Pune, September 5 (IANS): Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat said the cultural degradation seen in countries like America, Poland and Arab Spring-hit countries is now being seen in Bangladesh, saying “such trends lead to national disasters and ruin nations”.

Speaking at the ‘Vedsevak Sanman Sohala’, an event organised by the Sadguru group on Wednesday, the RSS chief felicitated 200 ‘gurujis’ involved in reciting Vedas during the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

Bhagwat criticised those who seek world domination and cause divisions.

He also said that the evil forces that thrive in the rest of the world find their end in India because of the country’s knowledge and respect for law, constitution and rich heritage.

Bhagwat stressed the need for vigilance against these forces, pointing out that history shows their eventual decline in India due to the country’s knowledge and respect for the law, the constitution and its rich heritage.

The RSS chief also touched on the growing disbelief among the educated class and the issue of untouchability, raising questions about religious conversions sparked by social discrimination.

“Evil forces exist all over the world and their evil acts continue to happen everywhere. Bangladesh is not the first case. The first case is America. I read a book by an American author called Cultural Development of America, in which he talks about the cultural degradation of America in the last 100 years.”

“This degradation was replicated in Poland, then in the Arab countries in the form of the Arab Spring, and recently in Bangladesh. Those who want to tighten their grip on the world and assume that they are the only ones right, while others are wrong, these arrogant tendencies seek to pit people against each other and take advantage of it,” Bhagwat said.

“We have to watch these trends without fear. History shows that such forces grow, eventually reach India and decline here, while we perform their last rites. We are able to do this because we have knowledge, and using this knowledge, such trends can be tamed by following the discipline of law, constitution and heritage,” he said.

Disbelief (‘anastha and ashraddha’) is increasing, especially among the educated classes, as they have no role models to look up to, the RSS chief added.

Untouchability has no place in the shastras (Hindu scriptures), but it exists in practice, he noted.

“If someone, after getting fed up with the inflexible behaviour of the Hindu religion, converts to another religion, who is to be blamed?” he asked.

Swami Govind Dev Giriji Maharaj and Champat Rai, Treasurer and Secretary respectively of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirth Kshetra Trust; BVG Group Founder Hanmantrao Gaikwad and Sakal Media Group Chairman Abhijit Pawar were also present at the event.