Deccan Herald
October 14, 2006
Hindutva dishonesty is exposed
By Ramakrishna Upadhya
The proponents of Hindutva, more specifically, the Sangh Parivar followers, are generally peeved that the mainline media distrusts them, and that their activities mostly attract negative publicity.
Late last month, the activists of Rastriya Svayamsevak Sangh had arranged a seminar in Bangalore on “Media & Hindutva – a Dialogue” as part of the birth centenary celebrations of one of the founders of RSS ideology, M S Golwalkar. Though a majority of speakers were RSS sympathisers, the organisers had also invited a smattering of critics as the objective seemed to be to build bridges with the media.
The proponents of Hindutva, more specifically, the Sangh Parivar followers, are generally peeved that the mainline media distrusts them, and that their activities mostly attract negative publicity. The seminar generated a lot of heat and some light as well.
The “dialogue” was obviously a futile exercise considering that the Saffron brigade has turned up in full strength at the Baba Budangiri Datta Peetha to continue its campaign to turn this Sufi shrine into “the Ayodhya of the South.”
Baba Budangiri, nestling in the beautiful surroundings of Western Ghats at 5,500 ft above sea level, has been a pilgrim centre for Hindus and Muslims alike for centuries. Hazrath Dada Hayath Meer Khalandar is said to have come around 1000 AD from West Asia to teach Sufism. In the 17th century, Khalandar’s follower, Baba Budan, came and settled down in one of the caves atop the hills, which eventually acquired his name.
Interestingly, historians have found that Baba Budan’s name was often interchanged with Guru Dattatreya and in the records of the princely state of Mysore, the shrine is referred to as ‘Guru Dattatreya Baba Budan dargah.’
Inside the cave, there are four tombs which lie next to each other and at some distance away are a ‘peetha’ and a pair of ‘paduke’ carved in stone. Traditionally for centuries, both Hindus and Muslims have worshipped with flowers, lighted lamp, coconut and camphor, while the ‘Urus’ has also been accompanied by drums and piped instruments associated with the Hindu festivals.
There cannot be a better example of the composite culture of India and one would have expected the Hindutvavadis to be proud of it. But, apparently, such great symbols of unity and secularism are anathema to those who thrive on divisive politics. As much as they blame the ‘pseudo-secular’ political parties of indulging in minority appeasement and vote bank politics, the Hindutva votaries would like to keep sharpening the ‘us’ and ‘them’ divide by distorting facts and striking at secular models.
Thus, where there was no dispute, the Sangh Parivar ‘invented’ Datta Jayanthi in 1984 and tried to mobilise a large number of Hindus to lay claim to the shrine. In 1998, being in power at the Centre, it organised rath yatras from five corners of the state to put the issue on the national scene. The following year, the Congress government led by S M Krishna succumbed to its pressure and allowed yagnas and homas and even installation of idols, which were never part of the tradition at Baba Budangiri hills.
Early this year, the BJP unexpectedly made a piggy-back ride to power in Karnataka along with Janata Dal (Secular), and Baba Budangiri has posed an interesting challenge to them.
The JD(S) somehow had to maintain its ‘secular’ image, while the BJP being part of the ruling combine, had to demonstrate to its cadres that the agenda of saffronisation of Baba Budangiri is being taken forward.
The hardcore RSS activists must have hoped that the BJP ministers in government will give a big push to the Hindutva movement at Datta Peetha this year. But, to everyone’s pleasant surprise, the activities so far indicate that the BJP leaders have suddenly turned ‘responsible’ and don’t want to do anything that might dislodge them from power.
The BJP-JD(S) coalition has apparently reached an agreement that saving the government is more important than indulging in bravado, especially when there is a high court direction to maintain status quo ante and a ‘hostile’ government at the Centre waiting to pounce on its mistake.
Therefore, there is no mobilisation of the activists anywhere near the scale of 3-4 years ago, no participation of any prominent leader barring the party president, no homas, havanas etc to provoke the police....only a well-rehearsed ‘drama’ to fool its supporters that the BJP is seriously pursuing its agenda.
The pity is that the couple of crores of rupees being spent by the government for providing security to this farce could well have been used to create some basic facilities for pilgrims visiting the scenic Baba Budangiri hills, as nothing exists now. In the bargain, the Hindutvavadis stand thoroughly exposed in the eyes of the people.