Indians known as Hindus abroad, says Mohan Bhagwat

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat said India has accepted diversity and all Indians, when they go abroad, are known as Hindus. “We are all Hindus. There is diversity in the country, but when we go out of India, people (there) call us Hindus,” he said.

Addressing the Satpura Hindu Convention organised by RSS in tribal Nandurbar district on Thursday, 400 km away from Mumbai, Mr Bhagwat said that unfortunately Indians had forgotten their own identity as Hindus. “Swami Vivekananda had said that we should speak with pride about being Hindus. Every person of this country is our brother and we all are together and have to work for each other. If this is followed, India will become a global leader and all troubles and worries will end within the next five years,” said Mr Bhagwat, adding, “There is no country in the world today whose basic thinking is that all people are their own. India is the only country that thinks so.” He said India can teach the world how to solve global problems. “Everything is in our hands,” Mr Bhagwat said.

He went on to say that the root of our culture lay in valleys, forests and agriculture. “Till the time Lord Ram was in the palace at Ayodhya, he did not have the powers to kill Ravana. Ravana was killed with the powers Ram got by wandering around in forests and valleys,” Mr Bhagwat said.

Speaking about India’s religious diversity, Mr Bhagwat said all religions were accepted here. “To be together, it is not necessary to be alike,” the RSS chief said. “We are people of a country where we worship God in different forms. A Hindu is one who recognises that God. We have been respecting each other’s differences.”