The annual Vijayadashami event of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) took place on Tuesday, 24 October 22023, in Nagpur, Maharashtra.
During this event, RSS leader Mohan Bhagwat addressed a large gathering of RSS volunteers and called upon the citizens to stay watchful against “divisive influences.”
His message centered on the importance of making informed voting choices, especially with upcoming assembly elections in five states scheduled for November 2023 and the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The Sarsanghchalak stressed the significance of choosing competent candidates.
“Some Elements Intentionally Disrupt Peace”
Bhagwat went on to offer guidance to voters, advising them not to yield to those aiming to create divisions and conflicts within society. He encouraged citizens to exercise their voting rights to counteract these efforts and choose the most capable leaders who genuinely serve their interests. He also cautioned against the use of inflammatory rhetoric and other strategies designed to manipulate public sentiment.
“Some elements deliberately disrupt peace in India. Fanaticism only breeds chaos, leading to conflicts worldwide,” he said.
“Beware Of Wokes”
Mohan Bhagwat cautioned society about harmful and pervasive entities identified as ‘wokes’.
“The purpose of Bharat’s rise has always been the welfare of the world. But as a natural consequence of this rise, the selfish, discriminatory and deceitful forces seeking their sectarian interests are subject to curbs and regulations. Hence, there is a continuous opposition from them,” he said.
“The core purpose of India’s progress has always been the betterment of the world. But as a natural outcome of this rise, there are selfish, discriminatory, and duplicitous forces pursuing their sectarian interests, and these are curbed and regulated. Hence, they continually oppose us,” he emphasized.
While these forces may appear to pursue lofty objectives under various ideological banners, their true intentions are quite different, he said. Irrespective of their ideology or the nature of their work, individuals with integrity who genuinely contribute always act as a barrier against such deceitful and detrimental forces, he further added.
“These destructive and all-consuming entities refer to themselves as cultural Marxists or Woke”, Mohan Bhagwat mentioned adding that despite identifying as ‘Marxists,’ they have strayed from Marxist principles since the 1920s.
“In reality, these so-called ‘wokes’ reject all forms of discipline, morality, virtue, culture, dignity, and self-control. They actively promote, reward, and encourage anarchy and immorality to grant absolute power to a small faction over the entire human populace.“, he said.
RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat further highlighted how these ‘woke’ elements leverage their influence in media to disrupt the country’s educational and cultural foundations. Their strategy involves assuming control over the media and academia, fostering uncertainty, chaos, and corruption across the domains of education, culture, politics, and the social fabric.
He said that this environment enables them to perpetuate a vicious cycle of fear, confusion, and hatred. Bhagwat stressed that a society divided by internal conflicts and plagued by uncertainty becomes vulnerable to these destructive forces that perpetually seek control. He also introduced the term “Mantra Viplav” from the Indian tradition to describe the modus operandi of sowing disbelief, confusion, and mutual animosity among the people of a specific nation.
He warned that efforts are being made to forge alliances with these unfavorable forces within the nation in order to gain an advantage in political competitions. Bhagwat pointed out that this approach, aimed at achieving narrow political objectives, is unwise and harmful to the nation. He also lamented the current state of society, marked by amnesia, division fueled by various conflicts, and a relentless pursuit of self-centered goals tainted with bitterness and animosity.
Consequently, these destructive powers can garner support from internal or external sources seeking to undermine the unity of society and the nation, as exemplified by recent conflicts in Manipur, he said.
“Vested Interests Fueled Manipur Violence”
The RSS chief hinted at the involvement of extremist forces in the recent turmoil in Manipur, indicating that these forces were driven by vested interests and aimed to disrupt the government’s efforts to restore peace in the region. Bhagwat pointed out that the sudden emergence of enmity and hostility in Manipur, a state known for its peace in the past decade, underscores the presence of vested interests or external forces. These actors have added a communal dimension to the conflict between the Meiteis and Kukis in an attempt to foster discord.
He also said that these vested interests also made an effort to tarnish the reputation of the RSS, despite its volunteers’ selfless work to promote peace and unity in the troubled region of Manipur.
“Who has a vested interest in trying to drag and besmirch an organization like the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, which has been engaged in serving everyone without any bias for years, into this unfortunate incident without any reason? Which foreign powers may be interested in taking advantage of such unrest and instability in Manipur, located between Nagabhoomi and Mizoram in this border area? Does the geopolitics of Southeast Asia also have a role in these events? Despite there being a strong government in the country, on whose strength and instigation has this violence continued unabated for so many days? Why did this violence erupt and continue even though there was a state government that wanted to maintain the peace that had prevailed over the last 9 years? Now, when people on both sides of the conflict are seeking peace, which are these forces that are attempting to trigger hatred and violence by causing an incident as soon as any positive step is seen being taken in that direction?” asked Mohan Bhagwat.
“World Looking Towards Bharat”
The RSS chief used the recent Israel-Hamas conflict as an example to highlight how totalitarianism, exploitation, and acts of terrorism are causing widespread devastation in the world.
He emphasized that the world’s limited perspective makes it challenging to address these issues. Additionally, he mentioned that India’s unique values and principles position it to lead by example and contribute to global peace and prosperity. Mohan Bhagwat also praised India’s successful hosting of the G20 summit, with particular acclaim for its hospitality and diplomatic skills, suggesting that India’s global influence is on the rise.
“Bharat Becoming Unstoppable”
The RSS chief expressed pride in India’s unwavering progress. He commended India’s outstanding achievements in sports and science, specifically praising the Indian scientists who achieved the historic milestone of safely landing Chandrayaan-3 on the moon’s south pole on August 23, 2023. This marked India as the first country to accomplish a soft landing on the moon’s south pole and the fourth nation to reach the moon, following the United States, the former Soviet Union, and China.
Furthermore, Mohan Bhagwat celebrated the Indian athletes who brought immense honor to the nation with their exceptional performance at the Asian Games. India’s sportspersons secured 107 medals, including 28 gold, 38 silver, and 41 bronze, surpassing the 100-medal mark for the first time in the Asian Games.
He emphasized that the Chandrayaan Mission showcased India’s resurgence, combining the nation’s leadership’s determination with the scientific expertise and technical excellence of Indian scientists. Bhagwat highlighted the historic achievement of the Vikram Lander touching down on the moon’s South Pole, a first in the history of space exploration. This accomplishment has instilled a sense of pride and confidence across the country.
In addition to these achievements, the RSS leader confirmed that the installation of Lord Ram’s idol in the Ayodhya temple is scheduled for January 22, 2024. He proposed staging the event on a smaller scale in various locations to evoke the spirit of Lord Ram in people’s hearts and create an atmosphere of affection, responsibility, and goodwill within society.
(With inputs from OpIndia)
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