RSS leader pitches for change in national discourse

NEW DELHI: RSS today pitched for setting a new national discourse in the country, contending that the existing one was intended to "impede and blunt" the nationalist forces and that "new" terms like "intolerance" are being used to target it.

RSS functionary Arun Kumar, who is in charge of its Delhi unit, said the current debate was not rational and was aimed at establishing the ideology of "some people".

The agenda of RSS is not about nourishing the interest of some individuals but that of the nation and society, he said at a function to mark the release of book 'Know about RSS', written by journalist Arun Anand.

"The problem is not in RSS. Problem is in the direction of discourse which has been made after independence. The country's discourse, the way it has been done, it is not rational but selective. That discourse is the agenda of some people, to establish the ideology of some people and to target somebody," Kumar said.

Kumar said the discourse, which has been run in the last 60 years, has turned issues into non-issues and non-issues into issues.

"The country has only one requirement. We have to change the discourse. We have to set the discourse. A discourse is always based on information and information based on facts, not perception.

"The debate which comes up in the country, that debate for the last 60-70 years, it has just one target, the nationalist forces of this country, the national consciousness of this country, what can be done to impede and blunt them," he said.

"Every issue can be discussed. New terminologies are being used - saffronisation, intolerance. Selective use of these terminologies is being done," he said at the function, where Union Health Minister J P Nadda was also present.