The essential identity of India has been that of a civilisational nation. As culture has always been the foundation of the nation, Indian nationalism too is ‘cultural’ at its core. Sadly, thanks to all that happened before, during and after the independence struggle, denial of the centrality of culture became a practice.
Multiple aspects of the hazardous impact of this denial comprised distortion of history, misinterpretation of traditions, manufacturing of pro-fragmentation theories to show India was never a nation, and cultivation of a national habit to accommodate many things of some recalcitrant elements that just cannot be accommodated.
With nationalism pushed to the periphery, patriotism — in certain quarters — was made to look like an obscurantist, narrow and outdated idea, going against political correctness. As a consequence, the element of emotionality helping us share a common ethos almost faced forced evaporation. Many made us believe India is not an organically integrated nation but a conglomeration of provinces, and the map of India is made of several pieces of provinces artificially stitched together.
However, decisively swimming against the tide, one particular organisation that stood firm and advocated patriotism — and its reflection in popular behaviour — in an unapologetic manner was the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
This Dussehra was special for the RSS as the organisation entered its centennial year. For a movement like the RSS, it is truly remarkable to have been relentlessly working to awaken the masses on issues concerning national integration and social harmony for a century, while reminding them about India’s foundational culture.
The success of the RSS is unique. Firstly, thanks to the RSS, patriotism has evolved as a basic value, motivating several hundred thousand citizens to come together, work together and stay together. RSS must be credited for educating people to make them realise patriotism has to reflect in their day-to-day conduct and is not just confined to flag hoisting, playing patriotic songs or taking a pledge of national unity.
The RSS has evolved what could be described as multi-dimensional patriotism, including social, cultural, behavioural and economic patriotism.
Secondly, it is the RSS again that made people realise the value of cultural patriotism as a binding force. While it is true that India symbolises unity in diversity, many interpreted this notion to suggest India is originally fragmented, making factual history stand on its head. However, thanks to the RSS and several other organisations working relentlessly to make national integration a part of experiential learning, people across India relate themselves equally to the agonies of terror-affected people in J&K or flood-affected people in Bihar.
A subset of cultural patriotism is taking legitimate pride in one’s identity. Sociologists no more consider identity as something primordial. They now recognise its importance as a unifying force. Obviously then, with the spectre of cultural flattening of the world as waves of Americanisation engulf many parts of the globe, RSS’s cultural patriotism teaches the value of protecting our core cultural identity to safeguard the beauty of diversity. From languages to culinary traditions and from fashion to architecture, if the global community indulges in aping the West, the world will certainly be less attractive than what it actually is.
The third variant of patriotism promoted by the RSS is citizens’ patriotism. There are two aspects of this. Firstly, RSS teaches what can be described as citizens’ social responsibility by imbibing a sense of societal indebtedness in their mind. Secondly, it also tries to cultivate law-abiding and value-conscious citizens who try to adhere to ethics and morality. Hundreds of Sangh-inspired organisations work all over India, but one rarely hears about corruption, nepotism or lack of transparency and accountability afflicting them. In its own way, RSS tries to instil a strong sense of purpose in common people, making their lives more meaningful.
There comes the importance of the fourth variant, the functional or organisational patriotism. Over the decades, the Sangh has evolved its own science of organisation, where all are considered equally important and nobody is believed to be indispensable. A strong belief in the science of transforming individuals has made RSS accept ‘all as they are’ and cultivate them ‘as they need to be’.
The karyapaddhati or style of functioning, historically evolved in the Sangh, has made it ‘RSS’. It has the resilience to adopt new technologies, befriend new generations and evolve new systems without any compromise to its core philosophy. Like Mother India, RSS is ever ageing but never old.
Samajik Samarasata or social harmony, which takes one miles ahead of mere equality, is the social patriotism of RSS. The third Sarsanghchalak Balasaheb Deoras famously said, without mincing any words, that discrimination on the basis of caste has to go ‘lock, stock and barrel’, putting all doubting Thomases to rest.
The last but perhaps most important patriotism RSS promotes could rightly be described as service patriotism or humanitarian patriotism. India would not have witnessed a single natural calamity, especially during the post-independence era, without RSS cadres rushing to extend relief and rehabilitation assistance. From Himachal to Gujarat and Assam to Kerala, RSS ‘nickerwalas’ were present everywhere when floods, famines or earthquakes visited there.
Many a times, people raise the question about Hindutva. But here too, the RSS is very clear. Hindutva is Hinduness and every Hindu has democracy in his/her blood. In my opinion, Hindutva is synonymous with large-heartedness. Take the example of how RSS dealt with those who banned the Sangh. Balasaheb Deoras, having been freed from jail, was clear that ‘eye for an eye’ wouldn’t take them anywhere despite being at the receiving end of injustice by the Indira government. “We need to bring change in the hearts of those who did not treat us well,” Balasaheb had said in Nagpur in March 1977.
All this makes the RSS centenary a festival of national reconstruction. Thanks to hundreds and thousands of volunteers worshipping the value of patriotism, through its multifaceted contributions, the RSS has successfully mainstreamed patriotism.
Vinay Sahasrabuddhe
Senior BJP leader
(Views are personal)
(vinays57@gmail.com)