'They Grab Another Country': Mohan Bhagwat Says Bharat Will Not Act Like 'Powerful Nations'
'They Grab Another Country': Mohan Bhagwat Says Bharat Will Not Act Like 'Powerful Nations' Reported By, Edited By Last Updated: June 05, 2026, 09:07 IST
'They Grab Another Country': Mohan Bhagwat Says Bharat Will Not Act Like 'Powerful Nations' Reported By, Edited By Last Updated: June 05, 2026, 09:07 IST Mohan Bhagwat was sharing the stage with Kumar Mangalam Birla, one of the very few images that captured the transformation of India’s politics and institutional landscape. Rapid Read Nagpur: RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat, left, with Aditya Birla Group Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla during the closing ceremony RSS Karyakarta Vikas Varg-II. (Image: PTI) Hundreds years of ‘colonisation and slavery’ made Bharat forget its ‘preparedness’ and it needs to be ‘rebuilt’, RSS chief Mohan Bhgwat said while addressing the valedictory session of Karyakarta Vikash Varg in Nagpur on Thursday. He was sharing the stage with Kumar Mangalam Birla, chairman of Aditya Birla group, one of the very few images that captured the transformation of India’s politics and its political economy as vividly. Much like the widely discussed image of former President Pranab Mukherjee attending the same Shiksha Varg valedictory session and addressing the RSS gathering in Nagpur in 2018, the moment carries significance that extends beyond the event itself, symbolising a broader realignment of India’s political and institutional landscape. Addressing the gathering, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said, “Through our traditions, we have inherited a nature that seeks harmony with creation, generation after generation. We endured a thousand years of slavery.
Those who enslaved us were not superior to us in any way. They were not more numerous than us either. Coming from very far away, they defeated us. In no respect were they better than us, in fact, they were inferior than us. There were certain qualities that were ours, which we did not preserve. We forgot them. We lost our preparedness. We will have to rebuild that preparedness. The Hindu bears a responsibility for Bharat." “We see that powerful nations act high-handedly. If they wish, they grab another country. If they wish, they bomb another country or cut off the world’s supply of oil. Regarding Bharat, let the world form this view: that when Bharat becomes powerful, it will not behave like that, rather it will carry everyone along," he said. Referring to the middle-east conflict, Bhagwat further added, “In today’s world, even countries that have no direct connection to a conflict are affected by it. We are witnessing a situation where a conflict may be taking place between Iran and the United States, yet its consequences are felt far beyond those two nations." “Changes in oil prices, disruptions in trade and economic uncertainty impact all of us. That is the nature of the interconnected world we live in today. We see that powerful nations often act arbitrarily. They may seize another country, bomb a nation, or disrupt the world’s oil supply whenever they wish.
The perception about Bharat should be that even after becoming powerful, it will not act in this manner. Instead, it will move forward by taking everyone along," he added. “The world needs Bharat because only Bharat can envision development that brings everyone together. There are also those who do not want India to rise and realise its full potential. I do not wish to elaborate further on them, the circumstances are before all of us, and you can see them for yourselves. Our duty, however, is clear. It is our responsibility to work towards Sreshtha Bharat with dedication and resolve," he further added. Birla, while delivering his speech also appealed to the youth to embrace entrepreneurship. “My message to the young people of Bharat is simple – embrace entrepreneurship. This is a time of unprecedented opportunity. Build in India, build for India and build for the world. The ideas, enterprises and institutions you create today will not only shape India’s future but also leave a lasting impact on the global stage," said Birla. For a business house whose fortunes and identity were once deeply intertwined with Mahatma Gandhi and the Congress movement, this particular frame of Birla, as the chief guest sitting with Bhagwat on the stage in Nagpur carried symbolism far beyond a routine public appearance. For historical context, Ghanshyam Das Birla was among Gandhi’s closest associates, financiers and confidants.
He opened the doors of Birla House to him. Gandhi spent his final days there. In many ways, the Birlas were not merely patrons of the freedom movement, they were among its principal economic enablers. That legacy survived Independence. Kumar Mangalam Birla’s grand-uncle, KK Birla, remained firmly embedded within the Congress ecosystem, serving three terms in the Rajya Sabha and standing loyally with Indira Gandhi through some of the party’s most turbulent years. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit About the Author Madhuparna Das Madhuparna Das, Associate Editor (policy) at CNN News 18, has been in journalism for nearly 14 years. She has extensively been covering politics, policy, crime and internal security issues. She has co... Read More First Published: June 05, 2026, 09:07 IST News india 'They Grab Another Country': Mohan Bhagwat Says Bharat Will Not Act Like 'Powerful Nations' Disclaimer: Comments reflect users’ views, not News18’s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments...
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