Dattatreya Hosabale

Dattatreya Hosabale
Dattatreya Hosabale in 2025
Sarkaryavah of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh
Incumbent
Assumed office
20 March 2021
Preceded bySuresh Joshi
Personal details
Born (1954-12-01) 1 December 1954 (age 71)
Shimoga, Mysuru State (present–day Karnataka), India
OccupationSarakaryavaha, RSS

Dattatreya Hosabale (born 1 December 1954) is the current Sarkaryavah (General Secretary) of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a Hindutva paramilitary organisation, since 2021. He had previously served as the Sangathan Mantri (General Secretary) of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), a student wing of the RSS.

Early life and student politics

Dattatreya Hosabale was born on 1 December 1954, in Shimoga, Mysore State. His family was deeply affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

Hosabale joined the RSS in 1968, before joining the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) in 1972. During the Emergency, he protested against prime minister Indira Gandhi. He was subsequently detained for over a year under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act. In 1978, he became Pracharak of the ABVP. He pursued his undergraduate education from the National College, Bengaluru and his postgraduate education from the University of Mysore.

Rise within the Sangh

In 1992, Hosabale was made the Sangathan Mantri (General Secretary) of the ABVP. In 2009, Hosabale was made one of the four Sah-Sarkaryavahs (Joint General Secretary) of the RSS, under the leadership of Sarkaryavah (General Secretary) Suresh Joshi, as the latter had succeeded Mohan Bhagwat in the post.

Hosabale became the Sarkaryavah of the RSS on 20 March 2021, largely due to his close relations with prime minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah. A major reason for his elevation was because of his willingness to use the RSS machinery for electoral purposes. He was re-elected to the post in 2024.

Ideology and views

Homosexuality

In March 2016, while joint secretary of the RSS, Hosable said that homosexuality should not remain a criminal offence under Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code "as long as it does not affect the lives of others in society", adding that sexual preferences were private and personal and that the RSS had no view on that matter. The remark came weeks after the Supreme Court agreed to re-examine its 2013 ruling restoring the law. He said tweeted that gay marriage should be not permitted, and the approach should be "no criminalisation".

"Love Jihad"

Shortly after he became the Sarkaryavah of the RSS, Hosabale supported the enactment on laws against love jihad, stating, "“The use of fraudulent methods to lure girls for marriage, (religious) conversion, any kind of misuse or taking them to other countries has to be condemned and opposed,” Hosabale told reporters. “Some states have even come forward to make laws against this and RSS supports this.” When inquired over the terminology of 'love jihad' he said that the term was brought into use by the High courts of Kerala and Karnataka, and the practice has been confirmed by them. He added that there is no question of religion in it.

Religious conversion

Hosabale has claimed that religious conversions and immigration by "infiltrators from Bangladesh and other countries" are reducing the population of Hindus and causing an "imbalance." He has called for strict anti-conversion laws and population control.

Constitution

In June 2025, Hosabale advocated for the removal of the words "socialist" and "secular" from the preamble of the Indian Constitution.

Caste

In 2026, Hosable described caste-based discrimination and untouchability as a "blot" on Hindu society. He said that casteism and untouchability could not be ended by laws or sermons alone but required a change in individual behaviour, beginning within people's own homes, and that birth-based discrimination was not part of Hindu culture. He cited the Ramayana episode where Lord Rama accepts berries offered by Shabari and questioned the practice of discrimination in the name of caste.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Hebbar, Nistula (20 March 2021). "Analysis | Who is Dattatreya Hosabale?". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 12 December 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 Yadav, Shyamlal (20 March 2021). "Explained: Who is Dattatreya Hosabale, the new RSS sarkaryawah?". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 20 March 2021.
  3. 1 2 Pandey, Neelam (18 March 2024). "Ex-editor, jailed during Emergency — who is RSS No. 2 Dattatreya Hosabale, re-elected gen secy". ThePrint.
  4. ↑ K. Jha, Dhirendra (26 April 2021). "Heads of the Family: Dattatreya Hosabale's elevation as the RSS's executive head is a triumph for Modi". The Caravan. Archived from the original on 2 July 2025.
  5. ↑ Mishra, Ishita (18 March 2024). "Electoral bonds scheme is an 'experiment', concept of minority needs reconsideration: RSS". The Hindu.
  6. ↑ "Homosexuality not a crime: RSS joint general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale". The Indian Express. 18 March 2016. Retrieved 6 October 2026.
  7. ↑ "RSS Ambiguity on Homosexuality Masks Larger Problem of Indian Polity". The Wire. Retrieved 6 October 2026.
  8. ↑ Rangnekar, Sharif D. (20 March 2016). "Just like the Pope, Dattatreya Hosabale of RSS gave the LGBT community hope – and then took it away". Scroll.in. Retrieved 6 October 2026.
  9. ↑ "RSS Ambiguity on Homosexuality Masks Larger Problem of Indian Polity". The Wire. Retrieved 6 October 2026.
  10. ↑ "New RSS general secretary backs law on 'love jihad'". The Hindu. 21 March 2021. Archived from the original on 21 March 2021.
  11. ↑ Joshi, Bharath. "RSS will support laws against Love Jihad: Sarkaryavah Dattatreya Hosabale". Deccan Herald.
  12. ↑ "RSS will support laws against Love Jihad: Sarkaryavah Dattatreya Hosabale". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 4 October 2026.
  13. ↑ "Infiltrators from neighbouring countries, religious conversion causing population imbalance: RSS". Scroll.in. 20 October 2022.
  14. ↑ Mishra, Abhishek (20 October 2022). "Outrage as RSS leader says population balance disturbed by one community". India Today.
  15. ↑ "RSS leader Dattatreya Hosabale questions 'socialist', 'secular' in Preamble: Why the words were inserted in 1976".
  16. ↑ PTI (21 September 2026). "Caste bias a 'blot' on Hindu society: RSS leader Hosabale; calls for behavioural change". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 6 October 2026.
  17. ↑ Our Web Desk, PTI (21 September 2026). "Caste bias a 'blot' laws cannot wipe away, but with 'individual behaviour': RSS leader Hosabale". The Telegraph online.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  18. ↑ PTI (21 September 2026). "Caste bias a 'blot' on Hindu society: RSS leader Hosabale; calls for behavioural change". ThePrint. Retrieved 6 October 2026.