Spritual As Criminal ?
Time to Ban 'Hindu Janjagruti Samiti' and 'Sanatan Sanstha' by Subhash Gatade
( It is really difficult to believe how an organisation which
supposedly 'aims to present religious mysticism in a scientific
language for the curious and to guide seekers' and which 'conducts
weekly spiritual meetings, discourses, child guidance classes,
workshops on spirituality, training in self-defense and campaigns to
create awareness of righteousness' to further these aims can double up
as an organisation which can invite prosecution under 'laws meant for
unlawful and terrorist organisations'.
But any impartial observer of the activities of 'Sanatan Sanstha' and
'Hindu Janjagruti Samiti' would concur with the view that these
organisations need not be allowed to spread their venomous agenda among
innocent people any further. The recent bomb blasts in Maharashtra
where members of these organisations have been found to be involved is
another reminder about the danger which these organisations present
before the communal harmony situation in our country.)
It is definitely no Kafkasquean scenario where one fine morning someone experiences metamorphosis of a different kind.
It is a real world, world which talks of 'spiritual salvation' and
'awareness of righteousness', a world which supposedly 'aims to present
religious mysticism in a scientific language for the curious and to
guide seekers', which 'conducts weekly spiritual meetings, discourses,
child guidance classes, workshops on spirituality etc.' but this is
just one part of the whole story.
The other part of the story is that here 'destruction of evildoers' is
an integral part of 'spiritual practice'. And this 'destruction' is to
be done at 'physical and psychological level'. Interestingly to
facilitate this 'Dharm Kranti' (religious revolution) the seekers are
also provided with training in arms - rifles, trishuls, lathis and
other weapons.
Enter the world of Sanatan Sanstha and Hindu Janjagruti Samiti, which
recently reached national headlines for completely non-spiritual
reasons, when its activists/members were arrested by Anti Terrorism
Squad (ATS) of the Maharashtra state for recent bomb blasts in
Maharashtra. It was sheer coincidence that these terrorists belonging
to these organisations could be nabbed and for the first time a
possibility emerged about tracing the real culprits behind many
unexplained bomb blasts in this part of Western India.
In fact the bomb blasts at theatres in Vashi ( Visnudas Bhave
Auditorium, 31 st May) and Thane ( Gadkari Rangayatan Auditorium, 4 th
June) which fortunately did not kill anyone, would have similarly
joined many such blasts where real culprits could never be identified,
if the ATS had followed the oftbeaten track of stigmatising particular
community and thus restricting the scope of investigation. One crucial
link which the police already had was that the play which was to be
staged in these two auditoriums named "Amhi Pachpute" had evoked a
strong reaction from the members of the Hindu Jangagruti Samiti (HJS)
and Sanatan Sanstha (SS) earlier. The HJS and SS members had even held
joint protest to register their protest about the manner in which
'hindu mythological figures had been shown in poor light' in the drama.
Interestingly HJS members had similarly held violent protests earlier
when another play by the same author 'Yada Kadachit' was staged.
The arrested terrorists namely Ramesh Hanumant Gadkari ( 50), Mangesh
Dinkar Nikam ( 34), Vikram Bhave (26), Santosh Sitaram Angre (26)and Dr
Hemant Chalke provided many crucial details to the ATS team. It was the
same group which was involved in bomb explosion at Panvel Cinema Hall
in February when Jodhaa Akbar was screened. They had also planted a
bomb outside a mosque/dargah on the Pen Highway last Diwali. It was
worth noting that these terrorists who owed their allegiance with HJS
and Sanatan Sanstha did not regret their act. They reportedly told the
investigators that '' We are proud of what we did to deter those who
were trying to show our gods and goddesses in poor light."
The aggressive statements by the culprits emphasised the arrival of
Hindutva terrorism in India - a charge which was already in air but
never conceded by anyone. Not to be left behind, Bal Thackeray, the
Supremo of Shiv Sena praised these 'brave Hindus' but chided them for
using improvised techniques and exhorted Hindus to form 'suicide
squads' to tackle the 'menace of Islamic terrorism'.
2.
( Mumbai, June 20 Detonators, gelatin sticks, circuits, remote controls recovered from 3 locations; one detained, says ATS
The state Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on Friday recovered a sizeable
cache of gelatin sticks, detonators, circuits, remote controls and
batteries from three locations — two in Pen and another in Satara. The
recoveries were made on information provide by the two people arrested
earlier this week in connection with the recent blasts and planting of
explosives in auditoriums in Thane, Vashi and Panvel.
Blast accused guide police to hidden explosives, Express News Service,
Posted online: Saturday , June 21, 2008 at 01:05:56, Updated: Saturday
, June 21, 2008 at 01:05:56)
The arrest of these five Hindu terrorists belonging to Hindu Janjagruti
Samiti and Sanatan Sanstha and the blowing of lid over the operations
of these organisations was followed by demand from different quarters
of society to ban these fanatic hindu organisations.Apart from
Nationalist Congress Party, (NCP), Samajwadi Party (SP) or Jamiat Ulema
e Hindi many other organisations/individuals raised their voice in
unison.
Recently a Dharana was held at Azad Maidan, Bombay on 20 th June under
the aegis of Maharashtra unit of Movement for Peace and Justice (MPJ)
to condemn the involvement of activists of Sanatan Sanstha and Hindu
Jan Jagruti Samiti in recent bombings in Thane and Vashi. Organisations
.like Mumbai Catholic sabha, India Center, Maharashtra manav Adhikar
Sanrakshak Samiti, Yuva Sarkar, Indian Republic Party, Bahujan
Mahasangh, Muslim Front, catholic Secular Front, Senior Citizen of
Royal College, Awami Bharat, Vidyarthi Bharati, Hindu Vikasini etc.have
supported MPJO.A massive dharana of various social-cultural and
political organisations held under the aegis of Maharashtra unit of
Movement for Peace and Justice (MPJ) on Azad Maidan (20 th June).
Looking at the fact that it is for the first time that organised
involvement of Hindutva terrorist groups in bomb blasts in India is
being clearly seen, secular organisations have underlined the need to
have a fresh look at terror attacks in India and toning up central and
state agencies to look for real culprits. It is also being pointed out
that barring the 1993 Bombay bomb blasts which have been investigated,
investigations in most of the other bomb blasts in the country have
reached dead end. Security agencies following a preconceived path and
focussing on one possibility has led to a situation whose end product
has been demonization of Muslim community and the rise of Islamophobia
in India.In fact it has become a usual pattern which has been well
imbibed by the police and security agencies, where blast anywhere in
the country would be claimed as the handiwork of 'Islamic terrorist
organisations' , sketches would be prepared and innocent people would
be arrested without any proper proof and would be put to endless
torture. The recent Jaipur bomb blasts saw police releasing skethches
of suspects at least twice without any valid explanation about the
withdrawal of the earlier sketches of drawings. If there is
intervention at the level of human rights activists or at any other
higher level all such 'culprits' would be released with a warning that
they do not disclose anything to anyone. And if the near and dear ones
of the innocent people are not able to gather enough support from any
quarter, they would be booked under various trumped up charges and sent
to jail.(Politicization of terror, Tarique Anwar on 19 June 2008 -
8:06pm.
www.twocircles.net)
Although the chief minister of Maharashtra has pointed out that these
investigations have exposed the myth that only particular community is
involved in terror attacks, and has advised to maintain balance in
investigations, activists have pointed out the double standard adopted
by the same police in arresting the culprits. It is being said that
police has said that these accused can’t be arrested under the
Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) because these acts
of terror were not done by “an organised terrorist group.” It is true
that any democracy loving person would never support such a law which
itself is a grave attack on human rights, but the moot question arises
is that how can police adopt 'double standard" that the secular
organisations are completely against. They have rightly raised the
question, if the arrested terrorists would have been Muslim, whether
police would have given similar explanation.“How can one differentiate
between the Hindutva terrorism and the so called Islamic terrorism? And
more importantly, does terrorism has any religion?”
3.
A writeup in Indian Express (June 23, 2008) titled 'Quietly, hardline
Hindu Outfits build a network across Maharashtra, Goa' explains the
working of these organisations which 'work like wheels within wheels'
and mobilise Hindus on 'a cocktail of Ramrajya, Hindu Dharma, and
"dharamkranti ' religious revolution". A notable feature of HJS and SS
is while there is no formal membership and funding is through
donations, satsangs/religious gatherings are an important feature of
mobilisation of people. Apart from many centres in different parts of
India, they have centres in New Jersey, Brisbane, Melbourne, Dubai and
many other places. It also provides details of the newly launched
outfit "Dharamshakti Sena" pictures of whose inaugural rally show young
men dressed in military fatigues. The "Sena" was established in 16
districts of Maharashtra towns and cities on Gudi :Padwa day this April.
Dharamshakti Sena chief Vinay Panvalkar has travelled extensively
across Maharashtra after establishment of the outfit and is reported to
have delivered inflammatory speeches. In a meeting held in Pune he is
quoted as saying "Hindus are cornered from all sides, but there is no
retaliation from them." In another meeting in Thane he says "The war in
future will be a Dharamyudh and Dharamshakti Sena will be the guiding
force".
As has been already reported the arrested Hindu terrorists have
claimed that they were working on their own initiative, and the
leadership of Sanatan Sanstha and Hindu Janjagruti Samiti has also
categorically denied any role in there acts. Interestingly, in one of
their own publications they have also condemned the act albeit
sympathised with their grievances.But any close watcher of the whole
situation knows that it would not be possible for the leadership of
Sanatan Sanstha and Hindu Janjagruti Samiti to hide behind formal
explanations for long.
Apart from the trysts of the terrorists with bombs and violence police
is rather baffled with the recovery of explosives from different parts
of Maharashtra at the behest of the arrested activists :
"According to ATS officials, while 19 gelatin sticks, two circuits with
remote controls, a circuit without a remote and 20 detonators were
found buried in the ground at a spot in Varsai village near Pen, three
circuits with remote controls, a circuit without a remote, 12
batteries, a timer and a voltmeter were recovered from the bed of a
stream in Pen. Another recovery of similar objects was made from a
location in Satara.
“The recoveries in Pen were made on details obtained during the
interrogation of Vikram Bhave (26), while that in Satara was based on
information provided by Mangesh Nikam (34),” said Additional
Commissioner of Police, ATS, Parambeer Singh.
- Express News Service, Posted online: Saturday , June 21, 2008
A senior officer of the Anti Terrorism Squad has told the media that
the meticulous planning which has gone into organising the bomb blasts
shows that it cannot be initiative of few persons only and they have
all the options yet open before them. According to him various members
of these organisations are being questioned. If there role is found in
the planning or the execution of these incidents, ATS would write to
the central government and seek that they be banned.
Apart from interrogation of different associates of these Hindu
terrorists the ATS also needs to take a close look at the plethora of
literature published by Sanatan Sanstha and Hindu Janjagruti Samiti and
different issues of their regular newspaper and magazines and other
material. A close look at the functioning of the organisations and the
methods of their indoctrination which place the "Guru" (teacher) at a
supreme level, makes it clear that it would not be difficult for the
ATS to nab the people who 'remote control' the activities of their
gullible followers.
It need be told that apart from the 'magnum opus' of the founder of SS
and HJS, Jayant Athavale which is called "Science of Spirituality' -
which is book of 21 volumes - and other texts about 'Divine Kingdom',
'Arts for God Realisation' and 'Spiritual Experiences of Seekers' etc.
a very important text in the training of the seekers is Texts on
Defence where seekers of divine kingdom are also imparted training with
air rifles ( Vol 3 H - Self Defence Training, Chapter 6, Page 108-109)
It would be opportune to discuss a portion from this text which trains
the seeker in 'Firing' . In 7 a. it trains the seeker in standing
stance (kada pavitra) [shooting in the standing posture] in section 7
b. it discusses Sitting Stance (baitha pavitra) [shooting in the
sitting stance]. It also shows the photograph of Vinay Panvalkar
wearing a hat showing the different positions.
7 B. Sitting Stance (baitha pavitra) [shooting in the sitting stance]
1. Load the rifle according to steps 'A to F' of point 6. Loading the rifle.' Then proceed as given below.
2. Ready to fire - one ( fire ke liye sajja -ek) :
Once this command is given touch the right knee to the ground. Bending
the toes of the right foot support the foot on its ball. At that time
the left knee should be bent and kept in front of the right one. ....
Another writeup in 'Goan Observer' also displays seven photographs of
Vinay Panvalkar which have appeared in another of Sanatan Sanstha's
publication ['Swasaunrakshan Prashikshan' (Self Defence Training)]
While four photographs show training by rifle, two photographs show how
to attack someone with a long Trishul and the last one is the usual
fight with hands. The same writeup makes an interesting point vis-a-vis
HJS/SS and RSS/VHP/Bajrang Dal.
According to the writeup
..It would appear that these hardline organisations have come up
because of the disillusion meant amongst hardcore fanatic Hindus that
the BJP and the RSS have compromised their core values for political
gains. In fact though the Sansthan boasted of over two lakh members
when it started in 1999, many members were expelled because they were
proved to be 'corrupt'. Unlike the RSS, VHP and Bajrang Dal activists
the activists of the Sanstha maintain a very low profile which makes it
difficult to combat their mischief .
The same page carries a photograph of Jayant Athavale, founder of HJS,
and SS, in military fatigue exhorting people to 'Become Hindu Naxalites
to combat the Naxalites who are the biggest enemies of Dharamrajya'.
Jayant Athavale's magnum opus 'Science of Spirituality' in its chapter
'Spiritual Practice of Protecting Seekers and Destroying Evildoers' (
Vol I, E, Page 64-65) underlines the importance of Guru to undertake
spiritual practice'. It clearly absolves the seeker from any act of
destroying evildoers.
It says
B 2. One chanting continuously : The action of destroying evildoers
becomes a non-action only if done along with chanting the Lord's name,
as then it becomes a mere act (Kriya). Then the Law of Karma (Action)
does not apply.
B 3. One who is permitted by saints or Gurus to undertake this
spiritual practice: Destroy evildoers if you have been advised by
saints or Gurus to do so. Then these acts are not registered in your
name.
According to the book
Timetable of the spiritual practice
a. Year 1997-1999 A.D. ( 3 Years) : Impressing upon the mind that 'destruction of evildoers' is a part of the spiritual nature.
b. Year 2000-2006 A.D. ( 7 years) : Actual destruction of evildoers at physical, psychological and spiritual levels.
c. Year 2007-2022 A.D. ( 16 Years ) : Generating the potential to run the kingdom of the Absolute truth
d. Year 2023 - 2025 A.D. ( 3 Years) : Commencement of the regime of Absolute Truth ( divine kingdom)
In Vol 4 of the book 'Texts about the Divine Kingdom' which focusses
itself on Social Upliftment, National Security it measures someone's
'spiritual progress' when he is compelled to 'kill someone.' (Page
48-49)
6 C 4. Test of Spiritual Progress : One will perceive how much
spiritual progress one has made only when he is compelled to kill
someon. It is easy to make statements like 'everything is Brahman'
(God)' When actually performing the act of killing, if the mind remains
steady and does not waver at all like Arjun's did, only then can one
say that one has realised Brahman.
It also presents its ideas about who would 'bring about a revolution'
6 D. Only warrior seekers (Kshatravir) can bring about a revolution.
6 D 1. Warrior seekers who have an unparalleled combination of a
selfless attitude, unity, intense motivation to undertake the mission
and faith in it The Lord. It is not an easy task to oust evil
politicians. To achieve this, one will have to combat their ruffian
party workers, the police force and the army under their command.
Therefore, this is certainly not the work of selfish politicians. The
people have experienced in the last 54 years after independence that
despite granting opportunity to various parties to assume power,
replacement of one politician by another does not bring about any
change in society.
Apart from valorising violence through its literature and actions, the
organisations have achieved notoriety for abusing other religions and
their prophets. e.g In one of its issues of 'Sanatan Prabhat' ( 9 th
Dec 2005) - a newspaper brought out by it from many districts in
Maharashtra and Goa, it 'exposes the real nature of Bible' by calling
it a 'manual for teaching immorality' which discusses in detail ' the
rape of a sister by a brother'. It is part of its usual practice to
show a Pastor with horns whose sole agenda is proselytisation. Its
humiliation of Islam and Prophet Muhammad nearly created a riot like
situationi in Miraj ( First week of November 2005)
4.
It is for everyone to see that organisations like Hindu Janjagruti
Samiti, Sanatan Sanstha and Dharamkranti Sena and their open espousal
of violence against 'evildoers' under the garb of 'spiritual practice'
cannot be allowed to continue any further.
Whatever might be the claims of the likes of Gadkari, Nikam, Angre and
others - the accused in the bomb blasts - that the whole operation was
their own initiative, it is clear to any layperson that their
organisations can never escape the blame for preparing the conditions
so that 'seekers' unleash violence against religious minorities for the
espousal of spirituality. A cursory glance at the writings and speeches
of the leaders of SS, HJS makes it clear that in a democratic setup
they need to pay for their hatefilled speeches and for promoting
division of society on communal lines. For all its talk of spirituality
it is becoming extremely clear that the likes of Jayant Athavale are
essentially zealots for the formation of Hindu Rashtra in secular
India. In one of his exhortations (Sanatan Prabhat, 16 th August 2005)
talks of ' Inevitability of the building of Hindu Rashtra to avoid
braking of India at the hands of the irreligious'. It was only last
year that HJS had organised a photo exhibition in different parts of
Goa and Maharashtra to present their version of the 'attaks on Hindus
in Kashmir and Bangladesh' This particular exhibition evoked a strong
reaction from wide cross-section of people with its one-sided
pictorisation of events. The said exhibition had been prepared by Frank
Gautier, a saffron sympathiser from Europe
It is high tmie that measures are taken at the polity level so that the
likes of Jayant Athavaale and Vinay Panwalkar and all their comrades
are restrained from taking up any cause which could 'provide fresh
impetus to forces of exclusion and hope.'
It is possible that the government dithers over taking up any action
against leaders of HJS , then one will have to get ready for a
protracted struggle against these forces. People conversant with law or
its different statues can tell you what sort of clauses from Indian
Penal Code would apply in case of the hatefilled propaganda by them. If
convicted they will have to spend at least three years in any Indian
jail.
Question remains who will gather enough courage to 'bell the cat'?
Contact : subhash.gatade[AT]gmail.com