When the Sangh became part of Janata Parivar – and was never again the ‘outcast’
In the long, complex history of Indian politics, few events were as transformative for the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) as its alliance with the Janata Parivar in the late 1970s. Before this watershed moment, the Sangh had largely been relegated to the political margins. Its association with religious nationalism, its paramilitary-style functioning, and its controversial ideological foundations made it an uneasy presence in the secular and socialist currents that defined Indian democracy post-independence.
Yet in 1977, all that changed.
What emerged from the ashes of Indira Gandhi’s Emergency was not only India’s first non-Congress government at the Centre but also the transformation of the Sangh Parivar — from outcast to accepted. That coalition not only altered the trajectory of Indian politics but permanently shifted the position of Hindu nationalist forces in the country’s power structures.
The Pre-1977 Image: A Political Fringe Player
To understand the magnitude of the change, one must grasp where the RSS and its political wing, the Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS), stood before 1977. Established in 1951 by Syama Prasad Mookerjee, the BJS was created to give political expression to the RSS’s Hindutva ideology. Despite decades of activism, the BJS struggled to gain electoral traction. It was seen as too communal by most mainstream political actors and the public, especially in a post-Partition India still healing from communal wounds.
Moreover, the shadow of Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination continued to haunt the RSS. Although the organization was never legally implicated, Godse’s one-time association with the Sangh kept them under public scrutiny. Consequently, successive Congress governments kept the Sangh at arm’s length, and many in civil society considered it outside the pale of acceptable democratic politics.
Emergency: An Unexpected Political Catalyst
When Indira Gandhi declared a state of Emergency in June 1975, suspending civil liberties, arresting opposition leaders, and censoring the press, the RSS joined the resistance with full force. Its underground networks were instrumental in organizing protests, distributing pamphlets, and sustaining opposition morale. The RSS’s disciplined cadre base gave it an edge during this period of repression, and its anti-Emergency role earned it newfound respect in political circles.
This led to an unprecedented alliance: the formation of the Janata Party in 1977, bringing together disparate forces like:
- Bharatiya Jana Sangh (RSS-linked)
- Congress (O)
- Bharatiya Lok Dal
- Socialist Party
- Swatantra Party defectors
These groups, previously divided by ideology, united under the banner of saving democracy. The RSS’s political arm was no longer viewed as a fringe irritant — it was now essential to opposition unity.
The Janata Government: From Pariah to Partner
The Janata Party swept to power in the 1977 general elections, ending the Congress party’s uninterrupted 30-year rule. For the first time, Jana Sangh members held cabinet positions. Leaders like Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L.K. Advani emerged as respectable faces of governance, not just ideological warriors. The Sangh’s ideological outlook — once seen as incompatible with secular democracy — now found space within a functioning parliamentary coalition.
This period marked the mainstreaming of the Sangh Parivar. It was no longer an ideological outlier; it had entered the corridors of power with legitimacy and public mandate. Though the Janata coalition was fragile and ideologically diverse, the very act of governance changed how the Sangh was perceived — by voters, media, and even its critics.
Internal Conflict: Dual Membership and Collapse
However, the Janata experiment was fraught with internal contradictions. A major point of contention was the dual membership of many Janata ministers who were also RSS members. Leaders like George Fernandes and Chandrasekhar viewed this as a conflict of interest and a betrayal of the secular fabric the Janata Party aspired to uphold.
The conflict intensified, with socialist and secular voices demanding that Jana Sangh members sever their ties with the RSS. The Sangh, fiercely loyal to its ideology and structure, refused. The infighting eventually led to the fall of the Janata government in 1979, barely two years after its historic victory.
But while the coalition had crumbled, the Sangh had already achieved something far more valuable: political legitimacy.
The Birth of BJP: A Strategic Rebrand
In 1980, former members of the Jana Sangh regrouped under the new banner of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This rebranded avatar initially presented itself as a moderate, Gandhian party with a focus on “Integral Humanism” and inclusive politics. Yet its ideological core remained firmly rooted in Hindutva.
The BJP slowly expanded its base through the 1980s, with critical moments like the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, the Rath Yatra, and eventual state-level successes laying the foundation for national prominence. But all of this was made possible because of one crucial moment in 1977 — when the Sangh was allowed into the mainstream through the Janata Parivar.
Permanent Shift in Indian Politics
That brief tenure in power offered the RSS-affiliated politicians something they had never had before: administrative experience, national visibility, and electoral acceptability. It also showed them the importance of political alliances and the need to present a palatable public image.
The rise of coalition politics in the 1990s further benefited the BJP. By then, the party was no longer seen as a pariah. It led the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and came to power under Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 1998 and again in 1999. The journey that began with reluctant inclusion in 1977 had culminated in full-scale electoral dominance.
Conclusion: No Longer the Outcast
The Sangh Parivar’s transformation from outcast to power center is one of Indian democracy’s most significant political shifts. The 1977 Janata coalition may have been short-lived, but it opened the doors of mainstream politics to Hindu nationalism. Once considered too extreme, the RSS and its affiliates are now at the heart of the Indian political mainstream.
The events of that time still echo today. The BJP — the political heir of that legacy — not only governs with a majority but shapes the national narrative. And the Sangh, far from being on the margins, is arguably more influential now than ever.
