The RSS has now entered the field of building institutes for post-graduate studies in an effort to ‘decolonise’ India. (PTI)
With Ram Temple due for inauguration next week, the RSS functionaries say they are now working on bringing a cultural, civilizational, and social change in the country. Educational institutions and the academic infrastructure are part of the process
In the process of creating social and cultural space among the academia of India, the RSS has now entered the field of building institutes for post-graduate studies in an effort to ‘decolonise’ India.
Apart from bringing in ‘nationalist’ academics as the vice-chancellors, principals and faculty members of universities and colleges, the RSS, its affiliates and like-minded bodies have already been running at least half-a-dozen such institutes, while a couple of them are still in the pipeline, News18 has learnt.
With Ram Temple due for inauguration next week, the RSS functionaries say they are now working on bringing a cultural, civilizational, and social change in the country. Educational institutions and the academic infrastructure are part of the process.
‘Decolonisation’ includes occupying academic space
Talking to News18, a senior functionary of the RSS said, “A tectonic shift is happening in the social-cultural space, especially the academic space. The academic space was occupied by Leftist-Communist forces, which alienated some young bright minds from the idea of nationalism. We need to change that. The movement in school education through Vidya Bharati and Shishu Mandir has been happening for decades, but now it is time to enter and occupy the space for higher and special studies.”
He added: “The institutions which impart education aligned to nationalist ideas are not directly run by the RSS, but people who are inspired by the RSS ideology of Desh Prem (patriotism). RSS does not do or run any organisation on its own, but those inspired by us do not want to leave any space. They want to work towards the decolonisation of the country.”
Making Media Studies to UPSC Coaching ‘Right’
In Kerala’s Kozhikode, one of its like-minded organisations, runs a mass communication institute — Mahatma Gandhi College of Mass Communication (MAGCOM). The institute is housed in Kesari Bhavan. Kesari is a Malayalam magazine run by RSS affiliates. In Kerala, another institute for special courses — Abhinav Gupta Centre For Advanced Studies — is coming up.
There are institutes for UPSC coaching in Delhi, including Sankalp, which claim over 60 per cent success rate in civil service examinations and are run by RSS ‘inspired’ personalities. Apart from the existing institutes, several are in the pipeline.
The upcoming projects include a private university in Bengaluru too. Moreover, there are some old institutes like Deccan Education Society, Pune, where senior academics inspired by the RSS ideology are initiating studies and courses aligned to nationalist ideas, said another senior functionary.
