February 20, 2020
The only appeasement I do is for humanity, says Didi at Bharat Sevashram Sangha function
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee attended an elaborate programme to mark the 125th birth anniversary of Bharat Sevashram Sangha founder Swami Pranavananda at Netaji Indoor Stadium.
Here are excerpts from her speech:
My respect, gratitude and greetings to the Maharajs, disciples and members of Bharat Sevashram Sangha. Today is Swami Pranavananda Maharaj’s 125th birth anniversary. We express deep and heartfelt respects to him on this day.
Swami Pranavananda passed away at the age of 45. Even at this early age, he has shown a path to follow, and that is ‘religion is civility, culture, unity, love, being there for the distressed and helping the poor, and being impartial’. This is the religion of mankind. There can be no religion bigger than this.
We love society, we love a united nation. We are ready to sacrifice for the other. But we are never divisive.
The religion that shelters someone in distress, the religion that helps the younger generations to awakening, the religion that respects mothers and sisters, that stands by the oppressed and fights for them, the religion that helps build kindness and is there for those in trouble – that is the religion we follow.
I appreciate Bharat Sevasharam Sangha because they do not give speeches. They do meaningful work in the field. They stand by those who are in trouble.
These days, some people are thinking about an absurd religion. That religion is ‘I will be there, you will not’. I am not in favour of such a religion. The brains of those who speak in these lines have dried up like a desert. We do not want a desert; we want a religion that is green, that can revive a person from bad times and be at his side when he is in distress.
Some people say that I appease Muslims. To them, I say I appease humanity, that humanity that takes along all religions with it. The other name for humanity is service, the other name for service is religion.
Tolerance for all religions, for there are as many paths as there are thoughts. All have to come together to take the nation forward. Build characters in such a way so that Bangla can be in the top position, so that people can bring up people in the right way. Please see to this. Pranam to Dilip Maharaj, and respect and gratitude to all the Maharajs of the Sangha.
