"There is need for strong laws and steps to deal with the incidents and the perpetrators of rape," Bhagwat, whose comment that rapes took place in "India" but not in "Bharat" had created a controversy, told a function here in Nadia district in connection with the sesquicentennial of Swami Vivekananda.
But there is also a need to change the mindset of the society because the people who will make the laws (against rape) are also from the same society. "If there is no change in the mindset of the society then nothing will change," he said.
"In a country like India where women were worshipped as 'Jagat Janani' are now being harassed and raped. It is the same country where a war was fought because a woman was harassed (Mahabharata).
"We have forgotten our values and principles. It is a country where woman used to idolise Sita, Savitri and Damayanti," Bhagwat said
Referring to the country's development, he said it should become a superpower to serve the poor and the underprivileged.
"We don't want to become a superpower like China or the USA ... But we have to be fearless," he added.
Former ISRO chairman G Madhavan Nair, who was also present on the occasion, spoke on the contribution of Swami Vivekananda.
