Opinion: Hunt for social legitimacy by RSS and Congress's self-goal

What will former President Pranab Mukherji say at the RSS function tomorrow is less of a talk, more of a horrified reaction within Congress. It seems that some of the senior leaders, despite the party's loss in 2014 elections, are living in a political cocoon untouched by the transformation Indian politics has gone through.

The RSS-BJP combine has electorate's legitimacy, and nothing matters more than it. The touch-me-not posture of some of the leaders comes across as childish and undemocratic. It reminds me of a famous quote: "If popular sentiments globally have become illiberal then liberal response has become undemocratic."

Congress has fallen into the same trap. Rather than responding to the situation, the party has reacted and handed over a plate of opportunity to the RSS-BJP combine. It makes RSS looks grand and inclusive and grudging Congressmen as tiny tot intellectuals.

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There is no doubt that this interaction is part of the hunt for social legitimacy which has been denied to RSS post Mahatma Gandhi's assassination. It remains a sore point for RSS since then. It is this very social and intellectual boycott of RSS which eventually spurned them to erect their own ideation platforms like India Foundation and multiple allied organisations working in various social sectors.

The RSS might cloak invitation to Pranab Mukherji as regular interaction, but it is part of their outreach programme. The effort has become intense and expansive after the 2014 victory. The confidence stems from the verdict which gave BJP simple majority and RSS much awaited opportunity to pursue its goals unbridled in cultural and social sphere which was curtailed because of the compulsion of the coalition politics during Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

On the other hand, consternation within Congress is neither politically savvy nor grounded in intellectual brilliance. It looks more of a knee jerk reaction to BJP's politically ugly and intolerant campaign of 'Congress Mukt Bharat'.

A sensible way of dealing with a former stalwart would have been to make use of the opportunity. Congress should have taken the position that RSS ultimately had to borrow wisdom from a Congressman and they welcome it. They should have said that in all sincerity RSS should listen to wise words of Congressman Pranab Mukherji. They should have said that we hope that RSS shines in Pranab's intellectual glory. The message would have stopped RSS in its track.

Today the response looks childish as RSS's hunt for social legitimacy did not begin with Pranab and will neither end there.

It is also foolish if someone within the RSS is of the view that Pranab Mukherji's visit is an affirmation of their ideology. Pranab Mukherji's visit must be understood in the Indian cultural context where scholars and religious figures have constantly debated and argued the idea of God with each other.

The idea of an ideological enemy is a western import. It is the BJP which pushed this thought electorally when it spoke about Congress Mukt Bharat and Congress should have used this opportunity to expose BJP-RSS double standards. Instead, touch-me-not, elitist attitude of some of the party leaders ended up creating a wrong public impression.

Lastly, a letter shot of by one of the former Congress minister shows selective use of history. Though it is the BJP which generally resorts to selective use of history when it comes to freedom struggle and appropriating founding fathers. This time, it has happened from the other side.

Ambedkar's differences with Gandhi and Nehru were as acute as his abhorrence for the type of Hinduism advocated by the RSS. Ambedkar quit Congress over difference with Nehru. Ambedkar fought with Gandhi. All of this had nothing to do with the RSS.

If Congress wants to stand up to the challenge led by RSS-BJP, then it should stay away from drawing discussions on nationalism and political untouchability and remain focused on farm issues which today is BJP's Achilles Heel. Opposition for opposition sake does not work in long run and legitimacy ultimately flow from the electorate.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ZMCL)