Like an elder family member, Mohan Bhagwat is asking both Modi-BJP, Congress to shun arrogance

BJP ministers and senior leaders grew arrogant and paid a heavy price in 2024 elections. The party promised 'minimum government, maximum governance' in 2014 but did the opposite in ten years.

File photo of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat | ANI

Gharcha Aaher, the Marathi phrase that refers to well-intentioned criticism from an elder person in the family, could not be more fitting in the present situation. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, as the head of the Sangh Parivar, has spoken his mind like an elder family member, albeit in his characteristic mild manner.

The post-election advice from the Sarsanghchalak (chief) of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), considered the ideological fountainhead of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has several interesting aspects for the entire political class—not just the BJP—to introspect. The RSS was the favourite whipping boy of the Congress and Left parties, which used every opportunity to demonise and vilify the organisation. In this election, there was even an attempt to register an outfit in the name of RSS, but the registrar rejected the application, stopping the spread of a canard that “RSS supported Congress candidates.”

While this shenanigan failed, the falsehood of a schism between the RSS and the BJP was strongly propagated. Congress candidate Rahul Gandhi alleged that the BJP and the RSS were trying to “destroy India’s Constitution”, which was a blatant lie. Incidentally, the RSS is not a political party and should not have been dragged into the political mud-slinging, which, unfortunately, has become an integral part of the electoral process.

For instance, during the 2018 Madhya Pradesh election, the Congress manifesto went to the extent of announcing the return of the Digvijaya Singh-era ban on government officials taking part in RSS activities. The officials at the time were not permitted to attend RSS ‘shakhas’, and no programmes of the RSS could be held in any government building. Interestingly, this revived memories of the Emergency and brought out the RSS strongly in favour of the BJP candidates in that election. One Congress candidate, Sunderlal Tiwari, emulated Digvijay Singh when he infamously accused the RSS of “saffron terror” and said the “RSS symbolises terrorism.” The 2018 Madhya Pradesh election results bear testimony to the extent to which the anti-RSS tirade back-fired and only highlight the extent of support the RSS adds to the BJP’s victory.

Bhagwat’s message is for the political class

Raising concern over the falling standards in campaigning, the RSS chief rightly cautioned the parties to not carry on with the hate-mongering indulged in during the campaign. He even mentioned the misuse of technology to spread falsehood about the RSS. Ironically, after Bhagwat’s statement, it was the Congress spokespersons who rushed to the media to compliment the RSS for daring to speak the truth. What the RSS chief said was valid for all political parties.

He was absolutely right in suggesting that the BJP workers took the 2024 elections less seriously, were complacent, and depended more on the charisma and popularity of Modi to win the elections rather than depending on a door-to-door campaign, which was their forte. There have been numerous instances in which the political ingenuity of the leadership has turned major challenges into opportunities in the last ten years. Narendra Modi has adjusted to becoming a mass leader, a powerhouse in Delhi, and an international leader. Yet, aware of the dangers of disconnect with the masses, Modi had cautioned the party workers and BJP leaders against losing touch with the common people in the wake of election victories and a weak opposition. He gave them the mantra of building a “bridge of faith” with the common people at the party’s national executive meeting in 2021, long before the preparations for the 2024 elections had set in.

Senior BJP leaders and ministers who neglected this warning and grew arrogant paid a heavy price in elections and sadly brought down the party’s tally too. The BJP, which promised “minimum government, maximum governance” in 2014, turned out to be doing the opposite in the last ten years. The party headquarters in Delhi, resembling a swanky corporate office, had long become a no-go zone for ordinary party workers. Some ministers, surrounded by security personnel, exuded so much arrogance that even party colleagues kept away from them. Bhagwat’s comment on eschewing “ahankar” (arrogance) fits like a tee for those leaders of the party who threw even the Prime Minister’s caution to the winds.

See Manipur remark in the right perspective

The RSS chief’s comments on Manipur should be seen in the right perspective. While emphasising on the need to have peace and harmony as prerequisites for economic progress, he brought up the question of unrest in Manipur, saying the ten-odd years of peace were disturbed by gun culture. The fact that it needs urgent attention is not lost on the government. The Modi 2.0 government could have acted well in time to address the situation from turning volatile, but it probably had its own political compulsions. Contrary to being viewed as criticism, Bhagwat’s comment on Manipur should be seen as a guiding hand. He has highlighted the social discord, partly historical and partly fuelled and funded by anti-social elements, in the state to initiate an avenue of constructive engagement. Perhaps by focusing inward, a potential success (via a peace-building process by consensus) in Manipur can help the prime minister set the tone for the next five years.

The RSS advice that parties and their leaders should leave the pre-poll acrimony behind to engage in constructive cooperation in and outside Parliament is very pertinent for all political parties.

The Sarsanghchalak’s statement is important for maintaining the right temperament in the coalition and in Parliament. As members of the NDA decide which issues must be prioritised, retaining the ethos of consensus-building will be foundational for reaching into Opposition (‘pratipaksha’, as the Sarsanghchalak preferred to call it) quarters. Many members of the ideologically opposed political competitors of the I.N.D.I.A. bloc would soon realise that the political need for the alliance is over. It should not come as a surprise if the comments of the RSS chief facilitate members of the anti-BJP alliance to join the NDA, besides offering issue-based support.

While the BJP, as the leading party of the NDA government, should build consensus, the Congress must realise that it has a long way to go before it emerges as a challenger to the BJP and its current leadership. If “ahankara” is bad for the BJP, it is equally bad for the Congress.

Seshadri Chari is the former editor of ‘Organiser’. He tweets @seshadrichari. Views are personal.

(Edited by Prashant)