Mumbai: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat launched a tirade against unregulated digital currency like Bitcoin, the unregulated broadcast of OTT (over-the-top) platforms and the narcotics trade at the annual Vijayadashmi rally on Friday. He blamed them all for funding ‘anti-national activities’ and demanding that all such activities be ‘controlled’.
Bhagwat said, “clandestine currency like Bitcoin can destabilise the economy” and “vested global interests” were intent on blocking the country’s progress.
“There is no control over what is shown on OTT platforms. All kinds of films are shown but how to control it? After coronavirus, even children have mobile phones (required when schools were shut during lockdown). Now they are addicted and who knows what they see,” he said. “The use of narcotics is rising, how to stop it? Money from such businesses is used for anti-national activities. All of this should be controlled,” he added.
His comment, particularly about those on drugs came close on the heels of strong criticism of the Centre and the Narcotics Control Bureau and their handling of the Mumbai cruise drug bust case in which actor Shah Rukh Khan’s son, Aryan Khan, is an accused despite the authorities finding no drugs on him.
Further, Bhagwat gave a fresh call for a population policy – a hugely controversial topic in the country. “Population policy should be considered once again, the policy should be made for the next 50 years, and it should be implemented equally, population imbalance has become a problem,” he said.
On economic policy and challenges, Bhagwat said setting up an economic development model based on a vision evolved out of age-old national experiences of life and incorporating objects of economic pursuits thought about globally, consolidating our learnings and combining it with our current national context is the need of the hour. “The manifestation of such a newer model of holistic and integrated progress is a natural outcome of independence; it is the long-awaited discovery of the ‘Swa’ or the ‘self’,” he noted.
On recent terror incidents, the RSS chief observed that terrorists were resorting to targeted violence in Jammu and Kashmir to instil fear. “Terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir have restarted the spate of the targeted killings of national-minded citizens – especially Hindus – to destroy their morale and re-establish the reign of terror in the Valley. The citizens shall brave the situation with courage but efforts for curbing and finishing off terrorist activities needs speeding up,” he said.
On Afghanistan: Bhagwat said the Taliban takeover, which was not entirely surprising, occurred before the expectation. “Their predisposition – passionate fanaticism, tyranny and terrorism in the name of Islam – is sufficient to make everyone apprehensive of the Taliban. But now China, Pakistan and Turkey have coalesced in an unholy coalition with the Taliban. Since Abdali, our northwestern borders are once again a matter of serious concern. The Taliban has time and again alternated between Kashmir and peace talks simultaneously. This is an indicator that we cannot retire in complacency,” he warned.
“Our military preparedness on the borders needs to be alert and sound on all ends and at all times. In such a situation, the internal security and stability of the country must be secured by the government and the society with caution and vigilance. Efforts to achieve self-sufficiency in the domain of defence and security and to become up-to-date with newer concerns like cyber security must be ramped up,” said Bhagwat. He argued that the country should be self-sufficient at the earliest when it comes to domains like security.
Bhagwat said the channels for dialogue should be kept open and without negating the possibility of a change of heart. However, the country must be prepared for all possibilities, he cautioned.
