India came face to face with this inherent trait of RSS when it’s Supremo Mohan Bhagwat in a speech at Hyderabd (April 28, 2024) while reacting to a video (in which a RSS luminary called upon to finish off constitutional Reservation) stated

“Ye galat baat hai, asatya hai (This is wrong, false)…“The Sangh has been supporting all reservation as per the Constitution since the beginning. And, the Sangh says that it should continue as long as those for whom it exists feel that it is necessary…It (reservation policy) should continue as long as discrimination exists in society.”

[‘Lok Sabha elections: RSS joins BJP quota firefight as unease grows’, The Telegraph on Line, Kolkata, April 28, 2024.]

When the founding fathers of the Constitution of independent India made provisions for reservations to Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes, the most prominent ideologue of RSS and 2^nd Supremo of the organization, MS Golwalkar strongly reacted by alleging that the rulers “were digging at the roots of Hindu social cohesion and destroying the spirit of identity that had kept all the various sects in a harmonious whole in the past”.

[Cited in N. L. Gupta, RSS and Democracy (Delhi: Sampradayikta Virodhi Committee, nd., p. 17] He refused to admit that Hindu social system was at the root of the neglect of the lower castes. [Golwalkar, MS., Bunch of Thoughts, selection of writings/speeches/interviews, Sahitya Sindhu Prakashana, Bangalore, 1996 [3^rd edition], p.363.]

When Golwalkar was asked: “What about the protection to Harijans guaranteed in the Constitution and its subsequent extension?” His reply was:

“Dr. Ambedkar had envisaged the special privileges for ‘Scheduled Castes’ for only 10 years from the day we became a Republic in 1950. But it is going on, being extended. Continued special privileges on the basis of caste only, is bound to create vested interests in them in remaining as a separate entity. That would harm their integration with the rest of the society [Hindu society]. [Golwalkar, MS., Spotlights, Sahitya Sindhu, Bangalore, 1974, p. 16.]

For Golwalkar, the real issue was not how to undo the injustice done to the depressed castes [Sudras/Dalits] for thousands of years in the past but “take extra care to see that their separateness is not given fillip.”

[Golwalkar, MS., Spotlights, Sahitya Sindhu, Bangalore, 1974, p. 184] He never accepted the fact that lower Castes were being maltreated in India. While reacting to a big carnage of Dalits in a part of India he wrote on October 14, 1972:

“There is a trend these days to give Harijan-non-Harijan colour even to ordinary happenings, probably out of political motivation and digging a rift in the oneness and solidarity of the people. For immediate benefits-even these doubtful-to sacrifice the lasting good of the people as a whole that is the unfortunate aspect of the trends obtaining now a days. In our work, we have to steer clear of this poisonous trend and do our best to clarify the atmosphere.” [Golwalkar, MS., Shri Guruji Sanmgr Darshan, (selection of his writings/speeches in Hindi), vol. 7, Bhartiya Vichar Sadhna, Nagpur, 1974, p. 244.]

Golwalkar’s hatred for Dalits was outcome of his firm belief in Casteism under which they did not enjoy even right to life. For him Casteism was synonymous with the Hindu nation. According to him, the Hindu people are none else but,

“[The] Virat Purusha, the Almighty manifesting himself…According to purusha sukta sun and moon are his eyes, the stars and the skies are created from his nabhi [navel] and Brahmin is the head, Kshatriya the hands, Vaishya the thighs and Shudra the feet. This means that the people who have this fourfold arrangement, i.e., the Hindu People, is [sic] our God. This supreme vision of Godhead is the very core of our concept of ‘nation’ and has permeated our thinking and given rise to various unique concepts of our cultural heritage. [Italics as in the original]

[Golwalkar, MS., Bunch of Thoughts, pp. 36-37.]

This was nothing but a re-phrasing of Manu’s inhuman anti-Sudra codes. Golwalkar refused to accept that Casteism was a bane to Hinduism or hindered the feeling of unity among Hindus.

“Persons interested in calumniating Hindus make much of the caste system, the ‘superstitions’, the want of literacy, the position of women in the social structure, and all sorts of true or untrue flaws in the Hindu Cultural Organization, and point out that the weakness of the Hindus lies solely in these.”

[Golwalkar, Bunch of Thoughts, pp. 61– 62.]

Ambedkar, who witnessed RSS growing and was familiar with its destructive tendencies, was of the firm opinion that the ideology of Hindutva practised by RSS was nothing but a ploy by privileged caste Hindus to maintain control over society and its resources. He wrote:

“They have a trait of character which often leads the Hindus to disaster. This trait is formed by their acquisitive instinct and aversion to share with others the good things of life. They have a monopoly of education and wealth, and with wealth and education they have captured the State. To keep this monopoly to themselves has been the ambition and goal of their life. Charged with this selfish idea of class domination, they take every move to exclude the lower classes of Hindus from wealth, education and power…This attitude of keeping education, wealth and power as a close preserve for themselves and refusing to share it, which the high Caste Hindus have developed in their relation with the lower classes of Hindus, is sought to be extended by them to the Muslims. They want to exclude the Muslims from place and power, as they have done to the lower class Hindus. This trait of the high Caste Hindus is the key to the understanding of their politics.”

[Ambedkar, BR., Pakistan or the Partition of India, Government of Maharashtra, Bombay, 1990 (reprint of 1946 edition), p. 123.]

How brazenly the RSS has been opposing Reservation was made clear in 1981 when its cadres played most nefarious role in opposing Reservation to  socially and economically backward Castes in Gujarat introduced by Congress ministry headed by Madhavsinh Solanki. More than 100 people were killed including 2 police officials. It is interesting to note that like today the debate of Reservation was turned in spreading poison against local Muslims who were killed with impunity.

Related:

RSS & BJP have already caused enough damage: In conversation with path-breaking novelist Devanur Mahadevan

The post RSS deceit on constitutional reservation and Dalits in general appeared first on SabrangIndia.

When I was a student in high school and Pre-University College, I was a member RSS for a few years. Perhaps because I was influenced by their ideas of “Hindu Unity” which espoused equality – but only superficially. I will share with you a couple of examples from my time there. There was a kind Brahmin boy named Mohan in the RSS. His whole family was like RSS. If I had a meal at this house or at the RSS office, he would wash my plates himself. For someone who had been experiencing discrimination in a divided society like ours, an act like this may appear like consolation. However, within RSS discourse, there was an intolerant attitude towards inter-caste, interreligious marriage. When Muslims and Christians were relatively lenient about this, why were they uptight about this? Especially when you claim all Hindus as One? Even though I was nowhere close to marriageable age, I was bothered by it. Anyway, let’s keep that aside.

When we see these two instances together, one can clearly see that even though Mohan’s situation may appear to be progressing, the status quo of casteism is deeply entrenched within RSS thought process. To be clearer, look at the history of the central leadership of the RSS. It has always been led by a Brahmin. To be precise, a Brahmin belonging to a particular subcaste. RSS is trying to replicate the same across the country. BJP has joined hands with RSS. In short, this is the Ashwamedha Yag for the victory of Brahminism.

There is an incident that continues to haunt me today. Often, many prominent leaders of RSS used to visit us. Once, a heavy man who looked like a pehlwan came. He gathered 6-7 kids around him and started talking about history, mythology, patriotism etc. In between, as if remembering something he whispered: “My life’s desire was to spill the blood of a Muslim as a sacrifice to this land, which was decimated by them. One day I did get that opportunity. I saw a destitute man walking towards me in a desolate street. I stabbed him and killed him in a single stroke. I felt my life had become worthwhile.”

The atmosphere was hypnotic. Suddenly, I felt disassociated from my own body. As if I was looking at myself from afar as a third person. I thought to myself: He doesn’t look like a murderer. Maybe he is lying. But why would he lie about something like this? Is this to sow the seeds of hatred against Muslims? To encourage us to kill them?

I never found an answer to these questions. I still haven’t. Maybe this is the teaching method of organisations with ulterior motives?

Thankfully, I failed PUC and was back home. Our village used to receive a single Prajavani newspaper. One day, I came across the news of Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia’s death. It had been covered prominently in the newspaper. There were many special features about him. I came under his spell. On the day of Dr. Lohia’s demise, I declared myself a Socialist. At the same time, I also gained friends in the guise of Su. Ramakantham and Srikrishna Alanahalli. Today I am what I am because of all these incidents and meetings.

2. Your short but significant oeuvre of three books of fiction deals immensely with the intricate Dalit life experiences. In ‘ Kusumabale’ the novel in which an untouchable young man, Channa, who was murdered following an affair with Kusuma, an upper caste girl reflects the pervasive Indian reality of honour killing by upper caste people. ‘ Kusumabale’ was written in 1988. How do you reflect on the scenario from 1988 to 2024? Is there a palpable change in the life of Dalits in India? 

You should ask this question to my readers and not to me. Every writer and artist who belongs to a particular time tries to express all that he has sensed and witnessed while fighting for his life in the flood of life that comes at you from all directions.

Take Madara Dhoolaiah as an example. He is a 12th Century Vachana poet. He is a cobbler. When mending footwear, God manifests on the tip of the sewing awl and smiles at him. Madara Dhoolaiah responds: “Why are you grinning at me? There are many who worship you and chant in your name. Go to them. Don’t disrupt my work”. This is a summary of one of his vachanas. Now, if you ask me what is the difference between the 12th century and the 21st century, what do I even say? Isn’t that vachana, the present? An artwork should be seen- not for its depiction of the time period or the sequence of events – but for its sensibilities.

3.  Were the murders of Gauri Lankesh, NM Kalburgi, Dabholkar a sign of the radicalisation of Hindus? If yes, how do you analyse this? 

The murders of Dabholkar, Kalburgi, Gauri and Pansare are not murders committed by human beings. Rather, they are ideological murders. Committed by someone at the behest of someone else by transforming human beings into weapons, by misusing their devotion to God and the nation. When the man who killed Gauri was asked for his reason behind the killer, he said,” I am a man of God. One day, someone I see as a Guru, showed me the news of a woman named Gauri insulting my Gods. I felt an anti-God like her shouldn’t be alive.”

That ideological Guru reads the news to his devotees. Shows them the photos of those who should be killed. That’s all. The Bhakt loses cool and things happen. I think this is what is happening. Dabholkar, Gauri, Kalburgi, and Pansare lost their lives like this. The one who killed was a sacrificial lamb for the conspiracy of someone else. The ideological guru who is the source of this has killed his own conscience and soul to orchestrate something as inhumane as murder. That’s why I said in the beginning, that these murders are not committed by human beings. This reminds me of actor Prakash Raj’s words: ‘We did not bury Gauri, but sowed’.

If we are to find the fountainhead of all this, it lies in the RSS’s realization of God. The second sarasanghachalak of RSS MS Golwalkar said, “The establishment of a society based on the Chaturvarna system – Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, Shudra – is the realization of God. RSS and its puppet BJP government want to establish this gospel truth. The murders, hate, and intolerance are part of this attempt.

When you see all this, you realise that maybe these RSS people are not actual devotees of Rama, Krishna, Shiva, Shakti, etc. I feel it’s their plan to capture the minds of those who believe in them and then establish the Gods of the Chaturvarna society.

4.  What are the strategies through which the RSS and the BJP appropriates the marginalized groups such as tribal population, women, Dalits and minorities? Since the Sangh is keen on appropriating these segments what will be the impact that these segments will experience over time? 

RSS and BJP change colours as per their needs and requirements. They turn Adivasis into Vanvasis and then conceal the truth that they are our ancestors to deprive them of their rights. They chant women empowerment only to ensure that they sit at home. Calling Dalits as one of their own, they snatch the opportunities given to them. They use them and discard them. They never become partners with equal footing. This applies to middle castes (former shudras) too. Aren’t they unemployed too? They don’t seem to even glance at the unemployment issue that’s heating up every day. They are not demanding their rights. They are succumbing to the elaborate deceptions of BJP. They are once again marching as the Shudra servants of the Chaturvarna system to the tune of sloganeering.

At the same time, the think tank of RSS is portraying the Christian and Muslim minorities as terrorists. It is sowing the seeds of hatred by propagating the false narrative that they are the reason for all our misfortune and misery. This hatred is their capital. This hatred is their energy tonic. The day when the hate is replaced by love, tolerance and coexistence, is when these men of the past will vanish. That’s when we come face to face with the present. Once we realise this, we will also know the work that needs to be done.

RSS and BJP have already caused enough damage as it is. It has reached the summit and now is on a descent. Everyone has woken up from a deep slumber. Naturally, this is manifesting as resistance. A lot of resistance.

5.  Do you think the apparent use of the Hindu religion and its symbols by the Sangh Parivar needs to be countered vociferously to displace their political constituency? Whether the practice of conventional politics in using caste and religious elements for electioneering by opposition parties help displace Sangh’s political constituency based on religion? 

Chaturvarna Hindutva’s RSS is a petty organisation which has appropriated vastly diverse Hinduism, its symbols and values while acting as if it is the representative of all Hindus, fooling everyone in the process. It uses this to further its own political ambitions. They are experts at deceitful politics. Many in their ranks are experts at deviousness. They are well-trained. When others try to copy this, they are mocked. What we need to say is this: Let our Gods and religion remain within the confines of our homes. On public streets, they may end up becoming demons. We need to be cautious of this. Another caution: Constitution, Participative Democracy, Federalism, preserving the autonomy of autonomous institutions, safeguarding public resources, encouragement to agroforestry, implementation of Swaminathan report on support price, prioritising health and education, job creation, controlling inflation – these are the things we need to focus on.

6.  How do you perceive the 2024 general elections? What is the historical importance of the general elections according to you?

In early April, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari was asked what is his agenda for the elections. In his reply he said “Personally, I don’t have any agenda. The agenda is set by the RSS. Our responsibility is to fulfil that.” It was understandable if he said his party BJP would set the agenda. But he said he is going to follow the agenda set by RSS! The gist of this is that BJP which is a puppet of RSS is unfit for democracy and unqualified to govern.

RSS is an organisation that is outside the purview of the constitution and is not accountable to us. Its main agenda is to build a society based on Chaturvana system. Chaturvarna system is their God. They need to destroy the Indian Constitution which is in the way to achieve their agenda. But the feet of RSS are reversed. These are the feet that only move towards the past. How can the BJP which is the puppet of RSS and is bound to its agenda, can ever become people’s representatives? The challenge in front of us is to stop BJP’s politics of the past which only makes the wheels of history move backwards.

7.  What is your experience of ‘Eddelu Karnataka’ in which you were also an active stakeholder?

I’m a member of the Bharat Jodo Abhiyaan. This is not a single organisation, but a wave. Hence, we work with numerous social-oriented organisations. In the 2023 Assembly elections, I joined hands with Dalita Sangharsha Samiti (DSS), Eddelu Karnataka, and Raita Sangha. Eddelu Karnataka did effective campaigning at the ground level. Samyuktha Horata – Karnataka and Janandolana’s grand alliance were active. Everyone has worked together. Along with them, the contributions of organisations that work for the oppressed communities and minority communities are immense. The list goes on.

All these organisations and more have been active in the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Many new faces and organisations have joined forces. They are united in their goal: BJP, the puppet government of RSS which advocates for Chaturvarna Hindutva, should not come to power again; a democratic government adherent to the constitution should be elected.

Translated from Original Kannada by Amulya B

(A journalist with fifteen of years of experience Abhish K Bose was a staffer at The Times of India and The Deccan Chronicle – Asian Age. As a contributor, his interviews or articles have been published in Frontline magazine, The Wire, The Print, The Telegraph, The Federal, The News Minute, Scroll, The Kochi Post, Madhyamam Weekly, Andolana, Countercurrents.org and the Asian Lite international published out of Manchester. ) 

The post RSS & BJP have already caused enough damage: In conversation with path-breaking novelist Devanur Mahadevan appeared first on SabrangIndia.

According to media reports, Hosabale, the second-in-command of the RSS, in his official general secretary’s report, has placed on record the fact that “disruptive forces” are behind the farm protests. Hosabale also added that there are well orchestrated plans to spread “separatist terrorism” in Punjab under the guise of the farmers’ movement, states the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) in a press statement released today. This canard spread by the betrayers of the freedom struggle is out of vengeance against the incessant SKM-led united movement of farmers which has forced the Narendra Modi-led BJP Government to withdraw the pro-corporate Farm Acts. AIKS condemns this sinister move of the RSS which has often been indicted for its anti-national role in communal riots and pogroms, adds AIKS.

AIKS is of the firm opinion that the audacity demonstrated by Hosabale to demonise the farmers’ movement in general and the Punjab movement in particular is a “loyal continuum of the RSS’ trajectory of collaborating with British imperialism and denigrating the greatest anti-imperialist martyrs like Bhagat Singh.” The AIKS statement recalls that historically at the time when the “entire country was on the streets condemning the hanging of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev, the RSS and other Hindutva outfits were busy denouncing them.” The RSS which couldn’t produce a single freedom fighter worth the name opted to belittle the immense sacrifices of these revolutionaries as “failure”, as clearly demonstrated in Golwalkar’s “Bunch of Thoughts”.

Notably, the RSS has used the term “disruptive forces” to characterise the patriotic farmers of Punjab and Haryana who are fighting against the corporatisation of the agriculture. The AIKS states however that, “the reality is that it is Hindutva terrorism that is acting as the most disruptive internal threat to the unity and diversity of the country. Hindutva fascistic politics is closely aligned with international finance capital and big business which is threatening Indian farmers. RSS should not forget its history of collusion with the imperialist forces and with imperialist agencies like the CIA.”

“CIA Agent J A Curran, who enjoyed unusual access to the top brass of RSS from 1949 to 1951, in his book had identified RSS as a tool that would help the imperialist block led by the USA to contain the militant peasant and workers’ movement in independent India. By demonising the farmers’ movement against corporatisation, RSS is showing its support for imperialist forces in their project to devour Indian agriculture.”

The AIKS has meanwhile also stated that in many of post independent India’s judicial inquiry commission reports “have identified the nefarious role of the RSS in inciting communal riots. This very reason had led to its ban in 1948 after Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination and in 1992 after the demolition of the Babri Masjid. The role played by the Sangh Parivar functionaries in the 1984 anti-Sikh pogrom as well as in the 2002 Gujarat genocide are well documented. AIKS calls upon all patriotic forces to isolate and expose fascistic elements led by the RSS who are spreading canards against the farmers’ movement.”

Related:

United they stand: ‘Kisan-Mazdoor Mahapanchayat’ at Ramlila Maidan sees a wave of farmers from across India, protesting

Four-hour long ‘Rail roko’ protest held by farmers on tracks across Punjab, participation from farmer unions associated with SKM

Day 23 of Farmers March: Mass withholding of social media ahead of march to Delhi, third time since the beginning of the protest

The post RSS must stop demonising farmers’ movement: AIKS appeared first on SabrangIndia.

An excerpt from Ram Puniyani’s latest book, Ambedkar, Hindutva and RSS

As the country came forward to celebrate the 125^th birth Anniversary of Dr. Bhimrao Babasaheb Ambedkar, (14^th April 2016) there was a sort of competition amongst different political and social groups to hold the anniversary programs. While dalit groups have been organizing these programs all through, lately many other organizations have also started organizing programs to honor Babasaheb. There are attempts to appropriate his legacy. Amulya Gopalkrishnan points out, “The most brazen ownership attempt comes from BJP and RSS, whose worldview is exactly what Ambedkar considered his mission to Annihilate.” [1] RSS parivar have been doing it from last quite some time. Their mouth pieces in Organiser (English) and Panchjanya (Hindi) both brought out the special issues praising Babasaheb (2015).

In an interview RSS prachar pramukh (publicity Chief) Manmohan Vaiday said that RSS reverence for Ambedkar is not new. According to him “Babasaheb was never anti Brahmin. He was against all forms of casteism and caste based discrimination.” [2] This statement of Vaidya cleverly hides the fact that Ambedkar was against Brahminism.

Commemorating the 125th birth anniversary of Dr B.R. Ambedkar, PM Narendra Modi (14 April 2016) said that Ambedkar fought against injustice in society and his fight was for equality and dignity. Modi, who paid tributes to the father of the Constitution, said that he was fortunate to grace the occasion at the leader’s birthplace, Mhow, in Madhya Pradesh. [3]

In order to gain larger legitimacy, RSS has been making claims of sorts. One such is that Ambedkar believed in Sangh ideology (Feb 15, 2015). This was stated by RSS Sarsanghchalak, Mohan Bhagwat. Just one year ago on the occasion of Ambedkar’s 124^th anniversary many programs were held by RSS combine giving a pro-Hindutva tilt to ideology of Ambedkar [4].

There cannot be bigger contrast between the ideology of Ambedkar and RSS. Ambedkar was critical of Brahaminical Hinduism, was for Indian Nationalism, Secularism and social justice while the RSS ideology is based on two major pillars. One is the Brahmanic Hinduism and second is the concept of Hindu nationalism, Hindu Rashtra.

Where does Ambedkar stand as for as ideology of Hinduism is concerned? He called Hinduism as Brahminic theology. We understand that Brahminism has been the dominant tendency within Hinduism. He realized that this prevalent version of Hinduism is essentially a caste system, which is the biggest tormentor of untouchables-dalits. Initially he tried to break the shackles of caste system from within the fold of Hinduism. He led the Chavadar Talab movement, Kalaram Mandir agitation. He also went on to burn Manu Smriti, the holy Hindu text saying that it is a symbol of caste and gender hierarchy.

His critique of Brahminism was scathing and in due course he came to the conclusion that he will give up Hinduism. In his book ‘Riddles of Hinduism’ published by Govt. of Maharashtra (1987) he elaborates his understanding about Hinduism. Introducing his book he writes, “The book is an exposition of the beliefs propounded by what might be called Brahminic theology…I want to make people aware that Hindu religion is not Sanatan (eternal)…the second purpose of the book is to draw the attention of Hindu masses to the devices of Brahmins and make them think for themselves how they have been deceived and misguided by Brahmins” [5].

His analysis of Hinduism was deep and incisive. He says Hindusim is “nothing but a mass of superficial, social, political and sanitary rules and regulations, organized around caste…” [6]. Further he states “no matter what the Hindus say Hinduism is a menace to liberty, equality and fraternity. On that count it is incompatible with democracy” (quoted in above). Ambedkar had started moving away from Hinduism in 1935 itself when he had publicly declared that he was not going to die as a Hindu. In 1936, he had attended the Sikh Missionary Conference as he had toyed for some time with the idea of embracing Sikhism. In 1936, Ambedkar also wrote and published Annihilation of Caste, his undelivered presidential address to the Jat-Pat-Todak Mandal Conference at Lahore. At the end of his written address, Ambedkar reiterated his resolve to give up Hinduism. [7]

He said “I have decided for myself. My conversion is sure as anything. My conversion is not for any material gain. There is nothing which I cannot achieve by remaining an Untouchable. My conversion is purely out of my spiritual attitude. The Hindu religion does not appeal to my conscience. It does not appeal to my self-respect. However, your conversion will be both for material as well as for spiritual gains. Some persons mock and laugh at the idea of conversion for material gain. I do not feel hesitant in calling such persons stupid.”[8]

Lord Ram is the major symbol of Cultural Nationalism propounded by RSS. Let’s see what Ambedkar has to say about Lord Ram. For Lord Ram “The life of Sita simply did not count. What counted was his own personal name and fame. He of course does not take the manly course of stopping this gossip, which as a king he could do and which as husband who was convinced of his wife’s innocence he was bound to it.” And further, “For 12 years the boys lived in forest in Ashram of Valmiki not far from Ayodhya where Rama continued to rule. Never once in those 12 years this model Husband and living father cared to inquire what has happened to Sita whether she was alive or dead, …Sita preferred to die rather than return to Ram who had behaved no better than a brute.” The signals to the Dalits in Hindutva cultural Nationalism are more than glaringly obvious as the Lord demonstrates in his own life, “…he was a Shudra named Shambuk who was practicing Tapasya with a view to going to heaven in his own earthly person and without so much as a warning, expostulation or the like addressed to him, cut off his head…”[9].

Ambedkar envisioned ‘annihilation of caste’, which remains unfulfilled despite India getting Independence. Multiple factors have operated in the society due to which caste still remains a major factor in India. In contrast to Ambedkar’s ‘Annihilation of Caste’ the politics of RSS combine says that there should be ‘harmony amongst different castes’ and so they have formed an organization called ‘Samajik Samrasta Manch’ (Social Harmony Forum). Contrasting approach to social issues, Ambedkar and RSS!

Core of RSS political ideology is Hindutva or Hindu nationalism. Ambedkar engaged with this issue in much depth, particularly in his classic book ‘Thoughts on Pakistan’. In this book he deals with the question of Hindu nationalism as represented by Savakar; the progenitor of RSS ideology of Hindu nation; and Jinnah, leading the ideology of Muslim nationalism, Pakistan.  “Strange as it may appear Mr. Savarkar and Mr. Jinnah instead of being opposed to each other on the ‘one nation versus two nations’ issue are in complete agreement about it. Both agree, not only agree but insist that there are two nations in India-one the Muslim nation and the other the Hindu nation.” he continues, “They differ only as regards the terms and conditions on which the two nations should be. Jinnah says India should be cut up into two, Pakistan and Hindustan, the Muslim nation to occupy Pakistan and the Hindu nation to occupy Hindustan. Mr. Savarkar on the other hand insists that, although there are two nations in India, India shall not be divided into two parts, one for the Muslims and the other for Hindus; that the two nations shall dwell in one country and shall live under the mantle of one single constitution: that the constitution shall be such that the Hindu nation will be enabled to occupy a predominant position that is due to it and the Muslim nation to made to live in the position of subordinate co-operation with the Hindu nation.” [10]

He was for composite Indian Nationalism, “Is it not a fact that under the Montague Chelmsford reforms in most provinces, if not in all, the Muslims, the non-Brahmins and Depressed Classes united together and worked for the reforms as members of one team from 1920 to 1937? Here in lay the most fruitful method of achieving communal harmony among Hindus and Muslims and of destroying the danger of Hindu Raj. Mr. Jinnah could have easily pursued this line. Nor was it difficult for Mr. Jinnah to succeed in it.” [11]

He was totally opposed to the concept of Hindu Raj as well. In the section “Must There Be Pakistan” he says, “If Hindu Raj does become a fact, it will, no doubt, be the greatest calamity for this country. No matter what the Hindus say, Hinduism is a menace to the liberty, equality and fraternity. On that account it is incompatible with democracy. Hindu Raj must be prevented at any cost.” [12]

On all associated matters related to affirmative action for weaker sections of society, rights and status of religious minorities their positions are totally contrasting. Even in the matters of the very Constitution of India, Ambedkar was the chairman of its drafting committee while many a sections from RSS stable have called it as anti Hindu and need to bring in Hindu Constitution based on Indian Holy books. When Constituent Assembly had finalised the Constitution (November 26, 1949), the RSS was not happy. It demanded the Manusmriti as the constitution of India. The Organiser, in an editorial on November 30, 1949, complained: “But in our constitution there is no mention of the unique constitutional development in ancient Bharat. Manu’s laws were written long before Lycurgus of Sparta or Solon of Persia. To this day, his laws as enunciated in the Manusmriti excite the admiration of the world and elicit spontaneous obedience and conformity. But to our constitutional pundits, that means nothing”. [13]

This attempt by RSS equating Ambedkar’s ideology with that of its own is like putting wool in the eyes of people. This is aimed to achieve their political goals and to get legitimacy from amongst the sections of people who are deeply wedded to ideological values of Ambedkar.

Foot Notes

1. Amulya GopalKrishnan, Times of India,  Mumbai April 14, 2016
2. Manmohan Vaiday, Interview, Times of India Mumbai April 14, 2016
3. http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/at-ambedkars-birthplace-pm-modi-praises-dalit-icon-says-his-fight-was-for-equality-dignity/1/642882.html
4. http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/mohan-bhagwat-ambedkar-sangh-ideology-rss/1/418998.html
5. B.R. Ambedkar, Riddles of Hinduism, Government of Maharashtra, 1988, Introduction
6. Quoted in Amulya GopalkrishanaQuoted TOI 14 04 2016 Mumbai
7. http://bihar.humanists.net/B.%20R.%20Ambedkar.htm
8. http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00ambedkar/txt_ambedkar_salvation.html
9. B.R. Ambedkar, Riddles of Rama and Krishna, Govt of Maharashtra 1988, Mumbai
10. B.R. Ambedkar, Thoughts on Pakistan, Third section, chapter VII
11. B.R. Ambedkar, Thoughts on Pakistan, P. 359, Government of Maharashtra, Mumbai
12. http://ecumene.org/IIS/csss101.htm
13. http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/ram-madhav-b-r-ambedkar-indian-constitution-no-love-for-ambedkar-2766152/#sthash.n7EF2sYb.dpuf

The post Sangh Parivar’s tortured bid to appropriate Dr Ambedkar appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Singer-composer Shankar Mahadevan was one of the chief guests at the event attended by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The RSS members also organised a ‘Path Sanchalan’ (route march) early Tuesday morning. In 2022, the chief guest at the event was Santosh Yadav, world’s first woman to climb the Mount Everest, and Bhagwat had emphasised on women empowerment.

On Manipur

Toeing the line of the union government on each issue that he touched, he, controversially, dubbed the internal conflict in Manipur that has claimed several hundred lives and simmered, unchecked –by either the state or union governments since May ¾, 2023—as the “work of the foreign hand.” “Were extremists across the border involved in Manipur violence?” he asked. Addressing the issue of the five month long simmering ethnic conflict for which the union and state governments have been sharply criticised nationally and internally, Bhagwat, the RSS chief said: “In Manipur, when people on both sides of the conflict are seeking peace, which are these forces that are attempting to trigger hatred and violence by causing an incident as soon as any positive step is seen being taken in that direction?”

“For many years, Meitei and Kuki communities have been living together. How did the violence erupt all of a sudden? The conflict benefits external forces. Are external factors involved,” Bhagwat said, while addressing the RSS Dussehra rally in Nagpur.

“Union Home Minister Amit Shah was there for three days. Who actually fuelled the conflict? It (violence) is not happening, it is being made to happen,” Bhagwat said.

The RSS chief said he was proud of the Sangh workers who worked in Manipur to restore peace.

“Lord Ram (idol) will be installed at the temple on January 22” The RSS supremo Mohan Bhagwat also spoke about the inauguration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya “…A temple of Lord Ram is being built in Ayodhya…Lord Ram (idol) will be installed at the temple on January 22…On that day, we can organise programmes at our own temples in the whole country…” he said. He suggested that he may not attend the grand inauguration for security reasons. “We won’t be able to attend the ceremony because of security reasons. We will go some other time.”

This comment has raised speculation since for the past three four months, possibilities of security breaches at the highly politicised Ram temple site have been raised by various persons including former governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Satyapal Malik and even Shiv Sena (UBT) chief, Udhav Thackeray. On September 10, 2023 Thackeray had claimed, “Godhra-like” incident may take place during the “return journey” of the large number of people expected to converge at Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh from across the nation for the inauguration of the Ram temple.”

The speech can be viewed here:

#WATCH | Nagpur, Maharashtra: While addressing RSS Vijayadashmi Utsav, RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat says, “…Every year, India’s pride is increasing in the world… The G 20 summit held here (in India) was special. The hospitality of Indians was praised…People from different… pic.twitter.com/ivmFyV4gn6

— ANI (@ANI) October 24, 2023

“Delegates at G20 Summit in India experienced our country’s unity in diversity”

Mohan Bhagwat, RSS supremo, in his Dusshera speech, emphasised on India’s successful organisation of the G20 summit. “It happens every year but this time the praise for how well the guests were hosted and treated. The announcement of including the African Union on day one was also a milestone,” he said.

He also pointed out that India’s leadership gave the country a place in the world.

“Every year, India’s pride is increasing in the world. The G20 summit held here (in India) was special. The hospitality of Indians was praised. People from different countries experienced our diversity. They saw our diplomatic skills as well as our honest goodwill. Our leadership gave India a place in the world,” Mohan Bhagwat said while speaking at the event.

On the Israel-Hamas conflict: World is looking towards Bharat to lead by example based on own Sanatan (eternal) values and Sanskars

As the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict rages, Mohan Bhagwat opined that the world is looking towards India to lead by example and show a new path to peace. All and any solution to conflicts like the war in Ukraine or the Gaza Strip, which arise due to a clash of interests and extremism, remains elusive. A lifestyle out of sync with nature is producing a string of new physical and mental- health issues amid unabashed consumerism,” Bhagwat said.

“Terrorism, exploitation, and totalitarianism are getting a free run to wreak havoc. It has become abundantly clear that the world cannot counter these problems with its inadequate vision. Therefore, the world is looking towards Bharat expectantly to lead by example and show a new path to peace and prosperity, based on its own Sanatan (eternal) values and Sanskars,” he added.

Among the bug-bears (read “internal enemies” of the professed Hindu(tva) nation –Hindu Rashtra) –according to RSS texts like “Bunch of Thoughts by MS Golwalkar are “Muslims, Christians and Communists.” While sparing this time around in naming India’s religious minorities, the supremo singled out leftists/communists.

“Some anti-social people call themselves cultural Marxists or woke but they have forgotten Marx”

The RSS chief stated that “cultural Marxists and woke elements” are using their influence in media and academia to spoil the country’s education and culture. “They take control of the media and academia, and plunge education, culture, politics and social environment into confusion, chaos, and corruption,” he said.

“…There are some people in the world and in also India who do not want that India should move forward… They try to create factions and clashes in society. Because of our unawareness and lack of belief, we also sometimes get entangled in it, and unnecessary nuisances are created…If India progresses, they will not be able to play their games; therefore, they continuously oppose. They adopt particular ideologies just for the sake of opposing” he said.

“World looking up to India to overcome problems”

‘Country is moving forward. But while moving forward, we need to show the world. We should not follow anyone else’s path. This is reflecting in our government’s actions as well,’ the RSS chief said urging people to recognise that India is leaving a global mark.

Related:

The Ideology of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is both Hate-Ridden and Supremacist – Part 1

An open letter to the JNU VC: Your association with RSS defies humanism, anti-colonial struggle for Indian democracy!

Busted: Assam chief minister’s claim that Bajrang Dal has no links with RSS

RSS ideologues ‘wrong’; Sati wasn’t product of ‘Muslim’ rule, it existed in ancient India too

The post RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s Vijayadashami speech blows BJP’s poll bugle, extolls G-20 summit, asks if “external forces” were responsible for Manipur violence appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Namaskaar!

September 27, 2023

Respected Hindu VC of JNU,

I hope that the following report in one of the leading English dailies of India did not misreport you when it stated that “Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Vice-Chancellor (VC), Santishree Pandit while speaking at a book launch function on September 17, 2023 at Pune where RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat was present on the dais, said, ‘I am proud to be a Hindu and belong to the Sangh [RSS].’”

Since the above report has not been contradicted, I am not sorry to state that it was a disturbing e statement coming from an educationist who heads a university that has stood second best in the national rankings of 2022 and was named after the first prime minister of India, a democratic-egalitarian of Indian polity.

Some important questions that eagerly await your answers are:

1. Were you were appointed the VC of JNU because you were an educationist or a proud Hindu? If you were appointed as an Indian educationist (if it was otherwise, I seek no response) then why you need to identify your religious identity on a public platform in which you participated as the VC of JNU?
2. By declaring yourself as the “Hindu VC of JNU” have you not divided the all-inclusive JNU fraternity of being Indian into separate religious groupings? If you are the Hindu VC then what is the identity of Sikhs, Muslims, Buddhists, Jains and Christians present as teachers, students and non-teaching employees of the University? Should they also be known as per their religious identities?

Is this not what just Mohammed Ali Jinnah believed and practiced, resulting in Partition?

Respected Madam,

You not only declared yourself to be a proud Hindu but also proud to be belonging to the Sangh. I am sure by Sangh you meant RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh). Do I need to remind you that RSS since its inception has hated everything which represented an all-inclusive democratic-egalitarian-secular united India/Bharat?

Let me take you on a tour of RSS archives so that there is no complaint of misrepresentation.

RSS denigrated the Tricolour

Respected VC,

As an Indian you must be familiar with the fact that the Tri-colour as the National Flag represents Indian nation. It was this flag carrying which thousands Indian patriots laid down their live as during the British rule it was crime to unfurl it in public. How much RSS hated it can be known by the following denigration of the Flag in its English organ, Organizer just on the eve of Independence (August 14, 1947):

“The people who have come to power by the kick of fate may give in our hands the Tricolour but it never [sic] be respected and owned by Hindus. The word three is in itself an evil, and a flag having three colours will certainly produce a very bad psychological effect and is injurious to a country.”

RSS betrayed India’s Freedom Struggle

Respected Madam,

The non-cooperation Movement (1920-22) and the Quit India Movement (1942) were two great milestones in the history of the Indian Freedom Movement but RSS kept aloof not only from these but any other anti-colonial campaign. Guru Golwalkar, the most prominent ideologue of the RSS shamelessly denigrated these movements in the following words:

“Definitely there are bound to be bad results of struggle. The boys became unruly after the 1920-21 movement. It is not an attempt to throw mud at the leaders. But these are inevitable products after the struggle. The matter is that we could not properly control these results. After 1942, people often started thinking that there was no need to think of the law.”⁸

[Shri Guruji Samagr Darshan [Collected works of MS Golwalkar in Hindi in 7 volumes], vol. iv, BhartiyamVichar Sadhna, Nagpur, nd, p. 41. Hereafter referred to as SGSD.]

Thus Guru Golwalkar wanted the Indians to respect the draconian and repressive laws of the inhuman British rulers! After the 1942 Movement he further admitted,

“In 1942 also there was a strong sentiment in the hearts of many. At that time too the routine work of Sangh continued. Sangh vowed not to do anything directly. However, upheaval (uthal-puthal) in the minds of Sangh volunteers continued. Sangh is an organisation of inactive persons, their talks are useless, not only outsiders but also many of our volunteers did talk like this. They were greatly disgusted too.” [SGSD, p. 40.]

Guruji also tells us that RSS did nothing directly. However, there is not a single publication or document of the RSS which throws light on what the RSS did even indirectly for the Quit India Movement. During this period, in fact, its mentor, ‘Veer’ Savarkar, ran coalition governments with the Muslim League.

RSS denigrates martyrs of India’s Freedom Struggle

Respected Madam,

I would like to know your views on the statements of ‘Guruji’ decrying and denigrating the tradition of martyrdom following which Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekar Azad, Ashfaqullah Khan, Ram Prasad Bismil and countless other patriotic Indians laid down their lives for the independence our Motherland. Here is a passage from the chapter, ‘Martyr, great but not ideal’ from Bunch of Thoughts, a veritable Geeta for RSS cadres such as yourself.

“There is no doubt that such men who embrace martyrdom are great heroes and their philosophy too is pre-eminently manly. They are far above the average men who meekly submit to fate and remain in fear and inaction. All the same, such persons are not held up as ideals in our society. We have not looked upon their martyrdom as the highest point of greatness to which men should aspire. For, after all, they failed in achieving their ideal, and failure implies some fatal flaw in them.”

[Golwalkar, MS., Bunch of Thoughts, Sahitya Sindhu Prakashana, Bangalore, 1996 edition, p. 283.]

Could there be a statement more insulting to the martyrs than this? The founder of the RSS, Dr. KB Hedgewar, went one step further: “Patriotism is not only going to prison. It is not correct to be carried away by such superficial patriotism.” [CP Bhishikar, CP., Sanghavariksh Ke Beej: Dr. Keshavrao Hedgewar, Suruchi, 1994, p. 21.]

Don’t you feel, Madam, that if martyrs like Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Sukhdev, Ashfaqullah, Chandrashekhar Azad had come in contact with the then RSS leadership, they could have been saved from giving their lives for ‘superficial patriotism’? This also must be the reason why RSS leaders or cadres did not face repression during British rule and the RSS did not produce not a single martyr during the Freedom Movement.

RSS’ hatred for democracy

VC Madam,

You will agree with me that it is due to our democratic and egalitarian polity that you have become the administrator of the 2^nd best University of India. But if Guru Golwalkar had his say it would not have been possible. Guruji hated democracy as per his following decree which he presented before a group of 1,350 top level cadres of the RSS in 1940 at the RSS Headquarters: “RSS inspired by one flag, one leader and one ideology is lighting the flame of Hindutva in each and every corner of this great land” [SGSD, vol. I, p. 11.]

As a leading intellectual you must be familiar with the fact that decree of rule under ‘one flag, one leader and one ideology’ was also the battle cry of the Fascist and Nazi parties of Europe in the first half of 20th century. What they did to democracy is well-known to this world!

For RSS Hinduism and Casteism are synonymous

Respected Madam, allow me to ask whether you like RSS believe that Hinduism and Casteism are one and same. The most prominent ideologue of RSS, Guru Golwalkar stated:

“The Virat Purusha, the Almighty manifesting himself…[according to Purusha Sukta] sun and moon are his eyes, the stars and the skies are created from his nabhi [navel] and Brahmin is the head, Kshatriya the hands, Vaishya the thighs and Shudra the feet. This means that the people who have this fourfold arrangement, i.e., the Hindu People, is [sic] our God. This supreme vision of Godhead is the very core of our concept of ‘nation’ and has permeated our thinking and given rise to various unique concepts of our cultural heritage.” [Golwalkar, MS., Bunch of Thoughts, Sahitya Sindhu Prakashana, Bangalore, 1996 edition, pp. 36-37.]

For this infallible belief in Casteism RSS strongly demanded that Manusmriti should replace the Indian Constitution. When the Constituent Assembly of India finalized the Constitution of India under the guidance of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar on November 26, 1949, RSS was not happy. Its organ, Organiser, in an editorial four days later complained:

“But in our constitution there is no mention of the unique constitutional development in ancient Bharat. Manu’s Laws were written long before Lycurgus of Sparta or Solon of Persia. To this day his laws as enunciated in the Manusmriti excite the admiration of the world and elicit spontaneous obedience and conformity. But to our constitutional pundits that means nothing.” [Organizer, Delhi, November 30, 1949.]

Respected VC Madam,

I am reproducing a selection from Manusmriti for your kind reference and would like to know whether you also believe in these decrees of the Manu Code. These dehumanizing and degenerate laws, which are presented here, are self-explanatory.

Laws of Manu Concerning Sudras

1.  For the sake of the prosperity of the worlds (the divine one) caused the Brahmana, the Kshatriya, the Vaisya, and the Sudra to proceed from his mouth, his arm, his thighs and his feet.
2.  One occupation only the lord prescribed to the Sudras, to serve meekly even these (other) three castes.
3.  Once-born man (a Sudra), who insults a twice-born man with gross invective, shall have his tongue cut out; for he is of low origin.
4.  If he mentions the names and castes (jati) of the (twice-born) with contumely, an iron nail, ten fingers long, shall be thrust red-hot into his mouth.
5.  If he arrogantly teaches Brahmanas their duty, the king shall cause hot oil to be poured into his mouth and into his ears.
6.  With whatever limb a man of a low caste does hurt to (a man of the three) highest (castes), even that limb shall be cut off; that is the teaching of Manu.
7.  He who raises his hand or a stick, shall have his hand cut off; he who in anger kicks with his foot, shall have his foot cut off.
8.  A low-caste man who tries to place himself on the same seat with a man of a high caste, shall be branded on his hip and be banished, or (the king) shall cause his buttock to be gashed.
9.  Let him never slay a Brahmana, though he have committed all (possible) crimes; let him banish such an (offender), leaving all his property (to him) and (his body) unhurt.

Laws of Manu Concerning Women

1.  Day and night, the woman must be kept in dependence by the males (of) their (families), and, if they attach themselves to sensual enjoyments, they must be kept under one’s control.
2.  Her father protects (her) in childhood, her husband protects (her) in youth, and her sons protect (her) in old age; a woman is never fit for independence.
3.  Women must particularly be guarded against evil inclinations, however trifling (they may appear); for, if they are not guarded, they will bring sorrow on two families.
4.  Considering that the highest duty of all castes, even weak husbands (must) strive to guard their wives.
5.  No man can completely guard women by force; but they can be guarded by the employment of the (following) expedients:
6.  Let the (husband) employ his (wife) in the collection and expenditure of his wealth, in keeping (everything) clean, in (the fulfillment of) religious duties, in the preparation of his food, and in looking after the household utensils.
7.  Women, confined in the house under trustworthy and obedient servants, are not (well) guarded; but those who of their own accord keep guard over themselves, are well guarded.
8.  Women do not care for beauty, nor is their attention fixed on age; (thinking), ‘(It is enough that) he is a man,’ they give themselves to the handsome and to the ugly.
9.  Through their passion for men, through their mutable temper, through their natural heartlessness, they become disloyal towards their husbands, however carefully they may be guarded in this (world).
10.  (When creating them) Manu allotted to women (a love of their) bed, (of their) seat and (of) ornament, impure desires, wrath, dishonesty, malice, and bad conduct.
11.  For women no (sacramental) rite (is performed) with sacred texts, thus the law is settled; women (who are) destitute of strength and destitute of (the knowledge of) Vedic texts, (are as impure as) falsehood (itself), that is a fixed rule.

Do I need to remind you that these laws are for Hindus? I would like to remind you that a copy of Manusmriti was burnt as a protest in the presence of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar during historic Mahad agitation on December 25, 1927.

RSS celebrated assassination of Gandhiji

Respected Madam,

I hope you know that Nathuram Godse and others who conspired to kill Gandhiji, claimed to be ‘Hindu Nationalists’. They described killing as something ordained by God. RSS celebrated his killing by distributing sweets was the finding of none other than the first home minister of India, Sardar Patel. In a letter written to Golwalkar on September 11, 1948, Sardar stated:

“Organising the Hindus and helping them is one thing but going in for revenge for its sufferings on innocent and helpless men, women and children is quite another thing…Apart from this, their opposition to the Congress, that too of such virulence, disregarding all considerations of personality, decency or decorum, created a kind of unrest among the people. All their speeches were full of communal poison. It was not necessary to spread poison in order to enthuse the Hindus and organize for their protection. As a final result of the poison, the country had to suffer the sacrifice of the invaluable life of Gandhiji. Even an iota of the sympathy of the Government, or of the people, no more remained for the RSS. In fact opposition grew. Opposition turned more severe, when the RSS men expressed joy and distributed sweets after Gandhiji’s death.”

[Justice on Trial, RSS, Bangalore, 1962, pp. 26-28.]

Respected VC Madam, since you claim to be a proud member of the RSS, the Indian academic fraternity specially the JNU one would like to know if you are ashamed of this criminal role of RSS in the assassination of Gandhiji. You cannot be neutral on this issue.

RSS believes that south Indian Hindus belong to an inferior race

VC Madam,

You claim to be a proud Hindu and a proud member of the Sangh. You also happen to be from South India. Do you know that RSS believes that the Race Hindus of South India needed to be improved? I am reproducing a speech of Guru Golwalkar on this issue in context of Kerala Hindus. He was invited to address the students of the School of Social Science of Gujarat University on December 17, 1960. In this address, while underlying his firm belief in the Race Theory, he touched upon the issue of cross-breeding of human beings in the Indian society in history. He shamelessly stated:

“Today experiments in cross-breeding are made only on animals. But the courage to make such experiments on human beings is not shown even by the so-called modern scientist of today. If some human cross-breeding is seen today it is the result not of scientific experiments but of carnal lust. Now let us see the experiments our ancestors made in this sphere. In an effort to better the human species through cross-breeding the Namboodri Brahamanas of the North were settled in Kerala and a rule was laid down that the eldest son of a Namboodri family could marry only the daughter of Vaishya, Kashtriya or Shudra communities of Kerala. Another still more courageous rule was that the first off-spring of a married woman of any class must be fathered by a Namboodri Brahman and then she could beget children by her husband. Today this experiment will be called adultery but it was not so, as it was limited to the first child.” [M. S. Golwalkar cited in Organizer, January 2, 1961.]

Through this brazen Racist statement made not in the presence of some lumpen elements but an august gathering of leading Gujarat academics Guruji argued that Brahmans of the North (India) and specially Namboodri Brahamans, belonged to a superior race. Due to this quality, Namboodri Brahamanas were sent from the North to Kerala to improve the breed of inferior Hindus there. Interestingly, this was being argued by a person who claimed to uphold the unity of Hindus world over. Thirdly, Golwalkar as a male chauvinist believed that a Namboodri Brahman male belonging to a superior Race from the North only could improve the inferior human Race from South. For him wombs of Kerala’s Hindu women enjoyed no sanctity and were simply objects of improving breed through intercourse with Namboodri Brahamanas who in no way were related to them.

Please respond to it, Madam VC! Do you uphold such supremacist views of Golwalkar, the most prominent ideologue of RSS?

Within the RSS male cadres are swayamsevaks (volunteers) but female cadres are sevikas (servants/maids) **

Respected Santishree Pandit Madam,

When you declare that you are proud member of the Sangh, you must be familiar with the organisational structure of RSS (the English equivalent being national volunteer association) is an exclusive male organization. The female organization was created in 1936 with the name, Rashtr Sevika Samiti (the English equivalent being society of female servants/maids for the nation). Thus male members are all India volunteers whereas female members are female servants. It is not the only difference. The Sevikas take oath to remain faithful, modest, guard virginity and honour but no such oath is prescribed for RSS cadres.

Madam, please enlighten us about your take on this naked male chauvinistic attitude of the Sangh. You owe this explanation to the nation as a woman too! Is not it a fact that Sangh and Islamic chauvinists are two sides of the same coin so far as denigration of women is concerned?

I would end by requesting your kind self to respond to the above issues as fate of one of the best Universities and future of Indian higher education is at stake. I have relied solely on RSS archives for bringing to your kind notice the anti-humanism, anti-colonial struggle and anti- Indian democracy beliefs and actions of the Sangh. I am ready to face defamation proceedings if you find I have misquoted or reported fake RSS documents.

With regards,

Shamsul Islam

** Seva means service also and hence sevika could also be seen as meaning service in a good sense — Editors

Related:

Busted: Assam chief minister’s claim that Bajrang Dal has no links with RSS

RSS ideologues ‘wrong’; Sati wasn’t product of ‘Muslim’ rule, it existed in ancient India too

Kerala High Court bans RSS arms training in temple premises

The post An open letter to the JNU VC: Your association with RSS defies humanism, anti-colonial struggle for Indian democracy! appeared first on SabrangIndia.

“The Bajrang Dal is not associated in any way with the Bharatiya Janata Party or the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.”

[‘RSS, BJP don’t even have a distant connection with Bajrang Dal: Himanta on outfit providing arms training in Assam, The Indian Express, Delhi, September 12, 2023.]

This was spoken, not while addressing some Hindutva zealots or election meeting but in a meeting of Assam Assembly. He was responding to an adjournment motion on arms training during a Bajrang Dal camp in the state earlier in 2023.

Let us compare this claim of Himanta with the documents in the RSS archives. The central publication house of the RSS, the Suruchi Prakashan, published a book in Hindi, Param Vaibhav Ke Path Par (The Road to Great Supreme Glory) penned by a senior RSS ideologue, Sadanand Damodar Sapre in 1997 giving details of more than 40 organizations created by the RSS for different tasks. The BJP as a political organization figures prominently in it, clubbed with the ABVP, Hindu Jagaran Manch, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Bajrang Dal, Durga Vahini, Swadeshi Jagaran Manch and Sanskar Bharti.  The preface of the book itself declared that,

“Without the knowledge of the different kinds of activities of the Sawyamsevaks (the volunteers of the RSS) the introduction of the RSS is incomplete. Keeping this in mind it has been attempted in this book to produce the brief information about the diverse activities of the Sawyamsevaks. This book covers the organizational status till 1996…We believe that this book will prove to be of use for those who want to understand the RSS with the Swyamsevaks.”

[Sapre, Sadanand D., Parm Vaibhav Ke Path Per, Suruchi (RSS central publication house), Delhi, 1997, p. 7.]

Bajrang Dal is a rogue child of RSS: A peep into the RSS Archives

This book described in detail the process of creation of VHP, Bajrang Dal and Durga Vahini by RSS (Pages 20-24). According to it, “under the guidance and prompting of worshippable Guruji (MS Golwalkar, the then Supremo of RSS)” VHP was founded in a meeting of Hindu saints held at Sandipani Ashram in Bombay (now Mumbai) on August 29, 1964. While discussing the activities of VHP as an appendage of RSS, Sadanand Sapre made it clear that Bajrang Dal and Durga Vahini were founded in order to organise Hindu youth both males and females. According to the description till 1996 Bajrang Dal and Durga Vahini had 2700 and 1100 units respectively spread over whole of the country.

RSS and Conspiracies

The above publication of the RSS shows how the organisation is run in a clandestine manner. It runs like a well-organised underground group through its subsidiaries and satellites. There has always been a conscious attempt to create confusion about its different fronts which provide RSS with the opportunity to dissociate with any of these as per its convenience.

For instance it used Hindu Jagaran Manch (HJM) for attacking Christians in late 1990s and when public opinion, media and Parliament seemed to turn against it, RSS denied any relation with HJM. Recently, when nefarious designs of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal and Dharam Sansad were exposed before the Nation, RSS announced that these were independent organizations.

It will be interesting to know that many of these organizations have been organized in a clandestine manner, a characteristic of a Fascist set-up. For instance while giving the details of Hindu Jagaran Manch (HJM), the book says,

“From the point of view of Hindu awakening this kind of forums (HJM) at present are active in 17 states with different names like ‘Hindu Manch’ in Delhi, ‘Hindu Munani’ in Tamilnadu, ‘Hinduekjut’ in Maharashtra. These are forums, not associations or organizations, that’s why it is not required to have membership, registration and elections.”

[Sapre, Sadanand D.,  Parm Vaibhav Ke Path Per, Suruchi (RSS central publication house), Delhi, 1997, p. 64.]

It is clear that these work as underground organisations to avoid scrutiny by law and government. Such an organisational mode provides an opportunity to RSS to disown any individual or organization.

RSS indulges in conspiracies too. It can be known by the following disclosure in Param Vaibhav Ke Path Par about a case in Delhi immediately after Partition:

“Swayamsevaks had posed to have adopted Musalman religion in order to gain the confidence of Delhi Muslim League for knowing their conspiracies.”

[Sapre, Sadanand D., Param Vaibhav Ke Path Per (Hindi), Suruchi, Delhi, 1997, p. 86.]

What these swayamsevaks, impersonating as Muslims, on the eve of Independence were doing was made clear by none other than Dr. Rajendra Prasad who later became first President of the Indian Republic.

In a letter to the first Home Minister of India, Sardar Patel, on 14 March 1948, Prasad wrote:

“I am told that RSS people have a plan of creating trouble. They have got a number of men dressed as Muslims and looking like Muslims who are to create trouble with the Hindus by attacking them and thus inciting the Hindus. Similarly there will be some Hindus among them who will attack Muslims and thus incite Muslims. The result of this kind of trouble amongst the Hindus and Muslims will be to create a conflagration.”

[Rajendra Prasad to Sardar Patel (March 14, 1948) cited in Neerja Singh (ed.), Nehru – Patel: Agreement Within Difference—Select Documents & Correspondences 1933-1950, NBT, Delhi, p. 43.]

These facts about an anti-constitutional (read anti-national) organisations spawned by the RSS need to be shared with all those individuals and organisations which are faithful to a democratic-secular Indian polity. With such nefarious appendages of RSS who needs any foreign enemy to undo India or Bharat.

Hurry Up! Time is running out!!

Views and opinions expressed in this article is solely that of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views or position of SabrangIndia and this site.

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Haryana: Abusing Gandhi, Nehru, Muslims in one breath, saffron-clad mendicant at VHP-Bajrang Dal meet

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Dinesh D Kulkarni, BKS organising secretary, told the Times of India that “We believe that the minister was not in the loop during drafting of the proposed legislation. The draft Bill appeared to be a handiwork of someone within the bureaucracy to defame the government by inserting objectionable provisions. It’s good that the minister intervened and thwarted such a design on time.” He went on to point out that the inclusion of the word ‘bovine’ in the definition of animal products could have spelled the doom for the cow population, as well as harmed people’s cultural and religious values.

What did the bill contain?

The draft Bill defined “livestock products” to encompass all types of meat and meat products, such as fresh, chilled, and frozen meat, tissue, and organs of bovine, poultry, pig, sheep and goat. It also included embryos, ova, and sperm, as well as animal-derived pet food and any other animal product. The only change between the 2001 Amendment Act and the now-withdrawn Bill was the addition of one word: bovine.

The draft Bill had also expanded the categories of animals that could be imported and exported, stating that “livestock” includes all equines (all live equine irrespective of purpose including donkey, horses, mule, assess, hinnies), bovines (all bovine animals including cattle, buffaloes, bullocks, or any animals falling in the category of Bovidae), caprine’s, ovine’s, swine’s, canines, felines, avian, laboratory animals, aquatic

Concerns were expressed by stakeholders, including animal rights activists, about how such a definition could have indirectly promoted not only cow slaughter but also the breeding of street dogs for live export or dog meat, resulting in much cruelty to animals. They are now relieved that the proposal has been withdrawn. The withdrawal of the draft was a much welcomed move, bringing relief to the animal rights activists.

As per Bharati Ramachandran, CEO, Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisation (FIAPO), an animal rights NGO, “The Bill in itself did not have sufficient content to merit a response/ recommendations. It was an enabler legislation that would enable the government to pass any gazette notifications from time to time regarding live animal trade. So the only response was to withdraw it,” as reported by TOI.

Furthermore, the now withdrawn Bill had defined “livestock, products of livestock origin, livestock genetic material, biological products and pathological material of livestock origin” as commodities.

Upon this, the FIAPO CEO Ramachandran had said that “Live and sentient animals were defined as commodities, a terminology absent in the 2001 Amendment as well as in the original Act,” as per the TOI report.

When asked if the provisions provided in the now withdrawn bill could have helped with the problem of stray dogs, Sirjana Nijjar, director of FIAPO, responded, “It is completely incorrect to say that the Bill could check the stray dog menace. To begin with, wandering dogs are not a threat. Second, the Bill might have resulted in the illicit breeding of street dogs for live export or dog meat. The truth is that Bill might have unlocked Pandora’s Box and exported every animal. And this could lead to the illegal breeding of all animals. We could have started exporting donkeys to China, allowing breeding farms to thrive,” the TOI reported.

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Meat politics and related jurisprudence in India

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To ensure this, devotees have approached the high court: a writ petition filed in the high court alleges that some men who claim to be members of the RSS have been illegally encroaching on temple premises, conducting mass drills and training members on how to fight with weapons on temple grounds every evening between 5 pm and 12 am.

The petition actually goes on to say that their activities disturb the peace of the temple and scare off devotees and visitors. It also said that the “unpleasant smell” and repeated use of “tobacco products like ‘Hans’ and ‘pan masala’ within the temple premises” affects the “cleanliness, purity, and divinity” of the place of worship.

According to the petition filed,  RSS men — saying they are RSS members — have been causing “mental stress, agony and loss of calm atmosphere required to be maintained during meditation and offering prayers” at the temple.

“We haven’t received any official notice on this, and so we haven’t filed an affidavit either,” said RSS state secretary P.N. Easwar. Adding, “We’ve looked into the matter, but can’t comment further at this stage.”

“We have no problem with them using the temple grounds,” said 68-year-old G. Vyasan, one of the two petitioners, referring to the alleged RSS members.

“But the way they use it is disrespectful.”

Vyasan visits the temple every day and recounted that he first used to see the drills daily. Those conducting the mass drills use sticks and have, what he describes as, ‘mock fights’ on some days. But besides that,  he said, they loiter on the temple premises and generally cause a disturbance after drinking alcohol and consuming tobacco.  These “drills”  conducted on land right behind the temple, which has been cordoned off with chains and a makeshift barrier of rocks, have stopped since the writ petition was filed on June 20.

A former secretary of the temple, Ajay Kumar, told ThePrint that the men conducting the drills had built the barrier themselves. They wouldn’t allow any other devotees or visitors to use the space and would gather around 5 pm and spend the rest of the evening there, drinking into the night, he alleged.

The correspondent for ThePrint saw empty bottles of liquor, torn packets of tobacco, and what looked like firecracker shells on the temple premises.

“Those men come and shout ‘Jai Shri Ram’ all the time. I don’t understand why, this is a Devi temple!” said one devotee, underlining that the Sarkara Devi temple’s deity is Bhadrakali.

Related:

Plea in Kerala HC alleging illegal encroachment in temple by RSS

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On the 48^th anniversary of the Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi [June 25, 1975-March 21, 1977] we are witnessing once again the farce of RSS (Rashtriya Swyamsevak Sangh) claiming that the organisation opposed the Emergency vociferously.

PM Modi described it as the “darkest period” in Indian history in his weekly radio talk, ‘Mann ki Baat’ on June 18, 2023.

A senior RSS functionary who also happened to be a former Vice-President of India claimed in a special article on June 24, “The RSS played an important role in organising protests against the Emergency. These developments highlight the importance of active citizenship and grassroots movements in safeguarding democracy and advocating for the rights and freedoms of all citizens.”

Present day RSS-BJP rulers brag about how the ‘RSS fought against the Emergency’ not due to any (political) compulsions but as article of faith in democracy. Whether in fact, RSS cadres whose party is presently ruling India today “love democracy” needs to be seen, assessed and then given credence to. Indian jails meant to incarcerate anti-social elements are packed with young activists ranging from brilliant school/university students (large number of them being women) to leading intellectuals and senior citizens in their 70s and 80s, suffering serious ailments.

According to a reputed world study, the Index of Democracy Report, 2023, on the status of global democracy, “India ranks 108th in the Electoral Democracy Index”. This study was released by the V–Dem Institute. The country ranks way below countries such as Tanzania, Bolivia, Mexico, Singapore and Nigeria. India has also been named in the top 10 autocratising countries in the last 10 years in the report. India’s ranking dipped from the 100th position in 2022 to 108th this year in the report’s Electoral Democracy Index (EDI).”

On May 3, World Press Freedom Day (WPFD), the World Press Freedom Index 2023 was published by Reporters without Borders (RSF). India ranked 161^st among the 180 countries with a score of 36.62. In 2022, India’s rank was 150.

In fact, totalitarianism runs through the veins of RSS cadres who are fond of rule by iron men. Democracy and RSS are antithetical. This is not just what critics of Hindutva politics articulate but is what the most prominent ideologue of the RSS, MS Golwalkar, also known as ‘Guru of Hate’ [whom PM Modi credits for grooming him into a political leader] decreed while addressing the 1350 top level cadres of the RSS in 1940,

“RSS inspired by one flag, one leader and one ideology is lighting the flame of Hindutva in each and every corner of this great land.”

[Golwalkar, MS, Shri Guruji Samagar Darshan (collected works of Golwalkar in Hindi), Bhartiya Vichar Sadhna, Nagpur, nd., vol. I, p. 11.]

We need therefore to evaluate the current RSS’ claim of fighting the Emergency with contemporary RSS documents. The 3rd Supremo of the RSS, Madhukar Dattatraya Deoras wrote the first letter of praise to Indira Gandhi within two months of the imposition of Emergency. It was the time when state terror was running amok across India.

In letter dated, August 22, 1975 he began with the following praise of Indira:

“I heard your address to the nation which you delivered on August 15, 1975 from Red Fort on radio in jail [Yervada jail] with attention. Your address was timely and balanced so I decided to write to you”.

[Madhukar Dattatraya Deoras, Hindu Sangathan aur Sattavaadi Rajneeti, Jagriti Prkashan, Noida, 1997, 270.]

Indira Gandhi did not respond to it. So Deoras wrote another letter to Indira on November 10, 1975. He began his letter with congratulating her on being cleared by the Supreme Court of disqualification which was ordered by the Allahabad High Court,

“All the five Justices of the Supreme Court have declared your election constitutional, heartiest greetings for it.”

It is to be noted that opposition was firmly of the opinion that this judgment had been influenced by the power of the Executive, then ruled by the Congress.

In the course of the same letter he declared that

“RSS has been named in context of Jaiprakash Narayan’s movement. The government has also connected RSS with Gujarat movement and Bihar movement without any reason…Sangh has no relation with these movements…” [Ibid, pp-272-73]

Since Indira Gandhi did not respond to this letter too, RSS chief got hold of Vinoba Bhave who supported the Emergency religiously and was a favourite of Indira Gandhi.

In a letter dated January 12, 1976, Deoras begged that Acharya should suggest the way that ban on RSS was removed. [Ibid, pp-275-77] Since Acharya too did not respond to Deoras letter, the latter in another communication without date desperately wrote:

“According to press reports respected PM [Indira Gandhi] is going to meet you at Pavnar Ashram on January 24. At that time there will be discussion about the present condition of the country. I beg you to try to remove the wrong assumptions of PM about RSS so that ban on RSS is lifted and RSS members are released from jails. We are looking forward for the times when RSS and its members are able to contribute to the plans of progress which are being run in all the fields under the leadership of PM.” [Ibid, p. 278]

[All these letters written in Hindi are reproduced from a publication of the RSS at the end of this article.]

Balraj Madhok, a senior ideologue of the RSS who died as pracharak [whole-timer] of RSS in 2016 in his autobiography without mincing words wrote that Sarsanghchalak Deoras was fond of good living and when was held under MISA, “wrote two letters on August 22, 1975 and November 10, 1975 to Indira Gandhi for reconsidering her attitude towards the Sangh and lifting the ban from it.

He also wrote a letter to Shri Vinoba Bhave requesting him to try to remove from Indira Gandhi’s heart anti [Sangh] feelings.” [Zindagi Ka Safar –3: Deendayal Upadhyay Ki Hatya Se Indira Gandhi Ki Hatya Tak (Journey of Life-3: From the Murder of Deendayal Upadhyay to the Murder of Indira Gandhi), Dinman, Delhi, 2003, p. 188-189.]

Recall that former President of the Indian Republic, Pranab Mukherjee was invited by the RSS chief, Mohan Bhagwat as the chief guest of the graduation ceremony of its new recruits in 2018. It would be naïve to believe that Bhagwat did not know that Pranab Mukherjee was indicted as one of the top leaders of Congress following Emergency excesses.

It is shameful that despite these facts thousands of RSS cadres continue to get monthly family pension for “persecution” during Emergency. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)- ruled states like Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra decided to award a monthly pension of Rs 20,000 to those who were jailed during the Emergency period for less than 2 month and Rs 10000 to those who were jailed for less than a month.

This decision has taken case of the financial interest of those RSS cadres who submitted mercy letters completing only one or two months’ jail term! For securing such a significant monthly pension there is no specific condition (requirement) that the beneficiary –from tax payers’ money–should have been in jail for the whole period of the Emergency.

The Nation needs to remember that the Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi was withdrawn by her on March 21, 1977 and her party lost next general elections. However, RSS-BJP oligarchy continues to rule with an iron fist and relying on anti-terror laws without imposing an Emergency; it is the new normal under Modi as Prime Minister.

(The author is a former professor of Hindi, Delhi University and a scholar on recent Indian modern history)

Related:

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We or Our Nationhood Defined – 1947 Edition

The Ideology of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is both Hate-Ridden and Supremacist – Part 1

‘Old Wine in New bottle’: Bhagwat on Caste

The Sangh’s Hypocrisy on Dalits, It’s Time to Read ‘Bunch of Thoughts’, Again!

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