Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh

[[File:Path Sanchalan Bhopal-1.jpg|thumb|215px|RSS parade in Bhopal. Note the nazi inspired uniforms.<ref>[https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/eye-on-rss/dress-how-you-want-to-be-addressed-rss-and-fascism Dress how you want to be addressed: RSS and fascism]. ''Indian National Herald''.</ref>]]
{{IndianPolitics}}
The '''Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh''' ('''RSS'''; [[Sanskrit]]: राष्ट्रीय स्वयंसेवक सङ्घ, translated into English as '''National Volunteer Organization'''){{efn|''Rashtriya/राष्ट्रीय'' means National, ''Swayamsevak/स्वयंसेवक'' means Volunteer, and ''Sangh/सङ्घ'' means Organization.}} is a [[Far right|far-right]] extremist, paramilitary terrorist<ref>{{wpa|Saffron terror}}</ref><ref>[https://theprint.in/india/governance/cia-document-tags-vhp-and-bajrang-dal-as-militant-religious-outfits/70409/ CIA document tags VHP and Bajrang Dal as militant religious outfits] ''ThePrint''</ref><ref>[https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2021/01/19/when-shall-the-unsc-declare-rss-a-terrorist-outfit/ When shall the UNSC declare RSS a terrorist outfit?] ''Modern Diplomacy''</ref> organization<ref name="Black Solomos">Les Back and John Solomos (2000), ''Theories of Race and Racism: A Reader'', p.591, ISBN 9780415156714. "It is important to note the marriage between far-right-wing [[Hindutva]] ideology and Western New Ageism in the works of writers like [[David Frawley]] (1994, 1995a, 1995b) who is both a key apologist for the Hindutva movement and the author of various New Age books on Vedic astrology, oracles and yoga."</ref> from [[India]] advocating [[Hindutva]] (Hindu nationalism). The RSS’s ideology was directly inspired by [[Nazi Germany]] and Fascist Italy.<ref>[https://caravanmagazine.in/history/rss-golwalkar-links-nazism Guruji’s Lie: The RSS and MS Golwalkar’s undeniable links to Nazism] by Dhirendra K Jha (31 July 2021) ''The Caravan''.</ref> RSS is the parent organisation of [[Bharatiya Janata Party]], a [[Hindu]] party and current ruling party of [[India]].

The RSS’s goal of Hindu supremacy brought them into conflict with [[Mahatma Gandhi]]’s vision of Hindu teachings and the secularism of independence leaders such as {{wpl|Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru}}. We all know what happened next... Gandhi was murdered on January 30, 1948; by Nathuram Godse, an RSS member. Bitter conflict between the Hindu nationalists and those advocating for a democratic secular and diverse India gave birth to a modern organization dedicated to bringing about its vision of a Hindu state. 

India has banned the RSS on three separate occasions, once in 1948 after Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination, one after the imposition of {{wpl|The Emergency (India)|the emergency}} during 1975 to 1977 by [[Indira Gandhi]] (where almost all sorts of opposition were arrested), and most recently after they razed the {{wpl|Babri Masjid}} claiming that it was built over a Hindu temple dedicated to the [[Hindu]] god {{wpl|Rama}} in 1992. The organization was acquitted each time and its members vehemently deny militancy, although their critics disagree and often label it as a terrorist organization.<ref>I. K. Shukla (2003). Hindutva: An Autopsy of Fascism as a Theoterrorist Cult and Other Essays. Media House. pp.105–. ISBN 978-81-7495-143-4. Retrieved 6 April 2012.</ref>

==History==
{{expand section}}
===Role in freedom struggle===
{{cquote|Hindus, don’t waste your energy fighting the British. Save your energy to fight our internal enemies that are Muslims, Christians and Communists.|||Golwalkar, 2nd leader of RSS, most prominent Hindutva ideologue.<ref>[https://www.deccanherald.com/content/533034/bjps-brand-patriotism.html BJP's brand of patriotism] ''Deccan Herald''</ref>}}

===Major ideologues===
====Vinayak Damodar Savarkar====
''{{wpa|Vinayak Damodar Savarkar}}''


{{wpl|Vinayak Damodar Savarkar}} is credited for popularising the word “Hindutva’’. He is known to his followers by the honorific prefix 'Veer'; however, it is much less known that this title was bestowed by himself in a [[Hagiography]] he wrote with a different name!<ref>[https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/opinion/is-a-bharat-ratna-in-the-offing-the-real-savarkar-and-his-brave-admirers Savarkar praised and called himself ‘Veer’ in biography penned by himself] ''National Herald''</ref>
{{cquote|Savarkar is born hero, he could almost despise those who shirked duty for fear of consequences. If once he rightly or wrongly believed that a certain system of Government was iniquitous, he felt no scruples in devising means to eradicate the evil.|||Savarkar, pretending to be a different person while writing about himself in a biography}}

Savarkar was deeply "Islamophobic" since childhood, admitting to having destroyed mosques and attacked Muslims with knives, pins, and foot rulers at the age of 12, as a reaction to the surge in attacks on Hindus.{{cn}}
{{cquote|We vandalized the mosque to our heart’s content and raised the flag of our bravery on it. We followed the war strategy of {{wpl|Shivaji}} completely and ran away from the site after accomplishing our task.|||Vinayak Damodar Savarkar}}

Savarkar was (and still) erroneously and wrongly (though blatantly) accused (especially by the opponents of [[Hindutva]]) of inventing the destructive {{wpl|Two-nation theory|two-nation theory}} mere 2-3 years ago before {{wpl|Muhammad Ali Jinnah}} proposed [[Pakistan]].{{efn|See {{wpl|Two-nation theory#Roots of Muslim separatism in Colonial India_(17th_century–1940s)}}}}

Savarkar criticised the British for banning [[Sati]].{{cn}} For those unaware, sati refers to the practice of forcing or prompting widows to commit suicide, usually by being lit on fire over their deceased husband's body at the funeral. While it is true that the [[British Empire|British]] banned it, they weren't the first, as the [[Muslims]] who ruled over India for centuries (the {{wpl|Mughal Empire}}) [[Stopped_clock|banned it]] before as well. [[Irony|Too rich and misogynistic even for Sharia law]], it appears. Even the {{wpl|Indian National Congress}} (India's secularist party) banned the practice with the {{wpl|Sati_(Prevention)_Act,_1987}}.

{{wpl|Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose}} was allergic of Savarkar, as far as his Savarkar's sectarian ideology was concerned. Savarkar in turn, called Bose a "Hindu Jihadi".<ref>[https://sabrangindia.in/indepth/collaborator-savarkar-versus-freedom-fighter-bose Collaborator Savarkar versus Freedom Fighter Bose] ''Sabrang'' SHAMSUL-ISLAM 26 January 2016</ref><ref>[https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/randeep-hooda-movie-sarvarkar-really-inspired-subhas-chandra-bose-2386643-2023-05-30 Savarkar really inspired Subhas Chandra Bose? Experts weigh in] ''India Today'' Subodh Kumar 31 May 2023, 12:11 IST</ref><ref>[https://theprint.in/opinion/subhas-chandra-bose-wasnt-anti-savarkar-heres-how-its-more-nuanced-than-you-thought/810505/ Subhas Chandra Bose wasn’t ‘anti-Savarkar’. Here’s how it’s more nuanced than you thought] ''The Print'' 
Chandrachur Ghose
23 January 2022 10:02 am IST</ref><ref>[https://www.dailypioneer.com/2023/state-editions/the-fateful-meeting-of-savarkar-and-netaji-subhas.html The fateful meeting of Savarkar and Netaji Subhas] ''The Pioneer'' Dr. Gour Mohanty Friday, 3 February 2023</ref>

Now, the Hindu far-right in India has started rewriting history to portray Savarkar as a great freedom fighter.
{{cquote|We bow to Veer Savarkar on his Jayanti [Birthday]. Veer Savarkar epitomises courage, patriotism and unflinching commitment to a strong India. He inspired many people to devote themselves towards nation-building.|||Narendra Modi<ref>[https://archive.is/7wm3w Narendra Modi], 28 May 2019, archived from Twitter.</ref>}}

====Madhavrao Sadashiv Golwalkar====
{{main|M.S. Golwalkar}}
''{{wpa|M. S. Golwalkar}}''


[[M.S. Golwalkar]] {{lived|1903|1973}}, the second leader of the RSS, was allegedly a [[Nazi]] admirer and one of the first proponents of a [[Indian alt-right glossary#Hindu Rashtra|Hindu Rashtra]].

==Pseudoscience==
===Cattle pseudoscience===
In 2009, some RSS followers claimed that Western brands like Pepsi and Coca-Cola were corrupting Indian culture, and introduced cow urine soda in [[India]]. The drink contained cow urine with flavours such as [[List of medicinal plants#Aloe|''Aloe vera'']] and some [[Ayurveda|Ayurvedic herbs]]. They promote the drinking of [[Urine therapy|cow urine as a cure for diseases]] arguing, "Cow urine offers a cure for around [[Panacea|70 to 80 incurable diseases like diabetes]]."<ref>[http://www.livescience.com/42529-cow-urine-health-benefits-gomutra-ark.html Udder Nonsense? Cow Urine Promoted for Health Benefits] Livescience</ref>

In 2017, Shankar Lal, President of Bharatiya Gau Sewa Sangh (An RSS affiliate dedicated to Cow lovers) said.
{{cquote|It is fresh [[Bullshit|cow dung]]. I have put it to save myself from the harmful radiations of the cellphone. It works, believe me, If cow dung can treat cancer, why can't it save us from a phone's microwaves? <ref name = "cow dung">[https://www.huffingtonpost.in/2016/08/07/rss-leader-applies-cow-dung-on-his-cellphone-to-guard-against-ra_a_21446492/ RSS Leader Applies Cow Dung On His Cellphone To Guard Against Radiation]'' Huffington Post''.</ref>}}

===Eugenics===
{{main|Hindutva#Racism}}
In May 2017, RSS's health wing launched its grand plan to [[Make America Great Again|Make India Great Again]], using Nazi eugenics.

===Teaching babies Sanskar in womb===
On March 2023, ''Samvardhini Nyas'', a wing of the ''Rashtra Sevika Samiti'', the women's section of the RSS, announced their new campaign titled ''Garbha Sanskar'' ([[Sanskrit]]: गर्भ संस्कार (though the actual term is {{wpl|Garbhadhana|Garbhadhana Sanskara}}, [[Sanskrit]]: गर्भाधान संस्कार)), to help indoctrinate foetuses into their ideology and religion even before they are born (albeit with questionable efficacy).
{{cquote|Pregnant women should be taught about the lives and struggles of Lord Ram, Hanuman, Shivaji and freedom fighters so that the child in the womb starts learning early about sanskar.|||Madhuri Marathe, organising secretary of Samvardhinee Nyas}}
It was also said that as a part of womb cleaning, reading [[Sanskrit]] and the {{wpl|Bhagavad Gita}} should also be done during pregnancy, claiming that if ''garbha sanskar'' was performed properly, even the DNA of the child in the womb could be changed.
{{cquote|It makes us wonder what is going wrong in pregnancy. 'Garbha Sanskar' starts even before pregnancy. The minute a couple thinks of a child, the role of ayurveda comes into play|||Dr Rama Jayasunder, head, NMR department of AIIMS}}
{{cquote|...Purification of the womb and a positive environment are much needed. Our target is to deliver 1,000 such garbha sanskar children every year in this country. This initiative is meant to restore the old glory of India... Mothers will be happy if they give birth to children like Lord Ram, who are duty-bound towards parents and save the country too|||Rajani Mittal, co-convener}}
To top it all off, some homophobia:<ref>[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/teach-babies-sanskar-in-womb-rss-wing-to-doctors/articleshow/98437170.cms Teach babies 'sanskar' in womb: RSS wing to doctors] ''The Times of India''</ref>
{{cquote|If the mother already has a son as her firstborn and expects her second-born to be a girl, but gives birth to a boy, then the child could grow up to be homosexual|||Shweta Dangre}}

==[[Stopped clock]] or [[bait-and-switch]]?==
In recent years, the RSS has accepted [[LGBT]] members and some leaders have made statements supporting LGBT rights, though some say that such support is likely "hollow and superficial" to attract more supporters by utilizing [[Christophobia]] and [[Islamophobia]] from these communities harbouring anti-LGBT sentiments and [[homophobia]].<ref>[https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/rss-chief-bats-for-rights-of-transgender-lgbtq-citizens/article66361183.ece RSS chief bats for rights of transgender, LGBTQ citizens] ''The Hindu''</ref> Similarly enough, RSS-affiliated groups intended for Muslims ({{wpl|Muslim Rashtriya Manch|Muslim Rashtriya Manch}}) and Sikhs ({{wpl|Rashtriya Sikh Sangat|Rashtriya Sikh Sangat}}) also exist; those are often seen as an attempt by the RSS to promote Hindutva to the minorities and assimilate them into Hinduism.

==See also==
*[[Pan-Iranist Party]] - their Iranian counterpart.
*[[Bharatiya Janata Party]] - their political organization.
*[[Hindutva]] - the group’s ideology.

==External links==
*[http://www.rss.org/ Their website]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

{{Hindu nationalism}}
[[Category:Anti-Christian bigotry]]
[[Category:Antifeminism]]
[[Category:Anti-LGBT bigots]]
[[Category:Fascism]]
[[Category:Government incompetence]]
[[Category:Hindu nationalism]]
[[Category:Hinduism]]
[[Category:Hindu nationalism]]
[[Category:Homophobia]]
[[Category:Indian politics]]
[[Category:Islamophobia]]
[[Category:Political parties]]
[[Category:Pseudoscience promoting organizations]]
[[Category:Racism]]
[[Category:Sexism]]
[[Category:Transphobia]]

Categories: Anti-Christian bigotry, Antifeminism, Anti-LGBT bigots, Fascism, Government incompetence, Hindu nationalism, Hinduism, Hindu nationalism, Homophobia, Indian politics, Islamophobia, Political parties, Pseudoscience promoting organizations, Racism, Sexism, Transphobia