By Manisha Roy,News18

Copyright news18

Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday said that people who are uncomfortable with the term ‘Hindu’ may call themselves ‘Bharatiya’ instead, highlighting the essence of Indian culture.
Describing the Hindu identity not as a religious tag but as a civilisational and cultural identity, he added that India has always been a culturally ancient “Hindu Rashtra.”
“People who have a problem being called a Hindu, they can call themselves Bharatiya. We don’t have the concept of nation-state. Culturally, we have been a prachin (ancient) Hindu rashtra,” he stated.
His remarks came during the RSS’s annual Vijayadashmi rally in Nagpur, which also marked the centenary of the organisation. The RSS was founded on Dussehra (September 27) in 1925 in Nagpur by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, a physician from Maharashtra.
In his address that focused on a range of topics, Bhagwat also spoke about national unity and the role of the Sangh in preserving traditional values. The RSS chief strongly condemned acts of violence in the name of religion or nationalism, stressing that no place of worship should be disrespected.
“There must be no disrespect shown to places of worship. This must be a concern for everyone, not just one community. Taking the law into your own hands, turning petty incidents into occasions for hooliganism, is unacceptable. Such incidents are often planned by foreign forces for provocations,” he remarked.
He warned that many such incidents are not spontaneous, but orchestrated provocations by foreign forces aiming to divide the nation. “The nation has to stay united. United we stand, divided we fall.”
Urging citizens to reflect the values they wish to see in the nation, Bhagwat said, “If you want the nation you envision, you must become that person yourself first.”
He added that such a value-based system once existed in India but was “destroyed”, leading to the creation of the Sangh to rebuild and preserve these ideals.
“Such a system existed once, but it was destroyed. That is why the Sangh was started. This is what is taught in the Shakha. Many attempts have been made to dismantle the Sangh.”
Bhagwat reaffirmed the RSS’s non-political role, stating that despite offers to enter politics, the Sangh chose to remain focused on nation-building and character development through its network of Shakhas.
“Offers were even made to join politics, but the Sangh refrained. The Shakha is a habit, it has always guided us, in every situation.”
He also mentioned the cultural ties between India and its neighbouring countries. Bhagwat said that people in Bangladesh and Nepal are considered “our own”, reflecting the concept of Akhand Bharat—a unified cultural and spiritual vision of the Indian subcontinent.
Emphasising the role of citizens in bringing a change in society, he said, “People get the government they deserve. The entire responsibility cannot rest on them alone. It is society that must change for the system to change. Society has to be reflected in its conduct; only then does the system transform.”