Date:19/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/19/stories/2008111956281000.htm

Karnataka

Hindus told to come together under a secular banner

Staff Correspondent

‘Shun forces promoting regional chauvinism’
‘Religion is being used to mobilise votes’

Janardhan Poojary

MANGALORE: Senior Congress leader B. Janardhan Poojary has questioned the line of thinking where all terrorists are believed to be Muslims. Against the backdrop of the arrests of alleged Hindu extremists in connection with the Malegaon blast case, Mr. Poojary has said, “At least now we must wake up to the fact terrorism and terrorists have no religion.”

Calling for a widespread condemnation of the Malegaon blasts by the Hindu community, Mr. Poojary said, “People who commit acts of aggression in the name of Hinduism are not Hindus. People who take to violence in the name of Islam are not Muslim.”

Commenting that all religions promote the ideals of peace and brotherhood, he said, “Demonisation of people from certain religions is just a ploy to mobilise the majority against the minority for the sake of votes.”

Pointing to the June 25, 1934 bomb attack on a convoy carrying Mahatma Gandhi and his wife Kasturba in Pune, he said, “That was the first terrorist attack in the history of this country. Everybody knows that the attackers were not Muslim but Hindu extremists.” He also said Nathuram Godse, who killed Gandhiji, was a Hindutva activist.

“We should wake up to the real dangers facing this country,” he said and added that communalism is shredding the fabric of this country.

He also criticised leaders of the Sangh Parivar who came out in defence of the suspected Hindutva extremists who are being interrogated in connection with the Malegaon blasts.

“On the one side, they say that Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur is not a member of the Sangh and on the other side they defend her saying she is being victimised. Why do they not allow the investigation to go on?” he asked.

Lashing out at the Sangh Parivar affiliate Shiv Sena for its anti-North Indian stand he said, “The Sangh and its affiliates such as the Shiv Sena claim to be fighting for Hindus of this country. Are North Indians not Hindus?”

Alleging that the Sangh Parivar is promoting regional and religious chauvinism, he called upon Hindus to shun divisive forces and come together under a secular banner.