Charity from foreign lands has hidden motives: RSS leader

NEW DELHI: Charity from foreign lands has hidden motives and such service is just like business, a top RSS functionary today claimed at a convention of nearly 800 Sangh-backed organisations that commenced here.

Addressing the inaugural session of ' Rashtriya Sewa Sangam' here, senior RSS leader Krishna Gopal said that Indian philosophy finds God in every individual and serving people selflessly means serving almighty here.

"In the lands outside India, charity is not this....There is something hidden in that charity. That charity is not without a reason, there are motives behind it. And when there are motives behind service, it is just like business," Gopal said.

"Only in Indian philosophy is completely selfless service envisaged," the RSS joint general secretary added.

He asked the organisations, claimed to be involved in social work, not to discriminate on the basis of religion and asked them serve all the people of the country.

Though Gopal did not name any organisation, his comments come just a couple of months after a huge controversy was sparked by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, who had claimed that conversion to Christianity was the main objective behind Mother Teresa's service to the poor.

"Mother Teresa's service would have been good. But it used to have one objective, to convert the person, who was being served, into a Christian," Bhagwat had said in February this year, trigerring massive uproar.

At the 'Rashtriya Sewa Sangam', Gopal today said the country had 1000 "difficult and painful" years when Hindu society underwent a turmoil and seemed fragmented.

"We have a one-thousand-year backlog. For one thousand years we could not look after the society as much as we should have. Now the times of difficulty have passed and hindu society is standing strongly with pride," he said.

He said Sewa Bharati workers should not discriminate on the basis of religion. He asked the organisations to ensure their services reach everyone across India.

"Who will worry for the children and families of Hindus? We will. But along with that we'll care for all people of the country," said.

Gopal was speaking at the inauguration of the high profile event where spiritual leader Amritanandmayi Maa, was the chief guest while Zee group chairman Subhash Chandra was also present.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, IT czar Azim Premji and GMR group chief G M Rao are among several prominent people likely to attend the event being held at a resort on the outskirts of the capital.