DR HEDGEWAR AND INDIAN NATIONALISM

June 21, 2014, Deendayal Research Institute, New Delhi

India Policy Foundation organised a seminar on ‘Dr Hedgewar and Indian Nationalism’ at Deen Dayal Research Institute on the occasion of the 75th death anniversary of Dr Keshav Hedgewar, one of the founders of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. Dr Krishna Gopal, joint General Secretary of RSS, Dr Kapil Kapil Kapoor, Noted Scholar and Chairman India Policy Foundation, and Dr Rakesh Sinha, Hon Director were the speakers of the seminar.

 

 

The chief guest on the occasion said that the concept of nation of India and the west is entirely different. There are certain factors that make a nation in the west that might be religion, economic issues, tribal identity or other things. But for India the concept of nation is to assimilate everyone.

He said that the concept of Rashtra (nation) in India was not born in 1947 but it was developed through the ages. The Gurus of India were Nanak, Baudha, Tukaram, Chaitnya, Kabir, Shankrdev and many others were igniting the society and keeping it one. The nation was society; it was not defined by the political leaders. Gerson and Barnet, great historians of the century, write that there is something in this nations which has kept it alive even after 600-700 years of attacks. They further write that the Bharat was attacked, temples were ruined, administration was not in Hindu’s hands but Rashtra

(nation) was living. People were suppressed but they were shining still. The spiritual power of the nation was unmatchable and except India, only very few could understand it. The concept of nation in India was never political.

 

Dr. Krishna Gopal said that Dr Hedgewar had started nothing new, he just continued age-old Indian tradition. Vivekanand and Arbindo was also doing the same. Going by that definition the concept of Hindu Rashtra is the basic concept of Nation in the country.

Presenting the theme address Honorary Director of the IPF, Prof Rakesh Sinha said that modern historian especially Left and Nehruvian historian have done a great damage to the history. Role of the RSS in the national movement is completely ignored and deliberately swept under the carpet. He talked about 109 such files in which lots of information about the RSS was available, is shown missing or destroyed in the national library. They could have presented the real participation of the RSS. This is a criminal injustice not only to the nation but also to the RSS.

 

 

Prof. Sinha said that history writing or social science is faulty. With certain fact in your hand you interpret it and with those facts and interpretation, perception is made but Left historians have done it other way round and they made perception first and then interpreted accordingly and while doing so facts are suppressed.

Professor Kapil Kapoor, chairman of the IPF, presided over the function. He thanked the audience who enthusiastically participated in it. Dr Saradindu Mukherjee while presenting the bird eye view on the topic informed that corporate history writing has done a great damage to the nation and the history itself.