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{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2013}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2013}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Subash Chouhan
| image = 
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = 1966
| birth_place = [[Bargarh district]], [[Orissa, India]]
| death_date = 10 May 2020
| death_place = Bhubaneswar
| nationality = Indian
| other_names =
| known_for = National president of the [[Bajrang Dal]]
| occupation = Political activist
}}
'''Subash Chouhan''' was the national [[President (corporate title)|President]] of the [[Bajrang Dal]] (army of Hanuman), a [[Hindutva]] organization in India that is the youth wing of the [[Vishwa Hindu Parishad]] (VHP).

From 1995 to 2000 he was the [[Orissa State|Orissa state]] president of [[Hindu Jagran Manch]].
From 2000 to 2003 he was Joint prachar pramukh of [[Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh]] (RSS) Orissa.<ref name=offbio/>
In 2001 Subash Chouhan was also [[convenor]] of the [[Hindu Jagran Sammukhya]].<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://wwrn.org/articles/11701/?&place=india
|title=Hindus convert to Christianity in Orissa village
|author=Jatindra Dash
|work=Indo-Asian News Service
|date=22 November 2001
|accessdate=2012-04-21}}</ref>
From 2003 to 2006 Subash Chouhan was Convener of Bajrang Dal in Orissa.
From 2006 to 2007 he was zonal Convener of Bajrang Dal.<ref name=offbio/>
He was appointed co-convener of the Bajrang Dal at the national level in 2008.<ref>{{cite journal
|url=http://www.siawi.org/article539.html
|title=India: Murder and mayhem/Orissa - The Sangh Parivar's Reach for a Hindu State
|author=Angana Chatterji
|date=11 September 2008
|journal=[[Communalism Combat]]
|accessdate=2012-04-21}}</ref>
In July 2010 he was appointed Bajrang Dal National convenor and worked till October 2012.

==Hindu nationalism and morality==

[[Graham Staines]] was an Australian missionary who was burned to death in his car with his two young sons in January 1999.
Eyewitnesses said the people who committed the murder were shouting "Long live Bajrang Dal". However, in February 2003 India's [[Central Bureau of Investigation]] said none of the suspects belonged to the Bajrang Dal.
According to Subash Chouhan, "We were framed ... Now the truth has come to light".<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.hinduismtoday.com/blogs-news/hindu-press-international/militant-hindu-group-cleared-of-involvement-in-missionary-s-death/2663.html
|work=Hinduism Today
|title=Militant Hindu Group Cleared of Involvement in Missionary's Death
|date=2003-02-11}}</ref>
When Bollywood film producer [[Sunil Agnihotri]] said he was ready to start work on his film ''The Murder of a Missionary'', Subash Chouhan said "We will not allow the producer to shoot ... Such films will encourage the conversion of poor tribals to Christianity".<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.mombu.com/culture/pakistan/t-bajrang-dal-vows-to-disrupt-films-on-staines-hails-dara-4649839.html
|title=Bajrang Dal vows to disrupt films on Staines, hails Dara
|work=Indo-Asian News Service
|location=Bhubaneswar |date=31 October 2003}}</ref>
Subash Chouhan said his organization planned to make a movie called ''Dara: The Hero'' about Dara Singh, the man who was convicted of the murder.
He said "For us Staines was nothing less than a villain". He said the film would depict the "good work done by Dara in preventing conversion and cow slaughter" in the tribal areas.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.christianpost.com/news/hindu-fundamentalist-organization-to-depict-dara-as-hero-in-movie-902/
|work=[[The Christian Post]]
|title=Hindu Fundamentalist Organization to depict Dara as "Hero" in movie
|author=Surojit Chatterjee
|date=19 November 2003
|accessdate=2012-04-21}}</ref>{{Better source|reason=[[Wikipedia:Reliable sources/Noticeboard/Archive 189#www.christiandaily.com]]|date=April 2015}}

In July 2009 Subash Chouhan said two of the Bajrang Dal's main concerns were a complete ban on cow slaughtering and protecting poor people from conversion.
He said "Our aim is to reset the glory of Rama Raj and realize the dream of Mahatma Gandhi".
His organization was planning a major recruitment drive in the silver jubilee year, and was planning blood donation drives, forestry projects, anti-narcotics programs and programs to raise awareness of environmental problems and other social evils.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.mangaloremithr.com/news/story.aspx?News-ID=4960&Cat=Regional-News&Loc=Mangalore&Title=Suryanarayana-appointed-as-the-state-convener-of-Bajrang-Dal
|title=Suryanarayana appointed as the state convener of Bajrang Dal
|author=Alvin Mendonca |location=Mangalore
|date=7 August 2009
|work=Mangaloremithr
|accessdate=2012-04-21}}</ref>
In January 2008 he condemned a political science textbook named ''Indian Polity'' which described the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (BJP), Bajarang Dal, [[Shiv Sena]] and [[Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh]] (RSS) as "extensions of terrorist organisations". The publisher apologized for the mistake and said the book would be corrected.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://news.oneindia.in/2008/01/31/textbook-dubs-bjp-vhp-bajarang-dal-terrorist-outfits-1201770369.html
|work=OneIndia News
|title=Textbook dubs BJP, VHP, Bajarang Dal as terror outfits
|date=31 January 2008
|accessdate=2012-04-21}}</ref>

In February 2010 Subash Chouhan said his group would not allow the movie ''[[My Name Is Khan]]'' to be screened in Orissa.
He said of the star "[[Shah Rukh Khan|Shah Rukh]] has behaved like an agent of Pakistan by advocating the cause of Pakistani cricketers participating in the Indian Premier League".<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Bhubaneshwar/Bajrang-Dal-to-disrupt-screening-of-MNIK-seeks-SRK-apology/Article1-507126.aspx
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120711231131/http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Bhubaneshwar/Bajrang-Dal-to-disrupt-screening-of-MNIK-seeks-SRK-apology/Article1-507126.aspx
|url-status=dead
|archive-date=11 July 2012
|title=Bajrang Dal to disrupt screening of MNIK, seeks SRK apology
|work=[[Hindustan Times]]
|location=Bhubaneswar |date=9 February 2010
|accessdate=2012-04-21}}</ref>
In December 2011 the [[United Progressive Alliance]] national government said they would allow job reservation for minorities.
In protest, Bajrang Dal activists held a motorcycle rally in [[Jharsuguda]], Orissa.
Speaking at the rally, Subash Chouhan called the government action a violation of the constitution whose purpose was to woo voters from minority groups.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/bajrang-dal-decries-plan-to-appease-minorities/215062-60-117.html
|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130126010538/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/bajrang-dal-decries-plan-to-appease-minorities/215062-60-117.html
|url-status=dead
|archive-date=26 January 2013
|date=27 December 2011
|title=Bajrang Dal decries plan to appease minorities
|work=Express News Service
|accessdate=2012-04-21}}</ref>
In February 2012, with [[Valentine's Day]] approaching, he warned couples that "They cannot kiss or hug in public places. Our activists will beat them up".<ref>{{cite journal
|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-02-14/bhubaneswar/31058660_1_couples-malls-bajrang-dal
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120514091821/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-02-14/bhubaneswar/31058660_1_couples-malls-bajrang-dal
|url-status=dead
|archive-date=14 May 2012
|journal=[[The Times of India]]
|title=Valentine's Day: Fear stalks couples on day of love
|date=14 February 2012
|accessdate=2012-04-21}}</ref>
He said "We are not against love, but we criticize vulgar exhibition of love at public places".<ref>{{cite journal
|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-02-15/bhubaneswar/31062703_1_bajrang-dal-couples-dal-workers
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120514104326/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-02-15/bhubaneswar/31062703_1_bajrang-dal-couples-dal-workers
|url-status=dead
|archive-date=14 May 2012
|journal=[[The Times of India]]
|title=Bajrang Dal threat keeps couples at bay on V-Day
|date=15 February 2012
|accessdate=2012-04-21}}</ref>

==Conversion==

In 2003, as Orissa state convenor for the Bajrang Dal, Subash Chouhan claimed that missionaries in the state were zealously converting [[Adivasi]]s (tribal people) to Christianity, while "Islam fanatics" were converting [[Dalit]]s (formerly called "untouchables") to Islam.
He said that "reconversion" was working well with the Christians, but they were having less success with the Muslims since the mullahs "guard their children like chickens". He suggested that the Bajrang Dal might have to use force to "get the job done".<ref name=Chatterji20031102/>
In February 2005 two Protestant clergymen were killed in separate incidents in Orissa.
According to the ''Organizer'', the official weekly newspaper of the RSS, the recent violence was "a spontaneous reaction by local people against missioners adamant on conversion".
Subash Chouhan was quoted as saying "Christian organizations are on a warpath—accept their religion or face the music".<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Protestant-clergyman-killed-in-Orissa-state-2676.html
|work=Asia News
|date=03/01/2005
|title=Protestant clergyman killed in Orissa state
|accessdate=2012-04-21}}</ref>
In February 2012 as National President of the Bajarang Dal he attended a ceremony at [[Sundergarh]], Orissa organised by the VHP at which 3,127 people were converted to Hinduism.<ref name=Express20120224/>

==Communal violence==

A June 2005 session of the [[Indian People's Tribunal]] investigating communal conflict in [[Orissa, India|Orissa]] was disrupted by Hindu nationalists who threatened to rape female members of the tribunal and parade them naked through the streets.
Subash Chouhan denied that threats of rape had been made by Bajrang Dal members.<ref name=Williams20050623/>
However [[Angana Chatterji]], the co-convenor of the tribunal, reported in a letter to the [[National Human Rights Commission of India]] that Chouhan had said "if I continue, the Bajrang Dal and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad would strongly challenge and repress me". She noted that Chouhan's statements have been reported in the local press and on TV.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.sikhspectrum.com/082005/angana_ipt.htm
|work=SikhSpectrum.com Quarterly
|date=August 2005
|title=Letter to National Human Rights Commission
|accessdate=2012-04-21}}</ref>

On 23 August 2008 [[Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswati]] and other VHP leaders were killed in the [[Kandhamal district]] of Orissa.
The VHP and Bajrang Dal laid the blame on the [[Naveen Patnaik]] government, which they said had ignored warnings and failed to provide adequate security.
However, some senior [[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP]] ministers in the government refused to join in the criticism, revealing a split between the BJP and the more extreme "[[Saffronization|saffron]]" groups.
Subash Chouhan called for the ministers to resign.
He said the government's claim that Maoists could be behind the killings was laughable.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/parivar-rift-over-vhp-leaders-death/353634/1
|work=[[The Indian Express]]
|title=Parivar rift over VHP leader's death
|author=Debabrata Mohanty
|date=27 August 2008
|accessdate=2012-04-21}}</ref>
Later it was reported that the Maoist leader [[Sabyasachi Panda]] had said the Maoists had killed Laxamananda Saraswati, who was trying to revive Brahminism, since they wanted to achieve a caste-free society. Panda said Christians were the main supporters of his group and had urged the killings.<ref>{{cite journal
|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-10-05/india/27938513_1_orissa-s-rayagada-bjp-leaders-maoists
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110905185500/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-10-05/india/27938513_1_orissa-s-rayagada-bjp-leaders-maoists
|url-status=dead
|archive-date=5 September 2011
|journal=[[The Times of India]]
|title='Advani, Singhal, Togadia natural targets of Maoists'
|date=5 October 2008
|accessdate=2012-04-21}}</ref>
He said Swami Lakshmanananda had alleged that Christians had been killing cows, which are sacred animals to Hindus, and had been forcibly converting Hindus to Christianity.
Christian leaders denied these charges. Subash Chouhan said he did not believe the Maoist leader's claim of responsibility for the killings.<ref>{{cite journal
|url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2008-10-05-2441197418_x.htm
|journal=[[USA Today]]
|title=Report: Maoists say they murdered Hindu leader
|date=10/5/2008
|accessdate=2012-04-21}}</ref>

The August killings of VHP leaders triggered a surge of anti-Christian mob violence in Kandhamal district.<ref>{{cite journal
|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/kandhamal-situation-improves-curfew-lifted/375134/
|work=[[The Indian Express]]
|title=Kandhamal situation improves, curfew lifted in four areas
|author=Debabrata Mohanty
|location=Bhubaneswar
|date=19 October 2008
|accessdate=2012-04-21}}</ref>
Thousands of homes were burned and at least 36 people died.
Over 20,000 people, mostly Christians, were forced to take shelter in relief camps.
A night curfew was imposed and over 600 people were arrested.<ref name=Thaindian/>
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said on TV that many of those arrested were from Bajrang Dal, which he described as a fundamentalist group.
Subash Chouhan denied that any Bajrang Dal had been involved, saying "Bajrang Dal activists are doing selfless service for the country".<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/uncategorized/we-dont-need-a-certificate-from-patnaik-bajrang-dal_100108020.html
|work=Thaindian
|title=We don’t need a certificate from Patnaik: Bajrang Dal
|date=16 October 2008
|accessdate=2012-04-21}}</ref>
There was further violence in September in which tribal people attacked police and the police fired back, killing four people.
Subash Chouhan said the attack was organized by minorities led by a Christian in order to stir up trouble between the police and the innocent tribals.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080918/jsp/frontpage/story_9849397.jsp
|title=Deathly calm amid blame game - DGP sees ethnicity at core of Kandhamal's latest flare-up
|author=SUBRAT DAS
|work=[[The Telegraph (Calcutta)]]
|date=18 September 2008
|accessdate=2012-04-21}}</ref>
In October 2008 police prevented a group from entering the district that included [[Shyamji Gupta]], all India joint general secretary of the VHP, Gauri Prasad Rath, Orissa state secretary of the VHP and Subash Chouhan.<ref name=Thaindian/>

In October 2009 a number of US lawmakers wrote to Orissa chief minister [[Naveen Patnaik]] voicing their concern about continued violence against Christians in the state.
The letter said "... we're concerned that if Hindu extremists can act with impunity toward religious minorities in India, these extremists and their ideologies will begin to affect international security as well".
Subash Chouhan reacted by asking: "How can anyone say that Christians are the victims of violence at a time when bombs and firearms are being seized from Christian rehabilitation camp?"<ref>{{cite journal
|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-10-12/india/28104328_1_hindu-extremists-christian-leaders-hindu-organisations
|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130103120023/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-10-12/india/28104328_1_hindu-extremists-christian-leaders-hindu-organisations
|url-status=dead
|archive-date=3 January 2013
|journal=[[The Times of India]]
|title=Kandhmal riots: US lawmakers seek action
|author=Sandeep Mishra
|date=12 October 2009
|accessdate=2012-04-21}}</ref>
Subash Chouhan attacked the ''Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence Bill 2011'', which he said would lead to even greater polarization and communal conflict.
He described the bill as having been planned and conceived at the bidding of foreign powers as part of an "international conspiracy to target the Hindu society, its leaders and organisations".<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.newkerala.com/news/2011/worldnews-441.html
|title=Prevention of Targeted Violence Bill is draconian: Bajrang
|location=Bhubaneswar |date=4 June 2011
|work=New Kerala
|accessdate=2012-04-21}}</ref>

==See also==

*[[Bajrang Dal]]
*[[Religious violence in Orissa]]

==References==
{{reflist |refs=
<ref name=Chatterji20031102>{{cite journal
|url=http://www.countercurrents.org/comm-chatterji021103.htm
|title=Orissa: A Gujarat In The making
|author=Angana Chatterji
|journal=[[Communalism Combat]]
|date=2 November 2003
|accessdate=2012-04-21}}</ref>
<ref name=Express20120224>{{cite web
|url=http://newindianexpress.com/states/odisha/article323609.ece
|work=[[The New Indian Express]]
|title=Over 3,000 Return to Hindu Fold
|date=24 February 2012
|accessdate=2012-04-21}}</ref>
<ref name=offbio>{{cite web
|url=http://www.groundreport.com/World/Subhash-Chauhan-is-new-Chief-of-Bajrang-Dal_1/2926172
|work=Ground Report
|title=Subhash Chauhan is new Chief of Bajrang Dal
|date=20 July 2010
|accessdate=2012-04-21}}</ref>
<ref name=Thaindian>{{cite web
|url=http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/uncategorized/vhp-bajrang-dal-leaders-barred-from-visiting-kandhamal_100108564.html
|work=Thaindian News
|title=VHP, Bajrang Dal leaders barred from visiting Kandhamal
|date=17 October 2008
|accessdate=2012-04-21}}</ref>
<ref name=Williams20050623>{{cite journal
|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2005/06/23/MNG7ADDAE11.DTL
|journal=[[San Francisco Chronicle]]
|title=S.F. professor fears Hindu retaliation
|author=Mark Williams, Jehangir Pocha
|date=23 June 2005
|accessdate=2012-04-21}}</ref>
}}

Lower-middle-class family
Committed Leader

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chouhan, Subash}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1966 births]]
[[Category:People from Odisha]]
[[Category:Bajrang Dal members]]
[[Category:National Democratic Alliance candidates in the 2014 Indian general election]]
[[Category:Bharatiya Janata Party politicians from Odisha]]

Subash Chouhan - Revision history

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