The message from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Sarsanghchalak (supreme chief) Mohan Bhagwat on its founder’s day, Vijaydashami, is a bad news for all those political parties, self-styled activists and quasi-political organisations functionings in the garb of social organisations that are working to perpetuate the fault line of ‘caste divisions’ to shatter Hindu unity.
This speech, on the day when RSS enters its 100th year, was being observed with great attention within India as well as across the globe.
Without mincing words, Bhagwat laid out the plan to counter the forces of ‘casteism’ in Bharat. He clearly indicated that the RSS is all set to deal with this for good. Though activities under the vertical ‘Samajik Samrasta’ (Social Cohesion) have already been underway on this aspect for some years but 2025 onwards you will see a blitzkrieg as the organisation is undergoing massive preparations to give a significant boost to its existing activities on this front.
RSS plan on social cohesion
Let's take a look at the context and the plan that is going to be rolled out in Bhagwat’s own words: “The first condition for a healthy and able society is social harmony and mutual goodwill among different sections of society. This task cannot be accomplished by merely organizing some symbolic programs. There should be amicability between individuals and families in all sections and levels of society. We all have to take this initiative at personal and family level. Everyone should participate in mutual festivals and they should become festivals of the entire society. There should be an environment for participation of all sections of society in places of public use and worship such as temples, drinking water, crematoriums etc. All sections should understand the needs of weaker sections of society which arise from the circumstances they face. Just as the strong members of a family make more provisions for the weaker members, sometimes even at the cost of their own loss, similarly such needs should be considered with the feeling of belongingness to each other.”
He added, “Our social groups have their own organizations and mechanisms which independently look after them. The development, improvement and enlightenment of the interests of their respective caste groups is thought about through the leadership of these organizations. If the people leading the different caste communities sit together and think about two issues regularly, then a congenial atmosphere will be created everywhere in the society. Any conspiracy to divide the society will not be successful. The first point is what can we - all different caste groups, do together for the benefit of the country, the entire local society. We can make plans and take them to fruition. Secondly, what can we all do together for the benefit of the weaker sections amongst us? If such thoughts and actions keep happening regularly, then the society will become healthy and a harmonious environment will also be created.”
RSS’ focus on social cohesion: A brief history
RSS started focusing on social cohesion in a major way in the 1960s. Vishwa Hindu Parishad(VHP) was set up in 1964 with an objective of bringing Gurus of all Hindu sects on one stage and making a universal declaration that no Hindu should be discriminated against due to caste. VHP organised the first World Hindu Conference (Vishva Hindu Sammelan) at Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh on the occasion of Mahakumbh in January 1966. Over 25,000 delegates from all over the country and from different parts of the world attended it. Gurus of all Hindu sects including Shankracharyas also participated in it and a declaration was made that all Hindus should be allowed to enter temples and there shouldn’t be any caste-based discrimination.
In 1974, in his famous Vasant Vyakhyanmala lecture at Pune, the third Sarsanghchalak Balasaheb Deoras said, “We should accept that untouchability is a grave error and we must do away with it completely.” He gave a clarion call to the RSS volunteers to work on the ground to end caste discrimination.
Seva Bharati, an RSS-inspired organisation was set up in 1979 and it has been leading from the front to work with marginalised communities across the country. Seva Bharati is currently running more than one lakh projects across the country. Similarly, Akhil Bhartiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram that was set up in 1952 as another RSS-inspired organisation currently runs 20,000 projects for tribals across the country. Some of them are in the remotest parts where even government agencies find it difficult to reach with all their resources.
Battle of narratives
Bhagwat also pointed out that the RSS perfectly understands how deep state, cultural Marxism and woekism are targeting Indian youth to take them away from their cultural roots. This could be a major blow to the ‘Hindu Unity’. This is what RSS terms as the battle of narratives. While getting ready to fight the on ground battle on the issue of ‘caste divisions’, the Sangh is seized of the fact that the battle of narratives can decide the future course of the battle on the ground also. That is why it has given a call to the government to regulate the streaming of content to Indians through their mobile phones and has also called upon the families to ensure their younger ones remain rooted in their ‘samskaras’ and don’t get swayed away by the propaganda doled out by the nexus of deep state, cultural Marxism and woekism.
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