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Stop terrorist leader from entering Britain: British Indian Muslims Demand

27 July, 2010 - 08:00 — admin

British Indian Muslims have urged the British Government to stop a terrorist Hindu leader, Sadhvi Rithambara, from entering into Britain who is reported to be planning to tour Britain in September.

Liberhan Commission, appointed by the Indian Government to investigate the demolition of 16th Century Babri Mosque by Hindu militants, has held Sadhvi Rithambara and other 67 Hindu leaders guilty of demolition of the mosque and the subsequent violence that killed some 3,000 people across India.

The priestess is also being also being investigated for her links with various bomb blasts carried by extremist Hindu organisations in India.   In a letter to Home Secretary Theresa May, the Chairman of Council of Indian Muslims—UK (CIM), Munaf Zeena has reminded that even in July 2007, when Sadhvi first visited Britain, the then Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith had not paid attention to his request to keep an eye on Sadhvi and the firebrand priestess was allowed to attend and address meetings organised by her supporters in which she is said to have collected around £78,000 for her notorious activities.

  “Incidentally the news of ‘the priestess of hate’ being granted UK visa comes within a month of a Muslim preacher, Dr. Zakir Naik, being refused entry to the UK.

  “Before Sadhvi, the mass murderer and Chief Minister (better known as Butcher) of Gujarat was allowed to be welcomed on British soil.

  “Please allow us to remind you, Madam Home Secretary, that Modi has been refused visa by the US while during their visit in January to Gujarat two German MPs, Ute Granold and Pascal Kober, displayed exemplary courage and deplored Modi’s crime in 2002 as ethnic cleansing drawing parallels between Gujarat under Modi and Germany under Hitler.

  “But, sadly, Modi has his supporters in the British parliament. One of them, Barry Gardiner, MP for Brent North, is on record to have shamelessly praised Modi as “the lion of Gujarat”. In his recent election campaign he stooped as low as trying to win Hindu Gujarati votes in his constituency and for this he uploaded on his web site recommendations by Modi, along with his photograph. The impact of Mr Gardiner’s election tactics on the voting pattern needs to be investigated.

  “Madam, such brazen immorality by some politicians explains why and how elements like Modi and his admirer, Sadhvi Ritambra, are allowed to enter into Britain despite the fact that the visa application form clearly asks:  

  • “Have you ever been concerned in the commission, preparation, organisation or support of acts of terrorism, either within or outside the United Kingdom, or have you ever been a member of an organisation which has been involved in or advocated terrorism in furtherance of its aims?” (Section 4.15)
  • “Have you ever been concerned in the commission, preparation or organisation of genocide or crimes, including crimes against humanity and war crimes, committed in the course of armed conflict?” (section 4.16)

  The letter reads further, “in order to stop such confusion in future all of the 68 persons, held responsible for the destruction of the Babri Mosque, and BJP politicians, including Narendra Modi, being investigated for their role in the Gujarat Massacre of 2002, be declared persona non grata and told that they are not welcome on British soil.”      

Sadhvi Ritambhara

Association:

  1. Priestess at Param Shakti Peeth, Madhya Pradesh, India
  2. Leader, Vishwa Hindu Parishad
  3. Founding Chairperson, Durga Vahini (Army of Durga – A hindu women’s militant group) [1]
  4. Leader, Sant Samaj

  Summary:  

  • Liberhan Commission - An enquiry commission appointed by the Indian Government to investigate the demolition of 16th Century Babri Mosque by Hindu militants gave the verdict that Sadhvi Ritambhara was one of the 68 people directly responsible for the demolition of the mosque and the subsequent violence that killed some 3,000 people across India. There are criminal cases ongoing against her in India.
  • Raised funds from her US and International fundraising visits and used it to set up terrorist camps in her Ashram known as Vatsalya Gram where young children are trained in the use of arms and ammunitions. [2].
  • Founding chairperson of Durga Vahini, a militant Hindu women’s organization that provides weapons training. Its members have been responsible for numerous acts of violence including the ransacking of the Orissa state assembly [3] and the anti-minority pogroms in Gujarat in 2002 [4][5] which killed over 2,000 people. Several Durga Vahini members have also been arrested for unleashing vigilante violence[22][24]. One of Durga Vahini’s agenda is also the establishment of Akhand Bharat or the Greater India obtained by conquering Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh [23]. Durga Vahini in Hindi means Army of Durga – the Hindu goddess associated with blood sacrifice[25].
  • Ritambhara’s student and protégé Sadhvi Pragya Singh has been arrested for mastermining the Malegaon Blasts of September 8, 2006 in which 37 people were killed and over 125 injured [6][7]. She was a member of the Durga Vahini [6] and an associate of Sadhvi Ritambhara. Subsequent to the blast, Ritambhara came to her defense and rubbished the accusation against Pragya Singh [8] as a “conspiracy against Hindu religion”.
  • Every visit of Sadhvi Ritambhara to the United States and other Western countries results in various protests against her presence.

    Role in Demolition of Babri Masjid   Sadhvi Ritambhara is a firebrand Hindu nationalist (Hindutva) activist who gained notoriety for her role in the demolition of the historic Babri Mosque in India in 1992. She is known for her rabble rousing speeches which have often incited sections of the Hindu community to indulge in religious violence against minorities. During the Babri Masjid demolition, her sloganeering to the masses of “Ek Dhakka aur do, Babri Masjid tooDh do” (Common fellows give one blow, and raze to the ground the mosque pronto) provided key impetus to the masses to bring down the 16th century mosque. Leading up to the demolition of the mosque, one of her war cries was for having a last khoon kharaba (one last massacre) of the Muslims [9]. In 2003, she made the following statement concerning the site of the demolished mosque: “the temple would be built by the use of force if all hurdles in its way were not removed”[17]

  The government appointed Liberhan Commission delegated to investigate the criminal act, has given the verdict that Sadhvi Ritambhara as one of the 68 people personally responsible for and culpable in the demolition of the mosque and the subsequent violence that resulted in the deaths of some 3,000 people across the breadth of India [10].

  Ritambhara is one of the 21 high level Hindutva leaders who have been accused in FIR No. 198/92 for conspiring and inciting the masses to demolish the Babri Mosque at Ayodhya. All those accused in FIR No. 198/92 were charged under Indian Penal Code section 153 A, 153-B, 295,295 (A) and 505. The charge of 120-B (conspiracy) was added during investigation. This case against Ritambhara is currently being pursued by India’s Federal Investigating Agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation.

  Terrorist & Militant Activities  

Sadhvi Ritambhara is the founder of Durga Vahini, the largest woman’s militant group. The group subscribes to a Hindu supremacist ideology. It trains women in martial arts and weapons training including rifle training, swords. lathis and other forms of weapons. Weapon’s training is considered illegal as per Indian laws. One of the explicitly stated objectives of Durga Vahini, as outlined on its “official” website is “To contribute towards forestalling the proselytising activities by cautioning our sisters of the conspiracies of alien faiths like Islam and Christianity.” The website further states that “Training imparted to the Durgas (i.e. Durga Vahini members) is very important in view of all these activities. During the course of this training, practice is being made of physical education, Yog and Niyuddha together with Chhurika (dagger weilding) Gun (firing) etc.”[21]

  The Durga Vahini website states as one of its main accomplishments that “[Religious] Conversion is being opposed through the Vigilance Campaign; and social awakening also is taking place. The Yuwatis (women) are being rehabilitated after they are brought back from their converted faiths, and thus they are able to see the light of the day towards reforms.”[21]

  Below are photographs of Durga Vahini militia women receiving militant training:

   

 

Mention of the Malegaon Blasts in India appeared in the US State Department’s International Religious Freedom Report for 2009 which describes the blasts as follows:

  Religious extremists committed numerous terrorist attacks throughout the country during the reporting period. Terrorists attacked Ahmedabad, Bangalore, and Delhi. On September 28, 2008, there was a bomb blast in Malegaon, Maharashtra, outside a building where the banned Students' Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) previously had an office. The blast killed 7 persons and injured more than 90. Several figures, including a sadhvi (Hindu holy woman), associated with Hindu nationalist groups were arrested in the blast investigation….

  SOURCE: http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2009/127365.htm

  The Sadhvi being mentioned is Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, who is a member of the Durga Vahini – the militant group that Sadhvi Ritambhara is a founding chairperson of. Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur collaborated with a like minded Hindu nationalist Colonel Purohit in the Indian Army to obtain RDX and developed bombs which were used for the blasts in Malegaon that killed 37 people and injured over 125 people[7]. The close relationship between the accused mastermind Pragya Singh Thakur and Sadhvi Ritambhara is further evidenced by the following photos in which both of them can be seen together circa 2007 – one year after the blasts but prior to Pragya Singh’s arrest.  

  On Christianity  

Report on Sadhvi Ritambhara’s Speech at the Narendra Modi sponsored Shibri Kumbh Mela in the Christian Tribal Belt of Dangs:   Sadhvi Ritambhara, a popular Hindu preacher whose programs are aired on several TV channels, said, "They [Christians] call us harvest. They intend to pluck us out. And foreigners want to do this to us." Ritambhara said it was imperative for Hindus to take up arms to save their religion. "It is our own people who help foreigners to succeed in their schemes," she said. "And they convert tribal people in the garb of education and social service." She also alleged that missionaries convert poor tribal people by using deception, such as immersing in water both a stone idol of Rama and a wooden cross, then saying that Rama drowned but Christ did not.

"But we believe in test by fire – set fire to both the idol of Rama and the cross, and you will see that the cross will burn down, but Rama will stay," she said.
Ritambhara encouraged the gathering to mobilize friends to stand against the enemy and continue to work till the whole country was "saffronized. " The saffron-colored flag of the extremist group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is a symbol of Hindutva nationalist ideology.

Finally, Ratumbha said that those who did not love the country should not be allowed to live in it.

  For a full report on the Dangs intimidation of tribal Christians, see the report at http://www.sacw.net/DC/CommunalismCollection/ArticlesArchive/DangsReport3jan2006.pdf

  On Islam and Muslims  

Speaking in New York at the Hindu Unity Day as a Keynote Speaker, Sadhvi Ritambhara made the following comments:

  “Hindu leaders live in the fool’s paradise. They mistakenly believe that by indulging in the appeasement of Muslim bullies, one day, they will be able to create a change of heart in them and win them ever. This foolish attempt is bound to fail.” - http://intellibriefs.blogspot.com/2006/08/hindu-unity-day-in-ny-was-great.html

  Arrested In Indian State of Jammu  

Ritambhara was arrested in the Indian State of Jammu & Kashmir to prevent violence that may erupt from her incendiary speeches:

  As per the news article: The police Saturday arrested fringe Hindu leader Sadhvi Ritambhara who was to hold a public rally here, amid renewed violence over the Amarnath land row that left two people dead Friday forcing the authorities to call out the Indian Army.[11]

  Arrested in the Indian State of Madhya Pradesh

  “In the early 1990s, the VHP sought to expand its constituency by stepping up efforts to Hinduise the Adivasi community around Indore. One element in this strategy was terrorism directed at Christian missionaries. A Bharatiya Janata Party upsarpanch, for example, was arrested on the charge of murdering a nun, Sister Rani Maria, on February 25, 1995. At the same time, VHP activists began efforts to install forcibly, a Hanuman idol at the Bhojshala. Local citizens mediated a truce after a first effort by the VHP to storm the Bhojshala in 1994, but a second assault on April 24, 1995, led to riots in Dhar, Indore, Ujjain and Dewas. Chief Minister Digvijay Singh's administration came down hard on the VHP, arresting over 200 activists, including Sadhvi Rithambara and Bajrang Dal secretary Jaibhan Singh Pavaiya. The trouble did not end here”

  Militant Attitudes

  "Sadhvi Ritambara of Param Shakti Peeth of Madhya Pradesh, in her forceful speech, said that everyone should develop an ideal relationship and communicate with God. She said that the world should become a 'Pariwar' or a family and not a 'Bazaar' (market place) of petty fights or wars. She said: 'Mother and motherland are very dear to Hindus. We love peace, but we will not hesitate to respond effectively and vigorously if our honor and self-respect are threatened.” – Sadhvi Ritambhara’s Speech at the Vedic Dharma Conference, URL: http://www.vivekanandagospel.org/vedantaconference.htm  

According to author Tanika Sarkar, who wrote a book on Women in the Hindu Nationalist movement: “Ritambhara has amply justified the importance vested in her [by the Hindu Nationalist movement]. Her ringing exhortations to Hindus to arise and kill Muslims have paid rich dividends in the form of anti-Muslim pogroms even in places earlier free of communal conflict. At a small western UP town of Khurja, for instance, the old lanes were strewn with nearly 200 Muslim corpses after two bouts of violence in December and January 1990-1. Interviewing some of the inhabitants, we were told that though old habits die hard, and although peaceful coexistence had been one such old habit, repeated broadcasts of Ritambhara’s cassettes over successive days at local temples had finally done the trick. Priests from Basti in UP had informed us that they had suspended their normal programmes of recitations from sacred texts at temples in order to continuously play the cassettes”[19] [pg 267]

  Ritambhara’s US and UK Visits & Protests

  In July, 2002 when she was in the United States, many organizations protested and the organizers withdrew the sponsorship of her program and regretted extending an invitation to her [12, 13].

  In 2006, Ritambhara led a meet for launching a sectarian Hindu Political Party in India, whose express aim according to the organizers of the meet was: "The main aim for this political party would be to safeguard the legitimate interests of Hindus in India, preserve the Hindu character of the country, and ultimately capture political power,”[18]

  In June 2007, City of Hollywood, FL disassociated with Sadhvi Ritambhra once the City come to know about Sadhvi Ritambhra’s extremists ideology and her association with violence and hate [14, 15].

  In 2007, the Council on Indian Muslims, UK demanded a probe against Sadhvi Ritambhara upon learning of her plans to visit the UK [16].

  In September, 2009, The International Swaminarayanan [Hindu] Temple (ISSO) based in Norwalk, CA cancelled Ritambhara’s scheduled events upon coming to know of her radical militant activities.

REFERENCES:  

  1. Wikipedia Entry - Durga Vahini - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durga_Vahini
  2. Sadhvi Rithambara Ashram trains women in martial arts! - http://www.hindujagruti.org/news/index.php?print/id:2444
  3. Tehelka: Next Stop Orissa: http://www.tehelka.com/story_main37.asp?filename=Ne190108next_stop.asp
  4. DAWN: ‘Stop Funding Fascist Hindus’ - http://www.dawn.com/weekly/dmag/archive/020901/dmag12.htm
  5. TRIBUNE: Women ‘Ram Bhakt’ hog limelight - http://www.tribuneindia.com/2002/20020412/nation.htm#7
  6. Wikipedia Entry: Pragya Singh Thakur - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pragya_Singh_Thakur
  7. Wikipedia Entry: Malegaon Blasts - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_Malegaon_blasts
  8. DNA: Ritambhara comes to Sadhvi Pragya’s Rescue - http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_ritambhara-comes-to-sadhvi-pragya-s-rescue_1205289
  9. TRIBUNE: BJP Needs an Overhaul - http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20090605/edit.htm#4
  10. OUTLOOK: The Liberhan 68 - http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?262971
  11. TWOCIRCLES: Ritambhara arrested in Jammu - http://www.twocircles.net/2008aug02/ritambhara_arrested_jammu.html
  12. Protestors confront Sadhvi Rithambara in New York
    http://nrisahi.ektaonline.org/press/news/rediff072702.htm
  13. Protestors confront Sadhvi Rithambara in New York, July 27, 2002
    http://www.rediff.com/us/2002/jul/27us.htm
  14. Thanks to campaigning - City of Hollywood dissociates from Sadhvi Ritambhara Event
    http://communalism.blogspot.com/2007/06/thanks-to-campaigning-city-of-hollywood.html
  15. TIMES OF INDIA: Hindu groups in US spar over Ritambhara's visit - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2145939.cms
  16. CIM UK Demands probe against arrival of VHP leader in the UK - http://www.twocircles.net/2007jul01/cim_demands_probe_against_arrival_vhps_leader_uk.html
  17. TRIBUNE: Temple will be built by use of force - http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20030402/main6.htm
  18. HINDUSTAN TIMES: Hindu meet in US to launch Hindu Political Party - http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/nm16/Hindu-meet-in-US-for-religious-political-party/Article1-143933.aspx
  19. Hindu wife, Hindu nation, community, religion, and cultural nationalism By Tanika Sarkar http://books.google.com/books?id=Q3zRZAKw8-IC&lpg=PA268&pg=PA269#v=onepage&q&f=false
  20. FRONTLINE: Predatory Pursuit of Power - http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl1511/15110990.htm
  21. “Official” Durga Vahini Webpage: - http://vhp.org/dimensions/durga-vahini/
  22. HINDU: Durga Vahini activists held http://www.hinduonnet.com/2004/03/15/stories/2004031509931500.htm
  23. HINDU: VHP, Bajrang Dal, Durga Vahini take out rally for Akhand Bharat http://www.hindu.com/2009/08/15/stories/2009081560980300.htm
  24. FINANCIAL TIMES: Saffron Villian in Hindu-Muslim Love Story - http://www.financialexpress.com/old/latest_full_story.php?content_id=142966
  25. Durga Puja By Pratapachandra Ghosha - http://books.google.com/books?id=sSjpKWS4dR8C&lpg=PA65&ots=-8aqEGA7m6&dq=durga%20blood%20sacrifice&pg=PA60#v=onepage&q=durga%20blood%20sacrifice&f=false

    ALSO SEE: (Related Reports from Human Rights Watch)

  1. "The Hindu organizations most responsible for violence against Christians are the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Council, VHP), the Bajrang Dal, and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (National Volunteer Corps, RSS). According to a former RSS member, these groups cannot be divorced from the ruling BJP party: "There is no difference between the BJP and RSS. BJP is the body. RSS is the soul, and the Bajrang Dal is the hands for beating." http://www.hrw.org/press/1999/sep/christians.htm
  2.  “The groups most directly involved in the violence against Muslims include the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Council, VHP), the Bajrang Dal, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that heads the Gujarat state government. Collectively, they are known as the sangh parivar, or family of Hindu nationalist organizations." http://www.hrw.org/press/2002/04/gujarat.htm
  3. Destruction of a sixteenth-century mosque in India, on December 6, 1992, http://www.hrw.org/reports/1994/WR94/Asia-05.htm