While Prime Minister Narendra Modi captures the imagination of the Indian diaspora as witnessed in the US last month, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh — considered to be the BJP’s ideological fountainhead — has set out to expand internationally. RSS joint general secretary Dattatrey Hosbole is reportedly travelling in Europe to establish links with Hindu groups and promote the organisation’s ideology.
Hosbole, one of the young faces from the RSS, was in France recently where he attended several programmes apart from visiting the Ramakrishna Mission Ashram and other campuses of Hindu groups. He travelled to the UK as well, said sources.
A senior RSS leader said plans were afoot to set up chapters of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) — an organisatiion with close links to the RSS — in France, Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Italy and Finland.
The HSS is registered in various countries as a voluntary, non-profit and cultural organisation but works in close coordination with RSS leaders and already has influence in 35 nations.
Though RSS publicity chief Manmohan Vaidya said the HSS was an independent body, separately registered in different countries, sources said the two organisations shared a close relationship.
They had a common ideology and hierarchical structure while members of both groups worked closely together, the sources added.
{{/usCountry}}They had a common ideology and hierarchical structure while members of both groups worked closely together, the sources added.
{{/usCountry}}The Indian diaspora has been a generous donor for the RSS and some of its key affiliates. They, on several occasions, influence the policy-making processes in the countries they are settled in.
“We try to inculcate Hindu culture in the new generation which, unlike the older people, has limited acquaintance with the Hindu society,” Vaidya told HT.