The Thought of the Sangh Is Synonymous with Hindutva Thought

OUR work is fundamentally man-making. Swayamsevaks have entered and started working in almost all walks of our social life. They have also built various organizations and institutions. All these organizations and institutions are independent, autonomous and self-reliant. None of these organizations or institutions is run according to the decisions taken at the meetings of the Sangh. These have been started by our swayamsevaks on their own accord, and they also run them without depending on others. They keep in touch with the Sangh and also get suggestions and cooperation. The swayamsevaks also develop the sense to extend cooperation to whoever is doing some good work with honesty for the sake of society, irrespective of whether they are our supporters or opponents. Questions concerning the relationship between the Sangh and politics are being raised time and again. Is the Sangh nurturing any political ambition? The common trend nowadays is that when a person acquires capabilities and creates their own identity in the field that helped them achieve their capabilities, they will be keen on joining politics. However, the work of the Sangh is to organize the entire society. Politics, political parties and the work of organizing the society can go together only to a limited extent. Hence, the Sangh has, from the very beginning, made a strong resolve to keep itself away from politics. The Sangh will never involve itself in competitive politics, will never fight elections and the office-bearer of the Sangh will never take up any official responsibilities or positions in any political party. The Sangh will always keep itself aloof from politics.

- Mohan Bhagwat

Dr Hedgewar himself was an accomplished political worker. As a student in Kolkata, once, he had even thwarted a plan of the British government, conducting an agitation using the newspapers. The British government had planned to bring in legislation to declare invalid the degrees conferred on students of the National Colleges who had played some role in the freedom movement or agitations. It was not easy to organize an agitation against the British on this issue. Dr Hedgewar visited every nook and cranny of Kolkata, talked to prominent people, took them into confidence and convinced them to say yes, if some government officials came and enquired if any meeting was held at that place against the proposed legislation. They were also requested to respond in the affirmative, if they were asked whether they had taken part in the meeting. He also gave them the names of different people to invoke, in case they were asked to give the names of the people who had addressed the meeting. They were also supposed to inform the officials that the meeting was attended by a large number of people, and a resolution was passed unanimously, calling for the restitution of the degre