Is Bhagwat Signalling A Change In Tactics?

Mala Jay

Already facing a backlash to its divisive citizenship laws, the Modi-Shah regime has been caught unawares by an apparent shift in tactics by its own parent body, the RSS, in response to the widespread protests by civil society against CAA-NCR. 

Contrary to initial reactions to Mohan Bhagwat’s “All Indians are Hindus” remark, ruling party strategists are worried that the sarsanghchalak may have been signaling subtle criticism of the government's harsh handling of the ongoing agitations. 

Within the Sangh Parivar there is an undercurrent of unease over the wisdom of throwing the whole nation into turmoil regardless of repercussions by forcefully pushing through the agenda of alienating large sections of the population – as the Modi-Shah regime appears hell-bent on doing.  

Within the Sangh, new ideas and strategies take time to percolate.  Unlike the rapid news cycle of politics and mass media, where the RSS chief’s remark that “all 130 crore people of India are Hindus” attracted instant criticism from secular parties, NDA allies and even a few central ministers, the nuances of the sarsanghchalak’s statement are only now sinking in among the front organizations.

Even though there seemed nothing new in what Bhagwat said in Hyderabad last Wednesday – which sounded similar to the oft-repeated RSS dogma on nationhood -- within Sangh circles, where ears are tuned to dog-whistle signals, a subtle change in emphasis is now being discerned. 

The context and timing of his message are equally important.  Firstly, it was not a routine public discourse.  He was addressing an audience comprising strictly of RSS swayamsewaks at an instructional oath-taking camp known as sankalp shivir.  Secondly, he was speaking at a time of great national churning, when the Modi government’s push towards implementing new citizenship norms has evoked unexpectedly strong public resistance.  

A translation of what he said is:  "The son of mother India, irrespective of what language he speaks, which religion he practices, whether he follows any form of worship or not, is a Hindu.  In this regard, for Sangh all the 130 crore people of India are Hindu society". 

Bhagwat categorically stated that the RSS accepts one and all, thinks well of them and desires to take them to a higher level for betterment.

Further, he said:  When RSS calls someone a Hindu then it means those people who consider India as their motherland and love it. . . . . So, RSS considers everyone as their own and wants the development of everyone.  Sangh wants to take everyone together".

He elaborated:  "There is a famous saying about Unity in Diversity.  But our country goes a step ahead. Here we have not just Unity in Diversity, but also Diversity of Unity.  We are not searching only for unity in diversity. We are searching for the Unity from which the Diversity comes and there are different ways to achieve Unity."

There can be two points of doubt that can rankle in the minds of secular citizens.  One, why does he insist on using the word ‘Hindus’ when saying ‘all 130 crore people of India are Hindus’ - could he not have used the term ‘Hindustanis’ which would have been acceptable to all?  Two, how can one take at face value the words of someone who leads an organization that is known for its double-speak?

Both are valid objections and it is for Mohan Bhagwat and his fellow sanghchalaks to assuage apprehensions by rectifying the wording to “All Indians are Hindustanis”.   The truth is that that ‘Hindu’ has no historical authenticity and there was no mention of such a religion in the Vedas or the great epics.  The word merely refers to people belonging to the land south of the Indus River.  

That apart, Mohan Bhagwat’s perceived new definition and subtle shift of emphasis is replete with political ramifications in the current context.   In the same discourse at the sankalp shivir, he pointedly quoted Rabindranath Tagore’s words:  ‘Politics alone cannot bring change in the country, Change can only be brought about by People”.   To some Sangh Parivarists, this sounds like a loud and clear message for Narendra Modi. 

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Frontier
Dec 31, 2019