'If 1.25 crore Hindus decide to fight...': RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's big remark on Bangladesh

Mohan Bhagwat

Delivering a sharp message on the situation of Hindus in crisis-hit Bangladesh, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday said if the country's Hindu population decide to fight for their rights, they will receive the support of Hindus across the world.

"There are about 1.25 crore Hindus in Bangladesh. If they decide to stay there and fight, all Hindus across the world will help them," Bhagwat said while addressing the second day of the RSS lecture series in Mumbai.

Addressing an interactive session organised to mark the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s (RSS) centenary, Bhagwat spoke on a wide range of issues, including his retirement, language, caste, population imbalance, the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), infiltration, religion, and national unity.

Bangladesh has witnessed a surge in mob violence against minorities, especially Hindus, over the past few months, following the death of anti-India radical student leader Sharif Osman Hadi.

The crisis deepened after nationwide protests erupted in the aftermath of exiled Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s ouster, which followed the student-led agitation dubbed the 'July Uprising' on August 5, 2024.

Speaking on population imbalance, Bhagwat identified religious conversion, infiltration and a low birth rate as the three main factors. He condemned the use of force, inducement or deception in religious conversions, while stating that “ghar wapasi” was an option for those wishing to return to their original faith.

On infiltration, Bhagwat said RSS workers identify suspected infiltrators through language and report them to authorities. He said detection and deportation had begun slowly and would gather pace, citing the Special Intensive Revision exercise under which some individuals were identified as non-citizens and removed from electoral rolls.