Family matters aren't discussed in public, says RSS functionary on Nadda's remarks

Mumbai, Sep 25 (PTI) Senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) functionary Sunil Ambekar on Wednesday termed BJP president J P Nadda’s remarks that the saffron party had grown from relying on the RSS to becoming self-sufficient as a family matter.

Asked if Nadda's comments caused a rift between the BJP and the Sangh, Ambekar, who is RSS’ Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh, said, "We solve family matters like family matters. We don't discuss such issues on public platforms”.

In a media interview in May, Nadda said the BJP has grown from the time it needed the RSS and is now “saksham” (capable) and runs its own affairs. The RSS, he had said, is an “ideological front” and does its own work.

Speaking at the India Today Conclave in Mumbai, Ambekar said that even if people join the Sangh thinking about political gains, they automatically start doing good work due to their association with the organisation.

Ambekar said many people daily come to RSS wanting to do good work. Several from the IT sector also come to RSS as they feel the need to serve others.

To a query on India's strengths and weaknesses in the last 10 years, Ambekar said the world now recognises India's power and also potential in sectors like science and economy.

There was no demand from the ground level that RSS shakhas should have boys and girls participating together and "society is not asking for it", he said.

If such a demand is made, the Sangh will make necessary changes in the present structure, he said.

A shakha is a place where RSS volunteers gather every day. The daily routine programmes held there include physical exercises and singing patriotic songs.

Asked why women don’t hold any big positions in the organisation, he said, "As a structure on the ground, the RSS shakhas are only for boys. But the Rashtra Sevika Samiti, an all-women organisation (of the RSS), has been doing the same work as the RSS since the 1930s. The basic structure of RSS is shakha. This structure is for the man-making process." "Man-making and nation-building is RSS' mission. Hence, shakhas have only males, while Rashtra Sevika Samiti has women (as members)...When residents of a locality say that girls and boys can play together, we will make necessary changes in our structure. But society is not asking for anything like that," he said.

"Society is not asking for girls and boys to play together. The current structure is a matter of convenience, and that is why there is such an arrangement (of Sangh having only boys as volunteers)," he said.

On the situation in Manipur, which faced ethnic clashes, Ambekar said, "It is a serious matter, and it is serious for everyone in the country. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has also expressed concerns over the situation in that state." RSS workers are active there on the ground to establish peace. They are trying to find a solution and efforts are on for it, he said. PTI

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Federal staff and is auto-published from a syndicated feed.)