Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday addressed the annual RSS Vijayadashmi rally, also marking the centenary of the organisation. The RSS was founded in Nagpur on Dussehra in 1925 by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, a physician from Maharashtra.
In his Vijayadashmi speech, Bhagwat addressed a range of issues, including the Pahalgam attack, US tariffs, the turmoil in India's neighbouring countries, and climate change.
Here are the top quotes from Bhagwat's address
On turmoil in neighbouring countries
• "The regime change in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and more recently Nepal due to violent outburst of public anger is a concern for us. The forces wanting to create such disturbances in Bharat are active inside as well as outside our country."
• “However, violent outbursts do not have the power to bring about the desirable change. The society can achieve such transformation only through democratic means.”
• “These neighbouring countries are linked with Bharat on the basis of both culture and long-standing ties between citizens. In one way, they are part of our own family. Peace, stability, prosperity, and ensuring comfort and wellbeing in these countries is necessity arising out of our natural affinity with these countries.”
On efforts to control Naxalism
• “The extremist Naxalist movement has been largely brought under control due to the firm actions of the government and the realisation among people about the hollowness of their ideology and cruelty.”
{{/usCountry}}• “The extremist Naxalist movement has been largely brought under control due to the firm actions of the government and the realisation among people about the hollowness of their ideology and cruelty.”
{{/usCountry}}• “The root of Naxalites' popularity in these areas lay in exploitation and injustice, lack of development, and absence of sensitivity about these matters in the administration.”
• “Now that these obstacles have been removed, a comprehensive action plan is required to ensure justice, development, goodwill, empathy, and harmony in these regions.”
On US tariffs and reliance on Swadeshi
• “The new tariff policy implemented by the US was done keeping in mind the interest of their own. But everyone is affected by them...”
• “The world functions with dependence on each other; this is how relations between any two nations are maintained. No country can survive in isolation.”
• “This dependence must not turn into compulsion... We need to rely on swadeshi and focus on self-reliance... Yet strive to maintain diplomatic relations with all our friendly nations…”
Tributes to Mahatma Gandhi, Lal Bahadur Shastri
• "Today is the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. He was not only one of the foremost among those who fought for our freedom but also has a special place among those who envisioned a post-independence Bharat based on Bharat's Swa (selfhood)."
• “Today is also the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister late Shri Lal Bahadur Shastriji, an embodiment of simplicity, humility, integrity, and determination who sacrificed his life for the nation.”
• "They are exemplary icons of devotion, dedication and service to the nation for us. They teach us how a person can become human in the real sense and live life accordingly."
Pahalgam terror attack
• “Terrorists from across the border killed 26 Indians after asking their religion…With complete preparations, our government and armed forces gave a befitting reply.”
• "The role played by various nations after this incident and our operation revealed our true friends. Within the country as well, there are unconstitutional elements who try to destabilise the country..."
Climate change
• “The harmful consequences of the materialist and consumerist development model adopted worldwide, based on a materialist and compartmentalised approach, are increasingly becoming evident everywhere.”
• “In Bharat too, due to the same model, irregular and unpredictable rainfall, landslides, drying up of glaciers, and other similar effects have intensified over the last 3-4 years.”
• “The occurrence of these disasters in the Himalayas should be considered as a warning bell for Bharat and other countries of South Asia.”