\SAMVAD  श्री विश्व निकेतन SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN

Ashwin Shukla 7, Vik. Samvat 2075 Yugabda 5120: 16 October 2018


1. FESTIVALS:  Dussehra or Dasra 2. SAINTS SEEK CENTRAL LAW FOR RAM TEMPLE
3. BHARAT LAUNCHES ‘OPERATION SAMUDRA MAITRI’ AS HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO INDONESIA 4. PM MODI DEDICATES THE SUCCESS TO BHARATIYA CITIZENS
5. YOGA NOW TOLERATED IN NEW ‘OPEN’ SAUDI ARABIA 6. JANAKPUR RAILWAY NEARS COMPLETION
7. VIVEKANANDA’S HISTORIC SPEECH REMEMBERED AT SINGAPORE 8. MADAN MOHAN MALAVIYA STROVE TO MATERIALISE HIS VISION ABOUT FUTURE BHARAT - MOHAN BHAGWAT
9. KING OF MANGOES ‘ALPHANSO’ GETS NEW CROWN: GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION TAG 10. RSS IS NOT A POLITICAL ORGANIZATION – TN MINISTER
11. BHARATIYA AMERICANS RAJ JAYADEV, VIJAY GUPTA AMONG RECIPIENTS OF 2018 MACARTHUR ‘GENIUS GRANTS’ 12. BHARATIYA DOCTORS USED 2,500-YEAR-OLD TECHNIQUE OF SUSHRUTA TO RESTORE AFGHAN WOMAN’S NOSE
13. GITA GOPINATH NAMED IMF CHIEF ECONOMIST 14. GOVT TO COMMEMORATE 550TH BIRTH ANNIVERSARY OF GURU NANAK DEV
15. ASSAM PAYS TRIBUTE TO GANDHIJI BY INSTALLING TALLEST NATIONAL FLAG 16. MAHATMA GANDHIJI A FAITHFUL AND A CONSCIOUS HINDU: SRI V NAGARAJ
17. EXHIBITION ON KATE FESTIVAL 2018 OPENS IN NINH THUAN 18. BHARAT ELECTED TO UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL WITH MOST NUMBER OF VOT
19. NOBEL LAUREATE KAILASH SATYARTHI TO GRACE RSS VIJAYADASHMI FUNCTION 20. ‘ELITIST’ NO MORE: NOMINATIONS FOR PADMAS RISE 40% TO 50,000
21. BHARAT’S PERSONAL WEALTH MAY GROW AT 13% FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Article:

RAHUL BASHING RSS FOR POLITICAL GAIN

 

1. FESTIVALS:  Dussehra or Dasra which is the culmination of Nine day Navratri festival is celebrated at Mysore with much fanfare and regality. The world famous event in its 408th edition was inaugurated by Chairperson of Infosys Foundation Smt Sudha Murthy on 9th October at the auspicious time of Tula Lagna between 7.05 am, and 7.35 am by offering pooja to Shree Chamundeshwari Devi. Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy and others were present.

These festivities include famous ‘Jambo Savari’ and Dasara procession which will be held on the Vijayadashami day, i.e. 19th October. The Dasara festivities will end with the attractive torchlight parade which will also have acrobatics and stunts on bikes by army personnel. Governor Vajubhai Vala will receive a guard of honour at 7 pm at Bannimantapa on that day. The entire city of Mysuru has been decked up like a bride with serial lights, festoons, colourful fountains in parks, roadside paintings adorning the city. -GoTop

 

2. SAINTS SEEK CENTRAL LAW FOR RAM TEMPLE: The Central Government should move a legislation in the Parliament to facilitate construction of grand Ram Temple at Ayodhya the birth place of Bhagwan Rama, resolved the high level meeting of sants held on 4th October.  

President of Shri Ram Janmabhumi Nyas Mahant Nritya Gopal Das presided over the meeting attended prominently by Shankaracharyas, Mahamandleswars and Vishwa Hindu Parishad office bearers at its R K Puram office.

All dharmacharyas including Yugpurush Parmanandji Maharaj, Dr Ram Vilas Vedantiji, Chidanand Puri (Kerala), Swami Chinmayanandji,  besides all the Jagatgurus and Mahamandaleshwars supported the proposal for a parliamentary law for the temple. -GoTop

 

3. BHARAT LAUNCHES ‘OPERATION SAMUDRA MAITRI’ AS HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO INDONESIA: The condition of Indonesia suffering from earthquake and Tsunami has been getting severely worse. With initiating all possible assistance, Bharat has launched ‘Operation Samudra Maitri’ to assist victims of earthquake and tsunami in Central Sulawesi Province of Indonesia.

The Indian Air Force has sent two IAF Aircrafts, C-130J and C-17 which departed carrying onboard medical personnel and relief material. Having a telephonic conversation with the President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi asserted the humanitarian assistance following Indonesia's acceptance for international aid.

Three Bharatiya Naval Ships – INS Tir, INS Sujatha and INS Shardul – have also been mobilized to carry out humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR). Indonesia has been affected by one of its worst natural calamity after the 7.4 magnitude earthquake hit the Sulawesi claiming around 1,200 people. -GoTop

 

4. PM MODI DEDICATES THE SUCCESS TO BHARATIYA CITIZENS: It’s not just Bharat, but the entire world saw how Bharat is transforming itself in creating a remarkable example in climatic change. Receiving the United Nation's Champions of the Earth Award for 2018, Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi thanked the world community for acknowledging Bharat's effort to save environment.

The PM dedicated the award to the countless Bharatiyas and their efforts towards achieving climate justice. Speaking at the event, PM Modi said, “Climate and calamity are directly related to culture; if climate is not the focus of culture, calamity cannot be prevented. When I say ‘Sab ka Saath,’ I also include nature in it.” Giving credit to farmers and the indigenous communities, PM Modi said they are the true recipients of the award. He also said that from sewer to surveillance, Bharat is shifting towards smart technology. -GoTop

 

5. YOGA NOW TOLERATED IN NEW ‘OPEN’ SAUDI ARABIA: Yoga studios are springing up in Saudi Arabia amid Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s call for an “open, moderate Islam.” Saudi Arabia has officially approved yoga as a sports activity.

Until recently, Yoga was not officially permitted in Saudi Arabia as it was perceived to be a Hindu spiritual practice. Just a year ago, yoga practitioners in the kingdom could have been hit with criminal charges.

Nouf Marwaai, head of the Arab Yoga Foundation, is leading the effort dispel the notion that yoga is incompatible with Islam. The foundation has trained hundreds of yoga instructors in the kingdom. “Five years ago, this (teaching yoga) would have been impossible,” Marwaai said.

Yoga also has had a transformative effect on many women who have long been denied the right to exercise publicly. Ayat Samman, a 32-year-old health educator, said yoga helped alleviate her lifelong struggle with fibromyalgia, a chronic pain disorder that often left her bedridden. -GoTop

 

6. JANAKPUR RAILWAY NEARS COMPLETION: The upgradation and expansion works of Janakpur-Jaynagar broad-gauge railway in Nepal are in their final stages, officials confirmed after successfully completing a test run on the recently laid track on 4th October.

High-level officials from Nepal and Bharat, including Director General of the Department of Railways Balaram Mishra and Bharatiya Ambassador to Nepal Manjeev Singh Puri, were also present on the occasion. Ravi Sahay, the site chief of Indian Railway Construction Company Limited (IRCON), said the project will be completed by mid-December. Technicians from Nepal and Bharat are currently making preparations to operate a train between Jaynagar and Kurtha in the first phase. -GoTop

 

7. VIVEKANANDA’S HISTORIC SPEECH REMEMBERED AT SINGAPORE: Swami Vivikananda’s historical speech at the Parliament of World’s Religions in Chicago – where he spoke about religious tolerance and the embracement of diversity – is relevant today as it was in 1893.

This was the message conveyed by a three-member panel at a seminar – Thoughts and Values proclaimed by Swamiji – organised by Vivekananda Seva Sangh & Ramakrishna Mission Singapore and  supported by the Bharatiya High Commission at the NTUC Centre on 6th October.

Nearly 350 people celebrated the 125th year of the speech by the Hindu monk which introduced to the western world the richness, expansiveness and universal appeal of the Bharatiya spiritual culture.

While noted Tamil writer Aravindan Neelakandan dwelt on the scientific view that Vivekananda propagated, Swami Samachittananda, the president of Ramakrishna Mission, drew attention to the Swamiji’s main message and his three-day stopover in Singapore during his ship journey to Chicago.

Bharat’s High Commissioner to Singapore Jawed Ashraf said Vivekananda must not be remembered for this Chicago speech: “His was an extraordinary life. How could a human being encompass so much in 39 years? -GoTop

 

8. MADAN MOHAN MALAVIYA STROVE TO MATERIALISE HIS VISION ABOUT FUTURE BHARAT - MOHAN BHAGWAT: “Mahamana Madan Mohan Malaviya was a visionary who even while fighting for the freedom had a clear picture of the future Bharat and his every step was directed towards materializing his vision about future Bharat.

He left his imprints not only in politics and journalism but also in social reforms. He was a guide and philosopher, and his views were received very attentively, but he never imposed his views on anybody,” said RSS Sarsanghachalak Dr Mohan Bhagwat while releasing a book on Mahamana Malaviya on October 3.

The book, “Madan Mohan Malaviya: Vyaktitva va Vichar”, has been written by Shri Balmukund, All Bharat organizing Secretary of Akhil Bharatiya Itihas Sankalan Yojana. Noted historian and president of Itihas Sankalan Yojna Prof Satish Mittal, general secretary Ishwar Vishwakarma, Chairman of NBT Shri Baldevbhai Sharma and Director General of National Museum Dr BR Mani also shared the dais. -GoTop

 

9. KING OF MANGOES ‘ALPHANSO’ GETS NEW CROWN: GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION TAG: Alphonso Mango from Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg and other adjoining areas in Maharashtra, finally gets a Geographical Indication (GI) Tag.

A Geographical Indication or a GI is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin. Such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to its origin in that defined geographical locality.

Darjeeling Tea, Mahabaleshwar Strawberry, Blue Pottery of Jaipur, Banarasi Sarees and Tirupati Laddus are some of the GIs.

Alphonso, better known as ‘Hapus’ is in demand in domestic and international markets not only for its taste but also for pleasant fragrance and vibrant colour. The first product to get a GI tag in Bharat was the Darjeeling tea in 2004. There are a total of 325 products from Bharat that carry this indication. -GoTop

 

10. RSS IS NOT A POLITICAL ORGANIZATION – TN MINISTER: Participating in the ‘Maha Seva’ event organized by RSS on October 2nd in Chennai K Pandiyarajan, Minister for Tamil, Tamil culture and Archaeologist said that RSS is not a political organization and I have no hesitation, guilt or uncertainty in participating in this Seva event. In his words, “The reason I came to this event is the noble cause of the programme and the participation of thousands of youngsters, who have assembled here with an aim to clean and make this Perambur region cleaner on the lines of Swachchh Bharat campaign. There is no politics here. RSS is an organization which does not see politics and is beyond politics. I have also been associated with Swadeshi Jagran Manch and served as its Tamilnadu Co-Convenor. -GoTop

 

11. BHARATIYA AMERICANS RAJ JAYADEV, VIJAY GUPTA AMONG RECIPIENTS OF 2018 MACARTHUR ‘GENIUS GRANTS’: Chicago based The MacArthur Foundation Oct. 4 announced its 2018 cohort of “genius grant” awardees, with Bharatiya Americans Raj Jayadev and Vijay Gupta among the 25 recipients.

The awardees include academics, activists, artists, scholars and scientists, who will receive $625,000 over five years to use as they please. The foundation awarded the genius grants each year since 1981 to help further the pursuits of people who have shown outstanding talent.

Activist Jayadev, of San Jose, California , is a community organizer leveraging the potential of community organizing to create a model of legal assistance that provides education and criminal defense resources to families in need.

Musician Gupta, of Los Angeles, California, is a violinist and social justice advocate forging effective pathways to bring music to the marginalized and establishing new possibilities for social connection and support. -GoTop

 

12. BHARATIYA DOCTORS USED 2,500-YEAR-OLD TECHNIQUE OF SUSHRUTA TO RESTORE AFGHAN WOMAN’S NOSE: Doctors at a Delhi hospital have reconstructed the nose of a gunshot victim from Afghanistan using over 2,500-year-old techniques described by Sushruta, the father of surgery. Shamsa, whose name has been changed to protect her identity, was shot four years ago. Though she was fortunate to have survived the attack, she lost most part of her nose and the ability to breathe and smell, Ajaya Kashyap, Medical Director of KAS Medical Centre and MedSpa said on 8th October.

She had suffered the injury when she was 24-years-old and was about to get married and settle down. The family later travelled all the way to Bharat so that she can undergo a plastic surgery for her nose, the doctor said.

Explaining the surgical approach Kashyap said, “We often fail to take pride in the fact that some of the most advanced and modern surgical procedures, like plastic surgery, have their roots in Bharat like Sushruta’s techniques.” “They are so precise and scientifically accurate that they could be used even today for nose and ear reconstructions. All we have to do is to modify them to sync with latest treatment modalities,” he said. In this case, the doctors took skin from Shamsa’s cheeks for the surgery and followed the techniques described by Sushruta. -GoTop

 

13. GITA GOPINATH NAMED IMF CHIEF ECONOMIST: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) appointed Delhi School of Economics and Lady Shri Ram College alumna Gita Gopinath as its chief economist, a post once held by former Reserve Bank of India governor Raghuram Rajan on 1st October.

Gopinath will succeed Maurice Obstfeld as economic counselor and director of the IMF’s research department.

A top-notch economist, she currently serves as the John Zwaanstra professor of international studies and economics at Harvard University.

The 46-year-old Bharat born economist joins the illustrious list of Rajan and Kaushik Basu who have served as chief economists of the IMF and the World Bank, respectively.

Gopinath has also served as a member of the eminent persons’ advisory group on G-20 matters for the finance ministry and was appointed as economic adviser to the Kerala CM in 2016. -GoTop

 

14. GOVT TO COMMEMORATE 550TH BIRTH ANNIVERSARY OF GURU NANAK DEV: The Government will organize a string of events across the world next year to commemorate the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, the first Sikh Guru and founder of the faith.

"There will be special programmes in the country as well as in different parts of the world to commemorate the 550th birth anniversary of Shri Guru Nanak Dev ji," Union Culture Minister Dr Mahesh Sharma told.

The Government has already decided to commemorate the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev as 'universal brotherhood year' and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations will hold special functions worldwide through Bharatiya missions. The National Implementation Committee (NIC), headed by the Home Minister, also decided to commemorate the centenary of Jalliwanwala Bagh massacre, 200th birth anniversary of Satguru Ram Singh and birth anniversary of 'Rajmata' Vijaya Raje Scindia next year, Sharma said. -GoTop

 

15. ASSAM PAYS TRIBUTE TO GANDHIJI BY INSTALLING TALLEST NATIONAL FLAG: Assam paid rich tribute to the Father of the Nation on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti with Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal dedicating to the people Bharat’s tallest national flag at Gandhi Mandap in Guwahati on 2nd October. The national flag on a 319.5 feet pole is the highest in the country with respect to the average elevation of the city. However, it is ranked  third highest in the country considering only the height of the flag pole, after at Attari border which is 360 feet and Pimpri Chinchwad Bhakti Shakti Chawk, Pune, which is 351 feet.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Sonowal said that the Government of Assam has resolved to contribute its might to the journey of transformation of New Bharat of Mahatma Gandhi’s dream started and spearheaded by Pradhan Mantri  Narendra Modi. -GoTop

 

16. MAHATMA GANDHIJI A FAITHFUL AND A CONSCIOUS HINDU: SRI V NAGARAJ: Foundation of Indic Research Studies had organized a special lecture on the topic ‘Timeless Mahatma Gandhi’ by Shri V Nagaraj, Dakshin Madhya Kshetra Sanghachalak and Honorary President of Mythic Society on the occasion of 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi at Daly Memorial Hall, Mythic Society, Bengaluru on 8th October.

Shri Dinesh Hegde, Director of Rashtrotthana Parishat, Shri. Thippeswamy, Kshetra Saha Karyavaha of RSS and Dr Jayaprakash, Karnataka Dakshin Pranta Karyavaha of RSS were present on the dais. “Gandhi considered Gopal Krishna Gokhale as his guru. When he asked Gokhale about entry into politics, he had said that he must indulge in spiritualized politics. Bhagavad Gita, Isavasya Upanishad bore a deep imprint on his mind. He In fact wrote a treatise on Gita.” Said V Nagaraj while delivering the speech. -GoTop

 

17. EXHIBITION ON KATE FESTIVAL 2018 OPENS IN NINH THUAN: An exhibition featuring the 2018 Kate Festival, the most important annual celebration of the ethnic Cham Brahman community, opened in the central province of Ninh Thuan on October 8.

On the occasion, Mukha Linga and Po Long Girai statues, along with Nandin, Patil, and Banal sacred bulls, costumes, and musical instruments were introduced to the public, contributing to maintaining, preserving, and upholding values of national cultural heritage.

Le Xuan Loi, Director of the Research Centre for Cham Culture in Ninh Thuan, said the display aims to popularize the unique culture of the Cham ethnic group in Ninh Thuan amongst domestic and foreign visitors. -GoTop

 

18. BHARAT ELECTED TO UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL WITH MOST NUMBER OF VOTES: Bharat was elected to the United Nations' top human rights body for a period of three years beginning January 1, 2019, getting 188 votes in the Asia-Pacific category, the highest number of votes among all candidates.

The 193-member UN General Assembly held elections for new members to the UN Human Rights Council. The 18 new members were elected by absolute majority through a secret ballot. Countries needed a minimum of 97 votes to get elected to the Council.

Bharat's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin told that Bharat's win reflects the country's standing in the international community. -GoTop

 

19. NOBEL LAUREATE KAILASH SATYARTHI TO GRACE RSS VIJAYADASHMI FUNCTION: Famous Nobel award winner and global champion of child rights Kailash Satyarthi will be the chief guest for this year’s annual Vijayadashmi program of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Satryarthi will be the second such important personality to share the stage with RSS Sarsanghchalak Dr Mohanrao Bhagwat after former President Pranab Mukherjee in the same year.

The Vijayadashami program will be held on October 18, 2018 at 7.40 a.m. at the Reshimbag Ground. This is particularly seen as important event because of the address of the Sarsanghchalak usually contains directions for the future course of action and also guidelines to the swayamsevaks working in various spheres of social and national life. -GoTop

 

20. ‘ELITIST’ NO MORE: NOMINATIONS FOR PADMAS RISE 40% TO 50,000: Close to 50,000 nominations for Padma awards were received this year, almost 40% more than those received by the home ministry in 2017. The ministry said 49,992 nominations had been received within the September 15, 2018 deadline, as against 35,595 received in 2017, 18,768 in 2016 and 1,313 in 2010.

The government sought to attribute the growing popular interest in Padma Awards to its conscious efforts to transform the once ‘elitist’ awards, bagged mostly by those close to the Delhi’s power set, to ‘people’s awards’ meant to celebrate unknown and un- sung achievers corners of Bharat. As part of its bid to make the selection for Padma awards more broad-based, the government had made the nomination process online in 2016. People in remote areas were encouraged to nominate unsung heroes who genuinely deserved the civilian honour. -GoTop

 

21. BHARAT’S PERSONAL WEALTH MAY GROW AT 13%:  The country’s personal wealth is expected to grow at 13% to $5 trillion by 2022 from $3 trillion in 2017 to get the rank of 11th wealthiest nation globally by 2022, improving its rank by four places from 2017, said a report by Boston Consulting Group. Bharat’s personal wealth was estimated to be $3 trillion in 2017.

The US leads the chart in terms of total personal wealth with $80 trillion in 2017, which is projected to touch $100 trillion by 2022. China is ranked second, with a total personal wealth of $21 trillion, which is expected to more than double to $43 trillion by 2022.

The report noted that Bharat constitutes the second largest pool of wealth from emerging markets in the coming years, with $2.2 billion. It is the fifth largest Asian market in number of affluent, high net worth, and ultra high net worth individuals. There were 322,000 affluent, 87,000 high net worth individuals and 4,000 ultra high net worth individuals in the country in 2017.  -GoTop

 

22. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Dr Ram Vaidya, sahsamyojak Vishwa Vibhag is on a tour to African countries of Liberia, Nigeria, Ghana, and Kenya etc. Anil Vartak, sah samyojak Vishwa Vibhag will be touring Singapore. Visitors: Dr Manohar Shinde – USA,

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: You are what your deep, driving desire is. As your desire is, so is your will. As your will is, so is your deed. As your deed is, so is your destiny. -  Brihadaranyaka -GoTop

 JAI SHREE RAM

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RAHUL BASHING RSS FOR POLITICAL GAIN

Dr Manmohan Vaidya

Ever since the Congress outsourced its ideological arguments to the comrades, it has allied itself with intolerance and has opposed national views and activities. This is a tragedy

Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s feeble attempt to draw equivalence between the Muslim Brotherhood and RSS caused astonishment among those familiar with the RSS and those who have a national perspective. Alternatively, those professing a communist and/or Maoist ideology and practitioners of opportunistic politics were predictably elated. Neither of these responses was unanticipated. However, it must not be assumed that Gandhi lacks awareness about the mayhem Islamists terrorists inflict on the civilised world. Neither does this mean that he is unaware of the social work the RSS carries out through its affiliated organisations, not to mention the growing appeal and support the Sangh is receiving from society at large. Why, then, would he make such a preposterous allegation?

Quite simply, his political advisors have succeeded in convincing him that criticising the RSS will yield political dividends, that baseless and provocative statements will compensate for the lack of ground work which is required to lift the grand old party from its political nadir. Hence, he has obviously been schooled to render these statements in a dramatic manner without bothering to check their veracity. When one such statement was legally challenged by a swayamsevak, the Congress president was seen avoiding his date in court.

In reality, the Sangh is engaged in the work of connecting and binding Bharatiya society with the everlasting thread of spirituality and an integral and holistic view of life. To equate this inclusive Bharatiya view of life with the Muslim Brotherhood is an affront to our great civilisational heritage and history. If one was to view Islamist ideology in practice, the word “brotherhood” itself is inappropriate. In fact, the Muslim Brotherhood which he chose to cite as an example, views not only non-Muslims as beyond the pale but even Muslims outside the Salafi/Sunni fold as outside their ideological commune and therefore not ‘true’ Muslims.

September 11 was the 125th anniversary of Swami Vivekanand’s Chicago address to the Parliament of World Religions. In that historic address, he presented to a world audience the inclusive worldview of Hindu culture. This was not merely an exercise in intellectualism, but one where the strings of the heart were playing a unique tune for an audience unfamiliar with the Hindu view of life but responsive to the music in those sincere words. Swami Vivekananda began his address with “My American Brothers and Sisters…”, an endearment which was received with a standing ovation that lasted a few minutes.

He said: “I am proud to belong to a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance. We believe not only in universal toleration but we accept all religions as true. I am proud to belong to a nation which has sheltered the persecuted and refugees of all religions and all nations of the earth. I am proud to tell you that we have gathered in our bosom the purest remnant of the Israelites, who came to Southern India and took refuge with us in the very year in which their holy temple was shattered to pieces by Roman tyranny. I am proud to belong to the religion which has sheltered and is still fostering the remnant of the grand Zoroastrian nation. Sectarianism, bigotry, and its horrible descendant, fanaticism, have long possessed this beautiful earth.

They have filled the earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilisation and sent whole nations to despair. Had it not been for these horrible demons, human society would be far more advanced than it is now.”

Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar has also drawn a distinction with the Islamic view of the world.  In his book “Thoughts on Pakistan” he says: "Islam is a close corporation and the distinction that it makes between Muslims and non-Muslims is a very real, very positive and (a) very alienating distinction. The brotherhood of Islam is not the universal brotherhood of man. It is brotherhood of Muslims for Muslims only. There is a fraternity but its benefit is confined to those within that corporation. For those who are outside the corporation, there is nothing but contempt and enmity.”

The Muslim Brotherhood wants to impose Sharia Law everywhere; the RSS stands for a Hindu Rashtra that is based on the ideal of spreading universal acceptance as propagated by Vivekanand. So, how can the fundamentalist Islamist ideology of the Muslim Brotherhood be equated with the Universal Brotherhood of Swami Vivekananda. Further, why does Rahul Gandhi feel compelled to speak ill of an organisation that follows the precepts of universal brotherhood and is focused on organising society?

A senior commentator said to me a few years agothat the Congress has been reduced to a party desperately trying to come to power by any means and is outsourcing its intellectual activity to the Communists. Ever since the Congress outsourced its ideological arguments to the comrades, it has allied itself with intolerance and has opposed national views and activities.

Before Independence, the Congress was an open platform; among its members were Hindu Mahasabha members, supporters of revolutionaries, those with a radical approach (Garam Dal) and also those favouring a moderate approach (Naram Dal). There was space for everyone. When this platform for national liberation started taking the shape of a political party it went from being a large tent of ideas to a corporation which practiced alienating and excluding those with different views. It was, however, a gradual progression. Even after 1947 there was space for diverse viewpoints; if Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was an ardent critic of the RSS, Sardar Patel invited swayamsevaks to join the Congress party. In 1962, during the Indo-China war, even a strident critic of the Sangh such as Nehru was so impressed by the selfless service of the RSS that he invited the organisation to participate in the Republic Day Parade; even at short notice, 3,000 swayamsevaks participated with pride in the parade.

During the 1965 Pakistan invasion, Lal Bahadur Shastri called for a meeting with prominent national leaders, including the second RSS Chief Guruji Golwalkar, going so far as to arrange his transport to Delhi. During this meeting, a communist leader repeatedly asked Shastri: What was “your Army” doing when India was invaded? Agitated by this stance especially at such a critical time, Golwalkar intervened and asked the gentleman why he couldn’t just say “our army”? Did he not belong to the same country?

This tradition of dialogue (samvaad) continued till the 1970s. Subsequently, the influence of communist ideology started gaining traction in the Congress (at a time the communists themselves had ‘purged’ themselves of their nationalist elements who had long since been denounced as ‘rightists’) and the intolerance and “otherness” inspired by Stalinist ideals began rearing its ugly head. Confrontational language and an ‘us versus them’ discourse started dominating. Apart from the BJP, most political parties reflect communist influence in their intellectual cells in varying degrees. For short-sighted political gains there is a tendency to side with attempts (inspired by leftist ideology) of breaking or weakening the unity of the people of the country and at the same time opposing national ideas and forces. This enervating influence over the past few decades has left the Congress in a strange condition, almost as if its body is but a shell that is now occupied by a Maoist soul. This is not merely an observation, it is borne out by the displays of support the Congress routinely expresses for Maoist protests. Is it not alarming that Congress leaders stand in solidarity with those who raised slogans of “Bharat tere tukde honge, Inshallah, Inshallah”, “Bharat ki barbadi tak jung rahegi” or “Afzal Guru hum sharminda hai, tere qatil zinda hai”? Afzal Guru was the mastermind behind the terrorist attack on the parliament and was sentenced to death by the Supreme Court.

When the Congress supports those instigating caste violence undermining and violating the Constitution, one is compelled to feel it is its Maoist soul which guides its actions. The infiltration of disruptive Urban Maoists into mainstream life and their influence has only recently come to light and when a mainstream party like the Congress which has held power for so many years supports their destructive designs it is not an occasion to be surprised but saddened.

Despite ideological differences, it is important to concede that the Congress of the past never spoke in the terms used by their current leaders or aligned with disruptive forces that undermined the country and national interest. It is deeply worrying to see the oldest political party in the country, one that enjoys support across the country, stand with such anti-national elements. As a result, the Congress is eroding its support base. About 125 years ago Swami Vivekananda crossed the oceans to plant the flag of Bharatiya civilisational and cultural values in a foreign land. Today, a politician from the same country, travels abroad and equates Indian cultural ethos with the Muslim Brotherhood. This is an insult to Bharatiya civilisational values and culture.

 In a democracy it is but expected that there will be differences in opinion and ideologies but it is imperative to rise above these differences for the good of the nation. It is only when this unity supersedes politicswill the country find solutions to the problems that ail us. (The writer is Sah Sarkaryavah, RSS) -GoTop


Shri Vishwa Niketan www.shrivishwaniketan.blogspot.com vishwav@bol.net.in


\SAMVAD  श्री विश्व निकेतन SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN

Ashwin Krishna 7, Vik. Samvat 2075 Yugabda 5120: 1 October 2018


1. FESTIVALS: Ganesh Chaturthi and Ganesh Puja 2. PERMANENT SECRETARIAT PROPOSED FOR HINDUS WORLDWIDE
3. BHARATI’S FIRST VEDIC RESEARCH CENTRE TO BE SET UP AT BANARAS HINDU UNIVERSITY 4. BHARAT SUCCESSFULLY TEST-FIRES  SHORT-RANGE BALLISTIC MISSILE ‘PRAHAR’
5. AAPI HELPS BUILD RESTROOMS IN TWO CHENNAI SCHOOLS 6. BHARAT SUCCESSFULLY TEST FIRES  ANTI-BALLISTIC MISSILE ‘PRITHVI DEFENCE VEHICLE’
7. HAIFA DAY OBSERVED ON 23rd SEPTEMBER 8. MODI ROLLS OUT 'BIGGEST HEALTH SCHEME' Ayushman Bharat
9. PIOS HAVE DONATED MORE THAN $ 1.2 BILLION TO US ALMA MATERS SINCE 2000 10. OVER 270 MILLION PEOPLE MOVED OUT OF POVERTY IN BHARAT SINCE 2005-06
11. HINDI MOST SPOKEN BHARATIYA LANGUAGE IN US 12. MALDIVES: BHARAT WELCOMES SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF POLL PROCESS
13. PM MODI GETS UN'S HIGHEST ENVIRONMENT HONOUR 14. NEPAL BECOMES FIRST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD TO DOUBLE THE TIGER’S POPULATION
15. AMARNATH YATRA ENDS PEACEFULLY FOR 285,000 PILGRIMS 16. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN & FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Article:

 

THE SANGH ‘AS IT IS’


1. FESTIVALS: Ganesh Chaturthi and Ganesh Puja was celebrated in Bharat and worldwide with usual gaiety and fervor. For many years, Hindus living outside Bharat are making preparations for this festival, encourage locals to join them and celebrate this festival and Ganesh Visarjan with processions etc. At Boeding –China, the festival was celebrated for 5 days on 6th consecutive year with good participation of local Chinese people. Hundreds of worshippers including Mick Skeels – Tendring Council’s cabinet member participated in the Ganesh Visarjan ceremony at Clacton Beach UK. It was also observed at Botley – UK, Bahrain and many other places across the globe. -GoTop

 

2. PERMANENT SECRETARIAT PROPOSED FOR HINDUS WORLDWIDE: Hindus worldwide should become more visible as positive change makers in their respective countries they call home, wherever they may be today, is the main consensus emerging from World Hindu Congress 2018, Dr. Abhaya Asthana, convener of the conference said at the concluding session of the World Hindu Conference at Chicago on 9th September.

The Hindu Political Conference, a subset of the WHC has suggested the need for a permanent secretariat in the US or UK for the cause of Hindu rights around the globe. To accomplish this task, a group of eminent persons will be recruited.

The congress hosted six other parallel sessions, on youth, media, economy, women, education, and Hindu organizations.

The media conference called for activist media entrepreneurs who are not profit driven and making writing contemporary and relevant to the present generation and make it “cool”.

Finding new ways to open trade, further regulatory reforms in Bharat, skill development, building ecosystems providing capital to startups and mentoring programs for young entrepreneurs were the recommendations of the economic conference.

A strategy for developing scholarship in religious studies and a strong international network of Hindu scholars were the outcomes of the Education conference.

The WHC drew delegates from 60 countries including countries like Peru and Guatemala. -GoTop

 

3, BHARATI’S FIRST VEDIC RESEARCH CENTRE TO BE SET UP AT BANARAS HINDU UNIVERSITY: The foundation for the country’s first Centre for Vedic Research was laid by Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi on 18th September at Banaras Hindu University. He launched this centre during his two-day visit to his home constituency on the occasion of his birthday. The centre as proposed will explore forgotten ancient Vedic texts and conduct multidisciplinary research. Envisioned to study and popularize the scientific approach and vision of the Vedic sciences and seers, the centre will also collect Vedic manuscripts for publication.

The centre will host a state-of-the-art research laboratory to study the effect of Vedic mantras, rituals, yoga and meditation on the human mind through neuro-psychological studies. -GoTop

 

4. BHARAT SUCCESSFULLY TEST-FIRES  SHORT-RANGE BALLISTIC MISSILE ‘PRAHAR’: Bharat successfully test-fired an indigenously developed surface-to-surface short-range ballistic missile ‘Prahar’ from the Odisha coast on 20th September amid heavy rains. Notably, it is a huge success from Bharat’s point of view and will increase the strength of its security forces.

The test of sophisticated missile ‘Prahar’ developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) was done from launch pad-3 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur at about 1:35 pm from a mobile launcher. ‘Prahar’ is a solid fuelled short-range missile fitted with an inertial navigation system. It is a quick reaction, all-weather, all-terrain, highly accurate battlefield support tactical weapon system and has various tracking radars as well as electro-optic equipment to track and monitor the missile's trajectory. -GoTop

 

5. AAPI HELPS BUILD RESTROOMS IN TWO CHENNAI SCHOOLS: The New York-based America Tamil Sangam and Shri Vari Foundation recently inaugurated ten restrooms at two corporation schools in Chennai, which have been adopted by them. The construction was done partly with the donations made by the Bharatiya American organizations American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI ) of Queens and Long Island, and the Indian Association of Long Island, New York. The two associations jointly donated around $15,000 to the Chennai flood relief fund of the Tamil Sangam two years ago which was now utilized to construct restrooms for girl students in two schools. -GoTop

 

6. BHARAT SUCCESSFULLY TEST FIRES  ANTI-BALLISTIC MISSILE ‘PRITHVI DEFENCE VEHICLE’:  Bharat made its dream come true on the midnight of 23rd September as it successfully conducted first night trial of its indigenously developed Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) from a defense facility off the Odisha coast. The test is considered to be a major milestone in developing a two-layer Ballistic Missile Defense system.

Bharat has become the 4th nation in the world to have a robust BMD system after US, Russia, and Israel with this successful testing. The hot standby interceptor missile Prithvi Defence Vehicle (PDV) which is capable of destroying enemy weapon systems at high altitudes of above 100 km, was flight tested against a target missile fired from a warship anchored in the Bay of Bengal. -GoTop

 

7, HAIFA DAY OBSERVED ON 23rd SEPTEMBER: ‘Just like we have ignored true history in our country, we also have ignored true heroes of the nation’ said Sri Prakash Belavadi, theatre and film personality addressing the program organized at Bengaluru by Manthana to commemorate the centenary of the victory of Haifa by the Bharatiya cavalry soldiers fighting as British Army against Ottoman empire during the first world war in 1918.

Similar programs were organized at Delhi, Jaipur and other places. Union Minister of State for External affairs Gen VK Singh was the Chief Guest at the recently renamed Teen Murti Haifa Chowk in Delhi. Shri Ravikumar, author of the book ‘Indian Heroism in Israel’ was the main speaker.

 The Bahai community also celebrates this day as the day of the liberation of Abdu’l-Baha. In celebration of the centenary year of the battle of Haifa the Israeli government has issued a special first day cover and a set of commemorative postage stamps. -GoTop

 

8. MODI ROLLS OUT 'BIGGEST HEALTH SCHEME' Ayushman Bharat: Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi rolled out the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY)-Ayushman Bharat in Ranchi on 23rd September and termed it a "game-changer initiative to serve the poor".

"PMJAY-Ayushman Bharat is the biggest government-sponsored healthcare scheme in the world. The number of beneficiaries is almost equal to the population of Canada, Mexico and the US taken together," Modi said.

The magnitude of the Ayushman Bharat scheme could be gauged from the fact that more than 1,300 ailments are covered under it, including heart diseases, kidney and liver disorders and diabetes. The ambitious Ayushman Bharat scheme aims to provide coverage of Rs 5 lakh per family annually, benefiting more than 50 crore people for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization through a network of empanelled health care providers. -GoTop

 

9. PIOS HAVE DONATED MORE THAN $ 1.2 BILLION TO US ALMA MATERS SINCE 2000: Alumni of Bharatiya-origin have given more than $ 1.2 billion to American institutions of higher education since 2000, reveals a new survey.

The most prevalent recipient fields of donations were business (23.5 per cent) and medicine (20.6 per cent), closely followed by South Asia Studies (17.6 per cent) and engineering and computer sciences (13.3 per cent), according to a monitor of university-giving compiled by Indiaspora, an organization that seeks to transform the success of Bharatiya Americans into meaningful impact in Bharat and on the global stage.

Bharatiya -Americans are by far the best-educated and highest-earning ethnic group in the US with a median family income of more than $ 100,000 pa (compared to a national figure of around $ 60,000). About 32 per cent of Bharatiya-Americans have bachelor's degrees compared to 18 per cent for Americans and 38 per cent of Bharatiya Americans have Advanced Degrees compared to 10 per cent of Americans with advanced degrees. -GoTop

 

10. OVER 270 MILLION PEOPLE MOVED OUT OF POVERTY IN BHARAT SINCE 2005-06: According to the 2018 global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) released in New York by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI), 271 million people moved out of poverty between 2005-06 and 2015-16 in Bharat. The poverty rate in the country has nearly halved, falling from 55 percent to 28 percent over the ten-year period.

Bharat is the first country for which progress over time has been estimated. Between 2005-06 and 2015-16, the number of multi dimensionally poor people in Bharat fell from 635 million to 364 million – an historic shift. Among states, Jharkhand had the greatest improvement, with Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, and Nagaland only slightly behind. -GoTop

 

11. HINDI MOST SPOKEN BHARATIYA LANGUAGE IN US: Hindi continues to be the most widely spoken Bharatiya language in the US, followed by Gujarati and Telugu. However, in terms of percentage increase, if the data of 2010 is compared with the most recent figures for 2017, the number of Telugu speaking individuals has risen the most — by 86%.

Hindi continues to be the most widely spoken Bharatiya language in the US, followed by Gujarati and Telugu. According to a report, over a seven-year period from 2010, the number of Telugu speakers has risen exponentially by 86% The corresponding rise as regards Hindi and Gujarati speakers was just 42% and 22% respectively. Hindi had 8.63 lakh speakers in the US, followed by Gujarati (4.34 lakh) and Telugu (4.15 lakh). -GoTop

 

12. MALDIVES: BHARAT WELCOMES SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF POLL PROCESS: Bharat has welcomed the successful completion of the poll process in the Maldives, said External Affairs Ministry in a statement from New Delhi. Bharat said, the election marks not only the triumph of democratic forces in the Maldives but also reflects the firm commitment to the values of democracy and the rule of law.

Opposition leader Ibrahim Mohamed Solih won the Maldives' presidential election. Outgoing President Yameen has systematically tried to repress opposition challenge during past years and neglected international opinion. He had declared an emergency and arrested Supreme Court judges in February who ruled to release opposition leaders including former President Mohammed Nasheed.-GoTop

 

13. PM MODI GETS UN'S HIGHEST ENVIRONMENT HONOUR: UN Environment has awarded Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi with the United Nations' highest environmental honour for his leadership of the International Solar Alliance and pledge to eliminate single-use plastic in Bharat by 2022.

PM Modi’s contribution in creating change with taking a stand to curb pollution, his bold environmental leadership on the global stage has garnered immense attention and applause. Under PM Modi’s leadership, Bharat pledged to eliminate all single-use plastics in the country by 2022. French President Emmanuel Macron and PM Modi have been jointly recognized in the Policy Leadership category for their pioneering work in championing the International Solar Alliance and promoting new areas of levels of cooperation on environmental action. -GoTop

 

14. NEPAL BECOMES FIRST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD TO DOUBLE THE TIGER’S POPULATION: Doing a bit in saving the environment and nature’s beauty of wildlife, Nepal has become the first country in the world to double the tiger’s population. While the number of tigers in many countries is witnessing a decline, a recent survey led by the Government of Nepal has shown that the population of tigers has almost doubled in under a decade in the country.

According to World Wildlife Fund (WWF), an organization dealing with wildlife conservation and endangered species, this news can help Nepal become the first country to double its national tiger population since the ambitious TX2, a goal to double tiger numbers in the wild by 2022, was set in 2010. -GoTop

15. AMARNATH YATRA ENDS PEACEFULLY FOR 285,000 PILGRIMS: The two-month-long Amarnath yatra concluded peacefully on 26th August with the holding of prayers at the cave shrine of Bhagwan Shiva nestled in the South Kashmir Himalayas at an altitude of around 13,500 feet. Puja was held when the Chhari Mubarak (holy mace) depicting Bhagwan Shiva and Goddess Parvati arrived at the shrine. According to Bhupinder Kumar, Additional Chief Executive Officer of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB), 285,006 yatris paid obeisance at the cave shrine. Last year, 260,000 pilgrims had performed the yatra. -GoTop

 

16. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Shri V Bhagaiah Sahsarkaryavaha RSS returns from his pravas to USA and Caribbean countries. Visitors:

Amit Nandlaskar – Australia,

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: If we can really understand the problem, the answer will come out of it, because the answer is not separate from the problem. – J Krishnamurthy -GoTop

JAI SHREE RAM

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THE SANGH ‘AS IT IS’

Calling upon all the communities to come close to the Sangh and understand its working, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Sarsanghchalak Shri Mohan Bhagwat concluded his three-day lecture series on the topic ‘Future of Bharat: An RSS Perspective’ at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi from September 17-19, 2018. Ending the lecture series with a call to the society to come together to work for the nation, Shri Bhagwat reiterated that the RSS solely works with the aim of training people to be responsible citizens of Bharat. In the process, he not just presented the idea of Sangh and the core concept of Hindutva in the most precise and lucid manner but also subtly busted the myths that were created about the nationalist organisation with relevant examples.

“You need not believe all that I have said during the last three days. But I believe firmly that once you understand the Sangh, you will desire to be a part of it,” Shri Bhagwat said in his concluding remarks.

The three-day lecture series was intended to reach out to a cross-section of people who have excelled in their fields but hailing from outside the Sangh fraternity. As the prominent economist and Uttar Kshetra Sanghchalak Dr Bajranglal Gupt explained in his inaugural speech, there has been an immense curiosity among the people as to the working and objectives of the RSS. The lecture series was organised to satisfy all questions in the public mind regarding the Sangh, its functioning and views.

Day One

The Man-Making Methodology

On the first day, while addressing the galaxy of prominent personalities who were specially invited for the three-part lecture series, Shri Mohan Bhagwat began his speech by saying that the Sangh’s work is so unique that it is un-comparable with any other organisation. He made it clear that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh does not believe in its domination, but in strengthening and enabling the society to take the nation forward.

“I will explain the working of the Sangh. My intention is not to convince you. Your judgement is your prerogative. If you want to check out the facts that I give you, you must come closer to the Sangh and check for yourself,” he started the lecture for the audience who were not swayamsevaks.

 “To understand the Sangh, one must understand who its founder Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar was,” he said and went on to relate the life and experiences that shaped Dr Hedgewar and subsequent formation of the Sangh. He related various anecdotes about Dr Hedgewar’s life, his participation in the Independence struggle and how he became convinced about the imperative need to train the people to create a strong and united society.

He quoted many leaders and thinkers such as Rabindranath Tagore, Communist thinker MN Roy, former President Dr Abdul Kalam who came to believe that the society needs to be awakened to realise the strengths of its traditional values. Dr Hedgewar, he said, regularly interacted with leaders from different ideologies and concluded that everybody is genuinely fighting for the national Independence, but no one has time to address the root cause of foreign rule, that is the divided society that has lost pride and conviction about its identity. He felt the need to organise the society and train people to work towards positively transforming the society and the nation. “It was with this objective that he announced the formation of the Sangh on Vijayadashmi Day in 1925,” he said.

“RSS is a methodology. What it's only working for is “Vyakti Nirman” (making good human beings). There should be good swayamsevaks in every village and Mohalla”.

 “Dr Hedgewar said the Sangh would work towards uniting the entire Hindu society – nothing else. So much diversity in languages, cultures, religious practices, food habits, etc is there. How to take everybody along? The traditional value system that has the strength to connect and unite everyone in Hindusthan is Hinduness (Hindutva). No other word can describe this unifying factor across Bharat,” Shri Bhagwat said.

 “Since generations, Bharatiya society has traditionally taught us how to live together. Whenever we have forgotten our values, we have suffered,” he said. “People get the impression that RSS is a very dictatorial organisation. They think that the ‘chief’ of RSS decides everything and everyone has to follow. In reality, RSS is very different. If you want to see the largest democratic organisation in the world, you have to see and understand the RSS. But don’t believe me, come close to Sangh to check out the truth,” he said.

“Every swayamsevak has the right to question, share his thoughts and there is a system how swayamsevaks’ thoughts are taken into consideration at each level, till the Pratinidhi Sabha (the highest decision-making body of the Sangh),” He explained with an example of a fourth standard Swayamsevak inquiring about his presence in his parent Shakha in Nagpur.

“Sangh is a self-sustaining organisation. We organise all funds for our activities from within and do not take even a penny from outside. Swayamsevaks look at the saffron flag as their ‘Guru’ and an annual exercise of ‘Gurudakshina’ raises funds for the yearlong activities of the RSS,” Shri Bhagwat explained.

“We do not want Sangh domination. We think quite the opposite. If in history, it is written that something good happens for the nation because of the Sangh then it would be a defeat of the Sangh thinking. Our vision is to strengthen the society, which will take the nation forward. The community feeling is the basis of Sangh philosophy. Our swayamsevaks do a lot of good work, but we do not propagate their names. Every citizen must work for the nation selflessly because it is the duty of all of us to give back to the nation in whatever way possible.”

“Our objective is simply to motivate and train every swayamsevak to bring about a positive change in the society,” he said. On the question of women participation in the RSS, Shri Bhagwat made it clear that Rashtra Sevika Samiti works on the same lines as the Sangh and women participate in a big way in all social service projects run by swayamsevaks. “Most of our swayamsevaks are family men, and their families’ contribution is vital,” he said.

“The Sangh wants to organise the entire society and no one is an outsider in this process. Even those who oppose us are ours, is our firm conviction. We only ensure that their opposition does not harm us. We are for the Sarvlokyukta (all inclusive) Bharat and not somebody Mukta (excluding) one…..then the fundamental question comes that why we are doing this only for Hindus,” he said while concluding the first days lecture and setting the tone for the day two.

Day Two

Hindutva: Philosophy & Practice

The Sarsanghachalak elaborated on the concept of Hindutva while presenting the RSS’s future vision during his address on the second day. The Sangh aims to build an able society that embodies equality and is free from exploitation,” he said.

 “Bharat is a democratic nation, and we respect all symbols of democracy. The Constitution of India is one of the prime symbols of democracy because it is the outcome of our collective consciousness,” he said while reading out emphatically from the Preamble.

“The Hindu dharma is universal dharma, based on humanity as a whole. We have never considered ourselves different from the entire world. ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ is the basis of Hindutva,” he said.

“There are three fundamentals of Hindutva; they are patriotism, ancestral pride and culture,” he said.

“The word 'Hindu' is derived from abroad. We don't get this word in ancient Indian texts. Acharya Mahavir Prasad Dwivedi wrote that when Zoroaster reached Persia, he was asked about his identity. He replied that he came from the lands of Sindhu. In Persian, 'Sa' becomes 'Ha'; hence Sindhu became Hindu. As we had trade relations with Israel, the word 'Hindu' reached the Jews. Through the seas, the word reached our western coast, and from there entered into our intellectual space. In the 9th century, it reached our texts but never in our colloquial language.”

“When invaders began attacking the diverse belief systems they grouped them as ‘Hindu’ and began converting them. It was then that the word 'Hindu' entered the colloquial language.”

“We refer to Hindutva as a value system. There are those who prefer to call it ‘Indic’, others call it ‘Bharatiya’ – we accept all these terminologies as the same,” he proclaimed while insisting that the content is important than the terminology.

“What is called as Hinduism today, is not the same as the religion of Hindus. There exists no specific Hindu ‘shastra’ because they were composed before the word Hindu became prevalent. Our ancient scriptures are meant for everyone, not limited to a few.”

“We believe that Bharat is not merely a geographical term because the geography of Bharat has been changing. Bharat is the name of a disposition whose crux is clearly explained by the word Hindu. Hence, Sangh is insistent on using the word Hindu.”

“While speaking in Parliament about Hindu Code Bill, Dr Ambedkar asked what religion is— a value or a code. You consider it as a code or as a religion? A code changes but not values. Our perspective towards dharma is that it is made of values.” he reminded the audience.

“Hindutva is essentially all-inclusive. It will be the basis of a strong and prosperous Bharat. Hindutva is a balance between the interests of everyone, a belief that welfare of all is the welfare of individuals and welfare of individuals is the welfare of all. Living life with this discipline is Hindutva. It is the collective wisdom of all the sects originating out of India. That is why we say ours is a Hindu Rashtra,” he said. “Hindu Rashtra does not mean that it has no place for Muslims. The day it is said that Muslims are unwanted here, the concept of Hindutva will cease to be. Hindutva believes that the world is a family,” he stated.

“The image of Bharat is that we accept and welcome all the diversities, it is the global Dharma that was nurtured here. Bharat is a trustee for all this knowledge and has given it to the world from time to time.”

Shri Mohan Bhagwat specifically addressed the oft-asked question about Sangh and politics. “There are questions regarding the political ambitions of the Sangh. Right from inception, the Sangh had taken a conscious decision to stay away from electoral politics. No office-bearer of the Sangh is allowed to be a member of any political party and will stay away from politics,” he said.

He emphasised that the Sangh focuses on man-making (Vyakti Nirman), but does not dictate what a swayamsevak will do in his social life. Swayamsevaks take various programmes which are for society's benefit into their hands. They execute according to their capabilities and preferences while in dialogue with the organisation.

“It is not our concern as to why other political parties do not have a large number of swayamsevaks. Why don't they (swayamsevaks) feel like going to other parties, is the question they (other political parties) need to think on. We don't ask the swayamsevaks to work for any specific party,” he stated.

“The swayamsevaks have the freedom to follow their conscience. The influence of RSS increases due to its social work, but we don't specifically work towards increasing our influence. It happens by itself.” Referring to speculations of Sangh influence in politics and governance, he said “We do not presume to give directions to political leaders. We do not give them any advice either unless asked. Only because they are acquaintances we meet them.”

“Though we stay away from politics, we do have views regarding national policies like illegal migration for instance, and if we have the strength, we pursue those policies with that strength. And we do not do it secretly but in full public glare,” Shri Bhagwat said.

Once again speaking on the issue of women in the society, He said women are equal partners and equally responsible for national reconstruction and hence should be treated accordingly. “In fact, in some fields, women are more capable than men.”

“We need to be economically, strategically and morally powerful, for the global welfare”, the Sarsanghachalak stressed. While articulating his views on the Future Bharat, he underscored the fact that once the all-inclusive Hindutva is the basis of our unity and integrity, “our vision document would not be for economic expansion but for would be for providing the equal opportunities for the nations who are lagging behind.” He said, “We all have to come together for this national responsibility and for which we have to be deserving,” while giving a call to all to join the process of national reconstruction.

Prominent personalities who attended the lecture series were Metro man E. Sreedharan, Narendra Jadhav, Manisha Koirala, Malini Awasthi, Manoj Tiwari, Chetan Chauhan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Amar Singh, Swapandas Gupta, Madhur Bhandarkar, Hansraj Hans and leaders of BJP and Union Ministers.

Future of Bharat – The RSS Vision (Question-answer session)

Reservation

“We support reservation as the Constitution of India provides for it. Reservation should stay till those communities who get the benefits of reservation themselves decide that they no longer need it.

Reservation is meant to correct the inequalities that creeped into our society over the last few centuries. It’ll take time to correct the situation and we must patiently wait for the right time. Reservation is not the problem, it is the politics of reservation that creates problems.”

Caste system and inter-caste marriages

“The Sangh supports inter-caste marriages, which should become a process for promoting homogeneity in the society. In fact you will find the best percentage of inter-caste marriages among swayamsevaks across Bharat.”

SC/ST Act controversy

“One cannot deny that victimization exists in our society. Laws to secure people against victimization should be made and implemented properly. But we must also ensure that laws are not exploited and misused – something which is being unfortunately happening today.”

Ram mandir

“A grand mandir for Shri Ram should be built at the Ramjanmabhoomi in Ayodhya as soon as possible. Many communities across religions look up to Shri Ram as their ideal. It is only right that a grand mandir should be built at the place Bhagwan Ram was born.

The building of Ram mandir will end a major issue of friction between Hindus and Muslims. And if it is done amicably, it will automatically silence those who point fingers at the Muslim community.”

NOTA

“In any democratic system, it is not possible to get a 100 per cent perfect option. The best available option has to be chosen. It is human nature and it has been so since the time of Mahabharat. When the Yadavs were discussing who they should choose between Kauravas and Pandavas, the opinion was divided between both sides. The Pandavas too had made many mistakes, it was pointed out. At this point Shri Krishna guided that perfection is not possible, hence the best available option has to be selected. That holds true even today.

“It is not advisable to choose the NOTA option, because if we don’t select the best available option, the worst available options will be the ones to benefit.”

Population policy

“A comprehensive and balanced policy should be made on the issue of population. The policy makers must envision the next 50 years and plan accordingly. The policy, once it is made, should be applicable to all communities. And wherever the situation is more complicated, it should be implemented on a priority basis.”

‘Pollution’ during Hindu festivities

“Environment and pollution are important national issues and every community needs to think and act responsibly during their festivals. This should apply across all communities. But why are only Hindu festivals being selectively targeted in the name of pollution? Hindu traditions have always evolved according to times and we should be ready to change systems that are harming the environment. This should apply to everyone.”

Conversion

“Since everyone says all religions are the same, what is the need for conversion? Those who promote conversion are not promoting spirituality. Their objectives are sinister. My personal beliefs should be my own prerogative. Religion cannot be sold in the market. We respect those who move into another religion out of their own conviction. But all of us know how conversions are done. If money exchanges hands to force conversions, we will speak against it.” -GoTop

(Inputs from www.organiser.org and IVSK Delhi )


Shri Vishwa Niketan www.shrivishwaniketan.blogspot.com vishwav@bol.net.in