The Hindu : Hindutva and Indianness are same, says ex-RSS chief

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Sunday, Jan 05, 2003

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Hindutva and Indianness are same, says ex-RSS chief

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI JAN. 4. The former chief of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Rajendra Singh, has termed the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee's recent "Goa musings'' on Hindutva/secularism as significant.

In a statement released through the RSS-affiliated Indraprashta Vishwa Samvad Kendra today, Prof. Singh expressed satisfaction that after all these years there was a debate on the correct definition of "secularism.''

And, the sum and substance of his arguments was that "secularism,'' as understood by him and his organisation, was the only correct definition because it was "anchored in a non-sectarian understanding of religion."

The trouble with the conventional definition of secularism was that it was based on a "distorted understanding" of "dharma," often confused as a sect-centric religion; therefore, it got translated (in Hindi) and understood as dharama-nirpkesh (indifference to "dharma").

Tracing the roots of sarvadharma sambhav to ancient times, Prof. Singh said that it was correct to understand the word "secular'' as sarvadharma sambhav or sarva panthsambhav. "Dharma'' was not the literal translation of "religion'' — it enjoyed a higher status in our country and culture. Referring to the assertion of Lord Krishna in Gita, "I descend on earth to restore dharma and order,'' `Rajju Bhaiyya' asked, if, to restore dharma and order, Lord Krishna himself was willing to make efforts, how could a country "remain nirpeksh to upholding dharma.''

Even the former Prime Minister, P.V. Narasimha Rao, had agreed that the correct term should be panthnirpeksh or majhab-nirpeksh but expressed his helplessness to remedy the "distortion."

Now, a question mark was being sought to be put on Hindutva, which represents a way of life. It had been enunciated by the Supreme Court, Prof. Singh said adding "therefore, Hindutva and Indianness mean one and the same thing. Hindu dharma is Manav dharma.''

During the former Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi's regime it was propagated that the Congress considered secularism, socialism and democracy as the basic values of governance and anybody not believing in these values was termed "anti-Constitution."

Socialism had been defined in accordance with the convenience of people in different countries, he said. If it meant equality among all the sections of society, and respecting the rights of the weaker sections, the RSS had no differences. But it was opposed to the proposition wherein socialism became government-centric.

The correct meaning of such terms put in our country's context would help clear distortions and create a consensus among the people on such fundamental topics, Prof. Singh said.

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