Sangh man highlights RSS’s secular face on Netaji birth anniv

SHILLONG: The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chose the occasion of the 120th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose on Monday to clear the “misgivings of the media” and clarify its role as a social change-maker following the path of “integrity and unity”.
Sunil Mohanty, senior RSS member in charge of Arunachal Pradesh, recalled events that shaped the formation of RSS founded by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar in Nagpur in 1925.
He was speaking at the programme organised by the Shillong unit of the RSS to commemorate the 120th birth anniversary of Bose on Monday. The RSS unit took out a ‘route march’ from Fire Brigade ground to Gorkha Pathsala ground in Garikhana Over 200 pracharaks, besides people from different walks of life, took part in the march.
Talking about the problems plaguing the country, Mohanty said, “There is an eternal problem in India as we fight against each other in the name of caste, colour, state etc.”
On this, the RSS member said though social changes take time, Hedgewar had the solution to the problem that India is facing. “RSS has found a solution to the problem, starting with the concept that individuals should be perfect, which includes character and personality building and organisational strength,” he added.
Criticising “a section of the media” for the misgivings about RSS, Mohanty said the organisation wants unity and integrity as “we are brothers and sisters” irrespective of our religions.
“Don’t judge RSS through media reports or through divisive forces. People should come and look at the activities to understand RSS better,” he added. Asserting that RSS’s deep love for the motherland is its duty, Mohanty said, “RSS was the first organisation to reach disaster-affected areas, be it the Gujarat earthquakes, cyclone in Odisha (Contd on P-10)