Purba Bardhaman: On the culminating day of his Bengal entourage, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday described Hindus as a "responsible community" who considers unity as the embodiment of diversity, calling for its unity.
The Sarsangchalak was speaking at an RSS programme at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) Complex in Purba Bardhaman. The rally was held following the Calcutta High Court's nod after the initial refusal of permission by state police.
"People often ask why we focus only on Hindu society. My answer is that the country's responsible society is Hindu society. Today is not a special event. Those unaware of the Sangh often wonder what it wants. If I had to answer, I would say the Sangh seeks to organise Hindu society because it is the responsible society of the country," Bhagwat said, stressing the importance of accepting universal diversity.
"Bharatvarsha (India) is not just a geographical entity, its size may expand or shrink over time. It is called Bharatvarsha when it embodies a unique nature. Bharat has its intrinsic character and those who felt they could not live in harmony with this nature created their own separate countries," he said.
"Naturally, those who stayed back wanted Bharat's essence to endure. And what is this essence? It is much older than August 15, 1947. It is the Hindu society, which flourishes by embracing the world's diversity. This nature accepts and moves forward with worldly diversities. There is one eternal truth that never changes. We say 'unity in diversity,' but Hindu society understands that diversity itself is unity," the RSS chief said.
Bhagwat said in India, no one remembers the emperors and maharajas but a king who went into 14-year to fulfil his father's promise — an apparent reference to Lord Ram — and the person who placed his brother's sandals on the throne and handed over the kingdom upon his return.
"These characteristics define India. Those who follow these values are Hindus and they keep the diversity of the entire country united," he said. Reiterating the need for Hindu unity, Bhagwat said even in good times, challenges will always arise. "The nature of the problem is irrelevant. What matters is how prepared we are to face them," he added.
Speaking on historical invasions dating back to Alexander, Bhagwat noted that "a handful of barbarians, who were not superior in virtue, ruled over India, "attributing it to internal betrayal within society".
The RSS chief emphasised societal participation to change a nation's destiny. "India was not created by the British and the notion of India being disunited was instilled in people's minds by the oppressors," he said.
"Even Mahatma Gandhi said it was the British who tried to teach us that they created India, and he had said this was wrong. India existed for centuries — diverse, yet united. All those who live in this country believe in 'unity in diversity'. Today, if we talk about this, we are accused of talking about Hindutva," Bhagwat said.
#WATCH | Purba Bardhaman, West Bengal: RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat says, " ...what does the sangh want to do? if this question has to be answered in one sentence, then the sangh wants to unite the entire hindu society. why unite the hindu society? because the society responsible for… pic.twitter.com/7i4fY3m0J7
— ANI (@ANI) February 16, 2025
Referring to misconceptions about the organisation, he said, "If you look from the outside, you may have misunderstandings about the Sangh. We have thousands of branches (Shakas) and we want to expand them. Why? Not for ourselves. Because if people unite, it will be beneficial for the country and the world."
On RSS' intentions in uniting Hindu society, he said, "We do not seek to gain anything. We just want to work for the development of the country. History and the present time tell us that India maintains friendly relations with everyone, even with those who want to harm us. Others think of interests but we think of relations."
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