Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh

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The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (Hindi: राष्ट्रीय स्वयंसेवक संघ, English: National Volunteers' Organisation), also known as the Sangh or the RSS, is a Hindu nationalist organization in India. It was founded in 1925 by Dr. K. B. Hedgewar. The RSS is active throughout India and abroad as the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh.

Their general philosophical outlook is cultural nationalism known as integral humanism, aimed at preserving the spiritual and moral traditions of India.[1] The RSS believes that Hinduism is not simply a religion but a way of life.[2] The proclaimed purpose of the organization is "serving the nation and its people in the form of God - Bharata Mata (Mother India) and protecting the interests of the people who treat India as their motherland".

They have participated actively in the political process through the Bharatiya Janata Party. They are well-organized and have a hierarchical structure to their organization, with the sarsanghchalak being the highest rank.

The RSS was banned in India thrice during periods in which the government of the time considered them a threat to the state: in 1948 after Mahatma Gandhi's assassination, during the 1975 Emergency in India, and after the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition, in order. The bans were subsequently lifted after the Supreme Court of India declined to uphold the bans due to lack of evidence of their involvement in the alleged activities.[citation needed][3]

The RSS continues to be viewed as controversial due to its often violent commitment to stop conversions of Hindus and to "organise" Hindu society, and by what have been called its "Fascist" tendencies. Its numbers have been bolstered by the rise of its associated Sangh Parivar members, especially the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Contents

[edit] History

In 1925, Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, a Nagpur doctor after analysing history and recent developments, formed the Rashtriya Swayemsevak Sangh aiming to unite Hindus by organizing together.[4] Hedgewar proposed that Hindus must be united to face the challenges and protect the freedom and diversity of Indian civilization. The RSS was developed all over the country because of its nationalistic ideology and sacrifies of selfless karyakartas. The "pracharaks" or "full-time workers", who were spread all over the country and karyakartas who had got trained, made RSS as world's biggest social welfare organisation.[5] Many reputed personalities in modern India have defined RSS as Ready for Selfless Service. During the Indian independence movement, the RSS workers participated in all national moments called upon by INC. Though some Congress leaders tried to subsume RSS into the Congress and urged the RSS leaders to dismantle the organization, they slowly diverged away from the Congress.

[edit] Partition activities

The Partition of India was a very traumatic event in the young nation's history. Millions of people, Sikh, Hindu and Muslim, attempted to migrate from India and Pakistan/East-Pakistan through the violence and the death toll was considerable.[6]

The organization gained considerable strength and support because of its various relief activities, both offensive and defensive, organized for the migrating Hindus and successful protection of Hindus in the Hindu-Muslim riots during the time of the partition while maintaining an "anti-Islamic banner".[4]

[edit] Gandhi's Assassination and Ban

After Mahatma Gandhi's assassination in 1948 by Nathuram Godse, there were reports of celebrations by some RSS members by distributing sweets.[7] [8][9] As a precaution, Golwalkar and some RSS members were jailed. Godse's connection with the RSS was investigated[10]; the RSS was suspected of involvement in or incitement towards Gandhi's assassination and was banned on February 4, 1948.

Following an intervention of the Supreme Court, the Indian Government agreed to lift the ban with condition that the RSS adopt a formal constitution. The second sarsanghchalak, Golwalkar began drafting a constitution for the RSS which he sent to the government in March 1949. In July of the same year, after many negotiations over the constitution and its acceptance, the ban on RSS was lifted.[4]

Gopal Godse, one of the co-accused in the Gandhi murder case and Nathuram Godse’s brother, confirmed that both he and his brother were actively involved with the RSS at the time of the assassination. In an interview in 1994, he stated:

"All the brothers were in the RSS. Nathuram, Dattatreya, myself and Govind. You can say we grew up in the RSS rather than in our home. It was like a family to us. Nathuram had become a baudhik karyavah [intellectual worker] in the RSS. He has said in his statement that he had left the RSS. He said it because Golwalkar [the then RSS Supremo] and the RSS were in a lot of trouble after the murder of Gandhi. But he did not leave the RSS."[11]

[edit] Organisation

The RSS has an estimated 4.5 million active members.[12] The RSS organises itself hierarchically.

[edit] Sarsanghchalaks

The Sarsanghchalak is the family head of the RSS organization. The individuals who have been Sarsanghchalkas are:

The position is decided by nomination followed with elections held at the annual "Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha" meeting. The current sarsanghachalak of RSS is K. S. Sudarshan.

[edit] Shakha

"Shakhas" means "branch" in Sanskrit.

Most of the organisational work of the RSS is done through the coordination of shakhas, or branches. These shakhas are run every morning (prabhat shakha), evening (sayam shakha) or night (ratri shakha) for 1 hour in public places and are open to people of all castes, creeds or social and economic status. Currently more than 60,000 shakhas are run throughout India. Apart from 42,000 daily gatherings, there are about 5,000 weekly and 2,000 monthly gatherings conducted throughout the length and breadth of the country.[13]

These shakhas are usually operated in playing grounds without any offices. At the end of the shakha the prayer "Namaste Sadaa Vatsale Matrubhoome" (which means "My salutation to you forever, loving motherland") is recited.

These shakhas are the core building blocks of RSS structure. During a Shakha, the activities consist of yoga, games, discussions on broad range of social topics, prayer to Bharat Mata and an inspirational session (baudhik). The RSS uniform consists of a black cap, white shirt and khaki-coloured shorts. On the day of 'Guru Poornima' the RSS volunteers pay tributes to the 'Bhagwa Dhwaj' - the saffron flag, which has considerable symbolic importance.

An RSS volunteer who attends shakha is referred to as a "Swayamsevak". A Swayamsevak is sometimes appointed as a Mukhya Shikshak, meaning group administrator, and is given the task of leading and organizing the Shaka's events.

[edit] Ideology

Main article: Hindutva

The primarily goals of the RSS are a revival of Hindu tradition and to be an advocacy group for Hindus, whom they feel are being slowly marginalized due to alleged "negationism" in India and the acts of appeasement against them from the left-wing political parties and politicians in favor of extremist elements of other religious denominations. Their core ideology is based on Integral humanism and Hindutva, a form of Hindu Nationalism. They describe themselves as an "antidote to self-oblivion", and their goals as an attempt to inculcate Indians with the "A burning devotion to the Motherland (India), a feeling of fraternity among all citizens, intense awareness of a common national life derived from a common culture and shared history and heritage", as well as to "activise the dormant Hindu society (of India), realise its past mistakes, to instill in it a firm determination to set them right, and finally to make it bestir itself to reassert its honour and self-respect".[14]

[edit] Other Religions

The Sangh has declared publicly that its Hindutva philosophy states that Hindutva supports the philosophy Ekam Sat Viprah Bahudha Vadanti Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (translated to Truth is One, Sages Call it by Many Names. The Whole Universe is one Family).[15] However, it feels this society has been threatened by repeated persecution of Hindus, especially by Muslims. According to the BJP, a member of the Sangh Parivar:

Thus, the seeds of today's Hindu Jagriti (awakening) were created the very instance that an invader threatened the fabric of Hindu society which was religious tolerance. The vibrancy of Hindu society was noticeable at all times in that despite such barbarism from the Islamic hordes of central Asia and Turkey, Hindus never played with the same rules that Muslims did.[16]

The RSS believes that provided better circumstances the a majority of the Muslim population of India would 'revert' to Hinduism, believing that most Indian Muslims can trace their ancestry back to those with a Hindu background. The BJP, the RSS' political wing, has expressed its beliefs on this matter:[17] :

The RSS entirely agrees with Gandhiji's formulations that "There is in Hinduism room enough for Jesus, as there is for Mohammed, Zoroster and Moses" and that "majority of the Muslims of India are converts to that faith from Hinduism through force of circumstances. They are still Hindu in many essential ways and, in a free, prosperous, progressive India, they would find it the most natural thing in the world to revert to their ancient faith and ways of life."

The RSS believes all non-Hindus in India should adopt a stance of religious tolerance towards the native religions, or otherwise they should face intolerance in return. This lines up with the RSS's belief that all religions should have the same rights and responsibilities in terms of laws. Regarding non-Hindus in India, Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar, an RSS leader in the past, had also stated (in the 1940s) that:

"The non-Hindu peoples in Hindustan must either adopt the Hindu culture and language, must learn to respect and hold in reverence the Hindu religion, must entertain no idea but those of glorification of Hindu race and culture, i.e., they must not only give up their attitude intolerance and ungratefulness towards this land and its age-old traditions but must also cultivate the positive attitude of love and devotion instead-in a word they must cease to be foreigners, or may stay in this country, wholly subordinated to the Hindu nation, claiming nothing, deserving no privilege, far less any preferential treatment-not even citizens' rights."[18]

With regards to claims of having an anti-Muslim stance, RSS spokesperson Ram Madhav has stated that such claims are a "distortion of RSS ideology". He asserts that the RSS "believes in the oneness of our culture and the country", and that "any opposition to this view could lead to disintegration as it in fact happened with the Partition. This accent against divisiveness should therefore not be seen as hatred towards any particular religion.[19].

The RSS denies that they are intolerant of any other religion, citing examples of RSS-dominated communities in India that have lived in relative peace with adherents of other religions.

[edit] Caste System

Historically, the RSS has had several Dalit and middle caste members in their fold, several of whom are in key positions along their rank-and-file.[20]Originally, the RSS was formed by members of the upper caste Brahmin community. However, that situation has changed considerably over time. An RSS sarsanghchalak quotes:"All our best attended shakhas are in the poor areas, not in the alienated middle class or rich upper caste suburbs or cities or towns. In simple words, the new Sangh Swayamsevak is mostly a backward caste or Dalit".[5]

The RSS has recently expressed concern over caste-based political and social conflicts, they have urged Hindus to "get rid of this evil at the earliest".[21]Their resolution adopted at a national executive meeting said:

"Hindu society should take all necessary measures to ensure entry and access to every Hindu, irrespective of his caste, to their homes, temples, religious places, public wells, ponds, and other public places. Hindu society will have to get rid of this evil at the earliest.[21]"

The organisation further contends that "caste-based untouchability" and "feelings of high caste and low caste" were the main evils haunting the Hindu society and aims to eradicate Casteism from Indian society. To that end, the RSS has tried to reach out to prominent Dalit (traditionally the "Untouchable" Caste) leaders in India, such as poet and leader of the Dalit activist group "Dalit Panthers" Namdeo Dhasal.[22] The Dalit Panthers have been traditional adversaries of the R.S.S and peceived them as an "upper-caste" dominated party. However, negotiations with RSS chief K.Sudarshan on August 2006 led to reconciliations, when Sudarshan declared that the RSS categorically rejects all forms of caste discrimination in the organization. He further said:

The Dalits are our own flesh and blood, but because of some ill practices and social evils the practice of untouchability has brought havoc on those who were an integral part and defenders of Dharma. This has to be corrected through our deeds and actions.[22]"

Namadeo Dhasal said at the meeting with the RSS, "Yes, I do feel that the fight to eradicate caste has to be fought by Dalits and caste Hindus together carrying forward the tradition of Adi Sankara, which got broken somewhere in between."

Sudarshan then said, "I fully agree with what you have said here today".

In addition, the RSS has advocated for training Dalits and other backward classes to be temple high priests (a position traditionally reserved for Caste Brahmins and denied to lower castes). They argue that the social divisiveness of the Caste system is responsible for the lack of adherence to Hindu values and traditions and reaching out to the lower castes in this manner will be a remedy to the problem.[23]

Appealing for social harmony and Hindu brotherhood, the organisation warned the community against the political parties, which it said had been drawing "political benefits" out of casteism and "Inventing caste based new conflicts in the Hindu society for the sake of political benefits [which has] has become a trend of many politicians these days.[21]"

[edit] Votebank Politics

The RSS has spoken out against votebank politics of politicians who encourage caste based rivalries and have urged political parties to keep away from caste based politics and give an Indian culture to democracy.

"No religion or sect is inferior to others. The whole society should be aware that every sect and caste of Bharat has a glorious history. The entire society should fully realize the essence of 'Na Hinduh Patito Bhavet' (No Hindu shall ever come to grief)"[21]

[edit] Islamic Terrorism

The RSS has spoken out against Islamic Fundamentalism and acts of Islamic terrorism carried out in various parts of India in recent years.[24] A Senior RSS leader Madan Das has said that there should be "no hesitation whatsoever in fighting against those who do not want peace and added that the world communities should fight terrorism together". They have labeled Islamists as "anti-national elements" and have alleged Pakistani involvement in the various terrorist acts.[25] In addition, the Islamist terror outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba is suspected for carrying out an unsuccessful attack on the headquarters of the RSS in Nagpur on June 1, 2006,[26][27] inviting condemnation of the outfit from politicians across the spectrum.[28]

[edit] Israel and Zionism

In November 2000, when the BJP-led Indian government voted in favour of the United Nations General Assembly resolution condemning Israel's "excessive use of force" against Palestinian civilians, the RSS-backed weekly, the Organiser went out of its way to support the Zionist cause, arguing that the recent violence was the result of Palestinian intransigence.[29]. This follows the rise in support for Israel in India in recent years.[30].

In addition, RSS welcomed the visit of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to India in 2003. Sharon's visit was condemned by the leaders of the Communist Party of India and Janata Dal for his stance on the Oslo Accords.[31].[32] The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh unilaterally condemned these protests and statements.[33]. RSS spokesperson Ram Madhav said:

The entire world acknowledges that Israel has effectively and ruthlessly countered terror in the Middle East. Since India and Israel are both fighting a proxy war against terrorism, therefore, we should learn a lesson or two from them. We need to have close cooperation with them in this field[33]

The RSS newspaper "Panchjanya" dubbed those advocating friendship with Pakistan as ones responsible for encouraging terrorist activities in India, and described the visit of Ariel Sharon as an opportunity for India to get closer to Israel and fight terrorism jointly[33]

[edit] Political influence

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In 1973, Golwalkar passed away and Balasaheb Deoras took over the leadership, and continued until 1993, when Dr. Rajendra Singh took over from him. During this period, came the rise of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the political front of the RSS. Between 1975 and 1977, the RSS, along with socialists like Jayprakash Narayan launched a civil disobedience movement, to reject the national emergency and postponement of elections by Prime Minister and Congress President Indira Gandhi. The Jana Sangh was an integral part of the Janata Party coalition that defeated Indira Gandhi's Congress in a landslide in 1977.

It was in fact the close relationship between the Jan Sangh and the RSS that proved to be the Janata coalition's undoing, as non-Sangh constituents of the coalition insisted that all members of the Union Cabinet distance themselves from the RSS, as they were now members of the Janata Party. When Vajpayee and Advani in particular refused to do so, the coalition collapsed over what came to be known as the 'dual membership' issue.

The RSS saw its stock rise as the BJP thrived upon the disenchantment of the masses with the Congress-led governments. By 1988, the BJP had 88 seats in the Lok Sabha, lower house of Parliament, and by 1996 it was the single-largest party. In 1998 it went on to head a coalition government that survived six years and another election in 1999.

During recent time, people who share RSS's ideology, many of whom have been swayamsevaks or former swayamsevaks have gone on to achieve the highest political positions in the Indian Politics. These leaders include Atal Behari Vajpayee, Lal Krishna Advani, Narendra Modi, Shivraj Singh Chauhan, Pramod Mahajan, Gopinath Munde , Ram Prakash Gupta ,Uma Bharathi,Ananth Kumar and B S Yeddyurappa.

[edit] Sangh Parivar

Main article: Sangh Parivar

Organizations which are inspired by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's ideology refer themselves as the members of the Sangh Parivar. In most of the cases Pracharaks (Full time volunteers of the RSS) were deputed to start and manage these organizations. The largest organizations within the Sangh are the Bharatiya Janata Party, Vishva Hindu Parishad, Akhil Bhartiya Vidhyarthi Parishad and Bajrang Dal. Numerous other Hindutva organizations take inspiration from the RSS's actions.

[edit] Social Activity

The RSS was instrumental in relief efforts after the 1971 Orissa Cyclone and the 1977 Andhra Pradesh Cyclone.[34]

Khushwant Singh credits members of the RSS with helping and protecting Sikhs who were being targeted be members of the Congress(I) political party during the 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots.[35] He said:

"It was the Congress(I) leaders who instigated mobs in 1984 and got more than 3000 people killed. I must give due credit to RSS and the BJP for showing courage and protecting helpless Sikhs during those difficult days”[35]

The RSS has also participated in relief efforts in the Indian State of Kashmir, which has been besieged by Islamic terrorism (see Terrorism in Kashmir). An RSS-affiliated NGO, Seva Bharati, has adopted 100 children, most of them Muslims, from militancy affected areas of the region to provide them education at least up to Higher Secondary level.[36] They have also taken care of many victims of the Kargil War of 1999.[37]

The RSS assisted in relief efforts quite extensively during the 2001 Gujarat earthquake. They helped rebuild villages.[38] They "earned kudos" from many varied agencies and sources for their actions.[34]

Sewa Bharati has also collaborated with several relief groups, such as the Catholics Bishops Conference of India to conduct relief operations in the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. Activities included building shelters for the victims, providing food, clothes and medical necessities.[39] They raised over one crore rupees for the effort in one week after the tsunami.[40] The RSS assisted relief efforts during the 2004 Sumatra-Andaman earthquake and the subsequent Tsunami.[41].


[edit] Criticism and Controversies

[edit] Accusations of Fascism

The RSS has been characterized as a "reactionary group of Hindu fanatics with Fascist tendencies."[4].

Others such as Ian McDonald of the University of Brighton, compare the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and its concept of "organicism" with 19th century European Nationalism and European Fascism, calling the "apotheosis of RSS's intellectual and physical development the physiological patriot, a Hindu homo-fascitus", and that "the argument of its fascist ideology and methodology" is "profoundly disturbing"[42]

In his book Fascism: Theory and Practice, Dave Renton mentions that in the 1990s RSS has used Communal riots as form of popular politics against the state. However, Renton further goes to state that, since RSS has adopted only adapted "parts" of Fascist ideology and is not a full fledged movement against the state, they cannot be labelled as "Fascist"[43].

Other academics, such as David James Smith, Professor of Indian Religions at Lancaster University, writes that despite the organization's past links with fascist ideologies, its decentralized nature and lack of emphasis with a supreme leader, and the central position that it awards to social system (rather than race), means that describing them as "fascist" is inappropriate.[44]

In addition, accusations of "fascism" have been critiqued as overly simplistic by Jyotirmaya Sharma as inappropriate, calling them a "simplistic transference has done great injustice to our knowledge of Hindu nationalist politics".[45]

RSS has been accused of involvement in the 2002 Gujarat riots by Tehelka.[46]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Christophe Jaffrelot, The Hindu nationalist Movement in India, Columbia University Press, 1998
  2. ^ Q & A: Ram Madhav The Hindu - April 14, 2004
  3. ^ Analysis: RSS aims for a Hindu nation BBC - March 10, 2003
  4. ^ a b c d Curran, Jean A. Jr. The RSS: Militant Hinduism Far Eastern Survey, Vol. 19, No. 10. (May 17, 1950), pp. 93-98.
  5. ^ a b K R Malkani: The RSS Story
  6. ^ #India
  7. ^ The guru of hate, The Hindu, Nov 2006
  8. ^ Golwalkar- The Guru Of Hate By Ramachandra Guha
  9. ^ Analysis: RSS aims for a Hindu nation BBC
  10. ^ Jeevan Lal Kapur, Report of Commission of Inquiry Into Conspiracy to Murder Mahatma Gandhi, Home Ministry, 1971: pp 236, 243.
  11. ^ UCLA Social Studies Network
  12. ^ BBC NEWS | South Asia | Analysis: RSS aims for a Hindu nation
  13. ^ RSS might get trendy uniform next year Rediff - July 23, 2004
  14. ^ Mission & Vision,RSS Web Page
  15. ^ BJP Philosophy - Hindutva
  16. ^ BJP Philosophy - Hindutva
  17. ^ bjp.org
  18. ^ Craig Baxter, The Jana Sangh: A Biography of an Indian Political Party (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1969), p. 31.
  19. ^ Q&A: Ram Madhav,The Hindu
  20. ^ Sunday Mail, December 23, 1990
  21. ^ a b c d India's RSS urges war against 'evil' of casteism, The Times of India
  22. ^ a b Dalit leader buries the hatchet with RSS,Times of India
  23. ^ RSS for Dalit head priests in temples,Times of India
  24. ^ Double Jeopardy Rediff - March 14, 2000
  25. ^ Be vigilant against ‘jehadis’: RSS leader,The Tribune
  26. ^ Lashkar-e-Toiba,South Asia Terrorism Portal
  27. ^ Lashkar attack on RSS HQ foiled; 3 ultras shot,The Tribune
  28. ^ Terror attack on RSS HQ foiled, 3 Lashkar men shot dead,Times of India
  29. ^ India's changing stand Frontline - October 28, 2000
  30. ^ Israel's War and India: Aftershocks
  31. ^ Press spotlight on Sharon's India visit,BBC
  32. ^ Left wants 'killer' Sharon to go home,Rediff.com, September 09, 2003
  33. ^ a b c RSS slams Left for opposing Sharon's visit
  34. ^ a b Ensuring transparency The Hindu - February 18, 2001
  35. ^ a b K. Singh: “Congress (I) is the Most Communal Party”, Publik Asia, 16-11-1989.
  36. ^ JK: RSS adopts militancy hit Muslim children,oneindia.in
  37. ^ Fund of Controversy Times of India - December 14, 2002
  38. ^ Goa rebuilds quake-hit Gujarat village Times of India - June 19, 2002
  39. ^ Relief missions from Delhi,The Hindu
  40. ^ Gestures shift to rehabilitation The Hindu - January 01, 2005
  41. ^ Tsunami toll in TN, Pondy touches 7,000 Rediff - December 29, 2004
  42. ^ Fascism, Physical Culture and Hindu Nationalism,by Ian MacDonald, Univ of Brighton, England
  43. ^ Renton, Dave. Fascism: Theory and Practice. Pluto Press, 1999. ISBN 0745314708
  44. ^ Smith, David James, Hinduism and Modernity P188, Blackwell Publishing ISBN 0-631-20862-3
  45. ^ Hindu Nationalist Politics The Hindu - September 24, 2005
  46. ^ Top RSS, VHP men planned post-Godhra riots: Tehelka

[edit] Publications

[edit] Books

  • Anderson, Walter K.; Damle, Sridhar D. (1987). The Brotherhood in Saffron. Delhi, India: Vistaar Publishers. 
  • Anand, Adeesh (2007). Shree Guruji And His R.S.S.. Delhi, India: MD Publication Pvt. Ltd.. 

[edit] See also

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Organisations
Major figures
Philosophy
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