JOIN USAt a time when Rahul Gandhi has stepped up attack on the Sangh fountainhead, the RSS on Monday indicated it is not averse to inviting the Congress president and senior Opposition leaders like Sitaram Yechury to its three-day seminar in New Delhi.
The RSS is organising a seminar titled 'Future of Bharat: An RSS Perspective' from September 17 to 19 where the organisation's chief Mohan Bhagwat will deliver the main address and interact with select audience comprising prominent citizens.
Sources said that the idea is to invite people from different ideologies for the event and the list is being prepared.
The indication of inviting Rahul came days after the Congress chief linked the RSS with the Muslim Brotherhood during one of his interactions with India diaspora in the United Kingdom.
RSS' idea is "similar to that of Muslim Brotherhood" in the Arab world and that it was trying to "change" the nature of India and "capture" its institutions, Rahul had said.
Besides Rahul, sources said, the list may also include CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury and rebel JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav.
Asked whether Rahul will be invited, RSS prachar pramukh Arun Kumar said the list had not been finalised.
"It is our prerogative to choose who to invite or not. Leave this to us. But people from all walks of life, including from different political outfits, ideologies and religions will be invited," he said.
At the same time, Kumar also hit out at Rahul for comparing the RSS with the Muslim Brotherhood.
"The entire world today is facing the threat of Islamic fundamentalism. He is unaware... He does not understand the gravity of the situation that's why he is making such statements... One who doesn't understand India cannot understand the Sangh," Kumar said adding that Rahul is ignorant about India and its cultural ethos of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' (the world is one family).
"... The RSS is realizing that there is a growing eagerness among larger sections of the society including the intellectuals and the youth to know and understand the RSS' perspective on various issues of national importance. This lecture series has been organized in this context where Bhagwat will present the RSS' view on various contemporary issues of national importance," he said.
Earlier, the RSS had surprised people by inviting former president Pranab Mukherjee to address its cadres, who have completed the RSS officers' training.
Mukherjee accepting the invite and delivering a speech at the RSS headquarters in Nagpur had resulted in heartburns among the secular circles.