Hindu outfits bask in BJP win, raise pitch on Sanskrit issue

With an aim to unite Hindus across the globe, the World Hindu Congress 2014 (WHC) began in New Delhi on Friday.

New Delhi: Basking in BJP's spectacular victory in Lok Sabha elections, VHP on Friday claimed that "proud Hindus" have come to rule Delhi after 800 years and demanded that Sanskrit be made compulsory in schools.

In the same breath, Vishwa Hindu Parishad patron Ashok Singhal, who was addressing the three-day World Hindu Congress which began here today, also said "many more things will be made compulsory in times to come".

Though he did not make direct reference to the electoral victory of BJP, Singhal, a key figure in the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, said it was after 800 years since Prithviraj Chauhan ruled Delhi that "proud Hindus" have come to rule the capital.

Chauhan is seen by some as the last Hindu king before Muslims and then English ruled the country till its independence in 1947.

Speaking on the row over Sanskrit replacing German as the third language in KV schools, Singhal said the ancient Indian language should be made compulsory.

"There will be many more things made compulsory. This is language of our country. Everything was written in Sanskrit thousands of years ago. If you want to eliminate it, you want to eliminate this country," he told reporters.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said Hindus should "rise" in unison and show "the world leadership based on values".

But it would not be in reaction to anything or against anybody but in keeping with Indian values which have been a teacher to the world, he said.

Bhagwat said world had experimented with various models for over 2000 years and was looking upon Hindu values to show it the way.

"People ask (about Hindu re-emergence) why now, why not

later. What is the opportune time? When you start, that is the right time? Today, people from over 50 countries have come, what can be a better time than this.

"Let's start our walk in all walks of lives; academia, media.... Let's show the world leadership based on values. Let's demonstrate them as Hindus. You will have to deliberate what are our capabilities, can we reach there and how," Bhagwat said.

The head of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the ideological inspiration of the ruling BJP, asked Hindus to be "strong and fearless" so that anybody wishing ill for the world could not stop their work aimed at everybody's welfare.

He was speaking on 'Right time for global Hindu re-emergence and collective efforts of Hindu society' at the World Hindu Congress.

Addressing the gathering, Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama said Buddhism and Hinduism were "spiritual brothers" and noted that ancient Hindu values of non-violence and religious harmony can play a big role in spreading harmony in the world.

He said ancient Indians were "modern Indians" while while modern India was "too much westernised".

In Indian towns, he said, one can find temples everywhere but not centres of study and discussion and, looking at Bhagwat, added that they should pay more attention to their ancient knowledge which they neglected "little bit" while Buddhists have preserved it.