Protect north Indians from attacks: RSS chief

New Delhi: The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has taken on the MNS and the Shiv Sena by coming out in support of north Indians in Maharashtra.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has asked sangh workers in Maharashtra to protect north Indians from attacks. This could be the organisation making clear its stance against any linguistic chauvinism.

Bhagwat said, "Whole of India is for all Indians and all Indians can earn livelihood anywhere in India. Language, caste, sub-castes, groups, tribes can be different, but all are sons of India. This is a misconception that employment has decreased at our place because of migrants. Solution of this grievance should be found but the solution is not that you refuse people of your country to migrate to your area. The solution can be found if administration and government are dedicated. All political parties should rising above the vote-bank politics and consider this issue. National integration is above all else."

This stance comes even as its own parivar member, the Shiv Sena upped its rhetoric against north Indians in the state taking the cue from Raj Thackeray's MNS.

Bhagwat on Saturday echoed the government's stance on peace talks with the ULFA

stressing that the country's sovereignty and unity are non- negotiable.

"The sovereignty, unity and security of the country cannot be negotiated with. Talks are held under peaceful conditions and not by fighting. So the discussions have to be

within this parameter," Bhagwat told reporters in Guwahati.

On various ethnic and insurgent groups demanding autonomy or separate states by balkanising Assam, he said, "The country is one and it is only for administrative

convenience that states were made."

To queries on steps by the RSS to stop the alleged largescale conversion activities of Christian missionaries in the northeast, he said, "Conversion is either by lure or force. Earlier, there was no resistance from the people. But now people are alert and we are creating awareness about it.

"As progress brings about awareness, the RSS besides the government, is helping the development activities of the country. If people are alert, they cannot be converted and

lose their cultural identity."

The RSS chief said Hindutva was also a way forward for stopping conversion as it awakened awareness in society.

The RSS statement does not however mention any organisation by name