Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)
Other names: (RSS/राष्ट्रीय स्वयंसेवक संघ)
Type: Right-wing/Paramilitary/Hindu nationalist organisation based in India
Founded: September 1925
Location: Across India - with affiliates abroad
Organisation Ideology: Hindutva/Hindu Supremacism
Leadership: Mohan Bhagwat - Dattatreya Hosabale
Online Resources
Official website: RSS
5.5M followers
137K subscribers
208K followers
2.4M
Overview
RSS is a right-wing Hindu nationalist paramilitary volunteer organisation in India. The RSS is the parent organisation of a large body of organisations known as the Sangh Parivar (umbrella organisation of the RSS), which has a strong presence in many aspects of Indian society. The organisation was formed in 1925 and has a follower base of approximately 5-6 million supporters as of 2014. The primary goal of RSS has always been to reunite the Hindu population and support the principles of preserving Indian culture and civil society values, and spreading the Hindutva ideology to “strengthen” the Hindu community.
Organisations that are inspired by the RSS ideology refer to themselves as the members of the Sangh Parivar - the umbrella term applied to all sub-groups affiliated with, or linked directly to the RSS. These organisations include groups such as the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (Universal Hindu Council) - a right-wing Hindu nationalist group with a Hindutva ideology, and the all student affiliate of the RSS - the Vanbandhu Parishad. Other groups also include the Rashtriya Sevika Samiti, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad and Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram.
During World War II, RSS was inspired by European right-wing groups and evolved into a powerful Hindu nationalist umbrella organisation over time, spawning many of the current-associated organisations that set up schools, charities, and clubs to propagate its Hindutva ideology. Human Rights Watch has repeatedly held RSS accountable for the outbreaks of communal disturbances and accused the organisation of its Hindu extremist violence activities against Christian and Muslim minorities in India.
Ties to Extremism
“The (RSS) has been repeatedly accused of stoking inter-religious hatred and committing acts of violence,” stated Deputy Minister for European and Foreign Affairs Clémentine Autain in France’s National Assembly. An Indian Christian leader once said: “Before I converted to Christianity, I used to be a staunch Hindu. I also joined RSS at that time and started working with them. The party upholds Hindutva ideology and believes that if Christians in India aren’t controlled, they would seek to convert all Hindus in the country and Hindutva would lose its identity. Hence RSS wants to do their best to stop Christians from preaching and practising their faith. They would go to any extremes for that.”
RSS members are known for outbreaking communal disturbances and carrying out attacks on both Christian and Muslim minorities and their holy sites. In December 2020, a mob of 30 RSS members armed with sticks, stormed the home of a tribal Sardar Vaskale in the village Devra, beat residents, and shouted derogatory insults because they suspected them of converting to Christianity. According to Raju Patel of the tribal group JAYS, the police continuously pressure the victims to drop their cases because of the attackers’ association with RSS.
The RSS wants a society where Hinduism and Hindu identity is the dominant force shaping the socio-political landscape - i.e a Hindu country firstly and foremostly. It opposes too much power being wielded by any minority groups, particularly Muslims. The RSS has also been encouraged by the current BJP government headed by Narendra Modi- with the BJP itself being an offshoot of the RSS. The BJP has been globally criticised for passing the 2019 Citizenship Amendment Act - a law that grants asylum seekers of every faith found in the region except for Muslims a pathway to become Indian citizens.
In an unprecedented move in March 2017, Mahanagar Prachar Praukhanm, an RSS leader delivered an inflammatory speech bragging about how “Hindu society” massacred 2,000 Muslims in Gujarat to avenge the death of 56 Hindus in Godhra, in memories of the 2002 attacks. In a recorded video, he further stated that whosoever assassinates Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan would receive one crore rupees: “I, Dr Kundan Chandrawat, am declaring from this platform, I have enough wealth so I am being bold in saying this – I have a house worth one crore, cut off the head of (Kerala chief minister) Vijayan and bring it to me and I will hand over my house and my wealth. Such traitors have no right to live in this country, such traitors have no right to murder democracy.” Anti-Muslim rhetoric in Hindu nationalism dates back decades. One of the pioneers of Hindu nationalism, Vidayak Savarkar stated that India should “approach its Muslim problem the same way the Nazis dealt with their Jewish problem”. Hindutva populists have in recent times, also began reaching out to, and cooperating with their European right-wing counterparts.
