Author: Pioneer News Service
Publication: The Pioneer
Date: November 24, 2008
URL: http://www.dailypioneer.com/136594/Inept-Govt-invented-'Hindu-terror'-RSS.html
Accusing the UPA Government of politicising
terrorism, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Sunday said that the Centre
had coined terms like "Hindu terrorism" to cover up its failure
in combating terrorism.
"There is nothing like 'Hindu terrorism'
or 'Muslim terrorism', anyone killing innocents is a terrorist," RSS
chief KS Sudarshan said on the sidelines of a RSS meeting here.
Sudarshan delivered an intellectual orientation
to volunteers and well-wishers of various organisations at the Saraswati Shishu
Mandir in Niralanagar here on Sunday. He touched upon various issues, including
the challenges before the nation in the past and at present.
Taking a dig at the Centre for maligning the
image of Hindus, Sudarshan said, "Instead of taking any step to effectively
combat terrorism in the country, the Government is trying to divert the attention
of people by coining terms like Hindu and Muslim terrorism." He added
that the UPA was involving in the game of politicking since the general elections
were approaching.
He also said that unlike Christianity or Islam,
Hinduism "is not a religion, it is a way of life in sync with Nature".
The RSS chief said that the faulty policy
of consumerism, as adopted by the United States, had brought the world to
the brink of bankruptcy and the nation could not escape from its effect. "Our
family system is still intact to a great extent and we can overcome the economic
crisis. But we have to amend our ways," said Sudarshan. "We have
to evolve village-centric development programmes as we have the potential
to lead the world," he added.
The RSS chief said that Mahatma Gandhi wrote
a letter to Jawahar Lal Nehru on October 5, 1945, asking him to elaborate
on the future development plans and also suggesting village-based development.
"However, Nehru refused to accept Gandhi's
suggestion and said that if cities were not made the focus of development,
the country would lag behind in comparison with the other countries,"
claimed Sudarshan.
The RSS chief also narrated the background
and circumstances under which the RSS was formed in 1925. He said that at
the time, despite the support of the Congress, the Khilafat Movement, launched
by the Muslim League, was crushed by the British Government. "Out of
sheer anger and frustration, the Hindus were victimised during the communal
riots between 1921 and 1923 at various places in the country. It was then
that Dr Hedgewar decided to form the RSS to unite the Hindus, who constituted
87 per cent of the country," he reminisced.
The RSS chief said that there was a time when
Hindus were ashamed of being called Hindus, but the situation had now undergone
a change. "Now Hindus feel bad whenever there is any onslaught on the
Hindu samaj, which was best manifested during the chakka jam over the Ramsetu
issue on September 12, 2007, and later over the Amarnath Shrine Board in August,
when lakhs of men, women and children courted arrest," said Sudarshan.
He also emphasised on the need for greater unity among Hindus.
Sudarshan also expressed concern over the
growing imbalance with Nature. "We have exploited Nature beyond the need
and we have to pay the price for that in the coming years," he cautioned.
"Ideally, there must be 33 per cent forest area in our country. When
we got Independence, we had 22 per cent forests but today the figure stands
at only 11 per cent," said Sudarshan.
Swami Abhayanand Saraswati also addressed
the gathering. He said that the society not honouring the yagya, cow and saints
was bound to suffer. "It only proves that adharma (injustice) is taking
over dharma," he added. The audience included senior leaders like Lalji
Tandon and Om Prakash Singh.
