Feb 04 2009
| Print |
E-mail
By Bal Patil
Dear Sir
As an independent observer of the Indian political scene and its ups and downs in the last four decades, and a journalist and an ex-Member of the Media Expert Committee of the Government of India I was simply stunned by the the frenzied debate in and out of Parliament and on the TV channels asking for the dismissal of A.R. Antulay for his observation that “there is more to it than meets the eye” in Hemant Karkare’s killing and that it should be investigated. To be frank. I could not make out what political or secular blasphemy Shri Antulay thereby committed.
The first and last principle of fair reporting is : comment is free but facts are sacred. Only a day before the 26/11 terrorist attack BJP leaders were calling ATS Chief Karkare a deshdrohi – a traitor- an offence which carries death penalty. Ironically the very same leaders were calling Shri A.R. Antulay a Deshdrohi, and worse, a Pakistani agent! I am merely putting the record straight.
Permit me to recall re: Karkare episode when you and your party Members were going into the well of the House and/or standing in your seats and I heard allegations hurled at Antulay of being not only anti-national but also being an agent of Pakistan and brother of Dawood. I was stunned at such patently false, mischievous and malicious allegations.
I would particularly like to draw your attention to the Awami Bharat Press
Conference held at Mumbai Marathi Patrakar Sangh on 20th December, http://www.countercurrents.org/awami211208.htm 2008 demanding a high level probe into the deaths of Shri Karkare, Shri Kamte and Shri Salaskar and supporting supporting the demand made by Shri A. R. Antulay and thanking him for having brought this issue to the centre stage of the national debate, and further that “the remarks by A. R. Antulay have stirred the latent doubts amongst all communities and the popular perception far differs from what the media would have us believe.”
India is at the crossroads of history when Pakistan is recklessly beating war drums and terrorists indubitably of the Pak origin created havoc of 26/11. When the UPA Government is seriously considering war-like options if Pakistan is persistently denying terrorist links, it would be suicidal to ignore the threat of internal sabotage posed by the indigenous terror linked with extremist organisations as revealed in the ATS investigation in Malegam blasts.
2. A section of the MPs and a large sections of media are outraged by Shri Antulay’s voicing a demand for investigation of Karkare’s killing. May I ask in all journalistic and secular conscience why every true Indian committed to the secular ideal of the Constitution should not feel outraged by the following interview in the Outlook Magazine dated November 17, 2008 with Himani Savarkar 'We Can Have Bullet For Bullet, Why Not Blast For Blast?’
Smt.Himani Savarkar, the niece of Nathuram Godse, and daughter of Gopal Godse married to Veer Savarkar’s nephew, is the president of the Abhinav Bharat... Some members of this organisation have been linked to the Malegaon bomb attack of September 29. Himani spoke to Outlook Magazine (Nov.17, 2008) as follows:
Excerpts from the interview in the Outlook Magazine dated November 17, 2008
Question: What are the objectives of Abhinav Bharat?
“Our aim is to fight terror—spread awareness of who the real terrorists are and teach people how to oppose terrorism…. Since the government failed to act, there had to be a reaction. If what the police claim against Sadhvi Pragya Singh and the others is true, then it is just a reaction against the real terrorism....
Question: But is a blast-for-blast strategy the way to tackle terrorism?
“Didn’t Maharashtra deputy CM R.R. Patil say that we must reply with a bullet for a bullet? Then why can’t we have a blast for a blast? Sameer Kulkarni and the others are patriots who love their country. But the government is now trying to declare them guilty to weaken the Hindus. We have become a soft state...should we all wear bangles now? The government doesn’t want to fight terrorism. That’s why it will never take action against the Muslims. The police have cracked so many cases like the encounter in Delhi where Muslim terrorists were killed. But as soon as the police takes action, there are shouts for a judicial inquiry.
Question : How should India fight terrorism?
“We must declare ourselves a Hindu Rashtra where everyone is a Hindu. Anyone who isn’t should be declared a second-class citizen and denied voting rights. Those who have problems with this should leave and settle in other countries. The Hindu votebank must unite to vote out any government that fails to tackle terror. Then we must throw out the outsiders like Bangladeshis who live off India’s wealth and work towards destroying us.”
IS THIS NOT TREASONABLE IPSO FACTO? WHY NO ACTION IS BEING TAKEN?
This Outlook interview also reports “Lt Col Jayant Chitale, a retired air defence artillery officer who runs the Maharashtra Military Foundation (MMF). Chitale lives and operates out of a bungalow a few blocks from Purohit’s home off Law College Road, Pune. He says with some pride, "I have over 1,000 of my boys serving in the three services today. Each one has been brainwashed by me. They are motivated, determined and will do anything for the nation."
Interestingly, a visitor’s book that Chitale has carefully preserved for nearly two decades lists the names of all the young men who trained under him. An entry on February 20, 1993, lists a young Shrikant Prasad Purohit, residing on Law College Road, Pune. "He was a brilliant boy," says Chitale, "This Malegaon blast could be the reaction of years of frustration within the army over denial of their rights and prestige.The politicians and the bureaucrats continue to ignore the military at their own peril and these acts could just be the beginning."
Would it not be better to term the Malegam blasts accused as "Hindutva terrorists" in view of the clear ideological Hindutva and fascist geneology as revealed in their association with the RSS and the Bhonsla Military School established by Dr.Munje godfather of Dr.Hedgewar founder of the RSS . who modelled the BMS on Nazi Fascist model.
Inspiration for the RSS cadres and their paramilitary training was derived from Benito Mussolini’s fascist paramilitary groups, the Blackshirts, after RSS mentor and founder, BS Moonje visited the Italian dictator in 1931. As detailed in Marzia Casolari’s article, "Hindutva’s foreign tie-up in the 1930s: Archival evidence" (Economic and Political Weekly, January 22, 2000):
"To understand militant Hinduism, one must examine its domestic roots as well as foreign influence. In the 1930s Hindu nationalism borrowed from European fascism to transform ‘different’ people into ‘enemies’. Leaders of militant Hinduism repeatedly expressed their admiration for authoritarian leaders such as Mussolini and Hitler ..."
It is not only naive but also sheer deception to claim as Mr.Advani does that the RSS does not believe in violence or that Nathuram Godse dissociated himself from the RSS. The ideological connection between Sawarkar, Hindutva, RSS, and the bomb-culture as exhibited in Malegam-type bomb blasts is as infaliible as the DNA test and can be traced back to Sawarkar’s student days in London .The BJP leadership cannot idolise Sawarkar by committing the ultimate affront to Mahatma Gandhi by placing Sawarkar’s portrait opposite that of Gandhi in the Parliament House and claim with a straight face that RSS does not believe in violence and Hinduism does not preach violence.
The ‘Hindutva’ terrorism is no stranger to bomb culture. RSS - BMS - Abhinav Bharat are explicitly rooted in fascist ideology. And Nathuram Godse was not unacquanited with the bomb culture before he actually murdered Mahatma Gandhi on 30th January, 1948. Madanlal Pahwa, a refugee threw a bomb at Gandhi’s prayer meeting on 20th January, 1948 and his statement before the police had given the names of the conspiracy afoot to assassinate Gandhi.
The fact is that before the actual assassination in 1948 there were several attempts on Gandhiji’s life from 1934. The first was when Mahatma Gandhi was engaged in a nationwide tour against untouchability he went to Poona on 19th June 1934. On 25th June 1934 he was targetted with a bomb by the Hindutva fundamentalists. There was no question then either of the partition of the country or the 55 crores to be given to Pakistan. The incident of this bomb attack is mentioned by Pyarelal in his Last Phase Part II . Even more detailed information is given in D.G. Tendulkar’s Mahatma Part III. A bomb was thrown at Gandhi on 25th June 1934 when he was going to Pune Municipality conference hall to give his talk . In this bomb attack the chief executive of the municipality along with two police constables were seriously injured. Mahatma Gandhi escaped just because he was in the car behind. Pyarelal says the attack was well planned. The photos of Nehru and other congress leaders were found in the shoes of the attackers which means that the culprits were arrested. Thus before the bomb attack by Madanlal on January 20 1948 there was an earlier bomb attack. Most of the newspapers of the day published reports stating that the bomb attack was to kill Mahatma Gandhi.
Even more significant was another attempt on Gandhi’s life at Matheran in 1944 when Nathuram was arrested when trying to assault Gandhiji with a sharp weapon at Panchgani near Pune as testified by Manishanker Purohit, the proprietor of the Surti Lodge in Pune before the Kapur Commission . It is pertinent to note in this context that Pyarelal testified before the Kapur Commission that the RSS had infiltrated in the police force.
Even more shocking is the glorification of Nathuram Godse the murderer of Mahatma Gandhi. I am also seriously concerned to draw attention of the Honourable Members of the House to the following newsitem in the Hindustan Times dated 30th December, 2008 captioned: CALENDER DEDICATED TO GANDHI’S ASSASSIN . The newsitem states that “nearly 60 years after Nathuram Godse was hanged for the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, his ideas have come alive on a calendar dedicated to him.
I WOULD LIKE TO POSE A QUESTION IN ALL SECULAR CONSCIENCE WHY SUCH BLATANT GLORIFICATION OF THE MURDERER OF THE FATHER OF THE NATION SHOULD NOT BE CONDEMNABLE AND LEGALLY ACTIONABLE?
Wishing you a Happy and Peaceful New Year!
Yours sincerely,
BAL PATIL
Recommend this article...
________________________________________
Did you enjoy this article? Please bookmark it onto:
Quote this article on your site | Views: 78
Comments (1)
1. 05-02-2009 10:29
Karkare's death - QED
Your surmise - Karkare was called deshdrohi. Karkare was killed. Therefore, those who called Karkare deshdrohi killed him.
http://www.kaikulath.blogspot.com
Guest
venu1005@hotmail.com/ K.Venugopal
http://mwcnews.net/content/view/28345&Itemid=1
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Sadhvi Pragnya's Affidavit
NASIK C.R. NO. I – 130/08(RE-NUMBERED AS C.R. No. 1 – 18/08 at ATS)State of Maharashtra: ComplainantThru’ ATSV/s.Sadhwi Pragyan Singh Thakur & Ors: Accused AFFIDAVITI, Sadhwi Pragyan Chandrapal Singh Thakur, Age 38 years, Occupation — Nil, residing at 7, Ganga Sagar Apartment, Katodara Road, Surat, Gujarat State do hereby state on solemn affirmation as under:1. I say that I am a resident of Madhya Pradesh. My parents live in Surat, Gujarat where they shifted residence a couple of years ago. I say that for some years now, I found myself becoming increasingly detached from the material world and correspondingly found tremendous comfort and solace in Spiritualism. Accordingly I decided to renounce the material world and become a Sanyasin. On 30.1.2007, after performing the appropriate Hindu Religious rites and prayers I became a Sadhwi. I say that ever since then, I have been residing in a ashram at Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. My life at the Ashram almost exclusively consisted of prayers, meditation, yoga and the reading of spiritual texts. At the ashram I did not watch TV channels and had practically no access to newspapers.2. I say that apart from my activities at the ashram, I travelled chiefly around North India for the purpose of religious discourses and sermons. In connection with these latter activities, between 23.9.2008 and 4.10.2008, I was in Indore where I stayed at the residence of one Annaji who is my disciple. In the evening of 4th October, 2008, I returned to my ashram in Jabalpur. 3. I say that on 7.10.2008, when I was at Jabalpur Ashram, I received a call from a police officer from the ATS, Maharashtra, called Mr Sawant, who wanted to know about my LML Freedom vehicle. However, I told him I had sold it long back and not concerned with it. However, he insisted me to come down to Surat as he wanted to question me at length about it. I was reluctant to go to Surat by leaving the Ashram and insisted for him to come down to Jabalpur, but he refused and told me to come down to Surat as early as possible. 4. I further say that accordingly I travelled to Surat by train via Ujjain and arrived at Surat on 10.10.2008 early in the morning and my disciple Shri Bhimbhai Pasricha had to receive me at Railway Station and I went to his place at Atop Nagar. 5. I say that here at about 10 AM, I met officer Mr Sawant who had apparently travelled to Surat to trace the ownership of a LML Freedom two wheeler and I questioned him as to what had happened to my vehicle and why you are asking about it. I say that I it was at this point time, Mr Sawant told me that my vehicle had been allegedly planted with the explosives and subsequently detonated in Malegaon in the last week of September. I also say that it was here for the first time, I came to know that my old vehicle had been allegedly used in Malegaon blast, which was completely shocking to me. I confirmed to Mr Sawant that the LML Freedom 2 wheeler of the colour and number, he mentioned had once belonged to me. 6. I say that in Surat during the course of my interrogation with Mr Sawant, I mentioned to him that the LML Freedom two wheeler once owned by me was subsequently sold to one Sunil Joshi of Madhya Pradesh way back in October, 2004 and that Mr Joshi had paid me Rs 24,000/- for the same. I had also signed the necessary TT Form for RTO transfer in October, 2004 itself. I categorically asserted to Mr Sawant that since October, 2004 I had no control over the vehicle or its movements and usage.7. I further say that in spite of my answers, Mr. Sawant repeatedly asked me how the vehicle reached Malegaon and how it came to be involved in the bomb blast on 29.9.2008. I repeatedly replied that I could not answer his questions as I had no control of the vehicle since October, 2004.8. I also say that Mr Sawant however informed me that he did not believe me and that I would have to accompany him and his ATS team to Mumbai for further interrogation and he assured me that after such interrogation I would be free to go back to my ashram
9. It is significant to mention that I was not formally arrested on 10.10.2008. Even though no formal summons to attend as a Witness was served upon me to make my self available for interrogation in Mumbai, and even though I was within my rights to insist that I be interrogated at the place where I reside ie Jabalpur, trusting Mr Sawant and having nothing to hide, I agreed to accompany the ATS team to Mumbai. I say Mr Sawant told me take my father along with me. However, due to his old age, I told him it was not proper take down him to Mumbai and suggested that my disciple, one Mr Bhimbhai Pasricha, in whose very residence my questioning was being done by the ATS. I further say that at 5.15 PM myself, Mr Pasricha and the ATS officer left Surat and reached Bombay on the very night of 10.10.2008. In Bombay I was taken straight away to the ATS office at Kalachowkie.10. Thereafter for two days I was detained and interrogated by the ATS team in Mumbai. The questions were repetitive and directed at somehow involving me in the bomb blast in Malegaon on 29.9.2008. My answers remained constant throughout.11. I further say that on 12.10.2008 the ATS changed the mode of interrogation and became extremely aggressive with me. At first they asked my said disciple Mr Bhimbhai Pasricha to beat me with sticks, belts etc, on my palms, forehands, soles, etc. When Mr Pasricha refused to do so, he was severely beaten by the ATS. Ultimately with the greatest reluctance, he complied with the ATS orders but obviously being my disciple, he exerted the very minimum of force on me. He was then pushed aside by a member of the ATS squad knows as Khanwilkar, who then himself commenced beating me severely with a belt on my hands, forearms, palms, feet, soles, causing me bruises, swelling and contusions in these areas.12. I say that from the 13th onwards, I say that I was beaten during the day, night and midnight. On two occasions I was even woken up in the early hours of the morning at 4 am and questioned about my knowledge of the blasts. On these occasions, I was beaten by a senior officer having a moustache, whom I can identify. In addition I was subject to vulgar abuse and obscene language by members of the ATS team interrogating me. My Guru was abused and my chastity was questioned. I was physically and verbally traumatised to the extent that I wanted to commit suicide. 13. I further say that on 14th taken out for the examination at a far away place from ATS and was brought back in the afternoon and that I day I had no meeting or even knowledge about Mr Pasricha.14. I say that on 15th October, after noon, both myself and Mr Pasricha were taken by ATS vehicles to Hotel Rajdoot in Nagpada locality of Mumbai and were kept in Room Nos. 315 and 314 respectively and we were made to sign the Hotel Entry register, however, we did not pay or deposit any money with the hotel manager, which was done by the ATS. 15. I say that after putting into this hotel I was asked to make phone calls from mobile No. 94066 00004 and from one more mobile instrument not belonging to me to speak couple of persons including one of my female disciple and I was asked to say that I was in a hotel in Mumbai and hale & hearty and was doing fine. I say that at that time, I did not know why I was made to say so. I would reveal the name of my female disciple at an appropriate time. 16. I say that as a result of the custodial violence/torture, mental stress, anxiety that were developed in the process, I was subjected to, I developed acute abdominal and kidney pains. I lost my appetite, became nauseous and giddy and prone to having bouts of unconsciousness. In view of this, within few hours after putting in Rajdoot Hospital, I was removed from the ATS office and was taken a hospital which learnt it to be Shusrusha Hospital wherein I was kept in ICU. I say that within half an hour Mr Bhimbhai Pasricha came down to Shushrusha Hospital with some ATS men and my Hospital admission forms, and other medical examination forms, etc were signed by him. I say that Mr Khanwilkar deposited money to the hospital management for me, which I learnt from Mr Bhimbhai. I say that after some time Mr Pasricha left the Hospital along with the ATS men and thereafter I have no contact with of any nature. 17. I say that I underwent a treatment over here for 3 to 4 days. I say that as my condition did not improve, I was taken to another hospital whose name I cannot recall. This hospital consisted of a high rise building where I was treated for 2 to 3 days. I say that no female police constable was by my side either in Hotel Rajdoot or in either of the two hospitals.18. I say that both at the hotel and the hospitals, I was carried on a stretcher and my face was always covered with a black hood to avoid my face from being seen. From the second hospital, I was brought back to the ATS office at Kalachowkie
19. I say that I was finally arrested on 23.10.2008 and produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Nasik on 24.1.2008. I was remanded to police custody on that date till 3.11.2008. Up to the 24.10.2008 and even sometime thereafter, I was denied access to a Lawyer or any member of my family. A polygraph test was conducted on me while I was in illegal detention prior to 23.10.2008. Thereafter a second polygraph test was conducted on 01.11.2008. On 04.11.2008, after I was remanded to Judicial custody on being presented before Nasik court on 03.11.2008, I also say that a Narco analysis test was also conducted on me.20. I say that both the lie detector test as well as the Narco analysis test were conducted with out my consent. Never the less all these investigative tests have only established my innocence in the Malegaon bomb blast that took place on 29.9.2008. I finally was allowed to meet my sister Mrs Parthibha Bhagwan Jha on the evening of 02.11.2008, who had brought vakalatnamas of Advocate Ganesh Sovani who was engaged by my sister and her husband Mr Bhagwan Jha and had met him couple times in that week. This meeting was not conducted in private since members of the ATS stood within hearing distance of my sister and myself. I met my Advocate Ganesh Sovani for the first time in the court room of this Hon’ble Court very briefly for 4 to 5 minutes prior to the arguments commencing on my remand application on 03.11.2008. 21. I say that this period of 4 to 5 minutes was too short for me to give complete instructions as to what had transpired from 10th October onwards, about my vehicle, my stay at Kalachowkie, my illegal detention, the ill-treatment mitigated to me by ATS men, the beating job that was forced on my disciple to beat me, but which he carried out reluctantly, without any force, etc. I say that for this reasons, all the details had not reflected in the hand written application that was placed on record by my advocate Mr Sovani, for paucity of time to give all these instructions. 22. I say that on the evening of Wednesday 12.11.2008, I was allowed to meet my Advocate Ganesh Sovani for about 5-6 minutes again in the presence of female staff of Byculla jail. I say that again on 13.11.2008 I was allowed to talk to my said lawyer for 8-10 minutes to give him some more details. Thereafter, on Friday 14.11.2008 evening at about 04.30 PM, I was given nearly 20 minutes to talk to my said lawyer at length, and it was during this period I could narrate my entire ordeal with the ATS which is reproduced hereinabove.23. I unambiguously state that I am totally innocent of any offence whatsoever. In particular I have no connection with the Malegaon bomb blast of 29.9.2008. While my former ownership of LML Freedom 2 wheeler, which was allegedly used in the Malegaon bomb blast entitled the ATS to interrogate me, that agency was not entitled to subject me to the treatment mentioned hereinabove. Their conduct discloses a blatant violation of statutory provisions of law, custodial abuse and violence, mental and physical torture and prolonged illegal detention. The ATS are fully aware that I am innocent. It appears however that they have a mandate from their political superiors to necessarily implicate me with Malegaon blasts with a view to suggest that Hindu Religious extremists were resorting to terrorism. The prolonged illegal detention, custodial abuse and physical torture were designed to compel me to confess to crimes I had not committed. This attempt of false implication persisted for the entire period between 10.10.2008 and 02.11.2008 . During this entire period I was deliberately isolated from my family and denied access to Lawyers. I say that no arrest panchanama was done after my arrest on 23.10.2008 and I was never asked about the names, addresses and telephone / mobile Nos. details to whom I would like to convey my arrest. I say that attention from my illegal detention was sought to be diverted by the ATS by daily leaking information regarding my involvement which was manifestly false and only indicated the malafide nature of the investigation..24. I say that While I was thus painted as a sinister mastermind of the Malegaon blasts, a role which has now been subtly reassigned by the ATS to Lt Col Purohit — crippled and vulnerable as I was by the detention, abuse and torture, I could not protest my innocence. Nor was I allowed access to family, friends and Lawyers who could have done so.25. I say that it is necessary that a detailed enquiry of my illegal detention, custodial torture, etc needs to be done and for which I am ready and willing to get subjected to any such medical test or tests and I also want the ATS officers, who interrogated me, tortured me, etc should also be put to the same tests. 26. I say that the ATS has caused blatant violations of my human rights and I should get a justice and they need to be adequately dealt with as per the provisions of law. 27. In the circumstances I now pray for the following relief:a) that the ATS be directed to submit an explanation for my detention without authority of law between 10.10.2008 and 23.10.2008;b). that enquiry/investigation be conducted into my accusation made hereinabove on oath, regarding custodial torture/violence and mental and psychological abuse;c). that such investigation as referred to in (b) above, include a polygraph test, as well as Narco analysis on me to determine the veracity of my accusations;d). that such investigation to include a polygraph test and narco analysis on officers of the ATS named by me, and also of those officers whose names, I do not know, but I can identify, for they subjecting me to mental and physical abuse during custody as well as others to be identified by me;e) that a report be called for from the ATS for the reasons of my admission in two hospitals ( Shusrusha an another) and the medical treatment undergone by me at the said two hospitals;f) The ATS be directed to disclose the reasons for my stay at Hotel Rajdoot at Mumbai.;g) For such further and other reliefs as may be fit and proper in the facts and circumstances of the case.Filed in court on 17.11.2008Contents Explained to the Deponent in Hindi & Confirmed with Deponent. (Deponent)Identified by me:ADVOCATECONCLUDED
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
