Not just Pranab's tolerance advice, but Bhagwat's 'power' warning important

In the run up to his visit to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) headquarters in Nagpur on Thursday, former president Pranab Mukherjee had told people in the Congress that “engagement with the RSS was not an endorsement of its views”.

On Thursday evening, Mukherjee discharged himself honourably. He spoke to the RSS cadres of the importance of pluralism, non-violence and tolerance for preserving national unity. Mukherjee had gone to the RSS headquarters in the hope that his visit would help bridge an ideological divide. It remains to be seen if his visit would lead to a dialogue between the RSS and its ideological opponents in the Congress and other parties.

It is true that the RSS received much publicity because of Mukherjee’s visit. A case could be made, as some in the Congress have, that the RSS was seeking legitimacy, which it got because of Mukherjee’s visit. The former president visited the house of RSS founder K B Hedgewar, and said he has come there to pay homage to a great son of India. However, the RSS is currently at the height of its influence and can live, if it so chooses, without this legitimacy.