A controversial civil society outfit, the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), has cried foul over the conduct of Ram Katha at the Raj Bhavan in Rajasthan.
As per reports, Governor Kalraj Mishra invited Hindu saint Vijay Kaushal to deliver Pravachan on Lord Ram for a period of 5 days at his official residence. Besides the Ram Katha, there is also an exhibition of Bhakti arts at Raj Bhavan between August 27 and August 31 this year.
Prior to the start of the event, Kalraj Mishra performed the traditional rituals by performing Puja of Lord Ram and the Ramcharitmanas. The Rajasthan Governor had earlier sent out invitations for the event and informed that anyone can enter the Raj Bhavan, following security check at the gates.
However, the decision to conduct such a religious event drew the ire of PUCL. It claimed that the 5-day programme undermined the dignity of the Governor’s office and also violated the Constitutional principles of secularism.
The People’s Union for Civil Liberties alleged that it was not against Ram Katha and only objected to its organisation at the Raj Bhavan. According to the President of its Rajasthan unit, Kavita Srivastava, the Governor’s House could only be used for cultural programmes such as Holi, Diwali, Eid, Christmas and Guru Nanak Jayanti.
She claimed, “This event (Ram Katha) brazenly compromises the secular character of our Constitution. These are not personal programmes of the Governor,” Srivastava also objected to the exhibition of Bhakti arts at the Governor’s residence.
She demanded that the religious event be shifted to another ‘public space’ and called upon the State government and the Rajasthan Governor to refrain from sponsoring Ram Katha. Kavita Srivastava suggested that celebrating only one religious festival will weaken Indian Constitutional values.
“Will the Governor likewise organise religious events and arts exhibitions of faiths like Islam, Christianity, Zoroastrianism, Jainism, Buddhism, Sarna-Adivasi, etc.?” the PUCL (Rajasthan) chief inquired.
The General Secretary of the People’s Union for Civil Liberties, Anant Bhatnagar, also claimed that shifting Ram Katha to a public place will restore the dignity of the Governor’s office.
PUCL and ties with Urban Naxals
PUCL is a fraternal organization of People’s Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR). The People’s Union for Civil Liberties is the same organisation that has extensive links to Maoists, something we have reported extensively on.
‘Urban Naxals’ who were arrested in the Elgar Parishad case and in connection with an alleged assassination plot against the Prime Minister are intimately linked with the PUCL. The PUCL and its associate organisations have a history of ties to Naxals and separatists in Kashmir as well as Manipur.
Over the years, numerous members of the organisations have been arrested for their links to Maoists. One of those raided in connection with the violence at Bhima Koregaon, Sudha Bharadwaj, is the General Secretary of the Chhattisgarh unit of People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL).
Father Stan Swamy was also associated with the PUCL. The narrative that PUCL propagates is quite often antithetical to a layman’s idea of civil society. Although the link is broken, on its website, it can be seen that the organization condemned the hanging of the Islamic terrorist Afzal Guru.
As per the report of Delhi PUCL for 2016-17, they assisted Islamist outfit PFI “in the matter relating to violation of their right to protest and their freedom of speech violated by the Delhi police on 5th Nov. 2017 in Delhi”.
‘Naxalite’ Binayak Sen was also the Vice President of the PUCL even after his conviction by Raipur Sessions Court. The West Bengal unit of PUCL also published a book exonerating Sen of all his crimes and branded him a “victim of state atrocity”.
