Close on the heels of Ashok Singhals statement
that Gujarat incidents are an awakening of (May
13,2002) Hindu society, Giriraj Kishore, another
heavyweight RSS-VHP leader went on to reaffirm the
same formulation. According to the latest thinking
in the Sangh stable, now Hindus will not be cowed
down anymore and VHP will spread the awareness of
this among Hindu masses. While the political outfit
of Sangh will not openly endorse this stand for
electoral reasons, it is more than clear that there
is celebration in the Sangh Parivar for the achievements
of the Parivar in Gujarat.
The events though, recent do need a brief recapitulation.
In the wake of failure of response to Ram Temple
campaign and the successive electoral defeats, Godhra
tragedy provided the best pretext to the warriors
of Hindutva for unleashing genocide of Muslims in
Gujarat. Ae the events took place most of the reports
have indicated that Godhra was NOT handiwork of
International Islamic terrorism through ISI and
local Muslins but was an inexcusable response to
the incitement of the returning Kar (no! Ram) Sevaks
who maltreated the Muslim vendors on the Godhra
platform and also picked up a young girl. Even before
the Nation could register the ghastly tragedy the
Sangh Parivar machinery, as they were ready to respond
right in advance, came in to action and by now the
violence with a difference has made several firsts
in the history of communal violence. It has been
the first major riot where apart from the targeting
of poor sections, even the affluent Muslims have
been meted with the newly developed techniques of
dealing with anti-Nationals. Total elimination of
Muslim business, ingenious use of Gas cylinders,
which were kept in readiness and the role of state
Govt. in giving total and unconditional assistance
to the rioters combined with the blocking the relief
work and ensuring that rehabilitation work is sabotaged
has been utterly shameful. So far in the communal
violence the ratio of Muslims has been rising. Before
Gujarat it stood at 80% of riot victims being Muslims.
This carnage changes this ratio a great deal. So
severe has been the mayhem and violation of Human
rights of Muslims in general and women in particular,
that even the European bodies could not but comment
adversely about this.
The violence was implemented in a very efficient
manner. While the higher ups in the Govt. provided
umbrella, their acts of commission and more so,
omission laid the foundation for the violence assuming
the shape of Genocide without any shadow of doubt.
The upper caste/class coordinators did not too much
dirty their hands with the blood and other gory
acts as they successfully recruited the unemployed,
lumens, dalits and Adivisis to do the dirty job
on their behalf. While BJP is talking of elections
and planning to fish for votes in the rivers of
blood, other children of RSS are engaged in deepening
the divide between different communities. They are
further communalizing the Gujarat society and the
radiation of this communalization is reaching other
places as well. The process of organic transformation,
the slow insidious process of spreading hate towards
minorities is reaching newer dumps.
And this is what is being described as upsurge
or reawakening of Hindu society! The silence of
the majority is being projected as their approval
of the politics unleashed by RSS and its progeny.
Does Sangh Parivar represent Hindu society? RSS
has been around from last seven decades or so. Hindu
Mahasabha came up a century ago and went through
a decline after independence. During freedom struggle
most of the Hindus, like most of the Muslims, Christians,
Sikhs etc. supported the vision and values of Indian
National Congress. Most of the Hindus stood for
Secular democratic India. RSS was just a body of
handful volunteers, which neither participated in
freedom struggles, nor had a substantial following
amongst Hindus. Barring small sections of upper
caste, Brahmin Bania and other anglophile sections
nobody gave it any approval. Hindu Mahasabha did
enter electoral battles against Congress, propagating
its concept of Hindu Rashtra but it did not get
any electoral support and at the best of times its
support base did not go beyond a percent or two
of the total votes polled. Same was the fate of
other side of the coin of communal politics, Muslim
League, which peaked its performance at 6%, while
the Muslim population was 25%.
Even after independence, while Muslim League went
into oblivion with migration of affluent Muslims
to Pakistan, Bharatiya Janasangh came up to carry
on the agenda of Hindu Mahasabha. Most of the Hindus
rejected it. Its newer edition BJP also kept putting
forward one or the other deceit in the name of its
agenda, from Gandhian Socialism to Hindu Rashtra.
But despite it leading the Babri demolition squad
and the regular communal onslaught against Muslims
its electoral base has not gone beyond 25% or so
in a country where 85% are supposed to be Hindus.
There is no question of accepting Sangh Parivar
assertion that it represents Hindus. Any criticism
of Sangh Parivar is projected as being anti-Hindu.
In no way are these worshippers of violence representatives
or spokesmen of Hindus.
Hinduism has multiple traditions. The Upper caste,
Brahminical values are put together in Manusmirti.
The Lower caste, Shramanic traditions have expressed
themselves in the streams represented by Charvak,
Shiava, Tantra, Kabir and innumerable local Saint
traditions. These synthesized the aspirations of
low caste and were in a way polar opposite of the
Brahminical values. Closer in time starting with
Jotiba Phule, who was a great champion of education
for low caste and women, his efforts were ridiculed
by the elite by saying that the taking of education
to Shudras and women is a sign of coming of Kalyug
(Dark Era as per Hindu scriptures). Also efforts
of Raja Rammohan Roy to eliminate Sati and other
vices from the society did not find approval amongst
the upper conservative sections. Forget of those
times of 19th century, even in late 20th century
in the wake of Roop Kanwars Sati, BJP (its vice
president Vijaya Raje Shinde) defended the right
and glorious tradition of Hindu women committing
Sati.
Later Gandhi brought in a fresh and unique interpretation
to Hinduism as the tolerant, all embracing positive
concept. Hindu Mahasabha and RSS combine, for whom
Hinduism is pure and simple Brahminism in a newer
garb of modern language, opposed his interpretation.
Gandhi murder symbolized the clash of two concepts
of Hinduism. The elite, intolerant, violent Hinduism
of Hindu Mahasabha-RSS was in a way symbolized in
the person of Godse. This Hindutva definition of
Hinduism is based on negative notions and is linked
to land (all those who worship this land as Holy
land and Father land) rather then values. This concept
cultivated itself on hatred of Muslims and Christians.
For Gandhi Hinduism was an embodiment of personal
beliefs which respect other religions as well. So
his Hinduism was incomplete without drawing form
the humanism of other religions. Clearly most of
the Hindus opted for the positive and Humane Hinduism
of Gandhi than the hate filled and violent Hinduism
of Hindu Mahasabha-RSS.
In the scenario of social transformation, Ambedkar
opted out of Hinduism due to its identification
with Brahminism. The process of transformation has
got halted in last two decades, and the retrograde
Hinduism of RSS has been trying to occupy social
space by default. Since the majority of Hindus are
quiet and not taking on the aggressive Hindusim
of Sangh Parivar, it is trying to create an impression
that its Hinduism is THE Hinduism and it is the
spokesperson of Hindus. Both these formulations
are flawed and fraught with danger to the Indian
society as a whole and to Hindus in particular.
Attempt is being made to stifle and strangulate
the Hinduism of Saint traditions and Gandhi.
Surely it this vision of Hinduism which has a broad
acceptability amongst Hindus in general. RSS Hinduism
gloats over the destructive acts like Babri demolition
as Hindu Shaurya Divas, Gujarat carnage as a resurgence
of Hindus. It has also in its kitty murder of Mahatma
Gandhi and burning of Pastor Stains, the acts that
many a supporters of Hindutva politics privately
celebrate. In contrast most of the Hindus consider
these as the black marks on the face of Hindu society.
To each ones own Hinduism, Gandhis or Godses. It
also has a lesson for the majority of Hindus, what
happens when you let the aggressive politics to
appropriate your religion, what shame it can bring
to them. Only a deeper introspection and speaking
up for the Hinduism of Gandhi and Saints can restore
the dignity to Non Brahminical Hinduism, which it
should try to retrieve to save itself from the imminent
extinction in the hands of Sangh Parivar.
