VHP leader Swami Vedanti’s call for Karunanidhi’s head over the latter’s Ram remarks was actually made in the context of a Muslim Minister’s call for the head of those who caricatured Prophet Mohammad and if Swami Vedanti had persisted that he could be arrested or whatever only after the ex-Minister is first arrested, it would have been quite logical. But now when the swami says that his statement was twisted by the press and he was only quoting Hindu texts on the price of blasphemy, he is obviously missing the Hindu spirit. The idea of blasphemy is alien to the Hindu culture and scriptures, particularly the Bhagwad Gita. Freedom to believe or disbelieve is the sine-qua-non of Hindu culture.
Whatever, the Ram Sethu agitation has begun with a bang. Its success would depend on the kind of leadership that takes it along. We would do well not to have anyone without the courage of conviction in the ranks of the movement’s leadership.
Whatever, the Ram Sethu agitation has begun with a bang. Its success would depend on the kind of leadership that takes it along. We would do well not to have anyone without the courage of conviction in the ranks of the movement’s leadership.
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25.09.2007
Swami Vedanti should not have retracted his statement. If he called for Karunanidhi's head, he was justified because Karunanidhi had ridiculed the very essence of his religion. He should have said he is ready for any punishment for giving such a call, but arrest me only after you arrest the Muslim minister who called for the Danish cartoonists' heads. Instead, the Swamiji not only retracts his call, but worse, he says that he was just quoting the punishment for blasphemy in the Hindu scriptures including Bhagwad Geeta. Swamiji should know that the freedom to accept or not accept a religion is the very birthright given to a Hindu by the Hindu culture. No Hindu scriptures have any blasphemy laws, least of all Bhagwad Geeta. In fact, Hindu scriptures are Shrutis. Swamiji may at best be able to quote from some Smriti. But have we not abandoned all those Smrits long ago?
So I condemn the Swamiji not for calling for Karunanidhi's head, but for not having the courage of his conviction and attempting to give an erroneous picture of Hinduism. He has to be removed from VHP.
So I condemn the Swamiji not for calling for Karunanidhi's head, but for not having the courage of his conviction and attempting to give an erroneous picture of Hinduism. He has to be removed from VHP.
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