RSS for use of mother tongue as mode of education

Bengaluru: The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) prefers the mother tongue to be a mode of education and day-to-day communication, Sangh's joint general secretary C R Mukunda said on Friday amid a raging row on the Hindi language and described the debate over delimitation "politically motivated".

The RSS leader also launched a veiled attack against DMK, which has been opposing the three-language formula under the National Education Policy, saying forces challenging national unity were a "matter of worry".

Addressing a press conference on the RSS' top decision-making body --Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS) three-day meeting that began here on Friday, Mukunda said "intense discussions on some of the contemporary and burning issues", including Manipur situation and attempts to create the 'North-South divide' in the country, will be held.

The meeting was inaugurated by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat.

When asked about the three-language row, Mukanda said the Sangh would not pass any resolution and maintained that the organisation prefers the mother tongue to be a mode of education and day-to-day communication.

On the delimitation debate, he said it was "politically motivated", and the RSS has no say on the number of seats but asserted that forces challenging national unity were a matter of worry.

"As an organisation, we are concerned about the forces which are challenging national unity, especially raising the North-South divide, whether it is about delimitation or languages," Mukunda said.

The RSS volunteers and functionalities of different organisations related to the 'Vichar Parivar' are trying their best to bring harmony, especially in southern states.

He said the meeting will be attended by heads of 32 affiliated organisations of the RSS.

"Manipur has been going through a rough patch for the past 20 months, but there is some hope today. As we go through the decisions of the central government, some of which are political and some of which are administrative, it has raised hopes for the people of Manipur," Mukunda said.

He said the RSS has been analysing the situation and it believes that "it will take a long time for a natural atmosphere to be created".

To a query, Mukunda said efforts are on to bring together the two tribal groups of Meitis and Kukis, which are fighting. He also noted that there is a need to solve many things politically and some decisions have to be taken by the Centre.

"They (Government of India) are doing their work and we are trying to bring communities together. We are trying to achieve some harmony. We held many relief camps," he explained.

President's rule was imposed in strife-torn Manipur on February 13 and the state assembly put under suspended animation, days after Chief Minister N Biren Singh resigned from his post that led to political uncertainty in the northeastern state.

The Manipur assembly, which has a tenure till 2027, has been put under suspended animation.

He also said that "as an organisation, we are concerned about the forces which are challenging national unity, especially raising the North-South divide, whether it is about delimitation or languages."

He said RSS volunteers and functionalities of different organisations related to the 'Vichar Parivar' are trying their best to bring harmony, especially in southern states.

To a question on the RSS' stand on the row over language, especially when southern states are saying that their language is being sidelined, Mukunda said the RSS prefers the use of the mother tongue not only for education but also for daily activities.

"RSS has not passed any resolution as to whether there should be a two-language or three-language system. We had passed a resolution earlier on our mother tongue," he said.

The Tamil Nadu government has been opposing the three-language formula under the National Education Policy, claiming that it was an attempt to impose Hindi.

Regarding the persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh, Mukunda said the matter would be taken up for discussion in the next three days.

On the National Register of Citizens, he said the RSS opines that there should be an identity of those living in this country, but they will not pass any resolution on it.

On RSS completing 100 years this year, he said the focus will be more on expansion and consolidation than celebration. The top functionaries will also review the social impact of the RSS in bringing a transformation in society.

He said that RSS has grown manifold in the last year.

According to him, the number of Shakhas in Tamil Nadu has crossed 4,000 this year.

Mukunda also claimed that there is resistance to the RSS Shakhas in some places for political and not religious or cultural reasons.

"Presently, there are 83,129 active Shakhas, which is over 10,000 more than what we had last year," he explained. There are daily activities taking place at 51,710 places and weekly activities at 21,936 locations.

He said the RSS viewpoint on the Kumbh Mela at Prayagraj was that it has heightened cultural pride and raised the self-confidence of Indians.

"It was a wonderful glimpse of Bharat's spirituality and cultural heritage. The Uttar Pradesh government and the Government of Bharat deserve congratulations for creating and running the whole Kumbh Mela with smooth infrastructure and management," the RSS functionary said.