Jaipur/New Delhi: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat
on Wednesday prescribed "chemotherapy" or "surgery" for BJP's revival but the remark did not go well with its president Rajnath
Singh, who said it is an opinion of a man "who is out of his
mind."
"As far as BJP is concerned, whatever surgery, medicine,
chemotherapy is essential for them, it has to be diagnosed by
them (BJP)," Bhagwat told a press conference in Jaipur.
But Rajnath fired an unsavoury remark to suggest that the
prescription for his party's revival after the Lok Sabha
debacle must be a view by none other than a mad man.
"Who says this? Who is out of his mind?," Rajnath said in
New Delhi.
Rajnath gave this response when asked to comment on some
people saying BJP needed "chemotherapy" or "surgery"
Asked if the party needed surgery, Rajnath said, "Not at
all, who says that?"
On whether the morale of party workers is low, he shot
back, "Our morale is high. Who is saying like this?"
However, senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi said, "The
doctor can only talk about treatment, we are patients."
Replying to questions, Bhagwat said RSS was not
responsible for the sorry state of affairs in BJP.
On the defiance shown by former chief minister Vasundhara
Raje, who resigned from the post of Leader of the Opposition
nine weeks after being asked to step down, Bhagwat said it was
for BJP and its leadership to find a solution.
On the issue of 'Marathi manoos', which was a key issue
during the Maharashtra polls, the RSS chief said, "Every
Indian belongs to India. There are various languages and
religions which have their own identity. Hindutva for us is
considering them as part of one (entity) and we do not believe
in things like Marathi pride."
Bhagwat said RSS workers were trying to achieve a better
coordination with BJP and fill up gaps, if any.
On his meeting with former Vice President B S Shekhawat,
the RSS chief said there was nothing political in it.Shekhawat
has been a Swayamsevak and at present he is not keeping too
well, he said.
Asked about his controversial statement in Delhi recently
that BJP could rise from the ashes, Bhagwat said he had never
meant that BJP should first be reduced to cinders and then it
should rise from the ashes.
"I run RSS shakha and it is not my job to advise any party
...I do not play politics nor am I an astrologer who could
predict when the party would rise from the ashes," he said.
Bhagwat said, "BJP can rise from a scratch, it has a
strong capability".
On the outcome of recent assembly polls in three states,
he said politicians should respect the public mandate what
ever it might be.
On the India-China border issue, the RSS leader said,
"India should be aware of China's activities on the borders.
From the very beginning RSS has been warning the Union
Government over China's expansionist designs, but it has not
been heard.
"For the last 50 years China has followed a policy to
acquire the land and territory."
On the alleged involvement of "Sanatan Sanstha" in the
Goa blast, he said, "No such allegation has yet been proved.
RSS has nothing to do with the Sanatan group. Without proof no
one can be blamed. The Sanatan people have been working there
for a long time."
Bhagwat said, "It is easy to blame any organisation or put
a terror tag to it as no one can hold the tongue of anyone.
Such irrelevant talk should be avoided unless there is strong
and valid proof against it."
Asked if reservation should continue, he said a committee
be set up to make an overall assessment of the policy and
favoured benefits going to the economically deprived
regardless of any caste, creed or gender.
On former Union Minister Jaswant Singh's ouster from BJP,
Bhagwat said he is still to complete reading his book on
Mohammad Ali Jinnah. "RSS stand on Jinnah has not changed. I
will not repeat what has been stated in the book."
About Congress' show in Maharashtra, Haryana and Arunachal
Pradesh, he said RSS does not believe in passing judgement
about others.
Replying to a question on the RSS dress code, he said
while the 'khakhi' shorts will not change into trousers, the
belt may be altered.
"There has been a consensus among RSS leaders that the
half-pant style should be kept as such, while the leather belt
could find an alternative. A leather belt is some time tough
to wear. We want to replace it with a cheaper and non-leather
item," he said.
Asked if there was a decline in RSS 'shakhas', he said due
to working conditions, swayamsevaks might be missing morning
meetings, but he is definitely attending either the evening or
a weekly one.
During the Emergency period in 1975-76, RSS was holding
10,000 shakhas every day, but now the number has swollen to 2
lakh with a participation of 8 to 10 lakh sevaks, he added.
Bureau Report
First Published: Wednesday, October 28, 2009, 00:28