News Analysis


The shadowy RSS, protected so far by a carefully-crafted cocoon of doublespeak, ambiguity and conspiratorial operations, finds today its deceit and violent agenda exposed. Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam discusses some of its stratagems to escape the trap in which it has landed.

A sizeable number of RSS men have been caught literally with their khaki pants down, right in the middle of the act, so to say. This is an extraordinary moment for a shadowy organisation which could get away with the murder of Mahatma Gandhi on flimsy technical grounds. To further its anti-national agenda it quickly hid itself behind the smokescreen of a “cultural organisation”, though in its particular case, “cultural activity” entails organising communal killings and spreading poison against Muslims and Christians.

That façade of cultural activity is now coming off with arrests of its leaders like Devendra Gupta, a vibhag pracharak arrested for Ajmer Dargah blast of October 2007; Lokesh Sharma, karyakarta (arrested for Ajmer Dargah and Mecca Masjid, Hyderabad); Sunil Joshi, zilla pracharak (arrested for Mecca Masjid and Ajmer Dargah blasts); absconder Sandeep Dange, RSS vibhag pracharak, wanted in connection with Ajmer blasts of 2007 and Malegaon blasts of 2008; Ashok Beri, member of RSS national executive, and Ashok Varshney, prant pracharak, Kanpur (put under scanner by CBI).

RSS leaders and their BJP protégés are desperate to escape the consequences of their deeds. If one counts leaders from a 100 front organisations of the RSS like BJP, Hindu Munani, Sanathan Dharma Sanstha, Bajrang Dal, AVBP and others, the list of men (and some women) caught in activities meant to destabilise the country would become too long.

As usual, the RSS is trying desperately to get out of the mess of its own creation. At one level, it has announced that its members found guilty of committing violent acts would be expelled. So far, it has been trying to defend the indefensible, accusing the media of indulging in anti-RSS propaganda, and the Congress Party of trying to sully the “fair” image of the Sangh. However, finding it nearly impossible to argue against the investigating agencies, the RSS has decided to make sacrificial goats out of some of its lower and middle-level functionaries.

This is not the only stratagem the RSS is adopting to wriggle out of the sticky situation. Recent reports say that it is soon planning to launch one of its most trusted weapons (almost sure to create the desired effect of building up anti-Muslim hysteria on a mass scale) called gorakhsha, or cow protection. Now the goraksha idea has been extended to govansh rakhsha, cow and its progeny protection. This does not include just cow and calf, but other cattle as well.

If they launch it soon enough, we can expect sufficient rise in communal temperatures within the next 12-13 weeks to start anti-Muslim riots at the time of I’d al-Azha, or Baqrid, in the Subcontinent’s language. The RSS knows full well that in the communal heat and dust the country easily forgets the biggest of crimes, including mass murder and Mahatma Gandhi’s murder. Cow protection is a panacea for every trouble afflicting the RSS. Once the country’s mood changes in Hindutva’s favour, rule of law can be scornfully dismissed and justice delivery system would automatically be reduced to nothing.

There is yet another weapon in RSS armoury being prepared for use in anti-Muslim mobilisation over the coming months. The verdict in Babri Masjid case is being awaited. Whatever the verdict, they are planning another round of yatras and allied gimmicks reminiscent of pre-December 6, 1992 days. If the verdict goes against them they will become more aggressive. If it goes in their favour, they will insist on building the temple right away. Both ways, it will mean anti-Muslim mobilisation. That will also distract from the crimes of RSS men and women in the recent past.

Finally, it would be of help to remember that when the whole country turned against them after Mahatma Gandhi’s murder, they diverted the focus of anger and resentment against Muslims by placing idols in the Babri Masjid. They are experts at diversionary tactics. They can quickly change the game, turning their liabilities into assets at the cost of Muslims. Beware!