Rajasthan, after Madhya Pradesh makes History

Send Faxes of Congratulation to the Rajasthan Chief Minister for Upholding the Law and Reaafirming every Indian’s Faith in Democracy !!

April 14-16, 2003

Praveen Togadia, an architect of the genocide in Gujarat and proud f the venom and viterol he has been spewing against peace loving individuals, democratic minded citizens and the country’s religious minorities and Dalits was detained by the Rajasthan government for breaking the ban on trishul distribution that the government had invoked a week earlier. He has today been remanded to judicial custody until April 30.

The Chief Minister of Rajasthan needs to be congratulated for standing up against the politics of hatred and venom. We urge that you send faxes to him at the fax number below as well as send a fax to the Congress (I) President, Smt Sonia Gandhi on the same issue. We include below suggested draft letters. Also please visit out wesbite, www.sabrang.com for an Update on a Hate Speech Campaign. Do also if you can send copies of the faxes/emails that you send to us [email protected] We wish to also recognise groups like Sadhbhavna Manch, PUCL Rajasthan, Mazdoor Kisan shakti Sanghatan (MKSS) and Akal Sangharsh Samiti for constantly keeping the issue of the imepratives for communal peace in their actions and protests.

After the detention on Sunday, Praveen Togadia has been remanded to judicial custody till April 30, 2003 despite two attempts to get bail. The bandh called by the VHP also turned out to be quite peaceful except for four incidents in different parts of the state that were also ably handled by your administration. It is highly likely that the VHP will appeal against the remand order. The FIR filed by the state against him holds him guilty of violating section 4/25 of the Indian Arms Act, sections 153A, 153B and section 505 of the Indian Penal Code as also section 121 (A) of the IPC that is a section related to a ‘conspiracy to overawe the government of Rajasthan.’

Teesta Setalvad Javed Anand

Sabrang Team

Write Letters and send them by Fax to

Shri Ashok Gehlot

Chief Minister, Rajasthan

Fax: 0141-2382705

Email: [email protected]

If possible please cc. your message to
Rajasthan Chief Secretary R.K.Nair Fax 0141-2227778
and Secretary to CM C.K. Mathews Fax 0141-2227934

Also copy your Letters to:

Smt Sonia Gandhi

President, Congress (I)

011-32018550

Draft for Letter

To: Shri Ashok Gehlot,
Chief Minister of Rajasthan

Dear Shri Gehlot,

Rajasthan has shown implicit faith in Indian democracy and the rule of law by first banning the trishuls –that was being unfortunately being used by certain forces to spread terror and violence--- and thereafter acting against Praveen Togadia, international general secretary of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, who defied this ban and distributed them in Ajmer last Sunday. As citizens and groups committed to the rule of law, peace and co-existence, we congratulate you on this bold step.

The offence in this case was defying a legal ban on trishul distribution. However the same forces led by Praveen Togadia himself have been combing the blatant distribution of trishuls with heavy doses of hate speech that vitiate the atmosphere and also create suspicions and divisions among people. So far, except for some exceptions like in the state of Madhya Pradesh, they have been able to get away with it.

We are also aware that in the past one month, repeated attempts have been made by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, the Bajrang Dal, and the Shiv Sena Commando Force to break the peace by indulging in vicious forms of hate speech and propaganda in Rajasthan. In most of these atttempts the government and administration have acted swiftly. We therefore urge that, regardless of pressure and propaganda, the government sticks to its resolve to book those who defy the law especially since communal and fascist forces have evil designs on your state.

If hate speech and propaganda are checked beforehand and nipped in the bud the build up in communal temperatures typical to a riot or a pogrom do not take place. People who have been co-existing for centuries continue with their daily lives not ruptured by suspicions, rumour and hatred. Every minor or major bout of communally driven violence ---and the Gujarat genocide is the most shameful example of this –are assisted ably by an atmosphere of communal poison that is fuelled by the systematic use of hate speech and writings. By acting swiftly and firmly against a man who represents an organisation that thrives on bullying and breaking the law, Rajasthan has shown the way. If the Indian Constitution and Indian Democracy are to be redeemed it is by firm actions such as these. We heartily congratulate you on this resolve.

Violence is engendered by a few and the majority of Indians wish to live in peace and be assured development. By such firm actions the dream of millions of ordinary Indians may actually come true.

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