Shillong, Sep 26 (Representative) Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday emphasised that “oneness” is the strength of India, the diversity of which is to be proud of. “The oneness of India is its strength. The diversity that India boasts is something to be proud of. The invaders saw this differently. The world thinks that we are different and hence we are separate, whereas India says ‘Unity in Diversity’. This is the specialty of India which has been there since ages,” Bhagwat said in the course of his address at a public meeting at the U Soso Tham Auditorium in Meghalaya’s state capital Shillong. He added : “We have been one always. When we forgot this, we lost our independence. Hence, we must make sure that we become one and make our country stronger and more self-reliant. We all have to work for this unity.” Labour Minister Sanbor Shullai, veteran BJP legislator, Alexander Laloo Hek, Trinamool Congress legislator Himalaya Muktan Shangpliang, National People’s Party legislator Wailadmiki Shylla, State Director General of Police L.R. Bishnoi were among those who attended the public meeting.
Underscoring the importance of the ancient Indian philosophy of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”, meaning the “world is a family”, the RSS chief said, “We are an ancient nation since time immemorial, but due to forgetting our civilizational motto and values, we lost our freedom. Our binding force among one another is our inherent faith in our age-old value which lies in spirituality. These values of this country’s eternal civilization had been named as Hindutva by people outside our country.” “We are Hindus, but there is no particular definition of Hindu, although it’s our identity. Both the terms ‘Bharatiya’ and Hindu are synonyms. It is a geo-cultural identity in fact,” Bhagwat maintained.Allaying fear that the RSS would try to convert people, the RSS chief said that people should not believe in propaganda about the RSS and should visit some of its camps and see for themselves what the organisation is striving for. “The RSS’ objective is to mould the youth to shape the destiny of the nation into a better future. In the one hour Sangh shakhas, people learn about these benevolent values and duty to the motherland,” Bhagwat said.
“The Sangh teaches to do sacrifice for the country by giving up one’s individual selfish ends.. The RSS draws this tradition of sacrifice from this country’s ancient history. Our ancestors had visited different lands beyond and had departed the same values to Japan, Korea, Indonesia and many other countries. We are following the same tradition today even,” he said.Stating that RSS cadres are being trained to help fellow Indians, Bhagwat cited the examples of India’s sending vaccines to different countries during the Covid crisis and how the country recently stood with Sri Lanka during its worst ever economic crisis.Citing the example of North East students’ exodus from Bangalore a few years back, Bhagwat said it was the RSS cadres who provided them every necessary support. He further said that he would not like to take credit for anything, but was narrating that incident as an example of how Indians help each other. Meanwhile, Bhagwat would be leaving the state on Monday after being here for two days.