New Delhi: The Muslim Rashtriya Manch, affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), on Sunday launched ‘connect with the roots’ campaign from Rajghat – memorial dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi, giving a call for spreading message for ‘brotherhood and shared heritage’ in the country.
Indresh Kumar, senior member of RSS national executive and the chief patron of the Muslim Rashtriya Manch, led the campaign with the theme – ‘different faiths, one homeland, one Indian identity’, with an objective of far-reaching goal of “hate-free India”.
The Muslim body is expected to mount a major social campaign over next few days to mitigate “growing social distance, mutual distrust and incidents of hatred” and a resolve to this effect was taken at the conference at Gandhi Smriti Darshan in Rajghat.
“The methods of worship, religious beliefs and traditions of people living in India may be different, but their motherland, national identity and shared heritage connect them with one another,” an official statement said outlining the key message of the conference.
Many social, academic and religious representatives attending the program, said that if society is to be brought out of hatred and tension, the solution cannot come only through political debate. It must also come through direct dialogue among people and by strengthening social relationships.
A large number of participants resolved to strengthen the idea of India, Indianness, and to promote brotherhood and harmony across society.
Indresh Kumar, chairing the programme, emphasised on the need for Indian society to understand its roots, history and shared heritage.
He said that a person’s religion may be a matter of faith and their method of worship may be different, but this does not erase their Indian identity.
He said that people living on the soil of India have shared relationships and a common way of life for centuries. Therefore, society should look for those things that bring people together rather than promote issues that create distance between them.
“We were Hindustanis and we are Hindustanis. The test of this journey has to be faced by us every day, 24 hours a day,” he added.
He emphasised that Indianness is not merely something to be spoken about; it must be reflected in one’s conduct, thinking and responsibility towards society.
Explaining the objective of the ‘Aao Jadon Se Judein’ campaign, Indresh Kumar said that every person should know about their family, ancestors and genealogy, or shijra.
He said that when a person knows who their ancestors were, where they lived and what their social and cultural heritage was, their connection with their soil and society becomes stronger.
He clarified that knowing one’s roots does not mean belittling another religion or community. Instead, it is a process of understanding one’s own identity and respecting one’s heritage.
He said that to make India free from riots, untouchability, pollution, illiteracy and unemployment, society must strengthen love, dialogue, brotherhood and peace in place of hatred.
Brushing aside misgivings around the ‘Aao Jadon Se Judein’ (connect with roots), the veteran RSS leader Indresh Kumar remarked that it is not a campaign for religious conversion and its real objective is to help the people of India understand their shared heritage, respect one another’s faith and beliefs, and strengthen Indian unity.
He also called for greater participation in the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ and ‘Ghar-Ghar Tiranga’ campaigns being observed from August 1 to 15, saying that the Tricolour does not belong to any particular political party or community but represents the shared identity of the entire nation.
(IANS)
