Hindu Vivek Kendra
A RESOURCE CENTER FOR THE PROMOTION OF HINDUTVA
   
 
 
«« Back
RSS challenges Prakash Ambedkar on flag hoisting issue

RSS challenges Prakash Ambedkar on flag hoisting issue

Author:
Publication: Organiser
Date: September 3, 2000

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has asked Shri Prakash Ambedkar to produce a copy of the 1949 Agreement under which the RSS was alleged to have undertaken to hoist the National Flag on its headquarters in Nagpur.  Shri M.G.  Vaidya, member of the National Executive of the RSS, has marshalled facts to nail the canards being spread to malign the Sangh on the question of the National Flag.

In his statement issued on August 22, Shri Vaidya pointed out that on August 16, 2000, Shri Prakash Ambedkar, MP, while speaking in the Lok Sabha had stated that according to the Home Ministry's resolution dated 26th November, 1949, "There was an agreement between the RSS and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel which clearly states that RSS will hoist the National Flag on 26th January 1950 at its Nagpur headquarters."

Earlier on the same day, he (Shri Ambedkar) had said that, "in the year 1949, there was agreement between Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and the RSS in which it was clearly stated that on 26th January 1950, when all the political prisoners were to be released, the RSS will hoist our National Flag at their Nagpur Headquarters."

Shri Vaidya said : "We will like to ask Shri Ambedkar to produce a copy of that agreement.  He should not abuse MP's privileges to malign the RSS.

Shri Ambedkar ought to know that the ban on RSS was imposed on 4th February 1948, and lifted on 13th July, 1949.  If at all any understanding or agreement had taken place between the RSS and the Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on behalf of the Government, it must have taken place during that period.  Did the so-called agreement of 26th November take place after the ban was lifted? Let Mr Ambedkar explain.

The following few facts have to be noted in this connection :

1) On 1st June, 1949, Shri M.S.  Golwalkar, the then Sarsanghchalak of the RSS, wrote his last letter to the Home Minister, saying, "Since my direct and truthful words seem to be unpalatable to the Government, I think it best to desist from writing any further for the present." This was written from Seoni Jail which is located in Madhya Pradesh at present.

2) To this letter, Shri H.V.R.  Iyengar, Secretary to the Government of India, in his reply on 11th June 1949, inter alia said, "In these circumstances the Government do not consider that any useful purpose would be served by continuing the correspondence."

3) Actually the matter ended there.  But then Pundit Moulichandra Sharma came as an intermediary.  At whose instance, he came, is for the Government to tell.  But it was made clear to Shri Sharma that Shri Golwalkar or any one else on behalf of the RSS will not write anything to the Government.  So, as a compromise, it was agreed that Shri Golwalkar will write to Shri Moulichandra Sharma as an individual interested in knowing the RSS position regarding certain points.  And on 10th July, 1949, Shri Guruji handed over to Shri Sharma, a statement about the RSS position regarding the points that he had raised during discussion with him in the jail.

4) The relevant portion of the statement is reproduced below :- "Loyalty to the Constitution of India And the State Flag" This question should not arise in an independent country.  Every national of India claims loyalty to his country and that is his proud birth-right.  Every member of the Sangh pledges to dedicate his all to the service of the motherland.  Like every other citizen of India every Swayamsevak of the Sangh is loyal to the country, its Constitution and all the emblems of India's national independence and glory.  The flag is such an emblem and it is, as has been stated before, the proud duty of every Swayamsevak as of every national of India to stand by this flag and keep up its honour.  As you know, this has already been stated in the draft constitution in Article 5.  Although it was not necessary to do so, it was advisably mentioned to emphasize the importance that the Sangh attaches to this point.  I am sure nobody will mix up the question of our institutional flag, the Bhagwa Dhwaja, with the question of the State Flag, adopted by the Constituent Assembly.  As you know, even the Congress has its own flag separate from the State Flag.  In fact according to law, no party, institution or individual can use this State Flag except under rules laid down by the Government.  This being the spirit, I can have no objection to this point made more explicit in the Constitution itself.

5) There was nothing new in this statement.  Actually this was the same statement, almost verbatim, that was issued to the press in Delhi on 2nd November, 1948, only difference being that the 1948 statement was in Hindi and the letter to Shri Sharma in July, 1949, was in English.  (See the Hindi statement and its English rendering alongside) This 1948 statement was sent to the Government also and had been referred to in the correspondence that Shri Golwalkar had with the Government from the Seoni jail.  As for the other points raised by Shri Ambedkar, we have to state that :

(1) Last year the RSS has not lathi-charged the demonstrators.  The Government's law enforcing agency did the thing, obviously to restrict the illegal action on the part of the demonstrators.

(2) I may also state that it is not that the RSS has never hoisted the Tricolour.  Hundreds of the shakhas of RSS in Delhi on every Republic Day arrange the function of the Bharatmata poojan where the Tricolour is hoisted.  It happens in so many other places also.

(3) As for the Bhagwa flag, the RSS from its inception has accepted it as its 'Guru'.  Every year Swayamsevaks present their offerings before the 'Guru'.  That Guru is spiritual.  It has nothing to do with politics."
 


Back                          Top

«« Back
 
 
 
  Search Articles
 
  Special Annoucements