Bharatiya Janata Party veteran L.K. Advani shares a dias with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat in 2014. — File Photo: Sandeep Saxena
“Unless you commit yourself to ethical values, being morally upright in all that you do, you will not be able to serve the country or serve even in politics, the RSS advises”
Veteran BJP leader L.K. Advani, who has been sidelined by the new regime in the party, on Sunday lauded the teachings of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, saying it placed emphasis on keeping ethical and moral values in public life, which were essential for serving the nation.
“The biggest contribution that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh make in the public life is emphasising that even if you become active in politics, unless you commit yourself to ethical values, commit yourself to being morally upright in all that you do, you will not be able to serve the country or serve even in politics..”
“For serving politics, serving the country, the biggest need is to be connected to ethical values in whatever you do. Ethical values in your family life, ethical values in your public life and ethical values in your education…all these things are important in making the country great,” the BJP patriarch said.
Mr. Advani was inaugurating the valedictory function of the silver jubilee celebrations of ‘Aravinda Vidyamandiram’, at Anikkadu, near here.
The Vidyamandiram is affiliated to Bharatiya Vidya Niketan, Kerala unit of Vidya Bharati, which has RSS leanings.
At the function, Mr. Advani also emphasised the need for learning more languages including English and Hindi.
“Of all the languages that I have learnt, it is with English with which I am most comfortable. I am [also] comfortable with Devanagiri and with Hindi. And it has helped me throughout the country. Because in most parts of the country, it is English that is understood quite well and I can also communicate in Hindi,” the BJP leader said.