The maturity and mutual understanding displayed by political parties during the recent tensions between India and Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack should continue to ensure the security and growth of the nation, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat said on Thursday (June 5, 2025).
Speaking at the culmination of an RSS volunteer training camp in Nagpur, Mr. Bhagwat added that the Sangh considers religious conversion as an act of “violence”, and is working to ensure that people are not lured or forced to change their religion.
“Our training camp is happending at a very special time as RSS will complete 100 years. There is another important circumstance which is being witnessed, and that is the Pahalgam terror attack in which our countrymen were killed in our own land. This has created a furore among the masses, who believed that the culprits must be punished. Some actions were taken in this regard as well and the culprits were punished. But in this situation, the courage and efficiency of our Army has once again outshone itself,” Mr. Bhagwat said.
United Indian society
He added that the terror attack had united Indian society, and even political parties, who kept their differences aside to support the nation.
“The political class also showed maturity as well as mutual understanding. Instead of fighting against each other, they have decided to fight together for the nation. The society also showed unity like never before. This picture has been formed for the world to see…. Also, this should continue to be a permanent feature for the safety and growth of the nation,” Mr. Bhagwat said.
Pakistan’s proxy wars
Without naming Pakistan, the RSS chief said that because the neighbouring country could not directly win against, it took the help of terrorism and had started waging proxy wars.
“We got separated so that we could live peacefully but they started creating discord soon after the separation. The hypocrisy born out of the ghost of the two-nation theory must be checked, and till then, the threat to our national security will continue,” he added.
Appealing to Indians from all classes and communities to live peacefully and help each other, Mr. Bhagwat said that people should not fight among themselves over “pity issues”.
Reconversion must be respected
Accepting the request of Chhattisgarh tribal leader Arvind Netam, a former Minister in Indira Gandhi’s Cabinet, to work in tribal areas to check “rampant conversions”, Mr. Bhagwat said that the RSS considers conversion as “violence”.
“We don’t have any differences with different religions and communities. Jesus, Mohammed, all are revered and we also have respect for them. But everyone will follow his or her own religions. Those who changed religions out of greed or by force, and now they want to come back, this must be respected as its correction,” he said.
‘Implement PESA’
In his speech, Mr. Netam had urged the RSS chief to pressurise the Union government to come out with an action plan after Naxalism ends, to ensure that the menace is not revived. He added that no government so far has implemented the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996, which aims to ensure self-governance in tribal areas through Gram Sabhas, empowering them to manage resources and make decisions related to their communities.
“The Central government is mum and even helping the industrialists,” Mr. Netam added.
Published – June 05, 2025 11:22 pm IST
