Need to promote reading habits among children—Dr Krishna Gopal

Garhen Apana Jeevan, book by Mukul Kanitkar released

“After Independence a number of institutes, schools and colleges were opened and a large number of people became doctors, engineers and so on. But what the country lacked in these years was building of ‘man’. The students who passed out from the reputed institutions were found indulging in corruption and many other malpractices. Is this the progress that we have made in these years?” asked RSS Sahsarkaryavah Dr Krishna Gopal, while releasing a book on personality development in New Delhi on July 1. The book, Garhen Apana Jeevan has been written by Shri Mukul Kanitkar and was published by Prabhat Prakashan, New Delhi.

Madhya Pradesh School Education Minister Smt Archana Chitnis was chief guest on the occasion.

Dr Krishna Gopal further said in the tsunami of materialism, many great nations have got washed away but ours is a nation which has been the follower of Nachiketa and Ashtavakra who preferred knowledge over materialistic things. “If we lose this tradition, the society will be devoid of morals,” he said appealing to the people to must maintain a library in their home and encourage the children to read good books. He said the books collected in the house should not remain in the showcases but the family members should read and imbibe them, whenever they get time.

Smt Archana Chitnis said writing a book is like being a mother who conceives and nurtures a child. She praised Garhen Apana Jeevan by saying that it is a book which is “rooted to culture and committed to progress”.

Earlier, Shri Mukul Kanitkar, while introducing the book, described it a manual for overall development of personality through Indian vision and principles. It deals with day-to-day experiences of life. He said today we view ourselves through the lens of western ideologies; this attitude needs to be changed.

Shri Prabhat Kumar of Prabhat Prakashan proposed the vote of thanks.

—Aniruddha Subhedar

A senior full-time worker of Hindu Munnani, S Vellaiyappan was murdered in broad day light at Vellore on July 1. Shri Vellaiyappan was a full time worker for 20 years. Presently, he was one of the State secretaries. He had hit the headlines last week when he spearheaded the Opposition to the takeover of historic Jalakanteswara (Shiva) Temple by the Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowment Board of Tamil Nadu. The temple was without a deity for four centuries because of Islamic invasions. The deity, a Shivlinga, was installed there 1981. Thanks to the concerted efforts of the Hindus led by the Hindu Munnani, the Shivalinga was installed with huge support. Since then, for the last 35 years, the temple properties hugely increased courtesy to thousands of devout Hindus.  All of a sudden, the State Government wanted to be the administrator of the temple, so far managed by a local committee consisting of eminent persons from the Hindu society.

Hindu Munnani founder Shri Ramagopalan condemned the killing and demanded Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa to look into the matter seriously, as such incidents are on rise. He said speedy action should be taken to find and punish the killers. As a protest, the Hindu Munnani observed a peaceful bandh on July 2. According to Shri Manohar, Chennai secretary, at 15 places nearly 1,000 persons were arrested (Beach Station-150, Vadapalani-250, Porur-100, Retteri-50, Purasaiwalkam-60, Thiruvotriyur-45, Manali-25….etc) to mark the protest demonstration.  Total bandh was observed in Vellore district. Shops were closed in Kanyakumari, Tiruppur, Coimbatore, Hosur, Krishnagiri and many other districts. In Puduchery, 150 volunteers participated in the protest demonstration and got arrested.

RSS Prant Sanghachalak Shri RV Marimuthu also strongly condemned the murder and recalled that earlier the BJP workers Arvind Reddy, Pugazendhi, Kaalaiyar Koil Padai and Ambalam were also murdered in the same way. “Hindu Munnani activist Anand of Mettupalayam, MR Gandhi (BJP) of Nagercoil and Hari of Koonoor and many others were attacked and injured seriously. The law and order in the State is questionable,” he said in a statement appealing to the Chief Minister to take action against the murderers.

(VSK Chennai)

 Grahak Panchayat workers training camp in Delhi

Work towards creating an exploitation-free society—Arun Deshpande

A week long training camp for the workers of the Akhil Bharatiya Grahak Panchayat was organised in Delhi from June 14 to 24. A total of 37 workers from 10 Prants underwent training. Apart from many Grahak Panchayat leaders, the RSS Akhil Bharatiya Sah Sampark Pramukh Shri Aniruddha Deshpande also guided the workers. During the camp, the workers were imparted practical training about various issues concerning the consumers.

On June 23, noted economist and Uttar Kshetra Sanghachalak Dr Bajranglal Gupt guided the workers. He specifically apprised them of the future challenges. Shri Arun Deshpande described the youth workers as ‘commander of the Panchayat’ and called upon them to be ready for every struggle. He said the Grahak Panchayat aims at creating a society free from all types of exploitation. –Bureau Report

Bachendri Pal honoured with Virangana Samman

A two-day Virangana Balidan Mela was organised at the Samadhi of Rani Lakshmibai in Gwalior on June 17. Noted mountaineer Bachendri Pal was honoured on this occasion with Virangana Samman. Began about 14 years back by former MP from Gwalior and also former national convener of the Bajrang Dal Shri Jaibhan Singh Pawaiya the event has been drawing huge gathering of local people. Earlier, a youth vehicle rally, Shahid Jyoti Yatra, reached Gwalior from Jhansi on June 17. The Shahid flames were installed at the Samadhi by BJP MP Shri Prabhat Jha. The Virangana Samman presented on June 18 consists of Rs two lakh and a citation. Minister of Culture Lakshmikant Sharma gave away the prize constituted under the aegis of Swaraj Sansthan Sanchalanalaya, Bhopal. On this occasion, Shri Raghunath Pandey, the descendent of martyr Mangal Pandey, was also felicitated. On June 18, a play, Khoob Ladi Mardani, was staged very impressively. Many leading poets of the country also recited their poems on this occasion. An exhibition of the arms used by Rani Lakshmibai attracted huge gathering.    —Bureau Report

Kalyan Ashram worker kidnapped, released

A senior Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram worker Shri Maniram Pal was kidnapped from Agra on June 30. Though a ranson call was received on July 1 asking for Rs 20 lakh, but on July 2, he was released without paying any ransom. According to reports, Shri Pal was kidnapped by mistake as the kidnappers wanted to kidnap somebody else at that time.

Fifty five year old Shri Maniram Pal, a Kshetra level worker of the Kalyan Ashram, was in Agra on June 30 to attend a meeting and he was kidnapped early morning when he went out for a morning walk. He originally belongs to Azamgarh district of Uttar Pradesh. Kanpur Prant secretary of the Kalyan Ashram Dr Ramakant had the informed the police about abduction as he was asked for a ransom of Rs. 20 lakh by the kidnappers.

Commenting on the incident, Kalyan Ashram vice president Shri Kripa Prasad confirmed that Shri Manipal has been released and he was kidnapped mistakenly. “It is a highly startling development. We work even in extreme Naxal affected areas but never any of our workers was touched by anyone. It is unbelievable that a worker was kidnapped even from a highly protected area of a city like Agra, where 198 Kalyan Ashram workers were attending an organisational meeting. We are happy that Shri Maniram has joined us safely. We thank the Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and UP police for timely action and rescuing the worker,” Shri Kripa Prasad Singh told Organiser.

 —Bureau Report