New Delhi: As India observes Minorities Day, today, the situation of religious minorities under the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh–backed Bharatiya Janata Party government has come under fresh scrutiny following remarks by senior RSS leader Dattatreya Hosabale, who urged Indian Muslims to perform ‘surya namaskar’ and worship rivers.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Hosabale made the remarks during an event in Sant Kabir Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, attended by lawmakers from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He claimed that performing these Hindu practices would cause “nothing wrong” to Muslims and would not prevent them from going to mosques.
The RSS leader also highlighted Hindu philosophy’s teachings and suggested that following certain Hindu rituals could be seen as a “civilisational inheritance” rather than strictly a religious obligation.
Observers said the comments reflect the RSS-BJP strategy of promoting Hindutva as the normative public culture while framing it in civilisational and environmental terms.
Analysts also noted the remarks echoed earlier proposals by Hosabale, including his June demand for a debate on removing the words “secular” and “socialist” from the Indian Constitution, which drew strong criticism from opposition parties and civil society.
Critics warned that such statements undermine secular ethos, subtly promoting assimilation under Hindu-majority symbolism while targeting minority identities, including Muslims.
