New Delhi: Day after his message of “inclusivity", RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Wednesday said that everyone who reside in India and identify as Indians are Hindus.
Bhagwat presented Sangh's views on a number of contentious issue while answering wide-ranging written questions on the last day of the RSS' three-day conclave, including on matters like inter-caste marriages, education policy, crimes against women, cow vigilantism.
ON HINDU IDENTITY
Bhagwat said, “India’s ideology says everybody is its own, it unites everybody. A Hindu person believes in unity. All Indians are Hindu by identity and we are trying to unite all Hindus."
Earlier on Tuesday, Bhagwat had said that a Hindu nation does not mean it has no place for Muslims.
ON CASTEISM
At the third day of the event, the RSS chief said, “We need to rise above caste barriers. RSS does not believes in casteism. In today's Sangh, there is a representation of all castes and it can be seen everywhere, we are moving ahead."
ON GAU RAKSHA
Speaking on the spate of lynching incidents over cow protection, Bhagwat said, “There should be no mob violence. Strict action should be taken against the culprits. No one can take law into their hands. Lynching in the name of cow protection is unacceptable. Cows should not be left open. Gau rakshaks should keep their cows at their homes."
ON RAM MANDIR
Speaking on the contentious issue of 'Ram Mandir', Bhagwat was of the opinion that the Ram temple "should be built at the earliest."
He also supported a dialogue on the issue but said a final decision rests with the Ram Mandir Samiti, which is spearheading the campaign for the construction of a Ram temple. The RSS chief said he would not know whether an ordinance on Ram temple could be promulgated as he is not part of the government.
"... As a Sangh worker, head of the Sangh and as a part of Ram janambhoomi andolan, I want that a grand Ram temple should be constructed at the earliest at the birth place (Ayodhya) of Lord Ram," he said.
"It should have happened by now. The construction of a grand Ram temple will help in ending a major reason for tension between Hindus and Muslims, and if the temple is built in a harmonious way, then there will be no more pointing of fingers at Muslims," he added.
ON ENGLISH LANGUAGE
Mohan Bhagwat said the Sangh was not opposed to any language, including English, but it should be given its proper place, suggesting it cannot replace an Indian language.
"You should not be opposed to any language, including English, and it should not be removed," he said, adding, "We have no enmity with English. We need proficient English speakers."
ON WOMEN’S SAFETY
Speaking on crime against women, Bhagwat said, “Empower women for their safety, men should change the way they look at women, the mindset needs to change. Today, women are no less than men and they are competing with the men. The mindset of men has to change. The men must to be taught how to respect women. Women should also take a stand for their own safety. There should be stricter laws and people should follow it."
ON SECTION 377 VERDICT
"Everyone is a part of the society. Times have changed and these issues should not have been blown out of proportion," he said, speaking on the decriminalisation of homosexuality.
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