New York: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has said that anyone who believes Muslims should not live in India cannot claim to be a Hindu, stressing the need for harmony and coexistence among different religious communities.
Speaking at the ‘One World, One Humanity’ event at Madison Square Garden in New York, Bhagwat said all communities and faiths should live together peacefully in India.
Recalling his interaction with members of the Muslim community in 2018, Bhagwat said he had been asked about the place of Muslims in the idea of a ‘Hindu Rashtra’ and whether they would be driven out of the country.
Bhagwat said different faiths and beliefs represent different paths towards the same ultimate truth, while diversity is a natural feature of the world and unity lies beneath it. He also emphasised the importance of respecting the dignity of every individual.
Bhagwat backs interfaith dialogue, community-led change
The RSS chief said the organisation would extend its support to interfaith cooperation and called for greater dialogue and joint service initiatives to reduce mistrust between communities.
More than 180 religious leaders from 30 countries participated in the event. Leaders pledged to oppose hatred, violence and religious discrimination, while supporting coexistence and the protection of persecuted communities.
Bhagwat said meaningful change should begin within society rather than being driven solely by politics. Greater cooperation at the local level, he said, could contribute to addressing broader global challenges.
Religious leaders also discussed promoting harmony among young people and using technology, including artificial intelligence, to advance human values. Participants exchanged Rakhis as a symbolic message of unity, mutual respect and shared responsibility.
