RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday hit out at hurdles being created in the path of India’s progress by some people and called for returning to the Indian roots and knowledge system, liberating our minds from “foreign influence”.
Speaking at a book launch event in Mumbai, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief said, “We need a new path to move forward, and India has that path. That's why the world expects it from us. Some people are hindering our progress...for that, peace is also necessary.”
He criticised the ‘Macaulay Knowledge System’ (MKS) and called upon Indians to learn the secret of the success of the rest of the world and evaluate it.He said the MKS has negatively impacted the minds of Indians as “our minds and intellects became foreign”.
“We must completely free ourselves from that foreign influence to pave the way for accessing our traditional knowledge and understand its importance,” he said.Earlier, Bhagwat contrasted ancient Indians’ goodwill with the invaders who weakened the country by looting the wealth and minds of its people.
"Those who possess superior culture, knowledge, and values are called Arya. How our ancestors travelled is not fully known; they moved in small groups on foot. But it is evident that from Mexico to Siberia, they spread across the world. Wherever they went, they neither seized kingdoms nor forced conversions; instead, they enriched others, sharing civilisation, mathematics, Ayurveda and many kinds of scriptures,” he said.
They did all this to strengthen and enlighten the world through their own heritage, he said.Releasing the Arya Yug Vishay Kosh encyclopedia, Bhagwat said that the spiritual knowledge is still flourishing and we, as descendants of Aryavrat, have science and weapons, strength and power, faith and knowledge.
It is good to understand the knowledge given by Western countries...but it is very important to preserve the knowledge of our ancestors...our scriptures are the life of our civilisation,” he said.“Our heritage has remained alive for 5000 years, and we must strive to regain our place and become what we were ages ago,” he added.