Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat’s appeal for turning the country into a ‘Hindu nation’ has stirred a controversy in Madhya Pradesh.
The Congress has slammed Bhagwat saying that RSS leaders are harming the nation’s peace. Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee chief spokesman KK Mishra while talking to The Pioneer said, “Be it Bhagwat or self-proclaimed international president and general secretary of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) Ashok Singhal and Praveen Togadiya or BJP president Amit Shah’s venomous ideology, for them issues like Hindutva, nationalism and Ram Mandir always remain the medium of business. Power was seized by trickery on the basis of these issues and through that poverty of the leaders related to the power was removed.”
Mishra asked how many centuries would it take to realise the dream of Hindu rashtra. Notably, delivering the valedictory address at the five-day conclave of RSS workers at Sagar, Bhagwat cited Tagore’s book ‘Swadeshi Samaj’ to drive home the point of Hindu nation.
Tagore had criticised the British in the book while observing that Hindus and Muslims won’t just finish each other by fighting among themselves but will rather find a way out and that path will be of “Hindu Rashtra”, he said, adding that Hindutva advocates unity in diversity and harmony.
Bhagwat said a country cannot be called secure when its people feel insecure. “People in India still feel pained even after so many years of Independence,” the RSS chief said. “Many Governments ruled Delhi and enormous (amount of) money has been spent in development,” Bhagwat said.
He said it is unfair to say that no development has taken place in the country but at the same time the country has not developed as expected. In his speech, Bhagwat showered praises on Israel for its “achievements” despite “hostile” conditions.
Israel, with mostly a desert land and a thin population, attained independence with us, but it has developed tremendously. When Israel came into being, it was attacked by eight nations. This tiny nation fought five wars, expanded its land area and has risen as a tall nation, he said. “Anyone who dares that nation gets a befitting reply. People across the world learn from Israel the art of doing agricultural and vegetable farming,” he said.