After the
Second World War, the leadership of the
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) contemplated how to communicate its views quickly to the growing membership of the organisation. Its theoretical underpinnings established by the founder
K. B. Hedgewar discouraged publicity and mass communication. He preferred informal communication of verbal messages carried by
RSS pracharaks (full-time workers). However, in the run-up to Indian independence, the "activist pracharaks"–those that favoured more wide-ranging activities for the RSS than societal organisation—argued that the RSS needed to publicise its position on the
Partition, on the goals of
independent India and on how Hindus should respond to
communal tension. After discussion, the RSS leaders consented to the establishment of trusts that could publish newspapers and journals sympathetic to the RSS. Consequently, in late 1946, the
swayamsevaks (volunteer members) in the
Punjab and
Delhi region sold shares for the Bharat Prakashan Trust and raised Rs. 400,000. The Bharat Prakashan Trust started publishing the
Organiser as a weekly starting on 3 July 1947, roughly a month after the British announcement to grant independence and partition the country. The initial issues of Organiser focused on the impending partition of India and called for resistance to such proposals. The 1948 ban of the RSS following the
assassination of Mahatma Gandhi and the press attacks on the RSS strengthened the `activist' members calling for a network of newspapers. In subsequent years, further newspapers were started in vernacular languages, including
Panchjanya and
Rashtra Shakti, and a news wire service
Hindusthan Samachar. `Activist' members of the RSS worked for the
Organiser and other newspapers of the RSS. They were also the most regular contributors to the
Organiser, writing on a wide range of social and policy issues where the RSS had a point of view. • In 1949, it argued for
political participation by the RSS. • In 1952,
Organiser opposed
Federalism and separate provincial governments. It also opposed the
linguistic reorganisation of the states. • It opposed the
Hindu Code Bill. • It announced the formation of the
Sangh Parivar organisations such as the
Vishva Hindu Parishad and the
Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, and explained their rationale. It also printed regular news reports regarding their activities. • In 1954, it supported the RSS faction in the
Bharatiya Jana Sangh and denounced the president
Mauli Chandra Sharma. • In 1980, it denounced the
Janata Party leadership over the dual membership issue and warned it that it would lose support both inside and outside the party. • In 1983, it took the
Bharatiya Janata Party to task for its alleged failure to attract "mass support," while it was able to attract non-Hindus. • In 1990, it denounced the
Mandal Commission recommendation of reservations. • In 1998, it contemplated the form of the national government, whether it should be parliamentary, presidential, or some other form. • It denounced
multinationals, the World Bank loans and the
economic liberalisation. • It campaigned against the
NCERT textbooks that went against Hindu nationalist views. • In 1997, it covered the
reconversion of tribal Christians. • It consistently paints the
Dalit leader
B. R. Ambedkar as a Hindu nationalist, an anti-Muslim and an opponent of the
Congress party. • It expresses outrage about the perceived injustices to Hindus. == Current status ==