Why Gandhi Failed and RSS won
Gandhiji active involvement in Congress In India & founding of RSS
has happened almost in the same time line in early 20th Century.
Now almost looking at this after a century in 2023, on the 75th year of
Gandhiji's physical disappearance, we find that RSS is still a functioning
organisation, whereas all that founded by Gandhiji are in archives, monuments,
libraries or have become historical references.
Gandhi's larger than life image could not continue in the same vitality
with which Gandhi propagated his thoughts.
How many of the Gandhi ashrams are functioning today with inmates living
as lived by him ??
There are people still alive who loved to be called Gandhians and try to
hold on to core values that were closed to Gandhi but are they able to lead
simple frugal life as envisioned by Gandhi Ji ????
Everyone in India knows about Mohandass Karamchand Gandhi (MKG), whereas
most of us does not even know RSS founder Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar.
MKG made a cult image of himself. He is revered as one rare human being,
who cannot be followed in day today life, whereas we could still see millions
of RSS workers in every nook and corners of India.
Gandhiji's contemporary and long time friend and Poet Sarojini Naidu
made this famous statement about MKG " If Only Bapu knew the cost
of setting him up in poverty !!" which means Congress or
some other organisation was spending more to make Gandhi believe he was leading
a simple life.
The simple way of life which Gandhi wanted to follow had to be done at a
high cost to the organisation. The main reason is most of them around seems to
have believed simplicity is meant only for MKG and the fellow congress leaders
paraded him half naked around India as a fashion statement.
MKG seems to have wondered How RSS was able to be keep cost of food so
low whereas Congress couldn’t achieve it?? Mainly in RSS the functionaries
themselves were involved in every part of activity including cooking, cleaning
and washing etc...
It is interesting to read the conversation between MKG and RSS founder
Dr. Hedgewar, where Gandhiji questions Dr Ji on why he quit Congress and what
was the need for RSS ?? to this Dr Ji replies that in Congress the workers are
meant to arrange chairs and clean the places, whereas in RSS all Swayam sevaks
are Nation builders, and are continuously trained in the service of the nation.
Though Gandhi led by example to clean the toilets himself but for other
Congress leaders it was just a token service when they have to be in company of
Bapu. There were few exceptions who were more Gandhian than Gandhi himself like
Acharya Vinoba Bhave, JC Kumarappa , Rajaji etc...
Full excerpts of the conversation between Gandhiji and Doctor Ji is in
this link :
https://organiser.org/2021/10/02/19165/bharat/mahatma-gandhi-s-tryst-with-dr-keshav-baliram-hedgewar-at-wardha-in-1934/
MKG could keep lofty ideals but he found it difficult to put in to
practice by his followers. That's why he would have preferred to disband the
congress rather than continuing with personalities with different ideologies
under one roof.
Whereas look at RSS, nearing 98 years of existence, has several
volunteered bachelors who have dedicated their life for the Nation. First and
fore most reason RSS is still thriving because it is not individual based
ideology, The Saffron flag is the guiding leader or symbol and every RSS member
is trained to take their pledge for the nation in front of the flag.
1. Every Swayam sevak is the sevak ( worker ) of the nation and not for
any individuals
2. Every sevak will go for service in any emergency in any part of India
at their own cost without expecting any reimbursement or travelling allowances.
In today's India, no political party is able to bring crowds to their political
meetings without paying money and liquor. RSS functionaries’ house will give
food to any number of swayam sevaks when they are in service. Even Indian
army had utilised the services of RSS during 1965 war.
3. No propaganda is being done for the services done by RSS workers and
they have been trained to do their duty without expecting anything in Return.
This is most significant quality which cannot be expected even from salary paid
employees.
4. No discrimination is seen in any RSS meetings and People from even
high social & economic status are doing their services with the Minimum or
no facilities too.
5. All RSS volunteers are trained in Physical exercises and Yoga to keep
them ever fit and be available for any service.
6. RSS volunteers are regularly given training and based on each
person's strength, different role in organisation is being assigned.
7. In majority of the service activities Cash transactions are avoided
and all help are mobilized through supplies in Kind. Every money collected is
accounted.
No other organisation In India is having such a dedicated team
volunteers working in every districts in India with a well-oiled
mechanism.
Vision of Dr Hedgewar is to pass on the Baton to the subsequent
generations as a service to the Mother Land. This vision and mission is unparalleled
and it is the area where stalwarts like Gandhiji, Rajaji, Netaji & Patel ji
failed in creating a institution which can continuously work for generations.
Once the Charismatic Individual departs the ideology followed by that person
dissipates with him.
In India, because of RSS, many off shoots have taken shape like BJP –
political party, Vishwa Hindu Parishad – a Hindu service organisation and many
more outfits with a consistent supply chain from the mother organisation. At present,
no other organisation has this kind of system to churn out leaders from all
strata of society. A chai wallah from a indiscreet Railway station can become
Prime Minister of the Nation and leave the seat whenever he is asked to do so.
Unmarried man like Atal Behari Vajpayee, Practicing Bachelor like Narendra
Modi, Sanyasi like Yogi adityanath are those trained in RSS culture and there
are also family men Like LK Advani, Amit Shah who had their roots strengthened
by their parent organisation. There were many more leaders and in future
too if same system is able to sustain, RSS will be able to mold more
generations to come. Most important aspect is none of the leaders from RSS back
ground are not wedded to any position. If Parent organisation wants an elder
leader to give way for new leader, without a murmur the transition is
happening. Even BJP may not be as consistent as RSS, as BJP is taking many
Non-RSS trained politicians from outside the frame work. Once upon a time
Indian Communist parties had a huge cadre base to do ground work but that
organisation has lost the steam due to ideological vacuum.
Even the China’s communist party, which is in power for longer number of
years in China, is not having great prospect in future as their fundamental
ideology of communism had shifted to capitalism and stifling the voices of the
cadre, the party has lost touch with the ground level comrade on the streets.
On this day of remembering Mahatma Gandhi, it would have been nice if he
too had a vision for a century like Dr Hedgewar and developed a system to
continuously train future generations. Indian democracy would have been more
vibrant with two strong organisations. Name only inherited Shri. Rahul Gandhi
has taken an important step in his life to walk the length and breadth of India
this year. Hopefully he could see the ground realities in closer quarters and
make efforts to build a new organisation, which can really work for the welfare
of the nation.
There are many political organisations who can simply tease RSS workers
as “Sanghi” and disrespect them on outside. But heart of heart, every leader
wants such a dedicated bunch of workers – karya kartas. But most of the
political party leaders are short sighted in nature and working mainly for
immediate short term material gains of money, power, name & fame cannot
expect their party workers to be loyal, honest and dedicated to the country or
nation or to the party. RSS as an organisation wants all its followers to see
the Sun Rise everyday but never can expect their SONS TO RISE to their position
which cannot be warmed for decades.
On this Martyr’s day, it will be right to remember all those karma
yogis, who worked in the grass root level without getting any name or fame only
for the love for the nation and its rich cultural heritage and carried the
vision of the Leader even after a century.
This nation has a charm
of churning out wide variety of human beings. Beauty lies in unity in this
diversity for making this nation enable every aspect of life is enriched not
Just Human beings.
Jai Hind .
Post script on 2nd Feb 2023 :
1. Some people perceive this article is anti- Gandhi as it spells certain pit falls in the life of Gandhiji. But the author aim is bring out the reason for successfully running an organisation even for 100 years. Analysis is to bring out the fundamental model behind this success.
2. What made the author write this article is the visit to MAHATMA GANDHI INSTITUTE FOR RURAL INDUSTRIALIZATION (MGIRI), Wardha near Nagpur, Maharashtra few years ago. Gandhiji's wardha ashram is near by. The institute other than the name does not talk about the Village autonomy or self reliance which Gandhi cared for. The inventions are not taken to many villages across India and not many of the staffs are made aware of Gandhiji's vision for Rural development. How many villages became self reliant after this institute came in to existence ? Answers are awaited.
3. Even with Wardha ashram , Sabarmathi Ashram - they are maintained like a museum or place of tourist attraction, whereas real success would have been, ashrams should have been full of Gandhis & Kasturi bas still functioning. But that is not the case. Whereas RSS has been active since 1925 and has a developed a successful model for organisation & Nation Building. So this article aims to bring this fact to the attention of all organisations who want to build a team with long term objective.
Sakritease
சகிருட்டிஸ்
30 ஜனவரி 2023 January 2023
