Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, a great social worker, an ageless visionary, a renowned thinker, an expert organiser, a man with admirable intellect and simple personality and a bright sun on the Indian political horizon was born on September 25, 1916 in Nagla Chandrabhan, Mathura in Uttar Pradesh. He was not only a votary of an equitable political system in India but also a great personality who gave the country the progressive philosophy of integral humanism by presenting the eternal philosophy in tune with the times.
The views of Upadhyaya on Indian culture, religion, Indianness, unity and integrity, democracy, political philosophy and social framework leave even his harshest critics and opponents with no choice but to accept that these are indisputable and eternal truths. Moreover his philosophy and views prove that all these are deeply interlinked. First principle of the political philosophy of Deendayal is faith in own culture.
Upadhyaya strongly believed that ‘Work for all’ is the only founding basis of Indian economy. He said, “Just like it is mandatory in a political democracy to give voting rights to every adult citizen, in a similar manner, for the progressive development of democracy, it is essential to provide right or guarantee for work to every person. The work must provide livelihood and the person should have a right to choose. If the person does not get an equitable share of national income in proportion to his work, then that work should be treated as forced labour.”
The present NDA Government under the able leadership of Prime Minister has taken several steps to fulfill the dreams of Upadhyaya. Skill Programme, Pradhan Mantri Mudra Bank Yojana, Stand up-start up scheme are all aimed at providing work to every person.
He believed that human beings should be the focus of all systems and policies. In his historic address at Mumbai, he elaborated the concept of Integral Humanism, “Relying on the existing knowledge in the world and the whole framework of our time-tested traditions, we shall build such an India, which will be even more glorious than the ancient India. A person born in India will develop his personality in such a way as to feel one, not only with the whole humanity, but the whole universe, and will transform himself from a human being to a godly person. This is the eternal divine and flowing form of Indian culture. For the universal man stuck at crossroads, this is our divine vision. ”
I bow my head in respect for the great personality of the 20th century, a saintly person, a great thinker and a patriot to the core, Upadhyaya on his birth anniversary. let us all pray on this auspicious day that the Almighty may give us strength to live by and propagate the ideas, principles and ideals espoused by him and to make the whole world enjoy the bliss of Indian culture.
(The writer is Union Minister for Rural Development)