Nagpur. Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Saturday said that Mahatma Gandhi’s view that Indians lacked unity before British rule is a wrong narrative inspired by colonial education. “Gandhiji has written in (his book) Hind Swaraj that we were not united before the British came, but this is a false story taught to us by them,” Bhagwat said at the National Book Festival in Nagpur. ‘Hind Swaraj’, written by Gandhiji in Gujarati in 1908 and translated by him into English in 1909, consists of 20 chapters and is written in the style of a conversation between the reader and an editor.
Bhagwat said that India’s concept of ‘nation’ is fundamentally different from ancient and western interpretations. He said, “We have no dispute with anyone. We stay away from disputes. It is not in the nature of our country to dispute. It is our tradition to remain united and promote brotherhood.” He said that other parts of the world have developed under conditions of conflict. Bhagwat said, “Once an opinion is formed, any idea different from it becomes unacceptable. They close the doors to other ideas and start calling it ‘ism’.”
India has always been a ‘nation’
He said, “We use the word nationalism, not nationalism. Excessive pride in the nation led to two world wars and that is why some people are afraid of the word nationalism.” Bhagwat said that if we follow the definition of nation as understood in the Western context, it usually consists of a system of one nation in which the central government governs the territory, but India has always been a ‘nation’, regardless of different systems of governance or periods of foreign rule.
‘We are the children of Mother India’
The RSS chief said India’s nationalism does not stem from ego or pride, but from the deep interconnectedness among the people and their co-existence with nature. He said, “We are all brothers because we are children of Mother India. There is no division among us on the basis of religion, language, food, traditions or any man-made element like states. Despite diversity, we remain united because this is the culture of our motherland.”
‘True satisfaction comes from helping others’
He also stressed the importance of knowledge that leads to wisdom. He also stressed that practical understanding and living a meaningful life is more important than just having information. He said that true satisfaction comes from helping others – a feeling that lasts a lifetime, unlike momentary success.
We cannot stop technology like AI from coming but…
Meanwhile, Bhagwat told young writers at the event that the advent of technology like artificial intelligence (AI) cannot be stopped, but while using it, “control must be with us and we must maintain our dignity.” He said that AI should be used in the interest of humanity and to make humans better.
‘The real era of globalization is yet to come’
Responding to a question on the challenge of globalization to language and culture, the RSS chief said, “This is an illusion at the moment. The real era of globalization is yet to come and India will bring it.” He said that the idea of globalization has been there in India since the beginning, which is called ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’. Bhagwat said, “We will not create a global market, rather we will create a family and this will be the essence of real globalization. That era is yet to come, so do not have any fear or confusion in your mind about globalization.”
