The ACT Greens are under scrutiny after revelations that one of their candidates, Harini Rangarajan, compared Osama bin Laden to historical figures like Jesus Christ, Guru Tegh Bahadur and Bhagat Singh in a personal blog post, reports ABC. The blog, published under a pseudonym, surfaced just days before the upcoming ACT election on October 19, sparking criticism of the party’s vetting process.
The post, originally written under the name “Sivagama Sundari” on Substack, listed bin Laden alongside revered figures such as Jesus Christ, Che Guevara, and Joan of Arc.
It referred to them as martyrs who had made sacrifices for their causes, a statement that has drawn widespread condemnation, particularly from those who see it as an inappropriate and offensive comparison. Bin Laden, the mastermind of the September 11 attacks, is responsible for the deaths of nearly 3,000 people in 2001, making the comparison deeply controversial.
The post initially included the following line: “I’ve gone on to idolise several other martyrs- Bhagat Singh, Husayn ibn Ali, Guru Tegh Bahadur, Che Guevara, Jesus Christ, Balachandran Prabhakaran, Joan of Arc, Osama Bin Laden etc.” After the blog post was brought to light by ABC News Verify, Rangarajan edited it, replacing “etc.” with “lmao” and removing other controversial references.
Bhagat Singh: An Indian freedom fighter and revolutionary, Bhagat Singh played a key role in the struggle against British colonial rule and became a national hero after his execution in 1931 at the age of 23.
Husayn ibn Ali: The grandson of Prophet Muhammad, Husayn is a revered figure in Islam, especially for Shia Muslims, known for his martyrdom at the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD, symbolising the fight against tyranny.
Guru Tegh Bahadur: The ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur is remembered for his sacrifice to defend religious freedom, particularly for Hindus, and was executed by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in 1675.
Che Guevara: An Argentine Marxist revolutionary and key figure in the Cuban Revolution, Che Guevara became an international symbol of rebellion and anti-imperialism before being executed in Bolivia in 1967.
Jesus Christ: The central figure of Christianity, Jesus Christ is believed to be the Son of God and saviour by Christians, known for his teachings of love and forgiveness, and his crucifixion and resurrection.
Balachandran Prabhakaran: The 12-year-old son of Velupillai Prabhakaran, leader of the Tamil Tigers, Balachandran was killed during the final stages of the Sri Lankan civil war in 2009, sparking international controversy.
Joan of Arc: A French peasant girl who led French forces to several important victories during the Hundred Years’ War, Joan of Arc was executed by burning in 1431 and later canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church.
Osama Bin Laden: The leader of the terrorist group al-Qaeda, Osama bin Laden orchestrated the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, which killed nearly 3,000 people. He was killed by U.S. forces in 2011.
An ACT Greens spokeswoman told ABC News defending Rangarajan, stating that the post was a “creative writing exercise” aimed at exploring the absurdity of martyrdom and dying for ideological causes. The spokeswoman reiterated that the post did not reflect Rangarajan’s personal views and that the party strongly condemns all forms of terrorism.
“The Greens and Ms Rangarajan condemn terrorism in all its forms, as represented by Ms Rangarajan’s longstanding activism for women’s rights in Afghanistan,” the spokeswoman added to ABC News while acknowledging that the post could be misinterpreted and cause concern within the community.
Vetting Process Under Fire
This controversy has raised questions about the ACT Greens’ vetting process, as it was revealed that the party was aware of the blog post before selecting Rangarajan as a candidate. The Greens insisted that Rangarajan shared her “entire online presence” during the vetting process, including her Substack blog, and no edits were requested by the party. However, this has not quelled concerns about the party’s candidate selection and screening procedures.
Rangarajan, a 20-year-old university student studying finance, is contesting the seat of Murrumbidgee in the upcoming election. The Greens face stiff competition in the five-member electorate, particularly from independent candidate Fiona Carrick, who is predicted to have a strong chance of unseating the current Greens member, Emma Davidson.
This incident marks the second controversy involving Rangarajan this week. She was also filmed removing a Liberal flyer and replacing it with her own while door-knocking, an act for which she later apologised, calling it a “poor judgement call.”
The timing of the controversy is particularly problematic for the ACT Greens, who have already faced criticism for their handling of sexual misconduct allegations against former MLA Johnathan Davis. The party was recently criticised in an independent review for not reporting allegations involving Davis sooner, though an internal review found the party had not acted improperly.
As the October 19 election approaches, the Greens are now contending with a second scandal, with critics questioning their judgement in selecting candidates. Some are calling for stronger vetting and accountability within the party to avoid similar controversies in the future.
Defending the Party’s Stance
The ACT Greens have reiterated that their candidate, like the party itself, is staunchly opposed to terrorism and that the blog post was a fictional and exploratory piece of writing. Despite this defence, the comparison of a terrorist like bin Laden to revered figures such as Guru Tegh Bahadur and Bhagat Singh has drawn considerable backlash, particularly from sections of the Indian-Australian community who regard these individuals as national heroes and freedom fighters.
The upcoming election will determine if this controversy, along with the competition from independent candidates, will impact the Greens’ standing in Murrumbidgee and other key electorates. For now, the party will have to work hard to reassure voters about its candidate selection process and its commitment to upholding values of justice and integrity.
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