Era Of Obedience Over: RSS chief on Pradhan's exit

• RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat says youth now demand reasoning, not obedience
• He warns that extreme individualism is eroding family and marriage
• He urges more affection and communication to counter social isolation

Nagpur: Speaking about India's younger generation, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Friday said that the era of unquestioning obedience was over and that today's

youth deserved affection, time and honest explanation with reasoning. "When we were young, it was an era of obedience. That's not the case anymore. The new generation asks questions. We have to explain the reasoning to them. We need to give them a lot of affection. We need to spend time with them. We need to communicate with them," he said, adding with concern that conversation had stopped even within families in modern times. Speaking at the concluding session of the two-day 'Yuganukul Matrutva' (Contemporary Motherhood) event organised by Vishwamangalya Sabha at the Ambedkar International Centre, Bhagwat took direct aim at what he described as a growing global trend of "extreme individualism."

On Erosion Of Family

Bhagwat said that today people are rejecting family, marriage and social responsibility in favour of personal freedom and enjoyment. "People ask: 'Why should we marry? Why should we accept the domination of men? Why should we become trapped in the complications of family life? We have our own independent lives. Why should we bind ourselves to a family and become restricted? What do we have to do with society? Life is meant for enjoyment?'" he said, adding that this way of thinking reduced all human relationships to mere transactions.

He pointed out that societies that had embraced such ideas were now questioning them, even as he alleged that confusion was being deliberately created in society and that some believed everything considered sacred or valuable must be destroyed.

On Technology And Indian Traditions

Bhagwat said India's cultural foundation was extremely strong and rooted in lived experience rather than theory, and that there was no need to fear rapid technological change. "We will master technology. We will become its masters rather than its slaves. We will use it for the welfare of humanity," he said. He also took a swipe at the limits of science, saying even scientists now recognise that science cannot answer every question.

The two-day meeting was attended by around 280 female delegates from across the country, with more than 900 women participating in the concluding session.

(With inputs From PTI)