Of late I have been reading a lot about Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, commonly known as RSS, and the general perception which the people have about them is certainly not good. Almost everywhere they have been portrayed as a bunch of retards with old school ideologies and extremist opinions supporting Hindutva.
This is what even I thought about them until recently I read otherwise. I always saw them spreading hatred and protesting against peace and love. The only time I found them really active was always on Valentine’s Day. But the truth is, behind the completely dark picture painted by the media, there is also a bright side to RSS which people generally don’t know or have forgotten.
Their involvement in supporting our country goes far back to the days of partition. Right after the independence, protecting the Republic of India was very important and RSS stepped up to this responsibility. They have been credited for stopping a planned coup which was aimed at toppling the administration of Jawaharlal Nehru in New Delhi. It was huge thing which they managed to do successfully.
After independence, they went ahead to play a pivotal role in setting Dadra and Nagar Haveli free from the grasps of Portuguese. They collaborated with Azad Gomantak Dal (AGD) and National Movement Liberation Organization (NMLO) in a mission to end the Portuguese rule in Goa and hence integrate it to India.
It was not just the freedom movements in which the RSS people took active interest, during war time as well they turned out to be of great help. RSS volunteered in supporting the military in the Sino-Indian war for which they also got an invitation to attend Republic Day parade from then Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. Later on in the Indo-Pak war of 1665, RSS offered their services to Lal Bahadur Shastri by controlling the traffic in Delhi so that the policemen could go for military duties.
It’s not that all the good work which they have done is only limited to history. In the past decade also they have been involved in various noble causes. Last year when the cyclone Hudhud destroyed many areas of Vishakhapatnam including a few mosques, RSS went ahead to help the restoration process by cleaning the Mosques and removing trees which had fallen in the campus of the Mosques.
At the time of Gujarat earthquake as well, they were of great help to the people. They helped thousands of citizens in getting immediate first aid help after the disaster had struck the state. The same thing happened when Tsunami washed away the coastal states of Sothern India. They stepped up at the time of panic and helped the government in relief work. RSS guys worked at camps set up by the state to help the victims of Tsunami and the locals also helped in search party operations to find the missing ones.
Whenever any disaster has struck or there has been an emergency situation going on, they have done more than what has been expected from them. All this work done by them is really commendable. But the negative image which they have (for which they themselves are responsible to a great extent) overshadows all the good work which they have done in the past.
I completely agree that their propagandas and ideologies are not up to date with the progressing society of ours but the work which they have done is also something we must not ignore. If they can just stop the act of protesting against anything and everything in the name of culture and Hinduism, I think they can become a much better organization than they are right now.
