Resolving differences among warring groups in Manipur will take time: Mohan Bhagwat

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said it would take time to resolve differences among warring sides in ethnic strife-torn Manipur, exuding confidence that peace will ultimately prevail in the northeastern State.

Mr. Bhagwat, who recently visited Manipur, said he had held talks with all tribal and social leaders as well as youth representatives of the State.

He said that the disturbances, mainly law and order problems, are abating slowly and will end within about a year.

"But bridging the minds is a great task, and it will take time," he said, asserting that the only way is to have dialogue and bring the warring sides to "one page".

"That can be done, because basically the spirit is already there," the RSS chief said at a programme held in Kolkata to celebrate the centenary of the Sangh on Sunday.

"We could do it in Arunachal, Meghalaya, we are doing it in Nagaland and other places," he said.

Mr. Bhagwat said that the RSS has around 100 shakhas in Manipur.

Maintaining that peace will ultimately prevail in Manipur, he said, "But definitely it will take time."

Asked by one of the participants in the lecture and interaction programme as to why the Sangh is maintaining a distance with the top BJP leadership, the RSS chief said that the Sangh has always maintained a distance with the saffron party.

"We stay very distant from all BJP leaders," he said, hastening to add, "We have always been close to Narendra bhai [PM Modi], Amit bhai [Union Home Minister Shah]."

Both the leaders are known to be close to the Sangh, and PM Modi was earlier a pracharak of the organisation.

He said such narratives regarding relations between the RSS and the BJP leadership should not be taken into account, maintaining that the Sangh does not hide its relationship with anyone, be it any political outfit.