\Samvad

Paush  Shukla 14 Vik. Samvat 2078, Yugabda 5123 : 16 January, 2022:SM 3020 (For Private Circulation only)


1. FESTIVALS: VASANT PANCHAMI 2. RASHTRIYA SWYAMSEVAK SANGH: AKHIL BHARATIYA SAMANVAY BAITHAK
3. CASTE BARRIERS A HINDRANCE TO UNITY:DR. MOHAN BHAGWAT 4. RECOGNISE UNSUNG FREEDOM FIGHTERS: PM MODI
5. DECEMBER 26 TO BE OBSERVED AS 'VEER BAAL DIWAS': PM MODI 6. VENKAIAH NAIDU LAUDS BHARATIYA AMERICAN PHYSICIANS
7. PRAVASI BHARATIYA DIVAS CELEBRATED 8. BICAS ODIA SAMAJ CELEBRATED NATIONAL YOUTH DAY IN BAHRAIN
9. GLOBAL SURYA NAMASKAR DEMONSTRATION ON MAKAR SANKRANTI 10. HOUSTON CHAPTER OF SEWA INTERNATIONAL CELEBRATES A YEAR OF DEDICATION, ACHIEVEMENTS
11. MARSHALL WILDFIRE SEWA 12. SEWA CANADA AID TO NEPAL
13. BHARAT SUPPLIES SECOND BATCH OF HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO AFGHANISTAN 14. SENIOR SCIENTIST S SOMANATH APPOINTED AS NEW ISRO CHIEF
15. ISRO SUCCESSFULLY CONDUCTS QUALIFICATION TESTS OF CRYOGENIC ENGINE FOR GAGANYAAN 16. SUPERSONIC CRUISE MISSILE TEST SUCCESSFUL
17. JAN SHATABDI CONNECTING TRIPURA AND MANIPUR INAUGURATED 18. BHARATIYA PASSPORT HAS VISA FREE ACCESS IN 60 COUNTRIES
19. TASNIM MIR BECOMES FIRST BHARATIYA JUNIOR WOMEN'S SINGLE'S WORLD NUMBER ONE 20. OBITUARY: ‘MOTHER OF ORPHANS’ SINDHUTAI SAPKAL
21. OBITUARY: SHRI GYANESHWAR DAYAL 22. 84 KOSI PARIKRAMA MARG OF BRAJ TO BE DEVELOPED: NITIN GADKARI
23. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN & FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Article:  HINDUTVA: THE BALANCE BETWEEN PRIDE AND ANGER

1. FESTIVALS: VASANT PANCHAMI  (February 5 this year) is a festival that marks the arrival of spring and sets off the preparation for Holika and Holi which takes place forty days later. It is also the day of Saraswati Puja.
In Bali and among Indonesian Hindus, Hari Raya Saraswati (the festival's local name) is celebrated with prayers in family compounds, educational institutions and public venues.

In Nepal, Bihar, West Bengal, Tripura and Assam, Saraswati pujas are arranged in schools. In Bangladesh, educational institutes and universities observe it with a holiday and a special puja.
On this day, children start their learning process in a ceremony named 'Khadi-Chuan' or 'Vidya-Arambha'.
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2. RASHTRIYA SWYAMSEVAK SANGH - AKHIL BHARATIYA SAMANVAY BAITHAK: The three-day Samanvay baithak of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh was held from January 5 to 7 at Rashtriya Vidya Kendram in Bhagyanagar. Addressing a press meet, Sah Sarkaryavah Dr. Manmohan Vaidya said that swayamsevaks are working in different sections of society through various organisations. 36 such independent and autonomous organisations participated in this meet. 216 representatives including 24 women were expected of which 91% attended. The representatives deliberated on malnutrition eradication, initiatives for employment generation and Bharat centric education.

The contributions for Bharat’s independence of 250 valorous and unsung heroes including those from the SC and ST have been documented by organizations working in the intellectual sphere. Sanskar Bharati has made 75 skits and dramas to recognize their contributions.
Sangh shakhas which were closed during first pandemic have restarted now and 55000 shakhas are being conducted across the country.
While answering questions, Dr. Vaidya explained that Sangh works to consolidate the entire society and an alert society will solve its problems. He informed that through the Samajika Samarasta initiatives, swayamsevaks are working to eradicate caste discrimination and bring social harmony and that intellectuals across the country are bringing awareness for decolonization in various fields.
Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh, Shri Sunil Ambekar also participated in the press meet.
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3. CASTE BARRIERS A HINDRANCE TO UNITY:DR. MOHAN BHAGWAT: Addressing a select audience from different walks of life in Kalaburagi, Karnataka on January 12, RSS Sarsanghachalak Dr. Mohan Bhagwat highlighted the need for social equality among Hindus and said casteism is an obstacle to Hindu unity.
He added that since its inception, the RSS has propagated the ancient values of Hinduism which stands for unity in diversity, humanity and a life of character. Dr. Bhagwat interacted with the dignitaries who were present on the occasion and addressed their questions and concerns.
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4. RECOGNISE UNSUNG FREEDOM FIGHTERS: PM MODI: While inaugurating the 25th National Youth Festival in Puducherry on the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi asked the youth to do research on forgotten freedom fighters who did not get recognition and bring them to the forefront. During the event on January 12, PM Modi unveiled selected essays on “Mere Sapno ka Bharat” and “Unsung Heroes of Indian Freedom Movement” via video-conferencing. These essays were selected from submissions by over 1 lakh youth on the two themes.
PM Modi also inaugurated a Technology Centre of the MSME Ministry in Puducherry and the Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Manimandapam - an auditorium with an open-air theatre - in Tamil Nadu.
He also noted the added significance of this year as the celebration of the 150th birth anniversary of Sri Aurobindo and the 100th death anniversary of Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathi is falling in the same period.
PM Modi said that the youth of the country has always come forward in times of need. He cited examples of Aadi Shankracharya who stitched the country in the thread of unity when the national consciousness got divided, the sacrifices of Sahibjaade of Guru Gobind Singh and the supreme sacrifice of young revolutionaries like Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekhar Azad and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose who came forward to dedicate their lives for the country.
Several Union Ministers and Chief Minister of Puducherry Shri N. Rangaswamy virtually attended the function.
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5. DECEMBER 26 TO BE OBSERVED AS 'VEER BAAL DIWAS': PM MODI - On the occasion of Guru Gobind Singh’s Jayanti on January 9, Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi announced that as a tribute to the courage of Sahibzades (Guru Gobind Singh's sons) and their quest for justice, December 26 will be observed as 'Veer Baal Diwas'.
On December 26, 1705, Sahibzada Zorawar Singh and Sahibzada Fateh Singh attained martyrdom after being sealed alive in a wall by Aurangazeb. PM Modi tweeted that these two greats preferred death instead of deviating from the noble principles of Dharma. He added that the bravery and ideals of Mata Gujri, Sri Guru Gobind Singh and the 4 Sahibzades who never bowed to injustice gives strength to millions of people .
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6. VENKAIAH NAIDU LAUDS BHARATIYA AMERICAN PHYSICIANS: Addressing the 15th Annual Global Healthcare Summit 2022 organized by the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) in Hyderabad on January 5, Uprashtrapati Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu praised Bharatiya American medical professionals for “making their mark in every corner of the world” and being the “personification of our nation’s civilizational value of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.”
He observed that AAPI has proved to be beneficial not only to Bharatiya-origin American physicians, but to Bharatiya healthcare as well.
The Uprashtrapati complimented AAPI for raising $5 million during the second wave of the pandemic and its ‘Adopt a Village’ program in Bharat.
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7. PRAVASI BHARATIYA DIVAS CELEBRATED: The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is celebrated to recognise the contribution of overseas Bharatiya community towards the growth and development of Bharat. January 9 was chosen for PBD as it was on this day in 1915 that Mahatma Gandhi returned to Bharat from South Africa. A virtual global Youth Conference PBD 2022 was organized with the theme - “Role of Diaspora Youth in Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav – Innovation and New Technologies.”
Addressing the conference, Minister of State for External Affairs Shri V Muraleedharan said that the Bharatiya diaspora serves as a living bridge connecting Bharat to the world and hailed its achievements. He added that even as they hold esteemed positions, leading from the front in their respective spheres, they retain and nurture an abiding bond and interest in staying connected with their roots and upholding their traditions, rites and rituals, culture, cuisine and language.
The minister also spoke extensively about the success stories of the diaspora and mentioned the achievements of Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Twitter CEO Parag Agarwal, Inmarsat CEO Rajeev Suri and Chanel CEO Leena Nair.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also greeted the Bharatiya diaspora on the occasion of PBD. In a tweet, he said that their achievements are a source of pride for us.
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8. BICAS ODIA SAMAJ CELEBRATED NATIONAL YOUTH DAY IN BAHRAIN: With the help of the Bharatiya Embassy in Bahrain, the Odia Samaj affiliated to the Bahrain India Cultural and Art Society (BICAS) observed the National Youth Day on January 12.
Vishwa Vibhag sah-sanyojak Dr Ram Vaidya inaugurated the programme. Speaking on the occasion, he said that nation-building is never a part-time job and it is necessary for all of us to put the ideologies of Swami Vivekananda into practice in a productive way.
Bharatiya Embassy Second Secretary Ihajas Islam and BICAS vice-president and Odia Samaj founder Dr Arun Kumar Praharaj spoke on the life and ideology of Vivekananda.
A Nrutya Natika on Swami Vivekananda was also presented on the occasion.
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9. GLOBAL SURYA NAMASKAR DEMONSTRATION ON MAKAR SANKRANTI: Under the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav initiative, AYUSH Ministry organised a global Surya Namaskar demonstration - ‘Surya Namaskar For Vitality'. Around one crore people globally took part in the virtual demonstration on Makar Sankranti, January 14 and shared videos of them performing the 'Surya Namaskar’.
The programme was launched virtually by Union AYUSH minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Union Minister of State Munjapara Mahendrabhai.
Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev, ‘Art of Living’ founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev and many other dignitaries participated in the event.
Tamaki Hoshi, 2021 Miss World Japan, joined the event and said that a large number of Japanese people have included yoga in their daily routine.
President of Italy Yoga Institute Dr Antoniette Rossi, President of American Yoga Academy Dr Indranil Basu Roy and members of the Singapore Yoga also participated in the event.
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10. HOUSTON CHAPTER OF SEWA INTERNATIONAL CELEBRATES A YEAR OF DEDICATION, ACHIEVEMENTS: On December 12, Sewa International’s Houston, Texas, chapter held a gala celebration highlighting the year-round work of its volunteers. The theme of the event was “local presence and global impact" and it showcased SI’s accomplishments in responding to and combating the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as serving the local communities and making an impact beyond the city’s borders.
Bharatiya Consul General Aseem R. Mahajan, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher and Dean for the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine Dr. Peter Hotez attended the event.
Shri Mahajan commended SI for working with several community initiatives in organizing food distribution, imparting education, and offering other services in a demanding and challenging year.
Mr. Hotez said that he valued working hand in hand with the Bharatiya government's extraordinary developers of the COVAXIN vaccine in Hyderabad. Rep. Fletcher thanked Sewa International for working tirelessly in responding to COVID-19 affected families in the community in recent years. 
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11. MARSHALL WILDFIRE SEWA: The wildfire that swept through suburban areas between Denver and Boulder of Colorado, USA on December 30 was among the most destructive in the state’s history, destroying almost 1,000 homes and forcing the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents.
The Hindu Temple of Colorado, Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh HSS USA and Sewa International, working with many other local organizations, came forward to help in many ways.
Sewa International is helping the families in need of shelter, water, food, other essentials or any other help that is needed to support the community during this difficult time. It has released an initial set of funds ($5000) to help the community with relief efforts.
With the help of more than 50 volunteers, 375 meals were cooked and distributed to local community members and relief volunteers. 
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12. SEWA CANADA AID TO NEPAL: SEWA Canada continued its COVID aid to strengthen the health infrastructure in Nepal.
Medical equipment & supplies were provided by Sewa Canada International to local government health care authorities/hospitals to counter COVID-19 in Galchhi Village in Bagmati Province, GP Koirala Respiratory Centre, Tanahun and Primary Healthpost in Barhadashi, Jhapa.
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13. BHARAT SUPPLIES SECOND BATCH OF HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO AFGHANISTAN: On January 1, Bharat supplied the second batch of ‘humanitarian assistance’ consisting of 500,000 doses of COVID vaccine (COVAXIN) to Afghanistan. An MEA statement said that it was handed over to the Indira Gandhi Hospital, Kabul and that another batch of additional 500,000 doses would be supplied in the coming weeks. Earlier in December, Bharat delivered 1.6 tons of medical assistance to Afghanistan through World Health Organization.
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14. SENIOR SCIENTIST S SOMANATH APPOINTED AS NEW ISRO CHIEF: Scientist Dr. S Somanath is all set to take over as the new Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), succeeding Dr. K. Sivan.
Dr. Somanath did mechanical engineering from the TKM College of Engineering, Kerala and joined the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) centre in Kerala in 1985. He later did his Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore with specialisation in Dynamics and Control. At ISRO, he has been associated with both the Polar and Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV and GSLV) projects. He was also the Deputy Director of Propulsion and Space Ordinance Entity till November 2014. Dr. Somanath is currently the Director of the VSSC and will take charge as the Chairman of ISRO.
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15. ISRO SUCCESSFULLY CONDUCTS QUALIFICATION TESTS OF CRYOGENIC ENGINE FOR GAGANYAAN: On January 13, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully conducted qualification tests of the Cryogenic Engine for Gaganyaan human space programme.
The ISRO Propulsion Complex in Tamil Nadu conducted the test for 720 seconds duration and met the test objectives. A release by ISRO said that the engine parameters were closely matching with the predictions during the entire duration of the test. This successful long duration test is a major milestone for the Human Space programme Gaganyaan. The engine will further undergo four more tests for a cumulative duration of 1810 seconds to complete the cryogenic engine qualification for the Gaganyaan programme.
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16. SUPERSONIC CRUISE MISSILE TEST SUCCESSFUL: On January 11, Bharat successfully test-fired the indigenously designed and manufactured Brahmos supersonic cruise missile. It was a validation test of the naval variant of the missile jointly manufactured by Russia and Bharat.
The missile was fired from a stealth guided-missile destroyer and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) said that the missile hit the designated target “precisely”.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that successful launch of the missile reconfirmed the robustness of Bharatiya Navy’s “mission readiness”.
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17. JAN SHATABDI CONNECTING TRIPURA AND MANIPUR INAUGURATED: In a historic event for the entire Northeast, the first Janshatabdi express train connecting Manipur and Tripura via Assam was virtually flagged off by Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister of Railways, on January 8.
Agartala–Jiribam Janshatabdi inaugural special trains were flagged off from Agartala and Jiribam railway stations simultaneously. The inauguration programme was attended by Union Minister for Culture, Tourism and Development of North Eastern Region G. Kishan Reddy, Chief Minister of Manipur Nongthombam Biren Singh, Chief Minister of Tripura Biplab Kumar Deb and other dignitaries. The Janshatabdi train will provide direct connectivity to the people of Manipur going to Tripura for educational and health facilities, and the people of Tripura also gets an opportunity to visit Manipur for trade, tourism etc., thus boosting the overall economy of the region.
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18. BHARATIYA PASSPORT HAS VISA FREE ACCESS IN 60 COUNTRIES: Bharat’s passport power has improved this quarter compared to 2021. It now ranks at 83rd position in the Henley Passport Index, climbing seven places from 90th rank last year.
Since 2005, Henley Passport Index ranks world’s passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without prior visa and is based on data from International Air Transport Association (IATA). Bharat now has visa-free access to 60 destinations worldwide with Oman and Armenia being the latest additions. Bharat has added 35 visa-free destinations since 2006.
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19. TASNIM MIR BECOMES FIRST BHARATIYA JUNIOR WOMEN'S SINGLE'S WORLD NUMBER ONE: Young shuttler Tasnim Mir became the first Bharatiya to claim the world no 1 ranking in under-19 girls singles in the latest Badminton World Federation junior rankings. 16-year-old Mir jumped three places to reach the top position in the junior world rankings in the women's singles category with 10,810 points.
Tasnim, who hails from Gujarat, has won 4 junior international tournaments, with 3 of them - Bulgarian Junior Championship, Alpes International, and Belgian Junior coming in 2021.
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20. OBITUARY: ‘MOTHER OF ORPHANS’ SINDHUTAI SAPKAL: The 'Mother of orphans' and Padma Shri recipient, Sindhutai Sapkal, breathed her last in the Galaxy Care Hospital, Pune on January 4. She was 73 years old. The entire life of Sindhutai - popularly known as “Mai” – is an inspiration.
Born on November 14, 1948, in the Wardha district of Maharashtra, Sindhutai dropped out of school after she had passed the 4th standard and had to face many hardships in life. However, overcoming these circumstances, she started working for orphans' welfare. She ran an orphanage - Sanmati Bal Niketan Sanstha - near Hadapsar in Pune and adopted more than 1,000 orphan children over her long career and has received several awards for her social service.  
In 2010, a Marathi biopic on her life, ‘Mee Sindhutai Sapkal’, was released and selected for the world premiere at the 54th London Film Festival.
President Ram Nath Kovind expressed condolences at the demise of Sindhutai and said that her life was an inspiring saga of courage, dedication and service. Expressing his grief over Sindhutai’s demise, Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi said that she will be remembered for her noble service to society.
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21. OBITUARY: SHRI GYANESHWAR DAYAL - senior swayamsevak - passed away on January 10 at his residence in Munich, Germany. Shri Dayal was a sangh swayamsevak since childhood. He lived in Munich, Germany for more than 50 years and worked as a scientist at Max-Plank Institute. He actively represented Bharatiya diaspora through Jansangh, Friends of India and was also involved in philanthropic activities in Bharat. He was the backbone of Sangh activities in Germany.

Expressing grief over the demise of Shri Dayal, RSS Sarkaryavah Shri Dattatreya Hosabale said that his yeoman contribution to Hindu society and the noble cause of Bharat and humanity will be cherished for long. -GoTop
 

22. 84 KOSI PARIKRAMA MARG OF BRAJ TO BE DEVELOPED: NITIN GADKARI: On January 7, Union Road Transport and Highways minister Nitin Gadkari announced that the 84 Kosi Parikrama Marg of Braj (around Mathura) will be declared as a National Highway (NH) and it will be developed on the lines of Parikrama Marg of Ayodhya.

Gadkari made this announcement while virtually laying the foundation stone for 10 NH projects in Mathura totaling 336 km. Shri Gadkari said that the road would connect all religious places on the route and pilgrims would get a feeling of the life and teachings of Bhagwan Krishna.  -GoTop


23. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN:Pravas: Visitors: Satya Narayan and Vaidik Kothari - Indonesia; Ashish Channavar - UK


FOOD FOR THOUGHT: This is the gist of all worship - to be pure and to do good to others. - Swami Vivekananda.
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JAI SHRI RAM

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HINDUTVA: THE BALANCE BETWEEN PRIDE AND ANGER

The core mission of the RSS, re-establishing the centrality of Hindu cultural and civilisational identity in India's national life, has become a reality. In 2022, the sangh needs to correct the misconceptions arising out of it. : Ram Madhav (Akhil Bharatiya Karyakarini Sadasya, RSS)
On the new year day, Mohan Bhagwat, Sarsanghachalak of the RSS addressed a gathering of eminent citizens in Bengaluru. He was there not to talk about Hindu Rashtra or about Hindus Muslim relations, but about ‘Paryavaran’ – environment. Long considered an NGO domain, the RSS is now looking at it as an area of interest. A new wing – Paryavaran Gatividhi – climate activism – has been added to the roster of the RSS recently.
Not just environment, the RSS inspired NGO activism can now be found in many other areas including healthcare, education, and social welfare. ‘Saksham’ is one such NGO that works among the disabled, whom the RSS had christened as ‘Divyang’, much before the government started using that term. During the crisis months of Covid pandemic, the RSS had quietly organized extensive training programs for over a lakh of village health volunteers across the country who were given basic training by experienced doctors to tackle any future wave of the pandemic. From running primary and secondary institutions, the RSS members are now venturing into setting up universities and institutions of excellence.
Coupled with this NGO style activism is the focused effort to correct the image and perception. In the last more than a decade, the RSS has quietly increased its outreach through a new activity called Vishesh Sampark – targeted reach out. All senior functionaries including Bhagwat undertake regular initiatives of reaching out to the influencers in the society to explain the cause of the RSS. The RSS chief is reaching out to leaders of Muslim, Christian and other communities exhorting them to overcome prejudices and know the RSS from the horse’s mouth.

Extending it further, the RSS has now embarked on the task of reaching out to political, academic, intellectual, religious and social leaders in dozens of countries across the world in an effort to address the disinformation challenge and affect image makeover globally.
A new confidence is conspicuous in the once reticent organization these days. This confidence stems from the fact that the core mission that it has pursued for over ten decades – reestablishing the centrality of Hindu cultural and civilizational identity in India’s national life – has now become a reality. Hindutva occupies national centerstage today. Rahul Gandhi, senior Congress leader wants to call himself a Hindu; so is Mamta Benarjee, leader of the Trinamool Congress. Arvind Kejriwal, Chief Minister of Delhi has made budget allocation for a free pilgrimage to Ayodhya for Ramlala’s darshan for all the city’s senior citizens.
It was inconceivable a decade ago. Dominant political discourse in India’s post-independence decades was centered around secularism. Hindu, Hindutva and Hinduism were relegated to the fringes and dubbed communal. Renowned Hindu Mahasabha leader N B Khare’s description of Jawahar Lal Nehru as a “Hindu by accident” came to be identified with the mainstream polity in all these years. A false notion of secularism that got equated with rejection of Hindu identity as majoritarianism and yet pandering to minorityism in the same breath had become the dominant political discourse after independence.
That distorted notion of secularism, dubbed by many Hindutva protagonists as pseudo-secularism, has now been rejected by majority of Indians. To call oneself a Hindu is no longer a matter of hesitation or shame. Even prominent Congress leaders are writing books about Hindu history and civilization. No less credit for it should go to the RSS.
Every movement passes through four stages, Gandhi used to say – “First they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they attack you. Then you win”. Many movements lose steam during the first three stages. The RSS has successfully passed through all of them and emerged as the national mainstream, overcoming ridicule and rejection. Not many organizations have survived for a century. But the RSS has not only survived but growing.
Besides more than fifty thousand Shakhas, the RSS activity today spawns across lakhs of villages in the country. One barometer for assessing its spread and influence could be the recent campaign for mobilizing financial support for the Ram Janma Bhumi temple at Ayodhya. Undertaken earlier this year, thousands of RSS cadres had reached out and secured support from over 13 crore (130 million) Indians, that included people from all parties, social groups and even members of other religions like the Muslims and Christians. No other social organization can claim such an expansive reach and connect with the ordinary masses.
As it nears its centenary and embarks on a course befitting its strength as well as the need of the changing times, the organization is faced with some critical challenges. Although emerged as the fulcrum of Hindu civilizational reassertion, it is still subject to scrutiny and criticism. Its exponential growth has resulted not only in organizational spread but also in influence of its thought process, the latter many times higher than the former. In fact, the RSS outside the Shakhas is much larger than that inside. And it is not necessary that the discipline found inside can be found outside too.
That puts greater onus on the RSS leadership. Mohan Bhagwat understands it. He faced sharp criticism from that section when he talked about ‘common DNA of all Indians’ sometime ago. His original emphasis was on telling the Muslims that they were not alien to the cultural-civilizational life of this ancient nation. But when he reiterated recently that “the DNA of all the people of India from 40,000 years ago is the same as that of the people today”, it was probably his response to those angry sections, and also a likely theme for the organization in coming years.
There is widespread Hindu pride in India today, not necessarily against any other community or religion. There is also Hindu anger in some sections – a sense of persecution, genuine or otherwise – triggered by the acts like proselytism and Islamic radicalism. While pursuing its centenarian agenda, the challenge for the RSS will be to find a balance between the pride and anger, ensuring that neither spill over. (Ref: https://www.rammadhav.in)
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