Divisive Politics of RSS and Struggle for Plural Society – Ram Puniyani

Divisive Politics of RSS and Struggle for Plural Society

Ram Puniyani

India has been a country of plural diverse traditions. Here people of different religions have been living for centuries. From last few decades the discords between different communities have been on the rise. The minorities particularly Muslims have been targeted in severe ways. Even the Christian minority is also under the attack. These divides between different religious communities have been on the increase due to the communal agenda aggressively unleashed during last few decades. Around the time of Shah Bano fiasco, the communal forces launched the Ram Temple campaign, which became more heightened after the Mandal Commission implementation in 1990. Since then the communal violence on one hand and increase in the electoral power of BJP is on the rise parallel to each other.

RSS pursues the politics of Hindutva, which is based on Savarkar’s elaboration of this concept. As per Savarkar, Hindutva is not just a religion, it is whole HInduness based on Aryan Race, culture (Brahmanical) and the land from Sindhu to seas. (1) In his concept of citizenship Hindus have a primacy as this is their Pitrubhumi (fatherland) and Punyabhumi (Holyland) both. Christians and Muslims become secondary as their Punyabhumi is in Mecca and Jerusalem. His concept of Nationalism is based on this is Hindu Rashtra. This is the ideological basis of RSS politics. (2)

Colonial Period: Indian Nationalism and Sectarian Nationalism

During colonial period the rising classes of industrialists, businessmen, workers and educated classes came together and formed different organizations, Madras Mahajan Sabha, Pune Sarvajanik Sabha, and Bombay Association etc. These organizations felt for the need for an overarching political organization so went in to form Indian National Congress in 1885. (3) The declining sections of society, Muslim and Hindu landlords and kings also decided to come together to oppose the all-inclusive politics of Congress, which in due course became the major vehicle of the values of freedom movement. These declining sections were feeling threatened due to the social changes. To hide their social decline they projected as if their religion is in danger. They also did not like the standing up to the colonial masters by Congress, which had started putting forward the demands for different rising social groups and thereby for India. Congress saw this country as ‘India is a Nation in the making’, while Muslim League and Hindu Mahasabha saw it as Muslim and Hindu nation respectively (4).

As per declining sections of landlords and kings; standing up to, not bowing in front of the ruler is against the teachings of ‘our’ religion so what is needed according to them is to promote the loyalty to the British. They, Hindu and Muslim feudal elements, came together and formed United India Patriotic Association in 1888. The lead was taken by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan; it included Muslim and Hindu feudal elements like Nawab of Dhaka and Raja of Kashi (5). Later due to British machinations the Muslim elite from this association separated and formed Muslim league in 1906, while in parallel to this the Hindu elite first formed Punjab Hindu Sabha in 1909 and then Hindu Mahasabha in 1915.

These communal formations argued for Muslim Nationalism and Hindu nationalism. Hindu nationalists also developed the political ideology of Hindutva, articulated particularly by Savarkar in 1923 in his book ‘Hindutva or Who is a Hindu?’ This was an enviable situation for British as such groups would weaken the rising national movement. On one side they quietly supported the Muslim League and parallel to this they handled Hindu Mahasabha with velvet gloves.

Genesis of RSS

Taking a cue from the ideology of Hindutva, RSS came up in 1925, with the path of Hindu Nationalism and goal of Hindu Nation. The values of rising classes embodied in the persona of Bhagat Singh, Ambedkar, Gandhi, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and many others mainly revolved around Indian Nationalism, built around the principles of Liberty, Equality, Fraternity and Social Justice. The ideology of Muslim League selectively drew from elite Muslim traditions to assert the caste and gender hierarchy of feudal society. While Hindu Mahasabha and RSS had tomes like Manusmriti to talk about graded hierarchies of caste and gender. Muslim and Hindu communalists were not part of freedom movement as freedom movement was all inclusive and aimed at secular democratic values. Muslim and Hindu communalists drew from glories of respective Kings of the past and kept aloof from anti British struggle, some exceptions are always there to show the evidence of their participation in the freedom struggle.

Gandhi’s attempt to draw the masses in to anti British struggle was the major point due to which the Constitutionalists like Jinnah; traditionalists of Muslim League and Hindu Mahasabha further drifted away and consolidated themselves after 1920s. The trajectory of Hindu Nationalism from the decade of 1920 becomes very clear, to be on the side of British to oppose the Muslim Nationalists. Same applies to Muslim League, as it regarded Congress as a Hindu party. (6) The Freedom of the country and tragic partition led to Muslim Leaguers going to Pakistan while leaving sufficient backlog to sustain Muslim communalism here.

RSS Setting up Shakhas

Shakha are branches and are the key basic unit of RSS. Here boys between the ages of 5 to 15 years are trained in anti-Muslim ideology and glorification of ancient values which can in brief be called Brahmanism or Manuvad. The stories of brave Hindu kings (Shivaji, Maharana Pratap, Prithviraj Chauhan) versus evil Muslim kings (Afzal Khan, Mohammad Ghori, Babar, Allauddin Khilji, Aurangzeb etc.) is highlighted. Islam and Christianity are presented as alien religions. Islam’s spread by Muslim kings through sword, and Muslim kings destroying Hindu temples is drilled in to heads of young recruits. Many other half truths and lies related to terrorism, large families are also propagated through many training camps. (7)

Hindu Nationalists in the form of Hindu Mahasabha and RSS gradually started asserting themselves, beginning with murder of Mahatma Gandhi. Hindu Nationalists formed first Jan Sangh and later the present BJP. The major issue taken up by these nationalists was opposition to cooperative farming, public sector and undertook a program called ‘Indianization of Muslims’, in the beginning.

The identity related issues have been the staple diet for religious nationalist tendencies. ‘Cow as our mother’, ‘Ram Temple’ ‘Ram Setu’, ‘Abolition of article 370’ and ‘Uniform civil code’ has been the foundation around which emotive hysterical movements have been built. (8) This is also called Hindutva agenda and it has deepened the communal divides in the country and lot of hatred is generated around these.  

Modi in Power

The increasing communal violence from the decade of 1990s led to polarization of society and increasing electoral power of BJP. It also led to ghettoization of Muslim minority and intimidation of Christian minority.

Anti Muslim violence has been the major hallmark of communal politics. Starting from Jabalpur riots of 1961, to incidents of violence in Gujarat (1969) Meerut, Hashimpura, (1987) Bhagalpur, (In decade of 1980s) to Mumbai-Surat (1992-93), Gujarat 2002, Muzzafarnagar UP 2013, Delhi 2020 the community suffered a severe jolt. The latest of this was seen in On Ram Navami (2022), the major incidents which shook the country were in Khambata and Himmat Nagar, Gujarat; in Khargone,  Madhya Pradesh; in Gulbarga, Raichur and Kolar, Karnataka; in Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh; and in Islampura, Goa. These are few among the nationwide spread of the incidents. 

The Khargone incident stands out for the shocking step taken by the state government in demolishing nearly 51 structures (shops and residences) of the minority community. The charge leveled was that the stones were thrown from these places; so as per the state home minister, these structures had to be turned into stones. (9) Meanwhile, the new pretext of breaking the backbone of the Muslim community has been propped up as Muslim traders will not be permitted near Hindu temples and at Hindu ‘melas’ (fairs).

Just a couple of days later, Hanuman Jayanti was celebrated. The processions were playing loud music, were dancing and shouting anti-Muslim slogans and were armed with weapons. The processions had a common destination, the nearby mosques, particularly in Muslim-majority areas. Provocative slogans, stone-throwing was followed by violence. Jahangirpuri, in Delhi’s incident, particularly stands out. Here after the stone-throwing Muslims were arrested.

All around loud hysteria is raging in the streets. This is what prompted the eminent historian Ramchandra Guha to state that we are living in the worst era of independent India. This is what prompted leaders of 13 opposition parties, including the Congress, NCP, TMC, DMK and many others to issue a statement saying: “We are extremely anguished at the manner in which issues related to food, dress. Food, festivals and language are being deliberately used by ruling establishment, to polarize our society. We are extremely concerned with the growing incidents of hate in the country by the people who appear to have official patronage and against whom no meaningful and strong action is taken.” (10) 

The hate is being spewed by the religious processions, the hate speech of most derogatory nature from the Dharam Sansad’s (Yati Narsinghanand, Bajrang Muni and company) and from those eager to impose a Hindu Rashtra (nation) on a secular democratic India. In response to the letter by 13 parties, Sambit Patra, BJP national spokesperson, blamed the widening circle of violence on politics of appeasement of the opposition Congress party. Incidentally, it was the same appeasement argument used by Nathuram Godse while assassinating Mahatma Gandhi. 

Anti-Christian Violence

‘Persecution Relief’ report (2019) points out “The frequency of attacks on Christian’s gatherings is escalating to heights especially during Sunday morning Worship service and house prayer meetings. Pastors and congregation members are beaten, sometimes so badly that they break their legs, vandalize the churches and the Hindu fundamentalists make reports to the police that these Christians are converting the people to Christ. Hundreds of Christians are being imprisoned on false charges of converting Hindus to Christianity.” (12)

The ‘Freedom House’ report mentions the attacks on Muslims prominently as the attacks on Muslims are very glaring while those on Christians are generally sub-radar and reported less often. The very nature of anti-Christian violence in India beginning in the decades of 1990s has been a bit different. The first major act of anti-Christian violence was the brutal burning of Pastor Graham Stuart Stains on January 23, 1999. Bajrang Dal’s Dara Singh (Rajendra Pal) who is currently in jail was the one who mobilized people on the pretext that Pastor Stains is a threat to Hinduism as he is converting the people on the pretext of treating Leprosy patients.

That time it was NDA government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee with Lal Krishna Advani as Home minister. Initially Advani stated that it can’t be a work of Bajrang Dal worker. The incident was so horrific that the then President of India K.R. Narayanan lamented that the ‘Killings belong to World’s inventory of Black deeds.” At the same time Advani appointed Wadhwa Commission to investigate the incident.

The Wadhwa Commission concluded that Bajrang Dal Activist Dara Sing, who was also participating in other Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram, Vishwa Hindu Parishad type activities, was the culprit and that there is no statistical increase in the number of Christians in the area where Pastor Stains was working. (13)

We have witnessed the regular occurrence of anti-Christian violence in the Adivasi areas of Dangs (Gujarat April-August, 1998), Jhabua (Madhya Pradesh September 23, 1998) and Orissa (2007 and 2008). Every year around Christmas time the anti-Christian violence used to take place and the peak of this was the August 2008 Kandhamal Violence in which nearly hundred Christian lost their lives, hundreds of churches were damaged or burnt and thousands of Christians were displaced.

Divisive Issues

The major issues brought to fore by RSS-BJP have been related to Ram Temple, which led to demolition of Babri Mosque (Now Construction of Ram Temple is in full swing). The issue of Gyanvapi Mosque has been floated and Mathura Krishna Janmbhumi issue will be next on line. Meanwhile the social common sense is so doctored that Muslims were blamed for Corona (Corona Jihad), UPSC jihad, Land Jihad, narcotics jihad and even in the wake of Assam floods of 2022, flood Jihad has also been floated. (14) The call for boycott of Muslim traders is not only circulating on social media but many a local bodies are passing such resolutions.

The patriarchy boosting ‘Love Jihad’ issue, the Holy cow-beef issue and search for such identity issues is on. Along with this the authoritarianism is increasing exponentially. The various wings of democracy are under severe stain due to the pressure of communal politics. Executive, Judiciary, legislature and media, the pillars of democracy are under severe strain and no are more acting as a check on the growing authoritarianism of the executive head. (15) Growing Islamophobia is supplemented by rise of rabid extremist elements within Muslim community. Christianophobia is also rising strongly.

Promoting Pluralism: Democracy

There is a need for multilayered struggle against the prevalent autocracy, which many have labeled as elected autocracy. The movement of farmers and movement against CAA had been two landmark movements, which show us the way. At one level we need to build a political platform of different parties to take on communal politics. The division within the opposition parties needs to be overcome by developing a minimum common program based on democratic and secular values. We all need to introspect as to what roles we can play in bringing together various parties at electoral level.

The need for common platform for movements of workers, farmers, un-employeds, adivasis among others is the need of the hour. The common underlying theme of such a platform will be their worsening plight due to the alliance of communal and corporate forces.

At community level we urgently need to work against the prevalent Hate. For this we need to start activities in community spaces, sort of chain of community centers, which undertake the programs to overcome Hate.

The society is in the grip of multiple pressing issues. People want to have dialogue on their problems and also understand the deeper dynamics of different political streams and their impact on social lives. The rising Hate is a matter of great concern for us all.

We need to promote the dialogue and also reach to the community with proper understanding of different issues. The campaigns related to their issues need to be broadened. We also need to combat the hate which is dividing the society. There is a need for platforms/ addas to have dialogue and reach to them the values of amity and peace, while giving expression to their deeper social concerns of livelihood. The campaigns for social issues need to be properly channelized and associated with other such endeavors-movements. The grass-root level work needs to be strengthened and awareness levels need to be built up. While lot of good material is produced by activists/scholars/film-video makers, its reach seems to be limited. We need to put our heads together to promote weekly (fortnightly) community meetings in localities, where we celebrate cultural programs, have a library, view the videos-films, sing songs of communal amity and participate in community celebrations while we also communicate the values of amity through diverse mechanisms. These weekly meetings; call them as per local appeal; will also be the platforms of hearing the problems/travails of the people and reflect upon them to give a shape to our social interventions through campaigns for people’s rights. Each of these aspects can be developed by discussion in localities with the aim of communicating the deeper message of harmony and peace. These ideas can give a direction to our social movements. The cultural mechanisms for amity have to be backbone of such community level regular meetings. Films and videos can play a central part in this.

Many of us feel that we are preaching to converts; we need to break this shackle. Some random thoughts are here in this direction.

1.       The hate against religious minorities is rising in dangerous proportions. We have been seeing the Dharam Sansad speeches and Sully Deals and Bullibai Apps are just the tip of the iceberg. Our efforts to understand the deeper problem, the Hate manufactured and propagated from Shakhas and spread through schools, Godi media, Social media and IT cell is well known. Now the seeds of hatred sown by these mechanisms are assuming cancerous proportions.

2.       While those believing in harmony and peace are more in number, their efforts are fragmented and not reaching the nook and corner of society. Brilliant analysis of the situation is there, but mostly we are talking amongst ourselves. The crucial link of reaching the community needs to be taken up seriously.

3.       The local cultural programs promoting amity are most needed; we can also organize Amity Film Festivals and Nukkad Nataks in each city.

4.       We also need to work for community centers, addas, where weekly or fortnightly programs need to be started. These programs have multiple dimensions-cultural, educational and political in particular. These also need to be linked with the national campaigns and protests. We have to take up this task to run these mini centers in a consistent fashion.

5.       We need to discuss and thwart the communal violence by promoting Mohall committees with people from different religions in collaboration with police. This committee can meet regularly and at sensitive times urge upon police authorities to take suitable steps to prevent and likelihood of violence. Regular meetings of this committee will also create a positive atmosphere in the communities.

6.       We should aim to raise Amity platforms, which give space to diverse groups working for amity. The area, city, state and national level platforms can meet occasionally and chart out the programs for increasing the work of harmony in the local areas and in the country as a whole.

Types of programs

a.       National Festivals- 15^th August, 26 January, Constitution Day

b.      Social aspects of festivals- Divali, Id, Christmas, Onam, Lohri etc.

c.       Special Days: Social Justice Day, Women’s Day

d.      Anniversaries: Gandhi, Ambedkar, Bhagat Singh, Maulana Azad

e.      Regular discussion on social issues: unemployment, workers-farmers plight, social justice,gender justice

f.        Inviting social activists for interaction as and when possible

g.       Video screenings; Every session can have video selected for the occasion

7.       Urgent need to make the social media network; starting whatsapp groups to spread good material to friends activists, community leaders, to associate with similar efforts by other concerned individuals/groups

8.       There are excellent feature films and videos which can be screened