Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Saturday said that a Hindu who believes India should have no Muslims isn’t truly a Hindu.
“If you call yourself a Hindu, you must believe that all paths lead to the same destination. Every human being has inherent dignity, there is no fundamental difference between us,” Bhagwat told a crowd at a faith leaders’ conference titled ‘One World One Humanity' in New York.
“Those who truly know view everyone equally, whether a learned scholar or a dog. These external differences merely decorate nature. While we must navigate through them in daily life, the underlying reality remains, we are one. The illusions of division exist and may thrive for a time, but eventually they will fade, only for new illusions to take their place,” he added.
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He also recalled being questioned by several Muslims about his “claim of a Hindu Rashtra” during his lecture series in New Delhi in 2018.
“In 2018 during my lecture series in Delhi, several Muslim brothers present there asked me, 'you are a Hindu organisation. You speak of Hindu Rashtra. What about us Muslims? Will you drive us out?' I told them, 'no, that is not Hindutva. If any Hindu thinks that there should be no Muslim in Bharat, he ceases to be a Hindu,” he said.
Bhagwat made the remarks hours before his scheduled address to a gathering of around 5,000 people at the iconic Madison Square Garden.
{{/usCountry}}Bhagwat made the remarks hours before his scheduled address to a gathering of around 5,000 people at the iconic Madison Square Garden.
{{/usCountry}}The RSS leader arrived in the US on Tuesday as part of the organisation’s centenary-year global outreach programme. His outreach tour also includes Canada and the UK.
Bhagwat said he works in a society which traditionally says that religions might be different, but humanity is one. "I am not a religious scholar, nor a religious authority like you, but I am working in a society which traditionally says that religions might be different, but humanity is one. Truth is one, and humanity is a product of that truth. So humanity is one. That truth is one truth, but it is described in many ways according to the describer. Because as human beings, we are prisoners of the software that has been created in our heads," he said.
"There are many religions, and in today's world, religions are largely defined by rituals. And to fit in a religious discipline, and to treat that path to divinity, this discipline of rituals is also necessary," he added.
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Bhagwat's scheduled event at the Madison Square Garden has drawn criticism from several civil rights organisations.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani sparked controversy when he said he does not support the planned event featuring the RSS chief. He, however, noted that the city may not have jurisdiction to cancel the "private" event.