Greetings. I'm Dr Nitish Bharadwaj.
An organisation that announced the formation of a new world,
known as Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
You are watching a documentary series on the journey
spanning 100 years of RSS.
And it is called 'Kesariya@100'.
Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar.
He ignited the flame of Hindu unity.
And this flame was turned into a torch
by Madhav Sadashivrao Golwalkar, fondly known as Guruji.
A enlightened thinker,
and a prominent advocate of Hindutva.
A patriot and a nationalist whose ideas
awakened the nation.
"One colour, one union, one mind, one vow."
"One voice, one song, one melody, one mantra."
'Victory to... - Mother India!'
"One colour, one union, one mind, one vow."
"One voice, one song, one melody, one mantra."
"One vision, one ideology, we have just one goal."
"It's our pride and honour,"
"our country dwells in our very soul."
"Your nation calls, adorn it with your love sincere."
"With faith and courage, in serving our nation, let us persevere."
"Your nation calls, adorn it with your love sincere."
"With faith and courage, in serving our nation, let us persevere."
"Kesariya!"
'The year 1940 marked'
'the ominous beginning of the impending World War 2.'
'A decade that shaped the future of many nations'
'amidst the fire of international conflict'
'and the bright dawn of freedom.'
'It was a time'
'when the world waited with bated breath for respite.'
'A world that was caught'
'in the crossfire between brutal atrocities'
'and a rising wave of revolution.'
'Despite the rampant bloodshed all over the world,'
'a powerful movement came into action.'
'The unstoppable movement of our freedom struggle.'
'The struggle to realise the dream'
'of a free and self-governing India'
'had reached its tipping point.'
On 21 June 1940,
Dr Hedgewar passed away.
Before that, Golwalkar
had already made the decision to devote his life working for RSS.
Dr Hedgewar had recommended
Golwalkar's name as a potential Chief of RSS
while talking to senior members of the union.
But before he could formally hand over the position of Chief
to Golwalkar,
he passed away.
'Ten days after the demise of Dr Hedgewar,'
'a meeting of the Sangh was called in Akola.'
'On 3 July 1940,'
'the Sangh unanimously appointed'
'Golwalkar as the Chief of RSS.'
In 1940, Guruji was barely 34 years old.
And he became the Chief of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
He continued to work for the organisation
till his death,
which was in the year 1973.
The 33 years that he served the organisation proved to be
an ordeal in the crucible of fire.
In those 33 years,
questions were raised on his speeches.
His ideology was challenged.
From the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi to banning the RSS,
in those 33 years, many major events affected the RSS.
But Guru Golwalkar
continued to do his duty undeterred.
During his tenure,
he ignited such a flame of Hindutva and nationalism
that it changed the course of this country's politics.
'Golwalkar was compared to Hitler and Mussolini.'
'He was even called Gandhi's murderer.'
'But his mother told us'
'what he was truly like'
'and what his personality was truly like.'
'He was the only child'
'that survived among the eight children she bore.'
'He was always very sensitive.'
'When he was in the fourth grade,'
'he was taught a poem.'
'The title of the poem was, 'Why is the world so brutal?'.'
'She falls momentarily,'
'rises up, and stays strong.'
'She flies away.'
'She loses her path.'
'Oh, I pity that poor bird.'
'How much does she even gulp?'
'She's such a delicate being.'
'And just like that,'
'the bird returned to her nest.'
What does that mean?
A hunter has hit her with an arrow.
That injured bird is bleeding.
But it keeps hustling and tries hard
to reach her nest.
But why does she want to go to her nest?
It flies there for its children.
They are waiting for their mother.
'She tells her children'
'that she can't talk much.'
'Today, for the last time,'
'I have brought you something to eat.'
'Come on. It's delicious.'
'Let me feed it to you one last time.'
'Going forward, you will have to strive'
'and find your food on your own.'
What does that mean?
Once the bird dies, the Almighty will look after her children.
He will support them.
'Her beautiful feathers'
'scatter on the ground.'
'Her beautiful feathers'
'scatter on the ground.'
'She lies there on her back'
'with her spotless body.'
'She lies there on her back'
'with her spotless body.'
'Her beak is still open.'
'Her legs are extended.'
'Her beak is still open.'
'Her legs are extended.'
'Her lifeless body lies there.'
'And her pain comes to an end.'
'Her lifeless body lies there.'
'And her pain comes to an end.'
Does that mean it passed away?
Yes.
'Her lifeless body lies there.'
'And her pain comes to an end.'
Do you get that, dear?
One must never treat anyone so cruelly.
One must never harm anyone.
One must be kind and loving towards everyone, okay?
'Golwalkar's life journey began'
'in Ramtek, near Nagpur, where he was born.'
'He completed his Masters in Science'
'from Banaras Hindu University.'
'Apart from Marathi, he was fluent'
'in English, Hindi, Bengali and Sanskrit.'
'He was a talented flautist and 'sitar' player.'
'He was so intelligent'
'that his college mates at BHU'
'gave him the nickname Guruji.'
At Banaras Hindu University,
he met Bhaiyaji Dani.
He was the one who introduced Golwalkar to RSS
and took him to one of its branches.
Golwalkar returned to Nagpur from Varanasi.
But without telling anyone,
he left his home.
He went to the Himalayas to meditate.
In his quest to find spirituality,
Golwalkar reached Sargachhi.
Sargachhi is a place in the town of Murshidabad in West Bengal.
This is where Golwalkar came into contact with
Swami Akhandananda, a disciple of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.
Ramakrishna Paramahamsa had two star disciples.
Swami Vivekananda and Swami Akhandananda.
Golwalkar began to consider Swami Akhandananda as his guru.
'At Swami Akhandananda's behest,'
'Golwalkar never shaved his beard or cut his hair in his lifetime.'
'Not only that. He kept the pot given to him by Swami Akhandananda'
'with him all his life.'
'Guruji had covered every corner of India'
'while working as a member of the Sangh.'
'Twice a year, he would go on a tour of the country.'
'In 33 years, he toured the entire country'
'66 times.'
'Just like the railways, he expanded the network'
'of the Sangh all over the country.'
'To maintain contact with the members,'
'Guruji would write handwritten letters to everyone.'
Guruji. - Yes.
Why don't you hire a typist?
After that, all you will have to do is sign the letters.
It will make your job easier.
But will a typed letter bring the same joy to a volunteer
as a hand-written letter would?
Guruji, you write letters from all over the country.
Has anyone ever asked for your address?
A railway carriage.
'Long years ago,'
'we made a tryst with destiny,'
'and now, the time comes'
'when we shall redeem our pledge'
'not wholly or in full measure,'
'but very substantially.'
'At the stroke of the midnight hour,'
'when the world sleeps,'
'India will awake to life and freedom.'
'15 August 1947.'
'A golden day in the history of India.'
'It was the day when India was granted freedom'
'from the British rule.'
'In the compound of the Red Fort,'
'for the first time, India's tricolour flag was hoisted.'
'It was a symbolic moment in India's history'
'when the British Union Jack was removed'
'and our glorious tricolour flag was hoisted on the pole,'
'which served as a symbol'
'of India's sovereignty and independence.'
This was also the day when India was divided.
Millions were displaced
and it gave rise to communal violence.
'As soon as the partition of India was announced,'
'in the entire subcontinent,'
'especially in the regions of Punjab and Bengal,'
'communal violence erupted'
'in regions sharing the border with the newly-formed nations.'
Was it a historical win for India?
Or was it a deep wound?
Lord Louis Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of India,
divided India into two independent nations.
India, which had a majority of Hindus,
and Pakistan, where the majority were Muslims.
And this Pakistan comprised
West Pakistan as well as East Pakistan.
This hasty and unclear demarcation
led to a horrific outcome.
'Violent riots broke out'
'among the Hindu, Muslim and Sikh communities.'
'Incidents where women were brutalised,'
'kidnapped and raped became rampant.'
'Trains were full of dead bodies'
'and entire villages'
'were burnt to the ground.'
It is estimated
that somewhere between 14 to 18 million people
had to flee their homes
to save their lives.
They left behind their ancestral homes, property
and place of work
and were uprooted from their homes and had to move
to an new place against their will.
I will show you a historical letter.
This letter was written by erstwhile Defence Minister,
Mr Baldev Singh,
to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
October 6, 1947.
This letter described the horrific reality
of the barbaric treatment meted out to Hindus
who were in Pakistan after the partition.
At that time, in Punjab territory of Pakistan,
there were no rules or laws.
Muslim men used to kidnap
Hindu women in broad daylight.
No one stopped them or questioned them.
In the second paragraph of the letter, he writes...
'The total number of abductions in the districts of'
'Sialkot and Shakargarh'
'is said to be more than 20,000.'
That means more than 20,000 Hindu women
were forcefully taken from their homes
in Sialkot and Shakargarh.
The Defence Minister has given many suggestions in the letter
to put a stop to these barbaric activities.
He proposed to appoint intelligence and police force at these places.
Moreover,
he also suggested
that he should consult with the Chief of the RSS,
Mr Golwalkar about this subject,
and to involve a few selected volunteers
for field work.
'Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh supply trained men for field work'
'and Shri Golwalkar, the head of the Sangh in India'
'might be consulted.'
At that time, the Defence Minister
had shown faith
in the loyal patriots who were a part of the RSS.
The members of the organisation
fulfilled their duty during these turbulent times.
They started camps for refugees who came from
East and West Pakistan.
They arranged for their food and shelter.
The Sangh was fulfilling its duty peacefully and diligently.
And yet, the Sangh was held accountable
for the violence that happened in Delhi and Kolkata.
The violent incidents that happened in Delhi and Calcutta...
I heard that
a few volunteers of the RSS were involved in them.
Were you aware of that?
I cannot vouch for the behaviour of every volunteer of the RSS.
But the Sangh always puts Hindus and Hindutva in the forefront.
We neither provoke nor instigate anyone.
Every RSS member is trained in self-defence,
not in attack or aggression.
I am satisfied
with your answer.
I want to meet the members of the organisation.
Alright.
'In order to meet the members of the RSS,'
'Mahatma Gandhi went to a Harijan settlement.'
'He was deeply moved by the efforts that the Sangh made'
'to eradicate untouchability and caste-based discrimination.'
'At this time, no one knew'
'what would happen in the future.'
'An incident'
'that jolted the entire country'
'as well as the world.'
'Respected Pandit Nehru.'
'I was in Madras when I heard about the horrific incident.'
'A senseless and evil-minded man'
'performed the dastardly act of firing a bullet at Mahatma Gandhi'
'which led to his untimely death.'
'This heinous act'
'is a blot on the history of humankind.'
'The fact that this unexpected act'
'was committed by a citizen of our country'
'will bring immense pain'
'and sorrow to the hearts'
'of all our fellow countrymen.'
'We are going through an ordeal.'
'From senselessness to sensitivity,'
'we need to keep the welfare of the nation in mind.'
'We need to integrate all activities'
'so that the process of nation-building continues securely.'
'It is our responsibility'
'to ensure that it happens.'
'On behalf of an organisation that abides by this principle,'
'at a time of such immense sorrow,'
'I offer my condolences for the death'
'of that noble man.'
'And I pray to the Almighty'
'that He would grant us the motivation and good sense'
'to create a world'
'of eternal unity.'
'The RSS suspended all activities'
'for 13 days to mourn the death of Mahatma Gandhi.'
'This was an unprecedented decision of the Sangh.'
'Four days after this decision,'
'Guru Golwalkar was arrested'
'on charges of murdering Mahatma Gandhi.'
'Even the Sangh was banned.'
The man who killed Mahatma Gandhi, Nathuram Godse,
had left RSS 15 years before he committed that act.
That means he had left the RSS
in the year 1933.
He had been a vocal critic of the Sangh.
'The volunteers of the Sangh'
'began to oppose the ban'
'imposed on the RSS.'
'In the end, the government'
'had to bend before this strong and lawful protest.'
'That's how'
'truth triumphed once again.'
On 12 July 1949, the ban imposed on the RSS was lifted.
'Guruji visited Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar's'
'residence in Delhi to thank him for the help'
'he extended in lifting the ban.'
After that, the Working Committee of Congress
passed a resolution
to open the doors of the Congress
for the volunteers of RSS.
Everyone was shocked by this decision taken on
9 October 1949 by the Congress Working Committee.
And that led to a conflict within the Congress.
AG Kher, who was a minister in the Government of Uttar Pradesh
was in favour of this decision.
The premise was that if members of Arya Samaj
and Jamaat-e-Islami can become members of Congress,
why can't RSS members be allowed to do the same?
The real question is why they took this decision.
That doesn't matter. But I think
RSS should get involved in politics now.
But Guruji was never of that opinion.
That is true.
'But the ban that was imposed on RSS'
'forced him to think'
'in that direction.'
'Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, who was the Home Minister at that time,'
'was observing everything that was happening'
'and also understanding it.'
'On 6 January 1948,'
'in the speech that he gave in Lucknow,'
'he praised the patriotism of the RSS volunteers.'
'Sardar Patel believed'
'that the bravery,'
'strength and resilience'
'of the RSS workers could strengthen Congress.'
Before the RSS start their own party,
what is so wrong about opening
the doors of Congress to the RSS volunteers?
Congress has everything to gain from it.
I believe the decision of the Working Committee is admirable.
We have opened our doors for the members of the RSS. - Wow!
Sardar Patel understands that. He has a great foresight.
Prime Minister Nehru didn't agree.
He mandated the Working Committee to revoke its decision.
And from then, the doors of Congress have been closed for the RSS.
In the summer of 1951, Guruji was in Nagpur.
At that time, a big politician from Delhi came to meet him.
His name was Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee.
'Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee.'
'Born on 6 July 1901.'
'He was a great educator'
'and a prolific nationalist.'
'Born in a reputed family of erstwhile Calcutta,'
'Dr Mukherjee became the youngest vice chancellor'
'of Calcutta University at the age of 33.'
'Dr Mukherjee began his political career'
'by becoming the president'
'of Akhil Bhartiya Hindu Mahasabha'
'in the year 1940.'
'From 1943 to 1947,'
'he remained the only president.'
'His efforts helped West Bengal,'
'which was majorly populated by Hindus, remain a part of India.'
'This is considered as one of his most important roles'
'to protect the interests of the Hindu community in Bengal.'
'During the famine of 1943,'
'he played a prolific role'
'in disaster management and relief work.'
'Post independence, upon Mahatma Gandhi's recommendation,'
'Dr Mukherjee'
'was appointed as the Minister of Industry and Supply'
'in the cabinet of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.'
'In April 1950,'
'Dr Shyama Prasad expressed his displeasure'
'towards certain attitudes of Pandit Nehru.'
'That is why in April 1950,'
'he resigned...'
Guruji, the Nehru-Liaquat treaty
has left the Hindus in West Bengal
to the mercy of East Pakistan.
How will we prevent the genocide of Hindus
in East Pakistan at this rate?
We want to strongly oppose
the policies of the Nehru Government.
That's why we need to form a political party.
The RSS doesn't get involved in politics.
We stay away from politics.
Then, what is the solution?
I will...
I will tell you after thinking over it.
This was a decisive moment
that changed the future of Indian politics.
We will turn the pages
of its interesting history in coming episodes.
Keep watching 'Kesariya@100'.
Goodbye.
"You must come up with a new and better thinking."
"With the help of new actions and practices,"
"you must finish incomplete tasks."
"No matter how many problems we face,"
"we must move ahead with no fear."
"We must do great deeds and make our nation proud."
"Your nation calls, adorn it with your love sincere."
"With faith and courage, in serving our nation, let us persevere."
"Why do you seek a ray of light?"
"You have immense hope and courage within yourself."
"Knowledge is your weapon. You are an example of bravery."
"Dreams are your strength. Your thinking drives you."
"You can win over everything in this world."
"Knowledge is your biggest strength."
"Your nation calls, adorn it with your love sincere."
"With faith and courage, in serving our nation, let us persevere."
"Kesariya!"