I laughed my guts out when I saw this piece in Indian Express on Thursday by Shamsul Islam. I had predicted it was coming in an OpIndia piece a week before. So predictable are these “intellectuals” and their “media platforms” that seriously, you can earn the reputation of a clairvoyant, build up an army of faithfuls who might even call you a Prophet one day!
Just to make sure the message goes across, I also used other platforms, such as my personal website and other nationally and internationally-run forums. I wanted to expose this cottage-industry of RSS-bashers. Call-out the exact lines and arguments they would put forth to denigrate RSS and its leaders, especially MS Golwalkar and KB Hedgewar. That invasive Communist ideology of liars who preach others on their stance in Freedom Struggle even though they themselves were OFFICIALLY against the Quit India Movement! No less than a former Chief Minister of Kerala, VS Achutanandan, was sacked as a CPM politburo member for suggesting blood donation camp for Indian soldiers during the 1962 India-China War. His pro-India line was declared anti-party by Communists.
Now, I took care to look at the articles Shamsul Islam has written and Indian Express has published in all these years. Of his 10 articles in Indian Express in last three years, all but one have been rants against Hedgewar or Golwalkar. Seriously! That’s how creative this former lecturer of Political Science is. He has been turned into a kind of RSS-shaming brand by Indian Express, as have the other Left-leaning outlets who cater to his garbage, such as CounterCurrents, and Caravan Daily.
To begin with, should we fight the message or the messenger? Yes of course, the message. And that’s what OpIndia has done in recent past: Create a catalogue of aspersions this gang casts at Hedgewar or Golwalkar; RSS or Savarkar and then offer an Essential Guide to nail these pre-scheduled minefields of lies.
So next time, you are confronted with lies on Hedgewar, Golwalkar and Savarkar just revisit these Essential Guides. You won’t have to look any further to smother the hood of the serpent. You could then confront such writers or their platforms, such as Indian Express, and force them to be accountable. And laugh your guts out—as I am doing right now.
In case you are short on inclination or time; and couldn’t care less about any religion or ideology, just poke this question on the face of these liars, just one this question: Why don’t they ever mention Pt. Deendayal Upadhyaya of RSS and his Integral Humanism? And the fact that every BJP member is required to swear by his name?
Their silence would be your answer. And perhaps a few rupees saved from buying your indoctrinating newspaper.