New cases unacceptable: RSS chief echoes old line on religious disputes

At a time of multiple legal claims on mosques by the Hindu side, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Friday batted for communal harmony, asking if “a new matter could be allowed every day.”

Without making an explicit reference to any dispute, Bhagwat said, “Every day, a new matter (dispute) is being raked up. How can this be allowed? This cannot continue. India needs to demonstrate to the world that we can live together.”

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav was quick to latch on to Bhagwat’s statement and urged him to take disciplinary action against disciples who are not listening to him.

Yadav also asked Bhagwat to ensure that false cases against those accused in Sambhal violence in UP are dropped and compensation given to the wards of those killed in the incident on the day when a court-directed survey took place at the Jama Masjid mosque in the city.

Bhagwat, for his part, was not saying anything new. As far back as on June 2, 2022, he had said there was no need for Hindus to start looking for a Shivling in every mosque and trigger a new dispute daily.

The RSS has repeatedly said there was no need for a Ram Janmabhoomi-like movement for other places. Repeating the Sangh line while delivering a lecture on ‘India, The Vishwaguru’, in Pune, Bhagwat called for a harmonious society saying the world needs to be shown that Indians could cohabit.

Bhagwat cited the example of Christmas celebrations at Ramakrishna Mission as a demonstration of plurality of the nation. "This only we can do as Hindus," he said.

Mentioning the Ram Mandir movement, the RSS chief said after the consecration of the Ram Lalla idol in Ayodhya, “some people think they can become leaders of Hindus by raking up similar issues in new places. This is not acceptable.”