Lucknow, Feb 18 (PTI) India will lead the Global South one day, and then no nation or no tariffs would be able to harm us, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat said at an RSS outreach event in Lucknow on Wednesday.

Global South refers to countries considered as developing, less developed or underdeveloped in the southern hemisphere.

Bhagwat's remarks assume significance, as they come amid the recent tariff controversy with the US.

"India will lead the Global South. One day, tariffs won't affect us. India will stand firm and not budge before any nation," Bhagwat said at the second of the two outreach events in the state capital.

"In some time, everything will be normal again," he said at Lucknow's Indira Gandhi Pratishthan, where he interacted with professionals.

Earlier in the day at another event, Bhagwat hit out at the US and China.

Addressing a Shodharthi Samvad programme at the Malaviya Auditorium of Lucknow University, the RSS chief said, "Western countries spread fundamentalism. Their thinking is to become powerful, live on their own, and abandon the rest, eliminating those who become obstacles. This is what America and China are doing today." Later, Bhagwat stressed that social harmony was the foundation of unity in society and said the RSS works for the nation above all divisions.

"Hindu dharma is the true human dharma. If there is any truly secular society in the world, it is the Hindu society," he said, adding that Hindus should identify themselves as Hindus rather than their caste, sect, or denomination.

"Caste and language identities are not paramount. We must nurture the feeling that we are all Hindus," he said. He asserted that the caste system was gradually weakening, particularly among the younger generation, and that once caste ceases to hold social importance, politics centred around it would also change.

"In the Sangh, nobody's caste is asked. All are Hindu brethren. To eradicate caste from society, we must first forget caste," he said.

Bhagwat said children should receive religious education at home, and families must remain emotionally connected despite geographical distances. He suggested families gather at least once a year to uphold traditions and pass on values to younger generations.

"A good family builds a good society," he said.

While describing modernity as intrinsic to Indian society, he said RSS opposed blind westernisation. "Displaying wealth has never been our tradition," he said.

Bhagwat said temples should be freed from government control and managed by devotees.

"We want temples to be under the control of devotees. Religious leaders and well-meaning people should come together to run them," he said.

Referring to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, he said it was working in this direction and asserted that temple funds should be utilised for national interest and the welfare of Hindus.

Bhagwat said the RSS focuses on character-building and encourages a culture of giving rather than seeking. "The Sangh works to build individuals. There is no place for disappointment among dedicated workers." He claimed that the RSS had undertaken development initiatives in 5,000 villages across the country, of which 333 had shown significant progress.

In some villages, he said, residents had established schools up to class 12, resolved disputes without litigation, secured land for the landless and generated employment locally, leading to agricultural and economic advancement.

Bhagwat urged people to attend an RSS shakha to understand the organisation better and called upon "sajjan shakti" (well-meaning citizens). PTI CDN MAN VN VN

Trade tariffs nullified by national economic strength - call for self-reliance and firmness in external trade relations. India's prospective leadership of the Global South and economic self-reliance were foregrounded, asserting that strengthened national capacity will nullify the effect of external tariffs and reduce foreign leverage. The speaker urged firmness in trade relations, linked social harmony and a shared Hindu identity to national unity, advocated moving temple administration from government control to devotees, and highlighted village-level development work including education, dispute resolution, land access, and local employment.