Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat
Credit: PTI File Photo
New Delhi: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat on Tuesday said that while the outfit advises its members or swayamsevaks on what they need to do on various matters, the final decision lies in the hands of the swayamsevak alone.
Bhagat was speaking as part of a function during the inaugural speech of the three-day centennial programme, 'New Horizons: 100 years of RSS' at Vigyan Bhawan in Delhi.
“The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is an organisation whose work is to do human development. The volunteers of the Sangh work in various fields, but the organisation does not control them. There was opposition and neglect regarding the Sangh, but the Sangh considers the society as its own. The Sangh runs on personal dedication The specialty of the Sangh is that it does not depend on external sources,” Bhagwat said.
Bhagwat also said that the Sangh intends to prepare people for society, so that people can take care of nation-building on their own. “We believe that nation-building as an objective should not be left to the political class; this is something we should take in our own hands,” Bhagwat said.
Bhagwat’s comments came even as the RSS and the BJP’s equation has been at an all-time low. The differences between the two entities led the swayamsevaks to pull back during the Lok Sabha elections in key states like Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra leading to the BJP’s tally to fall to 240, down from 303 in 2019 and much below their aim of 400 seats.
Bhagwat also dwelled on how the Sangh defines Hinduism. “The meaning of the word ‘Hindu’ is not religious, but a sense of responsibility towards the nation. This name was given by others, but we have always seen ourselves from an anthropological point of view. Hindu means inclusion without limits. A Hindu is one who believes in it, follows his own path, and does not convert others. He respects the faith of others, does not insult them. Saying Hindu does not mean that it is Hindu versus all,” Bhagwat said.
“The DNA of the people of India has been the same since 40,000 years ago. Our culture is the same, of living together,” he added. His comments are a continuation of the Sangh’s recent outreach activities. Recently, Bhagwat met a group of Muslim clerics.
Bhagwat also stressed that the idea of ‘Hindu Rashtra’ is not a political construct, but a geographical one. “When we say Hindu Rashtra, we do not mean it in a political context. It does not mean that we are leaving anyone out. The Sangh has not come for protest or for reaction. Hindu Rashtra has nothing to do with power,” Bhagwat said.