Guru Golwalkar's Views on Uniform Civil Code

NK SINGH

Inaugurating the Deendayal Research Institute in New Delhi on August 20 last, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief, Guru Golwalkar, said that a Uniform Civil Code had nothing to do with national integration or nationalism.

Sniffing a deep philosophical question involved, the Motherland and Organiser rushed the next day to interview their Guru. Reiterating his view, Golwalkar said he had no quarrel with any community or sect for wanting to have its separate identity.

Propounding his thesis of the "flatterers and flatteners" basically being the same, both treating the Muslim community as a thing apart, he said the flatterers wanted the Muslims' vote, "the flatteners wanted to extinguish the separate identity of the Muslim community. The Muslim is welcome to his way of life as long as he loves his country and its culture."

By way of an obiter dictum, he added that uniformity is the death knell of nations, nature abhors uniformity and all the various ways of life in the country should be protected.

The opinion did come as a surprise to many, especially among his chelas in Jana Sangh who thought they had misunderstood Parampujyaniaya Guruji (Inspired by his teachings, the JS had been campaigning for a uniform civil code as a part of the Indianisation campaign.) 

Hence the entire thing caused a flutter. 

Jamaat-e-Islami's mouthpiece, Radiance thought that Golwalkar had placed the J.S. in "a very awkward situation." 

The Guru did himself throw a brick when he said, "This might surprise you or many others." Taking the clue, the Jana Sangh functionaries did get surprised and congratulated the interviewers for getting the 'scoop' of the year. But was it so?

Kidding the People

Those who have followed the Jana Sangh and R.S.S. affairs constantly know that Guruji had never talked of a uniform civil code. As a Motherland reader put it: "I have been listening to Guruji's views on all subjects for very long and I know for certain that these views of him are as old as the issue itself." 

Theoretically, Golwalkar is opposed to Muslims remaining Muslim and sharing in the national life. He is on record having said that national integration cannot be confined only to the political and economic sphere and that it should be extended to the sphere of religion and culture also.

He does not believe that conversion from Hinduism to Islam or Christianity is only a change of religion, he rather considers it a mark of slavery. The moment one becomes a Muslim or Christian he ceases to be Hindu. And "Hindu being the nationhood", he ceases to be national and unworthy of being given equal rights of citizenship. 

He wants them to be all "reconverted", which only would entitle them to full citizenship and a uniform civil code will come into force automatically. So, the solution is not in a uniform civil code, but in Indianisation Jana Sangh style. 

As an Organiser reader suggested: "It will be wise not to have any illusions about it. Muslims are unable to join the national mainstream because they still feel that Mahumds of Gazni, Allaudins and Aurangzebs are their ancestors and heroes and still aspired to rule over Hindus and convert the land into a Muslim country. 

"As long as Muslims have such feelings in their mind, they will never integrate even if they accept a uniform Civil Code. The moment Muslims realise that they are sons of the soil, that their ancestors were also Hindus and were compelled to embrace Islam by force by foreign tyrants, they will themselves come back to their original fold." 

Birds of the same Feather

The Sangh's natural allies were the far right in the other communities. 

The Muslim Majlis of Dr A.J. Faridi did exactly what the JS wanted it to do in some towns of the U.P. on the question of the Aligarh University Bill. A Clandestine approach and understanding developed between the two. The support extended by the Muslim communalists to the recent Sangh-sponsored "Lucknow Bundh" is a glaring example of this. 

Golwalkar's recent gimmick has further paved the way for an alliance with obscurantist forces like Jammat-e-Islami and Muslim Majlis. 

No wonder, Jammat's Radiance thought that "there is not a single Muslim in this country who would find anything objectionable in this statement of RSS leader". It further commented that Golwalkar seemed to be "beckoning" the majority community "to religiosity and respect the orthodoxy of the Muslims". 

Welcoming the "valued" statement, Jammat Urdu Daily, Dawat reproduced it in full on the front page. Another obscurantist newspaper, Alijamiat too welcomed the "pleasant surprise" provided by Guruji. 

A Muslim admirer of the Parampujyaniya described it as a "current of fresh and cool breeze in a stifling and suffocating atmosphere.'

Communalists under whichever religious denomination they sail are birds of the same feather. Their raison d'etre is the same -- religion, "the opium of the people". According to Gandhi, the basic essence of all religions is the same. Golwalkar says that this essence is "anti-communism". 

A very revealing letter has appeared in Motherland in this connection where Golwalkar is quoted as having told that "the Muslims can become Congressites, Socialists, Jana Sanghis or Muslim Leaguers but they can never turn outlaws and Naxalites en bloc for their religion teaches them to lead a decent and honest life in a society respecting the laws and conventions of their polity."

YOUNG INDIAN

28,September, 1972