RSS says its chief Mohan Bhagwat compared volunteers with ‘general society’, not Indian Army

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Monday said that its chief Mohan Bhagwat did not disrespect the army or comment on its preparation during a speech given a day earlier in Bihar’s Mirpur.

In a statement by spokesperson Manmohan Vaidya, the RSS clarified that Bhagwat said if the country’s law calls for raising an armed force, the preparation time for ordinary citizens would be six months, but volunteers of the RSS would take shorter time to be ready, because of the army-like discipline that they follow.

“This was no way a comparison between the Indian army and the Sangh swayamsevaks but it was a comparison between general society and swayamsevaks. Both are to be trained by the Indian Army only,” the statement said.

Bhagwat had reportedly said that the RSS has the ability to prepare an “army” to fight for the country within three days, if such a situation arises, whereas the army would take 6-7 months to prepare.

Vaidya said Bhagwat did not question the army’s capability nor was he drawing a comparison between the army and the swayamsevaks. He said Bhagwat was referring to the time that the army would take to groom ordinary citizens vis-à-vis swayamsevaks.

In a video clip posted by the RSS on its Twitter handle, Bhagwat is heard saying that the Sangh is not a military or paramilitary organisation, but a family organisation.