New Delhi: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat has cautioned against viewing the RSS solely through the prism of the Bharatiya Janata Party or its affiliated organisations, calling such an approach a serious misunderstanding of the Sangh’s nature and purpose. He underlined that while the RSS is often seen as the ideological source of the ruling party, it operates independently and does not function as a political command centre.
Addressing an audience during a public interaction, Bhagwat stressed that the RSS does not “remote control” its swayamsevaks or dictate political outcomes. Instead, he said the organisation is rooted in social transformation, character building, and national service, rather than electoral competition or power politics. According to him, individuals associated with the Sangh are free to make their own choices in public life, guided by values rather than instructions.
Bhagwat explained that the RSS has a distinct identity that predates political parties and extends far beyond them. Its work, he said, spans social harmony, cultural awareness, education, and community service. He added that equating the RSS with any single political entity diminishes the breadth of its activities and overlooks its long-term societal objectives.
The Sangh chief also addressed criticism and misconceptions surrounding the organisation, saying that opinions formed from a distance often rely on assumptions rather than experience. He argued that understanding the RSS requires engagement rather than commentary from the sidelines.
Concluding his remarks, Bhagwat extended an open invitation to critics and observers to attend an RSS shakha and see its functioning firsthand. Using a metaphor, he said that no amount of explanation can replace direct experience, comparing it to the difference between describing the taste of sugar and actually tasting it. Participation, he suggested, offers clarity that discussions and debates often fail to provide.
Bhagwat’s comments come at a time when the RSS continues to be closely scrutinised for its perceived influence on politics and governance. By reiterating the organisation’s autonomous character, he sought to reinforce the message that the Sangh views itself primarily as a social movement committed to nation-building rather than a political force driven by elections.
