Post-June 4, 2024 .... how powerful will be RSS ? .... 'Nagpur' has come a long way .... #Gadkari was their 'man' .... and during Vajpayee era, key decisions and Privatisation of PSUs, had to be cleared with Nagpur .....

 There was a time and perhaps even still now, many believed nothing will happen to Arvind Kejriwal as has 'right' connections in Nagpur ! But we are into new Bharat --- where things are a bit different. 

Analysts say Narendra Modi has emerged perhaps as the 'first BJP leader ever' to often "defy" the moral and even political authority of the RSS. Atal Bihari Vajpayee faced occasional problem. L K Advani as Home Minister used to often speak about umbilical cord. But in 2005, after his Jinnah-secular harakiri, he had to give up BJP presidentship. 

 

Notably, Ayodhya’s story vis-a-vis the grand Ram Temple was central to the RSS influence in Indian polity and governance. It was also the focused attention area of BJP’s rise in last two decades.

Ram temple inaugurated on Jan 22, 2024 by PM Narendra Modi and in presence of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat thus is more than just a symbol of the organisation's struggles and long journey.

RSS is glad that its protagonist Nanaji Deshmukh has got Bharat Ratna. It is more than glad that the Ram temple stands on the site of the 16th-century Babri Masjid mosque, built by the Mughal emperor Babar.

It was razed on Dec 6, 1992 by the nationalist mob -- that is RSS volunteers and associate organisations such as Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal.

In the riots more than 2,000 people died. Many belonged to RSS. The BJP made political sacrifice and state governments in UP, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Himachal Praddesh were dismissed by the P V Narasimha Rao government in gross violation of federal structure.  

After 2014 election win, RSS pointman Ram Madhav came as a party general secretary and was almost given free hand to decide political strategies in Jammu and Kashmir and also in northeast. Madhav worked out the PDP-BJP alliance and in northeast, he had 'friendship' with regional leaders like Neiphiu Rio of Nagaland.  

But after Nadda became BJP president, Ram Madhav was dropped as general secretary and apparently the RSS did not protest. At the same time, there has been very good and healthy relationship between PM Modi and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat. 

In September 2018, a three-day lecture series by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat was organised at Vigyan Bhavan and quite a path-breaking statements came out. Bhagwat himself said, "The Hindu Rashtra does not mean it has no place for Muslims. The day it is said that Muslims are unwanted here, the concept of Hindutva will cease to exist”.

Then it was also stated: "Everybody should implement the policy of Swadeshi because any economic policy is dependent on self reliance. So, the time till we don't implement Swadeshi, we wont see true development.

However, Swadeshi doesn’t, mean closing of India to the world economy. 

I won't buy from the market what is produced in my house. What is produced in my village and that increases the employment won't be bought from outside. 

What is produced in my country won't be bought from outside but what is necessary shall be imported." 

These meant reaching out. These also meant tweaking the established hardline positions and to make them relevant to the new era. 

These statements and the lecture series were generally welcomed by non-BJP, non-RSS protagonists in the political space.

"Let us live in reality. The RSS is a reality. They talkabout the country and culture, nothing else. There is no membership for RSS. It is a philosophy and anybody who adheres to it directly or indirectly is subscriber to the RSS view. 

"I am a Hindu,this is my identity. Bhagwatji has not compelled me to say that," said Amar Singh, onetime power Samajwadi Party leader and close to Mulayam Singh Yadav. 

Even former Samata Party president Jaya Jaitley had said: 

"I tell the opposition parties,which have not attended thislecture despite invitation,that you talk about intolerance and untouchablity, but you yourself show intolerant and untouchable behaviour. You are not ready to even listen to one’s point of view. We all should have openness towards each other."

These showed the changing paradigms and there could be more coming after June 2024 when Modi and the BJP get an enhanced mandate. Even otherwise, RSS chief Bhagwat took an unprecedented step and interacted with a group of Muslim intellectuals including former Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi and former Delhi Lt Governor Najeeb Jung to discuss ways to 'strengthen communal harmony'. 

This was a good beginning.  Former Aligarh Muslim University Vice Chancellor Lt General (retd) Zamiruddin Shah, former MP Shahid Siddiqui, and philanthropist Saeed Shervani were also present in the 'closed-door meeting'.

A meeting was sought by these prominent Muslim intellectuals with Mohan Bhagwat after the Nupur Sharma hate speech controversy erupted. Hate speech, the Gyanvapi Masjid issue and hate crimes resulting from hate speech were discussed. 

But there's a long way to go before the milestone is achieved ! The RSS influence and role therefore cannot be underestimated. 

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