[sacw] India: RSS stories

[aiindex@mnet.fr]

South Asia Citizens Web Dispatch [India: RSS stories]
28-29 October 2000

________________________________

#1. RSS & 1984 anti-Sikh riots in India
#2. Need To Indianize The RSS

________________________________

#1.

[RSS AND 1984 ANTI-SIKH RIOTS IN INDIA ]

In the following is reproduced in full a shocking document on the massacre
of Sikhs in October-November 1984 authored by a luminary and veteran of
the RSS, Nanaji Deshmukh. In the aftermath of the killing of MRs. Indira
Gandhi on October 30, 1984, by her two security guards who happened to be
Sikhs, thousands of innocent Sikh men, women and children were burnt
alive, butchered, and maimed throughout India. Hundreds of Sikh religious
places were destroyed with countless commercial and residential properties
owned by Sikhs. It has been a general belief that Congress cadres were
behind this mayhem. This is true but there were other fascist and communal
forces also which actively participated in this massacre whose role has
never been investigated. This document may help in unmasking the whole lot
of criminals who played Holi with the blood of innocent Sikhs who had
nothing to do with the killing of Indira Gandhi in 1984. This document
also throws the light on the fact that from where the cadres came who
meticulously organized the butchring of Sikhs.

The RSS often poses as firm believer in Hindu-Sikh unity. But in this
document we will hear from the horse's mouth that the RSS like the then
Congress leadership, believed that the massacre of innocent Sikhs was
justified. Nanaji Deshmukh in this document is seen outlining the
justification of the massacre of Sikh community very cunningly as we will
see in the following.

1. The massacre of Sikhs is not the handiwork of any group or anti-social
elements but the result of a genuine feeling of anger.

2. Nanaji does not distinguish the action of two security personnel of
Mrs. Indira Gandhi who happened to be Sikhs from whole of Sikh community.
>From his document it emerges that the killers were working under some kind
of mandate of their community hence attacks on Sikhs were justified.

3. Sikhs themselves have invited these attacks. Thus advancing the
Congress theory of justifying the massacre of the Sikhs.

4. He glorifies the 'Operation Blue Star' and any opposition to it as
anti-national.

5. It is the Sikh community as a whole which is responsible for violence
in Punjab.

6. Sikhs should do nothing in self defence but show patience and tolerance=
.

7. These are not mobs which are responsible for massacre but Sikh
intellectuals who turned the Sikh into a militant community cutting them
off from their Hindu roots, thus inviting attacks from nationalist
Indians. Here again he treats all Sikhs as part of the same gang and
attacks as a reaction of the nationalist Hindus.

8. He describes Mrs. Indira Gandhi as the only leader who could keep the
country united and on the killing of such a great leader such killings
could not be avoided.

9. Rajiv Gandhi who succeeded Mrs. Gandhi as the Prime Minister of India
and justified the nation wide killings of Sikhs by saying, "when a huge
try falls there are always tremors felt" is lauded and blessed by Nanaji
at the end of the document.

10. Shockingly, the massacre of Sikhs is being equated with the attacks on
the RSS cadres after the killing of Gandhiji and we find Nanaji advising
Sikhs to suffer silently. Everybody knows that the killing of Gandhiji was
inspired by the RSS whereas common innocent Sikhs had nothing to do with
the murder of Mrs. Indra Gandhi.

This document was published by the Hindi Weekly 'Pratipaksh' edited by
George Fernandes (currently Defence Minister of India) in its edition of
November 25, 1984 with the following editorial comment- "The author of the
following document is known as an ideologue and policy formulator of the
RSS. After the killing of Prime Minister (Indra Gandhi) he distributed
this document among prominent politicians. It has a historical
significance, that is why we have decided to publish it, violating policy
of our Weekly. This document highlights the new affinities developing
between the Indra Congress and the RSS. We produce here the Hindi
translation of the document." We are producing the same document after
translating it from the Hindi version published in the 'Pratipaksh' with
the hope that many more real culprits behind the massacre of Sikhs are
brought to light.

MOMENTS OF SOUL SEARCHING

BY NANAJI DESHMUKH

Indira Gandhi ultimately did secure a permanent place at the doorstep of
History as a great martyr. With her dynamism borne out of her fearlessness
and dexterity, she was able to take the country forward like a colossus
for over a decade and was able to build an opinion that she alone
understood realities of the country, she alone had the ability to run the
decadent political system of our corrupt and divided society, and probably
she alone could keep the country united. She was a great lady and her
death as a brave had added to her greatness. She was killed by a person in
whom she kept faith despite several complaints. Such an influential and
busy personality was killed by a person who had the duty to protect her
person. This act came as a blow not only to her admirers in the country
and the world but also her critics. This cowardly and treacherous act of
killing not only ended the life of a great leader but also killed in the
name of the Panth the mutual faith of humanity. Explosion of sudden arson
and violent hysteria throughout the country was probably a driectionless
and improper expression of the hurt, anger and feeling of loss of her
followers. Lakhs of her followers used to see her as the only defender,
powerful and a symbol of united India.

It is a different matter whether this is right or wrong. For these
innocent and uninformed followers, the treacherous murder of Indira Gandhi
was a tragic culmination of the poisonous campaign of separatism,
antagonism and violence conducted over the past three years in which
hundreds of innocents had to lose their invaluable lives and the sanctity
of religious places was destroyed. This campaign assumed an ominous pace
after the painful Army action in June which in the eyes of most of the
people of the country had become necessary to protect the sanctity of the
religious places. Baning a few exceptions, Sikh community observed silence
for a long time on barbaric massacres and heinous killings of innocent
people, but they condemned the long-pending Army action with anger and
dangerous explosion. The country was stunned at their attitude. Army
action was compared with "gallu ghara" action of Ahmed Shah Abdali in 1762
to desecrate Harmandir Sahib. Without going into the objectives of the two
incidents, Mrs. Gandhi was pushed into the category of Ahmed Shah Abdali.

She was termed enemy of Sikh panth and big prizes were announced on her
head. On the other hand Bhindrawale who was guilty of heinous crimes
against humanity in the name of religion was hailed as a martyr. Open
display of such feelings in different parts of the country and abroad
played a special role in increasing distrust and alienation between Sikhs
and rest of Indians. In the background of this distrust and alienation,
stunned and bewildered people accepted the validity of rumours of the
celebrations by Sikhs at the heinous murder of Indira Gandhi by her Sikh
bodyguards in retaliation of the Army action. Of these most hurting
explanation was of Giani Kripal Singh who being the Head Granthi considers
himself to be the sole spokesman of the Sikh community. He said that he
expressed no sorrow at the death of Indira Gandhi. This statement added
fuel to the fire of boiling anger. No immediate and natural condemnation
of this despicable statement by an important leader came from responsible
Sikh leaders, intellectuals or organization. Therefore, already angered
common and unimaginative people took it as correct that Sikhs celebrated
death of Indira Gandhi. Due to this belief, selfish elements could succeed
in making the common people violent against the hapless Sikh brothers.

This was a most explosive situation which needed utmost patient and
skilful conduct on behalf of our Sikh brothers. I am saying this being a
life member of Rashtriya Swayam Sewak Sangh because on January 30, 1948 a
Hindu fanatic who was a Marathi and had no relation with Rashtriya
Swayamsewak Sangh,
rather was a bitter critic of the Sangh, committed unfortunate killing of
Mahatma Gandhi. On this occasion we also suffered the sudden eruption of
hysteria, loot and atrocities of misdirected people. We ourselves saw how
selfish elements who were well acquainted with this incident, deliberately
declared a murderer to be a member of Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh and also
spread the rumour that RSS people were celebrating throughout the country
death of Mahatma Gandhi, and thus they succeeded in diverting the love and
the feeling of loss and hurt in the hearts of people for Gandhi. Such
feelings were spread against Swayamsewaks and their families, particularly
in Mahrashtra.

Having gone through such experiences myself, I can understand the strong
reaction and feeling of innocent Sikh brothers who became of victims of
sudden eruption of people's violent hysteria. In fact, I would like to
condemn in strongest words the inhuman barbarity and cruelty on Sikh
brothers in Delhi and elsewhere. I feel proud of all those Hindu
neighbours who protected lives and property of troubled Sikh brothers
without caring for their lives. Such things one being heard from all over
Delhi. These things have practically increased the faith in natural
goodness of human behavior and particularly faith in Hindu nature.

I am also worried at the Sikh reaction in such delicate and explosive
situation. As an activist engaged in national reconstruction and unity for
half a century and being a well wisher of Sikh community I am hesitating
in saying that if reactive armed action by Sikhs is even partly true then
they have not been able to evaluate the situation correctly and
comprehensively and as a result could not respond according to the
situation. Here I wish to draw the attention of all my countrymen
including Sikhs that in a similar difficult situation arising out of murder
of Mahatma Gandhi when in the hysteria against Rashtriya Swayamsewaks
crimes of destruction of property,heinous burning alive of children,
inhuman cruelty etc. were being committed and the news was reaching Nagpur
from all over India, then the 'dictator' of Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh
known as the so-called big private army, the then head of the Sangh late
M.S. Golwalkar issued an appeal in Nagpur on February 1, 1948 to the lakhs
of armed young followers throughout the country in the following
unforgettable words:

"I direct all my Swayamsewak brothers that despite spread of provocation
under lack of understanding, they should adopt cordial attitude towards
all and remember that this mutual distrust and improper hysteria is the
result of the love and respect that the whole country has for Mahatma who
made the country great in the eyes of the world. We salute such great
respected departed soul."

These were not empty worlds to hide cowardice and helplessness in the
hopeless situation. In those life threatening serious moments he proved
that every word of his appeal had a meaning. On the evening of February 1,
hundreds of Swayamsewaks in Nagpur urged for armed resistance and
resisting till the last drop of their blood to stop the probable attack on
their leader the same night. And some associates of Guruji told him of a
conspiracy against his life and requested to shift his residence to a safe
place before the attack, Guruji told them in such a black moment also that
if the same people whom he had truly and with full ability, served
throughout his life wanted to take his life, then why and for whom he
should save his life. Thereafter he cautioned them in stern voice that
even if a drop of blood of his countrymen was shed in saving him, then
such a life would be useless for him. History is a witness that lakhs of
Swayamsewaks spread throughout the country followed this directive word by
word. Though they had to digest vulgarities in exchange of their patience
and tolerance but there was a faith to give them patience that whatever
may happen to them in present condition, history will definitely prove
them innocent.

I hope that in present difficult situation my Sikh brothers will also show
the above-referred patience and tolerance. But I am deeply pained to know
that rather than displaying such tolerance and patience at some places
they have retaliated against the crowd with arms and played into the hands
of such selfish elements who were eager to spread the trouble. I am
surprised how a section of our society considered to be most disciplined,
organized and religious, adopted such a negative and self-defeating
attitude. May be they could not get proper leadership at the moments of
such a crisis.

Through my scanty study and understanding of Sikh history I consider that
such a nonpolitical reaction of Sikhs in moments of such a crisis came
from their complete involvement with teachings of love, tolerance and
sacrifice of Sikh nature. Warrior nature of Sikh religion was a short time
provision against barbarity of foreign Mughals which was taught by tenth
Guru. For him Khalsa was a relatively small part of a broad Hindu-Sikh
brotherhood and was designed as an armed hand to defend Hindu community
and its traditions. Guru Govind Singh laid down for Khalsa followers five
KS (Kesh, Kripan, Kangha, Kara and Kachha) and 'Singh' in the name of
Khalsas. This was a symbol of their being soldiers. But unfortunately today
these only are being projected as a basic and necessary forms of Sikh
religion.

I am sorry to say that Sikh intellectuals too have failed to understand
that conversion of Sikh religion into Khalsaism is a much later event and
this was due to deliberate plan of British imperialists to divide and rule
in Punjab. Its aim was to cut the Sikhs off from their Hindu environ.

Unfortunately, after independence power hungry politicians kept alive for
their own interest the unnaturally born problems of separation and equal
existence, and carried forward the game of imperialists to divide and rule
by their vote bank politics. This improper equating of Sikhs with militant
Khalsaism is not only the basic root of separatist tendencies in some
parts of Sikh community, but it also raised militancy and faith in the
power of weapons to the level of religious worship.

This religious worship gave rise to terrorist movement like Babbar Khalsa
in the second decade and recently Indira Gandhi was killed as a result of
terrorist wave under the leadership of Bhindrawale and a long 'hit list'
is yet to be executed.

I used to imagine that Sikh community has freed itself totally from
illiteracy, ignorance, frustration and defeatism in which it was in the
fifth decade of 19th century after losing its freedom and which was
exploited by cunning British imperialists and selfish Sikh elites for
their selfish interests. It is clear that in eighth decade Sikhs adorning
the places of high responsibility represent highly educated, laborious,
vigilant, relatively rich, enlightened and active section of Indian
society in every walk of life. In nineteenth century their experiences and
vision was limited to the boundaries of the then Punjab but today they are
spread not only throughout India but throughout the world, and they are in
a situation to directly know the conspiracies of big powers which are
being hatched against independent and united India rising strongly in the
world.

In such an advantageous situation they should know their historical
development as an integral part of India. Such a revaluation of history
will give them the opportunity to see many wrong formulations of their own
religion and past which has been systematically drilled into their brains
by wrong and distorted historical writings by British administrators and
intellectuals about nature and development of their religion. Such an
attempt will take them to their real roots.

This is the time that our Sikh brothers should search their hearts so that
they can get rid of the false description inserted by British imperialists
and power greedy opportunist people into their basic religious nature.

Removal of such false descriptions is necessary to bridge the gulf of
distrust and alienation between two communities of similar destiny, nature
and similar traditions. I am afraid that without such a self-introspection
and revaluation of history they would not be able to live with peace among
themselves and with other countrymen. A disinterested analysis of their
own enlightened interests will be enough to make them understand that
their fate is indivisibly linked with the destiny of India. Such an
understanding will save them from falling prey to the disruptive and
destructive interests of foreign powers.

I disbelieve that my Sikh brothers will accept the cautious words of
spiritual expression of a well wisher.

Lastly, it is not to deny the truth that sudden removal of Indira Gandhi
from Indian political scene has created a dangerous void in the Indian
common life. But India has always displayed a characteristic inner
strength in the moments of such crisis and uncertainty. According to our
traditions, responsibility of power has been placed on the inexperienced
shoulders of relatively young person in a lively and peaceful manner. It
will be hasty to judge the potentialities of his leadership at this time.
We should give him some time to show his ability.

On such challenging juncture of the country, in the meanwhile he is
entitled to get full cooperation and sympathy from the countrymen, though
they may belong to any language, religion, caste or political belief.

In the capacity of a nonpolitical constructive worker I only hope and pray
that God bless him with more mature, balanced, inner strength and ability
to give an impartial Govt. to the people so that he can take the country
to real prosperous unity and glory.

November 8, 1984 Nanaji Deshmukh

______

#2.

The following article appeared in the Hindu dated October 23, 2000.

NEED TO INDIANIZE THE RSS

by Shamsul Islam

This Dussehra, the RSS became 75 years old. The occasion was marked with a
number of statements directed against minorities, especially Christians in
India by the RSS topbrass, many of whom, happen to be as old as the RSS
itself. Considering its interest in Hindu philosophy, the RSS leadership
must be aware that according to the Hindu theory of asramas, 75th year in
one=EDs life is the end of vanaprastha and beginning of sanyasa which mean=
s
complete detachment from the affairs of the world. According to
Brihadaranyaka Upanishad even in vanaprastha which begins at the age of 50
one should give up, "all desire for possession, and desire for the world."
If the RSS could follow this scriptural advice, our country can hope to be
released from the trauma of communal tension which got a boost since the
days of the Babri mosque demolition.

The RSS is turning into a super-cop, by not only defining patriotism and
nationalism, but also by determining who the patriots of the country are.
With the Home Minister, Cabinet Ministers and some Chief Ministers
participating in such sectarian gatherings where national minorities are
being targeted, RSS's nefarious designs are gaining open legitimisation.
It can be argued that one should not be alarmed by these latest
pronouncements of the RSS it has indulged in minority bashing since its
very inception. Guru Golwalkar while explaining the fate of Indian Muslims
and Christians wrote as early as 1938 (in We or Our Nationhood Defined)
that "the foreign races in Hindusthan must either adopt the Hindu culture
and language, must learn to respect and hold in reverence Hindu religion,
must entertain no idea but those of the glorification of the Hindu race
and culture, i.e., of the Hindu nation and must lose their separate
existence to merge in the Hindu race, or may stay in the country, wholly
subordinated to the Hindu Nation, claiming nothing, deserving no
privileges, far less any preferential treatment not even citizen's rights.
There is, at least should be, no other course for them to adopt. We are an
old nation: let us deal, as old nations ought to and do deal, with the
foreign races who have chosen to live in our country".

In the Bunch of Thoughts, the Bible of RSS, he describes Muslims as the
first and Christians, the second threat to India in a chapter titled
Internal Threats. The recent call to Indianize Christians can be compared
to the call given by Sarsanghchalak Deoras with respect to Muslims in the
past. But the problem is that RSS today is no more a lunatic fringe. The
Prime Minister, Home minister and many more ministers openly declare their
subservience to it. They are part of the political breed that RSS has
created and gained strength and support from. In the words of Golwalkar
himself: "We know this also that some of our volunteers work in politics.
There according to the needs of the work they have to organize public
meetings, processions etc., have to raise slogans. All these things have
no place in our work. However, the actor should portray the character
given to him to the best of his capability. But sometimes volunteers go
beyond the role assigned to an actor as they develop over-zealousness in
their hearts, to the extent that they become useless for this work. This
is not good".

Consequences of such a scenario can be overlooked only at the peril of the
nation. Threat to minorities in such a situations becomes only one of the
many issues of concern. For instance, it is alarming to see the Home
Minister, having pledged to uphold the Constitution's 'socialist, secular,
democratic' ideals and the Tricolor as National Flag, participating in the
National Security Camp of RSS, bowing before its saffron flag. There could
be nothing wrong with this but for the fact that the RSS outrightly
rejects the National Flag, the Constitution and therefore its ideals.

When the Tricolour was declared the national flag, it was the RSS that
refused to accept it as such. Golwalkar, while discussing the issue of the
National Flag in the essay Drifting and Drifting in the Bunch of Thoughts
remarks: "Our leaders have set up a new flag for our country. Why did they
do so? It just is a case of drifting and imitating. Ours is an ancient and
great nation with a glorious past. Then, had we no flag of our own? Had we
no national emblem at all these thousands of years? Undoubtedly we had.
Then why this utter void, this utter vacuum in our minds?"

Similarly, both the prayer and oath of the RSS are in direct contravention
to the ideal of the Secular State, a 'Basic Feature' of the Constitution
of India. The RSS prayer does not refer to India in the light of this
ideal, but addresses it as the 'Land of Hindus' and 'Hindu Rashtra'. The
oath is as ominous as the prayer: "I most solemnly take this oath, that I
become a member of the RSS in order to achieve all round greatness of
Bharatvarsha by fostering the growth of my sacred Hindu religion, Hindu
society, and Hindu culture."

The problem is further aggravated when we come across the viewpoint of RSS
on the Constitution of India: "Our Constitution too is just a cumbersome
and heterogeneous piecing together of various articles from various
Constitutions of Western countries. It has absolutely nothing that can be
called our own. Is there a single word of reference in its guiding
principles as to what our national mission is and what our keynote in life
is? No!" (Golwalkar in Bunch of Thoughts)

The RSS is very fond of talking of our glorious past heritage. It is a
different story that the RSS showed no enthusiasm for the anti-British
struggle. In the words of Guru Golwalkar, "There is another reason for the
need of always remaining involved in routine work. There is some unrest in
the mind due to the situation developing in the country from time to time.
There was such unrest in 1942. Before that there was the movement in
1930-31. At that time many other people had gone to Doctorji. This
=EBdelegation=ED requested Doctorji that this movement will give independe=
nce
and Sangh should not lag behind. At that time, when a gentleman told
Doctorji that he was ready to go to jail, Doctorji said, =EBDefinitely go.
But who will take care of your family then? That gentleman told=F1=EBhe ha=
s
sufficiently arranged resources not only to run the family expenses for
two years but also to pay fines according to the requirements=ED. Then
Doctorji said to him =F1=EBif you have fully arranged for the resources th=
en
come out to work for the Sangh for two years=ED. After returning home that
gentleman neither went to jail nor came out to work for the Sangh" This
incident clearly shows that the RSS leadership was bent upon demoralising
the honest patriotic persons to run away from the cause of Freedom
Movement.

After the 1942 Quit India Movement Golwalkar accepted that in "1942 also
there was a strong sentiment in the hearts of many. At that time too the
routine work of Sangh continued. Sangh decided not to do anything
directly". However, there is not a single publication or document of the
Sangh which could throw some light on the great work the RSS did
indirectly for the Quit India Movement.

It is really sad that an organization which openly decries the
Constitution of the land, National Flag and had betrayed the National
Movement against imperialist rulers of Britian, is not being checked from
terrorizing minorities in the name of patriotism and loyalty. It is high
time that RSS stops wasting time on false enemies and does a soul
searching so as to go for =EBIndianization=ED in tune with the secular,
democratic, tolerant and liberal constitutional ethos of the country. It
is time for the RSS to stop presenting its agenda in a fallacious cultural
grab and justify it on just political and factual historical grounds.

=20

=20=20=20