Pointing to the ongoing round of turmoil in neighbouring Bangladesh, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday called upon the Hindus there to stay united and urged the members of the community, spread across the world, to help them.
Speaking at a seminar in Kolkata, the RSS chief said, “They (Hindus) are a minority there (Bangladesh), and the situation is quite difficult. Even though it’s difficult, for maximum protection, the Hindus there will have to stay united. And Hindus all over the world must help them.”
Bangladesh is witnessing a fresh round of turmoil, in which the Indian High Commission in Dhaka and its Assistant High Commissions across the country are facing threats. The spark for the latest violence is the December 12 shooting of 32-year-old Sharif Osman Hadi, who had participated in the movement against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, leading to her ouster from office on August 5, 2024.
Urging the Indian government to take cognisance of the situation in Bangladesh, Bhagwat on Sunday said, “We have to do everything we can, and we are doing it… The Indian government will have to do something. They might already be doing something. Some things are disclosed, some cannot be. Sometimes there are results, sometimes there aren’t. But something has to be done.”
With the Assembly elections in West Bengal scheduled in a couple of months, the RSS chief said growing Islamic fundamentalism in Bengal, incidents of attacks on Hindus, the situation in Bangladesh, and Muslim infiltration have had an undesirable impact on West Bengal.
Referring to the influx of Bangladeshis ahead of the 1971 war, Bhagwat said, “Ab Bangladesh jaise kholi thi, wo kholna hai ki nahi, ye ek prashashnik prashn hai, kyunki jo aayenge seema se wo kaun aayenga, ishpe niyantran hona chahiye… Hinduaon ke liye kholi, aur koi doosre aa gaye (Whether to open the Bangladesh border is an administrative decision to take. Because who will be allowed to get into the country needs to be controlled… Have opened for Hindus, but others come in… That should not happen).”
On India’s foreign policy, Bhagwat said, “Those who have the stick, everyone follows them… We have seen that when they (China, Russia, and the USA)” need us, they are soft. And when we do not follow them, they try to oppress us. So, we should also be reciprocal to them. At present, the foreign policy, I feel, is fine. There is no need for improvement, but there is a need for speed,” Bhagwat said without mentioning the US imposing huge trade tariffs on India.
RSS chief calls Babri-like mosque conspiracy, slams Mamata for constructing Jagannath Temple in Digha with govt money
Kolkata: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday called the recent move of suspended TMC MLA Humayun Kabir to build a Babri-lookalike mosque in Murshidabad district “a political conspiracy to reignite the dispute”.
“This is being done for votes. It is neither for the benefit of Muslims nor Hindus… This shouldn’t happen. That’s what I think,”
On the TMC government constructing a Jaganath Mandir in the coastal town of Digha, he said: “I do not know the rules, but in a secular and socialist country, a government building temples, I do not think is allowed.”
Referring to the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, where Babri Masjid once stood, the RSS chief said, “Ram Mandir was built with the permission of the Supreme Court. The Trust was told to build the temple, and no government money was used. Governments come and go, but dharma is permanent. Religious places take us to the door of God. So, we should not bring them into politics. Temples should not be built by governments.” —ENS