Sanatan Sanstha
The Sanatan Sanstha is an extremist group seeking Hindu nationalism (Hindu fascism) in India. It is a non-government charitable trust founded in 1999 by hypnotherapist Dr Jayant Balaji Athavale. It is headquartered in Ramathi, Goa. The Sanstha is engaged in a host of activities such as spreading spirituality by conducting various discourses for the spiritually curious, publishing holy texts, creating awareness on issues concerning Nation and Dharma, activities related to relief and rehabilitation, environment protection etc. Persons owing allegiance to Sanatan Sanstha have been arrested in four bombings in Vashi, Thane, Panvel (all in 2007) and Goa  (in 2009) and in the murders of Narendra Dabholkar (in 2013), Govind Pansare and M. M. Kalburgi (both in 2015). This has led to calls for Sanatan Sanstha to be banned.However, such claims have been ruled out by Maharashtra state's Home Minister, Karnataka CID, Goa chief minister and Central Home Ministry. In 2015, Minister of state for home for Government of India informed in Rajya Sabha that, no links could be found among the murders of Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare and M. M. Kalburgi and there was no proposal to ban Sanatan Sanstha. Dabholkar's family claims the  link between the three murders and requesting court to club the cases. However, Central Bureau of Investigation have informed the Bombay High Court that it is waiting for the ballistic report from Scotland Yard to link all three cases. In 2018, explosives and firearms were seized from a Sanatan Sanstha worker's house in Maharashtra and 4 persons were arrested on charges of Hindu terrorism. Founding. Dr. Athavale was a consultant psychiatrist and a clinical hypnotherapist. He graduated from Grant Medical College, Mumbai, following which he initially practiced in Mumbai and then in the United Kingdom for two decades. During  the course of his psychiatric practice, Dr. Athavale observed that 30% of his patients did not recover completely despite receiving the best medical treatment, but they instead recovered after adopting spiritual remedies or performing certain vedic rituals. He further studied the science of spirituality and this quest led him to his spiritual guide, Bhaktaraj Maharaj. From the year 1995, he dedicated himself towards the cause of spreading spirituality. Under the guidance of his "Guru," he founded the Sanstha in March 1999 with the aim to make people understand spirituality in a simple, scientific and pragmatic manner. Ideology. It is a  right wing organisation. The Sanstha is registered as a charitable trust. It was established in 1999 by Dr. Jayant Balaji Athavale to propagate spirituality. Dr. Athavale conceptualised the path of Gurukrupayoga, which is an amalgamation of Karma yoga, Jnana yoga and Bhakti yoga. This path of spiritual practice is advocated by the Sanstha for rapid spiritual progress. This path of spiritual practice comprises two components, viz. "vyashti and samashti Sādhanā". "Vyashti sadhana" brings about individual spiritual upliftment, whereas, "samashti sadhana" aims at the welfare of the society and nation. The underlying principle of Gurukrupayoga is attaining Guru’s grace. Guru ’s grace can be attained by incorporating chanting, attending "satsangs", performing "satseva", sacrificing, loving others without any expectations and by removing personality defects and ego aspects in daily routine. Further, the Sanstha assesses the spiritual level of an individual on a scale of 1 to 100 percent to describe the spiritual maturity of the person. The higher one’s spiritual level, the greater is the amount of God principle manifested in that person. According to the Sanstha, the spiritual level a person having negligible interest in spirituality is around 20 percent. Spiritual level of those performing regular spiritual practice (those  engaged in ritualistic worship, reading Holy verses or keeping fasts) is in the range of 25 to 30 percent. Post 60 percent, one steadily progresses towards sainthood and Saints have a spiritual level of more than 70 percent. Moksha is attained at the spiritual level of 100 percent. In essence, when one performs Sadhana (spiritual practice) under the guidance of a Guru, his spiritual level increases and subsequently he gets liberated from the cycle of birth and death. Activities. Spiritual Discourses. Sanatan Sanstha organises various online spiritual discourses aired via Facebook and Youtube live. First launched during the initial phase  of COVID-19 lockdown in India, these online discourses have received over 20 million views as of April 2021. These discourses are broadcast in Hindi and four other Indian languages viz. Kannada, Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam. As of November 2021, the Sanstha’s YouTube channel has more than 32,600 subscribers. Book stalls and exhibitions. 1. On the occasion of Kumbh Mela, Sanatan Sanstha has organised exhibitions of holy texts and banners with the aim of creating awareness and imparting education on Dharma. 2. The Sanstha has also participated in various literary events like the New Delhi World Book Fair, book fairs  organised by the National Book Trust & the Hyderabad book fair. Publication of books. A number of spiritual books compiled by Dr. Athavale are published in Marathi, Hindi, English Gujarati, Tamil, Malayalam, Bengali and 17 other languages. These spiritual texts encompass various subjects such as spiritual science, worship of deities, religious acts, customs and traditions, acts related to daily routine, "", Ayurveda, survival during adverse times etc. As of October 2021, 82 lakh 48 thousand copies of 347 such holy texts have been printed. Activities such as typesetting, proof-reading, cover designing etc. are carried out in-house by the publication. Gurupurnima  celebration. With the aim of preserving and promoting the Guru-shishya tradition, Sanatan Sanstha celebrates Guru Purnima festival at more than 100 places across India every year. On this occasion, "Vyaspujan" & "Gurupujan" is performed followed by discourses on spiritual practice and the protection of nation & Dharma. In July 2021, the online Gurupurnima festival was held in 11 languages viz. English, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Punjabi, Bengali, Odia and Malayalam.More than 90,000 individuals participated in this online event through the official website and Youtube channels of Sanatan Sanstha and Hindu Janajagruti Samiti. Sanatan Prabhat. Sanatan Prabhat periodicals are  published as a daily edition in Marathi, weekly in Marathi & Kannada and monthly in English & Hindi. The Marathi daily Sanatan Prabhat has been awarded the Best Marathi Newspaper Award at the Newsmakers Achiever’s Awards 2012 organized by Newsmakers Broadcasting & Communications in Mumbai. Sanatan Prabhat has also received advertisements from the Goa Government. Hindu Adhiveshan. Sanatan Sanstha and the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti held the first All India Hindu Convention at Ramnathi, Goa in the year 2012. This Convention is organized annually to discuss issues like social malpractices, corruption, and issues detrimental to the collective interests of Hindus. In 2019, the  Convention (Adhiveshan) was attended by over 200 devout Hindus. Rallies and public meetings. Sanatan Sanstha organises rallies and public meetings across various Indian states to propagate spirituality, unite Hindus and to support protests against denigration of Dharma. The Sanstha along with Hindu Janajagruti Samiti organises Hindu Rashtra Jagruti Sabhas where issues ranging from denigration of Hindu Deities, religious conversions to the exodus of Kashmiri Hindus are discussed. One such sabha was held in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra in December 2018, which was attended by over 2000 devout Hindus. Sanatan Purohit Pathshala (School of Priests). The Sanstha has started a school to train  priests ("Purohit") who can perform rituals & rites and impart education on Dharma to society. Yadnyas are performed regularly in Sanatan Ashram with the objective of establishing "Ram Rajya" and for the protection of "sādhakas" (seekers). Environment Protection. Every year during the festival of Holi, volunteers of Sanatan Sanstha form a human chain to guard the Khadakwasla dam from revellers, thereby preventing them from bathing and polluting the water.During the Ganesh festival, Sanatan Sanstha conducts campaigns to raise awareness regarding the harmful effects of papier-mâché Ganesh idols. The Sanstha also demanded a ban on such idols as they are  known to pollute water bodies upon immersion. Relief and rehabilitation. The Sanstha is also involved in relief and rehabilitation work. In 2019, volunteers of Sanatan Sanstha were involved in rescue operations in the flood affected areas of Kolhapur. Free health check-ups, medicine and food packets were provided to more than 200 flood victims. In July 2021, volunteers of Sanatan Sanstha participated in relief-drive and helped more than 2000 flood affected people in Chiplun and nearby areas in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra by distributing grocery items and other relief-material. Almanac. Sanatan Almanac provides information on "tithi", "muhurta", festivals and auspicious  days. In addition it also imparts knowledge on Ayurveda, Spirituality, protection of Dharma & nation etc. It is published annually in eight languages. Balsanskar Classes. Sanatan Sanstha organises online "balsanskar" series for children through which guidance is given on inculcation of virtues, personality development, observing ideal daily conducts etc. Inspirational stories of Gods, saints, freedom fighters and revolutionaries are also narrated in these sessions with the aim to foster patriotism and develop pride in nation and Dharma in the younger generation. On special occasions like Independence day, quizzes are organised to create awareness regarding India’s freedom struggle and to pay  tribute to the glory of national heroes. Section::::"Dnyanshakti Prasar Abhiyan". Sanatan Sanstha has published books on various subjects like spirituality, "sattvik" living, acts related to daily conduct, Indian culture, etc. The Sanstha is running a campaign - ‘"Dnyanshakti Prasar Abhiyan’" all over India since October 2021 to disseminate religious and moral values to the masses and to instil good values in children with the help of these texts. This campaign is conducted using various mediums like book exhibitions, meetings with local dignitaries and Saints, handouts and  digital booklets explaining the importance of texts, special programs on news channels, wide dissemination through  digital media etc. Social Welfare. Support underprivileged children. Volunteers of the Sanstha have conducted workshops for the personality development of underprivileged children. During one such programme, they distributed books useful for personality development and notebooks to more than 50 needy children registered with a Delhi based NGO - ‘God Gives Everything’. Health camps & awareness programmes. Sanatan Sanstha has been organising health awareness programmes and camps. Trained volunteers of the Sanstha conduct first aid training workshops that promote civic engagement. They also organise free health check-up camps and run campaigns to spread awareness about lifestyle diseases. Workshop for Students and Teachers . In October of 2015 Sanatan Sanstha reached out to students and teachers in Panvel and Raigad through religious discourse workshops to promote value education. These workshop sessions helped both the teachers and the students. The teachers were able to educate the children about personality development and instil patriotism in them. Whereas the students were able to develop good thoughts and improve their behavior. Alleged criminal activities. Panvel, Thane and Vashi bomb blast. Allegations. In 2008, six persons owing allegiance to Sanatan Sanstha were arrested for planting bombs in auditoriums at Thane and Vashi and in a movie theater at Panvel . In 2011, two of the accused were found guilty and sentenced to ten years incarceration. Ramesh Gadkari and Vikram Bhave were acquitted of the terror charges under the stringent UAPA, however, the state government's appeal against the removal of UAPA is still pending in the High Court. The Maharashtra government has sought to ban the organization, and has pressed the case for a ban to the central government as well. A central government investigation of the group was ongoing. On 2 December 2015, the Minister of Home Affairs stated in the upper house (Rajya Sabha) that there was no  proposal to ban Sanatan Sanstha. The organization's public image was sullied by allegations of involvement in unlawful activities. Hence it started a series of public meetings in different cities in Maharashtra to dispel what it called "misunderstandings". Convictions. On 30 August 2011, Ramesh Gadkari and Vikram Bhave were convicted in sessions court of the Thane blasts and sentenced to ten years rigorous imprisonment. Judgment of trial court was further challenged in the Bombay (Mumbai) High Court and on 2 May 2013 that court ordered the release of the accused on bail while awaiting hearing. Goa blast. Six members of  the Sanstha arrested in the Goa blast case under UAPA were acquitted by the special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court for want of evidence, while UAPA remains in force against three Sanstha members who are absconding. Two men were declared absconders by the NIA, with a red corner notice issued against one man. Acquittal of six members of Sanatn Sanstha by NIA special court was also confirmed by Bombay High Court (HC) bench in Goa. While passing the order HC observed that, “Merely because the accused persons may have links with Sanatan Sanstha and Sanatan Sanstha was opposed to holding  of Narkasur effigy competitions, is by no means sufficient to establish the accused persons had conspired to make explosion at such competition on the fateful night of 16th October, 2009.” Govind Pansare murder. A member of the Sanatan Sanstha was arrested for the murder of Govind Pansare. The trial is yet to commence, but the suspect is already released on bail by the Kolhapur Sessions Court in 2017 due to contradictions in the witness’ statements and the forensic report. The Special Investigation Team investigating the murder, arrested Sanstha member Sameer Gaikwad and was on the lookout for another member Rudra  Patil, who is absconding since the 2009 Goa blast. The prosecution stated in court that Sameer Gaikwad was in different city (Thane) around the time of the murder of Govind Pansare. Minister of Home Affairs Ranjit Patil claimed that the arrest of Sameer Gaikwad was based only on suspicion, and that the only proof is a cellphone conversation about killing Pansare. Eventually, it was revealed that the evidence against Gaikwad is strong, as he was present at the scene of the crime, and he had discussed the murder with other Sanatan Sanstha members. Sanatan Sanstha was also planning to create  a 15,000-strong armed force. Narendra Dabholkar murder. Indian investigative agencies believe that the Sanatan Sanstha is implicated in the murder of Narendra Dabholkar. In June 2016, a member of Hindu Janjagruti Samiti (HJS), an offshoot of Sanatan Sanstha, was arrested in connection with the murder. An official of the CBI revealed that emails exchanged between him and his underground colleague, from 2008 to 2013, discuss procurement of weapons and establishment of a weapon-manufacturing unit. The bail applications of the accused were rejected in 2020. However, the judgement by lower court was reversed by the Bombay High Court on  March 23, 2021 and the accused was granted bail on May 6, 2021. In September 2021 the court ordered the framing of charges against five members of Sanatan Sansta, including terrorism charges under the UAPA. Gauri Lankesh murder. Sanatan Sanstha members were suspected of involvement in the murder of Gauri Lankesh in 2017. Forensic analysis has shown that the same pistol was used to kill Kalburgi, and is also possibly the same gun that was used to kill Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare. Sanstha was implicated in all these murders. However, a representative for Sanatan Sanstha denied involvement in the  murder. The article also says that the Karnataka police are investigating if the Gauri Lankesh murder has any connection to three previous murders attributed to the Sanstha. Hypnosis. Public interest litigations were filed in the Bombay High Court seeking a ban on the organisation, stating that it uses Ericksonian hypnosis to lure people into joining it and to carry out acts of violence. Such claims are rejected by Hamid Dabholkar, son of slain rationalist Narendra Dabholkar, saying that hypnotism could not provoke a person to cause violence and instead pointing at radicalization as the means of influence. Explosives haul. In  August 2018, Maharashtra Anti Terror Squad (ATS) had recovered 20 crude bombs, two gelatin sticks, 4 electronic and 22 non-electronic detonators, 150 grams of explosive powder, two bottles labelled 'poison', batteries, soldering equipment, and a bomb circuit drawing from the house of Sanathan Sanstha worker in Nallasopara Explosives and firearms were seized from Nallasopara, Pune and Solapur, and three other men were also arrested. Radicalisation. An Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) officer said after members of the right-wing outfit were arrested in connection Dabholkar’s murder "Members of Sanatan Sanstha are ‘hard nuts to crack’, who communicate in code  languages and have networks in at least four prominent cities of Maharashtra. They also have an 84-page rule book that asks them to 'chant Lord's name' before shooting a target". "They don’t speak unless confronted with evidence. They are indoctrinated, tutored, and given elaborate directions. It is not easy to extract information from them," an officer involved in the probe told CNN-News18 on condition of anonymity. Drug haul. In September 2016, the Maharashtra police’s Special Investigation Team (SIT), which is probing the February 2015 murder of communist leader Govind Pansare, seized 20 boxes of restricted  drugs — including sleeping pills and suppressants — from the premises Sanatan Sanstha’s ashram in Panvel. An SIT official stated that "It is suspected that the drugs were being used to control the mind of followers at the ashram". Social media controversy. Sanatan Sanstha's activity on social media has come under scrutiny. Facebook's security team has tagged it along with right wing organisations Bajrang Dal and Sri Ram Sena, as a potentially dangerous organisation that supports violence against minorities across India. In September 2020, Facebook banned three of Sanatan’s pages. In response to this, Sanatan Sanstha had filed  a petition against Facebook in the Bombay High Court. The petition stated that Facebook had violated the fundamental right of freedom of expression guaranteed by the Constitution of India and only on directions of the government or a court, could Facebook have blocked the pages. Sanatan's writ petition was dismissed by the Goa bench of the Bombay High Court on the ground that it was a contractual dispute which was not maintainable under writ jurisdiction. Regardless the organisation has been allowed to spread on Facebook due to political and safety considerations. Facebook has avoided acting against these organisation as  it has ties with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and because "cracking down on Bajrang Dal might endanger both the company's business prospects and its staff in India", The Wall Street Journal newspaper wrote, reaffirming its reportage earlier this year on the subject. Environmental destruction and land grab. Sanatan Sanstha was served a notice by a local government body in 2021 over illegal hill cutting. Locals protested over the cutting of forests and hills in Goa by Sanatan Sanstha to create residential plots and settle people from outside the state. Proposed ban for murder and terrorism. Samajwadi Party . The Samajwadi Party demanded that Sanatan Sanstha be banned and asked the government to heighten security.