NEW DELHI, 10 April — At Bangalore, in mid-March, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) adopted a resolution that stated: “Let Muslims understand that their real safety lies in the goodwill of the majority.”
This statement is an ultimatum to Muslim Indians and, by implication, to Indians who are not Hindus nor committed to the philosophy of “Hindutva,” or Hindu nationalism. It is in accord with the RSS’ fascist ideology.
The RSS obviously rejects the constitutional principles of freedom, equality, justice and fraternity. It has a Hindu-centric view of India and its strategy is to transform the secular state into a Hindu state and all those who do not swear by the Hindutva ideology into second-class citizens under the political, economic and social dominance of the Sangh Parivar (RSS-led fraternity of hard-line Hindu groups).
The difference between the RSS’ concept of Hindu India and Nazi Germany is that the RSS’ theory of the master religion and master caste replaces Hitler’s theory of the master race.
The RSS statement threatens to take over the basic function of the state — to protect the life, property and honor of its citizens. Controlled by the Sangh Parivar and the state machinery penetrated from top to bottom by sympathizers and camp followers, the Indian state has virtually lost its élan vital.
Religious minorities constitute 20 percent of the national population. No one in his senses can think of liquidating one-fifth of the population. Since Hinduism is a religion without dogmas and has a wide theological spectrum, its real objective is assimilation — religious and cultural.
Mass violence with state support is meant to pulverize, soften, demoralize and emasculate the target groups, to pave the path for their surrender and subjugation, to their willing acceptance of the Sangh dispensation. This explains why the RSS ultimatum has been issued in the context of the genocide, ethnic cleansing and terrorism unleashed in Gujarat with the full collusion and support of the powers that be. At the same time, the resolution seeks to “alert” Hindus to the threat of Muslim militancy. The Sangh Parivar seeks to fan hatred and revenge in Hindus.
Social harmony rests on the goodwill of all social groups — whether religious, racial, linguistic, cultural or caste-related. The diversities that characterize our people cannot be wished away.
Does the RSS realize the consequences of causing more Ahmedabads? Does the RSS compute the economic losses, including inflow of foreign capital? Does it know the damage it is causing to India’s relations with its neighbors and Muslim states? Does it know that even the worm turns? What will happen if Muslims, Christians and Sikhs are pushed to the wall by majority pressures?
Uniformity cannot be enforced. Culture and language cannot be imposed. Religions — even sects — cannot be absorbed.
Hindus and Muslims co-exist and interact peacefully except in crises deliberately engineered by the Sangh Parivar. The RSS has been injecting hatred and revenge, distrust and suspicion in the body politic for 75 years.
For Muslim Indians, India is their motherland. All they aspire is to live in peace and dignity, give themselves in the service of the country, share the wealth created by common endeavor and play a modest role in managing its affairs in keeping with democratic norms and constitutional provisions.
No Muslim Indian dreams of restoring Muslim rule or has any pan-Islamic or extra-territorial loyalty. The average Muslim Indian is a law-abiding citizen and sees his security in terms of a social environment based on brotherhood and good neighborliness.
And yet no Muslim Indian is prepared to abdicate his legitimate rights, to discard his religious identity, stop “azans,” close madrassas, hand over his mosques, mausoleums and graveyards, accept family laws at variance with the explicit mandate of the Qur’an, stop Haj pilgrimage, forego the legitimate pride in Islam’s contribution to India or even sacrifice his freedom of choice in elections.
The essential condition is that the state must be neutral and non-aligned in situations of conflict and it should care equally for its entire people, irrespective of their religion.
Muslim Indians do not recognize the RSS as the guardian or the sole spokesman of the Hindu community. Even at its zenith, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), its political front, secured less than 20 percent of the national votes. What then are the RSS’ credentials? Whom does it represent?
Today it looms larger than life because the BJP runs governments at the center and some states. But tomorrow when it is out of power — and out it will be — many rats will leave the sinking ship.
It is this intimation of losing power that has made it desperate to push ahead. The RSS plans to carry the battle for Hindutva to every village, town and district. Beyond that it plans to move the country decisively toward its goals by encouraging what it calls a “Hindu upsurge” across the country, foment a “mass rebellion” against the state that is based on a secular constitution and take over power.
The challenge is not to Muslims and other minorities but to the Indian state, constitution and democratic system.
(The writer is a former diplomat and MP).
