Former President Pranab
Mukherjee addressed volunteers of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh at its Nagpur
headquarters on the 7th of this month. His speech was keenly awaited by leaders of
the RSS, while his very presence at an RSS meet was openly disfavoured by the
Congress party. Now what he spoke
matters.
“Any attempts at defining our nationhood in terms of dogmas and
identities of religion, region, hatred and intolerance will only lead to dilution
of our national identity…… We derive our strength from tolerance ......” were some
of the formal high-sounding words Pranab Mukherjee uttered at Nagpur. At one end these words seem to convey right
and noble thoughts, but at the other end they really ride over reality. Anyone
who remembers the bloodied history of India’s many regions and the attack on
its ancient Hindu religion - the assault continuing to this day in creeping milder forms– will know that
the former President skillfully said nothing worth remembering.
No one quarrels with Pranab that “hatred and intolerance” cannot be the proud
hallmarks of a nation’s character. Hatred
generally connotes a blind unreasoned dislike for another person, and it cannot
help a peaceful society. As for
intolerance, no doubt the former President spoke of it as a cousin of hatred,
i.e., an attitude that allows little room for free speech and legitimate
dissent in a democracy. So far so good. As for “dogmas of religion”, we know that the
Indian Constitution does not allow such dogmas guiding the affairs of central
and state governments – as in the Vatican City or in Saudi Arabia. So dogmas
are not a real issue with anyone. What
Pranab spoke in the same breath calls for criticism.
Pranab said that our nationhood is not to be defined in terms of “identities
of religion, region” also. Did he mean that no one should imagine India as a Hindu nation or Muslim nation or Christian nation or a nation of any
other religion? No, he meant only one religion. He spoke his words when, amidst forced and enticed conversions witnessed
all through in India, Hindus make up for nearly 80% of India’s population,
Muslims 14% and persons of other religions 6% - according to 2011 census. He frowned
on “identities of region” when followers of the majority religion in India
consider Kasi, Mathura, Ayodhya and Rameswaram among their holy places and the Ganges and a few other rivers specially sacred, and so hold the whole of India dear to them.
India is the heartland of Hindus. Hindus take
pride in being Hindus and passionately look upon India as a Hindu nation, with
its fabled Hindu history and epics. Though
Indian Hindus speak different languages, their religion is their unifying force.
It is the deep widespread Hindu faith of
its people that holds India together, and nothing else comes close, not even
the Constitution. Then why should they
not feel proud about something that keeps them together and not say it aloud too? Whom does it bother if they do it?
Though Pranab did not specify a religion, obviously he sensed an urge among Indian
Hindus to view India as a Hindu nation and so he spoke of it disapprovingly. If
their urge was not real and widespread, he would not have talked about a non-existent
wish among any sizeable group of people.
So it is clear he was really cautioning about the Indian Hindus.
No other country, no other people, will find
it odd that Hindus of India consider their land a Hindu nation - just as, for good
reason, Pakistanis look at their land as a Muslim nation or the Israelis call
their country a Jewish state. It is some
Indians who, aiming for domestic political gains, do not relish Indian
Hindus calling India a Hindu nation. Congressmen in India take this stance in
the hope of harvesting bulk votes in some quarters. Perhaps the Congressman in
Pranab intrinsically got the better of the Hindu in him.
Every society may look upon something it possesses to feel special and proud
about itself. Such a feeling binds them more and helps their progress. That sentiment is to be welcomed and
applauded, so long as it is not a tool to subjugate or attack other people. For Indian Hindus, forming 80% of the Indian population,
their religion and their land are special.
They will naturally identify their country with them and with their religion,
It was because India’s regions and Hindu religion were tolerant to other
faiths – and overly accommodating too – that foreign religions could enter and thrive in
India. As late as 1950 when India’s
Constitution was adopted, when Hindus formed 84% of the Indian population as
found in the census of 1951, some special favours too were conferred on religious
minorities. Which other people of a country have denied some special favours
to themselves though forming 84% of the population, while granting them to religious
minorities under a Constitution? And
then going down on numbers in their land once conquered and ruled by people
of other faiths who are now growing in size within the country? Facing the prospect of its majority religion slowly turned into a minority? And
still getting a rap from a former President for its people being naturally proud
of their region and religion? Out of
this bakwas, let my country awake.
* * * * *
Copyright © R. Veera Raghavan 2018
Nice address it was. RSS should take it seriously and follow in the interest of our holy Motherland India that is Bharath.
ReplyDeletePranab Mukerjee's speech is usual Congress rhetoric. I was disappointed. I fully endorse Mr Veeraragavan's views.
ReplyDeleteMr. Veeraragavan, perhaps we are, for the first time, beginning to move towards the space between the rejection of Hindu identity on the one hand and the assertion of a narrow-minded Hindu identity on the other. You have beautifully defined this middle space where a feeling of being a nation with a predominantly Hindu ethos is natural and any insinuation that other religions should be allowed to grow at the cost of Hinduism in order to bring about equality is fraught with dangers.
ReplyDeleteRSS's step in inviting a leader from a party known for its minority-appeasement to address their future leaders was a bold step. This step as well as Mohan Bhagwat's address was an explicit acknowledgement by the RSS that they wish to move into the middle space. The Congress's panic reaction was precisely caused by the apprehension that a growing RSS-BJP combine could now create a middle-of-the-road situation where a tolerant Hindu ethos could co-exist with a minority that no longer dreams of becoming the majority through state-pampering. This could make the Congress irrelevant.
Pranab could havd come out more openly against congress who are spoilers of our nation.
ReplyDeleteThe views of Pranab indicate his inner voice. Being a devout congress camp dignitary, this much of his views itself amount to the need for recognising the importance to Hindus and Hinduism the country to follow up. If BJP comes out openly now it would upset vote bank in 2019. After assuming power for second term, these priorities could be pushed through vigourously
ReplyDeleteWhen our constitution identifies the minorities and protects them what is wrong in the majority in identifying themselves as what they are-as Hindus and be proud about it-instead of covering themselves with a secular cloak
DeleteAs i have observed several of excellent speakers in our country, there was no such religion named as "HINDU" and it was coined by British for their administrative efficiency. Being so how can we call ourself as HINDU NATION. Rather its their claim that its "Saivam" "Vaishnavam" and may be few others which I am not aware off. Neverthless the culture we have inherited from our ancestors that we always had open heart and acceptance to other religions and practices and only for political mileage some selfish people dig traps in which some poor illiterate citizens become victim off.
ReplyDeleteI fully endorse the views expressed by Mr. Veeraragavan. Will the former president speak in similar tone if he gets an opportunity to speak in some other platform of a different faith? The fact that there is no reaction from the majority Hindu community to his speech should speak volumes of the tolrerance of the of Hindus of this country.
ReplyDeleteIndia is a Hindu nation. All those minorities were Hindus to begin with and got converted into other faiths for various reasons. Hindus should raise up and speak in voice and stay together. Over the centuries we have let ourselves be divided and ruled. Not anymore.
ReplyDelete