In the interview, Dr Mohan Bhagwat emphasised that Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar initiated this mission (RSS) with thoughtful deliberation. “Dr Hedgewar initiated this mission with a thoughtful deliberation. The challenges before the nation were analysed and through experience and experimentation necessary treatment was decided, which proved to be apt. By 1950, confidence was instilled about the Sangh way of functioning and Sangh work can march forward overcoming all the obstacles. In the next phase, the nationwide expansion of Sangh and the convergence of Swayamsevaks in society started”.
“In four decades, Sangh Swayamsevaks, by navigating in different walks of national life, through their character, actions and a spirit of belonging, earned the trust of society. After 1990s, it was proved that the nation can be governed on the basis of this thought and qualities. Now, the next stage is to ensure that following the same throught process and qualities, the entire society works with sincerity and selflessness, leaving aside all differences, start working for the nation to take it to the pinnacle of the glory”, he said.
Speaking on the major milestones in this 100-year journey, Dr Bhagwat said, “Initially, the Sangh had nothing. There was no recognition to its ideology or availability of means of propagation. There was nothing except neglect and opposition in the society, not even Karyakartas. Had one fed this data into a computer, it would have predicted a premature death for this entity. But the Sangh survived and successfully emerged as a resilient force after facing the challenges of saving Hindus during the Partition of the country and the ban on RSS”.
He further said that, “by 1950, it was ascertained that the Sangh’s work will continue and grow and the Hindu society can be organised with this method. Later, the Sangh’s work was expanded even more than before. The society realised the significance of Sangh’s strength during the Emergency of 1975 due to the constructive role of Sangh in restoring democracy. Later, through the participatory movements like Ekatmata Rath Yatra, Kashmir related awakening, Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mukti Andolan and Vivekananda Sardhashati (150th Anniversary) and the massive expansion of Sewa works (service activities), the sense of credibility exponentially extended towards the Sangh ideology and the Sangh across the society”.
