“The first question is: why is there a need to go to America to say this?” Alvi said. “If there is no issue between Hindus and Muslims within India, then what is the sudden need to go there and speak about it? This implies that a problem does exist.”
Alvi was responding to Bhagwat’s remarks at the One World, One Humanity Faith Leaders’ Conference in New York on Saturday, where the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief said a Hindu who believed Muslims should have no place in India could not remain a Hindu.
Bhagwat said Hinduism required acceptance of different paths towards the same spiritual goal and recognition of the dignity of every human being. “If any Hindu thinks that there should be no Muslim in Bharat, he will not remain Hindu,” he said, adding that there was “no difference between human beings”.
The Congress leader challenged the RSS to reconcile that message with what he described as its conduct and rhetoric at home. Alvi accused the organisation of holding an anti-Muslim position and asked whether Bhagwat was unaware of controversial statements directed at Muslims by political figures in the country. His remarks formed part of a wider opposition response questioning why the RSS chief’s emphasis on pluralism and coexistence was being articulated during an overseas visit.
Several opposition leaders separately urged Bhagwat to repeat the same message in India. Communist Party of India general secretary D Raja said that if the RSS chief was “honest and truthful”, he should make the statement on Indian soil, arguing that words delivered abroad would carry greater meaning if expressed and acted upon at home.
Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed also criticised Bhagwat, alleging a gap between his message and the conduct of organisations associated with the Sangh Parivar. Trinamool Congress MP Sagarika Ghose similarly accused him of speaking differently overseas and called for his words on inclusion to be matched by action in India.
AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi said the remarks reflected what he described as a long-standing distinction between the RSS’s public messaging to international audiences and positions associated with its ideological literature. His criticism focused on writings by past RSS thinkers and their treatment of Muslims and Christians.
The BJP rejected the broader opposition criticism and defended Bhagwat’s formulation. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said tolerance was central to Hindutva and argued that Hindu civilisation had endured because of its ability to accommodate different communities and traditions. He said the principle expressed by Bhagwat was correct and that tolerance was a fundamental part of Hindu thought.
Bhagwat’s New York address placed religious diversity within what he called an underlying unity. He said diversity should be protected rather than regarded as a source of division and argued that social engagement, dialogue and service were necessary before political change could take root. He also said religious and social organisations could influence public policy through society rather than by beginning with political institutions.
The RSS chief referred to dialogue with Muslims and Christians following his 2018 lecture series, saying continued engagement was essential even when immediate results were not visible. He said the organisation’s approach was based on the belief that communities could preserve their distinct identities while recognising a common human dignity.
Bhagwat also argued that politics had become driven by self-interest and said lasting solutions required a shift from “me and my” to “we and ours”. He maintained that social opinion could eventually shape political behaviour in a democracy.
