india

Updated: Jan 14, 2017 18:53 IST

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat on Saturday said that Hindus cannot live freely in parts of India and that their rights are not protected because they are not united.

“We have formed this organisation not to oppose anybody but to strengthen ourselves. The Hindu Samaj has a glorious history in this country. But despite such a glorious history, is the condition of Hindu Samaj the way it should have been? Are Hindus able to perform their religious rites and activities freely and fairly across India? Are the human rights of Hindus well established in this country?” Bhagwat said, addressing swayamsevaks in Kolkata.

“Hindus are responsible for their own condition. Hindus are facing this situation because they are not united and strong. We should work in uniting the Hindu Samaj without opposing anybody,” he said.

Bhagwat’s statements came in the backdrop of communal disturbances in various parts of West Bengal. During the rally, the RSS chief also oversaw a drill of swayamsevaks in their traditional attire.

Earlier, the Kolkata police had denied permission for the rally, prompting the RSS to move Calcutta high court and lending a new dimension to the tussle between chief minister Mamata Banerjee and the saffron camp.

However, in a snub to the Mamata government, the court on Friday allowed the rally to go ahead.