Refusing to comment on strained ties with PDP in Jammu and Kashmir over chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s controversial comments, Rashtriya Swayamseval Sangh (RSS) has clarified that it has not dumped the issue of Ram temple in Ayodhya. It also said merely enacting laws to ban cow slaughter by some BJP-ruled states was not enough.
“We have not abandoned the issue of Ram temple. The matter is still pending before the Supreme Court. However, court proceedings are slow and need to speed up,” Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi, RSS general secretary, said on Sunday. Mr Joshi has been reappointed to the post for the third consecutive year. He also added that RSS doesn’t feel any agitation on the issue.
On its strained relationship with PDP in J&K, Mr Joshi refused to comment, saying that given his report to the pranidhi sabha. The J&K CM had credited Pakistan for peaceful assembly elections in the state. When asked if the Sangh would give any direction to the BJP over the functioning of the coalition government in J&K, the general secretary said that they didn’t review the work of any organisations affiliated to them. “We only listen to them and give suggestions. We are not here to give directives,” Mr Joshi said.
On the issue of intervening to restrain affiliated organisations causing embarrassment to the Modi government at the Centre by taking up programmes like ‘Ghar Wapsi Karyakram’ (re-conversion campaign), the RSS general secretary said that they didn’t think any serious question had come before the government so far.
“We are happy that the Modi government has done satisfactory work. Various organisations of RSS are not attacking it. We have only brought many issues to the government’s notice,” Mr Joshi said.
