New York Sectorial Newsletter

UG .. THE CRIMSON DAWN 19'78

Celebrating Baba;s acquittal, Pueblo, Col. I Illllll.11 I " (�() ·ll(�(�(�l�l) l")(I(JIrl"I'I�I)

"1 AM NOT A POLITICAL MAN. I HAVE MY HEARTY GOOO WILL FOR THE ENTIRE HUMAN SOCIETY." Baba's comment with regard to the judgement

DFTS-04092 1-

EL HAtWATO SUPREr10 The Supreme Command Aquellos que hagan Sadhana Those who perform Sa'dhana' twice a day regularly, the thought dos veees al dia can regular­ of Paramapurusa' will certainly arise in their minds at the time of idad, el pensa�iento de Parama­ purusa par cierto surgira en death, their liberation is a sure guarantee - therefore every sus men�es al momenta de la A'nanda Ma'rgii will have to perform Sa'dhana' twice a day in­ muerte. Su liberaclon es una variably - verily is this the command of the Lord. Without Vama garantia segura. Par tanto, and Niyama, Sa'dhana' is an impossibility; hence the Lord's com­ todo Ananda Margii tendra que mand is also to follow Vama and Niyama. Disobedience to this llevar a cabo Sadhana dos ve­ command is nothing but to throw oneself into the tortures of ani­ ces diarias invariablemente. mal life for crores of years. That no one should undergo torments En verdad, este es el mandata such as these, that everyone might be enabled to enjoy the eter­ del Senor. Sin Yana y NIycllilCl nal blessedness under the loving shelter of the Lord, it is the boun· la Sadhana es una imposibili­ dad. Luego el mandata del den-duty of every A'nanda Ma'rgii to endeavor to bring all to the Senor es tambien segul, YaI:lOl path of bliss. Verily is this a part and parcel of Sa'dhana', to lead y Niyama. La desobediencia a others along the path of righteousness. este mandata 'no es sino arro­ jarse a las torturas de la - Shrii Shrii A'nandamu'rti vida animal par miles de anos. FOlra que nadie sufra tormen­ tas tales, para que todoG puedan gozar de la bienaven­ turanza eternabajo el refugio I n this issue a80roso del Senor, es el de­ ber includible do todo Ananda Margii esforzarse par traer a .••••••••••.•.•.•..•....•..• todos al camino de la biena­ BABA aquitted 1 venturanza. Verdaderamente, The persecution of Ananda Marga .••••.•..•2

esto es parte y poreion de 1a Sectorial Seminar Photos •••••••...... 8 Sadhana, eondueir a los defuas A.J.M. News ...... lO e1 Gondero de la reetitud. Ananda Harga - Social Revolution •... •.•.12 ' Carya cary Part 2 ...... 12 -Shrii Shrii Anandamurtiji Hark for BABA .•.•...•.•..•..•...•.••....13 The r("r8(�cution of Ananda l1arga (cant.) .14

Dharma Pracar News .••••...•••...... •...21

Last Statement of Didiji Asitiima ...... •22

Yearly Subscription rates: North America ...... $8.50 Elsewhere ...... $10.00 First Class postage: North America ...... $14.00 Best ck1p to Fast· (elsewhere to be determined by individual country) INSP I RATION June-- ---::rury-----xug Sept OCt dOV vee Shrii Shrii I\lldllddlllLIIli Ekadashi 16 1,16 14 12 11 10 9 EDITORS Amavasya 4 4 3 1 1,31 29 29 Pu I-U S' () llJm J CONSULTING EDITOR -- Ekadashi 29 28 28 27 25 24 Dadd DallJviira 81c. PRINTING 20 19 17 16 15 14 13 Purnirna Satya Devi HU Jnily Press & rl,l

DFTS-04093 ._ .. -... . ')

)

( ) D VA 51 SH 1 61 2 )(1 - 1 54506 t:e 2)I fu 01/ 31/78 I 503 lCS IPMIIHA Il�S ) IIbS F" ITT 31 1503 PMS DENVER CO

AWC613 VIA ITT CN,(509 CS3i13/31

UINX C� INCA 018

CALCUTTA 18/15 31 1920 OCb2243

'{AII ISHVAR ANlJA ( ) 854 PEARL STREET DE NV Ek COL(i�203 \. ) BAbA �RANIED bAlL. HE WILL bE, (;Ll Wllh.U)uf\'(' MORNI NG

-Pi\Al'4AVAN ANDA COL 854 DE NV r.HCOLOftAuU80203 ) NNN NNNtw ( 8F.1201 (R5-e9) Anand Murti� 4 others acquitted by Patna COl High Court

AMPS Central 6A Panditia Rd Calcutta 29

TO: AII Sectorial Secretaries.

Dear Brother, Narnaskar Since the last global circular to all Sectorial Secretaries, there has been a great change in the situation, as you will be aware that Patna High Court has honourably acquitted Baba and the four others. Baba is still in jail because He has a pending case at Ranchi. However, we are moving bail ,in Ranchi Court on July 12th and we are expecting Baba' s release by the end of this week. Sarveshvaranandaji is also still detained but Barun Kumar , Pavitra Kumar and Satyanandaji have already been released. As you can well imagi_ue , the celebrations here have been tremendous and inspiration has been very high. Now we are preparing for a big reception for Baba in Patna, when lie comes out of jail. Hith regard to the judgement, Baba's only comment was:"I am not a politi­ cal man. I have my heart7} goodwill for the entire human society." �Vith Baba' s release, surely the whole face of the organization will change, as it will move with greatly accelerated speed and power, inspired by His physical presence, to establish His great mission. I wish you great success for all your future efforts in you sector.

Brotherly Yours ,

Ac. Keshavananda Avt. Acting General Secretary.

l \ .J..

AM procession to celebrate Baba's acquit­ tal, Calcutta, J_u17J 6,1978

Mf, DFTS-04095 A Brief History of the persecution of Ananda Marga & Shrii Shrii AnandalUurti {Wba1 A'nanda Ma'rga was founded as an organization in India in 1955. In the early and middle 1960's, A'nanda Ma'rga grew rapidly throughout India. By 1967 a government report esti­ mated A'nanda Ma'rga membership to be roughly two and a half million people. Many of its members were highly educated professionals, a number of whom worked for the government.

As a result of this success A'nanda Ma'rga made some enemies. At first it "as the Communists in Northeast India who opposed A'nanda Ma'rga. The Communists had seen A'nanda Ma'rga spread rapidly and win the allegiance of many people who would have otherwise probably supported the Communists. Since A'nanda Ma'rga's ideology precluded the possibility of collaboration with them, the Communists could only have seen �'nanda Ma'rga as a threat.

5 MARGIIS Kl LLED IN ATTACK ON ANANADA NAGAR. In 1967 the first major incident occurred at A'nanda Nagar. A local official for personal reasons (he had not been accepted on the board of the A'nanda Ma'rga College) incited tribal people to attack the headquarters at A'nanda Nagar. Five Ma'rgiis were killed. The local police refused to protect the Ma'rgiis and later acted to cover up the incident. It took four years for the culprits to finall" be brought to justice. A West Bengal court issued a scathing denunciation of the Communist dominated govern­ ment for its efforts in trying to cover up the entire episode.

2 In 1967 Mrs. Gandhi won the post of Prime Minister. But she had to take the assistance of the Communist Party of India (the pro-MoscOw faction of India's communists) in order to maintain a majority in the Parliament. Hence the Communists, who were already strongly opposed to A'nanda Ma'rga, gained considerable influence in the Central Govern­ ment. Soon after this the Central Government, led by Mrs. Gandhi's Congre ss Party, turned against A ' nanda Ma'rga. In May of 1968 the Home Ministry (a department of the Central Government concerned w tth domestic affairs) p o mulgated ' r a ban on go vernment s ervant ' 5 participation in A' nanda Ma' rga. It was alleged that A'nanda Ma'rga was a political organiza­ tion; and it is the law in India, as well as the United States, that civil servants cannot work for political parties. A'nanda Ma'rgiis who worked for the government immediately challenged the ban, which was stayen (postponed) by the Supreme Court until a final decision could be made as to the 1. n�ture of A'nanda Ma'rga. The case lS still pending befcre the court

'i\VU:\I/AiJAlJ[)A r:UNS FTWH CmU1WnST ATTACK em D.i'LC.

In 1969 a second attack on A'nanda Ma'rga occurred in the West Bengal town of C00ch Bihar. This time a large group of communists attacked a Dharma Maha Cakra. A bomb was thrown; one Ma'rgii was killed and many others injured. The local police arrested the Ma'rgiis instead of the Communists. Ba'ba' was also arrested and roughed up'in the process. Ba'ba's two security guards for the seminar, A'ca' rya,s Krishna' nanda ,and Madhava'nanda, fled in Ba'ba's car when the trouble began. Later many of the younger A'nanda Ma'rga workers bitterly de­ nounced these two and demanded that they be severely punished. Ba'ba' chose not to see or speak to the two again. The de­ nunciations of the younger workers caused great resentment in Krishna'nanda and Madhava'nanda's minds.

In 1970 Mrs. Gandhi and her party began speaking out strongly against so-called "extremist" groups. This was a tactic to undermine potential rivals. Mrs. Gandhi is said to be a nice person in private life, but when it comes to politics she is known to be ruthless. She will go to any lengths to retain or increase her personal power. So it is no surprise that as A'nanda Ma'rga became popular, Mrs. Gandhi took steps to prevent its growth.* It is even more understandable when we know that she was taking advice and support from the Communist Party of India, who detested A'nanda Ma'rga. Add to this the fact that A'nanda Ma'rga had been very outspoken in its criticism of government corruption and the following persecution can be seen as inevitable.

SO:1i3S FOW�D (PLI\I�TED?) 1;'� VACATED HEkJ!2UARTCI(S

In May of 1971 Ma 'rgiis gathered from all over India and from other countries to celebrate Ba'ba's 50th birthday . A large gathering was planned at Ranchi, the then A'nanda Ma'rga headquarters. Following the celebrations some local troublemakers acted unseemly towards some of the Ma'rgii women. When the Ma'rgii men arrived some fights broke out. Police and newspaper reports placed the blame for the trouble on the Ma'rgiis. After these incidents Ba'ba' moved the Ma'rga headquarters to Patna. Shortly after the move police searched the vacant Ranchi headquarters and found nothing.

*In the late 1960's a group of people, Borne Ma'rgiis. Bome not, formed the ProutiB t Bloc of India (PBI) which as a political party contested a number of elections. Although the PBI used Borne of Ba 'ba's social principles in i t s party pZatform the group was not affiZiated with A'nanda Ma'rga. The gove�nment believed that it was though. which significantly added to its hostility towards A'nanda Ma'rga. (continued on page 141. 3

DFTS-04097 Later in. June they again searched the premises and this time found a large cache of guns and explosives. A number of Ma'rgiis were arrested in connection with this including Madhava ' nanda. Ba'ba' too was arrested and jailed-for a time that summer in connection with this matter. In July the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI - India's analog to the FBI) entered into the investigation of the explosives case. VISHOKANAf�VA LEAVES AI�M�DA MARGA & SPREADS ANTI-M4 PROPOGAi�DA

In September of 1971 Ba'ba' dismissed His then personal secretary, Vishoka'nanda. Vishoka'nanda protested and asked Ba'ba' to let him stay on at the Central Office in some capacity. Ba'ba' said that he would consider the matter. In the mean­ time Vishoka'nanda, who was close to Ba'ba's wife, went to Ma' to enlist her support in retaining his position. At this time a Dharma Maha Cakra was taking place in Calcutta. While in Calcutta, Vishoka'nanda and Ma' approached Ba'ba', and she asked that Vishoka'nanda be kept as Ba'ba's personal secretary. Ba'ba' refused and said that 3he should attend to her own business. After what has been likened to a domestic quarrel, Ma' left followed by Vish6ka'ri�nda. A meeting was held on the-night of October 1, 1971, in which Vishoka'nanda defected from A'nanda Ma'rga and made serious allegations against Ba'ba'. A small number of other workers left the organization at this time. Ma' was taken by Vishoka'nanda to a small town some 200 kilometers from Calcutta. Awaiting them there was a house and a police guard. (Many senior Ma'rgiis feel that Vishoka ' nanda had planned this all in advance. Mrs. Sarkar's father lives very near Calcutta and the Ma'rgiis felt that under ordinary circumstances she would have gone to his house. Indeed, many Ma'rgiis feel that Vishoka'nanda was a Communist or government agent, planted in the organization to cause this sort of rift. There are diffi­ culties with this theory, but it is possible) . In the weeks that followed the defectors spread a great deal of anti­ A'nanda Ma'rga propaganda. They accused Ba'ba' of serious crimes and unseemly conduct.

'l/\;)UAVANANDA "CmJFESS[S" TO I\!UK�)E:::��

A week after the defection the Bihar State Criminal Investigation Division (CID) reopened investigations into several unsolved murder cases from 1970. E leven days later the CBI, in a seemingly unrelated matter, petitioned a Patna magistrate to turn Madhava'nanda over to their custody (he had been in jail custody) for interrogation regarding the ex­ plosives case filed in Ranchi that June. After seven days in police custody Madhava'nanda continued to deny involvement in the explosives matter, but in an astoni shing turn he con­ fessed to eighteen murders and fifty attempted murders of former Ma ' rgi is . Madhava'nanda formally gave his confession to Patna Magistrate Ahmed on October 30 and 31 of 1971. In �ovember the Bihar State government requested the CBI to take formal charge of the investigation growing out of Madhava'nanda's "confession" and the rumors spread by other Ma'rgii defectors. The CBI conducted investigations and on December 29, 1971, they arrested Ba'ba' and four Ma'rgii workers in connection with the killings of six former A'nanda Ma'rga members.

BABA IS ARRESTED

Ba'ba' was arrested early in the morning following a fast day. He was no t allowed to wash, meditate or take water the entire day of the 29th. Ba'ba' was in essence forced to fast for over sixty hours until He was finally taken to Buxar Jail. Ba'ba' remained in Buxar Jail until he became ill from un­ san itary conditions there, at which time he was transferred to P atna Medical College Hospital. He re�ained there under guard until April of 1972 when he was taken to Bankipore Central Jail, where he has since remained.

4

DFTS-04098 On May 5, 1972, the CBI filed formal charge sheets in the case (Ha'ba' was charged with conspiracy to commit homocide and abettment of homocide. In this instance this means that the prosecution contends: Ba'ba' plotted with others to bring about the deaths of some persons, these deaths actually occurred, and that Ba'ba' knew about the killings but purposely witheld this information from the police). The following week Special Magistrate Shrivastava took cognizance of the case, and June 26 was set as the opening date for a committment hearing. Before the hearing took place Ba'ba's health declined. Also his mother died, but he was not allowed to attend her final rites. THE HEARING

The committment hearing began as scheduled on June 26, 1972. (The purpose of suc,h a hearing is to determine whether or not there is any probability of a crime having been committed. If there is, then the case is committed to a real trial, which is known in India as a sessions trial. In a sessions trial the verdict is delivered by a judge. There is no longer a jury system in India). The first two months were spent in hearing the testimonies of some of the prosecution witnesses and in allowing cross-examinations of them by the defense lawyers. (The prosecution only presented eleven witnesses out of the 185 that they had listed as potential witnesses. It is not known how many they will call if and when a sessions trial is held.)

The prosecution case, which relies principally on Madhava'nanda's testimony, is complex and too detailed to present completely in this paper. A brief summary follows:

Madhava'nanda suggests that a large number of workers left A'nanda Ma'rga because they lost faith in Ba'ba'. This he said made Ba'ba' very angry. Madhava'nanda claims that on the night of July 28, 1970, a meeting was held in which Ba'ba' ordered the killings of several defectors. Madhava'nanda says that he followed Ba'ba's orders and with the help of Ba'ba's co­ defendants killed six defectors in the following weeks. (Madhava'nanda had earlier confessed to other killings, but they were not being considered in this hearing because of lack of corroborative testimony. In conspiracy cases of this type, there is often little evidence. Usually one of the alleged co�spirators, in this case Madhava'nanda, will testify against the others, often in return for a pardon. This witness is then known as an approver in Indian legal lan�uage. The approver's testimony alone is generally not encugh to constitute a case. Some other testimony or circumstantial evid�nce is needed to corroborate the approver's statements, before they are taken seriously). The other ten witnesses presented by the prosecu­ tion were intended to prove the existence and ident�f icatio:n--­ of some of the alleged victims, as well as to corroborate some of Madhava'nanda's testimony regarding Ba'ba's knowledge of the killings. Vishoka'nanda testified with regard to the latter point.

In September the defendents had a chance to present their statements. The four co-defendents denied all aspects of Madhava'nanda's testimony. Ba'ba' testified in closed court on September 18, 1972. (He had only been to court one other time on July 15 to be identified by Madhava'nanda. Other times he was excused cecause of ill health). Ba'ba' denied ' MadhRva 'nanda ,5 6haige's. It can be inferred from his testimony that Madhava' nanda maY':,bave killed some former Ma' rgiis but for his own reC',"VH1"1. 'The 1'1a 'rg-;i.is \"ho were alleged to be killed were the same oneco who had s'p v,':hemently denounced Madhava' nanda following the Cooch-Bihar iri'Cl-Cl:,,,,,. in 1969. Ba' ba' went on to say that ther�: ,,#as no que�tio!1 of d consJ:)iracy because he had never spoken &J::¥a,��a,\,a',nanda since the Cooch-Bihar episode. Other defense e�"id'ei'ice suggested that Communists may have been involved in the killings.

5

DFTS-04099 In Octcber the lawyers for the defense and prosecution presented their final arguments. On November 22, 1972, Special Magi st ra te Shrivastava issued a lengthy decision committing the case to sessions trial. He said that his responsibility was to send the case to trial if there were any probability of the crime actually having been committed. He felt that the eviJence was sufficient to warrant it being heard at a sessions trial. He did specifically note that there were a number of serious dis­ crepancies in Madhava'nanda's and other prosecution witnesses ' testimonies. These discrepancies he felt could seriously jeopar­ dize the prosecution's case in the sessions trial.

Ba'ba's lawyers were unsatisfied with this decision and appealed it to the Patna High Court on the grounds that Madha­ va Inanda had been granted an" illegal pardon and hence his test­ imony was invalid. (Madhava'nanda had been granted a pardon in May of 1972 by the Patna District Magistrate. The pardon was improper because the magistrate failed to indicate his reason for granting the pardon.) BABA IS POISONEV. BEGINS 5 1/2 YEAR FAST

Earlier on November 15 another aspect of this drama began. On this day Ba'ba' sent a plea to Special Magistrate Shrivastava asking for protection in the jail, for he had reason to believe that some officials were p lottin g against him. In January of 1973 Ba'ba's lawyers tried unsuccessfully to obtain bail for him. On the 14th of January Ba'ba's co-defendents who had been lodged with him in Bankipore Jail were transfe rred to other j ail s . Around this time the Bankipore Jail doctor was replaced by a new physician. On the night of February 12th, Ba'ba' felt ill and was given some medicine by this new jail doctor. Later he'still felt ill and again called the jail doctor. This time Ba'ba' asked that the doctor inform the Patna Civil Surgeon, as well as the Ma'rgiis in the Patna Central Office. The jail doctor agreed and returned some time later with a medicine he said the Civil Surqeon had prescribed. After taking this Ba'ba' fell into a comatose state, not regaining consciousness until late the next morning. At this time he felt a number of severe physical reactions, which led him to believe he had been poisoned. (In Ill-te 1974 a non-official inquiry commission concluded on the basis of expert testimony that Ba'ba' had been deliberately administered an overdose of barbituates by the jail doctor, which amounted to poisoning). The Patna Civil Surgeon said that he had not been consulted that night which is contrary to what the jail doctor had said. Government specialists examined Ba'ba' several days after the poisoning and said that he was all right. But the Ma'rgiis were no longer in a mood to listen to government attempts to hush up or side step the issue of Ba'ba's treatment.

Demonstrations were launched around the world. On March 18 protests were held in front of Indian Embassies in countries where there were Ma'rgiis. The Indian Government paid a deaf ear to the protests and denied the poisoning incident. On April 1, 1973, Ba'ba' sent a letter to the Governor of Bihar informing him that he was going on a protest fa�t. for an indefinite period. AC. VIVYANANDA AVT. & AC. DINESHVARANANVA AVT. SELF-IMMOLATE

on April 8; A'ca'rya Divy'a'nanda Avadhuta" formally de­ clared that he would commit self-immolation the following day to protest the government's inhuman treatment of Ba'ba'. Early the following morning he did commit self-immolation in front of the Bihar Assembly. Patna police immediately arrested other Ma'rgiis, charging that they had actually murdered Divya'nanda and then burned the body. These charges were later shown to be false. The immolation caused an uproar but was just the beginning. On April 23, Ma'rgiis held massive demonstrations in New Delhi. The poLice brutally charged the marchers injuring many and arresting several hundred. The following day A'c. Dineshvara'nanda Av. immolated himself in New Delhi. A number

6

DFTS-04100 (I.e. Divyananda Avt. Ac. Dineshvarananda !\vt.

of news media personnel viere present at the inunolation. A film was made by a CBS cameraman. The police later arrested these members of the media as well as some A'nanda Ma'rgiis in connection with the immolation.

MARGII DEMONSTR.ATORS TEAR0ASSEV BEATEN UP The immolations brought Ba'ba's plight to the atten­ tion of the international media. Articles appeared in Time. Newsweek, and many leading newspapers. Protests continuea­ throughout the summer. Some of the larger demonstrations were held in Patna. On two of these occassions the demonstrators were mercilessly beaten by the police (the Bihar Police are � � not orious for their short tempers and over-reactions to CfYtA P, 1'1 situations. )

7

DFTS-04101 ;\

SECTORIAL

8

DFTS-04102 - .-.. �-.------�-

, .' J

SEMINAR

..., I

9

DFTS-04103 LETTER FROM BANGKOK.

Last Friday the court here turned down our applicat;ion for bail for the three sadvipras imprisoned in the AJM� local jails. 9Ur lawyer had suggested $2.500 each but the court ruled no possibility of bail until all the D halma Pracar Department evidence in the plaintiff has been heard. As they have 17 witnesses and as the Thai legal Ananda Marga Pracaraka Samgha system is less than slow at the best, this will take at least one year� This is a clear ( Central) contradiction to the Thai constitution that states a suspect will be considered inno­ Calcutta cent untill proven guilty. Actually the 4/7 /78 plaintiff presented its evidence before the CIRCULAR formal charges were made (and this took over 100 days). ' On Friday 15th A� c. Kushol and Brahmapriya Dear Brothers I Sisters, were wlaking back lo Didi Chinmayii' 5 Namaskar, hotel room ,when they :were suddenly overpower­ ed and' searched bya'barid of Thai police. I am glad to inform you all of our great victory in the They were arrested and their bags were taken Patna High Court: To-day ( 4th July) in a historic decision, away. Then they went to the hotel room and Didi Chinmayiiji was also arrested. Thr our beloved Gurudeva and his four co-accused were honour­ room was searched and the planted cigaret�e ably acquitted of all false charges brought against them by packet containing 10 gm of explosives was 'found'., Their bags were then brought into the CBI and other immoral forces, To-day DHARMA has the room and the police proceeded to 'find' triumphed and all of the 5 million margiis spread throughout bomb materials (electrodes, more explosives, wiring, etc, ),. The sisters alarm clock as 90 countries and all of our moralist sympathisers will bc well as a knife that was being used to cut celebrating in honour of the joyous occassion. Let us institute fruit,'moreover a tourist map of Bangkok, A.M. li'terature and news clippings were all a one month Dharma Pracar programme consisting of taken as' evidence (evidence of what?). Although ..he charges that the three '.Jere 1. Akhandha Kiirtan planning to bomb Australian Embassy and Resi­ dence are utterly absurd, by Thai standards, 2. Processions the evidence could be plenty enough for a 3. Leaf-letting conviction. The court here has very much its own way - (recently a ,couple were given the 4. Street Corner Meetings. execution sentence (later reduced to 100 years) when they appealed their former BABA NAM KEVALAM sentence of6 years - appeal had taken 4 VICTORY TO DHARMA years.) BABA has put His son and daughters here in order that the extreme corruption Yours Brotherly, of Thai Police and Courts, and the harsh Ac. Tapeshvarananda Avadhuta brutality of the penal ,institutions be ex­ Dharma Pracar Secretary pressed to the world. Dharma protects those who protects Dharma - I know that our brother A. M. P. S. (Central) aBd sisters can rely on your solid support. I wc'come any suggestions of queries you A.J.M. News from Australia have concerning the case. All three Sadvipras are in great Spirits - I know they would 3 workers in Australia were arres­ welcome your letters and NL's (especially sectorial after a police agent (who preten­ telling of your blissful victory programmes). ted June 15 ded to a margii) planted a bomb in These can be sendt c/- Ananda Marga, P.O. box be new their The three, one of who has a wife 1494, Bangkok, Thailand, or Timothy Jones, car. 2 son, face life sentences on Caroliue Spark, Sarah Child, c/o Tilleke and year old conspiracy to murder charges (sound familiar?) Gibbons, 297 Suriwongse Rd., Bangkok 5, Police claim that they were aiming to assas­ Thailand.Thai Land. sinate a leader of the neo-nazi movement in Yours brotherly, Australia. The same week, two American-born A'carya's were arrested in Sydney and deported Dada Nirainjana Brc. from Austrlia. More news and details in the 12 Julv D7S next Crimson Dawn.

10 ( a

THE

TIM JONES SARAH CHILD CAROLINE SPARK �COMPOl'S POliTICAl PRISONIRS IN THAilAND

*Aust. Commonwealth Police

11 Ananda Marga A Soc:ial Revolution

In the social spherc, too, both the means and the end of the classes of the world based on the individual adopted ill our Marga are r-evolutionary_ They show a capacities of mankind. With this background they are change which had never been ccir1Ceived - a change which is bound to?:ether by a common bond of placing BI'ahma as not a cyclic change due to development of social habits of thrir cnrnmon and foremost ideal. The ideal is everlasting man_ It is a change based on the fundamental characteristics and ot equal importance for any class of persons. The social of human mind and hence it is a change which will las-t as laws of our Marga do not only make no discl-imination long as the human mind lasts. between man and man, but both the sexes have to share Men horn time immemorial have been framing laws and equal re<;ponsibility of life. Al l social superstitions, like rules to govern themselves �o that the fundamental rights of widowhood, etc. c.re discarded, but the fundamental pr-in­ each individual are secured and all the member<; of the ciples of some of the existing laws of society, like the society live peacefully. Such laws have been framed from allegiance to the laws of society and state take only a time to time by the ruling class, and every such law shows second place i.e. after the allegiance to BI-ahma. The capital that the ruling class has framed the laws keeping their punishments like outcasting or restrictions on widows or interest as uppermost consideration in their mind. For women in general in taking part in certain social functions, instance in Manusmrti the text of laws framed by M,mu is do not find any place in our society. that if a Brahmin marries a Shudra girl, he is punished by ANANVA MARGA FORMS A SOCIETY WHERE THE shaving his head and taking him round the town on the LAWS HAVE BEEN FRAMED ALWAYS KEEPING IN back of a donkey, while the punishment for a Shudra VIEW THE COMMON IDEAL & THREFORE DEVE­ mdrrying a Brahmin girl is death_ The laws and I-ules to suit LOPING THE IDEA OFONENESS OF ALL HUMAN­ their own convenience_ Some have placed allegience to king ITY. THIS SOCIETY IS RAVICALLY VIFFER­ as the supreme duty of every member of society, others ENT fROM ANY EXISTING SOCIETY, FOR IT place the countr-y or state above the sovereign, while others PROVIDES A SOCIETY WITH A COMMON BONO consider their religion more importaht. There is no ORe WHERE THERE IS NO VISTINCTION WHETHER common Donci in ,my of the numerous societies to keep ali OF CLASS OR SEX, WHERE NO ONE CAN BE of them together. The laws for ensuring security are so OUTCAST OR PUNISHED SOTHAT HE/SHE MAY framed as to provide security of varying degrees to NOT BE CApABLE OF REFORMING HIM/HERSELF members of different strata of the <;ociety like the & WHERE NO LAWS ARE FRAMED KEEPING IN difference between Brahmin and Shudl-as, or the white VIEW THE INTEREST OF. A FEW INDIVIVUALS American and Black Americans. Such laws lacking in a ONLY. common bond cannot lead to the existence of a peaceful In ;uch a society no one would be and everlasting society, but unfortunately, so far all the Idw exploited by others. Such a society has been dreamcd of giVers have done like this and the resulting �ociety has been and pl-eached earlier- by moralists and idealists, but never full of unrest. The appmdch to tackle the problem of befme an approach to dchieve it, as has been found out by developing an ever lasting society is revolutional-y i�<;elf. Ananda Mdrga,by producing men who combine all the The persons who Jrc to build the society of Ananda Marga qualities of the different economic clJ<;ses of the wmld in are not mere idealists and moralists. They are a group of one individual, was conceived of by any of the numerous classless, casteless practical persons who do not only preach thinkers and law givers of the world. and meditate about the principles of classlessness, but actually practice them so as to be fit to be a member of any -Shrii Shrii Anandamurti

EXCERPT FROH THE LATEST TRANSLATION OF CARYA CARYA PART 2

(B) Whether one is healthy or. sick, whether in a sitting or lying posture, or in a vehicle, full Iishvara Pran'idha'na (meditation) w;_ll have to be performed twice a day. Hhether there be any urgent \vork in the immediate future or not, and whether the mind be unsteady or not, all Sa'dhakas should Japa (repeat Is't'a Mantra - "the Mantra which leads to the ultimate goal") eighty times at first, and then continue Japa for as long as they like according to instructions, without counting. Do not have breakfast until you ha'Je finished your Iishvara Pran'idha'na in the morning. Likewise, do not take evening meal until you have finished your evening Iishvara Pran'idha'na.

12 "T()11I{ I� )11111"111" Help prepare Sectorial Office for Ba'ba's visit!! Typist. One dedicated margii is ;needed who can serve Ba' ba' s mission by The prospects of Ba ' ba' visiting 'typing, as well as other various office our sector next year has increased the tasks. Even if you type poorly and want workload in all aspects of His mission. a chance to improve, we can use your help! Here at Sectorial Office the following positions are available now: Printer. One brother or sister is needed to learn to run the press and \ Assistant to the SOS. The Sectorial to assist sister Satya Devi in establishing I Office Sec. (peesently Ac. Bodhiishvara 'our print shop as a viable business. Brc.) is responsible for monitoring and coordinating the work of all the departments, All positions involve varied and boards, and Regional Secretaries. fie interesting work, and training will be presently requires an assistant to help provided for each. In addition, regular with correspondence, errands, typing, ideological training classes are conducted and other various and sundry tasks. for all SO workers, as well as daily sports and other collective activities. A strong Dharma Pracar worker. The DP office, spiritual flow is maintaineci in the house, which inspires and coordinates all the with collective kiirtana and sadhana three efforts "to spread sadhana and Ananda times a day. Any margii who would like Marga Ideology throughout the sector, to serve Ba'ba's mission in a big way, needs an additionaL office worker. live in a strong spiritual environment, and learn both practical skills and Ba'ba's Crimson Dawn Co-editor. Help spread ideology, and who is willing to make a Dharma by helping to write, edit, and committment to their position, should produce Crimson Dawn each month. Learn consider joining the Sectorial Office all the 9kills needed to produce 'a mag­ family. Those interested should write azine. to the Sectorial Office Sec., Der.v.er SO, giving details. Maximum progress Publications Worker. One worker is in all spheres is guaranteed!: needed to help produce and distribute more of Ba'ba's books and other Dharmic works. VICTORY TO DHARMA!!

BABA STORIES HANTED Two People Needed to work--part-t�me in Margii Namaskar sisters & brothers: owned store, part-time managing a Golden Lotus 1 am putting together a book of stories distributorship (new) and do Ananda Marga about our Beloved Ba'ba'" I am requesting Regional Office work if time permits. Business that you send me all stories you have heard �kills and one year commitment preferred--valid about Ba'ba', and also the source of this driver's license also desirable. story, that is, from which a'carya you heard the story. Also please send me the Contact Dada Viiresh: (214) 824-8343 account of your personal experiences with 5729 Penrose Baba if you have visited him. These will Dall�s, TX 75206 be used for Katha Kiirtan parties in the units and will go through review. Thank you with Ba'ha's love Kiran'a HPMGL Sec. North Central Region c/o A.M. School 1201+ N. Topeka Wichita, Kansas 67204 265-7150 BRAHMA SADHANA PLEASE SEND A SECOND COpy OF BABA STORIES TO: CRIMSON DAWN 854 Pearl St. Denver, Col. 80203 GROWTH THROUGH so that --all of us Crimson Dawn Readers can enjoy some of the stories before the book is published. SERVICE

13 At this same time the Government of India was denouncing A'nanda Ma'rga in a coordinated propaganda campaign. Mrs. Gandhi received a direct impression of the protest when she. visited Canada in June. Ma'rgiis met and followed hpr

during her stay; she made note of the fact upon her return to India.

By August of 1973 Ba'ba's health had seriously deteriorated. In the United Ststes and Europe Ma'rgiis joined efforts to form the International Committee to Obtain Justice for Shrii Shrij A'nandamu'rti. This group had as its primary purpose the en­ listment of international public opinion pressure in an effort to force the Indian Government to a ff o rd Ba'ba' proper treatment. Efforts were begun to contact and obtain the support of the international media, international human rights groups, and in­ fluential individuals. Some people were sympathetic and a num­ ber of support letters were written, generally by less influen­ tial persons. There was still a lot of skepticism, and we had little evidence to back up our claims.

Meanwhile on August 22, the Patna High Court after nine months quashed (threw out) Special Magistrate Shrivastava's cornrnittment order. The court ruled that Madhava'nanda had been granted an improper pardon and without his testimony the pro­ secution had no case. At the same time the court gave the pro­ secution another chance to obtain a legal pardon for Madhava­ nanda and then bring up comrnittment proceedings anew. The defense protested against the latter part of the order but in vain.

By October Mrs. Gandhi had received more letters of in­ quiry into Ba'ba's case and treatment. She answered one from Canadian MP Andrew Brewin . In her reply she rejected all Ma'rgii claims of mistreatment and made the following comment:

"In the course of impartial investigation there is an overwhelming suspicion that Mr. Sarkar is guilty of heinous and despicable crimes."

Indira Gandhi

This indicates a rather biased attitude on her part. It was out of place for her to comment on the case at all, since it was yet to be tried. It was worse to imply that it was a strong case, particularly in light of the committing magis�rate's serious reservations regarding the credibility of Madhava'nanda's ' Lest irnony.

On January 7, 1974, Madhava'nanda was due to appear before the Patna District Magistrate in order to obtain a new pardon. On the way to the hearing a grenade was thrown at the vehicle in which he was travelling. The grenade did not go off, but police soon arrested many A'nanda Ma'rgiis and charged them

DFTS-04108 with attempted murder . The person vl ho supposedly threw the grenade turned out no t to be a Ma 'rgii , and after some time the Ma 'rgiis who were arrested were released. In February Madhava 'nanda finally received his pardon . The defense ch allenged this pardon, but it wa s upheld by the Supreme Court in March. At the same time t he Supreme Court turned down further defense pleas for Ba 'ba's ba il .

On March 16 , five opposition members of Parliament visited Ba 'ba' in Bankipore Jail . They issued a report that his health wa s very bad . This agreed with an earlier report by the Bihar Government that Ba 'ba's health was dete�iorating .

MR . WELLS (QUEEN 'S COUNCEL) REPORTS-NOTES DISCREPANCIES

In late March the International Committee to Obtain Justice for Shrii Shrii A'nandamu 'rti sent Mr. William T. Wel ls , Queen ' s Cowlsel and former meMber of the British Parliament, to India to report on the situation . The intent was to have an obj ective assessment of the matter which could be presented to responsible and influential persons when trying to obtain the ir support in calling for proper treatment for Ba 'ba' . Mr. Wells was in India for two we eks and during this time spoke to government officials, Supreme Cour t lawy ers , and A'nanda Ma ' rga officials. He returned to England in mid-April to prepare his report . While Mr . Wells was in India, serious rioting broke out in Patna and the rest of Bihar It is aimed against shortages in supplies and corruption in government. In Mid-1974 the leader­ ship of the movement passed into the hands of Hr . Jayapraka 'sh Narayan , a famo us follower of Maha ' tma Gandhi .) This rioting prevented him from go ing to Patna to see Ba 'ba' . During these disturbances the state and central governments continually de­ nounced A'nanda Ma ' rga and insinuated its participation in the ( violen ce. Many opponents of A'nanda Ha 'rga called for a ban on the organ!zation . Mrs. Gandhi indicated that the question was under study .

On June 4, Mr . Wel ls ' report was released in London . The report suggested that the Indian Government shou ld initiate a compromise in the struggle . If it were reluctant to do so , Mr. Wells felt that th is wou ld indicate a lack of integrity in the government 's po sition . Ma 'rgiis in India approached the government concerning a compromi se , but we re rebuffed .

In June the International Committee to Obtain Justice for Shr ii Shrii A'nandamu 'rti launched a carr.paign aimed at gain ing letters of support for humane treatment of Ba 'ba' .

The contacting centered on legislato rs in North America and Europe , as we ll as human rights groups . With Mr . We lls ' report our claims gained the credibility they lacked before . Many letter s of support were received. Some we re addressed directly to Mrs. Gandhi. In addition Mr . We lls ' report gave many people a mo re in-depth assessment of the problem. The contac ting effort lasted through the end of August. Mrs . Gandhi was forced into replying to a number of people , partic�­ larly MP s from England . Yet the pressure generated by the cam­ paign was not enough to change the government 's stance . (In fact, it seemed to infuriate the government , because the harrassments against Ba 'ba' and A'nanda Ma ' rga we re intensified . Many people view this , however, as a positive deve lopmen t, in that it hastens the climax of this who le situation) .

In July of 1974 the defense petitioned the Supreme Court for a change of venue of the proceed ings , claiming that the hostile atmosphere in Bihar wo uld prevent fair and impartial he arings. The Chief Minister of Bihar State had made caustic remarks against A'nanda Ma 'rga. It took several months for this matter �Q corne be for� the co urt. (In t�e meantime jail

15

DFTS-04109 • It officials began carrying out. searches of Ba lba's cell. They , I would force Ba 'ba' to move in order to search his bed and there­ by cause him great pain) . F inal ly, on October 30, 1974, the Supreme Cou r t in a split dec ision rejected the defense petition for a change of venue .

BABA HARASSEV IN JAI L, AC. ATULA'NANVAJI AVT. IMMOLATES SELF IN PROTEST In Novermeber, 1974 , denunciations of Alnanda Ma ' rga came from all sides . The Congress Party , the Communist Party of India, and the Soviet Press took turns slandering the organ­ ization . In Bankipore jail direct harrassment of Ba 'ba ' con­ tinued. On November 26 jail officials again searched Ba 'ba's cell, this time placing him on the floor so as to search his bed . They forced Ba 'ba's attendant, A'c. Atula' nanda Av . to strip completely and remain naked in the co ld . Finally , they took some of Ba 'ba's po ssession s including his valuable pearl ring . All these ac tions incensed A'c. Atula'nandaji and after letters of protest from Ba 'ba' and himself went unheeded, he declared that he would immolate himse lf on December 11 un less immed iate steps were taken to rectify the situation . This threat wa s reported in the Times of India newspaper. A'c. Atula' nandj i did commit self-immolation as he had threatened. The A'nanda Ma ' rga General Secretary , A'c. Keshava 'nanda Av . had come out to Bankipore jail on the morning of the 11th to try to talk Atula ' nandaji out of self-immolating . The jail officials refused to allow him in and Atul a' nandaji set fire to himself at 11:00 a.m. He died six ho urs later in a Patna ho spital .

Following this A'c. Keshava 'nandaj i filed charges against the jail author ities for the ir complicity in the immo lation . It wa s reasoned that it would not be poss ible for someone to announce a self-immolation in advance and then carry it out inside a jail un less the jail author ities allowed or assisted in the ac tion. Shortly after he filed these charges, A'c. Keshava 'nandaj i wa s arrested and sent to Buxar Ja il under India's Maintenance of Internal Security Act ·(this law allows the authorities to arrest and detain any person without charg­ ing them for a crime) . The security at the jail tightened a great deal. Ma ' rgiis were not able to see Ba 'ba' for several weeks in early January 1975 . Even his lawyers were not allowed to see him unless they consented to a personal search. Ba 'ba' was no longer allowed a Ma 'rgii attendent and now was attended by convicts.

Ba 'ba's committment hearing was finally scheduled to begin again on January 7, 1975, almost one year after Madhava ' nanda had received his new pardon . Due to some technicalities the hearing had to be postponed un til February 10. Since the last committment hearing several more charges had been brought against Ba'ba'.

The first week in January saw another major in cedent in India. Ra ilway Minister L. N. Mishra , who was an important force in Bihar po litics, was assassinated in a railway station near Patna . A number of Ma' rg iis were questioned in connection with the incident. Many of A'nanda Ma 'rga 's foes including Mrs. Gandhi sought to blame the killing on A'nanda Ma ' rg a. Consensus in India was that Mr s. Gandhi herself had had Mishra killed , both to rid herself of an embarrassing minister (Mishra h ad been involved in so�e corrup t deals whi ch received publicity) and ' to use the death as a \.Jeapon against her opponents .

On Feb ruary 10 , Ba 'ba's second commi t tment hear ing bee:;ln. The defense asked that the case be committed directly to

sessions tri al . The prosecution wanted it commi tted only af ter Nadhava ' nanda had been allowed to testify again. They wan ted him to be ab le to improve on his p revious testimony . Special Hagistrate Gup ta, who had replaced Special Hagistrate Shri- 16 vas tava , decided in favor of the prosecution. The defense then asked to be allovled to seel: a ruling on the raa tter fraT:! the Patna High Court. This Has allO\-led and the commi ttmen t hearing was adj ourned until March 21. The High Court de cided against the defense and Madhava 'nanda \Vas al lowe d to testify at the commit­ tment hearing .

"THE STATE OF EMERGENCY"

ned in In dia. L2ading the lis t \Vas Ananda On June 26, 1975 , faced with growing i'Iar ga and its manY , ] ) rallches of reli e f , ,�d­ pressures from opposition powers , and a ucation, c.nd servi ce organizations . All ruling against her in the courts on corrup t seho'Jls , ch ildrel: home,:; , and I�ed;.cal camp s 1 cai::p aign j1 ractices , Indir a G:ll1dili declared were closed do;m and the peo? le utilizing a state of emer gency . Thousands of politi­ the facilities were ki cked out into the I cal opponents \Jere arres ted and j ailed wi t1, streets . �1any hundreds of Ananda Marga '1 no charge. Censorship of all medi a was monks , nuns , and famiJ,y pe0p le \jere ar­ strictly enf orced. One week later on July res ted and tortured without any charge 4 , 1975 , t" enty sj,x organizatimls ..'ere ban- held against them. MARGI IS BLAMEV FOR MISHA & RAY CASES.

The year 1975 brought mo re accusations 1, . N. �:i shra and the attemp t on Ray's life. for the govern:r,ent against Ananda Marga. In In the Ray case , Ac . Santosananda Avt. , Ac . 7ebruary 1975 , the state police arrested one Sudevananda Avt. , Mr . Ram Hagina Prasad &Mr . Arun KUI'lar Thakur ",ho confessed to the Raj an Devivedi were accused of t he conspiracy . as sassination of Railway Hinister, ar . L.M. The Carniliar story of the ch ief wi t­ 11ishta . Hm,eve r, senior decti ves of eBI nes s being pert of the crime emd parlion , stepped in and discounted the confessioa, held true again. This time it \,as one .o. nd went on �o a',TC;'l t �3e-Jeral me;nb ers of Jaldhar Das defecting from his "conspiracy Ananda Marga. In March of 1975 there Vias group" and for the prosecution. Again dis­ an at temp t on the life of Chief Just�ce of crepancies were fou mp in his testimony , India 's Su?reme Court Mr. A. �. Ray . The but the court's continual haras sment of Ray case was cOI!l.rni tted to trial in Janu­ defense attorney 's finally made the cas e ary , 1976. The prosecution had alleged nearly impossib le for aDY com petent la\vyer that Ananda '1arg:'is "ere engaged in a con­ to take and a guilty verdict was handed spiracy \-lh ich included both the death of down , wh ich is nm, pending a ppeal. ACARYAS BRUTA LLY TORTUREV BY C. B .I.

At this point it is needed to try and chili p owder into their anus ,beat­ understand what the Anand a l1ar giis had to ing on the soles of the f ee t , e tc . go through in the prisons of India. The horrib le brutal tortures demons trated the desperate position the eEl found itself in when confronted with Eaba's ideology . The tortures included everything from solitary confinement , no food or sleep for days to intense beatings , electric shock treatments , and the sending of heated rods up the penis and anus of the Drisoners . The f o llowing are a few excerp ts of Ac . Santosananda Av t. and Ac . Sudevananda Avt. :

"I was s everely beaten with canes on my buttocks and back. I was not allowed to sleep , nor was I given food. My cheeks and chin bleed from the pulling out of my

bear d .••The wailings o f other prisoners who were also being cruelly tortured there shook the roof of the building and filled the atmosphere with horr or . Many terrible tortures were prat> ' ticed on the prisoners , such as urina�ing in their mouths , pouring water down their noses and f orcing Ac. Santos ' ananda Avt . 1 7

DFTS-04111 The heart rending cries of those and cries that emanated from my being tortured were enough to make cell. They often came to me wi th a person insane . It was unb earab le fierce looks and threaten to beat agony to be present in that environ­ me severe ly, getter my legs and ment . ' , send me to the lunatic ward if I d id not stop all this .' "They kept me standing for 5-6 hours every day , and some t imes "But through all these terrific

all night •.• When I would lean or and painful experiences I used to change my position, I was beaten on feel the sweet and soothing my hips and back . My feet were vibration of my beloved Mas ter, sw ollen, but I was forced to walk Ba'Ba' . My whole ce ll be came barefoot 2 or 3 miles on rough , scented wi th His fragrant scent hilly terrain everyday . In and I got some relief . I could extreme pain I used to fall down , not do proper me ditation , b ut I but they didn't relent, and pulled felt Ba 'Ba' telling me 'Sudev­ IT,e ruthlessly along by a rope. �ly ananda you only listen and you body was scratched and torn and will hear ki irtan going on , and bleed profusely. A large numb er this will be your me ditation. ' of CBI officers were dep uted around And then I heard the music of the clock to conduct all these tor­ kiirtan filling my cell, as if the tures ." whole atmosphere ,.J ere suffused with divine vibrations ."

Some of these brave Ananda Margi is "The who le night I used to cry , today remain in jail recovering from that

shaking the bar of the cellgate .•. dark period waiting for appeal in their They didn't like the noises , shouts respective cas es .

THE UNI VERSAL FR.EEVOI1 flAT?Crr

Ananda Barga ar ound the world began cerity . The thirty day vigils ended in to mobilize in the face of these gross demonstrations agains t the flagrant vio­ inj us tices . Demo�strations were held in lations of human rights being perpetuated several ci ties in 'North Ame rica, Europe , by the Indian gove'rnment. Contacts were As ia and Australia. Thirty day fas ts meade with many diploma ts and legislators , and vigils were held in an ef fort to and letters were sent by many of these prove to the world Ananda Marga 's sin- government officials to Mrs . Gandhi .

The Indian government continued its These came out prior to Ba 'Ba's trial c amp aign to des troy the name of Ananda and were written by one of the pros­ Marga by printing highly defamatory pam­ ecution witnesses . They were circu­ phlets titled"Ananda Marga The .Truth" lated in India and to foreign govern4. and "Soiling of the Saffren Rob e " . mental officials . 18

DFTS-04112 In Augus t 1975 , Indira Gandhi It was clear that the prosecution wrote in a letter to a Swedish in­ wanted the convi ctions very badly and quirer, "Mr . Sarkar is on trial for that the pressures on the judge were murder and other crimes . Some months considerable . On Novemb er 26 , 1976, ago, his organization assasinated our Judge R. B. Singh rendered a guilty Railway Minister and more recently verdict agains t Baba and the co-accused . made an attemp t on the life of our They were subsequently sentenced to Chief Jus tice." Obviously Indira life imprisonment. Gandhi was convinced of Ananda Marga's guilt even before a trial for Ananda Margiis rallied around the these crimes . wo rld again , in an effort to bring to J BABA 'S TR IAL FINALLY BEGINS the attention of all humanity these despicable actions and the guilty ver­ Baba 's trial began in uecember, 19 dict of Hr . P. R. Sarkar . Demons tra­ 1975, in Patna and Ananda Marga sent Mr . I tions , sit ins , and Margiis given them­ We lls from England to sit on the defense l selves up for arres t were held in side of the case. Mr. Wells obs erved many maj or cities . Contracts and let­ the trial at different points over an ter writi ng campaigns continued in an eleven month span . He noted many effort for some justice . serious discrepancies in the prosecu­ tion�s case. First, Madhavananda.was OPPOSITION PARTY DEFEATS INDIRA GANDHI again granted wh at appeared to be an ENV OF THE "STATE OF EMERGENCY" improper pardon. Second his tes timony In March of 1977 the Indian people contained many contradictions and gave their mandate in an overwhelming highly imp laus ib le statements. Finally victory for the opposition party, and his testimony was not prop erly corob­ the downfall of Indira Gandhi 's era ted by other evidence as reques ted Emergency . Thousands of political by Indian law. Mr . We lls commented , priconers were freed, including the "while all the proper Indian judical Ananda Margiis . The long road to re­ mo tions were gone through , there is cons tructing the organization and a strong probability that no British setting up the service proj ects began (. judge would have allowed the case 'to with a new sense of dedication and continue after the prosecution 's zeal on the part ,of the Ananda Marga evidence." � ...... ' workers . .. ,

Beside the weakness of the pro­ secution case another prob lem with the trial was the heavy burden put on the defense as a result of the emergency . It was impossible t o ob tain witnesses for the defense or money to pay the la,vyers . MR. SHEPPARD (INTERNATIONAL COMMISION OF JURISTS & INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS ) FINVS "JUDICIAL VACUME" Mr . Claude-Arm�nd Sheppard , a Canadian Imvyer sent as an observer by the International Commi ssion of Jurists and the International League for Human Rights , found that under the pre­ vailing cond iti ons a fair trial took plac e in a "j udicial vacuum" amidst governmental denunciations of Ananda Ruins of Ananda Nagar sc!Joo], after the Marga and enforced silence of the press. s ta te of eme rgenc1J • Hr . Sheppard summed up his report on the c as e by saying ,"one cannot avoid Some time later Margiis were again the conclusion that a governmen tal allowed regular visits to see Baba. withchunt has been instituted against Ananda Margiis from all over the world anyone associated with Ananda t1arga. " benefitted by Baba' s darshan . The On Sep tember 23, 1976 , Mr . Shepp ard mission of Ananda Marga seemed to be and an An anda Narga representative gaining more and more direction with testified ab out the un fairness o f the personal imp ut of Baba. Those Baba 's trial before the U.S. re turning from visits with him gave House sub-commi ttee on International much inspiration and speed to his Organizations . mi ssion . 19

:7

DFTS-04113 ANANVA MARGA GETS BAV PRESS tralia. Th e firs t reaction was to blame Ananda Marga, b ut later the Commonwealth Despite the denials of Ananda Marga, police issued a statement saying they bad press continued to fill the papers had r eason to believe an Indian of­ in India. Culmination point came in one ficial had planted the bomb . In another Illustrated Weekly (a popular periodical incident a bank robbery in New Delhi in India) which featured an incredible Has b lamed on Ananda Ha rga, but again ' story, "Ananda Marga s Lust for Blood" . up on further investigation police It seemed the government would go to no found it was common thieves blaming end to smear the movement . The Ananda Ananda Narga to cover their tracks . Margiis were not dis couraged and con­ Similarly in other cases in Australia , Mani la, and Bankok many questionab le tinued to work hard on their respective items have come up . service proj ects , including a massive relief job in Andhra Pradesh where a 4 MORE ACARYAS IMMOLATE THEM SELVES cyclone had killed thous ands upon thou­ sands of vi llagers . Then in February three Ananda UPRF- A "VEEP ROOTEV CONSPIRACY" AGAI NST Marga acharyas immolated themselves . THE MARG Dada Lokeska and Didi Uma in Berlin and /I.e . Gagana in Dallas , Texas in an effort 19 77 , In Augus t, news was heard of to bring to the Horld's attention the violen t attacks on Indian official over plight of Ananda Marga and the continued seas by a group known as UPRF ( Universal jailing of the founder. Again in June Proutest Revolution Fe deration) . The another acharya, Didi Asitiima , immo lated Indian government immediately places protesting the harassment of /l.nanda Marga the responsibility on Ananda Marga, in the Philippines . The ir examp le of despite statements of denial from the dedication and sacrifice for their Ananda Marga organizations around the princip les has inspired the Ananda Marga Harkers in their continuing service to world . Mr . P. R. Sarkar issues a state­ humani ty . ment from his cell, he feared a "deep rooted conspiracy" had been hatched by BABA AND CO-VEFENDENTS ARE AQUITEV! the CBI . •• Mr . Sarkar said "that the In Ap ril , 1978 the appeal for Baba 's self styled UPRF had no link with case was heard " in the High Court in Patna. Ananda Marga" ••• I completely disown Attorneys for the defense and the pro- the act� of violence and even if mis­ secution went over tes timoney 'vi th the judge . guided youths who have no faith in the suddenly on July 4, 1978, M. P.R. Sarkar Marga's ideology are involved in such a and his co- accused were acquitted from all acts , I will not obtain my release this t1 charges in the mur der ca se. However the way .. CBI being very affected by His acquittal In January of 1978 several Margiis is trying to prevent His release . Baba is were ar res ted by differen t government now being held on an alleged bomb po ssession officials for terroris t activities . In in 1971( (see "Bomb s Found (planted?) In almost every investigation sizable dis­ Vacated Headquarters " )) ./fhi s Ranchi charge crepancies popped up in the prosecu­ is held on even weaker evidence than the tions . One such case was a bomb being past case. Bail is nOH being petitioned for Planted at the Indian embassy in Aus- and our hope is he will be free soon . , ,

Ac . Lokeshji Br. Ac . Umaji Bri . Ac . Gaganaji Br.

20 Dharma Pracar

UNIT REPORT SUMARIES June , 1978 8 units reporting

East Canada Region Two lectures by Dadaj i Nidesh. Toronto Ont . -Mahaj yoti DC 7,11,8,10 Meditation class being held. Visit from Didi An acarikaj i. Commerce seminar held . NW Region Seattle-Mainj urii DC 12, 14, 12, 10 Mid-Atlantic Region Two sisters ' meetings . Regular volleyball Blacksburg , Va.- Pranava DC No attendance games . given. Meditation class being held . Senior Citizens ' dinner. Bellingham, Wa .- Prema Priya DC 5, 5, 5, 5 Planning on finding a Jagriti . More media NE Regi on contacts . Hempstead , NY-Bhavananda DC 8, 9, 6, 6 Fourteen peop le ready for ini tiation. Western Canada Region Classes also still going on . Vancouver BC- Shami ta Clothing proj ect turned into storage area Ananda Marga to buy herbal store . for Unit Buying Club . Booth was set up at spiritual festival . Red Cross training being taken . Senior citizens ' dinner .

North Central Region Pacific Region Minne apolis , Minn.- Sadiipta DC 10, 8, 4, 6 Hi lo, Hawaii- Avinasha DC 3,3, 2, 3 Lecture by Tadbhavanandaj i on Prout . One meditation class , more being planned.

J I }

L to R Nirmoha (Bhukti Pradhan) , Kalya'n'i,Chandra Shekhara, & Ac . Yatiishvaranandaj i Avt . Kalya 'n'i & Chandra Shekhara were mar ried on Flagstaff mountain outside Boulder, CO on the morning of July 9th, by Nirmoha & Ac . Yatiishvaranandaj i Av t .; the parents & many Margiis were in attendance .

DFTS-04115 The Last Statement 01 Didi Asitiima Brei.

THE TRUTH WILL FINALLY DISCOVER RIGHTEOUSNESS AND REMOVE IGNORANCE OF HUMANITY . VICTORY WILL BE YOURS !

The mo tive of this action is purely to express my love to humani ty and my belief that only non-compromising struggle agains t immorality with a one-point- e d mind towards our very goal of life, the infinite realm of love and peace , will ever bring the establishment of a real happy society . What I have watched and experienced daily around me is not acceptable in any means and let a strong desire grow within me to he lp with personal effor t to burn the very roots and seeds of corruption, exp loitation and inj us tice.

Throughout the history great spiritual and religious personalities have been persecuted and imprisoned . Christ has been crucified , Krsna and Ramakrasna have been in prison, Mohammed the Muslim leader has been persecuted. And with these persons also their at tached movements have been persecuted , became martyrs .

So also the founder of ANANDA MARGA , P. R. Sarkar , a great spiritualist, humanist and philospher has become the victim of immoral authorities ; imprisoned under fabricated charges in 1971 in India, poisoned in Patna jail Feb. '73, and got sentenced to life imprisonment under the corrup t circums tances during the emergency under Indira Gandhi . ANANDA MARGA , His organization had been banned and thousands of memb ers imprisoned without charges or orders and have undergone horrible tor tures out of thepurpose to remove the whole movement and slander its high image all over the world .

I believe that the two Americans , V. Sheppard and S. Dwye r, are victims like all other members of Ananda Marga , who have go t imp licated in cases under false charges in several countries . Personally I doubt if the trial has gone through without arb itrary and bribery .

I wish that the respective higher authorities may consider to grant a retrial un-influenced and without any pressure.

Nobody knew any thing about my desire for this self-sacrifice , it is a comp lete­ ly individual action, not known by anybody . With this action I would like to awake international at t ention and moral support towards ANANDA MARGA , a spiritual , humani­ tarian movement, which stands for self-realization and service and up liftment of society.

WHEN IMMORALITY IS DOMINATING ALL CORNERS OF THIS PLANET , WHEN RIGHTEOUS HUMAN BEINGS BECOME VICTIMS OF ARBITRARY MISUSE, MAY BE THE SACRIFICE OF ONE INNOCENT HUMAN LIFt WILL BURN THE SEEDS AND ROOTS OF CORRUPTION, EXPLOITATION AND INJUSTICE - THE CAUSES OF SUFFERl�G AND BEGRADATION OF MANKIND .

June 13, 1978

Didi Asitiima Brei .

Please return to: Crimsor, Dawn 854 Pearl St . Denve r Col. 80203

DFTS-04116