No international trade under pressure: RSS chief Bhagwat

New Delhi, Aug 27 (PTI) Making a strong pitch for self-reliance, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Wednesday said that international trade should take place voluntarily and not under pressure.

Addressing a lecture series to mark the centenary of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Bhagwat said self-reliance was the key to all issues and stressed the need to prioritise indigenous (swadeshi) products.

"Being aatmnirbhar (self-reliant) does not mean stopping imports. The world moves because it is interdependent. So export-import will continue. However, there should be no pressure in it," Bhagwat said.

He said swadeshi does not mean not importing goods that the country already has or can manufacture easily.

"Bringing goods from outside hurts local vendors," he said, addressing a gathering of diplomats, bureaucrats, ex-servicemen, scientists, thinkers and representatives of NGOs among others.

Sources said Bhagwat also held a separate meeting with over 50 diplomats from over two dozen countries.

Bhagwat's remarks came on a day when the additional 25 per cent tariff imposed by US President Donald Trump on India for its purchases of Russian oil came into effect.

"Whatever is made in your country, there is no need to import it from outside. Whatever is necessary for life and is not made in your country, we will import it from outside. The country's policy should be done voluntarily, one should not go under pressure. This is swadeshi," he said.

The RSS chief said radicalism has increased in the current world order as people tend to cancel those who speak against their views.

Bhagwat cautioned against radicalism, wokeism and unchecked consumerism.

"The solution lies in Dharma, which is not a religion. Dharma respects diversity, including respect for the environment. Dharma talks about balance. Bharat can give a solution to this modern challenge the world is facing right now," he said.

Bhagwat also outlined a five-point plan for the future for character-building, awakening patriotism and spreading the work of the RSS to every section of the society.

The RSS' agenda for 'Panch Parivartan', bringing five-fold transformation of society, entails inculcating a sense of 'Swa' (selfhood) with 'Bharatiya' values, imbibing Indian family values, promoting social harmony, exhorting people to adopt an environment-friendly lifestyle and performing civic duty.

"It is problematic if, after seeing someone, we think about their caste. This mindset must change. Wherever we live or work, we should be friendly with everyone and must accept them as our own. Temples, water, crematoria are for everyone, and there should be no discrimination in these matters," Bhagwat said.

He said it would be the RSS' endeavour to reach every section of the society and hoped that a feeling would take root in other countries to have an organisation like the Sangh.

"No individual of the society should remain untouched. We must expand our work geographically – village by village, household by household, reaching all levels of society, from those below the poverty line to those above the wealth line," Bhagwat said.

Recalling the training sessions conducted by late RSS leader Laxmanrao Bhide, Bhagwat said the first generation of RSS volunteers organised Hindus in foreign countries and the second generation ensured that they stayed away from addiction and crass consumerism.

"The third generation should work in such a manner that people of the country they reside in should also feel that there should be an organisation like the RSS in their country," he said.

"Most of India's neighbouring regions were once part of India – the people, geography, rivers and forests remain the same; only lines were drawn on maps. Our duty is to foster a sense of belonging among these people," he said.

In a massive public outreach, the RSS has planned to organise a number of events, including more than one lakh 'Hindu Sammelans', across the country to mark its centenary year, starting with Bhagwat's address at RSS headquarters in Nagpur on Vijay Dashmi, which falls on October 2 this year.

It has also planned to conduct a nationwide "door-to-door" public contact programme during its centenary year. PTI PK SKU SKU KSS KSS