Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat expressed concern over the recent temple-mosque disputes emerging across the country. 
Insisting that such disputes cannot be continued, Bhagwat criticized &lsquo;certain individuals&rsquo;, for raking up religious issues and believing that they can become &lsquo;leaders of Hindus&rsquo; especially after the construction of the Ram Janmbhoomi temple in Ayodhya.
Delivering a lecture on &lsquo;India &ndash; The Vishwaguru&rsquo;, at Sahjeevan Vyakhyanmala in Pune on Thursday, Bhagwat advocated for an inclusive society and said the world needs to be shown that Indians can live together in harmony.
Highlighting the plurality of Indian society, Bhagwat pointed out that Christmas is celebrated at the Ramakrishna Mission, adding &ldquo;only we can do this, because we are Hindus&rdquo;.
&ldquo;We have been living in harmony for a long time. If we want to provide this (harmony) to the world, we need to create a model of it. After the construction of the Ram mandir, some people think they can become leaders of Hindus by raking up similar issues in new places. This is not acceptable,&rdquo; he said.
The Ram temple was constructed since it was a matter of faith for all Hindus, Bhagwat said.
&ldquo;A new matter (dispute) is being raked up every day. How can this be allowed? This cannot continue. India needs to show that we can live together,&rdquo; he said without mentioning any particular site.
Several demands for surveys of mosques to unearth temples have found their way to courts in the recent past, though Bhagwat did not mention any by name in his lecture.
A few groups came from outside and brought staunchness with them and they want their old rule to return, he said.
&ldquo;But now the country runs as per the Constitution. In this setup, people choose their representatives, who run the government. The days of hegemony are gone," he asserted.
He said the rule of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb was characterised by such staunchness, though his descendant Bahadur Shah Zafar in 1857 banned cow slaughter.
&ldquo;It was decided that Ram mandir in Ayodhya should be given to Hindus but the British sensed it and created a rift between the two communities. Since then, this sense of &lsquo;algavwad&rsquo; (separatism) came into being. As a result, Pakistan came into existence," he said.
Bhagwat asked why the &ldquo;language of dominance" was being used if everybody identifies themselves as Indians.
&ldquo;Who is a minority and who is a majority? Everyone is equal here. The tradition of this nation is all can follow their own forms of worship. The only requirement is to live in harmony and abide by rules and laws,&rdquo; the RSS chief asserted.

RSS chief expresses concerns over recent demands, surveys, calls for harmony

‘Temple-Mosque Disputes Cannot Continue’

RSS chief expresses concerns over recent demands, surveys, calls for harmony

December 20, 2024 | 15:34 IST