Indian Nationalism
...ims as believers of foreign religions. But they also claimed that anyone who saw in India as his motherland and as Holy Land was a Hindu. Most of the slogans of this organization against foreign religions were aimed against the Muslims. In 1937 this organization, as a political party under the leadership of Vinayek Savarkar took part in the local elections. Savarkar also introduced the term 'Hindutwa' (Hindu unity) to Indian politics. Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (National Volunteers Organization) - RSS - was another Hindu culture organization. It was established in Nagpur in 1925 by K. Hedgewar. It was a voluntary organization with an aim to create a Hindu cultural pride and brotherhood among the Hindus. Both these organizations supported establishing a Hindu state in India. They also believed that Indian Muslims and Christians were Hindus converted to these religions and therefore were basically Hindus who should be reconverted back to Hinduism. The Ramakrishna movement was established by Swami Vivekananda, who was a disciple of a Hindu saint Ramakrishna. The success of Swami Vivekananda began when he represented Hinduism at an international religion congress, which was held in 1893 in Chicago, USA. Vivekananda demonstrated India as a tolerant society, which allows different sects to live together under one roof of Hinduism and as a society, which also accepted in it people of other religions. He claimed that all religions eventually prayed to the same one God and the goal of all religions is the same, to reach God. He began his speech by referring to other delegates as ‘brothers and sisters’ and so proving his point that all the human race were one big family. After his success in America he returned to India and established the Ramakrishna movement with an aim to preserve the Indian culture. This movement considered the Indian culture as the most humanistic and spiritual culture in the world. This movement succeeded in establishing pride in Indian people about their culture which, they didn’t had before. His philosophy affected many nationalist leaders and they interpreted his philosophy so that it could be adjusted to Indian nationalism. For example Vivekananda preached that the path to realize God was not only worshipping idols in spiritual way but also through intellectual and physical action. The British thought that by saying physical action, Vivekananda meant terrorist actions against them. What follows is an excerpt from Bal Gangadhar Tilak's (a prominent Indian nationalist) address to Indian National Congress in 1907 : Two new words have recently come into existence with regard to our politics, and they are Moderates and Extremists. These words have a specific relation to time, and they, therefore, will change with time. The Extremists of today will be Moderates tomorrow, just as the Moderates of today were Extremists yesterday. …… We cannot say what will or will not happen 1,000 years hence - perhaps during that long period, the whole of the white race will be swept away in another glacial period. …… One thing is granted, namely, that this government does not suit us. As has been said by an eminent statesman - the government of one country by another can never be a successful, and therefore, a permanent government. …… We have perceived one fact that the whole of this administration, which is carried on by a handful of Englishmen, is carried on with our assistance. We are all in subordinate service. This whole government is carried on with our assistance and they try to keep us in ignorance …… I want to have the key of my house, and not merely one stranger turned out of it. Self-government is our goal; we want a control over our administrative machinery. We don't want to become clerks and remain [clerks]. At present, we are clerks and willing instruments of our own oppression in the hands of' an alien government, and that government is ruling over us ...