Term mob lynching comes from Bible, says Mohan Bhagwat

Term mob lynching comes from Bible, says Mohan Bhagwat

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Chief Mohan Bhagwat on Tuesday said that some incidents of violence such as lynchings were actually being branded to defame India, Hindu society and create fear among some communities.

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Vidya 

Mumbai

October 8, 2019UPDATED: October 8, 2019 21:02 IST

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Chief Mohan Bhagwat (File Photo)

RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat on Tuesday said that incidents of violence such as lynchings were actually being branded to defame India, Hindu society

“They want to create a fight between the two communities by dragging the Sangh name in the incidents,” said Mohan Bhagat

The RSS chief was speaking at the foundation day celebrations at Maharashtra's Nagpur

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Tuesday patted the back of the Narendra Modi government and said that the government has the strength to take strong steps to take the country ahead. While addressing the Vijayadashami celebrations in Nagpur, Mohan Bhagwat backed the government for making attempts to bring the economy back on track.

However, he urged the government to take quick and stern action against those who break the law and disrupt peace in the country.

The RSS chief said there was an attempt to foster differences between communities based on language, caste and religion. "India’s respect is growing in the International arena but there are some people who do not like it. Then, they create trouble in India. What does the retaliatory power of society look like? In India’s unity is its retaliatory power."

Mohan Bhagwat claimed that while several communal incidents are reported on a daily basis, not all were true. The RSS chief said that no one community could be blamed for the incidents and in several cases, there was no communal angle to the crime.

Bhagwat devoted a substantial amount of time from his hour-long speech on mob lynching as he claimed that RSS name was being dragged into the debate.

"No one from Sangh gets into such troubles. If such activities are about to happen then they, in fact, try to stop it," Bhagwat said. He added that associating Hindu and Sangh with such activities was a conspiracy.

Further elaborating on the word lynching he said that old stories related to this come from a sacred book that was prepared outside this country. "So this does not have anything to do with Hindu religion," Bhagwat said.

According to the RSS chief, the word lynching comes from an incident in the Bible where Jesus Christ told people to hit a woman with stones only if they had never committed any sin in their pasts.

The RSS chief said that India had no such history as Indian culture taught peaceful co-existence.

"Our ancient stories say that when two communities fought for water, then amicable solutions were provided and the issues were resolved," said Bhagwat. Calling mob lynching a word that has been imposed on India from a foreign land, the RSS chief said Indians have a chance to live peacefully and set an example for the world.

Mohan Bhagwat further added that mob lynchings were acts of a small crowd that should face a strong legal action.

Mohan Bhagwat's statement that RSS had no links to mob lynching incidents received political backlash as Congress and AIMIM termed it a falsehood.

Reacting to Bhagwat's statement AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi tweeted, "The victims were Indians. Who garlanded convicts? Who draped them in (tricolour)? We have a Godse loving BJP MP. There can’t be bigger defamation of India than an ideology that killed Gandhi/Tabrez. Bhagwat isn’t saying stop lynching, he’s saying don’t call it that’."

On the other hand Maharashtra Congress leader Sachin Sawant is reported to have said, "It is as much a lie to say that RSS has nothing to do with lynchings as it is a lie to say that RSS is a cultural organisation, is anti-casteist, pro-reservation and respects the Constitution and tricolour. Spreading falsehood is the ideology of the Sangh Parivar."

Lynchings a conspiracy to defame India: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat

Several incidents of mob lynching have been reported from across the country in recent years, most linked to suspicion of cow slaughter.

PTI|Updated: Oct 09, 2019, 07.54 AM IST

NEW DELHI: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Tuesday claimed that associating the organisation’s members and the Hindu society to lynching incidents was a conspiracy to defame the country and create fear among some communities.

“Swayamsevaks are culturally trained to stop these kinds of violence. So, they can never be part of these incidents,” Bhagawat said while speaking at the RSS foundation day celebrations in Nagpur on the day of Vijayadashami. Lynching was a western construct that “has no precedent in Indian society”, he said.

It was not true that “one community was always attacked by another, as the opposite too happens very often, but is not talked about”, the RSS chief said. “Everyone needs to stay within the confines of law.”

Several incidents of mob lynching have been reported from across the country in recent years, most linked to suspicion of cow slaughter.

Bhagwat also said the current slowdown in the economy was just a phase and the country will get over it. There is no need to discuss the topic so much as the government was taking necessary corrective steps, he said.

He also voiced his support for the government’s decision to boost foreign direct investment and privatisation to provide support to the ailing economy, but advised caution while framing policies.

“Swadeshi is basically carrying out trade with others on your terms, not compromising on the country's interest,” the RSS chief said. “And we all are for it. During these times we cannot move towards a closed economy at all. To strengthen the economy, the government is compelled to take steps such as allowing FDI in certain areas. But globalisation, FDI and privatisation can only be beneficial if it is done keeping India’s needs in mind. If something can be produced in my country, why will I buy it from any other place and thus ruin my domestic trade?” Swadeshi Jagran Manch and Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh, both RSS affiliates, have often protested the Centre’s move to boost FDI and disinvestment.

The RSS chief also hailed the Centre for revoking Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and said the government is “committed and decisive” in its initiatives.

He said it was time "to call out certain elements of society" that were trying to divide the country.

Bhagawat asked the people to support the Sangh in its efforts to build a strong Hindu society. “No one listens to a weak person,” he said