\SAMVAD  श्री विश्व निकेतन SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN

Chaitra Shukla 12, Vik. Samvat 2076 Yugabda 5121: 16 April 2019


1. FESTIVALS: KONYAK Konyak dance 2. Temple Administration Should Be In Devotees’ Hands, Not Government: SC
3. Gujarati Society of Southern California Hosts Holi Celebration ‘Holi Hai’ 4. Paramita Bhattacharyya Blends the Colors of Holi with Kathak Performance
5. HUMBLED TO PAY MY HOMAGE TO JALIANWALA BAGH MARTYRS, SAYS UPARASHTRAPATI JI 6. Jallianwala Bagh carnage shameful scar on UK: May
7. Britain is too cautious about facing its complex past 8.  Hindu Media Bureau Launched on Varsha Pratipada day  in Boston, Massachusetts
9. Evidence of pre-modern iron technology found in Nagaland 10. Higher education continues to grow for national goals and priorities
11. Shrines shine, gold glistens as Utah Hindus bring spirit of bharat 12. Voting is necessary and a sacred responsibility of all:  mohan bhagwat
13. bharat set to retain tag of fastest growing major economy: IMF 14. Rachana Desai Martin Named COO for DNC
15. bharat highest recipient of remittances at $79 billion in 2018 16. Canada holds doors wide open for bharatiyas
17. The Latest in Military Strategy: Mindfulness 18. bharatiyas the largest group to migrate to Australia in 2017-18
19. In a 1st, bharat to post women as defence attaches abroad 20. Diane Gujarati Re-NOMINATED FOR New York Federal Judge Seat
21. Indian American Heritage Foundation Holds 33rd Awards Gala 22. bharat's Permanent Mission to UN inaugurates giant mural
23. Dalit IIT-B graduate tops UPSC exam, 10 women in top 25 24. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN & FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Article: Why Hindutva gets traction and Communism doesn’t


1. FESTIVALS: 4700 Konyak Naga Women Create Guinness record for Largest Traditional KONYAK Konyak dance: Konyak Naga tribe has set a Guinness World Record for the "Largest Traditional Konyak Dance". A total of 4,687 Konyak Naga women in their colourful traditional attire had come together on April 5 in an attempt to create the record for the "Largest Traditional Konyak Dance". The Konyak women danced to the beats of traditional instruments and sang a ceremonial song for five minutes and one second. Konyak is one of the 16 Naga tribes and people of this community live mainly in the Mon district of Nagaland. The programme was organised at Mon during the Aoleang Monyu, an annual festival of the Konyak tribe to welcome the spring.-GoTop

 

2. Temple Administration Should Be In Devotees’ Hands, Not Government: SC: The Supreme Court on April 8 took a strongly critical stance on government management of religious places, noting the blatant failures by official authorities to prevent offences such as theft of idols. The court said that the task of administration of these religious sites should instead be given to devotees.

The bench comprising of Justices SA Bobde and SA Nazeer made the observations while hearing a PIL bringing to light mismanagement taking place at Jagannath Temple at Puri, Odisha.Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Nischalananda Saraswati of the Gobardhan Math has filed an application before the court offering to assist it in reaching a decision over the issue.

The bench inquired if the spiritual leader would be willing to accept the responsibility of managing the temple, as he was a person who held great sway over the devotees. -GoTop

 

3. Gujarati Society of Southern California Hosts Holi Celebration ‘Holi Hai’: The youth chapter of the Gujarati Society of Southern California organized its inaugural Holi celebration, ‘Holi Hai 2019,’ March 24 at Whittier Narrows Recreation Park in South El Monte, Calif.The celebration kicked off at noon with DJ Pratik from Fusion Sounds playing Holi classics from Bollywood. With over 600 pre-registrations and 200 walk-ins, the celebration saw huge interest not only from the Bharatiya American diaspora but from various cultures. -GoTop

 

4. Paramita Bhattacharyya Blends the Colors of Holi with Kathak Performance: In an attempt to showcase Kathak to a wider audience, Bharatiya American artist Paramita Bhattacharyya performed the traditional Bharatiya classical dance form March 24 at a Holi event organized by Our Indian Culture at the Flower Fields in Carlsbad, Calif. Fast footwork and smooth spins, two of the most significant aspects of Kathak, were part of her graceful presentation. As a ‘Kathakaar’ or a story teller, Bhattacharyya’s persistent efforts to tell stories of Bharatiya culture through the beats and rhythm of Kathak reflect in her presentations. -GoTop

 

5. HUMBLED TO PAY MY HOMAGE TO JALIANWALA BAGH MARTYRS, SAYS UPARASHTRAPATI JI:  Uparashrapati Venkaiah Naidu ji visited the Jalianwala Bagh memorial in Amritsar on 13 April on the commemoration of the massacre’s 100 years. He also released a commemorative coin of Rs 100 and a postage stamp on the occasion.

Uparashtrapati ji in the visitor’s book at the memorial wrote: “I feel extremely humbled as I pay my homage to the martyrs who sacrificed their lives fighting the evil hegemony of the oppressive British rule. I salute the martyrs who sacrificed their lives on this very spot 100 years ago.” Naiduji further wrote, “May the indelible scars on national consciousness foster a sense of national pride along with a redoubled dedication to spread Bharat's timeless message of peaceful co-existence across the globe.” Rashtrapti Ram Nath Kovind and Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi also paid their homage to the martyrs of Jalianwala Bagh. The massacre took place on April 13, 1919 when troops of the British Indian Army under the command of General Reginald Dyer fired upon a crowd of unarmed people protesting against the arrest of two national leaders. -GoTop

 

6. Jallianwala Bagh carnage shameful scar on UK: May: UK Prime Minister Theresa May on April 10 described the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar as a "shameful scar" on British Indian history but stopped short of a formal apology sought by a cross-section of Parliament in previous debates. In a statement, marking the 100th anniversary of the massacre, at the start of her weekly Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons, she reiterated the "regret" already expressed by the British Government. The massacre took place in Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar on Baisakhi in April 1919 when the British Indian Army troops, under the command of Colonel Reginald Dyer, fired machine guns at a crowd of people holding a pro-independence demonstration. -GoTop

 

7. Britain is too cautious about facing its complex past. The result is that Britain fails to understand its future: Theresa May did two significant things this week. The first, her decision to postpone Brexit, is the dominant story of the times. The second has received less attention. At prime minister’s questions, Mrs May prefaced her answers by talking about the “shameful scar on British Indian history” of the killings at Jallianwala Bagh in 1919. “We deeply regret what happened and the suffering caused,” said Mrs May. When Jeremy Corbyn replied, he went further, calling for a “full, clear and unequivocal apology for what took place”.

These brief exchanges were a reminder of the long shadow cast by what is better known in Britain as the Amritsar massacre, whose centenary falls on Saturday. It is rare for a Conservative prime minister to express regrets for any aspect of British imperial history. So the fact that Mrs May said anything at all was noteworthy: first, as a sign of continuing official unease at the highest level about the events of 1919 and, second, as a recognition of the effect the massacre still exerts on the British-Indian relationship to this day.

Mr Corbyn’s response was significant too. By using the word “apology” he went further than any British leader has yet been willing to go. When the Queen laid a wreath at Amritsar in 1997, she called the massacre “distressing”. When David Cameron visited Jallianwala Bagh in 2013, he wrote in the visitors’ book that the events were “deeply shameful”. The difference between Mrs May’s and Mr Corbyn’s words was important, for this is a long and an unquiet argument that is not yet resolved.

The events of 13 April 1919 were terrible and, to this day, are insufficiently known in Britain. Imperial troops (mainly Sikhs and Gurkhas) fired without prior warning into a peaceful crowd of more than 15,000 for 10 minutes.

An official commission put the total of dead at 379, with more than a thousand injured, but the true figures may be higher. The shootings caused outrage and anti-British radicalisation in India. The effects on Gandhi were decisive. What took place at Jallianwala Bagh was never forgotten. The lieutenant-governor of Punjab at the time of the killings was assassinated in London in belated revenge as late as 1940.

The 1919 killings do not stand alone. Others preceded and followed them. But Amritsar remains to this day the most potent embodiment of the violence on which British rule partly rested for nearly two centuries.

Liberal Britain was scandalised by Amritsar too. Winston Churchill (then a Liberal) said it was “a monstrous event” and “a slaughter”. The India secretary Edwin Montagu called it simply “terrorism”. But there were widespread and lasting efforts to whitewash and ignore what happened. Many in the Raj and in Britain, not least within the most reactionary wing of the Conservative party, approved of it wholeheartedly. When General Reginald Dyer, who ordered the shootings, died in 1927 he was given a military funeral in Somerset, followed by a second, ceremonial funeral in which his coffin, draped in the union jack, was wheeled through central London on a gun carriage as if he was a national hero. Dyer still has his defenders today.

The reluctance to apologise has many strands. They include concerns about precedent, legal consequences and claims for reparations. But the reluctance to look back dispassionately, understandable in some respects, is a national burden. It means Britain can fail to face historical facts, question ourselves as a modern nation and think about complexity. It can mean we fail to see ourselves as others see us. These are enduring issues, which cannot be brushed aside just because they are sometimes exploited opportunistically.

Some other countries are better at this self-examination. Germany is one. Belgium, which is trying to rethink its own imperial past, is another. Britain can learn from them. Britain lacks a shared or a sufficiently capacious version of its own history. Too many are not taught enough of it to make this possible. Outside the academy walls, and sometimes within them, the treatment of history can be too politicised, nationalistic and manichean. The result is that we don’t think properly or even know about events like Amritsar. But the result is also Brexit. (Editorial, The Guardian, 12 April 2019)  -GoTop

 

8.  Hindu Media Bureau Launched on Varsha Pratipada day  in Boston, Massachusetts: On occasion of Varsha Pratipada, April 6, 2019 Hindu Media Bureau (HMB) was launched as a non-governmental agency dedicated to creating and spreading awareness of the Hindu world, current and past, guided by the principle: Truth is Supreme.

In the presence of over 250 distinguished guests, that included dignitaries, media personalities, entrepreneurs, the founders of HMB committed to articulating the Hindu view point with utmost honesty and efficiency.

On the occasion, Francois Gautier, well-known journalist, presented his views on the need to take an action to protect the authentic Hindu voice. Rajiv Malhotra, a scholar and founder of the Infinity Foundation presented a detail review of how a Hindu opinion is born in social media and the reasons for lack of credibility.

Dr. Abhaya Asthana, one of the founders and mentors explained about the Hindu Media Bureau. He shared the vision for HMB as an eco-system that will bring together and nurture talent and skills from all parts of the world under one platform. -GoTop

 

9. Evidence of pre-modern iron technology found in Nagaland: Scientists from Nagaland University and the Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati have studied the history and evolution of smelting in Wui village of Tuensang district of Nagaland. The village is well known for its traditional art of iron-smelting and iron tool production since pre-colonial times. In medieval times, spears forged from Wui were highly valued. The current scenario Iron smelting is a dying art and people of Wui are struggling to preserve their traditional knowledge.

The researchers excavated two trenches at two different localities of the village. Charcoal from both trenches was carbon dated and their age ranged from 800-753 BCE to 980-1053 AD.

Tiatemjen Tzudir, one of the co-authors of the study, said, “we are looking for further evidence for smelting and iron smithing for better understanding of technological and social processes involved in pre-modern iron production in Wui and other sites in Nagaland. Also aims to know the metal craft history of Wui community.” -GoTop'

 

10. Higher education continues to grow for national goals and priorities: rashtrapati Ram Nath Kovind announced the National Institution Ranking Framework (NIRF) Rankings for Bharatiya educational institutes at New Delhi on April 8. More than 4000 institutes had submitted their data for NIRF ranking this year.

Top 3 Engineering Institutions

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay

National Institute of Technology, Thiruchirappalli

Here are the top 4 Indian universities according to NIRF 2019:

Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore

Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi

Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi

In his address Rashtrapatiji said that parameters of qualities are invariably approved qualities of infrastructure, faculty, student inputs, curriculum and pedagogy, graduation outcome and research. -GoTop

 

11. Shrines shine, gold glistens as Utah Hindus bring spirit of bharat: For Utah Hindus, the new tower of Sri Ganesha Hindu Temple suggests a world apart. The gleaming tiers of the 34-foot spire, bedecked with sculpted figures and gold cones, hint at what will greet visitors inside the nondescript gray, cinder block building — a kind of heavenly city. Painted deities dressed in embroidered robes and silk tunics line three sides of the sanctuary, sitting under hand-carved sculptures that tell the stories of the Gods’ incarnations. “Once you enter inside to see the shrines adorned,” says temple President Satish Nachaegari, “it connects you to most temples in Bharat.” Devotees have enjoyed the temple since it was first consecrated in 2003 as a relatively small gathering space with the signature Ganesha statue, but the multifaceted individual shrines, iconography and tower did not fully take shape until after 2015, when it was rededicated. With the help of seven specially trained artisans, a Bharatiya ambience emerged before their eyes.

This enlarged and richly decorated space “fills a gap for our people,” says VenkaSubramanyan, who oversaw the beautification process, “not just immigrants but those who have been here a long time.” Gliding quietly on the heated marble tiles or meditating in front of one of the shrines, worshippers in the growing community find a sense of joy. Many visit daily; others come weekly or on major holidays. They come for blessings before a test, before a big game, before a new project or performance, before a birth or marriage.-GoTop

 

12. Voting is necessary and a sacred responsibility of all:  mohan bhagwat: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Sarasanghachalak Shri Mohan Bhagwat along with Sarakaryavah Bhaiyyaji Joshi arrived at a polling booth in Nagpur around 6.50 am on April 11. Talking to media persons after exercising his franchise, Bhagwat appealed people to come out to vote in large numbers."Voting is necessary and a sacred responsibility of all. Vote for national security, development and identity," he said. On the None of the Above (NOTA) option available to voters on the electronic voting machines (EVMs), he said one has to say what he/she wants."Being quiet does not work, you have to say yes or no," he said.

Shri Joshi also appealed to the people to support voting. People should express their choice, he said, and urged them to vote for the candidate whom they think is suitable. "I hope the government elected after polls will work in the interest of the nation," he added. -GoTop

 

13. bharat set to retain tag of fastest growing major economy: IMF: “In India, growth is projected to pick up to 7.3% in 2019 and 7.5% in 2020, supported by the continued recovery of investment and robust consumption, amid a more expansionary stance of monetary policy and some expected impetus from fiscal policy,” the International MoneraryFund said in its latest World Economic Outlook (WEO). Growth in Bharat is expected to stabilise at just under 7.75% over the medium term, based on continued implementation of structural reforms and easing of infrastructure bottlenecks, the IMF said in its report authored by Indian origin chief economist Gita Gopinath. -GoTop

 

14. Rachana Desai Martin Named COO for DNC: Veteran Bharatiya American political activist Rachana Desai Martin was named April 10 as the Democratic National Committee (DNC)’s Chief Operating Officer. Martin has been serving as the DNC’s COO on an interim basis. As COO, she will oversee the DNC’s operational and administrative infrastructure. “(Rachana) brings a wealth of experience from both government service and a variety of campaigns, including multiple roles inside the Obama administration, and led the voter protection efforts in Nevada for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign,” noted the DNC in a press statement. Martin served in the Treasury Department of President Barack Obama’s administration, and also at the Department of Veteran Affairs. -GoTop

 

15. bharat highest recipient of remittances at $79 billion in 2018: Bharat retained its position as the world's top recipient of remittances. Its diaspora sent a whopping $79 billion back home in 2018, according to the World Bank. Bharat was followed by China ($67 billion), Mexico ($36 billion), the Philippines ($34 billion), and Egypt ($29 billion). Over the last three years, Bharat has registered a significant flow of remittances from $62.7 billion in 2016 to $65.3 billion 2017. -GoTop

 

16. Canada holds doors wide open for bharatiyas: Canada is set to make the Global Talent Stream (GTS) programme, which offers a hassle-free and quick route to work in the country, a permanent scheme. This will benefit aspiringBharatiyas including those currently based in US), who have a science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) background, to make the most of emerging job opportunities.

Under this programme, processing of applications filed by sponsoring employers takes just two weeks. The icing on the cake is that those hired under the GTS route gain valuable work experience in Canada, which gives them an edge when applying for permanent residency under the Express Entry Route, a point-based system. -GoTop

 

17. The Latest in Military Strategy: Mindfulness - the practice of using breathing techniques, similar to those in meditation, to gain focus and reduce distraction -- is inching into the military in the United States and those of a handful of other nations. This winter, Army infantry soldiers at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii began using mindfulness to improve shooting skills. The British Royal Navy has given mindfulness training to officers, and military leaders are rolling it out in the Army and Royal Air Force for some officers and soldiers. The New Zealand Defence Force recently adopted the technique, and military forces of Netherlands are considering the idea, too. NATO also plans to hold a symposium in Berlin to discuss mindfulness.

Maj. Gen.Walter Piatt, a commander of the coalition forces in Iraq, said, “The approach is based on the work of Amishi Jha, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Miami.” Her paper was published in December  in a journal Progress in Brain Research, reported that the troops who daily practice in mindful breathing and focus techniques were better able to discern key information under chaotic circumstances and experienced increases in working memory function. -GoTop

 

18. bharatiyas the largest group to migrate to Australia in 2017-18: Bharat continues to be the top source country of migrants to Australia. Latest available statistics show there were 33,310 migrants from Bharat. The government has now sought to incentivise new migrants to settle outside the already congested big cities, by introducing two classes of 'Regional (Provisional) Visas' from November 2019. A release from the office of Australian PM Scott Morrison states that the holders of the new 'Regional (Provisional) Visas' will be able to access permanent residence if they live and work in regional Australia for three years.-GoTop

 

19. In a 1st, bharat to post women as defence attaches abroad: After a decision taken by the government early this year, the three Services have been asked to identify women officers who could fill the posts. The first missions have been identified largely in Europe and America.Piloted by defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the move acknowledges the fact that while Bharat has had many distinguished women ambassadors, diplomats, even foreign secretaries, the defenceattache's post has always been male-dominated. -GoTop

 

20. Diane Gujarati Re-NOMINATED FOR New York Federal Judge Seat:The White House April 8 announced that President Donald Trump has announced his intent to re-nominate a dozen individuals for judicial posts, including Diane Gujarati. Gujarati, of New York, is the daughter of a Bharatiya father and Jewish mother.

She has been nominated by the president to serve as a district judge on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. Gujarati had previously been nominated by former President Barack Obama.

Gujarati is the daughter of Damodar M. Gujarati, a professor of economics at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Her profile on the Asian American Bar Association of New York site notes that the attorney has extensive federal investigative, trial, and appellate experience, and significant experience in the area of government ethics. Gujarati earned her B.A., summa cum laude, from Barnard College of Columbia University and her J.D. from Yale Law School. -GoTop

 

21. Indian American Heritage Foundation Holds 33rd Awards Gala: Some of the best and brightest of Bharatiya American middle and high school students were honored during a lunch gala, as the 33rd Indian Heritage Awards were held April 7 at Carritos in California. The recognized students were honored by the Indian American Heritage Foundation for excellence in scholarship, community service, culture and sports.

A total of 13 graduating high school students and 10 middle school graduating students were given scholarships. Revolving trophies were also awarded for excellence in specific categories. Rishi Desai won the top India Heritage award of $2,500 and the revolving trophy in the high school category. Anika Kasula won the top award in the middle school category, with the award and revolving trophy. -GoTop

 

22. bharat's Permanent Mission to UN inaugurates giant mural: In an "innovative outreach", an imposing mural on the premises of Bharat's Permanent Mission to the UN depicts a multi-pronged theme of environmentally sustainable green jobs, Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary, the International Labour Organisation's centenary celebration and Bharat leading the global greening effort as documented recently by NASA.The mural was created by French artist, originally from Portugal, Victor Ash, an innovative collaboration with the ILO and non-profit organization ‘Street Art for Mankind', was inaugurated April 9. -GoTop

 

23. Dalit IIT-B graduate tops UPSC exam, 10 women in top 25: Kanishak Kataria, a Dalit and a graduate from IIT Bombay, has topped the Civil Services Examination 2018, a feat that is testimony to the progress clocked by the socially disadvantaged, and which could upend the popular notions of “merit”. This is the second instance in four years of a Dalit topping in one of the most intensely competitive examinations, with Tina Dabi achieving the feat in 2015. In the UPSC results on April 5, the top 25 candidates comprise 15 men and 10 women. -GoTop

 

24. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravaas:  Saumitra Gokhale, Vishwa Vibhag samyojak would return to US after pravas to Myanmar and Singapore. Visitors:

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: A few heart-whole, sincere, and energetic men and women can do more in a year than a mob in a century. –  Swami Vivekananda. -GoTop

Jai Shree Ram

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Why Hindutva gets traction and Communism doesn’t

Dr. Manmohan Vaidya

A young girl from a family known to me worked with the Jaipur Literature Festival this year as a volunteer. She mentioned to me that while the Leftist influence was quite evident in the selection of topics as well as speakers – this did not surprise me. However, she also narrated a conversation she had with her team leader. The team leader was a self-proclaimed left activist. In some conversation, the team leader in a very matter of fact tone said to her that well-known lyricist, Prasoon Joshi, was not invited to JLF because “he had become a Right Winger”. Surprised, the girl asked – what was so wrong with being a “Right Winger”, isn’t it just a world view after all? But the team leader was very clear, she said Prasoon Joshi was acceptable when he wrote lyrics for Rang De Basanti. Literature has a purpose – to invoke revolution, to take a stand against state oppression. That is what the Left stands for and hence literature is the domain of the Left. However, by writing the lyrics of Manikarnika, he has done a disservice to the very Idea of India that the left envisages. Such lyrics invoke rabid national spirit and undermine the left philosophy.

Now, it is the prerogative of the organizers to decide who to invite and who not to. Two years ago the organisers of the festival decided not to retract invitations sent out to DattatreyaHosabale and myself despite severe outrage and opposition to us speaking at JLF and this year they invited Ramesh Patange, as is their prerogative. They also in fact invited Prasoon Joshi this year but he could not make it due to ill-health. However, if leftists argue that Prasoon Joshi should not have been called simply because writing songs for ‘Manikarnika’ has made him a ‘right-winger’ then their myopia and restrictive outlook is distinctly un-Bharatiya. It is reflective of the extreme illiberalism of the leftist ideology.

It is worth highlighting this arrogance and hypocrisy of the Left. On one hand they are self-proclaimed warriors of free speech, considering even genuine criticism as an assault to their freedom of expression, and on the other they do not shy away from forcefully suppressing any viewpoint that is not to their liking. Hence, it was not at all surprising that two years ago when the organizers of the Jaipur Literature Festival invited RSS speakers for the first time ever, the left lost its bearings. Senior communists leaders like Sitaram Yechury went ahead and boycotted the festival. RSS is a grassroots organization. It exists in spite of serious opposition from the establishment only because it enjoys the support of the people of India.

Thanks to common people of Bharat, standing solidly behind Sangh, its strength and influence has only increased over time. The Left, on the other hand has consistently lost popular support. Today, the left political dominance is restricted to only one state in the South of Bharat. And this is precisely because the view of the common Bharatiya has mattered little to the Left. In the illiberal Left world, alternate thought has no space whatsoever.

Noted filmmaker and author Mr Vivek Agnihotri shares his experiences with this illiberal Left in his book “Urban Naxals”. He narrates how he and his team were physically manhandled in Jadavpur University by “women student activists”  in 2016. The activists wanted to stop Vivek from screening his film “Buddha in Traffic Jam”. They kept shouting “Go Back Bloody Fascist Brahmin”. Trying to keep his cool, Vivek simply suggested to the protesters that he was only screening a film, they were free to not watch it. To which they replied “You cannot show any movie here. There is no place for a non-communist thought in the University”.

Coming back to the team leader’s opposition to Prasoon Joshi’s lyrics in Manikarnika. The main problem of the team leader and his ilk was with the song “Main rahoon ya na rahoon, Bharat rehnachahiye” (I may or may not live, but may Bharat must live on). One cannot help but wonder what possible objection anyone could have to lyrics as benign and as moving as this. Perhaps their feelings are better expressed in slogans such as “Bharat teretukdehonge, Insha Allah Insha Allah” and “Bharat ki barbadi tak jang chalegi”. No wonder, for these people even “Bharat Mata ki Jay” has a fascist connotation.

Not unlike the Semitic religions, the left too insists on only one version of “Truth”. The only version that it subscribes to, no other narrative can be allowed to exist. If one chooses to differ, she loses the right to freedom of expression, rather even the right to live. Just like the Semitic thought, the leftist/communist ideology has been responsible for some of the worst political crimes in the history of the world. In Bharat too, the Left bastions (Kerala, West Bengal) have a reputation of political murders. Such intolerance is against the very spirit of Bharat and of Hindu Dharma. Spiritual upliftment forms the cornerstone of the Bharatiya society and hence inclusiveness, freedom of thought and expression is inherent Hindu thought. It is this nature of the Hindu Dharma that has allowed people of various social, religious and political strands to co-exist peacefully in Bharat since time immemorial. I am reminded of this story of Swami Vivekananda –

Having brought the rich cultural heritage of Bharat and Hindu Dharma to spotlight in the west, Swami Vivekananda was getting ready to depart from London for Bharat,. The year was 1897. One of his British friends asked him, “Swamiji, how do you like your motherland now after four years’ experience of the luxurious, glorious, powerful West” Swamiji’s answer was poignant. He replied: “India I loved before I came away. Now the very dust of Bharat has become holy to me, the very air is now to me holy; it is now the holy land, the place of pilgrimage, the Tirtha.” …and as his ship approached the shores of Bharat, Swamiji was overcome with emotion. He stood there with hands folded and eyes moist gazing at the shoreline as if Bharat Mata had literally appeared before him. As soon as the ship pulled up in the harbour, Swami Vivekananda got off the deck and prostrated on the land of Bharat. His emotion was akin to that of a child who had finally found his way to the mother’s lap and just like that he uttered, “All my worries have dissolved in the lap of my mother”.

What troubles me immensely is how have we come to this point, where those born on the  land, nurtured and nourished by its food, water and air, educated by the money of its tax payers,, are somehow okay with “Bharat teretukdehonge”, but “Main rahoonyanarahoon, Bharat rehnachahiye”?, enrages them.

Political parties who nurture this ‘Non-Bharatiya’ mindset for their narrow vested interests or outsourse their intellectual outreach to Leftist groups need to introspect about the fraudulence of their ideological premise. If not the patriotic citizens of this country are bound to take cognizance and act or will face the danger of losing ground like the communists”. (The writer is Sah Sarkaryavah, RSS), www.vskbharat.com.-GoTop


Shri Vishwa Niketan  vishwav@bol.net.in