Arya Samaj

Shishya

Arya Samaj Leader Wants Gujarat to Explain Their Status

AHMEDABAD (ICNS) -- Swami Agnivesh, president of the World Council of Arya Samaj, says the Gujarat government should explain the religious status of people in Arya Samaj, who do not follow tenets of Hinduism, Jainism or Buddhism.

The swami at a function in Ahmedabad said this as he flayed the Gujarat government for its law meant to check conversion. The state assembly passed amendments to the law on Sept. 19, allowing conversion between different sects of the same faith and between Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.

In explanations the government said law would not object conversion from Shia to Sunni or from Protestant to Catholic. It also thus allows conversions between Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism as the government considers these religions part of the same Hindu religious system.

Swamin Agnivesh said under the circumstances, the government needs to explain the position of Arya-Samajist like him, who abhors the caste system and does not subscribe to the tenets of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.

The renowned ascetic, thinker and social activist was delivering keynote address Oct.2 at the fifth anniversary celebrations of Prashant, the Ahmedabad-based Jesuit Centre for human rights, justice and peace.

The Swami said that “if we want peace, we must address the injustices that are prevalent in our society at every level, and do our best to eradicate them”.

He said the Gujarat government’s Freedom of Religion Law, violated fundamental right as the state has “no business to choose religion for the people”. It should provide people with the basic necessities and amenities of life like food, clothing and shelter.

The Swami also called upon religious leaders of every faith to get out of their Temples, Gurudwaras, Mosques and Churches, and reach out to the poor and marginalized, educate them, empower them to fight the injustices existing in society.

Swami Agnivesh announced the launch of a new movement to be called the “Bharat Navnirman Mahaabhiyan”. He stated that there is no other better place to start this movement than in Gujarat, which has recently seen injustices of every kind flourish and very specially the Gujarat Carnage of 2002.

Besides, there could no more appropriate day than Oct. 2, the birth anniversary day of Mahatma Gandhi, who advocated non-violence to fight all forms of inequality, injustice and tyranny.

He said the new movement would struggle against discriminations based on caste, gender and race besides working to reduce the growing economic disparities between the rich and the poor.