Bhagwat calls Partition migrants 'warriors', not refugees
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Wednesday asserted that people who migrated to India after the 1947 Partition were not refugees but 'warriors of struggle' who endured immense hardships out of love for their motherland and dharma. Speaking at the 75th Foundation Day programme of the Sindhu Education Society in Nagpur, Bhagwat said these individuals left behind wealth, land, and businesses built over generations in the newly-created Pakistan to come to India.
Background of the remarks
The event was organized by the Sindhi community-run Sindhu Education Society. Bhagwat, addressing the gathering, emphasized that the term 'refugee' was wrongly used for those displaced after Partition. He argued that they were 'Sangharrath Yodha' (warriors of struggle) who lost a battle to keep India united but chose the country and their faith over material gains. 'They did not choose a career, they did not choose wealth. They chose the country, they chose their faith (dharma),' he said.
Emphasis on resilience and education
Bhagwat stressed that one should not give up in adverse circumstances but strive to rise again. 'A person who makes efforts to come out of difficult times is the one who ultimately succeeds, while the one who runs away from difficulties has already accepted defeat,' he told the gathering. He also highlighted the importance of value-based education, stating that education should not be solely for employment but to develop the ability to distinguish between right and wrong. Such education comes from teachers' conduct and the values they instill, not just textbooks.
Call for societal welfare
The RSS chief concluded by saying the real purpose of education is to create good human beings and a generation aware of societal welfare. The event marked 75 years of the Sindhu Education Society's journey, providing an opportunity to review its work and remember its goals.
