RSS did not initiate Ram Janmbhoomi movement: Sangh leader

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale has denied involvement of the Hindutva outfit in initiating the ‘Ram Janmabhoomi movement’, adding that the organization only supported it.

He said that many sadhus, saints and mathadhipatis asked for Sangh’s support in reclaiming Ram Janmabhoomi.

"They approached Sangh for support, and we agreed that, from a cultural perspective, reclaiming Ram Janmabhoomi and building a temple was necessary,” Hosabale said in an interview with a weekly magazine in Karnataka.

“At the time, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and dharma gurus spoke about three temples. If some Sangh swayamsevaks are involved in efforts related to these three temples, the Sangh is not stopping them,” he added.

He further urged to move further as a society and not stay stuck in the past.

“But if we talk about all the other mosques and structures, should we start digging up 30,000 mosques and attempt to reverse history? Would that not create more hostility and resentment in society? Should we move forward as a society or stay stuck in the past?" he added.

Ram Janmabhoomi movement was led by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), that gained momentum in the early 1990s, eventually leading to the demolition of the Babri Masjid on December 6, 1992 in Ayodhya.

Hosabale also urged political parties to have patriotism as a common foundation for all political parties.

“We should not categorise people in one party as patriots and those in another as traitors. Patriotism and nationalism should be the common foundation for all parties. But, Many, without reasoning, have accepted what foreigners have said about our country,” the RSS leader said.

"Leaders like Deendayal Upadhyay, Ram Manohar Lohia, Mahatma Gandhi, Madan Mohan Malaviya, and Swami Sampurnanand practiced politics rooted in culture. However, their followers have failed to uphold it or have succumbed to self-interest,” he added.

Talking about the Sangh, Hosabale said the Shakha is a system that was devised over a century ago for man-making.
Referring to the founder of RSS, Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, Hosabale recounted his contributions to freedom movement and various other activities.

"Dr Hedgewar must have thought deeply about this system. The Shakha is a completely open, daily one-hour activity held in public spaces. It is extremely simple and has no secrets. However, while it is simple, it is not easy. Though the Shakha format is straightforward, it requires daily participation for years, making it difficult to sustain. It demands a certain mindset, discipline, dedication, and perseverance without expecting immediate results,” he said.