Operation Sindoor was a befitting reply to Pahalgam attack: Mohan Bhagwat

Former President Ram Nath Kovind, right, and RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat, left, on stage during ‘Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Vijayadashami Utsav 2025’ in Nagpur, Maharashtra, on October 2, 2025

| Photo Credit: PTI

In a speech that lauded the government’s response to the Pahalgam attack and addressed issues such as swadeshi, social harmony, and violent uprisings in neighbouring countries, Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday (October 2, 2025) said the government gave a “befitting response” to the April 22 terrorist attack.Mr. Bhagwat said the events surrounding Operation Sindoor following the attack tested the resolve of the country’s leadership and the nature of ties it had with foreign powers. He said the public revolts as seen in Nepal cannot usher in change.“In Pahalgam, cross-border terrorists killed 26 tourists after asking them about their Hindu faith. The attack led to a wave of grief and anger across the country. After careful planning, the government gave a befitting response,” he said in his centenary-year address from the RSS headquarters in Nagpur.Mr. Bhagwat said during Operation Sindoor, India witnessed firmness of the country’s leadership, valour and war-readiness of its armed forces, and the unity of its society.Speaking on the international support for India during the episode, the RSS chief said that the responses showed who were India’s friends and to what extent they were willing to “stand by us”. Mr. Bhagwat said the Pahalgam attack showed that “we must remain vigilant and further develop our security capabilities while maintaining global friendships”.Mr. Bhagwat touched upon the turmoil in Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, and cautioned that discontent of the public with a government leads to lawlessness. He said that violent outbursts do not bring desirable change, which can be achieved only through democratic means.“In such violent circumstances, there is a possibility that dominant powers of the world try to find opportunities to play their own games.... forces wanting to create such disturbances in India are active inside as well as outside the country,” Mr. Bhagwat said, adding that B.R. Ambedkar used to call such movements “the grammar of anarchy”.To counter international pressure such as the tariff policy adopted by the U.S., which Mr. Bhagwat said is solely based on its self-interest, the RSS chief called for self-reliance. “There is no substitute for swadeshi and swavalamban (homegrown and self-reliant),” he said.Mr. Bhagwat said the widening gap between rich and poor, concentration of economic power, increasing exploitation, environmental degradation are causes of concern.He stressed on embracing “differences” within the country to ensure national unity and integrity. “Over the past thousand years, some foreign communities came to India and left their followers behind. According to Bharatiya traditions, all are welcome and accepted. We look at them as ours rather than as the outsiders.... However, these distinct identities should not cause division,” said Mr. Bhagwat.He added that beliefs, icons and places of worship of all communities should be respected. Mr. Bhagwat said breaking the law, taking to the streets and engaging in hooliganism and violence are harmful for the nation. “Show of strength is deliberately done to provoke a particular community. The consequences of falling into their trap are evil, both in the short and long term,” he said.Praising the Centre for controlling Naxalism, the RSS chief called for a comprehensive action plan to ensure justice, development, goodwill, empathy, and harmony in Maoist-affected regions.Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to X to appreciate the speech.“An inspiring address by Param Pujya Sarsanghchalak Dr. Mohan Bhagwat Ji, highlighting the rich contributions of the RSS to nation-building and emphasising the innate potential of our land to attain new heights of glory, thereby benefiting our entire planet,” he said.Congratulating the RSS on its 100th year, Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama, lauded the services done by its members. He noted the organisation’s outreach in remote areas for educational and social development, along with active participation in relief during natural disasters. Published - October 02, 2025 10:30 am IST