RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday met the head of All India Imam Organisation, Umer Ahmed Ilyasi, triggering speculations in the political circle. Ilyasi later called Bhagwat rashtra pita (father of the nation).’
According to news agency PTI, Ilyasi said, “We all believe nation comes first.
“Our DNA is same, only our method of worshipping god is different.”
Suhaib Ilyasi, the Muslim cleric’s son, said that the meeting would send ‘a very good message to the country.’
“We had discussions like a family. It was wonderful that they came on our invitation,” he added.
This comes after days after Bhagwat met five Muslims namely former Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung, former Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University Lieutenant General Zameer Uddin Shah, former MP Shahid Siddiqui and businessman Saeed Shervani.
Bhagwat’s meetings with Muslim leaders have taken place in the midst of the Supreme Court hearing on the hijab ban by the BJP government in Karnataka. The BJP has also had to face criticism after one of its spokespersons, Nupur Sharma, made objectionable remarks about Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) during a TV debate on Times Now.