'Hindus never invaded any country': Dattatreya Hosabale in US

Speaking during a visit to the US, he asserted that Hindus have historically neither invaded nor subjugated other nations, and therefore 'have nothing to apologise for'.

New Delhi: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale on Friday dismissed charges of Hindu supremacism against the saffron outfit, contending that Hindu philosophy is rooted in the principle of universal oneness.

Speaking during a visit to the United States, he asserted that Hindus have historically neither invaded nor subjugated other nations, and therefore “have nothing to apologise for”.

Hosabale was speaking at the Hudson Institute in the American capital. “Hindu philosophy and culture are not always supremacist... We see the oneness in everybody, be it a living or a non-living thing. When that is the basic philosophy of Hindus, there cannot be supremacism. In history, Hindus have never invaded any country or enslaved any people. Hindus have nothing to apologise for,” he said.

Hosabale described the RSS as a “people’s voluntary movement” inspired by the civilisational and cultural values of ancient India. He said the RSS conducts daily and weekly one-hour assemblies to build character, self-confidence and a sense of community service among its volunteers, and that its network has established close to 40,000 civic institutions engaged in social work across the country.

Pushing back against what he termed a narrative built “knowingly or unknowingly, or as part of an agenda,” Hosabale also said that American perceptions of India was misplaced, saying the country was far more than its stereotyped image. “India is also a tech hub... India is the fourth-largest economy in the world. These things are somehow missed in the common American perception,” he said.

When asked about social tensions with minority communities and with neighbouring countries, Hosabale said that such friction is a result of political interests and historical misinterpretations rather than doctrinal hostility, and said the RSS remains engaged in ongoing dialogues with minority groups to address such misgivings.

Hosabale also spoke for stronger bilateral relations between India and the United States, and said that mutual trust, a level playing field in trade and commerce, and better ties among the people of both countries could serve as key pillars of a fruitful partnership.