MYSORE, May 2026 — In a move that has sent ripples through India’s socio-political landscape, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Chief Dr. Mohan Bhagwat has called for the promotion of inter-caste marriages as the ultimate solution to dismantling the nation’s caste system. Speaking at the JSS Mahavidyapeetha, Bhagwat’s remarks signal a strategic ideological shift, framing the end of caste not just as a social reform, but as a necessity for national and religious unity.

The Proposal: Dissolving Boundaries through Marriage

Dr. Bhagwat argued that for India to move forward, society must “forget the caste” to prevent it from being used as a tool for political exploitation. He emphasized that the “rules of endogamy”—the practice of marrying only within one’s caste—are what keep these ancient divisions alive.

To bridge this gap, he urged support for individuals choosing inter-caste unions, noting that such marriages would blur the rigid boundaries currently exploited by “vote-bank politics.”

Ambedkar vs. Bhagwat: The Shared Medicine

The RSS Chief’s stance bears a striking resemblance to the “Annihilation of Caste” advocated by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar nearly 90 years ago. Both leaders identify inter-caste marriage as the primary weapon to break the caste engine.

However, while the method is identical, the motivations remain worlds apart:

• Ambedkar’s Goal: To demolish the “Hindu Social Order” entirely, replacing it with a modern society built on the pillars of Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity.
• Bhagwat’s Goal: To consolidate the Hindu community into a singular, unified political and civilizational block, removing internal frictions to strengthen the “Hindu Rashtra.”

The Demographic and Political Calculation

Beyond social harmony, the RSS’s push for caste unity appears linked to demographic concerns. With Hindu population growth stabilizing, Bhagwat suggested that internal fragmentation via caste weakens the community’s collective strength.

By removing caste hurdles, the RSS aims to create a “unified force” capable of resisting external cultural threats. In this vision, the “inter-caste marriage” is less about individual liberation and more about “Hindu consolidation.”

A Clash of Intellectual Legacies

Critics and scholars point out a fundamental irony in the RSS invoking Ambedkar. While Ambedkar believed Hinduism was inherently hierarchical and eventually converted to Buddhism to escape it, the RSS seeks to “renovate” the religion by removing the “outdated” caste system while keeping the religious structure intact.

As Bhagwat puts it: “If caste goes, politics will correct itself.” But for followers of Ambedkar, the goal was never just to fix politics—it was to liberate the human spirit from a systemic “division of laborers.”

Bottom Line

The call for inter-caste marriage from the head of the RSS marks a historical pivot. Whether this is a genuine step toward social equality or a strategic maneuver to build a sturdier political block remains the subject of intense debate. One thing is clear: the “medicine” prescribed by the radical reformer Ambedkar is now being dispensed by the conservative guardians of the RSS, albeit for a very different cure.