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Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday said the LGBTQ+ community is an integral part of Indian society and should not be ostracised, asserting that those whose identities are innate have the right to live with dignity.

Speaking at an event in Hyderabad, Bhagwat said diverse sexual orientations and gender identities have always existed in society.

'They Have A Right To Live'

"LGBTQ+ and all these communities exist. Such tendencies are present in society. Some are innate, determined by nature itself; neither we nor they can do anything about it—that is simply how they were born," Bhagwat said.

He added that while some tendencies may arise later in life due to mindset or physical inclinations, the phenomenon exists across the world and has historically existed in India as well.

"Our tradition has acknowledged their existence. Some may be curable, some may not be, but they are human beings too and have a right to live," he said.

'Not Ostracised From Society'

Bhagwat said Indian society has traditionally accommodated such communities without excluding them.

"They are not ostracised from society; there is a place for them within the vast tapestry of social life. We are taught not to view them with a sense of inferiority," he said.

#WATCH | Hyderabad, Telangana: RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat says, "LGBTQ+ and all these communities exist. Such tendencies are present in society. Some are innate, determined by nature itself; neither we nor they can do anything about it—that is simply how they were born. However,… pic.twitter.com/zJvTSZDfJk

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He pointed to the presence of deities, shrines and Mahamandaleshwars associated with transgender communities, including their participation in the Kumbh Mela, as examples of their place in Indian traditions. 

According to Bhagwat, society historically adopted a sympathetic and inclusive approach instead of making "unnecessary noise or fanfare" over the issue.

Comments On Gender Debate

The RSS chief also addressed the debate over gender superiority, rejecting the idea that either men or women are inherently superior.

He said claims that either gender can do everything on its own are "an illusion" and stressed that men and women complement each other.

"If something has to happen somewhere, it is necessary for men and women to be together," Bhagwat said.