Tribals, Scheduled Castes preserved India's identity and soul despite foreign invasions: Mohan Bhagwat

Mumbai: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Saturday said that despite foreign invasions and hardships, tribal communities and Scheduled Castes preserved the country's identity and soul.

He was speaking at the Karmayogi awards ceremony here, where Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari was also present.

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"Human life is defined by giving back to the world, as we are all part of one great family. A person works and spends for the betterment of society, not as a favour, but out of duty. In serving others, we foster our own development. By helping others to thrive, we elevate ourselves and grow as human beings. This principle is the core value of this Indian land, commonly known as a Hindu society," Bhagwat said.

"This is the society's enduring ethos, which has survived for thousands of years. For various reasons, partly because of our indifference and partly because of foreign invasion, those who preserved this ethos paid a heavy price," he said.

The foreign invaders found that this ethos, this value system of the society is its soul and the key to keeping it alive. So they ensured that those who tried to preserve this soul would be uprooted and face extreme hardships, the RSS chief added.

But despite foreign invasions and hardships, tribal communities and Scheduled Castes preserved the country's identity and its soul, he said.

"Despite such adversities, the country's core identity remained intact among tribal communities and those belonging to SC and ST groups," he said, emphasising the need to integrate them into the mainstream development process while ensuring they receive equal access to services and facilities.

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Referring to global developments, Bhagwat said the present world is "stumbling forward" and struggling to maintain balance, and asserted that India could emerge as a stabilising force.

He said the country must not only safeguard its own interests but also extend support to the world.

"The world should get to see that the country is not only solving its own misery and sorrow but also helping the world to address similar issues," he said.

The RSS chief said service to society is not a favour but a duty that contributes to one's own development.

Helping others grow also elevates individuals and strengthens the collective fabric of society, he said.

The so-called educated and developed sections have, over time, distanced themselves from these communities, Bhagwat noted, and called for the need to bridge this gap.

He further said that the identities preserved by these communities represent the true identity of Indian society and underlined that without identity, existence itself is at risk.