Mohan Bhagwat’s remarks a sign of inclusive policy: RSS insiders

NAGPUR: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat’s recent remarks in Pune where he spoke about a reconciliation with the past and steering clear of raking new disputes on the existence of temples and mosques showcases the outfit’s move towards an inclusive and progressive organisation, senior functionaries said on Saturday.

Bhagwat’s statements are also being seen as advocating interfaith harmony in an effort to counter the perception of the RSS as a rigid, hard-line Hindu organisation, said the people cited above.

A senior RSS functionary, who sought anonymity, pointed out that Bhagwat has been consistent with his approach – he urged restraint during the Gyanvapi mosque controversy in Uttar Pradesh, stating there was no need to constantly search for Shivlings or Hindu symbols in mosques, as it only stokes unnecessary tension.

Similarly, in a June 2022 event in Nagpur, Bhagwat declared that the RSS had no interest in launching new agitations after the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, indirectly dismissing the need to push for the “liberation” of Kashi and Mathura temples, where mosques exist alongside.

Explaining Bhagwat’s approach, an RSS member associated with the Rashtriya Muslim Manch, an organisation aimed at fostering Hindu-Muslim unity, highlighted that the Sangh chief has dismissed some of the views in the outfit’s foundational text, Bunch of Thoughts, by MS Golwalkar. Bhagwat described the book as a product of its time, stating that the Sangh evolves with changing circumstances and does not see Muslims as “unwanted”. He emphasised that the RSS does not uphold Golwalkar’s classification of Muslims, Christians and Communists as “internal enemies”.

The RSS member HT spoke to also noted the removal of Pravin Togadia from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s leadership when he adopted a hard-line stance contrary to the Sangh’s broader agenda.

Dilip Deodhar, a long-time RSS observer, attributed such shifts to Bhagwat’s adaptive leadership, including symbolic reforms such as replacing the RSS’s khaki shorts with full-length trousers to modernise its image.

Under Bhagwat’s leadership, the RSS has actively sought dialogue with liberal Muslims to foster communal harmony. He was instrumental in setting up the Rashtriya Muslim Manch when he was general secretary of the RSS in 2002 and after the Gujarat riots, aiming to bridge the divide between the Hindu and Muslim communities. Bhagwat’s vision, according to Deodhar, has steered the Sangh towards becoming a more inclusive organisation.

A senior RSS functionary, who once worked in the north-east region, and did not wish to be identified, noted that Bhagwat’s progressive ideas extend beyond religious issues. He has advocated for women’s empowerment, stressing their freedom to work and urged men to change their mindset. During a Vijayadashami function some years ago, he had said, “Until women’s equal participation in the workforce is ensured, efforts aimed at the progress of the country will not be successful”.

To that end, he comes across as the first sarsanghchalak who has defied his predecessors, the RSS functionary noted.

Bhagwat has also challenged the caste system, declaring it outdated and emphasising that social equality is intrinsic to Indian traditions. He called caste divisions man-made, not divinely ordained. The RSS, under his leadership, has initiated projects since 2017 to promote unity among Hindus in rural areas, including the establishment of shared spaces like temples, wells and cremation grounds to reduce caste-based divisions.

“Reconciliation must happen within society, not through courts, as legal disputes can perpetuate cycles of contention,” an RSS leader in Nagpur emphasised and pointed out that the outfit made it clear that it would not push for the “liberation” of Kashi and Mathura temples, where mosques exist alongside, even as the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad passed a resolution at a meeting in Prayagraj that it would take up the issue.