[sacw] SACW #2 | 21 Dec. 02

[Harsh Kapoor]

South Asia Citizens Wire #2 | 21 December 2002

__________________________

#1. Modi Thanks Musharraf (I.K.Shukla)
#2. Channel 4 report: Funding Gujurat extremists (Jonathan Miller)
#3. AWAAZ Press Release 12.12.2002 [London, UK]
Withdraw Charitable Status Of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS UK),=20
Vishwa Hindu Parishad (UK) And Their Affiliates
#4. The Campaign to Stop Funding Hate PRESS ADVISORY (12/12/02)
#5. Conference For Communal Amity In Bababudan Giri [Karnataka, India]
#6. New issue of Akhbar
#7. Wrestling with the wind (Sadanand Menon)

__________________________

#1.

MODI THANKS MUSHARRAF
I.K.Shukla

Dear Mian Musharraf:

Tame kem chho? I wanted to write this letter in Arabic or Italian.=20
My proficiency in both these languages is, if I may put it modestly,=20
enviable, though unknown. Being a modest man I hide my=20
accomplishments. But it seems you know neither even though you are a=20
General. On one level we are equals. You call your militant=20
plutocracy democracy. I call my violent theocracy democracy. And,=20
both of us are celebrated as sponsors of terrorism, if not as=20
terrorists.

In Arabic, I am told, you are limited to just Bismillah ar Rahman ar=20
Rahim, and, in Italian, to just molto lieto. Capisce? So, bear with=20
me, forced as I am to write in English my grateful appreciation of=20
your contribution to my success. I will eternally be your bonded=20
slave. Don=92t be scared of me though I am a cynophale always darting=20
fire from my nostrils.

Why do I, perceived widely by Indian Christians as the Anti-Christ=20
and by Muslims as Satan, hasten to tender my humble thanks at your=20
feet, with folded hands, in total earnestness and eternal gratitude?=20
Tame aa wancho, everything will be clear.

Nobody helped me win this electoral battle in Assembly elections as=20
you did. BJP under me was losing election after election in Taluka,=20
Panchayat, and Municipal polls. BJP was losing in state after state=20
at the unholy hustings. It was losing its potency. In fact, it was=20
afraid of losing its raison d=92etre. It was getting dazed and=20
disoriented by the minute and desperate by the hour. Its leaders=20
began tearing their hairs as they went raving mad.

BJP with its kit and caboodle, just to invigorate itself with divine=20
ambrosia, drank bucketfuls of cows=92 urine, hoping the golden liquid=20
to restore their prowess in the electoral ring. With ill luck=20
chasing it unceasingly, it did not work. BJP was aghast.

It tried fabricating another Kargil at the border with massive=20
deployment of our soldiers. Mian, BJP wanted to teach you a lesson.=20
But those godless Christians, I mean the USA, barred its way.

We were running out of our magic formulas and tantric mantras, even=20
as we got busy performing yagya after yagya in city after accursed=20
city. Tons of wood and uncountable kilos of ghee were poured into=20
sacrificial fires by the hirsute pandits to propitiate our=20
thirty-three million gods. Alas, all in vain. While people were dying=20
from starvation, and land was dying from drought, we, the=20
HinduTaliban, were busy feeding tons of grains and maunds of ghee to=20
fire- unavailingly.

(An aside: you must be feeling flattered that we call our terrorists=20
HinduTaliban or VedicTaliban.)

Ayodhya =96 the demolition of Babri Mosque and the campaign for Ram=20
temple in its place - had brought us a humongous hoard of money that=20
we are still busy counting. But these issues as vote-gathering=20
gimmicks were exhausted, and failed to click.

It was then that we, the saffronazis, enacted our Reichstag in=20
Godhra. It yielded the desired result and provided the perfect excuse=20
for launching our pogrom against Muslims that we had planned for=20
years and organized meticulously for. It was easy. It was expedient.=20
It was what we had long trained our cadres for.

We had won via hate and violence in the early nineties when MadVani=92s=20
chariot of fire rolled from Somnath and blazed a trail of slaughter=20
of Muslims all across India. We had to resort to this sure-fire=20
stratagem to retain power, to tear the Constitution, and to demolish=20
the India of Gandhi-Nehru construction. (By the way, in the Hindutva=20
cult, not Jinnah but Gandhi is deemed to be Pakistan=92s Father of the=20
Nation.)

But this was not enough, not effective, having been overused=20
repeatedly in the past. Its novelty was wearing thin, its efficacy=20
getting diluted and fast depleted.

BJP had been busy with stealing and slaughter both on a colossal=20
scale. It ignored governance, it dumped development. In short, it had=20
nothing to show for its tenure in office. All it could do, as our=20
detractors allege, was to commit still more crimes and to indulge in=20
ever more corruption. That was what we wanted power for. We never=20
slackened, we never stinted in our manic drive to kill and steal.=20
Thus we helped ourselves to opulence and the nation to shed its=20
excess population.

But the people would not vote for thieves and assassins, rapists and=20
predators. We had to have a slogan, besides our tridents and swords=20
to drive terror into the hearts of minorities no less than in that of=20
the majority.

It is then that you, Mian Musharraf, came to BJP=92s rescue. You=20
appeared in a dream to me (my ideal dreamer is Idi Amin) and offered=20
to be BJP=92s mascot and magic chant to victory in Gujarat. I kept this=20
secret close to my heart (yes, doctors tell me, I have one too) from=20
the honchos of Hindutva menagerie lest the magic spell should lose=20
its power.

Viola! Hey Presto! Where Hrin Chhrin Phat! and Abracadabra! had=20
failed, where Om Namah Shivaya and Gayatri Mantra had proved damp=20
squibs, where goddesses Kali and Durga had fizzled out, my new found=20
mantra that you imparted me in my dream proved terribly efficacious.=20
My victory rode on it. BJP=92s frazzled fortunes straightened up and=20
won at the hustings, the thought of going to which had made us shit=20
and piss in our dhotis for months after Feb.28, 2002.

The mantra was as simple as it was incredible. But as an honest=20
person, I must confess, it proved to be Rama Bana. It hit the bull=92s=20
eye, straight on target- invincible, irresistible, irreversible. When=20
it won us big, from 118 in the previous assembly to 127 seats in this=20
one, the BJP hierarchs could not believe it, nor could people, nor=20
could I, your humble servant and shoeshine flunkey.

I turned Gujarat into a forest of fire and drowned it in raucous=20
rivers of blood just to win this election. I gored it hard, I grilled=20
it long. It became the wasteland of extermination. It became a=20
graveyard =96 Kabristan, over which I presided. Still I was in dire=20
doubt, BJP was in funk.

But at the end of the day, it was not so much the killing fields of=20
Gujarat but your mantra, that helped me win, that shored up BJP (the=20
Bharat Jalao Party, in case you did not know). Another =93mandate=94 was=20
handed to us Dec. 12 to burn India, to despoil it, pillage it, shred=20
it to bits, and ideally to reduce it to Gujarat.

Humble and grateful to you for ever, I drink the holy water with=20
which I wash your statue (as a Muslim you may object to it as=20
butparasti/idol worship, I understand) and I bedeck your photo with=20
fresh flowers daily. More, General Pervez, there is more. I drink=20
that water before I start my daily routine (the cow urine is now=20
secondary beverage for me) of dutiful grind viz., the habitual=20
horrors that I alone know how to perpetrate best.

The mantra was =93Mian Musharraf=94. I chanted it as per your=20
instructions, dutifully and diligently, non-stop, awake or asleep, in=20
private conversations, in public meetings, in streets, in office, in=20
the toilet, in the bathroom, to bugs in my bed, to lice in my hair.=20
Everything fair in war for a Hindu Rashtra. And, it worked. It worked=20
wonders. BJP is indebted to you.

Thank you, Mian Musharraf. One fascist, in natural affinity and=20
solidarity, came to the rescue of another. We are kin, I discovered=20
belatedly. Alas. The only stipulation from you was that I utter=20
nothing but Mian Musharraf, Mian Musharraf on every occasion, all the=20
time, everywhere, without reason or rhyme, is reply to any question,=20
in response to any situation.

I also realized, as does BJP and the Rashtra Sanharak Sangh with its=20
litter, that Pakistan would keep helping us in more than one way.=20
Don=92t overly worry about Togadia (our official town crier) pledging=20
to change the geography of Pakistan and history of India in two=20
years. BJP needs Pakistan perpetually to survive and bolster itself=20
as no party in India ever did. =93Akhand Bharat=94 incantation=20
perpetually echoes in the grottos of saffronazis. These we can talk=20
about later. Awhile, put up with our high-decibel cult rhetoric of=20
bellicosity against Pakistan. That is for domestic consumption, a=20
profitable tactic.

But today, let me once again, touch your feet fervently,=20
reverentially, and drink its wash humbly and gratefully, and=20
representatively on behalf of BJP, Hindutva, and my NaMo self.

Tamaro aapnuj,

Ghanchi Godse alias Grim Grocer aka ex-Canteen Manager, ex-Caretaker=20
Carnage Monger, also popularly known as the Butcher of Gujarat.

Dec.16, 02

______

#2.

Funding Gujurat extremists
Terrorism

http://www.channel4.com/news/home/z/stories/20021212/guj.html
Published: 12 December 2002
Reporter: Jonathan Miller

Earlier this year riots in Gujarat claimed over a thousand lives -
mostly Muslims killed by Hindus.

Today, as Indians go to the state polls, a special investigation by
Channel 4 News reveals that a high profile British charity has been
raising funds for extreme Hindu groups involved in the massacre.

SEWA International has been praised by Prince Charles and backed by
many prominent British Asians but we show that some of its donations
are channelled directly to Hindu fundamentalists in India.

At a time when the British government is trying to clamp down on the
financing of extremist groups from within Britain, Jonathan Miller
reports on unsuspecting help for violence in India.

Sunday morning in West London and young Hindus are attending a local
branch of the RSS, India's biggest Hindu nationalist group.

Its British arm, the HSS, is a charity registered here for nearly 30
years.

Every week across Britain there are 72 meetings like this one.

Rahul Deolia:
"As most ethnic minority youngsters will tell you it's important to
know who you are and where you come from in order to face the rest of
society that's the way it is and that's how HSS has helped me coming
to Shakha develop a sense of identity."

But is the HSS really just a watered down version of this?

Up to 60 British volunteers, like Rahul, come to India for training
every year on funds raised by the HSS charity.

Critics express concern about the organisation's ideology.

Lord Desai, LSE:
"The RSS is like a fascist youth movement like black shirts or
something like that but perhaps with deeper roots because the RSS has
been there for 75 years plus.

In that time the RSS has evolved a unique and some say potentially
lethal philosophy.

Chetan Bhatt, Goldsmith College, London:
"The core ideas of the RSS are based on an ideology called Hindutva
or Hindu nationalism. This was an idea formed in the 1920s and at the
root of it is the idea that India has to be an exclusive nation
state, where minorities must demonstrate unconditional love and
obedience to the nation. Otherwise they will be converted forcibly or
removed. So for example one popular Hindutva slogan is that Muslims
in India have only two places: Pakistan or Kabristan, Kabristan
meaning the graveyard.

In March, the burning alive of 58 Hindu pilgrims by a Muslim mob in
Gujarat enraged Hindu nationalists.

PV Ruperlia, Secretary HSS (UK):
"It boils up my blood hindus in India have gone through a period of
humiliating subjugation for the past seven hundred years we are
prepared to forgive for that we can not forget it."

The Hindu nationalist backlash was immediate, in the Indian state of
Gujarat more than 2,000 Muslims were killed and several hundred
thousand displaced, in the worst communal disturbance since
partition.

Several inquiries including one by the British High Commission saw
the hand of the RSS and its associated organisations behind the
violence.

Back in Britain, Channel Four News has learned how Special Branch
responded to the Gujarat violence: they started a watching brief on
the HSS.

In addition, the charity commission were alerted to allegations that
money raised for the HSS in Britain might fund communal violence in
India.

In September they announced a formal investigation into the Leicester
based charity.

This is focusing on Sewa International, the HSS's welfare and relief
arm, which raises millions for Indian emergencies and development.

Simon Gillespie, Director of Operations, Charity Commission:
"Our concern is to make sure that any charity directs its funds
properly to that charitable cause to make sure that they are not
misleading donors in the process so we want to make sure there's a
very clear line between the money given here in the UK and the needy
people in Gujarat."

For months Channel Four News has been investigating the activities of
the HSS, how they raise money and what they do with it.

Their appeal for earthquake victims in Gujarat last year raised more
than =A34-million and could hardly have been more high-profile.

It earned the praise of the Prince of Wales whose office wrote
that "the Prince continues to be most impressed by the excellent work
being done by Sewa International (and sends his best wishes to all
the staff and volunteers)."

Sewa recruited four peers as patrons, including President of the
Liberal Democrat Party Lord Dholakia; and Cabinet minister Paul
Boateng attended a fund-raising event.

Many donors are unaware that Sewa International is part of the HSS.
That's because Sewa is not actually a registered charity, it simply
borrows the HSS charity registration number.

Among those who now feel deceived is Lord Adam Patel of Blackburn one
of the patrons in its earthquake appeal.

Lord Adam Patel:
"Well, I was absolutely shocked. They were involved directly or
indirectly in many communal riots, they were involved in the
destruction of the Ayodhya mosque. So I said what's going on? Have I
lent my name to the wrong organisation?"

Channel 4 News:
"But it does appear they have indeed done good work."

Lord Adam Patel:
"If they have I congratulate them, but I don't approve of their
association."

In August, Lord Patel wrote a letter demanding details of Sewa's
links to Hindu nationalist groups in India. When he did not receive
answers, he resigned.

So just what is the money raised by Sewa used for in India?

And what is its connection with Sewa's parent organisation the HSS
and the extremist activities of the RSS in India?

We logged on to the Sewa International website. You can make a
donation by credit card.

Unless you specify a particular cause, Sewa will then pass your money
on to any one of a whole host of projects they support in India - no
doubt many of them good works.

But one of the most high-profile is the Kalyan Ashram, a project to
help the poorest of the poor in India, the tribal people.

The Indian project's website says it's 'dedicated to weaning' tribal
people 'away from the evil influence of foreign missionaries and anti-
national forces'.

We heard about a campaign by Kalyan Ashram to convert thousands of
tribal people to Hinduism in Gujarat.

The conversion campaign started in 1997, the year in which accounts
filed with the Charity Commission show Sewa International began
funding Kalyan Ashram.

Chetan Bhatt, Goldsmith College, London:
"The activities of individuals led to systematic violence for example
attacks on churches the burning down of churches in towards the end
of 1988 and in 1999, increased violence and hostility towards the
Christian population in Gujarat."

When we asked the HSS about this, they provided a statement from
Kalyan Ashram in Gujarat which said: "Kalyan Ashram has never
destroyed any places of worship."

But we wanted to find out whether money given by British donors to
Sewa International, apparently to help the poor in India, could
actually end up funding sectarian violence there.

We sent a team to Gujarat to find out.

There we heard allegations that sectarian violence by Kalyan Ashram
was still going on.

The team went to the Baroda region of Gujarat, scene of some of the
worst violence against Muslims earlier this year.

Fifty-six people were killed here in just a few days, hundreds more
injured, 29 mosques were destroyed, thousands were driven from their
homes.

In village after village, we spoke to several victims who blamed the
violence on Kalyan Ashram. One of them was Mohammed Hajji.

Mohammed Hajji
"We had to run away from our village. This is our house which they
burnt. They looted our property. About a 150 homes were destroyed
here. And this is our mosque which they burned down. We had no fight,
quarrel, problem of any sort with the tribals we used to live
peacefully with them."

That night a Hindu activist who had witnessed Kalyan Ashram
operations at first hand gave us the inside story on the riots. We've
had to protect his identity. He told us the local Kalyan Ashram boss
had organised the attacks in Mohammed Haji 's area.

Hindu activist:
"He threatened the villagers saying that if they didn't join in
provoking the Muslims and burning them, they would also be treated
like Muslims and burnt. And he said the government is on our side,
nothing will happen to you. So the Kalyan Ashram activists gave the
villagers bows and arrows and revolvers and such arms."

When our team went to the Ashram boss's home village his family said
he was on the run from the police.

The police accuse him of leading a mob of 2,000 tribal people in
another big attack.

And in a chilling aside, a local Hindu activist told of Kalyan
Ashram's plans for yet more violence.

Family member:
"The Christians have made a church in our village. We have thought
several times of destroying it. One day we will definitely break it
down."

Retired Indian Supreme Court Judge P.B. Sawant has spent months
hearing evidence for an independent tribunal on the Gujarat violence.
He has no doubts about Kalyan Ashram's role.

P.B. Sawant Retired Supreme Court Judge:
"The organisation called Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram through which the
tribals are being indoctrinated into communal philosophy was roped in
and all those who were trained there were also enrolled for violence."

The President of Kalyan Ashram in Gujarat denied his organisation was
involved in violence.

He also denied any dealings with the HSS and even, at first, with
Sewa International.

Channel 4 News:
"You don't have help from Sewa International?"

Dr RK Shah, President Kalyan Ashram (Gujarat)
"No."

Channel 4 News:
"Because they list you as one of the projects which they sponsor?

A; they were providing assistance and scholarships to students,
school fees, there might be some tribal students who are receiving
from Sewa International.

It turns out Dr Shah's missing worker in Baroda, accused of leading
the violence there, was in charge of tribal students - the work that
Dr Shah suggests is funded by Sewa International.

Justice Sawant is adamant that overseas funding like that from Sewa
International is fuelling sectarian violence in India and that there
must be greater scrutiny.

P.B. Sawant Retired Supreme Court Judge:
"The communal violence that erupted as well as the communal
indoctrination which has been going on all these activities were
being funded by this money that came from Sewa International. They
believe that the money is going for their welfare and rural
development but that is not so. It may be a part of the activities
but much of goes for this communal indoctrination."

Back in Britain Channel Four News spoke to a number of donors to Sewa
International who were surprised by its links to violence.

A Bradford businessman who gave =A37,000.

Mr Madan:
"With that knowledge there's no way one would have contributed
anything at all. We are not allied to or affiliated with or support
any extremist organisations of any sort."

A Wellingborough councillor who helped raise =A330,000.

Mr Crofts:
"Money was raised by schools by other fundraising activities I don't
think people would have given money knowing money was going to the
RSS in India."

But in Leicester, the HSS National Secretary says the charity can't
be held to account for every penny sent to India.

PV Ruperlia, Secretary HSS (UK):
"We totally condemn any form of violence or intimidation against
anyone wherever he is. We raise funds in this country in total good
faith and hand over to the connected parties not only in India but
for other purposes as well and once the funds are given away it is
not always physically humanly possible to keep a track."

The HSS remains a British registered charity -- eligible for tax
breaks, respected by the establishment and recipients of local
authority money.

Channel Four News has compiled a list of councils who have funded the
HSS and Sewa International:

Brent, Newham, Leeds, Bradford, Hillingdon (LOSE), Coventry.

The HSS, all the time, confident that political correctness would
guarantee a steady flow of funds.

Lord Desai:
"The host society, the British white society does not understand
enough about this and they don't want to interfere they feel it would
be racist to stop these kind of fund raising, who are they to stop
the RSS raising money here they are so worried about the charge of
racism they suspend their critical judgement."

The Charity Commission has told us they believe the HSS is complying
with their rules of accounting, but the allegations of deception and
involvement in violence that we've discovered have not yet formed any
part of their investigation.

Tomorrow we will be presenting them with this dossier of evidence
obtained in compiling our report.

______

#3.

AWAAZ PRESS RELEASE 12.12.2002 [London, UK]

WITHDRAW CHARITABLE STATUS OF HINDU SWAYAMSEVAK SANGH (HSS UK),=20
VISHWA HINDU PARISHAD (UK) AND THEIR AFFILIATES

Channel 4 News (Funding Gujarat Extremists, Channel 4 News, 12=20
December 2002;=A0 www.channel4.com/news) broadcast today on national=20
television in the UK exposed financial and political links between=20
extremist UK Hindu groups and Indian fascist paramilitary=20
organisations that are at the forefront of organised violence and=20
atrocities against Christian and Muslim minorities in Gujarat. Funds=20
collected in the UK under the guise of charitable relief and=20
development were being sent to extremist Hindu organisations, such as=20
the Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram (VKA), in India.=A0

The special investigation presented claims and evidence that the=20
Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram (VKA) orchestrated violence against Christians=20
in the Dangs district of Gujarat in 1998-1999, and against Muslims in=20
Baroda in 2002. The programme also showed Hindu activists describing=20
how the VKA wanted to destroy a church. Fundraising for the Indian=20
VKA is a special project of the UK-based SEWA International. The=20
head of the Gujarat VKA confirmed in the programme that the VKA=20
receives funds from SEWA International.

Awaaz =AD south Asia Watch, a secular group set up to monitor and=20
combat the problem of religious hatred and fascism both in the UK and=20
South Asia, demands that:

=85 The Charity Commission withdraws the charitable status of the HSS=20
UK and all its affiliated organisations.=A0

=85 The local and public sector authorities cease funding of the HSS=20
UK, the VHP UK and their affiliated organisations and withdraw=20
patronage and material support for HSS and VHP branch meetings and=20
events.

=85 Local authorities ensure that only non-sectarian Asian=20
organisations are commissioned to provide social, welfare, youth and=20
educational services and social care for Hindu groups.

=85 All publicly funded Hindu organisations are probed to ascertain=20
that they are not affiliated to the HSS, VHP or their affiliated=20
organisations.=A0=A0

=85 UK political parties, and their representatives, including=20
Ministers, Lords, MPs and Councillors, refuse political=20
accommodation, patronage, endorsement, or support for the HSS, the=20
VHP and all their affiliated organisations.=A0

=85 Academic institutions, including student bodies, refuse to endorse=20
or support the HSS-affiliated National Hindu Students Forum.=A0

We further urge all donors to make sure that they are not supporting=20
organisations that back violence in India.

Issued by Awaaz =AD South Asia Watch. AWAAZ-South Asia Watch is a=20
secular group set up to monitor and combat the problem of religious=20
hatred and fascism both in the UK and South Asia. Although newly=20
established, it has already secured support from leading civil rights=20
and community organisation such as Aaaj Kay Naam, Asian Women=B9s=20
Refuge, Campaign Against Racism and Fascism (CARF), Dalit Forum for=20
Social Justice (UK), India Forum, Indian Muslim Federation, Indian=20
Muslim Council, Muslim Parliament, National Civil Rights Movement,=20
SEWA Southall, Southall Black Sisters, Socialist Alliance, The=20
Monitoring Group and many more. Ring Dr. Gautam Appa 020 7568 9803=20
for queries

_____

#4.

The Campaign to Stop Funding Hate
P.O. Box 20136 Stanford CA 94309

PRESS ADVISORY
[...]
News From the UK
Channel 4 Report on Hindutva=B9s Foreign Funding from the UK:
Report Links Sewa International and IDRF Funded Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram=20
Directly to Violence

At 7 PM (GMT) 12/12/02 Channel 4=B9s main News Report of the day=20
carried a detailed story on the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS =AD the=20
RSS=B9s Overseas Wing), Sewa International (one of the Sangh=B9s flagship=20
Seva Vibhag units and main front in the UK) and its funding of the=20
Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram (VKA), implicating the latter (VKA) in the=20
anti-minority violence of March-April 2002. Segments of the=20
transcript are available at:=20
http://www.channel4.com/news/home/z/stories/20021212/guj.html and the=20
full video can be seen at:=20
http://www.channel4.com/news/home/z/stories/20021212/4guj.ram. In an=20
investigation that spanned the UK and Gujarat, India, Channel 4=20
reporters uncovered the following salient facts:

1. The HSS and Sewa International are part of the Sangh Parivar. The=20
Sewa International has no claims to being an independent entity=20
unconnected to the Sangh because for all its donation transactions it=20
has simply borrowed the HSS=B9s charity account number.
2. The Sewa International (SI) funds the Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram in Gujarat.
3. The Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram in Gujarat is directly implicated in the=20
February-March 2002 anti-muslim pogrom. The news report documents=20
"forensic" evidence (by way of an FIR) that implicates a leading=20
member of the VKA, who is currently "on the run from the police," as=20
"leading a mob of 2,000 tribal people" in an attack on muslim=20
minorities. Further, the story also reports that the VKA leader=20
"threatened the villagers saying that if they didn't join in=20
provoking the Muslims and burning them, they would also be treated=20
like Muslims and burnt."
4. The report also documents how mainstream, respectable=20
organizations have unwittingly supported the SI, and through it the=20
activities of the Sangh, without being fully aware of how the money=20
was being used. SI has been praised by Prince Charles, has recruited=20
four peers as patrons, and has been supported by schools and councils=20
across Britain. Many of its supporters, when confronted with the=20
knowledge of its activities in India, expressed surprise at its=20
connections with the Sangh and remorse at having been associated with=20
it.

The Channel 4 report is a direct confirmation of the evidence=20
and conclusions arrived at by the Campaign to Stop Funding Hate=20
(CSFH). On November 20th a report jointly published by SACW and=20
Sabrang Communications had also linked the India Development and=20
Relief Fund (IDRF), a Maryland, US based charity, with sectarian hate=20
and violence in India and pointed to exactly the same organization =AD=20
the Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram -- as one of IDRF=B9s most significant fund=20
recipients. The Campaign also has maintained that IDRF=B9s claim of=20
being unconnected to the Sangh is fundamentally misleading. IDRF and=20
its affiliates in the US have tried to deny any links to sectarian=20
hate by repeating an unsubstantiated claim that they only fund=20
development. The Channel 4 report is an independent corroboration of=20
the Campaign to Stop Funding Hate=B9s conclusion that IDRF funds=20
sectarian hate programs in India.=A0

With the clear implication of IDRF and SI in the funding of=20
the Sangh and the IDRF/SI funded Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram in the program=20
of sectarianism and violence in India, the IDRF stands completely=20
exposed. As clearly documented in "The Foreign Exchange of Hate" IDRF=20
lists Sewa International as =8CIDRF India=B9 and Shyam Parande, the=20
General Secretary of Sewa International, as IDRF Advisor in India=20
(http://www.idrf.org/contacts/contacts.htm#india ). Further, the=20
Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, Gujarat is one of the nine organizations=20
listed in IDRF=B9s tax exemption application with the US Federal=20
government. The Channel 4 report not only implicates the VKA,=20
Gujarat in the violence but also suggests that the absconding VKA=20
leader is himself the person in charge of the work done with the=20
foreign funds.=A0

Responding to the news of the Channel 4 report, Shalini Gera=20
of the Campaign to Stop Funding Hate said: "The evidentiary loop is=20
complete. This far IDRF=B9s only defense was to distance itself from=20
the violence. Now with this report it is time for it to face up to=20
its direct links to the funding of violence." The Campaign to Stop=20
Funding Hate joins its secular compatriots in Awaaz, UK in demanding=20
that the Charity Commissioner of UK withdraw the Sangh=B9s status as a=20
charity as well as renews its demands with MNC=B9s in the US to strike=20
IDRF from its list of charities. As Ali Mir, a member of the CSFH put=20
it: "the case is sealed."

The Channel 4 report is produced by Rob Lemkin=20
(rl@o...) and Arlen Harris=20
(arlen@h...).

_____

#5.

CONFERENCE FOR COMMUNAL AMITY IN BABABUDAN GIRI

This is from and on behalf of the organisers of "Conference for=20
communal amity in Bababudan Giri" - a group of progressive=20
organisations, human right groups,
University and college teachers, writers, intellectuals of Karnataka,=20
aimed at protesting against the move of the Sangh parivar to create=20
communal tension in
Chikmagalur District of Karnataka.

Chikmagalur town is the district head quarters, about 200 km from=20
Bangalore. Chikmagalur is surrounded by a range of hills, which mark=20
the beginning of Western
Ghats in Karnataka. Bababudan shrine is atop one such hill, and was=20
established by a Sufi Saint named Dada Hiat Mir Kalandar, supposed to=20
be a direct disciple of
the Prophet. But the darga is revered by Hindus equally, as the abode=20
of Dattatreya, the configuration of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. The=20
Dattatreya tradition has a
long history in Karnataka, a part of the Awadhut tradition that=20
upholds a formless god and sternly condemns caste and the sacrificial=20
religious system of the Brahmin
priests. There is also a long tradition here of the Dattatreya and=20
Sufism going hand in hand as indicated by the fact that Dada Hayat=20
and Dattatreya have become
interchangeable. There are innumerable local stories that sing the=20
praise of both and express their admiration for Dada hayat and=20
Dattatreya. Over the centuries,
various Muslim as well as Hindu rulers patronised the dargah,=20
endowing it with wealth and land. Thus the Hindu or Muslim character=20
of the dargah was never an issue. In fact the
very name of the shrine bears witness to this: Sri Dattatreya swami=20
Baba Budhan Peetha. While Muslims saw Dada Hayat as a Muslim saint,=20
some Hindus saw him as an
incarnation of their god Dattatreya. But there is no record till=20
recently of this becoming a source of communal conflict.

It was only from 1980s, in the wake of the Hindutva agitation to=20
demolish the Babri Masjid; the Karnataka unit of VHP launched a=20
campaign for the 'liberation' of the
dargah of Dada Hayat. It set up a Datta Peetha Samrakshana Samiti and=20
in 1989 it conducted a puja to Dattatreya outside the cave (in which=20
Dada Hayat shrine is
located). Following the destruction of the Babri Masjid, the VHP got=20
further emboldened and since then it is trying to conduct Dattatreya=20
Jayanthi Utsav every year
in December. It even conducted a rath yatra by bringing thousands of=20
innocent Hindus as well as bajrang dal members raising Hindu passions=20
against Muslims in the
name of liberating the dargah from Muslim control. Pleas to ban the=20
rath yatra were turned down by the non-BJP state government. The=20
Bajrang Dal tore down the green
flags fluttering near the dargah and in their place hoisted saffron=20
Hindutva flags. The police and the local administration remained mute=20
spectators to this
vandalism. This year the VHP and other outfits of the Sangh Parivar=20
came with an ingenious idea: to convene a Datta Male programme=20
wherein the Hindus were told to wear saffron robes
and rosaries and march to the "Datta Peetha" as they do in case of=20
the Sabari malai. It was a clear imitation of the Sabari Malai=20
ritual. Thousands of Hindu youth,
including dalits and OBCs were involved in this programme. The=20
district administration of the present day Congress Govt officially=20
received the first batch of these
devotees. The protests went in vain. This is a clear case where in=20
the Datta Peetha is being used to test the political waters in=20
Karnataka and there are clear
indications that this place is becoming a testing ground for the BJP=20
to bring a Gujarat like situation by whipping up religious passions=20
for narrow political
gains. Chikmagalur and Baba Budan Hills are home to rich coffee=20
plantations (it is said that the Coffee seeds were brought for the=20
first time to this place by Baba
Hayat from Arabia). Because of steep fall in Coffee prices, there is=20
a lot of distress and unemployment in this area and the Sangh parivar=20
is using this crisis to its advantage.
Already two high level meetings, chaired by Union Minister Ananth=20
Kumar, have been convened at Chikmagalur to address the coffee=20
growers woes. Thus, politically,
socially and economically the situation in Chikmagalur has come handy=20
for the Sangh Parivar people to exploit the situation for their=20
advantage. They are planning to
hold 'Datta Jayanthi' on December 19 in a big way. Their demand is=20
complete control (liberation) of the datta peetha. They have=20
announced that if the government does
not hand over the shrine to them, they would resort to 'direct=20
confrontation' leading to a 'blood bath' (Asian Age, Bangalore, 27=20
November, 1998). The government of
Karnataka over the years has become a silent witness to these=20
activities by allowing it to take out the rath yatra and conduct puja=20
in the shrine. At best, it has,
as usual, looked at this as a mere law and order problem.

However, several secular and left groups have been raising their=20
voices of protest against the corruption of an ancient tradition,=20
which was known for its communal
amity. These and related issues were discussed recently in Shimoga on=20
November 24. The meeting was attended by the representatives of=20
several progressive and secular
organisations and individuals. Another meeting was held again on=20
December 8th to form the co-ordination committee of Bababudan Giri=20
harmony convention. The meeting
decided to observe December 29 as Baba Budan Giri Harmony Convention=20
and hold a massive public meeting of all the secular and=20
anti-communal forces/organisations.
This is going to be a historical event and a powerful statement=20
against the wicked moves of the Parivar to use Baba Budan Giri as its=20
launching pad for its political
game. We invite all of you and your friends to participate in this=20
Convention and join hands to prevent the Parivar from going about its=20
activities.
The present Convention is a major attempt by a large group of various=20
individuals and organisations to come together on a common platform=20
to expose the fascist and
communal agenda of the Sangh parivar. The convention, besides Swami=20
Agnivesh, will be attended by the pontiffs of two major communities=20
in Karnataka: the lingayats
and vokkaligas. The revolutionary poet, Gaddar from Andhra will also=20
be present.

The date chosen for the Convention is significant. It is the birthday=20
of one of Kannada's greatest poets, KUVEMPU, who gave the clarion=20
call for universal
brotherhood with his celebrated message of 'Universal Man'. His has=20
been the sharpest voice against the priestly class and hence it is=20
befitting that Dec. 29 is
observed as the day of Communal Harmony. Do come and participate.

Please disseminate this information among your friends and organisations.
Please convene meetings to discuss this issue in greater detail and=20
lend your support for the Dec 29 meeting.
Participate in the convention in big numbers.

As the convention requires more than 3 lakh rupees and the resources=20
for this convention will have to be mobilized from the public, we=20
request you to contribute as
much as you can. Crossed Cheques and DDs can be addressed 'Bababudan=20
Giri harmony convention co-ordination committee chikkamagalur'. You=20
can send the same to the
addresses mentioned below*.

We are trying to mobilise all progressive and secular forces in the=20
state. We had a meeting of the representatives of various dalit,=20
women and youth organisations
on 8th of this month. Their presence would send the right signals to=20
the people of our state. Please pass this information on to them and=20
request them on our behalf
to consider our invitation positively.

For further information, please contact Ahobalapathy-KVR (Chief=20
co-coordinator) souhardagiri2002@r... 0818-222770.
Dr. Vasu at: vasuhv@r...
Or Sreedhara, at 080-6507505 (sreedhara@v...) or Dr Rajendra=20
Chenni at: 08182-79370. (rajchenni@h...)
* Contact address: Ahobalapathy C/O K.L.Ashok-KVR behind=20
veerabhadreswara theatre. Loordu nagar, Shimoga, Karnataka.

With thanks and regards,

Presidential committee.(provisional)
Prof.G.K.Govidaral, Dr.G.Ramakrishna, Prof.K.Ramdas, Devanooru=20
Mahadeva, Prof. Hassan Mansoor, Kadidalu Shamanna, K.V.Subbanna,=20
Kalkuli Vittal Hegde, Prof. B.V.Veerabhadrappa.

Working committee.(provisional)
Ahobalapathy-KVR.---Chief convenor.
Prof.Rajendra Chenni, Prof. K.Phaniraj, Prof. Rahamth Tareekere,=20
Prof. J.Sadananada,Basavaraj Soolibavi, Vai.Ga. Jagadeesh, Nempe=20
Devaraj, Hoovappa, Ramu Kouli,
Hemakka, Siraj Ahmes, Sarja shankara Haraleematha, Abdul Wahab,=20
K.L.Ashok, Dr, Vasu, K.P.Sreepaala, Rudraiah, K.M. Gopal, Rajaratnam,=20
Parshuram Kalaal.K.Gireesh,Bhadravathi Manjunath, N.Manjula.

_____

#6.

The new issue of Akhbar, your window on south Asia, is out.

It can be accessed at:
www.indowindow.com/akhbar/

_____

#7.

The Hindustan Times
Saturday, December 21, 2002=A0
=A0
Wrestling with the wind
Sadanand Menon
>From where we are in India, it is easy to identify with the concerns=20
over the resurgence of the rabid Right-wing in Germany.

Like the deadly radioactive Plutonium particle with an extended=20
half-life, the Nazi bug has no territorial limitations and exhibits=20
an ability to survive long gestation.

If the German Nazi party was born in 1919 and the Italian Fascist=20
Party in 1922, let us not forget that RSS came into being in 1925.=20
Subsequent to the Montague-Chelmsford Reforms, they gleefully jumped=20
into the spiral of escalating competitive communal mobilisation (the=20
Shuddhi and Sangathana among Hindus and the Tabligh and Tanzim among=20
Muslims) and set about their task of rapidly harnessing communal=20
prejudice and injecting hatred against the minorities.

The Gujarat elections, where the Sangh parivar has revealed its real,=20
consolidated face for the first time after an orgy of remorseless,=20
unrepentant violence against Muslims, prove that even if they had=20
lost, their social consolidation has already won them many invisible=20
victories.

Communalism is merely the Trojan Horse in whose belly is hidden the=20
real monster called =8CState authoritarianism=B9. The majority community=20
in whose name unspeakable crimes are being daily committed, are=20
destined to be the real targets of a newly muscularised State. But=20
they still do not know it, choosing naively to believe that a Hindu=20
Rashtra will be their benefactor.

An ill wind blows no one any good. And an ill wind is blowing across=20
our land. How does one combat this? How does one wrestle with the=20
wind? [...]
http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/printedition/211202/detIDE01.shtml

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