Indian Political Discussion

Gautam said:
How mid-day meals are prepared for over 1.75 million children in India
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On a serious note, a lot of missionary schools are coming up in the South particularly in TN & Andhra funded by Protestant evangelising groups in the West particularly the US.

One of the attractions is a mid day meal and breakfast. In the guise of education a great deal of proselytization also goes on in an active manner. Members here should consider donating to Akshay Patra. It's one thing sitting in front of a PC railing against these missionaries asking for a blanket ban on them. It's another thing to support organizations that are through their efforts directly and indirectly counteracting these missionaries. Let's put our money where our mouth is .
 
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_Anonymous_ said:
On a serious note, a lot of missionary schools are coming up in the South particularly in TN & Andhra funded by Protestant evangelising groups in the West particularly the US.

One of the attractions is a mid day meal and breakfast. In the guise of education a great deal of proselytization also goes on in an active manner. Members here should consider donating to Akshay Patra. It's one thing sitting in front of a PC railing against these missionaries asking for a blanket ban on them. It's another thing to support organizations that are through their efforts directly and indirectly counteracting these missionaries. Let's put our money where our mouth is .
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The ISKON is actively involved in the mid day meal programme in Karnataka, although there have been some controversy about the menu and stuff, but mostly its participation has been well received. Other than ISKON i don't see any Hindu religious organization taking active interest in such welfare programs. Its one thing to keep complaining that Christian missionaries are indulging in conversion in the guise of social welfare schemes, but what has prevented the Hindu groups from taking up welfare schemes among the underprivileged sections of the society. I think Hindu religious groups, many if not all of them, still have not come out of their casteist mindset and never accepted the underprivileged sections of the Hindus society, esp the dalits and the tribals as part of the larger Hindu society and actively work towards their emancipation.
 
S. A. T. A said:
The ISKON is actively involved in the mid day meal programme in Karnataka, although there have been some controversy about the menu and stuff, but mostly its participation has been well received. Other than ISKON i don't see any Hindu religious organization taking active interest in such welfare programs. Its one thing to keep complaining that Christian missionaries are indulging in conversion in the guise of social welfare schemes, but what has prevented the Hindu groups from taking up welfare schemes among the underprivileged sections of the society. I think Hindu religious groups, many if not all of them, still have not come out of their casteist mindset and never accepted the underprivileged sections of the Hindus society, esp the dalits and the tribals as part of the larger Hindu society and actively work towards their emancipation.
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The RSS is doing a lot of work among the Adivasis & Dalits. This also includes education. Unfortunately, the less said about the curriculum the better . It's deeply slanted towards mythologising history and demonising other religions. In other aspects it conforms to the state prescribed syllabus. They aren't the only ones. There's the Chinmayanand schools, the Arya Samaj run schools, the Sri Sri Ravi Shankar schools among others though these cater to the upper crust of the Sanaatan Society.
 
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_Anonymous_ said:
The RSS is doing a lot of work among the Adivasis & Dalits. This also includes education. Unfortunately, the less said about the curriculum the better . It's deeply slanted towards mythologising history and demonising other religions. In other aspects it conforms to the state prescribed syllabus. They aren't the only ones. There's the Chinmayanand schools, the Arya Samaj run schools, the Sri Sri Ravi Shankar schools among others though these cater to the upper crust of the Sanaatan Society.
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No doubt RSS and other Hindu cultural groups are doing a lot of good work, but like you said its mostly a reaction to what the missionaries do and not borne out of any internal catharsis. Just like missionaries, Hindu groups also see the Dalits and socially ostracized communities as tools in a war of religious demographics. As a upper caste Hindu i have no shame in admitting that , on one hand we don't want other regions poaching on the dalits and other untouchable groups, but at the same time we refuse to embrace them as our social equals. This same attitude pervades among our Hindu religious organizations.

Acitve attempts for social outreach is another important thing. In Bangalore in all these years only ISKON has ever tried to contact me, soliciting donations for charity and shared details of the charity programmes. I have never been approached by anyone else. Of course other groups may be sufficient in funds and don't want charity, but reaching out to members of the Hindu community for charity is way of involving
them in community related programmes.
 
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S. A. T. A said:
No doubt RSS and other Hindu cultural groups are doing a lot of good work, but like you said its mostly a reaction to what the missionaries do and not borne out of any internal catharsis. Just like missionaries, Hindu groups also see the Dalits and socially ostracized communities as tools in a war of religious demographics. As a upper caste Hindu i have no shame in admitting that , on one hand we don't want other regions poaching on the dalits and other untouchable groups, but at the same time we refuse to embrace them as our social equals. This same attitude pervades among our Hindu religious organizations.

Acitve attempts for social outreach is another important thing. In Bangalore in all these years only ISKON has ever tried to contact me, soliciting donations for charity and shared details of the charity programmes. I have never been approached by anyone else. Of course other groups may be sufficient in funds and don't want charity, but reaching out to members of the Hindu community for charity is way of involving
them in community related programmes.
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I'd say missionary work in Christianity coupled with education has a very old heritage. The RSS isn't even 100 years old. Except for the Arya Samaj that holds true of every other Sanaatan organization. We may be an ancient civilization and the oldest surviving religion but we are also parochial, notoriously unorganized and fractious. That's what prompted these Christian organizations to harvest souls out here. I'd give these Sanaatan organizations the benefit of doubt. They need time to fine tune their act.

As regards the weaponization of such depressed classes, I imagine that's one of the points in the RSS agenda but then I suspect their approach would be the same were they to establish a school for the upper castes as well. That's just how they're wired. Which is why I highlighted the points - mythologising history and demonization of the Abrahamic Religions through a very narrow & selective reading of such a mythologised history.
 
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_Anonymous_ said:
I'd say missionary work in Christianity coupled with education has a very old heritage. The RSS isn't even 100 years old. Except for the Arya Samaj that holds true of every other Sanaatan organization. We may be an ancient civilization and the oldest surviving religion but we are also parochial, notoriously unorganized and fractious. That's what prompted these Christian organizations to harvest souls out here. I'd give these Sanaatan organizations the benefit of doubt. They need time to fine tune their act.

As regards the weaponization of such depressed classes, I imagine that's one of the points in the RSS agenda but then I suspect their approach would be the same were they to establish a school for the upper castes as well. That's just how they're wired. Which is why I highlighted the points - mythologising history and demonization of the Abrahamic Religions through a very narrow & selective reading of such a mythologised history.
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The dilemma in education is understandable. Upper caste groups and organization still believe that casteism was a British/Leftist invention and that the social apartheid practiced in India was a benevolent system, much loved by everyone until the British and leftist came along and corrupted it. Would upper caste funded education institutions, working among the Dalits, ever tell those people the truth about the system that deprived them of their human dignity. For that to happen a genuine sense of compassion for all Hindu communities must develop among us Hindus.
 
S. A. T. A said:
The dilemma in education is understandable. Upper caste groups and organization still believe that casteism was a British/Leftist invention and that the social apartheid practiced in India was a benevolent system, much loved by everyone until the British and leftist came along and corrupted it. Would upper caste funded education institutions, working among the Dalits, ever tell those people the truth about the system that deprived them of their human dignity. For that to happen a genuine sense of compassion for all Hindu communities must develop among us Hindus.
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Why do you think most upper cast organisations believe that casteism was good until British ruined it? And what is an upper cast organisation btw?
 
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