By Sri MG Vaidya*, RSS Veteran, Nagpur
The Vice-President of the Congress and the Party’s choice for a future Prime Ministership Rahul Gandhi, again repeated a blatantly false charge, that the RSS had killed the Mahatma. In a season of electioneering such non-sensical ravings are bound to come up and therefore deserve to be ignored. But this profanity has emerged from the mouth of a distinguished leader and therefore needs to be taken note of. It also should be borne in mind, that this vulgar falsehood had been repeated by the Congress leaders before also. One was Shri Arjun Singh, former Chief Minister of MP and a Congress stalwart who had to tender unconditional apology for his irresponsible charge. Then came Shri Sitaram Kesari, the President of the Congress Party, before Mrs Sonia Gandhi, took over from him. He too met the same fate and had to apologise. Now it is Rahul Gandhi’s turn to enact the same abject capitulation, because the RSS, it appears, will not allow the sacrilege go unchecked.
It is possible that, because Rahulji is a novice and the writers of his speeches also appear to be ignorant of History, such irresponsible utterances come up. For such persons and also for the new voters, whose number is predicted to be hundred millions, it is essential to state certain facts.
Facts of History
It is true that Gandhiji was killed on January 30, 1948. It is also true that the Government suspected the role of the RSS in that brutal episode. Shri MS Golwalkar alias Shri Guruji, the then Sarsanghachalak, was arrested in the midnight between January 31 and February 1. That too under Article 302, as if Shri Guruji had personally gone to Delhi and fired at the Mahatma! But very shortly the Government regained its sense and the arrest was shown under preventive detention law.
Not only Shri Guruji but hundreds of RSS workers were also arrested. After six months detention all RSS men were released. But the ban on the RSS continued. So Sangh started a Satyagraha. Then two mediators came forward to resolve the impasse. First was Shri GV Ketkar, Chief editor of the Kesari, published from Pune. On his request Satyagraha was suspended. But still the ban continued. Then came Shri TVR Venkatram Shastri, former advocate General of the then Madras Presidency. He made the RSS submit its Constitution in writing to the Government Respecting his old age and his fatherly figure, this too was done, although the RSS was not banned bacause it had no written Constitution. Even then the ban was not lifted.
The Government appeared to be thinking that as the RSS chief has caved in, in respect of the submission ot the written Constitution, it will be fruitful to put more pressure on him. But Shri Guruji refused to have any correspondence with the Government. In his letter from Seoni Jail (MP), to the Hon’ble Home Minister, dated 1-6-1949 Shri Guruji wrote- “Since my direct and truthful words seem to be unpalatable to the Government, I think it best to desist from writing any further for the present.” Now the Government came into a fix. The ban could not be continued. It had be lifted. So Government found out a mediator in the person of Shri Moulichandraji Sharma. He met Shri Guruji. But Guruji refused to give anything in writing to the Government Sharmaji returned to Delhi empty-handed. Then a via media was adopted. Guruji will not address the Government but Sharmaji will ask for his clarifications on certain issues. This was accepted, and Shri Guruji wrote a letter to Moulichandraji which begins with the words, ‘My dear Pandit Moulichandraji.’ This happened on July 10, 1949. Sharmaji carried this letter to Delhi and on 12 July, the Government-controlled All India Radio announced that the ban on the RSS has been lifted. What Shri Guruji wrote in that letter to Moulicandraji is just the replica of his statement that he made in the Press-conference in Delhi on November 2, 1948.
So, it is clear that the ban on the RSS, that was imposed on the suspicion that the RSS had a hand in Gandhi’s assasination was lifted unconditionally. The following questions and answers that took place on the floor of the then Bombay Legislative Assembly on 29-09-1949 demonstrate what is what?
a.Whether it is a fact that the ban on RSS has been lifted?
b.If so what are the reasons for lifting the ban?
c.Whether the lifting of the ban is conditional or unconditional?
d.If conditional, what are the conditions?
e.Whether the leader of the RSS has given any undertaking to the Government?
f.If so, what is the undertaking?
Mr Dinkar rao N Desai for Mr Morarji R Desai:
a.Yes.
b.The ban was lifted as it was no longer considered necessary to continue it.
c.It was unconditional.
d.Does not arise.
e.No.
f.Does not arise.
According to me it is beneficial for Rahulji to immediately express sincere apology and save the subsequent embarrassment and disgrace.
*(Article appeared in Organiser, issue dated March 16, 2014. Sri MG Vaidya is a senior member of RSS, has closely associated with RSS Central leadership since 6 decades at Nagpur. Sri MG Vaidya is one of rare personality who have seen all 6 Sarasanghachlaks of RSS including founder Dr KB Hedgewar )
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