Washington DC [US], April 25 (ANI): Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale, who is in the United States, on Friday spoke about India-US diplomatic relations, saying that global powers must work towards inclusive progress based on trust and mutual understanding.

He said strong international ties depend on cooperation and responsible leadership.

In an exclusive interview with ANI, he said, 'I think the nations that are powerful have a responsibility to take everybody along. Internationally, mutuality and trust are the foundations for building better relations. So, that should be prime in order to have improved relations. So, I think the leaders of the nations understand this well. Their words, behaviour and their actions to this effect will go a long way in building a strong and trusted relationship,' Hosabale said.

On the RSS' long-term vision for India, he said the organisation is aligned with the national development roadmap, saying, 'The vision is already set as Viksit Bharat 2047. RSS has aligned with that vision,' he added.

Responding to a query on violence in the West Bengal Elections 2026, Hosabale said that maintaining law and order during elections is the responsibility of the government of the day.

He said political parties and their cadres must ensure that elections remain a democratic process and not turn into violent confrontations.

'Who is responsible? It is always the responsibility of the Govt of the day to have a better law and order situation. When elections are held, the parties and their cadres should participate in a democratic event like elections in a restrained way and spread the message of democracy, instead of engaging themselves in violent activities,' he said.

He further referred to past incidents of post-poll violence in the state.

'It reminds me of the post-election violence in the previous elections in Bengal. Nation and the world know who are behind it. So, I think these elements, if they are not learning lessons of democracy, violence is not going to take them anywhere. People will answer them in their own way,' Hosabale added.

When asked about what Muslims mean for the RSS and what the community's perception is of the organisation, Hosabale stated that 99.9% of the Muslims in India are descendants of the Indian origin Hindus and are part and parcel of the society.

He further said, 'The forefathers of Indian Muslims were Indians; they had been Hindus. So, 99.9% of the Muslims in India are descendants of the Indian-origin Hindus. So, we feel and we believe that they are part and parcel of our society. They might have changed their mode of worship and their religion, but they have not changed their nationality or civilisational roots.'

'This is what we have been conveying. Because of certain other mechanisations and political interests, there have been some tensions on and off and that has to be removed. That is why a continuous and comprehensive dialogue with the Muslim leadership is also required. That RSS has engaged in in the last few years, in order to remove these misgivings, if at all it is there,' he added.

On being asked about the biggest internal security threat for India and RSS' role in fighting it, Hosabale pointed to illegal infiltration from the eastern border and demographic change in some areas.

'Within India, there are a lot of diversity. Playing upon these diversities and putting one against another for political interests, that creates problems. Within this Indian society, illegal infiltration on the eastern border mainly has definitely been considered to be a matter of internal security by governments,' he said.

'The demographic change that is taking place has its own tensions in society. Today, it is not too much of a security issue, but the change of demography in some sections would definitely create social tensions,' he said.

Hosabale said that RSS has been organising society, encouraging people to work for the nation and engage in community service.

The RSS General Secretary said that he had attended two conferences in the United States and interacted with various sections of American society, including people of Indian origin and Americans who are in academics and establishment and think tanks.

'I think most of them may not know India and the socio-cultural situations of India, what the various inter-places in society. So, perceptions are made because of... many a time because of misunderstandings, a lack of information and also a lack of communication on the part of people from India. So, I thought it's better to communicate directly with them. Perception side, you know that RSS is a socio-cultural movement of people and it creates volunteers and they engage themselves in the national building activities,' he said.

He was asked about the perception around RSS and his public outreach in the United States.

Hosabale said Hudson Institute invited him for New India conference and discussed with him about the RSS.

'I had come for two conferences, one at Stanford University campus - the GSIF, Global Science Innovation Forum. They had also invited me to speak on science, society, and civilisational leadership. So, I thought this was an opportunity to express on behalf of Hindu society and also behalf of the organisation which I represent,' he said.

'It's good we could reach out to various sections of American society - both of Indian origin and also Americans who are in academics and establishment, think tanks and so on. I could tell them what the RSS is doing for the last 100 years, we have been organising the society and encouraging the people to work for the nation and to engage themselves in community service...how RSS works and what is its philosophy, I could explain to them,' he added. (ANI)