On 24th June 2017 The Times of India gave a respectable Op-Ed page space to a hate and fear mongering pamphlet of Salman Anees Soz. Ironically, it came just a day before anniversary of Emergency declaration by Indira Gandhi, whose ‘I’ is the core identity of Indian National Congress (Indira). For a ‘Babalog’ of that dynasty to title a ‘pamphlet’ – “If BJP wins 2019, will there be a 2024 elections? Don’t underestimate RSS opposition to the idea of India.” – is rather funny both for its assumptions and the length of the title!
On the eve of anniversary of Emergency that virtually steamrolled the entire human rights of a democratic country, Soz claims that RSS is against democracy. He hopes people will forget that RSS was the backbone of struggle to re-establish democracy in 1975-77. Of nearly 1 lakh people jailed, 80000 belong to RSS and its associate organizations. 80% of the people under draconian MISA that could put a person behind bars without any recourse to law were from same ‘Hindutva’ groups. 90% of the people arrested for ‘satyagraha’ for democracy were from this same ‘evil’ called RSS. Dr Sumbramanian Swamy, most dreaded by opposition, entered Lok Sabha and then escaped out of India to inform international community about atrocities during Emergency was supported all through by RSS, as he himself testifies.
The compliant and ‘committed judiciary’ (term floated by the great Congi lawyer S S Ray and Indira Gandhi) had decreed that the citizens also lose right to life in Emergency.
Let me also remind Soz that Freedom of Press was guaranteed by fine work of legislation by much reviled L K Advani in 1977. And amendment to Constitution during the same government virtually guaranteed that such a curtailment of citizens’ rights cannot be imposed by any Emergency again.
Let me move to latter part of his fear mongering in the name of ‘Idea of India.’ Yes, RSS is opposed to ‘Idea of India’ floated by the Nehruvians that believe that India was born on 15th of August 1947 and there was no Indian nation before that. For these people India is a multi-national ‘subcontinent’. Communists urged that India be broken down into 8 distinct sovereign regions as they were nations by themselves. Nehruvians history is confined to a nicely written book ‘Discovery of India’ written by the self-proclaimed last British. A book based on the facts and myths its writer absorbed through his western education.
Yes, RSS believes that India is one of the oldest living civilization and this nation as a cultural geographical entity has been a living entity since more than 5000 years, a view shared even by Western Indologists. It is victory of innate historic Indian memory that in spite of 70 years of indoctrination by Nehruvian Marxists, Indians have not forgotten the antiquity of this great nation and refused to believe in the idea of India that they floated.
RSS claims India is a Hindu civilization, but not Hindu in religious sense. It is a Hindu nation (not State); and every individual who believes that India is his/her motherland and shares the ancient culture with other citizens of this nation is a Hindu. Hindu is a geographic identity that others gave to India millennia back, as people living on the banks of and beyond the river Indus. So, the nation was known as ‘Hind’ even by earliest traders from Arabian lands.
I do not agree with hyphenation of Nehru-Gandhi. Gandhi extolled ‘Ram Rajya’ – i.e. government based on ethics. So, his roots lay in Hindu civilization, an anathema to Nehru. For Nehru, Gandhi just proved to be a ladder to rise to the top; that he kicked after he snatched the leadership from son of the soil, Sardar Patel using Gandhi ji. Gandhi believed in small rural industry based economy while Nehru believed in a centrally controlled huge government enterprises modelled on Communist model.
Secularism is inherent in Hindu culture that believes in pluralism, respect (not just tolerance) for other religions, a culture that believes that all paths lead to same Supreme Being. For the West and leaders brought up on West-Christian thoughts, Secularism is just separation of State and Religion.
Hindu Rashtra (or Nation) has never been promoted as a theocratic state by RSS. In India from ancient times to recent history, no Hindu king has run his kingdom on the basis of his religion. It has always been a secular ‘Dharma’ based state. Recent well-known example is of Shivaji whom RSS virtually worships. Dharma is not way of worship, but the ethics, rule of law and respective duties. It binds the society together. This is RSS concept of ‘Hindu Rashtra’, not the ‘Nation State’ or ‘theocratic state’ idea of the West that Left-Secular lobby wish to superimpose on RSS philosophy.
The thought of common cultural roots is ingrained in Indian psyche. Even if there were no RSS, this view would ultimately prevail due to the DNA of this Hindu nation. Remember, the founding fathers of Indian constitution refused to add ‘Secularism’ in constitution after lengthy debates. They believed that pluralism of Indian society guarantees secularism. Both Secularism and Socialism were inserted in the Constitution during infamous Emergency when all the opposition leaders were in jails!
Soz says, “This leads me to believe that there was a section of Hindu society that felt aggrieved that after the creation of a country for Muslims, Hindus were denied in their own country.” You have not discovered something new. Dr. Ambedkar had visualised a more serious problem with half-hearted acceptance of bitter truth. He had said that now that partition has been accepted, there should be complete exchange of Hindu and Muslim populations for long term peace.
One party rule that Salman Soz is afraid of, may become a reality not because BJP wills it; but, because of extreme negativity and destructive working of Congress and its associates. No party that negates innate genius of Indian thought, that RSS identifies culturally and geographically as Hindu thought can hope to survive well. The onus of presenting a healthy alternative is on the Opposition, not on BJP or RSS.
Soz should remember that any part of India where Hindus became a minority has ceded from India or lives of Hindus have been made hell. Don’t go too much back in history. Look at creation of Pakistan, break up of Pakistan with Bangladesh. Then, Kashmir from where Hindus have been thrown out by Jihadi Muslims without any remorse. And Soz comes from Kashmir! Look at North East where Church promoted extremism has kept that region on perennial boil with majority converted Christian population at its back and call. Strengthening the national feeling and revival of indigenous cultures is bringing some semblance of peace to that region.
Mamata, the latest mascot of Secularism has made lives of Hindus difficult and is suffocating their culture. I don’t need to recount stories emanating from Bengal. What is the cause of this belligerence against Hindus? Reducing importance of Hindus in voting arithmetic and rising clout of ‘minority’ vote bank – plain and simple. In Kerala we see same scenario unfolding, where Congress leaders enjoy rubbing nose of Hindus into dust by parading a calf’s head and having beef parties. Is this the Congress vision of ‘Idea of India’ unfolding before us?
Yes, Salam Soz, it is an ideological war between proponents of Nehruvian ‘Idea of India’ imported from Communist idea of multiple-nations and perennial flowing ‘Idea of India’ rooted in India’s pluralism and historic memory. It is not about whether elections will be held in 2024, but whether Congress and its Comrades will remain relevant to India by then. Your future is in your mind and depends on people’s faith in you.
By Ratan Sharda
Courtesy: NewsBharati
