Ancestors of Hindus, Muslims same, our past is basis of our unity: RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat

Mangalore Today News Network / News18

New Delhi, Sep 07, 2021: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said here on Monday that the ancestors of Hindus and Muslims are the same, and our motherland and glorious past are the basis of our unity.

 

Bhagwat made the statement at a programme organised by the Pune-based Global Strategic Policy Foundation, where he was invited as the chief guest. In what is being seen as an outreach programme by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, he addressed the crowd with his speech on ‘Nation first - rashtra sarvapratham’.

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan and Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain, Chancellor of Central University of Kashmir, were present on the dais. The event started with the speech of Hasnain followed by Khan, and then Bhagwat. During the event, books on Islam, terrorism and Hindutva were also distributed.

“The ancestors of Hindus and Muslims are the same. Our motherland and our glorious past are the basis of our unity," Bhagwat said, adding that “we have to think of the dominance of India, and not of dominance of Muslims."

“Our tradition is the foundation of our unity. Hindus and Muslims are equal. Hindu is not any linguistic or communal identity, but it is the name of the tradition that helps in the development of human beings,” the RSS chief said.

With the ‘cream of Muslim society’ present at the meeting, Bhagwat appealed to the Muslim intellectuals in his address “oppose insanity committed by some sections of the community.”

“Islam came to India through invasions. This is the history, and that is how it should be told. Muslim intellectuals must oppose and condemn acts of insanity by certain sections of the community. They will have to take a stern stand in the face of fundamental voices. This work needs to be done with a lot of effort. The sooner we start the better the results and minimum loss. Bharat will be a super power but not for threatening others but to be a vishwaguru. Nobody should fear Bharat’s aspiration to be a superpower,” said Bhagwat.

Arif Mohammad Khan said, “Wherever diversity was attacked that place had to deal with many problems. The diverse societies are accomplished societies. In Indian society everybody is an equal.”

With changing geo political situation and developments in Afghanistan, Hasnain cautioned against Pakistan and said, “with changing context Muslim intellectuals must be alert and foil Pakistan’s attempts to target Indian Muslims.”

One of the members of the thinktank Mufti Athar Shamsi from Shamli’s Al-Quran academy, who was part of organizing the event, and preparing the guest list informed News18.com, “This was an important event where the big names of Muslim society were present. The theme was nation building, which saw a good presence of some prominent Muslims. There was discussion on condemning extremism, and it is the need of the hour to follow a middle path.”

He shared the names of prominent Muslims who attended the event.

According to him, Islamic scholar Kaleem Ahmad Siddiqui, from Phulat Muzaffarnagar, Syed Abdullah Tariq, Rampur, who is a founder of World Organization of Religions and Knowledge, Maulana Zakwan Nadwi, Lucknow, Sirajuddin Qureshi, who is President India Islamic Cultural Center and MD Hind Group of Companies, Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology, Amity Institute of Clinical Psychology, Nadeem Kirmani, AMU faculty Rehan Akhtar, Haji Syed Salman Chishty, Gaddi Nashin-Dargah Ajmer Sharif were present among others.

President of the think tank Anant Bhagwat said, “The event was organized to promote unity in diversity, further the nation building agenda with the cream of Muslim society present.”