Warning that external forces are trying to destabilise India, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Tuesday said such efforts will fail and asserted that it is wrong to think circumstances will change with a change of regime. “This has never happened before and will not happen again,” he said. Flagging foreign influence, he said agitation does not bring about change and that solutions come from within society.
His remarks about regime change came days after noted lawyer Prashant Bhushan said that recent protests in the national Capital against alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls had become “really a fight for regime change”, sparking a political controversy.
“India is their main target because India is progressing. These evil forces know that they cannot disrupt India the way it has moved ahead with decisive policies in the last few decades… They are trying to dismantle India and the Sangh,” the RSS chief said during his annual address at the Vijayadashami gathering of the organisation in Nagpur. He also underlined that political or instigated protests create tensions and anarchy and disrupt public order.
The RSS chief called for protests to remain within constitutional and legal boundaries and urged political leaders, authorities and demonstrators to avoid actions that could deepen social divisions.
He also called for more dialogue and public participation, arguing that movements alone could not always resolve social problems.
Bhagwat said public demonstrations over social problems and systemic shortcomings were natural, but stressed that protests should focus on resolving grievances rather than creating hostility. He also called for greater social participation and dialogue to address public concerns.
He said protesters, authorities responsible for maintaining law and order, and political leaders all had a responsibility to ensure that demonstrations did not create conflict, hatred or divisions.
Bhagwat said Indians need to be wary of forces that want to derail the country from its development path. “It is evident… there are many powers in the world that want India to lose,” he said. “There is a storm coming in from the West which hates culture, systems and the security… It wants to destroy…” he added, citing examples of France, Bangladesh and Nepal, which have seen anti-Government protests in recent years.