[sacw] SACW #2 | 2 Jan. 03

[Harsh Kapoor]

South Asia Citizens Wire #2 | 2 January 2003

__________________________

#1. THE GUJARAT REFERENDUM
- Hindutva was the only question before the Gujarat electorate (Dipankar Gu=
pta)
#2. Partisan and politicised (Rajeev Dhawan)
#3. Ka, Kha, Ga, Gha of the Sangh Parivar [for Mukul Dube] (Badruddin=20
R. Gowani)

__________________________

#1.

The Telegraph
Wednesday, January 01, 2003

THE GUJARAT REFERENDUM
- Hindutva was the only question before the Gujarat electorate
Dipankar Gupta

The 2002 assembly elections in Gujarat were more like a referendum.=20
The Bharatiya Janata Party set the poser and the rest responded to=20
it. Narendra Modi's call for early elections was clearly calculated=20
to capitalize on the after-effects of Godhra. The question before the=20
electorate was whether to support Hindutva's majoritarian programme=20
or not. As there was just no other issue, the elections took on the=20
characteristics of a referendum. Therefore, the poll results should=20
also be analysed as one would a referendum or a plebiscite.

In spite of the fact that the BJP won a clear two-thirds majority in=20
terms of seats, it did not do that well if one looks at the results=20
in terms of a referendum. Less than 50 per cent voted for the BJP,=20
and in many areas, Hindutva forces in fact lost ground. Those who did=20
not vote in favour of the BJP were clearly opposed to the ideology of=20
Hindutva. The parties opposing the BJP and its Hindutva allies,=20
primarily the Congress, had only anti-Hindutva as their election=20
plank. This is why the votes that the combined opposition won did not=20
represent a fragmented verdict. They had all voted against Hindutva.

In an election as surcharged as this one was, to argue that Hindutva=20
was just one of several issues is clearly misleading. Hindutva was=20
the only issue. While it may be argued that those who voted in favour=20
of the BJP may have yielded to fears of national security and of=20
terrorism, this cannot detract from the fact that there was no=20
ambiguity in the minds of those who voted against the BJP.

Modi's pre-election nervousness had a reasonable factual basis. He=20
was probably looking at the outcome in terms of a referendum, which,=20
under the circumstances, was quite natural. Even in Godhra and=20
Gandhinagar, the BJP did not fare spectacularly. In Godhra, it=20
marginally improved upon its 1999 election performance by winning a=20
mere 0.5 per cent more votes. In Gandhinagar, it actually lost 10=20
percentage points allowing the Congress to em- erge as the clear=20
winner. In constituencies like Dhrangadhara, Wankaner and Jamjodhpur=20
where the voting turn out was over 70 per cent, the BJP did not do=20
remarkably well.

In Wankaner, if the Nationalist Congress Party had not come in the=20
way, the Congress would indeed have emerged victorious. In over 30=20
constituencies the Congress lost narrowly. The results could have=20
gone either way. In 17 constituencies, it was the NCP or the=20
Samajwadi Party who acted as spoilers, or else the Congress would=20
have probably won. Had this happened, the tally of seats for the BJP=20
would have been a lot less, and even by election standards, the=20
outcome would not have been something for the saffron parties to crow=20
about.

The post-Godhra riots helped, but not that much. Any sensible analyst=20
in the BJP should realize that the strategy that the BJP adopted for=20
these elections was a pretty chancy affair. Likewise, any sensible=20
observer on the other side should also conclude that on no occasion=20
should the Congress ever allow itself to be shoe-horned into a=20
referendum which is not of its choice.

That the combined anti-BJP forces, most significantly the Congress,=20
did not do as badly in the referendum as they did in the elections is=20
itself quite remarkable. If there were a great show of strength among=20
the saffron parties when Modi was sworn in, it was because of two=20
reasons. The first was plain relief: they were glad that formally the=20
votes cast were for an election and not for a referendum. Secondly,=20
the BJP-led forces were jubilant as only Modi and his followers had=20
an agenda.

A quick look at the election results shows that only two independents=20
won, though independents as a whole took away a crucial 5 per cent of=20
the total votes polled. As for the other parties, besides the=20
Congress and the BJP, they did not even manage to get 1 per cent of=20
the votes. This again indicates the referendum character of this=20
election. This should give the Congress party enough to chew on in=20
terms of strategizing elections for the future. Obviously, the soft=20
Hindutva argument just did not work. If soft Hindutva were so=20
appealing then the National Democratic Alliance allies should have=20
done respectably. After all, their entire existence in the national=20
alliance in the Centre is based on soft Hindutva.

The votes that the Congress received were, therefore, clearly not=20
because it campaigned as Hindutva's B team. It was a vote against the=20
referendum's poser for establishing a majoritarian Hindu rule in=20
Gujarat. And let us not forget that over 50 per cent voted against=20
the BJP. Let us also not overlook the other interesting aspect of=20
these elections. The BJP did exceedingly well in roughly 33 reserved=20
constituencies in Gujarat. This was another reason for the BJP's=20
strong electoral performance in the state.

Can the Modi model be repeated? Yes, but at great risk. The BJP does=20
not independently have a sound base among the Dalits in other parts=20
of India, except in pockets of Madhya Pradesh. Moreover, even after=20
conducting a highly successful riot, the gains were not that=20
significant. It did well in central Gujarat, no doubt, but did not=20
sweep the minds of the electorate state-wide in a massive popular=20
"wave".

In fact, the metaphor, "wave", is itself highly suspect as it is used=20
very indiscriminately, particularly in the electoral context.=20
Metaphors, after all, have a way of conditioning one's thinking,=20
which is why they should be employed very carefully. A convincing=20
electoral victory is often called a wave, giving the impression that=20
nearly everybody is drenched. For example, when Rajiv Gandhi won the=20
elections after his mother's assassination, it was also considered to=20
be a "wave". But in large parts of India, many voters were not in=20
favour of Rajiv Gandhi. Consider, for instance, what happened in=20
Medak, which was supposed to be such a safe Congress constituency.

As the wave metaphor hides from view the fact that a large body of=20
voters are on the other side, when the tables turn the next time=20
round it comes as a huge surprise to everybody. How could this=20
happen, they ask? It is not just election results which swing from=20
one extreme to the other, our political analyses do so as well. This=20
not only muddles electoral forecasting but also creates a false=20
political atmosphere in which ordinary people have to somehow manage=20
their lives.

If we are able to wade our way out of this wave metaphor we will find=20
that there is just one survival mantra for secularists. An electoral=20
strategy cannot be devised piecemeal. There must be a vision of India=20
and a clear statement of "Project India". The Congress leadership=20
gave no thought to these matters and that is why it lost the=20
elections. The only silver lining is that the sleeping secular forces=20
together somehow managed to win the referendum.

______

#2.
The Hindustan Times
Thursday, January 2, 2003
http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/printedition/020103/detIDE01.shtml
=09=20
Partisan and politicised
Rajeev Dhawan
The current controversy involving the governor of Rajasthan,=20
Anshuman Singh, for directly patronising a religious programme has=20
brought the issue of the governor's politicisation in sharp focus.=20
This is a dangerous trend.

The governor's post is one of the most important and vulnerable=20
institutions created by the Constitution. Originally to be elected by=20
the people, the governor came to be nominated by the Union. Over=20
time, the post has been donned by statesman as well as political=20
opportunists.

In the Sixties and Seventies, many governors became 'hitmen' and=20
poodles acting under instructions of the ruling party. Rajasthan is=20
no stranger to governors who acted in a partisan way. In 1967, the=20
formation of an 'opposition' ministry was blocked by the governor.

Though appointed for five years, governors can be hired and fired by=20
the Centre. The Bhagwan Sahay (1971) and Sarkaria (1988) Committees=20
were concerned about the politicisation of gubernatorial powers. Even=20
if the Congress also created partisan governorships, such incumbents=20
are unacceptable to any constitutional system.

Today, in the post-Gujarat phase, are we seeing the emergence of=20
Hindutva governors? Should governors stay aloof from 'Hindutva'-based=20
politics? Or, should they act within the neutrality of the=20
Constitution?

These are issues of utmost importance. In 2000, the Gujarat=20
government wanted to permit its civil servants to become members of=20
the RSS. This was constitutionally wrong. Former President, K.R.=20
Narayanan, picked up the issue with the BJP-led government - with no=20
avail. Eventually, the Congress warned that it would not deal with=20
such civil servants in the future. Constitutional posts such as those=20
of governors or civil servants cannot be communalised. A governor has=20
no allegiance to a political party once he becomes a governor.

Unfortunately, the post of a governor has become highly prized. For=20
some, it has become a post-retirement cushy career as they transit=20
from one governorship to the next. For this, Delhi has to be=20
perpetually pleased. These days some governors don't seem to be=20
content with simply performing their constitutional duties. Blatant=20
bias often directs their decisions.

This was proved by the Governor of Gujarat, Sunder Singh Bhandari,=20
(an old RSS hand) in July 2002 when he accepted the dissolution of=20
the assembly recommended by Narendra Modi. The Gujarat governor also=20
did not recommend president's rule in Gujarat when he clearly should=20
have done so, as the constitutional machinery had all but collapsed=20
during the carnage.

The Gujarat elections are over amid an euphoria of 'Hindutva'. Riding=20
the wave, are we going to see the emergence of 'Hindutva governors'=20
and civil servants? Will we witness the rise of 'Hindutva' governors=20
- especially from those whose term is nearing an end and who are=20
looking for reappointments? Is this what is happening in Rajasthan?

The controversy in Rajasthan has started brewing on the neutrality of=20
the governor. It is reported that in the first week of December 2002,=20
Anshuman Singh announced support for his involvement in organising a=20
Ram Katha from January 4 to January 12, 2003. Reportedly, by December=20
10, 2002, Jaipur was filled with banners and posters, even to the=20
point of showing a 'saffron' coloured map of the state of Rajastan=20
with the governor's picture prominently inset in it. It appears that=20
there were cutouts of Ram, Hanuman and preacher Murari Bapu blessing=20
the governor. Newspapers implied the 'Raj Bhawan's' direct=20
involvement in this event.

The governor's secretary apparently released a huge balloon=20
publicising this event. Protests by the PUCL and others that this was=20
violative of the secular neutrality of the Constitution followed. The=20
governor responded publicly by asserting that this was a 'secular'=20
event for the philanthropic purpose of drought relief, that he had=20
attended events like quawwalis and mushairas (poetry and musical=20
recitals) and was prepared to attend Bible readings and sermons for=20
charity if called upon to do so. As the controversy peaked up, those=20
who had questioned the governor - like the PUCL - were accused of=20
being traitors. The PUCL's opposition to POTA was linked to these=20
events.

A public controversy has erupted which questions the neutrality of=20
Governor Anshuman Singh. He does not deny his involvement in this=20
huge religious event. As a former lawyer he knows how to make clever=20
- even if unconvincing - distinctions. To say that this is an event=20
like a mushaira is absurd. Governors may grace poetry readings=20
without their office being organisationally associated with them. Nor=20
is this simply a fund- raising event. If it was so, the organisers=20
could have collected the money and handed it to the governor after it=20
was collected. It is quite another thing to be associated with an=20
event and be coloured in 'saffron' while doing so.

This is not a Bible-reading event for charity. Nor is it a Dussehra=20
event to which the governor has sent a message. Nor is it like saying=20
Id mubarak or Merry Christmas. The publicity transcends a mere=20
message of goodwill. The governor's name and office has been=20
assimilated into the organisation of the event itself.

What can or cannot be done can be derived from the emblems and names=20
(Prevention of Improper Use) Act 1950. It is an open question as to=20
whether the act applies. That may be a matter for the court to=20
determine. But, the underlying principles of the act of 1950 are=20
informative and serve as general guidelines.

Under that act (Schedule entries 6 and 7 prohibit the "name, emblem=20
or official seal of the president or governor" being used) any "name"=20
should not suggest the sponsorship of the government of India or the=20
government of a state. These prohibitions are for a trade, business=20
calling, profession, patent, trademark or design. Is that not=20
involved here?

The design of the event here includes the governor. His office has=20
been involved.

The reported stance of the governor is clever but unconvincing.=20
Governors are the heads of state. They are not expected to be=20
'legally' clever, but to do their job wisely and well. 'Hindutva' is=20
a party slogan. According to the Supreme Court, in its judgment of=20
1996, it can be used by political parties if not used in a communal=20
context. The governor is not supposed to behave like a politician. He=20
is not the chief minister who is a political person. That is why the=20
Emblems Act punishes the abuse of the governor's name. The=20
association of the governor with this event is an abuse of his name=20
and a secular insult to his office.

It is disingenuous to suggest that he has sent a message if his name=20
and image is emblazoned in saffron.

The text has to be read with the context. The BJP's electoral victory=20
in Gujarat was followed by statements that the Hindutva formula and=20
the (post-Godhra) "successful experiment" would be followed in=20
Rajasthan. These events occurred while that election was going on. It=20
is clear that Rajasthan is the latest 'saffron' target.

What should a governor who has taken an oath to defend the=20
Constitution do under these circumstances? Anshuman Singh - as a=20
former judge - should know that secularism is part of the basic=20
structure of the Constitution. He has sworn to defend it. The=20
governor cannot be partisan, or, be seen to be partisan. He is in the=20
same position as a judge. He cannot play politics. He cannot be=20
hallowed with a saffron hue on banners or posters.

Singh should withdraw his support in a dignified way and state that=20
neither the governor nor his office is involved, and, that he decries=20
the use of his name, office or photograph in this event. This is a=20
public appeal to him. I sincerely hope that he has the personal=20
courage and secular conviction to do what the Constitution expects of=20
him.

The writers is a senior advocate, Supreme Court of India

______

#3.

Ka, Kha, Ga, Gha of the Sangh Parivar*
(for Mukul Dube)

Badruddin R. Gowani

Consonants
_
ka* for Kashmir, without which one of the reasons for our growth=20
would disappear
kha for khar, whose madness achieved the desired goal, would now plan for D=
elhi
ga for Godse*, our apostle of ahimsA whose action somewhat avenged=20
the partition=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20
gha for ghamraul, the "BhArat JalAo Party" has unleashed will engulf=20
South Asia=20
cha for Chandradhar, is at large, so beware: Christians, Muslims, and other=
s
chha for chhAnbIn, others will do of our actions/reactions and we=20
won't publicize
ja for jAlA, of bAlshishu mandirs to produce new Singhals, Togadias,=20
Thackerays, =8A=20
jha for jhol, is left after the helpless victims were cut to death and burn=
ed
Ta for Toli, played a bloody holi, is now re-elected, with a democratic gol=
i
Tha for The(n) The(n), of the Parivar, for fatally wounding the=20
limping secularism
__Da for DanDA, of PoTO to enhance the Hindutva agenda and silence=20
the opponents
Dha for Dhol, all the shameless drummers are beating to create a=20
permanent divide
ta for trishUl, our trinity of creating hate, preserving enmity,=20
destroying minorities
tha for thAnA, where many things happen except that of writing FIRs=20
for minorities
da for dalit, a creature so worthless that even a dead cow is more precious
dha for dhwaj, or tricolor is a religious and not, as is believed, a=20
national symbol
na for nAsh, of pseudo secularists and intellectuals by piercing ban=20
into their brains pa for PApistan, the unholy entity that chopped off=20
holy BhArat MAtA's both hands=20
pha for fascism, and terrorism we practice but under the garb of=20
democracy ba for brAhman, the CEO of the Lord's=20
Mouth, Arms, Thighs, and Feet Corporation
bha for BhAratvarsha, has always existed, even prior to the creation=20
of the Universe
ma for Muslims, Babur and Musharraf's progeny that, like draupadi's=20
sari, never ends
ya for yAtrA, is a must either prior to or after committing every heinous c=
rime
ra for rath, from Japan that helped us to rise like Sun after=20
7-decades of hate-work
la for lagAm-rekhA, which no Hindu should cross over to any non-Hindu relig=
ion
va for Vedas, our science, mathematics, archaeology, history,=20
astrology, logic, =8A
sha for shAyr, is someone who writes sensitive poems and ignores=20
ongoing massacre
Sha for ShatrAg, of GodhrA, Hindutva, RAmbhUmi, shuddhi, SomnAth, GomAtA,=20
sa for SanghdhanuSh, which recently replaced the multi-cultural IndradhanuS=
h
ha for Hindutva Lab, where successful violent experiments are=20
constantly conducted

Vowels

a for AyodhyA, a real city and a real birthplace of the mythical Hindu Lord=
Ram
A for Ata(n)wad, is our new national anthem - borrowed from the great US
i for itihAs, we are writing anew to propagate the greatness of Hindutva
I for I(n)Tai(n), we are collecting to build a temple on the grave of=20
the Babri Masjid
u for urdUmedha, so the sacrificial blood can energize our Hindi=20
bhAshA's growth
U for Urmi, of hate, which after drowning a state is now looking for=20
another state
ri for riShTi, we use to slit abdomen, to lift a fetus, and to throw=20
it in the air
e for ek, rAshtra under one dharma, single sanskruti, managed by uni-Pariva=
r
ai for ail-fail, like "Italian bitch" is now the language of the=20
cultural custodians
o for orA, a severe one there is for human politicians - cause=20
vultures are in power=20
au for autAr, as Gujarati, Hitler has taken in the 21st century in=20
the MahA AryansthAn

End Notes

A South Asian writer/friend Mukul Dube, after reading my "ABC of US,"=20
hinted that I should write "ka, kha, ga, gha, of the Sangh Parivar."=20
Therefore, this is the effort.

*My eight-year-old nephew, who occasionally reads, when I am typing,=20
and plays the role of a sharp editor, commented that how would he=20
know who Godse was and what his action was. I told him that in these=20
kinds of writing, it is usually left to the reader to enjoy and if=20
curious then to find out the thing(s) she/he is not aware of. He=20
emphasized that I should put explanatory notes at the end. I am not=20
sure if he will find time to read all the notes, as he is busy making=20
a second booklet on the Gulf War inspired by a parody/ad on "Gulf=20
Wars" in the "Mad" magazine, and a booklet on dinosaurs. The first=20
booklet, "Gulf War's Episode I" comprises of six chapters of a page=20
each.

*The Sangh Parivar or Family of Associations is an umbrella=20
organization made up of various Hindu fundamentalist outfits:=20
RSS (Rashtria Swayamsevak Sangh or National Volunteer Corps),
VHP (Vishva Hindu Parishad or World Hindu Council),
Bajrang Dal (Army of the monkey god Hanuman),
and others, including BJP (Bhartiya Janata Party or Indian People's Party).=
=20
The BJP, in coalition with Shiv Sena and some two dozen regional=20
parties, is running the Central Government.=20
The Sanghis should not gloat in pride that after the "ABC of US," I=20
have honored them. I will also be writing "Alif, Bey, Pey of the=20
Islamic Fundamentalists." The "ABC of Israel" is already out. For=20
peace loving people, "ABC of World Peace" is out too.

*The notes are in alphabetical order. All the consonants have the=20
same sound as the first Hindi vowel "a," which is similar to the=20
English vowel "u" as in "fun" such as "ka," "kha," "ga". I had used=20
the phonetic symbols, but it requires special fonts to decipher and=20
so I changed it. The letters da, dha, ta, tha appears twice because=20
in Devanagri script there are two different sounds for these letters:=20
hard cerebral and soft dental. The letters with hard cerebral sound=20
are presented as Ta, Tha, Da, Dha, where as the letters with soft=20
dental sound appears as ta, tha, da, dha. The letters "sha" and=20
"Sha" have almost the same sound. This idea of capital letters to=20
differentiate, I have borrowed from an article on Urdu language in=20
"Dawn" newspaper. Where necessary for pronunciations' sake, I have=20
avoided capital letters for manes of people and places.=20=20=20
The vowels' pronunciations are:
a as in fun.
A as in star.
i as in think.=20
I as in reel.
u as in full.
U as in jUne.
ri as in Rigveda
e as in way
ai as in aishvarya.
o as in glow.
au as in aurangzeb

.
<ka> Kashmir is a disputed territory between Pakistan and India.=20
British left it unresolved when they quit the Indian sub-continent=20
after creating Pakistan out of India in August 1947.
<kha> Stupid or hot-tempered.
<ga> Nathuram Godse, a Hindu zealot, believed that Mohandas=20
Karamchand Gandhi (usually known as "MahAtmA" or Great Soul), was=20
doing favor to Muslims and Pakistan, when he would go to Muslim=20
localities to protect them from Hindu communalists, or when he=20
threatened to go on hunger strike when the Jawaharlal Nehru's=20
government was not releasing the money, which was Pakistan's share.=20
On January 30, 1948, Godse killed Gandhi when he was entering the=20
garden of Birla House in Delhi for the daily evening prayer cum=20
meeting. However, Godse is a hero to the Sangh Parivar. AhimsA=20
means non-violence and was the policy pursued by Gandhi as a means to=20
end British rule.
<gha> Turmoil. Bharat is another name for India. Probably, it was=20
Laloo Prasad Yadav, former chief minister of Bihar, who once called=20
the BJP as BhArat JalAo Party or Burn India Party.
<cha> Chandradhar, Chandrachud, Chandrashekhar, tanktik, are all=20
names of the Hindu god Shiva. In the Hindu trinity, Shiva is the god=20
of destruction. The other two are Brahma and Vishnu, the gods of=20
creation and preservation, respectively.
<chha> Investigation. The Shrikrishna Report on the Mumbai riots,=20
which claimed the lives of 2000 people, mostly Muslims, came out in=20
1998. The government has not done anything to arrest the people=20
involved, such as Mumbai's outer world don, Bal Thackeray. But then,=20
many Sanghis who took part in the demolition of the Muslim Babri=20
Mosque are now in power.
<ja> Web or spider's web. The bAl-shishu mandirs, Islamic madrasa=20
style schools, are on the rise, run mostly by the RSS, a close-knit=20
fascist organization. The BJP government has also succeeded in=20
changing some of the textbook materials to suit their "Hindutva"=20
ideology. Ashok Singhal is the VHP president. Praveen Togadia=20
belongs to the same organization. Thackeray heads Bombay based=20
anti-Muslim/Pakistan Shiv Sena (or Army of the Shiv, named after the=20
MarAthA Hindu king Chhatrapati Shivaji (1627-1680), who fought=20
against the Muslim Mughal emperor Muhiuddin Muhammad Aurangzeb=20
(1618-1707)(1658-1707).
<jha> Ashes or dust. Excepting some, most Muslims bury their dead.=20
In the Gujarat massacre, many Muslims were burned to death, and many=20
others were cut to death and then were burned.
<Ta> TolI means group, HolI is a Hindu spring festival (joined in by=20
many non-Hindus too) in which people sprinkle powder and water colors=20
on each other. GolI is a bullet.=20
<Th> Malevolent or joyful laughter.=20
<Da> DanDA is a Sanskrit word meaning staff, club, punishment, etc.=20
For fine, the word is DanD. Both are common words in South Asia.=20
The common phrase is, "DanDe ki zarurat hai," or needs a DanDA. PoTO=20
(Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance) is a draconian law introduced=20
recently as a replacement of TaDA (Terrorism and Detention Act).=20
Thanks to Bush and Co, the Sangh Parivar's kShatriyas or warriors=20
have also joined the "war on terrorism."
<Dha> Drum. The aim of the hardliners in BJP and other Sanghis is to=20
widen whatever gap there is between Hindus and non-Hindus,=20
particularly, the Muslims and the Christians.
<t> Trident. It also is a weapon of Lord Shiva.
<tha> Police station. FIR (First Information Report) is a police=20
report. In most of the cases related to the recent tragedy, the=20
police refused to write FIRs.=20
<da> Dalit is the name given to low caste or untouchable people, both=20
Hindus and non-Hindus. The caste apartheid is quite common in many=20
places. A couple of months back, five dalits were murdered for=20
skinning a dead cow. VHP's Giriraj Kishore pronounced it=20
appropriate.=20
<dha> Flag. The Indian flag known as tricolor has become a religious=20
symbol in the hands of the Sanghis.
<na> Destroy. Adwani and other Sanghis are fond of accusing those=20
who wants to maintain separation of religion and politics as=20
"pseudo-secularists" or "intellectuals." However, recently Adwani=20
himself faced such charges by some of the Sanghis for not being too=20
tough. I guess, a communal irony. BAn means an arrow.
<pa> PApistAn means the Land of the Sinners. For less hateful=20
readers, P for PavitrasthAn or Pakistan meaning the Land of the Pure.=20
Pakistan consisted of two wings, east, and west, with 1,000 miles of=20
India in between. The hateful exploitation of East Pakistan by the=20
West Pakistan based leadership created another division in 1971; East=20
Pakistan became Bangladesh. BhArat MAtA is Mother India.=20=20
<pha> Fascism originated in Italy in the 1920s under the leadership=20
of Benito Mussolini. Germany adopted it under Adolf Hitler. The=20
rough criteria to be a fascist state is that it should be a right=20
wing totalitarian system under a strong leader which is based on=20
racial, religious, nationalist, and/or other such superiority.=20
Gujarat is the first state/province in South Asia, which can be=20
called a fascist state/province. Gujarat's Chief Minister Narendra=20
Modi is authoritarian, he is outright hostile to the state's Muslim=20
minority, he has exploited religion and nationalism openly, he has=20
presided over the rapes and massacre, and he has used the killing of=20
58 Hindus by the Muslim terrorists on February 27 as an excuse to=20
terrorize his Muslim subjects. One can always think of East=20
Pakistan's treatment by the West Pakistan based leaders who=20
controlled power. It was exploitative, racist, and inhumane.=20
Nevertheless, it lacked the fascist tendency of murdering and raping=20
on the base of race, religion, or nationalism. It was more like=20
imperialism, where the western wing treated the eastern wing as a=20
colony. The West Pakistani leaders went on a killing and rape spree=20
only when the East Pakistan said enough is enough and opted for=20
separation. The scale of barbarity is comparable to the US war on=20
the Indo-Chinese people.=20=20=20=20
<ba> In the Hindu caste hierarchy, the BrAhmans or the priestly class=20
is at the top, followed by the KShtriyas or the warrior class, then=20
the third layer is the Vaishyas or the trader and professional class,=20
and in the end it is the ShUdras or the menial working class. The=20
Laws of Manu (the progenitor of the human race, according to Hindu=20
mythology), states that from the mouth of the Lord came the BrAhman,=20
from the arms came the KSHhatriya, from the thighs came the Vaishya,=20
and from the feet came the ShUdra.
<bha> Ancient name of India. The strategy of the proponents of=20
Hindutva theory has always been to prove that the Aryans have been=20
native to India, whereas the Christians and Muslims have been the=20
malechhas or "foreigners." Nevertheless, the fact remains that the=20
Aryans came from outside, took over land from the AdivAsIs or the=20
tribal people (the original inhabitants of India), and subjugated=20
them in the same way as Muslims and Christians or British did latter=20
on. Please note: the victims of Aryans are still in miserable=20
state, however, the victims of Muslims and British are in power now=20
and are committing atrocities.
<ma> Zahiruddin Mohammad Babur (1483-1530), a Muslim, was the founder=20
of the Mughal Empire in India. General Pervez Musharaff is=20
Pakistan's president. It is a communal taunt. Sanghis also shout:=20
"BAbur ki aulAd ke do hi sthAn/ Pakistan yA QabristAn". (There are=20
only two places for Babur's progeny/ either Pakistan or Graveyard.)=20
In the epic MahAbhArata, draupadi is the wife of five brothers, the=20
PAndavas. Their cousins, the Kauravas, in their plan to snatch the=20
portion of the kingdom (divided initially between them and the=20
Pandavas to avoid a feud), challenges Yudhishthira to a dice match.=20
At one point, Yudhishthira, who is losing,
bets his brothers and then himself. Finally, he bets their joint=20
wife and loses her. Draupadi is humiliated, but when DuhshAsana=20
tries to disrobe her, new sArIs keep appearing. Her husbands are=20
saved from servitude, when she questions as to how could a loser bet=20
her. No hope in today's India: there are no DuhshAsanas' but the=20
Sanghis.
<ya> Pilgrimage. The BJP's rise to power started with Lal Krishna=20
Adwani's bloody rath yAtrA (chariot pilgrimage or campaign) in 1990=20
when many people died. Now this has become a potent weapon to rouse=20
the nationalist/communalist/religious feelings of the people for=20
political gain. In the epics, the raths are used in
wars. Even after the recent tragedy in Gujarat, the Sanghis did not=20
put a stop to the yAtrAs.
<ra> Chariot. The rath used in Adwani's 1990 yatra was a Toyota van=20
covered up with decoration.
<la> Bridle-Line. Refers to the restrictions Sanghis are trying to=20
impose on those low-caste Hindus who (having lost the power to suffer=20
anymore the atrocious and inhumane caste apartheid of the=20
upper-caste) are converting to other religions, particularly=20
Buddhism. Even non-Sanghi Jaylalita, the Tamilnadu Chief Minister,=20
has imposed restrictions on conversion to Christianity.=20
In the epic "RAmAyana," there is a "Lakshman RekhA" to protect SitA.=20
When Lord Ram went into exile, his brother Lakshman and SitA=20
(Ram's wife) also joined him. For her safety, Lakhman drew a line=20
known as Lakshman RekhA and asked her not to cross the line in order=20
to avoid RAvan, the demon king of (Sri) Lanka. When she is alone,=20
RAvan disguises himself as a mendicant and abducts her by prompting=20
her to cross the line.=20
<va> Hindu scriptures, believed by many to contain all the knowledge.=20
<sha> Poet. Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee is a poet too. Some=20
time back, his book of poems, "SamvednA" or Perception came out. The=20
massacre began on February 28 and lasted well into April. He found=20
time to visit the western state of Gujarat in April. However, the=20
atmosphere is still full of terror with no end in sight, especially=20
after the recent reelection of Modi.=20
<Sha> ShatrAg stands for the six rAgas in the South Asian music:=20
Bhairav, MalAr, ShrIrAg, Hindol, MAlkos, and DIpak. However, the=20
Sanghis' ragas are different. It was at Godhra train station that=20
one of the bogey carrying Hindus back from AyodhayA was burned down=20
by Muslims after provocations. Fifty-eight Hindus died. The=20
Forensic Department report says the fire was set from within the=20
compartment. Social activist Shabnam Hashmi who visited the train=20
station said "the fans in the bogey did not melt." (During her US=20
visit in August 2000.) The RAmbhUmi or RAmjanmbhUmi means Ram's=20
place or Ram's birthplace. Shuddhi means purification, that is,=20
purification by means of reconversion of Muslims, Buddhists, and=20
others who or whose ancestors were originally Hindus. Muslim ruler=20
Mahmud Ghazni (reigned 998-1030) raided and sacked many Hindu=20
temples, including the famous SomnAth Temple in KAthiAwAr (now part=20
of Gujarat). Temples then were "depositories of vast quantities of=20
wealth, in cash, golden images, and jewellery - the donations of the=20
pious." Historian Romila Thapar points out, "Mahmud's greed for gold=20
was insatiable." ("A History of India," vol. 1, London: Penguin=20
Books, 1966, p. 232.) Today, Muslims are being punished for a cruel=20
plunderer who became a food of the insects and worms long time ago!=20
GomAtA means Cow Mother or in a proper English structure, Mother Cow.=20
Many Hindus venerate cow. It is a good thing to respect animals and=20
to be vegetarians. However, it was not always like this. Hindus=20
used to eat cow-meat. In August 2001, historian Dwijendra Narayan=20
Jha of University of Delhi wrote a book, "How Cow: Beef in Indian=20
Dietary Traditions." His academic publisher cancelled the=20
publication. Another publisher tried but it was banned by the=20
Hyderabad Civil Court. Some Hindus still eat beef. In the Bengal=20
(both Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal) Hindus,=20
including Brahmans, eat fish. Basically, it is one more weapon=20
against Muslims and Christians, otherwise why would the Sanghis' who=20
are in power at the center allow our Dear Sam Kaka's (Dear Uncle=20
Sam's) Gandhis and Modis (that is McDonalds, Kentucky Fried Chicken,=20
Pizza Hut, and others) in India. (Gandhis and Modis mean traders or=20
grocers.) It would be wonderful to see India being declared a=20
vegetarian country - no animal or human killing. First step should=20
be to provide food, shelter, and respect to all those sick or sick=20
looking cows and the human beings strolling all over India.=20=20=20
<sa> The Sangh Parivar's bow. IndradhanuSh means rainbow or the=20
war-god Indra's bow.
<ha> Vinayak Damodar Savarkar (1883-1966), headed the Hindu=20
communalist organization the Hindu Mahasabha between 1937-1948, then=20
he retired following Gandhi's assassination. In his book "Hindutva,"=20
he wrote: "A Hindu means a person who regards this land of=20
BhAratvarsha from the Indus [River] to the Seas, as his Fatherland as=20
well as his Holyland." (Quoted in Craig Baxter, "The Jana Sangh: A=20
Biography of an Indian Political Party," Philadelphia: University of=20
Pennsylvania Press, 1969, p. 6.) The difference between Hinduism and=20
Hindutva or Hinduness he wrote is that Hinduism dealt "with the=20
salvation of life after death, the concept of God, and the Universe,"=20
whereas Hindutva means "a nation bound by a common culture, a common=20
history, a common language, a common country and a common religion."=20
(Virendra Prakash, "'Hindutva' Demystified," New Delhi: Virgo=20
Publications, 2002, p.14.) The Sanghis call Gujarat a "Hindutva=20
lab." In the beginning of this year, they killed more than 2000=20
Muslims and raped hundreds of Muslim women in retaliation for the=20
killing of 58 Hindus by alleged Muslim terrorists. The "culture,"=20
"history," "language," and "country" of Muslims (and for that matter,=20
the Christians) are "common," but not enough for state protection=20
because they do not share the "common religion."=20=20

<a> For many Hindus, AyodhayA is the birthplace of the mythical Hindu=20
god Ram. The Hindu fundamentalists claim that the Muslim Mughal=20
ruler Babur built Babri Masjid or Babur's Mosque in 1528 after=20
demolishing a Hindu temple situated on the exact spot where the Lord=20
Ram was born. On December 6, 1992, a group of Hindu fanatics in=20
front of journalists and TV cameras from all over the world,=20
flattened the whole mosque within few hours proving that the=20
religious violence is not the monopoly of Muslim fanatics. It does=20
not mean that there was no Hindu violence before, it was just that=20
the world was not interested. Anyway, after that it was back to=20
normal for the world media until the recent Gujarat massacre. Most=20
of the world media's attention is focused on the "Muslim terrorists."
<A> Terrorism.
<i> History. The Sanghis are changing the school and college=20
text-books to suit their ideology. Praful Bidwai points out that the=20
"Vedic culture is made contemporary with Harappan civilization,=20
although it comes much after the Bronze Age," changes have=20
drastically shortened the Mughal period, last century's religious=20
communalism is restricted to the Muslim League ("as if Savarkar did=20
not father the Two-Nation Theory!") "Verdict on NCERT Textbooks:=20
Setback to Secularism," 'South Asia Citizens Wire," September 24,=20
2002. www.mnet.fr/aiindex to subscribe, write to :=20
act-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

<I> Bricks. Many in the Parivar have been collecting the bricks and=20
are waiting for an opportune time to build the temple.
<u> Medha means sacrifice. During the Vedic period, the kings used=20
to perform horse sacrifices, known as aShvamedha. (See Hymns clxii &=20
clxiii in "Sacred Writings - Hinduism: The Rig Veda," trans. Ralph T.=20
H. Griffith, New York: Book-of the-Month Club," 1992.) It was=20
discontinued under the Mauryas. However, when Pushyamitra Sunga (185=20
bce?), the last Mauryan king Bruhadratha's Brahman general, became a=20
king after killing Bruhadratha, he revived horse sacrifice, along=20
with other sacrifices. It lasted till the 11th century. (A. L.=20
Basham, "The Wonder that was India," London: Sidgwick & Jackson,=20
1985, pp. 57, 85.)
Like division of land, people, and history, the Hindu/Muslim=20
animosity perpetrated by communalists and opportunist politicians and=20
continued by their inheritors have also divided the language and=20
color. Somehow, urdU language and green color now belongs to=20
Muslims, and the HindI language and saffron color to the Hindus.=20
HindI and urdU are quite similar; but they use different scripts, the=20
former uses the devanAgri script with more Sanskrit words, whereas=20
the later uses the Arabic/Persian based script with more Arabic and=20
Persian words. HindustAnI, a mixture of HindI and urdU - not heavily=20
Sanskritised or Arabised or Persianised - is used by most of the=20
people. However, PTV (Pakistan Television) uses pure UrdU and=20
India's doordarshan TV uses pure HindI. Private Zee TV and others=20
do the same. The Mumbai films uses simple HindustAnI understood by=20
most of the South Asians.=20
BhAShA or zabAn means language.=20
The views of Hindu fanatics on urdU can be gauged as expressed by the=20
1933 Ajmer session of the Hindu Mahasabha, the ancestor of the=20
present Sanghis:
"urdU is a foreign language which is a living monument to our=20
slavery. It must be eradicated from the page of existence. urdU is=20
the language of the malechhas [i.e., foreigners] which has done great=20
harm to our national ends by attaining popularity in India."=20
(Baxter, pp. 19-20.)
The Muslim fanatics in Pakistan have the same amount of hatred for=20
HindI language. For those not familiar with South Asia, a note of=20
caution: both HindI and urdU are very poetic languages and most of=20
the people have no problem. Former Indian prime minister Narasimha=20
Rao writes poetry in urdU. Another former premier, I. K. Gujral had=20
the great Urd_ poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz as his teacher.
<U> Wave. The activities of Sanghis in other states are gradually=20
gaining momentum.
<ri> Sword. In one instance, a pregnant Muslim woman's abdomen was=20
slit open, the fetus was lifted up on the point of a sword, and was=20
tossed in the air.
<e> One. RAshtra means Nation. Dharma means duty, law, religion.=20
Sanskriti means culture. The Sangh Parivar's tactic is to impose its=20
own idea of nation, religion, and culture on all of India ignoring=20
its multi-cultural and multi-religious background, and thus pushing=20
it towards disaster.
<ai> Rubbish or vulgar talk. Recently, Praveen Tagodia called the=20
Congress Party leader Sonia Gandhi "itAlI nI kUtrI" or "Italy's=20
bitch." Narendra Modi called her "Italy's daughter". Sonia is the=20
wife of late prime Rajiv Gandhi. She is of Italian origin but has=20
been living in India for a long time now. Every now and then, her=20
Italian background is exploited by the Sanghis to divert people's=20
attention from its communalist policies. The Congress Party is like=20
the Democratic party in the US: on the defensive and using the same=20
tactics as the ruling party. In the recent Gujarat elections, Sonia=20
Gandhi was making rounds of the Hindu Temples.
<o> Scarcity.
<au> Incarnation. MahA means great. AryansthAn or the Land of the=20
Aryans. The group of people who migrated from Central Asia to India=20
about 2000 bce called themselves "Arya" or noble. (Aryan is an=20
anglicized version.) For Hindu fanatics, the Aryans are not invaders=20
or "foreigners;" it is only Muslims and Christians. The word "Aryan=20
race" also contains a superiority complex vis-=E0-vis other races. One=20
reason behind the German leader Adolf Hitler's mass murder of=20
Gypsies, Jews, communists, and others was this notion of racial=20
purity. Many Sanghis have openly praised Hitler and Mussolini.

December 31, 2002

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