'Getting art critics who like RSS, Sangh ideology is Sanskar Bharti's next task': Mohan Bhagwat

Bengaluru: Sanskar Bharti has become an influential art organisation and its next task is to rope in critics who like the Sangh ideology, said RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat in a surprisingly candid talk in which he also touched upon how the right-wing body worked its way to prominence.

Sanskar Bharti is the cultural wing of the RSS and works to promote Indian art, fine arts among others. 

“Whenever we (Sangh Parivar) begin work, we do not reveal the complete agenda in one go; instead, we adopt a policy of progressive unfoldment," Bhagwat said on Sunday during his valedictory address at the Akhil Bharatiya Kalasadhak Sangam organised under the Sanskar Bharti's Karnataka wing in Bengaluru.

"When we established Sanskar Bharti, we aimed at becoming an influential art body, which we have now become. In the days to come, we will be stronger in this sphere. Now, we need to focus on building a pool of art critics who will work towards bringing 'truth' and 'Shivatva' (divinity) together.”

Bhagwat went back into history and cited the formation of the RSS by K S Hedgewar as an example.

"When the RSS was formed in 1925, none knew what the real agenda was," he said. “All were told that the RSS was formed with the intention of uniting Hindus under a single roof. Issues like Ramjanmabhoomi were only revealed after we gained enough strength."

Bhagwat said had the RSS revealed these issues in the beginning, the right-wing organisation could not have achieved what it has done so far. "Most of the Hindus would not have joined the RSS,” he said to loud chants of Jai Shri Ram, Vande Mataram and Bharat Mata ki Jai.  

Stressing that Sanskar Bharti's has now succeeded in attracting a large pool of artists, he said the next challenge is to bring several artists who like the Sangh’s ideology but still have not joined.  

“At present art criticism is under the strong influence of a handful of people who believe in dividing societies and building insecure societies, which in turn help countries remain divided globally. This is a worldwide phenomenon. We need to break this mould and ensure that societies get united by uniting 'truth' and 'Shivatva' (divinity) of art,” he explained.

He also lamented that the RSS has not been able to achieve a complete ban on cow slaughter in the country.