[sacw] SACW #2 | 22 Jan. 03

Harsh Kapoor aiindex@mnet.fr
Wed, 22 Jan 2003 04:04:18 +0100


South Asia Citizens Wire #2 | 22 January 2003

__________________________

#1. Politics of exclusion-inclusion: A confused policy on Non=20
Resident Indians (Praful Bidwai)
#2. India, or Hindu Rashtra? (Ram Puniyani)
#3. India today: Moving towards fundamentalism (Humera Niazi)
#4. History's images (Rajmohan Gandhi)
#5. AIDWA's Letter to Sonia Gandhi
#6. Press Release - Bharawan struggle for right to information
#7. India's Hate mongers at Work:

__________________________

#1.

The Daily Star (Dhaka), 22 January 2003

Politics of exclusion-inclusion: A confused policy on NRIs

Praful Bidwai, writes from New Delhi
Our leaders prattle on about vasudhaiva kutumbakam (the world is our=20
family). But the government says it will grant citizenship only to=20
4.5 million of our 20-odd million PIOs, in the US, Canada, Australia,=20
Singapore and the European Union. At work here are incompatible=20
notions of inclusion and exclusion. Can we extend citizenship to=20
foreign nationals, but deny rights to those who, we vehemently claim,=20
are our citizens -- Kashmiris from the Valley, Muslims from Gujarat?=20
What, apart from "dollar apartheid", explains the exclusion of=20
countries with the strongest, richest, continuity with India, like=20
Mauritius, Fiji, Surinam, Guyana?

INDIA'S public is witnessing three bizarre contradictions. The=20
government organises a gigantic Pravasi festival to felicitate=20
Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) living in 130 countries. This=20
celebration, with lavish banquets, ends at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

But the same government impounds the passports of Kashmiris=20
--Hurriyat Conference leaders.

Our ministers speak in high tones of India's inclusiveness. But the=20
Home Minister threatens a witchhunt of people merely suspected to be=20
"foreigners". Mr Advani's target, unsupported by evidence, is 15=20
million Bangladeshis living "illegally", besides 11,500 Pakistanis,=20
who will be summarily deported.

Third, our leaders prattle on about vasudhaiva kutumbakam (the world=20
is our family). But the government says it will grant citizenship=20
only to 4.5 million of our 20-odd million PIOs, in the US, Canada,=20
Australia, Singapore and the European Union.

At work here are incompatible notions of inclusion and exclusion. Can=20
we extend citizenship to foreign nationals, but deny rights to those=20
who, we vehemently claim, are our citizens -- Kashmiris from the=20
Valley, Muslims from Gujarat?

What, apart from "dollar apartheid", explains the exclusion of=20
countries with the strongest, richest, continuity with India, like=20
Mauritius, Fiji, Surinam, Guyana?

There are other problems--in the PIOs' description as India's=20
"diaspora"; in Mr Vajpayee's celebration of PIOs as "catalysts of=20
change", and in the notion that they will eagerly "bring in=20
investment".

Ms Fatima Meer, the great African National Congress stalwart,=20
questions the term "diaspora". She says it has "Zionist=20
connotations", including the "homeland" idea. Indians living overseas=20
claim no "homeland".

"We are not an Indian diaspora... We have struggled long and hard to=20
be called South African," says Ms Meer. "The last racist South=20
African government even offered PIOs free passage to India". They=20
flatly refused.

PIOs comprise four distinct groups. Oldest are 19th century=20
"indentured" labour. Second are the one million-plus Indians who went=20
to Britain in the last century, some via East Africa--mostly=20
shopkeepers, blue-collar workers and postal clerks.

The third group comprises post-1973 Gulf migrants--without full=20
residency rights. The fourth consists of affluent professionals and=20
businessmen who migrated to the US, Canada and Western Europe from=20
the mid-1960s onwards.

The jarring note in the recent celebrations was the obsession with=20
the last group, and discrimination against the others.

Mr Vajpayee called PIOs "catalysts of change". Change where? Not in=20
India. Silicon Valley PIOs have doubtless contributed to information=20
technology, and Amartya Sen and VS Naipaul have distinguished=20
themselves. But their contributions aren't residence-specific.

Third, PIOs possess enormous wealth. Their collective annual income=20
is $160 billion, or almost half of India's GDP. But they account for=20
a mere nine percent of total investment flows into India, and four=20
percent of foreign direct investment.

By contrast, humble Gulf-based workers remitted four times more=20
money. Without this, India's economy couldn't have survived the=20
1970s' oil-shocks.

Affluent NRIs, like Swaraj Paul, Lakshmi Mittal, and Hinduja, invest=20
in India out of the profit motive, not patriotism. Mr Mittal, the=20
world's richest (non)Indian, says: "[The] government should not look=20
at $50 billion from NRIs... it should look at $500 billion from MNCs.=20
I don't think any NRI would invest ... because of emotional=20
attachment ... they want returns... I love my country ...

But I must get returns as well".

In 1990-91, NRI/PIOs suddenly withdrew $1.5 billion from Indian=20
banks, plunging this economy into a crisis. It is unrealistic to=20
expect PIOs to turn India into a "knowledge superpower" -- any more=20
than Mr Bill Gates.

What of dual citizenship? Citizenship isn't about passports,=20
residence, even emotional bonds. It is about participating in the=20
life of the nation, as members of its polis, or political community.=20
Citizenship isn't a bargain over investment. It's about universal=20
rights for all citizens.

The "PIO Card" is pragmatic insofar as it permits a non-citizen=20
certain conveniences for 10 years -- in return for $500. But=20
citizenship is different.

Dual citizenship may not even be practical. Many nations don't accept=20
the concept. Most democracies define rights in non-ethnic terms.

Why does the government so pamper affluent NRIs/PIOs from the OECD?=20
The answer is the BJP's national-chauvinist politics. The BJP always=20
prefers short-term, Right-wing, money-driven solutions. In the=20
present case, it has a special interest in promoting North American=20
and Briltish PIOs. They are its principal source of funds.

This is meticulously documented by the Campaign to Stop Funding Hate.=20
It traces donations collected by a BJP-RSS front, India Development=20
and Relief Fund, from US companies, for the VHP in Gujarat. Britain's=20
Channel 4 and Charity Commission too have found such links.

These shadowy links are part of the sangh parivar's international=20
network. Yet, the parivar drums up xenophobia, e.g. against Ms Sonia=20
Gandhi.

A rift was noticeable at the Pravasi "jamboree". On one side were=20
OECD-based businessmen who admiringly heard the likes of Mr Advani=20
defining Indianness solely via Hindutva. His offensive statement=20
about every Indian having Ram and Sita engraved in his/her heart=20
brought a sharp reaction from Nadira, V.S. Naipaul's wife, who is=20
sympathetic to Hindutva. Panchajanya editor Tarun Vijay loutishly=20
attacked Nadira as a "Non-Resident Pakistani".

On the other side were liberal-Left scholars like Amartya Sen and=20
Meghnad Desai, who stressed Indian culture's inclusiveness. Sen=20
brilliantly argued against the kupamanduk (frog-in-the-well)=20
attitude. He said some of Ancient India's greatest accomplishments=20
were the result of interaction with China, Arabia, Greece and Rome.

Nadira rebuffed Vijay: she was born in Kenya, carried a British=20
passport, and was married to a Trinidad Brahmin. She said the=20
exchange reminded her of Pakistan: "When I questioned Islamabad's=20
human rights record ..., they attacked me ...[and] ridiculed me for=20
not knowing Urdu, and they said I was sympathetic to Hindus ..."

Is this the kind of intolerance that we should emulate? Should we=20
counter mad mullahs through imbecile sadhus? Should we, like Mr=20
Narendra Modi, study how Pakistan's madrassas work--to create "Hindu"=20
schools of violence? Isn't it time to reject insane politics?

Praful Bidwai is an eminent Indian columnist.

______

#2.

The Milli Gazette
22 January 2003

India, or Hindu Rashtra?

Politicians are governed by innumerable compulsions. At times their=20
goals, agendas and purposes cannot easily be discerned from what=20
they say. Often they do state exactly opposite of what they mean.

Deputy prime minister LK Advani, while replying to the debate in the=20
Lok Sabha (November 18, 2002) said that "India will never be=20
converted into a Hindu state and is deeply committed to secularism=20
which has been spelt out clearly in the Constitution."

One may ask if BJP is not working for Hindu Rashtra, then what is it=20
doing in the political arena. BJP is the political progeny of RSS,=20
whose goal it is to bring in Hindu Rashtra, and if possible to=20
extend the frontiers of this Hindu Rashtra to areas where once Hindu=20
kings ruled, and till Afghanistan, Burma and Sri Lanka are occupied=20
by Indian forces to form Akhand Bharat (indivisible India). One is=20
clear that this Akhand Bharat is not an association of nations or a=20
democratic union of nations and peoples like the European Union. It=20
is the restoration of Hindu rule to areas where at one time the=20
glorious Hindu kings hoisted their flags.

BJP, and its siblings like VHP and Adivasi Kalyan Ashram are=20
centrally controlled by trained volunteers of RSS (swayamsevaks)=20
whose primary loyalty is to the RSS and its goal of Hindu Rashtra=20
and its ideology of Hindutva, whose underpinnings are in Brahminical=20
Hinduism. Many a times it appears that the Togadias, Singhals and=20
Vajpayees are at loggerheads with each other. That may not always be=20
a correct estimate, however.

Vajpayee clarified this point while reiterating the Election=20
Commission's order of ban on VHP's yatra from Godhra (November 17,=20
2002). While talking on the recalcitrance of Togadia, he pointed out=20
that even Togadia was only doing his duty. The different members of=20
this family, Sangh Parivar, have to play different, sometimes=20
contradictory tunes, but all as a part of an orchestra being=20
conducted by its bandmaster, the RSS. So, at a deeper level there is=20
no contradiction. Both the prime minister, in asking for a ban on=20
VHP yatra and the International General Secretary of VHP in defying=20
the order in a symbolic way are supplementing each other in the=20
overall grand symphony written and conducted by the RSS.

Togadia, Thackeray and Company, though branded by some as India's=20
loony right, are vehemently asserting that enemies of the Hindu=20
Nation will be properly dealt with. The parivar's close cousin, Bal=20
Thackeray, has gone on to even openly defy the Constitution and law=20
by calling for suicide squads to deal with terrorism. This is a bit=20
surprising as the call is being given at a time when the "most=20
nationalistic" (Hindu nationalist, not Indian nationalist)=20
government is supervising the destiny of the land. Most of the wings=20
of Sangh Parivar feel suffocated if the oxygen of Hindu Rashtra is=20
not administered to them for even a brief while. In this scenario=20
these words coming from Advani smack of deceit.

Just to recall, BJP was formed on the plank of "Gandhian socialism."=20
(Please don't take it as a joke.) And it was a miserable failure at=20
the hustings till Advani gave a political veneer to the apparently=20
religious movement of Ram Janmabhoomi. That movement gave ample=20
opportunities to the warriors of Hindu Rashtra to use Lord Ram=20
himself for vote, to spread venom against minorities and to=20
consolidate a section of Hindu community for electoral purposes. The=20
section, which could not distinguish between Gandhi's Hinduism and=20
Hindu Mahasabha-RSS's Hindutva, between composite nationalism, the=20
secular democratic nationalism emerging from the freedom struggle=20
and the Hindu Rashtra, the battle cry of those who remained aloof=20
from freedom struggle, did get drawn into this movement. During this=20
period the same Advani redefined the outlines of Hindu Nation. The=20
same Advani who said last fortnight that India was a secular state,=20
was then talking of Hindu Rashtra. Talking with a forked tongue=20
comes easy to the parivar.

The minions of the parivar learnt the word from Advani himself.=20
Parivar associates like Bal Thackeray, whose tirades against South=20
Indians, Gujaratis and others had begun to lose their venom, found=20
this new mantra effective for creating hatred against minorities and=20
mobilise Hindu vote. Hindu Rashtra became a household word courtesy=20
Advani. In a way, this also built up not only BJP but also raised=20
his own status. It also brought into focus the Singhals,=20
mobile-wielding mahants and a host of Togadia clones. The RSS could=20
not have been happier.

It felt its labour of last seven decades rewarded. The soil which=20
was made fertile by the regular toil of hate ideology started giving=20
the crop of votes to its progeny.

=AF Ram Puniyani

____

#3.

The News International
January 22, 2003

India today: Moving towards fundamentalism

Humera Niazi
http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/jan2003-daily/22-01-2003/oped/o4.htm

____

#4.

The Hindustan Times
Wednesday, January 22, 2003
http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/printedition/220103/detIDE01.shtml

History's images
Rajmohan Gandhi
King the voter certainly is. But he is neither judge nor historian.=20
He has installed Narendra Modi in office, but the verdicts of judges=20
and historians are in the lap of the future.

Let me focus first on two images for history. One is of Modi flashing=20
with his fingers a 'V' sign and from his face a smile of triumph.=20
This image, brightened with garlands, is available in dozens of still=20
and moving pictures. Let's call it Satisfaction.

The other image, also from Gujarat, is single and still. It is a=20
photograph, known to many, of a young man with tears in his eyes and=20
horror on his face, his palms brought together in a prayer for mercy=20
to unseen attackers in front of him. Begging yet not cowering or=20
trying to hide, traumatised yet not terrorised, he appears to be=20
grieving for lives already lost and pleading for threatened remaining=20
lives.

His plea seems to be for lives other than his own, and for souls=20
other than his own, including, so one imagines, of the enraged group=20
facing him.

Perhaps I am wrong, but Plea for Mercy, as we may call this image,=20
(reproduced in some reviews of the year that has gone and on the=20
cover of a book on Gujarat) is likely to outlast Satisfaction as a=20
symbol of Gujarat 2002.

In history, king-like and queen-like voters, moved by a variety of=20
considerations, have not always voted against riots. When, along with=20
the rest of the country, Delhi voted in end-1984 for Rajiv Gandhi,=20
the vote was not an endorsement of the massacre of Sikhs that had=20
followed Indira Gandhi's assassination. Just as no one in Delhi today=20
defends the 1984 massacre of Sikhs, the future may see Gujarat also=20
expressing its opinion against the 2002 pogrom.

Nor have voters always voted against risky ideologies. In the 1920s=20
and the 1930s, a great many Italians and Germans famously ignored=20
ominous signs and voted for Mussolini and Hitler. They thought that=20
fascism or Nazism would bring order, restore national pride, keep=20
communism at bay, and put in their place the Jews, who, thanks to=20
sustained propaganda, had become a suspected and hated minority.

Today, some decades, true, after the Holocaust, the Second World War=20
and their defeat, Hitler and Mussolini are not seen by many Germans=20
or Italians as symbols of national pride, though they continue to=20
have some fans in India.

Similarly, time may suggest to Gujaratis that what hurt Gujarat's=20
pride in 2002 was the cruelty that produced the Plea for Mercy image.=20
The media, NGOs, and Sonia Gandhi did not injure Gujarat's gaurav.=20
The killings damaged it, as did the unwillingness of the state=20
government to deter or punish the killers. And what saved Gujarat's=20
prestige from greater shattering was the brave if often unavailing=20
effort of numerous Gujaratis to protect the threatened and=20
rehabilitate the uprooted.

Will history also say that in 2002, liberal or moderate Islam failed=20
to rise to the occasion, and that, likewise, secular India failed in=20
a crisis?

A global sweep could warrant such a conclusion. In many parts of the=20
world, moderate Islam has failed to supplant an angry or fiery Islam;=20
anti-Indian sentiments seem strong in our Muslim neighbour, Pakistan;=20
non-Muslim minorities are discriminated against in many=20
Muslim-majority countries.

As for secular India, it failed to set aside power clashes or the=20
loaves of office even at the critical moment. While the Congress, the=20
Samajwadi Party and the NCP could not agree on power-sharing, the=20
BJP's NDA allies, some of them sworn to defend India's secular=20
fabric, lost their tongue, looked the other way when Gujarat=20
happened, and made sure their wallets were intact.

History may say this and more, but it is also likely to make a=20
distinction between the role of the weak and that of the strong. In=20
upholding the Constitution and the honour of India, the=20
responsibility of the man in power, of the man satisfied, is greater=20
than that of the one pleading for mercy. Some years hence, a=20
realisation that, aided by State power, an overwhelmingly large=20
majority intimidated a minority to plead for mercy may occasion=20
embarrassment more than pride.

In Kashmir, the Muslim majority is on its honour, as are the security=20
forces of the Indian State. In Bangladesh, where Hindus are=20
vulnerable, the Muslim majority is on its honour. In Gujarat and the=20
bulk of India, that responsibility rests principally with governments=20
and with the Hindus. The guilt in Gujarat 2002 lay not with moderate=20
Islam but with hard Hindutva.

Let me now offer two images from history. When, decades ago (in=20
October 1946), the Hindus of Noakhali in what then was East Bengal=20
were at the receiving end of oppression, Gandhi went there and spoke=20
bluntly to Noakhali's Muslims and to the ministers of Bengal, then=20
led by Suhrawardy. Addressing a Muslim-majority crowd of 15,000 on=20
November 7, 1946, he frontally criticised forcible conversion,=20
forcible feeding of beef, forced marriages, abductions and the=20
destruction of idols.

To Hindus in Bihar who retaliated for Noakhali against the Muslim=20
minority in their province, Gandhi said it would have been manlier to=20
go and fight Noakhali's Muslim rioters. On March 19, 1947, speaking=20
to leaders of the Bihar Congress, Gandhi said: "Is it or isn't it a=20
fact that quite a large number of Congressmen took part in the=20
disturbances? How many of 132 members of your committee were=20
involved? I wish to ask you, how could you live to see an old woman=20
of 110 years being butchered before your eyes?"

History is bound to ask why Messrs Vajpayee and Advani failed to=20
speak in such terms to leaders of the Gujarat BJP and their backers.=20
This failure is likely to enter the record, whereas musings that=20
first say one thing and then its opposite will be ignored. And if, as=20
a responsible survey has revealed, a large percentage of Hindus in=20
Gujarat believe that a much greater number of Muslims live in their=20
state than they actually exist, then history will also identify a=20
propaganda in India similar to campaigns of demonisation elsewhere.

Plea for Mercy and other pictures and pieces of evidence from the=20
tragedy of Gujarat 2002 will confront more than history. They will=20
confront police officers and judges in Gujarat, whose responsibility=20
to identify, prosecute and punish the guilty has not been cast aside=20
by Modi's electoral triumph.

Neither the Constitution nor the criminal law says that election=20
results can annul investigation and prosecution. Whether committed by=20
Hindus or Muslims, murder, rape, arson and looting are crimes in=20
India. The destruction of a mosque, temple, tomb or samadhi is also a=20
punishable crime. So is organising a boycott of workers, businesses=20
or produce of a particular community.

Gujarat's police officers, judges and legislators are sworn to the=20
law and the Constitution. Their tasks relating to the great violence=20
of 2002 are far from over. May they be true to their oaths and=20
consciences; and may the public not fail in reminding them of the=20
prosecution, compensation and restoration required.

_____

#5.

THE ENCLOSED LETTER, WHICH IS SELF-EXPLANATORY, WAS GIVEN TO MS.=20
SONIA GANDHI TODAY. NUMEROUS ACTIVISTS OF AIDWA IN TRIPURA HAVE BEEN=20
KILLED BECAUSE OF THEIR COURAGEOUS REFUSAL TO ACCEPT THE DICTATES OF=20
THE TERRORISTS.THEIR SACRIFICES ARE UNIQUE IN THE HISTORY OF THE=20
FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM. WHILE THE NDA GOVERNMENT PLAYS PARTISAN=20
POLITICS IN REFUSING TO SEND ADEQUATE SECURITY FORCES TO TRIPURA, THE=20
CONGRESS PARTY IS STRENGTHENING THE TERRORISTS BY HAVING AN ELECTORAL=20
ALLIANCE WITH THE POLITICAL WING.

ALL INDIA DEMOCRATIC WOMEN'S ASSOCIATION
121, Vithalbhai Patel House, Rafi Marg,
New Delhi-110001

Date : 21st Jan. 2003
To
Ms. Sonia Gandhi,
President, Indian National Congress

Dear Ms. Gandhi,

You have often spoken on a personal note in public of the=20
supreme sacrifices made by members of your family, leaders of the=20
nation, who were struck down by terrorists. You struck a chord with=20
many women who could understand and identify with the pain and trauma=20
involved. Today we write to you about the pain and trauma of other=20
women, made worse by the politics of opportunism. We refer to the=20
experience of the women of Tripura, unsung heroines in the battle=20
against terrorism. On January 12, in the village of Jamircharra in=20
the district of Dholai, a young tribal woman, just 19 or twenty years=20
old, Premila Tripura was kidnapped from her home by a group of=20
terrorists belonging to the NLFT. She was gangraped and killed. Her=20
only crime was that she had refused to work with the terrorist group=20
who had threatened her because of her known sympathies for our=20
association. Two days later, on January 14, a young woman, Anjali Pal=20
disabled because of her total visual impairment, was shot dead in the=20
Assam basti in Phatikrai, North Tripura by an NLFT squad. Anjali had=20
overcome her difficulties and with extraordinary courage had joined=20
our association, fighting for women's rights. On that dreadful day=20
the terrorists had attacked her home. They first shot and killed her=20
father because of his consistent support to the Left. Hearing the=20
shots but unable to see, Anjali rushed out calling to her father. She=20
too fell to the terrorists bullets. What of the woman, the wife, the=20
mother, condemned by her grief to a living death? These are only a=20
few examples. There are numerous more such incidents when women,=20
particularly tribal women have faced the brunt of the terrorists=20
attack because the women refused to accept their separatist divisive=20
agenda.

It is with the political front of this banned terrorist group=20
responsible for the most inhuman savagery, Ms. Gandhi, that your=20
party in Tripura has now formed an alliance for the forthcoming=20
Assembly polls. Can there be any justification at all for this? It is=20
well known that these groups are backed by foreign agencies and have=20
their base camps in Bangladesh. Whatever the local and State level=20
efforts without the united will of all political forces against=20
terrorism can the terrorist groups be successfully fought? What is=20
the message sent to the people if a national party like the Congress=20
openly allies with

such a political force? Women of Tripura and women all over the=20
country have collected lakhs of signatures demanding that the Central=20
NDA Government fulfil its minimum national duty and ensure that=20
sufficient numbers of security forces are posted in the porous border=20
areas to prevent the movements of terrorist groups. But instead of=20
supporting such a demand the Congress party in Tripura has an=20
electoral alliance with such forces.

We write to you to you about these issues because the current=20
political alliance by your party in Tripura strengthens the terrorist=20
groups and emboldens them in their terrorist attacks affecting=20
directly the lives and security of thousands of women, tribal women=20
in particular. We hope it is not unrealistic to expect you to give=20
consideration to these issues.

Thanking you,
Yours sincerely,

Brinda Karat Anjali Deb Barma Rama Das
(General Secretary) (President, Tripura Committee)=20
(Secretary, Tripura Committee)

_____

#6.

21 Jan 2003

NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF PEOPLE'S MOVEMENTS
Sandeep (National Convener) / Arundhati
Asha, A-893, Indira Nagar, Lucknow - 226016
Tel: 0522-2347365
Email: <mailto:ashaashram@y...>ashaashram@y...,=20
<mailto:ashain@s...>ashain@s...

Press Release

Bharawan struggle for right to information:

Administration becomes repressive; People's resolve strengthens

Today, on the second day of the fast of two villagers and tenth day=20
of the dharna, the local administration openly sided with the=20
politicians and the Gram Pradhan, and stiffened its repressive=20
attitude towards the people of Bharawan block who are demanding=20
details of revenue-expense accounts of the Gram Panchayat.

Villagers' demand for providing expense details has still not been=20
accepted. The security provided to the people sitting in the dharna=20
was withdrawn today by the administration. The DM conveyed verbally=20
his inability to protect the people in case the administration under=20
pressure of politicians decides to use more repressive tactics like=20
forcible arrest of those sitting on the fast or physically harming=20
the protesters.

However, the people's resolve has strengthened too. They=20
have formed several groups of individuals who will be ready to sit on=20
the fast if the present fasters are forcefully removed by the=20
administration. They are preparing themselves for a long and tough=20
struggle to secure their basic right to information.

-Sandeep

CM, UP: Ph: 0522-2239234
Chief Secy., UP: Ph: 0522-2239283
DM, Hardoi: Ph: 05852-234868

_____

#7.

India's Hate mongers at Work:

The Times of India, January 22, 2003
Rajasthan turning into a Sangh lab
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/html/uncomp/articleshow?artid=3D=
34695847

Indian Express, 22 January 2003
RSS invokes ghosts of Partition
Will dig out 600 'heroes' in a ploy to bring Sikhs to Parivar
http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=3D17113

Indian Express, January 22, 2003
Cooper on his way out, VHP compiles list of 50 to follow
http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=3D17097

The Hindu, Jan 22, 2003
'Yagna' outside Qutub Minar
http://www.hinduonnet.com/stories/2003012206120102.htm

Press Trust of India, Jan 22, 2003
Sever diplomatic ties with Islamabad: VHP
http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?j57974586

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