Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday voiced concern over the rising costs and inaccessibility of healthcare and education in India. Speaking after inaugurating the Madhav Srishti Arogya Kendra, set up by organisation Guruji Seva Nyas for affordable cancer treatment, Bhagwat said these sectors, once seen as acts of service, have now turned into profit-driven enterprises.
Highlighting the gap in cancer treatment facilities, Bhagwat pointed out that advanced care is available in only eight to ten Indian cities. “Patients are forced to spend large sums and travel long distances for treatment. Healthcare should not become a cause of anxiety,” he said.
Mohan Bhagwat shares personal experience
Recalling a childhood incident, Bhagwat shared, “When I had malaria and missed school for three days, my teacher came home with jungle herbs for my treatment. He wanted his student to remain healthy. That kind of personal care is what society needs again.” Bhagwat also cautioned against blindly applying Western medical research to Indian conditions, noting that different people benefit from different systems be it naturopathy, homeopathy, or allopathy. “No single way can be supreme. Indian medical systems treat based on personal needs,” he added.
Drawing a parallel with healthcare, Bhagwat said students in many areas still need to travel far for quality education.
He further rejected what he called “technical and formal” terms like corporate social responsibility (CSR), Bhagwat said, “In the context of service, we have a word called ‘dharma’.
