Dr Mohan Bhagwat in Guwahati today.
By Nava Thakuria*
RSS Chief Links India’s Identity to Civilisational Roots
Guwahati: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Dr Mohan Bhagwat began his Northeast tour this week as part of the organisation’s centenary-linked programmes, using his interaction in Guwahati to reiterate that everyone who loves Bharat and identifies as Bharatiya is a Hindu, regardless of individual modes of worship.
Dr Bhagwat arrived in Guwahati on Monday, November 17, 2025, to review centenary-related activities and meet civil society members. He will leave for Manipur tomorrow for a three-day visit, his first trip to the State since ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities broke out in May 2023. During his stay, he is expected to interact with youth leaders, entrepreneurs, Janajati representatives, and residents in Manipur, which is currently under President’s Rule.
Addressing intellectuals, scholars, editors, writers, and entrepreneurs at Sudarshanalaya in Barbari village in Guwahati today, he described “Hindu” as a civilisational identity shaped by thousands of years of cultural continuity rather than a strictly religious term.
Setting out this broader civilisational context, Dr Bhagwat said Bharat and Hindu were synonymous and that the country did not require an official declaration as a Hindu Rashtra because its ethos already reflected that continuity. He encouraged people to understand the Sangh by visiting a Shakha rather than relying on preconceived views, while outlining the organisation’s ongoing centenary programmes and its perspectives on contemporary national concerns.
Transitioning to issues that have drawn widespread public attention in Assam, he urged confidence and vigilance on matters of demographic change and cultural protection. He referred to illegal infiltration, advocated a balanced population policy including a three-child norm for Hindus, and stressed the need to resist divisive religious conversions. He also emphasised responsible social-media use, particularly by young people, and detailed five areas of social transformation the Sangh prioritises: harmony, family awakening, civic discipline, self-reliance, and environmental protection.
His message to young people continued at a youth conclave today, where he cautioned them against forming opinions about the RSS based on motivated propaganda. Dr Bhagwat said the organisation had become a frequent subject of public debate, but alleged that more than half the information about it on global and digital platforms was incorrect. He also referred to what he described as deliberate misinformation in some media outlets.
Linking these concerns to the Sangh’s long-term vision, Dr Bhagwat recalled the ideals of RSS founder Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, saying the organisation aimed to help India emerge as a Vishwaguru. National progress, he said, rests on social progress, and unity and quality within society are essential for a progressive nation. He urged youth to study the early histories of developed countries, noting that their first hundred years of growth focused on building cohesion and strengthening societal standards.
He added that Bharat’s enduring strength lay in its tradition of respecting linguistic, regional, and belief-based diversities. Such a mindset, he said, was rare globally, and those who separated from Bharat eventually lost their diversity. He cited Guru Nanak and Srimanta Sankardeva as spiritual leaders who upheld this diversity while promoting unity through their teachings.
Reiterating the RSS’s objective of building a stronger Bharat, Dr Bhagwat said that as the nation grows stronger, concerns relating to the Northeast’s linkages with the rest of India would diminish. Underlining “India First” as the guiding principle, he encouraged youth to associate with RSS activities according to their time and abilities. He said the organisation’s foundations in the far-eastern region were gradually strengthening.
*Senior journalist
