Nagpur University?s endeavour of introducing RSS at UG level is praiseworthy, writes Prof C I Issac
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Jul 30, 2019, 03:29 pm IST
Nagpur University’s endeavour of opening the doors of the wisdom of RSS at UG level is praiseworthy. It should go ahead to PG and research level. If other universities also follow the same step, it will be good contribution to the ever-expanding horizon of epistemology
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is now a reality with a clear history of committed service to Rashtra of 95 years. The ‘idea of Swayamsevak Sangh’ is not the creation of merely a medical professional Dr Hedgewar alias Doctorji, to millions in 1925. This idea was inherent in the Hindu or Indian life since the days of Vedas; specifically, it goes back to the days of Rig Veda. But the Hindu society, the proprietors of this noble heritage, for a long duration in its history was a divided house. This state of affairs continued for a long duration. Hindu society has a device of correction of its ‘self or inherent decay’ and this device or instrument was much earlier put in plain words by Sri Krishna through his Bhagvat Gita (IV-8). Anyhow the said Indian situation was due to its alien domination since 12th century CE onwards along with some other historical reasons. Hindu society, the custodians of this most ancient civilisation, missed or scattered its self-esteem and command, elsewhere in the deluge of time. The search in this direction, at present, is immaterial. The restoration of it was the need of the hour and Doctorji became instrumental to institute the idea of RSS into an organisation. Therefore RSS became part and parcel of the epistemology to the faculty of History of this nation or Rashtra. Hence, in the perspective of history, nothing wrong with the Rashtrasant Tukdoji Maharaj Nagpur University’s endeavour to incorporate the topic ‘RSS and Nation Building’ in its BA History syllabus.
RSS is a historical reality of the day. Members of the Sangh, the swayamsevaks, function as part and parcel of this ever going nation-building endeavour. History attests that the rank and file of this organisation committed to the cause of attaining noble greatness of this historic nation. Annals of the nation point out that whenever the national pride and freedom was in danger, for the protection and restoration of it, the swayamsevaks are always at the forefront. Nobody can ignore the role which played by them in times of national disasters or tragedies such as Chinese invasion, Indo-Pak wars, floods, natural calamities and so on. The only one organisation of India, which was fought against the defeat of Indira Gandhi’s dictatorial regime – Emergency declaration and suspension of the Constitution, governmental terror and so on – and for the restoration of democracy in its full spirit. Really, the credit goes to the RSS and its cadre. So, the contribution of this organisation to the knowledge system history is amazing.
While one who closely check the syllabus of the subject History of RTMNU, it is very clear that the University had provided ample room or space to the socio-political aspects of the respective period by incorporating to speak about the establishment of the Congress Party along with the rise of Pt Nehru as a national leader and issues like the Civil Disobedience Movement ushered in by Gandhiji and so on. One who examines the said syllabus can see that the mind, which behind the making of the said syllabus considered time and space factor of the specific period very well by doing justice to the history. Then what is wrong with imparting of the knowledge about RSS to the generations to come? Several universities of South-India are catering to departments exclusively for Christian Studies, Islamic History, Marxian Studies, Communist Movements, and so on. When European and World history is the part of Indian universities History syllabus, what is the relevance Christian Studies and Islamic History? When Serampore Christian University and Aligarh Muslim University are functioning exclusively for minority religious interests what is the relevance of Christian and Islamic studies in the Indian mainstream universities? No doubt it is the part of the nationwide conspiracy, against Hindu race and this nation, from some corners. We all must see it in the right perspective. But they are masqueraded with the clad of pseudo signs of democracy, secularism, socialism, and internationalism. Do the Muslim countries permit their Universities to open Chairs or faculty for the studies in Hinduism? Dogs barks, but the caravan moves on, let us ignore them for the time being.
RSS has a clear history of 95 years. At the same time, Marx and his Semitic atheist and fascist ideology of Communism lost its ground by the world all over within seventy-five years. All the remaining so-called communist regimes that are synonyms to Dictatorship or Totalitarianism lost their ground. Even in India also it is in a liquidation mood. The political power of Congress Dynasty, not read Congress in times of National Movement, lost it last hope. Now they are sending SOS messages to all shores. So to both fossils (Communism and Congress Dynasty), got ample space in the Nagpur University’s new endeavour of induction of RSS as a subject in its UG courses. The beat of kettle drum against the University by defeated political forces is, no doubt, “a drowning man’s catch at a straw”. By which they are trying to ‘put the clock back’. Really, here the blind led by the blind, surely both were felled into the ditch of time.
RSS inherits the real Hindu tradition of this land. No traces of evidence can be seen in the almost 95 years history of the RSS against this noble tradition. But a section of the media with the backing of pseudo-seculars is trying to depict the RSS as an octopus
In no way, RSS is a political or a parochial or a religious organisation. Transparency is the watchword of this organisation. It deserves intensive study through academic researches. So far RSS is subjected to a few academic researches only. I noticed one such from Kerala University, Thiruvanthapuram, titled “RSS and Hindu Nationalism” (1989), by K. Jayaprasad. So, the academic potential of the researches on various aspects of relating to RSS remains as underutilised and untouched. Hence, Nagpur University’s endeavour of opening the doors of the wisdom of RSS at UG level is praiseworthy but it should go ahead to PG and research level. If other universities of India and abroad follow the same step it will be an appropriate contribution to the ever-expanding horizon of epistemology.
RSS inherits the real Hindu tradition of this land. No traces of evidence can be seen in the 95 years of the history of RSS against this noble tradition. But our visual and print media with the backing of political and pseudo-secular intellectuals are trying to depict RSS as an octopus.
Behind the unnecessary uproar over Nagpur University’s endeavour is to create insecurity feelings amongst the religious minorities and internationalisation of minority’s concerns. It is a shadow play or a puppet dance and behind it a malicious political game of chess. Moreover, make Hinduphobia amongst the religious minorities over much ado about nothing. At one hand to convert this fight against shadow, as a product which can be marketed internationally and defame Hindus and this nation. On the other hand fish in the troubled waters for vested ends. But time has changed. It is not 1947! Now the faculty of discrimination of the religious minorities is very high. The lessons of North East are writing on the wall in this direction. Before concluding this write-up let me quote the famous comment by Abraham Lincoln: “You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time”. Anyhow the present hue and cry of self-defeated intellectuals of Delhi is only a storm in the tea-cup.
(The writer is a retired professor of History and Vice-President, Bhartheeya Vichara Kendram, Thiruvananthapuram))
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