The mission of Hindu consolidation seems to be complete for the RSS-BJP combine as the ideological fountain head of the BJP and the party itself are now concentrating on broader political and social consolidation.
Even as the RSS is reaching out to non-Hindu communities like Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains, the BJP seems to be working overtime to get its old allies back to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Over the past five years, things have changed for both the RSS and the BJP as they are now looking to build a full “anti-Congress force” in India by engineering a rainbow coalition of socialist parties in states and several non-Hindu but ‘likeminded’ communities, a senior RSS functionary said, explaining the new trend.
By organising a Jain convention to observe the Maha Nirvan of Mahaveer in Delhi on Monday, the RSS made its stand clear. The Sangh has brought the Jain monks of several sects of Jainism to a single platform and the monks lauded the RSS efforts to “bring the communities together in the name of Ram”.
The RSS reaching out to Jains, Buddhists and Sikhs, and the BJP making parallel efforts to bring all its disgruntled constituents, including JD(U), TDP, Akali Dal and RLD, back to the NDA fold shows that the Right-wing ecosystem is currently working on an absolute consolidation of a larger force in India that is anti-Congress and anti-Left.
Nationalist Narrative of ‘Hum Sab Hindu Hain’
On February 12, while addressing the Kalyanak Mahotsav of Jains, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat expressed that the Sangh volunteers recite the ‘Ekatma Stotra’, which includes the words of the saints from Vedas, Puranas, Upanishads, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Gita, Jain Granth, Buddhist Tripitaka and Guru Granth Sahib, and hence, it is the best source of knowledge in Bharat. He also mentioned that the syllabus for RSS-run shakhas (weekly or daily training programmes) has included chapters on Jainism and Buddhism.
He further said that everyone in the world wants the truth that gives eternal happiness, but the difference between the world and India is that the world stopped after searching it outside. However, after searching outside, Indians started searching the same within, and eventually reached the ultimate truth, he said. Bhagwat also mentioned that the rituals Jains and Buddhists follow are not much different from what the Hindus follow and observe.
“The way of worship can be different, but many of our rituals are the same. The culture and tradition we belong to is of Hindustan. Our ancestors are same. We started from the same location and we are destined to reach the same point. Our paths can be different. This is how we say that all of us are Hindus. It is a cultural connection. Hum sab Hindu hain,” added Bhagwat.
The RSS and the VHP, the organisations that worked on the consecration ceremony of Lord Ram in Ayodhya last month invited seers and monks from all communities, including Jains, Buddhists and Nagas.
Talking to News18, a senior RSS functionary said that the Sangh is open to all non-Hindu communities which are “nationalist” in nature. During the Jain convention, senior RSS functionaries called Jains “nationalists” too.
Creating a Caste Coalition
For the RSS and the BJP combine, the narrative of different castes and divisions has always been a bad idea both politically and socially, said another senior RSS functionary. “We have faced conversions from Hinduism to Islam and to Christianity due to the caste divides our society had. We paid a price. If we need to put our folks back together, we have to approach all non-Hindu communities which are willing to bond with us over the idea of nationalism.”
“Our outreach programmes have been going on for over three to four years now. We are seeing results now. Not only the Christians, Jains or Buddhists, but the Muslims have also responded to us in a positive way. We are working on an all-faith and all-caste coalition based on our tradition and culture. This is the idea of Akhand Bharat we are working on,” he added.
Referring to the results of the Assembly elections in four states last year, he added that people have stopped responding to the “divisive” ideas of the Congress and did not fall for the ‘caste survey’ and ‘rights for the OBCs narrative’. “That is our win,” he said.
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