The RSS on Wednesday said India would be well served by evolving a swadeshi model of development, based on self-reliance, as a response to a COVID-19 -affected world, while still believing in the concept of Vasudaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one). It said it was time to write “bright new chapters of the new world as one, without any discrimination” and “without creating any feeling of ‘otherisation’ and ‘exclusion’.”
RSS joint general secretary Dattatreya Hosabele put these views at a video-conference interaction with members of the foreign press , including Wall Street Journal , Bloomberg, Agence France-Presse, ARD (German television) and the Deutsche Presse-Agentur. The interaction lasted for more than an hour. Mr. Hosabele, himself in Bengaluru, took some questions.
He said a detailed investigation should take place into the origins of the novel coronavirus and the world should come together to avoid such emergencies in future and create “new regimes to deal with them, involving responsible individuals, organisations and countries”.
Responding to a question on the issues of the minorities and their treatment during the pandemic, he clarified, “Muslims are a part and parcel of our nation and RSS volunteers helped them during the lockdown without any discrimination. The RSS looks at all communities, including Muslims, as brothers.”
He dismissed suggestions of discrimination, and said leaders of the community were in touch with the RSS and many had complimented RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on his remarks that the entire community should not be blamed for the mistakes of a “few” . “It is time to fight the enemy of humanity successfully and write bright new chapters of the new world as one people without any discrimination. However, we have to be cautious against such forces as are inimical and antithetical to this oneness, and expose their intent without creating any feeling of ‘otherisation’ and ‘exclusion’,” he said.
A background note released by the RSS after the interaction said Mr. Hosabele spoke at length on a new model of self-reliance. “In this indigenous model, local resources, workforce and needs would be integrated into the economic activity, taking into account the ecological considerations,” he said, adding that the pandemic had exposed the limits of both global capitalism and global communism as models.
Mr. Hosabele also gave an account of the social work done by the RSS during the lockdown. “Over 3,24,000 swayamsevaks are carrying out various seva [help and relief] activities at 67,336 places and till now, about 50,48,088 families and individuals have benefited by these activities. Over 3.17 crore meals have been served by our swayamsevaks...” he said. Over 3.17 crore meals have been served by our swayamsevaks and 44,54,555 masks have been distributed,” he said.
