Suresh Joshi

PANAJI: National general secretary of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Suresh ‘Bhaiyaji’ Joshi, on Sunday said while RSS does not oppose conversion to Christianity, it is opposed to conversions by way of exploitation and inducement of the poor, illiterate and the backward. This practice should be made punishable by law, Joshi said at a public interaction in Goa.

He also said that political opposition of BJP by any Hindus should not be seen as opposition of Hindus.

The top RSS functionary said that not just mass conversion, but even individual conversion was wrong. “Forceful conversion or by inducement, we say, should be made a punishable offence. There is no restriction on those who are going to Christianity on their own,” Joshi said, even as opposed the dishonesty of conversion by inducement.

“There are many cases across the country of those operating under the guise of NGOs. If you want to work in the area of water conservation, then why are you building a church in the village,” Joshi said while replying to a question from the audience.

In response to another audience question, he said that any opposition of Hindus by Hindus is only limited to the political stage. “You have written in your question that Hindu has become enemy of the Hindu community, meaning BJP. Hindu community does not mean BJP. Opposition to BJP should not be seen as opposing Hindus. All these political fights will continue. It should not be linked as opposition of Hindus...Opposing Hindutva is political. Supporting Hindutva is also, at times, political. I feel that Hindutva and Hindus should rise above this,” Joshi said.

He also said that without the concept and sentiment of a ‘rashtra’, the country will remain nothing but a piece of land, and that is how it is being wrongly viewed by some, as a mere geographical entity.

“Why are those born who are willing to give up everything and sacrifice for this motherland, if this is a lifeless land? Those who think Bharat is just the Himalayas, its mountains and its rivers, have not understood Bharat. Then they think that if there is a piece of land where not even grass grows and we have lost it, let it go. But it is not a lifeless piece of land. That is why I say that only praying to Bharatmata will give this country the strength and energy,” Joshi said, adding that just as a human being has atma (soul), the country too has a soul and that has been named as ‘rashtra’.

Joshi also said that a Hindu can never be communal because Hindus are not a community. “Those who worship one god, have one manner of worship, and believe in one book are considered a community. Since Hinduism doesn’t fit into this description, Hindus are not a community. Hindus, therefore, cannot be communal,” Joshi said.

The RSS has never stopped any non-Hindu from joining the organisation. But they will have to believe in Bharatmata. “We will not change our ideology or have a separate programme tailored from them,” Joshi said.

