Stressing the need to free India’s younger generation from the colonial mindset and “foreign slavery”, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s publicity in-charge Sunil Ambekar on October 4 said some people have monopolised everything, including defining what is secular and what is communal. These are the same people who call the ‘save tiger and save birds’ campaigns secular, but when it comes to ‘save cows’, it becomes communal.
“People ask why change names. I asked them, when the name of Madras was changed to Chennai, it was secular. When the name of Bombay was changed to Mumbai, then it was secular. Then how come when the name of Allahabad is changed to Prayagraj, it becomes communal?” Mr. Ambekar said.
He further noted that some people and countries had monopolised the definitions of “what is liberal and modern and what is communal and regressive”. He cautioned the people of the country against adhering to the definitions given by those countries, but create “own views based on our culture and identity”.
“Similar is the case when people call ‘save tiger and save bird’ campaigns as secular but ‘save cow campaign’ as communal,” he added.
Mr. Ambekar was speaking at the launch of a book A Hindu In Oxford, written by Rashmi Samant, in which the writer has shared the story of her struggle at the renowned university. Ms. Samant is the first Indian to be elected president of the Oxford Student Union (SU). In the book, she shares why she had to resign from the post and the bullying that followed with it.
Speaking further, Mr. Ambekar said the philosophy of ‘Bharat’ has been the welfare of the world.
Speaking at the book launch, Union Minister Smriti Irani said the book shared a remarkable narrative of the life of Rashmi Samant, a Hindu girl from Udupi, who defied all odds to become the president of the Oxford Student Union. “Rashmi Sawant’s book is a story of person who was bullied for her identity and views but she overcame that and won. But there should also be a book sharing stories of those who couldn’t do so,” the Minister said.
“Before this programme, 1.75 lakh people of our country have returned after completing the Haj pilgrimage,” the Minister said adding that earlier there was restriction on Muslim women going on Haj without a male companion. “The Prime Minister brought change in the system and for the first time, 4,314 women went alone and returned to India,” she added.
