By Firstdespatch Desk Aug 27, 2022
Agartala, August 27 FD) Sarsangha Chalak of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Mohan Bhagwat Saturday appealed to the followers of the ‘Sanatan dharma’ to protect their own religion if necessary by scarifying their lives.
"The philosophy of oneness and kinship in the Sanatan Dharma is, we live for the Dharma, we die for Dharma. We have to sacrifice for the protection of Dharma", Bhagwat said.
Bhagwat today inaugurated a temple at the Shanti Kali Mission-run premises at Sarbong, a village in Amarpur subdivision of Gomati district, about 100 km from here.
The Shanti Kali Mission was established by Acharya Shanti Kali, a local Hindu leader who was killed by the outlawed armed insurgents of National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) in 2000.
His followers now run a chain of 24 temples in the state and operate many residential schools and hostels, especially among tribals. The sect is now led by Acharya Chitta Maharaj.
Speaking at the event, RSS supremo Bhagwat said, "There are many food habits, culture and traditions in India and despite all these, we all share a sense of kinship. All communities have Indianness in thought, they praise the Sanatan dharma. This kinship isn't limited to our country. We consider the entire world our own".
However, the Hindutva leader said other communities which came from outside the country like Huns, Muslims and the British colonials, didn't share this relationship and tried to convert people or eliminate them.
"They believed anyone having separate idea of gods, cultures, language were 'others' and that they had to be converted or killed", he said.
"This is the philosophy of oneness and kinship in the Sanatan Dharma. We live for the Dharma, we die for Dharma. We have to sacrifice for the protection of Dharma", Bhagwat said.
Hailing Acharya Shanti Kali, a local Hindu sect leader from Tripura, who founded the Shanti Kali Mission, as a great sage, Mohan Bhagwat today said Acharya Shanti Kali lived and died as per guidance of the Gita and urged upon others to do the same.
"We have to protect sanatan Dharma. This religion considers everyone their own. It doesn't convert anyone since it knows praying anyone with true heart takes them to the same others dreaming to leave fame behind want to change everyone where they go. Such attacks keep coming. First people like Sikandar came to loot properties. Shak, Hun, Islam came. They wanted to change....the British came and boasted saying the Sun doesn't set in their empire. The first Sunset happened in the world on August 15, 1947", he said.
Criticising the United States of America, Russia and China, the RSS chief said those nations became powerful and wanted to rule over the world while India seeks to give the sense of religion and spirituality to the world.
He said people need temples to remind them of this thought.
"Temples make out lives pure and peaceful. So, temples are made. It's a matter of happiness for us", he added.
Bhagwat arrived in Tripura yesterday and visited the palace of the erstwhile Manikya royals. He met 'Rajmata' Bibhu Kumari Devi, mother of royal scion Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma, who also runs the TIPRA Motha party that is now in power in the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC).
His visit elicited speculations about his talks with the erstwhile royals ahead of the coming ADC village committee elections this year and assembly polls early next year, especially since Motha is considered to have considerable influence among tribals.
When contacted, Pradyot Kishore said that Bhagwat paid a purely courtesy visit to his mother, pay respects to the Tripura royal throne and a Chandi temple at the palace. FD JK