By Pramod Kumar
Swadeshi Vichar Kendra organised a Smriti Samvad on birth anniversary of BMS founder Dattopant Thengadi in New Delhi on November 12. Senior BJP leader and former HRD minister, Dr Murli Manohar Joshi delivered the key-note address. Shri Ramanbhai Shah, who worked for over 50 years with Thengadiji and senior Sangh leader Shripat Shastri were also present on the occasion.
Describing Thengadiji as a farsighted person, Dr Joshi said he turned the working class from being selfish to be dedicated, hard working, nationalistic and patriotic. He developed the feeling among them to think not only for individual but also for industry, nation and for all mankind. He said Thengadiji proved that Hindu economics was sustainable and was in the interest of mankind. He always stressed the need that education should be job oriented. Thengadiji also explained the basic differences between western and Indian economic views. ?The West treats the world as a market but we treat it as a family. This is the basic difference between them and us,? he said adding that Hindu economics talks about the welfare of the whole universe.
Shri Ramanbhai Shah said when communism was at its peak, Thengadiji confidently declared that the days of communism were numbered and it would die under its own weight. ?Thengadiji declared the disintegration of Soviet Russia in 1968 and just after 12 years it came true. He knew the consequences of communism and western thinking. It was for the first time he presented the third alternative of development before the world, which forced western thinkers to think that Hindu way of economic thinking is so rich,? Shri Shah said. He expressed apprehension that the government was going to repeat the mistake of 1989 (signing the GATT) at the WTO Ministerial Conference to be held in Hong Kong soon. ?Over 55 of the 100 developing countries of the world were against GATT in 1989, but our minister committed the mistake of signing it. The government is still working under US pressure,? he said, adding that the BMS was working to fulfill the aspirations of Thengadiji.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri Sripat Shastri, senior Sangh leader, said Thengadiji had unique intellectual power. He brought so many workers under the BMS fold due to his polite behaviour. He described Thengadiji as the greatest communicator of Sangh'sdifferent dimensions. He said he never imposed his thoughts on the workers but developed the feeling of consensus. ?He was a friend to all. That is why he had friends in all the labour unions and political parties. He successfully developed an alternative for Leftists-oriented labour movement in the country,? Shri Shastri added. SJM convenor Shri Murlidhar Rao conducted the proceeding.
