RSS supports Centre’s decisions amid Middle East turmoil

Amidst the ongoing conflict in the Middle East Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Sunday called for peace and said the war should end as soon as possible, while also supporting the central government’s response, saying it was working 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 wants the conflict involving Iran, the US and Israel to end swiftly so that common people can return to normal life.

‘We like peace in the world‘

Answering questions on the Middle East conflict, which has entered its third week, Hosabale said the RSS’s position is rooted in its broader worldview of global peace.“We want peace in the world,” Hosabale said, according to news agency PTI.He said, “Our vision is world peace. Wars arise for many reasons; therefore, in the context of this particular conflict, we also want it to end as soon as possible, and the lives of ordinary people return to a state of happiness and peace without any delay.”However, he declined to comment on the reasons behind the war.

RSS supports feedback center

Hosabale also strongly defended the Centre’s handling of the crisis and said the government was taking all necessary steps in the national interest.“They (the Indian government) are doing what is in the highest interest of the nation. What they are doing is right,” he told reporters.The comments come as the Indian government continues to monitor the fallout from the Middle East conflict, which has impacted energy supplies, trade routes, aviation and Indian citizens in the region.

On protests after Khamenei’s assassination

Asked about protests from parts of India following the assassination of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Hosabale said expressions of grief were natural, but any such reaction should remain peaceful and not disturb communal harmony.“If such things happen then they should be done in a peaceful manner. It should not be against any sect or community,” he said.He said, “According to Indian tradition, as long as a person is alive he can be his enemy, but after someone dies no one is his enemy. Therefore, if someone expresses grief after death, there is nothing wrong in it. But when this is done, it should be seen that it does not disturb the peace.”

Refused to comment on UGC controversy, spoke on Muslims and Hindutva

On the controversy related to UGC rules, which has been stayed by the Supreme Court, Hosabale said it would not be appropriate to comment on a matter which is sub-judice.He said, “When any decision comes, the union will comment after considering it.”Answering another question, Hosabale said that RSS founder Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar had not formed the organization to oppose Muslims.“When Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar founded the RSS, he did not say that the organization was formed to oppose Muslims,” ​​he was quoted as saying by PTI.He also referred to a historic debate during British rule in the Central Province, in which a Muslim leader had defended the RSS against restrictions, arguing that the organization and Hedgewar were not communal.Reiterating the long-standing RSS position, Hosabale said, “We have said from the beginning that the ancestors of all the people of India were Hindus.”

Message to Indians abroad

Referring to a recent program held in Hyderabad, Hosabale said that the Sangh had urged him to work for the welfare of those countries also, in which NRIs and people of Indian origin from 71 countries had participated.“We gave a message to the representatives of 71 different countries… that you should do good for the country where you live and eat. Because this is the vision of Hindutva: Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam – the whole world is one family,” he said.He said, “It is not that you are only with India. It is your duty to be with the society there.”

ABPS meeting ends with organizational uproar

The three-day ABPS meeting, which began at Pattikalyana in Panipat on March 13, was inaugurated by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and Hosabale and concluded on Sunday with a pledge to expand organizational work, strengthen social harmony and encourage participation of “positive forces” in the national interest.Hosabale said the number of RSS shakhas has increased by about 6,000 last year and has now crossed 88,000, while the number of places where shakhas are held has crossed 55,000, PTI reported.He also said that the Sangh’s reach has extended to remote areas including Andaman, Arunachal Pradesh, Leh and tribal areas and a total of 96 training camps will be organized in the coming year.