The Sangh clearly talks of making Hindu society strong on the basis of its religion and culture.
New Delhi: During the Lok Sabha and Maharashtra and Haryana Assembly elections, the role of the RSS and its bittersweet relations with the Bharatiya Janata Party were much discussed. Now the RSS has started celebrating the centenary year of its establishment. The RSS has set a target in its centenary year to increase the number of its branches to one lakh across the country. Its branches are not to be established in cities and towns, but to spread their roots in villages. The RSS agenda of social harmony is important, through which Hindus scattered in castes are to be united.
In this context, the RSS and the BJP have also emphasized on seeing their vision, direction and relations in the right perspective on the issues related to temple, mosque, Hindu and Muslim. It is clear from the public statements of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and Prime Minister Narendra Modi that there is no difference between them. It is a different matter that they have been independently active in the work of their respective organizations and governments and want to remain so in the future too.
Just as there have been deep differences and even divisions in the parties among Arya Samaj, Hindu Mahasabha, Congress, Communist, Socialist ideology and many of their leaders and workers, similarly there have been some extremists in RSS or BJP also and even now their statements and activities are causing confusion, controversy and to some extent harm to the society and the nation.
Despite the public statements of the chief of the Sangh, Mohan Bhagwat, for the last two-three years, the editorial of the English weekly of the organization and the statements of some ultra-right leaders of the BJP regarding temple-mosque claims are creating unnecessary tension. This can only be called the misuse of freedom of expression. Amidst the temple-mosque disputes arising continuously at different places in the country, Mohan Bhagwat has again given advice to the leaders not to raise issues like Ram temple anywhere else. Without naming anyone, he even said that after the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya, some people are trying to prove themselves as the “leader of Hindus” by raising such issues.
Ram Mandir was a matter of faith, and Hindus felt that it should be built. It is unacceptable to raise issues about some new sites due to hatred and animosity. Mohan Bhagwat said that India should present an example of harmonious coexistence of all religions and ideologies. He said, “Extremism, aggression, use of force and insulting the gods of others is not our culture… There is no majority or minority here; we are all one. Everyone in this country should follow their method of worship and should be allowed to do so.”
There is no doubt that the thoughts of every great man and organization have changed with time. Therefore, there should be no surprise if there are some ideological changes in the RSS and BJP. If the people of RSS or BJP go astray, they should not be taken too seriously and necessary action can be taken against the extremists as per the law.
However, my experience of journalism is that in the RSS, from Guru Golwalkarji to Mohan Bhagwatji and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who also has come from the RSS, there has been a principle of accepting the ancient importance of Ayodhya, Kashi, Mathura and the existence of 98% of the people born in the country as Indian Hindus with different worship practices. It can be called a coincidence or good fortune that in the last five decades, I have got the opportunity to work closely with various media institutions and editors and journalists, who were once dedicated and reputed propagators of the RSS, some Congressmen, some socialists, some progressive opponents of the RSS ideology.
For example, while working with Baleshwar Agarwal, N.B. Lele, Ramshankar Agnihotri, Bhanupratap Shukla, who were associated with the Sangh, during my tenure with Hindustan Samachar from 1971 to 1975, I got the benefit of understanding their thoughts. An editor, Ramshankar Agnihotri, gave me a book in December 1972, “Shri Guruji Vyakti Aur Karya” (written and translated from Marathi by N.H. Palkar) and I still have it. In this book, an excerpt from a speech given by Sangh Pramukh Guru Golwalkar in Bombay (now Mumbai) in 1948 can perhaps be considered important even today.
In this, Guruji had said, “Every person in India should think in this way that whatever is happening, whether it is right or wrong, we should keep thinking about the problems in their fundamentals without getting agitated, without harbouring any negative feelings in our hearts, leaving mutual animosity, and keep progressing with a calm mind. We will move forward after digesting all the disturbing reasons. We will not let the poison of anger enter our hearts and minds. Those who are visible, whatever they may be, are our own people, components of our nation, our society. Whatever their ideology, they must have done some good work. Therefore, we will show our affectionate generosity and feeling of brotherhood towards them.” It means that the top leaders of the Sangh have always considered the nation and society as their foremost goals.
The Sangh clearly talks of making Hindu society strong on the basis of its religion and culture. The BJP has been in power in the country since 2014. In many states, the BJP is running its government on its own and in many states it is a partner in power. With the BJP and Narendra Modi in power, the Sangh has been successful in implementing its core agenda. Article 370 has been abolished from Jammu and Kashmir. The dream of one country, one law is also coming true. The core agenda of the Sangh is Uniform Civil Code, the work of implementing which has also been started by the BJP. It is being used through Uttarakhand. Not only this, the Union Home Minister Amit Shah has clearly said in Parliament that UCC will be implemented in BJP-ruled states. For this, he has also given the example of Uttarakhand. Then what issue can be a cause of conflict between the Sangh and the BJP?