At RSS iftar meet, Indresh urges Muslims to be true Muslims', not fanatics

New Delhi, Jul 3: In what could be seen as a desperate attempt by the Sangh Parivar to shed its anti-Muslim' image, Muslim Rashtriya Manch (MRM) on Saturday organised an international Iftar' party at the Parliament House Annexe, which was attended by people from different walks of life. MRM is the Muslim wing of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

Although ambassadors from 140 countries were invited for the Iftar' party, the High Commissioner of Pakistan was not invited for the event due to the recent Pampore attack in Jammu and Kashmir.

Altogether ambassadors from nine countries participated in the Iftar party with several academicians, including Jamia University's Vice-Chancellor Prof Talat Ahmad, Delhi University's Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Tyagi and Aligarh Muslim University's Vice-Chancellor Zameer Uddin Shah.

According to MRM chief Mohammad Afzal, they had organised the party to convey a message to the world that India is a country where there is unity in diversity and people from all religions live under single roof and follow their respective faiths. He, however, clarified that it was their own initiative and that the RSS had nothing to do with it.

Warning to Pakistan

Speaking at the Iftar meet, RSS Pracharak Indresh Kumar, who is also the chief patron of MRM, asked Pakistan to stop interfering in India's affairs and instead tackle growing separatism within its boundaries

Kumar warned that Pakistan will be “disintegrate into seven pieces” unless it changes its behaviour. He said several separatist groups mushrooming in Pakistan are threatening the country's existence. “We have conveyed (this) message to Pakistan on several occasions,” he said.

Kumar also criticised AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi for his opposition to the “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” slogan. “A true Muslim,” he said, “will do Haj, but will also say Hindustan Zindabad,” and urged members of the community to be “true” Muslims instead of being “fanatic”.

Union ministers Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Shahnawaz Hussain, BJP spokesperson M J Akbar, several RSS functionaries, and the vice-chancellors of of AMU and Jamia Millia Islamia were among those in attendance.

The Iftar had become controversial after the MRM cancelled invitation to Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit over his casual remarks after the terror attack in Pampore on June 25, that killed eight CRPF personnel.