During a meeting with Muslim intellectuals on November 3, top Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) functionaries reportedly said that the Gujarat riots of 2002 were ‘shameful’ and that such incidents should not be repeated.
According to a report in Times of India, the meeting was held in Delhi at the international auditorium of Pusa agriculture institute.
The report says that the objective of this meeting was to discuss the deep-rooted misunderstandings of the Muslim community about the RSS.
"I raised the issue of the 2002 Gujarat riots during my address and said that Muslims can never forget what all happened there. Reacting to this, RSS joint general secretary Krishna Gopal Sharma categorically said that the episode was shameful and such incidents should not happen again,” Mufti Zahid, one of the participants and AMU's associate professor of theology, told TOI.
Mufti Zahid further said that several other issues like triple talaq, uniform civil code, unemployment among minorities and education, were also discussed at the meeting where RSS joint general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale and national executive member Indresh Kumar were also present.
"The RSS leaders assured us that there will be no discrimination against the community. They also added that a Gujarat-like incident won't ever happen again, “Former AMU dean (law faculty) Mohammad Shabbir, who also attended the meeting, was quoted as saying by TOI.
RSS ideologue Indresh confirmed the meeting and said that many contentious issues were discussed between the two sides.
"Many other things were discussed in the meeting that lasted for over five hours. It was a meaningful discussion on various points. Many contentious issues were taken up during the meeting," Indesh Kumar told TOI.
