RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat. RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat.

Days after BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj caused an uproar when he urged every Hindu woman to give birth to four children, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has disowned the remark, saying “Hamaari maatayen factory nahin hain, bachcha paida karna vyaktigat nirnay hai (Our mothers are not factories, giving birth to a child is an individual choice)”.

Bhagwat made these remarks in Kanpur on Monday while interacting with 300 delegates from 40 organisations affiliated to the Sangh. He did not name Sakshi Maharaj or others who agree with the Unnao MP: “How can I stop somebody from speaking? But one should think carefully before saying such things.”

Those at the meeting said he did mention the “demographic imbalance” of how a fall in Hindu population posed a challenge for national security in that area.

One of the delegates said Bhagwat advised them to give adequate representation to women and deprived sections in their organisations. “We should see whether we are giving proper representation to women who comprise 50 per cent of our population,” he was quoted as having said. “Sabhi ko manch par dikhna chahiye (people from every section should be given a chance to grow).”

BJP Uttar Pradesh president Lakshmikant Bajpayee, state unit general secretary (organisation) Sunil Bansal and BJP national joint general secretary (organisation) Shiv Prakash were among those present.

Bhagwat came to the defence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi while responding to queries from delegates. “Unme ichchha shakti hai, hame apne swayamsevakon par bharosa hona chahiye (He has will power, we should trust our swayamsevaks).”

When a delegate said the BJP government at the Centre should declare the Hindu new year and birth anniversary of RSS founder K B Hedgewar — both are observed as Varsh Pratipada, one of the six festivals in the RSS calendar — as national days, Bhagwat said: “Sarkar apne dhang se kaam karti hai. Main bhi pradhan mantri ban jaaun to aise hi kaam karunga (Government works in its own way. Even if I were to become prime minister, I would work the same way).

He told the delegates “Hamein yeh kehna band kar dena chahiye ki yeh hamaari sarkar hai (We should stop saying that this is our government).”

When some delegates from organisations like the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh and Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh complained that the Centre was ignoring their demands, Bhagwat said they should keep fighting for the cause of the people they represent without caring that there is a BJP government at the Centre. “Ham sabhi ko apna kaam karte rahna hai (We all have to do our jobs).”

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