Many people and forces working against India's goal to become global leader: Mohan Bhagwat

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Saturday called on citizens to strengthen Indias independence by making the country happy prosperous and secure so that it can contribute meaningfully to the world and emerge as Vishwaguru while noting that many people and forces are working against this goalAddressing a gathering at the RSS headquarters in Nagpur after hoisting the Tricolour on the occasion of the 80th Independence Day Bhagwat urged people to strengthen the nation without compromising on its core principles and to confront challenges facing the countryHe said Independence Day was a matter of pride and celebration for all Indians If the freedom struggle was counted from 1857 the countrys ancestors made continuous sacrifices for nearly 90 years to secure independence he saidWe feel proud of their sacrifices and are happy that their struggle reached a successful conclusion But along with this we must also remember that preserving the freedom achieved through so much effort and sacrifice is our responsibility he saidBhagwat stresses responsibility of citizensCiting Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar Bhagwat said it was the duty of citizens to ensure that all the noble progressive and positive outcomes of freedom became part of the nationHe also spoke about the symbolism of the national flag and said its colours convey important messages that citizens should reflect on while celebrating Independence DayAccording to Bhagwat saffron represents action knowledge and sacrificeThe freedom of a nation is achieved through hard work and sacrifice and after independence these qualities help make the nation prosperous and secure The saffron colour reminds people of the need for sacrifice and dedication the Sarsanghchalak saidHe said that when sacrifice commitment hard work and knowledge became part of peoples lives society remained peaceful and minds became pureNational flags colours represent different valuesBhagwat said the white colour of the national flag represents purity and inspires people to follow discipline while continually examining whether they are adhering to itThe outcome of these efforts is prosperity which is represented by the green colour of the national flag he addedHe also spoke about the Ashoka Chakra and its significance using it to underline the relationship between individual freedom social responsibility and disciplineBhagwat said individuals were different and could therefore hold different views but this diversity did not necessarily undermine unityHowever this diversity also expresses unity The Ashoka Chakra has many spokes but all of them emerge from a single central point he addedHe said the wheel represented individual and social awareness while its spokes were kept within the limits of dharma or discipline so that society could function properlyThat is why we have placed this Dharma Chakra at the centre of our national flag While hoisting the national flag we should reflect on the ideas represented by these symbols We must bring the essence of that reflection into our own lives This is extremely necessary he addedBhagwat says India must confront challengesBhagwat said there was no doubt that India would remain an independent nation but stressed that the country needed to build prosperity security and social wellbeing while contributing to the wider worldHowever we must make the nation happy prosperous and secure and ensure that it makes its rightful contribution to the world However many people and forces are working against this goal and stand in our way However without abandoning our principles we must face these challenges across the world and make India a nation that serves as a Vishwaguru a guide to the world he addedHe called on citizens to remain committed to the countrys core principles while addressing challenges and working towards Indias longterm goalsMeaningful contribution to humanity is dutyBhagwat said Indias ambition to become a global leader should also be linked to its contribution to humanityHe added that the country should aspire to become a nation capable of making a meaningful difference in the lives of people around the worldThis is our duty today Let us reflect on it with this message he saidWith inputs from PTI