The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Sarsangchalak Mohan Bhagwat, considered by many as the most powerful man in the saffron brigade, continues to express opinions, however some of his followers do not listen to him. On Friday while delivering a lecture in Pune, he said that it was pointless to keep on raking Mandir-Masjid controversies, and it would be appropriate if all communities and castes learn to co-exist peacefully.
Bhagwat said that every citizen in the country should be treated as equal and it was the Constitution which provided the compass for everyone to lead their lives. However, what he did not take into account is that while it was one thing to state things theoretically, on the other, it was completely different when things took place practically.
If Bhagwat is attempting to bring down the temperature in respect of the divisive politics that has taken the centre stage, and is threatening to further create gaps between the citizens, he needs to be applauded. Nevertheless, he should by reining in his own supporters ensure that they do not say or do anything which creates distances amongst communities and the people.
In a country which is governed by the Constitution, there can be no first amongst equals. The diversity which he acknowledged has always been our strength and therefore no attempt should be made to create further differences that can impact the overall security and unity of the country.
Bhagwat had earlier stated that people should not look for a temple beneath every mosque and in this context, the message was obviously aimed at the believers of the Hindutva philosophy who have been raking issues leading to discord as well as unrest in several parts of the country. It is evident that Bhagwat’s word or opinion is being constantly ignored by some of his followers who are obsessed with the idea of turning back the wheel of time, to reclaim what they consider to be Hindu places of worship, thereby showing absolute disrespect to history and the events that took place during centuries.
The RSS chief also made it clear to his own supporters in particular that after the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, they should not have any illusions about being leaders of the Hindus and thus respect the reality and also look at the practical aspects of where the country stands. His latest speech needs to be viewed in the context of the debate over the legacy of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar which both the BJP and the Congress are trying to claim despite their reservations in the past.
The debate has basically been generated in order to influence the Dalit or Scheduled Caste votes, which are extremely important in electoral politics. While Dr Ambedkar was a very tall national hero, second to none, his iconic stature has a special significance and relevance for both the downtrodden and the oppressed. He was a spiritual messiah for a section of people whose reverence for him is unmatched.
From the RSS perspective, the debate could divide the Hindu society and thus affect the efforts to bring about unity amongst the majority community. Many of the downtrodden consider that the RSS thesis was only aimed at promoting the upper castes and the rest was merely lip service. In the past, whenever there has been any dialogue or debate concerning communities or castes, the Sangh has always raked up the need to have unity amongst the Hindus, and as an add-on amongst all countrymen.
The edifice of the Sangh Parivar would be badly hit if the Dalits and the oppressed decide to break rank and look towards their own political interests. It suits the Sangh agenda perfectly if the Hindus remain united and do not talk about castes and other issues which can impact the social fabric. It is perhaps for this reason, why Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition is insisting on a caste census, since it weakens both the politics and the ideology of the saffron brigade.
The Congress was always opposed to caste census but its demand is purely political since it perhaps realises that this would hurt the BJP the most. Bhagwat continues to give assurances to the Muslims in India but this does not translate into the reality that is being witnessed all around. Not a single Muslim is a BJP Member of Parliament today and if that is what inclusive politics is all about, God alone can help the Sangh.
Bhagwat had a few days earlier spoken about the need for every couple to produce at least three children. When the world is moving towards fewer children and in China, the one child norm has been adopted by most couples, where is the need in India to go for a larger family which requires a very robust economy?
It is a well-known fact that the majority of problems in this country are because of over-population and this needs to be brought down under all circumstances. The reality is that divisive politics was leading to problems which may become irreversible and in the long run, harm the interests of the country. The divisiveness is not merely being promoted amongst communities but also amongst regions. All this has to end and Bhagwat should ensure that.
Bhagwat’s intentions may be noble but it is the actions of his followers that need to be curbed. Between us.