If RSS had to do politics, its founders would have established political party: Sunil Ambekar

New Delhi [India], January 15 : The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which is often accused of exerting a political influence on the Bharatiya Janata Party, has said that if the Sangh wanted to do politics, its founders would have set up a political party.
Speaking at a conclave organised by RSS-linked weekly 'Panchjanya', RSS leader Sunil Ambekar said that the organisation is known for its patriotism and devotion to the country.
"Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is known for its patriotism. For one who is known to be devoted to the country, I think the Sangh doesn't need to answer about it. The general public of the country knows this very well," he said.
"When the Sangh was established, its aim was to serve this country and to save the country from all the traumas that have befallen the country. And the aim of the Sangh was the independence of the country. If the Sangh wanted to do politics, Dr Hedgewar ji, who was the founder of the Sangh, would have established a political party," Ambekar added.
Highlighting that the need for a political party was being fulfilled by the Congress party under British rule, Ambekar said that there was a need for "building a human being" which led to the formation of RSS.
"It was clear to him that the need of politics in the country is probably being fulfilled by Congress at that time or many other efforts are being made. The need was that along with it the work of building a human being should start and hence Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh was started," he said.
He took a swipe at Congress for the Emergency and said that the party changed the Constitution and that the people should know who were the ones to "restore" the Constitution.
"It has been 75 years of independence, it should also be seen who changed the constitution of the country and who restored the constitution when emergency was imposed on the country," he said.
Stating that the people of the country appreciate the work of the Sangh, the RSS leader said that people are associated with the organisation to take the country forward.
"It should be seen that in all the attacks that took place in the country, where was the Sangh at that time, and where were the other people? This is a matter to be understood in great detail. The general public of the whole country has appreciated the works of the Sangh, today in every corner of the country, in every district, the whole society is associated with the Sangh. And under the leadership of the society, the volunteers are continuously engaged in the task of taking the country forward," he said.
The RSS leader slammed the one-way narrative of the involvement of "only a few people" in the country's independence and said that there were countless people who contribute to the freedom.
"It was propagated in our country that independence was achieved because of only a few people, but there are many countless people whom we can call unsung. Not only volunteers, but big leaders have also had to face harassment," he said.
Responding to the allegation that the tricolour is not hoisted at the RSS headquarters, Ambekar said that the organisation has been following the country's Constitution and its symbols.
"After independence, this country adopted the constitution. We have also done the same. We have adopted the constitution and the symbols of the constitution. The tricolor is also hoisted at the union office," he said.
"In 1990, when the tricolor flag was burnt in Srinagar, then wherever the tricolor is insulted, we will respect it, with this slogan we agitated in our college life, and all the people of the whole union were with us," Ambekar added.