'RSS-Pakistan Jugalbandi': Sena UBT's Priyanka Chaturvedi Slams Dattatreya Hosabale’s Remarks On Dialogue With Pakistan

Mumbai: Shiv Sena UBT leader and former Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi on Friday launched a sharp attack on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh after Pakistan reacted positively to remarks by RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale advocating continued dialogue between India and Pakistan.

Reacting to Pakistan Foreign Ministry’s response, Chaturvedi accused the BJP-RSS ecosystem of reviving what she termed a soft approach towards Islamabad. “RSS~Pakistan jugalbandi heading towards BJP’s version of Aman ki Asha. The victims of Pakistan sponsored terrorism can forget hope for justice,” Chaturvedi wrote in a post on X.

The controversy erupted after Hosabale, considered the second most influential leader in the RSS hierarchy, said India should continue engaging with Pakistan despite repeated terror attacks and strained bilateral ties.

Speaking during a podcast interview, Hosabale said India should never shut the door on diplomatic engagement with Pakistan. “India should always be ready to engage in dialogue with Pakistan. That is why diplomatic relations are maintained, trade and commerce continue, and visas are being given. So we should not stop these, because there should always be a window for dialogue,” he said.

At the same time, the RSS leader maintained that India must continue responding firmly to terrorism and Pakistan-sponsored violence. Referring to attacks such as Pulwama, Pahalgam and the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, Hosabale described Pakistan as a 'pinprick' repeatedly attempting to destabilise India through cross-border terrorism.

“Pakistan is like a pinprick, trying to create incidents like Pulwama and Pahalgam. We have to answer appropriately according to the situation, because the security and self-respect of a country and nation have to be protected,” he said.

Hosabale also recalled former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s peace initiatives with Pakistan, including the Lahore bus journey, while noting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had invited Pakistan’s leadership for his swearing-in ceremony in 2014. “Everything has been tried, but more such efforts should continue,” Hosabale said, adding that sporting ties and people-to-people engagement could also help improve relations.

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry later responded positively to the RSS leader’s remarks during a media briefing in Islamabad. A spokesperson described 'voices within India calling for dialogue' as a 'positive development' and said Pakistan would wait to see whether there was any official response from the Indian government. The spokesperson also referred to remarks made by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor and former R&AW chief A. S. Dulat supporting dialogue and restoration of ties between the two countries.

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