E-Paper
Bhopal: Semitic beliefs led to eco degradation, says RSS functionary
Emphasising that ‘Bhartiya way’ was the best way to tackle challenges posed by climate change, a senior RSS leader termed Semitic beliefs as one of the causes for environmental degradation.
Emphasising that ‘Bhartiya way’ was the best way to tackle the multi-dimensional challenges posed by climate change, senior Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh leader Suresh Soni on Saturday alleged that one of the contributory causes for environmental degradation and overexploitation of Nature according to some scholars was because of Semitic belief that God, created the world in six days, ending with the creation of mankind on the sixth day and that the whole creation was meant for Man.
Soni made these remarks in his keynote address on day one of the two-day National Conference on Climate Change and Indian ethos that began here on Saturday. The conference is being organised by urban development and environment department and Environment Planning and Coordination Organisation(EPCO).
Referring to the work of some Western scholars, Soni said many have questioned why there had been no widespread environmental degradation during last 2000 years if Semitic creation mythology had contributed in creating the mind-set responsible for overexploitation of Nature. "The answer lies in the fact that now science and technology has given man the power to do so on a large scale," he said.
While elaborating how environmental activism emerged in West over the last few decades, Soni stressed that in India, people have been worshiping Mother Earth since aeons and believe that consciousness pervades everything and as such there is difference in their mind-set towards environment. " Now if we have to deal with climate change and save our environment, we have to take a multi– dimensional approach that includes four aspects-philosophical, psychological , economical and lifestyle," he said.
Soni also said that instead of just indulging in over consumption , people should also contribute in replenishing and giving something back to Nature.
Earlier Shivraj Singh Chouhan in his address stressed how ‘Indian way’ emphasised on the ‘holistic and integrative’ approach while, the Western approach towards environment remained ‘reductionist’. "We worship trees, we call rivers our mother, our deities have animals and birds as their vehicles. Our ethos is in synergy with the whole sacred environment," he said.
Soni also released the Madhya Pradesh State Action Plan on Climate Change, while chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched the Madhya Pradesh Climate Change Knowledge Web Portal (www.skmcc.net). Urban administration Kailash Vijaywargiya , health minister Narotam Mishra and transport minister Bhupinder Singh were also present on the occasion.
