Sanjay Pandita
Early Times Report
Jammu, Nov 9: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Sarsanghchalak Dr. Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday said that the organisation will initiate a dialogue-based outreach programme aimed at bridging social divisions and promoting harmony across communities.
Speaking at a two-day lecture series titled “100 Years of Sangh Journey: New Horizons” in Bengaluru, Dr. Bhagwat said the RSS intends to work toward ending societal divides that have existed for decades.
Recalling the unity displayed during the 1857 First War of Independence, he noted that Hindus and Muslims had then fought together against British rule, but the colonial rulers later deepened divisions to sustain their control.
“The British saw this unity as a threat to their rule and deliberately sowed seeds of division in our society. It is now our duty to undo that damage,” Dr. Bhagwat said, announcing that the RSS will launch a dedicated outreach effort to foster social cohesion.
Outlining upcoming initiatives, he said the organisation will engage with caste leaders and heads of religious sects at the block level under its Sadbhavana Karya programme. The initiative, he said, seeks to strengthen mutual understanding, resolve local conflicts, and uplift communities through collaboration. He also appealed to civil society members to contribute towards promoting harmony in their own capacities.
Dr. Bhagwat emphasised that the RSS welcomes participation from all communities, including Muslims and Christians, provided they identify as sons and daughters of Bharat Mata and as part of the broader Hindu cultural identity. “At our Shakhas, people from all backgrounds—Hindus, Muslims, Christians, and others—come together. We do not ask about their caste or religion. We are all children of Bharat Mata, and that is the spirit in which the Sangh functions,” he said.
Clarifying the organisation’s legal standing, the RSS chief dismissed questions about its registration. “The Sangh started in 1925. Do you expect us to register with the British government—against whom we stood? The RSS was banned three times, and each time the courts lifted the ban, affirming our legal and constitutional status. We are a lawful organisation functioning within the Constitution. Even Hindu Dharma is not registered, yet it exists,” he remarked.
Expounding on the Sangh’s larger vision, Dr. Bhagwat said the organisation’s primary mission is to unite and strengthen Hindu society to build a prosperous, self-reliant, and morally guided India. “We aim to create an organised, strong, and virtuous Hindu society that can guide the world towards peace, prosperity, and happiness through the eternal principles of Dharma,” he said. |
