Retd Calcutta HC judge Dash says RSS does not indoctrinate young minds

Retired Calcutta High Court judge Justice Chitta Ranjan Dash on Wednesday further elaborated on his Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) connect after his retirement speech stirred a controversy few days earlier.

“It (farewell speech) was a spontaneous statement. While I was thanking all the important factors of my life, even RSS came to my mind. It (RSS) is my root. I had distanced myself from the organisation till about 36 years and it would have been hypocrisy if I had not remembered my roots...People are misled into believing that RSS indoctrinates young minds. It is nothing like that, it does not indoctrinate,” said Dash in a statement.

Earlier during his retirement speech, Dash admitted that he was, and is a part of the RSS, he said that he did not have any bias against anyone.


"I am ready to go back to the organisation (RSS) if it calls me for any assistance for any work that I am capable of doing,” Dash had said after serving as a high court judge in Odisha and Kolkata for 14 years.

"I owe a lot to the organisation... I am there from my childhood and throughout my youth, Dash had added.

The RSS reference dragged criticism and accusations of him being biased. However, Dash rejected the claims saying, “ I have treated everybody on a par - the rich, the poor, a Communist, or someone with BJP, Congress or Trinamool. All were equal before me."

“Because I have not done anything wrong in my life, I have the courage to say I belong to the organisation, because that is also not wrong," he said.