Terrorism, politics and society

6th December 1992, Nagpur, 2-3 PM; police gathered in the open adjacent to the RSS headquarters in Mahal. As the news of Babri Masjid demolition started disseminating from Ayodhya, the RSS headquarter seemed perplexed. Everyone from the Sangh workers to the ones holding even a mere position felt that finally they did what they said. A wave of happiness was felt by everyone for the first time in the streets of Mahal. It seemed that no one had ever felt something of this sort even once after independence.

Mahal has been mentioned here as almost every family is a member of RSS. This happiness was felt for the first time as during two instances; pre and post independence, RSS faced pain and hurt. Savarkar never agreed to the Sangh’s ideology of Hindutva and hence never visited RSS’ headquarters ever. However, he had no problems in meeting with the head of RSS. However, the swayam sevaks in Nagpur always felt that Hindutva was a mere ideology in front of Savarkar’s impactful and bold character.

At a meeting that happened in Nagpur’s cotton market, Savarkar said that Hindutva is not the path that the cultural organizations would be able to drive the nation on. The second time when RSS ached was when Gandhiji was assassinated and RSS was banned. In the afternoon of 6th December, when the police and others were gathering in the open near the headquarters; there was one man who was also there. He was the then head of RSS, Devras.

The place was surrounded by seemingly the whole police force. Journalists were present and all their questions were being answered by Devras. Police hinted Devras’ arrest but owing to his ill health a house arrest was seen as a solution. However during the action time, Devras was suddenly covered by girls and women. Later it was known that they belonged to Durgavahini. There was no woman in the police team hence the house arrest was stopped. The women force of Durgavahini stood there to confront the police.

All through Devras’ conversation with media he hinted that the Babri Masjid demolition was not their first and the last success, but was a part of the strategy. Even if it was looking like a cultural agitation it should be considered a political issue. Amidst this when I asked Devras that why the Durgavahini was used like this when it was supposed to be a house arrest eventually? He replied that Durgavahini will have to understand that tomorrow even they can face these circumstances. Moreover this is a planning in which each and every one will have to contribute. I then asked him that is all this planning being done to develop a political understanding? Devras said, “It’s a cultural struggle not untouched by politics. (Laughs) In order to talk to you people (journalists) Durgavahini has created a way and you should thank them for that.” The women police force reached the venue and after some resistance by Durgavahini, Devras was house arrested.

As a repercussion of the Masjid demolition, people from a Muslim majority area Mominpura decided to hold a protest march. The information of this upcoming rally reached the police as well. After a clash between the police and the rally supporters it was decided that the rally won’t be taken out in the city. It would be confined to Mominpura and half a km from there; also the protest meeting would happen in Mominpura itself. The protest march was taken out in the afternoon, black flags were hoisted and banners were raised.

The moment it reached Mominpura the police ordered the procession to stop there and then and carry on with the meeting there itself. On this the youth reacted violently contending that the police was curbing there freedom to protest against the demolition. The crowd turned violent and broke the barricades. However later they faced lathi charge by the police. In a momentary decision by the then Police Commissioner of Nagpur the police shot the innocents. More that 22 rounds of bullets were fired. 13 died and more than 20 were injured. The ones, who died, died within the premises of Mominpura.

Both the ends of Mominpura were covered with corpses. The police not only stopped the mob on the main road but also in order to suppress the rage intruded the houses of people and mercilessly beat them. The ones who came out were shot dead. It was one of its kind situations for Nagpur as something like this only happened during the weavers’ agitation and once during the dalit movement.

However it was the first occasion when the distance between Mahal and Mominpura seemed as if it were a distance between the borders. This incident at that time got suppressed so that the law and order could be retained. But since that time a tendency of venting out rage over the issue of terrorism and thinking a solution has been very much become visible.

After witnessing what all happened in Ayodhya, the way the Nation and its politics camouflaged itself in saffron; the results can be well seen. Not only this but the Bhagwa become so prominent that country’s majority is finding itself burgled. The Muslims throughout the country fear coming out of their houses. And their way of expression is being used by either Congress or BJP as a tool for their politics.

RSS felt the same hurt within its circle. After Devras they had no head to speak for them under the sun. Devras very well knew the mantra to camouflage a cultural agitation in a political colour. The strategy formulation began happening in closure and the foundation of Democracy began collapsing. All this and more was assumed to be a success and hence a political terror was created.

Amidst this there is a new debate between Sadhus regarding Hindutva. The debate is that Savarkar was big time better than present day RSS; he talked straightly about a big aggression. Savarkar’s ideology is all of a sudden overpowering those organizations which recognize BJP through RSS. It’s obvious that under Savarkar’s theory initially RSS was discarded and now BJP’s facing a similar fate. That’s a reason why Sadhvi Pragya is being made an icon so that a new theory of Hindutva can come up amidst this shattering system. Hence BJP’s Chairman Rajnath Singh and RSS’ Mohanrao Bhagwat are reiterating that a person linked in any way by Indian culture cannot be a terrorist. Similarly Congress is trying to hint the Muslims that even the Hindutva is furthering towards terrorism.

However it’s evident by the sadhu-sadhvi phenomenon that terrorism has nothing to do with the religion. At a political level, if at all terrorism has a religion then a terrorist act carried on the name of religion is not terrorism but something else. After the Babri Masjid demolition on 6th December, Devras hinted the same, saying that Ayodhya is not only synonymous to erecting a temple but also to Hindutva. Discontinuing the rally in Mominpura concluded Devras’ hint. The nation is waving to and fro between this political hint and its result. Save yourself if you can!