Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat  said that religious conversion should not be done as it separates individuals from their roots.

Speaking at an event in Karnataka’s Chitradurga, the RSS chief said, Religious conversion leads to separatism. Conversion separates one from the roots. Hence, we should strive to stop religious conversion.”

“If we want India to remain as India, we have to be what we are (culturally) or else India will not remain India. Hence, we have to ensure that ‘Dharma’ should pervade all over,” Bhagwat was quoted as saying in a statement issued by the outfit.

He was addressing the seers of the Dalit and Backward Classes communities during the event.

The RSS chief further said that the Hindu society is still in the grip of problems such as untouchability and inequality, which exist only in the mind and not in the scriptures.

“Resolving this problem, which has been existing in our mind for many centuries may take time to fade. There is a need to find a solution to this issue. It will surely happen one day and we are working on it. Till then, we should have patience,” Bhagwat said.

Stressing that Indian culture such as respecting the elders and treating women with dignity should be adapted, the RSS chief said that modern way of teaching distances from culture.

“Modern way of teaching imparts education but it distances from culture. If we have to strengthen culture and commitment, then we have to associate ourselves with some form of worshipping, which the seers alone can do,” Bhagwat said during the event which was organised at Sri Shivasharan Madarachannaiah Gurupeetha in Chitradurga, PTI reported.