Nagpur: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s senior ideologue M.G. Vaidya claimed that 99 per cent of Muslims in India were Hindus. Defending the ‘ghar vapsi’ initiative of the Sangh Parivar, Mr Vaidya said those who were converted were now returning to their old “home”.
In an exclusive chat with The Asian Age, Mr Vaidya strongly advocated that the secular structure of the country could be preserved only if Hindus remained a majority. Keeping this view in mind, the idea of re-conversion or ‘ghar vapsi’ was initiated in the Hindu religion in the 60s, he claimed.
“In 1964-65, all Shankaracharyas, Mahants and saints of the religion met in Udipi in Karnataka and decided to allow re-conversion. This was the first public declaration made by the leaders of the Hindu society.
Before that there was almost a social ban on conversion in the Hindu community,” Mr Vaidya said.
According to Mr Vaidya, people were originally converted from Hinduism and therefore ‘ghar vapsi’ is not conversion, but re-conversion. “Who were the Muslims in India? 99 per cent of them were Hindus. How they were converted, history knows. We are only doing their ‘ghar vapsi’,” he argued, defending mass conversions of Muslims in Agra that has kicked up a hornet’s nest across the country.
He however expressed his unhappiness over the publicity of the ‘ghar vapsi’ campaign saying that it was not necessary to advertise it, and make a show. He also opined that making a show of the campaign could not be seen as an offence.
Mr Vaidya further said that only Indian Muslims could save Islam because they believe in plurality. “Hindus believe in the plurality of religions, while Muslims do not. You can see how Shias and Ahmediyas are being targeted in Pakistan and elsewhere. Muslims have to change according to the times. However, only Indian Muslims can save Islam because they believe in plurality,” he said.
Being a former MLC and ex-editor of Tarun Bharat newspaper, Mr Vaidya was felicitated by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis in an event organised by ‘VS Page Sansdiya Prashikshan Kendra’ of the Maharashtra Legislature on the first day of the Winter Session.
The 92-year-old former spokesperson of RSS, who was in news for asking Muslims to willingly relinquish claim in favour of Hindus over the disputed land of Babri Masjid, also said that Muslims should themselves appoint a commission to find out which temples were destroyed and mosques were built on it.
