PATNA: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday said that while Indian Army may take six to seven months to get ready for a war, his organisation can assemble an army in just three days, if necessary.
“If the nation faces such an emergency and the Constitution allows it, RSS is ready to tackle any crisis confronting the nation. The Army may take six to seven days to prepare for a war, but RSS can put together an army in just three days, if necessary,” said Bhagwat in his address to RSS cadres and leaders in Muzaffarpur. “It is within RSS’s powers to do so,” he added.
Bhagwat, who is currently on a ten-day tour of Bihar and meeting farmers and activists of various wings of his organisation, however, denied that RSS is a military outfit. “We are a family organisation, but we have discipline and preparedness like in the military. RSS workers are ready to happily sacrifice their lives for the nation in times of crisis,” he said in his speech at the Zilla School grounds in Muzaffarpur.
“The day India becomes a powerful Hindu nation, there will be no need for RSS. Members of RSS would then keep meeting one another as friends do as usual,” added the 67-year-old leader as he outlined the objectives and duties of RSS activists. He has been in Muzaffarpur for the past five days and speaking to various groups of people on the benefits of cow protection and organic farming.
Encouraging the youth to join RSS, he said anyone who attends the shakhas of the organisation becomes capable of handling all kinds of challenges in their lives. “Every Indian should attend the RSS shakhas everyday. If not daily, then at least once every month. If time is too scarce, then they should follow the six basic tenets of RSS,” he added.
Bihar’s main Opposition party RJD took exception to Bhagwat’s statement about the Army and demanded that he tender an apology immediately. “Indian Army is a highly respected organisation with countless sacrifices for the nation. Bhagwat has denigrated the Army by saying RSS is more capable than it. He must apologise for his words immediately,” said RJD spokesperson Mrityunjay Tiwari.
RSS and BJP leaders said the party led by the jailed Lalu Prasad Yadav is “incapable of understanding the ideal of patriotism”. Senior RSS leader Dr Mohan said: “There is nothing objectionable in what the RSS chief has said. It is natural that some people are unable to understand”.