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By:

Abhijit Mulye

21 August 2024 at 11:29:11 am

‘Bharat Ratna to Savarkar will increase its prestige’

Mumbai: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Sarsanghachalak Dr. Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday threw his full weight behind the long-standing demand to confer the Bharat Ratna on Swatantryaveer Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, asserting that the Hindutva ideologue’s inclusion would enhance the dignity of the country’s highest civilian honour. Bhagwat, who explained the genesis and growth of the RSS over past 100 years in two lectures at the Nehru Centre here on Saturday and Sunday, replied to several...

‘Bharat Ratna to Savarkar will increase its prestige’

Mumbai: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Sarsanghachalak Dr. Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday threw his full weight behind the long-standing demand to confer the Bharat Ratna on Swatantryaveer Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, asserting that the Hindutva ideologue’s inclusion would enhance the dignity of the country’s highest civilian honour. Bhagwat, who explained the genesis and growth of the RSS over past 100 years in two lectures at the Nehru Centre here on Saturday and Sunday, replied to several questions. While replying to one of the questions, he remarked, “If Swatantraveer Savarkar is given the Bharat Ratna, the prestige of the Bharat Ratna itself will increase.” He was asked, why there has been a delay in conferring the Bharat Ratna on Savarkar, in reply to which, Bhagwat said, “I am not part of that committee. But if I meet someone, I will ask. Even without that honour, he rules the hearts of millions of people.” he added. Social Divisions Bhagwat replied to questions that were clubbed in 14 different groups ranging from national security to environment, social harmony, youth, arts and sports. Whenever the questions suggested or expressed expectations that the RSS should do certain things, Bhagwat stressed on the involvement of the society and initiative from the society in resolving the problems. While addressing the critical issue of Uniform Civil Code, Bhagwat stated that the UCC should be framed by taking everyone into confidence and must not lead to social divisions. In the same way while replying to the question related to illegal migrants in the country, Bhagwat urged people to “detect and report” the “illegal infiltrators” to the police. He also urged people not to give them any employment and to be more “vigilant.” Backing SIR He highlighted that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise has already revealed the “foreigners” living in the country. “The government has a lot to do regarding infiltration. They have to detect and deport. This wasn’t happening until now, but it has started little by little, and it will gradually increase. When the census or the SIR is conducted, many people come to light who are not citizens of this country; they are automatically excluded from the process,” he said. “But we can do one thing: we can work on detection. Their language gives them away. We should detect them and report them to the appropriate authorities. We should inform the police that we suspect these people are foreigners, and they should investigate and keep an eye on them, and we will also keep an eye on them. We will not give employment to any foreigner. If someone is from our country, we will give them employment, but not to foreigners. You should be a little more vigilant and aware,” he added. SC Chief Emphasising the inclusivity of the Sangh, he said that anyone can become ‘Sarsanghchalak’ (RSS chief), including the SC and STs, as the decision is solely dependent on the work that any individual put for the organisation. “Kshatriya, Vaishya, Shudra or Brahmin does not qualify for the Sarsanghchalak position (RSS Chief), a Hindu will become the one who works and is best available. A Hindu will become, and that can also be an SC or ST. Anyone can become it depends on the work. Today, if you see, all classes have representation in the Sangh. The decision is taken on the basis of one who works and is best available,” he said. He pointed out that when the RSS was founded, its work began in a Brahmin-dominated community and hence, most of its founders were Brahmins, which led to the organisation being labelled as a Brahmin outfit at the time. People always look for an organisation that has representatives from their community, he said. “If I were to choose a chief, I would go by the ‘best available candidate’ criterion. When I was appointed RSS chief, there were many best candidates, but they were not available. I was the one who could be relieved from duties and appointed,” he said. He said that to belong to the Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe communities is not a disqualification, and neither is being a Brahmin a qualification to become the RSS chief. Ready to step down if Sangh asks for Dr. Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday said the Sangh had asked him to continue working despite his age, while stressing that he would step down from the post whenever the organisation directs him to do so. “There is no election to the post of RSS chief. Regional and divisional heads appoint the chief. Generally, it is said that after turning 75, one should work without holding any post,” Bhagwat said. “I have completed 75 years and informed the RSS, but the organisation asked me to continue working. Whenever the RSS asks me to step down, I will do so, but retirement from work will never happen,” he said.

Bangladesh says it's awaiting India's response to Yunus-Modi meeting proposal

  • PTI
  • Mar 25, 2025
  • 2 min read

Dhaka: Bangladesh on Tuesday said it was awaiting a response from India to its proposal for a meeting between Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok next week.


"From our side, we are fully ready for the meeting. Now, we await a positive response from India," Foreign Secretary Md. Jashim Uddin said at a media briefing here, outlining the Chief Adviser's forthcoming visits to China and Thailand.


Dhaka earlier sent a letter to India proposing a meeting between Yunus and Modi amid a strained bilateral relation after the August 5, 2024 regime change in Bangladesh when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's 16-year Awami League regime was toppled and she virtually fled to India.


Modi and Yunus are likely to visit Thailand to attend the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) summit. Dhaka has proposed their meeting on the sidelines of the event.


Jashim Uddin acknowledged the existing ¿strain¿ in bilateral relations but said this could be overcome if a bilateral meeting is held between the two leaders.


Last week in Delhi, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said he had no update on any planned meeting between the two leaders.


Yunus will be in Bangkok to attend the BIMSTEC summit from April 2-4.


Ahead of the Bangkok visit, Yunus will travel to China on a three-day visit starting Wednesday to attend the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) annual conference in Hainan Province, a business summit nearly identical to the World Economic Forum conference in Switzerland.


The foreign ministry said Yunus was expected to hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping during his visit during which the trans-border Teesta River reservoir issue might be discussed.


India earlier expressed its reservations regarding Chinese involvement in the project during the Hasina regime.


"Teesta is not on the agenda of this visit. It is a matter of top leadership's will. However, water management is on the agenda, and there is a possibility that Teesta will come up during those discussions," the foreign secretary said.


China has previously conducted a survey to assess the scope of the proposed 'Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration' project assumed to be at the invitation of the now-deposed Hasina regime. Later, Hasina said India could carry out the project since the river is shared by the two neighbours.


Jashim Uddin said that during Yunus' China visit discussions were expected to be held on Myanmar's internal situation and the possibilities for Rohingya repatriation. The two sides also expected to ink agreements on human resource development, economic and technical cooperation, and increased media connectivity.


On military cooperation, the foreign secretary said there would be general discussions on security and potential purchases.


Responding to a question, he described China as a close friend of Bangladesh and said, "China also considers Bangladesh in the same way".

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