Bharat Rakshak

JAMMU: Mehraj-ud-din Dand, a terrorist wanted for his involvement in the hijacking of flight IC-814 flight to Kandahar and other terror attacks, has been arrested by the Jammu and Kashmir police, a senior police official said Thursday.

The terrorist, suspected to be involved in many militancy related incidents in India and abroad, was arrested from an undisclosed location on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway on Wednesday night, the official said

ramana wrote:He might know more details of the hijackers and possibly of their wherabouts. Expect more dossiers.

Sandeep used unparliamentary language against students’ group, The New Materialists,who had announced that a beef and pork festival would be held on the campus later this month.

He also criticised the AISA-led unions’ efforts to collect funds for the Burmese refugees earlier this year and the reservation policy for admissions.

An eight-member delegation of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal, Akhand Hindusthan Morcha and the ABVP met the JNU Vice-Chancellor S K Sopory on Thursday and submitted a memorandum demanding action against the organisers of the beef and pork festival.

VHP spokesperson Vinod Bansal told Newsline that the delegation has given the university time till Friday to debar the candidates from contesting in the elections and also suspending them from the university. “If no action is taken, we will complain to the L-G,” Bansal said.

The Bangalore Crime Branch (BCB) on August 30 arrested 11 members allegedly affiliated to Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami and Lashkar-e-Tayyeba. This pre-emptive strike by the police has averted a major terror strike, which these men are accused of having plotted. Part of this plot reportedly included assassinating prominent businessmen, politicians, and two journalists working in the Kannada language media. One of these is the renowned Kannada journalist and Kannada Prabha columnist Pratap Simha.

Sandeep B: Thanks Pratap for agreeing to do this interview. First, the obvious question: How do you feel, being a target of a failed terror attack?

Pratap Simha : I’m really not anxious but you can say I’m disturbed because I have a 7-month old child and a disabled wife… not that I’m scared… I’ll get to that later. It was different when I was a bachelor. You see, people behind such attacks won’t achieve anything by killing one or two writers. If they do, hundreds of other writers will crop up. These people need to change their mindset.

PS: Let me give you some background. In 2007, I wrote a column titled ävarige sigabahudu kanyearu 70 namage maatra aapattu (They might get 70 virgins but we only get danger). This piece created a huge storm. My point is, this is not the first time I’ve faced threats. I continue to receive hundreds of hate mails and protests. Even my last Saturday’s column elicited a hate message which I deleted. I have never cared for these things. Another example: in 2003, I wrote an article condemning protests by Jaffer Sharief and Deve Gowda who took out a huge procession in Bangalore condemning the US attack on Saddam. I faced a lot of heat for this piece too. See, I don’t like living in fear.

Anyway, to answer your question, I was alerted yesterday morning by my editor about this threat to my life. So far, all these attacks and threats were at a very small level. But I must admit, I hadn’t imagined they would escalate to terrorist-levels.

PS: What we are now seeing is a worrying brand of entirely home-grown terrorism operating on remote control from Saudi, Middle East. Of those who were arrested, one was a local “boss” hailing from UP. Another north Indian was operating from Saudi, giving plans and instructions.

By and large, Islamic radicalism of the Wahhabi brand is rapidly increasing in the state. In coastal Karnataka, the kind of radicalism we’re seeing now was completely absent even 15 years ago. In South Canara one was used to seeing these grand churches but now we can see imposing mosques with huge and high walls, almost like fortresses. Local Muslims back then used to mix freely with people of other faiths but now there is a marked distance.

Anyway, the spread of Wahhabism is worrying because it preaches that a Muslim’s primary allegiance is to Islam and not to the nation. These preachers target impressionable teenagers and youths whose minds are not yet mature, who are hot-blooded and receptive to brainwashing. All those arrested today are aged between 20-30. These youths are so indoctrinated that they have no thought about things like their own future, the implications of their acts on their families. They care nothing about even basic things like hurting others’ feelings. It’s a very disturbing trend. This phenomenon is not restricted to India but elsewhere in the world where Islamic radicalism is on the rise. Also, this mindset is dangerous in any community. This development does not bode well for Karnataka.

PS: The police raid revealed that these guys had downloaded all my pieces that took a pro-nationalistic stand as well as those that were critical of Islamic terrorism. They had also downloaded photos of Mr. Modi with me and Mr. Bhat.

Now, Muslims are obviously angry with Modi for right or wrong reasons. Hindus equally have reasons to admire Modi. For the record, I admire Modi because he has provided credible leadership, effective governance and delivered on all his development promises in Gujarat. I’ve written a book on him. The secular media and Muslim outfits which have attacked Modi for 10 years — why should they be angry with Modi’s supporters and try to silence their voices?

See, I’ve never supported the killing of Muslims or Hindus or any other community. These people targeted me because they thought I am close to Modi. When I wrote that book, allegations were made that I had taken Rs. 2 Crore from Modi to write it!

PS: Yes. Because in the last 13-14 years in my journalism career, I have seen nobody supporting Hindu and nationalist causes as candidly as I have. That’s why I have been branded anti-Muslim whereas I am not against any religion. My inspiration is Swami Vivekananda. Remember his quote about taking all the mud from the bottom of the ocean? He too wasn’t against either Christianity or Islam. He just pointed out the damage they had caused. I’m doing the same. I have never ever condemned the practices, traditions and customs of Muslims. I have also condemned Hindu misdeeds, and have even criticised Swamis. I have deep respect for Hindu traditions. How does that make me anti-Muslim?

PS: In 2007, about 30 people had come to my office to attack me when I wrote that 72 virgins article. If I had to change my writing, I would have done so back then. No question of changing now or in the future because it means abandoning my convictions. There is no life for me if I give up my convictions.

PS: You’re right, it is worrisome. But it’s nothing new. Lots of brainwashed fundamentalists hold white collar jobs. There’s that Yahoo techie, affiliated to Indian Mujahideen who sent out threatening emails, a Bangladeshi (?) woman who was caught smuggling sensitive information from ISRO in the 90s, an intern who was caught smuggling secret information from HAL, etc. Indians looked at Muslims with suspicion post-partition because their demands led to the creation of Pakistan. Now, when these incidents keep happening repeatedly, such suspicion is reinforced.

See, it is okay if ordinary people don’t give much weight to things like nationalism, etc. But people working in places like DRDO, army, etc. If they are brainwashed against the nation, it is a cause for anxiety.

PS: I must express my heartfelt gratitude to the government which responded instantly by giving me 24/7 security.

All I want to say is that people who are born and brought up in this nation, which has given them food, clothing, and shelter and citizen rights and jobs. To these people, I appeal: please do not bomb this nation from within. It will serve no purpose.

CHENNAI: Muslim protesters pelted stones and footwear at the US consulate in Chennai on Friday. A rally protesting the depiction of Prophet Mohammed in a movie turned violent near the consulate.

Window panes of the inquiry counter and a police booth near the entrance of the consulate were damaged. Police resorted to lathi-charge to disperse the protesters. Twenty-five people suffered minor injuries.

by Nakul
Hindu is the religion that recognizes multiple paths to God. There were Ram, Krishna, Nanak, & many gurus born in it. All of them believed in the same set of principles.

Unlike other religions, it is extremely difficult to make Hinduism a tool for manipulation. While this may make it appear weak, it is astoundingly resilient. The fern that bends and straightens when the wind blows is more powerful than the oak that stands upright & gets uprooted..

Muslim party members attack Chennai US consulate, pelt stones

Chennai: Activists of a Muslim party picketed the American consulate in Chennai on Friday and pelted stones at it protesting against Innocence of Muslims' Movie by Sam Becile

Slogan-shouting Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam activists used logs besides stones to damage window panes of a structure in the front of the heavily fortified consulate, police said.

Officials at the US Consulate said all the staff were safe.

"The protestors came around 4.15 pm and threw stones at the Consulate, damaging the perimeter wall. All the staff members are safe," a Consulate spokesperson said.

TMMK president J S Ribayee said in a statement the picketing was to register their protest against the film. Innocence of Muslims' Movie by Sam Becile

IBNLIVE

Anindya wrote:US consulate targeted in Chennai over anti Muhammad film

RamaY wrote:I hope you are talking about the resident bredators and not Paki national bird.

Why would you want America to drone in chennai? Do you feel bad if GoI do the same?

RamaY wrote:The question is why not StateGovs/GoI impose 141 or curfew and shoot a few of these wannabes?

Why is JJ sitting quite when such nonsense is happening in her state capital? Just give orders to the police to be serious about their duty.

kshatriya wrote:In a way its good that Chennai saw what these guys are capable off.. One thing that stands out is several IT vity types have taken leave in advance to participate in these protests...One can see these neatly tucked and dressedup guys rioting...

Singha wrote:I showed by AoA attack video to my wife, who is a uber sikular though gradually she is seeing the light...keep them coming.