The Vestiges of British Divide and Rule Policy – Jainacharya Yugbhushansuriji to Amit Shah

The vestiges of British
Divide and Rule Policy

Dharmalaabh – Blessings, you be blessed with spirituality.

With infinite kindness and blessings of God, we are safe and in good health. With His blessings, hope
this finds you too, safe and healthy.

It has been more than 7 decades that India has been an independent country. Prior to it’s
independence, for almost 300 years, the geographical territory of today’s India was subjected to
harshest and most traumatic phase known in the history. The colonisers of India not only exploited and
defaced the core of India, but very shrewdly transformed the structures in India so that India may
continue to face threats to peace, security, integrity, unity and diversity.

As decided long back, when leaving India, British rulers merged India into one unified entity as
Dominion of India. This was in their strategic interest. At the same time, they had foreseen that such a
huge unified entity may pose a threat to United Kingdom in future. To counter this future threat, they
had planted ideological mines to fragment India into small and weak regions with burning conflicts of
religions, languages, cultures, castes within communities, societies and citizens. To achieve their goal,
they formulated their very famous divide and rule policy since inception of their rule in India. This
policy has today fructified into multiple manifestations in the form of Hindu-Muslim divide, Khalistan,
India-Pakistan rivalry, Kashmir and POK issue, secessionism of Far Eastern Indian states, along with a
smaller manifestation in the form of Jain-Anoop Mandal issue.

The issue of Anoop Mandal is just like all other divisive issues, which have the DNA of Britishers divide
and rule policy. In 1920’s the group took shape in rural and backward areas of Rajasthan. Due to their
Anti-Jain and Anti-Religious stance, they were used by British rulers as a tool to irritate and damage
religious fabric of India. With the support of British, they expanded in neighboring states of Gujarat,
Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. On numerous occasions there were overt and covert mutual
endorsement of each other. During independence struggle Jains had united against British in
Independence movement by forming Praja Mandal. British had then encouraged Anoop Mandal to
subdue the power of Praja Mandal. The Indian Princes and Royal families, considering the malicious
intensions and insurgent activities of Anoop Mandal had banned them in their states.

Unfortunately, the group survived in one or other way¹. It is very astonishing that in the year 1909 when
setting up a printing press was for extremely privileged and rare, Anoop Mandal could set up its own
printing press and that too in remote and rural area of Rajasthan. This raises doubts that from where
and with whose support they could amass funds, technology and know-how etc.? The way they are
expanding today, we strongly feel the urge to assume that they might be receiving foreign funding to
organise insurgency in India.

I am sure that Indian Intelligence agencies would have unveiled British role in the issues of Kashmir,
Khalistan, etc. The way Indian Government, Defense and Foreign affairs departments have handled
these issues, it can be concluded that the Indian Administration is aware about that connection. But
unfortunately, it seems that this link of Anoop Mandal with British has missed the attention and thus
remains to be addressed. The way Narendrabhai, Your goodself, EAM Dr. Jaishankar and NSA Ajit
Doval are navigating the policies to address above issues, the country is hopeful that success would be
imminent. By your efforts, all the variants of virus infecting Indian politics may get neutralised, but if
the issue of Anoop Mandal is not tackled, it may in future turn into a civil divide to hurt India’s Integrity
and Unity.

¹The Assembly Of Listeners Jains In Society, published by Cambridge University Press 1991. (www.cambridge.org/9780521365055) at page 157 mentions:-“The royal family was against the movement. In fact, it was formally banned by the princely administration, which consisted of Jain ministers and executives. The British, however, thought that this movement could be used to curb the Praja Mandal movement of Congress which was becoming popular in the fight for Independence. The Praja Mandal was made up mainly of Jains, hence the encouragement of Anoop Mandal would lessen its power. The Anoop Mandal later was registered as a political society. Its registration was cancelled but it was renamed Sirohi Seva Samiti and reregistered. The Anoop Mandal still exists in several villages, where it has established its own huts. It becomes most active during election times and works against Jain candidates. Jains have not organised against Anoop Mandal on a continuous basis but have got together locally whenever there has been violence to sadhus.”

In the above context, you are in a unique position to make a difference to the aforesaid issue. You at
the helm of Home Affairs, are adequately empowered to address this issue and suppress it at its root
level. We are very well aware about your capabilities and courage to take sharp actions against deep
rooted, age old established issues of National Importance. Hope you take up this issue as part of your
strategy to regain the control over various aspects of country from the influence of western
domination.

May every soul be uplifted, may every soul live innocently and allow others to live innocently, too.

Dharmalaabh