On the Ambedkar Jayanti this year, the RSS Delhi Prant unit took a unique initiative for social immersion. The step can prove to be a bridge for social harmony
Arun Kumar Singh
Babasaheb used to say that there would be no equality without freedom in the society and without these two, one could not imagine brotherhood. In order to materialise these words and thoughts of Baba Saheb, RSS Delhi Prant celebrated his 126 birth anniversary on April 14 with a difference. The Sangh workers on the day mingled with the poeple of the Dalit localities and also had meals wtih them.
The initiative received the blessings of Sah Sarkaryavah Shri V Bhagaiah who spent his entire day by joining different activities aimed at materialising the dreams of Baba Saheb. Shri Bhagaiah first participated in a programme organised in the premises of Parliament House. Then he had refreshment with a Jatav Scheduled Caste family. The head of the family is Shri Jit Singh who is also chief of Samajik Samarasata Manch, Karol Bagh district. His family resides in Bharat Nagar at Paharganj, near New Delhi Railway Station. About 5,000 people from Jatav community live there.
Bhagaiah reached the house at about 10 pm. Prant Karyavah Shri Bharat Bhushan and some local workers also accompanied him. Apart from a bed, the single room had 4-5 chairs. A mat was also lying on the floor. The verandah of the house doubled as the kitchen. All of them entered the room through the same kitchen. The house of the family may be small but their heart was a large one. Bhagaiahji sat on the bed on the request of the family. Then he asked the head of the family Jeet Singh about the health of other family members. The refreshment arrived in a while. While enjoying the refreshments, he asked for other details of Bharat Nagar—like in which schools do the children of the area study, whether they had any playground or not! The workers informed that the children there studied in both government and private schools. They also informed that there were three municipal schools in Bharat Nagar, but all the three school buildings were in bad condition and hence stood locked. On this, Bhagaiahji asked the workers to take pictures of those schools and send them to the concerned departments. He also asked the workers to work for improvement in those schools. Their condition should improve. Unless the schools are improved, the new generation would not be able to get right direction. He said all of us should work together for institutional changes in society. The country has 75 per cent people from deprived families. They have limited resources. Children of these families can move forward only with the help of the society.
Bhagaiahji was in Bharat Nagar for about an hour. There he came to know that one of the workers who met him was a good Bhajan singer. In the end, he listened to a bhajan from the worker and asked the housewife about well being of the family. She was very impressed with this affinity.
Then Shri Bhagaiah joined a program organised by Samajik Samarasata Manch near Parliament House. There he said the development of Scheduled Caste is the real development of the country, but despite the presence of the Scheduled Caste leaders and organisations in a large number, not much work was being done as it should have been. It is the responsibility of all to think about the overall development of scheduled castes. Shri Bhagaiahji expressed concern for the delay in payment of scholarship for scheduled caste students. He said that even scholarships for the year 2016-17 were not disbursed to the students of this caste till date. In this situation, how could these students continue their studies? He said all of us must strive together to protect the interests of the Scheduled Castes. Shri. Bhagaiahji said that Dr Ambedkar always asked to attain eligibility by having education and then struggle. The new generation must remember his teachings. He said Dr Ambedkar was of the firm opinion that Bharat not only had the geographical unity but also the cultural unity. He played an important role in keeping Bharat together.
Lunch was arranged for Shri Bhagaiahji at the house of Shri Radhelal, a resident of Manakpur (Karol Bagh). He also belongs to Scheduled Caste. He was welcomed at the threshold. Radhelalji put a tilak on his forehead and other family members greeted him. Delhi Prant Sah Sanghchalak Shri Alok Kumar and Samanvayak of Delhi Prant Shri Om Prakash Gihara also accompanied him.
Shri Radhelal also, who works in a factory, has a single room as his house. After entering the house, one happens to observe a temple built on the facing wall. Bhagaiahji first bowed his head in front of the temple. A picture hung over the temple on the wall. Bhagaiahji asked whose picture it was. Radhelalji replied that they were his late parents. Then he bowed down to them also. Shri Radhelal and his family members became emotional after seeing this. To overcome this atmosphere, Bhagaiahji jokingly said, “Now let us go” Radhelalji said, “Food is ready”. Bhagaiahji said, “I am talking about food only”. Everyone started laughing at this. Radhelalji started serving food in that live atmosphere. Bhagaiahji insisted that the food will be taken only from the mother”s hands. She was preparing the plate in the kitchen. Then, she herself came out with the food plate in her hands. After the lunch, Bhagaiahji narrated an incident of Lord Krishna. He said when Shri Krishna completed education in Sandipani Ashram, Rishi Sandipani asked him to ask for a boon. To this, Shri Krishna asked, “O sage! Give me a boon that I always get the food from my mother’s hands”. To this, he said, “You are going to travel all around the world. So, how will your mother keep on travelling and feeding you? This is not possible, but yes, it may be that you will always get food from a mother”s hands. Bhagaiahji said people like us are benefiting from that boon. He also said that the mother”s hands are imbibed with the unlimited love, care and affection. Everyone should get such food. After this, he also talked to Shri Radhelal”s daughter-in-law and asked her to convey his regards to her parents. Radhelal was overcome with emotions with this development and exclaimed with joy that his whole family was blessed by their arrival.
After leaving Radhelalji’s house, Bhagaiahji met a child in the street. He patted him and asked for his name. He shied. Then Bhagaiahji called his family members as if he knew them already. A small girl came out after hearing the call. She informed that there was no elder in the house. Then Bhagaiahji asked the workers to give the boys the medicine against the worms as his face showed that he had worms in his stomach. By then, many more people of the locality gathered there. Everyone started walking with him. On his way, Bhagaiahji advised the people to conduct cleanliness weekly drive in the locality. He also advised the people to send the children to school without fail.
In the evening, Bhagaiahji went to a Buddhist monastery at New Kondli. There he worshipped in traditional way, listened to a little discourse from the Bhikkhus and donated them cheewar (holy clothes). Then he said the world today needs Lord Buddha”s compassion, kindness and non-violence more than any other time. The sadhu-saints and the Buddhist monks should work together in this direction. Many people feel that such efforts of social immersion would bring pleasant results. Some say such efforts should continue in future also.
