British distorted Indian education system: Bhagwat

Lucknow: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Wednesday said that the British "tampered" with India's traditional education system and replaced it with their own framework to serve colonial interests and this must be corrected to make India Vishwaguru.Addressing a research scholars' dialogue programme at Lucknow University, Bhagwat said the British altered India's education structure to create a class of "black Englishmen" clerks who would serve their administrative needs.
He said education and healthcare are fundamental necessities and should not be treated as commercial enterprises. "Education and health must be accessible to all," he said. Highlighting the role of research in shaping India's future, the RSS chief urged scholars to pursue their work with authenticity and a spirit of service to the nation. "Truthful facts must be brought to light. Ignorance prevents us from understanding India," he said. He also claimed that there has been negative propaganda against the Sangh and called upon researchers to present facts objectively.Saying that the RSS is committed to building a prosperous and united nation, Bhagwat said Sangh works for social cohesion rather than popularity or political power. "If you want to understand the RSS, come and see it from within. It cannot be understood merely by reading about it," he said, adding that its core objective is to unite Hindu society and strengthen national character.Bhagwat said dharma remains eternally relevant, describing it as the law that governs the universe and not even a single speck of dust can be ‘secular' in that sense. He said dharma brings happiness to all and applies to every aspect of life, teaching people to live together rather than in isolation and added that our behaviour changes according to religion, country, and time.On globalisation, Bhagwat said the concept has increasingly become synonymous with commercialisation and materialism, which he termed dangerous. Referring to the Indian philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one family), he said India advocates collective well-being rather than consumerism. He contrasted this with what he described as Western materialist approaches, asserting that India possesses solutions to global challenges. "If we aspire to become a world leader, we must be strong in every sphere. The world respects truth only when it is backed by power," he said.He criticised Western materialism and said some countries aim to become powerful while leaving others behind, citing the US and China. He said India has answers to global problems, but to lead the world it must be strong in all spheres. "The world believes in truth only when there is power behind it," he said.On the environment, he called for a friendly attitude towards nature and said steps such as planting trees, conserving water and avoiding plastic can help protect the environment. He also urged the use of modern technology for environmental protection.