RSS gen secy lauds Sangh weekly that called Infosys 'anti-national'

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) joint general secretary Manmohan Vaidya has said that Panchjanya is fighting a war of righteousness, an endorsement that came close on the heels of the RSS' publicity in-charge distancing the Sangh from the weekly after its article criticised software giant Infosys.

Speaking at the inauguration of the magazine's new office, Vaidya went on to suggest that in such a war, sometimes 'good people' have to be targeted because they are on the side of wrong.

He was addressing the event on Monday, a day after RSS' prachar pramukh Sunil Ambekar said on Twitter that Panchjanya is not the mouthpiece of the Sangh and the article published by it on Infosys only reflects the individual opinion of the author.

"Panchjanya dharma yudh ka shankhnaad hai (Panchjanya heralds the war of righteousness)," Vaidya said at the September 6 event.

He further said there are two sides of 'dharma yudh'.

"You can have good people on the wrong side, and you will have to shoot your arrows aimed at them too. Nationalist viewpoint is gaining ground over forces inimical to India, but the war would go on for a long time," he said.

Panchjanya and Organiser are published by Bharat Prakashan and it is believed that both weeklies reflect the ideological views of the Sangh.

"Panchjanya and Organiser have been raising issues of national interest and that is what they are known for," Panchjanya editor Hitesh Shankar said.

Panchjanya had, in its issue this month, slammed Infosys for glitches in the Income Tax and GST portals developed by the software firm and wondered whether any anti-national force via Infosys is trying to hurt India's economic interests.

The magazine had a four-page cover story on Infosys, 'Saakh Aur Aghaat' (Reputation and Damage), with a picture of its founder Narayana Murthy.

The article attacked the Bengaluru-based company and dubbed it as 'Unchi Dukan, Phika Pakwaan' (great cry and little wool).

The article had drawn flak from the opposition parties which alleged that it was 'Sangh's coordinated attack on India's prized corporates'.

However, Ambekar later clarified Sangh's stand.

'As an Indian company, Infosys has made a seminal contribution to the progress of the country. There might be certain issues with a portal run by Infosys, but the article published by Panchjanya in this context only reflects the individual opinion of the author.

'Panchjanya is not a mouthpiece of the RSS and the said article or opinions expressed in it should not be linked with the RSS,' he had tweeted.