Thiruvananthapuram: After RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale said channels of communication should remain open with Pakistan even amid strained ties, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat Saturday advised that doors of dialogue must always be open.
Responding to a question on Hosabale’s remarks during an event organised as part of RSS centenary celebrations in Thiruvananthapuram, Bhagwat said, “If a future war leaves Pakistan beyond repair, its people must either be brought into the fold of Bharat or be able to live peacefully in their own country. For that, the doors of dialogue must always remain open,” he said.
He was speaking at a lecture series ‘100 Years of Sangh Journey—New Horizons’ held as part of the celebrations.
The programme has sparked a separate political controversy after three Kerala university vice chancellors attended the event, drawing sharp criticism from the CPI(M) and Congress-led opposition, which accused them of aiding the saffronisation of higher education in the state.
Bhagwat’s remarks come a month after Hosabale said India should not completely shut the door on dialogue with Pakistan while ensuring the country’s security and self-respect.
“The security and self-respect of a country have to be protected and the government of the day should take care of it. But at the same time, we need not close the doors. We should always be ready to engage them in dialogue,” he had told news agency PTI in an interview in May, which sparked a political debate.
Earlier Saturday, Bhagwat said the RSS was one of the most misunderstood organisations.
He reiterated that the RSS was not a political organisation, though many of its members are active in politics. He added that issues such as the Ram Janmabhoomi movement and the abrogation of Article 370 were also not political issues.
“It’s not a paramilitary organisation. It’s not a reaction to a particular situation. It’s not an opposition to this section of society, that section of society, or any particular political party,” he said addressing the gathering.
Besides Bhagwat, the event was attended by RSS functionaries from Kerala and other invitees.
Significantly, also in attendance were vice chancellors of Kerala University, Mahatma Gandhi University and Malayalam University, Mohanan Kunnummal, C.T. Aravindakumar, and C.R. Prasad, respectively. This comes amid the ongoing standoff between the opposition CPI(M) and Raj Bhavan over allegations of the saffronisation of Kerala’s higher education sector.
On Sunday, CPI(M) state secretary M.V. Govindan criticised their presence at the event.
“It is a very serious issue that three vice chancellors attended the RSS event. This is one of the notable examples of the saffronisation of higher education. It will destroy the secular fabric of the state,” Govindan said. He also alleged that the Congress-led UDF was silently supporting such developments in Kerala.
Meanwhile, Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan said the issue was a matter of serious concern and demanded the vice chancellors apologise to the people of Kerala.
“The people of Kerala hold the position of vice chancellor in high regard. By attending the programme of an RSS leader who espouses extreme communalism, they have undermined that respect. Any action that promotes communalism, regardless of who is responsible, is unacceptable. It will not be tolerated. The three vice chancellors who participated in the RSS programme should apologise to the people of Kerala,” he said in statement Sunday.
(Edited by Viny Mishra)
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