Sandeep Heble:I somehow fail to understand why Marshall has joined the bandwagon of people, who are all out to tarnish the fair name of Sonal Shah with propaganda that is false, malicious and misleading.
Response: First of all, let me assure Sandeep that I have not joined any bandwagon or campaign nor will I join one any time in future. I have too strong an independent mind for that. As an Indian and as a concerned citizen of this country I am disturbed by reports which appear in the press casting doubts about the integrity of a person who can influence important decisions in the US towards India. eg: see link below. Quote:"It's vital for Modi that Sonal eventually gets an important profile in the Obama Administration because an insider could influence or change policy decisions of the previous dispensation — notwithstanding Obama's known views on religious freedom." Uquote. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Will_Sonal_Shah_give_Narendra_Modi_visa_power/rssarticleshow/3690558.cms 2.Though Sonal Shah has renounced her association with the VHP and expressed her disagreement with its activities, it has come more as a reflex action than as a moral commitment. It is a fact that she has been associated with the VHPA. Her name has appeared on its website. She collected funds for the VHPA and other sangh parivar associated organisations ostensibly for the Gujarat earthquake victims, even though there were other reputed agencies like the Red Cross available. Here again, the funds were selectively distributed only among Hindu victims and muslims and dalits were specifically excluded and discriminated.(Communalizing Relief: VHP seizes earthquake opportunity," Statesman, Kolkata, 12 February 2001 and Vijay Dutt, "Discrimination in Distribution of Relief against Dalits in Gujarat Causes Concern," Hindustan Times, 27 February 2001) http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-522052,flstry-1.cms http://www.proxsa.org/newsflash/appendixe.html http://www.stopfundinghate.org/resources/Saff$/FebMar2004.htm http://www.countercurrents.org/comm-awaz270204.htm 3. When Sonal joined the VHPA, she could not have been unaware of its ideology and activities. VHPA is affiliated to the VHP. The VHP has been around for nearly 25 years. The hate and violent activities of the VHP are too well known and documented in reports of the Minority Commission, National Human Rights Commission, various Commissions of Inquiry, and other reports in the media. The VHP was intrumental in the destruction of the Babri Masjid in 1992, which was a watershed in communal relations. She was a member of VHPA during this period and did not disassociate herself. 4.When Sonal joined the VHPA, she must have been fully aware that the ideology of the RSS and its organisations stood for the supremacy of the hindus and the subjugation/ disenfranchisement of its minorities like muslims and christians. Why did she continue being a member? 5. Even after the 2002 Gujarat pogrom, Sonal continued to be associated with the sangh parivar. According to reports - (1) Ms. Shah delivered a keynote address at the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh young conference in 2004. The HSS is the U. S. branch of the RSS. (2) Ms. Shah delivered a keynote address at an Ekal Vidyalaya conference in Florida. The Ekal Vidyalaya's are schools set up in tribal areas. One Ekal Vidyalaya teacher, Mohan Lal, told Frontline reporter, T. K. Rajalakshmi, "We go for the RSS shakha [branch] meetings regularly. The teachers are selected only if they subscribe to the RSS way of thought." No amount of whitewashing or spin doctoring will wish the above facts away. As I wrote in an earlier post, I too would be proud to see an Indian in the inner echelons of the White House but it should be a person whom all of us Indians, whether hindu, muslim, christian etc can admire and be proud of. There are questions to be answered and Sonal Shah needs to come clean if she is to be believed. And the earlier the better. Regards, Marshall
