RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat praises pilot Smit Machchhar and calls for civic constructive unity

What Mohan Bhagwat said in Nagpur

Addressing the annual Vijayadashami Utsav at the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) headquarters in Nagpur on Tuesday, Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat urged citizens to focus on constructive civic engagement and national stability while citing the courage of Flydubai pilot Captain Smit Machchhar as an embodiment of Hindu values.

Speaking on the RSS's 101st foundation day, Bhagwat explained how intrinsic cultural values inspire individuals to protect lives and maintain dignity under pressure. He referred to Captain Machchhar, who fought off an attacker aboard a flight carrying 174 passengers from Dubai to Tel Aviv despite sustaining injuries, as demonstrating innate traditions of selfless service.

"It is this very nature and these values, passed down from generation to generation, that inspires Captain Smit Machchhar to put his own life in danger and devote himself to protect human lives," Bhagwat said. He added that such acts naturally nurture social harmony and strengthen national unity.

Address on national stability and public movements

Turning to public order and domestic agitations, the RSS chief noted that while movements and grievances occur naturally in a democracy, their primary focus must always be finding solutions rather than creating social division.

Bhagwat warned against political interests exploiting public anxieties for electoral gains or cheap popularity. He stressed that both public movements and administrative responses must remain strictly within constitutional limits and civilised norms. "Problems are not solved through agitation alone. Solutions emerge through the efforts of society and through dialogue within society," he said.

Touching upon global affairs, Bhagwat pointed to ideological unrest and turmoil across Western nations, France, Nepal and Bangladesh. He cautioned against external forces attempting to exploit internal fault lines in India, reaffirming that the world increasingly looks to Indian values for solutions to global economic and geopolitical instability.

Centenary achievements and civic initiatives

Highlighting the achievements of the Sangh during its centenary year, Bhagwat outlined significant milestones achieved through grassroots community engagement and social development projects.

In these school projects, RSS volunteers worked directly alongside local villagers to raise student attendance, boost learning levels and encourage parental participation. Bhagwat also called for collective social action against narcotics and advocated for appropriate regulation of OTT streaming content to safeguard societal well-being.