Restating Hindu Rashtra: RSS Chief Sets Tone for BJP’s Politics

This October 12, 2024, on Vijayadashami (Dussehra), which is regarded as the foundation day of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), as is the practice, RSS chief (sarsanghchalak) Mohan Bhagwat gave a speech. His speech came in the background of his other significant speech in the aftermath of the slide down of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2024 general elections held in May.

In that speech, Bhagwat had targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had said that he though that he was “non-biological, sent by God”.  As BJP slid down from 303 seats to 240 in the Lok Sabha, Bhagwat stated that “a man wants to be superman, then a dev (deity) then a bhagwan (God).” This was also probably the first election where Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) claimed that it was earlier seeking the help of RSS as it was not that capable, and now had become “more capable”.

With that speech, Bhagwat brought down the rising arrogance of Modi, and the RSS combine (called Sangh Parivar) became hyperactive in the recent Haryana Assembly election. Along with “helpful manipulations” of the Election Commission, the BJP came to power in the state, defying the perception of a “sure win” for the Congress.

Now, in his Vijayadashami speech, Bhagwat has restated most of the policies of BJP, taking on states where non-BJP governments rule and outlining the deeper goals of RSS and the core of Hindutva politics.

He said, “Words like ‘Deep State’, ‘Wokeism’, ‘Cultural Marxist’ are enemies of all cultural traditions. Their modus operandi is first to bring educational institutions under their influence. They then try to destroy the thoughts, values and belief of the society. They then artificially create problems and inbuilt a feeling of victimhood in people. Then, they fan discontent, they make people aggressive, create atmosphere of anarchy and instil fear and hatred towards the system, laws, governance in people. This makes it easy to establish one’s dominance over that country.”

Notably, the less popular word ‘wokeism’ is used in a derogatory way, mostly by Right wingers, for “the behaviour and attitudes of people who are sensitive to social and political injustice” This was the core sentence of Bhagwat’s speech.

As such, since the Hindu Right-wing has been dominating the social political scene, the RSS combine have adopted a modus operandi whereby through its shakhas (morning drills), schools like Saraswati Shishu Mandir, Ekal Vidyalayas and word of mouth through its vast network, it has influenced the social common sense that seeks to promote conservatism, caste and gender hierarchy.

Lately, through control of the media by a sympathetic corporate sector and the IT cell of BJP, the thinking of a large section of the society is being shaped by the Hindu nationalist discourse.

Now what does ‘wokeism’ mean? It is the longing for a just society. It is against discrimination on the grounds of caste, religion, colour, language and supports LGBTQ rights. These rights for equality of all beings are what pinch Brahminical values, the core of Hindu nationalist politics.

To slightly generalise this, all such political tendencies that parade themselves in the clothes of religion—the Taliban, Muslim Brotherhood, politics in the name of Buddhism in Sri Lanka and Myanmar, Christian fundamentalism – tend to promote inequality. They do have different expressions, depending on the local situation.

In another way, the founders of Hindu nationalist ideology eulogised Manusmriti for the same reasons, as it subjugates Dalits and women. The RSS also regards Muslims and Christians as foreigners. And it also is alleged to have “covertly supported” the killing Sikhs in 1984.

Right-wing politics regards ‘wokeism’ as evil, which looks forward to values of equality, the goal of the journey of several social movements in a society. This is precisely why democracy is a deeper longing for most movements of the deprived sections. While the movements of Dalits, women and LGBTQs are looked down upon by Hindu nationalists in India, women are the major targets in Muslim majority countries where fundamentalist forces rule.

As the RSS combine favours substituting the values of equality with the values of an ‘ancient Golden period’, i.e, the values of inequality, the word ‘wokeism’ is being used by it for movements and ideas that promote the rights of the deprived.

While the internal dynamics between RSS and BJP is a parivar (family) matter, the basic values of the two remain the same, despite the reported ‘ego clashes’. On most other issues, Bhagwat repeated what BJP is practicing. He criticised the non-BJP ruled states, “Due to this, today Punjab, Jammu-Kashmir, Ladakh on the north-western border of the country; Kerala, Tamil Nadu on the sea border; and the entire Purvanchal from Bihar to Manipur is disturbed,” he said. The cat was out of the bag when he put Ladakh and Manipur in the same category.

Manipur has seen the worst type of violence against the Kukis, and women in particular. The apathy of the BJP government there is more than disturbing. As far as Ladakh is concerned, we have seen the best of the movements to protect the environment and demand equal citizenship, as causes worthy for the struggle. And what a peaceful struggle it has been. The remarkable leadership of Sonam Wangchuk will be etched in letters of gold. And how RSS’s progeny BJP has ignored the whole Ladakh movement, will remain a dark chapter in India’s contemporary history.

Bhagwat’s mention of R.G. Kar Medical college tragedy in Kolkata and keeping mum on the atrocities against women wrestlers in Haryana, as well as the rising atrocities on Dalit girls is, to say the least, most partisan. This gentlemen had once proclaimed that “rape happens in India (urban) areas and not in Bharat”. Ironically, most such cases have occurred in BJP-ruled states in villages or small towns. A report released by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment tells us that “Uttar Pradesh with 12,287 reported cases, followed by Rajasthan with 8,651 and Madhya Pradesh with 7,732 cases of atrocities against Dalits in the year 2022 show a disturbing trend…

The gem from Bhagwat’s speech is when he asks Hindus to unite and be strong, as the weak are not able to defend themselves. Are we all not united as Indians? Is there any problem in unity as Indians, as per Indian Constitution? But, to expect otherwise from Bhagwat, will be illogical as their faith in the Indian Constitution is a mere show for electoral benefits.

The author is a human rights activist and taught at IIT Bombay. The views are personal.