NEW DELHI: RSS says Prime Minister Narendra Modi's economic reforms agenda and its core ideological concerns are not contradictory but it also insists the Sangh is not worried about negative publicity over programmes such as 'Ghar Wapsi' — mass conversion of minority communities' members to Hinduism. The Sangh says it has grown despite such criticism and it doesn't take decisions because of pressure from anyone.
These significant observations came from RSS spokesperson Manmohan Vaidya, who was responding to ET's questions on BJP-Sangh and government-Sangh relations.
These relationships have acquired a sharp focus ever since the Sangh Parivar's mass conversion programme made the Modi government a target of concerted Opposition attack and media criticism and speculation grew over BJP-Sangh discussions on managing the fallout.
As reported by ET on January 2 ("RSS Quietly Dumps Ghar Wapsi Pointsman"), Rajeshwar Singh, an RSS pracharak leading the conversion campaign, has been removed from the post of programme coordinator in western UP and Uttarakhand.
Singh had himself confirmed the development to ET and had said "the Sangh is not powerful all the time". "They (Sangh leaders) may not want me now but they may want me tomorrow," he had added.
However, while responding to ET's question on whether negative publicity for the Sangh and the BJP-led government was the reason for Singh's removal, Vaidya said, "Negative publicity is not new for the Sangh. Over the years there have always been people who have projected the Sangh in bad light. Despite that we have continued to grow."
More significantly, and when asked whether BJP leaders or Modi himself had taken up the issue of conversion programmes with RSS, Vaidya said, "Decisions of the Sangh regarding its karyakartas (members) are made by the organisation based on internal matters, not because of any pressure from anybody." And on the critical question whether the PM's economic reforms agenda and RSS' core ideological concerns are mutually contradictory, in a measured but significant answer, Vaidya insisted, "There is no contradiction."
Opposition's disruption of Parliament over the conversion issue had led to derailment of the government's legislative agenda. The Modi government issued a series of ordinances on critical areas such as coal auctions, insurance liberalisation and land acquisition after Parliament's winter session ended on December 23.
Does RSS expect the Modi government to deliver on the ideological front as a return for its cadre's efforts during general elections?
To this question Vaidya answered that Sangh members "never campaigned for a particular party or individual" and that the government is expected to "deliver on promises made in the party manifesto".
These significant observations came from RSS spokesperson Manmohan Vaidya, who was responding to ET's questions on BJP-Sangh and government-Sangh relations.
These relationships have acquired a sharp focus ever since the Sangh Parivar's mass conversion programme made the Modi government a target of concerted Opposition attack and media criticism and speculation grew over BJP-Sangh discussions on managing the fallout.
As reported by ET on January 2 ("RSS Quietly Dumps Ghar Wapsi Pointsman"), Rajeshwar Singh, an RSS pracharak leading the conversion campaign, has been removed from the post of programme coordinator in western UP and Uttarakhand.
Singh had himself confirmed the development to ET and had said "the Sangh is not powerful all the time". "They (Sangh leaders) may not want me now but they may want me tomorrow," he had added.
However, while responding to ET's question on whether negative publicity for the Sangh and the BJP-led government was the reason for Singh's removal, Vaidya said, "Negative publicity is not new for the Sangh. Over the years there have always been people who have projected the Sangh in bad light. Despite that we have continued to grow."
More significantly, and when asked whether BJP leaders or Modi himself had taken up the issue of conversion programmes with RSS, Vaidya said, "Decisions of the Sangh regarding its karyakartas (members) are made by the organisation based on internal matters, not because of any pressure from anybody." And on the critical question whether the PM's economic reforms agenda and RSS' core ideological concerns are mutually contradictory, in a measured but significant answer, Vaidya insisted, "There is no contradiction."
Opposition's disruption of Parliament over the conversion issue had led to derailment of the government's legislative agenda. The Modi government issued a series of ordinances on critical areas such as coal auctions, insurance liberalisation and land acquisition after Parliament's winter session ended on December 23.
Does RSS expect the Modi government to deliver on the ideological front as a return for its cadre's efforts during general elections?
To this question Vaidya answered that Sangh members "never campaigned for a particular party or individual" and that the government is expected to "deliver on promises made in the party manifesto".
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