DINAMALAR NEWSPAPER DATED 1-5-1990 REPORTED ABOUT BBC TAMIL SERVICE WITH MY PHOTO.

WRITTEN BY LONDON SWAMINATHAN

Post No. 10,317

Date uploaded in London – –   9 NOVEMBER  2021         

Contact – swami_48@yahoo.com

Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge.

this is a non- commercial blog. Thanks for your great pictures.

tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com

HALF A CENTURY HABITS DIE HARD

Gopalji alias Rama Gopalan of RSS was Tamil Nadu Pranta Pracharak at the time. Whenever he came to Madurai he always stayed with us. Watching him doing Gayatri mantra 1008 times at 4 am everyday, we also started doing it. But I returned to normal Sandhyavandhanam (Thrice a day ritual of Brahmins) after one or two years. Only my youngest brother continued it.

We were all possessed by RSS ghost/spirits from the day Dr Usharbudh,  of the Department of Sanskrit in Minnesota University, USA spoke in Madurai. He gave an inspiring talk about Vedas. (Later he became a Sanyasi with the name Veda Bharati and attained Samadhi in 2015) There Shivram Jogelekar RSS Pracharak of Madurai region met us (brothers) and introduced RSS to us. It was sometime in 1967. From that day we attended Shakas and I became Jilla Karayavah (Madurai District Secretary of RSS). I held that post until December 31 1986. When I boarded plane for London on First January 1987,  I was given only a six month assignment with the BBC Tamil service. But later BBC extended my contact and I had to stay for longer. Occasionally I attended Hindu Swayamsevak Sang (Sang) meetings in London.

xxx

My over enthusiasm was dampened by rain.

Once I heard that there is a Pro India Demonstration in front of High Commission of India to counter Pakistani Pro Kashmir demo. I went there during winter period and it became dark at 4 pm . There was rain with gusty wind. There was a big police force to maintain security. To my surprise, there were under 10 people including me. Three or four  young girls came with oil lamps and struggled hard to keep it burning; but in the gale force wind it did not survive. My enthusiasm was really dampened.

After Vairamuthu’s criticism of Andal, woman Vaishnavite saint, Vaishnavite Tamils organised a Pro Andal demo in front of High Commission in London. Only 30 ++ people turned, and I was the only Non -Vaishnavite there!! I am writing this with a purpose.

Mahathma Gandhi said MY LIFE IS MY MESSAGE.

I say ‘MY LIFE IS A LESSON (to me)’

In Tamil there is a proverb ‘You cant straighten the tail of a dog’ . Vaishnavites can never be changed. They would come only when their institutions are attacked. They cant understanda wider  Hindu Concept. Even during Durga Puja last month, the Bangladeshi Muslims attacked ISKCON temples. Then they demonstrated in740 ISKCON temples in 170 countries. Other Hindu gods are alien to them. They never come out to give any support. This is another lesson I learnt. Uniting Hindus under one flag is very difficult!

Hindu Forum of Britain has launched a big campaign asking all Hindus to say when the Census Officer is knocking at your door. The stupid Hindus answer the question what is your religion? With I am an Iskcon member, I am a Swaminarayan sect member, I worship only Shiva etc

xxxx

But Individuals can do a lot.

Once I saw an advertisement in Metro Newspaper in London. It is a free newspaper available in every underground station in London. It said Yoga cant cure your head ache, but our XXX tablet can cure head ache etc. I took the cutting and made a complaint to the newspaper. They apologised for allowing such an ADVT. They advised me that I could complain to the ombudsman if I wanted to take the issue any further. I did complain. They forced the company to send me an apology with the promise of not repeating it in future. The lesson is ‘individuals can change the society’.

Very recently Wolverhampton University in England organised a Caste seminar projecting Anti Hindu E V Ramaswami Naicker as a fighter against casteism. The fact of the matter is he was against only Brahmin caste and all  the castes are demanding more and more concessions. But I and my friends objected to it in writing.

I have been a stamp collector for over 60 years. I used to buy the stamps on the date of its issue in Britain. Once I bought the Christmas stamps for that year. I was surprised a woman with Tilak/Bhindi in one of the stamps. This was Christian tactics to attract Hindus into their fold. I wrote to Royal Mail immediately and they apologised to me but told me that they could not with draw them. Immediately I called Ramesh Kallidai, a Tamil who was leading Hindu Forum of Britain at that time. He convened a press conference and conveyed our views. All the Newspapers gave us huge publicity. I wrote to stamp magazines, and they published my letter in the first page.

The lesson is Individuals should not remind silent when something happens to our religion. Newspapers in Britain boasted that Britain is also issuing plastic currency notes. In the printing process animal fat, particularly from cows, was used. Immediately we objected to it. They told us that from 20 pounds currency notes onwards, no animal fat will be used.

Moral-  When you see an injustice don’t remain idle.

Xxxx

Literary and Cultural Association and IIaingnar Narpani Mandram

Before joining RSS, we, brothers and friends,  were running an organisation called Literary and Cultural Association (LCA). Every now and then we invited Tamil Scholars to give talks. When there was none available, we used to conduct Toast Masters Club, where everyone is forced to speak for two minutes on a surprise topic. In short, we were never idle.

Even when Mrs Indira Gandhi banned RSS during 1975 Emergency , we launched a new outfit under the banner IIaingnar Narpani Mandram and went to Tiruppalai village near Madurai to do weekly Free Medical Camp. Villagers from surrounding places used our service and medicine. We did monthly Bhajan and L Ganesan (then RSS Pracharak and now Governor of Manipur) was the main singer. During weekly medical camps at Thiruppalai Village we used to cycle 12 miles singing RSS songs.

During the launch of Vivekananda Rock Memorial in Kanyakumari, we allotted one State every month for the viewing. So people from different states of India went to Kanyakumari via Madurai all through the year. With RSS District Pracharak Shivram Jogelekar and his assistant Krishnamurthy, another young pracharak, we welcomed bus load of people every night and served them. Aat 2 am or 3 am we go to bed and return again in the morning. Life was so busy.

During donation campaign, we went to all the educational institutions and government offices and sold One Rupee Ticket. The idea is every citizen of India must be part of Swami Vivekananda Memorial. Now Ram Janma Bhumi Trust is doing the same.

In the next part I will write WHY LONDON SWAMINATHAN WENT TO JAIL.

I vaguely, very vaguely, remember that a Dumb Astrologer who came to my house wrote something about me going to jail. I was scared to read it. But that came true!!!

To be continued………………………………….

 

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