It could be argued that both Sangh top brass and Rahul have little no warmth towards one another. But it is equally important to recall RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s assertion in April this year that slogans like 'Congress-mukt Bharat' were mere political phrases that did not meet RSs approval.
Bhagwat was speaking at a book launch in Pune where he was quoted as saying, “These are [Congress mukt Bharat] political slogans. It is not the language of the RSS. The word 'mukt' (free or liberated) is used in politics. We never use the language of excluding anyone.”
Bhagwat’s remarks had generated considerable interest in political circles. In the context of Rahul's frequent attack on RSS, his comparsion of RSS as organisation with Ikhwan Ul Muslemeen (Brothehood), Bhagwat's bid to engage Rahul has a streak of realpolitik and attempt to showcase RSS as an organisation that welcomes criticism and advocates political inclusiveness.
A quick look at the RSS-Congress ties in post Independent India is required particularly for the benefit of young readers. Though country’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was generally unsparing in criticising the RSS, he occasionally praised the sangh parivar particularly when Pakistan attacked Jammu and Kashmir soon after independence and Sangh volunteers had gone there to help. During the Chinese aggression too, Nehru had acknowledged services rendered by the RSS and even invited the RSS to participate in 1963 Republic Day parade.
After Indira Gandhi assassination, Rajiv Gandhi had reportedly had secret meeting with the RSS chief Balasaheb Deoras resulting in the RSS cadre supporting the Congress in 1984 Lok Sabha elections despite the presence of the BJP on the political scene. Rajiv had met Bhaurau Deoras, younger brother of Balasaheb Deoras, at least half a dozen times at different locations including the 46, Pusa Road, New Delhi, residence of family friend and alcohol baron Kapil Mohan who died recently. Close Rajiv associate Arun Singh, Delhi mayor Subash Arya and liaison man Anil Bali were among those were present. Buzz was the RSS wanted Rajiv to open locks of Babri masjid -Ramjanambhoomi and get clearance for Ramanand Sagar's epic Ramayana on state tv Doordarshan.
In fact, RSS support for the Congress was evident even before Indira assassination in October 1984. It was evident in an article authored by veteran RSS ideologue Nanaji Deshmukh. Published in a Hindi magazine Pratipaksh ‘Moments of Soul searching’ on November 25, 1984, Deshmukh’s article ended with a call to bless and cooperate with Rajiv Gandhi when voting was less than a month away. Nanaji Deshmukh had described Indira as, “…Indira Gandhi ultimately did secure a permanent place at the doorstep of History as a great martyr. With her dynamism born out of her fearlessness and dexterity, she was able to take the country forward like a colossus for over a decade…she alone had the ability to run the decadent political system of our corrupt and divided society…
Prior to this, Indira had sought to cultivate the majority community, accepting the invitation to launch the VHP's `Ekatmata Yatra', also called the `Ganga jal yatra.' This was a nascent Vishwa Hindu Parishad's first mass contact programme giving a glimpse that Hindu rituals and symbols could be effectively utilised for popular and political mobilisation. Bureaucrat and author S S Gill noticed that by 1982-83, Indira lacked social solicitude towards Muslims. A clear indication came from her loyalist C M Stephen who declared in 1983, “The wave-length of Hindu culture and the Congress culture is the same.” Barely six months before her assassination, Prime Minister Indira sought to assure the majority community that, “if there is injustice to them or if they did not get their rights, then it would be dangerous to the integrity of the country.”
Throughout his tenure as Congress president and prime minister, P V Narasimha Rao was accused of going soft on RSS. In fact, before Babri masjid fell on December 6, 1992, Rao was in close touch with top RSS leadership in order to find an out of court settlement of the vexed Ayodhya issue. When Prof Rajendra Singh aka Rajju Bhaiya took over as RSS chief in 1994, a section of Congress had cut a joke whispering, “aare Rao sahib phir rah gaye” (Oh Rao has missed the chance again).
On a more serious note, a strong right wing lobby in the Congress has survived for decades. Ravishankar Shukla, the premier of the central provinces and the first Congress chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, had authored a two-part article, published in Kalyan in July-August 1947. The Congress stalwart had argued that “Hindustan should become a Hindu rashtra and its state religion should be Hinduism. Hindus or non-Muslims should hold the top posts. Any person who does not believe in Hindu culture should not be made a part of the government of Hindustan.” Shukla, a member of the Constituent Assembly, had advocated that Muslims should not be given citizenship rights.
Author-columnist Rasheed Kidwai is a visiting fellow of ORF.
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