Mumbai: RSS Sar-karyavah Shri Bhaiyaji Joshi was recently misquoted by a section of media about his remarks on the National Flag. Speaking at a function in Mumbai he never said anything against the tricolour. “Shri Bhaiyaji Joshi was deliberating on the difference between rajya (state) and rashtra (nation). In 1947 the Consti-tuent Assembly had adopted Tiranga as our State Flag and was subsequently retained as that of a Republic of India. It is mandatory that every citizen of Bharat should respect this symbol. The saffron flag has been revered by the people of Bharat since time immemorial as a symbol of our ancient culture. Similarly, while the Jana Gana Mana describes the idea of Rajya, Vande Mataram denotes our cultural identity and our devotion to it. All of us should equally respect and adore both the National Anthem and the National Song. Nowhere Bhaiyaji asked for any change in the National Flag or the Anthem,” said RSS Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh Dr. Manmohan Vaidya in a statement.
Abhinav Sandesh Yatra begins in Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu: Abhinav Sandesh Yatra to commemorate the millennium year celebration of Acharya Abhinavagupta began in Tamil Nadu. Former Vice Chancellor of Anna University Shri A Kalanidhi, senior journalist Shri Maalan and organiser of the event Shri Ajay Bharati participated in the function. Kanchi Shankaracharya Shri Vijayendra Saraswati Swamigal blessed the gathering. Describing the greatness of culture and spiritualism in Kashmir, the Shankaracharya stressed the need to revive the ‘Sarada lipi’ and ‘Kashmiri’ language. The Yatra which began in Chennai will culminate on June 7. The Yatra was also organised in Kanchipuram on March 31.
Speaking at the function in Chennai Dr A Kalanidhi said the philosophical work of Abninavagupta is still relevant. He stressed the need that libraries should be linked with other states, which will help flow the culture and knowledge in a right way. Shri Maalan spoke on the history of ‘Alankara’ and ‘Rasa’ in Dhvanyaloka. Shri Ajay Bharati stressed that the society should come forward to recognise the real Kashmir. n
Swayamsevaks Rescue Kolkata
Flyover Collapse Victims
Kolkata: A part of under construction Vivekananda Road Flyover suddenly collapsed on March 31 injuring many and killing 27 people. Rescue operation began immediately to clear and remove the dead bodies buried under the debris. As the news spread, more than 200 RSS swayamsevaks immediately rushed to help the victims along with the NDRF team and defence personnel. The swayamsevaks also arranged blood for the victims and rescued and controlled the crowd. Police Commissioner who was present at the site appreciated the work done by the RSS workers and requested them to remain there.
—Organiser Bureau
Indo-New Zealand Cow Milk Dairy in Haryana
Sonipat: Binsar Farms, an Indo-New Zealand joint start up, was formally inaugurated at Village Janti Khurd under Sonipat District of Haryana by former Director General of CSIR Prof Samir Brahmachari. The fresh cow milk enterprise has been started in NCR by three young computer engineers, Pankaj Navani (41), Deepak Raj Tushir and Sukhvinder Saraf in collaboration with a New Zealand based dairy farmer Shri Earl S. Rattray. The cow milk enterprise was recently in the news when within a short span of two years it expanded its network to around 2,000 households in Delhi and adjoining areas. The fresh milk in glass bottles has door-to-door supply. Vice Chancellor of the National Institute of Food Technology and Entrepreneur Management Dr Ajit Kumar, New Zealand Trade Commissioner to India Ms Jane Cunliffe and Vice-Chairman of Indian Dairy Association Dr R.S. Khanna also graced the inaugural ceremony. Shri Earl Rattray on this occasion said through this project they have found solutions of many problems. Considering India as the largest producer of milk and New Zealand as its largest exporter Ms Cunliffe dubbed the milk startup as coming together of economies of the two countries.
—Surender Singhal
Andhra Govt declares Sri Krishna Janmashtami as “Gopuja Dinotsavam”
Hyderabad: Responding to a request from Global Hindu Heritage Foundation (GHHF) the Government of Andhra Pradesh issued orders on April 1 to observe Sri Krishna Janmashtami as Gopuja Dinotsavam. The request letter in this regard was presented to Manikyala Rao, the Minister for Endowments in November 2015. Cow and Krishna are inseparable from each other. Sri Krishna tended the cows, fed them, protected them and used to drink milk and butter. He is also called ‘Govinda’ meaning ‘one who brings satisfaction to cows’. ‘Gopala’ is the other name of the Lord, which means ‘one who protected them’.
Responding positively to the efforts of GHHF the state Government directed all the Temples to perform Gopuja recognising the importance and significance of the cow. The GHHF expressed appreciation for recognising the sacredness of the cow, the merits one accrues by worshiping the cow, benefits one derives from using the five elements of cow and the advantages the society accumulated by the mere presence of a cow in the households. The Foundation is of the view that every Hindu should perform Gopuja not only on Krishna Janmashtami, but on a daily basis for the welfare of the society and the humanity. —Organiser Bureau
Sikh Sagat urges Defence Minister
to return holy articles to Sri Harmandir Sahib
A high level delegation of Rashtriya Sikh Sangat led by national organising secretary Shri Avinash Jaiswal called on Union Defence Minister Shri Manohar Parrikar in New Delhi on April 5 and requested him to return the holy articles that the army had taken over in June 1984 for protection. Shri Parrikar assured the delegation that the government would think over their suggestion favourably. The delegation said since there is peace in the State now, all the historic and holy articles should be returned to Shri Akal Takht Sahib and Harmandir Sahib so that they can be reinstalled there. n
Women Entrepreneurship a reality
—Nirmala Sitharam
New Delhi: Union Minister of State for Commerce & Industry (Independent Charge) Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman exhorted the women to utilise their entrepreneurial skills. She said women entrepreneurship is a reality, as many women entreprenuers can be found in the society. She was addressing a gathering of women at 4th Annual Day celebration of Chetana Conscience of Women on April 3. She referred to many Start Ups by women in different fields like engineering, medicine, information technology, agriculture and urged the women to also master the other areas apart from professional ones like social sciences. She praised ‘Chetana’ for helping women become self-reliant.
President of Chetana. Advocate Jyotika Kalra highlighted the importance of women empowerment and also underlined the activities being taken up in this regard by ‘Chetna’. The event left the audience spell bound by the dance events specially choreographed by Padma Bhushan Dr Saroja Vaidyanathan portraying the theme through four different forms of classical and contemporary dance.
Pejawar Swami for elimination of social evils
Udupi: Pejawar Swami Shri Vishwesha Teertha said some so-called intellectuals do not want the Hindu society to be united and strong, they want to continue the social divides for their political gains. Inaugurating the third national ‘Satsang Varga’ of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad in Udupi recently he said, it is the responsibility of the Hindus to stand against the such forces and unite the Hindu society as a force. More than 200 delegates from across the country participated in the four day Varga.
“Some people, especially some intellectuals, needlessly criticise the VHP, which is trying to organise and unite the Hindu society. The way some intellectuals are behaving lead one to conclude that they wanted the caste problems to continue in the community,” the Pejawar seer said.
Shri Sugunendra Tirtha Swami of Puttige Mutt said Bharatiya culture with its emphasis on family values is way ahead of the Western culture. The Western culture is materialistic and lay emphasis on immediate happiness, whereas the Bharatiya culture emphasises on peace in the society. Shri Sapan Mukherjee of Akhil Bharatiya Ekal Vidyalaya welcomed the gathering. VHP general secretary Shri Champat Rai presided over the function. Shri Vidyavallabha Tirtha Swami of Kaniyur Mutt, Shri Vishwaprasanna Tirtha Swami, junior seer of Pejawar Mutt, VHP joint general secretary Shri Y Raghavalu, president of State VHP Shri MB Puranik were also present on the occasion. —Organiser Bureau
Darul Uloom silent on its own fatwa against ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’
Darul Uloom Deoband, the premier Islamic Centre, mysteriously went into silent mode after issuing a controversial fatwa against shouting the slogan of Bharat Mata Ki Jai. When contacted, its officials refused to make any comment on it. A few years back Sri Sri Ravishankar of Art of Living had to visit Deoband to calm the anger of Hindus developed due to controversy on Vandemataram. When the RSS Sarsanghachalak Shri Mohan Bhagwat spoke about inculcating the feeling of Bharat Mata Ki Jai, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimmeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi expressed strong resentment against it. After that on March 31 Darul Uloom issued a fatwa against shouting of this slogan and refused to accept the land of Bharat as mother. The Uloom advised the Muslims to refrain from shouting this slogan. The controversial fatwa was issued in the absence of Darul Uloom Mohatmim Mufti Abul Kasim Naumani who is in Saudi Arab. According to sources, some people sent a picture of Bharat Mata to the Darul Uloom and sought its opinion on it. There prevailed confusion in the institution whether to issue the fatwa or not, as written on March 19 it was issued on March 31. It received strong reaction from across the country, which basically sent the premier Islamic institution into silent mode. Since the Mohatmim is out of station nobody in the institution is ready to comment on it. —Surender Singhal
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