By tradition, nationalism and ancestry, we are all Hindus: Bhagwat

RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat on Wednesday said that the Sangh has reservations on the use of word "minority" and noted that it would always maintain that the people of the country are Hindus by tradition, nationalism, and ancestry.

Bhagwat, who answered questions in the last part of his lecture series here, said the Sangh has evolved its views with the times.

He said the word 'minority' gives an impression of difference whereas all people are the same.

"Before the British came to India, we didn't use the term minorities. We all belong to the same society, and lived together. The Sangh has reservations on the very word minorities. Sangh doesn't believe in it. Everybody is our own. If they have gone away, we have to unite them. We speak with these sentiments," he said.

Urging people to see how RSS functions, he said Muslims living in the vicinity of places where a 'shakha' takes place feel secure.

"Wherever there is a proper shakha of Sangh and if there is a Muslim neighbourhood in the vicinity, I can assure you that they feel more secure there. We believe in nationalism, which is the tradition of both Muslims and Christians. It is about the pride of that feeling."

He said devotion towards motherland is Hindutva. "Don't have any doubts. Come, talk to us, attend the programmes of the Sangh. Come and see what happens, what is spoken. Those who come to us, their views about us change. You can ask questions."

"Time changes, accordingly the organisation changes itself and thought and articulation also changes according to the situation and time," he said.

Answering a query on NOTA (none of the above) during voting, he said it is not advisable to choose the option because "if we don't select the best possible option, the worst possible one will benefit."

--IANS

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