Rss glasnost

Rss glasnost

Mohan Bhagwat turns accommodative even as political Hindutva grows more strident.

The cordial note struck by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat when talking about minorities and the political opposition is welcome relief at a time of extreme polarisation when demagogues find it easier to ratchet up hatred. Bhagwat’s clarification that Hindu Rashtra “does not mean there is no place for Muslims” and that Hindutva would stop existing if “Muslims are unwanted” falls somewhere between an acceptance of Muslims – which however makes use of double negatives to convey the message – and a forthright answer to critics. Further buttressing the attempt to speak a glasnost-like language of inclusion and openness, Bhagwat has signalled RSS’s acceptance of the Indian Constitution – including of secularism which was later included in its Preamble.

There is also an interesting attempt to parse the notion of Hindutva, in ways somewhat different from its ideological moorings as set out by VD Savarkar nine decades ago. Thus it is understood as conveying a sense of global brotherhood spreading even beyond the nation-state – ‘the world as one family’ – even though the menacing construct of Hindu Rashtra looms alongside.

One might discern here a searching for a way forward, a groping towards a modern 21st century identity where RSS needs to grow in a diverse country, moreover one that is increasingly interlinked to global trends as is evident in the continuing slide of the rupee. This is where Bhagwat as sarsanghchalak may be signalling a glasnost to Sangh and society, of an RSS now secure in its dominant avatar and hopefully moving towards positions resembling the modern conservatism of Europe’s Christian Democrats, instead of the exaggerated sense of injury to Hindu pride that accompanied its journey from fringe to centre stage.

The Sangh Parivar with its assemblage of RSS pracharaks, BJP career politicians, BMS trade unionists, SJM swadeshis, VHP sants and Bajrang Dal foot soldiers is certainly no monolith. Bhagwat’s message of moderation needs to be heard and practised by the Sangh’s different arms to significantly alter perceptions at the grassroots. Lynchings, attacks on dissenters and creation of bogeys like love jihad have come to be identified with the rise of Hindutva forces. Bhagwat seems to have set upon a path to carve out a distinct identity for himself in public consciousness, but must go further. From its position of current strength, the platform that he represents must give equal space to diversity as it does for unity.