A. The Partition Violence (1947)
During the Partition of India, the RSS operated as a disciplined volunteer paramilitary group.
Relief vs. Violence: While the RSS actively organized relief camps and defensive operations for Hindu and Sikh refugees fleeing West Pakistan, historians (such as Paul Brass, Christophe Jaffrelot, and Ian Talbot) document that RSS cadres also engaged in retaliatory, targeted violence against Muslim populations in parts of Punjab, Delhi, and Jammu.
Mahatma Gandhi's Observation: Following Partition, Gandhi noted that while the RSS helped Hindu refugees, the "objectionable part arose when they, burning with revenge, began attacking Mussalmans... going in for revenge on innocent and helpless men, women and children".
B. The 1969 Ahmedabad Riots & 1989 Bhagalpur Riots
In post-independence India, several official judicial inquiry commissions appointed by state or central governments investigated major anti-Muslim riots:
Jaganmohan Reddy Commission (1969): Investigating the 1969 Ahmedabad communal violence, the commission specifically highlighted the role played by the RSS and Hindu Mahasabha in fomenting tensions and participating in anti-Muslim violence.
Bhagalpur Inquiry Commission (1989): Investigating the mass violence in Bihar that claimed over 1,000 lives (predominantly Muslim), the official commission explicitly indicted RSS and Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) leaders for orchestrating and fanning the violence.
C. The 2002 Gujarat Riots
The 2002 violence in Gujarat—triggered by the Godhra train burning—is frequently cited by scholars and international human rights bodies (such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International) as a anti-Muslim pogrom.
Mobilization: Affiliated organizations within the Sangh Parivar (including the Bajrang Dal and VHP) were directly documented mobilizing mobs using pre-planned lists, weapons, and logistics.
Reports: A 2002 report by Human Rights Watch titled "We Have No Orders To Save You" described the events as a state-supported anti-Muslim pogrom planned and executed by Sangh Parivar organizations.
2. Institutional & Legal Banning History
The RSS has been officially banned by the Government of India on three major occasions related to national security and communal violence:
1948: Banned following the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi by Nathuram Godse (a former RSS member) due to concerns over violent communal mobilization.
1975: Banned during the Emergency along with several other political organizations.
1992: Banned following the illegal demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, which triggered widespread anti-Muslim communal riots across India.
