In a remark that could court a controversy ahead of politically crucial Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Wednesday asserted that all the people who live in Hindustan and who have respect for its traditions are Hindus.
He added that although Muslims have a different way of performing prayers, they are Hindus by nationality.
"Whoever lives in Hindustan and has respect for its traditions, are all Hindus. Muslims may have different way of performing prayers, but their nationality is Hindu. All Hindus are accountable for Hindustan," Bhagwat said while addressing 'Hindu Sammelan' here.
"Everyone born in the country is a Hindu -- of these some are idol-worshipers and some are not. Even Muslims are Hindus by nationality, they are Muslims by faith only," he said.
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh leader is on an eight-day visit to Madhya Pradesh.
"Across the world Indian society is known as Hindu. All Bharatiya (Indians) are Hindus and we all are one entity," he said.
"Just as the English live in England, Americans in America and Germans in Germany, Hindus live in Hindustan," he added.
"It is no surprise if members of Rashtriya Muslim Manch do an 'aarti' of Bharat Mata because they are Hindus... They may have become Muslims by faith but they are Hindus by nationality," he added.
Hindus should remain alert for the honour of the country, Bhagwat said adding, "Across the globe it has been said that Bharat will become the world guru. In such a situation we are accountable for the country. It is necessary for Hindus to remain united and bury their differences."
He also called upon people to rise above caste, religion and language.
"Our caste, sub-caste, rituals and language may be different, but the language of our hearts is one. Diversity in life is beautiful, but it should also have unity," he said.
Urging people to take pledge to remain united, the RSS chief also asked them to conserve nature and perform such acts that will enhance the pride of the nation.
Stressing on social harmony, he said that if the differences among Hindus persist, then society will suffer, instead of becoming strong. "The outside world is uniting, but it is not happening here in the country," Bhagwat remarked.
He called upon people to embrace all sections saying that it enhances the beauty of the society.
Earlier in the day, Bhagwat visited Betul district jail and paid tributes to Sangh's ideologue late Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar alias 'Guruji'.
He visited barrack no. 1 of the district jail where Golwalkar was detained for about three months in 1949, after the organisation was banned following Mahatma Gandhi's assassination.
However, the state Congress objected to Bhagwat's visit while terming it as violation of jail manual and an effort to glorify the member of the then banned organisation.
Earlier, Bhagwat along with other Sangh functionaries and BJP leaders visited barrack no.1 of the district jail in Betul, located about 180 kms from Bhopal, at around 11 AM.
The RSS chief was in the barrack for about 20 minutes and paid tributes to Golwalkar. A portrait of Golwalkar with a garland on it was put up in the barrack. Pictures of some Hindu deities were also there along with Golwalkar's portrait.
A lamp was also lighted in front of the portrait. A shloka 'Rashtraya swaha, Rashtraya idam na mam' (I offer everything of mine to this nation. Now everything is the nation's, not mine) was also written above the portrait.
The Congress, however, was agitated over Bhagwat's jail visit.
"BJP is trying to glorify Golwalkar, who was detained as a member of a banned organisation then. This is also a violation of jail manual. Only the family members, friends of a prisoner can visit the jail premises with prior permission of jail management," Congress spokesman K K Mishra said.
"The state government should clarify in what capacity Bhagwat visited the jail," Mishra said.
On the other hand, a BJP leader said that MLA Hemant Khandelwal had sought permission from jail authorities.
"Khandelwal had sought the permission for 14 people to visit barrack number one. The jail authorities, however, had accorded permission for seven persons," a local BJP leader said.
