Country belongs to all, do not judge by caste or wealth: Mohan Bhagwat
Addressing a Hindu conference in Chhattisgarh, the RSS chief called for social harmony and urged families to hold weekly dialogues to prevent loneliness
People should not be judged by caste, wealth or language, and the country belongs to everyone, Mohan Bhagwat, chief of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), said on Wednesday (December 31).
Addressing a Hindu conference at Sonpairi village in Raipur district of Chhattisgarh, he said, “The first step towards harmony is removing feelings of separation and discrimination from one’s mind and treating everyone as one’s own.”
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“The entire country belongs to everyone, and this spirit is true social harmony,” the RSS chief said.
Stress on family bonding and dialogue
Bhagwat, on the occasion, stressed the need to revive family interactions, saying families should spend at least one day a week together, engage in prayers according to their faith, eat home-cooked food together and hold meaningful discussions, which he described as ‘mangal samvad’ (positive discourse).
“People often fall into bad habits when they feel lonely. Regular interaction and dialogue within families can help prevent this,” the RSS chief said.
Calling for social harmony, environmental responsibility and disciplined civic life, Bhagwat urged people to overcome divisions and work together for society and the nation.
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He reiterated that the first step towards social harmony is removing feelings of separation and discrimination.
He said temples, water bodies and cremation grounds should be open to all Hindus, describing social work as an effort of unity rather than conflict.
“Do not judge people by caste, wealth, language or region. Treat everyone as your own. The entire India is mine,” he said, describing this approach as 'samajik samrasta' (social harmony).
Public facilities and religious spaces should be open to all, he added, calling it a work of unity rather than conflict.
Loneliness, addiction and social responsibility
On the issue of addiction, Bhagwat said loneliness often pushes people towards addiction.
He underlined the concept of ‘kutumb prabodhan’ (family awakening), stating that individuals must reflect on how much time and resources they devote daily to society and the nation.
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“If the country is in danger, families are also in danger,” he said, calling for values to be practised at home and in daily life.
Environment, language and self-reliance
Expressing concern over global warming and environmental degradation, Bhagwat urged people to begin conservation efforts from their homes by saving water, adopting rainwater harvesting, reducing single-use plastic and planting more trees.
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He also advocated the use of one’s mother tongue at home, respect for Indian attire and promotion of swadeshi and self-reliance by buying locally made products, except where imports such as medicines are unavoidable.
Constitution, civic discipline and RSS journey
Bhagwat called for strict adherence to the Constitution, laws and civic discipline.
He said the Constitution’s preamble, fundamental duties and citizens’ responsibilities should be read and followed regularly, along with traditional social values such as respecting elders and helping the needy.
The work of the RSS, which began from a small ‘shakha’ in Nagpur, has now spread everywhere, Bhagwat said.
His words calling for harmony come days after a group, alleged to be a Hindutva mob, vandalised Christmas decorations at a shopping mall in Raipur, the capital of Chhattisgarh.
(With agency inputs)