On the last day of the three-day lecture series, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said lynching in the name of the cow is unacceptable. Bhagwat, while answering queries from several in the audience, spoke of several issues, ranging from section 377 to Article 370, from casteism to Hindutva.
“Violence is completely unacceptable and strict action should be taken. Gau raksha should be done in a Constitutional way, but gau rakshaks should keep cows first. There are many Muslims who run gau shalas with complete dedication. Why link all of them to lynching, why link gau rakshaks to criminals,” said Bhagwat.
Bhagwat has been speaking on the views and ways of the RSS in the last three days to explain to the people what the ways of the Sangh are ahead of a crucial election year. He said inter-caste marriages should be welcomed and homosexuals should not be isolated.
“One must accept them (homosexuals) so that they are not isolated in the society simply because their or orientation is different from ours. Everyone is a part of this society, times have changed and these issues should not have been blown out of proportion,” said Bhagwat about same-sex relations.
On inter-caste marriages, Bhagwat said there are several examples of such marriages in the Sangh and that Maharashtra perhaps recorded the first such marriage in 1942. “We support interfaith marriages. If you were to take out the percentage of such marriages, perhaps the maximum percentage will be found in Sangh’s Swayamsevaks,” he said. “We don’t believe in caste discrimination. We don’t ask a person’s caste in Sangh.”
He also said all those who live in India are Hindu. “Everyone who lives in India is Hindu by identity, nationality. Some people hesitate to say that. But for us, all the people are our own. Our tradition is unity,” he said.
Bhagwat, however, said the RSS is not in favour of Article 370 and 35A of Constitution. He also said the Ram Mandir should be built at the earliest.
Speaking on the English language, he said the Sangh has no enmity with the language and there are several people in the outfit who are proficient in it. “You should not be opposed to any language, including English, and it should not be removed,” Bhagwat said.
‘MUSLIMS PART OF HINDU RASHTRA’
DAY 1
India’s diversity should be celebrated and the RSS does not seek to foist its ideology on anyone while its inner functioning is democratic and not dictatorial.
Hindutva binds us together and our vision of Hindutva is not to oppose or demean anyone… We are here to engage with everyone, not convince anyone.
Congress played a big role in the freedom struggle and gave India many great personalities. Some of those people are still our guiding force.
Who will be in power, what policy the country will accept is something to be decided by the society and people… We are not concerned about that.
DAY 2
We need to return that (the sentiment among people of undivided India until 1881). If you do not want to call that Hindu, as we do, call it Bharatiya. We will respect what you say.
Constitution is the consensus of the country… We respect all symbols of freedom, and the Constitution is also one such symbol.
The image of Bharat is that we accept and welcome diversity… global dharma was nurtured here.
We say ours is a Hindu Rashtra. Hindu Rashtra does not mean it has no place for Muslims. The day it is said that Muslims are unwanted here, the concept of Hindutva will cease to exist.
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