"Those who think Islam will not remain are not guided by Hindu thought": RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat

"From the day Islam came to India, it has been here and it will remain here. I had said this earlier, too. Those who think Islam will not remain are not guided by Hindu thought. Hindu philosophy does not think this way. Only when there is trust on both sides will this conflict end. First, we must accept that we are all one," Bhagwat said here on Thursday.

Addressing a program on the third day of the centenary celebrations of RSS in Delhi, Bhagwat said 'infiltration' is a problem which needs to be stopped in the country, as the 'outsiders' are taking away jobs of muslims too.

"Infiltration must be stopped. The government is making some efforts and moving ahead gradually. Muslims living in our country are also citizens. They too need employment. If you want to provide jobs to Muslims, give them to our own citizens. Why should we give it to those who come from outside? Their own countries should take responsibility for them," the RSS chief remarked.

On religious sensitivities during festivals, Bhagwat said, "During fasts, people prefer to remain vegetarian. If during those days certain scenes are presented, sentiments could be hurt. It is only a matter of two or three days. It is sensible to avoid such practices during that time. Then there will be no need for any law."

Speaking on population, the RSS chief said every citizen of India should ideally have three children. "The population should remain controlled and sufficient. From this perspective, there should be three children -- not more than that. Everyone should accept this," he stated.

This year, on Vijayadashami, the RSS completes 100 years. To mark the centenary, the organisation is hosting a series of programs across the country.

As part of this, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat launched the centenary events with a three-day lecture series at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, on August 26. The series ended on Thursday, featuring evening discussions each day.

The main objective of these events was to present a comprehensive picture of the RSS to society. At Vigyan Bhawan, Bhagwat spoke on the theme "100 Years of RSS Journey: New Horizons". He highlighted how Swayamsevaks view themselves and address misconceptions about the organisation, while also reaching out to groups that have kept a distance from the RSS.

On the first day (August 26), the focus was on the 100-year journey of RSS. The second day explored its future vision, while the third day featured an interactive question-and-answer session with Mohan Bhagwat. (ANI)