AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): AIMIM president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi has questioned the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s ideology following remarks by its chief Mohan Bhagwat in New York about Hindu-Muslim unity and the place of Muslims in India.
Responding to Bhagwat’s statement, Owaisi referred to the writings and views attributed to early Hindutva and RSS figures, including Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, RSS founder K B Hedgewar and former RSS chief M S Golwalkar. He said people should examine those writings and decide for themselves what they reveal about the organisation’s ideology.
Owaisi argued that Bhagwat’s remarks presented one image of the RSS before an international audience. At the same time, the views expressed by some of the organisation’s prominent ideological figures raised different questions about its approach towards Muslims and other minorities.
Referring to Hedgewar, Owaisi claimed that the RSS founder did not agree with efforts by the Congress leadership during the freedom movement to promote Hindu-Muslim unity. He cited an RSS-published biography of Hedgewar, saying it referred to his disagreement with the slogan of Hindu-Muslim unity.
The AIMIM leader also referred to Golwalkar and his writings while questioning the RSS’s ideological approach. Owaisi claimed that Golwalkar had described the organisation in terms of “one flag, one leader and one ideology”, linking the reference to his criticism of the RSS’s outlook on democracy.
Owaisi further cited the chapter titled Internal Threats in Golwalkar’s book Bunch of Thoughts. He said the book described Muslims and Christians as internal threats to India, and argued that such writings could not be ignored while discussing present-day statements about Hindu-Muslim unity.
The AIMIM chief also referred to the 2002 anti-Muslim Gujarat riots while raising questions about the alleged role of the RSS and the conduct of the administration during the period. He said Muslims were subjected to widespread violence and that questions had been raised about the role of the authorities.
Owaisi also linked his criticism to issues including the proposed Uniform Civil Code, anti-conversion laws and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. He alleged that minorities were being targeted under the influence of the RSS’s ideological outlook.
Addressing Bhagwat, Owaisi said that if the RSS chief wanted to present the organisation’s position before the world, he should publicly read selected passages written by Savarkar, Hedgewar and Golwalkar and allow people to form their own opinion about the RSS and its ideology.
The AIMIM leader maintained that public statements should be examined alongside the historical writings and ideological positions associated with prominent figures of the Hindu nationalist movement.
Meanwhile, Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahali, an executive member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, gave a more measured response to Bhagwat’s comments, saying that the message would need to be reflected in conditions on the ground.
“In my opinion, what Mohan Bhagwat has said should also be implemented at the grassroots level in the country. Only then can such a statement be considered positive,” Firangi Mahali said.
He said Bhagwat’s remarks had conveyed a positive message but added that their real value would depend on whether the sentiment was reflected in society and public life.
Congress leader Rashid Alvi on Sunday questioned Bhagwat’s remarks on Hindu-Muslim unity and Muslims’ place in India, asking why such a statement was made in the United States instead of being made and reflected upon within the country.
Alvi questioned the need for the RSS chief to travel to the United States to speak about relations between Hindus and Muslims.
“First of all, what was the need to go to America to say this? If there is no problem between Hindus and Muslims in India, why was there suddenly a need to go to America and make such a statement?” Alvi said.
He argued that the very need for such remarks indicated that problems existed.
“This means that there is a problem. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat is putting on a show to improve his image. Does he not know what the Chief Minister of Assam says about Muslims? Does he not know what the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh says about Muslims?” Alvi said.
The Congress leader also questioned whether Bhagwat’s remarks would change international perceptions if, according to him, the situation faced by Muslims within India was different from the message presented abroad.
“If the truth is not spoken in America, the world will not believe such statements. This will only further damage the image. The whole world knows what is happening inside India,” Alvi said.
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