During the two-day visit to Surat, RSS Sarsanghchalak Dr Mohan Bhagwat emphasized the importance of national character and unity, while reflecting on India’s measured response during the Kargil conflict in 1999. Bhagwat asserted that despite having the capability to capture all of Pakistan, India chose to exercise restraint in its military actions.
Bhagwat remarked, ‘Pakistan initiated the Kargil intrusion, and if India had wanted, it could have acted against the entire country’. He highlighted that the Indian Army operated under strict orders to avoid crossing the border, emphasizing the principle of measured defense: ‘We strike only where trouble arises. We don’t attack without reason, nor do we let others attack us’.
Addressing a gathering of Jain saints, Bhagwat reiterated the ethos of Indian military engagement, saying, ‘We don’t beat without reason, nor do we let others beat us. We also assist those who stand against us in times of crisis’. He further elaborated on the Kargil conflict, reflecting on the spiritual foundation guiding India’s military decisions. Whether this was right or wrong is something to reflect on. The reason behind this is that our foundation is spiritual’, he noted.
His remarks come in light of India’s subsequent military operations, including surgical strikes in 2016 and airstrikes in Balakot in 2019, which were aimed at specific targets rather than broad-scale military actions. Bhagwat said, ‘When we struck them inside their own home, we did not target the entire Pakistan. We only attacked those who were creating trouble for us’.
These comments underscore the RSS’s narrative of national defense that emphasizes targeted action against threats. Dr Bhagwat also addressed concerns about the plight of Hindus in Bangladesh, who he said are facing violence for no apparent reason. He assured the audience that the people of India would eventually address all issues, urging a sense of optimism amid current uncertainties.
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