Islamic fundamentalism is no doubt growing, but within India its impact is still controllable, said economist, author and former Cabinet Minister, Dr Subramanian Swamy, on Sunday (February 14).
He was speaking at “Driven by Dharma – an audience with Dr Subramanian Swamy”, an event organised, hosted and supported by National Council of Hindu Temples (UK), Karma Yoga Foundation and Hindu Forum of Britain.
“I will not say it’s not serious but it is controllable because I find in our democracy, in our Parliament, in our polity, in our newspapers – a very overwhelming majority of Muslims who think this is their end if Islamic fundamentalism were to succeed. In India a vast majority of Muslims will not speak out because of the threat that they might face from their radical elements, but in private conversations I would say an overwhelming majority of Muslims are not in favour of these jihadi Muslims because they know it will ultimately be a very bad situation.”
On tackling the menace, Dr Swamy said first the Hindus should be clear in their mind. The Muslim leadership is clear in its mind what it wants. The problem with Hindus is they all suffer from ‘Arjuna Disease’ – referring to Arjuna’s confused mind at the start of the battle of Mahabharata.
“If you decide to fight then you must plan to fight. Although I don’t have a specific answer, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mind is very clear and we are preparing for the possibility that the ISIS, Pak ISI, Taliban, Pak Army and al Qaida will wage a war with India. After the 10 years of corruption and lack of procurement of proper arms, we need at least two years to fill the gaps and after that the options will be available to us to do any retaliatory action, if any. ISIS has declared that India is an unfinished chapter of Islamic history. Well, we will finish that chapter for them. But yes, it’s a matter of worry,” Dr Swamy said.
He said there’s no such thing in the Constitution called unfettered absolute fundamental rights. The right to speak, the right to worship – everything is subject to reasonable restrictions. “So, therefore we will give an appropriate reply” for what people propagate.
He said these are only handful of people. Some of them are motivated from abroad. “Vast majority of Indians, particularly youth, are extremely nationalistic and very optimistic about the future and therefore you don’t have to worry. We do have a reply.”
Throwing light on the status of Krishna temple in Mathura and Kashi Vishwanath in Varanasi, Dr Swamy said: “Not only the Ram temple in Ayodhya will be built but also we are determined that the Krishna temple in Mathura and the Kashi Vishwanath temple are built at where they are stood. The question is about the sequencing. If the Ram temple principles are accepted, the other two become very easy. We have taken, in fact, the most difficult project – how to put across legally that we have a case.”
He said Hindus in India have suffered this for a long time. In Saudi Arabia they don’t let you build a temple. If you do so you will be in trouble. In most of the Arab countries you cannot hold a Sathyanaraya puja inside the house. Recently Kuwait expelled 9 people for holding Sathyanaraya puja inside their house. Let alone celebrating Diwali, even putting a picture of Shri Ramchandra in pocket when you go to work is not allowed in Saudi Arabia. You will otherwise suffer a heavy prison sentence, he added.
He said once the Ram temple is done, other two will fall in place. About the other 39,997 masjids, “Well, the RSS, VHP and others examined these and came to conclusion to bury the past history – these 3 you give, and forget the others. I have proposed to the Muslim community what I call the Krishna package (just like give me 5 villages or face Mahabharata war) – ‘Give us 3 temples and keep 39,997 masjids’. Among Muslims, the Shias are with us, Bohras are with us, Sufis are with us. It’s only the hardcore Sunnis who are not with us. We have to isolate them. I am sure they will also come around. I am sure the Krishna package will be accepted, paving the way to peace and Hindu-Muslim unity.”
Muslim emperors had demolished 40,000 temples across India during their reign.
Dr Swamy said never be afraid of unwelcome developments in life. “What I try to educate people is – welcome negative developments, adverse moments, lean period, wilderness, and try to overcome them. This can be done by reading biographies. By reading such books one can learn how best of leaders bounced back in life when things seemed hopeless.”
Dr Swamy said the philosophy to imbibe is – “You have to understand that you are not an agent of change, events are the agents of change. Events are not in your control. You have to be positioned. When the event happens, you have to seize it. Be relevant. Let people say anything. Do what you have to do. But one day there will be change in the events. The situation will change and you will be victorious.”
On declaring India as a Hindu state, Dr Swamy said: “None of us in India are in favour of declaring India as a Hindu state – the reason is we are already a Hindu state. Why do I say we are already a Hindu state? Look at our Constitution. It says cow slaughter should be banned. It does not say pigs should be ostracised or pig meat should not be eaten. But it does say cow slaughter should be banned. It says Sanskrit vocabulary is the only vocabulary that Hindi should use. Therefore, all the main demands of Hindus are already there in the Constitution, except that the Constitution does not say that we are a Hindu state. Moreover, we have never declared ever that we are a Hindu state. No Raja has ever declared that we are a Hindu state. Even Shivaji only said Hindu Rashtra. That is a nation of Hindus. But his commander-in-chief was a Muslim. That’s why we are truly secular. So let’s not propagate that we should be a Hindu state. It’s not a panacea. The demands of Hindus are already there in the Constitution, it’s a question of implementing them.”
On propagation of Sanskrit language, Dr Swamy urged everyone to try to become, if possible, Sanskrit teachers for young children – that is teaching only conversational Sanskrit. “You don’t have to become a pandit. Hold a one-hour Sanskrit class one day a week. At the time don’t speak any other language other than Sanskrit. Sanskrit does induce in your body certain positive changes.”
When asked whether media have become anti-national and is there a need to control them, Dr Swamy said: “No, it’s too sweeping a comment to say the entire media have become anti-national. The best way for dealing with media is not to believe everything they say without cross-checking. Read as many papers as possible as you will get the truth by reading different papers. Yes, some are slanted against you.”
Dr Swamy said one should have a good mindset to be in a winning position. He said mindset is an attitude. “To develop mindset – remove fear by reading the Bhagavad Gita, learn the correct history of India and learn Sanskrit language. Do these things, everything will come automatically. Then you will find opportunities for you by which you can fight the way I have fought. I am not extraordinary. I am just ordinary. The only thing is these are some of the things I have acquired which have become part of my armoury. Also, if you can learn some law part-time, it will be good for you. Law is the weapon of modern democracy. And it empowers you in a way that nothing empowers you. You have to live a simple, straightforward life and don’t hanker after the luxuries of life. They will come any way because of your karma. But don’t hanker after it. If you dedicate yourself then it is very easy to make this country into a great nation.”
He said if you are a coward no matter how much knowledge you have, you cannot win. You may have lot of strength, lot of people with you, but that doesn’t mean you will be strong. “Thousand goats in a group will run away seeing a tiger because fear is in their mind.”
He said one should not have irrational fear. A fighter must have certain characteristics. The Bhagavad Gita gives you all the dimensions of the mindset.
“The Gita says you have only one right in your life and that is the right of action. Your action produces result, but you have no right on it. You will get reward for your karma, but in what form it will come, when it will come – that only I (Lord Krishna) will decide. If you develop this attitude that I have only the right to act, the results of it are not in my hands, it is up to God, I have only freedom to act – the moment you live life with this mindset, you will not have stress. The moment the feeling of failure goes away from your mind, and you say this is my duty, I have to do it – you will become very strong. So if you want to fight, don’t fight thinking of the consequences that could happen to you or thinking of whether you will succeed or fail. Think that it is the right thing to do and therefore you fight.”
So the fear of the future will immediately go if you decide something is right to do. Of course you have to plan it well. You should not be rash. But if you ever start thinking that what if this doesn’t work, what will happen to me – then you can never be a fighter, Dr Swamy added.
Also, you can never tell when failure is actually success and when success is failure. It is difficult to say. “At least in my life every time I have failed, I have risen to new heights,” Dr Swamy said.
He said mindset can be developed by meditation, good habits, rising early, doing yoga, pranayam – “these things will stand you in good stead in terms of good health and equanimity to deal with situations”.
Dr Swamy said: “Gandhiji said whenever you do or say something good for the public, first the media and others will ignore you, then they will criticise you, and finally they will surrender to you.”
That is what happened with Gandhiji also. When he started his movement in 1910s and 1920s, he was criticsed and today he is considered a great messiah, Dr Swamy added.
He said: “Similarly, Veer Savarkar said ‘With you if possible, without you if necessary and in spite of you, if it is inevitable’ – that’s the attitude you have to have. With you if you are willing; without you if you are not; and in spite of you if you oppose.”
Dr Swamy said the Indian history books need to be rewritten so that children are brought up with a new mindset. Take pride in your past, not shame. No inferiority complex. Learn correct history of India to get rid of the distorted version of history. “We have to have our identity that we are all one people. Then you will feel pride in fighting for it. And one of the ways of doing it is to make your children learn Sanskrit. Sanskrit learning itself produces positive internal changes,” he added.
Dr Swamy said you must know your mind and you must prepare your mind. You should not be afraid. The first thing that the mind must develop is the self-confidence and courage. He said intelligence has seven components – cognitive intelligence, emotional intelligence, moral intelligence, social intelligence, spiritual intelligence, environmental intelligence and innovative intelligence and they must be developed.
National Council of Hindu Temples (UK) President Rashmikant Joshi, National Council of Hindu Temples (UK) General Secretary Satish K Sharma, National Council of Hindu Temples (UK) Communication Officer Pt. Madhu V Shashtri, and Hindu Forum of Britain President Trupti Patel were present on the occasion.
National Council of Hindu Temples (UK) General Secretary Satish K Sharma anchored the programme, while Hindu Forum of Britain President Trupti Patel summarised the key points of the event. National Council of Hindu Temples (UK) President Rashmikant Joshi thanked Karma Yoga Foundation for their support and Mr CB Patel for allowing Shakti Hall to be used as the venue for the event. CB Patel has been a patron of the Hindu Forum of Britain. National Council of Hindu Temples (UK) Communication Officer Pt. Madhu V Shashtri thanked Gujarat Samachar News Editor Kamal Rao for providing all the logistic support for the proper functioning of the event. Mr Rao was felicitated by Dr Subramanian Swamy with a shawl on the occasion.
More than 100 people from various walks of life attended the programme. Hindu Forum of Britain's Company Director Haribhai Halai was also present.
The event was a huge success and a great example of what Hindus working together can achieve i.e. the National Council of Hindu Temples (UK), Hindu Forum of Britain and Karma Yoga Foundation, supported by the young volunteers of Virat Hindustan Sangam-GB. The forum also took questions from the audience regarding various political and religious issues on the occasion. The event concluded with Shanti Mantra prayers.
