Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat, who had advised Prime Minister Narendra Modi on dealing with Gen-Z during the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) agitation, took another swipe at the younger generation on Sunday.
Bhagwat said Gen-Z tends to imitate what others are doing, is driven by emotions and does not always think calmly. He said young people are often drawn towards whatever they believe is right.
The term Gen-Z generally refers to people born between 1997 and 2012. During the CJP agitation, Bhagwat had said governance and public conduct should rely on discussion and consensus rather than authoritarianism or orders.
Mohan Bhagwat On Marriage And Live-In Relationships
Speaking about relationships, Bhagwat described marriage as a form of discipline that imparts values associated with dharma. Referring indirectly to live-in relationships, he questioned what their consequences could be when people seek happiness without responsibility.
Bhagwat said the approach of staying together as long as one wants and separating when one no longer wishes to continue leaves little room for responsibility. He suggested that the consequences of such an approach could be seen across the world.
He also said modernity is necessary and that adapting to changing times is part of the country’s traditions. At the same time, he cautioned against blindly copying Western culture, including in the context of live-in relationships.
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What Bhagwat Said About LGBTQ+ Community
Bhagwat said modernity should be welcomed and acknowledged that society changes with time. However, he criticised what he described as the blind imitation of Western culture.
On the LGBTQ+ community, the RSS chief said its members are part of society and should not be treated with an inferior or derogatory attitude.
RSS Chief’s Advice To Parents Over Children’s Phone Use
Bhagwat also urged parents to bring discipline into their own use of mobile phones. He stressed the importance of family conversations, particularly when addressing children’s questions and resolving issues within the household.
Speaking about concerns over excessive phone use and the changing lifestyle of younger children, Bhagwat said adults should first demonstrate the behaviour they expect from the younger generation.
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‘Change Should Begin With Us, Not Government’
Bhagwat said people should begin with themselves if they want to see change in society. He urged people to reduce the time they spend on social media and use mobile phones more responsibly.
He also argued that people often expect the government to introduce laws to address social problems, whereas such changes can begin within families themselves. In his view, Indian tradition gives society a higher place than government in bringing about change.
Bhagwat pointed to a contradiction in how parents handle children’s phone use. While adults may set rules for their children, he said parents themselves can be so dependent on mobile phones that they hand a phone to a crying child to calm them down.
