Mohan Bhagwat warns of internal, external threats
Nagpur, Oct 2: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday cautioned that Bharat must remain alert against both cross-border and internal threats, stressing the need to strengthen national unity and security preparedness.
Referring to the recent terror attack in Pahalgam in which 26 civilian tourists were killed, Bhagwat said the incident underscored the dangers posed by external enemies.
“On 22 April, in Pahalgam, cross-border terrorists killed 26 Bharatiya civilian tourists after asking them about their Hindu faith. The attack led to a wave of grief, sadness and anger across Bharat,” he recalled.
He underlined that the government’s firm response to the strike, along with the “valour and war-readiness of our armed forces” and “the determination and unity of our society,” reflected Bharat’s resilience. But he cautioned that challenges remain. “It has become evident to us that, while maintaining a policy and spirit of friendship with everyone, we must remain as vigilant as possible and further develop our security capabilities,” he said. Bhagwat also warned of forces seeking to destabilise Bharat from within. “The forces wanting to create such disturbances in Bharat are active inside as well as outside our country,” he said, noting that recent upheavals in neighbouring nations were a reminder of the risks of discontent and violent unrest. He urged that any transformation in society should come through “democratic means” rather than violence, which, he said, “does not have the power to bring about the desirable change.”
Calling social unity, the most important factor in the nation’s progress, he stressed harmony among Bharat’s diverse communities. “Despite all our distinct identities, we are all parts of a larger society. As a society, a country, a culture, and a nation, we are united. We must remember that this larger identity is above everything else for us,” Bhagwat said. He further warned against provocations that could spark communal discord. “Taking the law into one’s hands and coming out on the streets or engaging in hooliganism and violence, on a small matter or merely out of suspicion, this tendency is not correct,” he said, adding that “the consequences of falling into their trap are evil, both in the short and long term.”
Expanding on the role of Hindu society, Bhagwat stressed: “The strength, virtue and organised character of the Hindu society guarantee national unity, oneness and development. The Hindu society is accountable for Bharat. It is an inclusive society. It is free of and will remain free from a mentality of ‘us and them’ which creates divisions on superficial differences.” He also underlined the ideological threats Bharat faces globally. “All countries are facing a threat from perverted and hostile forces that believe that the complete destruction of all bonds that unite, such as culture, faith, tradition and the like, is necessary for resolving problems,” he cautioned. “In Bharat too, we are experiencing all these circumstances in various ways.”
Bhagwat called on society to draw strength from its civilizational values. “Rashtriyata (or nationalist spirit) is conducting ourselves according to our Bharatiya Sanskriti, cherishing the memory of our ancestors by having a sense of pride and following their conduct, and by devoting ourselves to our divine motherland,” he said. He concluded by stressing that Bharat’s responsibility extends beyond its borders. “The Hindu society is the upholder and guardian of the noble idea of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’. This is why it is the duty of the Hindu society to make Bharat prosperous and a country that contributes immensely to the entire world,” he said, adding that the world is “eagerly awaiting solutions that are based on Bharatiya philosophy.”
