RSS Normal Secretary Dattatreya Hosavare’s latest assertion that India mustn’t shut the door to dialogue with Pakistan has attracted appreciable consideration because the Bharatiya Janata Get together has lately been pushing the stance that “terrorism and dialogue are incompatible.”
The feedback additionally come because the saffron group has come beneath sharp criticism from opposition events, with critics accusing it of downplaying terror assaults such because the 2019 Pulwama assault by calling them “pinpricks” and arguing that its advocacy for dialogue displays a capitulation to US strain.
When requested the right way to take care of Pakistan, Hosavare, in a latest PTI interview, pointed to the efforts made by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in direction of normalizing relations. “If Pakistanis are attempting to place a nail within the coffin like they did in Pulwama and elsewhere, now we have to reply soundly relying on the state of affairs, as a result of nationwide safety and self-respect needs to be protected, and the federal government of the day ought to pay attention to it and take care of it. However on the similar time, there’s a want to shut the door. We should at all times be able to dialogue with them. That’s the reason diplomatic relations will proceed, commerce and commerce will proceed, (and) visas shall be issued.”It’s on condition that we should always not stand nonetheless… There ought to at all times be a window for dialogue. ”
“This (dialogue) can occur if extra Pakistanis perceive and if non-governmental actors in Pakistan increase these items… academicians, athletes, scientists, neighborhood leaders… there’s a sure stage of aversion to Indian politics within the political and army management. This (civil society) is a hope,” Hosavare additional mentioned.
Justifying his place, he added, “I imagine in civil society relations… as a result of now we have cultural ties and we had been one nation, so no less than some folks want to emphasise that. The folks of Pakistan, civil society, completely different establishments… I believe we will enhance (relations) if that continues. (Individuals-to-people contacts) must be extra examined.”
The feedback drew criticism from opposition leaders, with Congress MP Manish Tewari asking whether or not a lot had modified since April 22, 2025, when the Pahalgam terror assault by Pakistan-based terrorists came about, to warrant dialogue. “Is it essential to begin a dialogue with Pakistan solely as a result of we’re being instigated by some superpower that’s beholden to Pakistan at present for the fallacious causes?” he requested.
Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal additionally condemned Hosabare’s “pin prick” remarks, calling them “disgusting”, whereas Kashmir-based leaders comparable to Nationwide Democratic Get together’s Mehbooba Mufti and Nationwide Convention President Farooq Abdullah supported Hosabare’s name for dialogue.
Solar’s place
A evaluation of the RSS’s previous statements on Pakistan and India’s neighborhood coverage exhibits that Hosavale’s feedback are broadly in line with the group’s long-standing nuanced strategy to Islamabad. This articulation usually mixed hawkish stances on terrorism with conciliatory messages at varied levels of India-Pakistan relations. The RSS has repeatedly burdened the necessity for an “applicable response” to terrorist assaults, even because it advocates for better people-to-people engagement.
RSS sources mentioned Mr. Hosavare’s newest assertion was really a name for dialogue by civil society and atypical residents quite than heads of state. “We imagine that there’s a must create pro-India public opinion among the many Pakistani folks in order that India can push again towards the army. This may solely be achieved by growing people-to-people contact,” a senior official mentioned.
An emphasis on shared historical past and tradition has been a recurring characteristic of the Sangh’s strategy to Pakistan, even because it has persistently pushed for more durable responses to terrorism.
Months after the Pahalgam assault and Operation Sindoor, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, in his annual Vijaydashami tackle on October 2, 2025, described India’s neighbors as “a part of our circle of relatives”. He burdened that the prosperity of neighboring international locations is in India’s curiosity and New Delhi should work in direction of it.
With out straight naming Pakistan, the RSS Sarsanghcharak mentioned, “These neighboring international locations are related to Bharat each on the premise of tradition and long-standing ties between peoples….Making certain peace, stability, prosperity and luxury and well-being in these international locations is a corollary of our pure affinity with these international locations and goes past concerns of defending our pursuits.”
On August 28, 2025, simply two months after Operation Sindoor, throughout a sequence of lectures at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi, Bhagwat emphasised the frequent civilizational historical past whereas speaking concerning the thought of Akhand Bharat.
“Akhand Bharat is the reality. It is a reality of life. Those that are intentionally denying this fact, what is occurring to them? Have a look at their situation now since they parted methods. Are they materially blissful, mentally blissful? No. A number of effort has gone into it. “We could not discover a answer as a result of the limbs that had been a part of this physique had been severed. The one answer is to know that culturally and traditionally we’re one. And act accordingly.” he mentioned.
“Earlier, most of Bharat’s neighbors had been Bharat. The geography is identical. The rivers are the identical, the persons are the identical, the forests stay the identical. There are simply traces drawn on the map,” Bhagwat added, stressing the necessity to deepen a “sense of belonging” amongst folks throughout the area.
These remarks adopted the Sangh’s congratulations to the federal government and armed forces after Operation Sindoor, which Bhagwat mentioned had boosted the “self-respect of the nation”. He additionally reiterated in public speeches in varied cities that Pakistan solely understood the time period retaliatory army motion and {that a} sustained response would ultimately convey Islamabad to the negotiating desk.
Even after the 2019 Pulwama assault, the RSS adopted a robust coverage. “It is a despicable act and we strongly condemn it. We anticipate motion in response to this incident… As you may see from at present’s incident, now we have tolerated so much and proceed to take action… They’ll get solutions,” Bhagwat instructed reporters after the assault.
Conciliatory route after Pathankot
However earlier than this stage, the RSS line on Pakistan was usually markedly conciliatory, regardless of the aftermath of terrorist assaults.
In January 2016, on the day of the terrorist assault on the Indian Air Pressure base in Pathankot, Punjab, the RSS burdened the necessity for “pleasant relations” with Pakistan and supported Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s shock go to to Lahore a couple of weeks earlier to attend the marriage of then Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s granddaughter.
At a press convention on the Vishwa Sangh Civil in Indore in late December 2015, Hosavare emphasised the necessity to set up India’s philosophy of “sajvika” (mutual coexistence) with Pakistan. “This world is Kutumbu. (Mutual coexistence) is critical and essential for all (international locations). They must be taught it,” he mentioned.
Requested about criticism of PM Modi having dinner at Sharif’s residence, Hosavare mentioned: “Now we have no objection. Why should not he have had lunch?” He added that the RSS’ idea of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ (the world is one household) was mirrored within the sight of Mr Modi sharing a meal with Mr Sharif. “It’s our obligation to be pleasant with the folks. It’s the dharma of Bharat,” Hosabale mentioned, including, “It’s the obligation of the Indian authorities to resolve the character of diplomatic relations. We wish pleasant relations.”
In September 2015, the RSS equally supported engagement with Pakistan, saying that each one of India’s neighbors are “shaped from the identical physique.” The remarks got here simply two weeks after a scheduled NSA-level assembly between India and Pakistan was canceled as Islamabad insisted on together with Kashmir on the agenda and invited separatist leaders from the Kashmir valley to the talks.
Mr. Hosabare later dismissed the battle between the 2 international locations as a “household dispute…between brothers.” “In Bharat, the Kauravas and Pandavas had been brothers. Efforts should be made for dharma santhapana (institution of order),” he mentioned.
Militancy and Coordinated Engagement
Even earlier than the Modi authorities, the RSS’s response to Pakistan various relying on the state of affairs. The group maintained a extremely militant stance within the early a long time of independence, however softened within the late Nineties and early 2000s, significantly throughout the tenure of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
A decision of the Sangh’s Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS) in 2001 said, “ABPS wish to emphasize that dialogue must be initiated as quickly as attainable with teams genuinely fascinated with peace by negotiations, whereas on the similar time suppressing militant terrorism with an iron hand and giving safety forces freedom of determination and motion, together with the destruction of terrorist coaching facilities in PoK.”
Equally, throughout the Wajpayee-Pervez Musharraf talks, the Akhil Bharatiya Kalyakari Mandal (ABKM) tried to stability skepticism in direction of Pakistan with cautious optimism round dialogue.
“Regardless of questions concerning the legitimacy of Pakistan’s present army regime, ABKM welcomes the Vajpayee-Musharraf talks, anticipating Pakistan to reply positively to new alternatives to make sure peace between the 2 international locations,” the decision mentioned.
