Legitimizing Lynch Mobs: How Modi’s Stamp for the RSS Fuels Violence Against Minorities

In a shameless move to merge the Indian state with a radical ideology, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has officially celebrated the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the parent organization of his ruling BJP. The release of a celebratory postage stamp and a coin for the centenary of this infamous Hindutva group is not just a symbolic act. It is a worrying statement, showing a clear plan to change India from a secular country into a Hindu-majority state. This action gives government approval to a divisive and violent ideology, sparking justified anger from defenders of India’s founding principles.

A State’s Formal Backing for Extremism

The Modi government is no longer hiding its loyalty to the radical Hindutva agenda. By using official items like stamps and currency to honour the RSS, it is showing that the line between the government and this extremist organization has been completely removed.

♦ A Formal Approval: The Prime Minister’s personal role in releasing the coin and stamp is a formal approval of the RSS’s history and its goals. It tells the nation that the government views this divisive group as a national hero.

♦ From Fringe to Mainstream: This act is the final step in a long project to bring a once-fringe radical group into the center of Indian political life, presenting its divisive ideas as a legitimate form of nationalism.

Manufacturing a False History of Patriotism

A key part of the BJP’s project is inventing a new history for the RSS. The government is creating a false story of heroism to hide its past of betraying the independence movement and its leaders.

♦ Inventing a Freedom Struggle: At the official ceremony, Prime Minister Modi made the stunning claim that the RSS had fought bravely against the British. This is a deliberate lie, designed to place the RSS on the same level as India’s real freedom fighters.

♦ Exposing the Lie of Nationalism: This fake history is essential for the BJP’s plan to portray the RSS as the true protector of Indian nationalism, which allows them to attack political opponents as being unpatriotic.

The Shameful Truth of Colonial Collaboration

While the Modi government invents stories of bravery, history shows a completely different story. The RSS did not fight for freedom; it actively worked against the independence movement, a shameful past that the BJP is desperate to hide.

♦ Aiding the British Rule: As opposition parties pointed out with evidence, the RSS leadership told its members to stay away from the Quit India Movement of 1942, while thousands of Indians were being jailed and killed by the British.

♦ A History of Betrayal: The RSS even encouraged Indians to join the British colonial army during World War II, proving their loyalty was with the colonial rulers, not with the people of India who were fighting for freedom.

Using National Symbols as Weapons

The images on the new stamp and coin were chosen for their political message. The use of “Bharat Mata” alongside RSS members is a direct attack on India’s secular identity and an attempt to force a Hindu identity on the entire country.

♦ The ‘Bharat Mata’ Coin: The idea of ‘Bharat Mata’ or ‘Mother India’ has been turned into a purely Hindu religious symbol by right-wing groups. Putting it on an official coin is designed to make this divisive symbol a part of daily life.

♦ An Attack on Secularism: For India’s millions of minorities, this portrayal of the nation as a Hindu goddess leaves them out. It signals that in Modi’s India, their identity is less important than the Hindu identity.

The Ultimate Goal of a ‘Hindu Nation’

This official celebration is a clear step towards the RSS’s ultimate goal: the creation of a Hindu Rashtra, or Hindu Nation. This vision completely rejects the idea of a diverse India where all citizens are equal.

♦ Rejecting a Diverse India: The idea of a Hindu Nation is one where minorities, especially Muslims and Christians, are not considered equal citizens. This event promotes an ideology that seeks to take away their rights.

♦ The Shadow of Gandhi’s Murder: The RSS’s history is stained by its role in spreading the ideology of hate that led to the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi by a Hindu extremist, a fact that cannot be erased by stamps or coins.

Empowering Violence Against Minorities

The government’s praise for the RSS has real and dangerous results on the ground. It gives a signal of support to extremist groups, leading to more violence and fear for India’s vulnerable minority communities.

♦ A Green Light for Extremists: The RSS and its associated groups are behind most of the mob violence against Muslims and Christians. When the Prime Minister honours their organization, it encourages these extremists to act without fear of punishment.

♦ Creating a Climate of Fear: This official approval creates a climate of fear, where minorities feel unsafe and unprotected by the state. It confirms that the government is on the side of their attackers.

Building a Legal System of Hate

This move to praise the RSS is not just symbolic; it matches the BJP’s legal and political actions. The government has been slowly building a system of unfair laws that target minorities and push them to the edges of society.

♦ Unfair Citizenship Laws: Laws like the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) are a direct application of the RSS ideology, as they use religion as a condition for citizenship, which goes against the Indian constitution.

♦ The Goal of Second-Class Citizenship: All these actions, from celebrating the RSS to passing unfair laws, point to one goal: to make Muslims and other minorities second-class citizens in their own country.

A Dangerous Future for India and the Region

The release of the RSS stamp and coin is a major turning point for India. It shows that the government has given up any show of being secular and is now openly working to establish a state based on a radical religious ideology.

♦ The End of a Secular Republic: This act symbolizes the death of the secular country imagined by India’s founders and its replacement with an intolerant state run by the majority group.

♦ A Threat to Peace in the Region: An India driven by such an aggressive and exclusive ideology is not just a danger to its own people; it is a serious threat to the peace and stability of the entire South Asian region.