Musings of 1084

Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy and Vishwa Hindu Parishad international president Ashok Singhal at the Chidambaram temple on Tuesday.

Yesterday(23-08-09) Morning, i was filled with smile admiring the ’story’ that came up  in ‘The Hindu’, on Subramanian swamy, along with Ashok Singhal and Vedantham visiting Chidambaram Nataraja Temple .

This is how the story evolves.

Dr. Swamy along with Vishwa Hindu Parishad international president Ashok Singhal and VHP working president S. Vedantham offered worship at the Natarajar temple on Tuesday.

When they were going around the temple a group of women belonging to the Podhu Dikshithars’ families and members of the Hindu Temples’ Protection Committee, led by Geetha Anbalagan, with tearful eyes appealed to them to restore the temple to the Podhu Dikshithars.

The leaders categorically said: “We will win, we will win” (the matter is now before the Supreme Court).

I had a doubt about how the historical meeting of the group of women with Swamy took place. Whether Swamy announced he will visit the temple or it was an accidental meeting when he was going around the temple as mentioned in the story? But I immediately shrugged off my doubt since ‘The Hindu’ is known for it’s journalistic credentials, especially in it’s ‘originality’ and ‘creativity’  more than 100 years.

I’ll  summarise the issue for the better understanding of the readers. Chidambaram Lord Nataraja Temple situated in Tamilnadu is alleged as a ‘denomination’ temple, which means a community owns the temple, by the Dikshithar Community, a sect of Brahmins. Recently after years and years of legal battles, Tamilnadu Government appointed an Executive Officer for the temple, through the HR&CE (Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments) Department on february 2009 on the basis of  verdict given by Justice Mrs. R Banumathi. Podhu Dikshithars, leading Priests of Dikshithars appealed again and recently on September 15, 2009, Madras High court division Bench dismissed the plea.

So, I was moved by the emotions of the above mentioned scene of the story, the tears of Dikshithars who lost the case and the cries of the ‘leaders’. I was relieved as the ‘leaders’ not once but twice said that they will win. I mean the count.

Swami and his friends at the Chidambaram Temple on Feb 13,2009.

Because, some time back,  When the appeal filed by the Podhu Dikshithars was in court, Swamy visited the temple and said that he will win the case in High Court on Feb 13,2009. He said the words,”We will win” only once at that time. He was showered with slohas and with the spiritual impetus, he entered the High Court at Chennai to implead himself in the case on the fateful day, 17 February 2009. Alas, he had to face rotten eggs allegedly thrown by the lawyers who were strike on Eelam Tamils issue. It’s alleged that they did the heinous crime of throwing eggs against Swamy’s support of Sinhala Chauvinism.

Ironically, there is a similarity with the present story. That time he was ‘going around the court hall’ and accidentally or incidentally, the meeting with the protesting lawyers happened. Swamy shouted for dismissing Tamilnadu Government as throwing eggs on him was a clear sign of  ‘law and order breakdown’ in Tamilnadu. Some strongly condemned the incident and admonished the advocates for ashaming eggs by throwing on Swamy which could have otherwise become hot omlettes or sweet chickens.

The attacks on lawyers by the police as a consequence flashed all television screens in the days followed. Some said this is the classical ‘law and order break down’ breaking the heads of protesting lawyers.

Coming back to the story, unrelenting ‘leader’ Swamy who was sure of winning the case, was allowed to implead in the case.  But unfortunately, he and his friends had a worst defeat as the Madras High court division Bench Categorically said that in view of the finding of the HR and CE Commissioner that there had been a large-scale misappropriation of temple funds, the court would be failing in its duty to safeguard and preserve the ancient temple if it interfered with the E.O’s appointment.

The Bench said in view of the admitted stand by the appellant, it was proved beyond doubt that neither the appellant nor their predecessors or forefathers were the founders of the temple and they were not entitled to have the benefit of protection under Article 26 (Freedom to manage religious affairs) of the Constitution.

Historical records indisputably proved the fact that the temple was established by Chola and Pandya kings and the rulers of Vijayanagaram between 10th and 13th century and worshipped by both Saivites and Vaishnavites. Hence, the Podhu Dikshidars could not claim it as a denominational temple.

The Bench said there was a startling revelation that the Dikshidars never maintained accounts either in receipt of 400 acres of fertile land or in respect of gold offering, hundial collections and cash donation for ages. Also, no account was maintained for fixing of rent and collecting them from tenants. These revealed that the Commissioner rightly concluded that the Podhu Dikshidars had continuously neglected to perform their duty. Had there been a proper administration and management of the properties, the temple would have become another rich temple like the ones in Tirupati and Palani, the Bench said.

Well, whatever the court may say, Dikshithars had been alleging the ownership on the basis of their popular theory known in Tamil as Dikshithar Moovayiram. They claim that 3000 Dikshithars came from Kailash, and the last and foremost Dikshithar was lord shiva itself. They along with lord shiva started maintaining the Temple. Now i really don’t know why the courts are not accepting this ‘historic and scientific’ fact.

Anyhow, coming back to the story, this time I am sure Swamy will win the case in Supreme Court as from what Swamy addressed a ‘gathering’ at the temple. I would prefer to call the event as ‘coming together’ rather than ‘gathering’.  Swamy said he and his friends will  join hands with ‘intellectuals’ to get back the temple from the government. I appreciate the statement as Ashok Singhal and Vedhantham,  whose ‘historical and intellectual’ contributions to the Indian society right from Babri Masjid to Ram Sethu, ofcourse with the ‘intellectual’ help of Swamy are remarkable.  I am sure they will enlighten us this time too. Swamy fought the Ram Sethu case on the basis of unquestionable ‘historical’ evidence, Tulsidas Ramyana. Yes, commoners like Romila Thapar, Irfan Habib, ’some’ officials in Archeological Survey of India (ASI) may disagree the historical value of Swamy’s evidences. As a true Swamy fan, I would say, they should be ignored.

HRPC, PLF members agitation - 17.7.2009, against the fifth attack on Arumugasamy by Dikshithars.

Many say that now the entire news media in Tamilnadu is undermining the role of HRPC (Human Rights and Protection Council) and Arumugasamy, a shiv devotee who were also litigants in the case. They say Arumugasamy, an old shiva devotee was attacked by the Dikshithars for singing Tamil hymns before the sanctum-sanctorum in 2001. His arms were fractured by the Dikshithars and was thrown to the street. HRPC took up his case and fought for his religious right. It exposed the malpractices, murders and the immoral acts of Dikshithars, waging a long and ardous struggle  both in court halls and to the masses. They say, in a way,  HRPC and Arumugasamy waged the real struggle for the rights of ordinary Hindu devotees. Well, again as a true swamy fan, I have nothing to comment on any human rights organisation or any other samy or swamy.

Now coming back to the story again, Swamy further said that none could destroy the Hindu force that constituted 83 per cent of the total population. A death knell was now sounded against those who were undermining dharma. Siva Thandavam (the ferocious cosmic dance of Lord Siva) would render them powerless.

I started trembling with fear to read those words. An image of the ferocious cosmic dance of Swamy and his friends, the living avatars of Lord Shiva started filling my mind. “We will win, we will win”! “We will win, we will win”!

Some say Swamy is a mere political tout, a paid CIA agent whose at best political activity is to create confusions and commotion. Initially he was toppling governments with many other power brokers. now he has taken the avatar, the au savior of Hinduism. Well, again as a true swamy fan, I don’t pay attention to such allegations. My only sincere wish is that, there shouldn’t be any naxal or dravidian or eelam elements amongst Supreme court Lawyers, as rotten eggs are available in delhi too.

Day before Yesterday, repeating the horrifying images of lifeless Prabakaran (it’s under dispute), CNN IBN found a ’scholar’ to voice his opinions on air. The scholar was none other than the tout (courtesy:himself), the political pimp of Tamilnadu, Subramanian Swamy. Jegath Gasper Raj, a christian priest who has twice met Prabakaran was quiet defensive while Swamy was brazen.

Let us not be innocents. Civilians will get harmed in a war and now it’s time to move forward.

3000 people died in 3 days and this was the reaction of the so-called Harvard visiting Professor or in real the CIA agent. He called Prabakaran, a megalomaniac.

The next day we get the information that Srilankan Army puts out a dossier which describes Prabakaran as a megalomaniac. Beyond the similiarity of word usuage, the vulgar enthusiasm of Srilanka to Swamy, and the conspicous silence of Indian State sends the message that mission is over. Beyond all our criticisms on Prabakaran and tigers, We must acknowledge that they have died a brave death against the megalomaniacs of xenophobic fascism.

Today the same Hindu comes up with articles published in guardian. Till date we heard all the SLA propaganda masked as news and now we see obituaries to Prabakran and we hear the voices of Eelam Tamils for the first time in the pages of ‘The Hindu’.

With no proper hospitals inside the no-fire zone, doctors put patients on mattresses under the trees, he said. “One day in April it rained really hard. It started to flood. Those patients who were lying on the ground and who had limited mobility could not get up fast enough. Ten people died of drowning that night,” he said.

“Things are really tough for us. My children are begging me for food and water. It is killing me to see us like this. We led such different lives. Why is this happening to us?”

Yesterday Srilankan Government announced a national holiday to ‘celebrate’ the Victory. Now every scoundrel who accompanied Srilanka in the genocide is voicing his concern to address the demands of Tamils and to rehabilitate them. Rajapaksa starts his presidential address in Tamil and this symbolism is celebrated by the media.

It would be self deceiving to believe that the same Rajapaksa who killed Lasantha Wickramatunga and silenced many others who questioned his fascist measures will bestow equal rights to Tamils. Sonali Wickramatunga, wife of Lasantha puts it with pain.

The free Sri Lanka in which I was born no longer exists. Our country has entered a Dark Age where the government unapologetically equates democratic dissent with treason.

Now we can imagine when Sinhalese people themselves claim there is no free Srilanka what lies ahead for Tamils. This genocide has set up an example for rest of the world that you can deny the access of international media, medical help and carry out what you want in the name of ‘War on Terror’. we can very well expect that Israel and other rogue regimes will emulate this example in future or we are missing something? How it was possible to a state to outrageously deny even the media presence amidst the so-called ‘International pressure’? Was there a pressure? or did we got it wrong? may be the pressure was to finish off the LTTE sooner.

But, megalomanic Rajapaksa and the South asian regimes, India, China and Pakistan who have directly lended all support to him are not understanding the simple fact that struggles for self-determination and the just voices against Genocide cannot be wiped out by military might. Kashmir is the live example that even after decaded and decades of oppression both in the hands of India and Pakistan, it still defies to cow down. North east still fights the hegemony of Delhi.

May be the chapter of Tigers ended in the long struggle. But the story will not end as the contradiction will not get resolved without justice. New chapters will definitely arise defying all the obstacles, assimilating the positive and negative experiences of the past chapters of the struggle.

The duty of democratic and revolutionary forces across the world at this crucial juncture must be to raise voice for convicting Rajapaksa for the horrendous war crimes and to expose the connivance of the South asian powers which will be the real reconcillation to the Eelam Tamils other than providing food and water.

Image Courtesy: Vinavu.com

The politically aware, progressive sections of Tamilnadu always knew the true color of  ‘The Hindu’, identified by Periyar as ‘Mount Road Mahavishnu’. Periyar used the nickname sarcastically to denote the Brahminical attitude of ‘The Hindu’.

‘The Hindu’ acts as the unofficial spokesperson of Rajapaksa clique for the last six months of the ongoing Sinhalese Offensive in Srilanka which has resulted in one of the gruesome genocides of human history. Many bloggers and intellectuals have condemned the false reporting of ‘The Hindu’ but still it continues the same. The brazenness of N.Ram is a gesture in return for the award bestowed on him by Chandrika Kumaranatunga regime.

Muralidhar Reddy, a ‘The Hindu’ reporter who claims to be in the battle field comes up with everyday reports probably dictated in person by Sarath Fonseka. For example, today ‘The Hindu’ claims 3000 fleed from LTTE zone. The conspiracy of the double quotes really boils your blood. He starts the report with this line.

At least 3,000 civilians, held hostage by the LTTE inside the 3.5-sq. km. new safety zone (NSZ) along the Mullaithivu sea coast, escaped on Thursday as the Sri Lanka military opened up an escape route.

Note. There are no double quotes for the words “held hostage” or “escape route”. After a paragraph he continues.

The latest rescue operation began amid concern expressed by the U.N. Security Council and U.S. President Barack Obama over the deteriorating humanitarian crisis inside the NSZ and an offer by the Tigers to engage with the Sri Lanka government in the “interest of the civilians.”

Now comes the notorious double quote with the sole intention of maligning the intention of LTTE. But the words, “The latest rescue operation” are not attributed with double quotes so as to inject the opinion that it is indeed a rescue operation.

He also comes up with a foolish claim.

Images from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) of the military show that several hundred people, from inside the NSZ under LTTE occupation, are waiting for an opportune moment to escape.

An UAV image  looks like this.

An UAV image, i.e., an Aerial image at the best can help the Army to identify targets and cannot read the faces of people. But Muralidhar reddy was even able to read the emotions and intentions of several hundred people. You have beat Goebbels, Muralidhar! Bravo!

It is necessary to look out how ‘The Hindu’ reports in some other foreign issues. In the case of GAZA, ‘The Hindu’ came up with news and images supporting the palestinian people and opposing the Israel’s claims. In Nepal, Siddharth Varadarajan was able to come up with Prachanda’s Interview within days of his resignation amidst the chaos in the Himalayan country. To be precise, ‘The Hindu’ acts according to the foreign policy of CPI(M) and the likes and dislikes of CPI(M) determines the reporting outlook.

We are neither naive to believe Newspapers to be non-partisan nor foolish to cry for fair reporting as it never happens anywhere. But we must expose ‘The Hindu’ to those who believe it is non partisan and should counter the false opinions which are injected in to their minds. Someday History will report the connivance of ‘The Hindu’ with more details and will reprimand its role in the collective crime in one of the monstrous genocides of the new millennium.