LUCKNOW: Calling upon those who do not believe in the ideology of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb to join the Sangh and attend its ‘Shakhas’, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said the organisation welcomes all who pay respect to ‘Bharat Mata’ and the ‘Bhagwa Jhanda’ (saffron flag).
While replying to a query from a participant at a Shakha during his four-day ‘Pravas’ in the Kashi regional unit, the RSS chief reiterated the need for forming a strong society by ending caste discrimination, environmental, economic and other issues.
While responding to a query over the participation of Muslims in Shakhas, Bhagwat said they all were welcome with the only condition being that each one coming to join Shakha should have no hesitation in chanting ‘Bharat Mata Jai’ and must show respect for the saffron flag.
The RSS chief said that Indians might have different religious practices and lifestyle but their culture was same. He added that people from all faiths, sects and castes in India were welcome at the Shakhas.
Bhagwat also visited Padma Shri recipient litterateur late Ramchandra Verma’s home, ‘Shabdlok’, and met local intelligentsia. Verma’s grandson, Deepak Kapoor, said he and his entire family felt blessed to have Bhagwat at their home on the auspicious occasion of Ramnavami.
Bhagwat also held a meeting with Vedic scholars of Kashi when he mobilised them to work hard to achieve the goal of making India a Vishwa Guru. While interacting with 94 IITians and 28 professors of BHU, the RSS chief exhorted them to visit different villages by taking time out of their busy schedule. He said Sangh was preparing to hold Shakhas in 58000 village panchayats across UP.
During his ‘pravas’ (stay) in Kashi, Bhagwat gave the message of being on same page with the BJP over Hindutva. On Monday, the RSS chief reached state capital Lucknow and he would visit Lakhimpur Kheri where he would visit Kabir Dham and meet Asang Dev Maharaj. He would then proceed to Kanpur and finally to Braj region on Tuesday.
In Lucknow, the RSS chief is believed to meet the sulking and inactive Sangh functionaries of Awadh Prant while redefining their role in the pariwar. He would also reviewing the preparations for Sangh’s centenary celebrations due for next year.