Mohan Bhagwat’s Muted Warning To Modi Is Too Little, Too Late

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has said that the NDA’s return to power after a decade in office was a testimony to the good things that happened on its watch. This is beyond comprehension. How could he claim that the NDA governed the country? Nothing could be more bizarre. The people of India know that neither the BJP, nor the NDA, ruled the country. India was ruled by Narendra Modi as he would regularly boast that “this is the government of Modi; this is the word of Modi and this is the guarantee of Modi.”

At no stage, during the last ten years, did Bhagwat caution against this autocratic tendency in Modi. It was his deafening silence which encouraged Modi to ruin the democratic institutions of the country and subvert human rights. His advice to the political classes not to treat differences of opinion as disputes and emphasise on evolving a consensus on the challenges facing the country should have been uttered long back. It would have paid a rich dividend.

It was certainly not soothing to listen to Bhagwat advising Modi of the need to get over the election rhetoric and resolve the Manipur conflict. Though the realisation came after one year of the sordid genocide, it is not certain whether Modi would have resorted to ‘Raj Dharma’. Instead of putting this question before the passing out parade of the 900-strong band of newly trained swayamsevaks, Bhagwat should have sought an explanation from Modi as to why he did not act any sooner?

His observed: “It’s been a year since Manipur has been waiting for peace. The state remained peaceful for the last 10 years, but suddenly, gun culture has increased again; it is important to resolve the conflict as a priority.” This exposes the vulnerability and ineptness of Modi rule. Manipur plunged into ethnic violence in May last year after conflict between Imphal valley-based Meiteis and hill-based Kukis flared up, resulting in more than 200 deaths and leaving thousands homeless.

Bhagwat criticised all sides for resorting to falsehoods, using vituperative language during the campaign, stating that the electoral discourse violated the decency that parties are expected to observe. But instead of generalising, he should have named Modi. Not naming Modi and putting the blame on Modi and his ilk, sends the message that the holder of the highest order of morality, utterly lacked it. Even a layman knows that Modi has been resorting to abusive language and demeaning Muslims and his political opponents. Even Modi’s close aide Amit Shah did not hold back slanderous, unconstitutional words.

Bhagwat’s advice to not to treat political opponents is at odds with RSS culture. In RSS political culture, people or political parties opposing its politics and actions are treated as enemies. Obviously, his assertion, “Your opponent is not an adversary, he only represents a counter viewpoint” is pure pretense. If he really believed in this postulate, he should have long ago warned Modi to refrain from imposing his politics of hatred on India and from using the government machinery to harass his opponents.

Did Bhagwat approve of Modi’s insinuations against Muslims and his act of terrorising Hindus by saying that their wealth and even mangalsutra would be taken away?

Bhagwat is free to defend the RSS and Modi, but it was certainly in bad taste. Bhagwat’s view was primarily aimed at protecting and patronising Modi, which again was an attempt to denounce the views of his own senior RSS leaders, who have publicly been highly critical of Modi’s style of functioning. Modi had only contempt for the RSS. Only a week ago, J P Nadda, the then BJP president, had openly said that the RSS had no role in the elections.

Bhagwat’s attempts to protect the RSS was evident in his anxiety to say that technology was being used for promoting false narratives and to “drag RSS” into the electoral combat. Being the chief of the RSS Bhagwat should have been honest in admitting that his saffron ecosystem has been using technology to smear individuals who do not share their rightist view. There are numerous examples and a large number of social activists who have been victims of the false technology.

It is indeed difficult to comprehend why Bhagwat was using his name and office to defend Modi. Does it imply that under Bhagwat’s plans, Modi is best suited to serve his cause? One expects that an individual claiming to represent the highest order of decency, honesty and probity must not skip the truth. How could Bhagwat justify the horrid acts of Modi to exonerate corrupt politicians, who he deserved jail and give them clean chits after admitting them into the BJP?

Bhagwat should put the question to himself and find the answer. Who is arrogant, unrestrained and busy distorting knowledge and history for political needs? Knowledge is deliberately being distorted to suit saffron interests. Bhagwat knows Modi better than others. Praising the NDA government on its performance would not lessen the political and social crimes of Modi. People want to know from Bhagwat why he is so weak before Modi? If the RSS has approved Modi to be the Prime Minister for a third consecutive time, but what is the secret agenda?

It is a fact that Modi has not done any good to the country. These ten years would be remembered for misgovernance and ruining the lives of the poor. Will Bhagwat come out with the correct figure of the persons who have become poorer? Modi to his “yes men” keep harping about the distribution of 5 kg of foodgrains to 80 crore Indians, but for how many days can a family of two persons, husband and wife, survive on 5 kg? Does it not underline that people have lost income, are bereft of purchasing power, and have been left with no other alternative but to survive on alms? In this background Bhagwat’s claim that “it is a fact that we have done well on many counts in the period; going by the parameters used by the modern countries to judge economic progress, we have done well” is a bundle of lies.

Bhagwat would have to come out with many confessional observations. He simply cannot hide behind the façade of ill-conceived notions and ideas. He must speak the truth. Any organisation built on the foundation of falsehoods cannot aspire to survive for long. He must admit that the real test of the RSS’s credibility has started now. So far it has been surviving on anti-Congress rhetoric. That phase is over. Modi cannot survive for long by abusing and making insinuations against Nehru. The world knows why Modi has been demeaning politics.

Being the mentor of BJP, the RSS should not have encouraged Modi to trample on the people’s mandate. Is it not true that Modi is a ‘Swayamsevak’? The fact is the RSS has shown utter disrespect to the Constitution and democracy. It is a shame that a politician who led his party with “Modi’s Guarantee” could stick to power even after miserably losing the electoral battle. (IPA Service)