Reference to Sanatan, Hindu evokes baffling reaction in India: Dhankhar

The vice president said at a time when global disciplines are embracing the Vedanta philosophy, there are "some in this land of spirituality", who dismiss Vedanta and Sanatani text as "regressive".

New Delhi: Lamenting that MPs in Rajya Sabha are “never in dialogue”, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Friday said the lawmakers will be “more receptive” if they study Vedanta while claiming that reference to ‘Sanatan’ dharma or texts and ‘Hindu’ evokes “baffling reactions” from “misguided” people who are driven by a “dangerous ecosystem”.

Addressing the International Congress of Vedanta organised at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) here, also said a section “camouflages their destructive thought process” by “perverted versions of secularism” to dismiss Vedanta and Sanatani text as “regressive” at a time when global disciplines are embracing the Vedanta philosophy.

Emphasising that at its core Vedanta promotes dialogue, he said this dialogic tradition shows how different viewpoints can coexist while maintaining philosophical rigour and as Rajya Sabha Chairman he has tried his best.

“Rajya Sabha is house of elders, council of states, the upper house and there we are never in dialogue. I am sure if the members of parliament are led to study Vedant philosophy they will surely be more receptive,” he said.

He said citizens should generate pressure on those who fail to perform their duty and they do it when a doctor or a lawyer or a public servant is not performing duty.

“...but why don't you be in high decibel agitation to deal when your representatives don't do their duty. Their actions are not in conformity with the essence of Vedant philosophy,” he said.

Urging people to get back to cultural roots, he reminded that India has one of the oldest civilisations, which in several ways is unique and unparalleled.

“Ironically and painfully, in this country, reference to Sanatan, reference to Hindu, evokes baffling reactions beyond comprehension. Rather than understand the depth of these words, their deep meaning, people tend to be in reaction mode, at the drop of a hat...These are souls that have misguided themselves, driven by a dangerous ecosystem that is a threat not only to the society but to themselves,” he said.

Emphasising global disciplines are embracing the Vedanta philosophy and India's ancient wisdom, he said they are “exploiting our gold mine” and when the world faced Covid-19, Atharva Veda dominated because it was encyclopaedic on health. “They are doing it but…some in this land of spirituality, dismiss Vedanta and Sanatani texts as regressive,” he said.

He said such dismissal often stems from “perverted, colonial mindsets, inefficient understanding of our intellectual heritage” and these elements act in a “structured” and “in a sinister fashion”. He said they “camouflage their destructive thought process by perverted versions” of secularism and it is “very dangerous”.

Dhankhar said it is the duty of every Indian to expose such elements who provide a shield of secularism to “such misdeeds” because one has to remember that we are Indians.

“Indianness is our identity. Devotion to nationalism is our religion and there can be no other thought about it. A new thing is coming up, I am the only one who is right, everyone else is wrong. This is the height of ignorance…It reflects arrogance in extremity, steadfastly clinging to one's stance as absolute truth and refusing to consider other viewpoints these days dominates public discourse,” he said.