It is typical for upstarts and social climbers to drop names, believing that doing so will guarantee acceptance in “high society”. However, this behavior actually leads to ridicule and contempt. Similarly, the recent attempts by the Sangh Parivar to appropriate the idols of Gandhi, Ambedkar, and Subhas Chandra Bose are bound to fail. All three of these figures despised the Sangh Parivar.
Let’s start with Gandhi. The Sangh Parivar’s current stance on Gandhi should not be overlooked by any serious student of public affairs. While there were occasional references in the past, the recent enthusiasm for Gandhi is sudden, orchestrated, and motivated. A speech by RSS supremo Rajendra Singh in 1997 exemplifies this. He starts off paying homage to Rama and praising Mahatma Gandhi, but quickly shifts to un-Gandhian themes. The focus remains on Hedgewar and Ayodhya. The campaign to appropriate Gandhi’s legacy started on Gandhi’s birth anniversary in 1997 and aimed to reach its peak on the 50th anniversary of his assassination.
The Sangh Parivar has made efforts to associate itself with Gandhi in the past. For example, during BJP president L.K. Advani’s Swarna Jayanthi Rath Yatra in 1997, rare qualities were attributed to Gandhi. However, there was no mention of Gandhian teachings in the BJP’s training camp. These recent attempts to align with Gandhi are neither genuine nor spontaneous. The motives behind these efforts are clear. The Sangh Parivar benefitted from the Partition of India, but Gandhi’s assassination halted their progress. The wounds caused by this event have not yet healed. It took the RSS-BJP 30 years to gain some respectability, thanks to the Emergency, and 40 years to come close to acquiring power. The Ayodhya campaign played a crucial role in their rise, but the demolition of the Babri Masjid caused a setback. Despite claiming the Gandhian heritage, there is no sign of penitent conduct or any effort to rectify the damage done.
In recent years, evidence of the RSS’ connection to Gandhi’s assassination has emerged. Gopal Godse, the brother of Nathuram Godse (Gandhi’s assassin), revealed in his book published in 1993 that they were both active members of the RSS. In an interview, Gopal Godse angrily refuted Advani’s attempts to disassociate Nathuram from the RSS. The RSS mouthpiece, Organiser, has also made statements in the past that showed a lack of respect for Gandhi. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya, a prominent figure in the RSS, even suggested that calling Gandhi the “Father of the Nation” was incorrect and that Hinduism was the true basis of nationalism.
This is not the first time that the Sangh Parivar has invoked Gandhi’s name to hide their politics while rejecting his principles. Attempts have been made in the past to use Gandhi’s quotes to support their stance on the Ayodhya issue. However, these attempts have been debunked and proven to be lies. It is important to note that Gandhi’s true beliefs and values are in opposition to the Sangh Parivar’s ideology.
In conclusion, the recent attempts by the Sangh Parivar to appropriate the idols of Gandhi, Ambedkar, and Subhas Chandra Bose are insincere and orchestrated. They are motivated by political motives and contradict the beliefs and values of these figures. The Sangh Parivar’s history of rejecting and opposing Gandhi further exposes their insincerity in trying to align with him.