The time the late Dattopant Thengadi ji founded the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh was when in global arena communism was the talk of the town, source of attraction and force of dominance. In that situation, it was an uphill task to start, to sustain and take it forward a labour movement based on pure Bharatiya thought inspired by the national values, in the midst of many protests and obstacles. This work would not have been possible without deep commitment, unflinching faith and diligent efforts. To understand what Thengadiji’s state of mind must have been then, it might be relevant to recollect an illustrative story:
The spring had not even dawned.
The mangoes could not be sighted on the trees
Just then, a creature in the midst of cold wind came out of its shelter.
His relatives fondly advised him that he should rest in his hole, and said, “if you go out at such a time, you will die”. However, he did not listen to anyone.
With great difficulty he started climbing on the trunk of the tree.
A parrot, while swinging above the mango tree, saw him.
Tilting his beak down, he asked, “Oh animal, where do you go in this cold?”
“To eat mangoes”, the animal answered.
The parrot laughed. He thought that the creature was the head of fools.
He said trivially, “Oh fool, there is no sign of a mango on this tree yet. As I can see all the way top down, I do not spot any one even.”
“Even though you can see”, the creature said in his staggering gait, “But by the time I reach there, there will be mango.”
Exactly similar to the response of the creature in the above story is the vision of a seeker.
He does not feel himself anyway small or insignificant. He does not panic due to adverse interactions.
Goal may not be in sight, yet the seeker has full reverence for achieving his lakshya.
As he takes every step, nature is also ripening the fruits. He has no doubt about this.
He does not care what his relatives or parrot-pundits say.
There is only one passion in his mind and the slogan he repeats to himself is “Stay with the nature, my brother, as you move forward you will reach the goal”.
And today we see that the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh is the largest labour organization in India.
A good organizer, among many talents, essentially possesses a quality of listening to the thoughts and suggestions of his colleagues with an open mind and also readily accepting worthy suggestions. Thengadi ji was one such organizer. When it was decided to start work among the workers, then the name of that organization was thought to be ‘Bharatiya Shramik Sangh’. But when it was revealed in the first meeting of the workers concerned that it would not be easy to understand the word ‘labour’ for the section of society among which we have to work. In some states, it may be difficult to pronounce it correctly, so instead of ‘labour (shramik)’, ‘labourer (mazdoor)’ should use this easy word. It was immediately accepted and the name of the organization was fixed as ‘Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh’.
Working in an organization means traveling from ‘I’ to ‘We’. Generally, it is not easy for a person who is caring. He falls in love with his ‘I’. Somehow this ‘I’ continues to be expressed. The saints have said that the behaviour of this ‘I’ concept is somewhat peculiar. It does not even touch the ignorant; but it is very difficult for a wise man to get out of the strangle holds of ‘I’. However, in the organization, those who work with and for the organization have to necessarily avoid it. Thengadi ji exemplified this quality. During in-formal conversations too, even where he has to stress an idea of his own which might bring him importance or where others seek his viewpoint or solution, he always said ‘we’ instead of saying ‘I’. Raising above this ‘I’ tendency is not easy. But Thengadi ji had mastered it, which has to be learnt by every organizer.
Another remarkable quality of Thengadi ji was that he used to meet the common worker-member with such affinity, with his hands on member’s shoulder, walking with him and talking to him that no one would think that he was national level leader or talking to a world-renowned thinker.
Rather, the worker e had such a feeling that he was meeting some of his most intimate elders, the eldest of the family. While doing this, the spontaneity of Thengadi ji was unique.
His study was also very extensive and deep. References to many books and stories of many leaders used to be shared with him by his colleagues. But one thing that touches my heart is that an anecdote or joke that Thengadi ji would have told many times in his lectures and even when the same anecdote or a joke quoted by an inexperienced, junior worker like me, he will never let out an expression that he knew this anecdote. This modesty is not an easy one. “Ah, I know this “is an attitude we see often the many senior, experienced workers are tempted to say or express this. But Thengadi ji used to listen to him diligently, as if listening for the first time. He used to give appropriate emotional response to that narration and after that he would tell a new anecdote or joke. This much involvement and attachment to the ground worker is the quality of the best organizer.
It is also the quality of the best organizer not to make unnecessary haste despite having the passion, desire and effort to increase his work. Respected Shri Guruji used to say ‘Hurry slowly’. Do not be hasty. A farmer friend of mine was a prominent leader of Vidarbha Pradesh in the peasant movement called ‘Shetkari Sangathan’, formed by Mr. Sharad Joshi in Maharashtra. Later he was disillusioned with that movement. That was the time when he was in touch with my younger brother. My brother was also active into cultivation then. My brother felt that the work of the Kisan Sangh (farmers union) had just started, so this farmer leader should be associated with the Kisan Sangh. He talked to me. I also liked this suggestion. He was a prominent leader. The work of the Kisan Sangh had started under the leadership of Thengadi. So, taking this offer, I met Thengadi in Nagpur with my brother. Thengadi ji knew that peasant leader. I fully believed that having a well-known farmer leader for the Kisan Sangh would help in increasing the work of the Kisan Sangh and hence Thengadi ji would accept it immediately with pleasure. But by stating the foreground as I proposed to him, Mr. Thengadi immediately rejected it. I was very surprised. Later Thengadi ji told me that we will not take this leader because our farmers union is very small. He will not be able to digest such a big leader and this leader will pull our farmers union with him. We do not want that. On this, I said that if the Kisan Sangh does not accept him, then the people of BJP can contest the election by joining him in his party. To this, Thengadi ji said in a calm voice that the BJP could be in a hurry but we do not. His answer was so clear and confident that it was a learning lesson for me. And it was only then that I understood clearly the explanation of Shri Guruji’s ‘Hurry slowly’.
Shri Thengadi was a great organizer as well as a philosopher. Various aspects of the depths of Indian thought were open to dialogue with him. Communists dominated the labour sector, so the language or slogans of all working organizations were also in the communist terminology. At that time, he coined slogans to introduce his Indian thought process in place of communist slogans. Instead of “nationalization of industries”, he said that we want ” Nationalize the labour, labourize the industry and industrialize the Nation”.
Insensitive slogans were used to be raised creating needless conflicts in the labour sector. Instead of “our demands are fulfilled – come what may be the compulsion”, Thengadiji said “We will work for the country – will get the full price for the work”. That is, in the field of labour too, he gave the formula to awaken the consciousness of harmony and national love with this small change in the slogan.
Apart from these organizations, the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh and the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, Thengadi ji has contributed and participated in the formation of organizations like Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, Swadeshi Jagran Manch, Pragya Pravah, Vigyan Bharati etc. The essay he presented on his vision of Indian art paved the way for launching of the organization Sanskar Bharati.
It was a privilege to learn and experience all this directly by living with a great thinker, organizer and long-time leader like Shri Thengadi ji, communicating, walking, getting up and giving advice. My humble tributes to his holy memory on the auspicious occasion of the birth anniversary of Shri Thengadi ji.
RSS Sah Sarkaryavah
