Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, on January 28, said that ‘Hindu’ is a geographical term and those who are born and living in Bharat are Hindus. He said, Sir Sayed Ahmed Khan told the same during the British regime while speaking on the occasion of a reception accorded to him by Arya Samaj. Governor was inaugurating the Hindu Conclave, Kerala Hindus of North America (KHNA) organized, in the state capital. He added that our activities should be based on Hindu values. Even though there were several ancient civilizations in different parts of the world, Bharatiya civilization is the only one which still remains with all feathers intact. Swami Vivekanand had said that those who live for others always command respects.
Governor Khan presented Arsha Dharma Puraskar to Sreekumaran Thampi, renowned poet, lyricist and film maker.
Speaking on the occasion, Sreekumaran Thampi said that there are ignorant blokes who keep on saying that Sanadhan Dharma is nothing but a conglomerate of superstitions. He said, “Come what may, Sanatan Dharma-baiters may say what they want, they can boycott me, but, no force on earth can detach me from Sanatan Dharma.” He sprinkled humorous sarcasm that if “they” boycott himself (Thampi), Kaithapram Damodaran Nambootiri and Prof. Madhusoodanan Nair, our life would be “miserable”! He was referring to poet Sachidanandan’s (former secretary of Kendra Sahithya Academy) call for the boycott of leftist artists who participate in the Conclave.
Accordingly, acknowledged film maker and Left fellow traveler Adoor Gopalakrishnan and chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s press secretary Prabha Varma did not turn up. Thampi lambasted some self-styled writers who come out with the call to “boycott”. He ridiculed them as the people who enjoy euphoria in singing own poems. He did not name Sachidanandan (even though he meant him).
KHNA President G.K. Pillai presided. Prof. V. Madhusoodanan Nair (poet), famous poet and lyricist Kaithapram Damodaran Nambootiri, former Mizoram Governor Kummanam Rajasekharan, Hindu Aikyavedi president K.P. Sasikala Teacher, VHP state president Viji Thampi, Acharya Manoj of Arsha Vidya Samaj, Sri Sakthi Santhanand Maharshi, Siva Sena Pramukh M.S. Bhuvanachandran, Anil Nambiar of Janam TV and BJP leaders Sandeep Vachaspathi and Sandeep Warrier, HNA Trust Board Chairman Dr. Ramdas Pillai and Renjith Pillai spoke on the occasion.
