Are SIMI, Bajrang Dal two sides of same coin?

WHATS IN A NAME? Experts feel Bajrang Dal and SIMI have the same ideology, that of terror.

            

ibnlive.com is on mobile now. Read news, watch videos
be a Citizen Journalist. Log on to m.ibnlive.com NOW!

Related Stories

• Fundamental fear? Keep faith, ban Bajrang Dal

• IBNLive Chat: 'Ban on Bajrang Dal unlikely'

• Clamour to ban Bajrang Dal grows, UPA Govt cautious

Top Headlines

Top Videos

Most Popular

• BPCL staff end strike, other PSUs to follow suit 

• Satyam: A new storm in India's cup of woes 

• 'Govt, regulator ignored warning about Satyam'  

• Pak role in 26/11 attacks possible: Imran Khan 

• US sees 26/11 as model for future terrorism 

• Biden to visit Pak | Don't accuse Pak sans proof: Mulford 

• India convinced of Pak army role in Mumbai attacks 

• Shiv Sena snubs Karkare's kin for being soft on Kasab 

• Trinamool's Firoza Bibi wins Nandigram by-election 

• Noida rape: Boy confesses, Panchayat says not guilty 

• Oil PSU strike continues, consumers bear the brunt 

• Pak role in 26/11 attacks possible: Imran Khan 

• US backs India on 26/11 but Pak not listening 

• Satyam fiasco could affect Hyd metro rail project  

• Power slips out of Soren's hands yet again 

• Rampant criminal activities make Noida insecure  

• Not amused by starry tantrums? here are the fetishes 

• Watch: John Abraham's Aashayein stuck in the cans 

• Three Indian artists nominated for Grammys 

• Recession-hit US porn industry demands bailout 

• Pak role in 26/11 attacks possible: Imran Khan 

• Bringing Satyam auditor PwC to book may not be easy 

• India convinced of Pak army role in Mumbai attacks 

• Oil PSU strike continues, consumers bear the brunt 

• Noida rape: Boy confesses, Panchayat says not guilty 

• US backs India on 26/11 but Pak not listening 

• India screeching to halt as fuel runs out 

• Recession-hit US porn industry demands bailout 

• Slumdog Millionaire sweeps Critics Choice Awards 

• Oil PSU strike: Govt acts tough, to call in Army 

Photogallery

Find us on Facebook | Join IBNLive community

Stay ahead with G-Talk Buddy | Click now!

The spate of attacks on Christians and churches continues in the BJP-ruled states of Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh.

Coastal districts of Mangalore, Dakshina Kannada, Chikmagalur and Udupi are tense after 14 churches were attacked on Sunday, allegedly by the activists of Hindu outfit Bajrang Dal.

On Wednesday, a mob attacked a church and statue of St Mary in Kolar in south Karnataka, taking the number of attacks to 19 in the past one month. Security has been stepped up following the incident. Police say the situation is tense but under control.

Last month Orissa too witnessed a similar flare up. Christians were attacked in the Kandhamal district and 24 people died in the communal clashes that followed.

As the Government considers bringing in tougher measures to deal with terror, CNN-IBN debates if Hindu outfits like Bajrang Dal could be compared with Islamist terror groups like the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).

To debate the controversial issue on Face the Nation were the President of Indian Christian Voice, Dr Abraham Mathai; and BJP leader Gopal Prasad Sinha.

Abraham Mathai kickstarted the debate and strongly argued the Bajrang Dal was terrorising minorities in the state. Mathai and also hinted at state complicity.

"The state is talking about SIMI activists being in hiding and here we have the Bajrang Dal people openly admitting to having done this. How can you differentiate between the two? Should SIMI be banned just because they are Muslims?" he asked.

Mathai quoted incidents of Bajrang Dal activists being caught in the act. "In Nanded, they were caught making bombs and even confessed to having dressed as Muslims," he alleged.

But Gopal Prasad Sinha lashed back and said it was unfair to compare Bajrang Dal with SIMI. "It's a well-established fact that SIMI is an anti-national force, is part of Lashkar-e-Toiba, al-Qaeda and is responsible for blasts across the country," he said.

Sinha also defended Bajrang Dal's action as a "reaction to a planned mischief to convert people in Karnataka".

"I don't support the violence of Bajrang Dal but how do we react to these things," he asked arguing while Bajrang Dal had an ideology, SIMI was destroying the idea of India.

"SIMI is an international force, a part of an international terror group," he said.

Mathai retorted and said SIMI and Bajrang Dal shared the same underlying ideology.

"Bajrang Dal activists have killed 50 Indians in Orissa — they haven't killed Pakistanis, Bangaladeshis or others. Is that not anti-national? Just because they are from a majority community and have the backing of a political party, should they be spared?" he asked.

But the Bajrang Dal has also been accused of distributing tridents, bringing down the Babri Masjid and has been compared with the Nazis.

In fact, senior BJP leader Atal Behari Vajpayee said he was ashamed of the group's activities. However, Sinha dismissed these arguments as exaggerated public reaction.

As regards forcible conversions, Mathai argued there has been no conviction despite there being the draconian anti-conversion laws in place in five states.

"Because they have failed, they are trying miserably hard," Mathai said, adding, if conversions gave someone respect and dignity, they were not wrong.

SMS/ Web poll: Are SIMI, Bajrang Dal two sides of the same coin?

Yes: 56 per cent

No: 44 per cent