At Crucial Manipur Visit, Bhagwat Warns Against Divisions, Calls for Social Cohesion

RSS Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat, on a three-day visit to Manipur, met over 200 Janajati leaders in Imphal on Friday and called for rebuilding trust, unity and social harmony in the region.

The interaction — held over a traditional Manipuri community lunch at Bhaskara Prabha — marked one of the largest engagements between the Sangh chief and tribal leaders in recent years.

Push for Social Cohesion, Not Uniformity

Speaking at the gathering, Bhagwat said India’s civilisational strength lies in its diversity, but that diversity must rest on the foundation of fraternity. Citing Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, he said liberty and equality cannot survive without fraternity.
“Fraternity is Dharma for Bharat,” he observed, adding that shared consciousness, not external forces, binds the people of the country.

Emphasising that RSS is “a social organisation, not a political one,” he reiterated that the Sangh does not remote-control any party or group.
“RSS works only through friendship, affection and social harmony,” he said.

‘Unity Does Not Require Sameness’

Bhagwat referred to recent genetic and cultural studies to argue that the subcontinent shares a civilisational continuity going back over 40,000 years.
“We belong to one civilisational family. Unity does not demand uniformity,” he said, urging Janajati communities to retain pride in their languages, scripts and indigenous traditions while staying connected to the broader national identity.

Engaging Local Concerns

Several community leaders raised local issues during the event, to which Bhagwat responded that regional grievances are “national concerns” and should be addressed within the Constitutional framework.
“Issues in a family must be solved within the family,” he said, cautioning that many current divisions have roots in colonial-era administrative policies.

He highlighted the Sangh’s ongoing focus areas — from Samajik Samarasata (social harmony) and Kutumb Prabodhan (strengthening families) to environment conservation, civilisational awareness and civic duties.

‘Anyone Working for Society Is a Swayamsevak’

Positioning the RSS as a character-building movement, he said individuals committed to societal welfare are already “undeclared swayamsevaks.”
“RSS people are baggage-free; we want nothing but a good society,” he remarked.

The event ended with a message of solidarity among Janajati communities, with organisers describing it as a rare instance of a collective meal symbolising “Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat.”

Bhagwat to Youth: Take Pride in an Ancient Civilisation

In a separate interaction with youth leaders in Imphal, Bhagwat urged young people to understand Bharat as an ancient, continuous civilisation whose stories — from the Ramayana and Mahabharata to references of Manipur and regions as far as present-day Afghanistan — form a shared cultural memory.

He said Hindu civilisation is anchored in acceptance and mutual respect, and warned against the rise of extreme materialism.
Strong families and value-based upbringing, he said, are essential for nation-building.
“Young minds must rise above selfish ambitions. When Bharat rises, the world rises,” he told the gathering, calling for unity and cultural confidence.

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