Social harmony top on RSS's agenda

TNN / Mar 12, 2007, 01:35 IST

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After announcing its support to the Ram Setu, the Sangh leaders have now come with a new propellant to drive their Hindutva Agenda - social harmony.

LUCKNOW: Is Ram temple finally off the RSS priority list? After announcing its support to the Ram Setu, the Sangh leaders have now come with a new propellant to drive their Hindutva Agenda — social harmony.
The three-day Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha of the Sangh concluded here with a call for breaking the caste barrier and bringing about unity among the Hindus by laying emphasis on the old saying "united we stand and divided we fall."
With crucial elections to Uttar Pradesh assembly approaching, the timing is perfect to send a clear message down the line for its volunteers to work overtime to accomplish the task of social harmony to benefit its political face — the BJP — at the hustings.
In a well thought of move, the RSS adopted a resolution to strengthen the social harmony. "If we want a glorious Bharat, the need of the hour is to stop discriminating on the basis of castes," said the secretary general of RSS, Mohanrao Bhagwat, while briefing reporters on Sunday.

He said that social disparity needs to be removed from the society and for that he strongly advocated for job reservation for the backwards and dalits.
"It should be ensured that these sections of the society are economically strengthened, else desired results in any sphere would continue to elude," said Bhagwat.
On being asked if the RSS was also in favour of a similar facility for the Muslims, the answer was a 'firm no'.

"We do not discriminate between Muslims, Christians and Hindus as we consider them to be Hindus and said that their ancestors were also Hindus," said the RSS functionary, adding that any move to appease the minorities would create problems for Hindu-Muslim unity.
He, however, hastened to add that the RSS was not opposed to extending reservation for Muslims on social and economic basis.
"If a Muslim or a Christian is socially or economically weak, they should also be extended the facility of reservation but we are against granting special status on religious lines," he sought to clarify.
Besides that yet another resolution was adopted to preserve the economic interests and sovereignty of the country.
Holding the new economic policy responsible for non-remunerative price of agri products, the pratinidhi sabha felt that it was the sole reason for heavy debts on farmers who were compelled to commit suicide.
The pratinidhi sabha also expressed its anger over forceful acquisition of farmers' land for setting up special economic zones and demanded that the Centre should review the policy as there was a provision for establishing international financial centres in the SEZs which was a threat to nation's sovereignty. It was also opposed to the entry of foreign investment in retail.

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