Title: RSS is patriotic,
says Shankaracharya
Author: S. Balakrishnan
Publication: The Times
of India
Date: February 4, 2000
Shankaracharya of Kanchi
Kamakoti Peetham Sri Jayendra Saraswati has supported the Gujarat government's
decision to permit its employees to take part in Rashtriya Swayamsevak
Sangh (RSS) 'shakhas'.
He told The Times of
India in an interview that the RSS was a "patriotic organisation engaged
in building character and inculcating discipline." Hence, there was no
harm if government employees took part in its' shakhas. "In fact, employees
who are RSS volunteers work diligently and are not clock-watchers. It is
probably because of this that they are being singled out," he said. He
noted that the courts have also not passed any strictures against the RSS,
which is neither a political party nor a banned organisation. The swamiji
is here on a tour of Mumbai to meet his devotees and is currently camping
at the South Indian Educational Society's sprawling campus at Nerul in
New Bombay.
Asked about the controversy
over persons of foreign origin holding high offices, the Shankaracharya
said that the issue never cropped up when Sonia Gandhi was installed as
Congress president. It came to the fore only when she made a bid for power.
"There is nothing wrong in a person of foreign origin holding important
posts if that person has integrated himself or herself with Indian culture,
is patriotic and respected Indian sentiments. The Parsis had come from
Iran, but they have integrated themselves beautifully with the Indian ethos
and are patriotic. Can anyone legitimately deny them the right to hold
high offices?" he asked.
The 64-year-old seer
also stated that India should grant refuge to the Karmapa from Tibet. He
said India had a time-honoured tradition of giving refuge to all those
who seek shelter. Lakhs of Bangladeshis and Sri Lankans were staying in
India and nobody raised any objection. In the case of the Karmapa, India
had special relevance since it was the birthplace of Gautam Buddha. It
is natural for a Buddhist monk to seek shelter in India. "This is not a
political issue," he said. "In any case, China has in the past let down
India even during the days of "Hindi Chini bhai, bhai," he observed.
The Shankaracharya also
called for a halt to religious conversions. He said large-scale conversion
of Hindus to Islam and Christianity was done when the Moghuls and British
ruled India. This was possible because of the apathy of Hindu society.
"Unfortunately, Hindus continue to be apathetic to this issue even after
Independence," he lamented.
He said conversions would
increase by leaps and bounds if the benefits of the reservation policy
were extended to backward caste Hindus who had embraced other religions.
"Some persons want to have the best of both worlds. This should not he
allowed. The reservation policy should be applicable only to scheduled
castes and tribes. If dalits belonging to other religions are given the
benefits of reservation then opportunities for scheduled castes and tribes
will be reduced substantially," he warned.
In this context, he called
for a frontal attack on casteism. He said that Hindu society should make
concerted efforts to bring the dalits and tribals into its mainstream and
treat them with equality and respect. Steps should be taken for their socio-economic
upliftment. He said there was no place for casteism and those who practise
it were doing a distinct disservice to Hinduism.
Asked for his views on
the late socialist leader Ram Manohar Lohia's suggestion that people should
not use casteist surnames, the spiritual leader said it was a good idea
worthy of being practised even though people continued to refer to Mr Lohia
by his surname.
Responding to a query,
the Shankaracharya said that the government should not grant travel subsidy
to anybody going on pilgrimage. "The government is at present giving travel
subsidy to those going on Haj pilgrimage. This should be stopped. In fact,
such a facility should not be given to any community. The government should
treat all its citizens on an equal footing," he emphasised. He also opposed
government control over Hindu temples. "When mosques and churches are granted
autonomy why should the government interfere in the administration of Hindu
temples?" he questioned.
The Shankaracharya called
for a moral revival so that the family values are cherished. "These days
we are witnessing large-scale corruption, a sharp increase in divorce cases
and abandoning of parents by their own children. This is because Indian
values have not been inculcated by the people. Divorce should he looked
upon as a sin and children should be taught to respect their parents. Greed
for money should be discouraged", he said.
