‘The Allegation And The Report Are Concocted’ -Dr. Manmohan Vaidya

Excerpts from an interview with RSS All India Leader for Media Relations Dr. Manmohan Vaidya to Outlook News Magazine published on 24^th February 2014.

 

Dr. Manmohan Vaidya

‘The Allegation And The Report Are Concocted’

For the first time ever, allegations of involvement in terror activities have been made against an RSS chief. What does the RSS have to say about Swami Aseemanand’s interview and allegations about Mohan Bhagwat?

Allegations haven’t been made by Assemanand. It has been reported by the reporter which has been denied by Swami Assemanand through his advocate. And according to the jail manual, to go inside the jail and take an interview of this kind needs permission. That requisite permission had also not been taken. Therefore, this allegation and the report is concocted. This is what even he (Aseemanand) has to say.

So should we believe that the Sangh is completely denying the charges?

We have said so before. Sangh had cleared its stand long time ago. That the Sangh does not believe in such violent activities. Nor has the Sangh ever supported such actions. If some person seems involved in this kind of activity then that should be investigated. And there is a judicial process, according to that judicial process, it should be proven and punished. But the judicial process and investigation is not getting completed, investigations are not moving ahead and through the media only allegations are being levelled continuously. It seems the motive behind this is something else. Either those who are doing this have no faith in the judicial process. Or they have some other agenda behind it. They are levelling such charges to fulfil their agenda and the media is being used to do that.

What do you think is the agenda? Why is this being done?

Some people have a vested interest in not letting nationalist forces move ahead. And therefore they want to stop us by defaming us. This kind of effort is being made, not for the first time today but it has been happening regularly. Yet this nationalist force (RSS) has only been welcomed by the society and is increasingly being welcomed and embraced by the society. Even the work of this nationalist force is expanding. 

But this is the first time ever when such a huge allegation has been levelled against...

It has happened before. Names of Sangh officials have been thrown up before. This has not happened for the first time. Such allegations have never been probed and never proven. Every now and then such allegations have been made. It is not the first time.

But this is the first time when the RSS chief’s name has come up? Is there no worry in the Sangh on that account?

No. Even the RSS chief’s name has been discussed in the media before. Only the media is playing it up because they have no information nor any proof.

But if the confession comes from someone who was a part of the RSS and a very active part of the RSS…

But he has said that it is not his confession. So why are you considering it a confession?

But even if you look at it like flip flop, he has said that Mohan Bhagwat knew about the attacks…

No, he hasn’t said that. What he has said clearly through his advocate is in front of everyone.

The tapes of the interview have been released and in the tapes Assemanand says that he met Bhagwat and Indresh Kumar with Sunil Joshi and Bhagwat blessed his plan and told him that Assemanand could go ahead with his plans but Sangh’s name or involvement must not be revealed. 

These things are wrong and Assemanand has said that. This kind of interview (with Caravan) has never happened is what Aseemanand has said.

Is there any clarification more than just a denial that Sangh may want to give on Aseemanand’s accusations against Mohan Bhagwat ?

Sangh has said before that Snagh neither believes in such violent activities nor supports it. The Sangh has said that before. For the Sangh to have given either its approval or support for any such activities is not possible at all.

Just a little walk trough of what might have happened then. Aseemanand says that he met Mohan Bhagwat in 2005 at Shabari dham when an RSS conclave happened there and later again at an event. Was Mohan Bhagwat actually in Shabari dham then? Where was he? Did he meet Aseemanand there?

There were a few programmes that had happened at the Shabari dham. A number of Sangh officials were also there then. But to say all these meetings happened there then, is wrong. One event held there was Murari Bapu’s Ram Katha and the second event was Shabari kumbh where 8 to 9 lakh adivasis had come together for that. Those were big public programmes and held there, that is true.

During those events, did Mohan Bhagwat meet or speak to Aseemanand privately there…?

That’s wrong. That’s wrong.

It’s becoming one man’s word against the other then should the Sangh not provide proof that these allegations are motivated and is there an attempt to do that and how? 

Sangh has said this many times. So the judicial process that is going on in this case, that judicial process should be completed as soon as possible. And if someone is found guilty then they must be punished. The judicial process is not moving ahead and only allegations in the media are surfacing. If they have information of this kind then they should give it to the investigative agencies. NIA has clearly said that no such information came to them in their investigations. NIA is equipped to extract information through various kinds of means. So if the NIA does not have the information and instead a journalist has it, then it is a little hard to believe. That’s all.

Lok Sabha polls are just two months away, do you think the agenda could be more than just stopping nationalist forces, like you?   

Perhaps, given how badly the Congress is doing right now, maybe the Congress could be behind this to change the agenda. But given the timing of this, the possibility is greater of doing this now keeping the elections in mind. 

But how far do you think this will dent the RSS and the BJP?

It does not affect the RSS at all. The base of Sangh’s work is separate and there have been attempts to defame Sangh with such false allegations before. And Sangh on its own strength and capabilities has come out of such allegations and marched ahead.

And the BJP…          

No, political questions.

Will it affect the morale of the cadre?

No more questions.

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