Yoga guru Baba Ramdev on Thursday, 29 October described Sanatan Dharma as India's philosophical and spiritual foundation, asserting that the Vedas contain no sanction for caste discrimination, gender inequality or divisions among living beings. Speaking at the All India Ancient Knowledge Conference in Haridwar, he also announced plans to constitute a large committee of scholars, religious authorities and saints to examine what he called interpolations and misinterpretations in Hindu scriptures introduced during the Mughal and British periods.

Sanatan Dharma as National Identity

Ramdev argued that Sanatan Dharma was not merely a religious tradition but the country's cultural and civilisational bedrock. He said it possessed the capacity to guide India toward economic strength, scientific advancement and national development, and called for drawing on India's traditional knowledge while adopting a scientific outlook.

'Sanatan Dharma is the soul of this country. Every country has a fundamental ideological and philosophical foundation, and Sanatan Dharma is the soul of India,' he said. He went further, warning that those who attack Sanatan Dharma were, in his words, 'cultural and religious terrorists,' and vowed that such attacks would no longer be tolerated. He also said people who criticised Hindu scriptures without understanding their underlying teachings would face legal action.

Ramdev's Reinterpretation of Caste and the Varna System

On the question of caste, Ramdev presented what he described as the original Vedic understanding of the four varnas — Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra. He argued these should not be seen as separate or competing social groups but as different aspects of a single human being, each symbolising interconnectedness rather than hierarchy.

He elaborated that the head symbolised the Brahmin, the arms the Kshatriya, the thighs the Vaishya and the feet the Shudra — and that all four varnas existed within every individual. Citing the Vedas, Upanishads, Ramayana, Mahabharata and Puranas, he reiterated that these scriptures sanctioned no discrimination based on caste, gender or any distinction between living beings and the material world.

Proposed Committee to Address Scriptural Alterations

Ramdev alleged that several Sanatan scriptures had been altered during the Mughal and British periods. He said a large committee — comprising scholars, leading religious authorities, gurus and saints from different sects and traditions — would be constituted to examine these alleged interpolations and incorrect interpretations.

The proposed committee, he said, would work toward presenting what he called the 'purest form' of Sanatan Dharma to audiences in India and abroad. He argued that a comprehensive understanding of the tradition was essential to prevent fragmented interpretations of its teachings from gaining currency.

Call for National Unity and Economic Strength

Ramdev also used the platform to call for national cohesion around economic and strategic goals. He urged citizens to set aside caste divisions, social hierarchies and political differences, framing unity as a prerequisite for India's global standing.

'If India is to stand with dignity before the entire world, all citizens must set aside caste divisions, social hierarchies and political differences and focus on how to make the Indian currency the strongest in the world,' he said. He called for strengthening India's economy, GDP, growth rate, scientific capabilities and military power at three levels: individual action, collective social participation and government policy.

The conference, held in Haridwar, brought together voices from religious and scholarly circles to discuss India's ancient knowledge systems. Ramdev's remarks reflect a broader public debate in India over the interpretation of Hindu scriptures, caste identity and national culture — a conversation that shows no sign of easing.