India PM's Great Joy:India's Selfess Volunteers

[Guest guest]

Wednesday, January 1, 2003

Prime Minister Vajpayee's New Year Message from Goa

 

"As a matter of fact, there are tens of thousands of unsung or little-

sung heroes of development, both individuals and organisations, all

over the country. They are inspired by the spirit of nationalism and

the true meaning of religion as service to society — Nar Seva is

Narayan Seva. Many of them are young people. Few things bring me

greater joy than when I get to meet these selfless volunteers with

soaring idealism."

 

 

 

A POET PM'S MUSINGS

 

*Let us celebrate — and strengthen — our Indianness.

*a perfect liberty of thought and of worship must be allowed to the

individual in his approach to the Infinite.

*no difference between forward-looking Hindutva and Bharteeyata.

*..Why should our cities and villages be so unclean and unhygienic?

Can this not be changed visibly by changing the habits and mindset of

each one of us?

*''nar seva is narayan seva" (helping mankind is serving the Supreme

Power),

Unity of minds, unity of purpose and unity in action — that is what

we have to demonstrate in every sphere of our national life.

*Pakistan must stop cross-border terror.

 

 

 

By Atal Behari Vajpayee

 

Hearty New Year greetings to all my dear countrymen and to all

members of the Indian diaspora living in far-flung corners of the

world. I also send my greetings to our brothers and sisters both in

the neighbouring countries and in countries far and wide. May the New

Year bring greater peace, prosperity and happiness to the entire

humanity.

 

I have come to Goa to see the sun set on 2002 and to welcome the

first morning of 2003. I had come here more than four decades ago to

participate in the Goa Liberation Struggle, which saw the sun set on

this last enclave of colonial rule in India. Since then, Goa has

progressed in many ways, retaining its old charm, which is the

alchemy of diverse historical influences, and yet adding many new

features that heighten the appeal of its original attraction: the

unique combination of the sun, the sand, the sea, swaying coconut

trees, the rivers and forests, and of course the natural hospitality

of the Goan people.

 

The sight of the sea and the sound of its waves can easily make one's

mind wonder about the eternal and the infinite. My wandering

thoughts, however, return to India.

 

How many waves of history have crashed at the shore of our

Motherland! How many New Year suns have dawned on its vast expanse!

In our preoccupation with the here and now, we sometimes tend to

forget how ancient, and yet how enduring and self-renewing is our

civilization, indomitable, inclusive, absorbing all the postivie

influences brought ashore by the tides of history and making them its

own.

 

I recall here the ringing words of Swami Vivekananda in his

essay "The Future of India": "It is the same India which has

withstood the shocks of centuries, of hundreds of foreign invasions,

of hundreds of upheavals of manners and customs. It is the same land

which stands firmer than any rock in the world, with its undying

vigour, indestructible life. Its life is of the same nature as the

soul, without beginning and without end, immortal; and we are the

children of such a country." Our diversity is as much a source of

India's greatness — and of Indians' pride in their nation — as her

antiquity.

 

Foreigners have always wondered how we can embrace so much diversity

in religion, ethnicity, language and lifestyles, and yet remain a

united nation. What they may not understand, and which we must never

forget, is that living with diversity, and and yet weaving a thread

of unity and harmony through it, has been a way of life throughout

India since time immemorial.

This is as true in Goa as it is in Gujarat, in Jammu and Kashmir as

much as in Kerala, in Manipur as much as in Madhya Pradesh.

 

>From time to time, the theme of unity in diversity provokes intense

debate, even controversies. I wish to comment on two distinct voices,

which have become louder after the Gujarat elections. On the one

hand, secularism is being pitted against Hindutva, under the belief

that the two are antithetical to one another. This is incorrect and

untenable.

 

Secutarism is a concept of the state, enjoining upon the duty to show

respect for all faiths and to practise no discrimination among

citizens on the basis of their beliefs.

 

In this sense, India has been secular since the beginning of her

known history. We chose to remain wedded to secularism even when

Pakistan was carved out on the basis of the spurious and communal two-

nation theory. This could not have been possible if the majority of

Indians were not secular.

Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore has explained it very well. "India has

all along been trying experiments in evolving a social unity within

which all the different peoples could be held together, while fully

enjoying the freedom of maintaining their differences. The tie has

been as loose as possible, yet as close as circumstances permitted.

This has produced something like a United States of a social

federation, whose common name is Hinduism."

 

Hinduism's acceptance of the diversity of faiths is the central

feature of secularism in India. As Maharshi Aurobindo points

out, "Indian religion has always felt that since the minds, the

temperaments and the intellectual affinities of men are unlimited in

their variety, a perfect liberty of thought and of worship must be

allowed to the individual in his approach to the Infinite."

 

On the other hand, Hindutva, which presents a viraat darshan (broad,

all-encompassing view) of human life, is being projected by some

people in narrow, rigid and extremist manner — an unfortunate and

unacceptable interpretation that runs totally contrary to its true

spirit. Hindutva is an integral understanding of the entire Creation,

showing the way both to the here and the hereafter. It emphasises the

inseparable relationship between the individual and society, as well

as between man's material and spiritual needs. Hindutva is liberal,

liberating and brooks no ill will, hatred or violence among different

communities on any ground.

 

We need to affirm and promote that true understanding of Hindutva

which is forward-looking, not one that seeks to take us back; that

which makes us capable of meeting the challenges of the modern world,

not one that is stuck in the grooves of the past; that which is

reform-minded, and not one that protects obscurantism and injustice,

against which all the reformers of the past have fought. If

understood and practised in this enlightened sense, which is how

Swami Vivekananda and other great patriots propounded it, the current

controversy over Hindutva will be seen as wholly unnecessary.

 

There is no difference between such Hindutva and Bharateeyata, since

both are expressions of the same chintan (thought). Both affirm that

India belongs to all, and all belong to India. It means that all

Indians have equal rights and equal responsibilities. It entails

recognition of our common national culture, which is enriched by all

the diverse religious and non-religious traditions in India. For

centuries both have synonymously pointed to out national identity.

Even the Supreme Court has held that Hindutva is a neither a

religious nor a political concept but connotes a noble and elevating

way of life.

 

This Indianness is what we should all celebrate and further

strengthen. It is obvious that we have to remain committed to the

task of strengthening our common Indianness in spite of every

provocation, big or small, coming from our western neighbour.

 

I often find it odd that whereas India reconciled itself long ago to

the creation of Pakistan, the latter continues to find it difficult

to accept the unchangeable reality of a united and secular India.

Pakistan, even after five-and-a-half decades of failed pursuit, seems

to be unready to face the truth that Jammu & Kashmir is an integral

part of India and will always remain so.

 

For the past several years, the rulers in Islamabad have, almost as a

last resort, surrendered to the temptation of targeting India with

terrorism, inspired by religious extremism. Innocent children, women

and men are being routinely killed, temples are stormed, our symbols

of democracy are attacked, and our security forces are challenged —

all in the name of a "holy religious war" and "freedom struggle".

This campaign of jehadi terrorism, too, is doomed to fail.

 

By rejecting Islamabad's call for boycott of polls, and participating

enthusiastically in the free and fair elections to the State assembly

held in October, the people of Jammu & Kashmir have yet again

expressed their will and preference. I am convinced that some day —

hopefully soon — the people and rulers of Pakistan will realize the

futile and counter-productive nature of its Kashmir policy.

 

Pakistan cannot fight religious extremism and modernise itself as

long it chooses to be in a position of permanent confrontation with

India. Therefore, it must stop cross- border terrorism and abandon

its insistence on the "centrally" of the Kashmir issue. Let our two

countries agree to promote mutually beneficial trade and economic

ties, strengthen cultural relations, and encourage greater people-to-

people contacts. Once our two peoples experience the fruits of a

tension-free and co-operative environment, we will be able to see the

Kashmir issue in its proper dimension and arrive at an amicable and

lasting solution.

 

Dear countrymen, many pressing tasks confront us in the New Year and

in the years ahead. As far as the Government is concerned, we are

determined to accelerate the pace of implementation of numerous

developmental initiatives that we have begun in recent years and to

unveil several new ones in the New Year. I would like to characterise

many of these initiatives as various components of the "Connectivity

Revolution".

 

Highway connectivity and rural roads connectivity are two of the most

ambitious infrastructure projects since Independence. We are also

strengthening the rail and air connectivity in our country. Telecom

connectivity, internet connectivity and the attendant IT revolution

have rapidly modernised our economy and society.

 

I must also add here that our many foreign policy initatives have

yielded a better connectivity between the international community and

an India that is today stronger and more self-confident than ever

before. Another important endeavour will soon be added to this

revolution. It is the river connectivity project.

 

I would, however, place a far bigger importance on another

connectivity effort, one to which I referred earlier — Connectivity

of the hearts and minds of one billion Indians. No nation has ever

attained greatness without first attaining success in the awakening

and organising of the whole strength of its people. Unity of minds,

unity of purpose, and unity in action — this is what we have to

demonstrate in every sphere of our national life. We have to

strengthen the spirit of nationalism, and make it an inspiring and

motivating force to drive all our endeavours.

 

This is how India won the struggle for becoming a free nation. And

this is how India will have to win the struggle for becoming a

Developed nation — free at last of poverty and unemployment, of

illiteracy and disease, of poor shelter and sanitation, and of all

other curses of underdevelopment. For this, we have to expand the

area of consensus on economic and other urgent reforms, so that these

can be implemented speedily and effectively. To me, the true test of

reforms is when they beneficially touch the lives of all Indians —

especially the poorest and those living in backward regions.

 

We are making progress on all these fronts. But the progress is not

always as rapid — and as regionally socially balanced — as we desire.

There is a lot that the Central and State Governments have to do to

speed up this process. I appeal to all our legislators, both at the

Centre and in states, to show the same dedication to doing their duty

as was seen in the last session of Parliament, when a record number

of bills were passed.

 

But there is an even larger area where people's own self- initiated

and self-organised efforts will produce the desired results. I am

convinced that there is an immense untapped energy in our society,

which can and must be channelised for constructive purposes, in order

to bring about a positive change, even if such change is on a small

scale and its impact is felt only locally. I would like our people to

reduce their dependence on government for everything.

 

For example, why should our cities and villages be so unclean and

unhygienic? Can this not be changed visibly by changing the habits

and the mindset of each one of us? Shouldn't citizens themselves

initiate a drive for water conservation, energy conservation, and

conservation of our precious cultural heritage? Shouldn't our society

come down heavily against those who commit atrocities against women,

Dalits, adivasis and other weaker sections? Shouldn't our rich people

provide more philanthropic resources for the care of the orphans,

disabled, destitute, and senior citizens? My thoughts especially go

out to our children, who are the future of our nation. The Government

and society should work together with greater commitment to make all

the emotional and material investment we can, to ensure that every

Indian child is well fed, well educated and well looked after.

 

As a matter of fact, there are tens of thousands of unsung or little-

sung heroes of development, both individuals and organisations, all

over the country. They are inspired by the spirit of nationalism and

the true meaning of religion as service to society — Nar Seva is

Narayan Seva. Many of them are young people. Few things bring me

greater joy than when I get to meet these selfless volunteers with

soaring idealism.

 

May the number of such individuals and organisations increase a

thousand fold, and may they inspire each of us to do something more

for our country in the New Year.

 

These are some of the thoughts and reflections that the idyllic

setting in Goa has triggered in my mind, and which I wish to share

with you.

Once again, I wish you all a very happy new year.

 

A POET PM'S MUSINGS

 

*Let us celebrate — and strengthen — our Indianness.

*a perfect liberty of thought and of worship must be allowed to the

individual in his approach to the Infinite.

*no difference between forward-looking Hindutva and Bharteeyata.

*..Why should our cities and villages be so unclean and unhygienic?

Can this not be changed visibly by changing the habits and mindset of

each one of us?

*''nar seva is narayan seva" (helping mankind is serving the Supreme

Power),

Unity of minds, unity of purpose and unity in action — that is what

we have to demonstrate in every sphere of our national life.

*Pakistan must stop cross-border terror.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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