Long before coming to power, the top leader of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Atal Bihari Vajpayee, in an interview with the editor of ‘Navneet’ magazine in December 1963, remarked, “The paths of politics are slippery. One must tread carefully on these paths. A slight imbalance can lead to a fall. Therefore, it is essential to maintain a high level of balance on these paths.” This statement proved true during his tenure as Prime Minister. More than dealing with the coalition, he had to face the thorns laid by some leaders of his own party and the Sangh. It seems that even Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his close associate, Home Minister Amit Shah, have to handle not just garlands but also bowls filled with thorns from their own people despite historically bringing the BJP to power for the third time during the Lok Sabha elections.
The BJP leaders and workers are not openly expressing any complaints or accusations, but before or after the elections, they were conveying their grievances to the top leaders of the RSS. Perhaps this is why, without naming anyone directly, the RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and a couple of other leaders made some sharp comments when the Lok Sabha elections did not yield a sufficient majority. As a journalist who has been observing the relations and politics of the Sangh and the BJP for years, I was not surprised. Therefore, I would certainly say that the Sangh has always maintained its Lakshman Rekha. Through such public comments, they reassure their volunteers that their voices are being heard by the leadership. At the same time, the media’s interpretation sends a message to the public that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government do not operate under the directions of the Nagpur RSS headquarters. Even during election campaigns and on other platforms, leaders from opposition parties like Rahul Gandhi, the Congress Party, and the communists often accuse the BJP government of following the dictates of the Nagpur RSS.
In other words, both sides benefit from these statements. Otherwise, Narendra Modi has fulfilled the dreams and major goals of the Sangh and Jan Sangh-BJP within ten years. Not only has the grand Ram Temple in Ayodhya been realized, but also the rejuvenation of temples in Kashi and Mathura, the abolition of the temporary Article 370 concerning Kashmir for which Jan Sangh-BJP founder Dr. Syama Prasad Mukherjee sacrificed his life, liberation from the practice of triple talaq, and the legislation for 33% reservation for women in Parliament and state assemblies have been achieved. The law for a Uniform Civil Code has been passed in Uttarakhand, preparing for its nationwide implementation. Along with numerous public welfare programs, the Hindutva ideology has been successfully propagated globally. Besides personal grievances, what issue can the Sangh or party workers have to oppose Narendra Modi?
Recently, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat made some remarks about elections, politics, and the behavior of political parties during the closing program of the RSS’s worker development class in Nagpur, sparking discussions nationwide. He said, “Those who work while adhering to propriety, take pride in their work, but do not become attached, and do not become arrogant, are truly deserving of being called servants in the real sense. During elections, competition is inevitable. During this time, others have to be pushed back, but there is a limit to this. This competition should not be based on lies. After the Lok Sabha elections are over, the external atmosphere is different. A new government has also been formed. Why this happened, the Sangh does not concern itself with. The Sangh works to refine public opinion in every election, as it did this time, but does not get involved in analyzing the results. The people have given their mandate, and everything will proceed accordingly. Why? How? The Sangh does not get involved in this. Changes in society worldwide have brought about systemic changes. This is the essence of democracy.”
After Mohan Bhagwat, now Indresh Kumar, a member of the RSS’s national executive and head of the Muslim front, made a statement saying, “Those who became arrogant were stopped at 241. Those who lacked faith in Ram were stopped at 234 by everyone together. This is the justice of the Lord. Ram does justice to everyone. Look at the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Those who were devotees of Ram but gradually became arrogant were declared the largest party. They were stopped from getting the full rights and power they should have received due to their arrogance. Those who opposed Ram were not given any power. Not a single one among them was given power. Even all together (INDIA bloc) could not become number one; they remained at number two. Hence, the justice of the Lord is not strange, it is true and delightful.”
His statement indeed became a weapon for the opponents of the Modi government and the BJP, but the truth is that he is considered a hardliner and controversial leader of the Sangh. On one hand, he has been indirectly accused of supporting the bomb blasts in Ajmer Sharif and Malegaon, which the Sangh and BJP legally defended, and on the other hand, despite being the convener of the Sangh’s Muslim National Forum, some of his statements have previously been a headache for BJP governments. The most interesting part is that he is now labeling the BJP MP from Ayodhya as oppressive, but what efforts did he and his colleagues make to stop this oppression during the past years? Similarly, in which states did his Muslim front secure Muslim votes for the BJP in the elections?
Nonetheless, an important fact in this controversy is that the first RSS chief, Shri Guru M.S. Golwalkar, had clearly stated in the RSS’s mouthpiece ‘Organizer’ on June 25, 1956, that “The Sangh will never become a voluntary organization of any political party. There is a close relationship between the Sangh and the Jan Sangh. We do not take any major decision without consultation, but we ensure that our autonomy remains intact.” Similarly, former RSS chiefs Professor Rajendra Singh and Shri S. Sudarshanji, in interviews they gave me during their tenures, also said that despite all relations, we do not interfere in the regular work or decisions of the BJP. Current RSS chief Dr. Mohan Bhagwat publicly stated at a program in Delhi on September 18, 2018, “Today’s Prime Minister and President have been volunteers of the Sangh. Hence, people speculate that phone calls must be coming from Nagpur, and discussions must be happening; this is entirely wrong. Firstly, the activists working in the political field are either my age or senior to me, and they have far more experience in politics than I have in Sangh work. Therefore, they do not need anyone’s advice to run their politics. We have no influence on their politics, nor do we have any impact on the policies of the government.” Therefore, in a democracy, opinions and views of all can be considered, along with election considerations of the Sangh leaders. But can anyone give strict directions to a Prime Minister like Narendra Modi? With victories and losses in politics and elections, there are many dangers. It is not possible to keep everyone happy. Despite implementing ideas, ideals, and programs, in a vast country, one can always encounter thorns along with flowers at every turn.