RSS chief in Keralam: We are not paramilitary outfit; come in, observe and then judge | VIDEO

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Chief Mohan Bhagwat, who is in Keralam on a two-day visit, has reasserted that the RSS is not a paramilitary organisation despite its members' uniforms and route marches, and urged people to understand the Sangh by coming inside and observing it from within.

Bhagwat, who will be in Kerala for meetings of the RSS, said, "If you try to judge the RSS only from the outside, there is a greater chance of misunderstanding it. We conduct many programmes and hold route marches in full uniform, but we are not a paramilitary organisation... The best way to understand the RSS is to come inside, observe it from within and experience it. But for anyone to experience something, they must first be assured that it is safe to test and understand."

The RSS chief's clarification comes amid what he described as “propaganda” and false narratives about the Sangh, including the assumption that it is a paramilitary entity simply because its swayamsevaks wear uniforms and train.

"We function in uniform, and if someone, on seeing that, assumes it to be a paramilitary organisation, that would be incorrect," Bhagwat said in previous statements, now echoed in his Keralam visit.

He further stressed that the RSS does not seek popularity, influence or power, and urged researchers and scholars to bring out the truth about the organisation through independent study. "The RSS cannot be understood by reading about it. The best way is to come in and understand the Sangh," he said.

Bhagwat's visit to Keralam this time is expected to include organisational meetings and interactions as the RSS grapples with accusations from the CPM in Keralam of escalated violence by its workers against the RSS and the BJP. The RSS has accused the CPM of abetting such violence, and Bhagwat’s meetings in the state are likely to address these concerns.