Old article worth reading...
``We
are empowering a cadre of Hindus so that no one, not even the Prime
Minister, should bow before the Pope to apologise for false attacks on
Christians in India,'' Sharma told The Indian Express.
Asked what he did at the camp, an activist whispers, ``I am from the secret service of Bajrang Dal. Israel's Mossad is my inspiration. I can't tell you more.''
Bajrang Dal officials take great pains to explain that their camp was more to impart physical fitness to the cadre than giving them shooting practice. ``We want our workers to be prepared for any eventuality and hence we are training them in target shooting. May be tomorrow one of them wins an Olympic medal for the country,'' says Ramnath Mahendra, central treasurer of the Dal.
Dal leaders in their defence, cite example of Israel where all citizens have to undergo a mandatory training in physical fitness and arms handling. But, isn't Israel's geographical situation peculiar? ``India's even worse. Israel has threat only from outsiders while India faces threat from even those inhabiting it,'' Sharma replies.
Dal leaders claim this is not the first time that they were imparting arms training to their workers. ``We are training them in handling firearms since 1996. Ayodhya is only one of the 25 such camps planned between May 10 (in Karnataka) and July 30 (at Guwahati),'' Sharma says.
Dal office-bearers feel outraged on being asked about reason for training their cadre in handling guns. ``Have you ever you this question to the Scouts or National Cadet Corps officials? If they are preparing young generation for serving the country, so are we,'' Sharma says. ``Arms training, in fact, bolsters their morale and self-esteem.''
Mahendra says charges of attacks on minorities by Dal activists are false. ``No inquiry commission has blamed Dal for attacks on minorities. Truth has already come out about such incidents at Manoharpur, Keonjhar (Orissa), Jhabua (MP), Rewari (Haryana) and Dangs (Gujrat),'' he claims.
Sharma adds: ``As far as our role in Babri Masjid's demolition is concerned, we are proud of that and would again perform a similar role in construction of a grand temple at Ram Janmabhoomi.''
Dal activists were also trained in martial arts like judo, karate and physical exercises at the week-long camp in Ayodhya. They also learned how to climb on rope, walk on rope-bridge and jump through a circle of fire, says Hari Dixit, another office-bearer. They are also given lectures by experts on various socio-political issues.
The trainees stayed in dormitories inside Karsevakpuram and were not allowed to venture outside during the camp. They ate together after reciting a few mantras, washed their utensils and slept on the floor.
Most of them are college students from Kanpur and Lucknow. ``We are all committed Bajrang Dal workers. The training simply hones our knowledge as well as physical fitness,'' says Santosh Singh from Lucknow's Rajajipuram.
Copyright © 2000 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
AYODHYA, JUNE 29: ``I, as a member of Bajrang Dal, swear in the name of
Lord Hanuman to always remain prepared to protect my country, religion
and culture,'' 150 young men, between 15 and 21 years of age, recite in
unison. After practising target shooting with air guns at Karsevakpuram
for the past one week, the group is attending the convocation function
presided over by the national co-convenor of the Dal, Prakash Sharma.
The training camp ended last evening amid loud chants of ``Jai Sriram
and Jai Bajrangbali.''
Asked what he did at the camp, an activist whispers, ``I am from the secret service of Bajrang Dal. Israel's Mossad is my inspiration. I can't tell you more.''
Bajrang Dal officials take great pains to explain that their camp was more to impart physical fitness to the cadre than giving them shooting practice. ``We want our workers to be prepared for any eventuality and hence we are training them in target shooting. May be tomorrow one of them wins an Olympic medal for the country,'' says Ramnath Mahendra, central treasurer of the Dal.
Dal leaders in their defence, cite example of Israel where all citizens have to undergo a mandatory training in physical fitness and arms handling. But, isn't Israel's geographical situation peculiar? ``India's even worse. Israel has threat only from outsiders while India faces threat from even those inhabiting it,'' Sharma replies.
Dal leaders claim this is not the first time that they were imparting arms training to their workers. ``We are training them in handling firearms since 1996. Ayodhya is only one of the 25 such camps planned between May 10 (in Karnataka) and July 30 (at Guwahati),'' Sharma says.
Dal office-bearers feel outraged on being asked about reason for training their cadre in handling guns. ``Have you ever you this question to the Scouts or National Cadet Corps officials? If they are preparing young generation for serving the country, so are we,'' Sharma says. ``Arms training, in fact, bolsters their morale and self-esteem.''
Mahendra says charges of attacks on minorities by Dal activists are false. ``No inquiry commission has blamed Dal for attacks on minorities. Truth has already come out about such incidents at Manoharpur, Keonjhar (Orissa), Jhabua (MP), Rewari (Haryana) and Dangs (Gujrat),'' he claims.
Sharma adds: ``As far as our role in Babri Masjid's demolition is concerned, we are proud of that and would again perform a similar role in construction of a grand temple at Ram Janmabhoomi.''
Dal activists were also trained in martial arts like judo, karate and physical exercises at the week-long camp in Ayodhya. They also learned how to climb on rope, walk on rope-bridge and jump through a circle of fire, says Hari Dixit, another office-bearer. They are also given lectures by experts on various socio-political issues.
The trainees stayed in dormitories inside Karsevakpuram and were not allowed to venture outside during the camp. They ate together after reciting a few mantras, washed their utensils and slept on the floor.
Most of them are college students from Kanpur and Lucknow. ``We are all committed Bajrang Dal workers. The training simply hones our knowledge as well as physical fitness,'' says Santosh Singh from Lucknow's Rajajipuram.
Copyright © 2000 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
Great activity. To train the youth for self defense is excellent way of working on their energy level and divert it to constructive way. Some mongers in media just look at all the activity of Hindu as suspicious activity and try to paint it bad light!
ReplyDelete