Remembering Swami Vivekananda’s Chicago Speech on 9/11, 1893

Today is 9/11 and its invocation year after year following the horrific destruction of twin towers of New York on that day in 2001 and series of other attacks on several other US establishments by fanatics sent shock waves through the world. In our own history, 9/11 is refreshingly associated with Swami Vivekananda’s acclaimed speech on that day in 1893 at the World Parliament of Religions held in Chicago and Mahatma Gandhi’s First Satyagraha launched on the same day in 1906.

It is pertinent to reflect on Vivekananda’s spellbinding utterances in his Chicago speech outlining not only the universal values of tolerance but also of acceptance. It was that illuminating speech which made him a celebrity commanding the attention and admiration of people across US.

In the context of twenty first century world, specifically India, confronting the alarming trend of polarization of society and lynchings of people on the basis of their faith and food they eat, Vivekananda’s Chicago speech is of enormous importance.

Attack on Culture of Tolerance and Acceptance

Swamiji proudly proclaimed, “We believe not only in universal toleration, but we accept all religions as true”. He proceeded to emphatically add “I am proud to belong to a nation which has sheltered the persecuted and the refugees of all religions and all nations of the earth. I am proud to tell you that we have gathered in our bosom the purest remnant of the Israelites, who came to Southern India and took refuge with us in the very year in which their holy temple was shattered to pieces by Roman tyranny. I am proud to belong to the religion which has sheltered and is still fostering the remnant of the grand Zoroastrian nation”.

He who explained India’s civilisational heritage rooted as much in culture of toleration as in acceptance would have been horrified to see the negation of his utterances by those who wield power by securing the mandate of the people and taking oath of allegiance to the Constitution providing for coexistence of all faiths within the framework of secularism. He who understood India in terms of its composite identity based on what he called a “Vedantic brain and Islamic body” would have been deeply hurt to note that Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi in his election speeches in 2024 spewed venom against Muslims with impunity and sullied the age old heritage of our civilisation marked by coexistence of all faiths. It is all the more tragic that Modi who considers Vivekananda as his idol is saying and doing something completely contrary to the words and deeds of Swamiji.

Mohan Bhagwat’s Assault on the Vision of Vivekananda

Even earlier in 2018 on the occasion of the 125th anniversary of Swami Vivekananda’s Chicago speech the RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat while speaking in the same venue where Swamiji spoke in 1893 used the uncharitable word "dogs" to obliquely refer to other faiths. While claiming in his speech that Hindus have no aspirations of dominance and the community would prosper only when it worked as a society he disparaging said, "If a lion is alone, wild dogs can invade and destroy the lion. We must not forget that."

What Bhagwat said six years back when Swamiji’s historic speech was being celebrated, brought out a sinister design to proclaim supremacist idea on the basis of his attempts to draw parallel between lion and Hinduism and refer to other faiths as wild dogs.

So while RSS Chief trampled upon the vision of Vivekananda in 2018, six years later, Modi smashed the ideals of tolerance and acceptance so eloquently uttered by Swamiji in 1893 by targeting Muslims of India with hate filled speeches while seeking mandate of the people.

“Sectarianism, Bigotry and its Horrible Descendant, Fanaticism”

Swami Vivekananda towards the end of his Chicago speech talked about perils of a closed mind-set arising out of sheer narrowness and, blind and uncritical adherence to a particular denomination. He painfully remarked, “Sectarianism, bigotry, and its horrible descendant, fanaticism, have long possessed this beautiful earth. They have filled the earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilization and sent whole nations to despair”.

“Had it not been for these horrible demons,” he continued, “human society would be far more advanced than it is now”. Exuding optimism he affirmed, “But their time has come; and I fervently hope that the bell that tolled this morning in honour of this convention may be the death-knell of all fanaticism, of all persecutions with the sword or with the pen, and of all uncharitable feelings between persons wending their way to the same goal”.

The hope of ending “….all persecutions with the sword or with the pen, and of all uncharitable feelings between persons wending their way to the same goal”, which Vivekananda hoped for in 1893, has been tragically dashed by none other than those who swear by his name. It was evidenced by what Bhagwat’s outrageous remarks in 2018 and Modi’s vilification of Muslims of India in 2024.

Now that people have given a mandate in 2024 general elections in favour of a strong opposition and Modi and his party have failed to secure majority in the Lok Sabha the utterances of Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi in America and earlier in the Lok Sabha that all religions talk of a fearless posture, Abhay Mudra, sound so refreshing in face of hatred being spread by employing religion of majority people.

Unity of All Faiths

While addressing the final session of the World Parliament of Religions on 27th September 1893 Vivekananda very thoughtfully said, “If the Parliament of Religions has shown anything to the world it is this: It has proved to the world that holiness, purity and charity are not the exclusive possessions of any church in the world, and that every system has produced men and women of the most exalted character. In the face of this evidence, if anybody dreams of the exclusive survival of his own religion and the destruction of the others, I pity him from the bottom of my heart, and point out to him that upon the banner of every religion will soon be written, in spite of resistance:

"Help and not Fight," "Assimilation and not Destruction," "Harmony and Peace and not Dissension."”

Those utterances are of critical significance for coexistence, peace and harmony in society often marred by venomous utterances by those entrusted with the responsibility to govern India.

S N Sahu Served as Officer on Special Duty to President of India K R Narayanan.