‘Have to take it back’, says RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat on PoK as it battles unrest

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat called Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) a room in India that has been forcibly occupied by someone, saying it must be taken back, drawing applause from the audience at an event in Satna, Madhya Pradesh, on Sunday. “Many Sindhi brothers are sitting here. I am very happy. They did not go to Pakistan; they went to undivided India. Circumstances have sent us here from that home because that home and this home are not different,” Bhagwat said, drawing huge applause from the audience.

“The whole of India is one home, but someone has removed one room of our house where my table, chair, and clothes used to be kept. They have occupied it. Tomorrow, I have to take it back,” he said as the audience clapped in agreement.

The RSS chief’s remarks come amid rising unrest in PoK, where locals have protested against Pakistani rule. Thousands of residents joined rallies organised by the Awami Action Committee (AAC), calling for economic aid and political reforms.

The RSS chief on Thursday emphasised the need to strengthen security capabilities, noting that the international reaction to the Pahalgam terror attack revealed the real character of India’s global alliances.

The responses of other countries were a test of “who our friends are in the global arena and to what extent they are willing to stand by us,” the RSS chief said, adding India’s political leadership and the military delivered a “fitting response” which showcased the firmness of the leadership, valour of the armed forces, and determination and unity of society.

More than 10 people were killed and over 100 injured in PoK after Pakistani forces clashed with protesters. Four protesters were shot dead in Dhirkot (Bagh district), while fatalities were also reported from Muzaffarabad, Dadyal (Mirpur), and Chamyati near Kohala.

Experts say the protests by PoK residents against Pakistani rule have exposed the falsehood that Islamabad has been peddling since 1947. The PoK unrest has also unmasked those who mischievously amplified anti-India propaganda regarding the situation in Jammu and Kashmir for decades.

The surge of protests in PoK also highlights the widening disconnect between its residents and Islamabad.

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