‘What is more dangerous, AK-47 or trishul?’

An unrepentant Bajrang Dal Convenor, Prakash Sharma, is all venom and fire in an interview with SHOBHITA NAITHANI

Photo: Indian Express

National Security Advisor MK Narayanan recently said that both Bajrang Dal and SIMI are dangerous.
I haven’t read that anywhere. There is no question of comparing the two.

How are the two different?
Bajrang Dal works in the interest of the nation. SIMI runs on foreign funds, foreign training and foreign arms. In Jammu one outfit had a tiranga (national flag) while the other had a Pakistan jhanda (flag). If you can’t even see this, then nothing can be done. These terrorists are all Afzal Guru’s chelas (supporters). It’s only because of so-called secular people like you that terrorism in this country is on the rise.

In the garb of protecting Hindu rights, the Bajrang Dal is virulently anti-Muslim and anti-Christian.
Where is the violence? Can’t you see the violence in Kashmir for the last 50 years? When there is an untoward incident, it is but natural that there is a reaction. If there’s violence after a Swami’s death, it is but natural.

You’re justifying the murders and the rape of a nun?
When there is a mob, it’s beyond anyone’s control. It happened because of that. I don’t support violence, but sometimes you can’t avoid incidents like these.

You’ve threatened that any move to ban the Bajrang Dal will have “grave consequences”. What will you do?
Dhajjian uda denge, dhajjian (We’ll reduce them to pieces). Is sarkar ka namo nishan is desh mein nahin rahega (There will be no evidence of this government).

Does it mean another round of violent attacks against innocent people?
By a democratic process. Manmohan Singh will be carrying a jhola (bag) buying vegetables on the streets of Amritsar.

But Mahender Kumar, the Bajrang Dal leader in Karnataka, accepted the group’s role in the anti-Christian violence.
Yes. He resigned.

But the police arrested him ….
That is a legal battle. It will be fought legally.

Aren’t you contradicting yourself? You said the reaction against the Swami’s death was justified.
If someone distributes nude pictures of Hindu Gods and Goddesses, then maybe Hindus like you are not hurt. But there are many in this country who are worried about their self-respect and pride.

If you blame the Christians for forcible conversions, hasn’t the Bajrang Dal been involved in reconversion campaigns, anti-Muslim violence in Gujarat in 2002, bomb blast in 2006 at Nanded in Maharashtra, and a similar incident in August this year in Kanpur?
If an organisation becomes controversial just by raking its name in the controversy, then the Congress party should be the first one to be banned. It was the Congress that killed Sikhs in 1984.

But the Bajrang Dal ideology is not free from violence. The outfit’s members often take to the streets brandishing trishuls (tridents) and khukris. Isn’t that violent?
Trishul is not violent. Shiva carries a trishul and the Hindu samaj prays to it. You tell me — is an AK-47 more dangerous for you or a trishul? Trishul symbolises sewa, sanskar, suraksha.