'Caste system, Varna a thing of past': RSS chief Mohan Bhagwant

Nagpur: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Friday said that everyone thinking in the interest of society should tell that the `Varna` and `Jaati` (caste) system is a thing of the past."Concepts of `Varna` and `Jaati` (caste) should be forgotten... today if someone asks about it, everyone thinking in the interest of society should tell that `Varna` and `Jaati` (caste) system is a thing of the past and should be forgotten," Bhagwat said while addressing a book launch function. Earlier on Wednesday Bhagwat had said that it is "neither the nature of the Sangh nor Hindus" to endanger the minorities while also adding that the RSS resolves to stand on the side of the brotherhood.

Notably, opposition parties including Congress have accused RSS of trying to divide society and making people fight against each other. Addressing the occasion of the Vijayadashmi festival here, where mountaineer Santosh Yadav was the chief guest, Bhagwat had said, "Scare-mongering is done among minorities that there is a danger to them because of us or Hindus. This has not happened in the past, nor will it happen in future. This is neither the nature of Sangh nor of the Hindus."

He had said that "neither threatens nor gets threatened" is the kind of Hindu society that is needed.

"Self-defence and defence of our own become a duty for everyone against those who spread hatred, commit injustice and atrocity, and engage in acts of hooliganism and enmity towards society. `Neither threatens nor gets threatened`, this kind of Hindu society is the need of the present times. This is not anti-anybody. Sangh resolves to stand on the side of brotherhood, amity and peace," he had said.