New Delhi
When we talk about demonized Hindutva saying it is exclusionary as it is a departure from what Hinduism is, the usual defence being the creation of a false equivalence that is totally unfair and uncalled for, said historian and author Vikram Sampath at the recently concluded Festival of Ideas hosted by NewsX, The Sunday Guardian and India News that are a part of iTV network.
“For when a faith as evolved as Sanatan Dharma (for there was no Hinduism at that time centuries ago) comes into a civilizational clash with Abrahamic faiths like many who do not believe in the philosophy of many roads lead to the same truth. Then what does the other faiths do. You cannot fight someone only on the strength of your philosophical truths and all these high principles. There has to be a sashtra spirit, a warrior spirit that is exactly what (Veer) Savarkar does.”
“Savarkar said ‘we are not going to be the ones to proactively attack someone but organizing oneself to counter somebody’s predatory moves, it is a very legitimate and justified attempt by any group of people’.” Even Rishi Shri Aurobindo did not wholeheartedly go for Gandhian philosophy, said the author of “Savarkar: Echoes from a Forgotten Past” and “Brave hearts of Bharat: Vignettes from Indian History”, among several more. The historian said, “India is tolerant, free, democratic because most of the population are Hindus.” There was legitimate Hindu anger even within the Congress when Gandhi supported the Khilafat movement, his co panellist and former MP and author Pavan Varma agreed, as he named the Shah Bano case and pointed out that partial reforms to Hindu personal law was possible but not for others.
He agreed there was angst against minorities, but both “sar tan se juda” and hate conferences are equally at fault, he added. ICCR chief Vinay Sahasrabuddhe said: “Divisionary tactics of trying to belittle Hindus have to end,” for Varma added that “India by definition is plural.” Sahasrabuddhe said Nehru’s ideas of plurality was based on error and Nehruvians are apologetic for their spiritual identity. Varma agreed that though the first prime minister’s intentions were right his execution was wrong. “It was a mistake on his part to think India could move forward by obliterating the past. Negation of religion is wrong.”
“We have to accept the broad vision of Hinduism, which alone has the audacity to say ‘truth is one and people call it by many names’, ‘the world is a community’ or ‘let good thoughts flow to me from all sides’. We have to accept ‘no one was ever burnt on the stake for blasphemy’ by the Hindus,” said Varma, to which Sahasrabuddhe added that only Hinduism says “everyone should be imbibed by all”.