Dr. Hedgewar, Sangh and Freedom Struggle – 1
Narender Sehgal
RSS, which was established in year 1925 by staunch freedom fighter Dr. KeshavRao Baliram Hedgewar, always recused itself from the fame, name, self-glorification and position since its inception. It rather put its emphasis on social service, nation building and protecting the Dharma. Sangh was the fore participant in every freedom struggle movement of that time, both armed and unarmed. Sangh kept its organization always in the background. That was the apt thing to do at that time. But to consider the same as backtracking from the struggle is noting but a fact of ignorance. Sangh was probably the only organization at that time which accomplished twin goals of freedom and organizing Hindu Society at the same time.
This selfless and non-self-adulating modus operandi of Sangh is being mistaken as weakness by some selfish motives, thus questioning the role of Sangh in freedom struggle. For narrow political motives, these selfish motives (especially congress rulers) are hell bent on negating the role of Sangh Swayamsewaks in freedom struggle. Sangh is not the only casualty. The very same selfish elements, which are responsible for the partition of India, are also not willing to accept the role of 1857 uprising, Peasant uprising by Vasudev Balwant Phadke, Kuka Uprising by SatGuru RamSingh, Anushilan Samiti, Hindustan Samajwadi Prajatantrik Sena, Gadar Party, Abhinav Sena, Hindu Mahasabha, Arya Samaj and Indian National Army in freedom struggle. They want to put all the credit of freedom under one party and one leader. These elements manipulated history to wipe out the contribution of innumerable individuals who sacrificed their all for the freedom Struggle. This is nothing but a gross insult to the sacrifice of those immortal souls.
In the same context, Dr. Hedgewar was also never given the due credit for his role in freedom struggle. He was a born freedom fighter. He was a ferocious but rather unknown leader of freedom struggle. A soul, who sacrifice his life for the freedom of country right from childhood till his death, never aspired for a biography on his life or to make the headlines of newspapers. A boy of barely 8 years planned the fight for his rights to recite VandeMatram, planned to hurl Bhagwa Dhwaj at SitaBardi fort in Nagpur and organized the protest against Birthday celebration of British Queen. These were the formative years of an upcoming freedom fighter. His deep involvement with Anushilan Samiti at Calcutta, organizing pan India freedom struggle during first world war, Non Cooperation and Dandi Movement of Gandhiji, ferocious speeches against British, ground level management during Congress conferences and bringing in a proposal for full freedom are some of the citations of his credible participation in freedom struggle.
Dr. Hedgewar was subjected to 1-year rigorous imprisonment twice. Even after establishing Sangh, he let Swayamsewaks to participate in GandjiJi’s freedom movements. Thousands of Swayamsewaks were put behind the bars. Sangh accepted the leadership of Congress and Gandhiji for spearheading freedom struggle. On 26th January 1929, Independence Day was celebrated in all the Shakhas of Sangh. Vir Savarkar, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and Dr. Hedgewar were in favour of instigating a mutiny in British Army and formation of Indian National Army. Sangh Swayamsewaks were at the forefront of Quit India movement in 1942.
That Sangh never participated in freedom struggle is a mis-claim which is put forth by very same people who were bootlicking the British and begging in front of British to impart freedom. These people also declared great souls of the likes of Subhash Chandra Bose, Vir Savarkar, Bhagat Singh, TrilokNath Chaturvedi, Kartar Singh Saraba, Rasbihari Bose, ShyamJi Krishna Varma, Lala HarDayal, Yatindranath Sanyal, RamPrasad Bismil, and Chandrashekhar Azad as Misguided Patriots. It is to be noted that Sangh always supported these patriots. Going beyond the name of their organization, Sangh Swayamsewaks participated in both armed and unarmed freedom struggles.
Post 1857 mutiny, there was a surge in the awakening of Hindus, establishment of cultural nationalism, revolutionary activities, and the fierce aspiration to get freedom. To contain this resentment and derail the surging freedom movement activities, A.O.Hume, a staunch Christian, established Congress in 1885. This organization had nothing to do with India’s freedom. It was just another stunt of British. To demean all such crooked moves by British, to save our country from all the ensuing conspiracies, to provide a nationalistic view based on Bhartiya Values to freedom struggle, and to organize and establish a strong Hindu organization, Dr. Hedgewar formed Sangh is 1925. Sangh is nothing but a group of patriots who are constantly vouching for India’s freedom and security.
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