Ma. Balasaheb Deoras' shining legacy
BY H V Seshadri
The name and person Ma. Balasaheb Deoras brings up the
picture of the consistent march of Rashtriya Swayamsevak
Sangh covering three generations : partly of the times of
Ma. Doctorji, of Ma. Guruji and the present one. On
the strength of his upbringing in Sangh under the founder
of Sangh-the master man-maker-coupled with his own
remarkable qualities of head and heart-Shri Balasaheb
began matching his role with the all round growth of the
Sangh and rising expectations of the people from the
organisation.
Courting martyrdom
Even as Guruji's assumption of Sarsanghchalak's
responsibility came during the forties-the crucial period
of the nation's struggle for freedom-Shri Balasaheb's
assuming charge of the Sangh also happened to be under
trying circumstances. Within just a couple of years of
his stewardship of the Sangh, Smt Indira Gandhi cramped
Internal Emergency. Many, including Shri Jayaprakash
Narayan felt that the dark night of internal slavery
would never end, that the country would never be able to
see the dawn of freedom and democracy in their life-time.
Just as Guru Teg Bahadur had offered himself for
martyrdom at the hands of Aurangzeb to save the Hindus of
Kashmir from the Islamic frenzy of conversion, Balasaheb
too sent a brief note to the underground Sangh leaders
intimating them of his decision to go on an indefinite
fast (in jail) to save the rashtra-dharma of democratic
values from the strangehold of the Emergency; which in
his diabetic condition would not have lasted for more
than a few days and would have claimed his life.
However, the underground leaders felt that in view of the
total blocking out of all communication channels with the
people and the nearly deadened conscience of Smt Gandhi,
even that supreme sacrifice would not have the desired
impact. Accordingly, Shri Balasaheb was informed that
his decision was unacceptable. However, the inspiring
saga of how the entire Sangh brotherhood rose to the
occasion staking their all reflected the same spirit of
martyrdom. The most crucial and dominant role they
played in the successful anti-Emergency struggle forms a
unique and unparalleled page in the annals of peaceful
democratic revolutions in the world.
Enriching the tradition
The Sangh leadership also set up yet another record in
refusing to be tempted by power in the post-Emergency
era. Swayamsevaks stood true to the Hindus vision of an
ideal social set-up in which there would be millions of
workers who would keep themselves aloof from every kind
of material inducement and rewards-power, pelf or even
name and fame-solely dedicated to the cause of all round
national rejuvenation.
New thrust to social transformation
The social transformation initiated by the Sangh long
back also received further thrust during Shri Balasaheb's
leadership. Dr Hedgewar's inbuilt mechanism in the Sangh
technique had ensured the elimination of every kind of
discrimination and dissension arising out of a parochial
approach to one's own caste, sect, class, language or
province. Later on, Shri Guruji strove successfully to
involve the leading Shankaracharyas, Madhvacharyas,
Ramanujacharya and other important religious heads of
Varkaris, Lingayats, Sikhs, etc. to take up leading roles
in washing off the blot of untouchability. Thus a new
smriti came into being with the new mantra of Hindvah
sodarah sarve. This energised a two-fold process of
bringing together all our diverse denominational faiths
under a single, all-embracing Hindu fold and also of
their joining hands in re-charging the spirit of unity in
diversity and of self-reformation and self-renewal of the
Sanatana Dharma in tune with the call of the time, i.e.,
the yugadharma.
Setting a personal example
Speaking at the celebrated Vasant-Vyakhyanmala at Pune,
Balasaheb declared unequivocally that "if untouchability
is not a sin, nothing else is. It must go lock stock and
barrle" The emphasis on social harmony and equality was
not merely an academic principle for him. The spirit had
seeped into him right from his young days while learning
at the feet of the founder. As karyavaha of Nagpur
shakha, it was natural that swayamsevaks from all
sections of society should be visiting his house.
Balasaheb's parents, were, however, strictly adhering to
the orthodox caste restrictions, including
untouchability. Balasaheb told his mother that there
should absolutely be no discrimination, no queries,
regarding the caste of the visiting swayamsevaks, When
invited for meals. they will sit with him and their
plates will be removed and washed by family members just
as his own. Otherwise, he would stop asking swayamsevaks
to come to his house. Such was the extremely loving bond
between the parents and Balasaheb that the former agreed
and there was no hitch whatsoever thereafter.
Revising reservation policy
Balasaheb followed by this approach while formulating the
Sangh's policy towards the ticklish issue of reservation.
When some years ago, a draft resolution on that subject
was placed before the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha a
hot discussion followed-both for and against it. At one
stage, when there appeared to be no chance of reaching a
consensus Balasaheb intervened and remarked. "Just for a
moment, think of yourself as having been born in such a
neglected, scheduled caste family and then decide." This
appeal went home and soon the resolution was passed
unanimously with a few minor changes. In a nutshell the
resolution. even while it deprecated the vote-bank
politics of several parties which has left the scheduled
caste brethren mostly backward, it felt the need for the
support of reservation necessary for some more time. A
national committee should be formed comprising non-
partisan, seasoned administrators, educationists,
sociologists, jurists and other leading public figures;
it should go into the entire question of ensuring social
justice to scheduled castes in all respects in a time-
bound manner so that those sections could compete with
others on an equal footing and reservations would become
redundant. This was the genius of Shri Balasaheb in
thrashing out a balanced solution even amidst divergent
viewpoints.
Initiating Ekatmata Mantra
For strengthening the essential bond thread of unity and
harmony among our various faiths and sects. Balasaheb
requested Shri Shripad Bhaskar Varnekarji a reputed
Sanskrit scholar to compose a shloka highlighting it.
Nor did he stop at that. He made it a practice of
repeating the whole shloka in his public speeches. Known
as Ekatmata Mantra it has now become a part of the daily
Pratahsmaranam, being recited by lakhs of swayamsevaks
and in schools and at religious-cum-social functions.
Doctorji's birth-centenary celebrations afforded yet
another occasion to expand the social transformation
activities of the Sangh specially among the poor and
neglected sections like slum-dwellers, the rural poor and
vanavasis. The spontaneous offerings towards the Seva
Nidhi by lakhs of countrymen reflected the unsullied
credibility of swayamsevaks in the public mind.
Enriching Intellectual conviction
Gifted with a profoundly critical intellect. Balasaheb
gave a much-needed fillip to the process of a direct
dialogue with workers at different levels by having
question-answer sessions with them. He himself had
inherited this style from Doctorsaheb with whom he and
his shakha peers would sit for long hours seeking answers
to a number of doubts arising in their minds even at the
early stage of the Sangh. This two-way intellectual
feedback has proved very useful in firming up the
conviction of the rank and file and workers. Such an
organisational direction was particularly needed in view
of the fast-changing intellectual agenda at the national
level, what with the phenomenal rise of Hindu awareness
and Hindutva come up to centre stage.
Before he retired from his post Balasaheb left behind a
shining legacy. The Sangh offers its homage and prays to
the Almighty to grant his soul moksha.
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