Golwalkar, Deoras and the consolidation of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh

 

Balasaheb deoras Guru Golwalkar

 

The legacy of Dr.K.B. Hedgewar was taken forward by  Shri M.S.Golwalkar also known as Guru Golwalkar who became the next chief of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangha after him.


Early life and education


Swayamsevak called him as Guruji. Shri M.S Golwalkar was born on 19 Feb. 1906 in Nagpur Maharashtra. He had completed his Masters in Science degree and later joined Kashi Hindu University in 1930 as a Assistant Professor.


In Hindi Guru means teacher. Hence Shri Golwakar became Guruji after joining the Kashi Hindu University. He then returned to Nagpur in 1933 after teaching for 3 years in Kashi University.


Hedgewar and Guruji


It is said Dr. Hedgewar brought Guruji in the RSS. When Guruji was busy teaching in Kashi Hindu University it was Hedgewar who invited him to join his organization. Hedgewar thinks that this man should would provide great help to the RSS.


Guruji was not a political man, he was a man known for his spirituality. So after joining the RSS guruji became familiar with the political skills of Dr. Hedgewar. He became greatly influenced by Dr. Hedgewar.


In very less time he became familiar with the working of RSS. Hedgewar made him “Sah-Karyawahak” which is a very important post in the RSS.


It was Hedgewar who decided in his lifetime that Guruji would be the next sarsanghchalak(RSS chief) after him. So when Dr. Hedgewar died in 1940 Guruji became the “Sarsanghchalak".


Guruji as a RSS Chief


When Guruji became RSS Chief India was facing the danger of second world war. In 1940 the Muslim league passed the famous “Pakistan Resolution” demanding separate state of Pakistan for Muslims.


Guruji had taken a tour of India making people aware about the outgoing developments in Indian politics. He wanted to unite all the Hindus against the British and the Muslim League. He thinks that the youth are the real force our nation and they should fight for their right.


RSS and the Partition of India


The independence of India came with the unjust partition of India into two counties. There were widespread riots in eastern and the north-western part of the country. RSS and guruji was against this partition of the Hindustan.


After independence RSS and its “Shakhas” got flourished all over the country. There was a proper systematic hierarchy in the RSS ranging from “Swayamsevak” to “Sarsanghchalak”. Anyone  could climb this ladder depending upon ones work and dedication to the Sangh.


At the annual “Dussera” session of the RSS  Guruji said that we should oppose the every attack on us as it an act of bravery. He encouraged peoples to oppose whenever it is needed.


In his speech at Punjab just before the actual partition he said that if we didn’t oppose this partition right now the history will remember us as a coward people who did think about their life instead of nation.


Golwalkar and Gandhi’s Assassination


Government banned the RSS on  4th Feb 1948 after the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi by Nathuram Godse. Nathuram had connections with the RSS leaders and it was said that the RSS was behind the Assassination of the Mahatma.


Golwalkar reacted very calmly to this move by the Government. He said that the RSS was a people movement and it is impossible  for the Government to get it banned from the mind of people.


Consolidation of RSS


Guruji had been contributed with the consolidation of RSS in the Indian soil. The idea which was pioneered by Dr. Hedgewar was converted into  a solid mass movement by Shri Guruji. He always supported the cause of “Hindu Rashtra”. RSS and its ideology reached the common household  in India only due the organizational setup created by Guruji.

 

Guruji and the Jansangh


As the RSS was banned by the Government there was a vacuum in the nationalist movement in post-independent India. Hence the Jansangh was formed to continue the political activities.


Pandit Dindayal Upadhyay was an important leader of Jansangh who spread it throughout the India and made it a national party.


Guruji was very kin to the involvement of students into the politics. He formed the student wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad to spread the message of RSS among the student. Many Ministers in the current Modi Government were once the member of ABVP.


In 1964 Vishwa Hindu Parishad was formed to promote culture and traditions of India. Various cultural activities were carried out by this organization.


Guruji left this world on 5th June 1973. Guruji had left a letter with the name of next RSS chief which was Shri Madhukar Dattatraya Deoras.


Shri Madhukar Dattatraya Deoras


Born on 5th November 1915 in Nagpur he was very close to Dr. Hedgewar from his childhood. He graduated in 1935 and also got his LLB degree in 1937.


It is said that Deoras a swayamsevak from his childhood. As he was very close to Dr .Hedgewar he decided to become a full time worker of RSS. He became “Karyavahak” of Nagpur after the death of Dr.Hedgewar in 1940. He was the first person in RSS who climbed the ladder from “Swayamsevak” to “Sarsanghchalak”.


In 1940s many swayamsevaks under the leadership of Shri Balasaheb Deoras went to various cities in India to spread the ideology of RSS. When RSS was banned in 1948 Deoras had been jailed along with many RSS workers.


Shri Shyama Prasad Mukherjee also had a close relation with Deoras. Many leaders of Jansangh and BJP used to take advice from him.


The political scene in early 1970s was very challenging for the RSS. Congress along with the communist support were trying to dismantle the RSS. And in 1975 RSS was banned again. Many leaders of RSS and Jansangh were detained under the draconian “MISA” act.


He had to live in jail for long time during which he came in contact with the many socialist leaders. The Emergency was the turning point for many socialist and the RSS leaders. The first non-congress Government was formed as a result of harsh actions taken up during the Emergency.

 

Deoras was somehow a progressive minded person. He was against the the Caste system and the untouchability. He thinks that if we  want unite as a Hindu we must remove the inequality in society.


Shri Madhukar Deoras died on 17th June 1996 in Nagpur.

 


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