The first official publication by the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) was probably in 1940, a small pamphlet about its daily prayer. Much later Late Nana Palkar wrote the biography of the founder Dr K B Hedgewar. Considering the fact that RSS is neither adept nor enthusiastic at churning out tomes about itself, The RSS: A View to the Inside by Walter K Andersen and Shridhar D Damle, authors of Brotherhood in Saffron, can pass off as a very authentic book on RSS by outsiders, especially on the changes that have taken place in the last two or more decades.
The book admits that its endeavour is to discover the reasons for the rapid expansion of the RSS and also list the changes. It seeks to assess the expanded reach of the RSS and the extent to which the organisation has been able to utilise this outreach to meet the challenges. One challenge for the RSS according to the authors is the recognition to accommodate regional identities and yet make no compromise with national integrity, interest or identity. The RSS has always held that regional and local identities and its manifestation are important but they in no way conflict with a pan-Indian identity which is a conglomeration of many such local identities.
The book discusses these ideas at length but the authors could have looked for a better example than citing promotion of “Uttarayan and Navratri” festivals as promotion of regional festivals by Narendra Modi when he was Chief Minister of Gujarat. A better example would have been Narmada pooja or Kutch Utsav.
In another context the authors mention that the dilemma RSS faces is that while it bases its ideology on supreme loyalty to the state, it also doubts the state’s ability to bridge the socio-economic inequality. The RSS clearly differentiates between the ‘state’ and ‘nation’ and expects loyalty to nation to be above loyalty to the political establishment. Thus “Rajya” and “Rashtra” are two different entities according to the RSS and the authors could have dwelt on these issues at length. The RSS believes that politics is not the be all and end all of the society and it is fully aware of the limitations of the state which essentially depends on electoral politics for its constitution.
The RSS, according to its constitution adopted on August 1, 1949, after the ban on the organisation was lifted unconditionally, is aloof from politics and is avowedly devoted only to activities pertaining to social and cultural fields. However, the ‘swayamsewaks’ (members) of the RSS are free to join any political party or work with any institution or front ‘except those which subscribe to extra-national loyalties or resort to violent and/or secret means to achieve their ends’. Yet, the trend among RSS workers has been to support the Bharatiya Jan Sangh and then the BJP.
In the recent three-day outreach meet in Delhi, the sarsanghachalak clarified amidst applause that RSS is willing to send expert organisers to any other party provided they make such requests. The obvious reference might have been to the Congress, with which the RSS has had a chequered relationship.
However, critics will quickly point out the irony that the RSS draws maximum attention whenever there is BJP government at the Centre or in such situations where the political fortunes of the BJP are exalted. Notwithstanding the claims by the RSS that it has no political front and that the BJP (founded in 1980) is not the political outfit of the 93-year-old organisation, the perception that the fortunes of the two organisations are intertwined, seems to be inevitable.
The frequent assessment of the policies of the present government and those of the Prime Minister with the suggestions and opinions of the RSS made in this book supports such criticisms.Finally, on the question of changes in the RSS, the debate will continue whether it is the RSS or the Indian social thinking that is changing. The jury is still out.
Just as a book should not be judged by its cover, RSS too should not be judged by a book. Yet, Walter and Damle deserve praise for the extensive research, hard work and lucid language that makes the book an interesting read and a valuable source of information.