Sewa, RSS and a New World!

NewsBharati    30-Apr-2020
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-Siddhi Somani 
 
‘नमस्ते सदा वत्सले मातृभूमे.. त्वया हिन्दुभूमे सुखं वर्धितोऽहम्..’ is what comes to our mind when we hear anything of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its selfless work towards the society, isn’t it? But what do you think is RSS actually is? What is that one idiosyncrasy of the community that makes it stand out everytime? Well, the Gen X is aware to say have known the Sangh in and out and more than half of the said Gen appreciates, follows the community. But now evidently the future has to lie in the hands of Gen Y and Gen X.
 
Noting this, the well-known Indian Film Director Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri who delivered some best projects like ‘The Tashkent Files, ‘Buddha in a traffic jam’ recently to the Indian Cinema, headed in conversation with the author, thinker and columnist Ratan Shardaji yesterday. Interesting was to heed Ratanji open up on SEWA, RSS and NEW WORLD in talk series ‘The Future of Life Festival’!

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When Doctor Hedgewar initiated with a small nationalist group in 1925, he probably had no idea that almost a century later, RSS would be one of the biggest social organization in the sub-continent. RSS has always worked hard to serve the society in its difficult times. For decades considered to be working behind thick veils of alacrity and strong will to serve, it has lately found itself more in the centre of public attention. So follows the need to know what is RSS and what it actually does.
 
What is RSS? How does it work?
 
The RSS is the progenitor and leader of a large body of organisations called the Sangh Parivar, which have presence in all facets of the Indian society. Sangha community has always been taught to think of the nation first, think of the society first. If the country calls for, why not serve in need? Sangha is nothing but a thinking trail, said Ratanji terming the very recent example of Sewa in the midst of Coronavirus spread. He said that the RSS young Swayamsevaks were on the brinks very next day of the pandemic news in India.
 
"While all the swayamsevaks (in this case) above 60 years of age are asked to take self-care, more than 3 lakh young minds are making no difference in day-night serve the society. Apart from direct risk to health, the major challenge faced is that of logistics - restricted movement due to Lockdown and problem of procurement. In this restriction, it is difficult to imagine how these people have reached to more than 2.15 crore Indians in 56,000 locations and served around 3 lakh families till date”, he added.
 
Also organisations like Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram with 800 of its workers have reached out to 2507 villages across 15 states in Bharat, serving 31279 families. “It is not only the Sangh’s culture to serve the society”, he said, “but it is India’s rich culture where we take care of our elders, neighbours and belongings. We as a responsible community do nothing but stick to this richness of India. An ideal nation is built with the contribution of every responsible citizen and not just that by the Government”.
  
RSS and Qualification :
 
When asked about the RSS’s relativity with the modern society, modern sciences, qualification, lifestyle, Ratanji revealed that almost all of the top ranking leaders today in RSS are highly educated and belong to science stream. Dr Hedgewar himself was a Doctor but chose to work for the betterment of the society. Further, Golwalkar Guruji also was a science person. He did his education in zoology and later LLB but again, chose to serve the society. Talking of Madhukar Rao Dattatray, Ratanji said, “he was a Gold Medalist graduate and a lawyer”.
 
“All these leaders were well educated, belonged to good families and were reformists. They all believed that serving our people made them Hindus and not just praying to God, puja-patri. RSS Swayamsevaks are busy keeping the Indian Culture alive and are always on ground to coordinate with the authorities, come what may”, he added.
 
RSS in History :
 
Taking an interesting, deeper dive in the truth, the columnist revealed the truth behind the belief that RSS did not participate in India’s Independence. The Independence Day announced by the Indian National Congress for 26 January 1930 was celebrated by the RSS that year but was subsequently avoided. The Tricolor of the Indian national movement was shunned. Dr Hedgewar personally participated in the 'Satyagraha' launched by Gandhi in April 1930, but he did not get the RSS involved in the movement. He sent information everywhere that the RSS would not participate in the Satyagraha. However, those wishing to participate individually were not prohibited.
 
In 1975 the Indira Gandhi government proclaimed emergency rule in India, thereby suspending fundamental rights and curtailing the freedom of the press. RSS, which was seen as being close to opposition leaders, and with its large organisational base was seen to have the capability of organising protests against the government, was also banned. Many of the RSS leaders went behind the bars. Other served the families of those in the jail. “RSS then had one and only plank- to bring democracy back to India”, he noted.
 
RSS’s key role in convincing Maharaja Hari Singh to accede J&K to India :
 
Golwalkar Guruji, played a key role in convincing Maharaja Hari Singh of Jammu and Kashmir to accede the Muslim-majority state to India soon after independence, Ratanji said. The book, titled ‘India: Shedding the Past, Embracing the Future, 1906-2017’, written by Arun Bhatnagar also explains how Golwalkar played an important role in the J&K accession saga.
 
“It was on the then Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s urging that Guruji went to Kashmir to get Maharaja Hari Singh to accede his state to the fledgling Indian Union. Guruji is said to have explained to the Dogra ruler that he better join India than entertain ideas about independence. Hari Singh was inclined to the idea of signing the Instrument of Accession in favour of India and the same was reported back to Patel. However, it was only after Kashmir came under attack from Pakistani irregulars backed by its army that forced Hari Singh’s hand to take the plunge”, Ratanji said.
 
RSS and Media's antagonism
 
The altruistic work done by Sangh needs proper documentation. The organisation has been working selflessly towards the betterment of the society since its inception but we remember only those heroes today that were marked by the history. “The media plays a major role in this process”, he said, “Though some of the regional media channels in various parts of India are taking the record of RSS work today, English media houses are still a step back. People need to know how the organisation works and media houses should leave behind the flavours of agenda to reveal the true picture of RSS”.
 
The so called liberals are the only one who can be termed as true ‘fascists’ and ‘illiberals’. These people force their opinions on others and dominate the society to learn what they think is correct. The very recent attack on Republic TV’s editor-in-chief is also out of Fascism. “The picture needs a total change”, he added.
 
It has been effort of the entire society that RSS has mostly acted as a co-ordinating agency and providing logistic and man power support. RSS and its associates are working in all the states of India. The selfless work of RSS volunteers in come what may situation is unparalleled. What is more admirable is that they do not discriminate based on caste creed or religion. Newsbharati salutes the organisation and its selfless service!