[Reader-list] To Taha Mehmood

[Taha Mehmood]

Dear Pawan

Thank you for your response.

I acknowledge your understanding. Please allow me to say I do not have any
hesitation in considering your view, hence, for a moment, I want to believe
that RSS is a nationalist organization which intends good for all Indian
citizens but in order for this view to last longer and for me to believe in
the intent and purposes of RSS, I need to be reasonably satisfied.

Now for all that I have read of the RSS and about the RSS and from the RSS's
literature I am not reasonably satisfied at all, about either the intention
and the objective of RSS, on the contrary I feel disconcerted. The reason
being I feel that in its enthusiasm to embrace the nation and embrace all
those things which it considers as nationalistic; the ideology of RSS
filters out people like me, not because of what I am but because of who I
am.

RSS claims-'the political field too needs to be cleansed and reformed, based
on Hindu values and ethos', had this sentiment been articulated as, 'in the
political field all Hindu values and ethos needs to be cleansed and
reformed' I would not have had any objection to the RSS at all, because in
that case, they would have represented values and ethos of what they
interpret as Hinduism. But by saying 'the political field', the RSS means
the entire political spectrum of India. 'the political field' in so far as
India is concerned, contain a range of ideas, and ideologies which represent
aspirations of a lot of people. In this regard by claiming to 'reform and
cleanse' 'the political field' of India, the RSS sets itself an ugly task by
which it makes all those thoughts which are at variance with the RSS's
interpretation of 'Hinduism' as undesirable hence needing 'reforms' and
dirty hence need to be 'cleansed'. I find this form of thinking divisive
because it pits all those people who are broadly identified as Hindus
against those who are not. I find this sort of thinking anti-national
because it goes against the grain of fundamental logic of Indian
Constitution which allows for diversity of religious beliefs and its
propagation.

(You may find the RSS quote used above by following this url-
http://www.rss.org:8080/New_RSS/Mission_Vision/Why_RSS.jsp)

The ideals contained in the Indian constitution from the basis of my
arguments. If you were to assert that you do not believe in the Indian
constitution at all, then I will have no problem with you ascribing to the
beliefs bestowed by an organization like the RSS.

Now Pawan, don't you feel that it is unreasonable to disassociate people on
the basis of who they are, primarily because people do not have any control
over their birth.

The argument to segregate people, to segregate citizens on the basis of
their imagined religious identities is deployed by organizations like
Lashker too. Hence, I find that problematic too.

There was a hint of tagging in your mail, to the effect like- 'you and
secularists' etc. This does not work for me at all because this demonstrates
frustration as a form of response. I expect you to present a reasonable
argument. I expect you to be infectious in your belief and I expect you to
infect me with it. But for that you shall have to find some time and
articulate your enthusiasm for RSS.

I am ready to listen and read all what you have to say. Please do not get me
wrong here. I welcome your comments but I find it hard to interpret through
poetry and borrowed wisdom of other people. Please put it in a context and
argue dil se!

Regards

Taha