'Climate crisis is real': RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat links materialism to floods, landslides, glaciers

Mohan Bhagwat said India should present a "Dharmic model" of development to the world, one that transcends religions, connects people, and ensures collective progress.

Nagpur: In the backdrop of the violent uprising in India’s neighbourhood of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)  chief Dr Mohan Bhagwat, during the centenary celebrations, sounded a cautionary note expressing concern over the disconnect between the government and the society and the lack of able and people-oriented administrators.

“In recent years, there has been considerable turmoil in our neighbouring countries. The regime change in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and more recently Nepal due to violent outburst of public anger is a concern for us. The forces wanting to create such disturbances in India are active inside as well as outside our country,” Dr Bhagwat said during the annual Vijayadashami address from Nagpur. 

However, he said that the natural and immediate causes for discontent are the disconnect between the government and the society and the lack of able and people-oriented administrators. 

“However, violent outbursts do not have the power to bring about the desirable change. The society can achieve such transformation only through democratic means. Otherwise, in such violent circumstances, there is a possibility that the dominant powers of the world, try to find opportunities to play their own games,” he said.

“These neighbouring countries are linked with India on the basis of both culture and long-standing ties between citizens. In one way, they are part of our own family. Peace, stability, prosperity, and ensuring comfort and wellbeing in these countries is a necessity arising out of our natural affinity with these countries, going beyond the consideration for protection of our interests,” the RSS chief said. 

Prepare comprehensive plan in once Naxal areas 

Asserting that the Naxalist movement has been largely brought under control due to the firm actions of the government and the realisation among people, the RSS chief said that there should be a comprehensive plan for the areas once under Maoist influence. “The root of Naxalites’ popularity in these areas lay in exploitation and injustice, lack of development, and absence of sensitivity about these matters in the administration. Now that these obstacles have been removed, a comprehensive action plan is required to ensure justice, development, goodwill, empathy, and harmony in these regions,” said Dr Bhagwat. 

‘Pahalgam and Ops Sindoor tested our friends’

On the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor against Pakistan, he said  during this entire period, the country witnessed heartening scenes of the firmness of the country’s leadership, the valour and war-readiness of our armed forces, as well as the determination and unity of our society. “However, at the same time, it has become evident to us that, while maintaining a policy and spirit of friendship with everyone, we must remain as vigilant as possible and further develop our security capabilities. The policy responses of other countries around the world to this entire episode, who our friends are in the global arena and to what extent they are willing to stand by us was also tested,” he said. 

‘Climate change is concerning’

On climate change, he said  harmful consequences of the materialist and consumerist development model adopted worldwide, based on a materialist and compartmentalized approach, are increasingly becoming evident everywhere. “In India too, due to the same model, irregular and unpredictable rainfall, landslides, drying up of glaciers, and other similar effects have intensified over the last 3-4 years. The entire water supply of Southwest Asia originates in the Himalayas. The occurrence of these disasters in the Himalayas should be considered as a warning bell for India and other countries of South Asia,” he added. 

Hindu society unites: Bhagwat

Dr Bhagwat said Hindu society guarantees national unity, oneness and development. “The Hindu society is accountable for Bharat. It is an inclusive society. It is free of and will remain free from a mentality ‘us and them’ which creates divisions on the basis of superficial differences of many names and forms. The Hindu society is upholder and guardian of the noble idea of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’,” he said.

No substitute for Swadeshi, Swavalamban: RSS chief 

Amid the new economic order and the repeated widening and  scaling up of tariffs by the United States, Dr  Bhagwat said that there is no substitute for Swadeshi and Swavalamban, however, asserted that the rich-poor divide needs to be addressed.  “In the economic sphere, one can say that our situation has been improving as per the prevailing indicators. However, the flaws of the prevailing economic system, such as: the widening gap between rich and poor, the concentration of economic power, the strengthening of new mechanisms that enable easier exploitation by exploiters, degradation of the environment, and the rise of transactionalism and inhumanity instead of genuine interpersonal relationships, are globally exposed,” Dr Bhagwat said. The RSS chief noted that India needs to reconsider the approach on some issues to ensure that the flaws and the tariff policy adopted by America, based solely on its self-interest, do not pose a challenge for us.  "The world operates through mutual interdependence. By becoming Aatmanirbhar and being cognizant of global unity, we must ensure that this global interdependence does not become a compulsion for us, and we are able to act according to our own will. There is no substitute for Swadeshi and Swavalamban,” he said.