People should not be judged by caste, wealth or language: Mohan Bhagwat
Raipur (PTI): RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Wednesday said people should not be judged by caste, wealth or language, adding that the country belongs to everyone.
“The first step towards harmony is removing feelings of separation and discrimination from one’s mind and treating everyone as one’s own,” Bhagwat said, addressing the Hindu Sammelan at Sonpairi village in Chhattisgarh’s Raipur district.
“The entire country belongs to everyone and this spirit is true social harmony,” Bhagwat said.
Bhagwat stressed the need to revive family interactions, saying families should spend at least one day a week together, engage in prayers according to their faith, eat home-cooked food together and hold meaningful discussions, Bhagwat said, calling the discussions ‘mangal samvad’.
“People often fall into bad habits when they feel lonely. Regular interaction and dialogue within families can help prevent this,” the RSS chief said.
Bhagwat called for social harmony, environmental responsibility and disciplined civic life, urging people to rise above divisions and work collectively for society and the nation.
The RSS chief said the first step towards social harmony is removing feelings of separation and discrimination.
He said temples, water bodies and cremation grounds should be open to all Hindus, describing social work as an effort of unity, not conflict.
“Do not judge people by caste, wealth, language or region. Treat everyone as your own. The entire India is mine,” he said, describing this approach as samajik samrasta (social harmony).
Public facilities and religious spaces should be open to all, he said, calling it a work of unity rather than conflict.
On the issue of addiction, Bhagwat said loneliness often pushes people towards addiction.
He underlined the concept of ‘kutumb prabodhan’, stating that individuals must reflect on how much time and resources they devote daily to society and the nation.
“If the country is in danger, families are also in danger,” he said, calling for values to be practised at home and in daily life.
Expressing concern over global warming and environmental degradation, Bhagwat urged people to begin conservation efforts from their homes by saving water, adopting rainwater harvesting, reducing single-use plastic and planting more trees.
He also advocated the use of one’s mother tongue at home, respect for Indian attire and promotion of swadeshi and self-reliance by buying locally made products, except where imports such as medicines are unavoidable.
Bhagwat called for strict adherence to the Constitution, laws and civic discipline.
He said the Constitution’s preamble, fundamental duties and citizens’ responsibilities should be read and followed regularly, along with traditional social values like respecting elders and helping the needy.
The work of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, that began from a small 'shakha' in Nagpur, has now spread everywhere, Bhagwat said.
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BJP forms 'fact finding committee' over Bengaluru eviction
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka BJP President B Y Vijayendra on Wednesday constituted a "fact finding committee" to look into the demolition of illegally constructed houses as part of a drive to clear encroachment of government land, and to submit a detailed report.
The demolition drive has escalated into a major political row, with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and politicians from that state too wading into the issue.
The BJP has been critical of the government's decision to rehabilitate "genuine" homeless among those, whose illegally constructed houses were demolished, terming the move as "appeasement politics".
The seven member committee consists of BJP legislators and leaders, including MLAs S R Vishwanath and S Muniraju.
The "fact finding committee" has been constituted to find the facts behind the demolition of houses in Fakir Colony and Wasim Layout near Kogilu in Yelahanka in the northern part of the city, Vijayendra said in a statement.
The committee has been directed to visit the spot, inquire and submit a detailed report in a week's time.
The demolition drive on December 20 was carried out by Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited to clear encroachments for a proposed solid waste processing unit, officials have said claiming that the houses were constructed without any official permission. Most of the occupants were migrants from other states.
Leader of Opposition R Ashoka on Wednesday accused the Congress government of creating 'mini Bangladesh' in the state due to its alleged appeasement politics, as he hit out at the administration over its decision to allot houses to those, whose unauthorised houses were demolished.
He said the government by doing so was encouraging large-scale encroachment and illegal settlements.
BJP leaders have accused the state government of indulging in "Muslim appeasement politics", as most of the demolished illegal houses, reportedly belonged to members from the community. They have also questioned the swiftness with which the government moved to rehabilitate those, who had indulged in illegal encroachment.
They pointed out that the rehabilitation announcement from the government came after the demolition of 167 illegal houses or sheds triggered a political row, after Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan termed the razing of houses as "brutal normalisation of the bulldozer raj".
Congress General Secretary K C Venugopal, who is also from Kerala, had immediately intervened after's Vijayan's statement, and had conveyed the AICC's serious concern to CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D K Shivakumar, stating that such actions (demolition) should have been undertaken with far greater caution, sensitivity, and compassion, keeping the human impact at the centre.
