Push extremism to the wall

Humra Quraishi

After teaching at IIT Bombay for decades, Prof Ram Puniyani sought voluntary retirement in December 2004 to work for a cause close to his heart — communal harmony in India. He is associated with various secular and democratic initiatives like the All India Secular Forum, Centre for Study of Society and Secularism and ANHAD. Author of more than three dozen books, Puniyani feels that in these times, the literary society of India needs to object to distortion of historical events in text books. 

His latest book, Indian Nationalism Versus Hindu  Nationalism, elaborates on the need of the hour, which is strengthening the secular social fabric of India. Excerpts from an interview. 

The title of your latest book is rather stark...

We are living in difficult times when the very core of our national values is being attacked. The notions of pluralism, fraternity and equality are under constant attack. We have a Constitution based on these values, which, in a nutshell, can be defined as Indian nationalism. However, from the last three decades, Hindu nationalism is being asserted in many aggressive ways. This nationalism is constructed around sensitive issues making it difficult to fight it. After several recent developments, I felt there was a need to highlight the contrast between these two types of nationalism. So I counterposed the two.

Your book focuses on RSS-run schools. Comment on the teaching method, teachers, students and the curriculum of these schools and the obvious impact on young minds.

RSS has single-teacher schools, Ekal Vidyalayas, and bigger ones called Shishu Mandirs. The pattern of authoritarianism between teachers-students, senior-junior is very rigid. The values promoted are those of conformism. The books in these schools are structured around the mythical history of superiority of Hinduism, that all was well with Hindus till Muslim aggressors came. Caste is presented as a system that renders stability to society, Muslim kings are described as cruel and so on. The hatred for religious minorities is drilled into children.   

A chapter in your  book says Mahatma  Gandhi was ‘impressed’ by the RSS. Can you tell us more about it?

A claim was made by the RSS followers that Gandhi was very appreciative of the organisation. In the chapter, I have tried to elucidate that Gandhi had total disdain for the sectarian ideology followed by RSS. Through partial presentation of facts, RSS is trying to distort history.

There is a certain level of haze on  RSS’    compatibility  with the   imperialistic   designs. Comment.

During the colonial period, RSS never struggled against the British rulers. When US witnessed the McCarthy period that propagated anti-communism, RSS offered the government its cooperation against the communists in India. RSS appreciated America’s anti-Vietnam stand on the ground that it is leading the forces of dharma by attacking Vietnam. At the time of the recent attack on Iraq, RSS chief said that the US had a right to protect itself. All this shows how pro-imperialist RSS is.

RSS cadre is expanding  their base in the country. Why have the secular elements not been able to halt the communal brigades? 

In India, the secular forces have not taken the issue of communalism in all its seriousness. Political parties focus merely on electoral politics. The progressive groups have tried to engage with the issue, but not to the desirable degree. While the threat of communalism became glaringly obvious with Babri demolition, not many parties or groups took a step to combat communalism at the social level. We need awareness campaigns to promote syncretism and the inclusive values of freedom movement. Distorted perceptions of history, prevalence of stereotypes forms the foundation of divisive politics, which need to be countered. 

With the rise of the fascist forces, do you foresee a bleak scenario in very sense of the term?

The developments in last couple of years are very worrying. The growing intolerance in a tolerant society like ours has to be recognised so that we can overcome it. Murder of rationalist thinkers, killing people for their eating habits or for the choice of their partners does not augur well for our society. The spate of returning awards was meant to highlight what has gone wrong with our social fabric, but the message seems to have been lost. We need to internalise the spirit of freedom movement to overcome this dark phase of our national history.