Governor Om Prakash Kohli has said that the Sanatan Dharm is India’s real national identity. This is universal and eternal. It needs to be defined and expressed in the modern context. He was speaking at the inaugural session of lok Manthan, a three-day event of Nation First-thinkers and practitioners organised jointly by the Department of Culture, Bharat Bhavan and Pragya Pravah.
Kohli said that the colonial mindset has assumed multiple dimensions. It exists in the form of markets, products, lifestyle and even globalisation. It needs to launch a strong Swadeshi movement to combat its ill-effects. He said that if national identity is stronger, no type of form of colonial mindset can harm it. He said that national identity and Sanatan Dharm however sometimes skip prominence and therefore need to be made more relevant.
The Governor said that people of India could manage to protect their identity despite attacks by Mughals but English rule brought more harm. The Bhakti movement however sustained India's cultural identity. He said that despite menacing Mughal rule, India did not accept Hijri samvat or calendar.
The Sarsahkaryavah of RSS, Suresh Soni in his keynote address said that India's national identity must express itself in everyday’s life and in every sector and subject. He said that India's local life reflects the philosophy of Oneness, which can help keep away the ill-effects of colonial approach. Elaborating the difference between the notions of Rashtra and the Nation, he said that India as a Rashtra always helped others by giving them knowledge and skill. The national identity should be used as an instrument of change, he added saying that India has always remained one and unified only because of an organic linkage among many identities.
Mahamandleshwar of Juna Akhara Swami Avdheshanand Giri observed that the science has snatched serenity from humans and has made the mental consciousness dull.
Referring to the Holy Scriptures, he said that the Indian philosophy has always stressed on the wellness of mind and not on material gains. He said the world is a market in the Western thinking while Indian philosophy believes that the world is a family. He said that tendency of consumption is increasing. Tendency of storing and amassing wealth is not good for the society. Referring to the recent decision, he said that this will put an effective check on the tendency of amassing money. He described it as a decision, which will bring about a big change in India saying that India's transformation will take place faster. Member of Rajya Sabha Shri Vinay Sahastrabuddhe threw light on the concept and outline of the event.
In his welcome speech, the Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chauhan said that the state has successfully organised six major events relating to the tradition of nationalistic thinking. Elaborating about the greatness of India, he said that India’s civilization was in a very advance stage when many of today's so-called developed nations were still to be born. He said that India has given the world many noble thoughts and concepts. The state government will spread the outcome of the lok Manthan, he added. The guests released books on the occasion. Minister of State for Culture Surendra Patwa presented mementos to the guests. Principal Secretary Culture Manoj Shrivastava gave vote of thanks.
Speaker Vidhan Sabha Sitasaran Sharma, former Union Minister Murali Manohar Joshi, convener of Pragya Pravah Sadanand Sapre, State’s Minister for Water Resources, Public Relations and Parliamentary Affairs Narottam Mishra, Nation First thinkers and researchers were present in a large number.