Decoding the RSS's love-hate relationship with Gandhi

A diamond is just a stone, but it is precious. Why is it so? Because of its matchless ability to hold out. If this be taken as a principle, then we may say that Mahatma Gandhi is a diamond among humans. He is abstract, yet omnipresent by virtue of his long, action-filled life and his ideals.

The urge to understand the message of his life has increased. His message is formulaic, contained in a sentence. The talismanic code he left behind takes some deciphering. But it's easy enough to bear in mind his life's message; in his own oft-repeated words: "My life is my message." The message is also inscribed on the covers of two thick volumes that contain a historical account of Sevagram. But what is the message?

Has the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) internalised this message? The question may appear odd, but it is germane and timely. Because the RSS holds sway over the life of common Indians. It is a power centre. One may or may not