The Hindu : Govt. weighing ban on `trishul'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Feb 20, 2003

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Other States - Rajasthan

Govt. weighing ban on `trishul'

By Our Special Correspondent

JAIPUR FEB. 19. The Rajasthan Government, it seems, has decided to act cautiously on the demand from certain quarters that the Vishwa Hindu Parishad's "trishul diksha samaroh'' (ceremonial distribution of tridents) be banned. The Government is weighing the pros and cons of proscribing "trishuls'' as was done by the neighbouring Congress-ruled Madhya Pradesh.

The recent two-day conference of District Collectors and Superintendents of Police here discussed the issue of "trishul diksha,'' being conducted in various parts of Rajasthan. Many police officers expressed the view that the distribution of the tridents, 13.5 cm long, would create a law and order situation involving religious groups in an election year.

The Chief Minister, Ashok Gehlot, who presided over the conference, also had no doubt about the seriousness of the issue. In fact, Mr. Gehlot has been pursuing it with the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, and the Deputy Prime Minister, L. K. Advani, asking them to restrain the VHP from distributing "trishuls."

Rajasthan is yet to include "trishuls" under the purview of the Arms Act, which proscribes a weapon with a sharp blade measuring 10.5 cm long. According to a study by the Rajasthan PUCL, the VHP trident has a sharpened portion of 8 cm, though its overall length is 13.5 cm.

"This is an eyewash as the rest of it can be sharpened anytime...'' says Kavita Srivastava, general secretary.

The act of arming people through "trishuls'' has increased in Rajasthan in the wake of the Gujarat election results.

In the first week of February, at a ceremony in Sikar, the VHP announced its programme to distribute 3 lakh "trishuls'' in the State. In the current year alone, about 3,000 people have been "empowered'' with the "symbol of faith.''

While one such ceremony was held in the Gulabpura town of Bhilwara district on Tuesday, eight such ceremonies are scheduled in Rajasthan in the next 20 days. After picking up communally- sensitive districts such as Ajmer, Tonk, Kota, Baran and the Meo-dominated areas of Alwar-Bharatpur, the VHP is now targeting new frontiers such as Shekhawati and the west Rajasthan districts of Nagaur and Bikaner.

Official estimates say that the VHP has covered about a half of the 32 districts in the State under the programme so far. During the run-up to the Gujarat polls, it accelerated its activity in Rajasthan and distributed 2,000 "trishuls" in one day in Jhalawar district.

In December last, 2,580 "trishuls" were reportedly distributed in Chittorgarh, Sawai Madhopur, Jaipur and Bharatpur alone.

"Trishul dikshas" have been held in all the pockets which have witnessed communal strife in the recent past. They include Gangapur town, Asind, Beawar and Chakwara (Phagi) in Jaipur.

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