New Delhi: Indians do not cause any harm to their neighbours but if the latter stoop to evil deeds, there is no other treatment, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat said Saturday. In what appeared to be a veiled message to the government, he added: “It is the duty of the king to protect his subjects.”
Speaking after the Pahalgam terror attack, Bhagwat stressed that while non-violence is India’s religion and a key part of its values, teaching a lesson to “oppressors” and “tyrants” is equally important.
Bhagwat was speaking at the launch of The Hindu Manifesto, authored by Swami Vigyananand, a senior functionary of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and initiator of the World Hindu Congress.
“We never do any harm or insult to our neighbours. But if someone does something bad then what is the other solution for that? It is the duty of the king to protect his subjects. The king will perform his duty. Hum kabhi bhi apne padosiyon ki koi apmaan koi haani nahi karte. Lekin agar koi utar aaye burayi par toh phir uska doosra ilaaj kya hai. Raja ka kartavya hai praja ki raksha karna. Raja apna kartavya karega,” he said.
His comments come in the backdrop of the Pahalgam attack in which 27 people were killed by terrorists.
“India’s nature is non-violence… our non-violence is to change people, it is to make people non-violent… but some people can never change. You do whatever possible for them, they will not change no matter what you do and they will keep creating disorder in the world… then what one can do in this situation…,” the RSS chief asked.
Bhagwat also gave the example of Ravan and said he was killed not to harm him but for his own good. He said that it was well known that Ravan had all the qualities of becoming an excellent king—whether as a great administrator, a devoted follower of Shiva, or a man of vast knowledge—but he had to die because he did not use these qualities for good.
“It was known that whatever you do, Ravan could not be made a good person… then only one option was left… his present body should be destroyed so that he could get another soul and body. This is why God killed him and this killing is not violence, it is non-violence only,” he added.
Bhagwat also reflected on how the Hindu holy book, the Bhagavad Gita, says that Arjun had to kill his own brothers because that was the only way forward. He added that our ‘Dharma’ is that we must not be beaten by tyrants but must teach a lesson to goons.
“The Gita teaches non-violence, but the teaching is to ensure that Arjun fights and kills. Because he was confronted with people whose development could only be done this way,” he said.
(Edited by Radifah Kabir)
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