News Report:
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat has raised concerns over what he described as increasing violence and persecution of Hindu minorities in Bangladesh, saying Hindus across the world would stand in solidarity if the community there decides to assert its rights.
Addressing a gathering on Sunday at Mumbai’s Nehru Centre during the second day of the two-day lecture series “Vyakhyanmala”, organised to mark 100 years of the RSS, Bhagwat said Bangladesh is home to nearly 12.5 million Hindus. “If they choose to remain there and begin a struggle to protect their rights, Hindus across the world will come forward to support them,” he said. The centenary programme was titled “100 Years of Sangh Journey: New Horizons.”
Bhagwat’s remarks come amid reports of rising violence against minorities, particularly Hindus, in Bangladesh over the past several months. Tensions escalated further following the death of hardline, India-opposed student leader Sharif Osman Hadi, as well as the political upheaval triggered by the ouster of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and the student-led movement that culminated in the August 5, 2024, “July uprising.” Minority communities have reportedly borne the brunt of the unrest.
Commenting on demographic changes in Bangladesh, the RSS chief attributed shifts in population balance to birth rates and alleged illegal infiltration. He claimed previous governments had failed to adequately address the issue, adding that the current administration has begun taking steps, which he hoped would be effective.
Bhagwat also issued a strong message on India’s strength and unity, saying the country must not be allowed to weaken. “Those who attempt to break India will ultimately collapse themselves,” he said, a statement seen as significant in political and diplomatic circles.
Addressing questions on the RSS’s funding, Bhagwat said the organisation does not rely on corporate or institutional donations and is supported entirely by its volunteers. “When we travel, we ask for simple tiffin instead of restaurant meals and stay at workers’ homes rather than hotels,” he said.
On issues of caste and leadership, Bhagwat emphasised that the RSS does not discriminate on caste lines. “Being SC-ST is not a disqualification, just as being a Brahmin is not a qualification,” he said, while acknowledging that the organisation initially had a stronger Brahmin presence. He also spoke about the RSS’s work in Muslim-majority areas, stating that the organisation consciously avoids confrontation and refrains from reacting to provocation to prevent escalation.
A day earlier, during the first session of the lecture series, Bhagwat had said the RSS is not opposed to any community and does not believe in power-centric politics. He reiterated that the organisation’s primary goal is social unity, recalling that RSS founder Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar established the organisation in 1925 after observing deep divisions within society.
Bhagwat’s comments on the situation of Hindus in Bangladesh have sparked renewed debate and attention within political and strategic circles in the region.
