Saturday, January 8, 2011
Translation of Swamy Aseemanand's confession
Update:
(Post updated with TOI translation where that part in the confession appears.)
Note: This is a rough and loose translation of the Hindi portions of the confessional document as obtained by Tehelka and published on their website [pdf] [Scribd]. The translation will read weird at places since it was done in haste and we wanted to preserve the original context as much as possible. Needless to say this is a work in progress. The translation starts at page 14 of the original document.
Confessional Statement ??? 164 CrPC of Sh. Naba Kumar Sarkar @ Swami Aseemanand s/o Late Sh. Bibhuti Bhusan Sarkar R/O Village & PO Kamarpukur, District Hooghly, West Bengal, Aged 59 years.
Without Oath:
I used to live with my parents and my brothers in the village of Kamarpukur (WB). Swamy Ramkrishna Paramhans was born in our village. There is even a branch of the Ramkrishna mission there. From my childhood I used to visit the mission and read their literature. I also read the work of Swamy Vivekananda and was highly influenced by them and decided in my childhood itself that after completing my studies I would spend my life serving the Adivasis. From Kamarpukur college I graduated in 1971 with a B.Sc. (Hons) in Physics and during this period got exposure to the RSS.
I went to Burdwan in 1971 itself to pursue an M.Sc. In Burdwan, I became more active in RSS work. In 1975, during the period of emergency, I even went to jail under DIR and got my bail only after 3 1/2 months later. In 1977 I decided to work full time for the RSS run Adivasi Kalyan Ashram. I started working for the Adivasi Kalyan Ashram in Birbhum, Purulia and Bankura district branches. I was instrumental in starting hostels for Adivasi children in those palces. I lived there till 1981 and subsequently went to the Ashram of my Guru Swamy Paramanand, in Banagram, district Burdwan. Guruji named me Aseemanand. I lived in the Ashram till 1988 and served Guruji. In 1988, on advice of my Guruji, I went to Andaman and Nikobar Islands to run the Banvasi Kalyan Ashram there. I lived there till 1993. In 1993, I went to Jaspur, Chattisgarh where the Banvasi Kalyan Ashram headquarters are located. At the time Chattisgarh was part of Madhya Pradesh. I was given the work of spreading awareness and religion nationwide.
During this time in 1995 I went to the Dang district in Gujarat. From 1997, I became a permanent resident of Dang, living in a place called Waghai, in the hostels of Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram. I started travelling widely to spread religious awareness in the Adivasis of the region. Here, at a place called Subir, Adivasis narrated the legend of Shabari. She used to live there and had fed half eaten berries to Lord Ram. They showed me the three rocks where Lord Ram, Lakshman and Shabari had sat upon.
The environment seemed conducive to a temple so I started a trust with the help of folks from Surat and ????. The trust was called the Shabarimata Sena Samiti. Jayatibhai Kebat was the Trustee of this trust, he lived in Nosari. To raise the funds needed for temple construction, we organized a Ram Katha session with Murari Bapu, in October 2002. The Adivasis in Dang and nearby areas participated in great numbers in the program. The program ran for 9 days and during the time Murari Bapu said even bigger programs in the name of Shabari Kumbh should be organized. RSS took the responsibility of organizing this event and created a body called Shabari Kubh Samiti.
On February 13, 2006, the Shabari Kumbh was organized at a place 6 KMs from Shabari Dham near a lake called Pompa Sarovar.
In January 2003, Jayati Bhai Kebat told me that an ABVP activist called Pragya Singh wanted to meet me. After about a month, I went to Nousri with Jayati Bhai Kebat and Pragya also arrived there. I met her there. She said she would visit me in the Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram in Waghai a month later. A month later she did visit, along with 3 young men. One of them was called Manoj but later I found out he was Sunil Joshi. Pragya said Manoj had come from Indore, but later I found out he was wanted in some cases in Madhya Pradesh. Even Pragya Singh accepted this later. Then Pragya Singh left Waghai with the three men and I came back to Shabari Dham. Pragya had said she would come to Shabari Dham a month later and she did, along with Manoj @ Sunil Joshi. There was one more man and a woman with them but I do not know them. They stayed for a day or two. In April-May 2004, I went to Kumbh Mela in Ujjain. There Pragya Singh put up a tent in the name of an organization called Jai Vande Mataram. This was Pragya Singh's organization and she was its secretary. Manoj @ Sunil Joshi and I stayed in the RSS offices.
In this program a man called Bharat Bhai had come from Valsad, Gujarat and he stayed in the tent of Pragya Singh. I met Bharat Bhai there. I knew him from before, since 1998.
In 2002, there were a series of attacks by Muslims on Hindu temples. This perturbed me a great deal. I used to discuss this with Bharat Bhai of Valsad. It seemed to me that even Bharat Bhai was seriously thnking about this and wanted to say something about it. I felt he had the same feeling inside him about the issue.
In 2006 there was a blast at the Sankat Mochan temple in Kashi. In March 2006, Pragya Singh, Sunil Joshi and and Bharat Bhai came to Shabari Dham. We were all disturbed about the blast at the Sankat Mochan temple and decided that we should retaliate. We decided that Sunil Joshi and Bharat Bhai would go to Jharkhand and get some SIM cards and pistols. I suggested they visit Gorakhpur and Agra as well. I told them to meet Yogi Adityanath in Gorakhpur and Rajeshwar Singh in Agra and discuss this. I also gave them Rs 25,000 for the equipment, the money was handed to Sunil Joshi. They set out to do this in April, 2006.
In May 2006, Manoj @ Sunil Joshi came to meet me in Shabari Dham. He told me there were three or four other individuals who joined our cause and we should have a meeting. Then in June 2006, this meeting took place at the residence of Bharat Bhai in Valsad. In this meeting I, Bharat Bhai, Pragya Singh, Sunil Joshi and the four men were present. At the time I did not know the name of the other four men. I met one of them later and came to know that his name was Sandeep Dange. I came to know the names of the other three even later. I was shown their photographs by the CBI later and then I learnt their names. One was called Ramji. The other was called Lokesh Sharma. The third was called Amit.
In the meeting that took place at Bharat Bhai's place, I told everyone we should have a bomb for bomb campaign. It is not right that us Hindus sit silently. At this Sandeep Dange said Hindus are silent and so are you but there are those who walk the talk. I understood that this harsh comment from Sandeep Dange came because in the meeting itself he and Pragya had asked for money but I refused. Bharat Bhai agreed to my thoughts. At this, Sandeep Dange said you folks keep flying in the sky and you do not know the reality because your feet is not on the ground. Sunil Joshi explained that Sandeep Dange was a bit temperamental but a good boy. I had the feeling in the meeting that these people were already up to something. After the meeting we had meals and even after this Sunil, Bharat Bhai and Pragya Singh sat at a distance, The other four sat separately. I suggested to this group of four that Malegaon in Maharashtra had an 80% Muslim population and first bomb must be placed there. Then I said since the Nizam of Hyderabad had sided with Pakistan at the time of Independence, Hyderabad should be taught a lesson and a bomb placed there as well. Then I said a place like Ajmer should be atarget since Hindus thronged in large numbers in the Dargah there. I also said that a bomb should be placed at Aligarh Muslim University as well since a large number of Muslim students studied there. Everyone agreed to these locations and it was decided to bomb all these four places. Sunil Joshi took the responsibility of doing recon of all four places. It was Sunil Joshi who suggested that the Samjhauta Express which runs between India and Pakistan should also be targeted with a bomb blast. He himself took the responsibility of this. Sunil Joshi said that he had been able to obtain SIM cards and pistols in Jharkhand. Sunil Joshi also said that no help was forthcoming from Yogi Adityanath and Rajeshwar Singh. Sunil Joshi also said that the bomb blast on Samjhauta express could not be triggered by SIM cards, for this purpose specials chemicals were needed, which would be procured by Sandeep.
Sunil Joshi said there should be three groups for pulling off the bomb blasts. One group should be responsible for financial help and other arrangements. One group should handle the procurement. The third group would place the bomb. Sunil Joshi said that it is better that these three groups do not know about each other.Sunil Joshi said he would do the coordination of the three groups. Then our meeting ended.
During the meeting I was told to organize financial help and arrange some places.Sandeep was given the responsibility of preparing and placing the bombs. Sunil had said that men from one group should not know about the men from the others and should not even try to find out. Otherwise if one got caught, everyone would get implicated.
Then all of us went back to our respective places. Then during Diwali of 2006, Sunil Joshi came to meet me at Shabari Dham. By then the Malegaon blast had already happened and. Sunil told me that the blast at Malegaon was done by our people. I said to Sunil that the newspapers reported that some Muslims had done that and some Muslims had even been apprehended. I asked him which of our men had done this? Sunil declined to answer. I said to him that he was making false claims and that his people did not do the Malegaon blast but he explained to me that he and his people did.
Our Transcript: >>> In February 2007, Sunil Joshi and Bharat Bhai travelled on a motor cycle from Bharat Bhai's place to Balpur and visited the Shiv temple. I was already there. We had planned to meet on Shiv Ratri. There Sunil said there would be good news in the papers in a day or too, keep an eye on the newspapers. Then they went back and I came back to Shabari Dham. Two - three days after this again I went to Bharat Bhai's place where Sunil and Pragya were already present. By this time the newspapers had already reported the Samjhauta Express blast. I said to Sunil that there has already been a blast on the Samjhauta Express and you are sitting here. He responded to that by claiming this was the handiwork of our people. I said, this was done by ISI, Pakistan. Sunil said why would Muslims kill other Muslims. I said this happens daily in Pakistan but Sunil did not say anything to that.
>>> TOI Transcript: In February 2007, Joshi, Bharat and I met in a Shiva temple at Balpur. Joshi told me that a good news would be reported in the media within two days ... After two-three days, I went to Bharat's house, where Joshi and Pragya were already present. News of the Samjhauta Express blast had appeared in the papers. I told Joshi that it was the work of ISI, but he said that his people had done it. Joshi asked why would Muslims kill Muslims and I replied that it happened everyday in Pakistan. Joshi did not respond.
At Bharat Bhai's residence, Sunil Joshi took Rs. 40,000 from us to do a bomb blast in Hyderabad. A month or two later Sunil Joshi phoned me and asked me to look out for good news in the newspapers. Three four days later there was a bomb blast at the Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad. After 7 -8 days later Sunil Joshi arrived at Shabari Dham with a copy of Telugu newspaper which carried the pictures of the blast. Sunil told me that this blast was the handiwork of our own men. I said to Sunil that the newspapers reported that some Muslims had been apprehended. Sunil repeated that our people had done the blast. Sunil stayed for a day or two and then left.
Three - four months later Bharat bhai called to say Sunil had been trying to call but was not getting through. He would come and meet you in a few days, Two - three days later Sunil came to meet me with two other men called Raj and Mehul. These two men had visited Shabari Dham with Sunil Joshi before. Sunil said the bomb blast at Ajmer was done by our people. Sunil also said that he was also present. I asked Sunil who else were with you? He said he had two Muslim boys with him. I asked Sunil where did he find these Muslim boys? Sunil Joshi replied that Indreshji got these two boys. I said to Sunil that if Indreshji had provided these two Muslim boys then if you get caught, Indreshji would also get implicated. I told him that he had a threat to life from Indreshji. I said to him that since you got the job done by Muslim boys, you also have a threat from Muslims. I asked Sunil to not go anywhere and stay there. Sunil Joshi said he had some work in Devas, MP and he would come back soon. Sunil said he would leave Raj and Mehul behind for a few days. Sunil also said that Raj and Mehul were wanted in the Best Bakery case. I said to him the Best Bakery case is in Gujarat and so is the Shabari Dham, so it was not safe for these boys to be here and that he should take them with him. The next day Sunil Joshi along with the two boys left for Devas, MP.
A few days later a call came from Bhart Bhai informing that Sunil Joshi had been murdered. The same day I called Col. Purohit and informed him that one of our guys, Sunil Joshi, had been murdered and this was the same guy who had been involved in the Ajmer Bomb blast. I asked Col. Purohit that you are from the intelligence, find out who murdered Sunil Joshi. Col. Purohit said Sunil Joshi had committed murders in the past and he was killed for revenge.
In 2005, Indresh Kumar, who is a member of the RSS working committee met me accompanied by some big leaders from RSS. After an RSS meeting in Surat, they had come to visit Shabari Dham. Thereafter the Shabari Kumbh festial was being organized at Pumpa Sarovar and INdreshji met us there in a tent. At the time Sunil Joshi was also present. Indreshji said to me that when you talk about bomb for bomb, it is not your work. RSS mandates you to do work for the Adivasis and only that. He also said that they had been thinking in the same lines I was. This responsibility however had been given to Sunil. Indreshji said we will do whatever is required to help Sunil. I also found out that Sunil Joshi, along with Bharat Bhai, had met with Indreshji in Nagpur and Indreshji had given Rs. 50,000 to Sunil Joshi in front of Bharat Bhai. Col. Purhit once even told me that Indreshji was an ISI agent and he had documents to prove it. But he never showed me those documents.
There was a big meeting of Abhinav Bharat in April 2008. In the meeting I, Pragya Singh, Bharat Bhai, Col. Purohit, Dayanand Pandey, Sudhakar Chaturvedi, Sameer Kulkarni, Himani Savarkar, Tapan Ghosh, Dr. R.P. Singh and Rajeshwar Singh were present. IN the meeting I had proposed the bomb for bomb campaign. Then Abhinav Bharat created a body and held elections for the president etc. In January 2007, there was yet another meeting of Abhinav Bharat and I met Col. Purohit there as well. I had met Col. Purohit in a meeting at Pune as well.
In October 2008, while I was at Shabari Dham, a call came from Sandeep Dange. Sandeep said he was at a place called Vijara and he wanted to come to Shabari Dham and wanted to stay for a few days. I told him I was preparing to visit Nadiad and that his stay would not be appropriate. Sandeep said if you are going to Nadiad, I will also come along up to Baroda. I traveled to the Vyara bus stand in my Santro car. There was another man with Sandeep and the two of them hastily entered my vehicle. They carried three - four heavy bags with them. I asked him where was he coming from. He said he was coming from Maharashtra. They were not able to speak properly. I took them to the Baroda - Rajpipla Road Junction via Rajpipla. Later I realized they were meeting me the day after the Malegaon blast. Later I found out the man with Sandeep was Ramji.
One or two days before or after every bomb blast Sunil would tell me that his people had done it or was going to to do it but by the time the 2008 Malegaon blast happened, Sunil Joshi had been murdered. Later I found out the Malegaon 2008 blast was also done by our people. While Sunil was alive we did all the bomb blasts together but now it seems to me that whatever we did was wrong. I am feeling very contrite from inside. That is why I decided to make this confession. I don't have anything more to say.
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