Many tried to present distorted Indian history, wrong Hindutva narrative: RSS

Claiming that many have tried to “distort” the history of India and Hindutva over the years, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has resolved to speed up measures to bring a change in the narrative and restore the country's prestige.

The assertion came at the conclusion of the three-day annual meeting of the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha, the highest decision-making body of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, on Tuesday.

“Over the past 50 years, many have tried to present our distorted history. Some people have tried to distort Indian thoughts and Indian philosophy within the country and abroad. Efforts have been made to talk nonsense about Hindutva, raising some issues,” RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale said at a press conference.

He accepted that there are “some drawbacks in our society like untouchability.”

“But just raising them doesn't help,” he said, adding, “the narrative of the country must change. There should be Indian answers to Indian questions, whatever be the situation in India. We have to place India in a respectful position.”

Evils like caste discrimination and untouchability have to be done away within society, he said.

Hosabale was briefing about the RSS meeting attended by nearly 1400 office bearers of the Sangh including the organisation's chief Mohan Bhagwat.

Even as the journey towards a new self-reliant ‘Bharat' has begun shunning the “colonial slavery”, the country will have to face many social and national challenges due to “the mentality and distortions” arising during its long history and also due to “the crookedness of selfish, anti-national elements,” noted an annual report presented by Hosabale at the meeting.

“The forces inimical to Bharat's unity and progress plan newer conspiracies. They are trying to break society in one way or another or to spread confusion by disseminating perverted narratives on the subjects of the country,” it claimed.

Such inimical forces are instigating language, caste or group discord by using “any situation or event” as an excuse and “inciting” youths against “any government scheme like Agnipath”, the report added.

“Ugly incidents of terror, rancour, anarchy and violence have happened at various places,” the report said, adding such incidents need to be stopped.

“We have to speed up the work…. we have to give national direction to ideological narratives and properly mobilise the power of Sajjan Shakti or well-meaning people,” the report added.

With the RSS completing 100 years of its establishment in 2025, the ABPS also resolved to “speed up” its work to achieve the organisation's centenary year expansion targets with a focus on five main areas.

These were listed ad bringing about social transformation and social harmony in “Hindu society” or Samajik Samarasata, strengthening family structure (Parivar Prabodhan), environmental protection, Swadeshi lifestyle, awareness of civic duty,” Hosabale said.

“Be it unitary or a joint family, the efforts have to be taken to keep family values intact in line with the Hindu thoughts,” he added.