Mumbai: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday said that conferring the Bharat Ratna on Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, popularly known as Veer Savarkar, would be an “honour for the award itself”, asserting that the Hindutva ideologue already commands widespread public admiration.
Bhagwat made the remarks while addressing an event titled ‘100 Years of Sangh Journey – New Horizons’ in Mumbai.
Referring to the delay in granting the country’s highest civilian honour, Bhagwat said he was not part of the decision-making committee but would raise the issue if given the opportunity. “If Savarkar is given the Bharat Ratna, it will be an honour to the award itself and its prestige will increase. Even without any honour, he already rules the hearts of the people,” he said.
The demand for awarding the Bharat Ratna to Savarkar has remained a recurring political issue. While several leaders and organisations have supported the move, the Congress party has strongly opposed it, describing Savarkar as a “traitor” over the mercy petitions he submitted to British authorities during his imprisonment in the freedom struggle.
The Bharatiya Janata Party and the Shiv Sena have repeatedly backed the demand, citing Savarkar’s contributions as a freedom fighter, writer and social reformer.
During his address, Bhagwat also spoke about the organisational philosophy of the RSS, stating that the Sangh prioritises instilling “sanskar”, or values, rather than engaging in aggressive publicity or campaigning.
“Excessive campaigning leads to publicity, which can breed arrogance. One must guard against it. Publicity should be like rainfall — appropriate in timing and quantity,” he said, adding that the RSS has expanded its outreach initiatives in recent years.
Bhagwat also addressed the issue of language use within the organisation, stating that English would not be adopted as the medium of communication for the RSS, as it is not an indigenous language.
He clarified that while English is used where necessary, it is not central to the Sangh’s functioning. “We want to collaborate with Indian individuals. Wherever English is required, we are willing to use it,” he said.
Emphasising language skills, Bhagwat added that people should strive to speak English proficiently. “People should be able to speak English in a way that native speakers will want to listen,” he said.
At the same time, he underlined the importance of preserving native languages. “We should master English, but that does not mean we forget our mother tongue,” he added.
Recalling a previous interaction in Bengaluru, Bhagwat said representatives from several southern states had difficulty understanding Hindi during discussions, prompting him to respond in English to ensure effective communication, highlighting the organisation’s pragmatic approach to language use.
With PTI inputs