Claim on RSS's role in India's freedom struggle lacks clear evidence
I used to raise this question often at my branch and I didn't get an answer. Today, we are organizing Hindu society. We are talking about the country. What were we doing during the freedom struggle? What was the RSS doing? There is no answer to this. Vague answers were given. For example, Dr. Hedgewar was a member of the selection committee. For example, in '42, we did great work. What did we do? How did we do it? There is no answer to this. Abstract, almost mythological answers were given. A volunteer used to do great work in Bihar. If on one day, the volunteer's name was Ram Asre, the next day at the branch, he was called Ram Dhiraj. The person telling this didn't remember what name was told the previous day. We were talking about Bhagat Singh, Ashfaqulla Khan, Bismil, all these revolutionaries. I asked, if patriotism and martyrdom for the nation is the basis for honoring someone, then we should also take Ashfaqulla Khan's name in the branch. We should also respect Ashfaqulla Khan. Many things were said, but when I became obstinate, the Branch Instructor angrily said, 'Don't talk rubbish!' So what if Bhagat Singh was Marxist, he was at least a Hindu. How can he ever be compared with Ashfaqulla Khan? Bhagat Singh's views are not important. His politics are not important.
What's right
What's wrong
What's debatable
Breakdown
RSS's Stance on the Freedom Struggle The provided sources present a divided picture regarding the RSS's participation in India's freedom struggle. Several sources explicitly state that the RSS did not participate in any anti-British movements between 1925 and 1947 [3].
It is noted that the RSS advised its members to stay away from the Congress-led movements, such as the Quit India movement in 1942 [3]. Some accounts suggest that the RSS consciously abstained from participating and even opposed various movements launched during the freedom struggle [2].
Conflicting Accounts and Documentation However, there are also sources that claim the RSS actively participated in national events summoned by the Congress during the freedom movement [6][7]. This creates a significant contradiction. the influencer's experience of receiving vague answers and the perceived lack of clear documentation or remembrance of the RSS's actions during this period, as described in the claim, aligns with the stance of non-participation and opposition highlighted by some sources [2][3][4].
The anecdote about the inconsistent remembrance of a volunteer's name could be interpreted as a reflection of a lack of emphasis on such historical details within the organization's narrative, or simply a personal lapse in memory. Ideological and Personal Perspectives The claim also touches upon the RSS's current activities and its approach to organizing Hindu society, which is presented as a contrast to its alleged inaction during the freedom struggle. the influencer's questioning of why revolutionaries like Ashfaqulla Khan are not equally honored, especially in comparison to Bhagat Singh, delves into ideological interpretations and the RSS's selective historical narrative.
While Dr. Hedgewar's past as a Congressman and his time in jail are mentioned [4], the core of the claim revolves around the RSS's collective role during the freedom struggle, which remains a subject of debate and conflicting historical accounts.