Bhagwat says India’s ‘rashtra’ concept predates Western idea of nation

RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat said India’s concept of ‘rashtra’ is ancient, organic and fundamentally different from the Western idea of a nation. Speaking in Nagpur, he said India values harmony, collective progress and fraternity, not conflict or aggressive nationalism

Nagpur: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Chief Mohan Bhagwat said on Saturday that India’s concept of nationhood differs fundamentally from Western interpretations, emphasising that India uses “nationality, not nationalism”.

He said that the country’s ‘rashtra’ concept has existed since ancient times and is different from the Western idea of a nation. The RSS Chief also added that engaging in disputes is not in India’s nature, and the country’s tradition has always emphasised fraternity and collective harmony.

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He was speaking at the Nagpur Book Festival organised by the Maharaja of Nagpur Trust. “Our rashtra was not created by a State. We have existed since forever. Even when there was no State, we were there,” said RSS Chief Bhagwat.

He critiqued colonial distortions of Indian history, asserting that India’s “rashtra” is eternal and organic, not state-imposed like Western nations. He discussed linguistic barriers in global discourse, noting how terms like ‘nationalist’ are misinterpreted when applied to Indian thought.

He strongly advocated cultural nuance to avoid misunderstanding. He focused on India’s distinct cultural and philosophical approach to nationhood compared to Western concepts.

The RSS Chief stressed unity, harmony, and India’s ancient traditions as distinguishing features of Indian nationalism. RSS Chief Bhagwat stressed the importance of knowledge that leads to wisdom, underlining that practical understanding and living a meaningful life matter more than mere information.

He emphasised that true satisfaction comes from helping others — a feeling that stays throughout life, unlike temporary success. The RSS Chief said that India stays away from disputes and noted that being together and fostering fraternity is the country’s tradition.

“We don’t have disputes with anyone. It is not part of our nature. Our nature and culture are to progress together. This is not the case with many foreign nations,” he added.