PUNE: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat said that India’s global standing has risen because the country is now “displaying its strength where it needs to be displayed,” adding that the world today listens to the Prime Minister of India as nations increasingly recognise the country’s growing capabilities.
Addressing a gathering at a special event held to mark 100 years of the RSS, Bhagwat on Monday said, “Today, the world listens to the Prime Minister of India. Why? Because India’s strength is now being displayed where it needs to be displayed. That is why the world has started to understand.”
Earlier on Saturday, the RSS Chief said that compared to other countries, “nationalism is not an issue in India,” and anyone attempting to label the RSS as merely a ‘nationalist’ organisation is misplaced in understanding the organisation.
Addressing the ongoing Nagpur Book Festival, Bhagwat said, “People call us ‘rashtrvaadi’ (nationalist). We don’t have disputes with anyone, we stay away from disputes. It is not part of our nature. Our nature and culture are to progress together. This is not the case with many foreign nations.”
He further explained the distinction between the Indian concept of ‘rashtra’ and the Western notion of nation. “Our idea of ‘rashtra’ is very different from their idea of nation. They saw what to translate rashtra as in English. They said it is a nation, and called it nationalism. Now we don’t even know our words but their words now,” he added.
Claiming that nationalism has never been a central issue in India, he said, “Nationalism is not an issue in India; our ‘rashtra’ has always been there. We believe in the concept of nationality, not nationalism. We even believe in the concept of nationhood, rashtradwa can happen.”
Bhagwat also reflected on the global implications of nationalism, citing its role in causing conflicts.
“When we say rashtravaad, then that gets connected to the Western idea of nationalism, due to which two world wars happened. The ego of the nation is the reason. But our ‘rashtra’ is not compatible with egos. It has come into existence after the dissolution of egos….people considered themselves one,” he said. (ANI)
