VIDEO: This army officer’s take on religion has gone viral for all the right reasons

Col Saurabh Singh Shekhawat in the video recounted the time when he was punished for saying he was a Hindu Rajput. (Source: Raghu Raman/Twitter)

It goes without saying that communal disharmony is one of the most glaring problems that has been plaguing the society for a long time now. And the recent Padmaavat controversy — where widespread protests were held against the film as it was believed that it maligned the Rajput community— only affirms this. However, a video of Col Saurabh Singh Shekhawat, one of the most decorated serving army officers, provides a timely reminder on what the army and humanity (should) stand for. The video, which was shared by Raghu Raman, an ex-army man, shows Shekhawat recounting his early training days when he was punished for calling himself a “Hindu Rajput”.

“In Army, you live in a very, very pluralistic, secular society, and you act like a unit…. When I was commissioned and when I joined special forces (SF), I was asked what is your religion and what is your caste. I said I am a Hindu Rajput,” Shekhawat says in the clip. He was then told to take a dip in dirty water as punishment. “I went and took a dip and I realised I had said something wrong. He asked me again and then I said that my religion is SF and my caste is SF,” he adds. To this he was told, “You’re an officer, and your religion is the religion which is of your boys. If your boy is a Hindu, you are a Hindu. If your boy is a Sikh, you are a Sikh. If your boy is a Christian, you are a Christian and if your boy is a Muslim, you are a Muslim. So, as an officer, you are everything.” At the end of the video he says that “if we apply this template in the country, most of the problems will be solved”. Although it is not clear in which context Shekhawat said these words but the video that was shared on February 6 has now gone viral. 

Watch the video here.

If you had to listen to one man today. #OneTalkToday
Who – Col SS Shekhawat, CO 21 Special Forces, the most decorated serving officer.

Why – In one minute he gives a lesson more powerful than all politicians put together @atahasnain53 @rwac48 @rajeev_mp @ragarwal @priyaramani pic.twitter.com/J08KCE0KGA

— Raghu Raman (@captraman) February 7, 2018