The recent debate centred on the status of the RSS whether it is a cultural or a political organisation ... reveals the poverty of thinking. Because it fails to comprehend the politics of culture as well as the culture of politics. Moreover, it fails to ask the question that ought to be asked: how do we choose what we - not excluding the government employees - need for a sane society?

What is Cultural is Political

To begin with, let us understand culture. We often make a mistake when we argue that culture is essentially a soft domain; it is just about poetry and painting, Theatre and cinema. The deeper meaning of culture, it has to be understood, is a way of life. And this way of life manifests itself through innumerable cultural creations: from music to technology, from marriage rituals to television serials.

Culture as a way of life is also a statement of power: how, for instance, the family is constituted or gender identities are constructed, how the community copes with the principle of the division of labour or how it classified, hierarchises, degrades and elevates its members ... A. meaningful ethnographic account reveals the dynamics of power operating through everyday/normal/taken-for- granted cultural activities and practices. In other words, there is a political meaning of culture.

It is not difficult to come across innumerable examples that demonstrate the politics of culture ... It is possible to see how even apparently 'non-political' cultural creations like religion, poetry, cinema and academics have deeper political implications. Vivekananda's 'spiritual' messages did inspire the  struggle against the ... British empire, Tagore's novels intervene meaningfully in the discourse on nationalism during the freedom struggle, Raj Kapoor's films were located in the Nehruvian agenda of nation-making, and event he growth of an abstract science like mathematics was not separable from the logic of capitalism, its fascination with measurement, quantification and profit.

As a matter of fact, these possibilities in culture have been recognised and accepted by the political agents of all kinds ..

It is, therefore, not surprising that the RSS, its cultural appearance notwithstanding, does have far-reaching political implications. The RSS means many things. It means a group of 'patriots' disciplining themselves for building up a resurgent Hindu nation. It may also mean a set of ideals rooted in an 'ancient culture' that can critique the 'secular'/'Western' obsession with materialism and individualism. In other words, no matter how one looks at it, the RSS is inseparable from politics. Because its gospel of nationalism does have distinctive political meanings regarding the hierarchy of religious communities, the location of women, tribes and other marginalised groups in the caste Hindu society: Likewise, its doctrine of a 'disciplined' life maybe seen as .. a mode of 'surveillance': a military project designed to curb the creative anarchy that individuals need to realise their own truths in life. The point we are trying to make is that there is no way the RSS can hide its political character.

... The question is: why is it that the KSS is so desperate to hide its politics? Is it because it accepts that culture is inherently good, and politics is necessarily bad? Or is it that it does not have the moral courage to praise the kind of politics it practices?

What is Political is Cultural

Politics has got its own culture. Because no political project can be accomplished without appropriate cultural practices. Democracy, for instance, is not just about elections and formation of governments. Democracy cannot become successful unless all social and cultural institutions become truly democratic in their functions and practices. Democracy ... is a way of thinking, acting and doing. Democracy, in order to be meaningful, must be a shared cultural practice.

... Gandhiji realised the negative consequences of despiritualised politics ... He sought to give a refreshingly new meaning to politics. A political activist, Gandhiji insisted, must train himself, restrain his egotistic impulses and desires, grow humble, courageous and herice non-violent. In other words, politics, for Gandhiji, was a way of life, a profound cultural practice: what one should eat and drink, the kind of sexual life one should ledd, and the way one should relate to the wretched of the earth.

The situation is not entirely different when we look at Marxism. Even though Marxism is a 'scientificdoctrine it fails to escape moral questions. The urge to unite theory and practice led many Marxists to plead for a non- hierarchical, egalitarian, communitarian, life-ethos. 'How to be a good Communist' was a great concern shared by many Marxists. It was felt that Marxism, in order to be accountable, must manifest itself in the cultural practices of its proponents.

It would, therefore, not be wrong to say that every political project seeks to evolve its characteristic cultural practice. For example, the kind of cultural narcissism (an attempt to spread the hegemony of the dominant religious tradition, and silence or insult alternative traditions) we have been witnessing these days is closely related to a political project that is authoritarian and exclusivist ... In fact, good politics needs good culture; bad politics means bad culture.

Culture and Politics in a Sane Society

The real issue is not whether the RSS is a cultural or a political organisation. Because its culture defines its politics; its politics dictates its culture. In fact, be it the RSS or any other 'secular' cultural group ... the essential challenge before us is to choose the kind of political culture or cultural politics that leads to sanity in human society:

The choice is always difficult. Yet, it is not altogether impossible to identify a set of obstacles to the growth of a sane society. First, what we are witnessing all over the world is the culture of consumerism ... Second, we are witnessing what is being regarded as fundamentalism. Although it speaks of the importance of 'lost' cultures in order to evolve a critique of the immoral consumerism of 'Western modernity', its politics remains the same conservative politics promoting a patriarchal/hierarchical/ unequal social order. This culture is against sanity. Because it destroys the richness of cross-cultural dialogue; it is too narrow to appreciate the beauty of cultural change through mutual interaction; it curtails the creative freedom of the individual; it represses the language of protest without which no civilisation can renew itself. A sane society ought to overcome these obstacles and must evolve a politico-cultural project leading to an ecological, harmonic, non-violent mode of living.

It is in this context that the agenda of the RSS has to be situated. Does the RSS have an alternative economic agenda to fight the irresistible march of global capitalism, and overcome the seduction of consumerism? Is the RSS open and critical enough to fight fundamentalism, and embrace the spirit of plurality and autonomy? In other words, is the RSS capable of creating a new agenda for a sane society .. (Source: The Mainstream, 20 May, 2000)

RSS: Seshadri Chari's Views

Founded in 1925. by Hedgewar: ... the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) aims at organising Hindu society as one strong, indivisible entity to achieve all round development of the country. The Sangh believes. that dharma and 'sanskriti' (our uninterrupted cultural heritage) form the bedrock of our ancient civilisation ... Hindutva has a world vision and the Hindu society has a world mission.

... With a view to finding solutions to various problems, 'swayamsevaks' are encouraged (to) start new institutions or join an existing one. Naturally, these organisations are autonomous, they have a constitution of their own, and are not affiliated to the RSS. But the persons working in such organisations do continue to derive inspiration from the RSS ... The BJP is one such organisation in the political field ... ... There is, therefore, nothing like somebody being "in-charge of the BJP". .. In the Hindu thought, politics is only one aspect of social life. The RSS considers the individual to be an effective instrument of change in society and united efforts of a group of such individuals is alone the guarantee for change in society. The BJP is striving to bring about a change in society in its own way.

.. Shri Guruji (M. S. Golwalkar) is likely to have found (Savarkar's thought) generally in agreement with his own concept of a Hindu nation, The RSS believes in cultural nationalism. A person who accepts this land as his country and owes unquestioned and primary loyalty to it, owns the basic features of her heritage and culture, imbibes and manifests them in life can be said to be a Hindu national, irrespective of the faith he follows for his spiritual salvation. Many, not-born here, have acclaimed this country as their 'punyabhoomi'.

The RSS upholds that this is Hindu Rashtra ... But the concept of Hindu Rashtra is absolutely different from what is known as a theocratic state ... Hindutva is not a religious dogma. One should understand the distinction between Rashtra (nation) and Rajya (state). Hindu Rashtra is a geo-cultural concept. (Source: The Hindu, 20 February, 2000)

RSS Chief Sudarshan For Unity in Diversity!

Unity in diversity is our principle ... Those who adopted the principle of unity in uniformity ... were not successful nor will they ever be ... Whoever tried to destroy diversity were ... that went against nature .... People from all over the world representing different cultures .... religions and lifestyles came to India and they are living in their own style and they have all the freedom to do so.

The Muslims kept themselves away from the national mainstream because the religious fundamentalists want to keep them isolated. However the educated and intellectuals have begun to realise that they have to adopt the principle of unity in diversity.

.. Hindutva was not the name of any community in particular - it is the concept of cultural nationalism ... Only Hindutva has the capacity to accept, imbibe and absorb all religions ... (Source: The Organiser)

Shahabuddin's Response Letter to The Organiser, 8 June, 2000

In the latest issue of the Organiser, Shri Manik M. Kher has quoted the RSS Chief Shri Sudarshan in full support of the concept of 'unity in diversity'. However, Sudarshanji is also reported to have stated that the Muslim Indian community is yet to adopt this principle and that Hindutva has the capacity to absorb all religions. Here lies a contradiction.

Muslim Indians are equally committed to the concept of Unity in Diversity. That is why they want to maintain their religious identity in a multi-religious country and they do not want their religion to be absorbed by the dominant religion, in the name of Hindutva or cultural nationalism. Indeed the very concept of one culture for the nation is a negation of the principle of Unity in Diversity. We are living in the age of Multi-culturalism.