'Congress-mukt Bharat' a political slogan, RSS does not exclude anyone, says Mohan Bhagwat

In February 2018, PM Modi had said in Parliament that he was pursuing Mahatma Gandhi's dream of a 'Congress-mukt Bharat'.

File photo (PTI)

Pune: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday said slogans like 'Congress-mukt Bharat' were mere political phrases. "These are political slogans. It is not the language of the RSS. The word 'mukt' (free) is used in politics. We never use the language of excluding anyone," he said.

The RSS chief was in Pune to launch six books written by Dnyaneshwar Mulay, a 1983-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, who is currently secretary (Consular, Passport, Visa and Overseas Indian Affairs) in the Ministry of External Affairs.

"We have to include everyone in the process of nation building including those who oppose us," he added, according to PTI.

Stressing the need for a "positive approach" to bring about change, Bhagwat said those with a negative approach would think only of conflicts and divisions. "Such a person is not at all useful in the process of nation-building. If one has faith in himself, his family and the country, he can work towards inclusive nation-building process," Bhagwat said.

Launching an all-out attack against the Congress in February 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said in Parliament that he was pursuing Mahatma Gandhi's dream of a 'Congress-mukt Bharat'.

"I want India of Gandhi's dream. And Gandhi had said since the country has got independence, now Congress is not required and should be disbanded. This 'Congress-mukt Bharat' is Gandhi's dream. We are trying to follow the path shown by him," he had said.

PM Modi had also sought to corner the Congress on a host of other issues while replying to debate on the Motion of Thanks for the President's address.

However, earlier in January 2018, while talking to an English news channel, he had said that the slogan of 'Congress-free India' was not about eliminating the main Opposition party politically, but was about getting the country rid of the 'Congress culture'. PM Modi had termed them as casteist, dynastic and corrupt, among other things. 

He had added that his call for 'Congress mukt' was 'symbolic'. PM Modi had further said that he wants even the Congress to be free of the 'Congress culture'. 

On the other hand, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had said in March 2018 that the Assembly poll results in three Northeastern states showed that the country was moving fast in the direction of becoming 'Congress-mukt'. He had said that the results had proved that 'Congress-mukt Bharat' was not just a slogan but a reality. 

(With PTI inputs)