Dear Mr. Vaidya,
8.8.18
I read your article in the Hindustan Times dated 8.8.18. As
a senior member of the RSS you have the right to come out with your version of
Hindutva and criticize those who do not agree with your view point. Similarly those who do not agree with the RSS version
of how India should run have the right to put forth their views. Rigidity has
no place if India has to progress and compete with other nations of the world.
Let the people decide what is good for them. Unfortunately RSS is built on the
foundation of rigidity and violently reacts whenever it is presented with a
view other than its own. Today when RSS/BJP is ruling almost the entire country
we see the disastrous results of this blind adherence to a outdated ideology
completely out of tune with the modern times. Lynchings and demeaning of
minorities. Support of these actions by senior political and RSS leaders. The
violent calls for building Ram Mandir after demolishing the Babri Masjid. The
introduction of unscientific courses in school curriculum. Introducing of
spurious historical texts in school books to show Muslims in bad light.
As a common Hindu citizen I find there is poison in the air. The multi
multiculturalism which we enjoyed till a few years back is slowly vanishing
being replaced by hostility and hate .
Sir as a learned person you must be aware that no nation can
progress under the above circumstance us. The RSS is not serving the country by
resorting to revenge for some atrocities committed thousands of years back. It
is also not serving the country by trying to revive corpses of ancients texts
which are meaningless. It is also not serving the country by making dubious
claims of rocket science, organ transplants etc as part of ancient India achievements.
Infact this job of glorifying Hindus on the basis of wrong facts is the most
dangerous. This injects among the people a sense of false superiority which
seriously hinders their ability to absorb new ideas .
Recently the Mughal Sarai railway station name has been
changed to Deen Dayal Upadhya .What was the purpose? Can anybody explain? Were
not the Mughals a part of India? Did they not rule here for 1000 yrs? Facts are
sacred. There is nothing to be ashamed of. We should learn from it rather than
try to sweep it under the carpet. The Muslim invasion was successful because of
disunited Hindu kingdoms and the lack of notion of a nation. Each Hindu kingdom
was a nation in itself. Casteism was the other evil which divided the Hindus.
So why blame the Muslims? We were victims of our own drawbacks. Today the RSS
instead of reforming the Hindu society and removing useless rituals and caste
system is working in the opposite direction. Its main job has become to put the
blame on Muslims and if not on Muslims then on Christians for all the ills in
the society. RSS is tearing apart society and committing the original sin which
facilated the Muslim invasion.
With regard to your article I would like to offer the
following additional comments :
1.You have expressed your rage against the word Hindu
Pakistan. Can you please categorically deny that the primary goal of the RSS is establishing a Hindu
Rashtra. The guiding policy of the RSS is a secret document. It has never been
revealed. So why not reveal it to the world. What is the hesitation? Everything
will become clear. Till then by the actions and the verbal content of the RSS
it is clear that the RSS goal is India for Hindus. Many times the RSS leaders
have objected to the word secularism in the constitution. What is the meaning
of this? India is a country of many religions and many races. Secularism binds
all these various elements into one. So the objection with secularism is rather
strange. Pakistan is a Muslim state. So a Hindu Rashtra is obviously a Hindu Pakistan. What is wrong with the word?
Dragging the evangical church into this was rather
unnecessary without any evidence. It only shows RSS desperate attempts to hide
its ineffective antique policies by blaming other communities.
2. There are lots of half truths in your article. I don't
know how you have reached the conclusion that students have been deprived of
knowledge of Indian culture. This could be true during the British times.
Unfortunately your organisation never participated in the freedom movement.
There is no evidence of this. Infact many of your leaders pre 1947 even begged
for pardon. That time RSS never raised this issue. After 1947 it was the
Congress who was in power overhauled the education system. All the historical
facts which comprised of Indian culture was introduced in the text books. Even
those who studied in missionary schools were studying Indian culture. Ancient Indian
studies were also part of the curriculum. Of course fancy imaginations about
ancient India which you love was not there. The focus was on multiculturalism
and brotherhood .Every religion was given equal importance and the children
were taught to respect each other irrespective of religion. That was true
Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, a word which the RSS often uses but never believes in.
unfortunately this is rapidly vanishing under the BJP/RSS rule.
3. You have stressed a lot on pluralism, tolerance and have
claimed that these are the guiding principles of the RSS. But where is the
evidence on the ground. Recently a senior leader of yours have said that till
people eat cow lynching's will continue. There are so many statements from RSS
leaders and leaders of its affiliated organisations threatening the minorities
that is difficult to mention each one of them here. In any case it is for
everybody to see that on ground the RSS is quite different from what they
preach. It almost seems that is a cleverly molded policy of the RSS to cover
itself with a angelic cloak hiding a dagger underneath. Ask any common Hindu citizen and he would say the RSS never
talks about abolishing caste system and meaningless rituals. They are only good
at blaming others and pitting Hindus against other communities. This is not good
for the people or the nation.
4. Hindutva has been claimed by you in the article as the
way to tolerance and brotherhood. This is entirely false. Hindutva is not
Hinduism. All the attributes of Hinduism such as the entire world is a big
family and all paths lead to one God has never been practices by the RSS. If
this was true then secularism would not be a hate word for RSS. Liberals would
not be hated by the RSS. Babri Masjit would not have demolished. Muslim would
not have been lynched. Mr. Modi would have refused the skull cap. Churches
would not have been vandalized. Mother Teresa would not have insulted. There
would have been a atmosphere of peace and love. No Sir you are practicing
Hindutva and not Hinduism.
5. Now to the eminent personalities you quoted in your
article to support your false identity as a liberal and secular organisation.
RSS ideologue Dinanath Batra recently asked for removal of works of
Rabindranath Tagore from all text books. This is the respect which RSS has for
a great Indian soul who brought accolades for this nation. Regarding Pranab
Mukherjee let us not forget that Mr. Pranab was part of the
government that banned RSS in 1992 and he authored the Burari resolution which
took strong view on RSS. Apart from this he gave a strong message to the RSS
during his recent speech in Nagpur. He said
"Soul
Of India Is Pluralism, Tolerance"This advise was given by him because obviously the RSS was
not following it. Hope apart from quoting him in the article you would take
active steps to follow his advise sincerely
In the end I would say that the majority of this country are
Hindus and they are faithfully following the tenets of Hinduism. Please don't
enforce upon them your variety of Hinduism which is aggressive,intolerant,divisive
and violent Hindutva. The world regards India for its pluralism and tolerance.
RSS is a product of partition .That does not mean it should forever stick to
this mentality. Please take the nation forward towards progress and scientific
development instead of being stuck in this Hindu Muslim conflict.
With regards.
Thanks
ASHOK KUMAR
