‘We and the World Around’ review: Dr Manmohan Vaidya’s book gives deep insight into RSS & its ideology

New Delhi: With the Rashtriya Swavaymsevak Sangh (RSS) gearing up for its centenary celebrations in 2025, the well-researched book by the organization’s Joint General Secretary Dr Manmohan Vaidya couldn’t have come at a more opportune moment.

The book titled “We and the World Around,” authored by RSS joint General Secretary, was recently unveiled in Delhi’s Ambedkar International Stadium. The event saw presence of many eminent guests including BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi, Mahamandleshwar of ABVP’s most influential Juna Akhara Swami Avdheshanand Giri Acharya.

The landmark work by Dr Manmohan Vaidya gives a fair understanding & functioning about the Sangh Parivaar. The book has sought to elucidate the concept of ‘Bharat’ as conceived by our ancestors, the sanatan practices by following generations and how it is set for a ‘bigger role’ in ensuring peaceful human existence. In a nutshell, the book is a primer to understand Bharat from Bharatiya perspective.

Dr Manmohan Vaidya’s book comes at a time when the world is in the grip of armed conflict – between Israel & Hamas in the Middle East region and Russia & Ukraine in the European continent. As the book emphasizes on the importance & significance of ‘Vasudhaiv Kutumbkam’, it offers big hope for the warring nations. All can take lessons from the Indian values of democracy, tolerance & peaceful co-existence, especially at a time when the world is apparently divided into different factions.

Dr Manmohan Vaidya’s book titled ‘We and the World Around’ has 2 unique points that deserve attention. First, it presents Bharat’s ideology in the Bhartiyata perspective and the second is that it gives deep insight into the ideology & functioning of the Sangh Parivar.

The book will help many curious readers, domestically as well as internationally, help understand the founding & guiding principles of the RSS and also its contribution in nation-building over the years.

As the book has umpteen mentions of Bharat & Bhartiyata, it will explain readers understand the nuances of complex concepts like Dharma, Swattva (selfhood), Hindutva and Sanatanta.

Dr. Vaidya’s simple language, use of anecdotes and erudite presentation of our Bharatiya culture will help readers in deeper understanding of our belonging, history & how we want to evolve with the times.

In the preface only, the author has explained about the national identity crisis that the United States of America is facing. He explains that Bharat is not just a political community but is also bound by spiritually based geo-cultural identity and that is its strength.

Lauding the sustained growth of RSS, Dr Vaidya sheds light on the dynamic journey of the Sangh Parivar and explains how its ideological strength & organizational base has helped it overtake other dominant themes of the world including communism & leftist thoughts.

Dr Manmohan Vaidya also explains the prevalent democracy in the RSS and asserts that it is not a rigid organization as seen or believed by others.

Dr Vaidya has extensively mentioned about Article 370 and 35 (A) in his book. He explains that the RSS was against Article 370 since beginning and it also passed a resolution to this effect in 1953. He explains that Article 35 (A) came into existence because of a Presidential Order and it never had any Parliamentary approval. He also doesn’t mince words in blaming Jawaharlal Nehru and Shaikh Abdullah for bringing a discriminatory provision for the state & its residents.

He has also written about Akand Bharat. According to Dr Vaidya, “Akhand Bharat is not a geo-political expansionism but aims at restoration of Bhartiya ideas.”

During the book launch, a couple of days ago, Dr Vaidya informed the press about how a controversy in 2018 motivated him to writing.

For the unversed, Pranab Mukherjee, former President and a former Congress veteran spoke at the annual RSS event in Nagpur and this led to huge uproar from all corners. However, this controversy worked in favour of Sangh Parivar and the numbers of those willing to join the RSS increased to nearly six-fold.

Notably, Dr Manmohan Vaidya has been associated with the RSS since his childhood. He has served the organization in multiple roles during many decades of association. His book ‘We and the World Around’ has been published by Delhi-based Vani Prakashan.