Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat said on Tuesday that Muslims are an essential part of the Hindu Rashtra and Hindutva cannot be imagined without them.

“Hindu Rashtra doesn’t mean there’s no place for Muslims. The day it becomes so, it won’t be Hindutva. Hindutva talks about one world family,” Bhagwat said on the second day of the RSS conclave on ‘Future Bharat’ in New Delhi.

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“Sangh works towards universal brotherhood. And the cardinal principle of this brotherhood is unity in diversity. This thought comes from our culture, which the world calls Hindutva. That’s why we call it a Hindu Rashtra,” Bhagwat added.

Addressing a large gathering, the 68-year-old Sarsanghchalak said that the philosophy of RSS is taking everyone along.

Underlining India’s diversity, Bhagwat said that we claim to be the progeny of Bharat Mata and the followers of the universal human values in spite of differences in our food habits, rituals and customs, language and God.

Referring to Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar’s view on religion, Bhagwat said that RSS stresses on values.

“While speaking in Parliament about Hindu Code Bill, Dr Ambedkar asked: What is a religion, a value or a code? You consider a code as a religion. A code may change but not values. Our perspective towards religion is that it is based on values,” he said.

Elucidating the meaning of Dharma, Bhagwat said that it has developed on the basis of a set of values which is called Hindutva.

“On the basis of the ‘Set of Values’, i.e Hindutva, Dharma has developed. Dharma is a unique word which cannot be translated in any of the foreign languages. Dharma is not confined to any geography, it is universal,” he said.

Bhagwat pointed out how in Vedic times sages disseminated knowledge around the world and Buddha preached Dhamma in his time.

“Even today many saints travel far and wide to spread the knowledge; they do not proselytise,” he said.

Commenting on national issues, Bhagwat said it does not interfere in the government’s policies and functioning and rubbished speculation of the RSS influencing the government’s functioning.

“We don’t participate in politics; (that) doesn’t mean we don’t have any views. We do have our views on national policies, we talk about the policies with all our might,” said Bhagwat underlining the RSS’ view on infiltrators.

Read More: RSS doesn’t interfere in government policies, functioning, says Bhagwat

“They (the government) don’t need Sangh’s advice. They neither depend on our advice nor do we give any. If they need any suggestion, they ask for it, and if we have something to offer, then we give it. But we have no influence on the government’s policies,” he added.