According to a news source, Mohan Bhagwat, the leader of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), voiced alarm on Thursday about the recurrence of multiple temple-mosque clashes in the nation.
Speaking at a lecture on “India-The Vishwaguru” in Pune, Bhagwat claimed that some people believe they can become “leaders of Hindus” by stirring up such arguments after the Ram Temple in Ayodhya was built. He also emphasised that this is undesirable. The leader of the RSS, who argued for an inclusive society, stated that the world must see that the nation can coexist peacefully.
“We have been living in harmony for a long time. If we want to provide this harmony to the world, we need to create a model of it. After the construction of Ram Mandir, some people think they can become leaders of Hindus by raking up similar issues in new places. This is not acceptable,” Bhagwat was quoted as saying by news agency. “Every day, a new matter (dispute) is being raked up. How can this be allowed? This cannot continue. India needs to show that we can live together,” he said without mentioning any particular site.
The RSS chief’s comments coincide with a number of requests for mosque surveys in order to locate temples that have recently made their way to the courts.
The Supreme Court issued a national decree on December 12 prohibiting all courts from considering new lawsuits or issuing orders to inspect mosques to see whether temple buildings are located beneath them. “Some groups that came from outside brought staunchness and they want their old rule to return,” Mohan Bhagwat remarked in his address on Thursday. “But now the country runs as per the Constitution. In this setup people choose their representatives, who run the government. The days of hegemony are gone,” he asserted, according to news agency.
Bhagwat mentioned the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb’s reign, claiming that it was marked by this kind of steadfastness. He, however, also pointed out that the Mughal ruler’s descendant, Bahadur Shah Zafar, also forbade cow slaughter in 1857. “It was decided that Ram Mandir in Ayodhya should be given to Hindus but the British sensed it and created rift between the two communities,” Bhagwat said, according to PTI. “Since then, this sense of ‘algavwad’ (separatism) came into being. As a result, Pakistan came into existence.” Additionally, he asked why, if everyone identifies as Indian, the “language of dominance” was being employed.
“Who is a minority and who is a majority? Everyone is equal here. The tradition of this nation is all can follow their own forms of worship. The only requirement is to live in harmony and abide by rules and laws,” the RSS chief asserted.
