Opinion Breivik and RSS

There is now growing realisation that multiculturalism—the notion that the best way to promote integration is by allowing immigrant communities the freedom to practice their own faiths,cultures and customs—is not working. Germany’s Angela Merkel,France’s Nicholas Sarkozy,Britain’s James Cameron and scores of other politicians and intellectuals have all acknowledged it. Can they be called racists simply because they have spoken the bitter truth? Nor can the Norway massacre mask another related aspect of the problem—the hypocrisy and double-standards practiced by Muslim countries in respect of multiculturalism,secularism and religious freedom. Why don’t Muslim nations grant the same religious freedom and cultural rights to non-Muslims,which Muslims demand—and it’s a justifiable demand—when they migrate to Europe,America and elsewhere? Is Saudi Arabia,land of Mecca,willing to practice multiculturalism? Its sheikhs have no qualms about wallowing in luxury by exploiting the sweat and blood of hundreds of thousands of non-Muslim workers from different countries,but,unlike in Norway,Denmark,Germany,Britain,USA or Canada,none of these workers can follow their faith and culture publicly without facing punishment or expulsion. Claiming citizenship rights is,of course,unthinkable. Muslim immigrants can gather every Friday in the streets of Paris and New York to pray,but non-Muslims cannot celebrate even Diwali or Christmas publicly in Saudi Arabia. This shocking state of theologically and constitutionally sanctioned discrimination exists,to a lesser extent,in many other Muslim countries. If Muslim societies refuse to treat non-Muslims in their midst in the same honourable way that they would like Muslims to be treated in non-Muslim societies,our world,which is far more inter-connected and inter-dependent than ever before, is bound to witness more tragedies in the future.

As a Hindu,I have been provoked by Breivik’s evil act to do considerable soul-searching,especially since his manifesto makes some approving references to Hindutva,as he has (wrongly) understood it. It may suit the narrow political and personal agendas of some Congress politicians in India to use the Norway incident to further defame the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for its espousal of Hindutva. But Hindutva,in its proper sense,has no place for hatred for non-Hindu faiths. RSS certainly has many shortcomings in the articulation of its vision and in its practical activities. However,based on my understanding of,and contact with,the organisation (of which I remain a critical admirer),I affirm that it can never condone Breivik’s devilish deed. It has indeed categorically condemned his barbaric action.

Dragging the name of RSS in the context of acts of terror committed in recent years by some Hindu extremists is motivated by the UPA government’s political considerations. Investigative agencies,acting under the diktat of their political bosses,have falsely linked its senior functionary,Indresh Kumar,to these terrorist acts. I have worked very closely with the RSS-sponsored Muslim Rashtriya Manch,which Indreshji guided. Having seen his passion and genuine efforts for the cause of Hindu-Muslim amity—I always used to wonder why his work was not adopted by the entire RSS organisation—I feel morally obliged to vouch for his integrity and innocence.

In the context of the debate on Breivik,critics of the RSS would do well to read a candid and thought-provoking address that Justice KT Thomas,a former Supreme Court judge,delivered in Kochi last week. Speaking as chief guest at the “Guru Pooja’ function of the RSS,in the presence of its chief Mohan Bhagwat,Thomas said,“I am a church going Christian…(But) the propaganda that the RSS is anti-minority is a baseless propaganda.”

The relentless slander of the RSS by the Congress party’s functionaries must stop. At the same time,the RSS also must self-critically examine why most non-Hindus,and many Hindus too,remain sceptical about its vision. For example,Dr Subramanian Swamy,a Hindu ideologue who is close to the RSS,has recently argued that non-Hindus who refuse to acknowledge that their ancestors were Hindus should not have voting rights. RSS (and BJP) leaders must slam this indefensible and unconstitutional talk. It’s time RSS affirmed that India’s way of achieving national integration,for which our country is globally admired,is through our culture of tolerance,mutual respect,nonviolence and other universal human values.

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