भारत में आपातकाल घोषणा की 44वीं वर्षगांठ: आपातकाल विरोधी आंदोलन से आरएसएस की ग़द्दारी

     भारत की तत्कालीन प्रधानमंत्री इंदिरा गांधी ने 25-26 जून, 1975 को देश में आंतरिक आपातकाल घोषित किया था। यह 19 महीने तक लागू रहा। इस दौर को भारतीय लोकतांत्रिक राजनीति में काले दिनों के रूप में याद किया जाता है। इंदिरा गांधी का दावा था कि जयप्रकाश नारायण ने सशस्त्र बलों से कहा था कि कांग्रेस शासकों के 'अवैध' आदेशों को नहीं मानें। इसने देश में अराजकता की स्थिति उत्पन्न कर दी और भारतीय गणतंत्र का अस्तित्व खतरे में पड़ गया था। इसलिए संविधान के अनुच्छेद 352 के तहत आपातकाल घोषित करने के अतिरिक्त कोर्इ विकल्प नहीं रह गया था।

     आरएसएस का दावा है कि उसने इंदिरा गंधी द्वारा घोषित आपातकाल  का बहादुरी के साथ मुकाबला किया और भारी दमन का सामना किया। बहरहाल, उस दौर के अनेक कथानक हैं, जो आरएसएस के इन दावों को झुठलाते हैं। यहां हम ऐसे दो दृष्टांतों का उल्लेख कर रहे हैं। इनमें से एक वरिष्ठ भारतीय पत्रकार और विचारक प्रभाश जोशी हैं और दूसरे, पूर्व खुफिया ब्यूरो (आईबी) प्रमुख टीवी राजेश्वर हैं, जिनके द्वारा बतार्इ घटनाओं का जिक्र हम यहां करेंगे। आपातकाल जिस समय घोषित किया गया था राजेश्वर आईबी के उप प्रमुख थे। राजेश्वर ने आपातकाल काल (जिसे राज्य का नंगा आतंकवाद कहना सही होगा) के उस दौर के बारे में बताया है किस तरह से आरएसएस ने इंदिरा गांधी के दमनकारी शासन के सम्मुख घुटने टेक दिए थे और इंदिरा गांधी एवं उनके पुत्र संजय गांधी को 20-सूत्रीय कार्यक्रम पूरी वफ़ादारी के साथ लागू करने का आश्वासन था। आएसएस के अनेक 'स्वयंसेवक' 20-सूत्रीय कार्यक्रम को लागू करने के रूप में माफिनामें पर दस्तख़त कर जेल से छूटे थे।

     इन तमाम गद्दारियों के बावजूद, ये आरएसएस वाले आपातकाल के दौरान उत्पीड़न के एवज में आज मासिक पेंशन प्राप्त कर रहे हैं। भाजपा शासित राज्यों, जैसे कि- गुजरात, मध्य प्रदेश, राजस्थान और महाराष्ट्र में उन लोगों को 10,000 रुपये मासिक पेंशन देने का फैसला लिया गया है जिन्हें आपातकालीन अवधि के दौरान एक महीने से अधिक समय तक जेल में रखा गया था। और आरएसएस से जुड़े जो लोग इस दौरान एक माह से कम अवधि के जेल गए थे उन्हें बतौर 5000 रुपये पेंशन देना तय किया गया है। इस नियम में उन 'स्वयंसेवकों' का ख्याल रखा गया है, जिन्होंने केवल एक या दो महीने जेल में रहने के बाद घबरा कर दया याचिका पेश करते हुए माफीनामे पर हस्ताक्षर कर दिए थे। इस पेंशन के लिए ऐसी कोर्इ शर्त नहीं है कि लाभार्थी आपातकाल के पूरे दौर में जेल में रहा हो।
     खास बात यह है कि ब्रिटिश साम्राज्यवाद के खिलाफ़ देश की आज़ादी के आंदोलन में जेल में रहने वालों को मिलने वाली स्वतंत्रता सेनानी पेंशन पाने वालों में से एक भी आरएसएस का 'स्वयंसेवक' नहीं है। यहां एक तथ्य गौरतलब है कि उन सैकड़ों कम्युनिस्ट युवकों का किसी को ख्याल तक नहीं है जिन्हें आपातकाल के इस दौर में नक्सलपंथी कह कर फर्जी मुठभेड़ों मे मार दिया गया था। यहां एक और रोचक तथ्य है कि आरएसएस के हिंदुत्व सह-यात्री शिवसेना ने खुले आम आपातकाल का समर्थन किया था।

     प्रभाश जोशी का लेख अंग्रेजी साप्ताहिक 'तहलका' में आपातकाल की 25 वीं वर्षगांठ पर छपा थाⁱ । उनके अनुसार आरएसएस के आपातकाल विरोधी संघर्ष में सहभागिता को लेकर उस दौर में भी "मन ही मन हमेशा एक किस्म का संदेह, उसे के साथ कुछ दूरी, विश्वास के कमी" का भाव था। उन्होंने आगे बताया,

"उस समय के आरएसएस प्रमुख बालासाहेब देवरस ने संजय गांधी के कुख्यात 20-सूत्रीय कार्यक्रम को लागू करने में सहयोग  करने हेतु इंदिरा गांधी को एक पत्र लिखा था। यह है आरएसएस का असली चरित्र...आप उनके काम करने के अंदाज़ और तौर तरीकों को देख सकते हैं। यहां तक कि आपातकाल के दौरान, आरएसएस और जनसंघ के अनेक लोग माफीनामा देकर जेलों से छूटे थे। माफी मांगने में वे सबसे आगे थे। उनके नेता ही जेलों में रह गए थे: अटल बिहारी वाजपेयी, एल के आडवाणी, यहां तक कि अरुण जेटली। आरएसएस ने आपातकाल लागू होने के बाद उसके खिलाफ किसी प्रकार का कोर्इ संघर्ष नहीं किया। तब, भाजपा आपात काल के खिलाफ संघर्ष की याद को अपनाने की कोशिश क्यों कर रही है?"

प्रभाश जोशी के निष्कर्ष के अनुसार, "वे कभी संघर्षशील शक्ति न तो रहे हैं न ही वे कभी संघर्ष के प्रति उत्सुक रहनों वालों में से हैं। वे बुनियादी तौर पर समझौता परस्त रहे हैं। वे कभी भी सही मायने में सरकार के ख़िलाफ़ संघर्ष करने वालों में नहीं रहे है।"
टी.वी. राजेश्वर सेवानिवृत्ति के बाद उत्तर प्रदेश और सिक्किम के राज्यपाल रहे हैं। उन्होंने अपनी पुस्तक 'इंडिया: द क्रूशियल यिर्ज़' (हार्पर कॉलिन्स) में, इस तथ्य की पुष्टि की है कि "वह (आरएसएस) न केवल इसका (आपातकाल) का समर्थन कर रहा था, वह श्रीमती गांधी के अलावा संजय गांधी के साथ संपर्क स्थापित करना चाहता था।"ⁱⁱ राजेश्वर ने मशहूर पत्रकार, करन थापर के साथ एक मुलाकात में खुलासा किया कि देवरस ने " गोपनीय तरीके से प्रधानमंत्री आवास के साथ संपर्क बनाया और देश में अनुशासन लागू करने के लिए सरकार ने जो सख़्त कदम उठाए थे उनमें से कर्इ का मजबूती के साथ समर्थन किया था। देवरस श्रीमती गांधी और संजय से मिलने के इच्छुक थे। लेकिन श्रीमती गांधी ने इनकार कर दिया।" ⁱⁱⁱ

     राजेश्वर की पुस्तक के अनुसार, "आरएसएस, एक दक्षिणपंथी हिंदू राष्ट्रवादी संगठन, आपातकाल के समय इसे प्रतिबंधित कर दिया गया था। लेकिन इसके प्रमुख बाला साहेब देवरस...ने लागू आदेशों और देश में अनुशासन को लागू करने के लिए सरकार के अनेक आदेशों का मजबूती के साथ समर्थन किया था। संजय गांधी के परिवार नियोजन अभियान और इसे विशेष रूप से मुसलमानों के बीच लागू करने के प्रयासों का देवरस का भरपूर समर्थन हासिल था।" ^Iv

राजेश्वर ने यह तथ्य भी साझा किया है कि आपातकाल के बाद भी "संघ (आरएसएस) ने आपातकाल के बाद हुए चुनावों में कांग्रेस को अपना समर्थन विशेष रूप से व्यक्त किया था।"^V यह खास तौर पर गौरतलब है कि सुब्रमण्यम स्वामी जो अब आरएसएस के प्यादे हैं के अनुसार भी आपातकाल की अवधि में, आरएसएस के अधिकांश वरिष्ठ नेताओं ने आपातकाल के खिलाफ संघर्ष के साथ गद्दारी की थी।^vi

आरएसएस अभिलेखागार में समकालीन दस्तावेज प्रभाष जोशी और राजेश्वर के कथन की सत्यता प्रमाणित करते हैं। आरएसएस के तीसरे सरसंघचालक, मधुकर दत्तात्रय देवरस ने आपातकाल लगने के दो महीने के भीतर इंदिरा गांधी को पहला पत्र लिखा था। यह वह समय था जब राजकीय आतंक चरम पर था। देवरस ने अपने पत्र दिनांक 22 अगस्त, 1975 की शुरुआत ही इंदिरा की प्रशंसा के साथ इस तरह की:

"मैंने 15 अगस्त, 1975 को रेडियो पर लाल किले से देश के नाम आपके संबोधन को जेल (यारवदा जेल) में सुना था। आपका यह संबोधन संतुलित और समय के अनुकूल था। इसलिए मैंने आपको यह पत्र लिखने का फैसला किया।"^vii

इंदिरा गांधी ने देवरस के इस पत्र को जवाब नहीं दिया। देवरस ने 10 नवंबर, 1975 को इंदिरा को एक और पत्र लिखा। इस पत्र की शुरुआत उन्होंने सुप्रीम कोर्ट द्वारा इलाहाबाद उच्च न्यायालय के फैसले के खिलाफ दिए गए निर्णय के लिए बधार्इ के साथ की। इलाहाबाद उच्च न्यायालय ने उनको चुनाव में भ्रष्ट साधनों के उपयोग का दोषी मानते हुए पद के अयोग्य करार दिया था। देवरस ने इस पत्र में लिखा,

"सुप्रीम कोर्ट के सभी पांच न्यायाधीशों ने आपके चुनाव को संवैधानिक घोषित कर दिया है, इसके लिए हार्दिक बधाई।" गौरतलब है कि विपक्ष का दृढ़ मत था कि यह निर्णय कांग्रेस के द्वारा 'मैनेज्ड' था। देवरस ने अपने इस पत्र में यहां तक कह दिया कि "आरएसएस का नाम जयप्रकाश नारायण के आंदोलन के साथ अन्यथा जोड़ दिया गया है। सरकार ने अकारण ही गुजरात आंदोलन और बिहार आंदोलन के साथ भी आरएसएस को जोड़ दिया है...संघ का इन आंदोलनों से कोई संबंध नहीं है ..."^viii

इंदिरा गांधी ने क्योंकि देवरस के इस पत्र का भी जवाब नहीं दिया, आरएसएस प्रमुख ने विनोबा भावे के साथ संपर्क साधा, जिन्होंने आपातकाल का आध्यात्मिक समर्थन और इंदिरा गांधी का पक्ष लिया था। देवरस ने अपने पत्र दिनांक 12 जनवरी, 1976 में, आचार्य विनोबा भावे से गिड़गिड़ाते हुए आग्रह किया कि आरएसएस पर प्रतिबंध हटाए जाने के लिए वे इंदिरा गांधी को सुझाव दें।^ix  आचार्य विनोबा भावे ने भी पत्र का जवाब नहीं दिया, हताश देवरस ने तो उन्हों ने एक और पत्र लिखा जिस पर तिथि भी अंकित नहीं है। उन्होंने लिखा:
                                                            

"अखबारों में छपी सूचनाओं के अनुसार प्रधान मंत्री (इंदिरा गांधी) 24 जनवरी को वर्धा पवनार आश्रम में आपसे मिलने आ रही हैं। उस समय देश की वर्तमान परिस्थिति के बारे में उनकी आपके साथ चर्चा होगी। मेरी आपसे याचना है कि प्रधानमंत्री के मन में आरएसएस के बारे में जो गलत धारणा घर कर गर्इ है आप कृपया उसे हटाने की कोशिश करें ताकि आरएसएस पर लगा प्रतिबंध हटाया जा सके और जेलों में बंद आरएसएस के लोग रिहा होकर प्रधानमंत्री के नेतृत्व में प्रगति और विकास में सभी क्षेत्रों में अपना योगदान कर सकें।"^x
                                                            

आरएसएस का पुराना चलन है कि वह हुक्मरानों के पाले में रहता आया है, निरंकुश शासन का हिमायती रहा है। यही वजह है कि आरएसएस के किसी भी नेता और स्वयं सेवक ने औपनिवेशिक गुलामी के विरूद्घ जंगे आज़ादी में कोर्इ शिरकत नहीं की सच यह है कि आरएसएस क्रूर सर्वसत्तावादी अधिनायक तंत्र की पुजारी है। आरएसएस के सबसे प्रमुख विचारक, संगठन के दूसरे प्रमुख, गोलवलकर ने बहुत पहले 1940 में ही घोषित कर दिया था "आएसएस एक ध्वज, एक नेता और एक विचारधारा से प्रेरित इस महान भूमि के प्रत्येक अंचल को हिंदुत्व की ज्वाला से रोशन कर रहा है।"^xi

                                                            

हाल ही में, भारत के पूर्व राष्ट्रपति प्रणब मुखर्जी को आरएसएस प्रमुख मोहन भागवत ने नए स्वयंसेवकों के दीक्षा समारोह के मुख्य अतिथि के रूप में आमंत्रित किया था। प्रणब मुखर्जी की गिनती आपातकाल के दौरान हुर्इ ज्यादतियों के लिए जिम्मदार सर्वोच्च कांग्रेसी नेताओं में होती है और शाह आयोग ने भी आपातकाल की  ज़्यादतियों के लिए उन्हें प्रमुख रूप से ज़िम्मेदार  माना था। आरएसएस के प्रधान कार्यालय पर प्रणब का सत्कार करते हुवे ज़ाहिर है आरएसएस को किसी भी तरह की लज्जा नहीं आयी। आरएसएस की त्रासदी यह है कि भारत में एक लोकतांत्रिक व्यवस्था अभी तक क़ायम है। यही उसकी विवशता है। हालांकि वह नग्न तानाशाही का कट्टर हिमायती है परंतु उसे अपनी इस असलियत को छुपाने के लिए मुखौटे लगाने पड़ते हैं।
शम्सुल इस्लाम
25 जून, 2019

अंग्रेजी से अनुवाद :कमलसिंह

संदर्भ

[i] http://archive.tehelka.com/story_main13.asp?filename=op070205And_Not_Even.asp

[ii] https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/rss-backed-indira-gandhis-emergency-ex-ib-chief-264127-2015-09-21

[iii] Ibid.

[iv] https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/ib-ex-chiefs-book-rss-chief-deoras-had-backed-some-emergency-moves/

[v] https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/RSS-backed-Emergency-reveals-former-IB-chief/articleshow/49052143.cms

[vi] https://medium.com/@hindu.nationalist1/double-game-of-senior-rss-leaders-during-emergency-74abc07a4fa8

[vii] Madhukar Dattatraya Deoras, Hindu Sangathan aur Sattavaadi Rajneeti, Jagriti Prkashan, Noida, 1997, 270.

[viii] Ibid., 272-73

[ix] Ibid., 275-77.

[x] Ibid., 278.

[xi] MS Golwalkar, Shri Guruji Samagar Darshan (collected works of Golwalkar in Hindi), Bhartiya Vichar Sadhna, Nagpur, nd, vol. I, 11.]

[i] http://archive.tehelka.com/

[ii] https://www.indiatoday.in/

[iii] Ibid.

[iv] https://indianexpress.com/

[v] https://timesofindia. 

[vi] https://medium.com/@hindu.

देवरस के सभी पात्र आरएसएस के एक प्रकाशन से लिए गए हैं जिनका स्कैन्ड रूप यहाँ प्रस्तुत है ।  

ON 44TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE EMERGENCY IN INDIA: HOW RSS BETRAYED THE ANTI-EMERGENCY STRUGGLE [Original RSS letters in Hindi included ]

National Emergency was imposed on the country by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on June 25-26, 1975, and it lasted for 19 months. This period is considered as ''dark times' for Indian democratic polity. Indira Gandhi claimed that due to Jaiprakash Narayan's call to the armed forces to disobey the 'illegal' orders of Congress rulers had created a situation of anarchy and there was danger to the existence of Indian Republic so there was no alternative but to impose Emergency under article 352 of the Constitution.

RSS claims that it opposed Emergency promulgated by Indira Gandhi  heroically and suffered immensely for resisting Emergency. But there are dozens of contemporary narratives which dispute and decry this claim of the RSS. We will be referring here to such two narratives by a veteran thinker and journalist of India, Prabhash Joshi  and TV Rajeswar, former Intelligence Bureau [IB] chief  who was the deputy chief of IB when Emergency was imposed. They recounted the days of Emergency (or state terrorism) when RSS surrendered to the repressive regime of Indira Gandhi, assured her and her son, Sanjay Gandhi to enforce faithfully the draconian 20-point programme announced by the Emergency regime. Large number of RSS cadres came out of jails by submitting MAAFINAMAAS (mercy petitions).

Despite all this betrayal thousands of RSS cadres continue to get monthly pension for persecution during Emergency. The BJP ruled states like Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra decided to award a monthly pension of Rs 10,000 to those who were jailed during the Emergency period for more than a month and Rs 5000 to those who were jailed for less than a month. This rule took care of the financial interest of those RSS cadres who might have submitted mercy letters completing only one or two months' jail term. For securing such a fat pension there was no such condition that the beneficiary should have been in jail for the whole period of the Emergency.

Interestingly, in the case of anti-British freedom struggle there has not been even a single RSS cadre to claim the freedom fighter pension. It may be noted that nobody remembers hundreds of Communist youth, branded as Naxals who were killed in fake encounters during the Emergency. Interestingly, Shiv Sena, the Hindutva co-traveler of the RSS openly supported the Emergency.

The narrative by Prabhash Joshi appeared in the English weekly TEHELKA on the 25th anniversary of the Emergency.[i] According to him even during the Emergency "there was always a lurking sense of suspicion, a distance, a discreet lack of trust" about RSS' joining the anti-Emergency struggle. He went on to tell that "Balasaheb Deoras, then RSS chief, wrote a letter to Indira Gandhi pledging to help implement the notorious 20-point programme of Sanjay Gandhi. This is the real character of the RSS...You can decipher a line of action, a pattern. Even during the Emergency, many among the RSS and Jana Sangh who came out of the jails, gave mafinamas (apologies). They were the first to apologise. Only their leaders remained in jail: Atal Behari Vajpayee, LK Advani, even Arun Jaitley. But the RSS did not fight the Emergency. So why is the BJP trying to appropriate that memory?"

Prabhash Joshi's conclusion was that "they are not a fighting force and they are never keen to fight. They are basically a compromising lot. They are never genuinely against the government".

TV Rajeswar, who served as Governor of Uttar Pradesh and Sikkim after his retirement from service, in his book, 'India: The Crucial Years” [Harper Collins] corroborated the fact that "Not only they (RSS) were supportive of this [Emergency], they wanted to establish contact apart from Mrs Gandhi, with Sanjay Gandhi also".[ii] Rajeswar in an interview with Karan Thapar disclosed that Deoras "quietly established a link with the PM's house and expressed strong support for several steps taken to enforce order and discipline in the country. Deoras was keen to meet Mrs. Gandhi and Sanjay. But Mrs. Gandhi refused."[iii]

According to Rajeswar's book, “RSS, a right-wing Hindu nationalist organisation, was banned in the wake of the Emergency. But its chief, Balasaheb Deoras, quietly established a link with the PM’s house and expressed strong support to several steps taken to enforce order and discipline in the country. Sanjay Gandhi’s concerted drive to enforce family planning, particularly among Muslims, had earned Deoras’s approbation.”[iv]

Rajeswar also shared the fact that even after Emergency the "organization (RSS) had specifically conveyed its support to the Congress in the post-emergency elections."[v] It will be interesting to note that even according to Subramanian Swamy in  the Emergency period, most of the senior leaders of RSS had betrayed the struggle against the Emergency.[vi]

The contemporary documents in the RSS archives prove the narratives of Prabhash Joshi and Rajeswar truthful. The 3rd Supremo of RSS, Madhukar Dattatraya Deoras wrote the first letter to Indira Gandhi within two months of the imposition of Emergency. It was the time when state terror was running amok. In letter dated, August 22, 1975 he began with the following praise of Indira:

"I heard your address to the nation which you delivered on August 15, 1975 from Red Fort on radio in jail [Yervada jail] with attention. your address was timely and balanced so I decided to write to you".[vii]

Indira Gandhi did not respond to it. So Deoras wrote another letter to Indira on November 10, 1975. He began his letter with congratulating her on being cleared by the Supreme Court of disqualification which was ordered by the Allahabad High Court, "All the five Justices of the Supreme Court have declared your election constitutional, heartiest greetings for it." It is to be noted that opposition was firmly of the opinion that this judgment was 'managed' by the Congress. In the course of the letter he declared that "RSS has been named in context of Jaiprakash Narayan's movement. The government has also connected RSS with Gujarat movement and Bihar movement without any reason...Sangh has no relation with these movements..."[viii]

Since Indira Gandhi did not respond to this letter also, RSS chief got hold of Vinoba Bhave who supported the Emergency religiously and was a favourite of Indira Gandhi. In a letter dated January 12, 1976, he begged that Acharya should suggest the way that ban on RSS was removed.[ix]  Since Acharya too did not respond to Deoras letter, the latter in another letter without date wrote in desperation,

"According to press reports respected PM [Indira Gandhi] is going to meet you at Pavnar Ashram on January 24. At that time there will be discussion about the present condition of the country. I beg you to try to remove the wrong assumptions of PM about RSS so that ban on RSS is lifted and RSS members are released from jails. We are looking forward for the times when RSS and its members are able to contribute to the plans of progress which are being run in all the fields under the leadership of PM."[x]

Riding the juggernaut of the rulers, specially the autocratic ones has been an old practice in RSS. It was the reason that no leader and cadre of RSS participated in the anti-colonial freedom struggle. In fact, the RSS worships brute force and totalitarianism. The most prominent ideologue of the RSS, 2nd boss of the organization, Golwalkar decreed as back as 1940 that “The RSS inspired by one flag, one leader and one ideology is lighting the flame of Hindutva in each and every corner of this great land.”[xi] It is not difficult to understand how the Modi rule in India since 2014 has put this Golwalkar dictum in practice by undermining all democratic institutions even without resorting to Emergency.

The former President of the Indian Republic, Pranab Mukherjee was invited by the RSS chief, Mohan Bhagwat as the chief guest in 2018 at the graduation ceremony of its new recruits who would be working over-time to convert India into a Hindu state. Pranab Mukherjee was indicted as one of the top leaders of Congress for Emergency excesses. It further exposes the RSS farce of opposing Emergency.

Shamsul Islam

June 25, 2019.

notoinjustice@gmail.com

For some of S. Islam's writings in English, Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Kannada, Bengali, Punjabi, Urdu & Gujarati see the following link:

http://du-in.academia.edu/ShamsulIslam

Facebook: shams shamsul

Twitter: @shamsforjustice

---

[i] http://archive.tehelka.com/story_main13.asp?filename=op070205And_Not_Even.asp

[ii] https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/rss-backed-indira-gandhis-emergency-ex-ib-chief-264127-2015-09-21

[iii] Ibid.

[iv] https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/ib-ex-chiefs-book-rss-chief-deoras-had-backed-some-emergency-moves/

[v] https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/RSS-backed-Emergency-reveals-former-IB-chief/articleshow/49052143.cms

[vi] https://medium.com/@hindu.nationalist1/double-game-of-senior-rss-leaders-during-emergency-74abc07a4fa8

[vii] Madhukar Dattatraya Deoras, Hindu Sangathan aur Sattavaadi Rajneeti, Jagriti Prkashan, Noida, 1997, 270.

[viii] Ibid., 272-73

[ix] Ibid., 275-77.

[x] Ibid., 278.

[xi] MS Golwalkar, Shri Guruji Samagar Darshan (collected works of Golwalkar in Hindi), Bhartiya Vichar Sadhna, Nagpur, nd, vol. I, 11.]

In the following scanned copies of the original RSS letters in Hindi betraying the anti-Emergency struggle are reproduced which were published in an RSS publication: 

AN ACTRESS AS ACTIVIST

AN ACTRESS AS ACTIVIST (Shabana Azmi interviewed by Shamsul Islam) Shabana Azmi, a great actress of the screen and theatre, a social activist, is a fighter for the cause of the down-trodden. She grew up in the company of Sardar Jafri, Balraj Sahni, Niyaaz Haider and people like them, her father was a party whole-timer, her mother was the bread earner. Recently she was in Delhi after a three month long hectic tour of South East Asia and United States where she staged 22 shows of „Tumhari Amrita‟. SHAMSUL ISLAM talks to her on issues other than film life. An excerpt of the exclusive interview. Shams: As an actress and social activist, you must love to be in news, however, recently you were in news surrounded by controversies, your film “Dharavi” was taken off, you were described as an agent of the Muslim League and anti-national. How do you react to these allegations? Shabana: All these developments have been very torturing for me. I was branded a Musalman for the first time in whole of my life. It has shocked me immensely. If you ask me what is my identity, I will say, I am a woman, an Indian, an actress, a social activist, a daughter, a mother and a Muslim. But now there is a systematic attempt to compress my identity into the confines of religion. All other aspects of my personality are to be written off. I am reduced to being a Muslim only. Makes one to weep. Shams: Whom do you hold responsible for such a scenario? Shabana: Let me tell you a very interesting fact. Fanatic and fundamentalist Muslims have always branded me as enemy number one. And now Hindu fundamentalists are targeting me. It gives me immense strength and faith in my cause. It proves that I am on the right path. I feel happy that both brands of fundamentalism find me inconvenient. I also feel that practitioners of the politics of communal hatred have nothing to do with their respective religions. The politics of communal hatred is only a political and ideological method for mass mobilization, a short cut for securing the seat of power at Delhi. It is true that deep communal polarization has taken place specially of the middle classes. However, let us not forget that, whatever may be the scenario today, it is not going to sustain for long. Nobody can wipe out this reality of the Indian life that a Madrasi Hindu is closer to Madrasi Muslim than a Bihari Hindu. That is true of Bengali Hindus and Muslims or of any other place in the country. Any politics or policy which contravenes these essential realities cannot go beyond a point. All Muslims could not keep Pakistan one, it has split already one and there is no guarantee that it will not split in many more in future. Shams: Such attacks must have demoralized you to some extent? Shabana: Absolutely not! It has given me more courage and resolution. If people like me are being singled out for attack, that shows, we are proving a stumbling block in their nefarious designs. They cannot succeed if we are there, so they get mad and play all kinds of dirty tricks. I am sure if we had been arm-chair intellectuals they would not have bothered about us. We are literally on roads, organizing people against all kinds of injustices so we become enemies number one. It is sure I am not going to run away. Shams: Isn‟t it really strange that forces so unreal and unnatural to Indian way of life are in driver‟s seat and setting national agenda? Shabana: Unfortunately that is the reality at present. It is due to the failure of secular forces. Problem with the secular forces has been that they have been preaching to converts. The secularists are so sure of their truthfulness that they keep to themselves. Their normal approach is that communal forces are indulging in naked lies. It is of no use countering them, as people will themselves know the truth. It only encourages the communal propaganda. We should make all efforts to mobilize the silent majority which is basically secular. I also feel that only anti-communal slogans will not do. The whole fight will have to be related to the issues of social justice. Shams: Do you also feel that majority communalism and minority communalism are different in essence and nature? Shabana: I do not subscribe to this view. Both kinds of communalism are one and same. They are each other‟s best friends. When they confront each other they in fact help each other to grow. It is like a see-saw game. Any meaningful fight against communalism has to confront each of these simultaneously. Shams: How do you take the ongoing debate on the issue of “Talaq” among Muslims? Shabana: It is a welcome development. It has given the Muslim women a historic opportunity to put across her point of view against barbaric practice of unilateral Talaq. Triple Talaq in Islam is unjust, unfair and prejudicial to woman. The situation must change. I believe the greater challenges to Muslim community arise from within than from outside. In fact I have been pleading for „uniform civil code‟ for all in order to secure justice for women of the country. Shams: So you are also for the BJP agenda on this issue? Shabana: Please do not jump on hasty conclusions. There is no denying the fact that all religious personal laws including Muslim personal law are not based on equality and gender justice. There are not only Muslim women who suffer under such personal laws. Hindu, Sikh and Christian women have the same fate. Perhaps many people do not know that a Hindu family is also regulated by Hindu personal laws which are against Hindu women. When I talk of uniform civil code it will not be Hindu personal law universalized as uniform civil code. The uniform civil law will be a secular, scientific law against all religious personal laws. This must uphold the dignity of women and treat them at par with men. I do not think the BJP will opt for such a uniform civil code. Shams: These days we hear about your social activism only. Have you taken off from your acting career? Shabana: I am an actress first. However, an artist cannot keep her or his eyes shut to whatever is happening around. Artists are very sensitive people. They cannot remain neutral when a crisis in society is growing. Art and culture minus social concerns will not lead us anywhere; Let me tell you, in spite of my social activism, I am fully occupied with my acting work. For the last three months I was touring South East Asia and USA performing the play “Tumhari Amrita” with Farookh Sheikh. We performed in 22 cities with packed houses. I do not think it was a small project. After my return I am heavily booked for the next six months. I will not be able to return to Bombay till then due to outdoor shootings. My social activism is the outcome of my social philosophy. Nobody should think that I am taking less interest in acting. Shams: At one time you were a leading light of the Indian art cinema, but, nothing is heard about it these days. What happened? Shabana: it is true that art cinema is no more around. It is not only in India, but throughout the world. The days of art cinema seem to be over. From China to America it is the cinema of Dhishum-Dhishum which is in vogue. Let me also say that I am not against any type of cinema. People should be left free to make whatever kind of film they want to make. We should also leave on to people whatever they want to see pornography or aesthetically better cinema. Coming back to art cinema, I feel the most important reason for failure of art cinema has been that we could not build up an appropriate network of distribution. We had been requesting National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) that please do not produce films, there are people who will continue making good films, you open small auditoriums for screening. But they paid no heed. The result was art cinema packed in cans. This scenario discouraged producers, directors and actors, faced with such a situation the group which pioneered art cinema was bound to disintegrate. Today it is only amongst actors that zeal for art cinema still exists. The producers and directors for quite obvious and natural reasons have withdrawn. Shams: You have acted in more than 100 films, which one do you rate as your best? Shabana: I treat “Khandhar” as my best film. However, it was not seen by many people. See, I observe my performance very critically. In this film, I found my portrayal having minimum shortcomings. This film comes just after “Mandi”. Therein I had a very loud role. I was doing dadagiri in “Mandi”. On the contrary in “Khandhar” I played a very subdued role which I liked. It is another story that I got national award for the role in “Khandhar”. More than this I can never forget that Asmat Chughtai, the great Urdu writer saw this film three times in continuity. She was there in matinee, evening and night show the same day. Shams: Who is your favourite male actor? Shabana: Naseeruddin Shah always and forever! There is no other actor gifted and talented like him. You will be surprised to know that we never meet outside shooting schedules. It is a very strange kind of relationship. We spend lots of time on sets together. We do not feel like meeting outside. Shams: How is your marriage with writer Javed Akhtar faring? Shabana: It is all love and affection for each other. We live together for very short periods. After January, I was with him in July and after July we will have chance to stay together around December. Perhaps bond of marriage remains strong because we meet for short periods. (Laughs) isn‟t it? Shams: Your father Kaifi Azmi is a great Urdu poet. How do you like his poetry? Shabana: You will ask no questions if I tell you that I know very little of Urdu. Shams: It really sounds strange, isn‟t it? Shabana: That is true but it is also a fact that whenever Abbu (father) composes a new poem, I am the first person to listen to the recitation. I may not be knowing Urdu but he feels that I have a very sensitive ear for Urdu poetry. I do not know if he says so out of love for his daughter. However, it is true if I object to a word or a metaphor in his poetry he does change that. Shams: Who are the other poets you like most? Shabana: I love to read and hear Nida Fazili‟s poetry. I greatly love Gulzar‟s poetry also. I appreciate Javed‟s poetry also. His poetry is very young. He started composing around 1980 that is the time he met me also. I can‟t say if I was the source of inspiration (she laughs) greatness of his poetry is that he writes in very simple language and metaphor of his poetry is very new and innovative. Shams: Do you regularly see Doordarshan? Shabana: I never commit that blunder. Shams: What else do you want to achieve in your life? Shabana: I want to act in films, theatre and make myself useful in making a world in which there is no exploitation, that‟s all. [The print version carried fours photographs of Shabana Azmi participating in different social struggles] " More Info: The following interview of Shabana Azmi was published in Fantasy Annual Number 1993. The issues discussed are relevant even today. It is being reproduced with thanks to Fantasy.