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{{for|the Indian cricketer|Mahendra Kumar (cricketer)}}
{{short description|Indian political activist}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2016}}
[[File:Mahendra Kumar.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Mahendra Kumar]]
'''Mahendra Kumar''' (died 25 April 2020)<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.udayavani.com/english-news/former-convener-of-bajrang-dal-mahendra-kumar-dies-of-heart-attack|title=Mahindra Kumar Dies at 47|work=Udayavani}}</ref> was the convener of the [[Karnataka]], India, branch of the [[Bajrang Dal]], an Indian Hindu youth organisation. He was reportedly involved in the [[2008 attacks on Christians in southern Karnataka]] on 14 September 2008. He claimed that he was incarcerated for 42 days in [[Mangalore]] before being released on conditional bail by [[Karnataka High Court]] Justice [[Ashok B. Hinchigeri]] on 25 October 2008, and was used as a scapegoat by the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] regime to "save the government from further embarrassment after the church attacks and on instructions from the [[Sangh Parivar]] leaders."<ref>{{Cite news | title = Ex-Bajrang Dal chief gets conditional bail | newspaper = [[The Hindu]] | url = http://www.hindu.com/2008/10/25/stories/2008102554930500.htm | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081028154607/http://www.hindu.com/2008/10/25/stories/2008102554930500.htm | url-status = dead | archive-date = 28 October 2008 | date = 25 October 2008 | access-date = 8 December 2011}}</ref><ref name="BM111" />

He denied that any Catholic churches were attacked by his group during the attacks but reportedly accepted responsibility for the attacks on prayer halls belonging to the [[New Life Fellowship Association|New Life Fellowship Trust]].<ref name="AN">{{Cite news
| title = Karnataka: 20 churches attacked, Christians accuse police of inaction
| author = Nirmala Carvalho
| agency = AsiaNews
| url = http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=13221&size=A
| date = 15 September 2008 | access-date = 27 September 2008
}}</ref> The Bajrang Dal were reported to have stated that they were not against Christianity in the region but were offended by the alleged forcible conversions.<ref>{{Cite web
| title = 'We do not blame all Christians'
| publisher = [[Rediff.com]]
| url = http://specials.rediff.com/news/2008/sep/18slid1.htm
| date = 18 September 2008 | access-date = 23 December 2011
}}</ref> Kumar had initially denied any involvement in the attacks before being arrested.<ref>{{Cite news
|title = Church attacks: Bajrang Dal denies hand
|newspaper = [[Hindustan Times]]
|url = http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Bangalore/Church-attacks-Bajrang-Dal-denies-hand/Article1-338982.aspx
|date = 19 September 2008
|access-date = 8 December 2011
|url-status = dead
|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20140305013705/http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Bangalore/Church-attacks-Bajrang-Dal-denies-hand/Article1-338982.aspx
|archivedate = 5 March 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news
| title = Attack on churches: Karnataka cops arrest Bajrang Dal convener
| url = http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-09-20/india/27950136_1_churches-and-prayer-halls-home-ministry-karnataka
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121021204320/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-09-20/india/27950136_1_churches-and-prayer-halls-home-ministry-karnataka
| url-status = dead
| archive-date = 21 October 2012
| date = 20 September 2008 | newspaper = [[The Times of India]]
| access-date = 8 December 2011
}}</ref> When asked again at a later date though if he had accepted responsibility for the attacks he denied it.<ref>{{Cite news
| title = 'I have been used and thrown by sangh parivar'
| newspaper = [[The Hindu]]
| url = http://www.hindu.com/2011/01/29/stories/2011012964060700.htm
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110211222335/http://www.hindu.com/2011/01/29/stories/2011012964060700.htm
| url-status = dead
| archive-date = 11 February 2011
| date = 29 January 2011 | access-date = 9 December 2011
}}</ref>

Kumar resigned from Bajrang Dal on 1 October 2008 after witnessing a Hindu woman who had decided to commit suicide with her three children but was saved by Christian missionaries. He stated "That was the time I realised that life is more important than ''[[dharma]]'' (religion). A lot needs to be done for the betterment of life. My dream is to build a society that values life more than religion. In jail I read several literary works. I joined Bajrang Dal so that we could mobilise the youth for a good cause, but at the end of the day all our concepts were politically motivated."<ref name="BM111">{{Cite news
|title = I went to jail to save govt blushes, on Sangh Parivar's instruction
|newspaper = [[Bangalore Mirror]]
|url = http://www.bangaloremirror.com/article/1/201101312011013107480755705cd560/%E2%80%98I-went-to-jail-to-save-govt-blushes-on-Sangh-Parivar%E2%80%99s-instructions%E2%80%99.html
|date = 31 January 2011
|access-date = 8 December 2011
|url-status = dead
|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20110203013657/http://www.bangaloremirror.com/article/1/201101312011013107480755705cd560/%E2%80%98I-went-to-jail-to-save-govt-blushes-on-Sangh-Parivar%E2%80%99s-instructions%E2%80%99.html
|archivedate = 3 February 2011}}</ref> In February 2011, after the commission reports into the attacks were published, Kumar formally apologised to the public for the attacks and accused the BJP Government of corruption.<ref name=DT211>{{Cite news
|title = Former Bajrang Dal convener Mahendra Kumar Apologizes for Church Attacks
|newspaper = The Dakshin Times
|url = http://www.dakshintimes.com/dakshina-kannada/mangalore/news/11020828044/former-bajrang-dal-convener-mahendra-kumar-apologi.html
|date = 21 February 2011
|access-date = 8 December 2011
|url-status = dead
|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20160817222440/http://www.dakshintimes.com/dakshina-kannada/mangalore/news/11020828044/former-bajrang-dal-convener-mahendra-kumar-apologi.html
|archivedate = 17 August 2016}}</ref> On 21 February 2011 he joined the [[Janata Dal (Secular)|Janata Dal]] Party (JDS), declaring, "I am today shedding the shackles of communalism to strive for communal harmony, for which the JDS is working."<ref name=DT211 /> He was succeeded as state convener of the Bajrang Dal by [[Suryanarayana (Bajrang Dal)|Suryanarayana]]. Kumar died in Bengaluru of a heart attack on 25 April 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/former-state-convener-of-bajrang-dal-passes-away/article31434541.ece |title=Former State convener of Bajrang Dal passes away |work=[[The Hindu]] |date=25 April 2020 |access-date=26 April 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sahilonline.net/en/well-known-social-activist-mahendra-kumar-passes-away-of-cardiac-arrest |title=Well-known social activist Mahendra Kumar dies of cardiac arrest |website=SahilOnline.com |first=Sajjad |last=Quazi |date=25 April 2020 |access-date=26 April 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://in.news.yahoo.com/social-activist-mahendra-kumar-no-071630700.html |title=Social activist Mahendra Kumar no more |website=Yahoo.com |date=25 April 2020 |access-date=26 April 2020}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kumar, Mahendra}}
[[Category:Bajrang Dal members]]
[[Category:Activists from Karnataka]]
[[Category:Place of death missing]]
[[Category:Place of birth missing]]
[[Category:Indian Hindus]]
[[Category:2020 deaths]]
[[Category:Mangaloreans]]
[[Category:People from Mangalore]]
[[Category:1960s births]]

Mahendra Kumar - Revision history

UpdateBot at 01:31, 26 June 2022