Hyderabad: RSS Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat on Wednesday said that all 130 crore people residing in India were “Hindus”.
“We have a specific definition of who a Hindu is. We think anyone who loves this country and wants its progress is a Hindu. So all 130 crore people in this country are Hindus. Of course, this is what we think. You may disagree with our definition,” he said.
Mr Bhagwat was speaking at Rashtriya Swayam-sevak Sangh’s Vijay Sank-alpa Sibiram at Saroor-nagar Indoor Stadium here.
The meeting was attended by over 8,000 swayam sevaks, who also participated in exercises and prayers. Thousands turned up as spectators to the event.
Large cardboard cut-outs of Dr B.R. Ambedkar, Rani Lakshmibai, Swami Vive-kananda and Kumaram-bheem were set up at vantage positions in the stadium. Lined up on either side of the road leading to the entrance were stalls selling RSS literature, Hegdewar’s biography and even Narendra Modi’s biography.
Mr Bhagwat began his speech in an abstract way, by defining the word ‘vijay (success)’ in the Vijay Sankalpa Sibiram. “Who-se victory is it that we seek? What kind? As RSS, we are people who work towards the victory of the world. This is called “Dharma Vijay”, wherein we don’t look for credit or fame and only aim to alleviate the pain of others,” he said.
He said that this was different from Asura Vijay, wanted by people who only care to “spread their suffering”, and Dhana Vijay, wanted by those who cared for their own vanity.
Speaking from Rabind-ranath Tagore’s “Swade-shi Samaj”, he said, “Tagore had said the British thought Hindus and Muslims would fight and destroy each other. However, he said the British would be proved wrong. He said both will work together but based on a solution the Hindus will formulate.” He quickly added that these were Tagore’s words and not his. The RSS boss also said that the Sangh considered any person who loved “Bharat” and considered it his home an Indian. Mr Bhagwat said the world was looking for solutions and India, a “Vishwa-guru”, would provide them. “The world is waiting for India to stand up. But no one will come to help us get up. We have to do it on our own,” he said.
