Sunil Ambekar, Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh (publicity in-charge) of the RSS, says the Sangh is working hard to expand across the country before the organisation’s centenary in 2025. Edited excerpts from a telephonic interview with Prerna Katiyar:
RSS would complete 100 years in 2025. What goal has it set for itself?


The work that the Sangh is doing should be available across the country for the benefit of all — that is the aim we have set for ourselves in 2024. Our swayamsevaks should reach out in places where we have no presence. Our shakhas — both daily and weekly — are our base for doing any work.

It is here that we bond, do seva karya, discuss key issues facing the nation apart from doing physical activities. We work hard to develop samajik samrasta (social harmony). The Sangh wants to work everywhere. Hence expanding our work is important. We are working wholeheartedly to achieve this goal.
Are there any particular areas where you wish to expand?

Our plan is to expand to every region of the country. Certainly, there are places where we are not very strong such as the Northeast and Tamil Nadu; we will focus on these areas. But, again, even in states such as Maharashtra we don’t have shakhas in every village — so it doesn’t mean we will not expand there.

In the Sangh vyavastha (organisation), 8-10 villages form a mandal. Our minimum goal is that the main village of each mandal should start a daily shakha or weekly milan. We have 66,000 mandal headquarters. Right now we have presence in 55,000 places and our goal is to take it to 1,00,000 by 2024.

Any plans for Kerala which reportedly saw many political killings and counter killings in the last few years?

In Kerala, the problem is not with the Sangh but with the entire society. The situation came to such a pass that the Popular Front of India (PFI) had to be banned. We have a good presence in Kerala; building on that we plan to reach every village in the state. We have always raised our voice against the growing violence in the state.

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan called Governor Arif Mohammad Khan a tool of RSS. Your comment.

I would not like to comment on this.

What about Kashmiri Pandits? Just this week, several families who had been living in Shopian left the place.

Those who are spreading terrorism have opened a war against our country. Our country is at war with such elements. Our police and armed forces are taking every step to defeat them. This is a terrorism and law-and-order issue. Our professionally trained forces are dealing with them. I agree, it is a chronic issue.

RSS Sarkaryavah (general secretary) Dattatreya Hosabale recently spoke about unemployment and rising income inequality in the society.


Dattatreyaji was addressing the Swavalambi Bharat Abhiyan programme organised by the Swadeshi Jagran Manch. The programme was started because even though there is a government policy, people in rural areas and district headquarters should come forward to take up enterprising activities so that they can benefit from the positive policy changes (by the government).

We have mobilised several organisations run by swayamsevaks as well as some business groups. There is a need to promote enterprising activities. Even the sarsanghchalak (Mohan Bhagwat) had mentioned this in his Vijayadashami address. Swayamsevaks had taken a resolution in our Pratinidhi Sabha held in March. We are taking it forward. But society-level involvement is very important to achieve this goal.

RSS seems to be reaching out to all sections of the society. But taking Dalits along still appears to be a daunting task. The 22 vows of Ambedkar (which ask Buddhist followers to have no faith in Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh and so on) seem to be one of the biggest hurdles.

The Sangh works for samta and samrasta (equality and harmony) and for this we are continually active. People from all sections of society are becoming swayamsevaks and these swayamsevaks are reaching out to all sections of the society. The first thing is to give them equal opportunity — for this we are working on various projects. Many programmes are being run to promote intermingling of people so that they get to know each other.

We are holding samajik sadbhav baithaks in every district and we are also discussing how to resolve this pressing issue. But the solution can be reached only when we all sit together and discuss. Our swayamsevaks are working with society and running many service projects so that no one remains helpless or in abhav (deprivation). Multipronged work is being done by our swayamsevaks to create an environment of equality and opportunity for all.

Do you think there is a delay in the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act?

I would not like to comment on this.

The Sangh has been reaching out to minorities.

The Sangh does not believe in a minority-majority binary. All are equal citizens of this country. Sarsanghchalakji has said this many times: that our ancestors are the same, our DNA is the same, our history is the same. And that is why we consider everyone as our own. This is why we are always ready to be in dialogue with everyone and for everyone.

In his last Vijayadashami address Mohan Bhagwat talked about the need to give important roles to women. There were reports that a woman may be appointed as seh sarkaryavah (joint general secretary) by 2025.

First of all, let me clarify that the report carried by a Hindi daily last month about a woman being likely to be named as she sarkaryavah is false. Bhagwatji did not say that. But let me add: women may not be present in shakhas but they are active through the Rashtra Sevika Samiti and many RSS-inspired organisations. As of now there is no structure for the same (a woman as seh sarkaryavah); the current structure is what it is.

Today giving women key roles may seem easy but Doctorji (KB Hedgewar), ahead of his time, inspired and supported the Sevika Samiti which was started in 1936 — a revolutionary idea in those days. The Sangh functions in an organic way and not like a political party. It may appear to be slow. Guruji (MS Golwalkar) himself inspired the system of coeducation in ABVP — which was the first organisation of the Sangh — at a time when coeducation was not very common. Even today, some of the key posts in ABVP, VHP and BMS are held by women.