First Indian Woman Saint?

'Timing' has been everything in politics and business. Now 'timing' has become so important in religion also! But who said religion was not politics and business? Read the bold fonts also.

‘India’ ‘gets’ ‘first’ ‘woman’ ‘saint’

Vatican City, Oct 12: India got its first woman saint when Pope Benedict XVI canonised Kerala nun Sister Alphonsa at a special ceremony at St Peter's Square in the Vatican City on Sunday. Watched by over 5,000 Indian Christians who came here for the historic ceremony from India and other parts of the world, the Pope declared Sister Alphonsa a saint.

Sister Alphonsa had been "an exceptional woman, who today is offered to the people of India as their first canonised (woman) saint," the Pope said.

The Pope also used the occasion to express his concern over the violence against Christians in states like Orissa and Karnataka.

"I urge the perpetrators of violence to renounce these acts and join with their brothers and sisters to work together in building a civilisation of love," the Pope said in his concluding speech after canonising Sister Alphonsa and three others -- Maria Bernarda Butler from Switzerland, Narcisa de Jesus Marlillo Moran from Ecuador and Father Gaetano Errico from Italy.

"As the Christian faithful of India give thanks to God for their first native daughter to be presented for public veneration, I wish to assure them of my prayers during this difficult time," he said in his speech which was televised internationally.

A 15-member official Indian delegation, led by Labour Minister Oscar Fernandes, attended the ceremony.

Other members included Kerala Public Works Department minister Mons Joseph, P C Thomas MP, former Kerala Finance Minister K M Mani, MLAs P C George and K V Thomas, former Meghalaya Governor M M Jacob and Mahatma Gandhi University Vice-Chancellor Jancy James.

Church sources say that elevation of Sister Alphonsa as a saint is of special significance to Indian Christians as she is a 'home-grown' person.

Sister Alphonsa, who lived a quiet religious life helping people around her place in Kerala, was hailed for a number of miracles, including two which were officially put up to the Pope.

One of the miracles attributed to her related to the healing of a young boy's twisted feet after his family prayed at her tomb at the Alphonsa Chapel at Bharananganam near Kottayam.

The canonisation ceremony was telecast live from the Vatican.

"It's a matter of immense pride for us since one of our believers is being bestowed with the sainthood. It will strengthen the church in the country," Father Dominic Vechoor, chancellor of Palai diocese, said prior to the canonisation.

The Central government announced yesterday that it will issue a commemorative coin in honour of Sister Alphonsa.

Some comments:

1. “India gets first female saint” is the headline everywhere and I don’t understand why don’t they say “Christian saint”? India has had many saints and sadhvis who were females…

2. Realise how no one questions our government’s ‘secular’ credentials if they sent a 15 member ‘official delegation’ to attend the ceremony in a foreign country and then is coming out with a coin in the memory…

3. Now you don’t feel ashamed of the ‘miracles’ that the local “dhongi” Hindu saadhu claims to do to you; see, even those who practice and teach ‘civilisation of love’ believe in all that!

4. One more reason to be ‘proud to be an Indian’! This time, no one can ‘challenge’ the reason, since it is ‘certified’.

Terrorism & Kashmir

Now get it from the horse’s mouth… About a nation done wrong with, and anti-nationals being coddled and fed at our cost. Every paragraph is a wake up call.

Terrorism & Kashmir

Joginder Singh, IPS (Retd.)

A CRPF Inspector General was transferred from Srinagar, on 13th August, 2008 after an uproar in the Kashmir valley, led by the terrorists and their supporters, against alleged excesses by the central paramilitary force. He was also allegedly denied a Police medal, for fear of controversy and likely protests in the valley.

There is nothing new, in this kind of approach, as the decisions makers are safe in air conditioned atmosphere somewhere else. The people facing dire situation of life and death and standing between chaos and order, are on the spot. The former judge and some times pan-der to the local sentiments by sacrificing the people on the spot, hoping, that it will buy them peace and retrieve the situation. It is, simple application of band aid, where a surgical operation is called for it.

A Former Governor of J&K had lost his job, in 1990, for taking a tough stand against the anti Indian and anti national elements. Neither his transfer did, and nor the transfer of the IGP CRPF is going to normalise the situation and convert the anti national elements and terrorists into normal citizens. On the contrary, it will encourage, such elements, that they can do any-thing and get away.

Wherever the Government of the day, has fallen for appeasement and compromise on the basic values, it has invited more and more trouble. Terrorism in valley flourishes and thrives or remains under check, in direct proportion, to the political will and strength to deal with the same effectively.

It commenced, with the kidnapping of the daughter of a former Home Minister, who is also a former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir. To get her released, the Government of the day released five dreaded terrorists. It emboldened them, leading to their much applauded freedom, possibly with some ransom, money, though there is no confirmation of this report. It was enough, to start a series of chain reactions in valley from 1988. I am an eye witness to that part of the history, as I was working at that time as Inspector General of the Central Reserve Police Force, in Srinagar.

The tendency to under play, has led, to the terrorists to openly dictating the people , about using of Purdaha by the women, closure of beauty parlours and cinemas houses, and raising pro Pakistan slogans.

The Prime Minister has given a laudable call, from the ramparts of red fort on 15th August, 2008 to shed communalism. But unfortunately, the whole agitation, in valley is based on the communal lines. However and how much we may wish, communalism of one community generates communalism in others, in accordance with the Newton’s law, which enunciates, that every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Otherwise, how hordes of people led by the terrorists, could start a march towards Pakistan for crossing the border. The Government should have come out, with the statement, that those who cross illegally, would not be allowed, entry back into India, without the Indian Passports, as is applicable to all Indians going abroad and returning home.

A series of misconceived policies, or so called people to people contact, have brought about this situation. Otherwise, how could a partner in coalition plead for the Pakistan currency to be allowed to be used in J&K. Lack of clear policy and molly coddling, has cause the present chaos.

It would be wrong to say that transferring 39.88 hectares of forest land to Amarnath shrine board and its reaction in Jammu has led to the present situation.

The terrorists have been going, all out, to create disturbances and problems as per the following report of J& K Government which says; “A total of 42,147 people, including 20,647 militants and 5,024 security personnel, were killed in the state between January 1990 and the middle of February 2007… Violence left 33,885 people, including 12,124 security personnel and 21,659 civilians, injured during the same period in the state.. 11,221 civilians were killed by militants and another 1,678 lost their lives in grenade and Improvised Explosive Device explosions, while 173 civilians were killed when they were caught in clashes between militants. A total of 3,404 civilians were killed in cross-firing incidents between security forces and militants…

The highest number of 1,438 civilians were killed in 1996, the year elections were held after a gap of seven year. While the highest number of 3,602 army and other paramilitary personnel lost their lives fighting militants, Jammu and Kashmir police lost 537 personnel since January 1990. As many as 438 Special Police Officers engaged by police in the counter-insurgency operations were killed. 127 Village Defence Committee members were killed fighting militants in the state.

The highest number of 613 security personnel were killed in a single year in 2001.” Now the question arises, as to what can be done. Also whether what is being done is sufficient. In 1990, the midnight protests were sparked off, by the calls given by given 1100 Mosques, which had installed loud speakers to call the faithful to prayers. Loudspeakers in mosques, then and even now are being employed, to give calls for anti national activities and asking the people to gather in the streets or at a particular spot. The then Governor had ordered the disconnection of the loud speakers, which itself led to protests.

It is a fact that many terrorists take shelter in the religious places of their respective religion. During my recent visit to the USA, I was told that the police had installed CCTV cam-eras in mosques to monitor any such possible activity, with the cooperation of the Muslim community and their religious leaders. This is to prevent any allegation of forcible entry of the Police, which may cause desecration.

In a situation like this, which has been highly communalized, it is impossible to get any kind of evidence to prove anybody’s anti national activities, as no witness would be willing to come forth to depose, even if a witness protection act, is there. In fact, at present there is no witness protection act available. Margret Thatcher used to say the publicity is the oxygen of terrorism. Any kind of publicity, which eulogizes terrorism, should be discouraged, if not exactly banned.

Terrorist leaders, their supporters and sympathizers should be immobilized by using the present laws and detained outside J&K. The Government has announced pension scheme for the families of the terrorists, on the grounds that it is not their fault, if their children have become terrorists. This approach is fraught with danger and sooner it is given up, the better it is. Why only Kashmiris should be selected for this government munificence. Such people in Punjab, Chattisgarh, Assam and other North Eastern States, have similar claims. It should not become a scheme to help the anti national and traitorous elements.

Many so called intellectual talk about referendum in valley. With Pakistan having hijacked the anti national elements, any referendum or election will be irrelevant at present. The first priority is to drive the Pakistani terrorists out of the valley and send them to the country of their origin. The Government should stop all talks of dialogue, with so called militants, who are nothing more than front men of Pakistan. Only a tough approach will send the right signal that Government means business. The Government is spending much more on Kashmir than on other States.

A Kashmiri gets eight times more money from the Centre than citizens from other states. While per capita Central assistance to other states moved from Rs 576.24 in 1992-93 to Rs 1,137 in 2000-1, that of the Kashmiri spiralled from Rs 3,197 to Rs 8,092. To get a perspective, translate the numbers: this cash, managed by the state Government, were to be dispatched by money order, each Kashmiri family (with five members on an average) would get Rs 40,460 every year.

In 2001-2, the state spent Rs 7,516.6 crore of which Rs 4,577 crore-or 60 paise of every rupee spent-came from the Centre. The state's non-development expenditure was Rs 2,829 crore including a salary bill of Rs 1,193 crore while its own revenues were barely Rs 1,095 crore. The state could not have paid even the wages of its employees without the Centre's help.

It is reported that the benefits of central funds have remained confined only to about 150 families in Kashmir and the rest of the money has disappeared or not spent or improperly spent or drained off. The benefits of Central aid have not reached the common man, who has not developed a stake in India. The Government priority number one should be to root out corruption. With these steps, it should be possible to send a right message both to Pakistan and its henchmen and people in the valley.

(The Author is former Director Central Bureau Of Investigation, INDIA)

Source: YFE Crusader, Issue 2, Sep 2008. You can download the e-zine from http://www.yfemovement.com/

Coverage of Orissa, Karnataka trouble

As we read this, one top Maoist leader has taken responsibility of killing Swami Laxmananda Saraswati [Link]. It can’t go more interesting than this: they don’t want government to do any investigation and are sending scapegoats to accept all the blames! Think how much exposed and globally embarrassed the missionaries will be if government carries out an honest investigation and finds out the role of Christian missionaries in his murder? And hence the acceptance…

Just when I wondered why only a single voice of condemnation is coming from all quarters and no one is caring to think about the root causes, I got to read this article. A very balanced one, asking us to think fairly at the times when we are busy being politically correct:

Coverage of Orissa, Karnataka trouble: Balanced approach wanting

All the reports and commentaries on the attacks in Orissa and Karnataka sidestep the original sin of extreme provocation and the consequential long-simmering discontent among the Hindus. Would such scurrilous observations about what is regarded as holy and sacred be tolerated by any community anywhere else in the world?

B. S. Raghavan; The Hindu Business Line, Sep 3, 2008

It is a hallowed principle of jurisprudence that justice should be even-handed, and both sides to a dispute must be given a full hearing before conclusions are drawn. The media coverage of the disturbances in both Orissa and Karnataka and the action taken by the Centre are so one-sided as to make any fair-minded person feel extremely worried.

I am not a practising Hindu, perform no rituals and have no religious hang-ups. Further, having worked directly under Jawaharlal Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri and Indira Gandhi for nine years (1961-9) as the secretary of the National Integration Council from its very inception, (besides my other duties in the Political Division of the Union Home Ministry), I have savoured from close quarters the spirit that animated the heroes of pre-Independence era. Hence, in sharing my uneasiness with readers, I have tried my best to rise above prejudices or preconceptions, and appraise events on the touchstone of fairplay and freedom from bias.

To anyone for whom the print and electronic media were the only sources of information, it would seem that Hindu fanatics, behaving like dreaded terrorists, had been making killing fields of both Orissa and Karnataka, by indulging in murderous attacks on Christian minorities, and the destruction of sacred religious places.

The emerging picture of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Bajrang Dal (BD) — all subsumed under the pejorative rubric Sangh Parivar, or the Saffron Brigade (why not, by the same token, call the Congress the Quattrochi Brigade or the Left the Hammer-and-Sickle Brigade?) — is that, encouraged from behind the scenes by the communal ‘monster’, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), they are going on a ruthlessly violent spree, just to vent their hatred of minorities.

In short, the impression given is that swarms of totally insane thugs are on a rampage, without any provocation whatsoever, holding both States to ransom, and the State Governments, in open sympathy with them, have done little to prevent their excesses.

Not the best way

God knows there have been condemnable incidents, making innocent Christians fear for their lives. There can be no wishing away of the despicable and wilful desecration and destruction of places of worship in Kandhamal in Orissa and in some places, including Bangalore, in Karnataka. Certainly, any wanton resort to violence should be put down with an iron hand and peace and harmony among all sections of the people restored at all costs.

Only a dispassionate and disinterested inquiry can credibly establish whether in the particular cases of attacks on churches, the respective State Governments acted with due sense of urgency and concern for the well-being of the affected communities. Sending on a hurried visit some functionaries from the Home Ministry toeing the official line, unfamiliar with local conditions and listening to only the slanted version is not the best way of getting at the truth. Also, it must be remembered that it is, and will always be, a matter of judgment whether more or less could or should have been done by the State or Central authorities to enforce the law, round up the ruffians and quell the disturbances in any particular set of circumstances.

Such cases cannot be weighed on a fine scale. I say this having dealt with a number of instances of violent outbreaks and insurgency during my nine years in the Home Ministry and two years as Chief Secretary of a north-eastern State.

Journalists and columnists, enjoying the good fortune of never having to manage crisis situations, should, therefore, think many times before showering their verdicts on the happenings, and especially guard against saying or writing anything approaching character assassination. All the reports and commentaries on the disturbances in Orissa and Karnataka neatly sidestep the original sin and the consequential long-simmering discontent among the Hindus. They make it look as if the attackers, who were readily assumed to be members of the ‘Saffron Brigade’, were madly running amok without any justification.

Real cause ignored

Reams have been written and billions of sound bytes have gone on air describing in lurid detail all that has happened to the churches and the Christian community, with no equal space given for the real cause of all the trouble.

Swami Lakshmananda was a revered figure in Orissa who was engaged in service to the weaker and vulnerable sections of the population. Allegedly, the local Christian votaries of conversion saw him as a thorn in their flesh. Whatever that be, the fact was that some time ago, he was the victim of attack by a gang bent on doing away with him. Luckily, he escaped at that time, but his enemies had their way the second time.

The Centre could have set all speculation at rest if, with all the mighty and extensive intelligence and investigative machinery at its disposal, it had ascertained the truth behind the murders of the Swami and his associates and unhesitatingly named the desperadoes. Its own inability, or unwillingness, to expose the forces that were behind the killing should be taken to have contributed to the flare-up that followed in Kandhamal.

Extreme provocation

Similarly, as regards Mangalore and Bangalore, those who are quick to castigate the State Government gloss over the extreme provocation contained in an obnoxious pamphlet, Satya Darshini, in Kannada language, circulated in the name of an outfit called the New Life Church, scathingly denigrating Hindu gods and goddesses in the foulest of language.

Since all the manifestations of anger from the side of the so-called Saffron Brigade have been set out in graphic detail day after day, fairness in maintaining balance calls for revealing a few samples from the pamphlet to illustrate the revolting nature of its vilification of Hinduism:

“When the Trinity of Hinduism (Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva) are consumed by lust and anger, how can they liberate others? Their projection as Gods is nothing but a joke. (page 39).

“When Vishnu asked Brahma to commit a sin, he immediately did so. How can such an ‘evil Brahma’ be a Creator of this Universe? How is it possible for both the sinner and the entity that provoked the sin to be gods? (Page 39)

“God, please liberate the sinful people of India who are worshipping false Gods that believe in the pleasures of illicit relationships (Page 39).”

Perversity

I want to ask the holier-than-thou commentators to place their hands on their hearts and tell me whether such scurrilous observations about what is regarded as holy and sacred would be tolerated by any community anywhere in the world?

One need not even go as far as gods and goddesses: Suppose one’s wife or parents are the targets of such scatological stuff distributed far and wide? Would one smile it away? Or, suppose one exhibits in a public forum paintings of particular individuals and their kith and kin in the nude, will those individuals celebrate it as an ex-pression of artistic freedom?

Why, then, show this perverse support to sacrilege perpetrated against Hinduism alone and work overtime lambasting the spontaneous reaction of largely simple and pious people who are sustained in their quotidian hardships by their faith in their gods and goddesses? To me, somehow, it does not stand to reason or common sense.

There is yet another aspect of this perversity. It gives a handle to foreign governments and busybodies to bad-mouth India as a den of fanatical Hindus who love nothing better than being at the throats of persons of other faiths.

A country which rained death and destruction on Iraq by flaunting a tissue of lies, indulged in unspeakable atrocities in Abu Ghraib and for the last eight years, has kept Muslim detenus in Guantanamo Bay without trial, treating them worse than vermin, denies a visa to Narendra Modi to the resounding applause of self-styled secularists who do not realise the egregious nature of the insult to the entire nation.

In sum, the secularism as practised in the country is letting it down, besides polarising the population. It is time a body of persons reputed for their objectivity and erudition went into the meaning and implications of secularism and communalism.

Nehru set up a Committee in 1961 for this purpose under the chairmanship of Asoka Mehta, of which Indira Gandhi, Atal Behari Vajpayee and Prof Mujeeb were among the members.

Unfortunately, its labours were interrupted by the Chinese invasion of 1962, and it was wound up. Getting going from where it left off is eminently worthwhile.

Ref: The Hindu Business Line [Link]