By Albert Thyrniang
The controversy arising with the RSS’s maiden ‘Path Sanchalan’ (procession) is lingering longer more than expected. Writes have express varied views. My pieces might have contributed to the debate as they have evoked reactions from quite a few. Debates and discussion and presenting one’s points and counter points are welcome as they are the very essence of democracy. However, I take exception to some who used prefixes like ‘Fr’ and ‘Rev’ to allude and make insinuations to the way of life and the religion/denomination I follow which are strictly personal. The views are solely personal. My views do not represent the organization I belong to. They could be in accordance with or even contrary to the official position of the church. I am no one to speak for the church, much less for Christianity.
Continuing from this point, some advised me and others not to meddle with the faith of others. Whether the Niam Khasi or Niamtre or other indigenous religions should align with the RSS and whether the RSS would help to preserve them or whether they should approach the court for according minority status on the basis of religion are not personal issues. They concern the whole community and beyond. Any citizen of this country, nay, of this world can express his or her opinion.
More serious is the use of threat and intimidation (referred by the editor of this paper in her write-up last Friday). This is against democratic principles. Succumbing to such illegal tactics would mean allowing a ‘Taliban’ like situation in the state. RSS’s historical ties with Fascism-Nazism are undeniable and should surprise no one. I have my right to caution the arrival of such elements into our state and the North East. Any one is free to have recourse to legal action but only the court can take ‘punitive’ action. On the flip side, thanks to the intimidation from some quarters that my articles have gone national and even global. And there is no shortage of people in agreement with me.
Kong Patricia’s ability to critically summarize the different points of view is indeed admirable. She interprets my opinion as an attempt to keep the Christian space intact in the state. However, it must be pointed out that most of the anti-RSS books and articles are published outside Meghalaya and the Christian majority states of North East. They are published mainly in the ‘main land’ India. There are many Hindu writers, thinkers, activists, etc. all over the country who vehemently oppose the RSS through their publications. One of the most vociferous and articulate critics of the RSS I have ever heard was from a Hindu speaker in a seminar in Bangalore in 2003. There is fight for space yes, but it is against the intolerant, communal and exclusive philosophy and ideology of the RSS and fascist elements. The question of Religion does not arise here.
There was also an advice to verify facts before putting them in public domain. The reference is to my statement that Subhas Chandra Bose and Hitler were mutual admirers. I still hold on to my views. Bose did meet Hitler and presented his plans for the liberation of India from the British. He was a political leader in Germany for two years (April 1941 to February 1943). Had Bose no admiration for Hitler he would not have gone to Germany in the first place. Had Hitler no admiration for Bose he would not have entertained him for two years. At what point of time the mutual admiration existed is a matter of historical details. Manimugdha S Sharma in his article, “Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose wanted ruthless dictatorship in India for 20 years” in The Times of India of Apr 19, 2015 writes, “Netaji seems to have liked Nazism more than fascism. In a speech to students of Tokyo University in 1944, Netaji said India needs to have a philosophy that “should be a synthesis between national socialism (Nazism) and communism”.
Sisir K. Majumdar writing in www.revolutionarydemocracy.org/rdv7n1/Bose.htm, says, “It is still a puzzle how a self-respecting and dynamic personality could put up for two long years with an inhuman fascist clique which desperately tried to submerge the whole of humanity in rivers of blood”, adding quickly, of course, “He was solely and unequivocally guided by one desire– the liberation of his mother India from the cruel clutches of British colonialism”. Wikipedia.org has this to say, “Subhas Chandra Bose was an Indian Nationalist whose defiant patriotism made him a hero in India, but whose attempt during the World War II to rid India of British rule with the help of the Nazi Germany and imperial Japan left a troubled legacy”. The mutual admiration I referred to might be one troubled legacy.