RSS Vijayghosh Sanchalan at Malleshwaram, Bengaluru

With an  attractive demonstration of RSS band, which inspired hundreds of citizens gathered, the RSS Vijayghosh Sanchalan was held at Malleshwaram in Bengaluru on December 7. RSS Akhil Bharatiya Sharirik Pramukh Shri Anil Oak addressed the gathering. RSS Karnataka Dakshin Prant Sanghachalak Shri M Venkataram was present also on the dais.

“Founded in 1925 with the sole aim of uniting the Hindu society, the RSS has today completed 88 years and it continues to unite the society with the same objective. The nation is celebrating 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda. Through it we are remembering the great personality, who inspired the entire world,” said Shri Oak.

Presiding over the function Maj Gen (retd) Sampath Kumar said, “We should feel proud to be born in a great country like India. Even when my family members called me to reside in the US, I rejected the request. I will live in this great nation for ever. We should feel proud to be here. Yes, we have a problem of lack of unity. However, organisations like the RSS, which is selflessly working for the society, are doing a great service to the nation. RSS has done a great service during the recent flood at Uttarakhand.”

Senior RSS functionaries Shri K Narahari, Shri VY Somayajulu, Shri Chandrashekar Bhandari, Shri Sudhir Gadgil, Shri N Tippeswamy, Prof BV Sridhar Swamy, Shri Mukund, Chandrasekhar Jahgirdar, Shri Pattabhiram Karunakar, Shri KS Nagaraj, Dr Suresh Nayak, Shri Muttarumudi Guruprasad, Shri Karunakar Rai, Dr Jayaprakash and several others also attended the function.     

(VSK Karnataka)

Ram Mohan Gupta in UP and Ajit Khuman in Gujarat murdered

Two VHP leaders found murdered

Communal tension gripped Tanda town of Ambedkarnagar district in Uttar Pradesh on December 4 after a local VHP leader was shot dead by unidentified gunmen. Keeping in view the simmering tension over the murder, a heavy contingent of security forces, including PAC jawans, was deployed. According to reports, three unidentified gunmen came to the chemist shop of the VHP leader Ram Mohan Gupta  and fired three bullets from point blank range. Locals immediately took him to district hospital where doctors declared him dead on arrival. After the killing, the VHP activists and Hindu Yuva Vahini blocked traffic on Tanda-Akbarpur road. In March this year, Ram Mohan Gupta’s uncle, Ram Babu Gupta — also a VHP leader — was killed in a similar fashion.

Shockingly, another VHP leader Ajit Khuman (27) was found murdered at Amreli district of Gujarat on December 1. Khuman, VHP block president, was killed in Gundaran village. Khuman and his brother Shri Bharatbhai Khuman (25) were attacked by a mob of miscreants wielding guns and sharp weapons. Both were helping the village in the construction work of the Gram Panchayat’s small building when the incident happened.  Both brothers had been known for their helping nature and smiling faces.

Legal battle to thwart Nataraja Temple takeover by TN Government

World famous Nataraja temple of Chidambaram, the home of the Nataraja icon symbolising Hindu culture, was recently taken over by Tamil Nadu Government and it is being challenged by Podu Dikshitars in the Supreme Court.

Quoting Article 26 of the Constitution “which guarantees right to establish and maintain institutions for religious purposes,” senior counsel R Venkataramani, appearing for Podu Dikshitars, contended before a Bench of Justices BS Chauhan and SA Bobde, that `Podu Dikshitars’ the poojakas of Chidambaram Nataraja Temple, were a religious denomination. As far as the right of Podu Dikshitars to administer the Natarajar Temple as a distinct religious denomination was concerned, this right had been recognised by the Supreme Court in its judgement in 1952, he said.

Venkataramani said the association of Podu Dikshitars with the temple was more than 2,000 years old and it could not be disputed that originally the task of offering worship and administering the temple was entrusted to Podu Dikshitars. Further neither the immovable properties granted for the temple benefit nor the Kattalais set up by private parties for performance of religious services were under Dikshitar’s control, he argued. The failure if any in regard to administration of such properties could not be the reason for interfering with their right to continue with the maintenance of the temple, he said.

It was the argument of BJP leader Dr Subramanian Swamy, one of the appellants that “Section 107 specifically bars the application of the Act to institutions coming under the purview of or enjoying the protection of Article 26 of the Constitution.” If there were allegations of misappropriation, it should be dealt with under the provisions of Indian Penal Code and not by taking over the temple administration, he argued. The bench reserved the judgement.

News in Brief

Fight for workers’ interests will continue—KC Mishra

BMS organising secretary Shri KC Mishra said in Raurkela (Odisha) that the BMS fight for the interests of workers would continue with full force. He was addressing the annual conference of BMS affiliated Raurkela Ispat Karmachari Sangh. He called upon the workers to be united to achieve the fruits of the fight. Odisha State president Shri Gokulananda Jena, Ispat Mazdoor Mahasangh general secretary Shri Dilip Kumar Patnaik and State secretary Shri Rajendra Nath Mahato were also present on the occasion. On this occasion, the new State executive was also constituted. Shri Uttam Kumar Majumdar was declared president, while Shri Vivekananda Mahato became the executive president. Shri Satyananda Das, Shri Mahesh Gaur, Shri Prakash Chandra Mahato will be vice presidents. Shri Himanshu Shekhar Bal will be the general secretary.

Lachit Borphukan Shaurya Diwas in Pune

Lachit Borphukan Shaurya Gaurav Samiti, Pune organised Lachit Divas Samaroh in Pune on December 1 at the Veer Savarkar Sabhagriha of MES Garware College of Commerce. The function was presided over by Shri Haribhau Mirasdar, president of the Samiti. Lt. Gen (retd.) Shri DB Shekatkar and eminent historian Shri Ninadji Bedekar were also present on the occasion. Shri Bedekar spoke on Lachit Borphukan and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

Dr Somiran Phukan gave a detailed presentation about the history of Assam and the influence of Lachit’s leadership. He also stated the relevance of Lachit’s fight with the Mughals during the 17th century with the present situation created today in Assam due to silent aggression by illegal immigration from Bangladesh.

Shri Aashish Bhave explained the background of event in Pune every year and the future programmes of the Samiti such as national level seminar on Lachit Borphukan, his war strategies and the current impact of his struggle 350 years back. Also a State level essay/poster making competition would be held for the students in schools so that this great warrior and his work is made known to kids at a very young age from  which they can draw inspiration to work. Prominent Assamese achievers were felicitated on the occasion. The programme started with a Assamese song by Shri Rohan Gogoi and concluded with a vote of thanks by Shri Anil Valsangkar.

Special issue of Shaikshik Manthan on eternal values of life

The special issue of Shaikshik Manthan, the publication of Akhil Bharatiya Rashtriya Shaikshik Mahasangh, on eternal values of life was released in Jaipur on December 7. Former president of Rajasthan Sanskrit Academy Shri Kalanath Shastri said that at the time when people are fast forgetting their eternal values of life, this issue of Shaikshik Manthan would prove a milestone. He said the eternal values of Indian culture include family values, social values, moral values, political values and human values.

Shri Radheshyam Dhoot, patron of Keshav Vidyapeth Samiti, while presiding over the function said we should not behave with others in a way which we do not like for ourselves. He said in the materialistic age people are adopting all kinds of unfair means to get success, which is leading to degradation of values.  Prof. Santosh Pandey described the values of life as dharma, which has nothing to do with the way of worship.

Mother of Shri Dattatreya Hosabale passes away

Smt Meenakshamma Sheshagiriappa Hosabale, mother of RSS Sahsarkaryavah Shri Dattatreya Hosabale passed away in Shimoga on December 12. She was 89. She is survived by three sons including Shri Dattatreya Hosabale and three daughters. Senior Pracharak Shri Mangesh Bhende visited the house of Smt. Meenakshamma and paid his last respect.