NEWSLINKS
US EDITION
COLUMNISTS
DIARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ELECTION 99
ELECTIONS
ARCHIVES

Search Rediff

Singhal sees CIA hand in India's troubles

Zakia Maryam in Kharagpur

America's Central Intelligence Agency and Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence are common threats to India's security, Vishwa Hindu Parishad secretary-general Ashok Singhal told reporters in Kharagpur, West Bengal, during a special programme to commemorate the silver jubilee of the VHP's activities in this Santhal-dominated region.

Singhal was at his America-bashing best. He lashed out at the CIA for "masterminding" terrorist activities in India by aiding the ISI with sophisticated arms and ammunition.

"I am absolutely convinced that the insurgent outfits engaged in anti-national movements against India enjoy the CIA's blessings. It was this intelligence network of America that once trained 80,000 militants to oust Russian troops from Afghanistan. After the Russian troops were driven away, America deployed these militias to wage a war against India. What is happening in Kashmir, the North-east and other parts of the country is apparently America's handiwork."

Justifying his charges, Singhal said, "Take an example of Agartala. The Christians are merely 1.65 per cent of the state's entire population, yet they succeed in clamping a ban on the religious festivals of Hindus. Recently, Hindus in the state [Tripura] weren't allowed to celebrate Saraswati Puja because these Christian outfits expressed their displeasure over such pujas."

So why is the National Democratic Alliance government putting out the red carpet for President Bill Clinton? "After all our tradition has been to respect guests no matter how sinful he or she is. Our gesture is only in keeping with the tradition of atithi devo bhava [the guest is god incarnate]."

On the recent incident of reconversion, or 'purification' as the VHP prefers to call it, of more than 250 tribals in nearby Rampurhat of Birbhoom district, Singhal said, "Those people were misguided by Christian missionaries who promised them monetary and other incentives if they embraced Christianity. What our men have done there is bring back our brothers and sisters to where they belonged. These homecoming programmes will now take place with greater vengeance all over the country."

On Deepa Mehta's plan to shoot her controversial film Water in West Bengal, Singhal said the film was an ingenious ploy of the West to denigrate Hindu widows living in Kashi. "You see, nearly 95 per cent of widows residing in Kashi are Bengali sisters. Does that mean all of them are prostitutes? If Mehta thinks she will succeed in shooting Water in West Bengal, she is mistaken. If needed, all Bengali widows will travel to West Bengal to lodge their protest against the shooting of the movie."

Back to top

Tell us what you think of this report