Dara Shikoh, Sangh's icon for Muslim outreach

By Pragya Kaushika
New Delhi [India], Sept 10 (ANI): The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is set to embark on a nation-wide ideological movement to bring harmony among Muslim and Hindu communities through shared historical and cultural heritage.
In an ideological outreach programme being initiated for the first time, Sangh has chosen Dara Shikoh, a liberal face of Mughal dynasty in India and a promoter of inter-faith dialogues to reach out to the Muslim community.
Finding common spiritual grounds between Hindus and Muslims, the RSS is counting on liberal historical Muslim icons like Dara Shikoh to promulgate the confluence of common knowledge, tradition, and heritage.
The Sangh has decided to bring the two religious communities closer by discussing and bringing forth the contribution of eminent historical figure Dara Shikoh. The Mughal Prince would be presented as the real forebearer of the common heritage of the two communities.
First among these events to connect the two communities would take place on September 11 at Constitution club of India which will be addressed by RSS Sah Sarkaryawah Krishna Gopal.
Also scheduled to speak on the issue are cabinet minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, JNU professor Syed Ainul Hasan and Advocate and ideologue Ehtesham Abidi.
The importance of the dialogue process can be gauged from the fact that RSS has deployed its top leadership to participate and discuss with participants. A series of events like these are scheduled to take place across the country to reach out and find common ideological ground among the communities.
"The events would try to elicit that if people like Dara Shukoh were in power instead of Aurangzeb the history of India would have been different. This would also ensure the RSS's long-pending view that we should acknowledge our common shared heritage," said a senior functionary associated with the event. This also complements Modi government's Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas and Sabka Vishwas' slogan.
The event would also ensure that the Muslim historical figures who promoted interfaith existence and dialogue are brought to the forefront in history, sources said (ANI)