Muslims who migrated to Pakistan don't get respect there: Mohan Bhagwat

Hindus and Muslims share the same ancestors and if this thought process had persisted at the time of the freedom movement, India's partition could have been stopped, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said on Tuesday.

He said the Muslims who migrated to Pakistan don't enjoy much respect and prestige there while those who stayed here belong to India irrespective of how they worship.

Bhagwat also called for a harmonious society.

India's age old culture of Hindutva and Sanatan Dharma is liberal, Bhagwat said, adding, "We inherited this culture and nobody can be differentiated due to their way of worshipping. Our (Hindus’ and Muslims’) ancestors are one. If this thought process had persisted at the time of the freedom movement, there would have been a way to stop Partition."

Bhagwat made these remarks at the launch of a book on Hindutva icon VD Savarkar. He said Savarkar was a nationalist and visionary.

Bhagwat said Savarkar's Hindutva was all about a united India where no one is differentiated on the basis of their religion, caste and status and it was based on the idea of country first.

"Several people talked about Hindutva and unity in the Indian society, it was just that Savarkar spoke about it loudly and now, after so many years, it is being felt that had everyone spoken loudly, no division (of the country) would have happened," he added.