Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Aug 30: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat’s recent remarks on Hindu-Muslim unity in New York have triggered political reactions, with BJP leaders backing his assertion of inclusivity while Opposition parties questioned his position and commitment to equality and plurality in India.
BJP National Spokesperson RP Singh said Hinduism was inherently inclusive and could not be confined to a particular sect, religion or mode of worship.
“Hindu is inclusive. ‘Hindu’ is not the name of a sect, nor the name of a religion, nor can ‘Hindu’ be tied to a specific mode of worship. Being Hindu is a way of life,” Singh said.
He said those who followed Hindutva or Hinduism regarded people belonging to different faiths and paths as equals.
Singh added that Bhagwat was therefore right in saying that a person could not claim to be a Hindu while being opposed to Muslims or refusing to accept them as part of society.
BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain also defended Bhagwat’s remarks, saying the message delivered by the RSS chief in the US was consistent with his earlier statements.
“There might be some narrow-minded people, some narrow individuals who think like that,” Hussain said, adding that Indian citizens belonged to the country irrespective of their mode of worship.
He said Hindutva did not exclude or isolate the Muslim community and cited the principle of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”.
Opposition leaders, however, reacted cautiously and criticised the remarks.
TMC MP Saugata Roy described Bhagwat’s statement as a positive development, saying everyone wanted unity and diversity in India. At the same time, he questioned whether Bhagwat’s latest position reflected what he genuinely believed.
“It’s a good thing. We all want unity and diversity in India. But I don't know whether Mohan Bhagwat has said something that he truly believes or not...” Roy told IANS.
Congress MP Pramod Tiwari said the Constitution was clear about equality for all citizens irrespective of gender, religion, caste and language.
“...The Constitution of India is very clear. It guarantees equality to everyone irrespective of gender, religion, caste and language. If someone follows their religion without violating the law, they have the same rights in India as everyone else,” Tiwari said.
DMK spokesperson T. K. S. Elangovan invoked Article 25 of the Constitution, which guarantees citizens the freedom to profess, practise and propagate religion.
He accused the RSS and BJP of disregarding the constitutional provisions.
“They don't care about what the Constitution says. The Constitution guarantees every Indian citizen the fundamental right to profess, practice, and propagate any religion. There is no bar on anyone choosing or following a religion of their choice. That is what Article 25 of the Constitution provides. But they don't care about these constitutional rights. They are behaving like barbarians. That is what I say. They simply don't care about the law,” he said.
Bhagwat had said on Saturday that a Hindu who believes Muslims should have no place in India ceases to be a Hindu, asserting that Hindutva recognises the dignity of every human being and accepts different paths to the same truth.
Speaking at the “One World, One Humanity” faith leaders’ conference in New York, Bhagwat recalled a question posed by Muslim participants during his lecture series in Delhi in 2018.
He said some Muslim participants had asked whether Muslims would be driven out because the RSS spoke about a “Hindu Rashtra”.
Bhagwat said he had responded that such an approach was not Hindutva and that anyone who believed there should be no Muslim in Bharat ceased to be a Hindu.
He maintained that Hindu identity required acceptance of religious diversity and recognition of the equal worth of every individual.