- Yoga guru Ramdev defended his "Hindu Rashtra" comments, citing shared ancestry among Indians
- Ramdev emphasized unity and said no one should take his comment as a threat
- He agreed the Constitution guarantees equal rights and religious freedom
Yoga guru Ramdev's comments on "Hindu nation" have sparked a political debate. Some Muslim leaders, including Congress leader Salman Khurshid and Samajwadi Party leader Fakhrul Hasan Chand, have criticised the comments. The imam of Lucknow has said "Muslims are not afraid".
Now, in an interview with NDTV, he defended the comments and pushed back against critics. He pointed out there was nothing wrong in what he said.
"We are all children of the same ancestors. If you just say this much, nobody gets offended. I simply stated that we are all children of the same ancestors. We should be grateful to our ancestors, and our pure character should reflect theirs. What was wrong with this?" Ramdev told NDTV.
"The next thing I said is that no one needs to fear in the name of a Hindu nation. Since all our ancestors are one, our DNA is one. Now even Afghanistan, Pakistan and Indonesia are saying that they have Indian DNA inside them. So what is wrong with this? As for talking about unity - those who speak of hatred for political polarization, who want to polarize on religious grounds, those religious and political figures must have had problems with it.
"But the reality of this country is that all our ancestors are one... Everyone must come forward together with effort and hard work to make India great. Only then will the hatred that has been spread on religious grounds in the name of various castes, classes and communities end. Then this country will move forward. We are all the 1.45 billion people of India," Ramdev said.
Earlier, Ramdev had said no one needs to fear the concept of a Hindu nation, adding Muslims and Christians in India are not in danger. "We have the same ancestors," he said.
"We have Deoband near Haridwar. I was invited there in 2009, and I told them that our religions may be different but our ancestors are the same. No one needs to be afraid of the concept of a Hindu nation. All of our ancestors were Sanatani Hindus. Some people ask where will Muslims go if a Hindu nation is formed? Just follow the traditions of your ancestors. You may or may not keep a beard, you may wear any clothes but behave like your ancestors."
Khurshid, a former Union minister, said the Congress's thinking is based on the Constitution. He asked if everyone was a Sanatani or had the same ancestors, then why was there an attempt to create divisions in society. India's path is determined by the Constitution, which protects the rights of every religion and every citizen, he said.
"So any debate should be based on the Constitution, not outside of it," Khurshid said.
Fakhrul Hasan Chand said Ramdev should not divert the public's attention from important issues of the country. "BJP has brought forward such people who will discuss Hindu Rashtra. The country will not deviate from its issues," the Samajwadi Party leader said.
The Constitution does not declare the country a nation of any one religion. It grants equal rights to all citizens and guarantees freedom of religion. This is why, whenever the concept of a Hindu nation is discussed, the Constitution and its fundamental spirit are often mentioned.
Ramdev agreed the Constitution is supreme. "The unity, integrity and sovereignty of the nation are supreme. In this country, our ancestors and their character are supreme, and we are the united children of those ancestors. This idea of unity is the idea of the Constitution; it is supreme. There is absolutely nothing wrong with it. What is wrong with this? Nothing is wrong. The only wrong thing is that some religious extremists and some political people want to create hatred and enmity on religious grounds, in the name of caste, class and communities. They are the ones who get offended," he said.
Shia cleric Saif Abbas said claims that say "Hindus are in danger" are an attempt to divert attention from real issues. He cited recent controversies surrounding the theft of offerings from the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
The concept of a "Hindu nation" has long been a subject of political and ideological debates. One side sees it as linked to India's cultural identity, while the other argues that India's democratic and constitutional framework, which provides equal access to all religions, is its greatest strength. So, whenever a major statement is made on this issue, political parties, religious leaders and social organisations express their opinions.
Following Ramdev's comments, prominent leaders in the Muslim community in Lucknow expressed unity over the developments. Some also noted growing concern in the community over what they alleged were recent government actions.
Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahali, the imam of the Lucknow eidgah, dismissed any fear-mongering among the minority community and strongly condemned religious polarisation. He appealed to public figures to exercise restraint.
"... We have always opposed discrimination on the basis of religion, and if we want to improve the condition of our country, everyone should follow their religion, respect others and avoid making such religious statements."
