Nationalism

Bharatiya Vichar Kendra director Shri P. Parameswaran said the nation’s concept, which evolved in the West 300 years ago, cannot be applied to Bharat, which is more than 5000 years old. The Bharatiya rashtra concept is totally different from the western nation concept. “Our concept of rashtra is embedded in the Prithvi Suktam, in 60 stanzas of the Vedas and evolved through tapas and deeksha of rishis. It has no expansionist or economic motives and is for total welfare of citizens. Prithvi Suktam is a prelude to Vande Mataram, a link to our civilisation. Similarly, dharma is misunderstood as religion. Our dharma is an umbrella or security for various religions. It has been the refuge of all persecuted people of the world. We see all faiths as path to god. Dharma can be partially described as ‘national righteousness.’ Quoting Samuel P. Huntington, Shri Parameswaran said world is returning to religion and a war is going on between crusade and Islamic terrorism. “In the US only a white Anglo-Saxon Protestant (WASP) is considered the true inheritor of US culture. The communists who earlier considered India a union of states are slowly accepting the nation theory due to rise of nationalist spirit in India,” he added.