Bhagwat cautions against protest politics, says agitation alone cannot solve problems

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Tuesday (October 20, 2026) cautioned against politically motivated agitations and social divisions, saying it was a "wrong perception" that problems are solved only through protest. He warned that domestic unrest could be exploited by international forces seeking to weaken India.

In his annual Vijayadasami address, which is also the RSS's foundation day, Mr. Bhagwat said protests were a natural consequence of social problems and administrative shortcomings, but stressed that agitations should aim to find solutions rather than deepen hostility or create divisions within society.

"Whether it is a section of society staging a protest, the government and administration taking action to maintain peace and order, or political leaders responding to the situation, our actions must not create discord, hostility, resentment or divisions within our united society," he said.

He urged people to ensure that their actions remained within the bounds of the Constitution and the law, and within the standards of civility and propriety that should govern speech and conduct, even during protests and even when emotions ran high.

"We must remain vigilant to ensure that the temptation of electoral gains, cheap popularity or political advantage does not overpower our judgement and goodwill," Mr. Bhagwat said, adding that it was not his experience that only the government could solve all of society's problems, or that problems were solved only through agitations. "Problems can also be solved through the activity of society and mutual dialogue," he said.

The RSS chief said that when a protest becomes a political instrument driven by hostility towards a person, a group or an ideology, forces seeking to keep India subdued take advantage of the situation. "Their modus operandi is to deepen differences and create divisions among people, foster a sense of victimhood in response to problems, and undermine public faith in the country's institutions. This creates an atmosphere of conflict, intense discontent, alienation, disorder and chaos," he said, adding that global powers sometimes pursued their own agendas through such developments. He did not name any country, organisation or protest in this context.

The remarks come at a time when India is witnessing both political and youth-led protests demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar amid allegations of irregularities in the ongoing process of Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.

In July, a youth-led protest at Jantar Mantar, born of anger over examination paper leaks, made headlines with allegations of excessive use of force by security personnel, and led to the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Commenting on the recent "regime change" debate against the backdrop of these protests, Mr. Bhagwat said a storm had swept in from the West that was opposed to "every kind of order, every form of civility, everything auspicious, and all cultural and human values". "It wants to destroy, corrupt and devastate all of these things," he said.

Referring to protests in various countries, he said even developed countries were troubled by it. "Just listen to the news that has been coming in over the past few days. What is happening in France? What is happening in Albania? What happened in Bangladesh? What happened in Nepal? All of these events have been engineered and orchestrated by them. They claim that changing the regime will change the situation. But that has never happened, not in the past, and not even today." He also cited recent tensions in France and past developments in Nepal while making his point about global forces.

The RSS is the ideological parent organisation of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, and its Vijayadasami address is closely watched as an indicator of the organisation's thinking on national issues. Mr. Bhagwat's remarks, as reported, emphasise dialogue over confrontation and do not address the specific demands raised by the ongoing protests.