Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale said that any person has the right to enter a temple anywhere, urging RSS cadres to work for eliminating caste-based discrimination which he said brings disrepute to the entire Hindu community.

Speaking before a gathering of local RSS workers at an open ground here on Thursday, he also stressed the need to instill a permanent “sense of unity” among the country’s people.

“Any person can enter any temple, and everyone has the right to fetch water from any source of water. We must not tolerate such discrimination in the name of caste or untouchability, because it brings disrepute to the entire Hindu community. Instead of only opposing such practices, we must work actively to abolish them,” said the RSS leader.

When Indian athletes performed well in the Asian Games, no one asked about their caste or religion, and during the COVID-19 lockdown, people helped migrant labourers irrespective of caste or faith, he said.

“Similarly, people did not inquire about the caste and religion of the scientists behind the success of Chandrayaan-3 mission. It shows that our country stands united either during a crisis or in success. This sense of unity and cooperation should be there all the time, not just during crisis or success. India was able to give something to the world (in the past) only because we were able to keep our unity intact,” Hosabale added.

Without naming anyone, he said some people were threatening to destroy Sanatan Dharma, and accusing the RSS of being communal for talking about the Hindus.

Sanatan Dharma was not about rituals and ways of worship but it was about seeing God in humans, good conduct and achieving the welfare of society, he said.

The way India and its people gave shelter to Jews, Parsis and the Dalai Lama and his followers, it has practised the principle of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ (world is one family) instead of just preaching it, he said.

“During the time of COVID-19, we made vaccines for the world. We also helped Sri Lanka during its recent economic crisis. Thus, India has the moral right to talk about Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. Hindu Society and the people of India have the power to make India a ‘Vishwaguru’ (world leader)...One day, India will show the path to the world,” he said.

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