They were not very much disturbed with the
support extended by the RSS to Narendra Modi government at the end of the just
concluded three-day marathon ‘Samanvaya Baithak’ in New Delhi. They are more
perturbed because the RSS referred to Pakistan and Bangladesh as ‘brothers’ in
the extended South Asian family and wanted Modi government to resume dialogue
to sort out issues between the two.
Briefing newsmen after the end of the three-day
meeting RSS Sahsarkaryawah Dattatreya Hosabale said Pakistan and other
neighbours were “formed out of the same body that is India” and that there was
a “need to discuss how to improve relations with people related historically
and geographically vis-a-vis India’s neighbours”.
Pooh-poohing the animosity and acrimony between
the two neighbours Hosabale said “such things happen in a family....between
brothers” but one should move on and work for improving relationship.
He explained this with a parallel in Mahabharata
where Kauravas and Pandavas were brother and the efforts made then to establish
the order (dharma Sansthapana). He said “India is part of SAARC and has
family-like cultural relations with neighbouring countries, be it Nepal, Sri
Lanka, Pakistan or Bangladesh. It was one body which was divided to form
Pakistan and Bangladesh. It is natural that people living there are part of the
same family”.
Now given the perception about RSS vis-a-vis its
perceived stance on the Muslim issue in India, this suggestion definitely
raised many an eyebrows amongst the progressives, secularists and rationalists
and maybe even amongst the Hindutvavadis. For, it is the general perception
that RSS believed in the concept of “Akhand Bharat” which included parts of
subcontinent that were amputated from it. Talks with Pakistan, therefore, would
not find any takers within the RSS at any point of time, they believed.
This is particularly so against the background of
nationwide observance of “Akhand Bharat Diwas” by RSS-inspired organizations to
keep alive the memories of partition and to pledge for undoing that in the
future and realise the dream of ‘Akhand Bharat’.
But, those who know RSS from close quarters are
aware of the fact that this suggestion did not appear out of the blue. It was
put forth by none other than the late M S Golwalkar alias Sri Guruji, who was
known for his strong views against the vivisection of the motherland years
before.
Interacting with the newsmen in New Delhi in
April 1966, Golwalkar replied to a question seeking his views on permanent
solution to the Indo-Pak dispute. He had advocated a sort of forming a loose
federation with the neighbouring countries, especially Pakistan to ensure
peaceful atmosphere in the sub-continent. “We were one in the past. Because
of some unfortunate developments, we have become two. Let us become one again.
That will solve the problem,” he had said.
Similarly, his successor the late M D alias
Balasaheb Devras also had voiced similar views on having normal ties with
Pakistan and Bangladesh. Even former Jan Sangh President Pt. Deendayal Upadhyay
and socialist leader Dr Ram Manohar Lohia in 1964 had also suggested similar
approach to normalize the ties between the two neighbours.
Both Upadhyay and Lohia had said that the
partition was based on artificial basis and piecemeal approach to resolve the
Hindu-Muslim issue. The RSS, like Rishi Aurobindo, believed that this
artificial and unnatural partition will have to go if India were to become a
world leader in the future.
The RSS also believed that non-Hindus in Indian
subcontinent were part of the larger Hindu family and share ancestors, culture,
languages, traditions and rituals with the Hindus. If this is realised then
there is no problem in bridging the emotional gap created by the vested
interests in the past.
The 1857 War of Independence was fought by the
Muslims and Hindus jointly as Indians. Religion never came in the way. Many
Moulvis and sadhus spread the message of freedom to the soldiers and common men
alike inspiring them to sacrifice for the freedom for the motherland. The
unfortunate divide between the two communities resulted in tragic partition of
the country causing huge devastation of human lives and material property.
During the Janata Party rule post 1975 Emergency
was considered to be the best in the bilateral relations between the two
neighbours. Former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee was the Foreign Affairs
Minister then in the Morarji Desai government. Later when he became the NDA
Prime Minister his efforts to normalise ties with Pakistan were reciprocated
with Kargil misadventure by the Pakistani leadership.
At present when India has a government that is
run by people fully entrenched in the Hindutva ideology, the efforts to
normalise relations were initiated by the Prime Minister right from his
swearing in ceremony. Modi had invited all the heads of the neighbouring states
to that grand function; attended SAARC meeting in Nepal, visited all the
neighbours except Pakistan, and launched a number of positive steps to achieve
development of the region.
However, Pakistan is not responding to these
sincere and honest efforts of the Indian government to have peace in the
subcontinent. Continuous terrorist attacks, unprovoked firing along the border,
and other such activities have raised serious doubts on its intentions of
having peaceful relations with India. Narendra Modi has followed Vajapyee in
dealing with Pakistan putting special emphasis on improving ties with that
country. He is at the same time live to the difficulties in the process of securing
peace because these hindrances have their roots in the tragedy of partition of
India.
Despite being honest and sincere in his approach
towards seeking peaceful relations with Pakistan, Prime Minister Modi is also
criticised by the hawkish approach of some of the national security experts and
elites towards Pakistan and that of the media which is injecting a daily dose
of anti-Pakistan discourse in one or the other form into the national psyche.
It would have been in the fitness of things to have allowed the government of
the day to continue with its efforts to establish peace with the neighbours.
The RSS suggestion, therefore, has come at a
proper time. It would help clear the weather and ensure support to the
government to pursue its coherent approach towards Pakistan. From this point of
view, the RSS suggestion deserves to be welcomed.
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