In a veiled message after the Pahalgam terror attacks in which 26 people were killed, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has said non-violence is India’s religion and a key part of its values, but so is teaching a lesson to “oppressors and hooligans”. 

Speaking at an event to mark the release of the book ‘The Hindu Manifesto’ in New Delhi on Saturday, Mr Bhagwat also gave the example of Ravan and said he was killed not to harm him but for his own good. 

“We never harm or disrespect our neighbours but if someone is bent on being evil, what is the cure? The king’s duty is to protect the people and he will do his duty. The Gita teaches non-violence, but the teaching is to ensure that Arjun fights and kills… because he was confronted with people whose development could only be done this way,” Mr Bhagwat said in Hindi. 

“Non-violence is our nature, a key value,” Mr Bhagwat said, asserting, “our non-violence is to change people and make them non-violent too. Some people will change, seeing our example, but others will not… they won’t change no matter what you do and cause disorder in the world. So what will you do?”

The RSS chief then cited the example of Ravan and said he was a devotee of Lord Shiva who had knowledge of the Vedas and knew how to govern very well. 

“He (Ravan) had all the qualities required to be a good person. But the body and intelligence he accepted did not allow the good qualities in. So, if he wanted to be good, the only option was to end that body and intelligence. So, God killed him. That killing is not violence, it’s still non-violence,” Mr Bhagwat said.  

Degrees Of Punishment

“Non-violence is our religion, but not getting beaten by oppressors and teaching hooligans a lesson is also our religion. In Western thought, these two things can’t go together because the thought that you should assess whether your enemy is good or not does not exist… We see it, though, and punish some a little, others a lot and still others none at all to reform them. But those that cannot be reformed are sent, for their own good. to places where they need to be sent to get basic material,” he added.

Speaking at an event in Mumbai on Friday, the RSS chief had also said that the current fight is between ‘dharma’ (righteousness) and ‘adharma’ (unrighteousness), rather than just a conflict between sects and religions. 

Referring to the Pahalgam attack, he said, “The fanatics who killed people by asking about their religion, Hindus would never do this. That is why the country should be strong,” he had said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin told US envoy Steve Witkoff that Russia is ready to hold talks with Ukraine “without preconditions”, the Kremlin said on Saturday.

“During yesterday’s talks with Trump’s envoy Witkoff, Vladimir Putin reiterated that Russia is ready to resume negotiations with Ukraine without any preconditions,” said Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, who also added that Putin has repeated the same several times.

This comes in the midst of US President Donald Trump’s talks with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky in Rome, at the funeral of Pope Francis. 

In a post on Truth Social after his talks with Zelensky, Trump also said maybe Putin “has to be dealt with differently, through ‘Banking’ or ‘Secondary Sanctions?'”

He posted on his social media platform he said, “…there was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities and towns, over the last few days. It makes me think that maybe he doesn’t want to stop the war, he’s just tapping me along, and has to be dealt with differently, through “Banking” or “Secondary Sanctions?” Too many people are dying!!!”

Trump, who promised on the campaign trail to strike a deal between Moscow and Kyiv in 24 hours, has in three months failed to wrangle concessions from Russian President Vladimir Putin to halt his invasion.

The Republican had said over the weekend he hoped a peace deal could be struck “this week” despite no signs the two sides are anywhere close to agreeing even a ceasefire, let alone a wider long-term settlement.

Moscow’s forces occupy around a fifth of Ukrainian territory and tens of thousands have been killed since they invaded in February 2022.

The official programme of the ceremonies for Pope Francis:

9:00 am IST

St Peter’s Square opens.

1:00 pm IST

US President Donald Trump and his wife Melania arrive in St Peter’s Square.

1:30 pm IST

The funeral mass begins. It will be presided over by Giovanni Battista Re, the dean of the College of Cardinals.

Pope Francis’s wooden and zinc coffin, sealed on Friday evening, will be placed in front of the basilica before a temporary raised altar. To its left, facing St Peter’s, will sit the red-robed cardinals. To the right, official delegations from around the world, seated in alphabetical order.

The ceremony should last about 90 minutes, with 224 cardinals and 750 priests and bishops in attendance.

3:00 pm IST

The coffin leaves for Santa Maria Maggiore, the Rome basilica where Pope Francis will be buried.

4:30 pm IST

The coffin arrives at Santa Maria Maggiore, where it will be welcomed by a group of the “poor and needy”.

The burial, presided over by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who as camerlengo is running the Vatican’s day-to-day affairs until a new pope is elected, will take place in private.