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DARA
SINGH
 At
first, he was on the run and elusive. Now incarcerated in Orissa's
Baripada Jail, getting to speak to Rabindra Kumar Pal, better known as
Dara Singh, hasn't been easy either. It finally took a writ petition in
the Orissa High Court by India Today's Bhubaneswar-based Special
Correspondent Ruben Banerjee and a court decree to confront the man
accused of burning alive Australian-born missionary Graham Stewart Staines
and his two young sons in Manoharpur last year. Excerpts from Dara Singh's
first authenticated interview:
»How
is life in jail?
A. Life is good. The Ramayan keeps me company. There are newspapers to
read. And there is, of course, the Bhagwad Gita to read over and over
again. There is nothing to complain about.
»Did you kill the Christian
missionary Graham Stewart Staines and his two young children?
A. No. I didn't kill them. But I spearheaded the movement against
missionaries. I was also actively involved in the movement against illegal
trade in cows and cowslaughter. Since I was possibly the most famous name
in the region, the police implicated me in the killings. The day the
Staines were killed at Manoharpur, I was at least 12-13 km away from the
place. But yes, I did not like Graham Staines. For that matter, I never
liked missionaries.
»Why didn't you like them?
A. Missionaries have been targeting our religion. They have been
converting Hindus by deceit and inducements. Our religion is under siege.
As a true Hindu, it was my responsibility to oppose them. Therefore I
worked in the region organising people against conversions and
cowslaughter.
»So you admit you were involved in
hijacking trucks transporting cows and setting the animals free? There are
over 10 such police cases pending against you.
A. I was not involved personally, but my supporters might have done it.
The situation was such that these methods had to be adopted. The local
police did not do their duty. They took bribes from the cow traders openly
and, in some cases, actually escorted the trucks. When the police
neglected their duty, our supporters had to step in. Cowslaughter had to
be stopped at any cost.
»What about the two subsequent
murders -- of Sheikh Rehman in Padiabeda and Father Arul Doss in Jamboni?
You are a suspect in both cases.
A. I was not involved. But then my supporters could have committed them.
For, besides opposing the missionaries, there has been a movement even
against the Muslims in the area. And possibly, both Rehman and Doss had
personal enmities.
»Why were you opposed to both the
communities?
A. We never liked their activities. The Muslims targeted cows and our
religion. The missionaries were into conversions. And the neo-converts
were being unleashed on the local Hindus. How can any religion sleep over
such constant attacks?
»But why oppose voluntary
conversions?
A. We are not opposing that. But we are opposed to conversions by
inducements, which are more the rule. That has been the rule here. People
are even being bribed with paddy to convert. No one converts on his own
here. That is why the administration has no records of conversions. No one
notifies. But the law should be equal for all.
»So you were not involved, but your
supporters could have been behind the killings?
A. Maybe yes, maybe no. Hindus are opposed to both Muslims and Christians
and the fight is still on here. It's a fact of life and when there is a
fight, some people do die.
»But what about Staines' two
children, Phillips and Timothy? Why did they have to die?
A. I don't know. I've nothing to say.
»You surely must be regretting the
deaths of the two children.
A. No. I have no regrets. And I will never regret. I have other important
things to regret, like the loss of lives in the Orissa cyclone. I also
regret the regular killings of Indian jawans by missionary-backed
insurgents in the North-east. When Hindus die, others don't cry. Why
should we weep when others die? Whatever has happened is right. Whatever
will happen will also be right.
»So what is going to happen?
A. What will happen is not in my hands. But I am certain that cowslaughter
and conversions will stop. And till the time that happens, the fight will
be on. It is the responsibility of every Hindu to fight such evils.
»What you say makes you sound more
and more like an RSS man.
A. I have never been in the RSS. Yes, they talk like me. But they don't do
what I do. I have seen cows being taken to the slaughter house in the
presence of RSS members. And they did nothing. They don't practice what
they preach. So why preach at all?
»If not the RSS, you must have been
with the VHP?
A. No. never.
»What about the Bajrang Dal?
A. No. Never.
»You had no interaction with the BJP
or its allies.
A. What is the meaning of interaction? As a resident of the area, I
socialised with politicians of all parties, Congress and the BJP included.
I know the local BJD leaders. I also know the Congressmen. And by virtue
of being neighbours, I knew the former BJP MP from Keonjhar. But I have
never been in any party for I never wanted to contest elections.
»In your struggle against
cowslaughter and conversions, wasn't it expected that you would take
support from the BJP?
A. We did not. We realised if we took a particular party's support, there
would be others to oppose us. Our movement was mass-based, cutting across
party lines. We wanted every Hindu to be on our side. Not just Hindus who
support the BJP. We had everyone supporting us -- Congressmen, Jharkhandis
and others.
»Okay, granted that you are not
associated with any party. But who do you consider your leader?
A. I am self-taught and self-inspired. I do my own bidding. But yes, if I
like anyone speaking, it is Bal Thackeray. He calls a spade a spade and I
like the way he talks. The Shiv Sena appears more sincere and committed to
the cause. I would like to meet Thackeray. I am his fan.
»What led to your arrest? It is said
that you wanted to acquire a gun and the police had you trapped.
A. It is totally wrong. I was never arrested. I surrendered. I walked into
Karanjia police station on my own because the police were torturing
innocent villagers and I could not digest it any longer. Given my support,
no police can arrest me. I tell you, set me free again and the police will
never be able to catch me. I will be in this region yet they can't get me.
And I never wanted a gun. I never needed even a lathi (stick).
»And how did the police treat you
thereafter?
A. They beat me up, first in Kuliana police station and when I was in the
custody of the state crime branch. They forced me to admit to things I
haven't done. But I will be acquitted. The cases against me have no merit.
I will be a free man.
»Once you are free, if at all, what
will you do?
A. I will go back to what I have been doing -- oppose cowslaughter and
conversions. Once these stop, I will do personal work. But till that time,
our struggle will continue. The Government must stop conversions and
cowslaughter. For if they are not stopped, more people might get killed.
Anything can happen.
»Any plans to join politics?
A. If the need arises, maybe one day. As of now, I don't want to be in
politics.
»But what if you get convicted?
A. It can never be. In any case, I am prepared to be a martyr for the
cause of Hindus.
For full text of the interview log on to www.india-today.com/ntoday
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