New Delhi: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Friday said that repeated invasions and British rule led Indians to accept ideas that were not part of their traditions, asserting that the British "completely changed our mindset" by making people believe their traditions were wrong.
Speaking at the 'Vishwa Mangalya Sabha' event in Delhi, Bhagwat said, "We forgot ourselves. Examples of this can be found in our literature from the Mahabharata period. A great massacre occurred, and that forgetfulness gained momentum."
"The history of a thousand years is unknown. Based on a few great men, that entire tradition was rebuilt. After that, a series of invasions began. Because of this, we had to accept many things that were not part of our tradition, not in our thinking," he added.
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Bhagwat said people adopted certain practices "for our own safety" and others "under pressure from foreign invaders", adding that British rule had a significant impact on the country's mindset.
"We did some for our own safety, some under pressure from foreign invaders, and the last one was the British. It completely changed our mindset, believing that our traditions, based on our experience, are wrong, and theirs are right," the RSS chief said.
