Hindutva & Indians

RSS leader Mohan Bhagwat is misleading the nation >by saying “Hindutva” is India’s identity . Our nation is Bharat and all those born in Bharat should be known as Bhaarateeya. Instead of believing in a particular religion, we should focus more on our samskaara based on Sanatana Dharma. Our way of life is steeped in the philosophy of Sanatana Dharma rather than in a man-made religion, Hinduism. It is a word not found in our ancient scriptures; it is a western concept and was probably named after the Sindhu civilisation by our invaders.

V.P. Dhananjayan,

Chennai

There was no religion called the Hindu religion for a very long time in the history of India. The way of life followed by many in India was known as Sanatana Dharma. The words ‘Hindu’ and ‘Hinduism’ were coined by Persians to refer to people who lived on the other side of the Indus Valley. It is not known with certainty whether the Dravidians who lived much earlier in the Indus Valley followed any religion. The way of life, worship and so on, followed by many hill tribes even today are unique and distinct. So, to say India is a Hindu nation is far from truth.

Gaspar Amaldas,

Tiruchi