Mohan Bhagwat: Social unity key to India as superpower

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday said that India could not become a superpower unless citizens from all communities, castes and religions buried their differences and came together. Mr Bhagwat also made a specific mention of Dr B.R. Ambedkar in his speech delivered in a huge RSS convention held in Pune.

While addressing a huge gathering at Marunji village near Pimpri in Pune, the RSS chief said everyone should accept people of different beliefs and ideologies to achieve the organisation’s motto of serving the nation selflessly. Mr Bhagwat evoked names of Dr Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi to underpin that only a united society could keep the country safe.

Referring to the experience of Nobel winner, Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore and the dominating policy of the USA, without naming the superpower, Mr Bhagwat said that weak countries were not heard by powerful countries despite their high values of ideology. “Nobody pays the attention towards good things of weak countries, on the contrary bad things done by superpowers are always ignored and never discussed,” he said.

Mr Bhagwat said that India’s prestige started growing after it won three wars and tackled the Emergency. He mentioned that the United Nations’ resolution to adopt June 21 as International Yoga Day was an indication that other countries were hearing India.

Referring to Dr Ambedkar’s views who had stated the need for social and political awareness, Mr Bhagwat said, “We should accept all caste and religions with their diversities and with affection. They all are ours and society will not be powerful without social unity.”

He further said that the Constitution could not protect its citizens unless they stand leaving aside social inequality. “Equality will be established only when everyone resolves that he/she will not exploit anyone,” he said.

Mr Bhagwat quoted RSS founder Dr K.B. Hedgewar to define Hindutva as a common factor that binds all diversities. “India is not only a geographical territory. India means Indianness. The world is looking at India with great hope for new avenues to make the world human-friendly. We want to make a strong organisation without condemning anyone to make India stand true to the expectations of the world,” he said.

He also praised the RSS for its 90 years of history and appealed to spend time for social work alongside family duties to make a community with good characteristics. “Only leaders and government cannot achieve power, it will need a responsible citizen with neat and accountable qualities,” he concluded.