Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Sunil Ambekar on Wednesday emphasized the importance of people-to-people connections between India and Pakistan, stating that official dialogues between the two governments, armies, and agencies have failed so far.
Ambekar Clarifies RSS Leadership Remarks
During an interaction with reporters at the Pune Union of Working Journalists, Ambekar clarified that recent remarks by senior RSS functionary Dattatreya Hosabale and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat about dialogue with Pakistan referred to people-to-people connections, not official diplomatic engagement.
“The remarks made by Sarsanghchalak (RSS chief) were about people-to-people connections. Whether governments should hold talks or not is a matter of hard diplomacy involving national interests and several sensitive issues,” Ambekar said.
In an interview with PTI Videos in May, Hosabale had said trust in Pakistan’s military and political leadership was completely missing in India, and added that people-to-people contact was the best way to break the deadlock. Defending Hosabale’s remarks, Bhagwat later said he was talking about the people of the neighboring country.
Foreign Policy Decisions Best Left to Government
Ambekar further stated that foreign policy decisions should be left to the government, especially during times of conflict or extraordinary situations.
“When issues relating to foreign countries arise, political differences should be set aside, and views should be conveyed to the government, which should take the final public position in the national interest,” the RSS publicity chief said.
Ambekar noted that the RSS, being a social and cultural organization, would communicate its views to the government whenever required.
Failed Diplomatic Channels
Explaining Bhagwat’s remarks further, Ambekar said conventional channels of engagement between governments, armies, and agencies have not yielded desired results so far.
“Whatever dialogue has taken place between governments, armies and agencies has failed till now. We have lost hope... Therefore, people-to-people connection is important,” he said.
Ambekar cited ongoing exchanges, such as medical travel and trade between the two countries, and said such interactions could help preserve shared historical and cultural memories. He also referred to sentiments in regions like Balochistan and said greater awareness of shared histories could contribute towards addressing long-standing issues.
“People-to-people dialogue is very important and should continue. It should not be viewed as political diplomacy,” Ambekar said.
RSS Open to Dialogue with All Sections
During the interaction, Ambekar also touched upon various other issues, such as demographic balance, population policies, and outreach to the Muslim community, saying the RSS remains open to dialogue with all sections of society.
