RSS chief Bhagwat tells Gen Z dharma is above religion

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat told about 1,700 young participants at the Yuva Dharm Sansad in Ujjain on Friday that he was heartened to see Gen Z discussing 'dharma' at a time when some consider it an old people's affair. He distinguished India's concept of dharma from the Western notion of religion, saying dharma liberates and leads to moksha while religion binds. He urged the audience to shed prejudices to understand dharma, and claimed that adharma, or unrighteousness, has led to deforestation and threatens human existence.

Bhagwat said India has not discriminated among faiths and its understanding of secularism is different from the Western model, which emerged from conflicts between rulers and religious authorities. He linked dharma with environmental responsibility and urged young people to respect other forms of worship while remaining committed to their own traditions. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav will attend the concluding session on 19 September. The event's sixth edition follows similar gatherings in Kashi, Ayodhya and four other cities, with next year's edition set for Dwarka.