Desperate Campaign to Discredit RSS and its Leaders - II

Incidentally, Neta ji too met Hitler for support to his armed struggle to free Bharat. We never doubt his patriotism, nor do we criticise or lampoon him. My apologies, Communist rags did lampoon Netaji in a cheap manner.
Just to add another fact, the pledge taken by swayamsevaks and administered initially by Dr Hedgewar himself in Marathi was, “Sarva shaktiman Shri Parmeshvara’s ani aaplyaa purvajaans smaroon, me ashi pratgiya karto kee, Hindu dharma, Hindu Sanskriti, va Hindu samaaj yanche sanrakshan karun, hindu rashtra la swatantra karnya sathi mee Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangha cha ghatak jhalo aahe. Mee sanghaa che kaam praamaanikpane, niswarth buddhine, tan man dhan purvak kareen ani hey vrat aajanm paleen.” (Karandikar, Page 138) Translation - Remembering the all powerful Supreme Being and my forefathers, I take this pledge that I have become a part of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh to protect Hindu Dharma, Hindu Samskriti and Hindu society and to free Hindu Rashtra. I will do duty for Sangh with honesty, selflessly and with tan-man-dhan (body, mind and wealth). I will follow this oath throughout my life.” Clearly freedom of Bharat was the prime objective of RSS from day one. Approach was different. It was one of the many strands of freedom movement since 1880s onwards.

The writer’s description of physical attributes of Huddar and Doctorji is like a side show and almost comical and infantile as it adds no value to the discussion on hand and also incorrect as far as Doctor ji is concerned. It shows his superficial approach. He also limits the entire history of that time of social upheaval in Nagpur and Vidarbha to Brahminical hustle bustle of Nagpur that betrays his casteist and neo-Left mindset.

The writer drags in Dr Moonje’s visit to Italy to show that it was on behalf of RSS. Moonje was a benefactor of Dr Hedgewar early in life, but he couldn’t influence Dr Hedgewar to follow his words. For example, Doctor ji worked with him in 1920 non-cooperation movement. But, refused to toe his line in 1930. Moonje had imagined that RSS will work as youth wing of Hindu Mahasabha but RSS did not follow his line. There was lot of heart burn in HMS leadership due to this stance. Similarly in 1942, when HMS boycotted Quite India movement, RSS did not follow their line. Thousands of its swayamsevaks took part.

Assured that they have built a case against Dr Hedgewar revered by RSS swayamsevaks, the writer takes a swipe at Shri Guruji, who has left a deep impact on RSS as the longest serving RSS Sarsanghchaalak in the most crucial juncture in the history of RSS. The writer would like us to believe that Dr Hedgewar spurned Netaji’s ‘envoy’ under Shri Guruji’s influence. The fact of the matter is that Guruji was too junior to Doctor ji to influence him Guruji once said in a lighter vein, “Doctor saheb caught me like a cat catches a mouse when he accosted me on road and introduced himself.” (Ranga Hari, Page 73) He listened to every direction of Dr Hedgewar and followed it. The writer claims that Guruji came on Doctorji’s radar rather late. I would simply say, just read Guruji’s biography by Ranga Hari ji.

The writer claims that Doctor ji precipitated the decision to promote Guruji after the acrimonious meeting with Huddar. After having described at length in glowing manner the political journey of Balasaheb Huddar from 1930 to 1939, he naively believes that Huddar was still in the reckoning of being second in command to Dr Hedgewar. I believe both had no such misgivings. Doctor ji had dismissed him after the incidence of his armed dacoity. Doctor ji invited him as a friend for a lecture to his swayamsevaks where he talked about struggle between the capitalist and the labour class. Doctor ji, at the end of his lecture that he did not believe in this theory of class struggle. End of the matter.

I fail to understand RSS critics’ and this writer’s concern about succession of Shri Guruji as Sarsanghchaalak. Ranga Hari ji in is biography clearly mentions incidences concerning his nomination and confirmation by all the sanghchaalaks. When Sangh swayamsevaks from 1940 to date had no doubt or problem about it, who are they to create this obfuscation? Regarding the writer of the article insinuating that Guruji was pro-British, here is a very very short picture of RSS role in 1942 noted my book ‘Sangh and Swaraj’ I have given some incidents of RSS participation that stand out -

On 11th August 1942, Patna saw a successful attempt by young boys to hoist the Tricolour flag on the government secretariat. Six agitators were felled by police firing. Of these six, two, Devipad Chaudhary and Jagatpati Kumar, were swayamsevaks. Vidarbha region had strong RSS network. Naturally, the most fierce agitations took place there. A young swayamsevak, Balaji Raipurkar, was killed brutally in police firing. In famous ‘Chimur Ashti episode’. RSS swayamsevaks had established a parallel government in Chimur. Dada Naik, head of RSS Chimur branch, was sentenced to death. Hindu Mahasabha leader Dr N B Khare got the sentence commuted to imprisonment. Hemu Kalani, arrested in Sindh while he was removing fishplates to stop train movement was hanged by a military court in 1943. (Gobind Motwani in his book ‘9 years of RSS in Sindh – 1939-1947”) A Congress leader, Ganesh Bapuji Shinkar, testified after resigning from the party in protest against persecution of RSS, that RSS was the only organisation that provided shelter to underground leaders of 1942 movement and their lawyers fought their cases. (Ranga Hari, Incomparable Guruji) Would all this have been possible without the full backing of Shri Guruji?

I quote below the CID report about what British thought about him. How there was a strict vigil over his movements -

“Central police intelligence department on December 13, 1943 speaks about the impact of these communications. “It is not possible to create a case for banning Sangh. But it is equally clear that Golwalkar is creating a strong organization at a rapid pace that would obey the orders, maintaining confidentiality and jump into any activity of sabotage or of any other type whenever required as per their leader’s orders. The structure of this organization looks superficially like that of ‘khaaksaars’. But, fundamental difference between the two is that the leader of Khaaksaar, Inaayatullah, is a big mouthed imbalanced lunatic, while Golwalkar is a very cautious, crafty and much more capable leader.” (Sangh Beej se Vriksha, page 60-61)

Not only the CID report, his hectic tours with his trusted lieutenants like Madhavrao Mulye and Balasaheb Deoras in Punjab and Sindh prior to 15th August 1947 during peak violent period to stand with his swayamsevaks in their fight against Muslim League goons, murderers etc. amid violence testify his bold nature. It was to suppress the popularity of RSS due to these heroic efforts of RSS youth led by Guruji that Nehru used his brute power to ban and heap atrocities on RSS members. Any other nation would have rewarded them. Critics will shout that the ban was imposed by Sardar Patel. However, that is only technically true. Nehru had promised to crush RSS in a public meeting a few days earlier. Congress committees had passed resolutions for banning of RSS months before the assassination of Gandhi ji. (Ranga Hari, Page 122-123, The Incomparable Guru Golwalkar)

The writer has every right to eulogise Balasaheb Huddar, but to build an entire narrative to belittle Dr Hedgewar and Guruji is immature and poor attempt at it on the basis of wrong and twisted facts.

References:

• N H Palkar – Biography of Dr Hedgewar (Marathi)
• Dr V R Karandikar – Teen Sarsanghchaalak (Marathi)
• Devendra Swaroop – Sangh Beej se Vriksha (Hindi)
• Ranga Hari – The Incomparable Guruji
• Ratan Sharda – Sangh and Swaraj
• Ratan Sharda – RSS -Evolution From an Organisation to a Movement