RSS Lost in Caste Labyrinth
Savera
One of the biggest failures of the RSS ideology is its fumbling, and faltering efforts to glorify Hindutva (or Sanatan) even while trying to convince the people that it condemns an integral part of Hindutva – the cruel and inhuman caste system. To establish the Hindu Rashtra, the RSS wants to rally around and unite all Hindus. That has been its primary goal, indeed, its very reason for existence. But simply narrating the so-called glories of Hindutva, as its ideologues and leaders have been doing for a century, is not sufficient. To achieve this end, they have also used other means – propagating hatred towards non-Hindus, especially Muslims; whipping up a sense of ultra-nationalism centred around enemies that are threatening the country; and so on. But despite all this, and despite the momentum it has acquired from having a pracharak led government at the Centre, the RSS is still tying itself up in knots, trying to somehow convince people to forget about caste and think of themselves only as Hindus. It is instructive and necessary to look closely at their thoughts and practice, to understand the rank hypocrisy, lies and deceptions that the RSS has been deploying over the years as it grapples with this lost cause.
Caste System is Integral to Hinduism
All the important Dharmashastras (Hindu holy scriptures) like the Rig Veda, Manu Smriti, Aapstambha Dharmasutra, Satpath Brahmana, Aitereya Brahmana, and many others not only explain the origin of four varnas from the body of Brahma but also give excruciatingly detailed duties of the outcastes and shudras, and punishments for transgressions. Why give all this? Because the four varna system was an integral part of Hinduism. It was the primary tool by which the rulers enslaved the labouring classes. The hierarchical system, the notion of maintaining purity (untouchability, prohibitions of eating together, marriage, etc) and such other features were integral to it and sanctified by scriptures.
But, MS Golwalkar aka Guruji, the second Sarsanghchalak (supremo) of RSS and its principal ideologue says that, “The disease of untouchability is rooted in this belief of the people that it is part of dharma and any violation would be a great sin. This distorted reason is why, despite centuries of dedicated efforts by social reformers and dharma leaders, this deadly tradition is settled in the hearts of common people even today.” (Guruji aur Samajik Samrasta; collated by Ramesh Patange)
In this one thought you can see a whole bank of lies. Guruji himself, and the RSS, have been upholding the Manu Smriti as the ideal text for governance and jurisprudence. This scriptural text clearly lays down various inhuman punishments for violations of the law of untouchability, including for such transgressions like shadow of a Shudra falling on a brahmin. It is impossible that Guruji was unaware of this. Yet he brazenly denies that untouchability is part of dharma or the four varna system. He adds to this lie by further falsely claiming that various dharma leaders and reformers have been trying to reform this situation for centuries. Perhaps he is referring to Buddhism – but then Golwalkar is on record (in the same booklet) blaming Buddhist influence for weakening the caste system and causing Islam to spread in the West Punjab and in the East (Bengal) and North East. So, the caste system was needed to fight Islam according to this confused logic, yet it is a bad thing? Apart from Buddhism, which other reform movements can be identified going back centuries? This is nothing but an attempt to validate his views by the only device the RSS has – an appeal to unsubstantiated (and false) history.
In the same booklet, Golwalkar is quoted as unambiguously saying, “We are neither for nor against the caste system. All we know about it is that in the era of crisis it was very useful, and if today, society does not feel its necessity then it will end on its own. There is no reason to feel sad about it.” He repeatedly urges swayamsevaks not to think on the lines of launching ‘programmes’ or agitations against caste injustice as this only leads to more bitterness and antagonism.
Reservation
Golwalkar roundly condemns affirmative action and even naming the Dalits and Adivasis as Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. In Bunch of Thoughts, a primer for RSS which has a collection of Guruji’s pearls of wisdom, he writes, ““Separatist consciousness breeding jealousy and conflict is being fostered in sections of our people by naming them Harijans, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and so on and by parading the gift of special concessions to them in a bid to make them all their slaves with the lure of money.”
This is why intermittently, RSS leaders go back to talking about rethinking reservation of jobs, as their current supremo Mohan Bhagwat did in 2015 and 2018, only to try and cover it up later after a severe backlash.
Elsewhere, other RSS leaders thought it better to support reservations – but here is an example of how they think about it. Dattopant Themgadi, a prolific writer of RSS booklets and founder of their trade union wing (BMS) and farmers’ organization (BKS), was also a founder of the Samajik Samrasta Sangh (social harmony union). (Note that ‘samrasta’ is RSS code for talking about the caste system. It literally means same emotion or thoughts and implies social harmony. RSS uses it specifically for harmony between various castes.) Thengadi’s lecture is published in a booklet where he says, “Reservation has been practiced in our families for centuries. A mother has two sons, both healthy, they get milk to drink every morning. A third son is born, handicapped, weak, the doctor advises that he should be given adequate milk. The economic condition is not good. The mother tells her two older sons that I have been giving you milk every morning but now it is not possible to give sufficient milk to all; doctor has said that give sufficient milk to this boy; so, I will give tea to the two of you, is that ok? Both boys say that he is our brother, we want him to become healthy. So, you give milk to him. We can have tea. This is reservation that has been practiced in Hindu families for centuries.” (Samras Hindu Samaj, Vishwa Sanvad Kendra, Jharkhand)
This childish parable – a trademark of RSS – hides a cruel truth. It portrays Dalits as handicapped and weak by birth, an act of god or nature, thereby concealing the brutal fact that their weak condition is the creation of the caste-based social order. Even when reconciling themselves to reservation – probably for opportunistic reasons of winning over Dalits – the RSS is compelled to reveal its arrogant Brahmanical thought process.
It is because of this fundamental bias that RSS and its affiliates, including the Jana Sangh earlier and the BJP later, always become part of anti-reservation movements. They were part of the anti-reservation agitations in Bihar in 1978, Gujarat in 1981, and the anti-Mandal agitation of 1990. Formally, they do not take a position in open opposition but in practice they oppose. Golwalkar and other leaders often said that there were poor people in all castes, something must be done for them too. Ultimately, this led to the reservation of 10 per cent seats and vacancies for Economically Weaker Sections, which was in reality quite meaningless because it stipulated an annual income ceiling of Rs 8 lakh – thus bringing practically 90 per cent of the country’s population in its ambit.
RSS ‘Fights’ Caste Injustice
The RSS has been trying to work out ways of fighting untouchability and generally inculcating ‘samrasta’ in society for years. At one time Golwalkar prescribed that a simple ritual should be thought of and sanctified by the dharmagurus (venerable teachers of dharma) to purify those who were considered untouchable. He said, “If dharmagurus create such a procedure and approve it then the full power of dharma will be behind it and those who oppose it will be weakened.” He went on to specify what this easy ritual could be: “It should be so simple as to involve just putting a garland around the neck and saying the name of God (naam-smaran) would be enough”. (Shri Guruji Samagra, Khand 9, p.169-170)
Note that the persons who are considered untouchable will need to go through this procedure or ritual, however simple and easy it be. Those who think other humans are untouchable and deserving of inhuman punishment if they transgress the boundaries are not to undergo any ritual or obeisance. Of course, the goal of this prescription is to convince the upper castes that the person has now become ‘touchable’. All this contorted thinking however came to nought. As did the much applauded Udupi declaration of Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s conclave in 1969 where saints and seers from a wide range of Hindu sects had gathered and declared that unouchability is unacceptable. Golwalkar repeatedly stressed the importance of this declaration, but he didn’t live long enough to see its fate, as he passed away in 1973. Atrocities on Dalits have not just continued unabated but have increased – and the RSS and its affiliates have played no small part in this.
Later, RSS leaders initiated various campaigns to inculcate samrasta in society. This involved three spheres of activity, as explained by Mohan Bhagwat when he was Sarkaryavah (sort of General Secretary or Executive, second only to the Sarsanghchalak): the Swayamsevak and his family, his organization, and larger society. The goal was to finish the habit of hierarchy and prohibitions of eating together or having a common life. Visiting Dalit families, participating in festive or auspicious occasions as well as being there in times of need, and such other activities are urged upon the RSS members. They are encouraged to bring their family around to this viewpoint.
All this is based on the thesis that caste is a mental construct, a habit, and if slowly replaced by new ‘samskars’ it will vanish. How much this has been effective is there for all to see. Is it because the method itself is wrong? Or is it because it never was fully implemented? The answer is: both. When there is confusion, or rather, contradictory views, the whole approach will be flawed and so will the implementation be deficient. After decades of following this, the RSS has declared – yet again – that it is going to take up a massive programme called ‘Panch Parivartan’ (Five Changes), which will go through the same three spheres of family, organization and society. These five changes are: samajik samarasata (social harmony), kutumb Prabodhan (family enlightenment), paryavaran (environmental awareness), the insistence on ‘Swa’ (selfhood) and nagrik kartavya (duties of the citizens). Again, samrasta is on the agenda, as the RSS gropes around trying to solve the conundrum of caste divisions while building Hindu unity. It has not been able to even review why it has failed to do so in a hundred years – and the time is not far when it will rue this failure.
