Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) joint general secretary Manmohan Vaidya emphasized that India is a nation that celebrates diversity within the framework of a single culture, and that the wheel on the national flag, the \u201cDharma Chakra,\u201d symbolizes a foundational principle that unites the entire society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking at an event on Wednesday, Vaidya said, \u201cWe do not have different cultures, but one culture with diverse celebrations.\u201d He also drew a distinction between \u2018dharma\u2019 and \u2018religion,\u2019 stating that the two are not the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe wheel on the tricolour is the \u2018Dharma Chakra\u2019\u2014a symbol of the societal foundation. Institutions like the Supreme Court, Lok Sabha, and Rajya Sabha all use the term \u2018dharma,\u2019 which points to its deeper meaning beyond religion,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Criticizing the term \u2018dharmanirapeksha\u2019 (secular), Vaidya noted, \u201cThere is no equivalent of the word \u2018exclusion\u2019 in Indian languages, because our culture is inherently inclusive.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Highlighting India\u2019s spiritual values, Vaidya said, \u201cEvery soul is potentially divine, regardless of gender. Only Bharat believes this. In contrast, countries like the US denied women voting rights until much later.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He also spoke about self-reliance, saying, \u201cA swadeshi society is one that is least dependent on the state. During colonial rule, swarajya was the goal. Now that we have achieved it, society must be empowered to realize its own strength.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Referring to freedom fighter Vinoba Bhave\u2019s ideals, he reiterated that increasing state dependency weakens a society, and that the strength of Bharat lies in its self-sustaining, value-driven social structure.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) joint general secretary Manmohan Vaidya emphasized that India is a nation that celebrates diversity within the framework of a single culture, and that the wheel on the national flag, the \u201cDharma Chakra,\u201d symbolizes a foundational principle that unites the entire society. Speaking at an event on Wednesday, Vaidya said, \u201cWe do […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3065,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-3064","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-national"},"yoast_head":"\n