Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday said differences should be respected and cohesion was the key to living in harmony. He was speaking after unfurling the national flag at the Republic Day celebrations at a college in Bhiwandi town of Maharashtra’s Thane district.
Apart from the celebrations, the Republic Day is also an occasion to “remember our responsibilities towards the nation,” he said. Addressing the issue of diversity, Bhagwat said differences should be respected and “cohesion is the key to living in harmony”. “Clashes are happening outside Bharat due to diversity. We see diversity as a natural part of life. You can have your own uniqueness, but you must be good to each other. If you want to live peacefully, there should be cohesive living. You cannot be happy if your family is unhappy. Similarly, a family cannot be happy if the town is facing trouble,” he said.Bhagwat emphasised the importance of working with both knowledge and dedication.”Being enterprising is important, but you must always do your work with wisdom. Any work done without proper thought does not bear fruit but brings trouble. A task done without knowledge becomes the work of a lunatic,” he said.To drive home his point, Bhagwat said: “If you know how to cook rice, you need water, heat and rice. But if you do not know how to cook it and instead eat dry rice, drink water, and stand in the sunlight for hours, it will not turn into a meal. Knowledge and dedication are essential”.
At the RSS office in Jhandewalam in New Delhi, Sangh joint general secretary Alok Kumar unfurled the national flag.