Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday said that issues such as what the organisation describes as “love jihad” should first be addressed within homes and families, stressing that regular communication between family members is key to preventing such situations. He also projected women’s empowerment, social harmony and tribal outreach as central to the RSS’s social and ideological approach.
Bhagwat was speaking at two outreach programmes in Bhopal, the Stree Shakti Samvad and the Samajik Sadbhav Sammelan, as part of the RSS’s wider engagement with women and tribal communities in Madhya Pradesh.
“Dharma, culture and civilisation remain secure because of women,” Bhagwat said, adding that the time had passed when women were confined to homes in the name of protection. “Today, society moves forward when both women and men progress together with awareness, confidence and values,” he said.
Referring to “love jihad”, Bhagwat said families must reflect on their own role. “We must ask how a daughter from our own family could be misled. Often, the root cause is the lack of communication within families,” he said. He argued that regular dialogue at home helps build respect for culture, religion and tradition.
The RSS chief outlined three steps to deal with the issue. These include constant communication within families, building self-confidence and self-defence skills among young girls, and strict and quick action against those found guilty. He also said social organisations must remain alert and that society should respond collectively to such incidents.
Speaking on women’s role in society, Bhagwat said Indian tradition does not place women in a lower position. “In our culture, women are seen as the moral and cultural foundation of society,” he said, quoting Swami Vivekananda to underline that Indian civilisation elevates women through motherhood, responsibility and leadership.
He criticised what he called blind westernisation in the name of modernity and said value-based upbringing was as important as education and opportunities. “Our traditions do not make women weak or limited. They make women strong and extraordinary,” Bhagwat said, citing figures like Rani Lakshmibai as examples of courage and leadership.
At the social harmony programme, Bhagwat focused on tribal communities and rejected the idea that they are separate from the social mainstream. “There has been an attempt to create confusion by saying that tribal communities are different. Everyone who has lived on this land for thousands of years shares the same civilisational roots,” he said.
He said social harmony in India has always been a lived reality and not just a concept. “Hindu is not merely a label. It is a way of life that allows diversity without conflict over worship, belief or lifestyle,” Bhagwat said, adding that harmony requires continuous engagement and not just unity during crises.
“Those who are capable must always support those who are weaker. This is the basis of social cohesion,” he said.
In the opening session, spiritual leader Pandit Pradeep Mishra urged people to think beyond their own communities. “Many are working at their own level, but the real question is what we are doing for the nation,” he said, comparing the RSS’s approach to Lord Shiva’s act of absorbing poison for the greater good.
