Belthangady, September 16: Senior journalist Dinesh Amin Mattu said that Hindu religion was survived today because of revolutionary social reformers like Narayana Guru and not because of Shankaracharya.
Speaking at the 164 Jayanti of Sri Narayana Guru, organised by the Sri Guru Narayana Swamy Seva Sangha, Billava Youth Association and Women Billava Association here on Sunday, he said that the movement started by Narayana Guru was not just a religious movement. It was a cultural movement and there was a need to continue it even today, he said.
“Varnashrama system is a curse to the Hindu society. If people say it is the Hindu religion, I will strongly oppose it. Everybody loves Narayana Guru. But his ideologies are not being emulated. Now, the patriotism has become the biggest political commodity of the country. But we can see the real patriotism among soldiers. There is no relationship between the soldiers and those who speak about patriotism and do politics in their name”, he said.
Billava community has the tradition of soldier and doctors. Koti Chennayya of this land had fought for truth, justice and self-respect and it was the first class conflict. His ideals should be emulated to the society. He had not fought for the entry of temples, but had brought the temples to the door steps of exploited classes. He had advocated simple rituals. But now, lavishness had got place due to which, the exploited class was lagging behind in all aspects, he said.
The person who accepts the ideologies of Narayana Guru would not become communal. Instead, he would love everyone. The Elava community which was an exploited class in Kerala has got all positions from Chief Minister to other higher positions. But in Karnataka, the representation of the Billava community was decreasing. At one time, there were six MPs. But now, only one MP was there in the community, he said.
Former MLA K Vasanth Bangera who inaugurated the programme said that only education could improve the condition of the exploited classes in the society.
Brahmananda Saraswati Swamiji of Kanyadi said that religion should be the lifeline of the society. The ideals of Narayana Guru should be adopted in real life instead of restricting them just for speeches. Gurukul education system was the best education method, he said.
Former presidents of the Association, Vasanth Salian, Padmanabh Maninja, Raju Poojary, Yogesh Kumar, Bhagiratha G, Jayaram Bangera, Women Billava Vedike president Rajashri Raman, vedike founder president Sujitha V Bangera, Yuva Billava Vedike president Santosh Uppar and others were present.
Association president Somanath Bangera Varpale presided over the programme in which 12 ex-servicemen and 12 soldiers of the community were felicitated. A sum of Rs 6 lakh scholarship was distributed. Sanjeeva Poojary Mooda and Dayananda Poojary Mittabagilu who have contributed for the agriculture sector were felicitated. Village Committees were given Brahmashri medals. Dinesh Suvarna Rayi, association secretary Rakesh Kumar Mudukodi and others were present.
“The ideology of Sri Narayana Guru was completely neglected at the Dharma Samsad held at Kanyadi. Forget me, my slipper would not go to such Dharma Sansad where the ideologies of Narayana Guru are neglected. When I listened to the speech of Kanyadi swamiji, I surprised whether it was Narayana Guru Jayanti or Shankaracharya Jayanti. Those who opposed the previous swamiji when the latter had established the mutt, were present at the programme which is a tragedy”.
-Dines Amin Mattu
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Ekta Nagar (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said some forces in and outside India are trying to destabilise the country and portray a negative image of the nation in the world, underscoring the need to “identify urban Naxals and unmask them”.
He was addressing a gathering near the iconic Statue of Unity at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat’s Narmada district after paying floral tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on the birth anniversary of India’s first home minister.
Since 2014, Sardar Patel’s birth anniversary has been celebrated on October 31 as ‘Rashtriya Ekta Diwas’, or National Unity Day.
“Due to India’s increasing strengths and capabilities, some forces in and outside are trying to destabilise the country and spread anarchy. They want to hurt India’s economic interests. They want to send a wrong message to foreign investors by portraying a negative image of the nation in the world,” the PM said.
Without taking names, Modi said “these people” are also targeting India’s armed forces through a “disinformation campaign” and trying to ignite sentiments of separatism in the Army.
“These people are trying to divide the country on caste lines. Their only goal is to weaken the Indian society as well as people’s unity,” he said.
They don’t want to see India as a developed country because what suits them is the politics of a weaker and poor India, he said, adding that such “dirty politics” went on for nearly five decades.
Modi alleged that though these forces always talk about democracy and the Constitution, they are actually working to divide the country.
The opposition led by the Congress has repeatedly targeted PM Modi claiming that India’s democracy and Constitution are “under attack” by the ruling BJP.
The PM urged the people to identify this nexus of “urban Naxals”, which he said is trying to break the country.
As Naxalism is ending in jungles, a new model of urban Naxals is raising its head, he said.
“We need to identify such people who are dreaming of breaking the country. We have to fight these forces. Today urban Naxals target even those who say that you will remain safe if you remain united. We have to identify urban Naxals and unmask them,” he said.
He said due to the government’s efforts in the past 10 years, Naxalism is counting its last breath in India.
Recalling Sardar Patel’s contribution, Modi said though there were people who were skeptical of India’s unification after the independence, Sardar Patel made it possible. He added that the country will celebrate Patel’s 150th birth anniversary for the next two years.
According to Modi, every scheme floated by his government reflects the “spirit of unity”.
He said benefits were given to every citizen without discrimination, be it Har Ghar Jal, Ayushman Bharat or PM Awas Yojna.
Modi said that after the success of the ‘one nation, one tax’ initiative in the form of GST (Goods and Services Tax), ‘one nation, one ration card’, and ‘one nation, one health insurance’ in the form of Ayushman Bharat scheme, his government is now working on ‘one nation, one election’.
This approach will strengthen democracy and give optimum outcomes on available resources, he said.
“We are also moving towards the implementation of ‘one nation, one secular civil code’. Sardar Patel’s message of unity in society is at the core of this decision. This will eliminate discrimination and strengthen unity among people,” said the PM.
Referring to the abrogation of Article 370, PM Modi said it stood as a barrier in implementing the Constitution in Jammu and Kashmir, where assembly elections were held recently.
“For the first time in 75 years, the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir has taken oath on the Constitution. I see it as a very important milestone for India's unity. I salute the people of Jammu and Kashmir who gave respect to the Constitution,” he said.
About the ongoing wars in different parts of the world, Modi said India has emerged as ‘Vishwa Bandhu’ (friend of the world).
“India has emerged as Vishwa Bandhu when relations between different countries are getting strained. When differences between nations are growing today, countries are coming closer to India. A new history is being written. The world is watching how India is bringing solutions to its decades-old challenges,” said the PM.