It was shocking to learn that the chief of RSS Mohan Bhagwat targeted the noble soul of India — Mother Theresa. In an unfortunate outburst, Mohan Bhagwat stated that the motive behind social work of Mother Theresa was conversions. This statement of Mohan Bhagwat exposes his corrupted mindset and his extreme hatred towards the Christian Community.
However it was delighting to observe that the communal comments against Mother Theresa by Mohan Bhagwat were condemned by innumerable personalities belonging to different religions and political dispensations.
Unfortunately BJP, the ruling party, is yet to comment on the statement of Bhagwat. Will they condemn it or will they maintain silence?
Everyone is aware of the fact that a few days back the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi after a prolonged silence, opened his mouth on religious violence and categorically said that his government will ensure complete freedom of faith and that everyone has the undeniable right to retain or adopt the religion of his or her choice without coercion or undue influence. This statement of honourable Prime Minister brought the sigh of relief among the minority communities in the country. The minorities felt that the Prime Minister has finally spoken on this sensitive issue and hence no further damage will happen. Because of the opinion expressed by the Prime Minister, it was largely felt, that the affiliate institutions of BJP such as RSS, VHP, Bajrang Dal etc will fall in line, but in vain.
Soon after Prime Minister’s statement assuring right to freedom of religion to minority sections of the country, the very next day VHP interpreted Prime Minister’s comment as a warning to Christian community and not for Hindus. Now within few days the chief of RSS Mohan Bhagwat went to the extent of targeting Mother Theresa who has worked selflessly for the poor irrespective of caste, creed and religion.
The RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat is ignorant of the nature of service rendered by Mother Theresa to the poor and downtrodden. He is obsessed with Hindutva ideology and hence his vision cannot reach beyond the limits of Hindutva.
Mother Theresa’s humanity and works have been appreciated by all Indians except the likes of RSS, VHP, Bajrang Dal etc. These are the people who could not match the noble service rendered by Mother Theresa. She believed in love towards others and care of the sick people. She picked anybody who was sick from the streets and gutters and served him/her without knowing to which religion he or she belonged. Religion was never a criterion for her service to humanity. There are eye witnesses who have seen her helping a person in the last moment of his/her life to have a peaceful death. She would catch the sick person and said “You pray to your God and I shall pray to my God”. Thousands have breathed their last in her hands in peace and happiness due to the humanitarian approach of Mother Theresa.
Her service was so valuable that the whole world loved her in return. Recognizing her selfless service she was conferred with the highest universal award – Noble Peace Prize. India honoured her with the highest recognition – Bharat Ratna. Not only this, the BJP stalwarts like Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L K Advani always commended her selfless services to the nation. In spite of all this a narrow mindset of Mohan Bhagwat has the audacity to target this great soul of India.
The country is going through a very sensitive phase. Since the establishment of BJP government under the leadership of Narendra Modi at the Centre, religious violence has raised its ugly head very often. To add insult to injury, Churches and other religious institutions of minorities have been attacked by Hindu fundamentalist. ‘Ghar Wapsi’ or the process of re-conversions to Hinduism by the leaders of VHP and other associations supporting BJP have all created insecurity in the minds of the people particularly the minorities.
In fact, such divisive acts of BJP and its affiliate associations have been given a befitting reply by the people of Delhi in the assembly elections. BJP which has won 7 out of 7 seats in Delhi in the parliamentary elections could win only 3 out of 70 seats in the recently held Delhi elections. It was a crushing defeat to BJP and the underlying factor of this huge defeat is the divisive policy and communal hatred of BJP and its partners.
Sensing the mood of the people after the debacle of BJP in Delhi elections, the Prime Minister had no other alternative than to come out openly and assure the minorities in India that the constitutional right to freedom of religion and its propagation will be secured and that the government will not allow anyone to act against the provisions of the Constitution.
Has this assurance of Narendra Modi to minorities not gone well with the RSS? Are they insecure as far as Modi’s development agenda is concerned as this agenda goes against the Hindutva policy and the divisive acts related to it?
Hence is there a conflict of interests between the statement of honourable Prime Minister and the policy of Hindutva of RSS? Is it because of this conflict the RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat challenging the Prime Minister by uttering communal expressions and by targeting Mother Theresa?
This is the real testing time for Prime Minister Modi and his Bharati Janta Party. Prime Minister Modi or any other leader of BJP has not condemned the narrow minded and insulting statement of Mohan Bhagwat. As long as Prime Minister and BJP party tries to remain silent on this serious issue it will only strengthen the belief of minorities that Modi’s BJP government has no courage to condemn Mohan Bhagwat’s statement and hence his government is fully controlled by the dictates of RSS and its president Mohan Bhagwat.
(The writer is a former Speaker of
Goa Legislative Assembly)
