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Hindu Rashtra Beyond Western Concept Of Nation-State, Rooted In Equality: RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat

Swarajya StaffAug 27, 2025, 09:10 AM | Updated 09:10 AM IST
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat (File Photo)

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat (File Photo)


Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Tuesday (26 August) said that the idea of a Hindu Rashtra is distinct from the western model of the nation state, Hindustan Times reported.

He stressed that it is not linked to politics or power, but is based on equality and does not draw distinctions of religion or language.

Bhagwat emphasised that the RSS maintains its own identity, separate from the government.

While internal deliberations on conduct, ideology and values take place, he said the organisation does not force its views on others.

Though Bhagwat did not directly name any party, his remarks were interpreted as a reiteration of the BJP’s autonomy.

The RSS does not engage in electoral politics but is regarded as the ideological foundation of the BJP, with influence over its strategy, policies and organisational matters.

Speaking at the inaugural day of a three-day lecture series, New Horizons, marking the RSS centenary, Bhagwat said the Sangh was not created in opposition to any entity.

He noted that it has faced challenges and unfounded accusations throughout its history.

“Sangh was not a party to any protest or opposition... when someone asked Guruji (M S Golwalkar) why a Sangh Shakha was needed in areas with no Muslims or Christians, he said a Hindu Samaj and a Shakha would exist even if there were no Muslims anywhere in the world,” Bhagwat said.

“We do not believe in unity from uniformity... There is no Hindu versus others. Inclusivity has no outer limit. We can have matbhed (differences of opinion) not manbhed (discord). Even those who oppose us are our own,” he added.

He asserted that the genetic lineage of people living in India over the last 40,000 years remains the same.

While critics accuse the RSS of portraying India as a Hindu-majority state, the organisation has consistently rejected such claims, despite its role as the ideological base of the BJP.

Outlining the RSS vision, Bhagwat said its goal is to see India emerge as a global leader.

He called for returning to the country’s roots and traditions, drawing inspiration from thinkers like Dayanand Saraswati and Swami Vivekananda.


“Do not try to change others and have faith in your own... Accept the other, do not insult them. Do not fight over the way (of prayer)... those who follow this are Hindus,” he said.

Referring to the past when “India was flourishing, prosperous and protected from all sides”, Bhagwat said the “struggle for existence and survival of the fittest did not apply for India”.

“We had patience, there was abundance and there was no reason to fight,” he said

Urging all citizens to come together for the country’s good, he quoted the axiom,

“Coming together is the beginning, staying together is progress and working together is success.”

He said all citizens must contribute to nation-building, cautioning against over-reliance on leaders or parties.

“The Sangh is not here to claim credit for anything...How long will Shivaji and Lord Ram come for rescuing... we cannot give the license or the contract to leaders or parties. We all have to take responsibility for the country," he said.

Looking back at its growth, Bhagwat said the Sangh grew despite hardships, limited resources and accusations.

He recalled that it was banned three times — after Gandhi’s assassination in 1948, during the Emergency in 1975 and following the Babri Masjid demolition in 1992.

The New Horizons lecture series, aimed at expanding the Sangh’s outreach, drew participation from Union ministers Jyotiraditya Scindia, Ravneet Singh Bittu and Anupriya Patel, along with diplomats, former CEC S Y Quraishi, academics, doctors and political leaders.

He noted that a similar outreach programme was held in 2018 to ensure discussions about the Sangh were grounded in facts, not perceptions.

Bhagwat added that the RSS’s role is not to persuade but to present facts for people to decide on their own.

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