Come in close contact with RSS to understand organisation, says Mohan Bhagwat

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat addresses a public meeting at Talit SAI Complex in east Bardhaman, West Bengal, on February 16, 2025.
| Photo Credit: PTI

Observing that the only task for the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is to unite the society, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday (February 16, 2025) urged people to come close to the organisation to understand its workings. The RSS Sarsanghchalak, who was addressing volunteers of the organisation at Purba Bardhaman in West Bengal, also added that misunderstandings develop when people try to understand the organisation from a distance.

“My appeal is to understand Sangh, come within its fold. There is no fee for this. No membership is required. You can come here at your will and leave if you do not like,” Mr. Bhagwat said.

The RSS chief stressed that it takes time for people to understand the organisation whose only goal is uniting the entire “Hindu samaj (Hindu society)” and develop a feeling of “atmiyata (close bond)” among the Hindu society. According to Mr. Bhawgat the work taken by the RSS can only be compared to what Lord Buddha did on developing character centuries ago.

“It important to understand the work of the Sangh, because such work is happening in the country after centuries. I believe that after Tathagata Buddha (Lord Buddha), this is the first time that such a work of developing the character of people is being undertaken in the entire country. It takes times to understand such a work,” Mr. Bhagwat said.

Citing the parable of blind men and the elephant, he said that often people fail to understand the workings of the organisation from a distance. The RSS chief exhorted people to come in close contact with the organisation so that they can form an opinion.

“Those who feel that by the activities of the Sangh their shops might shut down, they spread misinformation about the organisation. Some people also say a lot of things because of their ignorance,” he added.

The RSS chief also highlighted that the organisation set up in 1925 is celebrating its 100 years and added that the organisation does not want to grow for its own sake but for the country. 

“Sangh is a big organisation spread across the country with about 70,000 sakhas in the country. We are called the biggest organisation in the world. But why do we want to grow? Not for our own sake, even if our name is not there it does not matter but if the society is united it will help the country and the world” he said.

Mr. Bhagwat said that Hindu society is built on the idea that is respects diversity and on the ideals of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam a Sanskrit phrase that means “the world is one family”

“Bharat believes in the relationship of friendship with everyone. Even those who want to be our enemies we try to keep friendly relations with them. This is our history and present. The rest think about their interests, we think about relationships,” he added.

Mr. Bhagwat added swayamsevak of RSS has been working in all areas of the society over the past 100 years and there are 1.30 lakh initiatives where RSS volunteers are serving the society. “Wherever they are working, those initiatives and efforts are of the individual of the swayamsevaks…Sangha has given them the inspiration and the ideals,” he added.

The RSS chief was on a 10-day visit to West Bengal and on Sunday addressed volunteers of the organisation. The Calcutta High Court on Friday, allowed RSS to go ahead with the rally despite objections by the West Bengal government on the restrictions of use of microphones because of the ongoing Secondary Board Examination (Madhyamik Pariksha, 2025). The Court, however, told the organisers to ensure that the sound is kept to the minimum level so as not to cause any difficulty or problem to any person whatsoever.