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| In defence of RSS | | |
Yash Bhasin
An innocuous development of Gen Zorawar Singh Auditorium in Jammu University being allowed for use to an RSS sponsored academic forum, Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukerjee Research Foundation, for holding a seminar to commemorate the 56th death anniversary of the founder President of Jan Sangh has been blown out of proportion by a section of the media and those traditionally indulging in RSS bashing. In doing so theses self styled liberals and progressives who dub the RSS as reactionary, fascist and non tolerant towards minorities and dissenting opinion, have betrayed their own close mind and a mindset of non tolerant of dissent.
One may be opposed tooth and nail to the ideology of RSS and has every right to blast its claims of being a purely cultural organization not indulging in any political activity. One may even find fault and condemn in severest terms the parochial and narrow approach of some of the offshoots of RSS like VHP, Banjrang Dal and Ram Sena etc who invariably indulge in anti Muslim and anti Christian activities and encourage violence against them having erroneous perception of Hindutava. Yet for that reason academic pursuits by RSS floated forums like Deen Dayal Shodh Sansthan, Dr. Shayama Prasad Mukerjee Research Foundation, Bharitya Vikas Parishad and purely cultural and literary forum Sanskar Bharti and even movement like Swadeshi Jagran Manch are performing genuine activities, to the functioning of which any one can hardly find fault with, even if one does not agree with the views they propagate and preach, these RSS floated forums never indulge in hatred against any community or its ideological opponents.
The RSS has also setup benevolent, Philanthropist and reformist outfits working among vanvasis and down trodden, striving for their uplift and emancipation. Even in Jammu RSS has setup a bal niketan and a balika niketan within Ved Mandir premises where the boys and girls respectively, orphaned in the wake of militancy in the J&K are being brought up and educated. There are a few Muslim orphans also among them. These NGOs are getting aid under rules from the government and some autonomous public undertakings, besides donations from various sources. Their genuine activities and functioning, within the parameters of country’s constitution and permissibility can not be objected to merely on account that one is opposed to the ideology of RSS and for some of its members sometimes betraying their narrow mindset by indulging in hatred against some communities. The ideological differences with RSS and its political wing the BJP as well as many other outfits floated by it need be fought ideologically by its opponents and not by totally isolating and spreading hatred against them, denying them the opportunity and avenues to propagate their views.
Gen Zoravar Singh Auditorium is a prestigious place for academic discussions and pursuits, built by Jammu University, is one corner of its premises with separate entry gate. It was raised for the purpose to provide the students and scholars a place of meeting and interacting with the learned and distinguished personalities as well as forums outside the administrative control of the university, with a view to broaden their horizon and sharpen their intellect, through holding seminars, debates and symposia, organized by the university as well as by outside forms. Some cultural events with commercial intents, besides seminars organized by Ghandian organizations and some forums having links with various political organizations have also been held earlier in the auditorium. In the past the former Vice Chancellor Amitabh Mattoo allowed even a purely commercial pursuit by a private educational institution to hold seminar in Brig. Rajinder Singh auditorium located in the central place in the university, where Amitabh Mattoo himself was the Chief Guest.
A pro secessionist English daily from Kashmir has even criticized the VC Jammu University for allowing use of its auditorium for holding a function to commemorate the claimed martyrdom anniversary of Dr Mukerjee, who he wrongly describes as an RSS ideologue and stark communalist. Dr Mukerjee had entered the J&K state from Lakhanpur in 1953, amidst Praja Parishad agitation for J&K’s fullest integration with India and the prevalent tendencies among the ruling dispensation which smacked of gradually dismembering J&K from India as well as regional discrimination against Jammu pursued by Sheikh Abdullah government. He violated the provision of obtaining permit to enter J&K, which was mandatory then for any person from rest of the country to enter J&K and was arrested for the same at Lakhapur. He was taken to Srinagar, where he was lodged in a make shift jail set up at Chashame shai. He breathed his last on June 23, 1953 under mysterious circumstances. No enquiry into the circumstances leading to his sudden death in custody has been ordered till date. RSS and Jan Sangh and its new incarnation BJP have never seriously stressed for independent probe into the death of Dr Mukerjee in Srinagar jail. Even during six years rule of BJP led NDA government in the Centre the saffron brigade did not feel the necessary to hold probe into the matter and almost forgot about it.
Dr Mukerjee was a Cabinet Minister in the interim government of the country headed by Jawaharlal Nehru, for first few years after independence. He resigned from Nehru led cabinet over differences on certain policies of the government. He along with RSS leaders founded Jan Sangh. His lengthy correspondence with Prime Minister Nehru and J&K Prime Minister Sheikh Abdullah in the wake of strong Praja Parishad agitation in Jammu between 1951 and 1953 bears testimony of his real concern for country’s unity and solidarity as well as J&K’s constitutional and emotional integration with India, besides raw deal being meted out to Jammu region at the hands of Sheikh Abdullah government. Calling him communalist is travesty of facts.
The objection against allowing university auditorium to RSS floated academic forum is least justified in the light of political leaders with RSS root and even those inducted by the RSS in its political wing the BJP, like Atal Bihari Vajpayee serving as Prime Minister of the country for six years, L K Advani as Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister and many others as Union Cabinet Ministers. Even today some RSS men in the BJP are functioning as Chief Ministers in some state. Bhairon Singh Shekhavat, again a RSS man, has occupied the second highest constitutional post of Vice President.
If there is no objection to university teachers taking active part in politics, as office bearers of some political parties and even contesting assembly and parliamentary elections on political parties tickets, including the RSS activists among university teachers, fighting election on BJP tickets, how can there be any objection in an RSS floated academic forum being allowed the use of university auditorium for holding academic discussion. The allegations like saffronising of prestigious institution of learning and making the university as hub of RSS activities and preaching on this account is totally unfounded. The argument that the exercise in anyway could poison the minds of matured varsity students and scholars with communal virus is ridiculous. The university students and scholars as well as the outside audience who had come to listen to the views of some distinguished speakers on the subject of seminar could not be easily influenced if the views expressed by them, including by RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwant were in any way parochial, narrow and negative, preaching hatred against any community. The audience were quite enlightened having good sense to distinguish between good and bad, right and wrong. Better this unsavory controversy is stopped forthwith.
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