shashikant
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- May 10, 2014
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Tea with the RSS: London meeting
reveals a hush-hush outreach to
Muslims
by Hasan Suroor
London: Considering that I only ever
get hate mail from Hindutva
supporters I was slightly surprised
when instead what I found nestling
in my inbox last week was a polite
message from a high- profile RSS
figure whom I had never met before
asking to meet me. He was passing
through London, he wrote, and
wondered if we could have a chat?
So, whisper, whisper, we met at a
plush central London hotel where he
was staying (the right-wing Urdu
press could go to town with “Muslim
Journalist in Secret Rendezvous with
RSS Leader!") and for nearly an hour
--over cappuccinos and Scottish
cookies-- we danced around the
"Muslim Question ". Not so much as
ideological adversaries, though both
were acutely conscious of where the
other was coming from, but as
characters in a scriptless play trying
to make sense of the plot we were
landed with.
To cut to the chase, it seems that
the RSS is trying to engage in a
version of "back channel diplomacy"
to open up a dialogue with Muslims.
The move is propelled by younger
elements in the organisation who
favour an engagement with liberal
Muslims even though they are not
clear about the terms of this
engagement. In fact, it is more a
stab at sussing out the Muslim mood
than a concrete strategy to reach out
to them.
The problem is that, like the
modernizers in the Muslim
community, the RSS modernizers
have their own hardliners from the
old school of RSS orthodoxy to
contend with. So, they are treading
cautiously and the idea at this stage
appears to be simply to set the ball
rolling by exploring informal
channels of communication between
the two sides.
As far as I could gather the RSS is
not involving itself officially or
directly in any such move leaving it
to individuals and front
organisations to take a punt.
Thus, an ostensibly independent
think-tank run by a senior BJP leader
with close RSS links plans to bring
together Muslim "intellectuals" for a
brainstorming as part of a
conference on international security
etc in Goa later this year. The
conference will have the
organisational backing of Goa’s BJP
government.
Leading liberal Muslims are being
lined up for the occasion which will
allow them to air their views on a
range of issues around Hindu-
Muslim relations; and to interact
with representatives from the
"other" side.
Sources acknowledge that it is a
small initiative but see it as a
much- needed attempt to break the
ice. Cynics might dismiss it as a
gimmick, but as the old saw goes
"jaw jaw" is always better than a
state of permanent hostility. Sheer
exposure to the opposite viewpoint
can work as a catalyst and lead to a
better understanding. To use the
British store Tesco's slogan: "Every
little helps."
The view that this might be a good
time to push for better relations
with Muslims flows broadly from two
factors: (1) a recognition of the
changes happening in the Muslim
community, especially among the
youth, who have become more
pragmatic in making political choices
and are fighting against old
ideological positions; and (2 ) the
deep Muslim disillusionment with
Congress-style secular politics which
has done them no favours and yet
made them look like beneficiaries of
"appeasement".
This, according to RSS peaceniks, is
the moment to tap into the Muslim
anger against secular parties. There
is also a belief that the chances of a
rapprochement with Muslims are
better when the BJP is in power and
can afford to be more restrained in
its anti "minority-ism" rhetoric than
when it is in opposition and it suits
it politically to take a more
belligerent line. Just as its approach
to Pakistan changes depending on
whether it is in opposition or in
government.
Meanwhile, there is a feeling of
vindication on the Hindu Right that
finally Muslims have realised what
"we" had always told them --that
they have been used in the name of
secularism to get votes. This, of
course, is an oversimplification of a
complex issue and an attempt by
Hindu nationalists to absolve
themselves of their own role in
polarising community relations and
pushing Muslims into the arms of
the Congress. But that's another
debate. For now what's important is
that there's a recognition of the
need to reset relations with
Muslims, however tentative the
effort maybe.
But any great expectations must be
tempered by the unhappy history of
previous such attempts by both
sides. There was that honeymoon
during the Emergency when senior
Jamaat-e-Islami and RSS leaders got
famously cosy after being forced to
spend several months in jail
together. But the much-trumpeted
"understanding" reached behind
bars in the face of a common
"enemy” soon evaporated once they
came out and were back in their
comfort zones. And subsequently
their relations were to plummet to a
new low following the demolition of
Babri Masjid and the 2002 Gujarat
riots.
Then ahead of the 2012 UP assembly
elections, former RSS chief KS
Sudarshan sought to cultivate
Muslim clerics but, again, the
bonhomie (remember those TV
images?) proved shortlived. There
were a few other -- half-hearted and
less publicised moves -- but nothing
came out of them either because of
the level at which they were pitched
and the quality of interlocutors.
The line of approach this time is
different -- indirect, more subtle and
crucially not aimed at creating
headlines. It is not happening in
the glare of TV cameras and, most
importantly, it is not a "deal"
between the mullahs and RSS
leadership. There are no mediators;
it is pitched directly at the people;
and is not prompted by immediate
electoral considerations.
But will it succeed? And how is
success to be judged? Answers to
these questions are tied up with the
willingness of the two sides to
transcend their historic mutual
prejudices. And here, I will repeat
what I wrote in The Hindu in an
article , for which I was skewered by
both groups, including several well-
meaning secular and liberal Hindus.
The problem that Muslims have with
the BJP is … that it tends to look
down upon them and treat them as
outsiders whom it has to tolerate
because of political compulsions.
This mindset must change. As for
what Muslims need to do to bridge
the divide, it will require a huge
leap of faith for them to embrace a
party that, rightly or wrongly, they
see as congenitally hostile. But for
starters they should shed their blind
anti-BJPism.
To some degree that is already
happening. Disillusioned with
secular parties and driven by sheer
pragmatism they now have a more
open mind when it comes to voting.
No longer do they see the BJP as
‘untouchable’, a process which would
have gained greater traction if
Gujarat 2002 had not happened.
But, meanwhile, let's get on with
talking and listening to each other.
It is better than sniping from the
sidelines, even if in the end it yields
nothing.
http:// Tea with the RSS: London meeting reveals a hush-hush outreach to Muslims - Firstpost
reveals a hush-hush outreach to
Muslims
by Hasan Suroor
London: Considering that I only ever
get hate mail from Hindutva
supporters I was slightly surprised
when instead what I found nestling
in my inbox last week was a polite
message from a high- profile RSS
figure whom I had never met before
asking to meet me. He was passing
through London, he wrote, and
wondered if we could have a chat?
So, whisper, whisper, we met at a
plush central London hotel where he
was staying (the right-wing Urdu
press could go to town with “Muslim
Journalist in Secret Rendezvous with
RSS Leader!") and for nearly an hour
--over cappuccinos and Scottish
cookies-- we danced around the
"Muslim Question ". Not so much as
ideological adversaries, though both
were acutely conscious of where the
other was coming from, but as
characters in a scriptless play trying
to make sense of the plot we were
landed with.
To cut to the chase, it seems that
the RSS is trying to engage in a
version of "back channel diplomacy"
to open up a dialogue with Muslims.
The move is propelled by younger
elements in the organisation who
favour an engagement with liberal
Muslims even though they are not
clear about the terms of this
engagement. In fact, it is more a
stab at sussing out the Muslim mood
than a concrete strategy to reach out
to them.
The problem is that, like the
modernizers in the Muslim
community, the RSS modernizers
have their own hardliners from the
old school of RSS orthodoxy to
contend with. So, they are treading
cautiously and the idea at this stage
appears to be simply to set the ball
rolling by exploring informal
channels of communication between
the two sides.
As far as I could gather the RSS is
not involving itself officially or
directly in any such move leaving it
to individuals and front
organisations to take a punt.
Thus, an ostensibly independent
think-tank run by a senior BJP leader
with close RSS links plans to bring
together Muslim "intellectuals" for a
brainstorming as part of a
conference on international security
etc in Goa later this year. The
conference will have the
organisational backing of Goa’s BJP
government.
Leading liberal Muslims are being
lined up for the occasion which will
allow them to air their views on a
range of issues around Hindu-
Muslim relations; and to interact
with representatives from the
"other" side.
Sources acknowledge that it is a
small initiative but see it as a
much- needed attempt to break the
ice. Cynics might dismiss it as a
gimmick, but as the old saw goes
"jaw jaw" is always better than a
state of permanent hostility. Sheer
exposure to the opposite viewpoint
can work as a catalyst and lead to a
better understanding. To use the
British store Tesco's slogan: "Every
little helps."
The view that this might be a good
time to push for better relations
with Muslims flows broadly from two
factors: (1) a recognition of the
changes happening in the Muslim
community, especially among the
youth, who have become more
pragmatic in making political choices
and are fighting against old
ideological positions; and (2 ) the
deep Muslim disillusionment with
Congress-style secular politics which
has done them no favours and yet
made them look like beneficiaries of
"appeasement".
This, according to RSS peaceniks, is
the moment to tap into the Muslim
anger against secular parties. There
is also a belief that the chances of a
rapprochement with Muslims are
better when the BJP is in power and
can afford to be more restrained in
its anti "minority-ism" rhetoric than
when it is in opposition and it suits
it politically to take a more
belligerent line. Just as its approach
to Pakistan changes depending on
whether it is in opposition or in
government.
Meanwhile, there is a feeling of
vindication on the Hindu Right that
finally Muslims have realised what
"we" had always told them --that
they have been used in the name of
secularism to get votes. This, of
course, is an oversimplification of a
complex issue and an attempt by
Hindu nationalists to absolve
themselves of their own role in
polarising community relations and
pushing Muslims into the arms of
the Congress. But that's another
debate. For now what's important is
that there's a recognition of the
need to reset relations with
Muslims, however tentative the
effort maybe.
But any great expectations must be
tempered by the unhappy history of
previous such attempts by both
sides. There was that honeymoon
during the Emergency when senior
Jamaat-e-Islami and RSS leaders got
famously cosy after being forced to
spend several months in jail
together. But the much-trumpeted
"understanding" reached behind
bars in the face of a common
"enemy” soon evaporated once they
came out and were back in their
comfort zones. And subsequently
their relations were to plummet to a
new low following the demolition of
Babri Masjid and the 2002 Gujarat
riots.
Then ahead of the 2012 UP assembly
elections, former RSS chief KS
Sudarshan sought to cultivate
Muslim clerics but, again, the
bonhomie (remember those TV
images?) proved shortlived. There
were a few other -- half-hearted and
less publicised moves -- but nothing
came out of them either because of
the level at which they were pitched
and the quality of interlocutors.
The line of approach this time is
different -- indirect, more subtle and
crucially not aimed at creating
headlines. It is not happening in
the glare of TV cameras and, most
importantly, it is not a "deal"
between the mullahs and RSS
leadership. There are no mediators;
it is pitched directly at the people;
and is not prompted by immediate
electoral considerations.
But will it succeed? And how is
success to be judged? Answers to
these questions are tied up with the
willingness of the two sides to
transcend their historic mutual
prejudices. And here, I will repeat
what I wrote in The Hindu in an
article , for which I was skewered by
both groups, including several well-
meaning secular and liberal Hindus.
The problem that Muslims have with
the BJP is … that it tends to look
down upon them and treat them as
outsiders whom it has to tolerate
because of political compulsions.
This mindset must change. As for
what Muslims need to do to bridge
the divide, it will require a huge
leap of faith for them to embrace a
party that, rightly or wrongly, they
see as congenitally hostile. But for
starters they should shed their blind
anti-BJPism.
To some degree that is already
happening. Disillusioned with
secular parties and driven by sheer
pragmatism they now have a more
open mind when it comes to voting.
No longer do they see the BJP as
‘untouchable’, a process which would
have gained greater traction if
Gujarat 2002 had not happened.
But, meanwhile, let's get on with
talking and listening to each other.
It is better than sniping from the
sidelines, even if in the end it yields
nothing.
http:// Tea with the RSS: London meeting reveals a hush-hush outreach to Muslims - Firstpost