Will counter malicious views against India, Sangh: RSS leader on US visit purpose

Differing views on the Sangh have appeared across local television channels and newspapers in recent weeks. The debate drew wider attention after Pakistan President mentioned the Sangh by name at the United Nations.

In Short

• RSS uses centenary year to counter global misconceptions and propaganda
• Outreach in US aims to improve understanding of India’s civilisational ethos
• Rejects comparisons with Western conservative groups, asserts unique identity

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale, currently on a visit to the US as part of an Indian delegation, has said that the organisation is using its centenary year as an opportunity to reach out to the West and counter what he described as "malicious propaganda" and longstanding misconceptions about the RSS and India.

In an interview with India Today’s Rohit Sharma, Hosabale explained the timing of this outreach, stating that recent global developments and narratives have made it necessary for the organisation to present its perspective more actively.

"Over the recent past, various differing opinions regarding the Sangh have surfaced. Even the President of Pakistan specifically mentioned the Sangh at the United Nations," he said. "We felt that the time has now come to present before the world the Sangh’s saga of glory and to provide a fitting response to the kind of malicious propaganda currently being disseminated".

Hosabale’s visit coincides with broader diplomatic engagements by an Indian government delegation in Washington, DC, where discussions on a bilateral trade deal have been underway.

He said the outreach is also aimed at correcting international perceptions not only about the RSS but about India itself, emphasising that the country’s civilisational depth and contributions cannot be overlooked.

Reflecting on his interactions in the US, Hosabale said that many people expressed surprise upon learning about the scale of the RSS’s social work.

"When we speak to people about the Sangh’s service activities, they are taken aback," he said, citing examples such as Ekal Vidyalayas and initiatives in underserved communities.

According to him, much of the organisation’s work remains invisible to the public. "All these visible aspects constitute merely 10% of Sangh’s actual work. The remaining 90% often comes as a revelation to people".

He added that common perceptions tend to reduce the RSS to drills, processions or political associations, while overlooking its volunteer-driven service network. Hosabale also pointed to generational misconceptions, noting that some view the organisation as outdated or disconnected from modern values.

"Some perceive these concepts as being at odds with 'modern values'. However, this is far from the truth," he said, asserting that RSS members actively engage with technology and contemporary ideas.

Addressing criticism that the RSS is opposed to minorities or aligned with supremacist ideologies, Hosabale reiterated positions he had expressed during a recent discussion in Washington.

He argued that such narratives have been built over time and do not reflect the organisation’s philosophy. He emphasised that Hindu cultural thought promotes a sense of unity and does not endorse supremacy.

On comparisons between the RSS and emerging conservative movements in the US like the Turning Point USA founded by late right-wing leader Charlier Kirk, Hosabale rejected parallels.

"The Sangh considers itself to be a unique organisation," he said. "Every country and every methodology is distinct the Sangh follows its own distinct methodology". Using a metaphor, he added, “The sky is comparable only to the sky; the ocean is comparable only to the ocean.”

Hosabale underscored that his message to American society is to better understand India’s civilisational context.

"You must understand India properly. It is a civilisation spanning five thousand years. India is not the kind of country that can be ignored," he said.

He added that while India seeks global friendship, "friendship is never a one-sided affair".

The RSS leader described the organisation as a volunteer-driven movement rooted in India’s cultural and civilisational ethos, and said the current outreach is intended to bridge the gap between perception and reality.

- Ends