Magh Shukla 6 Vik Samvat 2069. Yugabda 5114: February 16, 2013



1. FESTIVALS: Mahashivaratri literally means the great night of Shiva or the night of Shiva. It is celebrated every year on the 13th night/14th day of the Maagha dark fortnight corresponding to March 10 this year. According to the Shiva Purana, the Mahashivaratri worship must incorporate six items: Bathing the Shiv Linga with water, milk and honey, and Wood apple or bel leaves added to it, representing purification of the soul; the vermilion paste applied on the Shiv Linga after bathing it, representing virtue; offering of fruits, which is conducive to longevity and gratification of desires;  burning incense, yielding wealth; the lighting of the lamp which is conducive to the attainment of knowledge; and betel leaves marking satisfaction with worldly pleasures.
2.  MAHA KUMBH: THREE CRORE TAKE A BATH ON MaUNI AMAVASYA DAY: The Maha Kumbh at Prayag recorded an astounding tally of over three crore devotees on the occasion of “mauni amawasya” on February 10. This is perhaps the largest religious congregation anywhere in the world. According to Mahant Avadheshanand Giri, head of the biggest ‘akhara’, the ‘Juna akhara’, the main reason for such a huge gathering was the rare stellar combination on this day which would only be seen after 147 years now. It is believed that the devotees who take a dip at the ‘sangam’ on this day can wash away all their sins and attain ‘moksha’.
3. MANGALORE VIBHAG SANGHIK CREATES HISTORY: More than 1.1 lakh RSS swayamsevaks in ‘purnaganavesh’ attended the Mangalore Vibhag Mahasanghik on the occasion of Swamy Vivekanand’s 150th anniversary on Pushya Bahula Saptami, the 5th February, (Swamiji’s birth anniversary day according to Hindu calendar). Mangalore Vibhag Karyavaaha PS Prakash said that swayamsevaks from 1150 villages were part of that mega Sanghik. It involved the mammoth effort of 10 months during which nearly 15,000 Swayamsevaks visited each house in the Vibhag to personally invite all of them to this event. RSS Sarakaryavah Suresh Joshi (Bhayyaji Joshi), M Venkataraam, Pranth Sangachaalak and Dr P Vaman Shenoy, Vibhag Sangachalak were present on the dais.
Sarasanghachalak Dr. Mohan Bhagwat said in his address,” Swami Vivekananda dreamt of starting an organization that will impart selfless and service-oriented education to the youth and thus create youngsters who will serve the society without any differences. Though Swamiji did not live long to realize this dream, but it seems that he was talking about the work of RSS. When a Swayamsevak goes to a shakha he goes to serve his motherland. Work of RSS is in the form of Swami Vivekananda’s wishes and words. In our daily Prarthana, we ask for those qualities in ourselves to serve this Hindu nation which Swamiji wanted to be inculcated in the youth.
4. VHP PASSES IMPORTANT RESOLUTION FOR CONSTRUCTION OF RAM TEMPLE: Kendriya Margadarshak Mandal (KMM), Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) in a resolution passed at its meet at Kumbha on February 7, has reminded the Government of Bharat of its statement on oath in Supreme Court of Bharat that if “it is proved that there was a Hindu place of worship or a Hindu building at the disputed site prior to 1528 A.D., the government will act as per Hindu sentiments.” The 30th September 2010 decision of the Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court has established that the place where Ramlala sits today is the birth place of Shri Ram and that there was a Hindu temple at that place prior to 1528 A.D. The KMM has called upon the Government of Bharat and the Muslim community to adhere to their statements. The KMM has also asked the Parliament to pass a bill in its autumn session to construct a Ram Temple and to hand over the place to Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas. It also asked for the handover of 70 acre surrounding land to the Nyas and not to allow any construction of Islamic Cultural Centre etc. within the cultural periphery of Ayodhya.
DHARMA SAMSAD: RSS Sarasanghachalak Dr. Mohan Bhagwat, VHP International President Dr Pravin Togadia and many prominent Sadhus attended the historic ‘Dharma Samsad’ at Prayag Kumbh Mela on February 7, 2013. Shri Bhagwat, addressing the Dharma Samsad, said “Ram Mandir is a matter of our & Bharat’s self-respect & we will make it at Ayodhya, Bhagwan Ram’s birth place. To make a law to make Ram Temple we will influence the Parliament; All in Bharat should come together to build grand temple of Bhagwan Ram.  
5.  ENSURE OUR STATES ARE NOT HIT BY YOUR BRAHMAPUTRA DAMS: Bharat  took an unusually sharp stand against China's unilateral moves to dam the Brahmaputra, saying it had "established user rights" to the river. Asserting itself for the first time, Bharat asked China "to ensure that the interests of downstream states are not harmed by any activities in upstream areas".
In its new blueprint for the energy sector for 2011-2015, China announced it would build three hydropower bases on the Yarlung Tsangpo river, at Dagu, Jiacha and Jiexu. A hydropower station at Zangmu is already under construction. The Chinese announcement earlier this week was not preceded by any consultation or sharing of information with New Delhi.
While this actually indicates China's consistent policy that it doesn’t believe it needs to engage Bharat on this, the Bharatiya response represents a distinct policy change. So far, Bharat's stated position was that it "agreed" with the Chinese statement that it would "not hurt Bharat's interests".
6. Modi Mesmerises DELHI UNIVERSITY students: The atmosphere was electric. The connect was instant. Gujarat chief minister, Narendra Modi at Shriram College of Commerce, Delhi not merely mesmerised 18,000 students but he received a standing ovation at the end of his 75-minute speech which proved that he indeed has touched hearts of the young Bharat. Today, the biggest challenge before Bharat is in how it uses opportunity. Our nation is rich in natural resources but we are not using it properly yet. Thus we are losing opportunities. Our economy is one third agriculture, one third industry and one third services. Each of them supports each other and we have developed all. There must be no one in the audience who has chai without milk from Gujarat in it. All the milk in Delhi is from Gujarat. Milk in Singapore is from Gujarat, Okra in Europe is from Gujarat. Tomatoes in Afghanistan are from Gujarat.
Modi said that Bharat must take its place in the global economy. Biggest thing holding Bharat back, is its slowness in adopting new technology. Skill development is the key. Whatever the colour of our skin we are no less than anyone in the world. Bharat’s youth has the desire but they have a lack of skills. Presently in Gujarat we are having skill development workshops.
7. Bharat-origin woman selected for Order of Australia Medal: 85-year old Krishna Arora, who has been running a community service  has been selected for this year's Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for her contribution to the Bharatiya community.
"When I came here, I found the only thing that needed attention was loneliness of new migrants. Someone said to me Australians pass their time by doing community work. I thought it was a great idea and then there was no looking back," said Arora, former principal of a Delhi-based catering college. Arora, also popularly known as 'Auntieji', runs a hotline tele service offering cooking tips.
8. Chouhan has made Madhya Pradesh a leader in farm ACTIVITIES: BJP MP Chandan Mitra said that it is due to the efforts of the Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan that the Madhya Pradesh has bagged the top award for agriculture, ‘Krishi Karman Award’, while addressing a Kisan Sammelan at Rajgarh on January 30. The farmers of Rajgarh district had gathered to express gratitude towards the Chief Minister for bringing this honour to them. The State stood at the forefront of the agricultural States in the country and this had been made possible largely by the efforts of the Chief Minister, Mitra said.
 9.        INDIA MUST REMAIN ALERT:
With Gwadar port deal, China flexes muscle
China's recent takeover of the management of the Gwadar port in Pakistan has understandably been a cause of concern in New Delhi. Once fully-operational, this warm water deep sea port located in the restive Balochistan Province could easily prove to be the most lustrous element in China's much talked about ‘string of pearls' — a reference to Beijing's many strategic investment projects in South and South East Asia. Apart from the Gwadar port in Pakistan for which China provided about 75 per cent of the initial $309 million in construction costs, these projects include the Hambantota port in Sri Lanka, the Marao port in The Maldives, the Chittagong port in Bangladesh and the Sittwe port in Burma. When plotted on a map, they look like a ‘string of pearls' encircling India. Of course, China has consistently denied that the investments are part of any overall design to ‘contain' India. Towards that end, it has repeatedly pointed out that the ports are purely commercial in nature and essentially aimed at securing its own sea lanes. For instance, the Gwadar port has the potential to open up a new trade route for China in the Indian Ocean and towards West Asia that does not cut through the Strait of Malacca. Dominated in the north by the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the Malacca Strait is under the purview of US naval power, and China would like nothing better than to have access to a sea port that is not controlled by a superior military power.
In fact, even South Block has sought to soothe frayed nerves by urging people not to “overreact” to the development and instead, accept the handover of Gwadar port from the Port of Singapore Authority to the Chinese Overseas Port Holdings Limited as a purely commercial transaction carried out in the “normal course of things”. Unfortunately, China's recent record of assertiveness and indeed even outright belligerence in its immediate neighbourhood, particularly in the South China Sea region, offers little comfort. After all, a commercial port today can always be converted into a naval base tomorrow. And even if that is not the case, the Gwadar port in its non-military avatar will still serve as a good listening post for the Chinese. This will be particularly valuable to Beijing as it allows it some presence in the Indian Ocean region where it has no territorial presence. Moreover, when fully developed, the Gwadar port will also be beneficial to the Pakistani military. Located 400 kms away from India, the port offers a perfect alternative to the one in Karachi that is within India's striking range and through which passes almost all of Pakistan's trade.
Having said that, however, it must also be made clear that it will probably be a while before either China or Pakistan can exploit Gwadar to its full potential. For one, the supplemental infrastructure work that was to be done by the Pakistani Government in terms of building a transport network leading to the port is still far from complete. Consequently, the port has seen minimal activity in recent months — in fact, no ship has docked at Gwadar since November 2012. Finally, there is also the Baloch unrest factor that has to be taken into consideration. The Balochis are strongly opposed to the Chinese in general and the project in particular, and they are certain to put up a strong resistance.
(Editorial, Daily Pioneer, February 5, 2013)
10.  There's nothing called saffron terror: Deoband: Darul Uloom Deoband has dismissed the use of term 'saffron terrorism'. Maulana Ashraf Usmani - the spokesperson of Darul Uloom Deoband - one of the most important centres for Islamic studies in Asia, said on Feb 9 that he disapproved the concept of saffron terror. He said attributing communal colors to terrorism will only make the situation worse. "Terrorism cannot be attached to a particular country, religion or community. How can anything dealing with carnage of innocent people be linked to something as pious and pure as religion," he questioned.
Maulana Ashraf made the statement while commenting on the hanging of Afzal Guru for his involvement in the Parliament. He said the law had taken its course, adding "all terrorists will have to face the same thing as their actions are illegal in the eyes of the law of the land. All those who indulge in such activities should meet a similar fate.”   
11. RSS IT Milan: Taking Vivekananda’s Message to the APARTMENTS: RSS IT Milans of Bengaluru, under the aegis of Vivekananda Kendra, set upon a huge task of taking Vivekananda’s words of wisdom to the doorsteps of the citizens and kids of nearly 165 apartments on January 27, 2013 to commemorate Swami Vivekananda’s 150th birth year. Eminent personalities and senior executives from the IT and other fields were chosen to deliver lectures to the adults on ‘Swami Vivekananda’s vision on National Regeneration’. These were followed by a ‘Balabharathi’ session for kids organized in 122 apartments and reaching out to nearly 1900 kids aged between 5 to 11. Balabharati sessions comprised of traditional games, recitation of ‘shlokas’ and bhajans and telling of inspiring mythological stories.
12. SAMSKRIT TEACHING CAMPS IN AUSTRALIA: Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Australia organized Samskrit teaching camps in Australia – from 16th to 20th of January at Sydney and Parramatta for the learners. Shri Vasuvaj, a Samskrit scholar from Samskrit Bharati taught the learners how to construct sentences, make introduction and ask questions. He advised them not to think in English, but to think in our mother tongues—as all Bharatiya languages are similar. In the last hour of every lesson, Vasuvaj asked them to perform a play, enabling them to develop their ability to speak and understand the language as the plays had to be written and performed only in the Sanskrit language. A Voluntary Teachers Training Camp was also held on January 26th and 27th.
13. Agni-VI to carry multiple warheads: Bharat is developing Agni-VI, a successor to the ballistic missile that can carry multiple warheads. Scientific advisor to the defence minister and DRDO chief VK Saraswat on February 8 said Agni-VI will be able to carry multiple warheads, enabling one weapon system to take out several targets at a time.
"While the Agni-V is major strategic defence weapon, the Agni-VI will be a force multiplier as it will have multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicle (MIRV) capability," said Saraswat. The MIRV capability will enable one missile to carry multiple payloads in a single launch. The design of the Agni-VI has been completed and the DRDO is pursuing the hardware-realisation phase. While Agni-V has a strike range of about 5,000 km, the Agni-VI will have a strike range of more than 5,000 km.                                                                      
14.  KUMBH PILGRIMS DECLARE GANGA AS 'GREEN VALENTINE : Over 500 "green Kumbh" participants, from more than 45 countries, carried out a rally at the Maha Kumbh mela to declare river Ganga as country's 'green valentine' on the occasion of Valentine's Day on Feb 14. The event filled with dance and music was organised by Ganga Action Parivar (GAP) and was attended by its founder and president of Rishikesh's Parmarth Niketan Ashram, Swami Chidanand Saraswati. "Ganga is the past, present, and future of Mother Bharat. She quenches our thirst, cleanses our bodies, irrigates our fields and brings divine liberation and purity to every moment of every day," Muni Chidanand Saraswati said.
Several spiritual leaders like Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev of Isha Foundation and B A Swami Paramadvaiti, a Vaishnavite spiritual leader and environmentalist from Germany, also participated in the event. Participants wore colours of the Bharatiya flag to give out its environmentally-conscious message.
15.  GUJARAT’S GOOD SHOW IN URBAN PROJECTS PUTS UPA IN A SPOT: Gujarat's high rating in urban infrastructure development projects under the Centre's flagship JNNURM scheme seems to have become a new headache for the government at a time when UPA-2 would like to highlight its achievements before the next national polls. So far, a majority of models suggested by the Union urban development (UD) ministry are from Gujarat, whether it's self-financing of a road project or intelligent traffic While another 'best model' in public transport system has become a reality in BJP-ruled Karnataka, only one Congress-ruled state has followed suit ,Rajasthan with 'Alwar Vahini'. The latest one was the Centre pushing the Surat model of developing an outer ring road without any government investment. Under this model, the project would generate about Rs 11,960 crore over five years against an investment of Rs 5,796 crore.
However, for the Congress-led UPA, this is a sour pill to swallow and allow Narendra Modi's government to take the credit of successfully demonstrating best models of urban development.
16.  Ghosh Tarang: A three days Ghosh Shivir of Andhra Pradesh was held on 8,9,10 February, 2013 in Hyderabad. A grand Ghosh demonstration by 900 swayamsevaks was the special attraction of the Sarvajannik Utsav attended by thousands of people on conclusion of the Shivir. Suresh Joshi alias Bhayyaji Joshi, RSS Sarkaryavaha addressed the audience.  Jagadish Prasad, Akhil Bharatiya Sah Sharirik Pramukh, Mangesh Bhende Kshetra Pracharak AP and Karnataka and others including many famous personalities from Telugu film industry were also present.
17. England students create artwork on Mahashivaratri:  Sixty Art and Design students of West Suffolk College in United Kingdom have been reportedly producing innovative artwork based on Hindu festival of Mahashivaratri. It includes portraits, complex shadow puppet animation with digital technology, a film and life-size three-dimensional sculptures of Lord Shiva. This project also explored the link between Hindu philosophy and modern science, resulting in some "particularly powerful images". West Suffolk College in Bury St. Edmunds (Suffolk, England), whose history goes back to 1951, with about 19,000 students and turnover of GBP27 million, delivers 856 courses and uses over a hundred different venues around the county to deliver its programs.
18.  National Conference on ‘Swami Vivekanand Ke Sapno Ka Bharat’:  On the occasion of 150th Birth Anniversary Year (Sardhsati) of Swami Vivekanand ji, Deendayal Research Institute organized a two-day national conference on the theme of “Swami Vivekanand Ji ke Sapno Ka Bharat” at Udyamita Vidyapeeth, Chitrakoot on 11-12 February 2013. The conference was chaired by Madhubhai Kulkarni, RSS National Executive Member, Renowned thinker K.N. Govindacharya delivered the keynote address in the inaugural session. In the closing ceremony participants and delegates from more than 32 institution and Universities from 9 states of the country and 2 other countries had the pleasure to listening to Er. Rajendra Shukla, minister of Energy and mining resources of MP Govt., Others who spoke included   Madhubhai Kulkarni, Surrendran Ji organizing secretary of BMS, Juilion Bory Chairman of Global Denture Association France.
19. ABVP ACTIVIST HONORED WITH PADMASHREE: The Government of Bharat has honored Milind Kamble, a prominent face in the Dalit movement with most coveted ‘Padmashree” award this year.
Milind Kamble, a construction engineer, was Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) full time activist for three years.
Milind launched the biggest ever web site on Dr.Babasaheb Ambedkar. His significant contribution was establishment of Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industries (DICCI) and thereby giving a new dimension to the Dalit movement in Bharat. “We will not beg for jobs henceforth but will give jobs to job seekers” was his new mantra that generated a new confidence amongst the Dalit community. Now DICCI has its chapters in almost all the states of Bharat and the Government of Bharat has granted recognition to DICCI as official chamber.
20.  Bharat Parikrama Yatra: RSS Pracharak Sitarama Kedilaya led Bharat Parikrama Yatra entered Karavle village in Kalyan Jilla of Konkan Pranth on 30th Jan’2013. Shri Kedilaya addressed a gathering of more than 100 people about gram vikas. Samskrut Bharati karyakartas from Dombivili visited him along with senior pracharak Shirish Bedasgaonkar. RSS Sarasanghachalak Mohan Bhagwat, Sarakaryavah Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi met Sitaram Kedilaya at Panwel, Mharashtra on January 28, 2013.
21. OVER 25 LAKH ATHLETES PARTICIPATE IN KHEL MAHAKUMBH
Gujrat CM Narendra Modi came down heavily against the proposed decision of the International Olympic Committee to abolish wrestling from the Olympics on 13th February while addressing the concluding ceremony of Khel Mahakumbh 2012-2013 and strongly urged the Prime Minister and the Government of Bharat to take the lead and oppose this decision. He congratulated all the 25 lakh participants of the sports extravaganza and added that 72 new records have been set.
Prizes worth Rs. 32 crore were given during the Khel Mahakumbh. Shri Modi shared that over 8 lakh women athletes and over 92,000 specially abled athletes participated in the meet.
He expressed joy that so many people above the age of 45 are participating in the meet with great zeal. Others who spoke were Cabinet Minister Shri Ramanlal Vora, Australia’s trade commissioner in Bharat Mr. Tom Calder.
22.   SC PULLS UP CBI IN BABRI MASJID DEMOLITION CASE: CBI's submission in the Babri Masjid demolition case that senior BJP leader L K Advani and others had committed a 'national crime' drew a sharp reaction from the Supreme Court on February 6 which asked the agency not to use such a language till the case is decided by the courts."Please don't say that it is a national crime or a matter of national importance. We are yet to decide it. Until we or trial court decide this way or other, you can't make such statements," a bench headed by Justice H L Dattu said.
The bench made the observations after senior advocate P P Rao, appearing for CBI, submitted that leaders of BJP and VHP were involved in a "national conspiracy" which was reflected in the Rath Yatra and its a case of "national crime".
During arguments, the bench also questioned CBI over the delay in hearings before the special court and the filing of the appeal challenging the verdicts of the two courts.
"You said that it is a case of national importance. Then can you say that the translation (of court records) takes days and filing of case takes three months," the bench said.
23.  Durga Vahini stopped Naked and Nude Exhibition in Delhi: Durga Vahini, the women wing of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, on February 4 shut down the exhibition called "The Naked and the Nude - The body in Indian modern art" held by Delhi Art Gallery in Hauz Khas Village, New Delhi. Mrs Sanjana Chaudhary, the state convener Duga Vahini said that she had personally seen all such paintings and called the police to stop it as the nude and obscene paintings which show women in very bad light and disrespectfully is highly objectionable. The gallery was later closed.
24.  SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Visitors: Ma. Dr.Vinod Ambastha – USA, Ashwin Popat, Balkrishna Tejpal, Ramesh Jogia, Haridas Pankhania, Harish Raja and Smt Prafulla Raja - UK Pravaas: Shri Ravikumarji sahsamyojak Vishwa Vibhag will return from Singapore and Australia.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: That man (Swami Ramakrishna Paramahamsa) was the embodiment of renunciation. In our country it is necessary for a man who becomes a Sannyasin to give up all worldly wealth and position, and this my master carried out literally. … … … He was a triumphant example, a living realization of the complete conquest of lust and of desire for money.  He was beyond all ideas of either, and such men are necessary for this century. Such renunciation is necessary in these days when men have begun to think that they cannot live a month without what they call their “necessities,” and which they are increasing out of all proportion. It is necessary in a time like this that a man shall arise to demonstrate to the skeptics of the world that there yet breathes a man who does not care a straw for all the gold or all the fame that is in the universe. – Swami Vivekanand.

JAI SHREE RAM

FUNDAMENTALS OF FNDAMENTALISM
RATAN SHARDA
Typical politically correct statements are being made for last many months since the invention of word ‘Hindu terrorism’ or ‘saffron terrorism’. The hold-all statements of various shades can be summarized in two statements – “terrorism has no religion” and “all kinds of fundamentalism are bad”. While one may agree with the first statement, the latter statement is born out of ignorance, or anxiety to sound politically correct.
We need to differentiate and delineate the finer nuances of fundamentalism of different faiths/religions/ traditions.  A few of my learned friends felt that the terms like ‘secularism’ and ‘fundamentalism’ have been hijacked by West-oriented intellectuals and given certain shades and it is futile to put in efforts to change these perceptions. However, I think, that such debates are required to bring back the right sense to such words. So, let us try to look at the fundamentals of different religions and see how fundamentalism of one faith is much different from another faith.
Since, the fingers are currently pointed at Hindu fundamentalism, supposedly as dangerous as Islamic fundamentalism, let us put Hindu dharma on one side and Islam and Christianity on the other.  I am using Hindu dharma as a ‘way of  life’ that encompasses different religions and faiths born in India viz. traditionally called Hindu religion (Vedic/Sanatan), Jainism, Buddhism, Sikhism and various other sects  that grew out of traditional Vedic traditions or deviated from  mainstream Hinduism.  Since, they are all born in Bharat and from same roots, there are many common ethos and practices which are common to all of them. Similarly, Islam and Christianity also have common roots, though they are adversaries today. Both are born out of Abrahamic faith of which Jew religion is the fountainhead. All of them are born in holy Palestinian region, so they too have many common traditions and way of practicing their religions.  Thus, I shall be addressing the two groups as Hindus and Abrahamic for easy comparison.  At this moment in history, there is a lot of difference between Christianity and Islam. However, when the comparison is at a broader level, we can take the common practices that are at the roots of these faith systems.
The fundamental difference between Hindu and Abrahamic religions is that Hindus believe in concept of knowledge and faith that can have space for different beliefs.  As I note in my book ‘Secrets of RSS’ it means, “My faith is true and so is yours”. For Abrahamic religions it is, “Mine is the only truth”.  An oft repeated Sanskrit shloka says, “Truth is one, different people say it differently”. This creates an environment of mutual respect.  For Abrahamic religions there is only one truth, all other beliefs are ‘false’.  Thus, while Hindu dharma is ‘inclusive’, Abrahamic religions are ‘exclusive’, where there is no place for different views about the ultimate truth. Therefore, Abrahamic religions have One Book, while Hindu dharma does not have one authorized scripture that must be obeyed by all the followers. For Hindus, one is free to choose one’s path to attain moksha, not bound by what The Supreme book says.
From this foundational framework flow more differences in approach.  Hindu thought allows different philosophies to crop up and prosper without any problem; Abrahamic thought does not brook such deviations. This has led to religious wars and bloodshed over question of faith, while Bharat has hardly seen such bloodshed in the name of faith. Thus, Hindu dharma system presides over a republic of religions, while Abrahamic faith systems may be termed as one party rule or dictatorship.
Due to this reason, West has seen exodus of various people at different periods of history, Bharat has never seen such exodus (except during partition, brought about by a demand for separate country based on religion). It has given shelter to such persecuted people from across the world - right from Syrian Christians, Jews to Parsis since hundreds of years.
Rajiv Malhotra, a public intellectual, notes that Hindu dharma followers may not necessarily need a medium to reach the Supreme being, while in case of Abrahamic religions,  if you do not believe in the prophet or the son of  God, there is no salvation for you. It is a pre-condition for liberation. A priest in Hindu tradition is not a medium; he is only a person who facilitates religious rituals. Closest in this sense of a medium is Guru, but even Guru is not a pre-condition, nor is allegiance to one Guru necessary. There are enough examples of people who attained self-realization without a Guru or through a number of Gurus.
Hindu dharma being a way of life and not really the only ‘way of life’, even an ‘atheist’ scholar like Chaarvaak can be a Hindu called a ‘rishi’. This is simply not possible in Abrahamic belief systems and the ‘atheist’ or ‘heretic’ may be prosecuted or persecuted for blasphemy.
Abrahamic religions believe in ‘niraakaar’ (or formless) God Almighty, while Hindus can believe in ‘niraakaar’ or ‘saakaar’ (having a body which can be seen). Within this too, a believer can seek his God in any form that he believes in. There are no ‘false’ gods, there is a freedom of choice. They can be as comfortable with Jesus Christ  as they are with Krishna.
Abrahamic religions tell their followers that only theirs is the true path and would bring salvation to their followers, and all other ‘non-believers’ would land up in hell for not following the prophet and his religion. It is enjoined as their duty to convert others to save them from ‘hell’. With this as their duty, their followers have aggressively followed the directions coming from their prophets or holy books  to win over countries, to convert the ‘non-believers’ to ‘save’ them,  to earn goodwill of their ‘God’ and a place in ‘heaven’. Thus, attacks by these faithfuls generally leave behind a trail of destruction of defeated people, their monuments and religious places etc.
Compared to this, none of the different off-shoots of Hindu dharma have ever gone out aggressively or attacked any population to spread their religion. Their spread has been through propagation of their ideas and acceptance by the local populace.  China and whole of South East Asia is living proof of this pacifist approach of Hindu tradition based religions.  Utilizing debates (shaastraarth) rather than sword  by Adi Shankaracharya to win over Buddhist scholars is classic example that saw the revival of Vedic religion.
The idea of ‘republic of faiths’ is the reason why democracy in its primary form was prevalent in the times of Mauryas and why it took roots so easily post-independence. The inherently built mental frame work of ‘One party rule’ or dictatorship is the reason why no Islamic country, except Indonesia and Malaysia has true democracy. It was possible in these countries because they were cut-off from Wahhabi influence of Saudi Arabia for long and had a strong Hindu-Buddhist background to their ethnic  culture. Now, as Saudi Arabia funded Wahhabism  is slowly making inroads into these regions,  one can see similar intolerance for other faiths emerging in these countries too.
Similar to South East Asian experience, some critics talk of Sufism in Islam that is syncretic and comparatively secular, but forget that Sufism is born out of Bharatiya soil that had overwhelming Hindu influence, and Sufis were considered deviants by dominant Islamic scholars. They adopted the principle of giving space to other belief systems and made Islam more acceptable to ‘non-believers’.  In current milieu, ‘sufism’ has more resonance in Hindus than in Islamists. The ‘sufi’ music so popular these days, cannot be played in mosques as music is un-Islamic.
All Hindu dharma based faiths, in fact even other pre-Abrahamic religions globally, believe in principles of karma, re-incarnation and worship nature as a form of ‘Supreme Being’. Principle of ‘ahimsa’ is born out of this respect for all living beings and nature. From these thoughts flow the teachings of Hindu traditions to preserve nature, farmers first worshipping mother earth before putting his plough on her and an artisan worships the land ‘bhumi puja’ before he digs it to make a house.  For a Hindu,  he or she is part of an entirely integrated universe.  Thus, love for environment and its preservation is inherent in Hindu tradition. Abrahamic religions believe that their ‘God’ has given them right to enjoy ‘earth’ to fulfill their desires as it is a gift to them from ‘Almighty’ and thought of environmental protection is born out of compulsion in West as it faces dire consequences of the pillage of the planet for its unrestricted growth and self-aggrandizement.
Reader may note that I have not talked of any current social or historical examples to bolster my argument or criticize any faith as I wished to take it up at an academic level and let readers ponder over the fundamentals of different faith systems.  Whatever has been stated above is easily available on public platforms, on official websites and religious scriptures of different faith systems. One can form one’s own opinion about what can happen when different systems go back to their fundamentals or become fundamentalists. Once we absorb these thoughts, we would not easily make sweeping statement that ‘all kinds of fundamentalism are bad’.
(http://www.merinews.com/article/fundamentals-of-fundamentalism/15881193.shtml)

Magh Krishna 5 Vik Samvat 2069. Yugabda 5114: February 1, 2013

1. FESTIVALS: Shivaji Jayanti: Shivaji was born in the fort of Shivneri on Phalgun Vadi Tritiya in Shaka Samvat 1551 corresponding to 19th February 1630, which is celebrated as Shivjayanti in Maharshtar and all over Bharat. . He was a great Hindu leader and as Swami Vivekananda described, “Shivaji is one of the greatest national saviours who emancipated our society and our Dharma when they were faced with the threat of total destruction. He was a peerless hero, a pious and God fearing king and verily a manifestation of all the virtues of a born leader of men described in our ancient scriptures.”  
2. Nation is in cusp of another generational change: PRANAB MUKHERJEE: Triggering a fresh debate in the context of the brutal gangrape in Delhi and youth protests that followed, Rashtrapati Pranab Mukherjee in his first address to the nation on the eve of the 64th Republic Day on January 25 raised a question whether the country’s legislature reflects emerging Bharat or does it need radical reforms. Asking whether corruption has overtaken morality in life, he said elected representatives must win back people’s confidence and the anxiety and the restlessness of the youth has to be channelised towards change with speed, dignity and order.
Mr. Mukherjee emphasised on the importance of Education calling it the ladder that can help those at the bottom to rise to the pinnacles of professional and social status.
3.  Perfect blend of might & cultural diversity: Bharat’s rich cultural heritage and military prowess were on display on January 26 when the national Capital led the nation in celebrating the 64th Republic Day. Thousands braved the morning winter chill to cheer the contingents of armed forces marching down the majestic Rajpath from Raisina Hills to India Gate. Colourful tableaux from different States added to the glamour and appeal of the occasion.
The highlight of the 90-minute long parade was the nuclear-capable 5,000 km Agni-V ballistic missile developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation, flight-tested last year. A fly-past by the air force provided the grand finale. As the Sun came out dispelling the slight haze that had enveloped the Capital in the morning, visitors got a clear view of the stupendous fly-past.
The impressive march-past was watched by Chief Guest Bhutan king Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and other dignitaries.  
4. SV150 CELEBRATION AT PALACE OF WESTMINSTER IN LONDON: Metropolitan Police Hindu Association (MPHA) and Hindu Academy, Lords, M.P.s, Senior Police Officers and staff from Metropolitan Police Service and prominent Hindu community/group representatives came together on 24 January 2013 to celebrate Swami Vivekanand’s 150th Birth Anniversary in the Jubilee Room and the International Parliamentary Union Room at the Houses of Parliament.
Keith Vaz formally welcomed all dignitaries and guests and read out a message from Ed Milliband, leader of the Labour Party.
MPS Deputy Commissioner Craig Mackey stated that he had read about Swami Vivekananda and was impressed that his messages continue to be valuable 150 years later. Jay Lakhani, Director of Hindu Academy and first Hindu tutor at Eton College, the keynote speaker who has delivered classes in Hinduism for thousands of youth nationally, spoke about touring universities nationally with Swami Vivekananda presentations and found that the scientific basis of these teachings struck a chord with the youth.  Commander Neil Basu of the MPS delivered Swamiji’s 1893 speech at Chicago in a majestic manner. 
This celebration saw overwhelming enthusiasm with an entirely full Jubilee room, many standing and many listening intently outside as there was little space remaining in the room.
5. Ban RSS, BJP if we are terrorists: Rajnath dares Shinde: In a scathing attack on Sushilkumar Shinde over his "Hindu terror" remarks, BJP president Rajnath Singh has said the Home Minister had hurt Bharat’s image by his comments and dared him to ban the RSS and BJP and arrest all their leaders if there was any evidence against these organisations.
Questioning the silence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi over the remarks, the BJP chief made it clear that his party will continue its "oust-Shinde" campaign even in the Budget Session of Parliament expected to begin in the third week of next month.
6.  4.5 million take dip in Sangam on Paush Purnima: Over 4.5 million people, including one million Kalpwasis took a dip in the Sangam on the second ritual bathing day Paush Purnima, January 28. The attraction for the bathing was the first ‘snan’ (bathing) of one million Kalpwasis, who start their one-month-long stay in the ‘magh’ month in the mela from today. Kalpwasis are said to be staying around 1,000 bighas land and would be taking holy dip three times a day.
They would also be sleeping on bare ground and would take meals once a day. Majority of Kalpwasis had their dip in the sangam in the early hours, who had come from different states like Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Delhi and Punjab and had arrived on the banks of Ganga for their month-long stay.
7.  4th National Conference of Sahakar Bharati: RSS Sarasanghachalak Shri Mohan Bhagwat inaugurated 4th Annual National Conference of Sahakar Bharati in Bangalore, on January 18. More than 5000 delegates, including 800 Mahila delegates, from all over the country, from over 1000 co-operative institutions, attended the 2-day conference.
Shri Bhagwat said on the occasion, “Co-operation is not something to be taught to a man. We will not be able to work in Sahakar Bharati or for co-operative movement if we do not understand the purpose of the movement. The word and concept ‘co-operation’ emerged in the West; our word is ‘Sahayog’ and ‘Sahakar’. Our work should be to unite people. Everyone is a citizen of this nation. A Dalit, a Brahmin, and everyone else belongs to this one nation. This should be our inspiration and this should also drive the co-operative movement. Chief Minister of Karnataka Jagadish Shettar said that Gandhiji gave lot of importance to the co-operative movement. He said Sahakar Bharati is doing a great job to keep the movement running successfully and we all need to support it.
8.  'Viveka Ratham’ takes Swami Vivekananda’s message to villages: A mobile van named ‘Viveka Ratham’ designed to stock, display and sell spiritual books and magazines was flagged off by the Mayor of Chennai Corporation Saidai Duraiswamy during the 150th year celebrations of Swami Vivekananda at SKMNS PMC Vivekanananda Vidyalaya Junior College, Perambur.  The van was the idea of Tamil Nationalist weekly ‘Vijayabharatham’ to spread Swami Vivekananda’s message upto the door steps of the remotest village in Tamilnadu.  The Mayor in his inaugural address appreciated the students who remembered more than 20 quotable quotes of Swami Ji.
9.  RSS follows Vivekananda’s Ideals: KC Kannan: RSS and its affiliated organizations are working tirelessly to propagate the ideals of Swami Vivekananada to make Bharat regain its historic glory of Vishwa Guru, said  KC Kannan, RSS Sah Sar Karyavah at Itanagar recently. Addressing a huge gathering of Arunachal’s esteemed intelligentsia at Hotel Tosum Conference Hall, Kannan said, spreading the human philosophy of the great monk to embrace world without any distinction would be the greatest tribute to him on his 150th birth anniversary.
Chief Engineer, Govt of Arunachal Pradesh Anong Perme in his prsidential address said, the religious conflicts would end in the society if the meaning of religion or dharma – assimilation and not division – as defined by Swamiji is understood properly.
In his week-long visit to Arunachal Pradesh, Shri Kannan addressed similar huge gatherings at Pasighat, Aalo and Seppa also.
10. RASHTRAPATIJI’s assurance TO RASHTRA Sevika Samiti:  On 16th January 2013, a delegation of Rashtra Sevika Samiti led by Smt. Pramila Tai Medhe- former Pramukh Sanchalika, Smt. Asha Sharma, joint secretary, and other office bearers along with leader of opposition Smt. Sushma Swaraj met Rashtrapati Pranab Mukharjee at Rashtrapati Bhawan. Smt. Pramila Tai Medhe shared her experience of the safety of women being threatened due to interference by the influential and mighty persons. Rashtrapati ji ensured that his office would see to it that administration is allowed to work fearlessly. Rashatrapati ji also referred to certain proposed amendments in Evidence Act so that the victim of sexual assault is not re-victimised during cross examination. Rashatrapati ji appreciated the recommendations suggested by Rashtra Sevika Samiti particularly the idea of introducing moral education right at the primary level of education.
11.  bharat test-fires underwater missile: Bharat, on January 27, successfully test-fired the underwater ballistic missile, K-15 (code-named B05), off the Visakhapatnam coast, marking an end to a series of developmental trials. In its twelfth flight trial, the 10-metre tall Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM) lifted off from a pontoon, rose to an altitude of 20 km and reached a distance of about 700 km as it splashed down in the waters of the Bay of Bengal near the pre-designated target point. According to scientific advisor to the Defence Minister V.K. Saraswat, the missile was tested for its full range of 700 km and the mission met all its objectives.
12.  ANANTHAMURTHY AMONG MAN BOOKER INTERNATIONAL PRIZE FINALISTS: U R Ananthamurthy is among 10 writers shortlisted for this year's Man Booker International Prize. The list of writers announced at the Jaipur Literature Festival on January 24, among others includes Pakistani novelist Intizar Husain. The winner will be announced in May. "Ananthamurthy is one of the most important representatives of the 'Navya' or 'New Movement' in the literature of Kannada language, which is spoken by over 50 million people in Bharat and abroad. “His work is known for its humanity and its courage in questioning cultural norms," said Turkish-American writer Elif Batuman, one of the five jury members for the prize.
13. DAUGHTER OF AN AUTO-RICKSHAW TOPS CA EXAM: Prema Jayakuymar, 24, the daughter of an auto rikshaw driver in Mumbai, secured the first rank in the examination conducted by the prestigious Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bharat in November 2012. “It's my lifetime achievement. For me the key to success is hardwork,” she said when asked about how she felt about having topped the examination, one of the toughest in the country.
Slightly built and modest, Prema, who earned Rs 6,000 a month during her articleship at Chartered Accountancy firm Kishore Seth & Company, credited her father Jayakumar Perumal and homemaker mother Lingammal for her success.
14.   3 scientists of DRDO earn padma awards: DRDO chief Vijay Kumar Saraswat, who is also the scientific adviser to the defence minister, and the BrahMos CEO and  A Sivathanu Pillai have both been awarded the Padma Bhushan. DRDO chief controller R&D (missiles and strategic systems) Avinash Chander, in turn, has been honoured with the Padma Shri. All the three defence scientists have been engaged in the development of missile systems, both strategic and tactical, for long years.
Saraswat has in particular been closely associated with the development of the two-tier ballistic missile defence system, which while it has been tested several times is still at least two years away from operational deployment. Pillai has been the person behind the joint development with Russia of the 290-km range BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, which is now operational with the Navy and the Army. Chander, in turn, is the mission director for the Agni series of ballistic missiles, which clocked a new benchmark in April last year when the country's most ambitious missile the over 5,000-km range Agni-V missile was tested for the first time.
15. man who saved Bengal: The Life and Times of Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee
Author: Tathagata Roy Publisher: Prabhat, Rs 900
The book holistically explores the life of Syama Prasad Mookerjee, says Saradindu Mukherji
Syama Prasad Mookerjee, one of our last Mohicans, has not received much scholarly attention primarily due to the stranglehold of the public sector ‘intellectuals’ committed to the Nehruvian pan-Islamic, Leftist worldview. Tathagata Roy’s biography, with a crisp  introduction by LK Advani, is a comprehensive account of this patriot, spotless in both private as well as public life, and adds to the earlier works of Balraj Madhok and Dinesh Chandra Singha (in Bengali).
When Mookerjee (1901-53) died in mysterious circumstances in the jail of Sheikh Abdullah in Srinagar, the Mother of Pondicherry reportedly said, “They have killed him.” The author writes on all these, including Jawaharlal Nehru’s role. The letter Mookerjee’s traumatised mother, Lady Jogmaya, wrote to the first Prime Minister is a must-read document to assess the character of the ‘liberal’ Nehru!
An outstanding student, who was called to the Bar (Loncoln’s Inn), and a lawyer in the Calcutta High Court, Mookerjee was the Vice-Chancellor of the Calcutta University between 1934 and 1938, proving his mettle as an educationist of high order. His academic ties with Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy and Rabindranath Tagore, and how he helped Kazi Nazrul, are all there. When he invited Tagore to address the university convocation in Bengali, it was approved by Governor John Anderson, but was boycotted by Muslim students and Ministers who loathed their mother tongue as the language of the kafirs; they even opposed the use of ‘Shri’ and the lotus symbol on the university’s emblem for being idolatrous and anti-Muslim.
Entering active politics in 1939, Mookerjee became the president of the Hindu Mahasabha, and the Minister for Finance in the Fazlul Haque Ministry (1941). He, however, resigned from the ministry in 1942 in protest against the severe treatment meted out to those arrested following the Quit India movement, and the criminal negligence of the cyclone victims.
Mookerjee’s proximity to the Hindu Mahasabha is best explained by the fact that the Congress in the 1940s was repeatedly trying to engage in negotiations with Jinnah, despite being rebuffed.
As the Minister for Industry and Supply in Nehru’s Cabinet, he helped the process of industrialisation. Indignant and hurt by the systematic genocide of Hindus, and then censuring Nehru’s Pact with Liaqat Ali Khan for dealing a death blow to Hindus of East Pakistan, he resigned from the Cabinet. Subsequently, he set up the Bharatiya Jan Sangh and carried on his spirited campaign for the persecuted Hindus of East Pakistan, and, of course, the complete integration of Jammu & Kashmir with the rest of Bharat, and for this he had to pay the ultimate price.
Roy, an engineer-author and a BJP politician, has a holistic approach, unlike most of the ‘trained’ historians who obfuscate real. There are records concerning Mookerjee in the British archives, and hopefully some scholar would make use of them soon. -- The reviewer teaches history in the University of Delhi
 16. CHINA HAS TO LEARN FROM BHARAT: DALAI LAMA—“China can learn much from Bharat,” exhorted Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on January 24 and called for “genuine friendship” between the neighbours, while addressing a jam-packed session on the opening day of the Jaipur Literature Festival. “Bharat’s greatness lies in the idea of Ahimsa. This country is a living example for the world to see how so many religions can exist together for centuries,” he added.
Praising Indian democratic ideals, the 77-year old spiritual leader said: “China is world’s most populous country and Bharat is one of the world’s most populous democratic country. China could learn much from Bharat,” he said while emphasising on the importance of Sino-India relations.
17. VHP AND BAJRANG DAL ACTIVISTS DEMONSTRATED AT JANTAR MANTAR on January 22 and burnt the effigy of the union Home minister against his statement terming Hindu Terror. A memorandum was also given to the president of Bharat to sack him for violating his constitutional duties.
18. ‘First Job Atal Gave Me Was To Conduct N-Test’, Kalam: Delivering the 7th R N Kao Memorial Lecture organized by the research and analysis wing of the Cabinet Secretariat on 24th January, former President A P J Abdul Kamal said that then PM PV Narasimha Rao had directed him to keep his team ready for nuclear test.
Noting that Rao’s act of ensuring continuity of the nuclear programme “reveals the maturity and professional excellence of a patriotic statesman who believed that the nation is bigger than the political system”, Kalam revealed that the first task he was assigned after Vajpayee started his second stint as PM in 1998 was to conduct the nuclear tests ,carried out in May 1998. Placing the focus of his lecture on cyber terrorism and counter measures, Kalam on 24th January suggested an empowered coordinationg agency be set up to receive information about all cyber attacks. Apart from calling for continuous upgrade of technical capabilities by the intelligence agencies, the former President insisted that hacking skills be imparted by scientists, computer software and hardware experts, on the line of China where virus writing is taught in its military schools. He also recommended creation of an intelligence cadre, like the Indian Intelligence Service, by recruiting specifically for intelligence agencies.
19.  Now Ramayana in Polish language:  Valmiki Ramayana, the great Bharatiya epic, is now available in Polish language, courtesy Janusz Krzyzowski, an Indologist in Poland who has translated the monumental work. Though few episodes of Ramayana were translated into Polish in 1816, these were mere translation of western writers. In the 20th century, some attempts were made to translate a few more chapters.
It seems Krzyzowski collected the material from dozens of books and presented in a coherent manner so that a reader could sustain his interest while going through different chapters.
"My main purpose was to translate this epic into many chapters in a story format so that laymen and particularly Polish children could enjoy the book as well as they should be aware of the great Indian mythological tradition.
"Ramayana and Mahabharata are two great epics which cannot (be) compared with other epics. Even Greek epics come out as pale shadows when we see the canvas of the Bharatiya epics. They are almost unique in the history of mankind," Krzyzowski told.
20.  Ramayana in Arabic unveiled in Jaipur Lit Fest: An Arabic version of the Ramayana translated by noted Lebanese poet Wadi-al-Bustani was released at the Jaipur Literature Festival in Jaipur on January 26. The book, titled Ramayana, will promote cross-cultural understanding and appreciation of each other’s spiritual heritage, Syed Shahid Mahdi, vice president of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), said at its unveiling.
21.  Cow power! Turning manure and food waste into electricity in England: Waste from the cows and food products are used to produce gas to power electric generators in a city in England, it has been revealed. Every day in rural Penobscot County, a large dairy farm harnesses clean-burning gas from cow manure and food waste, and it generates enough electricity to power 800 homes continuously. The process, commonly known as cow power, has the potential to earn the facility $800,000 a year. It also creates byproducts -- animal bedding and a less-odorous fertilizer -- that save the farm about 100,000 dollars a year.
Cow power is more consistent than solar and wind energy, and it eliminates greenhouses gases that otherwise would enter the atmosphere. For the past 13 months, Exeter Agri-Energy has been combining cow manure and industrial food waste at this location, the Morning Sentinel reported. In its first year, the company generated 5,200 megawatt-hours for the grid, which earned the farm about 520,000 dollars from Bangor Hydro Electric. Now that the kinks have been worked out, the facility is on track to produce about 8,000 megawatt-hours a year. At 10 cents per kilowatt hour, that's 800,000 dollars. The project was installed in four months beginning in August 2011. It cost 5.5 million dollars and received 2.8 million dollars in grants from Efficiency Maine, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Treasury Department.
22. SV 150 INAGURATION AT NAIROBI: ‘Swami Vvivekananda 150th Birth Anniversary Celebration Committee (SV150 Committee)’ associated with Hindu Religious and Service Centre (HRSC) launched the yearlong programs related to Swamiji’s 150th birth anniversary on 12th January 2013 at 5pm at Oshwal centre, Nairobi with a cultural program where every Indian community in Kenya participated with heart & soul by performing cultural songs, traditional dances and drama amongst others witnessed by more than 800 people. Dr. Sadanand Sapre – joint coordinator HSS, Mr. K.S. Mathew, Head of Chancery as a representative of High Commissioner of India to Kenya, Swaran Verma, Chairman of Hindu Council of Kenya (HCK) and Chaganbhai, Chairman of HRSC were the dignitaries present. Dr. Sapre said, “Vivekananda captured the hearts of the people with his message of Vedanta and harmony of religions.  Similar functions were organized across the globe with UK witnessing SV 150 inagurations at 8 places. Over 8000 participated at various places in USA in the inauguration programs of 150th anniversary celebrations organized by HSSUSA.
23.  Muslim literacy, income higher in Guj: Governor: Gujarat Governor Kamla Beniwal on January 23 heaped praise on the Narendra Modi Government in a speech on the maiden session of the 13th Gujarat Legislative Assembly. She said that the literacy rate of Muslims in Gujarat is 73.5 per cent against the national rate of 59.1 per cent and that the minority community was better off financially than most of their brethren in other parts of the country. The per capita income of Muslims in rural Gujarat is Rs 668 while the national per capita of rural Muslims is Rs 553, she pointed out. Similarly, the Governor informed, the national per capita income of Muslims in urban area is Rs 804 while it is Rs 875 in Gujarat, dispelling the belief that the community is oppressed and neglected in the BJP-ruled State.
24. 7th BHIDE JI MEMORIAL LECTURE 2013 was organized by Vishwa Adhyayan Kendra Mumbai. Main speaker was vice President of Vivekananda Kendra Kum Nevidita Bhide. She said that “Wake up Bharat, enlighten the world” is not just a slogan but the essence of Swami Vivekanand’s message. Chief Guest was Vice- Chancellor of Mumbai University Dr. Rajan M. Welukar. People from all walks of life  ranging from doctors, politicians, students, service, business etc. attended the function.  
25.  Ex-Isro chief to join satellite hall of fame: The Society of Satellite Professionals International (SSPI) is inducting Prof U R Rao, former Isro chairman and secretary, department of space, as a member of the prestigious 'Satellite Hall of Fame' in Washington on March 19. Rao was chairman of ISRO between 1984 and 1994 and was responsible for the establishment of satellite technology in Bharat since 1972. Since 1987, the SSPI Hall of Fame has been recognizing the contribution of visionaries who have transformed life on planet earth for the better through satellite technology. As a member of the Hall of Fame, Rao joins over 40 illustrious space scientists such as Sir Arthur C Clarke, Dr James Van Allen, Dr William Pritchard, Dr Harold Rosen, Dr Fredric d'Allest, Dr Takayashi Yoshida, Dr Peter Jackson and Dr Olof Lundbserg.
26.  Kerala Grants Non-Residents Vote In Local Body Polls: The Kerala government has decided to allow the nearly two million Non-Resident Keralites (NRKs) the right to vote in the local body elections.
Minister in charge of the Diaspora Mr. K.C. Joseph said the cabinet decided to enact a new provision in the Kerala Panchayati Raj and Kerala Municipalities Act, which would enable the diaspora to vote in local body elections.
27. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Visitors: Shri Rajanikant Mistry and Jayashriben Mistry – UK, Rajesh Shukla, Jagdish Sehwani - USA Pravaas: Shri Ravikumar sahsamyojak Vishwa Vibhag is on a tour to Singapore and Australia. Dr.Sadanand Sapre – sahsamyojak returned from his tour to Mauritius, South Africa and Kenya.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT:
His pre-eminent characteristic was kingliness.He was a born king and nobody ever came near him neither in India or America without paying homage to his majesty – Romain Rolland on Swami Vivekananda
JAI SHREE RAM

 True lies of Sushil Kumar Shinde 
S Gurumurthy

 “The RSS and the BJP were behind the Samjhauta Express, Mecca Masjid and Malegaon blasts,” declared Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde on January 20, 2012, adding that the training camps run by the RSS and BJP were promoting ‘Hindu terrorism’. A day after Shinde’s declaration, Hafiz Saeed, leader of the LeT, the Pakistan-based Islamist terrorist outfit, called for a ban on the RSS. So Shinde is the witness for the LeT to accuse the RSS of terror. Now look at the evidence, first the blast onboard the Samjhauta Express from Pakistan in which 68 persons were killed.
LeT Culprit, say UN, US
“Qasmani Arif...chief coordinator of the relations of the [LeT] with other organisations...has worked with Lashkar-e-Tayyiba to facilitate terrorist attacks including...the bombing of February 2007 in the Samjhauta Express in Panipat.” This is what resolution [No 1267] of the Committee onSanctions of the United Nations Security Council [UNSC] dated 29.6.2009 declares. Adding that Qasmani was funded by Dawood Ibrahim and he did the fundraising for the LeT and the al-Qaida, the UNSC said, “In exchange for their support, al-Qaida provided support staff for the February 2007 bombing of the Samjhauta Express in Panipat.” This resolution is available on the UN site. Two days later, on July 1, 2009, the United States Treasury Department said in its press release: “Arif Qasmani has worked with the LeT to facilitate terrorist attacks, including...Samjota Express bombing.” The US named four Pakistanis, including Arif Qasmani as terrorists, under Executive Order No 13224. This press release is still on the US Treasury site. The United Nations Security Council and the US Treasury Department thus named the LeT, Qasmani and Dawood Ibrahim as accused in Samjhauta terror. This is just the beginning of the torrent of evidence pointing to the LeT and Pakistan.
Pakistan Minister’s Confession
Six months after the UN and US announced sanctions against the LeT and Qasmani, Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Mallik himself admitted that Pakistani terrorists were involved in the Samjhauta blast, but with a rider that “some Pakistan-based Islamists had been hired by Lt Col Purohit to carry out the Samjhauta Express attack.” [India Today Online 24.1.2010]
Headley Involved in Samjhauta -- US Probe
Not just the UN. Or the US Treasury. Or just the admission of Pakistan’s Interior Minister. Independent investigation in the US revealed more. Some 10 months later, Sebastian Rotella, a US journalist, wrote in his investigative report titled ‘U.S. agencies were forewarned about suspect in 2008 Mumbai bombings’, that Faiza Outalha, the third wife of David Coleman Headley had confessed [in 2008, which was made public in 2010] that Headley was involved in the Samjhauta blast. Rotella added that Faiza felt that “she had been innocently used” in the Samjhauta terror. [The Washington Post 5.11.2010] A while later, in a follow up investigation, Sebastian Rotella disclosed in April 2008 that Faiza returned to the embassy in Islamabad with the tip about the 2008 Mumbai blast when she again  linked him to the Samjhauta blast.
Rotella commented that though Bharat and the US blamed the attack on Lashkar, the US authorities had not implicated Headley in that still-unsolved attack, however.[The Washington Post 14.11.2010] So, independent, neutral probe in the US also pointed to Pakistan and the LeT in Samjhauta blast.
Narco Test Pointed to SIMI Role
Even at the start of the Samjhauta investigation in 2007, the evidence clearly pointed to the role of the Students Islamic Movement of India [SIMI] and the LeT. India Today [19.9.2008] in its report titled ‘Pak hand in Mumbai train blasts, Samjhauta Express blasts, says Nagori’ gave meticulous account of the involvement of the LeT and Pakistan in the Samjhauta terror.
The report was based on narco test testimonies of SIMI leaders. India Today said that the narcotic tests were carried out on general secretary of SIMI, Safdar Nagori; his brother Kamruddin Nagori and Amil Parvez in Bangalore in April 2007, three months after the Samjhauta blast; the results of the narco test of the SIMI leaders were available with the magazine; it revealed that SIMI activists had executed the Samjhauta blast, with the help of the Pakistani nationals from across the border; while Nagori was not directly involved, two members of SIMI, Ehtesham Siddiqui and Nasir, were directly involved; SIMI members, including Nagori’s brother Kamaruddin, were involved in the Samjhatua blast; for executing the Samjhauta blast, the Pakistanis had purchased the suitcase cover from Kataria Market in Indore and one of the members from SIMI had helped the Pakistanis to get the suitcase cover stitched. Investigation had established that in the Samjhauta blast, five bombs packed in suitcases and activated by timer switches were used.
Conspiracy by Maharashtra Police?
Why were these clinching pieces of evidence not pursued? How the blame shifted from the Islamists to the Hindus? Some elements in the Maharashtra Police appear to have colluded in linking the 2008 Malegaon blast to the Samjhauta blast. When leads were thus pointing to Pakistan and SIMI as partners in the Samjhauta blast in November 2008, as an  anti-climax, the Maharashtra Anti-Terror Squad [ATS] shockingly told the Special Court through the public prosecutor that Col Purohit allegedly involved in the Malegaon blast in which RDX was used, had supplied RDX for the Samjhauta blast though one ‘Bhagwan’. [The Indian Express 15.11.2008] Within the next 48 hours, [17.11.2009] India Today online refuted the ATS claim saying that Samjhauta investigators had told India Today that a study of the blast by the National Security Guard(NSG) said that no RDX, but Potassium Chlorate and Sulphur, had been used as explosives.
The magazine also recalled that immediately after the blasts, then Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil told the media that not RDX, but, a ‘new type of explosive’ had been used to bomb the Samjhauta Express. On that very day [17.11.2009] the ATS counsel retracted the statement he had made earlier involving Col Purohit in the Samjhauta blast. [The Hindu dt19.11.2008]. But the damage was done in the 48 hours. Immediately, Pakistan said that it would raise the issue of Purohit’s involvement in Samjhauta at the Secretary-level meeting on November 25, 2008. Finally on January 20, 2009, the Maharashtra ATS officially denied that Col Purohit had supplied RDX for Samjhauta. This was how the Samjhauta focus -- later the blame -- shifted from the LeT and the SIMI to Purohit and via Purohit on to Saffron. The Maharashtra ATS’ attempt to link Malegaon 2008 to Samjhauta, which shifted the focus away from the LeT on to Purohit, needs to be probed particularly given Dawood Ibrahim’s deep influence on Maharashtra Police.
If Shinde is telling the truth, then the United Nations Security Council and the US Treasury Department are fabricating charges against Qasmani, Dawood and the LeT; Faiza Outallah and The Washington Post are telling lies to fix the LeT and Pakistan; the SIMI officials’ narco evidence is fabricated; and Rehman Mallik’s confession about Pakistani involvement is false. Can it be more ridiculous?
It is clearly the lies of Shinde, the vote bank politician versus all neutral evidence. If this was how the Samjhauta probe was perverted, in the Malegaon 2006 blast the Maharashtra ATS has filed a chargesheet where the SIMI cadre had confessed to their role in the blast. But the CBI is procuring confessions to exonerate them and implicate others, Hindus in the case. So Malegaon 2006, is becoming a case of confession vs confession!
In Malegaon 2008 blasts, Col Purohit and his associates have been charged and the evidence submitted in the Court shows that the accused in the Malegaon 2008 case were planning to assassinate RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and Indresh Kumar for taking money from the ISI! [Outlook 19.7.2010] How could the RSS which is the target of the conspirator itself be the conspirator? Does Shinde know what he is talking?
QED: Shinde now has a good companion in his mission against the RSS in Hafeez Saeed, boss of the global terror outfit LeT. Can a Home Minister tell more deadly lies against his own country’s interests, all for just a few million votes?
S Gurumurthy is a well-known commentator on political and economic issues. -- The New Indian Express, 24th January 2013.