India’s tradition rooted in fraternity, dispute not in our nature: Bhagwat

Mumbai: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Saturday said engaging in disputes is not in India's nature and asserted that the country's tradition has always emphasised fraternity and collective harmony. Speaking at the national book festival in Nagpur, Bhagwat said that India's concept of nationhood differs fundamentally from Western interpretations. "We do not have any argument with anyone. We stay away from disputes. Having a dispute is not in our country's nature. Being together and fostering fraternity is our tradition," he said, adding that other parts of the world evolved in situations filled with conflict.

"Once an opinion is formed, anything apart from that thought becomes unacceptable. They close doors to other thoughts and start calling it ‘…ism'," he remarked.