The time is ripe for India to contribute original ideas to the emerging new world order. Climate change and holistic healthcare, as propounded by the ancient Indian system of medicine, and innovation are some of the areas, which India can contribute, said senior BJP leader Ram Madhav.
He was speaking at a discussion, organised to mark the launch of his book ‘The Hindutva Paradigm,’ here on Friday evening.
Mr. Ram Madhav said that his idea in writing the book was to dispel the myth that Hindutva was a form of extremism that was against other religions. He recalled how Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyay, during the 1960s, had put forth the integral humanist philosophy. Secularism, democracy and capitalism were all post-World War-II ideas, which had contributed to the world order.
Unfortunately, through ancient India has a history of rich culture and traditions, it had not contributed much to the world order, except Mahatma Gandhi’s concept of truth and non-violence. The rest were all European ideas and thoughts. “I do not say they are wrong, they had given us our Constitution and contributed to our growth,” he said.
The Constitution guarantees Fundamental Rights, but duties were added much later during the 1970s with a rider that the “duties are non-enforceable” and were only suggestive. This had given us rights without responsibilities. When the UN Human Rights Commission (UNHRC) had sought suggestions from India, on the rights to be included in its Human Rights Charter, Mahatma Gandhi wrote: “Rights and duties are complementary to each other. When everyone perform their duties, they would automatically get their rights.”
New world order
Mr. Ram Madhav said that India could contribute to the new world order in areas like protection of nature and healthy living. “Ayurveda is about healthy living and not treatment after a disease attacks the human body. India is the only country in the world that has the concept of treating the world as one family, and respects diversity”.
He referred to leaders of various political parties trying to show off their ‘Hindu identity’ in public and hoped that it should not be limited to garner votes in elections.
