Will step down when Sangh directs: Bhagwat

Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS)chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday said the Sangh had asked him to continue working despite his age, while stressing that he would step down from the post whenever the organisation directs him to do so.

He also said that the person heading the Sangh will always be a Hindu, irrespective of his caste, with the top post going to the best available candidate.

“There is no election to the post of RSS chief. Regional and divisional heads appoint the chief. Generally, it is said that after turning 75, one should work without holding any post,” Bhagwat said.

He was responding to questions during an interactive session with attendees here at a programme to mark the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s (RSS) centenary.

“I have completed 75 years and informed the RSS, but the organisation asked me to continue working. Whenever the RSS asks me to step down, I will do so, but retirement from work will never happen,” he said.

The RSS does not have community-based representation, and volunteers rise through ranks based on their work, Bhagwat said, adding that the RSS chief has to be a Hindu, irrespective of caste.

He pointed out that when the RSS was founded, its work began in a Brahmin-dominated community and hence, most of its founders were Brahmins, which led to the organisation being labelled as a Brahmin outfit at the time. People always look for an organisation that has representatives from their community, he said.

Bhagwat said he could not give a definite answer on whether the Sangh head would be from the SC or ST background, as the decision rests with those who appoint the chief.

“If I were to choose a chief, I would go by the ‘best available candidate’ criterion. When I was appointed RSS chief, there were many best candidates, but they were not available. I was the one who could be relieved from duties and appointed,” he said.

He said that to belong to the Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe communities is not a disqualification, and neither is being a Brahmin a qualification to become the RSS chief.

The RSS chief further said situations could be supportive or adverse, and there was no need to dwell excessively on them.

“What we need to think about is finding solutions rather than focusing on problems. As long as truth does not come forward, illusion remains effective,” he added.

In a lighter vein, Bhagwat said the organisation “extracts work till the last drop of blood from its volunteer” and maintained that there had not yet been a situation in the RSS’s history where someone had to be retired.

Bhagwat said the Sangh’s work was about inculcating “sanskar” (values) and not about campaigning.

“We have lagged behind in promoting ourselves. Excessive campaigning leads to publicity and then arrogance. One needs to protect oneself from it. Publicity should be like rainfall, adequate in timing and quantity,” he said, adding that the RSS was carrying out outreach initiatives.

Bhagwat further said that English would never be the medium of communication in RSS functioning, as it was not an Indian language. “We want to work with Indians. Wherever English is necessary, we use it. We are not averse to it,” he said.

He said people should be able to speak English in such a manner that native English speakers would be willing to listen. “We should master English, but that does not mean we forget our mother tongue,” Bhagwat said.

Recalling a similar interaction in Bengaluru, he said representatives from several southern states could not understand Hindi, and he had responded to their queries in English.

He added that while interacting with the Indian diaspora abroad, communication was done either in Hindi or the mother tongue, depending on whether they were from English-speaking or non-English-speaking countries.

Asked about the work of Sangh volunteers in Muslim communities despite resistance, Bhagwat said that if both sides oppose each other, there would only be confrontation, and no work can be done.

He asserted that the RSS does not target any caste or community but works geographically.

“If an area has a population of 10,000, we try to work there. Once we spread geographically, all classes and communities will be reached. If you look at the top circle of the RSS, most communities have representation,” he said.

Bhagwat said the RSS believes in exposing corruption and supports anyone fighting against it.

“Our volunteers are told to support those who fight corruption. The RSS is in favour of strict laws and legislation against corruption and will support action against corrupt people,” he said.

He said corruption lies in people’s minds and not in the system.

“There are people who corrupt the system and some who improve it,” he added.