BJP may need 'surgery or chemotherapy': RSS

Jaipur : RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, who had asked the top BJP leadership to sort out problems in the wake of Lok Sabha polls debacle, on Tuesday seemed to suggest that the party may need a "surgery" or even "chemotherapy" treatment, a view rejected by BJP chief Rajnath Singh.

"As far as BJP is concerned, whatever surgery, medicine, chemotherapy is essential for them, it has to be diagnosed by them (BJP)," he told a press conference in Jaipur.

Bhagwat, who was in Delhi in August and had advised BJP leaders to resolve their internal squabbles, said, "If they (BJP) need any organisational help, if they ask for it, we will provide them help".

Asked if the party needed surgery, BJP chief Rajnath Singh said, "Not at all, who says that?"

On whether the morale of party workers is low, he shot back, "Our morale is high. Who is saying like this?"

However, senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi said, "The doctor can only talk about treatment, we are patients."

Replying to questions, Bhagwat said RSS was not responsible for the sorry state of affairs in BJP.

On the defiance shown by former chief minister Vasundhara Raje, who resigned from the post of Leader of the Opposition nine weeks after being asked to step down, Bhagwat said it was for BJP and its leadership to find a solution.

On the issue of 'Marathi manoos', which was a key issue during the Maharashtra polls, the RSS chief said, "Every Indian belongs to India. There are various languages and religions which have their own identity. Hindutva for us is considering them as part of one (entity) and we do not believe in things like Marathi pride."

Bhagwat said RSS workers were trying to achieve a better coordination with BJP and fill up gaps, if any.

On his meeting with former Vice President B S Shekhawat, the RSS chief said there was nothing political in it.Shekhawat has been a Swayamsevak and at present he is not keeping too well, he said.

Asked about his controversial statement in Delhi recently that BJP could rise from the ashes, Bhagwat said he had never meant that BJP should first be reduced to cinders and then it should rise from the ashes.

"I run RSS shakha and it is not my job to advise any party ...I do not play politics nor am I an astrologer who could predict when the party would rise from the ashes," he said.

Bhagwat said, "BJP can rise from a scratch, it has a strong capability".

On the outcome of recent assembly polls in three states, he said politicians should respect the public mandate whatever it might be.

On the India-China border issue, the RSS leader said, "India should be aware of China's activities on the borders. From the very beginning RSS has been warning the Union Government over China's expansionist designs, but it has not been heard. For the last 50 years China has followed a policy to acquire the land and territory."

On the alleged involvement of "Sanatan Sanstha" in the Goa blast, he said, "No such allegation has yet been proved. RSS has nothing to do with the Sanatan group. Without proof no one can be blamed. The Sanatan people have been working there for a long time."

Bhagwat said, "It is easy to blame any organisation or put a terror tag to it as no one can hold the tongue of anyone. Such irrelevant talk should be avoided unless there is strong and valid proof against it."

Asked if reservation should continue, he said a committee be set up to make an overall assessment of the policy and favoured benefits going to the economically deprived regardless of any caste, creed or gender.

On former Union Minister Jaswant Singh's ouster from BJP, Bhagwat said he is still to complete reading his book on Mohammad Ali Jinnah. "RSS stand on Jinnah has not changed. I will not repeat what has been stated in the book."

About Congress' show in Maharashtra, Haryana and Arunachal Pradesh, he said RSS does not believe in passing judgement about others.

Replying to a question on the RSS dress code, he said while the 'khakhi' shorts will not change into trousers, the belt may be altered.

"There has been a consensus among RSS leaders that the half-pant style should be kept as such, while the leather belt could find an alternative. A leather belt is some time tough to wear. We want to replace it with a cheaper and non-leather item," he said.

Asked if there was a decline in RSS 'shakhas', he said due to working conditions, swayamsevaks might be missing morning meetings, but he is definitely attending either the evening or a weekly one.

During the Emergency period in 1975-76, RSS was holding 10,000 shakhas every day, but now the number has swollen to 2 lakh with a participation of 8 to 10 lakh sevaks, he added.

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