NAGPUR: The very Indian thought of harmony (samarasata) is way ahead of the western thought of unity and uniformity. It is the spiritual thought. The late Dattopant Thengadi presented that very thought through his life, said Principal Yoganand Kale, former Pro-VC of Nagpur University. Prof. Kale was speaking at a meeting organised by the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) to commemorate Thengadiji’s death anniversary on October 14 as ‘Samarasata Diwas’. Vidarbha BMS president Shri Ashok Bhutad presided over the meeting while Shri Ramesh Patil, general secretary conducted the proceedings.
Prof Kale said that the late Dattopant Thengadi strived hard to raise the standard of dalits, exploited and neglected lot of the society throughout his life. He realised that the same soul dwelt in all living beings and the realisation of this universal truth would help usher in the creation of a society away from exploitation.
With the realisation of this inherent unity of human beings a sense of belongingness develops and that in turn leads to inculcation of values like fraternity, unity and harmony. Thengadiji used to say that friendship and compassion breed harmony in any society.
Though our thinking reflected such high values, in the real life our behaviour was exactly the opposite of this. The dalits were always looked down, they were not given chance to stand shoulder to shoulder with the rest of the society. Thengadiji was dead against such a discriminatory attitude and always advocated strongly that unless we wash out this sin of untouchability we would never progress as a strong, vibrant nation.
Mere giving slogans of nationalism would not help. We would have to make them feel their participation in the society and nation building activities, Prof Kale said, adding that facility of reservation should continue till they are brought at par with the rest of the society.
It is our duty to translate this dream of late Dattopant Thengadi into reality today, Prof Kale exhorted the BMS workers gathered for the function. There is no other way he said repeating Thengadiji’s words: “When it is the only way, then this is the shortest way.”
Shri Ashok Bhutad delivered presidential address and also proposed vote of thanks. Avinash Bhumralkar presented a solo song. The programme was attended by RSS Paschim Kshetra Sahkaryawah Prof Ravindra Joshi, BMS central finance secretary Vasantrao Pimpalapure, Anil Dandekar, Nana Akhare of Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, Prof Shrikant Deshpande of Late Dattopant Thengadi Smriti Pratishthan, Virag Pachpore, President International Centre for Cultural Studies, senior BMS leaders Abaji Pandhare, Atul Deshpande of LIC, general secretary of Vdarbha Bank Employees Federation Rajiv Pande, Vasantrao Deopujari, Padmakar Sapre, Archana Sohoni, member of BMS Central Executive Committee, and others.
Speaking at another function West Zone organiser of Bharatiya Shikshan Mandal Dr GN Hadap said: “The late Dattopant Thengadi’s vision, placed on record in the Charter of Demands of Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) handed over to the then President of India the late VV Giri, had suggested that Vanvasis be prevented from getting exploited and they should be given employment in the department with proper wages. Had this vision been implemented in the early seventies, the Naxalite problem would not have cropped up”.
The function was organised by Swargiya Dattopant Thengadi Smriti Pratishthan, Nagpur.
Dr Hadap further said that Thengadiji gave a new direction to the ideologies of Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh which was based on the Hindu concepts and ideologies. In the Charter of Demands Thengadiji recommended measures for the welfare of Defence personnel and ex-servicemen, and rehabilitation of war widows.
Earlier, senior colleagues of the late Thengadiji Shri Vasantrao Deopujari and Sri Pandit Pimpalkar spoke on their association with the great leader. They narrated Thengadiji’s refusal of Padmabhushan award, his popularity in his home town Arvi in the early days, his welcoming of Veer Sawarkar after his release from prison, and command over English language and love for poetry.
