HT Correspondent's interview of Mohan Bhagwat RSS Chief in the issue of today 7th June '09 revived memories of RSS in the period 1940-47 when I as a student of class VII used to visit a Shakha in Aryanagar, Kanpur which was started by one Mr Sontake and Atal -Behari Bajpai। Both these gentlemen were students of SD College, Kanpur. Both were fired with enthusiasm for discipline - अनुशासन - among the student community. They were pracharaks or shikshaks, I do not know the hierarchic position they had those days. Physical fitness, social responsibility, hygiene, awareness of our heritage and culture were empahsised, through games (necessarily indigenous games like Kabaddi, kho kho etc.), talking about historical places, heroes like Maharana Pratap, Shivaji, Bhagat Singh, Azad etc., and respect for teachers, parents, and elders in the family. Never was politics discussed except probably in commune seminars - बौद्धिक - held for adult senior members. The remarks of Mr. Bhagwat that politics is not the business of RSS is therefore welcome. It is indeed necessary that organization like the RSS should concentrate on building up civic responsibility, disciplined social ethic . Only talking of the past glory of the nation or of religious supremacy does not take us any where. Religion should be something to be practiced at privately and even in the past religious bigotry and fanaticism was never the hallmark of Hinduism. RSS was started for social reform and nation building. That should remain its business. If RSS has a hold on the BJP it should be exercised to ensure that leaders who are really secular hold positions of responsibility in that organization.