Exclusive: 'Mohan Bhagwat said Hindus should not look for Shivling under every mosque'
Taking part in a special edition of Asianet News 'Dialogues', Dr Quraishi told Resident Editor-Delhi Prasanth Reghuvamsom that the idea behind meeting RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat was to understand how he intends to give a sense of security to the Muslims, who constitute about 15 per cent of the Indian population.
FollowIt was a meeting that triggered speculations far and wide about its intent and outcome. The meeting was held at the Rashtra Swayamsevak Sangh headquarters in New Delhi in September between RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and five eminent people, including former Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung, journalist Shahid Siddiqui, hotelier Saeed Shervani, former Indian Army chief Lt Gen Zameer Uddin Shah and former chief election commissioner S Y Quraishi. In a special edition of Asianet News 'Dialogues', Quraishi told Resident Editor-Delhi Prasanth Reghuvamsom that the idea behind the meeting was to understand how the RSS chief intends to give a sense of security to the Muslims, who constitute about 15 per cent of the Indian population.
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"We (Quraishi and four others) are a group of friends who have been meeting over lunch, dinner, coffee and tea and discussing the situation as we see in India today. We were quite anxious and worried. We thought that maybe we should meet the RSS chief and find out how he views the situation and what his plans are to give a sense of security to such a large community like the Muslims, who form about 15 per cent of India's population. So that is why we requested him to meet us when he was in town. We sent an e-mail to him. For a month, we heard that he was coming to Delhi. He met us at the very first opportunity. It was a very good meeting," the former CEC said.
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'99% people found no fault with us meeting RSS chief'
Asked about the accusations that their meeting indirectly legitimised the RSS and its role in modern India, Quraishi said: "That is quite absurd. We are just a group of retired people. A motley group of five people... we do not represent the community or organisation. So how does he get legitimised? What difference does it make to him or the RSS that a group of people met him and expressed their concerns? So I think this is a very meaningless allegation."
According to Quraishi, 99 per cent of the people who reached out to him after the meeting with Bhagwat supported him and said he did the right thing.Â
"Even those who were critical, their only criticism was nothing would happen; it would be useless and that nothing will change. But at the same time, half of those who criticised it said that dialogue is the only way forward. We can only make an effort; the result is in Allah's hands," he said.
'Bhagwat said cow is a very sensitive subject for Hindus'
The former chief election commissioner said that Bhagwat, too, expressed concern about the animosity between the communities and the security of the Muslim community and said that they, too, want to do something about it.
"He (Bhagwat) said there are sections within his organisation and Hindu society who think differently. Some want good relations; some feel what is happening is alright and serves them (Muslim) right. So there is no one opinion in either community. If at all there was a majority of opinion, it was among the Muslims in favour of dialogue," he said.
"He (Bhagwat) said there are two or three things that provoke the Hindus. For instance, he said cow is a very sensitive subject for Hindus. We said, in any case, in most parts of the country, cow slaughter is banned, and the consumption and sale of beef are already banned. So if somebody violates it, prosecute him. He referred to some states with no law (banning cow slaughter). So there, I think, he implied that people, by voluntary action, should try and avoid beef. For instance, in my religion, there is no ban on beef, but I have not touched it in the last 50 years. That's because my friends are Hindus; they avoid beef. And therefore, I also learned to avoid beef. So it is not very difficult for Muslims to give up beef. On the slightest medical advice, we change our food habits. So why can't we do it in the interest of harmony in the country?"
When probed further on the beef issue and how people see 'what to eat' as a fundamental issue, Quraishi did agree that there was no challenge to fundamental rights. However, he quickly added: "Of course, it is our fundamental right, but voluntarily you can give up some rights in the interest of friendship and harmony."
"It was his (Bhagwat) indirect suggestion (people should stop eating beef). The government is under RSS's influence. They could have banned it. They have not banned it because they realise the sensitivity of the minorities," he said.
'Bhagwat said Hindus should not look for Shivling under every mosque'
Quraishi said that the 'Jan Sabha' that took place in Haridwar, where a call for genocide was raised, also figured in their discussion with the RSS chief. He said, "He (Bhagwat) said he disapproves of it. And then he pointed out that even earlier, he had appealed to the Hindus not to look for a 'Shivling' under every mosque. And he repeated that statement, which, I think, is a very powerful statement and needs to go down among the Hindus."
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