By Dattatreya Hosabale
When Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is completing its hundredth year of service there is an evident curiosity about the way the Sangh perceives this landmark. It has been crystal clear for the Sangh since its inception that such occasions are not meant for celebrations but to provide us with an opportunity to introspect and rededicate ourselves to the cause. It is also a chance to acknowledge the contributions of the stalwart saintly figures who guided the movement and the series of Swayamsevaks and their families who selflessly joined this journey. There cannot be a better occasion than the birth anniversary of the Sangh founder Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, which happens to be the Varsh Pratipada – the first day of the Hindu calendar to revisit the journey of a hundred years to resolve for the future of harmonious and united Bharat for world peace and prosperity.
Dr Hedgewar was a born patriot, and this trait of unconditional love and unadulterated dedication for Bharat was visible in his actions from childhood. By the time he completed his medical education in Kolkata, he had already been exposed to all the efforts – from the armed revolution to Satyagraha – undertaken to free Bharat from British colonisation. As we fondly call him in Sangh circles, Doctor ji respected all those ways and never tried to belittle any of them. Social reforms or political independence was one of the central points of discussion at that time. At the same time, as a doctor of Indian society, he diagnosed the fundamental problems that caused us to lose our independence and decided to find a lasting solution. He realised that the absence of patriotism in day-to-day life, the deterioration of collective national character resulting in parochial identities and the lack of discipline in social life are the root causes of external invaders finding their foothold in Bharat. He understood that people had lost the collective memory of our glorious history due to incessant aggression. Hence, there was a sense of pessimism and inferiority complex about our culture and knowledge tradition. It was his conviction that mere political activism under a few leaders would not solve the fundamental problems of our ancient Rashtra. Hence, he decided to devise a method of consistent efforts to train people to live for the nation. The innovative and unique functioning of the Sangh based on the Shakha method is the outcome of this visionary thinking beyond political struggle.
While participating in the political freedom struggle and encouraging others to do the same, Dr Hedgewar developed this training method for organising the entire society and not creating an organisation within the society. Today, after a hundred years, thousands of youth continue to join the path shown by Dr Hedgewar and are ready to dedicate themselves to the national cause. There is a growing acceptance and expectations of the society from the Sangh. These are nothing but signs of approval for Doctor ji’s vision and method. The progressive unfolding of this movement and philosophy is nothing short of a miracle. It was not easy to explain the idea of Hindutva and the idea of Rashtra when most of the English-educated elites were influenced by the European idea of nationalism, which was narrow, parochial and exclusivist. Dr Hedgewar did not theorise the ideology, but he gave an action programme in seed form that has been the guiding force in this journey. During his lifetime, Sangh’s work reached all the regions of Bharat.When we attained independence and at the same time Bharat Mata was unfortunately partitioned on religious lines, it was Sangh Swayamsevaks who dedicated themselves to the cause of rescuing the Hindu population from Pakistan and resettling them with honour and dignity. The organisation for the organisation’s sake mantra unfolded into transmitting organisational energy into various walks of national life. The concept of Swayamsevak, which is more of a sense of responsibility and duty for society, started showing its presence in fields ranging from education to labour to politics. Everything has to be reorganised in light of the national ethos, for which Sri Guruji (Madhav Sadashiv Golwarkar), the second Sarsanghachalak, was the guiding force during this phase. Bharat is an ancient civilisation with a destined role to play in the interest of humanity based on its spiritual traditions. If Bharat has to perform the role based on the ideas of universal harmony and oneness, then the common populace of Bharat has to prepare itself for that goal. Sri Guruji provided a strong ideational foundation for the same. The reformist agenda of the Hindu society gained new momentum when all sects of Bharat declared that any form of discrimination has no Dharmic sanction. Sangh Swayamsevaks played a pivotal role in the fight for restoring democracy through peaceful means when the Constitution was brutally assaulted during the emergency. Sangh has expanded from the concept of Shakha to engaging in service activity by invoking the righteous power of society and has made significant strides in these ninety-nine years. Movements like Ram Janmabhoomi liberation connected all sections and regions of Bharat for cultural liberation. From national security to border management, participatory governance to rural development, no aspect of national life is untouched by the Sangh Swayamsevaks. The biggest satisfaction is that society is coming forward to be part of this systemic transformation.
While there is a tendency to look at everything from the political prism, Sangh is still focusing on the cultural awakening of society and creating a strong network of right-minded people and organisations. Participation of women in social transformation and restoring the sanctity of family institution has been the focus of Sangh for the last few years. Around ten thousand programmes were organised throughout Bharat with the participation of more than twenty-seven lakh people after the Sangh called for a tri-centenary celebration of Lokmata Ahilyabai Holkar – a testimony of how we are collectively celebrating our national icons. When the Sangh work entered its hundredth year, Sangh decided to take the core man-making for nation-building work up to the block and village level. Adding up to ten thousand Shakhas in the last one-year with systematic planning and execution is a symbol of determination and acceptance. The goal of reaching each village and basti is still an unfulfilled task and is a matter of introspection. The call for Pach-Parivartan – the five-fold programme for transformation – will continue to be the main focus in the coming years. While expanding the Shakha network, Sangh has focused on inculcating civic duties, an environment-friendly lifestyle, socially harmonious conduct, familial values and systemic transformation based on the sense of self-hood, so that everyone contributes to the larger cause of Param Vaibhavam Netum Etat Svarashtram – taking our Rashtra to the pinnacle of glory.
In the last hundred years, Sangh, as a movement of national reconstruction, has travelled from neglect and ridicule to curiosity and acceptance. Sangh does not believe in opposing anyone and is confident that someday, anyone opposing the Sangh work will join the Sangh fold. When the world is grappling with multiple challenges ranging from climate change to violent conflicts, Bharat’s ancient and experiential wisdom is eminently capable of providing solutions. This gigantic but inevitable task is possible when every child of Bharat Mata understands this role and contributes to building a domestic model that inspires others to emulate. Let us join this resolve to present a role model before the world of a harmonious and organised Bharat, taking the entire society together under the leadership of righteous people (Sajjan Shakti).
(The writer is Sarkaryavah, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh)