Hindu Munnani

Infobox Political_Party
party_name = Hindu Munnani
party_
chairman = Ramagopalan
foundation = 1980
ideology = Hindutva
Indian nationalism
Integral humanism
Conservatism
website = [http://hindumunnani.org/ http://hindumunnani.org]

Hindu Munnani (Tamil:இந்து முன்னணி) is a religious and cultural organization based in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu which claims to defend the Hindu religion, protect Hindu religious monuments and to espouse the cause of the Hindu religion and Hindu temple priests. It has been involved in a number of controversies from time-to-time due to its involvement in communal riots in Tamil Nadu.

History

Hindu Munnani was founded in the year 1980Cite web|url=http://hindumunnani.org/abouthm.asp|title=About the Hindu Munnani|accessdate=2008-06-15|publisher=Official website of the Hindu Munnani] or 1982K. Suryanarayana Rao, Pg 19] by a right-wing political leader and worker of the Hindu nationalist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Ramagopalan as a response to the Meenakshipuram conversionsCite web|url=http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&page=27&pid=115|title=Hindu Munnani turns 25|accessdate=2008-06-15|publisher=Organiser|author=FOC] Cite web|url=http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/publication/faultlines/volume16/Article5.htm|title=Tamil Nadu: The Rise of Islamist Fundamentalism |accessdate=2008-06-16|publisher=Faultlines|author=P. G. Rajamohan] . Since then, it has been lobbying for the privileges of Hindu temple priests, fighting the Islamic right-wing and radical Islamic political groups and vehemently opposing Christian conversions. Cite news|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/1998/may/22munani.htm|title='Hinduism and fundamentalism are contradiction in terms'|date=1998-05-22 |accessdate=2008-06-16|publisher=Rediff|author=N. Sathiya Moorthy] .

Objectives

The Hindu Munnani website describes its objectives as followsCite web|url=http://hindumunnani.org/objective.asp|title=Objectives of the Hindu Munnani|accessdate=2008-06-15|publisher=Official website of the Hindu Munnani] :
* To wrest Hindu temples from government control and entrust them to the care of a public body.
* To fight for a Common Civil Code.
* To strive for compulsory enforcement of family planning.
* To strive for enaction of Anti-Conversion law.
* Ban on cow slaughter
* Liberation of Hindu shrines at Ayodhya, Kasi and Mathura.
* Repeal of Article 370
* To protect Hindu rights and interests.

Motto

The motto of Hindu Munnani is "Vadhadu" (வாதாட),"Poradu" (போராட),"Parindhu Pesu" (பரிந்தபேச) which could be translated roughly into English as "Defend, Fight and Speak in Support".

Activities

The Hindu Munnani first came to limelight in 1982 when it began to mobilize the Hindu population of Ramanathapuram district in response to the Meenakshipuram conversionscite book | title=Vishva Hindu Parishad and Indian Politics | url=http://books.google.co.in/books?id=b70nKb-8YuMC&pg=PA34&lpg=PA34&source=web&ots=0HcF-0p_Mh&sig=bG9UhDtij0d3EiKSE3EX78NSuns&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=2&ct=result| last=Katju| first=Manjari| date=2003| pages=34| publisher=Orient Longman| id=ISBN 812502476X] . Since the, the Hindu Munnani has often espoused the cause of Hindus, the Hindu religion and Hindu temple priests.

However, the most remarkable achievement of the Hindu Munnani was the organization of Vinayaka Chathurthi processions in Tamil Naducite news|last = Hoskote|first = Ranjit|title = From pedestal to pavement |url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/mag/2004/09/12/stories/2004091200270100.htm |work = The Hindu: Magazine|date = September 12, 2004|accessdate = 2008-06-17] cite journal | author=C. J. Fuller| title=The ‘Vinayaka Chaturthi’ Festival and Hindutva in Tamil Nadu| journal=Economic and Political Weekly| year=2001| volume=43| issue=24| url=http://www.epw.org.in/epw/uploads/articles/5410.pdf] cite book | title=The Renewal of the Priesthood| url=http://books.google.co.in/books?id=GEFuDcK7i44C&pg=PA132&lpg=PA132&dq=vinayaga+chathurthi+hindu+munnani&source=web&ots=v3gB70RX4j&sig=gRw8D1o1xF8oFk9HLf-Rguxbuf4&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=9&ct=result| last=Fuller| first=C. J.| date=2003| pages=132| publisher=Princeton University Press| id=ISBN 0691116571] cite book | title=The Camphor Flame: Popular Hinduism and Society in India | url=http://books.google.co.in/books?id=To6XSeBUW3oC&pg=PA266&lpg=PA266&dq=vinayaga+chathurthi+hindu+munnani&source=web&ots=2b579CLqyb&sig=i7-chhVCM6JSQUKxrxp3cmcISMc&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=6&ct=result| last=Fuller| first=C. J.| date=2004| pages=265| publisher=Princeton University Press| id=ISBN 069112048X] . On May 16, 2006, the Hindu Munnani organized the Silver Jubilee celebrations of the installation of the "shivalinga" in the Jalakanteswarar temple in Vellorecite news|last = Murthi|first = P. V. V.|title = Silver Jubilee |url=http://www.hindu.com/fr/2006/03/10/stories/2006031000280300.htm |work = The Hindu: Friday Review|date = March 10, 2006|accessdate = 2008-06-17]

Controversies

Right from its genesis, the Hindu Munnani was involved in a number of controversies. Its genesis was coeval with the Meenakshipuram conversions and the Hindu-Muslim and Hindu-Christian riots which followed. On February 19, 1981, about 200 Dalit families in the village of Meenakshipuram in the Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu converted to Islam as a protest against discrimination by caste Hinduscite news|title = 'As Muslims, we are now respected' |url=http://specials.rediff.com/news/2006/sep/27sld2.htm |work = Rediff.com|date = September 27, 2006|accessdate = 2008-06-17] and changed the name of their village to Rehmatpuram. The Hindu Munnani was active in organizing a mass movement and bringing the converted Dalits back into the Hindu fold. In March 1982, when riots broke up between Hindus and Christians at Mandaikadu in Kanyakumari district, the Hindu Munnani played an active roleK. Suryanarayana Rao, Pg 20] cite book | title=Talisman, Extreme Emotions of Dalit Liberation| url=http://books.google.co.in/books?id=VsE2KwKwh0YC&pg=PA156&lpg=PA156&source=web&ots=xKO8zQa2vd&sig=FznZYKP2v6pavKwkvWvzwTtj2NI&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result| coauthors=Thirumavalavan, Meena Kandasamy| date=2003| pages=156| publisher=Popular Prakashan| id=ISBN 8185604681] .

The "Vinayaga Chathurthi" celebrations organized by the Hindu Munnani were often accompanied by sporadic incidents of communal violence.cite news|last =|first = |title = Hindu Munnani to hold `satyagraha' |url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/2004/09/28/stories/2004092813870400.htm|work = The Hindu|date = September 28, 2004|accessdate = 2008-06-17] cite news|last =|first = |title = 7,000 cops to be kept on toes in city
url=http://newstodaynet.com/11sep/ld4.htm|work = News Today|date = September 28, 2004|accessdate = 2008-06-17] In 1993, there were bomb attacks made on the R.S.S. state headquarters at Chetpet, Chennai. Islamic organizations were found guily for the blasts and a crackdown was launched on extremist Islamic organizations.During the visit of BJP leaders Advani and Vajpayee to Coimbatore in 1998, a series of 13 blasts rocked the city killing over 58 people. In the communal clashes which followed the blasts, the Hindu Munnani had a significant hand.

Recently, there have been clashes between the Hindu Munnani and the DMK over the remarks made by BJP leader Vedanti on DMK President and Chief Minister Karunanidhi.cite news|last =|first = |title = 'Fatwa' against Karunanidhi: Case registered against Vedanti |url=http://newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEL20070925062315&Page=H&Title=Top+Stories&Topic=0
work = The New Indian Express|date = September 26, 2007|accessdate = 2008-06-17] DMK cadres attacked the Hindu Munnani state headquarters in Chennai on motorbikes.cite news|last =|first = |title = BJP-DMK face off: Hindu Munnani office in Chennai vandalized
url=http://india.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?articleID=126587|work = Merinews|date = September 23, 2007|accessdate = 2008-06-17] .

In November 2007, a photo of Tamil actress Kushboo sitting cross-legged with slippers in front of idols of Hindu goddesses landed the actress in the middle of a huge controversycite news|title = Kushboo in trouble again |last=Shankar|first=Settu|url=http://entertainment.oneindia.in/tamil/exclusive/kushboo-insulting-hindu-291107.html |work = oneindia.com|date = November 29, 2007|accessdate = 2008-06-18] . A complaint was lodged by Gurumurthy a Hindu Munnani leader. The Hindu Munnani President Rama Gopalan said that Kushboo's act was unbecoming of a public figure and demanded a public apology from her. In June 2008, the Hindu Munnani threatened to block Kamal Hassan's film "Dasavatharam" on the ground that certain scenes in the film affected the sentiments of Hinduscite news|title = Hindu Munnani threatens to block "Dasavatharam" release |lurl=http://www.nowrunning.com/news/news.aspx?it=15392 |work = nowrunning.com|date = June 5, 2008|accessdate = 2008-06-18] .

In 1981, Hindu Munnani leader Thirukovilur Sundaram was murdered at R. S. Puram in Coimbatore by Islamic fundamentalists. A Muslim platform speaker called Abdul Latheef who ridiculed Hinduism in a public speech was murdered through possible involvement of Hindu Munnani activists. In retaliation, a Hindu Munnani activist called Veera Ganesh was stabbed to death in Coimbatore on August 30, 1989. In December 1993, on the first anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition, there was widespread violence in the Kottaimedu area of Coimbatore. Violence also occurred during the fifth anniversary of the demolition in 1997 and also during the aftermath of the Coimbatore bomb blasts in 1998. According to allegations, the police took a strong anti-Muslim stand during the disturbances.

Several assassination attempts have been made on the life of Hindu Munnani founder and President Ramagopalan. Another leader of the Hindu Munnani and State President of the organization, Rajagopalan succumbed to stab wounds.

ee also

*Dravidar Kazhagam

Notes

References

* K. Suryanarayana Rao (2002). "The Story of R. S. S and Hindu Resurgence in Tamil Nadu"