Stay calm and be responsible, Mohan Bhagwat tells cadre ahead of verdict

NEW DELHI: At a time when the world is watching India because of Kashmir, don’t let your emotions go overboard after the Ayodhya verdict, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat is believed to have said at a Sangh Parivar meeting here on Friday. In the two-day meeting held to finalise the stance on the Supreme Court verdict, Bhagwat and other Sangh leaders talked about the importance of “being alert” at a time like this when “emotions run high”.

“The RSS is not even a party to the case, but if something untoward happens after the verdict, there will be a certain section that will blame us. We don’t want that,” a Sangh leader said.

The Sangh has also decided not to take out celebratory processions if the verdict goes in favour of the Hindus. “Everyone at the meeting said the verdict could be in favour of Ram Lalla. In such a case, we want our organisation to be very responsible and do what is needed for peace and unity in the country,” a senior leader of the Sangh who attended the meeting told ET.


In the meeting, the RSS also backed a nationwide National Register of Citizens (NRC) while raising concern over the exclusion of lakhs of Hindus in Assam. “We have had several meetings with those involved in the process. The problems will be rectified,” a Sangh leader said. Findings of the RSS leaders on the ground situation in Kashmir were also discussed in the meeting.

The Vishva Hindu Parishad core group was also present in the meeting, as were the heads of RSS affiliates. Union home minister Amit Shah also participated in the meeting on Wednesday. The Ayodhya verdict is expected before Chief Jutice Ranjan Gogoi retires on November 17.

Only recently, the RSS appealed to everyone to “respect the verdict, whichever way it comes” and to “maintain peace and harmony” across India.