What were police doing? RSS chief on Palghar lynching

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 26

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat today condemned the killing of two ‘sadhus’ in Palghar and cautioned against forces inimical to India’s interests taking advantage of the Covid-19 situation. He also pitched for ‘swadeshi’ (indigenous) and ‘svavlamban’ (self-reliance) and urged the Sangh cadres to help everyone in these difficult times without discrimination and regardless of the community.

‘Don’t target any community’

Even if someone did something wrong, do not consider everyone guilty. Those in need of help are our own. It is our duty to help in this time of crisis. All 130 crore Indians are our own. — Mohan Bhagwat, RSS chief

Addressing the RSS cadres, Bhagwat spoke on the Palghar lynching incident and said it was the responsibility of the administration to keep law and order in check. “Sanyasis (saints) who pray for the well-being of humanity were brutally killed in Palghar. What were the police doing? Such an incident should not have happened,” he said.

In an apparent reference to incidents involving Tablighi Jamaat and subsequent reactions, he said “All 130 crore are our countrymen. It is not correct to blame the entire community because of something some people may have done. We do not help with discrimination we help with a feeling of togetherness and affinity. We are not doing any favour, we are helping our own people.”

He cautioned: “There are people who are trying to divide our country… we must be careful of such people. But because of such people we should not treat anyone with anger or vindictiveness.”

Bhagwat appreciated pro-activeness shown by the BJP-led government in dealing with the crisis. India handled the pandemic effectively as government and people responded proactively, he said. Recalling PM Narendra Modi message to sarpancheson self-reliance, he said: “We must try to use things made here (in India), we must make do with whatever we make here, and if something is required from outside it would be at our own conditions. There should be no dependence on ‘videshi’.”