Don’t mean to leave out anyone when we say Hindu Rashtra: Mohan Bhagwat

“When we talk about Hindu Rashtra, questions are raised … when we say Hindu Rashtra, we do not mean we are going to leave out anyone … or we are opposed to anyone. The Sangh is not like that. The Sangh is not born out of a reaction or opposition,” Bhagwat said in a lecture at the Vigyan Bhawan here.

The address was part of a three-day centenary lecture series organised by the RSS, titled “100 Years of the Sangh’s Journey — New Horizons”, in which Bhagwat will articulate the Sangh’s views on India and the road ahead for the organisation.

“The word Hindu Rashtra has no connection with power. Whenever there has been a rule with the prominence of Hindu Rashtra, it has not been one concerned with religion and faith. Everyone has equal justice in it, no discrimination at all,” the RSS sarsanghchalak said.

Bhagwat narrated an anecdote about M S Golwalkar, the second RSS chief, who was once setting up a Sangh shakha (branch) in a village when he was asked why it was required when the place did not have Muslims and Christians. Bhagwat said that Golwalkar replied that even if the whole world did not have Muslims or Christians, shakhas would be needed to organise the Hindu society.

A Hindu is always inclusive and respects diversity, and this is the source of unity, according to Bhagwat. “A Hindu does not believe in one God. He has many forms. It is said he has 33 crore forms. Neither one scripture nor one Guru. There were many, Buddhists, Jains, Shaivaites … There were many religions. But there was a nature to accept all these, all forms of worship. All will reach the same place. No way is the wrong way … Hindu does not mean Hindu versus all. Hindu is inclusive and inclusivity has no limits.”

“Follow your path, do not change it and do not try to change others. But respect the faith of others. Do not disrespect it. Do not fight over faith. Stay together. The one who has such traditions and culture is Hindu,” he said.

Suggesting that all those living in India were Hindus because of their common ancestry and shared culture, the RSS chief said, “We do not believe that to stay united we need to be uniform. Even diversity has unity. But we tend to solve easier questions first in an exam. So, organise those who are calling themselves Hindus, make their lives better. After that, those who are not calling themselves Hindus for some reason will start saying so. And that has started happening.”

Bhagwat also had a message about differences in opinion. “Many of you may have disliked the RSS and like it now. Having a different opinion or view is not a crime. It is a virtue given by nature. When we listen to different opinions and reach a consensus, we progress.”

RSS-BJP relationship

In his address, Bhagwat made an oblique reference to the RSS’s relationship with the BJP, saying the Sangh does not “remote control” its swayamsevaks (volunteer cadre). The RSS chief said while there was constant communication between the Sangh and the swayamsevaks, they “gradually become independent and do not need the Sangh”.

“What swayamsevaks do is their domain. It is independent and autonomous. The credit goes to them. Discredit is shared by the Sangh because it is our product. The Sangh does not control them, either directly or remotely. But the connection of swayamsevaks with the Sangh is unbreakable. Because of that, they talk to us and we talk to them. They ask us, we tell them. We notice something, we tell them. If they ask for help, we provide. But there is no pressure on them that they should listen to us,” he said.

“They will understand our views and then they will do what they deem fit. They have expertise in their domain. It is not that we do not have the expertise, but it is they who have to do it. The one who is doing the job must have independence. And in the organisation, they do not just have swayamsevaks with them, they have others too who represent the people,” he said.

During the Lok Sabha elections last year, BJP president J P Nadda told The Indian Express that the party had grown from the time it needed the RSS and had become capable of running its own affairs. The BJP suffered a setback in the polls, with its tally dropping from 303 to 240. Bhagwat later said in a public address that a “true sevak” does not have “ahankar (arrogance)”. The differences were said to have been resolved internally over the following months, with the RSS calling it a “family matter”.

On Tuesday, Bhagwat weighed in on how an organisation must function. “We have taught our swayamsevaks to take everyone along. There may be differences of opinion, but it should not translate into resentment. That is what an organisation is. Our expectation from them is that the organisation and the worker must function properly. They keep doing their job, we keep telling them. Gradually, they become independent, autonomous and self-sufficient. They do not need help anymore. Our only concern is that the thoughts, behaviour, and values of a swayamsevak remain in proper shape.”

Bhagwat said that with the lecture series the RSS wants to make public correct and authentic information about itself. He also spoke of the country’s journey during and after the freedom struggle and accused the Congress of failing to fulfil its role of “ideological enlightenment” after Independence.

Around 1,300 people from all walks of life, including politicians, judges, diplomats, and social workers, attended the lecture. Diplomats from 25 countries, including China, the US, and Russia, attended the event.

Union Ministers Jyotiraditya Scindia and Anupriya Patel, BJP MP Kangana Ranaut, Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde, and NDA ally Upendra Kushwaha were among politicians who attended the event. Former Chief Justices of India  J S Khehar and Ranjan Gogoi, apart from some Army ex-chiefs, were also in the audience.