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One fine morning in April, K.S. Sudarshan, the new
chief of the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) awoke from his slumber and called
for a "second war of independence". Frothing at the mouth, in true
Goebellian style, he continued his demagogy, yelling "free the country from
the bondage of the economic superpowers," "down with economic dependence that
has rendered over 10 crore youth jobless", etc.
Brave words indeed ! But words should be followed
by action. So, the VHP, Bajrang Dal, etc., are instigated to begin smashing
heads of christians— not of the foreign bandit, but the desi dalit who has
converted out of poverty. His saffron blinkers, determines his target. Quite
ingenious is furor Sudarshan — attacks symbols of the west, in order to divert
people’s wrath against the real imperialist robbers. So, he attacks innocent
christians, attacks college girls in jeans; attacks people celebrating
Valentine’s Day; attacks the film ‘WATER’; attacks any other soft target that
may look like a symbol of the west — but does not attack the real culprits.
So when Clinton came, Sudarshan and his mafia were
silent. When the Finance Minister introduced an openly WTO/World Bank dictated
budget, he was once again silent. When FIIs and FDIs rampage through our country
taking over industry after industry, he is again silent. When parts of our
country are defacto mortgaged out to the TNCs, in the name of Special Economic
Zones, not a word is said. When the EXIM policy encourages our country to be
flooded by foreign goods, destroying indigenous industry, there is a whimper but
no action. When the budget is passed, giving massive doles to foreign companies,
and extracting crores by taxing the common man — it is praised.
In fact the recent militancy displayed in attacking
christians all over the country by the Sangh parivar is nowhere to be seen in
attacking the actual foreign penetration into the country. At best organisations
like the Swadeshi Jagran Manch make some noise and then fall silent. Despite its
swadeshi rhetoric, the RSS has never said that it opposes globalisation or
India’s growing dependence on foreign capital. When it comes to the crunch, for
example on Enron or on WTO, it always gives in. Lately, they have raised their
voice on allowing 100% FDI in e-commerce and against the Sankhya Vahini project.
But here too they are likely to fall in line. Already Sudarshan has made a
statement supporting the Sankhya Vahini project. Whenever their noise gets
shrill the Prime Minister meets the RSS chief, some deal is worked out — not on
economic policy, but on greater role for the RSS elements in the power
structures. What the RSS is really worried about is its support base. Recently
its leaders openly stated that the speed of the ‘second generation reforms’ will
hurt its support among the people.
Besides, their concept of swadeshi is vague,
undefined and ambiguous. Advani openly said that swadeshi does not mean being
anti-multinational. Speaking at the SJM Mela-2000 he added that "swadeshi
should be redefined to mean self-confidence and self-reliance." How can
there be self-reliance if the MNCs are allowed to take over the economy ? He is
obviously talking nonsense. Sudarshan said, "Communism has perished and so
will capitalism, and swadeshi should be the dharma today." But what exactly
is this swadeshi ‘dharma’ — it is not defined. How is it anti-capitalist is even
more vague. This statement sounds exactly like the anti-capitalist rantings of
Hitler, except that ‘national socialism’ is replaced by ‘swadeshi’. Gurumurthy,
the chief of the SJM is even more vague. He says "what worries the SJM is the
continuation of national drift by the NDA government .... the fits-like and
diverse policy announcements by different ministries about the entry of FDI....
bring out not any strategic thinking about the economy as a whole, but the
unwholesomeness, incoherence and even mindlessness in policy-making." This
is much rhetoric, with little or no substance. Besides, the policy announcements
of all ministries on FDIs are very consistent — i.e., a total open-door policy.
Basically, the RSS’s swadeshi rhetoric has four
objectives : First, and most important of all, to divert the growing
anti-imperialist sentiments amongst the people; and to act as a safety valve to
diffuse the people’s outrage at the blatant sell-out of our country to
imperialist interests. Second, to diffuse the growing discontent at the
government’s policies amongst their own rank-and-file; and to put some break on
the speed of capitulation, that would otherwise result in total erosion of the
RSS base. Third, to use the ‘swadeshi’ threats to lobby for greater say in
government decision-making; and for promoting more RSS elements in the power
structures. And lastly, to oppose some specific policy decision using swadeshi
jargon, when it affects a particular comprador bourgeois house, which may be
sympathetic to the sangh parivar.
The RSS has, from its inception, had a policy of
collaborating with the colonialists and imperialists. Sudarshan’s ‘war of
independence’ needs to be defined. Who is it to be waged against, and by
whom. Probably he is ignorant. With the RSS having played no role in the
pre-1947 freedom struggle, and having collaborated with the British, they lack
the experience and knowledge. Perhaps we could enlighten him !
Yes Furhor Sudarshan, a ‘war’ against the
imperialist onslaught of our country is necessary. They are swamping
every aspect of the economic, political and social fabric of our country. But,
this is only possible, due to the assistance they get from the Indian
collaborators, and the semi-feudal social base that facilitates their existence.
So, in this ‘war’ on the one side stands the imperialists (TNCs, IMF,
World Bank, etc.,), their comprador agents and the feudal forces. On the other
side of the battlefield stand the oppressed masses, the middle class and the
small industrialist that is truly indigenous. And in fact this ‘war’ has
actually begun — in the flaming fields of AP, Bihar and Dandakaranya.
But Sudarshan is panic stricken when it comes to
the real war. He breaks into a sweat when people actually target Coca Cola,
Pepsi, Kentucky, McDonalds, Enron, etc. His ‘war cry’ turns into a
‘fascist howl’ calling on the police and army to kill, murder, butcher any
who dare raise a finger against the foreign robber or their traitorous
collaborator.
Hail Sudarshan ! You cannot fool the people with
your swadeshi-talk much longer. Your hoax will be blown by the very people you
seek to dupe. You and your tribe, will be kicked into the dustbin of history.
And no belief in reincarnation, will help you escape from the worms that will
feed on your rotting carcass.
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