1. FESTIVALS: Thaipusam is a festival celebrated mostly by the Tamil community on the full
moon day in the Tamil month of Thai (January/February, 17 January this year).
It is mainly observed in countries where there is a significant presence of
Tamil community such as Bharat, Sri Lanka, Malaysia,
Mauritius, Singapore, Thailand
and Myanmar.
The word Thaipusam is a combination of
the name of the month, Thai, and the name of a star, Pusam. It commemorates the
occasion when Parvati gave Murugan a Vel "spear" so he could vanquish
the evil demon Soorapadman. On Thaipusam day devotees will shave their heads
and undertake a pilgrimage along a set route while engaging in various acts of
devotion, notably carrying various types of kavadi (burdens). At its simplest
this may entail carrying a pot of milk, but mortification of the flesh by
piercing the skin, tongue or cheeks with vel skewers is also common.
2. ‘SARHAD KO
SWARANJALI’ BY SANSKAR BHARATI PURBANCHAL IN ITANAGAR: Ninety five
year old Smt Leela Devi, mother of martyr Jaswant Singh Rawat, the brave
soldier of 1962 Indo-China War, saluted her own martyr son in a grand rally at
IG Park in Itanagar on November 24 along with the State Chief Minister Nabam
Tuki, in the concluding day celebration of three day mega event ‘Sarhad Ko
Swaranjali’. The unique celebration was organised by Sanskar Bharati to commemorate
the completion of 50 years of Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar’s eternal song Aye
mere watan ke logon…, a song which had become a landmark event in the patriotic
history of modern Bharat which had a soothing effect to the tragic consequences
of the 1962 War.
Along with Smt. Leela Devi, the mothers of Kirti Chakra Shaheed NK Tape
Yajo and Shaheed Patey Tassuk and the brother of Shaheed Tagom Taki also
offered homage to their martyred kin in presence of an emotional gathering of tens
of thousands from the whole North-east Bharat.
‘Shaktimaan’ fame Mukesh Khanna, Lt. Gen. VM Patil, senior RSS Pracharak Shri
Indresh Kumar and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.
3. INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SWAMI
VIVEKANANDA AT USC: Through a grant bestowed by the Dharma Civilization
Foundation in 2012, the University of Southern California (USC) School of
Religion convened the International Conference on the ‘Life, Legacy, and
Contemporary Relevance of Swami Vivekananda’, on October 18-19 to mark the
150th Birth Anniversary of Swamiji. The meeting featured over thirty eminent
scholars who arrived from Bharat, from all over the United
States, Canada,
and UK
to offer insights on the major areas of Swamiji’s pioneering teachings and
contributions. Many persons were able to view the conference proceedings
worldwide through HD streaming. One of the largest academic scholarly conferences,
it drew over 250 attendees over the two days, including the general public,
university students, scholars, and members of the Bharatiya heritage community.
Swamis and sannyasinis were also in attendance. The conference covered a wide
area of themes important to the study of Swami Vivekananda’s work.
4. ISRO'S MARS ORBITER SENDS FIRST
PICTURE OF EARTH: The severe cyclonic storm "Helen"
hurtling towards Andhra Pradesh coast has been captured by Bharat's Mars
orbiter in the first image of the country beamed back in its maiden mission to
the red planet. "Mangalyaan" has beamed back the first set of
pictures of Earth, capturing the Bharatiya subcontinent and parts of Africa, ISRO said in Chennai on November 21. It will
reach the red planet's orbit by September 24, 2014 after an over 10 month
voyage.
5. NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF VICE CHANCELLORS IN DELHI: “Swami
Vivekananda Sardh Shati Samaroh Samiti’’ (SVSSSS) organised a unique national conference
of Vice Chancellors on ‘Swami
Vivekananda on Education - Vision for National Resurgence’ on November 16 -17 in New Delhi. It was
attended by a total of 239 delegates representing 113 Universities of 22 states
comprising of Vice-Chancellors, Chancellors and Directors of Central, State,
deemed and private universities and various renowned educationists from all
over the country.
At the inaugural session, Dr. Anil Kakodkar (former Chairman of Atomic
Energy Commission) said that , in our education system something is seriously
wrong, we are still suffering from a sense of inferiority. Chief Guest Dr. MM
Pallam Raju (Union HRD Minister) said Swami Vivekananda called it a sin to
neglect the upliftment and education of masses; he also stressed on learning
Sanskrit by all the people in the country. Various parallel sessions were
addressed by eminent speakers like Dr. Pranav Pandya, Swami Atmapriyananda of Swami Vivekananda
Ramakrishna University,
Kolkata; Dr. Vijay Bhatkar addressed a special lecture on ‘Science and
Spirituality’.
The Valedictory function was addressed by Chief Guest Justice (Retd.)
Rama Jois who elaborated the Bharatiya perspective of Dharma, law etc. Dr.
Subhash Kashyap and Prof. Aniruddha Deshpande also shared the dais.
6. INDIAN SENIOR CITIZENS FORUM (ISCF),
an initiative of Sewa International Australia, celebrated Diwali and the
festive season at their annual function on 16th November at Melbourne. Coordinator ISCF, Krishan Auplish
welcomed the distinguished guests including Anna Burke, Federal Member for
Chisolm, Hong Lim, State Member for Clayton, Mayor of Monash City, Cr Geoff
Lake . Nearly 70 senior members of the Forum were present at the event. Rakesh
Auplish presented a synopsis of the various activities of Sewa International
since 2000. The function also featured cultural programs like Bharatnatyam.
7. CHINA
HONOURS BHARAT RATNA SCIENTIST CNR RAO: Bharat's top scientist CNR Rao, who
was recently named for the Bharat Ratna - the country's highest civilian award
- has been elected honorary foreign member of the Chinese Academy
of Sciences. "Dr Rao is the first Bharatiya scientist to be elected
recently (November 4) to the prestigious academy, which consists of several
Nobel laureates and eminent scientists of the world," the Jawaharlal Nehru
Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) where Dr Rao is the
founder-president, said in a statement in Bangalore. The Chinese Academy
of Science had bestowed upon the 80-year-old Dr Rao the Award for International
Scientific Cooperation in January 2012.
8. NUCLEAR-CAPABLE DHANUSH MISSILE
SUCCESSFULLY TEST-FIRED: Bharat successfully
test-fired its nuclear-capable Dhanush ballistic missile from a naval ship off
Odisha coast on November 23. The single-stage, liquid propelled Dhanush has
already been inducted into the armed services and is one of the five missiles
developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) under the
Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP). Dhanush missile is
capable of carrying conventional as well as nuclear payload of 500 to 1,000 kg for
both land and sea-based targets.
9. WHITE HOUSE CELEBRATES GURU NANAK BIRTH ANNIVERSARY: Sikh-Americans
in their traditional Punjabi dresses, colourful turbans and business suits came
to the White House to celebrate the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, the first
Sikh Guru. Senior Obama administration officials led by Melissa Rogers, special
assistant to the president and executive director, White House office of
faith-based and neighbourhood partnerships were at hand to greet the invitees
to the event November 20. Among them was Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Bharat's charge
d'affaires, who conveyed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's 'Gurpurb' greetings to
the audience.
10. THEY’RE BHARAT’S
RATNA
AB Vajpayee, Dhyan Chand can’t be ignored
There is no disputing that both CNR Rao and Sachin Tendulkar deserved
the Bharat Ratna, and they have been befittingly honoured with the recognition.
But what has made the Congress-led UPA Government to gloss over former Prime
Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's name for the award? It cannot be that the
regime is unaware of Mr Vajpayee's stellar contribution in public life over the
decades that he has straddled the country's political canvas like a colossus.
Both in and out of the Government, Mr Vajpayee has been recognised for his
statesmanship. With an unimpeachable track record, he should have been among
the first names to be considered by this regime for the Bharat Ratna. Even
political leaders outside the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA have pitched for
the iconic leader's name. Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar — who
recently broke ties with the BJP, and National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah
— who is a Minister in the UPA Government, have openly favoured the recognition
to Mr Vajpayee. So much so that even many Congress leaders are not averse to
the Bharat Ratna being bestowed on the BJP's tallest leader. The pressure being
such, the UPA must correct itself and extend the honour to Mr Vajpayee, or else
it stands the risk of being accused of playing politics over an award that
towers over parochial considerations. The Government will only gain in image if
it does that. Unfortunately, some spokespersons of the Congress are worsening
matters by taking petty positions on the issue, with one of them even
questioning Mr Vajpayee's credentials. From Jawaharlal Nehru to PV Narasimha
Rao, every leader has recognised the former Prime Minister's contribution to
the domestic political discourse and grip over international affairs. Mr
Vajpayee is easily among a fistful of the most popular and effective Prime
Ministers the country has had. Therefore, while it would have been in the
fitness of things to have included his name along with that of Tendulkar (who
got the award dot on the day he retired from Test cricket) and a still-serving
Mr Rao, it's still not too late. Mr Vajpayee does not, of course, have to
depend on the UPA regime for an honour which he richly deserves; it's certain
that as and when a BJP-led NDA Government takes charge at the Centre, it will
correct the fallacy.
Also, now that the Government has
tweaked the rules to include sports personalities for the Bharat Ratna, it must
look beyond Tendulkar. The legendary hockey player, Major Dhyan Chand's name
has been in contention for long. Given that hockey is our national game, given
that Major Dhyan Chand remains the last word in hockey wizardly not just in Bharat
but also worldwide, given that this magician with the stick brought immense
laurels to the game and the country for years together by his unparalleled
brilliance, and given that he, like Tendulkar, carried his fame lightly and
became an icon that everybody wanted to emulate, there is no reason why he
should not get the Bharat Ratna. At a time when Bharatiya hockey is going
through a rough phase, recognition to Major Dhyan Chand will come as a major
shot in the arm for the game in the country and encourage youngsters to pursue
their dreams on the hockey field.
(Editorial, Pioneer, November 20,
2013)
11. BHARATIYA AMERICANS IN OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION: Last fortnight witnessed
several Bharatiya Americans rising to high level posts in Obama Adminstraion.
Notable among them is Nisha Desai Biswal who was sworn in as the US
Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia
on 21 November 2013. Before her appointment to this position, Biswal was
assistant administrator for Asia at the US
Agency for International Development. Gargee Ghosh was appointed as a member of
the President’s Global Development Council. Holding the current position at the
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, since 2012, Ghosh also held roles in
global health and international economics with the Gates Foundation from 2004
to 2009. Popular Bharatiya American actor and former White House staffer Kal
Penn got a key administration post of member of the President's Committee on
the Arts and the Humanities. Born in New
Jersey as Kalpen Suresh Modi, Penn is an actor,
writer and producer, who shot to fame with the Harold and Kumar film series.
12. HARVARD SCIENTISTS HAVE PROOF YOGA,
MEDITATION WORK: Scientists are getting close to proving what yogis
have held to be true for centuries — yoga and meditation can ward off stress
and disease. John Denninger, a psychiatrist at Harvard Medical
School, is leading a
five-year study on how the ancient practices affect genes and brain activity in
the chronically stressed. His latest work follows a study he and others
published earlier this year showing how so-called mind-body techniques can
switch on and off some genes linked to stress and immune function.
"There is a true biological effect," said Denninger, director
of research at the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital,
one of Harvard Medical School's
teaching hospitals. "The kinds of things that happen when you meditate do
have effects throughout the body, not just in the brain."
13. MATA AMRITANANDAMAYI TO DONATE $2 MN TO PHILIPPINES
TYPHOON VICTIMS: Spiritual leader Mata Amritanandamayi Devi said on
November 26, she is donating a relief and rehabilitation package worth $2
million for the people affected by super typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. Haiyan,
believed to be the worst storm to hit the Philippines, has affected 13 million
people and destroyed one million homes.er 23
Half of the relief package from the Mata Amritanandamayi Math (MAM)
will be donated in cash while the rest will be spent for children's education. The
package will come from the Mata Amritanandamayi Center
in California.
14. RATAN TATA ELECTED TO BOARD OF US THINK TANK: Top Bharatiya industrialist
Ratan Tata has returned as a board member of East West Centre, a Honolulu based education and research organisation
established by the US Congress in 1960 to strengthen relations and
understanding among the peoples and nations of Asia, the Pacific and the US. Tata, 75,
is returning to the board and has worked with the organisation several times
between 1993 and 2004. The think tank's board consists of 18 members, including
5 appointed by the US
secretary of State, 5 appointed by the Governor of Hawaii, 5 from Asia or the Pacific Islands
and 3 ex-officio members, including the Governor of Hawaii, the Assistant Secretary
of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs, and the President - University of Hawaii.
15. 3-NATION KAILASH-MANSAROVAR TOURISM
PLAN IN THE PIPELINE: A meeting of Bharat, China
and Nepal officials and tour
operators from different countries took place recently in China to
develop the holy Kailash Mansarovar landscape in the Himalayan region as a
major tourist hub. Kailash Mansarovar assumes special significance for Hindus
and Buddhists. Commissioner of Kumaon Division AS Nayal represented Bharat in
this meeting. All the participants showed their willingness to go ahead with
the ambitious plan of making this holy Kailash Mansarovar landscape a major
tourist destination, maintaining a balance between the human interventions and
ecological and environmental concerns of this Himalayan zone, Nayal said after
returning to Bharat.
16. SIX WOMEN AND A HANDWRITTEN
NEWSPAPER:: Bahini Darbar is a newspaper with a difference. It is handwritten; brought
out by women; printed once a month and priced at Rs 15. Residents of Dabhora, a
village in Rewa in MP look forward to reading it. This month's 10-pager
features a special on the right to vote and why it is important. Written in
Bagheli, dialect of the Vindhya region, the two-page story written by Editor
Usha Yadav reminds people to think before pressing the EVM button. "It all
started in 2006-07 when a dalit woman was not allowed to fetch water from a
well in Dabhora", Usha remembers. "We decided to start a handwritten
paper. Each of us writes 10 pages and we distribute 100 photo-copies," she
says.
17. WOMEN LAP UP KRAV MAGA FOR SELF
DEFENCE IN CHENNAI: Mischief-mongers are advised to be careful while
approaching Chennai women. Chances are that the predators may find themselves
“out of order” with broken fingers, damaged eyes and injuries on vulnerable
parts of the body.
Enter Krav Maga, the famous self-defence system developed by the
Israeli defence forces to counter unexpected attacks. It is a combination of
defensive and offensive manoeuvres and aggressions designed for self-protection
from all kinds of attacks including rape. Hundreds of Chennai women and girl
students are busy mastering Krav Maga, a non-competitive blocking and attacking
techniques, S Sree Ram, the Chennai-based chief instructor, said. “Gang-rapes
in New Delhi
and Mumbai shocked women in Chennai. Parents, employers and heads of
educational institutions are a worried lot as they start thinking of the safety
of their wives, daughters and the little ones,” said Ram (53) who was trained
under the Israeli masters in the Krav Maga “art” form.
“Since January more than 12,000 women have undergone basic training
lessons of Krav Maga. We teach the women and girls to dominate the situation,
not the attackers.” said Ram.
18. ART AFICIONADOS CELEBRATE BOITA
BANDANA UTSAV: On a chilly morning with India Gate as backdrop, people of Odisha and
art aficionados of Delhi gathered at Boat Club to celebrate the 10th Boita
Bandana Utsav, the traditional boat sailing festival of ancient Odisha,
organised by Bal Jagruti Association of Delhi, an association working for downtrodden
people since 16 years. The function started with traditional Veda chanting by
anchor Hrusikesh Panigrahi to an open and early November sky of Delhi, who also moderated
a seminar held by the Association later in the afternoon. The festival, which
falls on the full moon day of Kartika maas, is to remind the ancient maritime
trade of the then Kalinga Sadhabas.
19. NAGA YOUTH TAKES ‘TATTOO’ WAY TO RELATE TRIBAL HISTORY, RESTORE
GLORY: 28-year-old Mo Naga, a Naga youth hailing from Manipur’s Chandel district,
has taken the help of tattoos — which existed in the Naga society since time
immemorial — to bring to the fore the untold stories and rich cultural heritage
and traditions of the society in the past and thereby to create a better
identity for the Nagas.
A Naga tattoo has always been mark of achievement in the headhunting
clans. A headhunter used to get a tattoo whenever he demolished his enemy and
successfully collected his head. The more the number of heads he collected, the
more tattoos he got on his body.
20. BJYM GUJARAT BREAKS GUINNESS
WORLD RECORD: Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) Gujarat
unit’s eye donation pledge making function has secured place in Guinness book
of records. BJYM Gujarat president Pradipsinh Vaghela and vice president Prakash
Gurjar shared this detail on November 20 in a press conference in Ahmedabad. The
event was organized on the birthday of Gujarat Chief Minister Shri Narendra
Modi on 17 September at Amraiwadi area of Ahmedabad. Guinness book’s witness
officer Rakesh Brahmbhatt attended the event. Within 18.53 minutes 2585 people
took pledge for eye donation. Earlier record was made by Turkey, where in one hour 1981
people had pledged for eye donation. As per the Guinness book format, within an
hour 2755 people pledged for eye donation in Ahmedabad event of BJYM.
21. MUSLIM MANCH, RSS HELP NETAJI'S 'COLONEL' NIZAMUDDIN: Nizamuddin, who
was once the most trusted lieutnent of Netaji, was facing hardship for the
marriage of his grand daughter Somaiya that was scehduled for November 13. When
the Muslim Mahila Foundation of Varanasi
came to know about the financial condition of his family, they came forward and
appealed to social organizations and philanthropists to help this family of
freedom fighter. But alas! No one responded to their appeal.
It was the initiative of RSS pracharak and Patron of Muslim Rashtriya
Manch Indresh Kumar that steps could be taken to collect a substantial amount
and offered to his family so that the marriage could be solomnized.
22. SHRI VISHWA
NIKETAN: Pravas: Shri Saumitra
Gokhale - samyojak Vishwa Vibhag returned to USA
after his weeklong tour to Colombia;
Shri Ravikumar - sahsamyojak is on a tour to HongKong,
Malaysia and Singapore; Dr.Sadanand Sapre sahsamyojak will be
touring Mauritus and South
Africa. Visitors:
FOOD FOR
THOUGHT: India of the ages is
not dead nor has she spoken her last creative word; she lives and has still
something to do for herself and the human peoples. – Sri Aurobindo
JAI
SHREE RAM
INTERVIEW OF
DR. MOHAN BHAGWAT
Q. There is a Hindu feel of expression
everywhere in the country, but most of them are on the basis of temporary
issues only. How can we differentiate Hindu feel and Hindutva? Also how do we
distinguish a nationalist Hindu from someone who has a tag of the Hindu
religion, like a communist Hindu?
A. See the transformation of society according to the times is a real
sign of awakening that has not yet happened. Normally in society, even an
individual awakens, he is not conscious that he is awake. All he experiences
are a few disturbances. Then he feels “I am in those disturbances.”
That is the second stage. Then he gets up wondering, “Who am I, what
should I do today, what did I do yesterday, what will I do tomorrow?” Such
similar vein of thinking begins. Then he gets up and starts working. That is
full awakening……..
Actually Hindus have to be aware of a few things: what their tradition
is, their rule, their values and culture, and at present whether they match up
to that thinking, how they can present themselves I the modern world and make
themselves presentable, what will be of tomorrow, etc. This is the path, though
it is not full awakening. However, one can be assured that awakening has just
started.
And therefore Hindus now can react and assert too. This forms real
awakening. But Hindus will have to make their own social transformation. So
when Hindus stand as one society without any discrimination-by nature, Hindu
society is diverse. But diversity will not be considered as being different or
separate. It only means that society will respond as one, and take care of its
own well being, of every single member. This mounts to real awakening. This
bound to come tomorrow, it has just stared. The complete awakening is yet to
come.
Q. Here in Kerala people says we are Hindus.
But political mentality is for communist politics. Their attitude towards a
certain issue may be pro Hindu. But politically they are not. Shall we read
this too as a sign of Hindutva?
A. That is what I have been saying: this is only partial awakening.
That is why this mind of “all right, I am a Hindu but I am a communist” exists.
What is wrong in that? The harm is not being a communist, harm is in not
understanding what is first and what is second. It is a question of identity.
What is our identity? We are in this country. I am a communist. I want to
eradicate all these extortions and everything evil from society. That is
perfectly fine. But from what society? From which country?
We are Hindus and ours is Hindu Rashtra, this is Hindustan.
Thought must be given to everything based on Hindu values. There are many
ideologies in the world. Even if I take some ideology from outsiders, I will
adopt it to ‘Hinduness’. Not that I will adopt my ‘Hinduness’ to that ideology.
That full awakening is yet to come. When the society is awakening fully it will
eradicate all social evils. It will get rid of all differences and will stand
as one. It will manage its vast diversity in such a way that there will be
emotional oneness. It will be reflected socially as well as politically. And
all ideologue and ideologies will have to follow the suit……….
We may use any ideology to achieve this goal. But we will think that we
are Hindus and as Hindus we have to solve these problems, we have our internal
social problems, we will solve them. All these political problems we will solve
as Hindus. So it is the Hindu that comes first and the other that comes second.
That has to come. And it has started.
Q. Does Sangh believe that anti national
forces are getting weakened though their desperate efforts to unleash terror in
society is active in a big way? If so what is the role of nationalistic forces
like Sangh?
A. Our Hindu society was hailed by Swami Vivekananda as an eternal
society. Why, because we stand on the basis of certain solid principles on
which the universe functions. Actually we don’t have a mode of basic worship,
or modes of economic policy as principle.
This is because everything is subject to changes according to persons
and times. They are not eternal. However Dharma is eternal. We have to live and
for that we have to let live. We see all these diversities. But there underlies
the unity. Realizing that unity bequeaths unending bliss, these are the very
facts on the basis of which life thrives.
We go along with them, therefore
nothing can finish us, or destroy us. Gradually all those who are destructible,
they will get destroyed. Time takes care of that and the same time has come for
others. See the world scenario: all forms of extremism are being rejected now.
Even Muslims in India
and in the world have started raising there voice against these instances of
extremism. On the basis of their rules and guns there may be a temporary
change. But that will never be long lasting, nor will it continue. Fear doesn’t
last. Either fear finishes itself or one gets used to it. So fear will not
last. Every aspect of terrorism will come to an end, it is perishable. But
Hindu society is not perishable, because it stands on such values. Those values
cannot be destroyed.
Q. First ever in the history of
Vijayadasami speech you directly attacked the issue of religious discrimination
against Hindus by constitutional authorities. Why such an extreme stand?
A. This is not the first time. Sangh is always against all
discriminations. No discrimination is supported by Sangh. And therefore, voice
against discriminations especially discrimination against Hindus. This is
because Sangh is organizing the Hindu society; Sarsangachalaks have always been
speaking on Vijayadasami dais about it. But this time it is different. This is
the first time when discriminations are so obvious.
Our Home Minister says, “Protect the Muslim youth.” Why not say,
protect everybody who is innocent. Prime minister says “minorities have first
stake on the wealth of the country.”
These have never been said before. All these things are happening for
the first time after independence. Before independence such things happened in
the times of Muslim era and it culminated into the division of the country. At
that time also our leaders spoke publicly. So these things are obvious. I was
mentioning it. We are always against all discriminations.
Q. Corruption, terrorism, social and
border security problems-which one you think is the bigger issue?
A. There is no bigger or smaller issue, especially, when society is
week and endangered, it cannot afford to ignore any danger. So all these have
equal importance. There is no bigger issue or lesser issue. You may say that I
will first deal with this and then deal with that. But that is not due to the nature
of the problem. That is due to your capacity to deal with them. Everything is
important. Corruption is doing the same thing- it erodes our society. Terrorism
and others problems are also causing the same destruction. So we have to deal
with everything.
Q. Environmental fundamentalism is the new
activity face of religious fanatics and some NGOs in the country. Do you think
an international design behind this move?
A. All extremism is Adharma. Dharma is always a middle path- Madhyam
marg. We want environment, no doubt. Do we refuse to develop? But if we want
development, should we destroy environment? You have to take a middle path of
protecting our environment. This alone brings in development. For that we have
to reconsider paradigms.
The paradigm which the world is going through currently is not such,
where we can avoid conflicts. And when there are conflicts, there are extremes.
Theoretically no environmentalist is wrong. People are well aware that thriving
of humans in this world depends on the condition of environment. Except in
Bharath, all over the world, the consciousness was because of science. But now,
they understand what plants do, what animals do, what insects do.
The same understanding, we in Bharath, had much before. It is only now
that the rest of the world has come to know of it. But the paradigm they
construct is such that the fittest will survive. They say there is always
struggle. We say no, there is always coordination and co-operation. Our view is
to make others survive. So extremism in support of either development or
environment is wrong. Both these have to go together. Manage diversities;
manage dwaitha- that is dharma. So you have to keep them balanced. Balance is
Dharma.
Q. Do you think the wrong policy on
population control programmes affected the Demographic balance?
A. All measures regarding controlling population have to be wisely
fixed. We are just aping someone. So now we cry about our population, but we
must also note the fact that, in the forthcoming 20 years Bharath will be the
nation of younger people. So population can be used as an asset. But what we
have to do in our country, regarding our own policy, should all be fixed. That
has not yet been done. Population is a need too. Now such measures should be
discussed, decision must be taken which will apply to everybody. There will be
no concession.
Secondly, imbalance will be there when you convert. When some one is
converted, if the person in his/ her mind decides to change, it is
understandable. But if you lure me, you threaten me, what is happening is
different?
And there is migration from outside also. Illegal migration is there,
infiltration is there. At times our government also says “We don’t know how
many they are.”
Q. During the last 88 years of activities, which are the aspects where
Sangh organizations have received more acceptances? And why?
A. We are growing. We are accepted all over the country and that
acceptance is growing outside the country also. Now the atmosphere we have
created can influence internal affairs of the country also. Now what ever we
are saying the whole country is accepting it. There is no opposition, no real
opposition. There is some political opposition, but they are not from heart,
just mere lip oppositions. Those who oppose too know that they are wrong, but
what RSS says is right.
Next thing is to create an atmosphere where every person will be bold
enough to voice his thoughts. There will be no petty selfish constrains; there
will be no tyranny of any institution. Whatever is proper and good for
everyone, that alone should be expressed, that type of atmosphere must be
created.
Q. Do you feel the thrust for changes
globally is a good sign for the future?
A. The so called global change is concerned only with the exterior, not
with the interior. Every change starts from within, from the heart. Therefore
the efforts of global change must have its focus on changing the system, any
system can be corrupted by individuals. So create the ‘man change man’ system
and you will change the world. This is precisely the motto of Sangh works, and
that is going on! Manushya nirman.
(Excerpts from
an exclusive interview of
Sarsanghachalak Dr. Mohan Bhagwat with Janmabhoomi (Malayalam Daily )
during the 3-day RSS National Executive Meet held in Kochi from October 25 to
27 2013. For full text pl visit http://samvada.org/2013/news/rss-sarasanghachalak-mohan-bhagwats-exclusive-interview-with-janmabhoomi/)
