HVK Archives: Audacious leadership - an editorial
Audacious leadership - an editorial - Indian Express - Editorial
Posted By ashok (ashokvc@giasbm01.vsnl.net.in)
19 June 1996
Title : Audacious leadership
Publication : Indian Express - Editorial
Date : June 19, 1996
It is more than likely that Balasaheb Deoras, the former
sarsanghachalak of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh
(RSS),
died a contented man. The parivar which he inherited
from
"Guruji" M. S. Golwalkar in 1973 was plagued by an
existential confusion over the extent of involvement in
public life. True, the sang had spawned a multiplicity of
loosely affiliated bodies involved in politics, trade
unionism, education, tribal welfare an Hindu missionary
work, but these were always subordinated to what the
RSS
perceived was its core work - character building through
the local shakha. It was Deoras who drew the link
between
active involvement in public affairs and nation building.
Beginning from the RSS's full participation in
Jayaprakash Narayan's crusade against corruption
and
Congress misrule and culminating in the Ram
Janmabhoomi
movement, Deoras steered the RSS from its role as a
fringe ideological player to a position where it is the
pre-dominant influence in the largest party in the Lok
Sabha and the largest trade union in the country.
The growth of the RSS has been quite spectacular. But
the
success is not merely on account of the growing appeal
of
the RSS's core philosophy - Hindutva. The exalted status
of the RSS owes a great deal to Deoras allowing affiliate
organisations the maximum degree of autonomy, so
much so
that it will hardly be inaccurate to suggest that outfits
such as the BJP, Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh and Vishwa
Hindu
Parishad are today more significant than the parent body.
The shakha work of the RSS has suffered over the
years,
but its influence has grown beyond the wildest dreams
of
Hedgewar and Golwalkar. There has been some
dilution in
standards, but Deoras probably calculated that it was
excessively idealistic to hope for a brick-by-brick
strategy of growth. To the shy and taciturn man from
Nagpur goes the credit for the audacity which has
resulted in Hindu nationalism coming of age.
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