Bhagwat spoke at the annual RSS meeting Vijayadashami rally, which this time was limited to an indoor event attended by 50 swayamsevaks (volunteers) due to Covid-19 guidelines.
Bhagwat said that India needs to be better prepared militarily against China.
Many countries are now taking on China, he said. “China was surprised by India’s response to its intrusion. India needs to grow more in power and reach than China,” he said.
“China invaded our borders in the middle of the pandemic,” he said, adding that the world knows the expansionist nature of that country. He cited Taiwan and Vietnam as examples of Chinese expansion plans.
“We intend to be friendly with everyone. This is our nature. But confusing our benevolence with weakness and attempts to disintegrate or weaken us by sheer brute force is unacceptable. Our detractors must know this by now,” he said.
Bhagwat said the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) is not against any particular religious community, adding that “some people misled our Muslim brothers” claiming it was aimed at restricting their population.
Before the issue could be discussed further, attention turned to the coronavirus, he said. “The communal flare in the minds of some people was left alone in their minds. The coronavirus overshadowed all other issues,” he added.
“We must not fear the coronavirus, but we must be alert and cautious. We cannot stop living. The coronavirus is spreading but deaths are fewer. Due to the pandemic, we have begun to learn the importance of hygiene, cleanliness, environment and family values once again, “he said.
“The coronavirus has led to unemployment challenges. Many lost jobs and workers are now returning to the cities. But the jobs may not be there. The challenge is creating job opportunities in different places,” he said.
Bhagwat said that before the pandemic, various issues that were in public discourse took a back seat.
“Article 370 was repealed, the country accepted the Supreme Court verdict on the Ram temple with patience and understanding,” he said.
“There was opposition to the CAA claiming that it was being used to control the Muslim population in the country. In fact, no Indian citizens were threatened because of the CAA. Before any steps could be taken to resolve the problem, the pandemic occurred. of coronavirus, “he said. He said.
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