'There are four categories of Hindus...': RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat at Mumbai event

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat at centenary event in Mumbai on Saturday (Image: X/@RSSorg)

• RSS chief Bhagwat outlines four categories of Hindu identity in India
• Bhagwat: India's global role to emerge from actions, not words
• RSS aims to unite society, not seek authority or popularity

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Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Saturday spoke at length about identity, society, and national character, laying out what he described as four broad categories of Hindus in the country.

Addressing a gathering in Mumbai during an event marking 100 years of the RSS, Bhagwat said India’s role as a global guide would emerge not from rhetoric, but from conduct that sets an example for the world.

According to Bhagwat, the first category comprises those who openly assert their identity, saying, “Say with pride that we are Hindus.” The second group, he said, includes people who accept the identity but question the need for pride, asking, “Yes, we are Hindus, but what is there to be proud of?”

He went on to describe a third section that prefers discretion, remarking that they say, “Say it softly that we are Hindus -- if you ask inside the house, we will tell you.”

The fourth, he added, consists of those who have forgotten their identity altogether, or have been made to forget, noting that “efforts are underway so that more people forget.”

During his address, Bhagwat said at India’s civilisational nature already resides in its people. He said that anyone who belongs to India carries this character within them, adding that Muslims and Christians in the country are equally part of this collective belonging.

He reiterated his long-held view that the word “Hindu” should not be understood as a noun, but as an adjective, asserting that everyone living in India fits within this description.

Bhagwat also reflected on the role and purpose of the RSS, describing its work as distinct and without parallel. He said that the organisation had resolved long ago to focus solely on bringing society together.

The RSS chief said that the organisation neither seeks authority nor popularity. Its only objective, he said, is to ensure that constructive work underway in the country is carried out effectively. He also recalled the principles laid down by the Sangh’s founder, Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, stating that two ideals should never be abandoned: excelling in one’s studies and actively contributing to national life.

Touching upon broader philosophical ideas, Bhagwat argued that the commonly used term “secularism” does not accurately capture India’s ethos. Instead, he suggested “panth-nirapekshata,” or neutrality towards all sects, saying that dharma forms the base of life itself.

Bhagwat delivered these remarks on the first day of a two-day lecture series titled ‘100 Years of Sangh Journey: New Horizons’ at the Nehru Centre in Mumbai, organised as part of the RSS’s centenary celebrations.