Indians shed awkward questions like water off a duck's back. The rss claims that it builds character and instils a spirit of nationalism among its cadres. ...
The cream of RSS volunteers is its Ram kar sevaks. The cream among these marched to Ayodhya. They were entrusted with the task of spreading Hindutva across India. And the cream of these was the lot accused of physically demolishing the mosque. Five of those accused claim they acted under orders from L.K. Advani. Advani claims the demolition was unplanned.
The PM and the RSS must tell the nation whether its most important volunteers of high character and nationalist spirit are liars. Or is Advani, the modern Lord Ram-cum-Sardar Patel, a liar? Is he then also a conspirator who unleashed the demolition, arson and killings at Ayodhya?
Hindutva leaders claimed there was a temple buried under the mosque. After months of excavation, the progress report denies evidence of a buried temple. But they will keep digging till a temple is found. If it is never found, who knows, weapons of mass destruction may be found. So dig, dig, dig!
Kalyan Singh was the BJP chief minister when the mosque was demolished. After the demolition, he said he was proud of it and would welcome judgement of his actions by God. The Hindutva leaders lionised him. But then, for other reasons, Kalyan Singh fell out with the BJP. He made his own party. He teamed up with Mulayam Singh, who bitterly opposes the RSS. Now Kalyan Singh says that Vajpayee and Advani ordered him to demolish the mosque. Was he lying then, or is he lying now?
The BJP found Kalyan Singh blameless after the demolition. It lionised him. It now says he was responsible for the demolition. Was the BJP lying then, is it lying now?
Ashok Singhal, the VHP boss, says the Kanchi Shankaracharya should not have a dialogue with Muslims because he does not represent a majority of Hindus. This is because the Shankaracharya is a devotee of Shiva while Lord Ram was the incarnation of Vishnu. If the Shankaracharya cannot speak for all Hindus, can Ashok Singhal?
Long back, this column had observed that the cash-rich, Bania-led VHP was overtaking the Brahmin-led RSS. Today, the RSS must dance to the VHP tune.
The Sangh parivar is a self-appointed custodian of Hinduism. Through recent statements its leaders have exposed themselves to be liars. Hindus must decide who poses the real threat to Hindu society—Islam or the Sangh parivar.