On 24th June 2017 Times of India gave a
respectable Op-Ed page space to a hate and fear mongering pamphlet of Salman
Anees Soz. Ironically, it came just a day before anniversary of Emergency declaration by Mrs. Indira Gandhi,
whose ‘I’ is the core identity of Indian National Congress (Indira). For a ‘Babalog’ of that dynasty to title a
‘pamplhet’ - “If BJP wins 2019, will there be a 2024 elections? Don’t
underestimate RSS opposition to the idea of India.” – is rather funny both
for its assumptions and the length of the title!
On the eve of anniversary of Emergency that virtually
steamrolled all the human rights of a democratic country, Soz claims that RSS
is against democracy. He hopes people will forget that RSS was the backbone of
struggle to re-establish democracy in 1975-77. Of nearly 1 lac people jailed,
80000 belong to RSS and its associate organizations. 80% of the people under
draconian MISA that could put a person behind bars without any recourse to law
were from same ‘Hindutva’ groups. 90% of the people arrested for ‘satyagraha’
for democracy were from this same ‘evil’
called RSS. Dr Sumbramanian Swamy, most
dreaded by opposition, entered Loksabha and then escaped out of India to inform
international community about atrocities during Emergency was supported all
through by RSS, as he himself testifies.
The compliant and ‘committed judiciary’ (term floated by the
great Congi lawyer S S Ray and Indira Gandhi) had decreed that the citizens also
lose right to life in Emergency.
Let me also remind Mr. Soz that Freedom of Press was
guaranteed by fine work of legislation by
much reviled Mr. L K Advani in 1977. And amendment to Constitution
during the same government virtually guaranteed that such a curtailment of
citizens’ rights cannot be imposed by any Emergency again.
Let me move to latter part of his fear mongering in the name
of ‘Idea of India.’ Yes, RSS is opposed to ‘Idea of India’ floated by
Nehruvians that believe that India was born on 15th of August 1947 and
there was no Indian nation before that. For these people India is a
multi-national ‘subcontinent’. Communists urged that India be broken down into
8 distinct sovereign regions as they were nations by themselves. Nehruvians history
is confined to a nicely written book ‘Discovery of India’ written y the
self-proclaimed last British. A book based on the facts and myths its writer
absorbed through his western education.
Yes, RSS believes that India is one of the oldest living civilization
and this nation as a cultural geographical entity has been a living entity
since more than 5000 years, a view shared even by Western Indologists. It is
victory of innate historic Indian memory that inspite of 70 years of
indoctrination by Nehruvian Marxists, Indians have not forgotten the antiquity
of this great nation and refused to believe in the idea of India that they
floated.
RSS claims India is a Hindu civilization, but not Hindu in
religious sense. It is a Hindu nation (not State); and every individual who
believes that India is his/her motherland and shares the ancient culture with other citizens of this nation is
a Hindu. Hindu is a geographic identity that others gave to India millennia
back, as people living on the banks of and beyond the river Indus. So, the nation was known as ‘Hind’ even by
earliest traders from Arabian lands.
I do not agree with hyphenation of Nehru-Gandhi. Gandhi
extolled ‘Ram Rajya’ – i.e. government based on ethics. So, his roots lay in
Hindu civilization, an anathema to Nehru. For Nehru, Gandhi just proved to be a
ladder to rise to the top; that he kicked after he snatched the leadership from
son of the soil, Sardar Patel using Gandhi ji.
Gandhi believed in small rural industry based economy while Nehru
believed in a centrally controlled huge government enterprises modelled on
Communist model.
While Secularism is inherent
in Hindu culture that believes in Pluralism, respect (not just tolerance)
for other religions, a culture that believes that all paths lead to same
Supreme Being. For West and leaders
brought up on West-Christian thoughts, Secularism is just separation of State
and Religion.
Hindu Rashtra (or Nation) has never been promoted as a
theocratic state by RSS. In India from
ancient times to recent history, no Hindu king has run his kingdom on the basis
of his religion. It has always been a secular ‘Dharma’ based state. Recent,
well known example being Shivaji whom RSS virtually worships. Dharma is not way of worship, but the ethics,
rule of law and respective duties. It binds the society together. This is RSS
concept of ‘Hindu Rashtra’, not the ‘Nation State’ or ‘theocratic state’ idea
of the West that Left-Secular lobby wish to superimpose on RSS philosophy.
The thought of common cultural roots is ingrained in Indian
psyche. Even if there were no RSS, this view would ultimately prevail due to
the DNA of this Hindu nation. Remember,
the founding fathers of Indian constitution refused to add ‘Secularism’ in
constitution after lengthy debates. They believed that pluralism of Indian
society guarantees secularism. Both Secularism and Socialism were inserted in
the Constitution during infamous Emergency when all the opposition leaders were
in jails!
Soz says, “This leads me to believe that there was a section
of Hindu society that felt aggrieved that after the creation of a country for
Muslims, Hindus were denied in their own country.” You have not discovered
something new. Dr. Ambedkar had visualised a more serious problem with half
hearted acceptance of bitter truth. He had said that now that partition has
been accepted, there should be complete exchange of Hindu and Muslim
populations for long term peace.
One party rule that Salman Soz is afraid of, may become a
reality not because BJP wills it; but, because of extreme negativity and
destructive working of Congress and its
associates. No party that negates innate
genius of Indian thought, that RSS identifies culturally and geographically as
Hindu thought can hope to survive well. The onus of presenting a healthy
alternative is on the Opposition, not on BJP or RSS.
Soz should remember that any part of India where Hindus
became a minority, has ceded from India or lives of Hindus have been made hell.
Don’t go too much back in history. Look at creation of Pakistan, break up of
Pakistan with Bangladesh. Then, Kashmir from where Hindus have been thrown out
by Jihadi Muslims without any remorse. And Soz comes from Kashmir! Look at
North East where Church promoted extremism has kept that region on perennial
boil with majority converted Christian population at its back and call.
Strengthening the national feeling and revival of indigenous cultures is
bringing some semblance of peace to that region.
Mamata, the latest mascot of Secularism has made lives of
Hindus difficult and is suffocating their culture. I don’t need to recount
stories emanating from Bengal. What is the cause of this belligerence against
Hindus? Reducing importance of Hindus in voting arithmetic and rising clout of
‘minority’ vote bank - plain and simple. In Kerala we see same scenario
unfolding, where Congress leaders enjoy rubbing nose of Hindus into dust by
parading a calf’s head and having beef parties. Is this the Congress vision of
‘Idea of India’ unfolding before us?
Yes, Mr. Salam Soz, it is an ideological war between
proponents of Nehruvian ‘Idea of India’ imported from Communist idea of
multiple-nations and perennial flowing ‘Idea of India’ rooted in India’s
pluralism and historic memory. It is not about whether elections will be held
in 2024, but whether Congress and its Comrades will remain relevant to India by
then. Your future is in your mind and depends on people’s faith in you.
Published first on www.newsbharati.com on 27th
June, 2017
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