Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh UK hosted an interactive event on 21st Sept 2014 at the Swaminarayan Temple, Stanmore. Shri Dattatreya Hosabale highlighted the circumstances in which the RSS started in 1925 and what its core principles and vision for the new dawn looked like for India today.
Attended by all major Hindu organisations of UK, the 150 strong audience, asked questions ranging from Kashmir, BJP, the North East province to Hindu values. Leaders from over 40 organisations, such as ISKCON, VHP, OFBJP, BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, HFB, HFE, MPHA, Hindu Council, FISI, Jainology, NHSF UK, Oshwal Association UK, HLA, Navnat Vanik Association, NCGO, Brent Indian Associations and many others, attended.
The RSS has over 40,000 local branches (shakhas) across India, with an average attendance of 10, which equates to 400,000 daily attendance as its core activity. RSS has also inspired and created many other organisations and initiated various service projects in all fields, with a reach of over a 100m people. Shri Dattatreyaji explained the four major factors which have contributed to the success and strength of RSS:
- Ideology of Hindutva, which encompasses universal humanitarian values
- Leadership from the start of the organisation has been strong with visionaries
- Technique of daily gathering and concern for the nation and society
- Volunteer sacrifice, strength and dedication has allowed India to progress in so many ways, not to mention building a stalwart like the Indian Prime Minister (a Pracharak of RSS) to take centre stage in the world.
He spoke – ‘The national culture of India is the Hindu culture which embraces all’, ‘we should not be ashamed to call ourselves Hindus’, ‘Nowhere in history have Hindu colonised, created a slave, destroyed other countries or converted people.’ RSS continues to spread the message of Universal oneness – ‘Vasudaiva Kutumbakam – The whole world is one family’.
