Itanagar: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Friday stirred a strong response during his ongoing three-day visit to Manipur, declaring that “the world will cease to exist if Hindus cease to exist,” and describing India, or Bharat, as an “immortal civilisation.”
Addressing a gathering in Imphal, Bhagwat contrasted India’s continuity with the decline of ancient empires such as Greece, Egypt and Rome. “We saw the rise and fall of different nations, but we are still here and will remain the same,” he said, asserting that the Hindu community’s resilience stems from its societal network and civilisational roots.
Calling Bharat an eternal entity, Bhagwat said references to “Bharatvarsh” appear across the Mahabharata, Ramayana and classical Sanskrit literature, describing it as a civilisation that historically stretched “from Manipur to Afghanistan.” He argued that despite periods of political fragmentation, foreign invasions and regime changes, the civilisational identity of India has endured.
Referring to eras when multiple kings ruled as well as times when a single ruler united the land, he said India “remained strong and stood as a united historic country.” Bhagwat also remarked that from 1945 onwards, political compulsions had led leaders to voice differing opinions, shifting the national discourse.
During his Manipur visit, Bhagwat met tribal leaders in Imphal and emphasised social unity. Reiterating the RSS’s stated position, he said the organisation “neither engages in politics nor remote-controls any organisation,” and added that unity across the country does not require uniformity but a “shared consciousness.”