Believe it or not: Kalam is a Hindu, says RSS

By Nalin Verma

“President APJ Abdul Kalam reads the Gita and treats the country as his mother, so he’s a Hindu.” The RSS has been teaching this to its young cadres during its morning shakhas.This correspondent heard an RSS sikshak (teacher) telling swayamsevaks (volunteers) at a shakha organised here that the “President is a Hindu, for he loves reading Gita and is a patriot to the core”.


The youths doing “surya namaskar (prayer to the Sun God), physical exercises and learning lessons in patriotism” at the shakha were in the 12-15 year age group.

The RSS shakha starts at 5.30 a.m. across the state to “inculcate patriotic sanskar (feelings) among the swayamsevaks”. It holds a shakha at Vijay Niketan in Patna’s Rajendra Nagar area, which houses the headquarters of RSS’ central Bihar and Jharkhand units.


But why is the RSS calling Dr Kalam a Hindu? Mr Rajesh,a RSS pracharak (propagator) countered: “What’s wrong in describing our first citizen as a Hindu?” The word Hindu has nothing to do with any religion, caste or creed.


“All those who are patriots and treat India as their mother are Hindus.”
But Dr Kalam reads the Koran and offers namaz too. The pracharak, who also teaches volunteers at the sakhas, said: “It makes no difference... Reading the Koran and offering namaz doesn’t come in the way of his being a Hindu.”


“You may read any scripture or follow any upasana paddhati (way of praying) but you are a Hindu if you read the Gita and treat the
country as your mother,” he said.


He confirmed that the RSS shakhas in Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur and other parts of Bihar too were teaching that “President Kalam is a
Hindu... It’s not that the RSS teaches one thing in Patna and ontradicts that in Darbhanga, or elsewhere.’’


The RSS organises its shakhas here in an area dominated by influential
middle-class families. But only a few children from these families attend
the classes. Most of the children come from poor families who can’t afford to pay for education.

 

Nalin Verma
The author is The Statesman’s Patna-based Special Representative.

Comment...

 

Comments ...

why you make hue and cry if sakha pracharak said president is a hindu . being a hindu is a crime ? dear writer this kind of mindset rotten young mind especially from minority community , dear writer try to bridge the gap ... instead ... you pointing that it is crime that a muslim has been called "hindu". dear I am a muslim contributing my bit to bring the both community on same podium . beacuse there is larger goal than differentiating among own people; internationally you known as indian. thats your identity globally .

besides, you have a life span of 60-70 years. Why this hate campaign .... just ponder on it what kind of india you are gifting to your grand son , you certainly owes some responsibilty don't go after sensational news story . As you are my bihari brother i feel prerogative to convey you .
andalib rahman
andaleeb_in@yahoo.co.uk

Please help me out here. I don’t seem to understand the issue. Are we implying that calling Dr. Kalam a ‘Hindu’, constitutes some kind of violation of civility and/or protocol?

You cannot be called a ‘Muslim unless you have taken to Islam, i.e. you have submitted to the will of Allah, in the manner, which is prescribed in Koran. Similarly, you cannot be called a Christian unless you have submitted to Christ and believe in the Bible. Unfortunately, there is no such ‘method’ of becoming a Hindu. Hence, I agree with RSS, on this point, that you can call anybody a Hindu. Hindu is an Arabic word. It has no equivalent in Sanskrit. It has been adapted in Hindi and English. Originally, it meant anybody living on the banks of River Indus (Sindhu) but later expanded to mean anyone, living in the Indian Subcontinent, who is not a Jew, Christian or Muslim.

However, I do not agree with RSS that you could call someone a Hindu just because he or she reads Geeta. This is baseless, and shows lack of understanding of the Sanatan Dharma.

Semantically, calling anyone Hindu is okay, provided the addressee does not object. But, if the implication is that the person being addressed as such follows Sanatan Dharma, then there is a potential issue for the person, especially if he or she follows some other religion.

Nonetheless, I congratulate President Kalam for being accepted by the hardliners of the majority religion. Believe it or not, it is a great feat. Let a Christian or Hindu achieve this in Saudi Arabia or Pakistan. That would the day.

Regards,
Anant Sahay
anants@iprimus.com.au

 

Whether Kalam is Hindu or Muslim has nothing to do with RSS. RSS cannot set his religion. I am a Hindu, by birth, but I do read Quran, Bible, Old testament, Guru Granth Sahib and Bhagwadgita with same zeal. My room has all these holy books. Which religion will RSS ascribe to me? My readings cannot decide my religion. My religion will be decided by what I deliver. In the same token the religion of Kalam will be decided by what he delivers. Everywhere there are fanatics. Right from Bettiah to Bahawalpur (Pakistan) to Bari (Italy) to Boston, everywhere you will find people who are enthusiastic about nothing. They have nothing to do. They are useless fellows. They have no employment. They cannot sit at home all the time. They must do something to spent their time. In that period, they come up with these pitiful ideas.

Any religion is a way of life. There is absolutely no point in attaching any significance to the fact that any given person belongs to what religion. For all religions teach the same thing. What will RSS get if Kalam is Hindu or what will RSS loose if he is a Muslim? Isn't it good enough to say that he is a human being just like you and me -- the creation of same God.

Enjoy,
Pradeep

 

 

It's difficult to understand what message the RSS is trying to convey by branding President Kalam a Hindu. India is dear to every Indian. I don't see anything special in Prseident Kalam. Insisting on President Kalam's patriotism would mean that other two Muslim presidents were less patriotic.
Indians don't need RSS' preaching to love India. I know many Muslims of Indian origin in Saudi Arabia, who no longer carry Indian passport, but consider India their home and fight for its pride and prestige.
If reading of Geeta can make someone a Hindu what about Mahatma Gandhi and Vinoba Bhave who used to read the holy Qur'an?
Let RSS know that by promoting certain Muslim individuals ­ with particular traits ­ it is not doing any service to the cause of India's unity. It is further alienating Muslims who sincerely want to be part of nation building.
S. Nazar
Jeddah

shaheen_nazar@yahoo.com