RSS: BJP- Father, Son and Unholy Mission
Ram Puniyani
Mr. Advani has been calling Manmohan Singh as the weakest Prime Minister for quite some time. Recently Manmohan Singh, decided to hit back and he reminded the nation about the role of Advani in Kandhar episode, Babri demolition and Gujarat violence. Sonia Gandhi’s response to Advani’s barbs was at deeper level as she called Advani and most of BJP leadership as ‘slave of RSS’ (Bidar, Karnataka 15th April) This jolted the BJP leadership which gave some weak mumbled response. BJP-RSS relationship was once again brought to the public attention. It became clear that it is really the RSS which through various mechanisms, ideological and organizational, controls the second largest party in the country.
While RSS has always been calling itself as the cultural organization, by now its mask is off and the society at large knows that it is a political organization which is very shrewdly and cleverly been training swayamsevaks (volunteers) who in turn have formed various organizations to control the politics at all the levels. These organizations formed by it range from Rashtra Sevika Samiti in 1936 to Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad, Bhartiya Jansangh, Vishwa Hindu Parishad to Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram etc. These organizations in turn have formed other subordinate organizations. What is common in these is that they are all formed by trained RSS swayamsevaks (ideological control) and that the core figures of these organizations meet often under RSS control, to coordinate their strategy. Their aim and job is to carry on the work of RSS, i.e. to push the country in to becoming Hindu Rashtra. Notably all the major characters from its stable from Nathuram Godse, Vajpayee, Advni, Narendra Modi etc. have been the RSS pracharaks at various points of time.
As far as BJP is concerned it is the new avatar of Bhartiya Jansangh which was formed in 1951 jointly with Shyama Prasad Mukerjee of Hindu Mahasabha in 1951. RSS that time felt the need for a political organization in the aftermath of murder of Mahatma Gandhi. This had led to its ban on RSS by the Government of India, with Sardr Patel as the Home minister. For formation of Bhartiya Jansangh RSS loaned three of is prominent Pracharaks, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Deendayal Upadhyay and Lal Krishna Advani. After Mookerji’s death RSS tightened its grip on Jana Sangha.
Later at Sindi (Wardha, Maharahtra) in 1954 from March 9 to March 16 a political training camp was organized for 300 pracharaks. The camp was aimed to train national RSS leadership for running the affairs of the country through Jana Sangh. RSS sarsangh chalak (supreme dictator) M.S. Golwalkar in his speech (March 16) elaborated his vision for Jana Sangh, "If we say that we are part of the organization and accept its discipline then selectiveness has no place in life. Do what is told. If told to play kabaddi, play kabaddi; told to hold meeting then meeting…For instance some of our friends were told to go and work for politics that does not mean that they have great interest or inspiration for it… If they are told to withdraw from politics then also there is no objection. Their discretion is just not required."
[Golwalkar, M. S., Shri Guruji Samagar Darshan, Volume III, Bhartiya Vichar Sadhna, Nagpur , 1978, p. 32.] Essentially the swayamsevaks deputed to work for BJP are expected to dance to the tunes of RSS and are there merely working to fulfill the agenda of the controlling organization, the RSS.
After emergency, Bharatiya Janshangh also became part of Janata Party, put together by Jaypraksh Narayan. This coalition was torn apart when the issue of duel membership came up. The socialist members of Janata party raised the issue that there cant be double membership, meaning there by that those who are members of Janata party can’t have affiliation to RSS. The Jansangh component of Janata party broke way as they said their loyalty to RSS is above the membership of Janata party. Their basic goal was out in the open, they were mere players, while RSS is the real controller.
Later the same component resurfaced as Bharatiya Janta Party. They pretended to have Gandhian Socialism as their goal. It was a mere ploy for them so they dumped it soon enough to latch on to the chariot of Lord Ram; exploiting whose name they gradually increased their electoral clout. Especially after their coming to power one could see that they are not only subservient to RSS organizationally and ideologically but even in the matters of small detail like when Jaswant Singh was to become finance minister, RSS got it changed and Yashwant Sinha was made finance minister.
When Atal Bihari Vajpayee was Prime Minister, in his speech in Staten Island US, he reaffirmed his primary loyalty to RSS. Advani has been a regular visitor to RSS office in Jhahndewalan Estate and Nagpur RSS head office. It is well know how RSS, was unhappy with his ‘Secular Jinnah’ speech and so he had to resign from the President-ship of BJP. We also know that the core organizing secretaries of BJP at different levels are RSS nominees and RSS has a special top-level secretary looking after/supervising the BJP affairs.
One will beg to differ with Sonia Gandhi on one small count; slaves normally are just obeying the orders of the masters. Here the BJP, its leadership not only obeys the RSS orders, it has internalized the RSS agenda and its job is to devise different strategies and moves to ensure that RSS agenda of Hindu nation becomes strong. When in power BJP makes ground for infiltration of its siblings (other RSS progeny) in different wings of the state apparatus, social work, education and other possible conduits for transforming the state and society in the image of RSS. It is not for nothing that at election time all RSS volunteers and the workers of its progeny all come in full force to campaign for BJP.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Friday, April 17, 2009
Orrisa: tragedy Continues
Orrisa: Tragedy Continues
Ram Puniyani
The after-effects of the anti Christian violence (2007) in Kandhamal district of Orissa are not over, so to say. Recently the Archbishop Cheenath of the state said that the elections in the Kandhmamal district should be postponed as the refugees living in the camps are not able to return. The reason is that many of them who returned were threatened by the local Bajrang Dal workers and associates. They were told to renounce Christianity, convert to Hinduism pay the fine, withdraw the cases and vote for the candidate who they will be told to, obviously BJP candidate. Many of those who tried to return with such hostile conditions awaiting them if they return, came back, some to the camps others to unknown destinations.
Meanwhile BJP candidate of the area, Ashok Sahu, when he came to know about his likely arrest for ?Hate speech? first absconded for few days and then was arrested just three hours before the campaign was to be over (14th April 2009). He told his followers to keep calm; else the elections will be postponed, as being demanded by the Archbishop.
One also recalls a similar situation in the post Gujarat violence. There, while state Government claimed that normalcy has returned, the Chief election commissioner James Michael Lyngdoh was visibly upset when he saw the condition of the Muslims living in the camps and their inability to be able to be part of the electoral process.
In Orissa the violence has taken a heavy toll of the amity of the region. The violence which began August 2007 continued till December. It resulted in death of close to 6-7 hundred Panos (Christians) and 90 Churches, 100 other Christian institutions were destroyed. The pretext was that Swami Laxamananand, the VHP swami working in the area has been murdered by Christians. At the same time the Maoist group claimed that they own the responsibility for the act. Since some pretext was needed to launch the attacks, the claim of Maoists was not considered and the VHP, BJP and company kept harping that it is the Christians who have committed the crime. As such the matter is tragic but simple. Who so ever has committed the crime should be punished. Why the whole Christian community has to be targeted and attacked for the act of some group or an individual.
Since at that time BJP was part of the ruling coalition it had its way. The death procession of swami was taken through a long circuitous route. The idea was to communalize the atmosphere in maximum area. This again is quite akin to Gujarat. After the Godhra train tragedy the dead bodies were taken in a procession to Ahmedabad, with VHP, BJP workers shouting provocative slogans. The whole hell was encouraged-permitted to be unleashed. Here also a long route was deliberately taken and police and other state authorities acted as the bystanders when the mayhem broke out. Surprisingly the VHP?s Praveen Togadia was permitted to go to the area while the Central Minister of State for Home affairs was not permitted to visit the area.
The violence in Kandhmal is a case of how communal forces can divide and come to dominate, become strong through orchestrated violence. The Kandhs, (Adivasis) are close to 50% of population, and dalits, most of them Panos are 16.9%. Kandhs and Panos are the two major communities in the area. The remaining 30% are called Oriyas, since they don?t speak the languages of these two major groups, the local Kui language. These are from various urban regions, traders being a big chunk of them.
The Kandhs, Adivasis were mainly food gatherers. Panos were landless outcastes who came to hills in search of livelihood, close to two centuries ago; Kandhs put their land at the disposal of Panos, since Kandhs themselves were not into agriculture. Panos came as servile labor. The communalists have propagated that Panos are grabbing the land of Kandhs. Kandhs come under the schedule Tribe category while Panos are dalits.
Today Kandhs own close to 9% of land, while the traders, Orriyas, control much more of Adivasi land. The major land grab from Adivasis has been by traders, but no agitation has ever been done against that by the RSS affiliates.
Many of these dalits took to Christianity and many of them benefited due to education, and the consequent jobs. As noted they also came to posses some land over a period of time, still their land holding is much lesser than that of Non local Orriyas. A massive propaganda has been going on in the area that Panos have grabbed the Adivasi land that they are trying to manipulate caste certificates to take advantage of status of ST's. As a matter of fact both the Kandhs and Panos speak Kui. State has declared ST category for Kui?s, due to which some Panos also got some ST concession, it has not been a deliberate act.
These two issues were exploited by the VHP, Bajrang dal people who have been spreading the Hate against Christians in the area. It is important to note that Christian missionaries have been working in the area from over two centuries. Missionaries never used violence for conversion, while the RSS affiliates have resorted to all sorts of intimidation to convert them to Hinduism through newly invented conversion rituals. And asserting their political definition of Hinduism, they say that Adivasis are Hindus, who have drifted away due to allurement, so Adivasis coming to Hinduism is not conversion but a Ghar Vapasi, ?return home? for these misguided ones?.
Swami Laxmananand came here from last few decades and began his campaign of Hate against minorities. The result is there for all to see. The report on Kandhamal violence has recently (March 2009) been published by various human rights organization, ?From Kandhmal to Karavali: The Ugly Face of Sangh Parivar?. It points out ?that the violence was committed by Sangh Parivar organizations, mainly Bajrang Dal?police watched benignly as the arson took place in public. The ideology and organization of their mentor RSS pervades in the media?the press has reported the violence in the manner that put the onus on victim, they were at fault and had it coming? (page 3) what is spread to create hate is the distorted version of country?s history and the false hood about our society.
Today we are witness to the process where by people like Asok Sahu have not only spread their political tentacles through ?Hate Other? ideology, but also that they are violating the laws of the land for their political benefit. Tragically the distorted version of History has been one of the main weapons of the social common sense, which forms the base of communal violence. One hopes that in due course society and all those concerned with preservation of plural values not only look at the immediate causes of Hate other ideology, but also the deeper propaganda against the minorities widely prevalent through various organizations practicing politics.
--
Ram Puniyani
The after-effects of the anti Christian violence (2007) in Kandhamal district of Orissa are not over, so to say. Recently the Archbishop Cheenath of the state said that the elections in the Kandhmamal district should be postponed as the refugees living in the camps are not able to return. The reason is that many of them who returned were threatened by the local Bajrang Dal workers and associates. They were told to renounce Christianity, convert to Hinduism pay the fine, withdraw the cases and vote for the candidate who they will be told to, obviously BJP candidate. Many of those who tried to return with such hostile conditions awaiting them if they return, came back, some to the camps others to unknown destinations.
Meanwhile BJP candidate of the area, Ashok Sahu, when he came to know about his likely arrest for ?Hate speech? first absconded for few days and then was arrested just three hours before the campaign was to be over (14th April 2009). He told his followers to keep calm; else the elections will be postponed, as being demanded by the Archbishop.
One also recalls a similar situation in the post Gujarat violence. There, while state Government claimed that normalcy has returned, the Chief election commissioner James Michael Lyngdoh was visibly upset when he saw the condition of the Muslims living in the camps and their inability to be able to be part of the electoral process.
In Orissa the violence has taken a heavy toll of the amity of the region. The violence which began August 2007 continued till December. It resulted in death of close to 6-7 hundred Panos (Christians) and 90 Churches, 100 other Christian institutions were destroyed. The pretext was that Swami Laxamananand, the VHP swami working in the area has been murdered by Christians. At the same time the Maoist group claimed that they own the responsibility for the act. Since some pretext was needed to launch the attacks, the claim of Maoists was not considered and the VHP, BJP and company kept harping that it is the Christians who have committed the crime. As such the matter is tragic but simple. Who so ever has committed the crime should be punished. Why the whole Christian community has to be targeted and attacked for the act of some group or an individual.
Since at that time BJP was part of the ruling coalition it had its way. The death procession of swami was taken through a long circuitous route. The idea was to communalize the atmosphere in maximum area. This again is quite akin to Gujarat. After the Godhra train tragedy the dead bodies were taken in a procession to Ahmedabad, with VHP, BJP workers shouting provocative slogans. The whole hell was encouraged-permitted to be unleashed. Here also a long route was deliberately taken and police and other state authorities acted as the bystanders when the mayhem broke out. Surprisingly the VHP?s Praveen Togadia was permitted to go to the area while the Central Minister of State for Home affairs was not permitted to visit the area.
The violence in Kandhmal is a case of how communal forces can divide and come to dominate, become strong through orchestrated violence. The Kandhs, (Adivasis) are close to 50% of population, and dalits, most of them Panos are 16.9%. Kandhs and Panos are the two major communities in the area. The remaining 30% are called Oriyas, since they don?t speak the languages of these two major groups, the local Kui language. These are from various urban regions, traders being a big chunk of them.
The Kandhs, Adivasis were mainly food gatherers. Panos were landless outcastes who came to hills in search of livelihood, close to two centuries ago; Kandhs put their land at the disposal of Panos, since Kandhs themselves were not into agriculture. Panos came as servile labor. The communalists have propagated that Panos are grabbing the land of Kandhs. Kandhs come under the schedule Tribe category while Panos are dalits.
Today Kandhs own close to 9% of land, while the traders, Orriyas, control much more of Adivasi land. The major land grab from Adivasis has been by traders, but no agitation has ever been done against that by the RSS affiliates.
Many of these dalits took to Christianity and many of them benefited due to education, and the consequent jobs. As noted they also came to posses some land over a period of time, still their land holding is much lesser than that of Non local Orriyas. A massive propaganda has been going on in the area that Panos have grabbed the Adivasi land that they are trying to manipulate caste certificates to take advantage of status of ST's. As a matter of fact both the Kandhs and Panos speak Kui. State has declared ST category for Kui?s, due to which some Panos also got some ST concession, it has not been a deliberate act.
These two issues were exploited by the VHP, Bajrang dal people who have been spreading the Hate against Christians in the area. It is important to note that Christian missionaries have been working in the area from over two centuries. Missionaries never used violence for conversion, while the RSS affiliates have resorted to all sorts of intimidation to convert them to Hinduism through newly invented conversion rituals. And asserting their political definition of Hinduism, they say that Adivasis are Hindus, who have drifted away due to allurement, so Adivasis coming to Hinduism is not conversion but a Ghar Vapasi, ?return home? for these misguided ones?.
Swami Laxmananand came here from last few decades and began his campaign of Hate against minorities. The result is there for all to see. The report on Kandhamal violence has recently (March 2009) been published by various human rights organization, ?From Kandhmal to Karavali: The Ugly Face of Sangh Parivar?. It points out ?that the violence was committed by Sangh Parivar organizations, mainly Bajrang Dal?police watched benignly as the arson took place in public. The ideology and organization of their mentor RSS pervades in the media?the press has reported the violence in the manner that put the onus on victim, they were at fault and had it coming? (page 3) what is spread to create hate is the distorted version of country?s history and the false hood about our society.
Today we are witness to the process where by people like Asok Sahu have not only spread their political tentacles through ?Hate Other? ideology, but also that they are violating the laws of the land for their political benefit. Tragically the distorted version of History has been one of the main weapons of the social common sense, which forms the base of communal violence. One hopes that in due course society and all those concerned with preservation of plural values not only look at the immediate causes of Hate other ideology, but also the deeper propaganda against the minorities widely prevalent through various organizations practicing politics.
--
Friday, April 10, 2009
Hindutva: Projections and Reality
Hindutva: Projections and Reality!
Ram Puniyani
RSS is an organization where succession of the top post, Sarsanghchalak, takes place by nomination by the outgoing Chief. Recently K.Sudarshan, outgoing one, nominated Mohan Bhagwat as the new Chief (March 2009). On taking over Bhagwat pronounced that Hindutva is emancipatory concept.
The last time the word Hindutva created the confusion was in the case of corrupt electoral practices by Manohar Joshi, who said that if Shiv Sena BJP comes to power they will turn Maharashtra into first Hindu state in the country. He had used the word Hindutva for his politics. The matter went up to the court, and due to the confusions around the word Hindutva, court ruled that Hindutva is a way of life! This came in handy for RSS combine to wriggle out and to assertively use the word in their political campaigns. Now we hear that Hindutva is an emancipatory concept!
What is emancipation? In Indian context emancipation stands for the process which leads to equality of dalits and women. It also stands for the dignified status of Adivasis and workers. Many of these processes started during the freedom movement as an accompaniment of the struggle against British rule. While we were witnessing these processes steered by the likes of Bhagat Singh, Ambedkar and Gandhi, the country also saw the politics by Muslim League, Hindu Mahasabha and RSS. This latter trio based their concept of politics around religious nationalism. For Muslim League it was Islamic Sate, Pakistan and for Hindu Mahasabha, RSS it was Hindu nation.
Muslim League derived its ideology from the name of Islam and Hindu Mahsabha and RSS developed the term Hindutva, as the guiding ideology for Hindu nation. There is lot of parallel between the pattern of ideology of Muslim League and Hindu Mahsabha, RSS. They all kept aloof from the freedom movement and the associated processes of social transformation of caste and gender.
Freedom movement was not only for freedom from the British rule it also symbolized the values of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity, the values which are emancipatory for those oppressed by feudal rule of Rajas and Nawabs, and the associated clergy (Mullahs, Pastors and Brahmins). Talking of Hindutva in particular, the term was coined by Vinayak Damodar Savarkar in his book ‘Who is a Hindu?’ in 1923. Hinduism is not a prophet based religion. Originally word Hindu began as a geographical category, for all those living on east of river Indus. Later all the religious traditions, from caste and gender hierarchy based Brahmanism to egalitarian streams like Nath, Tantra, Siddha and Bhakti all came to be covered under the umbrella of Hinduism. Brahmanism is the dominant tendency within this spectrum, and currently all things Brahminic are identified as Hinduism. Dr. Ambedkar pointed out that Hinduism is Brahminic theology.
Savarkar defined Hindu as one who regards this land from Sindhu to Seas as Fatherland and Holy-land. In this definition all are included barring Muslims and Christians. Savarkar further went on to coin and define the word Hindutva. Hindutva, for him is total Hindu ness, a combination of Aryan race, Culture and values. In essence it came to mean a politics based on Brahminic values of birth based inequality of caste and gender. It gives the status of slaves to dalits and women.
RSS picked up the concept of Hindutva from there. Hindu Mahasabha and RSS both stood for status quo in caste and gender relations. RSS politics did exhibit these values in practical form, over a period of time. Contrary to emancipation, RSS ideology wants not only status quo ante of feudal times, further it wants to push back whatever little process of transformation of Dalits and women has taken place over a period of time.
Beginning with gender, RSS is an exclusively male organization. Its women wing is subordinate to it, it is Rashtra Sevika Samiti. Here, Swayamsevak for men, Sevika for women. The word swayam, self, is missing in women’s organization. Lets be clear, according to all male dominated patriarchal organizations, Taliban , Fascists, Christian fundamentalists or RSS, women’s self is in the pocket of men. Women are subordinate, are property of men. So they are to be dictated, controlled. So one of RSS trained swayamsevak, Pramod Mutalik forms Shriram Sene and beats up women. They dictate that women should be doing or wearing, this that and the other.
As far dalits are concerned Dr. Ambedkar goes on to assert that dalits need to learn, organize and struggle for their rights, for equality. RSS has come up with Samajik Samrasta Manch, to co-opt the dalits at subordinate position within the present social structure where dalits remain subjugated in the social system. RSS also has the ideology of integral humanism. This essential part of Hindutva politics argues that as the human body has different organs doing their different functions, similarly our society has different groups doing their job. A change in their roles will create disequilibrium, which will be detrimental to the smooth functioning of society.
One does concede that the language of RSS is very subtle and clever, but its actions regularly show what it means. RSS is the Father of all other organizations working for Hindu nation. The politics it has unleashed through BJP, VHP, and Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram etc. does regularly show the real intent of RSS. Few samplers- BJP Vice-president Rajmata Scindia endorsing Sati tradition, VHP-leadership endorsing the killings of dalits in response to the killings of dalits in the aftermath of Gohana, on the issue of cow-slaughter. RSS repeatedly emphasizes the ‘ancient glory’ of the times when Manusmriti was the rule.
One is happy to know that the new RSS chief knows the word emancipation. So far so good, as he can’t go beyond parroting this word, as the meaning of the word is totally against the agenda of RSS. RSS agenda is opposed to emancipation and stands for suppressing the low caste, and women in perpetual subjugation.
Ram Puniyani
RSS is an organization where succession of the top post, Sarsanghchalak, takes place by nomination by the outgoing Chief. Recently K.Sudarshan, outgoing one, nominated Mohan Bhagwat as the new Chief (March 2009). On taking over Bhagwat pronounced that Hindutva is emancipatory concept.
The last time the word Hindutva created the confusion was in the case of corrupt electoral practices by Manohar Joshi, who said that if Shiv Sena BJP comes to power they will turn Maharashtra into first Hindu state in the country. He had used the word Hindutva for his politics. The matter went up to the court, and due to the confusions around the word Hindutva, court ruled that Hindutva is a way of life! This came in handy for RSS combine to wriggle out and to assertively use the word in their political campaigns. Now we hear that Hindutva is an emancipatory concept!
What is emancipation? In Indian context emancipation stands for the process which leads to equality of dalits and women. It also stands for the dignified status of Adivasis and workers. Many of these processes started during the freedom movement as an accompaniment of the struggle against British rule. While we were witnessing these processes steered by the likes of Bhagat Singh, Ambedkar and Gandhi, the country also saw the politics by Muslim League, Hindu Mahasabha and RSS. This latter trio based their concept of politics around religious nationalism. For Muslim League it was Islamic Sate, Pakistan and for Hindu Mahasabha, RSS it was Hindu nation.
Muslim League derived its ideology from the name of Islam and Hindu Mahsabha and RSS developed the term Hindutva, as the guiding ideology for Hindu nation. There is lot of parallel between the pattern of ideology of Muslim League and Hindu Mahsabha, RSS. They all kept aloof from the freedom movement and the associated processes of social transformation of caste and gender.
Freedom movement was not only for freedom from the British rule it also symbolized the values of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity, the values which are emancipatory for those oppressed by feudal rule of Rajas and Nawabs, and the associated clergy (Mullahs, Pastors and Brahmins). Talking of Hindutva in particular, the term was coined by Vinayak Damodar Savarkar in his book ‘Who is a Hindu?’ in 1923. Hinduism is not a prophet based religion. Originally word Hindu began as a geographical category, for all those living on east of river Indus. Later all the religious traditions, from caste and gender hierarchy based Brahmanism to egalitarian streams like Nath, Tantra, Siddha and Bhakti all came to be covered under the umbrella of Hinduism. Brahmanism is the dominant tendency within this spectrum, and currently all things Brahminic are identified as Hinduism. Dr. Ambedkar pointed out that Hinduism is Brahminic theology.
Savarkar defined Hindu as one who regards this land from Sindhu to Seas as Fatherland and Holy-land. In this definition all are included barring Muslims and Christians. Savarkar further went on to coin and define the word Hindutva. Hindutva, for him is total Hindu ness, a combination of Aryan race, Culture and values. In essence it came to mean a politics based on Brahminic values of birth based inequality of caste and gender. It gives the status of slaves to dalits and women.
RSS picked up the concept of Hindutva from there. Hindu Mahasabha and RSS both stood for status quo in caste and gender relations. RSS politics did exhibit these values in practical form, over a period of time. Contrary to emancipation, RSS ideology wants not only status quo ante of feudal times, further it wants to push back whatever little process of transformation of Dalits and women has taken place over a period of time.
Beginning with gender, RSS is an exclusively male organization. Its women wing is subordinate to it, it is Rashtra Sevika Samiti. Here, Swayamsevak for men, Sevika for women. The word swayam, self, is missing in women’s organization. Lets be clear, according to all male dominated patriarchal organizations, Taliban , Fascists, Christian fundamentalists or RSS, women’s self is in the pocket of men. Women are subordinate, are property of men. So they are to be dictated, controlled. So one of RSS trained swayamsevak, Pramod Mutalik forms Shriram Sene and beats up women. They dictate that women should be doing or wearing, this that and the other.
As far dalits are concerned Dr. Ambedkar goes on to assert that dalits need to learn, organize and struggle for their rights, for equality. RSS has come up with Samajik Samrasta Manch, to co-opt the dalits at subordinate position within the present social structure where dalits remain subjugated in the social system. RSS also has the ideology of integral humanism. This essential part of Hindutva politics argues that as the human body has different organs doing their different functions, similarly our society has different groups doing their job. A change in their roles will create disequilibrium, which will be detrimental to the smooth functioning of society.
One does concede that the language of RSS is very subtle and clever, but its actions regularly show what it means. RSS is the Father of all other organizations working for Hindu nation. The politics it has unleashed through BJP, VHP, and Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram etc. does regularly show the real intent of RSS. Few samplers- BJP Vice-president Rajmata Scindia endorsing Sati tradition, VHP-leadership endorsing the killings of dalits in response to the killings of dalits in the aftermath of Gohana, on the issue of cow-slaughter. RSS repeatedly emphasizes the ‘ancient glory’ of the times when Manusmriti was the rule.
One is happy to know that the new RSS chief knows the word emancipation. So far so good, as he can’t go beyond parroting this word, as the meaning of the word is totally against the agenda of RSS. RSS agenda is opposed to emancipation and stands for suppressing the low caste, and women in perpetual subjugation.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Political Parties and Secular values
Electoral Parties and Secular Values
Ram Puniyani
In our secular democracy how to we choose whom to vote for. What are the secular credentials of different political parties in the electoral arena? The lead party of ruling coalition, UPA, Congress is no clean body as its hands are also full of blood of Sikhs in the 1984. Large numbers of communal riots have taken place during Congress regimes. BJP is the ally of organizations which spew poison against minorities and its role in Babri demolition, Gujarat carnage, anti Christian violence and many other riots is very obvious. Not to be left behind now the left, CPM in particular, with its role in Nadigram massacre in toe, has made many of the radical elements to equate it with BJP and its communal agenda. At minor level Samajavadi Party, has stood by minorities but there are occasions when it has compromised and let the communal organizations make merry. Mayawati of BSP is on record to have campaigned for Narendra Modi and put the blame of Gujarat carnage on Godhra train burning by Muslims.
How do we weigh these parties on the scale of secularism? Are BJP, Congress and CPM comparable in this regard? One can dismiss BSP as being too opportunist to be considered as secular. Amongst the major one’s, we will focus on Congress, Communists and the BJP. A tough situation has been created due to the weak policies of Congress and the arrogance of CPM in Nandigram. Are all these parties in the same league or is there a shade of difference which is worth recognizing in order to save the democratic ethos, which has been weakened due to the happenings of the current times.
Congress began as a secular party with the inclusion of people of all religions, and their continued association with this party during freedom movement. At the same time many a communalists formed the part of its leadership Madan Mohan Malaviya and Dr. Moonje etc. Even the founder of RSS, K.B. Hedgewar was associated with it till 1934. At medium and grass root level many a Hindu communalists in particular remained and are part of this party. It is this which made Nehru to warn that Congress should be cautious of those members who sound secular but are communal in the real sense. At the level of policies Congress took quite a principled secular path till the demise of Pundit Nehru, after which it has compromised regularly. The problem became apparent with Indira Gandhi’s election speeches in Jammu, Rajiv Gandhi's ‘when a big tree falls’; Shah Bano issue, shilaynyas, and Narsimha Rao’s afternoon siesta when the Babri was being razed to the ground. Many a riots took place during its regime when the ruling Government either acted as the silent witness or colluded with the rioters.
While evaluating riots it has to be kept in mind that the riots take place due to three major factors, the instigator and conductor, which according the inquiry commissions, (Jagmohan Reddy, Justice Madon, Vithayathil, Shrikrishna and Venugopal)mostly has been some organization which is a offshoot of RSS. The second factor is those who are supposed to control it, the political leadership. In this case the Congress when in power has been weak and ineffectual at places and actively colluding at other. Mostly it has been lacking the political will to control riots most of the times. The third force is the police and bureaucracy, which has been regularly communalized and has been the umbrella to the rioters or been the active participant in the execution of the pogroms. Communalism is not the program of Congress, but its execution of secular values has been lacking in will power.
Left and CPM, has come in this arena of discussion after Nandigram, when in order to execute the global economic agenda, they used their cadres to settle the score by ‘paying its opponents back in the same coin.’ Its program remains essentially secular, while the proactive will to counter the communal issues is not visible at all, be it the plight of minorities or the worsening ‘hate’ against minorities in the states ruled by the left parties. The communalism prevalent in the minds has not been tackled at all.
BJP is the political child of RSS, which has the agenda of Hindu nation. It resorts to the ‘Hate minorities’ mind set at the drop of the hat. It has the patriarch RSS and associates; VHP, Bajrang Dal, Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, Bajrang Dal etc, who have been communalizing the mind set, which is the base of communal violence. This Sangh Parivar has been actively initiating situations which bring in violence. It has led many a carnages and with the help of certain elements of Congress and the helpful state machinery, has been polarizing the communities along religious lines. The scholars of communal violence have made the observation that in the aftermath of most of the communal violence Sangh Parivar becomes stronger in those areas, where the violence has taken place. Its agenda is Hindu nation. Though using democratic space this party in the long term aims at Hindu nation Its communalism is programmatic.
We can classify the secular formations, individuals in to four broad categories on the scale of secularism. The first category belongs to the party/individual who proactively strive to bring in caste and gender equality and affirmative action for minorities in a substantive way. A synthesis of values of Bhagat Singh, Gandhi and Ambedkar can best describe this group, which today is not there as a strong voice.
The formations like Left are genuinely secular but they have ignored the proactive measures to pursue this. Congress is mired by too many power seekers to be able to stand firmly to oppose the communal elements and lands up being the accomplice, in part or in full, of the phenomenon of communalism at times. BJP as a part of Sangh Parivar, is the aggressive, intimidating opponent of pluralism, democracy and secularism, whatever its contingent language be. It along with other members of Sangh Parivar is effectively using the electoral space to do away with democratic values. It is the Indian face of fascism.
The anti Sikh violence was a sort of single go phenomenon, which had more to do with the ethno-regional factors. The Nadigram carnage is more of economic massacre, while the BJP led pogroms are targeted at the minorities as minorities, to consolidate their political hegemony. To be sure none of the violence can be condoned. The subtleties of these differences point out that while we do not have the real good choice for electoral arena, we will have to keep putting the civic pressure for bringing in better and better political policies through the grass root campaigns. All the same to compare BJP with other electoral formations will be undermining the threat of the agenda of RSS, which seeks to abolish democratic space and build a society in the image of ‘glorious’ Hindu past.
One can very well say, today in electoral arena we do not have a choice between Good Better and the Best. We are riddled with bad, worse, worst and BJP!
Ram Puniyani
In our secular democracy how to we choose whom to vote for. What are the secular credentials of different political parties in the electoral arena? The lead party of ruling coalition, UPA, Congress is no clean body as its hands are also full of blood of Sikhs in the 1984. Large numbers of communal riots have taken place during Congress regimes. BJP is the ally of organizations which spew poison against minorities and its role in Babri demolition, Gujarat carnage, anti Christian violence and many other riots is very obvious. Not to be left behind now the left, CPM in particular, with its role in Nadigram massacre in toe, has made many of the radical elements to equate it with BJP and its communal agenda. At minor level Samajavadi Party, has stood by minorities but there are occasions when it has compromised and let the communal organizations make merry. Mayawati of BSP is on record to have campaigned for Narendra Modi and put the blame of Gujarat carnage on Godhra train burning by Muslims.
How do we weigh these parties on the scale of secularism? Are BJP, Congress and CPM comparable in this regard? One can dismiss BSP as being too opportunist to be considered as secular. Amongst the major one’s, we will focus on Congress, Communists and the BJP. A tough situation has been created due to the weak policies of Congress and the arrogance of CPM in Nandigram. Are all these parties in the same league or is there a shade of difference which is worth recognizing in order to save the democratic ethos, which has been weakened due to the happenings of the current times.
Congress began as a secular party with the inclusion of people of all religions, and their continued association with this party during freedom movement. At the same time many a communalists formed the part of its leadership Madan Mohan Malaviya and Dr. Moonje etc. Even the founder of RSS, K.B. Hedgewar was associated with it till 1934. At medium and grass root level many a Hindu communalists in particular remained and are part of this party. It is this which made Nehru to warn that Congress should be cautious of those members who sound secular but are communal in the real sense. At the level of policies Congress took quite a principled secular path till the demise of Pundit Nehru, after which it has compromised regularly. The problem became apparent with Indira Gandhi’s election speeches in Jammu, Rajiv Gandhi's ‘when a big tree falls’; Shah Bano issue, shilaynyas, and Narsimha Rao’s afternoon siesta when the Babri was being razed to the ground. Many a riots took place during its regime when the ruling Government either acted as the silent witness or colluded with the rioters.
While evaluating riots it has to be kept in mind that the riots take place due to three major factors, the instigator and conductor, which according the inquiry commissions, (Jagmohan Reddy, Justice Madon, Vithayathil, Shrikrishna and Venugopal)mostly has been some organization which is a offshoot of RSS. The second factor is those who are supposed to control it, the political leadership. In this case the Congress when in power has been weak and ineffectual at places and actively colluding at other. Mostly it has been lacking the political will to control riots most of the times. The third force is the police and bureaucracy, which has been regularly communalized and has been the umbrella to the rioters or been the active participant in the execution of the pogroms. Communalism is not the program of Congress, but its execution of secular values has been lacking in will power.
Left and CPM, has come in this arena of discussion after Nandigram, when in order to execute the global economic agenda, they used their cadres to settle the score by ‘paying its opponents back in the same coin.’ Its program remains essentially secular, while the proactive will to counter the communal issues is not visible at all, be it the plight of minorities or the worsening ‘hate’ against minorities in the states ruled by the left parties. The communalism prevalent in the minds has not been tackled at all.
BJP is the political child of RSS, which has the agenda of Hindu nation. It resorts to the ‘Hate minorities’ mind set at the drop of the hat. It has the patriarch RSS and associates; VHP, Bajrang Dal, Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, Bajrang Dal etc, who have been communalizing the mind set, which is the base of communal violence. This Sangh Parivar has been actively initiating situations which bring in violence. It has led many a carnages and with the help of certain elements of Congress and the helpful state machinery, has been polarizing the communities along religious lines. The scholars of communal violence have made the observation that in the aftermath of most of the communal violence Sangh Parivar becomes stronger in those areas, where the violence has taken place. Its agenda is Hindu nation. Though using democratic space this party in the long term aims at Hindu nation Its communalism is programmatic.
We can classify the secular formations, individuals in to four broad categories on the scale of secularism. The first category belongs to the party/individual who proactively strive to bring in caste and gender equality and affirmative action for minorities in a substantive way. A synthesis of values of Bhagat Singh, Gandhi and Ambedkar can best describe this group, which today is not there as a strong voice.
The formations like Left are genuinely secular but they have ignored the proactive measures to pursue this. Congress is mired by too many power seekers to be able to stand firmly to oppose the communal elements and lands up being the accomplice, in part or in full, of the phenomenon of communalism at times. BJP as a part of Sangh Parivar, is the aggressive, intimidating opponent of pluralism, democracy and secularism, whatever its contingent language be. It along with other members of Sangh Parivar is effectively using the electoral space to do away with democratic values. It is the Indian face of fascism.
The anti Sikh violence was a sort of single go phenomenon, which had more to do with the ethno-regional factors. The Nadigram carnage is more of economic massacre, while the BJP led pogroms are targeted at the minorities as minorities, to consolidate their political hegemony. To be sure none of the violence can be condoned. The subtleties of these differences point out that while we do not have the real good choice for electoral arena, we will have to keep putting the civic pressure for bringing in better and better political policies through the grass root campaigns. All the same to compare BJP with other electoral formations will be undermining the threat of the agenda of RSS, which seeks to abolish democratic space and build a society in the image of ‘glorious’ Hindu past.
One can very well say, today in electoral arena we do not have a choice between Good Better and the Best. We are riddled with bad, worse, worst and BJP!
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