NAGPUR: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Tuesday condemned the growing trend of killings by mobs even as he maintained that the incidents were not “one-sided” and objected to the term “lynching” used for group violence, saying the usage was part of an effort to defame the country and the entire Hindu community and generate fear among the “so-called minority communities”.“It must be accepted that these tendencies of violence have somehow or the other crossed the limits of law and order and wreaked havoc by eroding mutual relations in society. Neither this tendency is the tradition of our country, nor does it fit in the spirit of the Constitution,” Bhagwat said while delivering the RSS’s customary Vijaydashmi speech at Reshmibagh ground in Nagpur.“Howsoever deep the differences of opinion be, howsoever provocative action might have taken place, still, we should act by remaining within the limits of the Constitution, handing over such cases to the police and reposing faith in the judicial system of country,” Bhagwat said in what is being seen as a reference to the violence by gau-rakshaks. Bhagwat said the Sangh did not support those involved in such violence and was against “each and every incident”.However, Bhagwat asserted that the blame did not lie with only one community and took issue with reportage of instances of mob violence. “There have been reports that members of a community in our society have been attacked by another community, making them victims of social violence. Such incidents have not been one-sided. There are reports of incidents happening from both sides and allegations and counter-allegations. It has also come to light that some incidents have been deliberately fabricated, while some others have been published in a distorted manner,” he said.The RSS chief objected to incidents of mob violence being referred to as “lynching”. “By branding such incidents by words like ‘lynching’, denoting traditions which were alien to Bharat and belong elsewhere, efforts are underway to defame our country and the entire Hindu society and create fear among the so-called minority communities,” he said.Bhagwat also spoke of a “conspiracy” by “so-called leaders” try to create confrontation between communities by taking advantage of “provocative language and actions”. He said, “Adequate laws exist in the country to curb such incidents. They must be honestly and strictly implemented.”Bhagwat was speaking against the backdrop of a blistering attack on RSS by Pakistan PM Imran Khan , who, while addressing the UN General Assembly last month, had dubbed the Sangh a racist organisation with a plan to engineer genocide to establish Hindu hegemony.The Sangh chief said the RSS was firm about its view on India being a “Hindu Rashtra”. “The vision and proclamation of the Sangh regarding the identity of the nation, social identity of all of us, and the identity of the country’s nature, are clear, well thought of and firm that Bharat is Hindustan, a Hindu Rashtra,” he said. However, he added that RSS’s concept of who was a Hindu was not limited to those practising a particular faith. He said a Hindu welcomed religious plurality and left it for different people to decide their respective ways to salvation.He rejected as “propaganda” Khan’s charge about RSS being Islamophobic. “It is true that Islam came to India through some invaders and there had been some battles, memories of which have lingered longer in minds. But still, it does not mean that unifying Hindus is part of opposition to Islam,” he said.He spoke about growth in support for RSS, calling it “transformation in the direction of the thought process of Bharat”, and said it has led to efforts to create divisions by exploiting diversities of caste, creed, language and region. He said, “Well-meaning policies, decisions and statements are being exploited to create conflicts,” in what was seen as a reference to the recent row over Hindi.Bhagwat lavished praise on PM Narendra Modi , home minister Amit Shah and other members of BJP for nullifying Article 370 and said the 2019 verdict in favour of the ruling party was an endorsement of the performance of the Modi government in the first five years. Referring to legislations nullifying Article 370, Bhagwat said the re-elected government had once again proved that it had the courage to fulfil expectations and respect people’s sentiments and wishes in the interest of the country.“Removal of Article 370 has been already in the thought of the ruling party. But this time, by skillfully garnering the support of other parties in both Houses, with strong logic and plea in consonance with public sentiment, the work was accomplished, for which members of the ruling party, including the prime minister and home minister, and other political parties who upheld the public sentiments in Parliament deserve congratulations,” Bhagwat said.In the morning, Bhagwat performed ‘shastra puja’. HCL founder Shiv Nadar was the chief guest at this year’s event. Union ministers Nitin Gadkari , V K Singh and Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis were among those present at the event.