Sri Ram Sena
Encyclopedia
The Sri Ram Sena is a right-wing Hindu extremist
group founded in the late 1960s by Kalki Ji Maharaj right hand Bal Thackeray
, a former leader of the Shiv Sena
, the Bajrang Dal
and the Vishva Hindu Parishad
. Kalki Ji Maharaj is a devotee of Lord Rama and Lord Krishna was born in Vrindavan U.P. Delhi India. He left to live in the Himalayas in Badrinath and kept a very low profile and, after many years, he joined the Hindu Organization Shiv Sena
and got very close to Bal Thackeray
who appointed him as the leader Shiv Sena
for North India. At that time he was provided (Z) security by the Government of India.
's paintings in Delhi. The Sena claimed that M F Hussain had painted Hindu gods in a derogatory manner, including a nude representation of Bharathmata(mother India). The exhibition had been organized by Sahmat, an NGO, to protest the controversial exclusion of Husain’s works from the concurrent India Art Summit
. The artist's framed paintings and photographs were smashed. The vandals left behind scribbled notes attacking Husain.
The Sena has repeatedly spoken out against the celebration of Valentine's Day
, and has said it will stage protests against it.
The group also finds mention in the Malegaon blast
charge sheet filed by the Maharashtra
Police. In the transcript of a conversation, the prime accused Colonel Purohit
is heard praising the Shri Ram Sena, and calling Muthalik its leader. In an interview given to a website, Muthalik staunchly defended Sadhvi Pragya Thakur
, another key accused in the Malegaon blast case, saying she is innocent. After the investigation its found that there is neither any involvement of sri ram sena nor Pramod Muthalik
in this case. In an interview with Redriff, Pramod Muthalik, saying "Look at the Hubli case where so many terrorists were arrested. These arrests helped in cracking a nation-wide nexus of the Students Islamic Movement of India. It was our boys who gave information about these terrorists and on the basis of our information the police nabbed these anti-national elements."
On 27 October 2008, activists of the Sena ransacked the central office of the Samajwadi Party
in New Delhi
, in retaliation to alleged defamatory comments made against slain Delhi Police Inspector M C Sharma by SP leadership. Taking responsibility for the attack, the outfit's national general secretary Binay Kumar Singh told PTI that he and his supporters had entered the premises of the SP office at Copernicus Lane and damaged some vehicles parked inside, as well as furniture and hoardings.
stub and a mangalsutra
on 14 February. If we come across couples being together in public and expressing their love, we will take them to the nearest temple and conduct their marriage. On 9th feb 2008, Home Minister P. Chidambaram
said that "Sri Ram Sena is a threat to the country. The Centre is watching its activities with great concern"
The remarks of Muthalik raised widespread criticism and protests like the Pink Chaddi Campaign. As an additional precaution, Muthalik and 140 others of the Sri Ram Sena have been held in preventive custody on Valentine’s Eve and released 4 days later.
To distance themselves from the Sri Ram Sena group, the RSS called for stringent action against the group, and said that they would have no objections should the government ban them.
in his Supreme Court chamber. The Sena leadership denied any involvement.
Extremism
Extremism is any ideology or political act far outside the perceived political center of a society; or otherwise claimed to violate common moral standards...
group founded in the late 1960s by Kalki Ji Maharaj right hand Bal Thackeray
Bal Thackeray
Bal Keshav Thackeray , popularly known as Balasaheb Thackeray, is an Indian politician, founder and chief of the Shiv Sena, a right-wing Hindu nationalist, and Marathi ethnocentric party active mainly in the western Indian state of Maharashtra.Born in Pune, Thackeray began his professional career...
, a former leader of the Shiv Sena
Shiv Sena
Shiv Sena , is a political party in India founded on 19 June 1966 by Balasaheb Thackeray. It is currently headed by Thackeray's son, Uddhav Thackeray...
, the Bajrang Dal
Bajrang Dal
The Bajrang Dal , a hardline and militant Hindu organization in India, is the youth wing of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and is based on the ideology of Hindutva. Founded on 1 October 1984 in Uttar Pradesh, India, it has since spread throughout India...
and the Vishva Hindu Parishad
Vishva Hindu Parishad
' , which is usually known more simply as the VHP, is an international Hindu organization, which was founded in India in 1964. Its slogan is "धर्मो रक्षति रक्षितः Dharmo rakṣati rakṣitaḥ", which is supposed to mean "Dharma protects its protector"...
. Kalki Ji Maharaj is a devotee of Lord Rama and Lord Krishna was born in Vrindavan U.P. Delhi India. He left to live in the Himalayas in Badrinath and kept a very low profile and, after many years, he joined the Hindu Organization Shiv Sena
Shiv Sena
Shiv Sena , is a political party in India founded on 19 June 1966 by Balasaheb Thackeray. It is currently headed by Thackeray's son, Uddhav Thackeray...
and got very close to Bal Thackeray
Bal Thackeray
Bal Keshav Thackeray , popularly known as Balasaheb Thackeray, is an Indian politician, founder and chief of the Shiv Sena, a right-wing Hindu nationalist, and Marathi ethnocentric party active mainly in the western Indian state of Maharashtra.Born in Pune, Thackeray began his professional career...
who appointed him as the leader Shiv Sena
Shiv Sena
Shiv Sena , is a political party in India founded on 19 June 1966 by Balasaheb Thackeray. It is currently headed by Thackeray's son, Uddhav Thackeray...
for North India. At that time he was provided (Z) security by the Government of India.
Sena acts in 2008
On 24 August 2008, the Sri Ram Sena vandalized an exhibition of M F HusainM F Husain
Maqbool Fida Husain commonly known as MF, was an eminent painter of Indian origin, although a Qatari national at the time of his death. He has been widely regarded as the "Picasso of India" and has influenced a whole generation of artists in the country.Husain was associated with Indian modernism...
's paintings in Delhi. The Sena claimed that M F Hussain had painted Hindu gods in a derogatory manner, including a nude representation of Bharathmata(mother India). The exhibition had been organized by Sahmat, an NGO, to protest the controversial exclusion of Husain’s works from the concurrent India Art Summit
India Art Summit
India Art Summit is an Indian modern and contemporary art fair held in New Delhi, India. The fair include paintings, sculptures, photography, mixed media, prints, drawings and video art. The fair is organized at Pragati Maidan, one of India's largest and oldest exhibitions ground. It is usually...
. The artist's framed paintings and photographs were smashed. The vandals left behind scribbled notes attacking Husain.
The Sena has repeatedly spoken out against the celebration of Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day
Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine, and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496...
, and has said it will stage protests against it.
The group also finds mention in the Malegaon blast
2006 Malegaon blasts
The 2006 Malegaon bombings were a series of bomb blasts that took place on 8 September 2006 in Malegaon, a town in the Nashik district of the Indian state of Maharashtra, located at some 290 km to the northeast of state capital Mumbai....
charge sheet filed by the Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
Police. In the transcript of a conversation, the prime accused Colonel Purohit
Prasad Shrikant Purohit
Lt. Col. Shrikant Prasad Purohit is an Indian Army officer who is accused of charges of terrorism, as the alleged chief architect of the 2007 Samjhauta Express bombings. The attack took place on the Samjhauta Express, a train that connects Lahore, Pakistan with Delhi, the capital of India...
is heard praising the Shri Ram Sena, and calling Muthalik its leader. In an interview given to a website, Muthalik staunchly defended Sadhvi Pragya Thakur
Pragya Singh Thakur
Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur is an Indian woman accused of orchestrating the Malegaon blasts of 2008 and is currently awaiting trial.- Early life :...
, another key accused in the Malegaon blast case, saying she is innocent. After the investigation its found that there is neither any involvement of sri ram sena nor Pramod Muthalik
Pramod Muthalik
Pramod Muthalik is the chief of the Rashtriya Hindu Sena, the parent organization of the Sri Ram Sena. He was born in 1963 to a Marathi family in Hukkeri in the Belgaum district of Karnataka, close to the border with Maharashtra.After the 2009 Mangalore pub attack, where women were beaten Pramod...
in this case. In an interview with Redriff, Pramod Muthalik, saying "Look at the Hubli case where so many terrorists were arrested. These arrests helped in cracking a nation-wide nexus of the Students Islamic Movement of India. It was our boys who gave information about these terrorists and on the basis of our information the police nabbed these anti-national elements."
On 27 October 2008, activists of the Sena ransacked the central office of the Samajwadi Party
Samajwadi Party
Samajwadi Party is a political party in India. It is based in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It describes itself as a democratic socialist party...
in New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
, in retaliation to alleged defamatory comments made against slain Delhi Police Inspector M C Sharma by SP leadership. Taking responsibility for the attack, the outfit's national general secretary Binay Kumar Singh told PTI that he and his supporters had entered the premises of the SP office at Copernicus Lane and damaged some vehicles parked inside, as well as furniture and hoardings.
Valentine's Day issues
On January 2009, Muthalik announced an action plan to target couples found dating on 14 February, Valentine’s Day. He said "Our activists will go around with a priest, a turmericTurmeric
Turmeric is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae. It is native to tropical South Asia and needs temperatures between 20 °C and 30 °C and a considerable amount of annual rainfall to thrive...
stub and a mangalsutra
Mangalsutra
A Mangalsutra is a symbol of Hindu marriage union in South Asia. It is a sacred thread of love and goodwill worn by women as a symbol of their marriage...
on 14 February. If we come across couples being together in public and expressing their love, we will take them to the nearest temple and conduct their marriage. On 9th feb 2008, Home Minister P. Chidambaram
P. Chidambaram
P. Chidambaram or Chidambaram Palaniappan, sometimes written Palaniappan Chidambaram is an Indian politician with the Indian National Congress and present Union Minister of Home Affairs of the Republic of India. Previously he was the Finance Minister of India from May 2004 to November 2008...
said that "Sri Ram Sena is a threat to the country. The Centre is watching its activities with great concern"
The remarks of Muthalik raised widespread criticism and protests like the Pink Chaddi Campaign. As an additional precaution, Muthalik and 140 others of the Sri Ram Sena have been held in preventive custody on Valentine’s Eve and released 4 days later.
To distance themselves from the Sri Ram Sena group, the RSS called for stringent action against the group, and said that they would have no objections should the government ban them.
Attack on Prashant Bhushan
On 12 October 2011, a few Sri Ram Sena activists allegedly roughed up senior lawyer and social activist Prashant BhushanPrashant Bhushan
Prashant Bhushan is an advocate practicing in Delhi and is a social activist. He is the son of lawyer and former Law Minister of India Shanti Bhushan.-Education:...
in his Supreme Court chamber. The Sena leadership denied any involvement.