The RSS cannot keep projecting itself as a socio-cultural organisation when actually its cadres help win elections
The Rastriya Swaymsevak Sangh (RSS) is always in the news for various reasons. Recently, one Maulana, who heads All India Imams Organisation, an organization that reportedly represents five lakh Imams and three lakh mosques, Imam Umer Ahmed Ilyasi, called Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat as “Rashtra Pita (father of the nation)”. Before visiting the Muslim localities and Mosque in Delhi, he also reached out to a few Muslim intellectuals and former civil servants. It was an attempt to dispel the fears that RSS is anti-Muslims and anti-minority and to stress the need for reconciliation between Hindus and Muslims.
A few months ago, he also rightfully made a statement that the DNA of all Indians is the same. The RSS has been trying to reach out to Muslims since 2000. He also reached out to Dalits and exhorted them to completely discard the caste and Varna system. The RSS is known for its selfless service. Its thousands of Pracharaks dedicate their lives to the cause espoused by the Sangh; they do not marry and eat in the houses of their supporters. It is a marvelous unparalleled instance of selfless service to the nation by individuals.
The RSS is one of the largest socio-cultural organizations in the world with more than 5.85 lakh members and around 57500 branches spread in India and abroad. The RSS was founded in 1925 on Vijaya Dashmi day with the objective to do selfless service to the nation with focus on character building of the youth. It focused its activities on consolidation of Hindu society and its culture.
The BJP with support from the RSS is the largest political party in the country as it had more than 18 crore members in 2018. The party draws its strength from
support of the RSS cadres. Large sections of the people support the RSS for consolidation of Hindu centric ideas considering such mobilization in other religions.
Therefore, the role of RSS and other socio-cultural organizations is going to be crucial in the progress of the country, considering the social milieu and influence of international geo-politics that impinges upon the thinking of youths. We need to discuss the expectations of people from the RSS amid the emergence of the BJP as the dominant political force.
Ensuring social harmony among all sections of society and to firmly isolate the fissiparous anti-national forces many of which have deep roots and foreign linkages and are spreading their tentacles among vulnerable sections of people like Dalits/tribal /rural areas by taking advantage of our fault lines is key. Also, the RSS needs to take up the population control issue as the carrying capacity of the country’s resources to sustain the rising population is reaching its threshold.
Additionally, politics be cleaned especially in states from the vices like grip of political/moral corruption and criminalization of politics. Surprisingly, people are accepting and supporting such leaders for sectarian reasons. Reforms in administration of affordable justice and change in the colonial mindset of civil services and its structure for better governance are also needed. Fifth, the formulation of a common civil code is a prerequisite for a stable society. The Sixth and most important is legislative reforms through constitutional amendments for a better governed democracy.
However, the RSS appears to be ignoring the corruption and anti-people activities in states. Uttarakhand is an example where the youths have been cheated by the leaders of both the BJP and Congress and the views of independent experts completely ignored, specially failing to control settlement of outsiders in border areas. The RSS leadership needs to show zero tolerance for corruption and immoral acts of its workers and supporters in politics if it has to savour its image and at the same time involve experts in various fields because it is not only the RSS workers but also there are large numbers of people who think and ceaselessly work for the nation.
The RSS cannot take shelter in projecting itself as a socio-cultural organisation by stating that it does not interfere in the party’s affairs when actually its cadres help win elections. Another important factor the RSS leadership needs to take note is that it sometimes gets over influenced by people of
dubious credentials especially in bureaucracy and phoney academics which slowly forms a ring surrounding powerful leaders. It is very well seen in many government appointments.
Ministers are easily misguided by bureaucrats for their selfish gains, resulting in power brokers continuing their dominance. If these suggestions are accepted by its leadership it would be a great tribute to the large number of grassroots selfless pracharaks of RSS who had sacrificed their youth and comfort for no material gain.
(The author is former Director General, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change)