WASHINGTON, APR 24 : RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale firmly rejected comparisons of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to the Ku Klux Klan, emphasizing its volunteer-driven work across society during a session at the Hudson Institute’s New India Conference.
Addressing misconceptions, Hosabale said, “The narrative built for decades portrays RSS as a Hindu supremacist group—anti-Christian, anti-minority, anti-development, anti-modernisation. Some call it an Indian version of the Ku Klux Klan, which we are not.”
He rooted RSS in Hindu philosophy’s view of the world as one family, noting, “We see oneness in everything, living and non-living. Hindus have never invaded any country.”
Describing RSS as a cultural movement, Hosabale highlighted its 83,000 daily shakhas (assemblies) that build character, service, and social harmony. Volunteers from all walks engage in relief, education, health, rural development, and environment.
On Hindu identity, he clarified it as civilizational, not religious. Tensions with minorities or neighbors like Pakistan stem from politics and history misinterpretations, resolvable through dialogue.
Hosabale affirmed culture and modernity coexist: “Japan, China, and India have modernized while upholding values—neither pulls in opposite directions.”
The visit included a warm reception by the Indian-American diaspora in Virginia, drawing strong local turnout.
