February 15, 2003
Press Release
Philadelphia Inquirer, in its January
17, 2003 issue published an article, highly critical and defaming of Hindus,
and titled, "HINDU NATIONALISTS TAP IMMIGRANT GUILT IN US". Their staff
reporter had attended a meeting of the visiting VHP International Working
President Shri Ashok Singhal, and interviewed him at length. Shri Singhal
had come to USA, to pay a personal visit to a friend who was seriously
ill, and had agreed to meet the New Jersey community.
The content and the intention of
the entire article were highly derogatory, misleading and replete with
falsehood. The article had totally either ignored the comments of the interviewers
or misrepresented and misquoted them. It did not carry the matters and
responses expressed by Shri Singhal. The article carried totally wrong
and unsubstantiated views related to the charity work of Hindu diaspora.
Naturally, VHPA and many other Hindu
organizations and Hindu activists in USA were enraged and wished to talk
to the editorial board of Philadelphia Enquirer to apprise them with the
facts, and register their protest against such an unfair and unprofessional
journalism.
The PI's reporter had interviewed
many persons who attended the meeting, but they were all shocked to read
the article in which their comments were either twisted or ignored, and
presented a complete opposite purport.
With this background, on February
13, 2003, a delegation of the Hindu Media Watch Group met with the executive
Editor Mr. Walter Lundy and the head of foreign desk Mr. Ned Warwick. The
delegation consisted of Dr. Veena Gandhi, Shri Sharad Gandhi, Shri Vijay
Kapoor, Dr. Dinesh Agarwal and Shri Dahyabhai Patel.
The delegation presented point by
point clarifications and rebuttal to the various issues raised in the article,
and how the article lacked objectivity and credibility, and how it had
hurt the sentiments of thousands of Hindus in this country, who are only
helping the underprivileged, poor, and uneducated masses of their mother
country. This is out of compassion for a novel cause, not out of any guilt,
as the title of the article projected.
The delegation brought to the attention
of the editors following points which were misrepresented and inaccurately
described in the article:
1. The Hindutva movement is not
a religious movement and is not against Islam or Christianity. It is a
Hindu Civil rights movement against unjust and unfair laws that discriminate
Hindus against the other religions in matters laws pertaining to the places
of worship, educational institutes, marriage, etc.
2. Ekal Vidyalay Program (single
teacher program) is basically provides elementary education to those children
residing far off and interior areas of India where no government schools
are available. The program does not discriminate on the basis of religion
etc. Children of all religions get education in these schools. It provides
basic reading and writing skills to the tribal people and empowers them
to improve their life. A copy of an eye witness report on Ekal Vidyalays
by Prof. Yvette Rosser of University of Texas was provided to the editors.
3. Ram was not a warlord. He is
The God of Hindus, and national Hero for all Indians. VHP is spearheading
a movement to build a grand temple at the birthplace of Lord Rama. The
Ayodhya movement is not against Muslims, it is only the media and the politicians
who have projected it as an issue between Hindu and Muslims.
4. Shri Singhal on December 6, 1992,
did not lead to demolish the so-called 'mosque' in Ayodhya. In fact, he
was preventing the kar sevaks from causing any damage to the disputed structure
and in his efforts he was even got hurt and his clothes were torn. The
disputed structure was a functioning temples, and was not used as mosque
for at least 50 years. This was all done at the orders of the courts.
Though not part of the Inquirer
article, it was shocking to hear some of beliefs that Mr. Warwick was holding.
We provided corrections as follows:
1. He believed that the Killings
of Hindus in Kashmir occurred in past and are history now. We informed
him that it is going on right now.
2. He thought that all people who
were burned alive in Godhra train were men only. The group informed him
that only 11 were men and the rest were women and children.
3. He wrongfully believed that people
dressed up in Khaki Shorts came out and attacked Muslim neighborhood in
Ahmadabad. It was clarified that they were the common people who revolted
out of frustration, and only reacting to the henious crime of Godhra. The
violence was contained relatively quickly, and has been condemned by everyone.
Conclusion:
Mr. Lundy indicated that the group
can write a small article and he would give it a favorable review for publication
in Inquirer, subject to availability of space.
