Speaking at the 25th Rashtroday Samagam, RSS sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat urged all Indians to join the RSS. He asked all Hindus to unite because there is no other way to save the country from being taken advantage of.
ThePrint asks: Is Mohan Bhagwat right in saying that only united Hindus can save India?
The RSS chief wants us to look at Hindu consolidation with a positive perspective
Seshadri Chari
Former editor of ‘Organiser’
The statement by RSS sarsanghachalak Mohan Bhagwat should be seen in the larger context of the core ideas of the RSS, which were crystallised while founding the organisation in 1925.
While the Tilak-Agarkar debate centred on prioritising either social reforms or Independence, there was a general agreement about Hindu unity when Hindu-Muslim schism was at its peak.
Even the Congress and other socio-political organisations and leaders were talking in terms of social unity, religious convergence and united attempts at Independence.
Incidentally, the Congress was projected as a Hindu party. Partition came as a spoilsport and Hindu-Muslim relations in India and Indo-Pak relations were seen as two sides of the same coin for narrow political considerations. Social and religious consolidation took a back seat with the state’s overemphasis on ‘secular’ credentials, which, in practical terms, were not different from ‘Hindu’ credentials.
In this background the overwhelming majority of the people, who were practising Hindus, began feeling the pinch of vote bank politics but found themselves unable to assert politically. In some states, even social assertion became difficult leading to economic marginalisation and social mobilisation. (The Silicon Valley is overpopulated by these socio-politically marginalised Hindus).
Meanwhile, the RSS continued with its “man making-nation building” mission through a network of shakhas and nongovernmental organisations fanning out to far-flung tribal areas and thickly populated cities alike. Instead of categorising Hindu unity as communal and sectarian, political parties should have taken advantage of such social unification as a nation-building tool.
What the RSS chief has reiterated is this: he has appealed that we look at this Hindu consolidation from a positive perspective. It should be viewed as a value addition to public policy discourse rather than being censured as divisive and parochial.
The RSS is wrong, India is a Hindu majority nation, not a Hindu Rashtra
Manish Tewari
Spokesperson, Indian National Congress
The sarsangchalak of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is absolutely wrong when he makes such an assertion for the simple reason that India is a Hindu majority nation but India is not a Hindu Rashtra.
The founding vision of India ensured, not withstanding a Partition on religious lines, that India would become a progressive, inclusive and pluralistic democracy where people of every caste, colour, creed, religion, region could live together as equal Indians.
What the RSS has been attempting to do in the past 46-odd months is refight the battle for the founding vision of India. In fact, for them it is 1947 all over again. In 1947, the proponents of an inclusive India triumphed over the advocates of a majoritarian India. These advocates of a majoritarian India led by the Right-wing and it’s ideological fellow travellers lost.
After seven-odd decades, they feel this is their moment in the sun with their own government at the Centre. They believe that just because the BJP has a majority in the Lok Sabha riding on just 31 per cent of the popular vote, they have the licence to rewrite the founding compact that underpins the Indian republic.
Therefore, you hear all these statements periodically trying to instill a fear psychosis and a sense of paranoia among a majority community that has always been known for its tolerance, broad-mindedness of purpose and ability to imbibe various extraneous influences without really altering its fundamental ethos.
For anyone to say that Hindus must unite to save India is completely irrational. For the only thing India needs saving from are it’s Right-wing/ Left-wing/ and centrists bigots. This statement is yet another attempt at Right-wing populism that must not be dignified even by indignation.
RSS head Mohan Bhagwat’s statement on Indians and Hinduism fails as an argument
Rita Kothari
Cultural historian and professor, English, Ashoka University
On the face of it, how can an idea of being ‘united’ be objectionable? It has an inherent moral and common-sensical justification. Didn’t we all grow up hearing the story of an old father asking his sons to strengthen their impact by citing the example of sticks?
And to object to Mohan Bhagwat, because he is an iconic voice of the RSS, is also specious, at least intellectually.
However, the assumptions of the statement need some teasing out, and they are aplenty when Bhagwat says India can be saved and can show the world a way if the Hindus are united. The statement assumes that all those who, by birth, are Hindus experience Hinduism similarly and simply. And if they don’t, it is only a matter of political will, not historical conditions that put some outside the pale, or individual desires that make some ambivalent, or migrant with inherited religions.
It also assumes that the world, at large, is waiting for the hypothetical ‘spiritual’ East to provide the way. If that were so, how is this consistent with the unspoken assumption that Hinduism is in danger. How can Hindus be both threatened and exemplary to the world, and what of these is a matter of truth and which, potential?
I believe that we have spent many a breath on dismissing statements on grounds of identity politics. Mohan Bhagwat’s statement fails even as an argument. Let us save the quiver of ideology for something more worthwhile.
The RSS chief just wants support of people who may not believe in their idea of Hindutva
Rajgopal Singh
Journalist, ThePrint
The speech of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat at the gathering of RSS cadre in Meerut has ruffled feathers, once again.
He urged the Hindus to stay united and do well because India was their responsibility.
There is nothing new in what he said. In fact, it is difficult to understand why it has caused an outcry. The RSS has always been saying this.
The catch here is not the old wine but the new bottle.
Any astute political observer will tell you that this is India’s first ‘RSS government’. Atal Bihari Vajpayee was an RSS man but the RSS regarded that this identity was not at the core of what Vajpayee represented.
But with this government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the story is very different. Many cabinet ministers, including Modi, owe their rise to the RSS. So, the RSS has tasted the political power for the first time. And now they don’t want to lose it.
And for this, they need the support of a large chunk who necessarily may not believe in their idea of Hindutva. So Bhagwat repeatedly emphasises that anybody who believes in ‘Bharat Mata’ and is progeny of India’s forefathers is a Hindu.
So he is urging Hindus to save India but interestingly, he is also simultaneously defining who a Hindu is.
There is no doubt that any such thing coming from the RSS is viewed with suspicion. And there is good reason for it.
Although Hindus form the nation’s majority, at about 80 per cent, we have a substantial population of Muslims, Christians and others. And the Constitution has given each one of them equal rights. Anybody who suggests otherwise is viewed with suspicion. A statement by a Union minister pledging to rewrite the Constitution will add fuel to such fears.
Even a cursory look at the Partition history is enough to highlight for us what religious polarisation can do. So anything, repeat anything, which has the potential of instigating fear in the minds of religious minorities must be avoided at any cost. A frightened minority is the most dangerous national security threat for the country. People in power have an added burden of weighing their words before they speak.
The RSS chief is wrong: the responsibility of saving India isn’t that of Hindus alone
Maneesh Chhibber
Editor,Investigations & Special Projects, ThePrint
The RSS chief is wrong-the responsibility of saving India isn’t that of Hindus alone. Ask any middle-aged, semi-literate Indian to name two gallantry awardees from the Indian Army and chances are many of them will remember two names: Abdul Hamid and Brig Kuldip Singh Chandpuri– one a Muslim, the other a Sikh. The second one made more famous after Sunny Deol played him in the Bollywood blockbuster film ‘Border’.
So, Mohan Bhagwat’s statement that, “Hindus need to unite since India is their responsibility and if the country did not do well, Hindus would be questioned” is factually incorrect.
The responsibility of saving India is for every Indian, be it a Hindu, Muslim, Sikh or a Christian.
A person of any other faith who is a citizen of the country, loves Bharat, and is as proud of her children’s achievements as a Hindu.
Here is something to ponder over: Why, even though we have one of the largest Muslim population in the world, and despite attempts by Pakistan’s ISI, ISIS and terrorists like Hafiz Saeed, we are largely unaffected by the growth of ISIS or Islamic terrorism? Why did the Khalistan movement never get the mass support that ISI, which financed it, thought it would among the Sikh masses in Punjab?
The answer lies in the fact that the average Muslim, Christian and Sikh citizen is as happy to be part of the India-growth story as any Hindu. They see a path to their own development in our country’s development.
But, unless, these divisive statements stop, ISIS-recruiters may start succeeding where ISI failed.
Bhagwat is also wrong when he says, “Hindus have no other place to go in the world”. To check for himself, he only needs to take time off and visit the Visa offices of Canada, Australia, the US and/or several European countries and see the number of Hindus that queue up every morning for a visa to emmigrate.
What about the lakhs of our bright IT grads who have happily given up Indian citizenship and are now proud citizens of other countries?
Compiled by Deeksha Bhardwaj, Journalist at ThePrint.
Look at the countries where Muslims are in majority with
1. Secularism
2. Legally, women are equal to men and not punished even when raped.
3. Minority religions have been able to increase or maintain their % polpulation for at least 40-50 years
4. industrialised
5. Extremists are not supported by government.
Number 3 is the most crucial to ensure improvement in quality of life as we progressives see it.
How many Muslims come out in open to oppose ISIS and other similar groups without fear of retribution?
To compare RSS and other groups working for Hindus with Islamic terrorists is ridiculous joke. No one was killed though there were protests against Padmavat. Many have been killed when comments/cartoons were perceived as attacking Islam.
‘Infidle’ by Aayan Hirsi Ali is recommended to most of the writers above.
Hindus unite? There are no Hindus in India never were and the way things are never will be. There are people praying broadly to the same gods ( like various sects of say Christianity or Islam) but they are not one people nor one religion. The various religions are Brahmins, Kshatriyas, the working middle class referred to now as OBCs, Hindu shudras, Hindu tribals. There is no connection amongst them. Sadly things have come to this pass if you look at how they are fighting amongst themselves. The RSS chief speaks for Brahmins and he has his rights there. All the other religions as mentioned above think for themselves. All these people minus the Bramhin religion ones will decide what they should do for their good. Bramhins owe no one nothing and no one owes the Brahmins nothing. If the Brahmins want to do something for India they are welcome. They don’t speak for the other religions mentioned above
Miliind obviously has not visited RSS events to confirm what has been fed to him by media and anti -Hindu brigade. RSS does not believe in caste. The amount of social work RSS has done in NE India, for Vanavasis, in the field of education and health is unbelievable. My request to him is to visit some RSS events as observer. He will be welcome with open arms, whatever caste he belongs to. No will will even ask him his cast. Just to clarify, I was not RSS member nor is now.
If he is talking about the past, he will do well to look up histories of other religions too. Greeks, Christians had slaves till recently. And well, he should read “Infidle” by Aayan Hirsi Ali to know more about Islamic practices.
The question is whether the country called India is an accident of British imperialism, or it has some bigger civilization unity that survived last 1000 years of foreign rule. The uniqueness of this land does not come from Christianity that had defined Europe, nor does it comes from Islam that has defined say Morocco or Algeria. The land, the ancient Greeks used to call India, and which the modern European colonised and called India, is an ancient civilization with possibly many nations, having its own distinctive ethos and root. It is an enormously diverse land, where this diversity is respected and celebrated. This is fundamentally different from say, the ethos of France or England or Saudi Arabia, where diversity is not even tolerated. In this country a man worshipping a stone, or a tree as God is equally accepted and respected compared to man following the sophisticated teaching of Buddha or Mahavir. This is an unique land. People who identify themselves with this ethos defines India. This is fundamentally unlike the regimented spirituality followed by the rest of the world. Let not confuse Brahmanism with this core Indian value system.
After practising a crude form of majoritarian politics for four years and dividing Indians based on religion and caste, its time to consolidate the majority vote again! If the Sangh were to ask itself sincerely if the last four years have truly seen sabka saath, sabka vikas, it will get its answer as to why there is disquiet and anti incumbency.
Save India from what exactly? Why is RSS and Modi hell bent on convincing Indians that something was terribly wrong with their country? India was alright till RSS clowns started ruling.
save india from islamic expansionist who feel uncomfortable with the existence of non muslims idiots like you dont read the scriptures of islam
Given that the census-definition of “Hindu” is a leftover-of-nots and includes a mix of disparate tribal-religions and also those of NO religion — the idea of “Hindus uniting to save India” is utterly nonsensical.