Archive · 9 Sep 2026
Bhagwat’s Inclusive Words Face Test of RSS Action
Mohan Bhagwat, the leader of the RSS, recently spoke about treating Muslims as equal citizens.
He said that a Hindu who believes Muslims should not live in India is no longer following the meaning of being Hindu.
The article says he has made this point before, including in 2021.
Some people think his words show that the RSS is becoming more accepting.
Others think the words are only a public relations exercise.
The writer says Bhagwat could prove his sincerity by opposing actions that target minorities.
He could also defend universities and students who criticize the government.
The main question is whether his organization will change its actions to match his words.
Mohan Bhagwat’s New York remarks repeated his longstanding claim that Muslims who should not live in India are not acting as Hindus.
The article says critics question whether the RSS chief’s inclusiveness is genuine, while some supporters view it as evidence of organizational evolution.
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh faces pressure to adapt beyond Narendra Modi and address careerism and corruption within its expanding organization.
The writer challenges Bhagwat to oppose communal triumphalism, minority-targeting laws, hate speech, and attacks on religious communities.
The article argues that the RSS’s words will lack credibility unless Bhagwat translates them into visible institutional action, including defending academic freedom.
- Who
- Mohan Bhagwat, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, its supporters and critics, and institutions and political leaders discussed in the article.
- What
- Bhagwat’s statements about Hindu identity and Muslim citizenship have prompted debate over whether the RSS is becoming more inclusive.
- When
- Bhagwat repeated the position in New York; he had used the same sentence in 2021 and has made similar remarks for years.
- Where
- The remarks were made in New York, while the article examines developments in India, including Maharashtra, West Bengal, Delhi, and Saharanpur.
- Why
- The debate concerns whether Bhagwat’s inclusive language represents genuine RSS change and whether it will lead to public institutional action.
Critics and Skeptics
Supporters and Evolution Advocates
Meaning of Bhagwat’s remarks
Critics and Skeptics
Critics argue that Bhagwat’s apparent inclusiveness may be window dressing, especially because the RSS’s words have not clearly changed conditions on the ground.
Supporters and Evolution Advocates
Some supporters say the remarks show that the RSS has been misunderstood, while others see them as evidence of a transition from hate toward humanism.
Words versus action
Critics and Skeptics
Skeptics say Bhagwat must publicly oppose communal triumphalism, hate speech, minority-targeting laws, and attacks on religious communities before his statements can be considered credible.
Supporters and Evolution Advocates
Those welcoming the remarks may regard them as a meaningful indication of change, even though the article questions whether the wider organization has followed his message.
RSS and political power
Critics and Skeptics
The article argues that the RSS’s growing influence has been accompanied by organizational pathologies and that its apparent inclusiveness is undermined when criticism and minority rights remain vulnerable.
Supporters and Evolution Advocates
The RSS could use its influence to protect students, academic freedom, and equal citizenship, potentially demonstrating that it is evolving institutionally.
- Speaker
- Mohan Bhagwat, chief of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh
- Central claim
- Bhagwat said that a Hindu who believes Muslims should not live in India ceases to be a Hindu.
- Previous use
- The article says Bhagwat used the identical sentence in a 2021 speech to the Muslim Rashtriya Manch.
- Organizational challenge
- The RSS must consider its future beyond Narendra Modi and address careerism and corruption, according to the article.
- Proposed action
- The writer urges Bhagwat to oppose communal triumphalism, minority-targeting laws, hate speech, and attacks on religious communities.
- University focus
- The article identifies Delhi University as a possible place for the RSS to demonstrate support for education and academic freedom.
- Relevant law
- The writer asks whether Bhagwat would oppose actions violating the Places of Worship Act, 1991.