Hindutva does not envisage a Bharat without Muslims, says RSS chief in New York

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat said on Saturday that Hindutva does not envisage an India without Muslims, asserting that a Hindu who believes Muslims have no place in the country would cease to be Hindu.

Speaking at an interfaith event in New York City, Mr. Bhagwat said he was questioned by Muslims about the RSS's vision of a "Hindu Rashtra" and whether Muslims would be driven out. "I said, no, that is not Hindutva. If any Hindu thinks that there should be no Muslims in Bharat, he will not remain Hindu," he said.

Mr. Bhagwat stressed that while people may follow different religions, humanity remains one. "We live in a society where religions may be different, but humanity is one," he said, adding that India's tradition had been to provide shelter to people irrespective of their religious identity.

The RSS chief cited the organisation's service activities to underline his claim that it does not discriminate on the basis of religion. According to him, about 1.3 lakh service projects are being run by RSS volunteers with the help of society.

Recalling an incident in Dadri, Haryana, where two aircraft from Muslim-majority countries collided, Mr. Bhagwat said RSS volunteers were among the first to reach the site. As all passengers had died, the volunteers helped arrange funerals and assisted relatives in identifying the victims, he said.

"We don't have the thought that they are Muslims," Mr. Bhagwat said, referring to the volunteers' approach to relief and service. He said the organisation's approach was rooted in the belief that "we" and "ours" should replace the narrow focus on "me" and "mine". "Where there is 'me' and 'mine,' there is no solution. 'We' and 'ours' is the solution," he said.

Mr. Bhagwat also referred to the RSS's dialogue with members of minority communities, saying that the organisation had begun engaging more extensively with Muslims and Christians in Bharat after 2018. "Dialogue is the first step, and service is another step," he said.

Invoking the example of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, the RSS chief said the spiritual teacher had practised different religious traditions, including Islam and Christianity. He quoted him as saying: "As many ways, as many thoughts. All lead to one way."

Mr. Bhagwat said the idea of the unity of humanity was embedded in India's traditional thought as well as in the Constitution. He argued that social change could not be achieved through politics alone and called for local initiatives based on selfless service, dialogue and unity.

"Things cannot be achieved through politics alone. Sorry to say, but the fact is that politics has now become a game of self-interest. Our experience in India is that we have to start with society, and we have started it," he said.