Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi.
“Hindu is not BJP, and to oppose BJP is not opposing Hindus. That’s mere politics, and BJP should not be confused with the idea of Hindu,” RSS general secretary Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi said on Sunday when asked if the current situation in the country is indicative of “Hindus becoming enemies of Hindus”.
Joshi was speaking at the two-day conclave titled, Vishwaguru Bharat — an RSS perspective, at Dona Paula in Panaji. He took questions curated from a dropbox where the audience was asked to submit their questions. He answered queries on subjects like nationalism, Hindutva, scope of Sanskrit in school, status of the economy, the role of government and the citizens and the space women hold in the society.
In response to another question, he said, “These days there is some sort of awakening towards reading of Constitution with citizens across the country being taught the book. This doesn’t achieve the full result. Citizens also have responsibilities and there needs to be proper coordination between rights and responsibilities. The country will go ahead only if these two are followed together.”
In answer to a question, Joshi said several times members of the Sangh have asked him if they will lose their government jobs. “I repeat, you will have to face some harassment, but you will not lose your government job. They say the Sangh is political, but what is the harm in being concerned about the nation or discussing the issues of the country?” he asked.
To a question on whether RSS was communal, he said, “Let them define the word communal. A community is about a group that worships only one God, has only one holy book. A Hindu can never be communal. If a situation arises where we have to build one temple, we will cease to be Hindus,” he said.
Replying to a question on women’s status in society, he replied , “We (Sangh) do not talk of the equality of women here. We believe everyone has a role, children have a role, youth have a role, pratibhashali (the talented) have a role, and women have a role. The responsibility of being a mother is very huge and a father cannot fulfill that role,” he replied.
On non-Hindus joining the Sangh, Joshi said, “Anyone who wants to work for Hindus, for Bharat is welcome. We promise him a respected place, but no different status or place will be offered. He has to work for Hindus.”