Review of ‘Truth in Fetters : Broken Promises and Shattered Unity’ “Change is in the air”! A retired academic who had his last assignment as Vice Chancellor of a leading university said to me the other day, while we were discussing the contemporary political scenario. Frankly admitting that he had supported Modi’s candidature then and … Continue reading Bharatiya Janata Party or Bharatiya Jumla Party ! →
The RSS has set about rebranding itself with the recent lectures given by Mohan Bhagwat. With the constitution, secularism, Hindutva and other such aspects being discussed, vis-à-vis RSS’s policies and thoughts towards them, the RSS seems to be undergoing a tectonic shift in its ideologies. The threat of normalising the RSS and it tenants however, appear to be minimal. Already,[Read More...]
One should not dismiss the odious statements from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its Sangh Parivar, and say that they are spewing venom.
It is easy to see the linkages between Manu, Nietzsche, Hitler and the worldview of Hindutva supremacism Manu and his ‘magnum opus’ Manusmriti keeps hogging headlines in the 21st century as well. Thanks to the fascination it still holds among the Hindutva supremacists of various kinds even around seventy years after the promulgation of Constitution, which in … Continue reading Fascinating Manu
“It has been said with good reason that the Jana Sangh resulted from a combination of a partyless leader, Syama Prasad Mookerjee, and a leaderless party, the RSS”. (The Jana Sangh: A Biography of an Indian Political Party, by Craig Baxter p. 54) 1. In Search of the “Selfless Patriot” An untimely death of a … Continue reading “Selfless Patriot” – In Search of the Real Shyama Prasad Mukherjee
The recent visit of Pranab Mukherjee to RSS headquarter had attracted a lot of attention among political circles. Even before the visit, concerns were raised over the acceptance of invitation as well as the potential content of the speech that might be delivered. Contrary to the fears, the speech of Mukherjee only tried to emphasise Gandhian-Nehruvian concept of Nationalism. It[Read More...]
Would it be possible to imagine that leader of any organisation openly declaring that her/his people/activists have the ability to prepare an “army” in three days , can be deployed on the front within three days, questions the ability of the security forces for quick operations, and does not face any legal hassles ? A lesser mortal would have been[Read More...]
[This article is in response to the essay, ‘Don’t Foist Fear Onto Nationalism’, by C.K Saji Narayan published in Outlook’s Republic Day special issue.] The ideologues of the RSS clan are working overtime to create a narrative of latter’s participation in India’s anti-colonial freedom struggle. This project got impetus after the electoral victory in 2014 of RSS/BJP which was celebrated[Read More...]
‘Banal Nationalism’ (Michael Billing’s phrase) means plain daily nationalism. It ‘covers the ideological habits which enable the established nations of the west to be reproduced’. These habits ‘are not removed from everyday life,’ ‘but very much ingrained in them might tactically be used to describe nationalism in non-western countries, particularly India.’ It is usually nurtured together with love for parents,[Read More...]
( Photo courtesy : The hoot) (To be published in the special issue of ‘Janata’) The spectacle of what is called religion, or at any rate organised religion, in India and elsewhere, has filled me with horror and I have frequently condemned it and wished to make a clean sweep of it. Almost always … Continue reading Nehru, Ambedkar and Challenge of Majoritarianism
