Seer's arrest an assault on religion: Advani

[Guest guest]

Om Namah Shivaya,

Found this interesting article, with a reference to Amma:

 

** ** **

While Jain Munis wanted to join the agitation, Mata Amritanandamayi

in a faxed statement expressed solidarity with the cause. The dharna

may be extended to seven days if the seer's police remand is

extended.

** ** **

 

http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?id=13614044

 

Sunday, 21 November , 2004, 09:57

 

It was an overtly combative Om chant which reverberated Parlia-ment

Street on Saturday morning, signalling BJP's anger and anguish over

the shabby treatment meted out to Kanchi pontiff Jayendra Saraswati.

 

BJP chief L K Advani with godman Asaram Bapu at the Parliament Street

dharna on Saturday - Pioneer

 

"Dharam guruon ka apman nahi sahega Hindustan. Congress-Communist

jawab de in, hartyare kyun sarkar mein aur Shankaracharya kyun jail

mein," was the slogan that set the tone of the three-day BJP dharna

and relay fast over the seer's arrest.

 

Addressing the gathering, Leader of Opposition and party president L

K Advani said: "Those who insult spiritual leaders do not understand

India and its cultural traditions. The BJP stands for certain values

in politics and if the BJP does not raise this issue then who would?"

 

He said he saw "no dividing line between dharam shakti and raj

shakti" and quoted Mahatma Gandhi ("I am not willing to associate

with politics which has no relation with religion") to buttress his

point.

 

Seeking to unleash a debate on secularism, Mr Advani

said: "Unfortunately in our country, distorted definitions of

secularism are given which border on being anti-religious. It relates

not only to Hinduism but also to Islam and Christianity."

 

Advani likened the seer's remand with Emergency. "An unimaginable

thing happened nine days back. Another such thing had happened 29

years ago. The rulers today are giving the same logic they gave for

imposition of Emergency. Then also, the Left supported the Congress

and today, too, it is supporting the Congress. They will have to pay

the same price that the party had to pay then."

 

The dharna, being dubbed as "a fight against insult to a spiritual

leader and assault on religion," could also have a cementing effect

within Sangh Parivar where some dissenting voices had recently

surfaced.

 

The dharna got a further filip when Aasaram Bapu, a godman with a

committed following, joined the agitation kicked off by Mr Advani.

His devotees kept flocking the spot throughout the day. By the time

the relay fast ended at 6 pm, the BJP leaders had won over a number

of prominent religious leaders.

 

While Jain Munis wanted to join the agitation, Mata Amritanandamayi

in a faxed statement expressed solidarity with the cause. The dharna

may be extended to seven days if the seer's police remand is

extended.

 

Senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi will lead the fast on Sunday

and Jaswant Singh on Monday. Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari

Vajpayee would conclude the agitation. Aasaram Bapu is expected to

participate on Sunday too. Prominent Muslim leaders Mukhtar Abbas

Naqvi, Shahnawaz Hussain, Najma Heptullah and Arif Mohammad Khan were

present. Second generation leaders Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley and

new entrant Varun Gandhi also addressed the meeting.