In Jaisalmer I experienced the celebration of Ghandis birthday (2nd of October), and at the same time a Hindu nationalist show of force.

The gentlemen and kids marching are the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. Translated it means something along the lines of “National Patriotic Organization”. Founded in 1925 the RSS were entirely unknown to me before they showed up on the streets in the thousands (Jaisalmer is a city of 80 000 people, for a city that small this was truly impressive).

Four times banned - first by the British in 1925, then by the Indian government in 1948, 1975 and at the latest in 1992 - the RSS march with sticks as weapons and are uniformed, but the RSSs history is mostly non-violent and democratic. In 1955 they ended Portuguese rule in Goa by marching on the city. In times of crisis, like the war with China in 1962 or the wars with Pakistan they get recognition for securing the peace. They take clear political stances, like when they helped force the Indian government to stop the emergency rule declared by Mrs. Indira Ghandi in 1975 and restore democratic rights in 1977. By all rights it seems my Indian friend is right when he says they have “been very good for the country”.

Yet there is something about a uniformed, religious, nationalist group of 5 million holding mass meetings with paramilitary training and political speeches that doesn’t sit right with me. Perhaps they are more boy scouts than Nazis, but judging by European history their insistence on preserving Hindi culture and power is sure to come into conflict with liberals, Muslims, Christians, atheists and others. Here’s hoping they will not only defend democracy when it serves their interest.