**
Nilesh story on Arlekar at Ravindra bhavan
Photo caption. Speaker Rajendra Arlekar addressing a yoga program at the Ravindra bhavan on Sunday. Photo by Santosh Mirajkar.
Arklekar censures “pseudo-secularists” for seeing “saffronisation” in anything
Some people see religion in everything: Arklekar
THE GOAN / NETWORK
MARGAO: Lamenting the fact that “pseudo-secularists” see “saffronisation” in anything and then use it as an alibi to discard everything, Speaker Rajendra Arlekar stressed on the need of cleansing of the mind along with the body through the process of Yoga.
He was addressing a gathering on the occasion of International Yoga Day held at Ravindra Bhavan, Margao, in association with Oorja Wellness Centre on Sunday at Ravindra Bhavan.
Stating that Yoga is the process of all and sundry, the Speaker questioned the very rationale of associating it with religion. “Yoga is for all. So, where is politics in it? What connection has it got with religion?” he questioned. “In our country, there are some people who see religion in everything. It (Yoga) has got no connection with any religion or customs,” the Speaker added.
He also quoted the oft repeated fact that terrorism is not related to any religion. “But why, then, is religion associated with Yoga?” he quizzed, while expressing concern over the different thought process adopted to visualise such things. “Such forces term anything as saffronisation and then discard it. Such people are pseudo-secularists,” he remarked.
Arlekar traced the origin of secularism in the Western countries and attributed the existence of secularism to various ‘crusades’ there. “Such crusades are not in existence here. When secularism permeated the body politic, the thought process underwent a drastic change,” the Speaker added.
Arlekar said it is high time we use Yoga for the cleansing of the mind along with the whole body.
Subtly referring to the controversy over the Yoga Day, the Speaker said a certain section of the community states that they bow only before the Almighty. “It is also the tradition of our country to pay obeisance to anybody. So, why should we deny our history and think that were are different?” he questioned.
The Speaker also highlighted the need for cleansing of the mind along with the body through the practice of Yoga.
Chairman of Ravindra Bhavan, Margao, Damodar Naik, vice-chairman Chandan Naik and Dr Sneha Bhagwat and Sunil Dhavlikar of Oorja Wellness Centre were also present for the function.
.........
