Hedgewar founded RSS to address disunity among Hindus: Bhagwat

Metro India News | Hyderabad 

RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat on Saturday said Keshav Baliram Hedgewar founded the Sangh to liberate the country from colonialism by addressing the lack of unity among Hindus and making them strong and virtuous.

Speaking after inaugurating 'Sri Keshav Sphoorti Mandir' at Kandakurthi, Hedgewar's ancestral village in Nizamabad district of Telangana, he said Hedgewar took part in various paths, including political and armed resistance, to end British rule in India.

Genuineness was his virtue, which his colleagues hailed, he said. While working toward freedom, Hedgewar realised that the English were not the first to enslave Indians. This concern was also shared by some other prominent personalities of the era.

"That means, more than the strength of outsiders, there is some shortcoming in us because of which we were being beaten. That's why that shortcoming should be removed. There is an inadequacy of unity in Hindu society. In reality, there is respect for all diversity in Hindu society," Bhagwat said.

Hindutva suggests harmonious living with others by following one's path and respecting others, he said. Hedgewar favoured making Hindus strong, fearless and virtuous. The Sangh's prayer finalised by Hedgewar reflects these virtues, which emerge in those who attend the RSS 'shakha,' he said.

"He (Hedgewar) felt that we were frequently beaten (by foreign rulers), and these shortcomings exist. Someone should remove them. Otherwise, we have to fight for independence again and again," he said. As leaders of the era chose their own paths, Hedgewar took the responsibility of working to liberate the country, he said.

"RSS was founded from that (responsibility). It was not started against anyone, but to complete the work of all. It was not launched to hit anyone but to liberate one's own mother from slavery," he said. As Hedgewar visualised, activists working to make Hindus fearless, strong, and virtuous are active now, he said. The 'spoorthi kendra' project at Kandakurthi should inspire selfless work for the country and the imbibing of other virtues, he added.