Bhagwat hails country's leadership, society for abrogation of Art 370

Nagpur: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday said Jammu and Kashmir's special status under Article 370 could be revoked because the entire society showed determination and lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership and "will power" for taking such a decision.

People say this about the prime minister that "woh hain to mumkin hai (if he is there, everything is possible)," Bhagwat said. Even on the country's 73rd Independence Day, there is a belief that if people are determined, they "can make the impossible possible", he said.

Greeting people during the Independence Day celebrations at the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) headquarters here in Maharashtra, he said, "Article 370 could be removed because the entire society made a resolution, so on this day we renew that resolve again."

"Today is the day to remember the sacrifices made for the independence and to resolve for it again," he said. Later, addressing people at Dr Hedgewar Smruti Mandir premises after hoisting the national flag there, Bhagwat, without naming Modi and Jammu and Kashmir, said it was the people's "will power" which strengthened the country's leadership to take the decision for that state. "People say about the the prime minister that if is there, then everything is possible.

It's ok and not wrong to say that, because finally it depends on the will power of the person (at the helm)," he said. "The will power of the society is necessary to bolster the determination of the people who are at the helm of the country," the RSS chief said.

He said even on the country's 73rd Independence Day being celebrated on Thursday, there is a belief that "if we are determined, we can make the impossible possible".

"We all wanted benefits of independence experienced by all our states to be experienced in that state. Our citizens of that state should also directly get equal rights under the Constitution," he said. "Such was our will power for the cause which gave power to the leaders to work in that direction," he said.

Bhagwat said even on the first Independence Day, there was a sense of victory along with happiness among people that through their "capabilities", they defeated the empire which was believed to be undefeatable.

Earlier, RSS general secretary Bhaiyyaji Joshi hoisted the national flag at the Sangh headquarters located in Mahal area here on the occasion of the Independence Day. "The country is moving forward to realise the dream of the nation's great men. The hopes of common people will be fulfilled and India will scale new heights in the world," Joshi said.