\Samvad

Shravana Adhik Purnima Vik. Samvat 2080, Yugabda 5125 : 1 August, 2023: SM 5009(For Private Circulation only)


1. FESTIVALS: RAMAYAN MASAM 2. MANDIRS PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN OUR SANATANI TRADITION: DR. MOHAN BHAGWAT
3. TIME TO QUESTION EURO-CENTRIC IDEAS TO DECOLONISE OUR MINDS: HOSABALE 4. PM MODI RECEIVES FRANCE'S HIGHEST CIVILIAN AWARD
5. AKHIL BHARATIYA SHIKSHA SAMAGAM IS CONFLUENCE OF ANTIQUITY AND MODERNITY: PM MODI 6. BHARAT, UAE SIGN RUPEE-DIRHAM TRADE PACT
7. HINDU YUVA CHAPTERS RECOGNIZED FOR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS 8. BHAGAT SINGH SHAKHA RECEIVED HUMAN AND SPIRITUAL VALUES AWARD
9. SEVIKA WINTER CAMP IN SOUTH AFRICA 10. ASSISTANCE CAMPAIGN BY SEWA BHARTI FOR DELHI FLOOD VICTIMS
11. OVERSEAS STUDENTS ORIENTATION PROGRAM 12. CHANDRAYAAN-3 IN DESIRED ORBIT TO BEGIN MOON JOURNEY
13. ISRO SUCCESSFULLY PLACES SEVEN SINGAPOREAN SATELLITES INTO INTENDED ORBIT 14. BHARATIYA, JAPANESE SCIENTISTS DISCOVER 600-MILLION-YEAR-OLD OCEAN WATER IN THE HIMALAYAS
15. OBITUARY : MADAN DAS DEVI 16. BHARATIYA-CANADIAN SHUVALOY MAJUMDAR WINS PRESTIGIOUS SEAT IN HOUSE OF COMMONS
17. BHARATIYA-AMERICAN NISHA BISWAL BECOMES DEPUTY CEO OF US FINANCE AGENCY 18. RUCHIRA KAMBOJ BECOMES CHAIR OF COMMISSION FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
19. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Article: DHARMOCRACY, THE INDIAN VERSION OF DEMOCRACY


1. FESTIVALS: RAMAYAN MASAM: Ramayan used to be read in Kerala households during Karkkidakam, the month in the Malayalam almanac coinciding with June – July. With the influence of communism in the social and political life, people gradually moved away from it. The Vishal Hindu Sammelan held in Kochi in 1982 called upon the people of Kerala to revive the observance of Ramayan Masam.

The public meeting, attended by thousands of people, was addressed by Swami Chinmayananda, Swami Vishweshawara Theertha and the then RSS Sah Sarakaryavah Prof Rajendra Singh. Thereafter, many mandirs and households started to observe the Ramayana Month. The modalities of observance were designed by the Vishal Hindu Sammelan executive committee, presided by AR Sreenivasan. Scholars’ meet, narration of Ramayana stories in public programmes, quiz competitions, singing Ramayana songs, seminars, discussions, series of speeches, etc., became part of the observance.  -GoTop

 
2. MANDIRS PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN OUR SANATANI TRADITION: DR. MOHAN BHAGWAT: On July 22, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Sarasanghchalak Dr.  Mohan Bhagwat inaugurated the world’s biggest International Temples Convention and Expo (ITCX) at Rudraksh International Convention Centre in Varanasi. The three-day Mahasammelan was attended by Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, and Jain representatives from 41 countries. They discussed mandir security, protection and surveillance, finance management, disaster management, cleanliness and holiness.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Bhagwat said that Hindu mandirs play an important role in awakening and nurturing faith and devotion and even the smallest mandirs in Bharat must be empowered. He also emphasised the need for mandirs to care about every section of society and highlighted the role of mandir in inculcating the right values among the youth.
In a letter, Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi extended support to the initiative and encouraged the participants to make optimum use of this platform and work towards realising the vision of “Vikas bhi, Virasat bhi.”
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3. TIME TO QUESTION EURO-CENTRIC IDEAS TO DECOLONISE OUR MINDS: HOSABALE: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Sarakaryavah Dattatreya Hosabale attended the launch of former MP Balbir Punj’s book, ‘Narrative, Ek Maya Jaal’ on July 28 in New Delhi. Speaking on the occasion, he said that we have ended up incorporating Euro-centric ideas into our life, education curriculum, governance, intellectual discourse, media debates and view of our society. Even though there is a difference between Rashtra and Nation, we accepted the concept of Nation and the idea of multination states was the primary reason for the problems in northeast region. He added that it is time to question the Euro-centric ideas to decolonize our minds and come out of mental slavery.

Speaking on his book, Balbir Punj said that he has endeavoured to unravel the intricate web of narratives that shape our individual and collective identities so that readers can critically analyse the narratives to discern the truth amidst myriad of tales.  -GoTop


4. PM MODI RECEIVES FRANCE'S HIGHEST CIVILIAN AWARD: During the two-day visit of Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi to France, he was conferred with the highest honour of France, the ‘Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour’, by French President Emmanuel Macron on July 13 at the Elysee Palace in Paris. This is the highest military and civilian award in France. PM Modi is the first Bharatiya PM to receive this honour. President Macron also hosted a state banquet for PM Modi at the iconic Louvre museum on Bastille Day.

The last foreign dignitary to be hosted for a banquet in the world’s biggest museum on the right bank of the Seine River was Queen Elizabeth in 1957. Preceding the state banquet, Modi was the ‘guest of honour’ at the French National Day. A Bharatiya tri-Services contingent, including IAF aircrafts, participated in the parade.  -GoTop


5. AKHIL BHARATIYA SHIKSHA SAMAGAM IS CONFLUENCE OF ANTIQUITY AND MODERNITY: PM MODI: On the occasion of the completion of three years of National Education Policy-2020, Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi along with Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurated the ‘Akhil Bharatiya Shiksha Samagam’ at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan on July 29.

While addressing the gathering, PM Modi said that from Kashi’s Rudraksha to the Mandapam of modern Bharat, Akhil Bharatiya Shiksha Samagam is a confluence of antiquity and modernity. He added that our education system is preserving Bharat’s traditions while the country is also moving forward in modern science and technology. Highlighting the importance of the New Education Policy, PM Modi stated that the NEP has given importance to traditional knowledge system and futuristic technology in a balanced way.
The two-day programme, held on July 29-30, provided a platform for academics, sector experts, policymakers, industry representatives, teachers and students from schools, higher education and skilling institutions, among others, to share their insights, success stories and best practices in implementing the NEP 2020 and work out strategies for taking it further ahead.
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6. BHARAT, UAE SIGN RUPEE-DIRHAM TRADE PACT: On July 15, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Central Bank of UAE decided on strengthening the economic engagement between the two countries by agreeing to allow exporters and importers from either side to invoice and pay in their respective domestic currencies - rupee and dirham.

An MoU, signed by RBI governor Shaktikanta Das with his UAE counterpart Khaled Mohamed Balama during PM Narendra Modi’s visit to Abu Dhabi, is seen as aimed at shielding traders from both sides from fluctuations in exchange rate, while creating a window for Emirati companies to invest in Bharat given that the UAE has a trade surplus with Bharat. RBI said that the creation of the Local Currency Settlement System (LCSS) would enable the development of a Rupee-Dirham foreign exchange market and promote investments and remittances between the two countries.
A second MoU dealt with ‘Payments and Messaging Systems’ and includes linking the Fast Payment Systems (FPSs) — Unified Payments Interface (UPI) of Bharat with the Instant Payment Platform (IPP) of the UAE. It also envisages linking the respective payment card switches — RuPay switch and UAESWITCH.
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7. HINDU YUVA CHAPTERS RECOGNIZED FOR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS: Several chapters of Hindu YUVA USA have been recognized by esteemed universities for their exceptional contributions and achievements.
Hindu YUVA at California State - East Bay was honored with the SOLAR Awards 2023 for Outstanding Club/Organization. Their Diwali Milan event, with an attendance of over 500 students, was the largest ever student event on campus.

Hindu YUVA at UIUC received the Outstanding Asian American Student Organization Award for its commitment to diversity and contribution to the campus culture through events like the interfaith celebration of Hindu New Year.
Hindu YUVA at UT Austin has been recognized with the Pillars of the Forty Acres Exemplary Student Organization award for the chapter’s impactful initiatives such as their ‘Chai’ Time event organized in collaboration with Texas Hillel.
Hindu YUVA at Rutgers University was presented with the esteemed Spirit of Rutgers Award in recognition of the chapter’s commitment to the community through events like annual Guru Vandana.
Hindu YUVA at  Northwestern University was honored with the Wildcat Impact Award for Winter 2023 for the chapter’s outstanding contributions in creating a positive and inclusive campus environment by providing a safe space for Hindu students to share their experiences on campus.
Hindu YUVA at Georgia Tech received the Celebrating Student Leadership Award for starting new initiatives on campus such as the Hygiene and Period Kit packing event, organized in collaboration with Hillel.
These awards highlight the dedication, hard work, and positive impact that Hindu YUVA chapters continue to make in their respective campuses.
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8. BHAGAT SINGH SHAKHA RECEIVED HUMAN AND SPIRITUAL VALUES AWARD: Bhagat Singh Shakha in Issaquah, WA, USA, received the Kiwanis Club of Issaquah’s Human and Spiritual Values Award. The Kiwanis Club of Issaquah is known for its dedication to volunteerism and activism since the Great Depression.

The Kiwanis Club of Issaquah recognized the work that HSS has done through the donations from Sewa Diwali, food preparation for the homeless, COVID-19 community support and partnering with local organisations to raise awareness about missing Indigenous Women in the community among other activities. Bhagat Singh Shakha was encouraged to apply for the award by former leadership in the Kiwanis Club and a current Issaquah city council member Barbara de Michel.  -GoTop


9. SEVIKA WINTER CAMP IN SOUTH AFRICA: Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh HSS South Africa conducted winter camp for sevikas on June 24-25 at the Redcliffe Hindu Sabha. 29 participants from 6 Shakhas were involved in various activities including yoga, martial arts, yogchaap, drills, meditation, mantra chanting, discussions and lectures on current topics.

11 year old Shivali Lutchman who attended the camp said that the camp helped her with her social skills, confidence, physical fitness and mental health. Shri Shivaji Shakha in Phoenix, SA hosted a movie and games day on July 2. An animated version of the Ramayan was screened and a discussion on Ramayan was conducted. Vasudev Shakha in Verulam also hosted a games day during the school winter break in which many Hindu themed games were played.  -GoTop

 
10. ASSISTANCE CAMPAIGN BY SEWA BHARTI FOR DELHI FLOOD VICTIMS: The water level in the Yamuna River in the National Capital Region of Delhi is still up to two to five feet high. As a result, several residents are facing significant challenges. Sewa Bharti Delhi has been actively engaged in relief work in the flood-affected areas of Delhi. More than 250 volunteers have been deployed at various locations in Delhi where relief camps have been set up for the flood victims. These camps distributes food, water, medicine, and other essential supplies to the affected individuals.

According to Sushil Gupta, Mahamantri of Sewa Bharti Delhi, Sewa Bharti is connecting supportive families with the marginalized families in society and making every effort to provide services in the areas affected by the flood.  -GoTop


11. OVERSEAS STUDENTS ORIENTATION PROGRAM: Vishwa Vibhag Bengaluru launched its first edition of ‘Nayi Udaan’ program on July 16 at Oxford College of Engineering. 60 students going to 10 different destinations including USA, Canada, several European countries and Australia registered for the program and around 40 students along with 60 guests and parents attended the event.

Expert panelists who have spent a considerable time as students and professionals overseas, including some who joined virtually from overseas, helped answer some of the common questions from students and parents, guided them on student life in these countries, shared key dos and don’ts and touched upon a few of the initial challenges they may face.
Prof. Jayadev, Professor in Finance & Accounting at IIM Bangalore, Ms. Nupur Dave - NRI Counsellor and author and Dr. Karunakar Rai, RSS Bangalore Karyavaha were also present on the occasion.
On July 22, the program organised by Gujarat Yuva in Karnavati was attended by 25 students while a few more students from other cities attended virtually. The program gave practical guidance to the students going abroad, connected them with the like-minded organisations in the respective countries and highlighted the importance of their identity outside Bharat. Practical guidance was provided by panelists who joined virtually from USA and Canada. Aruna Kathiriya conducted an identity awareness session and Shailesh Patel, Gujarat Prant Karyavah, gave the concluding motivational guidance.
Bharatiya Sanskruti Samvardhak Sanstha, Pune, conducted a 4-hour programme – ‘GarudBharari’ - on July 9 at Abasaheb Garware College. 150 students had registered for the programme which had an attendance of over 240 including students and parents.
The programme included an introduction to RSS through the ‘Sangh Darshan’ video and a presentation on ‘The Glory of Education in Ancient Bharat’.
Practical guidance was given to students in 6 parallel groups based on the territories they were heading for. Swayamsevaks who had the experience of student life in those places guided them through audio-visual means and addressed their queries. At the same time, parents were informed about the various sewa activities being conducted through ‘Samarth Bharat Abhiyaan’. Six representative students were also felicitated by dignitaries.
For the students who were unable to attend the program, an online session was arranged on July 30 to provide them similar guidance. 35 students, including some from Bengaluru, attended the session.
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12. CHANDRAYAAN-3 IN DESIRED ORBIT TO BEGIN MOON JOURNEY: Bharat has launched its third Moon mission, aiming to be the first to land near its little-explored south pole. The Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft with an orbiter, lander and a rover had lifted off at 14:35 on July 14 from Sriharikota space centre.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has confirmed that the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft is now in a 1,27,609 km x 236 km orbit around Earth, preparing for its Translunar Injection (TLI). The TLI, scheduled for August 1, will slingshot the spacecraft towards the Moon, marking the beginning of its lunar journey. Chandrayaan-3 successfully executed its fifth and final Earth-bound orbit-raising maneuver on July 25, positioning itself for the crucial next step. This maneuver was performed from the ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) in Bengaluru.
The Chandrayaan-3 mission aims to demonstrate end-to-end capability in safe landing and roving on the lunar surface. The spacecraft is expected to land on the uncharted south polar region of the Moon, where it will conduct investigations into water, ice, and minerals. This presents a significant advantage for Bharat, as the South Pole remains a relatively unexplored region with immense scientific potential.
The lander is due to reach the Moon on August 23-24.
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13. ISRO SUCCESSFULLY PLACES SEVEN SINGAPOREAN SATELLITES INTO INTENDED ORBIT: On July 30, ISRO successfully launched its proven PSLV rocket carrying seven Singaporean satellites and placed them into intended orbits.

Around 23 minutes after lift-off from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, the primary satellite got separated and it was followed by six other co-passenger satellites, which were deployed into the intended orbits sequentially, ISRO said.
The 360-kg satellite, upon deployment at an altitude of 535 km into a Near-equatorial Orbit (NEO), would be used to support the satellite imagery requirements of various agencies within the Government of Singapore.
This ISRO mission was undertaken by its commercial arm NewSpace India Limited.
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14. BHARATIYA, JAPANESE SCIENTISTS DISCOVER 600-MILLION-YEAR-OLD OCEAN WATER IN THE HIMALAYAS: As per a release on July 27, researchers, and scientists from the Indian Institute of Science (Bharat) and Niigata University (Japan) have jointly found and discovered droplets of water trapped in mineral deposits in the Himalayas that were likely left behind from an ancient ocean that existed 600 million years ago.

Sajeev Krishnan, professor at the Center of Earth Sciences mentioned that the joint research team from the IISc and Niigata University have been working on a study on the tectonic evolution of the Himalayan and Nagaland Belt for the last five years. The team which included three researchers from IISC, including Sanjeev and two students and a professor and student from Japan hunted for these deposits across a long stretch of the Western Kumaon Himalayas extending from Amritpur to Milam Glacier and Dehradun to Gangotri Glacier and found the droplets of water in the rocks.
Prakash Chandra Arya, a PhD (doctoral) student at the Center of Earth Science in IISc, and first author of the study said that this could provide more clues about the Earth’s past climate, and this information can be useful for climate modelling.
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15. OBITUARY : MADANDAS DEVI: Madandas Devi (81 years), senior pracharak of RSS, former Rashtriya Sangathan Mantri of the ABVP and former Sah Sarakaryavah of RSS passed away at Rashtrotthan Hospital in Bengaluru at 5 am on July 24. His mortal body was brought to Pune on July 25 and placed at Sangh’s Motibaug office for last darshan. Later, Madandasji’s nephew Radheshyam Devi performed the last rites at Vaikunth crematorium.

Madandas Devi was born on July 9, 1942 in Karamala Village, Solapur, Maharashtra. He became a swayamsevak in childhood through his brother Kushaldas Devi. He competed his M.Com from BMCC Pune, was a LLB Gold Medalist from the ILS Law College and also completed his Chartered Accountancy. He joined Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad in 1964 and was given the responsibility as Secretary of Mumbai in 1966. In 1968, he became a full timer and was the ABVP Organising Secretary for the Western Zone. From 1970 to 1992 he was the National Organising Secretary of ABVP. In 1993 Madandasji was given the responsibility as Sah Sarakaryavah of RSS. He was one of the founding members of the Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) in 1991, along with Dattopant Thengadi, M.G. Bokare and others. He also coordinated between the RSS and BJP when the NDA Government headed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee was at the Centre.
While paying tribute to Madandasji after his last rites, RSS Sarasanghchalak Dr. Mohan Bhagwat said that Madandasji did a great job of activating every person who came in contact with him in some kind of social work by inspiring him with thoughts and inner affection. He added that following his teachings and increasing the work will be a real tribute to him.
RSS Sarakaryavah Dattatreya Hosbale, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Bharatiya Janata Party National President J. P. Nadda and other dignitaries also attended the funeral.
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16. BHARATIYA-CANADIAN SHUVALOY MAJUMDAR WINS PRESTIGIOUS SEAT IN HOUSE OF COMMONS: In a significant electoral breakthrough for the community, a Bharatiya-Canadian candidate Shuvaloy Majumdar has captured the prestigious Calgary Heritage seat in the House of Commons that was once represented by the then Prime Minister Stephen Harper. He won the seat in the Alberta Province in a federal by-election on July 24.

Majumdar was born in Calgary to immigrants from Bharat and spent time working in both Iraq and Afghanistan in the early 2000s. Known for his expertise in foreign policy and national security spheres, Majumdar had earlier worked in the office of Stephen Harper, when he was the Prime Minister. He also worked as an adviser in the office of Canada’s foreign minister in the Harper government.
Following that stint in the government, he was involved with think tanks, most recently as a senior fellow with the Ottawa-based Macdonald Laurier Institute (MLI).
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17. BHARATIYA-AMERICAN NISHA BISWAL BECOMES DEPUTY CEO OF US FINANCE AGENCY: Bharatiya-American policy expert Nisha Biswal was confirmed by the Senate to serve as Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the United States International Development Finance Corporation.

She has a high-profile career of over 30 years with experience in US foreign policy and international development programmes within the White House, US Congress and the private sector. Ms. Biswal currently holds the position of Senior Vice President for International Strategy and Global Initiatives at the US Chamber of Commerce.  -GoTop


18. RUCHIRA KAMBOJ BECOMES CHAIR OF COMMISSION FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT: Bharat’s permanent ambassador to United Nations Ruchira Kamboj assumed the chair of the 62nd Session of the Commission for Social Development and stressed its crucial role in addressing social challenges.

Earlier, on February 15, Bharat was elected as the Chair of the 62nd Session of the Commission for Social Development, marking a momentous occasion, as it is the first time since 1975 that Bharat has held the position. The Commission for Social Development’s main responsibility is to review, on a periodic basis, issues related to the follow-up and implementation of the Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development and the Program of Action of the World Summit for Social Development and the outcome of the twenty-fourth special session of the General Assembly.  -GoTop


19. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Vishwa Vibhag Sah Samyojak Anil Vartak has returned to Bharat Visitors: Pradeep Sharma - USA, Bharat Dwivedi - Netherlands
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT: “The world is indeed a mixture of truth and make-believe. Discard the make-believe and take the truth.” — Swami Ramakrishna Paramhansa
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JAI SHRI RAM
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DHARMOCRACY, THE INDIAN VERSION OF DEMOCRACY
Ram Madhav

“2023 BC” – blared the headline of an English daily published from Kolkata. It had a picture of the saints of the Adheenams from Tamilnadu standing in the well of the parliament while Prime Minister Narendra Modi was installing the Sengol near the Speaker’s podium. “Is this the noble mansion that we had dreamed of?”, it cynically lamented.
Many other commentaries followed discussing the significance or otherwise of the new parliament building and the Sengol. While the supporters elatedly declared the arrival of Hindu Rashtra, the critics bemoaned the death of the spirit of free India as envisioned by leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru.
In the hyper-animated debate, too little attention was paid to what the Prime Minister, the prime mover of the project, had said at the inauguration. He did not dismiss the important contributions after independence, nor did he proclaim taking India back to any bygone era. He acknowledged that after losing so much during the colonial rule, India began its new journey after independence and that “journey has gone through many ups and downs, overcoming many challenges”, and now entered the ‘Amrit Kaal’ of independence. “Preserving the heritage and forging new dimensions of development” will be the leit motif of the Amrit Kaal, Modi averred.

People plunged into the last twenty-five years of the freedom struggle with the aspiration of building a developed India. Modi surmised that the new parliament will be the place to realise those aspirations in the next twenty-five years towards the centenary of independence.
Seventy-five years ago, it was Jawaharlal Nehru who was at the wheels of independent India’s government. He led the country through the first seventeen years, or “Six Thousand Days” as Amiya Rao and B G Rao, the bureaucrats served under him called it. He too had a vision for building a developed India. Socialism was the path chosen by him to achieve that.
At the stroke of midnight on 14-15 August 1947, standing in the parliament building built by British architects Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker in 1927, Nehru delivered his historic address to the just-independent nation. He called the moment rare in history when the soul of a nation, “long suppressed, finds utterance”. He called it end of an age and a nation’s stepping out “from the old to the new”.
Interestingly, Modi too called the moment of the inauguration of the new parliament “immortal forever” and will “etch an indelible signature on the forehead of history”. If Nehru believed in democracy and constitutionalism, Modi too insisted that the “democracy is our inspiration, our Constitution is our resolve”.
But Modi’s vision, irrespective of the idiomatic approximation with some Nehruvian ideals, markedly differs from that of Nehru. Many rightly see it as the demise of that Nehruvian vision. Some revel in it while some repent. Nehru appreciated India’s age-old civilisation but abhorred its manifestation in its religion and culture. In objecting to the participation of President Rajendra Prasad in the consecration ceremony of the Somnath temple in March 1951, Nehru insisted that a secular government cannot associate itself with such a ceremony, which was “revivalist in character”.
Modi, and the ruling establishment – for that matter a majority of the countrymen – do not see cultural and religious symbols of India as anti-secular or revivalist. In fact, secularism draws from the ancient Indian religious and cultural traditions, which upheld pluralism and celebrated diversity. Modi presented the new parliament building as the “ideal representation of both the modern and ancient coexistence”. Sacred Sengol in the epicentre of state-of-the-art parliament marked that “ideal representation”.
Nehru called religion obsolete and saw a dichotomy in culture and modernity. Nehruvians detest religion of the majority and endorse communalism of the minority. How else can one explain Rahul Gandhi’s ridiculing of “prostration” before the Sengol and declaration of Muslim League as secular?
But there was Mahatma Gandhi, for whom politics bereft of religion was a sin. He declared that his politics and “all other activities were derived from my religion”, and admonished Nehruvians that they “do not know what religion is”.
The Constituent Assembly witnessed intense debates between the so-called modernists and the Gandhians. At one point, looking at the draft constitution, a member from South India indignantly asked, “where is Gandhi in it?”
After independence, Gandhi was installed outside the parliament while the inside was overwhelmed by the Nehruvian vision. Gandhi continues to be there outside the new parliament building. But the Sengol – representing Gandhi’s Ram Rajya, the “Dharma Rajya” – is inside the parliament now.
Having established post-Nehruvian symbolism, the government has to now establish those values in governance and national life. As Modi pointed out in his address, democracy is in the genes of this ancient society. It never was majoritarian. Gandhi described it as a system where “the weakest shall have as much power as the strongest”.
Deen Dayal Upadhyay, eminent thinker and propounder of BJP’s political philosophy of Integral Humanism, insisted that democracy “is not merely the rule of the majority. Therefore, in any form of democracy in India, election, majority and minority… all must be combined and harmonised at one place. Anyone, who has a different opinion from the majority, even if he is a single individual, his viewpoint must be respected and incorporated into the governance”. That is Dharmocracy, the Indian version of democracy.
Sengol represent that Dharmocracy, or true spirit of our Constitution, where fundamentalisms of all hues are rejected and justice to every citizen and appeasement of none is the rule of law. Tolerating one form of fundamentalism, whether in the name of secularism or majoritarianism, will lead to the rise of the other.
One of the several definitions of Dharma is “Dhaarayati iti Dharmah” – meaning “Dharma is one that unites”. Nehruvian politics thrived on social divisions and minority-majority syndrome. Prime Minister exhorted that achieving unity with the spirit of “Nation First” would be his priority.
By the way, 2023 BC was when the Indus Valley Civilisation thrived in India. It was the most advanced among the contemporaries like Mesopotamian, Greek and Chinese.
Sometimes, leaning backwards, we actually surge forward.
https://www.rammadhav.in/articles/dharmocracy-the-indian-version-of-democracy/   
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