Pure selfless love is essence of RSS, not hatred, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat tells London community event

TOI correspondent from London: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat told community leaders at a reception in Hertfordshire in the UK on Sunday night that “pure selfless love” is the essence of the RSS, not “intense hatred”.When asked what element of the RSS, currently celebrating its centenary, has withstood the test of time, he replied: “If I have to mention a single principle it is ‘apnapan’ (the feeling of oneness, treating everyone as your own). That is ‘Shuddha Saatvika Prem’ (pure and noble love).”Bhagwat was speaking to over 600 community leaders from 326 British diaspora community organisations at the Oshwal Centre in Potters Bar, run by the largest Jain organisation in the UK, the Oshwal Association of the UK, on the third and final leg of his RSS outreach centenary tour.“Hindu is not an individual. He is his family, as well as his community, as well as his society as well as humanity,” Bhagwat said. “So, this ‘apnapan’, this love, is the basis of unity. That is the only one aadhaar (foundation) on which Sangh is built. We sing a song in Sangh. We say: ‘Shuddh saatvik prem apne kaarya ka aadhaar hai (Pure, selfless, and noble love is the very foundation of our work).”The sixth RSS Sarsanghchalak said: “I have heard some people say that intense hatred is the basis of our work. It is just the reverse. ‘Shuddha Saatvika Prem’ is the basis of our work. That is there permanently; it has not worn out even in 100 years. You will find the same 'shuddha saatvika love' in the behaviour of swayamsevaks (volunteer members of the RSS), in the atmosphere of the Sangh," Bhagwat added.His London trip was coordinated by Integral, a UK-based organisation that brings together leaders and communities to strengthen dialogue, collaboration and long-term relationships between the UK and India. Sunday’s event specifically was organised by Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh UK (HSS UK), a Hindu social and cultural organisation established in Britain in 1966, with support from Integral. HSS is separate to and not part of the RSS.Explaining the true meaning of Hindutva, which is heavily misunderstood in the West, Bhagwat said: “The word Hindu, we cannot understand on the basis of any religious practise or lifestyle. Hindu is a nature – a society which has the nature to accept and respect all diversities as it holds that always leads to the same goal.”He translated the famous Sanskrit Shloka in Shiva Mahimna Stotram composed by Pushpadanta, saying: “Due to different tastes, there are different ways, but human beings on those ways have a single destination. Oh God you are that. All the water that falls on earth goes into the sea eventually.”“When we say Hindu is not a religion or worship, there may be Hindu religions. The religions say that all other religions are also true. We have our say, but you have your say, so you are also right. We need not convert each other. You are right and we are right. Because your way is different, we need not be separate, we can live together. Existence is really one. It appears to be diverse. Diversity is natural. We have to accept and respect it and we have to deal with diversity, keeping in mind the differences are various decorations of the unity of existence . One has become many, therefore many are respected. When dealing with them you should not look at them as something separate. All is one, we are one. On this basis we deal with everything.”He also explained the meaning of “Hindu Rashtra”, as it is also commonly misunderstood in the West, saying it does not mean a “nation state.” He said its purpose was to share with the world that diversity is natural and everyone is one and “you can touch happiness”.“It’s a people with one purpose - we should lead a life so that people from all nations look to us and from that derive a way to lead their own life in their own regions with fulfilment, with the purpose of their own nation that is what we mean by ‘rashtra’. Because of the experience of nationalism, there is a fear, but rashtra is not that mission. When this mission progresses, there will never be a dictator or war - it creates peace, bliss, prosperity and brotherhood.”Bhagwat then commented on the political and economic turmoil in the world, saying Hindu civilisational values had the solution. “We think in terms of, we both should get this and, if I get it, I will give some of it to him. If we think like that, we don’t have to conquer nature. We are part of nature. Live and let live and make others live. Hindus have to give this balance to the world. If we give individualism some weight, then we have to keep society away, if we say socialism, then arises the question of individual rights. Society and individuals can progress together and humanity progresses. Hindus have the solution and they can connect and cause the simultaneous progress of anything.”He explained that “seva is nothing which makes you great. Seva is your chance to get nearer to God. You are not doing something good – they are giving immense good to you by giving you the chance to serve. You see God in them and God is giving you a chance to wash your sins by serving them. One should give so that to who we give he also becomes a giver. That type of seva is necessary.”He also said British Hindus should never need to face conflict between their Janmabhumi (land of origin, namely India) and Karmabhumi (land of one’ work and destiny, namely the UK) but if it ever happens, British Hindus will go with the UK. “Hindutva is clear on this: your karmabhumi is where your loyalties lie. Your land of origin is where you get your values and you live those in karmabhumi serving karmabhumi. Hindutva never asks you to betray karmabhumi as you are living there. But your duty is to live your values from Janmabhumi fully and rightly so humanity benefits.”“In Bharat the RSS are working in nearly every walk of life, every aspect and dimension, sports, arts. Farmers, workers, students, women, even politics. We must be self-sufficient but help international trade - that is our ‘swadeshi’. This idea of an organised society should not take 100 years – in the next 20 to 30 years we have to complete,” he concluded.In another development, pro-Khalistan Sikh groups condemned the London gurdwara for hosting him at an event on Friday.The Sikh Federation (UK) (SFUK) said in a statement: “Dozens of gurdwaras, Sikh organisations and individuals have contacted us to express their outrage at the secret visit of Mohan Bhagwat to Khalsa Jatha British Isles Gurdwara. No apology or explanation from those responsible for running the gurdwara, including the trustees can undo the damage caused by welcoming the head of the RSS to a small, private gathering without the presence of the Sangat.”Catch the latest World News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.