NEW DELHI: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Friday said patriotism is the central theme of Hinduism as love for the nation is the basic character of being a Hindu, while citing Mahatama Gandhi who had said his patriotism originates from his ‘dharma’. Bhagwat asserted that dharma in this case doesn’t merely mean religion but it is wider than that.
Elaborating on his reference to Gandhi, Bhagwat said patriotism can’t be restricted to followers of a particular faith as religion teaches inclusiveness and talks about humanity at large.
Bhagwat was speaking at an event to release a book titled ‘Making of a Hindu Patriot: Background of Gandhiji’s Hind Swaraj’, authored by J K Bajaj and M D Srinivas. The occasion drew attention given that RSS critics have for long sought to tag the assassination of the Mahatma to Sangh thought, if not the organisation itself. He categorically said there is no need for speculation that Sangh “is trying to appropriate Gandhiji” as that is not the case. He said no one can appropriate great personalities like the Mahatma. Bhagwat said the Mahatma saw his dharma and patriotism as not different from the love for his motherland.
“If someone is Hindu he has to be patriotic, that will be his or her basic character. At times you may have to awaken his or her patriotism but he (Hindu) can never be anti-India. But we have to be conscious of the fact that if one loves his country that doesn’t mean land only, it means its people, rivers, culture, traditions ,” Bhagwat said.
Underlining that Hinduism believes in the existence of unity, he said,“difference does not mean separatism and Gandhiji has suggested that Hinduism is the religion of all religions.” Talking about Gandhi’s Swarajya, Bhagwat said by it he means not only changing rulers or becoming self-government, but also the struggle for reconstruction of society based on civilisational values. The book narrates the story of the evolution of ideas and concepts the Mahatma presented in his book ‘Hind Swaraj as also his evolution as a consciously committed Hindu patriot.