logo
Muslim clerics, Mohan Bhagwat agree on interfaith dialogue at meet

Muslim clerics, Mohan Bhagwat agree on interfaith dialogue at meet

Indian Express24-07-2025
Amid growing discontent among Muslims against the NDA government over Waqf Amendment Act and other issues, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat and other senior functionaries of the organisation met prominent Muslim clerics and scholars in New Delhi on Thursday. In the meeting, a host of 'national issues' were discussed and the two sides stressed upon the need to start a series of dialogue between representatives of Hindu and Muslim communities to clear the 'misunderstandings'.
The All India Imam Organisation (AIIO) had organised the meeting titled — 'Samvaad' — at Haryana Bhawan. Along with Bhagwat, senior functionaries, including Krishna Gopal, Ramlal and Indresh Kumar, were present in the meeting.
AIIO chief Imam Umer Ahmed Ilyasi said the meeting lasted for about three-and-a-half hours and was attended by 60 prominent imams, muftis and representatives of prominent Islamic seminaries like Deoband and Nadwa.
The RSS described the discussion in the meeting as 'positive' and said it was part of a continuous process of holding an extensive dialogue with all the sections of society. 'The main objective is to explore how everyone can work together in the interest of the country. Today's discussion was also positive,' said Sunil Ambekar, the head of the national publicity and media department of the RSS.
'A detailed discussion on national issues took place at the meeting. It was decided that there should be a dialogue between mandirs and masjids, imams and pujaris, gurukuls and madrasas so that misconceptions and confusions about each other are removed and a positive atmosphere of harmony and brotherhood is developed,' Ilyasi told The Indian Express.
He said it was discussed that everyone from across the castes, faiths and religions should have the sentiment of 'rashtra sarvopari' (nation is supreme) and contribute in nation building.
Possible roles and responsibilities of imams and muftis in taking the nation forward were also discussed in the meeting, he said.
Asked about the RSS chief's view on the decision, he said Bhagwat appreciated the idea of continuous dialogue to clear the misunderstandings and misconceptions.
'A consensus was reached to take this forward… Similar meetings will be held in different parts of the country. The schedule will be decided soon,' Ilyasi said. When asked about the 'national issues' discussed in the meeting, Ilyasi refused to share details.
When asked if any 'concern' was expressed by the clerics on the contentious issues like new Waqf Act and survey of mosques, Ilyasi said, 'It was not a meeting about concerns but for building trust and a good atmosphere.'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

In outreach to youth, women, Nitish plays domicile card in jobs before polls
In outreach to youth, women, Nitish plays domicile card in jobs before polls

Indian Express

time12 minutes ago

  • Indian Express

In outreach to youth, women, Nitish plays domicile card in jobs before polls

Barely a few months before the Bihar Assembly elections, the Nitish Kumar-led NDA Cabinet on Tuesday cleared the implementation of a domicile policy in mass recruitment of teachers under the Teachers Recruitment Examination (TRE), providing over 85% reservation for it for natives of the state, which will start with the TRE-4 to be held later this year for 1.10 lakh jobs. On July 8, the NDA government had earmarked the existing 35% women reservation in government jobs for native Bihar women. This quota, in force since 2016, had earlier been open to women from other states as well. The government's Tuesday move came a day after Chief Minister Nitish Kumar directed the state education department to amend the rules to prioritise Biharis in the teachers' appointment. In a social media post Monday, Nitish, who is also the JD(U) chief, said: 'We have been constantly working to improve the education system of the state ever since our government was formed in November 2005. Teachers have been appointed in large numbers in order to strengthen the education system….The education department has been directed to amend the relevant rules to give priority to the people of Bihar in the teachers' appointment.' The NDA government's decision, coming on the eve of the Assembly polls, assumes significance as it is aimed at wooing the vast constituencies of youth and women across the state. Even though the Nitish government had first announced a domicile policy in 2020, it was not implemented in any recruitment examinations. The government later reversed its decision, which led to protests in subsequent years by various student associations. The TRE-4 would thus mark first time when native Bihar candidates, including 35% women, would avail benefits of a domicile policy. On the Cabinet's decision, Bihar additional chief secretary S Siddharth told reporters, 'Bihar Cabinet gave its nod to 'Bihar State School Teacher (Appointment, Transfer, Disciplinary Action & Service Conditions) (Amendment) Rules 2025' under which people hailing from Bihar alone will be eligible for appointment as school teachers in the state'. As per these amended rules, students who have passed matriculation (Class 10) and intermediate (Class 12) from Bihar will get priority in the appointment of education department's jobs, both in teaching and non-teaching ones, said Siddharth, adding that the move would enable natives of Bihar to avail of over 85% job quota. This would leave candidates from other states to appear for examination for only 15% of these jobs. About 60,000 teachers hailing from outside Bihar had been appointed through three TREs conducted over the last five years. Jobs have emerged as one of the key issues in the run-up to the Bihar polls, with a large section of youths and students holding protests over the last several months to press for a domicile policy for recruitment in government jobs. RJD leader and Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Tejashwi Yadav and Jan Suraaj Party chief Prashant Kishor have been among the Bihar leaders who have called for a state domicile policy. Tejashwi has even promised 100% reservation across all jobs if the RJD-led Opposition Mahagathbandhan comes to power in the upcoming polls. In his reaction to Nitish's move, he accused the NDA government of 'copying' the Opposition's agenda. Union minister and LJP(RV) chief Chirag Paswan, an NDA ally, has also favoured a domicile policy to give priority to Bihar youths in government jobs. Dilip Kumar, a student leader who led several protests over non-implementation of a domicile policy, said: 'It is a victory of all Bihar students. We always believed in son-of-soil principle. When other states had not opened avenues for us, our government has now done the right thing by rolling out a domicile policy.' Over the last couple of months, the Nitish government has taken various populist measures, which include the hiking of social security pension from Rs 400 to Rs 1,100 per month and the allotment of 125 unit free electricity to all domestic consumers in the state, numbering 1.67 crore families. More sops The Nitish Cabinet Tuesday also raised the honorarium of midday meal scheme cooks from Rs 1,650 to Rs 3,300 per month, benefitting 2,18,622 cooks. The honorarium of 6,000 night watchmen working in secondary and higher secondary schools has been doubled from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000. The honorarium of 2,350 physical education and health instructors has been increased from Rs 8,000 to Rs 16,000. The Cabinet also increased the monthly incentives of the ASHA and community health workers from Rs 1,000 to Rs 3,000. Santosh Singh is a Senior Assistant Editor with The Indian Express since June 2008. He covers Bihar with main focus on politics, society and governance. Investigative and explanatory stories are also his forte. Singh has 25 years of experience in print journalism covering Bihar, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka. ... Read More

Rising communal tensions, internal divisions & economic boycotts spark fear across Maha villages
Rising communal tensions, internal divisions & economic boycotts spark fear across Maha villages

Hindustan Times

time42 minutes ago

  • Hindustan Times

Rising communal tensions, internal divisions & economic boycotts spark fear across Maha villages

PUNE: Even as the dust settles on the violence that rocked Yavat in Daund tehsil of Pune district a week ago following a derogatory social media post and desecration of a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on July 26, the fissures caused by rising communal tensions and divisions within the Muslim community not to mention the economic fallout of the same are becoming increasingly apparent. The Yavat Gram Panchayat has only added fuel to the fire by passing a resolution calling for a survey to identify 'outsiders' settled in the town (HT) Yavat – a town with a population of around 20,000 on the Pune-Solapur highway – has for long been a melting pot with migrants from Marathwada and other states settling there over the years, many of them Muslims. In the aftermath of the violence however, there is now a rift within the Muslim community. A lifelong resident of Yavat on condition of anonymity said, 'We've lived together for generations. But now, everyone is looking over their shoulder. The word 'outsider' is being bandied around even among our own people.' Faiyaz Tamboli, a local property dealer, echoed similar sentiments. 'A day prior to the violence, I had tea with friends from all communities. The next day, houses were attacked. Nothing feels the same anymore,' he said. The Yavat Gram Panchayat has only added fuel to the fire by passing a resolution calling for a survey to identify 'outsiders' settled in the town, especially in areas such as Indira Nagar and Sahakar Nagar that are home to many migrant Muslims. Sarpanch Sammer Durge even claimed that the man accused of desecrating the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was an outsider and that such elements must be identified to maintain peace. A local social worker said, 'What's dangerous is that now, even Muslim communities are being internally divided. The word 'outsider' is being used to dehumanise, isolate, and eventually expel'. Earlier in May, a similar incident occurred in Mulshi tehsil in which the desecration of the idol at Nageshwar temple in Paud involving a minor and his father, both from the Muslim community, sparked the emergence of banners in villages such as Paud, Urawade and Ghotawade banning entry to 'non-local Muslims'. The police eventually removed these signboards and arrested those responsible but the damage lingered. Many Muslim-owned bakeries, shops, and scrap businesses were forced to shut down amid threats and calls for boycott. Najmuddin Khan, whose bakery had served Paud for over two decades, said, 'I've never experienced anything like this. Even during the worst of times, we lived together. This time, people stopped talking to us. They stopped buying from us. I had to shut down.' Another resident who did not wish to be named said that the small scrap shop he had been running for 10 years was burned down in the days after the desecration. 'No one came forward to help. Not even the landlord. I had to leave. I went back to my native village in Uttar Pradesh,' he said. Civil rights groups such as the People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) and Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) documented how (Muslim) families who had lived and worked in Paud, Pirangut, Kolvan, and Sutarwadi for decades were suddenly labelled as 'outsiders' and driven out. The fear, residents said, was not just of violence, but of being isolated and pushed into poverty and invisibility. According to the PUCL's June 30 (2025) petition, nearly 40 families fled Paud and its neighbouring areas. The report stated that in addition to economic isolation, the atmosphere had become emotionally and psychologically hostile for minorities, especially amid calls from politicians, one such being Maharashtra minister for fisheries and port development, Nitesh Rane. Rane in March launched the 'Malhar Certification', a private initiative for Hindu meat traders, which he claimed would identify '100% Hindu-run mutton shops' and ensure 'no adulteration'. The certification, he said, would help customers avoid Halal meat and favour meat prepared through Jhatka methods by Hindu butchers. 'Only Hindus will be involved in Jhatka production. There will be no ritualistic slaughter,' Rane said, indicating an economic boycott of Muslims. General secretary of PUCL, Milind Champanerkar, observed, 'This isn't just about local vendettas. There's a larger ideological push that's creating deep polarisation.' He added that these boycott campaigns are not spontaneous but part of a deliberate strategy to isolate Muslims from economic and social life. 'Unless these actions are nipped in the bud, they'll become normalised. The administration has to draw a red line,' he said. When contacted, Pune district collector Jitendra Dudi told Hindustan Times that he had received the PUCL's letter and was re-evaluating the situation. 'According to feedback from Pune rural and Pimpri-Chinchwad police, the boycott was reportedly withdrawn two months ago. Still, I've asked for fresh reports. If unconstitutional activities are continuing, disciplinary action will follow.' Whereas superintendent of police Sandeep Singh Gill said that the signboards with hate messages that had emerged in villages including Paud had been taken down. 'The situation is now normal,' he said. However, for many affected families, normalcy is still far away. Elsewhere in Guha village of Rahuri, Ahilyanagar, another dispute—over the identity of a 500-year-old dargah—similarly led to Muslim shopkeepers being asked to vacate their premises. While members of local religious trusts denied perpetrating any such organised campaign, residents said that the message is clear: Muslims, especially those not rooted in the village for generations, are being viewed with suspicion. From Yavat to Paud to Rahuri, the thread connecting these incidents is not just communal polarisation but also the stigmatisation of 'outsiders' and the shrinking space for coexistence. Earlier this year in February, a gram sabha in Madhi village of Ahilyanagar district (formerly Ahmednagar) passed a resolution barring Muslim traders from participating in the annual Kanifnath Maharaj Yatra. The move was justified by some villagers as an attempt to preserve 'traditions' though critics labelled it as an unconstitutional act of exclusion. Despite the outcry, the decision was allowed to stand. A similar pattern emerged in June when the Shri Shaneshwar Devasthan Trust in Shani Shingnapur dismissed 167 employees, including 114 Muslims, citing issues like absenteeism and underperformance. The move came shortly after Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA Sangram Jagtap threatened to launch a protest over the hiring of Muslim staff at the shrine. While the trust denied any communal motivation, activists and locals saw it as another sign of increasing religious discrimination being brushed off as administrative routine. PUCL vice-president Anwar Rajan summarised the concern as, 'Communal rhetoric is no longer confined to speeches. It's influencing village decisions, reshaping local economies, and redefining who belongs and who doesn't. If not countered urgently, these patterns could become permanent'.

NDA passes resolution praising PM for Op Sindoor
NDA passes resolution praising PM for Op Sindoor

Hans India

time42 minutes ago

  • Hans India

NDA passes resolution praising PM for Op Sindoor

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi was felicitated by the NDA Parliamentary Party on Tuesday for his government's firm response to the Pahalgam terror attack under Operation Sindoor. In his speech, Modi noted that August 5 was a historic day as Article 370, which gave special rights to the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir, was abrogated on this day. The NDA government has followed the Constitution in its true spirit, he added. The Prime Minister also praised Home Minister Amit Shah and noted that he has become the longest-serving incumbent in the Ministry, sources said. In a swipe at the Opposition, he said it must be wondering if it erred by seeking a debate on Operation Sindoor. A resolution was passed praising Modi's leadership and the armed forces' "unmatched courage and unwavering commitment" during Operation Sindoor and Operation Mahadev. Three senior Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commanders were killed in a July 28 encounter code-named 'Operation Mahadev' on the outskirts of Srinagar. The MPs of the BJP-led ruling alliance met here in their only second such meeting during Parliament's sessions since the government was formed in June 2024. Amid chants of 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai', senior leaders of the BJP and its allies joined in felicitating Modi. The government has asserted that it military attack on terror sites in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir and Pakistan following the Pahalgam attack on April 22 brought the neighbouring country to its knees.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store