Not Modi but national issues to be highlighted: RSS to cadres

Narendra Modi may be virtually an unquestioned leader in the BJP but RSS feels that its cadres need not get into the personality-driven campaign of the party during the current election.

"NaMo is not our issue. Our focus is highlighting the issues before the nation.... We have our limits to keep in mind as we are not a political party," RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat said addressing its annual session in Bangalore that concluded on Sunday.

RSS Spokesman Ram Madhav while quoting from the RSS Chief's speech said he had stated that the country has been facing serious threats due to "utter misrule" in the last ten years which should be raised among the people by the "social" organisation, insisting that it should not be construed as a comment on BJP's poll strategy of highlighting Modi.

"The Swayamsewaks should strive to put an end to this misrule. For the RSS, the issues before the nation are important, not necessarily the individuals. The RSS Swayamsewaks have to go to people highlighting the challenges before the country and need for a change," Madhav said quoting Bhagwat.

He was commenting on reports that Bhagwat told the Bangalore meet that it was not the RSS job to chant "NaMo, NaMo", a reference to the BJP's prime ministerial candidate."The interpretation being given to certain parts of the RSS Chief address to karyakartas were misrepresentation of the factual position," he said.

"This should not be construed as a comment on the BJP's poll strategy of highlighting a poll leader," Madhav said.

He said there RSS chief told the gathering that these are not the issues of RSS but of the BJP as RSS is a social organisation and not a political entity and its style of functioning is different.

Madhav later tweeted, "Wrong interpretation being given to Bhagwatji address 2 RSS workers. He only said Sangh focus will be issues while Party can have its own focus".

Another RSS leader Virag Pachpor said the statement of RSS Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat regarding direction to RSS activists should be seen in the context of RSS' "goal".

"The goal of RSS is to organise the entire society not a particular section and take this country to the pinnacle of glory and therefore, this target, this objective, this mission of RSS should not get over shadowed by narrow political considerations. That is the intent of the statement."

He pointed out that Bhagwat had already said that RSS activists should ensure maximum percentage of voting in national interest and to strengthen democratic process in the country.

"If this is so, it naturally means that the RSS people will go out, educate the voters, tell them to vote for the national interest. That is the meaning of this.

"It is not intended to negate any personality, to negate any party. It is a positive statement that we must ensure maximum percentage of voting in the national interest in the interest of democracy," Pachpor said.