Muslim Rashtriya Manch launches 'connect with roots' drive at Rajghat
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
The Muslim Rashtriya Manch (MRM), affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), on Sunday, 9 August launched its 'Aao Jadon Se Judein' (Connect with Roots) campaign at Rajghat, the memorial dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi in New Delhi. The initiative carries the theme 'different faiths, one homeland, one Indian identity' and aims to promote brotherhood and shared cultural heritage across communities.
What the Campaign Stands For
Indresh Kumar, senior member of the RSS national executive and chief patron of the Muslim Rashtriya Manch, led the launch event at Gandhi Smriti Darshan in Rajghat. He described the campaign's overarching goal as building a 'hate-free India' by encouraging every citizen to reconnect with their ancestry, genealogy, and cultural roots.
'The methods of worship, religious beliefs and traditions of people living in India may be different, but their motherland, national identity and shared heritage connect them with one another,' an official statement from the organisation said, outlining the conference's core message.
Key Messages from the Conference
Addressing participants drawn from social, academic, and religious backgrounds, Kumar stressed that political debate alone cannot resolve communal tension. He argued that direct dialogue between communities and the strengthening of social relationships are equally essential.
'We were Hindustanis and we are Hindustanis. The test of this journey has to be faced by us every day, 24 hours a day,' Kumar said. He underscored that Indianness must be reflected in conduct and responsibility, not merely spoken about.
He also clarified that knowing one's roots does not mean denigrating another religion or community. 'It is a process of understanding one's own identity and respecting one's heritage,' he said, explicitly ruling out any link to religious conversion.
Scope and Next Steps
The Muslim Rashtriya Manch is expected to roll out a wider social campaign over the coming days to address what organisers describe as 'growing social distance, mutual distrust and incidents of hatred.' A large number of participants at the conference resolved to strengthen the idea of India and promote harmony across society.
Kumar also called for greater public participation in the 'Har Ghar Tiranga' and 'Ghar-Ghar Tiranga' campaigns, observed from 1 to 15 August, stating that the Tricolour represents the shared identity of the entire nation and does not belong to any single political party or community.
Broader Context
The MRM's campaign comes at a time of heightened debate over communal relations in India. Notably, the choice of Rajghat — a site synonymous with Gandhi's legacy of non-violence and pluralism — as the launch venue carries deliberate symbolic weight. This is among the more prominent public mobilisations by an RSS-affiliated body specifically targeting Muslim community outreach on the theme of national identity. Whether the campaign gains traction beyond conference halls will depend on grassroots engagement in the days ahead.