How RSS broke the stereotypes in north-east and bridged the divide
Updated: June 30, 2025 6:43
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s journey of over the last 100 years, whenever recounted and analysed by both its supporters as well as the critics, leaves out its work in the ‘north eastern’ region of India.
One of the key reasons for this shortage of literature and discussion on the RSS work in the north-east is that there has hardly been any documentation on this even within the RSS itself. This gap is likely to be filled to some extent by Rouhin Deb and Nabaarun Barooah through a seminal and first of its kind study titled, “The Sangh Parivar’s 100 years history of relentless efforts in bridging the Northeast” that brings out an interesting perspective.
The RSS work in north-east has been stereotyped as a unidimensional initiative to check ‘religious’ conversions primarily by Christian Missionaries. But the real canvas of Sangh in the north-east is much larger and more impactful than it is generally perceived.
Why RSS in North-East is a Unique case study
RSS is often described as a ‘Hindu’ organisation. Among the north-eastern states, only Assam, Manipur and Tripura have significant Hindu populations, while Arunachal Pradesh is home to a huge number of animist people. The remaining states—Nagaland, Mizoram and Meghalaya—have a Christian-majority owing to a strong influence of the Church. The region also faces the problem of illegal influx of Bengali Muslim immigrants from Bangladesh in states such as Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura, along with the immigration of ethnic Burmese people in the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram. In addition to this, the Northeast has also witnessed several ethnic movements such as those led by the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN), United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT), National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), among others.
According to Deb and Barooah, “Despite these threefold challenges, the Sangh Parivar has made a significant mark in the region socially (and) culturally.. over time. These factors make the Northeast an interesting case study for political scientists.”
How RSS did it ?
The first RSS shakha in the Northeast was started at Guwahati, on 28 October 1946. According to RSS’s own records, accessed by Deb and Barooah, the establishment of RSS activities in Assam was attributed to the efforts of Keshav Dev Bawri, a young Marwari entrepreneur and proprietor of the Mahavir Byayam Sangh gymnasium in Fancy Bazar. Bawri, closely associated with Shankarlal Sharma, a member of Mahavir Byayam Sangh who had some knowledge of the RSS, wrote to the RSS leadership in Delhi, urging them to establish a presence in Assam.
The RSS responded by sending its three experienced pracharaks(full-time workers) from Maharashtra—Dadarao Parmarth, Vasant Rao Oak and Krishna Paranjpe—to Guwahati on 27 October 1946. And the very next day, the first RSS shakha was started at Guwahati.
Right from the beginning the RSS approach was clear that its workers have to assimilate these regional, linguistic and tribal identities first, and then build sentiments along nationalistic lines. In a sense, they constructed narratives from scratch and won over the people using a plethora of different measures, ranging from defence of indigenous faiths to social service. Despite the intricate complexities, the RSS used several innovations to reach every nook and corner of the region. A number of national organisations helped in this outreach-Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, Vidya Bharati, Rashtra Sevika Samiti, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad to name a few. These are ably aided by a dozen of new organisations created at a local level. For example, initially to start social service projects, the RSS had set up ‘Pahari Sewa Sangh’ in the 1950s. This body focused on fostering social connections; RSS volunteers were deployed in tribal areas, actively participating in the daily lives of tribals, constructing small temples, repairing roads and organizing religious gatherings. It was later absorbed in Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram.
Focus on indigenous identity.
The key to success of the RSS in north-east, especially in states like Nagaland and Mizoram, where Christian population dominates the demography is its focus on preserving and protecting the indigenous faiths of the local populace and their tribal identity. Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram has played the lead role in this. It has revived Donyi-Polo and Rangfrah faiths in Arunachal Pradesh, Sanamahism in Manipur, the ZeliangrongHeraka movement in Nagaland and the Seng Khasi movement in Meghalaya.
To protect the indigenous identity, the RSS also forged alliances to counter Christian missionaries. Immediately after the VHP was set up in the mid 1960s, it collaborated with local tribal leaders, including Rani Gaidinliu, known for her resistance against British rule and Christian missionary influence on Zeliangrong Naga culture in Manipur.
Sacrifices
The RSS has borne the brunt of terrorist organisations and separatist movements in this region. In 2005 in Nalbari RSS functionary Sukleswar Medhi, was shot dead by ULFA terrorists outside Balitara High School, where he taught. Four years before this incident in 2001, another senior regional level functionary Shyamal Sengupta and three pracharaks(full-time RSS workers)— Dinendranath De, Sudhamoy Dutta and Subhankar Chakraborty— were killed by the NLFT in Tripura after two years of their abduction and repeated tortures. There have been many such incidents where the RSS workers have been killed, harassed, assaulted, threatened by separatists and terrorists in the north-eastern region.
Conclusion
The journey of the RSS in north-east is a riveting account of how an organisation with meagre resources and a small band of highly motivated cadres have traversed through a complex maze of ethnic, political, social and lingual identities. In the highly fragmented politics and amidst an all-pervasive ethnic divide that simmered after independence in this region, the RSS has successfully built a cohesive socio-cultural coalition in the Northeast. This is a unique phenomenon. All this has been done with the primary aim of bridging the divide between north-east and the rest of India and protecting the culture and indigenous faith. The journey continues as the RSS turns 100 this year.
