I am grateful to you for sending me a copy of “Time for Stock Taking” by Dr. S. Godbole.

I fully agree with his contentions.

Hindus, throughout the ages, especially our so-called ‘MAHATMAS’, never understood the Muslim mind and fell an easy prey to Muslim manipulations. Hindus were always on the defensive for no reason at all, (see my enclosed letter to Organiser weekly, Delhi, dated 2.8.1996, as an example).

To me slogans such as “SARVA DHARMA SAMBHÃVA” or its new avatar “SARVA PANTH SAMÃDAR MANCH” are expressions of hypocrisy, just to get votes (same tactics as of the Congress party).

We have to be more straight-forward now. The time has come when we have to be hard-hitting without mincing any words. These “goody-goody” writings or talks, trying not to offend anybody, are out of date.

If necessary, we have now to warn everyone to behave properly if they want to stay in this country or else they will be thrown out lock, stock, and barrel.
 

We do not understand why we Hindus have to be apologetic about the mention of “Durga” in the above song, and try to give some other explanation, or even get certificates about the same from Muslim scholars that the “Durga” in Vande Mataram is not the Hindu Goddess but our Motherland (Organiser, 4.8.96).

This has been going on throughout the last 100 years, the same arguments - of the Congress type, ‘Hindu Secularists’ and Muslim League type to ‘Islamic Secularist’ of our country.

I would like to clearly point out that Bankim’s Durga means both our Motherland and Hindu Goddess Durga, a symbol of the ‘Mother’ of all Indians. Conception of Durga in Indian minds is much more ancient and older than the advent of Christianity or Islam in this country. Those who object to this conception of ours, should leave this country and find some other motherland.

It is high time we stop all the silly controversies about Vande Mataram and insult Bankim and our countrymen to whom this is the most sacred song of Free India.

Recently, Mankind, the journal founded by Rammanohar Lohia, derided Vande Mataram as “Hindu”. I would like to point out to the publication that, even if it is ‘Hindu’, what is wrong there in a Hindu majority country? Why do we have to denigrate the great patriotic composition all the time?

Is it just because it inspired our Freedom Movement that the Indian Underdogs of the British Raj cry against it?
 

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