The Unquiet HJS, Sanatan & the Quiet State

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We are making a gross error by considering the activities of such Hindu outfits as a threat only to minorities in India. Growing Hindu fundamentalism results in no gain for the Hindu majority. No community is safe once fundamentalists take charge of politics and governance, says PRABHAKAR TIMBLE.

The congregation of more than 150 Hindu organisations under the leadership of Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) at Sanathan Sanstha (SS) headquarters in Goa to discuss the "Road Map to the Establishment Of The Hindu Rashtra" by 2023 is an issue much larger than what meets the eye. It has the trappings to emerge as the key plank of BJP campaign for national elections in 2019. Though appears to be the handiwork of periphery groups, it’s a hydra headed monster meant to breathe and vomit communal fire to engulf the state of India. It is in consonance with the vision of the RSS and the agenda of the BJP kept hidden till the secular fabric of India is gradually torn into bits and pieces and today’s resounding voice of the secular forces turns pale and dim. It is relevant to recall how a ‘masjid-mandir’ conflict in a tiny corner at Ayodhya was initiated by fringe groups, irrigated by RSS and later blown up by BJP into a national election campaign polarizing communities for reaping electoral dividends and how later it was abandoned once again for additional electoral gains. Now, it’s a designed plan to keep alive beef politics and ‘hindu rashtra’ nationalism by the fringe groups and the RSS to step in once the issues gathers the requisite spin. The baton would be picked up by the BJP either in 2019 or 2024 depending on the assessment of the spread of the communal virus and the shape of the opposition forces. The latest example is the appointment of Yogi Adityanath as the Chief Minister of UP once the BJP tasted the luxury of numbers and gained the unassailable position.

Majority unsafe, not just minority

What happened at the HJS conference cannot be pinned to Goa and Goans alone. The activities of these fringe elements are a threat to all communities including Hindus. The risk is to India to sustain as a liberal secular democracy.  We are making a gross error by considering the activities of such Hindu outfits as a threat only to minorities in India. Growing Hindu fundamentalism results in no gain for the Hindu majority. No community is safe once fundamentalists take charge of politics and governance. It is a paradox that the architects of fanaticism leading to Hindu terrorism have their operational headquarters in the land which proudly boasts of a harmonious community which cherishes liberal and secular values.

Any individual or group is free to hold whatever beliefs and however progressive or regressive they may be. There is no issue as long as the beliefs are not forced down the throats of others.  There is also no harm in propagating the same through peaceful, non-coercive and constitutionally acceptable means. The Sadaks and Sadhavis of HJS conduct themselves as self-appointed messengers of Hindu Gods. They also proliferate in the realm of the State and pontificate on freedoms and restrictions. This is the stage when the state needs to intervene and invoke the laws to maintain supremacy of the law and the constitution.

At the recently concluded HJS conference, self-styled Sadhvi Saraswati exhorted Hindus to arm themselves to “save our women from love jihad”. She gave a call for public execution by government of those who harm cow and eat beef. The discharge against Muslims, “seculars” and Hindus who do not toe the Sanathan line was appalling and unspeakable. “"Pehle Hindu ko hi Hindu banana hai “, she roared underlining that these seculars are the first who will be attacked. It is quite clear that the intention is to promote feelings of enmity or hatred within the Hindus and also between different communities. The Sadhvi is a well known habitual offender propagating Hindus to stock weapons and lynch “vidharmis” who eat beef. The HJS has publicly expressed its contempt for the Constitution of India, holding that for them ‘the constitution is one that was written by Ram and Krishna”. Whatever is dished out by the HJS has the pernicious tendency and intention of creating disorder and disturbance in the community.

Invoke laws, stop appeasement

 The stand of the local politicians that they will stand as “rakshaks” to guard interests of minorities in Goa is a weak proposition. What we need is for the law to step in and act. An individual as protector of democracy and freedom is uncivilized approach as we have entered the stage of “government by laws” as opposed to “government by men”. The state and its instrumentalities should invoke Sections 153A, 153B and 505 of the Indian Penal Code against all such elements and the organizations. As a contrast, the May 2017 central government notification called the Prevention of Animal Cruelty Act (Regulation of Livestock Markets) appears to be an appeasement of the divisive forces. The central government has clearly stepped into the domain of State List under the devolution of powers almost causing an “effective” nationwide ban on cattle slaughter. The stoic silence of the state of Goa is shocking.

 The CBI has found credible links of HJS and the so called Sadhavis and Sadkas involved in the murder of rationalists and social reformers Narendra Dabholkar, Comrade Pansare and Prof. Kalburgi. The Maharashtra government has sent a proposal to the Centre seeking a ban on right wing organisation Sanatan Sanstha under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), in April this year. With headquarters of Sanatan in Goa, it is a unpleasant surprise that the state government has not joined hands with the Maharashtra government. I would not demand a ban even on organizations drenched or floating in the muddy waters of communalism and cultural fundamentalism. They have a point of view, though regressive and perverted. But, certainly, the state and the government should invoke the criminal and revenue laws at its command rather than providing the unrestricted field to graze at whims and leisure.