Stop criticising RSS or try to create an organisation like RSS

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Stop criticising RSS or try to create an organisation like RSS —

Atal Behari Vajpayee

By Pramod Kumar

 

Former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee has challenged the

opponents of RSS to create a single organisation, which is as strong

as the RSS, if they have the stamina, or else they should stop

criticising it. He was releasing four Hindi books—Sangh: Beej se

Vriksha, Sangh: Media aur Rajniti; Ayodhya ka Sach and Jati Vihin

Samaj ka Sapana, written by noted historian Devendra Swaroop, in New

Delhi on December 21. The books have been published by Prabhat

Prakashan, Delhi. RSS Sarsanghachalak Shri K.S. Sudarshan and Shri

L.K. Advani were also present on the occasion.

 

Shri Vajpayee said the opponents of the Sangh could be challenged by

enhancing the strength of the organisation and also by presenting

the views with more sharpness. He said the books by Devendra Swaroop

were helpful to some extent, but were not enough to counter the

misconceptions created about the RSS by its opponents. "Something

more needs to be done. There is a need for such writers and

intellectuals who can present the Sangh ideology in a proper and

effective manner in today's perspective and can also reach those

sections of the society that have various misconceptions about the

Sangh," he said.

 

Shri Vajpayee said he was proud of being associated with the

RSS. "The 79-year old Sangh and its Swayamsevaks have covered all

walks of life and are very influential. It is enough to lead to

jealousy among Sangh's opponents. The seed of the Sangh has today

become a large tree. Thousands and lakhs of devoted and committed

lives have been dedicated in this process of the Sangh becoming a

tree from the seed. Not one but many generations have been pushed

into it. Despite that, it has been facing criticism. We must think

about this criticism. If there is any shortcoming in us, it should

be removed. I would like to request the opponents of the Sangh to

abstain from tampering with the national issues just for personal or

political gains. They should evaluate the Sangh on social and

cultural basis, instead of resorting to political evaluation. They

have full right to oppose and criticise the RSS, but that should be

honest. If it is possible for them, they should show us by creating

a single strong and influential organisation as the RSS is," he

pointed out.

 

The RSS has changed and influenced the lives of lakhs of people. It

is the biggest movement of this century. The history of 20th and

21st centuries will be incomplete without the history of RSS. —L.K.

Advani

 

He said an ideological vacuum had developed with the growing

importance of information technology. "The competition among

different ideologies has also increased to fill this vacuum. The

competition should be healthy and democratic. Sometimes fights break

out when followers of a particular ideology, claming their ideology

to be the best, try to impose it on others. I feel all the

ideologies have been created for public welfare. If the objective of

a particular ideology is confined to a particular section, it

becomes a panth. If the objective remains extensive, it becomes a

movement. The RSS is an ideological movement but its ideology is

different from the followers of one book and one God," he added.

 

Former Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the Opposition, L.K.

Advani, described the RSS as the biggest movement of the

century. "Communism began in 1924 while the RSS began in 1925.

Communism has almost vanished from the world, but the RSS has

changed and influenced the lives of lakhs of people. This proves

that the RSS founder, Dr Hedgewar was truly a revolutionary," he

said, adding that the history of 20th and 21st centuries would be

incomplete without the history of RSS. He said Shri Devendra Swaroop

by compiling useful information about the RSS had done a great

service to the society.

 

Prof. Devendra Swaroop said that Atal Behari Vajpayee had introduced

him to journalism and added that whatever he has written in his

books has been written with the view of a Sangh Swayamsevak.