The Bits and Pieces – As I Please – 14

 

The Bits and Pieces – As I Please – 14

"Hindutva is the soul of India," RSS” -

RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale described the concept of Hindutva as the "Soul of Bharat" and said religious conversions can be checked through public awareness, social harmony and strict enforcement of laws, while, speaking in Indore on November 30. It has provoked me to write briefly on the subject; both the issues of Hindu Raj and
Conversion. First, the Hindu Raj – I presume that the RSS leader’s assertions that ‘Hindutva is the soul of India’ is fallacious, if we go by the stipulations of the Constitution of India which terms India that is Bharat a ‘Secular State’ in the Preamble of the Constitution itself. Let us not confuse the people of India by saying things which has no relevance, if we intend to keep India united and secure. There is no other way. What Babasaheb Ambedkar said even before our independence in 1947 is still relevant? He wrote in his book Thoughts on Pakistan,  “If Hindu Raj does become a fact, it will, no doubt, be the greatest calamity for this country. Hinduism is a menace to liberty, equality and fraternity. On that account it is incompatible with democracy. Hindu Raj must be prevented at any cost.”  He was against majoritarianism, which in the Indian context meant unbridled rule of the majority community. We need to take along the minority communities including Dalits on our journey to make India ‘Vikshit Bharat’ as visualized by PM Narendra Modi. Second, Conversion – Hosabole Sahib proposed ‘public awareness campaigns ("Dharm Jagaran"), social harmony initiatives, and stringent enforcement of anti-conversion laws as measures to stop conversions that have "wrong" intentions.’ Yes, conversion with wrong intensions is bad and we need to take social harmony initiatives to integrate the socially weaker sections with the main steam of the society. There cannot be two opinions on this. But do we do enough in this regard? The answer to this is a big NO, to my mind. RSS needs to come out of the lip service and take on the caste system head on. No one wants to change ones religion for the heck of it. One tends to remain what one gets by birth. There is a need to

have inner introspection first and transform the Hindu society to meet the challenges of the years to come. The conversions would automatically stop, to my mind. Let me add that I told this frankly to Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat Sahib in my meetings with him a couple of years ago at Jalandhar and Nagpur. I can’t say that he agreed with me or no but subsequently he honored me with an invitation to be a Guest of Honour at one f the annual rituals at the Headquarters of RSS at Nagpur which I accepted with pleasure. I thank Sarsanghchalak of RSS, Mohan Bhagwat ji for his magnanimity. I am a Hindu by birth and would remain so in spite of many counter thoughts to contend with.

Zara Dekh Uss Ko Jo Kuch Ho Raha Hai, Hone Wala Hai
Dhara Kya Hai Bhala Ehd-e-Kuhan Ki Dastnon Mein

(Pay attention to what is happening and what is going to happen
What good there is in repeating the tales of the old glories?)

Musings - Ambedkar and India’s National Life – Just off the calf it came to mind as how, of late, Babasaheb Ambedkar has stolen the thunder in every important national occasion throughout every successive year; be it PM’s address to the nation from the ramparts of Lal Kila (Red Fort) in August on Independence Day, Diksha Diwas (Embracing of Buddhism) in October, Constitution Day in November, Babasaheb’s Mahapartniban Diwas (Death anniversary in December), Mahamahim Presidents address to the nation on

Republic Day in January, Babasaheb’s Birthday in April, Buddhapurnima in May, inter alia, many more such events. It only shows that how much space Babasaheb Ambedkar and his legacy is occupying in the national life of India and rightly so. India is bound to become ‘Vikshit Bharat’ in the years to come if ‘We the people of India’ adhere to the sage and visionary thinking of the icon and also to the constitutional frame work provided by our forefathers led by Babasaheb Ambedkar. A cursory look at some of my engagements on December 6, Mahaparinirvan Diwas of Babasaheb Ambedkar would further justify what I have said – Invitation to Parliament House for Floral Tributes, Participation in the Panel Discussion on Jalandhar Doordarshan, Invitation to the Sardhanjali function at Jalandhar Ambedkar Bhawan. With these musings, I bow in Naman to one of the greatest sons of India.

Badi Mushkil Se Hota Hai Chaman Mein Didwar Paida