“Congress has a long history of fomenting such narrow sectarian loyalties for immediate political gains. It had done it with Bhindranwale in Punjab earlier and is now doing the same with Dera Sacha Sauda. It has helped sectarian elements in the Northeast and Jammu Kashmir. It encouraged Bangladeshi infiltration in Assam and West Bengal. Few months ago under its government in Assam, ULFA, with which many believe it has a secret understanding, mowed down dozens of innocent Hindi-speaking people. The culprits are yet to be brought to book and punished.”

At Ayodhya’s gate

The RSS mouthpiece also reports a statement by VHP president Ashok Singhal questioning an alleged visit of “some army and air force officers belonging to various countries” to the Ramjanmabhoomi “at about 4 pm for inspection.” Singhal’s statement continues: “The names, which I came to know, included Suhail Abbas (Brigadier of Bangladesh Army), Mohammed Ibrahim (Afghanistan), Mohd Abdul Wasim (Mongolia) and T.K. Pillai (Australia). They included three air force officers and six brigadier rank army officers. The names of the officers from Indonesia and Malaysia could not be known. Ashok Kumar Gupt, joint secretary, Government of India, and R.P. Shishodia took them there. The information that I have received so far is that these persons had gone there to study a national issue of India. The issue of Shri Ramjanmabhoomi is purely of Hindus. Does the Sonia government wish to make it an international issue? ... Calling the army officers of Islamic nations is an interference in the internal affairs and security of India. The incident would also have an adverse effect on the case going on in Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court”, he says.

On madrassas

The Organiser reports RSS sarsanghachalak K.S. Sudarshan’s speech on the necessity of “modernising madrassa education.” “To open up your thoughts and accommodate others is necessary for one to have modern education and the madrassas today lack it. The sooner they inculcate modern thoughts, the better it is for Islam and the country,” Sudarshan said while releasing a book Islamic Madrase Benaqab (Islamic madrassas exposed).

According to the RSS chief, “those Muslims who got modern education have proved their talent and also held the top posts of the country. The example of Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam is before all of us to see... Could the scientists of Pakistan have made modern missiles and nuclear bombs without getting the modern education?” he asked. According to Sudarshan, Islam had got infected with an intolerant attitude by coming in contact with imperialist powers like Christianity.

“A large number of Muslims participated in the freedom movement and played a key role in national reconstruction. The problem of partition on the religious basis developed because of several mullah and maulvis as well as the vote-hungry politicians,” said Sudarshan.