Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar: The patriotic architect of an awakened society

Madhubhai Kulkarni

To achieve independence, people were prepared to do Satyagraha and go to jail and if necessary, even make sacrifices. But if there was any wise man who was involved in keeping the society patriotic in independent India, then it was only Dr. Hedgewar.

The period of 50 years in the beginning of the twentieth century was influenced by the freedom struggle. There is no doubt that the founder of the Sangh, Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar was a first-line freedom fighter. Whether it was revolution or collecting money for Lokmanya Tilak’s ‘Home Rule’ League, Mahatma Gandhi’s non-cooperation movement or promotion of Khadi, running a store of indigenous goods or running the ‘Swatantra’ daily or anything else, his participation is visible in all the works.

Dr. Hedgewar was not an advocate of self-rule under the British Empire but of ‘complete independence’. The spark of independence burning in his heart comes to mind from the resolution sent to the Working Committee in the Congress session of Nagpur in 1920. Dr. Hedgewar wanted the Congress to pass a resolution to free the countries of the world from the clutches of capitalist nations by creating democracy (republic) in India. But it was not convenient for the Congress to make such a declaration at that time.

What he said in his defence in the court when he was sentenced in 1921 shows how strong his desire for independence was. In the court, Dr Hedgewar had asked the government lawyer, ‘Is there really any law by which the people of one country can rule over the people of another country? Is this not against the principle of natural justice? Who gave the British the right to rule over the Indians by trampling them under their feet? Just as the people of England rule over England, the people of Germany rule over Germany, similarly we the people of India want our rule over India. We want complete independence and we will definitely get it.’

While participating in all kinds of activities for achieving independence, a fundamental question always troubled him. According to him, those questions are as important as achieving independence. For example, why was independence lost? What is the guarantee that it will not be lost again due to the mistakes that led to it?

Everyone knows that one of the main reasons for this was deceit. King Dahir, the emperor of Sindh, was renowned as a very brave king. He lost while facing the attack of Mohammed Bin Qasim. The reason for this is said to be the treachery of his commander. The brave emperor of Delhi, Prithviraj Chauhan, who had defeated the invader Mohammed Ghori many times, lost once. Was he defeated or was he defeated deliberately? Jaichand, the relative of the brave Prithviraj, betrayed him and got Prithviraj arrested. The enemy will always show greed. ‘I will kill him and make you the emperor in his place, due to this greed are we not allowing the enemy to enter our country’, such a thought could not even touch Jaichand’s mind.

Dr. Saheb used to think that if everything continues like this, will the freedom achieved last? Why is patriotism only in some people? Every citizen should be a patriot by nature, everyone’s primary quality should be patriotism. This question is as important as freedom. The tradition of treachery must end.

Mind boggling questions

Why did we become dependent? How much Keshav was troubled by this question is evident from the correspondence between him and his uncle. Keshav returned to Nagpur after getting a medical degree from Kolkata. Naturally, the discussion among his relatives started gaining momentum that Keshav will now open his own clinic, get married and settle down. His uncle, whom everyone called Aaba, wrote a letter to Keshav and asked about this. Aaba wrote, “Lions of great personalities like Lokmanya Tilak, Mahatma Gandhi, Veer Savarkar, Dr. Munje are active in the freedom movement even after getting married. What is your opinion about this?” The answer given by Keshav to this question reveals the dilemma going on in his mind. Keshav wrote, “What you have written in the letter is true, but one question has confused my mind.

We were defeated and enslaved due to the betrayal of our own people. Can’t this tendency be stopped? If I can do something for this, I will consider myself blessed. It is true that you say that one can remain active in the freedom movement by getting married, but my thinking is different. I cannot think like this in the interest of this house and country. I have decided that I will not get tied in the bond of marriage, please stop the discussion of marriage.” The fire of freedom in the heart of Doctor Ji is revealed from time to time through the statements given by him.

On 18 March 1922, Mahatma Gandhi was sentenced to 6 years of imprisonment. Until he was released from prison, the 18th of every month was celebrated as ‘Gandhi Day’. See two thoughts expressed by Doctor Saheb on one such ‘Gandhi Day’- ‘Today is the day to listen and contemplate the virtues of a virtuous man like Mahatma Gandhi. The most important virtue imbibed by Mahatma Gandhi is to sacrifice even one’s own interests to complete a determined task.’ If a person calls himself a follower of Mahatma Gandhi, then he will have to sacrifice his own life and enter the battlefield, such thoughts always irked Doctor ji’s conscience.

If we look at the thoughts that arise in his mind while he was active in all the efforts to achieve independence, then a different image of him as a freedom fighter comes to mind. Those thoughts are-

1. Without completely and effectively inculcating values, a lasting form of patriotism cannot be developed and until such a form is developed, it is not possible to have honesty in social behaviour.

2. Lakhs of young people, full of patriotism, active and capable of leading a self-disciplined life with a selfless spirit of service, should be prepared.

3. Efforts must be made to find solutions to the questions arising in society, but if these questions are to be resolved forever, then citizens who are willing to sacrifice their entire lives for the welfare of the country should be created in large numbers across the country by inculcating nationalistic feelings in just a few generations. The above thoughts running in Dr. Hedgewar’s mind clearly show that he was thinking about what kind of perfection the society should have to keep the freedom that is about to be achieved unhindered.

Full effective rites required

There was a debate going on in those days about what should come first- freedom or social reform. It seems that Doctor ji did not participate in this debate. He says in English- Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty. It is clear that he must have thought in detail about what would be required to create a society with the qualities required for eternal vigilance. But he did not stop at just this thought, he enthusiastically participated in all types of activities going on for achieving freedom. While being involved in the movement, he started a unique work away from the movement and revolution. This work is known today as Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

Dr. Hedgewar believed that the society should be imbued with national spirit without sacrificing personal interest and ambition by imparting national sentiments. He believed that for the national spirit to penetrate deeply in the society, it will take work for a few generations. Keeping in mind the objective that citizens overwhelmed with national spirit, who remain constantly alert throughout their lives for the welfare of the country, should stand in huge numbers throughout the country as a tradition, he started a different kind of work, which he named Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh!

The identity of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is the daily one-hour shakha of the Sangh! The shakha of the Sangh means the satsang of patriotism! Every person must have the primary quality of patriotism. They added a new dimension of proven satsang, good thoughts, good conduct in the society. Sadhus, saints, sect founders always call upon the society to come to satsang. Due to satsang, virtues increase in a person’s life. Satsangs that develop devotion to God, Dev Bhakti, Guru Bhakti keep happening in the society. There is no dearth of all these in the society. What is lacking is intense patriotism. If fully effective sanskars are not done, then patriotism cannot remain permanently and to make it permanent, honesty must come in our social behavior, which is a difficult task.

Such satsangs are necessary so that effective values ​​of patriotism can be inculcated. Every branch of the Sangh inculcates patriotism, this was the original thought of Dr. Hedgewar! No photo or statue of any deity or great man is put up in any branch of the Sangh. If a special date of any great man is to be celebrated by the branch, then the photo of that person is put up in that program. Dr. Hedgewar’s photo is also not put up as the founder of the Sangh. No slogans of any kind are raised either.

Shakha means pure patriotism

Patriotism is not dependent on what I will get. It cannot be a matter of bargaining, this idea was expressed by Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar in his last speech in the Constituent Assembly. He had said, “Now we are accepting multi-party democracy. Every party will try to come to power. Whenever the question of party interest or national interest arises, will party interest prevail over national interest, this question comes to my mind again and again. Will we lose the independence obtained after such a long period? I am an Indian first, Indian in the middle, Indian at the end too. If the time comes to sacrifice for India, I will be in the first row. No blow can be tolerated on the unity of India.”

Whether one is a Marxist, Lohiaist, Gandhian, Ambedkarite or something else, first and foremost it is essential that one is a nationalist. The Sangh’s endeavour is that the role of every Indian should be ‘Nation First’.

From this point of view, an example from Japan has been heard many times. An Indian family goes to Japan for migration. After eating in the restaurant, the waiter takes the money as per the bill and says, ‘You have left a lot of food uneaten in the plate, this was not good.’ The Indian migrant says, ‘You got the full money, right? It is up to us whether we eat it or not.’ The Japanese waiter said, ‘The money is yours, but the food belongs to this country.’