"Idea That Islam Won't Remain Is Not Hindu Thinking": Mohan Bhagwat

RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday said the Sangh does not believe in attacking anyone, including on religious grounds, and asserted that Hindu thinking does not say that Islam won't be there.

Responding to a question during the centenary celebrations of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) here, Mr Bhagwat said religion is a matter of individual choice and should not involve any allurement or force.

"Hindus are insecure due to a lack of confidence. No Hindu thinks there will be no Islam. We are one nation first... The RSS doesn't believe in attacking anyone, including on religious lines," he said.

Mr Bhagwat also asserted that roads and places should not be named after "aggressors".

"I am not saying they should not be named after Muslims, but they should not be named after aggressors," he said.

Mr Bhagwat said the RSS fully supports Constitutionally-mandated reservation policies and will support them till the time it is required.

On the caste system, the RSS chief said whatever is outdated is bound to go.

"The caste system was there once, but has no relevance today. Caste is no longer a system; it is outdated, and it has to go.

"There is a need for evaluation of an exploitation-free and egalitarian system. While the outdated system goes, it should be seen that it does not have a destructive effect on society," he said. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)