Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'BJP should modernize Hindu Culture' that was published in Newsband

BJP should modernize Hindu Culture

The Bharatiya Janata Party government has been striving to pursue a growth-and-development-oriented agenda with a firm emphasis on the economic and foreign policy fronts. It is using perfectly the Ministries related to culture, information, education and human resources. The choice of Gajendra Chauhan for the post of chairman of the governing council of the Film and Television Institute of India, and other members of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh to be members of the FTII Society is a welcome move. hauhan is better known for his portrayal of the character of Yudhisthira in the popular television serial Mahabharata in the 1980s. The Ministry recently appointed a number of Sangh Parivar and BJP affiliates to the Central Board of Film Certification panel.

The BJP’s victory in 2014 was predicated on its promise of overhauling governance to achieve economic growth and development. There is nothing wrong in BJP using its power to promote the culture of majority community of India viz. the Hindu Culture. It is a negative factor for the students or learners to fight for the appointment instead of putting their time and effort on their aims and objectives. A country grows on rising economy and development but one can't overlook elements essential in long term growth; culture and education and must be nurtured with care.

There is no problem in appointing RSS people on academic and cultural positions. But see to it that these appointed persons are rational lot.

Rational thinking should not evade the RSS persons. Kids should not be made to read that Karna (Mahabharat) and Lord Ganesha proved existence of genetic science and plastic surgery in ancient India. Also the kids should not read that the Taj-Mahal is a Hindu temple. Encourage rationality and not mythology. Talk about real great ancient Indian scientists such as Sushruta (surgery), Budhayana (Pythagorean theorem), Aryabhata (Astronomy and Trigonometry), Bhaskara (Calculus) and so on.

BJP should try to modernize Hinduism. Hinduism could be a good modern religion. It should move away from old traditions and practices that take into account a more modern human understanding. For example, we know about science and hygiene (from a scientific perspective), so it's not a good idea to have cows pooping all over the streets of India. Or touching animal feces or doing anything that is unhygienic. You can still show immense respect and love for cows without having to do all of these things. You could set up beautifully-decorated animal reserves for cows to roam instead.

Also, why do Hindus have to dress up the way people did thousands of years ago. We can still preserve these dress styles and use them during the holidays or something, but why people have to dress like that on a day-to-day basis?

Many Hindus are brainwashed by the customs of their religion. They are not given the right to question the reasons for the habits they follow. If anyone asks he will be treated as 'atheist'. Above all they feel proud to follow the good old habits so long. In India we have education only to get a job to win the bread; never to think deeply. It is high time Hindus tried to modernize their cultural lifestyle.