NEW DELHI: Amid sharp political polarisation across the country, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Tuesday conveyed a message of moderation and unity, pointing out that having different ideologies is not a crime.
Inaugurating a three-day lecture series to mark RSS’ centenary, he said, “For 40,000 years, the DNA of people living in Akhand Bharat is the same. Our culture and worldview is same — of living in coordination and Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (World is one family)”.
He went on to state that “The natural religion of Bharat is coordination, not conflict, and Hindus have the tradition of walking together. We all have a collective responsibility towards the country.” Defining who is a Hindu, Bhagwat stated, “Those who believe in the following their faith, respect those of others, and work together for the Rashtra are Hindus.”
Making a point on unity, he said: “The Sangh believes that to be united we do not need uniformity. We have a culture of living together in harmony,” Bhagwat said, as he stressed the importance of inclusive national development. The goal, he said, is to elevate the country to the status of “Vishwaguru” (global teacher), adding the time for India to make its contribution to the world has arrived.