‘Never said will retire or someone should retire at 75’
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NEW DELHI, Aug 28:
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday cited conversion and illegal migration as key reasons behind demographic imbalance in the country, and said Government is trying to curb infiltration but the society also needs to do its part.
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Bhagwat also said jobs should not go to illegal migrants but to “our own people including Muslims”.
Responding to a question during the centenary celebrations of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Bhagwat asserted that religion is by individual choice and there should be no allurement or force in this matter.
“Religion is an individual’s own choice. No one should be forcefully converted. We have to stop it. The second issue is infiltration. Every country has their own rules and regulations, limited resources. So, infiltration should be stopped and the Government is making efforts to stop this… It is important to give employment to the citizens of our country.
“Conversion and illegal migration are key reasons for demographic imbalance. We should not give jobs to illegal migrants; we should give jobs to our own people, including Muslims,” he said.
The RSS chief was asked about the Sangh’s view on infiltration into the country.
“The Government is trying to curb illegal migration, but society also needs to do its part. Religion is by individual choice; there should be no allurement or force in this.”
“Every nation has its rules and regulations. The world is ‘Kutumb’, but every place has its own standards. Freedom is discipline also…Not allowing illegal migrants in the country doesn’t contradict the concept of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’.”
Bhagwat asserted he had never stated that he would retire or someone else should retire at 75.
The comments by Bhagwat put at rest speculation over his recent remarks on retirement of leaders which was seen as a reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Both Modi and Bhagwat turn 75 next month.
“We are ready to retire anytime in life and ready to work as long as Sangh wants us to work,” Bhagwat said.
On the issue of retiring at 75 years, Bhagwat said he had quoted late RSS leader Moropant Pingle in Nagpur recently while highlighting his witticism.
“He was so witty that his witticism made you bounce in your chair…Once in our programme, we all were there all-India karyakartas and he (Pingle) completed his 75 years. So he was given a shawl and was asked to say something…he stood up and said that ‘you might be thinking that you have felicitated me but I know when this shawl is given it means you sit in a chair calmly and see what happens’,” Bhagwat said. Pingle was felicitated with a shawl on attaining the age of 75 years.
The RSS chief clarified that his reference to 75 years was not directed at any leader’s retirement.
“So this is not for the retirement of anybody or for myself. We are ready to retire anytime in life. And, we are ready to work as long as Sangh wants us to work,” he said.
“I never said that I will retire or someone else should retire.”
The RSS chief said in the Sangh, swayamsewaks are given a job, whether they want it or not, and they have to do it.
“I am 80 years old and the Sangh will ask me to go run a Shakha. I will have to go. I cannot say I have completed 75 years and I want to enjoy the retirement benefits . There are no benefits in Sangh,” he said
Bhagwat also said there are many people in the RSS who can be its chief.
“I am Sarsanghchalak. Do you think I am the only one who can be Sarsanghchalak? There are at least 10 people sitting in this hall. Anytime they can take this mantle and carry on,” he added.
“But, they are very busy. And their contributions are valuable. They cannot be spared. I was the one who can be spared,” Bhagwat said in a lighter vein. (PTI)
Bhagwat said every Indian family should have three children to keep the population sufficient and under control.
“To keep a civilisation alive, India’s population policy suggests 2.1 (average number of children), which basically means three children. But resources have to be managed too, so we must restrict it to three,” he said during a question-answer session on the last day of the RSS Centenary Lecture Series.
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