Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat has called for patience, resilience and collective responsibility as Manipur continues its struggle to return to normalcy after prolonged unrest. Speaking in Imphal on the first day of his three-day visit to the state, Bhagwat said that rebuilding trust and harmony would require time, sustained effort and active participation from all sections of society. Highlighting the delicate nature of peace-building, Bhagwat remarked that “destruction takes minutes, but construction requires years, especially when done inclusively.” He said that while both community groups and social organisations were working towards restoring stability, people should not expect immediate solutions or depend solely on government interventions. According to him, durable peace in Manipur will be possible only when citizens recognise their role in strengthening social bonds.
“Awareness of the general public is the main factor. Everything should not be expected from the government; the responsibility of the society is very much required,” the RSS chief said. He stressed that building strong social capital is central to the organisation’s vision of a self-reliant and confident India. Bhagwat also responded to what he described as decades-long misinformation campaigns about the RSS. He said that misunderstanding of the organisation—both within India and abroad—has persisted since the early 1930s, often driven by narratives lacking familiarity with India’s civilisational ethos. He urged people to understand the RSS through its grassroots shakha system instead of relying on perception-driven opinions. “There is no organisation comparable to the RSS, just as the sea, the sky, and the ocean have no comparison,” he said.
Clarifying the organisation’s ideological foundation, Bhagwat said the term “Hindu” within the RSS framework is not meant as a religious label but as a cultural and civilisational identity. He described the term as “not a noun but an adjective,” indicating inclusiveness rather than exclusivity. The purpose of the RSS, he said, is to organise Hindu society—including those who oppose the organisation—and not to establish any power bloc.
