All those living in India are Hindus: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat

Mumbai: All those living in India are Hindus, Rashtriya Swyamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat said asserting that the word Hindu is not a noun but an adjective.

Bhagwat acknowledged India’s diversity in languages, food habits, religious practices, deities, rituals and regional differences, but said all these co-exist within a shared cultural framework.

“There is one identity that unites us all and we call it a Hindu. It’s a broader cultural and civilisational term and not religious…, Bharat is not just a geographical entity, but represents a cultural attitude,” said Bhagwat.

Besides, he pointed out that “dharmanirpekshata" is a wrong word and the correct word is “pantnirpekshata”.

“Being the most ancient, we, the Hindus, are the aagraj (elders) of the world. People from around the world will observe our character and learn from us. We will teach, not through speeches or dadagiri (domineering attitude), but through behaviour and character,” the RSS chief said.

“Social harmony means that in our sphere of communication, without any discrimination, there should be friends among all sections of the Hindu society,” said the chief of RSS, which is the ideological fountainhead of the BJP, that runs the Centre.

The observations of the RSS chief came at the two-day lecture series - '100 years of Sangh Journey - New Horizons’ - organised to mark the centenary celebrations of the RSS in Mumbai.

The invitees have been classified into a total of 10 categories, including dignitaries from the fields of economy, judiciary, administration, arts, sports, religion, politics, corporate sector, cinema, and others.

Among those seen at the event were actors Salman Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, filmmaker Subhash Ghai, actor and danseuse Hema Malini, who is a BJP MP, actor Ashvini Bhave, singer Anuradha Paudwal, Prasoon Joshi.

Speaking about the Sangh’s journey, Bhagwat said: “The Sangh has not emerged in competition with any other organization, nor has it emerged in reaction or opposition to any. Our work is done without opposing anyone. The Sangh does not seek popularity. The Sangh does not seek power. All the good works happening in the country should be done properly—that is what the Sangh is for.”

He said that from the very beginning the Sangh has already decided that apart from organizing the entire society, it has no other task to do.

“The Sangh swayamsevaks are running more than 1.3 lakh service activities without taking any money from the government and spending their own money with the cooperation of society,” he said.

On the Sangh Parivar and its work, Bhagwat said: “The work of the Sangh is unique. Based on our understanding, we used to say that such work does not exist anywhere else in the world. Now, we are experiencing this directly, as people from Bharat and abroad come to observe the Sangh. People from all five continents visit, study its activities, and ask many questions. In the end, everyone asks the same question, whether they are from Africa, Europe, America, Southeast Asia, or the Middle East. They say this method is relevant for the younger generation, and that in their own country’s history, perhaps after Gautam Buddha, such an all-India effort has not taken place.”