President : Savadeshik Arya Pratinidhi Sabha (SAPS)

Couple of days ago, I procured a copy of the petition filed by two muslim petitioners in Delhi's Tees Hazari Court seeking a ban in perpetuity on Maharishi Dayanand's revolutionary Magnum Opus – Satyartha Prakash – banning its printing, publishing and distribution etc.

Sarvadeshik Arya Pratinidhi Sabha through its President, 3/5 Maharishi Dayanand Bhavan, Ramlila Maidan, New Delhi has been made the first defendant along with six others.

Therefore it has fallen on me and my worthy colleagues in SAPS to defend the declaratory suit. (Since no official notice has so far been served to the Sabha – Dr. Suraidra Kadian obtained the copy of the summons from Shri Ajay of Govindram Hasanand.)

While no stone will be left unturned to win this historic legal battle, I am glad to see that there is an upsurge of solidarity and closing of ranks not just among the learned in Arya Samaj but also cutting across religious affiliations. I have spoken to Sanatan Dharma Acharya Swami Avadheshanand Giriji Maharaj of Juna Akhara and to Christian intellectual Rev. Valson Thampu and to a scholar of Islam, Shri Anjum Rashid, to Bhai Daya Singh who is known for his efforts to bring Arya Samaj and Sikh Samaj closer and to host of others and each one of them has promised his fullest solidarity.

I am sure in the coming days and weeks this trickle of support and solidarity will become a torrent. I am tempted to see this petition as a God-sent opportunity for the global movement of Arya Samaj to reinvigorate itself for upholding The Light of Truth against all the calumny and the dark forces of untruth and bigotry. I am equally tempted to order publication of a minimum one hundred thousand (1,00,000) copies of Satyarth Prakash – Light of Truth and sell it at subsidized rates (funds permitting) for the whole world to celebrate The Glory of Truth and glory to Maharishi Dayanand !

This also gives us a golden opportunity to reassert the fundamental human right of Freedom of Expression. And in this respect, we should draw comfort form the fact that an earlier attempt by some fundamentalists to seek a similar ban on Satyarth Prakash in the erstwhile Hyderabad-Sindh was completely frustrated. The precedence is something we can be proud of. We also need to take all precautions to not let this debate around the case take any communal or violent turn and no one should be allowed to hijack it for any narrow political gain. That will be in line with the purely non-sectarian and non-communal approach of Swami Dayanand himself.

Without losing any time, tomorrow, i.e. 10 April '08, the Executive Body Meeting – Antarang Sabha of SAPS to be held on the bank of Ganga at Haridwar, will adopt a resolution to the above effect and on the following days of 11th & 12th April the first conference of Vaidic Virakta Mandal under the patronship of Swami Vivekanandji of Prabhat Ashram, under the Chairmanship of Swami Sumedhanandji of Chamba and under the auspices of Yog Dham of Swami Divyanand, all the eminent sanyasis and vanprasthis of Arya Samaj will deliberate on this issue and adopt a plan of action.

Let us unite and join hands to uphold the glory of Satyarth Prakash and Light of Truth. I am anguished to see some unwarranted and uncharitable remarks about me in some emails alleging my hand behind this infamous petition. Such mischievous elements will only weeken our resolve to fight and stand unitedly. Let us weed out such Kharpatwar and stay firm in our resolve.

While the Nyaya Sabha President Shri R.S. Tomar Advocate is already seized of the matter, we will soon constitute a committee of learned scholars and eminent lawyers to monitor the case and we will keep you posted with developments. We shall fight – we shall overcome !