Milind Soman recalls his days in RSS, says he is baffled by media's communal propaganda against it

In his book Made In India, Milind has revealed that he was an RSS member in his boyhood and went to its Shivaji Park branch in Mumbai in the evenings on the weekdays.

The memoir said his father believed a young boy would benefit by joining RSS junior cadres where values of disciplined living, physical fitness and right-thinking were inculcated into them, reported media.

A report in The Print quoted his book: “When I read today all the subversive, communal propaganda the media attributes to RSS shakhas, I am frankly baffled. My memories of what happened at our shakha between 6 and 7 p.m. each weekday evening are completely different—we marched about in our khaki shorts, did some yoga, worked out in a traditional outdoor gymnasium with no fancy equipment, sang songs and chanted Sanskrit verses that we did not understand the meanings of, played games and had a bunch of fun with our fellows.” 

 

“Occasionally, we’d be taken on treks or overnight camping trips in the hills around Bombay, which we eagerly looked forward to and enjoyed very much. The whole thing was overseen by a team of mostly-well-meaning—if not always inspirational—adults, who truly believed they were helping raise good ‘civilian soldiers’— boys respectful of authority, well-behaved in the presence of adults and well-aware of the importance of physical fitness— who would put their efforts into nation-building when they grew up. A desi Scouts movement, if you will. As for the parents who registered their kids, most saw the shakha as just another way to keep their offspring in good shape and out of trouble,” he added.

After reports emerged about his experience in RSS and his views about the saffron organisation, the actor began to trend in twitter.

Seemingly amused, the star tweeted that he wished at 54, he trended on social media for his swimming talent which had started around the same time he joined RSS.