Accusing the UPA government of politicising terrorism, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) said the centre had coined terms like ?Hindu terrorism? to cover up its failure in combating terrorism. ?There is nothing like ?Hindu terrorism? or ?Muslim terrorism?, anyone killing innocents is a terrorist,? RSS Sarsanghachalak Shri KS Sudarshan said on the sidelines of a RSS meeting in Lucknow on November 23.
Shri Sudarshan delivered an intellectual orientation to volunteers and well-wishers of various organisations at the Saraswati Shishu Mandir in Niralanagar. He touched upon various issues, including the challenges before the nation in the past and at present. Taking a dig at the centre for maligning the image of Hindus, Shri Sudarshan said, ?Instead of taking any step to effectively combat terrorism in the country, the government is trying to divert the attention of people by coining terms like Hindu and Muslim terrorism.? He added that the UPA was involving in the game of politicking since the general elections were approaching. He also said that unlike Christianity or Islam, Hinduism ?is not a religion, it is a way of life in sync with nature?.
The Sarsanghachalak said that the faulty policy of consumerism, as adopted by the United States, had brought the world to the brink of bankruptcy and the nation could not escape from its effect. ?Our family system is still intact to a great extent and we can overcome the economic crisis. But we have to amend our ways,? said Shri Sudarshan. ?We have to evolve village-centric development programmes as we have the potential to lead the world,? he added.
Shri Sudarshan said that Mahatma Gandhi wrote a letter to Jawaharlal Nehru on October 5, 1945, asking him to elaborate on the future development plans and also suggesting village-based development. ?However, Pt. Nehru refused to accept Gandhiji'ssuggestion and said that if cities were not made the focus of development, the country would lag behind in comparison with the other countries,? claimed Shri Sudarshan. The Sarsanghachalak also narrated the background and circumstances under which the RSS was formed in 1925. He said that at the time, despite the support of the Congress, the Khilafat Movement, launched by the Muslim League, was crushed by the British government. ?Out of sheer anger and frustration, the Hindus were victimised during the communal riots between 1921 and 1923 at various places in the country. It was then that Dr Hedgewar decided to form the RSS to unite the Hindus, who constituted 87 per cent of the country,? he reminisced. He said there was a time when Hindus were ashamed of being called Hindus, but the situation had now undergone a change. ?Now Hindus feel bad whenever there is any onslaught on the Hindu samaj, which was best manifested during the chakka jam over the Ram Sethu issue on September 12, 2007, and later over the Amarnath Shrine Board in August, when lakhs of men, women and children courted arrest,? said Shri Sudarshan. He also emphasised on the need for greater unity among Hindus. Shri Sudarshan also expressed concern over the growing imbalance with nature. ?We have exploited nature beyond the need and we have to pay the price for that in the coming years,? he cautioned. ?Ideally, there must be 33 per cent forest area in our country. When we got Independence, we had 22 per cent forests but today the figure stands at only 11 per cent,? he said.
Swami Abhayanand Saraswati also addressed the gathering. He said the society not honouring the yajna, cow and saints was bound to suffer. ?It only proves that adharma (injustice) is taking over dharma,? he added. The audience included senior leaders like Shri Lalji Tandon and Shri Om Prakash Singh.
(FOC)
