02 July,2026 11:32 AM IST | Nagpur | mid-day online correspondent
Mohan Bhagwat. File Pic
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Wednesday said people who migrated to India following the Partition in 1947 should not be described as refugees but as "warriors of struggle" who made immense sacrifices for the country and their faith.
Speaking at the 75th Foundation Day programme of the Sindhu Education Society in Nagpur, Bhagwat said those who migrated from the newly created Pakistan left behind their homes, businesses, land and wealth accumulated over generations because they wanted to live in India, where they could practise their religion without fear.
Addressing the gathering, Bhagwat said the people who crossed into India after Partition consciously chose the country despite the hardships and losses they faced.
According to him, describing them as refugees was incorrect because they willingly sacrificed their livelihoods and property out of commitment to the nation and their faith.
"They were not refugees, though they were displaced, it was a wrong term used for them at that time. They were warriors (sangharshrath yodha) who struggled out of love for their motherland, out of love for their faith. They lost a battle, not because of their own faults alone. We, all of us, lost that battle to keep India united. But what did they choose? They did not choose a career, they did not choose wealth. They chose the country, they chose their faith (dharma)," Bhagwat said.
Bhagwat said those who migrated to India after Partition endured enormous hardships while leaving behind everything they had built over generations.
He said they chose to settle in India because they wanted to live in a country where they could freely follow their religion without fear.
The RSS chief also referred to the Partition as a collective failure to keep the country united and said the sacrifices made by displaced families should continue to be remembered.
Referring to the Sindhu Education Society's 75-year journey, Bhagwat said such milestones provide an opportunity for institutions to review their work and reaffirm their founding objectives.
He also urged people not to lose hope during difficult times and stressed the importance of perseverance.
"One should not become helpless before circumstances or fate. 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," Bhagwat said.
Bhagwat said education should not be limited to preparing students for employment but should also focus on building character and values.
He said value-based education enables individuals to distinguish between right and wrong, adding that such learning comes not only through textbooks but also through the conduct of teachers and the values they impart to students.
According to Bhagwat, the ultimate purpose of education is to develop responsible individuals who contribute to the welfare of society and become good human beings.
(With inputs from PTI)
