There is no substitute for 'swadeshi' and 'swavalamban', says RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday said that global interdependence shouldn't become a compulsion and there is no substitute for 'swadeshi' (use of indigenous resources) and 'swavalamban' (self-reliance).

Addressing the annual Vijayadashmi rally of the RSS here, which also marked the Sangh's centenary celebrations, Bhagwat said the tariff policy adopted by the US, based solely on its self-interest, does not pose a challenge to India.

"The world operates through mutual interdependence. By becoming 'aatmanirbhar' (self-reliant) and being cognizant of global unity, we must ensure that this global interdependence does not become a compulsion for us, and we are able to act according to our own will. There is no substitute for swadeshi and swavalamban," he said.

Bhagwat said the enthusiasm among ordinary citizens to make the country a global leader is clearly visible in the industry, and especially among the younger generation, but flaws of the prevailing economic system are also getting exposed globally.

He cited the shortcomings as rising inequality, concentration of economic power and the strengthening of new mechanisms that enable easier exploitation by exploiters, environmental degradation, and the rise of transactionalism and inhumanity instead of genuine interpersonal relationships.