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October     Last updated: October 28: 7:00 p.m.

Editorial
Sangh 75

THE Sangh is seventy-five. It is not the tradition of the Sangh to hold birthday bash. The Sangh, from a small beginning of five children assembling at Mohitewada in Nagpur has grown into a remarkably unique effort in networking for its man-making and nation-building mission. Our woes are not due to the strength of the aggressors as much as it was due to our own weakness, the founder of the RSS used to say. A nation is great, and only as great as its common man is. A society's organised strength depends on the level of conscientiousness of its members, their patriotic fervour and their ever-preparedness to lay down their lives and of course live for their ideals. The founder of the RSS, Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar firmly believed that national reconstruction cannot be the job of an organisation or even a social group. It is an ongoing process and an atmosphere conducive to such healthy growth of good qualities and high moral values has to exist as a permanent feature in any society.

The second Sarsanghchalak of the RSS, Shri Golwalkar Guruji used to reiterate this point saying that as society unites, its scattered strength assumes unparalleled strength. Mahatma Gandhi's observation was not very different. He said : “Hinduism is a relentless pursuit after Truth; and if today it has become moribund, inactive, irresponsive to growth, it is because we are fatigued; and as soon as the fatigue is over, Hinduism will burst upon the world with a brilliance perhaps unknown before.” (Young India, April 24, 1924) Bhagini Nivedita had once remarked: “If only the Hindu people come together everyday for even ten minutes at a common place and pray, they would generate enormous strength and energy.” The shakhas of the RSS are now turning her prophetic words into reality. Swayamsevaks of the RSS have made it a mission of their lives to undertake the task of national reconstruction. The collective efforts of all this is to evolve the society into a strong self-reliant nation, proud of its moorings and sure of the future. As Deendayal Upadhyaya stated, we should be proud of our past but need not hold it as the highest watermark of our glory.

We can achieve even greater glory if we understand the dynamics of today and work for a better tomorrow as one nation. This necessarily involves the united effort of all—as one people. Needless to say, there is no place for dividing the people as minority or majority, between religious and linguistic groups, between vanvasis and nagarvasis or even among castes. These distinctions are but superficial and many times risen out of certain historical compulsions. No one should make a virtue of one's caste or religion. The greatest challenge today is to steer clear of the internal and external problem and reach the benefits of social and economic justice to the last man. While attending a Sangh camp in Pune, Maharashtra, in May 1939, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar said : “I am surprised to find swayamsevaks here moving about in absolute equality and brotherhood without even caring to know the castes of others.” After Independence, it was expected that we would be able to evolve an Indian model of administrative system to ensure justice—social, economic and political. Alas, these remained mere decorative words in our Constitution.

The socialistic pattern of governance brought neither socialism nor economic prosperity. Instead, it ended up in politicising every aspect of Indian society. C. Rajagopalachari had observed : “The obverse of individual freedom namely self-control and respect for the moral laws governing social life should not, however, be forgotten. The obverse of Swatantra consists of the duties that arise out of freedom and is given the name of dharma in the Hindu tradition.” Lakhs and lakhs of swayamsevaks vow to protect this divine dharma meaning the value system, which is universal. But what one prescribes for the world has to be proved to be good for the place of its origin—India—the mother of all civilizations. The prerequisite for this is not economic reforms or political strategies—it is restoration of the high moral values in society.

The acquisition of family dignity by those who have it not, the loss of family dignity by those that have it, unions and dis-unions—these all are noticeable by those that lead deathless life. Mahabharata, I,21