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Junior seer seeks CBI probe
What is India News Service,
Tuesday, 16 November 2004, 2000 hrs IST
The junior Pontiff of the Kanchi Mutt, His Holiness Sri Vijayendra Saraswati, has
sought a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the
Thursday night arrest of the head of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham, Sri Jayendra
Saraswati.
Revered and criticized for his bold political views, Sri Jayendra Saraswati was arrested while on a religious tour during Deepavali.
The prosecution charge is that he is involved in the murder of an official at the Vaikunta Perumal temple, Kanchipuram. Held in Vellore Jail, this religious head of millions of Hindus was not given the usual courtesy of a house arrest or detention at a government guesthouse that is extended to many high profile figures.
Despite the openly publicized schedule of the touring Acharyas, a bunch of commandos ordered to arrest the senior Acharya landed in Bangalore after the group from the Kanchi mutt had already left
as scheduled for Andhra Pradesh.
They proceeded to Andhra and caught up with the convoy at Mehboobnagar around 10 p.m. The timing and manner of the 71-year-old pontiff's arrest demands scrutiny. The courts are not in session, and reportedly, the pontiff was denied the presence of his legal counsel. All this has led the Kanchi Mutt to seek the intervention of an impartial Central authority, such as the Central Bureau of Investigation, in the case.
"The swamiji is of the view that only a CBI probe can help get to the truth and ensure justice," former BJP member of Parliament from Mehaboobnagar A P Jithender Reddy said, refering to the unexpected arrest of Sri Jayendra Saraswati under curious circumstances.
Although Sri Vijayendra Saraswati has judiciously refrained from making public his opinions on the matter, he has consulted and exchanged views with his peers, the 'peetadhipatis' or heads of several other Sankara Mutts spread all over India.
Junior seer reaches Kancheepuram:
Sri Vijeyendra Saraswati, on his return from Mehboobnagar in Andhra Pradesh said, "God willing, all problems will soon be resolved," He is believed to have said in a choked voice. "I am deeply pained
(by the developments). I ask all the 'bhaktas' (believers) to pray to god." His return brought relief to anxious devotees thronging to Kanchipuram where the
mutt headquarters is located. The police have put a display of force by turning out in large numbers.
Advani speaks up, Manmohan cowers:
While L. K. Advani took the bull by the horns, stating, "The Supreme Court has issued guidelines which outline the manner in which a person can and cannot be arrested. In this case it appears that things were done in haste and under pressure.\94 The Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who should have stood up for the injust manner the Seer was arrested, washed his hands and responsibility off the case with \93The Centre has no role in the arrest. It is not correct to say that we had a role,"
Arrest
premature, says Swamy:
Janata Party president Dr Subramaniam Swamy has said the arrest was a reckless infringement of the seer's personal liberty.
In a press release, he described the arrest as "clearly premature", that while no one was above the law, the Supreme court had repeatedly held that the authority of the police to effect an arrest "should be exercised with great care and only when necessary for
furtherance of the investigation", he said.
The arrest and the remand of the seer was a "make or break test" for the Jayalalithaa government, Swamy said, and wondered "why Sankaracharya had to be
arrested on Deepavali eve while on a visit to another state".
"Later, if Sankaracharya is acquitted by court, the arrest will not only be a reckless infringement of his personal liberty, but also an unforgivable affront to
the Hindu community", he said.
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"Later, if Sankaracharya is acquitted by court, the arrest will not only be a reckless infringement of his personal liberty, but also an unforgivable affront to
the Hindu community", he said.
Joshi smells rat in seer
arrest: Senior BJP leader Murali Manohar Joshi forecfully demanded that "the dignity of the mutt should be protected and swamiji should be allowed to go back to the mutt to perform his daily poojas and other rituals,"
"It smacks of a conspiracy," Joshi said, and when he asked if the Shankaracharya had a message for the people, he
quoted, 'Sabko satbudhi de bhagwan' (may God give wisdom to all). The Sankarachyara had also asked him to request people to remain calm.
Nationwide protests
against acharya's arrest:
Criticising the arrest of Sri Jayendra Saraswathi, hundreds of Vishwa Hindu Parishad activists took to
the streets on Monday as part of their nation-wide campaign demanding his immediate release.
On a much more subtle and peaceful level, many followers of the Kanchi Mutt and several wellwishers began attending the sacred Homas organized in almost every major city. These sacred rites are meant to generate peace and vanquish negative forces. People have been called upon to pray, a task readily adopted by believers. Groups are organizing to chant, sing and meditate together in public places like temples and auditoriums.
Sites offering prayers:
http://www.kamakoti.org/misc/prayer-sanskrit-1.html
http://www.kamakoti.org/misc/prayer-tamil-1.html
http://guru-charitra.shreeswami.org/sri-guru-charitra-chapter-14.htm
A group has put up the following site for online petitions:
http://www.petitiononline.com/dharma1/
CPM urges Centre,TN to pursue case with sensitivity:
On one hand, the political groups such as the CPI(M) politburo on Sunday asked both the Centre and the Tamil Nadu Government to continue their joint efforts in prosecuting Sri Jayendra Saraswati. The public prosecutor demanded the courts deny the elderly seer bail on the grounds that they he might flee to the neighbouring country, Nepal.
Held in a small cell in Vellore Jail, Sri Jayendra Saraswati has spent his time praying. He has been offered food by the jail authorities. However, maintaining the strict code the Kanchi Pontiffs have regarding food, he has reportedly refrained from eating anything.
Devotees will move apex court:
With the arrest of the Kanchi seer gradually snowballing, his devotees are planning to move
a bail application in the Supreme Court.
"Some people have been making insinuating remarks against the mutt and threatening agitations,"
said Thyagarajan, mutt lawyer. In the meantime, senior counsel from Delhi Ram Jethmalani is appearing for the Shankaracharya. The public prosecutor is K Duraiswamy. Another
mutt official said,
"The government and the political parties have their eyes on the wealth of the Kanchi Mutt."
Fundamental right denied, says Jethmalani: Defence Council, the famous supreme court advocate Ram
Jethmalani, known for his tenatious nature and high profile, sought time to file a detailed affidavit
after meeting the seer and alleged that his client was denied his fundamental right under Articles 21 and 22
of the Constitution as he was not allowed to speak to his lawyers.
Mr Jethmalani argued that the seer was ready to cooperate with the investigation and since he cooked his own food, sending him to jail amounted to sentencing him to death.
Petition efforts: As a continued and sustained effort Indians in India and the Unites States have begun an
online petition
and requested people to "please suggest to friends and relatives to unsubscibe 'The Hindu' newspaper and cable TV in TN, in India (and Indian cable in the US, especially SUN) as a mark of silent protest."
Devotees across USA have been coordinating various activities such as Chandi Homam and Durga Puja in various cities and are coordinating through http;//www.kksfusa.org with details on this and other rallying activities.
Spotlight
Children's day
Golfer Ajeetesh Sandhu and roller skater Mehak Paul, both from Chandigarh, were among several children who were presented with
National Child Awards for Exceptional Achievement in various fields.
As the nation paid tributes to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on his birth anniversary, noted actress and social
activist Nandita Das underlined the need
to protect children's rights.
Ashok Leyland gifts FunBus:
"I am excited," said 24-year-old Sathish, with muscular dystrophy, getting ready for a bus ride through Chennai roads. So, what's special about a bus ride? One look at the children's faces and you know what makes a ride on FunBus special.
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NDA for "negotiated settlement" to Ayodhya issue:
Capping the controversy over BJP's stand on the Ayodhya issue, NDA allies Monday decided to further strengthen the opposition alliance and preferred a "negotiated settlement" to the Ram temple issue.
Atmosphere conducive for Indo-Pak talks, feels Natwar
The atmosphere is conducive for talks between India and Pakistan and New Delhi is giving it the "best shot", External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh said on Monday.
Congress rules out return of P A Sangma into party:
Congress Monday ruled out the return of former Lok Sabha speaker and Nationalist Trinamool Congress leader P A Sangma into the party.
Time to heal
Kashmiris' wounds, says Manmohan Singh: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the people of Jammu and Kashmir had suffered a great deal due to militancy during the past decade and a half and that it was time to heal their wounds.
Bhopal faces risk of poisoning : Twenty years after the gas tragedy, thousands of people in and around Bhopal remain at the risk of poisoning by toxic waste contained in drinking water, a BBC report claimed on Sunday.
Militants kill three policemen, flee with weapons:
Militants dressed in Army fatigue killed three police constables keeping vigil at a minority community guard post at Nadimarg in
Jammu and Kashmir, and fled with their weapons.
Royal Society team to visit B\92lore:
The prestigious science establishment is keen to increase ties because it considers India the gateway to the developing world.
States
Blast in Amritsar shopping complex:
A massive explosion took place in the Nehru shopping complex on Monday. The blast was so powerful that its sound could be heard in distant areas of the city. However, no injury has been reported.
Bihar's health services badly hit: Health services in Bihar have been badly affected since government and private doctors launched an indefinite strike last night, protesting against the murder of a doctor last Friday.
Security alert in Manipur:
The security forces were put on alert today following a bomb explosion at Kangla. Sixteen persons were injured in the blast.
Bundh paralyses traffic in
Jharkhand, building blown up: Maoist guerrillas of the Communist Party of India (Maoist) enforced a 24-hour bundh in Garhwa district of Jharkhand on Sunday and blew up an office belonging to the forest department.
Neighbours
Pervez plan on way to Delhi:
Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz will formally put forward General Pervez Musharraf\92s proposals for Kashmir when he arrives
in India later this month.
Hopes rise for UN workers' release: Afghanistan's government said on Tuesday that progress had been made towards freeing three foreign UN workers held by militants, as one of the hostages called home to say she is in good health.
View from abroad
Cherie charts charity mission to India:
The British Prime Minister\92s wife, Cherie Blair, will visit India from November 26-29 in connection with a charity of which she is president, it was confirmed on Sunday.
Overall:
Kanchi seer's devotees protested the world
over: Sri Jayendra Saraswati's devotees
are offering prayers and petitioning the government against the arrest of one of
India's most revered religious leaders.
PM
said it was time for healing in Kashmir: He is making goodwill gestures and
striking a conciliatory note on the eve of his visit to the state.
Pakistan
said it would make Musharaff's proposals formal: Pakistan Prime Minister
Shaukat Aziz will bring Musharaff's new Kashmir proposals when he comes to
India.
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