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P.B. Dasgupta, VSK Jaipur
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?A little change of attitude of the Muslim brethren in India may usher in a new era of peace, tranquillity and social harmony,? said Shri K.S. Sudarshan, Sarsanghachalak of RSS. Addressing the all India conference of My Hindusthan, a Muslim organisation, in Jaipur on February 12, Shri Sudarshan said, ?Though a large section of India'spopulation had converted to Islam under various circumstances during the Mughal period, their ethnic identity, cultural roots and forefathers are still the same. Since all faiths, beliefs and ways of worship are respected in India and enjoy equal rights, there should not be any ill feeling between each other.? Hinduism, he said, ?is not a religion, but a way of life and it is a conglomerate of all forms of rituals and worship. As Swami Vivekananda had said all religions are like rivers, which ultimately culminate in an ocean, the infinite.?
He continued, ?Since Islam came to this country, in whatever manner it be, both Hindus and Muslims co-existed in fraternity. But bitterness crept in among them as it was a creation of the Britishers to fulfill their design, to rule this country. The intention was to ?divide and rule? by weakening the Indian social fabric. They played all kinds of dirty games to create a communal divide and ultimately Partition of India was their last resort before they left this country. The Muslims should realise these facts,? Shri Sudarshan said, adding that the concept of majority and minority was also their creation. ?Minorities, in a real sense, are those who fled from their countries and took shelter here due to persecution. In that category, Jews and Parsis were considered to be the real minorities. But both accepted this country as their own and got completely assimilated with the Hindu society. There are many clear examples of those who contributed their best for the welfare of the nation,? he said.
Elaborating on the connotation of kafir, he said that its usage was not justified against those who believed in the existence of God, the Infinite. He appealed to Islamic scholars to redefine the word particularly in the light of its reference to the Hindu ethos, which considered the presence of God Almighty, not only in human beings, but in entire creation. ?We believe in vasudaiva kutumbakam,? he said.
Shri Sudarshan further stated that Egypt was the first Islamic country to initiate step towards moderation in Islamic faith and withdraw the word kafir from all educational textbooks. Describing India as the real Dar-ul-Islam, he pointed out that all the 73 Islamic sects function in Bharat. He continued, ?The Jehadi image of the Indian Muslims must be changed. This country does not appreciate the idea of Jehad; it believes in consolidation of the nation for a better future. The idea of bringing together all the nationalist Muslims in the country for a common destiny is the need of the hour.? He expressed happiness that within such a short span, a forum like My Hindusthan had come to acquire a distinct shape.
Regarding the opposition to the conference by a section of Muslims, Shri Sudarshan said, ?They will realise its necessity in due course of time and every good endeavour, as is a natural phenomenon, faces initial resistance.?
