Bengaluru, Nov 8 The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) said on Saturday that not a single paisa is taken from external sources to run the organisation.
RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat made this statement while addressing a large gathering in Bengaluru, as part of a two-day lecture series organised to commemorate the centenary of the Sangh.
"We have never taken any funds from outside. Our volunteers contribute every year, and they try to give more. Even those volunteers who are poor make it a point to contribute. Some of them stop using certain items like pulses for a year, save the money, and dedicate it to the Sangh," he said.
"To run the Sangh, not a single paisa is taken from outside. This helps us remain independent so that no one can exert pressure on us. We speak only the truth, and we express ourselves freely," he underlined.
"Men, money, and ammunition -- these are the three essential factors. In all three, we are self-sufficient," Bhagwat said.
He also added that 100 years ago, things were not easy for the RSS.
"When the Sangh was founded, the idea of Hindutva was not widely accepted. Dr. Hedgewar, the founder of the RSS, was not well-known across the country. It was his dedication -- and that of the workers committed to the ideology -- that made the Sangh what it is today. Now, the Sangh has earned credibility," the RSS Chief said.
"Another criticism we have faced is that the Sangh is called a menace or poisonous. But this opposition comes only from the lips, not from the hearts. The hearts are with us," he added.
"Our goal is to organise the entire society. We are not here to find faults. The idea of organising the whole Hindu society is often difficult for people to understand. The RSS does not seek power or prominence in society. Our only aim is to unite and organise society for the glory of Bharat Mata," he said.
"The purpose of this congregation is to share information about the Sangh. For at least a decade, the RSS has been a topic of intense discussion. When we hear those discussions, one thing becomes clear -- they are often not based on facts but on hearsay, narratives, or perceptions," he added.
"The Sangh is a unique organisation. There is nothing in the world comparable to it. You cannot understand the Sangh using the usual method of going from the known to the unknown, because there is nothing else like it," he noted.
"When people try to understand the Sangh, they often lack factual information, which leads to misunderstandings. That is what has been happening. Therefore, it was decided in 2018 that authentic information about the Sangh should be shared. The intention is not to convince anyone, but to present the facts. Whether one supports or opposes the Sangh, it should be based on facts, not perceptions," Bhagwat said.
"First, we must understand the Sangh properly. Many well-wishers of the Sangh also claim that it was formed as a reaction to certain situations, but that is not true. The Sangh was not born out of reaction or opposition. It was established because Hindu society needed to be organised. This organisation of society is not against anyone," he emphasised.
"The Sangh was conceived and implemented out of this very need," he said.
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