Indore speech not the first time Mohan Bhagwat has quoted Pranab Mukherjee on secularism and ‘Ghar Wapsi’

Latest update:15 Jan 2025, 11:46 IST

The RSS chief repeatedly invoked the former president’s views on secularism and cultural identity to highlight ideological and “nationalist” views on pluralism and conversion.

After his death in 2020, Mohan Bhagwat referred to Pranab Mukherjee as his “mentor” and quoted him several times during his appearances on programs. (PTI)

Over the years, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat has repeatedly invoked the legacy of former president Pranab Mukherjee to present the organization’s stance on religious conversions and the idea of ​​secularism. In a recent speech in Indore on Monday, Bhagwat, quoting Mukherjee, said that without ‘Ghar Wapsi’, tribal communities could turn into ‘Desh Drohi’ (anti-national).

Earlier, Bhagwat also referred to Mukherjee’s belief that India’s secularism is deeply rooted in its 5,000-year-old tradition. This appeal to Mukherjee’s words, both on secularism and cultural identity, is part of Bhagwat’s ongoing effort to align the RSS narrative with the nation’s constitutional principles, positioning conversion as a threat to India’s unity and pluralism.

The RSS chief repeatedly invoked the former president’s views on secularism and cultural identity to highlight ideological and “nationalist” views on pluralism and conversion.

A deep connection

In 2023, three years after Mukherjee’s death, Bhagwat recalled a meeting with the former president, then ailing, in which Mukherjee argued that the world did not need to lecture India on secularism or pluralism, as these values ​​were deeply rooted in its 5,000-year-old tradition. . . He said he had asked for a 10-minute meeting with Mukherjee while the controversy surrounding the conversion was ongoing and the debate in Parliament was ongoing.

More recently, an RSS chief referred to Mukherjee again during a discussion on the contentious issue of conversion, stressing that Mukherjee believed that cultural identity and constitutional principles were intertwined. He said Mukherjee asked him what happened to the tribesman who converted, to which Bhagwat replied, “They become Christians.” Mukherjee is quoted by Bhagwat as saying, “No, they are becoming desh-drohi (anti-national).”

Bhagwat then detailed how religious conversion, which the RSS calls “illegal and violent” among the tribal population, is achieved through luring or intimidation. In addition, he added that the organization does not have any problems with the legal transformation and it does not matter if the way of worship changes. But he stressed that conversion achieved through “threats, intimidation or luring” forces tribes away from their roots.

Mukherjee’s legacy as a ‘bridge’ across divides

Conversion among the tribal population has always been a matter of concern and controversy for the RSS, which is working on Ghar Wapsi (reverse conversion) in Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and some other states.

Quoting the late Congress leader, Bhagwat tries to position the RSS as in tune with India’s founding ethos, viewing “illegal” conversions as a threat to the country’s cultural unity and secular fabric. Since 2018, when Mukherjee attended RSS’s Vijaya Dashami event as the chief guest in Nagpur and delivered his speech, the organization has been perceived to be associated with Mukherjee. After his death in 2020, Bhagwat referred to Mukherjee as a “mentor” and quoted him several times during his program appearances.

Bhagwat’s current statements seem to signal an ongoing attempt to fuse political, cultural and constitutional narratives, using Mukherjee’s legacy as a bridge across ideological divides.