‘Defining Hindutva’ by OP Gupta released
Hindutva is a wider term, which thinks for welfare of the entire universe. Those who do not understand it in proper perspective start defaming all Hindus baselessly. Fact is that Hindus treat all as their own and they can never be fundamentalist,” said RSS Sarsanghachalak Shri Mohan Bhagwat. He was speaking at a function in Delhi on February 24. The function was organised to release a book, Defining Hindutva, written by retired IFS Shri OP Gupta.
Retired IPS and Director of Vivekananda International Foundation Ajit Doval and Shri Santosh Taneja of Sankalp were also present on the occasion. Other prominent personalities present on the occasion included retired Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court Dr M Rama Jois, BJP leaders Shri Prakash Javadekar, Smt Najma Heptullah and others.
Shri Bhagwat said the biggest cause of Hindus getting weak in their own country is their atmavismriti (losing self-esteem). He said getting power is not enough. What is important is how the power benefitted the people. He said organising Hindus does not mean opposition to Muslims or Christians. The DNA of all the people living in Indo Iranian Plate is the same since centuries. “We believe that all Indians are Hindus and those who are not Hindus cannot be Indian in wider perspective,” he said.
He made it clear that Hindus are non-violent by nature but nobody should take them as coward. “We Hindus do not believe in fight. Therefore, we should not be dragged in any fight, and if we are dragged we know how to reply,” Shri Bhagwat said.
Earlier introducing the book, Shri OP Gupta said the book is based on his decades long experience and study. He said the book is based on two basic themes—what is Hindutva and whether the Hindus are treated equal in India. Apart from defining Hindutva in present context, Shri Gupta has also exposed the attempts aimed at weakening the Hindu society. He said India is secular because the Hindus are secular by nature and it would certainly not have been so if 85 per cent of its population was non-Hindu in 1947. He said the way minorities are being given undue preference in all respects and Hindus are being discriminated will kill the very secular fabric of the country. He said equality before law should be implemented strictly in the country and nobody should be favoured or discriminated unconstitutionally.
Shri Satosh Taneja said the book is based on Shri Gupta’s long experience and studies conducted by him.
Shri Ajit Doval, however, disagreed with the very title of the book saying that defining Hindutva is a difficult task. He applauded the work done by Shri Gupta and described it a milestone in pursuit of knowledge.
Two books on janjatis
RSS Sahsarkaryavah Shri Dattatreya Hosabale released two books on janjatis of Jharkhand on February 14 in Dhanbad. Around 200 prominent people from different walks of life of the State attended the function. Shri Hosbale said the publication of the books is very timely as the birth centenary of Vanayogi Balasaheb Deshpande has just begun. He said everyone should read the books and many more such books with proper research should be published in future.
The books Sristhi Katha of Santhali Janajati and Desh ke Laal Nilambar-Pitambar have been written by Dr Rajkishor Hansda from Dumka and Shri Satyendra Singh from Ranchi respectively. Kshetra Sanghachalak Shri Siddhi Nath Shingh and Prant Sanghachalak Shri Jagannath Sahi were also present on the occasion.
Zornal organising secretary of Kalyan Ashram Shri Parkash Kamath introduced the books. He specially highlighted the janjati literature, their traditional customs, practices, saints and heroes. He said the Britishers and the educated Indians having a British mindset created confusion about the janjatis and they even went on to claim that the janjatis belong to the origins of Austrolide, Mongolide, Nigroid etc. Therefore, it is necessary to write the janjati history with proper perspective.
He said both the writers are senior workers of the Kalyan Ashram and they were educated 30 years ago in the Kalyan Ashram hostels itself. He said Dr Rajkishor Hansda had his middle and higher education staying at Vidysagar hostel of Jamtara district. He later did his MA and PhD from Sidhu Kanhu University of Dumka on similarities in Santhali and Hindu culture. His study was guided by Dr KP Yadav.
Shri Satyendra Singh hails from a village of Latehar district and had his college education while staying in the Valmiki Ashram Hostel of Gumla from 1982-84.
The two hero brothers Nilambar and Pitambar of 1857 War of Independence belonging to Kharwar community of Palam (Daltongunj) district were killed by the Britishers on March 28, 1858 by hanging them on a tree. Shri Satyendra Singh is now joint state organising secretary of Vanvasi Kalyan Kendra, Jharkhand.
