Politics creates Hindu-Muslim divide

[Guest guest]

Politics creates Hindu-Muslim divide —K.S. Sudarshan

P.B. Dasgupta, VSK Jaipur

"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's population 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."

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