RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat Backs Dialogue with Pakistan, Differentiates People from State

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh ( RSS ) chief Mohan Bhagwat has defended recent remarks by senior RSS functionary Dattatreya Hosabale advocating continued engagement with Pakistan, emphasizing the distinction between relations with the Pakistani people and dealings with the Pakistani state.

Speaking during an interactive session held as part of the RSS centenary celebrations on Saturday, Bhagwat said the organisation has no independent foreign policy and fully supports the position adopted by the Government of India regarding Pakistan.

Clarifying Hosabale's earlier comments on keeping channels of communication open, Bhagwat said the remarks were directed toward the people of Pakistan rather than its government . He noted that there are individuals and groups in the neighbouring country who believe the Partition of India was a mistake, oppose the two-nation theory , and advocate peaceful coexistence.

According to Bhagwat, such voices represent an undercurrent within Pakistani society that distinguishes people-to-people ties from the often strained relationship between the two states. He argued that while India must firmly confront terrorism, injustice and aggression , avenues for dialogue should not be completely shut.

"If, in the future, India were to defeat Pakistan beyond repair, the people there would either need to live peacefully in their own country or be brought into a broader fold of harmony. For that, the doors of dialogue need to remain open ," he said.

Bhagwat also stressed that India should not adopt a policy of hostility towards ordinary citizens, stating that the country's ethos is to defeat tyranny while preserving what is good . "We are not like Hitler. That is not our nature or our way," he remarked.

His comments echoed those made by Hosabale in an interview in May, where the RSS leader said India must safeguard its security and self-respect while remaining willing to engage in dialogue with Pakistan despite concerns over cross-border terrorism .

The remarks come amid continuing debates over the future of India-Pakistan relations , balancing national security concerns with the possibility of people-to-people engagement and diplomatic communication.