Mohan Bhagwat’s speech isn’t working on Hindu fundamentalist mobs on the ground

If Bhagwat’s call for inclusivity is genuine, he must act decisively against disruptive elements within his own ideological ecosystem.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat in New Delhi last month | Photo: ANI

Days after RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat urged India to set an example of communal harmony on the global stage, Hindutva outfits disrupted Christian gatherings in Ambala and Rohtak in Haryana. It didn’t matter to them that, as Bhagwat pointed out, the Ramakrishna Mission also celebrates Christmas. The Haryana incident shows that the RSS chief was right to condemn disruptive elements who create divisions to establish themselves as “leaders of Hindus.”

Mohan Bhagwat is clearly pushing for a model of peaceful co-existence where every Indian can freely follow their path of worship. Why, then, do we still see masjid-mandir controversies and disruption of Christmas celebrations? It’s hard to ascertain the exact reason.

Is Bhagwat’s message of inclusivity failing to resonate within his own ideological sphere, or are such incidents a calculated attempt by fringe elements to undermine any move toward harmony?

Faith is deeply personal

Bajrang Dal, the youth wing of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), is no stranger to controversy. Its undemocratic tactics and mob behaviour have regularly made headlines. From moral policing young couples on Valentine’s Day to aggressively opposing anything it deems ‘against Indian culture,’ Bajrang Dal’s actions have attracted widespread criticism.

However, there is an unspoken understanding that a section of Hindu society regards the Bajrang Dal and VHP as ‘necessary’ for safeguarding their interests. This justification mainly stems from the belief that these organisations act as a counterweight to ‘Christian proselytisation’ or the ‘Muslim veto’ in communal and cultural matters. It is widely believed that missionaries employ underhanded tactics to convert people, threatening other cultural and religious identities.

Faith is a deeply personal matter. Every individual should have the freedom to follow, change, or renounce their religion based on their beliefs and convictions. Such freedom is the cornerstone of an inclusive and democratic society. But this ideal often clashes with societal realities, where religion is wielded as a tool for identity politics, power struggles, and social control. The fear of demographic shifts, along with deep-seated unease over Dalits converting to Christianity, fuels such opposition.

Mobs only cause chaos

It is disappointing to witness the denial among those who consider these groups legitimate protectors of their interests. They fail to recognise that any violent group, regardless of its initial intentions, poses a threat to civil society and the very people it claims to safeguard. Ultimately, these groups become instruments of chaos, often turning on their own communities and leaving behind a fractured, fearful society. A society built on fear and force can never truly protect anyone’s interests.

If the concern is genuinely about Dalits and Tribals converting to other faiths, why not address the root causes? For example, if Christian missionaries use social outreach—such as providing education and healthcare—to influence vulnerable communities and promote conversions, would violence be the right response? Certainly not in a democracy. Instead of resorting to aggression, efforts should focus on the social and economic assimilation and upliftment of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, ensuring dignity, equality, and opportunities within their existing faith and society.

Dr BR Ambedkar once addressed this issue, saying: “Civilizing the aborigines means adopting them as your own, living in their midst, and cultivating fellow-feeling—in short, loving them. How is it possible for a Hindu to do this? His whole life is one anxious effort to preserve his caste. If these savages remain savages, they may not do any harm to the Hindus…. But if they are reclaimed by non-Hindus and converted to their faiths, they will swell the ranks of the enemies of the Hindus. If this happens, the Hindu will have to thank himself and his Caste System.”

The RSS has distanced itself from former head MS Golwalkar’s controversial theory that Muslims and Christians are “internal enemies”. “Sangh is not a dogmatic organisation. Times change, and accordingly our thoughts transform,” Bhagwat said in 2018. But his words have failed to prevent fundamentalist mobs from continually disrupting communal harmony. If Bhagwat’s call for inclusivity is genuine, he must act decisively against nefarious elements within his ideological ecosystem.

Amana Begam Ansari is a columnist. She runs a weekly YouTube show called ‘India This Week by Amana and Khalid’. She tweets @Amana_Ansari. Views are personal.

(Edited by Zoya Bhatti)