Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on 30 August pledged the organisation's full backing to religious leaders worldwide working to foster interfaith cooperation, telling an international gathering in New York that sustained grassroots action could transform the global climate of conflict and mistrust.

Key Remarks at the New York Gathering

Addressing the 'One World, One Humanity' programme — attended by more than 180 participants from 30 countries — Bhagwat called religious diversity a strength rather than a source of division. 'Diversity is a decoration for our innate unity. It has to be accepted. It has to be respected. It has to be protected,' he said.

Bhagwat framed the RSS's outreach as rooted in a belief that all of humanity shares a common essence. 'We as RSS, we think because we have this knowledge that all humanity is one, it is our duty to go all over the world and tell everybody that in spite of our diversity, we are one,' he added. He described different faiths as distinct paths converging on the same ultimate truth.

On Muslims and the Hindu Nation Question

Bhagwat directly addressed longstanding questions about the RSS's stance toward India's Muslim community, recalling an interaction with Muslim participants in Delhi in 2018. He said he had been asked whether Muslims would be expelled from India under the concept of a Hindu nation.

'I said no. That is not Hindu,' he responded. 'If any Hindu thinks that there should be no Muslim in Bharat, he will not remain Hindu.' He added: 'If you want to call yourself Hindu, you must believe that all paths are leading to the same. And every human has a dignity. There is no difference between humans.'

Bhagwat noted that dialogue with both Muslim and Christian communities in India had continued since that 2018 meeting, and stressed that such engagement must be driven by society rather than political structures.

Grassroots Over Politics

Bhagwat was pointed in his critique of political channels as vehicles for interfaith harmony. 'These things do not happen through politics. Sorry to say, but the fact is, politics has now become a game of self-interest,' he said. His prescription: build pockets of selfless service at the local level — in provinces, districts and blocks — that could eventually shift broader public opinion.

'Whatever we decide to do today, we should start in our own country and create pockets of such selfless service, such atmosphere of unity,' he said. He cautioned that changing ingrained habits and attitudes would require patience, but expressed confidence that collective action could alter the world's direction.

About the RSS

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh was founded in Nagpur in 1925 by K.B. Hedgewar and marked its centenary in 2025. The organisation describes itself as a volunteer-based cultural and social movement with a wide network of affiliated bodies working in education, social service, labour and student affairs across India. Bhagwat has led the RSS as Sarsanghchalak since 2009.