NEW DELHI: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has reiterated its opposition to the gathering demand for reclamation of thousands of mosques allegedly built after demolition of temples.
RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale has made it clear that Sangh was against the idea. Giving the background of RSS’s support for the movement started by “sadhus and sants” for construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya and saying the Sangh would not stop its members from supporting the efforts of VHP and others for taking possession of sites of Kashi Vishwanath Mandir in Varanasi and Krishna Janmabhoomi in Mathura, Hosabale suggested that the push for mass re-conversion of mosques allegedly built on temple sites fell into a different category.
“But if we talk about all the other mosques and structures, should we start digging up 30,000 mosques and attempt to reverse history? Would that not create more hostility and resentment in society? Should we move forward as a society or stay stuck in the past? How far do we go in history?” Hosabale said in an interview with Kannada weekly, Vikrama.
Delineating the stand which was first articulated by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, the Sangh general secretary said the demand for control of allegedly disputed mosque sites could only be pursued at a huge cost to society’s other priorities like eradication and untouchability. “If we keep doing this, when will we focus on other vital societal transformations? What about eliminating untouchability? How do we instil values in youth?” he said.
Hosabale, who is next only to Bhagwat in hierarchy, also seemed to caution that single-minded pursuit of the reclamation agenda could be at the expense of other issues which have been of equal concern for those pushing for it – preservation of culture and languages, conversions, cow slaughter, love jihad. “The Sangh has never said anybody should ignore or not work on these issues,” he said.
Hosabale further said the movement for re-conversion of disputed sites was not in keeping with the conception of a temple. “Consider the concept of a temple. Is a former temple that has been turned into a mosque still a divine space? Should we focus on finding Hindutva in remains of a stone structure, or should we awaken Hindutva within those who have distanced themselves from it? Instead of searching for traces of Hindu heritage in stone buildings, if we revive the Hindu roots within them and their communities, the mosque issue will resolve on its own,” he told Vikrama.
