Why Mohan Bhagwat’s words ring hollow

During the Idea Exchange, Bhagwat said the RSS does not endorse caste and believes in a casteless society. “Any system should evolve with time. We completely disagree with applying the structure that was in operation a thousand years ago”. He merited a point further, “the reason caste is not going away despite so many people trying is because it is in the minds of people. We do not get into the debate of whether varna was useful in the past or not. We want a society that is equal and free of exploitation”. He also explained the progressive logic of social reservation as opposed to economic. “We tell people that there was a group who enjoyed benefits for 2,000 years, when there was no reservation this group was enjoying benefits perpetually”.

Bhagwat addressed the question of caste and varna to his fellow, thread-bearing, ritual-believing Hindus who exercise caste in everyday life and offer it as a sacred value endowed by their ancestors.

Unfortunately, these motley pronouncements are woefully overshadowed by inept inaction by the RSS in the face of casteism and caste violence in the country. Former RSS chief Balasaheb Deoras had expressed similar sentiments four decades ago, and the report card is miserable.

What does it mean to get rid of caste? It is to destroy all the structures that impede equality and equal opportunity. It is to make way for those who have been oppressed. It is to have a pang of moral guilt about the wrongs whose result has paved generously for the comforts of those on the top. That allowing for diversity without insult and injury is substantiated by redistributing the nation’s wealth and resources and having equality in assets. It is to create opportunities for everyone to grow equally as per one’s ability and involve them in the national life by making them taxpayers.

Where does this occasional outburst come from? It is in the intra-Brahmin rivalry and conflicts. The broader groupings are Chitpavan, Deshsasta, Karhade, Devrukhe, and Saraswat. Each caste clan claims to be superior than the other. The coastal Brahmins see the Deshastha Brahmins as inferior for hobnobbing with Muslims in the Deccan plateau. The Deshastha hit back at Chitpavans.

This is a debate about purity, which is a dominant sign of caste status. Intra-Brahmin tension is an unresolved conflict, where Brahmins from central India and Andhra desh have formulated a new theory of nationalism in which they occupy a position denied to them by the titans of Brahmin ritual elites.

The RSS has to finally come to terms with the might of the Dalit prowess guided under the fortitude and rebellious history of Ambedkar, Buddha, and other non-Brahminical ancestors. The Dalits are not a naïve species easily taken for a ride. They work to bring back the rule of their forbearers. While the countervailing force keeps committing atrocities, their dreams of becoming rulers are restricted.

Given that the RSS has not actively tried to abolish caste from society, the hierarchical varna structure is still sanctified by its cadres. The sworn Hindus do not challenge the atrocities against Dalits. When cases such as Hathras happen, the honesty of Dr. Bhagwat’s words rings hollow. They are merely a side talk by the RSS trying to shadow BJP and reiterate that they’re still the ones who call the shots.

The BJP has lately played the social representation card better, trumping the RSS’s hold on these issues. This is emblematic in their recommendation of Presidents Kovind and Murmu. The RSS is often the caretaker of anything social for the Right. However, they seem to be losing ground on some matters to the Modi-Shah duo. It is indeed a virtue signalling fest of the Hindu ideology.

Suraj Yengde, author of Caste Matters, curates the fortnightly ‘Dalitality’ column