Part of society, deserve dignity: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on LGBTQ+ community

Mohan Bhagwat's latest remarks on LGBTQ+ communities underline the RSS's nuanced position: acceptance of their social existence and dignity, but a cautious approach on issues such as same-sex marriage.Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday said LGBTQ+ people have always been part of Indian society and deserve dignity and acceptance rather than exclusion.Speaking at an event in Hyderabad, Bhagwat said Indian traditions had long recognised such communities and made space for them within society."LGBTQ+ and all these communities exist. Such tendencies are present in society. Some are innate, determined by nature itself. That is simply how they were born. Some are acquired later due to mindset or physical inclinations," he said.Bhagwat said members of the LGBTQ+ community should not be ostracised. "Our tradition acknowledges their existence. They are human beings too and have a right to live. They are not ostracised from society; there is a place for them within the vast tapestry of social life," he said. He said Indian society had historically taken a humane approach towards such communities rather than treating them with prejudice. "Even today, they have their own deities, shrines and Mahamandaleshwars who participate in the Kumbh Mela," he said.The RSS chief added that Indian society had traditionally dealt with the issue quietly, ensuring a sympathetic approach towards such communities and recognising them as an integral part of society.NOT HIS FIRST REMARK ON LGBTQ+ This is not the first time Bhagwat has spoken about homosexuality and the LGBTQ+ community.In a January 2023 interview with an RSS-linked magazine, he said LGBTQ+ people "should have their own private and social space as they are humans and have the right to live as others." Citing Hindu scriptures and mythology, he argued that Indian civilisation had historically accommodated such communities rather than excluding them socially.India decriminalised consensual same-sex relations in 2018 by striking down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code. Same-sex marriage and several other rights sought by LGBTQ+ groups, however, remain legally unrecognised.Bhagwat has also said before that homosexuality is a social reality that should not be sensationalised. At a book launch in October 2019, he cited characters such as Shikhandi from the Mahabharata to argue that gender and sexual diversity have long existed in Indian society.He said then that "making an issue out of it will not help" and that society must evolve with time.RSS'S STAND ON HOMOSEXUALITYBhagwat's remarks are broadly in line with the RSS's position that LGBTQ+ people should not face discrimination, though the organisation has taken a more cautious stance on issues such as same-sex marriage.In 2023, the RSS welcomed the Supreme Court's refusal to grant legal recognition to same-sex marriage."The Supreme Court's decision on same-sex marriage is worth welcoming. Our democratic parliamentary system can seriously discuss all the issues related to this and take appropriate decisions," RSS spokesperson Sunil Ambekar had said.The RSS had earlier said it agreed with the Supreme Court's 2018 verdict decriminalising consensual same-sex relations between adults, while maintaining that it considered same-sex relationships "unnatural.""We are of the same view as the Supreme Court that sex between members of the same gender is not a crime," RSS spokesperson Arun Kumar had said after the 2018 judgment.- EndsPublished By: Aprameya RaoPublished On: Jul 26, 2026 22:35 IST