By Muslim Mirror
A closed-door meeting between Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat and a group of ’eminent’ Muslim personalities took place in the end of August at the RSS headquarters at Keshav Kunj in Delhi’s Jhandewalan, reported the Quint.
Former Vice Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University Lieutenant General (Retd.) Zameer Uddin Shah, former Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi, former Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Najeeb Jung, Rashtriya Lok Dal leader Shahid Siddiqui, and businessman Saeed Shervani were present in the meeting.
Along with Mohan Bhagwat, Sah Sarkaryavah Krishna Gopal of RSS was also present.
After Udaipur killing RSS was very desperate and approached several Muslim leaders to convince Muslim community to refrain from such incident. RSS middleman Ved Pratap Vaidik contacted several Muslim leaders and head of Muslim organizations to organize a press meet jointly and denounce such killing publicly.
According one participant ‘this meeting was planned after Nupur Sharma episodes’.
Numerous topics, including the Gyanvapi conflict, hate crimes, and population control, were also discussed during the discussion, which lasted for more than an hour.
The objective of the visit, according to one of the group’s participants who wished to remain anonymous, was to “highlight issues pertaining to the Muslim community and do something about the communal divide that exists”.
The member said that the group “did not want any media attention around the visit” and that their “initiative should not be misunderstood.”
“We are concerned about what is happening (in the country) and that is why we went for this meeting,” the member said.
Mohan Bhagwat also presented his viewpoints on numerous subjects, a participant said.
According to one of the persons who attended the meeting, Mohan Bhagwat said that “Muslims and Islam are an integral part of India” but he added that “Muslims should stop calling Hindus as Kafirs”.
To this one of the group members replied, “The term was used in a particular context during Prophet Mohammad’s time and it isn’t for Hindus of today at all”.
The RSS leader recalled his comment, “Why look for a Shivling in every mosque?” to the gathering. In order to bridge the gap between Muslims and the RSS, he claimed that this should have been advanced by Muslims.
The RSS side said at the meeting that this was just a “ice-breaker” and that a larger gathering of “Muslim intellectuals” would be planned later.
Is it going to do any good I doubt , knowing the history of RSS and Bhagwat
This is wrong approach. I think Muslim leadership is highly confused. Every now and then, Muslims call for dialogue and even invoke Quran “Repel evil with that which is good, and you will see that he, between whom and you there was enmity, shall become as if he were a bosom friend (of yours).” Second, there should be solid ground for casting aspersions on someone’s intention. After these faces are known and can be reached out to. So, let there be dialogue. It is not taking away anything from you. If the parties on the table are sincere, there will be positive outcome.