New Delhi: “The media and critics should stop blind criticism of the RSS,” said former BBC stalwart Mark Tully while speaking at a book release function on August 8. The book,  Modi & His Challenges  has been written by Dr Rajiv Kumar. Shri Tully, who was the voice and face of the foreign media in India for many years, welcomed the book saying the critics should stop RSS baiting and instead engage with it, endorsing a view that Dr Rajiv Kumar has expressed in the book.
Terming the RSS as an organisation that focuses on reaching out to different segments of the society, particularly those in distress, Union Minister of State for Energy Piyush Goyal said RSS has never “told any of us that we have to either like or dislike” any other community or any other person who practises any other religion. Modi & His Challenges offers a frank assessment of the Modi’s government over the past two years. It is comprehensive in not only identifying the challenges, but also explaining Modi”s approach, and suggesting some course correction.
Dr Rajiv Kumar, who is a senior fellow at CPR and an economist, is Chancellor of the Gokhale Institute of Economics and Politics in Pune and the founding director of Pahle India Foundation, a research organisation that specialises in policy-oriented research and analysis.                   

RSS condemns atrocities in the name of Caste

New Delhi: RSS Sarakaryavah Shri Bhaiyaji Joshi condemned the atrocities in the name of caste. In a statement issued on August 8 he said, “Recent incidents of torture and harassment of our brothers from Scheduled Castes have been reported. RSS condemns these incidents in the strongest possible terms. Indulging in illegal and tortuous attacks on fellow members of our own society is not only unjust, but also an extremely inhuman act. Few Media organisations sometimes gives sensational reports of such incidents instead of facts based balanced news stories that will help to maintain social amity. This is also condemnable. Some politicians as well as leaders of different communities have also tried to create a disharmonious atmosphere by acting on the basis of hasty and incorrect information. This is not conducive to social amity and harmony. Sangh appeals to all such politicians and community leaders to work with common people and help bring about normalcy. We express our deepest sympathies to every one of those affected by such incidents. We need to think about prevention of such incidents in future. We call upon people belonging to all communities to be extremely vigilant about those vitiating social amity and mutual trust. We expect the local and State administrations will take prompt legal action and punish the perpetrators involved in such incidents.”                          

Ekal touches ASEAN shores

Thailand : Ekal has set foot again in ASEA region in Bangkok, Thailand on July 9 next to Hong Kong chapter. Dr Subhash Chandra was chief guest and the Indian Ambassador in Thailand was the guest of honor. A musical cultural programme was organised followed by an introductory film and presentation. The event was addressed by Ekal Global Chairman Dr Subhash Chandra, Ekal CEO Bajrang Lal Bagra and Mentor Shri Shyam Gupt. Shri Susheel Sarraf took on himself the onerous responsibility to launch Ekal in Thailand. An Executive Committee has been set up to take the chapter forward in regular manner heralding Ekal presence in ASEAN region in a sustainable manner.                      

Four years of mega Walkathon for Gram Vikas

Andhra Pradesh: Bharat Parikrama Yatra started by veteran RSS Pracharak Shri Sitaram Kedilaya for awakening the villagers completed four years on August 9 when it entered Velivennu Village under West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh. Started on August 9, 2012 from Kanyakumari, 68 year-old Sitaram Kedilaya has completed nearly 20,350 km by this mega walkathon on Day 1,463 visiting nearly 1,925 villages of 22 different states. The Yatra is expected to conclude at Kanyakumari on Guru Purnima Day on July 9, 2017. Andhra Pradesh became the 22nd State to which the Yatra has entered.    

‘No Room for Distinction in Hinduism’

Vijayawada: RSS Sahsarkaryavah Shri Dattatreya Hosbale asserted that Hinduism has no room for the notion of untouchability. “The Vedas, the Upanishads, the Shastras all proclaim in one voice that all existence is covered and encompassed by the divine. The rich, the poor alike are made of the same divine substance,” he said while inaugurating the new building of Sangh Karyalaya in Vijayawada on August 4.
Shri Hosabale further said Hinduism does not have any space for distinctions by wealth, social status or by any other cause. However our society had for many years carried the burden of such evils. Big sections of the society have been oppressed under innumerable social handicaps, and it is the greatest and highest priority of our age to correct these wrongs, he said while sharing his recent experience of attending the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh’s 50th annual function in London, where 300 volunteers both boys and girls between the ages of 15 to 20, from 100 shakhas attended the function. These young volunteers were proud of their Hindu heritage and they explained that Hindutva is not just a religion or a system of faith, but an entire system of life and a civilisational culture without parallel in human experience. This is a most accurate description of Hindutva.
The head of Bhuvaneswari and Kuratala Peetha Sri Sri Siddheswarananda Bharati Swami spoke extensively about national spirit of sacrifice and service. Kanchi Shankaracharya Sri Jayendra Saraswati also blessed the audience.
Ayush Nadimpalli

Pathey Kan shifts in new building

Jaipur: Pathey Kan, the leading Hindi magazine with effective presence in 22,000 of the total 32,000 villages of Rajasthan, shifted to its new building at Malaviya Nagar. The building was inaugurated by RSS Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh Dr Manmohan Vaidya, noted film director and member of Central Board of Film Certification Dr Chandra Prakash Dwivedi and Swami Subodhgiri Maharaj. Prof BK Kuthiala, Vice Chancellor of Makhanlal Chaturvedi Patrakarita Vishwavidyalya was also present. Speaking on the occasion Dr Manmohan Vaidya termed Hindutva as spiritual democracy. “Hindutva is a spiritual democracy. There have been talks of intolerance in the country but those who had been consistently intolerant are talking about intolerance, he said.                         

Untouchability has no place in the society

Bhavnagar: Gujarat unit of Samajik Samarasata Manch organised a Samajik Sadbhavana Sammelan at Una in Bhavnagar on August 3 involving various social and religious leaders. The Sammelan expressed solidarity with the victims of Una episode and said the entire Hindu society sands with them. They said such incidents should not be taken as the mentality of entire society because they are part of the attempts made by vested
interests. RSS Kshetra Sanghachalak Dr Jayantibhai Bhadesia said the anti-social elements are trying to disturb the peace and harmony of the State and the entire society should expose such elements. In a resolution passed at the Sammelan, the saints and social leaders collectively condemned the incident. The resolution also
condemned the atrocities perpetuated on the people in the name of cow protection. Untouchability is a sin and shows the wrong mentality of some people. The saints do not support any type of untouchability.              

Rahul Gandhi summoned by Kamrup court in RSS Defamation Case

Kamrup: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi is again in trouble. Kamrup Metropolitan Court in Assam on August 6 directed him to appear before the Court on September 29 in connection with a defamation case filed against him for his remark against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Rahul Gandhi in December 2015 had alleged that RSS workers stopped him entering the Barpeta Satra, a Vaishnavite monastery. His remarks triggered a controversy across the country when he alleged that women were made to sit at the entrance of the Satra, refusing him entry.
The case has been filed by an RSS volunteer Anjan Bora. In the criminal defamation case, he charged Rahul of making false statements to defame the public image of RSS. The lower Court had fixed March 30 to record further evidence in the case. Senior advocate Bijon Mahajan represented the petitioner. Rahul Gandhi is already facing a criminal defamation case slapped on him for allegedly accusing the RSS, during a speech two years ago, of killing Mahatma Gandhi. The Supreme Court has also pulled up him for the remarks. The apex court also asked him to apologise for his comments or face trial.
While kick-starting the Congress’ Assembly poll campaign in Assam with a foot march in Barpeta when Rahul reached western Assam town in a chopper from Guwahati, he drove to the Satra to offer his prayers but did not enter the Vaishnavite monastery on seeing a group of women signing religious songs in front of its gate. He went back but paid a visit to the Satra later on that day at the end of his foot march and a rally which he addressed. Subsequently, he went back to Delhi and a few days later accused the RSS of preventing him from entering the Satra. “When I went to Assam, I wanted to visit a temple in Barpeta. But the RSS people stopped me from entering it,” he had then alleged. He had charged the RSS with assigning the group of women to prevent his entry into the Satra.                               

‘Hindutva is the foundation of Bharat Rashtra’

Indore: According to official statistics there are about 31.5 crore students in the country. The teachers who are moulding them are the builders of country’s future in real sense. Keeping this in view, a three day camp for professors was organised in Indore from August 5 to 7. A total of 188 professor representing 76 colleges, including 17 Principals and 16 research scholars, attended the camp. The topics discussed at the camp included glory of the nation, role of teachers, Indian philosophy of life, etc. Prominent among those who guided the participants on different topics included RSS Sah Sarkaryavah Dr Krishna Gopal, Kshetra Sanghachalak Shri Ashok Sahni, Prant Sanghachalak Dr Prakash Shastri, Prant Pracharak Shri Parag Abhyankar, etc.
Dr Krishna Gopal said the prime duty of academicians is to apprise the students of the Indian spiritual vision. The Indian students have enormous talent and the entire world accepts it. The main difference in the teacher of a western country and India is that the western teacher maintains commercial relations with a students by charging hefty fees for his work while the teachers in India maintains qualitative relations by generating a sense of duty towards the nation. n

‘Pen can be mightier than sword’

Chennai: Vishwa Samvad Kendra (VSK) Chennai felicitated four journalists on August 7 for their outstanding contribution in the field of journalism. The journalists who were honoured included Shri Sudharshan from All India Radio, Shri Srinivasan from Prime Point, Shri Nijanthan from Win TV and Smt Lokanayaki from Kumudham Snagithi.
Addressing the gathering RSS Akhil Bharatiya Sah Prachar Pramukh Shri J Nandakumar said there are 24 shlokas in Mahabharata defining Narad. Quoting Mahatma Gandhi he said a journalist should be true to his faith, should not write anything in anger or hatred and he should not write when he is idle and should not write to excite passion. He said Narad manifested dharmic principles in Ramayana where he sang 64 qualities of Sri Ram.
Presiding over the function Shri Veerabagu from Vijayabharatham said the VSK always propagated ‘one country, one people’ from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and trained students in encouraging their journalistic flair. In a recent HSSF fair, he regaled about how students worshipped teachers in the old traditional way and the participation of students in the Vivekananda Rath Yatra. He also praised the honesty of two brothers who collect papers from houses in Rajasthan. When they found Rs one lakh with a girl’s name on the envelop, they searched each and every house they picked paper from and found the house and returned the money to the legitimate owner.                           

Punjab Prant Sah Sanghachalak shot at in Jalandhar

Punjab Prant Sah Sanghachalak Brig (retd) Jagdish Gagneja was shot at by unidentified bike-borne persons at Jyoti Chowk area in Jalandhar on August 6 night. He was shot at around 9 p.m. near Makhdumpura colony. He was rushed to a private hospital where his condition is stated to be critical. According to Police three bullets hit Shri Gagneja. The police are investigating the matter.
In CCTV footage two men are seen on a bike, their faces covered with handkerchiefs. Moments later, they fired shots at Shri Gagneja, leaving him critical. He was in a car with his wife. He was shot thrice. The police have released sketches based on CCTV footage and offered Rs 10 lakh cash and a constable”s job for information. On August 9, a delegation of RSS and BJP leaders met Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal seeking arrest of the culprits at the earliest. The delegation
comprised of Shri Rameshwar, Shri Banvir Singh, Shri Prabhat Jha, Shri Avinash Rai Khanna, Shri Madan Mohan Mittal, Brij Lal Rinwa, Shri Ashwini Sharma, Shri Manoranjan Kalia, Shri Kamal Sharma and Shri Dinesh Kumar.