RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has said that Indian history has long been taught from a Western perspective, which leaves out the essence of Bharat. Speaking at the ’10th Anuvrat Vyakhyanmala’, he said, “The history we know has been taught through the lens of the West. For them, Bharat has no place. It appears on the map, but not in their minds. If you open history books, you’ll see mentions of China and Japan, but not Bharat.”
His comments come amid controversy surrounding recent revisions in NCERT textbooks, which have made significant changes to the way historical figures like Babur, Akbar, and Aurangzeb are portrayed.
The new Class 8 Social Science book describes Babur as a “brutal conqueror,” Akbar’s reign as “a mix of cruelty and tolerance,” and highlights Aurangzeb’s destruction of temples and gurdwaras. A note in the textbook says, “No one should be held responsible today for events of the past.”
Responding sharply, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said, “They reject ‘The Discovery of India’ by Nehru and dismiss what history scholars in universities have written. The RSS has its own version of history, which is different from the history of the nation.”
Congress leader Pramod Tiwari also reacted, saying, “Mohan Bhagwat ji, instead of worrying about the world, worry about your party, your Prime Minister, and your government. You’re 75 years old—be careful. The way your government has insulted the Vice President is unfortunate for the country.”
Bhagwat also spoke about how the world is struggling with issues caused by materialism and is now turning to Bharat for answers. He said, “In the last 2,000 years, many efforts were made to bring happiness based on Western ideas. Science and economics brought comfort, but not peace. Exploitation and poverty have only increased. The gap between rich and poor continues to widen.”
He noted that even after two world wars, peace has remained elusive. “They formed the League of Nations and later the United Nations, but even now we fear the possibility of a third world war,” he said.Bhagwat believes that the world is now looking to Bharat for a new path. “What does it mean to be Bharatiya? It is not just about citizenship. It’s about adopting Bharat’s nature—our way of life. Our vision is rooted in dharma. It once made us the most prosperous nation, and the world knows this,” he said.
“Now we must prepare our nation again, starting with ourselves and our families.”
He urged people to check if their daily lives reflect Bharat’s vision and to make necessary changes. “Only then can we show the world a better way,” he said.
