Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday described Generation Z (Gen Z) as emotional and adaptable but said young people often do not think with a “calm mind.” He also said LGBTQ+ people are an integral part of Indian society and deserve dignity rather than exclusion.
Bhagwat made the remarks while addressing an event in Hyderabad.
Bhagwat’s Remarks on Gen Z
Speaking about the younger generation, Bhagwat said Gen Z is flexible and emotionally driven but tends to react without sufficient calmness.
“Gen Z is good, adaptable and emotional by nature. They do not think with a very calm mind. If what is in touch with them is visibly authentic, it appeals to them,” he said.
His comments come weeks after nationwide student protests led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) over the NEET paper leak issue. The movement gained momentum after activist Sonam Wangchuk began a hunger strike at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, while the July 20 “Sansad Chalo” march witnessed clashes between protesters and police.
Says LGBTQ+ People Should Not Be Ostracised
Bhagwat also spoke about the LGBTQ+ community, saying such individuals have always existed in society and should not be treated as outsiders.
“LGBTQ+ and all these communities exist. Such tendencies are present in society. Some are innate, determined by nature itself… They are human beings too and have a right to live,” he said.
He added that Indian traditions have long recognised the existence of such communities and have given them a place within society.
“They are not ostracised from society; there is a place for them within the vast tapestry of social life. We are taught not to view them with a sense of inferiority,” Bhagwat said.
He also pointed out that members of the LGBTQ+ community have their own deities, shrines and Mahamandaleshwars who participate in the Kumbh Mela.
“Rather than making unnecessary noise or fanfare about these matters, we handled them quietly to ensure society maintained a sympathetic attitude toward them. We recognised them as an integral part of our society,” he added.
Not the First Time Bhagwat Has Spoken on LGBTQ+ Rights
This is not the first time the RSS chief has spoken in support of the dignity of LGBTQ+ persons.
In a 2023 interview, Bhagwat said LGBTQ+ people “have the right to live as others” and should have their own private and social space. He has also previously said that homosexuality is a social reality and should not be sensationalised, citing examples from Hindu scriptures to argue that gender and sexual diversity have existed in Indian society for centuries.
RSS Position on Same-Sex Marriage
While the RSS has supported the decriminalisation of consensual same-sex relations following the Supreme Court’s 2018 judgment striking down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, it has opposed legal recognition of same-sex marriage.
After the Supreme Court declined to recognise same-sex marriage in 2023, RSS spokesperson Sunil Ambekar welcomed the verdict, saying Parliament should discuss the issue and take appropriate decisions.
India decriminalised consensual same-sex relations in 2018, but same-sex marriage and several other legal rights sought by LGBTQ+ groups are yet to receive legal recognition.
