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    North                       The Indian Eye

                              AMERICANNewsline

             18                                                                                                           SEPTEMBER 11, 2026

             Mohan Bhagwat’s Sends a Message

                     to Diaspora: Serve Your Karma

                Bhumi and Carry Bharat’s Values

             From Toronto to New York, the RSS chief has sought to define the role of the Indian diaspora through

                   loyalty to its adopted countries, service to society and a civilisational idea of unity in diversity.

            OUR BUREAU

            New York, NY / Toronto, ON
                  ashtriya  Swayamsevak  Sangh
                  (RSS) chief Mohan Bhag-
            Rwat’s message to the Indian
            diaspora in North America has been
            strikingly  consistent:  Indians  living
            abroad should remain connected to
            their roots, but their first responsibil-
            ity is to the country they have chosen
            to call home.
                Speaking at the “Universal One-
            ness Celebration” at Madison Square
            Garden  in  New  York,  Bhagwat  de-
            scribed India as the Janma Bhumi of
            the diaspora but the United States
            and  other  countries  where  Indians
            have settled as their Karma Bhumi
            — the land where they live, work and
            fulfil their responsibilities.
               “What is our duty? We are in
            America, we live in America, we earn
            in America. So we are American.      RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat addresses the ‘Hindu Vishwa Bandhu – Embrace the World in Friendship’ event, in Toronto  (ANI Video Grab)
            And we should behave true to Amer-
            ica,” he said.                    they want to contribute to India.  connection with India primarily as a   “One may call Bharat a super-
                For a diaspora that has become   “Because Bharat is their janma   connection with a set of values.  power, but it was not one. It served
            increasingly successful and influential   bhumi, if they  have an urge to  do   “Your  janma  bhumi  expects  you   the world and by its own character,
            in North American economic, po-   something and they can do that, after   to live the values it has imparted on   it became ‘Vishwaguru’, not Maha-
            litical and professional life, the mes-  fulfilling  their  duties  to  their  karma   you,” he said.  shakti,” he said.
            sage was significant. Bhagwat was not   bhumi, it is not prohibited. But it is   And what is the central value he   The distinction between Vish-
            asking  Indian-origin  Americans  to   not obligatory,” Bhagwat said.  wants the diaspora to carry?   waguru and Mahashakti is central to
            choose between their heritage and     It was perhaps the clearest mes-  “This is the value, oneness. We   Bhagwat’s conception of India’s place
            their adopted country. Instead, he ar-  sage of his North American tour: India   are one with human beings. We are   in  the  world.  A  Mahashakti  derives
            gued that loyalty to the country of res-  does not expect its diaspora to demon-  one with nature,” he said.  influence from power. A Vishwaguru,
            idence and attachment to the country   strate patriotism by putting India   That idea of oneness ran through   in his formulation, derives influence
            of birth could coexist, provided the   ahead of the countries where they live.  virtually all of Bhagwat’s engage-  from  the  ability  to  offer  knowledge,
            order of responsibilities was clear.  Instead, it expects them to carry Indi-  ments in North America.  values and service.
               “The diaspora, Bharatiya diaspora,  an civilisational values with them and   In Toronto, addressing the “Hin-  He cited India’s historical experi-
            they have a duty to their karma bhumi.  contribute positively to their societies.  du Vishwa Bandhu – Embrace the   ence of providing refuge to persecut-
            They must fulfil that. They should be                               World in Friendship” gathering, he   ed communities and pointed to more
            loyal to their karma bhumi,” he said.  The values of Janma Bhumi    argued that India’s civilisational con-  recent humanitarian operations in
                Only after fulfilling those respon-  Bhagwat’s argument, howev-  tribution to the world should not be   which  Indian  aircraft  evacuated  cit-
            sibilities, he added, can members of   er, goes beyond citizenship and civic   measured by the conventional stan-  izens of other countries along with
            the diaspora decide whether and how   duty. He wants the diaspora to see its   dards of military or economic power.

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