M A I N   N E W S

RSS defends remarks on Muslims
Lays down 3 steps to earn Hindus’ goodwill
Tribune News Service and PTI

New Delhi, March 27
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) today strongly defended its controversial Bangalore resolution which states that Muslims’ real safety lies in the goodwill of the majority and asserted that its widely reported statement had no “underlying threat” to the minorities.

Addressing a press conference here, RSS spokesman M.G. Vaidya accused a section of the media of creating a “much unwarranted hype about one sentence in the resolution passed by the RSS General Council recently in Bangalore.

“What is objectionable in this? Does the safety of any minority group lie in the ill will of the majority?”, he asked.

“Much unwarranted hype was created in a section of media about one sentence in the Bangalore resolution passed by the RSS General Council held from March 15 to 17. The sentence was not taken in the right perspective and was read out of context,” the RSS spokesman said to buttress his argument.

The sentence in the resolution read: “Let Muslims understand that their real safety lies in the goodwill of the majority.”

This was a statement of fact and there was no underlying threat in it, the RSS spokesman said and added the resolution was “well thought out” and drafted after deliberations of more than 1,000 RSS delegates.

Stressing that the RSS was not the first to express this sentiment, Mr Vaidya said, “This sentiment has been expressed in almost identical words by several distinguished statesmen in the past.”

He also quoted a portion from the address of former Prime Minister (late) Jawaharlal Nehru to the Convocation of Aligarh Muslim University titled “Freeing the spirit of Man’ on January 24, 1948, to justify RSS’ recent resolution.

Mr Vaidya said that the Muslim leaders would have to redefine the meanings of the words ‘jihad’ kufr and ‘kafir’ so as to put an end to propagation of an ideology of intolerance.

“The Muslims should re-interpret and define the meaning of kafir (infidels), kufr (the philosophy behind the term kafir) and jihad (holy war against infidels). They should not play into the hands of known Hindu-baiters like the Left parties and condemn any violence on Hindus whether in Kashmir or elsewhere. This would assuage the pent-up feelings of Hindus,” he told reporters here when asked about the “steps” Muslims would have to take to earn the goodwill of Hindus.

He said the Hindus believed in plurality and diversity of faiths and the RSS only wanted the minority communities to recognise that. “Christians should also accept that there is salvation outside the Church,” he said.

Mr Vaidya said the RSS was ready for talks with Muslims on the lines of the ongoing dialogue with the Church leaders “but they (Muslims) should take the initiative.”