Muslim notables who met RSS chief agree not to use Kafir, cow slaughter ban, raise concerns on labelling 'Pakistani', 'Jihadi'

New Delhi: Former Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi, one among the five Muslim influencers who met the RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat last month, said that the Muslim community has no problem with the beef ban and will stop the use of the word 'Kafir' if it does hurt the Hindu community.

Quraishi, talking to the NDTV, termed the meeting with Bhagawat as 'positive' and constructive'. He said the RSS chief is unhappy with the current atmosphere of disharmony in the country and promised his organisation would not back any demand being made on other mosques in reference to the Gyanvapi case.

However, the five men, who met the RSS chief in their personal capacity, are not, nor claimed to be, representing any community organisation, and many organisations representing the Muslim community are known to hold different views on issues the RSS has raked up during the said meetings.

The meeting was reportedly held against the backdrop of the RSS chief's statement against the claims being made by some Hindu groups over mosques across the country. He questioned the need for looking a Shivling under every mosque.

The dialogue that was said to have lasted for about 75 minutes discussed several issues pertained to the communal atmosphere of the country, where both sides had shared their concerns, Quraishi was heard saying on NDTV.

Among a few concerns shared in the meeting, two issues were particular concerns for Bhagawat, said Quraishi that was cow slaughter and the use of the word 'kafir'.

Quraishi said the leaders told the RSS chief that if a nationwide ban on cow slaughter was in place, it is unlikely that the issue would arise, stating Muslims are law-abiding.

For the second concern, he said, the group explained the use of the word among the Muslim community. Though the word 'Kafir' is neutral, the community has no issue in stopping the use of the word when it is being used as an abusive word.

Quraishi also said the RSS chief had also taken Muslims' concerns of being called Jehadi and Pakistani in good spirit and said those who rake up this are suspicious of Muslims' loyalty.

Besides him, it was attended by Delhi's former Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung, former Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University Lieutenant General Zameer Uddin Shah, former MP Shahid Siddiqui and businessman Saeed Shervani.

Responding to the meeting of a five-member Muslim group with the RSS chief, Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi, the chief of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), said the Muslim elites may be knowledgeable but do not have the knowledge of ground reality. While they have their democratic right to meet the RSS chief, they have no right to question those like him, said Owaisi.