Some assume in the aftermath of his outreach that Dr Mohan Bhagwat has distanced the Sangh from Guruji. This couldn’t be further from the truth
The three-day lecture series in New Delhi by Dr Mohan Bhagwat was an unqualified success and, as expected, conversations triggered by this first-of-a-kind interaction still continue. Among those who attended there were many who were yet to hear the Sangh’s views first-hand and had often been misled by propaganda; hence, there was also some disbelief since the Sarsanghachalak’s speech was contrary to what had been said and reported about the organisation. Opponents of the RSS were numbed into silence, trying to pick apart the speech but failing to come up with an incriminating utterance that confirmed their often-repeated falsehoods. Their efforts, perhaps out of habit and hubris, saw only a desultory revival of their discredited allegations even as in the main the Sarsanghchalak’s outreach has overwhelmed past prejudice.
In this context, there seems to be some delight or surprise about the clarification the Sarsanghchalak has given about the publication Bunch of Thoughts, a collection of speeches and thoughts of Shri Guruji Golwalkar (the second Sarsanghchalak). This analysis takes a further leap and goes so far as to assume that Dr Bhagwat has distanced the Sangh from Guruji! This couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, the entire lecture of the Sarsanghachalak on day two about Hindu and Hindutva was based on the intellectual articulation provided by Guruji to the Sangh over several years of reflection, thought, speeches and writing. But given that for some reason Bunch of Thoughts receives disproportionate attention it is important that its critics and readers take cognisance of the way in which it was written, the form in which it was written, and the circumstances in which it was written.
As the name might suggest, Bunch of Thoughts is not a coherent thesis but a collection of ideas shared by Guruji in different places and different contexts over a period of time. Any self-respecting academic or serious thinker would know that such a work must be studied and critiqued alongside the study of the times and circumstances in which it was created. Bunch of Thoughts too must be seen in the context of its times — also, it must be emphasised that the period it is associated with is from 1940 to 1965 (not his entire tenure as Sarsanghchalak), a specific time in pre and post-Independence history which had its own unique circumstances, leading to wide debate and discourse on nationhood, identity and belonging. Hence it is essential to view the opinions of that time as a subset of the larger dialogue around these issues and the creation of a new country — Pakistan — based entirely on religion.
When Guruji took over as Sarsanghchalak, he was a mere 34 years old and destiny had led to the mantle of responsibility being placed on his shoulders. It was a daunting task for the young man to expand and guide this organisation, which had no other parallel to emulate, and would need to forge its own destiny. At the time of his taking over as Sarsanghchalak, the call for Pakistan had taken on a pervasive note and echoed across the country. The Quit India movement had also gained force and many swayamsevaks had been incarcerated and some condemned to death. It was a tumultuous time — in 1946, there was an election held with the demand for Pakistan. In Muslim majority areas, Hindus were subjected to violence and persecution. As a result of Direct Action, Hindus in Bengal faced widespread violence. India gained independence but it was also amputated. The largest movement of humanity took place, Hindus sought refuge in India, often after facing unspeakable violence and losing everything. The swayamsevaks were the only group who stood by this population, protecting them and playing witness to their trauma. The psychological impact of those years was profound and lasting on Hindu society and the nation.
On Gandhiji’s assassination, the RSS was targeted with falsehoods and a ban was imposed, even though the Government was unable to prove the allegations. This was the beginning of the dirty politics of hate by the Congress party in Independent Bharat. The Government was not ready to prosecute and prove the charges. No door was left open for conversation and Guruji was incarcerated based on these false charges. Swayamsevaks organised an unprecedented peaceful satyagraha against this injustice and eventually the ban was lifted. Correspondingly, communist ideology was expanding and divisive theories that undermined national identity were systematically mainstreamed. At the same time conversions by Christians gained ground; the Justice Niyogi commission report led the Congress ruled states of Orissa and Madhya Pradesh to enact an anti-conversion law.
During this time of upheaval, Guruji continued to travel through the length and breadth of the country and addressed issues that plagued the national conscience. These contemplations and responses to the prevalent circumstances have been included in Bunch of Thoughts.
On his centenary birth anniversary in 2006, a 12-volume edition, an authoritative compilation of his entire thoughts (Shri Guruji Samagra Darshan) was published. If twelve volumes are too much for some then his ideas have been distilled into a book called — Shri Guruji, His Vision and Mission (Drishti and Darshan). Dr Bhagwat appealed to everyone to read this book, so where does the question of distancing the RSS from the second Sarsanghchalak’s thoughts come in?
The answer given by Dr Bhagwat to the query on the selectively quoted sections in Bunch of Thoughts is not any different from what Guruji has himself said. There was an interview that he gave in the 1970s to Dr Jilani in which he answered these direct questions. It is an interview that is rarely quoted either because critics develop selective amnesia or it doesn’t suit their motivated campaign.
Below are the relevant sections of the interview:
Dr Jilani: Much has been said about ‘Indianisation’ and a lot of confusion has arisen over it. Could you please tell me how to remove the confusion?
Shri Guruji: ‘Indianisation’ was of course the slogan given by Jana Sangh. Why should there be such confusion? ‘Indianisation’ does not mean converting all people to Hinduism. Let us all realise that we are all the children of this soil and we must have our allegiance to this land. We belong to the same society and that our ancestors are common. That our aspirations are also common. Understanding this is Indianisation in the real sense. Indianisation does not mean that one should be asked to quit his religious system. We neither said this, nor we are going to say so. Rather we believe that a single religious system for the entire human society is not suitable.
Dr Jilani: You said it right. It’s 100 per cent right. Therefore, I am thankful to you for this clarification. You have clarified it from your side quite well. Any thinking person and gentleman wouldn’t disagree with you. Don’t you think it is high time that a meeting took place between you and such Muslim Indian leaders who would cooperate with you in finding ways and means to remove this communal discord once for all? Would you like to meet such leaders?
Shri Guruji: I would not only like it, I would welcome it.
Well known journalist Khushwant Singh also interviewed Guruji in 1972. and if you were to read that interview then the protracted effort to malign and misrepresent Shri Guruji by the communists who exercised control on most of the media and academic disciplines will become clear. Singh starts by writing: “There are some people against whom you build up malice without knowing them. Guru Golwalkar had long been at the top of my hate list. However, as a journalist, I could not resist the chance of meeting him.” In the end, he writes: “Was I impressed? I admit I was. He did not try to persuade me to his point of view. He made me feel that he was open to persuasion.”
Both the interviews are worth reading in their entirety. Leftists, however, have made it an art form to discuss and defame Guruji without going through the vast literature on him. It is a style of propaganda that they have excelled at across the world.
In Bunch of thoughts the concerns raised by Shri Guruji are the same that the world today is vexed with and are specific to an ideology (within the faith) that propagates fundamentalism and the jihadist mindset that leads to horrors and oppression. Even in Bharat the existence of such elements cannot be denied. In addition, forced and illegal conversion in violation of the law by missionary bodies, urban Maoism as well as the international support to such activities have once again in the recent past been highlighted through some incidents but have a long history of spreading disquiet and violence in society. Though it is necessary to take the Muslims and Christians of Bharat along in the nation-building process, it is also important to be cautious about the extremists, jihadi and divisive elements active in the name of so-called minorities. In this sense, Shri Guruji’s caution about the threats to the nation are relevant even today.
As Hindu way of life manifests itself with the changing times, same is true with the nature of Sangh work. Perhaps the inherent qualities of the fundamental Hindu philosophy characterised by ‘flexible rigidity’ and transformation according to the times is its real strength.
(The writer is Sah Sarkaryavah, RSS)
