The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has joined the World Cup frenzy, describing the game of football as a “symbol of oneness”, praising it for its merit of being a “great leveller” and referring to its popularity even “in ancient India”.
On Saturday, Dattatreya Hosabale, the Sahsarkaryavah of the RSS, came out with his views on the game in his blog. “The World Cup is an occasion when the world comes together – in a common aspiration, hope and determination – while trying to win the trophy each country expresses its own uniqueness, separateness and will and in being part of the greater game where the world comes together, each country forms part of that larger whole – the world family!”
He even linked it to the India’s “core civilisational belief of the world is one family- vasudhaiva kutumbakam”.
“The football World Cup tournament is a manifestation of that civilisational belief through the magic of ball. It is amazing to see how a ball unites the world!” Mr. Hosabale wrote.
The senior RSS functionary described football as a “great unifier” that transcends “civilisations, continents and borders” to win fans and admirers. “It has been so since ages – in ancient India, as in ancient Greece the game of tackling the ball and hitting it around with the foot was a hugely popular sport enjoyed by the vast majority – ruler as well as the commoner.”
The ideologue approved of the game for its inclusivity. “At another dimension too football is indeed a great leveller – as a game loved and played by all sections and strata of society in a majority of the countries of the world – this game deprives no one from partaking of its joys,” he wrote.