The Saffron Hand

How the RSS and its affiliates are reshaping government policy—from economic issues to education

- Anilesh S. Mahajan

The RSS sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat chose the time, place and audience carefully to mark a departure from his principle of not publicly opposing the Narendra Modi government’s policies. On April 16, addressing a packed audience of fund managers and stock brokers at the Bombay Stock Exch ange, the heart of India’s economic capital, the RSS chief questioned the government’s policy to sell offits loss-ridden national carrier Air India.

“If Air India has not been run properly,” Bhagwat said, “then give it to those who will be able to run it properly.” He added later that “it should be an Indian as you should not let your skies be controlled by someone else” .

The RSS chief was only articulating what Sangh affiliates like the Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM), which lobbies for domestic industry, and the labour union arm, the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), have been saying for months about the sale—that it would be a raw deal for employees and that the government should instead divest a minority stake in the stock market to raise capital.