Right Word | How RSS looks at electoral politics and what role it plays

Whenever the elections are around, the RSS is projected as an ‘X’ factor by a large section of media and political analysts. “That Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination gave a handle to unscrupulous politicians to defame and, if possible, to pull down their rivals is difficult to deny.” The RSS cadres suffered great deal of violence in the aftermath of ban and the way Congress government portrayed the RSS as an accused in the Mahatma’s assassination. In fact, the present Sarsanghchalak of the RSS, Mohan Bhagwat, was asked specifically at a three-day outreach programme of the RSS at Vigyan Bhavan in September 2018 that why the RSS Pracharaks work as organising secretaries for BJP only, why don’t they work for any other political party. Sunil Ambekar, at present Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh of the RSS, further clarifies the RSS’ worldview of electoral politics and the role it plays in this context, “Undoubtedly, the work of Parivar organisations impacts politics, and electoral politics at that. However, as a matter of principle, Parivar organisations do not engage in pure-play political campaigns or politicking” So next time, a political pundit announces rhetorically that RSS has taken charge of the BJP’s election campaign or RSS is driving the election campaign or RSS is playing the key role in electioneering, you may treat these assertions with scepticism as they go against the basic ethos, philosophy and functioning of the RSS.