Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat has said that Hindus must wear only traditional attire, not speak in English and only travel to areas locally. He was speaking at the Hindu Religious Convention in Cherukolppuzha, in Kerala’s Pathanamthitta district on February 6.
The RSS chief also said that Hindu families must meet once a week to discuss if their current lifestyle is aligned with such thinking, according to The Print. “We should ponder if the language we speak, the places we travel to, and our clothes are aligned with tradition. We should travel to places in our own localities and visit our own brothers who need help. We should not speak in English. We should eat our local cuisine. While attending events, we should wear our own traditional clothing styles, not western outfits,” Mohan also reportedly said.
The RSS chief was inaugurating the Hindu Ekta Sammelan (Hindu Unity Convention), organised as part of the 113th Hindu Religious Convention in Cherukolppuzha, when he also claimed that Hinduism was founded on truth, kindness, hygiene, and meditation, The Hindu reports. The RSS chief also reportedly said that caste-based hierarchy does not have a place within Hinduism’s fundamental framework.
According to The Hindu, Mohan added: “The concept of caste hierarchy exists outside the core principles of Hinduism. Those who practice the faith should discard it without hesitation.”
However, the RSS chief reportedly insisted that Sanatana Dharma—considered to provide the bedrock for caste hierarchy in Hinduism—calls for unity.
He added that, “Hindus must unite for their survival and strengthen. But strengthening has its own fears. The strength, the way it’s used is important. It shouldn’t harm anyone else,” according to reports.
Reports also say that Mohan claimed that religion is the cause of conflicts across the world as many believe in the supremacy of their own beliefs, but that Hinduism is different as it follows Sanatan Dharma.”