RASHTRIYA SWAYAMSEWAK Sangh (RSS) chief KS Sudarshan called upon Hindus to smash caste barriers and ensure social harmony. He dismissed the charge that the RSS played a marginal role in the country’s independence.
He was addressing the ‘Virat Hindu Sangam’ on the occasion of the birth centenary celebration of RSS patriarch Guru Madhav Rao Sadashiv Rao Golwalkar here late on Sunday evening.
The ceremony coincided with the conclusion of a three-day meeting of the RSS’ Akhil Bharatiya Karyakari Mandal (ABKM) here. Sudarshan outlined Golwalkar’s contribution to bringing about social change among different castes in his lifetime. He exhorted Hindus to take a cue from Golwalkar and dismantle caste barriers.
“We need to respect people, irrespective of their caste, and invite lower caste people to join our religious celebrations,” Sudarshan told the gathering, which was attended among others by Sah Sanghchalak Mohan Rao Bhagwat, besides top Vishwa Hindu Parishad leaders Ashok Singhal and Pravin Togadia.
He said, “Invite safai karamcharis and people who wash your utensils to functions like Diwali, Dusshera, Raksha Bandhan etc. Sit and eat food with them.”
{{/usCountry}}He said, “Invite safai karamcharis and people who wash your utensils to functions like Diwali, Dusshera, Raksha Bandhan etc. Sit and eat food with them.”
{{/usCountry}}“This is extremely necessary for smashing caste barriers and bringing social harmony to the country,” he said.
He added the process of inviting weaker sections of the society to our homes should begin from “our own families”.
He dismissed the theory that only Congressmen were involved in India’s Independence movement. He said RSS activists were equally part of the movement.
He cited an instance of how Aruna Asif Ali was given shelter by RSS activist Lala Hans Raj in Delhi during the independence movement.