Nationalistic identity and pride

(An excerpt from 'India's New Right: Powering The Current Wave of Nationalism and Civilisational Revival')

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INDIA'S NEW RIGHT: POWERING THE CURRENT WAVE OF NATIONALISM AND CIVILISATIONAL REVIVAL

By Abhijit Majumder

BluOne Ink, 2024 420 pages, Rs 699/-

The march of Hindu nationalists in Meghalaya picked up pace after 1985. The RSS began working with the Garos, Jaintias, and Khasis, as well as the Hajong and Koch communities, which are tribes from the plains. Seva Bharati organises medical camps and provides educational aid. Today, Sangh outfits run medical camps in more than a thousand villages in Meghalaya.

They also operate more than fifty schools in each of the eleven districts in the state. Just in Shillong, there are fourteen RSS organisations operating, including Seva Bharati, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Samiti, ABVP, Sanskar Bharati, Seemanta Chetna Manch, VHP, and Purva Sainik Parishad.

The RSS has its own activities and runs community programmes in the Jaintia, Khasi, and Garo Hills. In Shillong's Laitumkhrah, the local church head recently hoisted the saffron flag at an RSS function. Local swayamsevaks say that while the church leaders may not agree with the Sangh's ideology, they have a healthy respect for its social work.

Additionally, they appreciate the importance the RSS gives them. 'Every local Christian leader loves being the chief guest. That is how we get them to our functions and open lines of communication,' says Pratham.

One of the Sangh's biggest challenges in Meghalaya is that the indigenous people lack many: nationalistic icons to celebrate. This may be due to their reliance on oral traditions to pass down stories of valour and patriotism.