Nagpur: On the occasion of “Vijayadashami Utsav” RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat spoke on India’s development in last one and a half years. He also talked about education and mentioned the “Dadri lynching” incident as well.
Bhagwat held up unity in diversity as one of India’s strengths, saying his organisation believed in cooperation and coordination to take the country forward.
Bhagwat’s remarks, made during the annual Vijayadashmi Utsav speech in Nagpur, were an apparent response to Sangh Parivar outfits being linked to recent incidents of violence and tension though he did not name any group or cite any incident.
“Unity in diversity is our strength, we believe in cooperation and coordination,” he said during the speech that was beamed live on state-run Doordarshan.
“What is the chord that can keep our diverse society together? Certainly, it is our eternal culture, (the) Hindu culture.”
Opposition parties have criticised groups affiliated to the Sangh Parivar since the lynching of a Muslim man at Bisada in Uttar Pradesh last month over rumours that he slaughtered a cow and the cancellation of Pakistani ghazal singer Ghulam Ali’s concerts in Maharashtra because of threats from the Shiv Sena.
Without giving details, Bhagwat acknowledged that “small incidents” had occurred in the country but said they were being “blown up”. Such small incidents do not affect Indian and Hindu culture or unity in diversity, he said.
Bhagwat listed “inclusivity” as the core of Indian culture and said the RSS stands for unity in diversity. “Ethics should change with time but the inherent values should be kept in mind. Social changes should be made on the basis of eternal values,” he said.
Different sections of society should complement each other, he said. “While we should protect our interests, there should be concern for others’ interests too, with all communities being sensitive to each other,” he added.
As many cultures and communities co-exist in India, it is important to care for diversity and maintain harmony, he remarked. “Our thoughts may differ, but we must walk hand-in-hand.”
Bhagwat also said the atmosphere of disappointment that prevailed in India two years ago had dissipated and there is now a belief that something good would happen.
“There is an atmosphere of confidence and enthusiasm and India’s image is improving across the world, which is expecting the country to lead the way,” he said.
“We need not follow Western culture. Instead, we have to make India a country that will show the world the way,” he said.
“A new idea of India is rising in the world. Whenever there is a crisis in the world, we have come forth to help,” he added.
“India had come forward to help other countries during crises, such as the earthquake in Nepal, the evacuation of foreign nationals from war-torn Yemen and a drinking water shortage in the Maldives.”
The speech by the RSS chief is seen as a pointer to the way its affiliate organisations and political offshoots will function in the year to come. This year’s address assumed significance against the backdrop of a host of controversies involving the Sangh Parivar and its leaders.
Bhagwat’s recent statement suggesting a review of the quota system had invited criticism from opposition parties and forced the ruling BJP to distance itself from its mentor.
For the second consecutive year, Doordarshan broadcast live Bhagwat’s annual address. The state-run broadcaster’s telecast of the Vijayadashmi Utsav was strongly criticised by the Opposition but Doordarshan insisted its coverage was driven by the “news point of view”.
Former DRDO chairman and NITI Aayog member VK Saraswat was the chief guest at the event held on the sprawling Reshmibag grounds in Nagpur. Union minister Nitin Gadkari and Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis also attended the event.
