Pratham
Jyestha Shukla 1, Vik.Samvat 2074, Yugabda 5119: 16
MAY
2018
Article:
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1. FESTIVALS: Gayatri jayanti
is observed as the birth anniversary of goddess Gayatri, the goddess of Veda.
Being the goddess of all Vedas, goddess gayatri is also known as veda mata.
Gayatri Jayanti is observed on Jyeshtha Shukla Ekadashi (23rd June this year), -GoTop
2. KAILASH MANSAROVAR YATRA TO
RESUME VIA NATHU LA ROUTE: Bharat and China have agreed to resume the Holy
Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through the Natha Lu route in Sikkim. The decision was
taken during Videsh Mantri Sushma Swaraj talks with her Chinese counterpart Wang
Yi in Beijing last month. The pilgrimage was stopped through the route ten
months ago following the face-off between the Bharatiya and Chinese militaries
in Doka La Plateau in Bhutan. -GoTop
3. Rashtrapatiji
steps on land of Siachen: Rashtrapati Ram Nath Kovind proudly shook
hands with our soldiers who stay in such a situation where living a normal life
is next to impossible that is Siachen. While addressing soldiers posted at
Siachen Base Camp on May 10, Rashtrapatiji said, “Every Bharatiya is grateful to
you and stands by you and your families.”
Rashtrapatiji further said that as the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces and
as Bharat ka Rashtrapati, he has come among them carrying the gratitude of the
entire country. Siachen is the world’s highest battlefield and it is difficult
to live even a normal life in the extreme climate. In such a situation, it is
extraordinary for soldiers to stay in a state of constant mobilization and
combat readiness. Their determination and dedication are worthy of the highest
praise – and their allegiance to the defense of Bharat is an ideal for all our
fellow citizens.
The bravery and valor of soldiers deployed in Siachen over the past 34 years,
Rashtrapatiji said, has given every Bharatiya the confidence that our borders
are safe and secure. He said that he had come to Siachen to iterate to the
troops posted here that all citizens of Bharat and Bharat Sarkar are always with
them and supportive of their families.
Rashtrapatiji also paid his respects at the Siachen War Memorial, which is a
symbol of the sacrifice of 11,000 soldiers and officers who have been martyred
since the Bharatiya Army began Operation Meghdoot on the Siachen Glacier on
April 13, 1984. He also visited the Kumar Post. Kovind is the second Bharatiya
Rashtrapati to visit Siachen. The previous visit was undertaken by Rashtrapati
A.P.J. Abdul Kalam in April 2004. -GoTop
4. RAMAYAN CIRCUIT’S DIRECT BUS SERVICE LINKS RAM, SITA’S
CRADLES:Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi and his Nepalese counterpart KP
Sharma Oli on May 11 jointly inaugurated a direct bus service between Janakpur
and Ayodhya, the two sacred cities for Hindus, as part of a ‘Ramayan Circuit’ to
promote religious tourism in Nepal and Bharat. “Janakpur and Ayodhya are being
connected. This is a historic moment,” Pradhan Mantri said while inaugurating
the bus service, connecting Bhagwan Ram’s birthplace Ayodhya with goddess Sita’s
birthplace Janakpur. Modi flagged off the bus after visiting the famed 20th
century Janaki temple, dedicated to the Hindu goddess Sita, where he offered
special prayers.
Bharat Sarkar has identified 15 destinations in Bharat for development under the
Ramayana Circuit theme namely Ayodhya, Nandigram, Shringverpur & Chitrakoot
(Uttar Pradesh), Sitamarhi, Buxar & Darbhanga (Bihar), Chitrakoot (Madhya
Pradesh), Mahendragiri (Odisha), Jagdalpur (Chattisgarh), Nashik & Nagpur (Maharashtra),
Bhadrachalam (Telangana), Hampi (Karnataka) and Rameshwaram (Tamil Nadu).
-GoTop
5. Vanvasis Must Get
Opportunity to Make Progress: Sarsanghachalak: “Vanvasis never
supported the demonic forces, rather they fought against them. They have
protected and preserved the Sanatan Hindu values and Vedic traditions. They are
our own brethren and we should acquaint our children with them. It is our
cultural legacy, which has to be transferred to the next generation,” said
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Sarsanghachalak Shri Mohan Bhagwat, while
addressing a Hindu Sammelan at Aasave village in Dahanu on April 15. About
60,000 people from remote areas of Palgarh district participated in the Sammelan.
A book, Van Jan Gatha, published by Hindusthan Prakashan was also released on
the occasion. -GoTop
6. SANGH SHIKSHA VARG – TRUTIYA VARSHA INAUGURATED AT NAGPUR:
‘’Sangh Shiksha Varg – Trutiya Varsh is an important milestone in a
Swaymsevak’s life. However it is not like a University Degree or Certificate. We
are always in the process of learning and this journey never ends. ” said Shri
Dattatrey Ji Hosabale, Sah SarKarywah of RSS. He was speaking at the inaugural
function of Sangh Shiksha Varg – Trutiya Varsh at Nagpur on 14th May
at Dr. Hedgewar Smriti Mandir premises at Reshimbag, Nagpur. 708 swaymsevaks
from across Bharat are participating in this Varg.
In his inaugural address, Shri Dattatrey ji Hosabale said, “It is a dream of
every swaymsevak to participate in this varg. This varg has special significance
because it is held at a place where the founder of RSS Dr. Hedgewar Ji, the
second RSS Sarsanghchalak Shri Guruji have actually worked with thousands of
Swaymsevaks making this place divine. We get a true national perspective in this
varg as we live with participants from across the nation. “
In his address Shri. Mukund Ji, the Palak Adhikari of the Varg said, “There are
various types of organizations in the society. Some are money based while some
are publicity oriented. RSS is a cadre based organization. Our base is our
Karyakarta and we are in the man making process. This process has no limit.
Those who are involved in the process are learning it continuously.”
Ma. Shri. Bhagayyaji (Akhil Bhartiya Sah Sarkarywah) welcomed all the
participants. Adv. Sardar Gajendrasingh Ji (Prant Sanghchalak, Uttarakhand) is
the Sarvadhikari of this Varg. The varg will conclude on 7th June 2018.-GoTop
7. DONALD TRUMP HAILS KALPANA CHAWLA AS AMERICAN HERO:
US President Donald Trump has hailed Bharatiya -origin Kalpana Chawla as an
American hero for devoting her life to the space programme and inspiring
millions of girls to become astronauts. Trump's remarks came as he issued a
proclamation on 30th April declaring May as 'Asian American and
Pacific Islander Heritage Month'. The US Congress has also designated the month
of May each year as "Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month."
Chawla, 40, was the first woman of Bharatiya -origin in space. She was one of
the seven crew members who died in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster in 2003
when the spacecraft disintegrated during its re-entry into the Earth's
atmosphere. -GoTop
8. Upa-Rashtrapati
Naidu’s words gave Bharatiya Community a smell of their soil in Guatemala:
Upa-Rashtrapati M Venkaiah Naidu addressed the Bharatiya diaspora in
Guatemala on May 7. Mother, motherland, mother tongue, native village and the
teacher who taught us, should never be forgotten, said Shri Naidu. He said that
the Bharatiya Diaspora is spread in various parts of the world and have
contributed to the country they live as well as to the world. Equal opportunity
for all, reaching the unreached, banking the unbanked, funded the unfunded is
the need of the hour, he added. -GoTop
9.
GURUVANDANA UTSAVS AT NORTH CAROLINA USA: Adishankaracharya Shakha (Apex,
NC) of HSS USA held its first Guruvandana Utsav at its shakhasthan APA Academy,
Apex, NC on May 5. 15 teachers and 54 shakha members attended the utsav. The
teachers invited included teachers from the local schools, one Area
Superintendent from Wake County Public schools and a couple of teachers from
Samskrita Bharathi Cary chapter. After introduction of the teachers to the
audience, a Geet was recited by kishores, Bharatnatyam, by a Shishu, Vaishnavi
followed by chanting of the Gurustotram by Bala and Shishu ganas. Venu ji gave a
bauddhik supported by a nice powerpoint presentation explaining the origins of
the Guru parampara, and what the significance of a Guru is. Then the Guru pooja
followed, with very enthusiastic participation from both the teachers and the
students. A coffee mug with HSS logo in a gift bag was given to each teacher.
Then the teachers expressed their favorite moments, and thoughts on what they
had just witnessed.
Vivekananda Shakha,
Carolina Bibhag, SE Sambhag similarly conducted Guruvandana Utsav on 6th
May at Cary, North Carolina. The event started with Ganesh Stuti followed by
Bharathanatyam Dance, the actual event, Guru Pooja was conducted in batches. 5
teachers were worshipped in one batch by 5 students with tilak, arati, touching
the feet and presenting a bag containing a coffee mug with HSS logo on it, a
greeting card and a rose. Guest of Honor Dr. Lloyd Gardner and 2 Principals
(Davis Drive Elementary and Middle School) addressed the audience. There were 25
teachers including 1 Wake County Superintendent and 2 Principals from various
schools and cultural organizations. Total participants were 85 members.
-GoTop
10. Media should be
unbiased and objective – Dr. Umesh Upadhyaya: Four senior
journalists, Ashtakala Rammohana Rao, Usha Thuraga Revalli, Govinda Raju Pendam
and Devika Rani were felicitated with Shri Vadlamudi Rammohana Rao Memorial
Award, Bhandaru Sadashiva Rao Memorial Award, Samachar Bharati Best Photo and
Video Journalist Award and Samachar Bharati Ujwala Yuva Award respectively at a
function organized by the Samachar Bharati Cultural Association at Osmania
University Hyderabad on the occasion of Narad Jayanti on May 4. Umesh Upadhyaya,
Director Media- Reliance Group of Industries, speaking on the topic ‘The Future
of Media’ said, “In the present fast changing scenario of news media only those
organizations and media houses who have social values, trustworthiness and
commitment will be given importance in the future.” -GoTop
11. REBUILDING TRUST: PM’s Nepal visit showcases
special ties, but New Delhi must fulfil promises -In a sturdy charm
offensive, Prime Minister Narendra Modi used his state visit to Nepal last week
to highlight deep people to people ties between the two countries. After a visit
to Janakpur’s temple dedicated to Goddess Sita he continued with the Ramayana
theme by flagging off a direct bus service between Janakpur and Ayodhya, linking
two of the most significant places in Hindu mythology. The message was clear –
India and Nepal are irrevocably tied through faith and culture but need to
improve modern connectivity.
The religious diplomacy was also directed at the current Leftist Nepali
leadership and their supporters in China. Modi demonstrated that the bond
between Indian and Nepali people transcends government to government relations
and is something that China simply can’t replace. Add to this the open border
between the two countries and the fact that Nepali citizens are free to work and
stay in India. Indeed, the reality of approximately 50,000 Nepali citizens
serving in the Indian armed forces and paramilitary services should leave no one
in doubt that the two countries share a special relationship.
Politically, Modi’s visit reaffirmed that bilateral ties are back on even keel
with the bitterness of the 2015-16 Madhesi blockade behind us. Prime Minister KP
Oli too has belied apprehensions that he would take a decisive pro-China turn.
And as mentioned in their latest joint statement, the two sides will now focus
on boosting connectivity – air, land and waterways – and fast track the plethora
of bilateral projects hanging fire. In this regard, Modi and Oli jointly laid
the foundation stone for the 900 MW Arun III hydroelectric project. But more
needs to be done to establish India as Nepal’s development partner for the 21st
century. The reality is India became complacent about its special ties with
Nepal and it also has a poor track record of project completion there. China has
used this opportunity to market itself as an attractive alternative, even as
Nepal is trying to diversify its trade and transit.
Trying to force Kathmandu to eschew Beijing will attract charges of subverting
Nepali sovereignty. Instead, India should deliver on its promises. Facilitating
the exchange of high-value demonetised Indian currency in Nepal would be a good
start. The future of this partnership rests on the Indian efficacy in catalysing
Nepal’s development. (Editorial, Times of India 14th May 2018 )
-GoTop
12. Isro develops
desi atomic clock, to be used in navigation satellites: Indian Space
Research Organization (ISRO) has developed an atomic clock that will be used in
navigation satellites to measure precise location data. The space agency
currently imports atomic clocks from European aerospace manufacturer Astrium for
its navigation satellites. Tapan Misra, director of Ahmedabad-based Space
Applications Centre (SAC), said, “With the development of the desi atomic clock,
ISRO has become one of the few space organizations in the world which have
gained the capability to develop this highly sophisticated technology. We are
hopeful that it will easily work for more than five years.”
-GoTop
13. MEA SUSHMA SWARAJ’S VISIT TO MYANMAR ENVELOPS LANDMARK
DEAL: MEA Sushma Swaraj’s two-day visit to Myanmar concluded on 11th
May with a range of bilateral issues discussions and signing seven agreements.
During the visit, Swaraj called on H.E U Win Myint, President of the Republic of
the Union of Myanmar and met H.E. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, State Counsellor and
Minister for Foreign Affairs.
During the bilateral meetings, boundary, and border-related issues, peace &
security matters, developments in the Rakhine State, including the return of
displaced persons, Bharat’s development assistance to Myanmar, ongoing projects,
and other issues of mutual interest were discussed. The Minister also met the
Commander in Chief of the Myanmar Defense Services, Senior General Min Aung
Hlaing, during the visit.
Seven Agreements/MOUs were signed during the visit. The Agreement on Land Border
Crossing is a landmark in bilateral relations between the two countries as it
will enable people from both countries to cross the land border with passport
and visa, including for accessing health and education services, pilgrimage and
tourism. The MoU on the restoration of pagodas at Bagan underlines the enduring
cultural and historical links between the two countries.
-GoTop
14. Bharatiya-American
woman appointed interim civil court judge in US:
41-year old Bharatiya-American Deepa Ambekar has been appointed as the interim
judge to a US civil court of New York City. She has become the second Bharatiya-American
woman judge in the city after Chennai-born Raja Rajeswari. Ms Ambekar previously
worked for three years with the New York City Council.
-GoTop
15. Bharat doing
extremely well on electrification: World Bank: Bharat is doing
"extremely well" on electrification with nearly 85 per cent of the country's
population having access to electricity, the World Bank has said. Between 2010
and 2016, Bharat provided electricity to 30 million people each year, more than
any other country, the World Bank said in a recent report.
"In absolute terms, India is doing more on electrification than any other
countries. Thirty million a year, is really an astounding performance and it
stands out from the crowd," said Foster, lead World Bank author of the latest
report on Energy Progress. -GoTop
16. BHARAT TO GROW AT 7.4% IN FY 2018/19, SAYS IMF: The
International Monetary Fund (IMF) reaffirmed on May 9 that Bharat will be the
fastest growing major economy in 2018, with a growth rate of 7.4 per cent that
rises to 7.8 per cent in 2019 with medium-term prospects remaining positive. The
IMF's Asia and Pacific Regional Economic Outlook report said that Bharat was
recovering from the effects of demonetization and the introduction of the Goods
and Services Tax and "the recovery is expected to be underpinned by a rebound
from transitory shocks as well as robust private consumption."
-GoTop
17. Aadhaar
technology foolproof with Zero privacy issues—Bill Gates: “Aadhar
does not pose any privacy issue because it is just a bio ID verification scheme
and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have funded the World Bank to take
this approach,” said Microsoft chief Bill Gates on May 3 in Washington after
being asked about the concerns about privacy issues raised by certain quarters
in Bharat. On being asked about if Bharat's Aadhaar technology is worth
emulating by other countries, Bill Gates immediately replied saying ‘Yes’ adding
that the benefits of Aadhar ID are very high. Replying to another question, the
Microsoft founder said, "Yes, countries should adopt that approach because the
quality of governance has a lot to do with how quickly countries are able to
grow their economy and empower their people."
-GoTop
18. BHARATIYAS AMONG FAVOURED MIGRANTS IN UK: SURVEY:
The YouGov poll, conducted during April 2018 among 1,668 British citizens, asked
a series of questions about the kind of contribution immigrants from various
parts of the world make to British life. Immigrants from Bharat received a
strong figure of +25 on the question about making a positive contribution to
British life. In comparison, other South Asian counterparts were in negative
territory.
Pakistanis scored a negative figure of -4 and Bangladeshis -3.
Net figures are calculated by taking away the figure for “negative contribution”
from the figure for “positive contribution”.
-GoTop
19. WORLD HINDU CONGRESS 2018 is being held from
September 7 to 9 to commemorate 125 years of Swami Vivekananda’s historic
Chicago address on September 11, 1893. The event is being organized by World
Hindu Foundation headed by former IITian Swami Vigyananand. The purpose is to
“ignite” the global Hindu community for its political and economic empowerment,
Swami Vigyananand told a Washington audience on May 5 on the occasion of the
first anniversary of the Washington DC Chapter of the World Hindu Economic Forum
(WHEF). He said the purpose of the World Hindu Economic Forum is to make Hindus
visible and respectable across the globe.
“Hindus should be the dominant force in the world economy,” Swami Vigyananand said. “The day Hindus – who constitute 16 per cent of the world population — become 16 per cent of the world economy, people would start listening to them (Hindus).” he said.
Held once every four years, World Hindu Congress is a global platform for Hindus
to connect, share ideas, inspire one another and impact the common good. The
theme of the World Hindu Congress 2018 is ‘Sumantrite Suvikrante’ — think
collectively, achieve valiantly.-GoTop
20. APPEAL: Hindus have today reached more than 90
countries of the world. We in 'Samvad' have been trying to bring the news of the
happenings in the life of our brethren spread globally. All of you are most
humbly requested to send us reports of the social, cultural, spiritual and alike
events taking place in Hindu community in your area, in your province or in your
country of residence. The events may be collective celebration of festivals,
special occasions, congregations to welcome
spiritual personalities etc. We are also eager to reach every Hindu
residing in nook and corner of the world. To help us to achieve it, kindly send
us e-mails or postal addresses of your acquaintances whom you want 'Samvad' to
be sent. Our postal address and e-mail ID are given at top of this newsletter.
-GoTop
21. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Visitors: Deepak
Jaguesser – Mauritius, Anil Sinha - Switzerland.
-GoTop
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Sit quietly and let the mind wander where it wants to
go. Keep a strong faith that you are watching your mind drifting in all random
directions. The mind is not you or I. Now try connecting with God but not with
any worldly thing or relationship. After some time you will see that your mind
is calming down like a serene lake. This will slow down the wandering of mind.
Each day practice this and identify yourself. With time your mind will be under
your control. – Swami Vivekananda -GoTop
JAI SHREE RAM
A Communist Reflection on Guruji
Ashok Mitra
How a veteran Communist saw Guruji Golwalkar? CPM leader and former
Finance Minister of West Bengal Ashok Mitra, who passed away on May 1, 2018,
wrote a pen portrait of the second Sarsanghchalak of RSS, Guruji Golwalkar in
Bengali newspaper 'Aajkal' on June 9, 1991. Paying tribute to Ashok Mitra,
Organiser reproduces the English translation of his original article in Bengali.
The year 1966 was almost over. The condition of the country was deteriorating
day by day. It was Smt. Gandhi’s first year in prime minister’s office. The very
beginning of her regime witnessed a serious crisis. Peoples’ anger was turning
severe. An anxiety came up concerning the peoples’ anger forming the shape of a
popular agitation. The sannyasins who were worried about the cow protection were
trying to make use of the situation. It looked like the protests of the starving
population was increasing in every nook and corner of the country. One of those
days, a large crowd of sannyasins took to the streets of New Delhi during
mid-day. Their eyes were flaring with anger. They were about 2000 strong. They
carried tridents. Their hairs were long and tufty. They attacked the parliament
house. At last, police had to resort to tear gas for dispersing the crowd. The
whole surroundings of the parliament house were infested with gas. I had to
suffer it even sitting in my room in Krishi Bhavan.
The country was in the midst of a famine; prices were excessively hiked; the
first Indira Gandhi government was in a shaking state. The reason for the anger
of the sannyasins was the failure of the weak government in giving deserving
respect to the Gaumata and for insulting the Bharatiya tradition. Even the
country’s constitution was abused. The Article 48 of the Constitution reads
lock, stock and barrel that cow and calf should not be killed. Still, this
thankless government does not do anything to protect the cows. Cows are
slaughtered in large scale in West Bengal, Keralam, Goa and two other states of
South India; beef is sold in public. To tolerate this sort of corruption was
beyond the tolerance of the sannyasins. So, they had no other alternative than
attacking the parliament house.
Gulsari Lal Nanda was the home minister in the shaking government of Indira
Gandhi. He was the chief patron of Bharat Sadhu Samaj too. Two – three
sannyasins were beaten on their back with police batons. Several sannyasins
sustained injuries in the confusions arose from tear gas.
"The moment he met me he hugged me so tight. Golwalkar was an embodiment of
modesty. I was younger to him. The love and affection he showered on me were
several times warmer than what we can expect from an elderly person in our
society."
The situation in New Delhi was too serious. The young workers of Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) encouraged the sannyasins. Suddenly Rashtriya Goraksha
Samiti, an organization of Sangh workers, created troubles in Delhi. Indira was
very much perplexed, she was shaken. Since she was a novice in the hot seat she
did not have a grip on the administration. She had not attained the capacity or
efficiency to run the government. Some sort of conspiracies and secret moves had
taken place against her here and there. General elections were expected to take
place in two to three months. A compromise at any cost with the trident-wielding
sannyasins was a must. Prime Minister declared a high power committee to discuss
the demands of the sannyasins. The committee would advise government what steps
it should take for cow protection and increase in the cow population, in view of
the agitation unleashed by the Rashtriya Cow Protection Samiti, after adequate
discussion. Justice Amalkumar Sarkar, the veteran legal expert who retired from
the service recently was appointed the chairman of the committee. Jagadguru
Sankaracharya of Puri, Justice Rema Prasad Mukhopadhyaya and Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh Sarsanghchalak Guru Golwalkar were also in the committee as
the representatives of Cow Protection Samiti. Other four members were the
agriculture & animal husbandry ministers of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu
and Keralam. Priyavratha Bhattacharya, the then Animal Protection Commissioner
of the GOI, famous Verghese Kurien of Anand and me as an economist were the
expert members.
This rare sort of committee had to have strange and diverse experiences. Justice
Sarkar, Amal da for Bag Bazar Mohalla natives like us, was at the helm of the
committee. He was a rendezvous of simplicity, humbleness, sweet behaviour, nice
mannerism suiting the dignity of a supreme court judge, etc. He tried his level
best to keep all in good humour during the discussions. But, he did not succeed
in this endeavour, thanks to Puri Sankaracharya. He did not miss any chance to
create an impression that he was sitting with inferior people like us only
because of his ardent wish to fulfil the holy and divine goal of cow protection;
otherwise, it would have been detrimental to his dignity and position! He
expressed aversion, hatred, sympathy and anger towards the committee. There was
a specific reason for his anger. The committee used to meet at Krishi Bhavan. By
the time he reaches Krishi Bhavan lot of devotees used to congregate at the
entrance and in the corridors. Most of the people used to prostrate, at the
Krishi Bhavan itself, to pay their respects. He used to enter the room showering
blessing by raising the hand. But, ‘arrogant and naughty’ people like us used to
hold fast to the chairs. He would look at us with anger. His disciple would
spread the tiger skin on the ‘unholy’ chair. It looked like sitting on his seat
Acharya was blessing all. He did not give deserving consideration or respect to
the gentleman who used to be the chief justice of the supreme court. “I am
great; since the matter is of cow protection things must move according to my
will and pleasure” was his stand. But, it was impossible.
I have to admit, Golwalkar’s behaviour did really conquer me like anything. But,
how could I know at that time that a lot of things were yet to happen for
tempting me?
Rema Prasad Mukhopadyaya, the son of Sir Ashutosh Mookerjee and elder brother of
Dr Shyamaprasad Mookerjee, the representative of the Cow Protection Samiti, used
to ask several questions. But, he never crossed the limit of humbleness and
modesty. He never hurt others with harsh words. Whenever he had a difference of
opinion (we could hardly have unity in opinions), he used to express it with a
smile and gesture of a gentle shake of his neck. But the most surprising
presence was of the third member in the committee – the most talked about member
– Guru Golwalkar. A lot of stories had been doing the rounds regarding his
adamant and sharp character. ‘Blind respect as the undisputed leader of RSS and
fear about the leader of the ultra-extremists’ was the impression we had in mind
regarding him. But, as the most silent member of the committee, Guru Golwalkar
decimated our prejudices. He talked only when it was absolutely essential. When
it was necessary he talked in a humble manner. Even though he did not like
other’s opinion it did not reflect in his behaviour. He knew almost all Indian
languages. Most of the times he spoke to me in Bengali. My words and opinions
might have been unacceptable to him like poison. Still his behaviour to me
remained unchanged. Whenever he participated in the committee’s proceedings his
words did not turn harsh. His character was diametrically opposite to that of
Jagadguru. I have to admit, Golwalkar’s behaviour did really conquer me like
anything. But, how could I know at that time that a lot of things were yet to
happen for tempting me?
Two years were over since the dissolution of the committee. Once I caught a
train from Delhi, probably for going to Bhopal. After a while my co-traveler
came in – none other than Guru Golwalkar. I think, he was heading to Jhansi. The
moment he met me he hugged me so tight. I enquired about his health. Then we
discussed the incomplete procedures of the committee and general matters
prevailed in the country. Golwalkar was an embodiment of modesty. I was younger
to him. The love and affection he showered on me were several times warmer than
what we can expect from an elderly person in our society. The train started. It
was getting dark. I took a reading material from the bag and started to read.
Golwalkar started reading too. I thought that RSS chief, the vanguard of Dharma,
would pick up a religious text or a hardcore Vedantha text. But, I got one more
surprise: He was reading an American novel, the latest one by Henry Miller. I do
not hide, that moment my respects to Golwalkar increased manyfold. Perhaps a
die-hard swayamsevak might take me to killing field for revealing this.
(Ashok Mitra was Former MP (RS), former Finance Minister of West Bengal,
former Economic Advisor to GOI, former GOI representative to Cow Protection
Council & CPM leader.) Translation by T Satisan, Keralam--10-May-2018,
www.organiser.org
-GoTop
SHRI VISHWA
NIKETAN vishwav@bol.net.in
www.shrivishwaniketan.blogspot.com
