The speech delivered by Mohan Bhagwat at Madison Square Garden in New York last weekend was a masterclass in public diplomacy. The hype around his visit was created not by his publicists but by a barrage of criticism and protests outside the venue that the right wing RSS he heads is divisive and discriminatory to the Muslims and Christians in India.
Undeterred by the disapproval expressed by NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who is of Indian origin, two members of US Congress and several organizations including Hindus for Human Rights, Bhagwat chose to focus on Hinduism’s universal message and India’s beneficent role in the world.
Bhagwat described diversity as a visible expression of the fundamental unity of humanity adding that religious diversity must be accepted, respected and protected. He said Hindu identity required an acceptance of religious diversity and the equal worth of every individual.
Bhagwat’s speeches at Madison Square Garden (MSG) and in Toronto, where he invoked India’s role as world guru, are part of the global outreach by RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) during its yearlong centenary celebrations.
Considering RSS is the ideological parent and mentor of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ruling India for the last 12 years under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bhagwat’s remarks assume utmost importance. Is he signaling a reset to position the RSS as ideologically “reasonable” as it tries to come out on the world stage?
Whatever his motives, Bhagwat gave a voice to the spiritual insights and truths of Hinduism, now increasingly called Sanatana Dharma (literally, ‘Eternal Religion’).
He made laudatory statements when he addressed scores of global religious leaders in the ‘One World, One Humanity” program and when he addressed 5,000 people packing the “Universal Oneness Celebration” hosted by the AHEAD Forum (American Hindus for Engagement and Dialogue) on August 29 at the MSG. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had addressed the Indian diaspora in 2014 at the same marquee venue.
Bhagwat said faiths may follow different practices but humanity remained one. Alluding to the Vedic dictum, ‘Ekam sat vipraha bahuda vadanti,” he said, “There was one ultimate truth, although people understood and described it differently because human perceptions were limited.”
He elaborated that religions were now largely identified by their rituals. “Such disciplines were necessary for people following a particular spiritual path, but they should not become ends in themselves.” Appropriating the definition of Zen Buddhism as only a finger pointing to the moon, Bhagwat said, “A person who continued looking only at the finger, rather than following its direction, would fail to see the light.”
The RSS chief added, “Seeking the ultimate truth, divinity, which we call by different names, science nowadays calls it consciousness, we have to tread the path of truth.”
He pledged his mammoth volunteer organization’s support to religious leaders working to promote interfaith cooperation, saying sustained grassroots action can change the global climate of conflict and mistrust.
He said, “We at RSS think that because we have this knowledge that all humanity is one, it is our duty to go all over the world and tell everybody that in spite of our diversity, we are one,”
Over 180 religious leaders from 30 countries were in attendance for the ‘One world One Humanity’ event in New York, according to the RSS website. Two of them – one Christian and one Muslim – have reportedly regretted attending the program claiming that they were not informed about Bhagwat’s presence in the interfaith program they were invited to.
In any case, the faith leaders group announced a five-point action plan, resolving to reject use of religion to justify hatred, humiliation, dehumanization, or violence and to stand for the dignity of any community threatened with humiliation or violence.
“If Hindus awaken, the world awakens”: Mohan Bhagwat in Toronto
In Canada, Mohan Bhagwat, called the RSS Sarsanghchalak (supreme leader), said that humanity has achieved unprecedented scientific progress but has often used it for destructive purposes, so the ancient Indian clarion call of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ (The world is one family) can guide us towards a path to peace. He also pointed out that Bharat (India), true to the nature of its character, became a Vishwa Guru and not a maha shakti (superpower).
Recalling that the forefathers in India had the goal at heart to impart knowledge and civilizational values to the world, he assured that the rise of Bharat today means more united, more emancipated humanity, and need not perturb any nation.
Perhaps alluding to a recent example of India helping other nations with vaccines during Covid, Bhagwat said, “Whenever Bharat has been asked for help anywhere in the world, it has never refused and it extends a helping hand even without even being asked. This is our tradition, the DNA of Bharat, that is why you have heard the saying, ‘If Hindus awaken, the world awakens’.”
The Canada program on August 30 with over 2,000 in attendance was organized by Canadian Hindus for Outreach, Relations and Dialogue (CHORD).
While it will comfort many that Bhagwat did not utter anything to further infuriate those who fear a movement towards Hindu supremacy in RSS-BJP ideology, India’s image as Vishwa Guru will get burnished if Bhagwat’s soothing words were not just lip-service away from home, but become an operating manual for his foot soldiers.
Read another take on Mohan Bhagwat’s speech: https://alotusinthemud.com/mohan-bhagwat-madison-square-garden-unity-in-oneness/
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