SRINAGAR: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has defended remarks made by senior RSS leader Dattatreya Hosabale advocating the need to keep channels of dialogue open with Pakistan, clarifying that the emphasis was on engaging with the people of the neighbouring country rather than endorsing its policies.
Addressing an interactive session in Thiruvananthapuram as part of the centenary celebrations of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Bhagwat said the organisation does not maintain an independent foreign policy and fully adheres to the policy adopted by the Union Government regarding Pakistan.
Responding to questions over Hosabale’s comments made during an interview in May, Bhagwat said that despite strained relations between the two countries, there are many voices within Pakistan that reject the ideology behind Partition.
“There are many people in Pakistan who believe that the Partition of Bharat was wrong. Several journalists there openly appreciate the RSS and its work. There exists an undercurrent of people who oppose the two-nation theory and believe that living together was a better option,” Bhagwat said.
The RSS chief stated that if circumstances ever led to Pakistan being defeated beyond recovery, the people of that country would either have to be integrated into Bharat or allowed to live peacefully within their own nation.
“For that, the doors of dialogue need to remain open,” he remarked.
Emphasising India’s civilisational values, Bhagwat said the country does not subscribe to the philosophy of hatred or destruction.
“We are not like Hitler. That is not our nature or our way. We should eliminate injustice and tyranny, but we must also preserve whatever is good,” he said.
Reiterating the RSS position, Bhagwat underlined that the organisation’s views on international matters align with those of the Government of India and that it does not formulate separate diplomatic policies.
Earlier, in an interview, senior RSS functionary Dattatreya Hosabale had stated that while India’s security and national self-respect must be protected, engagement with Pakistan should not be completely ruled out.
“The Government of the day should take care of the country’s security and dignity. But at the same time, we need not close the doors. We should always be ready to engage them in dialogue,” Hosabale had said while responding to a question on how India should deal with Pakistan and its continued sponsorship of terrorism.
Bhagwat’s remarks come amid ongoing debates over India’s approach towards Pakistan, balancing national security concerns with the possibility of future engagement and dialogue. (KNC)
