AHMEDABAD: In a first, the city is going to host a community gathering where both

and Muslim Rajputs will congregate under the banner of Samast

Rajput Samaj (All Gujarat Rajput Community). The aim of the event, which will be held on September 15 at Sabarmati Riverfront near

, is ostensibly to promote unity and serve the nation. The organizers have already obtained police permission for the event.

Vikramsinh Maharaul, member of the executive committee of the consortium, said that they have been holding such programmes to bring Hindu and Muslim Rajputs together for 15 years.

“Such events revive cultural values in Muslim Rajputs whose forefathers were converted by force and allurement 500 years ago ,” said Maharaul, a resident of Miyagam in Vadodara. “Later, we as an organization gave a pace to this kind of meetings where Molesalams (a Rajput community who follow Islam) participate in great numbers.”

On the need for such events, Maharaul claimed, “We want Rajputs from both religions to adhere to their culture. Muslim Rajputs follow different way of worshipping, but many of them still follow the culture of Rajputs in marriage and other occasions.”

Satyam Rao, who claimed to be associated with the RSS in Vadodara and involved in organizing such events, said that this is the 10th such event and first in Ahmedabad city. When asked about the role of RSS in the event, Rao said, “This is not about the RSS only, community leaders from both the religions have been holding it. RSS just wanted to bring unity in the country so that India can gain its lost place in the world.”

He said that RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had in 2013 participated in one such even held in Vadodara, and this time joint secretary of the Sangh, Krishna Gopalan will attend the event. Gopalan is the same Sangh leader who had last month blamed Islam for untouchability.

A Muslim Rajput member, Rafiq Pawar said, “The event is held to bring the community members together without discriminating on the basis of religion. The event will also help in curbing communal riots by instilling confidence in members of both religions.”