Won't give up Hindutva to get votes: RSS

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday said he would not stop using words 'Hindutva' or 'Hindu' even if political parties close to the Sangh get fewer votes during elections.

"Today, Hindu word has become necessary because what it means is not there in any other word. We cannot leave it, the VHP cannot leave it. We will always use Hindu word because it signifies the truth," Bhagwat said during a concluding session of seminar on Hindutva in Ahmedabad.

Defending the use of the words, Bhagwat said, "I was asked in a sabha (meeting) that if because of the Hindu word we get less votes why can't we stop using the word. I said, ask those who want votes. They said you have to change, but I said we won't change.

"And if because of that we become less popular or go down we will go together with Hindutva. We will win with truth or go down with truth. We do not need to please anybody. We are not saying this because we want votes. As such we do not fight elections. We also do not need popularity."

Explaining the principles of Hindutva, he said, "Opposing Muslims or Christians is not Hindutva. It is a way of life and its essence is non-violence and truth."

He said Hindutva is answer for relief from those forces which are creating an environment of artificialness, ending individual freedom, and damaging environment.  Bhagwat said that all people in India are descendants are of Hindu forefathers.

There was no need to define Hindutva as defining it would create more confusion, he said.

"Also to define who is Hindu is more complex than defining what is Hindutva," Bhagwat said.

"When Sangh says it is Hindu organization, it includes everybody. Sangh believes everybody is Hindu and does not leave anyone out," he said.

Sangh's slogan for the Hindutva movement is that one should get to know that he is a Hindu, good or bad, and come together and create a force that nobody could dare to point finger at Hindus," he said.

"We need to gather strength. And this can be possible only when those who consider themselves as Hindus get together," the RSS chief said.