AN APPEAL
Swami Vivekanand was a ‘Yug Purush’. What he started was a movement amongst the Bharatvasis -a movement for self-realisation of the long forgotten heritage and self-actualisation of the inherent potential that went into stupor since a millennium past. His greatness lay not only in rescuing the society from the downslide it had take to, but also in permeating his thoughts over the entire Indian population, besides of course, the world at large.
It was therefore a foregone conclusion that as his intellectual custodian, the Vivekanand Kendra would take up the reins of his movement which he had to leave abruptly in his short life. Indeed, the Kendra is playing that role in nurturing the sublime manifestation of Bharatiyata.
No doubt, the Kendra is keeping the spirit of Swamiji’s alive. So do the millions of Indians living in every village and town in whose hearts and minds live Swamiji. But is it enough in the present environment when the society is being assailed by unscrupulous agents of greed? Will it suffice just to keep Swamiji’s philosophy alive, or is there a need to take the movement forward in the manner that is dictated by the needs of the contemporary society?
It needs no explanation that a state of anarchy seems to be casting shadow over India. Corruption is rampant, but more than that, it is no longer considered a taboo in the society. Cast and religion has become tools of cut-throat vote bank politics and therefore fertile grounds of fanaticism, extremism and anti-nationalism. Unscrupulous politicians of proven criminality have assumed the mantle of preachers of ‘secularism’ and helped by the misdeeds of the pretending repositories of Hindu culture, have turned ‘Hindutva’ – the true one, not the poisoned variety that is propounded by the disoriented lot – into a bad word! States are dictating terms to the Central Government in the name of constitutional federalism after having trampling upon the very spirit which guided the making of it. In their turn, the States are being dictated by brokers of caste and religious issues that are invented to garner political power even at the cost of national interests. And finally, politics of ‘divide and rule’, as perpetrated by vested interests has overtaken democracy. Disparity and nepotism rules, while the rule of law stands by to watch helplessly as environmental loot, mayhem, mob violence and terrorism in the name of religion goes on. Regionalism is gaining ground wherein a handful of MPs and MLAs are making the Central authority grovel before them. Indeed, looking back, there are disconcerting similarities between today’s situation and those of the past which had been prevalent just before the India of the Maurya and Gupta Empires, their great successor kingdoms and finally the Mughul Empire broke up into smaller principalities, for the invaders to prevail on each, in turn.
We need Swamiji more then ever before. India needs to be injected by a booster dose of Swamiji’s philosophy and so to foster an environment of equality, understanding, mutual accommodation and clarity of thought, rather than misinterpretation of the sublime ordinations to propagate hatred, greed and fanaticism. Diversities of all of our cultures, religions, languages, casts and classes need to be ‘added’ to strengthen our nationhood rather than allowing blind men to ‘subtract’ these at the cost of the nation’s well being. If we have to survive as a nation, we have to open the eyes of the young generation to the eternally ordained ‘truth’ that their culture and religion espouse, rather than being brainwashed by criminal interpretation of such heritages by illiterate fanatics to inject poison into young minds.
Vivekanand Kendra may take the lead in renewal of Swamiji’s movement. This endeavour may be organised at a scale that must encompass all sections of the society all across India – not just few events in some colleges or some congregations in few cities. However, to begin with, the first priority in this endeavour may be to wean our youth who are being misled into wrong path by motivated misinterpretation of religious tenets. The endeavour may commence by addressing two of the largest sections of our young men and women: the Hindus and the Muslims. If we can explain to our youth that there is little difference in the pristine values propagated by all religions, then it would only be a matter of time before a surge of pristine propriety would subsume the hatred that is being ingrained into them in the name of religion, caste etc. The movement to seek truth may start , say in any one location in the UP, with respected teachers from both the communities conducting religious and social awareness programme for a mixed group.
Then the movement could gradually be infused with momentum to cover wider aspects of societal uplift.
Should the appeal find resonance in the Kendra, we could have a detailed discussion over what I wish to suggest.
With profound regards,
Lt Gen Gautam Banerjee (Retd), PVSM,AVSM,YSM
Source: Patriot Forum
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