RSS not a military organisation, it's a group with family atmosphere: Bhagwat

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday said the Sangh is not a military organisation, but a group with family atmosphere.

"Sangh is not an all-India music school. Martial arts programmes do take place (in it), but Sangh is neither an all India gym nor a martial arts club. Sometimes, the Sangh is described as a paramilitary (force). But Sangh is not a military organisation," he said.

Sangh is a group with family atmosphere, the RSS chief added.

He was speaking here at the closing event of the four-day Ghosh Shivir (musical band camp) of the Sangh's Madhya Bharat Pranth.

"Western countries consider music as entertainment. It is played for thrill there. But in India, music is meant to soothe the soul. It is an art that calms down the mind," he added.

Bhagwat had reached Gwalior on Friday midnight to address and guide the ghosh shivir that began here on Thursday.

The musical band camp concluded at Saraswati Shishu Mandir (school) located Gwalior's on Shivpuri Link Road, a senior RSS Madhya Bharat functionary said.

More than 500 instrumentalists drawn from 31 districts of RSS Madhya Pradesh Bharat Pranth (including Gwalior and Bhopal divisions) took part in the camp.

Last week, Bhagwat had attended 'Ghosh Pradarshan', a programme on demonstrating musical instruments by band members in Chhattisgarh.

RSS functionary Vinay Dixit said the RSS was formed in 1925 while its musical branch came up in 1927. He added that musical bands, especially drums, are used in shakhas during the drills.