RSS Sarsanghachalak Dr Mohanrao Bhagwat’s three-day lecture series in September was an unqualified success, and as expected, conversations triggered by this first-of-a-kind interaction still continue. Among those who had attended the series, many were hearing the Sangh’s views directly for the first time; they had earlier been misled by propaganda. There was some disbelief, since the sarsanghachalak’s speech was contrary to what had been said about the organisation.
Opponents of the RSS were trying to pick apart the speech but failed to come up with anything that confirmed their oft-repeated falsehoods. However, their efforts saw a desultory revival. But the new dialogue the outreach triggered overwhelms past prejudice.
Some people seem to be surprised, even delighted, about the clarification the sarsanghachalak gave about the book Bunch of Thoughts, a collection of speeches and thoughts of Shri Guruji (M S Golwalkar, the second sarsanghachalak). Some people went so far as to assume that Bhagwat distanced the Sangh from Guruji! This couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, the sarsanghachalak’s entire lecture on day-two about Hinduism and Hindutva was based on the views Guruji contributed to the Sangh movement.
Firstly, Bunch of Thoughts must be seen in the context of its time. The book is set between 1940 and 1965 (not his entire tenure as sarsanghachalak). When Guruji took over as sarsanghachalak, he was just 34 and had to guide this organisation—with no model to emulate—to forge its destiny. At that time, calls for the creation of Pakistan were getting louder. The Quit India movement had gained force and many swayamsevaks were incarcerated and condemned to death.
In 1946, an election was held over the demand for Pakistan. In Muslim-majority areas, Hindus were persecuted. India became independent, but she was amputated. Hindus sought refuge in India, often after unspeakable violence. The swayamsevaks were the only ones who stood by them.
After Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated, the RSS was targeted with falsehoods and was banned, though the government was unable to prove the allegations. This was the beginning of the dirty politics of hate by the Congress in independent Bharat. Guruji was incarcerated on false charges. Swayamsevaks organised a satyagrah against this and eventually the ban was removed. Meanwhile, Communism was spreading and the divisive thought that undermined national identity was mainstreamed. Conversions by Christians were increasing.
During this time of upheaval, Guruji travelled across India and addressed issues that plagued the national conscience. Bunch of Thoughts is a compilation of his views during this period, up to 1965. After that, Guruji engaged in public discourse for 18 more years. On his centenary birth anniversary in 2006, Shri Guruji Samagra Darshan, a compilation of his thoughts during his time as sarsanghachalak, was published. The 12-volume set is worth reading for people who wish to understand the Guruji’s evolution of thoughts. No opponent of the Sangh has displayed the requisite intellectual rigour to study Guruji and his ideas in their entirety before lifting the pen to write on him.
His ideas have also been distilled into a book, Shri Guruji: His Vision and Mission (Drishti and Darshan). Bhagwat appealed everyone to read this book, so where does the question of the sarsanghachalak distancing himself from the Guruji come in? The answer given by Bhagwat to the query on the selectively quoted sections in Bunch of Thoughts is not any different from what Guruji has himself said. For example, here are the excerpts from an interview he gave to Arabic scholar Dr. Saifuddin Jeelani.
Jeelani: 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?
Guruji: ‘Indianisation’ was of course the slogan given by Jana Sangh ... ‘Indianisation’ does not mean converting all people to Hinduism … 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.
Jeelani: … I am thankful to you for this clarification … 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 to remove this communal discord once for all? Would you like to meet such leaders?
Guruji: I would not only like it, I would welcome it.
Journalist Khushwant Singh also interviewed Guruji in 1972. Singh wrote: “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 ... as a journalist, I could not resist the chance of meeting him.” He adds: “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.”
The concerns raised by Guruji in Bunch of Thoughts are still relevant today. The world is vexed by problems specific to an ideology (within the faith) that propagates fundamentalism and jihadism. Even in Bharat, the existence of such elements cannot be denied. In addition to this, illegal conversions and urban Maoism, and the prevalence of international support to such activities has been highlighted in the recent past. They have a long history of spreading disquiet and violence in society.
It is necessary to take Muslims and Christians of Bharat along in the nation-building process. It is also important to be cautious about the extremists and divisive elements active in the name of so-called minorities.
The Hindu way of life adapts itself to changing times. The same is true with the Sangh’s work. Despite the toxic propaganda, the Sangh’s work has been growing with an inclusive approach. Perhaps the inherent qualities of the fundamental Hindu philosophy, characterised by ‘flexible rigidity’ and transformation according to the times, is the real strength behind this.