Published By : Admin |
September 1, 2010 | 19:10 IST
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Friends,
The Home Minister Shri Chidambaramji who represents the Congress government should recall the history of the chair that he now sits which was once occupied by the Iron Man Sardar Patel who added lustre to it. If he recalls this rightly he would not have thought with such a bad intention to coin an imaginary and false term “saffron terrorism.”
This accusation leveled by the Central government is not as if it was said in anger at an election rally. But this was said at a very important and sensitive conference of State police chiefs and Inspector-Generals of Police which he inaugurated. And it was therefore a prepared speech. This mischief cannot be dismissed as an insignificant event. The Central Congress government’s home minister has indeed stepped outside the boundaries of the Constitution when he made such an irresponsible statement. By this statement the security forces and the police have been provoked to act in a certain way against a certain class of people. This is an anti-constitutional behaviour.
The Central government by speaking about saffron terror has gravely insulted its own parent the Congress party itself. The home minister of the nation should be aware that the Congress in 1931 had established the Flag Samiti whose head was Dr Rajendra Prasadji. And the members of this samiti were great men like Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Shri Moulana Azad, Shri Master Tara Singh, Dr Ambedkar, Kakasaheb Kalelkar, Kanhaiya Lal Munishi. The members had recommeded that the national flag of India should be of a single colour and should be of saffron. Then how can the Central Congress government spread canards about ‘saffron terror’?
Friends, the present Tri-colour to which we Indians bow has saffron in its unique glory. The Centre must reply to the people of India whether the Tri-colour has turned into a symbol of terrorism due to its saffron colour?
Friends, in our thousand years of slavery our great patriots in each time period had been sacrificing themselves under the shadow of the saffron flag. Does the Central Congress government desire that in protecting this country’s heritage those who had sacrificied themselves like Guruputras, Chattrapati Shivaji, Rana Pratap and lakhs of brave Kshatriyas had sacrificed at the altar of saffron terror? Should we heap infamy on the bravery and sacrifices as recorded in our age-old Indian history?
Friends, from Vedas to Vivekananda the contribution of our sants and mahants has been eternal as all of them wore saffron-coloured clothes. The saffron-attired young sanyasi Vivekananda had enhanced the prestige of India in the comity of nations. Is this sacrifice of tapasvis like Vivekananda could possibly form part of saffron terror tradition for the Congress government?
The politics of votebanks and appeasement has destroyed this country. This canard of ‘saffron terror’ has been spread as part of a devious political votebank and appeasement game.
The country can never tolerate such dirty political games. Such insult to our great ancient culture can never be tolerated.
Kashi-Tamil Sangamam and a tribute to Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat
January 15, 2026
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A few days ago, I was in the sacred land of Somnath to be part of the Somnath Swabhiman Parv, marking a thousand years since the first attack on Somnath, which took place in 1026. People from all across India had come to be part of this moment of remembrance, united by a shared reverence for history, culture and the enduring spirit of the people of India. During the programme, I met a few people who had previously come to Somnath during the Saurashtra-Tamil Sangamam and had been to Kashi during the Kashi-Tamil Sangamam. Their words of appreciation for such platforms touched me and so, I thought of sharing a few thoughts on this subject.
During one of the Mann Ki Baat programmes, I had said that not learning Tamil is a major regret of my life. Fortunately, over the last few years, our Government has had several opportunities to further popularise Tamil culture across India and to deepen the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat.’ A prime example of such an effort is the Kashi-Tamil Sangamam. In our ethos, Sangam or confluence has a special place. Seen in this light, the Kashi-Tamil Sangamam stands out as a truly distinctive initiative, one that celebrates the living unity of India’s many traditions while honouring their unique identities.
And what can be a better place than Kashi to host such a Sangamam. The same Kashi, which has remained a civilisational anchor from time immemorial… where, for thousands of years, people from all over have come in search of knowledge, meaning and Moksha.
Kashi’s connection with Tamil people and culture is very deep. It is in Kashi that Baba Vishwanath resides, while Tamil Nadu has Rameswaram. Tenkasi in Tamil Nadu is known as Kashi of the south or Dakshin Kashi. Saint Kumaraguruparar Swamigal forged a lasting link between Kashi and Tamil Nadu through his spirituality, scholarship and institution-building. Mahakavi Subramania Bharati, one of Tamil Nadu’s greatest sons, found in Kashi a space of intellectual growth and spiritual awakening. It was here that his nationalism deepened, his poetry sharpened and his vision of a free, united India took clearer shape. There are several such instances that highlight this close bond.
The first edition of Kashi-Tamil Sangamam took place in 2022. I recall attending the inauguration programme. Scholars, artisans, students, farmers, writers, professionals and many others from Tamil Nadu travelled to Kashi, Prayagraj and Ayodhya.
Subsequent editions expanded the scale and depth of this effort. The aim was to keep introducing fresh themes, innovative formats and deeper engagement, thus ensuring that the Sangamam continued to evolve while remaining rooted in its core spirit. In the second edition in 2023, technology was used on a larger scale to ensure that language does not become a barrier for people. In the third edition, the focus was on Indian knowledge systems. At the same time, academic discussions, cultural performances, exhibitions and interactions witnessed greater participation. Thousands of people have taken part in these events.
The fourth edition of the Kashi Tamil Sangamam commenced on 2nd December 2025. The theme picked was very interesting- Tamil Karkalam - Learn Tamil. It presented a unique opportunity for people in Kashi and other parts to learn the beautiful Tamil language. Teachers came from Tamil Nadu and the students of Kashi had a very memorable experience!
There were many other special events this time.
Tholkappiyam, the ancient Tamil literary classic, was translated into 4 Indian languages and 6 foreign languages.
A unique event, Sage Agasthya Vehicle Expedition (SAVE), was undertaken from Tenkasi to Kashi. On the way, various initiatives such as eye camps, health awareness camps, digital literacy camps, among other things, were held. The expedition paid homage to King Adi Veera Parakrama Pandiyan, the great Pandya ruler who spread the message of cultural oneness. There were exhibitions at Namo Ghat, academic sessions at Banaras Hindu University, as well as cultural programmes.
One of the things that makes me most happy about the Kashi-Tamil Sangamam is the participation of thousands of youngsters. It illustrates the passion among our Yuva Shakti to deepen their connect with our roots. It is a brilliant platform for them to showcase their talent and creativity during the various cultural programmes.
In addition to the Sangamam, efforts have been made to make the journey to Kashi memorable for the participants. The Indian Railways operated special trains to take people from Tamil Nadu to Uttar Pradesh. In many railway stations, particularly in Tamil Nadu, they were cheered, and the train journey was marked by melodious songs and conversations.
Here, I would also like to appreciate my sisters and brothers of Kashi and Uttar Pradesh for their warmth and hospitality shown to the delegates of the various Kashi-Tamil Sangamams. Several people opened the doors of their homes for the guests from Tamil Nadu. The local administration worked round the clock to ensure the guests had a seamless experience. As the MP from Varanasi, I could not be prouder!
This time, the valedictory function of the Kashi-Tamil Sangamam was held in Rameswaram and it was graced by the Vice President of India, Thiru CP Radhakrishnan Ji, who is himself a proud son of Tamil Nadu. He delivered a very inspiring address, emphasising India’s spiritual greatness and how such platforms deepen national integration.
The Kashi Tamil Sangamam has delivered meaningful outcomes like strengthening cultural understanding, fostering academic and people-to-people exchanges and creating lasting bonds between parts of the country that share a civilisational ethos. In the coming times, we want to make this platform even more vibrant. Most importantly, it has furthered the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat.’ This spirit has flourished for centuries through our festivals, literature, music, art, cuisine, architecture, systems of knowledge and more.
This time of the year is very auspicious for people across the length and breadth of India. People are enthusiastically marking various festivals like Sankranti, Uttarayan, Pongal, Magh Bihu, which are, among other things, associated with the Sun, nature and farming. These festivals bring people together and deepen the spirit of harmony in our society. I convey my best wishes for these festivals and hope they continue to inspire us to deepen national unity through our shared heritage and collective participation.
