Don’t translate Bharatiya words to create confusion: Dr Vaidya
| Date :16-Feb-2020 |
(left) RSS Saha Sarkaryawah Dr Manmohan Vaidya addressing the inaugural function of 2nd Nagpur Literary Festival at Soham on Saturday. Also present on dais were Dr Sachchidanand Joshi, Dr Sanjay Kumar, Dr Rajneesh Shukla, Dr Harshvardhan Mardikar and Maj Gen A S Deo. (Pic by Anil Futane) (right ) Pushpendra Kulshreshtha
Staff Reporter :
“Spiritual democracy is the speciality of Bharat. To follow own Dharma is the very true nature of Bharat. Therefore, people should not translate the very Bharatiya words and create confusion by imposing the western parameters without acknowledging and appreciating the inherent Bharatiya context,” said Dr Manmohan Vaidya, Saha Sarkaryawah, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Dr Vaidya was inaugurating 2nd Nagpur Literary Festival organised by Zeal Foundation in partnership with Western Coalfields Limited at Hamsa Hall, Soham-Home for Senior Living, Sitabuldi on Saturday.
Dr Sachchidanand Joshi, Member Secretary of Indira Gandhi National Centre of Arts (IGNCA), Ministry of Culture Government of India; Dr Sanjay Kumar, Director Personnel, WCL; Dr Rajneesh Shukla, Vice-Chancellor of Mahatma Gandhi International Hindi University (MGIHU); Dr Harshvardhan Mardikar, Director of Spandan Hospital and Maj Gen A S Deo, ex-GM of BrahMos also shared dais. Expressing concern over the nationwide debate over the words Hindu and Nationalism and the confusion being created in the society, Dr Vaidya said, “The concept of ‘Nation’ emerged in Europe only after the 15th century. The history of ‘Nations’ there in the West was inevitably linked to State power that was used for expansion and colonial persecutions, leading to wars. The term ‘Nationalism’ originated in this context.
The suffix ‘ism’ to it, connotes belief in only one set of ideals, its imposition and propagation with the help of power. The ideologies of Communism, Socialism, Fascism, Nazism, etc. also signify the same thing. Resultantly, ‘nationalism’ in present day Europe, carries a negative baggage of Hitler and Mussolini. ‘We (the Western Nations) have inflicted persecutions, invasions in the name of nationalism, therefore, you (Hindus) also must have done the same’, is their imposed argument. For this purpose, they have employed the best intellectual skills and strategies and Aryan Invasion Theory is just one of the weapons in their huge arsenal.
Coinage of terms ‘Hinduism’ and ‘Hindutvavadi’ is part of the same exercise. There is nothing called ‘Hindutvavad’ in Bharat. Here, we are a Hindu society, practicing Hindutva (Hinduness, not Hinduism). The term ‘Rashtravad’ was coined in Bharatiya languages as an Anglicised translation of the term ‘Nationalism’.” “In Bharatiya context, the term ‘Rashtra’ has a Vedic origin. While Western nationalism revolves around State power, Bharatiya concept of Rashtra is rooted in the Geo-cultural values of life. There is no idea or even the remotest attempt for imposition or persecution in this. Therefore, the term ‘Rashtravad’ or Nationalism is irrelevant in Bharatiya context. In fact, here one finds Rashtra (Nation) and Rashtriyata (Nationhood).
Thus, the most appropriate term to use, would be ‘Bharat ki Rashtriyata”, he added. Shweta Shelgaonkar conducted the proceedings. The inaugural session was followed by five sessions. Political Analyst Pushpendra Kulshreshtha while speaking on ‘Bharat Ki Antarik Chunautiya’ said, “During the Partition of India, the separatists were giving slogans against Bharat. The country is now witnessing the same situation. A person holding Tricolour in hands and giving slogans against the country has been considered as a true patriot. The separatist forces have become very active and they are destroying the Indian Cultural Heritage.” Sonal Fuke spoke on ‘The Art and Science of Story Telling’ while Dr Rajneesh Shukla spoke on ‘Bharatiya Darshan Shashtra’ in the later sessions. Dipti Kushwah conducted the interview of Dr Sachichidanda Joshi on his book ‘Palbhar Ki Pehchan’.