Overview

• At a three‑day centenary forum in New Delhi, Mohan Bhagwat said the RSS does not decide BJP appointments and was not behind the delay in naming the next party chief.
• Bhagwat ruled out stepping down at 75, saying any decision on his tenure rests solely with the RSS.
• He affirmed Islam’s place in India and urged restraint on temple‑mosque confrontations, while stating the RSS will not lead Kashi or Mathura movements even as he voiced support for Hindu claims and noted swayamsevaks may act independently.
• He framed Hindutva as a civilisational identity based on shared ancestry and unity, inviting minorities to engage with the organisation and stressing that ‘Hindu Rashtra’ is not anti‑Islam.
• The RSS outlined expansion goals toward 100,000 branches from a reported 68,651 today, as reactions to Bhagwat’s tone ranged from praise for pragmatism to criticism from hardline voices.