‘There are some individuals whom we start to hate without even bothering to know them’ as Sri Khushwant singh starts his interview with guruji Golwalkar in Illustrated Weekly of India, 17 November 1972, is bouncing again and again. The controversy that arose after the general Council of Rajiv Gandhi Institute of biotechnology Thiruvananthapuram has decided to name their second campus after Guruji Golwalkar the former chief of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh – RSS is unfortunate. All institutions, not only the centres of Higher Learning, but from the village schools, should inspire the young minds to dedicate their life for the well-being of the nation and mankind. Naming the institution or the cambus is one of the ways of bringing a life model or role model before the young generation. In this way we had named our institutions after Mahatma Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore, Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi. It should not be opposed naming institutions after Sardar Patel, Subhash Chandra Bose, Dr Hedgewar, Veer Savarkar, Guruji Golwalkar, Ram Manohar Lohiya or E V Ramaswami as these names do not belong to particular political parties or ideology. Not even MG Ramachandran, Rama Rao, Dr palpu or Bal Takare. The criteria to name an institution should not be who is in power and which party a name belongs to. But we should recognise and respect the sacrifice and contributions of our great national heroes. It should not just limit to the ‘freedom movement’ or ‘post independent India’, but go back till the dawn of history. Schools, Colleges, Universities and Research Centres should be named after Aryabhatta, Bhaskara, Sangamagrama Madhava, Charaka, Sushruta, Amara Simghan, Kalidas, Chanakya, Chandragupta, Nagarjuna, Bharadwaja, Gargi, Maitri, Mera, Durgabadi Ahilya… the young mind should feel India, that is Bharat is ‘Veera prasavinit’ who gave birth to Galaxy of of great personalities. The program should not be limited to naming an institution, or installation of a statue or portrait but a museum, exhibition, monument should be built along with. Anyhow a good section of media and social media has brought back the issue into positive discussions on the contribution and importance of national personalities crossing all partisan politics and sectarianism in our society. We believe in democracy, as once Dr Ambedkar said, ‘for us democracy is not the form of government but way of life’. That is why we accepted and respected even Charvaka.
Guruji Golwarkar is a modern-day sage who realized the Rig Veda mantra, “Idam Nama: Rishibhya:, Purvajebhya:, Purvavabhya:, Pathik Ridbhya:” (that one’s life to dedicate for sages, ancestors and the new generation)to one-line mantra “Idam Rashtraya Svaha”: The national feeling that is visible across India today is the epitome of his glorious, luminous and sacrificial life. We can find many examples from the experience of many people that show how much he realised the diversity and unity of India. His honest stringent straight forward views on many national issues had invited some criticism and disbelief. He accepted everything with a smile. The controversy created today by some of the wasted interests is an opportunity for the new generation to know more about Guruji Golwalkar as national leader in post independent India. It is important to know that Guruji was not only a professor, a researcher, and the chief of an organisation but stood above all partisan politics and initiated dialogue with different ideas, ideologies and sects. We know Sardar Patel, who united independent India when it was divided into several princely states. He is revered as the Iron Man of modern India. Sree Guruji is an incarnation who brought together many different spiritual and cultural streams. – The shilpi of samanwaya.
At a time when language-based separatism was gaining strength in India, some political parties and a section of media were trying to portray the RSS as an advocate of Hindi politics all-over India. During one of his routine tours in Tamilnadu, the editor of a popular vernacular daily, Sri Kari Muttu Thyagaraja decided to argue with him. As soon as Mr. Kari Muttu met Guruji, he asked, “Why is it necessary to make Hindi the only national language in our country?” He was amazed by Guruji’s unwavering reply and explanation. “Why do only Hindi, I too ask? In my opinion, all the languages of this country which carries the great ideas of our culture are cent percent national languages. Our national language is not ‘only Hindi’, so Tamil is one of the national languages.” It gained national attention as well. Not only did it eradicate linguistic separatism in Tamil Nadu, it also eroded the roots of the Communists’ idea of a second national division on the basis of language. In their view, India should have been divided into 16 countries on the basis of language. Today’s official language policy in India and the language approach in the new National Education Policy are really the reflections of Guruji’s vision.
Some have stated Guruji is being described as a spokesman for the politics of hate is an example of unawareness of a great personality beyond a particular perspective. How he approached the burning issue of languages was explained earlier. We know that Sardar Patel in consent with Jawaharlal Nehru assigned Sri Guruji to Negotiate with Raja Hari Singh of Kashmir. Guruji’s vision and leadership played a major role in bringing down caste discrimination and fight between different casts and he created an atmosphere of harmony and co operation among them. The global conspiracy to divide India into many religions states by exaggerating caste divisions and antagonisms were thwarted by Guruji’s long vision and mission. Although his outspoken opposition to Christian missionaries’ inhumane treatment of various cultures around the world with the aim of proselytizing led to criticism from some quarters, the pope’s confession and apology for the sins committed by the missionaries years later proved that Guruji was right. Even in Kerala and all over India, we know the experiences of many Christian churches and leaders who came forward to communicate with the Sangh leadership.
Vishwa Hindu Parish is the result of Guruji’s efforts to resolve the differences and cold wars between the various Hindu spiritual and monastic systems in India and to present the message of a harmonious India for world peace that brought Indian Dharmacharyas, spiritual movements and religious institutions together. He inspired thousands of students, teachers and workers to organize beyond class consciousness. Guruji disagreed with Nehru, when he overthrew the democratically elected Communist government in kerala and called the Communists who supported China’s invasion ‘the enemies of the country’. His stand was always “The Nation first – its aspirations and security.”
Guruji did not even discriminate against Muslims and Christians. All the original thinkers who grew up from these societies were Guruji’s soul mates. See the experience of Dr. Saifuddin Jilani, a prominent journalist. He met Guruji on January 30, 1971 in Calcutta. He writes, “Shri Guruji is not only the most prominent person in this country but also a Savior of the country. When he came to Calcutta (Kolkata) I got a chance to meet him. I want complete victory over the racist monster. I have been able to do so at least a lot through my efforts as there are a large number of Hindus who are sympathetic to the Muslim Brotherhood. I do not think it’s satisfactory. I do not think it’s worth it if Guruji is not with me. The meeting with Shri Guruji is one of the most inspiring and memorable events of his life, says Jilati, who interviewed world greats from Hitler to Nasser!
Arif Mohammad Khan, the Hon’ble Governor of Kerala, recently drew attention to an interview given by KR Malkani, a prominent journalist in the early 1970s, when the controversy over the Uniform Civil Code erupted. They are still relevant today. The Muslim community who want to maintain their different identity is against Uniform Civil Code, the journalist asked is it the only reason, what is Guruji s opinion. He replayed, “I have no quarrel with any class, community or sect wanting to maintain its identity so long as it does not detract from its patriotic feeling”. Guruji’s reply was that their position should not be detrimental to the national interest. He continued and said, the right to marry four wives is causing a disproportionate increase in the Muslim population, he afraid that was a negative approach to the problem. Guruji argued that the idea of bringing in a uniform law on the grounds that polygamy in the Muslim community would increase the Muslim population was a negative one. “If your objection to Muslim practices is on humanitarian grounds, then that becomes a valid objection. A reformist attitude in these matters is alright. But a mechanical leveller’s attitude would not be correct. Let the Muslims evolve their own laws. I will be happy when they arrive at the conclusion that polygamy is not good for them, but I would not like to force my views on them.” On Hindu Muslim issues he spelled out his clear stand. “The real trouble is that there is no feeling of brotherliness between Hindus and Muslims. Even the Secularists treat the Muslims as a thing apart. Of course their method is to flatter them for their bloc votes. Others also look upon them as a thing apart, but they would like to flatten out the Muslims by removing their separate identity. Basically there is no difference between the flatterers and the flatteners. They both look upon Muslims as separate and incompatible. My approach is entirely different. The Muslim is welcome to his way of life so long as he loves this country and its culture. I must say the politicians are responsible for spoiling the Muslims”. (We should note that the term secularism did not even appear in the constitution at that time). Even now these political parties threaten Muslims on the one hand and appease for voters on the other hand. They are not seen as their own brothers but as different sects. He thought, uniformity is the death knell of nations. Nature abhors uniformity. In this interview he himself asserted that he was all for the protection of various ways of life. However all the variety must supplement the unity of the nation and not range itself against it.
The present generation does not realize that the driving force and the omnipotence of the transformation that we see in India is the life of Sri Guruji who dedicated himself to the society. He could have lived a life of fame, prestige and acceptance as an academic patriarch, scientist, lawyer or political leader or even as a Sanyasin. Guruji’s life showed that there was a greater apostasy than a saint. But the number of people who knew Guruji as he was, is declining. His contributions to nation building need to be known to the younger generation. Not only to respect, but also to get a closer look at the challenges and threats faced by independent India. It will give the next generation the strength to face challenges, the vision to change challenges to opportunities and the motivation to dedicate themselves to the country. Guruji should be named not only for the Center for Biotechnology in Thiruvananthapuram but also for the Indian Institute of Language Technology to be set up in Mysore for the protection and development of Indian languages. We should be able to feel the invisible touch of Guruji wherever the power pillars of equanimity rise. The students marching to Sreenagar, where the national flag was insulted, had a slogan, “Where the national symbol is insulted, we will hoist this flag.” Yes, in Thiruvananthapuram, where once upon a time ‘Golwalkar Go back’ was shouted, a government institution in Guruji’s name should come up first. Its motto should be “Rashtriya Svaha, Idam Na Ma Ma:”. This is not for me, but for the Nation.
A.Vinod karuvarakundu is Dakshin Bharat Coordinator, Shiksh Sanskriti Utthan Nyas and Member National Monitoring Committee for Education, Govt. of India
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