THE Bharatiya Vichar Manch organised a two-day seminar on ‘Hindutva in Present Context’ to discuss both ideological and practical aspects of Hindutva. This book is a compilation of the papers presented on the occasion.
The editors on summing up the presentations say that the Hindu philosophy encompasses every aspect of our life and Hinduism believes in ekoham bahusyam: “I am one; let there be several like me,” meaning that for the Hindus, the entire world is a family. Hindutva is a way of life.
The participants at the seminar talked of the external and internal challenges posed to Hindutva and while stressing on overcoming the current challenges posed to Hindu society, suggested three approaches: first, as far as possible create a new system based on social equality and harmony and that it will require dissolving of the existing barriers and creation of a new system based on the eternal principles of Hindutva, just as Guru Golwalkar had said, “…as earthen pot-maker immerses pieces of broken pots in water, converts them into a homogenous base and then reconverts the same into new structures. Sangh too creates a base of Hindutva out of fragmented social systems by applying samskara, which will serve as a basis of generating a new social structure for the future generations.” Thus it has been explained that wrong traditions and social inequality within the society are not because of the doctrines of Hindu philosophy but due to the deviations thereof. Therefore the need is for practicing universal brotherhood.
The papers presented at the seminar represent a broad spectrum of issues and approaches where the participants agreed that Hindutva “is not something to be ashamed of. Hindutva is the need for the entire world,” and as Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay had said – ekatma manavdarshan – integral humanism, which is the articulation of Hindutva and Hindu polity.
-MG
(Bharatiya Vichar Manch, B-424 Tirthraj Complex, Ellis Bridge, Ahmedabad.)
