THE Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh, Sunil Ambekar, said on Wednesday that Mughal ruler Aurangzeb was no longer relevant today. “Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj are relevant to us, not Aurangzeb,” he said, adding to his statement later. Ambekar was addressing a press conference regarding the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS) meeting of RSS to be held from March 21 to 23 in Channenahalli in Bengaluru.

 

The meeting’s agenda includes a review of the organisation’s activities and discussions on future expansion. RSS Sarsanghchalak Dr Mohan Bhagwat, along with Sarkaryavah Dattatreya Hosabale and other senior functionaries will participate in the meeting. Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP President J P Nadda also will attend it. RSS chief Dr Bhagwat will remain present at all the sessions. Hosabale will present the 2024-25 report. On the recent violence in Nagpur, Ambekar said, “Violence is not good for well-being of the society. The police have taken cognisance of the incident and will get to the root.” Asked whether Aurangzeb was relevant today and if his tomb should be relocated, the RSS leader said, “I think Aurangzeb is no longer relevant.”

 

Later in the evening, Ambekar added to his statement, “Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj are relevant to us, not Aurangzeb.”. To a question over Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s statement that RSS provoked violence, Ambekar replied, “I have not seen the video of Siddaramaiah’s statement. RSS has been involved in nation-building. We are doing our work peacefully,” he said. On Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s proposed visit to the RSS headquarters in Nagpur on March 30, Ambekar said that former Prime Minister late Atal Behari Vajpayee also had visited the RSS headquarters previously. During the ABPS meeting, the discussions will be held on five key transformations. Also, two resolutions will be adopted -- concerning developments in Bangladesh, and RSS’ 100-year journey and future plans.