Ahmedabad, Apr 14 (PTI) India was progressing economically but its western and northern borders were not so safe that people can sleep peacefully, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat said at an event here on Friday.

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Though he did not take names, it was apparently a reference to Pakistan, with which India shares a border on the west, and China.

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"Our country is today progressing. It is also gaining reputation, heft and wealth. The spread of patriotism among the people is evident and that is the reason we have got leadership (presidency) of the G20, However, there are many challenges," Bhagwat said at the RSS event.

"Our western and northern borders are not so safe that we can sleep peacefully. Our soldiers have to remain awake and we (citizens) also have to remain awake," he added.

Those with vested interests are trying to slander India in many ways while we are progressing, and there was need to fight "intellectual battles" with such forces, the RSS chief asserted.

"Though we have progressed economically, poverty has not gone from the country. The work (of development) is yet incomplete. We have to fight these challenges," he said.

Our society will have to get organised to fight these challenges, Bhagwat added.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)