RSS Chief Begins UK Tour, Visits Temples and Gurdwara
Mohan Bhagwat is scheduled to meet faith leaders, academics and community representatives during his three-nation outreach marking the RSS centenary.
LONDON, Sep 4: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat has begun the United Kingdom leg of his overseas tour with visits to religious institutions in London, as part of an international outreach programme marking the organisation’s centenary.
According to RSS representatives, Bhagwat visited the Shree Swaminarayan Temple in Willesden and the Khalsa Jatha British Isles Gurdwara as part of his interfaith engagements. He is also scheduled to visit a Jain temple during his stay in London.
Sunil Ambekar, a member of the RSS Central Executive Team, and Rohit Ambekar, Convenor of Integral UK and coordinators of the visit, said Bhagwat would interact with faith leaders, academics, researchers and other prominent figures during the UK programme.
They said the visit aims to present the RSS’s experience in voluntary service and social harmony while highlighting the principle of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, or the belief that the world constitutes one family.
The representatives said the London programme builds on Bhagwat’s recent engagements in the United States and Canada and forms part of a three-country outreach initiative connected with the RSS centenary.
A major event planned for Sunday will bring together community leaders for a reception and a “civilisational dialogue” under the theme “Celebration of Oneness.” The programme is expected to serve as the centrepiece of Bhagwat’s UK engagements.
The event has been initiated by the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) UK, a Hindu social and cultural organisation established in Britain in 1966, with support from Integral UK. Organisers said more than 310 community organisations and associations from different parts of the UK are expected to participate.
Bhagwat arrived in London on Wednesday and began his programme with a series of closed-door roundtable discussions. On Thursday, he also addressed a gathering attended by members of the Indian diaspora as well as individuals from business and political circles.
Ambekar said the gathering included British citizens of Indian origin along with British leaders, business figures and representatives associated with major corporations, including FTSE 100 companies.
However, he declined to provide details about individual participants, saying the private programme was organised with discretion to encourage open discussions.
The RSS representatives also responded to concerns raised by some UK-based civil society organisations and parliamentarians regarding Bhagwat’s visit.
Ambekar said differing views were natural in a democracy and maintained that the RSS was open to dialogue with people holding different perspectives.
He attributed some of the concerns to what he described as misconceptions about the RSS, Hindutva and the cultural understanding of Bharat.
According to Ambekar, the visit would provide an opportunity to explain the RSS’s perspective on these issues and promote greater understanding.
Bhagwat’s public interaction with the Indian diaspora is scheduled for Sunday. The address is expected to be broadcast live, although the RSS has indicated that the organisation will not facilitate media interactions between Bhagwat and UK journalists.
The UK leg is part of Bhagwat’s wider overseas outreach as the RSS approaches its centenary, with the programme focusing on community engagement, interfaith interaction and discussions surrounding Indian cultural and civilisational perspectives.
