National
Those appropriating Vivekananda haven’t read him: Tharoor
New Delhi, Feb 16 (IANS) Taking a dig at the BJP and other rightwing political parties, acclaimed author and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Friday said that those trying to appropriate Swami Vivekananda have not actually read him and thus project the celebrated 19th century Hindu monk in a “blasphemous” way.
“Frankly, the way in which the BJP projects Vivekananda is completely ill-founded. In fact, it is not based on close, or even a casual reading of everything that Vivekananda said,” Tharoor said during a panel discussion following the formal release of his latest book “Why I am A Hindu” at the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library here.
As moderator Rajdeep Sardesai asked Tharoor about him quoting and citing Vivekannada generously in his book — which dwells on the philosophy of Hinduism as also the politicisation of the faith by a group – in the context of leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi citing Vivekananda, the Congress leader quipped: “Yes, the only difference is that I have actually read him (Vivekananda).”
Tharoor said that anyone who has read Vivekananda cannot possibly put him on the sides of “bigots, chauvinists and the people who are giving Hinduism a bad name”.
“Vivekananda spoke for most part in English and many of you know, and so I actually read the original. I can tell you what he believe in what he stood for,” Tharoor added amid the audience laughter.
“When these people (Hindutva brigade) for example highlight a sentence like ‘Arise, awake and stop not’ and ‘be proud of being a Hindu’, what does Vivekananda want us to take pride in? He wanted us to take pride in precisely this – the acceptance of our faith,” he said.
He said that people in the name of Hinduism “blasphemously citing Vivekanada” are indeed trying to light the fire of inquisition against others.
Earlier, giving a glimpse of his work, Tharoor stressed that Hinduism does not preach tolerance – for that is condescending – but acceptance of others faiths to be equally true.
Calling Hinduism as “universal” and “faith for the 21st century”, he equated the religion with an “open source operating system” on which others could build apps to be deployed in the “receptive hardware of human brain”.
–IANS
mak/vd
National
Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok
Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.