Latest news with #SwamiRambhadracharya
News18
29-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
'Want PoK Back...': Spiritual Leader Rambhadracharya Seeks ‘Guru Dakshina' From Army Chief
Last Updated: Swami Rambhadracharya said he demanded a guru dakshina (offering or honorarium to a guru or teacher in Hinduism) of PoK from the Chief of Army Staff. Spiritual leader Jagadguru Rambhadracharya has sought Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Upendra Dwivedi to get Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) back as his ' guru dakshina." The Indian Army Chief had visited the spiritual leader's Ashram in Madhya Pradesh's Chitrakoot on Wednesday where he sought his blessings. During the interaction, the Jagadguru made a pointed appeal to General Dwivedi, urging him to bring PoK back to India. ॥ नमो राघवाय ॥आज भारत के थलसेनाध्यक्ष जनरल उपेन्द्र द्विवेदी जी का श्रीतुलसीपीठ चित्रकूटधाम में आगमन हुआ। उन्होंने सभी सन्तों एवं विद्यार्थियों के समक्ष भारतीय सेना के शौर्य का वर्णन किया। @JrdUnivers39286 के छात्रों को पुरस्कृत किया। हम सभी भारतीय सेना को प्रणाम करते हुए। — Jagadguru Rambhadracharya Ji (Official) (@JagadguruJi) May 28, 2025 Sharing details about the visit, Jagadguru Rambhadracharya said the Army chief was given the same diksha (initiation) with the Ram Mantra that Lord Hanuman received from Goddess Sita and then conquered Lanka. Swami Rambhadracharya said he demanded a guru dakshina (offering or honorarium to a guru or teacher in Hinduism) of PoK from the Chief of Army Staff. ANI. General Dwivedi visited the ashram where he inaugurated the Simulator Machine at Sadguru Netra Chikitsalaya. He also interacted with saints and students at the ashram, highlighting the Army's commitment to cultural and spiritual values alongside national security. Operation Sindoor His request came days after India launched 'precision strikes" under Operation Sindoor on nine terror targets in Pakistan and PoK following the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians. The strikes killed over 100 terrorists including 10 family members of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar and four close aides. Targets included Jaish's Markaz Subhan Allah in Bahawalpur, Sarjal camp in Tehra Kalan, Markaz Abbas in Kotli, and the Syedna Bilal camp in Muzaffarabad. Lashkar's strongholds — Markaz Taiba in Murdike, Markaz Ahle Hadith in Barnala, and Shwawai Nalla camp in Muzaffarabad — were also hit. Hizbul Mujahideen's facilities at Makaz Raheel Shahid in Kotli and Mehmoona Joya in Sialkot were among those targeted. The Indian armed forces responded effectively to subsequent Pakistani aggression and pounded its airbases. The two countries have reached an understanding to stop military action following a call made by Pakistan's DGMO to his Indian counterpart. (With inputs from agencies) First Published:
The Print
28-04-2025
- Politics
- The Print
MP university students protest honorary degree for Hindu seer, accuse him of being ‘divisive, casteist'
The is an honorary degree meant to celebrate individuals who embody universal values of knowledge, service, human rights and inclusive progress. The protesters allege that Rambhadracharya is a polarising figure who has made 'derogatory remarks against Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Buddhism and Dalit communities' in several public speeches. Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh's only central university, Dr Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya in Sagar, is facing protests from students, professors and even civil society members after it announced conferment of or Doctor of Literature degree on controversial Hindu seer, Jagadguru Swami Rambhadracharya at its 33rd convocation due soon. 'Approving an award for a figure with a history of caste-insensitive remarks undermines the academic integrity of one of India's oldest and most respected universities. It's also against the ethos of the university as well as its founder Harisingh Gour's ethos and values,' states a two-page letter sent to the President of India's office by the protesters. ThePrint has a copy of the letter. When ThePrint reached out to Vivek Jaiswal, media in-charge at the university, he said the decision to confer the degree on the seer was taken according to the Act and Ordinance of the university. 'The university, following the provisions mentioned in its Act and Ordinance, had sent a proposal to the Honourable Visitor (President Droupadi Murmu) for conferring an honorary degree on Swami Rambhadracharyaji on the recommendation of the Executive Council. This honorary degree is being awarded only after the approval of the Hon'ble Visitor,' he said. Earlier this month, the university had written to the President's office, seeking approval to confer the degree on Rambhadracharya. 'Protesting now is akin to protesting against the decision of the President,' Jaiswal said. But the students and professors are gearing up to hit the streets if the university goes ahead with its decision. 'We will hit the streets in protest. We have also informed the district authorities about the same,' a university professor told ThePrint. Also Read: Ramanandis' historical foes in Ayodhya were Sanyasis, not Muslims — the sect & its claim to Ram temple Who is Swami Rambhadracharya? Jagadguru Swami Rambhadracharya, 75, a native of Jaunpur in Uttar Pradesh, is one of the four Jagadgurus of the Ramanand sect (which worships the avatars of Vishnu) and was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, India's second-highest civilian honour, in 2015. Despite losing his sight while he was just two months old, he is credited with learning 22 languages, and authoring more than 240 books and 50 papers, including four epic poems. In 1988, he was chosen as the Jagadguru Ramanandacharya in Varanasi. The protesting students, teachers and members of civil society that includes advocates, in their letter to the President, state: 'Shri Rambhadracharya despite his scholarly achievements is a highly polarising figure. He has been recorded making derogatory remarks against Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Buddhism and Dalit communities in several public speeches and videos easily accessible in the public domain.' 'His rhetoric has been described as divisive, casteist and humiliating to large sections of Indian society. Such statements are in direct contradiction with the spirit of fraternity, equality and dignity as enshrined in our Constitution.' The renowned seer had landed in controversy last year after a video had come to light in which he was purportedly heard terming those who do not worship the Hindu god Ram as 'chamar', according to media reports. The remarks had drawn sharp criticism, with an application filed in the Allahabad High Court seeking registration of an FIR against the seer for violations of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The plea was later dismissed. Rambhadracharya had also hit the headlines last year after he criticised RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat for his comments urging to not look for a temple under very mosque. Responding to Bhagwat, Rambhadracharya had said: 'When he did not have power, he was looking for temples everywhere, and after getting power he is advising to not look for temples.' The protesters, who have formed a forum to oppose the degree being conferred upon Rambhadracharya, state further in their letter that 'Dr Harisingh Gour, founder of the university, was a progressive reformer, legal luminary, and a Bodhisattva figure who fought for the rights of the downtrodden and championed the cause of scientific rationalism, gender equality, and social uplift'. 'To honour a figure who espouses values contrary to those of the founder is not only ironical but a direct affront to the university's foundational ethos.' The university is yet to announce a date for its convocation. According to the university administration, while the convocation was scheduled to be held at the end of April, it has been deferred following the terror attack in Kashmir last week. (Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui) Also Read: Why Ayodhya's Suryavanshi Thakurs will end 500-yr-old vow, don pagdis with Ram Lalla's consecration
