Daily Times

In 1925, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was formed with the intention of Hinduizing India, ultimately leading to the Hindutva ideology at the expense of religious and cultural diversity. Over the years, the RSS has not only propagated its toxic ideology but has also managed to gain substantial influence, especially with the support of the Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government. The very organisation runs in stark contrast to the Indian constitution, which provides for freedom of conscience and the right to practice, profess, and propagate religion. The constitution also requires the state to treat all religions impartially and prohibits discrimination based on religion.

The RSS operates with the help of Sangh Parivars, which are various outfits that align with the ideological beliefs of the RSS, both within India and abroad. In countries like America, there are several organizations with direct connections to RSS-affiliated Sangh Parivar groups in India. These organizations are reportedly being financially supported by entities in the US, further enhancing the RSS agenda on a global scale.

With a pervasive presence across India, the RSS has successfully spread its agenda through various affiliates who work tirelessly to further the cause of Hindutva.

With a pervasive presence across India, the RSS has successfully spread its agenda through various affiliates who work tirelessly to further the cause of Hindutva. With administrative support from the BJP government, the RSS has been able to propagate its ideology with ease, steadily moving towards the Hindutva agenda. The latest of this has seen a meteoric rise in media productions that actively support the party’s agenda and somehow manage to portray Hindus living in a Hindu-majority country at great risk.

Not limited to India, the RSS has managed to establish a foothold in countries like America, the UK, Canada, and more. This has been made possible through the establishment of so-called International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs) and charity organizations that are run by RSS ideologues. These organizations have both overt and covert objectives, with funds sometimes being channelled back to Sangh Parivar outfits in India to support the Hindutva cause.

Efforts have been made to uncover the fundraising activities of organizations that support RSS-promoted Sangh Parivar outfits involved in the Hindutva movement in India. For example, on November 27, 2022, the Global Hindu Heritage Foundation organized a fundraising concert in the USA. The event’s flyer explicitly mentioned the use of funds for activities like ‘Ghar Wapsi’ (forced conversions) and the demolition of churches in Tripura, India.

Apart from fundraising, US-based entities are also involved in lobbying for India in alignment with RSS-driven policies dictated by the BJP government. This further solidifies the global reach of the RSS and its Hindutva ideology, raising concerns about the impact on religious minorities and cultural diversity in India.

Sooner or later, the West would have to open its eyes to the overt display of religious extremism under the garb of the Indian diaspora preserving its heritage and values. For now, India selectively approaches global opinions regarding itself, embracing and celebrating laudatory ones and rejecting those which are slightly inconvenient. A country that spends a lot in advertising itself, day in and day out, as a multi-religious democracy and as an adherent to global norms of the rule of law does not appear interested in answering questions related to the plight of Muslims in Gujarat or the political rights of those living in the picturesque valley of Kashmir or whether there’s actual peace in Panjab or if the north-eastern states have finally bought New Delhi’s hypocritical narrative on their identity.

The RSS’s relentless pursuit of its toxic ideology poses a significant threat to religious minorities in India and the country’s overall pluralistic fabric but it has only been made possible because of the silence of the international community. With the support of affiliated organizations and connections with key players around the globe, the RSS continues to push its Hindutva agenda; raising concerns about the future of inclusivity and diversity in the region.

The writer is a freelance columnist.