Bharat Vikas Sangam in Varanasi: A report
Cbr> With the call for cultural resurgence and change in the system, the three-day Bharat Vikas Sangam, organised under the banner of Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah Foundation, New Delhi and Surabhi Shodh Sansthan, Varanasi, concluded at Harhua in Varanasi on November 22. About 300 delegates engaged in different constructive activities at the micro level and belonging to 65 social organisations, 17 states and 110 districts of the country, joined hands with noted thinker and scholar, K.N. Govindacharya to bring positive change in the social and political system that has, according to them, ?failed to address the problems of the common man and to also involve them in the work of national reconstruction even after 57 years of Independence.? Most of the participants were associated with different projects connected with agriculture, environment, cow protection, organic farming, land reforms, water harvesting, etc. and through their successful experiments have proved that the swadeshi talent is incomparable.
?During my countrywide four years? tour, I have closely witnessed the pain of the common men, their real problems and mentality and have tired to understand the effect of globalisation on their life. I have also witnessed the successful efforts at micro level, to face all these challenges within the society, that have made me believe that if we unite, all these efforts will accelerate the process for the all-round development of our region as well as for the necessary change in the system, we can soon achieve our national and social goals,? said Shri Govindacharya, while explaining the objectives of the Sangam.
He said that social and rural life would not become happy with merely a change in the political power that has totally failed to involve the countrymen in national reconstruction activities. The uncontrolled consumerism is at its peak and it has left no stone unturned to remove the Indian social and economic life from its roots. He called upon the participants to spread their constructive activities in different parts of the country. He said the society had given legitimacy to the state to work for its betterment. ?When the State fails to fulfill the aspirations of the society, new thinking for new alternatives becomes necessary. Developmental schemes for India should be evolved keeping in view the taseer of India and on the basis of foreign inspirations,? he said, adding that merely change in political power could not bring change in the system as the people of different ideologies have ruled the country and failed to bring even a minor change in the system.
Presiding over the inaugural session, noted thinker and scholar of Kashi, Anand Subramanyam Shastri said that the prime objective behind the Sangam was to raise the self-respect of the countrymen. ?Much cultural slavery has been witnessed during the last five decades, and which was not witnessed even during the 500 years of slavery under foreign rule. This Sangam, in fact, is the beginning of that cultural resurgence. Our views should be pro-East and not pro-West,? he said, stating that merely change in persons cannot bring change in the system as ?we have failed to find the desired man.? Acharya Sharad Kumar Sadhak, patron, Surabhi Shodh Sansthan, called upon the participants to ?stop criticising others and start working and thinking positively?.
Shri Kuti Menon, who has conducted successful experiments on cow-based agriculture in Madhya Pradesh, said that the Indian cows were more useful than foreign cows. He urged the government to start research on Indian cows also. He appealed to people to plant and nurse at least one plant for the protection of environment. A book Bharat ka Vartaman aur Bhavishaya (India'sPresent and future) based on four years? countrywide tour of Shri K.N. Govindacharya, was also released on the occasion.
