RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday spoke strongly about the situation of Hindus in Bangladesh, saying that if the Hindu community there chooses to stand up for its rights, it will find support from Hindus across the world.
Addressing the second day of the RSS lecture series in Mumbai, Bhagwat said there are around 1.25 crore Hindus living in Bangladesh. “If they decide to stay there and fight for their rights, Hindus across the world will stand with them,” he said. He was speaking at the two-day Vyakhyanmala titled ‘100 Years of Sangh Journey: New Horizons’, organised at the Nehru Centre in Worli to mark the RSS centenary.
His remarks come amid reports of increasing violence against minorities in Bangladesh over the past few months. The situation worsened following the death of anti-India radical student leader Sharif Osman Hadi and escalated further after nationwide protests erupted in the wake of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s ouster. The unrest followed a student-led movement referred to as the ‘July Uprising’ on August 5, 2024.
During this period, mobs allegedly targeted Hindu communities in different parts of the country. Several people, including businessmen, labourers and students, were killed as protests reportedly turned into organised attacks on minorities.
Speaking on domestic issues, Bhagwat said earlier governments had failed to adequately address changes in India’s population pattern. He pointed to birth rates and illegal immigration as key factors behind demographic shifts. “Earlier, not enough was done on population changes. Birth rate and illegal immigration are major reasons. Now that the government has started acting, it will succeed,” he said.
He also asserted that India is now strong enough to withstand internal and external challenges. “India cannot be weakened anymore. Those who try to break India will themselves be broken,” he said.
Bhagwat also touched upon questions surrounding RSS funding, saying the organisation does not depend on corporate or institutional donations. “People often ask how RSS functions financially. Our funds come from our own workers. When we travel, we ask for tiffin instead of buying food and stay in the homes of workers, not in hotels,” he said.
On leadership and caste, the RSS chief said the organisation does not discriminate. “Anyone from any caste can become the RSS chief. Being SC or ST is not a disqualification, and being a Brahmin is not a qualification. We work for all sections of society, even though the RSS began largely with Brahmins,” he said.
Referring to work in Muslim-majority areas, Bhagwat said the Sangh prefers restraint over confrontation. “In Muslim areas, challenges are handled by not reacting. Even if abusive language is used, we do not respond, so conflict does not escalate,” he said.
His remarks on Sunday followed his address on the first day of the lecture series, where he said the RSS is not opposed to anyone and does not seek political power. “The Sangh is not against anyone and does not want power. Its only aim is to unite society,” Bhagwat said, recalling that RSS founder Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar formed the organisation in 1925 after observing divisions within society.