"RSS desperately seeks acceptance abroad": Jairam Ramesh on Dattatreya Hosabale's visit to US

New Delhi [India], April 24 : Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Friday criticised Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale's visit to the USA, declaring that the Sangh Parivar desperately seeks acceptance abroad.

In a post on X, Ramesh claimed the RSS visit was a failure, asserting that the organisation's "so-called PR" fell flat on people and got caught in its own half-formulations.

"For all its pretentious nationalism, the RSS desperately seeks acceptance abroad. Not content with hiring lobbyists (including those hired by Pakistan), its top ideologues were in the US recently on a PR offensive that fell flat and got caught in its own too-clever-by-half formulations. The idelogues were there when a Govt of India delegation was also in Washington DC discussing the bilateral trade deal which in reality is a steal by the US. In fact, this was admitted as much in the interaction with the RSS," said Ramesh.

The Congress leader emphasised that the organisation's core ideology conflicts with the diverse fabric of the nation.

"The RSS tried to show that it was no Ku Klux Klan but there is abundant evidence to show how it derived inspiration from European fascist movements. The fact remains that it is an outfit that is fundamentally at odds with the very idea of an India deriving its unity through its diversities," added Ramesh.

Ramesh's remarks came after Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale addressed a community reception in the Washington DC Metro Area, which was organised by the Indo-American Community of Greater DC.

The event, "India's Global Vision & Role in the Emerging World: Civilizational Foundations for Prospering Together," brought together scholars and community leaders, including Walter K. Anderson, author and former State Department official, and Walter Russell Mead of the Hudson Institute.

During the event, Hosabale defended Hindu philosophy and culture against claims of supremacism, saying that Hindus have historically never invaded or enslaved other nations and have nothing to apologise for.

When asked how he would respond to claims that the RSS is a Hindu supremacist organisation, Hosabale said at the Hudson Institute, "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, the supremacist nature of Hindus cannot be there. In history, Hindus have never invaded any country or ensalved any people. Hindus have nothing to apologise for."

He said that modernisation and cultural values can coexist, adding that Sanatan traditions are timeless and continue to grow while preserving their ancient essence.

"Modernisation and cultural values can exist simultaneously. Simultaneous existence of culture and modernity has been experienced in recent decades, particularly in oriental societies... I don't think the cultural values and modernisation pull in an opposition direction... Sanatan means eternity. It is ever-growing, but at the same time the ancient one," he said.

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