Women Shouldn’t Bear Every Responsibility Just Because They Are Capable: Bhagwat

NEW DELHI, Jul 25: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has said women should not be expected to shoulder every responsibility simply because they are capable, stressing that families must function as a team and ensure that women’s aspirations are not sacrificed under the weight of household duties. Speaking during a question-and-answer session after his lecture on Yuganukul Matrutva (Contemporary Motherhood) at an event organised by Vishwamangalya Sabha here on Friday, Bhagwat called for greater participation by men in household responsibilities and urged society to create an environment where women receive equal respect, support and opportunities. “As I said earlier, all responsibilities should not be placed on the woman alone. Today, work should be shared. If the entire family functions as a team, this is entirely possible,” he said. Bhagwat said true peace and satisfaction come when individuals are able to pursue their aspirations. He emphasised that families should collectively decide priorities while ensuring that women’s personal ambitions are not suppressed. “The family must ensure that beneath all these responsibilities, a woman’s own aspirations and desires do not get suffocated. It should ask itself what opportunities it can provide so that she is able to fulfil those aspirations,” he said. Highlighting the need for social awareness, Bhagwat said change must begin at home, with both men and women sharing responsibilities and fostering mutual understanding. “You know better than anyone how to administer even a bitter medicine with love. Begin there. Gradually, the atmosphere changes,” he remarked. Appealing directly to men, Bhagwat said they too must play an active role in promoting women’s empowerment. “I would also like to appeal to the men present here. Please give serious thought to this issue. Begin with yourselves. Create the right atmosphere in your own homes. Without this, change will not happen,” he said. Reflecting on traditional family structures, the RSS chief said earlier households functioned through consultation, with women playing a central role in managing finances and key decisions. He stressed the need to revive that spirit of partnership. “We need to recreate that atmosphere. Today, excessive individualism—the attitude of ‘I’ and ‘mine’—has grown stronger. We need to learn once again how to manage the ego. That can happen only through dialogue,” he said. On women’s safety, Bhagwat said society has a collective responsibility to ensure that women feel secure. “Society itself should not become the aggressor. Ideally, there should be no need for such a fight at all,” he said, adding that while women are capable of protecting themselves, they have the right to expect a safe environment. Underscoring the importance of women’s participation in national development, Bhagwat said India cannot achieve its goal of becoming a developed nation unless women contribute their full potential. “Women constitute half of our society. Unless that entire half contributes its full strength, the dream of a developed India cannot be realised,” he said.