New Delhi: Union minister Harsh Vardhan on Wednesday said that Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has been at the helm of preserving Hinduism for a long time and it is the most misunderstood organisation in the country.
Speaking at the launch of Indus Scrolls, a web initiative to celebrate Hinduism, he said those who criticize RSS do it for their ulterior political motives. “I have been a swayamsevak for 48 years and feel that RSS is the most misunderstood organisation.”
“Hinduism is unique and universal. For past many years it has been the topic of discussion. The Supreme Court ruling said it clearly that Hinduism is a way of life. I believe in humanism and if there is something synonymous and closest to humanism, then it is Hinduism,” he said.
He also spoke about the book Hindu Superiority, which was published in 1906 and is a compilation of what foreigners think about Hinduism. “That book has chapters on health, education, valor, patriotism. Recently when PM was in Udaipur it reminded me of the patriotism and valor of Maharana Pratap, who spent years in the jungle. The book also tells about plastic surgery and the surgical instruments that could split the head into two. There was time in our history when our GDP was 32% ahead of China,” the minister said.
Vardhan said that when he visited America in 90s, the young Americans named Swami Vivekanand as their inspiration. He recalled how there were Hanuman idols in Muslim homes in Mauritius and they had the best Ram Katha. “In 1995, I was at Pittsburg temple and there was silence while for three hours over the interaction on Hinduism. After it got over, everyone was convinced about the supremacy of Hinduism,” he said.
G Sreedathan, editor in chief of Indus Scroll, explained the concept behind the web initiative. He said it is a bid to build “comprehensive view of Hinduism, self-esteem through religion and to prevent de-culturisation of Hindu youngsters.”
He told News 18, "It will focus on covering Hinduism in all aspects -culture, tradition, rituals, temples because through this Hinduism conveyed its message. We will also provide space for comparative religion and discuss different aspects of different religion."
"This is the time to come out with such initiatives that discuss the core of Hinduism," he said, and added, "We need it because now there is emphasis on political hindutva and if we don't concentrate on the essense of Hinduism it will take another shape, it will be without core. Hinduism is something more than politics."
At the same time it will critiquing other religions – “This will be especially in context of Kerala where lot of children are converted to other religions through Love Jihad. If we go deep into this phenomenon, we find that the converts are de-culturised and that makes them vulnerable to a conversion bid.”
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