Hindu Munnani

Hindu Munnani
Founder Ramagopalan
Founded 1980
Ideology Hindutva
Indian nationalism
Integral humanism
Conservatism
Website
hindumunnani.org.in

Hindu Munnani is a religious and cultural organization based in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu which was formed to defend the Hinduism and protect Hindu religious monuments.

History

Hindu Munnani was founded in 1980[1] or 1982[2] by Shri Ramagopalan in the backdrop of the Meenakshipuram conversions.[3][4] Since then, it has been lobbying for the rights of the Hindus, fighting the Islamic right-wing and radical Islamic political groups and vehemently opposing Christian conversions.[5]

Objectives

The Hindu Munnani website describes its objectives as follows:[6]

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 conversions by Ishaatul Islam Sabha of South India [4][7] Since then, the Hindu Munnani has often espoused the cause of Hindus, the Hindu religion and Hindu culture.

However, the most remarkable achievement of the Hindu Munnani was the organization of Vinayaka Chathurthi processions in Tamil Nadu.[8][9][10][11] On 16 May 2006, the Hindu Munnani organized the Silver Jubilee celebrations of the installation of the shivalinga in the Jalakanteswarar temple in Vellore[12]

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 19 February 1981, about 200 Dalit families in the village of Meenakshipuram in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu were converted to Islam by a group of Muslims[13] and the name of their village was changed to Rehmatpuram.[2][4] The Hindu Munnani was active in organizing a mass movement and bringing the converted Dalits back into the Hindu fold.[2] In March 1982, when riots broke up between Hindus and Christians at Mandaikadu in Kanyakumari district, the Hindu Munnani played an active role.[4][14][15]

Attacks by Islamic extremists and Christian missionaries

The Vinayaga Chathurthi celebrations organized by the Hindu Munnani were often accompanied by sporadic incidents of communal violence.[16][17] In 1993, there were bomb attacks made on the R.S.S. state headquarters at Chintadripet, Chennai.[4] Islamic organizations were found guilty for the blasts and a crackdown was launched on extremist Islamic organizations.[4] 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.

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.[18] DMK cadres attacked the Hindu Munnani state headquarters in Chennai on motorbikes.[19]

Murders of Hindu Munnani leaders

Thirukovilur Sundaram

In 1981, Hindu Munnani leader, Thirukovilur Sundaram was murdered at R. S. Puram in Coimbatore by Islamic fundamentalists.[4]

Veera Ganesh

A Muslim platform speaker called Abdul Latheef who ridiculed Hinduism in a public speech was murdered by unknown activists. In retaliation, a Hindu Munnani activist called Veera Ganesh was stabbed to death in Coimbatore on 30 August 1989.

Ramagopalan

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, Ramagopalan succumbed to stab wounds.

S Vellaiappan

He was a senior leader of Hindu Munnani in Vellore. He was murdered by a gang of 8 people when he was headed towards Ramakrishna Math on his motorbike July 2013.[20]

K.P. S. Suresh Kumar

K P Suresh was the president of the Hindu Munnani for Thiruvallur East district. He was originally from Kanyakumari. He was murdered by a gang of Muslim terrorist outfit, Al Ummah,[21] in June 2014.[22] Three members namely, Mohammed Samiuddin, Abdul Shameem and Sadiq, of the outfit were arrested by the police in August 2014.[23]

Jeevaraj

He was Hindu Munnani's Thirunelveli town secretary. He was murdered in front of his house at Sankarankoil by three unidentified men in July 2014.[24]

Other controversies

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 controversy.[25] A complaint was lodged by Gurumurthy a Hindu Munnani leader.[25] The Hindu Munnani President Rama Gopalan said that Kushboo's act was unbecoming of a public figure and demanded a public apology from her.[25] 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 Hindus.[26]

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.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ "About the Hindu Munnani". Official website of the Hindu Munnani. Retrieved 2008-06-15.
  2. 1 2 3 K. Suryanarayana Rao, Pg 19
  3. ↑ FOC. "Hindu Munnani turns 25". Organiser. Retrieved 2008-06-15.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 P. G. Rajamohan. "Tamil Nadu: The Rise of Islamist Fundamentalism". Faultlines. Retrieved 2008-06-16.
  5. ↑ N. Sathiya Moorthy (1998-05-22). "'Hinduism and fundamentalism are contradiction in terms'". Rediff. Retrieved 2008-06-16.
  6. ↑ "Objectives of the Hindu Munnani". Official website of the Hindu Munnani. Retrieved 2008-06-15.
  7. ↑ Katju, Manjari (2003). Vishva Hindu Parishad and Indian Politics. Orient Longman. p. 34. ISBN 978-81-250-2476-7.
  8. ↑ Hoskote, Ranjit (12 September 2004). "From pedestal to pavement". The Hindu: Magazine. Retrieved 2008-06-17.
  9. ↑ C. J. Fuller (2001). "The ‘Vinayaka Chaturthi’ Festival and Hindutva in Tamil Nadu" (PDF). Economic and Political Weekly 43 (24).
  10. ↑ Fuller, C. J. (2003). The Renewal of the Priesthood. Princeton University Press. p. 132. ISBN 0-691-11657-1.
  11. ↑ Fuller, C. J. (2004). The Camphor Flame: Popular Hinduism and Society in India. Princeton University Press. p. 265. ISBN 978-0-691-12048-5.
  12. ↑ Murthi, P. V. V. (10 March 2006). "Silver Jubilee". The Hindu: Friday Review. Retrieved 2008-06-17.
  13. ↑ "'As Muslims, we are now respected'". Rediff.com. 27 September 2006. Retrieved 2008-06-17.
  14. ↑ K. Suryanarayana Rao, Pg 20
  15. ↑ Thirumaavalavan; Meena Kandasamy (2003). Talisman, Extreme Emotions of Dalit Liberation. Popular Prakashan. p. 156. ISBN 81-85604-68-1.
  16. ↑ "Hindu Munnani to hold `satyagraha'". The Hindu. 28 September 2004. Retrieved 2008-06-17.
  17. ↑ "7,000 cops to be kept on toes in city". News Today. 28 September 2004. Archived from the original on 19 August 2007. Retrieved 2008-06-17.
  18. ↑ "'Fatwa' against Karunanidhi: Case registered against Vedanti". The New Indian Express. 26 September 2007. Retrieved 2008-06-17.
  19. ↑ "BJP-DMK face off: Hindu Munnani office in Chennai vandalized". Merinews. 23 September 2007. Retrieved 2008-06-17.
  20. ↑ "Hindu Munnani leader murdered - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 2016-02-02.
  21. ↑ "Murders of right-wing leaders in Tamil Nadu linked to terror group Al Ummah". The Indian Express. 2014-08-20. Retrieved 2016-02-02.
  22. ↑ "Hindu Munnani Leader Hacked to Death". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 2016-02-02.
  23. ↑ "3 suspected Al Ummah men detained for Hindu Munnani leader’s murder". The Indian Express. 2014-08-07. Retrieved 2016-02-02.
  24. ↑ "Hindu Munnani leader murdered in Tamil Nadu’s Tirunelveli - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 2016-02-02.
  25. 1 2 3 Shankar, Settu (29 November 2007). "Kushboo in trouble again". oneindia.com. Archived from the original on 12 July 2008. Retrieved 2008-06-18.
  26. ↑ "Hindu Munnani threatens to block "Dasavatharam" release". nowrunning.com. 5 June 2008. Retrieved 2008-06-18.

References

External links

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