Thursday, April 21 2005 09:57 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief K S Sudarshan yesterday (Apr 20, 2005) avoided any reference to the major controversy triggered by his remarks on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership.

Caught in a major controversy triggered by his remarks on the BJP leadership, RSS chief avoided any reference to it at a public function but recalled how Bhishma and Guru Dronacharya of Mahabharata remained mute spectators to injustice.

On his first visit to the capital after his controversial interview to a television channel, Sudarshan's only reference to the saffron party was "some people ask me how much did you benefit under their rule and my response is we were never dependent on power. We have made progress whenever the circumstances have been adverse".

In his address on the occasion of the second anniversary of devotional channel 'Sadhana', he said while the learned Brahmin Drona started serving the royal family, as he could not provide milk for his son, the valiant Kshatriya Bhishma gave his blind loyalty to the throne.

"When these gentlemen did not speak out and kept quite when Draupadi was disrobed and subjected to humiliation, Lord Krishna in order to re-establish Dharma prepared a hit list, which included both. While they both wanted the Pandavas who represented truth and righteousness to win, they remained with the Kauravas," he said.

Sudarshan said when a remorseful Arjuna refused to fight and Krishna guided him, he asked several questions but once the Lord showed his grand form (Virat Rupa), he realised the strength behind the guidance, stopped asking questions and said, "I will do as you say."

"We are in position of Mahabharata. A new Mahabharata is being fought," said and described the attacks on RSS as attacks against Hindus.

The RSS chief said that while many political parties have split, the Sangh remained a single entity even 80 years after its formation.

"When people ask me the reason for this, whenever there are problems, seven to eight of us sit together and sort it out," he said.

Asserting that Sangh did not believe in following anyone's footprints, Sudarshan said, "We will have to chalk out our own course."

Maintaining that the current "desperation, increase in crime, mental instability, social division and growing inclination towards religion" were indicative of a massive change, he prophesied that 2011 was the year of India's destiny.

While no prominent BJP leader except party treasurer Ved Prakash Goyal was present at the function, Vishwa Hindi Parishad (VHP) senior vice-president Acharya Giriraj Kishore, spiritual Guru Sudhanshu Maharaj and Mahabodhi Society of India president B K Modi also spoke on the occasion.