Depending on who you would like to believe, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is either a noble, benign, cultural organisation of volunteers, straining every sinew to strengthen the moral and spiritual fibre of the country; doing backbreaking relief and rehabilitation work whilst providing health and education to the needy.
Or…
Or, it is a sinister, fanatical, militant, communal, Hindu nationalist organisation inciting hate and spewing venom at the minorities, while seeking to dictate and direct the political, economic, and cultural discourse through its various subsidiaries, in ways and means better unseen than seen.
The word “fascist” is loosely and routinely, but not unjustly, used to describe its activities.
Using wikipedia, both sides will helpfully produce certificates to bolster their claims. Nevertheless, neither side can deny that this “cultural organisation” has been banned not once, not twice but thrice for slightly uncultural activities in India’s 62 years of independence—and may well on the way to a fourth.
Although the RSS likes to think it is not a political organisation and is not interested in politics—its founder M.S. Golwalkar had a professed hatred for politics, and likened it to a “woman of the multitude” i.e. prostitute—recent events including the RSS sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat‘s farcical attempts to decide the BJP’s future course, show that the RSS is anything but political.
Even so, does it behove of a democratically elected chief minister of a State who has taken oath under the Cosntitution of India, as the very seriously beleaguered B.S. Yediyurappa happens to be, does it behove of a demcoratically elected chief minister of a State to take the salute of an organisation which does not believe in the Constitution of India?
Or to be visibly falling at the feet of extra-constitutional authorities at the helm of the RSS who do not?
Obviously, Yediyurappa, like so many of his cabinet colleagues, is an RSS member and there may be nothing wrong in being respectful to your parent organsiation. Still, in the many testy matters involving the RSS and the BJP-ruled State, do pictures like these really give you the impression that the “State” would get precedence over the RSS in his (or his colleagues’) books?
Photographs: Karnataka chief minister B.S. Yediyurappa strikes the RSS salute at a public meeting of sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat at the palace grounds in Bangalore on Sunday (top); below, the belaguered CM reaches for the toes of a sangh leader (Karnataka Photo News).
Also read: Will an RSS-run BJP be more vicious in future?
To me it appears BSY was on a thanks giving mode to RSS who sided and saved him in the battle last fortnight. Its like kissing in the public.
there’s nothing more comic than seeing these members of the chaddi gang.
Off topic:
I read that the RSS meeting was attended by around 60,000 prople.
Source: http://www.dnaindia.com/bangalore/report_rss-juggernaut-rolls-no-hiccups_1315235
I remember this blog writing an article with a picture of an RSS meeting in Delhi (which was very poorly attended) and belligerently asking Ramon Magsaysay award winner MR. Shourie to frame that photo.
If you journos from Bengaluru have some pictures of this particular meeting can you people please paste it in your face and then take photograph of yourself and upload it in this blog so that the followers of this blog can benefit.
Eagerly waiting for that………
Predictable, way too predictable.
Somebody should infiltrate into KPN and mail some photoshopped photos of Yeddyurappa with KKK or Seva Dal, I would love to see the blog post about it.
demcoratically elected chief minister of a State to take the salute of an organisation which does not believe in the Constitution of India?
Either the author of this post must be either sleep deprived or mundanely dyslexic(like most of us) or desperate use up this opportunity.
About RSS disbelieving the Constitution of India:
[CITATION NEEDED]
Any authority would do, definitely need not be by any gOra! Something other than the usual fare from M/s Noorani & co. quoting all those inaccessible records of pre-independence era, will be more appreciated.
you write, “the word “fascist” is loosely and routinely, but not unjustly, used to describe its activities.”
apparently, you are not familiar with fascism beyond the uninformed drivel indian newspapers obsess with in labeling political parties.
i suggest you read “the nature of fascism” (1991) by professor roger griffin. it is a classic work that shows the nature of fascism by its measurable variables. griffin encapsulates the fascist minimum as populist ultranationalism, the myth of decadence, and the myth of rebirth. none of those conditions is met by the rss’ ideology, which is neither populist, does not accept cultural decadence and seems to live in past births, not future ones!
indeed, homogeneity, ethnic purity or an organic order, all of which are essential components of fascism, and all of which griffin describes via numerous observations, are alien to the hindu identity which the rss extolls.
you may also wish to read professor zeev sternhell (1986), the israeli expert on fascism, who finds that an orientation toward the future is a predicate of fascism. even you — the uninformed commentator of fascism — would not surely accuse the rss of being oriented toward the future? after all, the rss seeks to restore a glorious (sometimes self-proclaimed) status quo of india’s past.
another of your uninformed statements is that the rss is “an organisation which does not believe in the Constitution of India.” how about some evidence to cite in support that serious accusation? — constitutional and other organizational documents, statements of its leaders, lessons taught to members, etc.?
if you bothered to investigate, you might find that the rss’ stance on “secularism” is not antithetical to the secular intent of the framers of india’s constitution. it is an inclusive stance that celebrates diversity but rejects communal appeasement, religious evangelism and foreign political allegiances — all of which are conditions of any definition of “secularism,” including pandit nehru’s (letters to his daughter).
to describe the rss’ rich interpretation of “secularism” as a lack of faith in india’s constitution is not only unfair, it is a logical fallacy.
i was never part of the rss myself, but from various interactions i have a deep respect for the rss’ interpretation of secularism, for its integrity, and for its service-orientation. i believe any indian in my place — hindu, muslim, christrian, sikh, parsi — would respond similarly if they had similar access to facts and experience. it’s too bad that the indian media are failing to give the indian people that access. overall, the rss’ contribution to our society is clearly more positive than negative.
Who does this CM owe allegiance too?
http://in.news.yahoo.com/32/20091103/1054/tnl-maharashtra-cm-hosts-sai-baba-amid-c.html
Excerpts from the report (highlighting mine):
Off limits to the media, Varsha looked festive – floral arches and red carpets greeted Sai Baba (82) and his entourage. A political leader, requesting anonymity, said Chavan and his family performed padyapooja (prayer at the feet) of the guru
I am still hoping one day Churmuri will publish similar pictures of Yechuri and Karat breaking bread with the Naxalites…
@ srikumar
You have high hopes. That’s the reason KPNews questioned the loyalty of the Chief Minister (as if he is paying his obeisance to a distant desert) !
love the comment by peshwa. On the one hand he says he respects RSS despite not attending RSS. Me on the other hand attended RSS shakhas when I was young and I don’t remember being taught anything that qualifies as unconstitutional. In fact the main thing that we were taught as kids was to owe alleigance to our motherland and to remain patriotic.
If anything in the present day qualifies as unethical and unconstitutional, it is the ever-increasing number of reservations for certain groups alone! Secular indeed!
Lets discuss this ‘woman of the multitude’ angle some more. Can any RSS posters enlighten us more on this.
BTW whats up with the uniforms? How did they come into being?
The uniform worn by Hilters Youth:
http://www.anglogermanhistoricaltrust.org/images/3HYTrain.jpg
http://www.anglogermanhistoricaltrust.org/exhibit3.html
I am impressed by the first two paragraphs of this article which reflect churumuri’s latest thinking that there are multiple opinions about RSS, instead of concluding as usual, like U.R. Ananthamurthy, that RSS is evil. Churumuri, you are becoming more secular now.
By the way, the salute in RSS, which Yediyurappa is doing as depicted in the picture, is with the singing of “namo vatsale maatru boome tvadarthe” means I salute my matruboomi. Unless there is a Fatwa on this song, Yediyurappa continues to respect his maatruboomi, which includes his state Karnataka. Any objects for it in Secularism?
Wats d big deal? If u dont have worthwhile topics to write about, dont write!
Perhaps all the ‘seculars’ and ‘intellectuals ‘ are not having sleep for the last 2-3 days.
I guess RSS founder was Dr. Hedgewar, not M.S. Golwalkar.
Have the RSS formally rejected the constitution of India? If so where and when?
If not, then the Chief Minister attending a meeting of the RSS is his personal affair. He is entitled to be a member of any organization that is not banned in the country.
What is the problem here. The chief minister has got every right to be part of RSS meet or falling at the feet of Sai Baba or his grandmother or attending Iftar parties. We are still not a marxist fascist utopian state yet.
RSS is no longer a banned organization. It is a legally accepted organization.
As usual churmuri’s BJP/RSS bashing… nothing new….
RSS and the Topi!!!
No doubt the cheddi admiring brigade is Topified.
@Khan,
This topi is atleast patriotic. not like people with skull topi who show there patriotism for pokistan.
Here I am thinking a Topi is a TOPI!1
But it is obviously not.
We have our topi and their topi.
Just like our lingayat and their lingayat.
Our gowada and their gowda
our Brahmin and their brahmin.
Each to its own
@AG
priceless…ur hints to RSS and nazism by providing links to pictures about the uniforms worn by nazi youth…just priceless!
BTW other organisations that wear shorts and caps as uniforms:
1. Bharat scouts and guides
2. NCC
Almost all our schools have shorts as unforms. at least until high school.
I am sure in your opinion, all these organisations are fascist/pro-nazi groups.
Prajwal,
What is the history behind it? Treat this as a historical/etymological question – no need to get so defensive :)
NCC and scouts and guides have uniforms, but they are not organizations which deal with religion or politics.
By themselves these uniforms would have no relevance, it is curious that a semi-political/religious organization has its followers dress up in khakhi knickers and belts and indulge in symbolism practised by nazi organizations of the past.
You didnt answer my question though – what caused these Hindu sons of the soil adopt a uniform which looks curiously like Hitler’s youth?
It’s funny how an organization (or its fellow travelers) which has strong opinions on how much leg women can show itself has a uniform that doesn’t cover much.
Why do women RSS members have to wear full body covering seeres? I’ll sign up to be a member if they too can wear chaddis or mini skirts of the same length. One thing though, they should have to shave their legs.
Is Amaresh Mishra posting here as AG? Because the logic used by AG is similar to Amaresh Mishra’s “since Mumbai attack terrorists were wearing saffron wrist band, they are Hindu terrorists”.
Khaki Shorts was the preferred uniform in the early 1900s for many voluntary service oriented organizations and not just the Nazis. The red cross, seva dal and even congress workers used to wear the Khaki shorts. RSS picked it from the zeitgeist of the times. Even sportsmen dueing those times used to wear baggy shorts.
Having said that, the Khaki cheddi worn by the RSS looks like an ancient relic and should be changed to something modern maybe some kind of sportswear. I do like Gokulam’s idea of Baggy shorts for girls. I would head for the nearest shaka if that happens.
@ Gokulam:
Yes, you can join with your family members.
Why do people find the RSS chaddi funny?….it’s a perfect attire for a bunch of useless, cowardly clowns!!…a cherry on the nose will complete the picture!!
Yeddy sure can decide which organisation he joins. But I dont know whether a CM can salute a flag other than the national flag as per constitution. Please enlighten me.
I will be happy if RSS comes out openly and joins the electoral mainstream instead of “advising” about younger leaders, not from Delhi 4 etc.etc. I saw the Babri victory structure 4 days before it was pulled down and i saw those four black Karpoori pillars coming out from the walls of centre gumabz. But it was not seen by ordinary Indian Muslims who should be educated about the past of Muslim conquests and looting of temples. It is here this conspiracy is sad for our nation.
We the aam juntha…. missed the wood for the trees.
The frivolous sartorial discussion on this board has completely ignored secular trend of accessories like Mont blancs, Vertus and rolexes.
captainjohann,
Tell us more about your experience.
I wish there were some of our actresses in khaki and white in the picture.
Yeddi once said that even God could not convince him that Kumaraswamy would deny him his turn at chiefministership; he once swore on God that his son was not a candidate for the Loksabha; recently he cried in public real tears because he had to let go of Karndlaje and BaLigaar for his own selfish ends; he bought an honourary doctorate in a most dishonourable way; he is one of our richest public servants. He leads the state. Above all, what we are seeing here is not a collective hallucination or a nightmare. If that were so, we could at least hope that we could wake up from our somnolent state.
My usual refrain: “I wish I believed in praying.”
Nice shoes! (Nice legs?)
Falling at the feet? Groping the calf!
The RSS have grown unaccustomed to customs.
Or is it custom served with half a heart?
Ban them? And? At whom shall we then laugh?
(Someone’s left who still stitches half-pants;
Like that!)
Maddy, if RSS allows women members to wear chaddis, both my wife and I will join the organization so people can look at our legs.
@ AG
I think kitapati has given a fair acceptable answer to the why the khakhi shorts.
to answer your other points:
Any group, irrespective of whether it deals with politics and religion or not hsa a right to set its own code of discipline which is where the uniform code and symbolism come into picture: It wasn’t only the nazi groups which followed the differences in symbolism. All the branches of the army do. The scouts have a spl flag and a spl greeting and a spl handshake.By symbolism, in this case, I assume u mean the RSS salute and the khaki shorts and belt. On one hand the “symbolisms” of the RSS can be compared to the Nazi use of the swastik and their uniforms(which by the way are more similar to the scouts and guides uniforms and the NCC uniforms than the RSS). On the other hand this can also be viewed as just an exclusive set of rules to maintain discipline among the ranks of the group.
Again, as you said one needs to look at history. But i would like to make a slight change to it and i.e. “relevant history”. For example the link you provided indicates that the Nazi (nationalist socialist) youth was started in 1923. What was Germany doing in 1923? It was still recovering from the defeat at the 1st world war! It was quite far away from the infamous holocaust and jew prosecution. If you want to look at the positives, they were instrumental in defying all the bans imposed after the first world war and thence ensuring the German technological progress. In other words they built up germany pretty much from scratch before prosecuting the jews. If one considers this history and not just the publicised holocause between the years 1936-1945, then the understanding of the group itself is a little different, isn’t it? I think we do the germans grave injustice by blindly referring to the nazi-crimes of the second world war. One needs to understand that no person is foolish enough to follow an extreme ideology without being convinced of the ideas presented in the ideology. And convincing ppl is not as easy as it appears, is it?
Lastly, I wonder if you read Hitler’s speech to the Nazi youth…again quoted from the same page u provided the link to:
“Regardless of whatever we create and do, we shall pass away, but in you, Germany will live on and when nothing is left of us you will have to hold up the banner which some time ago we lifted out of nothingness. And I know it cannot be otherwise because you are flesh of our flesh, blood of our blood, and your young minds are filled with the same will that dominates us. You cannot be but united with us. And when the great columns of our movement march victoriously through Germany today I know that you will join these columns. And we know that Germany is before us, Germany is within us, and Germany follows behind us.”
In this quote, there is no reference to race or religion or caste and hence is deemed secular and can be made at any gathering even in india but only after replacing the word “Germany” by “India”. Now, read it with the suggested replacement and then tell me honestly, if this speech was made by a leader in our schools/in our public gatherings to a serious audience, would this infuse our youngsters with “patriotic enthusiasm” or not? Will the zeal to develop India in the future arise or not? I’m pretty sure that the answer is yes, if it is yes indeed, does that mean we are all nazis?
p.s. Do go thru the link u posted. It shows indicates quite a few plus points such as competition, physical fitness…winter aid (Winter in germany is pretty bad with winter clothing, so its only fair to assume it was worse during the time of the depression and the time after the 1st world war!)
Competition and physical fitness are also promoted in our homes and schools, i wonder if that makes all our kids who wear khaki or otherwise coloured shorts as uniforms nazi youth!
and best part! hitler rose to power by democratic means! So let us abandon democracy! we do not want another hitler, do we?
p.s. Do go thru the link u posted. It shows indicates quite a few plus points such as competition, physical fitness…winter aid (Winter in germany is pretty bad with winter clothing, so its only fair to assume it was worse during the time of the depression and the time after the 1st world war!)
Competition and physical fitness are also promoted in our homes and schools, i wonder if that makes all our kids who wear khaki or otherwise coloured shorts as uniforms nazi youth!
and best part! hitler rose to power by democratic means! So let us abandon democracy! we do not want another hitler, do we?
and best part! hitler rose to power by democratic means! So let us abandon democracy! we do not want another hitler, do we?
This CM can touch the feet of any one he likes. The Congress minions do that almost everyday prostrating at the feet of a woman from Turin who wields power in India. Haven’t heard in any foreign lands this happening. She could have beome a PM/President. Any way, I don’t live in India and am amused by this prattle. I was once introduced to Shankara Sakha in Mysore and the Sakha members coming to fetch me next time drove my father a Congress voter up the wall. Their invocation “Namaste Sada Vatsale…” was ( is?!!) was beautifully constrcuted and that was my attraction. But I did not join the Sakha as I could not spare my time and could not travel.
I have seen many police officers in 1950s wearing chaddis, and in Tamil Nadu even senior police officers were wearing chaddis in my younger days when I used to visit my relatives. Yeddi with cheddi, that is hilarious.
As for the Constitution, It has been amended umpteen times and many secular countries in the West has been exploited by extremist muslims.
Anyway nice cheddi photographs!! Secular India joins Islamic conferences which attracts fundamentalist Islamic countries, some secularism indeed!!
I do not understand the caption query “Who does the chief minister owe allegiance to?”. Of course as a Chief Minister He is bound by Constitutional; obligations. But as an individual He is free to be a part of any organisation or a family of His choice just as Congressmen, DMK, Janatadal (S) , BSP, SS, NC, AIDMK or BJD etc devoted to one family . Churimuri seems to be turning to Secular.
By the way what is wrong in to be a member of RSS or wearing Shorts? If you know about RSS you will know that RSS is the only Social Organisation which does not ask you about your Caste, Creed or Social status.
We need to judge a politician by his character and performance and not by his allegiance. RSS is a noble organization that has done more work for social cause than all the christian missionaries combined. Even more than the government itself. Just visit your nearest RSS office and ask them for details. Pick any ,the 1,86,000 projects that RSS has done and you go and find if there is any truth in that. Most of the beneficiaries of these projects do not know that it is RSS that is behind the mission. So, stop your criticism against RSS. Either you be part of the stream and work for the needy through Seva or shut up. People who blame RSS for their ideology forget that if not for RSS, this country would be under America or some western country by now.