Skip to main content

Modi model, Hindutva icon 'justified' alliance with Muslim League before Independence

By Shamsul Islam* 
Our PM describes himself as ‘Hindu’ nationalist and member of RSS. He proudly shares the fact that he was groomed to be a political leader by one of the two fathers of the Hindutva politics, MS Golwalkar (the other being VD Savarkar) and given the task of establishing Hindutva polity in India after eradicating secularism.
PM Modi in the eyes of Hindutva bigots represents the resurgent Hinduism and defender of Hindu nationalism against its enemies. The pre-Independence Muslim League led by MA Jinnah is a favourite punching bag for him which also helps him in spreading hatred against Indian Muslims. In any election PM takes the form of a relentless warrior against Muslim separatism.
Reacting to the release of Indian National Congress’ manifesto for the forthcoming parliamentary elections in an election rally in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh (which has a substantial population of Muslims and history of religious polarization) he declared that “The manifesto of the Congress ... shows that it cannot fulfill the aspirations of the country. The Congress manifesto has the imprint of the policies of the Muslim League before Independence”.
Modi as a leader and ideologue of Hindutva can be forgiven for indulging in blatant lies (RSS is the biggest Gurukul or university in the world which trains manufacturing-speaking lies) but not as PM of India.
In any accountable democracy he would have been charged for perjury and forced to step down. But in the present scenario when the regulator of Indian elections, Election Commission of India is more an appendage of the ruling party only people of India can teach a lesson to such a lies.
Let us get familiar with the Hindutva archives to know, who were the real pals of the Muslim League in the pre-Independent India.

Savarkar as the originator of two-nation theory

Savarkar, one of the originators of the politics of Hindutva was the Hindu nationalist who developed the most elaborate two-nation theory. The fact should not be missed that Muslim League passed its Pakistan resolution in March 1940 only but Savarkar, the great philosopher and guide of RSS, propagated the Two-nation theory long before it. While delivering the presidential address to the 19th session Hindu Mahasabha at Ahmedabad in 1937, Savarkar declared unequivocally,
"As it is, there are two antagonistic nations living side by side in India. Several infantile politicians commit the serious mistake in supposing that India is already welded into a harmonious nation, or that it could be welded thus for the mere wish to do so. These our well-meaning but unthinking friends take their dreams for realities. 
"That is why they are impatient of communal tangles and attribute them to communal organizations...Let us bravely face unpleasant facts as they are. India cannot be assumed today to be a Unitarian and homogenous nation, but on the contrary there are two nations in the main: the Hindus and the Moslems, in India." [Savarkar, VD, “Samagar Savarkar Wangmaya” (Collected Works of Savarkar), vol. 6, Hindu Mahasabha, Poona, 1963, p.296.]

RSS as practitioner of two-nation theory

The RSS, following into the footsteps of Savarkar, rejected out rightly the idea that Hindus and Muslims together constituted a nation. The English organ of the RSS, “Organiser”, on the very eve of Independence (August 14, 1947) editorially chalked out its concept of nation in the following words:
"Let us no longer allow ourselves to be influenced by false notions of nationhood. Much of the mental confusion and the present and future troubles can be removed by the ready recognition of the simple fact that in Hindusthan only the Hindus form the nation and the national structure must be built on that safe and sound foundation… the nation itself must be built up of Hindus, on Hindu traditions, culture, ideas and aspirations."

Dr Ambedkar on Hindu Mahasabha and Muslim League collusion

Dr BR Ambedkar, a keen researcher of the communal politics in pre-independence India, while underlying the affinity and camaraderie between Hindu Mahasabha and Muslim League on the issue of the two-nation theory wrote:
"Strange it may appear, Mr Savarkar and Mr Jinnah instead of being opposed to each other on the one nation versus two nations issue are in complete agreement about it. Both agree, not only agree but insist that there are two nations in India -- one the Muslim nation and the other Hindu nation." [BR Ambedkar, “Pakistan or the Partition of India”, Govt of Maharashtra, Bombay, 1990 (Reprint of 1940 edition), p. 142.]

Hindu Mahasabha led by Savarkar ran coalition governments with Muslim League

The children of Hindu nationalist Savarkar, ruling India presently are oblivious of the shocking fact that Hindu Mahasabha led by Savarkar entered into alliances with the Muslim League in order to break the united freedom struggle, especially the 1942 Quit India Movement, against the British rulers. While delivering Presidential address to the 24th session of Hindu Mahasabha at Cawnpore (Kanpur) in 1942, he defended hobnobbing with the Muslim League in the following words:
"In practical politics also the Mahasabha knows that we must advance through reasonable compromises. Witness the fact that only recently in Sind, the Sind-Hindu-Sabha on invitation had taken the responsibility of joining hands with the League itself in running coalition government. The case of Bengal is well known. 
"Wild Leaguers whom even the Congress with all its submissiveness could not placate grew quite reasonably compromising and socialable as soon as they came in contact with the Hindu Mahasabha and the Coalition Government, under the premiership of Mr Fazlul Huq and the able lead of our esteemed Mahasabha leader Dr Syama Prasad Mookerji, functioned successfully for a year or so to the benefit of both the communities. 
"Moreover further events also proved demonstratively that the Hindu Mahasabhaits endeavoured to capture the centres of political power only in the public interests and not for the leaves and fishes of the office. Hindu Mahasabha and Muslim League also ran coalition governments in Sind and North-Western Frontier Province.” [Savarkar, VD, “Samagar Savarkar Wangmaya” (Collected Works of Savarkar), vol. 6, Hindu Mahasabha, Poona, 1963, pp. 479-480.]
It is tragedy of this nation that a person occupying the Prime Minister’s office resorts to brazen lies learnt in RSS shakhas and boudhik shivirs (ideological training camps) which even Hindutva archives does not corroborate. He is betraying the honour, prestige and decorum of the office. The nation must request PM Modi that if he wants to act as a cadre of RSS he should resign from the office and take a seat in the hierarchy of RSS.
---
*Formerly in Delhi University, click here for Prof Islam's writings and video interviews/debates and here for books. Facebook: https://facebook.com/shamsul.islam.332; Twitter: @shamsforjustice. Blog: http://shamsforpeace.blogspot.com/

Comments

Post a Comment

TRENDING

RG Kar saga: Towards liberation from the constraints of rigid political parties?

By Atanu Roy*  There's a saying: "There is no such thing as a half-pregnancy." This adage seems particularly relevant when discussing the current regime of the Trinamool Congress (TMC). The party appears to be entrenched in widespread corruption that affects nearly every aspect of our lives. One must wonder, why would they exclude the health sector—a lucrative area where illicit money can flow freely, thanks to a network of corrupt leaders colluding with ambitious bureaucrats? 
Post a Comment
Read more

India's 55.6% still can't afford healthy diet, yet food wastage a serious issue

By Vikas Meshram  According to this year's 'State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World' report, India has the highest number of malnourished people in the world, with a staggering 195 million affected. This report, prepared by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, was published jointly by five UN agencies, including UNICEF. The report also highlights a slight improvement in India's statistics: between 2004-06, the number of malnourished people in the country was 240 million. 
Post a Comment
Read more

TU activist Anirudh Rajan, lawyer Ajay Kumar in custody: Wounded reputation of world's largest democracy?

By Vedika S*  Over the last few days, India's National Investigation Agency (NIA), known to be tasked with suppressing revolutionary, democratic, and progressive forces, conducted a series of raids across Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi. Targets included human rights attorney Pankaj Tripathi, student leader Devendra Azad, and peasant union leader Sukhwinder Kaur. Lawyer and anti-displacement activist Ajay Kumar was arrested and taken to his home in Mohali, which was subsequently raided. He is now imprisoned in Lucknow as a suspect in the NIA's "Northern Regional Bureau (NRB) Revival case." 
Post a Comment
Read more

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah*   The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual. 
26 comments
Read more

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.
58 comments
Read more

Damaging signal sent to various levels of judiciary? Modi at religious function at CJI's residence

Counterview Desk  The civil rights group, National Alliance for Justice, Accountability and Rights (NAJAR), has expressed its "grave concern" over the Prime Minister’s recent presence at a religious event at the Chief Justice of India's residence, underlining, "Independence of Judiciary from Executive must be ensured in all circumstances".
Post a Comment
Read more

Impact of global warming? Asia's 61% population 'deprived of clean water'

By Vikas Meshram*  A recent study from Utrecht University in the Netherlands warns that climate change and socio-economic transformations will exacerbate water scarcity, disproportionately affecting populations in South Asian countries. Human beings require clean water for drinking, sanitation, food production, energy, and manufacturing. Across the globe, people and policymakers are grappling with the challenges of water scarcity. 
Post a Comment
Read more

Trailblazer in literary innovation, critic of Indian mythology, including Ramayana

By Harsh Thakor*  Ranganayakamma, commonly known as RN, stands out as a transformative figure in promoting Marxist thought, democratic ideals, and anti-caste principles through her remarkably clear and engaging writing style. A trailblazer in literary innovation, her works span a broad array of topics, from critiques of Indian mythology and revivalism to discussions on civil liberties, the Indian Communist Movement, and Maoism in China. 
Post a Comment
Read more

In the name of Allah? There is 'troubling history' of mismanagement and exploitation of Waqf lands

By Firoz Bakht Ahmed*  Amidst ongoing controversy regarding the Government of India's initiative to introduce legislation aimed at "regulating" Waqf properties through digitization, it remains evident that there is a troubling history of mismanagement and exploitation of Waqf lands. 
Post a Comment
Read more