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Abhinav Bharat is an ultra-right-wing Hindu extremist organization based in Maharastra, India.The entity gained prominence when its members were arrested for allegedly perpetrating the Malegaon bombing. The 2nd Abhinav Bharat, a Public Charitable Trust, affirms that the two entities have no connection of any kind, and are antithetical in nature, with itself, the Trust being one that "works for a pluralist, peaceful, just and humane society," does not indulge in or condone acts of violence or illegal activities, and, in order to protect its own reputation, has filed a Public-Interest Litigation (PIL) Writ Petition (WP) #02 of 2009 in the Bombay High Court against the use of its name by the neo-Sawarkarite organization.

History

In its first iteration, the group, born before Independence, was founded and led by Vinayak Savarkar, initially as 'Mitramela' ("Friends' Circle") a secret organization of radical, armed Hindu Nationalist revolutionaries at Nashik in 1900, operating as a terrorist organization, and conducted armed strikes against the British and other targets; after the arrest and trial of Sawarkar as instigator and conspirator in the assassination of Gandhi, its fate is not known, but it is believed to have been outlawed and disbanded by the government. Abhinav Bharat as a reiteration of Savarkar's original and defunct Hindu nationalist organization was created in 2007 and is presided over and led by Savarkar's granddaughter, Himani Savarkar, also related to Nathuram Godse, M K Gandhi's assassin.

Praveen Mutalik who was arrested for his alleged role in the 2008 Malegaon blasts is said to have fetched more than Rs.3 lakh from Prasad Shrikant Purohit, founder of the Abhinav Bharat. According to Anti Terrorist Squad (India), Ajay Rahirkar, the treasurer of Abhinav Bharat received 10 lakh rupees from various Hawala sources.

Following the investigation and arrests, the neo-Sawarkarite entity's website was mysteriously shut down.

Sangh Parivar Relationship

Sangh Parivar representatives have distanced themselves from the neo-Sawarkarite Abhinav Bharat, and reject it and similar other groups as operating on the fringes of Hindu nationalism. Dr. Praveen Togadia, head of the VHP, fears that the neo-Sawarkarite Abhinav Bharat is weaning away radicals from the VHP, from where much of the Abhinav Bharat membership originates. Amongst these included Sameer Kulkarni, the points-man for Abhinav Bharat in Madhya Pradesh, who was also expelled from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad in June 2008 for not following protocol within the organization. Abhinav Bharat has also been accused of plotting to kill senior RSS leaders who they thought "weren’t doing enough for Hindutva." These plots include allegations from an arrested Abhinav Bharat member in June 2010 that members were involved in a plot to kill RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat.

A twist to this was added when a news portal The Caravan claimed to have conducted a sting operation on Swami Aseemanand in which he admitted that Abhinav Bharat was a terrorist front for the Sangh Parivar and that terror strikes were approved by Mohan Bhagwat, Dictator of the RSS. Aseemanand, Bhagwat, the Sangh Parivar have vociferously denied these reports and threatened to sue the Caravan Magazine, while the Indian federal Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde stated that he was inclined to believe the reports .

Allegations of involvement in terrorist activity

Following the arrest and investigation of several of its functionaries in connection with the 2006 Malegaon blasts, the group became the target of sustained investigations for its alleged role in several other terror attacks across the country. Several serving and retired army officers are also believed to have been recruited by Abhinav Bharat and to have helped with indoctrination and arms and explosives training. Claims by police and government of "Saffron Terrorism" as a counterpoint to Islamic terrorism have been met with denunciation and rejection by Hindu nationalists, some of whom reject the claims and accusations of crimes and terrorist activities made against the neo-Sawarkarite Abhinav Bharat. Swapan Dasgupta notes that the group seemed little more "than a letterhead or part of a fantasy world".

See also

• 2006 Malegaon blasts
• 2007 Mecca Masjid bombing
• 2007 Samjhauta Express bombings
• 2008 Malegaon & Modasa bombing
• Saffron Terror
• Terrorism

References

1. "The Mirror Explodes: Hindu terror is a reality, yet India refuses to utter its name". Outlook (magazine). JUL 19, 2010. Retrieved 3 May 2014. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
2. "Abhinav Bharat's real aim was communal riots: Congress". The Economic Times. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
3. Mahan, Rajan (April 14, 2009). "Abhinav Bharat under ATS scanner for '07 Ajmer blast". NDTV. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
4. Jain, Bharti (Feb 27, 2013). "Maharashtra government moves to ban Abhinav Bharat". The Times of India. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
5. "Home ministry turns down Maharashtra's plea to ban Abhinav Bharat". The Times of India. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
6. Naveen, P. (October 27, 2008). "Malegaon blast: Focus on new outfits". The Hindustan Times. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
7. Prem Shankar Jha, "Subtle Progres, Tehelka July 04, 2009
8. Hindu group Abhinav Bharat under scanner NDTV - 7 November 2008
9. "'Mutalik used Abhinav Bharat funds for business'". The Times of India. Feb 4, 2011. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
10. "Abhinav Bharat treasurer may have received hawala money". The Times of India. Nov 10, 2008. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
11. Abhinav Bharat's site shut Indian Express - 28 October 2008
12. Sangh distances itself from Malegaon episode Times of India - 8 November 2008
13. Togadia alarmed by Lt-Col's rise? Times of India - 7 November 2008
14. ^ Abhinav Bharat was 'hijacked' by hardliners: probe Indian Express - 2 November 2008
15. Hindu terror targets RSS Hindustan Times - 21 November 2008
16. Did Abhinav Bharat plan to kill RSS chief? Times of India - June 28, 2010
17. "Narco test to be carried on Abhinav Bharat activist". The Times Of India. 10 November 2008.
18. "Malegaon to Mangalore". Indian Express. 28 January 2009.

• Hindutva
• Religious violence in India
• Far-right politics in India
• Hindu terrorism
• Nationalist terrorism