Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) will have “no objection” if its members participate in efforts concerning the Krishna Janmabhoomi in Mathura, and the Kashi Vishwanath-Gyanvapi dispute, said RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale.
Hosabale, however, cautioned against large-scale reclamation efforts targeting all mosques, while speaking to the RSS mouthpiece Vikrama in Kannada. He further emphasised the need to avoid societal discord.
Vikrama quoted him in Kannada, saying, “At that time [in 1984], VHP, saints and seers spoke of three temples. If a section of our swayamsevaks want to join forces in the case of these three temples [Krishna Janmabhoomi in Mathura, Kashi Vishwanath-Gyanvapi in Varanasi, and Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya], then we will not stop them.”
While the RSS General Secretary acknowledged the concerns over cow slaughter, love jihad, and religious conversions, he stressed the imperative need to shift focus towards issues like eliminating untouchability, preservation of culture among youth, safeguarding indigenous languages, and other such challenges of contemporary times.
‘Wonderful if everyone learned Sanskrit’
While the language policy is taking the Indian polity by storm, Hosabale has advocated for Sanskrit as a language connecting Indians. “In a vast country like this, it would be wonderful if everyone learned Sanskrit. Even Dr Ambedkar had advocated it,” he reportedly told Vikrama.
On the three-language policy, he firmly endorsed the trilingual approach and said it was a solution to 95% of linguistic disputes. He batted for preserving “Bharatiya” languages and said that the present generation’s fascination with English is primarily for practical reasons.
“All our languages have produced profound literary works… If future generations do not read and write in these languages, how will they survive?” he asked.
Further, he said that “there is no harm in learning a language spoken by many people.” “Today, every soldier learns Hindi. Those who need employment learnt the language of the respective state. The problem arose when this was turned into an issue of imposition due to politics and opposition. Hasn’t Bharat remained unified for thousands of years despite linguistic diversity? Language seems to have turned into a ‘problem’ only in today’s day and age,” he added.
