01-04-2007, 09:21 PM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>UPA's new year bonanza for the Hindus in minority (!)</b>
 UPA's new year bonanza for the Hindus in minority (!)
V SUNDARAM
I was going through the Government of India Websites 10 days ago. I had the misfortune of running into a Government of India website relating to e. greetings under four heads: a) Celebrations; b) Heritage; c) Festivals and d) Glimpses of India. I did not find any e-greeting card for any Hindu festival. However, there were 16 cards for Christmas and 9 for Eid. I could clearly see the egalitarian impact of Sachar Committee and Dr Manmohan Singh's Minority Appeasement Declaration (MAD) in concerted action even on a Government of India website. I was very happy to note that many of my friends had also noticed this glaring omission founded on the political plank of Nehruvian pseudo secularism. Various e-groups started an e-mail campaign, poured out their minds and hearts in anguish, making use of the 'FEEDBACK' link available at the above site. One of my friends Capt Balakrishnan, noted for his sardonic wit and wisdom, sent his feedback to the Government of India website in these well-understood, if not understanding words: 'I find that only EID and CHRISTMAS are mentioned in the website. I regret to state that there are no e-cards for Hindu festivals. I wonder whether we have become so 'secularized' to the extent that we are prepared to forget our civilizational ethos! What a pity. In this context I would like to quote these immortal words of Shri Aurobindo in his last political speech at Uttarpara on 30 May 1909: 'I say it again today, but I put it in another way. I say no longer that nationalism is a creed, a religion, a faith; I say that it is the Sanatan Dharma which for us is nationalism. This Hindu nation was born with the Sanatan Dharma, with it it moves and with it it grows. When the Sanatan Dharma declines, then the nation declines, and if the Sanatan Dharma were capable of perishing, with the Sanatan Dharma it would also perish. The Sanatan Dharma, is indeed nationalism. This is the message that I have to speak to you'. If India is held together, it is because of SANATANA DHARAMA.'
Normally for the citizens of India belonging to the majority Hindu religion, men in the top hierarchy in the Government of India are noted for having the skin of a Rhinoceros. Yet, it is amazing to note that Government of India were shamed into not so indecent conduct by the repeated onslaught and salvos coming from many quarters whose only motto was 'KEEP HITTING THE 'SECULAR BRIGANDS'. Lo! And BEHOLD!! In the next 48 or 72 hours, suddenly Hindu Festivals started appearing at the website!!
Truth is a rock on which the world is built. Satyena tisthate jagath. Falsehood can never be the true source of strength. When falsehood is at the root of a Government, that Government is doomed to failure. Guided or organized or contrived diplomacy can only help a Government or movement if it proceeds upon truth. To make pseudo-secular diplomacy the root-principle is to contravene the laws of both righteous governance and dignified existence.
Indian American Intellectuals Forum, of which Narain Kataria is the President, has recently sent a letter to Dr Abdul Kalam, President of India, inviting his kind attention to the fact that several Ministries in the Government of India have stopped using the phrase 'SATYAMEVA JAYATE' in the National Emblem on Government Websites/ Documents. It is a well-known fact that our State Emblem is an adaptation from the Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka the Great. This was adopted by the Government of India on 26 of January, 1950. The words 'SATYAMEVA JAYATE' were inscribed underneath the Wheel of the Law (Dharma Chakra). The Research Wing of Indian American Intellectuals Forum headed by Ramesh Gathoria has identified more than 150 important official documents (I am listing a few below) on which the words 'SATYAMEVA JAYATE' have been omitted from the Government seal. It is a serious and sensitive omission.
Here are a few sample websites and documents where this calculated lapse or omission of 'SATYAMEVA JAYATE' has taken place:
'Pravasi Bharatiya' Issue No. 8, Volume 1 of 2006 - Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs
Embassy of India Paris (www.amb-inde.fr/)
Circulars issued by the office of the President/Vice President and Prime Minister of India
India Digest - Vol 4, Issue 20 of 15 October, 2006
Circulars issued by the Department of Atomic Energy and Indian Space Research Centre (ISRO)
Circulars issued by the Finance Commission, Ministry of Finance, Govt. of India
Circulars issued by the Embassy of India, the Hague (www.indianembassy.nl/ )
Circulars issued by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs (www.mpa.nic.in/ )
I understand that Gathoria, is planning to visit India shortly in order to contact the appropriate Government officials to discuss this matter for ensuring necessary corrective action. It is a matter of national shame that when the issue was taken to the notice of the Ministry of Culture sometime ago, no action was taken on the ground that 'SATYAMEVA JAYATE' is irrelevant. Perhaps, they only believe in 'Asatyameva Jayate' in thought and action.
It has been truly said that artists treat facts as stimuli for imagination, whereas the scientists use imagination to coordinate facts. I am neither an artist nor a scientist. And yet, the scale and the magnitude of the organized misdeeds of the UPA Government during the last two years have enabled me to acquire the skills of a minor artist and a minor scientist in the world of journalism - a world in which I am an untutored stripling. As an insignificant free lance journalist, I would allow my imagination to run free to describe in imaginary terms the sad plight of the Hindus in majority in India today. Based on my none-too fertile imagination I am presenting below what are all the lurid possibilities in which the UPA Government in New Delhi can ensure the total extinction of 'Sanatana Dharma' in India.
Here is the thrilling and gripping imaginary story:
a) The great Periyar - one of the greatest intellectual giants in the history of world civilization, paid his personal tribute to the Tamil Language in these words: 'Tamil is a barbarous language and Tamilians are barbarians'. The UPA Government deriving inspiration from this declaration of Periyar declared 'Sanskrit and Hindi' as barbarous languages and those Hindus who speak or study these languages are barbarians. It was not difficult for them to do so because of the recent declaration of Government that there would be an all-out effort to promote, foster and develop the Urdu language. To this language, UPA Government have also added 'Arabic' 'Persian' and, 'Latin' and have completely done away with Sanskrit and Hindi. The Tigris and the Euphrates rivers, unlike saffronized Communal rivers like the Jamuna and the Ganga, are secular, cosmopolitan, international and no less holy rivers.
b) Another historic moment is the UPA's declaration of the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the Baghavat Gita, all saffronized, communal, obsolete and obscurantist scriptures - as anti-national books proclaiming the message of unprovoked violence disturbing peace all over the earth. This is done taking note of great and noble scriptures like the Koran and the Bible as peace-promoting, love-fostering and humanity-embracing books giving the message of peace and goodwill among men not only in India but throughout the world - more specially in the Middle East.
c) A notification is issued by the Government of India to the effect that the execution of Saddam Hussain was brought about by the subterranean and underground activities of Hindu Fundamentalist Organizations like the RSS, the VHP, Bajrangdal, etc.
d) An ordinance is passed removing the details of destruction of Temples and killing of Hindus by compassionate and peace-loving emperors like Mohammed of Gazni, Mohammed of Gori, Iltutmish, Balban, Allaudin Khilji, Timur, Babar, Aurangazib, Nadir Shah, Ahmed Shah Abdali and several other messengers of peace and compassion from the pages of history in the NCERT and other Text books.
e) Government of India have issued an ordinance to the effect that all Pakistan citizens are qualified for dual citizenship rights on the humane consideration that their mother tongue is Urdu and many of their close relations are living in India.
Let me now move from the world of my Fantasy and perhaps wild imagination to the world of ground level reality. There is no doubt that Hinduism has become a dirty word and all the politicians of India are keen on the Hindus learning to disown their identity. Renascent Hinduism will have to contend with these forces. It will have to overcome the forces of self-denigration and self-alienation. Those who are against India are even more opposed to Hinduism, a name for India at its deepest and most cultural and spiritual. Hinduism embodies India's civilizational dimension and gives it cohesion, integrity, continuity and unity. They know that before they can subvert India, they must subvert Hinduism, that the country's balkanization is not possible without prior fragmentation of the Hindu society. Hence, their tenacious attack on Hinduism, their need to unleash caste politics. The game plan allows the talents of statesmen like Lalu Prasad Yadavs, Ram Vilas Paswans, Arjun Singhs, V P Singhs, Antulays, Karunanidhis, etc. full scope for all their political designs. It also allows the Naxalites, Marxists, Macaulayites to make their full contribution. It allows Pakistan, petro-dollars, evangelists, liberation theologians and several other unnamed agencies to play a crucial role not always hidden. But let not these and other State-sponsored odds discourage us. Hinduism has survived in spite of them and it will grow strong in spite of them. Though Hinduism is weak in many ways, yet it is unshakably strong in spiritual knowledge and wisdom??
Indeed a Rock of the Ages.
(The writer is a retired IAS officer)
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 UPA's new year bonanza for the Hindus in minority (!)
V SUNDARAM
I was going through the Government of India Websites 10 days ago. I had the misfortune of running into a Government of India website relating to e. greetings under four heads: a) Celebrations; b) Heritage; c) Festivals and d) Glimpses of India. I did not find any e-greeting card for any Hindu festival. However, there were 16 cards for Christmas and 9 for Eid. I could clearly see the egalitarian impact of Sachar Committee and Dr Manmohan Singh's Minority Appeasement Declaration (MAD) in concerted action even on a Government of India website. I was very happy to note that many of my friends had also noticed this glaring omission founded on the political plank of Nehruvian pseudo secularism. Various e-groups started an e-mail campaign, poured out their minds and hearts in anguish, making use of the 'FEEDBACK' link available at the above site. One of my friends Capt Balakrishnan, noted for his sardonic wit and wisdom, sent his feedback to the Government of India website in these well-understood, if not understanding words: 'I find that only EID and CHRISTMAS are mentioned in the website. I regret to state that there are no e-cards for Hindu festivals. I wonder whether we have become so 'secularized' to the extent that we are prepared to forget our civilizational ethos! What a pity. In this context I would like to quote these immortal words of Shri Aurobindo in his last political speech at Uttarpara on 30 May 1909: 'I say it again today, but I put it in another way. I say no longer that nationalism is a creed, a religion, a faith; I say that it is the Sanatan Dharma which for us is nationalism. This Hindu nation was born with the Sanatan Dharma, with it it moves and with it it grows. When the Sanatan Dharma declines, then the nation declines, and if the Sanatan Dharma were capable of perishing, with the Sanatan Dharma it would also perish. The Sanatan Dharma, is indeed nationalism. This is the message that I have to speak to you'. If India is held together, it is because of SANATANA DHARAMA.'
Normally for the citizens of India belonging to the majority Hindu religion, men in the top hierarchy in the Government of India are noted for having the skin of a Rhinoceros. Yet, it is amazing to note that Government of India were shamed into not so indecent conduct by the repeated onslaught and salvos coming from many quarters whose only motto was 'KEEP HITTING THE 'SECULAR BRIGANDS'. Lo! And BEHOLD!! In the next 48 or 72 hours, suddenly Hindu Festivals started appearing at the website!!
Truth is a rock on which the world is built. Satyena tisthate jagath. Falsehood can never be the true source of strength. When falsehood is at the root of a Government, that Government is doomed to failure. Guided or organized or contrived diplomacy can only help a Government or movement if it proceeds upon truth. To make pseudo-secular diplomacy the root-principle is to contravene the laws of both righteous governance and dignified existence.
Indian American Intellectuals Forum, of which Narain Kataria is the President, has recently sent a letter to Dr Abdul Kalam, President of India, inviting his kind attention to the fact that several Ministries in the Government of India have stopped using the phrase 'SATYAMEVA JAYATE' in the National Emblem on Government Websites/ Documents. It is a well-known fact that our State Emblem is an adaptation from the Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka the Great. This was adopted by the Government of India on 26 of January, 1950. The words 'SATYAMEVA JAYATE' were inscribed underneath the Wheel of the Law (Dharma Chakra). The Research Wing of Indian American Intellectuals Forum headed by Ramesh Gathoria has identified more than 150 important official documents (I am listing a few below) on which the words 'SATYAMEVA JAYATE' have been omitted from the Government seal. It is a serious and sensitive omission.
Here are a few sample websites and documents where this calculated lapse or omission of 'SATYAMEVA JAYATE' has taken place:
'Pravasi Bharatiya' Issue No. 8, Volume 1 of 2006 - Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs
Embassy of India Paris (www.amb-inde.fr/)
Circulars issued by the office of the President/Vice President and Prime Minister of India
India Digest - Vol 4, Issue 20 of 15 October, 2006
Circulars issued by the Department of Atomic Energy and Indian Space Research Centre (ISRO)
Circulars issued by the Finance Commission, Ministry of Finance, Govt. of India
Circulars issued by the Embassy of India, the Hague (www.indianembassy.nl/ )
Circulars issued by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs (www.mpa.nic.in/ )
I understand that Gathoria, is planning to visit India shortly in order to contact the appropriate Government officials to discuss this matter for ensuring necessary corrective action. It is a matter of national shame that when the issue was taken to the notice of the Ministry of Culture sometime ago, no action was taken on the ground that 'SATYAMEVA JAYATE' is irrelevant. Perhaps, they only believe in 'Asatyameva Jayate' in thought and action.
It has been truly said that artists treat facts as stimuli for imagination, whereas the scientists use imagination to coordinate facts. I am neither an artist nor a scientist. And yet, the scale and the magnitude of the organized misdeeds of the UPA Government during the last two years have enabled me to acquire the skills of a minor artist and a minor scientist in the world of journalism - a world in which I am an untutored stripling. As an insignificant free lance journalist, I would allow my imagination to run free to describe in imaginary terms the sad plight of the Hindus in majority in India today. Based on my none-too fertile imagination I am presenting below what are all the lurid possibilities in which the UPA Government in New Delhi can ensure the total extinction of 'Sanatana Dharma' in India.
Here is the thrilling and gripping imaginary story:
a) The great Periyar - one of the greatest intellectual giants in the history of world civilization, paid his personal tribute to the Tamil Language in these words: 'Tamil is a barbarous language and Tamilians are barbarians'. The UPA Government deriving inspiration from this declaration of Periyar declared 'Sanskrit and Hindi' as barbarous languages and those Hindus who speak or study these languages are barbarians. It was not difficult for them to do so because of the recent declaration of Government that there would be an all-out effort to promote, foster and develop the Urdu language. To this language, UPA Government have also added 'Arabic' 'Persian' and, 'Latin' and have completely done away with Sanskrit and Hindi. The Tigris and the Euphrates rivers, unlike saffronized Communal rivers like the Jamuna and the Ganga, are secular, cosmopolitan, international and no less holy rivers.
b) Another historic moment is the UPA's declaration of the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the Baghavat Gita, all saffronized, communal, obsolete and obscurantist scriptures - as anti-national books proclaiming the message of unprovoked violence disturbing peace all over the earth. This is done taking note of great and noble scriptures like the Koran and the Bible as peace-promoting, love-fostering and humanity-embracing books giving the message of peace and goodwill among men not only in India but throughout the world - more specially in the Middle East.
c) A notification is issued by the Government of India to the effect that the execution of Saddam Hussain was brought about by the subterranean and underground activities of Hindu Fundamentalist Organizations like the RSS, the VHP, Bajrangdal, etc.
d) An ordinance is passed removing the details of destruction of Temples and killing of Hindus by compassionate and peace-loving emperors like Mohammed of Gazni, Mohammed of Gori, Iltutmish, Balban, Allaudin Khilji, Timur, Babar, Aurangazib, Nadir Shah, Ahmed Shah Abdali and several other messengers of peace and compassion from the pages of history in the NCERT and other Text books.
e) Government of India have issued an ordinance to the effect that all Pakistan citizens are qualified for dual citizenship rights on the humane consideration that their mother tongue is Urdu and many of their close relations are living in India.
Let me now move from the world of my Fantasy and perhaps wild imagination to the world of ground level reality. There is no doubt that Hinduism has become a dirty word and all the politicians of India are keen on the Hindus learning to disown their identity. Renascent Hinduism will have to contend with these forces. It will have to overcome the forces of self-denigration and self-alienation. Those who are against India are even more opposed to Hinduism, a name for India at its deepest and most cultural and spiritual. Hinduism embodies India's civilizational dimension and gives it cohesion, integrity, continuity and unity. They know that before they can subvert India, they must subvert Hinduism, that the country's balkanization is not possible without prior fragmentation of the Hindu society. Hence, their tenacious attack on Hinduism, their need to unleash caste politics. The game plan allows the talents of statesmen like Lalu Prasad Yadavs, Ram Vilas Paswans, Arjun Singhs, V P Singhs, Antulays, Karunanidhis, etc. full scope for all their political designs. It also allows the Naxalites, Marxists, Macaulayites to make their full contribution. It allows Pakistan, petro-dollars, evangelists, liberation theologians and several other unnamed agencies to play a crucial role not always hidden. But let not these and other State-sponsored odds discourage us. Hinduism has survived in spite of them and it will grow strong in spite of them. Though Hinduism is weak in many ways, yet it is unshakably strong in spiritual knowledge and wisdom??
Indeed a Rock of the Ages.
(The writer is a retired IAS officer)
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