RSS ready to support Uma Bharti: Ram Madhav

Bareilly, Apr 2 (UNI) The Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) today said it was willing to support expelled BJP leader and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Uma Bharti in all her efforts aimed at ''nation building.'' RSS national executive member and former spokesperson of the organisation, Ram Madhav told newspersons here that be it BJP president Rajnath Singh or Uma Bharti, the RSS was willing to support all those leaders who work for nation building.

''We (RSS) are not supporting any political outfit in the coutry and neither is the organisation behind any disintegration in BJP. We support all leaders working towards nation building, irrespective of the political hue they represent,'' he added.

When queried about past appreciation of Sonia Gandhi and Mulayam Singh Yadav by the Sangh, Mr Madhav said that they had never supported Ms Gandhi or Mr Yadav personally, but only lauded their efforts towards nation building.

However, distancing the RSS from any comment over the 'Office of Profit' controversy presently rocking the national politics he said that terming Ms Gandhi's resignation from Lok Sabha membership and NAC presidentship, as an act of ''sacrifice'' was unwarranted.

The RSS leader also outlined the plans of the organisation to celebrate the birth centenary of Sangh ideolugue Guru Golwalkar as an year of social equality.

The RSS workers will embark on social welfare schemes in urban slums and backward villages across the country and the organisation targeted raising the number of 'Sangh Sakhas' from 52,000 to 70,000 during the centenary celebrations that will culminate on February 18, 2007.

Mr Madhav further informed a Committee headed by Bharat Mata Mandir chief Swami Satyamitranand Maharaj has been constituted to oversee the birth centenary programmes. Former Governor of Jharkhand and Bihar, M Rama Jois will be the acting head of the Committee, he added.

UNI XC-ARS VD PC2139