[sacw] SACW #2 | 23 Jan. 02

[Harsh Kapoor]

South Asia Citizens Wire #2 | 23 January 2002

------------------------------------------

#1. India-Pakistan Relations (EPW Letter To Editor)
#2. 'War, Terror and Identity: Disciplinary Lines of Control' A Talk=20
by Arjun Appadurai (Bombay)
#3. India: What have the communalists learnt from Staines' murder?
#4. India: BJP seeks divine help to win Uttar Pradesh polls
#5. India: Will POTO be applied to these Kam-bakhts ?
#6. India: Ram Rath Runs Into Sadhu Rebellion
#7.On Line Petition: Protect Free Speech: Support the screening of=20
films by Anand Patwardhan
#8. India: victimisation of muslims in southern rajasthan
#9. Book Announcement: Sexuality, Obscenity, Community - Women,=20
Muslims, and the Hindu Public in Colonial India by Charu Gupta

________________________

#1.

EPW Letter To Editor
January 12, 2002

India-Pakistan Relations

The suicidal attack on the Indian parliament building on December 13=20
merits condemnation in the strongest terms. India should be eternally=20
grateful to the security forces whose members in the true spirit of=20
discharging their duty laid down their lives.

What has not been adequately focused on is the 'lawmakers are above=20
the law' dictum that India's MPs and even some ministers follow that=20
frustrates and renders vulnerable any effective enforcement of=20
security measures. The MPs' cars flashing lights rarely stop for=20
security checks. They and even their accompanying hangers-on rarely=20
go through any body-search. Many of the MPs manage to get six to=20
eight cars pass though they are eligible for only one, making it=20
possible for that many cars to roll in virtually unchecked. When one=20
realises that many MPs including ministers, have criminal=20
backgrounds, often serious ones at that, the dimensions and=20
vulnerability of the security problem become glaring. It is actually=20
the brighter side of the picture that the attack has been traced to=20
Lashker-e-Toiba.

Fourty-three per cent of Pakistan's border is with India.=20
Unfortunately, Pakistan and India still consider each other its=20
enemy. Each entertains the death wish to humble the other. Is it any=20
wonder that border clashes, even wars and encroachment into each=20
other's territory have been the routine? Grinding poverty grips many=20
millions of people in each country. Every Indian carries a foreign=20
debt burden of $103 and every Pakistani of $350.

Trade between the two countries could be a far better route to foster=20
the spirit of friendship and partnership. Unfortunately, Pakistan=20
imports only 1.4 per cent of its requirements from India, while India=20
imports even a lesser fraction, at 0.2 per cent from Pakistan.

Let us pray that the rule of law becomes supreme in both countries,=20
as in Singapore since its birth. Let us pray that the powers that be=20
in India and Pakistan reciprocate the message of love that the great,=20
legendary Urdu poet, Ahmed Faraz echoes and recognise the wisdom of=20
his appeal that "nobody can save us, but us". And that they foster=20
trade between the two countries. Let us pray that trade between India=20
and Pakistan blooms to the mutual benefit of both economies.

N Narasimhan
Bangalore

_____

#2.

The P.E.N. ALL-INDIA CENTRE
and PUKAR (Partners For Urban Knowledge Action & Research, Mumbai)

invite you, with your friends, to

'War, Terror and Identity: Disciplinary Lines of Control'

A Talk by

ARJUN APPADURAI

Date: Thursday, 31 January 2002
Time: 6:15 pm
Venue: The ULT Library
Theosophy Hall (third floor)
40, New Marine Lines
Churchgate
Bombay 400 020 [India]

: ALL ARE WELCOME :

Arjun Appadurai is Samuel N. Harper Distinguished Service Professor=20
at the University of Chicago, where he teaches in the Departments of=20
Anthropology and South Asian Languages and Civilizations. He is also=20
Director of the Globalization Project at the University of Chicago.

Professor Appadurai was born in Bombay, where he graduated from St.=20
Xavier's High School and took hisIntermediate Arts degree from=20
Elphinstone College before leaving for the United States. He took his=20
B.A. from Brandeis University in 1967, and his M.A. and Ph.D(1976)=20
from the University of Chicago. He is the author of numerous books=20
and articles in scholarly journals. His most recent book is Modernity=20
at Large: Cultural Dimensions of Globalization, (1996,University of=20
Minnesota Press; 1997, Oxford University Press, Delhi). His previous=20
scholarly publications have covered such topics as religion,=20
cuisine, agriculture and mass culture in India.

Professor Appadurai is one of the founding editors, with Carol A.=20
Breckenridge, of the journal Public Culture, and was the founding=20
Director of the Chicago Humanities Institute at the University of=20
Chicago (1992-1998), during which time he held the Richard J. and=20
Barbara E. Franke Professorship.

He is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He=20
serves or has served on numerous national and international advisory=20
bodies, including the advisory council of the Smithsonian Institute,=20
and the governing boards of: the Institute for Cultural Pluralism=20
(Rio de Janeiro), the Research Center for Religion and Society=20
(Amsterdam), Amsterdam School for Social Science Research, and the=20
Social Science Research Council (New York).

He has served or is serving as a consultant or advisor to a wide=20
range of public and private organizations, including the Ford=20
Foundation, UNESCO and the World Bank.

His current research has three foci: ethnic violence in the context=20
of globalization, with a special focus on ethnic relations in Mumbai=20
in the late 1980s and 1990s; a longer term collaborative project on=20
the cultural dimensions of social crisis in Mumbai, focusing on=20
housing, poverty, media and violence; and a comparative ethnographic=20
project on grass-roots globalization, intended to illuminate emergent=20
transnational organizational forms and new practices of sovereignty.

______

#3.

The Hindu / Open Page
Tuesday, Jan 22, 2002

What have the communalists learnt from Staines' murder?

Whatever the shortcomings of Gen. Musharraf's much awaited address to=20
the nation might have been, he has at least openly come out to=20
condemn and curtail the activities from Pakistani soil of those=20
spreading terrorism in the name of religion within the country or=20
outside. Within India the challenge is now before our leaders to=20
reciprocate the gesture by banning those who openly challenge the=20
Supreme Court or the government on Ram temple and similar issues and=20
those who spare no efforts to terrorise the minorities in the name of=20
majoritarianism.

THE THIRD anniversary of the now nearly forgotten gruesome murder of=20
Graham Staines and his two sons, Timothy and Philip, falls on January=20
23. The President, K. R. Narayanan, had then described this repulsive=20
act as "one belonging to the inventory of black deeds of history" and=20
as "monumental aberration from the tradition of tolerance and=20
humanity for which India is known." The act was condemned universally=20
by most people. Some of our leaders, though, who are now busy with=20
the rhetoric of fighting terrorism, had post-haste either given clean=20
chit to the accused militant groups or had suspected a `foreign hand'=20
in it.

To make the awesome tragedy of that `monumental aberration' worse,=20
the prime accused in the murder, Dara Singh, though currently in=20
police custody, has announced, in full view of the TV cameras, that=20
he is going to contest the forthcoming elections from Uttar Pradesh.=20
If the reports are to be believed he is going to contest them, not=20
from one but two constituencies - Ghaziabad and Muzaffarnagar.=20
According to Dara Singh himself, "... it will be decided by the Dara=20
Sena in Delhi as to which constituency I would be asked to contest=20
from."

Internal terrorism

The Dara Sena, formed after the `darkest deed', and which has been=20
glorifying the burning of Staines family by distributing literature=20
calling him "Dharam Rakshak (protector of religion) born among us",=20
is the sign of the extent to which the `monumental aberration' is=20
spreading. It is equally ironic that the government which is busy=20
fighting cross-border terrorism and the civil society have so far=20
been just mute spectators to this horrible build-up of internal=20
terrorism against minorities. Such silence is only providing the=20
required fuel to those who have no qualms of conscience in doing what=20
they are doing.

One cannot expect those hailing Dara Singh as a hero and protector of=20
Hinduism to either know or appreciate the saintly widow and mother of=20
her two brutally murdered sons, Gladys Staines' reaction within hours=20
of that ugly incident: "In the name of Jesus I forgive those who=20
committed this crime and may they experience in their hearts God's=20
forgiving love."

Last week, the senior VHP leader, Giriraj Kishore, maintained that he=20
had no problem with Dara Singh contesting the elections. While such a=20
statement shows what their priority in civic life is, another senior=20
VHP leader went one step further to add, "it was not only Islamic=20
fundamentalism which was threatening the country, but the Christian=20
missionaries involved in conversion were as dangerous as Islamic=20
terrorists" (January 11, Asian Age).

It is also Giriraj Kishore who had expressed his views on November 4,=20
2001 incident of thousands of Dalits, under the leadership of Ram Raj=20
(now Udit Raj), converting to Buddhism. "We have no objection to=20
anyone converting to Buddhism because it is an Indian religion. We=20
have problem only when they convert to Islam or Christianity, because=20
these are alien religions...", he had said. Little does he know that=20
the Catholic Church, which otherwise celebrates World Day of Peace on=20
January 1 internationally, specifically chooses January 30 every=20
year, the martyrdom day of Mahatma Gandhi, to observe it in the=20
Indian Church. But the rhetoric of these people must go on and in=20
view of the forthcoming elections in some States, this can be=20
fruitfully used as proper fodder for the gullible masses. The=20
communal card is being used by all and sundry to woo the voters as=20
the evidence from several recent incidents suggests.

`Ominous signals'

For example, the people of the most literate Indian State, Kerala,=20
are becoming seriously concerned about communal tension raising its=20
ugly head in a State which has had relatively clean history as far as=20
communal clashes are concerned. The recent clashes in Kannur and=20
Kozhikode which the editorial of The Hindu (January 8) referred to as=20
`ominous signals' is evidence of traces of `monumental aberration'=20
surfacing in that part of the country too. As in the past, after=20
inflaming communal riots the blame is conveniently passed on to the=20
victims of violence as was the case in the Dangs district of Gujarat=20
three years ago and with most of the atrocities (more than 400 in the=20
past four years, according to Home Ministry sources) against=20
Christians. The BJP Rajya Sabha MP, B. L. Prem Sharma, who later=20
converted to Sikhism, on hearing of the Jhabua nuns' rape case, had=20
declared that the nuns had only deserved it and that it was an angry=20
reaction of Hindus to Christian missionaries' conversion work. Thus=20
the current support to Dara Singh is not really a new phenomenon=20
which the civil society unfortunately has not been able to contain=20
yet.

Another hot spot

Rajasthan, which has had a fine record of communal harmony so far, is=20
becoming another hot spot of Hindu-Muslim clashes. Last year a mosque=20
was demolished in Bhilwara. From the New Year's Day, the tension has=20
shifted from Bhilwara to Shekawati region. The Sangh Parivar is=20
having a field day in that region where, during the consecutive=20
bandhs organised by communal outfits, anti-Muslim slogans branding=20
Muslims as having links with the ISI and other terrorist groups in=20
Pakistan, have become music to the ears of those promoting the likes=20
of Dara Singh.

If Rajasthan and Kerala, both Congress-ruled States, were not enough,=20
the trouble is also brewing in two districts of another=20
Congress-ruled State - Madhya Pradesh. Large numbers of RSS, VHP and=20
Bajrang Dal activists are preparing for a big showdown in the=20
villages of Jhabua and Alirajpur. Anti-Christian and anti-missionary=20
literature, spewing poison, is being distributed to the tribals by=20
the tonnes in the region. That these are being done selectively in=20
the Congress-ruled States is for everyone to see and analyse.

Similar issues against the Christian missionaries and Muslims are=20
also being raised in Uttaranchal where the vernacular papers are full=20
of material against the Christian missionary work and the `madrasas'.=20
In Uttar Pradesh itself, the communal forces have not been able to=20
quite make up their mind whether to take up the issue of terrorism=20
combined with POTO or war with Pakistan or indeed to go for a kill=20
with the Babri Masjid-Ram temple issue.

The question of course is, are all these well coordinated and planned=20
efforts emanating from some central source reflecting the `national=20
sentiment' to `finish the unfinished task', furthering `cultural=20
nationalism', or has it anything to do with the selfless commitment=20
to the nation building in a secular society?

Whatever the shortcomings of Gen. Musharraf's much awaited address to=20
the nation might have been, he has at least openly come out to=20
condemn and curtail the activities from Pakistani soil of those=20
spreading terrorism in the name of religion within the country or=20
outside. Within India the challenge is now before our leaders to=20
reciprocate the gesture by banning those who openly challenge the=20
Supreme Court or the government on Ram temple and similar issues and=20
those who spare no efforts to terrorise the minorities in the name of=20
majoritarianism, including distribution of trishuls to lakhs of=20
unemployed youths in the Hindi belt.

Insurmountable challenge

In this context, those who believe in the existence of a secular=20
society and would like to preserve the multi-religious character of=20
this great nation are of course faced with an almost insurmountable=20
challenge to stop this venom from spreading further. Insaani Ekta=20
Muhim, Amar Pakshi, Citizens for Democracy, Justice and Peace=20
Commissions of Delhi Archdiocese and of the Catholic Bishops'=20
Conference of India, Gandhi Yuva Biradiri, Lok Dasta, People's Union=20
for Civil Liberties, Saheli and many other NGOs are trying their best=20
to raise a sane voice in the midst of the communal frenzy. One can=20
often hear their helpless cries as making no headway.

Among their cries of helplessness is also heard a whisper that media=20
does not always give space to their voice and appeal for peace. Such=20
a complaint was made by people like Rafiq Zakaria and Shabana Azmi=20
when during the Afghan war, their voice found hardly any space in the=20
mainstream media as opposed to that of Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid in=20
Delhi. As one sending out press releases regularly promoting peace, I=20
share painfully in the voice about the lack of cooperation from the=20
media managers who always have a `big problem with space' in the=20
newspapers or in the electronic media.

Unless more groups put in their efforts with greater vigour and=20
unless there is a positive cooperation from the mass media, it is=20
Dara Singh and his ilk promoting terrorism within the country,=20
including acts such as vandalising the Taj Mahal, who will have the=20
last laugh.

DOMINIC EMMANUEL
Spokesman, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India, New Delhi

______

#4.

BJP seeks divine help to win Uttar Pradesh polls

by Ajit Sahi, Indo-Asian News Service

New Delhi, Jan 21 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Rajnath Singh says he
is confident of returning to power but he adds a rider - if god is on his
side.

The statement appears to sum up the dilemma Prime Minister Atal Bihari
Vajpayee's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) faces in India's politically most
vital and populous state where assembly elections are due in three weeks.

As opinion polls increasingly predict that the BJP is expected to finish
behind its main rival Samajwadi Party, the party seems to be veering toward=
s
an emotive Hindu campaign to build a temple at the site of a mosque razed i=
n
December 1992.

Singh spoke freely to journalists over the weekend betraying his party's
quandary in the run up to the February 14-21 polls to the 403-seat
legislature.

For a party that has always prided itself on the strength of its cadres and
mass support, the chief minister appeared to be leaning more on god to win.

Asked to explain why he thought the BJP could win the elections, he said: "=
I
am going to form the government. How, I don't know. God has always been kin=
d
to me, as I have never harmed anyone intentionally or knowingly."

The BJP appears to have crossed the first hurdle in the race to power by
cobbling a seven-party alliance - a far cry from the early 1990s when it
used to claim that it could win in Uttar Pradesh on its own.

The BJP will field 309 candidates and left the remaining seats to allies.

In contrast, the Samajwadi Party, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), which is
expected to finish third, and even the Congress party, which even by its ow=
n
unofficial admission would end up a poor fourth, are going it alone.

The BJP's division of seats has, however, hardly made its allies happy.
Vajpayee's Agriculture Minister Ajit Singh has threatened to field 42
candidates of his Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), some against the BJP.

The BJP was embarrassed last week when supporters of legislators it exclude=
d
from its list stoned its office in the state capital Lucknow and raised
slogans alleging that "money power" had influenced the choice of candidates=
.

Three of Singh's ministers, who were not fielded, resigned in disgust. Even
the Uttar Pradesh BJP chief Kalraj Mishra is unhappy that the list is packe=
d
with Singh's supporters.

Shaken by the developments, party insiders say the BJP is no more confident
of winning on its own despite ruling the state for five years.

They concede the BJP has lost sympathy among traditional voters among the
Hindu upper castes and the vocal middle classes over a variety of issues.

This is evident the way the BJP has been losing seats in successive Lok
Sabha elections from Uttar Pradesh. It won 57 seats in 1998 and only 29 in
1999.

Uttar Pradesh sends 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha, the maximum among all Indian
states. If the BJP loses the assembly election, its hold over its many
allies in Vajpayee's multi-party government could considerably weaken.

The BJP had earlier threatened to make alleged threats from terrorism into =
a
campaign issue but it has quietly backtracked.

A lack of issues may lead the BJP back to the controversial crusade for
building a grand Hindu temple at Ayodhya, at the site of a 16th-century
mosque that Hindu mobs demolished in December 1992.

The temple campaign had helped the BJP to expand dramatically its influence
in northern and western India. Its strength in the 545-seat Lok Sabha
leapfrogged from a mere two seats in 1984 to 89 in 1989 and to around 180
now.

Some high-profile BJP MPs and second rung leaders are already siding with
the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, which has vowed to start building a
multi-million-dollar temple at Ayodhya, 700 km east of here, from March 12.

"Issues in Uttar Pradesh have been shifting and it is difficult to hazard a
guess on them," political analyst G.V.L. Narasimha Rao said. "The BJP is
opening many flanks and may push the temple front it if its position
slides."

--Indo-Asian News Service

______

#5.

Will POTO be applied on the Ram Bhakts?

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has once again started whipping up=20
religious hysteria in Uttar Pradesh with the Ayodhya temple war cry.=20
The Sant Chetavni Yatra is all set to commence from Ayodhya and=20
culminate in New Delhi on January 27. About 5,000 saints and two lakh=20
Rambhaktas from Gujarat, Rajasthan and several other states are=20
expected to participate. Before starting the yatra, the saints will=20
pledge on the banks of the Saryu river that they will not rest till a=20
magnificent temple of lord Rama is constructed at Ayodhya.

After creating so much hysteria about the need for POTO in this=20
country following the terrorist attacks on the Indian parliament, it=20
is now the real test for the BJP government to apply the same=20
yardsticks to the Ram Bhakts who are planning to create hatred and=20
terror around the country.

The yatra is intended as a warning to the Union Government to refrain=20
from setting obstacles in the path of the temple construction. The=20
VHP has set the deadline for the construction as Maha Shivratri Day=20
on March 12, unmindful of the fact that cases are pending in the=20
court in this regard. Work on the temple structure, to be spread over=20
an area of 37,500 sq ft, is on at full throttle at Karsewakpuram in=20
Ayodhya. The temple will have 212 magnificent pillars with statuettes=20
of deities. Artisans are busy creating intricate works of art.

A Dharma Sansad (religious Parliament) will also be held in Kanpur on=20
January 22 when the yatra will reach there, to be attended by=20
Shankaracharyas as well as VHP president Ashok Singhal, International=20
Secretary of VHP Praveen Bhai Togadia and fiery speaker Sadhvi=20
Ritambara. Bal Thackeray has directed his party, the Shiv Sena, to=20
lend full support to the VHP's temple construction movement. Union=20
Heavy Industries Minister Manohar Joshi reiterated the Sena's=20
commitment "to the noble cause" in Lucknow on Friday.

______

#6

The Telegraph (India)
22 January 2002

RAM RATH RUNS INTO SADHU REBELLION=20

FROM ANAND SOONDAS

Ayodhya, Jan. 21:=20
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad today flagged off the Ram rath from this=20
temple town, but a powerful section of sadhus threatened to make its=20
journey to Delhi through seven cities and thousands of villages=20
anything but smooth.

Serious differences in the movement came to the surface after=20
Ramchandra Paramhans, chairman of the all important Ramjanmabhoomi=20
Trust, refused to join the 100-vehicle cavalcade. Yesterday, he had=20
excused himself from the dharam sabha in Ayodhya, which was attended=20
by senior VHP and BJP leaders.

Paramhans, one of the frontline leaders of the mandir nirman abhiyan,=20
lashed out at the VHP for leaving important sants out of their=20
programme. He also threatened to work for the downfall of the BJP. "I=20
will soon start an Ayodhya bachao, BJP hatao andolan," he warned.

This morning, VHP general secretary Ashok Singhal tried to pacify=20
Paramhans, but there was no mistaking the ominous signals emanating=20
from the influential Digambar akhara, of which Paramhans is the head.

Worried about incurring the wrath of the mercurial sadhu, chief=20
minister Rajnath Singh asked both principal secretary (home) Naresh=20
Dayal and director-general of police R.K. Pandit to meet the chairman=20
of the temple trust. But Paramhans could not be calmed down.

The sadhu leader was so furious that a senior bureaucrat came out of=20
the meeting, saying his "eardrums had burst after Paramhans'=20
outburst".

The sadhus are angry that the VHP has "hijacked" the temple movement,=20
sidelining important members of their community from events related=20
to the construction of the Ram mandir at the disputed site.

"We are given three minutes to speak in meetings, while VHP leaders=20
go lecturing for hours," said Mahant Narayan Acharya of the Digambar=20
akhara.

Paramhans says the grievances of the sadhus are not only serious but=20
also urgent. "Puja path samapt ho gaya hai, Ayodhya ko karagar bana=20
diya hai, sadhu sant bhooke mar rahe hain (Pujas have stopped at the=20
temples of Ayodhya and the town has been turned into a jail, pujaris=20
are dying of hunger)," he said and added that the tight ring of=20
security has to be relaxed soon.

The sadhus are also angry that the BJP has distributed tickets for=20
the Assembly elections to candidates they do not favour. "I know=20
people have paid huge sums of money to buy Assembly tickets,"=20
Paramhans said. "Or tickets have gone to those who are sycophants of=20
Kalraj Mishra (state BJP chief) and Rajnath."

Paramhans said he would ask his followers to vote for the Bahujan=20
Samaj Party, the Samajwadi Party "and even Muslim candidates" if the=20
BJP does not respect the feelings of the sadhus.

Unwilling to rub the sadhus the wrong way on the eve of elections,=20
the state government has assured Paramhans and his followers that the=20
stringent security in and around Ayodhya will be relaxed. Though=20
frisking will continue, the numerous barricades around the temple=20
town may be reduced.

Singhal also tried to calm down members of the Ramjanmabhoomi Trust,=20
saying he had spoken to the administration about the tight security,=20
which is driving pilgrims away.

But Paramhans was not convinced. "They have sold off the temple=20
movement and their promises reek of insincerity," he said.

"I will lead a campaign to save Ayodhya against them even if I am=20
shot dead. There are others who will start off from where I leave."

_____

#7.

PLEASE SIGN NOW IN SUPPORT OF ANAND PATWARDHAN!

<http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/783684768>http://www.thepetition=
site.com/takeaction/783684768

The screenings of films by noted filmmaker Anand
Patwardhan has yet again come under attack by
right-wing "Hindu" organizations and individuals based
in the US. Most recently, a letter writing campaign
has been launched to dissuade the organizers of an
exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History in
New York from screening two of Patwardhan's films: "We
are not your Monkeys" and "In the Name of God." The
objective of this petition is to counter such efforts
and to advocate for the continued screening of films
by Anand Patwardhan in the US and abroad. Although the
initial recipients of this petition will be the
American Museum of Natural History in New York, this
petition will continue to be used whenever the
screenings of films by Anand Patwardhan come under
attack by those who seek to prevent public debate
regarding these issues.

For more information on Anand Patwardhan
and his films, please visit
<http://216.33.240.250/cgi-bin/linkrd?_lang=3DEN&lah=3Da58f3d6ca1b436d56069=
b79e01f591b5&lat=3D1011773494&hm___action=3Dhttp%3a%2f%2fwww%2eektaonline%2=
eorg%2fpatwardhan>http://www.ektaonline.org/patwardhan

PETITION
Protect Free Speech: Support the screening of films by
Anand Patwardhan

_____

#8.

victimisation of muslims in southern rajasthan
'islamic voice', bangalore, jan. 2002.
[http://islamicvoice.com/january.2002/investigation.htm#com]

A Communal Cult
The tribal belt in South Rajasthan is witnessing a
dangerous trend as social ties between the Muslims and
the tribals are deliberately being disturbed by the
Vanvasi Kalyan Parishad, an offshoot of the VHP.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------=
-----

Huts in Juda village in Udaipur
abandoned by Muslims

The lone mosque in Juda village lies
deserted after Muslims left the village

By A Staff Writer
Jaipur: A reign of terror unleashed by tribals in South Rajasthan=20
with the backing of Vanvasi Kalyan Parishad (VKP), which is an=20
offshoot of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), has created panic in the=20
small segment of the Muslim population in Udaipur district, and=20
compelled the Muslim residents to migrate from a tiny village, Juda.=20
The tribal belt is witnessing a dangerous trend as social ties=20
between Muslims and the rest of population are deliberately being=20
disturbed.

The VKP was launched by VHP during the late 1980s with the objective=20
of bringing the tribals into the mainstream of Hinduism. Tribals,=20
according to the VHP, are an important segment of the Hindu society=20
who are =ECVansvasi=EE, the inhabitants of forests. The VKP has been=20
active in the tribal-dominated districts of Udaipur, Sirohi,=20
Dungarpur and Banswara in South Rajasthan.

The VKP, functioning as a Sangh Parivar outfit in the region, has=20
succeeded in driving a wedge in the once peaceful society. Its=20
strategies have always been provocative in nature =F1 instigating the=20
tribals to abuse Muslims, blowing small quarrels out of proportion=20
and provoking tribals to take revenge. The results have been=20
horrific. Tribals have adopted violence as a cult and brazenly turned=20
communal.

In a total population of about 2 lakh in Kotda tehsil of Udaipur=20
district, the Muslim households barely number 500. Muslims live=20
mainly in Kotda, Juda and Bikarni. Tension between tribals and=20
Muslims had been rising over the last two years when roadside=20
scuffles and lootings were reported regularly. This was earlier=20
thought to be the manifestation of criminal tendencies among tribals,=20
as they were traditionally identified with crimes.

The gruesome murder of two Muslims during the last six months for no=20
perceptible reason brought to light the extent of hatred against the=20
Muslim community inculcated among tribals by the VKP activists. While=20
a youth, Yaqub Khan, was murdered ostensibly due to personal enmity,=20
the killing of a small-time shopkeeper, Habib Khan, on the outskirts=20
of Juda, at midnight in the last week of September was clearly a case=20
of revenge over a petty quarrel. Habib Khan was deliberately targeted=20
despite having no connection with the quarrel.

=ECThe murder of Habib Khan was a turning point in the relations=20
between tribals and Muslims=EE, says Dr. Mohammed Sattar, an RMP doctor=20
practising in Juda. A BJP leader from Kotda led a group of VKP=20
activists on September 26th, and toured the area around Juda in a=20
jeep to drum up support for a calculated attack. Following the=20
beating of drums, hundreds of tribals gathered around the hills and=20
resolved to take revenge for an incident in which a tribal youth was=20
injured in a scuffle with Muslims. Since Habib Khan=EDs kirana shop was=20
situated on the outskirts of Juda and the VKP activists knew that he=20
used to sleep alone in the shop during night, he was identified as=20
the target for attack. The 50-year-old man was brutally murdered with=20
swords and arrows. After that, the tribals dispersed under the cover=20
of darkness. Five persons were later arrested in connection with the=20
murder.

The atmosphere of terror had a palpable impact on Hindus as well.=20
Hindus in the village initially tried to stop Muslims from migrating,=20
but the tribals' ferocity led to a few of them also migrating from=20
Juda. The lone mosque in the village today lies abandoned and its=20
Imam too has left=20

The story of the tribal fury did not end with the cold-blooded=20
murder. Even as the incident instilled a feeling of terror and=20
insecurity among the Muslim residents of Juda, it was followed by=20
open threats and abuses by tribals. Consequently, the atmosphere of=20
fear compelled as many as 80 Muslim families to abandon their houses=20
and migrate to nearby towns where their relatives stay. These=20
families have not returned to Juda as yet and an uneasy silence=20
pervades the huts left behind by them. Muslims who are still staying=20
in the village have sent their valuable household goods to other=20
places.

The atmosphere of terror had a palpable impact on Hindus as well.=20
Hindus in the village initially tried to stop Muslims from migrating,=20
but the tribals=ED ferocity led to a few of them also migrating from=20
Juda. The lone mosque in the village today lies abandoned and its=20
Imam too has left. An elderly Muslim leader of Kotda town, Abdul Aziz=20
Khan, points out that the VKP was actively promoted during the=20
eight-year-long BJP rule in Rajasthan. In a bid to provide legitimacy=20
to the Sangh Parivar outfit, the previous BJP government had=20
allocated a number of projects under the tuberculosis control=20
programme, Siksha Karmi Yojana (an education scheme), and Viyalaya=20
Viheen Ikaai (units outside schools) to the VKP for popularising=20
among the tribals.

So the VKP got a pretext to work among tribals and moulded their=20
opinion in support of the communal ideology. Ironically, it is=20
continuing with these government-sponsored schemes even during the=20
present Congress(I) regime. Imaginary tales of Muslims exploiting=20
tribals have been doing the rounds in the region. The stories of=20
Pathan moneylenders, who had settled down in Kotda when the British=20
rulers established their cantonment there, harassing tribals long ago=20
are blown out of proportion to provoke the tribal population.=20
Similarly, unsubstantiated allegations about Muslims forcibly taking=20
away tribal girls are made wildly.

The tribals went to the extent of desecrating the Idgah in Kotda for=20
two consecutive years before the Id prayers. Similarly, the incidents=20
of tribals quarrelling with Muslims for no reason are common.=20
However, despite the disturbing trend, the Muslim community seems to=20
have maintained tremendous restraint. It is evident that the social=20
fabric in which the tribals and others had good relations with each=20
other is disintegrating.

This systematic instigation of tribals against Muslims has political=20
shades as well. The BJP has made all attempts to exploit the=20
situation for its political benefit, especially during the trouble in=20
Juda. The deputy leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly and=20
former minister, Gulab Chand Kataria, and a former BJP MLA from=20
nearby Gogunda, were the first to rush to Juda to extend their=20
support to tribals after Habib Khan=EDs murder.

The analysts here are worried about the tribals turning communal. The=20
VKP seems to have taken up the responsibility for changing the=20
original culture of the tribals. Tribals who had their own beliefs,=20
deities and practices are being brought to the mainstream Hinduism,=20
and in the process they have found Muslims as the new target of their=20
vengeance. VKP has its permanent office in Kotda, where it also runs=20
a school and a hostel for the tribal children.

The atmosphere prevailing in the tribal belt has thrown up a serious=20
challenge to the secular forces. If the right to live as equal=20
citizens, free from intimidation, has been guaranteed by the=20
Constitution, the State government must take urgent steps to protect=20
this right of the small population of Muslims inhabiting the tribal=20
belt.

_____

#9.

JUST PUBLISHED BY PERMANENT BLACK
(Hardback / 390pp / ISBN 81-7824-00 0-9 /Rs 650.00 / Permanent=20
Black's 'Opus 1' Series)
CO-PUBLISHED WITH ST. MARTIN'S PRESS, NEW YORK

Distributed by Orient Longman <http://www.orientlongman.com>
Also available through
Bookpoint <thebookpoint@h...>
Ram Advani Bookseller <radvani@s...>
Manohar Books <manbooks@v...>
DK Distributors <dkpd@d...>

SEXUALITY, OBSCENITY, COMMUNITY
Women, Muslims, and the Hindu Public in Colonial India

CHARU GUPTA

The cultural imagination of Hindu India is the subject of this book.=20
Anyone interested in the prehistory of present-day tensions between=20
Hindus and Muslims will find it valuable.

Charu Gupta shows how gendered notions about women's sexuality and=20
Muslim debauchery were used to pull together a heterogeneous populace=20
into a coherent Hindu community in colonial north India. She traces=20
the deliberations of (largely male) publicists on how to make Hindu=20
women 'pure', on how to distance Hindus from Muslims, and on what=20
constitutes Hindu sacredness and purity as opposed to Islamic lust=20
and perversion.

She examines the redefining of literature, entertainment, and the=20
domestic arena by Hindu publicists intent on forging a 'respectable',=20
'civilised' and singular Hindu cultural and political identity.=20
Semi-pornographic works, advertisements for aphrodisiacs, and popular=20
culture are examined to reveal the complex and contested terrain of=20
Hindi literature and Hindu identity.

Based on a vast number of pamphlets, tracts, newspapers and=20
magazines, this book also examines heightened Hindu communal=20
mobilisations within everyday sites and relationships. Hindu=20
anxieties about their demographic decline are discussed alongside=20
shifting debates on widow remarriage and stereotypical ideas about=20
Muslims.

'=8A this is a solid, important work on Hindu identity and gender=20
issues in north India. It is likely to attract-and merit-a lot of=20
attention.' -VASUDHA DALMIA

'=8A an exceptionally interesting piece of work ... an excellent=20
example of its genre.'-CHRIS BAYLY

'... shows most successfully how gender was central to the=20
establishment of Hindu identity, how deep-seated were the separatist=20
and communal developments which interacted with high politics to=20
create the division of India =8A this is an outstanding piece of=20
research=8A'-FRANCIS ROBINSON

Permanent Black
D-28 Oxford Apartments
11, I.P. Extension
Delhi 110092
phone: (011)-272-1494
website: visit us via www.orientlongman.com

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