Protests are a democratic right, but what happens when they become political tools? RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, in his annual Vijayadashami speech, appealed to people to agitate for solutions, not division. He warned of forces seeking to take advantage of internal fault lines.
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat during the Vijayadashami Utsav 2026, in Nagpur, Maharashtra, on October 20. (Image: PTI)
New Delhi,Oct 20, 2026 13:07 IST
Protests can bring people together around a grievance, but what happens when the agitation itself becomes a source of division? RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat addressed this question in his Vijayadashami speech in Nagpur on Tuesday, saying that movements were inevitable in a democracy but should focus on resolving problems rather than deepening social divisions.
His remarks come as India has seen protests over the NEET-UG paper leak and, more recently, demonstrations over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, with the Opposition demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
"Problems will remain. There will be agitations because of these problems, and in a democracy, agitations are inevitable. But what should agitations be for? They should be for solutions," Bhagwat said.
The RSS chief said the responsibility for ensuring that protests did not create hostility or divisions rested with all sides, including groups leading agitations, the government and administration, and political leaders.
"Whatever the intensity of our emotions, there are limits to our actions under the Constitution and the law. There are also limits set by the norms of civilised public conduct in our speech and behaviour. We must ensure that our actions remain within these limits," he said.
Bhagwat also spoke about the West, alleging that forces seeking to weaken India were using various means to create instability and influence developments within the country.
He referred to attempts at regime change in other countries and warned that similar forces could exploit internal divisions in India. He argued that social discord and hostility could serve the interests of those seeking to undermine the country, linking his appeal for restraint in protests to the broader need to preserve social cohesion.
POLITICAL GAINS SHOULD NOT OVERRIDE GOODWILL: MOHAN BHAGWAT
Bhagwat cautioned against allowing electoral considerations and the pursuit of popularity to influence how people respond to public grievances.
"We must take care that the lure of votes, cheap popularity and political gains does not overpower our judgement and goodwill," he said.
He added that actions by protesters and those in authority should not create discord or hostility within society.
"Whether it is a group in society leading an agitation, the government and administration taking action to maintain peace and order, or political leaders playing their part, we must ensure that our actions do not create discord, hatred, bitterness or divisions in our undivided society," Bhagwat said.
He also argued that movements could become instruments of political mobilisation when they were driven by objectives other than resolving the problems that prompted them.
"When a movement is driven by some other objective, it becomes a tool of politics. It fuels hostility towards an individual, a group or an ideology, and forces that seek to weaken India take advantage of this," he said.
SOLUTIONS DO NOT COME THROUGH AGITATIONS ALONE
Bhagwat said protests were not the only way to address public problems and emphasised the role of collective action and dialogue within society.
"Problems are not solved through agitation alone. Solutions emerge through the efforts of society and through dialogue within society," he said.
As an example, he cited initiatives by RSS volunteers to improve schools through community participation. According to Bhagwat, efforts across 1,296 schools in 210 districts across 21 states had yielded encouraging results.
"Where villagers participated and volunteers worked alongside them, improvements were seen in student attendance, learning levels and parents' participation in running the schools," he said.
Bhagwat argued that society itself had a responsibility to address problems rather than leave the task entirely to political leaders or the government.
"The country and society are our own, so we too have a responsibility to contribute to running them," he said.
The RSS Sarsanghchalak's message was seemingly not against protests, but against losing sight of their purpose.
By stressing that grievances were inevitable in a democracy, Bhagwat placed the onus on protesters, political leaders and the administration to ensure that dissent led to solutions rather than deepening social divisions.
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