Mumbai: Senior RSS leader Indresh Kumar said protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) at Jamia Millia Islamia sent a wrong message to the world.
In an hour-long speech filled with Quranic phrases, Kumar said the holy book talks about “accepting all and loving all” and that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “sabka saath, sabka vikas” (sabka saath, sabka vikas).
Addressing a seminar on the book titled ‘Modi@20 Dreams Meet Delivery’ at Jamia, he said, “The protests send a message to the world that we are not bothered about prosecuting minorities.”
“Persecuted minorities from 26 countries live in India. But when we thought of giving refuge to minorities from a nation that was a part of our country in the past you should have had the humility to accept them,” Kumar added.
The RSS leader said that PM Modi wants to bring everyone into the mainstream and his government’s schemes are for the welfare of ‘Hindustani’ and not for any particular community, caste or religion.
He said, “Religion does not unite us, our nation does. Our identity is our nationality. We are Indians. And the Quran also says that nation comes before religion.”
As soon as Kumar addressed the programme, some students protested at gate number 7 of the university and called him “disgusting”.
The RSS leader said that his friends had warned him not to go to Jamia.
“But I told them that I love those who hate me and abuse me. So, I’ll definitely go,” he said, adding that some people hated him because they had never met or understood him.
Protesting students were seen holding placards that read: ‘Let us Explain on what parameter Indresh is honoured in Jamia’ and ‘Stop Inviting Hatemonger in Jamia’.
Several student groups, including the Fraternity Movement, Students Islamic Organisation of India, All India Students Association, All India Revolutionary Students Organisation, Campus Front of India and the Dayar-e-Shauq Student Charter, joined the protest.
Follow us on Twitter, Google News and Instagram, and like us on Facebook for the latest updates and exciting stories.
