Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Oct 20: Targeting the opposition agitation against the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and the controversial “Special Intensive Revision” (SIR) of the electoral rolls, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Tuesday cautioned against politically motivated agitations giving an opening to international forces to weaken India.
Warning that domestic unrest could be exploited by the international forces looking for openings to weaken India, Mr Bhagwat in his annual “Vijaya Dashami” address on Tuesday said, “It’s a wrong perception that problems get solved only through agitation.” He said protests were a natural consequence of social problems and administrative shortcomings, but stressed that agitations should aim to find solutions rather than deepen hostility or create divisions within society.
Vijaya Dashami, which is celebrated as the victory of good over the evil, is also the foundation day of the RSS and this year it also marked the end of the centenary year of the organisation.
“Whether it is a section of society staging a protest, the government and administration taking action to maintain peace and order, or political leaders responding to the situation, our actions must not create discord, hostility, resentment or divisions within our united society,” the RSS leader said.
He cautioned people that even if their emotions ran high, they must ensure their actions remained within the bounds of the Constitution and the law, and the standards of civility and propriety that should govern speech, conduct and behaviour, even in the protests.
“We must remain vigilant to ensure that the temptation of electoral gains, cheap popularity or political advantage does not overpower our judgement and goodwill,” Mr Bhagwat said, adding, “It is also not our experience that only the government can solve all of society’s problems, or that problems get solved only through agitations. Problems can also be solved through the activity of society and mutual dialogue,” he said.
Stating that when a protest became a political instrument driven by hostility towards a person, group or ideology, forces seeking to keep India subdued took advantage of the situation.
“Their modus operandi is to deepen differences and create divisions among people, foster a sense of victimhood in response to problems, and undermine public faith in the country’s institutions. This creates an atmosphere of conflict, intense discontent, alienation, disorder and chaos. Global powers seeking to keep India subdued also sometimes pursue their own agendas through such developments,” Mr Bhagwat said.
The RSS leader’s statement comes at a time when India is witnessing both political and youth-led protests demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar amid allegations of irregularities in the ongoing process of Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
In July, a youth-led protest at Jantar Mantar, born of anger over exam paper leaks, made headlines with allegations of excessive use of force against the protesters by security personnel, and led to the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Commenting on the recent ‘regime change’ debate against the backdrop of the recent protests, Mr Bhagwat said a storm had swept in from the West that was opposed to “every kind of order, every form of civility, everything auspicious, and all cultural and human values. It wants to destroy, corrupt, and devastate all of these things,” he said.
Referring to recent protests in various countries, he said: “Even developed countries are troubled by it. Just listen to the news that has been coming in over the past few days. What is happening in France? What is happening in Albania? What happened in Bangladesh? What happened in Nepal? All of these events have been engineered and orchestrated by them. They claim that changing the regime will change the situation. But that has never happened, not in the past, and not even today.”
Citing the developments in France, Nepal and Bangladesh Mr Bhagwat claimed that powerful forces were attempting to deepen social divisions and weaken India, too, as it expanded its global influence. “India’s progress, driven by its policies, leadership, national self-confidence and the growing awareness of its international responsibilities, had made it an important competitor on the world stage,” the RSS leader said.
According to him, forces opposed to India’s rise could exploit domestic grievances and support individuals or groups whose actions contribute to instability. Stating that the current generation needs proper guidance, Mr Bhagwat said values once passed down by family elders, schools, and society were fading.
Seeking a curb on OTT platforms, he said social media delivered unfiltered information to young people who often could not tell right from wrong. Several countries, after suffering the consequences, had imposed curbs on these platforms.
“India also feels the need, especially for OTT platforms, and the government should consider it. But young people must also be taught discernment, since its absence harms personal, family and social life and is driving youth worldwide toward drug addiction,” he said, adding, “Parents must pass on this discernment, youth must avoid addictive habits, and swayamsevaks will work for a nationwide resistance against drug abuse.”
Speaking on the controversy surrounding Vande Mataram, he said the national song was a symbol of unity and patriotism during the movement against the Partition of Bengal, and that it continued to inspire national unity today. There should be “no hesitation or objection to sing it in its entirety, with pride and in a loud, clear voice,” Mr Bhagwat said.
Mr Bhagwat said India’s ambition to become a ‘Vishwaguru’ (a guide for the world) would depend on the conduct and contribution of its citizens. He argued that national progress required a society capable of preserving unity while accommodating diversity, and called for balanced development, social responsibility, discipline, and mutual respect.
Underscoring that “Hindu society’s worldview and nature were inclusive,” the RSS chief also referred to Captain Smit Machchhar’s courage in averting a catastrophe on a FlyDubai flight and said his actions has its roots in these very Hindu values passed down from generation to generation.
Captain Smit Machchhar became the toast of the nation for his courage in thwarting a disaster by fighting off his co-pilot who was allegedly attempting to crash the Dubai-Tel Aviv flight with 174 people on board.
“Since the Hindu society’s worldview and nature are inclusive, we must understand that such efforts will only strengthen the emotional unity, goodwill, and good conduct among all of us. It is this very nature and these values, passed down from generation to generation, that inspires Captain Smith Machchar to put his own life in danger and devote himself to protect human lives,” Bhagwat said.
Earlier, Captain Smit had shared that whenever he is in difficulty, he recites the Hanuman Chalisa. He said he was reciting the Hanuman Chalisa during the cockpit attack as well. “Whenever I feel pain, I just chant Hanuman Chalisa. At that time, too, I was only chanting Hanuman Chalisa. And I know that God is with me. I have not thought even for a moment that I will be able to talk to you ever. I never thought,” Captain Machchhar had said.
The 76-year-old Bhagwat said the “unity of Indians is rooted in heart and therefore unconditional.” “The Unity of us Bharatiyas – Intrinsic and Unconditional The bond we share with one another and our relationship with Bharat are living bonds, rooted in the heart and therefore unconditional. They are one-sided in nature, as expressed in the words: ‘May your glory remain eternal, O Mother; whether we live for a few more days or not’,” Bhagwat said.
Relationships founded on a sense of belonging, affection, and kinship, Bhagwat said, are never subject to conditions. “We simply need to remain steadfast on these foundations on which relationships develop,” he said, adding that the freedom fighters too exhibited that during the freedom struggle.
“Our freedom fighters demonstrated this very spirit of complete and unconditional devotion to the nation. It was this devotion that ultimately compelled the British government to leave Bharat,” Bhagwat said, adding that the RSS was working to awaken this very Hindu spirit and build the entire society into a well-organised and strong society.