Congress leader Dr. Udit Raj has bly reacted to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's statement that Indianness (Bharatiyata) is the solution to global problems. Questioning Mohan Bhagwat's views, he said that such Indianness is limited to only 10 percent of the society and the remaining 90 percent do not seem to participate in it.
Udit Raj's Allegation
The Congress leader said that Bhagwat's definition of Indianness is associated with a mindset that divides society into castes and creates walls of hatred. He questioned why Dalits and backward classes are still not living a life of equality today. Udit Raj said, "Dalits still cannot ride horses, untouchability still exists in the society, and even a Dalit President is not allowed to enter temples."
He also said that till date, no major corporate house has given a Dalit or backward person a place in a leadership role. Udit Raj says that talking about Indianness without serious dialogue on issues like poverty, casteism, religious division, and social inequality is just a show.
Indians Settling Abroad
Udit Raj raised a big question about Indianness: if everything is ideal in India, then why are people leaving the country? He claimed that more than 4 million Indians have settled in America so far. "If Indian life values and Indianness are so attractive, then why don't foreign citizens want to settle in India?" He sarcastically said that the Indianness of leaders like Bhagwat is actually for those 10-5 percent of people who exploit the rest and make them serve as Shudras.
The Congress leader alleged that caste inequality is so deeply rooted in India that it is still not possible for ordinary citizens to live a life of equality. He said that until there is equality in the society, the definition of Indianness will remain incomplete.
Bhagwat's Statement
It is noteworthy that on Tuesday, at a program organized by IGNOU and Akhil Bharatiya Anuvrat Nyas in Delhi, Mohan Bhagwat had said that the whole world is struggling with problems due to materialism and now they are looking towards India for solutions. He said that in the last two thousand years, Western ideologies have tried to bring lasting happiness and satisfaction to people's lives, but they have failed.
Bhagwat believes that although science and economic progress have made life easier and more convenient, they have not ended suffering. He described Indian life values and philosophy as the real solution to deal with these problems and appealed to people to adopt them.
