'RSS agenda not hidden'

By Arunkumar Bhatt

NAGPUR, MARCH 12. One can accuse the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) of anything but having a hidden agenda for it openly asserts not only its long- term and determined plan for the Hindu revivalism, Indianisation of everything which it thinks is foreign and evolving a Indo- centric development plan - rejecting both, socialism and capitalism and in the process also globalisation.

The new Sarsanghchalak, Mr. K.S. Sudarshan, in his first open session address to all activists here on Saturday night called it a beginning of the fifth celebration in the 75-year-long history of the organisation.

What would be the place of the Muslims and Christians in the State of the RSS model? Mr. Sudarshan reiterated the old view in his first press conference. ``These non-Hindus are not foreigners but ex-Hindus, they are Indians but their faiths will have to be Indianised,'' he said. Mr. Sudarshan said the spread of Christianity had undermined nationalism in many countries and the conversions had political ends.

`Lighter job' for Sheshadri

Dr. Mohan Bhagwat, who was elected the new general secretary of the RSS on Saturday night, has a 22-member central executive, inducting five new faces and shuffling charges of his colleagues. But he retained his predecessor, Mr. H.V. Sheshadri, in the lower post of a joint general secretary.

Another joint general secretary, Mr. Madan Das Devi, who briefed the press, said it was not his demotion but allotment of a lighter task in view of his frail health.

Prof. Rajendra Singh is among the four special invitees of the executive, including stalwarts such as Mr. Moropant Pingale and former services chief, Mr. Suryanarayan Rao.

The key post of chief instructor of physical training has gone to a new entrant, Mr. Sakalchand Bagrecha of Bellari, a chartered accountant and his joint chief is Mr. Ramchandra Sahastrabhojne.

Mr. Suresh Ketkar, a joint general secretary in the outgoing executive, now succeeds Mr. Bhagwat as the chief organiser. Mr. Ranga Hari of Kerala continues to be the chief of ideological activities and so does his joint-chief, Dr. Shripati Shashtri.

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