‘Even Hindu dharma not registered’: Mohan Bhagwat on RSS legal status and tax exemption

Mohan Bhagwat

Responding to an ongoing debate over why Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh is not formally registered, RSS chief  Mohan Bhagwat argued that “many things are not registered — even Hindu Dharma is not registered.”

Speaking at an event in Bengaluru, Bhagwat cited three instances when RSS was banned in the past as proof of the government’s acknowledgment of its existence. “If we were not there, whom did they ban?” he remarked.

Bhagwat also cited the three times the RSS has been banned in the past, “hence the government has recognised us”. “If we were not there, whom did they ban?” argued Bhagwat, who leads the umbrella organisation from which the BJP draws its  ideological strength, and from which PM Narendra Modi started his public engagement career before moving to fulltime politics.

He was responding to selected questions at an event in Bengaluru, Karnataka, where the Congress government has been making it tougher for the RSS to use public spaces, and minister Priyank Kharge has been ballistic against what he terms is a “communal” organisation.

During the session, the RSS leader also discussed the organisation’s century-long journey and its mission to unite Hindu society, stressing that the Sangh seeks not power but national glory through service and unity. Bhagwat reaffirmed the RSS belief that all Indians — regardless of religion — share the same ancestry and cultural roots. He further claimed that “Sanatan Dharma is Hindu Rashtra,” adding that the growth of Sanatan Dharma parallels the progress of India.

Reflecting on the organisation’s challenges, Bhagwat noted that despite bans, opposition, and even the killing of members, swayamsevaks remain committed to serving without expecting rewards.

Describing RSS as a social organisation rather than a reactionary one, Bhagwat emphasised its role in developing individuals to strengthen society. He concluded by reiterating that the Sangh aims to organise the entire Hindu community — encompassing all people of India — and continues dialogue with those who do not identify as Hindus.