MOHAN Bhagwat Clears Cobweb About RSS
NINETY- Three years after establishment of Rashtriya Swamsewak Sangh in Maharashtra’s Nagpur by Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, it organised a three-day convention at the New Delhi’s iconic Vigyan Bhawan where it’s incumbent chief Mohan Bhagwat allayed several misconceptions about the much maligned organisation. On the last day of the event on Wednesday, Bhagwat answered questions on nearly 25 subjects from homosexuality to lynching to Hinduism and Articles 370 and 35 A giving constitutional safeguard to the genuine indigenous people of Jammu & Kashmir. Not only he answered the questions deftly without any ambiguity, but also revealed that the R SS is adjusting itself with the fast changing world where norms, man-made customs and conventions are also undergoing a sea- change. RSS ,which is considered the custodian of Hindu beliefs, its ethos and cultural heritage, hailed the decriminalising the LGBT community by the Supreme Court of India and pleaded for changing the society’s perception about them. Bhagwat said that homosexuals exist in the society and the society needs to change with time.”Making an issue out of it will not help,” Bhagwat said rightly as a social reformist. Mob lynchings on suspicion of cow theft for slaughter has rightly created law and order problem in several parts of India. It is appreciable that he deplored such heinous incidents while stressing the need for protection of the bovine population for the benefit of rural economy . It is wrong to associate criminals with those who truly protect and take care of cows. Killing in the name of cow is not acceptable.”Violence is completely unacceptable and strict action should be taken. Cow protection should be done in a constitutional way, but cow protectors should keep cows first. There are many Muslims in Indi a who operate shelters for cow which is held in high esteem by the Hindu believers. Rubbishing the allegation by its critics that RSS has a puritan view on the fair sex, he called for changing outlook of men on them and stricter law for stamping out woman and child atrocities .He is not wrong while pitching for construction of a Ram Temple in his birth place at Ayodhya amicably in cooperation with the Muslim community for ending tension and in interest of communal harmony . The construction of a grand Ram temple will help resolve tension between Hindus and Muslims, and if the temple is built in a harmonious way, then there will be no more pointing of fingers at Muslims “as he said. However RSS, is opposed to Article 35A which gives special privileges to the state of Jammu and Kashmir but disinherit s a Kashmiri woman of her parental property if she marries a non-Kashmiri besides non-Kashmiris are not allowed to buy or own landed property in the state. This is discriminatory in the 21st century and not acceptable. Mohan Bhagwat did not hide RSS’s stand on Article 370 along with Article 35A making public again saying these are not acceptable. This is the stated position. Successive Indian governments have affirmed that Jammu & Kashmir including the Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) is an integral part of India and made repeated announcements in Parliament, United Nations Organisation and several other multi-national organisations since India became an Independent nation. Whether the state should be divided into three parts -Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh- should be taken by administration and situation. If it helps, they can think about the division. Bhagwat asserted that the RSS fully supports reservation for OBC , Scheduled Castes and Tribes in government service and educational institutions. Clarifying stance on Hindu Rashtra, Bhagwat said that though RSS believes in Hindu Rashtra, they are not against Muslims. Yes, we do believe in a Hindu Rashtra, but it does not mean that we are against Muslims. We believe in that world is a family as taught by our seers over thousands of years where every sect has its space.” He made it crystal clear Muslims have legitimate rights in the envisioned Hindu Rashtra.” These are cardinal programs which will be propagated among the people in the coming days. Unfortunately, despite prior announcement that the RSS was prepared to answer any query related to its stands on controversial issues, its detractors stayed away from the venue. It will not be erroneous to conclude hence that the RSS has left them without any issue to castigate it for allegedly ruining India’s unity in diversity after the Nagpur headquartered growing organisation has reaffirmed faith in the country’s hallowed Constitution framed by Dr Baba Sahib Ambedkar along with other stalwarts of India’s freedom movement. However, it cannot be overlooked that the concept of Hindu Rashtra has obviously created a sense of psychological fear among the non-Hindus. Should not the RSS give some convincing rationale behind the perception to allay their apprehension?