BENGALURU, Nov 8: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Saturday declared that Bharat’s nationhood is civilisational and eternal, not a creation of 1947, asserting that India’s unity rests on Dharma and culture rather than constitutional or political constructs – remarks that are expected to trigger sharp reactions from Opposition parties.
Delivering the Sangh’s centenary address in Bengaluru, Bhagwat said Bharat existed long before modern statehood and will outlast political boundaries. “Our Rashtra did not come into being in 1947. It is eternal because it is based on Dharma, not on political authority or territory,” he said.
“The idea of Bharat is not limited to a constitution or a government. It is a Sanskritik Rashtra, a cultural nation bound by shared values and an eternal consciousness,” he added.
He said Sanatan Dharma forms the moral order that sustains this civilisation and Hindutva represents its living spirit. “Hindutva is not confined to religion. It is the Bharatiya Jeevan Drishti – the Indian way of seeing the world that respects diversity but seeks unity in spirit,” Bhagwat said.
Bhagwat also asserted that the Sangh’s strength lies in its self-sufficiency in men, money and ammunition, which has helped it endure every attempt to suppress it. “Swayamsevaks were murdered, we were criticised, banned and defamed, yet the Sangh thrived. Because we depend only on ourselves – not on any government or donor – we speak what we believe is true,” he said.
“The Sangh runs only on Guru Dakshina offered once a year by Swayamsevaks. That keeps us independent and fearless,” he added.
He maintained that while political liberation came in 1947, national regeneration remains incomplete without moral and cultural unity. “(RSS founder) Dr. K B Hedgewar realised that slogans and protests cannot build a nation; only character can. Rashtra Nirman is a cultural task, not a political one,” Bhagwat said.
Citing Rishi Aurobindo, Bhagwat declared that the rise of Sanatan Dharma and the rise of Bharat are inseparable. “It is God’s will that Sanatan Dharma should rise, and therefore Bharat must rise. The “Utthan” of Sanatan Dharma means the “Utthan” of Bharat,” he said.
He added that the Sangh’s ultimate mission goes beyond India’s borders. “In the prime of its strength, Hindu society must unite the world – Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam – the world as one family,” Bhagwat said.
Framing the centenary not as celebration but reflection, Bhagwat said, “We are not marking a hundred years of an organisation, but of an idea – the idea of Bharat as a living, conscious nation bound by Dharma.” (UNI)
Follow our WhatsApp channel
