A wake-up call for Hindus the world over

Salutations to Guruji Golwalkar Part-II

By: V Sundaram
January 20, 2006
Views expressed here are author’s own and not of this website. Full disclaimer is at the bottom.

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Salutations To Guruji Golwalker Part - I

`Grace was in all his steps. Heaven in his eyes. In every gesture dignity and love`.

In May 1945, the II World War came to an end. The British Government in India realised that their days in India were coming to an end. The Congress was divided on the question of partition. Rajaji had resigned from Congress on this issue. Jinnah was proudly proclaiming the `Two-Nation Theory` stating that Muslims could never live in India because he considered Congress a Hindu party. The Congress officially at this point of time struck to its anti-Pakistan stand. Lord Wavell and his successor Lord Mountbatten were surreptitiously supporting Jinnah`s demand for a separate Muslim State of Pakistan. In those dark days, Shri Guruji took a bold and unequivocal stand on the question of united India or what he called AKHAND BHARATH. He clearly declared in all his speeches throughout India and more particularly in the affected States like undivided Punjab, Rajasthan, United Provinces, Bihar and Bengal that there can be no question of any negotiation or discussion on the issue of a United India. In 1945-46 he used to attract milling crowds who wanted to hear his inspiring words on the issue of Akhand Bharath.

All the leading Congress leaders (with the singular and salutary exception of Mahatma Gandhi), who were released from prison in 1945, after years of imprisonment, had become far too eager to capture positions of power and pelf. Despite this disturbing trend, under the influence and inspiration of Mahatma Gandhi, the Congress in its session officially rejected Jinnah`s demand for partition in 1945. Soon after the session, Gandhiji declared: `Partition can take place only over my dead body`. These words came as a succour to millions of Hindus in undivided Punjab and elsewhere. The Hindus therefore took it for granted that partition of India would never take place.

In order to intimidate and pressurise the British Government on the one hand and the peace-loving Hindus of India on the other, Jinnah in a true Jihadi style, announced 16 August 1946 as the `Direct Action Day`. On that fateful day, riots were incited by Muslim leaders belonging to the Muslim League all over the country. More particularly, barbaric massacres and genocide took place on this day in places like Calcutta, Dacca, Noakhali, striking terror in the hearts of the Hindus. Naturally, there was a counter reaction. In Bihar, Congress leaders forcibly suppressed such a rebellion. However, the Congress party and its leaders came to realise that it would be better to agree to Pakistan rather than invite a civil war and a terrible blood shed. It is clear now from what happened after independence that the Congress was fully confident that after agreeing to Jinnah`s demand for Pakistan, in post-independent India, taking advantage of the system of adult franchise granted to illiterate millions, they could create any number of secular pockets of Pakistan in India, assuring minority vote banks in the name of `secularism`.

In those terrible days, the Sangh had become a powerful force in Punjab. Shri Guruji in all his public meetings spoke against the creation of Pakistan. He was personally touring all the affected areas to maintain and boost up the public morale. In those terrible times, he toured the whole of Punjab and Sind quite often. The local Congress leaders in all these areas became very envious of the rising force of the Sangh and the growing popularity and moral influence of Shri Guruji. Shri Guruji told the Congress leaders `not to accept partition` in a meek and tame manner. He often used to say that Hindu society was capable of tackling the Muslim goondaism. He exhorted the Hindus and told them not to be unduly disturbed by terrorism, atrocities and threats of killing. In a famous speech at Nagpur on Vijayadasami day in 1946 he said: `I do not think it is manly to talk about non-resistance. In these days of strife, how can non-resistance ever benefit the country? I feel a violent struggle is unavoidable. You may well refrain from resistance, but will that stop the aggressors from indulging in their black deeds? Do not forget that the sacrificial goat at the Kali temple is an embodiment of non-resistance. We are not to become such artificial goats. Self-defence is the natural, legitimate right of every individual and of every society. So to say that `one should not take the law into one`s own hands merely because security is the Government`s responsibility` is basically illegal`. Shri Guruji, as one who had taken a degree in law, knew clearly that there was a provision in the IPC to kill another man in self-defence. Shri Guruji declared in Punjab on 1 June, 1947: `We do not know Pakistan, nor do we accept it. We must take a stand, wherever we are; we should put up an organised resistance. If we fear to go into that fiery ordeal, and leave our motherland, history will say that these people felt no pangs of pain over the cutting up of their dear motherland`.

Despite the fervent appeals of great men like Shri Guruji, partition was announced on 3 June, 1947. Shri Guruji directed all the Sangh `Swayamsevaks` to act as a protective shield to all the Hindus in Punjab and Sind, who were going to move into India soon after this announcement. Violence was let loose by the Muslims against innocent Hindus in different parts of Punjab and Sind. Even in such a state of anarchy and lawlessness, Sangh`s training camps were held in Phagwara and Sangrur in Punjab in the third week of July 1947. In this traumatic hour, the Sangh `Swayamsevaks` proved to be the only ray of hope of succour and survival to the Hindus. Several eminent international writers of books and articles on partition have paid great tributes to the Sangh `Swayamsevaks` and to Shri Guruji for the extraordinary courage and strength of character shown by them under very trying conditions. At the instance of Shri Guruji, the Punjab Relief Committee was set up to provide all-round relief to the uprooted Hindus. Shri Guruji came to be revered as the sole saviour of the Hindu Society.

In September 1947, on the instruction of Shri Guruji, RSS volunteers were posted at the Bhangi Colony in New Delhi to give security to Mahatma Gandhi who was staying there. At that time, neither Nehru nor Patel, or any of the Congressmen, raised any objection to this arrangement. On 16 September, 1947, Mahatma Gandhi addressed about 500 members of the RSS at the Bhangi Colony. The late Shri Jamanlal Bajaj had taken Mahatma Gandhi to the camp and Gandhi said: `I am very impressed by their discipline, complete absence of untouchability and rigorous simplicity. Inspired by the ideal of service and self-sacrifice, it is bound to grow in strength`.

Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated at Birla House on 30 January 1948. Naturam Godse, the assassin, was immediately arrested. Later he was tried and sentenced to death. On that fateful day at 5 pm Shri Guruji was in Madras, sipping a cup of tea with his friends. When he heard of the terrible news, he sent telegrams to Patel and Nehru assuring them of all help at that time of trial and tragedy. Shri Guruji immediately flew to Nagpur. On 1 February, 1948, hundreds of goondas gathered outside Shri Guruji`s house in Nagpur and started pelting stones. On the same day, Shri Guruji was arrested by the police on the charge of Gandhiji`s assassination under sections 320 and 120 of the Criminal Procedure Code. Was it not a lurid example of Nehru`s callous thoughtlessness and unrestrained lust for power? Was he not trampling all justice and godliness with his great secular foot ? This happened within six months of the attainment of our independence and Nehru`s famous `Tryst with Destiny`. It was indeed a tryst with tyranny; it was indeed a tryst with terror; it was indeed a tryst with treachery. Pandit Nehru clearly showed that he could beat the record of his beloved Stalin in post-independent India.

On 2 February, 1948, it was officially announced that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was banned. Sangh workers and Swayamsevaks were arrested throughout the country. There were more than 40,000 arrests. The atmosphere of the whole country was poisoned by the effete Congress party with anti-Sangh rumours, with charges and venomous tirades against the Sangh and Shri Guruji. On 5 February, 1948, when his lawyer-friend Dattopant Deshpande went to see Shri Guruji, Shri Guruji handed over to him a written statement saying that the RSS was disbanded and asked him to get it published. Shri Guruji said in that statement: `It has always been the policy of the RSS to be law- abiding and carry on its activities within the bounds of law. Therefore, since the Government has declared the RSS an unlawful body it is thought advisable to disband the RSS till the ban is there, at the same time denying all the charges levelled against the organisation`.

The tragedy of post-independent India was that the press was not officially muffled by the Government of India. The press gagged and strangled itself with its own notions of nationalism and secularism. The only newspaper which gave a full account of Shri Guruji`s statement on the disbandment of the RSS was Pakistan`s `Dawn` on 6 February. The Government of India led by the Congress party thought that the life of RSS had come to an end on 2 February, 1948.

On 7 February, 1948, the Government of India suddenly withdrew the charge of conspiracy of murder and issued a new ordinance ordering Shri Guruji`s internment under the National Security Act. He was kept in a solitary prison. Newspapers were denied to him for the first one month. Shri Guruji displayed unwavering faith and mental fortitude during his stay in prison.

It is clear that Nehru was no champion of civil rights or human rights. After our independence, he functioned like any other petty politician. From his attitude towards the RSS and Shri Guruji we get the lesson: `We can vaccinate ourselves against small-pox; there is no vaccination available against small minds, particularly in high places`.

Shri Guruji was noted for his burning patriotism for Akhand Bharath and he had spoken strongly against the partition of India right from 1943. Responsibilities often gravitate to the person who can shoulder them. Many people today may not be aware of the fact how Shri Guruji was deputed by Sardar Patel on a political mission in a special plane to Srinagar to meet Maharaja Hari Singh of Jammu & Kashmir and the stellar role he played in the accession of Jammu and Kashmir to the Indian Union after independence. This is indeed an interesting story about the historic role played by Shri Guruji as a responsible and patriotic citizen at a crucial time in our national history.

Soon after independence, the most serious challenge to the freedom and integrity of independent Bharath was posed in Kashmir. The British Government declaration of 3rd June 1947 left the Princely Rulers of independent Bharath to join either Bharath or Pakistan or remain independent. Hari Singh, the Maharaja of Jammu & Kashmir, was in an awful fix. He was a devout and patriotic Hindu and could not think of joining Pakistan. In view of the marked Muslim majority in the State, he was a little hesitant. Lord Mountbatten flew to Kashmir in the 3rd week of June, 1947 in a bid persuade the Maharaja to join Pakistan. The Maharaja resisted the pressure. R.C. Kak, the then Prime Minister of Kashmir, however, advised Maharaja Hari Singh to remain independent. Amidst these conflicting pulls, the Sangh leaders in the State of Jammu & Kashmir began exerting every possible influence to persuade the Maharaja to declare his accession to Bharath before the deadline of 15th August, 1947. The State Sanghachalak of the R.S.S., Pundit Prem Nath Dogra, submitted several petitions and followed them up with personal interviews with the Maharaja. The Sangh also persuaded several social, political and cultural organizations in the State to pass resolutions urging the Maharaja to join Bharath without delay. At the same time, Shri Badridas, Sanghachalak of Punjab, whom the Maharaja held in high esteem, rushed to Srinagar to meet and advise him. However, forces inimical to Bharath would not let Maharaja Hari Singh have his way.

When 14th August, 1947 (one day prior to independence) came, the postal authorities in Srinagar hoisted the Pakistani Flag in their office, because the Post Offices in the State came under Sialkot Circle which was to become part of Pakistan from that day. Promptly, the Sangh Swayamsevaks and sympathisers saw to it that the postal authorities pulled down the Pakistani Flag. On the next day, the 15th of August 1947, the Indian Tricolour flew over most of the houses and shops in Kashmir. The Tricolour Flags had been prepared in thousands in the Sangh Karyalaya in Srinagar and distributed to the people. Meanwhile, the pro-Pakistani Muslim elements inside Kashmir intensified their propaganda to pressurise the Maharaja to join Pakistan. Large-scale smuggling of arms into the State to foment internal rebellion started taking place from the month of August 1947. At the diplomatic level at the Centre, too, Sangh had made certain strategic moves in the crucial mid-October days in 1948.

Sardar Vallabhai Patel, knowing the mind of Maharaja Hari Singh, had pitched upon SHRI GURUJI to talk to the Maharaja. Patel knew that Shri Guruji commanded the implicit and full confidence of the Maharaja. At the instance of Sardar Patel, Shri Guruji flew to Srinagar on 17th October, 1947. He explained to the Maharaja, the futility of entertaining any idea of retaining Kashmir as an independent Kingdom, and advised him to join Bharath straightaway. Consequently, the Maharaja expressed his readiness to sign the instrument of accession to Bharath. Shri Guruji returned to New Delhi on 19th October, 1947 and reported to Sardar Patel about the Maharaja’s readiness to accede to Bharath. Unfortunately there was a sudden and massive invasion of Kashmir on 23rd October, 1947 by Pakistani Tribesmen which was instigated by the Government of Pakistan and the Maharaja appealed to Government of India for help, agreeing to the accession of the State to Bharath and the flying of Indian troupes to save Kashmir—all these historic events following in lightning succession. Within the City of Jammu itself, the local Muslims numbering about 20,000 were in a rebellious mood. The fate of Jammu City and the entire countryside in Jammu, with no troupes on hand, hung in a precarious balance. The young men of Sangh rose to the occasion. They faced the pro-Pakistani Muslim elements inside and repulsed their repeated attacks and shattered their designs. But for the Swayamksevaks’ valiant efforts, Jammu could never have been saved; and without Jammu, there was not the ghost of a chance to save Srinagar even by Indian forces. This inspiration to defend our motherland against the Pakistani marauders was provided by the clarion call of Shri Guruji to all the Swayamsevaks and not by the indecisive Government of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. On the contrary, it was Pandit Nehru who stopped the Indian Army from driving out the Pakistani invaders from a portion of Kashmir by taking the matter to the United Nations. Nehru took this disastrous and abrupt decision against the advice of Maj. Gen. Kulwant Singh, Corps Commander, General Thimmiah and General Cariappa of the Indian Army. He did not trust his countrymen. He had greater faith in the machinations of Lord Mountbatten and his British Officers. The country is still paying the price for that inexcusable political blunder.

Against this background, it will be clear that Shri Guruji was no less patriotic than either Nehru or Patel or for that matter any Congress Leader of that time. Shri Guruji had a good equation with Mahatma Gandhi who addressed the RSS Swayamsevaks at Bhangi Colony in New Delhi on September 16, 1947 where they were posted to keep guard at various points. At that point of time, Shri Guruji was not aware of the capacity of the Congress Party for infidelity and intrigue. The Nehru Government, in a most uncivilized way, ordered the arrest of Shri Guruji on February 1, 1948 and charged him with the murder of Mahatma Gandhi. To crown it further, the same mindless and soulless Government withdrew the charge of conspiracy for murder against Shri Guruji and issued a new ordinance ordering his internment under the National Security Act on February 7, 1948. On August 6 1948 Shri Guruji was released subject to certain restrictions placed on his activity. Shri Guruji immediately wrote to Nehru and Patel protesting against his unwarranted and illegal detention without assigning any reasons. He also jocularly commented about the restrictions placed on him by saying: “I have been transferred from a smaller jail to a bigger one! Only my prison walls have been extended”. He also wrote another strong letter to Nehru in October 1948 requesting him to remove the illegal ban on the R.S.S. He wrote: “It is now almost eight months and nothing can remain to be investigated into against me or the R.S.S. I am sure you are convinced that the allegations against the R.S.S. have been found to be without foundation in facts. It is therefore a case for simple justice, which we have a right to expect from a Government which we have always considered our own.”

Sardar Patel sent a reply to Shri Guruji stating “there can be no doubt that the RSS did service to the Hindu society. In the areas where there was the need for help and organisation the young men of the RSS protected women and children and strove much for their sake. I AM STRONGLY CONVINCED THAT THE RSS MEN CAN CARRY ON THEIR PATRIOTIC ENDEAVOUR ONLY BY JOINING THE CONGRESS AND NOT BY KEEPING SEPARATE OR OPPOSING”. At the same time, Nehru wrote to Shri Guruji stating that the RSS was a communal and anti-national organisation. He indirectly seemed to share the view of Patel that the RSS should merge with the Congress.

Was it not a moment of great national disgrace that the Prime Minister Nehru and the Deputy Prime Minister of independent India Patel, whose Government had baselessly charged Shri Guruji with the murder of Mahatma Gandhi and arrested him on February 1, 1948 and detained him illegally for 6 months till August 6, 1948, should now somersault and invite Shri Guruji to join the Congress Party in October 1948(!) even while the trial against Nathuram Godse was still on and he was to be hanged only in November 1949? Were they not guilty of perfidy and travesty of truth? Was it not a sordid act of great national betrayal by both Nehru and Patel? Nathuram Godse only liquidated the body of Mahatma Gandhi. Nehru and Patel spiritually destroyed Mahatma Gandhi and all that he represented for ever. ‘Secular Spiritual Baptism’ even at that time perhaps meant joining only the Congress Party and no other political party!!

On October 13, 1948 all restrictions on Shri Guruji’s activities were unilaterally removed. Shri Guruji went to New Delhi and met Sardar Patel on October 23, 1948. Sardar Patel insisted that the RSS should merge in the Congress. Shri Guruji gave him a firm ‘NO’ stating that “the RSS was a cultural organisation and not a political party”. Emotionally upset by Shri Guruji’s spirited reply, Sardar Patel spoke imperiously to Shri Guruji stating that no more discussions were possible and that he could go back to Nagpur. Sardar Patel failed to realise that he was dealing with a Maharishi and not with a Congress mercenary who would sell his soul for a mess of pottage. Unsurpassed courage of conviction was the footstool of the VIRTUES upon which he stood. Shri Guruji then moved like a hurricane to show his ‘Vishwaroopa’ form, even as Lord Krishna did to Arjuna at Kurukshetra, to both Nehru and Patel and indeed the country.

After nearly 18 long months of illegal incarceration with out any charge, Shri Guruji was released unconditionally from Betul Jail on 13 July, 1949. When he arrived at the Nagpur Railway Station at noon, more than 30,000 people gave him a tumultuous welcome. Thousands of people shed tears as they saw Guruji`s father garlanding his own son who had come out successfully out of the fiery ordeal. Four days later, Shri Guruji went to Madras to thank T R Venkatrama Shadtri personally for having taken the trouble to draft a Constitution for the RSS, for having taken the initiative to meet Patel and Nehru and strongly advice them to lift the ban on the RSS and to release Shri Guruji from prison and finally for issuing a very strong statement against the Government of India for having acted in such a dictatorial manner in the first few months of independent India, which he thought was a cruel mockery of freedom.

After several months of orchestrated fraud, untruth and falsehood enacted with the full might of the State, the government itself came out candidly with the truth in the Bombay Legislative Assembly on 14 October,1949. In replies to questions raised by Lallubai Patel from Surat, the Minister for Home and Revenue, Government of Bombay, said:

a) That the lifting of ban on RSS was unconditional.
b) Its leader Golwalkar had given no undertaking to the government.

Thus it can be seen that the Congress cowards in New Delhi smartly transferred the dirty responsibility of making the above truthful but very unsavoury statements from their point of view, to the Congress Government of Bombay. It became clear to all concerned, the whole of India and the wider world outside that the Government of India had tried to arm-twist Shri Guruji and to crush the RSS. The real eye-opening fact was that not even a single Swayamsevak of the Sangh was charge-sheeted or prosecuted anywhere in the country on any of the politically and baselessly trumpeted charges against the Sangh, including the charge of `assassination of Mahatma Gandhi`. The whole dishonesty of the Government of India right from the start can be seen from a letter sent by Sardar Patel to Pandit Nehru on 27 February, 1948, less than a month after Mahatma Gandhi`s assassination on 30 January, 1948: `I have kept myself almost in daily touch with the progress of the investigations regarding Bapu`s assassination case. All the main accused have given long and detailed statements of their activities. It also clearly emerges from the statements that the RSS was not involved in it at all`. Even after sending this letter, Government of India, which meant Nehru and Patel?did not have the grace to release Shri Guruji till August 1948.

As Shri Guruji had been out of touch with the Swayamsevaks all over India from 1 February, 1948 till July 12, 1949 when the ban on the RSS was removed, it became very much necessary for Shri Guruji to undertake a nation-wide tour. Shri Guruji`s `All Bharath Tour ` began in August 1949 and lasted till January 1950. Wherever he went, he received spontaneous and tremendous ovations. The overwhelming public response to the function at Delhi on 23 August, 1949 attracted world-wide attention. The BBC reported on the radio: `Shri Guruji is a shining star that has arisen on the Indian firmament. The only other Indian who can draw such huge crowds is Pandit Nehru`. The Indian Press too flashed the highlights of this function. History may have but few examples of lakhs and lakhs of people giving a leader without any Governmental authority, such a rousing reception wherever he went. Shri Guruji rose to Himalayan heights of magnanimity, forbearance and statesmanship by giving this message at all his public meetings: `Let us close this chapter of the ban on the Sangh. Do not let your minds be overcome with bitterness for those who, you feel, have done injustice to you. If the teeth were to bite the tongue do we pull out the teeth? Even those who have done injustice to us are our own people. So we must forget and forgive`. This was Guruji`s Sanatana Dharma in action in answer to Nehru and Patel`s low-level politics marked by hatred, jealousy, prejudice and arrogance of unbridled power.

The post-independence era has witnessed many a campaign launched by the SwayamSevaks for upholding and refurbishing aspects of national faith and veneration in various spheres of life. Dr Hedgewar`s views of the future set-up of Bharath after the attainment of freedom was in tune with the essence of our national ethos. The jottings that he put down on the day the Congress adopted `Complete Independence` as its goal in 1930 are clear and emphatic: `The Hindu culture is the life-breath of Hindustan. It is therefore clear that if Hindustan is to be protected, we should first nourish the Hindu culture. If the Hindu culture perishes in Hindustan itself, and if the Hindu society ceases to exist, it will hardly be appropriate to refer to the mere geographical entity that remains as Hindustan. Mere geographical lumps do not make a nation. The Sangh will cooperate with the Congress in the efforts to secure freedom, so long as these efforts do not come in the way of preserving our nation`s culture`.

Shri Guruji in his penetrating and perceptive analysis of the directions in which the post-independence Bharath was being led by her Congress and other rulers said: `Today we find everywhere attempts to recast our life pattern in the mould of an American, English or Russian way of life. How can we call it swantatra (freedom) which has no `Swa` (our national genius) in it? Then it is only para-tantra. If Lenin is kept as the ideal, it becomes Lenin-tantra and Swatantra. In fact preservation and propagation of our national life values ie our Sanatana Dharma and Samskriti, have always been held in our historical traditions as the raison d`etre of Swatantra`.
Taking these as our firm guidelines, the Swayamsevaks have been trying to manifest the nation`s pristine genius in diverse fields of national endeavour for the last 58 years of our independence. They have always kept before them the following message of Dr Hedgewar and Shri Guruji: `Wherever and in whatever position you are, do not forget that you are a Swayamsevak. Always and everywhere consider yourself as a Sangh Pracharak??devoted to carrying the message of Sangh`.

On 2 August, 1954, 100 Sangh Swayamsevaks stormed the Portuguese enclaves of Dadra and Nagar Haveli. The attack was led by Vinyak Rao Apte, Pune Sanghchalak. They attacked the main police headquarters at Selvassa and forced the 175 soldiers there to surrender unconditionally. The national tri-colour flag was hoisted and the region handed over to the Central Government on the same day. Like-wise the first to unfurl the national flag over the Panaji Secretariat in Goa in 1955 was a Swayamsevak working as a teacher in Goa. He was put in prison in a Lisbon jail for full 17 years till 1972?well after Goa was liberated in 1961. I cannot help surmising that Government of India was not interested in his earlier release only because he was a Swayamsevak!

Shri Guruji was the first public leader to give out the news of illegal occupation by Chinese Government of large chunks of our strategic Himalayan borders in 1960. In 1960 when Pandit Nehru and Chou-En-lai were jointly touring our country singing the lullaby of `Hindi-Cheeni-Bhai-Bhai`, Shri Guruji`s was the lone voice laying bare the dragon`s teeth hidden behind that enchanting slogan. Nehru had romantic love for Chou-En-lai and ignored the timely warning of Shri Guruji.

When Pakistan attacked Bharath in 1965, Lal Bahdur Shastri, the then Prime Minister, personally rang up Shri Guruji who was then touring Maharashtra and requested him to be in New Delhi for the All Leaders Conference the following day. Shri Guruji placed the entire RSS at the disposal of the Government of India to fight the invaders and to safeguard the integrity of our motherland. In Delhi, for the entire period of 22 days of war, police duties like traffic control and patrolling were transferred to Swayamsevaks to free the police for more pressing tasks. Right from the beginning of the war, everyday hundreds of Swayamsevaks daily reported at the General Military Hospital, Delhi to offer blood. The military looked upon the Sangh as a friend in need. Likewise during the BanglaDesh War in 1971, the Swayamsevaks of the Sangh played a vital role in assisting the Government of India in their war efforts against Pakistan.

During the Emergency in 1975-77 imposed by Indira Gandhi, like a dictator in the line of Hitler and Mussolini, our country was plunged in dark internal slavery and every single cherished value of free and democratic life was smothered. Indira Gandhi repeated the mistake of Nehru and Patel and imposed a ban on the RSS. In those dark days, the Swayamsevaks rose as one man in the cause of the people. Winston Churchill`s heroic words can be applied to the Swayamsevaks and the RSS: `Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties and so bear ourselves that if Bharath Matha and Sanatana Dharma last for a thousand years, men will still say this was their finest hour`.

Shri Guruji had a clear vision of the ideal conditions in every sphere of national life. Bharath could never be strong to fulfill its destiny unless every aspect of the nation`s life was informed with the pure and inspiring ideology of the Sangh. Shri Guruji pioneered the creation of many fields of such constructive activity. Through his tremendous drive and initiative, he created several powerful nation-wide organisations like Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Vivekananda Rock Memorial, Akhila Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram and the Shishu Mandir educational institutions. To the political field Shri Guruji gave two priceless jewels like Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee and Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya.

On 5 June, 1973 Shri Guruji passed away peacefully in Nagpur after a lifetime of ceaseless activity for the advancement of Sanatana Dharma, the glory of Bharath Mata and victory of Bharath without losing sight of the ultimate ideal of achieving Akhand Bharath. Like Swami Vivekananda, he embodied the spirit of India. In my view he was amongst the greatest of our nationalists. The best tribute to him was paid by R K Karanjia of `Blitz` of Bombay: `He had no axe to grind, and in the pursuit of his ideals languor was not in his heart, weakness was not in his word, weariness was not on his brow. It would be good if other political leaders emulate his example of dedicated life and win the respect and confidence of his followers`.

(Concluded)

V Sundaram

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