Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh: ‘In supreme interest of nation’: RSS backs Centre’s decisions amid Middle East turmoil; calls for peace | India News
RSS backs Centre’s decisions amid Middle East turmoil
Amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Sunday called for peace and said the war should end as soon as possible, while also backing the Union government’s response, saying it was acting in the “supreme interest of the nation”.Speaking at a media briefing during the three-day Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS) meeting in Panipat, RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale said the Sangh wanted the conflict involving Iran, the US and Israel to end swiftly so that ordinary people could return to normal life.
‘We want peace in the world ’
Replying to questions on the Middle East conflict, which has entered its third week, Hosabale said the RSS’s position was rooted in its broader worldview of global peace.“We want peace in the world,” Hosabale said, according to news agency PTI.“Our vision is world peace. Wars arise from a multitude of causes; therefore, in the context of this particular conflict, we too desire that it comes to an end as swiftly as possible, and that the lives of ordinary people return to a state of happiness and peace without delay,” he said.He, however, declined to comment on the reasons behind the war.
RSS backs Centre’s response
Hosabale also strongly defended the Centre’s handling of the crisis, saying the government was taking all necessary steps in the national interest.“What is in the supreme interest of the nation, they (the Indian government) are doing that. What they are doing is right,” he told reporters.The remarks come as the Indian government continues to monitor the fallout of the Middle East conflict, which has had implications for energy supplies, trade routes, aviation and Indian nationals in the region.
On protests after Khamenei’s killing
Asked about protests reported from some parts of India following the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Hosabale said expressions of grief were natural, but any such response must remain peaceful and should not disturb communal harmony.“If such things happen, they should be done peacefully. It should not be against any sect or community,” he said.He added, “According to Indian tradition, one can be a person’s enemy till he is alive, but after one dies, no one remains an enemy. So, after death, if anyone expresses grief, there is nothing wrong in it. But when this is done, it should be seen that it does not cause disturbance to peace.”
Refuses comment on UGC row, speaks on Muslims and Hindutva
On the controversy surrounding the UGC regulations, which have been stayed by the Supreme Court, Hosabale said it would not be appropriate to comment on a matter that is sub judice.“When a decision comes, after going through it, the Sangh will comment,” he said.Replying to another question, Hosabale said RSS founder Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar did not create the organisation to oppose Muslims.“When Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar founded the RSS, he did not say that the organisation had been formed to oppose Muslims,” he said, as quoted by PTI.He also referred to a historical debate during British rule in the Central Provinces, saying a Muslim leader had defended the RSS against restrictions, arguing that the organisation and Hedgewar were not communal.Hosabale reiterated a long-held RSS position, saying, “We have said this from the start that the ancestors of all people of India were Hindus.”
Message to Indians abroad
Referring to a recent event in Hyderabad attended by NRIs and people of Indian origin from 71 countries, Hosabale said the Sangh had urged them to work for the welfare of the countries they live in as well.“We conveyed a message to the delegates from 71 different countries… that the country where you live and eat, you should do good for that country. Because it is the vision of Hindutva: Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam — the entire world is one family,” he said.“It is not like you are only with India. You have the duty to be with the society there,” he added.
ABPS meet ends with organisational push
The three-day ABPS meeting, which began in Pattikalyana in Panipat on March 13, was inaugurated by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and Hosabale, and concluded on Sunday with a resolve to expand organisational work, strengthen social harmony and encourage participation of “positive forces” in national interest.Hosabale said the number of RSS shakhas had increased by nearly 6,000 over the past year and had now crossed 88,000, while the number of places where shakhas are held had grown to over 55,000, PTI reported.He also said the Sangh’s outreach had expanded into remote areas including Andaman, Arunachal Pradesh, Leh and tribal regions, and that a total of 96 training camps would be organised in the coming year.
