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NEW YORK, USA, July 27, 2002: Sadhvi Rithambara was at the Ganesha Temple in Flushing, New York, to raise funds for her new project — homes and shelters for orphans and widows. Rithambara, a well-known voice of Hindutva in India, was confronted with her political past as angry protesters demonstrated outside the auditorium where she was scheduled to speak. The demonstrators condemned Hindu political groups for the Gujarat communal riots and distributed handouts outside the temple, emphasizing Rithambara’s involvement in the December, 1992, Babri Masjid demolition in Ayodhya. Others defended her. “She is more of a religious leader than anything else,” rebutted an angry N. Lalchandani. A founding director of the Nargis Dutt Memorial Trust and trustee of Satya Narayan Temple in Queens, Lalchandani insisted the demonstrators were not stating the truth. “There are two sides of the picture,” he said. “Everybody can say what they want. She used to be a politician. She is no more in politics. Now she is totally religious.” Uma Mysorekar, president of the Hindu Temple society said, “The temple did not know she was going to speak. They just booked the hall. If we had known she was an extreme radical at one time, we would have never allowed this event to happen.” At one point, when classical singer Pandit Jasraj passed by, heading towards the auditorium, a few protestors shouted: “Pandit Jasraj, how can you listen to this woman? You are a secular man. Pandit Jasraj, please don’t go inside.” Jasraj returned to talk to the demonstrators, but in the midst of the confusion, no proper dialogue was possible. Later, speaking to rediff.com, Jasraj said, “I did not like the way they were shouting ‘Hindu terrorist hai hai.’ They should condemn all terrorists.”

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