Nagpur: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday called for continued unity among political parties and the public in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack and India’s strong military response. Speaking at the concluding event of the 25-day Karyakarta Vikas Varg Dwitiya volunteer training camp in Nagpur, Bhagwat stressed that the consensus and decisiveness demonstrated after the April 22 attack should become a lasting feature of India’s national character.
Without directly naming Pakistan, Bhagwat said, “Those who cannot win a direct war with India are attempting to bleed us through a thousand cuts and a proxy war.” His comments came in reference to the suspected cross-border involvement in the Pahalgam massacre, which killed several tourists and triggered widespread anger. Following the attack, Indian armed forces launched retaliatory strikes, including Operation Sindoor, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Bhagwat lauded the swift and unified response of the political class and administration, praising the Indian Army’s valour and the public’s message of unity. “The firmness of the administration was visible. Society also gave a message of unity. This mutual understanding should continue,” he said.
Addressing the issue of religious conversions, the RSS chief reiterated the Sangh’s opposition to forced or coerced conversions. “Conversion is violence. We are not against conversion by choice, but luring or forcing someone is unacceptable,” he said, terming such practices an insult to people’s ancestors. He extended support to tribal communities resisting conversion and was joined by tribal leader and former Union Minister Arvind Netam, the chief guest at the event.
Referring again to the military conflict with Pakistan from May 7 to 10, Bhagwat said the government displayed resolve and the Army once again showed its courage. Drawing a historical parallel, he invoked Winston Churchill’s response to Nazi bombings during World War II, stating that a nation’s strength lies in its people, and leaders merely act as their voice.
Bhagwat also urged caution and restraint in public discourse. He warned against provocative speech and overreaction, saying some individuals exploit emotions for personal gain. “Our strength lies in unity, not division,” he noted, adding that India’s diversity in language and customs must be seen as a source of strength, not fragmentation. He criticized colonial-era efforts to promote ethnic differences, calling them a false legacy.
On matters of governance, Bhagwat said no section of society should be in conflict with another. “Acting impulsively or taking the law into our own hands is not in national interest,” he stressed. He reminded attendees that, unlike colonial times, today’s India is governed by its Constitution, and people should work within its framework.
Arvind Netam, who served in the cabinets of former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and P.V. Narasimha Rao, expressed concern over the lack of government initiative against religious conversions. “I think RSS is the only institution that can help us in this area,” he said, urging the Sangh to press the central government for a post-Maoist action plan to prevent resurgence of extremism.
Netam also criticized governments for not implementing the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA), which empowers tribal Gram Sabhas for self-governance. He claimed the central government is silent on the issue and is instead aiding industrialists.
The training camp was held at Dr. Hedgewar Smriti Mandir in Nagpur’s Reshimbag area, with 840 RSS volunteers from across India taking part. The camp focused on leadership development, discipline, and ideological training for grassroots workers.
