Ethical and restrained use of natural resources needed: Suresh Soni

NEW DELHI: Instead of blindly aping the West, India should adapt what is from the outside world to its needs as espoused by BJP ideologue Deendayal Upadhyaya and pursue "ethical and restrained" use of natural resources for development, senior RSS functionary Suresh Soni said today

The concept of integral humanism developed by Upadhyaya could be the answer to major global problems as it sees mankind as part of the larger universe and not separate entity as the West does, he said.

Delivering a keynote address at a seminar on integral humanism organised by India Foundation, Soni said Upadhyaya advocated "ethical and restrained" use of natural resources to fulfill developmental needs, which is the need of hour as the world grapples with climate warming due to environmental degradation.

Upadhyaya propagated abundance in production, equity in distribution and restrain in consumption and said humanity was not separate from the nature but integrated to it, Soni said while expounding on the former RSS pracharak-turned-Jana Sangh leader's worldview, a major source of the ruling BJP's ideology.

"Many people say ancient India was the best. Upadhyaya believed in continuity of change and did not present India to be a shadow of old India. He also did not want it to be a reflection of Russia or USA.

"He believed in adapting what is from the outside world to Indian needs and changing what is from the inside to the needs of present times. He said we should discard what is no longer needed," Soni, who was earlier RSS pointsman for BJP, said while calling for developing his thoughts further.