RSS and its favourite piques

Kurukshetra, Haryana, 26 Marh 2010

Courtesy India Today

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh on Friday evinced concern at the fluctuation in its work and sought more quality in its endeavours.

In the Sangh's annual report tabled at its Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha which was inaugurated by Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat in Kurukshetra, the RSS opposed religion-based reservation saying it was unnecessary. "While we are in favour of reservation to various deprived sections of Hindus considering their condition like untouchability, we are against the religion based reservation," said the report tabled by Sarkaryawah Suresh Bhaiyaji Joshi.

The report says that the RSS held 39,823 daily shakhas in 27,089 locations. Apart from that, the weekly shakhas are being held at 7,356 places while 6,949 places are witnessing other Sangh gatherings. The report says, "What is genuinely immediate is to concentrate on qualitative improvement" and says that "determined and committed workers can achieve results in any situation".

The two-day sabha started on Friday morning and there were sessions on Vidya Bharati and some other organisations of the Sangh Parivar like the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh and the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh.

The BJP's affairs are to be taken up tomorrow for which party organising general secretary Ramlal and senior leader Bal Apte have already arrived here. Along with the annual report, the resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir and complete development of villages were tabled and will be discussed.

This pratinidhi sabha is being attended by over 1,000 delegates from all over the country and is being held for the first time in Haryana. It is also the first pratinidhi sabha since Mohan Bhagwat took over as RSS chief.

The key points raised in the annual report:

Jammu and Kashmir: "Anti-national and separatist forces are becoming increasingly active. It is unfortunate that the policies of the Central government as well as those of the state government appears to be indirectly strengthening these forces."

Naxalism: "The initiative of home minister to seek talks with the Naxalites is most inappropriate when he is creditably pursuing strong anti-Naxal action."

Dialogue with Pakistan: "The government has taken the decision to restart dialogue with Pakistan only under influence of some pressure from external forces."

Ranganath Misra Committee report: "This is nothing but a mockery of reservations awarded to the Scheduled Castes."

Christians want voice, tickets

Christians want voice, tickets

Mohammed Wajihuddin & Ashley DMello | TNN

Mumbai: Christians have asked for adequate representation among candidates running for the assembly elections . The All India Christian Council (AICC) has asked Congress president Sonia Gandhi to nominate at least nine members from the community in Maharashtra, including three from Mumbai, for the October 13 elections.

John Dayal, activist secretary general, AICC, said that the council had appealed to not just the Congress president , but the heads of all political parties for adequate representation for Christians among candidates.

The AICCs Abraham Mathai said, Christians are politically marginalised. Their voice is seldom heard. To give them a sense of security , its essential they are adequately represented in the assembly. Mathai also complained that Christians were taken for granted by secular parties.

The Mumbai Catholic Sabha has also asked the Congress for seats for Christians. We have supported secularminded parties in elections in the state and we now need our share in representation, said sabha president Dolphy D - Souza, who added that they have demanded that 5% of the 288 seats the Congress-NCP will be contesting should be given to Christian candidates.

Christians account for around 18 lakh people in Maharashtra , eight lakh in Mumbai alone. However, they are scattered, said Mathai. The AICC has recommended three names from Mumbai to the CongressJanet DSouza (Ghatkopar), Agnello Fernandes (Mahim) and Steven Noronha (Bandra). These areas have a significant Christian population and the Congress should consider nominating members from the community for these seats, said Dayal.

The Catholic Sabha is also backing Janet DSouza and wants assembly seat 162 in Malad to be given to a Christian , said Dolphy DSouza .

Christian religious leaders are also concerned about the non-representation in the assembly . The Catholic bishop of Pune, Thomas Dabre, said there were many deserving and secular-minded Christians who should be given a chance.
Nobody raises a voice for us. Our institutions have been attacked, a section of Christians in the state lives in fear, but there is no one to address our grievances. The Congress-NCP should nominate Christians and also see to it they are elected, said Nashik-based bishop Pradeep Kamble.

A critical Factoid for some transparency in Freedom of Faith In secular India

According to the Catholic Bishop's Conference of India, there were approximately one hundred registered foreign Christian missionaries (both Catholic and Protestant) in the country, most over the age of seventy.
Are these old men a threat to a nation of over 1.20 billion people [120 crore]
That works out to one Missionary for every 12.5 million people [One crore Tonty-five lakh Indians]
[Source 2006 US Report on Religious Freedom

We have no count of Indian religious workers [Hindu. Islamic, Sikh and Christian] working in the US and West Europe.