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| Why Hindu Rashtra? |
THE CONCEPT OF HINDU RASHTRA |
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History ProvesWhereas in the long history of Bharat no Hindu king has ever tried to impose his brand of religion on the subjects in his territory; no Vaishnava king has insisted and forced that everyone should fast on Ekadasi; similarly no Shaiva has forced Shivaratri on all the people. The only instance is of Ashoka the great who after embracing Buddhism worked as a Buddhist missionary and used his state authority and resources for the spread of Buddhism. But still he was not intolerant of other religions. It is a paradox that Ashoka seems to have impressed Pandit Nehru and Ashoka and his insignia been adopted as the symbols of our secular state; for example the Chakra in our flag and the three lions atop the Ashoka pillar.No Hindu objects to a muslim or Christian procession in a Hindu locality. In general every Hindu respects and recognises every other religions and does not prevent anybody following his own religion. This attitude of the Hindu is reflected in the social, cultural and political activities of the Hindus. A Hindu State has always functioned as a secular and democratic State. There was never an autocratic or a fascist Hindu king. History bears witness to this. When Jews and Parses were persecuted by the Christian and Muslims respectively in their own countries, many of them ran for shelter to this country and since centuries they have been living here peacefully. Neither they had any problem from the Hindus nor the Hindus had any problem from them. The parses particularly have totally identified with the culture and national life of this country, still maintaining their religious identity. There are no conflicts or complaints on either side. Most of the Jews have returned to Israel after they got back their motherland. And what the Israeli government has got to say about their centuries of stay in this country? I would like to quote from the booklet Indian Jews in Israel published by the Israel Consulate general in India. "While most of the Jews came to Israel (from countries other than India) driven by persecution, discrimination, murder and attempts at total genocide, the Jews of India came (to Israel) because of their desire to participate in the building of their Jewish Common wealth, because of their unshakable belief in the redemption of Israel. Throughout their long sojourn in India, nowhere and at no time were they (Jews) subjected to intolerance, discrimination or persecution." The Parsees as a group refused to accept any special treatment or a separate electorate at the time of the British rule itself and said that they are happy with the Hindu society. Now the followers of this religion live happily only in this country while there is no trace of Parsees at their place of origin i.e. Iran. One leading Parsee gentleman exclaimed, Hindus are tolerant to a fault. then came the Christians and Muslims. They built their churches and mosques. All are safe now. This is the history of Hindu people, their kings and Hindu government long before even the secular and democratic concepts were born. Traditionally the Hindu respects and recognises the feelings of other. His ideas are all broad based and universal, always all inclusive and never exclusive. There will be equal justice for all in a Hindu State irrespective of one's faith or belief or religion or sect. Only a state with such universal Hindu ideas can uphold all the modern secular and democratic values. Mahatma Gandhi had realised the greatness of the Hindu ethos and he had proclaimed that our independent country would be a Rama Rajya - which was a Dharma Rajya, an ideal Hindu State. He had not hesitated to speak about this openly. Rather he advocated it with conviction, very vigorously. |
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