Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi in response to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat’s Vijayadashmi address, raising concerns about whether Modi is paying attention to Bhagwat’s calls for unity. Speaking at the RSS headquarters in Nagpur, Bhagwat stressed the need for social and cultural harmony, urging the Hindu community to celebrate all festivals together, regardless of social divisions.
In the presence of Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and former ISRO chief K Sivan, Bhagwat said, “Why should Valmiki Jayanti be celebrated only in Valmiki colonies? Valmiki wrote the Ramayana for the entire Hindu society. Festivals like Valmiki Jayanti and Ravidas Jayanti should be celebrated collectively by all. Only then can we achieve social harmony.” He also emphasized fostering friendships across diverse languages, cultures, and lifestyles to strengthen societal unity.
A day after Bhagwat’s speech, Sibal, a senior advocate and president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, took to X (formerly Twitter) to comment on Bhagwat’s message. He wrote, “All festivals should be celebrated together… language can be diverse, cultures can be diverse, food can be diverse but friendship… will bring them together. Who is listening? Modi? Others?”
In a separate critique, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge accused the RSS of backing political forces that promote disunity, in response to Bhagwat’s remarks.
Bhagwat’s speech also touched on issues like ‘wokeism’ and ‘Cultural Marxism,’ cautioning against their influence on institutions such as the education system and media. He claimed that these ideologies are “enemies of cultural traditions” and aim to erode societal values by controlling key institutions and shaping public discourse.
