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Updated: Oct 08, 2019 10:27 IST

In his annual Dusshera address to swayamsevaks, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat warned against the designs of those working against India and added such elements must be countered at all levels

“Vested interests don’t want Bharat to be strong and vibrant…We must be alert in identifying these plots and counter them on intellectual, social levels,” Bhagwat said at at Reshimbagh ground in Nagpur. Well-meaning policies, statements from persons in government have been misused to benefit nefarious designs by vested interests, Bhagwat added.

The RSS chief added that the world was eager to know if 2019 elections in such a huge country will be conducted smoothly. “Democracy in India not something imported but a practice prevalent since centuries,” he said.

Earlier, Bhagwat performed’shastra’ puja at the annual Vijayadashmi festival in Maharashtra’s Nagpur city. He was seen giving a thumbs up while the RSS band performed after drill exercises by swayamsevaks.

The RSS came up with its own Internet-based radio channel to broadcast Bhagwat’s speech at the event. Dussehra holds a special importance for sarsanghchalaks as the RSS was founded on this day in 1925. HCL founder Shiv Nadar is the chief guest for this year’s event.

Union ministers Nitin Gadkari, Gen V K Singh (retd) and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis were among the others present at the event.