If a Hindu Thinks Muslims Should Not Live in India, He Is No Longer a Hindu: RSS Chief

Darwin, August 30: According to a report by Indian news agency ANI, Mohan Bhagwat, chief of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological parent organisation of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has said that if a Hindu believes that no Muslim should live in India, then he is no longer a Hindu.

Bhagwat made the remarks on Saturday (August 29) during an interfaith dialogue in New York, where he spoke about the importance of maintaining harmony among different religions.

Responding to a question about Hindu-Muslim unity and the RSS’s vision of a “Hindu Rashtra” (Hindu nation), Bhagwat said, “If you want to identify yourself as a Hindu, you have to believe that all paths lead to the same destination. Every individual has their own dignity, and there is no difference among human beings.”

Recalling an incident from his past, he said, “I once gave a speech where some Muslim brothers were also present. They asked me, ‘You lead a Hindu organisation and talk about a Hindu Rashtra, so what will happen to us Muslims? Will you drive us out?’ I told them, ‘No, that is not Hindutva. If a Hindu thinks that no Muslim should live in India, then he is no longer a Hindu.’”

Speaking about his social background, the RSS chief said he comes from a society that traditionally places humanity above religion.

“I am not a person who holds any religious authority. However, I work in a society that has traditionally said that religions may be different, but humanity is one.

Truth is one, and humanity is a product of that truth. That one truth is described in different ways according to people’s perspectives, because as human beings, we are prisoners of the mental frameworks created in our minds,” he said.

Referring to the importance of rituals and discipline on the spiritual path, Bhagwat said that religions around the world are currently defined largely by rituals and practices. He added that such discipline is essential for fitting into a religious tradition and following the path toward attaining God.