How Americans are Helping Fund Hindu Extremism in India
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is an Indian right-wing, Hindu paramilitary group that has been accused of promoting violence and intolerance under the guise of Hinduism. It was founded in 1925 by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, a physician and activist who drew inspiration from fascist movements in Europe. Hedgewar’s goal was to establish a Hindu-only nation in India. The RSS adopts a paramilitary structure, training its members in hand-to-hand combat and weapons, preparing them for potential conflicts with Muslims and other minority groups. The RSS has close ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party, India’s ruling political party led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a former member of the RSS. The RSS and other Hindu nationalist groups played a key role in Modi’s national rise to power a decade ago. The history of the RSS is tainted by bloodshed. One notable incident was the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi in 1948 by Nathuram Vinayak Godse, a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. Additionally, its members were involved in the destruction of the Babri Masjid mosque in 1992. The RSS’s alleged complicity in the Gujarat riots of 2002, led to accusations against Modi himself, who was the Chief Minister of Gujarat at the time. Because of
Warrior Sikhs attack persecuted Christians in India
Pastor Jai opened up his church in the city of Rajewal in preparation for Sunday services. Just as the congregation was worshipping, a mob comprised of men dressed in the traditional attire of a Sikh warrior stormed into the church, causing significant property damage and injuring numerous persecuted Christians in India. As previously reported on the GCR Prayer App, the South Asian nation has recently fallen under international criticism for the violent riots that took place in Manipur early last month, displacing tens of thousands of persecuted Christians in India. Throughout the country, religious tensions couldn’t be higher. The attackers in Rajewal wore blue robes and were armed with swords and spears. They barged into a peaceful church service and tore Bibles, vandalized vehicles and assaulted congregants. Pastor Jai and the church members were forced to hurl stones in self-defense. The police were called to help bring the hostile situation under control. The attackers are said to belong to the Nihang sect, which is a warrior order in India, but the sect has denied any involvement. According to the U.S. Department of State, Christians comprise just over 2% of the population. Many believe the number to be as high as nearly 5%—however persecuted
Manipur Is Burning: Why Are You Silent, Mr Modi?
It's said Emperor Nero played the fiddle while Rome was burning. Historians have pointed out that the story is baseless. The fiddle was not there in Rome during Nero's time, and his favourite instrument was the lyre. When the fire began, he was 35 miles away from Rome. However, it is true that Nero availed of the fire to blame the Christians and started a wave of persecution, the first of many. It would be wrong to say that the Central Government behaved like Nero, even though the fact remains that the Union Home Minister could find time to go to Manipur only three weeks after the fire started. In short, the fire raged on for three weeks before the fire brigade in the nation's capital thought of taking note of it. In defence of the Home Minister, it can be argued that the all- important Karnataka State elections merited his attention. Prime Minister Modi, in his super popular Mann ki Baat on 17 June 2023, spoke about the dark days of the Emergency imposed by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on 25 June 1975. He spoke about the ravages of cyclone Biparjoy in Gujarat. He had no time to say even a
Is ‘Save India from China’ the real motive for Modi’s US odyssey?
The Prime Minister has to go shopping for arms and energy supplies in the US, with Asian international relations a mess and Russia at war. Question is, what will India need to pay? The United States administration’s authorisation to General Electric company to sell GE414 engines to India is aimed at assisting Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft programme or AMCA1 — a fifth-generation stealth, multirole fighter plane, with sixth generation technologies, for the Indian Air force (IAF) and Indian Navy. The understanding — finalised during US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin’s visit to Delhi earlier this month — could be among the announcements during Narendra Modi’s visit to Washington this week. Also in the pipeline, expected to be made public during or around Modi’s trip to France on 14 July, is a purchase of the naval version of Dassault Aviation’s Rafale. The air force variety — chosen by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s government — is already rendering service in the IAF. It has generally been reported that the GE414 engines were meant for the Light Combat Aircraft, LCA Tejas 2, project. Their dual utilisation in the development underway at HAL is an additional dimension. It’s apparently a setback for Rolls Royce,
How Modi went from being banned to embraced by the United States
(CNN) -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was once shunned by the United States. Denied a visa for “severe violations of religious freedom,” he was effectively banned from entering the country for nearly a decade. But in the nine years since that ban was lifted, Modi has been progressively embraced by the White House – now more than ever. The leader of the world’s most populous nation will meet with US President Joe Biden during a state visit to Washington this week, in a trip that is expected to further boost defense, trade and technology ties, and celebrate “the warm bonds of family and friendship” that link the two countries together. Modi will also lead celebrations for the International Day of Yoga at the United Nations headquarters in New York on Wednesday, illustrating the influence of India’s soft power. He will then address Congress the following day, an honor reserved for close US allies, and attend a lavish state dinner hosted by Biden in a clear indication of how much of a strategic partner Modi has become But while the ceremonies and diplomatic niceties play out in Washington, analysts say Modi’s visit will also be a test for the Biden administration, that has positioned itself
Blame for Manipur violence on BJP, Narendra Modi urged to ‘speak up and take accountability’
Over 550 citizens’ groups, academics and lawyers on Friday attributed the violence in Manipur to “divisive politics” by the BJP, a party they accused of “exacerbating” age-old ethnic tensions between communities for political gain. The groups and individual signatories issued a joint statement calling for an immediate halt to the violence and urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to “speak up and take accountability”. “Manipur is burning today in very large part due to the divisive politics played by the BJP and its governments at the Centre and state. And on them lies the onus to stop this ongoing civil war before more lives are lost,” the statement said. More than 100 people have died and over 300 have been injured in violence between Manipur’s majority Meiteis and the tribal Kukis. The violence began on May 3 following tribal protests against the Meiteis’ efforts to gain Scheduled Tribe status, which had been bolstered by a Manipur High Court order in April. The joint statement said that while the high court order had been the “immediate trigger” for the violence, the situation had been “grim” since January when the state’s BJP government began eviction drives in the Churachandpur, Kangpokpi and Tengnoupal districts, declaring tribal forest dwellers as
Archbishop of Imphal claims 249 churches burnt in Manipur: ‘Religious attack carried out’
Amid clashes between Manipur’s Meitei and Kuki communities, “religious attack has been effectively carried out”, Dominic Lumon, the Archbishop of Imphal, wrote in a letter Saturday. Recording at least 10 alleged instances of institutions under the Catholic Church being attacked since the violence broke out, he claimed that 249 churches belonging to Meitei Christians had been destroyed within 36 hours since the start of the violence. “The wonder is in the midst of the fight between the Kukis and the Meiteis, why did the Meitei mob burn down and destroy 249 churches located in the Meitei heartland? How is it that there was almost a natural attack on the church in the Meitei localities itself and how did the mob know where the churches were located if not previously planned?” he claimed. In his account, he has connected this with the revival of Sanamahism, the indigenous religion of Meiteis, and the emergence of groups such as Arambai Tenggol and Meitei Leepun. “Some pastors have been indicated not to rebuild the churches. There is systematic silencing of the minorities. Is this not another ‘Ghar Wapsi’?” he claimed. He also questioned the role of the government and the armed forces in failing to maintain peace in the
Saw my brother lying in a pool of blood, mother shielding him from mob: Manipur violence survivor
Soon after ethnic clashes broke out in Manipur last month, 20-year-old Jamngaihkim Gangte and six of her family members left their home in Imphal to get to a nearby CRPF relief camp. However, only four of them made it after hours of dodging murderous mobs and being cooped up in a car boot. While two of them were killed by a mob, one of them was separated from the family and found days later. The family managed to reach Delhi and is among more than 60 living in two relief camps set up in Dwarka for those affected by the Manipur violence, which claimed at least 98 lives. As violence broke out in Manipur on May 3, Gangte and her family moved to a relative's house in Imphal and returned home the next morning. "When we returned home, we found out that there was a CRPF relief camp nearby. So, we packed some essentials and important documents and decided to go there," Gangte told PTI. She and her family members -- her mother, brother, sister-in-law, cousin and aunt with her one-year-old baby -- left in a car. Some of her cousins were travelling in another car. "We left around 10 am and the roads were empty
Uniform Civil Code is Indian PM’s response to electoral rout
It confirms Narendra Modi will again use Hindu majoritarianism to win a third consecutive term in 2024 In a land where the most simple of marriage laws — that the bride must be 18 years of age — is defied by tens of millions every year, the uncommon hurry to enact a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) for 1.30 billion Indians within this year, confirms the fears that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will again use the Brahmastra, or divine weapon, of Hindu majoritarianism to win the 2024 general election, for a third consecutive term. In every election, since he used the formula to come to power in 2014, Modi has notched upsets, carrying the battle to the grassroots, seeing his opponents trying to ape him in several shades of Hindutva (hegemony of Hinduism) and fail. The Congress, even the left and the socialists in between, have discovered that soft Hindutva does not work when the real McCoy can be had for the asking. At its basest, this smoke and mirrors politics works by scaring the majority Hindus — close to 80 percent of the population — that they will be reduced to vassals of Muslims who once ravaged the land of its history and culture,
Manipur violence | At least 11 killed in late night attack in Khamenlok
Police said that the militants hurled several bombs at Khamenlok late on June 13 night killing and injuring several villagers At least eleven villagers were massacred in a late night attack at Khamenlok in Imphal East district of violence-hit Manipur on June 13, police said. Several injured persons have been admitted in government and private hospitals. Hospital sources said that the death toll will increase since many wounded persons are admitted in the ICUs. The dead bodies have been kept in the mortuary of J.N. Institute of Medical Sciences, Porompat in Imphal. Police said that the militants hurled several bombs at Khamenlok late on Tuesday night killing and injuring several villagers. The unhurt villagers rushed out of their houses to flee to safe areas. However the waiting tribal militants opened fire on the escaping villagers. Additional forces were rushed to Khamenlok. After some minutes of exchange of fire, tribal militants retreated. Khamenlok has been the main battleground for the Kuki tribal militants and the non-tribal Meiteis. In the past few days several persons were killed and wounded in clashes with the militant groups who are armed with many sophisticated weapons. Manipur extends Internet ban till June 15 Reacting to the massacre of innocent villagers, the CLP
