After the aggressive appropriation of B.R. Ambedkar as a nationalist Hindu icon, taking a leaf out of the Chinese government rule book, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has now proposed that Union Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani establish an Indian Institute of Classical Studies to promote Indian languages abroad, on the lines of China’s Confucius Institute.
The proposal comes from the India Policy Foundation, a think tank funded entirely by the RSS, with senior Sangh functionaries Dattatreya Hosabale and Manmohan Vaidya on its board.
While Mr. Hosabale, sah sarkaryavah or joint secretary of the RSS and tipped to take over its reins in the near future, Mr. Vaidya is the All India Prachar Pramukh of the RSS.
The foundation, it is learnt, wields considerable clout and has stalled key legislation in the past.
Looking to the Confucius Institute for inspiration, in a letter dated April 23, the honorary director of the institute, Rakesh Sinha, writes: “Given that Indian literature and languages are already recognised as one of the most scientific languages in the world, the Government of India must consider conceptualising an institution/centre which could be established in reputed universities in foreign countries — on the lines of the Confucius Institute.”
RSS pushes MHRD initiative for cultural nationalism
The India Policy Foundation, a think tank funded entirely by the RSS, has written to Human Resources Minister Smriti Irani calling for the setting up of Indian Institute of Classical Studies to promote Indian languages abroad.
Director of the Institute Rakesh Sinha’s letter to Ms Irani says, “The global integration is demanding a coordinated effort of economic, education and cultural initiatives in the present context of geo-political developments. An institutionalised initiative by the MHRD, under your leadership (Ms Irani) will mark an international presence of Indian language, literature and civilisational culture helping India in its philosophical dignity and global endeavours.”
Mr Sinha adds, “For example, the Confucius Institute has established more than 450 institutions in universities close to 100 countries in past 10 years to promote Chinese language and culture, support local Chinese teaching internationally and facilitate cultural exchanges.”
In its endeavour, the RSS seems to be diluting its aggressive Hindi stance by making a pitch for other classical Indian languages, namely Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Bangla, Marathi, Assamese, Odiya and several others. “Indian cultural and intellectual heritage that have given India pre-eminence in the world need our rejuvenated efforts to make them available to general readers. It will help people in India and abroad to find the glorious tradition in our cultural history is one of the pillars of cultural nationalism,” the letter states.
Incidentally, the Confucius Institute is governed by a council whose members are drawn from the leadership of the Communist Party of China.
