UGC regulations reflect RSS belief in social unity: Sangh leader

Mumbai: Amid widespread criticism over the UGC regulations, which have been stayed by the Supreme Court, a senior RSS leader on Tuesday said his organisation is of the belief that there should be unity in society and it will do whatever it takes to maintain it.

Responding to criticism over those questioning the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)'s contribution to the freedom struggle, Sunil Ambekar, Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh, said the Sangh does not need to explain after 100 years on what it has done to maintain sovereignty and unity of the country.

"The Sangh has been formed for the same purpose. Whatever Sangh has done is for the country," he said. Last month, the Centre notified new regulations mandating all higher education institutions to form "equity committees" to look into discrimination complaints and promote equity, triggering protests.

The University Grants Commission (Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, 2026, mandated that these committees must include members of the Other Backward Classes (OBCs), the Scheduled Castes (SCs), the Scheduled Tribes (STs), persons with disabilities, and women.

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The Supreme Court stayed the UGC equity regulations on preventing caste-based discrimination on campuses, saying the framework is "prima facie vague", can have "very sweeping consequences" and may end up dividing society with a "dangerous impact".

"The court has stayed it (the guidelines). Different people have expressed their views, and it is before the court. Sangh's belief is that there should be unity in society. We all will do whatever is needed to maintain the unity," Ambekar said in response to a question on UGC regulations .

When asked about the recent controversy on painting the town green, a reference to the remark made by an All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM)'s corporator in Thane that her party would colour Mumbra green, Ambekar said the colour of the country for thousands of years has been saffron. On the issue of language playing an important role in the recently-concluded municipal corporation polls, he said the RSS's stand has been that all Indian languages are national languages.

The country's tradition has been that all languages thrive together happily, he said. "People in the country have preserved so many languages, and they have thrived. This is our history. Issues will crop up if people forget the history (of language in the country)," Ambekar said. The Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) had made Marathi language and 'asmita' (pride) a major poll issue in the municipal corporation polls.