Chidambaram complains
that police officials are treated as a political football. Indeed, one
of the most depressing aspects of a new chief minister taking office
is to witness the callousness with which he or she undertakes the
wholesale transfer of police, and civil service.

It is well recognised that force alone cannot resolve the Maoist
problem. Indeed, the success or otherwise of Mr Chidambaram’s new
initiatives will lie in a judicious mix of force with persuading the
Maoists and the wider public to create a climate for meaningful talks.

The new government offensive to depict the Maoists in their true
colours as murderers of civilian and security personnel is one aspect
of the programme. The other is effectively to confront Maoists in
their strongholds by expanding the successful Andhra model.

Human rights activists and dissenters are the lifeblood of a democracy
and it is right that voices should be raised against high-handed acts
of the authorities. But their contention that the government must talk
to Maoists on their terms is impractical and would be demeaning for
any self-respecting government. While there might be some idealists
joining the Maoists today, the bulk of their members are men and women
seeking power through the destruction of the state.

S. Nihal Singh

To hear the terms in which Maoists proclaim their ideal state is to
revert to the Utopia promised by Lenin and destroyed in the very act
of applying it to one relatively backward state, instead of initiating
it in a highly industrialised country. Stalin proved that the
Communist creed could be effectively used as a ruthless instrument of
ruling a one-party state.

http://www.asianage.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=146:talk-to-maoists-but-also-show-whos-boss&catid=75:nihal-singh&Itemid=293

...and I am Sid Harth
bademiyansubhanallah
15 years ago
Permalink
Join the terror dots .

.Feb.19 : Union home minister P. Chidambaram might be a better and
dynamic captain of the ship at the North Block compared to his dour
and uninspiring predecessors, but I am sure even he would agree that
the back-to-back strikes — bomb blast in Pune and the Maoist
destruction of a security force camp in West Bengal’s Paschim Mednipur
district, have some connection. It would do the country much good if
he views these issues as connected — planned together as part of a
larger conspiracy to destroy India.

The timing of the two operations is significant. According to media
reports, an unknown Pakistan-based jihadi group Lashkar-e-Tayyaba al-
Almi has claimed responsibility for the Pune attack. It is clear that
Pakistan’s military-mosque combine (a phrase used by Pakistani policy
expert Dr Husain Haqqani in his book Pakistan Between Mosque And
Military, he is now Islamabad’s envoy to Washington) inspired the
blast in Pune. This combine has now got a shot in the arm for its
mission to target India from the outcome of the recently-concluded
London Conference.

The West is now weary of its war in Afghanistan and even the Obama
administration is dithering in its goal of eliminating terrorism and
Islamic fundamentalism. This is happening when the Karzai government
in Kabul, wracked by corruption as narco-dollars are generated from
the widespread poppy cultivation, is unsure of itself. As the
confidence of the Afghans in their government begins to shake, the
surge of Taliban extremism would gain more ground. The Pakistan
military is now telling the Obama administration to leave Afghanistan
to it, force India to cede Kashmir to it and take a guarantee against
the Al Qaeda targeting the US. And the US President, facing
precipitous fall in his popularity, a budget deficit of $2 trillion is
considering the proposition.
No policy towards Pakistan should be formulated without understanding
the analysis in Mr Haqqani’s book. He says that it is not the devotion
of ordinary citizens to Islam that has driven the development of
Pakistan’s state ideology but rather the “military’s desire to
dominate the political system and define Pakistan’s national security
priorities”. This ideology conferred legitimacy on the military’s
right to rule Pakistan. This also explains why democracy in that
country has always been fragile and been repeatedly challenged by the
military.
Even after democracy was restored, its fragility has remained a
distinct feature of Pakistan’s politics. When politicians quarrelled,
the present Pakistan Army Chief General Kayani warned them of dire
consequences if they did not patch up. Also, whenever tough decisions
were to be taken, the US — without whose support Pakistan cannot
survive financially even for a second — had to talk to General Kayani
rather than Pakistani President or Prime Minister.

The question then arises why is our government reviving talks with the
political establishment of Pakistan when we know that the Army and
extremist, organisations that are its extension, are the final
arbiter. At a recent conference of extremists and militants organised
openly in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, specific threats were hurled at
India. The hand of Pakistan’s Army behind this show was evident. The
Pune incident shows how the Pakistani military-mosque combination is
using its fifth column, Indian Mujahideen (IM), in India rather than
sending its own people to wreak havoc in India. This fifth column was
allowed to grow under the Centre’s votebank politics, by the Congress
governments in Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra and the Left governments
in Kerala and West Bengal. The exposure of the ramification of this
policy, in Kerala’s Kannur district, in Hyderabad and elsewhere, is
proof of this flourishing fifth column.

The LeT is using its sleeper cells for carrying out mayhem. How is it
that Mr Chidambaram’s National Investigation Agency is unable to round
up all the existing sleeper cells? Who are the protesters whenever a
suspected fifth column is picked up? Didn’t the Congress general
secretary Digvijay Singh’s visit and statements in Azamgarh after a
specific lead led the anti-terrorism squad to one Azamgarh resident,
an IM activist, act as an encouragement to the fifth column? Pakistan
must be enjoying such activities by our leaders as it helps Islamabad
to claim that terrorist activities that take place in India are home-
grown.

The Naxalites hacking into the security forces camp in West Bengal is
another example of the patronage they are getting from the Left
government of West Bengal. The Left, particularly the Communist Party
of India (Marxist), claims it has a powerful network of cadres
throughout the state. How is it then that this cadre seems unable to
smell out Naxals’ conspiracy? The attack comes barely a few days after
Union home minister held a four-state chief ministers conference in
Kolkata to revamp the anti-Naxal strategy. Senior Naxal leader
Kishanji has openly said that this attack is his answer to Mr
Chidambaram’s anti-Naxal strategy.

After it was admitted both by Maoist leaders in India and Nepal that
they have mutual links, the Centre should have known that the grand
strategy of both Islamabad and Beijing is to weaken and destroy India.
This is an undeclared war, nothing else. Recall how once again the
Nepal Maoists renewed their anti-India campaign and Beijing was giving
pinpricks to India at every international meeting. Altogether there is
little doubt that an international conspiracy is brewing with India as
the target. So far the Central government has treated the series of
bomb attacks, supply of sophisticated arms to Naxalites and explosive
material to the IM, as localised events. It never felt the need to cry
foul over the international conspiracy involving Pakistan and China or
acquaint our own people of the nature and dimensions of this
conspiracy.

The debate in New Delhi’s government and political circles is whether
India should resume talks with Pakistan or not. Sensitising people
about all sides of his debate, within the country and on the
international level, should be a top priority for the United
Progressive Alliance (UPA) government. Sadly it cannot do so because
of the demand to placate votebanks and the influence of some human
rights activists.

When Indian Navy Chief spoke about China’s growing naval power that
was aimed at surrounding India, he was asked to shut up. When our Army
Chief expressed concern over China’s ability to reach out troops
across the border, he was silenced. The UPA government’s repeated
attempt to underplay the conspiratorial nature of the threat of
jihadis, Naxals and others may be its political strategy. But it is an
exercise in self-defeat perhaps borne out of the delusion that the
Congress has suffered from the days of “Hindi-Chini bhai bhai”.

Balbir K. Punj can be contacted at ***@gmail.com This e-mail
address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled
to view it

Balbir K. Punj

http://www.asianage.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2954:join-the-terror-dots&catid=77:balbir-punj&Itemid=295

Jammu and Kashmir: A tale of two flags .

.The contrast between the agitators in Jammu, holding the Tricolour
and shouting "Bharat Mata ki jai," and the separatists in Kashmir
Valley, marching across the LoC to Pakistan, with the Pakistani flag,
sums up the crisis in a way which will remain in the nation’s
consciousness for years to come. The clash is not between two regions,
but two value systems. The character of the two groups of agitators is
defined by their respective flags: The Tricolour represents the spirit
of India — respect for diversity in all its multitudes, be it faith or
language; The Pakistani flag denotes an exclusivist character devoid
of the right to dissent in all avenues of life.

It’s not that the separatists merely wave the Pakistani flag. They
have soaked in its spirit. Following in the footsteps of Pakistan,
Kashmiri separatists had cleansed the Valley of all the Hindus
(Kashmiri Pandits), kafirs in their parlance. In spite of India being
a vibrant democracy and a secular state (biased against the majority
community), the separatists hate India. Because its demography is
Hindu? They love Pakistan. Because it is an Islamic state?

The "secular" camp in the rest of India has not condemned this brazen
display of strength in the Valley against India. Of course, there have
been subtle allegations against the BJP of politicising the Amarnath
shrine board issue. To extend support to those hoisting the Tricolour
is "communalism" and to find rationale for the ones seeking a
theocratic state is serving the cause of "secularism". Could there be
a bigger irony?

The claim of the Valley agitators that they were only asking for the
removal of the blockade on the highway from Srinagar to the rest of
India flies in the face of facts. It was the separatists’ agitation,
later joined by some other parties, against the Shri Amarnathji Shrine
Board that sparked the present situation. Agitation leaders were
provoking the people of the Valley to join the anti-national stream
that separatists have always fuelled in Srinagar and the Valley. The
government, both in Srinagar and the Centre, capitulated without even
an attempt to drive some reason into the general public already
incited by anti-India and Islam-in-danger propaganda.

For all the claims of Valley politician like Omar Abdullah, that local
Muslims have been taking care of the pilgrims for ages, they have
failed to take into account the fact that a sea change had taken place
in the annual pilgrimage to the shrine. First, the number of pilgrims
has increased manifold. The management of facilities for pilgrims
could no longer be in a laissez faire manner, in the hands of private,
small-time enthusiasts. Only a government-supported modernisation
would have assured the pilgrims amenities they are entitled to,
considering the terrain, weather conditions and the age-profile of the
pilgrims.

Those opposing lease of the property to the board were, in fact, not
interested in the land transfer itself. Their purpose was to send a
message that wherever Muslims are in majority, people from other
religions will not get a foothold. It is significant that the Jammu
and Kashmir legislature had passed the law creating the Amarnath Board
and the structure of administration for the Vaishno Devi shrine of
Jammu, laying down specific duties for both the boards. Most political
parties had supported the legislation. It is clear, therefore, that
the anti-Amarnath Board agitation was a recent phenomenon and its link
with separatists and militants cannot be ignored. The militants have
always tried to disturb the pilgrimage, leading to deaths of many
pilgrims.

Even if the demand of the fruit-growers and transporters of the Valley
about their products rotting due to the blockade were true, the way
out was not another agitation — clearly meant to provoke police
firing. The Valley separatists were clearly giving warnings that any
accommodation with the Jammu agitators would bring them back on
Srinagar streets. At the drop of a hat, the separatists organise
hartals in Srinagar but have no word of sympathy for the people of
Jammu who too have the right to raise their demands.

The clear division of public opinion, between the Valley Muslims and
the Jammu Hindus, is the result of mishandling of Jammu and Kashmir
affairs for over five decades by the Congress and the National
Conference (NC). For decades, the Congress allowed NC to dominate
Valley politics without any hindrance. People of the state, as a
result, watched helplessly as the government, led by a single party,
the NC, became a hotbed of corruption.

For a while, the NC leadership was sought to be built outside the
influence of the Sheikh Abdullah family. But Indira Gandhi entered
into an agreement with Sheikh Abdullah and handed the state back to
the NC, and the Abdullah family, as if it was his jagir. The failure
to build alternate leadership in Kashmir has cost the country dear.
The uncontrolled dominance of one family over the resources of
Kashmir, and growing public anger against this swelled the support
base of separatists. The jihadi found a fertile ground and provided
the Pakistani establishment yet another opportunity to pursue its
agenda.

The Congress-led government in New Delhi cannot escape responsibility
for what is happening in Jammu and Kashmir. In many ways, it is a
result of the Congress’ continuing selfish and family-oriented
approach to the Kashmir problem. And its myopic vote-bank politics in
kowtowing to the irredentist demands of one community.

The Central government remained unmoved when thousands of Pandits were
driven out of their ancestral land and forced to take refuge in Delhi
and elsewhere in India. It was only during the six-year rule of the
BJP-led NDA that things began to change in the Valley. The first truly
free general elections in 1999, and the goodwill it created for the
Central government, even among some of the separatists; the determined
peace initiative of the then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee that
split the separatists and narrowed the support base of militants — all
this was bringing the state closer to a peaceful settlement. But the
Central government changed and with it the momentum of earlier moves
was lost. Now, the manner in which the government has handled the
agitations in Jammu and Kashmir has enabled the two separatist
factions to come together, that too with the injection of more pan-
Islamic sentiments. The tipping point almost seems to have achieved.

The sins of omission and commission on the part of Congress in Jammu
and Kashmir will cost the country dear.

— The writer can be contacted at ***@gmail.com This e-mail address
is being protected from spambots.

Balbir K. Punj

http://www.asianage.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=164:jammu-and-kashmir-a-tale-of-two-flags&catid=77:balbir-punj&Itemid=295

Madrasas: A two-school theory Skip to content.Madrasas: A two-school
theory .

.Oct.09 : The Muslim community in India has rejected the United
Progressive Alliance (UPA) government’s proposal to have a centralised
madrasa board to oversee the education of Muslims through these
religious schools.

The government is keen to give official recognition to madrasa
education and accept madrasa certificates as equivalent to the
secondary board certificates. It is now waiting for a suitable law
draft from the community. By giving a veneer of science and general
knowledge to the religious education that is imparted to poor Muslim
students in these so-called schools, is it possible to get the
community to progress?

In the last few years, thousands of madrasas have sprung up throughout
the country, especially in areas bordering Nepal and Bangladesh. Most
of these are allegedly funded by the orthodox Wahabi kingdom of Saudi
Arabia. In Wahabi teaching, all other religions are downgraded, and
what is taught as history are not necessarily facts.

Why should sections of poor Muslims go only to these archaic madrasas
for education when there are several government and private
educational institutions for schooling and most of them are free.
However, it is true that two meals a day serve as an attraction for
these impoverished Muslim boys. Though the story is the same among
other religious groups, they send their wards to secular schools
recognised by the government.

The argument that Muslims want to go only to a Muslim school as the
emphasis there is strictly on religious education and secondary school
subjects (not the nationally or state-adopted curricula) are just an
add on is illogical. If the government thoughtlessly concedes this, as
it is all set to do, soon education in India will be torn into
isolated ghettos organised along communal lines, and only for communal
education, with secular vanilla on top.

If young Muslim men and women do not get jobs, they blame "others".
They don’t realise that they were not sent to schools where the
"others" were educated.

We may concede that there are more poor people among Muslims in India
than among other communities. But is that a justification to tear the
education system into two recognised streams?

The reason why a central madarasa board is being resisted is simply
because they do not want the government to find out what is being
taught in these madarasas. Is the government turning a blind eye to
the repercussions of such thinking?

This communal division in education will amount to destroying the idea
of a united India. It amounts to giving one particular community the
privilege to teach anything it likes with just a thin layer of science
and general education added on. Should this kind of education be
considered equivalent to 10 to 12 years of secular education? Also it
is expected to fetch this community government jobs. This narrowed
down "education", in fact, is restricted to proficiency in Arabic and
the religious texts in that language.

True, there are also schools of other denominations. But do they make
religious education, and a curricula based on it, the heart of their
teaching? No. They do impart religious instruction to the children of
their community, but it is just two or three classes in a week and 90
per cent of the time they teach science, mathematics, general
knowledge, history, geography etc with the same or similar texts
written along internationally-accepted rules.

If political parties fail to read the writing on the wall just because
they want to play votebank politics, civil society should not ignore
this planting of a time bomb in our national educational field.

The government cannot convince anyone that Muslims have a right to
education of their choice, ignoring the general education available to
all others. Such a claim is another form of the two-nation theory that
brought vivisection to India: it has promoted ghettoism, separatist
thinking and led to jihadi groups finding shelter and inspiration
among them. It congeals what the orthodox leadership of the Muslim
community wants.

Just to play votebank politics, the Congress is going ahead with
tearing the coming generation into two separate camps of Muslims and
non-Muslims, and that too on a permanent basis.

Is it blind to the fact that madarasa-educated people will have a
perception totally different from that of others? Is it blind to the
fact that those who are educated in madrasas will not be able to
compete with the rest in matters of general and technical knowledge
and skills? Has it ever considered that this approach would create a
permanent "victim mentality" in one community as they lose out on
technical skills?

In Pakistan, madarasas have been recognised as a breeding ground for
terrorism. It has ripped their society apart and weakened civil
government.

Right from the days of Pervez Musharraf’s presidency, attempts were
made to get these communal cauldrons registered and brought under some
control. Little success has been achieved, as noted in all US
congressional reports about Pakistan.

In fact, the open confrontation that Mr Musharraf’s government had in
Lahore over madarasas as breeding grounds for terror should be a
reminder to civil society here too. Union human resources development
minister Kapil Sibal must read the real meaning of the rejection of
his proposal to set up a board to regulate these religious schools. If
he refuses for political reasons, civil society must force him to read
it and save India before his move does permanent and irrevocable
damage to the fabric of our nation.

n Balbir K. Punj can be contacted at ***@gmail.com This e-mail
address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled
to view it

Oct.09 : The Muslim community in India has rejected the United
Progressive Alliance (UPA) government’s proposal to have a centralised
madrasa board to oversee the education of Muslims through these
religious schools.

The government is keen to give official recognition to madrasa
education and accept madrasa certificates as equivalent to the
secondary board certificates. It is now waiting for a suitable law
draft from the community. By giving a veneer of science and general
knowledge to the religious education that is imparted to poor Muslim
students in these so-called schools, is it possible to get the
community to progress?

In the last few years, thousands of madrasas have sprung up throughout
the country, especially in areas bordering Nepal and Bangladesh. Most
of these are allegedly funded by the orthodox Wahabi kingdom of Saudi
Arabia. In Wahabi teaching, all other religions are downgraded, and
what is taught as history are not necessarily facts.

Why should sections of poor Muslims go only to these archaic madrasas
for education when there are several government and private
educational institutions for schooling and most of them are free.
However, it is true that two meals a day serve as an attraction for
these impoverished Muslim boys. Though the story is the same among
other religious groups, they send their wards to secular schools
recognised by the government.

The argument that Muslims want to go only to a Muslim school as the
emphasis there is strictly on religious education and secondary school
subjects (not the nationally or state-adopted curricula) are just an
add on is illogical. If the government thoughtlessly concedes this, as
it is all set to do, soon education in India will be torn into
isolated ghettos organised along communal lines, and only for communal
education, with secular vanilla on top.

If young Muslim men and women do not get jobs, they blame "others".
They don’t realise that they were not sent to schools where the
"others" were educated.

We may concede that there are more poor people among Muslims in India
than among other communities. But is that a justification to tear the
education system into two recognised streams?

The reason why a central madarasa board is being resisted is simply
because they do not want the government to find out what is being
taught in these madarasas. Is the government turning a blind eye to
the repercussions of such thinking?

This communal division in education will amount to destroying the idea
of a united India. It amounts to giving one particular community the
privilege to teach anything it likes with just a thin layer of science
and general education added on. Should this kind of education be
considered equivalent to 10 to 12 years of secular education? Also it
is expected to fetch this community government jobs. This narrowed
down "education", in fact, is restricted to proficiency in Arabic and
the religious texts in that language.

True, there are also schools of other denominations. But do they make
religious education, and a curricula based on it, the heart of their
teaching? No. They do impart religious instruction to the children of
their community, but it is just two or three classes in a week and 90
per cent of the time they teach science, mathematics, general
knowledge, history, geography etc with the same or similar texts
written along internationally-accepted rules.

If political parties fail to read the writing on the wall just because
they want to play votebank politics, civil society should not ignore
this planting of a time bomb in our national educational field.

The government cannot convince anyone that Muslims have a right to
education of their choice, ignoring the general education available to
all others. Such a claim is another form of the two-nation theory that
brought vivisection to India: it has promoted ghettoism, separatist
thinking and led to jihadi groups finding shelter and inspiration
among them. It congeals what the orthodox leadership of the Muslim
community wants.

Just to play votebank politics, the Congress is going ahead with
tearing the coming generation into two separate camps of Muslims and
non-Muslims, and that too on a permanent basis.

Is it blind to the fact that madarasa-educated people will have a
perception totally different from that of others? Is it blind to the
fact that those who are educated in madrasas will not be able to
compete with the rest in matters of general and technical knowledge
and skills? Has it ever considered that this approach would create a
permanent "victim mentality" in one community as they lose out on
technical skills?

In Pakistan, madarasas have been recognised as a breeding ground for
terrorism. It has ripped their society apart and weakened civil
government.

Right from the days of Pervez Musharraf’s presidency, attempts were
made to get these communal cauldrons registered and brought under some
control. Little success has been achieved, as noted in all US
congressional reports about Pakistan.

In fact, the open confrontation that Mr Musharraf’s government had in
Lahore over madarasas as breeding grounds for terror should be a
reminder to civil society here too. Union human resources development
minister Kapil Sibal must read the real meaning of the rejection of
his proposal to set up a board to regulate these religious schools. If
he refuses for political reasons, civil society must force him to read
it and save India before his move does permanent and irrevocable
damage to the fabric of our nation.

n Balbir K. Punj can be contacted at ***@gmail.com This e-mail
address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled
to view it

Balbir K. Punj

http://www.asianage.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=163:madrasas-a-two-school-theory&catid=77:balbir-punj&Itemid=295

Maoists talk only to the power of a gun .

.Nov.06 : Normally, we would have welcomed home minister P.
Chidambaram's offer to the Maoists to discuss problems like land
acquisition, forest rights of tribals, discrimination et cetera.
However, our home minister - though quite intelligent and dynamic
(especially when compared to his predecessor) - seems to have not read
his full brief on the Maoists. He says that he is not asking them to
give up arms but to only eschew violence as a means of redressing
their grievances since the government is willing to talk to them.

Mr Chidambaram said at a press conference on October 30: "The Centre
had never asked the Maoists to lay down arms since it was not a
realistic expectation. We have always asked them to halt violence…
They should come forward for talks if they consider themselves serious
champions of the poor".

Such an approach presupposes that the Maoists are interested in
solving the problems of the tribals and other neglected sections of
society, and that they have taken up arms mainly because the
democratic machinery refused to talk about these problems, much less
solve them. But Mr Chidambaram errs. For all his tough talk and
devising (at last) a national anti-Naxal strategy, he should be aware
of what happened when the late Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y.S.
Rajasekhar Reddy made a similar offer in 2004 and allowed Naxal
leaders and cadres to go around freely, with their arms on display.

It is futile to ask the Maoists to give up their arms or engage them
in talks. Maoists do not believe in dialogue. Lenin, who laid down the
guidelines for the proletarian revolution, urged his cadres to use all
types of deceit and arms to capture power. And once in power, they
should eliminate their "class enemies", including other political
parties. The state apparatus is to be used without mercy for this
purpose. No other criteria for political morality exist in the Marxist-
Maoist book.

The history of the Communist movement in the former Soviet Union, in
China, in Vietnam, in Cambodia and elsewhere is replete with such
instances. Lenin used violence, deception and treachery first to gain
ascendance over the Mensheviks and then over his colleagues. Stalin
used the state apparatus first to eliminate the Mensheviks and other
Opposition political forces and then to finish his own colleagues one
by one, starting with Trotsky. The Stalinist trials of the 1930s give
a graphic insight into Communist tactics.

In eastern Europe just before the end of World War II, the Communists
who were then in minority managed to come to power by collaborating
with others. But soon they destroyed their allies from within, one by
one, in a policy nicknamed "Salami tactics".

In China, Mao Zedong turned against his revolutionary colleague Liu
Shao-chi and then Mao's wife formed the "Gang of Four" that sent
several Communist leaders, including the most famous among them, Deng
Xiaoping, packing to hard labour.

In Cambodia, the most gruesome killing spree in human history took
place under a maniacal Communist leader. Poor peasants who found their
land taken away for the collectivisation died in all these countries.
India, either under the Maoists or Marxists, will have no different
fate.

The ideological paradigm of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-
M) and the Maoists is one. Look at the Marxists who are in power in
West Bengal and Kerala. They are no different from the Maoists in
dealing with their political opponents. Having state power in their
hand, the Marxists threaten and blackmail to smother political
dissent. How the Communists succeeded in entrenching themselves in
West Bengal over 30 long years has been exposed. Their unions hold
several top-level Bengali newspapers under their thumb, so it is not
easy to carry anti-Marxist news stories in prominent newspapers and
television channels. The fearless among Bengal's journalists have been
publicly beaten up by Marxist goondas.

In Marxist-ruled Kerala complete dominance is not possible as the
state has been governed by the Congress-led United Democratic Front
and Communist-led Left Democratic Front with the non-Communist
political forces also gaining strength. Yet the Marxists seek to make
up for this weakness by targeting newspapers and journalists at every
turn.

In effect, there is little to choose between the Marxists and the
Maoists - the former use violence under the cover of the state
government while the latter use armed violence in their attempt to
seize power.

If the Marxists appear to be working within the constitutional
framework, it is because they have tried and failed to seize the state
apparatus through violence. Now they are working to wreck the system
from within.

The Maoists are convinced that they can seize the state apparatus
through armed attacks on the state. There is hardly any doubt that if
the Maoists succeed, the bulk of the Communist cadre would shift their
allegiance to the Maoist leadership.

Communists of all hues believe in a proletarian takeover of the state
through whatever means available. Such a takeover, according to the
Leninist-Maoist line, should be followed by imposing the dictatorship
of the Communist Party and ruthless suppression of all dissent, even
internal, among the Communist leadership.

In this framework of faith in violence and dictatorship, does it serve
any purpose to ask the Maoists to give up violence and open talks with
the government?

Balbir K. Punj can be contacted at ***@gmail.com This e-mail
address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled
to view it

Balbir K. Punj

http://www.asianage.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=162:maoists-talk-only-to-the-power-of-a-gun&catid=77:balbir-punj&Itemid=295

...and I am Sid Harth
bademiyansubhanallah
15 years ago
Permalink
Naxal menace far worse than what Govt expected: PC

Posted: Friday , Feb 19, 2010 at 1633 hrs
New Delhi:

Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Friday said the Naxal and
terrorism menace afflicting the country was far worse than expected,
but added that the government is more than determined to root out the
threat through various counter-measures.

Interacting with women journalists on a host of domestic and security-
related issues, Chidambaram said: “The Naxal menace was far worse than
we (the government) expected. As long as we did not engage with them,
they were happy. For doing all this (anti-Naxal operations, other
counter-insurgency measures), one needs a strong head, a stronger
heart and staying power.”

He also said it was important to understand that apart from proper
administration and security, attention needed to be paid to “regional
aspirations, language and caste-related issues, because these are
important.”

“It is a difficult period on many issues. We have been in a state of
denial. This makes my task (as Home Minister) all the more difficult,
but there is a general silver lining,” said Chidambaram during his
interaction with the Women’s Press Corps in the capital.

When asked specifically how the Naxals were still being able to
sustain themselves in spite of the central and state governments
coordinated approach towards tackling them head-on, Chidambaram said:
“The Naxals (or Maoists) are getting their intellectual and material
support from unsuspecting NGOs (non-government organizations) and
civil society, and this makes state jurisdiction very difficult.”

When asked to respond to the oft-repeated Naxal view that the
government was not doing enough on the development front, especially
in areas where people were backward, socially underprivileged and
poor, the Union Home Minister said: “”How can there be development
without effective civil administration and policing.”

“Policing, civic administration and development have to take place
side by side. Without civilian administration in place, how can there
be development. We must first have in place civil administration,
proper policing and security, only then can we think of development,
schools and hospitals etc.,” he added.

“Which doctor will want to go back to an area, or such areas where
there is a threat to life, family,” he said.

Responding to another question on security forces and paramilitary
forces attracting criticism for allegedly evacuating and occupying
schools and other buildings in Maoist-infested areas forcibly,
Chidambaram rejected it outright.

“There is always criticism of the CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force).
The fact is that no schools or buildings are being forcibly evacuated.
The schools that they are occupying are not in use. The Maoists are
not speaking the truth when they spread this sort of news. The Maoists
are the ones who are blowing up schools. They have blown up 350
schools,” he said.

The Union Home Minister also rejected suggestions of security forces
undertaking a carnage of Maoists.

He said: “There is no carnage, no carpet bombing (of Maoist-affected
areas). The security forces have been told to retaliate only if
attacked. They have been told give a controlled and calibrated
response.”

“Now, in three out of six states, we are in confrontation (with Naxals/
Maoists). Unless we challenge and confront them, there will be more
incidents such as what took place in Sealdah (24 policemen killed) in
West Bengal and in Bihar (12 villagers killed in Phulwariya). They
will try every trick in their bag – civil society support, seduce the
media, unleash false charges in court. They will try to pull all
strings and widen the circle of their influence. In all this
cacophony, the (Maoist) aim is to overthrow the parliamentary system
of government,” Chidambaram said.

“There is no half-measure house in dealing with Naxalism, terrorism,”
the Home Minister said.

Asked if the government was at war with the Naxals, Chidambaram said:
“We are not at war with them. They are our countrymen. Even if I get
72 hours of peace, I can talk to them, but they don’t want it.”

He also said that the case of the kidnapped block development officer,
Prashant Kumar Layek, is an issue that has to be decided by the
Jharkhand Government.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/naxal-menace-far-worse-than-what-govt-expected-pc/581951/0

26/11 investigation to be taken up during FS-level talks: PC

Pak still pushing militants from across the border: Kapoor

Posted: Friday , Feb 19, 2010 at 1236 hrs
New Delhi:

Gen Kapoor said militants were being pushed into the border state from
the South of Pir Panjal areas.

Army Chief Gen Deepak Kapoor on Friday said Pakistan was continuing to
push in militants from across the border into Jammu and Kashmir but
the armed forces deployed there were capable of tackling it.

"Our neighbour is continuing infiltration of militants from across the
border into Jammu and Kashmir. It (infiltration) will continue. Forces
are deployed in the border and they will make all efforts to stop the
infiltrators there. If some militants do come in, our forces will
tackle them," he told reporters on the sidelines of an army function.

Asked why infiltration was continuing despite the border passes being
closed due to snowfall, he said the militants were being pushed into
the border state from the South of Pir Panjal areas.

On the Home Ministry's rehabilitation plan for Kashmiri youths who
want to return from Pakistan-occupied- Kashmir, the Army chief said,
"I am sure the Home Minister and the Government will look at all
aspects before a final decision is taken".

"A decision is taken and they are looking into it. I am sure they will
take views of all ministries including the Defence Ministry and
whenever a decision is taken it will be good for every one," he
added.

7 Comments |

Don't this general have any other task
By: satan | Friday , 19 Feb '10 15:08:23 PM

There is nothing new in infiltration so why Mr. Kapoor instead of
wasting time in press do some useful stuff. One day he says we can
take on China and Pak both other other day he says we're night blind.
What rubbish.

Shame on UPA
By: bharat | Friday , 19 Feb '10 15:01:58 PM

Shame on all the people who voted for UPA..these guys need to be sent
to live with their brothers in POK. Only someone like Modi can save
India now!!

Indian Army and RAW should also make a seperate cell to counter the
ISI
By: Umesh | Friday , 19 Feb '10 14:37:52 PM

Whatever you say and do, Pakistan will never come to its age, it wont
give up the proxy war against India unless it is wiped out from the
earth. ISI making special projects to unleash atack in India and India
still want to engage them with talks? Is there a single instance,
which one could say, a good one from the Pkistani side for India to go
for talks? There is an increase in infiltration, increase in
threatening from various organisation based in Pakistan and still
Pakistan dont arrest them, who sitting in their soil keep threatening
India on a daily basis? Whats the point in engaging them with "Talks
for the sake of Talks" as mentioned by Gilani? Or is it just to
appease the US that we are still friendly wtih Pakistan?

SO WHAT , IT IS NOT P.M. - PRESIDENT NOR MINISTERS SON GETS KILLED
By: n.r.i | Friday , 19 Feb '10 14:32:02 PM

ALL THE POLITICIANS ARE FULLY GUARDED SO DOES THEIR FAMILY AND IF FEW
THOUSAND JAWANS ARE KILLED , SO WHAT .IT IS WAY TO CUT POPULATION OF
INDIA .AFTER THE DEATH OF A JAWAN THROW FEW BREAD CUMBS TO KEEP THEM
QUITE . INDIA'S FOREIGN POLICY IS DETECTED BY AMERICANS AND 10 JAN
PATH .THIS KILLINGS WILL CONTINUE AS FAR AS THIS GHADHARS RUNS THE
COUNTRY . WATCH " AASHTHA " AND RAM DEVJI MAHARAJ SERMON ON BHARAT
SWABHIMAN . SUPPORT HIM IN MILLIONS AND BRING CHANGE IN INDIA .

PAK sending Terrorists
By: Varind | Friday , 19 Feb '10 14:14:34 PM

What's new or surprising in this statement of Gen.Kapoor? Our
government is going to talk in a few days, and all will be well
asusual. Unfortunately General's concern is right but this is the way
our Politcians play with the lives of JAWANS.

What are you doing Kapoor?
By: Avinash Baranwal | Friday , 19 Feb '10 14:01:17 PM

And Indian officials are still making ONLY statements: an Indian.

statements
By: naresh | Friday , 19 Feb '10 14:59:47 PM

US has told the indian govt to make statements,thats what our govt is
doing.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/26-11-investigation-to-be-taken-up-during-fslevel-talks-pc/581953/

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/pak-still-pushing-militants-from-across-the-border-kapoor/581906/


Posted: Friday , Feb 19, 2010 at 1658 hrs

New Delhi:
Home Minister P Chidambaram has said that 26/11 investigation will be
discussed during Indo-Pak meet.
Just a week ahead of the meeting between Foreign Secretaries of India
and Pakistan, Home Minister P Chidambaram on Friday said issues
relating to the probe into 26/11 attacks will be taken up during the
parleys.

Noting that the "specific issues" to be taken up during the
discussions were being finalised by the Indian side, he said the
ministry would like "pending issues" concerning the 26/11 case and
investigation also to be part of it.

Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao will be meeting her Pakistani
counterpart Salman Bashir here on February 25 with India making it
clear that terror will be on top of its agenda.

In an interaction with women journalists, the Home Minister also said
his ministry would go through the legal process to seek access to
Pakistani-American LeT operative David Headley, now lodged in a
Chicago jail.

Asked if FBI was holding back some crucial information from the Indian
government as was being suggested by some reports, Chidambaram said,
"Well, I don't know. All I can say is FBI has shared vital
information. If they are holding back any information, there is no way
my knowing that they are holding back any information.

"And as far as access to Headley is concerned. Our position remains
the same that we will go through legal process to seek access to David
headley."

Asked if he favoured the talks between India and Pakistan despite the
fact that Islamabad was yet to fulfil the demand of dismantling the
terror infrastructure, the Home Minister said it is government's
decision of which he is a part.

"The government has decided that the two Foreign Secretaries of the
two countries will meet on February 25 and I am part of the
government.....all of us have decided that the Secretaries will meet,"
he said.

And as the External Affairs Minister has said, "these talks are for
talks," Chidambaram said.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/26-11-investigation-to-be-taken-up-during-fslevel-talks-pc/581953/0

...and I am Sid Harth
bademiyansubhanallah
15 years ago
Permalink
Chidambaram denies rift in government over Naxal issue
Posted On: 19-Feb-2010 17:11:29
By: Soumya Sharma

New Delhi: Home Minister P Chidambaram today denied that there was any
pressure on the Government from allies like Trinamool Congress leader
and Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee to go soft on the Naxals, and
asserted that she has no truck with the Maoists.

"She has not been soft on the Maoists. She has made it clear that she
has no truck with the Maoists. Her argument is that Marxists and
Maoists have collaborated in the past. That is what she says," he told
mediapersons during an interaction at the Indian Women's Press Corps
here.

Asserting that her argument does not in any way affect Government's
policy, Mr Chidambaram said she is not opposed to the Centre's
decision to provide funds and resources to the affected states or its
offer of talks to the Maoists.

On Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren's decision to swap arrested
Maoists for release of a Block Development Officer kidnapped by them,
Mr Chidambaram said it was upto the government of the state to decide
what needs to be done to secure the release of the officer.

"These issues are best resolved at the local level. The state in its
judgement has decided to release three low-level Maoist cadres and
some villagers--the Centre must leave it to the state governemnt to
deal with it," he said.

Stressing on the Government's willingness to talk to Maoists, the Home
Minister said they must abjure violence and give the Government 72
hours to carry out the modalities for talks.

''We never said lay down arms or disband your organisation. Let there
be no violence for 72 hours and we are willing to sit down to discuss
the issues."

http://www.mynews.in/News/Chidambaram_denies_rift_in_government_over_Naxal_issue_N38572.html

Not an option
The Indian Express

Posted: Friday , Feb 19, 2010 at 0153 hrs

The attack on the Silda camp of the Eastern Frontier Rifles in West
Bengal happened in a context of cynical political laziness. For
allowing a climate in which Maoists can overrun a camp with such
brazenness, West Bengal’s political forces are primarily responsible.
But concern and anger should also be focussed next door, on the state
of Jharkhand, and on Shibu Soren’s new government. There is a strong
likelihood that the Silda

attackers emerged from across the Bengal-Jharkhand border — and that,
after their raid was done, they headed back over the border to what
they probably have come to think of as something of a safe haven.

The government in Jharkhand, run by Soren’s Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and
by the Bharatiya Janata Party, has already worried those following
anti-Maoist operations. Their lack of enthusiasm for coordinated
operation has been marked: most notably, the government has opted out
of several chief minister-level meetings to discuss the problem. And
reports that the government ended patrolling and left the Special Task
Force, intended to take on Naxals, cooling its heels in its barracks,
add up to a very disturbing picture: that the ruling coalition in
Jharkhand has chosen to step back, and be obstructive, in India’s
fight against left-wing extremism. Now has come confirmatory evidence
that Jharkhand is turning into the soft underbelly of the Indian
state: Soren gave in to demands from the CPI (Maoist) that 14
villagers in Dalbhumgarh jail be freed; in return, he wanted the
Maoists to safely release the

abducted block development officer for the area, Prasant Kumar Layek.
Whether or not the 14 villagers in question — yet to be tried in a
court of law — turn out to have been Maoist cadre, sympathisers of
some sort, or completely unrelated victims of an over-zealous police
is quite

beside the point. The problem is that, once again, the Jharkhand
government has chosen to give in, to embolden the Maoist leadership.
(Naturally, they reportedly responded with a fresh set of demands.)

There can be no passengers in the fight against the Naxalites. The
paramount lesson of the past few years has been that disparate
jurisdictions need to be willing to work together. The Jharkhand
government cannot let whatever mistaken political calculation is
causing this softness to impede an all-India

effort. And the BJP, currently meeting in Indore, must take the lead.
Surely it will be difficult for India’s primary opposition party to
claim that the Central government is lax on internal security when one
of its own governments is conspicuously opting out of the effort.

8 Comments |

Extremism of politics
By: Ved Guliani, Lagos (Nigeria) | Friday , 19 Feb '10 14:53:35 PM

Sir, Whatever be the admission of the Union Home Minister on
Intelligence failure or the 'angry silence' of the WB governemnt, the
Maoist attack on EFR camp, killing 24 personnel and taking ammunition,
was neither unexpected nor shocking when the neighbouring Jharkhand is
extending support to the left-wing extremism. Ironically the naxalites
are gaining ground and making the very existent of the State almost
redundant. The question is how long can we allow the leadership to
ignore, if not sacrifice, the security of the masses in their vested
calculations and vicious battle of the ballot. After every such
debilitating attack of the extremists, would people be convinced of
Govt. sincerity of protecting them and 'crushing the guilty
mercilessly'? For God's sake let us not befool the people with word
jugglery and our dubious political interests of vote-banks and should
devote our time and energy to delivering an effective administration.
Ved Guliani.
BJP
By: M K Keswani | Friday , 19 Feb '10 14:36:14 PM Reply | Forward
I will not go into the merit of supporting Sibhu Soren by BJP. It can
be turned for good cause, if BJP plays the role of Big Brother. BJP
should watch every step Soren takes and put pressure on him for
correction. BJP knows too well that Soren has only Jharkhand to loose,
but BJP is being watched by entire nation and BJP has the opportunity
to prove to nation that they are care first for country ane then for
power. If Soren does not fall in line, better withdraw support rather
than hang on with him.

Failure to tackle naxalism
By: Santhanam | Friday , 19 Feb '10 13:57:46 PM

I fail to understand what is that Home Minister is trying to do
against Naxalism in India concretly. Is our Indian defence such
incapable that they cannot wipe out this menance. Naxalites may have
local public support that their demands are legitimate, but it does
not mean that the means of fighting against it is correct. What do
they want, a seperate state or what? By killing security forces they
are infact weakening the defence of the country further. It is not
going to effect the politicians or the system which they are fighting
against. Instead it is the common person who is suffering who is
living in times of uncertain security of his life. It is not the
politician or state head who dies in a bomb blast or naxal attack. It
is the common man or security people. What is their fault? Fighting
for any cause with arms and weapons can never be justified. Jai Hind.

SOREN AND NAXALS
By: Prof. Ramesh Sinha, Freelancer | Friday , 19 Feb '10 13:40:35 PM

During early seventies Soren used forest hide outs in Giridh/Dhanbad
districts to evade judicial actions for his alleged violent approaches
towards rural or sub urban landlords. A reign of terror ruled the
roost those days that continued till Soren opted politics and
contested assembly elections. Meaning thereby, he is well versed with
naxal mentality, motive, modus operandi and grievances. Now as he is
ruling the state, infamous for naxal dominance during last three and
half decades, he must initiate honest steps in collaboration of much
hyped 'Operation Green Hunt' in view of paving bilateral talk
opportunities to negotiate with the hard cores. To me this is high
time for quick, practical and amicable solution to naxalism problem in
Jharkhand and other infested states.

Gadkari should put pressure on Soren
By: K.C. Sharma | Friday , 19 Feb '10 11:07:37 AM

BJP being a nationalist party, not like Digvijay Singh's Congress
should put national interest before self-interest and put pressure on
Soren to co-operate with Central Govt. Also, the Jharkhand Govt should
put pressure on Centre to grant more money for development of the area
so that this menace is countered effectively.

Media and Mr. Gupta , Winner by either way
By: Arun Panigrahy | Friday , 19 Feb '10 9:51:15 AM

an absurd article. why do u blame a particular political party,
internal security is not a theme or slogan of political parties but a
legitimate right of all citizens. do u want the abducted officer to be
killed???? why don't you advise Jharkand govt. how to tackkel this
tricky situation or waiting to do what you did in the kandhahar
episode.when Chandrababu Naidu was fighting Naxals and whole congress
lead by YSR collaborating with them to win the election.That time
where was Mr. PC,whether he was busy with his business or too small a
leader to raise concerns...when PM,then HM Patil,Sibals and Shanghvis
were delivering their sermons in managed TV shows to tackle this
menance by democraticaly and with out use of force, you people were
gaga over them. Surprise, how you people could not visualise the
danger ahead.Advise your pet HM, either use brute force or engage
alinated people to end this menance once for all at the earliest or it
will be too late.

Quite right Mr Panigrahy
By: Bhanu | Friday , 19 Feb '10 11:52:03 AM

I agree with you Mr Panigrahy. The same media went ballistic and
forced the BJP to release Masood Azhar to save the lives of the AI
passengers in Kandahar is now turning around and pointing fingers at
Soren for agreeing to the demands of the Maoists in order to free the
BDO.Media cannot have its cake and eat it too.

BJP India whining
By: Shekhar Naik | Friday , 19 Feb '10 8:47:03 AM

BJP our great Jan sangh party now goes prostate in front of Bala Saheb
and nex Shibu Soren, what depths will they fall to just to be a
national shame.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/not-an-option/581682/0

...and I am Sid Harth
bademiyansubhanallah
15 years ago
Permalink
8 drug peddlers held in UP
STAFF WRITER 16:25 HRS IST

Pratapgarh (UP), Feb 19 (PTI) Eight persons were arrested and 30
quintal of ganja worth over Rs one crore in the international market
was recovered from their possession, police said here today.

A truck carrying the contraband was intercepted on Lucknow-Varanasi
national highway near Babhanmai area and eight smugglers travelling in
the vehicle and an accompanying car were arrested yesterday, SP Mahesh
Misra said.

The arrested belong to Malkangiri district in Orissa and surrounding
areas in the Naxal-hit region on Orissa-Andhra Pradesh border, the SP
said.

http://www.ptinews.com/news/525864_8-drug-peddlers-held-in-UP

Dialogue process should focus on Kashmir issue: PDP
STAFF WRITER 19:24 HRS IST

Srinagar, Feb 19 (PTI) Appreciating the Centre's decision to resume
official contact with Pakistan, the PDP today said sustained talks
between the two countries are needed with a focus on Kashmir apart
from other issues.

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti met Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi today and requested him to
address both external and internal dimensions of the Kashmir issue.

She appreciated the decision to resume official contact with Pakistan
and stressed the need for a sustained dialogue between the two
countries which must focus on Kashmir apart from other problems
between the two nations.

The meeting comes ahead of the upcoming foreign secretary level talks
between India and Pakistan.

Expressing concern at the rising instances of "innocent killings" in
Jammu and Kashmir, Mehbooba told the Prime Minister that these
incidents have a negative fall out on the thought process of the
people.

http://www.ptinews.com/news/526482_Dialogue-process-should-focus-on-Kashmir-issue--PDP

Maoists free kidnapped Dalbhumgarh BDO
STAFF WRITER 19:14 HRS IST

Ranchi, Feb 19 (PTI) Maoists set free Dalbhumgarh BDO Prashant Kumar
Layek today, a week after they kidnapped him from East Singhbhum
district.

"He was set free at 6.35 pm. Now the BDO is with the administration,"
Home Secretary J B Tudbid told PTI here.

Layek's release comes two days after Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu
Soren accepted a key demand of CPI-Maoist to initiate legal process to
free some persons who were allegedly been put in jail at Dalbhumgarh.

Layek was abducted by four armed Maoists on Saturday soon after he
completed a hearing of public grievances at Dalbhumgarh in East
Singhbhum.

Last October, Maoists had beheaded Special Branch Officer Francis
Induwar after abducting him.

http://www.ptinews.com/news/526443_Maoists-free-kidnapped-Dalbhumgarh-BDO

Indo-Pak goodwill due to cricket no longer there: Imran
STAFF WRITER 18:44 HRS IST

New Delhi, Feb 19 (PTI) Legendary fast bowler Imran Khan rued that the
goodwill built by cricketing ties between India and Pakistan a few
years back was lost due to "political reasons".

"... a few years back, there was a chance that the (two) countries
were moving closer. We had cricket matches between the two countries
and Pakistan lost in Pakistan. And you saw Indian flags on Pakistani
cricket grounds (in 2004), which I thought I would never see in my
lifetime. Things were getting better," he said at a CNN programme
'Connect the World'.

"And then suddenly Mumbai happened. And, sadly, we are back to square
one. So I think people of both countries are desperate that we live
like normal neighbours, we have peace.

The problem is political," he added.

http://www.ptinews.com/news/526317_Indo-Pak-goodwill-due-to-cricket-no-longer-there--Imran

Hurriyat moderates against talks without Kashmir
STAFF WRITER 18:32 HRS IST

Srinagar, Feb 19 (PTI) Rejecting the propsoed secretary level talks
between India and Pakistan minus Kashmir, Moderate faction of Hurriyat
Conference today said its leadership will meet Pakistan Foreign
Secretary Salman Bashir ahead of his meeting with his Indian
counterpart to press for inclusion of the issue in the negotiations.

"A high level delegation of Hurriyat is visiting Delhi to meet the
Pakistan Foreign Secretary ahead of his scheduled meeting with
Nirupama Rao in Delhi on February 25 to press for inclusion of core
issue of Kashmir in the talks," Hurriyat Chairman Mirwaiz Umer Farooq
told a Friday congregation at Jamia Masjid here.

The Mirwaiz said he is himself heading the delegation and will brief
Bashir about the prevailing political situation and the stand and
viewpoint of the Hurriyat.

http://www.ptinews.com/news/526287_Hurriyat-moderates-against-talks-without-Kashmir

Nothing wrong in talking with Pakistan: Antony
STAFF WRITER 16:27 HRS IST
Ajit K Dubey

Dabolim (Goa), Feb 19 (PTI) India today said there was "nothing wrong"
in holding Foreign Secretary-level talks with Pakistan though
terrorist camps along the borders in that country were "still active".

"It is a considered decision of the government to have Foreign
Secretary-level talks with Pakistan. There is nothing wrong in that.
Everything will now depend on the outcome of the talks," Defence
Minister A K Antony told reporters here when asked why talks were
being held with Pakistan when it had not stopped aiding terrorists
targeting India.

To a question about what will be the outcome of the talks, he said,
"What will be the outcome, I can't say. I am not an astrologer."

Antony said, "All the 32 (terrorist camps in Pakistan) near their
border are active even now.

"This year, the number of infiltration attempts has also gone up.

http://www.ptinews.com/news/525871_Nothing-wrong-in-talking-with-Pakistan--Antony

Modi, Jaitley attack govt on security

19 Feb 2010, 0336 hrs IST, Devesh Kumar, ET Bureau

INDORE: After holding fire for a while, BJP on Thursday launched an
attack on the Manmohan Singh government’s handling of the internal
security situation, alleging that its entire effort was to weaken the
police and the nation’s fight against terrorism and Naxalism, and
asked the Centre to call off the proposed Indo-Pak foreign secretary-
level talks.

The Pune terror assault and the spurt in Maoist depredations across
the red corridor, its latest manifestation being the savage gunning
down of 24 EFR jawans at Shilda in the West Midnapore district of West
Bengal, has prompted BJP to ratchet up its assault on the Congress-led
alliance at the Centre. Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi led the
attack, after the party’s Rajya Sabha leader Arun Jaitley moved a
resolution on the country’s internal security situation on the
inaugural day of the BJP’s national council meeting here on Thursday.

Referring to his interactions with the Centre on issues pertaining to
anti-terror strategy and other security matters, Mr Modi alleged that
the government neither had any will nor any design to fight extremism.
``We need to educate the people against the Centre’s soft-on-terror
and fickle policies,’’ he said.

Mr Modi spoke about the outcome of the deliberations at the recent
chief ministers’ conclave on internal security. ``It was decided that
the residents of all border villages will be given identity cards. I
asked them whether the Centre had evolved any mechanism to verify the
antecedents of those who would be provided with these cards. Once a
person procures an I-card, he will be free to create mayhem. As things
stand, a certificate from the village sarpanch is enough to facilitate
a person’s task of receiving the I-card. This is not a full-proof
method,’’ the Gujarat chief minister said. “What is the hurry in
providing these I-cards ? Is there any way to verify their
credentials? Just imagine the consequences of such a policy in the
border states,’’ he said.

The BJP leader questioned UPA government’s anti-Naxal strategy. ``The
Naxalites carry out their shooting practice thrice a day. Their
endeavour is to maximise the impact of their acts. But a recent
circular issued by the Centre, while citing financial constraint, has
asked the security forces to restrict their target practice to once in
three years. The government says it doesn’t have the funds to buy
ammunition. I am ready to pay for the explosives. But in the absence
of adequate training, how can my police fight the Naxalites,’’ Mr Modi
said in his sarcastic style.

The Gujarat government had presented a blueprint for coastal security
way back when the NDA government was in power at the Centre. ``It was
duly approved by the then home minister, Mr L K Advani. The BJP lost
power soon after, and UPA came to power at the Centre. Our coastal
security blueprint has been put in the cold storage since then,’’ he
alleged.

Mr Modi alleged that the UPA government effected a major shift in its
foreign policy strategy every time after a senior US administration
dignitary came visiting. ``Secretary parleys are held, and important
decisions announced soon after. We need to ask whether our internal
security decisions will be taken under American pressure and guided by
vote-bank considerations.’’

Introducing the resolution, Mr Jaitley alleged that adverse changes
were noticed in internal security policies after the UPA came to power
at the Centre. He then proceeded to list out these changes:

The sphere of influence of the Maoists (or the red corridor) increased
considerably since then.

Till May, 2004, when the UPA-I came to power, we used to say that
terror attacks were orchestrated from across the border. Now local
modules have mushroomed, which provide support to their handlers in
Pakistan.

There has been a paradigm change in the entire dialogue process with
Pakistan. The January 2004 resolution, signed during the Vajpayee
regime, made it clear that peace talks could resume only if Islamabad
accepted that it will not allow its soil to be used by it for stoking
insurgency against India. The earlier position, in short, was talks-
without-terror. It’s now talks-inspite-of-terror or talks-without-
terror.

Internationalisation of the Kashmir conflict is back on Pakistan’s
agenda.

Increased assertiveness by China.

Use of vote-bank politics for deciding internal security reflexes.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/Modi-Jaitley-attack-govt-on-security/articleshow/5590493.cms

...and I am Sid Harth
bademiyansubhanallah
15 years ago
Permalink
Naxals free abducted Jharkhand official
IANS

Published on Fri, Feb 19, 2010 at 19:11,
Updated on Sat, Feb 20, 2010 at 02:28 in India section

RELEASED: The Maoists, who kidnapped Layek on Saturday had demanded a
ransom of Rs 10 lakh for his release.

New Delhi: A Jharkhand government official, abducted by Maoists last
week, was released on Friday evening, police said.

Block Development Officer (BDO) Prasant Layak "was released near
Haryan village in East Singhbhum district," Jharkhand police spokesman
VH Deshmukh said here. The official has been brought to the Ghatshila
police station, Deshmukh added.

layak was abducted Saturday by four armed men of the outlawed
Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) from Dalbhumgarh block of
East Singhbhum district.

The Maoists had, through Layak's wife, voiced their demand for the
release of three of their comrades from a jail, and then insisted on
the release of 11 others.

While the government late Wednesday agreed to move court to "re-
investigate" the cases of the 14 Maoists, the rebels Thursday came up
with two new demands.

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/naxals-free-abducted-jharkhand-official/110409-3.html?from=tn

CRPF heat behind BDO release?
B Sridhar, TNN, Feb 20, 2010, 03.01am IST

JAMSHEDPUR: Six days after he was abducted by Maoists, Jharkhand block
development officer (BDO) Prashant Kumar Layak walked free.

The release of suspected Maoists in Ghatshila sub-jail is yet to
materialize although the government has promised to re-open the cases
which could lead to some of the 14 accused being released. In the case
of West Bengal, the government had clearly capitulated by saying that
they would not contest the accused’s bail plea.

The CRPF is said to have played an important role by maintaining
pressure on the Maoists during the abduction drama. ‘‘We believe our
strategy ensured the release of the officer. Our boys gave their best
during the week-long exercise,’’ said CRPF commandant Sanjay Kumar
Singh, who led ‘Operation Cobra’ for the BDO’s release. Senior state
government officials appeared jubilant upon the release of the BDO.
‘‘We’re happy to have our officer back,’’ said DC Ravinder Kumar
Agarwal, while zonal IG Rezi Dungdung claimed it was the weeklong
exercise of his officers that had borne fruit.

Layak’s wife Julie, who had threatened to immolate herself along with
her daughter before the Jharkhand CM’s house, was overjoyed. ‘‘I thank
media, the police and the government for doing the needful in ensuring
my husband’s release,’’ she said.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/CRPF-heat-behind-BDO-release/articleshow/5594778.cms

BDO set free as Soren buckles
Manoj Prasad
Posted: Saturday , Feb 20, 2010 at 0211 hrs
Ranchi:

Six days after he was abducted by Maoists, a BDO was released on
Friday evening as the Shibu Soren government accepted some of their
demands.

Prashant Layek, a Jharkhand Administrative Service Officer who was
posted as Block development Officer at Dhalbhumgarh block in East
Singhbhum district, was abducted by two motorcycle-borne CPI(Maoist)
cadres at gunpoint on February 13.

For his safe return, the Maoists had listed their demands. These were:
halt anti-Naxal operations; arrest Nagrik Suraksha Samiti president
Shankar Chandra Hembrom who has mobilised tribals of the district
against the Maoists; pay Rs 10 lakh in compensation to the family of
one of their comrades, Sanjiv Munda, who was killed by the security
forces in a “false encounter”; a statement from the Chief Minister
promising “no police atrocities on innocent people”; and release of 14
“innocent villagers arrested on false charges”.

Except for the arrest of Hembrom, the remaining demands were met as
the anti-Naxalite operation was stopped, Rs 10 lakh was paid to the
next of kin of Sanjiv Munda, and IG Rezi Dungdung initiated the
process of releasing the 14 villagers, though none of them was
released as their cases were being heard by the courts concerned.

“Their main demand is connected with the release of villagers. Since
the move to get them out of jail has been initiated, I appeal to them
to release our officer safely,” Soren had said in a statement on
Wednesday night.

Announcing his release, DGP Neyaz Ahmad said, “We are very happy that
he has come out safely.”

The security forces led by East Singhbhum SP Naveen Kumar Singh had
zeroed in on the BDO location after the CPI(Maoist) cadres made Layek
speak to his wife Julie on cellphone on Wednesday morning. “After we
cut off the supply line, the abductors deemed it fit to release him to
keep the public opinion in their favour,” said Singh.

To release the BDO, the Maoists called a group of journalists led by
Anuj Kumar Sinha, resident editor of local Hindi daily Prabhat Khabar,
to the jungle and handed Layek over to them. “We wanted to hand him
over to senior police officers. But the police did not let us do so,”
said Sinha.

Since January 1,1999, the Maoists have killed more than 350 police
personnel. After this state was created almost a decade ago, Naval
Kishore Prasad Sinha, BDO of Gidaur block in Chatra district, was
abducted by the Maoists. Later, they chopped off his hands and shot
him dead on December 12, 2000. Again, they kidnapped Francis Induwar,
Inspector of the state’s Special Branch, and beheaded him on September
30, 2009.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/bdo-set-free-as-soren-buckles/582138/0

Twin encounters in Jammu, Pak militant killed
Agencies

Posted: Saturday , Feb 20, 2010 at 0915 hrs
Jammu/Srinagar:

A Pakistani militant was killed in a gunbattle with security forces in
Reasi district in which two special police officers were injured,
police said on Saturday.

Acting on a tip off, troops cordoned off an area in Arnaf in the
district, 130 kms from here, late last night.

Militants fired on a party of Rashtriya Rifles troops who retaliated.

In the encounter, a Pakistani militant Abu Bakr was killed and an AK
rifle and two grenades were recovered from him.

In the encounter, two SPOs Ashraf and Murtaza were injured.

Sopore village cordoned off

In another incident a massive combing operation was launched this
morning to flush out militants in a village in Sopore district after
gun shots were heard in the area.

Warpora Sopore, 55 kms from here, was sealed by police and security
forces after firing in the village.

Sopore has witnessed a sudden spurt in militant violence in the past
one month with attacks on policemen and militants lobbing grenades and
planting IEDs.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/twin-encounters-in-jammu-pak-militant-killed/582220/

Before talks, Pak raises n-bogey: India can make 100 nukes a year
Pranab Dhal Samanta

Posted: Saturday , Feb 20, 2010 at 0248 hrs
New Delhi:

Barely a week before the Indo-Pak Foreign Secretary-level talks here,
Pakistan has, surprisingly, upped the ante against India in the
Conference of Disarmament (CD) at Geneva with its representative
saying that New Delhi’s nuclear and strategic weapons programme posed
a “clear and present danger” to Islamabad. And making a bizarre claim
that after the nuclear deal, India could now make up to 100 nuclear
warheads a year.

India intervened to make the point that Pakistan should not raise
bilateral issues in a multilateral forum but the Pakistani
representative had already delivered a setback to the CD with an eight-
page statement on its perceived threat from India.

Citing this as the prime reason for being unable to give a go-ahead to
discussions on a Fissile Materials Cut-off Treaty, Pakistani
representative Zamir Akram said Islamabad needed a clear assurance
that FMCT would not just mean freezing future production of fissile
material for weapons but would also cater to reduction of existing
stockpiles.

He strongly came out against the Indo-US nuclear deal and the civil
nuclear cooperation agreements between India and other countries.
According to Akram, this freed up India’s domestic fissile material to
advance its nuclear weapon capabilities.

“The carte blanche that has been offered to our neighbour along with
the commitments to build up its strategic and conventional
capabilities has encouraged its hegemonic ambitions which are aimed at
charting a course of dangerous adventurism whose consequences can be
both unintended and uncontrollable. This includes their advocacy of
fighting a limited war under a nuclear overhang or environment which
has been termed as the Cold Start doctrine,” said Akram on Thursday in
a statement before the CD.

He also brought up Indian plans to be prepared for war on two fronts.
“This confronts Pakistan with a clear and present danger. Therefore,
the National Command Authority (NCA) of Pakistan, the highest decision
making body on strategic issues...on January 13, 2010, concluded that
Pakistan cannot be oblivious to these developments in our
neighbourhood,” he added.

Underlining that Pakistan’s NCA decided not to support any approach or
measure that would be “prejudicial to its legitimate national security
interest”, Akram spelled out four specific concerns:

* Transfer of “unlimited amounts of fissile material to our
neighbouring country will enable it to build up its strategic
reserves” and that will allow it to “divert own indigenous stocks” of
fissile material to making nuclear weapons. Pakistan estimates that
India can produce “fifty to sixty nuclear weapons a year” this way.

* Claiming that the safeguards arrangements with India were “not
foolproof”, Akram said there was a danger of material being “secretly
diverted” and in such a situation the annual production will go up to
“a hundred weapons per year”.

* Such a situation in the future, according to Pakistan, would
“increase existing asymmetry in fissile material stockpiles” and will
be “accentuating Pakistan’s security concerns for maintaining a
credible deterrence capability”.

* The FMCT being currently proposed, Pakistan said, was only a non-
proliferation move as it banned future production and not a
disarmament move aimed at reducing stockpiles. “Accordingly, such a
treaty would be selective, discriminatory and derogate from the
objectives of nuclear disarmament. For these reasons, it is
unacceptable to Pakistan.”

Pakistan didn’t spare the Barack Obama Administration. Akram observed
that Pakistan had hoped for a change of heart in Washington after the
leadership changed but the “optimism was shortlived”. He pointed out
to India’s recent efforts at building ICBMs and submarine launched
missiles, and added: “More ominously, by June 2009, it became clear
that the deal was part of a larger strategic design.”

Coming down hard on Russia, France and US for signing nuclear
cooperation agreements with India, Pakistan said most of the
“vociferous champions of non-proliferation” had also “jumped most
enthusiastically on this gravy train”.

In the broad sweep that Akram made, he took on the 45-member Nuclear
Suppliers group. Pointing out that this group was set up as a
consequence of India’s first nuclear test in 1974, he termed as
“ironic” that the group had “decided unanimously to reward the
perpetrator of such proliferation”.

Comments (1) |

pak complaining about indian nuclear programme in multiforum
By: bala srinivasan | 20-Feb-2010

The INDIAN passive approach is misconstrued by Pakistan.INDIA has to
show its clarity&firmness by letting the Western paki supporters this
misperception and let them know in no uncertain terms that this is NOT
ACCEPTABLE.Until INDIA starts with surefooted declaration the
PAKISTANIS will get away with murder&then we can't blame any one but
ourselves.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/before-talks-pak-raises-nbogey-india-can-make-100-nukes-a-year/582157/0

...and I am Sid Harth
bademiyansubhanallah
15 years ago
Permalink
Politically IncorrectFont Size
Can Baklava, Spielberg and Mossad solve India’s woes?
Saturday , February 20, 2010 at 09 : 55

Amid all these threats, terror and Naxal attacks, does India need its
own version of Mossad? Or does India even have the guts like Israel to
take the bull by its horns? Well the answer to first one is difficult
but latter is a matter of approach that we plan to adopt.

Knowing situation in Pak closely since 26/11, I have realised that
getting access to the likes of PM is simpler than even roaming around
the den of dreaded terrorists like Hafiz Saeed. Imagine in a country
where PM's car can be stopped in the middle of the road for a mere
reaction and entering Saeed's house is like taking Cinderella on a
date! One has a little difficulty in understanding why Pak finds it
difficult to contain terrorists in its own hole and 26/11s are like
daily soap operas.

From inauguration of a bank's new branch to the petty dispute, their
top govt officials can be seen everywhere. In fact if the number of
events exceeds than the number of hours in a day than the symbolic
inauguration takes place at the govt. office in the presence of full
media contingent. It is a place where not only the govt faces the coup
but perhaps a comparatively more powerful force, no, not the army but
the media that faces similar incidents. It just takes a fortnight to
demote director news of a channel to a bureau or converting a channel
from English to Urdu. Despite all this my sympathy and love for
friends across the border remains unchanged.

Pak government's double speak is clearly visible, on one hand they
want talks but on the other hand we have reports of Karachi project,
Pak's objection to Indo-US nuke deal and timings of Mullah Baradar's
arrest. Analysts inside Afghan say that Baradar's arrest is nothing
but a ploy to reduce India's influence in Afghanistan because Baradar
is believed to be chum of Karzai's brother.

Moving to our very own country, I realise that we are no better than
our neighbours, akhir bhai competition ka sawal hai! If Pak has its
own brand of 26/11s, we have the recession proof home production of
Maoists. From loose talks by senior govt officials who have little
shame in equating Kasab with a hero to top politicians like Mamta and
Soren who have a well known policy of appeasement of naxals. Reports
of Bengal govt ignoring specific, actionable inputs is a minor
addition to an already woeful list.

So, running a country where we have to take everybody on board and yet
wanting to have our names in right side of the history, what is an
ideal way to come out of this mess? Perhaps one of the ways could be
by offering Baklava (a rich, sweet pastry made of layers of phyllo
dough filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with syrup or honey) to
those who want to talk and Mossad to those who don't and Spielberg for
those who are confused. I think Spielberg , Mossad and Baklava will
help us in deciding whether it is gong to be 'Aman ki asha or aman ke
saath bhaag gayi aasha' !. Age old differences between Palestine and
Israel are complex but after looking at Stephen Spielberg's film,
Munich, I am left wondering if Israel can kill Ali Hasan Salameh after
Munich ordeal then why can't India do the same?

Posted by Kshitiz Singhal

http://ibnlive.in.com/blogs/kshitizsinghal/2670/61556/can-baklava-spielberg-and-mossad-solve-indias-woes.html

SC: AP home secy responsible Skip to content.SC: AP home secy
responsible .
Saturday, 20 February 2010 02:49 .

New Delhi, Feb. 19: After Chief Justice of India K.G. Balakrishnan had
advised the Andhra Pradesh government a day earlier about finding some
solution to the stationing of the paramilitary forces within the
Osmania University campus, the Supreme Court on

Friday made the state home secretary personally accountable for
monitoring their every day activities while staying the state high
court order for eviction of the forces.

"The high court order of February 16 will remain stayed till February
23. However, the home secretary of Andhra Pradesh is directed to
ensure that the forces are deployed within and outside the Osmania
University campus under his strict supervision. None of them will
misbehave with the students. The home secretary will review the
deployment of the forces every day," a bench of Justices G.S. Singhvi
and T.S. Thakur said in an interim order. Making it clear that the
interim order will operate till February 23 when the petition of the
Andhra Pradesh government would come up for hearing on merits, the
bench issued notice to the registrar of the university and four
students on whose petition, the high court had passed the eviction
order after some violent incidents.

The registrar and the petitioner students were directed to submit
their affidavits in reply the state’s petition by February 23. The
stay was granted after heated exchanges between lawyers for the state
and the students during the arguments.

While the state’s counsel Harish Salve and Mukul Rohtagi alleged that
the "Naxal elements" had entered the university, students’ lawyer
Prashant Bhushan strongly refuted the charge and said it has become
"fashionable" for the government these days to rake up the Naxal issue
in every incident of violence.

But Mr Salve persisted with the allegation and said, "There are video
evidence and statements that the agitators are not students. We have
strong belief that Naxalites have a role in the agitation."

The government lawyer described the situation inside the campus as
"volatile" and said that there is apprehensions of disturbances when
the state legislature meets on February 22 meets for the Budget
Session.

S.S. NEGI

http://www.asianage.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3145:sc-ap-home-secy-responsible&catid=35:india&Itemid=60

...and I am Sid Harth
bademiyansubhanallah
15 years ago
Permalink
Security has deteriorated, admits PC .
Saturday, 20 February 2010 02:50 .

New Delhi, Feb. 19: Union home minister P. Chidambaram admitted that
the overall security situation in the country has deteriorated in the
last two years. "The country has been going through a difficult
period. The Naxalite problem has worsened. In

Orissa they were operating in three districts, now they have spread to
six districts," the home minister stated in the course of a tough-
speaking interaction with women journalists at the Indian Women’s
Press Corps.

Arguing that the sudden spurt in Naxal violence was due to the
government’s decision to crack down on them, he said, "As long as we
didn’t engage them, they were happy, they kept on expanding their
base. They will continue to expand unless we challenge them."

He said Maoists will try every trick in the book to gain support among
the people. "They will seduce the media, unleash false charges and
widen their circle of influence. Most people think there is a
compromise or a mid-way approach. That is most naive. The most
difficult challenge is finding well-trained and well-equipped police
personnel," he said.

The home minister denied that Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee
was soft on Maoists. "She has not been soft on Maoists. Her anger is
that Maoists and Marxists have been collaborators in the past," he
said, insisting, "She condemns their violence and does not support
their burning of trains."

Admitting that there were police excesses in certain areas of Maoist
dominance, he said, "I will hold the state government accountable if
they commit excesses."

The states do not have the adequate force to take them on," he said,
describing the state police forces as being both "poorly equipped and
poorly trained".

"There are 300,000 vacancies in the constabulary, vacancies in the IPS
and an equal number in the state government. The police suffers from
poor equipment, poor training and their average age is rising to 40.
This has been a cumulative effect in the last 20 years and the
situation cannot be changed in two years," he said.

"In Maoist-dominated districts, they have demolished 350 school
buildings and the kids are being forced to study in Maoist-run
schools. The answer is to establish civil administration and this can
only happen when the state government provide adequate security," he
said.

When asked to comment on chief minister Shibu Soren’s decision to
exchange arrested Naxalite for the kidnapped BDO, he said, "The
question should be put to him. I should not be seen second guessing on
their decision."

He added, "The Bengal government also released some (Maoists) by
exchanging them for some low-level Maoist women cadre. That is the
judgment of the state government."

Rashme Sehgal

http://www.asianage.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3146:security-has-deteriorated-admits-pc&catid=35:india&Itemid=60

Govt pins hopes on CRPF to fight Naxals
Ravik Bhattacharya

Posted: Saturday , Feb 20, 2010 at 0425 hrs
Kolkata:

Days after the deadly Naxal attack on the Eastern Frontier Rifles
(EFR) camp at Silda in which 24 jawans lost their lives, the state
government is planning to withdraw the state para-military force from
the Maoist stronghold of the Lalgarh-Jhargram belt and replace it with
the CRPF in a phased manner.

Police sources said the EFR camp at Silda was identified as a soft
target after the Naxal attack on Gidhni camp, in which four jawans
were killed on November 9 last year.

They said the West Midnapore police had then called for withdrawal of
EFR jawans, especially those above 35, for reasons of agility but the
state government turned down the request. West Bengal is still
awaiting six companies of CRPF promised by the Union Home Ministry and
has asked for another 10 companies of the Central paramilitary force.

On Friday, CRPF IG Nageshwar Rao, accompanied by state police
officers, visited the battered Silda camp.

“It is up to the state government to decide when and where our force
will be deployed. If they want us to man Silda camp, we will. This is
all I can say,” Rao said.

Senior state police officers, meanwhile, today inspected a number of
sites under Binpur police station area, near Silda, for an alternate
camp site for EFR.

These sites included the ground near Kansabati irrigation project and
Nilkantodanga area, where police camps existed earlier.

Unlike Silda Bazar site which was situated on high ground and had an
open area around it, these spots are away from markets and residential
areas.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Govt-pins-hopes-on-CRPF-to-fight-Naxals/582202

Kids’ induction follows Naxal raid?
DIPAK MISHRA, TNN, Feb 20, 2010, 01.36am IST

JAMUI: If Operation Green Hunt is launched, security forces may have
to contend with a phalanx of boys and girls, all in their teens and
armed to the teeth. For, Maoists have been recruiting and training
them in handling arms and guerrilla warfare. And, once trained, these
young fighters are licensed to kill.

In fact, this is the reason why teenagers, both boys and girls, have
fled Phulwaria-Kodasi village, that was attacked by Maoists late on
Wednesday night, on Thursday evening. ‘‘They (the Maoists) often come
to the village, asking for 15-year-old boys and girls to train them in
handling arms. But we have refused to hand over our boys and girls,’’
said Ratni Devi, one of the survivors.

The Maoist carnage, incidentally, made it clear that teenaged boys and
girls and even tribal children were being recruited by Maoists. ‘‘So
many of our tormentors were children. They torched the thatched huts
and even pointed guns at us,’’ said Birendra Kora, whose house was
burnt down by the Maoists. He added that the marauders included at
least 25 teenaged girls.

‘‘Many of them appeared to be children. We caught some of them with
torches. But we had to leave them as a volley of bullets was showered
on us,’’ said Ajay Kora, a 21-year-old youth, who offered resistance
with bow and arrow. ‘‘Tribal children are ace archers and can use it
with deadly precision,’’ said Vinay Kumar, Bhagalpur IG.

The ruthlessness of this teen brigade has left the villagers shell-
shocked. ‘‘The girls were all armed and more cruel than the boys. Even
as a partyman requested a girl to spare me, she lifted her gun and
threatened to kill me if I remained outside. They abused us in filthy
language,’’ said Lalki Devi, who stayed indoors till Thursday
morning.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Kids-induction-follows-Naxal-raid/articleshow/5594619.cms

Catch-22
Pushkal Shivam
Friday, February 19, 2010

The Saga of Mahato: Scapegoats of Naxal Violence

“Mahato, these bastards have besieged us. They have enough ammunition
to keep us engaged for another hour” said one of the CPI(Maoists)
cadres. “Hmm, it seems that the Salwa Judum is waiting for the
reinforcements to arrive before they carry out the final assault,”
Mahato said in a serious tone.

“I’ll make them taste the dust” said the cadre firing indiscriminately
at the vigilante militia. He went to the forefront all guns blazing.
He shouted, “You rogues, you can not stop us from championing our
cause.” Just then, a bullet pierced his chest leaving him dead. Things
were falling apart for the Maoists.

“Mahato, look, the forces are marching towards us, we are trapped.”
said one of the comrades. “We’ll have to leave this place. I’ll ambush
the forces from behind, give me cover fire” said a tense Mahato.
Amidst intense gun battle between vigilante militia and the Maoists,
it dawned upon Mahato that if he manages to elude the security
personnel, who had an upper hand in the battle, he will be a cat with
nine lives. While attempting to flee, Mahato was shot down. He laid
under a tree in a semi-conscious state. As his imminent death is
approaching him, he reminisces about his past.

I

Destiny: Change or Choice

Mahato knelt down before the landlord beseeching him not to
appropriate his land. The landlord had turned a land grabber. The
ingenuous Mahato, unaware of the legal nitty-gritty, had mortgaged his
land against a debt, which was given at an exorbitant interest rate.
Mahato could not discharge the interest. He pleaded to the landlord,
“Malik, please don’t do this grave injustice to me, my family will die
of starvation. This land is the only source of livelihood for us”. His
plea fell on deaf years as the landlord turned it down inhumanely.
Circumstances forced Mahato into taking up arms. He joined the
Maoists, but, as a mercenary, not a cadre. Along with other comrades,
he murdered the landlord. His entry into the world of terrorism was
marked by landlord’s blood in his hand.

II

The Vicious Cycle

The Salwa Judum had surfaced in Mahato’s village Dantewada forcing him
to flee. The tussle between the Maoists and the Salwa Judum was
getting intense. Mahato had no inkling that his family would be
attacked. His sister was gang-raped and burnt alive. The vigilante
carried out arson attacks. His wife and children providentially and
covertly escaped to one of the camps set up for locals who were
displaced from their places due to clashes between Naxals and Salwa
Judum. Mahato had no clue about their whereabouts before he bumped
into them at the camp while carrying out an attack on the military
forces. His wife and children were living in sub-human conditions.
Food and water were scarce. The children in the camp were malnourished
and deprived of basic care. Mahato had no option but leave them in
that miserable place. Perhaps, nothing can pinch someone’s conscience
more than the inability to help their near and dear ones. But human
part in Mahato had died when he donned the robe of a proponent of
violence.

In the end there was an uncanny lull and darkness. Among all the
battles Mahato had fought, this one proved out to be penultimate and
fatal. The triumph of the army echoed with the death of the Maoist
leader Ramlal Mahato. The red corridor had gone pale. Dantewada had
been rid of the Maoist control. But the victory of the authorities had
come at the cost of lives of several civilians who became the
scapegoats. Their lives will never be the same again.

Posted by Pushkal Shivam at 9:30 AM

http://pushkalshivam.blogspot.com/2010/02/saga-of-mahato-scapegoats-of-naxal.html

http://www.telugustudio.net/2010/02/top-naxal-leader-to-lead-telangana.html

`A strong head, a stronger heart and staying power needed to tackle
Naxals’: Chidambaram
February 19th, 2010 SindhToday

New Delhi, Feb.19 (ANI): Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Friday
said the Naxal and terrorism menace afflicting the country was far
worse than expected, but added that the government is more than
determined to root out the threat through various counter-measures.

Interacting with women journalists on a host of domestic and security-
related issues, Chidambaram said: “The Naxal menace was far worse than
we (the government) expected. As long as we did not engage with them,
they were happy. For doing all this (anti-Naxal operations, other
counter-insurgency measures), one needs a strong head, a stronger
heart and staying power.”

He also said it was important to understand that apart from proper
administration and security, attention needed to be paid to “regional
aspirations, language and caste-related issues, because these are
important.”

“It is a difficult period on many issues. We have been in a state of
denial. This makes my task (as Home Minister) all the more difficult,
but there is a general silver lining,” said Chidambaram during his
interaction with the Women’s Press Corps in the capital.

When asked specifically how the Naxals were still being able to
sustain themselves in spite of the central and state governments
coordinated approach towards tackling them head-on, Chidambaram said:
“The Naxals (or Maoists) are getting their intellectual and material
support from unsuspecting NGOs (non-government organizations) and
civil society, and this makes state jurisdiction very difficult.”

When asked to respond to the oft-repeated Naxal view that the
government was not doing enough on the development front, especially
in areas where people were backward, socially underprivileged and
poor, the Union Home Minister said: “”How can there be development
without effective civil administration and policing.”

“Policing, civic administration and development have to take place
side by side. Without civilian administration in place, how can there
be development. We must first have in place civil administration,
proper policing and security, only then can we think of development,
schools and hospitals etc.,” he added.

“Which doctor will want to go back to an area, or such areas where
there is a threat to life, family,” he said.

Responding to another question on security forces and paramilitary
forces attracting criticism for allegedly evacuating and occupying
schools and other buildings in Maoist-infested areas forcibly,
Chidambaram rejected it outright.

“There is always criticism of the CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force).
The fact is that no schools or buildings are being forcibly evacuated.
The schools that they are occupying are not in use. The Maoists are
not speaking the truth when they spread this sort of news. The Maoists
are the ones who are blowing up schools. They have blown up 350
schools,” he said.

The Union Home Minister also rejected suggestions of security forces
undertaking a carnage of Maoists.

He said: “There is no carnage, no carpet bombing (of Maoist-affected
areas). The security forces have been told to retaliate only if
attacked. They have been told give a controlled and calibrated
response.”

“Now, in three out of six states, we are in confrontation (with Naxals/
Maoists). Unless we challenge and confront them, there will be more
incidents such as what took place in Sealdah (24 policemen killed) in
West Bengal and in Bihar (12 villagers killed in Phulwariya). They
will try every trick in their bag – civil society support, seduce the
media, unleash false charges in court. They will try to pull all
strings and widen the circle of their influence. In all this
cacophony, the (Maoist) aim is to overthrow the parliamentary system
of government,” Chidambaram said.

“There is no half-measure house in dealing with Naxalism, terrorism,”
the Home Minister said.

Asked if the government was at war with the Naxals, Chidambaram said:
“We are not at war with them. They are our countrymen. Even if I get
72 hours of peace, I can talk to them, but they don’t want it.”

He also said that the case of the kidnapped block development officer,
Prashant Kumar Layek, is an issue that has to be decided by the
Jharkhand Government. (ANI)

http://www.sindhtoday.net/news/1/107218.htm

Maoists threaten police officials in Kashipur
February 19th, 2010 mat

BERHAMPUR: Maoist posters threatening some police officials to leave
police force or to depart from the area have appeared in Kashipur area
of naxal infested Rayagada district of south Orissa on Thursday.

According to sources these posters were found near the block office
square of Kashipur. The posters targeted at the Inspector incharge
(IIC) of Kashipur police station P.C.Mohanty, a home guard Somanath
Nayak and a gramrakshi Ganapati Nayak. The Maoists intimidated the IIC
to leave Kashipur area and the other two subordinates were threatened
to leave the police force within next 15 days. The Maoists threatened
of dire consequences if the policemen failed to obey them.

Anti-naxal operation

These threats come at a time when the State government is thinking of
starting strong anti-naxal operation in the State from south Orissa.
The Centre has agreed to provide an additional eight battalions of
central paramilitary forces for the joint operation against the Left-
wing extremists. While five battalions of paramilitary forces will be
deployed in south Orissa, another three battalions will be allotted
for northern and western parts of the State.

When contacted the Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) of
Rayagada, P.K.Bhoi said investigation was on regarding the origin of
these posters.

It may be noted that for the first time Maoists have claimed their
presence in Kashipur block of Rayagada district through these posters.
Kashipur block is known for the continuing anti-alumina project
protests. It is felt that naxals may try to use this anti-
industrialisation agitation for their gains. They have already tried
it in Kalinganagar area.

Naxal threats to policemen are not new to Rayagada district. In
November 2009, naxals had murdered four persons at Pandratala village
under Chandili police station area. One of them was Anand Mandangi a
newly appointed Special Police Officer (SPO) for the anti-naxal
operations. The Maoists had left posters in Telugu and Oriya
threatening people to refrain from joining police force or to have any
links with police and administration.

During his tenure in Rayagada district the former SP of the district,
Ashis Kumar Singh had also received threats from Maoists through a
press release after a series of arrests and surrenders of Maoist
cadres in the area. In 2006, the leftist vagrants had killed a
homeguard at Gudari.

http://signalfire.org/?p=1704

Services protest – angry residents blockade offices
February 19th, 2010 mat

ANGRY residents of Mogwadi, formerly Dendron, outside Polokwane lined
the street leading to the Molemole municipal offices in a protest
against poor service delivery.

The residents called for the immediate resignation of the mayor Monica
Mohale, speaker Wilhemina Manthata, ch ief whip Erica Kataka and
acting municipal manager Sam Raselae.

T he disgruntled residents barricaded the main road, blockaded the
municipal offices gates and littered the area with garbage .

Acting manager Raselae allegedly left the meeting with residents
yesterday at a community hall when they demanded answers.

Mohale, the mayor, had reportedly promised to address the protesters
but failed to arrive.

By late yesterday there was no sign of her and the protest continued
in spite of the light rain that fell in the area.

Among other demands, the residents want the municipality to reduce
service rates because they claim they do not receive value for their
money.

The residents also protested against the renting of toilets for 400
households.

The municipality pays R86000 a month for the toilets, which the
residents say was excessive.

They also accuse the municipality of failing to provide water for the
past 18 months.

“We travel long distances to buy water from those with boreholes at
exorbitant prices.

“Those who do not have money are forced to share the water from wells,
rivers and fountains with animals,” protest organiser Derrick Mothudi.
said

He said some villages had not had water since 2008 and that the roads
were in a bad condition. He added that some villages were still in the
dark because of the slo w pace of electrifying their homes.

Timothy Molopa, the spokesperson for the municipality, said the
council had appointed a new company to provide steel toilets until
they find money to build new pit toilets.

He said complaints about water, roads and electricity were genuine and
undertook to raise these with the relevant departments and report back
to the community.

http://signalfire.org/?cat=25

DRDO’s UAVs, new weapons systems to fight Maoists
February 19th, 2010 mat

DRDO has set up a stall at the DEFEXPO focusing on equipments used in
low intensity conflicts for the first time.
Defence Research and Development Organisation is providing unmanned
aerial vehicles (UAVs), micro air vehicles (MAVs), ground penetration
radars, foliage penetration radars and other weapons to the
paramilitary forces and the state police forces to fight against the
Maoists and other extremists.

“Focus of warfare has shifted towards low intensity conflict, what we
have been observing for last few years. So we thought that DRDO should
focus on supporting the role of paramilitary forces in strengthening
their cause in fighting internal conflicts,” said Dr. K Sekhar, DRDO’s
Chief Controller research and development for low intensity conflict
technologies.

Dr. Sekhar said on Thursday that a core team has been framed by DRDO,
which will develop technologies in next 1-4 years to meet the
requirements of security forces in fighting counter insurgency and the
Maoists.

“We are looking at developing ground penetration radars to located the
IEDs (improvised explosive devices) used by the naxalites and also
develop a very high power laser to destroy these IEDs.

“We are also looking at developing foliage penetration radar so that
movement of vehicles and people moving around in jungles can be easily
tracked. Apart from it UAVs and MAVs fitted with sensors will also
help to keep a track on movement of people,” said Dr. Sekhar.

DRDO has also developed a modern sub-machinegun (SMG) that will be
extremely useful in anti-terror operations as its ammunition is
capable of piercing bulletproof jackets.

DRDO is also offering mobile jammers, night vision devices, chilli
bombs, surveillance systems and radars which can see through the wall
and map things going behind it.

There are 11 outdoor exhibits and nearly 220 indoor exhibits in this
year DEFEXPO from DRDO.

The outdoor exhibit of the DRDO includes PINAKA multi barrel launcher,
Unmaned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)-Nishant, DAKSH-ROVs and NETRA UAV,Main
Battle Tank (MBT) ARJUN, Rohini Radar, Data Center Vehicle, NBC Water
Purification System on ALS, Shourya, PAD with launcher, AKASH
launcher, Group Control Center. By Praful Kumar Singh (ANI)

http://news.oneindia.in/2010/02/18/drdosuavs-new-weapons-systems-to-fight-maoists.html

http://signalfire.org/?cat=6

Prisons put on alert after intel warning
February 19th, 2010 mat No comments
TNN, Feb 19

KOLKATA: Security has been beefed up in all state jails where Maoists
and PCPA activists are lodged following a jailbreak threat. An
intelligence report available with the state prisons department
indicates possible jailbreak attempts in prisons with many Maoist
prisoners.

Midnapore central jail has the maximum number of Maoists — 196 men and
seven women — and hence the focus of the state prisons department is
on this jail. All of these are undertrial prisoners (UTPs), some being
PCPA activists but going by the charges, they have all been clubbed
together.

After Monday’s massacre, Midnapore jail authorities are making it sure
that the 203 UTPs should not spend too much time together. Chhatradhar
Mahato, the former PCPA chief, is one of the inmates.

Among the other “hardened” Maoists here are Sunil Mahato,
Chhatradhar’s trusted lieutenant, his wife Dipali, Sukhshanti Baske,
former PCPA treasurer, and Prasun Chatterjee and Raja Sarkhel, two
intellectuals of the Lalgarh Sanhati Mancha who had been arrested from
Kolkata as Maoist sympathisers.

Chhatradhar reportedly spends most of his time reading newspapers and
talking to other UTP “comrades”. The group of “senior” Maoist leaders
have asked for the Communist Manifesto and some books by Lenin.
Chhatradhar had officially put in a request to allow him to smoke
which has been rejected.

The other Maoist “masterminds” who had been arrested are all in
central jails in the city or in Krishnagar. Of these, only three have
been convicted — Sushil Ray, Patit Paban Halder, and Santosh Debnath.
Halder is in Presidency jail. Ray and Halder had been arrested from
Belpahari for masterminding several killings and attacks.

Gour Chakraborty, the CPI (Maoist) party spokesperson till his arrest
in the city, awaits trial in several murder charges in West Midnapore.
He too has been kept in Presidency jail for security reasons.

Sushil Ray, the founder member of CPI (Maoist) and the “most
dangerous” according to state jail department records, is presently in
Jharkhand because he has been “requisitioned” by the Jharkhand police
and he faces trial in several killings there. The state police will
wait till the trail is over there and then he will be brought back for
trial in cases in Bengal.

Among the other “senior” Maoist leaders, who await trial are, are
Himadri Sen Roy alias Soumen who is in Alipore central jail. Animesh
and Shampa Sengupta are in Krishnagar while Sabyasachi is in Dumdum
central jail.

The UTPs are under special surveillance because unlike convicts, they
cannot be assigned prison duties and hence while away their time
chatting. “Since they have to leave the prison every now and then to
appear in court for trail, we have instructed all the jails that house
them to frisk them well to ensure that they are neither leaving or
coming back with any chits of paper because these could be their ways
of communicating with the outside world,” said B D Sharma additional
director general, prisons. The wards of all the undertrials are also
being changed frequently.

http://signalfire.org/?tag=maoist

...and I am Sid Harth
bademiyansubhanallah
15 years ago
Permalink
‘Ghandy had links with Maoists across globe’
Sumit Saxena
New Delhi, February 19, 2010

First Published: 23:48 IST(19/2/2010)
Last Updated: 00:20 IST(20/2/2010)

The Delhi Police on Friday filed a chargesheet against top Naxal
leader Kobad Ghandy in a city court, accusing him of having close
links with Maoist organisations across the globe and organising funds
for the banned CPI (Maoist) in India.

According to the chargesheet, Ghandy had visited Belgium, Peru,
Germany, Brussels, Netherlands and Iran, and forged alliances with the
respective communist parties of the region.

He carried out his operations under 12 fake names, including 12 fake
aliases like Kamal, Kishore, Katif, Arvind, Akbar, Prashant, Dilip,
Suman, Gupta, Saleem and Narsi.

The 700-page chargesheet — filed in the court of Chief Metropolitan
Magistrate Kaveri Baweja —alleged he was the head of international
department of Communist Party India (Maoist) and worked to generate
revenue form Maoist organisations across the world.

Ghandy has been charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act
for working for a banned organisation and certain provisions of the
Indian Penal Code for cheating, forgery and impersonation. The court
will consider it on March 4.

The Delhi Police claimed to have recovered an open letter from the
Italian Maoist offering multi dimensional support for all kinds of
Maoist activities in the Indian sub-continent.

Ghandy had attended the 9th congress committee of Maoist at an
undisclosed location in 2008.

Subsequently in 2008, he became head of South Western Regional Bureau
(SWRB).

Ghandy visited Nepal in 2006 to attend an international conference of
Maoists in Kathmandu. After the meet, he was elected head of the newly
formed international department. He met Prachanda and other leaders of
People's Liberation Army.

Association with top Maoists The chargesheet claimed Ghandy named 30
top members of Communist Party of India (CPI) (Maoist) during his
interrogation and he was in direct touch with G.N. Sai Baba, who is in
control of tactical counter offensive campaign of Maoists.

The police claimed Maoists wanted to trade inspector Francis Induwar
of Jharkhand in exchange of Ghandy but they beheaded him as the
government declined their demand.

The literature contained in pen-drives, DVDs and computers folders
recovered from him indicated that the Sub-Committee on Mass
Organisation formed by Maoists have been sub-divided in three groups:
Group A, Group B and Group C separately having its hierarchy.

The main aim of this committee was formulate a strategy to kill
political leaders, including West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb
Bhattacharyya and other top leaders of West Bengal, and police
officials posted in areas dominated by Maoists.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Ghandy-had-links-with-Maoists-across-globe/H1-Article1-510741.aspx

Strict vigil in UP areas bordering Naxal-affected states
STAFF WRITER 18:51 HRS IST

Lucknow, Feb 19 (PTI) A round-the-clock vigil is being maintained in
the areas bordering Bihar, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh in view of the
recent Naxal attacks in various parts of the country.

ADG law and order, Brij Lal, told reporters here that in the three
Naxal infested districts of the state -- Sonebhandra, Chandauli and
Mirzapur-- six companies of CRPF (around 600 jawans) and 13 of PAC
(around 1300 jawans) besides the civil police are maintaining strict
vigil.

A new chowki in Pasuhari in Sonebhadra district has been made
operational and state police is working in coordination with the other
Naxal-affected states, with whom a meeting would soon be organised, he
said.

Last year, we had meetings with officials of four Naxal-affected
states to strike a coordination in dealing with the menace, the ADG
added.

http://www.ptinews.com/news/526343_Strict-vigil-in-UP-areas-bordering-Naxal-affected-states

...and I am Sid Harth
bademiyansubhanallah
15 years ago
Permalink
Police killed villagers, say Gompad witnesses
Aman Sethi

In Chhattisgarh village, chilling accounts of a massacre

— Photo: Aman Sethi

Remains of the day: Nothing is left of Madavi’s house at Gompad
village in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district.

GOMPAD: A charred wooden stake and three graves are all that remain of
the Madavi family in this remote village in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada
district.

“Madavi Kanni was lying face down in front of the burnt house,” said
an eyewitness. “She had been slashed with a sword and shot in the
chest.” The bodies of her father, Madavi Bajar, her mother Madavi
Subbhi and her 12-year-old sister Madavi Mutti, were found under a
tree, 50 metres away.

Testimonies collected by The Hindu from Gompad allege that a composite
force of Adivasi special police officers and security force regulars
appeared on the outskirts of the village in the early hours of October
1, 2009. “We ran away when we saw the force,” said the witness,
speaking on condition of anonymity. “We found the bodies when we
returned.”

“The police killed my brother, Soyam Subaiah, and fatally stabbed his
wife, Soyam Jogi,” said Soyam Bhadra, pointing to the courtyard where
the bodies were found, “They also killed Madavi Venka and burnt two
houses.”

The Hindu interviewed Madavi Laccha, son of Madavi Venka, in January
this year. Lachcha claims he saw uniformed men shoot his father in
their cowshed, as he ran into the forests.

In all, nine Adivasi villagers, including two visitors from Bandarpet,
were killed at Gompad that morning. The villagers’ testimonies
corroborate statements filed by 12 villagers and Himanshu Kumar in a
writ petition filed in the Supreme Court. The petition accuses the
security forces of killing two villagers from the neighbouring
villages of Velpocha and Nalkathong, along with the nine at Gompad, on
October 1, 2009, and holds them responsible for the deaths of six
villagers at Gachanpalli on September 17, 2009.

In an interview on February 3, Director-General of Police of
Chhattisgarh Viswaranjan denied all accusations and emphasised the
willingness of the Chhattisgarh police to investigate the case.

Police sources in Raipur told The Hindu that security forces had
entered the forests surrounding Gompad on September 30 2009 , a day
preceding the massacre. The source could not confirm when the forces
returned to their barracks. The source’s information is lent credence
by an IANS report that quotes Dantewada SP Amresh Mishra as saying two
Maoists were killed on October 1, 2009, Nalkathong, — an area not far
from Gompad.

Scattered details of the Gompad massacre have circulated across the
thickly forested region of the Konta block in Dantewada district.
Details of the post mortem, conducted by the police on January 23,
have flashed from village to village — particularly the extraction of
bone samples from the corpses. “Why are the police removing the
bones?” asked a villager from Maitha. The samples were extracted to
establish the identities of the victims.

Adivasis from the villages of Gompad, Velpocha, Nalkathong and Maitha
admit that the area is a stomping ground for naxals and the security
forces alike. Unverifiable information from local journalists claims
that naxals were present in the vicinity of Gompad the night before
the massacre, but left before the forces arrived.

A naxal flyer signed by the South Bastar Regional Committee, picked up
by this correspondent in Bijapur district in February, refers to the
Gompad killings and demands that the CRPF and the Koya Commandos be
brought before a people’s court.

As reported in The Hindu, the police have assumed total control of the
movements of at least three of the 12 petitioners of writ filed in the
Supreme Court: Sodi Sambho, who was shot in the leg at Gompad, was
picked up by the police on January 3 this year. The other petitioners,
Soyam Dulla and Soyam Rama, were picked up from a public hearing
organised by an NGO in Dantewada on January 6 and have not been seen
at the village since.

Madavi Kanni’s husband, Kattam Dulle, and her infant son, Kattam
Suresh, were also present at the hearing, as was Sodi Sambho’s husband
— Sodi Bhadra. They have not returned to Gompad as of date. “My
father, Soyam Dulla, is a petitioner in that case,” confirmed Soyam
Bhadra. “We have not seen him since he was picked up the police on
January 6 in Dantewada.”

On February 15, the Chhattisgarh police produced the three petitioners
in court in New Delhi. Solicitor-General Gopal Subramanium de facto
admitted that the petitioners had been under police control, when he
stated that the petitioners faced threats as they were perceived as
police informers, and the police had made efforts to protect them.

Villagers in Gompad disputed police claims that Soyam Rama, Soyam
Dulla and Sodi Sambo were perceived as police informants. “No one has
issued any threat,” said a villager, speaking on the condition of
anonymity.

Surgical glove wrappers litter the graveyard on the outskirts of
Gompad, evidence of the post mortem conducted last month. Scraps of
discarded clothing hang on a tree overlooking the graves of the Madavi
family. “When the doctors exhumed the bodies, they removed the clothes
and left them on the tree,” a villager said. The clothes, which could
contain evidence of bullet holes or DNA samples, have been exposed to
the elements for over a month.

The Madavi family has proved inseparable even in death. Their graves
lie side by side: Subbi and her husband Bajar were buried in the same
grave, as were Kanni and her sister Mutti. In an adjacent grave lies
Madavi Venka.

http://www.hindu.com/2010/02/21/stories/2010022154981000.htm

Mamata giving patronage to Maoists: Brinda Karat
Raktima Bose

KOLKATA: Accusing Trinamool Congress chief and Railway Minister Mamata
Banerjee of being “quid pro quo” with the Maoists, Brinda Karat,
Communist Party of India (Marxist) Polit Bureau member, said here on
Saturday that it was “unprecedented in the country’s history where a
member of the Union Cabinet is utilising her position to give
patronage to a banned outfit.”

Ms. Karat added that the CPI(M) would raise the issue in the coming
Parliament session.

Speaking to The Hindu on the sidelines of the National Convention of
Platform for Rights of Disabled, she said the question raised by Ms.
Banerjee about the identity of the Silda camp attackers pointed to the
understanding between the Trinamool and the Maoists, since it was
clear that left-wing extremists had staged it.

Twenty-four Eastern Frontier Rifles jawans were killed when Maoists
raided the Silda camp in the State’s Paschim Medinipur district on
February. Maoist leader Kishanji later claimed responsibility for the
attack.

“When you are directly or indirectly asking for the withdrawal of
security forces, when you are openly supporting a Maoist front like
the one Chhatradhar Mahato leads, when your party MPs glorify violence
against poor CPI(M) victims, the message is clear that you are in quid
pro quo with the Maoists,” Ms. Karat said.

‘Odd and strange’

She described Ms. Banerjee’s attitude as “odd and strange,” especially
since Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has announced that the Maoists are
the biggest internal security threat.

On the effectiveness of Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram’s offer of
talks with Maoists if the latter halted violence for 72 hours, Ms.
Karat said he should first “work out” the issue with his
“colleague” (Ms. Banerjee) since she was stressing on unconditional
talks.

Criticising the rising prices of essential commodities and the
Centre’s recent decision to decontrol the price of fertilizers and
initiate a nutrient-based subsidy scheme, Ms. Karat said the political
message sent out by the Centre through these actions “could be
summarised in four words — We Couldn’t Care Less.”

Referring to the continuation of future trading in food grains, she
said that instead of banning it, the Centre did not even mention it in
its note to the Chief Ministers regarding controlling price rise.

“This shows the refusal of the Centre to make a cost correction…does
any government raise the price of fertilizers during a period of
inflation? These issues will also be raised in the Parliament session
and we are in touch with the other political parties [regarding the
issues],” Ms. Karat said.

http://www.hindu.com/2010/02/21/stories/2010022154880800.htm

Poverty triggers Maoist problems: Baba Ramdev
Indrani Dutta

KOLKATA: Yoga guru Baba Ramdev feels that poverty leads to unrest like
the one triggered by Maoists in the country now.

“Where wealth is not present, there problems crop up. ‘Anartha’ like
Maoist problems result if too much poverty is there,” Baba Ramdev said
at a gathering of corporates, which included the chairmen of at least
three major public sector units and the chairman of one of the first
families of Indian business.

The recent attack on a security camp at Silda in West Bengal by
Maoists cast its shadow over a national meet of human resource
professionals, with the ultra-Left extremism problem being linked to
skewed development in the country.

Baba Ramdev delivered the inaugural address at the meet in which
Aditya Birla group chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla was the key-note
speaker.

The Yoga guru’s statement echoed the observation made by P.S.
Bhattacharjee, chairman of Coal India Ltd., who said the attack at
Silda was a “symptom of a malaise that is rooted in poverty.”.

“Let us accept the responsibility of not delivering to our fellowmen
the fruits of development…Youth today are very discontented and large
parts of the population do not even have access to the basic needs of
a decent living. This is the dark side of development — as 250 million
people crowd the malls, 550 million do not have a roof over their
heads,” Mr. Bhattacharjee said.

‘Little has changed’

Baba Ramdev, in his nearly 40-minute-long speech, said it was queer
that India clocked high levels of growth in its gross domestic
product, but fared badly in international well-being indices like the
Human Development Index. “Little has changed with independence other
than the fact that we can now fly the ‘tiranga’ freely,” he said,
adding that whether it was the health system, the education system or
the legal system, old legacies persisted.

He called for a total overhaul of the system. “Only this will bring
true independence to India.”

The Yoga guru also called for a ban on the use of products
manufactured and marketed by multinationals, asking the corporates
present at the congregation to think of the country first and then
their businesses.

http://www.hindu.com/2010/02/21/stories/2010022154900900.htm

Pune Police denies reports of German Bakery blast evidence being lost
ANI

Posted: Sunday , Feb 21, 2010 at 1056 hrs

Pune:
The evidences required have been collected and no evidence is lost:
Pune Police

Pune Police Commissioner Satpal Singh dismissed all reports that said
the crucial evidences were lost in the case of the blast that ripped
the German Bakery in Koregaon Park area on February 13.

Addressing the media, Singh termed this as sheer rumours and spelt out
the latest developments in the blast that rocked the city a week ago.
Singh was commenting on the reports that said initially it was assumed
to be an LPG cylinder explosion, following which the police called in
the fire brigade and asked them to wash the site with an aim to
prevent further damage.

Singh said, "I want to tell you and say forcefully that there is no
truth in this (about clues being lost). The evidences required have
been collected and no evidence is lost." Further, he reiterated that
the investigation in the case was on the right track. "As I have said
our investigation is on the right track, I can only say this as of
now," added Singh.

The blast that ripped the German Bakery claimed 13 lives so far and
left around 57 others injured. The blast is seen as the first big
attack on the country since the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/pune-police-denies-reports-of-german-bakery-blast-evidence-being-lost/582457/

BSF cop who shot schoolboy got gun records fudged
Muzamil Jaleel

Posted: Sunday , Feb 21, 2010 at 0319 hrs
Srinagar:
Lakhwinder in custody

When the Border Security Force initiated an investigation into the
killing of a 16-year-old school boy, Zahid Farooq, in the outskirts of
the city earlier this month under pressure from the Union Home
ministry, the elaborate cover-up operation was exposed because a
constable refused to play along.

Immediately after arriving at the battalion headquarters after the
killing, Constable Lakhwinder Singh, who allegedly shot Farooq, had
managed to get the AK 47 rifle, which was used to fire and kill the
schoolboy, deposited and show the time of depositing half an hour
before the BSF cavalcade had left the camp that morning.

Instead, Lakhwinder had got an INSAS 5.56 rifle issued to him.

Sources reveal that soon after the killing on February 5, the BSF top
brass asked the 68 battalion—headquartered at Shalimar, a few miles
from the spot where the schoolboy was shot—to conduct a thorough arms
and ammunition check of its men. The Union Home Ministry was keen on
ascertaining the truth behind the killing especially as the J-K
government had insisted that there was strong evidence suggesting the
involvement of BSF men.

An Arms Inspector of Sector Headquarter, Pantha Chowk, along with his
team was sent by the BSF’s Frontier headquarters for the probe.
Sources say every weapon issued was thoroughly checked and the team
found no ammunition missing or fired from the weapons. This, sources
reveal, added to the confusion especially as the Commandant of the
battalion, R K Birdi, had denied any knowledge about the shooting.

Sources say the operation to hide that the bullets that killed Zahid
Farooq were fired from constable Lakhwinder’s AK rifle was exposed by
Constable S Govinda Swami, the non-commissioned officer (NCO) in
charge of ammunition in 68 battalion.

After returning to the camp, Constable Lakhwinder had contacted the
Kote (arms) NCO Head Constable Ram Singh and requested him to issue an
INSAS 5.56 rifle instead of his AK 47 but show the time of depositing
of the AK rifle half an hour prior to their movement out of the camp
that morning. “Thus when the weapons issued to the men were checked,
there was nothing there. Lakhwinder had replaced AK 47 with INSAS and
thus hid that he had fired any rounds that day,” a source told The
Sunday Express.

Sources reveal that Lakhwinder had also managed the two missing rounds
of ammunition of AK 47 for the rounds he had fired that day but these
replaced rounds did not match the lot number. Fearing detection during
an ammo check, Lakhwinder contacted the ammunition NCO of the
battalion S Govinda Swami to get two rounds of ammunition with a
matching lot number for his INSAS. Constable Swami didn’t play
along.

Sources reveal that Ram Singh—who was also the guard commander of
Commandant Birdi’s cavalcade on the day of the incident—has alleged a
cover-up ordered by the Commandant while deposing before the court
here. Sources reveal that Singh, who is a witness to the shooting, not
only corroborated the allegations made by constable Lakhwinder that CO
Birdi ordered the shooting but went a step ahead saying that he fudged
the arms records under the instructions of the Commandant. Sources say
that Singh accused CO Birdi of pressurising him and the Adjutant
(Rakesh Dabral) to fudge the records and ordered all the men to remain
silent.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/bsf-cop-who-shot-schoolboy-got-gun-records-fudged/582448/0

Bakery flouted security tips it got in October: police chief
Express News Service

Posted: Sunday , Feb 21, 2010 at 2330 hrs
Pune: Flo

Pune Police Commissioner Satyapal Singh on Saturday said German Bakery
management failed to follow the security guidelines issued to them on
October 9, 2009.

The copy of guidelines — which was made available to the media on
Saturday — provided to the bakery management mentioned 23
precautionary measures, one of which is regarding steps to be taken in
case any abandoned bag or suspicious object is found. The guideline
says police should be immediately informed on spotting any abandoned
bag or suspicious object. The guideline also says in case a bag is
spotted it should be covered with sand bags and the area should be
vacated immediately. Nobody should touch any such bag. Singh said
German Bakery management failed to follow these guidelines.

Singh said Pravin Ramkumar Pant, the cashier of German Bakery, had
accepted the copy of guidelines, about two and a half pages, that was
issued to several hotels and other establishments in Koregaon Park
area on October 9. Incidentally, Pant was injured in the blast. Also,
he is the one who lodged the first information report in the bomb
blast case.

The copy speaks about the precautionary measures to be taken by hotels
and other establishments in areas that are potential terror targets.
In the wake of alerts received from the intelligence agencies, police
had issued the security guidelines to various establishments in
Koregaon Park and Camp area, especially around Chabad House and the
Ohal David Synagogue.

According to Singh, another guideline that German Bakery did not
follow was installing doorframe metal detectors (DFMD) and hand metal
detectors (HMD). Singh, however, agreed that a CCTV camera was
installed in the German Bakery, which was focused at the cash
counter.

Singh refused to comment, when asked if police would book anybody from
German Bakery management under Section 188 of the IPC (Disobedience to
order duly promulgated by public servant) for not following the
guidelines.

German Bakery owner Smita Kharose said since she was “busy”, the
bakery cashier will speak on the issue. Pant said he would not speak
as he has received a severe shock due to the bomb blast and the
doctors have advised him rest.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/bakery-flouted-security-tips-it-got-in-october-police-chief/582300/0

...and I am Sid Harth
bademiyansubhanallah
15 years ago
Permalink
Swap deal: Man, daughter freed
TNN, Feb 21, 2010, 03.08am IST

JAMSHEDPUR: As a part of the swap deal between Maoists and Jharkhand
government leading to release of the abducted BDO, a man and his
daughter were released on bail by a Ghatshila court on Saturday.

In a thanks-giving message to Maoists, Ranchi zone IG Rezi Dungdung
said, "They (Maoists) did their work. Now it's our turn to
reciprocate."

As part of the compromise deal for releasing abducted Dhalbhumgarh
BDO, the rebels had sought the release of 14 villagers lodged in
Ghatshila jail. Jasmine Mardi (24), who was married to police
constable Ramrai Hembram three years back, was sent to jail along with
her father Bahadur Mardi (47) on charges of being Maoists.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Swap-deal-Man-daughter-freed/articleshow/5598312.cms

Camps not fit for dogs: EFR
TNN, Feb 21, 2010, 03.07am IST

JHARGRAM: After the spat between the DGP and home secretary, now it's
the turn of senior police officers in the Maoist-affected districts to
cross swords over the attack on the Silda Eastern Frontier Rifles camp
that killed 24 policemen.

Speaking for the first time since the attack, EFR special inspector
general Binoy Krishna Chakraborty accused district SP Manoj Verma of
ignoring his requests to visit the camps.

Chakraborty heads the Eastern Frontier Rifles in the terror zone.

"The places where camps are set up and jawans are forced to stay put
for months were not even fit for dogs," said the local EFR commander,
his face masked by a black bandana. "In which camp would one have a
sentry standing guard barely five feet away from a public toilet?"

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Camps-not-fit-for-dogs-EFR/articleshow/5598305.cms

Kobad aide held, plan to strike Delhi found
Rahul Tripathi, TNN, Feb 21, 2010, 01.47am IST

NEW DELHI: Arvind Joshi, an MCom student and alleged accomplice of top
Maoist ideologue Kobad Ghandy, has been arrested along with seven
others by Uttar Pradesh STF at Kanpur. Delhi Police will now seek
remand of Joshi who they believe holds vital information regarding
Naxalite activities in Delhi and NCR. The UP police also claimed to
have seized two hard disks and Maoist literature from Joshi and his
accomplices.

Joshi, police said, is a member of the central committee of CPI
(Maoist) and also secretary of northern regional committee. He is
alleged to have fled from Badarpur in Delhi, along with hard disks and
other documents, after the arrest of Ghandy in September last year.

Sources also claimed the hard disks contain the plan to carry out
strikes in Delhi and NCR, and also substantial information about
Naxalite contacts of Ghandy. The emails sent and received by Kobad and
Joshi to their contacts is of vital importance, police said. The
Andhra police, which is assisting Delhi Police with the
investigations, says it has information that Naxalites want to make a
‘‘big impression’’ by carrying out a strike in Delhi or NCR. ‘‘They
are desperate to strike and this can also be gauged from the recent
strikes they have carried out in Bihar and West Bengal,’’ said an
Andhra Pradesh police officer.

Additional director general (Law and Order) Brij Lal said, ‘‘We have
nabbed a man named Arvind. He is believed to be an accomplice of Kobad
Ghandy. We have also seized literature from him, which was written by
Ghandy. Two hard disks were seized, which are being examined. Arvind
was arrested along with seven others and all of them are in police
custody.’’ Delhi Police also said Ghandy is not suffering from
prostate cancer, a claim made by the Maoist ideologue at the time of
his arrest. ‘‘We have put him through various medical tests. The
reports have revealed that he was not suffering from cancer. However,
due to his age, doctors say he is suffering from a mild heart ailment
and prostate problems,’’ said a senior police officer.

Ghandy’s counsel Vishal Gohain too said, ‘‘He was not diagnosed with
cancer. He is only suffering from a prostate problem, which we thought
could be serious.’’ Because of his old age and ill health, Delhi HC
turned down cop’s plea to conduct a narco test on Ghandy. In their 700-
page chargesheet filed in a Delhi court, police said that after
Ghandy’s arrest, state-wise bandhs were announced by Maoists in
Chhattisgarh and Andhra on October 1 and 3 last year, and that they
were in possession of the pamphlets distributed by Maoists regarding
the bandhs. Police claimed Ghandy was in the know of the Naxalites’
plot to abduct and behead police inspector Francis Induwar in
Jharkhand last year.

Following the threat of urban terrorism, Delhi Police officers are
also being made to undergo a training programme in Naxalite strategy
and urban terrorism at the National Police Academy in Hyderabad. ‘‘The
decision was taken by home ministry. Senior police officers from
Naxalite infested areas are sensitized about the ultras’ modus
operandi. The training was started last year and Delhi cops are also
being made part of the module due to increasing movement of Naxalites
in the capital,’’ said an official from the ministry.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Kobad-aide-held-plan-to-strike-Delhi-found/articleshow/5598028.cms

Pune pays tribute to victims
Laxmi Birajdar, TNN, Feb 21, 2010, 01.38am IST

PUNE: They had gathered to share each other’s grief. At 6.55pm — the
time when the blast ripped through German Bakery last Saturday — over
300 people paid tributes to the victims by lighting candles outside a
coffee shop, located next to the eatery. The condolence meeting was
organised jointly by Maharashtra Education and Training (MET) and a
dental clinic. Residents of Koregaon Park, friends of the deceased and
injured paid their tributed to departed souls.

Owner of the bakery Smita Kharose was present with her family and so
was Smita Jauhri, the aunt of Abhishek Saxena, who died in the blast.
Actors Imran Khan and Sonam Kapoor also lit candles and left shortly
thereafter.

‘‘We have plans to start a rehabilitation fund for the victims. We are
in talks with the bakery owners as the MET students are doing the
groundwork on getting detailed information on all the victims being
treated in the city hospitals currently. The fund will be used to meet
the medical expenses of these victims. Efforts are also on to spread
awareness among our friends, families and acquaintances through social
networking sites,’’ said Anish Mahajan, director of MET.

Most of the citizens who turned up were regular visitors to the
bakery. ‘‘I had been hanging out at the bakery every day for the last
10 years. I even knew the waiters well,’’ said an individual.

Friends of Sayyed Syed Khani, the Iranian student who died in the
blast, were scared. ‘‘My Iranian friends are scared. We’ve been
getting frantic calls from our families back home in Iran about our
safety. But we are all sticking together and helping each other to
cope with the trauma,’’ said Sara Sabory, one of the several Iranian
students studying in Pune.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Pune-pays-tribute-to-victims/articleshow/5597951.cms

'Terrorism cannot be allowed to win’
Preetu Venugopalan Nair, TNN, Feb 21, 2010, 01.42am IST

PANAJI: The Valentine’s Day eve blast in Pune’s German Bakery
shattered Klaus Gutzeit’s calm in the hills of Himachal Pradesh. The
64-year-old immediately packed his bags and set off for the terror-
struck city.

"I was shocked and it was important for me to be there,’’ said the
nomadic German who set up the Pune landmark in 1989 at the request of
his friends who had joined Osho’s fold. ‘‘On the first day we opened
German bakery in Pune, there was a mad rush. After that we have never
looked back,’’ he recalled in an interview to TOI.

‘‘I thought it would help them a little on seeing me, being with them
in their moment of grief...also I thought I should give them my
support,” said Gutzeit, who is now in Goa, the place where he learnt
he had it in him to be a successful baker. He was shocked by the
devastation he saw but says terrorism can’t be allowed to win. ‘‘When
I think about it, I’m filled with anger and sorrow. But we have to
live with it and look forward with optimism. We can’t let terrorism
win, the human will is much stronger than that,’’ he said.

The establishment is now run by a local family, the Kharoses, but
Gutzeit got to meet his old Nepalese friend Gopal, who has been in the
bakery for 20 years. ‘‘I gave him my moral support. I am too old now
to be of any real help to him,’’ said Gutzeit, lovingly called Woody
by his friends. ‘‘I hope there will be a new German Bakery soon. There
is so much moral support and demand for it.’’ Woody, a school drop-out
who describes himself as a ‘‘simple traveller, doing writing,
painting, photography’’, arrived in India in 1970 at the end of a road
trip that took him one and half years.

‘‘I loved India and the Himalayas. But there was only one thing
missing: good German (north-European) bread!’’ he said. So he took to
baking, although he knew nothing about it ‘‘since in Germany even the
smallest village has a bakery’’. The first bread he baked was in a
clay pot over a kerosene stove, and he says it was delicious. ‘‘Maybe
I was a baker in my previous birth,’’ he joked. The word soon spread
and his western friends pushed him to bake and sell his bread
commercially. “So in the late 70s, I started to sell bread in the flea
market in Anjuna every Wednesday.” It was an instant hit among
foreigners.

The first year, he made his merchandise at a local bakery in Chapora.
‘‘It was great to work together with the local bakers. Those days, we
would come to the flea market on a bullock cart. By sunset, we would
be all stoned and drunk. It was such a great time.’’

However, Woody was finding the humid climate of Goa difficult to bear.
And since he always liked the Himalayas, he jumped at the offer to
open a baking unit in Kathmandu. He stayed there for eight years
before coming down to Pune in the late eighties.

Osho had then come back from the US and a lot of foreigners thronged
his ashram. ‘‘Half of my friends had become his sanyasis,’’ he says of
the people who egged him to open Pune’s German bakery.

Woody, however, didn’t like city life and left Pune sometime in the
nineties. ‘‘I would always fall ill in Pune. So I returned to Goa to
set up a German bakery at Anjuna,’’ says Woody. Friends helped with
the finances and with economic liberalisation it was possible to form
a company and start something legally in Goa, he said. Goa has at
least seven German bakeries, all run either by locals or Nepalese
people. There have been imitators in other parts of the country as
well.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Terrorism-cannot-be-allowed-to-win/articleshow/5597943.cms

...and I am Sid Harth
bademiyansubhanallah
15 years ago
Permalink
Bihar police claims naxal attackers included children

IN A sensational disclosure Bihar Police said on Saturday that the
massacre carried out by Maoists in a village in Jamui was carried out
by young children, enrolled in the Naxal ranks.

CJ: Mineguruji Sat, Feb 20, 2010 12:35:53 IST

IN A sensational disclosure Bihar Police said on Saturday that the
massacre carried out by Maoists in a village in Jamui was carried out
by young children, enrolled in the Naxal ranks. Twelve people were
killed and several others were injured when a group of Naxals attacked
the village on Wednesday night.

Bihar police claims that there were at least 50 children in the Naxal
gang comprising 200 members, which carried out the rampage. This
attack is being seen as a retaliatory attack by the ultras after 8 of
their comrades were killed in the same village a fortnight earlier.

Senior police officials admitted that this attack was carried out to
take revenge and put pressure on the security forces to lessen the
pressure. This is one of the biggest naxal attacks in Bihar in last
couple of years. Large parts of the state are affected by the Maoists,
who have declared a war against the state.

http://www.merinews.com/article/bihar-police-claims-naxal-attackers-included-children/15798792.shtml

Govt calls three CMs for meet over Naxal violence
IANS
Published on Sun, Feb 21, 2010 at 10:53 in India section

NEW STRATEGIES: The home minister said the government had reached
"tentative conclusions" to combat Naxalism.

New Delhi: Home Minister P Chidambaram has written to chief ministers
of Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal inviting them to a meeting in New
Delhi following the recent spurt in Maoist violence.

In his letter, the home minister said the government had reached
"tentative conclusions" to combat Left wing extremism and wanted all
state governments to endorse the government's plan for an inter-state
operation against the rebels, officials said Saturday.

Ministry officials pointed out that the letter was an outcome of two
daring attacks staged by the rebels this week.

In West Bengal, over 100 Maoist rebels overran a Eastern Frontier
Rifles camp in West Midnapore district Monday, killing 24 troopers. In
another attack Wednesday night, Maoists killed 11 villagers in Kodasi
Phulwaria village in Jamui District of Bihar.

Sources said Chidambaram wanted to be reassured that the chief
ministers of Jharkhand and Bihar endorse the plans presented by the
government.

On Friday, the home minister admitted that finding trained and well-
equipped security forces in states is the most difficult challenge in
tackling the Maoists, who had created a parallel administration in
many districts in the country.

"The most difficult element is trained, well-equipped state police
force to take on the challenge of the Maoists. The situation on the
Naxal (Maoist) front is worse. For, we did not engage them (earlier)
and they will continue to expand unless we challenge them,"
Chidambaram told reporters in an interaction at the Indian Women's
Press Corps.

In Chidambaram's reckoning, security forces needed to regain control
over Maoist-controlled areas first and the state governments should
then rush with developmental measures.

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/govt-calls-three-cms-for-meet-over-naxal-violence/110459-3.html

EFR top cop suspended after he blames Bengal govt for Naxal attack
Press Trust Of India
Midnapore, February 21, 2010

First Published: 10:33 IST(21/2/2010)
Last Updated: 10:52 IST(21/2/2010)

The senior official of Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR), Benoy
Chakraborty, has been suspended by the West Bengal government on
Sunday for accusing the state government and charging it with
"misusing and utterly ignoring" the force. EFR's 24 personnel were
killed by Maoists in West Midnapore district.

Special EFR IG Benoy Chakraborty accused the district police chief
Manoj Verma of being "fully responsible" for the incident which took
place on February 15.

"The Silda camp was most unprofessionally set up at a crowded place
making it extremely difficult for the EFR jawans to function,"
Chakraborty told mediapersons at Salua camp.

He charged that "over the years, the basic needs of EFR personnel were
overlooked and hey were inhumanly treated by the authorities".

Chakraborty said there was "total lack of security at the EFR camp and
the jawans were subjected to negligence by the authorities."

There was no visit by the authorities to camps like the one at Silda,
he alleged adding "no sympathy was shown to the
EFR jawans and rather their role was criticised during the Maoist
attack at the camp.

"On a number of occasions, we drew attention of the state government
and the SP to the state of affairs of EFR camps and its jawans but
their grievances were not redressed," he alleged.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/EFR-top-cop-suspended-after-he-blames-Bengal-govt-for-Naxal-attack/H1-Article1-511192.aspx

Kolkata youth succumbs, Pune blast toll 14
Indo-Asian News Service
Pune, February 21, 2010

First Published: 11:23 IST(21/2/2010)
Last Updated: 11:25 IST(21/2/2010)

A 23-year-old student from Kolkata, who was injured in the February 13
terror blast, died in a hospital in Pune early Sunday, taking the toll
to 14.

Rajeev Agarwal was a student of the Symbiosis group of institutions.
He breathed his last in Jehangir Hospital in Pune, said an official
from the Pune police control room.

Another five patients continue to be in critical condition in
different city hospitals and 33 more are undergoing treatment.

Two men are suspected to have carried RDX in their backpacks and left
them inside the crowded German Bakery Feb 13. The blast triggered
thereafter has so far killed 14 people besides injuring 57.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/maharashtra/Kolkata-youth-succumbs-Pune-blast-toll-14/Article1-511199.aspx

‘Request to shift EFR camp ignored’
HT Correspondents/PTI, Hindustan Times
West Midnapore/Jamshedpur/ Patna, February 20, 2010

First Published: 23:50 IST(20/2/2010)
Last Updated: 23:51 IST(20/2/2010)

A senior official of the Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR) blamed the
district police and administration for the Maoist attack on an EFR
camp in West Midnapore on Monday.

Covering his face with a black bandana as he faced TV cameras at the
EFR headquarters at Salua, West Midnapore, Special Inspector General
(EFR) Benoy Chakraborty vented his ire at the district police and
administration.

It is not clear why he had masked himself.

On Monday, 25 people were killed by Maoists in an attack on an EFR
camp at Silda in West Midnapore, about 170 km west of Kolkata.

“Higher officials in charge of the district knew that the camp was not
safe. The SP, West Midnapore, was repeatedly told that the camp should
be shifted, but he paid no heed,” said Chakraborty.

“Several radio messages requesting the SP to shift the camps went
unanswered.”

However, another Inspector General of the state police said on
condition of anonymity: “How can an officer criticise his own
colleague in front of the media when the government had ordered an
inquiry into the massacre?”

Meanwhile, two of the 14 people whose release the Maoists asked for as
a condition for letting go Dalbhumgarh Block Development Officer
Prashant Layek were on Saturday granted bail by a court in Ghatsila.

Additional District Judge M.M. Singh granted bail to Jasmi Mardi and
her father, Bahadur Mardi.

A police outpost, with additional forces, has been set up at Phulwaria-
Korasi village in Naxal-affected Jamui district in Bihar. At least 12
persons were killed and an equal number injured in a Maoist attack on
Thursday morning.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/eastindia/Request-to-shift-EFR-camp-ignored/Article1-511102.aspx

Take the battle into the enemy’s camp
Vir Sanghvi
February 20, 2010

First Published: 22:44 IST(20/2/2010)
Last Updated: 08:45 IST(21/2/2010)

Last month an 11-member hit team dispatched by Israel’s Mossad
travelled to Dubai and assassinated Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, a Hamas
military commander and number one on Israel’s list of most wanted
terrorists.

Al-Mabhouh was clearly an unsavoury character, one of the founders of
Hamas’s military wing, an abductor and murderer of Israeli soldiers
and an organiser of terrorist attacks on civilians.

Few tears were shed in Israel over his death but there has been a
minor uproar in England over the use of cloned British passports by
the Israeli hit team. Normally, the Israelis just fake passports. But
on this occasion, they cloned the real passports of Britons who have
settled in Israel. The Brits say this is unacceptable. Why couldn’t
Mossad have just faked the passports as usual?

What’s interesting is that very little of the outrage focuses on the
assassination itself. By now, the West has accepted that Israelis will
track down and assassinate terrorists no matter where in the world
they hide. And, in the post 9/11 era, few people seem to mind. It is
widely accepted that terrorists can rarely be brought to justice and
convicted by courts of law. So, an assassination often seems like the
most effective option.

All this has lessons for India. There are, broadly, four ways of
fighting terrorism. The first is that you guard every likely target.
This is nearly impossible to do and no matter how many men you deploy,
terrorists will slip through the cracks. The second is that you use
intelligence to discover terrorist plots and then foil them. This too,
is hardly a fool-proof strategy.

The third is that after terrorist attacks are committed you spare no
effort in going after the perpetrators so that you deter would-be
terrorists. The Israelis travelled the world in the aftermath of the
Munich attacks in 1972 and killed every one of the terrorist
masterminds.

And the fourth is covert action: you take the battle into the enemy’s
camp. You infiltrate terrorist organisations, you kill terrorists
before they can strike, and you dabble in the internal affairs of your
opponents, financing and arming those groups that are likely to create
trouble for your enemies.

Pakistan has always shown a willingness to use covert operations
against India. Even if you take the line that the 26/11 terrorists did
not have official sanction, nobody can deny that the Pakistanis have
used assassination as an element of State policy. In Kashmir, for
instance, important leaders have been bumped off by the Pakistanis
when they refused to follow Islamabad’s line.

Equally, Islamabad has traditionally funded groups that are inimical
to Delhi. Till the creation of Bangladesh, East Pakistan was used to
provide arms and support to the Mizos and the Nagas. Since then,
Pakistan has funded Sikh separatists, local jihadis and, of course,
Kashmiri militants.

India’s record on covert operations has been lacklustre. We have
preferred to fight terrorism either by relying on intelligence or by
heightening security. When it comes to retribution, we prefer to go
through legal channels rather than take direct action. We will wait
for the Pakistanis to prosecute Hafiz Sayeed rather than eliminate him
ourselves. And while we have funded Pakistani separatists in the past,
this assistance has been feeble and more or less dried up after Inder
Gujral made Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) roll up its operations
in Pakistan when he was PM.

It is now increasingly clear that Pakistan either cannot (the view of
the doves) act against powerful terrorist groups or will not (the view
of the hawks) prevent terrorists from attacking Indian targets. A
similar lack of strength or willingness is reflected in its failure to
effectively prosecute the likes of Hafiz Sayeed.

So what is India to do? Are we to rely on increased security and
better intelligence? Or are we to step up our covert operations?

Till recently, many Indians would have been appalled by the idea of
covert operations. We reject the idea of moral equivalence with
Pakistan and cannot see ourselves financing militants who engage in
violence.

I once asked Manmohan Singh why we rejected the covert option and his
answer summed up the mood in government: because of the manner in
which it would brutalise the Indian State and damage our moral psyche.
Indians simply do not do such things.

But I am now coming around to the view that it is time to reconsider.
There are two kinds of covert operations. The first is the Pakistani
style, whereby jihadis travel to India and kill women and children.
The other is the approach increasingly favoured by the West (and
pioneered by Israel) in the aftermath of 9/11.

Western nations do not finance terrorism. But equally, they do not
consider themselves restricted by the niceties of the law. America
infiltrates terror groups, encourages them to fight with each other,
kidnaps and whisks away important terrorists (‘rendition’) and sub-
contracts the job of executing terrorists to friendly secret services.

There is a strong case for us in India to follow that example. Let’s
take the instance of the three terrorists who were freed in Kandahar
in exchange for the passengers on IC-814. They traveled to Pakistan
where they were welcomed as heroes. Should we not have pursued them
and taken them out? Would this not have served as a warning to other
terrorists?

Similarly, we know who many of the 26/11 masterminds are and where
they live. Should we wait for the Pakistanis to move against them —
assuming that Pakistan is so inclined? Or should we just send a hit
team? We know where Dawood Ibrahim, the man behind the Bombay blasts,
lives. Should we mount a large-scale operation to eliminate him?

Similarly, should we not consider doing to Pakistan what it does to
us? There are many Sindhis, Mohajirs, and yes, Baluchis, who have no
affection for the Punjabi elite which runs Pakistan. Should we not
finance them so that they can more forcefully express their
discontentment? The more trouble there is for Pakistan from within,
the more distracted the government in Islamabad will be.

Our answer to all these questions, so far, has been an unequivocal
‘no’. When Manmohan Singh agreed to include a reference to Baluchistan
in the Sharm el-Sheikh statement, we were appalled because the thought
of any Indian involvement in Baluchistan was repugnant to us. We did
not object on pragmatic grounds: why surrender the Baluchistan option
when we can use it to create trouble for Pakistan?

As the Poona attack demonstrates, the terrorism is not going to stop.
Pakistan is going to step up its efforts to radicalise and arm Indian
Muslim groups so that it can then argue that the terrorism is
indigenous. Should we just sit back and wait for this to happen while
placing our faith in the power of dialogue? Or should we re-think our
approach to the battle against terror?

I’m not sure what the answers to these questions are. But the time has
come to open the debate on covert operations.

n ***@hindustantimes.com

The views expressed by the author are personal.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/editorial-views-on/virsanghvi/Take-the-battle-into-the-enemy-s-camp/Article1-511079.aspx

IPS crisis: 16 paramilitary officers sent to Naxal-hit states
Press Trust Of India
New Delhi, February 21, 2010

First Published: 10:01 IST(21/2/2010)
Last Updated: 10:11 IST(21/2/2010)

Facing acute shortage of IPS cadres, the Home Ministry has dispatched
16 paramilitary officers on probation to Naxal-affected states to work
as additional superintendents of police.

The second-in-command and deputy commandant rank officers have been
drawn from CRPF, BSF, CISF, ITBP and SSB and sent to Maoist-hit
Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa and Bihar.

"The officers have been sent on deputation when the states told the
Home Ministry that they don't have enough IPS officers to be posted as
ASP in many districts," a senior officer said.

All the 16 officers have put in more than 10 years of service in their
respective organisations and have handled sensitive assignments and
worked in hostile environments, including in Jammu and Kashmir and the
Northeast.

The officers had undergone a brief special training on jungle warfare
before heading for the designated states and places of postings.

"The officers will be fully under the command, control and disposal of
the respective state governments and work as the ASPs of that state,"
the officer said.

The dispatching of the paramilitary officers to the states also bears
significance in view of the fact that the Centre has already deployed
around 60,000 central paramilitary personnel in all Naxal-affected
states and these officers would help them coordinate at the grass-root
level.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/newdelhi/IPS-crisis-16-paramilitary-officers-sent-to-Naxal-hit-states/511190/H1-Article1-511189.aspx

Naxal menace can be tackled through Yoga: Baba Ramdev

Keywords: India , Naxal menace , Baba Ramdev , Yoga ,

Posted On: 21-Feb-2010 11:33:17
By: Shalini Pandey

Saharsa: Internationally-acclaimed yoga guru Baba Ramdev today said
the Naxal menace could be tackled only through Yoga therapy.

Speaking to newsmen in this North Bihar district headquaters on his
arrival to preside over a Yoga conclave, Baba Ramdev expressed serious
concern at the recent spate of violence let loose by the ultras in
different states and felt that the 'disturbed mind' of these
insurgents could only be tackled succesfully through Yoga.

''By practising yoga one could have a complete control over his mind
and body apart from moving towards leading a non-violent life,'' the
Yoga guru said and urged the youth to shun violence for the all-round
development of the country.

Asked about the possibility of floating a political outfit and
contesting the coming elections, Baba Ramdev categorically denied any
such plan.

He said the Patanjali organisation under his guidance might extend
support to the honest and capable leaders during elections. He,
however, did not elaborate.

Tomorrow, the yoga guru would lead two yoga conclaves here and at
Madhepura where thousands of followers from across the state and
elsewhere would gather to participate.

http://www.mynews.in/News/Naxal_menace_can_be_tackled_through_Yoga_Baba_Ramdev_N38740.html

...and I am Sid Harth
bademiyansubhanallah
15 years ago
Permalink
Kabir to protest Naxal ops .
Sunday, 21 February 2010 02:54 .

Kolkata, Feb. 20: In what is likely to cause more embarrassment to
railway minister and Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, her
Jadavpu MP Kabir Suman on Saturday threatened to sit on a dharna
outside Parliament to protest the proposed crackdown against the
Maoists, Operation Green Hunt.

Mr Suman has written to Ms Banerjee seeking her permission. "But even
if I don’t get the permission from my party. I am firm in my resolve
to raise my voice against Operation Green Hunt. For this, if my party
even expels me, I will not budge from my stand," he said.

Mr Kabir has already put Ms Banerjee in a tight spot by releasing a CD
of songs praising Chattradhar Mahato, the leader of Maoist-backed
People’s Committee Against Police Atrocities. He also suggested Ms
Banerjee should have opposed when Central forces were sent to Lalgarh.

Age Correspondent

http://www.asianage.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3247:kabir-to-protest-naxal-ops&catid=35:india&Itemid=60

...and I am Sid Harth
bademiyansubhanallah
15 years ago
Permalink
‘Efficient’ EFR officer no stranger to controversies
Ravik Bhattacharya

Posted: Monday , Feb 22, 2010 at 0714 hrs

Kolkata:
IG Chakraborty faces action

His accusations against the state government for the Naxal attack on
the Silda camp invited government wrath. But this was not the first
time, the Special IG of Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR) has landed
himself in trouble.

Benoy Krishna Chakraborty created headlines by holding a press
conference with his face-covered on Saturday in which he accused the
state government of “misusing and utterly ignoring” the force.
Thereafter, rumours made the rounds that Chakraborty has been
suspended. But on Sunday, DGP Bhupinder Singh denied the media
reports.

“I have not received any complaints against him,” said Singh.

Throughout his career, Chakraborty had a good share of controversies.
He had not only been removed from poll duty by the Election
Commissionfor partisan approach, he also once tried to assault his
senior officer.

Other than that, Chakraborty has been known for being a sincere and an
efficient field officer.

“He is a very efficient and able officer. As a senior officer, I could
trust and depend on him,” said Rachpal Singh, under whom Chakraborty
served as ASP when he was the North 24-Parganas SP. “During a meeting,
I was scolding a few OCs under him for deterioration of law and order
situation. Chakraborty suddenly lost his cool and tried to hit me.
Later, he apologised and we became very good friends,” said Singh.

“But I really do not know why he hid his face. He also violated the
rule of conduct by criticising his colleague in public,” he added. The
biggest controversy in Chakraborty’s career came in 2004, when he was
the SP of Nadia district. Just before the parliamentary elections,
Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee had gone to Nadia for a series
of election campaigns.

During one such campaign, Chakraborty had unofficially met
Bhattacharjee at the state guest house in Krishnagar, where had held
an hour-long meeting with the chief minister.

This had not gone down well with the Opposition, who alleged that
Chakraborty was colluding with the CPM to give the party advantage
during the elections. Thereafter, the Election Commission had removed
Chakraborty from the poll process.

In another incident, while he was the Barasat ASP in North 24-
Parganas, Chakraborty had entered into a brawl with the then SP.

Before joining the EFR, Chakrabroty was the DIG of the Bureau of
Immigration. He is a promotee IPS, who has also served as the Special
Superintendent of CID.

On one occasion, he had suspended a junior officer, who was late in
providing a car to his wife. After the incident was reported in the
media, the suspension was revoked.

“He sometimes does things that one would think a thousand times before
doing. It was perhaps his tendency for theatrics that he decided to
hold the press conference and make direct allegations against the
state government,” said a senior IPS officer posted in Kolkata.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/efficient-efr-officer-no-stranger-to-controversies/582763/0

Three Sikhs beheaded by Pak Taliban
Express news service

Posted: Monday , Feb 22, 2010 at 0454 hrs

New Delhi:
Pak Taliban targeted Sikhs in 2009 too

Three Sikh men were said to have been beheaded by Taliban groups in
the FATA area of Pakistan and their heads sent to a gurudwara in
Peshawar.

According to information available with India late this evening, one
of the Sikhs has been identified as Jaspal Singh. He and his two
friends were residents of Badi near Peshawar.

(Late tonight, a PTI report from Pakistan quoted sources as saying
there was confusion on the exact numbers, that two men had been
beheaded and others were being held hostage. It said the body of
Jaspal Singh was found in Khyber while that of Mahal Singh was found
in Orakzai Agency. Gurvinder Singh and Gurjit Singh, the sources said,
were among those being held captive.)

The men had gone to the FATA area for some work but were held by
Taliban groups who apparently asked them to convert to Islam. Sources
said the information so far suggests that the men resisted the order
and were then beheaded.

Later, their heads were sent to Bhai Joga Singh Gurudwara in Peshawar.
The incident has shocked the small Sikh community in Peshawar.

This attack, sources said, comes in the backdrop of repeated threats
to the Sikh community there to convert if they wanted to stay on.
India has in the past taken up the issue of security of Hindus and
Sikhs in Pakistan. While the Pakistan government has been committed to
providing security to minority groups, this incident has certainly
made matters far more dangerous and sensitive.

The Haqqani group and factions of the Quetta Shura along with the
Pakistan Taliban are active in these parts of Pakistan which border
Afghanistan.

Last year, Taliban militants took over shops and homes of 35 Sikh
families and arrested community leaders in Ferozkhel, Orakzai Agency.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/three-sikhs-beheaded-by-pak-taliban/582704/0

Yasin Bhatkal is IM bombmaker, now in Karachi: Probe team
Johnson TA

Posted: Monday , Feb 22, 2010 at 0444 hrs
Bangalore:

One name has been a recurring figure during investigations into every
major bomb blast linked to the Indian Mujahideen in India over the
past three years. Identified after the September 13, 2008 Delhi blasts
as ‘Shah Rukh’, he is believed to be involved — directly or indirectly
— in the process of making bombs. Investigators now believe ‘Shah
Rukh’ is Yasin Bhatkal alias Mohammed Yasin alias Ahmed, a 27-year-old
member of the inner circle of Indian Mujahideen founder Riyaz Bhatkal,
now believed to be in Karachi, Pakistan.

Significantly, Yasin has been named in accounts provided to the police
by Pune resident Mohammed Akbar Ismail Chaudhry, a key accused in the
August 2007 Hyderabad twin blasts who is also the brother of Mohsin
Chaudhry — the man now being sought by the Maharashtra ATS in
connection with the February 13 Pune blast.

According to information provided to the police by over half a dozen
IM men arrested since September 2008 — when the last major IM attack
occurred — Yasin supplied explosives, held training sessions in bomb
making and even assembled bombs in a few cases. He is believed to have
also supplied the ammonium nitrate used in the September 2008 Delhi
blasts.

With much of the attention around the IM focused on organisers like
Bhatkal, Sadiq Sheikh or Atif Amin, the real identity of ‘Shah Rukh’
had so far eluded investigators.

Hailing from the coastal Karnataka town of Bhatkal, Yasin was not in
India for nearly two years prior to 2007. His family told
investigators in late 2008 that he was working in Dubai and
subsequently travelled to China. On the run from the police in October
2008, the Bhatkal brothers and Yasin Bhatkal are believed to have
travelled through different parts of Karnataka and gone to Pune, which
was frequently used as a base, and then dispersed.

Like Riyaz, Yasin is believed to be in Karachi. Mohammed Khaja, a
Hyderabadi resident recently arrested by Indian agencies, has
identified Yasin in pictures shown to him and said he had seen him in
the Pakistani city recently, sources said.

After his arrest in late 2008 by the Mumbai Crime Branch, Ismail
Chaudhry had told police that ahead of the August 2007 Hyderabad
blasts, he and an associate, Anique Shaikh — also arrested by the
Mumbai Crime Branch — travelled to Bangalore and met Yasin, who was
also known as Ahmed. The duo were then taken to a remote farmhouse
near Kopa in Chikamagalur in Karnataka, where Riyaz was present, and
given training in the use of explosives and bomb materials.

Chaudhry told the police Yasin used a laptop to familiarise him and
Anique with different kinds of explosives while also training them to
create circuits and assemble timers. The trainees were shown videos of
Iraq and other countries, Chaudhry said. After the training, Yasin
asked Chaudhry and Shaikh to return to Bangalore since a new batch of
trainees was expected, he said.

Ahead of the August 25 blasts in Hyderabad, Chaudhry, Anique and Riyaz
camped at a hotel room in the city where Anique reportedly assembled
the bombs using explosives provided by Yasin and timers bought locally
from different shops by the others.

Akbar Ali, Ahmed Bava and Naushad — all alleged IM operatives who are
said to have also trained at the Kopa safe house and who were arrested
from different parts of Karnataka — have given similar accounts of
Yasin’s role in the blasts.

Akbar Ali, who escaped with Riyaz, Yasin and Riyaz’s brother Iqbal
Bhatkal ahead of a botched police raid in October 2008 on the Kopa
safe house but was later caught, has told the police he once saw Yasin
supervising the loading of a truck with bags of explosives.

Bava, arrested in the course of the Delhi blasts investigation, has
told investigators it was Yasin who supplied explosives at Udupi in
Karnataka, around August 29, 2008, to Mohammed Saif, the September 13
Delhi blast accused.

Syed Noushad, arrested in October 2008 from Mangalore in the aftermath
of the Delhi blasts, has told the police that Yasin was involved in
the assembly of the failed integrated circuit chip timer-operated
bombs attempted to be used in Surat in July 2008. These bombs were
assembled in a Pune safe house with material brought from Kerala and
Karnataka.

Mohammed Saif, among those arrested after the Batla House encounter of
September 19, 2008, has said he received the explosives in Udupi from
a man called ‘Shah Rukh’.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/yasin-bhatkal-is-im-bombmaker-now-in-karachi-probe-team/582699/0

Pune blast: State police clueless, probe may go to NIA
Shishir Gupta

Posted: Monday , Feb 22, 2010 at 0418 hrs

New Delhi:
While P Chidambaram is personally monitoring the probe, the Centre is
not very happy with the pace of

As the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad has been unable to provide a
breakthrough, the Centre is seriously considering handing over
investigations into the German Bakery blast to the National
Investigation Agency (NIA).

Sources told The Indian Express that the issue had already been
discussed at the highest levels in the Home Ministry and a decision to
hand over investigations to NIA could be taken this week “if the ATS
was not able to identify the vital clues” that could identify the
group behind the blast.

While Home Minister P Chidambaram is personally monitoring the probe,
the Centre is not very happy with the pace of investigations,
considering that all resources have been put at the disposal of the
Maharashtra Police. Since the NIA sleuths have been camping in Pune
from day one, the agency would not have to begin the probe from the
scratch.

The ATS is reportedly trying to identify the three persons in the CCTV
footage recorded by a camera at Hotel O, which is located near German
Bakery, minutes before the blast. German Bakery’s CCTV was focused at
the cashier and has only records of customers paying their bills. Much
to the chagrin of the security agencies, the waiter at the table under
which the IED was kept doesn’t remember the customers who sat there.

Though the ATS has been checking call data records and technical
intelligence, it is still not clear whether the IED had a timer device
or was set off by a remote control. Pieces of mobile phone were found
on the blast debris but it is not clear whether it was part of the IED
or belonged to a victim.

The one thing clear about the explosive is that it was a mixture of
RDX and ammonium nitrate. Forensic labs of Andhra Pradesh Police in
Hyderabad, Maharashtra Police and the NSG have confirmed this. Since
ammonium nitrate has a low kindling temperature than RDX, a timer is
used to ignite it, which then triggers off the high intensity RDX.

Sources in the government said forensic tests conducted by Gujarat
Police showed no presence of ammonium nitrate but the report was
trashed by investigators as Andhra Police and NSG labs were the best
in the country.

Meanwhile, in view of the Pune blast, New Delhi will seek access to
David Coleman Headley after a fresh chargesheet is filed in the 26/11
case. Work on the chargesheet is already underway and the document is
expected to be filed in the court in a fortnight.

Comments (1) |

Easy to complete the probe
By: Ram | 22-Feb-2010

The Home Minister could easily close down the probe in similar lines
to that of 26/11. Let us blame Pakistan and militants there, so that
it will be left to Pakistan to bring the unknown culprits to justice.
There could be no local assitance or connection to the militants as
India is a saints filled country, where no one will help the other in
carrying out a blast. We do know names like Bin Laden, David Coleman
Headley, Hafiz Saeed and Rana etc., so why worry about naming someone
for the blasts. If no one agrees, let us blame it on Hindu terror and
the remaining Sadhus and Sanatans could be easily brought into the
case by excessive torturing.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/pune-blast-state-police-clueless-probe-may-go-to-nia/582682/0

Foreign tenants? Stony looks in tony Mumbai
Shalini Nair

Posted: Monday , Feb 22, 2010 at 0412 hrs
Mumbai:

In the wake of terror attacks, especially after the one in Pune, some
housing societies and flatowners in Mumbai have put an embargo on
renting apartments to foreigners.

While in some cases homeowners have proactively started registering
tenants with the police as required, there are others who have opted
for the extreme step of not letting out homes to foreign nationals.

When urgent personal work brought 36-year-old Alex Lutostanska,
creative director of a London-based event management firm, to Mumbai
on short notice, she was relieved to find paying guest accommodation
at a Matunga apartment through a friend. A week into her stay there,
the Pune blast took place and she was curtly told to pack her bags.

“Even when I was staying there, they were unfriendly and suspicious of
me. Immediately after the blast, I was asked to leave the house and
contact my high commission. They said that they were concerned about
their safety and mine,” said Lutostanska who says that had her safety
been of real concern, her landlady wouldn’t have thrown her belongings
out of her room even before she could arrange an alternate
accommodation.

The seeds of this new fear were sown ever since word got out that
American national and terror suspect David Headley stayed as a paying
guest in the Shyam Nivas Co-operative Housing Society in Breach Candy
during 2007-08. The society, which had no clue about Headley living
under their roof, has had a notice for three months now, asking
members to inform the society if they have any guest of foreign or
Indian nationality or even a relative who has come over.

Though Shyam Nivas has not imposed any blanket ban on foreigners,
there is general panic in societies in Breach Candy, Napean Sea Road,
Cuffe Parade and Colaba where foreigners are being barred.

Cuffe Castle, an upmarket housing society in Cuffe Parade, has asked
its members not to rent their homes to foreigners anymore. When the
lease of a foreign couple living in a two-bedroom apartment in the
building got over a month ago, the landlord had to scout for Indians.

Indrani Malkani from the Malabar Hill Residents Association said that
three months ago a housing society in her area lodged a police
complaint against a member who had not registered their French paying
guests with the police. “You never know what the person’s antecedents
are even if he or she has been referred by someone known to you.
Today, it is natural for everyone to be alert and exercise extreme
caution,” Malkani said.

Several brokers said that while landlords do not mind letting out
their homes to foreigners coming through consulates or multinational
companies, those searching for a home on their own are not welcome.

“Most landlords have their biases. It is mostly against tenants who
are Muslims, non-vegetarians, single women, bachelors. Recently this
intolerance and exclusion has extended to foreigners too,” said broker
Yashwant Dalal who is president of the Estate Agents Association of
India.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/foreign-tenants-stony-looks-in-tony-mumbai/582677/0

Body found in lake may be of missing CPM leader WR
Express news service

Posted: Monday , Feb 22, 2010 at 0446 hrs
Chennai:

A body fished out from a lake on the outskirts of Chennai on February
13 could be that of senior CPM leader W R Varadarajan, who has been
missing for the past 10 days.

While wife Saraswati has recognised the highly decomposed body as his,
his sisters, son and some party leaders have expressed their doubts.
The party has decided to wait for a confirmation, including DNA test,
before officially announcing Varadarajan’s death.

Known to all as WR, Varadarajan was removed from the Central Committee
of the CPM at a meeting in Kolkata earlier this month for undisclosed
reasons. A few days later, he had walked out of his home in Chennai,
leaving behind two letters that indicated he was going to end his life
and that personal strife was behind his action. The letters directed
that his body be donated for research and his personal belongings be
given to the party.

After receiving a formal complaint about his disappearance on February
14, the city police had issued a statewide alert and formed special
teams to trace him.

On Sunday, Saraswati identified an unclaimed body lying at the
government hospital mortuary since February 13 as that of Varadarajan,
based on a mark on his stomach and another on his finger.

It is still not clear what prompted the CPM to move Varadarajan from
elected posts, including central and state committees. The party
maintains it was an act not befitting his stature, while insiders say
his wife had complained to the leadership about his relationship with
another woman. “He was removed after proper inquiry, and after giving
him an opportunity to defend himself,” a source said.

Once he was ousted from the posts, Varadarajan was reduced to being an
ordinary member of Chennai South district CPM, though he remained one
of the secretaries of CITU.

A chartered accountant, WR had joined the party in 1963 when he was an
RBI employee. A quintessential trade unionist, he resigned from his
job and became a full-time worker in the early ‘80s.

According to sources, he even got married on the instruction of
seniors. Saraswati, who also worked in RBI and was a party member, was
a divorcee. When WR’s mentor V P Chintan asked him if he was ready to
marry her, he said yes.

In the 1989 Assembly elections, Varadarajan was chosen as a candidate
for the Villivakkam constituency and won convincingly.

Proficient in both English and Hindi, Varadarajan was sent to Delhi as
a CITU secretary in the late ‘90s. For the next eight years, he
continued there, returning to Tamil Nadu as a Central Committee member
of the CPM three years ago.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/body-found-in-lake-may-be-of-missing-cpm-leader-wr/582700/0

Headley was an absolute monster, a terror jackal: Rahul Bhatt
Agencies

Posted: Sunday , Feb 21, 2010 at 1718 hrs

Mumbai:
This incident has shaken me terribly. I have lost faith in everyone:
Rahul Bhatt

Four months after the involvement of American terror suspect David
Headley in 26/11 attacks came to light, filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt's son
Rahul Bhatt is still to come to terms with the ‘betrayal of faith’ by
the US national whom he now calls a "terror jackal" and an ‘absolute
monster’.

"This incident has shaken me terribly. I have lost faith in everyone.
I don't even trust my girlfriend now. I have started suspecting people
in my family. I can't trust anymore. I have become like a typical
policeman who looks at everyone with suspicion...Its paranoia," says
28-year-old Bhatt.

Bhatt, who is a nutritionist and a fitness professional, said the
Headley incident has made him "xenophobic" and he has lost faith in
all human relationships. Whatever has happened of late has also made
him ‘wiser’, he said.

"I have become a xenophobic... I have stopped trusting people and I am
extremely suspicious of foreigners ...It is xenophobia that I have
developed. So now, my guard is up and I am in a constant state of
awareness and alertness because of the bizarre incident," said Bhatt
who was questioned by security agencies after it emerged that Headley
had known him during his stay in Mumbai.

To a question about his association with Headley, a sudden agitation
is quite evident in Bhatt's voice. "Did I know Headley? The answer is
a yes and a no. The David Headley that I knew then was a different man
and the David who has now emerged now is a different man...The
absolute monster."

Bhatt, a budding actor, said during his conversations with Headley,
there was no chance that he could have been doubted of having had any
terror links. "My father was making a film on terrorism and I was
getting an American perspective from him (Headley).

“He was not just any American. He was an intelligent man. He was a
well-informed man. A man with high IQ. And like I said in my dreams I
still find it tough to believe that he was not only a terrorist but a
terror jackal...and you imagine the betrayal... he turns out to be the
terrorist jackal. An absolute monster.”

Bhatt, who has been questioned more than twice by

National Investigation Agency, probing the role of Headley and his
Pakistani-Canadian associate Tahawwur Rana, said that Headley had
called him a month after the 26/11 attack.

"A month after 26/11 when he had called me and sounded very concerned.
He was a great actor. I would say, imagine the way he fooled
me...acting very concerned whether me and my family members and Vilas
(Varak) and his family members are all okay and everything is
safe...Yeah, that was one month after 26/11. He made a phone call,"
recalled Bhatt.

Headley, who was arrested in Chicago on October three last, has been
charged by the FBI with conspiracy of 26/11 terror strike in Mumbai.

Comments (4) |

Bhatt- Nam hi kafi he
By: Dee | 22-Feb-2010

I thought they were best friend and may be cousins or even half
brothers.. Everyone knows the character of Mahesh Bhatt!!

Rahul Bhat
By: Nalla Brahmin | 21-Feb-2010

all these confessions of Rahul should not be taken verbatom - Like our
congress parry no Pakistan sympathizer expressed shock at the Pune
blast - SRK, who has misused India's kindness for his recent film, did
not condemn the Pune blast

Finally Rahul came out of Headley maya-jaal!
By: Shyamal | 21-Feb-2010

Just 10 days ago, in an interview with NDTV, Rahul appeared to be
still mesmerised with David Headley's charming personality, and
suddenly such turnaround. I think the public heat on David Headley
after the Pune blast finally made Rahul come out of Headley's Maya-
Jaal!

Let Rahul mistrust his own father
By: Anand | 21-Feb-2010

It took almost an year for Rahul Bhatt to realise that Headley was a
monstor or terror jackal .He should also put his infamous father
Mahesh Bhatt also in the same catogory as he is seen more at ease with
pakisthanis and Mullahs rather than with any Indian counterparts.He
alone jumps to conclusion when any minor incidents happens in
Karnataka or Gujarat and paint the enitire Hindu nationalists as
terrorist.Rahul should first mistrust his own father before taking
anyone into confidence.What a shame on these cassanovas who court
anyone who is an anti Hindu.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/headley-was-an-absolute-monster-a-terror-jackal-rahul-bhatt/582483/0

Pune blast death toll rises to 15
ANI

Posted: Sunday , Feb 21, 2010 at 1130 hrs
Pune:

The toll in the Pune blast on Sunday rose to 15, with two students
succumbing to their injuries. 24-year-old Vikas Tulsiyani, hailing
from Pune, breathed his last on Sunday morning at the Jehangir
hospital, police said.

Symbiosis college student Rajeev Agarwal (23), who was also admitted
to Jehangir hospital on the night of February 13 when a bomb exploded
in the German Bakery in Koregaon Park area, died last night.

A bomb exploded in the German Bakery in Pune injuring up to 53
persons. Foreigners were among the casualties including an Italian
woman and two students hailing from Sudan and Iran.

It’s been a week since the blast and different investigating agencies
have involved themselves in the probe. The blast is seen as the first
big attack on the country since the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

Comments (2) |

What should be the solution of kashmir , and of pakistan ?
By: sanjay | 22-Feb-2010

why Pakistan is bother about Kashmir , why Indian leaders do talk
about Kashmir ,once side they confirms Kashmir is part of India so
what is there to talk about , why India itself always creates this
issue Is there no leader in India who can come into the front and
answer boldly to Pakistan? There is nothing to talk about, what we
need:- 1) Can India bring to just those who are coved by Pakistan and
are harming continuously to India. At present the way India is
handling seems India is still weak and poor in many ways

What should be the solution of kashmir , and of pakistan ?
By: vicky | 21-Feb-2010

This is a kind of blackmail from pakistan. They are saying
straightforward , either talk and give kashmir or we will send terrist
and bleed india in 1000 places. So what should be the solution?.. One
the govt of india is displaying. Sending staff for talks and scumbing
to pakistani demands. Second.. What the govt of USA or israel would
have done. Fight terror with terror. If india is bleeded in 1000
places , then pakistan should get back it in 1000000 places and
unstopable. Let india too see what pakistan will do then .There should
be such a fear in pakistan of proxy war with india.. that it should
really think about 1000 times before even spelling the word kashmir
from it's mouth..Otherwise as usual india wll talk and pakistan will
blackmail , first for kashmir, than for punjab, gujrat. then china
will do for northeast. Srilanka will demand south india... ..India
should respond now.. or it would be never.. Jai hind

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/pune-blast-death-toll-rises-to-15/582459/

Pune Police denies reports of German Bakery blast evidence being lost
ANI

Posted: Sunday , Feb 21, 2010 at 1056 hrs

Pune:
The evidences required have been collected and no evidence is lost:
Pune Police

Pune Police Commissioner Satpal Singh dismissed all reports that said
the crucial evidences were lost in the case of the blast that ripped
the German Bakery in Koregaon Park area on February 13.

Addressing the media, Singh termed this as sheer rumours and spelt out
the latest developments in the blast that rocked the city a week ago.
Singh was commenting on the reports that said initially it was assumed
to be an LPG cylinder explosion, following which the police called in
the fire brigade and asked them to wash the site with an aim to
prevent further damage.

Singh said, "I want to tell you and say forcefully that there is no
truth in this (about clues being lost). The evidences required have
been collected and no evidence is lost." Further, he reiterated that
the investigation in the case was on the right track. "As I have said
our investigation is on the right track, I can only say this as of
now," added Singh.

The blast that ripped the German Bakery claimed 13 lives so far and
left around 57 others injured. The blast is seen as the first big
attack on the country since the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

Comments (1) |

Stupid corrupt policemen are just like the wathmen
By: n.krishna | 22-Feb-2010 Reply | Forward
We have the stupidest corrupt police force in the world.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/pune-police-denies-reports-of-german-bakery-blast-evidence-being-lost/582457/

...and I am Sid Harth
chhotemianinshallah
15 years ago
Permalink
BJP criticizes Centre for its callous attitude on beheading of Sikhs
By ANI
February 22nd, 2010

NEW DELHI - The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has severely condemned
the beheading of two Sikh youths in Peshawar and criticized the Centre
for its coldhearted attitude for not putting diplomatic pressure on
Pakistan to get the abducted Sikhs released.

BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said, “BJP strongly condemns this
dastardly massacre of minority Sikh community in Pakistan. This shows
how minorities are treated with contempt in Pakistan. They were not
given any security.”

“What is truly worrisome is the callous attitude of the Government of
India. These Sikhs were abducted for sometime. What kind of diplomatic
pressure did India bring on Pakistan to secure their release,” added
Prasad.

Meanwhile, the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC), the
highest decision-making body of Sikhs has also condemned the act and
asked the Pakistan government to provide full security to minorities
in the country.

Chief of the Akal Takht Gurbachan Singh said India must raise the
issue with Pakistan in the United Nations to prevent such ghastly
acts.

“It becomes the responsibility of the centre that it takes up the
matter with Pakistan in the United Nations, so that no community
suffers in any country. The government should take the step at the
earliest, so that such incidents are not repeated in the future,” said
Gurbachan in Amritsar.

“There have been reports on the television that Taliban have executed
Sikhs and sent their bodies to Bhai Joga Singh Gurudwara. This is a
very heart rending news and is highly condemnable,” former Akal Takht
chief Joginder Singh said.

In a gruesome incident that once again highlighted the cruelty of the
Taliban, the banned extremist outfit beheaded two Sikhs in Peshawar,
the capital city of the North West Frontier Province (NWFP).

The shocking incident came to light late on Sunday when the mutilated
heads of the two Sikh youths were found in a Gurudwara in Peshawar.

The two men, identified as Jaspal Singh and Mahal Singh were kidnapped
along with two others by the Pakistani Taliban a month ago from Bara
in the Khyber Agency, and a ransom of 30 million rupees were demanded
for their safe return.

According to sources, all the four men had shifted to Peshawar to
escape the extremist fury in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas
(FATA).

The other two men, Gurvinder Singh and Gurjit Singh are still said to
be in the custody of the militants.

There has been no reaction from the Pakistan government over the
incident, but New Delhi has reacted sharply over the horrific
incident.

Describing the incident as ’shocking’, the External Affairs Ministry
said it has contacted the Indian High Commission in Islamabad and has
directed it to get the details of the incident.

Members of Pakistan’s tiny Sikh community joined an exodus of hundreds
of thousands of people fleeing fighting in a Taliban stronghold when
the army launched an offensive in May last year as a peace pact with
the Taliban in the Swat valley broke down.

Many of the Sikhs took shelter in Peshawar and the adjoining areas.
(ANI)

http://blog.taragana.com/politics/2010/02/22/bjp-criticizes-centre-for-its-callous-attitude-on-beheading-of-sikhs-20095/

...and I am Sid Harth
Sid Harth
15 years ago
Permalink
Naxal bogey' earns Chhattisgarh govt SC's wrath
February 22, 2010 19:43 IST

The Supreme Court on Monday slammed the Chhattisgarh government for
raising the "bogey" of Naxalism to discredit those raising issues of
human rights violations even as the Centre said it has evolved a Rs
7,300 crore package to develop Naxal-affected regions of the country.

The apex court also expressed displeasure at the Chattisgarh
government's decision to exhume bodies of 10 tribals allegedly killed
by the local police in a village of Dantewada district for fresh
postmortem without its permission.

"Suppose somebody fights their (victims) case, so what does that
imply? First you say they are Naxals, then you say they are
sympathisers, then you say they are sympathisers of sympathisers why
all these innuendos," a bench of Justices B Sudershan Reddy and S S
Nijjar asked senior counsel Ranjit Kumar appearing for the state.

The bench made the remarks after the counsel sought to infer that
human rights activist Himanshu Kumar, who moved the apex court for
protection to eyewitness of alleged police killings, was a sympathiser
of Naxalites [ Images ].

"What do you mean by sympathisers? "Sympathy is fighting for their
cause (victims). Nobody is advocating their cause. They are not saying
their action should be condoned.

"You mean to say they (human rights activists) should not be concerned
with human rights and fundamental rights. Don't keep bringing this
Naxal issue. The only issue before this court is whether any such
incident has happened or not," the bench snapped at the counsel.

The senior counsel's contention that the petitioners and others were
trying to discredit the government by presenting a misleading picture
in the media and court failed to convinced the bench.

"Naxals are not before us. Why is the issue being repeatedly raised
before us about those who are not before us? Is it your case that the
petitioners are Naxals," the bench asked, to which the counsel said
there was "some degree of sympathy for Naxals in them."

"What do you mean by it," the bench shot back.

The apex court said it was primarily concerned whether the alleged
killing of 10 tribals, said to be sympathisers of Naxals, by security
personnel was true or not.

"We are concerned with the short question whether security forces had
conducted themselves in such a fashion. If prima facie there is
something... even if there is slightest suspicion we have to examine,"
the bench said.

The apex court also wondered how the state police could exhume the
bodies for a post mortem when the petition seeking a probe by CBI or
any other independent investigation agency was pending before it.

"When the matter is pending before this court, whatever you do, you
should have taken this court into confidence", the bench said,
pointing out that it was senior counsel Colin Gonzalves who informed
the bench about the exhumation of the bodies.

(c) Copyright 2010 PTI.

http://news.rediff.com/report/2010/feb/22/naxal-bogey-earns-chhattisgarh-govt-sc-wrath.htm

Senior Naxal cadre netted from city

NAGPUR: Anti-Naxal operation squad, guided by intelligence agencies,
conducted a dramatic operation at Gaddigodam to round up an alleged
senior Naxalite on Sunday. Bandu Meshram, alias Bhanu, who was working
as tailor in city and is also learnt to be a member of the Maharashtra
Rajya State Committee of rebels, was picked up from a bus-stop.

He was operating undercover in the city and elsewhere in the state
including Gadchiroli and adjoining Madhya Pradesh. Sources said more
arrests were likely later. Following the interrogation of the Surya
Prabhakar, a state committee member, Bhanu was under surveillance for
some time. Prabhakar had thrown light on the activities of Bhanu whose
base was in Vidarbha.

It is learnt that Bhanu was inducted into the elite committee
following the arrests of the senior cadres like Shreedhar Shrinivasan,
alias Vishnu, and Vernon Gonsalves by ATS Mumbai and Arun Thomas
Ferreira and Murli Ashok Satya Reddy by Nagpur police.

Bhanu was arrested on an earlier occasion in Chandrapur. Sources
revealed that some cadres of Deshbhakti Yuva Manch, who have been
rounded up in Chandrapur, had told the cops about Bhanu's role in the
movement. It is learnt that Bhanu was part of the Chandrapur area
committee. He has been taken to Chandrapur from Nagpur for
identification.

Security agencies claimed that cops have found some photographs and
other evidence of Bhanu's involvement with the rebels.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Senior-Naxal-cadre-netted...

http://www.nagpurpulse.com/news/senior-naxal-cadre-netted-city

February 22, 2010 Naxal hit states to get Rs.7,300 crore: Center

New Delhi, Feb 22: Amidst reports of growing Maoists mayhem, the
Center has informed the Supreme Court about its plan to envisaged Rs.
7,300 crore package for the development of Naxal-affected States in
the country.Citing the Center's approval of the

http://bit.ly/dqqrYT

http://oindianews.posterous.com/naxal-hit-states-to-get-rs7300-crore-center

Editorial: Maoist- Naxal Menace Haunts the Nation
Mon, 02/22/2010 - 09:15

In the year 732 Muslims rode their horses across the Pyrenees, and
into France. In a daylong battle fought in western France, the Muslim
horsemen tried repeatedly to rout the French but failed each time.
After night had fallen they withdrew from France. This Muslim failure
was a turning point for Europe and Islam. From then onwards Europe
grew too strong and a few centuries later Christians drove Muslims
from Iberia.1268 years later French are again taking initiative to
stem the tide of Islam. The French Parliament is set to ban the Muslim
Burqa and the French Ambassador in India has openly declared that
Burqa-clad Muslim women are not welcome in France.It is quite a
different story in India. Even as a 2009 IPL Pakistani cricketer,
Sohail Tanvir, uses derogatory language against Hindus, actor Shah
Rukh Khan and Home Minister Chidambram want to welcome Pakistani
Muslim cricketers to India. In fact Chidambram has gone a step ahead
and wants the Muslim terrorists, who had gone for training to
Pakistan, to return to Indian Kashmir. Why not?

http://hindu.theuniversalwisdom.org/editorial-maoist-naxal-menace-haunts-nation

INNOCENTS KILLED BY FORCES?
Agencies

Published on Mon, Feb 22, 2010 at 17:11,
Updated on Mon, Feb 22, 2010 at 17:30 in India section

TRAGIC LOSS: Bodies of EFR jawans, who died in Maoist attack at Sildah
camp, covered with National Flag.

Related Stories

Don't treat action against Naxals as war: SC to GovtSeries of security
lapses led to Dantewada jailbreakNaxal violence mars polling, 17
killed in four states

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday severely criticised the Union
Government for the recent killings of tribals in Dantewada allegedly
by security forces in the name of fighting Naxals.

"Should everything ordered in the name of operations? Is there no
concern for human or Fundamental Rights? We want to know why such
incidents took place and how the security forces conducted
themselves," a two-member bench of Justices B Sudershan Reddy and SS
Nijjar observed.

"If someone is fighting or sympathising with Naxals so what? First you
say that operations are conducted against Naxals, then Naxal
sympathisers and then sympathisers of such sympathisers. What is all
this?" the court asked while hearing a petition on killing of over 10
tribals in Chhattisgarh.

At least 10 tribals, all residents of Gompad village in Chhattisgarh's
Dantewada district, were allegedly by security personnel for
reportedly acting as Naxal sympathisers.

The Centre also told the Supreme Court that it has envisaged a Rs
7,300 crore package for the development of Naxal-affected states in
the country.

Attorney General GE Vahanvati submitted that the Union Cabinet has
accorded approval for the package but said the government was only
sceptical about its implementation because of the Naxals interference
in such schemes.

He, however, said the government would soon place details of the
package before the apex court in the form of an affidavit.

The Attorney General made the submissions while appearing before a
bench of Justices Reddy and S Nijjar.

The Union Home Ministry had recently asked sympathisers to condemn the
Naxals and help win the war against the rebels.

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/antinaxal-operation-has-to-be-just-sc-tells-govt/110536-3.html?from=rssfeed

President talks tough on Naxalism
Mon-Feb 22, 2010

New Delhi / Press Trust of India

Terming the recent Maoist strike on a paramilitary camp in West Bengal
as a "cowardly" act, President Pratibha Patil on Monday made it clear
that such "senseless violence" would strengthen the government's
resolve to tackle it with "added vigour".

Addressing both Houses of Parliament on the first day of the Budget
session, she said Left wing extremists are continuing to indulge in
violence.

"Left wing extremists continue to indulge in senseless violence, as
seen in their recent attacks in West Bengal where a large number of
innocent lives have been lost. These cowardly acts strengthen our
resolve to meet with added vigour the challenge posed by such
violence," Patil said.

She said the government has given an offer to Naxal groups to abjure
violence and come for talks.

Speaking on the overall security scenario of the country, the
President said though the security situation has improved
significantly in Jammu and Kashmir as well as in the North East, Left
wing extremism continues to be a significant cause of concern.

However, she noted that infiltration of terrorists from across the
Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir has gone up. Condoling the
February 13 Pune blast, she said, "We have to keep constant watch and
innovate against global terrorist groups."

The overall internal security, law and order, and the communal
situation, she said, remained largely under control during 2009.

Priority to modernisation of armed forces

The President said that the government would accord the highest
priority to modernisation of the country's defence by providing its
armed forces with the latest weaponry, equipment and platforms.

"Government is fully committed to the modernisation of the armed
forces. We will accord the highest priority to modernisation
programmes to equip our armed forces with the required weaponry,
equipment and platforms," she told Parliament.

In her customary address to the joint sitting of the Lok Sabha and the
Rajya Sabha to mark the beginning of the Budget session, she hailed
the recent successful test of Agni-III missile and the induction of
the indigenous Arjun main battle tank into the Army as examples of
capability demonstration and self-reliance.

"The successful launch of the Agni-III missile is a shining example of
the capabilities of our scientists and engineers who deserve full
praise.

"Efforts to enhance our technological self-reliance received a new
impetus with the commencement of the handing over of the main battle
tank, Arjun to the Indian Army," she added.

http://newsx.com/story/72946

Naxals nexus with NE worries MHA
Guwahati, February 21 (Asian Age):

The home ministry is worried over the growing nexus of Maoist leaders
with Northeast rebel groups as a huge of cache of sophisticated
weapons in possession of Northeast insurgent groups, particularly the
Ulfa, PLA and NSCN (IM), is feared to have been finding route to
Maoists in West Bengal, Jharkhand and Bihar.

Disclosing that Maoists are enhancing their striking power by adding
sophisticated weapons like AK-47, SLR and mortars in their arsenal to
combat government offensives, security sources in the home ministry
told this newspaper that Maoist military strategist Kishenji's
inclination towards the Northeast insurgent group was aimed at
procuring sophisticated weapons available in abundant quantity with
Northeast insurgent groups.
In fact, Maoist leaders who had a meeting with the leaders of
Manipur's Peoples Liberation Army in Burma went against their declared
principals and signed a written agreement wherein Maoist committed all
support to the PLA and agreed to "work together in the struggle to
overthrow Indian government from Manipur".
The move was aimed at to woo the Northeast rebel groups in
strengthening the striking power of Maoist. The NSCN (IM) leaders who
also attended a meeting of Maoists in Chhattisgarh have also offered
to give military training to Maoists to strengthen their army wing.
Referring intelligence inputs, security sources said that this move of
Maoists to procure arms from Northeast rebels was also helping each
other in their mode of operations.

Pointing out that there has been a visible change in pattern of
violence at both the places, security sources pointed out that
Northeast rebel outfits have modified their tactics and resorting to
safest mode of offensive by planting improvised explosive devices and
causing massive damages on public places. At the same time, the
Maoists are found to have been using sophisticated weapons like AK-47,
SLR and mortars, instead of old weapons, in their strikes to incur
damages on security forces.

Moreover, sustained counter-insurgency operations in the north-eastern
states have pushed many of the rebel groups to wall and they are short
of manpower to launch offensives with sophisticated weapons in which a
lot of risk factor is also involved. In contrast the Maoists have no
scarcity of cadres and need sophisticated weapons to combat offensives
of the security forces.

Security sources said that the home ministry was also worried over the
Maoist plan to spread their organisation in the trouble-torn north-
eastern states as they identify farmers and farm workers, especially
tea garden workers, as their potential target. Refusing to divulge the
routes being used to smuggle arms from north-eastern states, security
sources said that there are militant outfits which has piled up the
stocks of sophisticated weapons even more than the actual strength of
its cadres.

http://www.morungexpress.com/frontpage/43838.html

Railway Budget: Passengers safety is a key issue

New Delhi: Indian Railway is the largest rail transportation in the
world. Indian Railway always claims to provide you the most
spectacular and unforgettable rail journeys in the world. Where you
can experience a simple way to find out everything you need to know in
one easy place.

The million dollar question is remained unanswered. Whether the above
claimed statement justifies the present scenario, when it comes to
security of passengers or not.

Union Minister for Railways Mamata Banerjee will table the Rail Budget
2010-11 on February 24, 2010. The expectations of crores of people,
who prefer rail journey over air and road, are at stake this time.

The increasing number of accidents, naxal attacks and robbery in
trains are major issues this year. The Minister for Railways should
remember that people want safe journey with comfort and pleasure. Hike
in fare is okay but there should be no compromise with safety of
passengers.

At present, the reality is different from peoples' expectations. The
security system in the trains is in very poor state. In other words,
the entire security system has depended on just few security
personnel. In other words "Rail Ki Suraksha hai Ram Ke Bharose" (God
look after the security in trains)

After every miss-happenings, the loopholes in the security system
surfaced and it ends with setting up a commission to probe the
incident.

We can't blame on Commissions because they recommend various safety
measurements but rail officials don't bother to implement it. All the
recommendations are put inside the files.

Top Railways officials call a series of meetings after every accident
but when it comes to implement the safety measurement, the speed is
very very slow.

There is a need of speedy implementations of safety measurement. The
situation could not be controlled through a meeting inside a air-
conditioned chamber.

Passengers, who were traveling with Delhi-bound Bhuvneshwar Rajdhani
express, could not forget the trauma of naxal hostage. Naxals made
entire Rajdhani Express captive in West Bengal.

After the investigations, the probe team revealed that there was just
few security personnel were deployed for premium train's security.

The security in the other Mail/Express and passenger trains is in
measurable condition. However, Railway Protection Force and Government
Railway Police are given responsibility of security. But the situation
becomes very grim due to poor communication and lack of cooperation
between RPF and GRP.

Apart from naxal threat and security concerns, Mamata Banerjee will
have to look into the issues related to train accidents. Within few
months after she took the charge of Railways Minister, several people
were killed in the several train mishap.

Didi should have to look into the matter. There is an urgent need of
total revamp in the train movement system. New safety devices should
be used to reduce the train mishap.

People are expecting safe rail journey from Mamata Banerjee in Railway
Budget 2010-11.

http://www.samaylive.com/news/indian-railway-budget-passengers-safety-is-big-responsibility/675198.html

...and I am Sid Harth
Sid Harth
15 years ago
Permalink
Naxalite killed in police firing in Dantewada
STAFF WRITER 23:0 HRS IST
Raipur, Feb 22 (PTI)

A Naxalite was killed in police firing in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada
district today, police said.

According to Dantewada Superintendent of Police Amresh Mishra, a joint
team of police, and special officers had left for patrol from the
Bhejji station area. When they reached near Mailasur village, Naxals
opened fire on them, to which they retaliated, he said adding a Naxal
was killed and his body was found.

A rifle and other explosives were recovered from his possession,
Mishra said.

Many other Naxalites are suspected to have been killed in the firing,
he added.

http://www.ptinews.com/news/531318_Naxalite-killed-in-police-firing-in-Dantewada

Kishenji offers 72-day ceasefire from Feb 25- May 7
STAFF WRITER 21:8 HRS IST
Kolkata, Feb 22 (PTI)

The Maoists tonight made a conditional ceasefire offer asking the
government to halt the offensive against them for 72 days and involve
mediators for talks.

"State governments and the Centre should not indulge in violence
between February 25 and May 7 and concentrate on development of tribal
areas which will be reciprocrated by Maoists, " top Maoist leader
Kishenji said over phone from an undisclosed place.

He was responding to Union Home minister P Chidamabaram's statement
last week that if the Maoists halted violence for 72 hours the
government would be ready for talks with them.

In New Delhi, a Union Home Ministry official said the Government was
"studying" the Maoist offer and will come with a response at an
"appropriate time". .

http://www.ptinews.com/news/531139_Kishenji-offers-72-day-ceasefire-from-Feb-25--May-7

Fingerprints confirm it is Varadarajan's body
STAFF WRITER 19:43 HRS IST
Chennai, Feb 22 (PTI)

A day after the body of CPI-M leader W R Varadarajan, whose sudden
disappearance was shrouded in mystery, was identified by his wife,
police today said the fingerprints have tallied.

"It is confirmed (that it is Varadarajan). The fingerprints tallied,"
Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Shakeel Akhtar told
PTI.

Asked if DNA test would be carried out despite the fingerprints proof,
he said a requisition has been made but "any one scientific proof" was
enough as part of the probe.

A post mortem was conducted today and the report would be available
after a few days, he said, adding investigation would, however, go on.

http://www.ptinews.com/news/530868_Fingerprints-confirm-it-is-Varadarajan-s-body

Suspected LeT militant held in J-K, arms seized
STAFF WRITER 17:54 HRS IST
Srinagar, Feb 22 (PTI)

A suspected LeT militant was arrested when he along with his two
accomplices barged into a bank manager's house to extort money at gun-
point in Baramulla district, a police spokesman said today.

Based on specific inputs, police last night swooped down on the house
of Punjab National Bank Manager Mohammad Syed Ontoo in Tarzoo village
of Sopore, 55 kms from here, and arrested Ghulam Nabi Lone when he was
demanding Rs one lakh from him at gun-point.

60 rounds of ammunition, two magazines and a Ak 47 rifle were
recovered from his possession, he said, adding two of his accomplices
- Abdul Samad Naikoo and Ashiq Hussain Mir - managed to escape.

Lone was a suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba militant and the recovered arms
and ammunition was believed to be of the four CRPF jawans killed by
militants at Janwara in Sopore on December 30, the spokesman said.

http://www.ptinews.com/news/530400_Suspected-LeT-militant-held-in-J-K--arms-seized

India condemns killing of two Sikhs by Pak Taliban
STAFF WRITER 16:9 HRS IST
New Delhi, Feb 22 (PTI)

India today condemned the killing of two Sikhs by Taliban in North-
West province of Pakistan and said such "barbaric acts" will take "us
back to the medieval times."

"Government of India condemn this barbaric act," External Affairs
Minister S M Krishna told reporters here when asked about the killing
of two Sikhs, who were kidnapped a month ago for ransom.

"We condemn this barbaric act of Taliban who have taken into custody
three of the Indian nationals. The message that I have received which
needs to be updated is that one has been done aways with and other two
are kept under captivation," he said.

Though the minister described these Sikhs as "Indian nationals", the
reports from Pakistan have been maintaining that they were locals
living in that area.

http://www.ptinews.com/news/530031_India-condemns-killing-of-two-Sikhs-by-Pak-Taliban

'All issues of Indo-Pak relations to figure in talks'
STAFF WRITER 17:10 HRS IST
New Delhi, Feb 22 (PTI)

Ahead of the February 25 Indo-Pak Foreign Secretary-level talks, India
today said all issues concerning the relations between the two
countries will be taken up during the parleys.

"All issues concerning the relations between the two countries
depending upon time permitting will be taken up," External Affairs
Minister S M Krishna told reporters here.

He was asked if India will take up the killing of two Sikhs by Taliban
in North-West province of Pakistan.

Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao will meet her Pakistani counterpart
Salman Bashir on Thursday with the government here maintaining that
the focus of the talks will be terrorism.

http://www.ptinews.com/news/530228_-All-issues-of-Indo-Pak-relations-to-figure-in-talks-

26/11 accused to examine NIA chief,Bhatt as witness
STAFF WRITER 14:54 HRS IST

Mumbai, Feb 22 (PTI)

A accused in the 26/11 terror attack case today sought permission from
the trial court to examine NIA Chief S C Sinha, Gujarat DGP S S
Khandwawala, Rahul Bhatt--son of film maker Mahesh Bhatt, and Fitness
Instructor Vilas Warak as defence witnesses.

The accused Sabahuddin Ahmed's lawyer Ejaz Naqvi told the court that
he wants to examine these four witness to establish that terror
suspect David Headley had conducted the reece of Mumbai before the
26/11 attack and not Sabahuddin as alleged by the prosecution.

"David Headley was staying at Malabar Hill in Mumbai and had conducted
recce of the entire city and had passed on information to the 26/11
perpetrators. Then what is the need for Sabahuddin to prepare the
sketches?" Naqvi asked.

http://www.ptinews.com/news/529868_26-11-accused-to-examine-NIA-chief-Bhatt-as-witness

MEA refuses passport to don Dawood Ibrahim's brother
STAFF WRITER 14:13 HRS IST
Mumbai, Feb 22 (PTI)

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has refused to issue a new
passport to Iqbal Kaskar, younger brother of fugitive gangster Dawood
Ibrahim.

The MEA order says that passport cannot be issued to Iqbal, as he "is
likely to use it to aid and abet Dawood Ibrahim".

Kaskar's original passport was confiscated when he was deported from
Dubai some years ago. He was an accused in Sara-Sahara land grabbing
case, but was acquitted by the lower court.

He had filed petition in the Bombay High Court last year complaining
that his application for fresh passport had been rejected for no
reasons.

High Court had then asked the MEA to give him a hearing and decide the
case.

As the MEA rejected his application last month after hearing him, High
Court today said that he was free to file a fresh petition challenging
MEA's decision.

http://www.ptinews.com/news/529782_MEA-refuses-passport-to-don-Dawood-Ibrahim-s-brother

Batala curfew relaxed, situation under control: cops
STAFF WRITER 13:2 HRS IST

Batala (Punjab), Feb 22 (PTI)

Curfew was today relaxed by the authorities for some time as no
untoward incident was reported in this industrial town, which
witnessed violence over publication of a picture of Jesus Christ in an
allegedly objectionable manner.

The curfew was relaxed for about one and a half hours to facilitate
people buy essential commodities, police said, adding that the
situation was peaceful and under control.

Meanwhile, several Hindu organisations, including Shiv Sena, Bajrang
Dal and VHP, took out a march from Kila Mandir to Nehru Gate in the
town, officials said here.

Curfew was imposed in the town on Saturday after two communities
clashed and indulged in vandalising public property over publication
of a picture of Jesus Christ allegedly in an objectionable manner.

http://www.ptinews.com/news/529665_Batala-curfew-relaxed--situation-under-control--cops

File photo of Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao at a meeting in New
Delhi. PTI Photo Photograph (1)

'India disturbed by call for jihad by Pak elements'
STAFF WRITER 17:55 HRS IST
H S Rao

London, Feb 22 (PTI)

India today said it is "disturbed" by the call for jihad by certain
elements in Pakistan and made it clear that terrorism would dominate
the forthcoming Foreign Secretary-level talks.

Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao said here that India has consistently
maintained that Pakistan should bring perpetrators of the Mumbai
terror attacks to trial (rpt) trial expeditiously.

"We have been telling them that they should dismantle terror
infrastructure on their soil and it was in this connection that
Pakistan's Foreign Secretary (Salman Bashir) has been invited for
talks in New Delhi on February 25 for a dialogue," she said.

She was delivering the key note address at the 3rd International
Institute for Strategic Studies-MEA Dialogue, Perspectives on Foreign
Policy for a 21st Century India.

http://www.ptinews.com/news/530404_-India-disturbed-by-call-for-jihad-by-Pak-elements-

Suicide bomber kills 7 in Pakistan's Swat district
STAFF WRITER 18:37 HRS IST
Rezaul H Laskar and A Muhammad

Peshawar/Islamabad, Feb 22 (PTI)

Taliban struck with renewed fury in the Swat valley in Pakistan's
unruly northwest as a suicide bomber targeted a security convoy near a
crowded market killing seven people and wounding 32 others, months
after Army claimed to have flushed out the militants.

The bomber detonated his explosives when the security force convoy was
passing though Nishat Chowk, a congested square in Mingora, the main
city in Swat district and two security personnel were among the dead.

Officials at a state-run hospital said they had received 32 injured.
TV footage showed a car enveloped in flames as casualties lay on the
ground in blood soked cloths.

Soldiers rushed to the spot and ferried away wounded. Minutes after
the blast women and children could be seen scurrying to safety.

http://www.ptinews.com/news/530650_Suicide-bomber-kills-7-in-Pakistan-s-Swat-district

Take effective action against anti-India groups:Rao
STAFF WRITER 19:29 HRS IST
H S Rao

London, Feb 22 (PTI)

Ahead of the Indo-Pak talks this week, India today made it clear that
process of normalisation of ties with Pakistan can be sustained only
by effective action against groups there calling for 'jihad' against
India.

"...calls of jihad, hostility and aggression continue to be made
openly against India. This reflects the real and tangible difficulties
that we face in dealing with Pakistan," Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao
said, delivering the key note address at the 3rd International
Institute of Strategic Studies-MEA Dialogue here.

She also emphasised that "effective action against such groups" by
Pakistan is an "absolute must" if the process of normalisation that
India desires with Pakistan was to happen.

Referring to the talks in New Delhi on Thursday with her Pakistani
counterpart Salman Bashir, Rao said India is making "another sincere
attempt" to initiate dialogue with Pakistan.

http://www.ptinews.com/news/530809_Take-effective-action-against-anti-India-groups-Rao

Zardari condemns beheading of Sikhs
STAFF WRITER 19:53 HRS IST
Rezaul H Laskar

Islamabad, Feb 22 (PTI)

President Asif Ali Zardari today condemned the "beheading of a
kidnapped Sikh" in Pakistan?s tribal belt and directed authorities to
take "stern action" against the abductors and to prevent the
recurrence of such incidents.

An official statement said the President had "denounced the beheading
of a kidnapped Sikh in Tirah valley of Khyber Agency after his
relatives reportedly failed to pay ransom money to the abductors".? ?

While strongly condemning the incident, Zardari asked authorities to
"investigate and take stern action against the kidnappers in
accordance with the law".

He also said effective measures should be taken to "stop the
recurrence of such incidents in the future".?

http://www.ptinews.com/news/530903_Zardari-condemns-beheading-of-Sikhs

Pak Sikh leaders condemn beheading of Sikhs
STAFF WRITER 17:5 HRS IST
M Zulqernain

Lahore, Feb 22 (PTI) Leaders of Pakistan's minority Sikh community
today called on the government to negotiate with the Taliban for the
safe release of other Sikh traders kidnapped by militants following
the beheading of two captives.

Pakistan Minority Council chairman Sardar Bishon Singh and Pakistan
Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee chief Sardar Sham Singh said the federal
and North West Frontier Province governments should hold talks with
the Taliban for the release of abducted Sikhs.

They also called on authorities to provide security to Sikhs,
especially those living in the troubled northwestern city of Peshawar.

"The Taliban had demanded Rs 30 million from the families of the
abducted men and they killed Jaspal Singh after they did not get the
ransom," Sardar Bishon Singh told PTI.

He said the Sikhs had secured the release of another member of the
community who was kidnapped about six months ago by paying Rs 1.

http://www.ptinews.com/news/530216_Pak-Sikh-leaders-condemn-beheading-of-Sikhs

Step up Sikhs' security: Pak Minority welfare official
STAFF WRITER 14:49 HRS IST
M Zulqernain

Lahore, Feb 22 (PTI) A minority welfare official today asked the
Pakistan government to provide security to the Sikhs living in the
country's restive tribal belt following the abduction and brutal
killing of some members of the community.

Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) chairman Syed Asif Hashmi asked
the Interior Ministry to provide adequate security to members of the
Sikh community living in the Khyber tribal region.

"Even these minorities are Pakistanis," Hashmi told PTI.

Two Sikhs who were kidnapped for ransom by the Taliban were found
beheaded in the country's unruly tribal belt yesterday.

Some more members of the minority community are still believed to be
in the custody of the rebels.

Hashmi said he so far had no information about the Taliban's
involvement in the abduction and killing of Sikhs and this aspect of
the issue could be confirmed only after an investigation is complete.

http://www.ptinews.com/news/529862_Step-up-Sikhs--security--Pak-Minority-welfare-official

...and I am Sid Harth
bademiyansubhanallah
15 years ago
Permalink
COVER STORY:

Hindu-Muslim Conflict in India
May 24, 2002 Episode no. 538 November 7, 2008

BOB ABERNETHY: India, which is mostly Hindu, and Pakistan, which is
mostly Muslim, are once again on the brink of war over the disputed
region of Kashmir. And both nations have nuclear weapons. Hindu-Muslim
tensions extend beyond Kashmir. Within India, where Hindus make up 80%
of the population and Muslims make up 14%, violent outbreaks that
began in February may already have taken thousands of lives. Fred de
Sam Lazaro reports.

FRED DE SAM LAZARO: Gujarat is the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi. At
the center from where he led India's independence movement in the
early 20th century, school children sing about non violence and peace.

Gujarat has been anything but peaceful in recent weeks. Last February,
a train was set ablaze by a group of Muslims in the village of Godhra.
Stories vary on what provoked the incident but in the end, 58 Hindus,
most of them women and children, were burned alive. The train was
carrying Hindu activists returning from the site of a long-simmering
dispute over ground claimed as sacred both by Hindus and Muslims.

The train attack sparked some of the worst religious violence seen in
India since it was partitioned in 1947 by the departing British. An
estimated half million people died. Muslims moving to the newly-
created Pakistan, Hindus going the other way to a newly-independent,
officially secular India. Many Muslims remained in India. They form a
12 percent minority.

Today in Ahmedabad, the Gujarat state capital, more than 110,000 of
the city's Muslim minority have fled into makeshift refugee camps.
They tell stories of rape, murder, and torched homes.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Tell us, where can we go? They took our Koran, threw
it in the street, and pissed on it. They tell us to get out of this
country. We were born here, our men fought for this country, where can
we go?

DE SAM LAZARO: A few miles away, a Hindu family mourns the loss of
their son and brother, killed by a Muslim gang. He was a youth
activist for the world Hindu council, a Hindu nationalist group. He
was a martyr for the country -- the cause, they say -- and that cause
will continue.

What sparked the violence is 800 miles away in Ayodhya. For Hindu
nationalists this 16th-century mosque symbolized Muslim domination of
their land. India is the birthplace of Hinduism, approximately 2,500
years ago. Islam first came to south Asia around the 12th century, and
much of the region came under the rule of the Muslim Mogul empire at
about the time this mosque was built. Hindu nationalists insist the
Moguls destroyed a Hindu temple to build the mosque and that the site
was the birthplace of the Hindu deity Ram. In 1992, a Hindu crowd tore
down the mosque. Hundreds died in violence that followed across the
subcontinent.

The BJP -- or India People's Party -- allied with nationalist Hindu
groups, rode the issue to electoral success. It campaigned to build a
new Ram temple. In 1999, the BJP came to power with coalition partners
who forced moderation. The government now says the courts should
decide the matter.

As India's Supreme Court grapples with the issue, Hindu forces have
been active, building the temple, they say, just waiting to erect it.
Not far from the disputed site, hundreds of pillars and columns have
already been carved. Visitors come to admire the stone work, and they
chip in a few rupees for the temple project.

Today, the dozens of their number who perished in the Gohdra train
incident have been called martyrs. Their deaths have sparked
retribution against Muslims on a scale Police Commissioner P.C. Pande
says he's never witnessed.

P.C. PANDE (Police Commissioner): We've dealt with several such
situations -- it's not the first time. But you don't expect people to
come out in the hundreds of thousands.

DE SAM LAZARO: By the time Army troops arrived, almost every Muslim-
owned business in Gujarat was destroyed. The official death toll had
exceeded 800 people, most of them Muslims. The toll is likely in the
thousands. Many victims, like the relatives of 14 year-old Naved, have
never been found.

NAVED (through voice of translator): My mother, my father, brother,
sister, plus an aunty and her family. We all lived together. On
February 28, our house was burned. My hands and legs were burned. I
ran to my employer who took me to the hospital.

DE SAM LAZARO: An uncle who lives in south India has offered to take
him in, Naved says, when it is safe. It will be a while.

It is not often that one can walk in the middle of the street in a big
Indian city. Ahmedabad has five million people. But weeks after the
orgy of violence that claimed thousands of lives, there continue to be
sporadic outbursts of violence, fed by the rumor mill, so police
routinely impose curfew in neighborhoods like this one at night.

Still there are almost daily clashes. During our recent three day
stay, more than a dozen deaths were reporteds. The failure to contain
the violence indicates the complicity of the Gujarat government -- a
legislature in which the BJP has a majority.

SIDDHARTH VARADARAJAN (Editor, TIME OF INDIA): The killings that
followed the train massacre were not spontaneous, they were not the
result of mass anger on the part of Hindus, but it was an
orchestrated, organized, calculated pogrom which took place because
the ruling party, the BJP has state power in Gujarat and was able to
use the power to essentially give a free hand to its party activists
to indulge in this kind of criminal behavior.

DE SAM LAZARO: He's also critical of national BJP leaders. He says
they've tended to focus on the train incident instead of condemning
all violence.

Mr. VARADARAJAN: I think a statesmanlike attitude would have been to
condemn both, to recognize both are acts of terrorism, both have to be
condemned. To say that one incident justifies the other in any way
reveals a complete moral and philosophical bankruptcy.

DE SAM LAZARO: For their part, officials with the ruling BJP insist
the Gujarat government did its best to bring the early carnage under
control. Mukhtar Naqvi, the BJP's national secretary, a Muslim
himself, blames opposition parties for inciting the ongoing tension,
for courting the Muslim vote.

MUKHTAR NAQVI (National Secretary, BJP): They think if the minorities
feel insecure then they can exploit them easily. They don't want
normalcy. They're not interested in peace in Gujarat.

DE SAM LAZARO: What no one questions, is that the BJP, particularly in
Gujarat, is closely allied with nationalist Hindu organizations.

PRAVEEN TOGADIA (World Hindu Council): Here in Gujarat, Hindus are
victims of Islamic terrorism.

DE SAM LAZARO: Praveen Togadia, head of the World Hindu council, says
Gujarat fits a global pattern.

Mr. TOGADIA: Why there is riot in Xijiang province in China? Why there
is riot in Chechnya? Why in Bosnia? Why in Jerusalem? It has only to
do with the Jihad intolerant tendency who want to impose totalitarian
religious belief system on the rest of humanity, who want to destroy
the rest of all civilizations at gunpoint.

DE SAM LAZARO: Muslims and Hindus come from the same culture. But,
like those who wanted Pakistan, he charges, many Indian Muslims today
consider themselves Muslims first, not Indians. Many Indian Muslims
say the words of an unrepresentative few are being used to tarnish an
entire community.

ABID SHAMSI (Retired English Professor): The voice of sanity is not
heard. There is such a large scale and widespread rule of fanaticism
where you can't go and talk reason.

DE SAM LAZARO: He notes that aside from a few movie stars and
industrialists, India's Muslims are poorer and less literate than most
Indians. And far from being fanatics, he says, many Muslims rejected
Muslim Pakistan and chose to live in a secular, democratic India. But
Gujarat, some fear, is just the kind of environment that breeds
religious extremism over time.

SYED SHAHABUDDIN (Publisher, Muslim India): We cannot control the
motivation of individuals. An adolescent who has lost his entire
family, who has seen his mother and sisters raped, and who has seen
his fathers and brothers butchered. If he becomes a terrorist, what
shall you tell him? What can you tell him? Yes, I go on telling them,
"Please have fortitude, have faith in Allah."I might teach them .I
might try to keep them from the path of violence.

DE SAM LAZARO: Months into the religious tensions, however, the forces
of moderation have yet to rise.

(to Professor Shamsi): There was one person we spoke to yesterday who
said it will just take time and fatigue to bring peace to Gujarat.

Prof. SHAMSI: Yes, absolutely. And this time, it is going to be a
long time.

DE SAM LAZARO: Many Indians take heart from the fact that the
religious violence hasn't spread beyond Gujarat -- that the BJP in
fact lost an election in Delhi soon after the Gujarat riots. But
others fear the birth place of Gandhi may some day become the
graveyard of the secular nation he helped found.

For RELIGION & ETHICS NEWSWEEKLY, this is Fred De Sam Lazaro, at the
Gandhi Ashram, Gujarat, India.

Read interviews with scholars Ainslee Embree and Timothy Shah about
the recent religious violence in India.

Related Links:

The Times of India

BBC News: "Tense times for India's Muslims" by Martin Plaut, Jan. 15,
2002

BBC News: "Q & A: The Ayodhya dispute," Feb. 27, 2002

India News

The Guardian: "Religion, as ever, is the poison in India's blood.
Salman Rushdie on new horrors in the name of God, " March 9, 2002

Related Books:

GANDHI, AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY: THE STORY OF MY EXPERIMENTS WITH TRUTH by
Mohandas K. Gandhi

GANDHI ON NON-VIOLENCE edited by Thomas Merton

GANDHI'S PASSION: THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF MAHATMA GANDHI by Stanley
Wolpert

GANDHI: A PHOTO BIOGRAPHY by Peter Ruhe

GANDHI'S RELIGIOUS THOUGHT by Margaret Chatterjee

GANDHI'S WAY: A HANDBOOK OF CONFLICT RESOLUTION by Mark Juergensmeyer

RELIGIOUS NATIONALISM by Mark Juergensmeyer

IMAGINING INDIA by Mark Juergensmeyer

RELIGIONS OF INDIA IN PRACTICE edited by Donald Lopez

INDIA: FROM MIDNIGHT TO THE MILLENNIUM by Shashi Tharoor

INDIA: A CELEBRATION OF INDEPENDENCE, 1947 TO 1997 edited by Victor
Anant

HINDUISM AND SECULARISM: AFTER AYODHYA edited by Arvind Sharma

UTOPIAS IN CONFLICT: RELIGION AND NATIONALISM IN MODERN INDIA by
Ainslie T. Embree

LEVELING CROWDS: ETHNO-NATIONALIST CONFLICTS AND COLLECTIVE VIOLENCE
IN SOUTH ASIA by Stanley Tambiah

RELIGIOUS NATIONALISM: HINDUS AND MUSLIMS IN INDIA by Peter van der
Veer

GODS ON EARTH: RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE AND IDENTITY IN AYODHYA by Peter
van der Veer

GANDHI: PRISONER OF HOPE by Judith Brown

THE HINDU NATIONALIST MOVEMENT IN INDIA by Christophe Jaffrelot

ETHNIC CONFLICT AND CIVIC LIFE: HINDUS AND MUSLIMS IN INDIA by
Ashutosh Varshney

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week538/cover.html

INTERVIEW:

Ainslee Embree and Timothy Shah
May 24, 2002 Episode no. 538 November 7, 2008

Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly corresponded by e-mail with two scholars
about the recent religious violence in India. Ainslie Embree is
professor emeritus of history at Columbia University and an Asia
expert. Timothy Shah is a research fellow at the Ethics and Public
Policy Center in Washington, D.C.:

Q: Salman Rushdie recently wrote an impassioned piece of commentary
about the violence in India between Hindus and Muslims. He said, among
other things, that religion is "the poison in the blood" of India and
that the name of the problem in India is "God." Do you agree? Could
you comment on his views about religious violence in India and your
own?

Ainslie Embree: The Rushdie piece is excellent, because it is written
by a superb writer with a passionate concern for the fate of Muslims
in India. God is the name of the problem, but of course it is not
religion that is at fault, but rather the fact that religion has been
used in India (as in this country) to legitimize violence and bigotry.
It was not a fanatical Muslim who killed Rabin in Israel because he
tried to make peace and seemed to be succeeding, but a fanatical
orthodox Jew; and it was an orthodox Hindu who killed Gandhi for the
same reason.

Religions believe in Truth, and if you believe that you possess the
truth, then you have the right to eliminate those against that truth.
(This is, after all, President Bush's version: "They are against US.")
In India, the Hindus of Gujarat and the right-wing Hindu nationalists
rarely say, however, that they speak for God. What they say is that
Muslims and Christians (and liberal Hindus) pollute India with their
false ideas. They go on to say that Hindus believe all religions are
true, but that Muslims and Christians deny this, and therefore are
false. They also say that the only true Indians are those who accept
the truth of Hinduism.

None of this is very sophisticated, but it is very insidious: Muslims
and Christians are not just purveyors of false ideas, they are enemies
of India and traitors. It is this one hears over and over again -- not
so much that Hinduism is true, but that Muslims and Christians are
corrupting the fabric of India with their false and foreign arguments.
The Muslims are the poorest people in India, and their enemies are
equally poor Hindus who see them as competitors for scarce resources.

So, Rushdie is right with his passionate statement, but it is a
complex and difficult idea.

Timothy Shah: Rushdie is wrong: it is not religion in India, or the
religiosity of India, that is the problem. Nor is it Hinduism or Islam
as such: Hinduism has a well-deserved reputation as a tolerant faith
(even if this is sometimes exaggerated; there is the caste system,
after all, which obviously suggests that its tolerance and
inclusiveness have definite limits), and Indian Islam is
extraordinarily moderate and irenic.

Almost all of the steep escalation in religious violence in India in
recent years, since the late 1980s and early 1990s in particular, has
been a consequence in one way or another of the "saffron wave" -- the
rise of an increasingly militant Hindu nationalism. Although the
Gujarat violence started with a Muslim attack on a trainload of Hindu
activists, it occurred in the context of the increasing power of Hindu
militants and their increasing pressure on the Indian central
government to comply with a whole series of demands, particularly the
immediate construction of a temple to Lord Ram in the city of Ayodhya
(Ram's supposed birthplace) in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh.
Indeed, much of the violence of the last decade can be traced back to
Hindu militant agitation over Ayodhya. It was in Ayodhya in December
1992 that Hindu nationalists, in an extraordinarily provocative act,
demolished a mosque, the Babri Masjid, to make way for the
construction of the temple to Ram. The result was terrible rioting,
particularly in Mumbai (Bombay), which left more than 2,000 people
dead.

It is clear from many sources, including Human Rights Watch, the
British government, and the National Human Rights Commission of India,
that the anti-Muslim violence in Gujarat was pre-planned and
systematically executed by militant organizations that are part of the
Hindu nationalist family (or sangh parivar, "family of
organizations"). These organizations, particularly the Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), have a paramilitary quality, and their
founders openly admired modern fascist movements such as Nazism. For
them, the attack on the train at Godhra was a pretext; any number of
events or circumstances could have served equally well. But the
particular viciousness of that attack, and the unquestionable
spontaneity of some of the violence that followed, provided the
perfect cover: the Hindu militants were able to conduct a systematic
pogrom under the guise of a "spontaneous" communal riot.

Indeed, the fact that the grotesque religious violence in India in
recent years is not merely endemic or the "natural" result of
"religion," but an organized and deliberate program of Hindu
nationalists, is supported by the recent work of Ashutosh Varshney,
associate professor of political science and director of the Center
for South Asian Studies at the University of Michigan. Varshney has
just published a searching and highly acclaimed analysis of Hindu-
Muslim relations in India (ETHNIC CONFLICT AND CIVIC LIFE: HINDUS AND
MUSLIMS IN INDIA, Yale University Press, 2002). Most germane to the
Gujarat attacks is Varshney's insistence that such large-scale
violence (leaving, in the case of Gujarat, over 2,000 people dead,
according to human rights organizations and Western diplomats) cannot
result from spontaneous rioting. In the Indian cities with violent
track records that Varshney studied (including Ahmedabad in Gujarat,
where the worst violence occurred), "a nexus of politicians and
criminals was in evidence. Without the involvement of organized gangs,
large-scale rioting and tens and hundreds of killings are most
unlikely, and without the protection afforded by politicians, such
criminals cannot escape the clutches of the law."

Hindu nationalists, in other words, have succeeded in visiting more
and more violence on Muslims (as well as Christians, particularly in
southern Gujarat), because they have been able to act with the
complicity of sympathetic politicians and even governments. And they
have been able to act with the most impunity in the state of Gujarat
because it has a strongly Hindu-nationalist state government.

Q: What are the connections between Hindus and Muslims in the U.S. and
religious violence in Gujarat?

Ainslie Embree: Unfortunately, the connection is very close. Right-
wing Hindus in this country have an organization they call the World
Hindu Council, the translation of "Hindu Vishwa Parishad," the extreme
right-wing group that almost all Indian reporters hold responsible for
the violence in Gujarat. They have the ear of many people in the U.S.
Congress, because they are a wealthy, powerful group. They are skilled
if crude propagandists. An example: they have permission from a Texas
school district to explain in the schools why Hinduism is a religion
of peace, unlike Islam. I brought this to the attention of Americana
for the Separation of Church and State, but they said that when they
investigated, they found that the Council just teaches that all
religions are true.

Timothy Shah: One of the great untold stories about Hindu nationalism
in India (though it is a story that is beginning to be told a bit
more) is that it is heavily supported and funded by what are called
"non-resident Indians" (NRIs) in the West, particularly in the United
States. An excellent story in THE NEW YORK TIMES a couple weeks ago,
by Somini Sengupta ("Hindu Nationalists Are Enrolling, and Enlisting,
India's Poor," May 13, 2002), pointed out the strong links between
Indians in the U.S. and what are in effect Hindu "madrassas" in India:
Hindu-nationalist schools that provide education to poor and often
tribal people, who would not otherwise be educated, but that in the
process inculcate a message of hatred of so-called "foreign" religions
such as Islam and Christianity. The graduates of these schools, at
least in some cases, join the cadres of Hindu-nationalist
organizations such as the RSS and the Bajrang Dal, the groups that
helped orchestrate the attacks in Gujarat. Interestingly, as the
article pointed out, for the first time the very tribal peoples of
Gujarat that the Hindu nationalists are educating in their schools
participated in the anti-Muslim pogrom (whereas historically they
harbor no hostility whatsoever to India's Muslims).

The last couple months have also seen something else that is very
disturbing: Hindu militant groups in the United States actively
seeking to deny that any serious anti-Muslim violence took place in
Gujarat at all. As an Indian-American of Gujarati background who is
generally very proud of the Indian-American community, I must confess
that I wish I were making this up. But it often seems to be the case,
as with other ethnic or religious diasporas, that non-resident Indians
(the vast majority of whom are Hindus, it seems, though I don't know
the exact proportions) are more "right-wing" about Indian politics and
more militantly nationalist than their average counterpart in
India.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week538/india.html

Page last updated at 15:22 GMT, Monday, 15 November 2004
E-mail this to a friend Printable version

Q&A: The Ayodhya dispute


The Babri Mosque was torn down by a Hindu zealots in 1992
The religious dispute over Ayodhya in northern India has been a source
of tension between Hindus and the country's Muslim minority for nearly
two decades.

The BBC answers key questions about the history of the site and the
dispute.

Why is the site disputed?

Many believe that Ayodhya, in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, is
the birthplace of one of the most revered deities in Hinduism, Lord
Rama.

Ayodhya is mentioned in several Hindu scriptures and has been a place
of holy pilgrimage for centuries.

Why is the dispute over Ayodhya so dangerous?

Militant Hindus demolished the 16th-century Babri mosque in 1992,
vowing to replace it with a Hindu temple to Rama.

They say they were justified in destroying the mosque because there
used to be a Hindu temple marking Rama's birthplace on that spot
before.

The mosque was torn down by supporters of the hardline Vishwa Hindu
Parishad (VHP or World Hindu Council), the Shiv Sena party and then-
opposition Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The destruction prompted one of India's worst bouts of nationwide
religious rioting between Hindus and the country's Muslim minority,
which left 2,000 people dead.

The bloodshed was viewed as the most serious threat to India's secular
identity since independence in 1947.

Why is Ayodhya so politically sensitive?

India's main opposition BJP and its Hindu hardline associates were
closely involved in the destruction of the mosque.

Between 1998 and 2004 when a BJP-led coalition governed India, the
party had to maintain a delicate balance between Hindu hardline
organisations such as the VHP and its coalition partners who favour a
negotiated settlement between Hindus and Muslims.

The VHP say the construction of a temple is a matter of conscience and
they will ignore any court decision against them.

Several BJP leaders still face legal proceedings over the destruction
of the mosque.

And last year Indian archaeologists said they found the remains of a
structure similar to a Hindu temple under the ruins of an ancient
temple, sparking off a fresh legal battle between Hindus and Muslims.

When did tensions last escalate?

On 27 February 2002, more than 50 people died when a train carrying
Hindu activists returning to Gujarat from Ayodhya was set alight,
allegedly by a Muslim mob.

More than 1,000 people - mainly Muslims - died in the violence that
erupted following this attack. Some independent accounts placed the
numbers killed at close to 2,000.

A month later hardline Hindus held a ceremony at the Ayodhya site as
part of their campaign for the construction of a temple.

A massive security operation largely forestalled a feared outbreak of
religious violence.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/1843879.stm

Religion, as ever, is the poison in India's blood

Salman Rushdie on new horrors in the name of God

Salman Rushdie

The Guardian, Saturday 9 March 2002

The defining image of the week is of a small child's burned and
blackened arm, its tiny fingers curled into a fist, protruding from
the remains of a human bonfire in Ahmadabad, Gujarat.

The murder of children is something of an Indian specialty. The
routine daily killings of unwanted girl babies, the massacre of
innocents in Nellie, Assam, in the 1980s, and of Sikh children in
Delhi during the reprisals that followed Mrs Gandhi's assassination in
1984 bear witness to our particular gift, always most dazzlingly in
evidence at times of religious unrest, for dousing our children in
kerosene and setting them alight, or cutting their throats, or
smothering them, or just clubbing them to death with a good strong
length of wood.

I say "our" because I write as an Indian man born and bred, who loves
India deeply and knows that what one of us does today, any of us is
potentially capable of doing tomorrow. If I take pride in India's
strengths, then India's sins must be mine as well.

Do I sound angry? Good. Ashamed and disgusted? I certainly hope so.
Because, as India undergoes its worst bout of Hindu-Muslim
bloodletting in over a decade, many people have not been sounding
anything like angry, ashamed or disgusted enough. Police chiefs have
been excusing their men's unwillingness to defend the citizens of
India without regard to religion, by saying that these men have
feelings too, and are subject to the same sentiments as the nation in
general.

Meanwhile, India's political masters have been tut-tutting and
offering the usual soothing lies about the situation being brought
under control. (It has escaped nobody's notice that the ruling BJP -
the Bharatiya Janata Party, or Indian People's Party - and the Hindu
extremists of the VHP - the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, or World Hindu
Council - are sister organisations, offshoots of the same parent
body.) Even international commentators, such as Britain's Independent
newspaper, urge us to "beware excess pessimism".

The horrible truth about communal slaughter in India is that we're
used to it. It happens every so often; then it dies down. That's how
life is, folks. Most of the time, India is the world's largest secular
democracy; and if, once in a while, it lets off a little crazy-
religious steam, we mustn't let that distort the picture.

Of course there are political explanations. Ever since December 1992,
when a VHP mob demolished a 400-year-old Muslim mosque, the Babri
Masjid in Ayodhya, which they claim was built on the sacred birthplace
of the god Ram, Hindu fanatics have been looking for this fight. The
pity of it is that some Muslims were ready to give it to them. The
murderous attack on the trainload of VHP activists at Godhra (with its
awful, atavistic echoes of the killings of Hindus and Muslims by the
trainload during the partition riots of 1947) played right into the
Hindu extremists' hands.

The VHP has evidently tired of what it sees as the equivocations and
insufficient radicalism of the BJP government. The prime minister, Mr
Vajpayee, is more moderate than his party; he also heads a coalition
government, and has been obliged to abandon much of the BJP's more
extreme Hindu- nationalist rhetoric to hold the coalition together.
But it isn't working any more. In state elections across the country,
the BJP is being trounced. This may have been the last straw for the
VHP firebrands. Why put up with the government's betrayal of their
fascistic agenda when that betrayal doesn't even result in electoral
success?

The electoral failure of the BJP (used by the let's-not-get-carried-
away gang to show that India is turning away from communalist
politics) is thus, in all probability, the spark that lit the fire.
The VHP is determined to build a Hindu temple on the site of the
demolished Ayodhya mosque - that's where the Godhra dead were coming
from - and there are, reprehensibly, idiotically, tragically, Muslims
in India equally determined to resist them. Vajpayee has insisted that
the notoriously slow Indian courts must decide the rights and wrongs
of the Ayodhya issue. The VHP is no longer prepared to wait.

The distinguished Indian writer Mahasveta Devi, in a letter to the
Indian president, KR Narayanan, blames the Gujarat government (led by
a BJP hardliner) as well as the central government for doing "too
little too late", and pins the blame firmly on the "motivated, well-
planned-out and provocative actions" of the Hindu nationalists.
However, another writer, the Nobel laureate VS Naipaul, speaking in
India just a week before the violence erupted, denounced India's
Muslims en masse and praised the nationalist movement.

The murderers of Godhra must indeed be denounced, and Mahasveta Devi
in her letter demands "stern legal action" against them. But the VHP
and its other related organisation, the equally sinister RSS
(Rashtriya Swyamsevak Sangh, or Association of National Volunteers,
from which both the BJP and the VHP take inspiration) are determined
to destroy that secular democracy in which India takes such public
pride and which it does so little to protect; and by supporting them,
Naipaul makes himself a fellow traveller of fascism and disgraces the
Nobel award.

The political discourse matters, and explains a good deal. But there's
something beneath it, something we don't want to look in the face:
namely, that in India, as elsewhere in our darkening world, religion
is the poison in the blood. Where religion intervenes, mere innocence
is no excuse. Yet we go on skating around this issue, speaking of
religion in the fashionable language of "respect".

What is there to respect in any of this, or in any of the crimes now
being committed almost daily around the world in religion's dreaded
name? How well, with what fatal results, religion erects totems, and
how willing we are to kill for them! And when we've done it often
enough, the deadening of affect that results makes it easier to do it
again.

So India's problem turns out to be the world's problem. What happened
in India has happened in God's name. The problem's name is God.

© Salman Rushdie 2002

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2002/mar/09/society.salmanrushdie

Tuesday, 15 January, 2002, 19:30 GMT
Tense times for India's Muslims


India has a larger Muslim population than Pakistan

By the BBC's Martin Plaut
In the confrontation between India and Pakistan it is easy to forget
that there are more Muslims in India than there are in Pakistan.

India is a secular country where religious discrimination is
outlawed.

But how does the threat of war with its Islamic neighbour affect
India's Muslims and the attitudes of Hindus and others in that country
towards them?



Muslims know no matter what they do for the country ... they will
always be suspected

Professor Rizwan Qaiser, Jamia Millia Islamia University
It is India's proud claim to be a truly secular, multi-religious
society.

Old Delhi is home to many of the city's Muslim community. They are,
they say, secure in their Indian identity.

"We are very much safe here and the Pakistanis are misguiding us that
the Muslims are not safe in India, but it is not right. We are totally
safe in our country and we love our country also," says one man.

But as India faces the threat of another war with its Muslim
neighbour, Pakistan, the 135 million Muslims who live and work in
India know they are being treated with suspicion as the crisis
deepens.

Tension

"Whenever there is tension between India and Pakistan, there is always
a fall-out against the Muslims because the Muslims are seen as fifth
columnists, potential agents of Pakistan, says Syed Shahabuddin,
editor of Muslim India.



India's Muslims fear they may be demonised in the media

"For example, you see, of late all our religious institutions - the
little seminaries in every village, called madrassas - the little
mosques, in every nook and corner of India - they were projected as
dens of the ISI (intelligence service) of Pakistan."

The ISI is portrayed as the sinister hand, blamed for all of India's
evils by the popular press.

But India has prided itself on being a safe home to those Muslims who
chose to remain in India when Pakistan was founded as a Muslim
homeland at independence in 1947.

The former Indian Prime Minister, I K Gujral, insists that any
suspicion is wrong. He points to the fact that Indian Muslims did not
volunteer to fight for Osama Bin Laden.

"Why did they not go? The government of India did not stop them, he
says.

"Voluntarily they did not go because two things. One is the legacy of
Indian freedom struggle and a faith in the genuineness of the Indian
democracy ... [secondly] faith in the fact that Indian democracy does
not distinguish amongst the people on the basis of religious
beliefs."

Fundamentalists dominant

But India's current government is dominated by Hindu fundamentalists.



With its population of over 1 billion India has succeeded remarkably
in holding together its diverse religious groups


Many backed the decision 10 years ago to level the mosque at Ayodhya
that was said to have been build on a sacred Hindu site.

Some in government have links to organisations that wish to turn India
into a Hindu homeland.

Since coming to power they have diluted their fundamentalist rhetoric
but many Muslims are still nervous in a crisis.

"Muslims anyway also have got used to it, says Professor Rizwan Qaiser
of Jamia Millia Islamia University.

"They all know, no matter what they do for the country, no matter
what, you know, they think, no matter what contributions they make,
they will always be suspected."

With its population of over 1 billion India has succeeded remarkably
in holding together its diverse religious groups. But anger at the
attack on its parliament, and the threat of war, could damage that
achievement.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/1762346.stm

Last Updated: Wednesday, 16 January, 2002, 02:05 GMT

Email this to a friend Printable version

Kashmir: The origins of the dispute


Current tensions go back decades
By Victoria Schofield, author of Kashmir in Conflict
In August 1947 when the Indian subcontinent became independent from
Britain, all the rulers of the 565 princely states, whose lands
comprised two-fifths of India and a population 99 million, had to
decide which of the two new dominions to join, India or Pakistan.

The ruler of Jammu and Kashmir, whose state was situated between the
two new countries, could not decide which country to join.

He was Hindu, his population was predominantly Muslim. He therefore
did nothing.



Instead he signed a "standstill" agreement with Pakistan in order that
services such as trade, travel and communication would be
uninterrupted.

India did not sign a similar agreement.

Law and order

In October 1947, Pashtun tribesmen from Pakistan's North-West Frontier
Province invaded Kashmir.

There had been persistent reports of communal violence against Muslims
in the state and, supported by the Pakistani Government, they were
eager to precipitate its accession to Pakistan.


Mountbatten favoured Kashmir's temporary accession to India

Troubled by the increasing deterioration in law and order and by
earlier raids, culminating in the invasion of the tribesmen, the
ruler, Maharaja Hari Singh, requested armed assistance from India.

The then Governor-General, Lord Mountbatten, believed the developing
situation would be less explosive if the state were to accede to
India, on the understanding that this would only be temporary prior to
"a referendum, plebiscite, election".

According to the terms of the Instrument of Accession, India's
jurisdiction was to extend to external affairs, defence and
communications.

Troops airlifted

Exactly when Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession has been
hotly debated for over 50 years.



Nehru's representative met the ruler of Kashmir

Official Indian accounts state that in the early hours of the morning
of 26 October, Hari Singh fled from Srinagar, arriving in Jammu later
in the day, where he was met by V P Menon, representative of Prime
Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, and signed the Instrument of Accession.

On the morning of 27 October, Indian troops were airlifted into
Srinagar.

Recent research, from British sources, has indicated that Hari Singh
did not reach Jammu until the evening of 26 October and that, due to
poor flying conditions, V P Menon was unable to get to Jammu until the
morning of 27 October , by which time Indian troops were already
arriving in Srinagar.

In order to support the thesis that the Maharaja acceded before Indian
troops landed, Indian sources have now suggested that Hari Singh
signed an Instrument of Accession before he left Srinagar but that it
was not made public until later.

This was because Hari Singh had not yet agreed to include the Kashmiri
leader, Sheikh Abdullah, in his future government. To date no
authentic original document has been made available.

Pakistan immediately contested the accession, suggesting that it was
fraudulent, that the Maharaja acted under duress and that he had no
right to sign an agreement with India when the standstill agreement
with Pakistan was still in force.

Pakistanis also argued that because Hari Singh fled from the valley of
Kashmir , he was not in control of his state and therefore not in a
position to take a decision on behalf of his people.

'Bad faith'

In the context of Pakistan's claim that there is a dispute over the
state of Jammu and Kashmir, the accession issue forms a significant
aspect of their argument.

By stating that the Instrument of Accession was signed on 26 October,
when it clearly was not, Pakistan believes that India has not shown
good faith and consequently that this invalidates the Instrument of
Accession.

Indians argue, however, that regardless of the discrepancies over
timing, the Maharaja did choose to accede to India and he was not
under duress.

On the basis of his accession, India claims ownership of the entire
state which includes the approximately one-third of the territory
currently administered by Pakistan.

In 1949 Maharaja Hari Singh was obliged by the Government of India to
leave the state and hand over the government to Sheikh Abdullah.

He died in Bombay in 1962.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/1762146.stm

Full coverage

Rising tensions
Kashmir war scenarios
Q&A: Peacekeeping
US balancing act
Musharraf's position
Gauging nuclear risk

Eyewitness
Behind the lines
'Phoney war'
Civilians in cross-fire
Pakistan nuclear fears

Background
Q&A: Kashmir
Forgotten plebiscite
Who are the militants?

Texts & transcripts
Vajpayee transcript
Musharraf excerpts

TIMELINE

Roots of conflict

Introduction

Ever since the partition of the sub-continent in 1947, when Britain
dismantled its Indian empire, India and Pakistan have been arch
rivals.

The animosity has its roots in religion and history, and is epitomised
by the long-running conflict over the state of Jammu and Kashmir. This
has recently escalated into a dangerous nuclear arms race.

Partition and independence

Summary

The Indian subcontinent was partitioned into Hindu-dominated but
nominally secular India and the newly created Muslim state of Pakistan
after India’s independence from Great Britain in 1947. Severe rioting
and population movement ensued and an estimated half a million people
were killed in communal violence. About a million people were left
homeless. Since partition, the territory of Jammu and Kashmir has
remained in dispute, with Pakistan and India both holding sectors.

In full

The name Pakistan was derived from an idea first suggested in 1933
when a student, Chaudhuri Rahmat Ali, proposed that there should be a
separate homeland which would be comprised of the Muslim-majority
provinces in the north-west as well as the geographically contiguous
princely state of Jammu and Kashmir.
The name was formulated from: P for Punjab, A for the Afghanis of the
north-west frontier, K for Kashmir, S for Sind and Tan denoting
Baluchistan. The word also means land of the pure in Urdu.

The partition of the Subcontinent, however, led to severe rioting and
population movement as Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus found themselves on
the wrong side of the partitioned provinces of Punjab and Bengal. The
latter of these became East Pakistan. An estimated half a million
people died in communal violence, millions more became homeless.

Jammu and Kashmir, a collection of culturally distinct regions, were
nominally brought under the rule of Sikhs in the early 19th Century.
After the British fought the Sikhs in 1846, instead of assuming direct
control over the area, Britain installed a Hindu ruler as Maharaja.

The Maharaja's territorial possessions included the Buddhist area of
Ladakh, the predominantly Hindu region of Jammu, the majority Muslim
valley of Kashmir, as well as smaller Muslim kingdoms in the west.

In the days of the British Empire, the state of Jammu and Kashmir was
one of more than 560 autonomous princely states owing allegiance to
Britain. At independence, the rulers were advised to join, by means of
an instrument of accession, either of the two new dominions, India or
Pakistan, bearing in mind their state's geographical position and the
religion of their inhabitants.

By August 1947, the date of partition, the ruler of Jammu and Kashmir
had not decided which dominion to join.

Over 50 years later, Pakistanis still believe that Jammu and Kashmir
should have become part of Pakistan because the majority of the
state's population, concentrated in the valley of Kashmir, is Muslim.

India, says the state of Jammu and Kashmir belongs to India because by
the October 1947 instrument of accession, the Maharaja finally agreed
to join India.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/south_asia/2002/india_pakistan/timeline/1947.stm

The 1947- 48 war



Summary

India and Pakistan first went to war in October 1947 after Pakistan
supported a Muslim insurgency in Kashmir. India agreed to a request
for armed assistance from Kashmir's Maharaja, in return for accession
of the state to India. But the nature of that accession has long been
the subject of debate. The war ended on 1 January 1949, with the
establishment of a ceasefire line. The status of the territory
remained in dispute because an agreed referendum to confirm the
accession was never held.




In full

The first Indo-Pakistani war started after armed tribesmen from
Pakistan's north-west frontier province invaded Kashmir in October
1947. Besieged both by a revolt in his state and by the invasion, the
Maharaja requested armed assistance from the government of India. In
return he acceded to India, handing over powers of defence,
communication and foreign affairs.
Both India and Pakistan agreed that the accession would be confirmed
by a referendum once hostilities had ceased.

Historians continue to debate the precise timing when the Maharaja of
Jammu and Kashmir signed the instrument of accession and the Indian
army moved into the state, arguing that the Maharaja acceded to India
under duress.

In May 1948, the regular Pakistani army was called upon to protect
Pakistan's borders. Fighting continued throughout the year between
Pakistani irregular troops and the Indian army.

The war ended on 1 January 1949 when a ceasefire was arranged by the
United Nations, which recommended that both India and Pakistan should
adhere to their commitment to hold a referendum in the state. A
ceasefire line was established where the two sides stopped fighting
and a UN peacekeeping force established. The referendum, however, has
never been held.

In 1954 Jammu and Kashmir's accession to India was ratified by the
state's constituent assembly. In 1957, it approved its own
constitution, modelled along the Indian constitution. Since that time
India has regarded that part of the state which it controls as an
integral part of the Indian union.

To the west of the ceasefire line, Pakistan controls roughly one third
of the state. A small region, which the Pakistanis call Azad (Free)
Jammu and Kashmir, and the Indians call Pakistani-occupied Kashmir, is
semi-autonomous. The larger area, which includes the former kingdoms
of Hunza and Nagar, called the northern areas, is directly
administered by Pakistan.

In 1962-3, following the 1962 Sino-Indian war, India and Pakistan held
talks under the auspices of Britain and the US in an attempt to
resolve their differences over Kashmir, but without success.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/south_asia/2002/india_pakistan/timeline/1947_48.stm

The 1965 war



Summary

The two countries went to war again after Pakistan launched a covert
offensive across the ceasefire line into Indian-administered Jammu and
Kashmir. India retaliated by crossing the international border at
Lahore.




In full

In April 1965, a clash between border patrols erupted into fighting in
the Rann of Kutch, a sparsely inhabited region along the south-western
Indo-Pakistani border. When the Indians withdrew, Pakistan claimed
victory.
Later, in August, hostilities broke out again in the 2nd Indo-
Pakistani war, when the government of Pakistan launched a covert
offensive across the ceasefire line into the Indian-administered Jammu
and Kashmir. In early September, India retaliated by crossing the
international border at Lahore. After three weeks, both India and
Pakistan agreed to a UN-sponsored ceasefire.

In January 1966, the governments of India and Pakistan met at Tashkent
and signed a declaration affirming their commitment to solve their
disputes through peaceful means. They also agreed to withdraw to their
pre-August positions.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/south_asia/2002/india_pakistan/timeline/1965.stm

The 1971 war



Summary

Pakistan descended into civil war after East Pakistan demanded
autonomy and later independence. India invaded East Pakistan in
support of its people after millions of civilians fled to India. At
the end of 1971, Bangladesh was created out of East Pakistan.




In full

Indo-Pakistani relations deteriorated again when civil war erupted in
Pakistan, pitting the West Pakistan army against East Pakistanis
demanding autonomy and later independence.
The fighting forced an estimated 10 million East Pakistani civilians
to flee to India.

In December India invaded East Pakistan in support of the East
Pakistani people. The Pakistani army surrendered at Dhaka and its army
of more than 90,000 became Indian prisoners of war.

East Pakistan became the independent country of Bangladesh on 6
December 1971.

Regional tensions were reduced by the Simla accord of 1972 and by
Pakistan's recognition of Bangladesh in 1974. The Simla accord
committed both sides to working through outstanding issues bilaterally
and through the mechanism of working groups.

In relation to Jammu and Kashmir, the two countries agreed that the
ceasefire line, which was renamed the Line of Control, would be
respected by both sides "without prejudice to the recognised positions
of either side".

In 1974 the Kashmir state government reached an accord with the Indian
Government, which affirmed its status as "a constituent unit of the
union of India". Pakistan rejected the accord.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/south_asia/2002/india_pakistan/timeline/1971.stm




Insurgency continues: In 2001, an attack in Srinagar killed 38 people


Related story
Who are the militants?

Kashmir insurgency



Summary

Armed resistance to Indian rule broke out in the Kashmir valley in
1989, with some groups calling for independence and others calling for
union with Pakistan. India accused Pakistan of supplying weapons to
the militants. During the 1990s, with the emergence of militant Muslim
groups, the movement’s ideology became essentially Islamic in
nature.




In full

In 1989 armed resistance to Indian rule began in the Kashmir valley.
Muslim political parties complained that the 1987 elections to the
state's legislative assembly were rigged against them, and they formed
militant wings.
Some groups demanded independence for the state of Jammu and Kashmir
and others union with Pakistan.

Pakistan gave its "moral and diplomatic" support to the movement,
calling for the issue to be resolved via a UN-sponsored referendum.

But the government of India maintained that Pakistan's support of the
insurgency consisted of training and supplying weapons to militant
separatists and repeatedly called for Pakistan to cease "cross-border
terrorism".

During the 1990s, several new militant groups emerged, most of which
held radical Islamic views.

The ideological emphasis of the movement shifted from a nationalistic
and secularist one to an Islamic one.

This was in part driven by the arrival in the valley of Kashmir of
large numbers of Islamic "Jihadi" fighters who had fought in
Afghanistan against the Soviet Union in the 1980s.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/south_asia/2002/india_pakistan/timeline/1989.stm

Diplomatic push



Summary

India and Pakistan set up low-level meetings to defuse tension over
Jammu and Kashmir. The diplomatic push became more concerted a year
later and an agenda for peace talks was agreed on. Also in 1997,
Pakistan suggested that the two sides meet to discuss restraining
nuclear and missile capabilities.




In full

In 1996, Pakistani and Indian military officers met on the Line of
Control dividing the state of Jammu and Kashmir to ease tension after
clashes.
The celebrations of 50 years of independence in 1997 in both countries
coincided with a surge in diplomatic activity. During 1997, Indian and
Pakistani foreign ministers met in Delhi.

After a second round of talks in Islamabad, they announced an eight-
point agenda for peace talks, including discussion of the Kashmir
issue. Although the talks ended in stalemate, both sides promised to
meet again.

In a speech at the UN, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif offered
to open talks on a non-aggression pact with India, proposing that both
nations strike a deal to restrain their nuclear and missile
capabilities.

In 1988 India and Pakistan had signed an agreement not to attack each
other's nuclear facilities.

India has consistently rejected any third party mediation to help end
Kashmir border clashes, saying differences should be solved in
bilateral talks, according to the 1972 Simla agreement.

The 1980s had seen some diplomatic discussions aimed at resolving
outstanding differences, between India and Pakistan. In 1982, the two
rivals began unsuccessful talks on a non-aggression treaty. However,
in 1984 Indian troops were airlifted to the Siachen glacier in
northern Kashmir which increased tension in the area.

Pakistan retaliated by fortifying the glacier from its side of what
has become known as the world's highest war zone.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/south_asia/2002/india_pakistan/timeline/1996.stm
Nuclear rivalry



Summary

Fears of a nuclear confrontation grew, after both sides conducted
nuclear tests. The US ordered sanctions against both countries, with
several European nations doing the same. Tensions were reduced early
the following year after the two sides signed an accord pledging to
intensify efforts to resolve all issues – including that of Jammu and
Kashmir.




In full

The arms race between the rivals escalated dramatically in the 1990s.
In May 1998, India conducted underground nuclear tests in the western
desert state of Rajasthan near the border with Pakistan. In response,
Pakistan conducted six tests in Baluchistan.

In the same year, Pakistan tested its longest range missile, the 1,500
km (932 mile) Ghauri missile, named after a 12th Century Muslim
warrior who conquered part of india.

Both sides were heavily criticised by the international community for
the tests as fears of a nuclear confrontation grew.

The United States ordered sanctions against both countries, freezing
more than $20bn of aid, loans and trade. Japan ordered a block on
about $1bn of aid loans.

Several European countries followed suit, and the G-8 governments
imposed a ban on non-humanitarian loans to India and Pakistan.

The UN Security Council condemned India and Pakistan for carrying out
nuclear tests and urged the two nations to stop all nuclear weapons
programmes.

Relations between India and Pakistan improved again in February 1999
when Indian Prime Minister Atal Vajpayee travelled to Pakistan to meet
Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

They signed the Lahore accord pledging again to "intensify their
efforts to resolve all issues, including the issue of Jammu and
Kashmir".

India had detonated its first nuclear device in1974. In 1989, Pakistan
announced the successful test firing of its first long-range surface-
to-surface missile, the Hatf-1 and Hatf-2.

In 1992 Pakistan said it had acquired the scientific know-how to make
a nuclear bomb.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/south_asia/2002/india_pakistan/timeline/1998.stm

Kargil conflict



Summary

Conflict again erupted after India launched air strikes against
Pakistani-backed forces that had infiltrated Indian-administered
Kashmir. Fighting built up towards a direct conflict between the two
states and tens of thousands of people were reported to have fled
their homes on both sides of the ceasefire line. Later that year,
General Musharraf led a military coup in Pakistan.




In full

For the first time in nearly 30 years, in May 1999, India launched air
strikes against Pakistani-backed forces that had infiltrated into the
mountains in Indian-administered Kashmir, north of Kargil.
Pakistan responded by putting its troops on high alert as the fighting
built up towards a direct conflict between the two states.

India repeatedly claimed that Pakistani forces belonging to the
northern light infantry, based in the Pakistani-administered Northern
Areas, were engaged in the operations - a claim Pakistan consistently
denied.

Pakistan insisted instead that the forces were "freedom fighters"
fighting for the liberation of Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir.

At the height of the conflict, thousands of shells were fired daily,
and India launched hundreds of airstrikes. The Red Cross reported that
at least 30,000 people had been forced to flee their homes on the
Pakistani side of the Line of Control.

Correspondents reported that about 20,000 people became refugees on
the Indian side.

Both sides claimed victory in the conflict, which ended when, under
pressure from the United States, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif called
upon the infiltrating forces to withdraw.

In October 1999, General Pervez Musharraf led a military coup in
Pakistan, deposing elected Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. General
Musharraf's assumption of power was later validated by the supreme
court of Pakistan for a period of three years.

The coup was, however, was condemned by the international community
which called for elections and an immediate return to civilian
government. Pakistan was also suspended from the Commonwealth.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/south_asia/2002/india_pakistan/timeline/1999.stm

The brink of war



Summary

Tension along the ceasefire line continued. In October 38 people were
killed after an attack on the Kashmiri assembly in Srinagar. A month
later, 14 people were killed in an attack on the Indian parliament in
Delhi. India again blamed Pakistani-backed Kashmiri militants. A
dramatic build up of troops along the Indo-Pakistan border ensued.




In full

The 11 September 2001 suicide attacks in the United States brought a
rapprochement between Pakistan and the West. Pakistan agreed to co-
operate with the US's campaign against Osama Bin Laden's al-Qaeda
network and the Taleban rulers of Afghanistan.
Tension along the line of control continued. The worst fighting for
more than a year broke out in October as India, which continued to
condemn Pakistan for cross-border terrorism, started shelling
Pakistani military positions.

October saw a devastating attack on the Kashmiri assembly in Srinagar
in which 38 people were killed. After the attack, the chief minister
of Indian-administered Kashmir, Farooq Abdullah, called on the Indian
government to launch a war against militant training camps across the
border in Pakistan.

On 13 December, an armed attack on the Indian parliament in Delhi left
14 people dead. India again blamed Pakistani-backed Kashmiri
militants. The attack led to a dramatic build-up of troops along the
Indo-Pakistan border, military exchanges and raised fears of a wider
conflict.

In January 2002 President Musharraf gave a keynote speech pledging
that Pakistan would not allow terrorists to operate from Pakistani
soil. He again called on the government of India to resolve the
dispute over Jammu and Kashmir through dialogue.

India said it would wait for action to back up his words.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/south_asia/2002/india_pakistan/timeline/2001.stm

Partition saw rioting, communal violence and population movement

Related stories:

Flashback to partition

Friday, 11 January, 2002, 14:26 GMT
Flashback to Indian partition

Mohammed Ali Jinnah: Founding father of Pakistan

Astrologers could not decide on an auspicious day for the independence
of India so it fell at midnight between 14 and 15 August 1947.
The British colony was divided along religious lines and two nations
were born - the secular but Hindu-dominated India and the Islamic
Republic of Pakistan.

Pandit Nehru campaigned with Gandhi to achieve Indian independence
But even as the celebrations were getting under way it was questioned
whether partition could lead to peace among the subcontinent's
different groups.

Some observers say it has fuelled regional animosities and argue that
it established a sinister precedent.

Since partition, India and Pakistan have waged three wars against each
other - two of them over the unresolved issue of Kashmir.

Peace declaration

The first ceremonies to symbolise the transfer of power from Britain
to one of the new dominions took place in Karachi on the morning of 14
of August.

At the stroke of midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will
wake up to life and freedom

Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru

British Viceroy Louis Mountbatten and Mohammed Ali Jinnah, who at
midnight was to become governor general of Pakistan, addressed the
Constituent Assembly.

Lord Mountbatten read a message from King George VI pledging the
support of the British Commonwealth to Pakistan. Mr Jinnah assured the
world that Pakistan would work to preserve peace.

The next day, Mr Jinnah addressed the nation during the inauguration
of the Pakistan Broadcasting Service.

"The creation of the new state has placed a tremendous responsibility
on the citizens of Pakistan," he said. "It gives them an opportunity
to demonstrate to the world how a nation containing many elements can
live in peace and amity and work for the betterment of all its
citizens irrespective of caste or creed.

"Our object should be peace within, and peace without. We want to live
peacefully and maintain cordial friendly relations with our immediate
neighbours and with the world at large."

Free India

After the ceremony in Pakistan, Lord and Lady Mountbatten flew to
Delhi, where special events to mark the transfer of power took place.
He was to stay on as Governor General of India, while Pandit
Jawaharlal Nehru became the country's first prime minister.

That night people were very expectant, very hopeful of things to come

Saeed Suhrawardy

The special ceremony began at 11pm in the State Council building.

"At the stroke of midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will
wake up to life and freedom," Nehru said.

As the last chimes of midnight died, an assembly member blew a conch
shell and a great cheer rose in the hall.

Tens of thousands of people celebrated outside the building - many
more did so in cities around India.

Mahatma Gandhi, regarded as the father of Indian independence, did not
attend the celebrations. Instead, Gandhi - who strived for a united
India - spent the day with Indian Muslims in Calcutta.

Exodus

Journalist Saeed Suhrawardy, an Indian Muslim from the town of
Mirzapur, was 17 at the time and remembers the night clearly.

"I think the whole town was awake," he said. "There was no television
at that time and few radios. So radio shops were very crowded with
people waiting for the speech of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. It was like
a festival, at least in my place there was no tension.

"That night people were very expectant, very hopeful of things to
come."

But Saeed Suhrawardy recalls that there were also fears that night.

Lord Mountbatten is said to have found the situation very dangerous

"Reports coming from other places made the minorities fearful for
events to come.

"In our town we did not have any record of communal violence. But
there were stories of violence, riots, attacks on trains and
bloodstained trains arriving with dead bodies."

Saeed Suhrawardy did not think of migrating after partition. Many
others did.

As soon as the new borders were known some 10 million Hindus, Muslims
and Sikhs fled from their homes on one side of the newly demarcated
borders to the other side.

About one million people were killed during the exodus, and to this
day many families are separated by the border.

Religious rivalry

The origin of partition is still a matter of debate.

The name Pakistan - or "Land of the Pure" - did not come into
existence until 1933, when it was coined by Rahmatullah Chowdhry, a
Cambridge student.

Partition timeline
1930: Alama Iqbal advocates the two-nation theory

1933: The name Pakistan is coined

1940: Jinnah calls for a separate Muslim state

May/June 1946: Both parties accept Cabinet Mission Plan

July: Plan collapses

Aug: Hindu-Muslim violence kills thousands

June 1947: Mountbatten plan for partition approved

July: India Independence Act passed in Britain

Aug: Separate states of Pakistan and India are born

Three years earlier, the poet Alama Iqbal had advocated the
establishment of a separate Muslim state at a Muslim League
conference. But it was not until 1940 that his two-nation theory was
adopted by the League.

The 1930s saw a growing mistrust between the Muslim League and the All
India Congress.

The League's leader, Mohammed Ali Jinnah - until 1940 reluctant to
advocate the creation of two nations - is said to have feared that the
country's Muslim minority would be subjugated by the Hindu majority.

Deadline

During World War II Britain's mobilisation of the Indian economy and
military forces was opposed by Congress.

Fearing the movement's ability to sabotage the war effort, Britain is
said to have exploited the Hindu-Muslim rivalry in an effort to
curtail the Congress.


Millions fled as the new borders were demarcated

After the war, Labour Prime Minister Clement Attlee came to power in
Britain.

In 1946, he sent a Cabinet Mission to India that put forward a plan
for Hindus and Muslims to work together.

This was initially accepted by both sides, but within week the plan
had collapsed. Some say it was Nehru who changed his mind, others say
it was Jinnah.

Jinnah called for Direct Action on 16 August 1946 to protest against
Congress and the British.

In Calcutta this led to three days of Hindu-Muslim violence - the
bloodiest in nearly a century - and thousands of deaths.

A year later, Lord Mountbatten was sent to India to replace Lord
Wavell as viceroy, with plans to transfer power no later than June
1948.

Demarcation

The new viceroy is said to have found the situation too dangerous to
wait even that brief period, and to have become convinced that
partition was unavoidable.


Gandhi was against partition
On 3 June 1947, he presented his plan to Nehru and Jinnah. They both
accepted it.

A month later, the British Parliament passed the Indian Independence
Act, ordering the demarcation of the dominions of India and Pakistan
by midnight 14-15 August.

Two boundary commissions worked against the clock to partition the
states of Bengal and Punjab in such a way as to leave a majority of
Muslims to the west of the new Punjab border (what is currently
Pakistan) and to the east of the new Bengal border (East Pakistan,
which in 1971 would become Bangladesh).

Under the partition plan, Kashmir was free to accede to India or
Pakistan.

Sharp reminder

Three days before partition, the Hindu ruler of Muslim-majority
Kashmir, Maharajah Hari Singh, said that he wanted to remain
independent.

However, in a series of events which are still the subject of
controversy to this day, a Pathan tribal force entered Kashmir with
Pakistani backing. The Maharajah decided to accede to India, allowing
Indian troops to be airlifted to the state.

Pakistani and Indian forces ended up at the point now known as the
Line of Control, splitting the territory unevenly.

Nearly 55 years and two wars later, the status of Kashmir remains
unresolved - one of the many reminders of a partition that has left
thousands of families separated by the line which divides India and
Pakistan.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/1751044.stm

Kashmir: The origins of the dispute

From the archive:
Listen to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on 3 June 1947
Listen to Mohammed Ali Jinnah on 14 August 1947
Listen to Lord Louis Mountbatten on 15 August 1947

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/1762346.stm

...and i am Sid Harth
bademiyansubhanallah
15 years ago
Permalink
Kashmir is not Hindu vs. Muslim

Today's guest blogger is Hafsa Kanjwal, a recent graduate of
Georgetown University and a Director of KashmirCorps. Hafsa is a
former Interfaith Youth Core Fellow and recently joined IFYC as a
staff member.

Much to the dismay of the Indian government, the issue of Kashmir has
once again garnered international media attention. For the past two
months, the region has been witness to violent protests and clashes
with Indian army officials. As always, the situation is portrayed as a
communal one, pitting Hindus and Muslims against each other. It is
unfortunate that the unresolved territorial status of Jammu and
Kashmir has taken religious overtones, serving only to stifle the road
to self-determination for the Kashmiri people, who suffer Indian rule
since 1947.
The most recent set of events were spurred by the state government's
decision to grant nearly 100 acres of forest land to the Amarnath
Shrine Board, which oversees the annual Hindu pilgrimage to a cave
shrine of Lord Shiva in the mountains of the Kashmir Valley. In an
election year, it is rumored that the current state government made
this decision to secure support in the Hindu-majority Jammu region.
The land was to be used to set up shelters and facilities for the
Hindu pilgrims.
Muslims in the Kashmir Valley protested this land transfer in late
June, believing it was a ploy by the Indian government to change the
demographics of the pre-dominantly Muslim Kashmir Valley and integrate
it with the Indian union.
I was there during these protests, running a program of volunteers
from the United States who worked with local civil society
organizations. Schools and businesses were shut down as thousands took
to the streets demanding a revocation of the land transfer and an end
to the Indian occupation. Those who were shocked by the strength of
the protests underestimated the Kashmiri desire for azaadi, or
freedom. Separatist leaders capitalized on the popular sentiment and
emphasized that the protests were not against the pilgrimage itself,
but the illegal land transfer and continued Indian influence in
Kashmir's affairs.

The order was revoked on July 1st. By the time I left Kashmir in mid-
July, it appeared that the situation had normalized and a greater
crisis had been avoided.

The issue had managed to stay away from being deemed communal until
the BJP and other Hindu nationalist parties in India (known
collectively as the Sangh Parivar) used the Amarnath land transfer
issue to gain political leverage, especially in Jammu. The BJP
believes that India is a Hindu nation--an ideology completely at odds
with the nation's supposed secularism and contrary to India's touting
itself as home to the world's largest Muslim minority. It draws its
inspiration from the Hindutva, a concept coined before India's
independence that defines the identity of an "Indian" as one linked to
being "Hindu." The BJP has also been at the forefront of violence
against India's Muslim minority, especially in the state of Gujarat in
2002.

In Jammu and other parts of India, the BJP urged people to protest the
revocation. Hindu protesters attacked and set fire to a number of
Muslim homes, and a curfew was imposed in many districts. These
protesters enforced an economic blockade of the Kashmiri Valley by
stopping traffic on the national highway between Srinagar and Jammu.
The blockade was the last straw for the Valley--fruit growers were
unable to sell their produce outside of the state, and food and
essential medical supplies became scarce.
Separatist leaders, who have more support than the puppet state and
central government, called for a march to Muzaffarabad, in Pakistan-
occupied Kashmir, to breach the border that splits the region between
the two Kashmir's. As during the height of the insurgency against
Indian rule in the early 90's, the Indian army responded to these
peaceful protests with brute force, killing over 20 Kashmiri civilians
over the next few days, including a prominent separatist leader.
News reports from all over the world remind me of my childhood--once
again, the blood, despair, and frustration had returned to the streets
of a land once known as "Paradise on Earth."
The stage was set for another week of more large-scale protests by
Kashmiri Muslims and demands for independence, including a gathering a
few days ago of nearly one million Kashmiris marching towards the UN
headquarters, demanding the right of self-determination.

In recent years, pundits and leaders in New Delhi, Washington, and
even Islamabad began to believe a state of normalcy had returned to
the Valley, that pro-independence sentiments had all but disappeared,
and that the Kashmiri people were beginning to accept Indian rule. By
communalizing the land transfer, the BJP had, ironically, managed to
turn a debate over the allotment of land into a renewal for the
struggle for independence. In response, the Muslim separatist leaders
were then able to mobilize Muslim nationalism and grievances in the
Valley, thus continuing to frame the situation in communal terms.
The issue is not one of Hindu versus Muslim, and if it is continued to
be irresponsibly framed by political leaders in this manner, the
consequences will be devastating. One only has to go back a few years
and recall the massacres in Gujarat. The issue here is the continued
manipulation by both India and Pakistan, as they compete to comfort
their own egos at the expense of not only the Kashmiri people, but
also their own citizens. It is the occupation and oppression of the
Kashmiri people by the Indian government. It is the alienation of the
Kashmiri people through draconian Indian policies and continued human
rights violations--including indiscriminate killing, forced
disappearances, and torture. It is the Indian government's denial of
"the problem of Kashmir" and their insistence that "Kashmir is an
integral part of India," an insistence that is disingenuous at best,
given Indian actions. It is the failure of the peace process between
India and Pakistan to legitimately address the wishes of the Kashmiri
people.
It saddens me to read about the current events in Kashmir, and I worry
for the safety of my friends and family whose lives are always at the
mercy of the instability there. I hope that the rest of the world
wakes up to the situation in Kashmir, and that the people there are
given the right, laid out by numerous UN resolutions, to determine
their own future.

The content of this blog reflects the views of its author and does not
necessarily reflect the views of either Eboo Patel, the Interfaith
Youth Core, or Kashmircorps.
By Eboo Patel | August 20, 2008; 10:21 PM ET | Category:
Interfaith Issues , Religion & Leadership , Religion & Politics
Share: Email a Friend | Technorati | Del.icio.us | Digg | Facebook
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Dialogue on the High Seas

Comments

Hey you stinking ugly indian, you didnot answer keith.
Posted by: George | September 17, 2008 12:49 PM

George, Is it true that these people worship phallus. I dont believe
so. No sane person will worship phallus. Hey Deb can you tell me
whether george is telling a truth. Man you guys must be something.
Wooo "Phallus GOD" quite interesting. Do you guys have "Vagina GOD"
also
Posted by: Keth | September 15, 2008 5:08 AM

Any level headed, impartial person (and this does include someone like
John McCain and Barak Obama) would agree that bombing Pakistan would
actually send a message to the Muslim terrorists in India. SIMI gets
its inspiration and logistical support from LeT (Paki) and HuJi
(Bangladesh) militants.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/01/world/asia/01pstan.html?fta=y
USA has the report that Pakistan aided the bombing of the Indian
Embassy in Kabul, regardless of the denials by Pakistan.
Muslim militants in India think that after any carnage they commit,
they shall get shelter in Pakistan and remain home free. In addition,
Pakistan is always raising the issue of "human rights abuse of Muslims
in Kashmir" and at the same time providing logistics and spiritual
inspiration of Jihad in India.
If Pakistan is bombed and its funding from USA is stopped, then an
enfeebled country would go weak in support of Jihad in Kashmir and
elsewhere in India.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | September 14, 2008 8:59 PM

Quite frankly, the barbaric religion of Islam needs to be destroyed.
Its bloodthirsty doctrines, laced with potent venom of hatred for all
that is un-Islamic raises is allowed to raise its ugly head.
The recent Delhi blasts, and the promise of much more, by the SIMI
(Student Islamic Movement of India) and its terrorist arm Indian
Mujahadeen is a tell-tale reminder of how Muslim terrorists are
spreading inside India. It appears that following Kashmir, the
ultimate aim is to convert India into a Islamic Caliphate. The SIMI
had its 2001 meeting in Hubli, Karnataka, India and had made a list of
timings and other logistic details of attacks in India.
Chilling details are available at the link:
http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/sep/14delblast2.htm
India should elect BJP as the majority Government and should implement
POTA. Then India must declare itself as a Hindu state, and ban all
conversions and particularly the practice of Islam - the barbaric
religion. It is too bad. Hard times deserves hard measures. If Muslims
in India don't hunt and hand over the black sheep from their fold to
the police, then surely till that happens all Muslims are suspect.
Because it is the collective of the will of the Muslim community
(ummah) that is sheltering the Mohammedan terrorists. If Muslim
terrorists like the Afzal Khan Guru is apprehended, then the lax laws
of the country would allow such terrorists to seek loopholes and
escape. Political parties in India are too afraid to anger the Muslim
vote bank. (Muslims know this and are very proud of their political
power.) Again, if any attempts are made to tighten the lax laws, or
bring in harsher ones there is a outcry, citing the so-called human
right violations in Kashmir, by the bleeding heart leftist liberals on
how such strict laws would affect the "minority" community. (Poor
me !) These leftists liberals don't at all recognize the Muslim
terrorism, but say that such is orchestrated by the "ruling" party to
win votes.
Kashmir can only be held back by the BJP in Delhi, and not the Muslim-
appeasing Congress.
Islam is a barbaric religion, and most Muslims are terrorist
sympathizers or terrorists.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | September 14, 2008 7:41 PM

Hey phallic worshiper Deb you did not answer any of my questions
regarding your Sita mata. Ravana Had sita in lanka for years. What was
he doing with her when her husband was seeking help from monkeys. So
Ravana is a devil and I really believe that he must have ravaged
sita's chastity with his Phallus. I wonder why dont you worship his
phallus too as it has enjoyed a lot in your sita matas Vag***. Please
answer my question in simple and plain words. Did Ravana Fu**** sita.
Dr Chatterjee in his Book wrote "Oh Hindu you awake" has clearly
written that sita used to enjoy ravana and Ram could never satisfy
her .Please enlighten us how ravan sed to enjoy your mother sita
Posted by: George | September 14, 2008 4:20 PM

This is what exactly happens when Narendra Modi's fears/rantings and
ravings are not heeded. Modi is shrill about conversions. The ToI (no
way a pan-Hindu newspaper) had this to report about to the Ahmedabad
bomb blasts:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Dalit_converts_suspects_in_Abad_blasts/articleshow/3480940.cms
Soo, I believe that Hindus would vote for a more hardlined BJP only to
see India as a Hindu country. If appeasement, like job/education
quotas for Muslims and selling out Kashmir to Pakis and Jihadists,
then declaration of India as a Hindu country is the panacea to such
Muslim problems.

Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | September 13, 2008 8:30 PM

Aamir:
The garbage about the "peaceful" face of Islam, and your pontification
about Prophet Muhammad's infallibility in character shows how
deceptive Islamists are.
Islam is NOT a peaceful religion. Yes, as I stated many times and over
and over again, to sound like a broken record, that most Muslims are
NOT terrorists, but, most terrorists ARE Muslims.
(As you know, the terrorists from the ranks of the Indian Mujahadeen,
and maybe you are perhaps a member/sympathizer of those coward Muslim
groupies, would state that they are just following the Holy Quran's
dictates and they are out to destroy the pagan/idol worshipping Hindu
culture. Who knows ? Inwardly you maybe titillated at the power of
Islam through this terror strike in New Delhi killing 30 innocents.)
The following from Times of India (ToI) newsitem is a testimony to
this bloodlust that Quran (047:004) asks of its adherents:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Terror_strikes_Delhi_30_killed_in_5_blasts/articleshow/3479914.cms
I think India should declare itself as a Hindu country and exorcize
itself of the Shariah-thumping, bomb-throwing, Allah-following,
bearded groupies. The Kashmir problem shall be solved immediately.
Believe me, if this trendy carnage continues and it looks like it will
for the near future, then I shall certainly support the conversion of
India to a Hindu country on this and other blogs. I shall get much
silent support from readers who would want to strengtghen the hand of
Narendra Modi and his likes just to hold down the barbaric religion of
Islam under the feet of secularism.

Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | September 13, 2008 8:22 PM

Deb,
You have your right to say anything against prophet and Islam and this
speaks volumes about your ignorance. As anonymous wrote"In Hinduism,
if the Bhagavad Gita is to be taken as the greatest spritual guide, a
Hindu is obliged to fight even his own family, teachers, etc in
conquering evil". You must know by now in islam, we give it the name
Jihad. People like you and those Islam bashers of West are using this
world in the most twisted form. If Palestinians are being displaced
from their homes and hearths by the Polish or Brooklyn Jews, accorging
to your own Hindu doctrine you are supposed to the same Jihad to
protect your family. In the same way if Kashmiris are fighting against
forced torture, rape, intimidation, and continued humilliation and
illegitimate occpation of their mother land, they are doing nothing
but a holy Jihad. Deb, I wish you were in this situation and had to
face the rape of 80 women between the ages of 8-80 years(by your goons
in Khaki who are nothing but decoits from Chambal and Phoolan devi
must be turning in her garve to see their atrocities) in
"Konanposhpora". How would you react when hundreds of people were shot
in Sopore in 1991 and whole town burnt from one to another corner and
not only that, these sons of Genghez Khan picked up injured people and
threw them in fire and doused them with gun powder? This is not a made
up story, but thousands of events like that are in the documents of AI
and Asia Watch and even Indian Human rights groups)These are the same
dirty breed of people who are sharing the same fascist ideology of
people like that s.o.b. Narender Modi. At times you seem to be one
like them but the difference is you are in States and writing from
your airconditioned home. You are in fact doing more harm to Kashmir's
just cause by spreading lies like Islamisation of Kashmir in this
blog. I would ask you to google some of these facts.
Once again you have right to say whatever you may, but the fact
remains that Kashmir is a dispute you can not deny that and why do you
want the land if you can not win the hearts of people?
Let me be amply clear, Kashmiris donot want Shariah and Geelani was
recently booed by almost 2 million people at an independence rally at
Eidgah, srinagar once he gave reference of Pakistan in his speech. He
had to appologise latter.Kashmiris have never ever supported a hard
core religious party, and I can assure you that majority DO NOT WANT
Pakistan. Geelani is no doubt fundamentalist but at this time he is
one of the strogest voices of Kashmir against India. It is not for the
love of Geelani but instead a deep rooted hatred for India Kashmiris
always had, that they are supporting him.
Please donot malign our just cause by ranting that we are hard core
fundamentalist like your mother India for many years has been trying
to convince the West that Al-Qaida and Osama are in Kashmir. They have
failed then to convince USA and allies and you will fail now. Go and
see what is going on in Kashmir now and if you have any bit of
humanity left, you woulld certainly feel ashamed to be an Indian and
not use your pen with words that are no different than those of
Narender Modi. You must be doing him proud and at times one gets an
impression that you are his true representative in this sacred land,
that still vlues tolerance. I donot know about the future and am
certainly worried if people like you thrive here.
Shed hatred from your dark heart and spread love.
Posted by: Aamir | September 13, 2008 6:58 AM

Aamir wrote:
"I would also ask Mr. Chatterjee not to spread religious hatred."
Opposing Shariah law in Kashmir is "spreading religious hatred" ? Thus
if one opposes the slogan of the separatist Hurriyat (Geelani)
faction, "Kashmir mein Rahena Hai, Allah-ho-Akbar Kahena
hai" (translation: if one lives in Kashmir then s/he has to chant
"Allah-ho-Akbar", meaning that s/he has to be a Muslim); this clearly
indicates that Kashmir has to project a Muslim identity in governance
(Shariah) because of the majority residents being Muslims there. If
opposing installing a theocracy (Islamic Shariah) is the same as
spreading religious hatred, then I am stomped.
Is opposing a message (doctrine) the same as opposing the messenger ?
I know that Prophet Muhammad had killed those who had opposed his
policies and views. But I am not a Muslim and hence don't accept such
traditions, and would oppose such tribal primitivism.
On the contrary, Islam preaches religious hatred for other religions
and the followers. That is why Kashmir is bogusly claimed as
"Kashmiriyat" which actually means implementation of Shariah law. Why
are you not being honest in admitting that ?
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | September 13, 2008 2:03 AM

This is for George and Wamiq,
You guys should be ashamed of yourselves to use such words against a
particular person and call foul names to his family and that too in
Kashmiri or in Urdu/Hindi. If you guys are Kashmiris, even I am
ashamed of you. People like you are bringing disgrace to the just
cause of Kashmir and give this impression that you actually have lost
the argument which has been going on in this blog for many weeks.
Mr. Chatterjee may be a "wolf in lambs clothing" but he has most of
the time ( although taken out of context) given references to prove
his point and never resorted to abuse somebody's sister or mother.
Whatever he says about Islam in general and Kashmir in particular are
his personal views and may not be shared with mainstream Hindus and he
is entitled for that. Kashmiris historically have been tolerant and
that is the cause of a different form of Isalm we practice and there
are clear signs of hindu inluence as well. Under the shaddow of every
great mosque there is a Mandir and Mr. Chatterjee can confirm it. They
have been left untouched and clean by none other than Muslims of
Kashmir when Pundits left everything on the behest of Jagmohan, the
then governer. How can Mr. Chatterjee explain that when genocide was
being perpetrated in Kashmir and Muslims slaughtered in Gujrat, the
same Kashmiri Muslims were cremating Pundits in Kashmir with full
Hindu rights. Kashmir is the only place in the whole world where a
Hindu and a Muslim eat from the same plate.
I would request my fellow Kashmirirs to be civil on this blog and just
keep it a political dialogue. I would also ask Mr. Chatterjee not to
spread religious hatred. Kashmiri bloggers should try to expose Indias
fascist face and highlight the worst form of human rights abuses they
have been committing in Kashmir since 1937, the year when this
movement was actualy born.
Posted by: Aamir | September 12, 2008 6:35 AM

There is nothing in *real* Hinduism which would leave room for
militant fascism. In fact because a Hindu understands that there is
only one God who is worshipped under different names by different
people, they find it easiest to accept all religions as equal. All the
great Hindu spiritual masters have given that testimony.
In Hinduism, if the Bhagavad Gita is to be taken as the greatest
spritual guide, a Hindu is obliged to fight even his own family,
teachers, etc in conquering evil. So any real Hindu who strives to put
militant Hindu fascists in their place and curb the division and
violence they are spreading in India for political reasons, they would
be acting in accordance with the highest Hindu principles.
Deb Chatterjee is at least honest in admitting the purely political
motive behind the militant Hindu fascism.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 11, 2008 11:24 PM

One hundred and forty million Muslims in India live scattered among
Hindus and Christians in India and live at peace with them. Why should
Kashmiri Muslims not see that as proof of Hindu acceptance and the
religious diversity of India? (Militant Hindu fascists like Deb
Chatterjee are luckily the exception not the rule among Hindus.)
Posted by: Anonymous | September 11, 2008 10:33 PM

wamiq:
"Kashmir banega pakistan ,... kashmir banega pakistan..."
________________________________________
That is the whole point: Kashmir will become part of Pakistan, and the
border of India with Pakistan will come deeper into Indian territory.
Is that what Kashmiris want? To say that Kashmiri Muslims cannot get
along with Indian Muslims is not true. I say because of first hand
experience, because of knowing and sharing a room for a while with a
Kashmiri Muslim who got along equally well with Hindus and Christians
in India.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 11, 2008 10:28 PM

George, my guess is that you are probably a Muslim pretending to be a
Christian. If you are a Muslim, you disgrace all Muslims (btw Sharia
Law for all its limitations, is tough on Muslims who indulge in sexual
misconduct), if you are a Christian, you disgrace all Christians.
I repeat, check out a (?homosexual, since your posts are addressed to
a male) sex chat website instead of posting filth on this forum.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 11, 2008 10:19 PM

Deb Chatterjee:
Quoting Anonymous: "The Hindu militants attacked innocent Muslims in
Gujrat first. The Muslim violence came as retaliation, not as
provocation."
DC: "First you are lying about the incident, and second you are
arrogant about the slaughter.
First, Muslim mobs attacked and burnt down the train compartment
(Sabarmati Express) that was coming with the "pracharaks" (RSS
preachers). That was the provocation from the Muslims."
______________________________________________
You get me wrong. I do *not* condone violence. Killing is killing,
whether a Muslim does it or a Hindu. Both need to be brought to
justice and punished for taking innocent lives.
As it turns out the Godra Train incident, and the death of 58 Hindus
on February 27, 2002, involved a small group of Hindus and Muslims
which began with an altercation. Why did the Hindus not seek out the
guilty Muslims and bring them to justice? Is not that the way a
"secular" Hindu governance is supposed to function? Instead innocent
groups of Muslims were targeted in 151 towns and 993 villages from 28
Feb to mid June 2002.
"Hundreds of mosques and other Muslim shrines were damaged or
destroyed and makeshift Hindu temples were installed in their place in
some cases. In Ahmedabad, the dargah of the Sufi saint-poet Wali
Gujarati in Shahibaug and the 16th century Gumte Masjid mosque in
Isanpur were destroyed. The Muhafiz Khan Masjid at Gheekanta was
ransacked. Police records list 298 dargahs, 205 mosques, 17 temples
and three churches as damaged in the months of March and April...
According to an official estimate, 1044 people were killed in the
violence - 790 Muslims and 254 Hindus including those killed in the
Godhra train fire. Another 223 people were reported missing, 2,548
injured, 919 women widowed and 606 children orphaned.
Unofficial estimates put the death toll closer to 2000, with Muslims
forming a high proportion of those killed..."
______________________________________________
The point is: do militant Hindu fascists want to convert India into a
violent country that has no place for non-Hindus?
Militant Hindu fascists have been targeting innocent Christians for no
reason at all, except a fascist ideology.
India already has a secular Constitution. There is no need for
militant Hindu fascists to abolish it and set up their own version of
"secular." If the violence in Gujarat is any indication of how
violence is brought to justice, (read: by killing innocent people who
had nothing to do with the original incident), then it is a kind of
Hindu "secular" India doesn't need.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 11, 2008 10:13 PM

Hindustane kuto jan lo Kashmir tumhare moot hay. Kashmir banega
pakistan , Dapum chatter mehra agar toheya aitraz chu , tele wano aes
kashmir banega pakistan boto rostey batnen saan
Posted by: wamiq | September 11, 2008 6:49 PM

Aey hindu debu,
tune apne maan behan ko nahin beja mere usko doodh pilaney. Salla lun*
ka pujari kuta hindu
Posted by: George | September 11, 2008 4:40 PM

"Indian Muslims are a minority group and they have not exercised any
hegemony over Hindus in two and half centuries."
Really ? How about the Shah Bano case that happened in 1984-85 where
Muslims wanted to overturn the "secular" verdict of the secular
Supreme Court and did succeed ? How many Muslim luminiaries (including
the Rajya Sabha member Shabana Azmi) have protested against it ? Did
Irfan Habib, Muslim Marxist historian at JNU/Aligarh MU, do anything
except expressing his carefully orchestrated "outrage" ?
"If they are demanding imposition of Sharia Law for members of their
own religion, which most Indian Muslims don't want anyway, it is not
about exercising hegemony over Hindus."
I agree mostly. Muslims want Shariah law to silence Tasleema Nasreen
and Salman Rushdie. Tasleema was hounded by the Muslim fanatics even
from Kolkata - the bastion of the secular, intelligent "Bengali
Bhadralok". Now she lives in exile in Switzerland.
So, yes it is about clinging onto the barbaric Shariah laws and
protecting such obsolete garbage which progressive civilizations have
rejected anyway.
"Isn't nearly four thousand years of such Hindu "secular"
discrimination long enough?"
No, it's not enough. There is never an "enough" in secular governance.
If Muslims want to implement Shariah laws, and exercise that by
attempting to kill or issuing fatwas for killing from the Charminar
mosque in Hyderabad towards those who offend Islam such as Tasleema
Nasreen or Salman Rushdie, then they should leave India and go to
Pakistan. India is majority Hindu and must remain secular, even if it
offends Islam and Muslims. Too bad !
"The Hindu militants attacked innocent Muslims in Gujrat first. The
Muslim violence came as retaliation, not as provocation."
First you are lying about the incident, and second you are arrogant
about the slaughter.
First, Muslim mobs attacked and burnt down the train compartment
(Sabarmati Express) that was coming with the "pracharaks" (RSS
preachers). That was the provocation from the Muslims.
Two, Akshardham temple complex shootings, on innocent devotees doing
"bhajans", remember ? That is a still a provocation that needs to be
retaliated.

Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | September 11, 2008 4:17 PM

It is true India is an ancient and great civilization. But it is
equally true that it has left out completely sections of its own
society - the lower castes.
The world goes forwards, not backwards.
Social equality/upward social mobility that everyone has an
opportunity to strive for and human rights for all sections of the
society is where mankind is at in its level of consciousness.
Militant Hindu fascists would set the Indian clock back to the days
when only upper caste Hindus got to enjoy the fruits of the Indian
culture and its achievements. Lower castes merely provided slave
labor.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 11, 2008 2:03 AM

Indian Muslims are a minority group and they have not exercised any
hegemony over Hindus in two and half centuries.
If they are demanding imposition of Sharia Law for members of their
own religion, which most Indian Muslims don't want anyway, it is not
about exercising hegemony over Hindus.
The militant Hindu fascist party on the other hand is about exercising
hegemony over all non-Hindus, including lower caste Hindus.
India has suffered under such Hindu hegemony long enough. There is no
need for a repeat performance by setting the backwards by two and a
half thousand years. Remember Buddhism and Jainism were founded as an
answer to Hindu "secular" hegemony.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 11, 2008 1:57 AM

Deb Chatterjee:

"Since Indian democracy is already secular with equal freedom for all
religions, why the need for a Hindu political party? If Hindu
governance is secular, then why the need to call for secular?"
Pure gobbledygook nonsense. No need to respond.
___________________________________
Sorry, what I really meant was, when the Indian Constitution is
already secular, why the need for a Hindu version of secular where low
caste Hindus and non-Hindus stand to be discriminated against?
Isn't nearly four thousand years of such Hindu "secular"
discrimination long enough?
Posted by: Anonymous | September 11, 2008 1:47 AM

Deb Chatterjee:
"One can state that BJP is calling for a Hindu state, and Hindutva and
hence is branded "militant facist Hindu political party" and all the
blah, blah.
My rebuttal to the above (unfair) allegation by the pseudo-secularists
is that "militant Hinduism" is definitely a phenomenon of the past 80
years, and is a response to Muslim fundamentalism. The "Hindutva" is a
legitimate "weapon" for pro-Hindu political parties like the BJP. This
"Hindutva" concept is just absent as a doctrinal status in any Hindu
religious scripture. It is a purely political invention..."
For many years now, the militant Hindu fascists have been
systematically targeting Christians wherever it can, so it is an
outright lie to claim that the militant form of Hinduism is a response
to Muslim extremism and targets only religious extremists.
The Hindu militants attacked innocent Muslims in Gujrat first. The
Muslim violence came as retaliation, not as provocation.
I repeat, militant extremists in Hinduism behave no differently from
Muslim extremists who are the first to incite violence.
Clean up your act of militant thinking before criticizing the Muslims.
In India at least it can be rightly said that they are being targeted
unfairly by Hindu militants.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 11, 2008 1:44 AM

"Since Indian democracy is already secular with equal freedom for all
religions, why the need for a Hindu political party? If Hindu
governance is secular, then why the need to call for secular?"
Pure gobbledygook nonsense. No need to respond.
"Islam as a religion allows for just retaliation, just like Judaism,
so no Hindu should imagine that Indian Muslims would take violence
done to them lying down."
Yes, Hindus have learnt from their Muslim brethren that they (Hindus)
can also invent any cause for bloodlust. It is not intrinsic to Islam
to retaliate on "just causes". The Hindu has learnt it, and I believe
will act on it. RSS/VHP/Bajrang Dal/Shiv Sena have made it clear that
they will rise up against Muslim hegemony.

Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | September 11, 2008 1:33 AM

Deb Chatterjee:
Since Indian democracy is already secular with equal freedom for all
religions, why the need for a Hindu political party? If Hindu
governance is secular, then why the need to call for secular? The
motive is clear, a Hindu form of theocracy secular, in which high
caste Hindus get to retain all the power.
Indians who practice Islam are still Indians. So why this stuff and
nonsense about "if Muslims want to live in India?" The truth is
really, if Indians want to practice any religion other than Hinduism
in a Hindu "secular" theocracy.
Hinduism has been around for four thousand years. So no Hindu can
claim it hasn't had the opportunity to prove its governing abilities.
India happens to be the birthplace of three other religions and has
had other religions for a long time.
Hindu "secular" theocracy is beneficial only to Hindus of the higher
castes. That is proven by the fact that the vast majority of lower
castes (until independence when the quota system was worked into the
Indian Constitution) remained trapped in poverty and illiteracy for as
long as Hinduism has been around. Christianity has done nothing but
good in India. Social equality and literacy rates are high were
Christians abound.
Islam brought a lot high Arabian culture to North India, which is now
so integrated with Hinduism in the Indian society, that the roots are
almost forgotten.
Hindus have much more to gain by treating Indian Muslims as their own,
than putting up a fight with invented reasons for political reason.
Islam as a religion allows for just retaliation, just like Judaism, so
no Hindu should imagine that Indian Muslims would take violence done
to them lying down. Passive resistance and just war has been worked
into Christianity to deal with violation of human rights. Mahatma
Gandhi set an example of how evil could be overcome by non-violent
means.
You need to reflect about that, instead of inciting division,
intolerance, hatred and violence for political gain. You seem not to
have learned anything useful politically in the US. Is inciting hatred
and violence the way things work in the US? How sad that you can't
propagate the best of US politics in India.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 10, 2008 11:51 PM

"Extremism tends to be intolerant and divisive and violent, not just
in Islam but in Hinduism too.
Most Muslims would not like to be ruled by Sharia Law."
That is just a hogwash. Allah mian states very much unequivocally (in
the Quran) the following:
YUSUFALI: "If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (submission
to Allah), never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter He
will be in the ranks of those who have lost (All spiritual
good)." [Quran(003:085)]
This clearly shows the God of Islam wants the world to be Islamized
means ruled by Islam as supreme, though there could be plurality of
religions and cultures. But the doctrinal status quo following the
above verse implies that all other religions (even after their assured
plural status) would be ranked *inferior* to the status of Islam. (To
that end, the verse Quran(009:029) comes to my mind.) Such is
effectively asking for Shariah to be implemented all over the world.
What I wrote about equality of religions was motivated by the
fundamental Hindu doctrines on spirituality and logic systems. Hindu
governance is secular.
One can state that BJP is calling for a Hindu state, and Hindutva and
hence is branded "militant facist Hindu political party" and all the
blah, blah.
My rebuttal to the above (unfair) allegation by the pseudo-secularists
is that "militant Hinduism" is definitely a phenomenon of the past 80
years, and is a response to Muslim fundamentalism. The "Hindutva" is a
legitimate "weapon" for pro-Hindu political parties like the BJP. This
"Hindutva" concept is just absent as a doctrinal status in any Hindu
religious scripture. It is a purely political invention, and it has
its roots in the RSS ideology who based their views on the history of
India (Akhand Bharat); the history of "Akhand Bharat" implied
documented history from the times of Chandragupta Maurya (Vikramaditya
I) etc. (BTW, this Vikramaditya ruled only by secular laws - when
compared against our times.) Hindu kings always ruled by secular laws.
The Muslims don't like RSS bringing in this notion of Hindutva because
it conflicts with the message of the Quran that comands theocracy.
Well, too bad ! Get used to this if Muslims want to live in India. The
RSS has as much right to raise Hindutva slogan as much as Muslims want
to live under Shariah laws of an Islamic State.
It is indeed used by BJP during elections to draw Hindu votes. I *DO
NOT* see anything wrong with that. What is wrong with a political
party stating that it wants to represent majority interests ? That's
pure legal under the auspices of Freedom of Political Expression. If
Maoists in India can still have it in their manifesto to kill the
"bourgeois elite", and is recognized as a legitimate political party,
till they start killing, why is the BJP to be singled out when Muslim
parties like Jammat-i-Islam-i-Hind openly lobby Muslim interests ?
But, I know; you and your likes would state that it is a majority
party and hence should be treated differently from parties
representing the minority. That position is actually condescending and
racist. There are no distinctions between humans. Muslims are far
better off in India, even after some of them engaging in anti-national
activities. The SIMI head honcho, Safdar Nagori, is well off and is
still inspiring Jihad.
Yes, I know that most Muslims are NOT terrorists, but most terrorists
ARE Muslims.
Finally, if Muslims wouldn't like to be ruled by by Shariah laws, why
was Shah Bano ruling overturned by the Congress with the active
support of the various Muslim organizations in India, such as Jammat-i-
Islam, who saw secular ruling as a threat to Islam and proclaimed
that, "Islam Khatre Mein Hain" (Islam is in danger) ???
Indian Muslims are a part of India, reluctantly I have to agree. But,
I also think that Islam is a barbaric (theocratic) religion which they
practice.

Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | September 10, 2008 1:51 PM

Deb Chatterjee:
Indian Muslims are an integral part of India. They are Indians first
and Islam happens to be the religion they practice. You'll have to get
used to that idea whether you like it or not because it is the truth.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 10, 2008 2:39 AM

Deb Chatterjee:
Of course, Islam wants the world to become Muslim. That's Allah mian's
grand plan. To that end, the Islamic Shariah has been put in place by
the mullahs and Muhammad. Thus, Islam and Secularism are diametrical
odds, and I just cannot fathom how Eboo Patel supports secular
governance himself being a Muslim.
Islam is a primitive and barbaric religion simply because it is an
intolerant theocracy, as evidenced by Shafiuddin's remarks against
secularism.
_________________________________________
Sorry, I meant to delete this part of your post.
Islam should not be painted in the black and white fashion you have
done. Militant fascist Hinduism has no nobler motives than political
power and oppression of non-Hindus and Hindus of lower castes.
Extremism tends to be intolerant and divisive and violent, not just in
Islam but in Hinduism too.
Most Muslims would not like to be ruled by Sharia Law.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 10, 2008 2:35 AM
Re
Deb Chatterjee:

However because our knowledge is limited does not mean that to govern
regular mundane human affairs one needs to submit to some
monochromatic or multi-colored deity to take guidance. If humans
cannot use their rationality and reasoning to figure out mundane
matters of governance, then humans are no different from their
ancestral primates.
Governing by beliefs or a set of beliefs, that have been sanctioned/
approved by some supernatural Supreme, is tribal primitivism. Any
human being with some iota of intelligence would accept the validity
of the onus of pedrsonal responsibility. One need not cite some stupid
scripture or some priest/minister/mullah/rabbi to be convinced of this
important aspect of human behavior. And, this can only be done in a
multi-cultural/multi-religious society if all these people are judged
under one set of common laws which does not emphasize a specific group
of people's spiritual beliefs. That is essentially how "secularism"
works and the world must remain secular to preserve harmony.
Of course, Islam wants the world to become Muslim. That's Allah mian's
grand plan. To that end, the Islamic Shariah has been put in place by
the mullahs and Muhammad. Thus, Islam and Secularism are diametrical
odds, and I just cannot fathom how Eboo Patel supports secular
governance himself being a Muslim.
Islam is a primitive and barbaric religion simply because it is an
intolerant theocracy, as evidenced by Shafiuddin's remarks against
secularism.
Finally all religions are equally good. Because the goal of all
religions is unique: to realize the Supreme. However the various paths
(religions) by which that unique goal is achieved can very well be
different. Thus it is pure ignorance to label secularism as
"hypocrisy".
September 9, 2008 11:10 AM
____________________________________________
This is an excellent post.
You do Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda proud!
If you keep your posts to this style, thus bringing the highest Hindu
wisdom to bear on this forum and among people with whom you have
influence, including those in India, you are about to win my deepest
respect. But not until them. -:)
Posted by: Anonymous | September 9, 2008 10:09 PM

Deb Chatterjee:
Militant Hindu fascism is NO different from militant Islam. You are as
bigoted and intolerant as any Muslim extremist and there is nothing
laudable about the political goals of the party you support in India.
The pot shouldn't call the kettle black. So *clean up your own act*
and do real justice to the religion you claim to represent, *before*
preaching to Muslims.
Do some interfaith work in India, which would do more to promote peace
in India than propagation of hatred and militant intolerance.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 9, 2008 9:42 PM

There are only 2.3% Christians in India, i.e. about 25 million in a
country with a population of 1.1 *billion*. Christians are found
mostly in three southern states - Kerala, Tamil Nad & Karnataka - and
also in Goa, cities of Mumbai (Bombay) & Kolkotta (Calcutta).
Politically motivated militant Hindu fascists, with a newly invented
"India-for-Hindus-only" are creating havoc in India by persecuting non-
Hindus, especially Christians and Muslims. Working behind the scenes
and from from away, fueling hatred, intolerance and violence are also
the likes of Deb Chatterjee, who is a non-practicing meat eating
Brahmin, who attended a Catholic school in Kolkotta and lives in the
US as an American citizen, a country with a Christian majority.
Although India is a secular democracy, the likes of Deb Chatterjee
would actively support those in India who are pushing for a fascist,
militant, Hindu theocracy, where only the higher caste Hindus would
have a say, keeping the lower caste Hindus trapped in their social
milieu as high caste Hindus have done for millennia whenever they
wielded power over others.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 9, 2008 9:36 PM

The Qur'an speaks well of the relationship it has with former books
(the Torah and the Gospel) and attributes their similarities to their
unique origin and saying all of them have been revealed by the one
God.
Torah
Psalms by King David
The New Testament
The Qur'an retells stories of many of the people and events recounted
in Jewish and Christian sacred books (Tanakh, Bible) and devotional
literature (Apocrypha, Midrash), although it differs in many details.
Torah (The First Five Books of the Old Testament)
Psalms by King David (The Old Testament)
The New Testament
Adam,
Enoch,
Noah,
Heber,
Shelah,
Abraham,
Lot,
Ishmael,
Isaac,
Jacob,
Joseph,
Job,
Jethro,
David,
Solomon,
Elijah,
Elisha,
Jonah,
Aaron,
Moses,
Ezra,
Zechariah,
Jesus, and
John the Baptist
are mentioned in the Qur’an as prophets of God.
Muslims believe the common elements or resemblances between the Bible
and other Jewish and Christian writings and Islamic dispensations is
due to their common divine source, and that the original Christian or
Jewish texts were authentic divine revelations given to prophets.
Muslims believe that those texts were neglected, corrupted (tahrif) or
altered in time by the Jews and Christians and have been replaced by
God's final and perfect revelation, which is the Qur'an. However, many
Jews and Christians[who?] believe that the historical biblical
archaeological record refutes this assertion, because the Dead Sea
Scrolls (the Tanakh and other Jewish writings which predate the origin
of the Qur’an) have been fully translated, validating the authenticity
of the Greek Septuagint.
Influence of Christian apocrypha‎
The Diatessaron,
Protoevangelium of James,
Infancy Gospel of Thomas,
Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew and
the Arabic Infancy Gospel
are all alleged to have been sources that the author/authors drew on
when creating the Qur'an. The Diatessaron especially may have led to
the misconception in the Qur'an that the Christian Gospel is one text.
However this is strongly refuted by Muslim scholars, who maintain that
the Qur’an is the divine word of God without any interpolation, and
the similarities exist only due to the one source...
Posted by: Anonymous | September 9, 2008 9:16 PM
Report Offensive Comment
The Talibans read the same Quran as does the most liberal Muslim. The
message in the Quran for any specific case cannot be different for the
liberal Muslim or the fanatic Taliban. However, the following scenario
reported by Dexter Filkins in NYT, shows the alarming spread of
Taliban and their hateful ideology derived from none other than the
Quran.
The NYT link is:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/07/magazine/07pakistan-t.html?_r=1&ref=magazine&oref=slogin
The religion of Islam is based on the central tenets of hatred for
infidels/unbelievers and also derives its inspiration from the Quran.
Verses in the Quran calling for hatred of "kufr" actually mean hatred
for all other religions. To that end Quran is explicit, and thus
states:
YUSUFALI: "If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (submission
to Allah), never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter He
will be in the ranks of those who have lost (All spiritual
good)." [Quran(003:085)]
The message of hatred is unmistakeable. It is thus completely false to
state that Islam is a peaceful religion and has respect for other
religions - as the advocates of "religious harmony" state. This is the
reason why Kashmir is not "kashmiriyat" but "Nizam-i-Mustafa",
instead. It is just because of the hatred that Islam promotes for
followers of other religions, that Kashmiri Pandits have been killed
by the Muslim neighbors. Visit the site
http://www.iakf.org/main/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_page&PAGE_id=3&MMN_position=4:4
to learn how Islam has treated Kashmiri Hindu pandits. Unfortunately
the voice of the Kashmiri Hindu pandits are unheard, and because of
their dwindling numbers they don't get much attention from the US
Govt.
Why shy away from condemning and rejecting the message of Islam
(Submission to the Supreme Will of Allah) ?
Islam is a barbaric religion.
When will the world wake up to confront such barbarism ?
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | September 7, 2008 7:26 PM

Aamir wrote:
"Also Mr. Iblis let me tell you Quran is the only book that has not
changed (like our other books of faith like Bible and Torah) a word
since it came in to existence, because there are millions who remember
each and every word and meaning of it by heart."
That's phoney baloney. There are sufficient reasons to doubt the
authenticity of the Quran. It is reasonable to speculate, that a book
which was compiled in its present form 100 years after Prophet's death
in 632 A.D., could not have been tampered with. I believe it was, and
hence Quran is not the unadulterated word of Allah (God). Muhammad may
himself have modified the verses. The following 3-part article in The
Atlantic Monthly by Toby E. Lester supports that view, viz., Quran was
rewritten several times before its final form (as we see now) was
achieved.
Read the article at the link:
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/199901/koran
Islam is a barbaric religion. I sincerely pray that you and all other
Muslims abandon Islam and embrace the ancient faith of your
forefathers. Islam is not divine. Many people remembering its verses
etc., don't make it divine at all.

Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | September 7, 2008 4:36 PM

You may take the name of Ender, Aditya or Chatter, you are the same
coward and a hate monger, whose mission is to talk cheap about Islam.
Let me tell you ignorant Hindu, you may be literate but living in this
country has not changed you a bit, you continue to be uneducated and
full of hate. Persons like you ultimately self destroy themselves.
Mosques or even for that matter Makkah are symbols of a great faith
which is real and not a myth. Even if you destroy the symbolsthe great
faith will remain and Islam will continue to be the answer for
wandering people like you who have not found real purpose of their
life so far. You are a perfect example of a person who actually God
gave a purpose of spreading hate and do false propaganda and what my
faith calls men like you is "IBLIS" meaning Satan. Also Mr. Iblis let
me tell you Quran is the only book that has not changed (like our
other books of faith like Bible and Torah) a word since it came in to
existence, because there are millions who remember each and every word
and meaning of it by heart. You along with all infidels of the world
may wish to destroy all the symbols of Islam, but it is to stay there
even beyond eternity. Our book is not a sexy story book full of Kathas
that how sita mata apharan happened and how monkeys liberated her as
was pointed out by one of the bloggers. I can simply understand your
frustration which has affected your personal life also. You need some
purpose and I would encourage you to be a champion of interfaith
dialogue rather than a hate monger. It certainly is going to destroy
you. Try to use this time to educate people about your mythical faith
rather than spreading lies about other faiths. Also people have asked
you so many questions about the purpose of Hinduism as religion in the
present day world. Help some of us in understanding this rather than
harping the same crap what he said and she said about Islam.
Lainatulahi-Alla komil Kafirin.
Kashmir will be independent and that too soon. I will also pray for
your sanity. Our Allah is gracious and merciful and he will put you to
straight path. Aameen
Posted by: Aamir | September 7, 2008 6:50 AM

Aamir:
US Congressman Tom Tancredo (R-CO) stated that USA would consider
nuking Makkah.
Though extreme, I think that would be the "Judgement Day". USA needs
to control Pakistan and subsequently slowly start to destroy Islam by
weakening its organs of Jihad.
Inshallah that will happen.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | September 7, 2008 2:50 AM

Hey poor Aditya,
You have a bipolar personality. Your english has gotten bad once
again. There was no lord Krishna. It is a myth.
Donot boast of your filthy country. You infact should be ashamed of
calling yourself Indian. Only upper 10% of Indians have prospered with
the economic boom and you should thank Sardarjee for that. 90% live
like rats. If one soldier dies in Kashmir, there are 100 thousand
applications for that single post. The concept of India being a super
power is a myth too like its religion. You should not be proud of this
stupid country. Shame on India that they are many thousand times
bigger than Jamaica and look how they performed in Olympics. Yes,
India won a solitary gold in shooting. The reason is that they are
very good at that as they have been practicing it in Kashmir for the
last 61 years. They never misssed so far their target of shooting in
the head and heart of almost 150,000 Kashmiris.
Khushwant Sigh once rightly said that "Dall" eaters can not win
olympic golds. You need to eat meat and especially beef.
Whether you or your RSS cronies like ender or bender Chatterjee cry
your lungs hoarse, Kashmir belongs to Kashmirirs and we as Muslims
will fight till last and will not keep silent like Hindus did in last
5000 years like cowards. Your country and your people are fake and you
people love life and as Muslims we donot care and all Kashmiris will
give their last drop of blood to keep our land pious and free of
Indias dirty occupation.
Kashmir will get independence from India and that too soon, Insha-
Allah.
Posted by: Aamir | September 7, 2008 12:07 AM

Hi, There is no point arguing nd counter arguing. We have all decided
to sty entrenched in our position. However I just want to tell Muslims
that, see brothers sometimes flight of fancy catchs our imagination to
the extent that we loose control on our being. You have been arguing
things like Kashmir was never part of India. I agree that no country
can be subjugated by force forever but in this case no country has
been subjugated. The truth is there was never a time in history when
Kashmir was not a part of India. So there is no question of
subjugation. Here the fight is between the quranic ideologies of
grubbing land from non-Muslim countries and progressive forces. Well
the quarnic ideologies idid work wonderfully in the past. I cannot
deny that peace loving Hindus were summarily defeated by Islamic
hordes. But now the patients of the quite religion has eroded and the
signs are everywhere. Sleeping lion has awaken after 1100 years. You
are beaten everywhere. In last 50 years not a single war is won by a
Muslim country against a non-muslim country. You mend your ways
otherwise we are watching nd we are counting. Lord Krishna tolerated
100 abuses. We have tolerated even more. Our tolerance has limit. No
more indian territory for Muslims to satisfy their real estate
grabbing quranic ideology.You are holding the world at ransom thinking
people are scared of you. The past is history. Let me tell you the
future. If your fanatics continues world will slip into 3rd world war.
Then all bets will be off. You will not be able to hide behind U.N
rules while carrying out terrorist activities. But ll bets will be off
in 3rd world war. In india you will not only lose Kashmir but will be
forced to convert back to hinduism. You push your luck too much and it
will only bring destruction.
Posted by: Aditya | September 6, 2008 6:24 PM

It is interesting to read the bloggs of 'Ender and Bender the
Chatterjee'. Ender is hiding his identity and claiming to be a
Christian and Bender the Chatterjee has now bend so much that he took
the refuge of Budhism.He seems to be changing his colours. I can
simply empathise with both of them. They seem to have read some
literature which unfortunately is directed only against the people of
certain faiths and at the same time they ignore the actual message of
those faiths. They should be intelligent enough to separate the
political face of all the three Abrahamic faiths from the religious
one and I can tell you neither the Ender nor the Bender Chatterjee
will have anything to question about.These people are taking certain
quotes out of context and beating the same rhetoric time and again.
By the way coming back to the original blog,( which unfortunately has
been hijacked byEnders and Benders only for propagating their
nafarious agenda)it was Jawaher Lal Nehru who first went to UN to ask
for right of self determination of Kashmiris. UN still has those
Charters. It is not Pakistan who refuses to give independence to
Kashmir, but it is the fascist India. History is witness that people
can not be subjugated for ever. Also Bender Catterjee has his own
encylopedia from where he churned the number of Hindus slaughtered.
Stupid it was 140,000 Kashmiri Muslims who in fact were slaughtered by
communal India only on the basis of being Muslims. More people have
died in Kashmir and that too many more times than those Indians dying
during their entire freedom struggle which was given to them on plate
by retieving British, who were losing their empire everywhere they
held. The land of Snake Charmers would have been their last priority
to keep.
So Ender and Bender the Chatterjee try to get some massala from your
Hinduism and donot get protection of Budhism and simply being an
athiest for that matter. You guys know that there is nothing but
emptiness in Hinduism.
We will get Independence in Kashmir and that too soon, Insha-Allah
Posted by: Aamir | September 6, 2008 5:17 PM

Ender, whether you like it or not Judaism and Christianity came from
the Middle East, Israel being located in ME.
OK the Catholic Church adopted a lot of Greek philosophy into its
theology, and adopted some European pagan customs. But the Bible
remains a work entirely of Jews as well as the religion of
Christianity and Judaism.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 6, 2008 9:18 AM

Ender, you say you know about the Abrahamic faiths and then you claim
everything came from Greece and Rome. The Bible was written by Jews
you know. The Greeks and Romans gave up their paganism and adopted
Christianity easily enough.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 6, 2008 9:14 AM

Ender, maybe you should live in India for a few years and experience
first hand the life of the tribals there before glorifying militant
fascist Hinduism. The Christian neocons will feel like angels in
comparison and the US like paradise.
If you are talking about a religion you know only in the abstract,
then you'd better inform yourself a little more before posting support
based on ignorance.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 6, 2008 9:09 AM

I'm a white anglosaxon cracker from Florida that was raised and lives
under the Christian tyranny of neocon local gov't and the Bush
Christian Terrorist state nationally.
I know the history of the Cults of Abraham and they are they have all
become a enemy to human existance. The best of Judeo Christian ethics
and thought came from the Democracy and Phylosophy of Greece and Rome.
everything that came our of the middle east should be caged up there
and never released on the civilized world.
And since you lack imagination to come up with a handle, you don't
even know which anonymous fool I'm posting to.
Posted by: ender | September 6, 2008 8:59 AM

To think Deb Chatterjee is one such Machiavellian militant fascist
Hindu who incites hatred against Christians in India while living in
luxury and enjoying his life in a Christian majority country in the
West. Yuck!
Posted by: Anonymous | September 6, 2008 8:33 AM

The Hindu fascists who posted on this thread shamelessly accused
Christians for the political upheaval in North East India.
The United Liberation Front of Asom is a militant group from Assam,
among many other such groups in North-East India...It claims that
among the various problems that people of Assam are confronting, the
problem of national identity is the most basic, and therefore it seeks
to represent "independent minded struggling peoples" irrespective of
race, tribe, caste, religion and nationality...
The Government of India (GOI) has classified it as a terrorist
organization and had banned it under the Unlawful Activities
(Prevention) Act in 1990. Concurrently, GOI started a military
offensive against it, named Operation Bajrang lead by the Indian Army.
The operation continues at present under the Unified Command
Structure.
The Government of India accuses ULFA of maintaining links with the
Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of *Pakistan* and the DGFI of
*Bangladesh*, and waging a proxy war on their behalf against India.
On the other hand Christians are persecuted.
A Christian from Assam said: "Hindu fanatics used the ... tribal
communities to incite communal divide among different faiths among
the ... communities. In most of the cases, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh
(RSS) worked behind the ...tribal communities to act against tribal
Christians."
“It has been the same strategy among all tribal communities in India
where RSS uses tribal and scheduled caste communities to attack
Christian and other minority religious communities. In most of the
cases, when the police register complaints, only the members of tribal
and scheduled caste communities are made to suffer,” he said.

Posted by: Anonymous | September 6, 2008 8:28 AM

ender:
Except when under Muslim rule, Indai never invaded any other nation in
war of aggression to seize their resources or spread Hindusim.(Sri
Lanka may be an exception, but it was traditionally part of India)
Muslims have attempted to overthrow the gov't of every nation they
have ever established a population in, and have spread Islam on the
point of a sword since inception. Like Abraham, Mohammed was first and
formost a tribal warlord.
I think all religion should be nonobtrusive, nonevangelican and
nonpolitical by law everywhere, but, I know that I have nothing to
fear from a Hindu nation.
The same is not and has never been true of any nation where any of the
Cults of Abraham are predominate.
___________________________________
Sri Lanka was traditionally a part of India? Have you read the
Ramayana?
You have nothing to fear from a Hindu nation because you are a Hindu.
Have you cared to ask what non-Hindu Indians may have to say about not
being allowed to practice their religion?
Posted by: Anonymous | September 6, 2008 3:10 AM

ender:
Anonymous posting shouldn't be allowed. Anonymity is the perview of
cowards and terrorist. Grow a pair and use a consistent screen name.
In the mean time, I can only respond to Deb C.
I wish India much success in resisting the terroritst forces of Islam
and the evangelical and intolerant nature of all of the Cults of
Abraham. They are the blight of the modern world that would keep us
all in the dark ages of repression and Empirical Rulers.
August 31, 2008 10:08 AM
___________________________________
You are another Hindu fascist living in a Western country with a
Christian majority encouraging militant fascist Hindus in India to be
intolerant towards their own, who happen to practice other religions
including Christianity. Shameless hypocrite!
Posted by: Anonymous | September 6, 2008 3:04 AM

ender:
Let's not forget the Sikhs, with the most recent claim to governance
of Kashmir other than the British, whom have been pretty much force
out of the region by outrageous human rights violations.
India was a Hindu nation that was conquered by Muslims then retaken by
Hindus many hundreds of years ago. Using standard Islamic practice,
Islam used its period of armed conquest to import millions of Muslims
and attempt to take over a nation by sheer numbers. Since Muslims
traditionally insist on Islamic states with a state gov't and don't
play well with others, India was kind enough in '47 to follow a UN
recommendation and voluntarily give up Pakistan for an Islamic state.
Sikhs ruled Kashmir at the time. Pakistani Islamicist have been
infiltrating and replacing the Hindu and Sikh population for 50+ years
and are using their normal terrorist tactics to take more of India. If
the Indian police or military fight back, they are blamed for human
rights violations, while Muslims force Islamic law on the entire area.
India should not give up another inch to Muslim invaders. They should
learn to live in a Secular society or move.
August 27, 2008 11:35 AM
_______________________________________________
You ARE a Hindu.
Brush up your Indian history.
India existed as an empire nearly two and a half thousand years ago,
in the time of Emperor Ashoka, a BUDDHIST. A BUDDHIST, NOT a Hindu!
After that India consisted of *many small kingdoms* ruled by Hindu
kings.
Muslims did invade North India and conquer some parts, but they did
NOT import *millions* of Muslims from Arabia. Many came as rulers but
they converted Indian Hindus to Islam.
Muslims ruled some parts of India for three hundred years.
After that India became a British colony for two hundred years. It was
the British who united India as it was just before Independence, NOT
Hindus or Muslims. So it is worthwhile to keep in mind that after a
Buddhist emperor united India, it was the British who drew the map of
pre-independent India.
So you need to correct your view that India was retaken from Muslims
hundreds of years ago.
There are many parts of India, especially in the South where Muslims
have never ruled. But they remained small independent kingdoms ruled
by Hindu kings until the British came. The Hindu kings did not
persecute non-Hindu minorities, so Muslims and Christians lived in
peace with Hindus.
The modern militant fascist Hindu political party are violent and
intolerant. They have nothing to do with the Hindu India of the past.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 6, 2008 2:56 AM

ENDER, if you are a humanitarian atheist, then fight to keep the
Indian government secular and give no room for militant fascist Hindus
to take over and convert it into a theocracy and the old ways of
exploitation of lower castes. However I suspect you are a Hindu
fascist yourself pretending to be an outsider and an atheist. You come
across as the kind of fascist Hindu coward who is afraid of justice
seeking Muslim retaliation permitted by their religion, so you would
target only Christians who have always been peace loving.
As for your knowledge of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, you better
get better sources of information. You are displaying pathetic
ignorance in your post.
Christianity came to India in 52 AD, brought by an Apostle of Jesus, a
mere nineteen years after the crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus.
And by the way the historical evidence of the crucifixion of Jesus has
been corroborated by a Jewish and Roman historian.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 5, 2008 11:42 PM

Three thousand yrs of the Cults of Abraham have kept the human race at
war long enough. While I don't believe Hinduism, it has never been a
reason for nation to attack nation and supports secualar nations and
gov'ts.
I don't want to see the world burn in the name of mideastern tribalism
and a paternal wargod created in the image of the warlords that
created it. It is time the peoples of the world move beyond
superstition and ancient tribal myths and seek to better themselves
and the race by seeking wisdom and truly ethical behavior based on
examination and careful thought, not what dead old men invented to
rule other men.
Posted by: ender | September 5, 2008 2:27 PM

I will request all people who posted comments here that dont indulge
abusing each other.Islam is a religion of peace, love and tolerance.
Facts dont change if somebody repeats on chanting lies against Islam
and Prophet Mohammad (PBUH). There is a verse in quran saying dont say
anything bad about about their false Gods as they can say bad about
your true gods. There are some people here, God has sealed their
hearts. They have no eyes to see the truth, and no ears to hear the
message of God. May Allah show every body the path of truth. May allah
enlighted your hearts and take you out of darkness.
Kashmir belongs to kashmiris.
Posted by: Muslim | September 5, 2008 2:10 PM

The blatant racisism of the supposedly Christian poster are enough
explanation for me of why Indian Hindus would get tired of them
proselytizing rather quickly.
History of Abrahamic Religion101.

A/Ibrahim(not his name yet) was a priest of the Sumerian deity EL. His
tribe was small and had maintained a separate culture from many of the
other followers of the Sumerian Trinity of Gods, so as a tribal
leader, he declared a revELation from El(as in Israel -chosen of God,
and Daniel - beloved of God) that the tribe could take no other God
before HIM, El, and by the way, never say or write MY NAME again,
except in a code understood only by the priesthood, so we can forget
about that whole EL/Triumvirate thing. Abraham was a capable leader
and warlord, and his tribe prospered. The priesthood he founded
included much of the Sumerian religions myths of creation and the
flood into their repertoire and maintained their 'secret' knowledge of
the Sumerian calendar and astrological systems to keep themselves in
position of power. They taught their tribe cultural racism and
apartheid, but allowed enslaved and captured women to bare legitimate
children, to avoid the inbreeding that even prehistoric humans knew,
led to birth defects. So….slavery was ok, but not of your close
neighbors, because that might defeat the purpose – diversity of the
gene pool.

This tribe maintained its genetic and cultural uniqueness very
successfully. The shared religion allowed leaders to exhort them to
martial ferocity, when wronged, or to take some other tribes property
and land. Remember the time they were supposed to kill every living
thing in Canaan and make the land theirs? It took uncommon will,
devotion, and brutality for such a small tribe to conquer a larger
more technologically advanced civilization such as the Canaanites.
This cultural bigotry served them well for over a thousand years. It
also made them a universally hated tribe.

So, after they have been defeated and displaced several times, and
finally completely conquered by the Romans, a group of radical Jewish
rabbis, Zoroastrian priest, and Roman Freethinkers, used the local
stories about a Jewish Rabbi/carpenter, embellished them borrowing
heavily from the messianic traditions of Judaism which were stolen
from the Sumerian religion, created the Christ myth. It took them
quite a while, and they didn't get around to recording all of this
until decades after the events supposedly had taken place. But…it is
much easier to make up events after the fact, when the people who were
there/then aren't around to dispute the 'facts.'

A few hundred years after that, a learned merchant that lives a life
of leisure due to marrying a much older but wealthy widow, studies the
Jewish religion, and realizes its real problem is its exclusivity. So
he copies large parts of it, and creates a religion that invites
everyone to join. In fact it often insists. He keeps the most holy
spot in his homeland though, and discourages translations from the
Arabic, so his tribe maintains Top Dog First of the First status. The
End of Time myth involves a leader, or Great Caliph, that can really
only come from his tribe. So, in typical tribal fashion, members of
the other powerful and rival tribe in the region, the Persians, claim
the Arabic descendants have gotten it wrong, and they are the true
carriers of the flame.

So, Christians begin loosing ground to Islam and begin the Crusades
and the Inquisition. Islam gets pissed and begins taking parts of
Europe in order give the Infidels a chance to convert. That only gets
so far as the Shia/Sunni/Persian/Arabic infighting keep them too
occupied with each other to maintain their triumphs over the
Christians.

It ain't over yet folks.

Men create religions to consolidate tribal power and control other
tribes of men.

Posted by: ender | September 5, 2008 1:03 PM

Women are buried alive in Pakistan, and a Pakistani lawmaker defends
that. It is considered as a part of the Muslim culture, though there
have been protests by Muslims claiming that such is "un-Islamic". (Of
course when exposed, Muslims will claim anything to whitewash Islam
before the non-Muslim media/world in Islam's defense. It is the
traditional practice of "taqiyah" as was referred to in my preceding
post on this thread.)
The link is:
http://www.dawn.com/2008/09/04/letted.htm#9
Well, this conforms to my view: Islam is a barbaric, primitive
religion.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | September 4, 2008 2:41 PM
Report Offensive Comment
Thanks you Kosur, Ironically India has an ambassador for its cause in
you. After reading your comments I bet not educated sensible person
will ever think of supporting Muslims. Don’t think anybody can be
fooled by various Pseudonymes that you assume. . Everybody knows. You
just don’t cringe while lying through your teeth. See what islam has
done to you.
Posted by: Aditya | September 4, 2008 7:42 AM

So KOSHUR it was you posting as George? Shame on you!
Kashmir was/is indeed part of India, as was Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Have you forgotten Indian history, how some Muslims wanted a separate
country based on their religion only in 1947 and Pakistan and the
current Bangladesh was created by partitioning India?
It is not a coincidence that the part of India wanting to be a
separate country has Muslim majority.
Indians therefore fear that the 140 million Muslims living in India
would somehow create trouble and ask for a separate country. Can you
understand the anxiety? Maybe you can't. Even so, Kashmir was always a
part of India.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 4, 2008 4:35 AM

I sincerely feel bad for poor Aditya. He has tried to act moron by
writing and infact accepting that he does not know english( He infact
may be trying to act stupid). He infact is moron as he is so far from
the facts about Kashmir. Kashmir is neither Punjab nor North-East. For
your knowledge it was never part of India. He seems to be like an
anencphalic form of Chatterjee. In the meantime Chatterjees Chatter is
fizzling out and he has run out of choicest words for Islam and its
prophet.
Come on Chatter! You have not answered a single question about Sita,
Lingum, elephants, monkeys and rats peeing on Shiva. You have nothing
to defend about this filthy religeon. Mere Kashmir, Islam and Pakistan
bashing is not enough.
Posted by: Koshur | September 3, 2008 11:29 PM

Dear Muslims Brothers,
My english is not very good so please forgive. I dont know what the
problem of Kashmir is. I only want to tell you guys is that take
kashmir if you can. Try getting support of worrld by spreading lies
and if you fail try getting support of your god by praying 5 times or
6,7 ,8 times whatever is written in your book. I respect your choice
to try for what you want. But we will not give any terretory to
muslims any more. Again try for all you will and try harder this time.
Ok Good bye
Posted by: Aditya | September 3, 2008 9:44 PM

Chris I agree with you. They are very dirty people. I have been to
India and have first hand experience with these people. They are
really ugly.
Posted by: Roger | September 3, 2008 7:08 PM

The hindu religion is not only filthy, but unlike other monotheistic
religions barbaric too. Look at these bastar**who call trhemselves
patriots and kill the minority whether it is sikhs, muslims,
christians and dalits. They have Devil gods and do devilish deeds. It
is not only old and outdated religion but dangerous to humanity as
well to nature too. The ganges which is supposed to be pure is full of
filth. They kill people in the name of sacrifice to please their gods.
They promote prostitution at their places of worship. More important
they should be thrown out of this country as they are stinky,
smelly,untidy and dangerous. In the name of religion they can do any
thing. They were the only people who used bioterrorism against this
country. I tell you kick them out.Their God Rajnesh was the person who
did it.Their females are ugly too with with fat bottoms and pendulous
bellies and the worse thing is they smell horrible.

Posted by: Chris | September 3, 2008 3:09 PM

Deb Chatterjee: "For your converted likes, there is no difference if
Kashmir stays or not. As long as mendicants like you can lick the feet
of your spiritual and quota masters, you are fine."
The "quota master" for your information is the Indian Constitution. So
it is a legal right which doesn't require any Indian who is eligible
under the quota system to lick anyone's feet.
However should dark times and tragedy befall India, and sufficient
number of Indians should turn insane enough to undo the work of the
fathers of the Nation and have a Fascist Hindu political party gain
enough power to declare India a "India-for-Hindus only nation which
overturns the Constitution, along with its quota system meant to
uplift the lower castes...
then, then, Indians will be at the mercy of high caste Hindus once
more as they have been for four thousand years,... and nepotism will
be the law of the land, and no amount of licking the high caste Hindu
feet will get the low caste Hindu anywhere, for the low caste Hindu is
expected to remain in his low caste status and poverty for sins in his
past life...

O what glorious days you and your political party promise Indians Deb
Chatterjee, the Deist Hindu, meat eating Brahmin!
Btw, unfortunately I do not have access to the preferential quota
system written into the Indian Constitution for I'm listed as forward
caste... just like you.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 2, 2008 11:55 PM
Report Offensive Comment
George, I can't for the life of me believe you are a Christian or
intend to represent Christianity by writing such revolting stuff.
If you do not wish to bring shame on Christians with your behavior, I
urgently request you to stop writing filth.
Join a sex chat or something if you feel the urge to write such rot.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 2, 2008 11:35 PM

deb,
Strong will power of your family. They have to pass my test too. Will
they pour milk on mine too. I have a good one. You can worship thattoo
Posted by: george | September 2, 2008 10:13 PM

Deb Chatterjee:
Your hatred and intolerance of non-Hindus is pathetic. I'm amazed that
living so long in the US has left your extremist values unchanged.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 2, 2008 6:05 AM

Deb Chatterjee:
It is my heartfelt desire that Kashmir will remain a part of India and
Kashmiri Muslims freely choose to belong to India, and ALL violence
stop.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 2, 2008 6:00 AM

Deb Chatterjee:
"If Kashmir secedes then the rest of India, which is comprised of
several local regional parties would claim to secede because of their
rights to "self-determination". At that time the Government of India
cannot maintain its opposition having allowed Kashmir to secede.
Muslim majority pockets in India, such as Hyderabad, Lucknow would
call for secession. Other divisive forces such as in Assam etc., would
call for secession. That would disintegrate India and the situation be
ripe for Christian missionaries to take advantage of this instability
to convert the pagan (Hindu) souls with the express objective of
scoring brownie points with God of the Bible. (This is not unheard of;
in times of war in Axfghanistan, Korean missionaries sent a team to
convert Afghanis. The Talibans trapped them and decapitated one of the
members. This shows that any which possible, conversion remains a
major goal of the zealous Christian missionaries, and they would risk
losing their lives in the name of Jesus ! How commendable !)
For your converted likes, there is no difference if Kashmir stays or
not. As long as mendicants like you can lick the feet of your
spiritual and quota masters, you are fine."
----------------------------------
You invent a long fairy tale of "ifs" to justify turning India into a
Hindu theocracy.
Muslims have lived in India for centuries among Hindus. There was
Muslim rule for 300 hundred years in a large part of India (not in
all) before the British arrived. There was a call for separate
countries based on Islam during partition in 1947. Yet there are 140
million Muslims still living in India scattered among Hindus. There
are 25% Muslims in West Bengal, even after the partition; there is an
equal percentage of Muslims in Kerala (25%). No Muslim in India has
called for a separate country since independence or even before that
in other parts of India where Muslims have always lived. But you
invent a theory that they might, in order to justify achieving your
goal of a Hindu fascist India.
Similarly there have been Christians in India since 52 AD. Yet you
invent a theory that there is going to be a mad rush of Christian
missionaries to India if Kashmir becomes independent. What kind of
crazy logic is that? What has Kashmiri independence, if it happens,
got to do with rushing of Christian missionaries into India?
You suggested the serious possibility of Kashmir gaining independence
from India, not I. However you see that as a pretext to turn India
into a fascist Hindu theocracy, I don't.
Hindu militants of your political colors are using violence against
Christian missionaries in the North, against Indian Christian
missionaries, and YOU SEEM TO APPROVE OF IT BECAUSE OF YOUR HINDU
FASCIST IDEALS.
In Christianity there is no such thing as "Guru Pooja" worship of a
man, Guru, like a god. Only Jesus is worshiped like God, no one else.
Only Hindus fall at the feet of their gurus and worship them like god.
So maybe you got the facts a bit mixed up maybe?
It is true Hindu sannyasis and some Buddhist monks live like
mendicants as part of their spiritual conviction. Christian
missionaries usually don't. They are known to help the poor with both
material things, and spiritual instruction. It is based on a different
understanding of God and spirituality you know.
Is that your problem, that Christianity has a different understanding
of God and spreading the faith by peaceful means is part of it, just
like Buddhism?
You are obviously bitter that the founding fathers of India wanted to
help the socially oppressed, and hence worked the quota system into
the Indian Constitution precisely because they were familiar with the
four thousand year history of India where Brahmins like you kept all
the power and advantages. So well did they know that the likes of you
would try to regain power in a Machiavellian fashion as soon as
opportunity presented itself. LIKE YOU ARE SUGGESTING NOW, hardly
sixty years after such a Constitution was framed to compensate for
four thousand years of oppression! Btw, Nehru, although agnostic
himself, was a Kashmiri Brahmin. So the Congress party you are against
have many Brahmins among their ranks too, but the kind who are not
fascist and selfish like you and the party you represent.
And btw, without knowing who I am, if I were you, I wouldn't jump into
the conclusion that I have had to lick the "quota masters."

Posted by: Anonymous | September 2, 2008 5:31 AM

Deb Chatterjee:
"If Kashmir secedes then the rest of India, which is comprised of
several local regional parties would claim to secede because of their
rights to "self-determination". At that time the Government of India
cannot maintain its opposition having allowed Kashmir to secede.
Muslim majority pockets in India, such as Hyderabad, Lucknow would
call for secession. Other divisive forces such as in Assam etc., would
call for secession. That would disintegrate India and the situation be
ripe for Christian missionaries to take advantage of this instability
to convert the pagan (Hindu) souls with the express objective of
scoring brownie points with God of the Bible. (This is not unheard of;
in times of war in Axfghanistan, Korean missionaries sent a team to
convert Afghanis. The Talibans trapped them and decapitated one of the
members. This shows that any which possible, conversion remains a
major goal of the zealous Christian missionaries, and they would risk
losing their lives in the name of Jesus ! How commendable !)
For your converted likes, there is no difference if Kashmir stays or
not. As long as mendicants like you can lick the feet of your
spiritual and quota masters, you are fine."
----------------------------------
You invent a long fairy tale of "ifs" to justify turning India into a
Hindu theocracy.
Muslims have lived in India for centuries among Hindus. There was
Muslim rule for 300 hundred years in a large part of India (not in
all) before the British arrived. There was a call for separate
countries based on Islam during partition in 1947. Yet there are 140
million Muslims still living in India scattered among Hindus. There
are 25% Muslims in West Bengal, even after the partition; there is an
equal percentage of Muslims in Kerala (25%). No Muslim in India has
called for a separate country since independence or even before that
in other parts of India where Muslims have always lived. But you
invent a theory that they might, in order to justify achieving your
goal of a Hindu fascist India.
Similarly there have been Christians in India since 52 AD. Yet you
invent a theory that there is going to be a mad rush of Christian
missionaries to India if Kashmir becomes independent. What kind of
crazy logic is that? What has Kashmiri independence, if it happens,
got to do with rushing of Christian missionaries into India?
You suggested the serious possibility of Kashmir gaining independence
from India, not I. However you see that as a pretext to turn India
into a fascist Hindu theocracy, I don't.
Hindu militants of your political colors are using violence against
Christian missionaries in the North, against Indian Christian
missionaries, and YOU SEEM TO APPROVE OF IT BECAUSE OF YOUR HINDU
FASCIST IDEALS.
In Christianity there is no such thing as "Guru Pooja" worship of a
man, Guru, like a god. Only Jesus is worshiped like God, no one else.
Only Hindus fall at the feet of their gurus and worship them like god.
So maybe you got the facts a bit mixed up maybe?
It is true Hindu sannyasis and some Buddhist monks live like
mendicants as part of their spiritual conviction. Christian
missionaries usually don't. They are known to help the poor with both
material things, and spiritual instruction. It is based on a different
understanding of God and spirituality you know.
Is that your problem, that Christianity has a different understanding
of God and spreading the faith by peaceful means is part of it, just
like Buddhism?
You are obviously bitter that the founding fathers of India wanted to
help the socially oppressed, and hence worked the quota system into
the Indian Constitution precisely because they were familiar with the
four thousand year history of India where Brahmins like you kept all
the power and advantages. So well did they know that the likes of you
would try to regain power in a Machiavellian fashion as soon as
opportunity presented itself. LIKE YOU ARE SUGGESTING NOW, hardly
sixty years after such a Constitution was framed to compensate for
four thousand years of oppression! Btw, Nehru, although agnostic
himself, was a Kashmiri Brahmin. So the Congress party you are against
have many Brahmins among their ranks too, but the kind who are not
fascist and selfish like you and the party you represent.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 2, 2008 5:24 AM

Deb Chatterjee:
If the sickening hypocrisy you exhibit is not obvious to you, then you
must be deluded indeed. You attended a Catholic school in India, you
live in the United States, a country with a Christian majority, and
yet, you are actively involved as a political hack for a Hindu fascist
party in India!
Your Machiavellian motives are clear as day:
You want a Hindu state where high caste Hindus would get to dictate
all the terms.
What you want overturned is the quota system that is meant to help the
communities that were oppressed for four thousand years in the name of
Hinduism. You want to bring back that oppression.
If other Indians don't submit to a fascist Hindu regime, they are free
to leave??????? Where??
India is not a country of immigrants you know. Non-Hindu Indians are
as much Indian as Hindu Indians.
HOW EXACTLY DO YOU DIFFER FROM EXTREMIST MUSLIMS YOU SO LOVE TO CALL
BARBARIC?
Posted by: Anonymous | September 2, 2008 4:40 AM

Deb Chatterjee:
As a final thought, suppose Kashmir seceded, and with covert
assistance from the UPA-led Govt., led by Monkey Singh, then India
should redefine herself as:
1. The HINDU REPUBLIC OF INDIA
2. Modify the Constitution to protect and prioritize Hindu interests.
3. Enforce the Uniform Civil Code (Article 44 of the Indian
Constitution).
4. Abolish all quota systems in jobs/education etc. for minorities
that currently exists.
5. Treat Muslims and other minorities with equal respect and dignity
as long as they behave as responsible citizens of India. Else, they
are free to leave.
This, in my view would protect the interests of the majority (India)
of India. Go anywhere in the world, almost all protect the interests
of the majority of the population including USA. Why should India be
an exception ?
August 25, 2008 12:09 PM
------------------------
Deb Chatterjee:
Anonymous wrote:
"What does the outcome of Kashmir have to do with the rest of India?
If Kashmiri separatists succeed, too bad. It simply means that
politics and diplomacy in Kashmir failed, nothing more."
It is because of this mentality that the VHP/Bajrang Dal activists are
out for your likes.
To respond your question, however, it is this:
If Kashmir secedes then the rest of India, which is comprised of
several local regional parties would claim to secede because of their
rights to "self-determination". At that time the Government of India
cannot maintain its opposition having allowed Kashmir to secede.
Muslikm majority pockets in India, such as Hyderabad, Lucknow would
call for secession. Other divisive forces such as in Assam etc., would
call for secession. That would disintegrate India and the situation be
ripe for Christian missionaries to take advantage of this instability
to convert the pagan (Hindu) souls with the express objective of
scoring brownie points with God of the Bible. (This is not unheard of;
in times of war in Afghanistan, Korean missionaries sent a team to
convert Afghanis. The Talibans trapped them and decapitated one of the
members. This shows that any which possible, conversion remains a
major goal of the zealous Christian missionaries, and they would risk
losing their lives in the name of Jesus ! How commendable !)
For your converted likes, there is no difference if Kashmir stays or
not. As long as mendicants like you can lick the feet of your
spiritual and quota masters, you are fine.
Hallelujah !
September 2, 2008 2:37 AM
--------------------------------------------------
YOU ARE A POLITICAL HACK FOR THE HINDU FASCIST BJP LIVING IN THE USA!
Posted by: Anonymous | September 2, 2008 4:28 AM

Deb Chatterjee:
As a final thought, suppose Kashmir seceded, and with covert
assistance from the UPA-led Govt., led by Monkey Singh, then India
should redefine herself as:
1. The HINDU REPUBLIC OF INDIA
2. Modify the Constitution to protect and prioritize Hindu interests.
3. Enforce the Uniform Civil Code (Article 44 of the Indian
Constitution).
4. Abolish all quota systems in jobs/education etc. for minorities
that currently exists.
5. Treat Muslims and other minorities with equal respect and dignity
as long as they behave as responsible citizens of India. Else, they
are free to leave.
This, in my view would protect the interests of the majority (India)
of India. Go anywhere in the world, almost all protect the interests
of the majority of the population including USA. Why should India be
an exception ?
August 25, 2008 12:09 PM
Posted by: Anonymous | September 2, 2008 4:25 AM

Deb Chatterjee:
Please check this out: Arundhati Roy is an atheist, not a Muslim as
you claimed. Her father is a Bengali Hindu, her mother a Kerala
Christian. The name of her current/second husband is Pradeep Krishen.
Does that sound Muslim to you?
http://www.nndb.com/people/240/000073021/
Posted by: Anonymous | September 2, 2008 4:18 AM

Mohamad Malleck (? Canada) posted this link 25 August 08, an article
by Arundhati Roy (daughter of a Bengali Hindu father and Kerala
Christian mother):
http://www.outlookindia.com/full.asp?fodname=20080901&fname=Arundhati+Roy+%28F%29&sid=1&pn=1
Posted by: Anonymous | September 2, 2008 4:05 AM

Anonymous wrote:
"What does the outcome of Kashmir have to do with the rest of India?
If Kashmiri separatists succeed, too bad. It simply means that
politics and diplomacy in Kashmir failed, nothing more."
It is because of this mentality that the VHP/Bajrang Dal activists are
out for your likes.
To respond your question, however, it is this:
If Kashmir secedes then the rest of India, which is comprised of
several local regional parties would claim to secede because of their
rights to "self-determination". At that time the Government of India
cannot maintain its opposition having allowed Kashmir to secede.
Muslikm majority pockets in India, such as Hyderabad, Lucknow would
call for secession. Other divisive forces such as in Assam etc., would
call for secession. That would disintegrate India and the situation be
ripe for Christian missionaries to take advantage of this instability
to convert the pagan (Hindu) souls with the express objective of
scoring brownie points with God of the Bible. (This is not unheard of;
in times of war in Afghanistan, Korean missionaries sent a team to
convert Afghanis. The Talibans trapped them and decapitated one of the
members. This shows that any which possible, conversion remains a
major goal of the zealous Christian missionaries, and they would risk
losing their lives in the name of Jesus ! How commendable !)
For your converted likes, there is no difference if Kashmir stays or
not. As long as mendicants like you can lick the feet of your
spiritual and quota masters, you are fine.
Hallelujah !
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | September 2, 2008 2:37 AM

Deb Chatterjee:
You do spiritual giants like Sri Ramakrishna and Vivekananda no favor
when you remain a politically motivated Hindu extremist.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 2, 2008 12:59 AM

Deb Chatterjee:
"Kashmir is an essential and integral part of India. If Kashmir
secedes, then India must declare itself as a Hindu country. (It would
be ridiculous to remain "secular" to the point that it can be hurtful
to India's identity.)
Sorry for being so explicit."
India is a secular democracy and the founding fathers did a good job
of creating it as a secular democracy with religious freedom for all.
It has done just fine as a secular democracy until now. India does not
need any Hindu based religious nuts ruling the country as a Hindu
theocracy any more than any country needs Islamic theocracy.
What does the outcome of Kashmir have to do with the rest of India? If
Kashmiri separatists succeed, too bad. It simply means that politics
and diplomacy in Kashmir failed, nothing more.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 2, 2008 12:55 AM

Deb Chatterjee:
"I am not a official card carrying member of the BJP/RSS/VHP/Bajrang
Dal/Shiv Sena. But I do sympathize with most (but not all) of their
social agendas. Most Hindus do. These parties have adopted some
"extremist" positions because they have also to stay relevant. If,
agenda wise, the Congress and the BJP are the same, then why should
BJP exist as a political party ? Can you explain this to me ?"
Are you their remote, unwise, Machiavellian political adviser then?
You do sympathize with MOST of BJP's extremist, Hindu fascist, social
agendas...in spite of having lived in the US for so long???????????
Is becoming militant, divisive and Hindu fascist the only way to carve
out a different political identity from the Congress party?
Who says BJP must exist as a political party? If they can't think of
better ways of being politically useful, they should everybody a favor
and disappear into Himalaya to do tapas for their sins thus far, lest
they be condemned to be reincarnated as Dalits or animals for the next
hundred lives.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 2, 2008 12:46 AM

Deb Chatterjee:
"Conversion is fine with me and many "extremist" Hindus. However that
conversion has to have some moral basis. If low caste Dalit Hindus
want to convert by self motivation, fine. But if that Dalit, upon
interrogation says that he was told to convert and offered some money
and he converted, then that is a crime. It is cheating the Indian
legal system. So, as long as the Christian missionaries play by the
legal system, it is fine with me."
How much philosophy does it require on the part of a Dalit to accept
Jesus Christ as one more Avatar, when Hinduism is used to worshipping
many gods or Avatars? Whereas Hinduism puts a Dalit at the bottom of
the society, even completely out of the Hindu society, as an out-
caste, by virtue of his birth alone, Christianity offers Jesus Christ
as the Avatar who sought out the poor and social out-castes of His day
to tell them of God's love for them.
In Christianity the law of Karma and reincarnation is abolished. A
Dalit does not have to live with the feeling that he suffers because
of sins in past lives and deserves to suffer without being helped out
of it.
Isn't that attractive enough as a religious philosophy for a Dalit who
is used to being ignored and treated like dirt for four thousand
years?
And you are convinced Hindu extremists, who have an agenda of their
own and would like to stop conversions to Christianity in order not to
lose power, are telling the truth about conversions with bribe? Which
Dalit would not want to be helped materially? Jesus taught that the
hungry are to be fed, the naked clothed, the sick attended to, even
prisoners to be visited...in His name and whatever a Christian does
for the least of His brethren would be counted as being done for Him.
Jesus identified with the poor, the sick and the suffering.....Gandhi
tried to live that in his life. A Christian is to be judged not on the
number of hours he spent in meditation and mental gymnastics about
God, but by how much they help the needy and suffering. Hence the
Christian focus on helping the poor and needy.
Should you not be happy that Dalits are being helped out of their
material and spiritual poverty? In Hinduism only the Brahmin gets to
read Scripture and understand things of God.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 2, 2008 12:35 AM

Deb Chatterjee:
Your tactics, the tactics of the upper caste Hindu BJP you represent
(luckily there are plenty of upper and lower caste Hindus who can see
through the sinister intent of BJP) are Machiavellian indeed and it is
all about gaining political power and restricting power to a few high
caste Hindus. The hatred for Gandhi is to be understood from that
perspective.
The Hindu-only India is an outright lie. Hinduism in itself is a
confederation of religions with no central teachings or authority.
There have always been other religions within India for at least two
and a half thousand years and they have all co-existed peacefully.
This new militant Hinduism is a political invention by a few.
An extremist Hindu who attended a Catholic school in India and who
lives in the US, a country with a Christian majority, does militant
Hindu politics in India by remote control.
Deb Chatterjee seems to have forgotten that India is not a country of
immigrants like the US. It is ridiculous to talk of Indian minorities
as if they were foreigners. There are Indians who practice Hinduism as
a religion and there are Indians who practice other religions. All are
Indians.
Deb Chatterjee would like to introduce aspects of Sharia Law by
calling non-Hindus in India as minorities who must be awarded certain
rights by the ruling class of Hindus.
It is a fact that Christians and Muslims in India feel a certain
affinity due to their religion. But Deb Chatterjee would like to
destroy that for his Hindu extremism based political ends.
Instead of promoting unity, he would like to promote division.
Machiavellian indeed.

http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/eboo_patel/2008/08/todays_guest_blogger_is_hafsa.html

To be continued...

...and I am Sid Harth
bademiyansubhanallah
15 years ago
Permalink
Post by bademiyansubhanallah
Kashmir is not Hindu vs. Muslim
Posted by: Anonymous | September 1, 2008 11:46 PM

Deb Chatterjee:
Your tactics, the tactics of the upper caste Hindu BJP you represent
(luckily there are plenty of upper and lower caste Hindus who can see
through the sinister intent of BJP) are Machiavellian indeed and it is
all about gaining political power and restricting power to a few high
caste Hindus. The hatred for Gandhi is to be understood from that
perspective.
The Hindu-only India is an outright lie. Hinduism in itself is a
confederation of religions with no central teachings or authority.
There have always been other religions within India for at least two
and a half thousand years and they have all co-existed peacefully.
This new militant Hinduism is a political invention by a few.
An extremist Hindu who attended a Catholic school in India and who
lives in the US, a country with a Christian majority, does militant
Hindu politics in India by remote control.
Deb Chatterjee seems to have forgotten that India is not a country of
immigrants like the US. It is ridiculous to talk of Indian minorities
as if they were foreigners. There are Indians who practice Hinduism as
a religion and there are Indians who practice other religions. All are
Indians.
Deb Chatterjee would like to introduce aspects of Sharia Law by
calling non-Hindus in India as minorities who must be awarded certain
rights by the ruling class of Hindus.
It is a fact that Christians and Muslims in India feel a certain
affinity due to their religion. But Deb Chatterjee would like to
destroy that for his Hindu extpolitical ends. Machiavellian indeed.

Posted by: Anonymous | September 1, 2008 11:45 PM

Anonymous:
1. Jesus Christ is accepted as a saint/rishi who attained Supreme
Consciousness like Lord Buddha. You are right: Sree Ramakrishna
Paramhansa and Swami Vivekananda accepted that Jesus Christ was Son of
God, and he performed miracles in this mortal world, and it is
reported by the disciples of Ramakrishna that when he meditated on the
image of Christ, a Divine Light from the heavens came and wrapped him
and he lost all consciousness of the mortal world. Many Hindus, even
the extremists, would have nothing with the teachings of Christ. In
fact, some extremist Hindus say, and I am not that far into it, that
Christ was essentially a Hindu. They base their speculations on Holger
Kersten's JESUS LIVED IN INDIA. (Read it, if you haven't. Its
fascinating and in the least very provocative intellectually.)

2. Conversion is fine with me and many "extremist" Hindus. However
that conversion has to have some moral basis. If low caste Dalit
Hindus want to convert by self motivation, fine. But if that Dalit,
upon interrogation says that he was told to convert and offered some
money and he converted, then that is a crime. It is cheating the
Indian legal system. So, as long as the Christian missionaries play by
the legal system, it is fine with me.
3. I am not a official card carrying member of the BJP/RSS/VHP/Bajrang
Dal/Shiv Sena. But I do sympathize with most (but not all) of their
social agendas. Most Hindus do. These parties have adopted some
"extremist" positions because they have also to stay relevant. If,
agenda wise, the Congress and the BJP are the same, then why should
BJP exist as a political party ? Can you explain this to me ?
4. Kashmir is an essential and integral part of India. If Kashmir
secedes, then India must declare itself as a Hindu country. (It would
be ridiculous to remain "secular" to the point that it can be hurtful
to India's identity.)
Sorry for being so explicit.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | September 1, 2008 11:40 PM

George, quite calling yourself a Christian. You are writing rubbish.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 1, 2008 11:18 PM
Report Offensive Comment
Deb Chatterjee:
You seem to be a political hack for the Hindu fundamentalist Bharatiya
Janata Party (BJP).
It seems that the aim is to overturn the provision in the Indian
Constitution which seeks to compensate in some measure the four
thousand years of social oppression of the lower castes, by reserving
places in government educational institutions and jobs for them.
Hence the high caste Hindu in you would like "equality on paper"
another word for abolishing the means provided by the Constitution to
help the lower castes. You make it sound you are for equality but what
you really want is return of Manu Smrithi days where upper castes had
all the advantages and the lower castes lived in a different world.
It takes a long time for the effect of four thousand years of
oppression to be diminished.
The high caste Hindu in you would not like to see lower caste Hindus
freed from the spiritual burden of belonging to the lower caste by
converting to a religion that has no caste system.
The Hindu caste system is not a religious philosophy, it is Hindu
social order.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 1, 2008 11:14 PM

Koshur wrote, provocatively:
"One is filth of imagination and another is from heaven."
In my view, Islam is the filth. Sorry for being so explicit. You can
write whatever you want to your Eboo Patel who owns this WP blog
(Faith Divide), and being your fellow co-religionist it will not be
difficult for him to have me removed. It shall, however, be not the
end. I have other forums to vent my opinion against Islam.
FYI, I post from USA which has the 1st Amendment (Freedom of Speech).
This is not Pakistan or India or some other stupid Muslim country. I
or any US citizen can be *offensive* of any doctrine (and that
includes Islam) or any religion. That's the 1st Amendment right. If
Eboo Patel wants to stop this, fine with me.
One thing: you are right in that your friend George (which maybe you
in reality) has been instigating such nastiness in the first place. I
just thought of paying back in the same coin. If I have sounded too
crude, I remain humbled. It is certainly not my objective to engage in
personal attacks. However, I (or anyone else) have the right to
hardball if provoked.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | September 1, 2008 11:09 PM

This is really getting nasty. I will certainly ask Washington post to
remove the names of those publishing profanity on their web and people
like this stupid idiot pseodonym Chatterjee should feel ashamed of
flaring up these personal attacks. Mr George, you started well, but
Chatterjee has been successful in getting you also in mud. Leave this
creep alone. I will also sign off not to even write about this creep
whos agenda is nothing but Muslim bashing. I want to part with these
comments. The black stone is not Phallus like and the story about it
not like the imaginary penis of your lord shiva. At least black stone
has been there for 1400 years and was only used by prophet to
designate the site where Kaba would be built.Ask your another RSS
buddy the then governor Sinha who got Penis of Shiva made from
somewhere Himachal Pradesh by freezing water in the shape of lingum as
Amarnath Cave teperature had gone up and no penis was formed. What a
crap. You know well how Hindus got mad about it and found that it was
an artificial man made penis.You should feel ashamed by comparing the
two stones. One is filth of imagination and another is from heaven. It
is not like the dirty penis like stone on which rats pee and potty in
your dirty temples.
Posted by: Koshur | September 1, 2008 10:56 PM

Deb Chatterjee: "I have expressed outrage against the lying and
cheating tactics used by Christian missionaries in converting poor/
uneducated Dalits
from Hinduism to Christianity. I have never spoken against the
teachings of the Bible or that of Jesus Christ, whom many Hindus
regard as a saint/rishi."
If thethe teachings of the Bible and Jesus Christ is good and Jesus is
accepted as Divine by famous Hindus, in including Sri Ramakrishna,
Vivekananda...why is it wrong to convert lower caste Hindus to
Christianity by practicing the tenets of Christianity, the command of
Jesus to help the poor?
All Catholic institutions in India offer their services to all Indians
without making any attempt to convert them to Christianity. The fact
that you attended a Catholic school and remain an extremist Hindu is
proof!

Posted by: Anonymous | September 1, 2008 10:54 PM

George wrote:
"one more question do you get aroused to see females of your faith
when they dance nude and naked in front of natraja or you too have lot
of self control.Or probably you are impotent like your lord rama."
Well, I have my own fantasies, and we should keep this to a civilized
level on Washington Post. I am not offended, though.
And more
"But tell both your mother and sister even daughter, like lord shiva I
too want to test there self control. I will really give credit to your
faith i they pass my test.Let me know"
You can surely go ahead and plan testing of whatever you want with
female members of my family. But, they shall certainly not pass your
test. Instead, I am afraid, you shall have to be medically treated for
the Bobbit phenomenon. Explicit details on this grotesque phenomenon
are available at the following site:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorena_Bobbitt
Thanks for asking candid questions, and please pray to that Allah mian
to save you.
- ameen !
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | September 1, 2008 10:52 PM

Oh my God,
Deb,
Are you serious that your mother and sister touch this ugly thing. Why
do they pour milk on it.
Jesus Christ what a crap.
Posted by: john | September 1, 2008 10:43 PM

After googling
To Deb Chatterjee:
Two waves of conversions to Christianity in India before arrival of
the British:
1. By Apostle Thomas in 52 AD involving Jews and high caste Hindus
including Nambudiri Brahmins in Kerala.
2. By Francis Xavier, a Spanish aristocrat, co-founder of the Jesuit
Order. 1543. Involving people in Goa and mass conversion of fishermen
folk in Kerala. Christianity came to India long before the British.
Jesuit schools and colleges, and other Catholic institutions
(hospitals etc) are Roman Catholic, not British/by Church of England.

From Wikipedia about Francis Xavier ---
Francis Xavier devoted much of his life to missions in foreign
countries. As King John III of Portugal desired Jesuit missionaries
for the Portuguese East Indies, he was ordered there in 1540. He left
Lisbon on April 7, 1541, together with two other Jesuits and the new
viceroy Martim de Sousa, on board the Santiago. From August of that
year until March 1542, he remained in Mozambique then reached Goa, the
capital of the then Portuguese Indian colonies on May 6 1542. His
official role there was Apostolic Nuncio and he spent the following
three years operating out of Goa.
On September 20, 1543, he left for his first missionary activity among
the Paravas, pearl-fishers along the east coast of southern India,
North of Cape Comorin (or Sup Santaz). He lived in a sea cave in
Manapad, intensively catechizing Paravar children for three months in
1544. He then focused on converting the king of Travancore to
Christianity and also visited Ceylon (Sri Lanka)...
He returned to India in January 1548. The next 15 months were occupied
with various journeys and administrative measures in India...He left
Goa on April 15, 1549,...

Posted by: Anonymous | September 1, 2008 10:42 PM

Wow, that is great to know that even after touching phallus they do
not get devilish ideas. What a self control seen only in upper class
hindu females.
one more question do you get aroused to see females of your faith when
they dance nude and naked in front of natraja or you too have lot of
self control.Or probably you are impotent like your lord rama.
But tell both your mother and sister even daughter, like lord shiva I
too want to test there self control.
I will really give credit to your faith i they pass my test.Let me
know
Posted by: George | September 1, 2008 10:38 PM

George wrote:
"Has your mother or sister worshiped shivas lingh, have they touched
it. Tell them how it feels do they get devilish ideas like sita, when
she was touched by Ravana."
Oh, yes they both have worshipped and poured milk on that black
majestic stone too. Its Shiva's phallus (lingam). However, I have
asked them and they denied having any "devilish" ideas.
I was told that a sizeable majority of Muslim women in their annual
Hajj pilgrimage would hug and kiss that solid phallus-shaped black
stone at Ka'ba, and have sexual arousal.
I can ask my Muslim friends to send you some similar black stones for
appropriate personal use by female members of your family.
Get the drift ? :-)
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | September 1, 2008 10:06 PM

Deb,
Has your mother or sister worshiped shivas lingh, have they touched
it. Tell them how it feels do they get devilish ideas like sita, when
she was touched by Ravana.
Posted by: george | September 1, 2008 8:33 PM

well. I just read the ticker on CNN
" Even in floods, the untouchables in India were rescued last"
It is shame and all those so called educated Indians enjoying
everything in this country should drown themselves in to a trench full
of sh.....
Shame on you India and shame on your filthy upper cast Hindus.
Again answer to those poor souls is Islam and Christianity.
Posted by: Koshur | September 1, 2008 5:54 PM

Koshur wrote:
"You stupidly started this discussion of blasphemising not only Islam
but also great religion of Christianity, who by the way we call
"People of the Book"."
First, I did not start/initiate anything against Christianity or
Christian doctrines. Just read my posts. I have expressed outrage
against the lying and cheating tactics used by Christian missionaries
in converting poor/uneducated Dalits
from Hinduism to Christianity. I have never spoken against the
teachings of the Bible or that of Jesus Christ, whom many Hindus
regard as a saint/rishi. So, your tirade against what I do perceive as
unethical (to put mildly) shows your incapacity to comprehend any
message. Arguing against the message and opposing the tactics of the
messenger are different, and you seem to be lost in the morass of such
garbage verbiage.
Second, I have no respect/tolerance for the message/doctrine of Islam
(Quran/Sharia). I believe that Islam is a barbaric religion. This is
markedly different from my opposition to the practices of the
Christian missionaries used to convert the Dalits in India. Again, I
must emphasize, because apparently some people like your noble self
are pathologically slow to learn, that my posts on this and other
blogs have never castigated anything against Christian doctrines or
message of Jesus Christ. If you (or others) can, show me where I have
*EXPLICITLY* condemned the Bible or Christ's message, I'd remain
corrected and humbled. Of course you (George/Koshur) are a Muslim and
hence would stand confused to discern anything like that.
Third, and quite amusingly this is what the glorious Quran has to say
about "People of the Book" (inclusive of the Judaism and Christianity)
YUSUFALI: "Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor
hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His
Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are)
of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing
submission, and feel themselves subdued." [Quran(009:029)].
And again this piece of gem regarding Jews and Christians ...
YUSUFALI: "O ye who believe! take not the Jews and the Christians for
your friends and protectors: They are but friends and protectors to
each other. And he amongst you that turns to them (for friendship) is
of them. Verily Allah guideth not a people unjust." [Quran(005:051)].
It is indeed the above, and you are falsely projecting the non-
existent harmony between Islam and the "People of the Book", or,
Muslims and Jews and Christians.
Unfortunately, your attempt to mislead readers on this forum have been
detected and exposed.
"Everybody has a right to choose the righteous religion or faith. Why
are you so frustrated if people find Islam or Christianity as an
answer to your faith that basically is completely irrelevant in
present day world?"
I am frustrated because conversions are a sham if they are done for
economic upliftment/material gain. (Of course in a present day world
whom you worship and how you do it is irrelevant. But if the existing
laws are broken in the process of conversion it is indeed a serious
matter. The state government must take notice and prevent such sham
conversions.) And recent conversions to Christianity in India have
been reported to have happened by deception.
(This is not the same when Saint Thomas the Apostle who came to India
about 1900 years ago and converted the Namboodiri Brahmins to
Christianity. The Brahmins were not ignorant, or poor or looking for
material gain. They were knowledgeable. Saint Thomas desired that only
people with knowledge convert to Christianity. Too bad that the
Christian orthodoxy have rejected the Gospel of Saint Thomas.)
Thus recent conversions to Christianity in India (by the poor/
uneducated Dalits) is not the same like when one has accepted a path
of worship by thoroughly understanding it. The two are radically
different. Of course, you and your likes wouldn't agree, but that's
irrelevant.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | September 1, 2008 3:50 PM

Deb,
I simply empathize with you. It is Deb vs. rest of the world. You have
failed to convince anybody fot that matter be it regarding Kashmir or
about your frontal attack on Abrahamic faiths. You stupidly started
this discussion of blasphemising not only Islam but also great
religion of Christianity, who by the way we call "People of the Book".
Everybody has a right to choose the righteous religion or faith. Why
are you so frustrated if people find Islam or Christianity as an
answer to your faith that basically is completely irrelevant in
present day world? People don’t want "Kathas" or stories full of crap,
for which there are no basis whether they existed at all. Every other
faith is based on historical facts, which actually existed. People
want equality and justice for all and are treated with respect. Both
Islam and Christianity refer every human being as children of God. In
Islam there is no preference of a white over a black, Arab vs. Non
Arab. It was a black African who was chosen to give the first call for
prayer in Medina when Prophet (pub) declared his prophet hood.
I would ask every intelligent Hindu for that matter, that why can’t
you think rationally and feel the emptiness in your hearts about the
hollowness of your faith. This faith is like a fictional Hindi movie
with lot of sex, violence and no real message at the end.
People have suggested you to come out of this dark religion and come
to light, Think about it why did God choose you to get involved in
this discussion through this blog. There is a purpose to all this and
I would suggest Islam is the answer. Kafirs did ridicule prophet
Mohammed (pbuh) even in the 7th century, but his message of truth
spread far and wide including your country, which is the second
largest Muslim nation in the world. This is the power of message of
Islam. Muslims don’t spend money to convert people in the world and
still continues to be the fastest growing religion. I would encourage
people not to compare the present day politics in Islamic world
particularly of those fascist Arab regimens with the religion of
peace, love and justice for all.
The discussions should be in between the religions based on firm
beliefs like Christianity, Judaism, Islam and for that matter Sikhism
who have a history based on facts not on fiction like Hinduism. I
would urge everybody that from now onwards don’t waste time to
convince those people about whom Holy Koran says, they are blind, deaf
and dumb and O, prophet they would not listen to your logic.
As far Kashmir, India may timely be able to subjugate them, but once
again they are not like coward Hindus and ultimately will prevail by
the POWER of the message of their faith that ordains them to never
give up and do Jihad against the filthy oppressors. Insha-Allah they
will overcome!

Posted by: Koshur | September 1, 2008 1:50 PM

"India needs another Gandhi, a Hindu reformer, who will put militant
Hindu extremists in their place...."
That shall *NEVER* happen, again ! Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi gave
birth to the creation of Pakistan. He was solely responsible for
initiating usage of (Hindu) religious beliefs into contemporary
politics; as such Congress party came to be identified as "party of
Hindus". Thus, he ushered some form of "Hindu theocracy" which is
actually forbidden by many great Hindu luminiaries of the past.
Chanakya (aka Kautilya), the minister in Chandragupta I (Vikramaditya)
court had repeatedly advised against using religion in politics. The
famous treatise by Kautilya, ARTHASHASTRA, makes this very very clear
- which was written around 100 B.C. (One finds amazing parallels
between ARTHASHASTRA and Niccolo Machiavelli's THE PRINCE - written in
1500 A.D.(?) Both have most useful practical wisdom for politics and
state governance.)
BTW, I am very happy that Gandhi was assassinated by Nathuram Godse.
It is simply because of Gandhi that Muhammad Ali Jinnah turned to
"Muslim identity" and kept stating that "Hindus and Muslims" cannot
live together unless partition happened. The divide was actually
initiated by Gandhi, based on religious identities. If Gandhi had not
instigated Jinnah, he would not have left Congress and formed his own
Muslim League that only resulted in Pakistan and thus the vivisection
of India, and precipitaed the present Kahsmir problem.
In Hindi I would state:
"Ram naam satya hai ! Murda Gandhi mast hai !"
(Approximate translation: Ram is truth ! Dead Gandhi is happy !)
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | September 1, 2008 1:13 PM

Hindu extremists need to be reminded that every Indian has the right
to practice any religion they damn well please and change religions as
often as they damn well please.
Hindus worship different gods depending on their needs and mood. So
what's the big difference?
Posted by: Anonymous | September 1, 2008 4:51 AM

Deb Chatterjee: "I was just pointing out that converting the poor/
uneducated Dalits by trickery and falsehood is a crime. It needs to be
punished. India is still a Hindu majority country. Using cheating
tactics by missionaries and saying that such is legal because of the
plight of the Dalits does not make any sense."
Christian charity and tenets of the Christian religion is a crime
according to a Hindu extremist who calls the apostasy law in Islam
barbaric? How interesting and outright hypocritical!
There is no Hindu Scripture preventing anyone from worshiping any God
they please. So on what basis does a Hindu extremist invent this rule?
Is it not outright criminal to prevent anyone from leaving a religion
which keeps them socially oppressed based on their birth alone?
Hindu extremists need to be kept in check and prevented from spreading
their lies and using violence and intimidation to keep lower castes
trapped in a situation they have remained helpless for four thousand
years.
India needs another Gandhi, a Hindu reformer, who will put militant
Hindu extremists in their place and fight for the rights of any Indian
to worship any God in anyway and even change their religion if they
chose in accordance with REAL Hinduism.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 1, 2008 4:39 AM

Said Deb Chatterjee:
Anonymous wrote:
"Hinduism is the only religion, I repeat the only religion, which has
an oppressive caste system which has kept the poor in India is a
separate world for four thousand years."
Could be. I was just pointing out that converting the poor/uneducated
Dalits by trickery and falsehood is a crime. It needs to be punished.
India is still a Hindu majority country. Using cheating tactics by
missionaries and saying that such is legal because of the plight of
the Dalits does not make any sense.
If the world has problems with India's caste system, and perhaps
rightfully, take it to the UNHRC and rebuke India. Perhaps place
sanctions on India if they don't give Dalits equal status as Brahmins
and other major castes. Why use Jesus Christ's name in an illegal way
to fool those poor Dalits and dupe them into conversion ?
------------------------
Buddha, Mahavir and Guru Nank founded new religions because of the
limitations of Hinduism. Christianity in India is nineteen and a half
centuries old.
Hindus worship any God in any way they please and nobody is policing
them about their choice. Hindus have reformed their religion over and
over again.
There is no Hindu authority to dictate terms about what Hinduism is.
Banning conversion is an evil high caste Hindu extremist trick.i It is
barbaric especially because of the caste system which keeps low castes
trapped. Most importantly ban on religious conversion stands in
violation of basic human rights. It is in violation of the UN
Declaration of Universal Human Rights.
On what grounds does a Deistic Hindu explain Christianity and how a
Christian ought to behave in accordance with Christianity.
An extremist Deist Hindu, the hypocrite who benefited from Christian
education in India, one who enjoys the benefits of a country founded
on Christian principles and has a Christian majority, and promotes
intolerance and hatred against non-Hindus in India to maintain the
power status for his Hindu caste is a SICKENING and POOR JOKE.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 1, 2008 2:36 AM

Unless this forum returns to its original mission: Kashmir secession,
I'll not respond to irrelevant questions on Christianity in India and
Dalist etc., on this blogsite.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | September 1, 2008 1:16 AM

Anonymous wrote:
"Hinduism is the only religion, I repeat the only religion, which has
an oppressive caste system which has kept the poor in India is a
separate world for four thousand years."
Could be. I was just pointing out that converting the poor/uneducated
Dalits by trickery and falsehood is a crime. It needs to be punished.
India is still a Hindu majority country. Using cheating tactics by
missionaries and saying that such is legal because of the plight of
the Dalits does not make any sense.
If the world has problems with India's caste system, and perhaps
rightfully, take it to the UNHRC and rebuke India. Perhaps place
sanctions on India if they don't give Dalits equal status as Brahmins
and other major castes. Why use Jesus Christ's name in an illegal way
to fool those poor Dalits and dupe them into conversion ?
However any such effort is bound to boomerang because India has now
33% reservation quota for SC/ST and OBC plus Muslims. So, if a Dalit
is now being deprived of the economic status and other material
opportunities, in this quota-raj business, then that is indeed
surprising and most unfortunate. But, using falsehood to convert is a
big sham.

Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | September 1, 2008 1:00 AM

Deb Chatterjee:
You must consider seriously that many of your ancestors must have
reincarnated among the Dalits for their sins of hatred and oppression
during their lives as Brahmins.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 1, 2008 1:00 AM

Deb Chatterjee:

By the tenets of your own religion, Hinduism, you could be born a
Dalit or an animal for a hundred lifetimes for your lack of compassion
and purity as a Hindu.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 1, 2008 12:56 AM

Deb Chatterjee:
You indulge in the same tactics of lying and misrepresentation of
facts that has been commonly seen among Muslim extremists.
Do you know the real history of Christianity in India? Did you know it
is possible to abandon Hinduism and accept Christianity because of the
limitation of Hinduism?
Who needs the caste system, law of karma and many lifetimes and social
oppression in the name of religion - Hinduism? Hindus help only people
in their own caste and subcaste. They mock Christians for helping the
poor!
Hinduism is the only religion, I repeat the only religion, which has
an oppressive caste system which has kept the poor in India is a
separate world for four thousand years.

Posted by: Anonymous | September 1, 2008 12:47 AM

Anonymous wrote:
"The Deb Chatterjees among Hindus who preach intolerance and hatred
are no different from the Muslim extremists who preach intolerance and
hatred."
There is a *MAJOR* difference between so-called "Hindu extremists" and
Muslim jihadis.
The "Hindu extremist" CAN NOT justify in any way that their
"extreme" (?) actions ared based on the tenets of some religious Hindu
text which is still followed by the majority Hindus and whose
authority is unquestioned. There is NO such ancient religious text
today which Hindus can point out as the source of their "extremism".
Also, Prof. Samuel P. Huntington (Harvard University & author of CLASH
OF CIVILIZATIONS) wrote that according to his researches Hindus have
always governed by secular laws. The king's decision was supreme in
all matters legal. The king had the authority to reject any
suggestions from his ministers even if those suggestions or
recommendations could be substantiated by some religious edicts/
doctrine. For a Hindu the religion (temple) and state (king's court)
were totally different and separate.
The situation is totally different for Muslim jihadists. They claim
that their violence is justified in the Quran: war against infidels.
To that end, they always show that Prophet Muhammad used violence when
unbelievers did nit heed his call to convert to Islam. Thus, with a
jihadi he is always right in blasting infidels and he is not obligated
to reason it with you. Because Quran advocates liberal use of
violence, it is not possible to tell a Muslim (extremist) that Quran
is wrong. In a secular country it would be interfering with religious
freedom, never mind that the religion of Islam which is hiduing behind
the "religious freedom" provision, is actually poised to destroy it.
This, is the difference which you are apparently unaware of.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | September 1, 2008 12:46 AM

The caste system has been a blight on Hinduism for four thousand
years. The Brahmins have always had vested interest in keeping the
caste system intact for their exclusive power by virtue of their birth
depends on it.
It does not take rocket science to understand why some of them would
try to push it under a political agenda, read: BJP policy - India for
Hindus only, where non-Hindus would be second class. They sure must be
reading the worst aspects of Sharia Law and incorporating it into
Hinduism, like punishment for leaving Hinduism. Accepting any other
religion is treated as illegal.
Hindu extremists need to be reminded that India is a secular democracy
and is a member of the UN. If India needs to maintain its pride as
being the largest democracy in the world, Hindu extremists need to be
put in their place and reminded to take a refresher course in real
Hinduism as taught by the great Hindu reformers of recent times.
Mahatma Gandhi is the Father of the Free Indian Nation, not a Hindu
extremist.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 1, 2008 12:37 AM

George wrote (or fulminated):
"...what is your fault if you were born in a hindu family.But if later
on you decide to come out of this filth, you should be encouraged"
Actually I agree with you. However, look what you have written, unless
someone typed using your computer and e-mail account.
The key is "But if later on you decide ..." This IS NOT happening. The
poor/uneducated Hindus are duped by Christian missionaries. In one
instance a bus load of Dalit children were traveling to a camp run by
the Christian missionaries for a picnic. In the middle the bus
apparently broke down. Then the father in his robe got down and told
the children (who were still Hindus) that they shoul,d pary to
whatever gods they believed for the bus to start. The children prayed
and the father watched. Obviously the bus did not start. Then the
father knelt before a small bible and prayed in the name of Jesus
Christ; the driver got up and tried to turn the ignition key. Lo !
Behold ! The bus started ! The father then lectured that he has proved
that Jesus Christ is powerful than the Hindu gods. The result was that
at the "picnic party" the children were converted and then the
missionaries went to the houses of these children, telling their
parents the entire incident, and requested them to "embrace Jesus".
The parents were also told that they would receive better life if they
embraced Jesus. Some of the destitute converted and were promptly
isolated by the missionaries because the missionaries feared that the
corrupting influence of their Hindu relatives may cause them to revert
back to paganism (Hinduism). The local police came to know this from
the Bajrang Dal activists who told the police that unless such
incidxents stop they would burn down the police station (called
"chowk" in India). This incident happened in Keonjhar (Orissa) a few
years ago.
This is the way the Christian missionaries, use the name of Jesus and
the God of the Bible in vain, engage in falsehood and trickery to
convert the uneducated. They (missionaries) must be stopped because
the poor and the uneducated Hindus are being fooled by such crooks in
the name of religious conversion.
George, are you a Muslim hiding behind a Christian name ?
Anonymous:
Why can't Christian missionaries convert Muslims in Pakistan or Saudi
Arabia ? Why let Christian missionaries abuse the lax conversion laws
of India ? Got any clues ? Arte you yelling at me that Jesus would be
happy if he came to know of such deception ?
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | September 1, 2008 12:24 AM

George, Deb Chatterjee attended a Catholic school in India. He has
been living in the US for several years and is exposed to Christianity
every single day. He has been posting his Hindu extremist views on
this forum for nearly two years.
Does he need a simplistic presentation of Christianity from you?
Please don't make Christianity look ridiculous by presenting it as you
do. Deb Chatterjee knows where to look if he is interested in
Christianity. He needs to look no further than Sri Ramakrishna and
Vivekananda from his own home state of Kolkotta to become a peace
loving Hindu who respects all religions. Besides he lives in the US
where Christianity in all forms is everywhere.
Deb Chatterjee's extremists views are not Hindu or religion based.
They are entirely politics based.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 31, 2008 11:20 PM

I have simple question to all hindus on this forum.
Why shouldn't those hindus be allowed to convert to christianity who
find christianity a better religion. Isnt it your right to choose your
fath. Deb chatter whatever,what is your fault if you were born in a
hindu family.But if later on you decide to come out of this filth, you
should be encouraged. Christian missionaries dont go with a sword but
with a message of love and passion. to those hindus who creep in their
filthy faith. What right people like you have to kill them. It is
simple if you convert to christianity, the reason being simply that
you have doubts about your own faith.I have seen people coverting to
christinity,judaism, budhism and even Islam but not hinduism. Hindu is
an idiotic person who believes in any thing you tell him in name of
religion he will beilieve without questioning its authenticity was
posted by one of the persons. I feel nauseated when I read about the
practises and rituals in your faith. I read that sometimes to please
your GOD your females dance nude and naked in front of them. This is
not what people who convert to christianity, find in this new faith. I
urge you go and read bible, Lord will shouw you light and get you out
of this darkness. Make Jesus your savior. Leave those monkey, snake
and elephant gods. Leave those practises of worshiping sex organs. The
background of this article is about what, a piligrimage to what, to
see P**** of shive which even doesnt exist.You are probably a literate
person who has come out of India and I expect you to be a little
better and tolerant in comparision to your coreligionists who demolish
churches, kill minorities in the name Ram Raj. There is so much of
voilence and intolerence in your religion, you dont want to be one
among them.
Come I again suggest you make Jesus your savior. Shun this religion
which is nothing but full of crap, which makes you drink cow,s urine,
which makes you worship sexual organs.
Come to truth and convert to christianity

Posted by: George | August 31, 2008 10:59 PM

As a Deist Hindu meat eating Brahmin who attended a Catholic school in
India and now lives as a citizen of the US, a country with a Christian
majority, actively promoting Hindu extremism in India, Deb Chatterjee
gets an A plus in hypocrisy.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 31, 2008 10:59 PM

As long as a low caste Hindu remains as Hindu he could never escape
the caste system in India no matter how rich and educated he may be.
Luckily Hindu extremists are still not the majority, and most Hindus
are peace loving people who find it normal to live with people of
other religious faiths as they have done for at least two and a half
thousand years, with Buddhism and Jainism becoming major non-Hindu
religions within India.
The Deb Chatterjees among Hindus who preach intolerance and hatred are
no different from the Muslim extremists who preach intolerance and
hatred.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 31, 2008 10:51 PM

Said Deb Chatterjee, the "Deist Hindu meat eating Brahmin from
Kolkotta resident in the US":
"The BJP is hated by the minorities simply because the BJP wants
equity (at least on paper) between majority and minority by regarding
them as equal citizens of India."
Allegedly the sinister less public face of BJP:
The BJP would like to make a Hindu version of Saudi Arabia out of
India, where Hindu caste system reigns supreme and apostasy/conversion
to other religions is forbidden by law and punished with
indiscriminate death and destruction of property to any member of the
group they can target, not just the person who has converted.
Forced reconversion to Hinduism on pain of death and destruction of
property of members of non-Hindu religions.
Legal banning of religious freedom except for Hindus.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 31, 2008 10:44 PM

Ender,
India must act with pragmatism. Complaining to USA for Pakistan's
sponsorship of Muslim terrorism shows weakness in India's democracy.
If such incidents happen, then a strong, democratically elected
Government should actually shoot/hang these terrorists in public, and
then send their bodies back to their parent state, Pakistan. All India
does, or at least has been doing in the recent past, is to complain to
Uncle Sam to declare Pakistan as a terrorist state. India does not
have a Muslim policy. Rather I would state that India's Hindu majority
does not have a comprehensive policy on Muslims. The contradiction
that we as outsiders see is that many Hindus, when they think of
Muslims, they cite individuals as Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Dr. APJ
Kalam, Azim Premji, Shah Rukh Khan, Amjad Ali, Zakir Hussain, Irfan
Pathan etc. and etc. These Muslim luminiaries have co-religionists who
have butchered Kashmiri Hindu pandits, bombed Mumbai, Varanasi,
Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Hyderabad, New Delhi, raised call for Shariah as a
parallel system of Muslim personal law, have taken benefit of the
largesse of the quota system in jobs/education, and at the same time
portrayed themselves as victims (or Islam as a victim) when any crisis
rose. It is ironic to see that whenever a communal riot happens, by
default it is the Hindu who must be at fault because s/he belongs to
the numerical majority in India. This is the image of Muslims before
Hindus. Of course Muslims like the Congress party, as they stoop to
any level to appease Muslims & minorities. The BJP is hated by the
minorities simply because the BJP wants equity (at least on paper)
between majority and minority by regarding them as equal citizens of
India.
On this score, I am linking a NYT article here that discusses the
recent situation of the Dalits (untouchables) in India.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/30/world/asia/30caste.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1
The hero of the article, Chandra Bhan Prasad, says that economic
globalization would shatter their inferior caste status. (I recommend
that all read this NYT article on Dalits. It is heartening to read,
and muse the typical misleading and outdated information that
Anonymous is referring to.)

This image should not be the instigation to raise hell with
Christians, who have largely been peaceful and law-abiding citizens of
India. The Orissa incident is unfortunate; however it appears that
Anonymous et. al. are trying to hijack the Kashmir issue by needlessly
referring to the Orissa problem into the discussion on this Kashmir
blog.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 31, 2008 6:51 PM

ENDER, another Hindu extremist who would like to convert India into a
Hindu version of Saudi Arabia or Iran? Keep the lower caste Hindus
trapped in their low status for another four thousand years at least?
Posted by: Anonymous | August 31, 2008 10:31 AM

Are you the owner of The Washington Post by any chance, ENDER, the non-
Anonymous blogger?
Posted by: Anonymous | August 31, 2008 10:28 AM

ender:
Except when under Muslim rule, Indai never invaded any other nation in
war of aggression to seize their resources or spread Hindusim.(Sri
Lanka may be an exception, but it was traditionally part of India)
Muslims have attempted to overthrow the gov't of every nation they
have ever established a population in, and have spread Islam on the
point of a sword since inception. Like Abraham, Mohammed was first and
formost a tribal warlord.
I think all religion should be nonobtrusive, nonevangelican and
nonpolitical by law everywhere, but, I know that I have nothing to
fear from a Hindu nation.
The same is not and has never been true of any nation where any of the
Cults of Abraham are predominate.

Posted by: Anonymous | August 31, 2008 10:26 AM

Anonymous posting shouldn't be allowed. Anonymity is the perview of
cowards and terrorist. Grow a pair and use a consistent screen name.
In the mean time, I can only respond to Deb C.
I wish India much success in resisting the terroritst forces of Islam
and the evangelical and intolerant nature of all of the Cults of
Abraham. They are the blight of the modern world that would keep us
all in the dark ages of repression and Empirical Rulers.
Posted by: ender | August 31, 2008 10:08 AM

What needs to be exposed repeatedly are the lies used by Hindu
extremist Brahmins/high caste Hindus to prevent anyone from helping
the lower caste Hindus. Under the false pretext of not "cheating" the
lower caste Hindus, the high caste Hindus would keep them trapped in
their lower caste. Sure the high caste Hindus do not want to "cheat"
the lower caste Hindus of their low status.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 31, 2008 9:07 AM

Four thousand years of the Hindu caste system did nothing for the
Dalits or other lower castes. What hypocrisy on the part of a Hindu
extremist Brahmin like Deb Chatterjee to talk of the "harm" done by
Christian missionaries, who are the only ones who have cared enough to
go out and help the lower castes.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 31, 2008 9:04 AM

Deb Chatterjee:
What Hindu extremists like you supposedly want is to convert India
into a Hindu version of Saudi Arabia and Iran!
Posted by: Anonymous | August 31, 2008 8:59 AM

Deb Chatterjee:
You have constantly wanted the US to keep Muslim extremists out. The
US should keep Hindu extremists like you out as well.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 31, 2008 8:55 AM

Deb Chatterjee:
You are a religious hypocrite filled with hatred and intolerance no
different from the Muslim extremists you so love to call barbaric.
You don't understand Christianity, you have never read the Bible, and
yet you write as if you understood it better than Christians.
You as a Brahmin stand to gain by keeping the lower caste Hindus
trapped in their low caste status. You pretend to be interested in the
welfare of the lower caste when you would do absolutely nothing for
them. You benefited from a Christian education, you live in a country
with a Christian majority, you promote hatred and intolerance in
India. You ought to cringe with the shame of your hypocrisy, yet you
sound so self-righteous! Sickening. It makes me want to throw up. I
had expected something better from you, a Hindu Brahmin, exposed to
the multi-faith culture of the United States.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 31, 2008 8:52 AM

Interestingly, the Hurriyat leader (Sheikh Abdul
Aziz) was killed by his own Mohammedan ilk.
The Times of India, not a BJP mouthpiece, had this report
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/JK_situation_far_less_serious_than_projected_Narayanan/articleshow/3425475.cms
If one reads the report on this link it becomes clear that Aziz was
murdered because he was not toeing the hardline militants whose agenda
was to secede Kashmir from India to merge with the failed, Muslim
terrorist state of Pakistan. Aziz may have had different viewpoints
that the Pakis did not like and the militants shot him from the back.
Of course , it waws heaped on India to deflect any blame and gainfully
employ the slaughter of Aziz to whip up anti-India passions and
favoring the failed call for secession.
Again: if Kashmir secedes, India must declare itself as a Hindu state.
This Muslim barbarism has been going on for 60 years. It is time to
stamp this bloodlust now.
The situation in Orissa, according to anonymous, is caused by a Muslim
Maoist (Azad) and then the blame is coming on Christians. Well, if
that is true then such is unfortunate, but Anonymous has not linked
any site which reports this news. Thus, that information appears to
lack credibility.
Christian missionaries actually cheat the poor low caste Hindus
(Dalits). I am not supporting the Hindu caste system that
discriminates people. But, using ruses to falsely mislead the
uneducated, poor Hindus into believing that Jesus has more power to
rid their sorrows, is a crock of garbage. No one is resenting
conversion. But if someone gets converted through the lure of money or
threat, then such is an abuse of power and as such deceit cannot be
allowed. Did Jesus advocate deceit in conversion ? Of course Christina
missionaries are claiming that they are doing social service. Then why
use Jesus and God to further such agenda ? Doesn't one of the Ten
Commandments prohibit taking the name of the Lord (the God of the
Bible) in vain ?
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 31, 2008 12:33 AM
Repo
In an Orissa daily in India, Maoist leader Azad (a Muslim name) has
claimed responsibility for killing of the VHP (Hindu) leader. Revenge
attacks by Hindus have however been directed at Christians.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 30, 2008 4:30 AM

August 28, 2008
INDIA – Violence against Christians Escalating in Orissa State
On August 23, widespread violence erupted against Christians following
the assassination of World Hindu Council leader Swami Lakshmananda
Saraswati, the alleged mastermind behind the December 2007 attacks on
believers in Kandhamal, Orissa State. Saraswati was killed with four
of his followers. 30 men believed to be Maoist extremists, stormed a
religious center in Kandhamal and opened fire, VOM contacts reported.
“Despite evidence indicating that Maoists are responsible for
Saraswati’s murder, several Hindu militant groups have blamed
Christians,” VOM contacts said. “As a result, Hindu militants have
launched attacks on Christians throughout the state, setting buildings
on fire and beating and killing believers in at least 12 districts.
The Voice of the Martyrs has been receiving numerous reports on this
developing crisis. At present, it is difficult to know the full extent
of what is happening to Christians in Orissa State.
VOM contacts reported churches, mission buildings and schools
throughout the state have been damaged or destroyed in the attacks. In
the village of Nuagaon, Kandhamal district, extremists set fire to a
social centre in the village after violating a nun who was at the
facility. The Bethel Association, a Christian orphanage in the
district of Rayagada, was burned to the ground. The mission was home
to 150 children, many of them from families who have suffered
persecution for their faith.
In Bargarh district, another orphanage was torched and a young woman
was burned alive after she was thrown inside the building when she
tried to protect the children. At least 20 churches have reportedly
been destroyed, but the extent of the damage in Orissa State has not
been ascertained as reports continue to be released from the affected
regions.
VOM contacts report more than 50 homes belonging to Christians have
been reportedly burned to the ground by extremists in the village of
Rupagaon, Kandhamal alone. \“A paralyzed man was unable to escape his
burning house and was killed. Houses have also been ransacked, pelted
with stones and vandalized throughout the state. Christian-owned shops
have been torched and looted. Many Christians have fled their homes
and are seeking refuge in the jungle. Although police have attempted
to protect Christians and end the attacks in Orissa, the violence has
continued to occur. Militant groups have blocked roads with logs in
order to keep the police away. Christian groups continue to beseech
government authorities to intervene and end the violence,” VOM
contacts added.
Similar attacks erupted on Christmas Eve 2007 after Hindu extremists
targeted Christian homes and churches. Four Christians were killed,
many injured and numerous homes and churches destroyed or damaged in
the violent clashes that lasted five days. More than 18 churches and
prayer houses were ransacked and torched in several areas of Kandhamal
district in Orissa. In the past Hindu extremists have used anti-
conversion laws to terrorize Christians.
VOM is working to gather information on these attacks and provide
assistance to believers affected. Following the December attacks VOM
provided assistance, by distributing thousands of Bibles and
supporting some families that lost loves ones during the attack,
through VOM’s Family of Martyrs fund. VOM encourages you to continue
praying for believers affected by the attacks. Ask God to protect
believers who facing great challenges. Thank God for their
faithfulness, and ask Him to provide for their needs.
http://www.persecutionblog.com/2008/08/india-violence.html
Posted by: Anonymous | August 30, 2008 4:10 AM

The Hindu organizations most responsible for violence against
Christians in India are the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Hindu
Council, VHP), the Bajrang Dal, and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh
(National Volunteer Corps, RSS). According to a former RSS member,
these groups cannot be divorced from the ruling BJP party: "There is
no difference between the BJP and RSS. BJP is the body. RSS is the
soul, and the Bajrang Dal is the hands for beating."
http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia/History/Current_Affairs/Current_affairs.html
"Christians are the new scapegoat in India's political battles.
Without immediate and decisive action by the government, communal
tensions will continue to be exploited for political and economic
ends. "
Smita Narula
Researcher, Asia Division of Human Rights Watch
http://hrw.org/english/docs/1999/09/30/india1626.htm
Posted by: Anonymous | August 30, 2008 4:07 AM

There is great reason to fear that Hindu and Muslim extremists in
India would use Christians as scapegoats for the violence they
inflict. It is after all easy for Hindu extremists to attack
Christians for fear of Muslim revenge attacks if they targeted
extremist Muslims involved in any violence. Christians have never
attacked anyone. Since Hindu extremists fear Muslim retaliation, they
use Christians as scapegoats.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 30, 2008 3:57 AM

Deb Chatterjee:
Militant Hindus are using violence to stop Christian missionaries from
helping the poor and needy in North India.
Should it be a crime if a low caste Hindu wants to escape a religion
that condemns them to a low status in the sight of God, condemns them
to many lifetimes to escape their plight in this world?
Does it take rocket science to understand why high caste Hindus want
to maintain the power they have enjoyed for four thousand years by
virtue of their being born into their caste alone?
Posted by: Anonymous | August 29, 2008 7:57 PM

Deb Chatterjee:
You have evaded the question why innocent Gujrathi Muslims are being
punished for atrocities committed in Kashmir many decades ago.

Why should innocent Indian Muslims be punished for what some Muslim
invaders and some Muslim rulers did many centuries ago? Remember the
British ruled for 200 years before Indian independence, so any Muslim
wrongdoing was before that. The ordinary Indian Muslims are not guilty
of any crime and they have lived at peace with their neighbors of all
religions for centuries.
It doesn't take rocket science to understand why high caste Hindus do
not want low caste H indtus to covert to religions which do not have a
caste system. Helping the poor and needy is not an integral part of
Hindu religion. Hindus, although they do not harm anyone of other
religions or castes, help only people of their own caste generally and
consider the plight of the poor and lower castes as their Karma, the
suffering earned due to bad deeds in their previous life.
Should you not be happy when the poor are helped? The high caste
Hindus after all don't care about them at all. What spiritual merit is
there in wanting to keep people trapped in their low caste?
You have taken advantage of the best Christian education in India, you
live in a country with a Christian majority and yet you spread hatred
and intolerance in your homeland, where you would not want to return
to anyway.
In what way is your hatred and intolerance different from the hatred
and intolerance of the Muslim extremists you condemn? I see none.
Think about it. Militant extremism has the same ugly face and logic of
hatred and intolerance, no matter from which religion it stems. Your
Hinduism does not shield you from hatred. Most of your genuine peace
loving must feel embarrassed about how you portray their religion of
peace and universal acceptance.
The UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights grants every human being
the right to change religions, not just practice any religion.
In what way is your idea of forbidding conversions different from the
Sharia Law for apostasy that you so love to call barbaric. Isn't it
barbaric for any Hindu to forbid conversion?
Posted by: Anonymous | August 29, 2008 7:49 PM

George.
Deal with your issues about your mother with your shrink. I really
don't need to hear that kinda redneck bs
Posted by: ender | August 29, 2008 7:35 PM

I have been reading Bengali Dhoti which incidently still must have the
crap of many days on it (as hindus donot clean their rear end after
they go for #2 and are full of BO. I would also agree with another
blogger who has said that how smelly and hairy their women are, as it
is not mandatory for them to take shower after they have been
scr......). I can swear by Almighty Allah that Dhoti is a Kashmiri
Batta (pundit). You coward hindu, you should identify yourself or get
back to your creepy , filthy land called land of snake charmers, to
spread this hatred. You have no material to support your arguments and
are ranting the same fricking words everytime you post a blog. You
have not answered any of the allegations Mr. Khan and others have
levelled against your filthy faith.There are no pundits left in the
world. They have lost their identity for ever and thank God for that.
If anybody ever is going to help them to reclaim their identity, it
will not be BJP, RSS or sick people like you, it will only those
Kashmiri Muslims, but they should never get this filth back to our
sacred land.So please stop spreading this hatred and get back to your
job, whatever you might be doing. I can also imagine that you must be
either unemployed or getting paid by RSS of India to have so much of
time in your hand to spread hatred against the Muslims. You have no
balls to say anything against those Christians who are converting
thousands of people of weak and baseless faith called Hindus. You know
uncle Sam may be watching you, you coward.
Posted by: Koshur | August 29, 2008 7:33 PM

Hey you indian crap whatever your name is. You are blaming every
religion for attrocities against hindus. If you are so intolerant to
christians why the hell you are here. You should get out of this
country along with your ugly, fat, hairy and stinking females.
Posted by: George | August 29, 2008 6:45 PM

News in Kashmir Times. Published from Jammu
Editor Ved Bhasin. Not a muslim or a pakistani.

SRINAGAR, Aug 28: A 5 year old boy was picked up and brutally thrashed
by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel in Batamaloo for
what the security men said 'harassment' by the young boy.
Despite the repeated pleas of the people in the locality, the CRPF men
refused to let go the boy who was detained in a security bunker and
whose screams were audible in the area. It was only after the
intervention of Deputy Inspector General (DIG) that his troopers
released the 5 year boy from Batamaloo.
The boy had been severely beaten for defying curfew. CRPF maintained
that the boy was harassing the troopers.
Some residents of Batamaloo called up Kashmir Times and informed that
the troopers of CRPF, enforcing curfew in the area, picked up a 5 year
old boy this afternoon while he was venturing in the bus stand area of
Batamaloo.
The caller said the troopers were beating the boy severely. "He was
screaming that they will kill him," the caller told Kashmir Times. "If
they will not release him, we will defy curfew and attack the CRPF
bunker where from we can hear the screams of the boy," the caller
added.
Kashmir Times called upon DIG of CRPF MP Nathiel and reported the
incident. He rushed to the spot and rescued the boy. "I reached
Batamaloo and found that my troopers had detained the boy " Nathiel
told Kashmir Times from the spot adding, "He used to throw stones at
our troopers and harass them."
DIG said that he asked the Commanding Officer of the CRPF unit in the
area to drop the boy at his home. "I thank you people for informing
me. Otherwise situation would have turned something different," the
officer added.
Bengali babua, When your 5 year old will be treated in a same way you
will know what occupation is. When your kids will be in killed in your
wife's womb then you will know what slavery.
You are a luck creep who would have been creeping in the filth of
India like other millions of Indian, you should thank your sexy
devilish gods that you are here. I hope and pray every indian
undergoes the same pain and trauma you guys are inflicting on innocent
kashmiri muslims. You are just demanding what you creeps have promised
them.

Posted by: Khan | August 29, 2008 6:42 PM

Except when under Muslim rule, Indai never invaded any other nation in
war of aggression to seize their resources or spread Hindusim.(Sri
Lanka may be an exception, but it was traditionally part of India)
Muslims have attempted to overthrow the gov't of every nation they
have ever established a population in, and have spread Islam on the
point of a sword since inception. Like Abraham, Mohammed was first and
formost a tribal warlord.
I think all religion should be nonobtrusive, nonevangelican and
nonpolitical by law everywhere, but, I know that I have nothing to
fear from a Hindu nation.
The same is not and has never been true of any nation where any of the
Cults of Abraham are predominate.
Posted by: ender | August 29, 2008 1:01 PM

The Christian missionaries are spreading hatred against Hindus and
using money to convert the poor and gullible in India. This causes
outrage and resulting in clashes and skirmishes (as now in Orissa).
The following detailed video is here for any one to take a look:

Shame on such fake conversions and those who exploit the benign
society in India !
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 29, 2008 12:06 PM

Anonymous wrote:
"Why should innocent Gujrathi Muslims have to be punished for Hindus
killed many decades ago in Kashmir?"
Justice is the modern form of "revenge". Innocent Kashmiri Hindus were
butchered at the hands of Hizb-i-Islami, Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, Harkat-ul-
Mujahadeen and other Pakistan sponsored terrorist groups. (These
groups have at the times of the gruesome incidents, claimed
responsibility.) The complete fault lies not with the terrorists, but
the charade of diplomacy between India and Pakistan, denials and
accussations and further denials and accussations. However at the end
no one cared for the Hindu pandits, and they left their ancestral
homes in tears only to settle as refugees in the trans-Jamuna
extension of New Delhi and were "granted asylum". Imagine how
ludicrous/asinine it is to grant a citizen of a country asylum in his/
her own country. The US State Department Human Rights Watch never in
their annual reports acknowledged this slaughter and the Government of
India (manned by dhotiwallahs) never cared.
Thus, indegenous Hindu "extremist" groups have emerged to "set the
wrongs right". Is it fair ? No. But it is equally unfair to treat
Kashmiri Hindu pandits as second class citizens in their own country.
Muslims are surely much elevated in the social status, given the
backing of Pakistan's terrorist groups, and, Indian Government's quota
for jobs/education and even Hajj money (for pilgrimage). The last part
is very hilarious. Everybody knows that Islam is against polytheism
and Hindus by formal definition can be labelled as "idol worshippers".
The Quran [009:005],[047:004] says that such people should be
converted or put to death (if they refuse to accept Islam). So, the
contradiction is that when a federally elected government doles out
Hajj money, it comes also from the tax money of the Hindus who are
labelled as enemies of Islam because they are polytheists. But, Muslim
Wakf boards have no shame. They continue to take the money for Hajj
from those (Hindus) against whose religious rituals the whole doctrine
of Islam is founded. The "extremist" Hindu groups are also getting
"silent" support because the people know that government at New Delhi
will not care for the majority. The various parties, except the BJP,
will cater to the Muslim vote bank. The Kashmiri Hindus have been used
as canon fodder by the Government in this political power play between
Pakistan and India. The faith in the Government in protecting its
majority citizens (Hindus) have eroded long ago. Thus, the people have
taken it upon themselves who would do "something" that the Government
for some status quo would not do. This is unfortunate, and hence what
you see is what is expected to happen.
Also, the collective memory of the Hindus on the Islamic (mis)rule of
India has not been erased. To forget the heritage of the rich cultural
history of Hindus, and the tyranny of Muslim rulers, is suicide. So,
far Hindus have not fallen prey to such politically correct
claptraps.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 29, 2008 10:07 AM

The problem with Hindu extremists is that they are supposedly avenging
the violence done by Muslims three or four centuries ago.
Why should innocent Gujrathi Muslims have to be punished for Hindus
killed many decades ago in Kashmir?
Posted by: Anonymous | August 28, 2008 11:44 PM

The misinformation that Arabs invented all mathematics and gave it to
Europeans has been propagated over and over again.
The truth is mathematics was far advanced in India many centuries
before the birth of Islam.
Since Hindus neither conquered lands nor spread their faith and
knowledge to other countries, it remained in India. When Muslims
conquered India, with the political conquest that went with spread of
Islam, they gained access to the knowledge of Hindus in India. It was
carried back to Arabia, and in a typical Islamic style, everything
they conquered became Islamic, so did Indian mathematics.
Zero was invented by Indian Hindus, so was advanced mathematics and
algebra. Arabs only created the numerals to represent the mathematics
that was available in India, represented with Indian numerals which
was considerably more complex.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 28, 2008 11:41 PM

Quack followers of Islam have started to recycle the NYT articles from
2002 by Celia Dugger. Of course this is the blogsite of Eboo Patel, a
Muslim of Indian extractions, and who has lamented over Gujarat riots.
Never mind that nothing in the past 6 years has been proven against
Narendra Modi in a court of law, and regardless of the Muslim
hysteria, one often forgets the Akshardham shooting on innocent Hindu
devotees by Muslim criminal terrorists, and prior to that the burning
of the Sabarmati express. The Muslim vote bank in India makes the
pseudosecularists dance wild. So, it is always that the majority
(Hindus) who have to bow before the Muslim pathos. No tears are shed
for the slaughter of the Kashmiri Hindu pandits by the pseudosecular
politicians of India. (I don't know if Eboo Patel will allow this post
to appear. But, let's see.)

Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 28, 2008 11:39 PM

The new york Times report
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DE0DC1F3EF93AA15757C0A9649C8B63
Allaho akbar
Lanatullah allal hinduin
Discord Over Killing of India Muslims Deepens

By CELIA W. DUGGER
Published: April 29, 2002
Leaders of the Hindu nationalist-led government have warned Western
nations in recent days to stop lecturing India about the official
failure to prevent Hindu mobs from killing hundreds of Muslims. But
the issue refuses to die.
In the last week, more than 40 people have perished in the continuing
violence, in the western state of Gujarat. The official death toll in
the last two months has risen to 900. More than 100,000 people, mostly
Muslims, are estimated to have fled to relief camps.
On Tuesday, Parliament will debate whether the Hindu nationalist
Bharatiya Janata Party -- which has led a national coalition
government for most of the last four years and controls the state of
Gujarat, its last major state stronghold -- has been complicit in the
carnage.
Though the government is expected to defeat a motion critical of its
role, the party's leaders are on the defensive. The issue has eclipsed
all others, even India's military buildup along its border with
Pakistan and the still real possibility of armed conflict between the
two countries.
Bharatiya Janata, which has prided itself on raising India's prestige
in the world beginning with the decision to test nuclear weapons in
1998, is now clearly worried that the nation's good name is being
besmirched.
''Let no one use this tragedy to make such sweeping generalizations
about the happenings in India that they demoralize Indians and present
a wrong picture of India abroad,'' Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee
said on Saturday.
A Foreign Ministry spokeswoman accused European countries on Wednesday
of interfering in India's internal affairs by deliberately leaking
critical evaluations of events in Gujarat and publicly voicing concern
about the violence there.
Indian officials were particularly stung by the leak of a confidential
assessment by British diplomats who estimated the death toll at 2,000,
more than twice the official tally, and said the anti-Muslim violence
had been planned and carried out with the state government's support.
The sharpness of India's diplomatic rebuke was surprising, since
public comments by officials from other governments have generally
been limited to expressions of concern about the violence that echo
those of India's own leaders.
In his only public remarks about Gujarat, the American ambassador,
Robert Blackwill, said on April 17: ''All our hearts go out to the
people who were affected by this tragedy. I don't have anything more
to say than that.''
The Foreign Ministry and party officials contend that state officials
acted quickly to control outraged Hindu mobs seeking vengeance after
Muslims firebombed a trainload of Hindu activists on Feb. 27, killing
58.
I. D. Swami, a Bharatiya Janata member of Parliament and minister in
the government, noted in an interview that the party's state leaders
asked the central government to send in the army to help keep the
peace on Feb. 28, the night of the first and worst day of violence.
''When a reaction takes place in such a big dimension, it is not
possible for any state authority to control it,'' he said.
But in the last month a stream of damning reports by Indian human
rights groups, citizens' committees and the press have charged that
the party's most senior leaders in Gujarat let Hindu mobs go on the
rampage, raping Muslim girls and women, looting and bombing Muslim
homes and businesses and burning men, women and children alive.
The National Human Rights Commission, an independent group set up by
Parliament, scoffed at the state's contention that the crisis had been
brought under control within 72 hours and noted ''the widespread lack
of faith in the integrity of the investigating process.''
On Friday and Saturday, dozens of Muslim victims came to New Delhi,
the capital, at the behest of Sahamat, a nonprofit group, and publicly
told their stories. Many of these people echoed others who spoke out
earlier, testifying that the mobs were led by people from the
Bharatiya Janata Party and other organizations in its Hindu
nationalist family, particularly the World Hindu Congress and its
youth wing, the Bajrang Dal.
Eleven-year-old Raja Bundubhai told of hiding behind a door as he
watched his mother and sister skewered with swords and burned alive.
Ibrahim Bhai Ismail Bhai Ganchi told in a choked voice about the
murder of his father, uncle, brother, sister and cousin.
Arif Bhai Pathan, 13, watched as his parents and grandfather were
slaughtered. Before his father was killed, Arif said his father was
ordered to say, ''Jai Shri Ram'' -- meaning ''Hail Ram,'' the Hindu
god. ''He refused and he was hacked to death,'' Arif said.
Despite the demand by the political opposition and several of the
Bharatiya Janata Party's largest allies for the resignation of
Narendra Modi, Gujarat's chief minister, the party has backed him to
the hilt.
While the issue is not expected to threaten the government's survival,
Bharatiya Janata is under fire not just from the opposition and the
left wing, but also from the staid judiciary and civil service.
At a meeting on Friday at the India International Center, A. M.
Ahmadi, a retired chief justice of the Supreme Court, condemned the
government's attempt to silence its critics abroad. ''It's the duty of
the international community to raise its voice,'' he said.
Harsh Mander, a civil servant who resigned to protest what happened in
Gujarat, declared: ''I would like to testify that no riot can go on
for more than a few hours without active state complicity. It's a
crime which is difficult to describe.''

Posted by: khan | August 28, 2008 11:08 PM

Khan:
Where Did Zero Come From?
13 Eastern philosophy embraced the ideas feared by the Greeks. Because
the concept of the Infinite and the Void were so threatening to Greek
beliefs about the nature of reality and the existence of God, the
Greeks were unable to grapple with the idea of a number which contains
both. Hinduism, in contrast, was comfortable with duality. The gods of
Creation and Destruction were complementary elements of the Hindu
universe. They believed that the ultimate goal of the human soul was
to reunite with the One or infinite and to let go of individuality and
fall into the void. The numeral zero did not challenge Hindu world
view and so was easily accepted. Far from remaining a simple
placeholder, zero was reincarnated in India as a number. In addition,
Indian mathematicians were largely interested in numbers stripped of
geometric rules. This allowed them to include negative numbers in
their calculations and to give zero its place on the number line.
14 As Rome fell the Islamic world ascended. The Muslims learned from
and in conquest. They established a translation bureau in the House of
Wisdom in Baghdad that focused primarily on the works of the Greek
mathematicians. Their knowledge of the mathematics of India resulted
in their adoption of the Hindu numbering system. The Al-jabr written
by Muslim scholar Al-Khwarizmi (on linear and quadratic equations) and
Omar Khayyam's treatise on algebra (on cubic equations) came from this
fertilization of ideas. The dissemination of algorithms (tricks and
devices for multiplying and dividing Hindu numerals) also helped
spread the Hindu system through the Arab world. Zero traveled along.
--- from To infinity and beyond: The history of zero by Barbara Nolan
Thought you might want to know the seminal contribution of Hindu
thought to civilization.
And now back to our regular programming ....
Posted by: Dolivaw | August 28, 2008 4:28 PM

Ender's Rant..
We’ve seemed to have kicked this dead horse long enough, while
avoiding the real issue.
Let’s start with Kosovo/Yugoslavia. Against the wishes of NATO and
most of the Western World, Clinton almost unilaterally used US troops
to STOP GENOCIDE OF MUSLIMS BY CHRISTIANS.
I’ve yet to hear the Islamic world singing his praises for this step,
but whatever.
What Clinton did, was intervene in a local cultural war that has been
ongoing for more than 500 years. The area has gone back and forth
between the rule of Catholics, Greek Orthodox, and Muslims and each
time the leadership has changed, atrocities and genocide were
committed in retaliation for the oppression suffered under the
previous ruler.
Our Moron in Chief, could not understand what his father did, that
Sunnis in Iraq will fight to the death rather than live under Shia
rule, because they know the reprisals for 50 yrs of repression under
Saddam is due them by the Shias. They know it. They would do the same
thing. Muslims are killing Muslims at a higher rate than we managed,
because we really did expect them all ‘to just get along’ after we
took out their dictator.
More than 6 million Christian and Animist Africans have been
exterminated by Muslims in Africa. The Islamic world considers them
immoral and primitive, and says not one word to make it end.
Now, the Crux:
The Islamic world considers the west immoral, secular and pampered.
The Western World considers the Islamic world primitive, intolerant
and violent.
We are engaged in a new phase of the culture wars that began with
Muhammed’s declaration that it was the duty of each Muslim to carry
the torch of Islam to all of the world. He recognized the zealous and
racist nature of the early Catholicism, and sought to protect his own
culture and tribe by spreading a religion that put a premium on Arabic
values, and even the Arabic language.
Meanwhile, the Catholics, French, Italian and Greek/Eastern, fought
over control of the seat of the religion, the Papisty, because that
granted a boost to the survival chances of their respective cultures.
And HERE WE ARE FOLKS! 1500 YEARS LATER! ENGAGED IN THE SAME CULUTRE
WARS!
I’m an equal opportunity cultural bigot myself. I think all religions
are created by men to control men. I am perfectly willing to fight to
the death, murder, maim and terrorize in order to make sure that I and
my progeny can live in a SECULAR nation where not religion or
religiously directed moralities are forced upon us.
I believe that anything good that has come out of any Abrahamic
religion has been as a result of Secular enlightenment overcoming the
true base and tribal natures of the religions.
Islam has a habit of making any state where it gains a majority adopt
Islamic law and custom.
I’m here to tell you that as long as the US has technological
superiority, I will support using it to the stop the spread of Islamic
control into new areas.
I will do everything in my power to fight the intrusion of any
religion, whether Christian or Islamic, into the governance of the
Secular Nation of the United States.
I have only to look at the current world, where some of the worlds
richest nations, such as Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait and Oman, to see
wealthy and pampered youth, wasting all their energy on hate, for
Israel and disdain for the modernization that the secular, western
world offers. The peoples of the repressive nation of Iran at least
seek secular education and realize that without the scientific and
technological advancements the west has made available in the last
hundred years, the deserts they inhabit could not support the
populations they do.
I consider Islam a failed culture. The same goes for Christianity, but
that it has evolved into Christianity ‘light’, and is more a religion
of Capitalism than Abraham.
I have met and spoken to a large number of Muslims whom have left
Islamic nations that practice Sharia law, and in private at least,
they admit that Islam as practiced in the Middle East, is
Fundamentalist, and used by rulers to maintain and iron fisted control
over the populace.
I revile the US support of the Terrorist State of Israel. But, when al
Queada, the Taliban and Osama attacked us on US soil, they renewed an
ancient culture war that they cannot win. Or president should have
wiped the Taliban off the face of the planet in Afghanistan, put
pressure on Saudi to stop the funding for them. We should have made
fresh new friends with their enemy, Saddam, and made sure he was
strong enough to stand up against the Taliban in Saudi Arabia in case
they gain a stronger hand.
You claim that Islam is tolerant and peaceful. Well, I would love to
see that. In the meantime, any Islamic mullah that preaches violent
jihad should be immediately deported to the middle of the Pacific
Ocean, along with any ignorant followers that have returned for more
than one dose of his vitriol.
Any nation that support the Taliban, or any other fundamentalist group
should be given a chance to repent, as in put them all in jail and
stop all gov’t support, or face suspension of trade and concessions
with the promise of military intervention if necessary to protect our
interest.
We should stop all monetary and political support for Israel. They
have more than 300 nuclear war heads and don’t need our help.
The only way to avoid the coming debacle of an all out cultural war
between east and west is the Modernization and Secularization of
Islam.
Otherwise, we will see if your religious faith can survive without
your icons when Mecca is a glass parking lot that will glow in the
dark for 10,000 years, and Tehran gives of a brilliant glow at
midnight.

Posted by: ender | August 28, 2008 3:09 PM

Anon Christian,
Repetition is a major element of education. Unfortunately some
"thumpers" constantly repeat the myths of the NT, OT, Koran and the
Book of Mormon/Moroni which requires a counter comment with reality
and history. Deal with it and learn something while doing so!!!!!
Posted by: Concerned The Christian Now Liberated | August 28, 2008
1:00 PM

Mr. Concerned Christian.
I know you are not a real Christian the way you write. Christians
donot write like that.You may turn out to be a fox under the garb of a
lamb. That what people like you have done all along. Stop writing the
same thing time and again. Do you have anything new to say. Please do
so. You are really getting boring and occupying lot of space in this
column
Posted by: Anonymous Christian | August 28, 2008 12:12 PM

religious riots = oxymormon
religion is satan's tool and the root of all evil
Posted by: Roy | August 28, 2008 7:27 AM

To: Khan the Con/Cave Man
Islam 101-
Mohammed (Mahound in Sir Salman Rushdie's "Satanic Verses) was an
illiterate, womanizing, lust and greed-driven, warmongering,
hallucinating Arab, who also had embellishing/hallucinating/
plagiarizing scribal biographers who not only added "angels" aka
"pretty, wingie thingies" and flying chariots to the koran but also a
militaristic agenda to support the plundering and looting of the lands
of non-believers.
This agenda continues as shown by the assassination of Bhutto, the
conduct of the seven Muslim doctors in the UK, the 9/11 terrorists,
the 24/7 Sunni suicide/roadside/market/mosque bombers, the 24/7 Shiite
suicide/roadside/market/ mosque bombers, the Islamic bombers of the
trains in the UK and Spain, the Bali crazies, the Kenya crazies, the
Pakistani “koranics”, the Palestine suicide bombers/rocketeers, the
Lebanese nutcases, the Taliban nut jobs, and the Filipino “koranics”.

And who funds this muck and stench of terror? The warmongering,
Islamic, Shiite terror and torture theocracy of Iran aka the Third
Axis of Evil and also the Sunni "Wannabees" of Saudi Arabia.
Current crises:
The Sunni-Shiite blood feud and the warmongering, womanizing (11
wives), hallucinating founder
Added reading material- Ayaan Hirsi Ali's autobiography, "Infidel".
"Thus begins the extraordinary story of a woman born into a family of
desert nomads, circumcised as a child, educated by radical imams in
Kenya and Saudi Arabia, taught to believe that if she uncovered her
hair, terrible tragedies would ensue. It's a story that, with a few
different twists, really could have led to a wretched life and a
lonely death, as her grandmother warned. But instead, Hirsi Ali
escaped -- and transformed herself into an internationally renowned
spokeswoman for the rights of Muslim women."
ref: Washington Post book review.
three excerpts:
p. 47 paperback issue:
"Some of the Saudi women in our neighborhood were regularly beaten by
their husbands. You could hear them at night. Their screams resounded
across the courtyards. "No! Please! By Allah!"

p.68:
"The Pakistanis were Muslims but they too had castes. The Untouchable
girls, both Indian and Pakistani were darker skin. The others would
not play with them because they were untouchable. We thought that was
funny because of course they were touchable: we touched them see? but
also horrifying to think of yourself as untouchable, despicable to the
human race."

p. 347
"The kind on thinking I saw in Saudi Arabia and among the Brotherhood
of Kenya and Somalia, is incompatible with human rights and liberal
values. It preserves the feudal mind-set based on tribal concepts of
honor and shame. It rests on self-deception, hyprocricy, and double
standards. It relies on the technologial advances of the West while
pretending to ignore their origin in Western thinking. This mind-set
makes the transition to modernity very painful for all who practice
Islam".

Posted by: Concerned The Christian Now Liberated | August 28, 2008
4:00 AM

hi hafsa, i appreciate your article about valley and the heading its
not hindusim vs muslim is apt.we all know all is not well in kashmir.
its actually not muslim vs hindu. kashmir is the epitome of harmony.
be it known to all. kashmiri`s are the most hospitable people around.
coming to basics kashmir has again been used for pitty gains. what
hurriyat did to kashmir , amarnath sangarsh committee did to jammu.
both are equally responsible for the collateral damage. while hurriyat
who was reduced to non entity was struggling for survival in jammu its
was BJP who was searching for reasons for its survival in state as
well as in national level.
if only people would sit down and go by facts the so called
controversial order which has no controversy in it clearly states that
the land is not transfered but is given on rent for the period of two
months of yatra. the same land was otherwise also been used by yatries
for more than century.
its pitty people go by the wind rather than the rationale.

thanks.

Posted by: ahmed | August 28, 2008 1:58 AM

How much better it would be if Deb Chatterjee used his influence and
his life experience in the United States to promote religious harmony
in India, doing real honor to Hinduism, instead of promoting
intolerance in his homeland while enjoying religious freedom in the
US, a country with Christian majority.
Is intolerance what the United States taught Deb Chatterjee, the
Hindu?
Posted by: Anonymous | August 28, 2008 12:18 AM

To the shame of Hinduism as the religion of universal tolerance and
acceptance it must be said that Hindu militants have been targeting
Christian missionaries working for the socially remote and downtrodden
low caste Hindus in various parts of the North, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar,
etc.
The violence is fueled by high caste Hindus acting in the background
in the name of preserving Hindu India.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 27, 2008 11:48 PM

Muslims must be remember that Hindus should react the way it is coming
ti be known because Hindu temples in India are under attack.
This is what the Muslims are doing to the Hindus and their lives

It is just natural reaction of Hindus who feel threatened in their own
homeland.
As I wrote, there needs to be a full-scale Indo-Pak war because India
is bleeding by thousand cuts from Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, and
also homegrown Islamic terrorism in Kashmir and elsewhere. A full-
scale war would probably be decisive.
A very authoritative video on Islam and terrorism is available here:

ISLAM IS A BARBARIC RELIGION.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 27, 2008 11:25 PM

BAGLA DHOTI SEE WHAT THESE PHALLIC WORSIPERS ARE DOING WATCH IT AND BE
ASHAMED OF YOUR ASSOSIATION
WITH SUCH CREEPY COUNTRY AND ITS CREEPY PEOPLE




Posted by: KHAN | August 27, 2008 10:56 PM

Islam is barbaric religion and other cultures/religions around the
world are truly becoming more violent by trying to catch up with
Islam. The militant brand of Hinduism, which was truly non-existent,
is a phenomenon from 1980s when Jana Sangh (predecessor of BJP) came
to power in 1977 thru what is know as Morarji Desai's Janata Party.
Upon ascension to power the Jana Sangh elements in Janata Party
realized that they needed to exist and hence tried to politicalize the
Hindus by appealing to Hindutva. The argument was that if in a
(formally) secular country Muslims can get away by doing anything,
like murdering, marrying endless number of times, taking umbrage under
their religion Islam, and using religion to further the separatist
mentality, why would Hindus be left behind ? It was a nasty thought:
but it did work. I believe that Shri Ashok Singhal-ji stated that if
all else being equal, what is preventing a Hindu for asserting his/her
Hinduness as Hindus are in majority in India ? His foreign travels
showed that everywhere the majority has a voice. Not so in India.
Singhal successfuly argued that Hindu culture and religion are
different. Singhal very persuasively appealed to the Muslim problem of
secessionism that he rightly claimed is based on the Shariah. Singhal
showed that democracies like India get weakened if a minority starts
to get more powers than the majority. The Kashmir problem and the then
Shah Bano case (where Congress Govt. overturned a Supreme Court ruling
against polygamy) were tell-tale incidents that Singhal exploited.
However Singhal was mostly right. Whereever Muslims have majority
abuse of human rights has been a hallmark. The state of minorities in
Bangladesh is quite an eye-opener. The link is at http://www.hrcbm.org/
which clearly details that all minorities are considered enemy of
Islam. Hindus have to give away 40% of any profit from selling land
and house property, if they are moving to India.
To retaliate Hindu organizations in India are paying back minorities
in the same coin. However I contend that the blame goes to Islam. It
is an intolerant and barbaric religion. All other cultures and
religions in its proximity become equally fundamentalist and
intolerant.
So, what's new ?
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 27, 2008 10:55 PM


Posted by: KHAN | August 27, 2008 10:41 PM

I missed this piece of gem from Aamir's post. The person wrote:
"What my faith tells me (and that is incidently Islam) to respect
other faiths."
Well, I cannot resist quoting from the Quran to demonstrate my deep
suspicions about how much "respect" Islam teaches its followers about
other faiths:
YUSUFALI: "If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (submission
to Allah), never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter He
will be in the ranks of those who have lost (All spiritual
good)." [Quran (003:085)].
Thus, one is simply unsure what kind of respect Islam has for other
religions if it simply rejects any other paths of faith.
I am not expceting any convincing answer other than the pedestrian
cliche "taken out of context".
This allegation, or that someone is "insulting Islam", seems to be a
panacea for all uncomfortable questions that can be posed by an
infidel.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 27, 2008 10:29 PM


http://youtu.be/GhmXn8t0K4Y
watch the links
Posted by: khan | August 27, 2008 10:26 PM


use the above link and see what these idiots are doing to minorties
Posted by: khan | August 27, 2008 10:24 PM

Bengali dhoti see
what biggest democracy is doing

Vatican describes Hindu attack on Christian orphanage as a 'sin
against God'
A senior Vatican official has described an arson attack on a Christian
orphanage in India that left a woman dead as "a sin against God and
humanity".

Last Updated: 3:44PM BST 26 Aug 2008
Monday's attack came after a strike by Hindu hardliners, who blamed
Christians for a Communist insurgency in the east of the country in
which a Hindu religious leader was killed last week.
A crowd had converged on the orphanage run by Christian missionaries,
told nearly 20 residents to leave, and then set it alight with an
elderly priest and a lay teacher locked inside.
The teacher, aged 21, died in the blaze while the priest was
hospitalised with bad burns. The orphanage was located in Khuntapali,
a village in Orissa state in the east of the country.
In an interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera,
Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran called the attack: "a sin against God and
humanity". He said it had no possible justification.
"Certainly religion cannot be invoked for crimes of this type," he
said. Cardinal Tauran heads the Vatican's council for inter-religious
dialogue.
An official statement from the Vatican was less blunt. "The Holy See
expresses reprehension for these actions which harm the dignity and
the freedom of people and compromise peaceful civilian coexistence,"
it said.
"I was in India three weeks ago, in New Delhi," Cardinal Tauran said.
"I met two Hindu religious groups and none of their spiritual leaders
spoke to me about such attacks, which are not occurring for the first
time
to minorties.
And guys hinduism is thr most tolerant religion. (my foot)
Posted by: khan | August 27, 2008 10:22 PM

Aamir wrote:
"It started very well till Mr. Chatterjee started personal attcks
against Islam. Since then it has become completely insane."
Well, as a Kashmiri Muslim you demonstrate some form of incapacity to
understand my position. Being critical of a doctrine (Islam) is
nothing wrong. We don't have to pleasant to each other's doctrines.
What is revered to you is barbaric to me and voce versa. I have not at
all attempted to express emotional distress at Khan's posts. Its
unpleasant, but he has the right to do so. Though I do not see how
worship of sex organs (lingam and yoni) has anything to do with the
secession of Kashmir from India. If an antiquated religious ritual is
important, then I think debating the issue is incorrect.

This form of acerbic critique of a religious doctrine is practiced in
western societies, as long as we are not personally attacking each
other. However I am sure that Muslims take it as a insult if someone
(infidel) is critical of Islam.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 27, 2008 9:20 PM

Deb Chatterjee's position as a Hindu Brahmin from Kolkotta (Calcutta),
who attended a Catholic school and lives in the United States, a
country with Christian majority, is unique.
He is seen to be encouraging and fueling religious intolerance in
India with the India-for-Hindus only extremist view. Instead of being
an agent of peace, he preaches intolerance, even against Christians in
India, although he benefited from a Catholic education and lives in a
Christian country. Is it religious hypocrisy or it is merely politics
to keep Brahmin power for his people in India?
Posted by: Anonymous | August 27, 2008 8:19 PM

What happened to the original discussion of Kashmir not being a Hindu-
Muslim issue. It started very well till Mr. Chatterjee started
personal attcks against Islam. Since then it has become completely
insane. It does no good to anybody to expose each others religeon.
What my faith tells me (and that is incidently Islam) to respect other
faiths. Somebody started it and look it has been boomeranging since
then. We all have same roots and basically were brothers only few
decades ago. People can have differences but when you start using
abusive language against each others' prophets, then there remains no
difference between us and people in India or Pakistan who are
intolerant not only to each others' faith but even hate the site of
each other. We are all educated and are expected to have some level of
decency. Once again I reiterate that the basic discussion was about
Kashmir and not about Hinduism or Islam. To me all religeons have
purpose and it is by chance that Mr. Chatterjee was born in a Hindu
family and Mr. Khan in a Muslim Family. It could have been otherwise
and both would be protecting their faith like they try to do now.
Calling names to Mohammed, or for that matter to other revered Hindu
Gods does no good to all of us but instead perpetuates that seed of
hatred. We are young and we are on a forum which was basically created
not for this kind of uncivil dialogue. We should be also thankful that
we can express ourselves in this great country. Miss Hafsa has her own
opinion as any other Kashmiri and so does Mr. Chatterjee. Let us call
it a day and please try not to slander each other. There are lot of
younger readers who's minds have not been maligned yet like some of
ours. Let us give love and tolerance a chance. I am a proud Kashmiri
and still believe that something mutual can be achieved with India if
sincerity is displayed on both sides.
May God bless us all. Aameen
Posted by: Aamir | August 27, 2008 8:16 PM

ender:
Christians in India would not have a problem if they did not insist on
proselytizing. Hindu and Jain Indians have hundreds of years of
experience with evengelical Muslims proselytizing with a sword in
their hand. Hindus never proselytize and don't really consider it your
right to do it to them. If they become dissatified with their religion
they'll come to you, or the Buddha.
August 27, 2008 1:40 PM
---------------------------
Hindus like Jews do not have a proselytizing element to their
faith.One is born a Hindu or Jew. In Hinduism, one is also born into a
caste and subcaste, which one cannot change.
If Jews and Hindus do not go about trying to convert anyone, they are
merely acting in accordance with their faith tradition.
Buddha, if you were to read the history of
Buddhism, spent over forty years, after he attained enlightenment,
walking the length and breadth of India, preaching and CONVERTING
Hindus.
Buddhism spread to all of East Asia precisely because Buddhists went
out to preach and convert.
Jains and Sikhs on the other hand do not have a strong proselytizing
element. Hence most Jains are to be found only in certain areas of
North India where Mahavira lived, and Sikhs are mostly Punjabis.
Christianity has a very strong proselytizing element. It is about
sharing the Good News of Jesus with all the world and doing good in
His name. Jesus spent only three years walking up and down Israel of
His time preaching and coverting the Jews. He worked miracles and
showed great compassion to the poor and needy and called sinners to
repentance. After His resurrection, He COMMANDED His disciples to go
out into the world, preach the good news and baptize people in the
name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. That is what His
disciples did since the day of the Pentecost and that is what
Christians have done for the past two thousand years: preaching the
good news of Jesus and doing good works in His name.
Islam is reformed Arab paganism (Allah, with three daughters, is the
name of an Arab pagan God who was worshipped in Mecca long before the
birth of Islam) with elements of Jewish Law and beliefs from
Christianity. Most of the religion in the Quran can be traced to the
Bible although it has been modified and elements of Arab paganism has
been added.But it was established as a political religion and spread
as such.
The history of Islam in India was one of peaceful proselytization in
the South when Mohammad lived in Mecca (even before he fled to
Medina), and one of violence by invading conquerers in the North,
later.
------------------------------
Hinduism is a con-federation of religions. Hinduism has undergone
changes over and over again . There is no ultimate authority in
Hinduism to lay down rules about how any Hindu may worship God. Each
Hindu is free to worship any God of their choice in anyway they want.
Only social rules seem to have been set which communities enforce and
police.
----------------------------------
If Hinduism makes it a rule forbidding conversion to other religions,
there are many questions to be asked:
What kind of Hinduism is being referred to, after all Hinduism is a
con-federation of religions.
Is the law against conversion meant to retain the superiority of the
Brahmin/upper caste?
How come Buddha, Mahavir and Guru Nanak found other religions and have
Hindu converts as followers?
India has always had many religions, has given refuge to the
religiously persecuted - Jews, Parsis etc, and more recently Buddhists
from Tibet.
It is against the universal nature of Hinduism to be religiously
intolerant.
Is the law similar to apostacy law in Islam where leaving the religion
is punished with death?
On what grounds does secular India violate the principles of the
United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights which considers
the right to practice a religion must go hand in hand with the right
to change religions?
----------------------
The rising trend of intolerance is fueled by militant Hindu extremists
(mostly belonging to the higher castes). They feel threatened by
conversions to religions which have no caste system.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 27, 2008 8:08 PM

RSS, Zionists and White racists are now united against rest of the
world. Since each one of them have their own agenda this axis of evil
will not last. All three believes in cold blooded murder of innocent
people.
Hope Democrats will win next election and save the world from
catastrophy
Posted by: Anonymous | August 27, 2008 6:33 PM

http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/eboo_patel/2008/08/todays_guest_blogger_is_hafsa.html

...and I am Sid Harth
bademiyansubhanallah
15 years ago
Permalink
Islam Exposed
Mohammed (Mahound in Sir Salman Rushdie's "Satanic Verses) was an
illiterate, womanizing, lust and greed-driven, warmongering,
hallucinating Arab, who also had embellishing/hallucinating/
plagiarizing scribal biographers who not only added "angels" aka
"pretty, wingie thingies" and flying chariots to the koran but also a
militaristic agenda to support the plundering and looting of the lands
of non-believers.
This agenda continues as shown by the assassination of Bhutto, the
conduct of the seven Muslim doctors in the UK, the 9/11 terrorists,
the 24/7 Sunni suicide/roadside/market/mosque bombers, the 24/7 Shiite
suicide/roadside/market/ mosque bombers, the Islamic bombers of the
trains in the UK and Spain, the Bali crazies, the Kenya crazies, the
Pakistani “koranics”, the Palestine suicide bombers/rocketeers, the
Lebanese nutcases, the Taliban nut jobs, and the Filipino “koranics”.

And who funds this muck and stench of terror? The warmongering,
Islamic, Shiite terror and torture theocracy of Iran aka the Third
Axis of Evil and also the Sunni "Wannabees" of Saudi Arabia.
Current crises:
The Sunni-Shiite blood feud and the warmongering, womanizing (11
wives), hallucinating founder
Added reading material- Ayaan Hirsi Ali's autobiography, "Infidel".
"Thus begins the extraordinary story of a woman born into a family of
desert nomads, circumcised as a child, educated by radical imams in
Kenya and Saudi Arabia, taught to believe that if she uncovered her
hair, terrible tragedies would ensue. It's a story that, with a few
different twists, really could have led to a wretched life and a
lonely death, as her grandmother warned. But instead, Hirsi Ali
escaped -- and transformed herself into an internationally renowned
spokeswoman for the rights of Muslim women."
ref: Washington Post book review.
three excerpts:
p. 47 paperback issue:
"Some of the Saudi women in our neighborhood were regularly beaten by
their husbands. You could hear them at night. Their screams resounded
across the courtyards. "No! Please! By Allah!"

p.68:
"The Pakistanis were Muslims but they too had castes. The Untouchable
girls, both Indian and Pakistani were darker skin. The others would
not play with them because they were untouchable. We thought that was
funny because of course they were touchable: we touched them see? but
also horrifying to think of yourself as untouchable, despicable to the
human race."

p. 347
"The kind on thinking I saw in Saudi Arabia and among the Brotherhood
of Kenya and Somalia, is incompatible with human rights and liberal
values. It preserves the feudal mind-set based on tribal concepts of
honor and shame. It rests on self-deception, hyprocricy, and double
standards. It relies on the technologial advances of the West while
pretending to ignore their origin in Western thinking. This mind-set
makes the transition to modernity very painful for all who practice
Islam".

Posted by: Concerned The Christian Now Liberated | August 27, 2008
4:31 PM
Report Offensive Comment
Bengla Dhoti

Hinduism Exposed
by Dr. Robert A. Morey
Introduction
Hinduism is one of the oldest pre-Christian pagan religions still
viable in the world today. While we think of it as the faith of Mother
India, it actually traces it origins to a mysterious tribe of
Europeans called the Aryans who invaded and conquered Northern India
from 1500 BC to 500 BC. The light-skinned Brahmins of Northern India
claim to be their physical and spiritual descendants.

The Aryans
The Aryans brought with them their sacred writings called the Vedas.
They were originally fire worshippers and this is why they believed in
cremation instead of burying their dead. They also invented the theory
of soul-transmigration in which at death you do not go to heaven or to
hell but you are reborn into another body on earth. This next body
could be animal, vegetable or human depending on whether you were good
or bad. Your past behavior catches up with you in your present life
due to the law of karma.
You could in your next reincarnation end up a clam, a carrot, a bush
or a human being. The highest rebirth you could wish for was to be
born as one of the white-skinned Brahmins who by virtue of their color
were considered the "higher" class.

The Ugly Reality of Racism
The inherent racism of historic Hinduism is thus blatant. You were
judged by the color of your skin, not the content of your character,
skills or talents. The darker your skin, the lower your caste and rank
in Hindu society. The whiter your skin, the higher your caste and
rank. The Brahmins prided themselves on their white skin while
despising the darker skinned untouchables who were often viewed and
treated as sub-humans.
This explains why Hindu gurus are more than willing to travel to the
West to convert rich white Europeans to Hinduism BUT never travel to
black Africa to make converts. The truth is, they don't want black
people whose skin color is an indication of bad karma. As long as they
can sucker rich white people into giving them money ("Money is evil.
So give it all to me.") why bother with darker skinned people?
This can be documented by the statements of many of the gurus who have
reaped riches in the West. When one guru was asked on TV what he was
doing to help the poor, he responded, "Let the Christians take care of
them. I am here to help the rich."

The Caste System
The terrible caste system was invented in order to protect the white
Brahmins from polluting their sacred whiteness with black blood. You
had to marry and to labor in the caste into which you were born. The
lines were clearly drawn and on one was allowed to move from one caste
to another by marriage or trade.
The mechanism of the caste system is tied to the Hindu theory of soul-
transmigration in which your rebirth determines your caste. Your
rebirth was predetermined by your karma. Your karma was in turn was
determined by how you lived in your past life. For example, if you
were born with a dark skin to untouchable parents, your life of misery
and poverty is your punishment for being evil in your previous life.
In other words, you are getting what you deserved.
The poor, the sick, the disabled, the dark-skinned, etc. are what they
are because of their own fault. The deserve their suffering because
they did something bad in a previous life and their karma has caught
up with them. We should not interfere with their suffering because if
we do, we will doom them to experience it in the next life. Thus the
kindest thing to do is to let them alone so they get their suffering
over and hopefully have a better rebirth the next time around.
On the other hand, if you were born with white skin to Brahmin
parents, your life of wealth and pleasure is your reward for good
deeds done in your previous life. You deserve to be rich and white.
You earned it. Thus you have no moral obligation to help those less
fortunate them you.
The social inequities of Hinduism ultimately led millions of lower
caste Indians to abandon Hinduism for Buddhism, Islam, Sikhism or
Christianity because those religions did not lock them into a rigid
caste system. Social and financial mobility required a change of
religion. Of course, if you were a rich white Brahmin, why would you
convert to a religion which would strip you of your social status and
wealth?

Social Evils
Being originally fire worshippers, Hinduism developed the grisly
practice of burning a widow alive on the funeral pyre of her husband
(suttee). If she did not willing jump into the fire, she was often
thrown into it by the mob gathered to watch her burn to death.
Child sacrifices to animal gods such as sacred crocodiles were common
until this Hindu practice was criminalized by the British. The ritual
murder and burial of travelers by the Kali cult (the thugees) is
another example of Hinduism's inherently demonic nature and
inspiration.
Other immoral practices of Hinduism included using children as sex
slaves in Hindu temples. They not only served the sexual perversions
of the priests and gurus but were used as prostitutes to bring in
money. The poorest of the poor who often could not afford to keep a
new child, left the baby in a temple assuming that the child would
have a better life with the priests than with its parents. They doomed
their child to a life of pain and misery.
The tourist who travels to India's many temples is often shocked by
wall art that depicts sodomy, child sex, orgies and bestiality of the
grossest kind. Yet, all this is part of what lies at the core of
Hinduism.
The same shock is received when tourists see Hindus drinking urine
from animals and humans and smearing dung in their hair and on their
body. The smell that emanates from the gurus, monks and holy men of
Hinduism is enough to warn us that Hinduism is rotten to the core. .
Why are we beginning our discussion of Hinduism with such ugly topics
as racism, the caste system, burning of widows, ritual child abuse and
gross immorality? To see the true nature of Hinduism we must study
what it produces in those societies where it is the dominant religion.
Thus a mere abstract philosophic presentation of Hinduism in the
classroom will give a false view of it. Hinduism is far more than a
list of abstract dogmas. It is actually a social program that seeks to
organize a culture according to Hindu concepts of soul-transmigration,
karma, race and caste.

The Philosophic Failures of Hinduism
1. Hinduism denies the existence of the infinite/personal triune God
of the Bible who exists independent of and apart from the universe
which He created out of nothing. It is atheistic in this sense.
2. Hinduism never solved the problem of the One and Many or the
infinite/personal dichotomy.
3. Those Hindus who emphasize the One over the Many, teach Monism (All
is One) and pantheism (All is God), erasing any distinction between
Creator and creation. "God" is an impersonal infinite force or power
which manifest itself as the universe around us. The "things" we see
around us do not really exist per se. They are only illusions of the
One. This is what the high caste Hindus teach the Westerners who come
to India in search of "enlightenment."
4. The vast majority of Hindus do not follow the Brahmin doctrine of
monism. Instead of emphasizing the One over the Many, they emphasize
the Many over the One and practice the most vile forms of polytheism
imaginable in which they worship millions of gods and goddesses. It is
said that the Hindus worship more gods and goddesses than the total
number of Hindus who exist today. They worship snakes, monkeys,
elephants, crocodiles, cats, insects and other absurdities.
5. As a world view, Hinduism fails to answer crucial questions:
a. Why does the Universe exist as opposed to not existing? Since it
cannot answer this question, Hinduism simply denies the existence of
the world around us. It is an illusion (maya) or dream.
b. Is the universe eternal or did it have a beginning? Hinduism has
always taught that the universe is eternal. But this has been
successfully refuted by modern science. This also exposes an inherent
contradiction within Hinduism. If the universe does not exist but is
illusionary in nature, how then is it eternal? How can Hinduism speak
of the universe going through eternal cycles if the universe does not
exist?
c. Why does the Universe exist in such a form that predictability and
science are possible? By denying the existence of the world around it,
Hinduism did not develop science and cannot exist why it works.
d. What is evil? Once again, since Hinduism could not answer this
question, it simply denied that evil existed.
e. Why does evil exist? Hinduism cannot answer this question.
f. What is man? Hinduism denies that we actually exist.
g. How can we explain the uniqueness of man? Hinduism cannot explain
why man is distinct from the world around him.
h. Why do we do evil? Hinduism cannot answer this question.
i. What is sin? Because it does not have a concept of a personal/
infinite Creator, Hinduism has no concept of "sin" per se.
j. How do we obtain forgiveness for our sins? There is no forgiveness
in Hinduism. You will have to suffer in the next life for the evil you
do in this present life. This answer exposes an inescapable
contradiction within Hindu philosophy. If the universe, evil, and man
do not actually exist but are only illusions (Maya), then on what
grounds does karma exist? If it does not actually exist either, then
on what grounds does reincarnation happen?
k. On what basis can we explain man's desire for meaning,
significance, justice, morals, truth and beauty? Hinduism has no
answer to these questions.
l. How can we provide a sufficient basis for meaning, significance,
justice, morals, truth and beauty? Hinduism cannot provide a
philosophic basis for any of these things.

Conclusion
Hinduism cannot answer the essential philosophic questions that always
arise wherever and whenever the human intellect matures. It has been
weighed in the scales of truth and have been found lacking.
Even more importantly, Hinduism has no concept of a Creator God, the
Creation, the Fall of man into sin and guilt, a Day of Judgment,
atonement or forgiveness, or a Savior who redeems us from our sins by
the sacrifice of Himself in our place.
It did not produce democracy, science or equality among different
races and racks of mankind. Instead it produced great social evils
which afflict the Indian people to this day. As a religion and a
philosophy, Hinduism is a complete failure and cannot provide a basis
for meaning, significance, justice, morals, truth

Posted by: khan | August 27, 2008 3:51 PM

Hinduism Exposed
by Dr. Robert A. Morey
Introduction
Hinduism is one of the oldest pre-Christian pagan religions still
viable in the world today. While we think of it as the faith of Mother
India, it actually traces it origins to a mysterious tribe of
Europeans called the Aryans who invaded and conquered Northern India
from 1500 BC to 500 BC. The light-skinned Brahmins of Northern India
claim to be their physical and spiritual descendants.

The Aryans
The Aryans brought with them their sacred writings called the Vedas.
They were originally fire worshippers and this is why they believed in
cremation instead of burying their dead. They also invented the theory
of soul-transmigration in which at death you do not go to heaven or to
hell but you are reborn into another body on earth. This next body
could be animal, vegetable or human depending on whether you were good
or bad. Your past behavior catches up with you in your present life
due to the law of karma.
You could in your next reincarnation end up a clam, a carrot, a bush
or a human being. The highest rebirth you could wish for was to be
born as one of the white-skinned Brahmins who by virtue of their color
were considered the "higher" class.

The Ugly Reality of Racism
The inherent racism of historic Hinduism is thus blatant. You were
judged by the color of your skin, not the content of your character,
skills or talents. The darker your skin, the lower your caste and rank
in Hindu society. The whiter your skin, the higher your caste and
rank. The Brahmins prided themselves on their white skin while
despising the darker skinned untouchables who were often viewed and
treated as sub-humans.
This explains why Hindu gurus are more than willing to travel to the
West to convert rich white Europeans to Hinduism BUT never travel to
black Africa to make converts. The truth is, they don't want black
people whose skin color is an indication of bad karma. As long as they
can sucker rich white people into giving them money ("Money is evil.
So give it all to me.") why bother with darker skinned people?
This can be documented by the statements of many of the gurus who have
reaped riches in the West. When one guru was asked on TV what he was
doing to help the poor, he responded, "Let the Christians take care of
them. I am here to help the rich."

The Caste System
The terrible caste system was invented in order to protect the white
Brahmins from polluting their sacred whiteness with black blood. You
had to marry and to labor in the caste into which you were born. The
lines were clearly drawn and on one was allowed to move from one caste
to another by marriage or trade.
The mechanism of the caste system is tied to the Hindu theory of soul-
transmigration in which your rebirth determines your caste. Your
rebirth was predetermined by your karma. Your karma was in turn was
determined by how you lived in your past life. For example, if you
were born with a dark skin to untouchable parents, your life of misery
and poverty is your punishment for being evil in your previous life.
In other words, you are getting what you deserved.
The poor, the sick, the disabled, the dark-skinned, etc. are what they
are because of their own fault. The deserve their suffering because
they did something bad in a previous life and their karma has caught
up with them. We should not interfere with their suffering because if
we do, we will doom them to experience it in the next life. Thus the
kindest thing to do is to let them alone so they get their suffering
over and hopefully have a better rebirth the next time around.
On the other hand, if you were born with white skin to Brahmin
parents, your life of wealth and pleasure is your reward for good
deeds done in your previous life. You deserve to be rich and white.
You earned it. Thus you have no moral obligation to help those less
fortunate them you.
The social inequities of Hinduism ultimately led millions of lower
caste Indians to abandon Hinduism for Buddhism, Islam, Sikhism or
Christianity because those religions did not lock them into a rigid
caste system. Social and financial mobility required a change of
religion. Of course, if you were a rich white Brahmin, why would you
convert to a religion which would strip you of your social status and
wealth?

Social Evils
Being originally fire worshippers, Hinduism developed the grisly
practice of burning a widow alive on the funeral pyre of her husband
(suttee). If she did not willing jump into the fire, she was often
thrown into it by the mob gathered to watch her burn to death.
Child sacrifices to animal gods such as sacred crocodiles were common
until this Hindu practice was criminalized by the British. The ritual
murder and burial of travelers by the Kali cult (the thugees) is
another example of Hinduism's inherently demonic nature and
inspiration.
Other immoral practices of Hinduism included using children as sex
slaves in Hindu temples. They not only served the sexual perversions
of the priests and gurus but were used as prostitutes to bring in
money. The poorest of the poor who often could not afford to keep a
new child, left the baby in a temple assuming that the child would
have a better life with the priests than with its parents. They doomed
their child to a life of pain and misery.
The tourist who travels to India's many temples is often shocked by
wall art that depicts sodomy, child sex, orgies and bestiality of the
grossest kind. Yet, all this is part of what lies at the core of
Hinduism.
The same shock is received when tourists see Hindus drinking urine
from animals and humans and smearing dung in their hair and on their
body. The smell that emanates from the gurus, monks and holy men of
Hinduism is enough to warn us that Hinduism is rotten to the core. .
Why are we beginning our discussion of Hinduism with such ugly topics
as racism, the caste system, burning of widows, ritual child abuse and
gross immorality? To see the true nature of Hinduism we must study
what it produces in those societies where it is the dominant religion.
Thus a mere abstract philosophic presentation of Hinduism in the
classroom will give a false view of it. Hinduism is far more than a
list of abstract dogmas. It is actually a social program that seeks to
organize a culture according to Hindu concepts of soul-transmigration,
karma, race and caste.

The Philosophic Failures of Hinduism
1. Hinduism denies the existence of the infinite/personal triune God
of the Bible who exists independent of and apart from the universe
which He created out of nothing. It is atheistic in this sense.
2. Hinduism never solved the problem of the One and Many or the
infinite/personal dichotomy.
3. Those Hindus who emphasize the One over the Many, teach Monism (All
is One) and pantheism (All is God), erasing any distinction between
Creator and creation. "God" is an impersonal infinite force or power
which manifest itself as the universe around us. The "things" we see
around us do not really exist per se. They are only illusions of the
One. This is what the high caste Hindus teach the Westerners who come
to India in search of "enlightenment."
4. The vast majority of Hindus do not follow the Brahmin doctrine of
monism. Instead of emphasizing the One over the Many, they emphasize
the Many over the One and practice the most vile forms of polytheism
imaginable in which they worship millions of gods and goddesses. It is
said that the Hindus worship more gods and goddesses than the total
number of Hindus who exist today. They worship snakes, monkeys,
elephants, crocodiles, cats, insects and other absurdities.
5. As a world view, Hinduism fails to answer crucial questions:
a. Why does the Universe exist as opposed to not existing? Since it
cannot answer this question, Hinduism simply denies the existence of
the world around us. It is an illusion (maya) or dream.
b. Is the universe eternal or did it have a beginning? Hinduism has
always taught that the universe is eternal. But this has been
successfully refuted by modern science. This also exposes an inherent
contradiction within Hinduism. If the universe does not exist but is
illusionary in nature, how then is it eternal? How can Hinduism speak
of the universe going through eternal cycles if the universe does not
exist?
c. Why does the Universe exist in such a form that predictability and
science are possible? By denying the existence of the world around it,
Hinduism did not develop science and cannot exist why it works.
d. What is evil? Once again, since Hinduism could not answer this
question, it simply denied that evil existed.
e. Why does evil exist? Hinduism cannot answer this question.
f. What is man? Hinduism denies that we actually exist.
g. How can we explain the uniqueness of man? Hinduism cannot explain
why man is distinct from the world around him.
h. Why do we do evil? Hinduism cannot answer this question.
i. What is sin? Because it does not have a concept of a personal/
infinite Creator, Hinduism has no concept of "sin" per se.
j. How do we obtain forgiveness for our sins? There is no forgiveness
in Hinduism. You will have to suffer in the next life for the evil you
do in this present life. This answer exposes an inescapable
contradiction within Hindu philosophy. If the universe, evil, and man
do not actually exist but are only illusions (Maya), then on what
grounds does karma exist? If it does not actually exist either, then
on what grounds does reincarnation happen?
k. On what basis can we explain man's desire for meaning,
significance, justice, morals, truth and beauty? Hinduism has no
answer to these questions.
l. How can we provide a sufficient basis for meaning, significance,
justice, morals, truth and beauty? Hinduism cannot provide a
philosophic basis for any of these things.

Conclusion
Hinduism cannot answer the essential philosophic questions that always
arise wherever and whenever the human intellect matures. It has been
weighed in the scales of truth and have been found lacking.
Even more importantly, Hinduism has no concept of a Creator God, the
Creation, the Fall of man into sin and guilt, a Day of Judgment,
atonement or forgiveness, or a Savior who redeems us from our sins by
the sacrifice of Himself in our place.
It did not produce democracy, science or equality among different
races and racks of mankind. Instead it produced great social evils
which afflict the Indian people to this day. As a religion and a
philosophy, Hinduism is a complete failure and cannot provide a basis
for meaning, significance, justice, morals, truth

Posted by: khan | August 27, 2008 3:50 PM

Foe bengali dhotiwala
AMOROUS GODS AND GODDESSES
Dr. Abraham Kovoor

All religions have their own gods. Members of one religion have no
faith in the gods of other religions.Some religions are monotheistic,
and others polytheistic. Let us get acquainted with the sexual
morality of some of these gods, and their genesis as given in the
scriptures of respective religions, and compare their morality with
that of civilized man.
Brahma and Saraswati
Brahma is one of the three main gods-Trimurti-of the Hindu pantheon.
He is the creator of the universe, Saraswati, who became the wife of
her own father, was the daughter of Brahma. There are two stories
about her genesis in the
"Saraswati Purana". One is that Brahma created his beautiful daughter
Saraswati direct from his "vital strength" or seminal fluid. The other
is that Brahma used to collect his semen in a pot whenever he
masturbated fixing his carnal eyes on the celestial beauty Urvasi.
Brahma's semen in the pot gave birth to Saraswati. Thus,Saraswati had
no mother.
This daughter or grand-daughter of Brahma is the Hindu goddess of
learning. When Brahma saw the beauty of Saraswati he became amorous.
To escape from her father's passionate approach Saraswati ran to the
lands in all four directions, but she could not escape from her
father. She succumbed to Brahma's wish. Brahma and his daughter
Saraswati lived as husband and wife indulging in incest for 100 years.
They had a son Swayambhumaru. Swayambhumaru made love with his sister
Satarpa. Through the incest of Brahma's son and daughter Brahma got
two grandsons and two grand-daughters.
SHIVA
God Shiva had two wives-Ganga and Parwati. It was while Shiva was
frolicking and making love with Parwati in the forest in the form of
elephants that Ganapati, the god with the head of an elephant was
born. On another occasion when Shiva was frolicking with Parwati in
the form of a monkey, Hanuman the monkey god was born.
Once when Parwati was away, Shiva had sexual inter course with a woman
called Madhura, who came to Kailas to worship him. On her return,
Parwati saw her husband Shiva making love with Madhura, and she became
a frog. When the period of the curse was over after twelve years, the
frog took the form of Mandodari who became the wife of Ravana, the ten-
headed king of Lanka. The sperm of Shiva which remained dormant in the
womb of Mandodari when the was frog began to develop, and finally gave
birth to Indrajit. Thus, the so-called son of Ravana-Indrajit of Lanka-
was an intelligence son of Shiva.
INDRA
Indra is the head of all gods. Amarawati was his celestial residence.
Arjun was born to Indra as a result of his clandestine adultery with
Pandu's wife, he had no hesitation in committing adultery with the
wives of other men. One day when Indra saw Ruchi, the beautiful wife
of Devasarma, he became extremely passionate and wanted to seduce her.
But Ruchi chased Indra out ,and he had to go away disappointed.
On another occasion Indra could not control his sexual passion when he
saw Goutama's wife Ahalya. He committed adultery with Ahalya when her
husband was away. On his return home Goutama saw Indra in sexual
interlock with his wife. Goutama cursed both of them.
Once Aruna visited Devaloka in the disguise of a woman. When Indra saw
this woman in disguise he could not control his passion. He had sexual
intercourse with this imitation woman. Bali was born as the result of
this un-natural homosexual cohabitation.
KRISHNA
Krishna is the 9th incarnation of Mahavishnu. Like Jesus Christ,
Krishna was born as the "son of man" at Ambadi among cowherds.
Although he had sixteen thousand and eight wives, Krishna did not let
other women go free. Once, when he saw some Gopi women bathing in the
river Kalindi, Krishna carried away their clothes from the bank of the
river, and got on a nearby tree to feast his eyes on the Gopi women
bathing in the nude. He returned their dresses only after each of them
came out of the water and worshipped him so that he could see their
nude bodies in full. It is claimed that Krishna was so potent that he
could satisfy all his 16008 wives at the same time.
RAMA
Sri Rama was another incarnation of Mahavishnu. He and his three
brothers Lakshmanan, Bharatha and Shatrugna were born to three wives
of King Dasharatha. Like Jesus, Ram and his brothers were not through
a human father although Dasharatha was the husband of their mothers.
They were conceived in their mothers' wombs as a result of the three
women eating portions of a sacred porridge.
JESUS CHRIST
Although St.Mary's other children were born to her husband Joseph, it
is said that Jesus alone was born to her as she got conceived through
Holy Ghost, one of the three-in-one god of the Christians. Although
May had many children, she is worshipper as a virgin by Christians.
SHEELAVATI'S CONCEPTION
According to a Buddhist scripture Sheelavati conceived in an unusual
way like St.Mary and the wives of King Dasaratha without sexual
congress with a man. Shakra in the Develoka knew that Sheelavati on
the earth was pinning to have a child. God Shakra came down to the
earth one night when Sheelavati was sleeping. He touched Sheelavati's
navel with his toe, and she conceived and gave birth to a child.
SABARIMALAI SASTHA
Sabarimalai Sastha or Ayyapa is a sylvan god worshipped by the
credulous Hindus of Kerala and Tamil Nadu in India. He is the son born
to Siva and Vishnu as a result of a homosexual act.
To escape from the curse of the powerful demon Durwasa, all the gods
joined together and churned the milky ocean to gather "Amrut"-a butter-
like ambrosia. They collected the "Amrut" in a pot, and kept it to be
served at a heavenly feast. An Asura (demon) from the nether world
stole the pot of " Amrut from Develoka. When the loss of the ambrosia
was detected, the omniscient Vishnu was able to know where it was. He
went to the nether world in the guise of Mohini, a woman of exquisite
beauty, and brought and back the "Amrut" and served it to the gods.
When Mohini was serving the Amrut, Shiva got intoxicated with her
beauty and had sexual intercourse with her, who was in reality Vishnu.
Vishnu became pregnant as a result of the homosexual act, and gave
birth to Sastha from his thigh. Both Shiva and Vishnu discarded this
un-naturally born illegitimate child in the forests of Sabarimalai in
Kerala.
JAGANNATH
Jagannath is the god enshrined in the famous Hindu temple at Puri.
Sankarachariya, the spiritual head of the present Hindus of India, is
the devotee of Jagannath of Puri. Hundreds of measures of rice and dal
are cooked here daily to feed the thousands of worshippers.
At the Jaya-Vijiya gate of this temple various type of sexual orgies
of the god Jagannath can be seen sculptured on granite stones. On the
outer walls of this temple are life-size sculptures of the 64 types of
sexual mating of men and women as described in the Kamasutra of
Vatsyayana.
The dance Bhajan in this temple begins after 10 p.m each day behind
closed doors. It is performed by one of the 120 dancing girls in the
service of the temple. Each night a new dancing girl will have to come
to the temple to dance before god Jaganath. This dance is witnessed
only by the lifeless statue of Jagnnath and the Brahmin priest who
plays on the musical instrument.
As the dance heightens to a crescendo, the girl discards her dress and
dances stark naked. She then throws herself to the statue of Jagannath
in an ecstasy shouting "O Lord, I am thy bride, please make love with
me".
Whether it is the lifeless idol of Jagannath or the living Brahmin
priest who makes love with her is not known.
Dancing girls who have retired form the service of god Jagannath are
now making both ends meet by leading a life of prostitution in the
streets of holy Puri. Their patrons are the worshippers who come in
their thousands to the sacred city.
In reality none of these gods exist or ever existed. They are the
products of mental fantasies of some surrealistic creative thinkers of
the past. Even today there are mentally deranged persons indulging in
creating new gods. All the amorous stores connected with these gods
also are the subjective creations of sex-starved surrealistic thinkers
obsessed with sexual thoughts.
The abominable and perverted morality among the godmen of India may be
due to the abnormal sex behaviour of their gods! Tall Brook, the
American devotee of Sai Baba, has written in his book about Sai Baba's
homosexual assaults on himself and other fair-skinned youths at
Puttaparti.
According to Beatle John Lennon, the reason why the Beatles left
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was the Maharishi"s attempt to rape one of their
women-Mia Farrow.
Guru Maharaj Ji was caught by a hidden camera in osculatory embrace
with the house-maid while his American wife was in another room.
The first Shankarachariya-Adisanakara-who led a celibate life claimed
omniscience. He could not answer a question from a devotee about sex
matters as he could not speak with authority about a thing he had not
experienced. So he asked the devotee to come later, and said that he
would answer him after experiencing sex. It is stated that
Shankaracharya got into the body of a married man, and had sex with
his wife.
Those who clamour for teaching religion in schools realize the dangers
of teaching innocent children in their impressionable ages obscene
stories about these imaginary gods. According to the modern standards
of civilized man's ethics and morality these gods are very bad
examples for our children to emulate. Let use refrain from teaching
falsehood to our children in the name of religion! ²

Posted by: Khan | August 27, 2008 3:44 PM

Asim,
You just make absurd statements only to show the shallowness of your
knowledge on Kashmir. Just as every Pakistani (particularly when they
meet a Hindu Indian) says s/he is from Azad Kashmir and sounds foolish
so does your view.
Let's see:
1. Exactly contrary to what you have written, Kashmir IS indeed Hindu
vs. Muslim (Secularism vs. Islam). That's what Hurriyat hardliner Syed
Geelani states why he is calling for Azadi of Kashmir. In conclusion
he says that however Azad Kashmir is impossible; so he wants Kashmir
liberated and merged with Pakistan (Islamic Republic).
2. Kashmir was not stolen by India. Its accession was legal; Maharaja
Hari Singh signed the instrument of accession with India when Paki
troops were attacking Srinagar. It was legal but a crafty move that
Nehru played to get Kashmir. Did Raja go against the wishes of the
majority of his people (Muslims) ? Yes. Did he do anything illegal ?
NO.
3. If Hindus and Jews have to vacate lands which have been occupied by
Hindus and Jews, then USA has to vacate what we know as America.
That's not possible. The European settlers came here, decimated the
local Indian population, and then ruled. Texas was stolen from Mexico.
Will Texas be ever handed back to Mexico by USA ? No. Going by such
and other similar precedences I do not see how Kashmir can be handed
back. In the extreme case, India needs to launch an all out full-scale
war against Pakistan of graphic dimensions to settle this score that's
been a pain on India's behind for 60 years. India has been terrorized
by Muslim fundies from Pakistan just because of this.
4. Palestine belongs to Jewish people. If you want the "Muslim lands"
to be surrendred by Jewish people, then there must be reciprocity. I
know from the Quran that, at the end, Muhammad ordered all Jews out of
Arabia. The Quran documents in various surahs that Jews lived in
Yathrib till Muhammad drove them out of their ancestral lands or had
them killed. Noone remained who was a non-Muslim. If today Palestine
will be given back, why Mecca will not be handed back to Israel ?
Makes sense ?
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 27, 2008 3:22 PM

This is disgusting. How can people drink cows urine. Deb or whatever
do you worship SEX organs. Is that true. Please enlighten us.
Posted by: Michael | August 27, 2008 3:12 PM

ENDER
What about Christians insisting on proselytizing Hindus with western
money and power.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 27, 2008 3:08 PM

Kashmir is no different than Palestine:both are occupied respectively
by brute Indian miliatry force and jewish brutal military force backed
by nuclear arsenals.
Thr issue is stolen or occupied land:and not Muslim vs Hindu or Arab/
Muslim vs jew-once the jews go back where they come from and the
ethnically cleanesed Palestinians who now number over six million are
allowed to return to PAlestine from their exile by the jews-all will
be peaecful.
Similarily once the occupying Indian army leaves and a UN sponsered
right of self-determination is enforced them peace will also prevail
in Kashmir.
It is all about stolen or occupied land in PAlestine and KAshmir and
not about people hating each other.
Posted by: Asim, San Antonio | August 27, 2008 2:43 PM

Christians in India would not have a problem if they did not insist on
proselytizing. Hindu and Jain Indians have hundreds of years of
experience with evengelical Muslims proselytizing with a sword in
their hand. Hindus never proselytize and don't really consider it your
right to do it to them. If they become dissatified with their religion
they'll come to you, or the Buddha.
Posted by: ender | August 27, 2008 1:40 PM

Pope condemns religious violence in India
Vatican city: Pope Benedict XVI on Wednesday condemned anti-Christian
violence in India, where at least 11 people were killed in three days
of violence as Christians clashed with Hindu mobs attacking churches,
shops and homes
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/pope-condemns-religious-violence-in-india/72296-2.html

Posted by: Anonymous | August 27, 2008 1:06 PM

Yukii,
Worshiping S** organs and drinking cows urine, Jesus christ. I appeal
to all hindus come to christianity. Make Jesus your savior. Shun these
filthy practises.
Posted by: George | August 27, 2008 12:47 PM

Sikhs have indeed borne the bestiality of the barbarian Mughal rulers.
Guru Arjan Dev was burnt alive at the command of Aurangzeb, for his
refusal to convert to Islam. The same intolerance is seen today in
Kashmir. Sikhs have been butchered in the hands of Muslims in times of
Partition in 1947. This small community is mostly of gallant, fun-
loving people.
ISLAM IS A BARBARIC RELIGION.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 27, 2008 11:59 AM

Let's not forget the Sikhs, with the most recent claim to governance
of Kashmir other than the British, whom have been pretty much force
out of the region by outrageous human rights violations.
India was a Hindu nation that was conquered by Muslims then retaken by
Hindus many hundreds of years ago. Using standard Islamic practice,
Islam used its period of armed conquest to import millions of Muslims
and attempt to take over a nation by sheer numbers. Since Muslims
traditionally insist on Islamic states with a state gov't and don't
play well with others, India was kind enough in '47 to follow a UN
recommendation and voluntarily give up Pakistan for an Islamic state.
Sikhs ruled Kashmir at the time. Pakistani Islamicist have been
infiltrating and replacing the Hindu and Sikh population for 50+ years
and are using their normal terrorist tactics to take more of India. If
the Indian police or military fight back, they are blamed for human
rights violations, while Muslims force Islamic law on the entire area.
India should not give up another inch to Muslim invaders. They should
learn to live in a Secular society or move.
Posted by: ender | August 27, 2008 11:35 AM

Khan,
Pedophilia (sex with minors) is a bestial act (in view of modern
ethics). Prophet Muhammad has engaged in sex with Ayesha when the
little girl was 9 years old and he was 53 years old. (Opinions vary,
but the majority have agreed on the age of Ayesha when Prophet has
sexual intercourse with her.) I do not hold anything against Prophet
Muhammad for this. It's an incident that happened 1400 years ago. How
can we judge an incident that happened 1400 years ago based on the
attitudes of the 21st century ? That's unfair, and I give Prophet a
benefit of doubt. But, if you have sex with a minor you shall be
incarcerated and live in jail forever. If I am sitting in the jury on
your trial I'd probably recommend death-penalty because of having sex
with minors. It is same as raping a minor. That's a big no no in my
worldview/ethics. Pedophiles have no place in a civilized society as
ours. But, I won't have the same hatred for the same incident
occurring 1400 years ago. Get the drift ?? So, your citing of the
worship of sex organs in the animist/pagan Hindu rituals don't bother
me (or other Hindus). You come across as, unfortunately, as an
unintelligent, confused person unable to discern between issues. Thus
you have no credibility, and is just another distracting irritant on
this blog.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 27, 2008 11:34 AM

Oh My Goodness, Bengali Dhoti has again resorted to personal attacks.
He isfrustrated and needs help. So you agree hindus do worship sex
organs atleast you have devoloped some courage to accept it. It is
because we have been showing you the right path and truth. And as
somebody said in the end truth prevails. I think we need to spend some
more time with you and I hope you will definitely embrase Islam the
greatest monotheistic religion. By providing a web address of some
creepy hindu organisation what are you trying to prove. Obiviously
these phallic worshipers will not talk good about Islam. I have
provided so much of evidence, that Hinduism doesn't even exist.
I think your own leaders who brought you independence have said that
Gita and Ramayna is ajust a literature a katha not more than that.
Come embrese Islam you will find truth. May almighty help you and show
you the right path
Amen.
See I am your wellwisher, I never curse you, really I pray that
almighty show you truth and a right path.

Posted by: Khan | August 27, 2008 11:12 AM

Anon. Christian,
Obviously you are Muslim hiding under anonymous blogname.
No Christian I know would mispell "Hallelujah" which you wrote "Alla-
luya". Obviously you are just trying to spell based on dipthongs/
phonetics and is off the mark.
For the record, I visited the site
http://www.geocities.com/indiafas/Hindu/hindu.htm
that apparently contains information which Khan has posted. Well,
partly they are true I admit. In particular the excesses of caste
seems true. But there are some features of this cite. The authors such
as Bipan Chandra, Sumit Sarkar who have been excerpted are themselves
well-known Marxists/Communists. That does not mean everything is
false. But, there is a misconception from what is posted. Some of the
Christian blognames, which I suspect are basically Muslims or one
Muslim, have expressed dismay at the mention of worship of "sex
organs" in the Hindu pantheon. Well, Hindu pantheon admits atheism,
paganism and even strict monotheism.
What is posted on the site is basically about Hindu society and tied
to "religious practices". Hindus of today hardly follow much of these.
The present cannot be judged on past. Hindu society has evolved and
considerably so than any of the Abrahamic societies (Judaism,
Christianity and of course the barbaric Islam). Malpractices have
happened and do happen. But, in general the society has much evolved
and in terms of progress kicked Islamic societies backwards. Muslims
are the most backward societies because they are ordained to live in
the past (per Quran). To the credit, Hindus did not go with the sword
from land to land and convert the locals by force or have brought
calamity on others like Muslims did and are even doing now (Kashmir).
But as a tit-for-tat, I am linking the following site which contains
details about the horrors of Islam.
http://www.flex.com/~jai/satyamevajayate/
Just read the various articles there and make up your own opinions.
This site also suggests that Muhammad's wives were raped before
Prophet married them. Also, Muhammad was a mass-murderer and he
incited genocide of non-Muslims.
My view is that there is wrongs with any society. And one's way of
lifestyle maybe unpalatable to others. However as long as that
lifestyle/practice does not interfere with others, there should be no
problem.
Allah mian has asked Muhammad to kill non-Muslims; that is a serious
problem.
Islam is a barbaric religion. Kashmir shall remain as an integral part
of India.
P.S.: "Joseph", FYI, Kama Sutra is not a part of any Hindu "religion".
It is a sex manual. Ask your mom; she must have used it to get you
here.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 27, 2008 10:47 AM

Jesus Christ, what a crap. Sex organs being worshiped.
YUKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!
Posted by: Chris | August 27, 2008 10:26 AM

Khan Sahib
Thanks for going in to details and exposing this sexy religeon full of
Kama-Sutra details. These penile,vagina and boob worshipers will never
understand the greatness of all the monothiestic religeons. I swear to
God they have that inferiority complex in their minds about their
baseless and crappy faith, but they have no balls to accept like their
Rama did not have. Nobody has even commented about the ciciness of
Rama in not freeing his wife from Rawana, who had her for 14 years.
The primary reason he took her was lust and these stupid people still
call her Pavitra. They have nothing to disprove it .Not only that they
even celebrate her pavitrata since then. ( What a Joke) You have done
a commendable job in trying to make these bigots to understand the
greatness of Islam, but as is mentioned in Quran, these Kafirs will
never hear, listen and see the true virtue of this great religeon.
Penile worshipers come out of this crap and embrace the great religeon
called islam. We are waiting for people like you who have nowhere to
go. Allah will take care of you. HE is merciful and forgiving.Come out
of confusion and embrace reality and not fiction.
Posted by: Joseph | August 27, 2008 10:24 AM

Yek,
After reading Khan's comments in detail, which infact seem to be
substantiated by literature, I thank Jesus that I did not convert to
hinduism. I can not believe that these guys perform such praying
practices. I almost felt nauseated.
Alla-Luya
Posted by: Anonymous Christian | August 27, 2008 10:08 AM

bENGALI DHOTI,
Come on I dare you to deny any of the allegations of your own
coreligionist Dr chatterjee. I feel sorry for people like you. You
look frustrated and desparate. Come On Embrase Islam. I pray almighty
shows you a right path.
Leave this ignorance and embrase the truth. Leave this filth and come
to purity.
Posted by: KHAN | August 27, 2008 7:22 AM
Report Offensive Comment
Khan wrote:
"Prophet Mohammad Stands Number one."
Number one in phallus (lingam) stone kisser, yes. He also drank and
recommended camel urine for getting rid of illnesses.

Michael Hart wrote the book as his opinion. Other books you have cited
were much earlier. They are pre 9/11 books and the authors would have
a totally different view if they were aware of 9/11.
Prof. Samuel Huntington (Harvard University) wrote scathing
commentaries on Islam and Clash of Civilizations. Wanna know what he
wrote ?
Ibn Warraq has most vicious comments on Islam in his book WHY AM I NOT
A MUSLIM ? He opines that Muhammad was an impostor and crook. Warraq
thinks Muhammad invented Islam to suit his own political and murderous
agenda of global domination. He also thinks, based on a few distinct
sources, that Muhammad was indeed possessed by devil (Iblees).
Robert Spencer's biography (taken from Ibn Ishaq's earliest
biographies of Prophet Muhammad makes it clear that Muhammad was a war-
mongering, womanizer - attributes that CCNL has also confirmed in his
blogs on this thread.
Why should anyone convert to a barbaric religion called Islam ? It
seems that you are trying to drag others into your own pitiful state -
that being a Muslim.
I suggest that you reject Islam and get a life !
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 27, 2008 1:14 AM
Report Offensive Comment
Holly crap what the hell. Is this true that hindis worship P!!!!!
Yukkkkk
Posted by: Steve | August 27, 2008 12:36 AM
Report Offensive Comment
Truth Seeker, Truth Seeker, Truth Seeker,
What newspapers have you been reading?
Once again the flaws and errors of Islam hopefully to be published on
the front page of every newspaper in the world:
Islam 101-
Mohammed (Mahound in Sir Salman Rushdie's "Satanic Verses) was an
illiterate, womanizing, lust and greed-driven, warmongering,
hallucinating Arab, who also had embellishing/ hallucinating/
plagiarizing scribal biographers who not only added "angels" aka
"pretty, wingie thingies" and flying chariots to the koran but also a
militaristic agenda to support the plundering and looting of the lands
of non-believers.
This agenda continues as shown by the assassination of Bhutto, the
conduct of the seven Muslim doctors in the UK, the 9/11 terrorists,
the 24/7 Sunni suicide/roadside/market/mosque
bombers, the 24/7 Shiite suicide/roadside/market/ mosque bombers, the
Islamic bombers of the trains in the UK and Spain, the Bali crazies,
the Kenya crazies, the Pakistani “koranics”, the
Palestine suicide bombers/rocketeers, the Lebanese nutcases, the
Taliban nut jobs, and the Filipino “koranics”.

And who funds this muck and stench of terror?
The warmongering, Islamic, Shiite terror and torture theocracy of Iran
aka the Third Axis of Evil and also the Sunni "Wannabees" of Saudi
Arabia.
Current crises:
The Sunni-Shiite blood feud and the warmongering, womanizing (11
wives), hallucinating founder.
Added reading material- Ayaan Hirsi Ali's autobiography, "Infidel".
"Thus begins the extraordinary story of a woman born into a family of
desert nomads, circumcised as a child, educated by radical imams in
Kenya and Saudi Arabia, taught to believe that if
she uncovered her hair, terrible tragedies would ensue. It's a story
that, with a few different twists, really could have led to a
wretched life and a lonely death, as her grandmother warned. But
instead, Hirsi Ali escaped -- and transformed herself into an
internationally renowned spokeswoman for the rights of Muslim women."
ref: Washington Post book review.
three excerpts:
p. 47 paperback issue:
"Some of the Saudi women in our neighborhood were regularly beaten by
their husbands. You could hear them at night. Their screams resounded
across the courtyards. "No! Please! By
Allah!"

p.68:
"The Pakistanis were Muslims but they too had castes. The Untouchable
girls, both Indian and Pakistani were darker skin. The others would
not play with them because they were untouchable. We thought that was
funny because of course they
were touchable: we touched them see? but also horrifying to think of
yourself as untouchable, despicable to the human race."

p. 347
"The kind on thinking I saw in Saudi Arabia and among the Brotherhood
of Kenya and Somalia, is incompatible with human rights and liberal
values. It preserves the feudal mind-set based
on tribal concepts of honor and shame. It rests on self-deception,
hyprocricy, and double standards. It relies on the technologial
advances of the West while pretending to ignore their origin in
Western thinking. This mind-set makes the transition to modernity very
painful for all who practice Islam".
And "Truth Seeker" or any other Muslim out there: we await your
rebuttal the above synopsis.

Posted by: Concerned The Christian Now Liberated | August 27, 2008
12:15 AM

Bengali Dhoti
This what people have to say about my Prophet(PBUH)
If greatness of purpose, smallness of means, and astounding
results are the three criteria of human genius, who could dare
to compare any great man in modem history with Muhammad?
The most famous men created arms, laws and empires only
They founded, if anything at all, no more than material powers
which often crumbled away before their eyes This man moved
not only armies, legislation, empires, peoples and dynasties, but
millions of men in one-third of the then-inhabited world; and
more than that he moved the altars, the gods, the religions, the
ideas, the beliefs and souls.... His forbearance in victory, his
ambition which was entirely devoted to one idea and in no
manner striving for an empire, his endless prayers, his mystic
conversations with God, his death and his triumph after deathall
these attest not to an imposture but to a firm conviction
which gave him the power to restore a dogma. This dogma was
twofold: the unity of God and the immateriality of God; the
former telling what God is, the latter telling what God is not;
the one overthrowing false gods with the sword, the other
starting an idea with the words. Philosopher, orator, apostle,
legislator, warrior, conqueror of ideas, restorer of rational
dogmas, of a cult without images; the founder of twenty
terrestrial empires and of one spiritual empire, that is
Muhammad. As regards all standards by which human
greatness may be measured, we may well ask, is there any
man greater than he?
- Lamartine
Histoire de la Turquie, Pans 1854, Vol. 11, pp. 276-77.
It is not the propagation but the permanency of his religion
that deserves our wonder; the same pure and perfect
impression which he engraved at Mecca and Madina is
preserved, after the revolutions of twelve centuries by the
Indian, the African and the Turkish proselytes of the Koran...
The Mahometans have uniformly withstood the temptation of
reducing the object of their faith and devotion to a level with
the senses and imagination of man. I believe in One God and
Mahomet is the Apostle of God' is the simple and invariable
profession of Islam. The intellectual image of the Deity has
never been degraded by any visible idol; the honors of the
prophet have never transgressed the measure of human virtue;
and his living precepts have restrained the gratitude of his
disciples within the bounds of reason and religion.
- Edward Gibbon and Simon Ocklay
History of the Saracen Empire, London 1870, p 54.
He was Caesar and Pope in one; but he was Pope without Pope's
pretensions, Caesar without the legions of Caesar: without a
standing army, without a bodyguard, without a palace, without
a fixed revenue. If ever any man had the right to say that he
ruled by the right divine, it was Mohammad, for he had all the
power without its instruments and without its supports.
- Bosworth Smith
Mohammad and Mohammadanism, London 1874, p 92.
It is impossible for anyone who studies the life and character
of the great Prophet of Arabia, who knows how he taught and
how he lived, to feel anything but reverence for that mighty
Prophet, one of the great messengers of the Supreme. And
although in what I put to you I shall say many things which
may be familiar to many, yet I myself feel whenever I re-read
them, a new way of admiration, a new sense of reverence for
that mighty Arabian teacher.
- Annie Besant
The Life and Teachings of Muhammad, Madras 1932, p 4
His readiness to undergo persecution for his beliefs, the high
moral character of the men who believed in him and looked up
to him as leader, and the greatness of his ultimate
achievement all argue his fundamental integrity To suppose
Muhammad an impostor raises more problems than it solves.
Moreover, none of the great figures of history is so poorly
appreciated in the West as Muhammad.
- W Montgomery Watt
Mohammad At Mecca, Oxford, 1953, p 52.
Muhammad, the inspired man who founded Islam, was born
about AD. 570 into an Arabian tube that worshipped idols.
Orphaned at birth, he was always particularly solicitous of the
poor and needy the widow and the orphan, the slave and the
downtrodden. At twenty he was already a successful
businessman, and soon became director of camel caravans for a
wealthy widow. When he reached twenty-five his employer,
recognizing his meet, proposed marriage. Even though she was
fifteen years older, he married her, and as long as she lived
remained a devoted husband. Like almost every major prophet
before him, Muhammad fought shy of serving as the
transmitter of God's word, sensing his own inadequacy But the
angel commanded Read'. So far as we know, Muhammad was
unable to read or write, but he began to dictate those inspired
words which would soon revolutionize a large segment of the
earth: "There is one God." In all things Muhammad was
profoundly practical. When his beloved son Ibrahim died, an
eclipse occurred, and rumors of God's personal condolence
quickly arose. Whereupon Muhammad is said to have
announced,' An eclipse is a phenomenon of nature. It is foolish
to attribute such things to the death or birth of a humanbeing."
At Muhammads own death an attempt was made to
deify him, but the man who was to become his administrative
successor killed the hysteria with one of the noblest speeches
in religious history: 'If there are any among you who
worshipped Muhammad, he is dead. But if it is God you
worshipped, He lives for ever'.
James A. Michene~
"Islam: The Misunderstood Religion,"
Reader's Digest (Amencan ea.) May 1955, pp. 68-70.
My choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world's most
influential persons may surprise some readers and may be
questioned by others, but he was the only man in history who
was supremely successful on both the religious and secular
level.
Michael H. Hart
The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History,
New York: Hart Publishing Company Inc. 1978, p 33.
Posted by: Khan | August 27, 2008 12:13 AM

Deboo does it hurt when the truth prevails. I can see desparation in
you tone. Come to Islam leave this creepy religion.
Prophet Muhammad - The Most Influential Man in History
from the book by Michael Hart
The following is from Michael Hart's book and lists Prophet Muhammad
as the most influential man in History. A Citadel Press Book,
published by Carol Publishing Group
Ranking of the twenty from the list of 100:
Prophet Muhammad
Isaac Newton
Jesus Christ
Buddha
Confucius
St. Paul
Ts'ai Lun
Johann Gutenberg
Christopher Columbus
Albert Einstein
Karl Marx
Louis Pasteur
Galileo Galilei
Aristotle
Lenin
Moses
Charles Darwin
Shih Huang Ti
Augustus Caesar
Mao Tse-tung
Prophet Mohammad Stands Number one.
None of your creepy Gods is even mentioned anywhere.
This book is not written by a muslim, a pakistani or a kashmiri.
Again I tell you read the quran and please understand it. I again pray
to almighty he shows you a right path.
Come and embrace Islam, leave this filthy religion in which there is
nothing but filth. I am seeing desparation in your words, Islam is a
religion of peace, forgiveness and passion embrace it you will find
the difference.

Posted by: Khan | August 27, 2008 12:07 AM

Khan fulminated:
"Your Temples in south India have small phaluses of stone made."
Hmmmm......Is that all you got ?
The black stone at Ka'aba (Makkah) is a "shiva lingam" (Lord Shiva's
phallus) too ! Prophet Muhammad kissed that stone understanding that
it was indeed a "shivalingam".
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 26, 2008 11:42 PM

Anonymous urf Bengali Baboa urf Bengali dhoti.Sarojni Naido and MGK
have not read quran and Hadees and You have read it and in fact
understood it. Well I again invite you to this great religion. Again
pray to almighty that he shows you a right path, to differentiate
between just and injust, right and wrong. Truth and falsehood.
Again I am challenging you, you cant even dare to deny what Dr
chatterjee has written. Your own brother, your coreligionist has a
clear message for you.
You live in this great country called US. Have you told your white
friends about your faith, that you worship sex organs (LINGHUM AND
YOONI) you worship elephants and monkeys as they are your GODS. You
worhip snakes. You drink cows urine as you think it is your mother.
Your Temples in south India have small phaluses of stone made.That,
your female who cant concieve use these intruments while in the temple
and then sleep with the priests, you have prostitution intemples
(Devdasi Culture)

Posted by: Khan | August 26, 2008 11:21 PM

KHAN, don't get all that carried away. MKG and Sarojini Naidu did not
read the Quran, Hadiths and Shariah Law. Their opinions are based on
what Muslims told them about Islam and Mohammad.
Jews in Mecca in Mohammad's time were not so impressed. They were
willing to die than give up their religion.
Read the Bible in full if you want to understand the Quran properly.
All the persons mentioned in the Quran are mentioned in the Bible too,
except in a slightly different way.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 26, 2008 11:04 PM

KOSHUR, don't be fooled, should Kashimiris ever break away from Indian
rule, there is no way on earth that they can stay independent, for
Pakistan will lay claim to the country with a Muslim majority.
Pakistan was created that way in 1947, and there is no reason why they
won't use the same reasoning to annexe an independent Kashmir.
Beware of what you pray for separatist Kashmiri Muslims. You have more
to lose if your prayer should come true. You are going to need a
passport and visa to enter India, a work permit to apply for any job
(remember even people from the West are looking for the Indian market)
in India. Alternatively you will need to seek jobs in Pakistan.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 26, 2008 10:58 PM

Bengali Dhoti, Just deny any of the allegation of Dr chatterjee about
your religion.
This what Hindu Leaders have to say abot Prophet Mohammad(PBUH)
Mr. Mahatma Gandhi:
"Someone has said that Europeans in South Africa dread the advent
Islam -- Islam that civilized Spain, Islam that took the torch light
to Morocco and preached to the world the Gospel of brotherhood. The
Europeans of South Africa dread the Advent of Islam. They may claim
equality with the white races. They may well dread it, if brotherhood
is a sin. If it is equality of colored races then their dread is well
founded."
And in "Young India", he wrote:
"I wanted to know the best of one who holds today's undisputed sway
over the hearts of millions of mankind....I became more than convinced
that it was not the sword that won a place for Islam in those days in
the scheme of life. It was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-
effacement of the Prophet, the scrupulous regard for his pledges, his
intense devotion to this friends and followers, his intrepidity, his
fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and in his own mission. These
and not the sword carried everything before them and surmounted every
obstacle. When I closed the 2nd volume (of the Prophet's biography), I
was sorry there was not more for me to read of the great life."
Miss. Sarojini Naidu, Poetess, in Ideals of Islam: It was the first
religion that preached and practiced democracy; for in the mosque,
when the minaret is sounded and the worshipers are gathered together,
the democracy of Islam is embodied five times a day when the peasant
and the king kneel side by side and proclaim, God alone is great." The
great poetess of India continues, "I have been struck over and over
again by this indivisible unity of Islam that makes a man
instinctively a brother. When you meet an Egyptian, an Algerian and
Indian and a Turk in London, it matters not that Egypt is the
motherland of one and India is the motherland of another."
Prof. Ramakrishna Rao, in "Muhammad the Prophet of Islam":
"The personality of Muhammad, it is most difficult to get into the
whole truth of it. Only a glimpse of it I can catch. What a dramatic
succession of picturesque scenes! There is Muhammad, the Prophet.
There is Muhammad, the Warrior; Muhammad, the Businessman; Muhammad,
the Statesman; Muhammad, the Orator; Muhammad, the Reformer; Muhammad,
the Refuge of Orphans; Muhammad, the Protector of Slaves; Muhammad,
the Emancipator of Women; Muhammad, the Judge; Muhammad, the Saint.
All in all these magnificent roles, in all these departments of human
activities, he is alike a hero." ... Muhammad is the "Perfect model
for human life."
Posted by: KHAN | August 26, 2008 10:56 PM

Khan wrote:
"I would, like Joseph, appeal you again come and embrace islam. you
will have solace and peace by embracing this great religion."
Can accept death, like my fellow Kashmiri Hindu Pandits who were
slaughtered by Muslims, but never Islam.
Islam is a barbaric religion.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 26, 2008 10:44 PM

Bengali dhoti, Come on repond to Dr Chatterjee's remarks about
hinduism. He is not a muslim, he is not an ISI member, he is not a
pakistani nor a kashmiri. You will again say he is a converted muslim.
Infact he is not. go and google his name you will come to know about
his contribution.
I have shown you a mirror. I would, like Joseph, appeal you again come
and embrace islam. you will have solace and peace by embracing this
great religion. May almighty help in understanding what is right and
what is wrong. I pray that almighty show you a right path.Stop bashing
any religion.Dont do it. You dont want me to bring more disgrace to
you and your coreligionists.

Posted by: KHAN | August 26, 2008 10:38 PM

Khansaheb:
Thanks for the run down on Hindu pantheon. Some of it is quite
interesting. I am curious to know the ISBN of the book ("Oh! You Hindu
Awake") by Dr. Kamal Chatterjee, M.A., PH.D (U.S.A), (which is your
source). If Prophet Muhammad knew about such wonderful carnal
knowledge, he would also consider embracing Hinduism instead of
Islam.
Can you provide us with the complete reference, please ?
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 26, 2008 10:32 PM

CCNL,
You are defeated in Iraq and Afghanistan like how you were defeated in
Vietnam. Russia has reemerged as super power. China is emerging.Your
muslim bashing is not going to help anymore.Better listen Barak Obama
and be friendly with muslim countries if you want to save your sinking
economy
Posted by: TRUTH SEEKER | August 26, 2008 10:28 PM
Report Offensive Comment
DEB, we suspect patriotism of uppercast Hindus. All you guys want to
do is grab power by hook or crook. There is no riots in Mayawathi
ruled utterpradesh, Lalu ruled Bihar, Communists ruled Kerala or
Karunanidhi ruled Tamilnadu. We Muslims Dalits, Adivasis and Backward
casts will unite and rule India one day. That will be the end of
terrorism and riots. But we will give you guys due respect then
Posted by: Anonymous | August 26, 2008 10:22 PM

I would have never posted these articles here but it is important to
expose these worshipers of phallus.
Here comes more from Dr Chatterjee
KALI-GODDESS OF VIOLENCE
A recent report by United Press trust of India (UPI) stated that
during the past three years more than 2,500 young boys and girls were
sacrificed to goddess Kali in India. Another of AFP's recent reports
say: hundreds of young boys and virgin girls are sacrificed every
month for the deity Kali. In one case Rama Sewak hacked his eight year
old son to death in broad daylight in Dehii because goddess Kali had
told him he would come back to life and bring him good fortune.
Bloodthirsty Kali is worshipped openly the length and breadth of
India.
Kali's statue stands naked astride the inanimate body of the Hindu
deity Shiva, tongue stuck out with blood dripping from fang-like
teeth. She holds a noose, a skull-topped staff, a blood-encrusted
sword and a severed head. She is also known as Durga, Devi, Shaktima,
Uma and Parvathi in other manifestations.
The priest of Delhi, Kali Bari, says that a child sacrificed to Kali
ensures a man the birth of a son. Human sacrifices are also made to
these gods or goddesses, either to appease them or to ask favours of
them.
Bihar's police chief J. Sahay said: "We have tried our best to curb
human sacrifices, but what can an agency do when an entire village
chooses a victim and cuts off his head with his parent's consent."
Bihar's famous lawyer, Urnkant Chaturvedi, said that "Human sacrifice
under our law is treated as murder, but the killer- never found - is
always the local high priest." He continues, "at times the local
policemen are reluctant to take action because of the inbred fear of
the gods and goddesses."
A famous human sacrifice occurred in 1972 when a powerful leader in
Maharashtra state- in order to find a treasure - offered blood from 11
virgin girls to Manja. He did not find the treasure, but four persons
were hanged for the crime and the main culprit escaped because of his
political influence. Some time ago, two brothers named Siddharth and
Ravi asked their 21 year old sister Shobha to take a bath and come for
prayers to a nearby temple in Kerala State. To her horror, the
brothers pierced her with a sword and iron rods whilst chanting Vedic
mantras. Withering in pain, she begged for pity, but she was cut to
pieces and her body burned bit by bit. The brothers had done it to
unearth a hidden treasure. At first they tried to find another victim
but when they failed to find another virgin girl, they sacrificed
their own sister.
One may ask why this human sacrifice is so prevalent in Brahmanic
society and is sanctioned in the Vedas (where it is mentioned as
`purushamedha'? Was it, as is sometimes fraudulently claimed, due to
cannibal Adivasi influence ? No ! The answer is : Human sacrifice was
spread amongst the non-Brahmins by the Brahmins in order to make the
non-Brahmins kill each other. One may ask, could this not boomerang
onto the Brahmins themselves ? The Big Brahmins had of course thought
of this : Only Brahmin children are exempted by the Vedas from human
sacrifice.
GODDESS PANCHALI
This goddess was married to five brothers. Which one would become the
legitimate father of his child should she have one? Dr Charles says
that instances of incest are common in Hindu scriptures.
SHANKARACHARYA OF PURI - "HIS HOLINESS"!
SHANKARACHARYA OF PURI, NIRANJAN DEV TEERTH, one of the BRAHMINS'
supreme Spiritual leaders, gave an interview to the Kalyan (Hindu)
monthly magazine. Extracts are given below:
Q: "Maharaj! if a Shudra acts righteously, can he become a Brahmin?"
A: "If the Shudra acts according to his code and keeps within the
limit of Varnashrama he may become a Brahmin in the next birth - but
never in the present."
Q: "Is the belief in the caste system essential?"
A: "Yes, it is very essential. There can be no PROGRESS without belief
in caste system.
Q: "Maharaj! The change of caste depends on deeds and virtues."
A: "No, it depends on birth and not on deeds. Caste depends on birth,
deeds cannot change it. This is an IRREFUTABLE TRUTH".
At the inaugurating of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (RSS Branch) at Patna
in April 1969, the Shankaracharya (of course he is a Brahmin! ) said:
"Untouchabitity is a part and parcel of Hindu social system, I shall
cling to this belief even if they HANG ME. "
On Low Caste Hindus! Have a look and see what the Brahmin MANU says
(Chapter VIII Sloka 4,14). "Slavery is inborn among the Shudras and no
one can free them from it".
The Brahmin MANU again says in Chapter 19, Sloka 413: "Sri Brahmin had
intended from eternity that the Untouchables should be born slaves,
live as slaves, and die as slaves."
On another occasion the Acharya said that there was no way out for a
woman who becomes a widow other than to commit Sati. He said he will
oppose the Sati law even if the Government of India HANGS him.
Instead of sending him to prison, according to the Indian
constitution, this fanatic priest is often visited and worshipped by
the top Brahmin leaders in India.
ACHARYA RAJNEESH
This is none other than the internationally famous "SEX SWAMIJI." He
preaches free sex involving orgies and he says that before life comes
to an end one should indulge in as much sexual activity as is humanly
possible. This he claims is what blissful heavenly life is. He is a
true swami, in that, he not only preaches but is also actively
involved in practising what he preaches.
He also teaches the love for wealth and materialism. Little wonder
that this "god man" owns over ninety Rolls Royces and a ranch in
America! Rajneesh and his "Holy" group are well known to carry all
kinds of sexually transmitted diseases.
CHANDRA SWAMI
This controversial "globe trotting" godman has links with scandals
like the Bofors scandal. He spends much of his time attending to the
individual problems of Hollywood stars, multi-millionaires and other
famous people. Should anything happen to them he rushes to their aid
in a chartered private jet. He never misses an opportunity to pose for
photographs with them so as to appear in international magazines like
Time and Newsweek. Why doesn't he attend to some of Indian's problems
as well?
Pamella Bordes, the Ex-beauty queen of India, and a well known
prostitute, was used by this Swamiji for some of his international
frauds which have come to light very recently.
SWAMI DIRENDRA BRAMACHARI (THE GODLY RAMBOH)
Why does a "HOLY MAN" need a GUN FACTORY? This Swamiji has one! A gun
with a licence to protect himself is justifiable ....... but this
Swamiji needs a gun factory to protect himself ? He also has had a
helicopter pad constructed for his convenience. (His followers include
Nani Palkiwala and Manoj Kumar).
The author has very high appreciation for the following HOLY MEN in
preference to other HOLY MEN:
RAJNEESH - THE SEXY "HOLY" MAN.
MAHARISH - THE FLYING "HOLY" MAN.
CHANDRA SWAMI - THE HOLLYWOOD "HOLY" MAN.
SAI BABA - THE MAGIC "HOLY" MAN.
SWAMI DIRENDRA BRAMACHARI - THE "GODLY" RAMBO

THE HARE RAMA HARE KRISHNA MOVEMENT
This group is now attracting hundreds of drug addicts in the U.S. and
THE WEST. Like the Hindu Saints (Sanyasis) of Kashi (Varnasi) they
smoke and take drugs in all sorts of different forms.
A UNI press report (15-8-1987) said, under the heading of "SECT CHIEF
IS CONVICTED KILLER". - that the Hare Krishna's chief is a convicted
killer and drug dealer. The swami, 38 year old Thomas Drescher, is
imprisoned at the West Virginia state penitentiary for gunning down
Steven Bryant, 33, in Los Angeles. Drescher was also convicted in 1979
for manufacturing and distributing drugs and was found guilty in
January 1983 of slaying a Krishna devotee. Finally the report
concludes that since 1977, seven of the original I I gurus named by
the HARE RAMA HARE KRISHNA movements founder have been removed for
reasons ranging from CHILD abuse, DRUG dealing and SEXUAL
promiscuity.
O Ramacandra, these scriptural injunctions were laid down by learned
men, skilled in inducing others to give, and finding other means of
obtaining wealth, thus subjugating the simple-minded. Their doctrine
is 'Sacrifice, give in charity, conse- crate yourselves, undergo
austerities, and become ascetics'. 0 Rama, be wise, there exists no
world but this, that is certain! Enjoy that which is present and cast
behind thee that which is unpleasant! Adopting the principle
acceptable to all, do thou receive the kingdom offered thee by Bharat
(Ramayana, Ayodhya Kanda, 108).
IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
What good has Hinduism done for India?
Does Hinduism have the answers for todays problems? Alcoholism -
Drugs- Divorce - Suicide etc.
To these gods move, think or speak?
Can they defend themselves if attacked; or mend themselves if broken?
Don't you think it foolish to worship these manmade objects?
Does India belong to the Indians (95 %) or the Brahmins (5%)?
Did Hinduism originate in India itself or did it come with the Aryans
via the Khyber Pass?
Can a person convert and become a Brahmin?
What is the relationship between the Aryans of India (Brahmins) and
the Aryans of Germany (Hitler's Nazis)?
Why do the Brahmins and Nazis have the same symbol - the Swastika?
(Look at the racist National Front symbols in South Africa).
Ask yourself who is your God? Is it Shiva, who has the moon and river
Ganges on his head and who could not identify his own son? Or is it
Rama who couldn't see through Sukrievan's disguise and who murdered
another god? Or could it be Krishna, the "playboy god"?
THE BRAHMIN CONSPIRACY
The conspiracy and intrigue of domination over other human beings has
been the main objective of Brahminism all along. Brahminism, an Aryan
concoction of human and insatiable lust for hegemony, sex and money,
sought to rule the ignorant and deprived masses in the name of
religion.
This is very visible from the content, tone and message of the holy
books, written and perpetuated in the name of religion by the
Brahmins. How can these books be called the word of God? They contain
the most exotic form of pornography, the most depraved norms of
behaviour and the most unjust and ugly system of life based on
extortion, cruelty and blood thirsty hunger for domination over
others. The Hindus are not Brahmins and the Brahmins are not Hindus.
At least this is evident from the books written and disseminated by
the Brahmins themselves.
The Sudroids are the original inhabitants of Hindustan, the very
people who were the true architects of the Indus Valley civilization
which was considered to be one of the best examples of human societal
development in the entire history of the human race. The barbaric
Brahmins came from the wastelands of the region beyond the Himalayas
and destroyed the great monuments of culture and civilization and
pushed the real inhabitants of India into slavery.
Slavery is the message of the Brahmins "holy" books concocted by them.
Just as the Jews divided humanity into Jew and Non Jew, so has the
Brahmin. The whole world is classified in these books as Brahmin and
Non Brahmin. The non Brahmin is to remain internally a slave unto the
"master" who has dominated Indian history since he lay his hand on
it.
We must break the chains, once and for ever. The bondage and the
slavery must go. But first let us find out what these books say. On
concept of democracy, social justice, secularism, politics, economics,
leadership and elections are all based on the wretched caste system,
an evil curse that has been spun round the necks of the innocent and
deprived.
Let us tear the mask away from those evil faces, which stare at us
from every nook and corner of our lives.
The intelligent reader can easily uncover the ulterior motives of
Brahmins as to why they incite High Caste Hindu mobs to kill Low Caste
Hindus or for creating communal tensions with other minorities ever so
often. This they do in order to continue their stranglehold on state
policies, so that they can manipulate them to their advantage; they
don't care adamn for the nation of India... Read for yourself what the
Brahmin priest Purshottam Rao has to say......
PURSHOTTAM RAO
Temple priest HYDERABAD
Q: Should sadhus enter politics?
A: There was a time when Brahmins used to dictate state policy. Now we
have been totally sidelined. The VHP is trying to correct this
historical wrong by bringing religious leaders to the forefront of our
national life. It is now time for the entire Hindu religious
leadership to once again lead the nation.
The Continuing War on Low Caste Hindus......
NEW DELHI, Sept. 19 (R) - Three Indian students set themselves ablaze
today to try to shock the government into scrapping plans to reserve
more government jobs for low castes in the Hindu hierarchy.
'This (job's plan) is for the poor classes who have been denied their
rights for thousands of years. The students shouldn't come in their
way," Paswan told Reuters. Protests led by upper-caste students began
sweeping north India soon after Prime Minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh
said on August 7 that 27 percent of government jobs would be set aside
for low castes.
Paswan was himself born an "untouchable" or outcast in the system,
which traditionally decides occupation and status by birth.
"Untouchables" prefer to call themselves "Dalits," the oppressed.
Paswan told a conference of political leaders and officials today that
the jobs plan had to go ahead to raise the status of low castes and
create a more sympathetic bureaucracy.
He said the upper castes were still taking jobs set aside 40 years ago
for Dalits by simply delaying the implementation of reservation
policies. Bureaucrats would employ an upper-caste graduate with
irrelevant qualifications for a typist's job and turn down a Dalit
trained to type at 60 words per minute, he said.

Posted by: Khan | August 26, 2008 10:09 PM

"Oh! You Hindu Awake"
by Dr. Kamal Chatterjee, M.A., PH.D (U.S.A)
For all hindu creeps. See What Dr Chatterjee has to write about your
creepy faith.

THE HINDU RELIGION EXPOSED
Brahmins always criticize, condemn and mock at other religions Their
criticism and mocking is unreasonable and unacceptable.
In his autobiography, Dr Charles , an American scholar says that it is
very simple to define a Hindu. He says a Hindu means "one who believes
in anything and everything if said in the name of god and shall never
question its authenticity".
The Brahmins claim that Lord Rama is incarnated (came in human form)
to study and understand the difficulties of mankind. Is it really
necessary for a god to incarnate Himself?? CAn he not understand the
creation? Why should God become a donkey or a cockroach in order to
understand the sufferings of these creatures?

LUSTFUL SITA VS THE "IMPOTENT" RAMA
Sita told Rama "You are no better than a woman-monger who lets his
wife for hire and makes is livelihood. You want to be profited by my
prostitution". Sita also told Rama "You lack in POTENCE, manners and
charm" & "She called her husband a simpleton".
As soon as Sita stepped into Ravan's palace her love towards Ravan
grew more. (Aranya Kandam,
Chapter 54).
When at length Rama asked Sita to swear about her chastity, she
declined and died. (Uttara kandam, Chapter 97).
Kukuvavathy, sister-in-law of Rama, said to him - "Oh Elder! How you
love Sita more than you love yourself! come with me and see what
really is in your lovely wife's heart. Still she could not forget that
fellow Ravan. Drawing a picture of Ravan on hand-fan and pressing it
closed to her bosom She is lying on your bed with eyes closed thinking
on and rejoicing at Ravan's glories. Rama sighed and went out to
Sita's house. There she was found sleeping pressing to her breast the
hand-fan on which Ravan's picture was drawn (This is found in pages
199, 200 of the Bengali Ramayana written by Mrs. Chandravathi).
If Rama loved Sita so much and Sita is held as an ideal Hindu wife,
can Hindu women tolerate their husbands leaving them in forest for the
years? Rama left Sita in forest after se became pregnant and she
delivered er two kids in forest. (DR. B. R. Ambedkar : Riddles in
Hinduism Maharashtra Govt. Publication, 1987).

WHAT LEADERS SAY ABOUT GOD RAMA?
"My Rama (god Rama) is not the Rama of Ramayana". Mahatma Gandhi
"The Ramayana and Mahabaratha are nothing but another Arabian Nights
Story". Jawaharlal Nehru
"Rama is not a god; but he is a hero" Rajagopalachari, First Governor-
General of India and a great Brahmin leader.
"Ramayan is not a divine story; it is only a literature" (Kaliyuga
Kamban, T.K. Chidambaranatha Mudaliar). Babri Masjid was demolished by
Rama Bhatkas claiming that it was his birth place.
GOD SHIVA, LORD GANESH & GODDESS PARVATHI.
According to Hinduism, god Shiva's head is the source of the river
Ganges and his head is also the place where the moon is located (if
this was really a fact then why should America send astronaut Neil
Armstrong 240,000 miles away to the moon)
According to Puranas, goddess Parvathi, wife of God Shiva, sought
Shivas's permission to have a baby When Shiva refused, Paravathi took
dirt from her body and created Lord Ganesh. (The late E.V.R. Preiyar
used to call this god a "bundle fo dirt").
Later God Shiva mistakenly chopped off his own son's head. How could a
god make such a foolish mistake? Would such a god solve your problems
or make them more complicated?
To rectify his error God Shiva severed the head of baby elephant and
transplanted in onto his son who then become known as the Elephant
headed god. His statues are usually found near river-sides where he is
said to be looking for a bride resembling his mother! (There is a
different version to this story which, for decency's sake, cannot be
printed here).

DEVADASI (RELIGIOUS PROSTITUTION).
The Devadasi system was set up, according to a Times of India report
(10-11-87), as a result of conspiracy between the feudal class and the
priests (Brahmins). The latter, with their ideological and religious
hold over the peasants and craftsmen, devised a means that gave
prostitution their religious sanction. Poor low-caste Hindu girls,
initially sold at private auctions, were later "dedicated" to the
temples. They were then initiated in to prostitution Even to this day
this religious prostitution blessed by Hindu religion is still alive
in Karnataka and Maharashtra.

THE DEVADASI SYSTEM THRIVES
UNI. - TIMES OF INDIA - 10th Nov 1987: confirms that the practice of
dedication young Harijan (Hindu) girls (Mahars, Mangs, Dowris and
Chambhar) at childhood to a goddess, and their initiation into
prostitution when they attain puberty continues to thrive in
Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and other parts of South India. This is
largely due to social backwardness, poverty and illiteracy, according
to a study by two doctors of the India Health Organization.
The report clearly indicates that the Devadasi system was the result
of a conspiracy between the feudal class and the priests (Brahmins)
who with their ideological and religious hold over the peasants and
craftsmen, devised a practice which acquired religious sanctions. They
noted in their study on - "Devadasis" - "the link between religious
culture and child prostitution".
The study revealed that girls from poor Hindu families were sold after
puberty at private auctions to a master who initially paid a sum of
money to the families ranging from 500 to Rs. 5,000.
The study, made during health camps organized by the World Health
Organization (WHO) in the Devadasi populated areas, revealed that the
dedicated girls formed 15 percent of the total women involved in
prostitution in the country, and as much as 70 percent of the
prostitutes in the border districts of Karnataka and Maharashtra.
LORD KRISHNA
Lord krishna was very fond of looking at naked young girls. Once upon
a time Krishna, in order to get a full view of some bathing virgin
girls, went to the extent of hiding their clothes on the tree top just
to get a panoramic view. Does he have divine immunity from looking at
naked women?
The Gita, a Holy book of the Hindus, quotes that when these bathing
low caste girls begged for the return of their clothes, Lord Krishna
demanded that they come out of the water with their hands raised
instead of covering their bodies.
Oh my innocent Hindu brethren! Can this action be attributed to god?
Is this God capable of indulging in such ungodly acts? Will Hindu
mothers tolerate their son imitating god Krishna??

12 YEARS FOR RAMA, BUT ONE DAY TO RAVAN
To retrieve his wife from Devil Ravan, god Rama sought the help of
Hanuman, a monkey god. Hanuman agreed to help Rama bring his wife back
on condition that god Rama in turn help him (Hanuman) to kill his twin
brother prior to undertaking the mission.
I took more than twelve years for Hanuman to build a bridge and
accomplish the task while Ravan just took Sita and flew to Sri lanka
in just one day's time Where is the bridge that Rama built?? Who is
more powerful - God Rama or Devil Ravan ? Would a god seek the help of
another god to murder a third god?
If Hanuman could fly carrying big mountains, he should have in the
first instance carried and flown god Rama to Sri Lanka, which would
have resulted in early rescue of Sita.
Who knows what Ravan might have done to Sita during this period of
twelve years? Definitely a devil would have done only "devilish"
things!
Before helping god Rama, Hanuman made Rama shoot his own twin brother
in the back and only then did Hanuman help god Rama How can a "god"
indulge in such a criminal act for personal gain?

Posted by: khan | August 26, 2008 9:52 PM

Anonymous wrote:
"I am an Indian muslim and I am proud of it.We muslims in India
believe Kashmir is an integral part of India.Muslims fought war
against Pakistan and China."
Very interesting. However, this would have all made sense if we (upper
caste Hindu Brahmins) could really trust the patriotism of Indian
Muslims. While perhaps given the benefit of doubt I submit that many
Indian Muslims stand by the Indian flag with their head high, there is
a growing phenomenon that hardline radical Islam has also seeped into
the Muslim ummah in India.
There is this radical Muslim organization called SIMI (Student Islamic
Movement of India) who have engaged in bomb blasts and slaughters in
the recent times. The SIMI members are not economically impoverished,
poor folks as one would assume. They are educated and often come from
well to do established families. Radicalization of Indian Muslims has
certainly eroded the credibility of Indian Muslims in the recent
times. One can attribute this phenomenon to many factors - Babri
Masjid, Gujarat riots, Kashmir or whatever. The end result that we
Hindus would conclude from the facts is that, despite the comparable
economic upliftment, achieving positions of power and fame, and even
quotas/reservation for jobs, Muslims in India act treacherously. Yes,
Muslims have fought for India in Indo-China and Indo-Pak wars. But
with that attribute, one also finds the negative that Muslims in India
are engaged in acts of homegrown terror. I am linking this Times of
India article which indicates that Indian Mujahadeen and SIMI have
crafted a path of terror. The ToI article also suggests that these
terror activities can not be heaped upon "external" sources (such as
Pakistan).
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Jaipur_blasts_script_The_homegrown_face_of_terror/articleshow/3409252.cms
This is contrary to what the Indian politicians ("dhotiwallahs/
topiwallahs") may say to the public to deflect attention away from the
homegrown terror. If what the ToI is reporting is indeed true, that,
Indian Mujahadeen is born to take revenge on the majority population
and (secular) Indian Government and would attempt to convert India
into Islamic Republic of India, then such chest beating patriotism and
Hindu blame-flaming by Indian Muslims is certainly much in suspect.
The Hindus would rightly disbelieve the collective assurances from the
Muslim ummah (but may still be trusting of the individual Muslim at a
personal level).
The core issue, and it drags Kashmir into the fiasco, is that there is
not a single country on earth where such ethnic tensions are non-
existent. India is not a "jannat"; it is a country of people with
majority having a different culture/religion than a specific
minority.
The Hindu in India observes that with the claim for phony Azadi at the
flimsiest opportunity (of what is called "Kashmiriyat"), India is
seeing homegrown Islamic terrorism from Muslims who are educated and
well-established in life. The two could very well be connected.
Everything is possible after 9/11. (Little wonder that Kafeel Ahmed
died of third degree burns in England when he could not blow up the
Glasgow airport in England. Kafeel came from a family of wealthy
doctors in Bangalore, and had a PhD in Computational Fluid Dynamics
from Ireland. He was not from the economically impoverished class.)
So, by giving job/education quotas to Muslims, and Muslims achieving
upward social climbs, the fanatical and self-destructive fascination
with radical Islam by Indian Muslims is taking shape. It is plausible
to speculate that now that Indian Muslims have achieved some measure
of empowerment on all fronts, they are out to chop off the hand that
feeds them.
All this shows that Hindus may not believe a Muslim. After all, it is
the agenda of Islamization that is ultimately the main goal ("maqsad")
of a Muslim ( Indian/Paki/Bangladeshi/Egyptian/Afghani/Turk...)
whatever. Remaining politically correct with Islam and Muslims is self-
destructive and to that end, if Kashmir secedes, India must declare
itself as a Hindu state.
The situation is that if Hindus continue to be tolerant of homegrown
radical Islam, then they may not exist in the near future to further
demonstrate their tolerance, that Indian Muslims are so fond of. It is
like if one starts by being kind towards evil, then s/he ends up being
evil towards the kind.
The barbaric religion of Islam needs to be dominated before it
dominates others. Islam always had bloody borders. Kashmir is an
example that Indians have painfully realized.
RSS = Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (National Volunteer Corps) is an
organization which speaks for Hindutva and Hindus. Nothing wrong with
it.

Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 26, 2008 9:40 PM

KOSHUR, calling all Indians, all 1.1 BILLION of them creeps, doesn't
do the Islam you profess any good at all. It merely adds fuel to the
fire that is raging worldwide since 9/11 that Islam is an intolerant
and violent religion that is good only for Muslims but dangerous for
non-Muslims. It is also feared that Muslims want to rule others
whenever they get the smallest chance, and they will not tolerate
being ruled by non-Muslims even if Muslims are in the minority.
India was ALWAYS a country with Hindu majority. Yet Muslims ruled for
three hundred years; India was carved up on religious grounds in 1947.
No other religious group in India has ever demanded a separate country
because of their religious persuasion, ONLY Muslims.
Think about it. If other non-Muslims can live in peace with Hindus,
why can't the Muslims? There are already 140 MILLION Indian Muslims
living among Hindus, and at peace. Why can't Kashmiri Muslims consider
themselves Indians first? When the British ruled for 200 years, there
was no Pakistan, Bangladesh, or a Kashmiri group of Muslims asking for
a separate country. The vast majority of Indians who fought for Indian
independence were Hindus. There were also Muslims, but their
contribution was diluted when they demanded separate countries based
on religion alone.
Be Indian first Koshur. Kashmiri Muslims have more to gain by being a
part of India than being independent or a part of Pakistan.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 26, 2008 9:37 PM

Except for Hindu extremists, Hindus are the MOST tolerant of peoples.
Whatever may be the limitations of the caste system imposed on the
Hindu society, Hindus have lived at peace with ALL religions from time
immemorial. Islam was introduced in a violent way in anotherwise non-
violent religious society built with Hindu and Buddhist and Jain
ideals.
Political Islam is a reality and Indian Muslims have been transformed
by their living in a Hindu-Buddhist society for many centuries.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 26, 2008 9:25 PM

Peace loving Muslims all over India need to unite and declare their
unity with Indians of all religious persuasions. Indian Muslims have
lived at peace with their non-Muslim neighbors for centuries. They are
Indians in origin and India is their home.
Islamic extremism in India is a new trend. It is being imported from
outside and it is being fueled by violence done by Hindu extremists.
Mahatma Gandhi was assassinaed, not by a Muslim but by an EXTREMIST
HINDU.
Two well known militant Hindu organizations:
Rashtriya Shiva Sena = National Shiva's Army
Hindutva
Posted by: Anonymous | August 26, 2008 9:19 PM

Hey intolerant, insane Hindu bigots,
Read this from your own paper and from your own people.
Shame on India and its 1 million creeps
HR team confirms economic blockade, repression in Valley
KT NEWS SERVICE
NEW DELHI, Aug 26: Notwithstanding, the government denial of any
"economic blockade" on Kashmir Valley, a group of human rights
organisations here on Tuesday confirmed that agitation in Jammu has
led to severe restriction on the movement of goods and people on the
Srinagar-Jammu national highway and even into Punjab.
Representatives of three groups Peoples Democratic Forum (Karnataka),
Andhra Pradesh Civil Liberties Committee (APCLC) and People's Union
for Democratic Rights (PUDR) who arrived here from Srinagar said over
75 per cent of fruits were rotting in Sopore mandi.
"During our four day visit we found fruits rotting at many places and
handicrafts and carpet manufacturers reporting cancellation of export
orders," said Harish Dhawan, secretary PUDR. The team was told that
till August 23, 80 per cent of the trucks were not leaving the Valley
for fear of attacks. "In Seer Jagir, near Sopore the team met small
farmers with average land holdings of 4-5 acres which produces on an
average 3000 boxes of apples per annum. The 30 farmers in this village
reported having lost on an average Rs. 2 lakh this season," said the
joint statement issued by these organisations.
FIRINGS: The team during its visit investigated 15 cases of deaths in
police firings. "We have concluded that the firings were aimed to kill
a large number of deaths result from injuries in the abdomen, chest,
head of upper of lower neck," bellying government claims that firings
were in self defence.
ATTACKS ON HOSPITALS: The group in its statement also disclosed that
security forces attacked the Srinagar main hospital on August 11 and
12. "The SMHS hospital received the largest number of casualties. When
doctors were trying to conduct emergency operations at break-neck sped
in order to save lines, the casualty was attacked with tear gas shells
followed by firing live bullets. The firing was again repeated on
August 12," said the statement, describing it a most brazen and
unbelievable attack.
ATTACKS ON FUNERAL PROCESSIONS: The team was told that funeral
processions were attacked by security forces. "The funeral procession
of Ishfaq Ahmed Kana was attacked by the CRPF with lathis and rubber
bullets. In another area Javed Ahmed Mir's funeral procession was
attacked and one person was killed in firing," said the civil rights
groups.
CURFEW: The team which was in Srinagar when curfew restrictions were
imposed said essential supplies to the city, such as medicines, water
tankers and milk have been blocked and this 'blockade' had been done
at the instance of the CRPF. Entire control of law and order have been
handed over to central security forces and at many polices they have
beaten local police as well.
CONCLUSION: Human rights groups concluded that inclination of people
to hold peaceful processions in a democratic way could have been an
opening for the government to engage people in a political dialogue.
"People in Kashmir have shown exemplary restraint and ensured that all
processions and public gatherings after the lifting of curfew remain
wholly peaceful," they said. They said government should have
initiated political dialogue instead of the visit by the National
Security Advisor.
Posted by: Koshur | August 26, 2008 8:09 PM

CCNL and Arif,
Do you want me talk more about your faith which is full of filth.
Sitas. Pavitrata crap must have hit you guys below your eunech
balls.You people are crazy bastards talking trash and maligning
people's mind with quoting a distorted history. Prophet has been
called lot of names by creeps like you who are worse than filthy
insects. It does not matter, Islam continues to prosper and is the
answer to crazy guys like you who need it the most. My offer still
stands, come to the circle of Islam and you will find peace.
Allaho Alkbar.
Lainatullahi- Allaqomil Kafirin.
Posted by: Joseph | August 26, 2008 7:39 PM

CCNL; You are right. Last week WaPo ran an editorial about a publisher
who dropped a plan to publish a book about prophet Mohamed and his 6
year old child bride-Aisha due to fear of Muslim violence.
In fact, prophet had 9 wives including a ex daughter in law. And
fought more than 9 wars. Fits the definition of a child rapist and a
war mongerer. Yes he made up things and said Angel appeared to him to
justify his lifestyle of lust and violence and intolerance. Example:
present day Saudi Arabia where you can be arrested for carrying a
Bible and their steady stream of terrorists including 9/11.
And speaking of India and Muslim's complaint here of intolerance and
violence: India's population is 4-5 percent Christian/Sikh. 4-5 is
Buddhists. 15 percent is Muslim/terrorist.
In fact, I read a interview of India's top actor Shah Rukh Khan, a
Muslim, who said the only reason he is a top actor in India is due to
inherent secular and tolerant nature of Hindus.
Muslims only need to read a newspaper to see how many Muslims are
massacring civilians every single day all over the world all in the
name of Islam.
Posted by: Intolerance | August 26, 2008 5:46 PM
Report Offensive Comment
Muslims are encouraged to memorize things, they typically don't
exercise the thought process. A good example of the "thinking" Muslim
is the following;
Joseph aka Mohammed writes;
"3rd, Islam is not barbaric, but teaches respect for other faiths.
Quran says there might be 1,24000 prepophets that came from time to
time...."
Fristly I have to laugh then bring out the fact that Koran also
specifically teaches Muslims kill people of other faiths.
Here again classic Muslim "thinking" gone wild...
"Yes, prophet Mohammed( pbuh) did have multiple wives at a time, I
wish I had time and space to explain it to you, as that was the need
of the hour at that time as many muslim woman had lost husbands in the
wars they fought and they needed some form of protection, unlike your
faith where they are supposed to burn themselves."
Mohammed and his gangsters were the aggressors they looted then killed
off all the adult males, fornicated/raped the young women, enslaved
them and/or married them. Please take the time, and there is lots of
space to explain Mr. Joseph aka Mohammed; Why your prophet Moe was
anything other than a womanizer and a warmonger?
More scholarly "thinking"...
"Let me be crstal clear, you should be ashamed of being a Hindu. If
you have any common sense you should convert to Islam and I am giving
you an offer."
...and finally the icing...
"Mohammed was a brave man, fought wars, conquered places, and I should
say according to you a potent man..."
The genius at one point says he had to marry all those widows; think
for once and you’ll realize that he helped in making them and to tops
it off with a "potent man"?
Fastest growing religion my arse!
Arif (pbuh)
Posted by: Arif | August 26, 2008 5:26 PM

CCNL:
OBSESSIVE, COMPULSIVE PERSONALITY DISORDER. Seek help.
Posted by: Anonymous2 | August 26, 2008 4:54 PM

Islam 101-
Mohammed (Mahound in Sir Salman Rushdie's "Satanic Verses) was an
illiterate, womanizing, lust and greed-driven, warmongering,
hallucinating Arab, who also had embellishing/hallucinating/
plagiarizing scribal biographers who not only added "angels" aka
"pretty, wingie thingies" and flying chariots to the koran but also a
militaristic agenda to support the plundering and looting of the lands
of non-believers.
This agenda continues as shown by the assassination of Bhutto, the
conduct of the seven Muslim doctors in the UK, the 9/11 terrorists,
the 24/7 Sunni suicide/roadside/market/mosque bombers, the 24/7 Shiite
suicide/roadside/market/ mosque bombers, the Islamic bombers of the
trains in the UK and Spain, the Bali crazies, the Kenya crazies, the
Pakistani “koranics”, the Palestine suicide bombers/rocketeers, the
Lebanese nutcases, the Taliban nut jobs, and the Filipino “koranics”.

And who funds this muck and stench of terror? The warmongering,
Islamic, Shiite terror and torture theocracy of Iran aka the Third
Axis of Evil and also the Sunni "Wannabees" of Saudi Arabia.
Current crises:
The Sunni-Shiite blood feud and the warmongering, womanizing (11
wives), hallucinating founder
Added reading material- Ayaan Hirsi Ali's autobiography, "Infidel".
"Thus begins the extraordinary story of a woman born into a family of
desert nomads, circumcised as a child, educated by radical imams in
Kenya and Saudi Arabia, taught to believe that if she uncovered her
hair, terrible tragedies would ensue. It's a story that, with a few
different twists, really could have led to a wretched life and a
lonely death, as her grandmother warned. But instead, Hirsi Ali
escaped -- and transformed herself into an internationally renowned
spokeswoman for the rights of Muslim women."
ref: Washington Post book review.
three excerpts:
p. 47 paperback issue:
"Some of the Saudi women in our neighborhood were regularly beaten by
their husbands. You could hear them at night. Their screams resounded
across the courtyards. "No! Please! By Allah!"

p.68:
"The Pakistanis were Muslims but they too had castes. The Untouchable
girls, both Indian and Pakistani were darker skin. The others would
not play with them because they were untouchable. We thought that was
funny because of course they were touchable: we touched them see? but
also horrifying to think of yourself as untouchable, despicable to the
human race."

p. 347
"The kind on thinking I saw in Saudi Arabia and among the Brotherhood
of Kenya and Somalia, is incompatible with human rights and liberal
values. It preserves the feudal mind-set based on tribal concepts of
honor and shame. It rests on self-deception, hyprocricy, and double
standards. It relies on the technologial advances of the West while
pretending to ignore their origin in Western thinking. This mind-set
makes the transition to modernity very painful for all who practice
Islam".
Posted by: Concerned The Christian Now Liberated | August 26, 2008
3:28 PM
Report Offensive Comment
I am an Indian muslim and I am proud of it.We muslims in India believe
Kashmir is an integral part of India.Muslims fought war against
Pakistan and China.

The main problem in India is 15% of upper casts Hindus who controls
90% of Indian economy is masterminding communal riots in India so that
both muslims and lower casts Hindus will fight each other and destroy
each other so that their hegemony can be maintained.
What happened in Gujarat has raised very serious questions.When you
speak to somebody and tell them that 2000 muslims where massacred on
the streets of Gujarat, and women were raped, and pregnant women had
their stomach slit open, normal people, or people who are outside the
situation, recoil in horror. But people inside the situation say
things like ;They diserved it'. and how do you deal with that?
It isnt coincidence that the massacre of muslims in Gujarat happened
after september 11. Gujarat is also one place where the toxic wastes
of World Trade Centre is being dumped right now [1]
This wastes is being dumped in Gujarat and then taken off to Ludhiana
and places like that to be recycled. It's quite a mataphor. The
DEMONISATION of mulims has also given legitimacy by the worlds super
power, by the emperor himself. We are at a stage where democracy-this
corruptes scandalous version of democracy-is the problem. So much of
what politicians do is with an eye on elections. Wars are fought as
election campaigns.n India, muslims are killed as part of election
campigns. In 1984, after the massacre of Sikhs in Delhi, the Congress
party won hands down. We must ask ourselves very serious questions
about this particular brand of democracy
1.'Chinese steel firm buys 50000 Tonnes of WTC scrap, Agence France-
Press 23 Jan 2002.See WTC scrap at Gujarat Port awaits Toxicity tests,
Indian express 17 April 2002.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 26, 2008 2:44 PM

Deb Chatterji:
Did you see the following headlines right on the page in WP where you
click to get Religion segment?
Here it is:
Suspected Hindu hard-liners set fire to orphanage
Isn't this a brazen act of terrorism? Killing innocent children?
Posted by: Anonymous2 | August 26, 2008 12:02 PM

Hey deb,
I can understand your frustration as you have lost your point and did
not muster any supporters. Donot be a coward and write your blog under
different names. My teacher used to say when you lose a point you
resort to personal attacks, that what precisely you are doing.Let me
also get dirty the way you have been.
First do you know how we took care of your hindu Pundits in Kashmir
for 100s of years inspite of being 1% of the population. They got all
the benefits from India and were subjugating Kashmiri Muslims since
ages. Do you know that we Kashmiri muslims donot like eating beef,
which was as a mark of respect for our fellow pundits.
2nd, we took care of all the shrines in Kashmir during these years of
turmoil and also cremated some of the Kashmiri pundits who passed away
of natural causes while they opted to stay in Kashmir and that too did
it according to hindu rights. You will still call us communal
terrorist.
3rd, Islam is not barbaric, but teaches respect for other faiths.
Quran says there might be 1,24000 prepophets that came from time to
time. Do you know some of us believe that Ram or Krishan could have
been some of them. This is what my father taught me who had more
pundit friends than anybody else in my family. I always argued with
him about the role of pundits in Kashmir. I faced it first hand, how
these people used to stab us in our backs. But my father would not
agree as Ram Joo was like his brother.
Yes, prophet Mohammed( pbuh) did have multiple wives at a time, I wish
I had time and space to explain it to you, as that was the need of the
hour at that time as many muslim woman had lost husbands in the wars
they fought and they needed some form of protection, unlike your faith
where they are supposed to burn themselves.
Let me be crstal clear, you should be ashamed of being a Hindu. If you
have any common sense you should convert to Islam and I am giving you
an offer.
Mohammed was a brave man, fought wars, conquered places, and I should
say according to you a potent man. He did not take"Ban bass" like Ram
did and spend 14 years of life in Jungle wailing and crying instead of
rescuing his beloved wife. In fact it was a mythical "Wander Sena"
comprising of monkeys who finally rescued her from Rawan. You guys
still call her Pavitra, come on give me a break. So according to your
fake, mythical religeon and be honest what would have Rawan done for
14 years, just swat flies. Let us not go into gory details.
Geeta was written by a man. It is not a spiritual book like Tora,
bible and above all the last testament called as Quran.
What is Hinduism? A fake religeon that is a simple myth, based on some
short stories called 'Kathas' and not a way of life.
Bengali baboa, how many are converting to hinduism...... zippo. People
in US laugh when they see snakes, rats, monkeys and bare naked ladies
being worshiped. It is a joke in deed.
Islam is the fastest growing religeon on globe and it is not that
people are converting by the force of sword, but by conviction and the
powerful message it has. Let me give you a piece of information. There
is no minute in 24 hoours, 7 days and 356 days a year that AZAAN ie.
call for prayers ) in not resonating from East to West and North to
the South of this globe because of the time difference. This is the
power of Islam. A closed mind person like you will not understand it.
The powerful message is to do Jihad, the literal meaning of which has
been distorted by sick people like you. Jihad is to fight for your
rights. This is precisely what is happening in Kashmir, Palestine,
Chechneya that people are fighting for illegitimate occupation of
their motherland. They have balls to fight for their rights rather
than put their tails in the hines and take Ban Bass like Ram did and
worship his Chappals for 14 years like the hindus of that time did.
If Hindus have any iota of intelligence they should have a second look
at their religeon and feel how baseless it is!
Once again you started this crap and I urge you to desist from doing
that again.
Posted by: Joseph | August 26, 2008 11:47 AM

Hey deb,
I can understand your frustration as you have lost your point and did
not muster any supporters. Donot be a coward and write your blog under
different names. My teacher used to say when you lose a point you
resort to personal attacks, that what precisely you are doing.Let me
also get dirty the way you have been.
First do you know how we took care of your hindu Pundits in Kashmir
for 100s of years inspite of being 1% of the population. They got all
the benefits from India and were subjugating Kashmiri Muslims since
ages. Do you know that we Kashmiri muslims donot like eating beef,
which was as a mark of respect for our fellow pundits.
2nd, we took care of all the shrines in Kashmir during these years of
turmoil and also cremated some of the Kashmiri pundits who passed away
of natural causes while they opted to stay in Kashmir and that too did
it according to hindu rights. You will still call us communal
terrorist.
3rd, Islam is not barbaric, but teaches respect for other faiths.
Quran says there might be 1,24000 prepophets that came from time to
time. Do you know some of us believe that Ram or Krishan could have
been some of them. This is what my father taught me who had more
pundit friends than anybody else in my family. I always argued with
him about the role of pundits in Kashmir. I faced it first hand, how
these people used to stab us in our backs. But my father would not
agree as Ram Joo was like his brother.
Yes, prophet Mohammed( pbuh) did have multiple wives at a time, I wish
I had time and space to explain it to you, as that was the need of the
hour at that time as many muslim woman had lost husbands in the wars
they fought and they needed some form of protection, unlike your faith
where they are supposed to burn themselves.
Let me be crstal clear, you should be ashamed of being a Hindu. If you
have any common sense you should convert to Islam and I am giving you
an offer.
Mohammed was a brave man, fought wars, conquered places, and I should
say according to you a potent man. He did not take"Ban bass" like Ram
did and spend 14 years of life in Jungle wailing and crying instead of
rescuing his beloved wife. In fact it was a mythical "Wander Sena"
comprising of monkeys who finally rescued her from Rawan. You guys
still call her Pavitra, come on give me a break. So according to your
fake, mythical religeon and be honest what would have Rawan done for
14 years, just swat flies. Let us not go into gory details.
Geeta was written by a man. It is not a spiritual book like Tora,
bible and above all the last testament called as Quran.
What is Hinduism? A fake religeon that is a simple myth, based on some
short stories called 'Kathas' and not a way of life.
Bengali baboa, how many are converting to hinduism...... zippo. People
in US laugh when they see snakes, rats, monkeys and bare naked ladies
being worshiped. It is a joke in deed.
Islam is the fastest growing religeon on globe and it is not that
people are converting by the force of sword, but by conviction and the
powerful message it has. Let me give you a piece of information. There
is no minute in 24 hoours, 7 days and 356 days a yera that AZAAN9ie.
call for prayers ) in not resonating from East to Weat and North to
the South of this globe because of the time difference. This is the
power of Islam. A closed mind person like you will not understand it.
The powerful message is to do Jihad, the literal meaning of which has
been distorted by sick people like you. Jihad is to fight for your
rights. This is precisely what is happening in Kashmir, Palestine,
Chechneya that people are fighting for illegitimate occupation of
their motherland. They have balls to fight for their rights rather
than put their tails in the hines and take Ban Bass.
If Hindus have any iota of intelligence they should have a second look
at their religeon and feel how baseless it is!
Once again you started this crap and I urge you to desist from doing
that again.
Posted by: Joseph | August 26, 2008 11:43 AM

I get sick to the stomach to read such comments about one of the great
monothiestic religeon called Islam. This discussion has turned from a
political one to a brazenly open communal one. This I am sure was not
the aim of the author and we hijacked it in an entirely different
direction. Come on guys, let us behave civil and not try to slander
each others ethnicity and religeon. I hope good sense prevails on all
of you.
Posted by: Koshur | August 26, 2008 11:00 AM

Deb Chatterji:
You wrote that all Muslims are not terrorists but most terrorists are
Muslims. Then how do you explain that the late Rajiva Gandhi was
killed by a Hindu suicide bomber? And how do you explain the numerous
suicide bombings committed by Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka? And how do
you explain state sponsored terrorism by the Indian Army in Kashmir
which has killed more than 100,000 Muslims in Kashmir? And how do you
explain the state sponsored genocide of Muslim in Gujarat in 2002.
The only proven incident of bioterrorism the United States has ever
experienced, we learned, was a bizarre plot by the Rajneeshee Hindus,
to steal a county election in Oregon in 1984. The Rajneeshees,
followers of Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, a self-proclaimed guru exiled
from India, had moved into a ranch in rural Wasco County, taken
political control of the small nearby town of Antelope, and changed
its name to Rajneesh. Next, the Hindus sought to run the whole county
by winning the local election in 1984.
The amazing story of the Wasco County election scandal was revealed to
the conference's riveted participants by Leslie L. Zaitz, an
investigative reporter for The Oregonian, and Dr. John Livengood, an
epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control. To win the county
election, the Rajneeshee Hindus planned to sicken a good portion of
the population in the town of The Dalles, where most Wasco County
voters live. Their weapon of choice to keep local residents from
voting was salmonella bacteria.

These Rajneeshi Hindus decided to test the use of salmonella and, if
successful, to contaminate the entire water system of The Dalles on
Election Day. First, the Rajneeshees poisoned two visiting Wasco
County commissioners on a hot day by plying them with refreshing
drinks of cold water laced with salmonella.

Then, on a shopping trip to The Dalles, these Hindus sprinkled
salmonella on produce in grocery stores "just for fun." According to
reporter Zaitz, that experiment didn't get the results they wanted so
the Rajneeshees proceeded to clandestinely sprinkle salmonella at the
town's restaurant salad bars. Ten restaurants were hit and more than
700 people got sick.
Posted by: Anonymous2 | August 26, 2008 10:20 AM

Two of the most dangerous and volatile spots confronting the world
today can be tracked down to a single cause. Indo- Pakistan and the
Middle Eastern conflicts originating from the decision taken in 1947
by the Labour prime minister Clement Attlee's post war government of
Britain. He followed an easy solution to the crisis, "partition and
run", and effects of the British government's decision to leave the
mess to the locals' policy still plagues the two countries. Evidence
has emerged and was corroborated by a retired Lieutenant-Colonel, R G
Begbie, that 24 hours before the partition of India-Pakistan the
boundary was shifted 20 miles westward by Labour’s viceroy, "special
plenipotentiary" Lord Mountbatten, to give India a common frontier
with Kashmir, over which Indian troops marched the following day. Sir
Cyril Radcliffe, the judge who was responsible for drawing the
boundary lines, was pressured by the viceroy to alter the frontier in
India's favour in various vital [parts] of the Punjab.
Lord Mountbatten was treacherous and partial towards India, and one of
the reasons given was his close friendship with the Nehru family. He
did not care how much of the innocent Kashmiris' blood would be
splattered around their beautiful valley by the Indian occupying
army's brutalities and inhuman atrocities.
In terms of its beauty, the Mughal emperor Jehangir immortalized
Kashmir by saying, "If there is paradise on Earth, Hama ast Hama ast;
it is here, it is here."
In the Middle East, the Attlee government's eagerness to demobilize as
many soldiers as quickly as possible and flee problems that have
lasted until now. Creating a Jewish state in the Arab lands to
compensate for the European Christians' lament and guilt [over the]
Jewish Holocaust was a profound, unjust tragedy of world history. That
Arabs lived in their homeland for thousands of years and then [were]
forcefully expelled from their homes and land by the Israelis was the
ugliest stain on the human conscience. In May 1948, the British
hurriedly withdrew all their armies from the area and gave free hand
to the Zionist state to grab its neighbours' lands.
Since 1989 over 150,000 Kashmiri Muslims have been either killed,
maimed, or disappeared without a trace, and tales of horrendous
torture and rape of young girls and women are heard in almost every
Muslim household. Indian Army kills Kashmiri Muslims with ruthless
barbarity as Jews were killed by the Nazis. Muslims are put under
running steam engines and crushed to pulp; they are beaten to death
and tortured with such severity that thousands have died of renal
failures. They held in army interrogation centres called Papa 1 and
Papa 2 and inflicted worst torture than the Nazi inflicted in the
concentration camps. This is happening even now. I wish to remind Eboo
Patel of the genocide of over 2,500 Muslims spanning three months in
the western state of Gujarat by the right-wing Hindu nationalists
groups, a barbarity resembling that in Rwanda and of the Nazis against
the Jews. Pregnant women were ripped open and burnt, women and girls
gang-raped before being hacked to death with swords, and little
children butchered. Ethnic cleansing and communal violence is sparked
by the so-called "saffron mob" to intimidate minorities. Indians claim
to be secular and proud of it, which is unbelievable and preposterous
under these circumstances.
India and Pakistan have already fought three inconclusive wars over
Kashmir, and a fourth was narrowly averted recently. There can be
properly negotiated solutions to the question of Kashmir only if the
Muslims are free to choose their future. In the long term, only a
plebiscite among Kashmiris on both sides of the border, as ordered by
a United Nations Security Council resolution of 1948, can hope to
resolve the issue. Today to be a Muslim in Kashmir and in other parts
of India makes them feel like a Jew in the late '30s in Germany; their
status is no better that those of untouchables.
In India, "If you are not a Hindu, you are not an Indian" according to
fanatic Hindu Jenta.

Posted by: Saqib khan | August 26, 2008 8:05 AM

Wow. A graduate of Georgetown!! Says this is not religious! If kashmir
wer majority Hindus, according to writer's theory, they would still
want a separate state and many would also want to merge with
Porkistan? Some intelligence there.
Fact is the intolerance and violence prevalent in Islam.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 26, 2008 6:51 AM

Dear Hafsa,
In your article you have mentioned that the State Government had
alloted 100 acres of land from Pahalgam & Sonmarg to SASB but it is to
correct you that it was not 100 acres but 800 acres of land from our
motherland "Kashmir". Many people have lost their lives in this matter
Muslim drivers have been killed on the National Highway by petrol
bombs and this has been denied by the Central Govt. Moreover Kashmir
is facing an economic blockade which is again being denied by the
State & Govt of India. We are suffering a lot but there are questions
I want to ask the people of India espcially Govt of India:
Q1: Why are innocent people (Kashmiris) being killed, harrased &
tortured by armed forces?
Q2: We have been serving yatries since more than 100 years then why is
there a need for land transfer?
Q3: The ecology of Pahalgam & Sonmarg is disturbed during Amarnath
Yatra what measures have been taken by the State & Govt. of India for
that?
Q4: Why is this matter being communalized by the Communal forces of
India?
Q5: When are our sufferings going to end & what measures have been
taken by the Authorities for the matter?
Q6: Why only members of SASB are involved in meetings with the
officials why not Kasmiris?
Q7: What was Govt of India doing till the matter worsened?
Q8: When the yatra was for 15 days, then why it has been extetended
for 3 months & the number of yatries has crossed 5 lakhs this year.
What measures have been taken for ecology of the areas involved as the
division bench of J & K High Court have restricted the entries of
yatries beyound 3,000 at a point?
Posted by: Seerat Farooqi | August 26, 2008 3:57 AM

Deb Chatterjee:
The rising trend of Islamic extremism in India with a population of
140 million Muslims is a serious concern. The solution has to be
sought in reform of Islam in India and interfaith dialogue between
Hindus and Muslims.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 26, 2008 1:25 AM

Deb Chaterjee:
The point of converting to a religion other than Hinduism is to escape
the caste system altogether.
No matter how rich or educated a low caste Hindu may be, he still
remains low caste as far as the religion is concerned.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 26, 2008 1:23 AM

Deb Chatterjee:
Agreed there is a reservation of seats at educational institutions and
for jobs for the lower caste Hindus. It is a marvelous achievement.
The discussion was however the freedom to convert to another religion
from Hinduism. The ban on conversion from Hinduism to another religion
seems no different from the Sharia Law apostacy, although conversion
is not punished by death.
Freedom to change religions is fundamental. Hinduism should not deny
it to Hindus.
Hinduism simply means the religions practiced by people living in a
geographical area that is known as India.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 26, 2008 1:20 AM

Anonymous wrote:
"It is pretty atrocious for high caste Hindus, who enjoy all the
benefits of the Hindu caste system to forbid low caste Hindus from
converting to another religion which would free them from the burden
of the caste system. Christian missionaries find themselves fighting a
running battle with high caste Hindus when they help low caste/
outcaste Hindus."
This is pure baloney. Quota for SC/ST has increased to such an extent
that the caste Hindus are left out of all opportunity. How long can
the bull about caste keep economically deprived people paralyzed ? The
SC/ST quota is purely based on casteist perversions. High caste Hindus
have a right to be concerned that they will eventually lose out to the
SC/ST quota holders. It is indeed happening. However now the Govt. has
also extended the laws to private firms & BPOs who have soundly
rejected the strictures, stating that they would move operations
elsewhere.
India was always a Hindu/Buddhist ruled country and it is speculated
by Holger Kersten in his sensational JESUS LIVED IN INDIA, that indeed
Christ came to India and settled in Kashmir and learnt a lot about
Buddhist and Hindu philosophies.
However, my point with India becoming a Hindu state was primarily
aimed at Islamic (mis)rule for 1000+ years. Becoming a Hindu state
would eliminate the invoking of Shariah laws that Muslims follow. Also
if India became Hindu, I just think that something with minorities
like Buddhists, Jains, Sikhs, Christians, Aga Khan Ismailis, Bahais
have to be considered.
Finally, I have a question for you: how do you define a Hindu religion
in the sense you can define an Abrahamic religion (Judaism,
Christianity and Islam) ?
I'll leave the remainder of the debate of Kashmir secession to other
bloggers, having made my (atrocious) point.

Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 26, 2008 12:34 AM

The demand of high caste Hindus (Hindu extremists tend to belong to
high castes) that low caste Hindus should not convert to any other
religion that would free them from the burden of the caste system, is
a form of social oppression that Hinduism with its caste system
introduced into the Hindu Indian society at least four thousand years
ago.
It was precisely one of the reasons, Buddha, Mahavira and Guru Nanak,
all non-Brahmins of Hindu origin founded other religions.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 26, 2008 12:20 AM

Deb Chatterjee:
When was India ever a Hindu state? Buddhism and Jainism are two and a
half THOUSAND years old and India has been home to Christianity for
two thousand years, among other religions.
The Hindu-only India is the myth created by Hindu extremists. Hinduism
is a con-federation of religions. It has never been a single religious
philosophy.
The United Nations Declaration of Universal Human Rights guarantees
religious freedom, which includes freedom to change religions. How
could Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism have come into existence if it was
forbidden to leave Hinduism. It is pretty atrocious for high caste
Hindus, who enjoy all the benefits of the Hindu caste system to forbid
low caste Hindus from converting to another religion which would free
them from the burden of the caste system. Christian missionaries find
themselves fighting a running battle with high caste Hindus when they
help low caste/outcaste Hindus.
What is more basic than the right to worship God in anyway one
chooses? Hindus worship God under so many different names, why should
it matter to them if God is worshipped under a different name under a
different religion?
Posted by: Anonymous | August 26, 2008 12:14 AM

Again, the Solution to the Muslim-Hindu Conflict-
Post the following on every mosque and temple wall:
Mohammed was an illiterate, womanizing, lust and greed-driven,
warmongering, hallucinating Arab, who also had embellishing/
hallucinating/ plagiarizing scribal biographers who not only added
"angels" and flying chariots to the koran but also a militaristic
agenda to support the plundering and looting of the lands of non-
believers.
This agenda continues as shown by the assassination of Bhutto, the
conduct of the seven Muslim doctors in the UK, the 9/11 terrorists,
the 24/7 Sunni suicide/roadside/market/mosque bombers, the 24/7 Shiite
suicide/roadside/market/ mosque bombers, the Islamic bombers of the
trains in the UK and Spain, the Bali crazies, the Kenya crazies, the
Pakistani “koranics”, the Palestine suicide bombers/rocketeers, the
Lebanese nutcases, the Taliban nut jobs, and the Filipino “koranics”.

And who funds this muck and stench of terror? The warmongering,
Islamic, Shiite terror and torture theocracy of Iran aka the Third
Axis of Evil and also the Sunni "Wannabees" of Saudi Arabia.
Current crises:
The Sunni-Shiite blood feud and the warmongering, womanizing (11
wives), hallucinating founder.

Hinduism (from an online Hindu site) -
"Hinduism cannot be described as an organized religion. It is not
founded by any individual. Hinduism is God centered and therefore one
can call Hinduism as founded by God, because the answer to the
question ‘Who is behind the eternal principles and who makes them
work?’ will have to be ‘Cosmic power, Divine power, God’."
The caste/laborer system and cow worship/reverence are problems when
saying a fair and rational God founded Hinduism."
Current crises:
The caste system and cow worship/reverence.

Posted by: Concerned The Christian Now Liberated | August 26, 2008
12:10 AM

Anonymous:
These are some quips from my side to your loud thoughts:
1. India should become a Hindu state so that it can rid itself of
Islamic radicalism. (SIMI activists want India to become and Islamic
state. They want "Islamization" and are using the bounties of
secularism to further their agenda. This can be stopped if this pseudo-
secularism is stopped. Just look at Kashmir.)
2. VHP has an axe to grind. Christian missionaries had been
proselytizing the poor. That is, the poor were lured with money and
they converted to Christianity. But, then their status did not improve
socially. What happened in the meantime was that suddenly the numbers
of Christians increased in India. I do not support the notion that
conversion, by luring poor people with money, is a good thing to do.
That's a falsehood. It is false to claim that these poor people have
suddenly been spiritually enlightened because they received some
dollars/pounds. That the GOI should stop. VHP claims this against
Christian missionaries. Just because India is secular, any form of
malpractice cannot happen. That's the point.
3. You have been castigating Hindus, like me. However I encourage you
to assess what's the situation of Christians in Muslim countries. How
many prominent leaders in Pakistan are Christians ?
4. It is indeed true that the best universities and schools are run by
Jesuits and Salesians. (I went to a high school run by Salesians in
Kolkata - Don Bosco. It was an excellent school.) That does not mean
conversion to Christianity by money is right.
5. VHP has the full right to condemn and agitate against such
activities. They represent majority of Indians: Hindus. It is
unfortunate that you have no sense of reciprocity. In USA we often see
and hear Christian tele-evangelsists getting extremely vocal and
aggressive about promoting Christian values. I don't see it as wrong.
As long as they don't personally offend me, I am fine. If they can
project their values, claiming to represent the majority - Christians,
what is wrong with VHP doing the same in India ? OR are you implying
that what is good for White Christians is not good for brown skinned
darkies (aka Hindus) ? What is your point in griping against VHP ?
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 25, 2008 11:56 PM

Actually my best (optimistic) view is the following:
1. Kashmir goes out of India, and India declares itself as a Hindu
nation. This would rid India of the pestilence of Islamic terrorism.
2. Pakistan disintegrates into smithreens. It should be that way,
because it is a failed state. Just read the DAWN newspaper. There is
always a barrage of sick reports on killings, whippings and beheadings
of people who don't support Islamic fundamentalism. The madrassas with
their mad mullahs are breeding bomb-throwing radicals like rats.
(Already Nawaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari are at each other's
throats. So, what's new ?)
3. NATO captures the control Pakistan, and continues to patrol the
streets of Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, Multan and Quetta till all
madrassas are torn down and all mullahs have their beards plucked off
by monkeys. Their faces swell heavily due to mishandling by primates,
and the pain inflicted upon these mullahs by the animals (monkeys)
temporarily disable them to chant the Quran.
4. Women start going to school to get a decent western education. We
see a slow gradual rejection of the burqa and also radical Islam, due
to prolonged presence of western personnel.
5. Kashmir, once independent, realizes that it is not economicaly a
viable commodity - no jobs, no industries, only mosques and mosques,
cannot afford to self-sustain. It begs India to accept it on any terms
and signs an agreement of accession by India. Raja Hari Singh has the
last laugh from his grave.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 25, 2008 11:37 PM

Religious extremists of any stripe, whether Hindu or Muslim seem to be
marked by a common feature - hatred for those who are not like them.
How pathetic.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 25, 2008 11:33 PM

Most of the best known schools, private colleges and hospitals in
India are run by Catholics (especially Jesuits and Selasians). None of
them have been accused of force converting anyone or offering any
religious education to non-Catholics.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 25, 2008 11:31 PM

Hindu militants have been known to attack not just Muslims but also
Christian missionaries in North India. Fortunately militant Hindus are
a very small group.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 25, 2008 11:27 PM

If India is to be declared a Hindu country, what about non-Hindus like
Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Christians etc including the non-caste
tribals?
The "usual" suspects, Christian missionaries??????? There are well
known Hindu militant organizations that use violence in the name of
Hinduism.
If there is one thing Mother Theresa did NOT do is convert anyone her
missionary order offered help to Catholic charities do not force
convert anyone.
What by the way is a Hindu who wants to declare India as a Hindu state
because 85% of its population is Hindu, doing in the United States, a
country with a Christian majority?
Posted by: Anonymous | August 25, 2008 11:24 PM

Ajit wrote:
"The VHP-sponsored bandh, to protest the killing of their leader Swami
Laxmanananda Saraswati and four disciples, witnessed attacks on
churches and missionary schools across the state, reminiscent of the
Graham Staines case in January 1999.In state capital Bhubaneswar,
protesters stoned a church; churches in Kandhamal, Bargarh, Koraput
Deogarh districts were also attacked."
Well, while unfortunate VHP has an axe to grind. You state that their
leader/guru, Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati, was killed. The "usual"
suspects were the Christian missionaries. And that is unfortunate.
However, Mother Theresa used to convert first and then accept
destitutes in her missionary in Kolkata. While the deed is noble,
conversion first followed by service is not morally uplifting.
Also: do you know the status of the Christian minorities in Saudi
Arabia, Pakistan etc. ? Do you know what rights they have vis-a-vis
those in India ?
Unfortunate incidents do happen. My position is that if someone is so
damned critical of a country, then please leave and go elsewhere. In
India the majority rarely has a voice: witness the bomb blasts that
are told to be expression of frustration of Islam. When Islam gets
frustrated, it encourages its followers to blast bombs. Still, the
last President of India was a Muslim: Abul Pakir Jainal Abedin Abdul
Kalam.
And, I agree that all Muslims are NOT terrorists. But MOST terrorists
are Muslims.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 25, 2008 10:52 PM

Joseph (a probable phony name) wrote:
"Kashmiri Pundits have always been labelled as Ciccis and instead of
helping their Muslim brotheren at the time of need they fled away like
cowards."
Name calling at Hindus (in this "Ciccis" for Kashmiri Pandits) is
racist epithet. Kashmiri Muslims have been using that epithet against
Hindus in Kashmir and irritating/provoking them into a confrontational
situation. That's one of the reasons why the Pandits left. Its a well
crafted ploy to slaughter Kashmiri Hindu Pandits.
The religion of Islam is purely barbaric: it calls for slaughter of
all non-Muslims. Quran [009:005],[047:004] is explicit about that.
Kashmiri Pandits fled because their neighbors, Kashmiri Muslims, were
also killing the Kashmiri Pandit men and raping their women. This was
done at the behest of their bodymasters in Pakistan.
Truth hurts. Islam is afraid of the truth. India should declare itself
as a Hindu state, and all other non-Muslim countries must consider
revising its immigration policies to prevent Muslims from immigrating
and spreading Islam there.
I did not see the article by A. G. Noorani in Kashmir Times
http://www.kashmirtimes.com after I read your response. Perhaps you
are fabricating facts to confuse others ?
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 25, 2008 10:32 PM

Deb Chatterji and Anonymous:
You make sweepy generalizations. Not all Hindus are bad people nor are
all Muslims. I have great admiration for India's democracy. But there
are elements in India like BJP or Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Hindu
Congress) or VHP that create and threaten India's democracy. Here is
an item from Hindustan Times of Aug. 26:
A 45-year-old woman, employed as a cook in a missionary school in
Orissa’s Bargarh district, was burnt to death on Monday when the
school was set on fire allegedly by Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP)
protesters. The pastor running the school was also injured.
The VHP-sponsored bandh, to protest the killing of their leader Swami
Laxmanananda Saraswati and four disciples, witnessed attacks on
churches and missionary schools across the state, reminiscent of the
Graham Staines case in January 1999.In state capital Bhubaneswar,
protesters stoned a church; churches in Kandhamal, Bargarh, Koraput
Deogarh districts were also attacked.

"We are afraid to move out. Some Christians staying in institutions or
bungalows are hiding in jungles or villages," said Bishop of Sambalpur
Lucas Kerketta, whose jurisdiction includes Bargarh. "We have two to
three policemen, and they can’t control a big crowd… we have asked for
more security."
In state capital Bhubaneswar, protesters stoned a church; churches in
Kandhamal, Bargarh, Koraput Deogarh districts were also attacked.

Said Balasore Bishop Reverend Thomas Thiruthalil, chairman of Orissa
Bishop’s Council: "These are planned attacks on minorities. We need
police protection; minorities should be able to move freely and their
rights to worship must be protected."
Kandhamal remained tense as the Swami was cremated at his Ashram.
http://hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print.aspx?Id=1a09c30e-5cff-4803-80e9-b00dc7eb3620
Posted by: Ajit | August 25, 2008 10:29 PM

Since Islam is a political religion, it is impossible for Muslims in
Kashmir to keep politics out. They fool only the naive that the
problems in Kashmir and their demand for a separate country does not
have anything to do with political Islam.
If India was so terrible to Muslims under its rule, why does 140
million Muslims living in India not choose to flee the country? Why
have there been Muslim politicians, including in the highest offices?
Posted by: Anonymous | August 25, 2008 10:21 PM

Muslims ruled a large part of Hindu majority India for three hundred
years before the British came. It was considered normal for a Muslim
minority to rule the Hindu majority. So at the time of Indian
independence when some Muslims feared Hindu majority could rule a
Muslim minority, they wanted a separate country.
So India was carved up into Pakistan and current Bangladesh on
religious grounds alone.
Millions were displaced and millions lost their lives.
Nearly 140 million Muslims still live among Hindus in India. Except
for a few clashes in certain parts, the vast majority of Muslims live
at peace with majority Hindus.
In Kashmir, again it is religion that is behind the drive for a
separate country. Moral of the story: Muslims consider it perfectly
natural to rule others even if Muslims are the minority but they will
not tolerate non-Muslim rule.
It is a historical trend that needs noting and learning from.
Again: India was carved up into Pakistan and Bangladesh on religious
grounds. Kashmir is again asking for separation on religious grounds
although 140 million Muslims live in India.
Kashmiri Muslims, Muslims currently the part of Pakistan and
Bangladesh lived as part of India during Muslim rule and during
British rule.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 25, 2008 10:11 PM

It is really sad to know about the present turmoil in Kashmir. People
are suffering as Hindu Extremists in Jammu have enforced economical
blockade of kashmir valley. Ms Hafsa has done a comendable job. People
are entitled to what they write in response to this article but I am
seeing people are writing things which are not even related to this
article and present situation in kashmir.Also some people have started
attacking the religion of this writer which is too low on their
part.People should understand that they live in this great country and
should not behave like those living in third world countries like
India. This speaks of ignorance on part of these people. I think it is
easy for us to comment while having a luxury of safety and freedom of
speech, we should at the same time think of the people who are being
killed for protesting against economical blockade, against the
scarcity of food and medicines. Just today I learnt that even doctors
in hospitals and ambulances are not allowed to reach the injured. This
is the worst form of a state sponsored terrorism against innocent
kashmiris. How can a democratic country like India do it in Kashmir.
On one hand Protestors in Jammu are offered cold drinks and food for
burning Kashmiri muslims with petrol bombs, while the peaceful
protestors even with harming any body are showered with bullets.
I hope that the world understand the plight of these poor kashmiris.
India should respect the genuine wishes of these people. I agree with
koshur people are talking about ethnic cleansing on death of 200 and
some kashmiri pandits but wholeworld is mute on killin of almost
hundred thousand kashmiri muslims.Writers like Ms Hafsa should be
encouraged as they give us a chance to induldge in a dialogue. I hope
people
Posted by: Chris | August 25, 2008 9:49 PM

Bengali Baboa,
You are a coward hindu maniac hiding somewhere in the comforts of this
great country called US. This forum is not to malign a particular
religeon. None of bloggers has stooped so low as you have done. You
must be a cheap uneducated Harijan from West Bengal,or definitely a
Kashmiri Pundit the way you spit crap from your mouth. Kashmiri
Pundits have always been labelled as Ciccis and instead of helping
their Muslim brotheren at the time of need they fled away like
cowards. The manaic named Jagmohan who had planned the massacre of
muslims in Kashmir (and he did a great deal of it) made these cowards
to go to a safe place called India. Thank God they have been
dessipated in the dirt of India and there is no term what used to be
called a kashmiri Batta, and above all what Shah Hamdan could not do
during his lifetime was done by Jaggu dada of Delhi in day. These
creeps had exploited Kashmiri muslims to such an extent, that
something supernatural had to happen and the result is they instead
lost everything.
I would urge Washington Post not allow such maniacs to write and
denegrade the personal religeon of some of the bloggers. I would ask
this sick mind to read todays article by A G Noorani in Kashmir Times
from Jammu and edited by a Hindu. He may get some lessons from it.
Heal thy mind Bengali Babu and take this prejudice out of your mind. I
would also urge other bloggers not to respond to these people with
sick mind
Posted by: Joseph | August 25, 2008 9:15 PM

Kashur wrote (in ressponse to Dolivaw):
"Kashmiri Pandits left kashmir not because of kashmiri muslim or there
was any kind of threat to them,They did so under the infuence of then
Governer of J & K who misled them."
That's unsubstantiated garbage. To be precise, read an excellent
article in The National Geographic (September 1997, pp. 100-123) which
had a special issue on Kashmir and interviewed Kashmiri Pandits who
were living as refugees in the trans-Jamuna extension in New Delhi.
The gruesome details of slaughter of Kashmiri Pandits appeared in a
major international magazine (known for its objectivity and fact
finding missions) are documented. The radical Islam that defines this
garbage of Azad and Azad Kashmir implies "Nizam-i-Mustafa" which means
implementation of Shariah laws. This is confirmed by interviews with
several ordinary Kashmiri Muslims who have stated that they want to
secede from India and merge with Pakistan. The interesting thing is
that thge same rascals who want to secede said that they still want to
enjoy the benefits of India - like quota for jobs but want ti live in
an Islamic state of Kashmir that has merged with Pakistan (Azad
Kashmir). Also in the same article is the interview of fundamnentalist
rabid Muslim woman Ayesha Andrabi who is heading the "Dukhtarani
Millat". This crazy woman is justifying the slaughter of the Kashmiri
Hindu Pandits on one hand, and then being sympathetic to the hapless
Islamic pogrom on the Kashmiri Pandits. When I read this article my
heart swelled with anger and frustration, and the only I way I see to
rid India of this pestilence called Islam is to declare India as a
Hindu state and rewrite its Constitution accordingly. Otherwise we
shall certainly see another series of mini-partitions if Kashmir goes
away under the spell of this Wahabi fundamentalism preached by Geelani
and his perverted ilk.
Posted by: Deb Chatterjee | August 25, 2008 7:28 PM

Dolivaw
Kashmiri Pandits left kashmir not because of kashmiri muslim or there
was any kind of threat to them,They did so under the infuence of then
Governer of J & K who misled them.In kashmir we are still living
together with Sikhs nobody told them to leave.You are talking about
Democracy and the meaning of Indian democracy is alltogether different
in Kashmir,just go online and see what they are doing in kashmir
today,They are opening fire on peaceful demostrations ,ambulances
carrying the injured people are not allowed to reach
hospital ,Journalists are being attacked.People of kashmir are not
interested in your elections,they just want to get rid of Indian
Occupation ,for last 62 years india has failed to get AZADI(Right to
self Determination) out of the kashmir MINDS,Even by using brutal
forces and you know the ratio of Army VS Civil people in kashmir
is,for 3 kashmiri their is One army men to control.Right now its
peoples movement and you cannot suppress it by any force in the
world .Let me tell honestly people of kashmir is not against Yatra or
Yatri ,even if kashmiri pandits wana come back we will be more than
happy to welcome them ,but kashmiri will not compromise on their RIGHT
FOR SELF DETERMINATION.
Posted by: Kashur | August 25, 2008 6:55 PM

Kashmiriyat truly buried.. please read Geelani's interview to Rediff.
Visions of another Wahhabi funded Islamic paradise.
Posted by: dolivaw | August 25, 2008 6:27 PM

wonderful article. Ms Hafsa we appreciate you writing this article.
Being a kashmiri I can understand the pain you must have undergone
while being in kashmir. I go through this trauma each and everytime.
So does every muslim of kashmir living here in this unfortunate piece
of land. For Dolivaw and other pandit brothers. It is unfortunate you
are giving a name of ethnic cleansing and pandit holocaust to the
death of 256 pandits in this whole turmoil. You should be ashamed
because you dont utter a word for 150,000 kashmir muslims who were
butchered by you so called security forces. Our whole generation was
killed and you dont utter a word for that. You were not evicted out of
kashmir but you opted for it and the then governer Jagmohan helped you
getting out of kashmir. When our kids were disappearing in custodies
Indian government was offering your kids admissions in prestigious
universities. Only thing you lost was your identity. Even the
government employees we getting doublly paid.They were drawing money
both from kashmir and jammu. I dont understand what did pandits loose
in this whole turmoil. I really fail to understand.
Posted by: Kashur Boy | August 25, 2008 6:25 PM

Kashur:
If only the Kashmiris had shown the same hospitality to its own
Pandits when they were being ethnically cleansed in the late eighties
and early nineties and they were not guests, they were living in their
own houses for most. And as to not a single Yatri being not harmed, it
wasnt for the lack of trying though. In July the Indian Authorities
found 1.5 Kg of RDX on the road leading to the Shrine and used by the
Pilgrims. It is not a so called largest democracy, it is the largest
democracy where nearly 450 million or thereabouts people are entitled
to vote in free and fair central, state and local elections. We did
hold a free and fair election in J&K when the BJP led NDA was in power
at the centre and guess what the Congress and PDP was voted in and the
power was transferred peacefully. If the demographics of the state of
J&K had truly changed, the state election would have decidedly been
different i can assure you and we would have had a BJP MLA from the
valley by now. Unfortunately the same cannot be said about the
demographics of 'Azad Kashmir' or PK i.e, Punjabized Kashmir!
Joseph:
Do read the Hindu of 21st August to know about the ex-Governor Lt.Gen
Sinha. Who knows you might want to rethink what you said about him.
Shoukat Shah of Jamaat Ahl-e Hadith says he is not a right wing
communalist, for he approved an Islamic University to be set up by
that body in the state of J&K. And see above for the exaggerated
importance of Kashmiris helping the yatris! For most, it is a good
business to transport the yatris i.e., pure commercial activity. And
Some Kashmiris may not feel themselves as Indians and as i pointed out
in my earlier posts.they are free to take a single way trip to
Muzaffarabad and join 'Azad' Kashmir in the Islamic Republic of
Pakistan where Islam will never be in danger! Hopefully IROAR
(Independent Republic of Arundhati Roy) will do the same and write
about glorious Taliban in tribal areas of Pakistan and the inequities
facing the minorities of Azad Kashmir (i.e, the Kashmiris themselves
reduced to minority by Punjabi Pakistanis). Am sure an interview of
Mullah Omar by her would be a treat to read.
J&K will remain part of the Union of India, as it is a sacred Hindu
land and the Shiv Lingam which is an icicle yes, wasnt discovered by a
Muslim shepherd for the first time. Its existence in history has been
known for a very long time. Its just another canard being spread to
depict the cravenly anti-Hindu, pro-Taliban mindset of Geelani &
company as a peaceful manifestation of Kashmiriyat which it most
definitely isnt!
Nadeem:
India does have a backbone thank you very much, the Ummah
unfortunately hasnt ever grown one! Do read Robert Fisk's excellent
book on the conquest of the Middle East to know about how the Muslim
rulers of various countries have gone about efficiently in the
twentieth century to prolong their rule! Closer home the role of
Gen.Zia in Jordan in 1970, the Pakistan Army's role in erstwhile East
Pakistan in ethnic cleansing and genocide, Gen. Musharraf's 'To do a
Bugti' and of course ISI's role in the creation, nurturing, training,
arming and controlling Taliban are apt lessons am sure. As to IROAR
(see above for definition), i hope she finds a country she would like
to live in on the planet earth (Talibanland hopefully). If not, a
petition for naming her as a candidate for India's manned or human
mission to the moon gets my vote. Vir Sanghvi has a paper to sell so
he is going to be provocative. One partition of the Country was
enough! Never again. The price of Kashmir is worth more than 5 billion
dollars that the Central Govt has given the state. Its time to stress
and out the corruption of the political leaders in J&K! Implicit in
his article is his foolish belief that normalcy will return i.e, no
Pakistan backed, aided and abetted Islamic terrorism in India once
lets say the Kashmir valley is allowed to secede. It would be like a
shark smelling blood and going in for the kill and fostering ever more
bloodier and deadlier terrorist attacks in India. The old Mughal dream
of ruling Delhi isnt quite died yet in Pakistan. So J&K will remain
Indian and the valley people can either enjoy the fruits of economic
development in India and participate fully as citizens as is their due
or keep going on daily strikes economically hurting no one but
themselves alone.
I hope the Govt. of India takes lessons from the fact that they
allowed Geelani a passport to visit the US for medical treatment for
his cancer last year. They probably regret that decision now.
Moreover, with the rise in inflation and series of errors by the
present UPA Govt i.e., Ram Setu, Afzal, the terrorist bombs, Maoist
violence, Amarnath Land reversal, the rise of Mayawati in splitting
the Congress vote bank, no communal violence in BJP ruled states of
Rajasthan, Karnataka and Gujarat even after terrorist bomb attacks
there ..the BJP has a very good chance of being reelected to power in
the next general elections.
Posted by: Dolivaw | August 25, 2008 5:44 PM

A Muslim separatist leader has said he wants all aspects of life in
Kashmir to be governed by Islam. What happens to non-Muslims? Most of
them have already been killed and driven out. Where is Patel's article
on the plight of non-Muslims?
Does it also mean wherever Muslims become in majority (could happen in
the U.S. as well), they will ask for a separate Islamic nation?
Islam invaded India in 1200s. It was all Hindu/Buddhist before that.
Kashmir and Porkistan all belong to Hindus but Hindus do not believe
in strapping on a suicide belt and blowing up human beings to get
their land back.
Latest: civilians blown up peace loving Muslims today in Darfur,
Porkistan, Phillipines, Algeria....all in the name of Islam
Latest:
Posted by: Jayesh | August 25, 2008 5:32 PM

http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/eboo_patel/2008/08/todays_guest_blogger_is_hafsa.html

...and I am Sid Harth
bademiyansubhanallah
15 years ago
Permalink
CHAPTER VII

HINDU ALTERNATIVE TO PAKISTAN


[IV]
[the number is missing in the printed text]
[The riot-torn history of Hindu-Muslim relations, 1920-1940]

Such is the history of Mr. Gandhi's efforts to bring about Hindu-
Moslem unity. What fruits did these efforts bear? To be able to answer
this question it is necessary to examine the relationship between the
two communities during 1920-40, the years during which Mr. Gandhi
laboured so hard to bring about Hindu-Moslem unity. The relationship
is well described in the Annual Reports on the affairs of India
submitted year by year to Parliament by the Government of India under
the old Government of India Act. It is on these reports/1/ that I have
drawn for the facts recorded below.

Beginning with the year 1920 there occurred in that year in
Malabar what is known as the Mopla Rebellion. It was the result of the
agitation carried out by two Muslim organizations, the Khuddam-i-Kaba
(servants of the Mecca Shrine) and the Central Khilafat Committee.
Agitators actually preached the doctrine that India under the British
Government was Dar-ul-Harab and that the Muslims must fight against it
and if they could not, they must carry out the alternative principle
of Hijrat. The Moplas were suddenly carried off their feet by this
agitation. The outbreak was essentially a rebellion against the
British Government The aim was to establish the kingdom of Islam by
overthrowing the British Government. Knives, swords and spears were
secretly manufactured, bands of desperadoes collected for an attack on
British authority. On 20th August a severe encounter took place
between the Moplas and the British forces at Pinmangdi Roads were
blocked, telegraph lines cut, and the railway destroyed in a number of
places. As soon as the administration had been paralysed, the Moplas
declared that Swaraj had been established. A certain Ali Mudaliar was
proclaimed Raja, Khilafat flags were flown, and Ernad and Wallurana
were declared Khilafat Kingdoms. As a rebellion against the British
Government it was quite understandable. But what baffled most was the
treatment accorded by the Moplas to the Hindus of Malabar. The Hindus
were visited by a dire fate at the hands of the Moplas. Massacres,
forcible conversions, desecration of temples, foul outrages upon
women, such as ripping open pregnant women, pillage, arson and
destruction—in short, all the accompaniments of brutal and
unrestrained barbarism, were perpetrated freely by the Moplas upon the
Hindus until such time as troops could be hurried to the task of
restoring order through a difficult and extensive tract of the
country. This was not a Hindu-Moslem riot. This was just a
Bartholomew. The number of Hindus who were killed, wounded or
converted, is not known. But the number must have been enormous.

In the year 1921-22 communal jealously did not subside. The
Muharram Celebrations had been attended by serious riots both in
Bengal and in the Punjab. In the latter province in particular,
communal feeling at Multan reached very serious heights, and although
the casualty list was comparatively small, a great deal of damage to
property was done.

Though the year 1922-23 was a peaceful year the relations between
the two communities were strained throughout 1923-24. But in no
locality did this tension produce such tragic consequences as in the
city of Kohat. The immediate cause of the trouble was the publication
and circulation of a pamphlet containing a virulently anti-Islamic
poem. Terrible riots broke out on the 9th and 10th of September 1924,
the total casualties being about 155 killed and wounded. House
property to the estimated value of Rs. 9 lakhs was destroyed, and a
large quantity of goods were looted. As a result of this reign of
terror the whole Hindu population evacuated the city of Kohat. After
protracted negotiations an agreement of reconciliation was concluded
between the two communities. Government giving an assurance that,
subject to certain reservations, the prosecution pending against
persons concerned in rioting should be dropped. With the object of
enabling the sufferers to restart their businesses and rebuild their
houses, Government sanctioned advances, free of interest in certain
instances, amounting to Rs. 5 lakhs. But even after the settlement had
been reached and evacuees had returned to Kohat there was no peace,
and throughout 1924-25 the tension between the Hindu and Musalman
masses in various parts of the country increased to a lamentable
extent. In the summer months, there was a distressing number of riots.
In July, severe fighting broke out between Hindus and Musalmans in
Delhi, which was accompanied by serious casualties. In the same month,
there was a bad outbreak at Nagpur. August was even worse. There were
riots at Lahore, at Lucknow, at Moradabad, at Bhagalpur and Nagpur in
British India; while a severe affray took place at Gulbarga in the
Nizam's Dominions. September-October saw severe fighting at Lucknow,
Shahajahanpur, Kankinarah and at Allahabad. The most terrible outbreak
of the year being the one that took place at. Kohat which was
accompanied by murder, arson and loot.

In 1925-26 the antagonism between the Hindus and the Muslims
became widespread. Very significant features of the Hindu-Muslim
rioting, which took place during this year were its wide distribution
and its occurrence, in some cases, in small villages. Calcutta, the
United Provinces, the Central Provinces and the Bombay Presidency were
all scenes of riots, some of which led to regrettable losses of life.
Certain minor and local Hindu festivals which occurred at the end of
August, gave rise to communal trouble in Calcutta, in Berar, in
Gujarat in the Bombay Presidency, and in the United Provinces. In some
of these places there were actual clashes between the two communities,
but elsewhere, notably at Kankinarah—one of the most thickly populated
jute mill centres of Calcutta—serious rioting was prevented by the
activity of the police. In Gujarat, Hindu-Muslim feeling was running
high in these days and was marked by at least one case of temple
desecration. The important Hindu festival of Ramlila, at the end of
September, gave rise to acute anxiety in many places, and at Aligarh,
an important place in the United Provinces, its celebration was marked
by one of the worst riots of the year. The riot assumed such dangerous
proportions that the police were compelled to fire in order to restore
order, and five persons were killed, either by the police or by riots.
At Lucknow, the same festival gave rise at one time to a threatening
situation, but the local authorities prevented actual rioting. October
saw another serious riot at Sholapur in the Bombay Presidency. There,
the local Hindus were taking a car with Hindu idols through the city,
and when they came near a mosque, a dispute arose between them and
certain Muslims, which developed into a riot.

A deplorable rioting started in Calcutta in the beginning of April
as an affray outside a mosque between Muslims and some Arya Samajists
and continued to spread until 5th April, though there was only one
occasion on which the police or military were faced by a crowd which
showed determined resistance, namely, on the evening of the 5th April,
when fire had to be opened. There was also a great deal of
incendiarism and in the first three days of this incendiarism, the
Fire Brigade had to deal with 110 fires. An unprecedented feature of
the riots was the attacks on temples by Muslims and on mosques by
Hindus which naturally led to intense bitterness. There were 44 deaths
and 584 injured. There was a certain amount of looting and business
was suspended, with great economic loss to Calcutta. Shops began to
reopen soon after the 5th, but the period of tension was prolonged by
the approach of a Hindu festival on the 13th of April, and of the Id
on the 14th. The Sikhs were to have taken out a procession on the
13th, but Government were unable to give them the necessary license.
The apprehensions with regard to the 13th and 14th of April,
fortunately, did not materialise and outward peace prevailed until
22nd April when it was abruptly broken as a result of a petty quarrel
in a street, which restarted the rioting. Fighting between the mobs of
the two communities, generally on a small scale, accompanied by
isolated assaults and murders continued for six days. During this
period there were no attacks on the temples and mosques and there was
little arson or looting. But there were more numerous occasions, on
which the hostile mobs did not immediately disperse on the appearance
of the police and on 12 occasions it was necessary to open fire. The
total number of casualties during this second phase of the rioting was
66 deaths and 391 injured. The dislocation of business was much more
serious during the first riots and the closing of Marwari business
houses was not without an effect on European business firms. Panic
caused many of the markets to be wholly or partially closed and for
two days the meat supply was practically stopped. So great was the
panic that the removal of refuse in the disturbed area was stopped.
Arrangements were, however, made to protect supplies, and the
difficulty with the Municipal scavengers was overcome, as soon as the
Municipality had applied to the police for protection. There was
slight extension of the area of rioting, but no disturbances occurred
in the mill area around Calcutta. Systematic raiding of the portions
of the disturbed area, the arrest of hooligans, the seizure of weapons
and the re-inforcement of the police by the posting of British
soldiers to act as special police officers had the desired effect, and
the last three days of April, in spite of the continuance of isolated
assaults and murders, witnessed a steady improvement in the situation.
Isolated murders were largely attributable to hooligans of both
communities and their persistence during the first as well as the
second outbreak induced a general belief that these hooligans were
hired assassins. Another equally persistent feature of the riots,
namely, the distribution of inflammatory printed leaflets by both
sides, together with the employment of hired roughs, strengthened the
belief that money had been spent to keep the riots going.

The year 1926-27 was one continuous period of communal riots.
Since April 1926, every month witnessed affrays more or less serious
between partizans of the two communities and only two months passed
without actual rioting in the legal sense of the word. The examination
of the circumstances of these numerous riots and affrays shows that
they originated either in utterly petty and trivial disputes between
individuals, as, for example, between a Hindu shopkeeper and a
Mahomedan customer, or else, the immediate cause of trouble was the
celebration of some religious festival or the playing of music by
Hindu processionists in the neighbourhood of Mahomedan places of
worship. One or two of the riots, indeed, were due to nothing more
than strained nerves and general excitement. Of these, the most
striking example occurred in Delhi on 24th June, when the bolting of a
pony in a crowded street gave the impression that a riot had started,
upon which both sides immediately attacked each other with brickbats
and staves.

Including the two outbursts of rioting in Calcutta during April
and May 1926, 40 riots took place during the twelve months ending with
April 1st 1927, resulting in the death of 197 and injuries, more or
less severe, to 1,598 persons. These disorders were widespread, but
Bengal, the Punjab, and the United Provinces were the parts of India
most seriously affected. Bengal suffered most from rioting, but on
many occasions during the year, tension between Hindus and Mahomedans
was high in the Bombay Presidency and also in Sind. Calcutta remained
uneasy throughout the whole of the summer. On 1st June a petty dispute
developed into a riot in which forty persons were hurt. After this,
there was a lull in overt violence until July 15th, on which day fell
an important Hindu religious festival. During its celebration the
passage of a procession, with bands playing in the neighbourhood of
certain mosques, resulted in a conflict, in which 14 persons were
killed and 116 injured. The next day saw the beginning of the
important Mahomedan festival of Muharram. Rioting broke out on that
day and, after a lull, was renewed on the 19th, 20th, 21st and 22nd.
Isolated assaults and cases of stabbing occurred on the 23rd, 24th and
25th. The total ascertained casualties during this period of rioting
were 28 deaths and 226 injured. There were further riots in Calcutta
on the 15th September and 16th October and on the latter day there was
also rioting in the adjoining city of Howrah, during which one or two
persons were killed and over 30 injured. The April and May riots had
been greatly aggravated by incendiarism, but, happily, this feature
was almost entirely absent from the later disorders and during the
July riots, for example, the Fire Brigade was called upon to deal with
only four incendiary fires.

Coming to the year 1927-28 the following facts stare us in the
face. Between the beginning of April and the end of September 1927, no
fewer than 25 riots were reported. Of these 10 occurred in the United
Provinces, six in the Bombay Presidency, 2 each in the Punjab, the
Central Provinces, Bengal, and Bihar and Orissa, and one in Delhi. The
majority of these riots occurred during the celebration of a religious
festival by one or other of the two communities, whilst some arose out
of the playing of music by Hindus in the neighbourhood of mosques or
out of the slaughter of cows by the Muslims. The total casualties
resulting from the above disorders were approximately 103 persons
killed and 1,084 wounded.

By far the most serious riot reported during the year was that
which took place in Lahore between the 4th and 7th of May 1927.
Tension between the two communities had been acute for some time
before the outbreak, and the trouble when it came was precipitated by
a chance collision between a Mahomedan and two Sikhs. The disorder
spread with lightning speed and the heavy casualty list—27 killed 272
injured—was largely swollen by unorganised attacks on individuals.
Police and troops were rushed to the scene of rioting quickly and it
was impossible for clashes on a big scale to take place between
hostile groups. Casual assassinations and assaults were however,
reported, for two or three days longer before the streets and lanes of
Lahore became safe for the solitary passerby.

After the Lahore riot in May, there was a lull for two months in
inter-communal rioting, if we except a minor incident, which happened
about the middle of June in Bihar and Orissa ; but July witnessed no
fewer than eight riots of which the most serious occurred in Multan in
the Punjab, on the occasion of the annual Muharram celebrations.
Thirteen killed and twenty-four wounded was the toll taken by this
riot. But August was to see worse rioting still. In that month, nine
riots occurred, two of them resulting in heavy loss of life. In a riot
in Bettiah, a town in Bihar and Orissa, arising out of a dispute over
a religious procession, eleven persons were killed and over a hundred
injured, whilst the passage of a procession in front of a mosque in
Bareilly in the United Provinces was the occasion of rioting in which
fourteen persons were killed and 165 were injured. Fortunately, this
proved to be the turning point in inter-communal trouble during the
year, and September witnessed only 4 riots. One of these, however, the
riot in Nagpur in the Central Provinces on September 4th was second
only to Lahore riot in seriousness and in the damage which it caused.
The spark, which started the fire, was the trouble in connection with
a Muslim procession, but the materials for the combustion had been
collected for some time. Nineteen persons were killed and 123 injured
were admitted to hospitals as a result of this riot, during the course
of which many members of the Muslim community abandoned their homes in
Nagpur.

A feature of Hindu-Muslim relations during the year which was
hardly less serious than the riots was the number of murderous
outrages committed by members of one community against persons
belonging to the other. Some of the most serious of these outrages
were perpetrated in connection with the agitation relating to Rangila
Rasul and Risala Vartman, two publications containing most scurrilous
attack on the Prophet Muhammed, and as a result of them, a number of
innocent persons lost their lives, sometimes in circumstances of great
barbarity. In Lahore a series of outrages against individuals led to a
state of great excitement and insecurity during the summer of 1927.

The excitement over the Rangila Rasul/2/ case had by now travelled
far from its original centre and by July had begun to produce
unpleasant repercussions on and across the North-West Frontier. The
first signs of trouble in this region became apparent early in June,
and by the latter part of July the excitement had reached its height.
On the British side of the border, firm and tactful handling of the
situation by the local authorities averted, what would have been a
serious breach of the peace. Economic boycott of Hindus was freely
advocated in the British Frontier Districts, especially in Peshawar,
but this movement met with little success, and although the Hindus
were maltreated in one or two villages, the arrest of the culprits,
together with appropriate action under the Criminal Law, quickly
restored order. Across the border however, the indignation, aroused by
these attacks on the Prophet, gave rise to more serious consequences.
The Frontier tribesmen are acutely sensitive to the appeal of religion
and when a well-known Mullah started to preach against the Hindus
among the Afridis and Shinwaris in the neighbourhood of the Khyber
Pass, his words fell on fruitful ground. He called upon the Afridis
and Shinwaris to expel all the Hindus living in their midst unless
they declared in writing that they dissociated themselves from the
doings of their co-religionists down country. The first to expel their
Hindu neighbours were two clans of the Khyber Afridis, namely the
Kuikhel and Zakkakhel, on the 22nd July. From these, the excitement
spread among their Shinwari neighbours, who gave their Hindu
neighbours notice to quit a few days later. However, after the
departure of some of the Hindus, the Shinwaris agreed to allow the
remainder to stay on. Some of the Hindus on leaving the Khyber were
roughly handled. In two cases, stones were thrown, though happily
without any damage resulting. In a third case, a Hindu was wounded and
a large amount of property carried off, but this was recovered by
Afridi Khassadars in full, and the culprits were fined for the
offence. Thereafter, arrangements were made for the picketing of the
road for the passage of any Hindu evacuating tribal territory. Under
pressure from the Political Agent an Afridi jirga decided towards the
end of July to suspend the Hindu boycott pending a decision in the
Risala Vartman case. In the following week, however, several Hindu
families, who had been living at Landi Kotal at the head of the Khyber
Pass moved to Peshawar refusing to accept assurances of the tribal
chiefs but leaving one person from each family behind to watch over
their interests. All told, between four hundred and fifty Hindus, men,
women and children, had come into Peshawar by the Middle of August,
when the trouble was definitely on the wane. Some of the Hindus were
definitely expelled, some were induced to leave their homes by
threats, some left from fear, some no doubt from sympathy with their
neighbours. This expulsion and voluntary exodus from tribal territory
were without parallel. Hindus had lived there for more generations
than most of them could record as valued and respected, and, indeed,
as essential members of the tribal system, for whose protection the
tribesmen had been jealous, and whose blood feuds they commonly made
their own. In all, about 450 Hindus left the Khyber during the
excitement; of these, about 330 had returned to their homes in tribal
territory by the close of the year 1927. Most of the remainder had
decided to settle, at any rate for the present, amid the more secure
conditions of British India.

The year 1928-29 was comparatively more peaceful than the year
1927-28. His Excellency Lord Irwin, by his speeches to the Central
Legislature and outside, had given a strong impetus to the attempts to
find some basis for agreement between the two communities, on those
questions of political importance, which were responsible for the
strained relations between them. Fortunately the issues arising out of
the inquiry by the Simon Commission which was appointed in 1929,
absorbed a large part of the energy and attention of the different
communities, with the result that less importance came to be attached
to local causes of conflict, and more importance to the broad question
of constitutional policy. Moreover, the legislation passed during the
autumn session of the Indian Legislature in 1927 penalising the
instigation of inter-communal hostility by the press, had some effect
in improving the inter-communal disturbances. The number of riots
during the twelve months ending with March 31st, 1929, was 22. Though
the number of riots was comparatively small, the casualties,—swelled
heavily by the Bombay riots,—were very serious, no fewer than 204
persons having been killed and nearly a thousand injured. Of these,
the fortnight's rioting in Bombay accounts for 149 killed and 739
injured. Seven of these 22 riots, or roughly one-third of them,
occurred on the day of the celebration of the annual Muslim festival
of Bakr-i-Id at the end of May. The celebration of this festival is
always a dangerous time in Hindu-Muslim relations. The Muslim regard
it as a day of animal sacrifice, and as the animal chosen is almost
always a cow the slightest tension between the two communities is apt
to produce an explosion. Of the Bakr-i-Id riots only two were serious
and both of them took place in the Punjab. The first took place in a
village in the Ambala District in which ten people were killed and
nine injured. The other riot which took place in Softa village in the
Gurgaon District in the Southern Punjab, attained considerable
notoriety because of its sensational features. The village of Softa is
about 27 miles south of Delhi and is inhabited by Muslims. This
village is surrounded by villages occupied by Hindu cultivators who,
on hearing that the muslims of Softa intended to sacrifice a cow on
the 'Id Day,' objected to the sacrifice of the particular cow selected
on the ground that it had been accustomed to graze in fields belonging
to the Hindu cultivators. The dispute over the matter assumed a
threatening aspect and the Superintendent of Police of the district
accordingly went with a small force of police, about 25 men in all, to
try to keep peace. He took charge of the disputed cow and locked it
up, but his presence did not deter the Hindu cultivators of a few
neighbouring villages from collecting about a thousand people armed
with pitchforks, spears and staves, and going to Softa. The
Superintendent of Police and an Indian Revenue official, who were
present in the village, assured the crowd that the cow, in connection
with which the dispute had arisen would not be sacrificed, but this
did not satisfy the mob which threatened to burn the whole village if
any cow was sacrificed, and also demanded that the cow should be
handed over to them. The Superintendent of Police refused to agree to
this demand, whereupon the crowd became violent and began to throw
stones at the police and to try to get round the latter into the
village. The Superintendent of Police warned the crowd to disperse,
but to no effect. He, therefore, fired one shot from his revolver as a
further warning. Notwithstanding the crowd still continued to advance
and the Superintendent had to order his party of police to fire. Only
one volley was fired at first, but as this did not cause the retreat
of the mob, two more volleys had to be fired before the crowd slowly
dispersed, driving off some cattle belonging to the village.

While the police were engaged in this affair a few Hindu
cultivators got into Softa at another place and tried to set fire to
the village. They were, however, driven away by the police after they
had inflicted injuries on three or four men. In all 14 persons were
killed and 33 were injured. The Punjab Government deputed a judicial
officer to enquire into this affair. His report, which was published
on 6th July, justified the action of the police in firing on the mob
and recorded the opinion that there was no reason to suppose that the
firing was excessive or was continued after the mob had desisted from
its unlawful aggression. Had the police not opened fire, the report
proceeds, their own lives would have been in immediate danger, as also
the lives of the people of Softa. Lastly, in the opinion of the
officer writing the report, had Softa village been sacked, there would
certainly have broken up, within 24 hours, a terrible communal
conflagration in the whole of the surrounding country-side.

The riots of Kharagpur, an important railway centre not far from
Calcutta, also resulted in serious loss of life. Two riots took place
at Kharagpur, the first on the occasion of the Muharram celebration at
the end of June and the second on the 1st September 1928, when the
killing of a cow served as a cause. In the first riot 15 were killed
and 21 injured, while in the second riot, the casualties were 9 killed
and 35 wounded. But none of these riots is to be compared with those
that raged in Bombay from the beginning to the middle of February,
when, as we have seen, 149 persons were killed and well over 700
injured.

During the year 1929-30 communal riots, which had been so
conspicuous and deplorable a feature of public life during the
preceding years, were very much less frequent. Only 12 were of
sufficient importance to be reported to Government of India, and of
these only the disturbances in the City of Bombay were really serious.
Starting on the 23rd of April they continued sporadically until the
middle of May, and were responsible for 35 deaths and about 200 other
casualties. An event which caused considerable tension in April was
the murder at Lahore of Rajpal, whose pamphlet Rangila Rasul,
containing a scurrilous attack on the Prophet of Islam, was
responsible for much of the communal trouble in previous years, and
also for a variety of legal and political complications. Fortunately,
both communities showed commendable restraint at the time of the
murder, and again on the occasion of the execution and funeral of the
convicted man; and although feelings ran high no serious trouble
occurred.

The year 1930-31 saw the eruption of the Civil Disobedience
Movement. It gave rise to riots and disturbances all over the country.
They were mostly of a political character and the parties involved in
them were the police and the Congress volunteers. But, as it always
happens in India, the political disturbances took a communal twist.
This was due to the fact that the Muslims refused to submit to the
coercive methods used by Congress volunteers to compel them to join in
Civil Disobedience. The result was that although the year began with
political riots it ended in numerous and quite serious communal riots.
The worst of these communal riots took place in and around Sukkur in
Sind between the 4th and 11th of August and affected over a hundred
villages. The outbreak in the Kishoreganj subdivision of Mymensingh
District (Bengal) on the 12th/15th of July was also on a large scale.
In addition, there were communal disturbances on the 3rd of August in
Ballia (United Provinces); on the 6th of September in Nagpur, and on
the 6th/7th September in Bombay; and a Hindu-Christian riot broke out
near Tiruchendur (Madras) on the 31st of October. On the 12th of
February, in Amritsar, an attempt was made to murder a Hindu cloth
merchant who had defied the picketers, and a similar outrage which was
perpetrated the day before in Benares had very serious consequences.
On this occasion, the victim was a Muslim trader, and the attack
proved fatal; as a result, since Hindu-Muslim relations throughout
most of Northern India were by this time very strained, a serious
communal riot broke out and continued for five days, causing great
destruction of property and numerous casualties. Among the other
communal clashes during this period were the riots at Nilphamari
(Bengal) on the 25th of January and at Rawalpindi on the 31st.
Throughout Northern India communal relations had markedly
deteriorated during the first two months of 1931, and already, in
February, there had been serious communal rioting in Benares, This
state of affairs was due chiefly to the increasing exasperation
created among Muslims by the paralysis of trade and the general
atmosphere of unrest and confusion that resulted from Congress
activities. The increased importance which the Congress seemed to be
acquiring as a result of the negotiations with the Government aroused
in the Muslims serious apprehensions and had the effect of worsening
the tension between the two communities. During March, this tension,
in the United Provinces at any rate, became greatly increased. Between
the 14th and 16th there was serious rioting in the Mirzapur District,
and on the 17th, trouble broke out in Agra and continued till the
20th. There was also a communal riot in Dhanbad (Bengal) on the 28th,
and in Amritsar District on the 30th ; and in many other parts of the
country, the relations between members of the two communities had
become extremely strained.

In Assam, the communal riot which occurred at Digboi in Lakhimpur
District, resulted in deaths of one Hindu and three Muslims. In
Bengal, a communal riot took place in the Asansol division during the
Muharram festival. In Bihar and Orissa there was a certain amount of
communal tension during the year, particularly in Saran. Altogether
there were 16 cases of communal rioting and unlawful assembly. During
the Bakr-i-Id festival a clash occurred in the Bhabua sub-division of
Shahabad. Some 300 Hindus collected in the mistaken belief that a cow
had been sacrificed. The local officers had succeeded in pacifying
them when a mob of about 200 Muhammedans armed with lathis, spears and
swords, attacked the Hindus, one of whom subsequently died. The prompt
action of the police and the appointment of a conciliation committee
prevented the spread of the trouble. The Muharram festival was marked
by two small riots in Monghyr, the Hindus being the aggressors on one
occasion and the Muslims on the other. In the Madras Presidency there
were also several riots of a communal nature during the year and the
relations between the communities were in places distinctly strained.
The most serious disturbance of the year occurred at Vellore on the
8th of June, as a result of the passage of a Muslim procession with
Tazias near a Hindu temple; so violent was the conflict between
members of the two communities that the police were compelled to open
fire in order to restore order; and sporadic fighting continued in the
town during the next two or three days. In Salem town, owing to Hindu-
Muslim tension a dispute arose on the 13th of July, as to who had been
the victor at a largely attended Hindu-Muslim wrestling match at
Shevapet. Another riot occurred in October at Kitchipalaiyam near
Salem town ; the trouble arose from a few Muslims disturbing a street
game played by some young Hindus. Hindu-Muslim disturbances also arose
in Polikal village, Kurnool District, on the 15th of March, owing to a
dispute about the route of a Hindu procession, but the rioters were
easily dispersed by a small force of police. In the Punjab there were
907 cases of rioting during the year as compared with 813 in 1929.
Many of them were of a communal character, and the tension between the
two principal communities remained acute in many parts of the
Province. In the United Provinces, although communal tension during
1930 was not nearly so acute as during the first 3 months of 1931, and
was for a while overshadowed by the excitement engendered by the Civil
Disobedience Movement, indications of it were fairly numerous, and the
causes of disagreement remained as potent as ever. In Dehra Dun and
Bulandshahr there were communal riots of the usual type, and a very
serious riot occurred in Ballia city as a result of a dispute
concerning the route taken by a Hindu procession, which necessitated
firing by the police. Riots also occurred in Muttra, Azamgarh,
Mainpuri and several other places.

Passing on to the events of the year 1931-32, the progress of
constitutional discussions at the R. T. C. had a definite reaction in
that it bred a certain nervousness among the Muslim and other minority
communities as to their position under a constitution functioning on
the majority principle. The first session of the Round Table
Conference afforded the first "close-up" of the constitutional future.
Until then the ideal of Dominion Status had progressed little beyond a
vague and general conception, but the declaration of the Princes at
the opening of the Conference had brought responsibility at the
Centre, in the form of a federal government, within definite view. The
Muslims, therefore, felt that it was high time for them to take stock
of their position. This uneasiness was intensified by the Irwin-Gandhi
settlement, which accorded what appeared to be a privileged position
to the Congress, and Congress elation and pose of victory over the
Government did not tend to ease Muslim misgivings. Within three weeks
of the "pact" occurred the savage communal riots at Cawnpore, which
significantly enough began with the attempts of Congress adherents to
force Mahomedan shopkeepers to observe a hartal in memory of Bhagat
Singh who was executed on 23rd March. On 24th March began the plunder
of Hindu shops. On the 25th there was a blaze. Shops and temples were
set fire to and burnt to cinders. Disorder, arson, loot, murder,
spread like wild fire. Five hundred families abandoned their houses
and took shelter in villages. Dr. Ramchandra was one of the worst
sufferers. All members of his family, including his wife and aged
parents, were killed and their bodies thrown into gutters. In the same
slaughter Mr. Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi lost his life. The Cawnpore
Riots Inquiry Committee in its report states that the riot was of
unprecedented violence and peculiar atrocity, which spread with
unexpected rapidity through the whole city and even beyond it.
Murders, arson and looting were widespread for three days, before the
rioting was definitely brought under control. Afterwards it subsided
gradually. The loss of life and property was great. The number of
verified deaths was 300; but the death roll is known to have been
larger and was probably between four and five hundred. A large number
of temples and mosques were desecrated or burnt or destroyed and a
very large number of houses were burnt and pillaged.

This communal riot, which need never have occurred but for the
provocative conduct of the adherents of the Congress, was the worst
which India has experienced for many years. The trouble, moreover,
spread from the city to the neighbouring villages, where there were
sporadic communal disturbances for several days afterwards.

The year 1932-33 was relatively free from communal agitations and
disturbances. This welcome improvement was doubtless in some measure
due to the suppression of lawlessness generally and the removal of
uncertainty in regard to the position of the Muslims under the new
constitution.

But in 1933-34 throughout the country communal tension had been
increasing and disorders which occurred not only on the occasion of
such festivals as Holi, Id and Muharram, but also many resulting from
ordinary incidents of every-day life, indicated that there had been a
deterioration in communal relations since the year began. Communal
riots during Holi occurred at Benares and Cawnpore in the United
Provinces, at Lahore in the Punjab, and at Peshawar. Bakr-i-ld was
marked by serious rioting at Ayodhya, in the United Provinces over cow
sacrifice, also at Bhagalpore in Bihar and Orissa and at Cannanore in
Madras. A serious riot in the Ghazipur District of the United
Provinces also resulted in several deaths. During April and May there
were Hindu-Muslim riots at several places in Bihar and Orissa, in
Bengal, in Sind and Delhi, some of them provoked by very trifling
incidents, as for instance, the unintentional spitting by a Muslim
shopkeeper of Delhi upon a Hindu passer-by. The increase in communal
disputes in British India was also reflected in some of the States
where similar incidents occurred.

The position with regard to communal unrest during the months from
June to October was indicative of the normal, deep-seated antagonism
between the two major communities. June and July months, in which no
Hindu or Muhammedan festival of importance took place, were
comparatively free from riots, though the situation in certain areas
of Bihar necessitated the quartering of additional police. A long-
drawn-out dispute started in Agra. The Muslims of this city objected
to the noise of religious ceremonies in certain Hindu private houses
which they said disturbed worshippers at prayers in a neighbouring
mosque. Before the dispute was settled, riots occurred on the 20th
July and again on the 2nd September, in the course of which 4 persons
were killed and over 80 injured. In Madras a riot, on the 3rd
September resulting in one death and injuries to 13 persons was
occasioned by a book published by Hindus containing alleged
reflections on the Prophet. During the same month minor riots occurred
in several places in the Punjab and the United Provinces.

In 1934-35 serious trouble arose in Lahore on the 29th June as a
result of a dispute between Muslims and Sikhs about a mosque situated
within the precincts of a Sikh temple known as the Shahidganj
Gurudwara. Trouble had been brewing for some time. Ill-feeling became
intensified when the Sikhs started to demolish the Mosque despite
Muslim protests. The building had been the subject of prolonged
litigation, which has confirmed the Sikh right of possession.

On the night of the 29th June a crowd of 3 or 4 thousand Muslims
assembled in front of the Gurudwara. A struggle between this crowd and
the Sikhs inside the Gurudwara was only averted by the prompt action
of the local authorities. They subsequently obtained an undertaking
from the Sikhs to refrain from further demolition. But during the
following week, while strenuous efforts were being made to persuade
the leaders to reach an amicable settlement, the Sikhs under pressure
of extremist influence again set about demolishing the mosque. This
placed the authorities in a most difficult position. The Sikhs were
acting within their legal rights. Moreover the only effective method
of stopping demolition would have been to resort to firing. As the
building was full of Sikhs and was within the precincts of a Sikh
place of worship, this would not only have caused much bloodshed but,
for religious reasons, would have had serious reactions on the Sikh
population throughout the Province. On the other hand, inaction by
Government was bound to cause great indignation among the Muslims, for
religious reasons: and it was expected that this would show itself in
sporadic attacks on the Sikhs and perhaps on the forces of
Government.

It was hoped that discussions between leaders of the two
communities would effect some rapprochement, but mischief-makers
inflamed the minds of their co-religionists. Despite the arrest of the
chief offenders, the excitement increased. The Government's gesture in
offering to restore to the Muslims another mosque which they had
purchased years ago proved unavailing. The situation took a further
turn for the worse on the 19th July and during the following two days
the situation was acutely dangerous. The Central Police station was
practically besieged by the huge crowds, which assumed a most menacing
attitude. Repeated attempts to disperse them without the use of
firearms failed and the troops had to fire twice on the 20th July and
eight times on the 21st. In all 23 rounds were fired and 12 persons
killed. Casualties, mostly of a minor nature, were numerous amongst
the military and police.

As a result of the firing, the crowds dispersed and did not
reassemble. Extra police were brought in from other Provinces and the
military garrisons were strengthened. Administrative control was re-
established rapidly, but the religious leaders continued to fan the
embers of the agitation. Civil litigation was renewed and certain
Muslim organisations framed some extravagant demands.

The situation in Lahore continued to cause anxiety up to the close
of the year. On the 6th November, a Sikh was mortally wounded by a
Muslim. Three days later a huge Sikh-Hindu procession was taken out.
The organisers appeared anxious to avoid conflict but nonetheless one
serious clash occurred. This was followed by further rioting on the
next day. But for the good work of the police and the troops, in
breaking up the fights quickly, the casualties might have been very
large.

On the 19th March 1935 a serious incident occurred in Karachi
after the execution of Abdul Quayum, the Muslim who had murdered
Nathuramal, a Hindu, already referred to as the writer of a scurrilous
pamphlet about the Prophet. Abdul Quayum's body was taken by the
District Magistrate, accompanied by a police party, to be handed over
to the deceased's family for burial outside the city. A huge crowd,
estimated to be about 25,000 strong, collected at the place of burial.
Though the relatives of Abdul Quayum wished to complete the burial at
the cemetery, the most violent members of the mob determined to take
the body in procession through the city. The local authorities decided
to prevent the mob entering, since this would have led to communal
rioting. All attempts of the police to stop the procession failed, so
a platoon of the Royal Sussex Regiment was brought in to keep peace.
It was forced to open fire at short range to stop the advance of the
frenzied mob and to prevent itself from being overwhelmed. Forty-seven
rounds were fired by which 47 people were killed and 134 injured. The
arrival of reinforcements prevented further attempts to advance. The
wounded were taken to the Civil Hospital and the body of Abdul Quayum
was then interred without further trouble.

On the 25th August 1935 there was a communal riot at
Secunderabad.

In the year 1936 there were four communal riots. On the 14th April
there occurred a most terrible riot at Firozabad in the Agra District.
A Muslim procession was proceeding along the main bazar and it is
alleged that bricks were thrown from the roofs of Hindu houses. This
enraged the Muslims in the procession who set fire to the house of a
Hindu, Dr. Jivaram, and the adjacent temple of Radha Krishna. The
inmates of Dr. Jivaram's house in addition to 11 Hindus including 3
children were burnt to death. A second Hindu-Muslim riot broke out in
Poona in the Bombay Presidency on 24th April 1936. On the 27th April
there occurred a Hindu-Muslim riot in Jamalpur in the Monghyr
District. The fourth Hindu-Muslim riot of the year took place in
Bombay on the 15th October 1936.

The year 1937 was full of communal disturbances. On the 27th March
1937 there was a Hindu-Muslim riot at Panipat over the Holi procession
and 14 persons were killed. On the 1st May 1937 there occurred a
communal riot in Madras in which 50 persons were injured. The month of
May was full of communal riots which took place mostly in the C. P.
and the Punjab. One that took place in Shikarpur in Sind caused great
panic. On 18th June there was a Sikh-Muslim riot in Amritsar. It
assumed such proportions that British troops had to be called out to
maintain order.

The year 1938 was marked by two communal riots—one in Allahabad on
26th March and another in Bombay in April.

There were 6 Hindu-Muslim riots in 1939. On the 21st January there
was a riot at Asansol in which one was killed and 18 injured. It was
followed by a riot in Cawnpore on the 11th February in which 42 were
killed, 200 injured and 800 arrested. On the 4th March there was a
riot at Benares followed by a riot at Cassipore near Calcutta on the
5th March. On 19th June there was again a riot at Cawnpore over the
Rathajatra procession.

A serious riot occurred on 20th November 1939 in Sukkur in Sind.
The riot was the culmination of the agitation by the Muslims to take
possession, even by force, of a building called Manzilgah which was in
the possession of Government as Government property and to the
transfer of which the Hindus had raised objections. Mr. E. Weston—now
a judge of the Bombay High Court—who was appointed to investigate into
the disturbances gives the following figures of the murdered and the
wounded:


CASUALTIES OF THE RIOTS IN SUKKUR, SIND, NOVEMBER 1939

Of the many gruesome incidents recorded by him the following may
be quoted:

"The most terrible of all the disturbances occurred on the night of
the 20th at Gosarji village which is eight miles from Sukkur and
sixteen from Shikarpur. According to an early statement sent by the
District Magistrate to Government, admittedly incomplete, 27 Hindus
were murdered there that night. According to the witnesses examined
the number was 37.
"Pamanmal, a contractor of Gosarji states that at the time of
satyagraha the leading Hindus of Gosarji came in deputation to the
leading zemindar of the locality Khan Sahib Amirbux who was then at
Sukkur. He reassured them and said he was responsible for their
safely. On the 20th Khan Sahib Amirbux was at Gosarji, and that
morning Mukhi Mahrumal was murdered there. The Hindus went to Khan
Sahib Amirbux for protection and were again reassured, but that night
wholesale murder and looting took place. Of the 37 murdered, seven
were women. Pamanmal states that the following morning he went to the
Sub-Inspector of Bagerji, which is one mile from Gosarji, but he was
abused and driven from the thana. He then went to Shikarpur and
complained to the panchayat, but did not complain to any officer
there. I may mention that the Sub-Inspector of Bagerji was afterwards
prosecuted under section 211, Indian Penal Code, and has been
convicted for failure to make arrests in connection with murders at
Gosarji.

"As Khan Sahib Amirbux, the zemindar, who was said to have given
assurance of protection to the Hindus of Bagerji, was reported to be
attending the Court, he was called and examined as a Court witness. He
states that he lives half a mile from Gosarji village. The Sub-
Inspector of Bagerji came to Gosarji on the 20th after the murder of
Mehrumal, and he acted as a mashir. He says that the Hindus did not
ask for help and there was no apprehension of trouble. On the night of
the 20th he was not well, and he heard nothing of the murders. He
admits that he had heard of the Manzilgah evacuation. Later in his
evidence he admits that he told the villagers of Gosarji to be on the
alert as there was trouble in Sukkur, and he says he had called the
panchayat on the evening of the 19th. He went to Gosarji at sunrise on
the 21st after the murders. He admits that he is regarded as the
protector of Gosarji."

Mr. Weston adds/3/ :—
"I find it impossible to believe the evidence of this witness. I have
no doubt that he was fully aware that there was trouble in Gosarji on
the night of 20th and preferred to remain in his house."
Who can deny that this record of rioting presents a picture which
is grim in its results and sombre in its tone? But being chronological
in order, the record might fail to give an idea of the havoc these
riots have caused in any given Province and the paralysis it has
brought about in its social and economic life. To give an idea of the
paralysis caused by the recurrence of riots in a Province I have
recast the record of riots for the Province of Bombay. When recast the
general picture appears as follows:
Leaving aside the Presidency and confining oneself to the City of
Bombay, there can be no doubt that the record of the city is the
blackest. The first Hindu-Muslim riot took place in 1893. This was
followed by a long period of communal peace which lasted up to 1929.
But the years that have followed have an appalling story to tell. From
February 1929 to April 1938—a period of nine years—there were no less
than 10 communal riots. In 1929 there were two communal riots. In the
first, 149 were killed and 739 were injured and it lasted for 36 days.
In the second riot 35 were killed, 109 were injured and it continued
for 22 days. In 1930 there were two riots. Details as to loss of life
and its duration are not available. In 1932 there were again two
riots. The first was a small one. In the second 217 were killed, 2,713
were injured and it went on for 49 days. In 1933 there was one riot,
details about which are not available. In 1936 there was one riot in
which 94 were killed, 632 were injured and it continued to rage for 65
days. In the riot of 1937, 11 were killed, 85 were injured and it
occupied 21 days. The riot of 1938 lasted for 2 1/2 hours only but
within that time 12 were killed and a little over 100 were injured.
Taking the total period of 9 years and 2 months from February 1929 to
April 1938 the Hindus and Muslims of the City of Bombay alone were
engaged in a sanguinary warfare for 210 days during which period 550
were killed and 4,500 were wounded. This does not of course take into
consideration the loss of property which took place through arson and
loot.

V
[Such barbaric mutual violence shows an utter lack of unity]

Such is the record of Hindu-Muslim relationship from 1920 to 1940.
Placed side by side with the frantic efforts made by Mr. Gandhi to
bring about Hindu-Muslim unity, the record makes most painful and
heart-rending reading. It would not be much exaggeration to say that
it is a record of twenty years of civil war between the Hindus and the
Muslims in India, interrupted by brief intervals of armed peace.

In this civil war men were, of course, the principal victims. But
women did not altogether escape molestation. It is perhaps not
sufficiently known how much women have suffered in communal
hostilities. Data relating to the whole of India are not available.
But some data relating to Bengal exist.

On the 6th September 1932 questions were asked in the old Bengal
Legislative Council regarding the abduction of women in the Province
of Bengal. In reply, the Government of the day stated that between
1922 to 1927, the total number of women abducted was 568. Of these,
101 were unmarried and 467 were married. Asked to state the community
to which the abducted women belonged, it was disclosed that out of 101
unmarried women 64 were Hindus, 29 Muslims, 4 Christians, and 4 non-
descript; and that out of 467 married women 331 were Hindus, 122
Muslims, 2 Christians and 12 non-descript. These figures relate to
cases which were reported or if reported were not detected. Usually,
about 10 p.c. of the cases are reported or detected and 90 p.c. go
undetected. Applying this proportion to the facts disclosed by the
Bengal Government, it may be said that about 35,000 women were
abducted in Bengal during the short period of five years between
1922-27.

The attitude towards women-folk is a good index of the friendly or
unfriendly attitude between the two communities. As such, the case
which happened on 27th June 1936 in the village of Govindpur in Bengal
makes very instructive reading. The following account of it is taken
from the opening speech/4/ of the Crown counsel when the trial of 40
Mahomedan accused began on the 10th August 1936. According to the
prosecution:

"There lived in Govindpur a Hindu by name Radha Vallabh. He had a son
Harendra. There lived also in Govindpur a Muslim woman whose
occupation was to sell milk. The local Musalmans of the village
suspected that Harendra had illicit relationship with this Muslim milk
woman. They resented that a Muslim woman should be in the keeping of a
Hindu and they decided to wreak their vengeance on the family of Radha
Vallabh for this insult. A meeting of the Musalmans of Govindpur was
convened and Harendra was summoned to allend this meeting. Soon after
Harendra went to the meeting, cries of Harendra were heard. It was
found that Harendra was assaulted and was lying senseless in the field
where the meeting was held. The Musalmans of Govindpur were not
satisfied with this assault. They informed Radha Vallabh that unless
he, his wife and his children embraced Islam the Musalmans did not
feel satisfied for the wrong his son had done to them. Radha Vallabh
was planning to send away to another place his wife and children. The
Musalmans came to know this plan. Next day when Kusum, the wife of
Radha Vallabh, was sweeping the courtyard of her house, some
Mahomedans came, held down Radha Vallabh and some spirited away Kusum,
After having taken her to some distance two Mahomedans by name Laker
and Mahaxar raped her and removed her ornaments. After some time, she
came to her senses and ran towards her home. Her assailants again
pursued her. She succeeded in reaching her home and locking herself
in. Her Muslim assailants broke open the door, caught hold of her and
again carried her away on the road. It was suggested by her assailants
that she should be again raped on the street. But with the help of
another woman by name Rajani, Kusum escaped and took shelter in the
house of Rajani. While she was in the house of Rajani the Musalmans of
Govindpur paraded her husband Radha Vallabh in the streets in complete
disgrace. Next day the Musalmans kept watch on the roads to and from
Govindpur to the Police Station to prevent Radha Vallabh and Kusum
from giving information of the outrage to the Police."
These acts of barbarism against women, committed without remorse,
without shame and without condemnation by their fellow brethren show
the depth of the antagonism which divided the two communities. The
tempers on each side were the tempers of two warring nations. There
was carnage, pillage, sacrilege and outrage of every species,
perpetrated by Hindus against Musalmans and by Musalmans against Hindus
—more perhaps by Musalmans against Hindus than by Hindus against
Musalmans. Cases of arson have occurred in which Musalmans have set
fire to the houses of Hindus, in which whole families of Hindus, men,
women and children were roasted alive and consumed in the fire, to the
great satisfaction of the Muslim spectators. What is astonishing is
that these cold and deliberate acts of rank cruelty were not regarded
as atrocities to be condemned but were treated as legitimate acts of
warfare for which no apology was necessary. Enraged by these
hostilities, the editor of the Hindustan—a Congress paper—writing in
1926 used the following language to express the painful truth of the
utter failure of Mr. Gandhi's efforts to bring about Hindu-Muslim
unity. In words of utter despair the editor said:/5/
"There is an immense distance between the India of to-day and India a
nation, between an uncouth reality which expresses itself in murder
and arson and that fond fiction which is in the imagination of
patriotic if self-deceiving men. To talk about Hindu-Muslim unity from
a thousand platforms or to give it blazoning headlines is to
perpetrate an illusion whose cloudly structure dissolves itself at the
exchange of brick-bats and the desecration of tombs and temples. To
sing a few pious hymns of peace and goodwill a la Naidu. . . .will not
benefit the country. The President of the Congress has been
improvising on the theme of Hindu- Muslim unity, so dear to her heart,
with brilliant variations, which does credit to her genius but leaves
the problem untouched. The millions in India can only respond when the
unity song is not only on the tongues of the leaders but in the hearts
of the millions of their countrymen."
Nothing I could say can so well show the futility of any hope of Hindu-
Muslim unity. Hindu-Muslim unity up to now was at least in sight
although it was like a mirage. Today it is out of sight and also out
of mind. Even Mr. Gandhi has given up what, he perhaps now realizes,
is an impossible task.
But there are others who, notwithstanding the history of the past
twenty years, believe in the possibility of Hindu-Muslim unity. This
belief of theirs seems to rest on two grounds. Firstly, they believe
in the efficacy of a Central Government to mould diverse set of people
into one nation. Secondly, they feel that the satisfaction of Muslim
demands will be a sure means of achieving Hindu-Muslim unity.

It is true that Government is a unifying force and that there are
many instances where diverse people have become unified into one
homogeneous people by reason of their being subjected to a single
Government. But the Hindus who are depending upon Government as a
unifying force seem to forget that there are obvious limits to
Government acting as a unifying force. The limits to Government
working as a unifying force are set by the possibilities of fusion
among the people. In a country where race, language and religion do
not stand in the way of fusion, Government is most effective as a
unifying force. On the other hand, in a country where race, language
and religion put an effective bar against fusion, Government can have
no effect as a unifying force. If the diverse people in France,
England, Italy and Germany became unified nations by reason of a
common Government, it was because neither race, language nor religion
obstructed the unifying process of Government. On the other hand, if
the people in Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Turkey failed to be
unified, although under a common Government, it was because race,
language and religion were strong enough to counter and nullify the
unifying power of Government. No one can deny that race, language and
religion have been too dominant in India to permit the people of India
to be welded into a nation by the unifying force of a common
Government. It is an illusion to say that the Central Government in
India has moulded the Indian people into a nation. What the Central
Government has done, is to tie them together by one law and to house
them together in one place, as the owner of unruly animals does, by
tying them with one rope and keeping them in one stable. All that the
Central Government has done is to produce a kind of peace among
Indians. It has not made them one nation.

It cannot be said that time has been too short for unification to
take place. If one hundred and fifty years of life under a Central
Government does not suffice, eternity will not suffice. For this
failure the genius of the Indians alone is responsible. There is among
Indians no passion for unity, no desire for fusion. There is no desire
to have a common dress. There is no desire to have a common language.
There is no will to give up what is local and particular for something
which is common and national. A Gujarati takes pride in being a
Gujarati, a Maharashtrian in being a Maharashtrian, a Punjabi in being
a Punjabi, a Madrasi in being a Madrasi and a Bengali in being a
Bengali. Such is the mentality of Hindus, who accuse the Musalman of
want of national feeling when he says "I am a Musalman first and
Indian afterwards." Can any one suggest that there exists anywhere in
India even among the Hindus an instinct or a passion that would put
any semblance of emotion behind their declaration "Civis Indianus
sum," or the smallest consciousness of a moral and social unity, which
desires to give expression by sacrificing whatever is particular and
local in favour of what is common and unifying? There is no such
consciousness and no such desire. Without such consciousness and no
such desire, to depend upon Government to bring about unification is
to deceive oneself.

Regarding the second, it was no doubt the opinion of the Simon
Commission:

"That the communal riots were a manifestation of the anxieties and
ambitions aroused in both the communities by the prospects of India's
political future. So long as authority was firmly established in
British hands and self-government was not thought of, Hindu-Muslim
rivalry was confined within a narrower field. This was not merely
because the presence of a neutral bureaucracy discouraged strife. A
further reason was that there was little for members of one community
to fear from the predominance of the other. The comparative absence of
communal strife in the Indian States today may be similarly explained.
Many, who are well acquainted with conditions in British India a
generation ago, would testify that at that epoch so much good feeling
had been engendered between the two sides that communal tension as a
threat to civil peace was at a minimum. But the coming of the Reforms
and the anticipation of what may follow them have given new point to
Hindu-Muslim competition. The one community naturally lays claim to
the rights of a majority and relics upon its qualifications of better
education and greater wealth; the other is all the more determined on
those accounts to secure effective protection for its members, and
does not forget that it represents the previous conquerors of the
country. It wishes to be assured of adequate representation and of a
full share of official posts."
Assuming that to be a true diagnosis, assuming that Muslim demands
are reasonable, assuming that the Hindus were prepared to grant them—
and these are all very big assumptions—it is a question whether a true
union between Hindus and Muslims can take place through political
unity, resulting from the satisfaction of Muslim political demands.
Some people seem to think that it is enough if there is a political
unity between Hindus and Muslims. I think this is the greatest
delusion. Those who take this view seem to be thinking only of how to
bring the Muslims to join the Hindus in their demands on the British
for Dominion Status or Independence, as the mood of the moment be.
This, to say the least, is a very shortsighted view. How to make the
Muslims join the Hindus in the latter's demands on the British is
comparatively a very small question. In what spirit will they work the
constitution? Will they work it only as aliens by an unwanted tie or
will they work it as true kindreds, is the more important question.
For working it as true kindreds, what is wanted is not merely
political unity but a true union of heart and soul, in other words,
social unity. Political unity is worth nothing, if it is not the
expression of real union. It is as precarious as the unity between
persons who without being friends become allies of each other. How
very precarious it always is, is best illustrated by what has happened
between Germany and Russia. Personally, I do not think that a
permanent union can be made to depend upon the satisfaction of mere
material interests. Pacts may produce unity. But that unity can never
ripen into union. A pact as a basis for a union is worse than useless.
As its very nature indicates, a pact is separative in character. A
pact cannot produce the desire to accommodate, it cannot instil the
spirit of sacrifice, nor can it bind the parties to the main
objective. Instead of accommodating each other, parties to a pact
strive to get as much as possible out of each other. Instead of
sacrificing for the common cause, parties to the pact are constantly
occupied in seeing that the sacrifice made by one is not used for the
good of the other. Instead of fighting for the main objective, parties
to the pact are for ever engaged in seeing that in the struggle for
reaching the goal, the balance of power between the parties is not
disturbed. Renan spoke the most profound truth when he said:
"Community of interests is assuredly a powerful bond between men. But
nevertheless can interests suffice to make a nation? I do not believe
it. Community of interests make commercial treaties. There is a
sentimental side to nationality; it is at once body and soul; a
Zollverein is not a fatherland."
Equally striking is the view of James Bryce, another well-known
student of history. According to Bryce,
"The permanence of an institution depends not merely on the material
interests that support it, but on its conformity to the deep-rooted
sentiment of the men for whom it has been made. When it draws to
itself and provides a fitting expression for that sentiment, the
sentiment becomes thereby not only more vocal but actually stronger,
and in its turn imparts a fuller vitality to the institution."
These observations of Bryce were made in connection with the
foundation of the German Empire by Bismarck who, according to Bryce,
succeeded in creating a durable empire because it was based on a
sentiment and that this sentiment was fostered
". . . .most of all by what we call the instinct or passion for
nationality, the desire of a people already conscious of a moral and
social unity, to see such unity expressed and realized under a single
government, which shall give it a place and name among civilized
states."
What is it that produces this moral and social unity which gives
permanence, and what is it that drives people to see such unity
expressed and realized under a single government, which shall give it
a place and a name among civilized states?
No one is more competent to answer this question than James Bryce.
It was just such a question he had to consider in discussing the
vitality of the Holy Roman Empire as contrasted with the Roman Empire.
If any Empire can be said to have succeeded in bringing about
political unity among its diverse subjects it was the Roman Empire.
Paraphrasing for the sake of brevity the language of Bryce :—The
gradual extension of Roman citizenship through the founding of
colonies, first throughout Italy and then in the provinces, the
working of the equalized and equalizing Roman Law, the even pressure
of the government on all subjects, the movements of population, caused
by commerce and the slave traffic, were steadily assimilating the
various peoples. Emperors, who were for the most part natives of the
provinces, cared little to cherish Italy or even after the days of the
Antonines, to conciliate Rome. It was their policy to keep open for
every subject a career by whose freedom they had themselves risen to
greatness. Annihilating distinctions of legal status among freemen, it
completed the work, which trade and literature and toleration to all
beliefs but one were already performing. No quarrel of race or
religions disturbed that calm, for all national distinctions were
becoming merged in the idea of a common Empire.

This unity produced by the Roman Empire was only a political
unity. How long did this political unity last? In the words of Bryce:

"Scarcely had these slowly working influences brought about this
unity, when other influences began to threaten it. New foes assailed
the frontiers; while the loosening of the structure within was shown
by the long struggles for power which followed the death or deposition
of each successive emperor. In the period of anarchy after the fall of
Valerian, generals were raised by their armies in every part of the
Empire, and ruled great provinces as monarchs apart, owning no
allegiance to the possessor of the capital. The breaking-up of the
western half of the Empire into separate kingdoms might have been
anticipated by two hundred years, had there not arisen in Diocletian a
prince active and skilful enough to bind up the fragments before they
had lost all cohesion, meeting altered conditions by new remedies. The
policy he adopted by dividing and localizing authority recognized the
fact that the weakened heart could no longer make its pulsations fell
to the body's extremities. He parcelled out the supreme power among
four monarchs, ruling as joint emperors in four capitals, and then
sought to give it a fictitious strength by surrounding it with an
oriental pomp which his earlier predecessors would have
scorned. . . .The prerogative of Rome was menaced by the rivalry of
Nicomedia, and the nearer greatness of Milan."
It is, therefore, evident that political unity was not enough to
give permanence and stability to the Roman Empire and as Bryce points
out that "the breaking-up of the western half (of the Roman Empire)
into separate kingdoms might have been anticipated by two hundred
years, had the barbarian tribes on the border been bolder, or had
there not arisen in Diocletian a prince active and skilful enough to
bind up the fragments before they had lost all cohesion, meeting
altered conditions by new remedies." But the fact is that the Roman
Empire which was tottering and breaking into bits and whose political
unity was not enough to bind it together did last for several hundred
years as one cohesive unit after it became the Holy Roman Empire. As
Prof. Marvin points out:/6/
"The unity of the Roman Empire was mainly political and military. It
lasted for between four and Five hundred years. The unity which
supervened in the Catholic Church was religious and moral and endured
for a thousand years."
The question is, what made the Holy Roman Empire more stable than
the Roman Empire could ever hope to be? According to Bryce, it was a
common religion in the shape of Christianity and a common religious
organization in the shape of the Christian Church which supplied the
cement to the Holy Roman Empire, and which was wanting in the Roman
Empire. It was this cement which gave to the people of the Empire a
moral and social unity and made them see such unity expressed and
realized under a single government.
Speaking of the unifying effect of Christianity as a common
religion Bryce says:

"It is on religion that the inmost and deepest life of a nation rests.
Because Divinity was divided, humanity had been divided, likewise; the
doctrine of the unity of God now enforced the unity of man, who had
been created in His image. The first lesson of Christianity was love,
a love that was to join in one body those whom suspicion and prejudice
and pride of race had hitherto kept apart. There was thus formed by
the new religion a community of the faithful, a Holy Empire, designed
to gather all men into its bosom, and standing opposed to the manifold
polytheisms of the older world, exactly as the universal sway of the
Caesars was contrasted with the innumerable kingdoms and city
republics that had gone before it. . . ."/7/

If what Bryce has said regarding the instability of the Roman
Empire and the comparatively greater stability of its successor, the
Holy Roman Empire, has any lesson for India; and if the reasoning of
Bryce that the Roman Empire was unstable because it had nothing more
than political unity to rely on, and that the Holy Roman Empire was
more stable, because it rested on the secure foundation of moral and
social unity, produced by the possession of a common faith, is valid
reasoning and embodies human experience, then it is obvious that there
can be no possibility of a union between Hindus and Muslims. The
cementing force of a common religion is wanting. From a spiritual
point of view, Hindus and Musalmans are not merely two classes or two
sects such as Protestants and Catholics or Shaivas and Vaishnavas.
They are two distinct species. In this view, neither the Hindu
nor .the Muslim can be expected to recognize that humanity is an
essential quality present in them both, and that they are not many but
one, and that the differences between them are no more than accidents.
For them Divinity is divided, and with the division of Divinity their
humanity is divided, and with the division of humanity they must
remain divided. There is nothing to bring them in one bosom.

Without social union, political unity is difficult to be achieved.
If achieved, it would be as precarious as a summer sapling, liable to
be uprooted by the gust of a hostile wind. With mere political unity,
India may be a State. But to be a State is not to be a nation, and a
State which is not a nation has small prospects of survival in the
struggle for existence. This is especially true where nationalism—the
most dynamic force of modern times—is seeking everywhere to free
itself by the destruction and disruption of all mixed states. The
danger to a mixed and composite state, therefore, lies not so much in
external aggression as in the internal resurgence of nationalities
which are fragmented, entrapped, suppressed and held against their
will. Those who oppose Pakistan should not only bear this danger in
mind but should also realize that this attempt on the part of
suppressed nationalities to disrupt a mixed state and to found a
separate home for themselves, instead of being condemned, finds
ethical justification from the principle of self-determination.


======================

/1/ The series is known as "India in 1920" & so on.

/2/ Rangila Rasulwas written in reply to Sitaka Chinala—a pamphlet
written by a Muslim alleging that Sita, wife of Rama, the hero of
Ramayana, was a prostitute.

/3/ Report of the Court of Inquiry appointed under section 3 of the
Sind Public Inquiries Act to inquire into the riots which occurred at
Sukkur in 1939, pp. 66-67.

/4/ This is an English version of the report which appeared in the
Savadhan, a Marathi weekly of Nagpur, in its issue of 25th August
1936.

/5/ Quoted in "Through Indian Eyes" columns of the Times of India,
dated 16-8-26.

/6/ The Unity of Western Civilization (4th Ed.), p. 27.

/7/ The Christian Church did not play a passive part in the process of
unification of the Holy Roman Empire. It took a very active part in
bringing it about. "Seeing one institution after another falling to
pieces around her, seeing how countries and cities were being severed
from each other by the eruption of strange tribes and the increasing
difficulty of communication the Christain Church," says Bryce, "strove
to save religious fellowship by strengthening the ecclesiastical
organization, by drawing tighter every bond of outward union.
Necessities of faith were still more powerful. Truth, it was said, is
one, and as it must bind into one body all who hold it, so it is only
by continuing in that body that they can preserve it. There is one
Flock and one Shepherd."

http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00ambedkar/ambedkar_partition/307c.html
bademiyansubhanallah
15 years ago
Permalink
PAKISTAN
OR
THE PARTITION OF INDIA

BY
Dr. B. R. Ambedkar

"More brain, O Lord, more brain! or we shall mar,
Utterly this fair garden we might win."
(Quotation from the title page of Thoughts on Pakistan, 1st ed.)

INSCRIBED TO THE MEMORY
OF
RAMU
As a token of my appreciation of her goodness of heart, her nobility
of mind and her purity of character
and also for the cool fortitude and readiness to suffer along with me
which she showed
in those friendless days of want and worries which fell to our lot.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

[Editor's Introduction]

Preface to the Second Edition

Prologue

Introduction

PART I -- MUSLIM CASE FOR PAKISTAN

CHAPTER I -- What does the League Demand?

Part I [The Muslim League's Resolution of March 1940]
Part II [Unifying the North-West provinces is an age-old project]
Part III [The Congress itself has proposed to create Linguistic
Provinces]
CHAPTER II -- A Nation Calling for a Home
[What is the definition of a "nation," and what "nations" can be found
in India?]
CHAPTER III -- Escape from Degradation
[What grievances do Muslims have against their treatment by the
Congress?]

PART II -- HINDU CASE AGAINST PAKISTAN

CHAPTER IV -- Break-up of Unity

[How substantial, in truth, is the unity between Hindus and Muslims?]
CHAPTER V -- Weakening of the Defences
Part I -- Question of Frontiers
Part II -- Question of Resources
Part III -- Question of Armed Forces
CHAPTER VI -- Pakistan and Communal Peace
Part I [The Communal Question in its "lesser intent"]
Part II [The Communal Question in its "greater intent"]
Part III [The real question is one of demarcation of boundaries]
Part IV [Will Punjabis and Bengalis agree to redraw their boundaries?]

PART III -- WHAT IF NOT PAKISTAN?

CHAPTER VII -- Hindu Alternative to Pakistan

Part I [Lala Hardayal's scheme for conversion in the North-West]
Part II [The stand of Mr. V. D. Savarkar and the Hindu Maha Sabha]
Part III [Mr. Gandhi's tenacious quest for Hindu-Muslim unity]
Part IV [The riot-torn history of Hindu-Muslim relations, 1920-1940]
Part V [Such barbaric mutual violence shows an utter lack of unity]
CHAPTER VIII -- Muslim Alternative to Pakistan
Part I [The proposed Hyderabad scheme of legislative reform is not
promising]
Part II [The "Azad Muslim Conference" thinks along similar lines]
CHAPTER IX -- Lessons from Abroad
Part I [The case of Turkey shows a steady dismemberment and loss of
territory]
Part II [The case of Czechoslovakia, a country which lasted only two
decades]
Part III [Both were brought down by the growth of the spirit of
nationalism]
Part IV [The force of nationalism, once unleashed, almost cannot be
stopped]
Part V [Hindustan and Pakistan would be stronger, more homogeneous
units]

PART IV -- PAKISTAN AND THE MALAISE

CHAPTER X -- Social Stagnation

Part I [Muslim Society is even more full of social evils than Hindu
Society is]
Part II [Why there is no organized movement of social reform among the
Muslims]
Part III [The Hindus emphasize nationalist politics and ignore the
need for social reform]
Part IV [In a "communal malaise," both groups ignore the urgent claims
of social justice]
CHAPTER XI -- Communal Aggression
[British sympathy encourages ever-increasing, politically calculated
Muslim demands]
CHAPTER XII -- National Frustration
Part I [Can Hindus count on Muslims to show national rather than
religious loyalty?]
Part II [Hindus really want Dominion status; Muslims really want
independence]
Part III [The necessary national political loyalty is not present
among Muslims]
Part IV [Muslim leaders' views, once nationalistic, have grown much
less so over time]
Part V [The vision of Pakistan is powerful, and has been implicitly
present for decades]
Part VI [Mutual antipathies have created a virus of dualism in the
body politic]

PART V

CHAPTER XIII -- Must There be Pakistan?

Part I [The burden of proof on the advocates of Pakistan is a heavy
one]
Part II [Is it really necessary to divide what has long been a single
whole?]
Part III [Other nations have survived for long periods despite
communal antagonisms]
Part IV [Cannot legitimate past grievances be redressed in some less
drastic way?]
Part V [Cannot the many things shared between the two groups be
emphasized?]
Part VI ['Hindu Raj' must be prevented at all costs, but is Pakistan
the best means?]
Part VII [If Muslims truly and deeply desire Pakistan, their choice
ought to be accepted]
CHAPTER XIV -- The Problems of Pakistan
Part I [Problems of border delineation and population transfer must be
addressed]
Part II [What might we assume to be the borders of West and East
Pakistan?]
Part III [Both Muslims and Hindus ignore the need for genuine self-
determination]
Part IV [Punjab and Bengal would thus necessarily be subject to
division]
Part V [A demand for regional self-determination must always be a two-
edged sword]
Part VI [The problems of population transfer are solvable and need not
detain us]
CHAPTER XV -- Who Can Decide?
Part I [Partition is a very possible contingency for which it's best
to be prepared]
Part II [I offer this draft of a 'Government of India (Preliminary
Provisions) Act']
Part III [My plan is community-based, and thus more realistic than the
Cripps plan]
Part IV [My solution is borne out by the examination of similar cases
elsewhere]
Epilogue -- [We need better statesmanship than Mr. Gandhi and Mr.
Jinnah have shown]

TABLES

-- 003a -- Revenues raised by Provincial and Central Governments
-- 101a -- The Congress's Proposed Linguistic Provinces
-- 205a -- Resources of Pakistan
-- 205b -- Resources of Hindustan
-- 205c -- Areas of Indian Army Recruitment
-- 205d -- Areas of Recruitment During World War I
-- 205e -- Changes in the Composition of the Indian Infantry
-- 205f -- Changes in the Communal Composition of the Indian Army
-- 205g -- Communal Composition of the Indian Army in 1930
-- 205h -- Communal Percentages in Infantry and Cavalry, 1930
-- 205i -- Provincial Composition of the Indian Army, 1943
-- 205j -- Communal Composition of the Indian Army, 1943
-- 205k -- Contributions to the Central Exchequer from the Pakistan
Area
-- 205l -- Contributions to the Central Exchequer from the Hindustan
Area
-- 206a -- Muslim Population in Pakistan and Hindustan
-- 206b -- Distribution of Seats in the Central Legislature (Numbers)
-- 206c -- Distribution of Seats in the Central Legislature
(Percentages)
-- 307a -- Casualties of the Riots in Sukkur, Sind, November 1939
-- 308a -- Proposed Hyderabad Scheme of Communal Reforms
-- 410a -- Married Females Aged 0-15 per 1000 Females of That Age
-- 411a -- Legislative Councils (Act of 1909): Communal Proportion
between Hindus and Muslims
-- 411b -- Communal Composition of the Legislatures, 1919
-- 411c -- Representation of Muslims According to the Lucknow Pact,
1916
-- 411d -- Actual Weightage of Muslims According to the Lucknow
Pact

APPENDICES

-- 01 -- Appendix I : Population of India by Communities
-- 02 -- Appendix II : Communal distribution of population by
Minorities in the Provinces of British India
-- 03 -- Appendix III : Communal distribution of population by
Minorities in the States
-- 04 -- Appendix IV : Communal distribution of population in the
Punjab by Districts
-- 05 -- Appendix V : Communal distribution of population in Bengal by
Districts
-- 06 -- Appendix VI : Communal distribution of population in Assam by
Districts
-- 07 -- Appendix VII : Proportion of Muslim population in N.-W. F.
Province by Districts
-- 08 -- Appendix VIII : Proportion of Muslim population in N.-W. F.
Province by Towns
-- 09 -- Appendix IX : Proportion of Muslim population in Sind by
Districts
-- 10 -- Appendix X : Proportion of Muslim population in Sind by
Towns
-- 11 -- Appendix XI : Languages spoken by the Muslims of India
-- 12-- Appendix XII : Address by Muslims to Lord Minto, 1906, and
Reply thereto
-- 13 -- Appendix XIII : Allocation of Seats under the Government of
India Act, 1935, for the Lower House in each Provincial Legislature
-- 14 -- Appendix XIV : Allocation of Seats under the Government of
India Act, 1935, for the Upper House in each Provincial Legislature
-- 15 -- Appendix XV : Allocation of Seats under the Government of
India Act, 1935, for the Lower House of the Federal Legislature for
British India by Province and by Community
-- 16 -- Appendix XVI : Allocation of Seats under the Government of
India Act, 1935, for the Upper Chamber of the Federal Legislature for
British India by Province and by Community
-- 17 -- Appendix XVI : Allocation of Seats under the Government of
India Act, 1935, for the Upper Chamber of the Federal Legislature for
British India by Province and by Community
-- 18 -- Appendix XVIII : Communal Award
-- 19 -- Appendix XIX : Supplementary Communal Award
-- 20 -- Appendix XX : The Poona Pact
-- 21 -- Appendix XXI : Comparative Statement of Minority
Representation under the Government of India Act, 1935, in the
Provincial Legislature
-- 22 -- Appendix XXII : Comparative Statement of Minority
Representation under the Government of India Act, 1935, in the Central
Legislature
-- 23 -- Appendix XXIII : Government of India Resolution of 1934 on
Communal Representation of Minorities in the Services
-- 24 -- Appendix XXIV : Government of India Resolution of 1943 on
Representation of the Scheduled Castes in the Services
-- 25-- Appendix XXV : The Cripps Proposals

ERRATA -- [corrections have now been incorporated into the text]

MAPS
-- Punjab -- Bengal & Assam -- India --

http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00ambedkar/ambedkar_partition/index.html#contents
Editor's Introduction

The text of this complete online book has been taken from Dr.
Babasaheb Ambedkar: Writings and Speeches, Vol. 8 (Bombay: Education
Department, Government of Maharashtra, 1990). The work was first
published by Thacker and Co., Bombay, December 1940. Second edition:
February 1945. Third edition: 1946. The Government of Maharashtra's
text is that of the third edition.
This online edition has been edited for research use by most readers
(apart from some academic specialists, who will of course want to
consult the various original print versions). Here is a description of
the editing:

= Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.
= All the errors in the book's list of "Errata" have been corrected in
the text.
= A few omissions of section numbers, or misnumberings of sections,
have been corrected.
= Nothing whatsoever has been omitted from the original text.
= All paragraph breaks are those of the original text.
= In a few cases, punctuation has been adjusted for clarity.
= All editorial annotations by FWP have been enclosed in square
brackets.
= All embedded quotations that are not Dr. Ambedkar's own words are in
10-point type.
= Such embedded quotations have been reproduced exactly as in the
printed text.

Needless to say, Dr. Ambedkar's opinions about many matters discussed
in the text were then, and are now, controversial. In addition, some
of the historical accounts on which he relied for factual information
have now been rendered obsolete by later, and better-grounded,
research. (For example, Chapter IV would surely have been quite
different if Dr. Ambedkar had had access to more complex studies like
that of Romila Thapar on Mahmud Ghaznavi, or Richard Eaton on temple
destruction.)

That being said, it's a unique and fascinating work, and well deserves
the new readers it will now be able to find.

-- Fran Pritchett
Columbia University

http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00ambedkar/ambedkar_partition/000fwpintro.html

PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION

The problem of Pakistan has given a headache to everyone, more so
to me than to anybody else. I cannot help recalling with regret how
much of my time it has consumed when so much of my other literary work
of greater importance to me than this is held up for want of it. I
therefore hope that this second edition will also be the last. I trust
that before it is exhausted either the question will be settled or
withdrawn.

There are four respects in which this second edition differs from
the first.

/1/The first edition contained many misprints which formed the subject
of complaints from many readers as well as reviewers. In preparing
this edition, I have taken as much care as is possible to leave no
room for complaint on this score. The first edition consisted only of
three parts. Part V is an addition. It contains my own views on the
various issues involved in the problem of Pakistan. It has been added
because of the criticism levelled against the first edition that while
I wrote about Pakistan, I did not state what views I held on the
subject. The present edition differs from the first in another
respect. The maps contained in the first edition are retained but the
number of appendices have been enlarged. In the first edition there
were only eleven appendices. The present edition has twenty-five. To
this edition I have also added an index which did not find a place in
the first edition.

The book appears to have supplied a real want. I have seen how the
thoughts, ideas, and arguments contained in it have been pillaged by
authors, politicians and editors of newspapers to support their sides.
I am sorry they did not observe the decency of acknowledging the
source even when they lifted not merely the argument but also the
language of the book. But that is a matter I do not mind. I am glad
that the book has been of service to Indians who are faced with this
knotty problem of Pakistan. The fact that Mr. Gandhi and Mr. Jinnah in
their recent talks cited the book as an authority on the subject which
might be consulted with advantage bespeaks the worth of the book.

The book by its name might appear to deal only with the X.Y.Z. of
Pakistan. It does more than that. It is an analytical presentation of
Indian history and Indian politics in their communal aspects. As such,
it is intended to explain the A.B.C. of Pakistan also. The book is
more than a mere treatise on Pakistan. The material relating to Indian
history and Indian politics contained in this book is so large and so
varied that it might well be called Indian Political What is What.

The book has displeased both Hindus as well as Muslims though the
reasons for the dislike of the Hindus are different from the reasons
for the dislike of the Muslims. I am not sorry for this reception
given to my book. That it is disowned by the Hindus and unowned by the
Muslims is to me the best evidence that it has the vices of neither,
and that from the point of view of independence of thought and
fearless presentation of facts the book is not a party production.

Some people are sore because what I have said has hurt them. I
have not, I confess, allowed myself to be influenced by fears of
wounding either individuals or classes, or shocking opinions however
respectable they may be. I have often felt regret in pursuing this
course, but remorse never. Those whom I may have offended must forgive
me, in consideration of the honesty and disinterestedness of my aim. I
do not claim to have written dispassionately, though I trust I have
written without prejudice. It would be hardly possible--1 was going to
say decent--for an Indian to be calm when he talks of his country and
thinks of the times. In dealing with the question of Pakistan, my
object has been to draw a perfectly accurate, and at the same time, a
suggestive picture of the situation as I see it. Whatever points of
strength and weakness I have discovered on either side, I have brought
them boldly forward. I have taken pains to throw light on the
mischievous effects that are likely to proceed from an obstinate and
impracticable course of action.

The witness of history regarding the conflict between the forces
of the authority of the State and of anti-State nationalism within,
has been uncertain, if not equivocal. As Prof. Friedmann /2/ observes:


"There is not a single modem State which has not, at one time or
another, forced a recalcitrant national group to live under its
authority. Scots, Bretons, Catalans, Germans, Poles, Czechs, Finns,
all have, at some time or another, been compelled to accept the
authority of a more powerful State whether they liked it or not.
Often, as in Great Britain or France, force eventually led to co-
operation and a co-ordination of State authority and national
cohesion. But in many cases, such as those of Germany, Poland, Italy
and a host of Central European and Balkan countries, the forces of
Nationalism did not rest until they had thrown off the shackles of
State Power and formed a State of their own. . . ."
In the last edition, I depicted the experience of countries in
which the State engaged itself in senseless suppression of nationalism
and withered away in the attempt. In this edition I have added by way
of contrast the experience of other countries, to show that given the
will to live together it is not impossible for diverse communities and
even for diverse nations to live in the bosom of one State. It might
be said that in tendering advice to both sides, I have used terms more
passionate than they need have been. If I have done so it is because I
felt that the manner of the physician who tries to surprise the vital
principle in each paralyzed organ in order to goad it to action was
best suited to stir up the average Indian who is complacent if not
somnolent, who is unsuspecting if not ill-informed, to realize what is
happening. I hope my effort will have the desired effect.
I cannot close this preface without thanking Prof. Manohar B.
Chitnis of the Khalsa College, Bombay, and Mr. K. V. Chitre for their
untiring labours to remove all printer's and clerical errors that had
crept into the first edition, and to see that this edition is free
from all such blemishes. I am also very grateful to Prof. Chitnis for
the preparation of the Index, which has undoubtedly enhanced the
utility of the book.

B. R. AMBEDKAR

1st January 1945,
22, Prithviraj Road,
New Delhi.

/1/ In the first edition there unfortunately occurred through
oversight in proof correction a discrepancy between the population
figures in the different districts of Bengal and the map showing the
lay-out of Pakistan as applied to Bengal which had resulted in two
districts which should have been included in the Pakistan area being
excluded from it. In this edition, this error has been rectified and
the map and the figures have been brought into conformity.

/2/ The Crisis of the National State (1943), p. 4.

http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00ambedkar/ambedkar_partition/001pref.html

PROLOGUE

It can rightly be said that the long introduction with which this
treatise opens leaves no excuse for a prologue. But there is an
epilogue which is affixed to the treatise. Having done that, I thought
of prefixing a prologue, firstly, because an epilogue needs to be
balanced by a prologue, and secondly, because the prologue gives me
room to state in a few words the origin of this treatise to those who
may be curious to know it and to impress upon the readers the
importance of the issues raised in it. For the satisfaction of the
curious it may be stated that there exists, at any rate in the Bombay
Presidency, a political organization called the Independent Labour
Party (abbreviated into I.L.P.) for the last three years. It is not an
ancient, hoary organization which can claim to have grown grey in
politics. The I.L.P. is not in its dotage and is not overtaken by
senility, for which second childhood is given as a more agreeable
name. Compared with other political organizations, the I.L.P. is a
young and fairly active body, not subservient to any clique or
interest. Immediately after the passing of the Lahore Resolution on
Pakistan by the Muslim League, the Executive Council of the I.L.P. met
to consider what attitude it should adopt towards this project of
Pakistan. The Executive Council could see that there was underlying
Pakistan an idea to which no objection could be taken. Indeed, the
Council was attracted to the scheme of Pakistan inasmuch as it meant
the creation of ethnic states as a solution of the communal problem.
The Council, however, did not feel competent to pronounce at that
stage a decided opinion on the issue of Pakistan. The Council,
therefore, resolved to appoint a committee to study the question and
make a report on it. The committee consisted of myself as the
Chairman, and Principal M. V. Donde, B.A.; Mr. S. C. Joshi,
M.A.,LL.B., Advocate (O.S.), M.L.C.; Mr.R.R.Bhole, B.Sc., LL.B.,
M.L.A.; Mr. D. G. Jadhav, B.A., LL.B., M.L.A.; and Mr. A. V. Chitre,
B.A., M.L.A., all belonging to the I.L.P., as members of the
committee. Mr. D. V. Pradhan, Member, Bombay Municipal Corporation,
acted as Secretary to the committee. The committee asked me to prepare
a report on Pakistan which I did. The same was submitted to the
Executive Council of the I.L.P., which resolved that the report should
be published. The treatise now published is that report.

The book is intended to assist the student of Pakistan to come to
his own conclusion. With that object in view, I have not only
assembled in this volume all the necessary and relevant data but have
also added 14 appendices and 3 maps, which in my judgement, form an
important accompaniment to the book.

It is not enough for the reader to go over the material collected
in the following pages. He must also reflect over it. Let him take to
heart the warning which Carlyle gave to Englishmen of his generation.
He said:

"The Genius of England no longer soars Sunward, world-defiant, like an
Eagle through the storms, ' mewing her mighty youth,'.... the Genius
of England—much like a greedy Ostrich intent on provender and a whole
skin. . . . ; with its Ostrich-head stuck into....whatever sheltering
Fallacy there may be, and so awaits the issue. The issue has been
slow; but it now seems to have been inevitable. No Ostrich, intent on
gross terrene provender and sticking its head into Fallacies, but will
be awakened one day—in a terrible a posteriori manner if not
otherwise! Awake before it comes to that. Gods and men did us awake!
The Voices of our Fathers, with thousand fold stern monition to one
and all, bid us awake."
This warning, I am convinced, applies to Indians in their present
circumstances as it once did to Englishmen, and Indians, if they pay
no heed to it, will do so at their peril.
Now, a word for those who have helped me in the preparation of
this report. Mr. M. G. Tipnis, D.C.E., (Kalabhuwan, Baroda), and Mr.
Chhaganlal S. Mody have rendered me great assistance, the former in
preparing the maps and the latter in typing the manuscript. I wish to
express my gratitude to both for their work which they have done
purely as a labour of love. Thanks are also due in a special measure
to my friends Mr. B. R. Kadrekar and Mr. K. V. Chitre for their
labours in undertaking the most uninteresting and dull task of
correcting the proof sand supervising the printing.

B.R. AMBEDKAR.

28th December, 1940,
'Rajagrah'
Dadar, Bombay, 14.

http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00ambedkar/ambedkar_partition/002prolog.html

INTRODUCTION

The Muslim League's Resolution on Pakistan has called forth
different reactions. There are some who look upon it as a case of
political measles to which a people in the infancy of their conscious
unity and power are very liable. Others have taken it as a permanent
frame of the Muslim mind and not merely a passing phase and have in
consequence been greatly perturbed.

The question is undoubtedly controversial. The issue is vital and
there is no argument which has not been used in the controversy by one
side to silence the other. Some argue that this demand for
partitioning India into two political entities under separate national
states staggers their imagination; others are so choked with a sense
of righteous indignation at this wanton attempt to break the unity of
a country, which, it is claimed, has stood as one for centuries, that
their rage prevents them from giving expression to their thoughts.
Others think that it need not be taken seriously. They treat it as a
trifle and try to destroy it by shooting into it similes and
metaphors. "You don't cut your head to cure your headache," "you don't
cut a baby into two because two women are engaged in fighting out a
claim as to who its mother is," are some of the analogies which are
used to prove the absurdity of Pakistan. In a controversy carried on
the plane of pure sentiment, there is nothing surprising if a
dispassionate student finds more stupefaction and less understanding,
more heat and less light, more ridicule and less seriousness.

My position in this behalf is definite, if not singular. I do not
think the demand for Pakistan is the result of mere political
distemper, which will pass away with the efflux of time. As I read the
situation, it seems to me that it is a characteristic in the
biological sense of the term, which the Muslim body politic has
developed in the same manner as an organism develops a characteristic.
Whether it will survive or not, in the process of natural selection,
must depend upon the forces that may become operative in the struggle
for existence between Hindus and Musalmans. I am not staggered by
Pakistan; I am not indignant about it; nor do I believe that it can be
smashed by shooting into it similes and metaphors. Those who believe
in shooting it by similes should remember that nonsense does not cease
to be nonsense because it is put in rhyme, and that a metaphor is no
argument though it be sometimes the gunpowder to drive one home and
imbed it in memory. I believe that it would be neither wise nor
possible to reject summarily a scheme if it has behind it the
sentiment, if not the passionate support, of 90 p.c. Muslims of India.
I have no doubt that the only proper attitude to Pakistan is to study
it in all its aspects, to understand its implications and to form an
intelligent judgement about it.

With all this, a reader is sure to ask: Is this book on Pakistan
seasonable in the sense that one must read it, as one must eat the
fruits of the season to keep oneself in health? If it is seasonable,
is it readable? These are natural queries and an author, whose object
is to attract readers, may well make use of the introduction to meet
them.

As to the seasonableness of the book there can be no doubt. The
way of looking at India by Indians themselves must be admitted to have
undergone a complete change during the last 20 years. Referring to
India Prof. Arnold Toynbee wrote in 1915—

"British statesmanship in the nineteenth century regarded India as a
'Sleeping Beauty,' whom Britain had a prescriptive right to woo when
she awoke; so it hedged with thorns the garden where she lay, to
safeguard her from marauders prowling in the desert without. Now the
princess is awake, and is claiming the right to dispose of her own
hand, while the marauders have transformed themselves into respectable
gentlemen diligently occupied in turning the desert into a garden too,
but grievously impeded by the British thorn-hedge. When they politely
request us to remove it, we shall do well to consent, for they will
not make the demand till they feel themselves strong enough to enforce
it, and in the tussle that will follow if we refuse, the sympathies of
the Indian princess will not be on our side. Now that she is awake,
she wishes to walk abroad among her neighbours; she feels herself
capable of rebuffing without our countenance any blandishments or
threats they may offer her, and she is becoming as weary as they of
the thorn-hedge that confines her to her garden.
"If we treat her with tact, India will never wish to secede from the
spiritual brotherhood of the British Empire, but it is inevitable that
she should lead a more and more independent life of her own, and
follow the example of Anglo-Saxon Commowealths by establishing direct
relations with her neighbours. . . ."

Although the writer is an Englishman, the view expressed by him in
1915 was the view commonly held by all Indians irrespective of caste
or creed. Now that India the "Sleeping Beauty" of Prof. Toynbee is
awake, what is the view of the Indians about her? On this question,
there can be no manner of doubt that those who have observed this
Sleeping Beauty behave in recent years, feel she is a strange being
quite different from the angelic princess that she was supposed to be.
She is a mad maiden having a dual personality, half human, half
animal, always in convulsions because of her two natures in perpetual
conflict. If there is any doubt about her dual personality, it has now
been dispelled by the Resolution of the Muslim League demanding the
cutting up of India into two, Pakistan and Hindustan, so that these
conflicts and convulsions due to a dual personality having been bound
in one may cease forever, and so freed from each other, may dwell in
separate homes congenial to their respective cultures, Hindu and
Muslim.
It is beyond question that Pakistan is a scheme which will have to
be taken into account. The Muslims will insist upon the scheme being
considered. The British will insist upon some kind of settlement being
reached between the Hindus and the Muslims before they consent to any
devolution of political power. There is no use blaming the British for
insisting upon such a settlement as a condition precedent to the
transfer of power. The British cannot consent to settle power upon an
aggressive Hindu majority and make it its heir, leaving it to deal
with the minorities at its sweet pleasure. That would not be ending
imperialism. It would be creating another imperialism. The Hindus,
therefore, cannot avoid coming to grips with Pakistan, much as they
would like to do.

If the scheme of Pakistan has to be considered, and there is no
escape from it, then there are certain points which must be borne in
mind.

The first point to note is that the Hindus and Muslims must decide
the question themselves. They cannot invoke the aid of anyone else.
Certainly, they cannot expect the British to decide it for them. From
the point of view of the Empire, it matters very little to the British
whether India remains one undivided whole, or is partitioned into two
parts, Pakistan and Hindustan, or into twenty linguistic fragments as
planned by the Congress, so long as all of them are content to live
within the Empire. The British need not interfere for the simple
reason that they are not affected by such territorial divisions.

Further, if the Hindus are hoping that the British will use force
to put down Pakistan, that is impossible. In the first place, coercion
is no remedy. The futility of force and resistance was pointed out by
Burke long ago in his speeches relating to the coercion of the
American colonies. His memorable words may be quoted not only for the
benefit of the Hindu Maha Sabha but also for the benefit of all. This
is what he said:

"The use of force alone is temporary. It may endure a moment but it
does not remove the necessity of subduing again: a nation is not
governed which is perpetually to be conquered. The next objection to
force is its uncertainty. Terror is not always the effect of force,
and an armament is not a victory. If you do not succeed you are
without resource; for conciliation failing, force remains; but force
failing, no further hope of reconciliation is left. Power and
Authority are sometimes bought by kindness, but they can never be
begged as alms by an impoverished and defeated violence. A further
objection to force is that you impair the object by your very
endeavours to preserve it. The thing you fought for (to wit the
loyalty of the people) is not the thing you recover, but depreciated,
sunk, wasted and consumed in the contest."
Coercion, as an alternative to Pakistan, is therefore
unthinkable.
Again, the Muslims cannot be deprived of the benefit of the
principle of self-determination. The Hindu Nationalists who rely on
self-determination and ask how Britain can refuse India what the
conscience of the world has conceded to the smallest of the European
nations, cannot in the same breath ask the British to deny it to other
minorities. The Hindu Nationalist who hopes that Britain will coerce
the Muslims into abandoning Pakistan, forgets that the right of
nationalism to freedom from an aggressive foreign imperialism and the
right of a minority to freedom from an aggressive majority's
nationalism are not two different things; nor does the former stand on
a more sacred footing than the latter. They are merely two aspects of
the struggle for freedom and as such equal in their moral import.
Nationalists, fighting for freedom from aggressive imperialism, cannot
well ask the help of the British imperialists to thwart the right of a
minority to freedom from the nationalism of an aggressive majority.
The matter must, therefore, be decided upon by the Muslims and the
Hindus alone. The British cannot decide the issue for them. This is
the first important point to note.

The essence of Pakistan is the opposition to the establishment of
one Central Government having supremacy over the whole of India.
Pakistan contemplates two Central Governments, one for Pakistan and
the other for Hindustan. This gives rise to the second important point
which Indians must take note of. That point is that the issue of
Pakistan shall have to be decided upon before the plans for a new
constitution are drawn and its foundations are laid. If there is to be
one Central Government for India, the design of the constitutional
structure would be different from what it would be if there is to be
one Central Government for Hindustan and another for Pakistan. That
being so, it will be most unwise to postpone the decision. Either the
scheme should be abandoned and another substituted by mutual agreement
or it should be decided upon. It will be the greatest folly to suppose
that if Pakistan is buried for the moment, it will never raise its
head again. I am sure, burying Pakistan is not the same thing as
burying the ghost of Pakistan. So long as the hostility to one Central
Government for India, which is the ideology underlying Pakistan,
persists, the ghost of Pakistan will be there, casting its ominous
shadow upon the political future of India. Neither will it be prudent
to make some kind of a make-shift arrangement for the time being,
leaving the permanent solution to some future day. To do so would be
something like curing the symptoms without removing the disease. But,
as often happens in such cases, the disease is driven in, thereby
making certain its recurrence, perhaps in a more virulent form.

I feel certain that whether India should have one Central
Government is not a matter which can betaken as settled; it is a
matter in issue and although it may not be a live issue now, some day
it will be.

The Muslims have openly declared that they do not want to have any
Central Government in India and they have given their reasons in the
most unambiguous terms. They have succeeded in bringing into being
five provinces which are predominantly Muslim in population. In these
provinces, they see the possibility of the Muslims forming a
government and they are anxious to see that the independence of the
Muslim Governments in these provinces is preserved. Actuated by these
considerations, the Central Government is an eyesore to the Muslims of
India. As they visualize the scene, they see their Muslim Provinces
made subject to a Central Government predominantly Hindu and endowed
with powers of supervision over, and even of interference in, the
administration of these Muslim Provinces. The Muslims feel that to
accept one Central Government for the whole of India is to consent to
place the Muslim Provincial Governments under a Hindu Central
Government and to see the gain secured by the creation of Muslim
Provinces lost by subjecting them to a Hindu Government at the Centre.
The Muslim way of escape from this tyranny of a Hindu Centre is to
have no Central Government in India at all./1/

Are the Musalmans alone opposed to the existence of a Central
Government? What about the Hindus? There seems to be a silent premise
underlying all political discussions that are going on among the
Hindus that there will always be in India a Central Government as a
permanent part of her political constitution. How far such a premise
can be taken for granted is more than I can say. I may, however, point
out that there are two factors which are dormant for the present but
which some day may become dominant and turn the Hindus away from the
idea of a Central Government.

The first is the cultural antipathy between the Hindu Provinces.
The Hindu Provinces are by no means a happy family. It cannot be
pretended that the Sikhs have any tenderness for the Bengalees or the
Rajputs or the Madrasis. The Bengalee loves only himself. The Madrasi
is.bound by his own world. As to the Mahratta, who does not recall
that the Mahrattas, who set out to destroy the Muslim Empire in India,
became a menace to the rest of the Hindus whom they harassed and kept
under their yoke for nearly a century. The Hindu Provinces have no
common traditions and no interests to bind them. On the other hand,
the differences of language, race, and the conflicts of the past have
been the most powerful forces tending to divide them. It is true that
the Hindus are getting together and the spirit moving them to become
one united nation is working on them. But it must not be forgotten
that they have not yet become a nation. They are in the process of
becoming a nation and before the process is completed, there may be a
setback which may destroy the work of a whole century.

In the second place, there is the financial factor. It is not
sufficiently known what it costs the people of India to maintain the
Central Government and the proportionate burden each Province has to
bear.

The total revenue of British India comes to Rs. 194,64,17,926 per
annum. Of this sum, the amount raised by the Provincial Governments
from provincial sources, comes annually to Rs. 73,57,50,125 and that
raised by the Central Government from central sources of revenue comes
to Rs. 121,06,67,801. This will show what the Central Government costs
the people of India. When one considers that the Central Government is
concerned only with maintaining peace and does not discharge any
functions which have relation to the progress of the people, it should
cause no surprise if people begin to ask whether it is necessary that
they should pay annually such an enormous price to purchase peace. In
this connection, it must be borne in mind that the people in the
provinces are literally starving and there is no source left to the
provinces to increase their revenue.

This burden of maintaining the Central Government, which the
people of India have to bear, is most unevenly distributed over the
different provinces. The sources of central revenues are (1) Customs,
(2) Excise, (3) Salt, (4) Currency, (5) Posts and Telegraphs, (6)
Income Tax and (7) Railways. It is not possible from the accounts
published by the Government of India to work out the distribution of
the three sources of central revenue, namely Currency, Posts and
Telegraphs, and Railways. Only the revenue raised from other sources
can be worked out province by province. The result is shown in the
following table :—

REVENUE RAISED BY PROVINCIAL AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENTS

It will be seen from this table that the burden of maintaining the
Central Government is not only heavy but falls unequally upon the
different provinces. The Bombay Provincial Government raises Rs.
12,44,59,553; as against this, the Central Government raises Rs.
22,53,44,247 from Bombay. The Bengal Government raises Rs.
12,76,60,892; as against this, the Central Government raises Rs.
23,79,01,583 from Bengal. The Sind Government raises Rs. 3,70,29,354;
as against this, the Central Government raises Rs. 5,66,46,915 from
Sind. The Assam Government raises nearly Rs. 2 1/2 crores; but the
Central Government raises nearly Rs. 2 crores from Assam. While such
is the burden of the Central Government on these provinces, the rest
of the provinces contribute next to nothing to the Central Government.
The Punjab raises Rs. 11 crores for itself but contributes only Rs. 1
crore to the Central Government. In the N.W.F.P. the provincial
revenue is Rs. 1,80,83,548; its total contribution to the Central
Government however is only Rs. 9,28,294. U.P. raises Rs. 13 crores but
contributes only Rs. 4 crores to the Centre. Bihar collects Rs. 5
crores for itself; she gives only 1 1/2 crores to the Centre. C.P. and
Berar levy a total of 4 crores and pay to the Centre 31 lakhs.

This financial factor has so far passed without notice. But time
may come when even to the Hindus, who are the strongest supporters of
a Central Government in India, the financial considerations may make a
greater appeal than what purely patriotic considerations do now. So,
it is possible that some day the Muslims, for communal considerations,
and the Hindus, for financial considerations, may join hands to
abolish the Central Government.

If this were to happen, it is better if it happens before the
foundation of a new constitution is laid down. If it happens after the
foundation of the new constitution envisaging one Central Government
were laid down, it would be the greatest disaster. Out of the general
wreck, not only India as an entity will vanish, but it will not be
possible to save even the Hindu unity. As I have pointed out, there is
not much cement even among the Hindu Provinces, and once that little
cement which exists is lost, there will be nothing with which to build
up even the unity of the Hindu Provinces. It is because of this that
Indians must decide, before preparing the plans and laying the
foundations, for whom the constitutional structure is to be raised and
whether it is temporary or permanent. After the structure is built as
one whole, on one single foundation, with girders running through from
one end to the other; if, thereafter, a part is to be severed from the
rest, the knocking out of the rivets will shake the whole building and
produce cracks in other parts of the structure which are intended to
remain as one whole. The danger of cracks is greater, if the cement
which binds them is, as in the case of India, of a poor quality. If
the new constitution is designed for India as one whole and a
structure is raised on that basis, and thereafter the question of
separation of Pakistan from Hindustan is raised and the Hindus have to
yield, the alterations that may become necessary to give effect to
this severance may bring about the collapse of the whole structure.
The desire of the Muslim Provinces may easily infect the Hindu
Provinces and the spirit of disruption generated by the Muslim
Provinces may cause all round disintegration.

History is not wanting in instances of constitutions threatened
with disruption. There is the instance of the Southern States of the
American Union. Natal has always been anxious to get out from the
Union of South Africa and Western Australia recently applied, though
unsuccessfully, to secede from the Australian Commonwealth.

In these cases actual disruption has not taken place and where it
did, it was soon healed. Indians, however, cannot hope to be so
fortunate. Theirs may be the fate of Czechoslovakia. In the first
place, it would be futile to entertain the hope that if a disruption
of the Indian constitution took place by the Muslim Provinces
separating from the Hindu Provinces, it would be possible to win back
the seceding provinces as was done in the U.S.A. after the Civil War.
Secondly, if the new Indian constitution is a Dominion Constitution,
even the British may find themselves powerless to save the
constitution from such a disruption, if it takes place after its
foundations are laid. It seems to be, therefore, imperative that the
issue of Pakistan should be decided upon before the new constitution
is devised.

If there can be no doubt that Pakistan is a scheme which Indians
will have to resolve upon at the next revision of the constitution and
if there is no escape from deciding upon it, then it would be a fatal
mistake for the people to approach it without a proper understanding
of the question. The ignorance of some of the Indian delegates to the
Round Table Conference of constitutional law, I remember, led Mr.
Garvin of the Observer to remark that it would have been much better
if the Simon Commission, instead of writing a report on India, had
made a report on constitutional problems of India and how they were
met by the constitutions of the different countries of the world. Such
a report I know was prepared for the use of the delegates who framed
the constitution of South Africa. This is an attempt to make good that
deficiency and as such I believe it will be welcomed as a seasonable
piece.

So much for the question whether the book is seasonable. As to the
second question, whether the book is readable no writer can forget the
words of Augustine Birrell when he said:

"Cooks, warriors, and authors must be judged by the effects they
produce; toothsome dishes, glorious victories, pleasant books, these
are our demands. We have nothing to do with ingredients, tactics, or
methods. We have no desire to be admitted into the kitchen, the
council, or the study. The cook may use her saucepans how she pleases,
the warrior place his men as he likes, the author handle his material
or weave his plot as best he can; when the dish is served we only ask.
Is it good?; when the battle has been fought, Who won?; when the book
comes out, Does it read?
"Authors ought not to be above being reminded that it is their first
duty to write agreeably. Some very disagreeable men have succeeded in
doing so, and there is, therefore, no need for anyone to despair.
Every author, be he grave or gay, should try to make his book as
ingratiating as possible. Reading is not a duty, and has consequently
no business to be made disagreeable. Nobody is under any obligation to
read any other man's book."

I am fully aware of this. But I am not worried about it. That may
well apply to other books but not to a book on Pakistan. Every Indian
must read a book on Pakistan, if not this, then some other, if he
wants to help his country to steer a clear path.
If the book does not read well, i.e., its taste be not good, the
reader will find two things in it which, I am sure, are good.

The first thing he will find is that the ingredients are good.
There is in the book material which will be helpful and to gain access
to which he will have to labour a great deal. Indeed, the reader will
find that the book contains an epitome of India's political and social
history during the last twenty years, which it is necessary for every
Indian to know.

The second thing he will find is that there is no partisanship.
The aim is to expound the scheme of Pakistan in all its aspects and
not to advocate it. The aim is to explain and not to convert. It
would, however, be a pretence to say that I have no views on Pakistan.
Views I have. Some of them are expressed, others may have to be
gathered. Two things, however, may well be said about my views. In the
first place, wherever they are expressed, they have been reasoned out.
Secondly, whatever the views, they have certainly not the fixity of a
popular prejudice. They are really thoughts and not views. In other
words, I have an open mind, though not an empty mind. A person with an
open mind is always the subject of congratulations. While this may be
so, it must, at the same time, be realized that an open mind may also
be an empty mind and that such an open mind, if it is a happy
condition, is also a very dangerous condition for a man to be in. A
disaster may easily overtake a man with an empty mind. Such a person
is like a ship without ballast and without a rudder. It can have no
direction. It may float but may also suffer a shipwreck against a rock
for want of direction. While aiming to help the reader by placing
before him all the material, relevant and important, the reader will
find that I have not sought to impose my views on him. I have placed
before him both sides of the question and have left him to form his
own opinion.

The reader may complain that I have been provocative in stating
the relevant facts. I am conscious that .such a charge may be levelled
against me. I apologize freely and gladly for the same. My excuse is
that I have no intention to hurt. I had only one purpose, that is, to
force the attention of the indifferent and casual reader to the issue
that is dealt with in the book. I ask the reader to put aside any
irritation that he may feel with me and concentrate his thoughts on
this tremendous issu : Which is to be, Pakistan or no Pakistan?

/1/ This point of view was put forth by Sir Muhammad lqbal at the
Third Round Table Conference.

http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00ambedkar/ambedkar_partition/003intro.html

EPILOGUE
[We need better statesmanship than Mr. Gandhi and Mr. Jinnah have
shown]

Here I propose to stop. For I feel that I have said all that I can
say about the subject. To use legal language, I have drawn the
pleadings. This I may claim to have done at sufficient length. In
doing so, I have adopted that prolix style so dear to the Victorian
lawyers, under which the two sides plied one another with plea and
replication, rejoinder and rebutter [=rebuttal], surrejoinder and
surrebutter, and so on. I have done this deliberately, with the object
that a full statement of the case for and against Pakistan may be
made. The foregoing pages contain the pleadings. The facts contained
therein are true to the best of my knowledge and belief. I have also
given my findings. It is now for Hindus and Muslims to give theirs.

To help them in their task it might be well to set out the issues.
On the pleadings the following issues seem to be necessary issues:

(1) Is Hindu-Muslim unity necessary for India's political
advancement? If necessary, is it still possible of realization,
notwithstanding the new ideology of the Hindus and the Muslims being
two different nations?
(2) If Hindu-Muslim unity is possible, should it be reached by
appeasement or by settlement?

(3) If it is to be achieved by appeasement, what are the new
concessions that can be offered to the Muslims to obtain their willing
co-operation, without prejudice to other interests?

(4) If it is to be achieved by a settlement, what are the terms of
that settlement? If there are only two alternatives, (i) Division of
India into Pakistan and Hindustan, or (ii) Fifty-fifty share in
Legislature, Executive, and the Services, which alternative is
preferable?

(5) Whether India, if she remained [=remains] one integral whole, can
rely upon both Hindus and Musalmans to defend her independence,
assuming it is won from the British?

(6) Having regard to the prevailing antagonism between Hindus and
Musalmans, and having regard to the new ideology demarcating them as
two distinct nations and postulating an opposition in their ultimate
destinies, whether a single constitution for these two nations can be
built, in the hope that they will show an intention to work it and not
to stop it.

(7) On the assumption that the two-nation theory has come to stay,
will not India as one single unit become an incoherent body without
organic unity, incapable of developing into a strong united nation
bound by a common faith in a common destiny, and therefore likely to
remain a feebler and sickly country, easy to be kept in perpetual
subjection either of [=to] the British or of [=to] any other foreign
power?

(8) If India cannot be one united country, is it not better that
Indians should help India in the peaceful dissolution of this
incoherent whole into its natural parts, namely, Pakistan and
Hindustan?

(9) Whether it is not better to provide for the growth of two
independent and separate nations, a Muslim nation inhabiting Pakistan
and a Hindu nation inhabiting Hindustan, than [to] pursue the vain
attempt to keep India as one undivided country in the false hope that
Hindus and Muslims will some day be one and occupy it as the members
of one nation and sons of one motherland?

Nothing can come in the way of an Indian getting to grips with
these issues and reaching his own conclusions with the help of the
material contained in the foregoing pages except three things: (1) A
false sentiment of historical patriotism, (2) a false conception of
the exclusive ownership of territory, and (3) absence of willingness
to think for oneself. Of these obstacles, the last is the most
difficult to get over. Unfortunately thought in India is rare, and
free thought is rarer still. This is particularly true of Hindus. That
is why a large part of the argument of this book has been addressed to
them. The reasons for this are obvious. The Hindus are in a majority.
Being in a majority, their view point must count! There is not much
possibility of [a] peaceful solution if no attempt is made to meet
their objections, rational or sentimental. But there are special
reasons which have led me to address so large a part of the argument
to them, and which may not be quite so obvious to others. I feel that
those Hindus who are guiding the destinies of their fellows have lost
what Carlyle calls "the Seeing Eye" and are walking in the glamour of
certain vain illusions, the consequences of which must, I fear, be
terrible for the Hindus. The Hindus are in the grip of the Congress
and the Congress is in the grip of Mr. Gandhi. It cannot be said that
Mr. Gandhi has given the Congress the right lead. Mr. Gandhi first
sought to avoid facing the issue by taking refuge in two things. He
started by saying that to partition India is a moral wrong and a sin
to which he will never be a party. This is a strange argument. India
is not the only country faced with the issue of partition, or shifting
of frontiers based on natural and historical factors to those based on
the national factors. Poland has been partitioned three time,s and no
one can be sure that there will be no more partition of Poland. There
are very few countries in Europe which have not undergone partition
during the last 150 years. This shows that the partition of a country
is neither moral nor immoral. It is unmoral. It is a social, political
or military question. Sin has no place in it.
As a second refuge Mr. Gandhi started by protesting that the
Muslim League did not represent the Muslims, and that Pakistan was
only a fancy of Mr. Jinnah. It is difficult to understand how Mr.
Gandhi could be so blind as not to see how Mr. Jinnah's influence over
the Muslim masses has been growing day by day, and how he has engaged
himself in mobilizing all his forces for battle. Never before was Mr.
Jinnah a man for the masses. He distrusted them./1/ To exclude them
from political power he was always for a high franchise. Mr. Jinnah
was never known to be a very devout, pious, or a professing Muslim.
Besides kissing the Holy Koran as and when he was sworn in as an
M.L.A., he does not appear to have bothered much about its contents or
its special tenets. It is doubtful if he frequented any mosque either
out of curiosity or religious fervour. Mr. Jinnah was never found in
the midst of Muslim mass congregations, religious or political.

Today one finds a complete change in Mr. Jinnah. He has become a
man of the masses. He is no longer above them. He is among them. Now
they have raised him above themselves and call him their Qaid-e-Azam.
He has not only become a believer in Islam, but is prepared to die for
Islam. Today, he knows more of Islam than mere Kalama. Today, he goes
to the mosque to hear Khutba and takes delight in joining the Id
congregational prayers. Dongri and Null Bazaar once knew Mr. Jinnah by
name. Today they know him by his presence. No Muslim meeting in Bombay
begins or ends without Allah-ho-Akbar and Long Live Qaid-e-Azam. In
this Mr. Jinnah has merely followed King Henry IV of France—the
unhappy father-in-law of the English King Charles I. Henry IV was a
Huguenot by faith. But he did not hesitate to attend mass in a
Catholic Church in Paris. He believed that to change his Huguenot
faith and go to mass was an easy price to pay for the powerful support
of Paris. As Paris became worth a mass to Henry IV, so have Dongri and
Null Bazaar become worth a mass to Mr. Jinnah, and for similar reason.
It is strategy; it is mobilization. But even if it is viewed as the
sinking of Mr. Jinnah from reason to superstition, he is sinking with
his ideology, which by his very sinking is spreading into all the
different strata of Muslim society and is becoming part and parcel of
its mental make-up. This is as clear as anything could be. The only
basis for Mr. Gandhi's extraordinary view is the existence of what are
called Nationalist Musalmans. It is difficult to see any real
difference between the communal Muslims who form the Muslim League and
the Nationalist Muslims. It is extremely doubtful whether the
Nationalist Musalmans have any real community of sentiment, aim, and
policy with the Congress which marks them off from the Muslim League.
Indeed many Congressmen are alleged to hold the view that there is no
different [=difference] between the two, and that the Nationalist
Muslim[s] inside the Congress are only an outpost of the communal
Muslims. This view does not seem to be quite devoid of truth when one
recalls that the late Dr. Ansari, the leader of the Nationalist
Musalmans, refused to oppose the Communal Award although it gave the
Muslims separate electorates in [the] teeth of the resolution passed
by the Congress and the Nationalist Musalmans. Nay, so great has been
the increase in the influence of the League among the Musalmans that
many Musalmans who were opposed to the League have been compelled to
seek for a place in the League or make peace with it. Anyone who takes
account of the turns and twists of the late Sir Sikandar Hyat Khan and
Mr. Fazlul Huq, the late Premier of Bengal, must admit the truth of
this fact. Both Sir Sikandar and Mr. Fazlul Huq were opposed to the
formation of branches of the Muslim League in their Provinces when Mr.
Jinnah tried to revive it in 1937. Notwithstanding their opposition,
when the branches of the League were formed in the Punjab and in
Bengal, within one year both were compelled to join them. It is a case
of those coming to scoff remaining to pray. No more cogent proof seems
to be necessary to prove the victory of the League.

Notwithstanding this Mr. Gandhi, instead of negotiating with Mr.
Jinnah and the Muslim League with a view to a settlement, took a
different turn. He got the Congress to pass the famous Quit India
Resolution on the 8th August 1942. This Quit India Resolution was
primarily a challenge to the British Government. But it was also an
attempt to do away with the intervention of the British Government in
the discussion of the Minority question, and thereby securing
[=secure] for the Congress a free hand to settle it on its own terms
and according to its own lights. It was in effect, if not in
intention, an attempt to win independence by bypassing the Muslims and
the other minorities. The Quit India Campaign turned out to be a
complete failure.

It was a mad venture and took the most diabolical form. It was a
scorch[ed]-earth campaign in which the victims of looting, arson and
murder were Indians, and the perpetrators were Congressmen. Beaten, he
started a fast for twenty-one days in March 1943 while he was in gaol,
with the object of getting out of it. He failed. Thereafter he fell
ill. As he was reported to be sinking, the British Government released
him for fear that he might die on their hand[s] and bring them
ignominy. On coming out of gaol, he found that he and the Congress had
not only missed the bus, but had also lost the road. To retrieve the
position and win for the Congress the respect of the British
Government as a premier party in the country, which it had lost by
reason of the failure of the campaign that followed up the Quit India
Resolution and the violence which accompanied it, he started
negotiating with the Viceroy. Thwarted in that attempt, Mr. Gandhi
turned to Mr. Jinnah. On the 17th July 1944 Mr. Gandhi wrote to Mr.
Jinnah expressing his desire to meet him and discuss with him the
communal question. Mr. Jinnah agreed to receive Mr. Gandhi in his
house in Bombay. They met on the 9th September 1944. It was good that
at long last wisdom dawned on Mr. Gandhi, and he agreed to see the
light which was staring him in the face and which he had so far
refused to see.

The basis of their talks was the offer made by Mr.
Rajagopalachariar to Mr. Jinnah in April 1944 which, according to the
somewhat incredible/2/ story told by Mr. Rajagopalachariar, was
discussed by him with Mr. Gandhi in March 1943 when he (Mr. Gandhi)
was fasting in gaol, and to which Mr. Gandhi had given his full
approval. The following is the text of Mr. Rajagopalachariar's
formula, popularly spoken of as the C. R. Formula:—

(1) Subject to the terms set out below as regards the constitution
for Free India, the Muslim League endorses the Indian demand for
Independence and will co-operate with the Congress in the formation of
a provisional interim government for the transitional period.
(2) After the termination of the war, a commission shall be appointed
for demarcating contiguous districts in the north-west and east of
India, wherein the Muslim population is in absolute majority. In the
areas thus demarcated, a plebiscite of all the inhabitants held on the
basis of adult suffrage or other practicable franchise shall
ultimately decide the issue of separation from Hindustan. If the
majority decide in favour of forming a sovereign State separate from
Hindustan, such decision shall be given effect to, without prejudice
to the right of districts on the border to choose to join either
State.

(3) It will be open to all parties to advocate their points of view
before the plebiscite is held.

(4) In the event of separation, mutual agreements shall be entered
into for safeguarding defence, and commerce and communications and for
other essential purposes.

(5) Any transfer of population shall only be on an absolutely
voluntary basis.

(6) These terms shall be binding only in case of transfer by Britain
of full power and responsibility for the governance of India.

The talks which began on the 9th September were carried on over a
period of 18 days till 27th September, when it was announced that the
talks had failed. The failure of the talks produced different
reactions in the minds of different people. Some were glad, others
were sorry. But as both had been, just previous to the talks, worsted
by their opponents in their struggle for supremacy, Gandhi by the
British and Jinnah by the Unionist Party in the Punjab, and had lost a
good deal of their credit, the majority of people expected that they
would put forth some constructive effort to bring about a solution.
The failure may have been due to the defects of personalities. But it
must however be said that failure was inevitable, having regard to
certain fundamental faults in the C. R. Formula. In the first place,
it tied up the communal question with the political question in an
indissoluble knot. No political settlement, no communal settlement, is
the strategy on which the formula proceeds. The formula did not offer
a solution. It invited Mr. Jinnah to enter into a deal. It was a
bargain—"If you help us in getting independence, we shall be glad to
consider your proposal for Pakistan." I don't know from where Mr.
Rajagopalachariar got the idea that this was the best means of getting
independence. It is possible that he borrowed it from the old Hindu
kings of India who built up alliance for protecting their independence
against foreign enemies by giving their daughters to neighbouring
princes. Mr. Rajagopalachariar forgot that such alliances brought
neither a good husband nor a permanent ally. To make communal
settlement depend upon help rendered in winning freedom is a very
unwise way of proceeding in a matter of this kind. It is a way of one
party drawing another party into its net by offering communal
privileges as a bait. The C. R. Formula made communal settlement an
article for sale.
The second fault in the C. R. Formula relates to the machinery for
giving effect to any agreement that may be arrived at. The agency
suggested in the C. R. Formula is the Provisional Government. In
suggesting this Mr. Rajagopalachariar obviously overlooked two
difficulties. The first thing he overlooked is that once the
Provisional Government was established, the promises of the
contracting parties, to use legal phraseology, did not [=would not]
remain concurrent promises. The case became [=would become] one of the
executed promise against an executory [=yet to be executed] promise.
By consenting to the establishment of a Provisional Government, the
League would have executed its promise to help the Congress to win
independence. But the promise of the Congress to bring about Pakistan
would remain executory. Mr. Jinnah, who insists, and quite rightly,
that the promises should be concurrent, could never be expected to
agree to place himself in such a position. The second difficulty which
Mr. Rajagopalachariar has overlooked is what would happen if the
Provisional Government failed to give effect to the Congress part of
the agreement. Who is to enforce it? The Provisional Government is to
be a sovereign government, not subject to superior authority. If it
was unwilling to give effect to the agreement, the only sanction open
to the Muslims would be rebellion. To make the Provisional Government
the agency for forging a new Constitution, for bringing about
Pakistan, nobody will accept. It is a snare and not a solution.

The only way of bringing about the constitutional changes will be
through an Act of Parliament embodying provisions agreed upon by the
important elements in the national life of British India. There is no
other way.

There is a third fault in the C. R. Formula. It relates to the
provision for a treaty between Pakistan and Hindustan to safeguard
what are called matters of common interests such as Defence, Foreign
Affairs, Customs, etc. Here again Mr. Rajagopalachariar does not seem
to be aware of obvious difficulties. How are matters of common
interest to be safeguarded? I see only two ways. One is to have a
Central Government vested with Executive and Legislative authority in
respect of these matters. This means Pakistan and Hindustan will not
be sovereign States. Will Mr. Jinnah agree to this? Obviously he does
not. The other way is to make Pakistan and Hindustan sovereign States
and to bind them by a treaty relating to matters of common interests.
But what is there to ensure that the terms of the treaty will be
observed? As a sovereign State Pakistan can always repudiate it, even
if it was [=were to be] a Dominion. Mr. Rajagopalachariar obviously
drew his inspiration in drafting this clause from the Anglo-Irish
Treaty of 1922. But he forgot the fact that the treaty lasted so long
as Ireland was not a Dominion, and that as soon as it became a
Dominion it repudiated the treaty, and the British Parliament stood
silent and grinned, for it knew that it could do nothing.

One does not mind very much that the talks failed. What one feels
sorry for is that the talks failed [at] giving us a clear idea of some
of the questions about which Mr. Jinnah has been observing discreet
silence in his public utterances, though he has been quite outspoken
about them in his private talks. These questions are— (1) Is Pakistan
to be conceded because of the Resolution of the Muslim League? (2) Are
the Muslims, as distinguished from the Muslim League, to have no say
in the matter? (3) What will be the boundaries of Pakistan? Whether
the boundaries will be the present administrative boundaries of the
Punjab and Bengal or whether the boundaries of Pakistan will be
ethnological boundaries? (4) What do the words "subject to such
territorial adjustments as may be necessary" which occur in the Lahore
Resolution mean? What were the territorial adjustments the League had
in mind? (5) What does the word "finally" which occurs in the last
part of the Lahore Resolution mean? Did the League contemplate a
transition period in which Pakistan will not be an independent and
sovereign State? (6) If Mr. Jinnah's proposal that the boundaries of
Eastern and Western Pakistan are to be the present administrative
boundaries, will he allow the Scheduled Castes, or, if I may say so,
the non-Muslims in the Punjab and Bengal to determine by a plebiscite
whether they wish to be included in Mr. Jinnah's Pakistan, and whether
Mr. Jinnah would be prepared to abide by the results of the plebiscite
of the non-Muslim elements in the Punjab and Bengal? (7) Does Mr.
Jinnah want a corridor running through U. P. and Bihar to connect up
Eastern Pakistan to Western Pakistan? It would have been a great gain
if straight questions had been put to Mr. Jinnah and unequivocal
answers obtained. But instead of coming to grips with Mr. Jinnah on
these questions, Mr. Gandhi spent his whole time proving that the C.
R. Formula is substantially the same as the League's Lahore Resolution—
which was ingenious if not nonsensical, and thereby lost the best
opportunity he had of having these questions clarified.

After these talks Mr. Gandhi and Mr. Jinnah have retired to their
pavilions as players in a cricket match do after their game is over,
as though there is nothing further to be done. There is no indication
whether they will meet again, and if so when. What next? is not a
question which seems to worry them. Yet it is difficult to see how
India can make any political advance without a solution of the
question which one may refuse to discuss. It does not belong to that
class of questions about which people can agree to differ. It is a
question for which solution will have to be found. How? It must be by
agreement or by arbitration. If it is to be by agreement, it must be
the result of negotiations—of give and take, and not of surrender by
one side to the other. That [=surrender] is not agreement. It is
dictation. Good sense may in the end prevail, and parties may come to
an agreement. But agreement may turn out to be a very dilatory way. It
may take long before good sense prevails. How long one cannot say. The
political freedom of India is a most urgent necessity. It cannot be
postponed, and yet without a solution of the communal problem it
cannot be hastened. To make it dependent on agreement is to postpone
its solution indefinitely. Another expeditious method must be found.
It seems to me that arbitration by an International Board is the best
way out. The disputed points in the minorities problem, including that
of Pakistan, should be remitted to such a Board. The Board should be
constituted of persons drawn from countries outside the British
Empire. Each statutory minority in India—Muslims, Scheduled Castes,
Sikhs, Indian Christians—should be asked to select its nominee to this
Board of Arbitration. These minorities, as also the Hindus, should
appear before the Board in support of their demands, and should agree
to abide by the decision given by the Board. The British should give
the following undertakings :—

(1) That they will have nothing to do with the communal settlement.
It will be left to agreement or to a Board of Arbitration.
(2) They will implement the decision of the Board of Arbitration on
the communal question by embodying it in the Government of India Act.

(3) That the award of the International Board of Arbitration would be
regarded by them as a sufficient discharge of their obligations to the
minorities in India, and [they] would agree to give India Dominion
Status.

The procedure has many advantages. It eliminates the fear of
British interference in the communal settlement, which has been
offered by the Congress as an excuse for its not being able to settle
the communal problem. It is alleged that, as there is always the
possibility of the minorities getting from the British something more
than what the Congress thinks it proper to give, the minorities do not
wish to come to terms with the Congress. The proposal has a second
advantage. It removes the objection of the Congress that by making the
constitution subject to the consent of the minorities, the British
Government has placed a veto in the hands of the minorities over the
constitutional progress of India. It is complained that the minorities
can unreasonably withhold their consent, or they can be prevailed upon
by the British Government to withhold their consent, as the minorities
are suspected by the Congress to be mere tools in the hands of the
British Government. international arbitration removes completely every
ground of complaint on this account. There should be no objection on
the part of the minorities. If their demands are fair and just, no
minority need have any fear from a Board of International Arbitration.
There is nothing unfair in the requirement of a submission to
arbitration. It follows the well-known rule of law, namely, that no
man should be allowed to be a judge in his own case. There is no
reason to make any exception in the case of a minority. Like an
individual, it cannot claim to sit in judgement over its own case.
What about the British Government? I cannot see any reason why the
British Government should object to any part of this scheme. The
Communal Award has brought great odium on the British. It has been a
thankless task and the British should be glad to be relieved of it. On
the question of the discharge of their responsibilities for making
adequate provision for the safety and security of certain communities,
in respect of which they have regarded themselves as trustees, before
they relinquish their sovereignty, what more can such communities ask
than the implantation in the constitution of safeguards in terms of
the award of an International Board of Arbitration? There is only one
contingency which may appear to create some difficulty for the British
Government in the matter of enforcing the award of the Board of
Arbitration. Such a contingency can arise if any one of the parties to
the dispute is not prepared to submit its case to arbitration.
In that case the question will be: will the British Government be
justified in enforcing the award against such a party? I see no
difficulty in saying that the British Government can with perfect
justice proceed to enforce the award against such a party. After all,
what is the status of a party which refuses to submit its case to
arbitration? The answer is that such a party is an aggressor. How is
an aggressor dealt with? By subjecting him to sanctions. Implementing
the award of the Board of Arbitration in a constitution against a
party which refuses to go to arbitration is simply another name for
the process of applying sanctions against an aggressor. The British
Government need not feel embarrassed in following this process if the
contingency should arise. For it is a well-recognized process of
dealing with such cases and has the imprimatur of the League of
Nations, which evolved this formula when Mussolini refused to submit
to arbitration his dispute with Abyssinia. What I have proposed may
not be the answer to the question: What next? I don't know what else
can be. All I know is that there will be no freedom for India without
an answer. It must be decisive, it must be prompt, and it must be
satisfactory to the parties concerned.

/1/ Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru in his autobiography says that Mr. Jinnah
wanted the Congress to restrict its membership to matriculates.

/2/ The formula was discussed with Mr. Gandhi in March 1943, but was
not communicated to Mr. Jinnah till April 1944.

http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00ambedkar/ambedkar_partition/600epilog.html

...and I am Sid Harth
chhotemianinshallah
15 years ago
Permalink
WELCOME TO NAVYA SHASTRA

Dear Friends:

Hinduism is facing a great many challenges, both external and
internal. On the outside, ill-wishers are trying to malign and
dismantle it. Within, we have practitioners and leaders who are
insensitive to, or unaware of the social, political, and ethical
forces that are sweeping the world. Navya Shastra consists of a group
of Hindus who deeply love and care for our rich and ancient tradition.
We are also very concerned about its future.
We strongly feel that one major blemish in the Hindu world (within
India) is the pernicious aspect of the caste system which denies equal
spiritual rights to all Hindus, and imposes a conceptual hierarchy
that considers some Hindus to be superior/inferior to other Hindus on
the basis of their birth. We do not think that the dehumanization of
Hindus or of any other people is part of the Vedas, Sanskrit or
Tamil.

If some shastras tolerated or encouraged caste-based social
injustices, we reject them, and declare it is time to formulate a
system of values consistent with the age in which we live
(yugadharma). We are against caste hierarchy and caste injustices, not
only because they are not sanctioned in the Vedas, but also because
they are morally wrong, unacceptable, and anachronistic in the world
in which we live. We also need to rid Hindu society of its caste
constraints, because they undermine the future of the religion as a
viable system in the modern world. We are dreaming of a day when the
loftier Hindu visions in Sanatana Dharma will spread all over the
world. There will come a time when practitioners of other religious
systems will resonate with the universal values and visions that are
implicit in the roots of Hinduism.

We invite all our Hindu brothers and sisters to join us in raising
their voices against casteism, and for making Hinduism a greater
religion than what she has ever been.

Lobby all dharmacharyas to reflect on the fossilized iniquities in
Sanatana Dharma. We will actively strive to catalyze the Hindu
leadership into addressing the caste issue and other salient social
issues.

Engender a national debate on a Navya Shastra--one that would redress
the inequalities inherent in the caste system. While the spiritual
intuition of our sages is timeless and eternal, the social tenets
which govern Hindu society have never been static--our lawgivers have
reinterpreted them in different eras.

Conduct a respectful dialogue on reformulating the social tenets of
Sanatana Dharma, in which all members of our community are welcomed to
participate.

Track and promote the efforts of Hindu/Indian organizations and
charities who are working to eradicate caste discrimination in India.
_________________________________________________

Special Announcement: Listen to Jaishree Gopal, Chairman of Navya
Shastra on National Public Radio

http://shastras.org/

NAVYA SHASTRA VISION STATEMENT

Most Hindus are shocked to know that, according to the ancient
Dharmashastras, over 80% of the Hindu population is forbidden to read
the Vedas. These law books were written by sages as procedural and
legal outlines for governing society, and they have remained de facto
authority on religious matters to this day. For example, some
traditional mathas still forbid Vedic instruction to anyone who is not
a ?dwija?--a male born into one of the three upper castes.

A recent Supreme Court of India decision held that non-brahmins are
now entitled to serve as temple priests, effectively opening up the
Vedas and Agamas to all seekers. While the ruling is laudable, we
wonder whether this judicial activism is sufficient to transfigure the
often miserable status of the so called lower castes. Most religious
leaders have remained conspicuously silent on the decision and,
whether out of indifference or disapproval, have not publicly
reflected on the potential consequences of the decision for Hindu
society. Until we have a convergence of sentiment towards a true
casteless society--one acknowledged by religious leaders, the
government and the Hindu community alike--all steps towards
improvement will be tentative gestures, at odds with recrudescent
casteist power structures that operate frightfully and efficiently in
rural India.

Rather than bemoaning, with the fatalists, the inexorably static
nature of society, or assuming, with the optimists, that change is a
natural process, we have decided to take matters into our own hands by
inciting a public debate on the caste issue and other salient social
issues. Would a Navya Shastra (or a comprehensive reinterpretation of
existing Dharmashastras), proposing a more egalitarian configuration
of Hindu society, be a beneficial template for affecting change? We
believe shastric and social reform is important for several reasons.

1. The caste system, as it is currently structured, spiritually
disenfranchises the vast majority of Hindus: Shudras, Dalits,
Adivasis, women and converts. No one, we believe, has studied the
negative psychological implications of such birth-based
classifications on the so called lower castes. A recent wave of Dalit
atrocities morbidly reveals that caste discrimination is still rampant
throughout India. This leaves many spiritually inclined Hindus feeling
that they are unwanted, peripheral stragglers, giving credence to
Hegel?s assertion that the caste system breeds ?spiritual serfdom?. A
Navya Shastra would open the Vedas (as they are traditionally taught)
to everyone, regardless of birth.

2. Until we have a Navya Shastra, the old Dharmashastras will remain,
by default, the governing authority on matters concerning the
religious status of Hindus. It would be rather absurd for the
government to comment on every religious controversy affecting Hindus.
After all, in a truly secular society, the government does not
interfere in religious matters. The will to change must come from the
Hindu leadership itself.

3. Non-Hindus who wish to convert to Hinduism cannot truly do so,
because the Dharmashastras make no place for them. This is very
unfortunate; arresting what was once a great enthusiasm for the Hindu
Dharma in the West.

4. Women are treated as second class citizens. A Navya Shastra would
also increase the status of women.

5. Though there are many reformist sects that have sought to redress
these inequalities, we feel it is crucially important for orthodoxy to
assent to this effort. Otherwise we will have a fractured Hinduism,
with different groups asserting that they alone represent the truth.

Please join our effort by participating in our community forum. We
welcome all sincere strategies for social change. We have an
unprecedented opportunity to make a difference together. Let?s not let
anyone else make it for us.

http://shastras.org/

Truth and Tension in Science and Religion, authored by noted physicist
and religious scholar V. V Raman

Exploring the Connections and Controversies Between Science and
Religion, August 11, 2009

Article on Dalits in Leading Brazilian Newspaper in Special Edition on
India
by Mukunda Raghavan, August, 2009

Navya Shastra on Article 377
Supporters Hail Delhi’s Landmark Pro-Gay Ruling
from India West, July 09, 2009

The organization was particularly critical of the Vishwa Hindu
Parishad, which came out against Article 377. "Unable to find any
strong theological basis in Hinduism for opposing homosexuality, the
VHP relied on the old canard that the family structure would somehow
be threatened by the decision," said Sugrutha Ramaswamy, a Navya
Shastra activist. "This is an unscientific understanding of
homosexuality, which is not a lifestyle choice but rather an inherent
human condition," she added. ....

Other news coverage
Edge Boston, July 10, 2009

India Abroad on Caste in the US
Caste Adrift, May 22, 2009
Caste and US, May 22, 2009

60 seconds chief

Hindu Business Line, March 16, 2009
60 seconds chief Blog, March 16, 2009

Story of a Reformer by Jaishree Gopal, a chapter in the book
Reflections by IITians published by Ram Krishnaswamy

Excerpt from Reflections by IITians, Dec 2008

I want to change what people do and believe in Hindu society,
especially with regards to caste and gender discrimination.
Dr. Jaishree Gopal, IITM & IITD Alumna
Co Founder of Navya Shastra
Interview with D. Murali of Hindu Business Line

Future of Religious Practice
from The Hindu Business Line, Dec 22, 2008
The Hindu, Dec 21, 2008
Food for Thought, Dec 20, 2008

Navya Shastra on Proposition 8
Hindus Urged to Vote Against Prop. 8
from The Advoocate, Nov 1, 2008

Navya Shastra, the international Hindu reform organization based in
Troy, Mich., sent out a press release Friday urging California voters
to reject Proposition 8, which would eliminate the right of same-sex
couples to marry under California law. ....

Other news coverage
Chakra News, Nov 3, 2008
Go Magazine, Nov 3, 2008

Navya Shastra on "Love Guru", the Movie
Hindu reform group opposes Love Guru protests
from Hindustan Times, May 20, 2008

...Navya Shastra, the organisation based in Troy, Michigan, which
earlier spoke out against astrology, female foeticide and Dalit
discrimination, has argued that hyper-sensitivity over inaccurate or
distorted religious depictions in mass media erodes the tradition of
tolerance of criticism in the Hindu faith....

Other news coverage
Zee News, May 22, 2008
Times of India, May 21, 2008
LA Times, May 2008
Asia Arts, UCLA, May 30, 2008

Navya Shastra on Female Feticide
Navya Shastra concern over India's foeticide epidemic
from The Indian Star, May 07, 2008

...Navya Shastra also called on the Hindu community and its
organizations to allow daughters to impart final rites at the funerals
of their parents. "One religious reason why boys are favored among
Hindus is because of the anachronistic belief that only a son can
formally conduct this ceremony, so a girl is totally worthless in this
regard," said Dr. Jaishree Gopal, Navya Shastra Chairman....

Other news coverage
Pro-Life Blog, May 07, 2008
Also appeared in Print Edition of India West

Navya Shastra on Malaysia
Navya Shastra condemns the Government of Malaysia for anti-Hindu
discrimination
from Asian Tribune, November 27, 2007

...One Navya Shastra member who participated in the rally reported
anonymously: "We have changed the political equations at home and
inspired minorities everywhere. We walked the talk. We smelled the
tear gas and it swelled our chests. Like Rosa Parks we said, 'No!'" It
further added that Navya Shastra stands in complete solidarity with
the Hindu community and all other minorities in Malaysia who are the
victims of government persecution.... ....

Navya Shastra Award of Recognition
Navya Shastra Award to two students from Karnataka
from Manglorean.com, August 15, 2007

...These two young women have demonstrated that by challenging
outmoded institutions and customs in a personal way, one can have an
impact on society at large. To paraphrase Mahatma Gandhi, it is
important for our youth to 'be the change' they want to see," said Dr.
Jaishree Gopal, Navya Shastra Chairman.... ....

Navya Shastra confers the title of Acharya Vidyasagar on Professor
V.V. Raman
Professor V.V. Raman receives title "Acharya Vidyasagar"
from Rochester Community Newsletter, May 28, 2007

...Navya Shastra of Troy, Michigan, the international Hindu reform
organization, honored Professor V.V. Raman by conferring on him the
title "Acharya Vidyasagar" in recognition of his many contributions to
Hinduism. Dr. Jaishree Gopal, Chairman of Navya Shastra, said “In
ancient India, an acharya was a teacher of profound truths, a guide on
the spiritual path, and someone an entire community looked up to....

Other news coverage
Metanexus Magazine, May 18, 2007

Navya Shastra on Temple Entry
Hindu reform organisation slams Jagannath temple priests
from Hindustan Times, March 5, 2007

..."We are appalled to know about the mindless throwing away of large
amounts of food by the Puri temple administration at the instigation
of pujaris (priests) with a medieval mindset at a time and place where
there are thousands of poor and hungry people," said the
organisation's chairman, Dr Jaishree Gopal. ....
Other news coverage
India's Tolerance Levels Tested as American Enters Forbidden
Sanctuary, March, 2007

Report from a Dalit village
Ghosts of the Past
from India Abroad, Feb 18, 2007

...It left me with the thought that true prosperity was impossible
until social advancement and a sense of equality became firmly
entrenched in our communities. ...

Navya Shastra on Manglik-related rituals of Aishwarya Rai
US Hindu reform group condemns rituals by Bachchan
from Daily News and Analysis, February 12, 2007

..."What concerns us is that millions of people may rationalise their
mistreatment of women based upon the Abhishek-Aishwarya example," said
Jaishree Gopal, Navya Shastra Chairman, in a press statement. ....
Other news coverage

Zee News, February 12, 2007
Malaysia Sun, February 12, 2007
Daily India, Fl, February 12, 2007
Philippine Times, February 13, 2007
Japan Herald, February 13, 2007
Yahoo India, Movies, February 12, 2007
The Telegraph, February 12, 2007
New Kerala, February 12, 2007

Navya Shastra Apology to Dalits
Navya Shastra Organization Apologizes for Untouchability
from Hinduism Today, hpi, December 20, 2006

We, at Navya Shastra, deeply regret and apologize for the atrocities
committed on the sons and daughters of the depressed communities of
India, including the tribals, the "untouchables" and all of the castes
deemed as low.... ....

An Unqualified Apology to Every Untouchable by Dr Bhaskar Dasgupta
from desicritic, February 2, 2006

...So here it is, I fully endorse and join Navya Shastra, in
apologising to the other castes, for what I and my forefathers may
have done and promise that I will raise my voice against this
disgusting practice, and hopefully help remove this by my words as
well as my behaviour.... . ...

Navya Shastra in Books
Opening the Doors of Wonder: Reflections on Religious Rites of Passage
by Arthur J. Magida
from Amazon, 2006

...thousand members of Navya Shastra and other reform groups are
seeking to go one step beyond Gandhi ....

Mending A Torn World: Women in Interreligious Dialogue (Faith Meets
Faith Series) by by Maura O'Neill (Paperback - Oct 31, 2007)
from Amazon, 2007

... Dr. Jaishree Gopal, a woman activist, commends the government of
India for working to end discrimination ..." ....

Navya Shastra on TV in Chennai
Temple inauguration in Dalit village, Idamani
Temple Inauguration, July 2006

...This event was aired on Chennai TV station, Thamizhan ....

California Textbook Controversy
Indian Groups Contest California Textbook Content
from New American Media, February 17, 2006

...They also say that it would serve the dalits' cause better if the
textbooks said that "untouchability is a living reality in India,"
instead of simply going by the Hindu groups' suggestion that the books
say that it is illegal to treat someone as an untouchable, Vikram
Masson, co-founder of Navya Shastra, a U.S.-based non-profit
organization that speaks out against caste-related issues, told India-
West. ....
Navya Shastra Organizations Calls for Fairer View in California
Textbooks
from HPI, February 2, 2006

...Navya Shastra is also dismayed that the school board is considering
redacting out any mention of Dalits. While the former untouchables of
India have been called or call themselves many things, including
Avarna and Harijan, the term Dalit is increasingly considered an
empowering symbol of unity among a section of the former untouchables,
including those who still retain their Hindu affiliation, and eliding
their identity must be viewed as an act of upper-caste hegemony. . ...

Hindu view on Papal Succession
Pope Vows to Pursue Outreach by Church
from Washington Post, Thursday, April 21, 2005; Page A18

..."A U.S.-based group of Hindu activists called Navya Shastra,
meanwhile, called on the pope to learn more about Hinduism. "Clearly
he is misinformed about the central practices and tenets which bind
the world's 800 million Hindus," said co-chairman Vikram Masson. ....

Other Faiths Recall Pope's Zeal as Faith Defender
from Reuters, April 20, 2005

...A U.S.-based group of world Hindu activists, Navya Shastra, hoped
the new Pope would learn more about its religion. "Ratzinger has
described Hindu meditative practices as 'auto-erotic' and has stated
that the Hindu doctrine of karma is 'morally cruel'," its co-chairman
Vikram Masson said. "Clearly he is misinformed about the central
practices and tenets which bind the world's 800 million Hindus....

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH'S VIEWS ON OTHER FAITH GROUPS, AND THEIR
REACTIONS
from Religious Tolerance

..."Dr. Jaishree Gopal, is co-chairperson of Navya Shastra. She wrote:
"What is needed now is ecumenism and mutual trust. We hope that the
new Pope comes to understand this, because religious difference and
competition is causing mounting global conflict." ....
US Hindu organisation accu
ses VHP of casteism
from Times of India, Mar 06, 2005

..."This is a bizarre act of conceptual dehumanisation," the statement
quoted Navya Shastra co-chairperson Jaishree Gopal as saying. The
statement urged all Hindu organisations involved in proselytising
activities to do away with attaching cast labels to new converts.
"Surely all modern Hindu reformers agree that there is no spiritual
merit attached to any caste affiliation," the statement added....
(This news item also appeared in various other publications: Hindustan
Times, Pluralism.org, Kerala News, Kerala Next, Express Newsline,
Yahoo India)
God's Wrath in India?
from Beliefnet, Jan 5, 2005


...Another Hindu group, the reformist Navya Shastra, issued a press
release condemning Hindu organizations that have bought into the act-
of-God view, comparing their remarks to those of Christian leaders
like Jerry Falwell. While acknowledging, like Vaishnav, that karma
could have played a role in the deaths, the group, made of Hindu
scholars, practitioners and priests outside India, suggested that it
was more important to focus on helping survivors than trying to
explain why the disaster happened. ....
Tsunami News Coverage
from Times of India, Dec 28, 2004
NEW YORK: With people relating tsunami to God's wrath, a Hindu group
is out to re-educate masses.
from Hindustan Times, Dec 28, 2004
A Michigan-based Hindu group has condemned labelling Sunday's tsunami
tragedy a "vengeful act of God" and asked the global Hindu community
to contribute generously to assist victims of the catastrophe....
from Express Newsline, Europe, Dec 28, 2004
Navya Shastra, a global organization of scholars, activists, priests
and lay people dedicated to fostering the spiritual equality of all
Hindus, has called upon the global Hindu community to contribute
generously to the victims of the December 26 earthquake-cum Tsunami
wave attack in South East Asia. ...
from Guardian UK, Dec 28, 2004
As the world grapples with the scale of the disaster of Indian Ocean
tidal wave, the Guardian's Martin Kettle poses a troubling question
for those who believe in God. ...But a Michigan-based Hindu group,
Navya Shastra, has condemned organisations in India for describing the
disaster as a "vengeful act of God" for the arrest of a Hindu seer, on
murder and other charges. ...
This news item also appeared in various other publications: Yahoo
India, MSN news, Bangladesh Sun, WebIndia, NetIndia, Manorama Online,
Kerala News, Kerala Next, ReligiousTolerance.org
Hindu American Foundation Files Amicus Brief with US Supreme Court in
Ten Commandments Case HPI
from hpi archives, Dec, 21, 2004

...The 34-page brief was signed by HAF, Arsha Vidya Pitham, Arya Samaj
of Michigan, Hindu International Council Against Defamation, Hindu
University of America, Navya Shastra, Saiva Siddhanta Church
(publisher through its teaching wing, Himalayan Academy, of Hinduism
Today and HPI), Federation of Jain Associations in North America,
Interfaith Freedom Foundation and prominent Buddhist scholar and
Director of Tibet House, Professor Robert Thurman....

Hindu group criticises Kanchi Shankaracharya
from Newindpress, Oct 15, 2004

...Navya Shastra research director Gautham Rao, said money for the
crown had come through donations and it could have been put to better
use. "Clearly at this time in Indian history, when the majority of
Indian citizens continue to live at or near poverty levels, we felt
the money should have been spent on social service," he
said.... ...Navya Shastra also questioned the participation of
(Christian) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy in
the "opulent" (Hindu) ceremony.
(this news item also appeared in Yahoo India, MSN India, Indian angle,
123Bharat.com, New Kerala portals)

Hindu Temple Society of North America, et al. v. New York Supreme
Court, et al.
from Becketfund

...On September 2, 2004, ten organizations--representing various
religious denominations--submitted an amicus (friend of the court)
letter (PDF format, 66K) in support of The Becket Fund's motion for a
preliminary injunction against the defendants of the federal suit. The
Hindu American Foundation presented the letter on behalf of AGNI
Corporation, the Catholic League for Civil and Religious Rights, the
Hindu Human Rights Group, the Hindu International Council Against
Defamation, Hindu University of America, Ile Obatala Oya, Kanchi
Kamakoti Seva Foundation, Navya Shastra, and the Queens Federation of
Churches....

NRI group battles Hinduism's "inequalities
from India Abroad, June 18, 2004

...While the Indian government has encouraged such reforms to an
extent, the organization insists that Hindus themselves should take up
the cause while avoiding factionalism. At the same time, the group has
been critical of Dalits for highlighting caste discrimination without
actively working with Hindu leaders to resolve the problem.... ....

US body condemns discrimination against Dalit student
from Newindpress, June 06, 2004

A Hindu organisation in the US has condemned reported discrimination
against a Dalit student who was allegedly victimised for offering
prayers in a Hindu temple in India's Andhra Pradesh state....

(this news item also appeared in Yahoo India, NRI Worldwide, MSN
India, Kerala News, Kerala Next)

Local priest supports movement to reform Hindu customs
from India Herald, May 24, 2004

...Navya Shastra is a large group of believers of the Hindu Dharma
domicled in various countries. We believe that chariot of Hindu
society cannot move forward if any of the five horses lag behind. We
have therefore committed ourselves to the mission of facilitating
optimal spiritual development of all Hindus regardless of caste or
gender....
Bound by the same thread
from India Abroad, Teenspeak, Jan 23, 2004

...Let us start modifying our traditions as seen fit without
destroying the essence, beginning with allowing women and all Hindus
to take part in Upanyanam and feel equal in this manner.

Hindu Group Criticizes Dalit Representatives at World Social Forum
from HPI Archives, Jan 23, 2004

Navya Shastra, a US-based global Hindu organization of scholars,
activists, priests and laypeople, has criticized the Dalit
representatives and organizers of the World Social Forum for
highlighting the Hindu dimensions of discrimination against the Dalit
community while refusing to work with the Hindu leadership to bring
about religious reforms...
Solar Flares by Harsh Kabra
from Outlook, Dec 15, 2003

..."The Vedas and its chanting tradition form the fountainhead, the
very epicentre, of the religious beliefs of over 800 million people,"
Vikram Masson, co-chairman, NS, told Outlook from New Jersey. "Be it a
farmer in Tamil Nadu or a fisherman in Bengal, some part of his
spiritual worldview has been inspired by the utterances of the rishis.
By closeting the Vedas with other cultural expressions, UNESCO has
marginalised and diminished the most important scriptures in the Hindu
tradition."....

End caste discrimination, Hindu leaders urged
from IANS, Nov 28, 2003

...Here we have a historic opportunity to declare to the world that
Hinduism will reform itself for ever of caste discrimination," said
Vikram Masson, Navya Shastra co-chairman. "Hinduism, which is
thousands of years old, has never had a significant reformist
movement,"...

Don’t place Vedas in a cabinet of curios
from Deccan Herald, Nov 26, 2003

...Several noteworthy Hindu reformers and thinkers, including Swami
Dayanada Saraswati and Dr. Sarvapelli Radhakrishnan, have advocated
that the Vedic tradition be open to all. We should not ignore their
wisdom.

Hindu group protests clubbing Vedas with folk arts
from Hindustan Times, Nov 19 2003

A US-based Hindu organisation has protested to Unesco against its
decision to club Vedic chanting tradition as a folk art along with the
Belgian carnival of Binche and Indonesia's Wayang puppet theatre....

(this news item also appeared in Newindpress, Hinduism Today, India-
Tribune, India-West)

http://shastras.org/

A New Year Resolution for Hinduism: Opening Temple Doors to All

A recent report of a study conducted across 1,655 villages in the
Indian state of Gujarat, representing 98,000 Dalits, revealed the
shocking fact that 97% of them feel that they are unwelcome at Hindu
temples, religious gatherings and public discourses on scripture.
Researchers did not find a single village that was free from the
practice of untouchability. (“No temple entry for dalits in Gujarat,”
Times of India, 7 December 2009). Such exclusion is neither infrequent
nor limited to Gujarat. The BBC News (“Fury over south India temple
ban,”15 October, 2009) reported an incident of stone throwing to
protest Dalits entering a temple near Vedaranyam in the state of Tamil
Nadu. Last month the High Court of Chennai issued an order, against
the wishes of temple trustees, that a temple procession pass through a
Dalit community in the Villipuram District. Dalit (oppressed) is the
name preferred by those who have been relegated to the lowest rungs of
the caste ladder and regarded as untouchable by members of upper
castes. Dalits constitute around 20% of the Indian population.

Although the exclusion of Dalits from places of Hindu worship ought to
be a matter of deep concern and distress, there is hardly a ripple of
protest in the sea of Hindu complacency. Shutting the doors of Hindu
temples to Dalits stands in bewildering contrast to the anxiety in
other religious traditions about dwindling numbers and the expenditure
of considerable resources to attract the faithful. It should not
surprise that those debarred from Hindu sanctums enter, in significant
numbers, the open and inviting doors of others. Those in India and
outside who are vociferous opponents of religious conversion must
understand and acknowledge the Dalit experience of the Hindu tradition
as oppressive and negating their dignity and self-worth. Conversion is
a challenge for Hindus to consider the relationship between religious
practice and systemic oppression. Exclusion from temples is only one
manifestation of such oppression.

It troubles deeply also that, with notable exceptions, the principal
voices of protest over exclusion are not those of Hindu leaders. In
the case of anti-Dalit violence in the town of Vedaranyam, referred to
above, the protests were led by supporters of the Communist Party of
India –Marxist. In other cases, secular-minded human rights activists
are at the forefront of the agitation on behalf of the Dalits. Earlier
this year, Navin Pillay, UN Commissioner for Human Rights, condemned
caste as negating the human rights principles of equality and non-
discrimination and called for a UN convention to outlaw discrimination
based on caste. The response of silence from Hindus may be interpreted
as support for barring Dalits from places of worship. Even more
importantly, indifference gives validation to the wrong impression
that the Hindu tradition has no theological ground or core for
challenging the human inequality that is at the root of the Dalit
ostracization and oppression.

The assumptions of human inequality that explain the continuing
persistence of untouchability need an urgent, vigorous and unambiguous
theological repudiation originating from the non-negotiable heart of
the Hindu tradition. Although Hinduism is admittedly diverse, its
major traditions are unanimous in affirming the equal existence of God
in every being. “God,” the Bhagavadgita proclaims, “ lives in the
heart of all beings.” This core theological teaching must become the
basis for the assertion of the equal dignity and worth of every human
being and the motivation for challenging and transforming the
oppressive structures of caste that, in reality, deny and violate the
luminous presence of God in all. Although every unjust expression of
caste needs to be denounced, the shutting of temple doors to persons
pleading for the opportunity to worship challenges, in a special way,
the meaning and legitimacy of Hinduism as a religious tradition. For
this reason, Hindus must commit themselves with tireless determination
to the work of welcoming Dalits into every Hindu place of worship.
Such work must be seen as fundamental to Hindu identity and the
meaning of belonging to the community of Hindus.

While we must commend and support Hindu leaders and movements working
already for the well being of Dalits and their equality and dignity,
we must recognize also that many Hindu leaders may not be at the
forefront of such a religiously inspired movement. They are the
beneficiaries of the privileges of caste and immune to the pain of
those who live at the margins. All Hindus who understand the
contradiction between teachings centered on God’s embodiment in every
human being and the exclusion of people from places of worship must
embrace this cause. Hindus settled outside of India who enjoy the
privileges of living in free societies and the protection of the law
against unequal and unjust treatment, have special obligations in this
matter. They need to lift their voices in protest against practices in
the name of Hinduism that denigrate human beings. They must ensure
that Hindu leaders, and especially those who travel often to the West
and who are the recipients of their donations and reverence, hear
their voices. They must make clear the unacceptability of religious
discrimination and demand that leaders renounce silence and
indifference and become active advocates for change. Every Hindu
leader must be challenged to take a stand in this matter.

The Constitution of India specifies, “The State shall not discriminate
against any citizen on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex, place of
birth.” Constitutional and legal measures, as necessary as these are,
have not and will not eliminate all forms of discrimination based on
caste inequality. Legal measures can never cause the joyous embrace of
all that follows from awakening to God’s presence in each heart.
Religious vision and wisdom can be the source of such transformed
relationships. Hinduism needs an unequivocal theological proclamation
that complements constitutional law by repudiating caste injustice and
that commits Hindus to the equal worth of all human beings. Opening
the doors of all Hindu temples to Dalits is an important step, an
urgent religious matter and an opportunity for the Hindu tradition, in
our time, to define itself. Let this be our collective Hindu
resolution in 2010.

Anantanand Rambachan
Professor and Chair
Religion Department
Saint Olaf College
1520 Saint Olaf Avenue
Northfield
MN 55057
E-mail: ***@stolaf.edu

http://shastras.org/rambachan.html

Exploring the Connections and Controversies Between Science and
Religion
New book provides overview and historical perspective on centuries-old
debate

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
by William Dube, Aug. 11, 2009 —
Follow William Dube on Twitter
Follow RITNEWS on Twitter

A new book seeks to enhance understanding of the interconnections
between science and religion and promote greater harmony in the long-
running debate between the empirical and spiritual schools of thought.

Truth and Tension in Science and Religion, authored by noted physicist
and religious scholar V. V Raman, provides a historical overview of
the development and spread of scientific inquiry and its interaction
with various religious schools of thought. It also seeks to present a
balanced review of the key tenants of both science and religion and
explore the similarities and areas for cooperation between them.

“While most people can name the many differences between scientific
inquiry and faith, there are as many similarities between the two
schools and, in fact, one has been influenced by the other for
centuries,” says Raman, professor emeritus of physics and humanities
at Rochester Institute of Technology. “Science and religion are much
more interconnected than we often realize and by examining this I hope
to reduce the tension between theologians and scientists and increase
collaboration.”

For example, Jaishree Gopal, director of Navya Shastra, the
international Hindu reform organization, notes that “even while
quoting the best of ethics from various religious traditions, Raman’s
book makes it clear that it is the modern world view, imbued with the
scientific perspective, that has led to our collective moral awakening
regarding practices such as racism, slavery and untouchability.”

Raman has spent nearly three decades studying the intersections
between philosophy, religion and science and currently serves as a
senior fellow of the Metanexus Institute on Science and Religion. He
is the author of 11 books and in 2006 was awarded the Raja Rao award
for outstanding contributions to South Asian literature.

http://www.rit.edu/news/?v=46939

Indian GLBTs the World Over Hail Sexual Decriminalization Ruling
by Kilian Melloy
Friday Jul 10, 2009

Indian GLBT equality proponent Manohar Elavarthi

The decriminalization of same-gender intimacy between consenting
adults in India is viewed by GLBT equality advocates as a major step
forward, but not a cure-all for the societal prejudices faced by
Indian gays.

As reported at New American Media on July 10, the section of the
Indian penal code, Article 377--a relic of the days when Britain
dominated the country under colonial rule--was struck down on Jyly 2
by the Delhi High Court, which found the law to be in violation of
constitutional protections.

The article carried a quoted from GLBT equality proponent Sandip Roy,
who said, "The community here has reacted ecstatically. Most people I
talked to said over and over again that they did not think it would
happen in their lifetime."

Celebrations took place all over the globe. Said Roy, "There were
impromptu celebrations in many cities. People went down to the
Stonewall Inn in New York where the modern gay rights movement began
in 1969.

"In San Francisco, friends distributed mithai at a bar in Castro.

"With Facebook and e-mail these days, the news was huge news as soon
as it broke," Roy noted.

The article cited a Berkeley, CA life coach, Krishnakali Chaudhuri, as
also hailing the ruling, though he tempered his remarks with the
observation that societal bias still remains.

"I think overall it’s a small step in the right direction," said
Chaudhuri, "but we have a long way to go."

One specific point of note, said Choudhury, was the distinction
between decriminalizing same-sex consensual intimacy between adults
and making it legal.

Said Chaudhury, "The international community of human rights is really
applauding the ruling but we have to understand that we have just
decriminalized homosexuality but we haven’t legalized it yet."

Added the GLBT equality advocate, "We need to legalize homosexuality
and then we can make changes to all the qualities of workplace,
marriage unions or health or everything else."

The article said that an American organization comprised of Indian
Americans had also hailed the court’s decision.

The Michigan-based Hindu organization Navya Shastra issued a statement
reading, "For over a century, the law has given license to the state
to persecute individuals based on their sexual orientation.

"Navya Shastra urges the Government of India not to challenge the
ruling or to be swayed by religious chauvinists of any persuasion who
would deny equality to all citizens based on ancient interpretations
of religious texts."

The group took exception to the opposition of a Hindu political party
in India, which spoke out against the repeal.

Stated Navya Shastra’s Sugrutha Ramaswamy, "Unable to find any strong
theological basis in Hinduism for opposing homosexuality, the VHP
relied on the old canard that the family structure would somehow be
threatened by the decision."

Added Ramaswamy, "This is an unscientific understanding of
homosexuality, which is not a lifestyle choice but rather an inherent
human condition."

Others in India also spoke out against the repeal, including a guru
whose claims concerning the health benefits of yoga extend to saying
that gays can be "cured" through the practice of yoga.

A Rediff News.com article from July 10 reported that guru Baba
Ramdev’s insistence that homosexuality is a pathological condition,
and that it can be alleviated through yogic practice, was panned not
only by health professionals but also by his fellow yoga proponents.

The article said that Ramdev took his claims to the Indian Supreme
Court, which had previously been approached by a prominent astrologer
with a petition to re-implement the anti-gay statute.

Said the astrologer, Sushil Kumar Kaushal, "...even animals don’t
indulge in such activities," going on to assert that higher rates of
HIV/AIDS would result from the decriminalization of adult consensual
relations between gays.

But health care professionals in the country have long lobbied for the
end of the statute, pointing out that gay Indians were less likely to
get tested and to practice safer sex as long as legal sanctions were
in place against consensual same-sex adult intimacy.

Under the anti-gay law, same-sex intimacy could be punished by jail
terms of up to ten years.

Moreover, scientists have noted same-sex courtship behavior and even
long-term partnering among some 4,000 animal species.

Ramdev’s claims were rebuffed by, among others, a physician named Dr.
Devdutt Pattanak, who said, "Is his statement based on scriptural
evidence or evidence-based medicine? It is neither."

Added Dr. Pattanak, "It is just a subjective remark."

Dr. Pattanak went on to point out that health professionals had
arrived at a quite different conclusion than had Ramdev.

"Thousands of hours of research have gone into the classification of
diseases, and neither the World Health Organization nor any
psychiatric or psychology journal recognizes homosexuality as a
disease," Dr. Pattanak noted.

"Do we believe scientific research or just an individual’s opinion,
which may simply be a marketing gimmick?"

Yoga practitioner Deepika Mehta, who found healing through yoga after
being paralyzed in an accident, also spoke out against Ramdev’s
claims, the article said.

Ms. Mehta took exception with Ramdev’s essential thesis that
homosexuality is a disease, suggesting rather that, as most medical
experts attest, it is innate and natural to gays.

Said Mehta, "Yoga is about acceptance and coming to terms with who you
really are, your purest core.

"It helps you shed the layers imposed by society.

"And in my experience, yoga has helped a lot of people come to terms
with their sexual orientation, rather than live in denial," added Ms.
Mehta.

Furthermore, Ramdev’s medical claims have no more basis in spiritual
teaching than in medical fact. Said Dr. Pattanak, "Not even the
scriptures recognize homosexuality as a disease."

The article quoted from an article Dr. Pattanak, who is also an expert
in Indian mythology, had written.

"An overview of temple imagery, sacred narratives and religious
scriptures does suggest that homosexual activities--in some form--did
exist in ancient India," observed Dr. Pattanak’s article.

"Though not part of the mainstream, its existence was acknowledged but
not approved," the article continued. "There was some degree of
tolerance when the act expressed itself in heterosexual terms--when
men ’became women’ in their desire for other men, as the hijra legacy
suggests.’"

Nitin Karani, of the GLBT equality group Humsafar Trust, noted, "While
we don’t know what leads to it yet... we do know that homosexuality is
innate.

"And it is not a Western phenomenon, as some people are trying to
label it," added Karani.

"Neither is it a disease."

Noted Karani, "A lot of gay people I know are into yoga and meditation
and are extremely spiritual, but it has not resulted in any overnight
conversions."

In a separate interview published July 10, Rediff.com News spoke with
Indian GLBT equality proponent Manohar Elavarthi, who told the
publication, "Now it is a question of social tolerance. Just because
the law has changed it does not mean that the attitude of the people
will change.

"However, I must add that the court verdict has opened things up for
all of us. I only hope that the Supreme Court upholds the verdict."

Added Elavarthi, "What we want is a complete repeal of the Section 377
of the Indian Penal Code.

"The IPC is guided by a feudal set up and it has not changed with the
times," Elavarthi went on. "About social acceptance, we need to work
towards it.

Elavarthi reposnded to concerns that repealing the entire Article,
which also addresses sexual assault and abuse, by saying, "...along
with this we need to ensure that laws regarding sexual abuse, be it
male or female or children related laws need to be strengthened."

Elavarthi noted that religious objections were not entirely grounded
in scriptural sources.

"In Hinduism there is nothing to show that it is anti-homosexuality."

Indeed, added Elavarthi, "There are instances to show that some of the
Gods have undergone a sex change.

"I don’t understand how Baba Ramdev and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad are
opposing this.

"Where Christianity is concerned," Elavartha continued, "the community
is divided in its opinion.

"There are gay churches and the Vatican too says that gays should not
be criminalized.

"Speaking of Islam, there are few who claim that the Quran says that
it is anti homosexuality.

"Shariat law speaks of punishment for men indulging in homosexuality.
However we don’t have this law in India and the laws in India does not
speak of any punishment."

Kilian Melloy reviews media, conducts interviews, and writes
commentary for EDGEBoston, where he also serves as Assistant Arts
Editor.

http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=&sc2=news&sc3=&id=93587

http://shastras.org/indiaabroad1

http://shastras.org/indiaabroad2

http://www.blonnet.com/mentor/2009/03/16/stories/0316.pdf

http://60secondschief.blogspot.com/

http://reflectionsbyiitians.blogspot.com/

Future religious practice
Jaishree Gopal, Co-Founder & Chairperson, Navya Shastra, US.

India is perhaps the only place in the world where people of different
religions have been interacting with one another for centuries. In the
West, however, this is the first time they are interacting with many
religions, including those from the East, as a result of modernisation
and globalisation.

Though traditionally religions have been dividing us all, we have
become more conscious of the differences as a result of increased
knowledge about other religions. However, eventually, people are going
to be learning from one another. For instance, yoga and meditation
practices from Hinduism are very common in the US. And some of the oft-
emulated messages of Christianity and Islam are charity and peace,
respectively.

Thus, even though you may continue to identify yourself to a
particular religion, you are going to be incorporating in your life
good elements from other people’s religion, while at the same time
discarding those aspects of your religion that don’t seem right to you
any more. As a result, compassion is going to increase for those whom
we call ‘others’. Definitely, the way we practise our religion is
going to change in the future, more and more.

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/mentor/2008/12/22/stories/2008122250421100.htm

Saturday, December 20, 2008
Jaishree Gopal

It is very important for all Indians to get involved in social reform
movement of all kinds, and especially think of caste and gender issues
in Hinduism without being defensive or apologetic, with an eye to
reform rather than justify the current exclusive practices.

Jaishree Gopal, A contributor to 'Reflections by IITians', Co-founder
of Navya Shastra (http://www.shastras.org/)
December 20, 9.15 am

The future of religious practice
Posted by Murali at 9:15 AM

AM I A HINDU? International Best Seller said...
Namasthe Jaishree: What you wrote is very true.

Every religion and every culture has the GOOD, the BAD and UGLY
aspects in it and dwell on the negative aspects do not make any sense.

At the same time, we have to do everything in our power to eradicate
BAD and UGLY aspects where ever we find them.

The very best aspect of Hinduism is

"ABOSULTE FREEDOM OF THOUGHTS AND ACTIONS."

Voltaire in Essay on Tolerance wrote: "I may disagree with what you
say, but I will defend to the death, your right to say it. "Hinduism
is the symbolic representation of what Voltaire wrote.

May 26, 2009 7:41 PM

http://muralilistening.blogspot.com/2008/12/jaishree-gopal.html

November 01, 2008
Hindus Urged to Vote Against Prop. 8

Navya Shastra, the international Hindu reform organization based in
Troy, Mich., sent out a press release Friday urging California voters
to reject Proposition 8, which would eliminate the right of same-sex
couples to marry under California law.

Navya Shastra, the international Hindu reform organization based in
Troy, Mich., sent out a press release Friday urging California voters
to reject Proposition 8, which would eliminate the right of same-sex
couples to marry under California law.

The organization notes that Hinduism has never classified
homosexuality as a sin. While some ancient law codes have been
critical of homosexual acts, the denomination has never called for the
persecution of gays. In fact, there is ample evidence that alternative
lifestyles have been accepted throughout Hindu history. Several modern
Hindu leaders have also spoken positively of gay rights; however, many
American Hindus remain uncomfortable with homosexuality.

“According to the Hindu contemplative tradition, we are all
manifestations of the one universal spirit, straight or gay, and
worthy of the same respect and rights” said Jaishree Gopal, chairman
of Navya Shastra, in the release. “We urge American Hindus in
California to remember this central insight of their faith when they
vote on November 4.” (The Advocate)

http://www.advocate.com/article.aspx?id=42352

US-based Hindu group slams Jagannath temple priests
New York, March 05, 2007
Published: 17:21 IST (5/3/2007)

A US-based Hindu reform organisation has criticised the destroying of
huge quantities of food at the Jagannath temple in Orissa by the
temple authorities because an American had entered the complex - an
act seen as defiling the 12th century Hindu-only premises.

The Navya Shastra, an international Hindu reform organisation, said
the act of the temple authorities had no vedic sanction.

"We are appalled to know about the mindless throwing away of large
amounts of food by the Puri temple administration at the instigation
of pujaris (priests) with a medieval mindset at a time and place where
there are thousands of poor and hungry people," said the
organisation's chairman, Dr Jaishree Gopal.

A 59-year-old American engineer from New York was thrown out of the
temple complex last Thursday, fined, taken to a local police station
and later released, despite his protestations that he was unaware of
the temple's restrictions.

The Michigan-based Navya Shastra was founded in the United States in
2002. According to its website, the organisation stands against
"...caste hierarchy and caste injustices, not only because they are
not sanctioned in the Vedas, but also because they are morally wrong,
unacceptable, and anachronistic in the world in which we live.

"Given the high levels of malnutrition among India's children, this
act (throwing away food), assuredly without vedic sanction, must be
deemed unacceptable," a press release by the organisation, said.

"The organisation is saddened and surprised that no Hindu leader of
any consequence has protested this unconscionable and anachronistic
behaviour. Instead of purifying the premises, the priests should seek
to purify their own hearts and minds, and, along with other leaders,
set a positive example for all devotees," said Dr Bala Aiyer, an
advisor of the organisation said.

Foreigners are not allowed to enter leading Hindu temples in Orissa,
including the Jagannath temple at Puri and the Lingaraj temple there.

An American Christian woman, Pamela K. Fleig, who converted to
Hinduism after marrying an Indian from Uttar Pradesh, was denied entry
into the 11th century Lingaraj temple in Bhubaneswar in 2005.

Thailand's Crown Princess Sirindhorn was also not given permission to
visit the Jagannath temple in the same year, as she was a foreigner
and Buddhist.

Even late prime minister Indira Gandhi - a born Hindu - was not
allowed to enter the temple when she was in power because she had
married a Parsi.

http://shastras.org/mukundabrazil

Hindu group opposes Love Guru protests

New York, May 22: A Hindu reform organisation in the US has opposed
the growing protests by Hindu groups against upcoming Hollywood film
The Love Guru , saying that calling for a ban on the comedy starring
Mike Myers would be going too far.

Navya Shastra, the organisation based in Troy, Michigan, which earlier
spoke out against astrology, female foeticide and Dalit
discrimination, has argued that hyper-sensitivity over inaccurate or
distorted religious depictions in mass media erodes the tradition of
tolerance of criticism in the Hindu faith.

"Hindus have a remarkable history of freedom of thought and
expression. Unfortunately, this is being eroded these days by
hypersensitive and misguided chauvinistic pressure groups, perhaps
taking their cue from more chauvinistic traditions," Gautham Rao,
Navya Shastra's research director, was quoted as saying in a press
release.

It said while it respects the right of the groups in the US and
elsewhere to protest against the film, it strongly believes that
calling for a ban on the comedy goes too far.

The reform organisation further notes that in the era of electronic
media, monitoring and controlling religious depictions and imagery is
a daunting, near impossible task.

"Hindus should set a spiritual example for others by combating social
ills and discrimination," said Jaishree Gopal, Navya Shastra
chairman.

The protests against the film, which opens June 20, have been
spearheaded by Rajan Zed, Hindu leader based in Reno, Nevada. On
watching the film's trailer some weeks ago, he started accusing the
film of lampooning Hinduism.

Bureau Report

http://international.zeenews.com/inner1.asp?aid=201859&sid=bus

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/homeentertainment/la-et-religion-pg,0,3434889.photogallery?index=2

Navya Shastra concern over India's foeticide epidemic
From the Community
Posted: Wednesday, May 07, 2008, 01:17 am EST

Troy, Michigan: Navya Shastra, the international Hindu reform
organization has voiced concern over the declining female-to male sex
ratio in India.
It calls Indian feminist leaders to address the causes for this
deplorable situation and to urge their government to take more
effective action to curb and put an end to this sad and disgraceful
situation in the country.
It is ironic that the epidemic continues to worsen, despite a
burgeoning economy and rising literacy levels.

The bias against girls has existed for a long time across the
socioeconomic spectrum. Navya Shastra notes that even in the
wealthiest areas of the nation's metros, abortions of the girl-child
based upon prenatal ultrasound technology continue to rise, though
there seems to be a growing awareness of the problem.
"Clearly a cultural preference for boys in Indian society is the
driving force behind the rise in female feticide," says Rahul Saxena,
a Navya Shastra member from Bareilly, UP , "technology in this case is
simply serving an ancient prejudice."
Navya Shastra also called on the Hindu community and its organizations
to allow daughters to impart final rites at the funerals of their
parents. "One religious reason why boys are favored among Hindus is
because of the anachronistic belief that only a son can formally
conduct this ceremony, so a girl is totally worthless in this regard,"
said Dr. Jaishree Gopal, Navya Shastra Chairman.

(Compiled from a press release)

From India Abroad February 16, 2007, Pg M11
Ghosts of the Past

Ramya Gopal visits an Indian village where time and tradition appear
to have stood still

The urban scene of India has become a dichotomy between prosperity and
poverty, modernity and tradition. Delhi, Chennai and Bangalore are
hungry for steel: tall skyscrapers, metro stations, and multistoried
shopping complexes. However, the morning warbles of the subjilawallas,
the colorful temptation of street clothing, and the barber under the
banyan tree have refused to disappear into wistful oblivion.

This modern story of India is one with which we have all become
familiar; the miracle India praised on the covers of magazines and
newspapers. Yet in its villages, this dichotomy is replaced by a one-
sided reliance on ancient tradition. When I visited a village near
Chennai this past summer, I saw for the first time the archaic India
described in the stories of the Mahabharatha and the Ramayana.

As we drove away from Chennai, the roads dwindled from paved to dirt
and then sand. The air of the coast was permeated by a pungent odor of
fish, but one that the people seemed to relish. The hot sand calloused
my feet but there was no litter for me to avoid as I had in the
cities. Women in colorful saris and men in dhotis were squatted on the
slimy floor sorting the fish. Repulsed, I strayed away from the stink,
but it nostalgically reminded me that fishing villages initiated the
story of the Mahabharata. Satyavati, the embodiment of mothers in the
epic, was the daughter of a fisherman, and it seemed as if these
fishermen were continuing the legacy. Interrupting my musing, my host
beckoned me to a row of small motorboats shuddering against the coast.
Boats were the only method of transportation across the lake and to
the village.

On the island, I walked, with seaweed in my toes, past small huts with
thatched roofs. The main attraction in the island was an ornate temple
surrounded by everyone in the village. A tent had been strung beyond
with seats lined in rows like a movie theatre. I stood awkwardly in
the sun, unsure of the village mores, until a few older girls beckoned
to me. They had pulled out a chair and formed a towering circle around
me. The girls had matching plaits and silver anklets.

A few were wearing simple cotton pavadais (petticoats), more
traditional to Tamil Nadu, although one was wearing a nightgown. We
gawked politely at each other; American suburban girl meets Indian
village girls. "Why do you have your hair like that? In a bun?" they
asked me in Tamil. Taken aback, I didn't have an adequate response, so
I steered the conversation away from me to them. I discovered that the
girls were between 18 and 20 but had only studied in school until 10th
grade. In between giggles, they added that one of them was engaged.
The girls were at the ripe age for marriage and their parents were
looking for grooms for them. However, they could not marry out of
their village because it was the only "untouchable" village in the
area. This social discrimination as a result of caste distinction
echoed again in their stories about the old temple.

One reason for my visit to Idamani--the place I was in-- was to
witness the opening ceremony of a new temple. The old temple had been
destroyed by the tsunami two years ago. As the girls began to open up
to me, I listened to their stories of backward practices associated
with the temple. One example was the men's inability to wear a poonal,
the sacred thread, because they were not "upper caste". Other families
would not even visit their homes because they were untouchables. Women
were not allowed in the temple when the men held their meetings. These
restrictive traditions had been eradicated in the cities and other
parts of the world but persisted in this village.

The inauguration ceremony of the temple was announced by the ringing
tones of the nadaswaram and the temple quickly became crowded. Some
women looked out coyly from their thatched huts. Young girls were made
up in magenta colored lipstick, designs around their eyes, and traces
of dried turmeric on their faces. In the center of the temple was a
large (homam )fire and shahstri (priest) sang bhajans with the
villagers repeating after him, clapping. Colorful flowers, rice, and
butter for prasadam on aged yellow banana leaves completed the
ceremony.Interestingly, while members of the "higher" caste had rarely
visited the old temple, the inauguration ceremony had been attended by
many outsiders. The new temple would, hopefully, become an emblem of
caste reform.

Even as economic development brings modernity to India's villages,
strong social divides still linger. In this village, for instance,
water purification infrastructure has been put into place yet women
still quit studying in favor of marriage. It was the most striking
difference between the city and the village; caste lines more sharply
divided and a central part of daily life. It left me with the thought
that true prosperity was impossible until social advancement and a
sense of equality became firmly entrenched in our communities.

http://shastras.org/Untouchability_IA.html

India's Tolerance Levels Tested as American Enters Forbidden Sanctuary
Deepak Mahaan
Correspondent

New Delhi (CNSNews.com) - An American tourist caused an uproar when he
wandered into a Hindu temple strictly closed to non-Hindus, in an
incident that highlighted the challenges India faces in presenting
itself as an enlightened democracy.

Detained for several hours by local police in India's Orissa state,
Paul Roediger, a 59-year-old engineer from New York, was later
released on condition he pay a token fine, after what authorities at
the Jagannath temple called an "act of desecration."

Roediger's inadvertent wandering into the shrine of Hindu deity Vishnu
triggered calls from some Hindus for severe punishment, but local
policemen managed to convince temple administrators and angry
adherents that he had trespassed in error.

Unaware of rules banning entry of non-Hindus, the American, who is
interested in temple architecture, walked into the temple's inner
"sanctum sanctorum."

Roediger expressed regret but also blamed temple authorities, noting
that no guard had prevented him from entering the area.

Police Inspector Alekh Pahi said Roediger and two Indian companions
had been released as "there is no provision in law to take any action
against for entering the temple."

Temple authorities afterwards "purified" the "defiled" premises by
washing with water and milk. Food worth nearly $5,000, meant for
distribution among Hindu devotees as part of religious ritual, was
deemed "polluted" and destroyed.

The decision upset a U.S.-based Hindu reform organization, which said
it was appalled by the waste.

The Navya Shastra organization said it reflected "a medieval mindset
at a time and place where there are thousands of poor and hungry
people."

The incident has focused renewed attention onto controversial
religious and cultural practices that survive in India despite its
stated commitment to secular, democratic principles.

"Low-caste" citizens and "untouchables" (dalits) are still denied
entry to various temples or forbidden to use water wells, in
contravention of constitutional guarantees.

Dr. Rashmi Patni, director of the Gandhian Studies Centre at the
University of Rajasthan, argues that such customs go against the
tenets of Mahatma Gandhi who he said stood for human dignity and
equality irrespective of caste, sex, creed or color and fought for
temple entry for dalits.

"Like in every society, social discrimination in India is born out of
centuries' old legacy," she said. "It is similar to the problem and
differences among blacks and whites in the U.S. and cannot be
eradicated merely by enactment of constitutional statutes."

Patni said, however, that the growing affluence of the middle class,
increasing literacy levels and the spread of information technology
was making issues of caste, gender and religion of little importance
to younger Indians.

Sawai Singh, an activist espousing Gandhi's ideas, said successive
Indian governments have failed to curb the menace of religious
intolerance, because politicians prefer to pander to their respective
constituencies.

"If punishments for social discrimination and depravation were to be
severe, many of these evils would get eradicated automatically," Singh
argued.

Ironically, the Jagannath temple is immensely popular among pilgrims,
because unlike some centers, it does not discriminate between higher-
and lower-caste Hindus.

Nonetheless, the temple does not allow entry to non-Hindus or
foreigners - with the exception of Western Hare Krishna devotees, who
throng to the temple each year in large numbers.

Former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was once turned away from
the main gates of the shrine, as she was deemed to be non-Hindu,
having married outside of the religion.

Make media inquiries or request an interview about this article.

http://www.crosswalk.com/news/11531055/

An Unqualified Apology to Every Untouchable
December 19, 2006
Dr Bhaskar Dasgupta

http://desicritics.org/2006/12/19/103610.php

The untouchables of Hinduism are a wretched lot. For hundreds and
thousands of years, this group of people have been forced to inhabit
the bottom end of the Hindu totem pole.

While it is not at the level of genocide, it is an institutionalised
social

discrimination over a very long period of time. When I read a press
release from a Hindu reformist group apologising to the Untouchables
for the deep seated discrimination, it struck a chord in my mind and I
wanted to write about it, as well as share in this apology.

For example, only recently there was a big brouhaha when a temple in
India refused entry to dalits (who are also Hindu) simply because they
were of a lower caste. In this day and age! I was so furious and when
I complained bitterly that none of the mainstream Hindu organisations
or leaders in India did anything, I was accused of patronising them.
These so-called Hindu organisations are very quick off the mark when
absolutely silly things go on, but when there is clear cut painfully
evident confirmation that there needs to be reform, they are nowhere
to be found. This is absolutely ridiculous and a clear example of
intellectual incoherence at best and incompetence at worst. But I
digress.

Apologies are very strange and at the same time, very human. It is
extremely powerful and at the same time, looked upon with deep
cynicism. It is also extremely difficult to do so, while there is
nothing like this to draw the teeth out of any angst ridden situation.
Just ask me, I have to apologise regularly to my sister. But this
apology is one, which is valid on so many different levels and this is
an apology to the untouchables of Hinduism.

The basics of this religiously mandated behaviour are well known and I
will not spend too much time on going deeper into the intricacies of
this. Other than saying that the idea of difference and discrimination
was institutionalised despite a huge amount of debate on what this
differentiation meant. On one hand, there were statements effectively
saying that everybody is born the same, while on the other hand, there
are statements in religious books talking about how some are born from
the head and some from the foot. Irrespective of what the religious
justification is, one found that there are literally thousands of
groups who consider themselves different from other groups. This
groupism extended to bans on intermarriage, taking meals together and
even extended to group dedicated watering holes and wells.

Quite a lot of Hindu reformers ranging from Swami Vivekananda, Mahatma
Gandhi, Guru Rabindranath Tagore, Dayananda Saraswati, etc. kept a
strong pressure on changing this religious practise, but even when
India became independent, this was still present.

The then leader of the untouchables, Shri Bhimrao Ambedkar, a
brilliant lawyer, even incorporated caste based reservations into the
constitution, to provide them with the leg up.

As it so happens, this is something which I disagree with, because
this has institutionalised discrimination and is not leading anybody
anywhere towards the true equality in the eyes of the state and
citizens, but that's beside the point.

Discrimination was outlawed by the Indian constitution in 1936, but
little has changed for the 300-400 million people who belonged to the
Untouchable Castes of India. I am also conscious of the fact that
calling it 'the caste system' is dangerously simplifying it, as the
actual theological aspects behind the differentiation is much more
complex.

What is also beside the point is that all other religions and cultures
have had the same groupism and differentiation and were trying to
create a separate identity through religious or cultural factors.
Whether we are talking about the Japanese way of looking at the
difference between the samurai and peasants, the difference between
the faithful and the dhimmi, the difference between Catholics and
Protestants, the difference between white and black skin, the
difference between Christian and pagan, you name it, discrimination
has occurred all the time and everywhere. And yes, just because it
happened in other religious, regions and cultures, it just tells me
that it is pretty much human. This is, however, neither an excuse nor
a reason to stop trying to rip out this disgusting practise.

But what good is an apology? We have to address the cynics in our
midst as well, because I have seen this form of visceral reaction from
both sides.

The side of the Hindus, who totally refuse to accept that this
happened and go off into theological arguments and ignore the real
life actions around discrimination. The other side are the Dalits, who
would be happy to tear down the entire country to satisfy their rather
strange desire for revenge. Both extremely simplistic in the extreme
and frankly not worth talking to or about, but then, that's what
happens to fanatics. Their feet are planted firmly in the air!

But this is not for the fanatics, they won't listen anyway, it is for
the vast majority of Hindus, people who have a social conscience, care
about their culture and are conscious of a vast historical injustice
done to a whole group of other people. And it is not a simple binary
equation, high class Brahmins discriminating against lower class
dalits. It happens on every group intersection, so there is no point
in getting up on the high horse about just one group.

An apology is a very good means to bring things out in the open.
Hiding behind a religious tract or pointing at other instances does
not change the situation on the ground. Every Hindu has to be open
about this discrimination, and understand what this has done to us,
our culture, history and reputation. No longer! This apology means
that we understand and accept the fault. Not only that, but an apology
actually provides the impetus or the foundation to do something about
it.

This is the other good thing about an apology for the cynics out
there. Once one has gone through the cathartic process of apologising,
one can start to address this issue, if only by small measures. If a
friend says something demeaning about a lower caste person, even a
raised eyebrow is a small but significant step in telling people that
this form of behaviour is not appropriate.

One will definitely ask me the question if somebody might actually
accept the apology? I am afraid this is the wrong question. When Tony
Blair apologised for the British role in Slavery, he did not do it
because he was worried whether anybody might or might not accept it.
He did it because this was the right thing to do. Despite the fact
that I am personally not responsible for this reprehensible and
horrible historical fact, as a Hindu and as a human being, it is but
right to apologise. As a Hindu, I hold responsibility to my religion,
my nation, my society, my government, and indeed to my children as
well. An apology can, in a small way, lead towards making the world a
fairer place.

The Hindu Reformist group, Navya Shastra (http://www.shastras.org/),
who actually made the public apology, also invited a whole host of
other Hindu luminaries to join in this effort. I am not sure how far
this went but it should be remembered that this caste based
discrimination is not simply religiously mandated, but also socially
mandated. Hence besides religious figures, cultural and social figures
need to be brought into this as well. In many ways, an appeal by one
of the Bollywood actors may actually provide more push to changes in
behaviour, rather than very many Hindu religious leaders combined. But
still, more luminaries joining in to complain, apologise and push
Indians to remove this distressing social condition is good.

So here it is, I fully endorse and join Navya Shastra, in apologising
to the other castes, for what I and my forefathers may have done and
promise that I will raise my voice against this disgusting practice,
and hopefully help remove this by my words as well as my behaviour.

At the UN World Conference on Race (WCAR) held August 31-September 8
2001 in Durban, South Africa, President Thabo Mbeki said:"...there are
many in our common world who suffer indignity and humiliation because
they are not white ...These are a people who know what it means to be
the victim of rabid racism and racial discrimination. Nobody ever
chose to be a slave, to be colonised, to be racially oppressed. The
impulses of the time caused these crimes to be committed by human
beings against others."

And while there was quite a hullabaloo about whether 'casteism' is
appropriate in this race conference, this is quibbling over details.
Discrimination existed, it exists and it behoves us to address it. May
this apology be a first start to a better implementation of religion!

All this to be taken with a grain of salt!

Dr. Bhaskar Dasgupta works in the city of London in various capacities
in the financial sector. He has worked and travelled widely around the
world. The articles in here relate to his current studies and are
strictly his opinion and do not reflect the position of his past or
current employer(s). If you do want to blame somebody, then blame my
sister and editor, she is responsible for everything, the ideas, the
writing, the quotes, the drive, the israeli-palestinian crisis, global
warming, the ozone layer depletion and the argentinian debt crisis.

Indian Groups Contest California Textbook Content

India-West, News Report, Viji Sundaram, Posted: Feb 16, 2006

HAYWARD, Calif. – Even as the California Board of Education (CBE) is
trying to grapple with the contentious and loudly debated issue of
corrections requested from Hindu groups in proposed textbooks for
sixth-graders, another group is trying to make its voice heard over
the din.

Some dalits (widely thought of in India as an oppressed people) across
the U.S. are demanding that the term, dalit, used only in one of the
nine proposed textbooks currently being reviewed by the CBE, not be
elided (omitted), as the Hindu groups want, and that a photo of a
dalit cleaning a latrine be replaced with one of a dalit engaged in a
faith practice.

They also say that it would serve the dalits' cause better if the
textbooks said that "untouchability is a living reality in India,"
instead of simply going by the Hindu groups' suggestion that the books
say that it is illegal to treat someone as an untouchable, Vikram
Masson, co-founder of Navya Shastra, a U.S.-based non-profit
organization that speaks out against caste-related issues, told India-
West.

Acknowledging that "the Hinduism sections (in the textbooks) are
extremely poor to begin with" and need to be corrected, Masson, who is
himself not a dalit and is a parent of a school-going child in New
Jersey, observed: "It is curious (the Hindu groups) would want to
elide the word, dalit. We believe the heritage of Hinduism is positive
enough, and there is no need to cover up any inadequacies."

New Jersey resident Jebaroja Singh, whose dalit grandparents converted
to Christianity many years ago, seemed to echo those sentiments.

"When there has been a history of discrimination against dalits, why
should we paint a rosy picture in the textbooks?" asked Singh, who
teaches racism and sexism in the U.S. at William Patterson University
in Wayne, N.J. Masson is married to a Christian priest.

But others argue that since the textbooks primarily deal with ancient
India, a time when the word, dalit, was not even coined, to not remove
it would be inappropriate.

For over a year now, two U.S.-based Hindu groups - the Hindu Education
Foundation and the Vedic Foundation - as well as scores of Hindu
parents, have been pushing for corrections in the social studies and
history courses in the sixth-grade textbooks, saying that the books
not only do not accurately represent India's ancient culture and
history, they sometimes denigrate it. Every six years, textbook
publishers offer the CBE drafts of textbooks they plan to bring out
for the board's acceptance. Public hearings form an integral part of
the review process.

At those hearings last year, the Hindu groups asserted that the books
were historically inaccurate in saying such things as Hinduism evolved
in India from the Aryans who invaded the country in 1500 B.C.; that
Sanskrit was a dead language; that Hindi is written in Arabic script;
that the Aryan rulers had created a caste system, under which the
dalits were forced to perform menial tasks.

According to many scholars, prior to 600 A.D., the terms used in India
to describe a so-called untouchable were chandala and shudra, and only
about one percent of the population fell under that category.

Citing from the book, "The Wonder That Was India," by the late ancient
history scholar A.L. Basham, southern California resident and retired
UCLA ancient history professor Shiva Bajpai told India-West: "In fact,
it was not blood that made a group untouchable, but conduct."

"So a Brahmin could be viewed as a chandala if he behaved badly,"
Bajpai said.

Over the last several decades, the term dalit – a Marathi word that
means oppressed - has been gaining more currency in India, with the
rise of growing activism among the approximately 150 million people at
the bottom of the caste system, who accuse members of the upper caste
of pervasive discrimination for centuries.

The late Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution,
struggled to win dalits like himself equal rights. He renounced
Hinduism in the process, saying the religion perpetuated the caste
system. Mahatma Gandhi worked toward uplifting the dalits' status,
bestowing upon them the term, Harijan, which means "children of God."
However, many dalits and activists do not like to be called that.
"They say if you are born from God, your parentage is questionable,"
said Masson.

Even the group of historians and academics headed by Harvard
University Sanskrit professor Michael Witzel, who is opposing many of
the corrections the Hindu groups have suggested, accusing them of
attempting to whitewash Indian history, has accepted the Hindu groups'
suggestion to delete negative references to untouchability, said Santa
Rosa, Calif., resident Vishal Agarwal, who described himself as an
"independent scholar."

Related Stories:

Missing from Racism Summit Agenda - India's Caste System

America: Welcome to the Third World

http://news.newamericamedia.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=41bc3d55ffe78d0686112ba99ae75766

US Hindu organisation accuses VHP of casteism

IANS[ SUNDAY, MARCH 06, 2005 07:27:31 PM ]

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MICHIGAN: A US-based Hindu organisation has accused the Vishwa Hindu
Parishad (VHP) of "casteist practices" at a mass conversion campaign
in Etah in Uttar Pradesh last month.

Navya Shastra, the organisation which boasts of scholars and priests
"dedicated to fostering the spiritual equality of all Hindus" among
its followers, said the VHP, which claimed to have converted 5,000
Christians to Hinduism at Etah, had classified them as Dalits in their
new religion.

"While we applaud all efforts to spread the Hindu religion through
peaceful and legitimate means, we are utterly baffled that the VHP
would insist that the new converts be labelled as untouchables," it
said in a statement here.

"This is a bizarre act of conceptual dehumanisation," the statement
quoted Navya Shastra co-chairperson Jaishree Gopal as saying.

The statement urged all Hindu organisations involved in proselytising
activities to do away with attaching cast labels to new converts.
"Surely all modern Hindu reformers agree that there is no spiritual
merit attached to any caste affiliation," the statement added.

Organisations like the VHP, which envisions a caste-free society,
should follow their own advice, it maintained.

http://shastras.org/VHP_NS

God's Wrath in India?

Hindu resentment over Christian activity in India fuels religious
explanations of tsunami tragedy.
BY: Arun Venugopal

Resize - Minus Resize - Plus As the world attempts to tackle the
tragedy in South Asia, the focus for the vast majority of South Asians
has been on relief. But the tsunami has also magnified already-
existing tensions between Hindus, Christians and others in the
devastated region. In India--a country often seen as a spiritual
battleground, where religions fight over the souls of the poor and
dispossessed--some conservative Hindus have used the tsunami to
criticize both a Hindu leader's arrest and the presence of Christian
missionaries in India. Meanwhile, evangelical Christian groups may
proselytize as they help tsunami victims.

Last week, a column on the widely-read Indian news site Rediff.com
suggested that the tsunami was a sign of retribution against
Christians, whose activities are seen as betraying India's essentially
Hindu character. (Full disclosure: I work for a publication owned by
Rediff.com, and my articles occasionally appear on Rediff.) Columnist
Rajeev Srinivasan pointed to several religion-related factors he sees
as pertinent. Referring to the earthquake as the "Christmas quake," he
implied that the timing wasn't mere coincidence. He also noted that
the tsunami hit a church at Velankanni, one of the most significant
Christian pilgrimage points in South India, resulting in the death of
50 people. Finally, he connected the tragedy to what many see as the
recent mistreatment of a revered Hindu leader.

In November, a holy man known formally as Shankaracharya Jayendra
Saraswathi was
arrested in connection with the murder of a former official of his
religious order. Hindus around the world decried the arrest, even
organizing mass email petitions maintaining that the entire affair was
politically motivated and related to a longstanding fight with the
current head of the state government of Tamil Nadu, where the most
tsunami-related deaths later occurred. Before long, the
Shankaracharya's sympathizers had solidified their opinion that anti-
Hindu forces were to blame, with some going so far as to point fingers
at the Vatican.

For Srinivasan, the Shankaracharya's arrest seemed the most plausible
explanation for the subsequent disaster. "The devastation by the
tsunami in Tamil Nadu, could it be a caveat from Up There about the
atrocities being visited on the [Shankaracharya]?" he asked. "About
adharma"--evil--"gaining ground?" In summarizing, he wrote, "It is
said that the very elements can be affected by the mystical powers of
sages who have acquired superhuman powers through meditation and
sadhana. I think we should all tread carefully, for now we are
treading on things we do not know."

Srinivasan's comments may seem like isolated rants--and even many of
his longtime readers rejected them--but other groups have echoed his
feelings. The Kanchi Kamakoti Seva Foundation, which defends the
Shankaracharya, recently sent an email to its supporters linking the
tsunami to the holy man's arrest. The email says "God has given a
strong signal with this disaster when the injustice to Dharmic
followers have crossed the tolerance limit." It instructs readers to
pray that the tsunami will be "an eye-opener for the Tamil Nadu
Administration and for the media to stop abusing their powers and
bring out false charges against H.H. [His Holiness]."

Most Hindus find the "act of God" tsunami theories irrelevant, if not
offensive. "Such a controversy, if at all there is one, is a product
of some small minds," said Gaurang Vaishnav of the Vishwa Hindu
Parishad of America, one of many Hindu organizations in the United
States that has rallied to aid the victims.

"Hindus do not believe in a vindictive God. There are always actions
and reactions in accordance with the theory of karma. But to attribute
a wholesale destruction and death of thousands of innocent people to a
single act of a state government is ridiculous, insensitive and
insulting to human compassion that crosses the boundaries of religion
at times of natural disasters."

Another Hindu group, the reformist

Navya Shastra

, issued a press release condemning Hindu organizations that have
bought into the act-of-God view, comparing their remarks to those of
Christian leaders like Jerry Falwell. While acknowledging, like
Vaishnav, that karma could have played a role in the deaths, the
group, made of Hindu scholars, practitioners and priests outside
India, suggested that it was more important to focus on helping
survivors than trying to explain why the disaster happened.

Such act-of-God charges also tap into larger Hindu resentment over the
notion that traditional Hindu culture is giving way to forces such as
Western materialism or other faiths. Opposition to Christian
missionary work and the conversion of Dalits, or low-caste Hindus, is
not confined to Hindu nationalists. Many people react negatively to
the idea that some of India's tribal peoples may be exposed to the
Bible even as they are taught how to read, or may take on a Christian
name. The state of Tamil Nadu has special significance for many
Hindus. It was there that a controversial Anti-Conversion Bill was
passed in 2002, meant to prevent poor Hindus from being forcibly
converted to Christianity, especially via financial inducements.
Christian leaders have denied offering such inducements.

But some mission groups see tsunami relief efforts as an opportunity
to spread the gospel in South Asia. In an

article on the evangelical website Crosswalk.com

, Dr. Ajith Fernando of Youth for Christ was quoted as saying, "We
have prayed and wept for our nation for many years. The most urgent of
my prayers has always been that my people would turn to Jesus. I pray
that this terrible, terrible tragedy might be used by God to break
through into the lives of many of our people."

Another evangelist, Gospel for Asia's K.P. Yohannan, said, "In times
like these, we know that God opens the hearts of those who suffer, and
we pray that as our workers demonstrate God's love to them, many of
them will come to know for the first time that real security comes
only through Him."

The statements were immediately distributed to watchful Hindus through
the e-mail news digest Hindu Press International ("Christians See
Conversion Opportunities in Disaster Relief"), a service from the
publishers of the U.S. magazine Hinduism Today.

For some Hindus, the Christian call to evangelize was expected, and
served to favorably contrast Hinduism's non-proselytization with what
they consider the insidious nature of certain Christian groups. "You
will not find an RSS or VHP volunteer converting a non-Hindu to Hindu
Dharma after helping him in his time of need," said Gaurang Vaishnav.
"This is the true meaning of seva"--service in the spirit of
sacrifice--"to a Hindu."

However, these same Hindu aid groups are themselves under scrutiny. An
email distributed by the leftist group

Campaign to Stop Funding Hate

told Indians interested in donating to disaster victims to avoid Hindu
groups such as the Rashtriya Swayam Sevak (RSS), Seva International
and the VHP of America. These organizations, says CSFH, have a history
of using grassroots efforts to advance a militant Hindu political
agenda. According to Kaushik Ghosh, an anthropologist at the
University of Texas, they may create organizational bases, increase
membership, establish political legitimacy or fundraise.

"During [2001's] Gujarat earthquake, the amount of money that flew
into these organizations was unbelievable," said Ghosh. "The
accounting of such money is relatively murky ...NGOs and relief-
development work can become the source of money for a whole range of
'behind-the-camera' projects." For its part, the VHPA states, "funds
for relief work are distributed without consideration of province,
race or religion."

Despite the religious struggles in the press and among advocacy
groups, the interfaith situation appears to be more positive on the
ground, where aid groups and neighbors are working together to help
survivors. One Indian blogger, Amit Varma, reported a growing
friendship between local people of different faiths responding to the
devastation. While spending time in the village of Parangipettai, in
Tamil Nadu, Varma wrote, "A deep bond had been formed between the
villagers, who were all Hindus, and these Muslim men who rushed to
help their neighbours because they believed that to be the way of
their religion. ...Faith, that can be so divisive in times of peace,
can also bring communities together in times of strife."

http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Hinduism/2004/11/Gods-Wrath-In-India.aspx

Hindu group criticises Kanchi Shankaracharya
Friday October 15 2004 18:31 IST
IANS

NEW YORK: A US-based organisation has criticised India's leading Hindu
seer, Kanchi Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswati, for having been part
of a ceremony where a Rs.20 million ($425,000) diamond-studded crown
was placed on a deity, saying the money could have been spent on
social service instead.

The Navya Shastra, a Hindu organisation, said the seer was part of the
Oct 2 "kumbhabhishekam" ceremony in Andhra Pradesh state's Tirupati
temple where the deity, Lord Venkateswara, was adorned with the crown.

The crown, encrusted with two marble sized emeralds and rare Burmese
rubies besides diamonds, has been donated by the Goenka business
family of Kolkata, India.

Navya Shastra research director Gautham Rao, said money for the crown
had come through donations and it could have been put to better use.
"Clearly at this time in Indian history, when the majority of Indian
citizens continue to live at or near poverty levels, we felt the money
should have been spent on social service," he said.

"We had hoped the Acharya would use his considerable influence to
direct the funds for programmes for the betterment of struggling
Hindus and members of the lower castes, many of whom continue to live
on the peripheries of Hindu society," he added.

Navya Shastra also questioned the participation of Andhra Pradesh
Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy in the "opulent" ceremony.

http://shastras.org/Kanchinews.htm

NRI group battles Hinduism's "inequalities"

by Arun Venugopal

When Tukaram, a 19-year-old Dalit fresh from his exams, prayed at a
Hanuman temple in Andhra Pradesh earlier this month, he probably never
anticipated the outrage it would cause.

Upper caste villagers issued an injunction against his entire
community, before scrubbing down the entire temple with cow dung and
urine in a symbolic act of purification.

Ths situation might have remained another footnote to the ongoing
story of India's caste divisions, but for the efforts of a group of
reformist NRIs. The group, Navya Shastra, publicly condemned the
actions of the upper caste villagers and announced a Rs 10,000 (about
$200) scholarship for Tukaram.

This is just the latest in a series of actions the group has taken to
address what it feels are inequities in the religion. Unlike secular
groups that rail against caste and gender discrimination, however,
Navya Shastra comprises devout, temple-going Hindus.

These include a leading priest from Houston and a number of academics,
as well as converts to the religion. Among the advisers is Arun
Gandhi, founder of the MK Gandhi Center for Nonviolence, and O P
Gupta, India's ambassador to Finland.

According to Jaishree Gopal, the molecular biologist in Michigan who
founded Navya Shastra with New Jersey resident Vikram Masson, the
group formed after discussions on an online Hindu bulletin board two
years ago.

"There are lots of apologists writing on the Net these days." said
Gopal. "We saw some articles posted that there is no caste
discrimination in Hinduism (but we know) that Dalits are discriminated
against."

Its this inequality, the group contends on its website, which has lead
to an "epochal tide of conversions to religions thats supposedly
preach egalitarian values. There is compelling evidence that the
number of actual conversions in India is vastly understated by both
missionary organizations and the government."

Aside from access to temples for members of all castes, the group
promotes the right for anyone--man or woman--to receive the sacred
thread and/or become a priest.

While the Indian government has encouraged such reforms to an extent,
the organization insists that Hindus themselves should take up the
cause while avoiding factionalism. At the same time, the group has
been critical of Dalits for highlighting caste discrimination without
actively working with Hindu leaders to resolve the problem.

According to Gopal, it is not a coincidence that Navya Shastra is
based outside of India.

"As NRIs, we become more aware of our religious identity when you are
young, as opposed to India, where it just permeates the atmoshere",
she said. "We are used to answering questions about caste over here.
And we can't always justify the discriminatory aspects."

Another member, Sri Rajarathina Bhattar, agreed with this assessment
and cited the grip of "superstitous beliefs" on many Hindus in India.

The priest emeritus at Houston's Sri Meenakshi Temple, Bhattar has
been conducting a letter writing campaign to newspapers and orthodox
leaders in India, stressing the need for reform.

So far, he said, there continue to be a number of priests who insist
on maintaining the status quo.

"But priests who are well educated seem to agree with me." he said.
"The main reason most of them disagree is due to the fear that they
may lose certain rights as a priest."

This article appeared in June 18, 2004 issue of India Abroad

http://shastras.org/ArunVenugopal.html

US body condemns discrimination against Dalit student
Monday June 7 2004 12:52 IST
IANS

TROY (MICHIGAN): A Hindu organisation in the US has condemned reported
discrimination against a Dalit student who was allegedly victimised
for offering prayers in a Hindu temple in India's Andhra Pradesh
state.

Navya Shastra, which professes spiritual equality of all Hindus, has
also promised financial assistance to Tukaram, 19, to meet his
educational costs.

The boy scored a first class in his intermediate examinations and
visited the village temple of Hanuman to make the traditional coconut
offering in Allapur, Andhra Pradesh. When members of the upper caste
community discovered this they condemned the boy and extorted Rs.500
fine from his apologetic father, Tulsiram.

They also purified the temple by washing it with cow urine and dung so
as to efface the imprints of an "untouchable," according to Vikram
Masson, co-chairman of the organisation.

Such community-based discrimination continues in India despite a
constitutional ban and strict legal safeguards against community
discrimination. "Tukaram must know that others in the Hindu world
strongly condemn such actions," said Jaishree Gopal, the other co-
chairman of the organisation.

"Navya Shastra will award Tukaram a scholarship to help his family
with Tukaram's educational costs and sincerely hopes that the Indian
government and religious leaders will pay more attention to the
apartheid in our midst," said Gopal.

http://shastras.org/Newindpress.com

End caste discrimination, Hindu leaders urged

New York, Nov 28 (IANS) A global Hindu group has urged leaders of the
faith to end caste discrimination in their institutions. The group,
Navya Shastra, also said in a press note that the Vedic chanting
tradition should be opened to all instead of being restricted to upper
caste Brahmins. Jaishree Gopal, Navya Shastra co-chairperson, said:
"The only way to save the Vedic chanting tradition is to initiate
sincere members of all castes, ...

…resulting in a dwindling supply of Vedic experts. The organisation is
lobbying Hindu leaders to implement caste blind initiation policies at
an Acharya Sabha meet to be held in Chennai from Saturday.

… "Here we have a historic opportunity to declare to the world that
Hinduism will reform itself for ever of caste discrimination," said
Vikram Masson, Navya Shastra co-chairman.

"Hinduism, which is thousands of years old, has never had a
significant reformist movement," said Arun Gandhi, Navya Shastra
adviser and grandson of Mahatma Gandhi. "I believe the new millennium
now offers Hinduism an opportunity to change its ancient ...

http://news.eians.com/2003/11/28/28end.html , 27997 bytes

http://shastras.org/IndoAsian

...and I am Sid Harth

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