RSS run schools are coming under a scanner,
with MHRD minister contemplating action against
them (Oct 2006).
In last three decades thousands of schools of
different variety have mushroomed, Ekal Vidyalaya,
Sarswati Shishu Mandirs, and Vidya Bharati,
run by RSS combine. Those working in the remote
interiors realized that communalism which was
an urban phenomenon so far, now is making stronger
inroads into rural, Adivasi areas as well. As
if well planned, a parallel phenomenon of the
incidents of sectarian violence, have gone up
during the same period. Is there any correlation
between the two? While one awaits the publication
of Central Advisory Board for Education (CABE)
report, one also knows that already various
social activists and academics have analyzed
the books being taught in Shishu Mandirs and
Vidya Bharati. Some of these studies/reports
were put together by many organizations like
Sahmat and Communalism Combat amongst others.
These reports did point out the dangers posed
by the types of books being taught in these
schools published by RSS combine. That the books
being taught in these outfits are divisive to
the core is beyond any shade of doubt. The type
of social common sense, which is becoming strong
in the country all over, and the type of hate
which communities are developing for each other
have come from various sources, one of them
being the type of books, the type of education
being given in these chains. One realizes that
RSS shakha bauddhiks were the progenitors of
hate ideology right from 1925. They kept working
silently, spreading that this is a Hindu nation,
Muslims and Christians are aliens, secularism
is being imposed on `us' by those influenced
by Western culture like Nehru, there is a need
to keep the Muslims and Christians `in place',
we need to restore the glory of ancient Hindu
India in the exalted position of the World teacher,
the fountain head of wisdom for the all other
countries of the World, as we are chosen for
the World Mission.
This kept percolating in the society and the
indoctrination of sections of community started
taking place, followed by the infiltration of
RSS elements in Media and formal education,
giving the process a further boost. The later
stage of this process of sectarian indoctrination
is through distortion of educational books at
all the levels and that's what Sarswati Shishu
Mandirs are doing.
The reports and analysis of these books so far
has revealed that the sectarian ideology of
Hindu nation, the hate and denigration of other
religious communities, the upholding of caste
and gender hierarchy and the glorification repressive
ideology of fascism have been blatantly propagated
through these. These books have listed all the
Hindu festivals as national festivals, excluding
the ones of Sikhs, Jain, Buddha, Christian and
Muslims. They blatantly propagate that Islam
spread on the strength of sword, it is a violent
religion, and lakhs of people have sacrificed
their lives to save the attacks on Ram temple.
There is a subtle attempt to undermining of
the acts of violence done by RSS swaymsevaks,
like Gandhi's date of birth is mentioned but
his death and how he was murdered by Godse does
not find any mention. (L.S.Hardenia, Socialist
Secular Bharat Jan 2002) Similarly a more detailed
study in Communalism Combat, October 1999, goes
on to show the pattern of distortion of facts,
the way presentation is slanted to demonize
other religious communities is elaborated. This
is what they have to say about Christianity,
"It is because of the conspiratorial policies
of the followers of this religion that India
was partitioned. Even today Christian missionaries
are engaged in fostering anti–national
tendencies in Nagaland, Meghalaya, Arunachal,
Bihar, Kerala, and other regions of our country
because of which there is a grave danger to
the integrity of present day India". Muslims
and Islam are given a similar treatment, "Thousands
of opponents of idol worship, the followers
of Islam, go to the pilgrimage centre of Islamic
community at Kaaba to worship `Shivalinga' .
In Muslim society, the greatest wish is to have
a darshan of that black stone (Shivalinga) ".
In one of the questions, children are asked
to fill in the blanks `rivers of blood' as the
means by which Prophet Mohammad spread Islam.
Meghanad Saha is supposed to have written the
history of Hindu science, the water of river
Ganga, whose pollution is phenomenal, is supposed
to be so pure that it never gets bad and is
pious. The obscurantism and sectarianism walk
hand in hand in this and they boost each other.
One of the questions in these books relates
to the demolition of Babri Masjid, if x number
of Kar sevaks can demolish the mosque in so
many hours how much time will be taken by y
number of Kar Sevaks. One is reminded of a similar
question regarding Kalashnikov rifles being
put forward by Taliban. It goes without saying
that institutions like Markazi Maktaba and Madrassas
also need to be brought under scrutiny for the
content of their curriculum and similar action
needs to be taken against them also if the syllabus
and books being taught there have divisive content.
The violence in the society rests on the pillars
of Hatred of other communities, hatred which
is deep and takes hysterical proportions when
incited around temple issue or such one's or
other make believe incidents. The violence cannot
go on without this deep hatred for others, without
a mindset indoctrinated into hating others.
That's what these books are doing; supplementing
to the work which Shakha bauddhik was doing/
is doing. It broadens the scope of its reach
far and wide and that too starting from an early
age. Is it not against the national integration?
Is it not against the values of Indian constitution?
There is an urgent need to make public the CABE
report and to take stern and immediate action
against these hate spewing factories.
Issues in Secular Politics
Nov. 2006 I
For Circulation/ Publication/ translation
