Former President Ram Nath Kovind (right) and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat (ANI photo)

NAGPUR: Former President Ram Nath Kovind, addressing the RSS centenary Vijayadashami celebrations in Nagpur on Thursday, sought to lend strength to the organisation’s Dalit outreach by using its stage to shower copious praise on Dr B R Ambedkar and highlight Sangh Parivar luminaries’ pro-Constitution stance.He quoted Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s 2001 speech at a ‘Dalit Sangam’ rally at Red Fort, where the then PM had declared that governance would be based “not on Manusmriti but on Bhim Smriti — the Constitution of India”. Kovid also quoted Vajpayee as saying “we are Bhimwadi, which means Ambedkarwadi (Ambedkarite)”, at the same rally.The RSS is often accused of being “Manuwadi” and anti-Constitution by Congress and other opposition parties.Kovind said both Mahatma Gandhi and Dr Ambedkar had expressed admiration for Sangh’s discipline and inclusive approach. Kovind, noted that Gandhi praised the organisation for its negation of untouchability, and was “deeply impressed by the discipline, simplicity and equality he witnessed at an RSS camp”. Ambedkar, too, during a 1940 visit to an RSS shakha at Karad town in Maharashtra, conveyed a “sense of belonging” with the organisation, he said.