Congress spokesperson reacts to Sangh activist Arun Anand’s article in these columns urging Rahul Gandhi to engage with the RSS, explaining why he shouldn’t
India is a diverse nation and consists of different religions, languages, cultures and views and can best be labelled as an inclusive, pluralistic society. India's population comprises of seven religious and three ethnic groups chiefly consisting of Mongoloids, Aryans and Dravidians who co-exist peacefully using around 123 languages and 1600 dialects.
The guiding principal of India's huge and diverse population is the “Sanatan Dharma”.
The “Sanatan Dharama” is based on two fundamental principles. The first of these being progressive socialism and the second being the harmonious coexistence of people from different and diverse faiths.
Since its inception, the Congress party has been the embodiment of “Sanatan Dharma” and Rahul Gandhi is carrying on this fine tradition started by the grand old party in1885.
If you observe Rahul, he is all for farmers, youngsters and the poor of the country. In essence, his heart is in uplifting the weaker sections of the society.
The BJP Government in the centre is an extension of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and therefore the question arises why is the RSS silent on rising farmer suicides, minimum support price (MSP) and joblessness of India's youthIJ
The very essence of India is it's pluralistic society but contrary to this, the RSS believes in a homogeneous society.
Golwalkar, the guru of RSS in his book, Bunch of Thoughts strongly opposes the idea of a pluralistic society. In a chapter of this book Internal threats, he writes: “Muslims, Christians and Communists are the greatest internal threats to the nation.”
While proclaiming his thoughts, he completely overlooked the fact that the very nature of India's first revolution against the British in 1857 was pluralistic in nature. None of the freedom fighters gave thought to cast, creed or colour, they were united in their pursuit of freeing India from the British yolk.
After Independence, every Indian regardless of their caste, creed, colour or religion worked tirelessly to build the nation. Sadly, this is a fact that the RSS chooses to overlook.
RSS think tanks and spokespersons are working overtime with BJP to brand its opponents as anti-Hindu and thereby, anti-national. What has the RSS, or its political party the BJP, done to promote the Sanatan DharmaIJ Their only contribution has been raising communal and divisive slogans which sound more like “Shaitaan Dharma”.
As for the much tom tommed protecting of Hinduism by the BJP, let's take a snapshot of the actions of the Congress party since 1947; they came up with the Hindu Code Bill, the Shree Somnath Temple Bill to build the temple, ban on cow slaughter in 24 States, opening the gates of Ram temple in Ayodhya after a court decision, laying the foundation stone of Ram temple, cleaning of the holy Ganges and Yamuna and the telecast of probably the most watched and loved The Ramayana and Mahabharata serials on television.
Incidentally, both the Ramayana and the Mahabharata were not limited to a Hindu audience, they were a favourite of practically the entire population of the country — Sanatan Dharma at its best.
For the past four years, the RSS is silent on atrocities on dalits, Muslims and women. They have nothing to say about divisive hate speeches by leaders of RSS and BJP. The Central Government is lying blatantly on burning issues and yet the RSS is silent.
The BJP is ruling the maximum number of States but is not has been unable to deliver jobs, security to women, promised smart cities, MSP to farmers, lower petrol and diesel prices and yet, as per them, all is well in the nation.
As per Government records, 67 caste and communal violence is on the rise, the Rupee is devaluating against the Dollar. The BJP is not able to deliver on any of the promises made during the 2014 elections and yet the RSS is silent on all these issuesIJ
Sanatan Dharma does not believe in boundaries. It's fundamental belief is Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the whole world is one family) and Survey Bhavantu Sukhinah (everybody has the right to happiness).
Sanatan Dharam is about truth, non violence, humanity and diversity. Will RSS respect unity in diversityIJ That is, not only Hindus but that everyone has an equal right to live in India. It's a beautiful, diverse nation in which religious groups have always had the right to co-exist and respect each other.
Rahul Gandhi is the spirit of pluralism, diversity of the nation and progressive socialism. He respects different opinions and secularism embodied by Pandit Nehru and non-violence and truth embodied by Mahatma Gandhi.
The beauty of the Congress party is that it's a believer in the all inclusive middle path.
Nobody can deny the truth that the RSS and BJP have shared power with the Communist Party in late VP Singh's Government in Centre.
Its a fact that everyone makes mistakes, the Congress party has accepted its mistakes on several occasions.
Does the RSS have the courage to accept it's mistakes on a whole host if issues such as instigating violence amongst Indians, for not taking part in the freedom struggle, Syama Prasad Mukherjee's running of Government with the Muslim league during the1942 Quit India Movement, not accepting and posting the tricolour for 52 years at the RSS headquarters, mocking the Constitution, opposing Babasaheb on the Hindu Code Bill, opposing the federal structure of the Indian Constitution etc. lastly, RSS has to give an answer on the murder of Mahatma Gandhi murder. As Sardar Patel has said, “Speeches of RSS were full of communal poison. As A final result of this poison, the county had to suffer the sacrifice of the valuable life of Gandhiji.”
The RSS has to ask the Central Government why the US has branded VHP and Bajrang Dal as extremists outfits. Is this not a matter of shame and a great loss to the spirit of Sanatan Dharma and the Indian culture IJ
Rahul Gandhi is focused on working for a pluralistic society. His heart lies in and to reaching the weaker sections of the society and uplifting them. He has better things to do than engage in a dialogue with the RSS which are intent on destroying the secular fabric of India.
(The writer is a spokesperson Congress)
