Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh

• 1. Founding And Early Development

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  The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh began on the 27th of September 1925 in Nagpur, British India. K. B. Hedgewar, a doctor by profession, established the group with a specific goal to provide character training and instil Hindu discipline among its members. He believed that Hindus were disunited and lacked valour, which allowed a handful of British colonialists to rule over the vast subcontinent. Hedgewar recruited energetic youth and gave them uniforms consisting of black forage caps, khaki shirts, and shorts to emulate the Indian Imperial Police. These volunteers learned paramilitary techniques using bamboo staffs, swords, javelins, and daggers. The organisation held weekly ideological education sessions called shiksha vansh, where novices answered questions about the Hindu nation and its history. Hedgewar also used Hindu ceremonies and rituals not for religious observance but to bind members through a sense of communion regarding their supposed glorious past. Two years after founding the group, he organised an Officers' Training Camp in 1927 to form a corps of key workers known as pracharak. These full-time functionaries were asked to renounce professional and family lives to dedicate themselves entirely to the cause. The first branches spread from Nagpur across Maharashtra and eventually throughout the rest of India. P. B. Dani was sent to establish a branch at Benaras Hindu University while others targeted universities like DAV College in Rawalpindi and Lahore.

• 2. Colonial Era Stance

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  Since its formation in 1925, the RSS opposed the independence movement against British rule in India. Hedgewar kept the organisation free from direct affiliation with political groups fighting colonial authority. He personally participated in Gandhi's Salt March in April 1930 but ensured the RSS did not join the movement. Information was sent everywhere stating that the Sangh would not participate in the march. The Tricolor flag of the Indian national movement was shunned by the group during this period. M. S. Golwalkar became leader in 1940 and continued the policy of isolation from anti-British activities. He lamented anti-British nationalism as a reactionary view that had disastrous effects on the freedom struggle. Golwalkar complied with all strictures imposed by the colonial government during World War II. He even announced the termination of the RSS military department to avoid giving the British an excuse to ban the organisation. The Bombay government appreciated the Sangh for scrupulously keeping itself within the law and refraining from taking part in disturbances like the Quit India Movement in August 1942. A Home Department report noted that RSS speakers urged members to keep aloof from Congress movements. The British authorities believed the RSS posed no problem for law and order in British India. They observed that provincial leaders were ordered to desist from any objectionable activities in December 1940. The organisation assured authorities it had no intentions of offending against government orders.

• 3. Post-Independence Bans

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  The first ban on the RSS occurred in Punjab Province on the 24th of January 1947 under Malik Khizar Hayat Tiwana. This ban was lifted four days later on the 28th of January 1947. A second, more significant ban followed after Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated by Nathuram Godse, an RSS member, on the 30th of January 1948. The government banned the entire organisation on the 4th of February 1948. Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru stated that evidence showed RSS activities were anti-national and communalist. Deputy Prime Minister Vallabhbhai Patel remarked that RSS men expressed joy and distributed sweets after Gandhi's death. The Justice Kapur Commission published its report in 1970 noting that the RSS as such was not responsible for the murder. Despite this finding, the association with the incident made the group very unpopular. Golwalkar wrote to Nehru asking for the ban to be lifted but received a reply stating the matter was the Home Minister's responsibility. Patel demanded the RSS adopt a formal written constitution and pledge loyalty to the Constitution of India before the ban could end. The third ban came during the Emergency period from 1975 to 1977 when Indira Gandhi imposed emergency rule. The Sangh was seen as having the capability to organise protests against the government. Madhukar Dattatraya Deoras, then chief of the RSS, promised cooperation with the government in exchange for lifting the ban. A fourth ban occurred after the demolition of Babri Masjid in 1992. This ban was subsequently lifted in 1993 when no evidence of unlawful activity was found by the tribunal.

• 4. Ideological Framework

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  The organisation aims to spread the ideology of Hindutva to strengthen the Hindu community and uphold Indian culture. It has been described as being founded on the premise of Hindu supremacy and accused of intolerance towards minorities, particularly Muslims. French political scientist Christophe Jaffrelot points out the theme of stigmatisation and emulation in the ideology. Muslims, Christians, and the British were thought of as foreign bodies implanted in the Hindu nation. The solution lay in emulating characteristics like paramilitary organisation and nationalism perceived to give these threatening others strength. Golwalkar's ideology shared with Nazism an emphasis on ethnic homogeneity but did not develop a theory of state and race. He once supported Hitler's creation of a supreme race by suppression of minorities. In a 1998 magazine article, some members distanced themselves from Golwalkar's views though not entirely. The movement considers Hindus inclusive of Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, tribals, untouchables, Veerashaivism, Arya Samaj, and Ramakrishna Mission. Despite hostile rhetoric against other religions, the RSS does have Muslim and Christian members who are required to attend shakhas and recite Hindu hymns. They must even break Ramadhan fasts when possible. The Muslim Rashtriya Manch serves as a wing for Muslim members. RSS leaders admired Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini while also supporting the formation of the Jewish State of Israel.

• 5. Political Evolution

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  The RSS transitioned from a cultural body to political influence through the Jana Sangh and Bharatiya Janata Party. Under pressure from swayamsevaks, Golwalkar changed his mind about entering politics after independence. K. R. Malkani wrote in 1949 suggesting their movement be involved in politics since no force existed to advocate their cause. Golwalkar approved this view and met Syama Prasad Mukherjee to endorse senior swayamsevaks like Deendayal Upadhyaya and Atal Bihari Vajpayee to the newly formed Bharatiya Jana Sangh. These men captured power in the party after Mukherjee's death. Balasaheb Deoras became general secretary in 1965 and addressed the annual meeting of Jana Sangh in an unprecedented move reflecting strong interest in politics. The organisation restructured all secretaries at district and state levels to come from the RSS. The BJP originated more as a successor to the Janata Party in 1980 but did not return to original Hindu nationalist identity. L. K. Advani replaced Vajpayee as party president in 1986 and began rallying around the Ayodhya campaign. In 1990, the party organised the Ram Rath Yatra to advance this campaign on a large scale. The instrumentalisation of the Ayodhya issue helped the BJP make progress in elections of 1989, 1991, and 1996. In 1998, it built a major coalition called National Democratic Alliance and succeeded in the general election with Vajpayee as Prime Ministerial candidate. Narendra Modi, an RSS member who served as Gujarat's chief minister for three terms, became prime ministerial candidate in 2014. He projected himself as someone who could bring about development through the Gujarat development model.

• 6. Controversies And Violence

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  The RSS has been criticised as an extremist organisation and paramilitary group involved in anti-Muslim violence. It formed a militant wing called Bajrang Dal in 1984. Along with Shiv Sena, the Sangh has been involved in riots often inciting and organising violence against Christians and Muslims. Human Rights Watch claimed that the Vishva Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal, RSS, and BJP were party to the Gujarat violence after the Godhra train burning. Christian groups accuse the RSS alongside affiliates of participation in the 2008 religious violence in Odisha. Numerous attacks have been linked to RSS members including bombings at mosques in Parbhani and Malegaon. Between 2003 and 2008, nine terror attacks linked to the RSS or other Sanghi Parivar organisations killed almost 150 people mostly Muslims. Former pracharak Yashwant Shinde revealed in September 2022 he was trained to carry out covert operations in Pakistan and false flag terrorist attacks in India. He alleged he and fellow trainees bombed mosques in Jalna, Purna, and Parbhani in Maharashtra. The National Investigation Agency corroborated claims that bombings were caused by conspirators intending to create communal rift between Hindus and Muslims. The Liberhan Commission report from 2009 stated the Sangh Parivar organised the destruction of Babri Mosque. It noted the blame for the entire temple construction movement must be attributed to the Sangh Parivar.

• 7. Organizational Structure

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  The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh does not have any formal membership records but is estimated to have around 4 million members as of 2024. Men and boys can become members by joining the nearest Shakha branch which serves as the basic unit. Women are not allowed to join the organisation. Mohan Bhagwat currently serves as the Sarsanghchalak chief since 2009 while Dattatreya Hosabale holds the post of Sarkaryavah general secretary since 2021. Active full-time missionaries known as Pracharak spread the doctrine throughout the country. There are about 2500 Pracharaks who devote themselves to a lifetime of celibacy, poverty, and service. Two well-known former Pracharaks include former prime ministers Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Narendra Modi. Most shakhas conduct activities for one hour in public places including physical fitness through yoga and exercises. The number of shakhas increased from 8500 in 1975 to over 51,000 by 2004 before falling after the BJP-led government fell in 2004. In August 2015, the number stood at 51,335. As per the RSS Annual Report of 2019, there were a total of 84,877 shakhas with 59,266 held daily and 17,229 weekly. Most shakhas are located in Hindi-speaking regions with Delhi having 1,898 branches and Uttar Pradesh hosting more than 8,000.