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Time of India
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Essence of Hinduism lies in embracing all: RSS chief
1 2 3 Kochi: The essence of Hinduism lies in embracing everyone, RSS sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat said. He was speaking at Gyan Sabha, a national education conference organised by RSS-linked Shiksha Sanskriti Utthan Nyas on Monday. In his keynote address at the concluding session, Bhagwat sought to dispel what he called a "common misunderstanding" about strong religious identity. Bhagwat also advocated for a strong balance between the letter and spirit of being a Hindu. "There is often a misunderstanding that being a staunch Hindu means abusing others. Such a misconception can happen," he said. "Being a true Hindu doesn't mean opposing anyone, nor does it mean that we need to respond by saying we are not Hindus. We are Hindus, but the essence of being Hindu is to embrace everyone," Bhagwat said. "Anyone who wants to bring Hindus together needs to be mindful of this essence," said Bhagwat. He said there were two types of knowledge in this world — vidya (true knowledge) and avidya (ignorance) — and both play an important role in a person's material life and spiritual quest. He also said the colonial education system proposed by (Thomas Babington) Macaulay was not suitable for today's India. Instead, through Indian education, it is possible to awaken India's immense power to fulfil a duty based on truth and compassion for global well-being. "Every individual should work for the comprehensive transformation of society as their duty," he said. UGC vice-chairman Deepak Srivastava presided over the concluding session where Swami Vivekananda University chancellor Ajay Tiwari and Shiksha Sanskriti Utthan Nyas national general secretary Atul Kothari also spoke.
Hindustan Times
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Kerala Minister slams VCs for endorsing 'anti-knowledge' agenda
Kerala Higher Education Minister R Bindu on Monday strongly criticised the participation of some university Vice Chancellors in "Gyan Sabha" organised by an RSS-linked group in Kochi, calling it a "disturbing alignment" with forces seeking to undermine the state's progressive academic legacy. Kerala Minister slams VCs for endorsing 'anti-knowledge' agenda In a sharply worded statement, Minister Bindu accused the Sangh Parivar of being fundamentally opposed to modern, inclusive higher education and warned that its efforts to exert ideological control over universities must be firmly resisted. Her statement came a day after the Vice Chancellors of four universities in Kerala -- reportedly including one appointed by the Left government -- attended the national education conference 'Gyan Sabha', organised by the Shiksha Sanskriti Utthan Nyas and inaugurated by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat in Kochi on Sunday. "A modern higher education system that aligns with the needs of today's world is intolerable to the Sangh Parivar," Bindu alleged. "The so-called 'Gyan Sabha' is part of a larger, deeply regressive effort to turn Kerala's knowledge-driven society back towards Brahminical domination. To ignore this agenda is to deny history itself," she said. The Minister singled out certain Vice Chancellors, saying their involvement lent legitimacy to what she described as a "crude, anti-knowledge campaign" aimed at eroding academic freedom and silencing independent thought. "It may be a matter of pride for the RSS that the minds of some Vice Chancellors--who are supposed to lead knowledge creation--have been turned into stables of anti-intellectualism. But for Kerala, it is a matter of deep shame," she added. Minister Bindu warned that attempts to transform inclusive educational institutions into ideological training grounds for a Hindu Rashtra would not be tolerated. For having colluded in chaining academic freedom and independent thought to the saffron stable, these Vice Chancellors will have to hang their heads in shame before the academic community for a long time to come, she said. "The youth and the academic community will expose the Sangh Parivar's dangerous delusion that a crude army of ignorance can be built in Kerala. Enlightened by the true knowledge imparted by genuine teachers, the people of Kerala will cast into the dustbin the Sangh Parivar's schemes that treat the darkness of ignorance as something to be celebrated," Bindu said.
NDTV
16 hours ago
- Politics
- NDTV
New Education Policy First Attempt To Decolonise India's Education System: Kerala Governor
Kochi: Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Sunday said that the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is the first serious attempt to decolonise the country's education system. Arlekar said that the country was moving forward with a "colonial thought" till now. "Our whole thinking was changed by the earlier education system. We did not even realise when it entered our family lives. We are now attempting to come out of that colonisation," he said, and urged everyone to be part of the change in the education sector. The Governor, speaking at the national education conference, 'Gyan Sabha', organised by the RSS-linked Shiksha Sanskriti Utthan Nyas in Kochi, said that the education policy brought by the Narendra Modi government was "different from what has been taught to us for all these years". He said that India was 'Vishwa Guru' when it attained independence and even now. "But we were not able to assert it back then. When we became independent, it was only political freedom," he said, adding that Bharat could again become the 'Vishwa Guru' if the new education policy is accepted. "The question is whether you want to be a part of the change," he said. Addressing the gathering, which included Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat, Arlekar also said that Viksit Bharat was not just an economic concept but "a wholesome development of the entire society and not just a particular section of it".
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
‘Bharat' should not be translated, or it will lose its identity: RSS chief
Kochi: 'Bharat' should not be translated as otherwise it would lose its identity and the respect it enjoys in the world, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat said on Sunday, while asserting that the country no longer has to be the 'golden bird' as it was time for it to become 'a lion'. 'Bharat' should not be translated, or it will lose its identity: RSS chief 'Bharat is a proper noun. It should not be translated. Bharat must remain Bharat. It's because if we lose our identity, whatever other meritorious qualities you may have, you will not be respected or secure in the matters and identity depends on your 'sanskriti' (culture). I don't use the word 'culture'. The word we use is 'dharma sanskriti' and it doesn't have an English name. Our culture is associated with traditions,' Bhagwat said at the national education conference, 'Gyan Sabha', organised by the RSS-linked Shiksha Sanskriti Utthan Nyas in Kochi, Kerala. Asserting that India has to become strong and wealthy from an economic point of view, he said: 'India does not have to be a 'golden bird' anymore. Instead, today's situation demands that India needs to become a lion, because the world recognises strength, not ideals. Bharat should be strong economically too. The world's best technologies must be visible here too. Without it, the world will not give us value.' 'We don't want to rule the world. We want the world to be a good place,' he added. Kerala governor Rajendra Arlekar, who was present at the event, echoed Bhagwat's views. 'The next generation will no longer be a golden bird. It wants to see Bharat as a golden lion. The whole world will see and hear this lion roar. We are not here to destroy anyone, but to give something new to the world for its development,' he said. Bhagwat, speaking on the topic 'Indianness in education', exhorted the audience to 'know Bharat and be a part of Bharat' in order to instil 'Indian-ness' or 'Bharateeyata' in education. 'In the education sector, we need reforms in a lot of areas. It should not be restricted to the curriculum alone,' he said. During the event, Arlekar hailed the National Education Policy 2020 as the first and serious attempt at decolonising our minds and educational institutions. 'With NEP, our thinking has been changed, how we view our culture and our are 'Vishwa Guru' today. We have to assert it properly. Our rulers failed to assert it properly back in 1947 when we achieved political freedom,' he said, adding that use of terms like 'mummy and papa' for mother and father in Indian households are proof of the 'damage' caused by the 'previous education system'. 'We are to be blamed for it, how such terms entered our families and households,' he added.
Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Bharat should not be translated, else it will lose its identity and respect, says RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat
Calling for India to transform from 'a golden bird' to a 'lion' in the prevailing circumstances, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat Sunday said that since the world understands power, the country should be powerful, economically vibrant and the height of technological prowess should be visible. 'It is necessary because the world understands power. So Bharat should become strong. It also has to become wealthy from an economic perspective,' he said. He made it clear that the country should not become strong to rule over others, but to help the world. Bhagwat said that 'Bharat' should not be translated as otherwise it would lose its identity and along with it the respect it enjoys in the world. While India is 'Bharat', Bhagwat said, 'It should be kept as such when we talk, write or speak about it, whether in public or personal spaces.' He said that the identity of Bharat is respected 'because it is Bharat'. 'Bharat is a proper noun. It should not be translated. 'India is Bharat'. That is true. But Bharat is Bharat. That is why, while talking, writing and speaking, be it personal or public, we should keep Bharat as Bharat,' he said. Speaking at the 'Gyan Sabha', a national education conference organised by the RSS-linked Shiksha Sanskriti Utthan Nyas in Kochi, Bhagwat said that 'Bharatiya' education teaches sacrifice and living for others. 'The purpose of our education and our outlook about it is unique and any education according to that would benefit not only me, but also my family and the entire world,' he said. As a result, 'Viksit or Vishwa Guru Bharat' will never be the cause of a war nor will it ever oppress or exploit anyone, he said. '… many kings came and went… Why do we remember Lord Ram?… dharma of living for everyone, connecting your development with that of everyone else… teaching this dharma is Bharatiya Shiksha. Education which teaches only selfishness is not Bharatiya Shiksha,' he also said. 'We all have to become Bharat in an attempt to bring Bharatiyata to education. It is then that Indianness will truly come to education,' he said. Bhagwat said, 'Those who do not know spirituality give incomplete knowledge of it. Struggle for existence, survival of the fittest…we have to have a contract, then only we can go together…This is not so here. In our scheme of things, irrespective of whether there is a contract or not, the world is your responsibility because the entire world has made you. This point of view should be imparted through education.' Bharat, Bhagwat said, was an embodiment of precisely this approach of interconnectedness and unity. Jatin Anand is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express. Over the last 15 years, he has covered bureaucracy & politics, crime, traffic & intelligence, the Election Commission of India & Urban Development among other beats. He is an English (Literature) graduate from Zakir Husain Delhi College, DU & specialised in Print at the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai. He tweets @jatinpaul ... Read More
