RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Tuesday addressing the organisation’s annual Vijayadashami event in Nagpur touched upon the raging "regime change" controversy in India and said that "it won't happen here".
The RSS chief cautioned that regime-change agitations do not resolve fundamental problems, warning that protests could become instruments of political interests and fuel divisions in society rather than delivering solutions.
Bhagwat cited recent upheavals in Bangladesh, Nepal, France, and Albania, asserting that forces pursuing their own interests use regime change as a means to alter political circumstances, rarely achieving intended results.
"A storm has blown in the West. Look at what transpired in France, Bangladesh, and Nepal. Regime change will not happen in India. Such attempts continue in India as well. India has moved forward with steadfast resolve, and the collective vitality (purushartha) of its society has grown," he stated, referring to the ongoing protests.
"They claim that changing a regime will change the situation, but that has never really happened," he said.
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Bhagwat claimed that a stronger India would constrain such forces, making the country a target of attempts to weaken and divide it.
While some global powers want India to develop, they do not want it to become too powerful, as it could challenge their dominance, he added.
Bhagwat performed shastra puja (weapon worship) at RSS’ Vijayadashami Utsav in Nagpur.
On protests in a democracy, the RSS chief said their purpose should be to resolve problems rather than deepen social divisions.
"Problems will remain, and protests are inevitable in a democracy. But what should the purpose of protests be? They should be aimed at finding solutions," he said.
He cautioned that protests could become political instruments when driven by objectives other than public welfare, fuelling hostility towards individuals, groups or ideologies.
"Various forces are at work to foster a sense of victimhood, fuelling discontent and chaos. One must remain vigilant to avoid falling prey to attempts at sowing confusion and discord," Bhagwat said.
Bhagwat also urged political leaders, protesters and the administration to ensure that their actions did not create bitterness or divisions in society.
"However intense our emotions may be, we must respect the limits set by our Constitution, the norms of civilised public discourse and standards of decent conduct," he said.
Bhagwat also made a strong pitch for unity and preserving India's diversity.
"It is clear that we must protect our mutual goodwill by remaining alert and safeguarding ourselves against the intellectual confusion created by such divisive tendencies. We must remain vigilant, avoid being disturbed or provoked in any way and with our aspiration and goal of seeing Bharat attain the status of Vishwaguru always firmly in our minds, continue striving in our efforts."
"We must abandon our individual egos, the misconceptions we harbour about our own and others' forms of worship, and the tendency to regard diversity as separation. Wholeheartedly embracing this threefold bond that unites us all - devotion to Bharat, pride in our ancestors, and commitment to Bharatiya culture - we must tread on the path of thriving for our nation," Bhagwat added.