From untouchability to population policy, how Mohan Bhagwat mapped road ahead for RSS and Bharat

Vijayadashami happens to be the foundation day of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. Programmes to celebrate the foundation day are organised all over Bharat. The main function and annual speech is held at the headquarters in Nagpur and addressed by RSS chief. This is happening uninterrupted since the formation of the Sangh, except for the ban periods. This speech is considered to be the guiding principle for the coming year for the followers and swayamsewaks (volunteers). The present sarsanghchaalak (chief of RSS) Mohan Bhagwat covered a lot of issues in his speech. In his opening remark he put to rest the discussion regarding women’s participation in Sangh, giving instances when women participated as chief guests in various Sangh programmes. He spoke at length about the inner strength of our society and government actions about bringing the changes. Sangh works for strengthening and organising society, it believes that changes can only happen if the society acts collectively. The governments can only provide a conducive environment, but society ultimately has to transform itself. The government cannot effectively bring in change if society doesn’t act, he said. Bhagwat said, “Without the strong involvement of society, no noble work or transformation can be stable and successful; this has been a universal experience. A good system cannot be implemented if people are not prepared for it or if they do not accept it. World over, all big and long-lasting transformations have been preceded by social awakening, thereafter systemic and administrative changes have followed.” Another issue that he touched upon was the inherited unity of the people of our country which is reflected in our Constitution too. “Our Constitution engineered political and economic equality but without social equity, real and stable transformation is not possible. Such a cautionary advice was given given to us by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar,” the sarsanghchaalak said. He emphasised the need for common temples, water sources and cremation ground. Sangh’s approach towards the issue of untouchability in society has remained unchanged since its inception as it debunks any kind of caste discrimination. The second Sarsangchaalak Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar “Shri Guru ji" was instrumental in the formation of Vishwa Hindu Parishad. He brought all the Shankaracharyas on one platform and convinced them to issue a statement condemning untouchability. Third Sarsanghchaalak of RSS Balasaheb Deoras while delivering his landmark speech during Vasant vyakhyan mala in Pune in 1970s said, “Untouchability should go lock, stock and barrel.” Bhagwat also applauded the role of society and various NGOs in providing jobs and livelihood for the displaced due to COVID in their native districts by providing them skill development that suits local needs including agriculture. Another important point raised during his speech is about the population and need to have a population policy. No country in the world has unlimited resources to feed unchecked population growth. Giving the example of China, he cautioned against the imbalance caused due to implementation of faulty population policy. Now China has reversed its policy of ‘One Child’ to maintain the population balance. “Similarly, we are the youngest country with around 57 crore youth population. Fifty years down the line this youth will become senior citizens and kind of health and other resources required then are to be planned today. Land mass and other natural resources are limited and can’t be increased. Last population policy formed in year 2000 targeted a Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of 2.1 and it has been successful in bringing it down to 2.0. The number of children is also linked with maternal health, education, environment and financial status. Nuclear families being formed are also posing challenges for the all round development of the children. Families are facing a sense of insecurity, social tensions and loneliness. This in turn is effecting the family system of our society. Our country have also witnessed a division 75 years ago due to population imbalance. Population imbalances have also been instrumental in changing the globe. Three new countries East Timor, South Sudan and Kosovo have been formed. RSS have earlier passed a resolution also in its ABKM in year 2004, its second highest decision making body, regarding the formation of population policy. A new population policy keeping all these points in view is the need of hour,” Bhagwat said. Arun Anand, an author of several books on the RSS has an interesting take on the RSS’ stand on religious demography. He wrote in The Print, “The issue of religious demography has been discussed within the RSS for decades and its views have evolved over the years. And this evolution can be broadly divided into two periods. The first was from 1947-2005, when the Sangh was basically focused on the threat posed by the religious conversions of Hindus in India into Islam and Christianity. The second phase began in 2005 when the Chennai-based Centre for Policy Studies (CPS) published a report Religious Demography of India. It analysed the Census 2001 data from the perspective of changing religious demography.The report pushed the debate on India’s demography onto a bigger canvas, with the growth rate of Muslim and Christian population coming into focus. The data-based study of the population growth pattern of the previous 110 years “predicted that the adherents of Indic religions will become a minority in India by the year 2061”.” It is clear that the Sarsanghchalak carrying forward the unchanged tradition of Sangh for 97 years has reiterated the all-inclusive worldview of the RSS and re-emphasising that it the society that can transform itself so we must act now and act collectively as a society to take Bharat forward to its well-deserved place as ‘Vishwa Guru’. The writer is an independent commentator. Views are personal.   – regards