Protesters Burned Copies Of Indian Magazine To Protest Against A Published Article

Protesters burned copies of Indian magazine on Friday in protest at an article that linked a string of deadly attack on Muslims to a nationalist leader close to India's main opposition party. The Caravan, a monthly that covers politics and culture, published the article in its February edition based on interviews with Swami Aseemanand from the jail where he is awaiting trial for militant attacks around India that killed more than 100 people between 2006 and 2008. In the interviews Aseemanand said the attacks were sanctioned by Mohan Bhagwat who leads Rashtriya Swayansevek Sangh (RSS), India's largest Hindu organization, which has close ties to Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP). Opinion polls show BJP has chance of forming India's next government after elections due by May. Most BJP leaders have been members of RSS- considered the ideological incubator for nationalism. The RSS has denied the allegations against Bhagwat and said te interviews were fake. Since the Magazine's publication Aseemanand had denied making the comments. Hindu hardliners protesting outside the Caravan's offices accused the magazine of working with the Congress Party government. Executive director of the Caravan said instead of criticing the magazine, the BJP and the protesters should call for an investigation of Aseemanand's allegations.