'Hindu Is Cultural Identity, Way Of Understanding Life': RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat In London

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat, who is on a visit to the United Kingdom, on Sunday said that the Hindu civilisational identity is based on the belief that diversity and unity can coexist, arguing that differences among people should be viewed as varied expressions of an underlying oneness.

Addressing a gathering in London, Bhagwat said diversity was a natural part of existence and stressed that “we must never lose sight of the fact that we are one.”

‘Unity In Diversity Is Fundamental To Hindu Thought’: Mohan Bhagwat

“Hindu civilisation has always been rooted in the understanding that existence is fundamentally one, even though it appears in diverse forms. Diversity is natural; these differences are merely different expressions,

or decorations, of the same underlying unity. While engaging with this diversity, we must never lose sight of the fact that we are one,” the RSS chief stated.

VIDEO | London, UK: “Hindu thought has been based on the idea that ‘existence is really one, though it appears to be diverse’. Diversities are natural, and we have to accept and respect them,” says RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat.

(Source: RSS YT)

(Full video available on PTI Videos -… pic.twitter.com/orZK41x2ax

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 6, 2026

He said conflicts could be addressed more effectively when people moved away from viewing others as enemies. He argued that instead of seeking to defeat or dominate others, societies should focus on finding ways to pursue shared goals together.

Bhagwat Explains Hindu Civilisation

“Conflict becomes easier to manage when we stop thinking in terms of enmity. Instead of trying to restrict or conquer the other, we should recognise that ultimately, we all seek the same things. The question, then, is not how to defeat the other, but how we can attain those things together,” he said.

Explaining his understanding of the term ‘Hindu’, Bhagwat said it should not be viewed solely through the lens of religion or geography. He described it as a broader cultural and civilisational identity encompassing a particular understanding of life and humanity’s relationship with the world.

“Hindus cannot be understood merely as a religion or confined within any geographical boundary. Hindu is fundamentally a cultural and civilisational identity — a way of understanding life, existence and our relationship with the world,” Bhagwat said.

‘Uniformity Is Not Essential For Unity’

He also rejected the idea that unity requires uniformity, saying the Hindu civilisational approach accommodates different traditions and paths.

“We do not have any mechanism to make everyone uniform, because uniformity is not essential for unity. Our civilisational understanding is unity in diversity — we accept diversity. That acceptance of diversity is intrinsic to the Hindu nature,” he said.

#WATCH | London, UK | RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat says, “When we say Hindu, it is not a religion, it is not a worship. There may be Hindu religions… From Bharat Varsha, every kind of thought came out. From atheists to polytheists. But they all say, we have our say, but you have… pic.twitter.com/xjPunrEHSL

— ANI (@ANI) September 6, 2026

Bhagwat further said Hindu thought does not insist on a single religious path or seek to convert others, highlighting coexistence as a central principle.

“When we say ‘Hindu’, we are not referring to a religion in the narrow sense. There are many Hindu religions and traditions, but the underlying Hindu thought accepts all paths. We do not believe that only one path is right or that everyone must follow the same path. We do not need to convert others. The belief that there can be many paths to the same truth, and that all can coexist, is fundamentally Hindu,” he said.

His remarks came during the RSS centenary year, with the organisation undertaking a series of programmes in India and abroad. Bhagwat is currently on a visit to London until September 7 as part of the overseas engagements marking the organisation’s 100 years.