Prime Minister Modi will visit RSS headquarters in Nagpur on March 30.
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh on Wednesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's forthcoming visit to its Reshim Bagh headquarters in Nagpur, scheduled for March 30, will not be the first by a sitting PM.
The group also condemned the recent violence in Nagpur, stating that it is harmful for society's health.
It added that the 17th-century Mughal emperor Aurangzeb was "not relevant" anymore.
The remarks by RSS Prachar Pramukh, or national publicity in-charge, Sunil Ambekar on the Mughal emperor were made at a press conference in Bengaluru.
The city will be the venue of the annual meeting of the RSS' Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS), its highest decision making body, from March 21 to 23.
The meet will finalise plans for the RSS' centenary celebrations to be held from Vijayadashami 2025 to Vijayadashami 2026.
Ambekar's statement on the violence in Nagpur and on Aurangzeb has come in the context of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Maharashtra government trying to deal with the violence that broke out in that city on Monday.
The BJP-led coalition government's leaders, as well as those of organisations affiliated to the RSS -- such as the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) -- have demanded the removal of Aurangzeb's tomb located in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar (earlier known as Aurangabad).
To a question on the violence in Nagpur, Ambekar said, "Any type of violence is not good for the health of the society and I think the police have taken cognisance of it. So, they will get into the details."
Asked whether Aurangzeb, who died 300 years ago (in 1707), was relevant today and if his tomb should be removed, Ambekar said, "I think (he is) not relevant."
On the PM's forthcoming visit to the RSS headquarters in Nagpur, Ambekar said he was "most welcome", but clarified that Modi will not be the first sitting PM to visit Reshim Bagh.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee, he said, visited the RSS headquarters during his tenure as PM.
Modi's visit to Reshim Bagh will be his first since 2014, and has become important in the context of the BJP trying to find a successor to its national president Jagat Prakash Nadda.
In recent weeks, the PM has twice acknowledged the contribution of the RSS in shaping him.
There was friction between the RSS and BJP during the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. However, the RSS contributed to the BJP's wins in the subsequent assembly polls in Maharashtra, Haryana and Delhi.
Ambekar said the RSS meet will pass two resolutions, including one on the atrocities against Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh and the other on its plans for centenary celebrations and the organisation's future vision for itself.
The presidents and general secretaries of 32 organisations affiliated to the RSS will also take part at the Bengaluru meeting, including Nadda and BJP General Secretary (organisation) B L Santhosh.
RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale will present a detailed synopsis of work done by the RSS and its future roadmap.
The regional heads will also present their works, programmes, roles and plans, which will be reviewed, Ambekar said.
On the situation in Bangladesh, Ambekar said, "Either in Bangladesh or anywhere in the world, the security of Hindus, their beliefs and sensitivities should be respected. So that's the main point," he said.
In the context of the centenary celebrations, the expansion of RSS shakhas, its future goals, and extensive outreach will be planned.
The meeting will also release a special statement to commemorate the 500 years of warrior queen Rani Abbakka, who was born in 1525 and hailed from Karnataka. The unparalleled contributions of Abbakka will also be discussed.
Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com
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