Article maligning HJS and Sanatan Sanstha published in Navhind Times, HJS protests

Bhadrapad Shuddha Ekadashi, Kaliyug Varsha 5111

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Here is the article published in Navhind Times, Goa dated 27 August 2009. This article maligns the image of Hindu Janajagruti Samiti and Sanatan Sanstha, who are working for welfare of Nation, Dharma & Society. In response to the ludicrous statements of the writer, HJS has inserted comments in bold font.

Click Here to see Protest letter by Hindu Janajagruti Samiti

Banning religious fundamentalism vital for secularism

By Jerry Fernandes

A bunch of anti-social elements of the extremist groups namely ‘Hindu Janajagruti Samiti’ and the “Sanathan Saunstha” after flexing muscles here and there were recently seen openly giving threats to newspaper editor, Mr Raju Nayak and prominent Goan artist, Dr Subodh Kerkar, on flimsy reasons but our elected so-called ‘Secular’ government instead of taking these anti-social elements to task was seen wearing bangles and watching their cheap gimmicks like mute spectators in Goa. (HJS & Sanatan Sanstha have been protesting in a peaceful manner against Dr. Kerkar for drawing denigratory pictures of Sree Ganesh and so also Raju Nayak, Editor of ‘Daily Lokmat’ for publishing those pictures. Now if some others are threatening Dr. Kerkar & Mr. Raju Nayak, it is not the responsibility of HJS & Sanatan Sanstha !)

Even the ‘Goa Police’ which enjoy bashing the ‘aam aadmi’ on flimsy reasons, instead of arresting these anti-social elements for threatening certain individuals, were seen entertaining their gimmicks and treating them like prominent ‘VIPs’ of Goa. What a joke! (HJS & Sanatan Sanstha are NGOs engaged in the noble cause of Nation building, educating people about Dharma & Dharmacharan, awakening and uniting Hindus. So how can such organisations be termed as Anti-Social ?)

Are we living in Dr Jack Sequeira’s civilised modern Goa or are we living in Narendra Modi’s Gujarat or Yedyurrappa’s Karnataka?
Of course, in a democracy, everyone should has a right to protest peacefully but no one should be allowed to threaten or suppress the freedom of expression of others. (What about Dr. Subodh Kerkar’s style of ‘freedom of expression’ that hurts the sentiments of billions of Hindus by drawing denigratory pictures of Sree Ganesh?)

In my personal opinion, these extremist groups are no different from all the Talibans, Lashkar Toibas, etc of Pakistan and though they are claiming to represent a particular community, in reality they are representing no one in society. (Sanatan Sanstha was established in 1990 & HJS was established in 2002. From so many years, these organisations have never been involved in any violence or suicidal attacks like the Taliban. Have any Talibani type of atrocities been committed by these organisations on Non-Hindus in Goa? By what stretch of imagination can a legal complaint to the duly constituted police authority, against certain crude and vulgar paintings of Dr Subodh Kerkar, be viewed as Talibani style of fighting by any responsible newspaper? If in reality, HJS & Sanatan were really extremists then the Author & Publishers of this article would not have dared to publish this article !)

In fact, one should check the website, especially of these two outfits. They are full of anti-religious hate material and pseudo-nationalist garbage. I don’t think that their agenda is to educate our peace-loving Hindus but only to instigate them against the other communities by spreading their usual anti-religious lies from around the country. (How can publishing the truth be view as ‘anti religious hate material’ ? The websites of HJS & Sanatan publish only news and articles which are nothing but the reality ! Due to this, the HJS website is getting increasingly popular and is generating a positive response from people worldwide!)

I would therefore advise our so-called ‘secular’ Goa government to take things seriously and to immediately ban all activities of such extremist outfits because these groups basically have been founded not to preach the good side of Hinduism but only to fight for religious supremacy by spreading hatred against the other communities and to disturb the centuries old communal harmony of this country.

Today, they are making a big noise due to certain paintings, tomorrow they might tell us Goans which festivals we should celebrate, which type of music we should listen to, which clothes we should wear, their list will just go on… So, let us say yes to secularism and freedom and say no to their cheap anti-religious gimmicks and barbarianism… Let us support a total ban on such anti-Indian/pseudo-nationalist groups and save India.

Source: Navhind Times

Protest letter by Hindu Janajagruti Samiti, Goa

Hindu Janajagruti Samiti

To,
The Editor
The Navhind Times

Sir,
This is in response to the article Banning religious fundamentalism vital for secularism by Jerry Fernandes published in your daily on 27th August 2009 page 7 where in he has made following defamatory remarks and false allegations on the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti.
We appeal to you to publish the below clarification in your newspaper urgently. 

Mr. Jerry Fernandes has referred to the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti as ‘A bunch of anti-social elements of the extremist groups’ .The Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) is a charitable organization working for religious awakening of the Hindus and educating them about their religion. So also the HJS is dedicated to the cause of the Nation as evident from the various campaigns e.g. Respect the flag campaign. It would have been better if he had given some concrete examples of the anti-social activities or extremism of this serious allegation; else this amounts to irresponsible writing which could result in legal implications.

He has accused the HJS of ‘openly giving threats to newspaper editor, Mr Raju Nayak and prominent Goan artist, Dr Subodh Kerkar, on flimsy reasons’.

It is a false allegation that the HJS has given threats to the editor, Mr Raju Nayak and prominent Goan artist, Dr Subodh Kerkar. The writer should have given evidence to prove his allegation. Rather the HJS has filed a police complaint against Dr. Subodh Kerkar  for drawing nude and denigrating pictures of Lord Ganesha and has  undertaken a peaceful agitation within the framework of the law. How can denigration of Lord Ganesha be called flimsy? Would Mr. Jerry approve of nude Mother Mary or Jesus for that matter?  The exhibition of Dr. Subodh Kerkar was given police protection by the Chief Minister when the police investigations were going on. Also, what has Mr. Jerry to say about the violent and anti-social protest against the movie ‘Da Vinci Code’ by Churchill Alemao when the movie was not banned in Rome itself?

He has made a statement  ‘but our elected so-called ‘Secular’ government instead of taking these anti-social elements to task was seen wearing bangles and watching their cheap gimmicks like mute spectators in Goa.” This statement is most appropriate in the context of total failure of the Goa Government to stop the ongoing damages to Hindu temples and idols all over Goa which has reached 30 in number and find the culprit and book him. Do you expect the Hindus to silently watch this and wait till Hindus are attacked? Kavesh Gosavi, Alla Baksha and Riyaz Shaikh were arrested as suspects in the temple desecration issue in Quepem but the Congress government has failed to book the culprit yet and is delaying the matter because of vote bank politics.

Mr. Jerry has questioned “Are we living in Dr Jack Sequeira’s civilised modern Goa or are we living in Narendra Modi’s Gujarat or Yedyurrappa’s Karnataka? The HJS would like to ask him that Dr. Jack Sequeira’s civilised modern so-called secular Goa, we have instances of 30 Hindu religious desecrations reminiscent of the dreaded Mughal era, rave parties, casinos, drug addictions and total collapse of law and order machinery.

He further states that ‘Of course, in a democracy, everyone should have a right to protest peacefully but no one should be allowed to threaten or suppress the freedom of expression of others’ Likewise, the HJS also has the right to protest peacefully and its agitation has been peaceful. Not to allow the HJS to conduct its agitation is to suppress its freedom of expression in this democratic India.

He calls the Samiti as extremist groups are no different from all the Talibans, Lashkar Toibas, etc of Pakistan. We would ask Mr. Jerry to ponder whether he would have dared to make these false allegations against the HJS if it was an extremist group? If so, he would not have received such a courteous reply but the final reply.

He further states that ‘In fact, one should check the website, especially of these two outfits. They are full of anti-religious hate material and pseudo-nationalist garbage. I don’t think that their agenda is to educate our peace-loving Hindus but only to instigate them against the other communities by spreading their usual anti-religious lies from around the country.  A visit to our website www.hindujagruti.org would help the readers to judge the reality of Mr. Jerry’s false allegations against the HJS. 

Mr. Jayesh Thali
Hindu Janajagruti Samiti
Mob. – 94238 86436

(The writer is a co-ordinator of the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti, Goa)

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