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India uncovers Hindu terror group that carried out bombings blamed on Islamists

At least 10 people, including monk and army officer, held

By Andrew Buncombe in Delhi
Sunday, 23 November 2008

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India is in something of a state of shock after learning from official sources that its first Hindu terror cell may have carried out a series of deadly bombings that were initially blamed on militant Muslims. The revelation is forcing the country to consider some difficult questions.

At least 10 people have been arrested in connection with several bomb blasts in the Muslim-dominated town of Malegaon in the western state of Maharashtra in September, which left six people dead. But reports suggest that police believe the cell may also have carried out a number of previous attacks, including last year's notorious bombing of a cross-border train en route to Pakistan, which killed 68 people. Among the alleged members of the cell are a serving army officer and a Hindu monk.

Bomb attacks are not uncommon in India – there has been a flurry in recent months – but police usually blame them on Muslim extremists, often said to have links to militant groups based in either Pakistan or Bangladesh. As a result, the recent cracking of the alleged Hindu cell has forced India to face some difficult issues. A country that prides itself on purported religious and cultural toleration – an ambition that in reality often falls short – has been made to ask itself how this cell could operate for so long. India's military, which prides itself on its professionalism, has been forced to order an embarrassing inquiry.

The near-daily drip of revelations from police has also caused red faces for India's main political opposition, the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), ahead of state polls and a general election scheduled for early next year. The BJP and its prime ministerial candidate, Lal Krishna Advani, have long accused the Congress Party-led government of being soft on terrorism that involved Muslims. However, the BJP has refused to call for a clampdown on Hindu groups, and last week Mr Advani even criticised the police over the way they questioned one of the alleged cell members, a woman called Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur.

The Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, phoned his rival to ask him not to politicise the issue or the investigation. "There is a strong case so let the police do their job," he told Mr Advani. While some commentators have expressed surprise about the discovery of the alleged cell, others have pointed out that there has been growing concern about the possible threat from Hindu extremists. In the summer, two members of a right-wing Hindu group were killed while putting together a bomb, and two other suspected members of the same group died in similar circumstances in 2006.

Meanwhile, senior right-wing leaders have made no secret of their wish that Hindus should form suicide squads to protect themselves against Muslim extremists. Bal Thackeray, leader of a group called the Shiv Sena, which has been responsible for communal and regional violence in Mumbai, wrote recently in the party's magazine: "The threat of Islamic terror in India is rising. It is time to counter the same with Hindu terror. Hindu suicide squads should be readied to ensure the existence of Hindu society and to protect the nation."

Observers say the fact that the police have arrested the alleged cell members amid considerable political pressure suggests the growing professionalism of its security forces. "It's the first Hindu cell and it's the first time Hindus have been shackled and taken to jail," said Professor Dipankar Gupta, a sociologist at Delhi's Jawarlahal Nehru University. "I'm quite pleased with the way the police have done their jobs."

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21 Comments

most of the world knows it wasn't muslims, but our western media refuses to claim otherwise.

it is those who refuse to act on the truth that are to blame not just the extremists.

the zionists have their fingers in everything, even in what we eat or medicines we take. no matter how much you want to blame the hindus they have had help by these sick people.

until we take control of our gov'ts and our resources and our banks and hospitals we haven't a leg to stand on

Posted by Helen | 09.12.08, 18:19 GMT

In Response to cybear.......you ask what makes these Hindu Fundamentalists right wing?

I will answer your question, the Hindu fundamentalists whose ideologies stem from the BJP and RSS parties are aiming to create a pure Hindu nation removing all those that are not Hindu- they want an India whose rules and basic law thst is in line with Hindu ideology- to add to the fact that the basic ideals of the leading Hindu Nationalist party the BJP actually stem from some parts of Hitlers Aryan Race ideas ( as stated by the actual leaders of the BJP) makes them RIGHT WING, if that is not right wing I don't know what is!

Posted by live free or die hard | 09.12.08, 04:19 GMT

Let's all remember who started modern terrorism... Zionist fundamentalists in Palestine at the King David Hotel. Then the Muslims and Christians and now the Hindus it just goes to show you we are all capable of fundamentalism.

Posted by Truth will set you free | 08.12.08, 03:01 GMT

Only when we have a world wide End of Faith - all faiths must be abolished, then and only then will this sort of extremism come to an end. The media will continue to try to connect this is al queda so that this moronic war on terror can be continued.

Posted by Von Magnet | 07.12.08, 23:47 GMT

To Ariel,

What are you, a jew. It doesn't matter what you are of course, but I ask, who will apologize to the Muslims for Palestine, Iraq, Kashmir etc. Such blatant hyprocrisy is what makes you blind to the truth, that is Islam. There is no hope for you.

Posted by ps | 05.12.08, 08:11 GMT

I am very sad and sorry as to what happened in India a few days back... it breaks my heart to know that the terrorists took the lives of so many innocent people...without reason. It was very insensible and barbaric.
Please my dear brothers and sisters around the world, I beg of you do not blame Islam for these evil acts... this is not Islam.
The hearts of mankind are corrupt and dangerous, it is the heart that needs a change...
I apologize to all the people who lost a loved one/s over the years due to terrorism, i apologize firstly on behalf of the human race and then on behalf of the religions associated with these acts.
God is the judge of the hearts and when HE knows an atom of good that we do and an atom of bad/evil.

Posted by Razeena | 03.12.08, 00:15 GMT

Great!! arest the Hindus, Christians and Sikhs in India. Ship off the Buddhists and the Jain's and "apologize" to the muslims for 911, Bali, London, Madrid, and the entire history of India.

Again the journalists have turned the issue upside-down. What cowards and dishonest people.

Posted by Ariel | 02.12.08, 12:58 GMT

I am not so surprised to read this story about Hindu cells in India.

I was watching a program on India last night and I saw how the country is growing its economy and how people are getting jobs, and increasing their education. I think this is great and I am glad for the general population of India.

What I also witnessed was very disturbing is that there is a class system in India and that 250 million people are considered to be the "untouchables" meaning that these people live in abject poverty and never get hired for jobs. This is very sad. Afterall, these people are natural born citizens and they are Hindu but because they are poor, they will NEVER be accepted into mainstream society.

Here is where the problem lies. If these people are considered outcasts in their own homeland and you will very much see cells or terror form to combat society.

India must get rid of its class system and hellp the poor. Even Communist China is now helping it impoverished.

Posted by Rita Wilson | 01.12.08, 23:19 GMT

Ramsha "Extremists of all religions are capable of hateful and heinous crimes. Religion has caused more tragic encounters throughout our history than possibly any other factor."

Except for those tens of millions killed by the Left on behalf of Communism....

Posted by Cybear | 01.12.08, 00:19 GMT

Exactly what makes these Hindu terrorists 'right wing'?

Posted by Cybear | 01.12.08, 00:17 GMT

The man who was un-covering the truth, Hemant Kakare is no more!
...they took him down in a very well-planned, disguised conspiracy.

The investigations must be made public and continued.

Posted by David Liu | 30.11.08, 21:15 GMT

Great report! This site must assume that all its readers are without an iota of brains to digest this "report" without a single authentic source or fact

Posted by Aghast at POS reporting | 30.11.08, 19:55 GMT

Extremists of all religions are capable of hateful and heinous crimes. Religion has caused more tragic encounters throughout our history than possibly any other factor.

Posted by ramsha | 30.11.08, 18:35 GMT

I wish the world could wake up to the fact that about 18 million innocent people die each year from starvation.

About 50 000 innocent children, women and men die each day because of starvation. Why doesn't the world wake up to this? When will the whole world demand that poverty be eradicated?

Posted by Nadia | 30.11.08, 13:13 GMT

So it was a "false flag" operation?

Posted by Eric Vaughan | 30.11.08, 11:30 GMT

While there were sufficient hints back in 2006 Nanded blasts in Maharastra State about Hindu terrorists, the security personnel turned a blind eye. It is more than shocking that a Hindu priestess and a serving army colonel is involved in the terror attacks on towns with Muslim majority. State sponsored communal riot is not new to India. Mr Narender Modi and even the Prime Ministerail candidate Mr Advani have blood on thier hands.

The Anti Terrorist Chief Late Mr Hemanth Karkare was investigating the Hindu links but Mr Advani heaped insults his character. He could not stomach that his own party affiliates were involved in the manufacture and explosion of bombs. It is important that the investigations which are half way through are conducted objectively without interventions from politicians.

Posted by Ramdas K | 30.11.08, 05:28 GMT

excellent piece.
Indian press are reporting very different, deeper stories and this is the first western press to take a step within the process.

please check out my take - that extends this logic at:
www.mtk.net63.net

Posted by mtk | 29.11.08, 23:20 GMT

i think hindu terror group should be arrested i think police shoould have more back up with them even including s.w.a.t. squad to dispose bombs. we need to have peace in mumbai and have friendship with other countrys why are hindu terrorist having problem with india.

abraar ahmed

Posted by abraar ahmed | 29.11.08, 22:35 GMT

Hindu and Sikh extremists in link with BNP

Racists from the British National Party have joined forces with extremists from the Sikh and Hindu communities

h**p://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2001/dec/23/race.politics

Posted by jayson | 29.11.08, 21:38 GMT

If someone mistakenly support the terrorisam in any time of his/her life, can realise how is it when it comes to their doorsteps and too late to blame and hate that crual uncivilised acts. Therefore your compulsory duty today is raise your voice against terrorisam whenever whereever possible without delay of a single second.

Posted by Me | 26.11.08, 23:05 GMT