From: jakhan@IASTATE.EDU (Javed A Khan)
Subject: Re: RSS ( MP Government's Silent revolution in Education)
Keywords: Reply to Javed 
Reply-To: jakhan@IASTATE.EDU (Javed A Khan)
Organization: Iowa State University
Date: Sun, 6 Sep 1992 02:48:40 GMT

In article <1992Sep5.170704@IASTATE.EDU>, porayath@IASTATE.EDU (Rajiv Porayath)
writes:
> In article <1992Sep4.173157@IASTATE.EDU>, jakhan@IASTATE.EDU (Javed A Khan)
> writes: 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > The point is whether the Indian culture being projected,which the RSS
equates
> > with Hindu 'culture',includes only the non-religious part of Hindu culture
or
> > also includes the religious symbolism. To a non-Hindu (at least to me) the
> > underlying message from the 'cultural renaissance' being propagated by the 
> > votaries of Hindutva (the BJP-VHP-RSS) seems to encompass the Hindu
religious
> > rituals as well which is being thrust upon an unwilling and suspicious
> > non-Hindu
> > population. I've got no problem if they mean the cultural aspects of Indian
>                                       
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> > civilization but that is not the sense which is being projected. In any
case
>   ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> > I don't see what is so un-Indian, so culturally "un-Hindu" about today's
> > Indian society. If their vision encompases the muslim culture, the sikh
> > culture,
> > the parsee culture, the buddhist culture ... then where's the need for a
> > renaissance? What we have today is the Indian 'Hindu" culture they seem to
> > be so desperately seeking.
> > If their vision is not encompassing (which at least a large number of
muslims
> > appear to believe) then what is different from the 'cultural renaissance'
> that
> > the Muslim League or the Jamaait-e-Islami seeking for the muslim community?
> > 
> > 
> > -Javed.
> 
> 
>         Unless we agree on the word cultural aspects of Indian civilization
> this discussion will not yield any conclusion.What I gather from the cultural
> aspects of Indian civilization means the culture of Indian society dating
back
> to BC before the advent of either islam or christanity.This goes back to the
> vedas,gita,ram,Krishna,buddha ,mahavir,ashoka etc.All of which originated in
> India and flourished here.I do not include the culture that developed
elsewhere
> and made its way to India.
> 
> 
> I do not agree with the BJP philosphy of forcing people who have decided to 
> adopt other cultures either willingly or by force (in the past) to identify
> with Indian culture.As of August 1947 we constituted a new nation which gives
> one the right to follow ones belief.By propagating views contary to the
> constitution the RSS does not glorify Bhagat Singh or other freedom fighters 
> but insults the cause for which they died.
> 
> _RAJIV PORAYATH


No one has any problem about knowing one's civilisation and even perpetuating
what they consider good values. But the question arises as to why is the
civilisation of that era packaged into the great "Indian (Hindu) civilisation"
and being presented as an entity totally different from the 'Indian
civilisation' of today. What we have today is a continuation of that
subcontinental civilisation, which obviously has changed over this period and
will continue to change. The RSS-BJP, Muslim League and the Nazis base their
quest for an utopian society on the premise that if the glorious past can be
recreated it will result in the freeing of the people from the clutches of the
'degrading' values that they have acquired today. As history has shown it only
results in a mental-straitjacket with disastrous results.

--Javed.