Selfish elements are taking undue advantage in the name of the temple, cow, and Ganga-Yamuna.
NEW DELHI: Who is responsible for the provocative environment in the country? Are the elements involved in provocative rhetoric and violence getting direct or indirect support from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh? Do all BJP leaders follow the instructions and advice of the Sangh leadership? Is there adequate coordination between the Sangh and the government? To get answers to these communal questions, it is necessary to look at some of the recent statements and efforts of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The most surprising thing is that apart from Congress and other opposition parties, these efforts are being criticized also by hardline Hindu elements who have been supporters of the Sangh-BJP for years. Without dialogue, social harmony and the cooperation of other religious organisations and community members, can the nation be made strong and self-sufficient? Is it right to take revenge on the present generation for the disturbances or violence that took place over the past thousand years? Is it right to try to find your idol by digging up the foundation of every place of worship? Is Hitler’s atrocities being avenged from today’s society in Germany? Is it possible to avenge the atrocities of the British Raj from the present British rulers or people of Indian origin who have become British citizens?
Radical extremist elements and their activities open the way to destruction not only in India but in any country around the world. Which war treaties and peace treaties are not discussed at the end? To what extent can violence and fire be continued? If people’s sentiments for power have been supported, then should we not protect the dignity, duty, and future interests of the office of the ruling party?
Let’s focus on the thoughts of the Sangh chief. The current Sarsanghchalak, Mohan Bhagwat, has clearly stated in recent months that “every person born in India can be considered as an Indian Muslim. His method of worship can be anything”. Meaning, along with the protection and promotion of Hindu religious culture, they also have respect for any religion and its ways of worship, like Islam, Christianity, and Buddhism, and they are an integral part of all Indian society. It is not as if the Sangh chief said this after Narendra Modi’s government took office. Sarsanghchalak Professor Rajendra Singh and C. Sudarshan, who were before him, have also said this in interviews given to me years ago and which I have published. A few days ago, Shri Bhagwat said that “it is unfair to find the idol of your God in every mosque. Such demands will lead to anarchy” and made it more clear in a programme in Delhi this week that “a grand temple of Ayodhya is being built.
For the ancient temple sites of Kashi and Mathura, the spirit of the entire Hindu society is attached, and the Mahabharata-Ramayana should be considered a factual history of that time and not a fiction or a simple story, evidence, etc. should not be sought for these religious places. In this way, he publicly stated that the Sangh or its affiliated organisations and people should not attempt to claim any place other than the religious places of Ayodhya, Kashi, and Mathura.
Not only that, but he met with intellectuals from various areas of the Muslim community in Delhi, as well as officials holding important positions in India, to discuss efforts to promote peace and harmony in society. They include the former Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Qurehi and former L.G. Delhi Najib Jang. Then he met the Chief of Imam Organization Dr Imam Umer Ahmed Iiyasi and went to madarsa and one mosque too. Shri Bhagwat discussed with them issues like cow protection, a constant dialogue between the two sides on temple-mosque issues, and control of provocative things were discussed. Such efforts and statements are welcome, and efforts should be made to implement them from all sides. The sad part is that some fundamentalists from both sections are criticising such an initiative as well.
The second thing is the organisation. There is no doubt that with the expansion of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and its affiliated organisations in recent years, the power is greater. Self-confidence has increased with the rise to power of the people influenced by the ideas of the Sangh.
Despite all the ideals of discipline and simplicity, some people associated with the organisation have started misusing and acting arbitrarily. Selfish elements have become active to take undue advantage in the name of the temple, cow, and Ganga Yamuna. So, after being in the Sangh, they have now, by forming institutions with new names, started doing unrestrained rhetoric and violence-generating activities by becoming the contractors of the Hindu religion and society. To control them, not only the Sangh but also the governments and the administration should take action in time. In this view, the Bharatiya Janata Party, which is considered to be associated with the Sangh to an extent, will also have to act more cautiously and with restraint. Not only have some MPs, MLAs or local leaders, but ministers also have made provocative things. This spoils all the efforts and positive work of the leadership.
Talking about the government, there is no denying the fact that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his senior colleagues are products of the thoughts, ideals, and values of the Sangh. Therefore, they do not require separate instructions from the Sangh. Yes, mutual cooperation is necessary to fulfil our principles, promises, and resolutions.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi constantly emphasises that all the programmes of the government are for the entire Indian society and every section, meaning that not only Hindus, Sikhs, Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, etc. are equally able to get the benefits of government schemes and facilities. If incomplete or wrong information about communal discrimination and violence in India reaches the international level, the image of the country gets tarnished.
Anyway, India’s role and challenges in world politics have increased. In some states, overconfident leaders are actually harming the positive good works of the government and the Sangh by trying to solve the problems with arbitrary steps and bulldozer formulas to stop the disturbances. Therefore, the organisation and the government must take steps for continuous monitoring, self-review, and necessary control.
The author is editorial director of ITV Network, India News and Dainik Aaj Samaj.