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'Some More Competent Persons Should Be Inducted Into The PMO'

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'Some More Competent Persons Should Be Inducted Into The PMO'
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K.S. Sudershan has been treading a minefield of controversies ever since he took over as RSS sarsanghchalak last March. Starting with his suggestion to Indianise Islam and Christianity to the "bomb theory" on the Babri Masjid demolition, almost all his statements evoked varied reactions ranging from anger to sniggers. His latest salvo against the prime minister's men—Brajesh Mishra, N.K. Singh and foster son-in-law Ranjan Bhattacharya—was seen as a direct attack on Atal Behari Vajpayee. Already knee-deep in the Tehelka crisis, the pmo's public denial forced Sudershan to retract his charge about the "extra-constitutional authority" in the prime minister's house. His retraction was preceded by an all-out criticism from within the rank and file—probably the first time in the history of RSS that the sarsanghchalak came under criticism from his own swayamsevaks.

Even though resentment exists in the RSS about Vajpayee's style of functioning, it was felt that criticising the government at an hour of crisis would mean helping the Congress and the communists. However, Sudershan sticks to his stand that "more competent" people should be inducted in the pmo. The RSS sarsanghchalak spoke to Rajesh Joshi. Excerpts:

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Do you have some people in mind to replace those manning the pmo?
A parallel is being drawn between Sanjay Gandhi and Ranjan Bhattacharya...
Isn't the Tehelka exposé a commentary on the dwindling moral authority of the RSS over the BJP and the PM?
There is a perception that the RSS justifies or tends to play down all wrongdoings of the government. Why should you play the apologist's role for them?
Are you saying the media is just a puppet?
Have you ever thought of distancing the RSS from the BJP, given that it's under a cloud?
But when they earn a bad name, it naturally affects the RSS because they are trained in the RSS...

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Do you think it's prudent for you to support the nda?
The RSS first slammed the government on Tehelka, but now you are supporting them. Why this change?
Don't you think that after all these incidents the authority of the sarsanghchalak has come down considerably? Even within the RSS?
Were you criticised within the RSS?
But the controversy was created when the pmo issued a statement criticising your stand.
And you still stick to that?
But if Ranjan Bhattacharya does something objectionable, don't you have the moral right....
Don't you think that you'll now lose direct access to the PM's house?
But sometimes you slam the government and at other times you seem to support it. Why this flip-flop?
Aisa hai, koi policies is prakar ki hongi na!
Arre, ghar ke andar bhi kisi baat par do logon ke beech matbhed hota hai ki nahin?
The full text of the interview appears as a web story dated 2 April 2001.
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