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Under fire on blogosphere, Sonal
Shah renounces VHP affiliation
WSN Network
 Washington:
Sonal Shah, the Indian-origin member of US President-elect Barack
Obama's transition team, whose links with VHP sparked criticism, has
formally renounced her affiliation with the Hindu outfit accused of
fomenting violence against Muslims and Christians in India.
Shah, former
member of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, has said if she could have
anticipated the outfit's role in the 2002 communal violence in
Gujarat,
she would have never associated with its
US
branch, a year before the incident.
"Had I been able
to foresee the role of the VHP in India in these heinous events, or
anticipate that the VHP of America could possibly stand by silently
in the face of its Indian counterpart's complicity in the events of
Gujarat in 2002 -- thereby undermining the American group's cultural
and humanitarian efforts with which I was involved -- I would not
have associated with the VHP of America," Shah said.
In a statement,
obtained and posted by NextGov and the National Journal, the Google
executive said the 2002 Gujarat carnage was one of the "most
profound tragedies" in the long history of the state when "extremist
political leaders, including some associated with the VHP, incited
riots that resulted in the deaths of thousands." In an e-mail sent
to her supporters, Shah asked for help in combating the allegations
and expressed apprehension that the Obama transition team could ask
her to resign.
"I need your
help," wrote Shah. "This is gaining legs as the National Journal
also picked it up and likely Fox. I need to mobilise people against
the leftists and the right wing. There is a likely chance that they
will ask me to resign as team does not need my publicity." Shah has
formerly been with the Goldman Sachs and served as a Treasury
Department official in the
Clinton
administration.
Background
Vijay Parshad, a
well-known academic who holds the George and Martha Kellner Chair in
South Asian History and Professor of International Studies at
Trinity College wrote an article on a popular blog, titled “Obama’s
Indian: The Many Faces of Sonal Shah.” It raised some questions
about Sonal Shah’s links to the RSS, VHP, BJP, and other Hindutva
organizations. Sonal Shah issued a number of statements denying such
associations and asking her ‘supporters’ to ‘rally’ to her cause.
Prashad followed
up his first article with another “Guilt by Participation: Sonal
Shah’s Membership Has Expired” where he argues that many of Sonal
Shah’s explanations are “gratifying, but unpersuasive.” He argued
using a timeline that Sonal Shah could not have been unaware of the
activities she was sponsoring and facilitating as she was in her 30s
at the time as well.
17
December
2008
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