1. FESTIVALS: Jyeshtha Shuddha 13 is the day on which great Hindu King Shivaji was coronated. It is known as ‘Shivrajyabhishek divas’ and in Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh; it is celebrated as Hindu Samrajya Divas (June 2 this year).
  
  Shivaji as a teenager had taken the pledge to establish Hindavi swaraj and not 
  his own kingdom. He had also declared that it was the will of God that the 
  goal would be accomplished. On his royal seal, he had declared that this 
  auspicious raja mudra of Shivaji, the son of Shahji, would grow like the moon 
  on the first day of Shukla Paksha and be venerated by the entire world. 
  
  The 
  grand function took place in 1674 atop the 5,000-ft high Raigadh fort in 
  Maharashtra. He became thereafter a full-fledged chhatrapati—a Hindu emperor 
  in his own right. Swami Vivekananda once remarked that Shivaji was an ideal 
  Hindu king born to establish Dharma on the lines of Shri Ram and Sri Krishna.
  
  It is 
  in remembrance of this histroric feet which has inspired Hindus since then 
  that the day is celebrated as utsav in RSS shakhas and also public functions 
  are held to mark the occasion.--top
  
  
  
  2. HSS HINDU YOUTH CONFERENCE 2014: 
  A 2 -day Hindu Youth Conference 
  was held on April 5th-6th at Arsha Vidya Gurukulam in Saylorsburg, 
  Pennsylvania in US, in which 29 working professionals and students from 
  various universities like Pennsylvania State and Massachusetts, Universities 
  at Drexel, Rutgers, Boston, Columbia etc. participated. 
  
  Activities like Scavenger Hunt, “Minute to win it” challenges, khel sessions, 
  and a very energetic Holi celebration were highlights of the conference. 
  Overall, the varg was filled with laughter, enthusiasm, and a feeling of 
  togetherness. It ended on a high note with concluding remarks by Yellojirao 
  Mirajkar, highlighting the universal and all-inclusive principals of 
  Hinduism. --top
  
  
  3. 
  EVERY MEDICO SHOULD SPARE AT LEAST 10 DAYS FOR VANVASIS—DR KRISHNA GOPAL:
  Bhoomi Pujan ceremony for a project 
  of Vivekananda Health Mission was held at Jubli Village of Dehradun recently 
  in the presence of Swami Padmanabhananda of Shivananda Ashram, Rishikesh, RSS 
  Sahsarkaryavah Dr Krishna Gopal and vice president of Akhil Bharatiya Vanvasi 
  Kalyan Ashram Shri Kripa Prasad Singh. Swami Padmanabhananda blessed the team 
  of medicos for their proposed services to the Vanvasis of Uttarakhand. He 
  appreciated the medical services being rendered by the Vivekananda Medical 
  Mission and the Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram in remote areas of the country. He said 
  Narayan (God) lives in huts of Vanvasis. Samanwaya Ashram was established by 
  Swamiji for the same cause, he said.
  RSS Sahsarkaryavah 
  Dr Krishna Gopal appreciated the initiative of doctors and said the project 
  was a dire need for the area. Dr Krishna Gopal appealed to all the doctors of 
  the country to spare at least 10 days in a year for the Vanvasis, as it would 
  support the dreams of Dr Hedgewar —service to needy is service to God.--top
  
  
  4. 
  TCS JOINS TOP 10 GLOBAL IT SERVICES COS CLUB: 
  This is a landmark for Bharatiya IT. The 
  countrys largest IT services provider, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), has 
  broken into the league of top 10 global IT services companies, moving from the 
  13th position in 2012 to the 10th spot in 2013.
  Twelve years ago, 
  when TCS revenues were about $1 billion, then CEO S Ramadorai had laid out a 
  vision to be among the top 10 by 2010. It has taken a little longer, partly 
  because of the global financial slump of 2008-09, but the company has now got 
  there, and considering the pace at which it is growing compared to its global 
  counterparts, the ranking could get better fairly quickly in the years to 
  come.
  TCS is estimated to 
  have IT services revenues of $10.1 billion (out of its total revenues of about 
  $12.5 billion).IBM ($54.4 billion), Fujitsu ($32.1 billion), Hewlett-Packard 
  ($29.2 billion) and Accenture ($25.4 billion) lead the list.--top
  
  
  
  5. BHUMI PUJA PERFORMED FOR INTERNATIONAL SREE KRISHANA 
  KENDRA, IN KERALA: 
  Bhoomi Pooja for International Sree Krishana Kendra (ISK) was performed on 
  April 16 by His Holinees Jayendra Sarwswathy of Kanchi Kamakodi Peedam and the 
  construction will start right after. The ISK is a re-creation of the age old 
  concept of Vrindavana village, in central Kerala on the slopes of the Western 
  Ghats, about 5kms off Kochi-Thrissur National Highway near Kodakara. During 
  the ceremony, Swamy Athmasvaroopaanada assorted waters collected from 43 
  rivers from across Kerala to Ganga jal and sprinkled in the sacred land. 
  Incarnation of Dwapara yug Vrindhavana to present Kalyugha was started out by 
  worshiping Gomatha under the guidance of Vezha parambu Chithrabhnu Nambuthiri 
  padu and Kaimukku Vaidhikan Sreedharan Namboothiri. The public function was 
  inaugurated by Kochi Devasaom Ombudsman; Justice R Bhaskaranan. He had 
  remarked the project to be a milestone in the history of Bhalagokhulam during 
  the inaugural speech. While addressing the function Balagokhulam chief mentor 
  M A Krishnan had emphasized the potential impact of ISK in the society and the 
  transformation. P.E.B Menon, Prantha Sanghachalak of RSS also called ISK 
  project as another milestone in Sangh history of Kerala
  
  Bharathiya Vichara Kendram director P Parameshvaran, former Centeral Minister 
  O Rajagopal, RSS Prantha Karyavaha P Gopalan Kutty, Kaliyan silks managing 
  director T.S Pattabhi raman, Jayalekshmi Silks director Narayana Kammatha were 
  also present for the inaugural function. A centre devoted to informal and 
  formal education on Sreekrishna’s life, teachings and actions would resurrect 
  our value systems. 
  It is 
  in this perspective that Balagokulam (a nationwide cultural organization, 
  registered in 1974, engaged in inspiring children with human values and 
  cultural activities through weekly classes) has initiated steps to establish 
  International Sreekrishna Kendram (ISK), as a unit under Bala Samskara Kendram 
  (a Public Charitable Trust, registered in 1988).--top
  
  
  
  6. BHARAT BECAME 3RD-LARGEST ECONOMY IN 2011 FROM 10TH IN 
  2005: In a matter of 
  six years, Bharat emerged as the world's third-largest economy in 2011 from 
  being the 10th largest in 2005, moving ahead of Japan, while the US remained 
  the largest economy closely followed by China, latest figures have revealed.
  Asia 
  and the Pacific, including China and Bharat, account for 30 per cent of world 
  GDP.
  China 
  and Bharat make up two-thirds of the Asia and the Pacific economy, excluding 
  Japan and South Korea, which are part of the OECD comparison. Russia accounts 
  for more than 70 per cent of the CIS, and Brazil for 56 per cent of Latin 
  America. South Africa, Egypt, and Nigeria account for about half of the 
  African economy," said the report.
  "At 
  27 per cent, China now has the largest share of the world's expenditure for 
  investment (gross fixed capital formation) followed by the US at 13 per cent. 
  Bharat, Japan and Indonesia follow with 7 per cent, 4 per cent, and 3 per 
  cent, respectively," the report said.
  China 
  and Bharat account for about 80 per cent of investment expenditure in the Asia 
  and the Pacific region.--top
  
  
  
  7. BHARATIYA-AMERICANS FORM THIRD LARGEST ASIAN POPULATION IN 
  US: Bharatiya 
  -Americans numbering 3.34 million is the third largest Asian community in the 
  United States, after China and Philippines, a report said. The Bharatiya 
  -American population shot up 76 per cent in the first 12 years of the 21st 
  century, a report on demographics of the Asian-American population released by 
  the Centre for American Progress said.
  While 
  the Chinese-Americans form the largest group of Asian-American population with 
  4.1 million (22 per cent), Filipinos-Americans are placed second with 3.59 
  million (19 per cent) followed by Bharatiya-Americans with 3.34 million (18 
  per cent). 
  
  Bharatiya -Americans grew 76 per cent from 2000 to 2012, compared to 
  Filipino-Americans who expanded by 52 per cent in the corresponding period.
  The 
  top six groups — Chinese, Filipino, Bharatiya , Vietnamese, Korean and 
  Japanese — account for 85 per cent of all Asian-American residents. 
  Japanese-Americans — who were once in the top two Asian-American communities — 
  have seen a decline in population share. They form the smallest of the top six 
  groups.
  The 
  largest concentration of Bharatiya -Americans is in three States - California 
  (19 per cent), New York (12 percent) and New Jersey (10 per cent). Hindus (51 
  percent) are in majority among Bharatiya -American, followed by Christians (18 
  per cent), Muslims (10 per cent), Sikhs (5 per cent), Jains (2 per cent) and 
  Buddhists (1 per cent).--top
  
  
  
  8. BHARAT SUCCESSFULLY TEST-FIRES INDIGENOUS  AKASH MISSILE:
  Bharat on April 23 
  test-fired its Akash surface-to-air missile from the Integrated Test Range of 
  Chandipur in the coastal district of Balasore, Odisha, an official said. The 
  indigenously developed missile, with a 27-km range has an effective ceiling of 
  15km. "It was a trial by the Indian Air Force," test range director M V K V 
  Prasad told. 
  The 
  700-kg all-weather missile can carry a 60-kg warhead at speeds of up to Mach 
  2.5. It can operate autonomously and simultaneously engage and neutralize 
  different aerial targets.
  It 
  can be launched from static or mobile platforms, enabling flexible deployment 
  by the armed forces.
  
  Developed by DRDO, Akash is being produced by Bharat Dynamics Limited as the 
  nodal production agency with the involvement of Bharat Electronics Limited and 
  a large number of other industries.--top
  
  
  9. 
  TEST-FIRE OF PRITHVI MISSILE DEFENCE VEHICLE A SIGNIFICANT STEP: 
  In a significant milestone in the direction of 
  developing a two-layered Ballistic Missile Defence system, Bharat successfully 
  carried out its maiden Prithvi Defence Vehicle (PDV) test-fire on April 27th, 
   meeting the mission objectives.
  “The PDV mission is 
  for engaging targets in the exo-atmosphere region at more than 120 km 
  altitude,” the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) said in a 
  statement after the trial conducted on the Odisha coast.
  “Both the PDV 
  interceptor and the two-stage target equipped with motors were specially 
  developed for the mission. The target, developed to mimic a ‘hostile ballistic 
  missile approaching from more than 2,000 km away,” was launched at 0907 hrs 
  from a ship in the Bay of Bengal,” it said.
  “In an automated 
  operation, a radar-based detection and tracking system detected and tracked 
  the enemy’s ballistic missile. The computer network with the help of data 
  received from radars predicted the trajectory of the incoming ballistic 
  missile,” it said.--top
  
  
  
  10. SHRI RAM-HANUMAN JAYANTI SHOBHA YATRA HELD AT NEW DELHI: 
  The procession of Shri Ram-Hanuman Jayanti was 
  arranged on April 15th with great zeal under the guidance of 
  Indraprastha Vishva Hindu Parishad by Hindu Parva Samanvaya Samitee and other 
  religious, cultural, social & educational institutions of Delhi. 
  
  More than hundred 
  Jhankis (tabloids) & Bhajan Mandalis were decorated by devotees. Jhanki of 
  Bhagwan Shri Ram & Hanuman showing crushing the demons was worth seen. Office 
  bearers of the different institutions were seen with saffron turban (Bhagva 
  shafa) in an open jeep preceeded by the Shri Hanuman Dhwaja (flag) and 
  followed by well decorated 21 horses and 51 odd Bajarang Dal youths riding on 
  bikes with band parties playing Sri Ram Dhun, singing and dancing.
  Flagging off the 
  yatra, the International secretary general (organization)-VHP shri Dinesh 
  Chandra said that the sixteenth Lok Sabha will serve the nation like Hanuman 
  ji who solves every typical problem of the society. We expect that the 
  sixteenth Lok sabha will protect & promote our cultural & religious heritage 
  and solve every internal & external problem of the country.
  Dr. Surendra Jain, 
  the national secretary-VHP, ex President of VHP shri Vishnu Hari Dalmia, and 
  orther saints and dignatories ignited Lamps to inaugurate the procession.--top
  
  
  
  11. I AM PROUD TO BE A HINDU: NARENDRA MODI: 
  In an interview to PTI, BJP’s PM 
  candidate Narendra Modi said, "I would like to see myself as a Bharatiya first 
  and foremost, I am a Hindu by faith and I am proud of the faith I belong to. I 
  love my country. So you can say that I am a patriot." Modi's interview came at 
  a time when polling on 349 seats was over with 194, including Varanasi, still 
  to go.--top 
  
  
  
  12. I HAVE COME TO BHARAT TO SHOW MY CHILDREN THEIR ROOTS, SWRAJ PAUL:
  It was an emotional homecoming for 
  leading NRI industrialist Lord Swraj Paul to his childhood schools and his 
  birthplace in the city here.
  Overwhelmed with 
  nostalgia, Lord Paul, a prominent peer in Britain, visited his alma maters 
  Doaba Primary School and Doaba Secondary School and thanked his parents for 
  having admitted him into these institutions which shaped his life ahead.
  The noted 
  industrialist, accompanied by his son Angad, daughter Anjali, daughter-in-law 
  Michelle and three grandchildren took a tour of the three places and offered 
  floral tributes on the statues of his parents. 
  During his time 
  spent at his alma maters, Lord Paul visited the classrooms, interacted with 
  students, got pictures taken with them and and also introduced his 
  grandchildren to them. --top
  
  
  
  13. NOKIA NAMES RAJEEV SURI AS CEO: 
   Nokia named the man who led a turnaround at 
  its main telecoms network business as its new chief executive on April 29, 
  boosting investors' confidence in the future of the company following the sale 
  of its once-dominant handset arm.
  "Mr. Suri has done 
  a very commendable job in turning around NSN, in our view. Thus, we see the 
  market being positive about his appointment," JP Morgan Cazenove analysts 
  said.
  Suri, a 46-year-old 
  Bharatiya national, was widely expected to lead the company after the sale of 
  the handset business.--top
  
  
  
  14. WHITE HOUSE NAMES BHARATIYA -AMERICAN "SOLAR CHAMPION OF CHANGE":
   White House has named Bharatiya 
  -American professor Rajendra Singh as one of ten "Solar Champions of Change" 
  who are taking the initiative to spur solar deployment across America.
  Rajendra Singh is D 
  Houser Banks Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and director of 
  Clemson University's Centre of Silicon Nanoelectronics in South Carolina.
  Singh devoted his 
  doctoral thesis research to solar cells in 1973 during the Arab oil embargo 
  and in the last 40 years he has served as a visionary leader to advance the 
  technology of photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturing. "The vision I had in 
  1980 is happening only now, 30 years later," Singh said.
  To transform global 
  electricity infrastructure, Singh is providing leadership to use photovoltaics 
  as the source of local direct-current electricity in the US and emerging and 
  underdeveloped economies.
  He is also actively 
  involved with civic groups to bring legislation and regulations in South 
  Carolina that will lead to the growth of solar-generated electricity, the 
  university said.--top
  
  
  
  15. JUSTICE LODHA IS BHARAT'S NEW CHIEF JUSTICE: 
  Justice Rajendra Mal Lodha was 
  on April 27 sworn in as the chief justice of Bharat. He was administered the 
  oath of office by President Pranab Mukharjee. He will preside over the Supreme 
  Court for five months as his term will end Sep 27, 2014.
  Chief 
  Justice Lodha succeeds Chief Justice P. Sathasivam. A law graduate from 
  Jodhpur, Lodha practised law in the Rajasthan High Court and dealt with 
  constitutional, civil, company, criminal, taxation, labour and other matters. --top
  
  
  
  16. SHRI VISHVA NIKETAN: Pravas: 
  Shri Saumitra Gokhale samyojak Vishwa Vibhag 
  will return to US after his tour to Australia and New Zealand. Dr.Ram 
  Vaidya sahsamyojak returned UK from European Shibir at Hamburg, Germany.--top
  
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, not to worry about the future, or not to anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly. ~ Gautam Budhdh--top
  JAI SHREE RAM
--
  VANVASIS RESHAPING THEIR DESTINY
  Chaitram Pawar
  In the election 
  period every section of the society is seen pushing its agenda and trying to 
  get its demands accommodated in election manifestos. The political parties 
  also waste no time in making promises, without bothering whether they could be 
  materialised or not. But Baripada Village of Maharashtra is a different one. 
  None from this village expects anything from the political parties or 
  government agencies. Rather they have made the government agencies to come to 
  them to learn how they reshaped their destiny.
  Baripada, which 
  faced severe scarcity of food, water, forest cover and employment till early 
  1990s, is now writing new story of development and self-reliance. About 10 to 
  15 people from other villages come to this village everyday to know how the 
  villagers have done a wonder. A professor from Germany is staying in the 
  village for some time to study this model of development based on local 
  know-how.
  $img_titleMost of 
  the farming in the village is based on cow and no hybrid seed is used. The 
  indigenous seeds give astonishing output here. This can be a good case study 
  for the ‘scientists’ who are mad after hybrid seeds and now even want 
  permission for trails of poisonous Genetically Modified (GM) crops.
  The revolution here 
  began with curbing deforestation of 450 hectare of forest near the village in 
  1993 by contributing Rs 3 by every family and shramdan. Illegal cutting of 
  trees had turned the hill near the village almost barren. A mechanism was 
  created declaring punishments to those who cut the trees and awards to those 
  who prevent it. 
  Two most elderly 
  persons were appointed watchmen to check deforestation. 50 acres of the forest 
  land was set aside for grazing. As a result thick forest started surfacing 
  within two-three years and in1997-98, the Forest Department came to the 
  village with an award of rupees one lakh to the village. The Department also 
  legitimised their informal village protection group under its Joint Forest 
  Management Scheme.
  The second step 
  which too proved equally revolutionary was curbing water scarcity. The work 
  began by constructing small check dams. So far, 480 check dams have been 
  built. The experiment not only proved beneficial for storing water for future 
  use but also curbed soil erosion. Later the villagers dig 5 km long and one 
  meter deep canal for recharging ground water level. The entire work was done 
  through shramdan. The result of all these activities is that the village which 
  used to fetch drinking water from 3km in early 1990s now supplies water to 
  five surrounding villages. Steps were also taken for financial empowerment of 
  people. The experiment of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) proved highly beneficial. 
  Five SHGs are involved in rice marketing alone. The latest drive is for 
  alcohol de-addiction. The families which fed themselves by preparing and 
  selling country-made alcohol were requested to shift to fishing. As a result 
  alcohol production has completely been curbed. Now work has begun for 
  biodiversity conservation. The people also initiated a plant diversity 
  register process in October 2004 to monitor the plants found in their forests.
  
  They have 
  identified 14 different sites from the forest and initiated vegetation mapping 
  through a 100 sq m quadrant. A group of UN Development Programme (UNDP) is to 
  visit the village shortly to study the biodiversity conservation work. The 
  integrated development process has multiple facets. Night schools were stated 
  for adult illiterates and the primary school was reopened. An absent student 
  is fined Re 1 per day, while the teacher is fined Rs 51 per day for absent. 
  Festivals are celebrated together and the village organises marriages together 
  to save money. Sports competitions are also held, not just to enjoy games but 
  also to disseminate the message of self-development in surrounding villages. 
  As a result similar experiments have begun in around 20 nearby villages.
  This small village, 
  with just 108 Vanvasi families and 785 population, is located at the border of 
  Maharashtra and Gujarat and is about 97 km from Dhule district headquarter. 
  The brain behind the whole revolution is a post graduate youth of the village 
  Chaitram Devchand Pawar, who instead of doing any job in city, chose to stay 
  in the village and organised the villagers for self-development. “We cannot 
  draw desired results as long as we continue to depend upon government for help 
  every time. The best option is to start self and create the situation when 
  government runs after you,” says Pawar.
  When asked about 
  the motivation he received for this wonder, Pawar says, “After completing my 
  graduation I was preparing to shift to a city for job. But Dr Anand Pathak, 
  who runs Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram health centre in a nearby village, reminded me 
  of my duty to my village. The same day I dropped the idea of shifting to city 
  and decided to stay in the village only.” Later Pawar also joined the Kalyan 
  Ashram work and is now president of its Devgiri Prant unit.
  Apart from Kalyan 
  Ashram, Janseva Foundation also extends full cooperation to the villagers in 
  cultivation updates on rice, potato, wheat, vegetable and other cash crops.
  
  The Foundation also 
  helps in undertaking community-based development activities like building 
  improvised toilets, setting up kitchen gardens that uses recycled water, etc. 
  Apart from an example of integrated village development, Baripada shows how 
  the Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram is changing the mindset of people in Vanvasi areas 
  across the country motivating them to be the creator of their own destiny. (Organiser 
  Weekly, April 27, 2014)--top
  
---
  PARADOX IN NEHRUVIAN SECULARISM
  Dr S Gurumurthy
  Bharat’s culture is 
  ‘Sanatan’ or it is ever surviving, eternal. This culture or ‘samskar’ is 
  nothing but our enlightened way of living. Culture resonates Bharat’s soul. 
  The people of Bharat from the days of Valmiki, Vyasa and Valluvar (who wrote 
  Ramayana, Mahabharata and Thirukkural) lived upholding this culture. They 
  understood it as core values of our society. They might have been ruled by 
  different kings and monarchs that made no difference to them. These values 
  descended from great saints, were practiced and passed from generation to 
  generation. Today we are a republic. Under the present republic, we are more 
  responsible to uphold our national culture, because there is no king to 
  protect it.
  This culture, a 
  refined way of life, unifies the country. It is a well oriented, time tested 
  social force. We can draw immense strength from it. In fact it protects our 
  people and the nation. Many alien onslaughts might have dented us, but could 
  not destroy us. Bharat would surge again. That is how Bharat proceeded to 
  transform all intrusions and its after effects. It is only a matter of time.
  
  Today our republic 
  might have undergone many changes. It is all apparent, may seem to be 
  permanent. But not so. The core values do not change. The strength is within. 
  The nation will rebound.
  One may ask what 
  are the characteristic qualities of our culture? Our culture is truly based on 
  love and not hatred. It is a nascent, uncontaminated strong surge of pure love 
  from heart. It has immense energy to uplift the whole humanity.  Yes, our 
  Scriptures are universal and they are inspirational across the globe for 
  lasting peace and happiness of mankind.
  The British 
  Imperialism led by people like Macaulay tried to corrupt Bharat culturally, 
  through their education system, but left behind a language that was enriched 
  and exquisitely handled by Bharat’s own tongue. It gave wings to Swami 
  Vivekananda, Rabindranath Tagore and Naipaul. Thus republic of Bharat is all 
  absorbing, as it is deeply rooted in our culture.  It can absorb any amount of 
  shocks, it will again bounce back.
  When Parsees and 
  Jews lost their nation, and became despondent in many countries, Bharat 
  received them with open heart, gave them shelter. Today they enjoy stability, 
  peace and happiness and stand one with us. But it is a paradox that Muslims 
  continue to be defiant.
  Muslims in 
  Bharat – a paradox
  Historically the 
  Muslim leaders in Bharat never tried to comprehend national realities that 
  could help see their futures in togetherness with country’s mainstream. Islam 
  spread in Bharat under Muslim invasion, through onslaughts on Hindus and Hindu 
  temples and through forceful conversion. It was effectively restricted by many 
  Hindu kings. Later under British rule Muslims considered themselves as 
  minorities.
  Though Muslims knew 
  that at a point of time, under historic compulsion, the Mughal invaders 
  changed their religion by force and latter through the country repulsed  and 
  dethroned the Mughals, they continued their allegiance to those handful of 
  Mughals; forgetting their parentage and centuries old ancestry and love for 
  motherland that provides them bread and butter. Those are inseparable 
  realities, which could help Muslims see their future in togetherness. Hamid 
  Dalwai, the noted Muslims reformist thinker, who pondered deeply over the need 
  for democratic policies for Bharatiya Muslims says, Muslim leaders failed to 
  align fully with Hindus during freedom movement and rather they initiated 
  policies of separation. The British through their divide and rule policy 
  damaged Hindu–Muslim relation resulting in Partition. Their separatist 
  thinking bolstered in post-Independent period resulting in many riots. 
  Secularism, a new word added in our Constitution, in now used as a bunch of 
  ideas to keep Muslims away from country’s mainstream. The Muslims also see the 
  Constitution, as an agreement to put up their stay in independent Bharat as 
  minorities along with mainstream. This thinking, with secularism, nourished 
  historical separation.  In our democracy, under the opportunistic political 
  process of forming governments, political parties started appeasing Muslims. 
  To further their vote bank policies, secularism became a political tool. They 
  addressed secularism where even Hindus should not talk about their culture and 
  tradition that unifies the nation. If they do so they are branded as communal. 
  By these political processes, in the long drawn separation, Muslims failed to 
  see their roots in Bharatiya soil. Their claim for special status and 
  privileges as minorities prevented them from becoming full citizens in a 
  thriving democracy.
  There is famous 
  story of a lame and blind man. The lame man asks the blind that he will sit on 
  his shoulders and show him the path. The blind man, who cannot see the path, 
  agreed to carry the lame and move forward to make a living. In the same way, 
  in our secularism, the minorities who refuse to see their footings in our 
  soil, want to sit over the shoulders of majorities and want to realise their 
  own dreams. The majority too, keeping their eyes closed to their national 
  realities, agreed to carry the unnecessary burden. This is our present 
  condition of secularism in Bharat. In the long run will it not destabilise our 
  country?
  As Bharat’s 
  republic still searches for maturity, the mainstream too especially the modern 
  educated citizens also should see their identity, their roots in their own 
  country. Thereby they get their grip to help Muslims to end our separations 
  and see reasons. As we all know, there cannot be further partition, Muslims 
  must understand their national realities and end their egoistic separation. 
  They should pick up their antecedents in Bharatiya soil and try for national 
  harmony, just as the Syrian Christians did in Kerala. They must understand the 
  soul of Bharat’s republic is love and not hatred. Mere change of faith need 
  not alienate them from their motherland, or accepting Bharat as their 
  motherland in no way deters their faith. Bharat upholds ‘Sarva Dharma Sama 
  Bhav’, signifies - ‘Treat all religions with equal respect’. This is Bharat’s 
  secularism, discovered thousands of years back. And till today Bharat has 
  lived up to it. Because of this our republic has embraced all diversities. 
  Bharat is a great country, and every Bharatiya should be proud of this 
  uniqueness. In affirmation, our former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi said 
  Bharat’s Tradition is eight thousand years old.  In the same vein, when asked 
  by young school students, why Bharat should spend so much to go nuclear, when 
  country is reeling under poverty, our farmer president Dr Abdul Kalam, a 
  Muslim by birth, the scientist behind Pokhran test, replied; ‘Bharat is poor 
  because we failed to safe guard our frontiers for three thousand years ‘These 
  are golden words to be chipped in every text book.
  A Lasting Remedy
  Nehruvian 
  secularism is a western idea born out of battles between church and state in 
  Europe. In Bharat we never had such a dirty history.  Just as Satyameva Jeyate, 
  Serva Dharma Samabhav should be adopted as Bharat’s secularism by Parliament. 
  This will put an end to communal politics in Bharat. This motto should be 
  written in golden letters in both houses of Parliament, state assemblies and 
  other Government offices. Our politicians have spoiled our democracy. We 
  should convert their crocked mind to conscious mind and refine our democracy. 
  Our modern youths, who don’t see the values of our culture that holds 
  humanities together must be educated. BJP wants to uphold these Bharat’s 
  cultural values and hold all its citizens and strive together to remove 
  poverty and miseries. As BJP has mentioned ‘Hinduthwa’, it means as a 
  political party, it gives importance to our rich culture and true secularism, 
  as Hinduism stands for and wants to strive an inclusive approach in solving 
  Bharat’s problems. Narendra Modi’s Patna speech, soon after the bomb blast in 
  the venue, touched the very crux of problem. He asked the two communities to 
  choose; they could either fight each other or together they could confront 
  that shaming course called poverty. MJ Akbar, who recently joined BJP, 
  addresses this very point of historical separation. How long this can 
  continue? He asks? Our republic needs a proper direction. For that it should 
  listen to its inner voice, firm its roots in its national ethos, gain grip and 
  grow like a strong banyan where all can take shelter and live happily.
  Bharatiya Muslims 
  should also watch the developments taking place in our neighbouring states. In 
  Pakistan, a similar situation exists, but at an advanced stage. When they 
  declared Pakistan as an Islamic state, Muslims thought there will be stability 
  and peace. But the fundamentalist and Muslim fanatics, through guns, are 
  dictating every section of the society, the government journalist and 
  civilians to bow to their dictates. Thus taking their country centuries back. 
  Today the intelligentsia in Pakistan started feeling that by Islamisation, 
  they have lost their national base, and it is time to find their roots.  Some 
  in Government want to find the same in Indus Valley Civilizations and take 
  pride in the findings of Mohan-jo-daro and Harappa, now in their side.
  In East Pakistan 
  the same unstable situation led to their departure from the West Pakistan. 
  They established Bangladesh, by re-embracing Bengali culture and language. 
  They have come half way in search of stability and peace. They even adopted 
  Rabindranath Tagore ‘Hamar Sonar Bangla’ as their national anthem and want to 
  be friendly with us. 
  Thus mere change of 
  faith or division of of a nation on religious lines in no answer to religious 
  sentiments. Maharishi  Aurobindo saw Pakistan as an unstable state and the 
  formation of Bangladesh, a first step towards stability. In the same 
  perspective, in the long run, a loose  understanding of Unified Bharat, is in 
  the vision, through the inclusive all embracing philosophy of Bharat; may be 
  the dream of Akhand Bharat getting realised; where everyone, the Hindu, 
  Muslims, Parsees, Christians can seek their destiny together. There will be no 
  Kashmir problem or export of terrorism and real issues like poverty, education 
  and development can be addressed. (Organiser Weekly, May 4, 2014)
  --top 
 
No comments:
Post a Comment