Global engagement inevitable but should not be driven by pressure, tariffs: Mohan Bhagwat

Mumbai: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Saturday said that global engagement was inevitable, but it should not happen under anyone's pressure or be driven by tariffs.

He also urged people to purchase products keeping in mind how it can boost employment opportunities in the country.

Bhagwat was speaking at a programme titled '100 years of the Sangh journey' here to mark the RSS's centenary.

"People should think about how their choices support employment in the country. Global engagement, wherever necessary, should be carried out in a way that suits India's interests and environment, and should not be tariff-driven," he said.

"There are many foreign-made commodities, the use of which we can avoid in our daily life. At the same time, there are several Indian-made products, which are better than those made in foreign countries. We have to purchase goods thinking how our country's employment will grow. Global engagement, which is inevitable, should be done without coming under anyone's pressure and should not be tariff-driven," the RSS chief said.

His statement comes days after Congress accused the BJP-led Union government of buckling under the US pressure to finalise a trade deal and compromising on the interests of Indian farmers in the process.

Bollywood star Salman Khan, filmmaker Subhash Ghai, lyricist and writer Prasoon Joshi, actor and BJP MP Hema Malini and actors

Ranbir Kapoor and Poonam Dhillon were among those present for Bhagwat's lecture on day one of the the two-day event which seeks to reflect on the journey of RSS, its role in society, and the ideas and perspectives shaping its future.

Speaking about RSS which was founded in 1925, Bhagwat said it does not seek power or aim to become a "pressure group", but its objective is to unite society.

Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar identified several shortcomings in society including the lack of unity and it finally led him to found Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in 1925, he said.

The RSS long ago decided that it would not take up any work other than the unification of society, and once that task is achieved, it would not pursue any other agenda, Bhagwat said.

Many people believe that Narendra Modi is the Prime Minister because of the RSS, he said, adding that while Modi leads a political party and many RSS volunteers are active in public life, "the political party is a separate entity and not an organ of the RSS."

The RSS was not "against anyone" and did not work as a reaction to any incident, Bhagwat said, adding that its focus was supporting and strengthening positive efforts underway in the country.

A line from the Bible could also be applied to the RSS that "it has come to fulfil, not to destroy", Bhagwat said.

The RSS essentially means the shakha system -- a daily one-hour gathering involving physical exercise and mental discipline, where people from all castes and social backgrounds work together, Bhagwat said, adding that it helps in shaping individuals for national betterment.

Everyone living in Bharat is Hindu, Bhagwat said, adding that the term does not denote a religion tied to specific rituals or prayers, nor is it the name of a particular community. "Hindu is not a noun but an adjective," he said.

Responding to frequent claims that the word Hindu was coined by outsiders, Bhagwat said Guru Nanak had used the term during Babur's invasion.

Indian Muslims and Christians are different from Muslims and Christians elsewhere because they are rooted in this land, which shapes their behaviour, the RSS chief said.

India does not aspire to be a superpower that controls the world with force, Bhagwat said, adding, "We are witnessing such powers today."

India's goal is to become a 'Vishwaguru' by leading through example rather than domination or speeches, he said.

"Partition happened because of religion. We said we respect all religions, because we are Hindus. There are people who say this was wrong. Islam, Christianity still exist in India. There are skirmishes, but the country has remained united....'Hindu bhav ka vismaran' (Hindu sentiment being forgotten) led to the partition of India," Bhagwat remarked.

He stressed that being Hindu does not mean a person should stop practising their own religion. "You don't lose anything by accepting Hindutva, (neither) your religious practise, (nor) your language. Hindutva is a guarantee of your safety," the RSS chief said.

A person's faith, food habits and language may be different, but we are all one as a society, culture and nation, he said, adding, "We call this Hindutva, and you may say (call it) Bharatiyata."

He also said that Hindu-Muslim unity is a wrong phrase because "you unite two (different) people and not those who are already one."

Dialogue was necessary to understand the RSS and the nature of the organisation can not be understood on the basis of perception and propaganda, Bhagwat said, adding that if there was any opposition to the Sangh on a factual basis, "we will improve", but "to know the facts you must come to us.