After a three-day “coordination” meeting with the top brass of the government and the BJP, the RSS on Friday said the Modi government was moving in the right direction with commitment and dedication and rejected criticism that it was acting like a “remote control”.
The Sangh Parivar’s founthead said it was not reviewing the government’s performance but was only giving “inputs” to ministers, who are swayamsevaks, and it has a right to do so.
“Only 14 months have passed. There is more time and a lot more is to be done. Whatever has been done so far, the direction is right, dedication, commitment and achievements are good. We have to move forward. There cannot be 100 per cent satisfaction for everyone,” RSS joint general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale told a press conference.
“We are not reviewing nor are we giving any message to the government. We are only sharing inputs,” he said.
The three-day “coordination” exercise brought the RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and top Sangh leaders face-to-face with the top brass of the government and the BJP, including senior Ministers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated towards the end of the dialogue.
Replying to questions about criticism that RSS was giving directions to the government and ministers were violating the oath of secrecy by reporting to the RSS, he said, “We are not an illegal organisation. We are also citizens of the country.
“We have every right to ask ministers, who are also swayamsevaks. Where is the question of secrecy. Swayamsevaks have become ministers.”
Asked about Congress criticism that RSS was acting like a remote control, he shot back saying “what Congress says we need not reply. They were run on remote control. So they have no moral right to talk about us.”
Justifying the interaction with the government representatives, he said, the media does not make any issue when ministers go to CII or FICCI or other events.
To a question, Mr. Hosabale said the RSS would wait for construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya as per government’s time-table as the issue was pending before the Supreme Court.
Modi attends RSS meet
Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the meeting on the third and final day of the first of its kind deliberations where a broad range of issues have figured.
Several top ministers of Modi government have participated in the deliberations on key issues including internal security, naxal problem and situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj, Manohar Parrikar, Venkaiah Naidu and Anant Kumar were among senior Union Ministers who attended the deliberations where they spoke about the measures taken by them in relation to the issues raised by the RSS and its affiliates.
