Addressing an RSS event in Jharkhand's Ranchi, Bhagwat said 'nationalism' is not considered a good word around the world these days and
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday said the word 'nationalism' has come to been equated with a 'Nazism' or a 'Fascist' ideology these days and it is better to use some alternative terms.
Addressing an RSS event in Jharkhand's Ranchi, Bhagwat said 'nationalism' is not considered a good word around the world and is severely misunderstood.
Recalling his recent visit to the UK, Bhagwat said he was told by an RSS worker that some English words, including nationalism, did not stand for what they traditionally meant
"I was told, using the word 'nation' is okay, 'national' is okay, 'nationality' is okay, just don't say nationalism. Because the meaning of nationalism is Hitler, Nazism, Fascism. So the word has slowly evolved to have other connotations," Bhagwat said.
The RSS chief said it was time to make India a superpower, but not like other superpowers that misuse its influence.
"We have to make our country big, make it the best in the entire world, make it a world-class country. There are many countries in the world who became the biggest, now there are nowhere, there are some who are still on the top. The word used is 'Mahashakti (superpower)," the Hindutva leader said.
"What do countries do when they become the strongest? They exert their influence over other countries, they exploit other countries' resources for themselves. That's why researchers believe that a country becoming too powerful is bad for the world. A word like 'nationalism' isn't taken to be in a positive way these days," he noted.
Bhagwat said whenever India has become powerful, it has only helped other countries.
"Other countries have become radicalised with power, the reason why the world isn't peaceful today. India has never done that. India has to grow for the world. Our meaning of growing is not that we will conquer neighbouring areas. India has always had this one ideology-- We will never become slaves and we will never put anyone into slavery. There is no one to unite the world. Only forces that divide the world. The world needs India to fill this gap," the RSS chief said in his speech.
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