Home Minister Chidambaram Writes to Swami Agnivesh

I found this interesting piece posted by Srimanthan Arya in Haindava Keralam. 

Home Minister Chidambaram  wrote a confidential letter to  Swami Agnivesh (memo no. D/3082-HMP/2010 dated May  11, 2010), requesting his  intervention in the Maoist issues. The home minister  wrote: “I would encourage you  to reach out to the CPI (Maoist) and persuade them to  accept the government’s offer  for talks...” The letter was written on the letterhead of the  government of India on May  11, 2010 just five days  following the Dantewada  massacre.

Chidambaram also wrote: “While I respect your views  and urge you to help find a  solution, I would like to clarify  the government’s position for  your kind consideration.” He  continued, “to start with, they  could say that, they will not  indulge in any violent activities  beginning a specific date, say  June 1, 2010 (this is only an  example and it could be an  earlier date too)...prepare a  response well before the  specified date...the response  will include an invitation to the  CPI (Maoist) to hold talks...I  would appreciate if you could  kindly keep the contents of the  letter confidential." At last, the  home minister requested  Swamiji, "the sole condition  being that the CPI (Maoist)  should abjure violence.”

How did the media get this "confidential" letter? 

Swami Agnivesh, born in  Chhatisgarh, graduated from St.  Xavier’s College, Kolkata. He  was once education minister of  Haryana. Originally called  Shyam Vepa Rao, he is an Arya  Samaj activist, preaching  Vedic socialism.

A few days ago, he visited  Sonia Gandhi with radical  Muslim leaders demanding 10  percent job reservations for  Muslims.

Srimanthan Arya has posed the  following questions:

1. Why did Mr. Chidambaram  request Swami Agnivesh to  intervene in this serious issue?

2. Why did Swamiji leak the  contents of the letter to the  media despite the home 

minister's request?

Haindava Keralam adds the  following information regarding  Swami Agnivesh. The same  information can be found in  Wikipedia.

Swami Agnivesh, who is a  fraudster, is not related to the  Arya Samaj in any way.  Seventeen of the 19 Arya Samaj  Prathinidhi Sabhas in India have  condemned Agnivesh for his  diametrically opposite stand to  Arya Samaj principles.

The Arya Samaj movement has  been demanding answers from  him ever since he became the  self-declared president of the  World Council of Arya Samaj,  an organization founded by  him. He has not yet responded  to the 372 outstanding  questions posed by Arya  Samaj.

Readers’ responses to the  above article are also quite  interesting.

K. M. Rajan says that “Swami  Agnivesh is not an Arya Samaj  leader, but a communist and a  co-traveler of so-called  secularists and even Jihadi  outfits. He is also a Maoist sympathizer. He somehow captured position in Arya Samaj and this was questioned in the Delhi Court. A court directive has now forced him to vacate his position. His views on many national issues such as same-sex marriage are against the ideology of the Arya Samaj and the Sathyarth Prakash. The Paropkarini Sabha (the apex intellectual body of the Arya Samaj) has called him for an open debate before the media, the same way they challenged Dr. Zakir.

Srinivas Rao Avvaru says that he is a “lobbyist to Christian and Islamic groups.”

R. Abhed Kiran Kandamath has the following points to add:

• Agnivesh has formed an India Chapter for World Parliament of Religions and United Nations Voluntary Trust. 
• Although the Arya Samaj has disowned his several times, he still acts as if he is a Hindu representative, calls himself an Arya Samaji, and a Vedic Hindu.
• He is known to attend many functions organized by Jama' 'aths and fatwa-issuing moral police jehadi bodies.
• Agnivesh is a well-known critic of the Sangh Parivar.
• In his book, “Harvest of Hate: Gujarath Under Siege” co-authored by Rev. Valsan Thampu, a missionary, he accuses Narendra Modi of fascism, fundamentalism, and murder.
• He had once publicly challenged the Shankaracharya of Puri and has said several times that the RSS, the VHP, and the BJP follows terrorism, fascism, and pseudo Hinduism.

Source: Haindava Keralam,  “Chidambaram Seeks Fraud  Swami Agnivesh’s Support to 

Tackle Maoists” on June 2,  2010.

Some more on this news report.

Punjab and Chandigarh High Court orders probe into Arya Samaj marriage certificates

The senior superintendent of police (SSP) of Chandigarh has been instructed to lead a probe and submit a report on the genuineness of the marriage certificates issued by Arya Samaj and Vedic Welfare Society, Sector 22-B, Chandigarh. 

Justice Hemant Gupta of Punjab and Haryana High court issued this order after taking into consideration four petitions filed by runaway couples demanding police protection from their relatives. 

The order reads: “It has come to my notice that, in four petitions, the petitioners are relying upon the marriage certificates issued by Arya Samaj and Vedic Welfare Society, Sector 22-B, Chandigarh. The photographs attached with all these petitions show the marriage ceremonies being performed in a room with makeshift havan kund. Chandigarh SSP is directed to conduct an inquiry and submit a report on whether these marriages are genuine or not.” 

Earlier the high court had directed various institutions not to “commercialize marriage.” Some temples and gurudwaras were also prevented from solemnizing marriages. 

A few months ago, Justice L. N. Mittal had ordered Gurmeet Singh, the owner of a “gurudwara” to stop solemnizing marriages. The court was shocked to learn that Gurmeet Singh was solemnizing marriages in his living room, which he had converted into a gurudwara by placing a picture of Guru Granth Sahib in it and was issuing spurious marriage certificates to runaway couples.

Visit Source

Bharathi College illegally constructed on Arya Samaj land – Lokananda

Somehow this news item, which had been published in Mangalore Mithr and Canara Times on May 10, 2010 had escaped my notice. The following is a rewritten version. 

On May 8, 2010, the current working committee of Mangalore Arya Samaj under the leadership of President M. Lokananda Devadiga called a press conference at the Mangalore Arya Samaj building on Arya Samaj Road, Balmatta and informed reporters that Shreemadjagadguru Shankaracharya Raghaveshwara Bharathi Swamiji has constructed Bharathi College on land that belongs to the Arya Samaj. 

Honorary President Bhavani Shankar, President Lokananda, and Joint Secretary Dharmendra

Explaining the matter further, Lokananda said that the 3-acre plot of land, located at Nanthoor Padavu, where the Balakara Sevashrama is located, belongs to Arya Samaj. The Sevashrama is a sister organization of Arya Samaj, he said and added that the land has to be returned to the Arya Samaj in case of closure of the Ashram. Raghaveshwara Bharathi Swamiji had secured this land on lease for a period of 99 years and laid the foundation for a college in 2003, which is illegal. The then President of Arya Samaj, Shri Krishna Kamath, filed a case against the seer and the legal battle is still on, said Lokananda. 

Accusing Home Minister V. S. Acharya and MLA Yogish Bhat of supporting the seer in spite of the fact that he has constructed a college building on Arya Samaj land and has inaugurated it last month in clear violation of the law, Mr. Lokananda further said that the seer has obtained the land on lease although there is no relationship between him and Arya Samaj. He has invested Rs. 80 lakh in the college and now intends to do business there, said Mr. Lokananda, accusing the seer of conspiring to grab the land illegally. 

Mr. Lokananda also accused Krishna Kamath, the previous president of Arya Samaj, of illegally attempting to dissolve the current working committee of Mangalore Arya Samaj. Accusing MLA Yogish Bhat of being involved in pressurizing the authorities to issue orders for the dissolution of the committee, he suspects the involvement of several people who are against the activities of the Arya Samaj, whose teachings and philosophy go against the traditional principles and practices. 

Regarding the dissolution of the committee, he said that Krishna Kamath, the president of Arya Samaj from 2003 – 2007, filed a petition with the district registrar stating that the present committee should be dissolved because he was still the president of the Arya Samaj.  The district registrar did not consider the petition then. However, the district registrar issued a notice on April 21 declaring the new committee as an ad-hoc committee despite the fact that he checks accounts every year and that Arya Samaj has paid the taxes and submitted the audits in 2009. Lokananda accused the former president of forging the letter head and seal of the Arya Samaj for the purpose. 

Chief Secretary Dharmendra and Honorary President K. Bhavani Shankar were also present during the press conference. 

Sources: 

1. Mangalore Mithr

2. Canara Times 

The Wiccan Rede

I love the Wiccan Rede; I have always thought it to be beautiful and noble. I especially love the last couplet:

"These Eight words the Rede fulfill: 

An Ye Harm None, Do What Ye Will."

The couplet gives people the freedom to do as they wish, provided they harm no one, including their own selves.

Compare this with the tenth principle of the Arya Samaj and you will be amazed at the similarities.

"All human beings should subject themselves in abiding by the rules of social interest and should be at liberty to follow rules of individual interest." - 10th principle of Arya Samaj

Here is the Wiccan Rede in full. I have lifted it from "The Celtic Connection."

Bide within the Law you must, in perfect Love and perfect Trust.

Live you must and let to live, fairly take and fairly give. 

For tread the Circle thrice about to keep unwelcome spirits out.

To bind the spell well every time, let the spell be said in rhyme. 

Light of eye and soft of touch, speak you little, listen much.

Honor the Old Ones in deed and name,

let love and light be our guides again. 

Deosil go by the waxing moon, chanting out the joyful tune.

Widdershins go when the moon doth wane,

and the werewolf howls by the dread wolfsbane. 

When the Lady's moon is new, kiss the hand to Her times two.

When the moon rides at Her peak then your heart's desire seek. 

Heed the North winds mighty gale, lock the door and trim the sail.

When the Wind blows from the East, expect the new and set the feast. 

When the wind comes from the South, love will kiss you on the mouth.

When the wind whispers from the West, all hearts will find peace and rest. 

Nine woods in the Cauldron go, burn them fast and burn them slow.

Birch in the fire goes to represent what the Lady knows. 

Oak in the forest towers with might, in the fire it brings the God's

insight.   Rowan is a tree of power causing life and magick to flower. 

Willows at the waterside stand ready to help us to the Summerland.

Hawthorn is burned to purify and to draw faerie to your eye. 

Hazel-the tree of wisdom and learning adds its strength to the bright fire burning.

White are the flowers of Apple tree that brings us fruits of fertility. 

Grapes grow upon the vine giving us both joy and wine.

Fir does mark the evergreen to represent immortality seen. 

Elder is the Lady's tree burn it not or cursed you'll be.

Four times the Major Sabbats mark in the light and in the dark. 

As the old year starts to wane the new begins, it's now Samhain.

When the time for Imbolc shows watch for flowers through the snows. 

When the wheel begins to turn soon the Beltane fires will burn.

As the wheel turns to Lamas night power is brought to magick rite. 

Four times the Minor Sabbats fall use the Sun to mark them all.

When the wheel has turned to Yule light the log the Horned One rules. 

In the spring, when night equals day time for Ostara to come our way.

When the Sun has reached it's height time for Oak and Holly to fight. 

Harvesting comes to one and all when the Autumn Equinox does fall.

Heed the flower, bush, and tree by the Lady blessed you'll be. 

Where the rippling waters go cast a stone, the truth you'll know.

When you have and hold a need, harken not to others greed. 

With a fool no season spend or be counted as his friend.

Merry Meet and Merry Part bright the cheeks and warm the heart. 

Mind the Three-fold Laws you should three times bad and three times good.

When misfortune is enow wear the star upon your brow. 

Be true in love this you must do unless your love is false to you. 

These Eight words the Rede fulfill: 

"An Ye Harm None, Do What Ye Will"  

Dynamic Centenarian Pandit Sudhakar Chaturvedi

Pandit Sudhakar Chaturvedi, aged 118 years old at the time of writing, says that his secret of longevity is laughter, a vegetarian diet, a passion for the Vedas, and vitamin tablets. The centenarian is enthusiastic, fun-loving, active, lively, and sprightly. He walks with the help of a walking stick and has a zest for life that can inspire even the worst of pessimists.

Born in 1897 in Bangalore, Panditji’s parents sent him to a gurukul at Kangadi in Haridwar when he was only eight years old. Later, Panditji became a freedom fighter and scholar. Since he was closely associated with Gandhiji, he earned the nickname “Postman to Gandhi.” He was an active participant in the Jallianwallah Bagh protests, went to jail more than 31 times during the freedom struggle, and later joined the Arya Samaj.

Today, he is devoted to spreading the light of the Vedas all over the world. He conducts weekly Veda classes and writes for magazines. He enjoys solving problems, socializing, and the Vedas. In fact, his love for the Vedas has earned him the title of “Chaturvedi.”

Panditji works eight hours a day. His day commences at 3:30 a.m. with the reading of the Darshans and the Upanishads. He meditates for two hours daily. He reads magazines and newspapers in English, Kannada, and Hindi and discusses the latest news with visitors.

Although Panditji never got married, he adopted a son. He now lives in Jayanagar with his grand children. He gets a regular health check up, but has never gotten admitted into a hospital. He practices Yoga regularly and eats lesser than he desires.

Panditji, who has witnessed the events of the 19th, 20th, and 21st century, feels hat each century has its own advantages and disadvantages. 

Arya Samaj decides not to solemnize marriages without parental approval

A decision taken by a section of the Arya Samaj not to solemnize marriages that do not have the approval of parents and villagers has shocked couples in Haryana. So far, Arya Samaj was the only institution that solemnized the weddings of those who ran away from families and villagers who disapproved of the union. 

The Haryana Arya Prathinidhi Sabha, under the leadership of Acharya Baldev, has decided that the Arya Samaj will no longer solemnize such weddings in its temples. 

Clarifying that the Arya Samaj was not against inter-caste marriages, Baldev said on Monday that the Arya Samaj simply does not approve of marriages that "violate the established norms of society." 

Haryana imposes restrictions on marriages within same gotras and villages. Baldev said: "We do not oppose inter-caste marriages, but in future these couples would also have to be accompanied by parents and prominent persons to solemnize their weddings in our temples. Love marriages are harmful as in such weddings youngsters just see the beauty and not the nature and qualities which should be the basis of marriages." 

However, not all Arya Samajis agree with Baldev. Another section of the Arya Samaj believes that the Arya Samaj should solemnize weddings within villages and gotras.

Visit the Source