It is unfortunate and unprecedented that those who march through the streets, shouting adulations of Mother India, have come not only to dump the Father of the Nation but also to glorify his killer, instituting an award in his name, thus hoping to sow seeds of dissension and hatred among peace-loving people across the length and breadth of the nation.

January 30, the day of the martyrdom of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, affectionately called Bapu, is observed as ‘Shanti Divas’, remembering the efforts made by Gandhi to bring people of diverse religions and cultures under one-fold as Indians, and that was too much for the right-wing outfit. Ironically, Nathuram Godse, his killer, has now become the beacon of nationalism. 

For Akhil Bhartiya Hindu Mahasabha, the day is observed as ‘Shaurya Divas’ (Bravery Day) to honour Godse as the hero who died defending nationalism, and he is presented as model of true patriotism.

If the Ministry of Home Affairs had announced the Padma awards on January 26, the Hindu Mahasabha on January 30 announced the conferring of the newly-instituted “Pandit Nathuram Godse-Nana Apte Bharat Ratna” on seven persons who had been spear-heading ‘extreme Hindutva’ ideology.

Gandhi Vs Godse

It is sad that the nation is witnessing a band of zealots who had dared to do something unthinkable in the largest democracy in the world; denying the rule of law, they have begun to glorify and even deify an assassin. It appears the government at the Centre is blind to the rude game in front of its very eyes, and it would pretend to imitate the proverbial Gandhian monkeys: see no evil, speak no evil and hear no evil.

But glorifying Nathuram Godse and Narayan Apte, and instituting an award, which seems to ape the highest civilian award in the country, Bharat Ratna, the Hindu Mahasabha and its affiliates have defied norms for peaceful living. Imagine if all the assassins are thus glorified and deified, then there is bound to be a general sense of contempt for the judicial procedures, with all its follies and drawbacks, and incite the citizens to frame their own code of moral conduct and even law of land, to justify all their unethical and condemnable activities.

Though the Hindu Mahasabha was partially dismantled after Godse had assassinated Gandhi, yet it gained stronger grounds after 2014, when the BJP came to power, and it had begun to invigorate its activities towards the formation of Hindu nation at all cost, even if it means paying disrespect to the Father of the Nation. When all these dramas of hate speeches and glorification of Godse and Apte are taking place, the Prime Minister or the Home Minister have nothing to say, leave alone condemn such attempts. It would not be surprising if the Hindu Mahasabha comes up with crazy ideas of claiming Godse as the father of the nation in order to discredit what Gandhi had done, and divide the nation through their sinister claims and atrocious activities.

Nathuram Legacy

The assassin of the Father of the Nation was part of the right-wing band, who thought it was their responsibility to save their sanatana dharma from being polluted by other religions which it coexisted with. The Hindu Mahasabha and the Rastriya Swayamsevak Sangh were the primary organizations Godse had vouched his allegiance, and though RSS would be too quick to disown him after his assassination of Gandhi on January 30, 1948, later studies have revealed that Godse was a member of RSS till his death, as validated by his brother, who too was part of the outfit.

Nationalism unfortunately has been the cause of such drastic step by Godse, who along with Narayan Apte, and five others had planned and executed the assassination in the heart of the Capital. There have been several books and research articles on what led Godse to kill Gandhi, who was becoming a thorn in the flesh not only to the hyper-nationalistic RSS and its parent body Hindu Mahasabha but also to some of the national leaders of the time. 

Some of the prominent leaders who took charge of the independent nation did not share either the perspective or the ideology of Gandhi who felt that non-violence and ahimsa were the only means he would follow to keep the nation together. 

The RSS and the Hindu Mahasabha have revived the notion of ultra-nationalism forgetting that it would not take them long to realize that they are digging their own graves. Needless to say, the kind of nationalism that Godse stood for and the Hindu Mahasabha is shouting through their hate-speeches is going to backfire when the government is handed over to saner leaders, who would govern with level-headedness. 

The consolation is that level-headed Hindus keep themselves at safe distance from the right-wing fanatics, who think they can do whatever they want, because they have the law-makers on their side, and the law of the land can hardly do anything to bring them to book.

Those who indulge in anti-nationalistic activities, in the name of Hindutva ideology or neo-nationalism, should be cornered by the mainstream Hindu society in order to protect the pristine nature of tolerance and appreciation of all cultures and religions, as the Upanishads remind us: 'ekam sat vipra bahudha vadanti' (the One is called by different names).

Lessons from Bengal

If the Hindu Mahasabha and its affiliates claim that they can promote true nationalism only by going through the tainted path of Hindutva ideology, then one can be sure that there is something amiss in their perspective and thinking, for it would be impossible for two Hindus to think of their ideology in two different ways. For some of the greatest spiritual leaders of West Bengal, who were part of the renaissance in Bengal that paved way for renaissance in the country in the 18th and 19th centuries, had a different definition for nationalism. Can anyone say that Raja Ram Mohon Roy or Kesav Sen, or Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa or his disciple Swami Vivekananda were less nationalistic or Hindu than the proponents of ultra-nationalism, which can only be dubbed pseudo nationalism.

There is a reason why it would be hard for a Hindu fanatic outfit to carve a niche for itself in Bengal soil, and that is no secret. The land has always found coexistence of different cultures and religions, bringing people of all faiths under one platform to fight for their common causes.

The birth of Brahma Samaj, under the guidance of Rajaram Mohan Roy and his companions, paved way for a new kind of religious spirit, which tried to recapture the essence of both Indian nationalism and religiosity it had given birth to. From the beginning, the proponents of this new religious fervour promoted a spirituality which was true to the essence of God, going beyond nama (name) and rupa (shape). 

If only the Hindutvawadis could adhere to this one principal of searching and finding God, who goes beyond name and shape, then they would be able to embrace people of any faith, for they would find their own deity reigning supreme in ‘Mandir, Masjid and Girja.’ Then different religions and cultures do not become opponents, but co-pilgrims, with whom we can rub shoulders, at the same time be enriched by one another's sharing of beliefs and living out these beliefs.

The present regime believes in dividing the nation on the basis of religion, something which is detrimental to the democratic ideals of the Indian Constitution, and there seems to be too few in the country who dare to stand up against such vile and implicit tactics of the government. The government machinery is after those who raise voice of dissent and opposition to the policies and practices of the government, and would make use of all ethical and unethical means to put them behind bars, and the crusaders are left to cling on to the motto of the nation, satyameva jayate (truth always triumphs).

Tolerance

The celebrations of some of the most important feasts and festivals of different religious groups in India have shown that at the ground level, there is much tolerance and even appreciation to the religious expressions of different religions. There are Muslims who joyfully join hands in the celebration of the triumph of good over evil in Dassera/Durga Puja, Hindus and Muslims prepare cribs and share cakes during Christmas, and during Eid-ul-zuha or Moharram, Hindus and Christians share biryani with their Muslim friends and neighbours.

If we take a look at how things operate and are interpreted by the intelligentsia, then it is obvious that the nation is going through harrowing times. The youth of the nation need to be taken into confidence to build not only a robust and blooming economy, but also to strengthen the fabrics of democracy in a secular environment, keeping intact the sovereignty and socialist principles enshrined in the Constitution. But that journey needs to begin with appreciation of all cultures, languages and religions, especially giving the much-needed assurance to the minority groups feeling threatened by the majority.

Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister of West Bengal, had shown such magnanimity when she made it a point to visit the Cathedral Church in Kolkata on December 24, and visit Masjid on Muslim feasts, and participate joyfully in the Hindu pujas. It would be a rare sight to witness Prime Minister Narendra Modi bowing his head to the Divinity in a Church or a Mosque; his display of Hindutva by taking dip in the Ganges in Varanasi, or offering puja in other prominent mandirs are too conspicuous, and it tells about the heart of the leader, who seems to have too little regard for other religious groups.

It is only when leaders show by their action that they not only tolerate but appreciate all people, irrespective of their colour or creed, that the nation can see a new breed of leadership which can bring in the much-needed growth and prosperity.