Desire for change brought BJP to power, says RSS chief in Odisha

Reported by Chinmaya Dehury

Bhubaneswar, Aug 10:

In a thinly disguised snub to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat today said in Odisha that the BJP came to power at Centre as people wanted change, not by virtue of its leaders.

“Some are giving credit to the party while others are giving credit to some individuals for the victory. But the organization and the party was there earlier too and so were the individuals. What happened then? It is the people, who wanted change during the elections, who brought the party to power,” said Bhagwat without directly naming the BJP or Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whom all the party leaders are giving credit for the victory in the recently concluded elections.

Bhagwat was addressing a function of Sanskruti Surakshya Samiti (SSS) here. The RSS, it is believed, plays an important role in the BJP’s decision-making and also mediates during crises.

The RSS chief said the culture of India is eroding gradually and it needs to be protected by inculcating spiritualism among the people. “An honest interrogation of the role of tradition in our rapidly changing lives is the need of the hour. We should take a pledge to protect our tradition and start a new life over the foundation of the old tradition,” said Bhagwat.

Stating that development and security can bring people together, he said India can lead the whole world and show them proper path during a crisis.

The RSS chief, who is on a two-day visit to Odisha, will address another function at Cuttack in the evening today.