RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat Calls For Education And Preparation First On Same-Sex Marriage Law

New Delhi: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday said that society must first be prepared before any law on same-sex marriage is considered, while asserting that people from the LGBTQIA+ community are a part of society and should be accommodated with an appropriate legal framework.

Speaking at an event in Mumbai, Bhagwat said that in the Indian tradition, marriage is not merely an arrangement between two individuals but an institution that leads to the creation of a family, which he described as the basic unit of society.

"LGBTQ or whatever, they're all part of the society to which we belong. And in our society, there is a tradition of accommodating them," Bhagwat said.

Explaining the RSS's position on same-sex marriage, Bhagwat said marriage, or *vivaah*, has traditionally been viewed as a social institution responsible for nurturing families and future generations.

"Marriage is not, in our tradition, vivaah. That is not a convenience created so that two people should live together. It is an institution which is created by marriage. Family. Family is the unit of society. And next generations are trained in kutumb or family to be good citizens of that country. So training of the next generation by their relations - mata, pita, all these things - that is also an ancient system running," he said.

Bhagwat said any change to the existing marriage system without adequate preparation could create conflicts and unintended consequences.

"Now we have to have some system first. The existing system if we disturb, and new systems we don't have, that will create a conflict. Secondly, we cannot mix these things. We have to prepare the society first, because laws don't dictate society; society dictates the laws. We have to educate the society first. That stage is not there. And at this stage, if we tamper with the vivaah system, that will create some other side effects," he said.

The RSS chief suggested that instead of altering the existing institution of marriage, a separate legal framework could be developed to address the needs of same-sex couples.

"Instead of that, prepare a system which can accommodate all these people. They are part of the society, and they should be seen accordingly... Same-sex marriage -- don't say that. How same-sex companions can live together, you have to devise some system. You can form a law for that. Society will accept that," Bhagwat said.

On the role of women, the RSS chief said women are equal and complementary partners in society and nation building and should receive the same opportunities and training as men.

"Role of women is not only in Bharatiya society, everywhere in the world, but we also take it that it is equal and complementary to each other. They have to be trained in capacities as we train men in capacities. Everything they can do and everything they should be trained for," he said.

Responding to a question on why the RSS functions as a male organisation while the Rashtra Sevika Samiti operates separately for women, Bhagwat said the question was based on "incomplete information."

He said that when the RSS was founded, social conditions were different and separate organisations for women were considered appropriate at the time.

"When RSS started, if we had started the organisation with women also, we wouldn't have thrived. Times were like that," he said.

Bhagwat said the Rashtra Sevika Samiti is an autonomous organisation that works for the same purpose with the full support of the RSS.

"They have told us that we will work here, you don't interfere, you work there, we will not interfere, we will help each other. When they withdraw that mandate, we will start working with women also," he said.

He further said that women involved in public life participate in the RSS's apex decision-making process, the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha.

"In the apex body of the RSS, Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha, all the women working in the public field are also invited into the process of decision-making. They are there for the full three days," Bhagwat said. 

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