[Reader-list] Swami Aseemanand’s Confessions: Its time for an apology

[Shuddhabrata Sengupta]

Dear All, Dear Javed,


Thank you, Javed, for your post forwarding the JTSA statement on  
Asimanand's confessions.

The Tehelka website -  www.tehelka.com - has Swami Asimanand's entire  
confession statement as a downloadable pdf. The statement is in  
Hindi, after an initial few pages in English by the magistrate  
indicating that the statement is voluntary and is not being made  
under any coercion and inducement. I would urge anyone interested to  
read the statement. Trust me, it makes for riveting reading.

While some of us might think (in agreement with the JTSA) that the  
revelations contained in Swami Asimanand's confessions to a  
Metropolitan Magistrate might require an apology from several state  
and non-state quarters, including sections of the media. it might be  
useful to remind ourselves at this juncture that the RSS organ  
'Organiser' carried a prominent news item featuring Swami Asimanand  
being honoured with the Shri Guruji Samman, instituted in the memory  
of Golwalkar, the second chief of the RSS, in December 2006. The  
prize included a sum of 100,000 Rupees. For details see below.

Swami Asimanand receives this award in December 2006. The Malegaon  
Bomb Blast Took place in September 2006. The Samjhauta Express  
Bombing took place in February 2007. The Mecca Majid Bombing took  
place in May 2007. The Ajmer Sharif Bomb Blast took place in October  
2007.

Swami Asimanand has confessed to have been party to the planning of  
all these attacks. His statement shows him to be the inspiration.

If we connect these seemingly disparate events, might one not  
conclude that an RSS linked award, such as the Shri Giuruji Samman,  
presided over by BJP notables, is an award and an inducement to  
terrorism ? I wonder what the implications of such a line of thinking  
might be.

At any rate, it proves that it is always useful to read The  
Organiser, carefully.

best,

Shuddha
----------------------

Shri Guruji Samman to Swami Asimanand
Pathey Kan

The Organiser, January 08, 2006
http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php? 
name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=112&page=29#2

  Noted saint and Shradha Jagaran Pramukh of Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram,  
Swami Asimanand was honoured with Shri Guruji Samman in Jaipur on  
December 10. Pejawar Swami Vishveshteertha Maharaj presented him a  
shawl, a memento and a cheque of Rs 100, 000 as mark of the honour.  
The award has been instituted by Shankar Smriti Samiti in the birth  
centenary year of Shri Guruji, the second Sarsangachalak of RSS.  
Senior BJP leader and former HRD Minister Dr Murli Manohar Joshi was  
the chief speaker at the function. Prominent among those who were  
present on the occasion include Shri Lalit Kishore Chaturvedi,  
Rajasthan BJP president, Dr Taradutt Nirvirodha, Prant Prachar  
Pramukh of Vanvasi Kalyan Parishad, Shri Chandraraj Lodha and Shri  
Kanhaiyalal Chaturvedi. In the picture Swami Asimanand (left)  
receiving the award from Pejawar Swami Vishveshteerth Maharaj in Jaipur.

-------------------------
END

Shuddhabrata Sengupta


>

Shuddhabrata Sengupta