Monthly Archives: DECEMBER 2017

Hinduism is our culture, our tradition, Ashok Singhal a finest proponent of Hinduism: VP

 

INDIA'S VICE PRESIDENT Venkaiah Naidu once again stoked the controversy over Vande Mataram and asked if those objecting to it actually wanted to salute Afzal Guru instead of their Mother India.

Naidu said Hinduism is "our culture, our tradition”, which has been passed on from generations, and condemned those objecting to saying or singing ‘Vande Mataram.’

"If not the mother, who will you salute? Afzal Guru?” the Vice President of the Republic of India said.

----------

References to Afzal Guru are often made by BJP leaders to underline alleged overt or covert support to Pakistan/terrorists by not just Muslims in India but also by the larger liberal, left or secular elements in Indian polity.

----------

Naidu's comments came on a day when India was shocked by a video that had gone viral of a man killing a Muslim man in cold blood, hacking him and then burning him, and later circulating the video of the gory killing. In the video, the accused is heard spewing hatred against Muslims, referencing Love Jihad and efforts to 'distort' history through films like PK and Padmawati. Many have raised the question if such hate crimes were not being prompted by anti-Muslim venom by rightwing leaders.

References to Afzal Guru are often made by BJP leaders to underline overt or covert support by not just Muslims in India but also by the larger liberal, left or secular elements in Indian polity.

 

Interestingly, Naidu was speaking at an event where he released a book on former Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) chief late Ashok Singhal, who had famously proclaimed after the victory of Narendra Modi in  2014 that Delhi had come under Hindu rule after 800 years. Singhal had also compared Modi's rise to power with the rule of Prithviraj Chauhan, considered to be the last independent Hindu ruler in the sub-continent.

----------

Ashok Singhal headed the ultra right VHP and was in the forefront of the movement for the construction of a Ram Temple in Ayodhya. He also famously described Modi’s victory as return of Hindu Raj in India.

----------

Naidu thought it fit to describe Ashok Singhal as one of the "finest proponents of Hinduism” who "sacrificed” 75 years of his life for the benefit of future generations. Singhal headed the ultra right VHP and was in the forefront of the movement for the construction of a Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

The VHP had earlier demanded abolition of the National Commission for Minorities, and had actually passed resolutions seeking an "immediate scrapping of both the Minority Commission and the Minority Affairs Ministry.” The VHP's stand is that the "very idea” of these institutions "gives credence to a separatist mindset”. The resolution was passed in a meeting of VHP’s Central Governing Council held at Vadtal (Gujarat) on June 24 and 25, 2017. That it was a considered opinion of the VHP was clear from the fact that this particular VHP council meeting was attended by around 250 representatives of VHP from all over the country, besides leaders of its "sister organisations”, including Bajrang Dal and Durga Vahini.

 

---------

The VHP had earlier demanded abolition of the National Commission for Minorities, and had actually passed resolutions seeking an "immediate scrapping of both the Minority Commission and the Minority Affairs Ministry.”

--------- 

 Certain other RSS affiliates like Swadeshi Jagran Manch also oppose several union ministries.

How minorities would react to Vice President Venkaiah Naidu's hailing of Ashok Singhal, a dyed in the wool leader of the VHP, is yet to be seen. Singhal, the international working president of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) for over 20 years, died in November 2015.

 

Disclaimer : PunjabToday.in and other platforms of the Punjab Today group strive to include views and opinions from across the entire spectrum, but by no means do we agree with everything we publish. Our efforts and editorial choices consistently underscore our authors' right to the freedom of speech. However, it should be clear to all readers that individual authors are responsible for the information, ideas or opinions in their articles, and very often, these do not reflect the views of PunjabToday.in or other platforms of the group. Punjab Today does not assume any responsibility or liability for the views of authors whose work appears here.

_______________________________________________________________
Most shared Punjab Today articles:

 

THE LOOT THAT RAJASTHAN COMMITTED – An insult bigger than Bollywood’s Padmawati!  

 

Tribune's Harish Khare shatters the editorial silence over Caravan reportage  

 

THE DANGER OF RENAMING A COLLEGE 

 

ARNAB GOSWAMI WATCHES PADMAWATI, KARNI SENA IS HAPPIEST

DESH CHORR DO – VANDE MATARAM MAN TELLS SIKH LEADER TO LEAVE COUNTRY

 

DYAL SINGH COLLEGE TO VANDE MATARAM MAHAVIDYALAYA - A DESIGN NEFARIOUS?

 

HONESTY CERTIFICATE TO MAJITHIA TRIGGERS CRISIS IN TRIBUNE 

THE FINAL HONESTY CERTIFICATE: ISSUED BY THE TRIBUNE

 

WAS IT MEANT FOR TRUMP? OR US?  – Bush, Obama said this on Diwali

CHALO, PATAAKE CHALAYEN – CM Amarinder Singh & Parkash Singh Badal Jee

NO TIME TO READ THIS STORY? – That’s OK - Please do not feel guilty 

ELECTION COMMISSION - YOU FAILED TO CONVINCE. TRY AGAIN.

THIS IS WHY ELECTION COMMISSION DID NOT ANNOUNCE GUJARAT POLL DATES – Decoding the mystery 

BJP TO EDUCATE FARMERS ABOUT AGRI & RELIGION LINK – Will tell them Modi did so much 

AYE BHAI, BINA DEKHE CHALO –  Walking with the blind in Chandigarh

BAD, BAD WOMAN! – Punjab’s top playwright slams woman complainant against Langah

MR PRESIDENT, PLEASE TAKE BACK HIS GALLANTRY MEDAL – On Amod Kanth’s badge of shame

OPEN SALE AT GNDU – Have Rs 25,000? Get your compartment cleared. Rs 50,000 for two subjects

SUCHA SINGH LANGAH : KAMAAL JAARI HAI... Sucha Singh Langah wins, even in his darkest moments

ABEY TU BAHAR NIKAL, CHOWK MEIN AA  – The 10-yard-radius protest

PATIALA, VIA PANCHKULA. SOON REACHING YOUR CITY. HAIL DEMOCRACY! Halaat kharaab nahi hone chahiye!

PEHLU KHAN CASE –  Will Govt Now Compensate The Magnificent Six? The Nation Needs to Know

MR HOME MINISTER, WILL YOU BE VISITING FAROOQ AHMAD DAR'S HOUSE? Deconstructing Modi's narrative

THE RYAN DEBATE: HOW INDIA MISSED THE GREAT CCTV ANGLE?  Not covered by cctv, so not covered by tv either

POLITICAL ECONOMY OF EXTENSION IN AGE OF RETIREMENT – What’s wrong with retirement age policy?

THE GORAKHPUR DEAD SPEAK TO PUNJAB – From Patiala to Gorakhpur, the tale of the dead

WE WILL KILL 40-50 – Haryana BJP, Govt calculated death toll before firing first bullet

RELAX! ALL 30 WERE DERA PREMIS – Panchkula says something stinking about its conscience

LET'S KILL PAASH – Dr Sumail Singh Sidhu on the importance of Paash

A DOKLAM IN EVERY FIELD: Farmers not only produce food. They produce peace.

TO SUKHBIR SINGH BADAL: Speaking truth to power, and asking some tough questions

DECONSTRUCTING NAVJOT SINGH SIDHU: This is a duel -- pistols drawn, hands on hip, 20 steps across, aim taken

SURGICAL STRIKE YOU DID NOT KNOW ABOUT: Indian jawans killed everyone at this forward post of Pakistan

PUNJAB: AN IDEA IN SEARCH OF WORDS: Punjab, more than a poster boy of progress or a renegade from modernity

 _______________________________________________________________

Punjab Today believes in serious, engaging, narrative journalism at a time when mainstream media houses seem to have given up on long-form writing and news television has blurred or altogether erased the lines between news and slapstick entertainment. We at Punjab Today believe that readers such as yourself appreciate cerebral journalism, and would like you to hold us against the best international industry standards. Brickbats are welcome even more than bouquets, though an occasional pat on the back is always encouraging. Good journalism can be a lifeline in these uncertain times worldwide. You can support us in myriad ways. To begin with, by spreading word about us and forwarding this reportage. Stay engaged.

— Team PT