Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat said there is “no Ahindu” in Bharat, asserting that everyone living in the, including Muslims and Christians, are descendants of the same ancestors who share a common cultural root.
“They probably don’t know it, or they are made to forget it,” Bhagwat said, while addressing a lecture titled ‘100 Years of Sangh Journey: New Horizons’.
He added that knowingly or unknowingly, everyone in the country follows Bharateeya culture, and hence, “nobody is Ahindu.”
“Every Hindu must realise he is a Hindu because being Hindu means being responsible for Bharat,” Bhagwat said, describing Hindu culture as synonymous with India’s national identity.
Expanding on the RSS’s century-long mission, Bhagwat said the organisation’s goal is not to seek power but to “serve and organise society for the glory of Bharat Mata.” He maintained that the Hindu society’s organisation was essential as Hindus are “responsible for Bharat.”
“It is not that the British gave us nationhood; we are an ancient nation,” he said, adding that every country has a core culture and India’s core culture is “Hindu.”
Bhagwat said this concept of Hindu Rashtra is “not contradictory” to the Constitution but rather conforms to it. “Sanatana Dharma is Hindu Rashtra, and the progress of Sanatana Dharma is the progress of Bharat,” he said.
Defending the RSS’s ideological position, Bhagwat said that Hindu Rashtra does not imply religious exclusivity. “Organisation of a society is not against anyone, it is not a reaction,” he said, rejecting the notion that the RSS was born in opposition to any community or ideology.
The RSS chief added that over the past century, the organisation faced bans, criticisms, and violent opposition but continued to grow stronger “because swayamsevaks give their all to the Sangh and expect nothing in return.”
‘All parties are ours, we support policies, not politics’
Clarifying the RSS’s relationship with political parties, Bhagwat said the organisation supports “policies, not politics.” He added that RSS swayamsevaks supported the BJP over the Ram Mandir issue because the party aligned with that policy — not because of any political loyalty.
“If Congress had supported it, our swayamsevaks would have voted for that party,” he said, underlining that the RSS has no “special affinity” for any political outfit.
On whether people of other faiths can join the RSS, Bhagwat said, “No one is excluded by caste or creed. People from different denominations, Muslims or Christians, can come to the Sangh, keeping their separateness out. When you come to a shakha, you come as a son of Bharat Mata.”
He added that RSS does not count members based on religion. “We don’t ask who they are,” he said.
‘RSS not born as reaction, not unconstitutional’
Responding to criticism from Congress leaders, Bhagwat said that the RSS is a “body of individuals” recognised under Indian law and not required to register as an organisation. “If we were not there, who did they ban?” he quipped, referring to the three bans imposed on the RSS over the decades.
He said each time the ban was overturned by courts, proving that the organisation was not unconstitutional. “Even Hindu Dharma is not registered — does that make it illegal?” Bhagwat asked.
Bhagwat said the Sangh’s work in its centenary year focuses on reaching every village and social stratum, “across all castes and classes.” He emphasised that unity must coexist with diversity — a cornerstone of Indian tradition.
“Our tradition is to create unity without disturbing diversity. Diversity is the decoration of unity,” he said.
Bhagwat’s remarks come amid renewed political heat between the RSS and the Congress. Party chief Mallikarjun Kharge recently said that, in his personal opinion, the RSS should be banned. a comment that has drawn strong reactions from Sangh leaders.
Despite the criticism, Bhagwat said the RSS “gets stronger whenever there is opposition.”