Mysuru: Maintaining that those who blatantly violated the Constitution by promulgating Emergency 50 years ago, are now accusing the NDA Government at the Centre of undermining the Constitution by attempting to change it, senior RSS leader D.M. Ravindra (Da.Ma. Ravindra) said that the Leftists and the so called progressive leaders have only poured water to the false propaganda of  the Congress.

He was speaking at the programme organised under the joint aegis of Sri Jana Jagarana Trust and Manthana,Mysuru,  for the release of the re-print edition of the book ‘Bhugilu’, which contains the explosive stories on the struggles against Emergency imposed 50 years ago, at BSS Vidyodaya school in Krishnamurthypuram here yesterday.

“Most of the younger generation of today do not know much about Emergency. But the younger generation is aware of the false and mischievous propaganda being carried out by the Congress against the NDA Government at the Centre in respect of the Constitution. Even the left parties  and the so-called progressive organisations have joined this false propaganda. Every senior citizen of the country is aware of the dark days of Emergency, when thousands of leaders belonging to the then Opposition parties  were jailed overnight, for no reason. Also Sangh parivar organisations such as RSS, Jana Sangh, Vishwa Hindu Parishat, Rashtrothana Parishat etc., were banned all of a sudden. The then top Opposition leaders too were not spared and sent to jail. Udupi Pejawar Mutt, upon seeing all these developments, wrote a letter to the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi strongly condemning the declaration of Emergency across the country”, Ravindra said.

Maintaining that the RSS was specifically targeted during Emergency, Ravindra asserted that it was Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and other Congress Governments which effected the most number of amendments to the Constitution.

“The book highlights the efforts made by the RSS to save the Constitution. RSS leader Guruji, who was the second Sarsanghchalak had said that Democracy and Socialism are embodied in Hindutva, while the third RSS Sarsanghchalak Balasaheb Deoras had said that apart from Democracy and Socialism, Secularism too was embodied in Hindutva and as such there is no necessity of bringing back these words. All the three will sustain if Hindutva is practised”,  he said.

Arguing that Hindutva means cultural nationalism, Ravindra said that both Culture and Nationalism are embodied in Hindutva. Contending that Hindutva does not mean opposing others, he maintained that Hindutva brings goodness to the entire world.

Noting that it has been 11 years since ‘Swayam Sevaks’ are in power in the country, he said the entire world now wants India and India needs Hindutva.  Observing that Yoga is an integral part of Hindutva, he said it is significant to note that the International Day of Yoga is now being celebrated in as many as 175 countries. More than 20 countries, including some Muslim countries, have conferred their Highest Civilian award on Prime Minister Modi and Sanskrit is being taught in more than 140 countries, which goes to show the growing clout of India in the global scenario, he pointed out.

Former Raichur University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Harish Ramaswamy, Sri Jana Jagaran Trust President R. Vasudev Bhat, MLA T.S. Srivatsa and others were present.