TEAM HERALD

bureau@herald-goa.com

BANDORA: Accusing the government and foreigners of attacking Hindu Dharma on a daily basis, speakers at the All India Hindu convention in Ponda on Monday urged the Hindu community to be prepared for prolonged sacrifices in the interest of a Hindu nation.

A demand for Hindu banks and a code of conduct to maintain sanctity of temples were other key issues discussed on the second day of the convention, organised by Hindu Janajagruti Samiti at the Shri Ramanath temple at Ramnathi-Ponda.

Assessing the situation of the Hindu community, Tapan Ghosh, president of Hindu Samhati, Bengal, claimed that the state of Hindus in the country “has become very pitiable”.

“So far, Hindus have not received leadership that is all-sacrificing and courageous. The government and foreigners alike are attacking the Hindu Dharma every day,” said Ghosh.

“For the sake of the Hindu nation, Hindus have to get ready for sacrifices. To gain something, we have to lose something,” said Ghosh, while speaking on ‘Riots and Communication system of Hindus’.

Claiming that the condition of Hindus in Bengal is as pitiable as that those Hindus in Kashmir, Ghosh said: “During riots in the country, it is only Hindus who are targeted.”

“If this happens, Hindus will have to abandon their homes. This dire state is akin to what Hindus face in Pakistan and Kashmir. But Hindus are not willing to fight for self-defence.”

“We need an able leadership that is ready to sacrifice everything,” said Ghosh.

He claimed that Sriram Mandir was not built in Ayodhya as yet because leaders did not go to jail. He compared their agitation to the one spearheaded by Nelson Mandela, who was in jail for 27 years to defeat racial discrimination and apartheid.

“Racial discrimination came to an end in South Africa. But how many Hindus are ready to sacrifice and lead the Hindus,” asked Ghosh.

During the convention, discussions were conducted on subjects like ‘Temple Takeover’, ‘The pitiable state of temples and measures for their protection’  and the 'Proposed Communal Violence Act’.

Speaking on ‘Temple Takeover’, Rajaneesh Goenka of Sanatan Dharma Mandir, Delhi, said that moves to take over temples is largely due to vast amounts of temple wealth, disunited Hindus and lack of 'Dharmashikshan'. 

"To stop this, Hindus should establish Hindu Banks and temple money should be deposited in these banks. This money should be utilised for small temples, renovation of temples and education of poor Hindus. All Hindu temples should also unite to form a ‘Rashtriya Mandir Mahasangh'," stated Goenka.

Pranav Manerikar of the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti at Karnataka lamented about the decline in the sanctity of temples and insisted that Hindus should follow rules to maintain sanctity of temples.

"This decline is due to large-scale uncleanliness, film songs, blind following of western countries and indecency," said Manerikar, adding that a code of conduct should be enacted and implemented for the sanctity of temples.

Manish Manjul, Secretary General of ‘Samarth’ (Delhi), warned that the proposed ‘Communal Violence Bill’ is an international conspiracy to finish off Hindu Dharma. 

"This is a plan to enhance the influence of some religions on South-East Asian countries that is otherwise getting diminished in European nations. Once this act comes into effect, Hindus unity will be at stake. Therefore, there is an urgent need of uniting for establishing a Hindu Nation" he said.

Religious heads, intellectuals, lawyers and leaders of Hindu organisations from 18 states are attending the five-day convention which commenced on Sunday.

Among the Hindu leaders present at the convention included Pramod Mutalik of ‘Sriram Sena’, Ashwinikumar Shrungu of ‘Panoon Kashmir’ (Jammu), Samajvadi Party MP Atul Verma (Madhya Pradesh), Dr Neel Madhav Das of ‘Tarun Hindu’ (Jharkhand), Prof. Rameshwar Mishra of 'Dharmapalan Shodhpeeth’ (Bhopal) and Chittaranjan Sural, national coordinator for Hindu Janajagruti Samiti.