Guwahati (Assam) [India]September 23 (ANI): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said that India is “not a constitutional democracy” but a “civilizational democracy”.
“Bharatvarsha is not just a nation-state that arose in the 19th century, but a living entity. India nurtures one of the oldest civilizations in the world. The sense of Indian identity is not a phenomenon of the 19th century, when India began to imagine itself as a nation-state. . The meaning of India is the civilizational continuity of the last few millennia. True, the European colonial powers could not destroy the ancient beliefs and traditions of the indigenous population of India. This is because of the inner strength of the Sanatan civilization, which remained invincible to the European powers,” said Sarma.
Speaking at the inaugural program of the 3rd edition of Lokmanthan 2022, the Assam Chief Minister said that the main characteristic of Indian civilization is that it does not see the country only as an inert political entity.
“For us, our nation is like our Mother, the bright goddess, whose every geographical face – landscapes-rivers-hills and mountains – finds a place in the poems and hymns of the Indian scriptures. The Northeast profoundly enriched the great ancient Indian The eminent 15th century Vaishnava saint Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardev was the first to associate Bharatvarsha with Assam and call it his homeland,” he said.
Citing eminent litterateur Birinchi Kumar Barua, Sarma said the litterateur commented that the concept of India as our motherland was conceived by Sankardeva five centuries ago who wanted people to be proud of being born in his holy land of Bharatvarsha like India. a huge opportunity for the development of moral and spiritual capabilities of a person.
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar inaugurated the 3rd edition of Lokmanthan 2022 on Thursday at Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra in Guwahati in the presence of Assam Governor Prof Jagdish Mukhi and Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Organized by Prajna Pravah along with Intellectual Forum for North East in collaboration with Assam Tourism Development Corporation, Lokmanthan 2022 is organizing a national colloquium with ‘Lok Parampara of India’ as the main theme which will witness a detailed discussion on the culture, traditions of the country with special focus on north-east
The Assam Chief Minister said that drawing on the strength of India’s ancient ethos, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spearheaded the Punarnirmaan Bharatbwarshi movement.
“This movement is aimed at reviving the 5,000-year-old culture and civilization of our country. This movement is aimed at achieving the rights and dignity of the underprivileged, fulfilling the dreams of millions of Indians. This movement is also aimed at creating a powerful image of India in the global landscape and the country’s emergence as Biswaguru,” said Dr. Sarma.
Against this backdrop, Sarma also said that the cultural heritage of Northeast India continues to enrich the great Indian civilization since ancient times.
“Northeast India is rich in nature’s bounty. Mystical nature, legends, wildlife and diverse flora and fauna make it one of the most diverse regions in the world. This region is home to many ethnic groups that have different cultures, languages, traditions, heritage, food habits and lifestyles. This makes the region incredibly bright and colorful. Although the people of the region follow different customs, traditions and beliefs, the one thing that binds the people is their common identity as Indians,” the minister said.
Talking about the folk culture of Assam, Dr. Sarma said that today the consciousness of their folk heritage has been revived among the Assamese people. Due to the foresight and dedicated efforts of pioneers like Suriya Kumar Bhuyan, Birinchi Kumar Barua, Hem Chandra Barua etc., the study of folk culture as an academic discipline took root in the state.
He said that looking at the importance of the ancient wisdom of the indigenous tribal faith and culture of the state, the state government has created a department that will work to promote the faith and culture of the anthropologically indigenous and tribal communities.
The Chief Minister of Assam also said that with its vibrant and rich culture, Assam will definitely contribute to the great success of Lokmanthan in 2022.
He also expressed his gratitude to the organizers for choosing Assam as the host for the intellectual discourse.
Sarma also thanked Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar for releasing his book Chasing the Dream.
On the other hand, Assam Governor Prof. Mukhi said, “Our country Bharat has a unique legacy of knowledge sharing, public discourse and intellectual brainstorming. Lok Manthan is an outpouring of the nation that encourages intellectual discourse to rediscover hidden cultural and traditional treasures in different parts of our country.”He said that India has the oldest civilization in the world and the world has always considered it a land of wealth and wisdom.
“The country is credited with the development of philosophy and mathematics, science and technology of a very high level. The contribution of this great nation to the development of civilization dates back to several thousand years before the Christian era. From the Vedas to the Upanishads to several institutions and eras, Bharat has been revered for its thriving economy, trade, commerce and culture,” the Assam governor added.
He further said, “India’s freedom struggle inspired by Tilak, Gandhi, Aurobindo, Patel, Bose and others had a clear vision of the civilizational consciousness of our past. These leaders led the freedom movement, keeping the Indian way and thoughts at the center of their actions. They had a vision of reconstructing India’s political and economic institutions as the result of a civilizational consciousness that made India one country, one people and one nation.” Prof. Mukhi also said, “After independence, the leaders seemed to have lost the spirit and vision that had freedom movement. They abandoned the vision and accepted the institutional structure of governance created by the British which was completely alien to the Indian worldview. It is unfortunate that these leaders could not understand the inner vitality of India which was the main force responsible for India’s survival despite several attacks and continued foreign n rule. This parasitic view of the leaders during the country’s independence from the British failed to restore the spirit of India.” Appreciating the efforts of the present government, the Assam Governor said that after coming to the helm, efforts are being made to reorient the polity and social system in line with these strengths of the Indian psyche. , to realize future glory.
“We have kept doors and windows open to have a clear understanding of the global scenario and how, without destroying our uniqueness, we can imbibe the best to regain the lost glory for our Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat mission,” added the governor. (ANI)
