Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS, lit. ‘National Volunteer Union’ or ‘National Volunteer Corps’) is an Indian right-wing Hindutva volunteer paramilitary organisation. It is the progenitor and leader of a large body of organisations called the Sangh Parivar (Hindi for “Sangh family”), which has developed a presence in all facets of Indian society and includes the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the ruling political party under Narendra Modi, the prime minister of India. Mohan Bhagwat has served as the Sarsanghchalak (chief) of the RSS since March 2009.
Founded on 27 September 1925, the initial impetus of the organisation was to provide character training and instil “Hindu discipline” in order to unite the Hindu community and establish a Hindu Rashtra (Hindu nation). The organisation aims to spread the ideology of Hindutva to “strengthen” the Hindu community and promotes an ideal of upholding an Indian culture and its civilisational values. On the other hand, the RSS has been described as being “founded on the premise of Hindu supremacy”. The RSS has been accused of an intolerance of minorities, particularly in regards to anti-Muslim activities.
During the colonial period, the RSS collaborated with the British Raj and played no role in the Indian independence movement. After independence, it grew into an influential Hindu nationalist umbrella organisation, spawning several affiliated organisations that established numerous schools, charities, and clubs to spread its ideological beliefs. It was banned in 1947 for four days, and then thrice by the post-independence Indian government, first in 1948 when Nathuram Godse, a member of the RSS, assassinated Mahatma Gandhi; then during the Emergency (1975–1977); and for a third time after the demolition of Babri Masjid in 1992. In the 21st century, it has been described as the world’s largest far-right organisation by membership. The RSS has been criticised as an extremist organisation, and there is a scholarly consensus that it spreads hatred and promotes violence.
The Sangh Parivar (translation: “Family of the RSS” or the “RSS family”) is an umbrella term for the collection of Hindutva organisations formed by, and affiliated to, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a far-right Hindutva paramilitary organisation. These include the political party Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), religious organisation Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), students union Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), among several others. In total, the Sangh Parivar has over 50 organisations.
The Sangh Parivar represents the Hindutva ideology and movement in India. Members of the Sangh Parivar or the supporters of its ideology are often referred to as ‘Sanghis’.