Minorities must speak out against violence: Mohan Bhagwat

Bhagwat also sought to dispel “fear-mongering” about the Sangh, and said it was an outcome of such “fear” that led representatives of the Muslim community to seek a meeting with him recently.

New Delhi: All sections of minorities must stand against communal violence and the society should ensure that such incidents aren’t repeated, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat said on Wednesday while referring to the brutal murders of two men earlier this year in Udaipur and Amravati for supporting a former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson’s offensive remarks against Prophet Mohammed.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat addresses at a Vijayadashami function in Nagpur on Wednesday. (PTI)

At his annual Vijayadashami address at the RSS headquarters in Nagpur, Bhagwat also sought to dispel “fear-mongering” about the Sangh, and said it was an outcome of such “fear” that led representatives of the Muslim community to seek a meeting with him recently.

He also touched upon population control, women’s empowerment, and the need to eradicate caste biases.

“Recently in Udaipur and Amravati, extremely horrific and grisly incidents took place. Our society was stunned. Most were sad and angry. It has to be ensured that there is no recurrence of such incidents,” said the RSS chief in his over an hour-long address.

Bhagwat said the entire community could not be blamed for the incidents but there was a need to speak out against such incidents. “After the Udaipur incident, from within the Muslim society, few prominent persons voiced their protest…Protesting against such incidents should not be an isolated phenomenon within the Muslim society rather it should become the nature of the large section,” he said.

“Hindu society in general assertively expresses protest and after such incidents even if the accused are Hindus…” he added.

He also hit out at “fear-mongering” about the Sangh, the ideological fount of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and said an impression was created that the body was against minorities.

“Scare-mongering is done among the so-called minorities that there is a danger to them because of us. This has not happened in the past, nor will it happen in future. This is neither the nature of Sangh nor of Hindus, history bears this out. Self-defence and defence of our own becomes a duty for everyone against those who spread hatred, commit injustice, atrocity, engage in acts of hooliganism and enmity towards society,” he said.

On his recent meeting with Muslim representatives, Bhagwat said such events and discussions will continue. “Sangh has a steely resolve to stand on the side of brotherhood, amity and peace,” he said.

The grisly murders of two men rocked India this summer, against the backdrop of controversial comments on Prophet Mohammed made by suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma that led to condemnation in India and by several Arab nations. In Rajasthan’s Udaipur town in June, a tailor was brutally murdered by two radicalised men for backing Sharma’s comments. Weeks later, Weeks later, the National Investigation Agency arrested 11 men for hatching a conspiracy to kill a pharmacist in Maharashtra’s Amravati town in June for allegedly writing in support of Sharma on social media.

Whatever be the extent of provocation, protests always have to be within the boundaries of our laws and Constitution. Our society should come together, not fall apart or quarrel. With a sense of mutual reciprocity in word, deed and actions, all should speak mindfully and sensibly,” Bhagwat said.

A Sangh functionary, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the statement reflected a view within the RSS that there was a need to cultivate a new and progressive leadership among Muslims. “There is a feeling (in the RSS) that Muslims need a new leadership that will insulate the community from outside forces that are creating divisions in our society. All communities in India are culturally and genetically connected and that is what the Sarsangachalak reiterated,” the functionary said.

In his speech, Bhagwat repeatedly mentioned the country’s growing population while acknowledging that it could be seen as an asset. “We are at the stage of demographic dividend and this should work in our favour. China managed to control the population by implementing strict policies but now its population is old. Realising that they are now encouraging a two-child policy,” he said.

“We have 57% of youth in our population but we need to think 50 years ahead on education, health care, and other aspects of our people and a policy needs to be drafted having this vision in mind.”

Bhagwat expressed concerns about population imbalance and demographic changes. He said East Timor, South Sudan, and Kosovo emerged as a result of population imbalance in territories of Indonesia, Sudan, and Serbia. “Population imbalances lead to changes in geographical boundaries. Alongside the differences in birth rate, conversions by force, lure or greed, and infiltration are also big reasons. All these factors have to be mulled over. Population control and religion-based population balance is an important subject that can no longer be ignored,” he said.

Bhagwat said a population policy had to be formulated keeping in mind the country’s limited resources. “Our country has a huge population. This is a reality. Nowadays there are two kinds of evaluation done on population. Populations require resources. If they keep growing, they become a big burden, perhaps an unbearable burden. Therefore, with the perspective of population control, plans are made.”

In 2015, the RSS passed a resolution demanding a population policy. Bhagwat, who also spoke about the issue in last year’s speech, called for a common law in 2018 to ensure “demographic balance”.

The RSS has repeatedly demanded a population policy built around the belief that the Hindu population was not growing as fast as that of Muslims or Christians. But data from the National Family Health Survey show that the total fertility rate (TFR) has come down below the targeted 2.1 to 2.0.

Bhagwat’s speech also indicated that there is no shift in the Sangh’s core ideology. His recent meetings with representatives of different faiths and his exhortation to Hindu groups to show restraint in the wake of a growing clamour for reclamation of medieval Islamic sites – in a reference to the Gyanvapi Masjid dispute in Varanasi, Bhagwat said in June that one couldn’t go looking for a shivling in every mosque – were seen as signs of a shift in the Sangh’s stance.

“These meetings and the suggestion to not go looking for shivlings was seen as some kind of a paradigm shift… the truth is that the Sangh has been holding such interactions since [founder] Dr [KB] Hedgewar’s time,” the functionary quoted above said.

Bhagwat underlined the Indian identity should override the diversity in language, food choices, attire, and faith. He referred to the New Education Policy and said it should lead to students becoming highly cultured and good human beings inspired by patriotism. “This is everyone’s desire. Society needs to support this actively.”

The RSS chief said access to temples, water, and cremation should be equal for all. “Everyone has to respect each other. We have to think of society, not just of ourselves,” he said, referring to the need to end caste-based discrimination.

He said men and women were equal in every aspect and have equal potential and capabilities. “Women are regarded as jagat janani [mother of the universe] but at home are treated as slaves. Women empowerment should begin at home and they should be given their rightful place in society.”

Bhagwat underlined the importance of women in realising the goal of becoming the world leader again. “If we want to build a vishwa guru Bharat (world leader India) then equal participation of women is also required,” he said. He added the country must empower women as it cannot progress without them.