Hunger, poverty and unemployment are our biggest challenges: Nitin Gadkari
| Ashok Dixit, Editor - Foreign Affairs, IOP - 28 Oct 2018

Hunger, poverty and unemployment are our biggest challenges: Nitin Gadkari

  • In order to preserve India, we have to realize Rashtradharma. ‘Rashtradharma’ is the Supreme Religion. Those who are mute spectators will be held equally responsible: Yogi Aditya Nath
  • Baba Ramdev indirectly questioned the thought processes of the Shankaracharyas (Hindu pontiffs) and some political parties for misinterpreting the Vedic scriptures for self-gain

By Ashok Dixit

New Delhi, Oct 28, 2018 – Addressing a mega event of Arya Samajins in Delhi, including delegates from 32 nations across the world, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath urged everyone to embrace nationalism as the supreme religion. In a high-profile event, marked by the presence Acharya Devvrat (Governor of Himachal Pradesh), Union Minister Satyapal Singh, Chief Minister of Harayana – ML Khattar and other dignitaries, Yogi said that nationalism should be the supreme religion for every Indian and Indians should rise above the confines of casteism, regionalism and language barriers. He said he has been closely associated to Arya Smaaj, and that is why he is emotionally attached to aryasamaj events.  He also encouraged nationalist organizations like Arya Samaj to take advantage of conducive environment under Modi government while reminiscing the struggle of Swami Dayanand against the colonial power. He said amidst the hundreds of years of colonization of India, a ray of new hope emerged when Arya Samaj was founded in the year 1875.

Extolling the virtue of Swami Dayananda he said, “When a man is alive, he is remembered by everyone but the mark of a great man is that he is remembered by the posterity.” In current scenario, he said, when an individual doesn’t even have time for his family, this mega event is a testimony to the greatness of Swami Dayanand whose ideas are still relevant today.

He also said, “During that epoch of time, when this nation was in bondage and when the heretics were ruling over this nation and disintegrating India’s social warp and weft; at that time, aryans reinvigorated the freedom movement for the independence of india along with the freedom struggle of 1857. Veer Savarkar, Bhai Parmanand, LalaLajpat Rai, BhaiRamprasadBismil, there is a lineage of aryas who fought for the freedom of this nation. The credit of raising generation of revolutionaries for freedom of this country goes to Arya Samaj, reinstatement of veda, dissemination of modern education, caste less society – evil which disintegrated this nation and pushed us towards bondage, credit goes to aryasamaj for raising its voice against caste discrimination. “

Speaking on nationalism he elaborated that in order to preserve India we have to realize Rashtradharma. Rashtradharma should be the supreme religion. Those who are mute spectators will be held equally responsible for assault against this nation as the perpetrators who are committing it. In such time when we are not criminals, we can neither play second fiddle to criminals nor remain mute spectators.”

Yogi promised that the upcoming Kumbh Mela in Prayaraj will be the grandest event in the history of kumbh melas and urged the international diaspora to participate in large numbers to realize the depth of Indian culture and spiritualism. Informing about the preparation of KumbhMela, Yogi said that 192 nations of the world will be participating in KumbhMela along with 6 Lakh Indian villages, making it the largest Kumbhmela in terms of scale.

Yogi’s thoughts were echoed by Haryana Chief Minister ML Khattar. Haryana CM praised the progressive values espoused by Arya Samaj especially upliftment of women. He said Haryana government, though judicious, will not hesitate in allotting funds in the interest of development of nation and preserving its culture.

Popular yoga guru Baba Ramdev was the cynosure of all eyes on the second day of the four-day-long 11th global Arya Samaj convention on Friday (October 26).

In an address lasting well over an hour, Baba Ramdev left the entire audience enthralled, enraptured and spellbound with the simplicity with which he explained the philosophical teachings and messages of Arya Samaj founder Maharashi Swami Dayanand Saraswati. He also used the occasion to urge participants to look for ways to imbibe the 16 key values required for leading a good and useful life as humans as enunciated by Maharashi Swami Dayanand Saraswati during his lifetime.

Describing the Vedas as the very foundation, basis and relevance of Indian civilisation, Baba Ramdev said, “We have to apply the Vedas to every aspect of our lives. This is not only Swami Dayanand Saraswati’s gift to us, but also God’s gift. Each of us needs to think of our responsibilities and implement them with honesty and sincerity. Every effort must be made to come out of our present darkness into light and pass on our learnings and teachings to the young and the next generation. We have to commit and make a promise to ourselves that we will all adopt and implement the 16 ideals of Maharashi Swami Dayanand Saraswati.”

He added, “All of us must commit to teach the Gayatri Mantra to our youth, especially to our young children. Maharashi Swami Dayanand Saraswati was a ‘Tapaswi’, a sage, who descended on this earth as a once-in-a-lifetime creation of the Almighty.”

Baba Ramdev indirectly questioned the thought processes of the Shankaracharyas (Hindu pontiffs) and some political parties for misusing and misinterpreting the Vedic scriptures for self gain, and predicted that a time would come when the Arya Samaj way of life would be inspiring enough for everyone across India and rest of the world to adopt.

“Till there is a disciple of Maharashi Swami Dayanand Saraswati on this earth, the destruction of the Vedas is next to impossible. Every stream of life, be it political, economic, social, health, environment has had the imprint of Maharashi Swami Dayanand Saraswati, and it is there for us to claim, and we must to ensure our well being and future,” Baba Ramdev said.

Referring to his Patanjali Group, he announced that a time would soon come when it would be taking two significant measures (1) To offer Patanjali branded dairy (cow-based) products tax free to everyone, and (2) To make sure that a Patanjali published book on Maharashi Swami Dayanand Saraswati’s teachings finds a place in every library of the world.

Others who spoke on the occasion included Acharya Devrat, Governor of Himachal Pradesh, Sudhanshu Trivedi, National General Secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Shipping and Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation Nitin Gadkari and Jagdish Mukhi, Governor of Assam.

Acharya Devrat issued an appeal to all sections of society to end the use of chemicals and fertilisers in the agricultural sector, and revert back to the time-tested Vedic practices of yore to save the planet and Indian society in particular.

“The Arya Samaj needs to think deeply about this. We need absolute freedom from chemicals as they are not suitable for India or Indians. Our animal wealth has been suffering and we as a people are not benefitting from their presence on this earth as we should. A small amount of cow excreta and urine is enough to produce sufficient agricultural produce on 30 acres of land. We need to undertake a revolutionary mission to protect our bovine population. This way we can ensure the right income for our farmers as envisioned by our Prime Minister Narendra Modi by the year 2022,” he said

Sudhanshu Trivedi, National General Secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said India is today young as well as one of the oldest civilisations in the world.

“Our culture has survived through time. The meaning of Bharat is ‘Being Maintained’. The Vedas are the source of our wisdom. The Rig Veda speaks of the eternal fire,” he said.

People of the past have exploited our culture and traditions, misrepresented our heritage for self benefit. It is important to mention here that there is no other civilisation other than India that has a mention of 20 women Rishis.

Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Shipping and Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation Nitin Gadkari said, “India’s heritage and culture is world renowned. It is a rich country with a poor population. Our own people have not benefited as they should have. Hunger, poverty and unemployment are our biggest challenges.”

Recalling a recent visit to the United Kingdom, Gadkari revealed that his British counterpart told him that Britain’s biggest challenge was dealing with live-in relationships. He (Gadkari) told the latter that India still proudly retains traditional and strong social values that by and large does not encourage such practices.

He said, “Tradition and modern knowledge and technology needs to be merged for India to prosper in the future.”

He also informed the audience about some of the targets of his various ministeries, adding that by March next year, the Ganges would be at least 70 percent pollution free and 100 percent by 2020. A 12-lane road between Delhi and Mumbai was also in the pipeline, which would reduce travel time between the two cities to 12 to 14 hours as opposed to more than 72 hours at present.

Mukhi talked about his achievements as a BJP worker, minister and governor.

 On Thursday, President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the event.

Delivering a short but impressive speech, President Kovind recalled his association with the movement of Arya Samaj in his youth in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, saying that that fortunate experience of four to five years inspired him and gave him several life lessons which were of value to him even today. Describing the Arya Samaj as an institution of cultural pride and a movement of great significance for all citizens of the country, he said there was even a greater need today in modern Indian society to promote the teachings and philosophies of Arya Samaj Founder Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati (12 February 1824 – 30 October 1883).

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh will be the chief guest on October 28, the final day.


Browse By Tags