RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat’s Vijayadashami handle displays a profound understanding of India’s present socio-political setting. Delivered throughout considered one of India’s most vital cultural festivals, this handle just isn’t merely a commentary on current challenges however a name to motion for each people and society at massive. Bhagwat touches upon a number of important themes—nationwide character, societal unity, cultural heritage, the specter of divisive forces, environmental points, and the rising want for each internal and outer power.
Nationwide Character and Fashions of Excellence
On the coronary heart of his handle is the idea of nationwide character, a notion deeply embedded in India’s civilisational ethos. Bhagwat attracts upon the lives of historic figures resembling Maharani Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar, Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati, and Bhagwan Birsa Munda, highlighting their unwavering dedication to dharma, selflessness, and repair to the nation. These figures, in response to Bhagwat, symbolize beliefs of Indian tradition that fashionable society should attempt to emulate. The essence of Bhagwat’s message is his assertion that Bharat isn’t just a contemporary nation-state however a civilisational entity that has withstood centuries of invasion, colonisation, and ideological assault. This civilisational id, he argues, is the supply of Bharat’s power and resilience, constructed on the rules of dharma (righteousness), spirituality, and a collective consciousness that transcends political boundaries. The thought of Bharat as a civilisational nation is essential to Bhagwat’s argument. By framing India in these phrases, he positions the nation’s struggles as half of a bigger historic and religious battle. Bharat, in response to Bhagwat, has at all times been a goal for these searching for to impose overseas ideologies—whether or not colonial rulers, Marxists, or world capitalists. But, regardless of these makes an attempt, Bharat has survived due to its deep-rooted religious custom and adherence to dharma. In his speech, Bhagwat requires a reawakening of this civilisational id, urging Indians to take pleasure of their heritage and resist the forces that search to dilute or erase it. This, he argues, is the one means Bharat can proceed to thrive in a world more and more hostile to conventional cultures and values.
City Naxals: A Trojan Horse Inside
One of many central themes of Bhagwat’s speech is the rise of city Naxalism, a time period used to explain intellectuals, activists, and others who, in response to him, harbour anti-national sentiments and search to destabilise the nation from inside. Bhagwat warns that these people, typically cloaked within the rhetoric of rights and freedoms, work insidiously to erode the foundations of Indian society by questioning its traditions, values, and governance. City Naxals, in his view, symbolize a up to date model of a Computer virus, disguising their damaging intent with the language of social justice. In response to Bhagwat, their affect might be seen in academia, media, and even governance, the place they subtly propagate an anti-national agenda that makes an attempt to undermine India’s cultural and historic pleasure. This isn’t the primary time Bhagwat has raised the alarm over city Naxalism, however the 2024 speech provides an urgency that displays the rising ideological divides in India. His critique is that these forces distort the narrative round India’s historical past, presenting colonial views as fact whereas undermining the nation’s heritage. The speech positions city Naxals not simply as political adversaries however as threats to the very soul of Bharat.
International Market Forces: Commodifying Tradition, Diluting Identification
Bhagwat shifts his focus from inner subversion to exterior pressures within the type of world market forces. These forces, he argues, search to commodify India’s religious and cultural wealth, turning sacred practices and historic traditions into business merchandise for world consumption. He expresses concern that globalisation, whereas bringing financial development, additionally erodes the religious and cultural integrity of the nation. His critique of the worldwide market extends past easy financial exploitation. Bhagwat warns that Western firms and ideologies view India merely as a market to be tapped, quite than a civilisation to be revered. The commodification of yoga or the packaging of Indian spirituality into digestible codecs for overseas audiences is, in response to Bhagwat, an affront to the profound depth of Indian knowledge. He argues that these forces scale back India’s religious practices to marketable merchandise, stripping them of their true which means and context. Bhagwat’s speech requires a reassertion of Indian autonomy—not simply in financial phrases however in cultural phrases as effectively. He asserts that the battle just isn’t merely in opposition to overseas firms however in opposition to the mindset that permits India’s wealthy traditions to be exploited for revenue. To withstand this, he suggests, India should embrace self-reliance in business and defend its cultural heritage from changing into a world commodity.
The Erosion of Values in Up to date Society
Probably the most important factors raised by Bhagwat is the erosion of values in fashionable Indian society. He laments the decline of conventional ethical and moral rules, notably among the many youth, attributing this decline to the pervasive affect of consumerism, materialism, and what he calls “Deep State” ideologies of Wokeism and Cultural Marxism. Bhagwat’s concern for the youthful technology is palpable in his speech. With the rise of social media, instantaneous gratification, and a world shopper tradition, conventional values resembling respect for elders, self-discipline, and dedication to neighborhood are more and more underneath risk. He particularly addresses the rising prevalence of cell phone habit and the shortage of oversight relating to the form of content material younger individuals are uncovered to. The affect of violent, express, or morally questionable content material can have lasting results on impressionable minds, eroding their moral sense. This difficulty just isn’t distinctive to India; societies globally grapple with the results of digital media on youth tradition. International locations like Japan, South Korea, and the USA have witnessed related tendencies, with rising psychological well being points, social isolation, and weakening conventional household constructions. Bhagwat’s answer—returning to household values and strengthening neighborhood bonds—aligns with world requires a extra balanced strategy to expertise, one which encourages accountable utilization quite than senseless consumption. Bhagwat emphasises the household as the first establishment for imparting values, a notion that’s each well timed and important. In conventional Indian society, the household has at all times been the cornerstone of ethical schooling. Youngsters study respect, duty, and empathy via their interactions with elders and friends inside the household unit. Nevertheless, as nuclear households develop into the norm and the affect of oldsters and grandparents diminishes, the transmission of those values is more and more in danger. Re-establishing the household as a supply of ethical steerage requires concerted efforts from mother and father and society as a complete. Academic establishments, media, and policymakers all have roles to play in reinforcing the significance of familial bonds. Bhagwat’s name for households to take an lively position in ethical schooling displays a rising consciousness that societal change begins at house. On this context, the Nationwide Schooling Coverage’s (NEP) try to incorporate worth schooling within the curriculum is a step in the best route.
Wokeism and Cultural Marxism: A International Phenomenon
A good portion of Bhagwat’s speech addresses the risk posed by divisive forces—each exterior and inner—that search to destabilise India. He refers to those forces as these selling “Wokeism” and “Cultural Marxism,” ideologies that, in response to him, intention to create division inside society by undermining conventional cultural values and sowing discord amongst totally different teams. The ideologies Bhagwat critiques have develop into world actions, notably in Western international locations, influencing discussions round id politics, social justice, and the position of the state. Whereas these actions have drawn consideration to vital points resembling racial inequality, gender rights, and financial disparity, they’ve additionally confronted criticism for selling a divisive type of politics centred on victimhood and identity-based grievances. Within the Indian context, Bhagwat warns that these ideologies are being imported and utilized in ways in which threaten the nation’s social cohesion. By turning variety into division, these ideologies danger fracturing the unity that has traditionally outlined India. Bhagwat argues that India’s variety needs to be seen as a power quite than a supply of division, and that efforts to create synthetic distinctions between totally different teams have to be resisted. Bhagwat’s warning in opposition to the “Grammar of Anarchy,” a time period coined by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, refers to the usage of violent and undemocratic means to attain political ends. He highlights latest incidents of violence, together with stone-pelting throughout non secular processions, as examples of this anarchy in motion. Such acts, he argues, should not spontaneous expressions of discontent however half of a bigger, orchestrated effort to destabilise the nation. The rise of violent protests and mob violence just isn’t distinctive to India; it has been a rising development worldwide. From the Black Lives Matter protests in the USA to the Yellow Vest motion in France, many international locations have witnessed mass unrest pushed by a mix of official grievances and opportunistic violence. Nevertheless, Bhagwat’s concern is that in India, these protests are being manipulated by exterior forces searching for to weaken the nation from inside.
Power By means of Unity: The Position of Hindu Society
Bhagwat particularly emphasises the position of Hindu society in sustaining nationwide unity and power. In his view, Hindus have a larger duty to guide by instance, given their historic and cultural ties to the land. He calls upon the Hindu neighborhood to organise and galvanise themselves for the larger good of the nation. This isn’t a name for exclusion or division, however quite for management rooted in ethical integrity and nationwide duty.
The thought of Hindu society as a unifying power has historic priority. From the time of historic kingdoms to India’s freedom wrestle, Hindu leaders and thinkers have performed a pivotal position in shaping the nation’s id. Bhagwat’s name for organised power inside Hindu society displays the idea {that a} sturdy, unified cultural id can function a bulwark in opposition to divisive forces, each overseas and home.
Nevertheless, this emphasis on Hindu management have to be understood inside the broader context of India’s pluralistic society. Bhagwat makes it clear that the aim is to not exclude or marginalise different communities, however to foster a way of collective duty that transcends non secular or regional variations. On this sense, the power he advocates isn’t just bodily or political, however ethical and moral, rooted in a shared dedication to the nation’s well-being.
The Penalties of Consumerism and Materialism
Bhagwat’s critique of consumerism and materialism displays a rising consciousness of the environmental prices of unchecked financial growth. Within the quest for progress, nations around the globe have adopted development fashions that prioritise short-term positive aspects over long-term sustainability. The consequence has been widespread deforestation, air pollution, and the depletion of pure assets.
India, with its massive inhabitants and fast urbanisation, has been notably susceptible to those tendencies. The impression of local weather change, as Bhagwat factors out, is changing into more and more evident in India. Unpredictable monsoons, extreme droughts, and excessive climate occasions have disrupted agricultural manufacturing, endangered livelihoods, and displaced communities. Whereas these environmental challenges should not distinctive to India, the nation’s dependence on agriculture and its vulnerability to local weather change make them particularly urgent.
A Return to Conventional Values of Sustainability
Bhagwat argues that the answer to those environmental challenges lies in returning to India’s conventional values of sustainability and ecological stability. Indian tradition, with its emphasis on concord between people and nature, gives a framework for a extra sustainable strategy to growth. Practices resembling water conservation, tree planting, and decreasing plastic waste—advocated by Bhagwat—are rooted in historic Indian traditions that view the earth as sacred. This name for a return to conventional values just isn’t a rejection of modernity however a plea for a extra balanced strategy to growth. Bhagwat means that India’s growth path mustn’t mimic the industrialised West however needs to be guided by its personal cultural heritage, emphasising stability, moderation, and respect for nature.
This aligns with world actions advocating for sustainable growth, which name for an financial mannequin that meets current wants with out compromising the flexibility of future generations to fulfill theirs. On this context, Bhagwat’s speech resonates with the concepts of thinkers resembling Mahatma Gandhi, who advocated for a self-reliant, sustainable mannequin of growth prioritising the well-being of each individuals and the setting. Gandhi’s imaginative and prescient of Sarvodaya (the welfare of all) and his critique of contemporary industrial civilisation discover echoes in Bhagwat’s name for a extra holistic, built-in strategy to growth.
The Significance of Civic Self-discipline and Constitutional Responsibility
In his speech, Bhagwat highlights the significance of civic self-discipline and adherence to the legislation as important elements of nationwide character. He stresses that for a society to operate easily, residents should respect the principles and rules that govern their behaviour, whether or not in site visitors, taxation, or public conduct. This respect for the legislation, he argues, displays one’s dedication to the nation and its structure. Bhagwat’s name for respect for the structure and the legislation echoes the emotions of India’s founding leaders, notably Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, who noticed the structure because the cornerstone of India’s democracy. Ambedkar famously warned in opposition to the “Grammar of Anarchy,” urging residents to respect the structure and use democratic means to handle grievances. Bhagwat’s speech, on this regard, serves as a reminder that nationwide progress is not possible with out a dedication to civic duty and constitutional obligation.
In at this time’s polarised political local weather, the place protests and civil disobedience have develop into frequent expressions of dissent, Bhagwat’s name for civic self-discipline is especially related. Whereas the best to protest is a vital part of a democratic society, Bhagwat warns in opposition to utilizing violence and lawlessness to attain political ends. He urges residents to specific their grievances via peaceable and democratic means, quite than resorting to the form of anarchy that threatens the nation’s stability. Bhagwat additionally emphasises the stability between rights and duties, a theme central to Indian political thought since independence. Whereas residents have the best to demand accountability from their authorities, additionally they have an obligation to contribute to the nation’s progress.
Method Ahead
Mohan Bhagwat’s Vijayadashami speech serves as a strong name for nationwide awakening. His message is evident: India stands at a crossroads, going through each unprecedented alternatives and vital challenges. The important thing to navigating this second lies within the revival of nationwide character, the fostering of social unity, the preservation of cultural values, and the strengthening of each ethical and bodily power.
Bhagwat’s speech isn’t just a commentary on the current; it’s a imaginative and prescient for the long run. It calls upon all Indians to take duty for the nation’s progress, to work collectively to beat the forces of division and discord, and to construct a society that’s each sturdy and virtuous. Whether or not via schooling, environmental conservation, or civic duty, every particular person has a task to play in shaping India’s future. As Bhagwat aptly places it, “When society wakes up by itself, writes its future with its personal efforts, then nice males, organisations, establishments, administration, and authorities all assist.”
That is the message that ought to resonate within the hearts of all Indians—a name for collective duty, vigilance, and a renewed sense of objective in constructing a affluent, peaceable, and united India.
(Views expressed are private. Mr. Rajiv Tuli is an impartial columnist and commentator, and Dr. Barthwal teaches Political Science at Sri Aurobindo School, Delhi College)
Disclaimer: These are the non-public opinions of the writer