Mohan Bhagwat says Hindus cannot seek exclusion of Muslims from Bharat

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Saturday said a Hindu who believes that Muslims should not live in Bharat would not remain a Hindu.

Bhagwat made the remarks while addressing the One World: One Humanity Faith Leaders’ Summit.

He said people from different communities have always lived in Bharat. “By tradition, Bharat has given shelter to everybody. Those who could not find a safe place in the world came to Bharat, where they found their place,” he said.

Bhagwat said the RSS believes that humanity is one despite differences. “We as RSS think, because we have this knowledge that world humanity is one, it is our duty to go all over the world and tell everybody that, in spite of diversities, we are one,” he said.

He also spoke about questions he had received from Muslims about the RSS and its idea of a Hindu Rashtra. “Muslim brothers asked me a question: You are a Hindu organisation, you see Hindu Rashtra, what about us Muslims? Would you drive us 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. 

Bhagwat said society should focus on collective identity rather than individual interests. “Where there is ‘me’ and ‘mine’, there is no solution. ‘We’ and ‘ours’ is the solution,” he said.

He also spoke about the RSS's service activities. “We (RSS) are serving. While serving, we don’t see discrimination. Whoever is in need, we are serving. One lakh thirty thousand service projects are being run by our Swayamsevaks with the help of society. They served everywhere and served equally," Bhagwat said. 

Bhagwat arrived in the US on Tuesday as part of the RSS centenary-year global outreach programme. His tour also includes Canada and the UK.

During his US visit, Bhagwat is scheduled to address a gathering of around 5,000 people at Madison Square Garden. He has also held meetings with members of the Indian diaspora, Indian-American business executives and community leaders.

Bhagwat visited the Bhakti Centre in New York. He also paid tribute to Srila A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the Indian spiritual leader who founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON).  (with inputs from PTI)