Trying to keep the identity of the Hindus strong

One of the main organizers of the newly established Hindu organization Sivan Senai, Maravanpulavu K. Satchithananthan, when asked about rumours that the organization is being backed by India’s Research and Analysis Wing(RAW) he said, earlier the CIA of America and the MI5 of England was similarly connected to organizations, now it is the trend to talk about RAW. I think as we cannot be linked with the ISIS, CIA and the MI5, therefore, I feel we are being connected to RAW. “However I’m clueless,” he further said. Following are excerpts of the interview:

?: Your organization was formed when there are Buddhist temples and monuments being built in the North and East. Does it have any connection in you forming Sivan Senai?

A: We are trying to keep the identity of the Hindus strong. We are living in a situation where there are so many external inductions, inducements, provocations and conversions. We have to meet this by telling our people to be calm and strong. The values which our forefathers gave them are adequate enough to progress.

?: Sivan Senai is just an organization or a political party?

A: It is purely a religious organization.

?: Do you have any plans to enter politics?

A: Not at all. Some of the members in our organization are already in politics; they are in different political parties. It is like going to temple. You can belong to different political parties; still you go to the temple.

?: What is the purpose of this organization?

A: Basic problems of the Hindus in this country, today at this moment, there are threats to its existence from other religions. Thus, we want to give confidence to Hindus to hold on to their beliefs and faith. This is the basic objective of our organization. We want our Hindus to have enough confidence, 30 years of war has shaken their minds. They have lost faith in gods, and young people are looking forward to migrate to other countries.

The people are not maintained properly by the administration. People below the poverty line are not being cared for much by the administration. They are being provided relief. However, the relief that should be provided should be far higher than what is being given now. This situation had made other religion’s representatives to step in ensuring to provide relief in the name of their religion. Later, resulting in religious conversion.

When it comes to marriages women are levered to marry men from other religions. They are levered and converted to other religions.Orphan children are being taken to monasteries, viharas or arabic schools. Later they are trained to become priests of these religious places.

The Sri Lankan Constitution gives priority for Buddhism. This gives the Buddhist a strong feeling to do anything marginally affecting or they unknowingly do things that has affected us very badly.

The Christians are receiving funds to spread their religion. It is a mystery for us but they are receiving funds extensively from organizations of other countries. The Islamic organizations are receiving funds from Middle East Countries. There is a Saddam Hussein Nagar, a city in the name of the slain Iraq leader in the Eastern Province. An oil magnate from Iran is building 1000 houses, in Marichukati-Mannar.

Hindus have nobody to go to, the Buddhists of this country have the government to support them, the Muslims have their patrons and the Christians have their financial patrons. We have no one. We are virtually at the mercy of people who can provide. Therefore, the Buddhists, Christians and Muslims provide necessary facilities and spread their religions among us. The Sivan Senai doesn’t want this to happen.

We have a very clear cut objective, to give confidence to the people to continue as Hindus. We have no objective to convert anybody to Hinduism. It is very clear in our mind. We want our Hindus who are now Hindus. There was 400 years of western rule, 60 years of Buddhist continuous dominance and post 1987 the rise of the Islamic Organizations. We want to give confidence to the Hindus to hold on to their beliefs and faiths as their minds have become unstable after the war. Keep their culture on track.

?: How many members are there in your organization?

A: To be more accurate we don’t have any members. We don’t want to have a Constitution; we don’t want to have a committee. We want to work on an ad hoc basis. Thus, the framework of this organization cannot exceed two to three years. We will be able to provide such confidence during this period and such awareness during this period. We will abandon the current situation.

We are not going for membership; we will not go for any constitution by law, or any leadership.

?: Why did you choose to function from the Northern Province?

A: I have told you, we have no office. We have no provincial base. We have no headquarters. We have organizers in all 25 districts. We shall operate islandwide.

?: Your organization had been linked with the Indian Shiva Sena. What have you to say?

A: They are free to write what they like. It is up to them to answer as to why they wrote such views. Why should you ask me? You should ask those who wrote such views.

Anyway, we have no connection with the organization in India. This is a 100 per cent local organization and we don’t have any links outside. But we have supporters from outside. We have many supporters from Mauritius, South Africa, Fiji, Australia, Canada and Europe. In fact in Europe they have initiated a branch and we did not know of it. They said we have a branch of Sri Lanka Sivan Senai. We are 100 per cent home grown. If people want to write that we have links with the Indian Shiva Sena, they have the freedom to write.

?: Your organization had been described as anti- Buddhist. What exactly is your stand?

A: Religion is never anti. If a religion preaches you to be anti, it is no religion. If any religion preaches to be against another religion, we have based our objectives from now discipline and grace. ‘yaam irappavai ninpaal ponnum , porulum , pohamum alla- anbum , aramum, arulum’ (What we made is not gold and leisure but love discipline and grace). We pray for love, extension of discipline, extension of grace and we have no antagonizing. Before antagonizing I think we must go back and ask our souls. That shows the impression that if one is in any religion. You cannot be in any religion and say you’re antagonistic.

?: It is said that you have formed Sivan Senai to counter Bodu Bala Sena. Is that true?

A: People are free to express their views. I have already told you. What we are is what we know, and we have clearly expressed our views. If they are saying we are like Bodu Bala Sena you have to ask them as to why they are saying so.

I have already told you, a religion cannot be antagonistic. A religion cannot base itself on being against someone. A religion is based on love, discipline and grace. We are seeking such expressions amongst Hindus. If they say it is like Bodu Bala Sena and Shiva Sena in India people should know how to actually view it.

I don’t want to react further, because if I react I will have to react to thousands of such views, not just one. That is for those who make stories and for others to decide.

?: How do you think the new Constitution should be repealed?

A: We don’t discuss politics.

?: It is said that your organization is backed by RAW. What have you go to say?

A: India has RAW, Pakistan had ISIS, America has CIA and England has MI5, these are organizations formed to take up the interest of their own country. Every government has formed such organizations on the best interest of the security of their country.

Earlier the CIA and the MI5 was connected to organizations similarly now it is the trend to talk about RAW. I think we cannot be linked with the ISIS, CIA and the MI5, therefore I think we are being connected to RAW.
However I’m clueless. (Ceylon Today)