Mangaluru: Veerabhadra Chennamalla Swamiji of Sri Nidumamidi Mutt on Saturday December 13 said the rich and the powerful must donate part of their wealth to the poor, who are in need of money, and support noble causes rather than pouring their wealth into the temples in the form of gold and valuables.
The Swamiji, known for his progressive thoughts, was delivering the inaugural address at a two-day literary festival, ‘Jana Nudi’, organized by Abhimatha Mangaluru, which comprises of writers and activists. Swamiji said that the temple priests have deceived the rich by saying that yajnas (special prayer) can wash away their sin. Hence, the rich donate gold and valuables to the temples. Instead, the rich should help the poor, he added.
Swamiji gave an example of a politician, who donated golden doors to the temple and subsequently landed in jail. “I had suggested to him, to spend money to provide drinking water, education, good transportation to the people of his constituency. Instead, he dumped part of his wealth on the temples, but God could not save him from landing in jail. Besides, the swamiji also gave an example of another businessman, who too donated gold to the temple, while he failed to pay salary to his employees.
‘Conversion is vote bank politics’
Nidumamidi Swamiji also criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for bluffing people of the country. Narendra Modi came to the power in the name of development. But, his cabinet members are indulging in the glorification of Hindutva. India is a democratic country. It does not belong to the RSS alone, he said.
The RSS and the BJP are interested in conversion and not welfare of the people. “If the Hindu community showed non-discrimination among its own people, no person would have converted in the past, he said. A few converted to other religion due to the suffocation in the community and caste discrimination, he added.
“Conversion is a pre-planned strategy of the BJP during the winter session of the parliament. It’s keen to pass anti-conversion law. Hence, its party members are creating an artificial need in the society, he added.
Instead of building Ram Temple, Uniform Civil Code, the Union Government should launch programs for the welfare of the people. “Bring smile to the poor”, he advised the Union Government.
‘Reach more people’
Congratulating the organizers for its distinct concept, Swamiji asked the organizers to spread progressive thoughts among people. “Jana Nudi should not be limited to few sections of the society. Go to remote places and hold discussions. Bring people to the programme. Enlighten them, he said. Swamiji asked the organizers to hold one state level program every year and many regional level programs.
He asked the organizers to start a separate fund for such programs and involve themselves full time. He donated Rs 10,001 as the first contribution to the corpus fund. Subsequently, many in the audience came forward with their donations.
Swamiji said that Jana Nudi should become a movement to bring change. He also expressed the worry that some businessmen hold literary conventions in a big way but their motive is different. “The writers, poets and activists are made to fall prey for their wealth. This should not happen. Hence, Jana Nudi is a platform created by writers and activists to send a strong message to people who try to buy them”, he said.
Writer Sara Aboobecker said that a sophisticated feeling has been created in the society, where religion gets more importance than humanity. “People treat each other in terms of religion”, she said. The right wing activists are fueling people with wrong thoughts. The word Love Jihad is created by the RSS. She asked the Masjid priests to advise youth to not to engage in cow thefts.
Dalit leader Mavalli Shankar and K. Neela also spoke. The literary conclave will witness a series of programs on different topics. Noted writers and activists are taking part in the event.
