Dialogue with Christians to continue, open for talks with Muslims in Kerala: RSS

Dropping hints that the RSS is keen on engaging with the Muslims in Kerala, the RSS leaders said that Muslim leaders in the state have not come forward for any discussion so far. “If they come forward, we can consider it depending upon the issue at stake. At the same time, there will not be any dialogue with anti-nationals,’’ said the RSS leaders.

Eswaran said the RSS did not see Indian Union Muslim League (an ally of Congress) as an extremist outfit. “IUML does not have the extremist approach even though it has communal interests. It is a democratic party. There was a talk with an IUML legislator in Malappuram,” he said.

Referring to its dialogue with various Muslim organisations in Delhi in January this year, Eswaran said the dialogue was not with Jamaat-e-Islami alone. Their (Jamaat) representative was among the Muslim intellectuals who came for the dialogue with the RSS. A discussion with Jamaat would happen only if they are ready to abandon their extreme stand, he said.

Recently, the Jamaat-e-Islami presence in the RSS dialogue with Muslim organisations in Delhi had triggered a political controversy in Kerala with ruling CPI(M) flaying the dialogue. CPI(M) was of the view that the dialogue would not help minorities at a time the secular community in the country was fighting against the Hindutva agenda of the RSS.

With regard to CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan’s refrain that the RSS would declare India a Hindu rashtra in 2025, when it celebrates its centenary, if BJP comes to power again in 2024, RSS leader Balram said India is a Hindu rashtra and the RSS wanted to maintain the country as a Hindu rashtra. “The country need not be converted into a Hindu Rashtra legally. Govindan’s outburst against RSS stems from his fear,’’ he said.